Artic: deep,blue sea

Jayanti Ghose / TNN / Jul 27, 2005, 15:38 IST

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Merchant navy officers are employed on many types of vessels - such as cargo container ships and oil, gas and chemical tankers - that make up the shipping industry.

Merchant navy officers are employed on many types of vessels - such as cargo container ships and oil, gas and chemical tankers - that make up the shipping industry.
Merchant navy officers are employed either as deck officers, overseeing the management of the ship, or as engineering officers who are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the ship��s mechanical and electrical equipment.
Areas of work
A deck/navigation officer��s activities typically include working with a range of satellite and radar equipment to navigate the ship, checking weather reports, dealing with paperwork, managing ship communication systems, and coordinating the safe loading, storage and unloading of cargo.

An engineering officer��s activities include operating and maintaining the mechanical and electrical equipment on board the ship, managing power, fuelling and distribution systems, repairing and upgrading systems and equipment, etc. The level of activities would depend upon an officer��s rank.
Job demands
Those who wish to join the merchant navy should have a strong interest in travelling and travelling at sea. Due to the close working and living conditions of life on board a ship, the ability to work well within a team is an important quality. Work is usually undertaken in shifts. Long periods of time are spent away at sea which can have a major impact on lifestyle and family life.You have to be physically and mentally fit to join this profession.

Education & training
The starting point for training in navigation or marine engineering can be completion of plus two/ equivalent examination with physics, chemistry, mathematics and English. Those above 60 per vent in plus two with PCM can apply.You may need to clear a written entrance examination that assesses competency in these subjects.
Marine engineering is a four-year degree programme while nautical science is a three-year Bachelor of science programme. Minimum physical standards are clearly defined in the admission notifications and brochures.
Normal vision of 6/6 for each eye is essential for admission to B Sc Nautical/ Maritime Sciences. Candidates for marine engineering are allowed glasses upto plus or minus 2.5. Defective colour vision is a disqualification for all the merchant navy courses.
One-year pre-sea training courses for marine engineering are for graduate , mechanical engineers/ naval architects below 24/25 years.
The directorate general of shipping (DGS) , Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, deals with all executive matters relating to merchant shipping. DGS deals with matters concerning maritime administration, maritime education and training, development of shipping industry and other related subjects.
Pre-sea rating and pre-sea saloon rating courses are open to students who have passed class X with English, science and maths as subjects. Age: 17 to 21 years. Eyesight should be 6/6 in each eye and normal colour vision for Pre-sea ratings, 6/12 for saloon ratings.
Pre-sea training course of six months duration (for general purpose rating) qualifies candidates to serve as a rating on board merchant navy Indian and foreign ships.
Career prospects
Merchant navy professionals trained in India find placements in various shipping companies, both national and international.
They could be earning more than Rs 30,000 at the beginning of their careers. A marine engineer progresses along his or her career path by periodically undergoing examinations conducted by the directorate general of shipping, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India. Merchant navy officers may remain at sea for their entire careers, but they could also take up on-shore jobs in ship surveying, ports management, maritime law and lecturing/teaching.
Prominent institutions
Marine Engineering & Research Institute, Kolkata (www.merical.ac.in)
Tolani Maritime Institute(TMI), Pune (www.tolani.edu)
RL Institute of Nautical Sciences, Madurai (www.rlinstitutes.com)
Vels Academy of Maritime Studies (www.velsmaritime.com)
Shipping Corporation of India Ltd, Mumbai (www.shipindia.com)
Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi (www.ignou.ac.in)
Training Ship Chanakya, Karave, Nerul, Navi Mumbai-400706
Training Ship Rahaman (www.tsrahaman.org)
Pre-sea training for marine engineering and mechanical engineering graduates at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineering (GRSE) Ltd, Kolkata (www.grse.nic.in)
One-year PG diploma in maritime operation and management (distance and direct) at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (www.iitkgp.ernet.in/ pgdmom).This programme is meant for mid-level marine engineers to equip them for taking up higher techno-managerial responsibilities.
Log on to www.dgshipping.com for indicative list of recognised training institutes

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