If you are looking for a course that offers a high paying job, then you should explore the maritime industry. The courses in this industry are also highly job oriented, and you can be sure that the shipping industry will continually be growing. World trade is always on the rise, and the only cost-effective way to ship the goods is via seaways. You can’t imagine the world without a shipping industry, and it is required for getting the raw materials and finished products. In such a case, you can choose merchant navy as a career option, and you can be assured that you will be earning well.
The good thing is that you can opt for courses right after the 12th, and it is effortless to get a job after you complete the course. Your first question might be what course you can opt for to get into the merchant navy. To help you, we have listed this list of top merchant navy courses that you can pursue after the 12th. Check them out below.
Below are some of the best merchant navy courses that you can pursue after the 12th. These courses offer good exposure to you, and you will acquire the skills that you need to excel the in industry. We have shared a short description of each of these courses so that you know what to expect from the course. Check out the details now.
The first course on our list is B.E. in Marine Engineering. This is a four-year course, and it is pretty famous for the students who wish to be an officer in the merchant navy. B.Tech is an alternative to B.E., and both these courses provide you with the certificate of competency for a class 4 marine engineer officer. The ministry of shipping issues these certificates. You have to serve six months on sea service, and after that, you get to become a marine engineer on a ship. The admission to this course is provided based on the engineering entrance test, and you must score at least 60% in 12th with the non-medical stream.
You can even opt for the mechanical engineer, and you will find a job in the merchant navy. The ship is nothing but a big machine, and hence there is always a need for mechanical engineers to carry out maintenance and repair jobs. You can opt for a four-year course like a B.E. or a B.Tech and be a mechanical engineer on the ship. The admission in this course is based on the entrance test like JEE, and you will also need to have PCM as mandatory subjects in class 12th.
Some students do not wish to be on the ship, yet they would love to be a part of the merchant navy. Well, there is a course that can get you such a position. In such a case, you can opt for B.E. or a B.Tech in Naval Architecture & Offshore Engineering. A lot of roles in this field are based out on land. The total duration of the course is four years, and you need to get admission via the competitive exams. The job roles include designing the ship, manufacturing the ship, and other engineering services related to a ship. It may also involve the maintenance work of the ship when it is anchored. So, you can certainly go ahead and opt for B.E. in Naval & Architecture & Offshore Engineering if you would like to be on land.
If you are looking for a three-year course to get into Merchant Navy, you can also consider B.Sc. in Nautical Science. Many universities offer this course, and the candidates get a second mates foreign going certification. The Ministry of Shipping also issues this particular certification. It becomes mandatory for you to service 12 months at sea to become a Navigation officer. You might have already guessed that after completing B.Sc. in Nautical Science, you will be responsible for the navigation of the ship. In terms of the qualification, you need to have cleared 12th in non-medical with a minimum of 50% marks.
If you seek some real adventure, you can also opt for a course in commercial diving. Many driving schools offer this course, and it is a job that is full of excitement. After the completion, of course, you can get employment as a commercial diver on a merchant ship. The primary responsibilities of a commercial diver include cable laying, obstacle assessment, survey and even underwater welding. You may even get a chance to be a part of rescue operations.This is a very short term course, and you need two months to complete it. Apart from this, you need to have cleared 12th to get admission in the course.
The ship’s deck is one of the busiest places, and a lot of trained staff is required to manage the activities on the deck. GP Rating course is one such option that you have when you wish to be a deck crew but, you get specialized training if you join Deck Rating Course. The duration of this course is also six months, and it trains to accomplish the task on the deck. You need to be over 17 years old to complete the course, and you need to have completed your 12th as well. It is enough to have scored 40% in board examinations. Another requirement for the course is that you should have 6/6 eyesight, and you should not have colour blindness.
We have earlier talked about the B.Sc. in Nautical Science. The B.Sc. has a total duration of 3 years, but some students want to opt for shorter courses. For such students, there is a diploma in Nautical Science. The course is quite popular among the students who wish to get into the merchant navy. The total duration of the course is 18 months to 24 months, and it is followed by training at sea. The total duration of the training is 18 months, and you will be given a certificate of 2nd mate foreign going. Just like other certificates, this is also issued by the Ministry of Shipping. To get into this course, you need to have completed 12th, and you need to have scored 60% in PCM subjects. Apart from this, it is also essential to have 6/6 eyesight without any visual aid.
If you are already in Diploma Course and looking to enhance your skill, you can also opt for a Diploma in Marine Engineering. The course has a duration of two years, and it offers pre-sea training to the candidates. After the course, the ministry of shipping awards classes four marine engineering certificate to the candidates. You need to be posted on a ship for six months after the course to become a marine engineer. The good thing about the DME course is that you can enter the course if you have a Diploma in Mechanical, Naval Architecture, Electrical, Electronic or Similar branch. You need to have 50% marks on your diploma to be eligible to apply.
Many students are interested in the electrical and electronics part of the field. If you share similar interest, then you shouldn’t worry because there is a field that you can get a job in. You can complete an electro-technical officer course, and this will make you eligible for the role of an electrical officer in the ship. You will be responsible for managing the team responsible for maintaining and repairing the electronic components in the ship. ETO Course has a duration of 6 months, and you also need to complete the sea duty to get inducted. The candidates from diploma in a similar course are eligible for electro-technical officer course in merchant navy.
After the deck, the second busiest place on a ship is the engine compartment. A dedicated engine crew takes care of the engine and the maintenance jobs on the ship. If you are always fascinated by these vast engines, then Engine Rating Course is for you. The program will train you to work on the ship’s engine, and the duration of this program is six months. Apart from this, the only eligibility criteria for the Engine Rating Course is that you need to have completed 12th from a recognized board. After the course, you can be a part of the engine crew, and you are surely going to enjoy the work if you love mechanical.
If you are willing to join the merchant navy is engine crew or deck crew, you can also apply for the GP Rating Course. The full form of GP Rating is General Purpose Rating, and the total duration of this course is six months. You can find a job as a crew on the ship, which also allows you to rise once you join the ship. It is easy to find a job as a deck or engine crew. You are eligible for the GP Rating Course right after the 10th and 12th. You need to have 40% marks in the boards examination to be eligible to apply. However, You should note that you should be at least 17 years old to enrol in GP Rating Course.
One of the most challenging courses in the Merchant Navy is the NCV Course. In this course, you are taught about the near-coastal voyage. The overall duration of the course is just six months, but you still need to enrol in a 24 month offshore training to get the certification. Students love the course because of the exposure that it offers. Apart from this, you can enrol in the course soon after completing the 12th. The minimum age criteria for Near Coastal Voyage Course is 17 years and the maximum age limit to enrol in the course is 25 years. Apart from this, you should also be fit according to the rules of the merchant shipping domain.
Are you interested in catering services? Do you wish to do something different? How about working in the catering department on a ship? This sounds amazing. With the help of the Saloon Rating Course, you can get into the catering department of a merchant ship. The responsibilities in the catering department are huge, and you need to work very responsibly too. After the course, you will join the merchant navy, and with time, you can make your way to head chef on the ship. You can join this course after you have completed 12th from a recognized board. Moreover, you need to have 40% in 12th to get into Saloon Rating Course.
The last course that we will talk about is the Standards of Training & Certification of Watch Keeping course. This is the bare minimum qualification that you can get to work on a ship. There are four STCW Basic Safety Training modules, and these modules are Elementary First Aid, Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting, Personal Survival Techniques, and the last module is Personal Safety & Social Responsibility. After completing the four modules, you can work on a ship, or you can opt for advanced courses. You can get into STCW Basic Safety Training Program right after the 12th class.
Final Verdict
These are the options that you have if you wish to be in the merchant navy. Remember that choosing a good college that offers placement will mean that the half job is done. It will help you get a job in the industry, and it will also ensure that you can get a return on the investment. So, go through all the details and let us know which courses out of these interests you the most in the comments section. Also, if you have any questions about the merchant navy courses, you can reach out to us via comments, and we will respond to you.
You May Also Like: