Poor prospects in Merchant shipping as career today

for new aspirants in India

90% graduates coming out of DGS approved private maritime training Institutes have not found placement in the shipping companies  during last two years, to fulfil sea time requirements even at the entry level competency examination, stipulated by DG Shipping. 

This is a very sad state, much to the frustration and financial hardship for the trained cadets and their parents.  The matter had been taken up with the DG Shipping, through appeals to open fresh avenues by way of acquiring Govt. Owned training ships and at the same time shut down the graduate courses for an immediate future of say next two to three years. 

There have been no corrective steps from Govt. Directorate and  worry remains over the plight of waiting students for placement when more and more cadets would be churned out in the coming years. 

All training Institutes having DGS approval and conducting the BE/GME/DME and BSc marine courses/DNS/HND are only very keen to fill their approved seats, while they cannot do much more to ensure the placement of the cadets at the end of these marine courses.   

Most of the training Institutes including IMU project to the public as though there is a bright future for students with maritime related skills from India.  On the contrary, in the recent two years, subsequent to the fall in US economy and acute global economic recession, the shipping fleet have shrunk in general due to reduction of seaborne trade.  The unfortunate aspect is that many Indian managed shipping companies are compelled under severe economic cuts and have resumed to recruit cheaper crew and officers from other countries.  As such Indians do not fall favourably for secure ship board employment.  There may be some shortages in the middle management levels in the merchant navy ships in the ranks of 2^nd/chief officers and 3^rd/2^nd engineers, and hence you find a lot of ads being displayed.  However, it is clearly seen that the new Indian cadets of both streams have no scope for placement in the circumstances, unless the scenario should suddenly reverse bringing an upsurge in demand for merchant ships for trade. 

BEFORE OPTING FOR MARITIME EDUCATION COURSES IN ANY INSTITUTE, FIRST TRY AND GET SPONSORSHIP FROM A REPUTED SHIPPING COMPANY IN THE VERY BEGINNING, WITH GOOD PROSPECTS FOR PLACEMENT IN THEIR COMPANIES. You can find the address of shipping companies from directory, available with any news agent vendor in the Fort area in Mumbai/ or Prince of Wales seaman club (Mumbai seaman club) in fort area. You may directly contact shipping companies for selection and then decide if you would wish to join a DGS approved training Institute.

NARROW, SPECIALISATIONS TOWARDS OBTAINING BE DEGREE IN MARINE ENGINEERING, ONE AND TWO YEARS GME/DME COURSES, SIMILAR COURSES IN NAUTICAL SCIENCE HAVE NO SCOPE ATLEAST IN THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE.  PLS ENSURE THE TRUTH WHEN MARINE INSTITUTES CLAIM OF THEIR HIGH RECORD OF PLACEMENTS.  MAKE YOUR BEST ENQUIRIES AND DOCUMENTED PROOF TO ENSURE THAT AT THE END OF COMPLETION OF THE MARINE  COURSE, YOU WOULD HAVE ASSURED TRAINING SLOT TO BOARD SHIP FOR FURTHER SHIPBOARD TRAINING PHASE WITHOUT WHICH YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EVEN THE IST LEVEL OF  MMD COMPETENCY EXAMINATIONS.   WITHOUT THE BASIC COMPETENCY CERTIFICATE, YOU CANNOT GET SECURE JOB ON SHIPS ANY WHERE IN THE WORLD/ 

BEWARE OF AGENCIES AND TOUTS MISLEADING POTENTIAL ASPIRANTS TO TAKE UP MARITIME CAREER. 

MERCHANT NAVY IS NO MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR INDIANS TODAY, DUE TO CHANGED CONDITIONS.

This message is intended to serve in the better interests of innocent parents and students, who may feel attracted by white uniform and acclaimed disciplined training in the approved Institutes. 

PLS INFORM YOUR OTHER FRIENDS