Call Of The Sea

Call of the sea- A career for the young - J.K.M.Nair, Director (HRD and Training) SIMS, Mumbai “WHO hath desired the Sea? - the sight of salt water unbounded The heave and the halt and the hurl and the crash of the comber wind-hounded? The sleek-barrelled swell before storm, grey, foamless, enormous, and growing Stark calm on the lap of the Line or the crazy-eyed hurricane blowing His Sea in no showing the same - his Sea and the same 'neath each showing: His Sea as she slackens or thrills? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .” So writes Rudyard Kipling in his beautiful poem “The Sea and the Hills”. The hill man prefers the hills, but a seaman prefers the sea. The young and bold also prefers sea. Have you any idea of what is the life out at sea. It can be an interesting sector to look. Career out at sea is really an adventurous one. It has its thrills and the sorrows. India being covered by sea on three of the sides, sea influences our economy to large extend. This article tells you how to navigate your way towards a rewarding career in ships. There are basically two areas – one is the national defense unit called Navy, and the other more of a commercial venture called merchant navy. Here we are only discussing the merchant navy. The Merchant Navy is the collective term for the shipping industry. This industry is engaged in moving cargo and people. Almost 90 % of the international trade transportation is done through ships and this includes passenger ships such as ferries and cruise liners, container ships, tankers (oil, gas and chemical), bulk carriers and specialized vessels. They carry huge volumes of crude oil, timber, grains, edible oils, natural gas, chemicals, ore, steel, finished goods and so on. In the commercial shipping, the ships are identified by the flag they fly, of the nation termed as flag state. The ships are registered in that specific country and have to follow all rules and regulations of that country. Indian ships, that are registered in India is entitled to fly Indian flag. There is also registration that is done in “Flags of Convenience”, where in the rules are not the rules of the nation. Merchant ships traditionally form part of a nation's military resources, are legally obliged to serve their flag in war, and are often encouraged by subsidies and other government inducements for strategic reasons. However, such terms are not expected to apply in the case of flags of convenience. Nearly 100,000 ships are plying in the world out of which almost half are carrying cargo around the world. The other half is filled by smaller ones such as fishing vessels, exploration vessels, pleasure crafts, dredgers, support vessels etc.,

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The ship types have undergone tremendous changes during the years. From small cargo ships of 10,000 Tons deadweight, they have grown to massive VLCCs(Very large crude carrier) that can carry more than 5 lakh tons of cargo. The capacity is still on the path of growth From coal burning ships they have now changed over to diesel engines with neater engine rooms and cargo spaces. Sophistication and specialization made it possible to have every type of communication from the ship to the shore. Now a day, the ship staff can even talk to the shore people through satellites. From hot environments, now the ships are fully air conditioned and have all the comfort possible. A short idea about types of ships/1 a. Cargo Ships: This used to be old method of loading any type of cargo into the holds of the ship. As modernization started there was separation of cargo and specific ships designed for that. Thus the cargo ships became very rare. b. Bulk carriers are designed to carry bulk solids such as wheat, iron ore, coal, phosphates, bauxite, etc . They are mainly divided into four size ranges: Handy-size, Handymax, Panamax, or Cape Size. Panamax vessels are the largest that can pass through the Panama Canal. Cape Size vessels are too large for the Suez Canal. Some bulk carriers are multi-purpose, while others are specially adapted to carry dense cargoes like iron ore, or lighter cargoes like wood chips. They have large, clear holds and wide hatches to facilitate cargo loading and discharging by mechanical grabs or conveyors at rates of several thousand tonnes per hour. They also have substantial water ballast capacity so that they can proceed to sea safely after discharging their cargo. Combination carriers, ore/oil and ore/bulk/oil carriers, can carry either bulk solids or bulk liquids. c. Tankers are designed to carry bulk liquids. Most are engaged in the carriage of oil, but some are specially adapted to carry liquefied gases, chemicals, cooking oil, or even wine. VLCCs, Very Large Crude Carriers, are designed to carry crude oil. These vessels can carry more than 1 or 2 lakh tons of cargo which are discharged at rates as high as 10,000 tonnes per hour. Products and chemical tankers are usually smaller and more complex than VLCCs.

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d. Container ships are designed to carry standard ISO (20 ft and 40 ft) containers, either in designated cells within a hold, or on deck. Large cellular container ships are capable of carrying several thousand containers. They load and discharge by means of large quayside cranes capable of lifting up to 30 containers per hour. e. . Passenger Ships Cruising is an increasingly important shipping sector. In recent years many new cruise ships have been built. Many older vessels have also been converted for cruising. Cruise ships are like floating resort hotels. The latest are very large, with extensive recreational facilities and amenities for 2,000 or more passengers. f. Special vessels are those engaged in special jobs such as deep sea mining, geological exploration, dredging etc Men who man the ships: All these ships need man power to run. The job onboard is broadly divided to three categories. 1. Navigation and cargo work 2. Technical and engineering 3. Support facilities such as cooking, cleaning, house keeping, help and support to normal operations. The navigating officers deal with navigating the ship from one port to other, look after the cargo operations and basically the deck maintenance. The Engineers look after the machinery operations, maintenance and upkeep. The hierarchy and the career path is attached as Annex – A. You could be an officer or a member of the crew, work as deck officer, an engineer or be part of the hospitality and support services – all roles that work as a team to ensure the safe operation of the ship and delivery of its cargo or passengers. Why work at sea: Now it is time to answer the question of why one should select a career in ships. The sea career has many prospects to the young candidate. Though traditionally only men used to join this career, lately there are many girls as well join this career. In countries like Russia, Rumania, Yugoslavia etc women already were working on the ships mainly in the navigation or the support areas. Now you will find women in engineering side. Even Indian woman has ventured into the sea life recently. First attraction of the sea job is the higher salaries they enjoy. For the Indian seamen like the case in many countries, the salary is tax exempted. At the joining level of bottom most platform one can earn Indian rupees 10,000 to 20,000, depending upon the type of

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ship you work and its tonnage, especially in foreign flag ships. Once you are in the level of Master of the ship or a Chief engineer the salary could be around 2.5 Lakh per month. Some of the companies offer continuous job whereas some others offer a contract of 5 to 6 months during which you will get paid. Secondly as the ship is going to various ports, you get a chance to see the world at the expense of the company. Of course this will depend upon which ship you are on and which ports they are touching. The ship staff travels up and down by air to join the ship or to come back and in this process gets a chance to interact with many nationalities. This in turn, broadens the outlook of the person and gives him a chance to make many friends. This is one of the professions where promotions are faster. Take a look at the career chart in Annex. If one does not spend unwanted time and not take long leave, then a young cadet can reach the senior most position within 5 to 6 years. There will be a number of competency examinations he needs to appear as he starts the climb towards the senior level. Another advantage of the sea career is that the qualification and certificate are accepted globally. As you reach seniority, you also can carry your family on board the ship. This depends on the life boat capacity of the ship and necessary permissions from the government. It is also extremely satisfying work, where in high responsibility is shouldered at comparatively young age. At the same time, one must have the endurance power, willingness and capability for hard work. Your future prospects: A few years out at sea will open up further career paths for you that can bring you back to the shore. You can join a shipping company ashore in the capacity of a superintendent, manager, research cell, or many such positions. You can also join a survey organization, port trusts, five star hotels, ship assessors, quality certification organizations, ship building yards, maritime administration etc,. You can gain more knowledge and plan your path by undergoing further studies as well. There are a variety of different organisations involved in aspects related to education and training in the maritime sector, from specialised nautical colleges and training establishments; universities offering maritime related courses; professional institutions and societies; and industry recognised policy-setting bodies. You can find out about a range of such organizations and what they have to offer form many maritime publications and sites. For instance, if you’re interested in gaining relevant skills for a career in maritime business, then the Institute of Chartered

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Shipbrokers runs internationally recognized qualifications for shipbrokers, charterers, agents and managers. Many colleges and universities offer courses in marine biology and zoology; small craft technology; marine engineering; oceanology; ship and port operations; navigation; transport and logistics and naval architecture, to name but a few. There is also a maritime law collage at Malta where you can get the law degree and become a maritime lawyer.

References with thanks to: 1. "Merchant Marine," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2005 http://au.encarta.msn.com © 1997-2005 Microsoft Corporation. 2. “ Ships of the Day”, Paper presented to Institution of Engineers India, Dec 2004, by J. K. M. Nair 3. “Maritime Sea Vision- UK’s guide to careers in maritime section”, issue 2 -2004

Annex – A

“The career path”

A.1 for Deck Officers: STREAM

Pre-Sea Education & Training

DECK CADET One year Pre-Sea Training Course at SIMS including the following STCW Courses: PST, FPFF, EFA, PSSR, OTFC/CTFC/GTFC Awarded Diploma in Nautical Science by IGNOU

SEA-GOING SERVICE

2 Years On board Ship (at sea) Awarded higher Diploma in Nautical Science by IGNOU

4 Months (Post Sea) + STCW CoursesRadar & ARPA Simulator training at Operational Level GMDSS (GOC) PSC & RB AFF and MFA POST -SEA Education & Training

Successfully appears for 2nd mate( FG) exam conducted by MMD Awarded B.Sc. (Nautical Science) Degree by IGNOU, & 2nd Mate Certificate of Competency by D.G. Shipping (Govt. of India)

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CERTIFICATE OF competency

Sea -going Service

POST-SEA Education and Training Examination and Assessment

CERTIFICATE of Competency

Seagoing Service

POST-SEA Education and Training

Second Mate of a Foreign -going Ship

18 months as officer incharge of a Navigational watch.

Assessment of Sea-going Service A-II/2 3000 gt and above, 6 months + Radar & ARPA Simulator training at management level Search and Rescue training Carriage of dangerous cargoes Medical Care Training and Assessment Quality Standards Written and Oral Exam

First Mate of a foreign - going ship (CM)

18 months as a junior officer OR 12 months as chief mate in charge of a navigational watch

Examination and Assessment

Assessment of Seagoing Service, plus training in Ship management Course Shiphandling / manoeuvring simulator training Written and Oral Exam

CERTIFICATE of Competency

MASTER (also known as CAPTAIN) of a foreign going Ship

Notes on Abbreviations used: PST: Personal Survival Techniques Course. FPFF: Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting Course. EFA: Elementary First Aid Course. PSSR: Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Course. STCW: International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers. OTFC: Oil Tanker Familiarization Course. CTFC: Chemical Tanker Familiarization Course. GTFC: Liquefied Gas Tanker Familiarization Course. GMDSS - GOC: Global Maritime Distress and Safety System - General Operator's Certificate. PSC & RB: Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats, Course. AFF: Advanced Fire Fighting Course. MFA: Medical First Aid Course. DG Shipping: Directorate General of Shipping, Govt. of India. MMD: Mercantile Marine Department under DG Shipping.

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A. 2 – for Engineer Officers STREAM

Graduate Mechanical Engineer

Pre-Sea Education & Training

1 Year Pre-Sea Training Course at SIMS including 6 months marine workshop/afloat training and the following STCW Courses: PST, FPFF, EFA, PSSR, OTFC/CTFC/GTFC

Assessment (at the end of one year)

Training Certificate issued by SIMS

Obtains MOT (Ministry of Shipping) Class IV Part ‘A’ certificate (a pre-requisite to join a merchant navy ship as a junior watch keeping engineer )

Certificate of Competency (Candidate Applies to Mercantile Marine Department attached to Obtains a TAR book. (Training & Assessment Record book) Director General of Shipping, with all certificates) Applies to Shipping Master’s Office for CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate for seamen)

POST-SEA Joins a Merchant Navy vessel as a Junior Engineer and completes a minimum of 6 months sea service, Junior Engineer/Assistant to Senior Watch keeping out of which 120 days are engineer. propelling days. Get the TAR book filled in by the Chief Engineer of the ship.

Main Engine power more than 3000kW.

Obtains propelling certificate from the Chief Engineer.

Complete 3 months preparatory classes in approved Institute & undergo 3 days Engine Simulator Course for operational level.Pass examination in 6 Theory papers and oral examination conducted by MMD.

Post Sea Education & Training

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Obtain Class IV (Part B) Certificate of Competency issued by D.G. Shipping, India (qualifies to serve on board the ship as senior watch keeping engineer)

Completes Modular Course as required such as, TASCO

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(Specialised Training Programme on Oil Tanker Operation), GASCO (for Gas carriers) and CHEMCO (for Chemical tankers)

Sea Service (Continued) Fourth/Third Engineer

Senior Watch Keeping Engineer on a sailing ship

12 months as independent (Senior) watch keeping engineer, of which 180 days of propelling days required. Seagoing Service

Obtain propelling certificate from Chief engineer of the ship. Main Engine power more than 3000kW

POST-SEA Education and Training Undergo a 4 month preparatory course for MOT Class II in an approved Institute & undergo a 5day Engine Simulator course (Management Level)

Appear for MOT Class II competency examination in 6 theory papers and Oral examination conducted by MMD. Obtain MOT Class II certificate of Competency. Get endorsement for Dangerous Cargo, Gas and Chemical tankers.

Examination and Assessment

Sea Service (continued) Third/Second Engineer Senior

Watch Keeping Engineer on a sailing ship. Management Level Position

POST-SEA Education and Training Undergo a 2 month preparatory course for MOT Class Appear for MOT Class II competency examination in 1 I in an approved Institute & theory papers and Oral examination conducted by MMD. undergo a 5-day Engine Simulator Obtain MOT Class I certificate of Competency. course (Management Level) Examination and Assessment

Senior Watch Keeping Engineer on a sailing ship. Sea Service (continued) Second Engineer

Obtain propelling certificate from Chief engineer of the ship. Management Level Position

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Sea Service (continued) Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer Management Level Position

Notes on Abbreviations used:

PST: Personal Survival Techniques Course. FPFF: Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting Course. EFA: Elementary First Aid Course. PSSR: Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Course. STCW: International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers. OTFC: Oil Tanker Familiarization Course. CTFC: Chemical Tanker Familiarization Course. GTFC: Liquefied Gas Tanker Familiarization Course. GMDSS - GOC: Global Maritime Distress and Safety System - General Operator's Certificate. PSC & RB: Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats, Course. AFF: Advanced Fire Fighting Course. MFA: Medical First Aid Course. DG Shipping: Directorate General of Shipping, Govt. of India. MMD: Mercantile Marine Department under DG Shipping.

Annex-B Sri. J. K. M. Nair is currently the Director (HRD & Trg) and the Principal of SIMS, of Executive Ship Management Singapore. Earlier he was the GM and Principal of Anglo Eastern Maritime Training Centre of Anglo Eastern Ship Management Hong Kong. Previously he had worked in Shipping Corporation of India in various capacities of Chief Engineer to Dy. Gen Manager. Starting as mechanical engineering graduate from Kerala University, he went on to acquire many qualification in engineering and HRD. A luminary from World Maritime University, Sweden, where he did the Post Graduate studies in HRD, he has more than three decades of professional experience. He now specializes in Marine Engineering, Human Resource Development, Safety Engineering, Training Systems, Management Development, IT, Maritime Affairs, Quality systems, Human Factors, psychology etc., He is member to many professional bodies including ISTD, Inst of Mar Engineers, Inst of Engineers India, WMU- India Chapter, LPA etc. He has authored many technical and management papers and has conducted many programs. He has received many awards including the Gold Medal for the best technical paper and the “Best Maritime Trainer Award.” He can be contacted at [email protected], or [email protected] J.K.M.Nair, Mumbai Jkmnair/sea career/ 2005

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