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The naval division of the Indian armed forces is called as the Indian Navy while the Merchant Navy, as the name suggests, is the term for commercial marine services. Such commercial activities include both shipping of cargo and people across various destinations in the world. 

The merchant navy has no involvement in military service.

The college life during pre-sea training offers enjoyment but in a slight different way as usual college life do. Students are offered different challenges and activities to participate in but being fully professional the training demands discipline and involvement in physical activities such as swimming, sports, boat rowing, parade and many more. However, the degree of discipline vary across different institutions offering the training.

No you don’t. After academic pre – sea training, you join as Deck Cadet or Trainee Navigating Officer and Engine graduates join as Engine Cadets or Trainee Marine Engineer. Once they complete the required sea-time as a cadet they will be eligible to appear for the COC examinations conducted by MMD in India . After completing the examination and receiving the Certificate of Competency, an individual is eligible to join as Deck/Engine officer onboard the ship.

Yes, you can. Seafarers are issued a ‘shore pass’ at ports, with which they can go ashore and roam around. So, in a way this is a field which offers you a world travel in a most effective manner. You can save and enjoy at the same time.

It is a common belief that seafarers have limited access to the world and lead boring lives onboard. Although facilities can vary from ship to ship, almost all of the cargo ships have facilities like home theatre with a DVD library, a gymnasium, books and magazine library, swimming pool, video games, indoor games like table tennis.

Barbeque parties are another common recreation onboard.

Gone are the days of past ships, now most of the companies provide internet access onboard helping better communication and active social media participation for sailors. However, as the discipline of the field demands their access is  restricted.

It’s awesome when you get a cook from your own country. Even if that’s not possible company take care for the quality of same. Complete staff is offered all the food items they need for themselves. The choice between vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is offered everytime presenting enough stock. So, in a nutshell food is not at all the matter to worry about.

The number of vacation days an employee is offered depends on the rank of the employee and the company for which the candidate is sailing for. However in most companies the offered salary depends on the time the person spends onboard. For other companies, the employee will get paid only when he/she is working on a ship. Once he/she finishes his/her contract and goes home, he/she doesn’t get paid. So, candidate can take any number of days as holidays. If he/she wants to join back the candidate has to report back to the company. Here, the employee has the freedom to choose the number of days of his/her vacation.

A Merchant Navy officer can take his/her family on board ship only if allowed by the company or when all the norms of the company are complied with. Here “family” for a married person means only the wife and kids and not parents. Parents are not allowed to go along with the seafarers.

The maximum age for retirement is 60.

But some exceptions are seen. It’s all depends on your medical & fitness . There are some officer’s/ Captain who are still serving and are 60+.