Merchant Navy: Decreasing jobs, salary and long contracts What's the way ahead?

The BIMCO / ICS 2016 report of the world-wide research on man power supply in the Merchant Navy has found very disappointing statistics about Crew / Rating. The demand for crew in the market is low and supply is high. According to their estimates, there are more than 1,19,000 crew supplies. In the last 10 years, no increase in crew jobs has been found. Ratings have increased by just 1% in 10 years of jobs.

This research has been done on currently working vessels. Ratings that are being supplied by all the new institutes that are opened recently, make the situation more worrisome.

With this, China and the Philippines have also raised concerns about the international / Indian crew. Most foreign companies have turned to China for the crew. China is currently supplying more crew than the Philippines. In such a situation, the possibilities for shipping to the crews of other nations are decreasing.

Shipping companies have begun to take advantage of these conditions. Another, where the crew's salary is being reduced, their contract has also been enlarged. Facilities have already been reduced. Most shipping companies are now refusing to give the crew separately overtime. Some companies have started reducing the salaries of the crew working on the ship.

It is very difficult to find a job now a days for freshers who have come to the market by doing a GM rating course. Most of these people are only trapped in the affair of agents and only waste their money. Agents either disappear by taking money from these or send them to some Gulf counties for a maximum of one contract. After coming back, they have to wander again for their jobs and find no job security.

What to do? How to raise your career forward?

According to the BIMCO / ICS report, the supply of not only the Crew of shipping has remained high, but the jobs are going higher in China and the Philippines, rather than coming to any other country say India or Spain. In view of this, there is a possibility of a lot of improvement in the Crew's job in the future, but due to more supply, the conditions are likely to worsen. In such a situation, Indian crew members along with other world communities should also pay attention to jobs coming in other areas.

Career prospects in NCV / OFFSHORE / TUGS / HOME TRADE ships

Another, where jobs are being reduced in overseas shipping companies and large ships, on the other hand, there are floods of jobs in home trade ships. The way the Indian government is investing in Port Sector and Inland Transport, and encouraging this. Because of the huge increase in the ships operating in this area,  the jobs coming in them are also increasing very much.

Similar government programs to push for offshore vessels or short range vessels are under way in many developing and developed countries in the world.

The best part of it is that the crew can also become an engineer or master by giving NCV EXAMS further. Presently the demand for NCV Master and Engineer is very high, as well as their salaries have also become very high. NCV Master is looking for salary of one and a half lakh rupees, and NCV chief engineer is paying salaries up to Rs 300000.(For India Only)

Contract ships are also available in India and different countries for up to 2 months, which is quite small, as well as the ships are very close to the coast, the phone and the Internet are available to you 24 hours a day. Due to the internet and the phone you have, you do not feel far away from your family and are connected to your friends for a whole time. Also, the contract periods is also less, which also causes your family life better.

In the beginning of the NCV ships, there is lesser salary, which is about 15 thousand rupees per month. But as soon as you clear the exam, this same salary goes up to Rs. 60000. The job security is high because of the low supply still in the NCV ships, salariers are also much more. Once you become an officer or an engineer, you also get more jobs and salaries are much more.

In view of the difficulties being faced in global shipping and jobs for the crew are declining, Indian crew members should look at this NCV ships and global crews should focus on offshore vessels, and if the opportunity is available then the career switch should also be done.

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#Source:  http://www.marinerepublic.in/2017/03/blog-post_14.html