‘Indian seafarers are booked 3-4 years in advance by global shipping cos’

Source: The Hindu Business Line

T.E. Raja Simhan


Chennai, Aug. 25 While software professionals are struggling to get jobs, Indian seafarers are booked three to four years in advance by global shipping companies. Cadets at the AMET University, the country’s first maritime university, are recruited on admission by shipping majors such as Maersk Line and K-Line, that take them on board their ships while passing out in 2012-13, according to its Vice-Chancellor, Capt S. Bhardwaj.

Some of the students even get a monthly stipend of $200 from companies such as Mitsui and K-Line, and $50 from Shell. Most of these students get a degree in BE-Marine Engineering or B.Sc Nautical Science. Going a step further, nearly 200 students travel on board Maersk ships across the global for three semesters taking practical lessons, he said.

While the Maersk Group of Denmark has an exclusive agreement with AMET, other companies such as Mitsui, K-Line, Bernhard Schulte, V ships, Shell, Tanker Pacific Group and Fleet Management regularly source cadets from the university, he said.

Growing demand


The university received nearly 800 applications for 200 seats for BE Marine Engineering (four-year course). In 2009-10, the university admitted 963 students while the demand for admission came from over 3,000 students, Capt Bhardwaj said.

There is also a demand for specialised courses such as naval architecture and offshore engineering (in which around 100 students got admissions), BE-Petroleum and offshore engineering (70 students) and BE-electrical and electronics engineering-marine (70 students).

Some of these sectors are growing worldwide, and also in India.

A number of Indian shipyards require a large number of engineers in naval architecture and harbour engineering. There is also a requirement for specialists in offshore engineering with a number of offshore drilling rigs, he said.

No cut in salary


Capt Bhardwaj said there was no cut in salary for seafarers despite the global slowdown and ships lying idle as companies did not want to lose the confidence of the students.

A seafarer gets nearly $1,500 (tax free) on joining a ship and every two years there is a promotion and the salary doubles.

There is a shortage in the senior level officers, not in the entry level.

“Indians are still the best seafarers with countries such as Philippine and Ukraine slowing down their output due to internal issues,” he said.

Drewry Shipping Consultants assessed the current shortfall of officers in global fleets to be around 34,000, against a requirement of 4,98,000.

Moreover, if supply continues to increase only at current levels, the report predicts that by 2012, the officer shortfall will have risen to 83,900. India produces nearly 6,000 officers every year.