Off Topic Approved

Welcome Aboard Vibbs!!!

Thanks for sharing this useful information with us!

I am sure there are many more MN veterans and aspirants who would like to share their thoughts here

Looking forward to some more pictures and gyan from you

Thanks for approving the topic Antz.bin

Thanks Sunilg. I hope more mariners join and share their views and experiences. As for me, I ll be adding on to this thread regularly for benefit of any one who would like to know more about the field. Will be adding more pics for you all to see. Let me dig them out.

Cheers

Hi Vibbs,

Nice to see your thread . I am a Master Mariner . I was sailing with the mainfleet Oil Tankers but just 3 years ago i shifted to Offshore . I am now serving onboard on an FPSO in Brazil. Hope you like the pictures attached .

Its really nice to see bikers and Sailors on one thread.
I ride a RETB.


Cheers

Nash

I would like to have one question regarding recruitment in merchant navy. Some training institute for merchant navy came during placements in our college last year. It was open for all, except civil engineering. Are civil engineers banned from entering navy? I guess all these institutes give 6 months or 1 year training and the initial licence to sail. Can't civil engineering graduates do the course and get the licence? Is there any institute who give training for civil engineers too to join merchant navy?

Thanks and welcome sir. I m an engineer now appearing for my Class II exams. Although I almost have sea time required for appearing Chief's Ticket.
Yeah its great to see bikers and sailors together. Hope more join us.


One can enter into merchant navy as an officer in either of the two departments ie deck or engineering.
Since the institutes came to an engineering college, I assume it would be for GME course. Its a pre sea course of one year duration to enable Mechanical Engineers to join sea. You need to be an engineering graduate in either mechanical engineering or naval architecture. Only then you can do the course.
Marine engineering is a core mechanical field. Many of the important subjects a mechanical engineer learns during his engineering is put into practical use here. Internal combustion engines, AC and Ref., compressors, various pumps, motors, alternators etc apart from some ship specific systems. And the experience gained is hands on.

It is hence only understandable that Mechanical engineers are preferred. Electrical and electronic engineers can join but as electrical officers.

Then there are Graduates in marine engineering. Again a four year course dedicated to Marine Engineering.
No other engineering graduate can join merchant navy as a marine engineer either directly or after doing the one year pre sea course.

Certain institues have a two year course for diploma holders in Mechanical,ship building,electrical, electrical and electronics,marine engineering etc. after which they can join merchant navy.

Anybody else who wants to become a marine engineer can join merchant navy as a rating and then complete 36 months sea time (I m not very sure of the time) and necessary documentations to appear for exams conducted by the administration. Again I m not very sure if in India such candidates are allowed to appear for Foreign going certificates they are allowed only near coastal vessels I think. Countries like UK do allow though and I have seen such candidates getting tickets from there only.

Ofcourse any graduate or XII pass out can join Merchant Navy as a deck officer if he has 55% marks in PCM in XII standard after completing the Deck Cadet training course conducted by various DG approved training institutes. There after completing the stipulated sea time required as a cadet and clearing exams by the administration, he can go on to become a deck officer and finally a master.
This may have an age limit though and engineering graduates may need to see that they have not overshot the limit if they are to join the deck department.

(I m not from the deck department so my knowledge on eligibility to deck side is very limited, Masters and other deck officers here would be in a better position to explain the deck side eligibility criteria)


In your college, I m not very sure as to how they were calling all branches of engineering. As per my knowledge it is only Mechanical, Naval architecture and Marine Engineering graduates who can join the pre sea course for Engine department. A civil engineer cant join as an engineer directly.Technically he may join as a rating and then complete the long stipulated sea time before finally being able to appear for exams. I dont think anybody has done that till now though as it is waste of time and working as a rating after completing your engineering, may not be the most rewarding experience either.

I hope it is clear enough. Else let me know.

Cheers
Ride safe

^^ Yes, I do get it! So me, a civil engg don't really have a viable career option as a mariner.

what abt electrical engineers.

You may not be able to join as an engineer, but you defenitely can join the deck side. Just look out for the upper age limit. Some institutes have it at 20 years. So any engineer is effectively over the limit. But there are institutes who accept upto 25 years at the commencement of course.

Check this :: Welcome To AEMTC ::

You can join the Deck side bro if you are so much interested to join sea. Only thing your civil engineering goes waste as you could ve joined without it. Plus your peers in the deck side would have a 4 years head start against you assuming you join the course immediately after completing your engineering.

Let me tell you Life out at sea is good if one takes an informed decision after weighing the pros and cons equally. But all good things come at a cost. So you need to be very sure that you are OK with the negatives. Most people who are lured to it due to money get disappointed. Only the tough and the ones who love the life can survive, not to mention the amount of support one may require from his family.

Prince, Electrical engineers can join as electrical officers. Earlier they could go on to become Chief Engineers but I m not sure if that's possible today. Will search around and let you know. But you definitely can become an electrical officer.

Of course one has to do a course for it. Check this link, thats how my firm recruits.

:: Welcome To AEMTC ::

Cheers.

thanks.. so after completing the four months course, i join as trainee electrical engr.
1) is there a job guarentee or just a training course.
2) what are the experience requirements of asistant electrival officer and than electrical officer.

what is the salary of trainee, assistant and finallyy electrical officer.

MY childhood friend is also in Merchant Navy. Nice & interesting pics Vibbs.

You are welcome prince. The link I pasted is from Anglo eastern maritime training center. Anglo eastern ship managment is a Hong Kong based company which is among the largest employers of Indian seafarers in the world. Since this institute is being run by them, one should ideally be posted by them on their vessels. Thats how it happens with Deck cadets and Junior engineers. Same should be the case with electrical officers too. But i am not sure about that.
Promotion I guess depends on the feedback received from the ship. Basically on what the Chief engineer thinks. Ideally two contracts on each post should do. But it may be more even.

Thanks enthusiastic. Will try and post some more.

A few more pics

Snowy Amsterdam



Guangzhou Shipyard China



Blue seas




Amsterdam



Snowy Ijmuiden



Sunset

This pic below is not owned by me. Source of the image is Emma Maersk? s Wartsila-Sulzer Super Ship Engine ? Part 2 | gCaptain - Maritime & Offshore



This is apparently among the largest reciprocating engines of the world. The link that I have shared contains more information about this behemoth, but for starters I ll share important specifications of it.

Maximum power : 108920 BHP @ 102 rpm.
Maximum Torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft @ 102 rpm.
Weight :2300 Tonnes
Bore : Just under 38 inches
Stroke : Just over 98 inches
Displacement :25,480 liters for the 14 cylinder version



Ships around the world are mainly propelled by large two stroke engines burning Heavy Fuel oil. In case of certain special classed vessels like LNG ships steam propulsion is used where in the cargo boil off is used to fire the boiler and the steam drives a turbine coupled to the propeller shaft. Dual fuel engines which run on both the gas and heavy oil have been developed and are also being used. Apart from these certain ships have electrical propulsion too.

Electrical power is supplied by auxilliary engines or turbo generators coupled to alternators. Shaft generators coupled to Main Engine or Power take out units are also used in certain cases for power generation while the Main Engine is running at or around NCR.

Some of the engines I worked on. Sorry for the image quality, they are pretty old pics and those days did nt have good camera with me.

A MAN B&W 6S60 MC. A super long stroke slow speed turbocharged engine coupled directly to the propeller.



Another view of the same engine. The Turbocharger can be seen from here.



Both these images are just of the cylinder head platform. There are two more levels below comprising of the Under Piston area & scavenge manifold and the bottom platform where the crankcase doors are located.


In this Pic you can see the two lower levels.





This is a view from top of a SULZER 7RTA 58




Both these engines that I shared are pretty ordinary sized engines in the marine world. One may even call them small. But at 12000 and 9000 Bhp still pretty huge for us folks.