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May 5, 20232 min read

What is Merchant Navy?


Specialized Industry wiz. Fully engaged in commercial activities involving transportation of cargo and passengers along various sea route.

NOTE:- 90% of the world’s commercial trade is done by sea, It is the most cost effective way to move goods and raw materials around the world.


So you must be knowing that, Ships (also called vessels) are used to transport goods from one place to another place. But do you know, there are different kinds of vessels which are used to transport different kinds of cargoes.

 

Different kind of vessels:-

  • Bulk Carriers

For dry cargoes with a high weight to cost ratio, such as coal, grain and ore, economies of scale produced the modern bulk carrier.

Bulk carrier in deep seas
Bulk Carrier

  • General Cargo Vessels

To carry general cargo which are usually on pallets or in bags.


  • Container Vessels

To carry containers, which may have foodstuffs to electrical equipment to automobiles.


Container Ship alongside jetty
Container Ship

  • Reefer Vessels

To carry refrigerated cargo and perishable goods such as fruit or meat are known as “Reefer Vessels”.


  • Ro-Ro Vessels

Roll on-Roll off or Ro-Ro vessels come in many forms. They include vehicle ferries and cargo ships carrying truck trailers. The car carrier is the most commonly-used ro-ro vessels.


Wallenius Wilhelmsen
Ro-Ro Vessel

  • Crude Carriers

To load crude oil and transport it to refineries around the world where it can be processed into petroleum products.


Tanker vessel and sunset
Tanker Vessel

  • Product Carriers

transport the refined products from larger terminals to smaller ports around the world. Products carried include petroleum, jet fuel, diesel, asphalt, lubricating oil and tar.

  • Chemical Carriers

carry a range of industrial chemicals and, if designed as oil and chemical tankers, also clean petroleum products.


  • Cruise Ship/ Ferries

Used to carry passengers from one place to other place.

Cruise ship alongside jetty
Cruise Ship

These were some major types of vessel which are important as per the exam point of view.

 

Now we have a big vessel for the transportation of the goods, but, she can not run on herself, RIGHT!? So we need some people (CREW).


Now crew are divided in 3 different departments

  1. Deck department

  2. Engine department

  3. Saloon Ratings


Work of Deck Department:-

  • Navigation

  • Maneuvering

  • Cargo Work

  • Maintenance of deck

Work of Engine Department:-

  • Maintenance of Machineries

  • Maneuvering

  • Maintenance of engine room

Work of Saloon Ratings:-

  • Cooking food


Hierarchy of the ranks in different departments


DECK DEPARTMENT


OFFICERS

Hierarchy of the ranks in deck department
Deck department ranks























DECK RATINGS

  • BOSUN

  • ABLE BODIED SEAMAN

  • ORDINARY SEAMAN (OS)

  • TRAINEE OS


ENGINE DEPARTMENT



Hierarchy of the ranks in engine department
Engine department ranks























ENGINE RATINGS

  • FITTER

  • MOTORMEN/PUMPMAN

  • WIPER

  • TRAINEE WIPER


SALOON RATINGS


  • CHIEF COOK

  • SECOND COOK

  • STEWARD/MESSMAN

 

Through this blog, I shared some basic information related to the merchant navy, major kinds of vessels, departments in Merchant Navy and hierarchy of ranks in the merchant navy.


Next blog will be :- Salary in the Merchant Navy

 

If you want complete information on merchant navy and how to join merchant navy in India, you can watch my detailed video on YouTube:-






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