Reasons to Switch Companies in the Merchant Navy
There are numerous reasons employees switch the company, a few of these are given below: –
Waiting Period in the Company
The first step is always the hardest, so the initial journey is of utmost concern. The starting journey of a cadet and the waiting period can play a significant role in a career. Some candidates take education loans from the bank to get a seat in the DG shipping-approved institute. Due to the waiting period, people get severe burdens from bank loans, which keep multiplying with time. Therefore, cadets or officers decide to switch companies to safeguard their future.
Slow Promotion in the Company
It is one of the biggest reasons why people switch companies. Promoting to an officer from a CADET, takes time, effort, and money. Even after such difficulties, they face slow promotion in reputed companies. Serving 7-8 contracts in one rank (4EO/ 3O) and 6-7 (3EO/ 2O) in another will eat people’s age. So, the question arises when will reach the top rank in the merchant navy. Candidates want faster growth and get a slow promotion, in order to avoid this, people switch companies. For a better future, prosperous life, and rank upgradation.
Bad Employee Treatment
Some companies don’t treat their employees well, the company doesn’t pay salaries on time. There is no proper food, employees, or working atmosphere on the ship. During sign-off, the company doesn’t pick up your call, and no adequate sign-on and sign-off facilities are provided. Even when facing some problems onboard ship, the company doesn’t listen to your query and neglects your plea. Such circumstances compel people to change their companies.
Ship Type
Many employees want to change their ship type, especially at which they are currently sailing. Some people who sail on oil tanker gets attracted by the lucrative packages on gas tankers. Most companies specialize in one fleet /ship type (gas, oil, bulk, or container). Due to company limitations, they can’t get a gas tanker. Therefore, there comes the need to change the company.
Indian/Mixed Nationality
In the shipping line, Indians preferred to sail with Indian crew, to get proper Indian Food. When sailing with a mixed crew there are advantages of seeing new faces, their lifestyle, their culture, and the way they work. The employee treatment is excellent when sailing with a mixed crew, provided that the chief cook should be Indian. Indian people love spicy food, whereas Western culture doesn’t, they prefer muesli, boiled food, eating bread &butter. Thus, survival is tough onboard for some people without Indian food.
Management/Ownership Company
In the initial stage, management companies are good as they give faster promotions. When you join an ownership company there are huge benefits, although slow promotion. People like to sail in ownership companies only after a certain rank, as employees come directly under owners. Owners take care of their employees’ salary, waiting period, paperwork, and good employee treatment. On the other hand, while sailing in management companies’ employee treatment now is directly governed by management and indirectly by owners. A management company has to manage the relationship between employees and the owner.
Bad Ships
Most people prefer good ships for safety reasons, bad ships are a nightmare for every seafarer. There are numerous problems occurring daily while working on old ships. Daily pipeline leakages, freshwater problems, machinery malfunctioning in crucial operations, etc. A lot of stress is there while working on bad ships, daily tough work, and less time for relaxation. To avoid such situations, people avoid old ships to ensure time on the ship goes smoothly. Sometimes company forces employees to board a bad ship as nobody is willing to sail. Therefore, candidates are forced to find new companies.
Salary
Last but not least, salary is the reason why any seafarer joins the merchant navy. Individuals will swap companies only to get better pay. It is never a good idea to quit your job for a few hundred dollars. This small distinction can have a significant influence on your resume. A company with better employee benefits, shorter waiting periods, good ships, and a diverse range of nationalities crew.
Such companies are true gems, and shouldn’t be exchanged for meagre compensation.
Disclaimer :- The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author and may not necessarily reflect those of Merchant Navy Decoded. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided and disclaim any responsibility for it. Data and visuals used are sourced from publicly available information and may not be authenticated by any regulatory body. Reviews and comments appearing on our blogs represent the opinions of individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views of Merchant Navy Decoded. We are not responsible for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on these reviews or comments.
Reproduction, copying, sharing, or use of the article or images in any form is strictly prohibited without prior permission from both the author and Merchant Navy Decoded.
