Sea Life in Merchant Navy
Life at sea is a tough row to hoe, seafarers get charmed for enticing wages, the ship provides all basic needs of the crew i.e., food, accommodation, helmets, ear muffs, safety goggles, life jacket, hand gloves, etc.
1. TOUGH SEA LIFE OF SEAFARERS
Sea life in merchant navy can be fun only if the person enjoys his profession and loves doing tasks every day and enjoy it’s harsh and tough life. This career guarantees good money in offerings of blood, sweat, and tears.
It requires hard work, dedication, focus, and most importantly a brave heart person with a positive attitude who can deal with dangerous, toxic, and over-embellished work schedule routine environment. Life onboard a ship is most challenging, vicious and furious, and ruthless. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea.
2. DETERMINATION FOR CAREER
As said “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”, therefore one needs to see the worse days to achieve skill and knowledge. A good nap for 6 hours is enough to continue for 14 hours if there’s will and determination in him but never consider things for granted when the ship is approaching port and have started involving cargo operations then don’t plead for rest as things can start becoming serious. Sometimes continuous work for 24 hours is also there as there is no substitute for work other than work, be mentally and physically prepared when some nightmare circumstances arise and just keep determined in mind “time passes and this shall pass too”.
Seamen/ Seafarer who go on for the first time on a ship face sea sickness due to the rolling and pitching and six-degree freedom motion of a ship, feel dizzy doing work, and even cabins become besmirched, and sleep gets disturbed as the body starts moving with rolling. The schedule at merchant ship is very tight as it runs by the time charterer and voyage charterer, the pressure by the charterer on the ship’s owner, the ship’s owner to master, and from master to rest of the ship’s staff makes day to day life monotonous, busy and tiresome, say no to Sunday is made assured on ship as its belief if the crew gets a holiday, they will get bored, lazy and sluggish
It is a harsh truth but the truth is always bitter.
3. SALARY IN MERCHANT NAVY
A coin has two sides so does this carrier, it gives thousands of dollars in salary and even perks and bonuses to those who surpass these tough conditions and makes this their normal routine, a disciplined person can do so as he is early to bed once knocked off his work and duties.
A 3O/4 EO gets a handsome salary like $ 1500 to 3500; 2O/3 EO gets like $ 2000 to 4000; CO/2EO gets like $ 5000 to 7500 and CAPT/CEO gets like $ 8000 -12000. This salary is subject to change depending upon the experience and time he has given in the company, considering it’s overview.
4. ENJOYMENT ON SHIP
On the ship forget the word enjoyment, mostly there is work but you can enjoy depending upon the type of ship, you will get shore leave if you are sailing in geared bulk carriers where the port stay is long, and sometimes cargo is to be loaded by ships crane and discharging too, usually, it takes 5-7 days when loading by ship’s crane while on a ship like VLCC AND ULCC, you see foreign countries port from far away as the loading and discharging is done at SPM (Single Point Mooring ) also the draft on ship restricts it approaching port, even on a smaller tanker (L<200m) who can go port, unfortunately you can’t roam around the port as swift cargo operations (loading and discharging schedule) and ship need to move for next voyage as quick as possible.
5. PARTY ON SHIP AFTER WORK
Once the ship gets its business done good officers give the next day off and even throw away parties on the ship when the ship leaves port or on certain occasions festivals. Parties onboard are no less than a 3-star hotel, sometimes barbeque parties are organized, and music in the parties makes the ship atmosphere pleasant, smooth, and tension free of work.
6. VIEWS ON SHIP
In addition to the above, you will see a mesmerizing view like flying fish, dolphins, whales, morning and evening views of dawn and dusk, and most importantly fresh breeze sometimes gusty winds which will refresh your mind even if you are tired mentally. This is the best edge sea of life is that you get enchanting scenery while doing the job. Even you’ll enjoy a lot of these views, especially approaching near the port at night, the wake of a ship, mirror sea, crab walk of Vessels, casting off, letting go of anchor with rusty smoke arising, waves rising from bow gives goosebumps, cross deck wind moving through boiler suit
Life at sea is time-bound; here, tasks are completed at regular intervals. If you start to enjoy your work, it’ll improve your performance on board and help you gain more knowledge and skills. You won’t know when the time has passed and the hunger for work arises, this is important to keep the upper hand in your job.. You won’t be knowing when the time has passed and the hunger for work will arise, this is important for getting an upper hand in your job.
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Good comprehensive description
Of life on board ship
I can feel it I was a seafarer myself
For 25 years
Hi Aloke, thankyou for your hearty review and I hope that we would be able to meet your expectations just like now.