r/IndianMariners

Anyone attempted the mock on IMUCET official website, give your reviews regarding the test. Lets discuss...

Too many unsafe practices.Doing everything in a rush.Even the major breakdown maintenance are not informed to the company and are repaired onboard without any external support.Other engineers seems like glorified mechanics.Many operational errors,mistakes because of lack of knowledge.

Is this because of the 3rd party management company struggles ?

How is working atmosphere in ownership companies??

Came across this. Thoughts?

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GROOMING & PERSONAL PRESENTATION

From Europeans (Scandinavians, Germans, Dutch)

• Minimalist, clean grooming — well-trimmed beard or clean shave, not unkempt stubble that's "neither here nor there"
• Clothing fit matters — not just wearing a uniform but wearing it well; ironed, fitted, tucked properly
• Personal hygiene discipline even after long watches — deodorant, breath, clean hands are non-negotiable in shared spaces

From Japanese/Koreans

• Shoes polished and presentable even on duty
• Hair always neat, not dishevelled between watches
• Zero tolerance for appearing in common areas looking "just rolled out of bunk"

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LIFESTYLE & WELLNESS ABOARD

From Filipinos and Europeans

• Gym/fitness culture taken seriously — not just when you feel like it
• Sleep discipline — proper rest cycles, not binge-watching and then complaining about fatigue
• Meal discipline — eating on time, not snacking all day or skipping meals and then being irritable on watch

From Scandinavians

• Work-life boundary even onboard — off-watch time is genuinely restorative, not spent anxious about the next duty
• Mental health awareness — acknowledging stress, not performing toughness 24/7

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WORKMANSHIP & PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

From Germans and Japanese

• Tool discipline — every tool returned clean, in place, logged if needed
• Documentation culture — if it wasn't written down, it didn't happen
• Planned maintenance actually done on time, not just ticked and deferred
• Pre-job briefings taken seriously — not a checkbox but a genuine safety culture step

From Filipinos (underrated)

• Resourcefulness and practical problem-solving under parts shortage
• Cheerfulness and team cohesion even under difficult officers — a soft skill that keeps the ship running

What Indian officers often need to unlearn:

• "Jugaad" mentality applied to safety-critical systems
• Signing off on completed work that wasn't fully done
• Passing problems to the next watch without a proper handover

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ETHICS & INTEGRITY

From Northern Europeans

• No gift/favour culture with port officials or surveyors — maintain professional distance
• Whistleblowing culture — if something is unsafe, you say it regardless of rank
• Honest near-miss reporting instead of burying it

From Japanese

• Kaizen mindset — continuous incremental improvement, not big dramatic fixes
• Personal accountability — when something goes wrong, the instinct is "what could I have done differently" not "who do I blame"

What to shed:

• Rank-worship — treating seniors as infallible and juniors as disposable
• The culture of appearing competent over being competent

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ETIQUETTE & INTERPERSONAL STANDARDS

From Europeans and Australians

• Dining etiquette in the officer saloon — phones away, conversation, not everyone eating alone in their cabin
• Acknowledging crew by name — especially ratings; knowing the names of your fitters and ABs is basic respect
• "Good morning" culture — greeting colleagues in passageways, not walking past people you work with

From Japanese/Koreans

• Punctuality as respect — being five minutes early is on time; on time is late
• Quiet professionalism — not needing to loudly assert authority to be respected

Specific gaps in Indian officers (generalising, but patterns are real):

• Condescension toward Filipino or other Asian crew — needs to stop completely
• Treating shore staff (port agents, surveyors, chandlers) as subordinates rather than professionals
• Loud phone calls in shared spaces, especially the bridge or engine control room
• Over-familiarity with some and cold hierarchy with others — inconsistent treatment based on nationality or rank

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COMMUNICATION

From British/Australians

• Structured, concise handovers — SMEAC or equivalent, not rambling verbal dumps
• Written communication that is clear and professional, not full of abbreviations and typos
• Feedback culture — able to give and receive criticism without it becoming personal

From Scandinavians

• Flat communication — junior officer can raise a concern to the Master without fear; this saves ships

I am a Deck cadet completed dns with anglo eastern sponsorship.

after course completion I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease peripheral spondylitis.Now I am fully recovered and have no symptoms. Now company have refused to take me onboard ship.

Only option I have left is to go for any other company but I don't know which companies take fresher cadets who had done dns.if anyone got placed after dns please help.

Giving IMU CET in 5 days.
I was just wondering, I LOVE astronomy.
But dark skies mean on the mainland there are very few places where I can see the sky at night basking in starlight.

And merchant ships travel far from civilization (still on routes, but like much less light pollution I presume)

So sailors share your wisdom, do you see a sky full of stars at night or somehow its just like mainland with barely 20-30 stars max?

I am sorry this next one might be considered a rookie question so please ignore it if you want, how much time will one have to themselves for recreation/relaxation on a ship? i assume it varies wildly. I know the work is super draining mentally and physically so.

Hi I am 18 year old i just pass my 12 form hsc but i didn't get 60% pcm as many of you know if you want to become marchant navy office minimum is 60% in pcm but resently I got to know about hnd it is 2 year course one year in UK and second in UK any one who is doing this courses kindly help me and what your opinion about this course

I'm a deck cadet and i have completed 9 months of sailing. THIS WAS THE WORST DECISION OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. I was also like you guys, studying for sponsorship and all. I got selected in February batch and was very very happy. The college life is good, you learn, you have friends, it's a very busy but joyful life. You are tired but it's fun. Moving on, i got my first ship and things here are the worst. I always thought of myself as a lonely introverted guy but this is hard. Please don't join this career, the pay is high but keep in mind this is because the job makes you crazy. Nobody is paying you this much if the job was easy. You can handle the physical stress but the mental stress will literally kill you. You can't sleep, you can't argue, you are a PUPPET. All of your self respect is shattered, you have no say. I was so fucked up after 6 months that i wanted to leave this job and go study some other things. All i did for making myself happy was listening to standup comedy as they made me remember my old days. You lose contact with friends, you don't have really know what's going on with your own family. You become a stranger to your own people, nobody loves you now because of who you are but because of the money you make. You lose almost every aspect of social life, you spend all your days waiting to go back home. You realize the importance of that sham ka ghumna, that bkchodi wale phone calls, the unplanned meetups and the liveliness of your city. You miss everything. My words might not mean anything to you, but look up yourself. There is a huge shortage of senior officers because they leave as soon as they get enough money. All the coaching owners do the same, they themselves are chief engineers, captain or other high rank. they set young kids in the same trap they left. Many other professions are there, you might make less but you could still be happy. This amount of money is not enough for what you will do.

My maama told me that management companies often give faster promotions than ownership companies is it true he himself is a 3rd engineer in Anglo Eastern. And please also tell me is Anglo Eastern a good company or synergy and MSC is better than Anglo

so i cleared the interview of fleet management.
is this company have good employee treatment or they gonna make my life miserable onboard.
should i join this company or apply for some other companies as well?

I am a BTech in Mechanical graduate and I am planning to join the engine side but I have flat feet and knock knees but I can perform normal activities like running, walking etc with ease so am I eligible ?

I've got pcm aggregate 55% in 10th from icse board and 66% pcm aggregate in 12th is there any company I'm not eligible for except fleet and aema and do companies consider 10th pcm marks too? please reply

i heard there are offshore ETO too, who dont usually do on board work? is it true? heard the pay is usually same for both the type.

can someone enlighten me with details ??

​Hey everyone, just wanted to share a weird experience I had today to warn you about the tactics some of these street/mall fundraisers are using.

​I went to watch Pati Patni Aur Woh 2 at Devgn Cinex in Thane. While I was there, a guy approached me representing a foundation for the education of mentally challenged children in Airoli. Now, the NGO itself might actually be legitimate, but the pitch this guy used to pull at my heartstrings was a complete fabrication.

​He gave me the usual pitch, but then tried to lock in the donation by making it personal. He claimed that by volunteering and fundraising for this NGO, he gets an official certificate and "grace marks in his 12th board exams," which he supposedly needs to fulfill his dream of getting into the Merchant Navy.

​The problem for him? I am actually in the Merchant Navy.

​As anyone in the shipping industry knows, this is absolute rubbish. Merchant Navy admissions (IMU-CET, DNS sponsorships, company interviews) do not give a single damn about "NGO grace marks." They care strictly about your actual PCM percentage, your PCM aggregate, medical fitness, and clearing the entrance exams.

​When I called him out on how the industry actually works and asked him basic questions, he completely fumbled, got visibly nervous, and tried to change the subject.

​Why I'm posting this:

A lot of these agencies hire youth on a commission basis to collect donations. To hit their targets, these guys will invent elaborate, highly specific sob stories about their career dreams, exams, or family situations to make you feel guilty and open your wallet.

​If you want to support a cause, donate directly to verified charities online. Don't fall for these emotionally manipulative, fabricated stories from aggressive fundraisers at theatres or malls. Keep your guard up!

Used AI for refinement.

How is Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education and Training (MANET Pune) for B.E. Marine Engineering?

I want honest reviews about:

- placements

- college life

- sponsorship opportunities

- faculty and training

- discipline/on-campus rules

- whether it is worth joining

Would really appreciate replies from current students or pass-outs.

Due to the rise in influence via social media, do you think the field, which is already saturated at junior roles, will saturate more?

Companies have already started outsourcing the Indians and the Phillipinos (Im Indian), Just like the British. I have been researching, and aiming to join the engine side, purely for my interest.

I can only hope when ill finish my studies in 4 years, I wont sit unemployed. I have been preapring to join this profession ever since i was a kid, but im starting to get skeptical, assuming the future, it isnt looking as bright anymore.

I would like to know about your opinions too, any help is greatly appreciated.

1. Only surface-level, clickbaity videos.
2. Too much LinkedIn-fication of shipboard stories.
3. No in-depth or insightful advice for aspiring seafarers — just AI-like slop content.

He’s just capitalising on the insecurities and ignorance of beginners and, in my personal opinion, doing more harm to the maritime fraternity than good.

My friend's family has talked with another family for her marriage with a guy who is an engineer He works for a company called chevron shipping,how much of the time do they sail?is his job secured?will he be able to manage his family life sailing?