Have you ever wondered what is it like to work in the ocean or what would it be like to know about ships, decks, and diving? Do you like oceans, seas and water bodies in general? Does learning or thinking about working in Merchant Navy excites you? If you said yes to most of the questions before, then Nautical Science is the right choice for you. Nautical Science in general refers to the knowledge required to safely navigate and operate ships. It deals with cargo operations, maintenance of Merchant Navy Ships, navigation and all the commercial and legal matters concerned with the shipping business. Let us a see in detail about this flourishing stream: –
Understanding the basics
Have you ever wondered how many items you use come from the maritime industry? Think about the oil that runs our cars, many of the vehicles that we drive, the electronics that we use, clothes we wear, most come from overseas and are sent overseas if manufactured in our country. Most goods that are imported or exported from countries are moved by ships. There are ships moving around carrying goods at all times of day, every day of the year. The mariners who work on these ships work long hours with little rest. Nautical Science knowledge is important for these mariners in order to ensure that they can navigate, manage, and operate a ship transporting cargo for goods and services around the world. Nautical Science is the study of principles and practices for operating different types of vessels safely. Some of the common topics in Nautical Science include navigation, ship stability, propulsion, fire safety, security etc.
Nautical Science and Marine Engineering are not the same
Nautical Science is a 3-year degree and it prepares a person to become a deck officer. After this, a student can join a ship as a deck cadet (also called trainee cadet officer). Students can join as deck officers and after sufficient experience and required certificates, they become eligible to be employed as a Navigation officer. After this, the required experience and certification lead to promotions of the candidates. From the Deck Cadet, promotion leads to Third Officer, followed by Second Officer, Chief Officer and then finally Master.
On the other hand, Marine Engineers are responsible for the design of onboard systems such as steering or control systems. They inspect marine equipment and machinery. They conduct different tests on the equipment such as environmental, operational or performance tests. They are responsible for all the operation, maintenance and repair of these pieces of machinery.
Chitkara University, School of Maritime Studies (CUSMS) offers BSc in Nautical Science.
Career scope in Nautical Science
A degree in Nautical Science makes you a certified seafarer. You gain the ability to continue working and making your way into the senior ranks through gaining experience and continuing education. One can continue studying further like a master’s in nautical sciences, a master’s in shipping, trade and finance, MBA in Maritime and Shipping, etc. The average salary of a fresher Deck Cadet can be anywhere between 3-6 LPA. The salary depends on the company as well.
Future of Nautical Science
In the year 2020 when the Covid-19 hit, the world came to a pause and feared that the global economy would come crashing down. The world of shipping was working hard at work even during the pandemic. If this would not have happened, the world economy would come to a standstill, thus failing to deliver the necessities that many countries and their people are on for survival. Seafarers are essential workers and their work is incredibly brave. The world is dependent on the Maritime Industry for the import and export of almost every other raw material. The raw materials for the things that we use made a voyage across the earth to benefit us and were safely transported by many seafarers. Seafarers and the study of Nautical Science is the backbone of the Maritime Industry and anybody wishing to be a part of this field will experience great job satisfaction.
The Nautical Life is full of adventure and responsibility. Seafarers acknowledge the fact about how much the world depends on them to keep economies alive. Their work entails risks like handling heavy objects, storms at the sea, infection etc. Nautical Science is the course to take you to the heights in the Maritime Industry. It’s a field that demands courage, determination and most importantly good work ethic. The Maritime Industry is a part of the global economy, if this industry even pauses, the world will come to a halt. This industry is the core requirement of the country in order to function and make the basic necessities available for its citizens. Nautical Science is the study of navigation in the ocean and it has an ocean of opportunities to navigate your dreams into reality.
