Merchant Navy Syllabus & Subjects 2024

Merchant Navy Courses are pursued by the ones who wish to work on ships. The merchant navy courses impart students with knowledge about the principles of navigation, marine electrical technology, naval architecture, marine communication, shipping management, etc. Each merchant navy course consists of a unique specialization that enables candidates to understand in depth the key operating functions on a ship. There are a variety of specializations offered in merchant courses such as Diploma in Marine Engineering, BTech in Ship Building, MBA in Shipping Finance, etc.  

While naval architecture is concerned with the design and production of marine machinery, maritime law defines a set of conventions governing the various maritime shipping prospects. Auxiliary maritime machineries are support equipment such as air compressors and sewage treatment plants without which the operations of the major maritime units will be highly affected. Merchant Navy course covers a variety of areas such as ship operation technology, nautical physics, mechanics of fluids, and voyage planning amongst others. All such key areas have been discussed in detail here. 

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The merchant navy course is elaborate owing to the complex operational systems of marine structures. Students can check the detailed year-wise syllabus of merchant navy as mentioned below.

Merchant Navy First year Syllabus 

• Professional Communication
• Environmental Studies
• Fundamentals of Mechanical Engineering
• Engineering Physics - 1
• Engineering Mathematics - 1, 2
• Engineering Chemistry
• Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering
• Technical Communication
• Fundamentals of Electronics Engineering
• Fundamentals of Computer

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Merchant Navy Syllabus Second Year

• Applied Thermodynamics
• Electronics
• Seamanship, Sociology and Political Science
• Mechanics of Fluids
• Engineering Mathematics - 3
• Mechanics of Machines - 1
• Electrical Machines - 1
• Mechanics of Materials - 1
• Machine and Machine Drawing
• Workshops

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Merchant Navy Syllabus Third Year 

• Solid Mechanics
• Elementary Design
• Computer Science
• Marine IC Engineering - 1
• Mechanics of Machines - 2
• Marine Boiler and Steam Engineering
• Electrical Machines - 2
• Marine Auxiliary Machine - 1
• Marine Electrical Technology
• Ship Construction

Merchant Navy Syllabus Fourth Year

• Naval Architecture
• Marine Auxiliary Machine - 2
• Marine Machines and System Design
• Power Plant Operation
• Marine IC Engineering - 2
• STCW and Ship Fire Prevention
• Gas Turbine
• Marine Control Engineering and Automation
• Marine Heat Engines and Air Conditioning
• Commercial Geography, Ship Operation and Management

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Merchant navy is a vast field comprising multiple aspects. The mechanism of working on a ship entails different functions and operations. Students who aspire to pursue merchant navy courses must be aware of the different subjects covered in the merchant navy programmes. 

The subjects covered under the merchant navy syllabus have been listed below.

• Marine Heat Engines and Air Conditioning - Marine engines are used to regulate temperature by the use of burning gasoline. The four main components of marine heat engines are the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator.
• Naval Architecture - The subject of naval architecture is concerned with the design and manufacturing of all marine machinery such as ships, icebreakers, submarines, power boats, steamers, barges, warships, fishing boats, tugs, cruise ships, yachts, etc. A naval architect is well-equipped in every aspect of marine operations such as shipment, dredging, transportation, offshore drilling, etc.
• Electrical Machines - In the present day and age, every little function will seem to be tiresome without the presence of electrical machinery. Electrical machineries are of three main types namely electrical transformer, electrical generator, and electrical motor. Electrical machineries are also categorized as static and dynamic machines.
• Maritime Law - Maritime law, also known as admiralty law is a set of conventions and guidelines which govern the maritime business of shipping and other nautical occurrences taking place in the sea. Maritime law is generally restricted to the supervision of private shipping matters. The broad areas covered under maritime law are customs and excise regulations, the fishing industry, property damage, pollution, piracy, human rights, employment matters related to the crew, passenger liner matters, etc.
• Ship Operation Technology - Ship Operation Technology refers to the different aspects of the operations of a ship. Some of the key areas covered under it are ship safety, principles of buoyancy and propulsion technology, onboard environmental safety measures, occupational safety, etc. A marine engineer exercises expertise in the operative functions of a ship
• Nautical Physics and Electronics - The knowledge about nautical physics and electronics is significant for the safe navigation and operation of ships. It comprises various aspects such as the maintenance of Merchant Navy ships, cargo operations, and legal aspects of the shipping business.
• Principles of Navigation - The principles of navigation refer to the rules and regulations that govern the movement of marine vehicles in the sea. As the sea is tumultuous, it is of utmost significance to abide by certain set guidelines while voyaging into the sea. The principles of navigation take into consideration weather conditions and climatic factors.
• Marine Auxiliary Machine - Marine equipment apart from the main large-scale units is usually referred to as ‘auxiliary’. Marine auxiliaries are significant facets of marine operations in the absence of which the large-scale machinery would not function for a long time. The auxiliary marine machinery namely heat exchangers, oil/ water separators, incinerators, air compressors, distillation equipment, and sewage treatment plants.
• Voyage Planning and Collision Prevention - Voyage planning or passage planning refers to the process of developing a detailed outline of a marine vehicle’s voyage from start to finish. It calls for careful supervision on the part of the ship’s navigating officer to avoid unchecked deviations leading to collisions and oil spills.
• Environmental Science - Marine life is undoubtedly one of the most volatile setups in terms of the work environment. Professionals in the marine field are required to be alert at all times and they need to be well aware of the minute operations of nature.
• Cargo Machine and Marine Communication - Owing to the vast development of communication systems in the current times, ships are generating and transmitting large volumes of data. Wireless communication systems such as satellites, Marine very high frequency (VHF) installations, and WiFI have been widely adopted over many years to regulate marine communication.
• Marine Electrical Technology - Electrical power lays the basis of the operations of the marine industry. Expert professionals are required for the implementation of such technologies.
• Marine Machines and System Design - The machines used in the marine industry have multiple functions and they are complex in their operations. Marine engineers are endowed with the knowledge of developing marine machinery in the required manner so that they fulfill all the necessary functions.
• Marine IC Engineering - Marine IC Engineering stands for instrumentation and control which covers the operative forces of control in marine equipment. The electrical control system is less time-consuming and highly efficient and it is hardly affected by normal temperature variations.
• STCW and Ship Fire Prevention - The electronic database of ships is complex serving multiple functions and it requires to be treated with utmost caution. Any minor error in operations might lead to fatal consequences incurring significant damages.
• Marine Boiler and System Engineering - Marine boilers are of significant use in maritime operations as they are used to generate steam water for heating and processing loads.
• Mechanics of Fluids - Marine vehicles are the carriers of fluids that require proper care during transportation. Spilling of oils can cause serious damage and loss of money.
• Shipping Management - Shipping management refers to the process of planning and executing the entire process of carrying people and goods from one place to another via a marine vehicle. It is a laborious task as it deals with the management and people and goods in large numbers. Shipping Management makes use of various technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, blockchain technology, etc. 

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The Merchant Navy syllabus is designed in a way that certain subjects are repeated in all semesters so that students can learn those subjects to the core. The knowledge acquired through these common subjects will be used in the day-to-day responsibilities of a merchant navy officer. Therefore, the institution puts some subjects in more than 1 semester so that students are well-versed. Following are the common merchant navy subjects for all semesters.

• Marine Auxiliary Machine
• Mechanics of Machines
• Engineering Physics
• Engineering Mathematics 
• Engineering Chemistry

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The merchant navy syllabus consists of some core and optional subjects. The optional subjects are offered in the course so that candidates can choose some of the subjects as per their interests. These optional subjects are added to the course along with the core subjects and students are taught accordingly. The optional subjects depend on course type and candidates can choose as per interest.

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In some institutes, along with core and optional subjects there are lab subjects that are a part of course curriculum. These lab subjects are added to provide students hands-on experience of theoretical knowledge given to students. The Merchant Navy lab subjects vary depending upon the course type and institutes from which the candidate is taking up the course.

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The Merchant Navy industry is a multifaceted field with operations in various departments. Students seeking admission in Merchant Navy courses can find themselves employed in both on-shore and off-shore job roles. Some of the key specializations offered by the Merchant Navy have been listed below.

• BTech Marine Engineering
• BBA Shipping
• BTech Ship Building
• BTech Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering
• BE Harbor and Ocean Engineering
• BSc. Nautical Science
• B.B.A. Logistics and Supply Chain Management
• MBA Shipping and Logistics Management
• G.P Rating
• Electro-Technical Officer Course 
• MBA Shipping Finance
• Marine Engineering under Alternate Training Scheme
• BTech Mechanical Engineering
• Diploma in Marine Engineering
• Diploma in Nautical Science
• BE Marine Engineering
• Marine IC Engineering

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Aspiring students seeking entry into Merchant Navy programmes are required to clear entrance examinations. Some of the popular entrance exams for admission into merchant navy programmes in India are the Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test (IMU CET), JEE Advanced, TMI SAT, All India Merchant Navy Entrance (AIMNET), etc. The entrance examinations for the merchant navy are conducted in the subjects of English, Science, Mathematics, General Aptitude, and General Knowledge. The subject-wise syllabus for merchant navy entrance examinations has been tabulated below.

It's important that you study from the best merchant navy books to get selected for this course in college. The right choice of books will give you all the important information and better comprehension of the topics and subjects. Check the merchant navy books given below. 

The Merchant Navy programme is designed to educate students about its knowledge, abilities, and most recent developments that are taking place in the modern day. During the merchant navy, candidates have to study a variety of core subjects, lab subjects, as well as electives. Some institutes offering this course may also conduct in-person classes, lab work, workshops, as well as assignments. Both core subjects and optional choices are covered in the assessment tests.

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In the first part of the Indian Merchant Navy Recruitment 2024 selection process, candidates will take a written test with 100 objective-type questions. Candidates will receive a +1 mark for each correct answer, with no negative marking for wrong ones. The exam will be administered in both English and Hindi, guaranteeing accessibility for all applicants.

 The following are the key details detailing the exam pattern: