Salaries in merchant Navy in India 2025

The Merchant Navy is one of the rare professions that offers blue-collar work with white-collar money. Whether you’re a deck cadet, captain, engine officer, or part of the hardworking crew like able seamen, oilers, fitters, or cooks — every role onboard comes with respectable earnings. Salaries in the merchant navy can be surprisingly high, often paid in foreign currency and tax-free for many nationalities. Depending on your rank, experience, type of vessel, and company, income levels can rival or even surpass many shore-based corporate jobs. In this blog, we’ll explore the full salary structure across all ranks in the merchant navy.

The Merchant Navy is mainly divided into three key departments: Deck, Engine, and Catering — each with different roles and salary structures.

Let’s break down the salary structure across all ranks and departments — from the engine room to the bridge, and even the galley (kitchen)!

⚓ 1. Salary of an Deck Department(Officers)

The Deck Department is responsible for the safe navigation and cargo operations of the ship. Officers and crew in this department manage route planning, steering, mooring, anchoring, and overall vessel safety. From the Captain to the Deck Cadet, every rank plays a key role in keeping the ship on course and running smoothly.

Rank	Work Description	Monthly Salary (INR)
Deck Cadet	Trainee officer learning navigation, cargo handling, and bridge watch.	₹25,000 – ₹66,000
Third Officer	Maintains safety gear, medical inventory, and bridge watch.	₹2,20,000 – ₹3,50,000
Second Officer	Handles voyage planning, charts, bridge equipment and navigation.	₹2,50,000 – ₹4,20,000
Chief Officer	Supervises cargo loading/unloading, ballast, and deck operations.	₹6,20,000 – ₹8,10,000
Captain (Master)	Overall in-charge of ship, navigation, safety, and legal matters.	₹8,00,000 – ₹13,50,000+

⚓2. Salary of an Engine Department (Officers)

Just like the Deck Department, there is the engine department that maintains and makes the engine of the ship run smoothly. It is these engineers who make it possible for Deck Officers to navigate the ship, so, it is normal to pay them generously. We will look into the salary of Marine Engineers and learn how much they get compared to the Deck Department.

Rank	Work Description	Monthly Salary (INR)

Engine Cadet

Learns machinery operations, assists in engine room tasks.

₹25,000 – ₹66,000

Junior ETO (JETO)

Assists senior ETOs; learns wiring, PLC, and equipment troubleshooting.

₹80,000 – ₹1,50,000

Fourth Engineer

Looks after purifiers, compressors, and basic machinery.

₹2,20,000 – ₹3,50,000

Third Engineer

In charge of boilers, fresh water generators, and auxiliaries.

₹2,50,000 – ₹4,20,000

Electrical Officer (ETO)

Maintains all electrical systems, automation, navigation aids, alarms, and control systems.

₹2,50,000 – ₹5,00,000

Second Engineer

Manages main engine operations, repairs, and watchkeeping.

₹6,20,000 – ₹8,10,000

Chief Engineer

Head of engine department; responsible for entire machinery on ship.

₹8,00,000 – ₹12,50,000+

⚓3.Deck Ratings (Support Crew)

Rank	Work Description	Monthly Salary (INR)

Ordinary Seaman (OS)

Entry-level deck rating; assists in painting, cleaning, and basic deck tasks.

₹33,000 – ₹75,000

Able Seaman (AB)

Performs lookout duty, mooring, cargo assistance, and maintenance work.

₹66,000 – ₹1,25,000

Pumpman

Manages cargo pumps and valves on tankers; ensures safe liquid transfer.

₹1,00,000 – ₹1,80,000

Bosun

Senior-most deck rating; supervises ABs, OS, and oversees deck maintenance.

₹1,25,000 – ₹2,00,000

⚓4. Engine Ratings (Support Crew)

Position	Work Description	Monthly Salary (INR)
Wiper	Entry-level; assists in engine room cleaning and support tasks.	₹41,000 – ₹75,000
Oiler	Lubricates machinery, assists engineers in daily engine maintenance.	₹66,000 – ₹1,00,000
Fitter / Motorman	Skilled in welding, fitting pipes, and assisting with heavy mechanical repairs.	₹1,00,000 – ₹1,65,000

⚓5. Catering Department

Position	Work Description	Monthly Salary (INR)
Steward / Messman	Serves meals, cleans dining areas, assists the cook, maintains hygiene.	₹33,000 – ₹66,000
Cook / Chief Cook	Prepares meals for all crew; manages kitchen hygiene and food inventory.	₹1,00,000 – ₹2,00,000

📌 Final Notes (For Indian Readers):

• Salaries are tax-free for Indian seafarers spending 183+ days outside India in a financial year.
• Foreign shipping companies usually offer higher salaries and better perks than Indian ones.
• Salary depends on type of ship (tanker, container, LNG, bulk, cruise, etc.) and experience level.
• Paid mostly in USD or EUR, converted to INR at the prevailing exchange rate.