3rd Officer in Merchant Navy: Salary, Jobs, How to Join in 2025
Merchant Navy is a field that was quite underrated for a lot of time, but now as the technology is booming the idea of joining the Merchant Navy is also becoming less uncommon. People are learning about the Merchant Navy, different ranks in it, different departments of the Merchant Navy but there’s an issue. The issue is the lack of information, the market is flooded with incorrect or misleading information. So, let’s actually understand from the beginning what the Merchant Navy is, and how you can become a third officer in the Merchant Navy.
Key Point: A 3rd Officer is the first officer rank a cadet receives after clearing the 2nd Mate Certificate of Competency (CoC), marking a significant step up in responsibility and salary.
3rd Officer in Merchant Navy
After clearing the second mate CoC, a cadet officially becomes the 3rd officer in Merchant Navy. With this, he needs to follow a new schedule, new responsibilities and complete all the duties of a 3rd officer. However, this change comes with a noticeable hike in the salary about which we will discuss later. Let’s first learn how a cadet becomes a 3rd officer in merchant navy.
How to Become a 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy?
To become a third officer after a deck cadet you need to follow the following steps:
- After clearing your class 12th, you need to take sponsorship from a reputable shipping company to join the Diploma in Nautical Science, or B.Sc in Nautical Science.
- Once you complete your course, the company will send you onboard for practical training of 18 months after DNS, or 12 months after B.Sc in Nautical Science.
- After completing the onboard practical training, now the real test starts, you need to complete your Advanced STCW Courses such as AFF, PSCRB, and MFA with simulator courses like, GMDSS, ARPA, ROC, and ECDIS. To book all these courses, you can use STCW Course Finder.
- With these, you also need to apply for the Second Mate Function course which is a 4 month course where you will taught advance navigation, chartwork, Meteorology, Bridge Watchkeeping, Emergencies, BRM, Signals and Communications, and much more.
- However, BSc Nautical Science graduates are exempted from this 4 month course so they can directly apply for the second mate assessment after completing the STCW Advance and Simulator Courses.
Second Mate Function Course Details
In the second mate function course, you will have 3 functions which are:
- Function 1: Navigation at Operational Level
- Function 2: Cargo Handling and Stowage at Operational Level
- Function 3: Controlling the Operation of the Ship and Care for Persons on board at the Operational Level
After clearing all the exams, and orals, you will be given the 2nd Mate CoC to sail as a third officer in the Merchant Navy. After completing the seatime of 12 months with 6 months of watchkeeping, you will be promoted to the second officer.
Duties of 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy
Only getting 2nd Mate CoC is not enough, you have to handle the responsibilities of a third officer which includes the cargo operation, general maintenance, proper maintenance of fire fighting equipment, and other general work. Let’s dig into the details and learn the duties of a 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy.
- The primary duty of a 3rd officer in merchant navy includes learning the process related to cargo operations and navigation duties from Chief Officer and 2nd Officer respectively.
- 3rd Officers are also responsible for the navigational watchkeeping from 0800 hrs to 1200 hrs, and 2000 hrs to 2400 hrs.
- He is responsible for recording weather conditions, voyage details, and navigational events in the bridge logbook.
- Maintenance and inspection of life-saving appliances (LSA) and fire-fighting appliances (FFA) on deck fall under the 3rd officer’s charge.
- Accurate documentation of servicing, inspections, and defect reports is maintained by 3rd Officer for all safety equipment.
- It is the duty of a 3rd Officer to update all muster lists, emergency instructions, and training manuals.
- Storage, maintenance, and labeling of maritime signal flags, day shapes, and lights are a responsibility of a 3rd officer.
- Chart corrections and navigational publication updates are done in assistance with the 2nd officer.
- Drill schedules and safety training records are created and updated under the guidance of the chief officer.
- Shipboard training programs and safety video screenings are coordinated for the crew.
- It is the duty of a 3rd Officer to arrange the safety briefing of the newly joined deck cadet as a part of ship orientation.
- 3rd Officer also prepares the port clearance documents and other port-related paperwork efficiently.
- Bonded store inventory is also maintained by the 3rd Officer, and monthly bond account reports are submitted on time.
These are some duties of a 3rd officer in merchant navy that he has to complete. Now, let’s check the salary a 3rd officer gets for doing all this work onboard.
3rd Officer Salary in Merchant Navy
With the increase in work, we can see the increment in the salary of a 3rd officer in merchant navy. In merchant navy, the salary of a 3rd officer depends on various factors such as:
- Experience of the seafarer
- Type of ship he is sailing on
- The company he is sailing on (ownership or management)
All of these factors decide the salary of a 3rd Officer in the merchant navy. Let’s check what is the average salary of a third officer in both a bulk carrier and tanker ships.
| Rank | Type of Ship | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Officer | Bulk Carrier | ₹1,50,000 – ₹2,50,000 |
| 3rd Officer | Oil / Chemical Tanker | ₹2,00,000 – ₹3,80,000 |
Tax Information: Now, let’s address the tax that you have to give on this salary, so it comes around 0. Yes, you don’t have to give any tax on this salary as long as you are maintaining the NRI Status by staying more than 182 days out of India.
3rd Officer Vacancies in Merchant Navy
3rd Officer is the first rank that you get after clearing your 2nd Mate CoC. Many seafarers tend to switch companies at this rank for better opportunities. If you are one of them and looking to switch the company for better options and opportunities then here are the few 3rd officer vacancies that you can apply for.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy
What is a 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy?
What is the salary of a Merchant Navy 3rd Officer?
A 3rd Officer is the first officer rank in merchant navy that a cadet get after clearing the 2nd Mate CoC
What are the duties of a 3rd officer onboard ship?
he duties of a 3rd officer includes learning the work of 2nd and Chief Officer while maintaining the fire fighting and life saving equipment.
What is the required seatime for 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy?
To become a 3rd Officer, you need to complete 18 months of sea time after DNS or 12 months after B.Sc in Nautical Science, and obtain the 2nd Mate CoC.
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