Deck Cadet
Last updated · Confirm dates, fees and eligibility on the official website before you apply.
Trainee deck officer at sea, the entry rank toward Third Officer and ultimately Master Mariner.
- Route in
- Earliest entry: Professional. Also entered at: Professional, Undergraduate. Direct entry. 2 courses lead here
- Entry pay
- ₹60,000 – ₹150,000 / monthly Any experience
- Where you work
- Merchant shipping companies (international and Indian), Shipping corporations, Port authorities, Marine surveying firms
What this role is
Understand the role
Trainee deck officer at sea, the entry rank toward Third Officer and ultimately Master Mariner.
How people get in
Getting in
Earliest entry point. Professional level.
Other levels people enter from. Professional, Undergraduate.
Licence or registration. Certificate of Competency (CoC) from DG Shipping plus a valid Continuous Discharge Certificate and STCW certificates.
Where people work
Outlook
Merchant shipping companies (international and Indian), Shipping corporations, Port authorities, Marine surveying firms.
Indicative starting salary
Understand the role
60,000 - 150,000+ (at sea) per month at entry level.
This is an indicative range, not a quote. Actual pay varies with employer, city, sector and the specific role.
The route in, step by step
6 steps from where you are now.
Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics Required
PCM is compulsory, and most programmes require a minimum aggregate plus a set mark in English. Eyesight standards are strict and are worth checking before you plan around this career.
Clear IMU CET or an equivalent entrance Required
Entry to Indian Maritime University and DG Shipping approved institutes. Sponsorship by a shipping company before or during the course is the single biggest advantage you can secure.
Complete a DG Shipping approved course Required
B.Sc Nautical Science over three years, or the one-year Diploma in Nautical Science. Verify DG Shipping approval directly - unapproved institutes exist and their students cannot sail.
Get your seafarer documents Required
STCW basic safety training, an INDoS number, a Continuous Discharge Certificate and a seafarer medical. Without these you cannot join a ship regardless of your qualification.
Sail as a cadet Required
Twelve to eighteen months of sea service, recorded in a training record book that must be signed off. Finding a first ship is the hardest part of this career and sponsorship is why it matters.
Sit the Second Mate Certificate of Competency Required
The DG Shipping examination that makes you an officer. Cadet is a training rank - the CoC is the destination.
Courses that lead here
2 mapped routes into this career.
What it pays
Indicative bands.
| Stage | Pay band | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Any experience | ₹60,000 – ₹150,000 / monthly | Varies by employer |
These are ranges, not offers. Pay varies by city, employer size, sector and your own skill more than by job title. Treat the band as the shape of the market, not as a number you can hold anyone to.
Common questions
The ones people actually ask about this work.
What qualification do you need to become a Deck Cadet?
The earliest entry point is professional level. People also enter from: Professional, Undergraduate.
Where does a Deck Cadet usually work?
Merchant shipping companies (international and Indian), Shipping corporations, Port authorities, Marine surveying firms.
What does a Deck Cadet earn to start?
60,000 - 150,000+ (at sea) per month is a typical entry-level range. Pay varies with employer, city and sector.
Does a Deck Cadet need a licence or registration?
Certificate of Competency (CoC) from DG Shipping plus a valid Continuous Discharge Certificate and STCW certificates.
Test this against your own priorities
Pay, hours and entry route matter differently to different people. Compare this against the alternative you are actually weighing, rather than against the average.