As a new course in engineering, shipbuilding and repair provides huge job opportunities for those who love the sea. The programme offers a detailed insight of ship design, construction, maintenance and repair of the vessel, submarine, workboats, barges, etc. Sanjeev Kulshreshtha tells you more about this lucrative career option
Ship repair and building needs skilled professionals all the time as the ships not only need regular repair, one needs new ships as well. Since India is strategically located — we are surrounded with water on three sides — ships from all over the world make Indian ports their route call. This means that there is a lot of potential for ship repair industry.
At present, this work is being done Dubai Dry docks, Singapore, Bahrain and Colombo dockyards. But if we have skilled people, India can build its own repair centre opening a plethora of job opportunities. A career in the shipbuilding and repairing — naval architecture — offers plenty of opportunities in the country. However, these opportunities require aspirants to successfully complete either a B SC in shipbuilding and repair or BTech in naval architecture. Successful completion of these academically require a lot of study and hard work.
According to records, students successfully completing these programmes not only achieve 100 per cent placement, but also four job offers on the average. Employment options and prospects are limited only by imagination.
Nature of work
Due to the complexity associated with operating in a marine environment, shipbuilding and repair, naval architecture is a co-operating effort between groups of technically skilled individuals who are specialists in particular fields, often coordinated by a lead naval architect.
Graduating students will work as a part of a group that is responsible for the design, construction, repair of ships, boats, other marine vessels, and offshore structure both commercial and military including: Merchant ships — oil tankers, gas tankers, cargo ships, bulk carriers, container ships, passenger, vehicle ferries, cruise ships, warships- frigates, destroyers, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, submarines and underwater vehicles, high speed craft- hovercraft, multi-hull ships, hydrofoil craft, workboats — barges, fishing boats, anchor handling tug supply vessels, platform supply vessels, tug boats, pilot vessels, rescue crafts and yachts, power boats and other recreational watercrafts.
Skills required
This demanding field requires managerial qualities and the ability to bring together the often conflicting demands of the various design constraints to produce a product that is a fit for the purpose. In addition to leadership role, a naval architect also has a specialist function in ensuring that a safe, economic, environmentally sound and seaworthy, design is produced. To undertake all these tasks, one must have an understanding of many branches of engineering. One must be able to effectively utilise the services provided by scientists, lawyers, accountants and business people of many kinds.
SCOPE
Shipbuilding and repair; naval architecture and other related courses deal with the design construction, maintenance and operation of marine vessels and structures. Naval architecture involves basic and applied research, design, development, design evaluation and calculations during all stages of the life of a marine vehicle.
Preliminary and details designs of the vessel, construction, trials, operation and maintenance, launching and dry-docking are the main activities involved. Ship design calculations are also required for ships being modified (by means of conversion, rebuilding, modernisation, or repair).
Naval architecture also involves formulation of safety regulations and damage control rules and the approval and certification of ship designs to meet statutory and non-statutory requirements. Students study the concepts of ship geometry, hydrostatics, calculation and drawing of the curves of rom. They explore concepts of intact and damaged stability, hull structure strength calculations and ships resistance. Project work includes analysis of ship line drawings and ship model testing.
Eligibility
Eligibility criteria for admission to the three-year programme in BSc: Shipbuilding and repair are: 10+2 or equivalent, a minimum of 55 per cent marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics: 50 per cent in English in Class X and XII (relaxable for SC and ST candidates).
The candidate should be at least 17 years as of August of the year of admission and maximum age is 25 (relaxable for SC and ST candidates). Only students passed in the Common Entrance Test (CET) will be given chance to go through the selection process. Selection process consists of the written test by Indian Maritime University(IMU) and counseling session of the candidate. written test contains 180 question in PCM/English, general awareness and reasoning.
Opportunities
After graduation, students can apply in any shipping company, sea port, shipyard, marine logistic company, container terminal, merchant navy, marine insurance and chartering companies.
Remuneration
Salaries are extremely attractive. The average salary offered is around Rs 6 lakh per annum that could go up to Rs 11 lakh for a posting in a foreign country as well as into lakhs as one moves up the management levels.
Where to study
India Maritime University, Kochi (website: www.imu.edu.in)
Indian Maritime University, Vizag (website: www.imu.edu.in)
Cochin University of Science & Technology (website: www.cusat.nic.in)
Rl Institute of Nautical Sciences, Madurai (website: www.rlinstitutes.com)
(The writer is director, Hind Institute of Nautical Science and Engineering)