Merchant Navy Salary in Pakistan: Pay by Rank and How to Join

Pakistan's own merchant fleet is small, led by the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), so many Pakistani officers and ratings work for foreign shipowners and ship managers, usually through manning agencies, and are paid in US dollars. What a Pakistani seafarer earns depends on their rank, the type of ship, the company, their experience and their nationality, which affects the pay scales manning agencies offer.

Typical monthly pay by rank

The ranges below are general international figures in US dollars for seafarers on foreign-going ships. They were originally compiled for Indian crews and are not a survey of Pakistani seafarers' pay, but they show the scale of pay at each rank. Actual pay varies with the company, ship type, contract and experience. In general, tankers and gas carriers pay more than dry cargo ships.

On foreign-going ships, pay is usually earned only while a seafarer is on contract, and contracts commonly last several months at a time. Annual income therefore depends on how many months a seafarer spends at sea. Seafarers employed by Pakistani companies, including PNSC, are paid on their own company scales, which the ranges above do not cover.

The three departments

A merchant ship's crew is organised into three departments: deck, engine and catering. Each has its own officers or senior ratings and its own junior ratings.

• The deck department handles navigation, cargo work and ship handling, under the master. Deck officers progress from cadet to third officer, second officer, chief officer and master. Deck ratings include the ordinary seaman, the able seaman and the bosun.
• The engine department runs and maintains the machinery, under the chief engineer. Engineers progress from engine cadet or fifth engineer to fourth, third and second engineer, then chief engineer. Ships also carry an electro-technical officer (ETO), who looks after electrical and electronic systems. Engine ratings include the wiper, the oiler or motorman and the fitter.
• The catering department feeds and looks after the crew, with the chief cook and the steward.

The number of positions on a ship depends on the ship type, its size and the company's policy. For the full rank structure, see the guide to merchant navy ranks.

How to get in

Officers start with pre-sea training followed by sea time as a cadet. In Pakistan the main pre-sea institution is the Pakistan Marine Academy in Karachi, which trains deck and engine cadets. Ratings join through a pre-sea ratings course followed by compulsory training on board.

Certificates of competency for Pakistani seafarers are examined and issued by the Mercantile Marine Department in Karachi, under the STCW Convention. Every seafarer must also meet the medical fitness standards, both to join and throughout their career. For the general steps, see how to join the merchant navy.

Deck or engine?

Students often ask which department to choose, and the answer depends on the person. Marine engineering is hands-on: engineers maintain and repair the machinery in the engine room and on deck, usually in overalls, and with a small crew they often do the work themselves rather than handing it to someone else. Deck officers are responsible for navigation, cargo operations and other deck duties, and work long hours at sea and in port. The two departments work closely together, and companies usually pay equivalent deck and engine ranks on similar scales.

Before you decide

• The work is physically and mentally demanding, with long periods away from home. Talk to someone who has sailed before you commit.
• Do not join for the money alone. The pay reflects the nature of the job.
• Training berths for new cadets are limited, so take the opportunities that come early and complete your sea time.

For what engineers earn as they progress, see how much a marine engineer makes.