Now Reading: India overtakes China in merchant navy officers by 27%
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India overtakes China in merchant navy officers by 27%
India has edged past China to become the second-largest supplier of merchant shipping officers globally, with 140,718 officers against China's 110,893, reports the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026. The Philippines remains the…
The Story in Brief
India has edged past China to become the second-largest supplier of merchant shipping officers globally, with 140,718 officers against China's 110,893, reports the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026. The Philippines remains the top source of seafarers worldwide. India has nearly 312,000 seafarers overall, accounting for about 12% of the global workforce.
Indian officers are prized for their English skills, technical competence, and multicultural adaptability, says Mumbai Port Authority chairman M Angamuthu. Depreciation of the rupee against the dollar has made sea careers more lucrative despite stagnant salary hikes, notes Captain Sauhard Nautiyal. An entry-level third officer earns about Rs 2.85 lakh monthly, while a senior master of an oil tanker takes home around Rs 14.3 lakh.
The Indian Opinion
The feel-good headline of India surpassing China in ship officers glosses over a harder truth: China dominates global shipping tonnage and has far more ratings (non-officer crew). The real test for Indian seafaring is not a numbers game but safety. Since February, 10 Indian seafarers have died in West Asian waters. Will young Indians still flood into a profession where regional conflicts can turn a Rs 2.85-lakh monthly salary into a life insurance claim?
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
