Published on August 19th 2024
“Engineering or medicine, what do you want to do?” is an age-old question that has been echoing in the world for a long time. However, in these times, youngsters are looking for new career paths, especially in fields like engineering.
Careers in science are not limited to just software or civil engineering but spread to fields such as Nautical science and marine engineering. Both of them have a lot in common: they are technical careers, based in the sea and deal with the navigation or design of sea equipment such as ships or submarines. However, they couldn’t be more different, in terms of what students who choose either as their career path learn.
Before we get into the details, let’s answer two crucial questions: What is nautical science? and what is marine engineering?
This is the study of navigation, seamanship, and the operation of ships and other vessels at sea. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills to ensure the safe and efficient movement of ships at sea. The study of Nautical science combines mathematics, science and physics, and entails the understanding of the processes and functionalities associated with ship deck work and navigation. Upon completion of the course, candidates are hired as deck officers.
A branch of Engineering that deals with the building and operation of all mechanical equipment found in seafaring vessels, harbouring installations and decks. A marine engineer is responsible for the construction and maintenance of structures and vehicles used inside or in the vicinity of water, such as ships, aircraft carriers, tankers, sailboats and submarines. They also maintain a ship’s internal systems, such as electrical, refrigeration, propulsion and steering systems.
There is a lot of scope for a potential Nautical scientist. Once they finish their course, they first get hired as deck cadets or trainee officers who learn the nuances of navigation and operation of sea vessels. The following job descriptions as they get promoted include:
A nautical science deck cadet must spend enough time at sea to get the necessary experience and then pass the requisite competency assessments and get certified. After these requirements are completed, they can apply for a job as a navigating officer and start their journey at sea.
BSc Nautical Science
The course is a three-year undergraduate program and provides the candidates with training on how to operate navigational and technical equipment on various sea vessels. They are also instructed in communication and navigation, safety and rescue, alertness and security threat response.
Compared to nautical science, marine engineering has a broader career scope. As a marine engineer, you might have more job prospects:
A marine engineer, on the other hand, is employed by private companies and is in charge of the design, development, research and building of new maritime boats and their parts.
BE in Marine Engineering:
The BE or BTech degree in Marine engineering is a four-year undergraduate program. Students of the course are taught about ship structure and construction, marine engineering drawing, engine room management and Naval architecture.
After completing the course, there is a lot of scope in marine engineering, with innumerable internships and job opportunities at private companies. A few examples of such companies include GSI, SAIL, ONGC, Coal India, GMDC, etc
While Marine engineering has broader job scopes, the salary structure for both these scientific fields is more or less similar.
A marine engineer, while in the entry-level position of Engine cadet earns Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per month, which increases to 10 to 15 lakhs per month in the position of chief engineer.
A nautical engineer also earns Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 as a deck cadet, which goes up to 10 to 15 lakhs as captain of the sea vessel.
Whether you choose Nautical science or Marine engineering, both courses have good job prospects and salaries. The decision of which is better though, is up to you. One might want to do nautical science because they get to travel in the sea and study its different scientific aspects. However, designing, building and maintaining ships as a marine engineer also sounds like an exciting opportunity. So, which one will it be: BSc Nautical Science, or BE Marine Engineering?