“Two-thirds of the world’s goods are moved by sea. Marine Industry keeps all nations afloat economically strong and stay interconnected. Increased trade flows and Globalisation has helped Maritime Industry witness a rapid and dynamic growth. In the present global economic scenario’ Marine Industry is navigating forward on more promising and challenging waters. Today Maritime Industry is a world-class one with all nations’ Top-order priority. Everyday ships are built and launched to feed the trade demands world over. Still the demand and supply has not been equaled. Sustenance in the maritime industry is, to a large degree, based on technological progress and innovations and the Industry continues to reinforce and expand its multiple sectors. One of them is the inevitable and most important segment called ‘WORKFORCE’.

The Marine industry’s prime agenda is to upgrade and train seafarers with knowledge intensive skills and competitive engineering substance. Modern sea-trade needs millions of trained professionals and India has been one of the prime sources constantly supplying to the ever increasing demands of seafarers. Though India has a reasonable number of higher education institutions engaged in training and development of mariners, there is still a huge shortfall in supply of cadets especially with practical exposure to shipping. Mere theory without hands-on training is only half-baked and can not deliver a skilled mariner. Therefore a degree or diploma is not required to enter and excel in merchant navy. With this concept in the forefront, The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed clear-cut codes and stipulations mainly focused on practical skills for all its member countries.

IMO describes: “The educational systems and the cultural backgrounds of trainees in maritime subjects vary considerably from country to country. For this reason the model course (ATS) has been designed to identify the basic entry requirements and trainee target group for each course in universally applicable terms, and to specify clearly the technical content and levels of knowledge and skills necessary to meet the technical intent of IMO Conventions and related to recommendations.

Therefore based on the IMO convention, The Director General of Shipping, Government of India has implemented Alternative Training Scheme (ATS) to become Marine Engineers. This course on’ Marine Engineering’ with superior curriculum content has made the whole globe turn towards India for employing young and expert Mariners. Marine Industry is the first industry of the world, conservative in nature, modern in approach and never shaken by any form of recession. Students who can see beyond the horizon and stay resolved to confront the challenges of enchanting waters of the world-class industry, certainly can cruise ahead of times with the charm of dignity and richness