Pakistan Merchant Shipping - Maritime Business and Employment.

Shore Job in Oil Industry for tanker-men.

2007-08-11T07:09:00.000+04:00

Expected vacancies for seamen with Oil tanker / Oil movement experience.

Deck Officers with tanker experience & DC endorsement.
Junior Engineers with tanker experience.
Pumpmen with understanding of oil movement and related equipment with good spoken English.

Expected to work in UAE.

Pls visit the following link to send your resume and contact information:

http://www.pakistanimaritime.com/email-pakistan-maritime.htm

Some more insight, though not exhaustive, on the following page:

http://www.pakistanimaritime.com/maritime-employment/shore-job.htm

Maritime Employment - Related Articles & Information.

2006-03-30T16:26:00.000+04:00

Following articles about maritime shipping employment and joining merchant navy may interest you. Please do go through them before applying.

Maritime Employment - Ship Job Vacancies.

2006-03-27T22:48:00.000+04:00

A new addition to pakistaniMARITIME.Com is the ‘Maritime Employment - Ship Job Vacancies Section'.

This section covers issues related to ship Job vacancies, maritime employment, ship employment, seamen jobs, sea jobs, career at sea, merchant navy jobs, merchant navy employment etc.

Presently we reproduce ship employment vacancies submitted to PakistaniMariners eGroup.

The applicants intending to apply for these jobs may contact directly to the source.

We, however, would love to hear your success stories and opinion comprising of your experience. Your feedback will be added to the Ship Job Vacancies section.

pakistaniMARITIME.Com is just a web presence and not a shipping company or a ship manning agency and we, therefore, can not provide employment onboard ships.

At PakistaniMaritime.Com we have been trying to provide 'something' of benefit to the fellow seamen resulting in following sections:

A forum like PakistaniMariners eGroup, where they may post and answer their queries regarding their career in merchant navy.
Maritime Links section comprises of links to selected web sites divided under different sections. There is useful information about resources related to seamen in Pakistan. We, however, request addition of new resources to this section. Please contact us if you have contact details of a resource related to merchant navy or you find an error or an update to an existing link.
Free resume hosting brings your ‘professional existence’ online.
Pakistani Mariners Open Database provides a list of Pakistani seamen.
Maritime shipping free classifieds.
Maritime Shipping Essays and Articles to bring forward assorted issues related to merchant navy and seamen. We always seek contributions to this section. Your opinion helps others to decide about their career.

We have always encouraged seafarers to contribute advice and guidelines to the pages of pakistaniMARITIME.Com for the benefit of others seeking direction and would welcome all we get from the merchant navy employees.

Submissions received, subject to approval, are uploaded with full acknowledgement to the author / sender.

So, please write to us and contribute 'your say' with others.

The Sea and Shore are the Same!

2006-02-08T15:51:00.000+04:00

Working ashore or at sea – difference is not much so far as the working conditions and hours at duty are concerned, especially if one is employed in transportation sector of which shipping is a part.

When I look around at people working for different sectors related to merchant shipping ashore, they work long hours without having any regard for the so-called ‘normal’ working hours.

Mostly minimum manpower is used to its maximum utility without regard to any hours of work normalities. And in doing so much required weekly off days, public and national holidays etc are boldly ignored.

Above is not the full colour to the picture that a seafarer thinking of coming ashore paints in his mind; the other side of coin is even more shocking – employees working extra hours, rather extra days ashore, mostly do not get paid also in addition to their regular remunerations. This is presicisely true to most of the companies providing active services to shipping business. Let me add with confidence and certainty that ‘these companies’ include many big names serving internationally. Strange, isn’t it.

On paper every thing is provided, but in practice nothing. And it is considered very normal! Of which every one is aware, it is an open secret.

Traditionally there are ‘no working hours’ at sea, but these are supposed to adhered to on the shore.

At least onboard ships most of the crew gets paid well, on shore most even don’t get paid for the jobs they attend onboard ships!

What did you say? Can’t believe a word!
Don’t ask any one; jobs are scarce and hence very dear.
Forget the signed contracts.

Just look closely into the routines of surveyors, ship chandlers, ship agents and the like and you will agree.

Why Seamen Cannot Save? Saving for Retirement from The Sea & The Ships!

2006-02-01T11:44:00.000+04:00

We have been talking about young ambitious people interested in joining merchant navy, lets now consider the ones who are serving in merchant navy and it never passed their minds that one day they will have to quit sea and get retirement from the ships.

A new essays, 'Why Seamen Cannot Save? Saving for Retirement from The Sea & The Ships!' detailing some considerations on this subject, has been added to our Essays and Articles Section about preparing for retirement while working and earning at sea.

We welcome your comments on this subject. Your ideas and experiences may provide guidance to others and motivate them to prepare for quitting sea when the time ripens for doing so.

pakistaniMARITIME.Com web site is open to everyone for bringing ones views online. Please contact me on the email address at the end of this mail or you may like to get the point of views of PakistaniMariner eGroup members by posting the same using the following address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PakistaniMariner

A shore leave dinner together - they ate and slipped!

2005-12-21T17:36:00.000+04:00

During our sailings we come across many incidents that bring back smiles and memories of good old days.

Description of a shore leave that never remained an ordinary outing.

Humour? but sure in good taste.

Read through complete article in the Maritime Shipping Essays and Articles Section:

http://www.pakistanimaritime.com/ship-sea-essays/shore-leave-merchant-navy.htm

pakistaniMARITIME.Com Mailing List / Newsletter

2005-12-18T22:06:00.000+04:00

pakistaniMARITIME.Com newsletter is not a regular feature and is issued only when I have very pronounced information about the web site that may interest the subscribers.

Another reason for not having a regular newsletter is availability of time it requires to be fully operative - time that I have to squeeze out of a tight schedule of full time employment, web site updates, learning / reading and domestic responsibilities.

It may not be way-out considering my suggestion to join, in addition to this newsletter, any or both of eGroups offered on this web site: the PakistaniMariner eGroup and/or PakistaniMaritime eGroup.

These eGroups, catering needs of both maritime business concerns as well as merchant shipping employees and enthusiasts, not only provide the members a forum to discuss issues of common interest but does at the same time convey latest changes and additions to the pakistaniMARITIME.Com web site and the services it provides to the visitors.

If you are a seafarer or find yourself interested in ships and the sea, PakistaniMariner eGroup is for you. On the other hand if you are related to maritime business community you may find PakistaniMaritime eGroup of interest to you.

Another source of latest information about this web site is my blog, Pakistan Merchant Shipping - Maritime Business and Employment Blog gets the latest changes to pakistaniMARITIME.Com Website; sometimes even before they appear on it's pages.

Previous Pakistan Maritime Newsletters:

Old issues of our newsletter sent to mailing list subscribers can be assessed by using the links below.

Pakistan Maritime Newsletter Issue 1 - June 2003
Pakistan Maritime Newsletter Issue 2- February 2004

Opinion Polls - Covering Merchant Navy, Pakistan Shipping, Maritime Shipping and the Seamen.

2005-12-18T22:03:00.000+04:00

We arrange polls to gather opinion of merchant navy employees: seamen, deck officers, engine officers and all interested in merchant navy; especially the Pakistan Merchant Shipping.

The polls are arranged at the PakistaniMariner eGroup section and any one can participate to add one's opinion to the results. The Polls are powered by Yahoo Groups - so is the PakistaniMariner eGroup.

To vote you need Yahoo Identity, that is your yahoo username and password and membership of the PakistaniMariner eGroup.

All the polls can be reached in the polls section of PakistaniMariner eGroup.

You are invited to add your vote to the following polls:

Your few minutes of time and responsible opinion will certainly help others to reach correct decisions about their career.The results can bring about general views about issues addressed and an in depth analysis of the future of merchant navy and it's impact on the seafarers can be evaluated.The results will certainly help you to compare your opinion with the majority.

Why do you want to join merchant navy or what influenced you most to join sea?
The days of merchant navy have changed and the profession has undergone extensive set-back so far as the Pakistani mariners are concerned, especially after 9/11 Pakistani seafarers are facing problems that had never risen before – from job un-availability to humiliating treatment on the ports by local authorities.

It, however, remains a well paid profession and promises financial freedom for the ones who adopt it successfully.

The question for this poll is:

In this back-ground and other issues concerning Pakistani Seamen in national and international shipping companies, would you send your son to serve in merchant navy?

Details, explanation and results of the individual polls can be viewed on the PakistaniMariner eGroup section powered by Yahoo Groups.

Please visit the following web page: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/PakistaniMariner/polls

Would you send your son to serve in merchant navy?

2005-12-11T23:28:00.000+04:00

A new poll has been created for the PakistaniMariner group - Enter your vote today!

The days of merchant navy have changed and the profession has undergone extensive set-back so far as the Pakistani mariners are concerned, especially after 9/11 Pakistani seafarers are facing problems that had never risen before - from job un-availability to humiliating treatment on the ports by local authorities.

It, however, remains a well paid profession and promises financial freedom for the ones who adopt it successfully.

The question for this poll is:

In this back-ground and other issues concerning Pakistani Seamen in national and international shipping companies, would you send your son to serve in merchant navy?

Yes
No
Only if he will not be able to get suitable employment / education elsewhere.

To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PakistaniMariner/surveys?id=1853386

NOTE: You will need a Yahoo Profile to join PakistaniMariner eGroup.

Better seafaring for Pakistani seamen!

2005-12-07T00:46:00.000+04:00

The interest in WWW is certainly beneficial to serving mariners in job search and otherwise for general info about the sea and the merchant navy.

Seamen must present themselves in the open market by using internet. Having a resume web site is not a big deal, but how many of us are presently having one?

In these years, I have noted minimal interest of our sailing staff in projecting themselves. A search in Google or Yahoo generates lots of results but very little present our seamen.

I have received contributions in the Essays & Articles section from several parts of the world but not a single on from out merchant navy officers. Is no body bothered about HIMSELF?

Until and unless we speak up and let the nature of our problems be known to all, how well can we expect to see a better dawn of seafaring career for Pakistanis.

There exist massive misunderstandings about seafarers and life a sea among landlubbers, until we will not explain to their understanding capacity how possibly can we prove the truth.

I wish if my fellow seafarers from Pakistan could contribute their feelings openly, bring their experiences about merchant navy and job 'hunting' to everyone's knowledge, share their success stories and problems in sailing - most of all: FIND DEEP WITHIN THEMSELVES A BURNING DESIRE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER.

We all need to contribute what we have learned the hard way but is not known to someone else - leaping to make the very same mistake.

For all this to happen we need to break a shell - a shell that won't let us think beyond our personal benefits. And what it WILL result in would be BETTER SEAFARING FOR PAKISTANI SEAMEN.

Maritime Shipping Photo Gallery - Rough Seas - Tropical Revolving Storms & Hurricane force winds.

2005-11-17T10:40:00.000+04:00

This is what mariners and the vessels go through when caught in a tropical revolving storm to bear hurricane force winds.

Maritime Shipping Photo Gallery - The Sun,the Moon and the Sea.

2005-11-17T10:32:00.000+04:00

The best thing about doing the morning and evening watch at sea is the chance of witnessing rise and setting of heavenly bodies.

Sunrise and Sunset bring sequence of changing colors on the horizon and the way Sun SINKS in the sea slowly and calmly leaving water and horizon all crimson and burning is well worth a sight.

Same is the Moon that shows itself gradually and rises from the surface of the sea on the horizon to spread its cool rays over the dark sky.

I watch for the changes on the sky and horizon, brought by rising or setting of the sun 'moon or Venice - the second brightest heavenly body on the night sky. Sky is filled with colors that along with clouds creates fascinating sight.

Colors keep on changing as the sun gradually set or rises. Presence of clouds and other weather phenomenon enhances the joy of crimson , orange, fiery, sky. Some times it appears like fire in the sky, and some times rays of color pour out of the horizon and spread in all directions causing strange and interesting scene

You may see rainbow in the sky - well that's usual isn't it, but how about your ship passing through the semicircle of rainbow colors - I tried to capture , but not to the fullest beautyof rainbow colors as we passed through it. By the way, some sailors say if a ship passes through the rainbow the singles onboard get married :) !!!

Some of these images, that I captured while on 4 to 8 watch fascinated me and ended up as wallpapers on the screen of my laptop..

SAILING Vs SHORE JOB BY SEAMEN

2005-11-15T10:38:00.000+04:00

It is though quite easy, as it feels now, to switch to shore employment than to maintain it.

The requirements for the shore job by seafarers need additional skills, some of which they use to a lesser degree during their career onboard ships: Administration, management and advanced (or may I call it tactful) communication skills being few of many.

Same holds true for the qualifications. A Certificate of Competency is sure good to have on shore as well - but when supplemented by additional shore based qualifications, it raises one's chances of career advancement to a higher degree.

There are maritime shipping related qualifications available mostly through the Nautical Institute, Lloyds etc.

It would be a good idea for the mariners to go for these qualifications in addition to their Certificate of Competency to keep them ready for a career change, which they will certainly consider seriously MANY TIMES DURING THE SAILING DAYS.

Are YOU Interested in maintaining pakistaniMARITIME.Com Web Site ?

2005-08-16T04:33:00.000+04:00

It has been quite long that I started investing time in this web site. I, being a simple sailor, have no expertise so far as the web designing is concerned, and hence this simple web site - however in the process of handling these pages I have at-least gained the basics.

The target is however the USEFULNESS, and not the flowery appearance.

The motive behind this time consuming hobby is to provide useful information to the Pakistani seafarers working in merchant navy and international merchant shipping and to guide the ones who are interested in joining the same as a career.

In short, it was expected to be a place on the web where any one interested in merchant navy and the sea could find something useful and of interest - free of charge.

I would welcome your opinion in improving sections of interest to you. May I request your opinion on following points to improve the utility of this obsession!!! :

Did you find this web site of any use for the above mentioned purpose?
Sections within this web site that you consider should be emphasized and improved including your opinion and guidelines.
Sections that you consider may be removed or replaced by an amended subject.

My present employment, and routines do not allow me to spare enough time for this task, anyone interested in maintaining this web site, pakistaniMARITIME.Com, with the spirit of serving seafarers community may contact me and we can discuss his participation.

Finally, I very well understand that we are all busy, and sparing time for a subject like this may not be very tempting.

Few minutes of your time spent in commenting about this subject may benefit many - saving many careers and loss of hard earned money.

Your opinion is very important and precious - so do not hold it with you - just send it, express it. Say what ever you think should be changed and your ideas on how to implement the changes.

Say what ever comes to your mind and say more when you get a fresh brain wave!

Tell any thing and everything that comes to your mind.

Do not put it on tomorrow !

Come on – let’s start - open up the email and begin typing - Isn't this all we need :)

An Introduction to [ joining ] Merchant Navy.

2005-07-29T14:14:00.000+04:00

I frequently receive emails from young men seeking information about merchant navy.

There are articles listed in the Essays and Articles Section which the new comers will definitely find useful.

Here they may get an introduction to merchant navy and what it is all about to be able to decide for them whether this highly skilled and unique profession suits their life style.

I highly recommend reading the information contained in the following articles before taking any step towards THE SEA AND THE SHIPS.

There are more articles as well that will certainly interest you.

Links section contains links to nautical colleges in Pakistan:

http://www.pakistanimaritime.com/maritime-links/nautical-education-pakistan.htm

In addition, one may consider joining the PakistaniMariner eGroup to direct one's questions and seek advice of experienced seafarers.

Shore Employment Links for Merchant Navy Officers and Seamen

2005-05-18T16:00:00.000+04:00

Merchant navy is a profession that seamen quit at every stage, some leave as a cadet and many after serving for years at every rank up the career ladder.

Number of seamen reaching the retirement age is quite short. Majority quits sea earlier!

There is dear need of information for seamen intending to move to shore employment.

In most cases after long years of sailing mariners find themselves fed up of sea and ships and feel that they should get a shore job so as to stay with their families. They may wish to see themselves walking on the 'land’ when they are off duty; away from rolling, pitching and vibrations onboard.

Experience onboard ships and the qualifications for merchant navy have limited demand on shore. Mariners need to educate themselves for the shore job.

We intend to provide links to shore job resources and other guidance material that may help fellow mariners in evaluating themselves for the shore employment - they may gather information to achieve a highly appreciated goal.

We are looking for useful web resources to add to maritime links section for the benefit of merchant navy employees, the more we find the more we will add to the benefit of us all.

We expect you to share relevant links and information that you may have. You may know something that others may not even think of. Your ideas, your ‘brain-storming’ may bring solution to a shore job seeker fed up of sailing.

Your participation and interest is vital for the intended benefit to the seamen community; this initiative in your interest may not prove beneficial with out it.

We would be pleased to add your views to the appropriate section of this web site, with full acknowledgement to the source, for the guidance of others.

Your views and observations may be submitted as an article in the Maritime Shipping Essays and Articles Section.

If you know links to information, please submit for addition to the maritime links page.

You may express yourself in the PakistaniMariner eGroup to gain opinion of others members or email us information and we will thankfully add it to the appropriate section.

This section is dedicated to provide information that may assist and educate mariners in their quest of career change.

So, you want to join merchant navy? Minimum that a deck cadet must know.

2005-05-04T07:50:00.000+04:00

This article provides information for Pakistani young men interested in joining merchant navy as deck cadets.

The idea is to tell them in clear words what is in the future from their intention of joining the sea to the end of cadet ship so that they may not feel trapped in a profession which is, no doubt, very rewarding but for only those whom it suits.

To read article please click the title of this article or the link below:
http://www.pakistanimaritime.com/ship-sea-essays/deck-cadet-pakistan.htm

Maritime Links - Page Moved.

2005-04-27T10:29:00.000+04:00

Our Maritime links page was hosted by Bravenet previously. Since the number of links have out numbered the limit offered by Bravenet and the expansion of our site is growing, we are shifting maritime links to a comprehensive section constructed with in the pakistaniMARITIME.Com web hosting servers.

The new Maritime Links section has been optimized for search engine crawling and will be much more search engine spider friendly due to latest optimization techniques.

It was not feasible to verify each and every link we had on our pages, we have decided to get links re-submitted to verify link validity, authentication of information and most important the distribution of links into endless categories.

We, therefore, suggest re-submission of your link presently on Old Maritime links page to the
new Maritime Links section. You can suggest more than one category depending on the individual sections / services of your web site.

The data on the old page will be removed over time. Every category transferred to the new section will be removed from the old page.

To re-submit your link please visit:
http://pakistanimaritime.com/maritime-links/submit-maritime-link.htm

Why do you want to join merchant navy or what influenced you most to join sea?

2005-04-18T13:15:00.000+04:00

Enter your vote today! A new poll has been created for the PakistaniMariner group:

Why do you want to join merchant navy or what influenced you most to join sea?

o Handsome income
o I want to visit different countries?
o I just like to get away from home due to domestic reasons.
o My friends are joining career at sea.
o I belong to a family of seafarers.
o I cannot afford higher education.
o I need to financially support my family.
o I want to enjoy the night clubs and discos abroad.
o There is no job available here.
o Other - Please explain.

To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PakistaniMariner/surveys?id=1666306

NOTE: You will need a Yahoo Profile to join PakistaniMariner eGroup.

A source of repairing our minds!!!

2005-04-15T01:29:00.000+04:00

A source of repairing our minds!!! Something other than sea and ships and employment worries - our life.

The way we plan all projects to be successful, exactly the same way we need to plan our lives to be on the 'top'.

"SEE YOU AT THE TOP" by "ZIG ZIGLAR" is a motivational book I believe everyone should read and 'digest'.

If you get your hands on a copy of this book do give yourself a chance of further improvement. I am only sharing my experience by recommending this book. If it was good for me it might benefit you as well :)

Please note that I am NOT AT ALL affiliated with the author or the publisher, and do not have any business interests in recommanding this book.

Selling One's life to the Sea & the Price of Buying it back - A Sailor's Self Talk

2005-04-13T15:44:00.000+04:00

When one remains at sea for long time, he loses his contacts, his qualities to deal with people, expansion of his view of the world. He serves for months at time on ship and goes back on leave for short duration.

He earns good salary and is able to provide better living conditions for the one’s he cares about. A seaman’s own life do not get benefits of luxuries within his buying power, he instead works like a machine – neglected , in many cases and dealt as a money making machine. Over time the seafarer forgets himself and points his planning towards others only.

I was sold to sea in the beginning of youth but it is satisfying enough to feel that I have bought myself back from the sea and the ships and I am now among many common people, average people, who live with their families and worry about their day to day needs. Who see children grow and are part of their families instead of being a guest who arrives 'home' after six months, introduces himself to children and waits for kids to get used to him to enjoy their company.

There is no free lunch. There is a price for either end of the coin: one has to let go the benefits of career at sea and lose a lot in gaining what life on shore has available. The decision is difficult and depends upon ones commitments and responsibilities. A desire to live the way majority leads their life: good or bad, rich or poor, deprived or fulfilled is vital.

Life on shore is busy and demanding too, but end of the day one is home and free. I am able to walk around when I am off and see others around - new people and new faces –it is worth my decision to come ashore though shore does not pay me much as compared to ships.

Ship job provides the most important financial independence but buys a seaman’s life in return.

At last I am on shore and not at sea any more!

There is no more pitching, rolling and shipboard tensions, no facing of behaviors from others who are tense and rigid due to staying long on board.

Here everyone has his own job. No one is jack of all trades. On ships one has to be able to do everything from operations to maintenance, from administration to accounts.

Sore job is not that easy either. My routines are tough. I work long hours, it is normal so far as the private employment is concerned. But the people are different; they are more descent, not all but most of them. They take their jobs easy - unlike ships where lots more deadlines need to be met and fast actions are required. It is not an 8-5 job, where one goes to an office sits on a table and gets up in the afternoon to go home

True that things were not that easy as I expected when I decided to jump at the first offer of quitting sea I got my hands on.

True that I lost money in the hands of crooks on shore.

True that I worked on less salary than sea.

True that I have to use public transport until I pass driving test in a new country where my fifteen year old driving license is not accepted.

Here I am among variety of people with different personalities, different fields of action, different qualifications, different academic backgrounds, and different attitudes. Variety what ever form it may be in brings amended thinking and eradicates staleness.

I am enjoying all the changes like a person coming from a far planet!

I can think more; my view has expanded more than the arc of visibility of a ships mast head light and never stops at 22.5 degrees abaft the beam on either side. It has no restriction of visibility range either :)

I do like to look at sea now as well, but in a different way - with a different eye. Lot of people are enjoying on the beach on the weekend, after a weeks work. If they worked hard a week they have a day to relax and nourish there soles and bodies.

When I reach back in my flat, there is no worry of tanks being pressurized or bad weather expected or some thing may go wrong. My telephone never rings during my sleep every hour to tell me that the discharge rate has fallen and a person from shore from an unknown agency is insisting to see me and on meeting he is only there to get some cigarettes plus some coffee and jam. The time does not change, night does not transform into day with the changes in longitude and the high latitude weathers are story of the past.

Many years have passed in dry-dock I was standing on deck with the duty A.B. when the ship chandler’s brother, a young boy in late teens, approached us and started talking about life at sea and onboard ships. The chap was on holidays and had come to visit the ship. After hearing about our contracts, leave duration and the scale of our salaries - he liked the income part of the information. Seeing his interest I asked him if he would like to join sea.

"You stay away from your home for so long and you are confined to the ship all the time, you are selling your lives for money, I want to live a free life - a normal life!!!” was his straight reply.

PakistaniMariner eGroup - Professional Information Exchange for Pakistani Seafarers.

2005-04-10T12:56:00.000+04:00

PakistaniMariner eGroup has been created to provide a platform for professional information exchange and mutual interaction among Pakistani seafarers.

It is a medium that will bring your voice on the internet and on the search engines. Where others, fellow sailors and non-seafarers, may learn how things have been going in the seafaring career of Pakistani seamen.

Man learns from others experience, you will find ideas and inspiration from others posts and vice versa. It is a matter of increasing awareness about the situation of seamen and merchant navy in Pakistan. If you will not tell what is happening, no body will ever know what Pakistani seamen are going through and ultimately the situation will remain unchanged.

Seamen are ripped off at job offices and mishandled onboard ships. Employment search is the major concern after every ship for many. Even some educational institutions are and have been charging heavy amounts for training that has no demand on the merchant vessels. There are no job securities after completion of well paid training.

I emphasize and will continue to suggest mariners to practice expression. You do not need to identify your self. Yahoo groups, where PakistaniMariner eGroup is hosted, allows to make as many personnel profiles as one likes. I persuade you to participate in this eGroup for your own benefit.

Merchant Shipping employees spend 6-9 months at sea and when they come back on leave there is so much to do at home that they are not bothered by what is going round them - until they need a new job.

Merchant Navy Employees and Seamen in Pakistan do not have a forum or any other source of getting current information - a magazine solely presenting information about trends in local shipping and ship job market. Had there been such a affective source of information present, many young men with pre-sea training for GP3 rank would not have wasted there time and money for qualifications leading to non-existent jobs at sea for Pakistani nationals.

What is the use of a qualification that would not, end of the day, qualify one for a job. Lot of, rather all - yes all, serving seamen knew that there was grim scope for Pakistani GP3s onboard merchant ships but no one was bothered and there was no way of expressing or knowing the truth in the media. Result was that ignorant young boys, and their anticipating parents, paid sky high tuition fees for gaining pre-sea training with no output in sight.

How misleading were the false promises and the colored pictures of future painted at the time of admission to the worthless courses !

It is the middle class that opts for jobs in merchant navy and populate ships. These educated boys, from families where 100,000 rupees are a big amount, spent their parents hard earned savings - provident funds, pension loans and similar to pay off the nautical colleges fees in the hope of earning ‘big’ from the sea and in the quest of seeing the world.

Had someone guided these boys of the true condition of Pakistani seamen, had they read in a forum the problems of ship employment for Pakistani seafarers, had they even knew the nature of job at sea, much of their parents hard earned money would have not been wasted.

I am a seafarer like you and cannot offer one a job in merchant navy, though to facilitate the same Database of Pakistani Mariners has been introduced and some more resources have been added to the pakistaniMARITIME.Com.

I have added a list of manning agents in Karachi and will soon add a list of shipping companies that hire Pakistani nationals to the ‘Maritime Links’ section. I do suggest [ and request :) ] your submissions to these resources. They are for you and may help to change your financial future.

I would welcome everyone to participate and suggest improvements to this initiative meant solely in the interest of our merchant navy employees and the ones who intend to join Pakistan shipping to earn a living.

Send me your opinion in any form: as an article, essay, letter, email and I will upload it to the appropriate section.

Send me your resume web sites and I will upload them on my hosting server.

If you get your resume site uploaded in the Resume Web Site Section, it can be 'spidered' quite fast, since pakistaniMARITIME.Com enjoys very frequent visits from Goggle, Yahoo and Msn spiders. Getting indexed in search engines will enable your resume to appear in internet searches comparatively in less time.

If you find yourself overwhelmed or have queries about any thing please email me and I will be more than happy to answer, provided it lies within my knowledge and ability.

All services at pakistaniMARITIME.Com are free and open to everyone interested in sea and merchant navy with emphasizes on Pakistani seafarers and Pakistan shipping. Let me make it clear that I do not have any monitory interests involved in ‘PakistaniMariner eGroup or from pakistaniMARITIME.Com web presence.

For this forum to work in the interest and benefit of us all, the Pakistani Merchant shipping employees, we need to maneuver it ourselves by participating and initiating useful information that could benefit all of us.

Humor at Sea - An article you must read :)

2005-04-05T22:36:00.000+04:00

Getting bored?

Get to this confidential letter from the Master of a ship - it made me laugh throughout, you will enjoy it too.

What an 'Incident Report' this ' Letter to Head Office' makes!!!

Merchant Navy Employment Recourses in Pakistan.

2005-04-02T23:57:00.000+04:00

In order to facilitate ship job search, which is by all means a tough and long process especially for the first timers with no prior experience, I have added a list of 'Merchant Navy Employment Recourses in Pakistan'.

This page includes mainly contact details of ship manning agencies in Karachi. Most of the content has come from my diary and the remaining from friends and internet searches. Some details might be out of date: phone number or email addresses may have changed over time, however, most of it is expected to be useful. Seamen and merchant navy officers seeking ship employment may find this page useful in their merchant navy job search.

May I suggest fellow seafarers to inform me about errors and omissions on this page or if they have more contacts that should be added to this list.

The more complete this list becomes, the more it will help us in our job searches, which are not at all rare so far as employment in merchant navy for Pakistani seamen is concerned. Hope this information will prove useful for the merchant navy employees, seamen and mariners.

Please do suggest corrections and additions to this page for the benefit of other mariners.

So I am not alone - Another similar experience - Ghost onboard or was it not?

2005-03-30T00:41:00.001+04:00

I was searching indexed pages of my web site pakistaniMARITIME.Com in a search engine when in the search results this link appeared as well.

The writer, a signal man onboard an Australian Navy ship, describes his experience when he went up a ships flag deck and felt the presence of someone else.

In his words: “I had a sense of being followed and could feel something actually walk past/through me on the ladder. When I got up on to the flag deck, I could feel a real sensation of being watched, not in a pervasive or mischievous sense, but more in a supervisory, looking over your shoulder sense. I tried my best to ignore it until I went into the Signalman’s Shelter which is a small compartment where the ceremonial items I had to prepare were kept. As I stood inside the shelter I "felt" someone in there with me and could hear them breathing as though they had being running or working hard…………I never felt that feeling again when I was on the ship……..”

So I am not alone, and it was not my imagination when I came across that ghost or what ever it was onboard a ship. I can figure out similarities in the above account and my experience as described in my article Ghost onboard or was it not ?

The writer could feel presence of someone but could not see him and once encountered he too never felt that feeling again on that ship.

Are these very common occurrences?

Does it mean that I have actually seen a ghost?

Was 'he' a ghost onboard that ship?

Attention Job Seekers in Maritime Shipping and Offshore Sector. Frauds in Ship Jobs, Merchant Navy Employment and Offshore recruitment.

2005-03-11T08:47:00.000+04:00

A lot is going on in ripping off merchant seamen seeking maritime ship jobs, ITF (International Trade Fedration) has again warned on this issue.

The point is when a job is offered against advance payment from the potential employee, there is always something to suspect about the credibility of the company or agency offering employment.

When a company offers high salary but asks for joining fees in advance, the seamen must understand that they may be loosing the very money they are handing over and may not get any thing in return other than disappointment.

ITF has warned about lot of frauds in hiring seamen, promising high wages onboard cruise ships, cargo ships and off shore installations.

Details of these frauds and misleading email information sent to seamen are added in the 'Maritime Shipping - Articles and Essays' section on the pakistaniMARITIME.Com web site. Read the relevant article 'Attention Job Seekers in Maritime Shipping and Offshore Sector. Frauds in Ship Jobs, Merchant Navy Employment and Offshore recruitment. You will find links to ITF web site pages and documentation detailing these well planned 'robberies'.

One such fraudulent company submitted their link in our Pakistan Maritime Links Page. ITF representative informed us about it and we immediately removed the link from our pages. Email received from ITF is also uploaded to the above article.

So, dear merchant navy employees and ship employment seekers be careful when you come across a job offer asking for money from you before you are onboard!!!

'Online Platform' for You - Pakistani Seafarers - Please Suggest.

2005-03-03T06:45:00.000+04:00

Your suggestions are required to plot a course to establish an 'OnlinePlatform' for you, the Pakistani seafarers.

PakistaniMariners eGroup and all other services in pakistaniMARITIME.Com are aimed at merchant navy in Pakistan, primarily to provide a forum or 'speaking place' for the mariners working in Pakistan Shipping or employed in International shipping companies.

Please take some time and write to us your ideas on how we can improve our 'attempt' to provide an 'outlet' to our mariner community.

Are we heading in the correct direction? Kindly do submit necessary 'alterations of course'!

Only you know what 'you' need, only your contribution can build an affective resource to your benefit.

Your suggestions will definitely make a difference!

Just send them here!

GP3 in Pakistan Shipping.

2005-02-26T21:43:00.000+04:00

Many nautical colleges have mushroomed in all major cities in Pakistan mainly to conduct course for GP3 training. There are no doubt excellent colleges available as well providing quality training to seafarers, though their number is quite short.

After coming across a young man who had completed course for GP3 training, and seeing his confusion and misunderstanding about career in merchant navy I have added the following article to the Maritime Shipping Essays and Articles Section:
"GP3 in Pakistan Shipping - Information and Training" for the guidance and interest of young men intending to Join merchant ships.

pakistaniMARITIME.Com's changing face :)

2005-01-30T16:41:00.000+04:00

I am attempting to give new look to the site. The result is that at present site has pages from two different layouts, old and new. It is going to take some time to complete reconstruction of all old pages.

The approach is to use CSS for formatting and increased use of hand coding on the web pages.

Once the above completes, I will be using graphics and flash but very sparingly.

The logo, presently just text formatted using CSS, will be replaced by gif image.

The previous layout used shared borders while the present makes use of Front Page includes for the top, bottom and left margin.

In, addition SEO has been attempted, though not fully yet. After changing layout of all pages I will emphasize on SEO fully, there is lot more to do.

Let us see how long this project takes to complete.

Next will be my ‘shore job winning’ resume website, which loads quite slowly due to heavy coding, lot of add-ins and images stuffed into its pages.

Merchant Shipping Employees better go for your professional internet presence!

2005-01-19T07:05:00.000+04:00

A place on the world wide web where seafarers may submit their contact details is the 'Open Database of Pakistani Mariners'. Although it is still a 'list', eventually it will be developed as a database to contain all the submissions. It may help to find a particular merchant navy employee one may be looking for. Simply it will make available your details online. The more appropriate places one submits one's effective presence on WWW, the more are the chances of getting 'found'.

The success of this project, however, depends on the seamen only, their interest in adding their details can make it useful for them and others. Until now the progress has been quite satisfactory, though either there are several submissions or there is none for long time.

Generally it has been noted that we mariners are not much aware of the importance of online communication and the WWW as compared to our counterparts from other parts of the globe. The idea is to understand the scope of WWW, especially when the profession is of global nature, that is, maritime shipping. Your presence on the net may open doors to additional maritime employment opportunities. More shipping companies and sea crew recruiters are offering online information now then ever before.

Shipping in Pakistan is very small - there are not many ships available under our flag to provide onboard jobs to every Pakistani seaman. Merchant Shipping employees have to, therefore, seek sea jobs on foreign flag vessels. It is a fact that in present global scenario the Pakistani mariners, though well qualified and experienced, are restricted in getting jobs due to restrictions on their travel to many sea ports round the world. Many countries where no visa was required when joining or leaving ships in the past, now require long seaman visa process procedures; some require 10 to 15 days notices before issuing a visa to Pakistan seamen resulting in additional expanses and workload on account of the employer.

Above is not healthy in that it repels the employers away from us and they begin to seek alternatives. Who would like to bear extra expanses for employing seamen from a particular country when they can get same from so many nationalities who does not cost extra expanses and work hours in personnel management. On the other hand, Pakistani merchant navy officers are even getting it difficult to go abroad for their professional studies - these are the ship employees who have their passports full of visa entries because they travel a lot due to the nature of their employment.

This grim situation makes it even more impotent for us to bring our talent and professional qualifications in the open. One very effective and inexpensive medium is the use of internet. Posting one's resume in appropriate job market, having a resume web site etc. would certainly give an edge to the applicant and will not cost him much.

There are many 'sea job hunting resources' on the internet, a search in Google or yahoo gives many results to choose from. At pakistaniMARITIME.Com we provide 'Open Database of Pakistani Mariners', 'PakistaniMariner eGroup', 'free resume web site development & hosting' and our 'maritime shipping links page' that seafarers may find useful.

In addition, on this blog you may like to read my earlier articles on resumes for maritime shipping employees.

Do you believe in GHOSTS?

2005-01-16T07:22:00.000+04:00

I never believed in such 'stories' as well, until I came across an incident for which I could not find logical justification.

I started believing the day I came across one on an oil tanker which I had joined few days earlier. I am sure it was not an illusion or ‘flight’ of my imagination.

If it was not a ghost it was sure not a human too; the way it disappeared before my eyes when I reached very close to it. When it happened my view was so clear and I was at few meters (3-4m) from it. You can read detailed account in my article ‘Ghost onboard or was it not ?’

If it was an illusion or made up of my imagination, it was then very real. Still when I think of ‘it’ I feel cold waves going down my spine !!!

I wonder if any one has gone through similar experience. Is there another form of life that we can some time sense but cannot otherwise comprehend?

Submissions Forms on PakistaniMaritime.Com

2005-01-01T07:15:00.000+04:00

Initially the submissions form results were automatically displayed on the respective submission results pages for Free Maritime Classifieds and my Guest Book until spammers found their way and started posting links to unrelated and highly immoral websites with offensive content.

Presently, I have to approve submissions to Free Maritime Classifieds and Guest Book to keep my web site clean.

Receipt of all submissions is intimated using auto responder. The whole process however delays your submission until the next update of the website.

Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

Increase 'visibility' of your Merchant Shipping Related web site.

2004-12-25T15:29:00.000+04:00

The very dependence of maritime business on internet makes it the strongest medium of communication and information so far as the shipping industry is concerned.

The benefit of having a web site for your business lies in its availability to the visitors searching for services it offers. What ever your business is, it needs exposure due to global nature of maritime and marine transportation industry.

Your site has to be easy to find on the web and in search engines queries. Services you offer need to be available to a vessel arriving at the port of call, a manager looking for services should be able to find you.

Search engine spiders follow hyperlinks when crawling the internet. A site linked to other quality sites of similar content is crawled frequently and gets listed faster in the search engines.

Presence of strong back links, where the other sites has a hyperlink to your site, is the best technique for getting listed in the search engines and directories. Manual submissions may be made to directories related to your business.

Let’s see what shipping related businesses we are talking about, the very long list may include the following:

A Ship chandler,
A shipping agency,
Deal in cargo chartering and brokerage,
Deal in ship sale and purchase,
Associated with ship demolition industry,
A shipping company,
A bunkering company,A crewing agency,
A marine lawyer,
A marine stevedoring company,
Running a ship repair work shop,A marine contractor,

The list is endless!

Following services offered on PakistaniMaritime.Com may help increase the visibility of your web site on the WWW:

PakistaniMaritime Site Ring - Increases visibility of a site by linking sites of same trade together.
PakistaniMaritime Web Site Awards - The winner sites are listed in the award winners list consisting of quality maritime shipping related resources.
PakistaniMaritime Links Page - Submit your site to merchant shipping related resources page.

I highly recommend excellent free lessons offered on this subject at SEO Training Class - Ethical Search Engine Optimization Classes to optimize your site for search engines.

Same is true about Resume Sites of Mariners and other merchant shipping employees.

Free Resume Web Site Hosting and Development

2004-12-23T00:19:00.000+04:00

Very recently, I have introduced free Resume Web Site Hosting and Development for the merchant navy employees.

Here I offer the serving officers and seaman in merchant shipping a web presence that may supplement information provided in their Resume.

It roots from my own good experience - it won me the long awaited shore job thus enabling me to say good bye to sea, atleast for the time being. See my article ‘From Ship to Shore Job’ for details. Let me add that I did not know about this job, never applied for it, never had an interview and never contact the employer. The employer searched on the net, ‘found me’( my Resume Web Site), contacted me and offered me a job precisely to my qualifications and experience that I joined whole heartedly.

Difference between a Resume and Resume Web Site.

There is difference between a Resume and a Resume Web Site - Resume is only a part, a downloadable part of a Resume Web Site. Resume may direct the visitor, employer in this case, to the Resume Web Site. A resume site must expand to bring resume to life, so that it does no remain a peace of paper with text only. The visitor after surfing must know all about applicant- his personality, interests, hobbies, and company. Resume Web Site has lot more to offer the visitor, who happens to be the potential employer:

Details of service.
Details of qualifications,
Scans of certificates and other documents that the visitor may like to see,
Links to academic institutions that made you earn your qualification,
Links to the last employments / jobs etc.

The main theme is to expand on the information contained in the resume to answer queries that may arise in the employer’s mind.

As I said in my case, I was not interviewed certainly for the above reason. The employer had gathered information from my site that he wanted, knew all about me and the credibility of my qualifications and experience. He was, therefore, confident to offer me a job straight away.

Free Web Site Development and Hosting for Shipping Related Business Concerns.

2004-12-23T00:12:00.000+04:00

In order to help maritime shipping businesses that does not have presence on the web I offered free maritime related web site development and hosting on PakistaniMaritime.Com web site.

The web sites are as good as I am at web site development :), but at least they may make a difference for a small business to expand and it does not take much of my time since I do it as a hobby and intend to make myself useful to the others.

Presently, I have assisted two shipping businesses to come on line, one is from Pakistan and the other from Turkey.

How WWW entered the life of a mariner.

2004-12-22T22:50:00.000+04:00

I have served in merchant navy for 23 years, got my Certificate of Competency Class One (Deck), Master Mariner Unlimited and served to the rank of Chief Officer onboard merchant vessels. I mainly served onboard oil tankers of varied tonnage from small product tankers to ULCCs – ultra large crude oil carriers; even served on ship carrying vegetable oils, palm oil and soyabean oil.

In 1998, while serving onboard a tanker vessel I fell sick, and was diagnosed with sciatica. Doctors advised me to under go immediate surgery after seeing the MRI reports. They explained that the disk between my lumber vertebra L5 and sacral vertebra S1 had collapsed and busted with fragments pressing the nerve, which as a result was causing sciatica pain in my left leg.

Once decided I under went sugary. It only took one and a half hour, the second day I was made to walk and the third day I was discharged from hospital. It took two months of long walks and some exercises to get healed fully, until my doctor told me to go back on job. I was lucky to recover fully and found my self working like before without any difficulty. Let me add that a chief officer onboard oil tankers has quite a physical job: entering tanks for inspection and visiting odd confined spaces that require bending and all sort of ‘gymnastics’ with very long working hours and tense tanker operations.

During the sick leave I bought my first computer, a Celeron 266MHz with a 2.1G hard drive, got use to it by studying self help books and found myself fascinated by the power and scope of the WWW.