Let me answer that question, as I currently hold the rank of Chief Engineer officer in Merchant Navy and have 22 years of experience within the Merchant Navy field.
PS:- I am a Chief Engineer Officer sailing on Ultra Large Container Carrier with both electronic and conventional engines.
Let’s get to the bottom of it. After completing Diploma/B.E, there is only one way you can join Merchant Navy. in Electrical Engineering/electronics and communication engineering is by doing ETO (Electro Technical Officer) course. It is a pre-sea training course of 4 months (16-18 weeks).
You will then be promoted to ETO cadet, then asst. ETO, then Asst. After you have become an experienced Electro-Technical Officer, your monthly salary will be around 3500 USD to 6000 USD (depending on your experience, company, vessel type, etc.).
Regards,
Chief Engineer Ajay Kumar Tripathi.