Cadet Waiting Period Before First Ship: Why It Happens and How to Use It

You graduated in June 2025. You secured a WSM sponsorship — one of the first in your batch. Twelve months later, you’re still waiting for your first joining. Your batchmates are already on their second contract.

You are not failing. But you are definitely losing time if you don’t use this period correctly.

This article is written for every cadet sitting at home, watching the calendar, wondering if they made a mistake.

---

Why Waiting Periods Happen: The Actual Reasons

Before you spiral, understand why this happens to so many cadets — including ones who did everything right.

1. Crew Rotation Cycles

Ships run on fixed crew rotation cycles — typically 4 months on, 2–3 months off. A cadet slot only opens when the current cadet completes their contract. If your slot on a specific vessel is occupied, you wait.

2. Fleet Size and Cadet-to-Ship Ratio

Companies like WSM, Anglo-Eastern, Bernhard Schulte, and Wallem have fixed numbers of vessels. If they are over-supplied with cadets relative to available positions, the waitlist grows. In 2025–2026, the Indian pre-sea training output increased significantly, creating a backlog in placements across multiple major RPSL companies.

3. Vessel Type Approval for Cadets

Not all ships in a company’s fleet are approved or suitable for cadet training. Training berths require a certified training officer on board and documentation for the Training Record Book (TRB). If approved vessels are unavailable, cadets wait.

4. Port State Control (PSC) Restrictions

Vessels under inspection or deficiency orders may temporarily suspend crew changes. This creates cascading delays in joining schedules.

5. Administrative Delays

CDC processing times, pre-joining medical availability, visa requirements for specific flag states, and insurance documentation can all add 4–8 weeks to an otherwise confirmed joining.

---

The 9+9 Month Contract Requirement: Is It Unusual?

You mentioned your company requires 18 months total sea time (9+9 months). This is not abnormal — it’s actually standard practice for companies seeking to provide structured cadet training across multiple vessels and voyage types.

The DGS minimum requirement for a Deck Cadet before appearing for 2nd Mate (FG) examination is 12 months of approved sea service. However, many companies require more to ensure their cadets are genuinely competent before endorsing their Training Record Books.

18 months over two contracts is a reasonable requirement. The challenge is the gap between contracts.

---

How Long Is the Wait Realistic?

Based on the experience of hundreds of cadets with major RPSL companies in 2024–2026:

• Waiting to join after graduation: 3–12 months (median around 6 months)
• Gap between first and second contract: 2–5 months
• Total time from graduation to completing 18 months sea service: 3–4 years, including shore time

If you are joining in June 2026 (approximately 12 months after graduating in June 2025), you are within the normal range for Indian cadets, even if it doesn’t feel that way.

---

What You Are Losing by Not Preparing During This Time

Here is where most cadets make a critical mistake. They wait. They assume they’ll study and prepare once they’re on board.

That is a mistake, and here’s why:

Your first few months on board will be overwhelmingly operational. You will be in a new environment, dealing with unfamiliar machinery or deck equipment, adjusting to watches, managing seasickness, and figuring out the social dynamics of the ship. You will not have the mental bandwidth to study for 2nd Mate FG simultaneously.

The cadets who clear 2MFG in one go — yes, it is possible — are overwhelmingly those who prepared extensively before and between their contracts, not during them.

---

How to Use the Waiting Period: A Specific Plan

Technical Preparation

Deck Cadets — Complete these before joining:

1. Master your stability calculations — especially the basic trim and stability formulae. These appear repeatedly in your TRB assessments and orals.
2. Study IMDG Code classification basics — you will handle cargo documentation on board.
3. Learn GMDSS communication procedures — you will stand radio watches from day one.
4. Practice celestial navigation problems — sun sights, star sights, meridian passage. These are tested in 2MFG orals and many cadets struggle badly.
5. Know your COLREGS Part B Rules 1–19 cold — every navigation exam in India tests this without mercy.

Engine Cadets:

1. Understand the four-stroke diesel engine cycle completely — from air intake to exhaust.
2. Study starting air system, fuel oil purification, and bilge systems.
3. Know your MARPOL Annex I requirements — oily water separator, oil record book.
4. Practice heat transfer calculations and thermodynamic cycle problems.

Mental Preparation

This sounds soft. It isn’t. The waiting period is psychologically difficult. Seeing your peers progress while you wait triggers anxiety, self-doubt, and sometimes depression.

Acknowledge this honestly. Do not suppress it.

Practical strategies that work:

• Set a learning target per week — not vague “study,” but specific: “I will complete COLREGS Rules 1–10 this week.”
• Maintain physical fitness — this directly affects your ability to adapt to watchkeeping schedules.
• Connect with others in the same situation — you are not the only one waiting. Community reduces isolation.
• Avoid the comparison trap — your batchmate joining earlier does not make them better. It makes them luckier in the short term.

Administrative Preparation

Use this time to complete everything before you need it urgently:

• CDC renewal if applicable — check validity
• STCW basic training refreshers if any courses are approaching expiry
• Passport validity — minimum 6 months ahead of contract end
• E-Migrate registration if required
• Yellow fever vaccination if sailing to West African or Caribbean ports

---

Can You Clear 2MFG in One Go?

Yes. Many officers have done it. But it requires realistic preparation.

The 2nd Mate (FG) examination covers:

• Written papers (Orals and Written — Navigation, Meteorology, Ship Stability, Cargo, GMDSS)
• Oral examination before a DGS examiner

Factors that determine if you can clear it in one go:

1. Quality of sea time — Did you actually perform the navigational tasks in your TRB, or just get signatures?
2. Preparation depth — Did you study the syllabi specifically, not just general nautical science?
3. Examiner familiarity — Different MMDs have different examination cultures. Knowing your specific MMD’s tendencies helps.

With 18 months of good sea service and 3–4 months of dedicated preparation after completing sea time, clearing 2MFG in one attempt is achievable. The pass rate in one attempt is around 40–50% — not impossible, just demanding.

---

A Message to Every Cadet Waiting

The maritime career is not a sprint. The seafarers who build solid careers are not always the ones who joined first — they are the ones who prepared well, communicated professionally, and made the most of every contract.

The waiting period is genuinely hard. But it is also one of the last periods of your career where you have uninterrupted shore time to build knowledge without operational pressure.

Use it.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long do cadets typically wait before first joining in India? A: Typically 3–12 months after pre-sea training, depending on the company and fleet availability. A 12-month wait, while frustrating, is within normal range.

Q: Is a 9+9 month contract requirement normal? A: Yes. Many major RPSL companies require 18 months of structured sea service across two contracts. The DGS minimum is 12 months, but companies often exceed this for training quality.

Q: Can I change my RPSL company during the waiting period? A: It depends on your bonding agreement. Most cadetship bonds are legally binding. Review your agreement carefully before approaching another company. Breaking a bond can result in legal liability.

Q: Should I do additional courses during the waiting period? A: Yes — particularly Bridge Resource Management (BRM) and any STCW refreshers. Some cadets also do short NCV (Near Coastal Voyage) courses for practical exposure. Check with your company first.

Q: What if the wait extends beyond 18 months? A: At some point this becomes a legitimate concern about the company’s fleet capacity. If your company has not given you a joining date after 12+ months, formally request a status update in writing. Document everything.

---

Conclusion

Waiting is hard. It doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means the system moves slowly, and you have been given time most working seafarers wish they had.

Use it to build the technical foundation that will make your first contract productive and your 2MFG clearance realistic.

Want a specific study plan tailored to your exam and timeline? Chat with SailorGPT — built specifically for cadets and officers like you.

WhatsApp: +91 99581 10235

— Sailor Success Team