How to Choose a Shipping Company 2026

Choosing the wrong company can set your career back by years. A good company accelerates your rank progression, pays on time, and treats you with professionalism. A bad one leaves you stranded at sea, underpaid, or stuck in rank for years. Here’s how to choose wisely.

Step 1: Verify RPSL Registration — Non-Negotiable

Before anything else, check that the company holds a valid RPSL (Recruitment and Placement Service Licence) issued by the Directorate General of Shipping, India.

How to check: dgshipping.gov.in → Seafarers → RPSL Registered Companies

Any company recruiting Indian seafarers without RPSL is operating illegally. Do not sign with them regardless of how attractive the offer sounds. This is the number one safeguard against maritime job scams.

Use our IMU-CET Scam Shield guide for comprehensive red flag identification.

Step 2: Evaluate Fleet Quality

A modern fleet means:

• Better safety equipment
• Less breakdown time at sea
• More learning opportunities on modern systems
• Better inspection records (PSC, SIRE, vetting)

How to check vessel age: Enter the IMO number on marinetraffic.com or equasis.org. Average fleet age over 20 years is a warning sign.

Step 3: Salary and Payment Track Record

Talk to serving or ex-seafarers from that company before joining. The merchant navy community is close-knit — ask on:

• MarineIndia forums
• Facebook groups (Merchant Navy India groups)
• Your maritime college alumni network
• SailorGPT — we have collective intelligence from thousands of seafarers

Red flags on salary:

• Delays beyond 5 days from payment due date
• Deductions without explanation
• Currency switching mid-contract

Step 4: Contract Terms

Read the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) or employment contract carefully:

Check specifically:

• Basic wage and overtime rate (compare to ITF/MLC minimum)
• Leave pay entitlement (minimum 30 days annual leave per MLC 2006)
• Contract duration — 6 months or less is standard; 9+ months is excessive
• Repatriation clause — company must pay repatriation if they terminate
• Sign-on advance (legitimate companies offer this)
• Medical coverage during and after contract

Step 5: Promotion Prospects

A company with 10 ships and 50 officers has limited promotion openings. A company with 100 ships has more.

Questions to ask HR:

• What is the typical time to promotion from my current rank?
• Do you sponsor COC upgrade training/exams?
• How many officers did you promote last year?

Step 6: Port Rotation and Lifestyle

Some companies trade fixed routes (India coast = frequent home ports). Others send you worldwide. Neither is objectively better — depends on your preference.

Consider:

• How far away are ports from your home city?
• Will you get repatriation from the last port or nearest international airport?
• Contract length vs. leave length — what’s the work-leave ratio?

Red Flags — Walk Away Immediately

• No written contract before signing on
• Asking for placement fees — illegal under MLC 2006
• Vague salary structure — “salary as per rank” without numbers
• No RPSL — already covered but cannot overstate this
• Negative reviews on multiple forums about salary delays
• No P&I insurance or insurance company you can’t verify
• Pressure to sign quickly — legitimate companies give you time to review

Green Flags — Good Signs

• ITF/IMEC affiliated CBA
• ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 certified management systems
• Regular ISM audits with clean records
• Transparent salary breakdown in offer letter
• References from seafarers you can verify independently
• Prompt responses to your queries pre-joining

The Verification Checklist

Before signing any contract, confirm:

• RPSL verified on DG Shipping website
• Company reviews checked on maritime forums
• Vessel IMO number checked on equasis.org
• Contract read completely (not just salary page)
• P&I club membership verified
• At least one current/ex-seafarer from company spoken to

Ask SailorGPT

Have a specific company you want us to evaluate? Chat with SailorGPT at sailorsuccess.online — we have aggregated information on hundreds of Indian and international shipping companies.