Top 50 Shipping Companies in India 2026

Choosing the right company determines your salary, growth, and overall experience. This comprehensive guide covers the best shipping companies hiring Indian seafarers.

Company Categories

Category A: Premium Companies

Highest salaries, best ships, career growth.

Category B: Good Companies

Competitive salaries, decent ships, stable employment.

Category C: Standard Companies

Average salaries, entry-level opportunities.

Top 15 Premium Companies

1. Anglo-Eastern Ship Management

Headquarters: Hong Kong Fleet: 700+ vessels Specialization: All vessel types

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	35,000-45,000
Third Officer/4E	2.5L-3.5L
Second Officer/3E	3.5L-5L
Chief Officer/2E	5L-8L
Master/CE	10L-15L

Pros:

Industry leader
Excellent training
Global fleet
Career progression

Cons:

High competition
Strict standards

How to Apply: Online portal + campus placements

2. Fleet Management Limited

Headquarters: Hong Kong Fleet: 650+ vessels Specialization: Tankers, Bulk, Container

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	35,000-40,000
Third Officer/4E	2.5L-3L
Second Officer/3E	3.5L-4.5L
Chief Officer/2E	5L-7L
Master/CE	9L-14L

Pros:

Large fleet
Good training
Stable company

Cons:

Competitive entry

3. V.Ships

Headquarters: Monaco Fleet: 1000+ vessels Specialization: All types

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	30,000-40,000
Third Officer/4E	2L-3L
Second Officer/3E	3L-4.5L
Chief Officer/2E	4.5L-7L
Master/CE	8L-13L

Pros:

Largest ship manager globally
Diverse fleet
Shore opportunities

4. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM)

Headquarters: Germany Fleet: 600+ vessels Specialization: Container, Tanker, Bulk

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	32,000-38,000
Third Officer/4E	2.2L-3L
Second Officer/3E	3.2L-4.5L
Chief Officer/2E	4.5L-7L
Master/CE	9L-14L

Pros:

German standards
Good training
Container expertise

5. Synergy Marine Group

Headquarters: Singapore Fleet: 400+ vessels Specialization: Tankers, LNG, Bulk

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	30,000-38,000
Third Officer/4E	2.5L-3.5L
Second Officer/3E	3.5L-5L
Chief Officer/2E	5L-8L
Master/CE	10L-16L

Pros:

Singapore pay scales
LNG fleet
Modern vessels

6. Executive Ship Management

Headquarters: Singapore Fleet: 300+ vessels Specialization: Container, Bulk, Tanker

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	30,000-35,000
Third Officer/4E	2.2L-2.8L
Second Officer/3E	3L-4L
Chief Officer/2E	4.5L-6.5L
Master/CE	8L-12L

7. Thome Ship Management

Headquarters: Singapore Fleet: 250+ vessels Specialization: Tankers, Bulk, Offshore

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	28,000-35,000
Third Officer/4E	2L-2.8L
Second Officer/3E	3L-4L
Chief Officer/2E	4.5L-6.5L
Master/CE	8L-12L

8. OSM Maritime

Headquarters: Norway Fleet: 400+ vessels Specialization: All types

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	30,000-38,000
Third Officer/4E	2.2L-3L
Second Officer/3E	3.2L-4.5L
Chief Officer/2E	5L-7L
Master/CE	9L-14L

Pros:

Norwegian standards
Offshore expertise
Good welfare

9. MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company)

Headquarters: Switzerland Fleet: 800+ vessels Specialization: Container

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	35,000-45,000
Third Officer/4E	2.5L-3.5L
Second Officer/3E	3.5L-5L
Chief Officer/2E	5L-8L
Master/CE	10L-16L

Pros:

World’s largest container line
Modern vessels
High salaries

10. MISC Berhad

Headquarters: Malaysia Fleet: 100+ vessels Specialization: LNG, Tankers

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Third Officer/4E	3L-4L
Second Officer/3E	4L-6L
Chief Officer/2E	6L-9L
Master/CE	12L-18L

Pros:

LNG specialist
Highest salaries
Excellent benefits

Cons:

Very competitive entry

11. Maersk (A.P. Moller-Maersk)

Headquarters: Denmark Fleet: 700+ vessels Specialization: Container, Tanker

Pros:

Global leader
Excellent training
Career paths

12. Wallem Group

Headquarters: Hong Kong Fleet: 200+ vessels Specialization: All types

13. Columbia Shipmanagement

Headquarters: Cyprus Fleet: 400+ vessels Specialization: Container, Tanker, Bulk

14. NYK Line

Headquarters: Japan Fleet: 500+ vessels Specialization: Container, LNG, Car Carriers

15. MOL (Mitsui O.S.K. Lines)

Headquarters: Japan Fleet: 800+ vessels Specialization: All types

Top Indian Companies

1. Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)

Status: Government PSU Fleet: 60+ vessels Specialization: Tanker, Bulk, Container

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Cadet	25,000-30,000
Third Officer/4E	1.8L-2.5L
Second Officer/3E	2.5L-3.5L
Chief Officer/2E	3.5L-5L
Master/CE	6L-10L

Pros:

Job security
Pension benefits
Indian flag
Easier entry

Cons:

Lower salaries
Older vessels
Bureaucracy

2. Great Eastern Shipping

Headquarters: Mumbai Fleet: 45+ vessels Specialization: Tanker, Bulk, Offshore

Rank	Monthly Salary (₹)
Third Officer/4E	2L-2.8L
Second Officer/3E	3L-4L
Chief Officer/2E	4L-6L
Master/CE	7L-11L

Pros:

India’s largest private
Good reputation
Stable employment

3. Essar Shipping

Headquarters: Mumbai Fleet: 20+ vessels Specialization: Tanker, Bulk

4. Mercator Limited

Headquarters: Mumbai Fleet: 15+ vessels Specialization: Dredging, Tanker

5. Varun Shipping

Headquarters: Mumbai Fleet: 15+ vessels Specialization: LPG, Offshore

Specialized Companies

LNG Carriers (Highest Paying)

Company	Country	Premium
MISC Berhad	Malaysia	+60-80%
NYK LNG	Japan	+50-70%
MOL LNG	Japan	+50-70%
Maran Gas	Greece	+50-70%
Dynagas	Greece	+50-60%

Tanker Specialists

Company	Country
Teekay	Canada
Euronav	Belgium
Frontline	Norway
DHT Holdings	Norway
Scorpio Tankers	Monaco

Offshore Companies

Company	Specialization
Tidewater	OSV
Bourbon	OSV, AHTS
DOF	Subsea
Solstad	OSV
COSL	Drilling

How to Get Hired

Application Process

Step 1: Online Application

Create profile on company portal
Upload certificates
Submit application

Step 2: Document Verification

All certificates verified
Background check
Reference check

Step 3: Interview

Technical interview
HR interview
Medical clearance

Step 4: Selection

Joining letter
Pre-joining briefing
Vessel assignment

What Companies Look For

Technical Skills:

Valid certificates
Relevant experience
Technical knowledge

Soft Skills:

Communication
Teamwork
Leadership potential

Documentation:

Complete CDC
Valid passport
All STCW certificates
No gaps in documentation

Tips for Getting Selected

Apply to multiple companies
Tailor CV for each application
Highlight relevant experience
Prepare for technical questions
Be honest about experience
Follow up professionally

Company Comparison by Factor

By Salary

Tier	Companies
Highest	MISC, LNG companies, MSC
High	Anglo-Eastern, Synergy, Fleet
Medium	V.Ships, BSM, OSM
Standard	SCI, Indian companies

By Training

Quality	Companies
Excellent	Anglo-Eastern, Maersk, BSM
Good	V.Ships, Fleet, Synergy
Standard	Most others

By Work-Life Balance

Rating	Companies
Best	Cruise lines, European companies
Good	Japanese companies
Standard	Most ship managers

By Career Growth

Opportunity	Companies
Best	Anglo-Eastern, Maersk, MSC
Good	Large ship managers
Limited	Small companies

Red Flags to Avoid

Warning Signs

Demands money for job
No proper office
Unclear salary structure
Poor online reviews
Delayed payments history
Old/substandard vessels
No proper contracts

How to Verify Companies

Check DG Shipping approved list
Read online reviews
Ask current employees
Verify office address
Check company registration
Look for news/legal issues

Conclusion

Choosing the right company matters:

Premium companies pay 2-3x more
Better training leads to faster growth
Good companies have better ships
Reputation affects future opportunities

Start with good companies even if harder to enter. Your career trajectory depends on it.

Need company recommendations? Chat with SailorGPT - Get personalized advice on which companies suit your profile, experience level, and career goals.

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