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Maritime career guides

Guides for merchant navy aspirants and seafarers.

Practical guides on eligibility, courses, medical requirements, and how to verify institutes and agencies before spending money.

Maritime career guides

Written for first-generation seafarers and their families. No paid promotions — only verified information from official DGS sources.

Guide9 min read

DGS Order No. 3 of 2026: What It Means for Cadets Choosing an Institute

DGS Order No. 3 of 2026 makes placement records worth 55% of an institute's overall grade — and requires every MTI to display that grade publicly. Here's what the order says, why the 12-month placement figure matters more than the total, and the six checks worth running before you enrol.

MarinePathway Editorial·18 July 2026
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Guide5 min read

How to Spot a Fake RPSL Agency (and Verify a Real One)

Recruitment fraud is one of the most common ways seafarers lose money before they've even sailed. Here's how RPSL licensing works, the red flags of a fake agency, and how to check before you pay anything.

MarinePathway Editorial·11 July 2026
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Guide7 min read

What Is Sea Time and Why It Matters for Your CoC

Sea time is the sailing experience every merchant navy officer needs before sitting a Certificate of Competency exam. Here's how it's recorded, what counts, and what doesn't.

MarinePathway Editorial·10 July 2026
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Guide8 min read

How to Spot a Fake Merchant Navy Institute: 10 Red Flags Every Class 12 Student Should Know

A practical checklist for verifying whether a merchant navy training institute in India is genuinely DGMA-approved — before you or your family pay a single rupee.

MarinePathway Editorial·4 July 2026
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Guide7 min read

GP Rating vs DNS: Which Should You Choose After Class 12?

GP Rating and DNS lead to different jobs, different ranks, and different lives at sea. Here's what separates them, explained from scratch, with no recommendation pushed either way.

MarinePathway Editorial·30 June 2026
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Pillar guide17 min read

How to Join the Merchant Navy in India: The Complete 2026 Guide

Every entry route into the Indian merchant navy in one place — eligibility, costs, courses, salaries, and how to spot a real DGS/DGMA-approved institute from a fake one.

MarinePathway Editorial·24 June 2026
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Ready to check institutes and courses?

Use the directory tools to verify before spending money on any maritime course or agency.