Naval Architects - Building Blocks to Success at Sea

India has always been a country that has been known for the power, strength and might of her Armed Forces and we are rapidly gaining in ranks in the group of nations with the most effective and the mightiest Defenses. A country is only as powerful as its Armed Forces and an Armed Force is only as strong as its war crafts, machines, equipment and vessels. For this reason it is necessary that there is a continuous availability of engineers and architects who can build well for the Defenses.

Fortunately for architects, presently there is a huge requirement of Naval Architects. Naval Architecture involves designing, building and repairing (when damaged) the war crafts used by the Navy. The services of Naval Architects are also called for to build other structures like oil-drilling platforms and vessels like hovercrafts and hydrofoils.

A Naval Architect’s work is divided into a series of steps. First one has to plan and design the basic structure of the craft or structure to be built. Then a model is prepared. A final design is decided upon based on the model. After the calculations and evaluations are done, the construction of the actual vessel is started. Throughout the construction process, the architect performs the tasks of surveying, guiding and assisting. When it is complete, the entire structure has to be checked for any faults or shortcomings.

The maintenance work is carried throughout the lifetime of the war craft or structure. Inspection at regular intervals and damage repair as and when required is also done under the supervision of a naval architect. It has to be ensured that the crafts and structures are strong, have a long life and can endure the harshest of weather conditions. They also have to be built in a manner that allows them to carry huge amounts of load.

A student aspiring to become a Naval Architect must complete their class 12th with Science (Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics). After this, one has to undertake a B.Tech course in Naval Architecture. To be eligible for this course, one has to take a written entrance test and clear it. Institutes in India which offer such courses are the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, the Cochin University of Science and Technology, the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi and the Indian Maritime University, Visakhapatnam.

The Indian Navy inducts engineers in selected fields and then sends them to the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi for training and studies. After earning their diplomas in Naval Construction from there, the officers are sent to the naval dockyards in Mumbai, Cochin, Port Blair or Visakhapatnam by the Navy.

The pay scale of Naval Architects employed as officers by the Indian Navy is as per the pay grade of the Armed Forces. Some Naval Architects also work for private dockyards or shipment agencies. A diploma holder who is a beginner in this field can earn around 15,000 INR on a monthly basis while a fresher engineer can make up to 25,000 INR. As time and the experience of the architect progress, so does their salary.

Four Ministry of Defence shipyards employ Naval Architects. Other government employers are Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL), Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL).