A few months ago, the Maritime Industry Authority- STCW Office (MARINA STCW) posted a job opening on their website for the Board of Deck Ratings (BoDRA) and Board of Engine Ratings (BoERA).

This is an excellent opportunity for ratings who want to take some time off their seagoing service and pursue a shift in their career under the wings of MARINA.

But before jumping on the bandwagon and filing your application requirements, you should check the small notes below and determine if this is really what you want to do.

1. MARINA is always under fire

This is not something new. Be it from seafarers, stakeholders, news media, and other organizations, MARINA is always “under fire” with scandals, criticisms, and challenging issues. 

There are complaints heard on various social media platforms from countless seamen who had unpleasant experiences while processing their certificates in MARINA. Aside from that, there are evaluations from EMSA, IMO, and other foreign groups that cause upheavals in the industry.

Working in MARINA also means facing those issues. Are you ready to ride the storm?

2. People (or seafarers in particular) tend to “generalize” the situation.

Due to prevailing perceptions, MARINA often carries a negative reputation among seafarers, leading to a tendency to view everyone within the organization as either inept or tainted by corruption.

With a few scandals and “inside jobs” rumored around, you just can’t blame them. Add that to new changes in certification and seafarers are on fire with their opinions on social media.

But this is not really the whole case. A few rotten fruit from a tree does not necessarily mean that the tree itself is bad. There are still people working in MARINA who desire a genuine change and service to the seafarers. 

Are you willing to be one of the few good people who do their job with honesty and faithfulness?

3. Seafarers see MARINA as a business, not as an “Arm” that uplifts our maritime industry.

When something is seen as a business entity, guess what you call the people behind them? Businessmen! And when you are a businessman, guess what some people think about you? Greedy money maker. 

With all the training and certifications implemented by MARINA, seafarers see it as another tool to milk their pockets. There are even scandals leaking about “under-the-table transactions”. 

Moreover, if there’s someone working in MARINA who is an owner of a training center or review center, and policies suddenly change favoring their business, it’s not rocket science to think that something fishy is going on.

Conclusion

While MARINA’s BoDRA and BoERA vacancy pays well, you still need to think about this thoroughly.

These are the primary considerations you should bear in mind prior to seeking a role there. While there have been observable improvements in recent years, there remains a significant amount of work yet to be accomplished.

If you want a genuine change to our maritime industry with a sincere desire to help put us back on the nautical map, all those negative issues will only serve as a challenge. If your sense of contribution outweighs your own personal interest, you are one of the very few people our maritime industry urgently needs.

We thank those who work in MARINA with virtue and sincerity. Take note that salary and company perks are not discussed here.

Are you still interested in applying for a position at MARINA’s BoDRA and BoERA?

May the winds be in your favor.