Job Opportunities in Ports and shipping sector in India:

Ports and Docks form the hubs of activity, as far as shipping is concerned. Almost all shipping companies of the country have their head offices at port/cities — as most of the work involves loading on board ships and dispatching of cargo, as well as receiving and unloading the cargo. The head offices are linked to branch offices in the hinterland which receive the cargoes and containers sent either by road or rail transport, and conduct the requisite customs clearances, as also surveying, insuring and marketing operations.
Ship brokers are privately employed with shipping agencies. They match up empty ships with the cargoes and negotiate terms on behalf of their clients. They may use either a regular cargo run or they may charter full ships for a voyage or a series of voyages, or even a part of the ship's freight space according to requirements, as well as according to the clients' specifications. Very often, they also buy and sell ships, as well as bulk carriers and oil tankers for their clients.They also act as agents and deal with customs formalities, loading documentation, arrangement for the crew and other such activities. Ship brokers can also set up their own shipping agencies.
Freight Forwarders arrange the safe transportation of freight from one destination to the other, either from one port to the other, through ships, or by road or railways, from a particular destination to the ports from where the containers are loaded on to ships. They serve as an important link between the clients and the shipping companies. Freight Forwarders have therefore to maintain good relations with cargo and customs authorities. They are also responsible for documentations such as bills of landings, import and export licences, specialised packaging and warehousing, and other such formalities.
Courses in port  and shipping sector:
The Narottam Morarjee Institute of Shipping in Mumbai offers two kinds of training courses in shipping. The two-year Post Graduate Diploma in Shipping Management is open to all those who are not less than 20 years in age and have a degree in arts, commerce, science, law or in any other faculty. There is also the Fellowship in Advanced Shipping Practice for professionals in the shipping industry.
The Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, (I.I.F.T), New Delhi, offers a three-month certificate course in export management, which includes shipping and documentation training for foreign traders. The programme covers international marketing management, international business environment, India’s foreign trade and policy, marketing logistics, export and import procedures and documentation.
The Academy of Maritime Education and Training, Chennai, which also conducts programmes for training of seafarers for the merchant navy, has designed a new MBA programme with focus on Shipping and Logistics Management through distance learning. The programme is suitable for those who are already trained in the merchant navy with Master Mariners Licence, or Marine Engineers Licence, as also graduates from a recognised university.
Employement opportunities in India:
There is no dearth of employment opportunities in this area, since there are hundreds of Shipping Companies and Freight Forwarding companies in the country with branches in all the major trading centres of the country, as well as abroad. Government organisations such as the Shipping Corporation of India, also provide employment in this area. With the introduction of the multi-modal transportation and containerisation, there are many inland container depots, freight stations as also special export promotion zones being set up in different parts of the country. With this, the demand of trade and commerce for personnel conversant with shipping has increased, not only in port cities such as Mumbai, Mangalore, Chennai, Vishakhapatnam and others, but also in centres across the country.
With the increase in international trade, there are tremendous opportunities for employment with international shipping companies and for travel and assignments abroad.