Before you accept any sponsorship, you will sign a bond. Here is exactly what that means, what it commits you to, and why most serious seafarers never think about it again.
Book Your Seat →Every DNS Sponsorship comes with a bond — a legally binding agreement that commits you to serve with the sponsoring company for a minimum period after you qualify. The industry standard is 2 to 3 years of mandatory service post-qualification, though it varies by company.
Read the bond document carefully before signing. This is not a formality. It is a contract. If you leave before the bond period ends, you will typically owe the company a significant financial penalty.
📋 Never sign a bond document without reading every clause. Ask your 9CC counsellor or a maritime lawyer to review it with you if you have any doubts. Legitimate companies have transparent, straightforward bond terms — nothing should be hidden in fine print.
Sponsoring a cadet — covering sea-time training costs, providing the onboard training berth, paying cadet salary — costs the company significantly. The bond protects that investment. It ensures you complete enough time to be genuinely useful to them, not just trained and gone. Most seafarers who bond with Maersk, Anglo Eastern or Fleet Management end up staying well beyond the bond period by choice.
For a serious seafarer — no. 2-3 years with a top company like Maersk is not a burden; it is a career foundation. The companies offering sponsorship are reputed, professionally managed organisations. Breaking the bond is rare and typically happens only when someone decides the profession is not for them.
The 9CC counselling team will walk you through each company's bond terms before you apply. You will go in knowing exactly what you are committing to.
Reserve your seat with ₹2,000 · Team calls within 24 hours
Book Now →