On Becoming An Ordinary Seaman

[Sam Spike]

Hello, as the title suggests I'm wanting to start a career at sea. I've always been interested on working aboard shipping vessels travelling long distance, my background in the field is admittedly non existent and my experience at sea is based around sailing on friends and family's boats on the coast.

I still feel I'd be an asset as an OS as I've spent years doing manual labour, electrical installation and completed phase one and two training in the Army. So I'm physically capable and willing to learn to transfer my skills into a maritime environment.

My question is what is the likelyhood of getting a role with a shipping company with my experience, provided I take the relevant courses such as the STCW basic safety training. Are there any other necessary qualifications to begin applying or indeed sensible courses that'd help finding employment. All my internet searches end up on American websites or the merchant navy officer program, not simply beginning my career where I want to, at the start, an ordinary seaman.

Any and all advice is welcome and appreciated.

[Anthony Hines]

Personally I think it's impossible to get a job at sea these days most seamen are philopino or east European plus I don't think there are any UK companies that carry UK crew its sad but very true

[J Gowers]

Sorry but it is so long since I have been at sea in the MN I have no idea what courses etc you would need. As has been said above the British seamen jobs on foreign going ships died out many years ago there are still plenty of guys with Engineers and Mates tickets going about but no AB type jobs except perhaps with ferry companies such as Calmac I think it is dead mans shoes to get a job there. I worked in the MN then went to offshore rigs in the early 90s so there could be jobs going there but even the offshore jobs ( thats on rigs I mean not supply boats I have no idea about supply boats) have started drying up. All I can say is and you do not want the hear it is that you should have been born 50 years earlier if you wanted that type of a career.

[Doc Vernon]

Fully agree with what has been said , its sad as said but a reality!
Having said all this who knows, you may get Lucky.
Here is a Link that may, i say may assist worth a try i guess!
Cheers
And good luck in finding what you seek???
Cheers

Maritime & Offshore Jobs - Sea Career

Sea jobs | Jobrapido.com

[j.sabourn]

As regards a career at sea , a better descriptive word would be a casual labour opportunity at sea whenever it came up may be more appropriate . JS

[Johnny Kieran]

I have met some UK deck crew on P&O cruises, but only about one on each boat. They're usually leading seamen types, one was a bosun. I don't know what they call the ranks these days, but seamanship doesn't seem to come into it. More like "elf n safety" experts, but that's progress I suppose. May be different on cargo boats.

[Keith Tindell]

What about the coasters ?, would there be jobs on those ?, i still see small coasters coming in the Solent from time to time. There seems to be jobs on fishing boats, as i watch the program on TV, seems there's a shortage, but be prepared for a real hard life.

[Johnny Kieran]

Those UK deck guy's I've met and spoken with on cruises, must have sailed with other companies, and done some kind of training initially. I reckon the best place to start, is asking around the different companies, they'll have all the answers you want.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hello, as the title suggests I'm wanting to start a career at sea. I've always been interested on working aboard shipping vessels travelling long distance,

I still feel I'd be an asset as an OS as I've spent years doing manual labour, electrical installation and completed phase one and two training in the Army.
.

We don't know what your chances are as we know so little about you, your age, do you have a wife and children to support, the salary of an OS is not going to allow you to do that.

Travelling long distances, well the halcyon days of shipping are out and pier head jumps to make up numbers are long gone. Being honest and frank I would say your chances are practically nil on the information supplied, I hope to be proved wrong. Most cruise ships deck requirements are filled by Filipinos, whose rates of pay and conditions of service are not the best in the world and would probably not sustain a UK/European based seafarer.

You say that most of the sites you have visited are officer based, don't discount them, there is a world wide shortage of officers both deck and engineroom, and although you may not achieve your goal of being an OS you may find that if your electrical qualifications are up to scratch, then you may be accepted into an officer (engineroom) training programme. Also by applying to them, they may look at your CV and say NO, but they may refer you to another source that could require your talents. Most entertainers on cruise ships are British or European operating on stages that require a lot of electrical equipment and consequently maintenance and backstage engineers.

The best thing to do is to write to every marine employment site and college that you come across, picking an apple out of a barrel will not work, you have to get your name and details out there, it will be hard work and boring, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, but the long voyages and the long time in ports have gone, possibly never to return.

Good luck in your endeavours

[J Gowers]

Try Clydemarine, for those that do not know Clydemarine was started founded by David Livingston who was a superintendant with Denholms. They also do medicals for offshore and the MN.

https://www.clydemarinetraining.com/...SAAEgI2g_D_BwE