Chief Officer (Chief Mate) is the senior deck officer second only to the captain — head of the deck department and owner of the ship’s cargo operations. The job covers loading and discharge planning, ship stability, deck maintenance, and safety and life-saving equipment. One step above Second Officer, the pay jumps sharply — especially on gas carriers and large tankers. Here is the Chief Officer salary breakdown per month in 2026.
Average Chief Officer Salary: US$8,785 per Month
Maritime Zone’s November 2026 vacancy data puts the average Chief Officer offer across the merchant fleet at US$8,785 per month (October 2026 average), with LNG carriers and VLCCs offering up to US$16,563 per month. Individual offers vary widely — from around US$5,500 on general cargo ships to above US$13,000 on LNG carriers — depending on ship type, endorsements, and experience as Chief Officer. As a floor: any foreign-going Chief Officer offer below US$5,000 per month should be treated with suspicion, since it sits below the ITF reference for this rank (US$5,281).
Chief Officer Salary by Ship Type (2026 Estimates)
The figures below are estimated total monthly earnings (basic wage + average overtime) based on 2026 vacancy data:
| Ship Type | Estimate per Month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LNG/LPG carrier | $9,000 – $13,000 | Highest; gas endorsement V/1-2 and gas cargo experience required |
| Offshore (DP vessel) | $8,000 – $14,000 | DP Chief Officers (SDPO) most sought-after in this segment |
| Oil & chemical tanker | $7,500 – $10,500 | COW, IGS, and SIRE 2.0 experience valued |
| Container ship | $6,500 – $9,000 | Maritime Zone average around $7,613/month |
| Bulk carrier | $6,000 – $8,500 | Maritime Zone average, October 2026: $7,843/month |
| General cargo / multipurpose | $5,500 – $8,000 | Maritime Zone averages $6,421–$7,340/month |
| Cruise ship | $6,500 – $9,500 | 4–6 month officer contracts; crowd & crisis management training required |
| Ro-Ro / car carrier | $5,500 – $8,500 | Ramp operations and vehicle lashing are the core skills |
For comparison, Maritime Zone records an October 2026 average Chief Officer offer of US$8,785/month, with bulk carriers averaging US$7,843/month and multipurpose vessels US$7,340/month. Compare with the deck rank below in Second Officer salary 2026 and all ranks in the seafarer salary guide 2026.
What a Chief Officer Does Day to Day
The Chief Officer is the ship’s “deck manager” — the captain commands the ship, the Chief Officer runs it day to day:
- Cargo operations. Building the stowage plan, supervising loading and discharge, and keeping cargo safe throughout the voyage.
- Stability and ballast. Calculating ship stability, managing ballast water, and keeping the ship within safe limits in every loading condition.
- Deck maintenance. Leading the ABs and Bosun in maintaining the hull, decks, rigging, and cargo gear.
- Ship safety. Owning life-saving appliances (LSA), fire-fighting equipment (FFA), emergency drills, and the ISM Code on board.
- Bridge watchkeeping. Still standing a bridge watch (typically 04:00–08:00 and 16:00–20:00) alongside management duties.
Requirements to Become a Chief Officer
- CoC STCW II/2 (Master/Chief Mate, management level). The management-level deck certificate — the main requirement for promotion from Second Officer to Chief Officer.
- Watchkeeping service as a deck officer. Typically several years of service as OICNW (Second/Third Officer) before promotion.
- Segment endorsements. Tankers need V/1-1 (advanced oil/chemical), gas carriers need V/1-2, offshore vessels need a DP certificate — these endorsements are what separate a $6,000 offer from a $13,000 one.
- ECDIS, GMDSS, and advanced safety. Type-specific ECDIS, GMDSS (GOC), plus AFF, MFA, and SCRB remain mandatory.
- English and leadership. The Chief Officer leads the deck department and deals with port authorities, surveyors, and terminals — a good Marlins/CES score is standard at many companies.
Chief Officer Pay Structure
- Basic wage — the base salary; the ITF reference for Chief Officer is around $5,281, while the tanker and gas market pays far above it.
- Overtime — hourly overtime; port cargo operations add significant overtime hours.
- Leave pay — leave compensation accumulated during the contract.
- Special allowances — gas, DP, or high-risk trading-area allowances at some companies.
Always ask for the written pay breakdown before signing a contract — never judge an offer by a single “salary per month” figure.
4 Factors That Change a Chief Officer’s Pay
- Ship type. Gas carriers and VLCCs pay most in the Chief Officer class because of extra certification and vetting standards.
- Experience as Chief Officer. A first-time Chief Officer usually starts at the bottom of the range; an experienced Chief Officer with a clean cargo-operations record negotiates the top — especially with a clean SIRE 2.0 history.
- Endorsements held. A Chief Officer with a DP certificate or a gas endorsement (V/1-2) commands far more than a dry-cargo Chief Officer.
- Flag and CBA. Ships under ITF/IBF agreements generally pay above the minimum — see our ITF/IBF/ILO wage standards explainer.
Career Path: from Chief Officer to Captain
- Chief Officer → Master. Requires command experience and a Master CoC (STCW II/2); from Chief Officer to captain typically takes several years of service as Chief Officer.
- Specialist track. A gas-carrier Chief Officer can climb the gas specialist ladder; a DP Chief Officer can move into a long-term offshore career.
- Shore track. Chief Officer cargo-operations experience is valued ashore by shipping companies, terminals, and surveyors.
How to Check Whether an Offer Is Fair
- Compare with the market floor: a foreign-going Chief Officer offer below US$5,000/month is not reasonable.
- Ask for it in writing: basic wage, hourly overtime rate, leave pay, and allowances must appear in the Seafarer Employment Agreement.
- Watch for unclear deductions: a contract allowing unilateral deductions without a clear mechanism is a red flag.
- Check the ship’s flag: read our flag state explainer before sign-on.
- Beware of job scams: senior officer ranks are prime targets for brokers because the pay is high — read the seafarer job scam red flags before paying anything.
Prepare your CV before applying: read our seafarer CV guide — or if you want help writing one, chat with us on WhatsApp at +62 896-5739-1260.
Sources: Maritime Zone — Chief Officer salary data November 2026 (October 2026 average US$8,785/month; LNG & VLCC up to US$16,563/month; bulk carrier average October 2026 US$7,843/month; multipurpose average October 2026 US$7,340/month; general cargo average September 2026 US$6,421/month; salary calculator: container average US$7,613/month, VLCC US$11,558/month); jobmarineman.com — Chief Officer page 2026 (bulk/general cargo $7,500–10,000, container $8,500–11,500, oil & chemical tanker $9,500–13,000, LNG $13,000–18,000, offshore/DP $10,000–18,000+); shipcrewfinder.com — Seafarer Salary Guide 2026 (Chief Officer: bulk $6,000–8,000, container $6,500–9,000, tanker $7,500–10,000, gas $9,000–11,500); crewbase.pro — Maritime Salary Guide 2026 (ITF reference Chief Officer $5,281, market $6,000–10,000, DP2 Chief Officer $8,000–14,000).
