Second Officer (2nd Officer) is the deck officer below the Chief Officer and above the Third Officer — the rank that owns the ship’s voyage planning. The job covers passage planning, chart and ECDIS corrections, navigational equipment, and bridge watchkeeping.…
Third Officer (3rd Officer) is the most junior deck officer on a merchant ship — the first bridge rank after graduating as a cadet. The job covers navigational watchkeeping, maintaining the ship’s life-saving and fire-fighting appliances, and supervising cargo operations…
Wiper is the most junior engine-department rating on a ship — the engine-room counterpart of the OS on deck. While the Oiler is the engineers’ “hands” in the engine room, the Wiper is the “feet” that keep it clean and…
Bosun — short for boatswain — is the highest deck rating on a merchant ship. If the AB is the “hands” on deck, the Bosun is their foreman: leading the team of ABs and ordinary seamen, planning the daily work,…
Fake seafarer job adverts are on the rise — and getting slicker. The ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) warns that recruitment fraud targeting seafarers is increasing and becoming ever more sophisticated: scammers pose as crewing agents or shipping-company HR managers,…
Oiler is the engine-department rating — the engineers’ right hand in the engine room. While ABs work on deck, the Oiler keeps the ship’s machinery running: lubrication, routine maintenance, and assisting with repairs. If you hold an engine rating certificate,…
Able Seaman — AB for short — is the most in-demand deck rating on merchant ships. So it’s no surprise that “how much does an Able Seaman earn per month?” is one of the most-searched questions among seafarers. The short…
Every merchant ship in the world has a “nationality” — shown by the flag flown at its stern. That flag is not decoration: it decides which country’s laws apply on board, which safety standards are used, and where seafarers can…
A cruise ship is one of the most sought-after career paths for Indonesians who want to work at sea: salaries in US dollars, a chance to travel the world, plus food and accommodation covered during the contract. But the entry…
A tanker is a ship that carries liquid cargo in bulk: crude oil, refined petroleum products, chemicals, and liquefied gases (LPG/LNG). Compared to ordinary cargo ships, working on a tanker pays more — but the requirements are stricter, because the…