If you’re interested in working in a seafarer job, there are a number of physical attributes that you need to possess. It probably goes without saying that having good eyesight is a must to be able to work at sea, but did you know that seafarers must also pass a color blindness test?
On a merchant navy vessel there are a few different departments and a strict hierarchy of seamen and women who work beneath the heads of those departments. But what are those seafarer ranks? Read on and we will take a look at the jobs on a container ship.
An Electrical or Electro-Technical Cadet is someone undergoing a cadetship with the goal of learning how to maintain and repair the electrical and electronic equipment and machinery onboard a ship. A cadetship involves time spent in the classroom as well as practical on-the-job training at sea.
A ship’s Steward (or Stewardess) will most often be found working on a cruise ship, a mega yacht or a superyacht. Their main tasks are to help prepare and serve meals to guests, and take care of housekeeping. However, that’s just scratching the surface.
An excavator driver or AB-excavator driver on a ship is similar to their shore-based counterparts in that their main duty is to safely and efficiently operate plant machinery. The obvious difference is that an excavator on a ship is on deck and used for cargo and salvage operations and dredging.
An Engine Cadet on a ship is an apprentice, or trainee, seafarer who is at the very start of his or her career in the maritime industry. They are simultaneously onboard to work and to learn so that they can progress through the various seafarer ranks found in the engine room of a vessel.
Have you ever wondered what an Electro-Technical Officer does on a ship? The ETO is one of the newer seafarer ranks and they are responsible for ensuring that all of the electrical and electronic equipment onboard are monitored and maintained to ensure the safe and efficient running of the vessel.
So is being a plumber on a cruise ship very different from being a plumber who fixes burst water pipes in a home or business? While the basics of plumbing are the same, it goes without saying that the working conditions for a plumber on a ship are very different!
According to research on maritime jobs, soft skills are “a cluster of qualities, habits, personality traits, attitudes, and social graces”. They directly impact a professional’s performance and can lead to up to 22% higher earnings for those who partake in team activities as professionals.
The Waste Operator, also called the Waste Disposal Operator or Garbage Operator, on a ship is someone who is responsible for ensuring that waste is handled properly and disposed of correctly. Most Waste Operators are employed on cruise and passenger ships.