Get Your First Maritime Job

Step 1: Choose where you want to work aboard ship

Most merchant vessels are divided into three major departments. Not sure what each one does? See Who's Who on a Merchant Ship.

Deck Department. The deck department operates the vessel, handles navigation, mooring, cargo operations, maintenance, safety equipment and watchstanding. Entry-level positions may include Ordinary Seafarer (OS, formerly Ordinary Seaman) and Deckhand. With experience, sea service and additional qualifications, a deck mariner may progress toward Able Seafarer (AB) → Mate → Master/Captain. If you enjoy working outside, operating vessels, navigation, cargo operations and eventually taking command responsibility, deck may be the right direction.

Engine Department. The engine department operates and maintains the machinery that keeps the vessel moving and functioning. Entry-level positions may include Wiper and other entry-level engine-room positions. More experienced mariners may qualify as QMEDs (Qualified Members of the Engine Department) and eventually work toward licensed engineer positions. A typical career can progress toward Wiper → QMED → Third Assistant Engineer → Second Assistant Engineer → First Assistant Engineer → Chief Engineer. If you enjoy machinery, electrical systems, troubleshooting, engines, pumps and mechanical work, consider the engine department.

Steward or Galley Department. The steward department supports the people aboard the vessel. Depending on the vessel, jobs may include Cook, Chief Cook, Steward, Galley Utility and Food Service Worker. These positions can involve food preparation, sanitation, stores, housekeeping and crew accommodations. Do not dismiss the steward department as being separate from vessel operations. A ship may remain at sea for weeks or months, and feeding and supporting the crew is an important part of keeping the vessel operating.

Step 2: Learn what credentials the job requires

One of the most expensive mistakes a new mariner can make is taking classes or applying for credentials before knowing what the intended job actually requires. Different jobs and vessels may require different combinations of:

• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC)
• Coast Guard Medical Certificate
• Drug testing
• STCW endorsements
• Coast Guard-approved training
• Employer-required training
• Sea service

Do not assume that every maritime job requires every one of these. Start with the job. Then determine the credential. Before You Spend Money →

Step 3: Get your TWIC when required

A Transportation Worker Identification Credential, usually called a TWIC, is issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). It is commonly required for unescorted access to secure areas of regulated maritime facilities and vessels and is also part of the Coast Guard credentialing process for many mariners.

If you intend to pursue a Merchant Mariner Credential, review the current Coast Guard and TSA requirements before applying. TWIC & First MMC →

Step 4: Apply for your Merchant Mariner Credential

The Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) is the Coast Guard credential showing the national and STCW endorsements you are authorized to hold. A new mariner might begin with entry-level national ratings such as Ordinary Seafarer, Wiper or Steward's Department.

These are starting points, not career limits. An entry-level credential gives you something much more valuable than a title: a place to start building qualifying sea service.

The Coast Guard currently directs original MMC applicants to use its application process and the appropriate National Maritime Center (NMC) checklists for the credential being sought. Before submitting anything, determine exactly which endorsement or rating you are applying for. What Is an MMC? →

Step 5: Take care of the medical requirements

Do not wait until you have spent thousands of dollars on training to discover that a medical issue may affect the credential you want. The Coast Guard issues medical certificates as evidence that a mariner meets applicable medical and physical standards. Entry-level applicants may use the medical process specifically provided for entry-level ratings.

Common areas that may require attention include vision, color vision, hearing, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, certain medications, mobility or physical limitations, mental-health history, and other medical conditions affecting safe vessel operation.

Having a medical condition does not automatically mean you cannot become a mariner. But it may require additional information or Coast Guard review. Medical Fitness → · Passing the CG-719K →

Step 6: Understand drug-testing requirements

Maritime employment is a federally regulated environment. Drug testing may be required during credentialing and employment, depending on the credential and position. Do not treat this as the same thing as an ordinary company drug-testing policy.

If you have questions involving previous drug use, DUI convictions or other alcohol-related matters, research the credentialing consequences before submitting an application. Drugs, Alcohol & DUI →

Step 7: Determine whether you need STCW training

This is where many beginners become confused. STCW refers to international training and certification standards for seafarers. Not every person working on every vessel needs the same STCW endorsements. Whether STCW applies depends on such things as the vessel, route, position, duties, tonnage, and domestic versus international service.

Do not automatically sign up for a package of STCW courses because someone tells you that "every mariner needs them." First determine the job and vessel you are targeting. Then determine the required training. What Is STCW? → · National vs. STCW → · STCW Basic Training →

Step 8: Start looking for employers

A Merchant Mariner Credential does not automatically produce a job. Mariners find employment through several different systems. These may include maritime unions, Military Sealift Command, tug and towing companies, offshore supply-vessel operators, ferries, passenger vessels, research vessels, tanker and cargo operators, government fleets, fishing and processing vessels, offshore-energy companies, and direct-hire vessel operators.

Some employers hire inexperienced mariners. Others want applicants who already have sea service, STCW training or particular endorsements. This is why researching employers before purchasing training can be so valuable.

Explore career paths → · Unions & Hiring Halls → · Hiring Hall Finder →

Step 9: Get aboard and start building sea time

Your first maritime job may not be your final career. Think of that first vessel as the beginning of your professional record. From the first day aboard, pay attention to:

• Vessel name
• Official number
• Gross tonnage
• Vessel type
• Waters operated
• Position served
• Dates aboard
• Days actually worked
• Watchstanding duties
• Duties performed

Sea service is the currency of maritime advancement. You will need properly documented service when you later apply for many ratings, endorsements and licenses. Documenting Sea Time →

Step 10: Start looking at the next credential

Once you are working, ask: what can this sea time qualify me for next?

For a deck mariner, that might eventually mean OS → AB → Mate → Master. For an engine mariner: Wiper → QMED → Assistant Engineer → Chief Engineer. There are also specialized paths involving towing vessels, tank vessels, offshore vessels, dynamic positioning, passenger vessels and other areas of the industry. Your career does not have to follow one straight ladder.

Free AB Study Guide → · Wiper to QMED → · The Deck Officer Ladder →