Careers in international merchant shipping: Careers in international merchant shipping


Have you ever thought about a career at sea...: Have you ever thought about a career at sea... … training to be an officer on board a cargo or passenger ship in the international merchant shipping industry?


Scope of presentation: Scope of presentation What is the merchant shipping industry? What does a career in shipping have to offer? What skills and qualifications are required?


The shipping industry: The shipping industry Transports 90% of world trade Safest and most environmentally friendly form of commercial transport 50,000 ships trading internationally


Big business: Big business High value assets - new ships can cost over $100 million each Freight rates generate $200 billion dollars for world economy


Global industry: Global industry Ships may be owned in one country Managed from a second Registered in a third country Crewed by seafarers from one or more others


The world’s seafarers: The world’s seafarers Multinational crews common, but working language English 1.25 million seafarers employed worldwide Most senior officers from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries Most ratings (plus growing number of officers) from developing countries


A regulated industry: A regulated industry Regulated by United Nations - International Maritime Organization (IMO) Ships officers, regardless of country, are trained to common global standards Over 30 international conventions governing high maritime employment standards (safety, wages, accommodation etc.)


Careers at sea : Careers at sea Different specialties but work always varied e.g: - Navigation and engineering skills using latest technology - Leadership and management skills to ensure safety and well being of a community living and working at sea


Career progression: Career progression Following progression to senior grades - including, eventually, shore based management - commercial skills are gained Movement of majority of world’s goods and raw materials is major corporate business


Reasons to go to sea: Reasons to go to sea Good wages


Good wages: Good wages Generous compared to shore In Europe, 22 year old junior officer's salary similar to 30 year old university graduate In developing world, seafarers are amongst very highest paid


Slide13: Good wages... Save money when young (travel, food and accommodation paid for) Often tax free Officers can expect rapid promotion to become highly paid captains and chief engineers (commonly in less than 10 years)


Slide14: Reasons to go to sea Early responsibility


Slide15: Early responsibility Officers have much responsibility from the start of their careers: for safety of their ship, lives of their ship mates and protection of the environment Trainees can expect to qualify as deck or engine officers in 3 to 4 years (thorough combination of shore based college and training at sea)


Slide16: Early responsibility... Young officers, reporting to senior officers, responsible for supervising ratings (often recruited from developing countries) Deck officers (during watch periods) responsible for safe navigation of the entire ship Engine officers (during watch periods) responsible for enormous industrial machinery on which safety of ship depends


Slide17: Reasons to go to sea Good long term prospects Reasons to go to sea


Slide18: Good long term prospects Global shortage of ship’s officers Shortage likely to increase in early 21st Century As world population and economy grow - quantity of goods moved by sea continues to increase


Slide19: Good long term prospects... Pause in officer recruitment in number of countries some years ago. Many senior personnel are due to retire Therefore excellent prospects of fast advancement for young people Opportunities extend to shore based management jobs which require seagoing experience Career at sea does not mean lifetime at sea


Slide20: Reasons to go to sea Doing something useful Reasons to go to sea


Slide21: Doing something useful Ships are lynchpin of global economy Without ships the world economy would collapse, raw materials, goods and food could not be transported Shipping is also the safest and most environmentally friendly form of transport


Slide22: Reasons to go to sea Opportunities to travel


Slide23: Opportunities to travel (anywhere) You can travel to almost any country in the world - with the interest and experience this brings Many ships trade “anywhere” - not just the normal business and holiday destinations


Slide24: Opportunities to travel... Many seafarers progress to shore based work in shipping offices all around the world - from Los Angeles to Hong Kong, to Tokyo or London - during the course of their careers A career in shipping means joining an international network of contacts and associates


Slide25: Reasons to go to sea Career flexibility and security


Slide26: Career flexibility and security Ideal for young people seeking “something different” but who may want traditional career in the future In 21st Century, work is increasingly uncertain, but shipping combines security of employment with flexibility and opportunity Internationally recognised qualifications agreed by the United Nations


Slide27: Career flexibility and security... Officers can work for the thousands of shipping companies located around the world Others use their qualifications and experience to work ashore in the many professional jobs that exist to service shipping


Slide28: Career flexibility and security... Other jobs after a career at sea include: - shipping company management - marine surveying - maritime law and insurance - working as broker finding cargoes for ships - or even buying and selling ships Skills and experience from sea are also readily transferable to other industries


Slide29: Reasons to go to sea Long holidays


Slide30: Long holidays In most shore based jobs annual holidays are only a few weeks each year (far less than at school or college) Seafarers generally enjoy generous leave periods (flights to and from the ship paid for as an international legal requirement)


Slide31: Long holidays... On “short sea” trades, one month working followed by one month at holiday is common On intercontinental or “deep sea” trades, leave periods of several months duration are not uncommon Seafarers can enjoy other interests at home and have extended time with their families


Slide32: Reasons to go to sea Reasons to go to sea Reasons to go to sea Something different to working in an office


Slide33: Doing something different A ship is a unique environment - home to the people on aboard Special profession - outside the experience of people working ashore Merchant seafaring is a civilian occupation -team work is the important requirement rather than military discipline


Slide34: Doing something different ... Many opportunities for socialising - on board, and during visits to foreign ports Very cosmopolitan with many different nationalities working together Joining the industry is like belonging to a special international club


Qualifications and entry requirements: Qualifications and entry requirements


Slide36: Entry requirements Education and training differs from country to country But international competence requirements are determined by the United Nations Education and training for officers normally begins at 18 (though in some countries opportunities exist for graduates with unrelated degrees)


Slide37: Entry requirements... Entry requirements normally equivalent to A-Level, baccalaureate, or senior high school standard (qualifications achieved beyond the age of 16) Ability in maths and science usually required (especially physics for engineers) But not to advanced level - these subjects are normally covered by maritime education Education and training leading to careers as ships’ officers differs from country to country. But international competence requirements are determined by the United Nations. Education and training for officers normally begins at 18 (though in some countries opportunities exist for graduates with unrelated degrees)


Slide38: Entry requirements... In some countries students may study for a maritime degree at a specialist maritime institute, or a maritime faculty at a university. In other countries students may study for national technical qualifications or there may be a choice of studying for either a degree or an alternative technical qualification


Slide39: Entry requirements... Officers working internationally must meet competence standards required by the International Maritime Organization, and be issued with “STCW” certificates for the deck or engine department Usually a year or more of on board training at sea Most newly qualified officers have had 3-4 years training, including sea time


Interested? What to do next?: Interested? What to do next? Get in touch with the Cyprus Shipping Council Tel: +357-25360717 Fax: +357-25358642 Postal address: City Chambers, 1st Floor, 6 Regas Fereos St., P.O.Box 56607, 3309 Limassol, Cyprus Email: csc@csc-cy.org


End: End