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Starting Out

Your first sea
contract starts here.

Everything cadets need to know: deck vs engine, what sea time you need, and how to find your first opening.

Deck or Engine?

The two cadetship routes

DECK

🧭 Deck Cadet

  • Navigation, cargo planning and ship handling
  • Officer of the Watch watchkeeping from day one
  • Progression: 3rd Officer → 2nd Officer → Chief Officer → Master
  • STCW II/1 CoC required for first officer post
  • Typical cadet sea time required: 12 months
ENGINE

⚙️ Engine Cadet

  • Propulsion, machinery and technical systems
  • Engine room watchkeeping and maintenance
  • Progression: 4th Engineer → 3rd → 2nd → Chief Engineer
  • STCW III/1 CoC required for watchkeeping engineer
  • Typical cadet sea time required: 12 months
Step by Step

How to get your first sea contract

01 / TRAIN

Complete STCW Basic Safety Training

The universal requirement before anyone signs you on — covers survival, fire, first aid and personal safety. Usually a 5-day course offered by maritime training colleges.

02 / ENROLL

Enroll in a nautical college or cadetship programme

Some companies sponsor cadets directly; others require you to find and fund a course then apply for sea-time with a crewing agency.

03 / SEA TIME

Complete the required sea service

Your college will specify how many months of sea time need to be documented in your discharge book before you can sit the officer exam.

04 / CERTIFY

Pass the STCW CoC examination

Once sea time and coursework are complete, your national maritime authority issues the Certificate of Competency — your officer licence.

Live Feed

Current sea jobs — including entry-level

Updated daily — entry-level and rating roles alongside officer positions.

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Ready to start your sea career?

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