Deck (Navigation) Officer Merchant Navy
Become: Deck (Navigation) Officer Merchant Navy
You are a good communicator, enjoy making decisions and relish responsibility Duties include navigation and ship handling, communication systems, safe handling and stowage of cargo, operational maintenance of upper deck machinery and routine oversight of onboard health and safety together with associated equipment. In common with all officers, management and leadership are part of the role. This is the only officer specialisation which leads - with experience and the required qualifications - to ship command.
Might this be you? A number of institutions around the UK provide the required professional training and fully funded sponsorship is avaialable from a range of companies which can lead to a free foundation degree.
About: Deck (Navigation) Officer Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is a British term given to all commercial vessels on the UK Flag Register. Your qualification allows you to work worldwide onboard vessels of any Flag State/Register, reflecting the global nature of the shipping industry. You can serve on a broad range of ship types and sizes: huge ocean going container ships and cruise liners; bespoke offshore support vessels working with Oil and Gas platforms or renewable energy installations; ferries; super and charter yachts to name but a few.
This career path offers stacks of responsibility from the word go. When on watch, the safety of an expensive and technically advanced vessel will be in your hands, together with high value cargo or, in the case of cruise vessels, guests. Offering travel and potentially tax free salary, this is an exciting and different career path - definitely not one for the 9 to 5 brigade!
Case Study
Name: Robert Gale Age: 28 Job Role: Second Officer Company: Tarmac Company Website: www.tarmac.com Qualifications: Degree Average Salary: £25000
I’m 28 and have worked at sea now since 2009 when I began training. I’m currently working in a temporary role and have taken a job with tarmac as a second officer on their dredger the city of Chichester. I’ve always wanted to stay away from an office job and although I do carry out administrative work, the idea of going to work and seeing the sunrise or the sunset and working at sea is something I love. I have always been a lover of travelling so the job is perfect for me.
I enjoy the knowledge that the work we are carrying out is actually making a difference; I’m a British officer usually working for British vessels aiding the British economy which gives me a sense of pride. What has surprised me most is the hard work, the amount of training we receive and how great the people are you get to meet in this job, from all walks of life and all different countries.
A typical working day would revolve around waking up for morning watch which would start at midnight and would include maintaining a navigational watch and either navigating to the dredging area, aiding the captain in dredging operations, or helping bring the vessel into port and taking charge of discharge operations. Normal hours are 4 hours on and 8 hours off.
In 5 years time I’d like to be an established chief officer and be working and training towards becoming a captain. In 10 years I’d like to have completed my training as a captain and working towards taking a captains position or potentially training to be a pilot in Southampton waters.