Long-distance sailor - how to become one, what salary should you expect?

Working on long-distance ships attracts a very large number of people who are willing to spend most of their time at sea.
Probably, each of us has heard about the high earnings of sailors. In addition, this profession is associated with a spirit of romance and the opportunity to see the world. Although the work of a sailor is not so simple and is associated with some rather unpleasant nuances. Let's find out how much seafarers earn in different countries of the world.

Peculiarities

The work may seem simple only at first glance. The profession of a sailor is fraught with some dangers. For example, while visiting different countries, a crew member may contract a disease for which he has not developed immunity due to living in a different climate. Working at sea involves not entirely comfortable conditions. You will have to do routine work day after day, without the opportunity to change the environment. It is also necessary to tolerate pitching and vibration.

However, not everything is so pessimistic. For some, contemplation of beautiful landscapes, inhaling fresh salty air and the opportunity to visit distant countries bring joy.

The profession of a seafarer is available to those who have the skills necessary to work on a ship. There are no extra or random people in the merchant and military fleets. Each crew member performs his own functions.

If the profession of a long-distance sailor is attractive to you, you need to be prepared to be away from home for months. The voyage can last 4-6 months. Not every potential candidate is willing to spend so much time away from friends and family.

Available vacancies

Employment for vacancies in maritime specialties is offered by many companies with offices in Murmansk, Vladivostok, Kursk, Arkhangelsk and other cities. The most in demand are the following professions for junior and senior staff:

• Sailors;
• Mechanical engineers;
• Pilots;
• Navigators;
• Motorists;
• Electromechanics;
• Assistant captains;
• Captains.

Such specialties are taught in maritime schools and academies, where they train workers for commercial, cruise, and military ships. In addition, the professions of cook and cook, translator, signalman, and doctor are quite in demand.

Cruise ships

In general, the following standard list of vacancies has been formed for cruise ships:

• Translators;
• Stewards;
• Bartenders;
• Reception workers;
• Support workers;
• Video and photo operators;
• Waiters;
• Assistants for all named professions.

You must speak English, be under 35 years of age, be willing to entertain different groups of passengers, work about 10 hours a day, and be prepared for long stays at sea.

Working as a sailor at sea: specifics of the profession

A sailor is a general worker on the deck crew of a ship. On any ship, no matter what fleet it belongs to, there is also an engine crew and a galley crew.

Unlike the personnel servicing the machine, who sit mainly in the holds and technical compartments, the sailor’s work takes place in the fresh air. The sailor is not required to have deep knowledge of physics and mathematics, as motorists and mechanics do.

Requirements for candidates

• Physically resilient;
• Attentive, disciplined and efficient;
• Competent and skillful within the scope of their duties;
• Brave;
• Sociable and stress-resistant;
• Ready to learn and gain new skills to grow in your career.

When deciding to get a job as a sailor at sea, honestly answer yourself 3 questions

1. Will you be able to work effectively outside normal conditions, in conditions of constant pitching, wind, storm, extreme cold, high heat in mode 4 every 8 hours? And 12 in 12 hours?
2. Will you be able to stay on a flight away from land, family and friends for 2 weeks? How about 6-8 months?
3. Will you be able to live and work for six months shoulder to shoulder with people of other nations and even of another race, who speak maritime “English” in their own way?

What do you need to know about the seafaring profession?

It should be noted that “long-distance sailor” is a very general term, and in fact it would be more correct to talk about different maritime specialties. And their representatives’ salaries also vary greatly. It is clear that the leadership position is the captain; he is the one who leads the crew. But the team is divided, roughly speaking, into two parts. Firstly, this is the deck service, which includes officers (we are talking about the captain’s assistants), as well as ordinary personnel - the boatswain, sailors, cook, etc. The deck crew prepares for the operation of certain equipment (deck mechanisms, equipment of cargo holds).

Deck crew officers maintain a running watch at sea, control loading operations, and perform the functions of a navigator (that is, they are engaged in plotting a course). The rank and file maintains all deck equipment in good condition and also performs cleaning and painting.

Secondly, there is a machine command. It is headed by a senior mechanic. Officers also report to him, as well as other specialists - an electromechanic, a systems mechanic, and on some ships - a refrigerator mechanic. The engine crew also includes ordinary sailors, mechanics, welders, etc.

Positive and negative sides

Working on a ship is a complex, exciting and entertaining process, which allows sailors to move up the career ladder, earn quite good money, and find a suitable position on land.
Seafarers earn significantly more than specialists in various fields on land.

This is what attracts a person to a maritime career, since in a few years you can accumulate enough money to buy an apartment, a car, or move to another country.

This is especially true for earnings on a cruise ship or in the offshore gas and oil industry. An equally important aspect is that a person can become a captain at the age of 30. Very few people succeed in such a career at this age.

Positive aspects of the profession

• There is no need to spend money on daily expenses, since the owner of the ship or maritime company provides food, uniform, accommodation, flights, transfers.
• Traveling to different countries.
• Long vacation, which ranges from 4 to 6 months.
• Studying foreign languages, cultures, making contacts.
• Opportunity to find good employment in the future.
• Demand for maritime specialists, regardless of the political and economic situation in the country.
• Lack of officers.
• Development of professional qualities and skills.
• Gaining significant experience.

Reviews

• I started sailing as a cadet while I was still studying at the nautical school. I started with 200 dollars a month. But I needed to gain experience so that after receiving my diploma I could apply to a crewing company with better conditions. Now I am sailing as a second mechanic. Salary 3500 dollars per month. I work mainly with Japanese shipowners. I love my job, although it is, of course, hard, and the flights last for six months. It happens that you come back later and only wonder how the children managed to grow up so much (the main thing is not to miss graduation and the wedding, of course). I have a lot of work experience, I hope to rise to the rank of senior mechanic. I’ve heard about automation, and about unmanned crossings, too, but I think that this should worry navigators more.
• The last two voyages I served as chief mate, but I think I can reach the rank of captain. Salary can vary, but now it was 6 thousand dollars a month. They say that there can be more, but now they pay less on container ships than before - there is a crisis all over the world, the number of cargo transportation is falling, our shipowner got rid of several ships. The work is difficult, especially psychologically, and again, depending on your luck with the crew. The point is not that sometimes there are conflicting people (although this can also be the case), but that with the same Filipinos or Iranians we have not only a language, but also a cultural barrier. It’s good when there are a lot of people on the team from the countries of the former Soviet Union, then it’s much more psychologically comfortable.

Requirements for applicants

Most of the open vacancies on cruise ships are positions for service personnel for restaurants and bars (after all, there are a lot of bars and restaurants on large ships): waiters, waiters, bartenders, assistant cooks, hostesses.

Also required are professionals from the entertainment sector: musicians, comedians, animators, clowns, magicians, croupiers. Hairdressers, make-up artists, manicure, massage and cosmetology specialists, as well as fitness trainers and gym instructors will also come in handy.

In addition to work experience supported by recommendations, knowledge of the language is required - most often English - at least Intermediate. This level implies the ability to carry on a conversation on general topics and answer questions from cruise guests.

In addition to general language proficiency, it is also important to know the relevant terminology: names of dishes, cooking methods, types of cosmetic procedures, composition of cocktails - depending on what vacancy the applicant is applying for.

If during a preliminary interview a potential waiter cannot answer what is in a Caesar salad or French onion soup, then he will not even pass the preliminary selection, let alone an interview with a representative of the cruise line.

Don’t forget about recommendations from your previous place of work in a similar specialty. Most cruise lines require them. To be honest, many applicants without thinking twice write such recommendations themselves, but the lack of experience in reality will be difficult to hide.

How to get a job on a ship

The idea of ​​courageous sea wolves, the romance of water and waves - this is what attracts some people to become sailors or rivermen. Working on a ship is very interesting, but at the same time dangerous and responsible. After all, anything can happen on the water. Therefore, only the best of the best, who are better suited for “water” positions than others, are hired to work on the ship.

You will need

• special education diploma;
• seaman's passport.

Instructions

• To get a job on a ship , you can follow the simplest path: submit an application for a job selection to specialized recruitment agencies. Recruitment agencies for water transport are called crewing agencies. Since their specialization is quite narrow, they select candidates only from among the most suitable ones. Often, in order to get a job on a ship, you need to have a special higher education, i.e. graduate from the Institute of Water Transport. You can take an even more simplified path - complete special courses, get a sailor’s passport and go look for the job you want.

• Of course, you need to soberly assess your abilities. If you are constantly seasick or have any problems with the vestibular system, you are prohibited from boarding ships. After all, for most of the waterway you will not be able to fully perform your duties.

• You can get a job on a ship without having the special skills of an old sea dog. To do this, you need to look for vacancies in the service sector (if these are cruise destinations) or in the food preparation sector (if these are heavy-duty ships). But you must have experience in the field you are applying for. So, for example, if you want to work as a waitress on a ship, then you need to be able to serve passengers and set tables. Just keep in mind that this work is usually seasonal. In this case, getting a job on a ship is quite simple. Before the start of the water season, start looking at special advertisements on the Internet or in newspapers. You can go to the pier and find out about available vacancies there. The hiring procedure is the same as in a regular office - an interview with management.

• If the situation is completely hopeless: there is no experience, no education, and the desire to work on a ship is great, you can try to get a job on a training ship. Advertisements for recruiting crews for such ships can usually be found on the Internet or in specialized periodicals.

• To get a job on a heavy-duty ship that sails abroad, desire alone is not enough. You also need to have a certain package of documents, for example, a valid international passport, no debts at home, etc. It is also advisable to know English as an international language to make it easier to communicate with other crew members who speak foreign languages ​​and in the port where you will be calling. And, of course, for professional marine vessels the points from the first and second steps are necessary, i.e. special education and excellent health.

Long-distance sailor training

The command (officer) staff of the ship must have a higher education, the members of the ship's crew must have secondary vocational education. The following areas of training are open in colleges of the Russian Federation:

• "Operation of ship power plants",
• "Navigation",
• "Sailor",
• "Ship's cook"
• "Ship electrician" and others.

If you want to study maritime affairs at a university, then it is worth considering the training areas “Navigation” (code: 05.26.05), “Water transport management and hydrographic support of navigation” (code: 03.26.01) and others. A good knowledge of English is required for the job. Additional international certificates will be required, for example, Marlins, ECDIS, STCW, HUET and others (depending on the position, type of vessel, requirements of the hiring company and other factors).

Universities

Moscow State Academy of Water Transport is a branch of the State University of Maritime and River Fleet named after Admiral S.O. Makarova

Navigation (Faculty of Navigation)

What are the maritime professions?

The maritime profession does not mean only service at sea. There are many specialties in this industry. Conventionally, they can be divided into: sailors and shipbuilders. Let's take a look at some of these specialties.

For those who want to walk on the sea

1. Captain of the ship. This is the commander of the entire ship. He is responsible for the entire deck crew. Plots the route and commands the loading and unloading of the ship. His salary starts from 460,000 rubles per month, and captains on ships with dangerous cargo receive even more.
2. Chief engineer. This is the head of the engine room; all drivers, mechanics and ordinary personnel report to him. He is responsible for the smooth operation of the vessel and its maintenance. The salary of a senior engineer starts from 300,000 rubles, depending on the complexity of the vessel and the cruising range.
3. The assistant captain is the captain's deputy in his absence. He must know navigation and routes, and be able to properly organize a team. Depending on the total number of crew, the volume of the vessel and the cargo being transported, the captain may have several assistants engaged in different activities: Chief Mate, First Mate, Second Mate, and so on. The salary of an assistant captain depends on his rank and is approximately 200,000 rubles.
4. Assistant chief mechanic. By analogy with the captain, this is the deputy chief engineer. He should be able to do everything the same as a senior mechanic, but his area of ​​responsibility is narrower. The average salary of an assistant chief mechanic is 200,000 rubles.
5. The boatswain belongs to the deck crew. He is the boss of all sailors, draws up a schedule of shifts and controls their work. The average salary of a boatswain is 100,000 rubles.
6. A sailor is a junior member of the deck crew. He moors the ship, carries out instructions for the boatswain and the captain's mates. The salary of a long-distance sailor starts from 60,000 rubles.
7. A mechanic is a junior employee in the engine room; he monitors the operation of the ship’s mechanisms and performs preventive maintenance. The average salary of a mechanic is similar to that of a sailor.

Popular companies

For clarity, let’s look at the rating of the largest fishing companies in the world and the level of salaries of sailors in them:

• "Pacific Andes" - the Russian assets of this foreign company were purchased by the Russian government. Subsequently, the property was transferred to the domestic organization “Russian Sea”. The average salary here reaches 67,500 rubles / 1,155 USD;
• the Norebo holding has a quota volume of 437.8 thousand tons. The association includes 12 large companies, incl. and in the Far East. For 2021, sales revenue amounted to $756 million. The salary of sailors here reaches 100 thousand rubles per month;
• "Russian fishing company". The organization's annual earnings reach 265 million USD. The revenue of specialists is at the level of 80 thousand rubles per month;
• "Gidrostroy" - 331 million dollars. A 1st category sailor earns here from 60 thousand rubles / 1100 bucks;
• “Okeanrybflot”, “Nakhodka Fishery Base”, “FOR” and “Preobrazhenskaya Trawling Fleet Base” - from 50 to 270 thousand rubles per month.

The association “NBAMR” deserves special attention, where sailors of various ranks and specialties strive to get a job.

What additional skills do you need to learn?

During education in maritime specialties, emphasis is placed on learning English. All documentation is prepared in English, as it is the international language for shipowners around the world.

In addition, having mastered the English language at the proper level, you will quickly find a job in a foreign company. A simple sailor in a European or American company receives from 3,000 USD.

It is also advisable to master some specialty on land. The fact is that work at sea is physically difficult and your health can be undermined. Therefore, if you do not pass the medical examination, then your work with the sea will end and you will have to look for yourself on land. It will be useful to master an applied technical specialty similar to a maritime one.

Employment

The selection of personnel for the shipowner and the preparation of documents for the seafarer to board the ship are most often carried out by crewing companies - intermediaries between the shipowner and the seafarer, located throughout the world. Contact with them is maintained by telephone and email.

One of the most important documents is a maritime identity card. The shipowner organizes and pays for the seafarer to receive such documents, as well as for the seafarer’s flight to the ship and his return home.

A seafarer does not have to appear for an interview in another country: everything is done over the phone. But in order to obtain a license from the flag country for the right to work, candidates for a place on a ship sometimes have to fly and take an exam in English to the country issuing the document.

At first, when there is not enough work experience, crewing companies offer contracts lasting up to 9–10 months. Sometimes the shipowner enters into a permanent contract with the seaman. In foreign companies, seafarers most often work on temporary contracts.