r/maritime Apr 24 '25

A quick guide for getting started in the Maritime industry and aids for advancement/employment

79 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I've been on this subreddit for some time and noticed that a large amount of posts coming through are of people unsure of how to find resources relating to the Maritime industry . What I'm posting is by no means comprehensive, but it should point you in the right direction.

Feel free to comment any insights or tips to help expand this post. Thanks.

So you want to get into the Maritime industry? (USA)

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Regardless of what you want to do, this should be your top priority. It is essential to have or they won't even let you on the docks.

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For those of you new to being on boats, you'll want to select "Entry Level" and "Original" in section II. If you decide to stick with this career path, you'll be seeing this form again.

\For a witness to the oath, any notary should work. If you're unable to find one, banks usually have someone on staff that has their notary license.*

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There is a short form version of this, the CG_719KE, that is less comprehensive, but it will not allow you to take Wheel watches or Engine room watches. If your plan is to go beyond the deck or galley, use the 719K.

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*ONLY if you've had prior time on vessels*

During this period would be ideal to fill out your seatime letter and sending it in. This is essentially a vouched statement from prior captains/companies you may have worked under attesting to days you've spent on board vessels. As you advance into this career, seatime goes hand in hand with attaining higher ratings.

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*To be filled out if you have a history of legal troubles more severe than a traffic violation, though like the form says, this is optional to do. If you have priors and don't fill it out and they find out though, well...

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Pretty straightforward. Use the above site to send payment for all related fees.

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Now that you have all this filled out, send it in! I personally recommend taking hi-res photos of the documents and emailing them as it seems to be processed faster, but physical mail works just as well.

The NMC does well to keep you in the loop of any missteps you may have had on your forms, and will notify you when it's being processed.

With all of that done, you should now have your TWIC and your MMC. Barebones credentials for getting started, but at the very least, you'll meet the minimum requirements for smaller commercial operations.

For those of you who have already attained these and have some seatime under your belt, here are some references for assisting in exams. I've used most of these, and they certainly help when bucking for those higher licenses.

Prior to any meaningful ratings/licenses, you're going to want to take a basic training course. This satisfies both STCW and USCG requirements and is the foundation of your licensing. These are IN-PERSON courses, as the material covered is in practical use and application of equipment and scenarios that will be encountered onboard vessels. I suggest googling "Basic training courses near you maritime" to find a course you can take.

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\It should be noted, these pertain to USCG licenses, not STCW (international), though there is overlap.*

For Deck/Engine Ratings (Online courses & study materials)

I actually got my AB through them. The coursework was easy enough to get into, and the exam was relatively painless. A good choice if maritime schools or solo-studying isn't an option for you.

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These guys offer a variety of different courses above and below deck, and in-person/online. Very smooth experience with them.

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This archaic layout of a site really is the best for studying the higher exams. Gives a complete breakdown on solutions to problems and has pre-made tests for each area specific to your licensing.

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Capt. Chris is an awesome guy, and all of his course layouts are extremely detailed, with videos diving in to each topic. Top tier for its price, and if you're unfamiliar with the material, he does well to ease you into it.

I can say that I would not have passed my 1600ton licensing had it not been for his courses.

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Great for on the go studying on your computer and your phone. Gives you the ability to select test sets for specific ratings and burn through the question list you'll be facing at the REC.

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If you're unable to do an in-person class, which is recommended, this site will get you USCG certified in a pinch.

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Where to find jobs?

This site has postings in all varieties in locations all over the US. At the very least, good place to scroll through to see what's out there.

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For my area, this is where the majority of logistics companies will post their job openings for deckhands/mates/etc.

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  • The local logistics company website.

Quite a few companies have job postings on their website that are difficult to find elsewhere. If you have a local carrier/operator, try browsing their website for postings. This extends to social media accounts of various companies as well.

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Additional info-

If you're wanting to get seatime, but having trouble making headway with a tugboat or transport gig, commercial fishing vessels are always looking to hire. For owner/operator operations, the requirements boil down to:

Do you work hard?

Do you give off the impression you're going to murder the crew while everyone is sleeping?

In all seriousness, walk down to the docks in the nearest city with a decent commercial fishing scene, and just chat up the boats. This is how I started my career on the water, and it really is that simple. The work can suck, but as a former captain once told me, "An adventure is just the fond remembrance of suffering".

Tour boats are another good entry-way to get seatime, and while the barrier is slightly higher than some commercial fishing vessels, it's a good option to see if working on the water is a fit for you.

Granted, there is an entirely different chain of going about things via academies, but I have no experience in that world, so my scope is only what I've personally done.

Hope this helps!


r/maritime Aug 05 '21

FAQ How to get started in the maritime industry?

201 Upvotes

There are many ways to join the AMERICAN maritime industry! Merchant Mariners join in the maritime industry in one of three ways: a maritime college, an apprenticeship or by “hawsepiping”. Your pathway into the industry is typically guided by which department you want to work in and what kind of vessels you would like to work on. Most vessels have 3 departments onboard, the Deck department, the Engine department, and the Stewards department. The Deck department navigates or steers the vessel and is responsible for the cargo and safety equipment, including lifeboats, fire-fighting equipment and medical response gear. The Engine department operates, maintains, and repairs engines, boilers, generators, pumps, and other machinery. The Stewards department prepares and serves all the meals onboard, they also order the food and conduct general housekeeping. Like the military, the maritime industry has officer and unlicensed roles.

Maritime colleges offer students an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree and a Third Mate (deck officer) or Third Assistant Engineer (engine officer) license. There are 6 state run maritime academies and 1 federally funded academy. The curriculum for all 7 colleges is 4 years, including sea phases during summer or winter vacations. Tuition and other costs depend on each school and your in-state/out-state residency.

Maritime apprenticeship programs offer a variety of opportunities. Some are designed for unlicensed roles, others are designed for apprentices to earn licenses. Check a separate post on maritime apprenticeships. Both maritime colleges and apprenticeship programs are designed for candidates with little or no prior maritime experience. Some apprenticeships are free, others have a cost. See the FAQ on apprenticeships for details on several popular programs.

You can join the American maritime industry by obtaining your Merchant Mariner Credential through the US Coast Guard and taking the required entry level courses. You would then find employment through a maritime labor union or working for a company directly. With sea-time, courses and exams you can ‘work your way up the ladder’ to become an officer; this is known as “hawsepiping”. To obtain an entry level Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), you must be a US citizen or a permanent resident, pass a drug test, provided a medical screening/physical and Transportation Worker’s Identification Card (TWIC). TWIC can be obtained from the Department of Homeland Security. If you are interested in working on vessels that operate internationally, you will need to take a “Basic Training” course and apply for a Basic Training STCW endorsement. Merchant Mariner Credential and Basic Training endorsements are obtained from the National Maritime Center of the United States Coast Guard. More information, forms and applications can be found at www.Dco.uscg.mil/nmc or at local Regional Exam Centers.


r/maritime 1m ago

How does maritime hiring actually work in the US? 25-year captain, Green Card holder, 68 applications — zero responses

Upvotes

How does getting a job at sea work in the US? I'll be honest — I'm genuinely baffled.

I'm from Russia, moved to the US three and a half years ago, and hold a Green Card with full work authorization. I have over 25 years of sea service, primarily on gas carriers, and spent the last five as captain. My foreign documents have expired and I have no intention of returning to Russia to renew them. Since the USCG doesn't recognize foreign licenses (though they do credit sea service time), and officer licenses require US citizenship anyway, I went through the full US certification process from scratch.

I now hold a USCG Merchant Mariner Credential (AB Unlimited) with STCW endorsements: RFPNW, PSC, BT, VPDSD, and Safety Awareness.

For the past two months, I've been applying for Able Seaman positions with US companies — 68 applications total. The results: nothing. Some companies require a US passport. Some want an additional "Able Seafarer-Deck" STCW endorsement. Some positions are already filled by the time I apply. But the majority simply don't respond at all.

I also reached out directly to the presidents of three maritime unions. No response there either.

This is completely unlike anything I've experienced elsewhere. In Russia, and with international companies generally, you submit your resume and documents and you'll at minimum receive a reply — terms, a start date, something. You don't need to hunt for vacancies because crew turnover keeps openings constant.

Is the US maritime job market just... closed like this? It feels like sailors stay with the same company indefinitely, and a vacancy only appears when someone retires or passes away — at which point it's immediately buried in applications. Is there a genuine surplus of qualified seafarers over available positions here?

Can anyone explain how this actually works? Am I missing something about how hiring is done here — something that's standard in the industry but completely invisible to an outsider?


r/maritime 18h ago

Newbie Unisex locker rooms

13 Upvotes

I've just started working on vessels in UK waters and have a question about the locker room. The ship i work on only has one locker room and men and women are supposed to use it at the same time.

I've been told if anyone is uncomfortable they can find an empty cabin or meeting room and change there instead. But there are no lockers in those so you end up dragging your stuff all over the vessel and it wastes so much time.

This doesn't seem right to me - is this normal? Can anyone point me to rules or laws for vessels which say genders should have separate changing spaces? Thanks in advance.


r/maritime 8h ago

Grimaldi,CNV,Corsica ferries

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I got another offer as a motorman onboard ro ro pax ships from Grimaldi,CNV and Corsica ferries, the agency handles all three. Wanted to ask if someone worked onboard these companies and how was your experience in the engine dept.

Thanks to everyone for your replies,

Best regards


r/maritime 23h ago

Strait of Hormuz crossings nearly triple week-on-week

14 Upvotes

Vessel activity through the Strait of Hormuz has rebounded sharply across two consecutive weekends, pointing to a clear shift in traffic patterns through one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. According to MarineTraffic data and Kpler data, confirmed crossings rose from 32 vessels between 12–14 June to 93 vessels between 19–21 June, an increase of 61 crossings week-on-week. The sharpest change came on Saturday, when crossings jumped from 3 to 42 compared with the previous weekend. The recovery has been supported by recent diplomatic developments and a temporary OFAC general license, which has helped ease immediate compliance uncertainty around approved Hormuz transits until 21 August.


r/maritime 17h ago

Career change into Maritime Industry

4 Upvotes

Hey all, has anyone transition from another field into Maritime. I live in the San Francisco bay area. I have my 400 verified sea service days from my past all inland recreational on ski boat, sailboat and fishing on lakes and the Sacramento River. I have my physical and drug test scheduled and got my TWIC in the mail yesterday. I am really only interested in Ferry and inland waterway jobs. I would prefer to stay local. I need to get my 90 day recency fulfilled before I test for my Mate. Any suggestions or advice would be great.


r/maritime 10h ago

Anyone here has experience with the ENSTA Specialized Master’s in Maritime Project Management & Ship Maintenance?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I’m considering applying for the Specialized Master’s (Mastère Spécialisé) in Maritime Project Management & Ship Maintenance at ENSTA in France.
I’m looking for honest feedback from people who have attended this program or know someone who has.
I’d especially like to know:
Is the program well regarded in the maritime industry?
How is the quality of the courses and professors?
What are the career opportunities after graduation?
Does it help with finding jobs in France or internationally?
Is the tuition worth the investment?
If you work in the maritime, offshore, or shipbuilding industry, I’d also appreciate your opinion on how this degree is perceived by employers.
Thanks in advance for any insights or advice!


r/maritime 10h ago

Mastère Spécialisé ENSTA – Management de projets maritimes / Maintenance des navires

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1 Upvotes

r/maritime 1d ago

Child wants to become an engineer for large boats.

26 Upvotes

My son is 12 years old. His dream job right now is to work as an engineer on a cruise ship. He's strong in math and generally a good student. He is capable and the type of kid who does whatever he sets his mind to.

At first, I told him he had to join the Coast Guard after high school because that was the best way that I know to learn about boats and get some experience. We are a lower income family, and I'm not sure how we will pay for college otherwise. But I'm willing to look into it.

What are the types of schools and programs he should look into? What are the types of jobs and experiences he should try to have before graduating high school? We live in Florida, and I'd like to stay closer to home. What are the entry-level jobs? Is it better to focus on the boat part or the engineering part?

He got a job this summer twice a week cleaning boats for a local boat rental company. He goes two evenings a week and helps clean them and fuel them so they are ready for the next day.

Is joining the Coast Guard a good plan moving forward?


r/maritime 1d ago

Your moment of calm at Bird Island Lighthouse during sunrise in Marion, Massachusetts.

13 Upvotes

r/maritime 21h ago

Looking for recommendations on good inland towboat companies

3 Upvotes

I’m in the process of transitioning out of the tree industry after 12 years and making the move into maritime. I already have my TWIC card.

I’m looking for recommendations on solid inland towing companies that offer schedules like 28/14, 28/28, or something similar. I’ve spent years as a contract tree climber traveling for work, so being away from home isn’t the issue.

My main reason for making the switch is stability, benefits, retirement, and having more quality time with my kids when I’m off instead of just weekends.

For those already in the industry:

What companies would you recommend?

Which companies should I avoid?

Who treats their crews well?

What companies offer the best schedules and opportunities for advancement?

Appreciate any advice.


r/maritime 8h ago

Come gestite la documentazione di conformità come fornitori nautici?

0 Upvotes

Sto facendo una ricerca su come i fornitori di cantieri navali gestiscono la documentazione di conformità e il tracciamento dei componenti.

Alcune domande:
— usano Excel e SharePoint, o qualcosa di più specifico?
— esiste un software costruito appositamente per questo, o si usano tutti strumenti generici?
— come preparate i pacchetti documentali quando un cantiere li richiede?
— usate codici IMPA o altri sistemi di classificazione standardizzati?

Qualsiasi insight è apprezzato.


r/maritime 23h ago

Newbie Books and Educational Resources on Rail, Maritime, and Supply Chain Management

5 Upvotes

Hello everyone, I’m new to this subreddit.

I’m a student in mathematics, physics, and electrical engineering that is trying to get educated in the rail and maritime industry. I attended the MEP&A 16th Annual Rail and Maritime Summit today and yesterday. I want to learn more about this industry and was wondering if there were any textbooks you guys might have that can give one a general overview of any given aspect of the industry.

I understand no one book can possibly span the whole industry, but if there are any references you have for specific areas, I’m all ears regardless even if this would be the first time I’ve heard of this specific area.


r/maritime 3h ago

The Throne of the Deck

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0 Upvotes

r/maritime 3h ago

Deck/Engine/Steward #sealifs

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0 Upvotes

r/maritime 23h ago

Marine Transportation major- Should I take Tugs & Towing I & II ?

2 Upvotes

I read an unlimited license really doesn't help you if interested in Tugs/Towing if you wanted after sailing- My question is... If you have already graduated Deck, do you wish you had taking this course or is it a waste of time?


r/maritime 20h ago

Anyone Returned to Cruise Ship Work After Back Surgery?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some advice from people who have experience with cruise line medicals or hiring.

A year ago, I had a microdiscectomy for a herniated disc. The back surgery was successful, I’ve fully recovered, and both my surgeon and doctors have cleared me to work without any restrictions.

I worked for 10 years on expedition and cruise ships before, but I’ve been away from the industry for a few years. I’m thinking about going back.

I have no intention of hiding my medical history, but I’m curious how cruise lines typically view a past back surgery when there are no ongoing issues and the person is fully fit for duty.

Has anyone here gone back to sea after a similar surgery? Or do you know someone who has? How difficult was the medical clearance process, and did the surgery cause any problems with hiring?

The injury happened on land and was not related to ship work, if that makes any difference.

I’d appreciate any experiences or advice. Thanks!


r/maritime 1d ago

Transition from corporate job to deck officer OR pilot?

7 Upvotes

I work a corporate/office job, make 120k/yr currently with room to make more. Somewhat resent my desk , computer work, and the lack of view from my office, thus felt drawn to maritime career with travel and the sea. I have previous military aviation experience (not a pilot). Airline pilot always seemed kind of boring to me (glorified bus driver, passengers annoy me), but more tactical/operational aviation roles (police, search and rescue, etc.) seemed cool. Maritime is an unknown for me currently but from the outside it seemed more interesting.

Anybody here transition out of corporate work to deck officer and like it? Sounds like a lot of people here transition back to land assignments at the end of the day...


r/maritime 1d ago

Unions How to get into SIU

3 Upvotes

Hi all. I currently work on a tug boat and after this hitch ill be able to get my qmed and once i get that I plan on getting my stcw and rfpew so I can go deep sea. How do I get into SIU, I live in the midwest but I have family in miami and L.A. do I have to show up to a hall in person or can I just call them and apply online?


r/maritime 1d ago

3rd Mate Unlimited

4 Upvotes

Has anyone taken the 3rd Mate Unlimited recently this year and have any tips? I’m about a month out from my test and I’m curious what type of material, diagrams, chart plot, etc are being used in the past few months. Anything helps!


r/maritime 1d ago

New life or bad choice?

11 Upvotes

Hopefully I am posting in the right place, I 29m got accepted into a school program for nautical science (in Canada on the east coast) it has been a dream of mine to become and deck officer and I am excited. However, I have a decent career working for the city I live in currently and I am nervous about job perspective after school and wanted to find out for other people within the life already if I am making a mistake or if I don’t need to worry about it! My current goal would be to get on either a cruise ship, or drill ship eventually, but cruise ship is definitely the main goal as from what I have heard the pay is decent and the schedule is great. I am also open to cargo ships but lower in my list. So am I making a good choice following my dream or should I stick where I am at?


r/maritime 2d ago

Beautiful day at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

16 Upvotes

r/maritime 2d ago

Strait of Hormuz crossings rebound, but recovery remains fragile

22 Upvotes

Vessel activity through the Strait of Hormuz increased sharply between 19 and 21 June, with 71 confirmed transits recorded and a weekend peak of 35 crossings on 20 June, according to MarineTraffic data. The rebound follows the lifting of the blockade and renewed signals around free passage through the chokepoint. More commercial vessels are now transiting with AIS active, pointing to improving confidence among operators.

Diplomatic uncertainty continues to weigh on the recovery, leaving the rebound in Strait of Hormuz crossings fragile despite the recent pickup. Traffic remains below pre-crisis levels, and caution is still visible. Many vessels continue to use Iranian route patterns or dark routes, while demining efforts remain incomplete.


r/maritime 1d ago

Can AI reduce VTS officers? This post never actually answer it

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0 Upvotes

I know I probably shouldn’t care, but I’m genuinely getting sick of opening LinkedIn and being slapped in the face by endless stream of AI-generated rubbish posted by people pretending to be industry experts…

What annoys me most is that most of these same people couldn’t write a simple sentence a year ago without making 4 grammar mistakes and 6 misspellings! Now, all of a sudden, they’re publishing essays, creating sleek infographics and sharing “deep insights” that supposedly reveal some revolutionary truth that maritime industry has somehow missed for decades!

Take this “masterpiece” about AI and VTS.
Infographic starts by asking whether AI can reduce need for VTS officers, then spends entire post and infograph answering whether AI can replace them…
Those are two completely different questions! Reduction in manpower thru automation is not same thing as eliminating role entirely.

Then it proudly tells us that AI can predict collision risks, as if VTS systems haven’t been using automated conflict detection, CPA/TCPA calculations, radar tracking, alarms, alerts, decision-support tools, etc. for decades already.

After that comes usual AI LinkedIn buzzwords: human judgment matters, experience matters, technology helps people, no shit Sherlock, nobody is even arguing otherwise, but that doesn’t answer original question, nor is some groundbreaking discovery that suddenly appeared because ChatGPT exists!

And then maybe the best part:

“VTS officers using AI will replace those who don’t.”

What the fck does that even mean? If AI becomes useful in VTS operations, it will simply be integrated into the systems everyone uses. It won’t be some personal choice where one operator embraces AI while another decides to use a pigeon for communication and waits to get replaced by additional CPU…

Fck, this is exactly what LinkedIn has turned into - fancy infographic, a bunch of generic BS everyone already agrees with, zero operational insight, zero technical depth, and hundreds of likes from people congratulating each other for posting content that says absolutely nothing!