Passenger Ship Jobs

Passenger ships carry people. Cruise ships also carry stores, baggage and provisions. Ferries and Ro-Pax ships carry passengers, cars, trucks and ro-ro cargo. Work includes passenger loading, vehicle loading and discharge, baggage handling, provision stores, and keeping muster stations and gangways clear. On Ro-Pax ships, closing and opening hull openings is part of the operation. Main risks are crowding at muster stations and gangways, vehicle movement on vehicle decks, slips, unsecured stores, and hull openings left open.

The Master runs the ship and passenger safety duties. Chief Officer, Second Officer and Third Officer share bridge watches, musters and safety rounds. Bosun and AB keep decks, gangways, mooring gear and life-saving appliances ready; OS does deck work and cleaning. Chief Engineer, Second Engineer, Third Engineer and ETO keep propulsion, power and hotel systems running. Electrician, Motorman or Oiler and Wiper work in the engine room. Chief Cook, Cook and Messman run catering and mess service. Radio Officer handles radio duties where carried. Cadets learn under officers.

STCW V/2 applies to masters, officers, ratings and other personnel on passenger ships on international voyages. Crew need passenger ship emergency familiarization for their duties. Those serving passengers in passenger spaces need passenger ship safety training. Crew on the muster list to help passengers need crowd management training. Masters, chief engineers, chief mates, second engineer officers and persons responsible for passenger safety in emergencies need crisis management and human behaviour training. On ro-ro passenger ships, senior officers and persons responsible for embarking passengers, cargo or closing hull openings need passenger safety, cargo safety and hull integrity training. Crowd management, crisis management and ro-ro training must be refreshed, or competence shown, at intervals not exceeding five years. All seafarers also need BST under STCW VI/1.

STCW V/2 sets no separate sea service rule for passenger ship training. Sea service for a CoC follows the deck or engine regulation for that certificate.

You need a valid medical certificate before work on a ship. It must state that hearing and sight, and colour vision where relevant, are satisfactory. Maximum validity is two years, or one year if you are under 18. A colour vision certificate is valid for a maximum of six years.