[Maritime Profession] Deck Officers of Seagoing Vessels

Sea-faring on sea-going vessels is a specialised field requiring professional nautical knowledge and professional qualifications. One can gain extensive practical knowledge and visit different countries to broaden his/her horizons by working on board a sea-going vessel.

Take container vessels as an example. Each container vessel requires approximately 18 to 24 crew members. The Captain is the head of the vessel who takes charge of both the deck and engineering departments.

Prospect

Seafaring career carries a clear progression pathway and good remuneration. Having accumulated sufficient sea-going experience, seafarers may also turn to the shored-based professional maritime services sector, including maritime law and arbitration, ship management, ship finance, marine insurance and shipbroking, for further career development. These sectors have a great demand for talent with sea-going experience.

Entry Requirement

To become a deck officer, one must first complete recognised maritime programmes and the specified pre-sea training, and serve as a cadet in the deck department on board a sea-going vessel to receive in-service training. Having obtained sea-going experience of 18 to 24 months (depending on the maritime course taken), the cadet may apply for the examination for a Certificate of Competency (Deck Officer) (Sea-going) Class 3. Upon passing the examination, the cadet is eligible to serve as a third officer or a second officer. The subsequent examinations for Certificate of Competencies (Deck Officer) Classes 2 and 1 require additional sea-going experience of 1 year and 2 years respectively. After obtaining the Class 1 certificate, the officer is eligible to serve as a Captain.

The video below introduces the entry requirements, working environment, career prospects and career pathway of the deck officers of seagoing vesselsn.

For more details, please visit Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board website.