International Jobs for Seamen

There are numerous jobs available all over the world for qualified seamen.

Being in the Navy or growing up on boats and spending a good amount of time on the ocean qualifies you to be a seaman who can probably handle any job in the world that involves a ship and the open seas. There are a number of positions with different companies doing different jobs traveling on the oceans around the world.

Work on Cruise Ship

Qualified seamen are needed by international cruise liners to work on board the ships to ensure safety for both the passengers and the ship itself. These jobs entail prepping the ship each day for safe travel when leaving the various ports it docks with, as well as safely guiding the ship into these ports when it docks. There will also be jobs on board monitoring and maintaining the ship's instruments and mechanics, or securing rigging in the event of the storm. A good seamen, especially on board one of these vessels, is a jack of all trades.

Offshore Oil Rigs

A rather strenuous but lucrative job for a seaman would be on an offshore drilling rig, where roughnecks, geologists and seafarers working together on a massive industrial structure often in isolated areas of the ocean. This job requires its workers to be in good physical shape and often away from home for weeks, if not months, at a time. Bad weather conditions and dangerous situations are regular parts of the job, but the starting pay ranges between $900 and $1,100 per week, and most positions are paid well above that for the work they do. Most workers must be over the age of 18 before they can work on an offshore oil rig.

Cargo Ship Crew

Cargo ships are the 18-wheel trucks on the ocean, constantly ferrying imports and exports between countries around the world. All of these ships need experienced seamen on board to handle just about any type of conditions, be it storms, pirate hijackers, complicated navigation or just heavy lifting and seafaring. The pay on these cargo ships varies based on what is being carried and what company is contracting the ship to move its cargo. Once on the water, the basic crew job on board a cargo ship isn't terribly difficult, but it can be dangerous when loading and unloading cargo at each port.

References

• Cruise Line Jobs: recruitment
• Escape Artist: offshore drilling rig jobs
• Don Pedro Shipping: cargo ship Philippines