2nd Officer Jobs in the Merchant Navy
The second officer is the navigation officer responsible for passage planning, charts, and the ship's safety equipment.
What a 2nd Officer does
The Second Officer (2/O) is a certified navigation officer, usually keeping the 12-to-4 bridge watch. The role centres on safe navigation - passage planning, keeping charts and ECDIS corrected, and monitoring the ship's position and traffic. The 2nd Officer is typically responsible for life-saving appliances and often acts as the ship's medical officer.
Certificates and requirements
- A valid Second Mate (Foreign Going) Certificate of Competency
- STCW: Basic Safety Training, ARPA, ECDIS, GMDSS, Advanced Fire Fighting, Medical First Aid
- A valid medical certificate and the required sea time as cadet / 3rd Officer
- Tanker familiarisation or advanced courses for tanker and gas-carrier work
Which ships hire 2nd Officers
Second Officers are in demand across the whole fleet - tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, gas carriers, car carriers and offshore vessels.
Live 2nd Officer vacancies
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