Merchant Navy deck officer

Merchant Navy deck officers are responsible for the safety, navigation, operation and crew of cargo and passenger ships.

In this guide

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a Merchant Navy deck officer, you would:

  • plan sailing routes between ports
  • navigate a ship, using radar, satellite data and weather reports
  • manage maintenance schedules and safety inspections
  • communicate with other ships and onshore stations
  • manage a team of officers and ratings
  • handle financial, legal and commercial matters, as chief officer
  • take responsibility for the efficient running of the vessel and the safety of the crew, passengers and cargo, as ship’s master or captain

You could work on passenger or cargo ships, operating nationally or internationally. You could also work on vessels around the UK coast, such as tugs, ferries and supply ships.

Working environment

Your working environment may be at height, outdoors in all weathers and you may spend nights away from home.

You may need to wear a uniform and protective clothing.

Career path and progression

The Merchant Navy has clear progression routes through its ranks on board ship.

You could also find onshore positions with:

  • shipping companies
  • port authorities
  • maritime training providers
  • insurance companies
  • shipping brokers

You could work for UK companies or for shipping operators based overseas.

The high level of training and experience gained in leadership, communications and management would help you find management roles in other sectors.

You can get information and support for moving to onshore careers from the Marine Society.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • the ability to work well with others
  • concentration skills
  • the ability to operate and control equipment
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • leadership and management skills
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
  • knowledge of public safety and security
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Most relevant

  • Mathematics - Merchant Navy deck officers use mathematics constantly when plotting courses, calculating distances, fuel consumption, cargo weights, and tidal movements. They also need to work with coordinates, bearings, and speed-time-distance calculations to navigate safely and efficiently.
  • Physics - Merchant Navy deck officers need to understand forces like buoyancy, stability, and wave dynamics to keep a vessel safe in different sea conditions. Knowledge of how weather systems, tides, and currents affect a ship's movement is rooted in physics principles.
  • Geography - Merchant Navy deck officers plan sailing routes across oceans and coastlines, so understanding weather patterns, ocean currents, tides, and global geography is essential. They also use map reading and coordinate systems daily when navigating between ports around the world.
  • Engineering - Merchant Navy deck officers manage maintenance schedules and safety inspections for complex mechanical and structural systems on board. Understanding how a ship's equipment and machinery work helps them coordinate with engineering officers and respond to technical problems at sea.

Also relevant

  • Business - Merchant Navy deck officers – especially at senior levels like chief officer or captain – handle financial, legal, and commercial matters related to the vessel's operations. Understanding budgets, contracts, and logistics helps them manage the business side of running a ship.
  • Computer Science - Merchant Navy deck officers work with sophisticated navigation systems, radar, satellite positioning, and electronic chart displays that rely on complex software. Understanding how these digital systems process and present data helps officers use them effectively and troubleshoot issues at sea.
  • Law - Merchant Navy deck officers must follow international maritime law, port regulations, and safety legislation wherever they operate. Senior officers handle legal and commercial matters, and need to understand regulations around cargo, crew welfare, and environmental protection.
  • Modern Foreign Languages - Merchant Navy deck officers work on international routes and communicate with port authorities, pilots, and crew members from many different countries. Being able to speak other languages – or at least understand how to communicate across language barriers – is a real advantage in this global industry.
  • Environmental Science - Merchant Navy deck officers must follow strict environmental regulations around pollution, waste disposal, and emissions at sea. Understanding the environmental impact of shipping and how to minimise it is an increasingly important part of the role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a sponsored university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • direct application
  • a pre-cadetship course

You can start your career as a Merchant Navy officer cadet (deck) on an industry sponsored course at a maritime college or university.

You can choose a course that suits your needs, from a foundation degree, higher national certificate (HNC) or diploma (HND), up to a degree.

Subjects include:

  • nautical science
  • marine operations
  • navigation and maritime science

Courses can last up to 3 years and include 12 months of onboard practical training spread over 5 phases. Phases 2 and 4 are spent at sea.

Alongside an academic qualification, you will get a professional qualification known as an unlimited Certificate of Competency. This is internationally recognised and allows you to work on ships anywhere in the world.

You will need to apply directly to a sponsoring company to do an officer cadetship. Your course costs will be funded by your sponsor and you will receive a bursary payment throughout your training.

Entry requirements for academic courses vary. Sponsoring companies may also have their own entry requirements beyond those needed for the courses themselves.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

You could apply to do an Officer of the Watch (Near Coastal) Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This allows you to work on vessels that operate in near coastal waters around the UK.

This apprenticeship and its assessment takes around 42 months to complete, including time at sea.

Another option is to do a Seafarer (Deck Rating) Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship with a shipping company. On completion and with some experience, your employer may support you through further training to become a deck officer.

You may also be able to do a Ship's Master Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship to work on support vessels up to 500 gross tonnage.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

More Information

If you’re a Merchant Navy rating, you may be able to apply to the Slater Memorial Fund for financial help towards deck officer training. This is for seafarers who wish to do training without the support of an employer.

If you have been in the Royal Navy, or are an experienced Merchant Navy rating, you may be able to apply directly for jobs.

Details of the conversion routes from Royal Navy to Merchant Navy can be found in the Royal Navy Memorandums of Understanding.

If you do not meet the entry requirements for deck officer cadet training you can do a pre-cadetship course at a nautical training college.

This lasts around 1 year and will help you develop your knowledge and skills, so you can apply for Merchant Navy deck officer training.

Career tips

You can learn more about careers at sea through open days and events held by maritime colleges around the country.

You can also join a cadet group to learn new skills and take part in activities on the water. Groups include:

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a Merchant Navy deck officer from:

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