Automatic translation
Finding a job as a seafarer on a ship without assistance is not as easy as it might seem from the outside. This is especially true for fresh graduates of maritime schools and just people without relevant experience. But even marine specialists with many years of experience prefer to contact a crewing company with a good reputation, and not to search for a place on their own.
What is crewing and why are they needed?
Crewing companies or simply crewing is an analogue of recruiting agencies in the shipping world. They act as intermediaries between those looking for a place on the ship and shipowners interested in reliable workers. However, if the work of maritime agencies was limited only to the function of employment offices, they would not have occupied such an important place in the shipping ecosystem. Crewing companies “guide” the entire recruitment and preparation process, which includes:
assistance in processing the documents necessary for the seafarer (visas, diploma confirmations)
legal advice to clients-applicants and liaising with trade unions and public maritime organizations
professional development services, selection of training programs
assistance in transferring from fleet to fleet
checking applicants for aptitude, psychological stability and knowledge of English
Since a large agency has many clients from all over the world and, accordingly, a large database, crewing vacancies are filled quickly. On the other hand, there is always a place for those who want to get a job (including work on a ship without experience) when contacting specialists who are popular with potential employers. In addition, working with an agency, and not directly with the employer, the seafarer has more chances not to run into an unreliable office, and after the expiration of the contract, he will be left with his money.
Why shipowners prefer to work with crewing is also easy to understand. The employer is often half the world away from his new employee at the time of hiring, he must pay for tickets for one or more aircraft, often - pay for paperwork. There is a natural desire to know for sure that a person suitable for qualifications will arrive at the place, without gaps in knowledge (once again we emphasize the importance of knowing English, or better - several foreign languages), able-bodied, reliable, without dark spots in the biography.
Features of crewing in Ukraine
There are several hundred crewing agencies on the Ukrainian market. There is nothing strange in this, since people who have finished active work in the navy often leave for this business. Traditionally, maritime agencies operate from coastal cities, so Odessa is the richest in crewing in Ukraine. Further - Nikolaev, Mariupol, Kherson and the cities of the Odessa region. When looking for a job, you can safely send your resume to several agencies at once, but there is an unwritten rule: too frequent change of crewing (when a seafarer changes more than three intermediaries over several years) can badly affect your reputation.
Since there are really a lot of agencies, it is worth spending some time reading reviews online before submitting your Curriculum Vitae. There are specialized resources on the Internet where seafarers and their family members communicate. It is easy to find reviews on the work of agencies there and create your own list of potential intermediaries. In order not to become a victim of fraudsters, lawyers recommend checking with the agency for a license (you can do this on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs) and always conduct only non-cash payments. Settlements on the territory of Ukraine must be carried out in hryvnia. It is also worth remembering that the agency's responsibility ends with the signing of the contract by the seafarer, so you should insure yourself against any surprises on the voyage.
