Automatic translation
There is no consensus among seafarers as to whether it is worth hiring a job on a tanker carrying chemicals. There is an opinion that service on this kind of ships can go sideways - for sure you have heard at least one or two sailors' stories about cancerous tumors or incurable diseases obtained precisely on chemical carriers. On the other hand, salaries here are excellent, perhaps the highest in the fleet, and many employers add attractiveness to vacancies by offering company-sponsored training, bonuses and short contract terms. So who should you believe?
High requirements
But the real reason why some seafarers do not strive for high-paying positions is not at all a health risk, but the difficulties that a seafarer will have to face when deciding to work on a chemical tanker. Judge for yourself: every fourth man and every fifth woman in our country has cancer, and often this has nothing to do with their work. In addition, do not forget that some chemical carriers transport cargo that is completely safe for human health: palm and other vegetable oil, fat, methanol, etc. So let's leave conspiracy theories aside and turn to practice: what do you need to do to get a job as a sailor on a ship that transports liquid chemicals?
Additional preparation
In order to apply for a tanker diploma, you need to take several courses, some of which are common for all sailors, and some are highly specialized, designed exclusively for working on chemical carriers. The first are:
Ukrainian passport, sailor's ID or international passport
specialized training for work on a ship - diploma or certificate of completion of maritime courses
previous sailing experience with documentary evidence (seaman's passport)
valid Ukrainian medical book (for work on local ships) or international standard
initial training in carrying out cargo operations on tankers (theoretical course)
For an extended course, which involves not only knowledge of theory, but also practice, one trip is required on any vessel of the tanker fleet and participation in three loading and three unloading operations. This should be noted in the preparation registration book. If you have these documents, you can undergo training under an extended program, according to the results of which you receive an appropriate diploma and can look for work on chemical carriers.
Types of chemical carriers
Okay, all the necessary documents are on hand, it remains to find a vacancy. Of course, the more modern the ship, the better and safer working conditions on it, but it is also important to know the type of ship for which the crew is recruited.
Type I. Here the seafarer will have to deal with substances that present a real danger. And if the team is protected by the best of the existing security systems (including personal ones), then the leakage of such a substance into the sea will be regarded as a biological disaster. Therefore, here the test of the skills and abilities of the sailor will be the most stringent. True, tankers of this type are not particularly in demand on the market, mainly because there are not so many items in the category of highly hazardous substances, as many believe.
Type II. They transport anything that poses a serious threat: acids, alcohols, oil products, etc. To protect the external environment and the population of coastal areas, such chemical carriers have double sides and a reinforced bottom. However, in case of grounding or collision with another vessel, these precautions may not be sufficient, so the responsibility of the crew is still great.
Type III. Finally, a minor level of danger - transportation of molasses, oils, glycerin, etc. However, salaries here are often worse than on chemical carriers of the second type, and service is considered less honorable.
