Filipino Seafarer Career Path: Cadet to Captain

Filipino Seafarer Career Path: Cadet to Captain

The Philippines is one of the world's biggest sources of seafarers, and Filipino officers and crew work on ships of almost every type. The career is structured: each rank needs sea service and a certificate before you can move up, and pay rises with rank. Pay varies by company, vessel type, flag and contract, so compare real offers from licensed manning agencies.

Two main career tracks

Marine Transportation (deck officers)

• BS Marine Transportation (BSMT)
• Leads to deck officer roles
• Top of the ladder: Master (Captain)

Marine Engineering (engine officers)

• BS Marine Engineering (BSMarE)
• Leads to engine officer roles
• Top of the ladder: Chief Engineer

Education and certification

Stage 1: BSMT or BSMarE

• Offered by CHED-recognized maritime schools across the country
• The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) is state-run: midshipmen don't pay tuition, but admission is competitive and has its own entrance exam
• The Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) and many private maritime universities also offer these programs
• Before you enroll, check that the school's program is recognized and that it can place you for shipboard training

Stage 2: Shipboard training (cadetship)

About a year of supervised training on board a ship is part of the program. Finding a sponsoring shipping company for your cadetship is often the hardest step, so ask each school how it places cadets.

Stage 3: MARINA certification

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) runs the officer licensing exams and issues certificates under the international STCW Convention:

• Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OICNW) for deck officers
• Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch (OICEW) for engine officers

Stage 4: Moving up the ranks

Each step up needs the required sea service, training and a new MARINA certificate. How fast you climb depends on your company, your performance and the openings available.

Pay and vessel types

Seafarer pay is quoted in US dollars and rises sharply with rank. It also varies by vessel type and company. Tankers, gas carriers and offshore vessels often pay more than container ships and bulk carriers, and domestic ferries generally pay less than international trade. Food and accommodation on board are usually covered.

Filipino seafarers on ships in international trade are treated as overseas contract workers under the Tax Code, so their pay for work on board isn't subject to Philippine income tax. Ask a tax professional about your own situation.

Contracts

• Contracts usually run several months on board, followed by time at home
• Length varies by company, rank and vessel type
• Some companies offer continuous employment with rotation; others hire contract by contract
• Use only manning agencies licensed by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW)

Trade-offs

Pros

• Pay that rises quickly with rank
• Few living costs on board, so saving is easier
• Travel
• Promotion based on competence and experience

Cons

• Long separations from family
• Physical demands
• Isolation
• Irregular hours and time zones
• Limited internet on some ships
• Accident risk at sea

Career moves ashore

Experienced seafarers often move to:

• Ship management and crewing companies
• Port operations
• Maritime training as instructors
• Marine surveying
• Ship brokering
• Maritime law (after law school)

A common path

1. Apply to PMMA or a private maritime school
2. Complete a BSMT or BSMarE program, including shipboard training
3. Pass the MARINA exam for your first officer certificate
4. Climb the officer ranks with sea service
5. Reach Master or Chief Engineer, or move to a shore-based role

Where Super Tutor fits

Super Tutor doesn't have a reviewer for the PMMA entrance exam or maritime school admission tests yet. (Don't mix it up with the PMA, the Philippine Military Academy, which Super Tutor does cover.) See every exam Super Tutor covers.

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