Pros
Modern reefer and bulker fleet keeps your technical skills sharp daily. German safety culture means every procedure is drilled until it’s second nature. Multinational senior officers share knowledge openly; I grew from 3rd to 2nd Engineer in two years. Wages paid in full and on time, even during the COVID travel chaos. New-building and eco-retrofit projects give early exposure to decarbonisation tech.
Cons
Crew-change dates shift without notice; I spent three extra weeks at sea twice. Shore-side email answers can take a week, making spare-part lead times unpredictable. Promotion to Chief is gated by budget, not just sea time—can feel like waiting for a tide that never comes. Internet packages on board are expensive and slow, so keeping family contact is hard. Training approvals require multiple signatures; my HV course was postponed three times.