“Great learning ground at sea, shore coordination needs wind in its sails”
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.