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Hospitality

Messman: open recruitment

Messman and steward jobs on ships: open recruitment for catering ratings. Duties, Basic Training (STCW VI/1) and how to apply with a free seafarer account.

Vessel typeVarious Vessels
LocationWorldwide
ContractCommonly 6 to 9 months
JoiningUpcoming vacancies
CompanyCrewing agencies and shipowners we work with
SalarySet by the employer for each vacancy

Role overview

Open recruitment for crewing agencies and shipowners we work with. This is not a single vacancy with a fixed joining date: apply to be considered for upcoming Messman vacancies.

What a Messman does

The messman (steward) works with the cook. The job covers serving meals in the officers’ and crew mess rooms, washing up, cleaning the mess rooms, galley, corridors and officers’ cabins, laundry, and helping to receive and store provisions. On some ships the messman also prepares simple meals when the cook is off duty.

Certificates required

  • Basic Training (STCW Reg. VI/1): personal survival techniques, fire prevention and fire fighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibilities
  • Security awareness (STCW Reg. VI/6), or designated security duties if you have security tasks on board
  • Seafarer medical certificate (STCW Reg. I/9 and MLC 2006 Reg. 1.2), valid for a maximum of 2 years
  • Food hygiene or food handling course certificate, asked for by some employers
  • Seaman’s book (discharge book) from a flag state

Sea service and promotion

A messman can move up to second cook or cook by taking an approved ship’s cook course and gaining the sea time required by the flag state (MLC 2006, Regulation 3.2). On cruise ships and ferries there are more catering and hotel positions with their own career paths.

Typical ships

Contract length

Commonly 6 to 9 months, set by the employer for each vacancy. MLC 2006 limits continuous service on board to less than 12 months before the seafarer is entitled to repatriation.

How to apply

  1. Create a free seafarer account and confirm your email address.
  2. Fill in your online CV: rank, sea service, certificate of competency, STCW certificates, medical and seaman’s book. Upload copies of your documents.
  3. Apply to this post with one click and make your profile visible to verified employers, so crewing agencies and shipowners can find you when a vacancy opens.

Create seafarer account See all jobs

Related ranks

Seafarers: see how Seafarers Recruitment works for seafarers. Employers and crewing agencies: post a vacancy or search crew.

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