Seafarers Recruitment

Bulk Carrier Jobs

Bulk carriers carry dry cargo in bulk such as iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite, fertiliser and cement. Sizes range from Handysize and Supramax (often with their own cranes) to Panamax and Capesize. Bulk carriers make up the largest share of the world merchant fleet by deadweight, so they offer many jobs for all ranks.

Work on board

Cargo is loaded and carried under the IMSBC Code (International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code); grain under the International Grain Code, with grain stability calculations
Loading and unloading follows the BLU Code: the chief officer agrees the loading plan with the terminal and watches ballast, stress and draft
Hold cleaning between cargoes is a large part of the deck crew’s work, and hatch covers must stay weathertight
Geared ships: deck crane maintenance for the bosun, fitter and engineers

Certificates and training

No special STCW endorsement is needed for bulk carriers. Officers need the normal certificates of competency (STCW Reg. II/1, II/2, III/1, III/2) and ratings RFPNW or RFPEW. Employers look for previous bulk carrier experience, especially for chief officers (cargo and stability) and bosuns (hold cleaning, hatch covers).

What to put in your CV

Ship sizes you sailed on (Handysize, Supramax, Panamax, Capesize), geared or gearless, the main cargoes you carried (ore, coal, grain) and the main engine make and model.

Ranks on these ships

Jobs on bulk carriers by rank

How to apply

Jobs on Seafarers Recruitment are open recruitment for crewing agencies and shipowners we work with. Create a free seafarer account, add your experience on bulk carriers to your CV, and apply to your rank. Employers can search crew by vessel experience.

Create seafarer account All ship types

Other ship types

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