Able Seaman (AB) Jobs on Bulk Carriers

Role overview

Open recruitment for crewing agencies and shipowners we work with. This page is not a single vacancy: apply to be considered for Able Seaman posts on bulk carriers when they open.

An AB on a bulk carrier keeps bridge watches as helmsman and lookout at sea and does a lot of physical deck work: hold cleaning between cargoes, chipping and painting, greasing hatch cover wheels and cleats, and maintenance of moorings. In port the AB keeps the gangway and deck watch; because a bulk carrier’s draft changes by many metres during cargo work, the gangway and mooring lines must be adjusted through the watch.

Certificates for Able Seaman posts on bulk carriers

Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (STCW Reg. II/4) and Able Seafarer Deck (STCW Reg. II/5)
Basic Training (STCW Reg. VI/1), survival craft (VI/2), security awareness (VI/6)
Seaman’s book and flag endorsement where required

Watches, trade and contract

At sea ABs usually keep 4 on and 8 off watches, with day work for the AB not on watch. In port watches are commonly 6 on and 6 off. Pilot ladders are rigged often (SOLAS Reg. V/23 sets the rules), and ABs rig them under an officer’s supervision. Before hold cleaning or entering a hold that has carried coal, ore or wood products, ABs must wait for the officer’s enclosed space entry permit, because these cargoes can use up oxygen or give off dangerous gases. Hold washing at sea is heavy work with high-pressure guns, often in long shifts to finish before the next load port.

Contract length: commonly 6 to 9 months, set by the employer for each vacancy.

What employers ask for

AB service on bulk carriers or general cargo ships
Hold cleaning, painting and mooring experience
Helmsman experience for pilotage and river passages
Good references from bosuns and chief officers

How to apply

Create a free seafarer account and confirm your email address.
Fill in your CV with your sea service on bulk carriers, your CoC and the certificates listed above, and upload copies.
Apply to this post and make your profile visible to verified employers, so crewing agencies and shipowners can find you when a vacancy opens.

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