ETO Jobs on Cruise Ships and Ferries

Role overview

Open recruitment for crewing agencies and shipowners we work with. This page is not a single vacancy: apply to be considered for ETO posts on passenger ships and ferries when they open.

Most cruise ships have diesel-electric plants with high-voltage generators, often 6.6 kV or 11 kV, feeding the propulsion motors (often azimuth pods) and a large hotel load: air conditioning, galleys, laundries, lifts and lighting for thousands of people. Large cruise ships carry a team of electrical officers and electricians led by a chief electrical officer, so ETO posts include junior and senior levels. Ferries have smaller teams and more cargo-related systems such as ramps, doors and car deck ventilation.

Certificates for ETO posts on passenger ships and ferries

Certificate of Competency as Electro-Technical Officer (STCW Reg. III/6)
High-voltage training (over 1,000 V), with switching authorisation under the company’s rules
Passenger ship training (STCW Reg. V/2) for crowd and crisis management as assigned
Advanced fire fighting (STCW Reg. VI/3) and designated security duties (VI/6)

Watches, trade and contract

Electrical officers on cruise ships usually work day shifts with on-call duty, and planned maintenance is done while passengers are on board, so work on hotel systems must be planned to avoid disturbing guests. Safety systems such as fire detection, emergency lighting, watertight doors and the emergency generator are tested often, because passenger ships have stricter SOLAS requirements.

Contract length: commonly 3 to 4 months on cruise ships, set by the employer for each vacancy.

What employers ask for

Electrical officer experience on cruise ships, ferries or other HV diesel-electric ships
Experience with pod or electric propulsion drives
High-voltage switching and safe isolation experience
Ability to work in a large multinational engine team

How to apply

Create a free seafarer account and confirm your email address.
Fill in your CV with your sea service on passenger ships and ferries, 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.

Create seafarer account See all jobs

More jobs

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