Just this year, seaman jobsites quickly became the new normal for sea-based job applications. This was the kind of hiring process that I prefer ten years ago.

Actually, I tried this approach few years back. I emailed 100+ local manning agencies hoping to get hired. Only a handful of them responded and they all want me in their offices.

Well, I did went to their office. A two-hour waiting ended up with a two -minute meeting from the crewing manager.

Many times, the ending conversation was like,

“I’ll just call you”.

Of course, we know that it won’t happen most of the time. The Bosun who applied with me shared a similar fate.

 

Shift to Online Hiring Process

But now, manning agencies give serious attention to seafarers looking for employment using online tools. Many seaman apps and websites became the hotspots for job applications.

Whether domestic, international, onshore or offshore maritime career, you can get hired over the internet. Tugboats, tankers, containerships or barges, you can find them there.

What’s interesting is that you can clearly see their requirements and even the salary of seafarers they’re hiring.

We will tackle below a few of these websites and apps that constantly update their systems and database to cope up with the changing landscape of the online hiring process.

 

Web-based Seaman Jobsites for Seafarers and Manning Agencies

Here are the lists of a few websites providing jobs for seafarers as well as a hiring portal for manning agencies. Some of them are based worldwide while others focus on a specific country.

But since this is an online job market, your application as a seaman crosses borders. This is also true for manning agencies as well. Even the biggest shipping companies in the world source their talents over the web.

 

1. Seaman Jobsite Workabroad PH: The fastest way to get on board

Previously called Seaman Jobsite, this website is the number one online job portal for seafarers and manning agencies in the Philippines.

Their simple interface helps you find the jobs that you’re looking for. I often hear my colleagues talking about vacancies in this or that company using Seaman Jobsite.

 

Seaman Jobsite homepge

Seaman Jobsite website.

 

Their goal is to provide the latest job openings for seafarers worldwide. All maritime jobs are posted by licensed manning agencies and maritime companies.

 

2. Jobs in Maritime: Seagoing and Shoreside Careers

Jobs in Maritime is one of the world’s leading maritime global job sites and recruitment companies. They specialize in sea-based and shore side career and has a variety of jobs suited for professionals and newbies alike.

 

Job offer from Jobs in Maritime.

Job alert from Jobs in Maritime.

 

The company is based in the UK. Since 2011, they have been providing recruitment services across the maritime sector. This includes shipping, ports & logistics, engineering, offshore energy, fisheries, heritage & social sciences, superyacht & leisure and infrastructure projects.

Jobs in Maritime is certified by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as a recruitment and placement agency. Their MLC 2006 Certificate of Conformity is valid until August 2025.

 

3. Maritime Zone: Jobs at Sea

Hosted in Lithuania, Maritime Zone has a database of over 120,000 seafarers, 2,000 vacancies and well over 1,000 companies.

Their platform also publishes insightful contents that’s very informative for seafarers and land-based workers alike.

 

New seamen and New Companies registered in Maritime Zone

New seamen and New Companies registered in Maritime Zone

 

Maritime Zone focuses their job portal opportunities to seafarers in the eastern European regions particularly Ukraine and Russia. From the ranks of captains to cadets, you can readily view the jobs available without the need to log in.

 

4. All Cruise Jobs: The global cruise job board

Most cruise ship companies have hiring partners in local countries. But this one crosses borders.

Claimed as the biggest job board specialized in cruise line jobs, All Cruise Jobs contains 174 cruise ship jobs from 24 recruiters.

Previously, it was part of Free Guide to Cruise Ship Jobs in 2000 warning job seekers of the different recruitment schemes used by scammers. The job section fully separated from their site in 2008 and became a fully professional job board in 2009.

 

All Cruise Job Homepage

All Cruise Job Homepage

 

This company is registered in England and Wales. Due to their advocacy to help job seekers, you are guarateed that no employment scams are advertised here.

 

5. Maritime Connector: Connecting maritime professionals and marine companies since 2007

Headquartered in Croatia, Maritime Connector became an all round internet portal for maritime employment.

This company connects maritime professionals, marine companies, seafarers, maritime universities and centers for maritime education.

 

Maritime Connector

Maritime Connector Website. One of the oldest and biggest seaman jobsites.

 

Registration and all services and information access for seafarers are completely free. Anyone can browse thru their database of 575 vacant jobs,113,000 seafarers and more than 212,000 companies.

Another feature that distinguishes Maritime Connector from other seaman jobsites is their databases of registered ships which stands at 119,000. However, they don’t track these vessels like normal ship tracking websites.

 

6. OceanCrew: Maritime and offshore jobs

OceanCrew  offers one of the best maritime vacancies in the area. They specialize in three industry sectors mainly Offshore jobs, Merchant jobs and Drilling jobs.

 

Maritime and Offshore jobs from OceanCrew

Maritime and Offshore jobs from OceanCrew

 

What’s impressing is their array of deck and engine jobs to search with. Like a few seaman jobsites, they are not posting much about open employment in the cruise line industry.

OceanCrew also has an android app that’s available for you. iOS version will be coming soon.

 

7. Sea Career: The gateway to your career at sea

Sea Career started as a part of All Cruise Jobs (ACJ). In 2014, they merged with Marine Jobs UK to form the leading job board within the industry.

Just like ACB, they are also very keen on keeping a legitimate job postings. They impose strict registration rules for recruiters and are only open to genuine employers. That is one reason why candidates are assured that there are no employment scams in this portal.

 

SeaCareer - The Gateway to your career at sea. One of the best seaman jobsites in the market.

SeaCareer – The Gateway to your career at sea

 

With 171 maritime, offshore jobs and shore side jobs, Sea Career is your gateway to your maritime career. They even offer listings of STCW training course providers around the world.

 

8. Seafair: Democratizing maritime crewing

Seafair is here to disrupt the employment process of seamen in the maritime industry. As we all know, the seafaring marketplace is vast but heavily fragmented.

Most of the time, the “highest bidder” gets hired first. The application process relies heavily on backer system. This method favors connections thereby missing out applicants with the right skills and potentials.

 

Seafair- A seafarer employment start up company. This start up will disrupt the hiring process of every seaman jobsites.

Seafair. A seafarer employment start up company

 

Seafair’s innovative solution involves software tools and online assessment to test seafarer competencies. They follow a data-driven, transparent vetting process to ensure getting high quality seafarers. This avoids bribing, backer systems and favoritism.

As a start-up company, Seafair is run by shipping advisers, developers, software engineers, marketing expert and entrepreneur with experience in companies like Uber, Microsoft, TU Berlin, HP, Oracle, Dell and Bloomberg.

 

App-based Seaman Jobsites for Seafarers and Manning Agencies

Above are websites offering employment portals for the seafaring industry. They connect seafarers and manning agents all over the globe to agree on employment terms and contract.

Next are six android applications in Google Playstore offering job portals for seafarers. They also show vacant positions needed for different ranks on board.

Starting with a user rank of 4.0, here are jobsites for seafarers available on android apps. Job Ships and Ocean Crew.

 

5. JobShips: Unlimited options for seafarers

With over 100,000 installations in Playstore, JobShips is your one stop shop solution for all Merchant Navy job aspirants. Your registration is free but it needs validation. When it gets validated, you can start applying to the jobs posted in a daily basis.

 

JobShips

JobShips app

 

Seafarers all over the globe can search for jobs in this platform. Ship managers and owners regularly regularly post their vacant positions here.

With a rating of 4.0, trust that this app will be perfectly fit in finding your career at sea.

 

4. Sea Jobs: Merchant, Cruise, Offshore, Fishing

Sea Jobs is a marine crewing service app for ship owners. At the same time, it is also an effective job search engine for seafarers.

This app brings seafarers and ship owners together in one place and allows them to get connected conveniently.

 

Sea Jobs - Merchant, Cruise, Offshore, Fishing

Sea Jobs: Merchant, Cruise, Offshore, Fishing

 

Seafarers can explore vacancies and get in touch with employers. There are hundreds of jobs you can find that matches your rank and skills.

Additionally, you can send your CV and scans of marine documents directly to companies of your choice. In this app, you can also adjust your availability date and desired salary.

 

3. PH Manning Agencies

Created by Medardo D. Baje Jr., this simple app lists various ship manning agencies in the Philippines with their respective licenses as registered in Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Using this app enables you to send an email, make a call and visit their website. But the most especial part is that you can search the location by one click.

 

PH Manning Agencies App

PH Manning Agencies App

 

The app is reviewed by 79 people giving 4.7 star reviews. Based in Playstore, it is downloaded by over 10,000 users.

 

2. Seaker

Seaker helps you seek ship manning agencies near you while browsing a lot of them that fits your qualifications. You can create your profile and upload documents that helps in speeding up your hiring process.

The app is straightforward. As of now, it has more POEA approved manning agencies than before. They are also easy to locate.

 

Seaker

Seaker

 

With 1,000 installations in Google Playstore, the app receives 4.7 star reviews from 63 users. You can visit their website too but you need to create an account in order to see what’s inside.

 

1. Manning Agencies PH

Offered by Azimuth, Manning Agencies PH app lists Philippine ship manning agencies found in the POEA website. You can find international and domestic shipping agencies here which are duly registered.

 

Manning Agencies PH

Manning Agencies PH

 

The best thing about this app is that you can use it offline even without internet connection. Fairly new, it has a review rating of 4.8 from just six people. The app is installed 500 times and requires android version of 5.0 and above.

 

What’s Next?

Now, I’m turning it over to you. You have the tools needed to apply for any shipping agencies not only in your local country but to the whole world.

It’s time to take action. Ships require safe manning levels as per SOLAS regulations and this is a good chance for you. It won’t be easy and surely you will meet lots of failures. But no matter, these seaman jobsites and apps will be one of your tools to success.

May the winds be in your favor.

 

 

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