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Bosun

Boatswain — senior deck rating. Runs the day-to-day deck crew, deck maintenance, mooring.

Route
AB + years of experience; no separate STCW ticket but often a national mate's-support cert.
Watches
Day-work.
Progression
AB → Bosun
Discussion
Forum · deck

Published ranges

VesselRegionLowMedianHighYearSource
ContainerITF TCC$2,250$2,450$2,7002025ITF TCC scale
Suezmax tankerGlobal$3,700$4,350$5,0002025Industry wage surveys (Danica, Spinnaker)
Aframax tankerGlobal$3,450$4,050$4,6502025Industry wage surveys (Danica, Spinnaker)
LR2 product tankerGlobal$3,300$3,900$4,5002025Industry wage surveys (Danica, Spinnaker)
MR product tanker (alt)Global$3,250$3,800$4,3502025Industry wage surveys (Danica, Spinnaker)
Chemical tanker IMO IGlobal$3,550$4,150$4,7502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Bitumen tankerGlobal$3,000$3,500$4,0002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream)
Asphalt tankerGlobal$2,850$3,350$3,8502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream)
LNG carrier (membrane Q-Flex)Global$4,150$4,900$5,6502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker LNG report)
LNG carrier (DFDE/MEGI)Global$4,300$5,050$5,8002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker LNG report)
LNG carrier (Q-Max)Global$4,500$5,300$6,1002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker LNG report)
Ethane carrierGlobal$4,050$4,750$5,4502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
VLEC (Very Large Ethane Carrier)Global$4,150$4,900$5,6502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Ammonia carrierGlobal$3,900$4,600$5,3002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream)
Bulk carrier (Newcastlemax)Global$3,100$3,650$4,2002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker dry bulk)
VLOC (Valemax)Global$3,250$3,800$4,3502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker dry bulk)
Bulk carrier (Kamsarmax)Global$3,000$3,500$4,0002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Bulk carrier (Ultramax)Global$2,850$3,350$3,8502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Container (Neo-Panamax)Global$3,250$3,800$4,3502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker container)
Container (12,000–15,000 TEU)Global$3,300$3,900$4,5002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker container)
Container (24,000 TEU ULCV)Global$3,550$4,200$4,8502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Heavy lift project carrierGlobal$3,100$3,650$4,2002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream specialised)
Cement carrierGlobal$2,700$3,200$3,7002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Wood chip carrierGlobal$2,650$3,100$3,5502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Live animal carrierGlobal$2,500$2,950$3,4002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream)
Reefer (refrigerated cargo)Global$2,700$3,200$3,7002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
PCTC (large)Global$3,250$3,800$4,3502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
OSV — PSV (large)North Sea$3,250$3,800$4,3502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
OSV — AHTS (deepwater)North Sea / West Africa$3,850$4,500$5,2002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
FPSOGlobal$4,150$4,900$5,6502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
DrillshipGlobal$4,300$5,050$5,8002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
Semi-submersible MODUGlobal$4,150$4,900$5,6502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
Jack-up rigMiddle East$3,850$4,500$5,2002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
MPSV / DSVGlobal$3,900$4,600$5,3002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore)
Cable layerGlobal$3,850$4,500$5,2002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream)
Wind farm SOVNorthern Europe$3,300$3,900$4,5002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore wind)
Wind farm CTVNorthern Europe$2,050$2,400$2,7502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream offshore wind)
Harbour ASD tugEurope$2,050$2,400$2,7502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker tug)
Escort tugNorth Sea$2,250$2,650$3,0502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker tug)
Ocean-going tugGlobal$2,700$3,200$3,7002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker tug)
Salvage tug (specialist)Global$3,300$3,900$4,5002025Industry wage surveys (Salvage Industry)
Cruise ship (luxury, Silversea/Seabourn)Global$4,050$4,750$5,4502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream cruise)
Expedition cruise (polar)Global$3,850$4,500$5,2002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream cruise)
Riverboat cruise (Europe)Europe (Rhine/Danube)$2,050$2,400$2,7502025Industry wage surveys (Faststream)
Ferry / RoPax (Baltic)Baltic$2,250$2,650$3,0502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Ferry / RoPax (Mediterranean)Mediterranean$2,400$2,800$3,2002025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
Yacht (50–80 m)Mediterranean / Caribbean$3,100$3,650$4,2002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream yacht)
Yacht (80–120 m)Mediterranean / Caribbean$4,300$5,050$5,8002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream yacht)
Yacht (>120 m)Mediterranean / Caribbean$5,700$6,700$7,7002025Industry wage surveys (Faststream yacht)
Inland barge tow (Mississippi)USA inland$2,700$3,200$3,7002025USCG-licensed inland wage survey
Inland push-tow (Rhine)Rhine$1,800$2,100$2,4002025Industry wage surveys (CCNR)
Coaster (≤ 3000 GT)Europe / domestic$1,650$1,950$2,2502025Industry wage surveys (Spinnaker)
AllIBF Standard Framework$2,550$2,750$2,9502025BIMCO IBF Framework (TCC tariff)

Wages are a floor, not a ceiling. Union CBAs, tanker/LNG/cruise differentials, and seniority-based bonuses routinely push above these numbers. Verify with ITF or your union before signing.

Low confidenceData sources and methodologyHow we grade

See the annual Seafarer salary benchmark 2026 for cross-rank synthesis and the career maps for trajectory analysis.