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A working seafarer's reference for every vessel type a recruiter is likely to offer — from VLCCs to PCTCs to yachts. Each profile covers the work environment, common ranks, required certificates, typical contract length, salary notes, and the safety risks that define the vessel.
Cellular container vessels — feeders, panamax, post-panamax, ULCV. The backbone of liner trades.
Single-deck vessels carrying solid bulk cargoes — iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite, fertilisers.
Roll-on / roll-off cargo vessels — trailers, project cargo, sometimes paired with passenger accommodation (ro-pax).
Pure Car Carriers + Pure Car & Truck Carriers — high-sided ro-ros for the global vehicle trade.
Multi-purpose, project-cargo, and break-bulk vessels — the workhorse of regional trades.
Crude (VLCC, Suezmax, Aframax) + product carriers (LR1/2, MR). MARPOL Annex I + ISGOTT compliant.
IBC Code Type 1 / 2 / 3 tankers carrying noxious liquid substances under MARPOL Annex II.
Membrane (Mark III, NO96) and Moss-type LNG carriers under the IGC Code. Cryogenic cargo at -162°C.
Fully refrigerated, semi-refrigerated, fully pressurised — IGC Code Type 1G / 2G / 2PG / 3G.
Large hotel-side crew complement (often 1,000+), marine crew under the Master, parallel hotel structure under the Hotel Director.
Short-sea ferries, ro-pax, and large ro-ro / passenger combinations. SOLAS Chapter II-2 watertight integrity is central.
Platform supply vessels (PSV), anchor handlers (AHTS), construction support — DP class 1 / 2 / 3.
Offshore vessels with anchor-handling, towing, and supply capability — high-power machinery and specialised deck gear.
Dedicated supply vessels carrying bulk + deck cargo to offshore installations.
Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV), Service Operation Vessels (SOV), and Walk-to-Work (W2W) vessels supporting offshore wind installations. The fastest-growing offshore segment in 2026.
Specialist DP2 / DP3 vessels installing + repairing submarine power cables (offshore wind, interconnectors) and telecommunications cables (transatlantic + intra-Asia routes).
Harbour tugs (assist + escort), terminal escort tugs, ocean-going salvage / towing tugs.
Catcher + factory vessels under STCW-F. Distant-water fleets cover months at sea.
Oceanographic, hydrographic, polar science, fisheries research vessels — public and academic operators.
Trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD), cutter suction dredgers (CSD), backhoe dredgers, and grab / bucket dredgers — maintaining navigation channels, reclaiming land, and supporting marine construction.
Commercial yachts (>24 m, >500 GT for some rules) under MCA / RMI / Cayman Red Ensign codes; private yachts on day rates.
Every onboard role explained.
Cadet to OOW, OS to AB, tanker, LNG, offshore, yacht.
Generated cert list by department / rank / vessel.
Rank × vessel × region wage ranges.
Shipboard safety topics that cut across vessel types.
21 vessel types indexed. Suggest a missing type via /corrections.