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Bulk Carrier Jobs

54 open vacancies · updated 27 Oct 2026

Chief Engineer on Bulk carrier

Negotiable / mo

PG Maritime · Bulk Carrier

Bulk Carrier

SalaryNegotiable / mo
BoardingMid Nov 2026
Duration5–7 months
CitizenshipAny citizenship
Mid Nov 2026 · 5–7 mos · Any citizenship

About Bulk Carriers

Bulk carriers (bulkers) carry dry cargo in holds: iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite, fertiliser, cement, steel coils. Most have large hydraulically operated hatch covers and deck cranes, or no cargo gear at all, so loading and discharge depend on terminal equipment. The work differs from a tanker: there is no liquid cargo system, but there is a lot of hold cleaning, hatch cover maintenance, cargo securing and dust. OBO ships are listed on this page too. The crew works through long loading and discharge calls at ore, coal and grain terminals. AB, Bosun, Motorman / Oiler, Fitter, Chief Officer and Second Engineer are the ranks most often needed on this ship type.

Cargo and operations

A bulk carrier takes dry cargo in holds under the hatch covers. Loading is done by shore loaders, grab cranes or a ship loader, and the crew watches trimming, hold cleanliness and hatch cover sealing. Main risks are cargo shifting or liquefaction on some cargoes, dust, heavy hatch covers, hold entry and stability errors during loading and discharging. Hold cleaning between cargoes is deck work: washing, sweeping, drying and inspecting the holds for the next cargo. Ballast is handled during loading and discharge.

Crew on board

Deck crew work the hatch covers, mooring winches, cranes if the ship is geared, hold cleaning and lashing. The Bosun plans deck work; AB and OS do the hatch, hold and mooring jobs. The Master and Chief Officer handle loading plans, stability, draft surveys and cargo documents. Second and Third Officer keep bridge watches, and deck cadets learn cargo watch work on deck. Below, the Chief Engineer, Second Engineer and watch engineers run the main engine and generators. Motorman / Oiler and Wiper do rounds, purifiers and bilge work, the Fitter does repairs, and the ETO or Electrician keeps deck and cargo electrical equipment working.

Special training

No special STCW chapter V training is required for bulk carriers. STCW V/1-1 and STCW V/1-2 cover oil, chemical and liquefied gas tankers only, and they do not apply to a normal bulker. The general training is BST under STCW VI/1, security training under STCW VI/6, and PSCRB or AFF for seafarers who handle survival craft or control fire fighting. If the ship trades in polar waters, STCW V/4 applies to the Master, Chief Officer and officers of the watch. Cooks must be trained and qualified under MLC 2006 Reg. 3.2.

Requirements

DocumentConventionNote
Certificate of Competency as officer in charge of a navigational watch (Third Officer, Second Officer)STCW II/1Every officer in charge of a navigational watch on a seagoing ship of 500 GT or more must hold a CoC.
Certificate of Competency as Master or Chief OfficerSTCW II/2Every master and chief mate on a seagoing ship of 500 GT or more must hold a CoC.
Certificate for rating forming part of a navigational watch (OS)STCW II/4Every rating forming part of a navigational watch must be certificated, except ratings under training and ratings whose duties are unskilled.
Able seafarer deck certificate (AB, Bosun)STCW II/5Every able seafarer deck on a ship of 500 GT or more must be certificated and must first meet the STCW II/4 requirements.
Certificate of Competency as officer in charge of an engineering watch (Third Engineer, Fourth Engineer)STCW III/1Every officer in charge of an engineering watch on a ship with main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more must hold a CoC.
Certificate of Competency as Chief Engineer or Second EngineerSTCW III/2Every chief engineer officer and second engineer officer on a ship with main propulsion machinery of 3,000 kW or more must hold a CoC.
Certificate for rating forming part of an engine-room watch (Wiper, Motorman / Oiler)STCW III/4Every rating forming part of an engine-room watch must be certificated, except ratings under training and ratings whose duties are unskilled.
Able seafarer engine certificate (Motorman / Oiler, Fitter)STCW III/5Every able seafarer engine on a ship with main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more must be certificated and must first meet the STCW III/4 requirements.
Certificate of Competency as ETOSTCW III/6Every electro-technical officer on a ship with main propulsion machinery of 750 kW or more must hold a CoC.
GMDSS radio operator certificate (Radio Officer, deck officers with radio duties)STCW IV/2Every person in charge of or performing radio duties on a ship required to participate in the GMDSS must hold an appropriate GMDSS certificate.
BST (basic safety training)STCW VI/1Seafarers must receive safety familiarization and basic training or instruction.
PSCRB (survival craft and rescue boats)STCW VI/2A candidate for a certificate of proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats must be not less than 18 years of age.

Sea service

STCW sets no separate sea service rule for bulk carriers. A rating needs approved deck service under STCW II/5 before serving as AB, and approved engine service under STCW III/5 before serving as able seafarer engine. Officers follow the service listed under STCW II/1 or STCW III/1.

Medical fitness

You need a valid medical certificate before you begin work on a ship (MLC 2006 Reg. 1.2). It states that hearing and sight, and colour vision where it is relevant, are satisfactory. It is valid for a maximum of two years, or one year if you are under 18.

Documents

  • Passport
  • CDC / Seaman's book
  • CoC or CoP certificates for your rank
  • BST, PSCRB and security training certificates
  • Valid medical certificate
  • GMDSS certificate if you perform radio duties

Ships in our database

20,500+ Bulk Carriers in the Krew Guru ships database
Deadweight (DWT), most ships20,000–170,000
Gross tonnage (GT), most ships12,500–87,400
Range covers the middle 80% of ships of this type in our database.
Search ships by name or IMO

What employers on Krew Guru ask for

RanksThird Engineer 12%, Second Engineer 11%, Chief Engineer 11%, Chief Officer (Chief Mate) 11%, Master (Captain) 10%
Deadweight (DWT)63,000–63,000
Contracts in rank (median)1
Contract length (median)6 months
Open to any nationality96%
VisasUnited States of America 9%
Salary, USD per month1,500–7,800p25–p75 by 54 vacancies on Krew Guru with a salary, last 180 days
Based on 1854 vacancies on Krew Guru over the last 365 days.

Companies hiring on Bulk Carriers now

Jobs on Bulk Carriers: questions and answers

What cargoes do bulk carriers carry?

Dry cargo in holds: iron ore, coal, grain, bauxite, fertiliser, cement, steel coils and similar. Loading and discharge are done by terminal equipment or by the ship's own cranes. The crew checks hold cleanliness, hatch cover sealing and cargo securing before each loading.

Do I need tanker training to work on a bulker?

No. Basic and advanced tanker training under STCW V/1-1 and STCW V/1-2 are for oil, chemical and liquefied gas tankers. On a bulk carrier you need BST under STCW VI/1, security training under STCW VI/6, and PSCRB if you are in the rescue boat crew.

What is the hardest part of the work on a bulk carrier?

Hold cleaning and hatch cover work. Between cargoes the deck crew washes, sweeps and dries the holds, and the Chief Officer inspects them before the next cargo. Hatch covers, hydraulic lines and securing wires need regular checks, and dust from coal or cement makes the work dirty.

Can an OS become an AB on a bulk carrier?

Yes, if you meet STCW II/5. You must be at least 18 years old, hold the navigational watch rating certificate under STCW II/4, and have approved deck service of not less than 18 months, or not less than 12 months together with approved training.

Do I need a Polar Code certificate for a bulker?

Only if the ship operates in polar waters. Under STCW V/4 the Master and Chief Officer need advanced training for ships operating in polar waters, and officers of the watch need the basic certificate. Bulk trades outside polar waters do not need it.
311 vacancies in the last 90 days

Sources

Checked against the official texts on 26 Oct 2026.