Top 10 Reasons To Pursue A Career At Sea

People have always gone to sea for many different reasons – for some there is still a sense of adventure, for others the challenge, while some are in for the money – and pay the cost of being away from home for long periods. What is the biggest reason people choose a career at sea today?

Why people chose a career at sea

Back in the mists of time there were as many people running away to sea…which was a euphemism for running away from their problems. Be they debt, crimes or ladies. While others were captivated by the mysteries of the deep. For many the sea meant freedom from oppression, and the chance to build a riches which would have been beyond them ashore. For others it was a better option than factories, squalor or agriculture.But are things so different today? Why do people still choose careers at sea, and do they like what they experience when they get there? For most new seafarers they spend only a short period at college before being sent off to see what life at sea is all about. Even with these there is quite a high drop out rate. In some countries the prospective seafarers complete years of degree studies before joining their first ship. For many of them the culture shock of actually shifting out to sea and working onboard is too much, and the rate of drop out is phenomenal. So why do people today still want to pursue a career at sea?

10 reasons to work at sea

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has gathered a list of all the reasons why people want to work at sea. What do you think? Are they valid or is there something they have missed?

• Good Wages: Wages earned by seafarers are normally above similar professions ashore. According to the ICS, in developing countries, ships’ officers working on internationally trading ships are amongst the very highest paid in their countries. Opportunities for accumulating savings, even when young, are considerable. The real value of wages may often be substantially greater because they are often tax free.
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