How To Become a Yacht Engineer: Part 2

Which qualifications do I need to get in to superyacht engineering?

There are really two main entry routes in to yacht and superyacht engineering which follow two distinct certification pathways – entering from commercial shipping, or working through yacht-based certification routes.

Commercial Shipping Route of Training for Yacht Engineering

The Commercial Shipping route most commonly begins with a sponsored cadetship with a shipping company working in partnership with maritime training provider.?Candidates must apply to one of a number of cadetship schemes and if accepted will undertake usually 3 years of study and work experience on the sponsoring companies’ vessels, culminating very often in the Officer of the Watch (Engineering) or ‘EOOW’ ticket and usually either an HND or BSc Degree in Marine Engineering or similar.

Once the EOOW certificate is in hand, candidates can be considered suitably qualified and experienced for junior engineering officer roles on large yachts.?A common first yachting job for EOOW qualified candidates is 3rd?Engineer.?The main advantage of a cadetship is that seatime is gained quickly and on vessels over 3000 GT, allows for a ticket which is ‘unlimited’ by tonnage as all yacht engineering certificates are.?This opens the door to working on the world’s largest mega and superyachts.

Also, the sponsoring company pays for all courses and examinations which would be extremely expensive if self-sponsored, and very often a small training bursary is paid on top (some as much as €11,000 / year).?The biggest disadvantage is that candidates who ultimately want to work on superyachts will have to commit to different types of vessel for the duration of the cadetship – these are likely to be chemical tankers or containerships, but most of the large luxury cruise ship companies also offer cadetships which is in some ways closer to the yachting industry.?One facilitator of maritime cadetships is the Warsash Maritime Academy –?see here.

Yacht Certification Route of Training for Engineering

This route is made up of 6 key certificates:

The Approved Engine Course (AEC)?– often seen as the base-minimum for superyacht engineers who wish to work on yachts over 24m LOA.?Usually a 4-day course covering the theory of compression-ignition (diesel) engines and includes a large amount of practical workshops.?View the full syllabus for the Approved Engine Course (AEC). One common provider of AEC courses is Bluewater Yachting in Antibes –?see here.

The Marine Engine Operators Licence (MEOL)?– This is the first certificate in the yacht route that requires sea service, specific shore based learning and an oral exam.?View further details on MSN 1859 here.

Y4 Engineer?– The first of what is commonly referred to as the ‘Y Tickets’ – Y4 allows engineers to work as Chief Engineer on yachts between 200 and 500GT and up to 1500Kw in propulsive power.

Y3 Engineer?– Allows engineers to work as Chief Engineer on yachts?up to 3000GT and up to 3000KW in propulsive power.

Y2 Engineer?– Allows engineers to work as Chief Engineer on yachts up to 3000GT and up to 6000KW in propulsive power.

Y1 Engineer?– Allows engineers to work as Chief Engineer on yachts up to 3000GT and up to 9000KW in propulsive power.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency have simplified the Y ticket structure however, and?page 19 of MIN 524?provides a simple conversion table from Y tickets to the new standard –?Small Vessel (or SV) tickets.

Some course providers are now offering yachting cadetships – one example is this one provided by?the UKSA in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

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How are Engineering Departments Structured on Yachts?

Engineering departments vary widely according to the type, size and usage of the yacht in question, but most large yachts will have some or all of the following roles on board:

Chief Engineer (or Sole Engineer on smaller yachts with only one engineer)

The Chief Engineer is in overall command of all Engineering operations on board and is the senior advisor to the Captain on all matters related to the condition and serviceability of the yachts engines, propulsion, ancillaries and hotel systems.?Although Captains always retain supreme responsibility for the safety of the vessel, all the best captains will work very closely with the Chief Engineer and take heed of any advice and requests they make – after all, they are highly trained, experienced and knowledgeable subject matter experts.?Chief Engineers are responsible for ensuring that the Yacht is in all respects compliant with the relevant laws and regulations governing the serviceability of the yachts systems and equipment. They are pivotal in ensuring the yacht passes any relevant flag state, port state or P&I club surveys and inspections.

1st?Engineer

Some of the very largest yachts afloat employ a 1st?Engineer similar to those employed on Cruise Ships.?If a 1st?Engineer is employed, they will take operational (day-to-day) command of the engineering team, supervising engineering tasks and allocating work as appropriate. This allows the Chief Engineer to concentrate on the large amount of paperwork and business management necessary on board a very large yacht.

2nd?Engineer

The more common understudy to the Chief Engineer, the 2nd?Engineer often has responsibility for Engine Room maintenance and will take on many of the more challenging maintenance and repair tasks as required.?The 2nd?Engineer acts as a supervisor for more junior crew, and in some cases will be able to deputise for the Chief Engineer if required.

3rd?Engineer

The 3rd?Engineer will have specific duties, which may include maintenance of the ship’s lifeboats, tenders, jet skis, toys and deck equipment like winches, davits and hatchways.?Very often 3rds are responsible for interior maintenance.?Again, areas of responsibility vary from yacht to yacht.?3rd?Engineers are often focused on gaining the requisite experience and ‘seatime’ to progress to 2nd?Engineer.

4th?Engineer

The most junior engineering officer on board, the 4th?is very often new to Marine Engineering and is learning the trade.?4th?Engineers are often engaged in structured learning programs, or at least splitting their time between phases at sea learning on the job with phases ashore attending courses.?Again, this can vary widely across the industry.

Motorman

A junior, but important role found almost exclusively on large yachts in excess of around 100m, the motorman (not gender-specific!) is responsible for the operation and basic maintenance of the yachts main engines and engine room systems.?They may assist in starting and stopping large engines and generators, operating switch panels under the supervision of an officer or senior engineer and reporting anything unusual. Engine room cleanliness and order will be an important part of the role.

Wiper / Oiler

On the largest yachts, especially those operating medium speed diesels or older conventional ship propulsion technology, a wiper and oiler may be employed in addition to the above with a focused role keeping engines and machinery spaces clean, and keeping greased bearings fed or keeping open rockers oiled etc.?An ability to access confined spaces is often useful, and a keen eye for cleanliness in bilges and bunded tanks etc is often a must.

?Looking for more information on how to become and Engineer, or what opportunities we have on offer at the moment, do get in touch!