Deckhand - Coastal Towage

Not Everyone Is Cut Out for Tug Work - That’s Exactly the Point.

Svitzer is looking for a Deckhand to join the Victory, supporting towage operations across UK ports and coastal waters. This is a role that goes beyond routine harbour work-near coastal towage brings variety, challenge, and the expectation that every crew member is switched on and ready to contribute.

This is not a passive role. Tug work demands reliability, awareness, teamwork and pride in doing things properly. You’ll live onboard, work hard during your time on, and be a key part of a crew where everyone pulls their weight and standards matter.

If you want hands-on maritime work on powerful vessels, in real operations-not just ticking boxes-this could be the right step for you.

This Is What the Job Really Looks Like

Working as part of a close-knit crew onboard the Victory in dynamic, real-world operations

Supporting the Master to deliver safe and efficient towage operations across UK ports and coastal routes

Taking ownership of deck operations, safety routines and vessel standards

Carrying out planned maintenance and ensuring the vessel remains clean, safe and operationally ready

Getting involved in both deck and engine-room tasks when required

Adapting to a varied operational environment beyond a single fixed port

Committing to ongoing training and professional development

If you take pride in your vessel, your crew, and your work, you’ll fit in well here

Why Svitzer?

Because tug work deserves to be done properly.

2 weeks on / 2 weeks off rotation – clear structure and real time off

Living onboard during your working period – no daily commuting

Work across UK ports and coastal operations – variety and challenge built in

Modern vessels, strong safety culture, and high operational standards

A global company with local teams that look after their people

Training, development and long-term career opportunities

We don’t promise an easy job. We promise a worthwhile one.

What You Get

Competitive salary of £37,117.84 per annum

Permanent, time for time contract

Pension matched up to 10%

Life Cover (4x pensionable salary) and Single Private Medical Insurance

7 days leave after 3 years’ service

Employee Assistance Programme

What You Bring

Able Seaman Certification or Navigational Watch Rating Certificate & EDH

Harbour, terminal or coastal towage experience preferred

Valid ENG1 medical and STCW Basic Safety Training (minimum six months’ validity)

Full UK Driving Licence

The legal right to live and work in the UK

A strong work ethic, good communication skills, and a professional attitude

Willingness to live and work onboard during your two-week rotation

Flexibility to operate across UK locations (not tied to a single home port)

Ready to Get Started?

Building a Diverse Workplace

In Svitzer we value the diversity of our talent and will always strive to recruit the best person for the job – we value diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to gender, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, disability, or religious beliefs. We are proud of our diversity and see it as a genuine source of strength for building high performing teams.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that members from some under-represented groups are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t meet every single qualification. At Svitzer we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles, and we are excited about hearing from you!

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please click on the 'Apply Now' button and create a Candidate Home to manage your applications.