Merchant Navy Catering Officer

Also known as:

Catering Officer, Merchant Navy
Cook, Merchant Navy
Navy Catering Officer, Merchant Navy

Introduction

Merchant Navy catering officers oversee the purchase, preparation and serving of food and drink to crew members and passengers. Other duties include accommodation services (eg linen and laundry) and clerical tasks (eg organising crew records and wages). Catering officers usually work on ferries, cruise liners and large cargo ships.

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Work Activities

Catering officers are employed mainly on large crewed trading ships, ferries and cruise liners. They supervise the preparation and serving of food and drink for the crew and passengers on board ship.

Catering officers are also responsible for accommodation services, including the provision of linen, bedding and laundry. They may be in overall charge of administration, organising record keeping, wage payment, and the interpretation of customs and immigration records that apply while the ship is in port.

On larger ships, responsibilities may be shared with the purser, who looks after passengers' comfort and facilities such as banking and shopping, while the catering officer concentrates on organising stores, overseeing the preparation of menus and meals and generally managing dining rooms and services. On a cruise liner, catering officers may be known as 'hotel services managers'.

Merchant Navy officers sometimes work in difficult and uncomfortable conditions. They spend long periods of time away from family and friends.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

Good organisational and administrative abilities are important, especially on a large ship, where the senior catering officer's job is predominantly supervisory.

You must also be able to show initiative and self-reliance.

Good communication and team working skills are important.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salary rates for Merchant Navy officers vary with the company. While at sea, you would have free accommodation and food as well as some transport costs. On long voyages, you may have tax-free earnings.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Catering officers are paid in the range of £18,500 a year, rising to £22,500 - £29,500. Higher earners can make around £37,000 a year.

Shift work is usual and continuous during periods spent at sea. Ships operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There are periods of shore leave lasting days or possibly weeks between the periods at sea.

Merchant Navy personnel are civilian employees who work on a variety of ships of all sizes including:
• famous passenger and cruise liners
• container ships
• oil tankers
• cargo vessels
• passenger and freight ferries
• offshore research and support vessels.
• marine mining vessels.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), which supplies the needs of Royal Navy ships at sea, also employs civilian Merchant Navy personnel.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Working as a catering rating on certain shipping vessels, while studying part-time, can lead to entry at catering officer level.

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New Developments

People working in this occupation are involved with the Maritime sector.