Deckhand - Coastal Towage

Svitzer; Southampton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matched up to 10%

Life Cover (4x pensionable salary)

Single Private Medical Insurance

7 days leave after 3 years’ service

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Svitzer is seeking a Deckhand to join the Ayton Cross, supporting towage operations across UK ports and coastal waters. This hands-on maritime role requires reliability, teamwork and a readiness to contribute aboard a real ship rather than routine harbour work.

You'll live onboard, rotate two weeks on/ two weeks off, and work with a crew to deliver safe towage, maintenance and vessel standards across UK locations.

Qualifications

• Able Seaman Certification or Navigational Watch Rating Certificate & EDH.
• Valid ENG1 medical and STCW Basic Safety Training (minimum six months’ validity).
• Full UK Driving Licence and the legal right to live and work in the UK.
• Harbour, terminal or coastal towage experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of a close-knit crew onboard the Ayton Cross in real-world operations.
• Support the Master to deliver safe and efficient towage across UK ports and coastal routes.
• Take ownership of deck operations, safety routines and vessel standards.
• Carry out planned maintenance and keep the vessel clean, safe and ready for operations.
• Get involved in deck and engine-room tasks as required.
• Adapt to a varied operational environment beyond a single home port.
• Commit to ongoing training and professional development.

Skills

Able Seaman Certification

Navigational Watch Rating

EDH

Strong work ethic

Teamwork

Education

Harbour/Coastal towage experience

Tools

ENG1 medical

STCW Basic Safety Training

Job description

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

Svitzer is looking for a Deckhand to join the Ayton Cross, 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 Ayton Cross 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?

If you want to build real experience, earn trust, and develop your career in professional towage, this could be the move that defines your next step.

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!