Hands-On Tug Chief Engineer — Critical Vessel Ops

Svitzer Group; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 62,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matched up to 10%

Life Insurance (4x pensionable salary)

Private Medical Insurance

7 Days leave after 3 years’ service

Uniforms and PPE provided

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Svitzer is seeking a hands-on Chief Engineer to join the Ayton Cross, working on coastal and harbour towage. You will be accountable for keeping powerful tug machinery operational in a safety-critical environment where downtime is not an option.

If you’re looking for real ownership, technical challenge, and responsibility this is the role where it counts. The right candidate will thrive in a live-port setting, diagnose faults under pressure, and ensure the engine room is safe and ready at all

Qualifications

• Minimum STCW III/3 Chief Engineer <6000kW (III/2 Unlimited preferred)
• Valid ENG1 and STCW certification (minimum 6 months validity)
• Strong fault-finding, maintenance, and problem-solving skills
• Harbour towage or small-vessel experience preferred
• A professional mindset and pride in safe, reliable engineering

Responsibilities

• Maintain and operate high-power tug machinery in a live port environment
• Hands on, diagnosing faults and fixing problems under pressure
• Owning the condition, safety, and readiness of your engine room
• Supporting the Master and crew to keep the tug operational at all times
• Working as part of a small, professional crew where trust and competence matter
• Right to live and work in the UK; all crew must be flexible to work across all UK ports
• 2 weeks on/off working rotation

Skills

Fault-finding

Maintenance

Problem-solving

Education

STCW III/3 Chief Engineer

ENG1 certification

Job description

Svitzer is seeking a hands-on Chief Engineer to join the Ayton Cross, working on coastal and harbour towage. You will be accountable for keeping powerful tug machinery operational in a safety-critical environment where downtime is not an option.

If you’re looking for real ownership, technical challenge, and responsibility this is the role where it counts. The right candidate will thrive in a live-port setting, diagnose faults under pressure, and ensure the engine room is safe and ready at all