Master - Coastal Towage

Svitzer; Leeds; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matched up to 10%

Life Cover (4x pensionable salary)

Private Medical Insurance

7 days leave after 3 years’ service

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Svitzer is seeking an experienced Tug Master to command the Victory, leading a tight crew on real-world towage across UK ports and coastal waters.

You will live aboard during a two-week rotation, maintain vessel readiness, and uphold high safety standards while coordinating with port authorities for smooth operations.

This permanent role offers structure, ongoing training, and long‑term career opportunities within a global company with strong local presence.

Qualifications

• Master <500GT Certificate of Competency required.
• Harbour, terminal or coastal towage experience essential.
• Eng1 medical and STCW certification valid.
• Experience with ASD/Voith propulsion systems preferred.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Solid administrative and IT literacy expected.
• UK driving licence and right to live/work in the UK.
• Willingness to live aboard during two‑week rotations.

Responsibilities

• Taking command of the Victory and leading a close‑knit crew in dynamic, real‑world operations
• Handling assisted ships safely and decisively across UK ports and coastal routes
• Setting the safety standard on board and making sure it is lived, not laminated
• Leading and developing the crew, creating a culture of trust, professionalism and accountability
• Maintaining vessel readiness, documentation, operational reporting, hours of rest and onboard standards
• Working closely with Port Managers, Harbour Pilots, port authorities and other operational stakeholders
• Taking ownership of vessel husbandry, planned maintenance, stores and bunkering to keep the Victory operationally ready
• If you take pride in your vessel, your crew and your decisions, you’ll fit in well here

Skills

ASD propulsion systems

Voith propulsion systems

Coastal towage

Leadership

Calm under pressure

Communication

Stakeholder management

Administrative skills

Education

Master <500GT Certificate of Competency

Job description

Lead From the Wheelhouse

Svitzer is looking for an experienced Tug Master 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 you are calm, decisive and ready to take command.

This is not a ceremonial command. Working as Master on a coastal tug demands sound judgement, strong ship-handling skills, leadership and pride in doing things properly. You’ll live onboard, work hard during your time on, and lead the crew in the safe and efficient operation of the vessel.

If you want hands‑on maritime responsibility on a powerful vessel, working in real operations and trusted to make the right call, this could be the right command for you.

This Is What The Job Really Looks Like

• Taking command of the Victory and leading a close‑knit crew in dynamic, real‑world operations
• Handling assisted ships safely and decisively across UK ports and coastal routes
• Setting the safety standard on board and making sure it is lived, not laminated
• Leading and developing the crew, creating a culture of trust, professionalism and accountability
• Maintaining vessel readiness, documentation, operational reporting, hours of rest and onboard standards
• Working closely with Port Managers, Harbour Pilots, port authorities and other operational stakeholders
• Taking ownership of vessel husbandry, planned maintenance, stores and bunkering to keep the Victory operationally ready
• If you take pride in your vessel, your crew and your decisions, you’ll fit in well here

Why Svitzer?

• Because tug command should mean something.
• 2 weeks on / 2 weeks off rotation – clear structure and proper time away
• Living onboard during your working period – no daily commuting
• Work across UK ports and coastal operations – variety and challenge built in
• Real responsibility, strong safety culture and high operational standards
• A global company with local teams that support their Masters and crews
• Training, development and long‑term career opportunities

We don’t promise an easy job. We offer a professional one.

What You Get

• Competitive salary of £70,722.46 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

• Master <500GT Certificate of Competency (minimum)
• Harbour, terminal or coastal towage experience – essential
• Experience with ASD and/or Voith propulsion systems - essential
• Valid ENG1 medical and STCW certification (minimum six months’ validity)
• Strong communication skills and confidence working with multiple stakeholders
• Solid administrative skills and comfort with computer‑based systems
• Full UK Driving Licence and the legal right to live and work in the UK
• Willingness to live and work onboard during your two‑week rotation, with flexibility to operate across UK Svitzer locations

Ready to Get Started?

This role isn’t about title. It’s about earned authority, calm leadership under pressure and doing tug work properly. If you’re ready to command the Victory with responsibility—not just rank—this could be the right 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!