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

Svitzer is looking for an Officer of the Watch to join our Felixstowe operation. This is not a seat-warming role. It’s a stepping stone to command in one of the most demanding and respected areas of professional seamanship.

You must be comfortable working in a busy, unpredictable environment, thrive on close-quarters ship handling, real responsibility, and working as part of a crew where skill, judgement and trust truly matter.

If you want challenging ship-handling work, modern vessels, and a genuine pathway to Master, Svitzer offers a career—not just a contract.

This Is What the Job Really Looks Like

• Working powerful tugs in confined waters, in all conditions

• Supporting the Master—and stepping up when it matters

• Managing safety, crew routines and vessel readiness

• Taking ownership of your tug

• Being relied upon by pilots, port authorities and fellow professionals.

If that excites you, you’re already closer to the right fit than most.

Why Svitzer?

Because tug work deserves to be done properly.

• 1 week on / 1 week off rotation – work hard, then properly switch off

• Modern, well-maintained fleet – no shortcuts, no compromises

• A clear route to Tug Master – many of our Masters started here

• A company that backs its crews – training, mentoring and trust

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

What You Get

• Competitive salary of £54,605.71 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

• Minimum STCW II/3 OOW Deck 500GT Near Coastal (Unlimited preferred)

• Valid ENG1 and STCW certification (minimum of six months on all certifications)

• Harbour towage experience preferred (but ambition matters too)

• A professional mindset and pride in safe operations

• The right to live and work in the UK

• Full UK Driving Licence & Own Vehicle as the Port of Felixstowe is only accessible by car.

• Ideally crew should be living within a 60-minute commute of the Port of Felixstowe

If you want to earn your command—not wait for it—this could be the move that defines your career.

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.