Assistant Ship Superintendent, Ship Superintendent Development Program

The Ship Superintendent Development Program is a training program for merchant mariners with USCG engineering licenses designed to attract those who wish to continue having a meaningful and fulfilling career transitioning from deep sea to shoreside. To qualify for this program, you must have a US Coast Guard unlimited horsepower Marine Engineering license and have been actively sailing within the past two years. Qualified individuals are hired as an Assistant Ship Superintendent, a full-time permanent position. Through on-the-job training, mentoring, job shadowing, formal training, and demonstrating proficiency with key competencies, the candidate is expected to advance to Ship Superintendent when opportunities arise.  

The Assistant Ship Superintendent is responsible for supporting the ship management operations team, which oversees day-to-day technical/operational issues, with an emphasis on safety of life at sea and the protection of the environment. The position will report to the Director, Technical Operations. Specific assignments may change periodically, depending on the needs of the Company. 

General Responsibilities: 

• Assisting in the planning, execution, and support of various ship maintenance activities.  

• Acting as the primary point of contact for vendors in coordinating vessel support and service. 

• Planning and overseeing surveys to ensure vessel safety, class, and regulatory compliance. 

• Collecting and analyzing data and providing oversight of supporting cost-effective vessel operations. 

• Supervising and executing selected service contracts with vendors. 

• Actively assisting and supporting Ship Superintendents in the planning and execution of dry-docking, more extensive repairs, classification surveys (American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's Register, and DNV GL), regulatory surveys (U.S. Coast Guard), equipment upgrades, and emergency repairs. 

• Coordinating with other departments, such as Supply Chain and Marine Standards, as needed. 

• Supporting the closing of casualties and/or claims about P&I (protection and indemnity) or hull and machinery insurance matters. 

• Supporting audit inspection and vetting planning. 

• Supporting Company commitment to safety and other selected standards and certifications. 

Specific Responsibilities: 

Administration: 

• Scheduling and arranging annual servicing of various shipboard equipment, including the servicing of lifeboats/life rafts and firefighting equipment, the calibration of measuring equipment, elevator shore-based servicing, the inspection of safety radio equipment, monitoring the status of FCC licenses, the servicing of EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacons), etc. 

• Assisting the Quality Manager with certificate management as needed. 

• Ensuring emergency contact information (ships, class, USCG, etc.) is current and maintained in the Company address book. 

• Developing and managing operations calendar to include Maersk operating system meetings, team meetings, and vendor visits. 

Analysis: 

• Acting as an interface between Operations and the ad valorem team on vessel purchases and tax matters and assist in compiling documentation for Ad Valorem submissions 

• Providing financial analytical support using Power BI, Microsoft Excel and similar applications. 

• Collecting data to support the performance appraisal process for senior mariners. 

Monthly Reporting, Record Management, Knowledge Management, and Audit Compliance: 

• Class and planned maintenance system reporting. 

• Maintaining an overview of critical vessel monthly technical reports. 

• Maintaining an overview of vessel inspection/vetting (schedule and planning) – tracking and planning annual vessel inspections by the USCG and auditors. 

• Daily management reporting of technical and safety issues. 

Process Improvement & Project Management: 

• Project management follow-up and engineering support to Ship Superintendents. 

• Providing oversight and coordination of Maersk special projects and their impact to affected MLL departments. 

Other: 

• Assisting in vessel reflag and support implementation based on IMO (International Maritime Organization), CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), and USCG regulatory requirements. 

• Maintaining proficiency certification by completing other prescribed training initiatives as directed. 

• Performs other position-related duties and projects as specified by management 

Position Specifications & Experience 

• Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in marine engineering (Degree must be from an accredited institution) AND possess a valid USCG Third Assistant Engineer license at a minimum. 

• Sailing experience with your license within the past two years. 

• Commercial sailing experience on USCG Engineering License preferred 

• Proficient at using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and ability to learn data mining software  

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work efficiently with multiple teams ashore and on board. 

• Understanding and accepting the importance of cost-control. 

• Enhanced problem-solving skills and an interest in tackling challenges with innovative solutions, maximizing the use of resources available. 

Development Milestones to Ship Superintendent: 

The Assistant Ship Superintendent will document training and development goals in Company’s HR system. The following is not intended to be an exhaustive list of objectives and will be defined and agreed upon by the employee and supervisor. 

• Gain proficiency with ship management system and have a general understanding of the system from the shipboard perspective 

• Complete ISM Auditor course by either Lloyds Register or ABS 

• Prepare work specifications for parts and services 

• Show proficiency and understanding of class and flag requirements by planning out fleet COIs, class annuals, dry-dockings, UWILDs, etc. for 5 years 

• Gain understanding of how the larger Maersk organization is connected to Maersk Line, Limited.  Develop relationships with our international colleagues. 

• Develop working knowledge of stability programs and ships’ load profiles 

• Ride ships coastwise and observe daily engineering and deck operations with an emphasis on engineering systems 

• Shadow Ship Superintendents for at least one Technical Inspection per class of ship 

• Attend Wartsila training at Calhoun School 

• Assist Supply Chain colleagues with finding best value for standard parts and services per class of vessel 

• Assist Director of Technical Operations with annual budget preparation 

• Complete a visit to the Maersk offices in Mumbai, Copenhagen and relevant ocean customer logistics centers (OCLs) 

• Successfully complete Ship Superintendent (Technical) online course through the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies 

• Complete Becoming a Maersk Leader self-study modules 

• Assist Ship Superintendent during at least one dry docking 

• Assume responsibility for at least one vessel 

Travel Requirements: There will be some travel requirements, such as visiting and riding vessels for quality assurance and general management/contract supervision and attending ship repairs and dry dockings around the world. 

Physical Demands & Work Environment: 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

General office setting and shipboard work environment: The individual will be required to work in an office setting sitting at a computer and also will be required to work onboard ships on the deck plates and in the engine room, performing inspections of hull and machinery systems while the vessel is alongside and or underway.