The Philippines stands as the global leader in supplying maritime manpower, with Filipino seafarers renowned for their skills and dedication.
Among the approximately 100,000 merchant ships navigating the world’s oceans, Filipino seafarers play a crucial role in various capacities.
But what specific ranks and skills do these seafarers hold?
In this detailed article, we’ll explore the top 10 ranks of Filipino seafarers working on international ships.
Worldwide Seafarer Data
Filipino seafarers make up 30% of the global maritime workforce, accounting for approximately 578,626 out of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide.
This data comes from MARINA, with additional estimates based on the ICS Manpower Report published in 2021.
The same report highlights that the Philippines remains the top choice for shipowners, followed by Russia, Indonesia, China, and India.
Top 10 Ranks of Filipino Seamen on Foreign Ships
According to MARINA’s 2023 statistical report, the graph below illustrates the top 10 ranks of Filipino seafarers deployed on various international vessels.
As shown in the bar graph, Able Seafarers (AB) lead with 80,471 deployments, followed by Ordinary Seamen (OS) with 41,504 in 2023.
In the Licensed seafarer category, Second Mate tops the list with 19,067 deployments followed by Third Engineers at 16,662 and Third Mate at 15,942.
The “Other Skills” category represents a significant number of seafarers, but it includes a mix of different ranks and positions that fall outside the top 10.
Significant Increase
Looking at the chart more closely, we can also see a considerable increase in deployment between 2022 and 2023 across all ranks.
Overall, there is a 50% rise in seafarers who worked on international ships from 2022 (385,179) to 2023 (578,666 )with Able Seafarers still leading the way!
Ratings Dwarf Officer Deployments
Data comparing licensed and unlicensed Filipino seafarers reveals a persistent and expected trend—ratings continue to outnumber officers significantly.
In 2023, Filipino ratings in the top 10 ranks totaled 233,016, dwarfing the 51,671 licensed seafarers deployed.
Image Number of Ratings and Officer Deployments of Filipino Seafarer to International Vessels
This comes as no surprise, as most ship crews consist primarily of ratings and many shipowners prefer to hire Filipinos for these roles.
Additionally, on vessels with mixed-nationality crews, there are typically more Filipino ratings than officers on board.
Despite there being only one Bosun per ship, this position still outranks Third Mates and Second Mates in deployment numbers—even though some ships may have three junior officers on board.
What Ships Do Filipino Seamen Work?
For the most part, Filipino seafarers deployed on passenger ships topped the list in 2023, with 151,942 crew members.
This isn’t surprising, as these vessels require a large workforce to fill various roles.
Interestingly, despite the high demand, the number of cruise ship hiring partners in the Philippines remains relatively small compared to the hundreds of manning agencies catering to other vessel types.
However, the second-highest vessel type caught my attention.
I expected dry cargo vessels to rank high, but I didn’t anticipate bulk carriers taking the second spot with 139,877 crew deployments.
It seems the saying holds true- bulk carriers really are the workhorses of the merchant fleet.
The third-largest ship type employing Filipino seafarers is container ships, with 55,327 crew members deployed.
Filipino seafarers are also deployed on various tanker vessels. 6 out of 10 vessel types in our top 10 are tankers.
Deployment by Vessel Categories
A closer look at vessel classifications reveals that dry cargo ships employ a significant number of Filipino seafarers.
In 2023, a total of 219,487 Filipino seafarers were deployed on bulk carriers, container ships, and general cargo vessels.
This figure surpasses passenger ships, which had 151,942 deployments, making dry cargo vessels the largest employer of Filipino seafarers.
Meanwhile, 130,552 Filipino seafarers were deployed on tanker vessels in 2023, according to MARINA’s data.
Conclusion
Filipino seafarers remain the top choice for shipowners worldwide.
Post-COVID deployments in 2023 reached an all-time high, signaling strong career prospects for those looking to enter the industry.
With unlicensed seafarers leading in deployments, lower-ranked crew members have a higher chance of securing jobs at sea due to continued demand.
May the winds be in your favor.
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