Just before the Monaco Yacht Show, Warsash Superyacht Academy, in collaboration with Trinity House, launched its superyacht cadetship programme, which leads to the issue of a Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Officer of the Watch Unlimited Certificate of Competency (CoC).

Despite the issuing of an Unlimited CoC, the cadetship is specifically tailored to the superyacht industry, yet the Unlimited aspect means crew will be issued a CoC that allows them to work on superyachts of any size. According SuperyachtIntelligence, there are currently 52 superyachts on the water in the 3,000gt or larger category; another two have been launched and three are in build - all of which would require unlimited certification for their officers.

Moreover, Crewing Manager at The Crew Network, Louise Cailbourdin has told SuperyachtNews of a trend in clients looking for a ticket beyond what is necessary – a trend that would result in an increasing demand for Unlimited tickets. And, with progression through the Unlimited route a relatively simple and obvious option for those who have come through the cadetship, due to what Warsash has highlighted as a significant length of bridge time, this could be particularly valuable when it comes to their Master’s license. “There is a greater supply than demand of ticketed captains, and because of this situation we are noticing that hiring managers are tending to request MCA Master tickets with a higher gross tonnage than requisite. For example, a vessel under 500gt will give preference to a 3,000gt ticket, because they can,” explains Cailbourdin. Place this within the context of larger tonnage, the Unlimited route is becoming increasingly viable, something Warsash has clearly identified in offering an Unlimited ticked, as opposed to Yacht ticket, in its three-year cadetship.

There is a greater supply than demand of ticketed captains, and because of this situation we are noticing that hiring managers are tending to request MCA Master tickets with a higher gross tonnage than requisite.

Currently the only equivalent in the superyacht industry is the four-year superyacht cadetship offered by UKSA, which issues cadets with a OOW Yachts less than 3,000gt. So compared to where the industry was a good few years ago, where people generally responded to the cadetship conversation with comments such as, “Cadetships are only for the commercial world, we won’t see them in the superyacht industry”, the industry has certainly come a long way in supporting crew through a professional beginning to a long-term career.

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