Security Officer / Close Protection Officer
A yacht security officer keeps the principal, their family and the vessel safe. On board that means access control, watchkeeping and drills. Ashore it means advance work, secure transport and close protection in ports such as Monaco, Porto Cervo and St Barths. Most come from military, police or private protection backgrounds and learn the maritime side once they join a yacht.
The jobWhat fills the day
The job splits into two parts. On board you control who comes up the passerelle, check contractors and deliveries, monitor CCTV and the gangway, and keep the ship security plan current with the captain. Ashore you plan and walk routes, vet restaurants and venues, liaise with drivers and local agents, and stay close to the principal or the children when they leave the yacht. Much of the work is quiet preparation. You spend far more time planning than reacting.
With the owner aboard, the hours are long and set by the family's movements. You shadow beach days, tender runs, dinners ashore and late returns, and you sleep when they sleep. Between trips the pace drops. You run drills, update threat assessments for the next cruising ground, train crew on lockdown and piracy procedures, and often help on deck. On smaller yachts the role is frequently combined with deckhand duties, while 100m+ yachts carry a dedicated team with a team leader.
Hiring leans heavily on background. Captains and family offices look for former military, especially marines and special forces, police protection officers and experienced civilian close protection operators. A UK SIA Close Protection licence or national equivalent is the usual baseline, along with STCW and an ENG1. Discretion counts as much as skill. You will see a great deal of the family's private life, and anyone who talks about it will not work in the industry for long.
Progression runs from single officer to team leader, then head of security across a principal's yacht, homes and aircraft. Some move into the maritime side, adding the Ship Security Officer certificate and safety management experience, and later work ashore as a yacht safety manager or DPA within a management company. Others use the yacht years to build a long relationship with one family, which is where the most stable and best-paid positions are found.
Skills captains look for
- Close protection and advance work
- Threat and risk assessment
- Access control and CCTV
- Ship security planning
- Tender and vehicle movements
- Advanced first aid
- Absolute discretion
A day aboardOwner trip, 85m motor yacht, Porto Cervo, Sardinia
Handover from the night watch. Review gangway log, CCTV notes and any boats that loitered near the stern overnight.
Brief with the captain and chief stew on the day's plan: beach lunch at Cala di Volpe, dinner ashore in town.
Recce the restaurant with the local agent. Confirm the table, exits, parking for the cars and the tender landing point.
Ride with the family on the tender to the beach club and hold a position close by through lunch.
Back aboard. Short break and a meal in the crew mess while the second officer covers access.
Check credentials for a florist and a wine delivery at the passerelle, then escort contractors while they work inside.
Escort the principal ashore by tender and car. Stay with the party through dinner and the walk along the quay.
Family back aboard. Final perimeter check, log the evening and hand over to the night watch.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
See the Spa, Wellness & Childcare salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- SIA Close Protection licence or national equivalent
- Proficiency in Designated Security Duties (PDSD)
Gets you hired
- Ship Security Officer (SSO) certificate
- FREC 3 or 4, or equivalent advanced first aid
- RYA Powerboat Level 2
- RYA Personal Watercraft
- Driving licence with defensive or evasive driving training
Visas
- Schengen visa if non-EU
- C1/D visa for US waters
- Valid passport with long validity
Where it leadsA typical career path
Questions crew ask
Do I need a military or police background?
Not strictly, but most hires have one. A civilian with a close protection licence and solid private protection experience can get in, often through a combined deckhand and security role on a smaller yacht first.
Do yacht security officers carry firearms?
Almost never on private yachts in the Mediterranean or Caribbean. Flag and port state rules make it impractical, so the job relies on planning, awareness and good relationships with local agents and police. Armed teams are used only for specific high-risk transits and are contracted separately.
Will I be expected to help with deck work?
On yachts under about 80m, usually yes, and many adverts are written as deckhand and security. On larger yachts with a dedicated team you will mostly stay on security duties, though helping during guest-free periods goes down well.
What rotation can I expect?
Permanent roles on large yachts often run 2:2 or 3:3, with leave paid. Some officers are employed by the principal's family office and travel with the owner between the yacht, homes and aircraft, which pays more but leaves less fixed time off.