Yacht Safety Manager
The Yacht Safety Manager works in a management company office and keeps safety on a fleet of yachts in order. You write the safety management system, audit the yachts against it, look into incidents and help crews get through flag and port state inspections. Most people come into the job after years on the bridge or in the engine room.
The jobWhat fills the day
The core of the job is the Safety Management System. Every yacht over 500gt in commercial use needs one under the ISM Code, and many private yachts choose to follow it too. You write and update the manuals, procedures, risk assessments and checklists. You keep them in line with flag requirements from Red Ensign registries, the Marshall Islands, Malta and others. Then you make sure the crews actually use them, which takes more effort than the writing.
Much of the year is spent travelling. You carry out internal ISM audits on board in Antibes, Palma, Fort Lauderdale or a refit yard in the Netherlands. You go to drills, check the logbooks, talk to crew in the mess and follow up on findings. When something goes wrong, such as a tender collision, a crew injury or a fire in the lazarette, you lead the investigation, find the root cause and push corrective actions out across the fleet.
A small management company may have one person covering safety, security and quality, often doubling as DPA and Company Security Officer. Larger firms with 30 or more yachts split the roles and run an HSEQ team with coordinators. On a 30m private yacht your contact is the captain and a basic SMS. On a 90m commercial yacht you deal with chief officers, ETOs, safety officers on board and the flag surveyors all at once.
Hiring managers usually want a former captain or chief officer with a Master or Chief Mate 3000gt CoC, or a former chief engineer. ISM lead auditor training is close to essential. Some come from merchant shipping or offshore HSE. From here people move into the DPA role, compliance management or a fleet manager post. A few go into flag state survey work or training.
Skills employers look for
- ISM Code auditing
- SMS writing and revision
- Incident root cause analysis
- Flag and PSC inspection prep
- Risk assessment
- ISPS and ship security
- Coaching captains and crew
A working dayTuesday in a management office, Antibes
Check the overnight inbox. A chief officer on a 62m in Sardinia has reported a near miss during a stern-to mooring.
Call the captain to get the facts, then open an investigation file and ask for statements and CCTV stills.
Revise the enclosed space entry procedure after a flag circular, and push the update to twelve yachts through the fleet software.
Lunch on the Place Nationale with the DPA, mostly talking about next week's audit schedule.
Review drill records and the non-conformity tracker. Two yachts have overdue corrective actions, so chase the captains politely.
Video call with a Red Ensign surveyor to plan the renewal audit for a 75m going into Port Vell for winter refit.
Write up the monthly safety bulletin for crews, covering tender fuel handling and the near miss lessons.
Book flights to Palma for Thursday's onboard internal audit and pack the audit checklist.
Pay by experienceAnnual salary. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
See the Yacht & Crew Management salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- Master or Chief Mate 3000gt CoC, or equivalent senior sea service
- ISM Code internal auditor course
Gets you hired
- IRCA-certified ISM/ISO lead auditor
- Company Security Officer (CSO)
- DPA training course
- NEBOSH General Certificate
- Incident investigation and root cause training
Visas
- Schengen right to work for Monaco/France roles
- B1/B2 for audits on US-based yachts
Where it leadsA typical career path
Yacht & Crew Management jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to have been a captain?
Not always, but most hires have held senior rank at sea, usually chief officer or captain, or chief engineer. Crews take audit findings better from someone who has run a bridge or engine room. People from merchant or offshore HSE backgrounds get hired too, though they need to learn how yachts work.
What is the difference between a safety manager and a DPA?
The DPA is the person named under the ISM Code to link the yacht and the company's top management, available around the clock. The safety manager does much of the daily work on the SMS, audits and investigations. In smaller firms one person often holds both roles.
How much travel is involved?
Expect to be away for somewhere between a quarter and a third of the year, depending on fleet size. Audits follow the yachts, so you might be in Monaco in May, the Caribbean in winter and a Dutch or Italian yard during refit season. Travel costs are paid and some firms add a per diem.
Is the salary tax-free like crew pay?
No. It is a normal shoreside salary taxed where you live and work. A senior captain earns more on paper, but you get a regular home life, a pension and holidays.