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CareerJanuary 12, 2026

How to Write a Seafarer CV

Steps to build an ATS-friendly seafarer CV that catches manning agencies’ attention.

A seafarer CV differs from shore-based CVs. Your rank, vessel types and valid certificates belong at the top, in a quickly scannable layout.

Rank and summary Put your current rank at the top with a short summary: total sea time, vessel types served and your key certificates.

Sea service List each record with vessel name, IMO, type, flag, rank and date range. Sailorboard formats these automatically from your profile.

Certificates Include your STCW and competency certificates with expiry dates. Keep documents that are about to expire current. From Sailorboard you can download an ATS-ready PDF or Word CV in one click.

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