Platform supply vessels connect the platform to the shore. Without them, no fixed or floating offshore installation operates for long. The roles on these vessels, the certificates required and the practical aspects of the work are distinct from deep sea cargo shipping in ways that become clear quickly when you make the transition.
The Work
Runs between the shore base and the offshore installation define the PSV schedule. Loading at the base, transiting offshore, working alongside or near the installation, returning. This cycle runs continuously, often on a pattern that repeats every few days depending on how far offshore the installation sits.
Cargo management covers deck cargo in containers and on the open deck, bulk liquids in tanks below deck, and sometimes dangerous goods that require specific handling. The cargo officer’s responsibility is to load, stow, secure and deliver cargo safely and in the sequence the installation needs it.
DP approach to the installation is the technically distinctive element. The vessel holds position close to a large structure using thruster control while a crane lifts cargo between vessel and platform. This requires the officer on watch to monitor the DP system, manage any alarms and maintain awareness of the gap between the vessel and the installation structure.
Roles on Board
Ordinary Seaman: general deck duties, maintenance, assisting with cargo operations. Entry point for deck ratings on offshore vessels.
Able Seaman: deck watches, cargo handling, crane assistance, mooring operations when at a buoy or near-shore berth.
Bosun: leads the deck crew. Cargo operations supervision, deck maintenance management.
Third Officer: bridge watches, DP watch where certified, cargo operations support.
Second Officer: bridge watches, navigation responsibility on many vessels, cargo planning and operations.
Chief Officer: head of deck department. Cargo operations management, stability, DP operations, crew management.
Master: vessel command. DP operations at master level. Relationship management with the offshore installation, the client and the company.
Chief Engineer: engine room and DP power system management. Thruster maintenance. Budget, planned maintenance system, technical reporting.
Certificates
Standard STCW deck or engineering certificates are the foundation. For deck officers on DP vessels, the Nautical Institute DP certificate is required for watchkeeping roles.
STCW Basic Safety Training plus Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats apply as on any vessel. Helicopter Underwater Escape Training, HUET, is required for offshore workers who travel to and from installations by helicopter, which on offshore platforms means almost everyone. This is not a maritime certificate but it is a practical requirement.
Offshore emergency response training is required by most operators and some clients, beyond the standard STCW emergency response certificates.
Pay
North Sea PSV rates at senior levels sit between $8,000 and $14,000 per month for chief officers and masters. Engineering equivalents are comparable. These are among the better-compensated positions in commercial shipping at equivalent rank.