How to Become a Seafarer in Latvia: A Practical Guide

Eve Church
30 Sep, 2025
08 Mins read

An oil tanker flying the flag of Latvia sailing away from the Latvian coastline

Are you Latvian and at that point in your life where you’re thinking about a career? Maybe you’re thinking about a seafaring career? If so, you’re in a strong position. As an EU-member, Latvia benefits from STCW-compliant training, has well-regarded nautical schools, and enjoys a long Baltic maritime tradition.

Martide’s guide explains the Latvian-specific routes into a career at sea, as well as the courses, licenses, and documents you’ll typically need to work on cargo, tanker, passenger, or offshore vessels.

This should help you map your route from school to your first job at sea - and beyond.

Which careers on ships can Latvian seafarers pursue?

Most Latvian soon-to-be-seafarers choose one of three technical areas to enter the industry:

Deck (Navigation/Operations): Bridge watchkeeping, passage planning, COLREGs, ECDIS/radar/ARPA, cargo operations, mooring, safety and environmental compliance.

Engine (Marine Engineering): Propulsion and power generation, fuel/lube systems, maintenance diagnostics, refrigeration/HVAC, planned maintenance, pollution prevention.

Electro-Technical (ETO): Electrical distribution, high-voltage safety, automation/PLC, controls and sensors, navigation/communications electronics.

Think about starting your maritime career as a rating (a hands-on seafarer such as an Oiler or a Wiper) and then progress up the career ladder. Or maybe you want to jump straight into an Officer Cadet program. We’ll take a look at both.

a man cleaning the engine with a broom in a ship's engine room

What should you study at school in Latvia to work at sea?

For upper-secondary students (general or vocational), build a foundation that helps with admissions and then later on with your license exams:

Mathematics & Physics: These are essential for understanding stability, navigation, and thermodynamics, and for working with ship machinery.

English & Maritime English (SMCP): Needed for precise radio, logbook, and handover communication.

ICT/Digital skills: Ships are highly digital (ECDIS, maintenance systems, e-reporting) and good IT skills will be an advantage.

Useful extras: Technical drawing/CAD, basic electronics, geography/meteorology can set you apart from the crowd.

Latvia has some established maritime institutions - most notably the Latvian Maritime Academy (Latvijas Jūras akadēmija in Riga) as well as some good regional maritime colleges – for example, Liepājas Jūrniecības koledža, and training centers that deliver STCW short courses. Aim for programs that are approved by the national maritime administration so that your training and sea time count toward certification.

How to become a maritime officer in Latvia

Whether you’re aiming for a career at sea as an officer on deck, in the engine room, or as an ETO, officer training in Latvia follows STCW and EU standards. A typical pathway looks like this:

Enroll in an approved program

Deck: Nautical science / navigation (bachelor or professional program).
Engine: Marine engineering / operation of ship power plants.
ETO: Electro-technical studies with maritime modules.

Make sure you choose an institution that’s formally approved for STCW compliance so your course certificates support your Notice of Eligibility/licensing.

students in a maritime academy with widows looking out over a port

Complete STCW Basic Training (BT) early

Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention & Firefighting, Elementary First Aid, Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities, plus Security Awareness (and Designated Security Duties if required).

Undertake a cadet sea phase with a Training Record Book

You’ll sail as a deck/engine/ETO cadet, complete a Training Record Book (TRB), and log watchkeeping tasks under supervision. Total cadet sea time varies by program but typically adds up to around 12 months across one or more trips.

Finish stream-specific mandatory courses

Deck: ECDIS, Radar/ARPA, Bridge Resource Management, GMDSS (ROC/GOC as applicable), Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats (PSCRB), Advanced Firefighting (AFF), Medical First Aid/Medical Care (depending on certificate level).
Engine/ETO: Engine Room Resource Management, High-Voltage safety, PSCRB, AFF, relevant automation and diagnostics modules.

Medical and eyesight

You’ll need to hold a valid seafarer medical certificate that’s been issued by an approved maritime doctor who is STCW/MLC compliant. If you’re planning to work in jobs on deck, you’ll need to meet color-vision standards for navigation lights and signaling.

Assessment and certification

After meeting sea time and course requirements, you’ll undergo assessments set under Latvia’s national maritime administration. If you’re successful you will be issued with:

Deck: OIC-NW (II/1) → advancement to Chief Officer/Master (II/2) with further sea service, courses, and orals.
Engine: OICEW (III/1) → advancement to Second Engineer/Chief Engineer (III/2).
ETO: Electro-Technical Officer (III/6).

To progress to management-level licenses, you’ll require additional sea time, management-level courses (leadership/management, advanced medical as required), and further examinations/orals.

a young man in a doctor's office having his heart beat listened to by the doctor

Take the ratings route and earn while you learn

If you’re eager to get onboard and go to sea – and you want to start earning a salary sooner, you could apply for a rating job. This entails:

Pre-sea training & STCW Basic Training at an approved center.

Add RFPNW (II/4) or RFPEW (III/4) to form part of a bridge or engine watch.

Join as Ordinary Seaman (OS), Wiper/Motorman, or catering rating.

Make sure you keep meticulous sea-service records.

With enough sea time and assessments, you can upgrade to Able Seafarer Deck (II/5) or Able Seafarer Engine (III/5). From there, you can progress to officer level later, if you meet entry and exam requirements.

This path suits hands-on learners and anyone who is balancing finances with study.

What documents and IDs do Latvian seafarers need?

Before you can start working you’ll need to make sure you have the following documents. However, this is a typical list so check with your crewing agency who will confirm exactly what you need.

Passport - with sufficient validity.

Seafarer’s Service Record Book (“seaman’s book”) issued nationally.

Seafarer Identity Document (SID) where applicable.

STCW certificates (Basic Training, Security, and any role-specific CoPs such as PSCRB, AFF).

National Certificate of Competency (CoC)/Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) matching your rank/role once qualified.

Flag-State Endorsement (FSE) when serving on foreign-flag ships—your employer/agency typically assists.

Medical fitness certificate from an approved maritime doctor who is STCW/MLC compliant.

Vaccinations/health records – for example, Thyphoid where routes require it.

Visas for the vessel’s trading area.

Employment contract - arranged via a reputable crewing/manning agency.

Keep certified copies and secure digital scans of everything and track expiry dates carefully so certificates don’t expire while you’re onboard.

a young woman at home checking her seafarer documents and passport

Top tip: Create a Martide account, add your details and work experience to your seafarer profile and upload copies of your documents into our secure system.

Which endorsements will help you find seafarer jobs in Latvia?

Make sure you take a targeted approach and go for endorsements that are relevant to the types of ships you want to work on.

Tanker familiarization & advanced tanker – for oil/chemical/LPG/LNG carriers.

Passenger ship crowd and crisis management - for ferries and cruise ships.

Ro-Ro operations – for car carriers and Ro-Ro ships.

Dynamic Positioning (DP) for offshore support vessels (This is a Nautical Institute scheme.)

High-Voltage competence – if you want to work as a marine engineer or ETO.

Security: Ship Security Officer (SSO) or Designated Security Duties as required.

Refresher training: STCW modules such as Basic Training, AFF, PSCRB typically require 5-year refreshers - check dates and book early!

Many maritime employers in Latvia sponsor endorsements after you join their company and already having relevant ones can help you find work at sea more quickly.

How do assessments and licenses typically work in Latvia?

Because Latvia follows STCW and EU oversight, in broad terms this means:

Train at approved institutions/centers so your course certificates are recognized.

Accumulate documented sea service: TRB entries and sea-service letters stating the vessel’s name/IMO, GT/kW, dates, your rank/duties, and trading area. This must be signed by authorized officers.

Sit theoretical (written/oral) and practical/simulator assessments as mandated by the national maritime administration for your target certificate (OIC-NW/OICEW/ETO, Able Seafarer, advanced endorsements).

Obtain flag endorsements when you join foreign-flagged ships.

a container ships flying Portuguese flags

Keep an eye on updates from the Latvian maritime authorities and your training provider as requirements can change.

How do you find your first seafarer job in Latvia?

Most Latvian seafarers sign with licensed crewing agencies (such as Martide Manning Latvia) who recruit crew for international shipowners. Typical steps to find your first job at sea are:

Complete medicals with an approved maritime clinic.
Finish mandatory STCW and pre-sea modules.
Prepare documents: passport, seaman’s book, SID, certificates.
Pass company screening (Marlins/CES/technical interview plus simulator for officer roles.
Handle visas and flag paperwork with your agency.
Join your ship! (Make sure you take original documents, plus certified copies and digital backups.)

How long will it take to find my first seafarer job in Latvia?

Your timeline to working at sea will vary depending on how long your courses take to complete and how many maritime job vacancies there are, but roughly:

Ratings: Weeks to a few months for pre-sea + BT → join as OS/Wiper/Motorman → upgrade with sea time to Able Seaman.

Officer (Deck): Often 2–3+ years including academy terms and cadet sea phases before OIC-NW (II/1).

Officer (Engine): Similar timeline before OICEW (III/1).

ETO: Technical degree/diploma + approved ETO course → trainee sea time → ETO (III/6) competence.

Expect refresher training every five years for several STCW modules and additional courses as you progress to management-level licenses (Chief Officer/Master, Second/Chief Engineer).

a man in a room surrounded by maritime paraphernalia study with books and laptop

Top tip: Check out Martide Manning Latvia’s seafarer jobs vacancies here!

What soft skills matter most to maritime employers in Latvia?

Your certificates will get you onboard but your soft skills will keep you there. Soft skills include:

Having clear English and SMCP for radio/bridge/engine communications.

Respecting the safety culture and teamwork - apply BRM/ERM (Bridge Resource Management / Engine Room Management) principles every day.

Having digital confidence – for ECDIS updates, PMS entries, email handovers, and reporting.

Displaying professionalism – punctuality, showing respect within multinational crews, and possessing steady judgement are vital.

Having documentation discipline - impeccable TRB entries and sea-service letters will show that you’re organized and reliable.

A step-by-step checklist for new Latvian seafarers

Pick your stream: Deck, Engine, or ETO.
Choose your entry route: Officer (approved academy/college) or rating (pre-sea + BT).
Complete STCW Basic Training at an approved center.
Secure a maritime medical (STCW/MLC compliant plus color-vision for deck jobs).
Obtain your Seafarer’s Service Record Book (and SID if applicable).
Land a cadetship or rating berth via a licensed crewing agency.
Finish sea phases and keep your Training Record Book neat and tidy.
Complete mandatory stream courses (ECDIS, Radar/ARPA, BRM/ERM, PSCRB, AFF, GMDSS, High-Voltage).
Sit assessments for your CoC/CoP under the Latvian national maritime administration.
Add endorsements (tanker, passenger, DP), keep refreshers current, and build sea time toward higher licenses.

happy young seafarers walking down the dock to meet their ship

The bottom line for finding jobs at sea in Latvia

Latvia’s seafaring pathway is structured, STCW-aligned, and internationally respected. Whether you begin as a rating or as an officer cadet, your success rests on approved training, documented sea service, a valid medical, and disciplined record-keeping.

Choose the types of vessels that you want to work on – an oil tanker will need different qualifications and licenses to a cruise ship - and pursue the endorsements that match it.

Keep your certificates valid, store scans safely in Martide, and keep your Training Record Book safe!

Good luck and if you’re looking for your next seafarer job, don’t forget to take a look at Martide’s maritime job vacancies! Martide Manning Latvia is based in Riga and we’re always looking for hardworking and motivated young seafarers.

Disclaimer: The information above is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing and is provided for informational purposes only as a starting guide. Requirements change and can vary by authority, flag, company, and vessel type. We highly recommend checking the latest guidance from Latvia’s *national maritime administration, your chosen nautical college/training provider, and your employer or crewing agency before making decisions.*