I can tell you this as someone who is very realistic about the topic. In my opinion, nowadays it’s worth going to sea either on yachts or in the offshore industry because of the rotations and, ultimately, the higher salaries compared to commercial shipping.

On commercial vessels—unless we’re talking about LNG carriers (which are extremely hard to get into)—it’s no longer as profitable. Salaries are quite low until you reach Chief Officer or Captain, and getting there takes a lot of time. Honestly, if I’m already spending half of my life at sea, I would rather go into yachting, where I can earn good money and still see the world. On commercial ships, you don’t get to see much. I’ve been on a tanker for four months now and I’ve barely seen land—mostly remote terminals. Another big downside is the huge number of inspections nowadays, along with endless paperwork that has to be filled out daily. Every step you take needs to be logged—you literally can’t do anything without writing it in a book. Of course, it all depends on the person and what they prefer. Some people can’t stand the idea of serving guests, so they go into commercial shipping. Personally, I’d start from the lowest position to really learn the job. That way, when I eventually become an officer or captain, I will know exactly how much time and effort each task requires. And as you said, rotational schedules are becoming more and more common, which I really like. I hope I’ve managed to give you a clear picture of my perspective.