Do I need sea time before joining First Watch?

First Watch is built for maritime academy graduates and junior officers seeking their first or second posting. Sea time is welcome but not required. What matters is the type of vessel you are targeting and your readiness to prepare seriously.

What vessel types does First Watch cover?

First Watch covers all major commercial vessel types: bulk carriers, general cargo, container vessels, tankers, product tankers, RoRo, car carriers and offshore support vessels. LNG and LPG require additional specialist preparation and are discussed separately.

How many sessions will I need?

The structured programme runs 8 weeks. Some cadets secure a placement confirmation within the first session, depending on their background and target vessel type. The 8-week period is designed to ensure full preparation, not just placement.

Can I join if English is not my first language?

Yes. Sessions are conducted in English, which is also the working language of commercial shipping. Mykola uses plain operational language throughout. If your English needs strengthening, the sessions will help with that directly.

Is First Watch available as group sessions?

Yes. First Watch can run as private one-to-one sessions or small group sessions. Group sizes are flexible. Contact MAMVC to discuss what fits your situation.

Book a 15-minute discovery call at calendly.com/mamvco/15min. Mykola will confirm whether First Watch fits your background and target vessel type, and outline what the first sessions will cover.

8 or 12-Week Maritime Mentorship

From Theory to First Watch at Sea

Maritime Academy to Your First Watch at Sea

A structured programme for maritime academy graduates and deck cadets. 8 weeks for core pre-sea readiness for AB/OS. 12 weeks for those looking for faster growth to junior officer. Private and group sessions. All vessel types except LNG and LPG.

Book Your 15-Minute Call

“In such a short time I understood more than in four years of study, to be honest.”

Dany — PCC Employment Confirmed

Maritime academy gives you the theory. Four years of navigation principles, maritime law, stability calculations, and safety regulations. That foundation is real. It is also preparation for an industry that speaks a different language on a working ship.

The terminology is vessel-specific. The safety procedures are situation-specific. The professional network that opens the door to a first contract does not exist in any syllabus. And the gap between graduating and boarding your first vessel is where most new maritime officers spend too long.

This programme was built to close that gap.

The Programme

What the Programme Covers

From Theory to First Watch at Sea is a structured mentorship for maritime academy graduates and deck cadets. Private or group sessions. Built around your target vessel type and your specific contract.

8 weeks for OS/AB readiness. 12 weeks for those looking to reach junior officer faster.

The programme covers vessel-specific knowledge, practical safety procedures, maritime English at operational level, and direct career support through twenty years of active industry relationships. The objective: a candidate who is genuinely ready for the vessel, the crew, and the work from the first day aboard.

8 Week Core Programme

1 Session to Placement*

20+ Years Industry Network

*Dany, PCC. Placement confirmed in session one. Individual results vary.

Programme Structure

What Happens Each Week

8 weeks for OS/AB readiness. 12 weeks for those looking to reach junior officer faster.

Sample track shown for a PCC candidate. Sessions adapt to your vessel type.

Phase 1 Foundation Weeks 1 to 4

Week 1 Core Safety & Ship Parts

Emergency alarms by signal and required action. PPE by task. Vessel orientation for your target vessel. Explain in Russian, deliver in English without hesitation. Safety as a reflex, not a phrase.

Week 2 Basic Seamanship

Three core maritime knots. Standard deck commands and correct echo responses. Critical survival phrases for the bridge and deck. Response speed is the standard, not passive recognition.

Week 3 Cargo Operations & Lashing

Full vehicle loading cycle from pier to car deck. Web lashings, wheel chocks, four-point securing. The practical cargo knowledge a chief officer expects on day one.

Week 4 Daily Routines & Deck Maintenance

Morning toolbox talk, chipping, priming, painting, deck housekeeping. Day on board from 0800 muster to tools storage. Routine before the vessel, so the routine is already there when you arrive.

Phase 2 Operations Weeks 5 to 8

Week 5 Watch Support & Helm Commands

Steering commands under STCW II/4. Echo-repeat protocol without hesitation. Lookout visual reporting by sector and bearing. Zero-freeze is the standard, not a target.

Week 6 Interview Preparation & Documents

Self-presentation for crewing managers. Document audit: STCW, medical certificate, seaman’s book. Full 15-minute mock interview under pressure. The questions answered before the interview happens.

Week 7 Full Simulation Day

A complete mock working day on m/v Sea Hellinis. Unexpected problems arrive mid-session. Stress-test: fire, man overboard, oil spill. Correct protocol declared in three seconds. Pressure before the contract.

Week 8 Final Readiness Assessment

Comprehensive examination across all content. Random cross-examination without notes or assistance. Final verdict: ready for deployment. Practical guidance issued before joining the vessel.

Core programme completes

Phase 3 Advanced Deepening Weeks 9 to 12 Extended programme

For graduates and cadets building toward an AB or OS2 rating. Sits on top of a completed 8-week core.

Week 9 Advanced Watchkeeping

IALA buoyage systems: lateral and cardinal marks, identification and required vessel action. Gyro and magnetic compass monitoring, error recording, heading comparison. To watch officer standard.

Week 10 Heavy Weather & Complex Cargo

Storm protocols for cargo decks. Chain lashing for heavy project cargo, trailers and oversized vehicles. Turnbuckles and tensioners. The reflex that overrides every other decision in bad weather.

Week 11 Logbooks & TARB Management

Training record book: steering hours, lookout duties, officer signatures. Deck log entries and watch relief procedure. The paperwork that builds your sea service record from the first entry, correctly.

Week 12 AB/OS2 Roadmap & Final Defense

Career pathway from Cadet to RFPNW endorsement and Able Seaman. Full oral defense across all 12 weeks. Completion certificate issued by Mykola Aleksyeyev.

Programme completes

Session Format

How the Sessions Run

90 / 120 min

Structured Lesson Plans

Each session runs 90 minutes with a prepared lesson plan. When the work calls for it and time allows, sessions extend to 120 minutes. The extra time covers what the structured session opened but could not finish. Every session has a plan before it starts. Mykola prepares, not improvises.

Conducted in English

All sessions run in English. The language of the bridge, the deck, and the engine room log is English. Preparing in the working language means the knowledge and the fluency arrive together. No transition required when the first contract begins.

Modern Learning Tools

Sessions integrate current AI tools for terminology acquisition, vocabulary retention, practice scenarios, and self-testing between sessions. Maritime knowledge is established. The tools for acquiring it efficiently are new. Mykola shows candidates how to use both together.

Coverage

Vessel Types We Train For

Each vessel type has its own working language, operational priorities, and practical demands. The programme is specific to yours.

Pure Car Carrier (PCC) PCTC Bulk Carrier Crude Tanker Product Tanker Chemical Tanker Container Vessel General Cargo Ro-Ro Offshore Supply LNG LPG

A Real Outcome

From Session One to PCC Placement

Dany came to First Watch as a recent maritime academy graduate targeting a pure car carrier. His placement was confirmed after the first session.

“In such a short time I understood more than in four years of study, to be honest. I received the materials from this session and from week one of the programme. Week two I have already looked through.”

Dany Maritime academy graduate. Pure Car Carrier employment confirmed. Three sessions in.

The first session covered car carrier vessel structure, quarter ramp operations and safety, PPE by task, emergency alarm procedure, and muster station protocol. The specific, practical knowledge the academy had not reached.

Who Joins

Who This Is For

Maritime academy graduates seeking their first sea contract. The foundation is in place. The vessel-specific preparation and the industry connection are what come next.
Cadets preparing in advance for their first signed contract. Starting before the pressure is on makes every week of the programme more productive.

Sessions run one-to-one or in groups. The programme is 8 weeks and extends for candidates who need more preparation time.

Mykola Aleksyeyev Marine Surveyor, Port Captain and Consultant Port of Leixoes, Porto 20+ years in the maritime industry. Trained on tankers, bulk carriers, and ro-ro operations. Connected across the Atlantic maritime sector. Read his full story

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on your background and your target vessel type. In Dany’s case, the placement came after the first session. For most candidates, the timeline depends on readiness level, vessel type availability, and how quickly the preparation comes together. The first call gives you a realistic read on your specific situation.

Private sessions move faster and are specific to your target vessel and contract. Group sessions work well for candidates who benefit from working through material alongside others at the same stage. Both formats cover the same four areas. The first call helps identify which fits your situation.

The gap between graduation and a first contract is common, and it is a solvable problem. Two years out of academy with no sea time is a conversation, not a closed door. The work is understanding why the gap exists, what preparation is missing, and which part of the network is most relevant for your target vessel. That analysis starts in the first 15-minute call.

Yes. The vessel knowledge component is specific to your target vessel. A candidate preparing for a bulk carrier and one preparing for a car carrier need different sessions for that component. Safety procedures and maritime English overlap significantly across vessel types. The programme is built around your specific target from session one.

The 8-week structure is the baseline. For candidates who need more time, who are targeting a specialist assignment, or who have a contract confirmed and want continued support through the first weeks aboard, the programme extends. The goal is a first contract you are genuinely ready for, not a completed checklist.

You tell Mykola your background, your target vessel type, and where you are in the process. He will tell you honestly what the realistic path looks like for your situation and whether the programme is the right fit. If it is not, he will say so directly. The call costs nothing. It gives you a clear picture before you commit to anything.

The First Step

A 15-Minute Call

No obligation. You tell me where you are. I tell you honestly what your realistic path to a first contract looks like and whether the programme is the right next step.

The gap between the academy and the first ship is a real problem. It is also a solved one. That call will tell us both what it looks like for you specifically.

Book Your 15-Minute Call