Logging your sea time: why it matters and how to do it

Logging your sea time: why it matters and how to do it

Every certificate upgrade — and many job applications — come down to one question: can you prove your sea time? A well-kept log turns years of experience into something an examiner or an owner can check.

Updated 14 October 2026 · 4 min read

What to record for every trip

  • •Dates of departure and arrival
  • •Vessel name, type and length
  • •Your role on board (skipper, mate, crew, engineer …)
  • •Route and miles sailed, including night passages
  • •Days actually at sea

Make it credible

Examiners and certification bodies usually want sea time to be confirmed by the skipper or owner — for example with signed sea-service testimonials. Rules on what counts differ between certificates and flag states, so check the requirements for the certificate you are aiming for.

Use it to get hired

On Maritime Delivery, verified crew get a free sea-time logbook. Your logged sea time (without vessel names) appears on your profile for clients and on your shareable verified profile — and it goes straight into your CV as PDF.

Rules change and differ between flag states. Use this guide as a starting point and always confirm current requirements with the issuing body or flag administration before you book a course or accept a job.

Sources

Put it to work

Yacht captain jobs →Delivery skipper jobs →

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