The oiler — on many ships called the motorman — is the engine-room rating who keeps machinery running between the engineers' checks. Offshore vessels carry a lot of machinery for their size: several diesel generators, thrusters, cranes and pumps — so experienced engine ratings are steadily in demand.
What an oiler does offshore
- Engine-room rounds — temperatures, pressures, levels, leaks — and keeping the log.
- Lubrication and topping up of engines, gearboxes and thrusters.
- Planned maintenance with the engineers: filters, purifiers, pumps, generators.
- Fuel and water transfers to platforms — a routine job on supply vessels.
- Keeping the engine room clean and helping with repairs.
Certificates
- Engine rating certificate — rating forming part of an engineering watch (STCW III/4), or able seafarer engine (III/5) for a senior rating.
- STCW basic training and a seafarer medical.
- Offshore safety training — usually OPITO BOSIET with CA-EBS, renewed with FOET every 4 years; GWO for wind farm vessels.
- An offshore medical where the client requires it (OEUK for the North Sea).
What helps you get hired
- Experience on diesel-electric plants, thrusters and high-speed engines — common on offshore vessels.
- Welding or workshop skills.
- English good enough for the engine-room team and safety briefings.
- A clear CV that lists the engines and vessel types you worked with.
Rotation and pay
Offshore oilers usually work on rotation and are often paid a day rate; the level depends on the region, the client and the vessel. Current offers with pay are on the oiler vacancies and motorman vacancies pages, and all offshore postings are under offshore jobs.
New to offshore? Read our guide on how to get into offshore first, then put the engines and certificates up front in your CV with the offshore template.