Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement

I joined through Helios for a junior officer position after recently graduating from college. The agency helped me with my documents and visa, and I successfully completed the interview, tests and courses required for approval. I am now working for BSM on a container ship in the UAE. Helios gave me an opportunity to start in this position, and I found the vessel, crew and food satisfactory; the internet allowance is 10 GB per month.

I worked through BSM's Singapore office on a vessel managed by Golden Ocean as an ETO. The salary for the ETO position was 6500, and the vessel was generally in good condition, although some spare parts were missing and supplies were sometimes incomplete. There were problems with unsuitable GMDSS and general-use batteries, as well as a frequency converter for the OWS and a flooded scrubber frequency-converter cabinet. Overall, the vessel operated fairly steadily, with a few isolated technical problems.

I worked through BSM when the management was in Cyprus, around 2008. Toward the end of my contract, the management was transferred to BSM Mumbai, after which there was a great deal of paperwork and the working environment deteriorated. The company had a promotion system, but it involved many tests and interviews.

I submitted my application to BSM and completed the required tests. The company took about half a month to reply and continue the conversation. I was applying for a cadet position after a two-year break from working at sea.

I worked through BSM for two contracts in 2016–2017 as a third engineer on a vessel managed by Horizon Tankers. The salary was 4.9k at that time, and the contracts lasted about 5 months. I passed BSM's tests, had a short telephone interview with the superintendent, was sent for a US visa, and then flew to the vessel. Promotion was difficult: it required several tests and seniority courses in Cyprus, and advancement depended on being next in line when a position became available.

I worked through BSM. In general, it is a normal company: salaries were paid and no fee was charged for joining. Crew changes were difficult because either there were no available people or there was no budget. Supplies were adequate on BSM's own vessels but problematic on vessels under external management. Food was acceptable.

I have been working with BSM since 2020. Overall, it is a good company, and I plan to continue growing there.

I worked through BSM's Singapore office. Salaries were good, but crew changes were a serious problem because the office could not find replacements. Supplies had to be pushed for, while the food was acceptable.

I applied to BSM as a cadet to start as a third officer. I passed the tests and an English interview, then waited almost a month and a half for another interview. I was ultimately told that BSM could not take me as a cadet because I was already 23 years old, despite having previous rating experience and a complete document package. The process was a waste of time.

I worked through BSM in 2008, departing from Kherson. I worked on a bulk carrier, was paid normally, and was even overpaid at the end of the contract.

I worked through BSM Singapore. The office required extensive feedback, calls, photos, self-learning, and mobile applications. When assistance was needed, the office often avoided responsibility and provided unclear verbal answers. Crew changes were uncertain until the vessel arrived in port, and a programme limiting changes to four per year was introduced. Before sailing, the required online training took me about 3 full working weeks, from 8 to 3 each day.

I have worked with BSM since 2006 and have grown within the company. Salaries have been at a normal level, at least on the tankers, and the food has been acceptable. Crew changes were delayed by about two weeks, which I considered tolerable. I have worked through three BSM offices, including the German, English, and Cyprus offices.

I worked through BSM and had no problems ordering cash. The crew on board consisted of Ukrainian and Filipino seafarers.

I worked through BSM for one contract as a motorman. When I went to the director to have a document stamped, I was reprimanded for sitting down on a chair.

I completed four contracts through BSM, working with different offices. Each experience was worse than the previous one, and dealing with the company caused a great deal of stress. I would not recommend it.

I worked in BSM's Hong Kong subdivision. Overall, the experience was not bad. The internet allowance was 1 GB per month free of charge, and the food was acceptable. The office put considerable pressure on the captain and chief officer, while supplies were average. Crew changes were also difficult.

I worked there in 2011–2012, when the company was still called ADNATCO. It was a permanent contract, and the company tried to keep crew at sea longer and give them less time at home. Salaries were above market for junior officers and very good for senior officers, with no delays—the money was credited before the end of the current month. Supplies were adequate and the food was ordinary; internet, a monthly welfare allowance, and a gym were available on board. Career progression was slow, and officers were required to attend dinner in uniform with their epaulettes.

I had a positive experience with Sunrise. They work with BSM, handled everything online, charged no commission, and offered reasonably good pay. I was satisfied with the work.

I was approved as Apprentice ETO on an LNG vessel at 1,700, completed the required courses and preparations, and two days before the joining date was told a full ETO had been taken instead. The replacement offer: go back as cadet on a sister ship I had already served four contracts on, with no path forward attached. I declined and within a while started elsewhere — where the title still says apprentice but the door is open. Have a fallback ready if you deal with them at the entry level.

I joined a gas vessel under the German office's management. Before signing I was told, unprompted, that electricians had been treated unfairly on pay and a solid correction was coming; it came to 250 dollars. The ship itself keeps an electrician busy — systems failing in rotation, the work list always a week deep. What wore me down was the office manner: not rudeness aimed at me personally, but a settled way of speaking to crew as a nuisance. I have not seen it done that openly elsewhere.

My vessels run the Australia–Japan/Korea line. Crew planning itself is reasonable, but the company dislikes relieving crew in Australia because it is costly, so changes get pushed to cheaper ports. All real decisions sit with the Newcastle and Isle of Man offices — the local office is a mailbox. The arrangement suits me; I can see how it would irritate others.