I worked for Costamare for one contract through V.Ships. Based on my experience, the company was very poor, and I would not recommend it, especially to cadets, because I saw no realistic career progression.
I worked for Costamare in 2021 while taking over a bulk carrier. Overall, the company was neither particularly good nor particularly bad, but timely crew changes were not handled well.
I worked for Costamare on a bulk carrier that had recently been acquired. Some senior officers signed four-month contracts but ended up working for almost seven months. Work shoes and coveralls were not supplied properly, with only a few items delivered once. Provisions and spare parts were generally acceptable, and internet access was available, but soft drinks were not free.
I worked for Costamare on container vessels through L-Stream. The food was good, and the company provided some free internet, water, and soft drinks. Spare parts were generally supplied properly, and superintendents helped with work-related problems by providing advice or contacting the makers. Overall, it was a decent company to work for.
I worked for Costamare as an electro-technical officer. The workload included monthly forms, but the office did not burden me with excessive paperwork. My experience through L-Stream was generally normal.
I worked for Costamare on container vessels through V.Ships in 2022. The engine room and much of the equipment were in very poor condition, and spare parts had not been ordered properly. The cook prepared poor food, but this was accepted by the Master. I was only able to sign off after eight months without a replacement, and this was my first and last contract with the company.
I recently worked for Costamare on a container ship as an assistant electrician. The workload was extremely heavy: in port, the assistant worked around the clock, while the electrician was constantly called for repairs. On a Brazil–Europe reefer container route, I handled up to 1,200 reefer units and 20–30 breakdowns a day, often working from early morning until midnight without proper rest or additional pay. The food was poor, the vessel was badly maintained, tools were inadequate, spare parts were heavily cut from the requisitions, and the promised conditions were not properly disclosed before joining. I would not recommend this work for an E/E team.
I have worked on Costamare container ships, including a sister ship. My salary was paid on time, and the vessels were generally in good condition. The food was mostly good, with a weekly menu and separate meals prepared for the European officers, although some meals depended on personal taste. The crew was mainly Greek officers and Filipino ratings; internet and soft drinks were available, and some items in the bond were free.
Costamare is the worst company I have seen. They only hire Ukrainians for top positions or sometimes juniors. The system is stupid; juniors have no responsibilities and do nothing unless told exactly what to do. In the engine room, the second engineer does all the work while juniors just stand around. There is no proper hierarchy among the Greek juniors, who just wait for promotions instead of earning them. Captains and chief engineers are all Greek and often bypass the second engineer or chief mate. Supplies are the cheapest available, and the food is terrible. Even the cooks are not satisfied with the provisions. The only good thing is free water and soft drinks. However, before joining, think carefully if it's worth it for the ship.