How to become a chief or Second engineer
Official title: Chief/Second engineer (ship)
Also called: Chief engineer (ship), Chief engineer officer (ship), First engineering officer (ship), First foreign-going marine engineering officer, Second engineer (ship), Second engineering officer (ship), Second foreign-going marine engineering officer, Second marine engineer, Ship's chief engineer, Chief Engineer/2nd Engineer, First engineering officer (ship), First foreign-going marine engineering officer
Chief/Second engineer (ship) plans, coordinates and directs engine-room department aboard ship and supervises subordinate marine engineer officers and engine-room ratings. He/she takes complete charge of the operation, maintenance and repair of all mechanical and electrical machinery and equipment on board ship including propulsion engines, boilers, auxiliary, deck machinery, refrigeration and sanitary equipment.
Main tasks
- Adapting departmental plans and priorities to address resource and operational challenges
- Planning and arranging all technical maintenance and repairs needed on the vessels
- Carrying out vessel inspections and monitor the ship’s conditions
- Ensuring compliance of vessels with regulations and standards
- Researching and implementing new procedures to improve daily operations
Ways in
- University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 4 universities in Singapore
- Licence or registration: Deck and engineering officers on Singapore-registered ships need a Certificate of Competency for their rank. Singapore cadets earn one through a nautical or marine engineering diploma, sea service and exams; officers certified by a recognised foreign country also need an endorsement from the MPA. Law: Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Regulator: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) (https://www.mpa.gov.sg).
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $100,068 a year. The middle half earn $74,772 to $137,472 a year.
- Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a chief or Second engineer?
Ways in include: Engineering degrees.
How much does a chief or Second engineer earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $100,068 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $74,772 to $137,472.
Will AI change the work of a chief or Second engineer?
Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026