Marine Pilot

Contract – Permanent

Location - Holyhead, with regular travel required to Fishguard and Loch Ryan

Salary - £98,000

Introduction

What if your expertise could directly influence the safety and efficiency of marine operations across some of Stena Line’s key UK ports?

At Stena Line, safety is at the heart of everything we do. We're looking for an experienced Marine Pilot to join our UK Harbour Authorities team, supporting the safe movement of vessels within the harbour limits of Holyhead and Fishguard, while providing specialist navigational and marine risk expertise across Holyhead, Fishguard and Loch Ryan Port.

Reporting to the Regional Deputy Harbour Master, you'll play a key role in maintaining high standards of navigational safety, operational assurance and marine risk management. You'll work closely with vessel Masters, Port Control, towage providers, lines teams and other operational stakeholders, providing professional ship-handling expertise and making sound decisions in dynamic and time-critical environments.

Alongside conducting acts of pilotage, you'll contribute to the continuous improvement of our Marine Safety Management System, navigational standards, pilotage procedures and marine operational guidance.

If you're an experienced maritime professional who is confident taking operational control, challenging risk and supporting a strong safety culture, join us on our journey and discover a life less ordinary.

Some of your key responsibilities

• Conduct acts of pilotage within harbour limits in accordance with the Pilotage Act, Harbour Authority procedures and established operational standards.
• Provide professional navigational advice and support to vessel Masters during berthing, unberthing and other navigational movements.
• Maintain strong situational awareness of vessel traffic, weather conditions, berth status, navigational constraints and operational risks.
• Liaise and coordinate with Port Control, vessel Masters, towage providers, lines teams and other stakeholders to ensure safe and efficient marine operations.
• Challenge and intervene where vessel operations, passage plans or marine activities present unacceptable navigational or marine safety risks.
• Support the development, review and continuous improvement of pilotage procedures, navigational standards and marine operational guidance.
• Contribute to navigational risk assessments, marine investigations, operational reviews and assurance activities.
• Provide marine technical advice and subject matter expertise relating to ship handling, pilotage, marine operations and port capability.
• Support the development, assurance and continuous improvement of the Marine Safety Management System, ensuring alignment with operational practice and statutory requirements.
• Maintain pilotage competency, local knowledge and continued professional development in accordance with Harbour Authority standards and authorisation requirements.

What you will experience

You'll join the UK Harbour Authorities team and work across a range of live marine environments, supporting the safe and efficient operation of Stena Line's ports.

This is a role with genuine operational responsibility and variety. You'll conduct pilotage acts, work alongside vessel crews and port operations teams, and make critical navigational decisions in changing weather, tidal and traffic conditions.

You'll also have the opportunity to contribute beyond day-to-day pilotage, using your marine expertise to influence navigational risk management, operational assurance, marine investigations and the continuous improvement of our Marine Safety Management System.

You'll work closely with the Regional Harbour Master and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, providing professional challenge and technical expertise where required.

Most importantly, you'll be part of a business where safety comes first and where your experience, judgement and knowledge can make a direct difference to the safety of our people, vessels, customers and port operations.

Benefits

At Stena Line, we recognise the importance of supporting our employees both professionally and personally. As part of our team, you'll have access to a range of benefits including:

• Concessionary travel on selected Stena Line routes
• Opportunities for learning, development and career progression
• Health and wellbeing support
• Access to a range of employee discounts and benefits
• An inclusive, collaborative and supportive working culture
• The opportunity to work alongside experienced marine and operational professionals
• A competitive reward package relevant to your local market

Please note that specific benefits may vary depending on your location and employing entity. Full details of the benefits package applicable to your region will be shared with shortlisted candidates during the recruitment process.

Who you are

At Stena Line your personality matters as much as how good you are at what you do. Regardless of your role, our behaviours welcoming, caring and reliable guides you in your everyday work and the challenges you face.

You are an experienced maritime professional with strong ship-handling and navigational expertise. You remain calm and decisive in dynamic and time-critical environments and have the confidence to take operational control when required.

You have a strong safety mindset and are comfortable challenging operational activity when navigational or marine safety standards are not being met. You communicate clearly and professionally with vessel crews, operational teams and stakeholders, building effective working relationships while maintaining the appropriate level of professional challenge.

You are naturally attentive to risk and understand the importance of situational awareness, bridge resource management and effective communication in delivering safe marine operations. You are also committed to continuous professional development and maintaining your local knowledge and pilotage competency.

Above all, you share Stena Line's commitment to being welcoming, caring and reliable, with safety at the heart of everything you do.

Qualifications

• Hold a chief officer certificate of competency and 5 years authorised pilot experience in another pilotage district will also be considered
• Minimum STCW Master Unlimited (Deck) Certificate of Competency.
• Authorised Marine Pilot or demonstrable ship-handling experience within a commercial marine environment.
• Strong understanding of Bridge Resource Management, pilotage operations and marine risk management principles.
• Knowledge of applicable marine legislation, guidance and industry standards, including the Pilotage Act and Port Marine Safety Code.
• Experience operating within busy or constrained port environments.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage confidently with vessel crews, operational teams and stakeholders.
• Ability to make sound operational decisions in dynamic and time-critical environments.
• Ability to challenge operational activity where navigational or marine safety standards are not met.
• Good understanding of navigational risk assessment and marine assurance principles.
• Ability to work flexibly, including irregular and unsociable hours, weekends and public holidays.
• Valid ENG1 medical certificate.
• Ability to safely transfer to and from vessels in varying weather and sea conditions, including boarding by pilot ladder where required.
• Ability to work safely at height, in exposed marine environments and during adverse weather conditions.
• Willingness to participate in emergency response, marine incident investigation and Harbour Authority assurance activities when required.
• Ability to maintain all certification, training, competency, pilot authorisation and local knowledge requirements associated with the role.

Interested?

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity based in Holyhead, with regular travel required to Fishguard and Loch Ryan.

To apply, please register your profile and send in your CV in English as soon as possible but no later than Thursday 24th September 2026. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

To ensure the secure and structured processing of your personal data, we only accept applications submitted through our online recruitment system.

If you have any questions regarding the position or the recruitment process, you are welcome to contact Phillip Howarth, Talent Acquisition Coordinator at [email protected]

Please note that we kindly decline any offers from recruitment or staffing agencies regarding this recruitment.

About Stena Line

As a leader in sustainable shipping, Stena Line has Europe’s most comprehensive route network focusing on transportation of both passengers and freight. We have over 8,750 employees in our Stena Line family across Scandinavia, around the UK, the North Sea and the Baltics, all actively supporting the daily business.

Our purpose is to be a trusted link between people, places and societies. We play a vital role in keeping everything connected. We make sure people and goods arrive where they need to be, enabling business to thrive and societies to grow. We connect family and friends, and make it possible to explore new destinations or revisit favourite places.

We are committed to maintaining and developing a sustainable working environment, free from harassment, that gives equal opportunities to everyone. We embrace equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome all applicants.