Norsul and Norcoast invest in deck officer training to ease Brazil’s cabotage labor shortage

Brazil has more vessels entering service, but not enough officers to crew them. As cabotage — coastal shipping between domestic ports — expands on the back of the BR do Mar program and rising demand for industrial cargo transport, the country faces a growing shortage of qualified professionals to operate its vessels.

Training programs for merchant marine deck officers remain limited and have not kept pace with the sector’s growth. The career is still little known among young professionals with university degrees, while life at sea, with alternating periods on board and ashore, further narrows the pool of candidates. The result is an imbalance that could limit the growth potential of Brazil’s coastal shipping market.

To address that bottleneck, Norsul, Brazil’s largest private cabotage company, and Norcoast, a joint venture between Norsul and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, announced joint sponsorship of the Brazilian Cabotage Officers Course, known as ASON, or Adaptation for Second Deck Officer. The program is promoted by ABAC, the Brazilian Cabotage Shipowners Association, and taught by FEMAR, the Sea Studies Foundation.

Together, the two companies will sponsor 10 of the program’s 23 available places. The course is scheduled to begin in October 2026.

For the companies, the initiative goes beyond recruitment.

“Brazil’s cabotage market is expanding rapidly, but it faces a critical bottleneck: the shortage of qualified officers. By sponsoring this course together with Norcoast, Norsul reaffirms its commitment to the development of the sector and to training the people who will shape the future of cabotage,” said Aline Carvalho, Norsul’s director of people, management and fleet.

Carvalho said the investment is strategic.

“We are training professionals who will help make maritime transport increasingly efficient and sustainable for Brazil,” she said.

Deck officers are responsible for planning and monitoring navigation, operating and supervising onboard equipment, overseeing deck operations, managing maritime communications and ensuring strict compliance with safety protocols. They are among the professionals who help keep domestic trade moving safely and efficiently.

At the end of the program, participants will receive certification as Second Deck Officers in the Merchant Marine, with an internationally valid certificate of competency. The career also offers strong pay prospects: after completing the program and starting work, professionals may earn from R$20,000 a month, with significant growth as they gain experience and obtain higher certifications.

The program lasts two years and is divided into two stages: one year of in-person theoretical training at FEMAR in Rio de Janeiro, followed by one year of onboard practical training on the fleets of the sponsoring companies.

One feature that sets the program apart from other training models is that participants are hired under Brazil’s CLT formal labor regime from the first day. They will receive a gross salary of R$4,000 and benefits including health insurance, dental coverage, life insurance and meal and food allowances, giving them financial security throughout the training period.

The 10 places sponsored by the two companies — six for Norsul and four for Norcoast — will be filled through a single joint selection process. Candidates must be Brazilian professionals with a degree recognized by the Ministry of Education in engineering, exact sciences, technology, environmental sciences, administration or related fields. They must also be available for full-time in-person training in Rio de Janeiro and later work under an onboard rotation schedule.

After completing the program, participants commit to remain with the companies for 48 months: 24 months during training and onboard practice, and another 24 months after professional certification.

For ABAC, the initiative signals a shift in how the private sector is responding to a structural challenge.

“When shipowners invest directly in training new officers, we are building the human foundation for the sector’s growth. Norsul and Norcoast’s participation in the program shows that the private sector can and should lead the solution to this challenge,” said Luis Fernando Resano, ABAC’s executive director.

“These 10 places represent much more than seats in a program. They represent the future of Brazil’s merchant marine,” he said.

Norcoast said the partnership with Norsul goes beyond sharing places in the course.

“This initiative reflects exactly the spirit that drives us: collaboration to deliver concrete results for the sector. By taking part in this program together, we are providing not only training opportunities, but also a solid career path for professionals who have much to offer merchant shipping,” said Fabiano Lorenzi, CEO of Norcoast.

Submissions for the Norsul and Norcoast are open for application until July 8 at https://norsul.gupy.io/jobs/11467164

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