Pay for Chinese seafarers on international ships went up a little in October 2026. This is shown by a monthly pay index from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, a Chinese government-backed market body. It published the October figures on 27 October 2026.
The index is called the China Crew's Remuneration Index, or CCRI. It is based on pay data from 18 companies. The figures are in US dollars per month. They include the basic wage, performance pay, social insurance and allowances for time at sea.
What the index shows
The main index rose from 1,449.37 points in September to 1,459.21 points in October. That is a rise of 9.84 points, or about 0.7%.
The index for officers rose by 9.72 points, to 1,425.36 points.
The index for ratings (crew who are not officers) rose by 10.65 points, to 1,669.28 points.
The index started at 1,000 points at the end of 2016. So pay in the index is now about 46% higher than at the end of 2016.
The exchange also gives monthly pay for 15 ranks on four ship types: container ships, dry bulk carriers, oil tankers and chemical tankers. Oil tanker crews earn the most. Bulk carrier crews earn the least in most ranks.
Pay by rank in October 2026
These are some of the monthly figures from the table. All are in US dollars.
Master: $14,197 on an oil tanker, $12,447 on a chemical tanker, $10,050 on a container ship and $9,846 on a bulk carrier.
Chief engineer: $13,223 on an oil tanker, $11,596 on a chemical tanker, $9,607 on a container ship and $9,366 on a bulk carrier.
Chief officer: $10,302 on an oil tanker and $7,641 on a bulk carrier.
Second officer: $5,823 on an oil tanker and $4,972 on a bulk carrier.
Third officer: $5,342 on an oil tanker and $4,601 on a bulk carrier.
Electrical officer: $6,080 on an oil tanker and $4,814 on a bulk carrier.
Bosun: $3,010 on an oil tanker and $2,223 on a bulk carrier.
Able seaman and oiler: $2,078 on an oil tanker, $1,904 on a chemical tanker, $1,824 on a container ship and $1,587 on a bulk carrier.
Chief cook: $2,592 on an oil tanker and $2,195 on a bulk carrier.
Messman: $1,131 on oil tankers and container ships, and $853 on a bulk carrier.
The sample covers different ship sizes. For container ships, it covers ships below 8,000 TEU and from 8,000 to 15,000 TEU. TEU is the number of standard 20-foot containers a ship can carry. For bulk carriers, it covers Capesize, Panamax and Handysize ships. For oil tankers, it covers VLCC (very large crude carrier), Suezmax and Aframax ships. For chemical tankers, it covers ships on ocean and short-sea routes.
What it means for crews
The index is a guide, not a rule. It shows average pay at a group of Chinese companies. Your pay can be higher or lower. It depends on the company, the ship's size, your experience and your contract.
Use the figures to compare a job offer with the market. A very large gap from the average is a reason to ask questions.
Check what your pay includes. The index counts social insurance and sea allowances. Your basic wage and the money you take home may be lower.
Ask for the full wage breakdown in writing before you sign: basic wage, overtime, leave pay and other allowances.
Tanker jobs pay more, but they need extra tanker training and certificates. Plan this training early if you want to move to tankers.
Pay for seafarers from other countries can be different. The index covers Chinese crews only.
Cover photo: The bulk carrier Hu Po Hai, managed by COSCO, loading alumina in December 2015. Illustrative photo. Photo: Andrew Priest/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (cropped).
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