How shipowners check a crewing agency online before the first call
A ship manager in another country is choosing a new crewing partner. They will never visit your office before the first contract. Everything they know about you, they learn in ten minutes online — and in those ten minutes many agencies lose the deal without knowing it.
What they look at first
- The website in English. Does it exist, does it open quickly on a phone, does it say clearly which ranks and vessel types you supply.
- The email address. crew@yourcompany.com inspires trust; a free mailbox does not.
- The Google listing. A real address, photos of the office, working hours, reviews.
- Consistency. The same company name, address and phone everywhere: website, email signature, Google, documents.
- The licence and registration required for crewing agencies in your country — clearly stated, with the number.
Red flags for a shipowner
- No website, or one that hasn’t been updated for years.
- Only a mobile number and a messenger, no landline or office address.
- Vacancies with fees for seafarers — a serious warning sign for any responsible shipowner.
- Emails that land in spam or come from different addresses each time.
- A slow or vague reply to the first enquiry.
What makes an agency stand out
- A clear page “For shipowners”: services, ranks, nationalities, vessel types, how selection works.
- A short company presentation in PDF that can be forwarded to colleagues.
- Real numbers you can confirm: years in business, number of vessels served — only true ones.
- A fast, polite reply in good English within one working day.
- Clear data protection: how seafarers’ documents are stored and who has access.
A 15-minute self-check
Open your own website on a phone, as a stranger would. Search your company name on Google. Send an email from your work address to a Gmail account and check that it doesn’t land in spam. Ask a friend abroad to look at your site and tell you honestly what is unclear. Whatever they stumble on, a shipowner will stumble on too.
How I help
I build English websites for crewing agencies with a page for shipowners, set up company email on the domain and the Google listing, and prepare a short presentation. I have built websites for crewing companies for many years. Crewing agency website →