Permanent Recruitment Case Study: LNG Technical Superintendent

Job title of Permanent Recruitment: LNG Technical Superintendent

Recruitment Type: Contingent and Exclusive to Faststream Recruitment

Business Type: LNG Vessel Owner

Location: London, UK

Key Stakeholders: Fleet Director, General Manager and Human Resources Manager

Faststream Recruitment Representative: Kevin McCart, Principal Consultant, Faststream Recruitment

A well-established LNG vessel owner based in London approached Faststream Recruitment with the requirement for an LNG Technical Superintendent. This was a growth role and needed someone with strong engineering capabilities and hands-on LNG vessel experience. The hire was to support their expanding fleet and ensure continued operational excellence.

The recruitment project was led by Kevin McCart, who had previously supported the client with successful hires, ensuring a level of trust and partnership from the outset.

The Challenge

This search came with several unique challenges:

LNG experience is rare, making the candidate pool exceptionally tight.
Visa restrictions further reduced the accessible talent in the UK market.
The business was unable to offer a significant salary differential, so we needed to sell the opportunity, culture, and long-term prospects of the role.
The client was operating in a highly competitive market, and many of the most relevant candidates were tied to competitors and not open to moving.

With these constraints, it was clear that success would depend on more than just finding someone with the right CV – it would require creativity, collaboration, and a deep understanding of both the client’s expectations and the realities of the market.

The Solution

Faststream worked in close collaboration with the HR Manager, Fleet Director, and General Manager to develop a tailored and realistic recruitment strategy.

Our Approach Included:

A detailed requirements-gathering session to align on expectations, budget, and success criteria.
Creation of a comprehensive market map, identifying every potential candidate with LNG experience, both in the UK and internationally.
Analysis of visa eligibility, current salaries, and competitor retention rates, ruling out many options early to streamline the process.
Delivery of regular market intelligence and progress updates, supporting the client with informed decision-making throughout.

We introduced a creative “Plan B” solution:

We identified a Technical Superintendent from a different vessel type, who had previously sailed on LNG vessels, bringing both transferable technical experience and strong operational acumen.
This individual had the right attitude, cultural fit, and ambition, making them an ideal candidate despite not being an exact match on paper.

We managed the full recruitment cycle, from screening and assessment through to offer management, preboarding, and ongoing candidate care.

The Results

Faststream successfully delivered a highly capable and culturally aligned LNG Technical Superintendent, despite one of the most talent-constrained and competitive markets in maritime. From the outset, the recruitment process was shaped by realism, collaboration, and market intelligence, which enabled a strategic and confident hiring decision.

The client had originally hoped to secure a candidate with direct LNG superintendent experience in the UK. However, through a detailed market analysis, it became clear that this narrow brief, combined with visa restrictions and salary constraints, would make the role nearly impossible to fill without compromise. Rather than stall the process or settle for a sub-par match, Faststream presented an alternative solution — a candidate with relevant sea-going LNG experience, strong technical superintendent credentials in another vessel type, and the right leadership and cultural qualities.

The client embraced this recommendation and progressed to the interview stage swiftly. Their decision to prioritise attitude, adaptability, and potential over a perfect CV paid off. The candidate accepted the offer and was successfully onboarded within the desired timeframe.

Since joining the business, the candidate has made a significant and positive impact:

They have integrated seamlessly into the team, contributing to day-to-day operations and longer-term projects.
Their prior LNG exposure has allowed them to adapt quickly and effectively, supporting the client’s fleet with confidence and competence.
The individual's positive attitude, reliability, and team-oriented approach have made them a cultural asset as well as a technical one.

Importantly, the hire was achieved without needing to exceed the client’s salary budget, reinforcing the value of working with a recruitment partner who understands both the market and the importance of positioning an opportunity beyond just compensation.

This case study not only reflects a successful placement but also the strength of a partnership built on trust, transparency, and flexibility. The client acknowledged that without Faststream’s expertise and strategic approach, the position might have remained open or, worse, been filled with a poor fit.

As a result, the client has expressed increased confidence in Faststream’s ability to deliver difficult-to-fill roles, and the relationship has continued to strengthen through future projects.