Business Type: A large international ship management organisation responsible for a fleet of technically complex LNG carriers.

Location: Global Fleet

Recruitment Type: Retained RPO Recruitment Partnership

Positions Recruited For: Marine, technical, entertainment, guest services, housekeeping, galley and specialist operational positions.

Faststream Representatives: Matt Bridge, Director; Laura Humby, Recruitment Manager; and Charlotte Morrow, Lead Account Executive.

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​A global LNG fleet partnered with Faststream to build a continuous, scalable pipeline of qualified officers across senior and junior ranks. Through an embedded RPO model combining specialist maritime expertise, technology, market intelligence and proactive talent engagement, the partnership delivered 74 officer placements in 2025/26, increased placements by 40% year on year and reduced average cost per placement to £3,577.

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​The Challenge

The client needed a reliable and scalable way to secure suitably qualified LNG officers in a highly competitive global market, without continually increasing internal recruitment resource or cost. The challenge extended well beyond filling individual vacancies. They needed consistent access to talent across senior and junior deck and engineering ranks, with the ability to respond to immediate requirements while also building pipelines for future demand.

Given the technical and safety-critical nature of LNG operations, maintaining quality was essential. Candidates needed the right certification and vessel experience, alongside the motivation, availability and cultural fit required for the fleet. At the same time, the client wanted to retain control over final hiring decisions and avoid placing additional pressure on its internal recruitment and crewing teams.

A traditional vacancy-by-vacancy agency model could provide short-term support, but it did not offer the continuity, retained market knowledge or year-round candidate engagement required. The client needed a recruitment partner that could operate as an extension of its internal team, maintain continuous visibility of the LNG officer market and provide flexible capacity as hiring demand changed.

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The RPO Solution

Faststream created a dedicated recruitment partnership powered by the full strength of its maritime talent ecosystem, not simply a team filling vacancies.

Faststream remains networked with relevant maritime professionals as their careers develop. This creates the ability to identify and engage the right people when the timing is right for both candidate and client, rather than starting every search from zero.

The partnership combined this reach with:

• Continuous talent mapping and direct engagement across the international officer market;

• Role-specific search, targeted campaigns and multi-channel outreach;

• Assessment of certification, vessel experience, motivation, availability and cultural fit;

• Separate senior and junior officer pipelines for immediate and future demand; and

• Flexible resource that could scale while preserving account knowledge and continuity.

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The Faststream Advantage

Plug into a global maritime talent ecosystem that combines an extensive specialist database, advanced recruitment technology, market intelligence, multi-channel marketing and career-long professional relationships.

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Implementation Process

The partnership has operated for more than a decade and evolved from specialist recruitment support into a dedicated delivery model with continuous pipeline management.

Faststream works as an extension of the client’s recruitment and crewing function. Priorities, candidate feedback and market intelligence are shared continuously, while final hiring control remains with the client.

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​Results

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The model delivered 74 officer placements in 2025/26, up 40% year on year. Average cost per placement reduced from £4,066 in 2023/24 to £3,577 in 2025/26, while the proportion of senior officer placements increased from 5% to 20%.

This gave the client greater recruitment capacity, broader coverage across officer ranks and improved cost efficiency, with continuous access to the LNG talent market without the need to replicate the same capability in-house.

A continuously managed talent pipeline also improved consistency and readiness across the recruitment process. With Faststream managing market engagement, candidate assessment, coordination and communication, the internal team could focus more closely on final selection, workforce planning and fleet operations.

​Faststream added the database, technology, market reach and specialist capacity that would be costly and time-consuming to replicate in-house, delivering greater recruitment efficiency and stronger results at lower cost.

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​Challenges Overcome

• A narrow LNG officer market was addressed through continuous search, specialist networks and proactive pipeline development, not vacancy-by-vacancy advertising.

• Changing demand across multiple ranks was managed through dedicated senior and junior pipelines and flexible delivery capacity.

• Complex technical and cultural requirements were supported by retained account knowledge, consistent screening and close calibration with stakeholders.

• Pressure on internal resources was reduced by Faststream managing market engagement, assessment, coordination and candidate communication.

• Long-term continuity was protected through a dedicated team backed by Faststream’s wider ecosystem, data and technology.

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The Takeway

The partnership gave the client access to a proven maritime recruitment engine that remained ready, informed and connected as demand changed. For organisations seeking greater access to talent, stronger workforce certainty and improved recruitment economics, the model provides scalable capability that can be difficult and costly to build and maintain internally.

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​Looking to build a stronger, more scalable talent pipeline?

Speak to Faststream about how an RPO partnership can give you continuous access to specialist maritime talent, greater recruitment capacity and improved cost efficiency.

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