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There are many opportunities for junior officers to progress their careers in the Merchant Navy both at sea and on-shore.
The offices of the Ship Safe Training Group (SSTG) are situated near the entrance to the picturesque cathedral in the historic City of Rochester. The city’s significance as a sea port stretches back more than 2,000 years to pre-Roman times when, even then, Rochester was an important harbour for merchant ships from around the known world.
By Rail
When travelling by train you must make your way to Rochester railway station
in Kent. If your journey is from the north or west this will involve travelling
to the appropriate main line station in London and then crossing the capital
using the Underground to Charing Cross, London Bridge or Victoria railway
stations, whichever is the most convenient for you. All have frequent services
(approximately every half hour) to Rochester. The journey time is about
one hour from London. (Occasionally it is slightly quicker to travel to
Chatham railway station and then change trains to return to Rochester which
is the previous station. You must be careful to check, however, that your
ticket covers travel to Chatham.)
On arrival at Rochester railway station, proceed along the station approach road and turn right into the High Street. Walk along the High Street until you come to a major road junction. Cross over and continue in the same direction into the ‘old town’ side of the High Street (also called Eastgate). You will pass Crow Lane on your left followed by Blue Boar Lane and Providence Lane on your right. Within 100 metres you will see Northgate on your right and Boley Hill on your left. Walk up Boley Hill, keeping to the left, until you reach the front of Rochester Cathedral. Face the cathedral and, on your right, you will see our offices. It is a pleasant walk which only takes about 10 minutes.
By Road
30 miles from London and 40 miles from the channel port of Dover, the City
of Rochester is one of three ‘linked’ towns, i.e. Strood, Rochester
and Chatham, known collectively as ‘the Medway
Towns.’ There is no car parking available outside the SSTG offices
and visitors must use one of the public car parks and walk the last few metres
to our office. Parking charges range from 50 pence for one hour to £2.50
for 5 hours. (For the information of those attending cadet selection interviews,
the interviews normally take between 45 minutes to an hour.)
(A) Travelling from the north and west of the Medway Towns
Drive around the M25 motorway and leave at Junction 2, following the A2 sign posted A2/M2 Dover, Folkestone. Continue along the A2 for 10 miles to the point where the nearside lane, signposted to Rochester, bears left and the carriageway becomes the M2. DO NOT follow the M2 but take the left-bearing lane through Strood High Street and then cross Rochester Bridge into Corporation Street, a dual carriageway. Reduce your speed as you cross Rochester Bridge and stay in the left hand lane to use the car park to the left of Corporation Street or use the right hand lane to turn into Northgate or Blue Boar Lane to use one of the car parks leading off the High Street. (For details of car parking facilities see By Road above.)(B) Travelling from the south west of the Medway Towns
Drive east along the M25. At Junction 5 take the exit marked Maidstone where the motorway branches onto the M26/M20. Turn north off the M20 on to the A229, signposted to Rochester and Chatham (or join the A229 at some other convenient point) and follow the signs to Rochester for approximately 4 to 5 miles. The A229 starts off as a major dual carriageway, passes through a variety of roundabouts and road junctions, eventually becoming a single carriageway passing through residential areas. Ultimately you will reach a small roundabout with only two options, to turn left or right. Take the left turn down a short dual carriageway and hill. After crossing over two sets of traffic lights the road curves to the left. Approximately 200 metres after the bend there is a further set of traffic lights, at this junction you should turn left toward the Northgate Car Park. (For car parking information see By Road above.)(C) Travelling from the south east of the Medway Towns
Drive west along the M2 or M20 motorway until you reach the junction with the A229 (Junction 6), then follow the signs to Rochester and Chatham, described in (B) above.