Description
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
- • Purchase supplies or equipment.
- • Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- • Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- • Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
- • Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
- • Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
- • Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- • Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- • Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
- • Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
- • Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
- • Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
- • Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
- • Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.
- • Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.
- • Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
- • Signal crew members or deckhands to rig tow lines, open or close gates or ramps, or pull guard chains across entries.
- • Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
- • Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
- • Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
- • Calculate sightings of land, using electronic sounding devices and following contour lines on charts.
- • Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures through instruction, simulators, or models.
- • Direct or coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading or unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, or operating, maintaining, or repairing ship equipment.
- • Arrange for ships to be fueled, restocked with supplies, or repaired.
- • Supervise crews in cleaning or maintaining decks, superstructures, or bridges.
- • Tow and maneuver barges or signal tugboats to tow barges to destinations.
- • Perform various marine duties, such as checking for oil spills or other pollutants around ports or harbors or patrolling beaches.
- • Assign watches or living quarters to crew members.
- • Interview and hire crew members.
- • Conduct safety drills such as man overboard or fire drills.
Related specializations
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Supply Chain & Transportation
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
