Description
Command and manage all aspects of vessel operations, navigation, crew, safety, and regulatory compliance for ships or small craft; requires a U.S. Coast Guard-issued license.
- • Assume overall command of the vessel, crew, cargo, and passengers.
- • Set courses and speeds using knowledge of winds, weather, tides, currents, depths, and hazards.
- • Approve voyage plans using charts, publications, weather data, and electronic navigation systems.
- • Direct bridge team in steering and use of radar, ECDIS, AIS, and depth sounders.
- • Prevent unsafe operations and enforce navigational and operational limits.
- • Oversee docking and undocking, acting as docking master when required.
- • Coordinate with harbor pilots, tugboats, and port authorities during transits.
- • Operate and supervise ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore radio communications.
- • Establish and manage watch schedules and bridge resource management practices.
- • Stand bridge watches as needed during critical operations.
- • Inspect vessel, lifesaving, and firefighting equipment for readiness and compliance.
- • Verify critical machinery and system parameters via gauges, alarms, and checklists.
- • Maintain logs of positions, movements, weather, ports of call, and cargo or passenger status.
- • Report violations, incidents, and near-misses to appropriate authorities and company representatives.
- • Lead emergency response for man overboard, fire, flooding, abandon ship, and medical events.
- • Conduct and document safety drills and crew training.
- • Direct loading, stowage, and securing of cargo or vehicles to specifications.
- • Monitor fueling, bunkering, waste handling, and pollution prevention measures.
- • Measure or verify under-keel clearance and water depths as needed.
- • Signal other vessels using whistle, lights, flags, or radio to maintain safe passage.
- • Oversee maintenance and readiness of engines, winches, navigational systems, and deck gear.
- • Arrange for repairs, resupply, and provisioning in port.
- • Assign watches, living quarters, duties, and conduct performance evaluations.
- • Recruit, interview, and hire or recommend crew members.
- • Purchase or approve supplies, spare parts, and equipment.
- • Coordinate towing operations or barge movements with tugboats when applicable.
- • Patrol and respond to oil spills or marine pollution near ports when applicable.
- • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and international regulations and company procedures.
- • Learn and implement new technologies, systems, and procedures through training and simulators.
- • Liaise with customs, immigration, and regulatory inspectors.
- • Oversee passenger safety briefings and crowd management on passenger vessels.
- • Manage risk assessments and permit-to-work for hazardous operations.
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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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Sources & Standards:
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
