Description
Install, maintain, and repair electrical wiring, power distribution, and control systems aboard ships and in shipyards. Ensure all work complies with marine electrical codes and classification society standards. May install or service generators, switchboards, propulsion and auxiliary motors, navigation lighting, battery banks, alarms, and shore power.
- • Assemble, install, test, and maintain marine-grade wiring, equipment, lighting, and fixtures on vessels using hand and power tools.
- • Diagnose faults in shipboard electrical systems using meters and diagnostic tools; repair to restore service.
- • Connect conductors to switchboards, circuit breakers, transformers, distribution panels, and motor controllers.
- • Inspect vessel electrical systems for hazards, corrosion, or defects and verify compliance with marine codes and class rules.
- • Advise captains, chief engineers, or shipyard supervisors when continued operation is unsafe.
- • Test circuits and equipment with multimeters, clamp meters, and insulation resistance testers to verify safety and performance.
- • Maintain required marine credentials and electrician licenses in accordance with regulations.
- • Plan routing and installation of cabling, equipment, and fixtures aboard vessels per drawings and marine standards.
- • Lead or train crew members and apprentices in marine electrical installation and repair.
- • Interpret ship drawings, schematics, and cable schedules to locate equipment and ensure conformity to class and safety requirements.
- • Use cable pullers, crimpers, hydraulic crimpers and lug tools, and other marine tools and test equipment.
- • Install bonding and grounding systems; connect power cables to motors, pumps, winches, thrusters, and HVAC equipment.
- • Maintain maintenance logs, as-built drawings, and parts inventories; prepare work reports and order marine-grade materials.
- • Repair or replace damaged cables, switchgear, lighting, receptacles, and fixtures to restore shipboard systems.
- • Work aloft on masts and cranes and in bilges or confined spaces to install and service electrical systems.
- • Install conduit, cable trays, and watertight glands; pull tinned marine cable through bulkheads and compartments.
- • Mount watertight junction boxes, panels, and receptacles to bulkheads and decks.
- • Perform physically demanding tasks, including routing heavy cable, lifting equipment, and working in rolling or wet conditions.
- • Provide estimates and preliminary layouts for refits, new builds, or repair jobs.
- • Support onboard emergencies by restoring electrical power, operating emergency generators, rigging temporary lighting, or securing circuits.
- • Fabricate brackets, panels, or cable penetrations according to marine specifications.
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
