Ship's Masters (or Captains) are in command of all departments of their ships and individuals assigned to them while away from port. Masters are in charge of all types of ships.

Ship's Mates (or Department Officers) directly supervise the crew members assigned to their departments.

Ship's Pilots assume command of ships to guide them into and out of harbors, or through straits and potential accident areas, using their knowledge of local winds, tides, currents, and hazards to navigation.

JOB DUTIES 

Ship's Masters' may:

Set the course and give orders to the helmsman (sailor steering the ship)

Determine the geographical location of the ship

Inspect the ship to ensure safe and efficient operation

Coordinate operation of ship's signaling devices

Calculate landfall (sighting of land)

Avoid reefs, outlying shoals, and other hazards to shipping

Use a pilot to guide the ship through hazardous waters, when entering or leaving an unfamiliar port, or passing through waterway locks

Inspect the different departments daily to ensure that safety and efficiency regulations are followed

Maintain the ship's log and their own records

Act as shipowner's agent in dealing with customs officials

Serve as ship's paymaster

Masters may be designated according to the waters they are licensed to navigate, as master, great lakes; or by vessel, as fishing vessel captain, tugboat captain, ferryboat captain, or yacht master.

Ship's Mates' may:

Inspect holds of ships during cargo loading to ensure that cargo is stowed properly

Inspect cargo-handling gear and lifesaving equipment and order necessary repairs

Supervise crew members in the cleaning and maintenance of decks, super-structures, and bridges of ship

Stand watch during specified periods

Determine the ship's geographical position and the best course and speed for that vessel

Ship's Pilots' may:

Determine the best course and speed for a particular vessel

Give directions to the sailor at the helm

Signal to the tugboat captain

Watch for other ships or hazards

The tools, equipment, and materials used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Merchant Marine Officers may specialize in these areas:

197.167-010 SHIP'S MASTERS are in command of all departments of their ships and individuals assigned to them while they are away from port. They are in charge of all types of ships and are commonly called Captains. Masters may be designated according to the waters they are licensed to navigate, as Master, great lakes; or by vessel, as fishing vessel captain, tugboat captain, ferryboat captain, or yacht master.

197.133-022 SHIP'S MATES directly supervise crew members assigned to their department. They are also known as Department Officers. When more than one mate is required aboard ship, Mates may be designated as chief mate (usually on vessels, inspected by U.S. Coast Guard); first mate (usually on uninspected vessels); second mate; third mate; fourth mate; or relief mate. They may also be designated according to ship, such as fishing vessel mate.

197.133-026 SHIP'S PILOTS are port stationed personnel who assume command of ships to guide them into and out of harbors, or through straits and potential accident areas using their knowledge of local winds, tides, currents, and hazards to navigation. Pilots may be designated according to the vessel commanded as Pilot, steam yacht; Pilot, tank vessel.

197.130-010 MARINE ENGINEERS supervise and coordinate work of crew members who operate and maintain the ship's engines, boilers, deck machinery, and the electrical, refrigeration, and sanitary equipment.

197.133-010 FISHING VESSEL CAPTAIN

197.133-030 TUGBOAT CAPTAIN

197.163-010 FERRYBOAT CAPTAIN

197.133-014 YACHT MASTER

197.133-018 FISHING VESSEL MATE

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Officers work both indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather. They are exposed to possible injury because of such hazards including falls on wet decks or outside stairs. Many accidents can be avoided by following safety rules and regulations.

Masters, Mates, and Pilots may serve on many types of vessels in the Merchant Marine including ships used in commerce and other types such as yachts. On older ships, the Master and Chief Officers may each have a private compartment, but junior officers may have to share quarters and showers. On modern ships officers have their own private compartment with shower and dining area.

Masters' and Mates' schedules may vary. Some sail on the same ship for years and others sign on different ships for varying lengths of time.

The workweek on shore is different from the workweek at sea. At sea most officers work two 4-hour watches (shifts) with 8 hours off between every 24-hour period, 7 days a week. Deck Officers working on shore generally work 40 hours per week. Many officers work overtime, particularly those who serve on ships which enter and leave port frequently.

Officers on passenger freighters and some cargo ships are encouraged to wear uniforms which they may purchase.

Officers may belong to labor organizations such as the International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots which is a trade union and professional society; or the Brotherhood of Marine Officers. Officers who belong to organizations pay periodic dues.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities of a technical nature

• Activities involving use of machines, processes, or methods

• Activities resulting in esteem from others

• Activities involving communication of data to others

• Activities involving business contact, if a Master or Captain

You Should Be Able To:

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing

• Make mathematical calculations quickly and accurately

• Reason logically

• Make decisions based on measurable criteria and personal judgment

• Judge distance accurately between the ship and other objects

• Work within precise limits or standards of accuracy

• Direct and plan the activities of others

• Deal with crew in job duties beyond giving and receiving commands

• Perform under stress, especially in emergencies

• See details and recognize errors in numbers or spelling

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

A ship is sailing directly toward city A. City B is 50 miles away from city A in a perpendicular direction from the path of the ship. The angle between the path from the ship to city A and the path from the ship to city B is 45 degrees. How far does the ship have to travel before it reaches city A?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

When the velocities are linear and all have the same reference, relative velocities can be found simply be vector subtraction.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report explaining the problems that may have occurred on your ship during a large storm at sea.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the quickest route from point A to point B while avoiding all dangers.

Merchant Marine Officers serving on ships used for commercial purposes must be licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard. Masters, Chief Mates, Second Mates, or First class Pilots must be at least 21 and Third Mates must be 19 to apply for an officer's license. They must be U.S. citizens and obtain a U.S. Public Health Service certification that eyesight, color vision, and physical condition are satisfactory. They must also have appropriate sea experience and meet other requirements. Graduates of Coast Guard-approved programs may take the third Mate or First Class Pilot exam. In addition, applicants for particular licenses must pass written and practical tests.

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer may qualify a person for this occupation. Three years beyond high school may be necessary for completion of this training. An Associate Degree is usually earned after this amount of training in the Ship Officer Training Program.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 2200 MATH , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

160 SHIP OFFICER TRAINING

Ship Officer programs provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for positions as Merchant Marine Deck or Engineering Officer. The programs qualify successful students to take the U.S. Coast Guard examination for a first class pilot's license (Great Lakes), or third assistant engineer's license (steam and motor vessels).

Courses vary with the type of officership but may include the following:

              Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAM***

Please check the Military website at http://www.myfuture.com

QUARTERMASTERS AND BOAT OPERATORS

The military operates many small boats for amphibious troop landings, harbor patrols, and transportation over short distances. Quartermasters and boat operators navigate and pilot many types of small watercraft, including tugboats, PT boats, gunboats, and barges.

What They Do

Quartermasters and boat operators in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Direct the course and speed of boats

• Consult maps, charts, weather reports, and navigation equipment

• Pilot tugboats when towing and docking barges and large ships

• Operate amphibious craft during troop landings

• Maintain boats and deck equipment

• Operate ship-to-shore radios

• Keep ship logs

Training Provided

Job training consists of 6 to 22 weeks of classroom instruction including practice in boat operations. Course content typically includes:

• Boat handling procedures

• Log and message-handling procedures

• Use of compasses, radar, charts, and other navigational aids

• Navigational mathematics

Physical Demands

Quartermasters and boat operators may have to stand for several hours at a time. They must be able to speak clearly. Some specialties require normal depth perception and hearing.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include mathematics. Helpful attributes include:

• Ability to work with mathematical formulas

• Interest in sailing and navigation

• Ability to follow detailed instructions and read maps

Work Environment

Quartermasters and boat operators work aboard all types of boats and in all types of weather conditions. When not piloting boats, they may work on or below deck repairing boats and equipment or seeing cargo storage. When ashore, they may work in offices that make nautical maps or in harbor management offices. Some boats are operated in combat situations.

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian quartermasters and boat operators may work for shipping and cruise lines, piloting tugboats, ferries, and other small vessels. They perform duties similar to military quartermasters and boat operators. Depending upon specialty, they may also be called tugboat captains, motorboat operators, navigators, or pilots.

Opportunities

The services have about 4,000 quartermasters. On average, they need about 100 each year. After job training, new quartermasters and boat operators assist more experienced enlisted operators in maintaining logs, handling passengers, operating navigational equipment, and keeping charts. After gaining experience, they perform more difficult tasks, such as operating navigational equipment and calculating ship position. In time, they pilot boats and help train new quartermasters and boat operators.

  E-Learning Courses and Programs  

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Summer work with a shipping company as well as service in the Coast Guard or Navy offer experience. Postsecondary program study in ship officer training may offer opportunities for experience also.

                School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Merchant Marine Officer employer

internships

volunteer work with a Merchant Marine Officer employer

community service work with an agency

One of the best methods of becoming a Ship's officer is to complete an established training program at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (New York) or one of the 6 state Merchant Marine academies in California, Maine, Massachusetts, Texas, New York, or Michigan. Potential employers recruit at these academies. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:  

Michigan Talent Bank    

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

MONSTER.COM

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.

Seaman with 3 years' experience may advance from an unlicensed to licensed rating through individual study. However, formal training is usually needed to pass the Coast Guard's examination for a Third Mate's license. Trade unions, such as the International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots; the Seafarers' International Union of North America; and the Brotherhood of Marine Officers, provide officer training. However, because of a crowded job market, they have restricted training programs to the upgrading of licensed officers.  

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings of Merchant Marine Officers vary according to union affiliation, size and type of the ship, individual positions and responsibilities, and number of hours worked.

Nationally, in 1998, base annual wages of Merchant Marine Officers who worked on ocean going vessels were:

The base salary ranges for unionized Merchant Marine Officers on the

Great Lakes were estimated to be (1998):

Unionized Officers receive additional payments for working overtime, assuming greater responsibility, or working on vessels carrying dangerous cargo. They may also receive transportation allowances and bonuses during war or other emergencies.

Deck Officers may receive medical and hospitalization insurance, life insurance, 20 days of vacation for every 60 days they work, and retirement after 20 to 30 years. Their pension is based on their past wages. Partial pensions are awarded to permanently disabled officers who must retire prematurely.

To advance, Deck Officers must meet certain experience, leadership, and licensure requirements. A career ladder may be from Third Mate to Second Mate, Chief Mate, and Master. Maritime academy graduates usually have the best chances of advancing to higher positions and are generally preferred for permanent listing on fleet rosters.

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, there were about 29,600 Merchant Marine Officers employed in 1996. Employment in this occupation is expected to decline through the year 2006. Some openings will occur as officers transfer to other jobs or occupations. The industry distribution for merchant Marine Officers looked like this:

In recent years, there has been a steady decline in the number of jobs for licensed Merchant Marine Officers. A worldwide oversupply of cargo capacity has idled a great number of U.S. vessels and their crews. Furthermore, the use of ships and crews from Third World countries has reduced the size of the U.S. Maritime Fleet. These trends will probably continue. Prospects are best for graduates of maritime academies.

The federal government may pay the difference in wages when American crews, instead of foreign crews, are used by the U.S. ships in coastline waters. This is a measure to ensure that American crews are available to transport essential cargo.

There were about 250 Merchant Marine Officers in Michigan. They were employed on freighters, tankers, tugboats, dredges, ferryboats, passenger barges, yachts, fishing vessels, and charter boats. The majority worked in the transportation industry.

Employment of Merchant Marine Officers in Michigan is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. In recent years, there were 63 vessels in the Great Lakes fleet (which consists of freighters and carriers that only operate on the Great Lakes). Utilization of this fleet fluctuates with the ups and downs of the economy. For example, about 52 of these ships were actually used during this period. There were also 13 super carriers of the 1,000- foot class in the fleet. Each super carrier placed into service replaces 3 to 5 of the of the older vessels, thus reducing the need for additional ships and crews.

Domestic Great Lakes traffic will be most affected by the level of U.S. Steel production which has increased significantly over mid-1980 levels. Continued demand for ore shipments to produce domestic steel is critical to great lakes shipping. Current steps being taken by domestic steel producers to reduce production costs and replace obsolete equipment and facilities are expected to further improve great lakes shipping.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development