Boat Jobs | Cargo Shipping Career | Cruise Ship Jobs
Boat Jobs - What is the Job of a Deckhand? What does a Shipping Job Involve?
Water transport jobs are responsible for moving great volumes of cargo both within and to the American continent, with America’s fleet of ships including tugboats, towboats, ferries, supply vessels, merchant ships, cruise ships, and other watercraft.
Captains, first officers, and boat pilots are responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of ships, with ship captains being an overall control of a shipping vessel, supervising the work of the crew. Acting ship captains will make sure that safety procedures are followed, and that all equipment is working properly, in addition to unloading or loading various types of cargo or boat passengers.
First officers or deck officers are responsible for carrying out the captains orders, and deck officers may also be known as first mates. If the ship captain becomes injured or incapacitated, the first officer will assume control in their place. In the meantime, the main responsibility of the first officer is to ensure that there is order aboard the ship.
Other roles of mates and captain jobs involve steering ships, operating ship engines, supervising the loading of a ship and handling shipping lines. Deck officers will also make sure that a load of shipping cargo is stowed according to regulations, and officers will supervise crew workers engaged and ship maintenance.
Boat pilots are responsible for guiding ships out of harbors or straits, which are dangers areas were a boat may be grounded or strike rocks. Harbor pilots work as independent contractors who will guide a boat into or out of the harbor.
Ship engineers, also known as boating engineers, are responsible for maintaining engines, boilers, pumps, and ship generators. Most larger shipping vessels will have four engineering officers, including a chief engineer.
Marine oilers are responsible for helping ship engineers keep boating vessels in proper order, and sailors and deckhands are responsible for carrying out day to day tasks aboard a cargo or cruise ship. Sailors can steer a ship, maintain safety equipment, act as watches, paint decks, repair lines, and a number of other ship related tasks.
Most shipping merchant crews will have a captain, three officers, four engineers, and six seamen, with the size determining the amount of crew that are needed in order to complete the voyage.
Working Conditions for Cargo Ship Jobs - How is the Working Environment for Cargo Transport Jobs?
Most shipping jobs will involve a 12 hour day, seven days a week, as there’s very little else to do on a cargo ship. Most deep sea mariners can be hired for journeys that will last several months, and they will be hired on a contract basis. Boat workers on supply ships such as those that carry oil, food, water, will usually have voyages last a few days to a couple of weeks and are fairly steady.
Tug boat crews and major barges will usually operate on a regular basis, with a crew working for 2 to 3 weeks and then taking a few weeks off. Ferry workers have the most regular hours of those in shipping jobs, often working on the weekdays, sometimes part time.
The hazards of working in water transportation jobs are many, and dealing with storms in damp and cold weather can be uncomfortable. In a heavy storm, a shipping crew may face death or injury as a result of falling overboard or working with dangerous machinery or cargo. Most shipping vessels are now equipped with global positioning systems and other technology which will allow them to call for help.
Many mariners also have to deal with loneliness, as a sailor will not see their families for two weeks to a few months, although e-mail and Internet on ships have alleviated some of these concerns.
Yacht Jobs Training - How to Become a Sailor - How to Receive Your Cruise Ship Training
Ship training will vary, with seamen and deckhands usually gaining experience on the job. First officer, shipping engineer, and captain training will require thousands of hours of experience as a deckhand in addition to passing an examination.
A number of Coast Guard Reserve Officers will gain training from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, while harbor pilot training is usually composed of an apprenticeship working for a ship towing company.
Maritime Jobs Requirements - How to Become a Ship Engineerr
Coast guard licensing will vary depending on the type of boat and the type of body of water that one is intending to transverse. Most seamen and deckhands require no formal licensing, although those who are making long distance ocean journeys must be American citizens and pass a test and a medical exam.
Those shipping pilots working in the great lakes will need special licenses to work, and one can visit the coast guards web site for additional information. Other skills that a boat pilot or seaman job require include good health, physical stamina, and good vision.
Advancing in the shipping industry usually goes from deckhand to a mate position, eventually working ones way up to first officer and then boat captain. Some seaman decide to become ship engineers, and those sailors who have good business sense may decide to become an independent shipping contractor and purchase their own boat.
Boat Jobs Employment - What is a Sailors Job?
Over the next decade, water transportation workers should experience employment growth of about 16%, which is fairly fast paced as compared to other jobs in America. Increased tourism and an increased demand for gas, both natural and oil, should lead to accelerated business for those in the shipping industry.
Shipping vessels engaged as cruise ships will experience increasing use, and usually involve a much safer working environment, as more Americans decide to take exotic vacations to the Caribbeans. Job opportunities overall for boat jobs are good as many workers decide to leave the profession as sailors cannot deal with being away from home for long periods of time.
Boat Jobs Salary Pay Scale - How Much Do Ship Officers Jobs Earn?
In 2006, sailors and deckhand jobs had median annual salaries of $30,630, while captains, first mates, and pilot jobs had median earnings of $53,430.
Shipping captains of large vessels such as oil tankers and container vessels had rates of pay over $100,000 annually, and those maritime jobs working as tug boat captains will have varying salaries depending on their location and responsibilities.
Ship engineers had median earnings of $54,820 in the same year, and motor boat operators earn much less at $32,350 annually. About a sixth of all ship jobs are unionized, especially those careers of merchant marine officers and seamen.