What You'll Do

  • 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.

Essential Skills

Operation and Control 3.62/5
Speaking 3.5/5
Monitoring 3.5/5
Active Listening 3.38/5
Critical Thinking 3.38/5
Operations Monitoring 3.38/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.38/5
Reading Comprehension 3.25/5
Coordination 3.25/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.25/5
Management of Personnel Resources 3.25/5
Writing 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Leadership Orientation, Dependability, Cautiousness, Attention to Detail, Stress Tolerance

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 3.88/5
Oral Expression 3.88/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.75/5
Spatial Orientation 3.75/5
Far Vision 3.75/5
Written Comprehension 3.62/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.62/5

Technologies & Tools

Apple macOS Autodesk Revit Computerized maintenance management system CMMS FURUNO navigational chart software Groundwater modeling system GMS Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral JRC navigation software KNMI TurboWin Log book software Maptech The CAPN Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office Outlook Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Word Navigational chart software SHIPNEXT

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Leadership Orientation (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.95/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.83/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.73/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.7/5)

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Able Bodied Seaman (AB Seaman) Able Bodied Tankerman (AB Tankerman) Area Relief Pilot Bar Pilot Barge Captain Barge Master Barge Mate Barge Pilot Boat Captain Boat Master Boat Mate Boat Operator Boat Pilot Boatswain Boatswain's Mate Canal Boat Captain Canal Boat Operator Canal Driver Captain Car Ferry Captain Car Ferry Master Charter Boat Captain Coastal Tug Mate Command Pilot Deck Officer Deep Submergence Vehicle Operator (DSV Operator) Derrick Boat Captain Dock Master Docking Pilot Dredge Captain Dredge Mate Ferry Boat Captain Ferry Captain Ferry Pilot Ferryboat Captain Ferryboat Operator Ferryboat Pilot First Mate First Officer Fishing Vessel Captain Fishing Vessel Mate Fourth Mate Fourth Officer Harbor Boat Pilot Harbor Pilot Harbor Tug Captain Lighter Captain Line Pilot Marine Pilot Marine Superintendent Maritime Officer Maritime Pilot Master Mariner Master Pilot Mate Navigation Officer Navigation Watch Officer Navigator Oil Tanker Captain Passenger Barge Master Pilot Pilot Captain Port Captain Relief Captain Relief Docking Master Relief Master Relief Mate Relief Pilot River Boat Captain River Captain River Pilot Riverboat Master Sailboat Captain Sailing Master Sailing Officer School Boat Driver Scow Captain Sea Captain Second Mate Second Officer Ship Captain Ship Harbor Pilot Ship Master Ship Mate Ship Pilot Shipmaster Shrimp Boat Captain Skipper Sloop Captain Speedboat Driver State Pilot Station Captain Steamboat Captain Steamboat Pilot Tankerman Third Mate Third Officer Towboat Captain Towboat Pilot Towing Pilot Training Captain Tug Captain Tugboat Captain Tugboat Mate Tugboat Operator Tugboat Pilot Vessel Captain Vessel Master Water Vessel Captain Yacht Captain Yacht Master

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.