The movement of huge amounts of cargo, as well as passengers, between nations and within our Nation depends on workers in water transportation occupations, also known on commercial ships as merchant mariners. They operate and maintain deep-sea merchant ships, tugboats, towboats, ferries, dredges, excursion vessels, and other waterborne craft on the oceans, the Great Lakes, rivers, canals, and other waterways, as well as in harbors. (Workers who operate watercraft used in commercial fishing are described in the section on fishers and fishing vessel operators elsewhere in the Handbook.)

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels command or supervise the operations of ships and water vessels, both within domestic waterways and on the deep sea. Captains or masters are in overall command of the operation of a vessel, and they supervise the work of all other officers and crew. They determine the course and speed of the vessel, maneuver to avoid hazards, and continuously monitor the vessel’s position with charts and navigational aides. Captains either direct or oversee crew members who steer the vessel, determine its location, operate engines, communicate with other vessels, perform maintenance, handle lines, or operate equipment on the vessel. Captains and their department heads ensure that proper procedures and safety practices are followed, check to make sure that machinery and equipment are in good working order, and oversee the loading and discharging of cargo or passengers. They also maintain logs and other records tracking the ships’ movements, efforts at controlling pollution, and cargo and passengers carried.

Career Sources and Professional Organizations

	American Association of Port Authorities
	American Maritime Officers
	American Merchant Marine at War
	American Overseas Marine
	American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier
	American Steamship Company
	Apostleship of the Sea
	CrewXchange - Job Posting Service - jobs on ships.
	Express Marine
	Federal Maritime Commission
	Horizon Lines
	International Maritime Organization
	International Transport Workers Federation
	Interocean Ugland Management
	Lake Carriers Association
	Maersk Line Limited
	MaerskSealand
	Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
	Maritime Trades Department
	MariTrans
	Masters, Mates & Pilots
	Matson Navigation
	Military Sealift Command
	National Defense Transportation Association
	NCL America
	NY Waterway
	Ocean Shipholdings, Inc.
	Ocean Shipholding Group
	Penn Maritime
	Sailor's Union of the Pacific
	Seafarers International Union
	Sealift Inc.
	Ship Operations Cooperative Program
	Totem Ocean Trailer Express
	Transportation Command
	Transportation Institute
	Transportation Security Administration
	U.S. Coast Guard
	U.S. Coast Guard Licensing and Documentation page
	U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee
	U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center
	Waterman Steamship

Sample Job Titles

Entry Level:		Experienced:
	Apprentice/Trainee		Captain/Master
	Marine Oiler		Deck Officer/Mate
	Motorboat Operator		Pilot/Harbor Pilot
	Sailor/Seaman		Ship Engineer

Enhancing Employability

	Licensed by U.S. Coast Guard
	Graduate of U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or State maritime academy
	Strong ability to communicate clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing
	Ability to work independently and as a team