Ship captain

Description

Ship captains are in charge of a vessel for the transportation of goods and passengers, operating in lakes, oceans, coastal waters, rivers, or bays. The size of the vessel can range from a small vessel to a cruise liner depending on the tonnage that they are certified to sail. They ensure the safe and efficient operations of vessels. A ship captain navigates their vessel according to weather conditions and uses radar, depth finders, radios, buoys, lights, and even lighthouses. They determine sufficient levels of oxygen, hydraulic fluid, or air pressure of the vessel.

Ship captains have vast experience with ships and their operation, and are likely to have worked their way through the ranks of other ship-related positions.

Excludes people managing fishing vessels.

A ship captain’s duties vary a little according to the type of vessel he or she commands. For example, there are ship captains, ferry boat captains, tug boat captains, and charter boat captains.

However, the following tasks are typically performed by all ship captains:

  • Command vessels in various bodies of water.
  • Hire and supervise ship crew members.
  • Maintain boat and equipment.
  • Operate and maintain engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, and life preservers.
  • Measure and record water depths.
  • Stick to planned route.
  • Ensure adequate levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, and oxygen.
  • Use flashing lights and whittles to signal passing vessels.
  • Resolve problems with customers.
  • Tow and maneuver barges.
  • Signal tugboats.
  • Unload and attempt to sell cargo.
  • Sort logs or salvage lost logs.
  • Utilize electronic sounding devices.
  • Direct and coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading and unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, and operating, maintaining, and repairing ship equipment.
  • Inspect vessels.
  • Set courses and determine speeds using charts, plotting sheets, sextants, and compasses.
  • Monitor loading of cargo.
  • Record ship positions and movements.

Working conditions

Ship captains work outside most of the time. They occasionally work inside the deckhouse or other sheltered area of the boat. They work in varying weather conditions. Sometimes, they must work in very bright or very dim lighting conditions.

Ship captains of deep-sea ships can spend months at a time away from home, while those on supply ships have shorter trips, usually lasting for a few hours or days. Tugboats and barges travel along the coasts and on inland waterways, and crews are usually away for 2 to 3 weeks at a time. Those who work on the Great Lakes have longer trips, around 2 months, but often do not work in the winter, when the lakes freeze.

Crews on all vessels often work for long periods, 7 days a week, while aboard.

Ferry workers and motorboat operators usually are away only for a few hours at a time and return home each night. Many ferry and motorboat operators service ships for vacation destinations and have seasonal schedules.

Ship captains are occasionally exposed to hazardous equipment, such as winches, fishing gear and hoists. They can also be exposed to contaminants such as diesel fumes and solvents

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to ship captain:

sea captain
shipmaster
captain of a ship
ship’s captain

Minimum qualifications

Most positions as a ship captain require a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, marine science, and marine biology, though a bachelor of Science degree in a related field may also suffice. However, a master’s degree in a course related to marine engineering is preferred for such roles.

Ship captain is not an entry-level role. Captains of ships typically have many years of experience in other roles before they assume the leadership position of captain. An extensive experience in a military or maritime organization is a significant asset to be considered in such role.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Ship captain is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Ship captain career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to ship captain.

deck officer
second officer
marine chief engineer
co-pilot
skipper

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of ship captain. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of ship captain with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

maritime instructor
fleet commander
agricultural machinery and equipment distribution manager
agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feeds distribution manager
beverages distribution manager

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of ship captain.

  • Geographic areas: Know the geographic area in detail; know where different organisations carry out operations.
  • International regulations for preventing collisions at sea: Fundamental aspects of the international regulations to prevent collisions at sea, such as the conduct of vessels in sight of one another, navigation lights and markers, major light and acoustic signals, maritime signalling and buoys.
  • Principles of mechanical engineering: Understand principles of mechanical engineering, physics, and materials science.
  • Types of maritime vessels: Know a large variety of maritime vessels and their characteristics and specifications. Use that knowledge to ensure that all security, technical, and maintenance measures are taken into account in their supply.
  • Maritime transportation technology: Understand maritime transportation technology and stay up-to-date with the latest findings in the field. Apply this knowledge in operations and decision-making while on-board.
  • Freight transport methods: Understand different modalities of transport such as air, sea, or intermodal freight transport. Specialise in one of the modalities and possess a deeper knowledge of the details and procedures of that modality.
  • International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships: The fundamental principals and requirements laid in the International Regulation for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL): Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil, Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk, prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form, Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships, Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships, Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships.
  • Vessel safety equipment: Gain theoretical and practical knowledge of safety equipment used in vessels, including devices such as lifeboats, life rings, splash doors and fire doors, sprinkler systems, etc. Operate equipment during emergency situations.
  • Global Maritime Distress and Safety System: The internationally agreed-upon set of safety procedures, types of equipment and communication protocols used to increase safety and make it easier to rescue distressed ships, boats and aircraft.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of ship captain.

  • Ensure ongoing compliance with regulations: Conduct tasks and procedures to ensure that aviation certificates maintain their validity; undertake safeguarding measures as appropriate.
  • Use water navigation devices: Utilise water navigation devices, e.g. compass or sextant, or navigational aids such as lighthouses or buoys, radar, satellite, and computer systems, in order to navigate vessels on waterways. Work with recent charts/maps, notices, and publications in order to determine the precise position of a vessel.
  • Supervise movement of crew: Oversee embarkation and disembarkation of crew members; ensure that safety regulations are followed according to specifications.
  • Supervise movement of passengers: Oversee embarking and disembarking of travelers; ensure that safety regulations are followed according to specifications.
  • Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
  • Supervise unloading of cargo: Supervise unloading processes for equipment, cargo, goods and other items. Ensure that everything is handled and stored correctly in accordance with regulations and standards.
  • Supervise loading of cargo: Supervise the process of loading equipment, cargo, goods and other Items. Ensure that all cargo is handled and stored properly in accordance with regulations and standards.
  • Ensure vessel security: Ensure that security requirements for vessels are met according to legal norms. Check if the security equipment is in place and operational. Communicate with marine engineers to ensure that the technical parts of the vessel functioning effectively and can perform as necessary for the upcoming journey.
  • Ensure public safety and security: Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property.
  • Carry out navigational calculations: Solve mathematical problems to achieve safe navigation.
  • Operate marine communication systems: Operate on board marine communication systems; communicate with other ships or with on-shore control centre e.g. to send urgent messages concerning safety; transmit or receive alerts, etc.
  • Steer vessels: Operate and steer vessels such as cruise ships, ferries, tankers, and container ships.
  • Supervise crew: Supervise and observe the behaviour of employees.
  • Conduct water navigation: Ensure that a vessel carries up to date and adequate charts and appropriate nautical documents. Lead the process of preparing the voyage report, the vessel passage plan, daily position reports, and the pilot’s information sheet.
  • Assess vessel status: Assess the status of the operating radar, satellite, and computer systems of a vessel. Monitor speed, current position, direction, and weather conditions while carrying out watch duties.
  • Communicate mooring plans: Prepare crew briefings on mooring plans and division of labour. Provide the crew with information on protective gear such as helmets and safety goggles.
  • Use maritime English: Communicate in English employing language used in actual situations on board ships, in ports and elsewhere in the shipping chain.
  • Prepare transportation routes: Prepare routes through the addition or subtraction of routes, making changes to route frequency, and changing the service span of routes. Adjusts routes through providing additional running time to routes, adding additional capacity during periods of overcrowding (or reducing capacity during periods of low passenger numbers), and adjusting departure times in response to changes in circumstances along a given route, thereby ensuring efficient use of resources and achievement of customer relations goals.;
  • Plot shipping navigation routes: Plot the navigation route of a vessel under the review of a superior deck officer. Operate a ship radar or electronic charts and automatic identification system.
  • Maintain voyage logs: Maintain a written records of events during a ship or aeroplane voyage.
  • Operate mechanical equipment of ships: Operate mechanical equipment on vessels; communicate with engineers if failures occur or should repairs be required during a voyage.
  • Follow verbal instructions: Have the ability to follow spoken instructions received from colleagues. Strive to understand and clarify what is being requested.
  • Analyse work-related written reports: Read and comprehend job-related reports, analyse the content of reports and apply findings to daily work operations.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ship captain. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Warehouse operations: Know the basic principles and practices of warehouse operations such as goods storage. Understand and satisfy customer needs and requirements while effectively utilising warehouse equipment, space and labour.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of ship captain. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
  • Deal with challenging work conditions: Deal with challenging circumstances in which to perform work, such as night work, shift work, and atypical working conditions.
  • Apply transportation management concepts: Apply transport industry management concepts in order to improve transportation processes, reduce waste, increase efficiency, and improve schedule preparation.
  • Secure ships using rope: Use rope to secure and untie the ship before departure or upon arrival.
  • Comply with checklists: Follow checklists and ensure compliance with all the items included in them.

ISCO group and title

3152 – Ships’ deck officers and pilots


References
  1. ESCO
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
  3. 53-5021.00 – Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels – O*NET Online
  4. What does a ship captain do? – CareerExplorer
  5. Ship Captain Job Description | LocalJobNetwork.com
  6. Featured image: Photo by Ibrahim Boran
Last updated on March 11, 2023