Sailors and Marine Oilers
Transportation and Material Moving
Aboard ship the work is lookout, lines, and upkeep: watches in the bow or on the bridge wings to spot obstructions and aids such as buoys, plus handling lines to moor, make up tows, and lash barges together for tugboats. Liquid cargo means attaching hoses and running pumps; in the engine spaces, gauges are read, lubricant flows checked, and engines kept up under the engineering officers. Painting, rigging, and overhauling cargo-handling gear keep surfaces and equipment serviceable, and government-issued certification is required—tankerman papers on liquid-carrying vessels. Suits people who like outdoor, hands-on work on a moving vessel and following the captain's or mate's direction.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$51'520
Median Wage Market Position
$51'520
What you might do
- Keep watch for obstacles, buoys, and lighthouses
- Handle lines to moor or tow the vessel
- Lash barges into a tow and unhook them later
- Hook up hoses and pump liquid cargo
- Read gauges and log pressures and temperatures
- Service engines under the engineering officers' direction
Skills that matter
- Lookout watch for buoys and obstacles
- Line handling to moor and tow barges
- Gauge reading and engine-log entries
- Machinery checks for pressure and oil flow
- Listening for orders from the bridge
- Upkeep of engines, pumps, and deck gear
AI & the future of this role
Shipboard work depends on physical cargo handling, deck maintenance, and seamanship in changing weather and sea conditions. Automation may assist with monitoring and planning, but licensed crews and hands-on vessel operations are still likely to remain essential.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details