Ship captains and mates: 21,000
Sailors and deckhands: 22,000
Marine engineers: 9,000
Over 1,400 of the captains and pilots were self-employed, operating their own vessel, or were pilots who were independent contractors.
About 40 percent of all water transportation workers were employed on board merchant marine ships or U.S. Navy Military Sealift ships operating on the oceans or Great Lakes. Another 40 percent were employed in transportation services, working on tugs, towboats, ferries, dredges, and other water-craft in harbors, on rivers and canals, and other waterways.
Others worked in water transportation services such as piloting vessels in and out of harbors, operating lighters and chartered boats, and in marine construction, salvaging, and surveying. The remaining water transportation workers were employed on vessels that carry passengers, such as cruise ships, casino boats, sightseeing and excursion boats, and ferries.
Keen competition is expected to continue for jobs in water transportation occupations. Overall, employment in water transportation occupations is projected to decline through 2006. Opportunities will vary by sector.
Employment in deep sea shipping is expected to continue its long-term sharp decline as U.S.-staffed ships carry an even smaller proportion of international cargo. Stringent federal regulations require larger crews on U.S. flagged ships, which allow vessels that fly foreign flags and have smaller crew sizes to operate at lower cost and make a larger profit. A fleet of deep sea U.S. flagged ships is considered to be vital to the nation's defense, so some receive federal support through a maritime security subsidy and other provisions in laws limit certain federal cargoes to ships that fly the U.S. flag.
Newer ships are designed to be operated safely by much smaller crews. Innovations include automated controls and computerized monitoring systems in navigation, engine control, watch-keeping, ship management, and cargo handling. As older vessels are replaced, crew responsibilities will change. Seamen will need to learn new skills to be able to handle these varied duties.
Vessels on rivers and canals and on the Great Lakes carry mostly bulk products such as coal, iron ore, petroleum, sand and gravel, grain, and chemicals. Shipments of these products are expected to grow through 2006, but productivity increases should cause employment to decline. Employment in water transportation services is likely to show little or no change.
The decline in new opportunities has created competition for existing jobs, with many experienced merchant mariners going for long periods without work. As a result, unions generally accept few new members. Also, many Merchant Marine Academy graduates have not found licensed shipboard jobs in the U.S. Merchant Marine, although most do find industry-related jobs. Most are commissioned as ensigns in the U.S. Naval Reserve, and some may be selected for active duty in the navy. Some find jobs as seamen on U.S. flagged or foreign flagged vessels, tugboats, other watercraft, or civilian jobs with the U.S. Navy. Some take land-based jobs with shipping companies, marine insurance companies, manufacturers of boilers or related machinery, or other related jobs. Unless the number of people seeking merchant marine jobs declines sharply, the present intense competition is likely to continue.
SALARIES
Water transportation workers who usually worked full-time had median weekly earnings of $579 in 1996. The middle 50 percent earned between $402 and $860 a week. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $287, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $1,157 a week.
Captains and mates had median weekly earnings of $653 a week in 1996. The middle 50 percent earned between $394 and $904 a week. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $275, while the highest earned more than $1,203 a week.
Seamen had median weekly earnings of $520 a week in 1996. The middle 50 percent earned between $395 and $695 a week. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $288 a week, while the highest 10 percent earned more than $983 a week.
RELATED FIELDS
Workers in occupations having duties and responsibilities similar to these occupations include fishing vessel captains, ferryboat operators, and long shore men.
INTERVIEW
Thomas MacPherson
Chief Engineer
Thomas MacPherson has had fourteen years sea time in the U.S. Navy and one year with Edison Chouest Offshore, an offshore support enterprise in Galliano, Louisiana.
How Thomas MacPherson Got Started
I was in the navy for eighteen years, and retired early, just over a year ago. I chose joining the navy to leave the area I grew up in (McKeesport, Pennsylvania) because the steel industry was dying out and I wanted to see something different. My father and older brother were in the navy as well.
"The job I am doing now is similar to what I knew in the navy, although less intense and more informal-a lot more fun."
What the Jobs Really Like
The type of boat I work on is an elevator support ship. My company's primary role is support of the oil industry by trans-porting crews and supplies to and from the oil rigs. We also transport what is called liquid mud-for pumping into the oil wells to displace the oil.
My present position is chief engineer and my duties are to supervise and operate the engine room and various engineering aspects of the boat. Log keeping, engine operation, fuel, water, electricity, and some electronics are required to be operated or maintained. For example, today I operated the diesel engines, worked on the phone lines, helped with the deck hands in a small boat, and operated the hydraulic system to lower the submarine elevator system.
My company does a lot of work with various navy projects, such as submarine testing and even the recovery of the U.S.S. Monitor propeller and shaft from off the coast of North Carolina.
The most enjoyable part of the job is the maintenance and operation of the boats. I like to learn something new every day and it's nice to get to work on something different from time to time. As long as it is done safely and correctly, there are very few things you can't do.
"The downside is the time that is spent away from home but I actually enjoy going out to sea, getting away for a time to catch up on reading or movies. The pay is good and it does pro-vide food and a bunk. The pay is based on a day rate. Starting out as an oiler, $85 to $120 is normal. An assistant engineer can make from $150 to $200 a day. A chief engineer from $200-plus a day, it depends on your license, the company, the work location, and the boat contract."
Expert Advice
The qualities you should have include dependability, responsibility, patience, and most importantly, you shouldn't be afraid of hard work.
It is possible to shorten some requirements by attending one of the merchant marine academies, but for my case the U.S. Navy provided me with the prerequisites for my present license. Coast guard or navy sea time is partially credited toward merchant marine sea time.
For the offshore vessel work I am in, knowledge of diesels is a prerequisite. For ocean vessels, steam and/or diesel knowledge is necessary. In both cases, electrical and fluid system knowledge is required.
As for starting out, sea time is sea time. Whether going to the Gulf of Mexico (Louisiana and Texas), Alaska, or even to the Northeast-Massachusetts or Rhode Island-for the fishing fleet, all require some seagoing experience to get into the job.
"A lot of junior engineers start out as Ordinary Seamen (OS). Or you can start out in the seagoing services (navy or coast guard) as I did."
