Ship Captains

Key Responsibilities

• Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
• Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
• Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.
• Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
• Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
• Supervise crews in cleaning or maintaining decks, superstructures, or bridges.
• Interview and hire crew members.
• Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
• Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
• Signal crew members or deckhands to rig tow lines, open or close gates or ramps, or pull guard chains across entries.
• Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures through instruction, simulators, or models.
• Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
• Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
• Calculate sightings of land, using electronic sounding devices and following contour lines on charts.
• Arrange for ships to be fueled, restocked with supplies, or repaired.
• Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
• Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
• Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
• Assign watches or living quarters to crew members.
• Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.
• Tow and maneuver barges or signal tugboats to tow barges to destinations.
• Conduct safety drills such as man overboard or fire drills.
• Direct or coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading or unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, or operating, maintaining, or repairing ship equipment.
• Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
• Perform various marine duties, such as checking for oil spills or other pollutants around ports or harbors or patrolling beaches.
• Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
• Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
• Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
• Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
• Purchase supplies or equipment.