Occupational map

This web-site brings together for the first time a complete list of occupations found within the areas of the maritime sector covered by the MSA, together with a description of what each job entails, the qualifications required to perform it effectively and possible career pathways. Any alternative job titles are shown in brackets

To see an overview of the occupations/jobs found in a particular industry, click on the appropriate title below.

If you wish to find out more about the work roles, qualifications required and career pathways, click on the link at the end of the chosen overview section. You can then browse by clicking on the links provided for each occupation/work role.

Commercial Sea Fishing
Marine Leisure
Maritime Search and Rescue
Merchant Navy
Ports and Harbours

Commercial Sea Fishing

Overview
		The breadth and level of occupations in sea fishing vary depending upon the size of the vessel, type of catch and area in which the vessel operate. To go to sea on a commercial sea fishing vessel, individuals must undergo statutory safety training in basic sea survival, fire fighting and first aid. In addition, skippers, mates and engineers working on fishing vessels above a certain length and engine power, or operating in certain sea areas, are required to hold statutory Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Certificates of Competency.

Skipper
Mate
Competent Deckhand (Deckie)
Engineer
Deckie Learner (Apprentice, Trainee Fisherman)
Superintendent Engineer

More about roles
Qualifications Required and Career Pathways in Commercial Sea Fishing

Marine Leisure

Overview
		The Marine Leisure industry is concerned with those working in occupations related to using vessels for recreational purposes in the seagoing and inland sectors of the marine industry, covering;

Design
Naval Architect (Yacht Designer)
Yacht Designer (Boat Designer)
Draughtsman/Draughtwoman (CAD Technician)

Manufacturing
Boat Builder (Yacht Builder, Boat Repairer)
Boat Fitter (Marine Craftsperson)
Marine Engineer
Electrics/Electronics Engineer

Buying and Selling
Yacht Broker (Yacht Agent , Dealer, Distributor )
Yacht Surveyor ( Marine Surveyor, Small Craft Surveyor )

Watersports Instruction and Coaching
Watersports manager
Watersports instructor

Marinas and yacht harbours
Marina manager (Yacht Harbour Manager)
Dockmaster (Operations Manager)
Marina operative ( Berthing Assistant , Mooring Assistant , Yard Assistant )

Crew

Superyacht - A superyacht can be found on any ocean, on any sea in the world. Superyachts can be motor or sail and range from 24m up to mini cruiseships. The number of crew and types of roles and responsibility will vary depending on the type and size of the superyacht. On an average superyacht, you will find on board the crew jobs listed below. Yachts over 60m normally have a crew of 10 or more

Captain
First officer (Mate)
Engineer
Chef
Chief Steward/Stewardess (Interior Director, Interior Manager, Hotel Manager )
Deckhand (Deck rating)

Chartering/holidays - Professional crew and skippers are also needed for yachts that may be chartered or for flotilla holidays. Roles will be similar to those on superyachts although roles will normally be much wider as there may only be 2 crew members.

Flotilla engineer
Flotilla host/hostess
Skipper (Delivery Skipper, Flotilla Skipper, Bareboat Skipper, Charter Skipper)

More about roles
Qualifications Required and Career Pathways in Marine Leisure

Maritime Search and Rescue

Overview
		Search and Rescue is the activity of locating and recovering persons either in distress, potential distress or missing and delivering them to a place of safety. The UK Government (led by the Department for Transport) has a statutory responsibility for civilian Search and Rescue (SAR) within the UK and its aviation and maritime Search and Rescue Regions, but it delegates the authority for responding to maritime incidents to HM Coastguard. HM Coastguard is the on-call emergency organisation that has overall responsibility for all civilian maritime SAR within the UK Maritime SAR Region.

The civilian maritime Search and Rescue incl udes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of assets (including lifeboats, SAR helicopters and independent declared facilities) to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom. There are 19 Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCCs) around the UK Coast, which form a network of command and control centres for responding to reports of maritime and coastal distress. These receive incoming distress calls, alerting the appropriate rescue assets, and co-ordinating the rescue effort. Among these rescue assets are 233 lifeboat stations run by the RNLI (with 4,800 lifeboat crew members) which act as a base for storing, launching and recovering vessels and communicating with the emergency services.

Lifeboat - Crew
Coxswain (Coxswain trainee)
Helmsman
Mechanic (ILB) (Engineer)
Mechanic (ALB)
Navigator
Crew member
1st aider (Crew member)
Hovercraft commander

More about roles
Qualifications Required and Career Pathways in Maritime Search and Rescue

Merchant Navy

Overview
		The Merchant Navy is the common term for the commercial shipping industry. Roles within the Merchant Navy vary depending on a number of factors, including size and type of vessel. The range of vessels includes passenger ferries, container ships, tankers, small tugs, and cruise ship. Some vessels have a large number of officers and ratings, whilst others have a very small number of officers and ratings. This affects the breadth of responsibilities and seniority of those on board. Furthermore, there are fewer statutory certification requirements for officers working on small vessels and on vessels working in the near coastal area	.

Officers (Navigation Deck)
Master (Captain)
Chief Officer (Chief Mate)
2nd Officer (2nd Mate)
3rd Officer (3rd Mate)
Cadet (Trainee Officer)
Radio Office (IT officer)

Officers (Engineering)
Chief Engineer Officer
2nd Engineer Officer
3rd Engineer Officer
Junior Engineer
Engineer Cadet
Electro-Technical Officer (ETO)
Electrician

Support Staff/Ratings
Seaman Grade 1 (Able-bodied Seafarer, A.B., Bosun, Deck Chief Petty Officer, Senior Rating, General Purpose Rating, General Purpose Seafarer, G.P. )
Seaman Grade 2 (Ordinary Seafarer, O.S., Able-bodied Seafarer, A.B., General Purpose Rating, General Purpose Seafarer, G.P.)
Pumpman
Fitter (Engineering Maintenance Fitter)
Motorman (Mechanic)
General hand (Oiler, Wiper)
Cook (Ship's Cook, Chief Cook)
Steward
Trainee Rating (Junior Ordinary Seafarer)

Staff sepcific toTtugs
Tug Master (Tug Skipper)
Tug Engineer
Tug Hand ( Tug G.P, Tug Deckhand)

Hospitality Staff Specific to Passenger Vessels
Cruise Director
Chief Purser ( Hotel Service Officer, HR Officer)

Shore-based Ship Management

Fleet Operations;
Fleet Director (Commerical Director

Logistics Co-ordination and Training - Fleet Personnel;
Personnel Manager (Human Resources Manager)
Training Manager (Head of Training)
Personnel Officer
Training Officer

General Operations
Operations Manager (Safety Manager, Quality Manager)
Safety Officer (Quality Officer)

Marine Operations
Marine Superindendent
Marine Technical Assistant

Engineering Operations
Engineering Superindendent (Technical Superintendent)
Assistant Engineering Superindendent (Assistant Technical Manager)
Engineering Technical Assistant

More about Roles
Qualifications Required and Career Pathways in The Merchant Navy

Ports and Harbours

Overview
		Ports are places where vessels carrying cargo and passengers to and from the UK load and unload. There are approximately 200 commercial ports in the UK , some employing under ten people and some over two thousand. Ports are a vital link in the transportation chain providing facilities to vessels from other UK ports and ports worldwide. They vary in purpose and size between:

• major and minor commercial ports;
• small-scale fishing ports;
• passenger/ferry ports;
• inland waterways ports/terminals;
• harbours and marinas.

Occupations and roles within ports will therefore vary depending upon the type of facilities they provide and their size. In a large port, job roles will tend to fall within one of four categories - cargo operations, marine operations, passenger operations or engineering operations. However, in a small port or harbour the responsibilities that individuals have may stretch across two or more of these categories.

Port Operations
Port operations include passenger, cargo, and marine operations. Occupational roles could be across the full range of cargo, passenger and marine functions or they could be focused in one area, such as Marine Pilotage.

Managing Director (Chief Executive, Port Director, Port Manager, General Manager)
Port Operations Director (Operations Director, Port Operations Manager, Port Manager) Security Manager
Ports Facility Security Manager (PFSM, ISPS manager)
Safety Manager (Head of Health and Safety, Health and Safety Manager, Safety Officer, Safety Advisor, Safety, Health and Environmental Manager)
Harbour Master (Chief Harbour Master, Haven Master, Marine Operations Manager)
Deputy Harbour Master (Assistant Harbour Master, Assistant Marine Operations Manager, Barge Manager, Berthing Master, Dock Master, Harbour Superintendent , Haven Master Deputy, Marine Manager, Piermaster, Pilotage Manager)
Hydrogrpahic Surveyor (Senior Hydrographic Surveyor, Base Surveyor)
Port Operations Manager ( Cargo Operations Manager, Passenger Operations Manager, Terminal Operations Manager, Wharf Manager, Stevedoring Superintendent, Operations Superintendent, Assistant Operations Director, Operations Superintendent, Duty Operations Manager, Operations Manager)
Marine Pilot
Vessel Traffic Services Officer (VTS Officer, VTS Operative, Port Control Room Officer, Port Control Officer, Marine Officer, Marine Operator)
Port Operations Supervisor (Cargo Operations Supervisor, Marine Operations Supervisor, Passenger Operations Supervisor)
Port Operations team leader (Cargo Operations Team Leader, Marine Operations Team Leader, Passenger Operations Team Leader)
Port Operative (Cargo Operative, Marine Operative, Passenger Operative, General Operative)

Engineering Operations
Director of Engineering (Head of Support Services, General Manager, Chief Engineer, Port engineer, Head of engineering)
Port Engineer (Engineering Manager, Engineering Resources Manager, Marine Engineering Manager, Terminal Engineer)
Civil Engineer (Construction Engineer, Development Engineer, Civil Foreman)
Engineering Manager (Engineering Superintendent, Plant Engineer Manager)
Engineering Supervisor (Engineering Foreman, Electrical Foreman, Maintenance Foreman, Mechanical Foreman)
Technician (Electrician, Engineering Technician, Fitter, Mechanical Fitter, Maintenance Fitter, General Engineering Assistant, Third Engineer, Marine Maintainer, Machinist, Welder, Fabricator, Electronics Technician, Tyre Fitter, Trailer Fitter)
Maintenance Assistant (Workshop Labourer)

More about Roles
Qualifications Required and Career Pathways in Ports and Harbours