Maritime Career Pathways

First steps to maritime careers

Inland, near coastal, and ocean going careers

require three steps:

Step 1: Obtain a TWIC

(Transportation Worker Identification Card)

Step 2: Obtain U.S. Coast Guard approved training

(maritime training school, academy, or college)

First steps to maritime careers

Inland, near coastal, and ocean going careers

require:

Step 3: Obtain a Merchant Mariner Document

(U.S. Coast Guard professional mariner identification)

Inland Service: Tug & Barge

Requires: a work rotation of 14 – 28 days away from home and 7 – 14 days at home

Deckhand

Requires: No classes or degree

Recommended classes:

- Basic Safety Training

- Deck Familiarization

- Engineering Familiarization

- Up to $130 / day

Tankerman

Requires: 40 hours of class

- Tankerman operation (math & physics)

- Pollution prevention

- Maritime law

- Firefighting (16 hours)

- First aid / CPR (8 hours)

- Up to $270 / day

Apprentice Mate

Requires: 360 Days of experience

at sea (sea time); 104 hours of class

- Navigation (attend to general daily

problems, rules of the road)

- Safety

- Maritime law

- Environmental

- Up to $225 / day

Mate (Pilot of Towing Boat)

Requires: 540 days of

sea time; additional required

classes

- Navigation and piloting

- Watch standing

- Vessel familiarization

- Maneuvering & rules of the road

- Safety & emergency response

- Environmental Protection

- Up to $350 / day

Master of Towing(Captain)

Requires: 360 to 1080 days

sea time

- Officer in Charge of Navigational

Watch (OICNW)

- Additional required classes

- Up to $800 / day

Near Coastal Service (Oil Field Support; Crew & Supply Boats)

Requires: a work rotation of 28 days away from home and 14 – 28 days at home

Ordinary Seaman(Deckhand)

Requires: entry level position; no

classes or degree (unlicensed)

Recommended classes:

- Basic Safety Training (40 hour)

- Deck Familiarization

- Engineering Familiarization

- Up to $170 / day

Able Bodied Seaman(A/B)

Requires: 360 days of sea time

- 40 Hour A/B Class

- 32 Hour Lifeboat Class

- 40 Hour Basic Safety Training

- Up to $270 / day

Master100 -1600 Ton

Requires: 360 to 1080 days sea

time

- Officer in Charge of Navigational

Watch (OICNW)

- Many college level classes

- Up to $800 / day

Ocean Going (Ships & Tugs)

Months away from home

Weeks or months at home

Cooks & Stewards

Requires: no classes or collegedegree

Recommended classes:- 40 hour basic safety training- Up to $170 / day

Ordinary Seaman(Deckhand)

Requires: entry level position; no

classes or degree (unlicensed)

Recommended classes:

- Basic Safety Training

- Deck Familiarization

- Engineering Familiarization

- Up to $170 / day

Able Bodied Seaman(A/B)

Requires: 360 days of

experience (unlicensed)

Recommended classes:

- 40 Hour A/B Class

- 32 Hour Lifeboat Class

- 40 Hour Basic Safety Training

- Up to $270 / day

Third MateUnlimited Tonnage

Requires: 1080 days of

experience (licensed officer)

- 3 years of service in the deck

department, training courses &

on-board exams

or

- Attend a training institution

- Up to $500 / day

Second MateUnlimited Tonnage

Requires: 360 days in Charge of

Navigation Watch as 3rd Mate

(licensed officer)

- Officer in Charge of Navigation

- 3rd in command

- Up to $650 / day

Chief MateUnlimited Tonnage

Requires: 360 days in Charge of

Navigation Watch as 2nd Mate

(licensed officer)

- Senior on-board operations officer

- 2nd in command

- Responsible to the Captain

- Up to $800 / day

MasterUnlimited Tonnage

Requires: 360 days as Chief Mate

(licensed officer)

- Commander of the vessel

- 1st in command

- Master Mariner's license

- Up to $1,200 / day

Citations

Schacter, Mitch; San Jacinto College, Director, CPD, “Maritime Career Pathways” handout, September 16, 2013

http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/checklists/default.asp National Maritime Center, United States Coast Guard, Mariners checklists, MCP-FM-NMC5-20

(04), September 16, 2013 http://www.maritimejobs.com/JobShow.aspx?JobShow=105079Maritime Jobs; MCP-FM-NMC5-20 (04) Military Sealift Command job; September 16, 2013,

http://www.punaridge.org/doc/journals/Careers/Able-Bodied%20Seaman/Default.htmNaidah Gamurot; Position: Able Bodies Seaman (Mariner 2), October 22, 1998, September 16,

2013https://www.google.com/search?

q=twic+card&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=eQg3UtquJsi82gWy6YDIAg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1172&bih=602&dpr=1#q=seaman+papers&tbm=isch&imgdii; Google Images, Seaman’s papers, September 16, 2013

http://www.nycitywoman.com/columns/sometimes-great-lotion; NYCity woman, Nancy Weber and Ellen Stern, “Skin Care, Sometimes a great lotion – Pamela Hepburn, 62, licensed tugboat captain”, © 2013 NYCitywoman, all rights reserved, September 16, 2013

Citations

 EU Naval Force Celebrates International Women’s Day By Highlighting The Significant

Contribution Of Women To Operation Atalanta; http://eunavfor.eu/eu-naval-force-celebrates-international-womens-day-by-highlighting-the-significant-contribution-of-women-to-operation-atalanta/;March 8, 2013 - 12:06; September 16, 2013