Home » Occupational Profiles » 72602 – Deck officers, water transport

Deck officers, water transport – 72602

Description

Deck officers, water transport, operate and command ships or self-propelled vessels to transport passengers and cargo on oceans and coastal and inland waters, and supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews. This unit group also includes Canadian Coast Guard deck officers. They are employed by marine transportation companies and federal government departments.

Job Titles

  • Coast Guard vessel first watchkeeping officer
  • Coast Guard vessel navigation officer
  • Coast Guard vessel watchkeeping officer
  • Deck officer – water transport
  • Ferryboat master
  • Master mariner
  • Ship first mate
  • Ship pilot
  • Ship second mate
  • Ship third mate
  • Ship’s captain
  • Ship’s mate
  • Tugboat captain

Main Duties

  • Command and operate ships or other self-propelled vessels, such as barges or oil rigs, to transport passengers and cargo
  • Command and operate coast guard vessels to provide ice-breaking and search and rescue services, and to maintain control over ships operating in Canadian waters
  • Board vessels at berth or from pilot boats to advise ships’ captains on the course to steer for safe passage into and out of ports, seaways or other waterways under pilotage authority
  • Plan and execute safe navigational passage using navigational aids
  • Determine geographical position using navigational instruments, maps and charts
  • Guide vessels in rivers, canals, and other confined or hazardous waters and waterways
  • Maintain vessels’ navigational instruments and equipment
  • Direct and oversee the loading and unloading of cargo
  • Supervise and coordinate the activities of deck crews
  • Record vessel progress, crew activities, weather and sea conditions in the ship’s log.

Workplaces

  • Federal government departments
  • Marine transportation companies

Skills

  • Operation and Control
  • Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment
  • Coordinating
  • Critical Thinking
  • Decision Making

Abilities

  • Depth Perception
  • Far Vision
  • Glare Tolerance
  • Multi-Signal Response
  • Multitasking

Personal Attributes

  • Adaptability
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Attention to Detail
  • Collaboration
  • Independence

Similar Occupations

  • Engineer officers, water transport (72603)
  • Water transport deck and engine room crew (74201)
  • Fishing masters and officers (83120)
Source: OaSIS

Employment Outlook

The employment outlook will be moderate for Deck officers, water transport (72602) in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

  • Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
  • A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
  • There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Here are some key facts about Deck officers, water transport in Prince Edward Island:

  • Approximately 50 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
  • Deck officers, water transport mainly work in the following sectors:
    • Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 61%
    • Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482, 483, 486, 487, 493): 39%
  • 50% of deck officers, water transport work all year, while 50% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 32 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
  • 38% of deck officers, water transport are self-employed compared to an average of 13% for all occupations.
  • The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
    • Men: more than 95% compared to 51% for all occupations
    • Women: less than 5% compared to 49% for all occupations
  • The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
    • no high school diploma: n/a
    • high school diploma or equivalent: n/a
    • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 25% compared to 11% for all occupations
    • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 50% compared to 25% for all occupations
    • bachelor’s degree: 17% compared to 17% for all occupations
    • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a
Source: Job Bank

Prevailing Wages

AREALOWMEDIANHIGH
PEIN/AN/AN/A
Canada$23.35$38.00$59.44
Source: Labour Force Survey (2022)

Training

There are no known training programs for this occupation in PEI. If you are aware of a local training program, please contact us.

View the full occupational profile with details on work characteristics, interests, employment requirements and more on the Occupational and Skills Information System (OaSIS) website.

There are currently no job listings for this occupation on WorkPEI.

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