Jobs Related to the Maritime Industry

Merchant mariners move large cargo shipments under tight deadline conditions.

Maritime industry careers are as varied as the applicant's desires. Commercial fishers brave hazardous conditions to harvest large quantities of marine life, while merchant mariners must move large cargo shipments and passengers under various working conditions. Offshore oil riggers must also accept hard physical labor and irregular schedules to move up the ladder of a large drilling operation. Other jobs require an intellectual focus, such as maritime lawyers, who mainly handle shipping claims.

Commercial Fishing

Accounting for just 2.2 percent of agricultural jobs, commercial fishers fall into two groups. Small- and part-time fishers work in one- and two-person groups, generally in sight of land. Commercial vessels, on the other hand, require large crews to harvest thousands of pounds of fish, lobster and shellfish. Median earnings for this sector of the maritime industry averaged $459 per week in 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This situation is mainly due to low skill requirements and the work's seasonal nature.

Maritime Lawyer

Not all maritime jobs require a presence on the sea. One example is the maritime lawyer, whose major responsibilities focus on shipping-related litigation, as Chang Soo An explained in an interview for the Maritime Industry Foundation Knowledge Centre. Lawyers deal with wet shipping claims, such as collisions. Other cases involve disputes related to cargo contamination and detention, Soo An says. These incidents are called dry shipping claims. Quick turnaround and an ability to stay on top of fast-moving developments are important to succeeding in this field.

Merchant Mariner

Also called water transportation workers, merchant mariners play a vital role in moving large amounts of cargo and passengers across major waterways. Captains, mates and pilots must operate and maintain civilian-owned merchant marine ships, offshore supply vessels and other waterborne craft. These jobs also require a great degree of responsibility. Major tasks include checking and maintaining equipment, keeping records and overseeing the loading of cargo and passengers. As a result, median annual wages for these jobs averaged $61,960 in May 2008, according to the BLS.

Offshore Oil Rigger

Offshore oil rigs resemble small cities in terms of how many people must operate them.

As demand for oil continues to increase, so will jobs in this industry, says the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Roustabouts and roughnecks offer two common entry-level paths for oil drilling industry work. Roustabouts are general laborers who focus on rig maintenance and unloading supplies for ships. Annual salaries for these jobs averaged $42,000 to $46,000 in 2005. Roughnecks carry out specific tasks related to the drilling itself, such as connecting pipes with joints -- which requires a detailed knowledge of mechanics. Annual salaries averaged $47,500.

References

• The Maritime Industry Foundation Knowledge Centre: Maritime Lawyer; Gari Soo An and Kenny Choo
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Water Transportation Occupations
• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Energy Career Corner; April/May 2005

Resources

• American Association of Petroleum Geologists
• Commercial Fishermen of America
• National Mariners Association
• Oil Rig Job International
• Society of Petroleum Engineers