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What You Need to Know About Ship Mate

Ship Mate Definition Supervise or coordinate activities of crew aboard ships, boats, barges, or dredges.

Life As a Ship Mate: What Do They Do?

Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
Supervise crew members in the repair or replacement of defective gear or equipment.
Observe water from ships’ mastheads to advise on navigational direction.
Steer vessels, using navigational devices, such as compasses or sextants, or navigational aids, such as lighthouses or buoys.
Determine geographical positions of ships, using lorans, azimuths of celestial bodies, or computers, and use this information to determine the course and speed of a ship.
Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.

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Skills Needed to be a Ship Mate

Below is a list of the skills most Ship Mates say are important on the job.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Mate
Fourth Officer
Skipper
Ferry Terminal Agent
First Mate

Are There Job Opportunities for Ship Mates?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 38,800 jobs in the United States for Ship Mate. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,400 new jobs for Ship Mate by 2026. The BLS estimates 4,400 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Ship Mate are Nevada, Georgia, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Kentucky, Indiana, or Oregon. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Ship Mate Average Salary

The typical yearly salary for Ship Mates is somewhere between $35,410 and $144,690.

Ship Mates who work in Texas, Oregon, or Maryland, make the highest salaries.

How much do Ship Mates make in each U.S. state?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$79,750
Alaska	$72,570
California	$70,840
Delaware	$74,790
Florida	$78,880
Georgia	$73,410
Hawaii	$52,830
Illinois	$67,020
Iowa	$75,600
Kentucky	$79,130
Louisiana	$93,010
Maine	$61,410
Maryland	$86,460
Massachusetts	$57,700
Michigan	$83,040
Minnesota	$73,910
New Hampshire	$51,490
New Jersey	$75,170
New York	$95,370
North Carolina	$55,710
Ohio	$47,810
Oregon	$100,150
Pennsylvania	$74,780
South Carolina	$67,090
Tennessee	$54,480
Texas	$103,950
Virginia	$77,370
Washington	$90,890
Wisconsin	$48,190

What Tools & Technology do Ship Mates Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Ship Mates:

Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
Log book software
KNMI TurboWin
Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
Maptech The CAPN

Becoming a Ship Mate

Education needed to be a Ship Mate:

What work experience do I need to become a Ship Mate?

References:

Image Credit: via CC0 Public Domain

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