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Ship Engineer

What Do Ship Engineer Do?

Job Description & Duties Supervise and coordinate activities of crew engaged in operating and maintaining engines, boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment aboard ship.

Life As a Ship Engineer: What Do They Do?

  • Clean engine parts and keep engine rooms clean.
  • Record orders for changes in ship speed or direction and note gauge readings or test data, such as revolutions per minute or voltage output, in engineering logs or bellbooks.
  • Act as a liaison between a ship’s captain and shore personnel to ensure that schedules and budgets are maintained and that the ship is operated safely and efficiently.
  • Maintain complete records of engineering department activities, including machine operations.
  • Supervise the activities of marine engine technicians engaged in the maintenance or repair of mechanical or electrical marine vessels and inspect their work to ensure that it is performed properly.
  • Maintain or repair engines, electric motors, pumps, winches, or other mechanical or electrical equipment or assist other crew members with maintenance or repair duties.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Ship Engineer?

When polled, Ship Engineers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

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

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.

Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

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

Types of Ship Engineer

  • Tug Boat Engineer
  • Small Boat Engineer
  • Deck Engineer
  • Port Engineer
  • Chief Engineer

Job Opportunities for Ship Engineers

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 10,100 jobs in the United States for Ship Engineer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.9% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 700 new jobs for Ship Engineer by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,300 positions for Ship Engineer per year.

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The states with the most job growth for Ship Engineer are Maine, Texas, and South Carolina. Watch out if you plan on working in Missouri, Indiana, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Ship Engineer Salary

Ship Engineers make between $40,330 and $123,670 a year.

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Ship Engineers who work in New York, Missouri, or Washington, make the highest salaries.

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

State Annual Mean Salary
Alaska $63,620
California $66,870
Florida $67,650
Georgia $66,440
Kentucky $88,710
Louisiana $76,010
Massachusetts $84,810
Minnesota $73,450
Mississippi $77,260
Missouri $86,470
New Jersey $73,790
New York $100,430
North Carolina $49,370
Oregon $78,820
Pennsylvania $81,900
South Carolina $79,350
Tennessee $75,750
Texas $74,100
Virginia $72,970
Washington $84,960

What Tools do Ship Engineers Use?

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

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Access
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft Project
  • Oracle software
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
  • Apple macOS
  • SAP software
  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
  • Customer relationship management CRM software
  • Salesforce
  • Computer aided dispatch software
  • Electronic data interchange EDI software
  • Wonderware software

How do I Become a Ship Engineer?

Individuals working as a Ship Engineer have obtained the following education levels:

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

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Where do Ship Engineers Work?

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Career changers with experience as a Ship Engineer sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: via CC0 Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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