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Ship Captain & Deck Officer

Logistics

Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Logistics & Supply Chain

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
  2. 2Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
  3. 3Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
  4. 4Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
  5. 5Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
  6. 6Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
  7. 7Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
  8. 8Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
  9. 9Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
  10. 10Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
  11. 11Tow and maneuver barges or signal tugboats to tow barges to destinations.
  12. 12Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
  13. 13Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
  14. 14Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.
  15. 15Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.
  16. 16Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
  17. 17Signal crew members or deckhands to rig tow lines, open or close gates or ramps, or pull guard chains across entries.
  18. 18Perform various marine duties, such as checking for oil spills or other pollutants around ports or harbors or patrolling beaches.
  19. 19Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
  20. 20Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
  21. 21Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
  22. 22Calculate sightings of land, using electronic sounding devices and following contour lines on charts.
  23. 23Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures through instruction, simulators, or models.
  24. 24Direct or coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading or unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, or operating, maintaining, or repairing ship equipment.
  25. 25Arrange for ships to be fueled, restocked with supplies, or repaired.
  26. 26Assign watches or living quarters to crew members.
  27. 27Supervise crews in cleaning or maintaining decks, superstructures, or bridges.
  28. 28Purchase supplies or equipment.
  29. 29Interview and hire crew members.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Mate
  • Pilot
  • Captain
  • Officer
  • Skipper
  • AB Seaman
  • Bar Pilot
  • Boat Mate
  • Boatswain
  • Navigator

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Transportation83%
  • Public Safety and Security76%
  • Mechanical69%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Law and Government67%

    History (Sejarah)

  • English Language66%

    English

  • Geography65%

    Geography

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Oversee the use of drones for inspection and maintenance of hard-to-reach parts of the vessel.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

7%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Commercial Pilot

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue