deck officer

Deck officers or mates perform the watch duties on board of vessels like determining the course and speed, manoeuvring to avoid hazards, and continuously monitoring the vessels position using charts and navigational aids. They maintain logs and other records tracking the ship's movements. They ensure that the proper procedures and safety practices are followed, check that equipment is in good working order, and oversee the loading and discharging of cargo or passengers.

The most in-demand skills for this role include international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, vessel safety equipment, celestial navigation, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, provide first aid. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Our AI-durability model gives deck officer a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.