helmsman
Helmsmen are members of the crew on the highest rank of the operational level on an inland vessel. They perform a variety of duties concerned with the operation and upkeep of deck department areas, the engine and other equipment, mooring and unmooring, as well as the steering of the ship as the main task.
helmsman helmsmen are members of the crew on the highest rank of the operational level on an inland vessel. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include physical parts of the vessel, international regulations for cargo handling, international waterways, functions of vessel deck equipment, multimodal transport logistics.
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only helmsman, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Public Safety and Security
- Transportation
- Mechanical
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
What you'd actually do
- Tie barges together into tow units for tugboats to handle, inspecting barges periodically during voyages and disconnecting them when destinations are reached.
- Attach hoses and operate pumps to transfer substances to and from liquid cargo tanks.
- Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.
- Read pressure and temperature gauges or displays and record data in engineering logs.
- Stand watch in ships' bows or bridge wings to look for obstructions in a ship's path or to locate navigational aids, such as buoys or lighthouses.
- Maintain government-issued certifications, as required.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does helmsman do?
Helmsmen are members of the crew on the highest rank of the operational level on an inland vessel. They perform a variety of duties concerned with the operation and upkeep of deck department areas, the engine and other equipment, mooring and unmooring, as well as the steering of the ship as the main task.
What skills does helmsman need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include physical parts of the vessel, international regulations for cargo handling, international waterways, functions of vessel deck equipment, multimodal transport logistics, national regulations on handling cargo. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace helmsman?
Our AI-durability model gives helmsman 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.