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Transport & Logistics · Updated Aug 2026

Sailors and Marine Oilers

Stand watch to look for obstructions in path of vessel, measure water depth, turn wheel on bridge, or use emergency equipment as directed by captain, mate, or pilot. Break out, rig, overhaul, and store cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, and running gear. Perform a variety of maintenance tasks to preserve the painted surface of the ship and to maintain line and ship equipment. Must hold government-issued certification and tankerman certification when working aboard liquid-carrying vessels. Includes able seamen and ordinary seamen.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
48/100
Moderate

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
37/100
Low

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence81/100
Task coverage85%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Read pressure and temperature gauges or displays and record data in engineering logs.High
68
Maintain a ship's engines under the direction of the ship's engineering officers.High
68
Break out, rig, and stow cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, or running gear.High
68
Attach hoses and operate pumps to transfer substances to and from liquid cargo tanks.High
65
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.High
67
Relay specified signals to other ships, using visual signaling devices, such as blinker lights or semaphores.Medium
67
Lubricate machinery, equipment, or engine parts, such as gears, shafts, or bearings.High
63
Load or unload materials, vehicles, or passengers from vessels.Medium
68
Examine machinery to verify specified pressures or lubricant flows.High
36
Steer ships under the direction of commanders or navigating officers or direct helmsmen to steer, following designated courses.Medium
67
Stand by wheels when ships are on automatic pilot, and verify accuracy of courses, using magnetic compasses.High
68
Overhaul lifeboats or lifeboat gear and lower or raise lifeboats with winches or falls.Medium
68
Tie barges together into tow units for tugboats to handle, inspecting barges periodically during voyages and disconnecting them when destinations are reached.High
28
Operate, maintain, or repair ship equipment, such as winches, cranes, derricks, or weapons system.Medium
35
Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.High
15
Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses.Medium
16
Provide engineers with assistance in repairing or adjusting machinery.Medium
22
Record data in ships' logs, such as weather conditions or distances traveled.Medium
21
Splice and repair ropes, wire cables, or cordage, using marlinespikes, wire cutters, twine, and hand tools.Medium
20
Give directions to crew members engaged in cleaning wheelhouses or quarterdecks.Medium
17
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Read pressure and temperature gauges or displays and record data in engineering logs.68
  2. Maintain a ship's engines under the direction of the ship's engineering officers.68
  3. Break out, rig, and stow cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, or running gear.68
  4. Load or unload materials, vehicles, or passengers from vessels.68
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.01
  2. Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses.02
  3. Record data in ships' logs, such as weather conditions or distances traveled.03
  4. Splice and repair ropes, wire cables, or cordage, using marlinespikes, wire cutters, twine, and hand tools.04
  5. Give directions to crew members engaged in cleaning wheelhouses or quarterdecks.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency67
Physical dependency72
Adoption pressure34
Labour-market resilience71
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence81/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →