jobfacts

Marine and waterways transport operatives

SOC 2020 8232

Marine and waterways transport operatives supervise and carry out a variety of deck duties and operate and maintain engines, boilers and mechanical equipment on board ships, boats and other marine vessels.

Also calledMerchant Navy ratingEngine ratingDeck ratingAble seafarerPetty officerDriverand 102 more titles
Typical full-time pay£39,4002025 Provisional
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month281↑ 6.5%on last year · 319th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
What full-time marine and waterways transport operatives earn, 2025
£39,400 typicaln/ptop 10%
n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less thanNot published
25%Not published
Median£39,400
75%Not published
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £39,400
South East!£35,600
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £39,400
South East£35,600 (small sample)
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £34,300
  • 2024 £38,200
  • 2025 Provisional£39,400
↑ 15% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 281 jobs for marine and waterways transport operatives are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026286
Jul 2026331
Jun 2026267
May 2026273
Apr 2026308
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026269
Jan 2026275
Dec 2025142
Nov 2025296
Oct 2025315
Sept 2025331
Aug 2025256
Jul 2025300
Jun 2025299
May 2025340
Apr 2025298
Mar 2025280
Feb 2025302
Jan 2025239
Dec 2024144
Nov 2024199
Oct 2024247
Sept 2024279
Aug 2024302
Jul 2024285
Jun 2024302
May 2024317
Apr 2024293
Mar 2024324
Feb 2024294
Jan 2024354
Dec 2023253
Nov 2023281
Oct 2023262
Sept 2023281
Aug 2023327
Jul 2023306
Jun 2023414
May 2023395
Apr 2023327
Mar 2023410
Feb 2023343
Jan 2023396
Dec 2022354
Nov 2022383
Oct 2022458
Sept 2022459
Aug 2022480
Jul 2022519
Jun 2022490
May 2022557
Apr 2022422
Mar 2022521
Feb 2022447
Jan 2022595
Dec 2021380
Nov 2021421
Oct 2021525
Sept 2021514
Aug 2021499
Jul 2021510
Jun 2021483
May 2021401
Apr 2021333
Mar 2021415
Feb 2021227
Jan 2021245
Dec 2020179
Nov 2020223
Oct 2020299
Sept 2020278
Aug 2020235
Jul 2020197
Jun 2020217
May 2020213
Apr 2020242
Mar 2020575
Feb 2020596
Jan 2020618
Dec 2019327
Nov 2019530
Oct 2019572
Sept 2019564
Aug 2019533
Jul 2019572
Jun 2019534
May 2019607
Apr 2019477
Mar 2019640
Feb 2019553
Jan 2019653
Dec 2018460
Nov 2018582
Oct 2018593
Sept 2018581
Aug 2018670
Jul 2018507
Jun 2018572
May 2018587
Apr 2018565
Mar 2018642
Feb 2018630
Jan 2018743
Dec 2017420
Nov 2017612
Oct 2017603
Sept 2017671
Aug 2017596
Jul 2017596
Jun 2017695
May 2017686
Apr 2017428
Mar 2017825
Feb 2017401
Jan 2017502
Is there a shortage of marine and waterways transport operatives?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsAbove usual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
27%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives, which includes marine and waterways transport operatives. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London150
Cornwall13
Glasgow City13
Bristol, City of12
Highland12
Leeds12
North Northamptonshire9
South Gloucestershire9
Northumberland9
Birmingham8
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where marine and waterways transport operatives are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. 157 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026, most to people from Poland, Netherlands, Philippines, ranking it 87th of 313. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of marine and waterways transport operatives
n/p
n/p
n/p
81%!
n/p
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–34Not published
35–44Not published
45–5481% (small sample)
55–64Not published
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent–
Not published
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent–
Not published
GCSEs or equivalent!110%
Other qualifications!29%
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalentNot published
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalentNot published
GCSEs or equivalent110% (small sample)
Other qualifications29% (small sample)
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: service activities incidental to water transportation (24%), sea and coastal freight water transport (14%).

How to get in

Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 110%
Apprenticeships
3
from level 2
Apprenticeships take
18 months to 2 years
typically

Routes in

You can get into this job through:

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a sponsored apprenticeship with a shipping company, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary or other small vessel and ferry operators.

Apprenticeships include:

  • Seafarer (Deck Rating) Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Maritime Mechanical and Electrical Mechanic Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Small Commercial Vessel Crew Member Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

Your training will combine classroom study with placements at sea to get practical experience of working on a ship. The length of training depends on your sponsoring company.

Employers will expect you to have good practical skills, enthusiasm for the career and the potential to complete ratings training.

Entry requirements

Employers will set their own entry requirements.

Apply directly

You can apply for jobs directly with shipping companies, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary or small vessel operators, if you have qualifications and experience in:

  • engineering
  • freight handling
  • navigation

What you’ll need

  • complete basic sea safety training – STCW – at a centre approved by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  • get a seafarer medical certificate

You may need a Certificate of Competency if you are a deck or engine room watch rating.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You can find work on all types of ships, including tankers, container ships, ferries, supply vessels and tugboats.

As well as deck and engine room roles, there may be opportunities to work in the hospitality and catering side of a ship’s operations.

Further information

You can find out more about working in the Merchant Navy through Careers at Sea and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for merchant navy rating. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

3 for this job
Level 2About 18 months

Seafarer (deck rating)

You gain
Award in Maritime Studies: Deck Rating – SQA Code GC6K 62; Certificate in Maritime Studies: Able Seafarer (Deck) – SQA Code GK54 54
Employers may ask for
Every apprentice without exception will need to pass strict medical requirements. This test includes, but is not limited to, severe deafness or difficulty…
Details on Skills England
Level 3About 2 years

Small commercial vessel crewmember

You gain
STCW Personal Survival Techniques; STCW Firefighting and Fire Prevention
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • ensures that necessary fuel supplies are on board and inspects engine, boilers and other mechanisms for correct functioning
  • removes and repairs or replaces damaged or worn parts of plant and machinery and ensures that engine and plant machinery are well lubricated
  • stows cargo, assists passengers to embark and disembark, watches for hazards and moors or casts off mooring ropes as required
  • steers ship, under the supervision of a duty officer, checks navigational aids and keeps bridge, wheel and chartroom clean and tidy
  • performs other deck duties, including servicing and maintaining deck gear and rigging, splicing wire and fibre ropes, greasing winches and derricks, opening up and battening down hatches, securing gangways and ladders and lowering and raising lifeboats

Skills

  • moor vessels
  • swim
  • unmoor vessels
  • follow verbal instructions
  • follow written instructions
  • secure ships using rope
  • act reliably
  • assist anchoring operations
  • clean parts of vessels
  • maintain vessel engine room
  • use different types of fire extinguishers
  • use maritime English
  • show confidence
  • use different communication channels

Knowledge

  • Global Maritime Distress and Safety System
  • principles of combustion engines
  • types of maritime vessels
  • vessel safety equipment
  • Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
  • engine components

Suits people who like

  • Practical, hands-on work
  • Organising and following procedures

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for transport and mobile machine drivers and operatives, a group of 14 jobs that includes marine and waterways transport operatives.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 6.7%about 80,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 2035748,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.