Overview
Water transport deck and engine room crew stand watch, operate and maintain deck equipment, perform other deck and bridge duties and assist ship engineer officers to operate, maintain and repair engines, machinery and auxiliary equipment aboard ships or self-propelled vessels. They are employed by marine transportation companies and federal government departments.
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
Deck crew - water transport
Stand watch and steer ship or self-propelled vessel under the direction of the officer on watch
Operate, maintain and repair deck equipment such as winches, cranes, derricks and hawsers
Clean, chip and paint deck surfaces
Handle mooring lines, and splice and repair ropes, wire cables and other cordage
Load, discharge and secure ship cargo.
Engine room crew - water transport
Assist ship engineer officers in performing routine maintenance work and repair to ship's engine, machinery and auxiliary equipment
Monitor engine, machinery and equipment indicators, record variables and report abnormalities to ship engineer officer on watch
Lubricate moving parts of engines, machinery and auxiliary equipment
Operate and maintain off-loading liquid pumps and valves
Maintain engine parts and keep engine room clean.
Employment prospects
Annual salary
$43,798
$62,568
$82,819
Job openings
Use this interactive map to explore job openings in different regions across B.C.
British Columbia
200expected job openings (5-year forecast)
Education and training
Employment requirements
Some secondary school education is required.
On-the-job training is provided.
Additional information
Training and testing for various endorsements and certification, including the Marine Emergency Duty (MED) certificate, occur following employment as a deck crew member.
Senior positions in this unit group, such as able seaman/woman, require experience.
Progression to deck or ship engineer officer positions is possible with experience, additional training and deck officer certification by Transport Canada.
Certification requirements
Post-secondary programs in B.C.
No post-secondary education required
No post-secondary education required. You can work in this career without post-secondary education. Some on the job training may be provided. With additional training or experience, you may be able to progress into higher level, supervisory or management positions.