Will AI replace Sailors and Marine Oilers?
Estimated risk score: 15 out of 100
Very low replacement risk
Estimate from published task research, not reviewed by a person · how we estimate
Within about 19 points for 4 in 5 of the jobs we checked (0 to 34).
For the occupation as a whole, from ratings of its 28 O*NET tasks published in 2023 and calibrated to our hand scores. A specialty inside it can sit higher or lower.
O*NET-SOC 53-5011.00 · Transportation and Material Moving
Tasks rated in 2023 as ones AI could do or speed up
Tasks a GPT-4-class model could do, or do in half the time or less: 3 of its 28 rated tasks. In O*NET’s words.
- Record data in ships' logs, such as weather conditions or distances traveled.
- Read pressure and temperature gauges or displays and record data in engineering logs.
- Maintain government-issued certifications, as required.
Tasks rated in 2023 as not sped up by AI
Tasks such a model was rated as not speeding up or taking over: 25 of its 28 rated tasks; the first 6 are shown. In O*NET’s words.
- Attach hoses and operate pumps to transfer substances to and from liquid cargo tanks.
- Break out, rig, and stow cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, or running gear.
- Chip and clean rust spots on decks, superstructures, or sides of ships, using wire brushes and hand or air chipping machines.
- Examine machinery to verify specified pressures or lubricant flows.
- Give directions to crew members engaged in cleaning wheelhouses or quarterdecks.
- Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.
What the job is
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.
Also called: Deck Hand, Able Seaman, Bosun, Cadet, Sailor, Seaman, Yeoman, Crewman.
Closest jobs we score by hand
In the same field (Transportation and Material Moving). Different jobs, each scored by a person.
Source. This site includes information from the O*NET 30.1 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. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. (O*NET, CC BY 4.0.) Task ratings: Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock (2023), “GPTs are GPTs: An Early Look at the Labor Market Impact Potential of Large Language Models”, data used under the MIT licence (licence texts). Our change: we averaged the ratings over this occupation’s tasks and calibrated them to our 0–100 scale. It is not a prediction about any one person and not career advice. Disagree? Write to hello@yourstopwashit.com. How we estimate