Sailors and Marine Oilers
Transportation and Material Moving · SOC 53-5011
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 53-5011 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 52/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $51,520
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 4,000
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +2.3%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- —
- FY— certified LCAs; 4,621 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →No H-1B certified LCA filings recorded for this occupation in FY2016–FY2025.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Able Bodied Seaman (AB Seaman), Able Bodied Watchman (AB Watchman), Able Seaman, Boat Crew Deck Hand, Bosun, Deck Hand
Representative Tasks
- •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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Secure watercraft to docks, wharves or other vessels.
- •Inspect material-moving equipment to detect problems.
- •Connect hoses to equipment or machinery.
- •Control pumps or pumping equipment.
- •Monitor equipment gauges or displays to ensure proper operation.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Outlook | Average | 20% Bright |
| Median Salary | $51,520 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |