Maritime Sectors

Maritime Industry Sectors
Passenger Water Transportation

Passenger Water Transportation

“Passenger Water Transportation includes recreational cruise lines, Washington State Ferries and other ferries, water taxis, and recreational fishing, sailing, and diving charters”.

Fishing & Seafood Processing

Fishing & Seafood Processing

Fishing and Seafood Products includes commercial and recreational fishermen, seafood processing firms, aquaculture and fish farming, and wholesale and retail seafood markets.”

Maritime Support Services

Maritime Support Services

These services include support for commercial, recreational, and defense-related Maritime, including boat dealers, marinas, fueling and lubricant businesses, to naval architects…

Boat, Shipbuilding, and Repair

Boat, Shipbuilding, and Repair

Shipbuilding and repair is the design, engineering, and construction of new vessels as well as the repair of vessels needing rehabilitation. Shipyards are where ships…

Emerging Technologies

Emerging Technologies

The American wind energy industry currently supports more than 100,000 jobs, including vital positions such as turbine technicians, researchers, scientists, engineers, trade…

Maritime Logistics & Shipping

Maritime Logistics & Shipping

Maritime Logistics and Shipping includes port & harbor operations, deep & shallow water goods movement, inland water freight transport, and…

Recreational Boating

Recreational Boating

Boating is a leisure activity involving travel or fun via a boat, powerboat, sailboat, rowboat, or paddleboat. Want a career in the recreational boating field? Take a look at the jobs below.

Shipboard Positions

Underway maritime jobs (also called seafaring or shipboard) include a wide variety of roles and ranks. The crew on a ship is usually divided into three departments: the Deck Department, the Engine Department and the Steward Department. You can see how a ship is organized based on department and position rank in the graphic below.  

Deck Department
Captain
2
1st Mate/Chief Mate
2
2nd Mate
2
3rd Mate**
2
Able Bodied Seaman*
2
Ordinary Seaman

* Entry after 1-year Maritime Program
** Entry after 4-year Maritime Program

Engine Department
Chief Engineer
2
1st Asst. Engineer
2
2nd Asst. Engineer
2
3rd Asst. Engineer**
2
Oiler/QMED*
2
Wiper
Steward Department
Chief Steward
2
Chief Cook
2
2nd Cook
2
Cook
2
Steward
Glossary of Common Nautical Terms
Abandon Ship

Leave the vessel immediately as there is imminent danger.

Amidships

In the middle of the boat; as in: Example: You will find the galley amidships.

Ballast

Heavy material that is placed in the hold of a vessel to provide stability.

Catamaran

A vessel with two hulls.

EPIRB

An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or EPIRB is used to alert search and rescue services in the event of an emergency.

Head

The bathroom on a boat.

Knot

One nautical mile per hour.

Marina

A docking facility for small ships and yachts.

Nautical mile

One minute of latitude or about 1.15 statute miles. (A nautical mile is easy to measure by referring to the latitude on a nautical chart).

Starboard

Starboard is always the right-hand side of the boat when you are facing the bow.

Adrift

Afloat but not controlled, attached to shore or seabed.

Awash

So low in the water that the water is constantly washing across the surface.

Batten Down

Prepare for heavy weather, i.e. batten down the hatches.

Cleat

Metal object around which a line can be fastened.

Forward

Towards the bow (of the vessel).

Hull

The main body of a vessel/the shell and framework of the basic flotation-oriented part of a ship.

Latitude

Angular distance in degrees north or south of the earth’s equator; example: the North pole is at 90 degrees north latitude.

Mariner

A sailor.

Nay

No.

Tallship

A large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel.

Aft

Towards the stern (of the vessel).

Aweigh

Anchor being lifted off the bottom.

Boat hook

Pole with blunt tip and a hook on the end, used to assist in docking and undocking a boat.

Dinghy

A type of small boat, often carried or towed as a ship’s boat by a larger vessel.

Furl

Roll or fold up a sail and secure neatly.

Jetty

A man-made wall in open water/a landing stage or small pier at which boats can dock or be moored.

Leeward

Also known as lee, leeward is the direction opposite to the way the wind is currently blowing.

Moored

To secure a ship or boat in a particular place, as by cables and anchors or by lines.

Port

Port is always the left-hand side of a boat when you are facing the bow.

Windward

The direction in which the wind is currently blowing.

Ahoy

Exclamation, a call used to greet someone or draw attention to something from a distance.

Aye

Yes.

Buoy

Floating aid to navigation.

ECDIS

An Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) is a geographic information system used for navigation as an alternative to paper nautical charts.

Harbor

A place on the coast where vessels may find shelter.

Keel

The longitudinal structure along the centerline at the bottom of a vessel’s hull, on which the rest of the hull is built.

Longitude

The angular distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian (a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth’s surface).

Nautical Charts

Maps designed specifically for navigation at sea.

Radar

Acronym for Radio Detection and Ranging. A device for determining the presence and location of an object by measuring the time for the echo of a radio wave to return from it and the direction from which it returns.  

Contact

Phone: (206) 227 8216
Email: robert@maritimeblue.org

Youth Maritime Collaborative

Where Opportunity Sets Afloat

Guiding youth toward adventurous careers in the maritime industry through paid internships, experiential learning events, and thoughtful career exploration with a specific focus on equity and inclusivity.

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