How to Join the Merchant Marine

What Is a Merchant Mariner?

A merchant mariner serves aboard a commercial vessel as part of the Merchant Marine after completing training and Coast Guard-approved certification. The mariner may have a variety of jobs, from electronics to culinary work. Mariners help keep a vessel operating smoothly and ensure that the vessel, cargo, and passengers get safely to their destination.

What Type of Jobs are Available?

Mariners may work on a variety of ships. Common possibilities oceangoing tanker, container ships, bulk carriers, towboats, ferries, dredges, and cruise ships. Mariners’ careers may take them to just about anybody of water, from the oceans to the Great Lakes to many harbors, canals, and rivers.

Mariners can choose from among different career paths within the Merchant Marine. The three possible options are the engineering, deck and steward’s departments. Prospective mariners should decide on their intended career paths early, since your chosen career path will determine your requirements for the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC).

Deckhands maintain and operate the vessel and its deck equipment. New deckhands are Ordinary Seamen (OS). Sailors with more experience are Able Seamen (AB). Deckhands may stand watch, paint, chip away rust, clean the interior of the ship, handle mooring lines, tie barges together, load and unload cargo, assist passengers, and sometimes steer the ship under the supervision of an officer.

Engine department: Members of the engine department include engineers, electricians, mechanics and oilers. They make sure the machinery on a vessel operates correctly.
Deck department: Members of the deck department include merchant seamen and lifeboatmen. They assist with the day-to-day functions of the ship.
Steward’s department: Members of the steward’s department provide the ship’s food.

Other positions include captains, mates, pilots, engineers, and oilers.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Merchant Mariner?

The time required to become a mariner depends on the route an applicant takes. A person who joins as an Ordinary Seaman may become a mariner after passing the required courses and exams and receiving the necessary credentials, which may be a matter of only a few months.

Is There an Age Limit for the Merchant Marine?

You must be at least 16 years old to apply for an MMC. There is no upper age limit. Many people have retired from their first careers and gone on to successful second careers as Merchant Mariners.

Is the Merchant Marine Part of the Military?

No. Though the Coast Guard oversees certification, mariners are civilians. The merchant marines are not part of the military.

How Much Do Merchant Marines Get Paid?

The salary of a merchant marine varies by the training received. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual pay for an International Ordinary Seaman in the United States is $90,508 a year. That works out to be approximately $43.51/hour (the equivalent of $1,740/week or $7,542/month.)

What Are the Physical Requirements?

Mariners must pass a vision test and a physical fitness test. A prospective mariner must demonstrate strength, agility and flexibility, as determined by the examining medical professional. If the examiner doubts the applicant’s ability to perform essential shipboard functions or meet the demands of an emergency response, or if the applicant’s body mass index is 40 or higher, the examiner may require a demonstration of specific abilities.

For vision, current deck standards require that a mariner have at least 20/40 corrected vision in one eye and at least 20/200 uncorrected vision in the same eye. Engineering, tankerman, radio operator and MODU standards require at least 20/50 corrected vision in one eye and at least 20/200 uncorrected vision in the same eye.