Sailors and Marine Oilers

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.0), with simple added tooling (β 0.0), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.1). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.

Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient

The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.

Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.

Tasks

All 28 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

• Tie barges together into tow units for tugboats to handle, inspecting barges periodically during voyages and disconnecting them when destinations are reached. Core · importance 4.6
• Attach hoses and operate pumps to transfer substances to and from liquid cargo tanks. Core · importance 4.5
• Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines. Core · importance 4.5
• Read pressure and temperature gauges or displays and record data in engineering logs. Core · importance 4.3
• 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. Core · importance 4.2
• Maintain government-issued certifications, as required. Core · importance 4.2
• Examine machinery to verify specified pressures or lubricant flows. Core · importance 4.2
• Maintain a ship's engines under the direction of the ship's engineering officers. Core · importance 4.1
• Break out, rig, and stow cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, or running gear. Core · importance 4.0
• Lubricate machinery, equipment, or engine parts, such as gears, shafts, or bearings. Core · importance 4.0
• Stand by wheels when ships are on automatic pilot, and verify accuracy of courses, using magnetic compasses. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Steer ships under the direction of commanders or navigating officers or direct helmsmen to steer, following designated courses. Supplemental · importance 4.0
• Lower and man lifeboats when emergencies occur. Core · importance 4.0
• Relay specified signals to other ships, using visual signaling devices, such as blinker lights or semaphores. Supplemental · importance 3.9
• Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses. Core · importance 3.8
• Overhaul lifeboats or lifeboat gear and lower or raise lifeboats with winches or falls. Supplemental · importance 3.7
• Splice and repair ropes, wire cables, or cordage, using marlinespikes, wire cutters, twine, and hand tools. Core · importance 3.7
• Load or unload materials, vehicles, or passengers from vessels. Core · importance 3.6
• Stand gangway watches to prevent unauthorized persons from boarding ships while in port. Supplemental · importance 3.6
• Chip and clean rust spots on decks, superstructures, or sides of ships, using wire brushes and hand or air chipping machines. Core · importance 3.6
• Record data in ships' logs, such as weather conditions or distances traveled. Supplemental · importance 3.5
• Provide engineers with assistance in repairing or adjusting machinery. Core · importance 3.5
• Operate, maintain, or repair ship equipment, such as winches, cranes, derricks, or weapons system. Core · importance 3.4
• Paint or varnish decks, superstructures, lifeboats, or sides of ships. Core · importance 3.4
• Give directions to crew members engaged in cleaning wheelhouses or quarterdecks. Core · importance 3.1
• Measure depth of water in shallow or unfamiliar waters, using leadlines, and telephone or shout depth information to vessel bridges. Supplemental · importance 2.9
• Clean and polish wood trim, brass, or other metal parts. Supplemental · importance 2.6
• Participate in shore patrols. Supplemental · importance 2.5

Work activities

• Maintain professional knowledge or certifications.
• Assist others during emergencies.
• Verify information or specifications.
• Operate ships or other watercraft.
• Secure watercraft to docks, wharves or other vessels.
• Monitor surroundings to detect potential hazards.
• Load shipments, belongings, or materials.
• Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
• Maintain watercraft engines or machinery.
• Maintain material moving equipment in good working condition.
• Set up material handling gear or equipment, such as rigging, packaging, or temporary structures.
• Paint surfaces or equipment.
• Clean vessels or marine equipment.
• Direct maintenance or repair activities.
• Monitor equipment gauges or displays to ensure proper operation.
• Record operational or production data.
• Inspect equipment to ensure proper functioning.
• Measure the level or depth of water or other liquids.
• Connect hoses to equipment or machinery.
• Control pumps or pumping equipment.
• Signal others to coordinate vehicle movement.
• Inspect material-moving equipment to detect problems.
• Record operational details of travel.

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Abilities

Transferable skills

Essential skills

Knowledge

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

• Depth Perception Common Skill
• Visualization Specialized Skill
• Speech Recognition Specialized Skill
• Information Ordering Specialized Skill
• Inductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Deductive Reasoning Common Skill
• Critical Thinking Common Skill
• Active Listening Common Skill
• Time Management Common Skill
• Microsoft Word Common Skill
• Microsoft Windows Common Skill
• Microsoft PowerPoint Common Skill
• Microsoft Outlook Common Skill
• Microsoft Excel Common Skill
• Finger Dexterity Common Skill
• Complex Problem Solving Common Skill
• Social Perceptiveness Common Skill
• Reading Comprehension Common Skill
• Equipment Maintenance Specialized Skill
• Active Learning Common Skill
• English Language Common Skill
• Mathematics Common Skill
• Writing Common Skill
• Equipment Selection Specialized Skill
• Instructing Specialized Skill
• Negotiation Common Skill
• Learning Strategies Specialized Skill
• Chemistry Specialized Skill
• Geography Specialized Skill
• Physics Specialized Skill
• Telecommunications Specialized Skill
• Systems Analysis Specialized Skill
• Psychology Specialized Skill
• Biology Specialized Skill
• Foreign Language Common Skill
• Presentation Software Specialized Skill
• Installation Specialized Skill

Tools & technology

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

How to get in

Job zone

Zone 2 — Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Typical entry-level education

No formal educational credential · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement

Related experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Preparation level

SVP (Below 6.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Interest areas

Work styles

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Related occupations

Part of the Supply Chain & Transportation career cluster.

• Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels · 53-5021.00 Compare →
• Ship Engineers · 53-5031.00 Compare →
• Riggers · 49-9096.00 Compare →
• Motorboat Operators · 53-5022.00 Compare →
• Dredge Operators · 53-7031.00 Compare →
• Hoist and Winch Operators · 53-7041.00 Compare →
• Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers · 53-4022.00 Compare →
• Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders · 53-7121.00 Compare →
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators · 47-2073.00 Compare →
• Crane and Tower Operators · 53-7021.00 Compare →
• Fishing and Hunting Workers · 45-3031.00 Compare →
• Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians · 49-3051.00 Compare →

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Sailors and Marine Oilers — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

• O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
• BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
• “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
• AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
• ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
• IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
• Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
• Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

@misc{singulariki-role-53-5011-00,
  title  = {Sailors and Marine Oilers},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-53-5011-00}
}