Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Ship Captain
What ship captains actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a ship captain?
Take the midnight watch. From there, the day usually includes navigate vessels, stand watch, and supervise crew. Rotations such as 28 days on, 28 days off are common.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a ship captain working full time.
- Take the midnight watch.
- Hand off the watch.
- Review weather routing.
- Run a safety drill.
- Inspect cargo lashings.
- Plan port arrival.
- Talk with the harbor pilot.
Where ship captains work
Captains work on vessels for weeks or months at a time.
Hours and schedule
Rotations such as 28 days on, 28 days off are common.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Navigate vessels
- Stand watch
- Supervise crew
- Plan voyages
- Oversee cargo
- Ensure safety
- Keep logs
Tools you’ll use every day
- ECDIS
- Radar
- GPS
- Radios
- AIS
- Engine controls
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Strong pay
- Long time off between rotations
- Leadership
- Adventure
What’s hard
- Weeks away from home
- Weather risks
- High responsibility
- Long training
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I love the water
- I can lead a crew
- I can be away for weeks
- I stay calm in storms
- I like navigation
- I want long breaks
Not sure? Take the free Ship Captain fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Follow COLREGS
- Run regular drills
- Respect weather
- Manage fatigue