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Deckhands, dual purpose crew and ships stokers

How to become a Seafarer

Also called: Deckhand, Deck Crew Member, Engine Room Crew Member, Engine Room Rating, Ship's Radio Officer

Works on car ferries, cargo ships and sightseeing boats on domestic routes, and on tankers, container ships and cruise ships on international routes, carrying passengers and cargo.

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

To become a deck or engine crew member, people usually graduate from a fisheries high school or similar, gain a mariner's licence and then join a company that owns ships. Some meet the sea service requirements while working and aim for national qualifications such as navigation officer or marine engineer officer. You need the fitness and endurance to cope with a harsh natural environment and irregular work. A ship is a community that shares one fate, led by the captain, so respect for order and strict obedience to the rules on board are required. Those who become navigation or engine officers need the leadership to assist the captain, discipline themselves, directly lead deck and engine crew and build teamwork.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Seafarer?

To become a deck or engine crew member, people usually graduate from a fisheries high school or similar, gain a mariner's licence and then join a company that owns ships. Some meet the sea service requirements while working and aim for national qualifications such as navigation officer or marine engineer officer. You need the fitness and endurance to cope with a harsh natural environment and irregular work. A ship is a community that shares one fate, led by the captain, so respect for order and strict obedience to the rules on board are required. Those who become navigation or engine officers need the leadership to assist the captain, discipline themselves, directly lead deck and engine crew and build teamwork.

How much does a Seafarer earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,701,100 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Transport workers not classified elsewhere, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Seafarer?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 10% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: College of technology (高等専門学校, kosen).

Will AI change the work of a Seafarer?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026