How to become a port captain

Official title: Port captain

Port captain commands or supervises operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. He/she ensures vessel comply with legal requirements, and conducts investigation and analysis for any non-conformances, accidents, hazardous occurrences.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Work-study diploma. Related ITE work-study diplomas: Work-Study Diploma in Port Automation Technology. You are employed by a company and study at ITE at the same time. Peernovo matched these from course names.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

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

Related jobs

• Port master/Dockmaster
• Flight operations officer
• Air cargo officer
• Load control officer (aircraft)
• Train operations officer
• Road transport operations officer

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Questions people ask

How do I become a port captain?

Ways in include: Work-study diploma.

Will AI change the work of a port captain?

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

Sources

• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026