How to become a ship captain or Chief mate

Official title: Ship captain/Chief mate

Also called: Chief foreign-going ship's deck navigating officer, Chief mate, First mate (ship), Ship captain, Shipmaster, Ship's chief officer, Ÿ Ship’s chief officer, Ÿ Shipmaster

Ship captain/Chief mate commands and controls the navigation, manoeuvring, cargo handling, stowage, communications and safe handling of the ship. He/she oversees operations and maintenance of all on-board equipment including machinery, engines and safety equipment and monitors the daily progress of the vessel to complete the voyage in a most efficient manner while ensuring that the ship complies with local and international laws, as well as port state and flag state policies.

Main tasks

• Developing, adapting and overseeing the implementation of navigation plans through using complex navigation aids and clear knowledge of local conditions
• Adapting departmental plans and priorities to address resource and operational challenges
• Planning and arranging all technical maintenance and repairs needed on the vessels
• Carrying out vessel inspections and monitor the ship’s conditions
• Ensuring compliance of vessels with regulations and standards
• Researching and implementing new procedures to improve daily operations

Ways in

• University: Engineering degrees, Offered by 4 universities in Singapore
• Licence or registration: Deck and engineering officers on Singapore-registered ships need a Certificate of Competency for their rank. Singapore cadets earn one through a nautical or marine engineering diploma, sea service and exams; officers certified by a recognised foreign country also need an endorsement from the MPA. Law: Merchant Shipping Act 1995. Regulator: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) (https://www.mpa.gov.sg).

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

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

Related jobs

• Chief/Second engineer (ship)
• Technical superintendent
• Marine superintendent

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a ship captain or Chief mate?

Ways in include: Engineering degrees.

Will AI change the work of a ship captain or Chief mate?

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