Will AI replace Sailors and Marine Oilers?

The core of your work stays human. For you, AI is mainly an amplifier.

Task exposure to today's AI

11/100

Low exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Sailors and Marine Oilers?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 11% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: 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. The parts that stay human include: 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.; Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.; Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable

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. 12%

Steer ships under the direction of commanders or navigating officers or direct helmsmen to steer, following designated courses. 12%

Tie barges together into tow units for tugboats to handle, inspecting barges periodically during voyages and disconnecting them when destinations are reached. 10%

Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines. 7%

Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses. 7%

Paint or varnish decks, superstructures, lifeboats, or sides of ships. 7%

+ 22 more tasks (58% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

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.
Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.
Sweep, mop, and wash down decks to remove oil, dirt, and debris, using brooms, mops, brushes, and hoses.

AI tools to try

Route and fleet appsWarehouse and logistics systemsChatGPT / Claude for reports and messages

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

AI for planning and reports

Routes, schedules and loads with planning apps.
Delivery reports and customer messages.
Rules and documents explained, checked in the source.

Project

Use AI to draft a week of watch handover and deck-maintenance reports plus a plain-English summary of one COLREGs rule, verifying every point against the official text.

Phase 2

Work with automated systems

How warehouse and fleet systems make decisions.
Exceptions: when to override the system.
Safety with automated vehicles and robots.

Project

Shadow the bridge ECDIS, autopilot and track-control systems for 10 watches, logging each alarm or route suggestion you overrode and why, then have AI turn the log into a one-page override guide.

Phase 3

Move toward coordination

Dispatching, planning or logistics coordination.
Data and spreadsheets with AI help.
Licences and certificates for new equipment.

Project

Build an AI-assisted spreadsheet tracking your crew's mooring, painting and washdown hours plus certificate expiry dates, and use it to propose next month's work plan to the bosun.

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