They just call them “marine superintendents” now. That way they can have a 2M license!
If jobs outside USA and US companies are of interest, see here:
These are jobs presently available, but MAY be a guide to what is possible on a wider scale.
Pretty much… maybe in another 20 years I’ll understand why an engineer/glorified technician is called a “Captain.”
Also largely correct. There have been a few that really were awesome over the years, but they were typically titled “Base Manager” overseas and actually doing Port Captain work.
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That’s interesting & I’m absolutely sure you’re not the type of good 'ole boy port captain that I was used to. I say interesting because what you say about you hiring personnel & regulatory responsibilities. From my limited experience in the maritime trade, hiring was done by HR, controlled by a HR manager who answered to a VP. The regulatory stuff was done by compliance/etc & the port captains were under operations. Sounds like your outfit has almost everything ran under a Port Captain. Interesting.
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This thread is funny.
Port Captains are green mates for 2 reasons, IMO.
1: Company wants to pay some trifling salary for a bunch of responsibility and legwork. (LESS than a sailing Master).
2: Old seasoned captain’s never want to hang it up and stay on the ship/boat till they’re 85 and croak.
Rinse and repeat those 2 facts and that’s why only mates and/or non-mariners will take the job.
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The last time I worked with Port Captains they used to be real captains & that was the worst scenario imo. The last thing you need is 2 people in the bridge with the words “Captain So & So” embroidered on their shirts. No good captain I know wants to be captain’ed by a shoreside captain. I sincerely believe freighterman has it worked out very efficiently at his place of employment but I prefer shoreside to manage, support & do logistics. Leave the captaining to the captain. Let the mates go ashore to support & run logistics. Call them superintendents, managers or whatever.
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The management skills Captains developed at sea generally don’t transfer well into a shore based office environment. A lot of Captains at sea have quite poor management skills, but can get away with it when offshore, they wouldn’t get away with it in an office based environment.
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Birds of a different feather managing sailors versus managing office folk. There are certainly some among us who won’t adapt well to greater scrutiny of their approach, but I feel most of us are adept at reading the room, then adjusting our approach to individual team members.
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Personel ,Policy, Publications, Parts & Prov. That is 4.
Where is the 5th.
Port capt duties , responsibilities and required experience and knwowledge as per this ad here:
Port Captain Job Description
With your 5 Ps where would You fit in below flow charts .
Float charts source:
