What is a Merchant Sailor and Their Role?

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A merchant sailor is someone who works in the commercial maritime industry on cargo or passenger ships, both domestically and internationally. Merchant sailors are responsible for many tasks that help to keep the ship running, including navigating and steering the vessel, maintaining communication systems, helping with loading and unloading cargo, handling paperwork, and keeping the ship in compliance with safety regulations.

They can serve as part of a deck crew which includes able seaman, ordinary seamen, bosun’s mates and quartermasters. Butchering fish or sea mammals for consumption by passengers aboard is one specialized skill many merchant sailors have acquired. With a large number of vessels relying mainly on automation these days, manual skills can be difficult to come by but more traditional sailing positions such as captain and chief mate are still present on most ships as well.

The work of merchant sailors often requires long hours due to their roles requiring them to remain at sea for weeks or months at a time; however they also enjoy the benefits of travelling around the world while getting paid. They are required to pay attention to both ship functions as well as adverse weather conditions-experience with heavy watercrafts is often needed in order to negotiate large bodies of open waters without incident. Additionally they must be aware of international regulations regarding passports and visas that could potentially delay voyages if not properly managed. Merchant sailors generally receive good wages when compared to similar occupations ashore while also having access to medical aid should an emergency arise onboard a vessel.