The First Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production. Today, we stand on the brink of a technological revolution that is utterly changing the way we live, work and behave. Drones, 3d printing, virtual reality, big data, robots are only a few technology trends which led to equivalent job positions that we may never had thought they could exist; just imagine what was the job market like at Y2K and how it will evolve till 2050, especially in the maritime industry. Let’s take a look at twelve amazing jobs that entered the maritime industry lately!
1. Ship Automation Specialist
The automation on board is a “reality” with hundreds autonomous systems working today. Totally Integrated Automation and Totally Integrated Power concepts not only reduce component life-cycle costs and increase levels of system reliability and safety, but also optimize the ship design, building and systems integration phases. Engineers, software developers and mechanics who can work on the new technology are already increasingly in demand.
2. Cyber Security Specialist
The cyber security crisis is more rampant than ever, especially when it comes to maritime. Maersk and Clarksons cyber incidents during 2017 serve as examples. Shipping companies hire persons responsible for designing, testing, implementing and monitoring security measures for their systems in order to prevent potential cyber-attacks.
3. 3d Printing Technician
The 3d printing market is growing rapidly. Many projects have shown the potential of using 3D printing techniques to produce vessel components; think of the WAAMpeller, the first 3d printed ship propeller. Thousands of new jobs are being created around the 3D printing industry as this technology gets evolved.
4. Drone pilots / Virtual Ship Captains
Unmanned air vehicles/drones have been a game changer in the maritime industry providing cost efficiency, speedier deliveries as well as less labor dependence. Drone technology can be a powerful tool to support surveys, boost inspection of enclosed spaces and investigation capabilities. More than 100,000 new jobs will come up in the unmanned aircraft by 2025, a report released by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International says. Thus, it’s increasingly possible to get paid to fly a commercial drone aircraft, so does virtual reality (VR) which also enters the maritime industry requiring programmers, hardware and software engineers, trainers, researchers, project managers and business owners to specialize in the space of visualizing and augmenting reality. Cost-effective software and hardware solutions for Virtual Reality helped maritime industry to adapt its options and bring them to beneficial use. VR Tools allow seafarers train safely in any location, onboard or in an office or training center
5. Company/Ship/Port facility Security Officer
The implementation of ISPS created a whole new regime of legislative positions in order to coordinate security in shipping era. The base was the anti terrorist behavior of industry and expanded to anti-piracy obligations.
6. Armed Security Guards
An increased piracy decade 2004-2014, has also led to the adoption of best practices by the industry including the use of armed (or not) guards on board ocean going vessels. The majority of flag administrations accept the embarkation of armed guards for protection purposes during transits from piracy dangerous high risk areas.
7. Communications, PR & Social media Professional/ Representative
Digital technology is probably one of the best things to happen to the shipping industry. For shipping companies, social media are relevant for each and every department. Operators can use them for service, sales, branding, communications, PR, HR, operations, leadership, customer insights, business intelligence, internal collaboration and so on and so on.
8. Ballast Water Expert /Project Manager
The adoption of stricter ballast water (BW) legislation from various stakeholders (IMO, USCG, States etc) has brought Ballast Water Management at the forefront. In particular, the Ballast Water Management Convention(BWMC) requires Ballast Water Management Plans to be updated, effective and properly implemented on board in accordance with national requirements. Compliance experts, ballast water treatment system developers and personnel for testing laboratories are only a few of the jobs that this legislation has created.
9. Energy Efficiency Optimization Specialist
A series of regulations (MARPOL, MRV, GHG, ISO 14001 & 50001 etc) originated an environmental frame which requires continuous actions and efforts and created positions such as environmental managers and representatives , energy efficiency experts, personnel for the construction of new type of engines , new types of fuels and a lot of other related initiatives.
10. Ship Recycling and hazardous material Specialist
A specific environmental stand-alone category is the one related with ship recycling and hazardous material identification and handling. Following the relevant Hong Kong Convention, a whole industry has been set to respond and support its requirements.
11. Polar construction and Operational Experts
Ice navigation and Polar routes gave the industry the opportunity to fix new routes, new response times as well as new requirements for trading. ICE navigation is a demanding field for navigators and, at the same time, a challenging era for ship constructors who build vessels under Polar notations and specifications. Additional crew competence is required to support such development!
12. Data Protection Specialist
Personal data protection requirements are among the latest developments in the shipping industry. New technics and technologies, additional law-based notices to ensure employees’ rights have been at the front line of compliance.
All that said, it is beyond doubt that the maritime industry embraces new technology on shipping operations. Even though modern technologies sometimes make existing jobs obsolete, they do create new jobs. Although the fourth technology revolution is said to fast replace human beings with machines, it also creates new job positions aligning the scales!