Marine and waterways transport operatives: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time marine and waterways transport operatives in the UK earned a median £39,358 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): almost exactly the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That puts it 142nd of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
A full-time median is published for men only; the sample of women is too small.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 42 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
From £31,253 in 2021, the median is up 25.9%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40th percentile | – | £717.70* | – | – | £715.10* | £16.60* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £39,358* | £773.80* | £18.69* | £39,405* | £776.30* | £18.79* |
| 60th percentile | £43,791* | £826.30* | £19.67* | £43,740* | £834.90* | £19.82* |
| Mean | £43,496* | £816.10 | £18.91 | £42,040* | £810.50 | £19.31 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £31,253 | £589.00* | £13.14* | £31,005* | £587.00* |
| 2022 revised | – | – | £15.38* | – | – |
| 2023 revised | £34,340 | £701.50* | £18.16* | – | £683.60* |
| 2024 revised | £38,243 | £749.00 | £16.72* | £36,488* | £633.50* |
| 2025 provisional | £39,358* | £773.80* | £18.69* | £39,405* | £776.30* |
What marine and waterways transport operatives do
Marine and waterways transport operatives supervise and carry out a variety of deck duties and operate and maintain engines, boilers and mechanical equipment on board ships, boats and other marine vessels. (ONS SOC 2020, 8232)
Also covers: deck hand (shipping), engine room attendant (shipping), engineer(nos: boat, barge), ferryman, merchant seaman, seaman (shipping), barge hand, boat attendant, boat hand, boat hirer, boat keeper, boatswain's mate, chief electrician, chief engineer, coal trimmer, deck hand, derrick master and donkey engineman (90 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Ensures that necessary fuel supplies are on board and inspects engine, boilers and other mechanisms for correct functioning
- Removes and repairs or replaces damaged or worn parts of plant and machinery and ensures that engine and plant machinery are well lubricated
- Stows cargo, assists passengers to embark and disembark, watches for hazards and moors or casts off mooring ropes as required
- Steers ship, under the supervision of a duty officer, checks navigational aids and keeps bridge, wheel and chartroom clean and tidy
- Performs other deck duties, including servicing and maintaining deck gear and rigging, splicing wire and fibre ropes, greasing winches and derricks, opening up and battening down hatches, securing gangways and ladders and lowering and raising lifeboats
There are no formal academic entry requirements, although some employers may expect entrants to possess GCSEs/S grades. Candidates are expected to pass a medical examination and have good eyesight. Training takes place at nautical college and lasts between 11-13 weeks.
Related
Other drivers and transport operatives (median £59,772) · Train and tram drivers · Air transport operatives · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026