Employment: Water transportation workers held more than 81,100 jobs in 2008. The total number who worked at some point in the year was significantly larger because many merchant marine officers and seamen work only part of the year. The following tabulation shows employment in the occupations that make up this group:

Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels 33,100
Sailors and marine oilers 32,900
Ship engineers 11,500
Motorboat operators 3,700

About 40 percent of all workers were employed in water transportation services. Another 26 percent worked in establishments related to port and harbor operations, marine cargo handling, or navigational services to shipping. Governments employed 11 percent of all water transportation workers, many of whom worked on supply ships and are civilian mariners of the Navy Department's Military Sealift Command.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics