Marine Architect

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A marine architect could...

Overview Listen to this section

Water covers more than 70 percent of Earth's surface, and marine architects design vessels that allow humans and their cargo to cross through or under those waters safely and efficiently. Some of their watercraft designs are enormous, like merchant ships, which carry huge loads of oil, cars, food, clothing, toys, and other goods, across thousands of miles of open waters. These ships are essential for trade between countries. Other vessels are smaller and more specialized, like luxury yachts or cruise liners. Still others are designed for military purposes.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Marine Architect?

1. Reading Comprehension: ? Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
2. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
3. Active Listening: ? Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
4. Speaking: ? Talking to others to convey information effectively.
5. Judgment and Decision Making: ? Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

6. Complex Problem Solving: ? Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
7. Mathematics: ? Using mathematics to solve problems.
8. Operations Analysis: ? Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
9. Writing: ? Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
10. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Marine Architect might do:

• Design complete hull and superstructure according to specifications and test data, in conformity with standards of safety, efficiency, and economy.
• Supervise other engineers and crew members and train them for routine and emergency duties.
• Study design proposals and specifications to establish basic characteristics of craft, such as size, weight, speed, propulsion, displacement, and draft.
• Perform monitoring activities to ensure that ships comply with international regulations and standards for life-saving equipment and pollution preventatives.
• Oversee construction and testing of prototype in model basin and develop sectional and waterline curves of hull to establish center of gravity, ideal hull form, and buoyancy and stability data.
• Evaluate performance of craft during dock and sea trials to determine design changes and conformance with national and international standards.
• Prepare plans, estimates, design and construction schedules, and contract specifications, including any special provisions.
• Check, test, and maintain automatic controls and alarm systems.
• Design layout of craft interior, including cargo space, passenger compartments, ladder wells, and elevators.
• Evaluate operation of marine equipment during acceptance testing and shakedown cruises.
• Act as liaisons between ships' captains and shore personnel to ensure that schedules and budgets are maintained, and that ships are operated safely and efficiently.
• Conduct environmental, operational, or performance tests on marine machinery and equipment.
• Inspect marine equipment and machinery to draw up work requests and job specifications.
• Prepare, or direct the preparation of, product or system layouts and detailed drawings and schematics.
• Investigate and observe tests on machinery and equipment for compliance with standards.
• Maintain records of engineering department activities, including expense records and details of equipment maintenance and repairs.
• Coordinate activities with regulatory bodies to ensure repairs and alterations are at minimum cost and consistent with safety.
• Design and oversee testing, installation, and repair of marine apparatus and equipment.
• Prepare technical reports for use by engineering, management, or sales personnel.
• Procure materials needed to repair marine equipment and machinery.
• Maintain contact with, and formulate reports for, contractors and clients to ensure completion of work at minimum cost.
• Maintain and coordinate repair of marine machinery and equipment for installation on vessels.
• Confer with research personnel to clarify or resolve problems and to develop or modify designs.
• Conduct analytical, environmental, operational, or performance studies to develop designs for products, such as marine engines, equipment, and structures.
• Determine conditions under which tests are to be conducted, as well as sequences and phases of test operations.
• Review work requests and compare them with previous work completed on ships to ensure that costs are economically sound.
• Analyze data to determine feasibility of product proposals.
• Conduct analyses of ships, such as stability, structural, weight, and vibration analyses.
• Establish arrangement of boiler room equipment and propulsion machinery, heating and ventilating systems, refrigeration equipment, piping, and other functional equipment.