Stevedore
What the work is
Transfers cargo between ships and other forms of transport or storage facilities.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Loads and unloads cargo from ships using appropriate techniques and equipment such as forklifts, gantry cranes, reach stackers, straddle carriers, front-end loaders, excavators, mobile wharf cranes or conveyor systems
- Secures cargo using ropes, chains and other devices
- Transfers cargo between vessels and wharf storage facilities, and between storage facilities and road or rail transport
- Inspects cargo for damage and reports any issues
- Communicates with supervisors and other workers to coordinate cargo transfer operations
- Organises and prioritises cargo based on shipping schedules and requirements
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a regional airport apron where small jets are turned around, and a container wharf in the nearest port. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A plane is loaded, fuelled and pushed back right on time, and the pilot gives a wave
- A ship is emptied and refilled in a single smooth shift, with the whole gang in rhythm
- A clear dawn shift when the apron is quiet and the first flight of the day is yours
Hard days
- Wind, rain or heat on an open apron where the work does not stop for the weather
- A late flight that makes everything else bunch up behind it
- Heavy bags, early starts and a bay full of people who all need something at once
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 741937, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.