Master/Captain

Come sail the Great Lakes with us!

American Steamship Company has a long and rich history of sailing ships on the Great Lakes since 1907. We currently operate six 1,000-foot US Flag vessels that carry cargoes of iron ore, coal and stone throughout Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie to our customers’ steel mills, electrical generation plants, and stone distribution docks in the U.S. and Canada. If you desire to sail with a high-functioning group of career employees as part of our Deck or Engineering teams, whose primary goal is the safety of all our employees, along with doing no harm to the environment, and to provide our customers with exceptional service, you will enjoy a career with us!

We are looking for an experienced Captain to join our fleet!

Master (Captain) Key Responsibilities

• Overall Command: Ultimate authority and responsibility for the vessel, crew, cargo, safety, security, and seaworthiness.
• Owner Representative: Acts on behalf of the vessel owner and protects company interests.
• Vessel Operations: Ensures safe, efficient, and economical operation of the vessel.
• Crew Leadership: Supervises crew, enforces discipline fairly, conducts evaluations, and ensures personnel understand their duties.
• Voyage & Cargo Management: Oversees voyage planning, cargo loading, ballast, fuel, stores, and vessel readiness.
• Safety Oversight: Maintains compliance with safety programs, conducts inspections, meetings, drills, and incident investigations.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensures adherence to all maritime, environmental, security, and company requirements.
• Port & Documentation: Manages vessel clearances, required certificates, logs, reports, and communication with the office.
• Maintenance & Inspections: Conducts regular inspections, monitors repairs, and safeguards company property.
• Incident Reporting: Reports significant vessel damage and ensures safety concerns are tracked and resolved.

American Steamship Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer – All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by United States law. 

Requirements

• USCG License as Unlimited Tonnage Master of Great Lakes Vessels  
• First Class Pilotage for all five Great Lakes and three connecting rivers  
• FCC First Class Radio Operators License  
• US Passport or other documentation with ability to go to Canada  
• Transportation Worker Identification Card (TWIC)   
• Certification as Vessel Security Officer