More than 80% of the world’s traded goods travel by ship, according to the UN trade body UNCTAD, everything from clothing to electronics to the fuel that powers a family car. Getting that volume moving relies on people working across booking, customs, ports, ships, and coordination, each responsible for a specific piece of a much longer journey.
Freight Forwarder
A Freight Forwarder doesn’t own ships or planes. They act as the go-between, booking cargo space with carriers on behalf of an exporter or importer, and deciding between sea and air freight depending on cost, weight, and how urgently the goods are needed. Part of the job is managing risk: arranging cargo insurance, and preparing the export documentation that customs will later check.
Some Freight Forwarders enter through a logistics or business-focused VET certificate or diploma, while others begin in an administrative or operations role within a freight company and learn the process on the job.
Customs Broker
A Customs Broker prepares and lodges the documentation needed for a shipment to legally enter or exit Australia. In practice, this means checking that goods match their declared value and classification, working out the duties and taxes owed, and identifying anything that needs a special permit, certain foods, plants, or chemicals, before it’s allowed across the border.
It’s a licensed profession: completing an accredited course in customs broking, then demonstrating enough industry experience to apply for a licence. Because trade rules differ depending on which countries are involved, brokers also need to keep learning throughout their career rather than treating the licence as a one-off qualification.
Stevedore
A Stevedore loads and unloads cargo at the dock, using cranes, forklifts, and other specialised equipment, and secures it for onward transport once it’s off the ship. A modern container ship can carry several thousand containers, and loading them in the wrong sequence can affect how the ship sits in the water.
This is generally an entry-level pathway into the maritime and logistics industry, with training provided on the job alongside safety certifications rather than a prior qualification. Some Stevedores move into supervisory or port operations roles over time.
Ship’s Officer
Ship’s Officers (sometimes called Deck Officers) navigate the ship and supervise the deck crew, standing rotating watches where they hold sole responsibility for the ship’s safety for hours at a stretch. Alongside them, Marine Engineers manage the machinery that keeps the vessel running, from the main engines to the electrical systems, and have to diagnose and fix problems independently, since there’s no calling for outside help mid-ocean.
Both roles require a maritime-specific qualification, regulated nationally, usually starting at certificate or diploma level and building toward more senior roles like Ship’s Master through further study and sea time.
Supply Chain Manager
A Supply Chain or Logistics Manager oversees the whole journey: tracking where goods are, anticipating delays, and making sure everything stays on schedule from factory to warehouse. A related role, Supply Chain Analyst, supports this work from a different angle, using data and reporting tools to track measures like on-time delivery rates and stock levels, and identifying where a supply chain is losing time or money.
According to the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, Australia’s supply chain and logistics sector employs more than half a million people across 18 different categories of jobs. Most people enter through a business, logistics, or supply chain-focused course at diploma or bachelor level, though the analyst side increasingly values data and systems skills too.
Ship Broker
A Ship Broker works on the commercial side of bulk shipping, matching vessel owners with cargo owners or traders and negotiating charter rates and contracts for a specific voyage or cargo, often earning a commission on each completed deal. It’s a market-facing, deal-making role built on knowledge of vessel types and shipping markets, closer to broking in finance or property than to the operational roles above.
Some enter through a maritime business or logistics-focused degree, others move across from freight forwarding or shipping operations once they’ve built up industry contacts.
Event Logistics Coordinator
An Event Logistics Coordinator applies a similar skill set to freight and supply chain roles, booking freight, managing tight schedules, and coordinating between suppliers and venues, to a different kind of cargo entirely: equipment and staging for concerts, sporting fixtures, and expos. A shipment for a warehouse can usually absorb a short delay; a stage that isn’t ready before doors open cannot.
This role is often entered through an event management or logistics-focused course, though it’s also common for people to move into it from operational roles within the events industry itself.
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