What does a marine logistics coordinator do in oil and gas?

I. Core responsibilities

Coordinates end-to-end movement of people, equipment, and materials by sea to support drilling, completions, projects, and production operations, ensuring safety, compliance, and cost efficiency.

• 1.1 Voyage and schedule planning — Build and maintain 24–72-hour sailing plans and 7–14-day lookaheads for PSVs/AHTS/crew boats/barges; sequence calls across multiple offshore assets to maximize backload and minimize standby.
• 1.2 Shorebase load-out and backload control — Issue load lists, validate cargo readiness (weights, CoG, certifications), segregate IMDG/hazardous materials, plan deck layouts, and ensure backload quarantine and waste streams meet MARPOL and site rules.
• 1.3 Bulk and liquid logistics — Slot and track dry bulk (cement, barite), liquid bulk (diesel, base oil, drill water, brine, methanol), and deck cargo transfers; confirm hose management, metering, and pressure/flow constraints with vessel and asset.
• 1.4 Weather and metocean gating — Monitor metocean forecasts; apply asset-/vessel-specific limits (Hs, wind, surge, visibility) to set go/no-go, adjust ETAs, and declare weather windows for critical operations.
• 1.5 Port, customs, and clearances — Arrange port calls, pilotage, berths, stevedoring, permits, and customs/immigration documents; ensure cabotage and coastal state compliance.
• 1.6 SIMOPS coordination — Deconflict simultaneous operations (lifting, bunkering, hot work, helideck) between vessel and offshore installation; chair or contribute to pre-job briefings and toolbox talks.
• 1.7 HSE and marine assurance — Enforce ISM/ISPS/SOLAS practices at the quayside; verify certifications (class, DP trials, FMEA actions) and conduct spot checks on slinging, rigging, and dropped-object controls.
• 1.8 Cost and performance control — Manage call-offs under charter/spot agreements, track bunker consumption, control demurrage/standby, and publish KPIs (on-time performance, cycle time, utilization).
• 1.9 Daily situational awareness — Maintain AIS/VMS tracks, noon positions, ETAs/ETDs, cargo status, and constraints in a live dashboard; issue Daily Marine Reports to stakeholders.
• 1.10 Emergency and contingency response — Activate medevac, security, or spill response protocols; re-route tonnage, arrange standby vessels, and coordinate with incident command structure.
• 1.11 Documentation and audits — Control manifests, weight tickets, certificates, non-conformance reports, and close-out records for audits and cost recovery.

II. Required technical skills, soft skills, and physical demands

• 2.1 Technical skills
  • 2.1.1 Marine operations literacy — Understanding of offshore supply vessels, DP operations, towage, and port procedures.
  • 2.1.2 Cargo and lifting — Weight/CoG verification, deck planning, rigging/slinging fundamentals, and dropped-object prevention.
  • 2.1.3 Bulk transfer systems — Air conveyance for dry bulk; pump/hose ratings, metering, and compatibility for liquid bulk.
  • 2.1.4 Regulatory compliance — Practical application of SOLAS, MARPOL, IMDG Code, ISPS, flag/state requirements, and local cabotage.
  • 2.1.5 Metocean and routing — Interpret wave/wind/current forecasts; set limits and build buffers into schedules.
  • 2.1.6 Cost and contract acumen — Charter party terms, laytime/demurrage, standby rules, and KPI-based performance management.
  • 2.1.7 Data and analytics — Cycle-time analysis, utilization trending, and variance-to-plan reporting.
• 2.2 Soft skills
  • 2.2.1 Communication and negotiation — Clear briefs to vessel Masters and offshore teams; firm but fair coordination with port agents and contractors.
  • 2.2.2 Prioritization and time management — Balance urgent call-offs against safety and constraints; manage multiple simultaneous sailings.
  • 2.2.3 Decision-making under uncertainty — Rapid go/no-go determinations with incomplete information and changing weather.
  • 2.2.4 Collaboration — Seamless handoffs across drilling, production, warehouse, and HSE.
  • 2.2.5 Attention to detail — Zero-defect documentation for manifests, permits, and customs.
• 2.3 Physical demands
  • 2.3.1 Shorebase presence — Frequent yard walks and quayside checks in PPE; exposure to noise and weather.
  • 2.3.2 Workload pattern — Peak loads around vessel turnarounds; on-call after hours for 24/7 operations.
  • 2.3.3 Mobility — Occasional offshore or remote base visits; ability to climb stairs/ladders as required by site rules.

III. Typical tools, software, and equipment used

• 3.1 Planning and scheduling — Vessel scheduling board/optimizer, Gantt planners, and shared lookahead dashboards.
• 3.2 Tracking and situational awareness — AIS/VMS monitoring platforms, port community systems, and electronic logbooks.
• 3.3 Load planning and verification — Deck layout planners, 2D CAD for lift plans, weight and CoG calculators, digital scales/weighbridges.
• 3.4 Inventory and documentation — ERP (materials management and work orders), barcode/RFID scanners, e-manifests, IMDG documentation tools.
• 3.5 Communications — VHF/UHF radios, satellite messaging, and secure collaboration suites for real-time updates.
• 3.6 Safety and measurement — Gas detectors, load cells, sling/tag systems, hose pressure gauges, flow meters, and spill kits.

IV. Work environment

• 4.1 Location — Shorebase office integrated with warehouse and quayside; occasional port authority visits and offshore site familiarizations.
• 4.2 Schedule — Standard day shift with extended hours during vessel calls; many operations run 24/7 with on-call rotation. Remote bases may operate rotational patterns (e.g., 28–28 or 21–21).
• 4.3 Travel — Periodic domestic travel to ports and logistics hubs; rare international travel for regional coordination or audits.
• 4.4 Conditions — Outdoor exposure during load-outs, vessel movements in adverse weather, and high-noise environments; strict PPE adherence.

V. Reporting lines and cross-functional interfaces

• 5.1 Reporting lines — Typically reports to a Marine Logistics Supervisor/Manager or Supply Chain Manager; functionally aligned with Offshore Installation Management for sailing priorities.
• 5.2 Cross-functional interfaces
  • 5.2.1 Drilling and completions — Time-sensitive tubulars, fluids, and tools; rig-down/backload coordination.
  • 5.2.2 Production operations — Routine consumables, chemicals, and maintenance parts to fixed facilities.
  • 5.2.3 Warehouse and shorebase — Picking, staging, QA/QC, and hazardous segregation.
  • 5.2.4 HSE and marine assurance — Permits, audits, and incident investigations.
  • 5.2.5 Contracts and procurement — Call-offs, variations, performance reviews, and cost recovery.
  • 5.2.6 Port/customs/immigration — Clearances and compliance.
  • 5.2.7 Vessel Masters and offshore leadership — Sailing instructions, SIMOPS, and real-time updates.

VI. Career ladder and progression

• 6.1 Next-step roles — Senior Marine Logistics Coordinator; Marine Logistics Supervisor; Shorebase Manager; Marine Operations Manager; Supply Chain Lead for Marine.
• 6.2 What’s needed to move up
  • 6.2.1 Experience — Proven delivery of multi-asset campaigns, turnarounds, or rig moves; strong KPI improvements.
  • 6.2.2 Certifications — IMDG/Dangerous Goods by Sea, H2S and BOSIET for offshore visits, incident command training, internal auditor (ISM/ISO) credentials, DP awareness (beneficial).
  • 6.2.3 Competencies — Advanced planning analytics, contract/charter management, and SIMOPS leadership.
• 6.3 Progression Trigger — Typically promoted after 8–12 major campaigns or 24–36 months + IMDG certification + incident command training, with sustained OTP = 95% and demonstrated cost reductions.