75100 – Longshore workers

Lead statement

Longshore workers transfer cargo throughout dock area and onto and from ships and other vessels.

Main duties

• Operate industrial trucks, tractors and other mobile equipment to transfer cargo, such as containers, crated items, automobiles and pallet-mounted machinery, around dock to within range of cranes and hoists
• Operate winches or other hoisting devices to load and unload cargo onto and from ships and other vessels
• Operate mechanical towers to load vessels with materials such as coal and ore
• Operate equipment to transfer bulk materials, such as grain, to hold of vessels
• Connect hoses and operate equipment to transfer liquid materials into storage tanks on vessels
• Perform other activities such as lashing and shoring cargo aboard ships, opening and closing hatches, cleaning holds of ships and rigging cargo.

Employment requirements

• On-the-job training is provided.
• Some secondary school education may be required.

Example job titles

barge loader · boat loader · longshore worker · wharfman/woman - marine cargo handling · lumper - marine cargo handling · longshoreman/woman · dockworker - marine cargo handling · dockworker · dockerman/woman - marine cargo handling · stower · stevedore · tanker loader · tanker loader - marine cargo handling · longshore worker and tower-loader operator · dock hand · shiploader operator · ship loader operator · tower-loader operator - marine cargo handling · tankerman/woman - marine cargo handling

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.