Transfers cargo between ships and other forms of transport or storage facilities.

Receiving instructions by radio telephone and/or radio data terminal to load, unload or move cargo; securing and releasing mooring lines of ships; opening and closing ship hatches; transferring loads using moving equipment and directing equipment operations using communication systems; stacking cargo on pallets, trays, flats and slings to facilitate transfer to and from ships; operating heavy vehicles and machinery, such as straddle carriers, fork-lifts and ships' cranes, to load and unload cargo from trucks, ships and rail transport services; sorting cargo before loading and unloading; labelling goods with customers' details and destinations; loading goods into trucks, containers and rail wagons, and securing loads; assisting to tie down loads and covering them with tarpaulins; guiding truck drivers into loading bays and through confined spaces; performing clerical functions to record and check cargo on arrival, storage and dispatch; positioning goods in the holds of ships and securing cargo to prevent shifting during voyages; packing containers and re-packing damaged containers; cleaning out ships' tanks and holds; washing out containers and carrying out other general yard duties such as shunting on the railway; arranging for damaged containers of hazardous material to be quarantined; carrying out safety checks.

• Works outside on wharves and ships and inside cargo sheds and ship holds.
• Works in all weather conditions. May work in dusty, cold or hot environments.
• Often required to work shifts.

• Up to very heavy physical demand levels.
• Climbs up steps to enter and exit vehicle cab. Uses upper limbs, feet and legs to stretch down and across and push or pull to move and shift freight and other goods or to operate equipment controls to load or retrieve items from compartments.
• May squat, crouch, bend or kneel and twists the body or neck occasionally.
• Significant contact with water or skin irritants is not typically required.
• Lifting and carrying is a frequent to occasional requirement depending upon the type of machinery operated and the loading and unloading mechanisms available for use.
• Frequent repetitive hand, arm, leg and foot movements are required.
• Driving of lifting equipment may be required occasionally.
• Hand tools or equipment used will include pens to complete pick-up and delivery documentation requirements and also general tools for minor repairs and maintenance.
• Mental skills necessary include practical, organisational and record-keeping skills.

Licences to operate straddle carriers, fork-lifts and ships' cranes will be necessary (ANZSCO Skill Level 5). A Class 2 (heavy vehicle) driver's licence with an F endorsement (allowing the vehicle to be driven on public roads) is the minimum needed to drive heavy vehicles such as straddle carriers and large fork-lifts.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement but they are limited.