Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "helmsman" shine mutumin da ke tuƙa jirgin ruwa ko jirgin ruwa. Ma'aikacin jirgin yana da alhakin kiyaye tafiyar jirgin da kiyaye shi a kan hanya. Wannan ya ƙunshi yin amfani da keken jirgi ko tiller don yin gyare-gyare ga alkiblar jirgin kamar yadda ake buƙata, dangane da abubuwa kamar iska, igiyoyin ruwa, da sauran abubuwan kewayawa. Dole ne ma'aikacin jirgin ya kasance ƙwararre wajen zagayawa cikin jirgin kuma zai iya ba da amsa da sauri ga yanayin canjin yanayi don tabbatar da amincin ma'aikatan jirgin da fasinjojin da ke cikin jirgin.