A shipping master is an appointment in some countries that manages certain affairs of the merchant navy.
The exact duties a shipping master carries out depends on the particular laws of the country.
[1] In Pakistan, the Shipping Master is the head of the Government Shipping Office and is appointed by the Government of Pakistan.
[2] The Shipping Master is the issuing authority for the Seaman Service Book to merchant navy sailors,[3] and grants port clearance to incoming and outgoing merchant ships at the seaports[citation needed].
The Shipping Master is also responsible for implementing the rules and ILO conventions in relation to the Pakistan Merchant Shipping Ordinance 2001,[4] and is a member of the Central Maritime Advisory Committee.