Professional Maritime Character: What Really Matters?

This study examines the factors associated with Professional Maritime Character among vocational maritime students by investigating the effects of Islamic Work Ethic, Religious Commitment, and Spiritual Intelligence, while considering Self-Discipline as a mediating mechanism and Moral Awareness as a moderating factor. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed involving 525 students from Batch VIII, X, and XI at Politeknik Pelayaran Sumatera Barat, Indonesia, using a total sampling technique. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling with the PLS Algorithm and Bootstrapping Calculation. The measurement model demonstrated adequate indicator reliability, internal consistency, and convergent validity across all constructs. The structural results show that Islamic Work Ethic, Religious Commitment, and Spiritual Intelligence have significant positive effects on Professional Maritime Character, while Religious Commitment significantly predicts Self-Discipline; however, Islamic Work Ethic and Spiritual Intelligence do not significantly predict Self-Discipline. Moral Awareness has a significant negative direct association with Professional Maritime Character, but its interactions with Islamic Work Ethic, Religious Commitment, and Spiritual Intelligence are not significant. These findings indicate that professional maritime character is more strongly associated with the direct internalization of religious and spiritual values than with conditional effects of moral awareness, providing practical implications for integrated character development in maritime vocational education.