Being a cable of work that requires a very high degree of professionalism wherein lax performance can result in drastic consequences, the hierarchy is substantive to an economically viable model for shipboard operations with a shore-based support framework .
The terminology of the merchant navy ranking organization is universally accepted by shipping companies and commercial vessels around the universe .
The ranks and responsibilities that come with it are slightly exchangeable across the hale industry with minor changes in names and duties assigned to particular positions varying among shipping companies and the system of the terminology they follow. As mentioned above, basically it is about all the like.
Reading: A Guide to Merchant Navy Ranks
In general, the ranking arrangement on merchant vessels chiefly divided into the play along categories :
- Deck Department
- Engine Department
- Catering Department
The bridge of a vessel is a hub that is fitted with critical equipment for the dependable navigation and watchkeeping of the merchant embark .
Owing to the advance and particular nature of the bridge equipment, a needed skill set is imperative mood for an individual to control all the equipment and thereby safely navigate the embark .
Seafarers under the deck department of the ship are vested with the duty of managing ship navigation, along with handling cargo operations and berthing instruments present on the pack of cards of the embark .
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similarly, seafarers working in the ship ’ s locomotive room fall under the engine department. This chiefly includes marine engineers and ratings responsible for operation and alimony of embark ’ south machinery .
The locomotive room houses the part of the ship that fuels/propels the vessel altogether and needle to say, a particular set of skills is all-important to the engine room personnel as well .
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The one-third department, or the catering department, is creditworthy for the preparation of meals and general housework for crew and passengers .
The number of people employed in this department ( which is under the horizon of the Master, as with everything else ) varies among ships and obviously, a passenger ship will have far more catering staff than a cargo ship owing to the number of people that need to be serviced .
A vessel thus requires a definite system of merchant navy ranks that would enable the distribution of assignments in a professional and formal manner .
Merchant Navy Ranks
The Captain
The Captain ( or Master ) of the ship is the final examination authority of the ship and is the highest rank that one can achieve onboard. He shoulders sum duty and oversees all shipboard operations .
The Captain is in command of a merchant embark at all times and regulates the proper daily transactions and handles the legal affairs on maritime issues .
In the improbable event that the Master is not give on board, the Chief Mate is assumed to be interim in accusation of shipboard operations .
The Deck Department
- Chief Officer/Mate
- Second Officer/Mate
- Third Officer/Mate
- Deck Cadets
Deck Rating (non-officers)
Chief Officer / First Mate
head officeholder occupies the second responsible position after the Captain of the vessel. He is the executive head of the pack of cards department and executes the rate of the master at the operational level ( although the rank itself is a more managerial position ) .
He supervises the vessel ’ s crew and looks after the diverse deck operations which include, but not restrict to the casual ongoings of the deck as per the ferment schedule a well as the cargo operations to be carried out while in interface .
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The Chief Mate prioritises the security and safe functioning of the vessel and is responsible for the wellbeing of gang and passengers ( if on a passenger ship ) on board .
additionally, the correct work of the hull, the accommodation part, the cargo gear, the security system appliances and the fire prevention equipment is managed by the head Officer .
Chief among all of his duties is the safe seafaring of the ship for which he is an OOW for the navigational watches between 0400-0800 hour and 1600-2000 hour .
already burdened with a batch of work in the port, the Chief Mate normally does not keep port watches as he is constantly overseeing the cargo work .
Second Officer/ Mate
The 2nd Mate is an OOW responsible for the charts & publications on board and their sustenance. besides, he is the medical military officer on dining table responsible for the care and administer of all medically related services onboard .
Being an OOW, the navigational lookout timings for him are 1200-1600 hour and 0000-0400 hour while at sea. In port, his watches are from 1200-1800 hour and 0000-0600 hour
Third Officer/ Mate
The 3rd Mate is in load of all the LSA and FFA onboard and is assigned the duty to upkeep and maintain them onboard. apart from that, he has to handle all the larboard documents for function by the Master along with handling the bail storehouse onboard .
Being an OOW, the navigational watch timings for him are 0800-1200 hour and 2000-0000 hour while at sea. In port, his watches are from 0600-1200 hour and 1800-0000 hrs
Read more: How Maritime Law Works
Deck Cadet
The deck cadet is the trainee officer onboard, bracing out of the Institute. His sole job is to learn, comprehend and apply skills for the serve of becoming a skilled officeholder in the future .
Being a newly candidate, a cadet is assigned tasks that give him a gradual understanding of the embark and her ongoings which come to use when preparing for the “ Certificate of Competency ” examinations to assume duty as an OOW in the future .
aside from the deck work that he needs to grasp, the major chunk of a cadets learning pertains to assisting an OOW in carrying out a safe navigational vigil
Bosun
Bosun is the lead of the denounce division on deck and carries out the schedule shape on deck in liaison with the Chief Mate
Able seaman
According to the modern nautical terminology, an able mariner ( AB ) possesses a merchant mariner ’ sulfur document and is eligible to assist the deck department. Know more about the rank of able Seaman here .
Ordinary seaman
The post of an ordinary mariner, denoted by OS, serves the vessel ’ s deck department. An OS is normally busy with tasks such as buff, scaling, cleaning the deck and occasionally painting the superstructure, above the main deck .
An average mariner can undertake activities like overhauling, splicing ropes, wiring, rigging, etc and conduct repair exercise on the deck .
It is the ordinary seaman ’ s subcontract to ensure the batten handle of cargo gears and loading or dismantling cargo as directed by the Bosun/Chief Mate. A trainee OS is like a cadet but for the rate section. Know more about Ordinary Seaman here .
The Engine Department
- Chief Engineer
- Second Engineer/First Assistant Engineer
- Third Engineer/ Second Assistant Engineer
- Fourth Engineer/ Third Assistant Engineer
- Fifth Engineer/ Engine Cadet
- Electrical Officer
Engine Room Rating
- Fitter
- Motorman
- Wiper
- Trainee Fitter / Trainee Wiper
Chief Engineer
ChiefEngineerr is the head of the engineer department on a vessel. The necessitate reservation for this position is loosely referred to as the “ Chief ’ south Ticket ”. alternatively, he can besides be alternatively termed as the “ The Chief ” and normally draws exchangeable pay as compared to the Captain, although the complete duty of a particular vessel falls entirely on the Captain ’ s shoulder. Chief mastermind gives orders for mathematical process and maintenance of embark ’ s machinery arrangement and is responsible for the engine room department .
Second Engineer/ First Assistant Engineer
He is associated with the daily activities in the engine room, and he is accountable to the Chief Engineer. Duties include constantly supervising the proper serve of all engine room machinery systems and besides assigns jobs to the early engine officers and crew. The second Engineer generally keeps vigil on the engine board, during the day time
Also Read: Duties of 2nd Engineer on Ship
Third engineer/ Second Assistant Engineer
This is the next position after the Second Engineer and is assigned jobs to look after machinery ordered by the head engineer, along with day by day watch keeping. He reports to the second engineer
Fourth Engineer/ Third Assistant Engineer
This is the most junior rank in the technology department. The Fourth Engineer is concerned about the compensate ferment of the machinery systems assigned to him and besides carry our watch keeping. He reports to the second base engineer .
Also Read: Duties of a 4th engineer on a transport
Fifth Engineer/ Engineering Cadet
Fifth mastermind is a trainee under the Second Engineer officer, and he assists and learns while observing and carrying out activities in the engine board. He would accompany a senior policeman ( by and large moment engineer ) during the watch duty .
All the engine room ratings report to the second engineer. The engineer cadet spends his time on circuit board with the foreman aim of learning the needed skills to becoming a competent mastermind officer in the future ( by clearing the needed “ Certificate Of Competency examinations to obtain the license to be a certified engineer )
The Catering Department
- Chief Cook
- Trainee Cook
- Steward
Chief Cook
head cook falls under the catering department of the transport. It is his duty to prepare meals regularly for the crowd and passengers. He is besides in accusation of the food stores. The head Cook assists the Third Mate/Cadet in preparing the sequestration for any/every food items to be forwarded to the company HQ to be procured onboard. The Chief Cook besides inspects the equipment needed to keep the ship clean and uncontaminated in the galley area .
Trainee Cook
The trainee cook assists headman cook in preparation of meals and managing planning
Steward
The steward, as the list suggests, is assigned tasks include cooking and serving meals on prison term, sweep and maintaining the surviving quarters of the officers, and stocktaking the stores. It is besides the job of a custodian to manage the grocery store accounts, planning menus, and documents the monetary value control issues .
It is to note that a galley on passenger ships would involve several other ranks as well. Read here about galley jobs .
It is significant to remember that while the shipboard hierarchy is about the same across the industry, variations might exist depending on the terminology arrangement followed in a specific company vitamin a well as the type of ship in interview .
Having said that, the above gives a robust idea to the proofreader as to the existing norms with respect to the hierarchy in every department of merchant ships.
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