Crew
members on ships-
1) DECK SIDE CREW MEMBER-
- Captain/Master
- Chief Officer/ Chief Mate
- Second Officer/ Second Mate
- Third officer/third mate
- Deck Cadet
- Bosun/ Boatswain
- ABLE BODIED SEAMAN (AB)
- ORDINARY SEAMAN (OS)
The captain or master is the ship's highest
responsible officer, acting on behalf of the ship's owner. The caption is a licensed mariner in
ultimate command of the vessel.
The captain is legally responsible for the
day-to-day affairs of the ship as he is in command. It is his responsibility to
ensure that all the departments under him perform legally to the requirements
of the ship's owner. The Captain represents the owner and hence is called
"Master".
A Ship's Captain, also called Shipmaster or Skipper, is
responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations,
navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local
and international laws, as well as company and flag state policies. The Captain is
responsible for responding to and reporting in case of accidents and incidents,
and in case of injuries and illness among the ship's crew and passengers.
If the master of the ship is incapacitated
or absent from the vessel, the “CHIEF
OFFICER” is in charge of all the operations as he is the executive officer
of the ship.
Chief Officer/ Chief Mate:
The chief officer/first mate (often called
the chief mate in the United States) is the head of the deck
department on a merchant
vessel, second-in-command after the ship's master. The chief mate's primary
responsibilities are the vessel's cargo operations,
its stability, and supervising the deck crew. The mate is responsible
for the safety and security of the ship, as well as the welfare of the crew on
board.
The chief mate typically stands the 4-8
navigation watch. Additional duties include maintenance of the ship's hull,
cargo gears, accommodations, the life saving appliances and the firefighting
appliances. The Chief Mate also trains the crew and cadets on various aspects
like safety, firefighting, search and rescue, and various other contingencies.
The chief officer assumes command of the
whole ship in the absence or incapacitation of the master.
In port and at sea, the chief mate is responsible to the captain for keeping
the ship, crew, and cargo safe for eight hours each day. Traditionally, the
chief mate stands a "4-8" watch: from 4am until 8am and 4pm until
8pm.
The Chief Mate is generally responsible for the stability of
the ship.
IMO regulations require the officer be fluent in English. This is required
for a number of reasons, such as ability to use charts and nautical publications, to understand weather and safety messages,
communicate with other ships and coast stations, and to be able to work with a
multi-lingual crew.
Second Officer/ Second Mate:
A second mate (2/M) or second officer is a licensed member
of the deck department of a merchant ship. The second mate is the third in
command and a watchkeeping officer, customarily the ship's navigator. Other duties
vary, but the second mate is often the medical officer and in charge of
maintaining distress signaling equipment. On oil tankers, the second mate
usually assists the chief mate with the tank-cleaning operations.
In port and at sea, the second mate is responsible to the
captain for keeping the ship, its crew, and its cargo safe for eight hours each
day.
Traditionally, the second mate stands a "12-4" watch: from
midnight until 4am and noon until 4pm.
Third
officer/third mate:
A
Third Mate (3/M) or Third Officer is a licensed member of the deck department
of a merchant ship. The third mate is a watchstander and customarily the ship's
safety officer. Other duties vary depending on the type of ship, its crewing,
and other factors.
Duties
related to the role of safety officer focus on responsibility for items such as
firefighting equipment, lifeboats, and various other emergency systems.
In port and at sea, the third mate is responsible to the captain for keeping
the ship, its crew, and its cargo safe for eight hours each day. Traditionally,
the third mate stands an "8-12" watch: from 8am until 12 noon and 8pm
until midnight.
Deck
Cadet:
A Deck
cadet is an officer under
training in much the same way as in a military context. Cadets receive training
in firefighting, first aid and survival techniques. Deck Cadets train in the
fields of navigation, ship handling and cargo handling as well as maritime law.
A cadet reports to the Chief Officer. His or her role as a trainee is to
observe and learn, while helping out where possible, mostly the Chief Officer.
As they do not have Certificate of Competency, cadets cannot
hold a watch, but will likely assist one of the qualified officers, often with
the Chief Officer, with their watch.
Bosun/ Boatswain:
A bosun is an
unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain
supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and
typically is not a watchstander.
The bosun works in a ship's deck department as the foreman
of the unlicensed deck crew. A bosun must be highly skilled in all
matters of seamanship required for working on deck of a seagoing vessel. The
bosun is distinguished from other able seamen by the supervisory roles:
planning, scheduling, and assigning work.
A bosun will have knowledge of and ability to use knots,
hitches, bends, whipping, and splices as needed to perform tasks such as
mooring a vessel. Competencies extend to the safe operation of a windlass.
Duties may require operating the basic functions of a windlass, including letting
go and heaving up an anchor. Moreover, a bosun may be called upon to lead
firefighting efforts or other emergency procedures encountered in the
inherently dangerous environment of a ship.
ABLE BODIED SEAMAN (AB):
An Able Seaman (AB) is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a
merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination
of these roles.
At sea an AB watchstander's
duties include standing watch as helmsman
and lookout. A helmsman is required to maintain a steady course, properly
execute all rudder orders and communicate utilizing navigational terms relating
to heading and steering. A watchstander may be called upon to stand
security-related watches, such as a gangway watch or anchor watch while the
ship is not underway.
ORDINARY SEAMAN (OS):
An Ordinary Seaman (OS) is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a
merchant ship. The position is an apprenticeship to become an Able Seaman, and
has been for centuries. In modern times, an OS is required to work on a ship
for a specific amount of time, gaining what is referred to as "sea
time." Once a sufficient amount of sea time is acquired, the OS can apply
to take a series of courses, and then a series of examinations to become
certified as an able seaman.
An OS is generally not required to stand watch, but must
pass examinations on watchstanding skills such as performing lookout duty and
being a helmsman. Thus an OS will often be found on a ship's bridge after
working hours taking a turn at the ship's wheel or being familiarized with
bridge equipment.
