Crew Members on Ships....

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)

                                                                                                                                

• Captain/ Master:

           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.