Crew structure on board merchant vessels – deck department (2023)

FAQs

What are the responsibilities of deck department on board the ship? ›

The deck department is responsible for safely receiving, discharging, and caring for cargo during a voyage. The ship's bosun, an able seaman (AB) day worker, and a watchstander AB are seen here working aloft aboard a U.S. freighter to maintain cargo rigging.

Each of these roles carries unique responsibilities that are integral to the successful operation of a seafaring vessel. A ship's crew can generally be divided into four main categories: the deck department, the engineering department, the steward's department, and other.

They are divided into three departments namely Deck, Engine, and Catering. These departments have various tasks during drills, emergencies, and security duties.

Master or Captain

The Master, or Captain, is a licensed member of the deck department and the ship's highest ranking officer with overall responsibility for the vessel's crew and operations including the protection of the vessel, its cargo and the environment.

An officer of the deck (OOD) is a watchstanding position in a ship's crew in the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps who is tasked with certain duties and responsibilities for the ship.

The deck department is responsible for ensuring safe navigation of vessels, safe handling and maintaining cargo on the vessels in good condition. The ranks of deck officers include master mariners, chief mates, second and third officers, as well as night vision officers.

The Chief Mate has direct responsibility for all deck operations including cargo storage and handling, deck maintenance, and deck supplies. The Second Mate is the ship's Navigation Officer and has the responsibility for maintaining charts and monitoring the navigation equipment on the bridge.

Basically, a PN ship is organized into four (4) departments, namely: Operations, Engineering and Damage Page 15 _________________________________________ 15 Control, Deck and Gunnery and Mess and Supply.

A Deck Officer works in the execution of a variety of tasks- namely navigation and maneuvering of the vessel, handling of all safety equipment on board, and handing cargo, communications, and safety.

There are three main operational departments on board ship: the deck department, which is staffed by navigating officers; the engineering department, which is staffed by marine engineering officers, and may also include marine electro-technical officers; and the hotel or catering department, which provides the crew and ...

What are the crew members on a ship called? ›

They include a Master, First Mate, Second Mate, Bosun, Chief Engineer, Second Engineer, Medical Purser, Cook and Watch Leader.

Levels of responsibility: there are three levels as follows: management level – applies to senior officers; operational level – applies to junior officers; and. support level – applies to ratings forming part of a navigational or engine watch.

These ships can fit much larger crew sizes, but the crew tends to be composed of no more than about 20-30 people. There are usually 6-14 main officers responsible for overseeing each deck, maintaining safety systems, and keeping the ship going.

According to the vessel's hierarchy, the deck officers are as follows: Master, Chief Officer, Second Officer, Third Officer and Deck Cadet (deck officer to be). The supreme authority on board a merchant vessel is the Master. The entire crew is under his command.

A boatswain, also known as a bosun, is the senior crewman of the deck. He is responsible for the ship's hull and all its components, including its rigging, anchors, cables, sails, deck maintenance and small boat operations.

The boatswain works in a ship's deck department as the foreman of the unlicensed (crew members without a mate's licence) deck crew. Sometimes, the boatswain is also a third or fourth mate. A boatswain must be highly skilled in all matters of marlinespike seamanship required for working on deck of a seagoing vessel.

Average salary for a Deck Cadet in India is 2 Lakhs per year (₹16.7k per month).

14 Minimum number of qualified deck officers to be carried in passenger ships.

Departure and arrival of the vessel

A Deck Cadet's duties will also normally include assisting with preparations for departure and arrival at port. If a Cadet is working in seafarer jobs in the merchant navy, this will include helping to supervise the loading and unloading of cargo, as well as its storage onboard.

What makes a good deck officer? ›

Deck officers must be able to maintain their composure in stressful situations and be able to make quick decisions in an emergency. They also must be able to work well as part of a team and be able to delegate tasks to other members of the crew.

What does a Crew Member do? Crew Members typically work for restaurants, cafes and other food establishments to ensure that customers receive their orders promptly. They communicate with their coworkers to expedite orders, and help customers when they receive the wrong order.

A crew member is part of a team that performs specific roles and duties across a wide range of industries. Their work primarily involves customer service and/or physical labor on a seasonal or year-round basis. Crew members typically work for airlines, restaurants, resorts, and on ships.

The Deck Department on a cruise ship is a part of the Marine Operations division. The primary responsibilities of the Deck Officers and Ratings are the safe navigation of the vessel plus all safety and security aspects of the ship's operations, including guests, officers, crew and staff members.

(a) The master or person in charge of a vessel that is required by 46 U.S.C. 11301 to have an official logbook shall maintain the logbook on form CG-706.

Each ship is organized into at least five departments—navigation, engineering, operations, supply, and a fifth department. For most ships, the fifth department is the weapons/deck department.

The work of an Ordinary Seaman is physically demanding. Duties can include sweeping, washing, buffing and painting the deck, performing maintenance on the gear that handles cargo, as well as running and rigging gear, and launching and recovering the lifeboats and life rafts.

“Management Level” means the level of responsibility associated with: 5.1. serving as master, chief mate, chief engineer or second engineer officer on board a seagoing ship; and 5.2.

A deck cadet or trainee navigational deck officer or nautical apprentice is an apprentice who has to learn the basic duties of a deck officer onboard a ship. The cadet has to complete the prescribed sea-time obtain a certificate of competency as officer in charge of a navigational watch.

Is a captain a deck officer? ›

A Deck Officer is an encompassing term for the officers that work within the deck department including (in descending order of seniority); Captain, Chief Officer, Second Officer, Junior/Third Officer.

Chief Officer: The Chief Officer, also called Chief Mate or First Mate, is the head of the deck department. He is second-in-command after the ship's master. The Chief Officer's primary responsibilities are the vessel's cargo operations, stability, and supervising the deck crew.

These are the technical, the commercial, the safety of employees, the financial and the logistic operation. In these operations are also included the functions of administration that can be divided into planning, prudence, organization, management of human resources, coordination and inspection.

(a) Fleet Personnel Department Technical Management Department Commercial Management Department Safety and Quality Management. (c) DPA is appointed to provide a link between the ship staff and highest level of management shore.

The steward department consists of service staff and generally refers to the galley (kitchens). The main duties of these crew members are to prepare and serve meals for the ship's crew and conducting general housekeeping aboard the ship.

Seek permission before entering. Wear appropriate safety clothing and a safety helmet. Take great care as the cargo may have shifted during the voyage, particularly if the sea has been rough. Remember: refer to your national legislation and guidance when working in this dangerous environment.

The chief mate is the one to train the crew and cadets on various operations, such as safety, firefighting, search and rescue, and various other contingencies.

The Captain (or Master) of the ship is the final authority of the ship and is the highest rank that one can achieve onboard. He shoulders total responsibility and oversees all shipboard operations.

Commercial vessels typically have 20 to 30 crew members, including two or three cooks and stewards in the kitchen and four engineers to run the power plant. Most crew members are classified as "able seamen," performing deck, wheelhouse and other duties.

Ocean-going container carriers carry at least 21 crew members and officers. When they're at sea, the crew does routine chores like keeping equipment maintained, cargo secure and decks tidy, while officers rotate on eight-hour watches monitoring instruments and radio traffic.

What is a position list in shipping? ›

VesselsValue (VV) has launched its latest automated service: Position List. What is it? VV's automated Position List allows users to see which vessels are available to pick up cargo at any global location with the click of a button.

The steward department consists of service staff and generally refers to the galley (kitchens). The main duties of these crew members are to prepare and serve meals for the ship's crew and conducting general housekeeping aboard the ship.

: the department composed of those members of a ship's personnel whose duties involve the practical handling of the ship, of the lines, and of small boats and the use and maintenance of ground tackle and cargo-handling gear.

Keeping menus clean and presenting them to customers. Stocking wait staff serving stations with napkins, utensils, trays, and condiments, and assisting the wait staff with all aspects of service. Clearing tables and preparing them for the next customers. Assisting in cleaning and opening or closing tasks.

A chief steward is the senior crew member working in the steward's department of a ship. Since there is no purser on most ships in the United States Merchant Marine, the steward is the senior person in the department, whence its name.

Deck construction terminology

The structure of a deck has two main parts: the deck substructure and the deck surface. The substructure of the deck acts as the overall support for the deck.

The Deck Department

The Chief Mate has direct responsibility for all deck operations including cargo storage and handling, deck maintenance, and deck supplies. The Second Mate is the ship's Navigation Officer and has the responsibility for maintaining charts and monitoring the navigation equipment on the bridge.

Forward: Forward on a ship means toward the direction of the bow. Aft: Aft on a ship means toward the direction of the stern. Port: Port refers to the left side of the ship, when facing forward. Starboard: Starboard refers to the right side of the ship, when facing forward.

Positions on commercial ships are normally divided into four Departments: the Deck Department / Navigation, the Engineering Department, the Electro-Technical Department, and the Stewards' Department / Hospitality.

Average Annual Salary by Experience

Deck Cadet salary in India with less than 1 year of experience to 4 years ranges from ₹ 0.2 Lakhs to ₹ 6.2 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 2 Lakhs based on 95 salaries.

What are the 4 main departments on a navy ship? ›

Each ship is organized into at least five departments—navigation, engineering, operations, supply, and a fifth department. For most ships, the fifth department is the weapons/deck department.