Duties of Seamen in Ship's Deck Department

Officers, Bosn, Able Seamen and Ordinary Seamen run this

department

The many and varied duties of the deck department are probably the
most important and interesting aboard a merchant ship. Upon those
who spend their working hours topside falls a burden that ranges from
chipping and scaling paint to the actual navigation of the vessel.

Merchant ships differ in size and complement, but the average ship
that sails the seven seas today, bringing war material to our armies
and those of our allies, generally conforms to a single pattern of
manpower. The duties of those men also run true to form, more or
less, but as the saying goes among seamen -- different ship, different
long splice. All of which is translated as meaning that different ships
and masters have their own way of doing things. Generally, however,
they are similar.

Starting at the bottom is the Ordinary Seaman (OS) whose duties

actually are to assist the able seaman. In reality, however, he is the
deck utility man and may be called upon to do any one of many tasks.

The ordinary may be called upon to stand a lookout, to scale and chip
paint, to paint, handle lines in the mooring of the ship, and to assist in
the actual tying up and letting go of the vessel. The ordinary also
assists in the handling and operation of all deck gear such as topping,
cradling and housing of booms and he may also be asked to aid the
carpenter in repair work.
It is likely that the ordinary may be allowed to act as helmsman, to read
the draft markings or to act as cargo watch in the loading and
discharging of cargo.

Calling the watch (the awakening of men, including officers, who are
slated to go on watch, or to so remind them if they are awake) is
another of the important duties of the ordinary. He also assists in
emergency drills (lifeboat, abandon ship and fire) and keeps the
passageways and heads in shipshape condition on the 4 to 8 watch.
He may also work aloft or over the side.

The Able Seaman (AB), by law, must be able to perform any deck
duties aside from the actual navigation of the vessel. In general his
duties include the ability to splice wire or fibre line, to work aloft and
over the side of the ship, to operate the deck machinery such as the
windlass or winches, to paint and mix paint, to know the principles of
cargo stowage, to be a good wheelsman and competent lookout, to
overhaul and install any running or standing rigging on the ship, and to
be able to sew, repair and mend canvas.

The AB must be a competent and certified lifeboatman, able to handle

a lifeboat under oars or sail. He must know lifeboat equipment and be
able to assume the duties of the coxn or man in charge of the lifeboat.
It will also be the duty of the AB to maintain the bridge in a clean and
shipshape condition.

Next on the way up the deck department ladder is the Bosn

(Boatswain), senior unlicensed man on the ship. He is the direct
contact between the crew and the chief mate and he may be likened to
a foreman in any industrial plant.

The Bosn must be an experienced seaman and is held responsible for

anything and everything in the maintenance, care and protection of
deck equipment and deck cargo. He also supervises the securing of
the ship for sea and the loading and discharging of cargo. In addition,
the Bosn assists the chief mate in ordering the deck stores.

The duties of the ship's Carpenter (Chips) are numerous. He is likely

to be called upon to perform work which, in many cases, is beyond that
which the term carpenter implies ashore. In short, he is both a seaman
and a mechanic.

In addition to doing temporary or permanent wood construction aboard

ship with hand tools, he is responsible for the operation of the anchor
windlass, seeing that hatch wedges are driven properly, that the deck
cargo is properly lashed and that the hatch battens are in place and
secure.

The carpenter also repairs blocks, keeps the lifeboat davits in good
order, builds temporary or permanent partitions, shores or braces
weakened or damaged bulkheads, rigs a collision mat, builds a soft
patch in the event of bulging or collision, replaces broken rivets and he
will assume command of an emergency crew to repair damage in
event of a collision.

A Quartermaster is not a fixture on all vessels. On the larger ships, he

is primarily a wheelsman and maintains the bridge and its equipment in
shipshape order. He is conversant with signaling procedure, stands a
gangway watch in port (responsible for the safety and security of the
ship as well as escorting persons aboard who have business) and he
is able to perform the duties of an able seaman (splicing line, reaving a
halyard, etc.).

Day men, those who work with the Bosn, are usually picked for
outstanding ability. They work from 0800 to 1700 and stand no night
watches. Their duties are the maintenance of the ship, which includes
operating the anchor windlass, winches and other deck machinery.

The Third Mate is the junior deck officer and normally stands the 8 to
12 watch. He is responsible for all life-saving equipment. In addition,
the third mate keeps the ships log, follows the captains orders, and
assists in the navigation of the vessel. In port, he will assist or
supervise in the loading and discharging of cargo. His place is on the
bridge with the captain while docking.

The Second Mate, usually the navigation officer, plots courses and
takes celestial and terrestrial fixes. In peacetime he is the
communications officer but the Naval officer in charge of the armed
guard crew is rapidly assuming those duties because many of the
messages now received are in secret code. The second mate also
handles the after deck when tying up. He stands the 12 to 4 watch.

The First or Chief Mate is responsible for the maintenance of the ship
and proper stowage of cargo. He handles the fore deck in tying up, is a
good navigator, a thorough seaman, possesses the necessary
qualities of leadership and will assume command of the vessel in the
event of the masters death or inability to command the ship. He stands
the 4 to 8 watch.

Which brings us to the Captain who is lord and master of all he

surveys. Actually his title is Master. He is in charge of everything and
everyone aboard ship. He must be as closely acquainted with the
stewards department and the engine department as he is with the
bridge and he must know the reason for every job performed aboard
his vessel.

It should be remembered that the Master is the agent of the company

which owns the ship and is not a member of the crew. He represents
the company in every operation of the ship under his command. His is
the full responsibility of the ship. Although he stands no watches he will
always be found, in the event of foul weather or fog, on the weather
side of the bridge until the danger is over, even though such foul
weather lasts for 24, 48 or even 72 hours at a stretch.
In any emergency the captain will be up on the bridge conning his ship,
despite the fact that he may have sunk exhausted on his bunk after a
long vigil just three hours ago.

The captain also may act in the Shipping Commissioners capacity in

signing off a crew after a coastwise trip. It is required of a master, as
well as all his mates, that he have a first aid certificate and be capable
of administering, if necessary, to the medical needs of the crew.

Any one of the deck officers from the Third Mate up will be in charge of
any one of the lifeboats in abandoning ship.

When a ship is at sea, the watches are usually four hours on and eight
hours off, but the crew may be broken out at any time in the event of
an emergency. While in port, watches are usually broken. The crew
works from 0800 to 1700 with an hour for chow. The ordinary or able
seamen agree among themselves, as a general rule, as to which will
stand the gangway watch at night.

It is important to remember that although every man in the deck

department has specific duties, he must be absolutely familiar with the
duties of the men who rank above him.

Otro

The deck department onboard a ship offers a wide range of jobs from ordinary seamen to the
captain. Job positions in this department include Captain, Chief Officer, 2nd & 3rd Officers,
Boatswain and Seaman.

aptain/ Master
The Captain oversees the entire operations of the ship. He/she supervises the work of other officers
and crew on board. Extensive experience including minimum 5 to 8 years in subordinate positions
onboard ships along with all formal maritime qualifications such as a Captains License is required for
this position. Fluency in English language is a must.
Salary ranges between US $6000-10000 per month.

Chief Officer/ First Mate

Working as the head of the deck department, he/she is second in charge of the ship after the Captain.
The chief officer supervises the deck crew and ensures that personnel are working in coordination.
He/she is also responsible for the safety of the ship and the crew. Extensive experience with a
minimum 5 to 8 years of experience in subordinate positions onboard ships along with a maritime
qualification is required for this position. Fluency in English language is a must. This position has a
possibility for promotion to the Captain.
Salary ranges between US $5000-8000 per month.
Second Officer/Second Mate
The Second Officer of a merchant ship is responsible for the navigation of the ship working from the
bridge. He/she is also responsible for maintaining navigational equipment on the bridge. A formal
maritime qualification along with a minimum 3 to 5 years of experience in subordinate positions
onboard ships is required for this position. Fluency in English language is a must.
Salary ranges between US $3700-4500 per month.

Third Officer/Third Mate

The Third Officer of a merchant ship is responsible for the safety of the ship and the crew. He/she
undertakes the responsibilities for maintenance of lifeboats and fire-fighting and signal
equipment. A formal maritime qualification along with a minimum 2 to 3 of years of experience in
subordinate positions on board ships is required. Fluency in English language is a must.
Salary ranges between US $2500-3000 per month.

Boatswain
Directly reporting to First Mate, he/she acts as a foreman of the unlicensed deck crew. A senior Able
Seaman is usually considered for this position. Reasonable English skill is desired for this position.

Able Seaman
Able Seaman works as a watchstander or a day worker, depending on the requirement on the ship.
When the ship is not moving, he may be asked to perform security related watches. A Merchant
Mariner's Document (MMD) is a must for this position. Reasonable English skill is desired.

Ordinary Seaman
Ordinary Seaman or OS is an entry-level position in the deck department. An OS performs various
general duties within the deck department. His duties include taking care of general needs of the
crew and guarding the ship while in port. This position has a possibility for promotion to Able
Seaman.

Cadet / apprentice officer

Apprentice officer provides assistance in various duties on a merchant ship, such as maintenance and
minor repair duties. This level is necessary for further career development in deck department. This
is the entry-level position that requires no previous working experience.

Otro
The Deck crew is in charge with the vessel navigation, watch keeping, maintaining the ships hull, cargo,
gear and accommodation, taking care of the ships life saving and firefighting appliances. The deck
department is also the one in charge with receiving, discharging and caring for cargo. According to the
vessels 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.
He is responsible for the safety, use and maintenance of the vessel and makes sure that every crew member
carries out his work accordingly. He is also in charge of the following: payroll, ships accounting, inventories,
custom and immigration regulations, and the ships documentation. In order to become Master, a seafarer
must first have several years of experience as a deck officer and as Chief Officer.
According to the vessels hierarchy, the first deck officer and the head of the deck department after the
Master is the Chief Officer or Chief Mate. He is in charge with the vessel navigation, watch duties, charging
and discharging operations. The Chief Officer also directs all the other officers on deck, creates and posts
watch assignments and implements the Masters orders in order to maintain safe operations and
maintenance of the vessel.
Second Officer or Second Mate is the next in rank after the Chief Mate and is the ships navigator, focusing
on creating the ships passage plans and keeping charts and publications up to date. Apart from watch
keeping, the Second Officer may also be designated to train the cadets on board or to fulfill the rank of
security, safety, environmental or medical officer.
The Third Officer or Third Mate is the fourth deck officer in command and is usually the Ships Safety
Officer, responsible with ensuring the good functioning of the fire-fighting equipment and life saving
appliances. He undertakes bridge watches and learns how to become a Second Officer.
A Cadet on board a merchant vessel receives structured training and experience on board and learns how
to become a deck officer.
Apart from the officers, the deck department crew also consists of ratings, such as AB (Able Body Seaman),
OS (Ordinary Seaman) and Boatswain.
The AB is part of the deck crew and has duties such as: taking watches, steering the vessel, assisting the
Officer on watch, mooring and unmooring the vessel, deck maintenance and cleaning. The AB also secures
and unsecures the cargo and carries our deck and accommodation patrols.
OS is the crew member whose main duty is to maintain the cleanliness of the whole ship and serves as
assistant for the AB. Being an OS is considered to be an apprenticeship, a period called sea time in order
to be allowed to take courses and training for AB.
Both AB and OS are usually supervised by a Boatswain, who is also a rating, in charge with examining the
cargo-handling gear and lifesaving equipment as well. The Boatswain usually holds an AB certificate as well.
The structure for the deck department on board merchant vessels is mainly the same on all vessel types.

Nedcon Maritime recruits deck officers and rating for various vessel types such as general cargo, bulk,
container vessels, tankers, offshore vessels etc. Our database consists of highly trained crew members who,
apart from the usual requirements, have a series of other qualifications such as: AB Crane Operator, AB
Cook, DP Officers etc.