Officers and crews duties and responsibilities?

[Guest]

Lisa sorry to be so late in answering your last enquiry.When i 1st started working overseas all was required was a valid canadian license and the company or hiring agency would take care of aquirring your required license (Panamanian,Cypress Liberian,etc.)Now all licences are required to be under STCI a standard of certification recognised world wide.You have to renew your certificate every 5 years in the U.K. where i am currently licensed which is primarily upgrading by doing a simulator,1st aid,fire fighting,and a few other things.Each country is differant but all have to have certain standards that are worldwide.I am due to retire in 3 years and i just renewed my certificate last month in Newcastle,England.The pay is quite good as i make 4000 pounds a month and this year we are going on a 45 day on 45 day off rotation and we are paid year round.The company i work for also pays all my flights and any other expenses occured like hotels,taxis,meals etc.Plus the union I am a member of has a good pension and the company also has a good pension plan and i am planning to retire in St.Samson on the island of Guernsey,where I will probably work part time on a ferry.

[LisaIL]

Wow that sounds like a rigourous schedule, Marcel19. So I'm seeing that it really depends on the type of ship and your cargos that determines much of how the shifts and time aboard runs. It is very interesting to see this side of a crew members occupation. Thank you for sharing with me. And here comes the next question, you said you are a Canadian engineer, working for a British Company but under a Bahamian Flag. I guess now I need an explanation of how the flags work. Do ships have more than one flag they work under or only one? Are you licensed by Canada as an engineer and how does that work in working for a British Company and does it change by the country you are in? Who sets all the standards? Maybe I should have started a new thread for this one. Please let me know if I'm not doing this correctly. Thanks again, Lisa

[Marcel19]

Here is another twist to the working enviorment of a tanker.I am a Canadian engineer.I work for a British Company.I have been working on British Tankers (Bahamian) flag.I am a chief engineer on an Unmanned engingeroom tanker.We work primarily day work at sea with each engineer doing a standby shift every 3rd night.During the day we work 8 to 4:30 doing routine maintanance when we are in port the duty engineer is required to stay on board whilst we discharge product he is responsible for all the pumping operation and ballasting,If we are still in port when the new day starts (08"00 the nest duty engineer takes over and is on duty until 08;00 the following day.We do not stay up for the full 24 hours as the eng room is unmanned at sea.Each engineer has an alarm consulin his cabin.We work 70 days on and 35 days off.The mates and captain are on the same schedule as we are except the 2nd mate is in charge of discharging the cargo and the mate is responsible for loading product.We run all over Europe and are held to strict restrictions we are randomly drug tested (2 times a year) and are subject to a breathaliser every time we tieup at a refinery if we are on duty.

[LisaIL]

Timerover51, Thanks for replying to my questions and comments.I look forward to reading your books when written and the National Geographic story of your adventure Since Waukegan is actually very close to me, I certainly hope you will be able to post a schedule of when your ship would be in port. It would be so exciting to see her! Again good luck in your endeavors and I will watch for your posts
Sincerely, Lisa

[mpopeye]

Thats correct, it is one of the highest paying contract in AMO. Like I said I make 12000 and add another 4000 for vacation pay. Last year I grosses 133000. This yr for 5.5 months I will gross about 118000. Just this year alone I have grossed with vacation pay 26000 already. But most officers like a 2nd would make about 10000 a month with vacation pay added in. You have to look the ship I am on we work 304 hrs a month or more, normal 12 hr days and 8 hrs on saturday and sunday. In port and transiting the Suez we can work 12 hrs or we have worked 18 hrs or more. Hope this helps you out.

[Timerover51]

The pay varies depending on the company and contracts. The ship I am on the 3rd engineer makes before taxes and vacation pay added in makes 15000 a month, 2nd engineer is 16000 and 1st engineer is 22000 the Chief is salary not sure what his is. The company reimburses us for the cab to the airport from the ship and to the ship and they pay all airfare to the ship and from the ship. Hope this helps you.

Those wages are a lot higher than what I have been seeing from other sources. $22,000 a month would equal $700+ a day assuming a full 30-day working month, or over $90 per hour for an 8 hour day. For an 8 month shipping season, the 3rd engineer would be making $120,000 before taxes and vacation. The 1st engineer would be getting $176,000 for an 8 month season.

[Guest]

The pay varies depending on the company and contracts. The ship I am on the 3rd engineer makes before taxes and vacation pay added in makes 15000 a month, 2nd engineer is 16000 and 1st engineer is 22000 the Chief is salary not sure what his is. The company reimburses us for the cab to the airport from the ship and to the ship and they pay all airfare to the ship and from the ship. Hope this helps you.

[Timerover51]

Thank you Timerover51 for your fascinating information on your research project. Good luck on your endeavor of purchasing the Bramble, I can't think of a better life for a retired vessel!

I am personally hoping that one of your sponsors will be PBS, as I'm sure many would wish to follow your research and discoveries. If not, I hope you will share all your stories and adventures on here. How fascinating to have been with Dr. Robert Ballard in the SP! You must have amazing stories from that as well. Have you written any books? I'm sure the stories would be captivating to read about.

I will be talking to National Geographic for a starter, along with others. Courtesy of the PT-109 work, I have a track record with them.
As for writing, you are about the 20th or so person who has asked that question, starting with the deckhands on the Grayscout in 2002 and regularly since then. You are more polite than some of my friends, who get on my case periodically. I am beginning to feel a bit guilty about not doing so. If I go out under National Geographic, a book or books will be part of the contract.

It is also nice that you are able to take an active role in your son's education and be a provision to the other students there. I find that remarkable. The workshops you propose for Jr High/High School gifted children, would that be a school specific program, or affiliated with CPS District or other Illinois schools?

I spent part of Tuesday, Feb. 15th, going over the possibility with the Center for Gifted, www.centerforgifted.org, in Glenview, Illinois about starting up a program this summer. We have tentatively worked up some ideas that will need to be refined a bit. I have been working with them since 2003, and they are very excited about the idea. The workshop will be available to students attending the Project 2011 session in Skokie, Illinois. Project 2011 is open to all junior high and high school students in the Chicago area who are recommended by their school instructors, and is also open to those students being home-schooled. See the website for more details.

It always delights me to see someone take their passions and talents, combining them and enabling others, the glimpses and opportunities, perhaps even inspiring them to carry on a particular love of a hobby or an occupation.

I wish you success in your purchase of the Bramble and with creating the programs for educational.

Hmm, Lisa, you do not know the half of that. My son and daughter keep wondering what it would be like to have a normal father. My son thinks that if might be a bit boring, my daughter wants to know why boring is bad.

Perhaps someday when you are in port, we would be able to tour your magnificent vessel Looking forward to updates on your ambitions and adventures And again thank you for your time and information.

I will likely be operating on Lake Michigan this summer, part of the time probably out of Waukegan, depending on where it is deep enough to berth her. If in port, you are invited to stop by for a guided tour, Lisa. I will try to post a schedule here.

[aarcr]

Would you mind if I asked how much the various positions pay? Is your travel paid for to and from your home to the ship?

I am a 2nd engineer on the ocean, I work on a container ship. We have a crew of 20. We have 6 people in the engine room 2 oilers, 1st engineer, 2 engineer, 3 rd engineer and the chief engineer. The engine is a sulzer slow speed 12 cylinder engine putting out 65000 horsepower. We are day workers we work 12 hr days some days it can be 16 hrs in port it is nothing to work 20 hrs. We rarely get ashore. When we reflagged the vessel 2 yrs ago it was under the Singapore flag, now it flys the american flag. We were on 4 months and off 4 months as officers but that was to long. Now we are on for 2 months and off for 2 months. Yes the 1st engineer is in charge of making sure of job assignments and he is also in charge of the main engine. The 2nd engineer has the air compressors, the boiler to maintain, all the supply and circulating pumps for moving fuel, and the purifiers for purifing the fuel. The 3rd engineer has the sewage system the generators and his lube oil purifiers. so it is busy

[Guest]

The three watch system that we all worked on ships was started by that famous captain Bligh.
Before that and even after his ship it was watch on and watch of. very strenuous.
Still ships that have two watch system.
Watches are
Noon till 5pm
5PM till 10pm
10pm till 3am
3am to 8 am
8am to noon

[mpopeye]

I am a 2nd engineer on the ocean, I work on a container ship. We have a crew of 20. We have 6 people in the engine room 2 oilers, 1st engineer, 2 engineer, 3 rd engineer and the chief engineer. The engine is a sulzer slow speed 12 cylinder engine putting out 65000 horsepower. We are day workers we work 12 hr days some days it can be 16 hrs in port it is nothing to work 20 hrs. We rarely get ashore. When we reflagged the vessel 2 yrs ago it was under the Singapore flag, now it flys the american flag. We were on 4 months and off 4 months as officers but that was to long. Now we are on for 2 months and off for 2 months. Yes the 1st engineer is in charge of making sure of job assignments and he is also in charge of the main engine. The 2nd engineer has the air compressors, the boiler to maintain, all the supply and circulating pumps for moving fuel, and the purifiers for purifing the fuel. The 3rd engineer has the sewage system the generators and his lube oil purifiers. so it is busy

[LisaIL]

Thank you Timerover51 for your fascinating information on your research project. Good luck on your endeavor of purchasing the Bramble, I can't think of a better life for a retired vessel!

I am personally hoping that one of your sponsors will be PBS, as I'm sure many would wish to follow your research and discoveries. If not, I hope you will share all your stories and adventures on here. How fascinating to have been with Dr. Robert Ballard in the SP! You must have amazing stories from that as well. Have you written any books? I'm sure the stories would be captivating to read about.

It is also nice that you are able to take an active role in your son's education and be a provision to the other students there. I find that remarkable. The workshops you propose for Jr High/High School gifted children, would that be a school specific program, or affiliated with CPS District or other Illinois schools?

It always delights me to see someone take their passions and talents, combining them and enabling others, the glimpses and opportunities, perhaps even inspiring them to carry on a particular love of a hobby or an occupation.

I wish you success in your purchase of the Bramble and with creating the programs for educational.

Perhaps someday when you are in port, we would be able to tour your magnificent vessel Looking forward to updates on your ambitions and adventures And again thank you for your time and information.

[aarcr]

Thank you for the information. If this was one of the modern Great Lakes 1000 footers with modern propulsion which crew members would not be needed?

With regard to 30 days on 15 off. are these new crew members pulled out of the union hall?

Is that schedule similar for the Captain and officers? If so where do their replacements come from? Is there a master list of qualified people they draw from or are the officers full time employees of one shipping line?

Thanks for taking the time to help us understand this. AR.

[Timerover51]

For insurance purposes, will not the crew be required to possess Coast Guard documentation?

For the ships operating crew, yes. For the research crew, no, they are in a separate category, more on the order of non-paying passengers.

[hayhugh]

For insurance purposes, will not the crew be required to possess Coast Guard documentation?

[Timerover51]

This is what I was hoping for, a real look into your world. Thank you for allowing me to see a world which is foreign to me now but which I would love to become fluent in. Since I saw my 1st ship ever, the American Century, at the Soo last summer, I wish to learn all I can about these intriguing vessels and every aspect of the world they operate in.

So about watches, are these time frames so that the sailors remain alert or because the work is so physically exhausting they need breaks?

Actually, the basis for the two 4-hours watches is so that the men standing watch will likely have one watch during the day and one watch at night. Otherwise, with an 8 hour watch, part of the crew would always be standing watch at night, and then trying to sleep during the day. There are a couple of other variants with respect to watches to ensure that there is some variety to when a man is on watch.

The Bramble you speak of, is that the USCG Cutter Bramble? Isn't that at the Port Huron Museum? Would they put ships in and out of service like that? May I ask what kind of research you are doing, as that sounds really fascinating. Are you entertaining the idea of letting the public follow your adventure, say on FB or some other medium? That would be so interesting, I would think. What kind of a crew do you use for your research team? Thanks again for your information. Lisa

The Bramble was retired from the Coast Guard and donated to the Port Huron museum. Because of the cost of operating the ship as a dockside attraction, the museum has put it up for sale, and I am endeavoring to purchase it for use as a research vessel.

As for the type of research that I will be doing, I will be using the ship for wreck location, with the first objective being some ships sunk in World War 2 in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, where I was in 2002 with Dr. Robert Ballard, assisting him in locating John F. Kennedy's PT-109. I anticipate using the ship on the Great Lakes as well, for various duties. I will be putting the ship up for charter for use in research work, and she will be US-flagged for operation in US waters without having any problems.

I will be putting in a satellite Internet connection on the ship so as to allow video feed back to the US for either live feed or delayed broadcast. I expect to be supplying the feed to sponsoring organizations, subject to whatever restrictions those sponsors may have.

As for my research crew, I will be taking to the South Pacific a group of students from the Milwaukee School of Engineering to man the side scan sonar screens and assist with ROV operation. My son is a student there, and we already have a fair number of recruits. I am discussing several long-term ideas with the school as well. If I am on the Lakes this summer, postponing the South Pacific to next summer, I expect to have a mixture of MSOE students and volunteers for a research crew. I am in discussions as well with a gifted student program in the Chicago area for working with them in doing weekend workshops where we would take a number of junior high and high school students out on Lake Michigan for the weekend, and give them an introduction to maritime life, basic seamanship, and side scan sonar and underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle work. When in port, I will be more than happy to welcome any interested BoatNerd members aboard for a tour of the ship.

[Timerover51]

This is what I was hoping for, a real look into your world. Thank you for allowing me to see a world which is foreign to me now but which I would love to become fluent in. Since I saw my 1st ship ever, the American Century, at the Soo last summer, I wish to learn all I can about these intriguing vessels and every aspect of the world they operate in.

So about watches, are these time frames so that the sailors remain alert or because the work is so physically exhausting they need breaks?

Actually, the basis for the two 4-hours watches is so that the men standing watch will likely have one watch during the day and one watch at night. Otherwise, with an 8 hour watch, part of the crew would always be standing watch at night, and then trying to sleep during the day. There are a couple of other variants with respect to watches to ensure that there is some variety to when a man is on watch.

The Bramble you speak of, is that the USCG Cutter Bramble? Isn't that at the Port Huron Museum? Would they put ships in and out of service like that? May I ask what kind of research you are doing, as that sounds really fascinating. Are you entertaining the idea of letting the public follow your adventure, say on FB or some other medium? That would be so interesting, I would think. What kind of a crew do you use for your research team? Thanks again for your information. Lisa

The Bramble was retired from the Coast Guard and donated to the Port Huron museum. Because of the cost of operating the ship as a dockside attraction, the museum has put it up for sale, and I am endeavoring to purchase it for use as a research vessel.

As for the type of research that I will be doing, I will be using the ship for wreck location, with the first objective being some ships sunk in World War 2 in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, where I was in 2002 with Dr. Robert Ballard, assisting him in locating John F. Kennedy's PT-109. I anticipate using the ship on the Great Lakes as well, for various duties. I will be putting the ship up for charter for use in research work, and she will be US-flagged for operation in US waters without having any problems.

I will be putting in a satellite Internet connection on the ship so as to allow video feed back to the US for either live feed or delayed broadcast. I expect to be supplying the feed to sponsoring organizations, subject to whatever restrictions those sponsors may have.

As for my research crew, I will be taking to the South Pacific a group of students from the Milwaukee School of Engineering to man the side scan sonar screens and assist with ROV operation. My son is a student there, and we already have a fair number of recruits. I am discussing several long-term ideas with the school as well. If I am on the Lakes this summer, postponing the South Pacific to next summer, I expect to have a mixture of MSOE students and volunteers for a research crew. I am in discussions as well with a gifted student program in the Chicago area for working with them in doing weekend workshops where we would take a number of junior high and high school students out on Lake Michigan for the weekend, and give them an introduction to maritime life, basic seamanship, and side scan sonar and underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle work. When in port, I will be more than happy to welcome any interested BoatNerd members aboard for a tour of the ship.

[Guest]

This is what I was hoping for, a real look into your world. Thank you for allowing me to see a world which is foreign to me now but which I would love to become fluent in. Since I saw my 1st ship ever, the American Century, at the Soo last summer, I wish to learn all I can about these intriguing vessels and every aspect of the world they operate in.

So about watches, are these time frames so that the sailors remain alert or because the work is so physically exhausting they need breaks?

The Bramble you speak of, is that the USCG Cutter Bramble? Isn't that at the Port Huron Museum? Would they put ships in and out of service like that? May I ask what kind of research you are doing, as that sounds really fascinating. Are you entertaining the idea of letting the public follow your adventure, say on FB or some other medium? That would be so interesting, I would think. What kind of a crew do you use for your research team? Thanks again for your information. Lisa

[Les Weston]

Just to add to the confusion, when I sailed (early 50's), the 1st Engineer (4-8) was responsible for the Machinery and the 2nd Engineer (12-4) was responsible for the boiler systems.

IIRC, the 3rd Engineer (8-12) had general engine room duties, under the supervision of the Chief (and the pther 2 Engineers). Maybe someone out there can elaborate.

We had no "Day Engineer", nor did we get time off.

[Timerover51]

Ok I hope you don't mind me jumping in here, but I wanted to ask what exactly a watch is? You mentioned a 4 hour watch and a regular watch. Would you be so kind as to explain this to me? Also, how long does the crew sail for and do you have more than one? Thank you for your time and sharing of your knowledge, I sure appreciate it.

As indicated by the Guest's post, who clearly is a sailor on one of the lakers, a "watch" is your normal working shift on a ship, normally 4 hours on and 8 hours off watch, which is your free time or sleeping time. This gives you 8 working hours in the normal day.

By "regular watch", I meant that the crewman is on the normal watch-standing schedule of rotation. There are certain people that will not be in that rotation as they are always on call, those typically being the Captain and the Chief Engineer. The Day Engineer may stand a watch on a periodic basis to give one of the other engineers some time off.

As for how long a crew is on board a ship, that will vary depending on the type of ship and its operating schedule. On your large cruise ships, generally a crewman is on board for 3 months at a time, and then off for three months, working 6 months of the year. For those 3 months onboard ship, a crewman will be working just about every day however. Crew are continuously rotating on and off the ship.

With respect to the operation of the Bramble as a research ship, crew will be signed on for the duration of any charter, unless is it extended, in which case a relief crew will be signed on as well. For the projected trip to the South Pacific, I anticipate having one crew take her across the Pacific to Australia, a relief crew take over in Australia for the 60 days or so operation in the Solomon Islands, and then a relief crew take her back to where she is needed next. I expect that some of the crew will be on board for the entire trip, depending on commitments back here. Now this pertains to the ship operating crew. The research crew is a different matter.