what is a deck officer?

Hey guys !!!

Today I thought I'd write about what I do as a deck officer and how you can begin your career at sea!

Before we begin, I am going to share with you the different positions on board a ship!!!

In the Officer department you have the Captain, Chief Mate, 2nd Mate, 3rd Mate and Cadet.

In the Engine department you have the Chief Engineer, 1st Engineer, 2nd Engineer, 3rd Engineer and Trainee/ Engine Cadet

In the Deck department you can have the Chief (Bosun), a range of Integrated Ratings (IR) (also commonly known as Able Bodied (AB)) and the Trainee IRs.

WHAT DO I DO AS AN OFFICER?

An Officer's primary job is to keep a navigational watch. This is done by spending time on the bridge while keeping a lookout to make sure there isn't any navigational hazards. The Officer of the Watch is primarily responsible for the ships safe navigation and shall use all available human resources and navigational equipment as per the COLREGS to ensure this. The Officers are trained to use the navigational equipment such as ECDIS (electronic charts) to execute and monitor a passage.

As well as navigational watches, the Officer must keep a cargo watch while in port. This is significantly different depending on which vessel you are sailing on (e.g a bulk carrier is completely different to a ro-ro vessel.) This includes creating and monitoring a cargo loading plan, monitoring the ships heel and trim and checking that any cargo loaded is correct.

Each Officer also has their seperate duties outside of their watches which can include the monthly checks etc. The duties depend on the ranking, e.g 3rd mate, however, these can vary depending on each vessel. For example, the vessel that I am currently sailing on involves the 3rd Mate completing the life-saving appliances (LSA) and fire-fighting equipment (FFE) monthly checks.

"BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DO ANY OF THIS?"

Now not to fear! I was exactly the same when I first started... and so does everyone else!! That is the whole point of learning... As a cadet in Australia, you are required to complete pre-sea training prior to going to sea. This training involves short courses, tying knots and an introduction to the basic seafaring knowledge. This is important as it leaves you with a basic understanding on the industry you are about to launch into.

Once you have finished your pre-sea training, you can begin to gather your sea time.

*MAKE SURE YOU WRITE DOWN ALL YOUR SEA TIME IN YOUR NOTES!!!*

You are required to have 18 months of sea time before the next stage. This sea time allows you to become comfortable with the different duties you are required to carry out as a qualified Officer.

Once you have completed your sea time you must go back to the seafaring college and complete your deck watch keepers study. This is a duration of 12 months and allows you to further you knowledge. Here you learn about the fundamentals of stability, law, navigation and many more subjects.

"SO WHAT HAVE I GOT TO DO ? (AUSTRALIAN VERSION)"

PRIOR TO FINISHING HIGH SCHOOL

You must complete the following subjects at high school for entry into Pre-sea:

(please check the website for current up to date requirements)

• General Mathematics and

• Chemistry or Physics or Physical Sciences and

• Australian Year 10 pass in English (or equivalent) or higher

APPLYING FOR PRE-SEA

Once you have completed high school, you must apply for entry into the 'Bachelor of Applied Science (Nautical Science) (23Q)'

AFTER COMPLETING PRE-SEA

Now it is time to get a cadetship (if you haven't already) and start your career!!!!

GO ENJOY XXX