MANNING -

SHIP ORGANIZATION

Lecturer Dr. Corina Gheorghe

Constantza Maritime University

 MAIN SUBJECTS
• 1. The organization of a ship’s crew

• 2. Grammar: expressing function

• 3. Vocabulary: terms relating to position

in a ship, time at sea
 LESSON AIMS
By the end of the lesson students will be able to:

• understand the concept of ship organization

• recognize the departments on a ship and the

ship’s crew

• name the different members of a ship’s crew

• use specific grammar structures for expressing

function

• write a description of a ship using the terms

relating to position in a ship

• correctly express time at sea

SHIP ORGANIZATION
The Organization of a Ship’s
Crew
• Master / Captain

• the man in charge of a ship

• responsible for the ship, her cargo

and the safety of the crew

• well qualified and an experienced

navigator
 Capt. Jack Sparrow

Capt. James Cook

 Departments on a ship:
• Deck Department

• Engine Department

• Catering Department

• Radio Department

• Each department: officers, petty

officers, ratings
 Deck Department
• The Chief Officer/First Mate - the Master’s
chief officer and head of the Deck Department

• Second Officer (Mate), a Third Officer (Mate),

and sometimes a Fourth Officer (Mate)

• Petty Officers: Boatswain (Bosun) and

Carpenter

• Ratings: Able Seamen (AB), Ordinary

Seamen (OS) and a middle grade known as
Efficient Deck Hands (EDH), Deck boys.

• Navigating Cadets are carried for training

purposes.
 Engine Department
• The Chief Engineer - head of the Engine
Department

• Second, Third, Fourth and sometimes Fifth

Engineer

• An Electrical Officer may also be carried.

• Petty officers: Storekeeper and Donkey man.

On tankers there is also a Pump man.

• Ratings: Firemen and Greasers.

• Engineer Cadets.
 Catering Department
• Chief Steward

• Divided into a saloon and galley section

• The former is headed by the Second

Steward, the latter by the Ship’s Cook,
both usually petty officers.

• Stewards and cooks, and a number of

junior ratings.
 Radio Department
• The Radio Department often consisted
of only one man: the Radio Officer.

• On ships where continuous radio

watches were kept there may be three
radio officers:

• Chief, Second and Third.

DECK DEPARTMENT
 Main responsibilities of the
Deck Department
• Navigating the ship safely and economically
from port to port. The Master: works out the
best course

• Keeping watches: An officer is always on

watch on the bridge. In ships where a Chief
Mate and a First Mate are carried, the First
Mate is the watchkeeping officer.

• Maintaining the ship and her equipment in

good condition

• To see that the cargo is stowed properly in the

holds and kept in good condition during the
voyage
 Main responsibilities of the
Chief Officer
• Stowage of cargo - Chief Officer -helped
by the Second and Third Officers

• When the ship is not fully loaded, the

First Mate must see that the holds are
cleaned and prepared for their next
cargo.

• In a tanker the cargo tanks are washed

out during ballast passages and freed of
gas.
 Main responsibilities of the
Officer in charge of a
navigational watch
• The Second Officer is responsible to the
Master for keeping the ship on course
and for looking after all the equipment
used for navigation (Navigating Officer)

• The Third Officer is in charge of the life-

saving equipment. The different
appliances must be complete and in
good working order. (Safety Officer)
 Main responsibilities of the
Petty Officers and Ratings
• Constant cleaning, painting and repair work
done by ratings under the supervision of the
Boatswain (Bosun)

• The Bosun sees that his orders and those of

other deck officers are carried out by the crew.

• The Carpenter - a qualified shipwright. He no

longer works only with wood as his name
suggests. His most important regular job is to
sound the tanks and bilges in order to check
the depths of liquid in them. He also operates
the windlass, when the anchors are being
raised or lowered.
ENGINE DEPARTMENT
 Main responsibilities of
Engineer Officers
• The Chief Engineer is responsible to the
Master for the Engine Department: He
looks after the day-to-day running of the
department.

• The Second Engineer is responsible for

the maintenance of the engine room,
deck and other machinery.

• Engine-room watchkeeping duties are

the responsibility of the Second, Third
and Fourth Engineers.
Main responsibilities of Petty
Officers and Ratings
The Storekeeper is responsible for the
storeroom.

• The Donkeyman is responsible for lubrication.

• On tankers, the Pumpman is responsible to

the Chief Officer for loading and unloading oil
and water ballast.

• Greasers are responsible for general oiling

and cleaning duties, and Firemen are
responsible for looking after the boilers.
 MINIMUM SAFE MANNING
CERTIFICATES (MSMC)
• The International Convention on Standards of
Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for
Seafarers (STCW and SOLAS 74/78) require
the issuance of a Minimum Safe Manning
Certificate.

• Prior to registration, an owner must complete

and submit the Application for Minimum Safe
Manning Certificate to International Registries.

• Each vessel is considered individually, bearing

in mind the size, trade, type of vessel and
automation. Once the manning level is
approved, a Minimum Safe Manning Certificate
is issued which can be amended easily should
conditions change.
EXPRESSING FUNCTION
 A person’s function
The verb to be responsible for

• The Master is responsible for the safety of

the ship.

The structure to be the responsibility of

• The safety of the ship is the responsibility

of the Master.

The verb to be responsible to

• The Master is responsible to the company

for the safety of the ship.
 The function of a thing
• by using the phrase: the function of… is to…

• The function of a crane is to lift heavy

objects.

• by using the verb to use + for –ing

• A crane is used for lifting heavy objects.

• by using a verb expressing function.

• A crane lifts heavy objects.

• by using a prepositional phrase introduced by

with

• We lift heavy objects with a crane.

Terms relating to position in
a ship
• At the fore end of a ship is known as forward.

• At the after end of a ship is known as aft.

• At the midships part is known as amidships.

• e.g. The forecastle is situated forward.

The main engines in a tanker are aft.

• Port side and starboard side can be added to

these:

• e.g. port side forward, starboard side amidships,

port side aft.

• The extreme fore end is known as right forward.

• The extreme after end is known as right aft.

• e.g. The ensign is right aft.

More terms relating to position
• In front of is known as before or forward of
Behind is known as abaft or aft of

• Across the ship from side to side is

athwartships

• Along the length of the ship from stem to stern

is fore and aft

• e.g. Number 1 hold is forward of Number 2

hold.

The funnel is always abaft the bridge.

Life rafts can be stowed athwartships or fore

and aft.
 Time at sea
• Time at sea is expressed in the 24-
hour notation:

On land 7.00 6.25 Mid 2.30

a.m. p.m. p.m.
night
At sea 0700 1825 00 00 14
30
 WATCHES
• Traditionally time at sea is divided into 4-
hour periods called watches. There are six
watches
Midnight- Middle Noon- Afternoon
0400 Watch 1600 Watch

0400-0800 Morning 1600-2000 Evening

Watch Watch

0800-noon Forenoon 2000- First

Watch midnight Watch
 WATCHES
• Each watch is in the charge of an officer. The
traditional pattern is as follows:
12-4 4-8 8-12

a.m. Middle Morning Forenoon

Watch Watch Watch

p.m. Afternoon Evening First Watch

Watch Watch

Deck Second Chief Third

Officer Officer Officer
Engine Third Second Fourth
Engineer Engineer Engineer
 Time during watches
• Traditionally the passage of time at sea is marked by
bells. Bells are struck throughout each watch as
follows:

• During the Second Dog Watch the bells strike 12 3 8.

• 1 bell is struck 15 minutes before each watch is due to

change.

½h 1 bell 2h 4 bells 3 ½ h 7 bells

1h 2 bells 2 ½ h 5 bells 4 h 8 bells

1½h 3 bells 3 h 6 bells

 TRUE OR FALSE:

• The day at sea is divided into four periods.

• The Captain has an overall command of the ship.

• The deck department is under the command of the navigating officer.

• The afternoon watch is between noon and 1700 hours.

• The loading and discharging of cargo is one of the responsibilities of

the first mate.

• The Chief Engineer is assisted by engineer cadets.

• The daily orders to the bosun are given to him by the Chief Officer.

• The principal reason for the existence of ships is the carriage of

passengers.

• The Second Officer is in charge of loading, stowage and delivery of

cargo.
 BRIEF ANSWERS:

• Where are the captain and officers accommodated?

• Mention some of the responsibilities of the master of the

ship.

• Mentions some of the duties of the chief officer.

• Why is the second officer called the navigating officer?

• Who is responsible for the safety equipment on board?

• What do radio officers receive?

• What is the main responsibility of the chief engineer?

• Who is in charge of the safe delivery of cargo?

 Ask questions to which the underlined
words are the answers:

• The day at sea is divided into six periods.

• The Captain has an overall command of the ship.

• Two bells indicate the end of the first hour of a watch.

• The Chief Officer is responsible for the loading and

discharging of cargo.

• The work of the ship is organized under four departments.

• The second officer is often called the navigating officer.

 Complete the following sentences with one of the
following expressions fitted to the content: “to be
responsible for”, “to be in charge of”

• The Chief Officer is in ……….the morning and evening

watches.

• The Chief Engineer is ……….for the efficient operation of

the main engines.

• The Carpenter is in ………..the hatch covers and

maintenance.

• The chief steward is …………for ordering provisions.

• The person ………..of the deck repairs is the carpenter.

• The person ………..for the overall command of the ship is

the captain.
 Thank you
for your attention!