Seafarers refers to the staff working on board ships, they are referred to as seamen too, their positions onboard vary as per their education and experience, they must have proper qualification and permissions to qualify for the required position in compliance to STCW
Positions of Seafarers onboard:
- A ship can have all positions or only some of them according to its operational needs which is usually specified in MSMC
- Deck dept.
- Master
- Chief officer
- Second officer: almost called deck officer
- Third officer: almost called deck officer
- Cadet: (A fresh graduate from navigation college working as trainee)
- Able seaman: an experienced seaman
- Ordinary seaman
- Bosun or boatswain: his duties include supervising the deck sailors to see whether they are performing their jobs efficiently. In some cases, and in some ships
- Radio operator: if any two deck officers possess GMDSS operator cert then radio operator is not required
- Engine dept.
- Chief engineer
- First engineer: most of time first engineer works as second engineer
- Second engineer
- Third engineer
- Fourth engineer
- Electric engineer
- Electrician
- Motor man
- Oiler
- Level category
- Management level: includes Master, Chief officer and Chief engineer
- Operation level: includes all other officer
- Rates: include AB, ordinary seaman, oiler, electrician, motor man
Licenses:
After a seafarer obtain the above mentioned courses and sea service required, he then apply for the authority to get the following licenses
- Certificate of competency (COC): specifies the positions and duties onboard
- GMDSS operator license: GOC
- Seaman book
