Chief mateLicensed mariner and head of the deck department of a merchant ship Chief mateThe chief mate is customarily in charge of the ship's cargo and deck crew.GeneralOther namesChief officer, first mate, first officerDepartmentDeck departmentReports toCaptainLicensedYesDutiesCargo officer, Deck department head.RequirementsChief Mate's LicenseWatchstandingWatchstanderYes/Depends on shipboard manning requirementsWatch (at sea)Varies (0400-0800, 1600-2000)Watch (in port)Varies (0800-1700) A chief mate (C/M) or chief officer, usually also synonymous with the first mate or first officer, is a licensed mariner and head of the deck department of a merchant ship.Global Maritime Distress and Safety SystemWorldwide emergency communication system for ships at sea The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is a worldwide system for automated emergency signal communication for ships at sea developed by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) as part of the SOLAS Convention. It is a set of safety procedures, types of equipment, and communication protocols used for safety and rescue operations of the distressed ships, boats, and aircraft.
Passage planningPassage planning or voyage planning is a procedure to develop a complete description of a vessel's voyage to safely navigate from start to finish. The plan includes leaving the dock and harbor area, the en route portion of a voyage, approaching the destination, and mooring, the industry term for this is 'berth to berth'. According to international law, a vessel's captain is legally responsible for passage planning.
International Maritime OrganizationThe International Maritime Organization (IMO; French: Organisation maritime internationale, Spanish: Organización Marítima Internacional, OMI) is a specialized agency of the United Nations regulating maritime transport. It was established following agreement at a UN conference held in Geneva in 1948, but it did not come into force for ten years until the new body, then called the Inter-governmental Maritime Consultative Organization, first assembled on 6 January 1959.
Emergency position-indicating radio beaconAn emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) is a type of emergency locator beacon for commercial and recreational boats; it is a portable, battery-powered radio transmitter used in emergencies to locate boaters in distress and in need of immediate rescue.
Licensed marinerA licensed mariner is a sailor who holds a license from a maritime authority to hold senior officer-level positions aboard ships, boats, and similar vessels.
Deck departmentThe deck department is an organisational team on board naval and merchant ships. Seafarers in the deck department work a variety of jobs on a ship or vessel, but primarily they will carry out the navigation of a vessel from the bridge.
NAVTEXNAVTEX (NAVigational TEleX), sometimes styled Navtex or NavTex, is an international automated medium frequency direct-printing service for delivery of navigational and meteorological warnings and forecasts, as well as urgent maritime safety information (MSI) to ships.
InmarsatInmarsat-3 satelliteInmarsat satellite telephone in use after a natural disaster in Nias, Indonesia. The unit depicted was manufactured by Thrane & Thrane A/S of Denmark. (April 2005)Inmarsat is a British satellite telecommunications company, offering mobile services to most of the globe. It provides telephone and data services via portable or mobile terminals which communicate with ground stations through fifteen geostationarytelecommunications satellites.
NavigatorA navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the ship's captain or aircraft commander of estimated timing to destinations while en route, and ensuring hazards are avoided.
Oil tankerAn oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk transport of oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries. Product tankers, generally much smaller, are designed to move refined products from refineries to points near consuming markets.
Merchant shipA merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are used for military purposes.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.