Automatic translation
The Chief Officer, or first mate, as he is often called, is, in fact, the right hand of the captain of any ship. He is the second person after the captain and, in this regard, his duties and responsibilities are wide enough. Regardless of the type of vessel and the size of the crew, the Chief Officer must have sufficient experience and skill in navigating the vessel and directing the crew.
The chief officer must be ready, in case of unforeseen or emergency situations on board the ship, to replace the captain, to take over his functions of steering the ship and coordinating the actions of the crew. In cases where the captain is absent on board for any reason, the senior mate acts as his deputy and, if necessary, carries out operations to re-moor the vessel, using the pilot's assistance or independently.
Responsibilities of the senior officer
Among other things, the first mate is responsible for coordinating and supervising the work of the lower ranked mates. Moreover, the commands given to the crew by the senior assistant concerning the daily routine, emergency and training alarms, preparation of the vessel for sailing or arrival, disciplinary requirements are mandatory. It is important that in the event of an emergency or danger to the vessel, the Chief Officer is obliged to take all necessary measures immediately, notifying the captain and chief engineer of his actions directly.
Among the key responsibilities that a senior assistant must fulfill are the following:
Drawing up a cargo plan. At the same time, the senior manager needs to take into account the specifics of the cargo itself and its properties, so as not to endanger the vessel, affecting its stability and strength. At the same time, the plan drawn up by him must be certified directly by the captain.
Management of loading and unloading operations. This concerns compliance with the requirements for the ballasting of the vessel and the preparation of cargo spaces (depending on the type of vessel). Naturally, these procedures should not harm the environment.
Organization skills. This applies to the labor discipline of the crew and their rest. In addition, the senior mate organizes and monitors the training and actions of the ship's crew in the fight for its survivability.
The most important schedule created by the Chief Officer is the alarm schedule for each crew member. Moreover, if the number of crew members on board is reduced at stops in ports or cargo terminals, then the schedule is adjusted for the number of sailors who remain on board.
Execution of control functions. Since, in fact, the senior mate controls all processes on the ship, then, naturally, nothing should elude him. This applies, inter alia, to the regulated use of anchor and mooring devices, as well as ship property intended for use in critical situations - fires, shipwreck.
Cargo securing control
It is important to note that during the navigation of the vessel, the senior officer should control the securing of cargo and other deck devices. And at the moments of entering ports, leaving the port, the chief officer must always be on the captain's bridge or other place, at the direction of the ship's captain.
Thus, the position of Chief Officer is one of the most important and responsible positions on ships of any type. The river-sea type vessels are no exception, for which the Marine MAN Ltd ® company invites experienced senior captain's mates to work on fires and other vessels of the Caspian Sea. The main thing is the absence of age restrictions. If you are interested, send your CV to e-mail: [email protected].
