Able Bodied Seaman

Experienced deck department worker aboard a Merchant Ship of the United States. After working as an AB for awhile, one AB may be appointed Boatswain, or 'foreman' of the deck department.

Aside from the duties of an Ordinary Seaman, the AB may also be called on to steer the vessel as part of a bridge watch, and takes a more active role in loading/unloading the ship than the O.S.

After 365 days seatime, Johnny passed his examinations to become an Able Bodied Seaman

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Merchant Marine Officer

Licensed professional seafarers who work in either the deck or engine departments of Merchant Vessels. They ascend to these positions based on either Maritime College educations, or less commonly through time served and advancements 'up the hawsepipe' through testing.

Deck officers: 3RD Mate (primarily safety officer), 2ND Mate (primarily navigations officer, Chief Mate (supervisor), and Captain (overall command of vessel and personnel)

Engine Officers: 3RD Assistant Engineer, 2ND Assistant Engineer, 1ST Assistant Engineer, and Chief Engineer (in charge of entire engine room and shipboard mechanical/electrical components)

(NOTE: Steward's Department does not consist of any officers, all personnel in this department are unlicensed but certain Stewards carry more authority than others.)

Before becoming a vessel operations manager, Brian sailed as a Merchant Marine officer with Moore McCormack Lines.

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Deckie

Slang for a member of the deck department aboard a Merchant Ship.

"Is he an engineer?"
"No, he's a deckie."

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Merchant Marine

The commercial ships of a nation and the men and women who man them, both as licensed officers and unlicensed crew. While Navy ships act to defend a nation on the sea, Merchant ships deliver cargo worldwide and are manned by civilians. U.S. Merchant Mariners are the highest paid in the world.

Consists of Freighters, Tankers, RoRo's, Tugboats, Barges, and Ferries

Ships are split into three departments in which personnel work: Deck (navigation, cargo operations, external maintenance), Engineering (propulsion, electrical, and any machinery), and Stewards (cooks).

"I sailed in the Merchant Marine before going to college."

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STCW

(Standards of Training and Certification of Watchstanders) or also informally known as 'Stuff The Coast guard Wants"

Bullshit certifications required of all Merchant Seamen before they can sail deep sea as either licensed officers or unlicensed crew. Despite the fact that having these certs does nothing to improve the competence of the mariner possessing them, and the fact that accidents still happen to this day despite them, the IMO (international maritime organization) and the U.S. government still shove them down our throats.

Training and certification is in 4 basic areas: Firefighting, Personal Safety/Sexual Harassment, Personal Survival, and First Aid.

"Despite the fact that McAllister's Port Captain told me I couldn't sail past the sea buoy without STCW, I was aboard a vessel headed to Norfolk the next morning."

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Ordinary Seaman

Entry level deck department position aboard a Merchant Ship of the United States. After 365 days seatime, an O.S. can test for advancement to Able Bodied Seaman.

The Ordinary Seaman usually chips paint and rust, paints, splices and repairs lines, and assists (somewhat) in cargo operations and especially mooring/unmooring of the vessel.

The Captain of the ship started as an Ordinary Seaman on deck, and worked his way up the hawsepipe.

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Wiper

Entry level position in the engine room of a Merchant Ship of the United States.

Duties include maintaining cleanliness of engine room machinery and gangways, bilge detail, and painting/chipping paint in the engineroom.

Mike served as a Wiper aboard a Shell Oil tanker for a few months before moving up to Oiler.

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