Job Description
The term “officers” generally refers to posts such as masters and navigation officers (chief officers, second officers and third officers), chief engineers, engineer officers, electrical officers and radio officers.
Master (referred to by layman as the “captain”) : in sole command of the ship
Chief Officer: in charge of the deck department and is second in the command
Chief Engineer: take charge of the engineering department
Electrical Engineer Officer: maintain all electrical/electronic equipment, generators and motors
Radio Officer: monitor the external communication ( This post is likely to be replaced. Instead, one or more of the other officers will take over his responsibility aided by satellite and other technology.)
Master
A master starts his career as a navigating officer. His work includes:
Take complete charge on board a ship and ensuring that the ship is operated efficiently and safely both in port and at sea
Direct the second officer in working out the best route for getting to the various ports of call and instructing the deck officers to navigate accordingly
Assist ship-owner’s agent in handling matters relating to the loading of cargoes
Follow the law and international maritime conventions to fulfill obligations concerning safety of life at sea
Notify other ships and appropriate shore authorities of any weather conditions which may affect safe navigation on the high seas
Rescue persons and ships in distress at sea when required
Deck Officer (Navigating Officer)
Engage in navigational duties under the supervision of the master (works shifts, on duty twice a day)
Ensure the safety of passengers, safe stowage and carriage of cargoes as well as the efficient operation of the deck gear and equipment
Oversee the ratings who steer and act as look-outs
Check progress of the ship during his watch and keep a careful look-out for other ships or obstacles ahead;
Assist in the loading of cargoes in ports
Look after the life-saving, navigational and fire-fighting equipment, and maintain navigational charts and publications up-to-date
Undertake certain social duties such as receiving passengers in big passenger ships and cruise ships
Chief Officer: supervise the crew, maintain their discipline, keep the general appearance of the ship and a proper sewage of cargoes, and ensure the strict observance of safety regulations
A cadet officer can advance to the post of third officer, second officer, chief officer and master after gaining sufficient seafaring experience and obtaining relevant certificates and passing through relevant exams required by the Marine Department.
Engineer Officer
Operate and maintain the ship’s machinery, including that for propulsion, steering, electrical power generation, pumping, air conditioning, deck equipment and cargo gear such as cranes and winches
Station in the engine room to monitor machinery operation and carry out adjustments, repairs and maintenance as necessary at sea
Some chief engineers assign one or more engineer officers to work during daytime to concentrate entirely on maintenance duties with the assistance of ratings
(In modern ships) utilise computers and electronic equipment for monitoring and regulation
Maintain the main propulsion machinery while in port
(Unless there is a breakdown of machinery, this duty cannot be performed at sea. Contractors are usually hired for the major repairs in port while the ship’s engineers play a supervisory role.)
Chief Engineer
Co-ordinate the work of the whole engineering department to maintain the efficient performance of the relevant machinery and oversee the consumption of fuel
Draw up plan for repairing, maintenance, and inspection, and keep detailed record for analysing the operation of various machinery
Ensure enough spare parts are available on the ship for replacement
Second Engineer
Assist the chief officer to supervise the officers of the engineering department to perform the maintenance duties
Supervise the subordinates including the third engineer, the fourth engineer, engineer cadet, mechanical technicians and other ratings
Electrical Engineer Officer
Carry out maintenance work for all electrical/electronic equipment, generators and motors on older ships
Radio Officer (Radio and Electronic Officer)
Ensure safety at sea and summon help in emergency and listen for distress from other ships
In charge of the radio station on board a ship and provide a communication link between his ship and other ships at sea and also with coast stations
Listen to the international distress frequency when he is on duty. When being off duty, switch on the automatic alarm apparatus (The alarm will ring to call his attention if an emergency signal is received.)
Handle the daily communication tasks such as transmitting or receiving radio messages concerning the ship’s operation and crew members, navigational warnings, weather forecasts and press reports
Perform the routine maintenance and repair of the radio equipment in the radio station
May be required to maintain navigational aids and electronic equipment, e.g., radar, echo sounder, public address system, television, etc.
May be responsible for the maintenance of other electronic and control equipment which is installed on ships, such as data loggers, closed-circuit television and bridge control of remote machinery
Electrotechnical Officer
On general ships nowadays, the work of Electrical Engineer Officer and Radio Officer is taken up by an electrotechnical officer whose duties include:
Maintain and repair electronic instruments on a ship
Oversee and Instruct other staff in the installation, maintenance and repairing of sophisticated communication instruments, electronic navigational aids, generator, control instrumentation and other electronic/electrical auxiliary equipment installed on board
Qualities and Qualifications
Possess up-to-date professional knowledge, navigational and engineering skills
Have advanced marine and electronic technologies which are extensively used in modern merchant fleets.
Have managerial and leadership skills to maintain discipline and loyalty from his subordinates.
Have an even temper and a cheerful personality to put up with the extended period of sea journey
Responsible as he is entrusted with the safety of the ship and her cargo, as well as the lives of the passengers and the crew
Alert and able to react quickly to distress signals from other ships, especially in times of emergency
Master or Navigation Officer (Third Officer and Officer of Higher Grade)
Have to pass an eyesight test and undergo a medical examination
Possess adequate seafaring experience and a general knowledge of a variety of subjects including commercial practice, maritime law, meteorology, ship construction and marine engineering.
Possess a relevant certificate of competency issued by the country whose flag the ship sails under.
Possess the certificates recognised by other countries if the officer is serving on international voyages
(International agreement is achieved by following the requirements of the Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping as amended in 1995 (International Maritime Organization, 1978))
New entrants usually start as deck cadet, a training post leading to the acquisition of Class 3 Certificate of Competency issued by the Marine Department of Hong Kong after passing the relevant exams. Then the deck officer can accumulate on board experience to obtain Certificates of Competency of higher classes till reaching the Master level.
Engineer Officer
May start his career as an engineer cadet or as a junior engineer if he has completed an approved apprenticeship prior to going to sea
Have to pass eyesight test and body check
An engineer-in-charge of watch is required to hold, as a minimum, a Class 3 Certificate of Competency
Electrical Engineer Officer, Radio Officer (Radio Electronic Officer) and Electrotechnical Officer
Must be fully trained and hold the relevant certificates before joining the shipping fleet:
Communication facilities on board can be divided into two categories:
A small number of older ships still choose the “at sea maintenance option” which requires them to employ a radio electronic officer holding a First Class Radio Electronic Certificate to satisfy the requirement on safety radio equipment.
A majority of ships today endorse the “Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)” which meets the international standard. If a ship is equipped with such system, she is not required to employ a full-time communication officer and the duties can be taken up by a radio electronic officer, or the master, senior deck officer or chief engineer who possesses the General Operator’s Certificate.
For details of applying for the relevant certificates, you may contact the following organisations
Seafarers' Certification Section, Marine Department
![]() | 3/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong |
![]() | 2852 4941(Local Certificate of Competency)/ 2852 3148 (Seagoing / River Trade Certificate of Competency) |
![]() | http://www.mardep.gov.hk |
The Office of the Telecommunications Authority
![]() | 26/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong |
![]() | 2961 6672 |
![]() | http://www.ofta.gov.hk |
Merchant Navy Officers' Guild - Hong Kong
![]() | Room 1401-2, Alliance Building, 130-136 Connaught Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong |
![]() | 2545 8269 |
![]() | http://www.mnoghk.org |
Career Path
Deck Officer
Engineer Officer