Merchant Navy Officer


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

A master starts his career as a navigating officer. His work includes:


Deck Officer (Navigating Officer)


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

(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


Second Engineer


Electrical Engineer Officer


Radio Officer (Radio and Electronic Officer)


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:


Qualities and Qualifications


Master or Navigation Officer (Third Officer and Officer of Higher Grade)

(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))


Engineer Officer


Electrical Engineer Officer, Radio Officer (Radio Electronic Officer) and Electrotechnical Officer

Communication facilities on board can be divided into two categories:

  1. 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.

  2. 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

Master

Chief Officer

Second Officer

Third Officer

Deck Cadet

Engineer Officer

Chief Engineer

Second Engineer

Third Engineer

Fourth Engineer

Engineer Cadet


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