Knowing the Role of an Ordinary Seaman
The maritime industry is massive, but it will lose its stability if one of its key workers is lost.
The ordinary seaman, for example, is one of those who makes a significant contribution to keeping the industry rolling.
His work title may seem ordinary, but he is not ordinary in terms of capabilities because he wears a lot of hats.
In this article, you will learn what an ordinary seaman is, the qualifications to become one, duties and responsibilities, life onboard, and possible career advancements. By the end, you will have a better understanding of him and his work.
What is an ordinary seaman?
An ordinary seaman is an entry-level position in the deck department that is required to become an able seaman. Both the Chief Mate and the Bosun are in charge of him.
The chief mate organizes and schedules ship maintenance tasks. Bosun subsequently delegated these tasks to his coworkers on deck, including the able seaman, deck cadet, deck boy, and ordinary seaman. He works on deck during the day and stands a bridge watch at night.
What qualifications and certifications are needed to become an ordinary seaman?
The Philippines
Academic requirement
You must have completed the three-year academic requirement for a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) or have graduated from this degree after completing your sea time requirement.
If you complete the two and a half-year special program known as the Enhanced Support Level Program for Marine Deck (ESLPMD), you will be qualified to work as an ordinary seaman as well. This curriculum addresses the competencies required for ratings on the navigational watch and able seafarer decks.(Estaniel) (“MARINA STCW”)
Sea time and certification requirement
Sea time requirements differ from company to company; for example, a certain company requires you to embark as a deck cadet for 12 months or as a deck boy for 12 to 36 months.
According to some real-life accounts, an ordinary seaman starts as a deck cadet for 12 months before signing for varied lengths of time as a deck cadet. Others begin as deck cadets for 12 months, then as deck boys for 9-12 months, before being promoted.
In addition to your certifications from basic survival and firefighting training, you must complete a two-day practical assessment and receive a certificate of proficiency for ratings that are part of the navigational watch (RFPNW II/4).(“MARINA STCW”)
This is particularly important if you plan to work as an ordinary seaman on a seagoing ship that weighs 500 gross tons or more.
What are his duties and responsibilities?
1. Deck maintenance and vessel upkeep
Since the ship is prone to corrosion, an ordinary seaman works with the deck guys to chip, polish, and paint corroded areas to prevent further damage.
He is also instructed to apply grease to crane wires and in some moving parts of equipment through the nipple point.
Additionally, he can be assigned to clean storage areas, sweep and mop inside the accommodation, clean toilets, and segregate waste in the garbage room.
2. Cargo handling and storage
In port, an ordinary seaman sweeps or shovels cargo residue from the deck before or after loading or unloading bulk cargoes such as cement, iron ore, wheat, and soybeans.
When the vessel is underway, he washes the deck with seawater, mops the accommodation decks and main deck, and expels water with a squeegee.
When he and his crewmates finish on the main deck, they will wash the cargo holds.
He may be assigned to shovel cargo residues, go inside and thoroughly clean the bilge to remove cargo, wash the hatch cover and hatch coaming, access areas, and utilize the pneumatic-driven mucking winch to lower or hoist cargo residue and other vital materials.
N.B.: Tasks may differ from ship to ship and cargo to cargo.
3. Assist in anchoring
During an anchoring operation, the ordinary seaman will accompany the bosun and officer on watch to assist them by removing lashing wires from the anchor cables, removing the spurling pipe and hawse pipe covers, removing the Guillotine bar's pin and lifting it from the chain stopper, and counting and reporting the number of shackles. When finished, return the Guillotine bar to the chain stopper and hoist the anchor ball.
4. Assist in pilotage, arrival, and departure operations
Hours before pilotage, the ordinary seaman will prepare for the pilot's embarkation or disembarkation.
If the pilot will embark or disembark through helicopter, he will prepare the pressurized fire hoses, install a helipad wind cone, and wear a fireman's outfit with self-contained breathing apparatus.
When the pilot decides to embark or disembark via the combination ladder, he wears a life jacket with a hook and fall arrester, places the life buoy with light, installs light to illuminate the ladder, prepares the combination ladder, which is a combination of pilot ladder and accommodation ladder, and places ropes on standby for lowering or hoisting bags from pilots.
When the vessel arrives at the port, he joins the forward mooring team. As a result, he assists in preparing heaving lines for tugs and mooring ropes, laying mooring lines on deck, fitting chain stoppers, throwing the heaving line to the tug and port, directing the mooring rope in the tension drum, and attaching rat guards to mooring lines once completed.
At departure, he once again prepares heaving lines for pulling tuglines and inserting them on bitts, removes rat guards, directs mooring lines on storage drums during heaving, and secures everything in the forward station.
5. Port Watchkeeping
When the ship is in port, he is assigned to the gangway to watch and log the passage of passengers and cargo onto and off the ship, ensuring that safety and security regulations are followed.
He also communicates with the able seaman and deck officer-in-watch to provide updates on cargo operations, port activity, and any potential issues.
He also makes certain that someone will replace him at the gangway when he escorts visitors, gives documents to the chief mate and captain, and adjusts mooring ropes in the aft station.
6. Navigational Watchkeeping
When the ship is underway, he will spend four hours on deck during the day and four hours at night on navigational watchkeeping.
During this time, he serves as a lookout, which means he scans the area for other ships, fishing vessels, bouys, shallow areas, and other potential hazards.
He helps monitor the ship's position, course, and speed.
He aids the officer-in-charge with navigation responsibilities like plotting the ship's position on charts or using ECDIS, communicating with other ships and shore authorities, and acting as a helmsman when manual steering is required.
7. Safety and emergency procedures
During safety drills, an average seaman practices responding to emergencies such as rescuing a man overboard, deploying liferafts and lifeboats during an abandonment, locating valves to control flooding, firefighting, emergency steering, and dealing with oil pollution.
He is sometimes asked to show wearing a life jacket and immersion suit, as well as how to use survival equipment.
8. General Assistance
An ordinary seaman is sometimes requested to assist his crew mates in tasks beyond their regular duties.
He may serve as a lookout when entering enclosed spaces, provide a fire watch during welding, or assist with stenciling to label and mark various onboard items.
General assistance from an ordinary seaman may not be directly related to regular tasks but utilizes individual skills, such as:
- Haircutting and grooming
- Designing graphics
- Fixing computer and phone issues
- Massaging
- Singing for onboard entertainment
- Writing and editing emails for the crew
- Organizing shipboard activities such as Christmas parties and New Year's Eve
- Tutoring deck cadets and deck boys on their job responsibilities and training record book
What are the typical career advancements for an ordinary seaman?
After gaining experience, typically a couple of contracts or years, an ordinary seaman can be promoted to able seaman, provided they undergo II/5 Able Seafarer Deck training.
With an OIC-NW license, they may even bypass able seaman and bosun roles to become a third mate. However, promotions depend on company or crewing management discretion.
Conclusion
Despite being often underrated, the ordinary seaman's role is demanding and diverse.
He plays a crucial role in the smooth operation of the ship and is an essential member of the deck department.
With dedication and hard work, an ordinary seaman can climb the ranks and advance on his job within the maritime industry.
He wears many hats, so it is important to recognize and appreciate the valuable contributions that an ordinary seaman make to the overall success of a vessel's operation.
If you're an ordinary seaman, take pride in your multifaceted contributions. If you know one, show your appreciation today!
Lazarte, John Henry. “What Are the Duties of an Ordinary Seaman?” Quora, 2022, www.quora.com/What-are-the-duties-of-an-ordinary-seaman/answer/John-Henry-2184.
Estaniel, Herminio Jr. “STCW Circular No. 2016-10 | Official Website of MARINA STCW Administration Office.” Revised Guidelines on the Implementation of the Enhanced Support Level Program for STCW Certification as Ratings Forming Part of a Watch and Ratings as Able Seafarer, 25 May 2016, stcw.marina.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/STCW-Circular-2016-10.pdf.
“MARINA STCW.” RFPNW, stcw.marina.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/RFPNW.pdf. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024
“MARINA STCW.” STCW-Circular-2016-10.pdf, 26 May 2016, stcw.marina.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/STCW-Circular-2016-10.pdf.
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Knowing the Role of an Ordinary Seaman: Duties, Responsibilities, and Life at Sea