SO YOU WANT TO GO TO SEA by Captain Michael Lloyd Witherby Seamanship International A Division of Witherby Publishing Group Ltd 4 Dunlop Square, Livingston, Edinburgh, EH54 8SB, Scotland, UK Tel No: +44(0)1506 463 227 - Fax No: +44(0)1506 468 999 Email: info@emailws.com - Web: www.witherbyseamanship.com ii First edition published 2011 eISBN: xxxxxxxxxx © Witherby Publishing Group Ltd, 2011 Notice of Terms of Use All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. While the advice given in this book So you want to go to Sea has been developed using the best information currently available, it is intended purely as guidance to be used at the userÊs own risk. Witherby Publishing Group accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any information or advice given in the document or any omission from the document or for any consequence whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from compliance with or adoption of guidance contained in the document even if caused by failure to exercise reasonable care. This publication has been prepared to deal with the subject of So you want to go to Sea. This should not however, be taken to mean that this publication deals comprehensively with all of the issues that will need to be addressed or even, where a particular issue is addressed, that this publication sets out the only definitive view for all situations. A Published by Witherby Publishing Group Ltd 4 Dunlop Square, Livingston, Edinburgh, EH54 8SB, Scotland, UK Tel No: +44(0)1506 463 227 Fax No: +44(0)1506 468 999 Email: info@emailws.com Web: www.witherbys.com iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This book would not have been possible without the co-operation of the organisations who have been involved. They have all played a part in putting together a comprehensive guide to our Marine Industry for those wishing to enter the Merchant Navy. The overwhelming positive response to the book has much to do with all those who not only assisted with the drafts but with their advice during the writing. My thanks for your consideration and assistance. v CONTENTS Acknowledgement iii Introduction 1 1. A Career at Sea 3 1.1 What do you Expect? 3 1.2 Education 3 1.3 Qualities 4 1.4 Going Away 4 1.5 Lifestyle Differences 4 1.6 Advantages and Disadvantages 5 1.7 Parents 5 1.8 Cadet or Rating 5 1.9 Costs 5 1.10 Employment Figures 6 1.11 Retention Rates 7 1.12 Career Potential 7 1.13 Nautilus Cadet Survey 7 1.13.1 Key Findings 8 1.14 Initial Path 8 2. Preparation 11 2.1 Nautical Periodicals 11 2.2 Schools 12 3. The Merchant Navy 13 3.1 History 13 3.2 Flag 14 3.3 Manning 14 3.4 Tonnage Tax and Training 15 3.5 The Ship 15 3.5.1 The Engine Room 15 3.5.2 The Decks 15 3.5.3 Cabins 16 3.5.4 Main Deck 16 3.6 Shipboard Structure 16 3.6.1 Deck 17 3.6.2 Engineering 17 3.6.3 The Catering Department 17 3.7 Watchkeeping 18 3.8 Working Hours 18 3.9 Fatigue Rules 18 3.10 Duties and Responsibilities on Board 18 3.10.1 The Captain 18 3.10.2 The Deck Department 18 3.10.3 The Second Officer 18 3.10.4 The Third Officer 19 3.10.5 The Deck Cadet Officer 19 So you want to go to Sea vi 3.10.6 The Chief Engineering Officer 19 3.10.7 2nd Engineer 19 3.10.8 3rd Engineer 19 3.10.9 4th Engineer Officer 19 3.10.10 Engineer Cadet Officer 19 3.10.11 Electro Technical Officer 19 3.10.12 Electro-Technical Cadet Officer 19 3.11 Discipline 20 3.12 Problems Affecting the Merchant Navy 20 3.12.1 The Risk Element 20 3.12.2 Piracy 20 3.12.3 Criminalisation 21 3.12.4 Manning 21 3.12.5 Fatigue 21 3.12.6 Shore Leave 21 4. The Ships 23 4.1 Ship Groups 23 4.1.1 Coastal 23 4.1.1.1 Advantages 24 4.1.1.2 Disadvantages 24 4.1.2 Ocean Going 24 4.1.2.1 Advantages 24 4.1.2.2 Disadvantages 25 4.2 Ship Types 25 4.2.1 Bulk Carriers 25 4.2.2 Container Ships 26 4.2.3 General Cargo 27 4.2.4 Tankers 27 4.2.5 Chemical and Gas Tankers 28 4.2.6 Cruise Ships 28 4.2.7 Specialist Sargo and Passenger Ships 29 4.2.8 RoRo 29 4.2.9 Ferries 29 4.2.10 Specialist Ships 29 4.2.10.1 Ice vessels 30 4.2.10.2 Cable laying 30 4.2.10.3 Salvage and deepsea towing 30 4.2.10.4 Dredging 30 4.2.10.5 Research vessels, oceanography, fishery, weather and others 31 4.2.10.6 Military support 31 4.2.10.7 Offshore support vessels 32 4.2.11 The Fishing Fleets 35 5. Shipowning and Management Companies 37 5.1 Training Companies 37 6. Medical Standards and Eyesight Test 39 7. Entry Qualifications and Initial Training 43 7.1 Entry Routes 43 Contents vii 7.1.1 Officer Entry a Mainstream 43 7.1.2 Officer Entry a Previous Experience/Qualifications 44 7.1.3 Rating Entry 46 7.2 Joining a Ship 48 7.2.1 Before Leaving 48 7.2.2 Baggage 48 7.2.3 Compensation 48 7.2.4 The Port 49 7.2.5 Boarding 49 7.2.6 Your Position on Board 49 7.2.7 The Captain 50 7.2.8 Senior Officers 50 7.2.9 Junior Officers 50 7.2.10 The Ratings 50 7.2.11 Initial Shipboard Training 51 7.2.12 Personal Protection Equipment 51 7.2.13 Seeing the Ship 51 7.2.14 Discipline 51 7.2.15 Complaints Procedure 52 7.2.16 Living on Board 52 7.2.17 Your Training 52 7.2.18 The Bar 53 7.2.19 Going Ashore 53 7.2.20 Leaving the Ship 53 8. The Colleges 55 9. Merchant Navy Organisations 57 10. The Marine Support Structure 59 11. Charitable Bodies and Welfare Organisations 61 12. Professional Organisations 63 13. Financial Matters 65 13.1 Salaries and Allowances 65 13.2 Currency 65 13.3 Getting your Money 65 13.4 Tax 66 13.5 Pensions 66 13.5.1 The Merchant Navy Officers Pension Plan (MNOPP) 66 14. The Royal Naval Reserve 69 15. Conclusion 71 15.1 Coming Ashore 72 15.2 Opportunities 72 15.3 The Future 73 Appendices 75 Acknowledgements 117 1 INTRODUCTION The United Kingdom used to be a truly maritime nation. Both the Royal and Merchant Navies were among the largest in the world, a considerable number of young men and, to a lesser degree, young women, have gone to sea as their chosen career path. Most schools had information about the companies and conditions, in fact large companies had recruiting teams that visited schools and career exhibitions. Parents who indicated that their children were interested in a seagoing career, would receive information from several shipping companies within days. As there were so many seafarers in the country, almost everyone had a relative or neighbour who was or had been at sea with whom they could discuss a career at sea. Our trade, safety and welfare depended on the ships and those who manned them. Looking back it would seem that with so much opportunity, information and ships, many drifted to sea rather than a determined career course. Encouraged by the wealth of our nautical history, the sea was a natural world for us to enter. Times have changed, fleets have been reduced and our place on the seas does not receive the recognition it once did, even though it is as vital as it always was. With the diminishing awareness of the sea and available opportunities, the existing career structures are not understood, this lack of knowledge means that those who would consider such a career course can be diverted to other more publicly visible careers. It is often said within and outside the marine industry, that today there is a lack of interest in going to sea as a career. This lack of interest, in the majority of cases can be due to a lack of knowledge of the available opportunities in a career at sea. This book is not intended to be a recruitment book but a guide to the Merchant Navy and the available pathways for those wishing to go to sea, their parents, schools, career advisors and anyone who wants to know about career opportunities at sea. It also shows the wealth of organisations surrounding the MN and how their support is structured. Hopefully, a prospective entrant will get an idea of what to expect and what is expected of them. Unlike the Royal Navy, there is no central organisation or recruiting office covering all aspects of seagoing. There is also not a requirement for all the recruiting to be done through the Merchant Navy Training Board whose invaluable careers, training and educational service provides guidance about careers at sea. For those unsure about the type of company or career path to follow or who want information about any aspect of a career at sea, this organisation should be regarded as the ÂFirst Stop ShopÊ. This organisationÊs work is outlined in Chapter 10, The Marine Support Organisations. So you want to go to Sea 2 The sea is not for everyone, but for those who go to sea knowing what to expect, work hard and conform to shipboard life, it can be a career like no other. No matter how long a person remains at sea, it can provide an experience that will contribute to their character and abilities with qualities that are invaluable no matter what their future career path is. There are very few seamen, while quick to point out the difficulties of a career at sea, who regret having gone to sea, no matter whether their career was at sea or ashore. The training, experience and confidence that is established and developed at sea is invaluable. Hopefully readers of this book will realise the incredible array of opportunities and career paths within the Merchant Navy, the wide ranging educational and professional programmes that are continually kept up to date, the comprehensive support services that exist and the way that training and professional qualifications obtained at sea can lead into numerous other careers ashore. 3 1 A CAREER AT SEA1 As seagoing in the Merchant Navy is an unknown course to those who have had no previous experience, the reasons why people consider going to sea are often based on indirect information from novels and fictional media programmes rather than solid facts. This is fine as long as this information is treated as stirring an interest in a possible course of action with a determination to find out the truth before making any decision. Most people know more about the Royal Navy than the Merchant Navy. This is because the Royal Navy has more exposure in the media and have a public relations and recruiting organisation that is devoted to ensuring they are in the public eye. Because of this, the knowledge they have is based on what they see portrayed in this service. The Merchant navy is very different to the Royal Navy (Chapter 3 The Merchant Navy) and they should not be confused. The Royal Navy is a military naval service that has the expected organisation and support for individuals in that service. The Merchant Navy has no central organisation or central recruitment office, there are several methods of entry. The ships are manned by seamen from a multitude of nationalities, serving on a mix of ships under flags that tend not to bear any relation to those who own or serve on them. This is not a criticism, to those at sea on merchant ships today it is normal. 1.1 What do you Expect? All careers have good and bad points. The bad points are rarely discussed and are often only discovered once an applicant has been accepted and joined. In most occupations, this is not too much of a problem. Apart from the time wasted, the new applicant can simply clear his desk and walk away. This is not so easy at sea, as ships today do not trade regularly with British ports and deciding that the life is not for you in Japan would involve considerable expense on behalf of the shipÊs operator in getting you off the ship and transported home. This is why many companies may not seem keen to recruit you and will emphasise the reality of seagoing. It is not that you are not wanted, it is that you are wanted but with your eyes wide open. Those who go to sea having done very little research into the career paths and opportunities will be disappointed, as will those who see it as a form of escape. What you will find often depends on the company you join, the type of ships they have in their fleet and the makeup of the ships company. Boredom occurs at sea as well as ashore and the restrictions on personal freedom are far greater. 1.2 Education At one time, those who wanted to go to sea, followed a specific educational path that was unrelated to that of the shore, except for the basic educational entrance So you want to go to Sea 4 requirements. This meant that university was not an option and that the qualifications achieved, regardless of how arduous or academic, could not be related to those ashore. This has now changed and it can be seen in the chapter about training (Chapter 7), that entrants can take training and educational courses appropriate to their initial qualifications and proceed through to honours degree level, with maritime degrees now recognised throughout the world. The training is designed to suit all educational backgrounds and allows professional and academic qualifications to be obtained by studying ashore and at sea. The academic qualifications obtained are recognised by all universities and can be added to by further studies or used as a way of entering other professions. This means the marine qualifications gained, both academic and professional, are recognised ashore. 1.3 Qualities All occupations list the qualities required for entry. Very few achieve the perfect entrant, however there are certain qualities which are necessary when undertaking a career at sea. Assuming the educational and medical requirements are met, these qualities are a willingness to learn, accept a new way of life, confidence, resilience, sociability, teamwork and leadership. The training ashore and on board is designed to enhance these qualities but there must be a base to build on. A sense of humour also helps. Interviews are an important part of the recruitment process and it is important that the best impression is given. A few do not’s (from experience) that may help include: When advised that the company has a strict drug and alcohol policy, the correct response is not “oh that’s okay I am pretty much fine now...” When asked how your family feel about your career choice answering “Am I going straight to the ship from here, my mother in law helped me pack my bags?” does not inspire confidence. Turning up at an interview carrying several shopping bags filled with purchases after the company has paid for you to attend. It gives the distinct impression of ulterior motives. There are ways to lessen the impact of the demands put on you, for example joining a cruise company, where the lifestyle is more like a hotel than a ship and the work is more office orientated. But even here, if you wish to move on to the more demanding shipping sectors, these qualities must be met. On most general ships the job is demanding, your ability to cope with what is required of you must be a prime consideration in this career choice. 1.4 Going Away Embarking on a ship and sailing away carries a certain finality with it. Once you have sailed, there is no turning back, unless there is some serious emergency or homesickness, sea sickness is not treated as that. The pre sea period of training can provide some separation experience but being able to use a mobile phone and the ability to walk out of the gates to go home takes away any real finality. Flying out to join a ship is exciting but once on board and alone in a small metal cabin, people can be brought down to earth with a thump. There will initially be periods of considerable loneliness. If allowed to continue it can lead to depression. Of course the ship will call frequently at ports and if the situation becomes intolerable, you can be flown home. 1.5 Lifestyle Differences This can be traumatic for some, especially those who have never been away from home for an extended period before. Of course it is accepted that you are being trained and allowances in your work will be given but even as a trainee, as you become more skilled, you will increasingly become an essential member of a team. All ships operate under a disciplined environment. This tends to be of a quasi- military nature, without this no ship could operate. Acceptance of discipline is a prerequisite for anyone going to sea (Chapter 2, Discipline). A Career at Sea 5 The ship will become your home for several months, often without shore leave. You cannot wander off to see your friends, go to a party or a restaurant. Your life becomes confined to the ship its facilities and the activities provided on board. 1.6 Advantages and Disadvantages Summing up the initial advantages and disadvantages a career at sea is not as easy as it first appears. Many of the advantages are found later in life from the experience of sailing on a ship, the comradeship, the quick growth of maturity, the pride in being able to do a tough job and being a seaman. Advantages yPaid academic and professional training yqualifications gained are internationally recognised and transferable ashore ygood salary (often tax free. Chapter 13, financial matters) yfree accommodation and food yfree travel yopportunity to see the world yfree medical and dental treatment during time on board ypaid leave ygood promotion prospects ythe qualifications obtained lead to many other careers ashore. Disadvantages yAway for prolonged periods ydisruption of family life yredundancy common yoften international contracts without UK employment guarantees ysailing under Foreign Flags without UK protection yincreasingly restricted shore leave yacceptance of a disciplined environment 24/7 while on the ship. 1.7 Parents Parental support is a considerable advantage to the initial success of a sea career. For this reason, the initial idea and future progress towards this goal should be discussed with your parents. As a career at sea may be unfamiliar territory for them and not one that was probably considered previously, unless they or relatives are from a seafaring background, they may be doubtful about the suitability of what you are considering. Unfortunately, many school or local government career advisors do not have much knowledge of this either. You may have to gather as much information as possible about the various opportunities on offer (Chapter 7). Various training organisations organise career days around the country where you can meet people who are at sea and discuss the opportunities with them. Often it is not the career opportunities that parents are concerned about, but the unfortunate and misleading reputation that seamen have from a bygone age. In the dim and distant past, seamen did tend to behave impulsively when they had the rare opportunity to go ashore and had little money. When the two came together the inevitable happened. It may surprise many that todayÊs seafarers drink far less than their counterparts ashore, as many ships have a no alcohol policy, but also have too many responsibilities in port to be able to spend the night roistering around town. They are concerned about mortgage payments, family and most are paying into their pension fund. Unfortunately merchant ships do not have open days where those ashore can visit the ships to meet those on board and to see the conditions. 1.8 Cadet or Rating It is easier to join the Merchant Navy as a cadet than a rating, if you have the appropriate educational requirements. This is because there are fewer training berths and colleges for ratings than cadets and many companies employ foreign ratings rather than British ones. This is not to say that British ratings are not required but companies that employ them are few and far between. 1.9 Costs For Officer Cadets, there are no costs to the applicants. Most companies pay the interview expenses and once So you want to go to Sea 6 accepted, they also pay for the required uniform and work clothing. College fees are paid for by the company and an allowance is given while the initial pre sea course is attended. While the cadet training costs are paid for, this does not necessarily apply to rating training. If funding is not paid for by a prospective company, funding must either be paid for by the trainee or from another source, for example job centres or local council grants. 1.10 Employment Figures* Since 2000, shipping in the UK has seen remarkable growth as a result of the GovernmentÊs policies. The UK-owned fleet has increased by some 200 per cent, and the UK-flag fleet has grown by more than six times. The number of new entrant officer cadets in 2009 increased to more than 950, twice the level in 2000 and the highest for at least 20 years. The growth in trainee officer recruitment has risen twice as quickly as the number of UK based ships. In 2009, about 26,700 UK nationals were seafarers working regularly at sea, consisting of: y11,400 certificated deck and engine officers (assuming a retirement age of 62), y1,100 uncertificated technical officers, y2,100 uncertificated Âhotel & otherÊ officers, y5,000 deck, engineroom and general purpose ratings, y5,400 catering/hotel ratings and y1,800 trainees in training. Of these, just under two thirds held qualifications related to handling ships or their engines (ÂdeckÊ or ÂengineÊ officers and ratings), while the remainder were employed for other duties (e.g. technical or hotel/hospitality staff), or were trainees. The total number of UK seafarers active at sea in 2009 was about 4 per cent higher than in 2002, the earliest year for which estimates are available for all groups. The number of those with qualifications related to ship and engine handling was down 7 per cent. The number of certificated officers in 2009 was 20 per cent lower than in 1997. However, the certification system for deck and engine officers has been expanded in recent years, and if the newly eligible groups are excluded, the overall decrease since 1997 is 25 per cent. The number of certificated officers was marginally lower in 2009 than in 2008. In 2008/9, there were around 930 new entrant officer cadets, the highest number since the current system began in 1999. The latest figures for new starts in 2009/10 are lower, standing at 700. This fall partly reflects the onset of the recession, but also the fact that a boost to new starts following last yearÊs introduction of the new Foundation Degrees has worn off. The number of uncertificated technical officers has risen recently, from around 700 to 900 between 2003 and 2007, to 1,100 in 2009. The number of uncertificated officers with hotel and other specialisations is more variable: numbers increased from 1,000 to 1,900 between 2007 and 2008, rising again to 2,100 in 2009. The overall number of UK ratings in 2009 was about 9 per cent higher than in 2002, though with some variations over the period. The number of deck and engine room ratings was 2 per cent lower, and the number of catering/hotel ratings was 23 per cent higher. In 2009, nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of certificated officers were aged over 40. The pattern for deck and engine room ratings is similar, at 72 per cent. Projections have been made to 2029 of the number of UK certificated officers, based on assumptions about wastage rates, retirement age and cadet intake. The number is projected to decline by 32 per cent by 2019 and by 38 per cent by 2029, largely due to the high average age of officers currently in employment. *Taken from Department of Transport a Transport Statistics Bulletin, UK Seafarers Statistics: 2009. A Career at Sea 7 1.11 Retention Rates The number of Cadets who either leave during or at the end of their cadetship has always been high, this is often due to insufficient or misleading information regarding a career at sea. A recent study of UK cadets employed by the three companies with the largest cadet intake suggests that attrition rates vary considerably from one employer to another and that the safest assumption of the overall rate of loss is between 40% and 50% over the three-year period. Another study made in 2008 of 229 serving seafarers indicated that approximately one third intended to make seafaring a lifelong career, while two thirds indicated they would move ashore as soon as circumstances permitted (Shiptalk 2008). 1.12 Career Potential If the above figures are kept in mind and considering that a number of those presently at sea are approaching retirement age, the long term career prospects are excellent, even allowing for occasional redundancies due to fluctuating fortunes of the industry. One cadet was threatened with the sack if he missed any more college time, but then slept in a few days later. A classmate had a doctor’s appointment around 10 am so swung round to his flat to get him up & concoct a plan afterwards. After a couple of pints they bandaged up his arm and got his girlfriend’s mum who worked in another doctor’s surgery to forge a sicknote. He kept the bandage on for around 5 weeks & is still working at sea. Careers at sea and many other careers ashore depend on the skills of properly qualified seamen in many segments of the marine industry. (See Chapter 12 Career Options). 1.13 Nautilus Cadet Survey A recent survey completed by the Officers Union, Nautilus (published August 2010) of more than 260 cadets, of this approximately a quarter were in training. The survey consisted of 25 questions on issues such as pay, leave, accommodation, travel costs and uniforms. The cadets taking part in the survey attended 10 different colleges and training institutions almost 50% rated the quality of their training as good, 37% said it was adequate and 13% described it as poor. From the responses it was clear there were wide variations in the cadetsÊ perceptions of the standards of their college training, there were also frequent complaints about the state of their accommodation and leisure facilities. Several cadets suggested that the first phase of college training should be shorter and that there should be an earlier opportunity to go to sea. One cadet explained that: ÂSeatime experience is essential in deciding if a career at sea is right for you and therefore it would be better to have a few weeks experience at sea before wasting months at college.Ê Another added: ÂI feel this would enable cadets to have a better understanding of all the basic subjects taught in classes. I would have benefitted from a trip at sea at an early stage as it would have helped with my learning of the collision regulations and simple things like ship construction and actual effects of the sea and weather.Ê Huge differences in the quality of on board training and support were a source of discontent, many cadets would like a more standardised approach to this part of their training. A common complaint was a lack of understanding or support for training from foreign officers. Some cadets said they had been the only UK citizen on board and said that the foreign officers had ignored them, some stated that English was not spoken in the workplace. One cadet commented that ÂBritish cadets should be placed on ships with British officersÊ. ÂForeign officers and ratings often have language difficulties when So you want to go to Sea 8 communicating with cadets and the cadets end up socially isolated from the rest of the crew.Ê Another cadet described how it was lonely and frustrating being the only English speaker on a ship. ÂThis is something that can greatly affect your training and experience as a cadet,Ê he added. ÂI am aware that I am only on board for tax reasons and am unlikely to be offered a job. ItÊs a little bit of a morale killer.Ê Irrespective of the above comments, three-quarters of those who took part in the survey said they were optimistic about their future career and employment prospects. ÂPeople complain about low pay, but considering I am being paid to train it is infinitely better value than university,Ê one told the union. ÂThereÊs no other job in the world I would rather be doing,Ê another added. ÂItÊs been fantastic so far!Ê 1.13.1 Key Findings 1. Do you think cadets should be paid in line with National Minimum Wage for the work they carry out onboard? Yes 78% No 14% DonÊt know 8% 2. Do you think cadets’ salaries should be linked to increases awarded to other officers employed by the company? Yes 75% No 13% DonÊt know 12% 3. Does your company provide such a link? Yes 9% No 52% DonÊt know 39% 4. Do you think that all cadets should earn leave at a rate of no less than 8 days per month including time at college? In addition, should 4 weeks paid annual leave should be payable to all cadets? Yes 73% No 20% DonÊt know 7% 5. Does your company provide anything similar? Yes 21% No 46% DonÊt know 33% 6. Do you think that whilst at college cadets should be provided with accommodation of a good standard at no charge? Yes 84% No 12% DonÊt know 5% 7. Do you think that whilst attending college, cadets should be paid a daily subsistence allowance to cover food and incidental expenditure of at least £25 per day? Yes 79% No 18% DonÊt know 3% 8. Does your company provide anything similar? Yes 17% No 69% DonÊt know 14% 9. Do you think that college and exam fees should be paid by the company? Yes 98% No 1% DonÊt know 1% 10. Does your company provide anything similar? Yes 87% No 7% DonÊt know 6% 11. Do you think that the company should reimburse all travel costs to and from college at the start and end of each college term and/or semester? Yes 96% No 2% DonÊt know 2% 12. Do you think cadets should be allowed paid leave for a family problem or a medical problem? Yes 94% No 3% DonÊt know 3% 13. Does your company provide anything similar? Yes 35% No 13% DonÊt know 52% 14. How do you rate the quality of your training so far at college? Good 49% Adequate 37% Poor 13% 15. How do you rate the quality of your training so far at sea? Good 44% Adequate 36% Poor 14% N/a 6% 16. Are you optimistic about your future career and employment prospects? Yes 75% No 18% DonÊt know 7% 1.14 Initial Path A basic guide to a career at sea follows: Eyesight a Does your eyesight meet the criteria? This standard must be passed before any decisions on joining are made (Chapter 6). A Career at Sea 9 Medical a Entry into the Merchant Navy requires strict medical standards, outlined in as Chapter 6. Entry as an Officer Cadet or as a Trainee Rating a In most cases this is decided by your existing educational qualifications. Training positions for ratings are very limited as are the sponsoring companies. If you are entering as a rating, check to see if you can get funding for your initial safety and survival training. Nautical Background a If you are too young to go to sea, you might wish to gain some understanding of the sea and the available careers. This is not essential but is useful to both you and the interviewers, Chapter 2. Engineering, Deck or Electro Technical a This may be decided by your eye sight, a higher standard of eye sight is required for deck officers than for engineering and electro-technical officers. If you wish to command a ship you must join the deck department. However, the engineering department provides superb technical education and professional qualifications that can lead to more general occupations ashore if you leave the sea. Educational Requirements a If you do not have the necessary qualifications then it may be advisable to stay at school to attain them. Chapter 1.2 Type of Ship a Assuming that your education, medical and eyesight are acceptable, you can consider the type of ship or ships that you wish to be trained on. Some companies will only have one type, others will have a mix, Chapter 4. Direct Application or Training Company a The above will lead you into the choice of company. HNC/HND, Foundation Degree/SPD a Most companies offer a choice of courses but some only have one or two types, Chapter 7. The College a This depends on the company sponsoring you for the training but you can ask for a college if it is close to your home, Chapter 8. Are you Staying or Leaving? a This will depend on your experiences during training and your personal situation. Once you have got your first qualification, sponsoring will stop. You may be offered a position with your existing company depending on their requirements and opinion of you. What Company or Ship Type? Do you want: Lifestyle? Money? A more adventurous seagoing experience? Home life? What you require will point to your choice of company and type of ship. Fully Qualified a The choice is to either stay or leave. If you do leave there are various career paths open to you especially in the marine sector. On the other hand staying and achieving Command or Chief Engineer status will open more doors ashore. If staying, the choice of seagoing career path is open to you, you should remember that what you choose may be your final choice regarding ship type and style of seagoing life. Captain or Chief Engineer a These are the highest ranks you can obtain at sea. It is also often another point in a sea going career to choose to either stay or leave? More doors are now open in various careers and age is not a problem. Some careers ashore require an individual to have spent a certain amount of time in these ranks before being accepted. If you stay at sea you will have the advantage of progressing to larger and more challenging ships, with the benefits of higher salaries than ashore. You will also continue to become more professionally experienced. Some companies are willing to employ their senior officers ashore for a certain period of time throughout their career so they can combine shore and sea employment. 11 Little is often known about careers at sea and advice may not always be easy to come by, it is essential that some preparation and study about being at sea and the disciplines required is carried out before committing going to sea. An indication of nautical awareness in a prospective entrant is how interested they are in associated clubs and sports. Membership of the Sea Cadets or a similar organisation is a sign of early commitment. The Sea Cadet Corps, for example offers an excellent training ground for a future career at sea whether the Royal or Merchant Navy. As well as the many available activities, it provides an excellent introduction to the teamwork and discipline that is required at sea. It has its own power and sail training vessels as well as many sailing and inshore craft. The junior section can be joined from the age of 10 and the main section from the age of 12. This is one of the best ways to prepare at an early stage for going to sea. You can also join your local cadet force it provides a good background of the discipline that is required. The Tall Ships Youth Trust also provide excellent training for the sea, membership of this organisation and a voyage on one of their ships, will provide an excellent base. The United Kingdom Sailing Association offers a sail training orientation course which runs over six weeks, this is an excellent presea training opportunity. Boating or any sailing sport displays an affiliation with the sea. Reading books and magazines about the sea can provide a degree of knowledge although readers must be careful not to glamorise the subject. These types of associations with the sea provide a positive background to sea training on which a future career can be built. Just because you want to go to sea and appear to have the appropriate qualifications does not necessarily mean you will be welcomed into the company of your choice. The interest that you display in your intended career will initiate interest in you. Knowledge of the Merchant Navy and the company or organisation you are applying to is very important. 2.1 Nautical Periodicals There are a number of different nautical publications available, they are of professional and general interest. These include; General Interest: Sea Breezes Ships Monthly The World Ship Society Marine News 2 PREPARATION So you want to go to Sea 12 Marine and Industry: The Nautical Magazine Fairplay Safety at Sea Tradewinds Lloyds List Nautilus Telegraph In addition many marine organisations produce their own magazine. 2.2 Schools Until the late 20th century, there were several schools dedicated to training those wishing to go to sea. Most have now closed and those that remain have diversified into other syllabuses but there are some schools that have a nautical department. Attending these can be beneficial to those wishing to go to sea. These schools offer exactly the same type of education as any other school except that within their school, there is an emphasis or association with the sea and sailing is usually part of the schools activities. While attending pupils will get a good idea of whether being at sea is for them or not. Lews Castle College in Stornoway continues to offer a one year pre sea training course (Appendix 3). A brief outline of some of these schools can be found in Appendix 1 of this book. 13 3 THE MERCHANT NAVY The definition of the Merchant Navy and a Merchant Fleet is often confused. Shipping or Ship Management Companies operate a fleet of ships. The nation describes ships that operate under that nationÊs flag as a national Merchant Fleet. The Merchant Navy are those who man our commercial ships. The British Merchant Navy is therefore not just the British who serve on the ships but all other nationals as well. 3.1 History The history of our Merchant Fleet and those who man the ships has gone from a minor maritime power in the 14th century where our trading ships challenged the maritime powers of Spain, Portugal and Holland. By the 16th century our ships ranged over the known world. At that time there was no Royal Navy. Merchant ships traded during peace and fought during wars, all merchant ships that traded in deep water were fully armed. The British fleet which defeated the Spanish Armada comprised of merchant ships manned almost entirely by merchant seamen, this was one of the Merchant NavyÊs first major military achievements. Our empire was built on trade that was carried in merchant ships, without this there would have been no empire or commonwealth that we belong to today. Many great explorers were merchant seamen including Martin Frobisher, Henry Hudson, William Baffin and Captain Cook who served in the Merchant Navy for nine years before transferring to the Royal Navy. Even NelsonÊs seagoing career started in the Merchant Navy. As the Empire grew so did the Merchant Fleets, by the 20th century we had the largest Merchant and Royal Navies in the world. Training ships such as HMS Conway and HMS Worcester were established in the 19th century. After this there was HMS Britannia for pre-sea training officers, HMS Indefatigable and HMS Mercury were used for training ratings. The First and the Second World Wars saw the Merchant Navy in the forefront of defending our country. As always in times of war, thousands of merchant seamen transferred to the Royal Navy to supplement the manning of warships, the remainder manned merchant ships that were used to transport supplies of food, troops and weapons. During the First World War, King George V granted the title „Merchant Navy‰, instead of mercantile marine, to the service and signed the Act of Parliament that gave the Merchant Navy a standard uniform. Until then, company livery was all that was available. The Prince of Wales was made the Master of the Merchant Navy, today Her Majesty the Queen holds this position. The Merchant Navy became was established as the countryÊs fourth service with their flag being displayed on the national cenotaph. So you want to go to Sea 14 By the end of the Second World War, the Merchant Navy had suffered more than 30,000 casualties, this was more than the combined casualties of the other three services. At the end of this war the fleets expanded to replace the losses of the war, after a short time and with competition from other countries who had cheaper ships and crews, the decline began. The 70Ês and 80Ês saw continuing redundancies and companies disappearing. As the decline continued, training ships were closed and ships disappeared off the seas. For many ratings there were no ships to serve on and for officers the only work was on foreign ships. This was a tragic time for the Merchant Navy. By the beginning of the 21st century, a new style of Merchant Navy had emerged. Foreign Owners were attracted to the British Flag due to monetary concessions, foreign crews who earned lower salaries were allowed to be recruited for British vessels, training periods were shortened which resulted in reduced costs, the government realised it was essential to have ships and more importantly officers and crews to man them. While new growth is not established, the decline has stopped. With such a decline, recruitment into the Merchant Navy almost stopped for some time, companies which operated career guidance services ceased their activities. Schools which had previously had excellent advice for those wishing to go to sea, received little information and were often reluctant to advise students to enter what they saw as a dying career. The situation today is that while there are less ships than before, there is a shortage of suitably qualified young people. The Merchant Navy has its own service record, its own uniform and traditions, many of which have been adopted by the Royal Navy. It exists as a collection of commercial companies which will when required become a united service. 3.2 Flag While the Merchant Navy is really the men and women serving on the ships, there must be ships for them to serve on. Every ship must be registered to a port in a country. While the port that a ship is registered to is not important, its country and the national flag it displays are, as are the civil and maritime laws that govern the ship which must be followed by those on board. Most countries welcome a ship owner registering their ship as it contributes towards their revenue. This is how the phrase ÂFlag of ConvenienceÊ has developed. Initially these states made a business out of registering ships without imposing many rules or requirements that are associated with traditional national flags, as a result the costs were lower. The countries mainly associated with this initially were Panama and Liberia, today they continue to have the majority of the world shipping tonnage. More countries have recently joined and today a ship owner can choose where to register a ship from several countries. The UK has in recent years been accused of becoming a Flag of Convenience state in their bid to attract foreign ship owners. For this reason the flag that a ship displays in most cases bears little relationship to the nationality of the owner, operator or crew. 3.3 Manning With the internationalisation of the Merchant Fleets, manning has also become international. Today British ships are allowed to have any nationality the operators want to employ to sail the ship, some British ships do not have any British nationals on board. For centuries British ships have employed foreign crews, many of these crews served with distinction on our merchant ships. British shipping companies in the 19th and 20th centuries relied on Chinese, Indian, Pakistani and African crews, so manning ships with foreign crews is well established. However, employing foreign officers is a comparatively new feature. With the UK joining the EU, many EU citizens today, predominantly from the eastern areas, are employed on British vessels, officers from Russia, the Ukraine and other parts of the world are employed. Crewing a ship is carried out in various ways. Officers can be recruited directly as either cadets or officers, by a company through their own personnel office. The Merchant Navy 15 A company who need officers or ratings will send out their requirements to an agency, they will then send them information about those waiting for employment, the company will choose who they wish to employ. Many companies prefer this method as it frees them from certain responsibilities and office costs. It is normal for a company to use both methods. They will train or recruit officers directly and employ ratings through a manning agency or vice versa. At present there is a worldwide shortage of officers and ratings, it is likely that this situation is going to become worse over the next few decades. 3.4 Tonnage Tax and Training In the UK, to try and encourage growth in British Flag shipping and to persuade shipping companies to train future generations of seamen, a tonnage tax system of shipping taxation was introduced in 1999. This linked shipping companies that were taking part for ten years to a training commitment. Companies must submit a training plan that demonstrates a commitment to providing officer training places or make a payment in lieu of training which is in proportion to the crewing complement of the ships operated by the company. While this has been successful in increasing the number of training positions on ships under the British Flag, there is no commitment for future employment once the initial cadet training is completed. This means that a number of cadets who have been trained under the British Flag, have discovered that the company that trained them cannot offer them a position as a junior officer. 3.5 The Ship Ships are metal structures which are designed to carry cargo, passengers or both, from one place to another in the most economical way under the management of the Company Office ashore and the operational command of the Captain. The majority of the space in a ship is used to carry cargo or passengers. The more space that is used for this purpose, the more economic the ship becomes. Modern ships may look very large to an outside observer, but can have surprisingly small accommodation in proportion to their size, especially as container ships use as much deck space as possible for carrying containers. The ship is controlled from the bridge, this name originally came from paddle steamers. To allow an easy crossing between the wheels on each side of the ship a high walkway was built, which was known as the bridge. The Captain and deck officers who controlled the ship from the stern, moved to this bridge as the view was better from there. The bridge is the nerve centre of the ship, this is where the communication, navigation and engine controls are located. The compasses and steering systems are all found on the bridge. All ships have an auto steering system, when the ship is not in confined waters it is switched on. The engine controls range from ultra modern computer assisted controls which operate the engines and thruster units together, to a basic single engine control. Electronic technology has transformed the bridge on many ships with an array of radars, navigational systems and communications. Deck officers are required to understand how to operate this equipment. 3.5.1 The Engine Room If the bridge is the nerve centre, the engine control room is the heart. This is where the main engines, auxiliaries and the main electrical switchboard are. As important are the generators which provide the electrical power for the ship. The control room is air conditioned and soundproofed, computers play an essential part in the operations. The concept of engine rooms being hot, dark oily places, has gone except on very old ships. Today the engine room is brightly lit and often immaculate. The ship may well have an elevator which goes from the bridge to the engine room. 3.5.2 The Decks The deck down from the bridge is the top deck, this and is reserved for Senior Officers, often this is the Captain and Chief Engineer. The next deck is the So you want to go to Sea 16 officers deck and the deck below that is the Crew deck. The main deck is usually reserved for storerooms, laundry services and working offices. The food and refrigeration rooms may also be on this deck or one deck further down inside the hull of the ship. Throughout the accommodation there are various public rooms, some are required by international law and others depend on the company. Some companies will provide the bare minimum such as a games room/gymnasium, mess rooms and lounges. Other companies will add to these by including bars, a library, saunas and hobby rooms. You must understand that in the Merchant Navy, your accommodation, furnishings and facilities depend almost completely on the company you join and the age of the ship. 3.5.3 Cabins On the average modern ship, it is normal for officers to have their own bathroom, ratings may also have this facility. Senior officers might have a dayroom as well as a bedroom and even an office. In most cases the Captain and Chief Engineer will certainly have an office. Air conditioning is now required by law as well as heating. Bedding and a laundry service are provided by the company. Cadets may be berthed in a single or double bedded accommodation. It is not unusual for ships to have Satellite TV available in the cabins. Satellite phone calls can also be made from cabins, if not there may be a phone booth in the accommodation. 3.5.4 Main Deck The main deck is outside the accommodation. This deck sits on top of the hull and runs aft to forward. Uncovered outside decks are referred to as weather decks. On an average cargo ship the hatch openings are on this deck, very large bulk carriers can have up to eleven hatch openings. On tankers, the deck is a maze of pipes but under the deck the ship has large tanks which similar to a bulk carrier are for cargo. On many ships, the main deck is also used to carry cargo, this is particularly the case on container ships where the containers are stacked on the deck as high as they are below in the ships holds. Between the holds on smaller vessels there may be cranes which are used for loading and discharging cargo. At the forward part of the ship is the forecastle, which gets its name from when soldiers were carried on ships. To protect them from arrows, they built small wooden castles on the bow of the ship. The forecastle is the main store for the deck department, on the deck of this storeroom is the mooring and anchoring equipment for the ship. At the stern of the ship is the poop deck. The name comes from Latin, ÂpuppisÊ and the French ÂLa PoopeÊ meaning stern. On this deck are the mooring winches for the stern lines. The shipÊs hull is strengthened by steel girders. Due to the danger of pollution, double hulls are now required for certain types of ships. Depending on whether a ship is loaded or not, the height of the hull will vary. When a ship is loaded, only the painted hull will be seen, when it is unloaded the underwater part will also be seen, this is painted with antifouling paint to prevent weed from growing. On very large ships those with an underwater hull of 20 metres in depth, there are only a few ports that can accommodate them. This means that the larger part of the ship is under the water when loaded, shallow waters require very careful navigation. Ballast tanks are found at the side and bottom of the ship. This allows the ship to discharge a cargo, these tanks are then filled with water to maintain the stability of the ship for seagoing in any weather condition. Some of these tanks will be fresh water tanks, although many ships these days make their own water. The ships fuel tanks are also at the bottom of the ship. The amount of fuel required will depend on the size of ship, trading pattern and speed, for example a 150,000 dwt container ship travelling at 24 knots will use 300-350 tonnes per day, while a 50,000 dwt general cargo ship travelling at 14 knots will use around 30 tonnes per day. As every ship is different it is difficult to generalise, but all ships must provide at least the basic facilities for living on board. Therefore food, water, electricity, cabins, laundry, cooking, eating and recreation areas must be provided. 3.6 Shipboard Structure The manning of a ship is governed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations contained The Merchant Navy 17 in The Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW95) and any applicable national regulations. Each ship must have a minimum manning certificate approved by the maritime administration the ship is registered to, in the UK this is the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), (chapter 10). Once this is given, the ship cannot sail without the ranks being filled, unless special permission is granted. A company can carry as many additional crew as they wish, provided there are sufficient lifeboats for those on board. Similar to a company or office ashore, the ship, under the Captain as the head of the ship, is divided into departments. On the vast majority of ships the departments are as follows. 3.6.1 Deck This is the Seamanship Department of the ship and is headed by the Chief Officer. The responsibilities of this department include: yNavigation yseamanship ycommunications ysafety and security ycargo and stability ymedical yadministration. 3.6.2 Engineering The engineering department is headed by the Chief Engineer and is responsible for all the machinery and technical aspects of the shipÊs operations, including: yThe main engines ythe electrical and electronic systems yauxiliary systems such as air conditioning, stabilisers yall deck machinery yplumbing and sanitation systems yfuel and pollution prevention. 3.6.3 The Catering Department This department is responsible for providing all the ÂhotelÊ services. Apart from cruise ships and ferries where this is the largest department, on the average ship the catering crew has borne the brunt of the reductions in manning. In the past it was headed by a Purser or Chief Steward, on some ships with larger crews, these ranks may still be carried but often the department is headed by a Cook/Chief Steward where the ships Cook heads the department and is usually overseen by the Captain. The full extent of this departmentÊs responsibilities at times is not fully appreciated by those ashore. These include: yThe feeding of those on board ythe cleanliness of the ship yprovisioning yfood storage yhealth and hygiene ylaundry services ypublic rooms yaccommodation maintenance. When these departments are put together a typical oceangoing shipÊs crewing arrangement may look like this: CAPTAIN Deck Department Chief Officer 2nd Officer 3rd Officer 4th Officer* Cadet/s* Bosun Deck Ratings Trainees* Chief Engineer 2nd Engineer 3rd Engineer 4th Engineer* Cadet/s* Fitter Engine Ratings Trainees* Catering Department Chief Steward* Chief Cook Stewards Calley Boy* Engineering Department *These positions may not be filled on many ships. The above is for a basic oceangoing ship structure. Depending on the type of ship and work that the ship is designed to carry out, the positions can also be enhanced. An example is the comparatively new position of Electro Technical Officers and cadets, who deal with the electronic aspects of the ship. So you want to go to Sea 18 3.7 Watchkeeping The structure of the deck department and to an extent the engine department is based on the traditional watchkeeping system when the ship is at sea. This allows an officer and lookout to be on watch on the bridge throughout a 24 hour period, the usual routines are four hours on watch and eight hours off. Again a typical system would be: y0800-1200 3rd Officer y1200-1600 2nd Officer y1600-2000 Chief Officer y2000-2400 3rd Officer y1200-0400 2nd Officer y0400-0800 Chief Officer. Under this system the Captain is on call at all times. In port the system may change to one where the Chief Officer is required to be on call constantly while the other two officers work a six hour on and six hour off routine during cargo work. 3.8 Working Hours The normal working hours on board are: yWatchkeepers 60 hours plus. This is in addition to their time on the bridge or engine room, as they have other duties to attend to ydeck officers this can change in port to 84 hours or more depending on the cargo requirements yday workers 44 hours. This depends on work requirements, training and drills. 3.9 Fatigue Rules Recently ship operators have reduced the number of officers and crew on board ships considerably. This has lead to a high level of fatigue, as a result there have been many accidents. The International Maritime Organization has brought in regulations that limit the number of hours of work. Regrettably, due to the nature of the ships trading patterns and the demands on them, it is not uncommon for some on board, such as the Chief Officer to work excessive hours in port. 3.10 Duties and Responsibilities on Board 3.10.1 The Captain The Captain, while trained in the deck department, is the head of the ship and is responsible for all matters on board. The department heads report to him and he in turn reports to the office ashore. The Captain does not keep specific hours unless on a small vessel where he may keep a watch as one of the bridge watchkeepers. His place of duty is the bridge, particularly when in restricted waters or entering or leaving harbour. On a merchant ship, while in command of all aspects of the ship, he will oversee the navigation and quite often the operation of the catering department. 3.10.2 The Deck Department The Head of the Deck Department is the Chief Officer, often referred to as the ÂMateÊ He is in effect the Chief Seaman of the ship and is responsible to the Captain for all seamanship and cargo matters. On certain ships he will often be referred to as a day-worker, this means that he does not have a set watch on the bridge, leaving him time to oversee his department. He is also responsible for the safety equipment and training on board. This will include the shipÊs boats, fire fighting and corresponding training exercises. On most ships, this officer is the busiest on board, with a watch, usually 0400-0800 and 1600-2000 on the bridge and a department to run. In port he is even busier, as he takes care of all the cargo matters. He is responsible to the Captain for the daily running of the ship and discipline on board. 3.10.3 The Second Officer The 2nd Officer is under the Chief Officer. This officer is usually the Navigator of the ship and works closely with the Captain. He is often responsible for updating the shipÊs publications. In some companies he is the cargo officer. At sea he will keep the 1200 -1600 and 0000 - 0400 watch, in port when working cargo many 2nd and 3rd officers divide the duty between them working six hours on and six hours off. With this type of system there is not much opportunity for shore leave. The Merchant Navy 19 He may also be the ships medical officer, under the CaptainÊs guidance. 3.10.4 The Third Officer Normally this is the most junior officer of the department. In this position he usually assists the chief officer in safety maintenance, act as training officer, in fact he will take on as many positions as are assigned to him. His watch hours are 0800 to 1200 and 2000 - 0000 at sea, in port working cargo his hours will be six hours on and six hours off. 3.10.5 The Deck Cadet Officer Cadets are classified as trainee officers whose training will take priority on board. Due to the manning situation on modern ships, the cadet is an important member of the deck team who will be integrated according to their abilities. 3.10.6 The Chief Engineering Officer The Chief Engineer is responsible to the Captain for maintaining the engines, all secondary machinery such as air conditioning and deck cranes and running his department. Because of the Chief EngineerÊs responsibilities and qualifications, he is regarded in a similar way to the Captain. The Chief Engineer oversees his department, the 2nd Engineer is the working head of the department. Like the Captain he has no specific duty, but is available as required. His responsibilities increase with the size of ship, except for certain types of specialist ships, covering a wide range of machinery. 3.10.7 2nd Engineer This is a senior officer who is similar to the Chief Officer, as they are both responsible for the daily operation of their department. On modern ships there is a crossover of responsibilities and these two officers must have a close relationship. If the ship has a manned engine room, he will keep the same watches as the deck department but most modern ships have unmanned engine rooms, this means the ship will have a system where a duty engineer will check the engine room periodically. Pollution on ships is a major concern whether it is from fuel, smoke or sanitation systems. The 2nd Engineer is responsible for ensuring that all operations under his control conform to the international pollution requirements. The bunkering, which is taking fuel oil on board is also this officerÊs responsibility. 3.10.8 3rd Engineer This junior officer may be the most junior in the engineering department and as such his duties will include assisting the 2nd and Chief Engineer. He should be able to start and carry out routine maintenance on the generators and oil purifiers, be able to operate all pumps and assist with bunkering. He should also continue to learn while carrying out work that fits with his capabilities. 3.10.9 4th Engineer Officer Some ships may still carry this officer. Similar to the 3rd Engineer, he will function under the 2nd Engineer, carrying out watchkeeping duties as required and general engineering duties. 3.10.10 Engineer Cadet Officer Exactly the same as the deck cadets except their training is engineering rather than seamanship. 3.10.11 Electro Technical Officer This officer depending on the company may be attached to the Engineering Department or the Deck Department. On large cruise vessels, they might have their own department because of the large amount of electronic equipment carried. The Electro Technical Officer deals with electrical and electronic equipment on board and the communications equipment on the ship. They are day workers and operate under the Chief Officer or Chief Engineer. 3.10.12 Electro-Technical Cadet Officer This is a new training rank brought in due to the increasing need for specialist officers to deal with the electronics on board. So you want to go to Sea 20 3.11 Discipline While discipline is required in most aspects of our lives, on shore it tends to be very different from a ship. Discipline at sea is well defined, impersonal and immediate, regardless of whether it is a Royal Navy or Merchant Navy ship. As a trainee, the old idea of when told to jump the only answer is how high is not a bad analogy. Direct orders are given, not because the person giving the order is impolite, but for clarity. This is important for two reasons. A ship is a small community of people often unknown to each other, who are confined in a small space for long periods of time. It is essential that there are established rules on board for living together in harmony, the rules must be clear and if broken must be dealt with immediately. Today it is unusual for ships to resort to punishment and everyone tries to avoid such situations. When they are imposed and depending on the flag state of the ship, they can range from verbal and written warnings to fines or dismissal from the ship, often with the repatriation expenses down to the offending person. On UK ships there is a mandatory code of conduct which is part of the articles of agreement, everybody who joins the ship must sign. Ships have an established hierarchy. It is based on qualifications and experience, anyone with training and work can progress up the hierarchical ladder. On a ship, especially in an emergency, situations demand that orders are obeyed immediately and without undue question, all on board must understand and comply with this type of existence. The Captain and Officers will expect those newly joining the ship to accept the necessity of this existence from the very beginning. 3.12 Problems Affecting the Merchant Navy Like all professions and industries, the merchant navy is no different in having problems. 3.12.1 The Risk Element The sea is not a natural element for humans. We can and do drown, it is important that you learn to swim if you intend to go to sea. Ships are machines that are designed to float on the sea. This combination can produce dangerous circumstances, as ships sink and sailors drown. The ship is in itself a factory with all the dangers of a factory ashore. Regardless of the position you are training for, it is likely that you will at times work in hazardous environments. Going to sea is listed as one of the most dangerous occupations, it is estimated that 103 in every 100,000 fishermen and 52 in every 100,000 merchant seamen die while working at sea. These figures must be kept in perspective as they include all seagoing craft in the world, if the figures were taken for the average merchant ships, they would be considerably lower. Unfortunately, the Health and Safety Executive, which has done so much for industry ashore in improving the safety has no authority on ships. Merchant Seamen are the only group of workers who are exempt from their regulations. Instead the safety of seamen is governed by international regulations through the International Maritime Organization and the Maritime Coast Guard Agency. There is danger in almost everything we do if a person is careless or untrained. Far more people die from accidents on the roads than at sea, so the element of danger must be kept in perspective. 3.12.2 Piracy One occupation at sea that most ashore know about is piracy, this is due to recent news reports. To those ashore there is an element of glamour attached to this, based on old stories. In reality they are armed thugs in old fishing boats who unfortunately gain a great deal of publicity. There are certainly areas of the sea, usually close to land where national governments have little or no control of their waters. In these areas ships must take security precautions. As the problem is growing, there is now increasing naval deployment to the most severely affected areas but it will require action by the nations where the piracy is being The Merchant Navy 21 committed before the problem can be adequately dealt with. In the meantime, with more ships taking defensive action, it is becoming more difficult for the pirates to successfully attack a prepared and alert ship. It is surprising that with all the publicity surrounding this problem, most seamen have never had any piracy experience. 3.12.3 Criminalisation This is a contentious issue brought about initially various pollution problems. Strict laws are laid down to protect seamen from unlawful arrest and for the correct treatment of seafarers in the ports of the world. Regrettably many countries that signed these resolutions now ignore them and not just for pollution problems but also for many other incidents where ships are involved. The international legal process is being ignored and seamen, particularly senior officers, now find themselves, arrested, imprisoned or detained in foreign countries while the cases are dealt with. The obvious consequence of this is not just the traumatic experience of being arrested and detained but the criminal record that often goes with this. 3.12.4 Manning The manning of many ships today is insufficient for carrying out the required tasks. These problems are particularly obvious on smaller vessels where lax manning requirements prevail, this leads to a breakdown of the lookout and bridge watch requirements and can result in accidents. The problems are well known to all marine administrations, including our own, no action is being taken despite the constant pressure by the Unions and professional bodies. On larger vessels manning deficiencies are noticeable in port where the pressure of cargo operations requires constant overseeing and attendance. 3.12.5 Fatigue Fatigue problems cannot be separated from those of manning, as low manning on board inevitably leads to fatigue during any intensive activity, such as port operations. Crew members often work more than 100 hours a week, with their rest time being disturbed by the incessant noise of the cargo equipment and un- insulated cabins. The situation is often compounded on smaller vessels. The result of fatigue can be seen at sea with ships often sailing with tired officers and crew followed by the often inevitable consequences. Again, these facts are well known to marine administrations with little action being taken. On both of the above problems, the pressure is rising among unions and other concerned bodies for action to be taken by the IMO and other national maritime authorities in light of the overwhelming evidence of the effects these problems have on safety at sea. 3.12.6 Shore Leave Increasingly around the world, both private and public ports are restricting visitors to the seafarers and the seafarers access to shore, often citing new security requirements as an excuse. This is particularly prevalent in the USA. The restrictions vary from refusing visitors to refusing all access to and from the ship apart from port officials. Restrictions are imposed by national authorities such as the police or coastguard but in many cases, particularly in the USA, these are imposed by private terminals, the legality of which is questionable. The worsening situation is recognised by a number of organisations, yet at the moment little is being done to rectify the situation. 23 The lifestyle, work patterns, leave, pay and the places you visit are often governed by the type of ship you join. If you asked seaman what ships you should be trained on, most would say as many different types as possible, as you will learn about the different type of ships and are then in a better position to choose what type you prefer, more importantly your spread of knowledge, ability and seamanship are increased with the experience gained on each type of ship. These days, companies usually specialise in one type or another, as a result it is not as easy to move around within the same company. Once you have completed the initial training period there is nothing to stop you from changing companies to gain this experience on different type of ships, this is not uncommon. There are also management companies and training companies (Chapter 5) that can have a spread of ship types. Most try to ensure that the training period is spent on different types of ships although due to the short initial training period at sea, this is not always possible. 4.1 Ship Groups It is not possible to cover all the different types of ships on the sea. The seas are seen increasingly as not just a place of travel and transport but also as a resource to be developed. As a result new ships are being developed continually, for example wind farms being constructed off our coast, these require specially developed ships to install and service them. Ships can basically be divided into two major groups, coastal or near coastal and ocean going. 4.1.1 Coastal Coastal ships are usually smaller in size than their oceangoing counterparts, although there are ferries which are larger than many oceangoing ships that never go out of the sight of land. Their size is governed by the multitude of smaller ports around the worldÊs coastlines. The advantage of coastal vessels is their ability to enter rivers deep into many countries and use ports which the oceangoing counterpart cannot go to either because of the size or draft restrictions, which is the depth of the ship under water is too large for the depth of water in port. They generally perform the same tasks as ocean going ships. As they are smaller in size, less crew are required and proportionally fewer trainees are carried, although this is changing as there is a growing shortage of replacements for the current seamen. The trainees that are carried are usually on ferries where there is a larger crew, particularly in the catering departments and specialist shipping, such as the offshore sector which supports the oil industry. 4 THE SHIPS So you want to go to Sea 24 4.1.1.1 Advantages The Ports Today for most types of shipping the time spend in port is short. Coastal shipping tends to be closer to towns, shops and entertainment centres than their oceangoing counterparts, because of this shore leave is more likely. As there are more small ports than large ones, the places to visit are more varied, especially as mid trade can go into the Baltic and Mediterranean, some can also cross the Atlantic. The Voyages These tend to be shorter than larger vessels. It is not unusual for two or three ports to be visited in a week. Leave As these ships generally trade close to home ports, the rotation of work and leave tends to be shorter and more regular. It is not unusual for a one month on one month off system to be in place, this allows a more regular home life. Management Style The management style of companies operating such ships, especially in smaller companies, is usually more friendly and personal. Job satisfaction and loyalty tends to be more important than on perhaps large oceangoing fleets. Training Navigation and seamanship skills on this type of ship are very important, especially in ship handling, if a position can be found it is an excellent type of ship for training. 4.1.1.2 Disadvantages Pay The pay in coastal shipping tends to be less than oceangoing. This is often due to the leave ration being higher, often the situation is more leave with less pay. The Sea Regardless of the shipÊs size, the sea does not change. While smaller ships are at no more risk than their larger counter parts, they tend to ride the waves better although they can be very uncomfortable in bad weather. Amenities The accommodation is generally smaller and does not have all the amenities that larger ships have. There is often no cook, food depends on who ever is cooking that day. The workload With the exception of ferries, as this type of ship carry the minimum number of crew, the workload can at times be problematic, fatigue is a recognised problem. 4.1.2 Ocean Going The majority of training is carried out an ocean going ships, many companies offer this opportunity (Chapter 6). As with the coastal sector, different types of oceangoing ships and specialist ships are required for different types of work. Today most oceangoing ships have no recognised ÂhomeÊ port. Instead crews fly out to join them in the most convenient port they are berthed in and leave in the same way. As with coastal ships, the ports that these ships can use will depend on their size and draft, generally they use much larger ports. It does not mean that because the ships are larger they will have more time in port. The time in port will depend on the cargo that is being carried and can range from a few hours to a few days. The contracted time on board varies from a few to several months, leaving a ship depends on reaching a convenient port where travel can be arranged. This can mean that a set time for leave may have to be extended to suit the company which can interfere with family plans. 4.1.2.1 Advantages Training Formal training on oceangoing ships is better than on coastal ships, primarily as there are more officers on board to cope with this. Companies that take on trainees tend to have a more organised personnel department and often a dedicated training department. Accomodation The accommodation is often spacious and today many ships have good amenities such as broadband, satellite TV, gymnasiums, swimming pools and bars, although some companies have a Âno alcohol policyÊ. Proper cooks are carried and Officers have a steward service. The Ships 25 Travel The ships have a worldwide range, this means that depending on the ship many foreign places may be visited. In addition it is normal to fly out to join the ship and also when leaving, this may provide an opportunity to see something of the countries visited. Pay The pay is better than coastal shipping, but you should be aware of the leave/work ratio. One advantage in the UK is that if you spend more than 6 months at sea during the year, then your pay is tax free. Larger companies often have a pension system but if you are on a British ship this is covered through Nautilus (Chapter 10, Support Organisations) 4.1.2.2 Disadvantages Shore Leave Whether you have the opportunity to see the places the ship visits depends on the length of time in port and where the ship is berthed. Larger ships are usually further away from any population centres, which often means that the ship is berthed miles away from the town centre, which can make it expensive to get ashore. In addition, it is increasingly popular around the world, especially in the USA to prohibit shore leave. Manning Just because a ship is large does not necessarily mean there are more crew on board. Recent newly built large container ships have manning certificates for 13 crew. In such a situation, life on board can be very lonely as everyone is either working or sleeping. If there is a ÂNo barÊ policy in force, there can be no or very little social life. The Personal touch Another general rule, both at sea and ashore, is the larger the company the more impersonal it becomes. If you are leaving a small company, they will often want to know why and are interested in you as a person. A large company might be disappointed but simply find someone else. Distance On oceangoing ships you will mainly work thousands of miles away from home. While you may look forward to this, there are occasions when you wish to be closer to home. The death or serious illness of a family member for example. If you are in the middle of the ocean, there is little that can be done. If the illness or death is not a member of your immediate family, ie if you are single your parents, or if you are married your wife and children, then you may have to pay to travel home and sometimes, for your replacement if there is one available. You must remember that once you are signed on a ship, you cannot walk down the gangway and leave. You must wait for your replacement or the CaptainÊs permission, as he holds your documents including your passport. 4.2 Ship Types Oceangoing ships are dominated by three basic types, Bulk Carriers, Oil Tankers and Container ships. 4.2.1 Bulk Carriers The first bulk carrier, the British coal carrier S.S. John Bolwes, was built in 1852. Since then the world bulk fleet has expanded to around 40% of world shipping. They are recognised as the most dangerous types of ships due to the severe stresses they are subjected to and the safety issues which are associated with their cargoes. As the cargoes tend to be heavy and are prone to catastrophic hull or hatch failure they sink rapidly, this leaves crews with little time to abandon ship. In the recent past, one bulk carrier sank on average every two months with a total loss of life, although the new stringent rules mean that this number is falling. Apart from the danger some of these cargoes can cause to the ship, they can also cause problems to the crews health, this is due to them being exposed to toxic cargoes during loading and discharge. The larger a bulk carrier is, the more difficult they are to handle, particularly as most have a single propeller and no thruster units. In a loaded condition and in extreme weather, or at slow speeds approaching ports or anchorages, they should be handled with extreme care. Bulk Carriers are divided into several catagories: yMini Bulk Carriers a tend to be more coastal and middle trade, with shorter voyages between their loading and discharge ports. Ranging between 500 So you want to go to Sea 26 and 10,000 tonnes, they can be used for a variety of cargoes, some are equipped with gantry cranes. These ships are often poorly manned and this along with the frequent port visits, can lead to fatigue problems. yHandy Size Ranging 10,000 DWT and 60,000 DWT, they usually have up to five hatches. Many are geared with cranes, which gives them the flexibility to load and discharge at berths without such facilities. The smaller of these can take other cargoes, including containers and deck cargo, apart from bulk. Their size gives them greater flexibility in the cargoes they can carry and the ports they can visit, especially on ships which have their own cranes. Of all the bulk carriers, these are probably the most interesting due to the cargoes being carried and the places they visit. Their size generally allows the ships to be close to the port and offers a good opportunity for shore leave. yPanamax a ranging between 60,000 DWT and approximately 80,000 DWT, they get their name as these are designed to be small enough to pass through the Panama Canal. yCapesize So called due to their size. They cannot pass through the Panama or Suez Canals and are required to make passage around the Capes. Bulk Carriers of this size which range from 80,000 to 200,000 tonnes, tend to carry one specific type of cargo, the vast majority carry iron ore or coal. Very large Bulk Carriers (VLBC) and Ultra Large Bulk Carriers (ULBC) range from 200,000 to 270,000 DWTs and above 270,000 DWT respectively. These ships have the same problems as the Capesize, magnified by their size. Handling vessels in this class is specialised, particularly in confined waters and at slow speeds. Large bulk carriers tend to load at one port for discharge at another. Some are contracted to go between just two ports for a number of voyages. As the ships are large, only certain ports can be used, their berths are quite often far from town. This may mean months on board without any shore leave or the opportunity to shop, it is sensible before joining, to make sure you have all the items you may require for a few months. The accomodation on these large ships is often is spacious, this allows there to be more amenities on board, however this depends on the shipÊs operator. If the ships are carrying cargoes such as ore or coal, they will be very dirty ships on deck, in port as will the areas around the ship. 4.2.2 Container Ships Container ships are increasing in size, they are judged on the number of containers they can carry, for example the M.V. Colombo Express can carry 874920 u 20 foot containers, however today most containers are 40 ft long. Originally these ships were converted tankers, the first, Âbox boatÊ as they are commonly called sailed across the atlantic in 1956. They usually sail on fixed liner routes, this means they are on scheduled voyages with the dates and even times of arrival in the ports of call published weeks in advance. Unlike Bulk Carriers, the ships are able to call at several ports on a voyage, it is not unusual The Ships 27 for 10 ports to be visited in a month. The ships are generally loaded and discharged at special terminals, which may be some distance from shore amenities. Their time in port may be short, it is often measured in hours rather than days. As their cargo are in containers, they are usually very clean ships, however the need to utilise as much deck space as possible for carrying cargo means that, the deck space and views from the cabins can be limited, as seen in the above picture. They are prone to heavy rolling, especially when they are carrying empty containers and can be subject to high vibration. 4.2.3 General Cargo There are still a surprising number of general cargo ships, most are comparatively small, using smaller ports and those that have the infrastructure to handle these types of ships. Most of these ships have cranes rather than derricks which can still be seen occasionally, they require specialised knowledge on the stowage and handling of different cargoes. Deck cargo will often be a mix of general cargo and containers. Because of their worldwide employment and longer stays in port, they are popular as 12 passenger carriers. As they often frequent smaller ports and rivers, a good understanding of ship handling and inshore navigation is also required. Of all the different types of ships, the crews on these travel and see more of the world than any other seamen and are very popular to sail on, even though salaries are usually lower. 4.2.4 Tankers The advent of the steel hulls and steam to drive pumps that tankers, as they are commonly known as, came into their own. The oil industry ensured the development of these ships into the number and sizes they are today. The major concern on tankers is the threat of pollution, very strict controls are necessary in the procedures to avoid this. Pollution caused recently by a number of highly prominent accidents has brought about the requriement for double hulls. Today approximately half of the worlds 5000 tankers have double hulls. The largest Merchant ship ever built was a tanker called The Berge Istra. Much of what has already been said about bulk carriers also applies to these ships, except there is far less noise from cargo work in ports and they are very clean ships. As with bulk carriers, their berths or terminals tend to be far from amentieis ahsore and in some cases berths are on specially built islands at sea, as a result the opportunities for shore going can be even less than on a bulk carrier. Tanker companies have traditionally offered better amenities and accomodation than other types of ships in recognition of the reduced opportunities for shore leave, coupled with better leave and salaries has ensured their manning, the conditions on board depend on the company you join. The following provides a guide to sizes of the most common tanker type, ie crude oil: yGeneral Purpose (Handysize) a 10,000-50,000 dwt yPanamax Tanker a 50,000-80,000 dwt yAframax Tanker a 80,000-120,000 dwt ySuezmax Tanker a 120,000-200,000 dwt yVery Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) a 160,000-320,000 dwt So you want to go to Sea 28 Figure 4.1 VLCC AbQaiq. Ultra Large Crude Carrier 4.2.5 Chemical and Gas Tankers Chemical tankers range in size from 5,000 to 40,000 dwt with the majority owned buy specialist chemical carrier companies. They can carry many different grades of cargo at any time and may visit a large number of ports during one voyage. As with other tankers, the accommodation and amenities are generally good as are the salaries and leave. Gas tankers are of two types liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG tankers carry liquefied gases at very low temperatures and at high pressure. Although opportunities for shore leave can be limited, onboard accommodation, salary and leave are generally at the top end of the scale. 4.2.6 Cruise Ships With the recent revival of the cruise industry, passenger ships of the past have evolved into todayÊs cruise ships, while this is being overtaken by the new style of ÂHotel ShipÊ, which is similar to a high rise hotel that is built on a standard hull. This has come about by the requirement to raise the passengers accomodation out of the hull. The ships are highly manoeuverable with advanced propulsion systems, often more so than the tugs that escort them in harbour, they also have state of the art navigation and communications. Living on board such ships is very different to standard merchant ships as is the type and style of the work. There is certainly the opportunity of seeing the worlds more tourist ports but it must be remembered that the ships are for the passengers pleasure and not the crew. Figure 4.2 Eurodam passing Hoek van Holland outward bound. Pay tends to be towards the lower end of the shipping salaries and promotion can be relatively slow. The Ships 29 4.2.7 Specialist Sargo and Passenger Ships Following on from these general ship types are a number of what are termed as specialised cargo ships. These are either designed for special types of cargo or for different ways of carrying cargo. 4.2.8 RoRo The RoRo concept was a result of the second world war, various landing craft configurations were required for landing vehicles directly onto the beachheads. The concept was intially slow to develop and was used far more by the ferries. However, in the late 60Ês and early 70Ês, because of the large increase in imported cars, the RoRo came into its own and in 1973 the first pure car carrying vessel was built. Apart from cars, the majority of RoRo cargo traffic is carried on increasingly larger ferries. The accomodation on these types of ship is on the top deck of the ship, the main hull is given over to carrying the cars. The free surface affects and large hull openings, particularly at the stern and bow are still problematic for both the ship designers and those on board. Free surface has been determined to have been the cause of sinking at least one ferry. Figure 4.3 The RoRo Cetus Leader passing under Astoria Bridge, Oregon, heading to Portland to unload. 4.2.9 Ferries Ferries vary in size from those that operate in inland waters and harbours, to large seagoing passenger and vehicle carriers. Seagoing ferries usually have extrememly sophisticated navigation systems as, particualrly in waters such as the English Channel, they operate in high densisty traffic requiring constant vigilence. The possibility of capsizing quickly due to the large free surface areas of the vehicle deck and the vehicle doors has been highlighted recently as a result of serious accidents. These accidents emphasised the need for passenger number identification and quick evacuation systems. Figure 4.4 Queen of Scandanavia. Highly manoeuverable, the ships can operate in surprisingly difficult weather conditions. Larger vessels can suffer from problems due to their high structure being exposed to wind. Regular and frequent leave/work rotations make these vessels very popular, especially to those with families. Promotion is slow. 4.2.10 Specialist Ships Apart from carrying cargo, there are many other types of vessels which are designed to carry out tasks at sea. Many who go to sea find this a most interesting and varied way of life. Seamanship is highly valued in this sector and training is generally of a very high standard and is a good preparation for further career development. The ships tend to spend time in port after each operation providing ample time for shore leave. Unfortunately training berths on these ships are limited. Specialist ships often require additional skills and knowledge to merchant ships, for example salvage and towing. Operating these ships requires what many So you want to go to Sea 30 consider to be the highest level of seamanship skills. As every emergency at sea is different, the command of these ships has to make decisions very quickly. The crews in carrying these decisions must be multi skilled often in hazardous conditions. 4.2.10.1 Ice vessels With the Arctic Ocean melting, ships are increasingly venturing into the ice. Specialist ships, which have always existed, are increasing in numbers and size. Icebreakers, ice survey ships, ice class support ships all require appropriately trained officers and crew to man them. 4.2.10.2 Cable laying There is a thought that with increasing satellite, internet and mobile communications the requirement for cable ships is decreasing but new ships are being commissioned regularly. The advent of optical fibre in the 1980Ês required the earlier cables to be replaced. Figure 4.5 René Descartes, operated by France Telecom Marine. Maintaining existing cables also ensures the continued need for these ships, for example in 2009 there were over 50 cable breaks to locate and repair in the Atlantic. 4.2.10.3 Salvage and deepsea towing Salvage and deepsea towage is a specialised sector of shipping that requires the highest standards of seamanship. These ships provide a fascinating career and the highest level of seamanship training. 4.2.10.4 Dredging Dredging is a constant task in many harbours and rivers. It is done to maintain the existing channels or enlarge them, maintain the ports and marinas or to create new ones. Dredging is also carried out for engineering purposes, to create trenches for pipes and cables. The Ships 31 Dredgers are not confined to harbours and are not always small ships as can be seen from the photograph above. Large dredgers travel around the world as required by their contracts. 4.2.10.5 Research vessels, oceanography, fishery, weather and others The requirements of scientific advancement and the continual changes of our weather and planet demand that research continues constantly. As the planet is 75% sea, many ships are required to take part in this research. Figure 4.6 Oceanographic Research Vessel. The changing climate and the increased shipping movements in the Arctic requires an increasing number of research vessels in the ice areas of the world. Figure 4.7 Ice Research Vessel, Polar Stern. 4.2.10.6 Military support In the United Kingdom this support is provided by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). This fleet of 22 vessels is designed to fulfill a multitude of tasks globally. Figure 4.8 Gold Rover - Small Fleet Tanker. While the primary role of the RFA is logistic support of the Royal Navy, the ships are used increasingly in other roles such as disaster relief anti drug patrols and even piracy interdiction. These government vessels are manned by Merchant Navy personnel. The RFA offers many opportunities for training to both officer cadets and ratings. (See Chapter 5, RFA) So you want to go to Sea 32 4.2.10.7 Offshore support vessels This is one of the fastest growing sectors of shipping today with new designs and larger ships being constantly added to the existing fleets. With the oil industry needing to venture into deeper and colder waters such as the Arctic, the future of this sector is assured. As older ships are replaced, new larger ships with increasing technical complexity are added to the oil fields. The work supporting the oil industry must be carried out in all weathers, ships with a high degree of technology are required coupled with a very high standard of seamanship. Some companies engaged in these operations will accept officer cadets, but training berths are still limited. With the size of these ships growing, it is likely that companies will offer more of these places. Opportunities for rating trainees is more widespread. Owing to the shiphandling, navigation and seamanship requirements, the available training should be an excellent career start. For ships operating in home waters, the leave work ratio is usually one month on and one month off, for companies that have a large number of ships rotation between different vessels is common. These types of ships also operate around the world, when the vessels are in port there is more opportunity for shore going than on a standard merchant vessel. Accomodation depends on the size and age of ship but it can be surprisingly spacious with gymnasiums and TV rooms. The ships required for support of under water operations in the offshore oil fields are numerous. The Ships 33 Amongst the ships providing this support are: Anchor Handling Tow Ship (AHTS) These vessels are designed to lay down and pick up the anchors that hold the platforms and storage vessels in position, as well as towing platforms to their new locations. They also carry supplies to the platforms. Figure 4.9 AHTS Normand Master. Supply ships These ships sustain the oil platforms and storage vessels. These ships use what is called Dynamic Positioning System which is automated computerised technology that keeps the vessel in one place by using the engine and thusters. With DPS the vessels can be larger and maintain their position alongside the platform in strong weather, only breaking away when the weather becomes too rough. The vessels carry water and cement in special tanks, this bulk cargo is pumped up to the platforms by hose. A number of the larger types are equiped with towing wires and winches as well as rescue craft, this allows them to have a multipurpose role. Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRV) Commonly referred to as Standby Ships, they are employed for the safety of those on the various platforms and storage vessels. Many of these ships are converted from supply and fishing vessels, but newer purpose built vessels are now appearing. Purpose built standby vessel The ships are equipped for rescue, crew training is provided ashore. They are equipped with medical facilities and can be used as a place of refuge for survivors. They have secondary roles as guard ships for the platforms and also pollution control. As they are on station and launch their boats in severe weather conditions, excellent ship and boat handling skills are required as well as high standards of seamanship. Dive support vessel The prime purrpose of this type of vessel is to support diving operations on the sea bed. The ships have a number of basic key components. It is common for these vessels to support a Remote Operated Vehicle, (ROV) in addition to heavy lift facilities. These vessels can operate in any part of the world depending on the contract. So you want to go to Sea 34 Pipelaying ships These are often referred to as barges which seems inappropriate in the case of the vessel shown below. There are barge shaped vessels used for this purpose, some are self propelled and others require tug assistance, a number of vessels have dual purpose capability, this means they have other roles in offshore support in addition to pipe laying. Figure 4.10 The Solitaire, the largest pipe-laying ship in the world a www.wikipedia.org Modern pipelaying has seen pipes being laid up to 2500 metres deep, as deeper exploration continues this depth will increase. The DPS navigation system is essential in maintaining the vessels course and speed during these operations. These ships are engaged on worldwide operations. Seismic survey vessels Marine Seismology uses a similar method to sonar to search the ocean bed. The most common type of survey is 3D. In this method, a number parallel streamers are towed behind the vessel. Sound is generated mechanically through ÂgunsÊ and the returning echoes are collected by the streamers. This is then transformed into visual images providing a picture of what the subsurface is like beneath the surveyed area. Figure 4.11 Seismic survey: Sound wave propagation The Ships 35 4.2.11 The Fishing Fleets Fishing Boats have provided some of the finest seamen in the Merchant and Royal Navy. Even today, young fishermen go to sea following in the footsteps of their fathers or relatives in order to learn seamanship on these boats. With the reduction in our fishing fleets, it is very hard to get a position on these boats without having a relative already established in the trade. These boats range from being small with very basic accomodation and going out to sea for a few days or a week, to large ships with excellent accomodation that can spend considerably longer at sea. The common term of reference for vessels engaged in fishing is ÂboatsÊ although this is hardly appropriate for many of the larger vessels engaged in fishing today. They form the largest grouping of boats or ships on the seas at approximately four million in 2004. There are many different types of trawlers but those venturing into deep sea will have some form of freezing facility on board. Larger vessels are more likely to have a fish processing capability. Factory trawlers can take this further by processing fish oil and meal, many also have canning facilities. Some factory ships act like mother ships where other trawlers bring their catch without having to return to port. Figure 4.12 A contemporary Danish freezer trawler in Skagen harbour. 37 The shipping companies listed in Appendix 2 are those companies which are members of the Chamber of Shipping and who offer training positions to British cadets and ratings. There are many other companies who offer training positions but through dedicated training companies. These positions depend entirely on the available training positions within the company at the time. Appendix 2 provides information about the companies and their various conditions. Owing to the constant changing nature of the companies fleets and situation, this information must be treated as a guide only. If you are interested in a position with a particular company, you should contact them and they will advise you of their latest situation. The allowances or salaries that are paid to trainees during their training periods at sea and at college are not quoted as these vary and change with time. These rates will be quoted by the individual companies you apply to. The medical and eyesight requirements for all MN entry are standard and listed in Chapter 6, the exception to this is the Royal Fleet Auxiliary which, due to the special nature of their ships deployment have their own requirements. The companies listed are not necessarily British nor do their ships have British registry but they are members of the Chamber of Shipping and do conform to the British training requirements. The companies are either ship owning companies or ship management companies. A management company is one that is formed to manage ships on behalf of the owners. These companies will have ships with several different owners under their management, some of these companies may sponsor training. In such cases, the management company will recruit cadets to serve on the ships under their management. A management company can give the trainee the opportunity of sailing and training on different types of ships during their training period. 5.1 Training Companies A relatively new trend in Merchant Navy Cadet Training are the formation of Training Companies. These companies organise the recruitment, training and placement of cadets on behalf of shipping companies who wish a company to organise training the cadets on their ships. These companies can provide certain advantages to those wishing to go to sea. As they specialise in cadet training, they tend to have a considerable knowledge 5 SHIPOWNING AND MANAGEMENT COMPANIES So you want to go to Sea 38 of marine education in general and specific changes in legislation that relate to marine education. They can also arrange sponsorship with a company instead of the applicant doing this by applying to individual companies. The spread and variety of companies and ships with that training company can also, give a better spread of the ship types to be trained on; this can assist in future employment as it gives a wider base of opportunity. The disadvantage is that as the cadet is not fully employed by the company, there can be a remoteness from that companyÊs affairs and by the company in its attitude to the cadet. In a number of cases, the problem of finding enough training positions for cadets can result in a cadet being the only cadet on a ship where the first language is not English, although in most cases every attempt is made to ensure that at least in the initial training period cadets are not appointed to such ships. 39 Any candidate wishing to join the Merchant Navy must meet the medical and eyesight requirements before proceeding further. Those wishing to join the deck department should pay particular attention to Chapter 7. The following is extracted from MCA guidance information. Eyesight Tests For the majority of seafarers visual acuity and colour vision are tested as part of the general medical examination (ENG1) and no separate certificate is needed to confirm that they meet the necessary visual standards. However, some seafarers need a separate certificate confirming that they are able to meet the statutory visual acuity and colour vision standards. This Notice introduces new arrangements whereby Opticians (optometrists) instead of Marine Offices will conduct the vision test. Who Needs the Test The following seafarers need a seafarer vision test: (a) a merchant navy deck department candidate applying for a certificate of competency whose UK medical fitness certificate (ENG1) issued under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Regulations 1983 was issued more than two years before the date of eligibility for issue of a first certificate of competency; (b) a candidate for a fishing vessel certificate of competency, deck department; (c) a candidate for a certificate of competency presenting an acceptable non-UK medical certificate which does not confirm that they have met the statutory visual acuity and colour vision standard. 3. While there is no statutory requirement for prospective seafarers to have a seafarer vision test, anyone considering a seagoing career is strongly advised to have a full sight test before beginning their training to ensure that they can meet the standards and have no defect which might cause a subsequent problem. Visual acuity and colour vision standards for all merchant seafarers, including those in the engineering and other departments, are given in MSN 1746 (M+F) which sets out the medical and eyesight standards for seafarers. The Purpose 4. The purpose of the test is to ensure that the seafarerÊs visual acuity and colour vision are sufficiently good to undertake duties on board efficiently. In order to do this, a seafarer should be able to reach certain minimum standards of both acuity, tested by reading letters, and colour vision, tested by Ishihara plates. These tests are only designed to check that visual acuity and colour vision meet the required standard at the time of the test. MEDICAL STANDARDS AND EYESIGHT TEST6 So you want to go to Sea 40 Standards Vision Standards for the seafarer vision test 5. The vision standards for all deck/dual career personnel, merchant navy and fishing vessel, are as follows: Basic Visual Acuity Standard - Without spectacles or contact lenses Higher Visual Acuity Standard - With spectacles or contact lenses if needed Colour Vision Ishihara test Better eyeOther eyeBetter eyeOther eye 6/606/606/66/12Pass Ishihara test Vision standard for serving seafarers who become monocular 6/60N/A6/6N/APass Ishihara test 6. The Ishihara test is carried out using either 38 or 24 colour plates. Use of aids to vision - spectacles or contact lenses. 7. All deck/dual career personnel must be able to reach the basic visual acuity standard (6/60) without using spectacles or contact lenses. Applicants may use spectacles or contact lenses to reach the higher standard (6/6, 6/12). All applicants who pass the seafarer vision test using aids to vision should use them when on watch and should also carry with them a spare pair of spectacles or contact lenses. 8. With effect from 1 December 1999 Marine Offices will no longer conduct the seafarer visual acuity and colour vision test. From that date any registered optometrist usually found in most opticianÊs, may conduct this test. A combined information leaflet, application form and seafarer vision test report (MSF4100) for completion by the optician, may be obtained from any Marine office. A list of Marine Offices is at Annex 1 of this Notice. The seafarer vision test is valid for two years. Options for retaking the sight test following failure 9. Visual Acuity - If a candidate cannot reach the basic visual acuity standard (6/60) without spectacles or contact lenses he fails the seafarer vision test. A candidate who fails to reach the higher visual acuity standard (6/6, 6/12) may be re-tested using spectacles or contact lenses (or with spectacles or contact lenses with an improved prescription) to help them reach the higher standard. Colour Vision - An applicant who fails the Ishihara colour vision test may arrange for their colour vision to be tested using the Holmes Wright B Lantern at one of the MCA Marine Offices that offer lantern tests, as indicated in Annex 1. Cost of the Seafarer Vision Test. 10. The fee for the seafarer vision test is determined by the optician and there is no MCA set fee. The MCA make no charge for a lantern test. However, the applicant will be expected to pay any personal costs, including transport, to attend the lantern test. Test Centres Where to take the seafarer vision test? All Marine Offices can provide copies of the standard form (MSF4100) to take to any registered optometrist/ophthalmic optician for a seafarer vision test. Marine Offices do not conduct the basic seafarer vision test. Those marked * can conduct lantern tests. ABERDEEN*Marine House Blaikies Quay Aberdeen AB11 5EZ Tel: 01224 574122 BELFASTCustoms House Queens Square Belfast BT1 3ET Tel: 01232 562962 BEVERLEY (HULL) Crosskill House Mill Lane Beverley HU17 9JB Tel: 01482 866606 CARDIFFOxford House Hills Street Cardiff CF1 2TD Tel: 01222 229556 Medical Standards and Eyesight Test 41 DOVERLangdon Battery Swingate Dover CT15 5NA Tel: 01304 227710 GLASGOW*Marine House 6000 Academy Park Gower Street Glasgow G51 1TR Tel: 0141 4279400 GT. YARMOUTH5th Floor Yarmouth House 45 Yarmouth Way Great Yarmouth Norfolk NR30 2QZ Tel: 01493 330433 LEITH1 JohnÊs Place Leith Edinburgh EH6 7EL Tel: 0131 5545488 LIVERPOOLGraeme House 2nd Floor Derby Square Liverpool L2 7SQ Tel: 0151 4711142 NEWCASTLE*Government Buildings Broadway West Gosforth Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 2JL Tel: 0191 2857171 ORPINGTON KENT (LONDON) Central Court 1B Knoll Rise Orpington Kent BR6 0JA Tel: 01689 890400 PLYMOUTHPhoenix House Notte Street Plymouth PL1 2HF Tel: 01752 266211 SHETLANDThe Knab Knab Road Lerwick Shetland ZE1 OAX Tel: 01595 696712 SOUTHAMPTON*Spring Place 105 Commercial Road Southampton SO15 1EG Tel: 01703 329100 Medical Examination Catagories The following categories are applied when assessing whether a seafarer is fit in terms of the medical and eyesight standards: Category 1: Fit for sea service, with no restrictions Category 2: Fit for sea service but with restrictions Category 3: Temporarily unfit for sea service. The Approved Doctor must specify the duration of the period of unfitness. Category 4: Permanently unfit for sea service. This category will normally be considered to last for a minimum of five years and may only be changed at a later date if an Approved Doctor is presented with medical evidence of the reversal of the original medical condition. Review by a Medical Referee may also be required. MCA MSN 1822(m) Medical Conditions which must be examined are: 1. Infections 2. Cancers 3. Endocrine and metabolic 4. Blood disorders 5. Mental disorders 6. Diseases of the nervous system 7. Cardio-vascular system 8. Respiratory system So you want to go to Sea 42 9. Digestive system 10. Genito-urinary conditions 11. Pregnancy 12. Skin 13. Musculo-skeletal 14. Sensory 15. General 16. Physical fitness Maritime Coastguard Agency approved Doctors are situated around the country and a full list of these are held by: Seafarer Health and Safety Branch Medical Administration Team Tel: 023 80 329 247/9 Fax: 02380 329 251 43 ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS AND INITIAL TRAINING7 Before making any decision regarding the type of company or ships you might be interested in, it is essential to ensure that you have the required qualifications and that you are able to pass the medical and eyesight test requirements. This chapter briefly outlines the entry routes and initial training which are subject to change. As such you should view the MNTB website www.careersatsea.org for further details and links to appropriate company/college websites. Course composition and details vary between courses and it is advisable to review each to gain a better understanding of what is involved for each discipline, course and training establishment. 7.1 Entry Routes 7.1.1 Officer Entry – Mainstream There are a number of entry routes available the most common being the HNC/HND route and the Foundation Degree, or equivalent Professional Diploma route in Scotland. Some companies and colleges/universities will also offer BEng or BSc degree level routes to candidates with acceptable Higher, A Level or equivalent qualifications. The mainstream entry qualifications will vary slightly between colleges and companies, but the minimum normally required are as follows. HND 4 GCSEs Grade C/Standard Grades 3 or better including: yMathematics (preferably Higher Tier) yScience (with significant content of Physical Science) yEnglish or a subject using English (i.e. History, geography, RE) Alternatively, equivalent qualifications in the Scottish certificate of excellence, or passes in 4 subjects in the NI Grammar School Senior Certificate Exam are accepted. Foundation Degree/Professional Diploma A minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points, preferably including a numerate subject, plus GCSE grade C (or Scottish/NI equivalents) or above in the following subjects: yMathematics (preferably Higher Tier) yEnglish yScience, with significant content of Physical Science. Entry to Ordinary or Honours Degree routes, either BSc Deck or BEng Engine are subject to university UCAS entry requirements. Generally these will require good A levels, Highers or equivalent. Completion of the mainstream routes will allow progression later, although in many cases you are likely to be unsponsored. It is worth noting that many officers So you want to go to Sea 44 will diversify onto other study paths as their careers progress and the qualifications gained often permit significant exemptions. The HND and Foundation Degree/SPD programmes will take approximately 3