Customer Reviews

The author has included some excellent personal and relevant anecdotes from his own career at sea which add to the usefulness and practicality of the book. Review by Review -Honourable Company of Master Mariners

There are many books which cover various technical aspects of the Chief Officer's role, such as seamanship, stability and business practice. Captain Lloyd's latest book instead gives an overall introductory and practical view of the role.

The Complete Chief Officer covers every aspect of a vessel's voyage, from the Chief Officer first stepping on board the vessel in port through to final arrival and operations at the next port. Along the route, he covers topics such as leadership, relationships, heavy weather and cargo work.

Technical documents such as IMO/ILO resolutions and guidelines are kept to a minimum throughout although there is reference to some of the main resolutions or guidelines that aspiring Chief Officers may not be familiar with, such as those covering ballast water, manning and fatigue.

The author has included some excellent personal and relevant anecdotes from his own career at sea which add to the usefulness and practicality of the book.

With such a wide area to cover, it would be difficult to go into great detail on any subject and it will be of benefit to those junior officers as an introduction to the role when read in conjunction with the additional technical manuals available. (Posted on 09/05/2011)

Highly Recommended Review by Alexander Dales

The Complete Chief Officer is obviously the fruit of enormous experience and a great deal of thought on the subject. It begins with a discussion of the nature of the job and then follows a logical progression from qualifying to joining a new ship and then looks into each segment of the Chief Officer’s sphere of responsibilities. Topics raised benefit from Captain Lloyd’s anecdotal asides which serve to give colour and depth to his analysis of the issues in each area. A thorough index makes this a readily accessible working text offering sufficient detail whilst not getting overly mired in technicalities. The Complete Chief Officer is a comprehensive work that will appeal to junior officers both at sea and ashore preparing for their Mates exams, and serving Chief Officers of any level of experience at sea.
(Posted on 03/03/2011)

The Complete Chief Officer Review by Fairplay Review

This book is for the young officer aspiring to the position of chief officer, or one who has recently been promoted into the position. It is a practical book, rather than a theoretical manual, dealing in the 'real world' of the sea and discussing the various problems that can be encountered by a first mate. Written in an engaging style, the first chapter explains how the chief officer's job can be best on board - but brings great responsibility: "It is your job to surmount these obstacles and ensure that the ship is efficient in all aspects where you have a jurisdiction." Captain Lloyd writes. Helpful advice on what to expect from different vessels are also offered, along with the swathe of chapters outlining the roles of persons on board. Every topic - from security to training to safety, ISM and even garbage disposal are considered - and very little of importance is omitted. Some useful advice is offered, for instance, in chapter 10 on the subject of cargo work in ice conditions with some tips on the behaviour of hydraulic oil: the colder the weather gets, the thicker the oil becomes. Therefore, if you do not have heaters for your hydraulic system, switch the motors on well before they are needed." Another impressive chapter focuses on relationships, and the co-operation between chief officer and deck officer, engineer, captain, bosun (chief petty officer, or right hand man on all matters regarding seamanship) and crew. Especially helpful is a letter at the back of the book, which reminds the chief officer about the importance of good seamanship. Witty, concise and written is a refreshingly direct style, this is a must-read for any aspiring chief officer. (Posted on 01/11/2010)