Engine officer

The engine control room on the Argonaute, a French supply vessel, mainly used for anti-pollution missions along with the tugboat Abeille Bourbon. It has been built in 2003 in Norway, is based in Brest, belongs to SURF and is used by the French Navy.

An “engineering” officer, or simply “engineer,” is a licensed mariner qualified and responsible for operating and maintaining the propulsion plants and support systems for a watercraft and its crew, passengers and cargo. Active sailing Marine “Engineers” are not recognized as an engineer ashore, their Legacy Title (to distinguish between “deck” and “engine” departments) should be modified to Operator. They operate equipment (start and stop machinery). Yes, there is a PE exam for Marine Engineering and Naval Architecture, but that is designed for shoreside design Engineers. They do not perform any engineering tasks at sea, such as; design, calculus or re-design of existing systems. Marine Operator is of suitable title. Chief Operator, 1st Assistant Operator, 2nd Operator, etc are of fitting titles since an ABET degree is not required, sea-time is all you need to test. Engine officers are usually educated or simply tested and qualified as engineering technicians. In the United States they are usually trained via cadet ships sponsored by a variety of maritime organizations. Engine Officer Cadets of most countries are sponsored during training by a shipping company, serving their time on board ships owned by that company. Many go on to work as Engine Officers with their sponsoring company once training is complete.

Ship “engineers” are responsible for propulsion and other ship systems such as: electrical power generation plant; lighting; fuel oil; lubrication; water distillation and separation; air conditioning; refrigeration; and water systems on board the vessel. They require knowledge and hands-on experience with electric power, electronics, pneumatics, hydraulics, chemistry, steam generation, gas turbines and even nuclear technology on certain military and civilian vessels.

Ranks and titles

Ship Engineering Officers Ranks (typical for a British Merchant Vessel – US equivalents in italics):

Marine Engineering Officers

• Chief Engineer: In charge of the engine department. Reports only to the Master. The Chief Engineer's training, responsibility and rank are all superior to those required for a Chief Officer.
• Second Engineer 1st Assistant Engineer: In charge of the day-to-day running of the engine department. Often in charge of main engine maintenance. Takes the 4–8 watch. He is the equivalent of the Chief Mate.
• Third Engineer 2nd Assistant Engineer: Usually in charge auxiliary engines & boilers. Takes the 12–4 watch.
• Fourth Engineer 3rd Assistant Engineer: Usually in charge of air compressors, purifiers, pumps and other auxiliary machinery. Takes the 8–12 watch. Sometimes in charge of boilers.

Electrical Officers (Not always part of manning requirements, but generally present on more sophisticated vessels)

• Electro-technical Officer (ETO): Officer who is responsible for the maintenance of electronic equipment including automation systems and instrumentation process and control equipment, and/or general electrical equipment. Reports to Chief Engineer.
• Electrical Officer: Officer who is responsible for the maintenance of general electrical equipment such as motors, transformers, lights, reefer outlets etc. Reports to ETO / Chief Engineer.

Other Engineering Officers

• Junior Engineer: No official responsibilities - this rank is reserved for those who are qualified as Fourth Engineers but lack the experience necessary to take a watch.
• Cadet: A trainee officer. Understudies the other engine department personnel.
• ETO Cadet: A Trainee Electro-Technical officer. Understudies the other engine department personnel specific to ETO position

United States Navy ships have a varying number of engineering officers, depending upon the size of the crew, occupying positions named for subsidiary responsibilities of the Engineering Officer. The two highest ranking subordinates are usually the Main Propulsion Assistant (MPA), responsible for operation and maintenance of propulsion machinery, and the Damage Control Assistant (DCA), responsible for prevention and control of damage. Anticipation of battle damage increases the significance of responsibilities of the latter position on warships. A DCA often stands routine deck or engineering watches, but spends his off-watch time overseeing maintenance of watertight integrity and firefighting equipment. A DCA's battle station normally includes responsibility for controlling the ship's stability, list and trim by flooding and dewatering undamaged compartments as necessary to prevent capsizing. Additional engineering officers may include an Electrical Officer, responsible for the ship's electrical generating and distribution system as described above, and an Auxiliaries (or A Division) Officer, responsible for pumps, ventilation blowers, refrigeration compressors, and windlass machinery as described above for the Fourth Engineer.

Typically, a ship's engine department is run by the Engineering Officers but manned with other occupational specialties of the seafarer's trade like:

• Machinist/Fitter: A rating (or petty officer) who is specialized in fabrication, welding, etc.
• Motorman: A, not always, qualified engine rating who stands a watch with the Engineer Officer, as well as performing menial tasks and assisting Engineering Officers during maintenance.
• Oiler: A rating who is responsible for ensuring that machinery is adequately lubricated. Performs menial tasks such as cleaning, sounding tanks etc.
• Wiper: The lowest rating in the engine room and is tasked with keeping the machinery spaces clean and tidy. Wipers usually go on to become oilers once they are familiar with engine room machinery and specific routines.
• Stoker: Now defunct, the stoker was an engine department rating with responsibility for shoveling coal into the boiler furnaces.
• Coal Trimmer: Now defunct, the coal trimmer was an engine department rating with responsibility to load coal in the bunkers and to transport the coal from the bunkers to the stokers

The oldest surviving marine engine was designed by William Symington in 1788. The ship 'Turbinia' first demonstrated the superiority of the steam-turbine engine, which is still used for marine propulsion today in some niche applications. In America, the University of Michigan's Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering can be tracked to an 1879 act of Congress, which authorized the U.S. Navy to assign a few officers to engineering training establishments around the country. Mortimer E. Cooley was the first lecturer in the department.

Unions

There are many different types of unions in the maritime industry. Some unions are specifically for marine engineers, where some are for the maritime industry as a whole.

• Nautilus International
• RMT
• Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA) is the longest lasting maritime trade union to date. MEBA was founded in 1875. Its main represented group are licensed maritime officers in both the deck and engine department.
• American Maritime Officers (AMO) is the largest union for American maritime officers.

See also

• Engine department (ship)
• Engine room
• List of maritime colleges
• Marine engineering
• Marine fuel management
• Seafarer's professions and ranks
• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers

External links

• Marine Engineers Network