Joining of Ship after Class 4 COC (Certificate of Competency)

AlhumdulilAllah by the grace of Allah I joined MT QUETTA after a very long time (about 1 year). I signed off from my previous ship MT KARACHI (9 Months) sailing.

I joined the vessel from Karachi port. I came to Karachi on 02 march 2014 and completed my all documentation on Monday eg. Medical, Result card of 2^nd Engineer COC (Part A), Overhaul (Boiler Suits) and safety shoes from PNSC stores, KPT pass renew, then meet Abdullah Bhai.

When I completed all my documentation, I met with an Electrical Engineer (In Hindi/Urdu Bati Sahab) will name after checking in my mobile contact of the smartphone. I questioned many things from  Bati sahib. Yes, he answered also about the purpose of single line diagram, Which I had seen on MV Multan during my apprenticeship.

I nearly forget the pattern of my watch system. But after seeing and insuring it in only a single bird eye view I remembered back many things which I had learned in the previous ship MT Karachi.

Raza met me on 03-03-2014.  A meeting with Sardar sahib is good he came on the ship to pack his entire luggage. Then the very next day he told me about the entire things which he was doing as a 5^th engineer aboard ship.  Also he told me that the governor linkages were remaining to be greased. He told that shabab alam is a very nice chief engineer. He told me about my trainee engineer that they are good.

Raza told me that he was doing the following work

1.       IOPP tanks sounding

2.       Bunker tanks sounding (also type on computer in excel file)

3.       Log Book (also type on computer in excel file)

4.       Work done (also type on computer in excel file)

Transferring note down.

When I came to the ship and during my first watch I felt like that I don’t remember all the thing but with the passage of time inshaAllah, I will manage all my works.

During my watch today the following things I observed.

1.       No manometer at EGE

2.       No manometer at Turbocharger

3.       Marking on fire and GS pump no. 1 (suction valve)

4.       No alpha lubricator

What I supposed to study is safety and my duties in SMS of PNSC, Safety manual (which is present in Engine room, Smoke room, and bridge)

Check the name tele of Raza (which duties are assigned to him)

Check the fire and safety drawing of the ship

Check the pumping arrangement.

Also I learned from sir ammar today remind 1m3=1kL and

Metric tonne is basically mass of the body we get it by multiply volume x density

(30 April 2015) Later on, I discovered that the ON/OFF button of FD fan for boiler is different from MT KARACHI. It is adjacent to FD fan 02 but on MT KARACHI it on ME LO Tank.

Duties of Electrical Engineer Officer On Board Ship

All the machinery onboard ship is a combination of mechanical and electrical systems. The modern day shipping is more reliable on automations and electronics whose knowledge and maintenance can only be handled by an engineer expert in the electrical field. Marine electrical officer engineers are perfect for such jobs and that’s why they hold an important role on ship and in offshore industry.

Electrical engineer is one of the most vital positions in the technical hierarchy of a ship and engineer is responsible for his assigned work under the chief engineer’s instructions.
Some shipping companies do not carry electrical officers on their ship to cut down the manning cost and the electrical duties are carried by some one from the engineer’s side, normally third engineer. However, many companies realized that electrical and electronic system requires some extra attention and therefore require an expert to attend them.

As the technology is advancing, more and more automations and electronic circuit is replacing conventional and electrical systems. Hence the international Maritime Organisation (IMO) amended STCW 95 on 25thJune 2010 known as Manila amendment, to introduce a certified position of Electro-technical officer in place of electrical officer.

The general duties of electrical engineer or Electro-technical officer are:

• He is responsible for maintenance of all the electrical motors on ship i.e. in engine room and on deck.

• He is in charge of maintenance of all switchboard including main switchboard and emergency switchboard.

• He is responsible for maintenance of fire detectors and fire alarm system.

• He has to maintain all the ship’s alarm system.

• He is responsible for the electronic system fitted onboard ship.

• He is responsible for the ship’s navigational lights and other navigational equipments.

• He is responsible for all the batteries that are connected to machineries onboard. It includes:

-          Emergency batteries for alarm and lights
-          Lifeboat batteries
-          Batteries for emergency generator
-          Other batteries fitted onboard

• He is responsible for maintaining refrigeration unit in the engine room

• He has to take care of air conditioning unit of the vessel.

• Electrical officer is responsible for maintaining refrigerated containers carried on container ship.

• He is responsible for cargo and engine room cranes electrical system.

• He has to carry out routine maintenance for main engine alarms and trips along with the chief engineer.

• During the time of manoeuvring, he has to be present in the engine room along with other engineers to tackle any kind of electrical and other emergencies.

• Electrical officer can assist in watch keeping routines at desired time by the chief engineer.

• He has to assist ship’s engineer and deck officer in all kind of electrical problems.

Even the post of electrical officer is not a compulsion on a ship, but due to technicalities and complex knowledge requirement of the electrical and electronic system, they are extensively present in the shipping industry.