SHIPTALK: 10 Professional Mistakes Seafarers Should Never Make Onboard Ships

There is no dearth of stress on board ships. Ask a seafarer and you will know what it takes to work on board. It is the ultimate test of both physical and mental strength.
No mariner is born smart! One has to learn the ropes of the game, avoid the pit falls, and play it safe.
In this difficult job market, a mariner must know what not to do in order to prevent any kind of professional trouble.
But every sea going professional knows that under excessive work pressure at sea, mistakes are bound to happen. So how does one save work related trouble?
It is by keeping note of basic yet important things while working on board ship. Here are ten mistakes a professional seafarer should never want to make on ship.
1. Never follow Illegal or Irrelevant Orders
Whether you are a rating, an operational level officer, or a management officer controlling the ship’s operations, there will always be a boss ordering you from the top.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, make sure that you know all the important regulations of the sea including SOLAS, MARPOL, COLREG, ISPS, STCW etc.
Never oblige to an order which violates all these important laws as it may land you in prison and can even end your career. If you think that the orders asked to follow are dangerous for your ship or ship’s personnel, do clarify again with your seniors before proceeding.
2. Never Hide a Problem or a Mistake
Everyone makes mistake, and unless it is not repeated several times, it is usually forgiven. The same applies to every mariner on ships. If you make a mistake, of whatever kind, don’t hide; instead report it to your superior so that necessary steps can be taken immediately by the onboard team. Hiding mistakes can lead to bigger problems or emergency situations later on.
3. Make Correct Paper Work Entries
In today’s shipping industry, documentation has become the primary concern for all shipping operators, who keep a track of each and every operation of the ship. These records are used as a proof for authorities that the ship is operating as per all international regulations.
It also helps them in tackling future problems (as the documents are used as references) and most importantly, they are used for insurance claim survey if any damage or accident occurs. Thus make sure that all the entries you make in your documents (e.g-Log books) are correct to avoid any mishaps in the long run.
4. Don’t Ignore Alarms – Every Alarm is a sign that Something is Wrong
Different types of alarms (audible and visual) are fitted onboard ships to warn crew members of any emergency, so that immediate actions can be taken to tackle the same. It does not matter if the alarm is genuine or just meant for a drill; one must treat every alarm as an emergency and act on the dedicated duties as soon as possible.
Don’t use your brain to judge a situation when an emergency alarm is given; just act! Sometimes even a second delay can lead to severe consequences and loss of life.
5. Don’t allow Anyone to Have Access to Your Cabin
Your Cabin in ship’s accommodation is your own private place and you are solely responsible for all the holdings inside it. Never allow any one (from ship or outside) to enter your cabin without your consent or presence.
Custom authorities of different countries have their own rules for carrying particular objects in their countries. If caught carrying object which is prohibited in a country, the ship can be held or arrested and you can land in prison or prosecuted.
6. Don’t be a “Parcel Boy”
When joining a ship or signing off after finishing up a contract, you may be in a jolly mood and ready to help your mates. Sometime you may be asked (requested) to carry a parcel and hand it to his/her family or vice-versa. Never carry any such things from your crew members or their families without completely checking the parcel and knowing the custom regulations of the country you are flying to.
Companies and agents will be responsible only until you enter the airport, after that, it would be solely your responsibility. Hence avoid any kind of trouble to yourself and to the company.
7. Never Get Involved in Physical Fights- Be Calm
On a ship there are people from different nationalities working together. This may sometime give rise to a conflict. Never make an issue big enough that it leads to physical fights. Such behaviour may lead to your suspension from sea career or imprisonment in some countries as per the severity of the matter. It is important to maintain your cool while working onboard as injury of any kind at mid sea can become dangerous because of non-availability of special medical assistance.
The basic rule on land applies to ships as well. Whether you work in the engine room or keep watch at the bridge, never carry out your duties under the influence of alcohol.
If you have been drinking or find that the person came to relieve you is in drunken condition, do not take over or allow him/her to take over the watch. Always make sure you follow drugs and alcohol policy of your company. Violation of this policy is a serious offence which can cost you two years of suspension from the job. Working in drunken condition can even lead to accidents and emergencies.
9. Be on Time, Don’t Miss Your Ride
The ship is the only place you are safe. It is your temporary home when sailing in international waters. When you go for a shore leave, make sure you note down the shore leave expiration timings and also come back on time to avoid embarrassment of getting left behind and being a liability to the company.
10. Ship is Not Your Private Property
When signing off from the ship, many professional seafarers take home ship’s property (from computers to printer stationary; yes it’s true!) along with their luggage. Such behaviour is not at all ethical as crew replacing you will need those resources to carry out daily operations of the ship after you are gone.
Selling of ship spare or bunker is another practice carried out for personal gain. Such activities can lead to suspension of your job, along with penalty and legal consequences under theft case.
Being a professional seafarer means a goo