SEAFARER’S PROFESSIONS AND RANKS

Seafarers hold a variety of professions and ranks, and each of these roles carries unique responsibilities which are integral to the successful operation of a seafaring vessel. A ship's bridge, filled with sophisticated equipment, requires skills differing from those used on the deck, which houses berthing and cargo gear, which requires skills different from those used in a ship's engine room, and so on.

Seafarers hold a variety of professions and ranks, and each of these roles carries unique responsibilities which are integral to the successful operation of a seafaring vessel. A ship's bridge, filled with sophisticated equipment, requires skills differing from those used on the deck, which houses berthing and cargo gear, which requires skills different from those used in a ship's engine room, and so on.
The following is only a partial listing of professions and ranks. Ship operators have understandably employed a wide variety of positions, given the vast array of technologies, missions, and circumstances that ships have been subjected to over the years. A ship's crew can generally be divided into four main categories: the deck department, the engineering department, the steward's department, and other.
For the next few weeks, we will be focusing on these professions and their ranks, as well as their responsibilities on a ship
Captain/Master
The captain or master is the ship's highest responsible officer, acting on behalf of the ship's owner. Whether the captain is a member of the deck department or not is a matter of some controversy, and generally depends on the opinion of an individual captain. When a ship has a Third Mate, the Captain does not stand watch.
The captain is legally responsible for the day to day affairs of the ship as he is in command. It is his responsibility to ensure that all the departments under him perform legally to the requirements of ships owner. The Captain represents the owner and hence being called as "Master".
If the master of the ship is incapacitated or absent from the vessel, the Chief officer is in charge of all the operations as he is the executive officer of the ship.