SO YOU WANT to GO to SEA by Captain Michael Lloyd
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SO YOU WANT TO GO TO SEA by Captain Michael Lloyd Witherby Seamanship International A Division of Witherby Publishing Group Ltd 4 Dunlop Square, Livingston, Edinburgh, EH54 8SB, Scotland, UK Tel No: +44(0)1506 463 227 - Fax No: +44(0)1506 468 999 Email: [email protected] - Web: www.witherbyseamanship.com First edition published 2011 eISBN: xxxxxxxxxx © Witherby Publishing Group Ltd, 2011 Notice of Terms of Use All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers. While the advice given in this book So you want to go to Sea has been developed using the best information currently available, it is intended purely as guidance to be used at the userÊs own risk. Witherby Publishing Group accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any information or advice given in the document or any omission from the document or for any consequence whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from compliance with or adoption of guidance contained in the document even if caused by failure to exercise reasonable care. This publication has been prepared to deal with the subject of So you want to go to Sea. This should not however, be taken to mean that this publication deals comprehensively with all of the issues that will need to be addressed or even, where a particular issue is addressed, that this publication sets out the only definitive view for all situations. A Published by Witherby Publishing Group Ltd 4 Dunlop Square, Livingston, Edinburgh, EH54 8SB, Scotland, UK Tel No: +44(0)1506 463 227 Fax No: +44(0)1506 468 999 Email: [email protected] Web: www.witherbys.com ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This book would not have been possible without the co-operation of the organisations who have been involved. They have all played a part in putting together a comprehensive guide to our Marine Industry for those wishing to enter the Merchant Navy. The overwhelming positive response to the book has much to do with all those who not only assisted with the drafts but with their advice during the writing. My thanks for your consideration and assistance. iii CONTENTS Acknowledgement iii Introduction 1 1. A Career at Sea 3 1.1 What do you Expect? 3 1.2 Education 3 1.3 Qualities 4 1.4 Going Away 4 1.5 Lifestyle Differences 4 1.6 Advantages and Disadvantages 5 1.7 Parents 5 1.8 Cadet or Rating 5 1.9 Costs 5 1.10 Employment Figures 6 1.11 Retention Rates 7 1.12 Career Potential 7 1.13 Nautilus Cadet Survey 7 1.13.1 Key Findings 8 1.14 Initial Path 8 2. Preparation 11 2.1 Nautical Periodicals 11 2.2 Schools 12 3. The Merchant Navy 13 3.1 History 13 3.2 Flag 14 3.3 Manning 14 3.4 Tonnage Tax and Training 15 3.5 The Ship 15 3.5.1 The Engine Room 15 3.5.2 The Decks 15 3.5.3 Cabins 16 3.5.4 Main Deck 16 3.6 Shipboard Structure 16 3.6.1 Deck 17 3.6.2 Engineering 17 3.6.3 The Catering Department 17 3.7 Watchkeeping 18 3.8 Working Hours 18 3.9 Fatigue Rules 18 3.10 Duties and Responsibilities on Board 18 3.10.1 The Captain 18 3.10.2 The Deck Department 18 3.10.3 The Second Officer 18 3.10.4 The Third Officer 19 3.10.5 The Deck Cadet Officer 19 v So you want to go to Sea 3.10.6 The Chief Engineering Officer 19 3.10.7 2nd Engineer 19 3.10.8 3rd Engineer 19 3.10.9 4th Engineer Officer 19 3.10.10 Engineer Cadet Officer 19 3.10.11 Electro Technical Officer 19 3.10.12 Electro-Technical Cadet Officer 19 3.11 Discipline 20 3.12 Problems Affecting the Merchant Navy 20 3.12.1 The Risk Element 20 3.12.2 Piracy 20 3.12.3 Criminalisation 21 3.12.4 Manning 21 3.12.5 Fatigue 21 3.12.6 Shore Leave 21 4. The Ships 23 4.1 Ship Groups 23 4.1.1 Coastal 23 4.1.1.1 Advantages 24 4.1.1.2 Disadvantages 24 4.1.2 Ocean Going 24 4.1.2.1 Advantages 24 4.1.2.2 Disadvantages 25 4.2 Ship Types 25 4.2.1 Bulk Carriers 25 4.2.2 Container Ships 26 4.2.3 General Cargo 27 4.2.4 Tankers 27 4.2.5 Chemical and Gas Tankers 28 4.2.6 Cruise Ships 28 4.2.7 Specialist Sargo and Passenger Ships 29 4.2.8 RoRo 29 4.2.9 Ferries 29 4.2.10 Specialist Ships 29 4.2.10.1 Ice vessels 30 4.2.10.2 Cable laying 30 4.2.10.3 Salvage and deepsea towing 30 4.2.10.4 Dredging 30 4.2.10.5 Research vessels, oceanography, fishery, weather and others 31 4.2.10.6 Military support 31 4.2.10.7 Offshore support vessels 32 4.2.11 The Fishing Fleets 35 5. Shipowning and Management Companies 37 5.1 Training Companies 37 6. Medical Standards and Eyesight Test 39 7. Entry Qualifications and Initial Training 43 7.1 Entry Routes 43 vi Contents 7.1.1 Officer Entry ă Mainstream 43 7.1.2 Officer Entry ă Previous Experience/Qualifications 44 7.1.3 Rating Entry 46 7.2 Joining a Ship 48 7.2.1 Before Leaving 48 7.2.2 Baggage 48 7.2.3 Compensation 48 7.2.4 The Port 49 7.2.5 Boarding 49 7.2.6 Your Position on Board 49 7.2.7 The Captain 50 7.2.8 Senior Officers 50 7.2.9 Junior Officers 50 7.2.10 The Ratings 50 7.2.11 Initial Shipboard Training 51 7.2.12 Personal Protection Equipment 51 7.2.13 Seeing the Ship 51 7.2.14 Discipline 51 7.2.15 Complaints Procedure 52 7.2.16 Living on Board 52 7.2.17 Your Training 52 7.2.18 The Bar 53 7.2.19 Going Ashore 53 7.2.20 Leaving the Ship 53 8. The Colleges 55 9. Merchant Navy Organisations 57 10. The Marine Support Structure 59 11. Charitable Bodies and Welfare Organisations 61 12. Professional Organisations 63 13. Financial Matters 65 13.1 Salaries and Allowances 65 13.2 Currency 65 13.3 Getting your Money 65 13.4 Tax 66 13.5 Pensions 66 13.5.1 The Merchant Navy Officers Pension Plan (MNOPP) 66 14. The Royal Naval Reserve 69 15. Conclusion 71 15.1 Coming Ashore 72 15.2 Opportunities 72 15.3 The Future 73 Appendices 75 Acknowledgements 117 vii INTRODUCTION The United Kingdom used to be a truly maritime nation. who would consider such a career course can be diverted Both the Royal and Merchant Navies were among the to other more publicly visible careers. largest in the world, a considerable number of young men and, to a lesser degree, young women, have gone It is often said within and outside the marine industry, to sea as their chosen career path. Most schools had that today there is a lack of interest in going to sea as information about the companies and conditions, in fact a career. This lack of interest, in the majority of cases large companies had recruiting teams that visited schools can be due to a lack of knowledge of the available and career exhibitions. Parents who indicated that their opportunities in a career at sea. children were interested in a seagoing career, would receive information from several shipping companies This book is not intended to be a recruitment book but a within days. guide to the Merchant Navy and the available pathways for those wishing to go to sea, their parents, schools, As there were so many seafarers in the country, almost career advisors and anyone who wants to know about everyone had a relative or neighbour who was or had career opportunities at sea. It also shows the wealth been at sea with whom they could discuss a career at of organisations surrounding the MN and how their sea. Our trade, safety and welfare depended on the ships support is structured. Hopefully, a prospective entrant and those who manned them. will get an idea of what to expect and what is expected of them. Looking back it would seem that with so much opportunity, information and ships, many drifted to sea Unlike the Royal Navy, there is no central organisation rather than a determined career course. Encouraged by or recruiting office covering all aspects of seagoing. the wealth of our nautical history, the sea was a natural There is also not a requirement for all the recruiting to world for us to enter. be done through the Merchant Navy Training Board whose invaluable careers, training and educational Times have changed, fleets have been reduced and service provides guidance about careers at sea. For those our place on the seas does not receive the recognition unsure about the type of company or career path to it once did, even though it is as vital as it always was. follow or who want information about any aspect of a With the diminishing awareness of the sea and available career at sea, this organisation should be regarded as the opportunities, the existing career structures are not ÂFirst Stop ShopÊ.