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In this lesson, we will focus on important words used onboard a ship. It is important to be familiar with and understand these words to be able to handle both everyday situations and potential emergencies.
Listen to these examples of common vocabulary regarding different parts of the ship:
Roles and titles vary between land and on board if you are new to working at sea or new to working on an English-speaking ship it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with them:
Master is the preferred term for the captain of the ship. The term “master” is a holdover from older days when the captain literally (and legally), was the “master” of the ship and crew. The master carries four stripes as seen in the video.
Deck officers carry three stripes as seen in the video.
An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.
Also known as Petty Officer, deck boss, or a qualified member of the deck department. Bosun comes from the older term “boatswain” and is sometimes pronounced as so. Responsible for the components of a ship's hull, and supervises the other members of the ship's deck department.
A chief engineer is the seniormost engine officer of an engine department on a ship. He or she holds overall leadership and responsibility of that department.
The engine officer also called an engineering officer or engineer, is a licensed mariner responsible for operating and maintaining the propulsion plants and support systems for a vessel and its crew, passengers, and cargo.
A motorman is a member of a ship's engine department responsible for maintaining the ship's systems.
On passenger vessels, roles for personnel can vary, but common roles are:
Listen to the pronunciation of common titles for crew and personnel:
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