What’s it like working as a Engineering Officer?

As key crewmembers within the Engineering Department onboard a ship, Engineering Officers aid the Chief Engineer in maintaining and operating all mechanical and electrical equipment on board. This includes control of the ship’s engines, pumps and fuel systems, cargo handling equipment, lifts, computer-controlled engine management systems, refrigeration and ventilation systems, and sewage treatment and purifiers. Put simply, ships cannot function without the important work of the engineering department.

Engineering Officers bring a number of skills to their roles, including problem-solving to diagnose faults in equipment, managing, monitoring, maintaining and adjusting equipment, and dismantling, repairing and reassembling equipment. While most of the working day is spent in the engine control room, Engineering Officers are also required to work in the engine room of the ship which may be noisy, hot and claustrophobic.

Shift patterns apply to Engineering Officers, so that 24 hour maintenance coverage is available onboard; working patterns vary according to the type of ship.

Photo Stena Bulk

What kind of work can I do?

The work expected of Engineering Officers varies depending on the rank of the officer. For example, a 2nd Engineer Officer might be expected to manage the engine room and the engine room maintenance team, and oversee the training of engineers, while a 3rd Engineer Officer might be responsible for a certain piece of equipment, such as auxiliary generators.

Some Engineering Officers specialise in maintaining and repairing navigation, communication and computer systems and are known as systems engineering or electro-technical officers.

Where can I work?

Engineering Officers are in demand for a range of vessels, from tankers to containerships, while shore-based opportunities also exist in ship yards, ship management, surveying, the ports sector, the yachting industry and the Royal Navy.

Typical employers include shipping companies, cruise companies, port authorities and ship agencies, and the work is, by its very nature, truly international. However with no central recruitment agency, applicants need to approach individual shipping companies and training organisations directly to find a sponsored training opportunity.

Starting a career as an Engineering Officer is a technically-challenging role that will put problem-solving skills to good use.

Photo Stena Bulk

James Farr is an engineering officer in the Merchant Navy. He works as a second engineer for the oil company BP.

How would you outline your role?

As an engineering officer it’s my responsibility to ensure that the ship gets to its destination with no problems. This means maintaining the engine and all other technical equipment to an extremely high standard, and sorting out any mechanical problems that may occur in transit.

What are your main responsibilities?
My main responsibility as a second engineer is to run the engine room. This involves doing regular checks on the equipment and recording the information in the daily log. This allows the engineering team to anticipate any potential problems and keep everything running smoothly. We also have to respond to any situations as and when they occur.

What hours do you work?
A standard day is between 8.00am and 5.00pm, but there’s a duty engineer constantly on call, and we share this responsibility on a rota basis. If any of the machinery malfunctions during the night, an alarm sounds and the duty engineer must deal with the problem.

What is your working environment like?
The ship is a very close knit community and life is very sociable on-board, with no room for conflict. It’s important to learn to get along with people. The engine room itself can be noisy and hot, particularly when in hotter parts of the world, but that’s something you quickly get used to, and we’re given ear protection for the noise. The engine room is also surprisingly large, with a lot of heavy equipment, rather like a floating power station.

Who do you work with?
I work with the engineering team, which consists of a chief engineer, a second, third and fourth engineer, plus a junior engineer and training cadets. Responsibilities vary according to your rank. The chief engineer is the person who supervises and guides the work, as well as taking on the administrative responsibilities.

What skills or qualities do you need?
You need to be practical, and able to work well with your hands and with tools. You also need common sense and be good at problem solving and working on your own initiative. Working with large machinery means that it is also essential to work in an organised and tidy manner. This makes for greater efficiency and is also much safer.

Why did you choose this type of work?
I knew about the Merchant Navy through relatives who had been to sea. It’s a great opportunity to see the world and has good job security compared with a lot of other professions. The pay rate is also very competitive, especially with the tax breaks I receive for being outside the UK most of the time. My company also paid me a wage while I was training as well as covering my tuition, so it seemed a very attractive option, and one I certainly don’t regret.

What training have you done?
Cadets have a three-year training course before they can become an officer. Some of this is land based at nautical college, and some time is spent at sea. My company also offers additional courses in particular skills and the whole ship is regularly revalidated for safety and survival skills. If a course requires a large amount of study, I am allowed to take additional study leave on-shore.

Do you use any special tools or equipment?
Yes, but it’s our hands and eyes that are the most important tools. Other than that, we use a lot of hand tools such as hammers, screwdrivers and spanners and some more hi-tech tools for measuring and monitoring various levels and equipment.

What do you like/dislike about your job?
There’s a lot I like including the travel and being part of such a close-knit team whilst at sea. I also like meeting such a lot of diverse people, and the weather is a bonus too. The leave works well for me, as I have three months off after four months at sea, but I recognise that it’s not for everybody as it can feel like a long time that you’re away from your friends and family. My company recognises this too, and are offering more and more on-shore opportunities for crew. I’m currently seconded to an on-shore project myself.

How do you see your future?
Once I’ve finished my on-shore project, I’ll return to sea and work towards achieving my chief engineer’s ‘ticket’. In the long-term, I may consider a position on-shore. The opportunities with an organisation like my company are huge so I hope to stay with them.

James’ route
GCSEs.
Began A level course, but transferred to a Basic Engineering Skills Course at NVQ Level 3 run by Plymouth Engineering Group Training Centre.
Cadetship with BP.
Current post as second engineer.

James’tip
Contact the Merchant Navy Training Board and look at their website; they can point you in the right direction for companies who sponsor cadets.

How big is this sector?

The 50,000+ strong merchant trading fleet provides a sizable employment pool for Engineering Officers, and this fleet is expected to grow over the next decade.

What are the shore-based opportunities when I am ready to leave the sea?

Opportunities for Engineering Officers continue beyond seafaring, as experienced Officers can easily adapt their managerial skills to fit in onshore maritime and non-maritime companies alike.

Photo Carly Fields