Duties of 3rd Officer in Merchant Navy

3rd Officer or 3rd Mate is an aspirational rank in the merchant navy for many deck cadets who wish to join the merchant navy. It marks the first step for cadets to step into the shoes of officer responsibilities after training and to sail as an officer.

The duties of the Third Officer in the Merchant Navy can vary according to companies and types of ships. To better understand what the Third Officer does in the Merchant Navy, let’s look at the ship’s ranking system.

deck officer

The top boss is the master, or captain, who is responsible for everything and is first in command of the vessel. Second in command is the Chief Officer or First Officer, who looks after the ship’s maintenance, environment, and safety compliance. Then comes the second officer or second mate, who is responsible for passage planning, navigation, maintaining the medical locker, and the correction and maintenance of charts and publications.

After that comes the Third Officer, also known as the Third Mate, who is considered an all-rounder, as the term ‘third’ implies a three-dimensional role. This means he assists everyone on the Bridge team, playing a crucial role.

So, the primary role of the 3rd Officer in the Merchant Navy is to assist in navigational watchkeeping as an officer on watch (OOW) for the vessel’s safe navigation. They also assist the chief mate in cargo operations and the second officer in correcting and maintaining nautical charts and publications.

The 3rd Officer is also responsible for maintaining the life-saving appliances (LSA) & firefighting equipment (FFE) and assists the master with routine paperwork.

third officer

The duties of the 3rd officer can be divided into four main categories but are not limited to:

Navigational Watchkeeping Duties
Maintenance of Safety Equipment
Cargo/Port Watchkeeping Duties
Administrative Duties

Navigational Watchkeeping Duties:

3rd Officer or 3rd Mate is responsible for carrying out independent navigational watches on the bridge to ensure the safe navigation of the vessel, generally from 0800–1200 and 2000–2400 hours, or as directed by the ship’s master.
3rd Officer is responsible for assisting the 2nd Officer in correcting and maintaining nautical charts and publications, along with any other duties assigned by the 2nd Officer. This may include tasks such as assisting in passage planning, distance and noon calculations, or any other reporting during his watch.

ship 3rd officer

Assist in maintaining navigational and meteorological equipment on board, keeping it up-to-date and in operational condition.
Responsible for maintaining all national/signal flags (as per International Codes of Signal), navigational shapes, and sound signalling equipment and ensuring all required flags are available before reaching the port and displayed correctly.
Assist in carrying out pre-arrival and pre-departure tests as per company procedure and report all deficiencies found to the second officer and master.
Assist in recordkeeping of the ship’s deck logbook, navigational checklists, official logbook, and all events that occurred during the watch.
Assist the master in sending distress, urgency, and safety alerts via the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
Assist in training deck cadets or other trainees on board.
Assist in preparing the bridge for any navigational and third-party audits.
Assist in Port State Control (PSC) and Vetting Inspections.
Assist in any other navigational duties as directed by the ship’s master.

Maintenance of Safety Equipment:

3rd officer, under the supervision of the Chief Officer (Safety Officer), is responsible for inspecting and maintaining the life-saving appliances (LSA) and firefighting equipment (FFE) on board.
Responsible for maintaining the life-saving appliances (LSA) and firefighting equipment (FFE) maintenance records.
Must notify the Chief Officer (Safety Officer) or Master in case any shore inspection, such as annual or 5-yearly shore services related to life-saving appliances (LSA) and firefighting equipment (FFE), is coming due.

ship officer

Responsible for carrying out the maintenance as PMS (Planned Maintenance System) and reporting all deficiencies found in safety equipment to the Chief Officer (Safety Officer) and Master.
Responsible for maintaining and updating the SOLAS training manuals and getting all crew members familiar with them.
Maintaining inventory of spares required for LSA and FFA equipment, keeping in mind the items expiring in the next few months, and raising requisitions for the same.
Giving on-signers safety and security familiarisation after their joining.
Maintaining inventory of all IMO safety posters and company posters and ensuring all are in place and correctly displayed.

Cargo/Port Watchkeeping Duties:

During arrival or departure in the port, if the third officer is on bridge duty, he assists the master and the bridge team in manoeuvring. Otherwise, when not on bridge duty, the third officer is in charge of the aft mooring station during the vessel’s berthing and unberthing, with the forward mooring station of the ship led by the chief officer. Thus, at any given time, either the second officer or the third officer will be on the bridge, and one of them will be at the aft mooring station.
In port, the third officer keeps watchkeeping from 0600–1200 and 1800–2400 hours, or as directed by the Chief Officer or the ship’s master.

ship deck third officer

The third officer is responsible for maintaining a safe cargo/port watch and ensuring compliance with all international and local regulations. During the watch, the 3rd officer oversees all cargo operations, including ballasting or deballasting, ensuring the ship remains upright, monitoring stress levels within limits, and adequately recording events.
The third officer is also responsible for maintaining security measures as per the ISPS security level during his watch. Their duties also involve preventing pollution, reporting incidents, supporting environmental policies, ensuring regulatory compliance, and fostering environmental awareness within the organisation.
Before reaching the port, the 3rd Officer ensures that LSA (lifesaving appliances) and FFA (firefighting appliances) are in order, in place, and ready at all times in case of any emergency.
3rd Officer also assists the master in port with customs, immigration, and agent formalities.

Administrative Duties:

Administrative duties involve assisting the master during crew sign-on and sign-off, ensuring all formalities are completed, and checking crew documents/certificates during joining. This includes verifying the validity and availability of all crew documents, such as passports, CDCs, licenses, STCW certificates, medical records, contract papers, company courses, etc.
Additionally, the third officer assists the master in article signing, stamping CDC, arranging passports, and maintaining crew documentation, including updating ship certificates and scanning the same.
Preparing the drill matrix and scheduling drills as per the matrix under the supervision of the chief officer or master, ensuring all drills are conducted within the given intervals. Additionally, ensure that all the company-specific training, such as CBTS, resilience, or reflective learning, is conducted on time.
The third officer is responsible for maintaining records of the drills and updating the drill records in the relevant deck or official logbook. After the drill is completed, ensure that all safety equipment used in the drill, such as SCBA sets, fireman outfits, hoses, etc., is put back in place and ready to be used in case of an emergency.
Preparing port papers prior to arriving at the port, including emergency contact sheets and updating crew lists, stowage plans, MSDS in common places, and fire plans as designated by the company or ship’s master.
Keeping Emergency Muster Plan and Lists up-to-date with all present crew and their duties in emergencies.
Assisting the master in distributing cash advances to the crew.
Maintaining bonded/slop chest store on board, including managing the inventory.
Assisting the crew in processing their claims and any other paperwork.
Assisting the master in accounts and wage calculations during month end.
Ensuring that all recommendations from Safety Committee meetings are carried out without delay and regularly participating in BBS and near-miss observations.

deck officer on ship

I hope you have understood the duties of the Third Officer in the Merchant Navy. We have covered the Third Officer’s duties in detail, but it’s challenging to include everything in one article. If we have missed anything, comment and let us know.

While we have covered most aspects of this article, there are additional duties that may arise. For example, depending on the situation, sometimes the Third Officer may assist the Chief Officer in tank cleaning operations, anchoring operations, receiving stores and spares in ports, or handling additional duties in dry dock.

It’s important to note that in the case of cruise or passenger ships, some duties may differ from those mentioned. The third officer might have some extra duties on passenger ships.

More specific duties of the third officer can be found in the job description provided by the company. The company’s Safety Management System (SMS) typically includes a section on crew duties, where additional responsibilities unique to the company and the third officer’s role may be detailed.

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About Author

Bhupinder Marriya is an experienced seafarer currently serving as a Third Mate on chemical tankers. Holding a Second Mate Foreign Going COC (Indian), Bhupinder possesses extensive knowledge of tank cleaning operations, navigation, and cargo work, along with expertise in life-saving appliances and fire-fighting equipment (LSA & FFE). Combining his practical experience at sea with a passion for maritime education, Bhupinder actively contributes as a freelance writer, sharing valuable insights and educating readers about the maritime industry.