Understanding Ship Organisation Chart

The manpower distribution in seagoing vessels is essentially organised in something known as the ship organization chart based on position and responsibilities.

For all practical purposes, all shipboard operations are divided into three main heads:

• Deck Department
• Engine Department
• Catering and hospitality

The deck department is the most important division that deals with the vessel’s navigation, cargo (along with loading, handling, and unloading), docking, seakeeping and manoeuvring, stability, firefighting and emergency on board (if any). On the other hand, the engine department deals with all machinery and systems in the vessel.

This department deals with the engines and propulsion systems of the vessel, electrical power generation and distribution onboard, fuel treatment, air-conditioning, cooling systems and ventilations, pumping and sewage systems, etc.

Lastly, the catering or the steward department looks after areas like cooking meals, housekeeping of accommodation spaces (like cleaning and maintenance), and ensuring miscellaneous hospitality services like laundry, plumbing, washing of utensils, recreational amenities on board, etc.

The entire vessel is under the command of the Master, also commonly known as the captain. He or she is equivalent to the CEO or MD of an organization and occupies the topmost point at the top of the organizational chart.

He or she is in charge of all the departments and is responsible for all activities onboard. However, (s)he is specialised in navigation, and other than managing all departments, is very much responsible for driving the vessel. Hence, for all practical purposes, the Master or Captain can be considered a component of the Deck Department itself.

Otherwise, in the deck department, under the Master, there is the Chief Officer or First Officer, who is practically the working head of the deck department, as the former has other responsibilities about the entire ship.

The Chief Officer mainly handles major responsibilities like stability, seakeeping and manoeuvring of the vessel, cargo operations, and supervising the rest of the crew.

He or she is also considered the second-in-command of the vessel as (s)he holds the next major position in the vessel after the captain. Moreover, in the event of the captain’s absence or incapacitation, (S)he is de facto considered the immediate person who needs to take charge of being at the helm. (S)he directly reports to the captain and works under his instructions on navigation and other important matters in the deck department.

(S)he is virtually considered the highest authority for independent decision-making in the Deck Department, provided it is approved by the Captain.

His or her Deputy is the Second Officer who assists him/her in important matters related to the deck department and acts as a substitute if he or she is unavailable or incapacitated. Below that is the third officer who directly handles matters like cargo safety and firefighting, and more importantly, the direct reporting manager who handles the rest of the deck department members, known as deck cadets, who perform all the practical day-to-day operations.

The engine department also follows a similar hierarchy. It is headed by the Chief Engineer, who is also reportable to the captain. His or her deputy is the Second Engineer, who supervises the major aspects of this department, such as main engines, generators and power plants, pumping systems, ventilation, and so on.

Next to him or her is the Third Engineer, who reports to the Second Officer and is usually responsible for directly supervising systems like auxiliary engines, air-conditioning, etc. Bigger ships with diverse and complex systems often have Fourth or Fifth Engineers subsequently down the line as well, who are assigned their own set of responsibilities like cargo heating /cooling machinery, pumps, sewage treatment, bilge systems, waste oil systems, etc.

The practical work of the engine department round the clock is dedicatedly handled by engine cadets, who have sound technical knowledge of the systems and are directed by their superiors as per the hierarchy above.

The catering or the Steward’s department is handled by the Chief Steward. All members of this department report directly to him and are responsible for various activities like cooking, housekeeping, cleaning, laundry, sanitisation, store management, and so on.

Though there are not many divisions under the chief steward, there is a Chief Cook or the Chef who is the main person responsible for the galley and kitchen, and a Messman who looks after the mess room and meal services onboard.

Depending on the type, size, and complexity of the vessel, the extent and manpower strengths of the departments vary. For example, in a large cargo carrier like a tanker with complex machinery and systems, the engine department is very convoluted and has very strong and competent manpower.

Similarly, for a passenger vessel, where the hospitality, safety, and upkeep of the passengers are of the highest priority, the catering department is very large and well-managed.

For every vessel, the ship organization chart is well-defined onboard.  

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About Author

Subhodeep is a Graduate of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering. He has deep interest in marine structures and goal-based design aspects, and is dedicated to sharing and propagating technical knowledge of the industry.

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