What are the Duties of Chief

Officer?
The operation of a ship is a result of the excellent teamwork of deck and engine
department. One cannot run the ship with only engineers on board or for that matter
with only deck officers.

While the engine department ensures the safe running of the ship’s machinery, the deck
department is an organizational unit in which, deck officers performs navigational and
other important duties directly related to the efficient working of the ship, apart from
those involved with the engine room.

One of the most important ranks among deck officers is that of a Chief Officer, the head of deck
department of the ship. S/He is one of the four management level officers on the ship who
report directly to the captain and his/her second in command after the master of the ship.

Important duties of a ship’s Chief Officer include

1. Chief Officer is responsible for performing vessel navigation watch duties.

2. S/He is responsible for the entire cargo operation in ports which includes loading,
unloading, and cargo planning.

3. S/He is the in-charge for maintenance of cargo gears and cargo carried on board
ship.

4. One of the critical tasks performed by the chief officer is the accountability of
the stability of the ship.
5. S/He is responsible for the maintenance of the ship’s hull and accommodation.

6. All the life saving and fire fighting appliances of the vessel comes under the

responsibility of the chief officer.

7. The duties include the administration task of scheduling and distributing work to deck
crew.

8. S/He has to build up the co-ordination with other departments and take part in conflict
resolution.

9. S/He is responsible for garbage management for the deck and accommodation part
of the ship.

10. S/He is in charge of the ballast and de-ballasting operation done on board.

11. S/He has to make sure all the crew members are complying with latest rules
of MARPOL, SOLAS and STCW.

12.  ISPS code is another responsibility that the chief officer has to look over.

13.  Training in all the above regulations and conventions are to be carried out by the
chief officer as per company policy.

14.  To look after supply, overtime, cost control records, purchase order, requisition, and
other paperwork on behalf of shore management.

15.  S/He also acts as SSO- ship security officer, responsible for the security of the ship
both in port and at sea.

16.  S/He is the overall safety in charge of the deck crew.

17.  S/He is responsible for the welfare of the crew on board ship.

https://youtu.be/MoX91AhJXKg

One cannot think about operating a ship without considering the position of the chief
officer. A Chief Officer is a key position on the ship, one who assists master and shore
management and helps in training crew and juniors.