AS#111#

Reading#Notes#
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CODE#OF#CONDUCT#FOR#SEAFARERS#
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!Seafaring!is!a!civilian!which!place!upon!those!who!go!sea!demands!in!industry!ashore.!Seafarer!
are!called!upon!to!spend!not!only!their!working!hours!but!their!leisure!turs!boo!in!be!environment!
of! a! ship! and! with! the! same! individuals! for! company.! It! might! be! said! blat! they! are! more!
susceptible! to! the! stresses! and! strains! of! everyday! life! than! their! fellows! ashore.! In! this!
environment!the!need!for!discipline!and!behavior!assumed!a!particular!importance.!However,!
disciplinary! should! not! be! viewed! primarily! as! a! means! of! imposing! sanctions.! They! are!
emphasizing!and!encourage!improvement!in!individual!conduct.!
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!The!most!effective!form!of!discipline!is!self?discipline,!which!in!turn!springs!from!a!responsible!
attitude!to!job,!whatever!it!may!be,!and!concern!for!the!efficient!operation!of!tie!ship!and!for!tie!
comfort!and!convenience!of!fellow!crew!members.!
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!Conduct#in#Situations#other#than#Emergencies#
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!Emergencies! are! fortunately! rare! and! this! document! is! primarily! concerned! with! day?to?day!
situation!on!board.!It!should!be!borne!in!mind,!however,!that!certain!acts!of!misconduct!(e.g.!
absence! from! place! of! duty! or! heavy! drinking)! could! have! the! effect! of! causing! a! state! of!
emergency.!The!following!paragraph!sets!out!some!broad!general!rule!for!everyday!conduct.!
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a)!Punctuality!is!very!important!both!for!the!efficient!operation!of!the!ship!and!avoid!putting!
extra!work!on!shipmate.!This!is!true!of!joining!the!vessel!at!the!time!appointed,!returning!from!
shore!leave,!reporting!for!watch?keeping!duty!and!all!other!work.!Absence!at!the!time!of!sailing,!
in!particular,!may!seriously!delay!the!ship!or!even!prevent!her!sailing!until!a!replacement!is!found.!
Delay!of!any!kind!of!operation!can!lead!to!the!delay!of!the!whole!ship,!resulting!in!loss!of!both!
time!and!money.!
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!b)#Drugs#
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!It!is!unlawful!to!consume,!posses,!or!distribute!drugs!on!board!ships.!A!seafarer!found!guilty!of!
consuming! or! possessing! drugs,! is! liable! of! dismissal! from! his! or! her! job! and! also! to! legal!
proceedings.!It!is!to!note!that!certain!countries!have!very!strict!rules!against!drugs!which!involve!
capital!punishment.!
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c)#Drinking#
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!Most!of!the!ship!owners!have!prohibited!seafarers!from!bringing!and!consuming!liquor!on!board,!
then!these!rules!should!be!strictly!followed!to!prevent!any!kind!of!harm!to!ship's!operations!or!
to!one's!sailing!career.!If!a!ship!observes!no!Alcohol!policy,!it!must!be!followed!with!respect!and!
responsibility.!
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!d)#Weapons#
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!Any!kind!of!offensive!weapons!which!can!be!fatal!are!not!on!board!ships.!A!seafarer!found!guilty!
of!such!act!liable!legal!proceedings!and!suspension.!
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e)#Carrying#out#of#duties#
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!Every!seafarer!is!required!to!perform!duties!to!the!best!of!his!or!her!abilities.!It!is!necessary!that!
seafarer’s!property!understand!their!duties!and!obey!al!the!commands!and!instructions!which!
are! within! their! scope.! Seafarers! should! also! know! whom! to! report! and! what! do! in! case!
emergency!situations.!
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f)#Smoking#in#Prohibited#Areas#
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!Smoking! is! dangerous! on! any! ship! but! particularly! on! tankers,! liquid! gas! carriers! and! vessels!
carrying!explosive!or!inflammable!materials.!The!ship's!rules!controlling!smoking!and!be!use!of!
naked!light!or!unapproved!electric!torch!must!be!scrupulously.!Most!of!be!ship!owner!follow!No?
Smoking! policy! onboard! their! ships,! especially! on! tankers! and! those! carrying! dangerous,!
flammable! cargo.! No! smoking! rule! should! be! strictly! followed! on! board! ships! to! prevent! fire!
accidents.!
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!g)#Behavior#towards#Colleagues#onboard#
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!Misbehavior! and! anti?social! attitude! is! not! tolerated! on! board! ships.! Anti?social! behavior! can!
cause!a!seafarer!to!become!a!nuisance!to!others!on!board!and!in!extreme!circumstances!can!
hazard!the!ship!and!the!crew.!This!can!include!not!only!excessive!drinking!but!also!such!behavior!
as! causing! excessive! noise,! abusive! language,! sexual! harassment,! aggressive! attitudes! and!
offensive!personal!The!fact!that!some!ned!to!step!whist!others!are!awake!should!also!be!borne!
in!mind.!
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!Seafarers!who!are!involved!in!foregoing!actions!and!offensive!personal!habit!can!face!suspension!
or!discontinuation!their!job!contracts.!!Apart!from!that,!seafarers!should!know!all!the!reasons!
which!could!lead!to!suspension!of!their!contract!/COC,!and!thus!act!accordingly!on!board!ships.!
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!h)#Bringing#unauthorized#persons#on#board#
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!Seafarers! are! not! allowed! to! bring! any! unauthorized! persons! on! board! ships.! Ship's! and! port!
authority's!rules!should!strictly!have!followed!regarding!bringing!unauthorized!person!to!prevent!
legal!actions.!
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#i)#Treatment#of#Ship's#property#and#accommodation#area#
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!For!the!duration!of!the!voyage!the!ship!is!not!only!the!seafarer’s!place!of!work!but!also!his!home.!
Accommodation!and!facilitate,!whether!provided!for!his!personal!use!of!to!be!shared!with!others,!
should!therefore!be!treated!with!respect.!
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!j)#Unlawful#Activities#
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!Apart! from! above! mentioned! practices,! there! are! certain! unlawful! activities! and! misconduct!
seafarers! should! avoid.! Any! seafarer! found! guilty! of! actions! such! as! assault,! wilful! damage! to!
ship's! property,! persistent! disobedience,! actions! endangering! ship! or! person! on! board,!
continuous!failure!in!performing!duties,!normal!or!cargo!theft,!actions!compromising!safety!of!
the!ship,!and!ill?treatment!towards!onboard!personnel!can!face!suspension!of!the!contract!or!
other!severe!actions!against!him!or!her.!
!The!code!of!conduct!for!merchant!marine!has!been!specially!drafted!to!keep!unwanted!trouble!
at!bay.!Seafarers!must!adhere!to!rule!under!all!circumstances!to!ensure!safety!of!the!ship,!their!
live,!and!their!careers.!
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