Skip to main content

DeepSeaSailorGuy's definitions

Merchant Marine

The commercial ships of a nation and the men and women who man them, both as licensed officers and unlicensed crew. While Navy ships act to defend a nation on the sea, Merchant ships deliver cargo worldwide and are manned by civilians. U.S. Merchant Mariners are the highest paid in the world.

Consists of Freighters, Tankers, RoRo's, Tugboats, Barges, and Ferries

Ships are split into three departments in which personnel work: Deck (navigation, cargo operations, external maintenance), Engineering (propulsion, electrical, and any machinery), and Stewards (cooks).
"I sailed in the Merchant Marine before going to college."
by DeepSeaSailorGuy May 30, 2007
mugGet the Merchant Marinemug.

STCW

(Standards of Training and Certification of Watchstanders) or also informally known as 'Stuff The Coast guard Wants"

Bullshit certifications required of all Merchant Seamen before they can sail deep sea as either licensed officers or unlicensed crew. Despite the fact that having these certs does nothing to improve the competence of the mariner possessing them, and the fact that accidents still happen to this day despite them, the IMO (international maritime organization) and the U.S. government still shove them down our throats.

Training and certification is in 4 basic areas: Firefighting, Personal Safety/Sexual Harassment, Personal Survival, and First Aid.
"Despite the fact that McAllister's Port Captain told me I couldn't sail past the sea buoy without STCW, I was aboard a vessel headed to Norfolk the next morning."
by DeepSeaSailorGuy May 30, 2007
mugGet the STCWmug.

Share this definition