Licensed professional seafarers who work in either the
deck or engine departments of Merchant Vessels. They ascend to these positions based on either Maritime
College educations, or less commonly through time served and advancements 'up the hawsepipe' through testing.
Deck officers: 3RD Mate (primarily safety officer), 2ND Mate (primarily navigations officer, Chief Mate (supervisor), and
Captain (overall command of vessel and personnel)
Engine Officers: 3RD Assistant
Engineer, 2ND Assistant Engineer, 1ST Assistant Engineer, and Chief Engineer (in charge of entire engine room and shipboard mechanical/electrical components)
(NOTE: Steward's Department does not consist of any officers, all personnel in this department are unlicensed but certain Stewards carry more authority than others.)
Before becoming a vessel operations
manager, Brian sailed as a Merchant
Marine officer with Moore McCormack
Lines.