A CAREER AS A MARINE ENGINEER

Entry & Educational Requirements

The task of a Marine Engineer is a specialised one, the pre-requisites for which are set by
the STCW’951 and require a comprehensive 36 month program of education and training as
a Marine Engineer. It is for this reason that Marine Orders Part 3 [Seagoing Qualifications]
stipulates two paths by which an applicant may become a Marine Engineer:-
1. ENGINEERING TRADE-ENTRY [TRAINEE ENGINEER]; or
2. Completion of an approved CADET TRAINING COURSE

Engineering Trade-Entry [Trainee Engineer] is open to those possessing an approved

Trade2 who effectively get recognition of prior learning in respect of about 21 months of their
4 year Apprenticeship towards the STCW requirement of 36 month program of
education/training. Incorporated in the 36 months is 9 months qualifying sea service3. This is
supplemented by Diploma level TAFE training incorporating the education and examinations
which must be passed to provide the knowledge-base to gain entry to an examination
conducted by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (“AMSA”) which if passed will lead to
the issue by AMSA of the first of the series of escalating licences to perform the function of a
Marine Engineer in escalating levels of Rank/responsibility. Before issue of the Certificate of
Competency AMSA will require additional training in (1) Fire-Fighting (2) Survival at Sea and
(3) First Aid.

In the alternative, an approved Engineer Cadet training course was available involving a
Degree in Marine Engineering at the Australian Maritime College, Launceston.
This approach seeks to balance the lack of Trade-training and skills with a much higher
emphasis on high academic level Engineering education, providing the STCW requirement
of 36 month program of education/training through a 4-year Degree-course that incorporates
all theoretical subjects towards [subject to sea-service and other Marine Orders 3
requirements as to timing/experience] issue of Watchkeeper/Class2/Class1 Marine Engineer
Certificates of Competency.

Please note: an applicant who does not possess an approved Trade and does not complete
the previously-available Degree-course Cadetship can not currently become a Marine
Engineer.

Colleges, Shipowners and others in the industry should be aware that an applicant who does
not possess an approved Trade can not simply do the short-path available to a
Tradesperson because AMSA can not issue that applicant with a Certificate as the
STCW requirements for a comprehensive 36-month program of education and training have
not been met.

The Institute is striving to re-establish either the Degree-course Cadetship or an alternative

high-academic-standard Cadetship; in the lack of shipowner support for the NMITC we are
having to take this up in industrial negotiations. We hope for an outcome by late 2004, in

1
I.M.O.’s Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping 1995 requirements include
Regulation III/1: completion of at least 36 months “…approved education and training…” including training in
mechanical and electrical workshop skills relevant to the duties of an engineer officer; [and see 3 below]
2
Approved under Marine Orders Part 3 [Seagoing Qualifications]. As at July 2004 these are Fitter &
Turner/Machinist or Diesel Fitter or Electrical Fitter or an equivalent tradesman’s rights certificate or an
engineering trade with approved program of workshop service.
3
Qualifying sea service is governed by STCW95 Section A-III/1 requiring that the approved program of on-
board training involves systematic practical training and experience in the tasks, duties and responsibilities of
an officer in charge of an engine-room watch, is closely supervised and monitored by a qualified and certificated
Engineer Officer and is adequately documented in a training record book.
Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers
your Professional, Training & Industrial organisation.

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time for the 2005 academic year if possible. The Institute is also asking shipoperators to
employ greater numbers of new entrants as a condition of our industrial agreements.

Certificates of Competency

A Marine Engineer must not only be qualified, but is required under the Navigation Act to be
assessed/tested by AMSA for issue of a licence which must be valid at all times in order to
be permitted to work as a Marine Engineer in Australia or internationally.

The first of these licences is the “Engineer Watchkeeper” Certificate of Competency which
would permit the holder to sail as Third Engineer on an Australian or international vessel
world-wide. To work on any kind of specialised vessel [e.g. a Steamship, a Tanker, a
Chemical Tanker, or a Gas-Carrier] would require additional experience/training and a
specific ‘endorsement’ of the Certificate of Competency to permit the holder to work on that
specialist vessel.

After further experience/training the holder of an “Engineer Watchkeeper” Certificate of

Competency may apply to AMSA to undergo the examination for issue of a Class 2 Marine
Engineer Certificate of Competency. Such Certificate should permit the holder to sail as
Second Engineer or even as First Engineer on an Australian or international vessel world-
wide, however it is the practice of many companies to insist (above the legislated standards,
in case of accident/injury to the Chief Engineer) that they will not appoint as First Engineer
unless the person holds the next higher Certificate.

After further experience/training the Engineer may apply to AMSA to undergo the
examination for issue of a Class 1 Marine Engineer Certificate of Competency. Such
Certificate would permit the holder to sail as Chief Engineer on an Australian or international
vessel world-wide.

Note that all these examinations conducted by AMSA are thorough and extensive: the pass
rate is frequently less than 40% of those who qualify for the examination.

To go to sea you must also hold a valid certificate of Fitness from an AMSA-approved Doctor
who will test your vision (including colour), hearing and general health.4

Note also that these Certificates of Competency are issued pursuant to the Navigation Act
1912 and related regulations called Marine Orders to give effect to Australia’s obligations
under STCW95 and therefore have relevance to, or recognition in, limited employment
sectors ashore.

Work Environment
Every activity described herein is performed on an unstable deck/platform that pitches, rolls,
yaws according to the condition of the sea and the actions taken by the helmsman; neither of
which you can see or predict.
In addition the deck/platforms within the (approximately) 10-storey high space that is the
engine-room are vibrating/oscillating as a result of the percussive effect of each explosion in
each massive cylinder of the ship’s Slow-speed main engine in which the cylinder is half a
metre to 1 metre wide and has a stroke approaching six foot long and operates at only
ninety (90) revolutions per minute. Added to this is an ambient air temperature of 40 to 50
degrees Celsius and the turbo-charger whine which at 1 metre measures over 110 dBA.

4
To a standard set under Marine Orders Part 9 [Health-Medical Fitness]. Aids to vision are permitted but colour
blindness can be a problem. If in doubt go undertake the AMSA-Medical before you commence this career.
Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers
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Machinery and plant is found at all levels within the engineroom and access is via
engineroom ‘ladders’; these ladders have steel treads about 100mm wide and are usually
inclined at about 30 degrees away from the vertical. Tools in hand, and in a sea-way, the
Engineer must access all levels of the engineroom to perform adjustments and repairs and
monitor gas and fluid levels/temperatures/pressures and respond to alarms from the 2000-
point alarm system.
Even when you reach the peak of your career as Chief Engineer, and your role becomes
increasingly technical/administrative/supervisory your responsibilities still require you to
respond day or night to take charge of the engineroom should the situation get beyond the
capacity/experience of the Duty Engineer.

Duties & Physical Requirements

Marine Engineers are responsible for the operation, and for the maintenance, of all
propulsion systems whether steam, gas-turbine or marine-diesel and for all the cooling
systems, heat-exchangers, lubricating systems, fuel-systems, water-treatment-systems, as
well as electrical power [415Volt multi-alternator systems] generation and distribution on the
ship, for all the diesel engines or steam-turbines that drive such alternators, for all hydraulic
power systems, pneumatic systems, control systems, alarm systems and emergency
systems. We cannot begin to describe all the duties of the marine engineer, we may as well
reproduce STCW95, Marine Orders 28 Operating Procedures and Standards, the ISM Code
but the simple truth is that the marine engineer must in any situation rely on him/herself to do
what it takes to ensure the safety of personnel, machinery and ship; there is no one else to
turn to at sea.

Large merchant cargo ships [say 10,000 tonnes and larger] commonly are manned by four
Marine Engineers; A Chief Engineer, First Engineer, Second Engineer and Third Engineer.
The lower 3 engineers take turns in being the ‘Duty-Engineer’ responsible for a 24 hour
period for all alarms and isolations. The engineer may be asleep or in the shower but must
respond immediately to such alarms and if the alarm is not cancelled within the first few
minutes it will default to the Chief Engineer’s cabin and wake him/her up.
As well, these three engineers are allocated specific machinery/systems for which they take
primary responsibility for all maintenance; this is not simply a case of waiting for something
to breakdown, instead there are 2 important methods of determining maintenance-needs: (1)
observation and diagnosis and (2) “Planned Maintenance” a system in which according to
operational running-hours the machine is taken out of service and dismantled by the
engineer so that its condition can be measured, parts machined/refurbished or spare parts
fitted as required, then re-built. The pump/engine/compressor/centrifuge/heat-exchanger etc
can be taken out of service after the ‘standby’ machine in the system is started and operated
in the stead of the machine to be overhauled. It should be noted that this is heavy physical
work which the Engineer does him/herself; you dismantle the machinery, you lump the
heads of the diesel-alternator out to where you can get a sling on to it for access to any
crane or overhead rail to raise it up several levels to the workshop, you re-condition it and
return it to the engine and rebuild it, torque the bolts to manufacturers specifications. When
this same task is done on a main engine bolt of about 100 mm diameter, you may have to
use ‘flogging-spanners’ and a sledgehammer to apply the correct torque or on more modern
ships use hydraulic bolt-tensioning equipment to do so. Within the crankcase of the main
engine you climb on top of the oil-coated crankshaft and lift heavy hydraulic equipment into
place to torque the nut holding each piston rod to the engine cross-head so that you can
remove the piston to change the (half a metre to 1 metre wide) cast-iron piston-rings then
stand inside the cylinder using an angle-grinder to smooth score-marks on the cylinder-liner.
Many tasks, including changing a broken piston-ring, may at times have to be performed as
an emergency break-down repair at sea with the vessel entirely at the mercy of the waves as
you work to repair the propulsion machinery.

Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers

your Professional, Training & Industrial organisation.

This document, and more, is available for download at Martin's Marine Engineering Page - www.dieselduck.net
Your duties are performed all over the ship and will include the following examples:-

• From the Forecastle:

Inspect/operate/maintain emergency diesel-driven fire pump, deck-air compressor,
hydraulic power systems for anchor-windlass and deck-winches and climb down vertical
ladders to bow-thruster room (immediately under the bow) to inspect/repair the bow-
thruster machinery as required.

• To the main deck

Work on deck to take fuel and water ‘soundings’ using a steel tape down the pipe for
each of the many tanks Port and Starboard for Ballast Water, drinking water, light diesel
fuel and heavy fuel. Also work on deck to repair hydraulic systems for winches cargo
hatches & hydraulic systems or electrical systems for deck-cranes [depending on type of
vessel]
Work beneath the deck when Ballast and other tanks are opened up for inspection or to
gain access to deep-well pumps which are submerged inside the tanks. Climb vertical
ladders to the bottom of the cargo holds to overhaul hold-bilge pipes and valves and (on
dry-cargo self-discharger ships) inspect/adjust/maintain/repair in-hold cargo-conveyor-
systems and cargo-bucket/scraper systems as well as all associated machinery.

• To the ship’s Accommodation

Supply/maintain electricity, hot and cold water, sewerage treatment, heating and air-
conditioning to the ship’s living areas, all ship’s refrigeration plant and cold-rooms,
plumbing, bathrooms, toilets, ventilation system, washing machines, drying machines,
galley equipment [similar to a large commercial kitchen] and services to all cabins and
public rooms.

• To the engine-spaces:
These extend from the main deck downwards about 5 or 6 storeys [to the bottom of the
ship] and from the main deck rise 4 or 5 storeys [surrounded by accommodation levels].
At the bottom of the ship you will be checking the condition of the stern-tube-seals on the
propeller-shaft at the rear of the bottom-most depths of the engine-room, then lifting
hatches in steel bottom-plates [1 to 2 square-metre sections of steel chequer-plate
flooring ] to access fuel/ballast/bilge pipes and pumps to inspect/tighten pump-
glandseals and use hand-operated-valves. This is also the level of the crank-case doors
which are opened in port to allow you to perform maintenance such as inspecting all
fasteners within the crankcase, climbing over the crankshaft to take readings of
crankshaft – deflections, changing bearings, removing piston-nuts to permit piston-
removal and overhaul etc.
Up the next engine-room ladder you will find the engine-side manual-control station
which you would use to operate the main engine under local-control should all forms of
remote-control fail. Pumps, heat exchangers, lubrication systems and cooling water
systems are all around you.
Up the next engine-room ladder you will find the engine-tops where each cylinder has a
separate head fastened on with 8 to 12 large bolts (bolt-diameter up to about 100mm)
which you will need to remove to gain access to that cylinder to remove the piston,
change rings,etc. The Engine Control Room will likely be adjacent and have a window
looking out onto this level of the engineroom; this is your first stop when answering an
Alarm as the Duty Engineer and you will silence the Alarm, identify the hazard,
determine and take corrective action and when safe operation has been restored, cancel
the Alarm. Some manual ‘Logging’ of these events will be required, no matter how well
the control systems make an electronic log of events.
Up the next engine-room ladder you will usually find 3 diesel-alternators, each diesel
about 3 metres long and typically outputting about 800 to 1200kW , a workshop and
storerooms for spare-parts and engineers equipment and tools.

Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers

your Professional, Training & Industrial organisation.

This document, and more, is available for download at Martin's Marine Engineering Page - www.dieselduck.net
 On these and ever-higher levels within the engineroom spaces you will also be
responsible for an oil-fired Boiler, exhaust-gas waste-heat boiler/economiser, fuel
heating and centrifuge systems, lubricating oil centrifuge systems, cooling water
[Freshwater] systems, cooling water [Seawater] systems, boiler-water systems and the
like. This description is illustrative, not exhaustive.

Technology.
Most of the technology is in the design/construction of the machinery for which you are
responsible plus in your knowledge that will [in time] permit you to take readings and make
adjustments to the operation of machinery to optimise its operation.
The rest of the technology is in your head; it is the engineering knowledge that will allow you
to look at the systems around you and understand them so well that you will know when a
noise/smell/temperature/pressure indicates a fault and you will have the skills to deduce
where in the system corrective adjustment or maintenance is required.
If you want to become a Marine Engineer because you see yourself tapping the keys of a
computer operating high tech equipment in air-conditioned comfort and spotless white
overalls then be aware that there is only one place in the Engine Room that is air-
conditioned, and that is the Control Room, a place that you will spend only a small proportion
of your time. The Marine Engineer is not merely an ‘operator’, he/she is the Maintainer of all
machinery/plant/equipment on the vessel, hence the greater proportion of your time is spent
in the engine spaces doing maintenance.

Rewards

• Training; and someone will pay you to do it.

• Travel; and someone will pay you to do it.
• High degree of job-control and job satisfaction
• High salary and conditions have been negotiated by Engineers acting collectively
through their union, the Australian Institute of Marine & Power Engineers.

We suggest you print this for future reference and re-visit our
web site for updates.

www.aimpe.asn.au
For further information contact one of our Branch offices.
Head Office: 02 9698 3999 Melbourne: 03 9699 1488
Queensland: 07 3252 2900 Adelaide: 08 8341 0779
Newcastle: 02 4961 6064 Perth: 08 9430 7782

Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers

your Professional, Training & Industrial organisation.

This document, and more, is available for download at Martin's Marine Engineering Page - www.dieselduck.net