3rd Engineer is the intermediate rank in the merchant Navy. This ship rank is very well placed, two above the junior ranks and two below the senior ranks.
In other words, the 3rd Engineers can act as an onboard mentor to the 4th Engineers and as the “go-to” assistant to the 2nd Engineers.
The duties of 3rd Engineers can vary depending upon the situation, company policies, nature of the tasks, and ship type.
Although the 3rd engineer’s job scope is dynamic, the ship duties can be divided into the following categories.
1. Engine Room watch-keeping Duties.
2. Safety Officer Duties
3. Maintenance of Machineries under the 3rd Engineer
4. Miscellaneous Duties.
Now let’s dive deep into the duties of 3rd Engineers.
1. Engine Room Watchkeeping Duties
1. The 3rd Engineer is responsible for the independent Engine Room Watchkeeping from 0000 Hours to 0400, 1200 to 1600 hours (Non-UMS ships) and from 0000 hours to 0600, 1200 to 1800 hours during 6-on, 6-off.
2. The third Engineer ensures that all the machines required by the ship are operational during his watch and rectifies any problems that arise during the watch.
3. The third engineer is responsible for timely logging all operations in the Engine log book. While on watch, the third Engineer must follow all the company’s MARPOL Rules and all the checklists required by the company SMS.
4. The third engineer is responsible for maintaining the levels of Fuels, lube oil, and cooling water tanks in the Engine Room.He/she has to ensure that the parameters of running machines, such as temperatures, pressures and flow, are well within the operating range.
5. 3rd Engineer independently carries out Pre-departure / Pre-arrival tests as per the company checklist whenever departing or arriving at the ports as per the port calls.
6. 3rd Engineer, together with the Motorman/cadet, will prepare the Main Engine if the ship needs to sail off during his watch time mentioned above.
7. The third Engineer assists the second engineer in training the Cadet on board. Being intermediate Rank, Cadets generally have good relationships with their third Engineers.
8. The third engineer is always responsible for the good housekeeping of the Engine Room premises to prepare the ship for any third-party inspection. (PSC inspection/Vetting)
9. The 3rd Engineer assists the Chief Engineer in planning the Spares and stores available for the planned maintenance and raises requisitions in the PMS software if required.
10. They must comply with the company’s rules regarding MARPOL, Garbage, Sewage Emissions, etc., while burning sludge in an incinerator and discharging grey water and sewage overboard.
2. Safety Officer Duties
1. The third Engineer on most ships is a safety officer in the Engine Room and is part of the safety committee. Thus, they promote a culture of safety on board.
2. The 3rd Engineer creates events in the PMS systems for the monthly safety meeting, such as unsafe acts/conditions or near misses. Anyone on board can report anything to the 3rd Engineer, and then they can discuss it in the safety meeting.
3. The 3rd Engineer takes the Engine Room rounds from a safety point of view and reports defects, if found, to the senior officers to rectify them as soon as possible. These rounds are named Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC) rounds and are usually taken once a month.
4. The 3rd Engineers ensure that the cadets on board are working safely and get all the PPE for safety.
5. The third engineer ensures enough PPE is present near all the chemical Dosing areas and in the workshop. If needed, the third Engineer can consult with the second Engineer to replenish the deteriorated PPE.
3. Maintenance of Machinery under 3E
1. The person sailing on this rank handles Auxiliary Engines (Diesel Generators) and Boilers as the Main machines under him. This can vary based on different flags or nationalities. For example, if sailing with Danish officers, this rank handles Boiler and Purifier.
2. They are responsible for the sewage treatment plants onboard a vessel, from chemical dosing to Weekly back flushing and PMS jobs.
3. They are responsible for the weekly or daily Boiler water cooling water tests on board a merchant Vessel.
4. During bunkering, the 3rd Engineer plays a crucial role in determining the results (Density, Viscosity, compatibility, Flashpoint, etc.) of the fuel oil sample obtained onboard and reports to the Chief Engineer about the condition of the Fuel oil.
5. 3rd Engineer will test the Fresh water available on-board for (E.coli, PH, etc.). Suppose a vessel is on long anchorage and has to receive the water from shore; then the Chief Engineer will call the 3rd Engineer to test a water sample.
6. The 3rd Engineer is the right-hand of the 2nd engineer. So, an experienced 3rd engineer (Sailing time, at least 12 months on rank) can even handle the jobs of a 2nd engineer. Say if any main Engine-related job is coming and the 2nd engineer is confident about the 3rd Engineer, then Bravo! They can even carry out the Main engine’s jobs.
7. Unlike the fourth engineer, the third Engineer has much less paperwork. He has to maintain his NOx Technical files (two copies, one for CE and one for Master). In addition, they can complete daily task-related paperwork.
8. Diesel Framo power packs also come under this rank. All the weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual routines come under the 3rd Engineer.
9. During loading/discharging, this rank has to handle the operations of all the machines, including generators, IGG, boilers, compressors, Framo, COPT, etc.
10.
Saturday routines are designated for testing the emergency equipment available on board for the safety of personnel and the ship’s security. The third Engineer is responsible for testing the Emergency Fire pump, Emergency Generator, and lifeboats.
During drills to train crews in handling emergencies, the third Engineer is primarily responsible for managing Foam stations on tankers, Fire stations on other vessels, QCV (quick-closing valves), and being prepared to operate the mentioned machines.
Additionally, the third Engineer may assist with various tasks as assigned by the second Engineer. This could include helping with operations at key ports, such as assisting in unloading provisions from a Provision boat or sorting spare parts with the Chief Engineer.
In the absence of the second Engineer, the third Engineer may allocate tasks to the crew for the day and act as a stand-in for the second Engineer during morning meetings. They are also responsible for maintaining and requisitioning chemicals onboard.
The third Engineer is also tasked with updating the spare parts inventory in the ship’s planned maintenance system and may substitute for the fourth Engineer in certain drills or tasks.
Monthly duties for the third Engineer include monitoring the performance of the Generator, maintaining a lube oil tracker, conducting boiler and cooling water testing, and managing the exhaust gas cleaning system.
Other miscellaneous duties may include assisting in preparing safe entry permits for engine cleaning, creating Hazardous Energy permits, and helping the Chief Engineer with reports on auxiliary machines.
Overall, the duties of the third Engineer are varied and essential to the smooth operation of the ship. They play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of the vessel while also being prepared to assist with any additional tasks as needed. Please provide the content that needs to be rewritten.