What is seagoing or sea time?

 

The best place to get an explanation of sea time or sea going time is from your Maritime Authority. SSNT provides basic explanations, for exact details in your country, contact your Maritime Authority.

Why is sea time important?

Getting sea time is important because seafaring is a profession where you must prove both experience and qualifications to progress to captain. It is the seafarers responsibility to ensure that her sea time is recorded. Seafarers record sea time with Sea Service Forms or a Discharge book.

In the US, it is possible for an ordinary seaman to become eligible to do the mate's exam with 36 months sea time. The sea time path to mate on an offshore supply boat is similar to this: junior seaman (6 months), ordinary seaman (12 months), able bodied seafarer deck (18 months).

What information should be on your sea service?

The basic information that should be in all sea time records is as follows: the name and official number of the ship or boat, the date you signed on or joined the boat, the date you signed off or left the boat, the total number of days worked on the boat, your job title, the gross tonnage of the boat and the engine type including horsepower.

Types of sea time

Ships and boats do different types of voyages, usually depending on the size of the boat or ship. Larger ships can do long, international voyages. Medium sized ships and large boats will leave sight of land and operate probably up to 200 miles from land. Small ships and boats of all sizes operate in coastal waters, often in sight of land. The type of the trading voyages of the ship or boat matters.

Tonnage Licences

SSNT are the Caribbean Boatmaster Specialist, but we cannot answer why there is a length restriction (under 24 metres) in the Small Commercial Vessel Code. In STCW, boats are described in gross tonnage.

Although the term 'gross tonnage' sounds like it is the weight of the boat, gross tonnage is actually the volume of the boat. Let's not get technical here. 

Example of how tonnage licences works

An 'Unlimited 2nd mate' licence will allow you to be employed as an officer in charge of a navigational watch or a mate, on ships of any size. With this unlimited 2nd mate licence you can work as chief mate on ships under 5000 gross tonnage on any type of voyages. And you can work as chief mate on ships less than 10000 gross tonnage 

Types of voyages and sea time

Unlimited sea time

These are international voyages without any restrictions on distance from land. If you are trying to get an unlimited licence, there is a minimum size of vessel that counts toward unlimited licence sea time. In the US, the minimum size is 200 gross tonnage. And then, only about half of your sea time can be on coastal or sheltered water boats. The other half must be on international ocean voyages.

Near Coastal sea time

In the US, up to 200 miles from land is considered as near coastal. The sea time needed to be to be a master on near coastal vessels is 24 months, with 12 months being in ocean waters.

Sheltered waters

Sheltered waters will include areas up to about 20 miles off the coast. Although these are small boats, they are operating in very shallow water and navigation skills like interpreting nautical charts, position fixing and using an echo sounder, are essential.

How to measure your sea time

In the US, one day of sea time is equal to working eight hours on board a boat. This measurement does not include overtime. If you work 4 hours overtime, to total 12 hours in a day, it is counted as a day and a half of sea time.

Also in the US, you must have 90 days of your sea time in the last 3 years if you are trying to get a licence. 

Make it easy on yourself, one month of sea time is 30 days.

What can I do after STCW Basic Safety Training?

 

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

To be honest, although STCW Basic Safety Training is required for employment on a boat but by itself, it isn't enough to get employment on a boat. To get sea going time you will need a job. If you do not have a job, find out from the Maritime Authority if you can get a Boatmaster Grade 3 licence without sea going time.

If you are allowed to do Boatmaster 3 without sea going time, you will learn some basic seamanship and navigation in the Boatmaster 3 certificate course. So with STCW Basic Safety Training and Boatmaster 3, you will have some knowledge but still will have no experience. Do not get carried away with that Boatmaster 3 certificate, everyone starts at the bottom on boats. So you will be applying for entry level jobs as a junior seaman. When you get a job, congratulations, you are accumulating sea going time. You can expect to do some washing down, painting, greasing, rope pulling and standing on deck for hours.

When you have 6 months sea going time, you can do the STCW Ratings Forming Part of a Navigation Watch course. Remember that if you are working two weeks on the boat and two weeks home, it will take you at least a calendar year to get 6 months sea going time. At this stage, you will also have more than enough sea going time to do the Boatmaster Grade 2 certificate.

When you have 12 months sea going time, you can do the STCW Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat course. At this stage, you will have more than enough sea going time to do the Boatmaster Grade 1 certificate, but you are not yet a qualified sailor.

When you have had your RFPNW for 12 months sea going time, you can do the Able Bodied Seafarer Deck course. Now you are a qualified sailor with at least 18 months sea going time. You have done lots of washing down, painting, greasing, rope pulling and standing on deck for hours. Maybe if you are both very good and very lucky a company will employ you as a mate.

A mate is a supervisory job on a boat and is an assistant to the captain.

A Boatmaster Grade 2 or 1 Licence is needed to work in supervisory jobs in a boat's deck department. Boatmaster Licences are issued by the Maritime Authority in a country. There will be a number of things that must be done to get a boatmaster licence. A candidate for a Boatmaster 2 or 1 licence must have: a valid medical, a valid STCW basic safety training certificate, a boatmaster 3 licence, the required amount of sea going time and a boatmaster 2 or 1 certificate.

What is an Able Bodied Seafarer Deck certificate?

 

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs. 

Able Bodied Seafarer Deck is sometimes abbreviated to ABSD.

This is an STCW qualification for workers in the deck department. The details are in a table called STCW II/5.

There is also a qualification called 'ABSE', able bodied seafarer engine room. We are focused on the deck department.

If you are able to find a job on a boat after completing STCW, you will start accumulating 'sea going' or 'sea' time. We explain sea time in another blog. 

STCW states you must have RFPNW for at least 12 months sea going time to do this course. You will have completed the Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat training.

The minimum standard for AB Seafarer Deck training includes:

Perform navigation at the support level

Perform cargo handling and stowage at support level

Control the operation of the ship and care for persons on board at support level

Perform maintenance and repair at support level

Contribute to a safe navigational watch

Contribute to berthing, anchoring and mooring operations

Contribute to the proper handling of cargo and stores

Contribute to the proper handling of dangerous, hazardous and harmful substances and liquids

Contribute to the safe operation of deck equipment and machinery

Contribute to shipboard maintenance and repair

Operate survival craft and rescue boats

Apply precautions and contribute to the prevention of pollution of the the marine environment

Apply occupational health and safety precautions

What is a Maritime Administration?

 

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

The United Nations (UN)

We can start with the United Nations. The United Nations is representatives from more than 100 countries in an organisation, to address world issues. Within the UN, there are many councils and organisations. It is supposed to work like this: the World Health Organisation is the part of the UN for health issues. The Ministry of Health in your country will attend WHO meetings and be the point of contact for WHO guidelines. The Ministry of National Security will attend UN Security Council meetings and be the point of contact for security guidelines, for example on drug trafficking or terrorism.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

The IMO is the part of the United Nations that has responsibility for the sea and shipping. The IMO calls on the world's experts in the sea and shipping to provide guidance and recommendations to people who use the sea, boats and ships. The Maritime Authority in your country will attend meetings at the IMO and administer the guidance of the IMO.

IMO Conventions

Within the IMO there are many conventions and committees with different responsibilities. Here are a few.

STCW 

STCW is the convention that deals with the issues concerning seafarer training certification and watch keeping.

SOLAS

SOLAS is an abbreviation of Safety of Life at Sea and is the convention that deals with the issues concerning the safety of seafarers and ships. SOLAS includes chapters on:

- how ships should be constructed, including the grades of steel to be used in parts of the ship that need to be strengthened to resist forces of the sea and fire.

- the life saving equipment that should be carried on ships, including how and when to service them.

- the firefighting, fire prevention and fire detection equipment that should be carried on ships, including how and when to service them.

- how to carry different types of cargoes safely.

- how to operate a safety management system on boats and in a shipping company

MARPOL

MARPOL is the convention that deals with the issues concerning the prevention of pollution from ships. MARPOL includes annexes on: 

- preventing oil pollution from all ships and ports. 

- preventing air pollution from ships exhaust systems.

- preventing garbage pollution from ships and ports. 

The International Labour Organisation (ILO)

The International Labour Organisation is also part of the United Nations. The ILO is the part of the UN working to improve working conditions and living standards throughout the world. 

MLC

The Maritime Labour Convention, or MLC, is the part of the ILO working to set the standard for countries and ship owners that want to provide decent working and living conditions for seafarers.

Maritime Authority

A maritime authority is usually a department of the government of a country. A maritime authority is responsible for the administration of shipping and boating issues and laws within their countries waters and on boats and ships registered in their country.

Maritime authorities are responsible for standards and issuing of seafarer certification on boats and ships registered in their country. Maritime authorities sometimes enter into reciprocal arrangements with other maritime authorities whereby they agree to accept seafarers with the each others certificates. 

Flag State

When a Maritime Authority is dealing with an issue on one of the ships or boats registered in its country, it is referred to as the flag state.

Port State

When a Maritime Authority is dealing with an issue in the country's waters on a ship or boat registered in another country, it is referred to as the port state.

Caribbean MOU

The Caribbean Memorandum of Understanding, CMOU, is a collection of Maritime Authorities in the Caribbean. The CMOU is focused on port state control issues.

What is a Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat certificate?

 

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs. 

Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats is sometimes abbreviated to PSCRB.

This is an STCW qualification for everyone in all departments.

PSCRB covers safety knowledge and teaches you how to take charge of survival craft in an abandon ship situation. The Personal Survival Techniques unit in the basic safety training teaches you how to take care of yourself in an abandon ship situation.

If you are able to find a job on a boat after completing STCW Basic Safety Training, you will start accumulating 'sea going' or 'sea' time. We explain sea time in another blog.

STCW states you must have at least 12 months sea going time to do this course. You will have completed the RFPNW course.

The Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat is mostly safety training that teaches you how to take charge of a survival craft in an abandon ship situation. PSCRB is also skills and knowledge training because it teaches you how to start motorised survival craft engines and these engines have to be started once per week to ensure they are in working order. Lifeboats have to launched once per month to ensure that the launching equipment (davits) is working. 

SSNT does not offer PSCRB training but we still have learning for you on our YouTube channel:

https://youtu.be/AeRE_bNUuPY

https://youtu.be/SJKRzfhNpVg

https://youtu.be/-BPD2whICgA.

Enjoy and learn because we are nice like that.

What is RFPNW in STCW?

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs. And check out your podcasts on https://www.ssntonline.buzzsprout.com/

RFPNW is short for 'Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch'.

This is an STCW qualification for junior sailors in the deck department. The details are in a table called STCW II/4. To do RFPNW, you must have an STCW Basic Safety Training certificate (and a valid medical certificate).

There is also a qualification called 'RFPEW', Ratings forming part of an engine room watch. We are focused on the deck department.

If you are able to find a job on a boat after completing STCW, you will start accumulating 'sea going' or 'sea' time. We explain sea time in another blog. To do RFPNW, you must have at least 6 months sea time or sea service in the deck department under the supervision of a captain or mate. So, it is expected that a candidate for RFPNW has already worked on a boat. She would have been assisting with basic maintenance and operational work under supervision. 

RFPNW is the start of your skills and knowledge training in the deck department. 

According to STCW, the minimum training in RFPNW should include:

Keeping a look out, which includes recognizing boats, ships, lighthouses and buoys by day, night and sound. And doing fire prevention and safety inspections (fire rounds) of the boat while on duty during the night. For the full list of minimum skills and knowledge requirements for RFPNW, look up schedule 'II/4' in STCW.

 

What is STCW Basic Safety Training?

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

Every person who works on a ship must have a valid STCW Basic Safety Training certificate. 

STCW Basic Safety Training is entry level and is not intended to teach any work related skills and knowledge.

The training is about 5 to 8 days. It covers first aid, personal safety & social responsibility, firefighting, security awareness and personal survival. 

Before you do BST, you must have a medical certificate from a doctor approved by your Maritime Authority.

In the Personal Survival, you have to do exercises in a swimming pool.

In the Firefighting, you have to walk around and do exercises wearing a full fire suit and breathing equipment..

In the First Aid, you have to perform CPR to a level that requires exertion.

You could call the need for BST  'international law' because it comes from the United Nations (UN). Really, all the countries of the world form the UN. The UN formed the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to discuss and decide on everything to do with ships, boats and shipping. 

STCW is one of the many conventions the IMO has, it means (roughly) Seafarer Training Certification & Watchkeeping on ships (and boats). 

Boatmaster certificate training includes STCW and Small Commercial Vessel(SCV) Code elements. 

What is Seamanship?

 

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

SSNT considers 'seamanship' to be umbrella word for everything seafarers do. The SSNT Boatmaster Certificate is a vocational program covering many of topics under Seamanship:

SSNT BM Core teaches and tests learners in:

- preventing collisions with other boats

- interpreting buoys that guide and warn

- interpreting flags used to communicate at sea 

- using a magnetic compass to navigate 

- using maps of the sea (nautical charts) and nautical books to navigate 

- understanding the purpose and function of navigation equipment 

- interpreting weather forecasts and reporting environmental conditions 

- passenger boat regulations 

- distress procedures 

- basic search and rescue techniques 

- planning voyages on the coast 

- executing voyages on the coast 

- anchoring the boat 

- tying up or 'mooring' the boat 

- using gangways 

- towing in port 

SSNT Advanced BM teaches and tests learners in:

- planning deck cargo operations 

- planning and executing taking fuel (bunkering)

- preventing environmental damage

- preparing the boat for audits and inspection 

- using radar on the coast

- using a sextant on the coast 

- planning international voyages 

- using the sun, moon and stars for navigation on the coast 

- calculating the basic stability condition of the boat 

 

What's it like working on a boat?

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

Working on a boat

A commercial boat is usually a 24/7 operation, so there is always at least one person on duty or on watch.

 Boats are hired, rented or chartered to carry cargo or do a job for a client or charterer.  The crew is on board to make and save money for the owner. The deck crew has to: 

1. navigate the boat safely and efficiently to where the owner or client orders

2. load or deliver the correct cargo in good condition

3. maintain the boat and the equipment to operate safely and efficiently. 

Watches

Working hours on a boat at sea

At sea, the 24 hours working schedule on a boat is covered in shifts called 'watches'. The traditional 'sea' watches are:

08:00am to 12:00pm and 08:00pm to 12:00am

12:00am to 04:00am and 12:00pm to 04:00pm

04:00am to 08:00am and 04:00pm to 08:00pm

So if you are on the "8 to 12" watch, this means that you are on watch from 8 o'clock to 12 o'clock morning and evening. 

Working hours on a boat in port

In port, the 24 hours working schedule on a boat is also covered in shifts called 'watches'. The traditional 'port' watches are:

06:00am to 12:00pm and 06:00pm to 12:00am

12:00am to 06:00am and 12:00pm to 04:00pm

Operational Working Hours

Some operations, like arriving in port and departing from port can take place at anytime, on any watch. A port arrival operation can take 2 or 3 hours. Even if you are not on watch at the time of arrival, people in the deck department will be working for arrival operations. And they will still have to cover their assigned watch.  

Hours of Work and Rest Regulations

The are regulations from the IMO about hours of work and rest for seafarers. We are not going to go into the details here. To give you a little idea: seafarers are not supposed to work more than 14 hours in any 24 hours, and are not to work more than 70 hours in a week. 

A seafarers rest hours depends on his or her own time management skills. 

Do I get to go ashore?

Permission to leave the boat is called "shore leave". The captain of the boat decides whether he or she will allow crew members to leave the boat in port. Normally, if you are not on watch working, you can go ashore if you want to, if shore leave is granted. The captain has to consider a number of things when he is allowing shore leave. He has to think about: (i) how long the boat is in port for (will people be able to get back in time), (ii) will there be enough people on board to deal with an emergency like a fire, and (iii) the security restrictions in the port at the time.

What jobs are there on boats?

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

The crew

The people who work on a boat are called the crew. 

The number of crew on a boat depends on the size of the boat. Likewise, the number of jobs on a boat varies with the size of the boat and how long the boat stays out at sea.

The typical crew on a boat that spends days at sea could be:

a captain, 2 mates, 3 sailors, 2 engineer officers, 1 motorman and a cook.

Deck crew

The boat will always have a deck department, this is the captain, the officers (mates) and sailors (deckhands). 

Engine room crew

The boat will have an engineering department, this is the chief engineer, assistant engineers and motor men.

Catering crew

If the boat's operations make it necessary, the boat will have a catering departure time, this is a chief cook and maybe an assistant cook, and maybe a steward.

Officers and crew

Like anywhere else, there are supervisory jobs and there are supporting jobs. The supervisory job titles are the captain, the mate and the chief engineer. Jobs titles like sailors, motor men and the cook are supporting jobs.

Roles of the captain, mate and the sailors

The crew is there to make money for the boat's owner

Boats make money by carrying cargo and delivering the cargo safely, then repeat. The more cargo, and the more frequently a boat carries cargo, the more money the owner makes, and more money is available to pay the crew. Very often the boat is a 24 hour operation, with people working in shifts called "watches".

The work routine is different at sea than in port. At sea, every one is working at navigation and maintenance while in port, everyone is working at loading or discharging (unloading) the cargo.

Roles when the boat is at sea

We say the boat is "at sea" when it is moving through the water. The boat will either be delivering a cargo or going to load a cargo. The boat has to be 'navigated' to its destination.

What is navigation?

Navigation is the planning, execution and monitoring of the boat's journey. Navigators apply their skills and knowledge acquired in training. They use the boat's equipment to ensure the boat gets to its destination safely, punctually and economically. We will discuss navigation over several blogs. For now, we are saying that the captain, the mates and the deck crew are the navigation team.

What happens at night?

Navigation continues at night just like during the day. When the boat is moving during the day, there must be a mate or the captain on the bridge. At night, there must also be a sailor. During the day watch at sea, the sailor does maintenance work on the boat and for the night watch, the sailor is on the bridge.

Roles when the boat is in port

Being in port is usually very busy. The captain takes charge of getting the boat safely to the dock where the cargo will be loaded or delivered. After that he will be dealing with the boat's business like: dealing with customs, immigration, health, security, repairs, stores, cargo and the company. 

The mates will be loading or delivering the cargo safely and efficiently, as well as planning the voyage to the next port and assisting the captain as required.

The deck crew are largely responsible for the boat's security in port and also assist with cargo operations.

What's the difference between boats and ships?

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

Ship size matters

The size of ships is measured in a unit called "gross tonnage".  Vessels that are bigger than 500 gross tonnage MUST follow a set of rules called "Safety of Life at Sea" or "SOLAS".

Ships and boats follow different codes.

For this blog, we are calling any vessel less than 500 gross tonnage, a boat. 

Many boats in the Caribbean have to follow the "Small Commercial Vessel" or "SCV" Code. The Boatmaster license is part of the SCV Code. 

The training you need to work on a ship has to follow the STCW Convention only. Some of the training you need to work on a boat has to follows STCW and some follow the SCV Code.

So, what's the difference?

There is little difference in the training because modern vessels have similar equipment regardless of size. And the regulations so that boats in the oil & gas sector and for boats trading internationally and carrying passengers have to be followed.

Areas where boats operate

Boats can be licenced to operate 'inshore', 'offshore' or 'regionally'.

Inshore

Boats that operate where you can see land all the time. The crew do not usually sleep on these boats. The captain will typically need to have a Boatmaster 3 licence. 

Offshore

This is up to about 20 miles from land and includes the marine oil and gas fields. The crew on these boats sleep on board and maybe on the boat for two or more weeks at a time. A mate on these boats will typically have a Boatmaster 2 licence.

Regionally

Here we mean within the Caribbean. Consider that boats operating regionally have to follow regulations for international voyages. Remember also that there operate in a hurricane area. A mate on these boats will typically have a Boatmaster 1 licence. 

SS Nautical Training has a world-class Boatmaster certificate program that delivered by blended learning (online, distance, personal tutors).

What are offshore jobs and how do I get one?

What boat jobs are there offshore in the Caribbean?

You are invited to comment, ask questions and follow this blog to learn about training for offshore jobs.

SS Nautical Training provides skills and knowledge courses and tutoring for boat operations.

Most companies that operate boats will have operations, commercial, maintenance, accounts and human resources departments. The seafarers are included in the operations department with the other departments being shore based. And obviously, having knowledge of boat operations is an advantage in any department.

What kinds of boat companies have offshore jobs? 

There are the obvious jobs on fishing boats, ferries and water taxis. 

And while the coast guard sounds like an offshore job, in the Caribbean, it is more of a military and civil service job. More about that in a separate blog. 

The energy industry is active in the Caribbean. There are so many boat jobs in that sector, it will be covered over several blogs.

Large private and commercial motor yachts hired by locals and tourists need captains and crew. Separate blog on this is coming soon.

There are jobs on small cargo ships carrying cargo between Caribbean ports. This area is underdeveloped and the Caribbean's best and brightest generation have to fix this.

Tug boats are small powerful boats that assist the large international ship when they are in port. Tugs also tow barges. Again, SSNT will explain tugs in greater detail in another blog.

Get Offshore Vibes with SSNT's blog

Get Offshore Vibes with SSNT’s blog

If you don’t know anything about training for jobs in the offshore sector, this blog is for you.

The people of the Caribbean have miles and miles of coastline in their environment. This blog is not focused on international shipping. We are focused on preparing young people for nautical jobs locally and regionally. Here in the Caribbean, there are jobs related to yachts, power boats, fishing boats, tugs, crew boats, ferries, water taxis, party boats, offshore supply boats, anchor handling boats, patrol boats, to name a few. The Caribbean needs bright, motivated young people to recognise that nautical training will open access to interesting, important and well-paid opportunities.   

Humans have to adapt to their environment in order to survive. The youth of the Caribbean cannot afford to stand with their backs to the opportunities of nautical training. SSNT’s blog is for opening eyes to nautical opportunities, and helping you get them.

Focus on your future in the Offshore sector

SSNT will describe the jobs available in the offshore sector, both on boats and ashore. And we will describe what you can do to get certified for those jobs. We will explain the standards of training and certification for seafarers. 

SSNT will explain what nautical training can help you to do and how we can help you get the skills and knowledge to help your career in the offshore sector. 

SSNT Blog Rules

    

Be constructive, SSNT blog is to encourage Caribbean youth to recognise the value of nautical studies.

                   

SSNT blog is discussing nautical  issues. DO NOT NAME INDIVIDUALS, COMPANIES or AUTHORITIES in this blog.

SSNT blog is a nautical skills and knowledge certification forum, it is not for discussing licences.

SSNT blog is committed to developing the nautical human resource, at the operational level, to make the Caribbean a maritime superpower.