7. Introduction to Operation of Ship and Care for Persons Onboard 

Ship-board organizational structure 

The ship’s crews are the personnel who sail on board a ship and are responsible for its operation, primarily when the ship is at sea, when at port and at anchor. 

For the purpose of ship operation and traditionally, the crew of a commercial ship is divided into three departments: 

• Deck department 

• Engine department 

• Catering (steward’s) department.

The Captain or Master is the ship's highest responsible officer, acting on behalf of the ship's owner/operator or manager. The Captain/Master is legally responsible for the day-to-day management of the ship. It is his/her responsibility to ensure that all the departments perform legally to the ship's the owner /operator or manager's requirements. 

The STCW and MLC Convention set the regulations and requirements for the purposes of preventing fatigue and fit for duty that are established and enforced the work periods, rest periods for shipboard personnel as well. The limits on hours of work or rest shall be as follows: 

(a) maximum hours of work shall not exceed:

i. 14 hours in any 24-hour period; and 

ii. 72 hours in any 7-day period; or 

(b) minimum hours of rest shall not be less than: 

i. 10 hours in any 24-hour period; and 

ii. 77 hours in any 7-day period.

Hours of rest may be divided into no more than two periods, one of which shall be at least 6 hours in length, and the interval between consecutive periods of rest shall not exceed 14 hours. Musters, fire-fighting and lifeboat drills, and drills prescribed by national laws and regulations and by international instruments shall be conducted in a manner that minimizes the disturbance of rest periods and does not induce fatigue. 

In respect of situations when a seafarer is on call, such as when a machinery space is unattended, the seafarer shall have an adequate compensatory rest period if the normal period of rest is disturbed by call-outs to work. 

These Convention requirements include: 

• records of each seafarers’ daily hours of work or rest shall be maintained to allow monitoring of the provisions; 

• the seafarer shall receive a copy of the records pertaining to him or her which shall be endorsed by the master, or a person authorized by the master, and by the seafarer;

The international nature of the shipping industry requires the prevention of marine pollution to be adopted and carried out at an international level rather by individual countries. As such, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has laid down rules and requirements pertaining to these issues and they are incorporated in the International Convention for the 

Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). 

MARPOL includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing, both accidental and operational, pollution from ships and currently includes six technical Annexes: 

Annex I – Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil 

Annex II – Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk 

Annex III – Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried in Packaged Form 

Annex IV – Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships 

Annex V – Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships 

Annex VI – Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships

The aim of MARPOL Annex 1 is to protect the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other damaging elements and to lessen the chances of accidental discharge of any such elements.

The prevention of oil spillage from ships and to prevent from oil pollution is mainly the responsibility of the ship’s crew. Oil from the vessels can get into the sea due to accidental spills and leakages or by the operational ignorance of the ship’s crew. Most commonly associated with Marine pollution from ship are oil spills. Oil means petroleum in any form including crude oil, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse and refined products other than those petrochemicals of Annex II. 

As per this Annex, all ballast water and tank washing residue originating from the washing of cargo tanks in the tanker ships are also included. 

Special Area means a sea area where for the recognized technical reasons in relation to its oceanographic and ecological condition and to the particular character of its traffic the adoption of special mandatory methods for prevention of sea pollution by oil is required. 

The special areas are as follows: 

1. Mediterranean Sea area 

2. Baltic sea area 

3. Black sea area 

4. Red sea area 

5. Gulf area 

6. Gulf of Aden area 

7. Antarctic area 

8. North Western European waters 

9. Omen area of the Arabian sea 

10. Southern South African waters

MARPOL Annex II Regulations for the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances in bulk sets out a pollution categorization system for noxious and liquid substances. 

The main principle of Annex II is to dilute cargo residues in seawater to prescribed limits depending on their pollution hazard and facilitate the distribution of discharges by utilising the wake of the ship. Unlike oil, most chemicals or noxious liquids will mix with water and are not easily separated from it. 

Noxious liquid substance means any substance indicated as category X, Y or Z in the Pollution Category column of chapter 17 and 18 of the International Bulk Chemical Code. 

MARPOL Annex-III also sets out regulations for the prevention of pollution by harmful substances in packaged form and includes general requirements for the issuing of detailed standards on packing, marking, labeling, documentation, stowage, quantity limitations, exceptions and notifications for preventing pollution by harmful substances.

For the purpose of Annex-III, “Harmful Substances” are those identified as “Marine Pollutants” in the IMDG Code or which meet the criteria in the Appendix of Annex-III. 

Both SOLAS and MARPOL refer to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, which was developed by IMO as a uniform international code for the transport of dangerous goods by sea.

Annex IV contains a set of regulations regarding the discharge of sewage into the sea from ships, including regulations regarding the ships' equipment and systems for the control of sewage discharge. 

"Sewage" means: 

1. drainage and other wastes from any form of toilets and urinals; 

2. drainage from medical premises (dispensary, sick bay, etc.) via wash basins, wash tubs and scuppers located in such premises; 

3. drainage from spaces containing living animals; or 

4. other waste waters when mixed with the drainages defined above. Sewage is also controlled by requirements of discharge criteria into sea as per Annex-IV. 

Annex V of the MARPOL Convention aims to eliminate and reduce the amount of garbage being dumped into the sea from ships. Its terms include all kinds of food, domestic and operational waste that are likely to be disposed of during the normal operation of the ship. 

Special Areas under MARPOL Annex V are,

(1) Mediterranean Sea 

(2) The Baltic Sea 

(3) The Black Sea 

(4) The Gulf Areas 

(5) Antarctic Area 

(6) The Red Sea Area 

(7) The North Sea 

(8) The Wider Caribbean Region

The garbage is to the group into categories as follows; 

PART 1                                                                PART 2 

A Plastics                                                          J Cargo residues (non-HME) 

B Food wastes                                               K Cargo residues (HME) 

C Domestic wastes 

D Cooking oil                                                  [ HME means “Harmful to the Marine Environment”] 

E Incinerator ashes

Operational wastes 

G Animal carcasses 

H Fishing gear 

I E-waste

Garbage means all kinds of food wastes, domestic wastes and operational wastes, all plastics, cargo residues, incinerator ashes, cooking oil, fishing gear and animal carcasses generated during normal operation of the ship, not including fresh fish. 

Animal Carcasses means the bodies of any animals that are carried on board as cargo and that die or are euthanized during the voyage. 

Cargo Residues means the remnants of any cargo which are not covered by other Annexes to the present Convention and which remain on the deck or in holds following loading or unloading, including loading and unloading excess or spillage, whether in wet or dry condition or entrained in wash water but does not include cargo dust remaining on the deck after sweeping or dust on the external surfaces of the ship. 

Cooking Oil means any type of edible oil or animal fat used or intended to be used for the preparation or cooking of food, but does not include the food itself that is prepared using these oils. 

Dishwater means the residue from the manual or automatic washing of dishes and cooking utensils which have been pre-cleaned to the extent that any food particles adhering to them would not normally interfere with the operation of automatic dishwashers. 

Domestic Waste means all types of food wastes not covered by other Annexes that are generated in the accommodation spaces on board the ship. Domestic waste does not include grey water.

Food wastes are any spoiled or unspoiled food substances and include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, poultry, meat products and food scraps generated aboard ship. 

Grey Water means drainage from dishwater, shower, laundry, bath and washbasin drains. It does not include drainage from toilets, urinals, hospitals and animal spaces, as defined in regulation-1.3 of MARPOL Annex IV (sewage), and it does not include drainage from cargo spaces. Grey water is not also considered as garbage in the context of MARPOL Annex V. Incinerator Ashes mean ash and clinkers resulting from shipboard incinerators used for the incineration of garbage. 

Plastic means a solid material which contains as an essential ingredient one or more high molecular polymers and which is formed (shaped) during either manufacture of the polymer or the fabrication into a finished product by heat and/or pressure. Plastics have material properties ranging from hard and brittle to soft and elastic. For the purposes of this annex, “all plastics” means all garbage that consists of or includes plastic in any form, including synthetic ropes, synthetic fishing nets, plastic garbage bags and incinerator ashes from plastic products. 

Operational Wastes means all solid wastes (including slurries) not covered by other Annexes that are collected on board during normal maintenance or operations of a ship, or used for cargo stowage and handling. Operational wastes also include cleaning agents and additives contained in cargo hold and external wash water. Operational wastes do not include grey water, bilge water, or other similar discharges essential to the operation of a ship.

Discharge of the following garbage is only permitted when the ship is enroute and as far as practicable from the nearest land. 

(1) Comminuted and ground food wastes, not less than 3-nm 

(2) Not comminuted food wastes, not less than 12-nm 

(3) Cargo residues that cannot be recovered by common methods, not less than 12-nm 

(4) Animal carcasses, as far as possible not less than 100-nm 

(5) Cleaning agent and additives contained in cargo hold, deck and external surface wash water may be discharged. 

Discharge of the following garbage is only permitted when the ship is en route and as far as practicable from the nearest land. 

(1) Comminuted and ground food wastes, not less than 12-nm 

(2) Cargo residues, cleaning agent and additives contained in cargo hold wash water, not less than 12-nm

(3) Cleaning agent and additives contained in deck and external surface wash water may be discharged. 

All discharge shall be made as far as practicable from areas of ice concentration exceeding 1/10 in Polar waters; Food wastes shall not be discharged onto ice; Discharge of cargo residues shall be the same as within Special Areas.

"Air Pollution" 

In 1997, a new annex was added to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships 

(Annex-VI) seek to minimize airborne emissions from ships (SOx, NOx, ODS, VOC shipboard incineration) and their contribution to local and global air pollution and environmental problems. Sets limits on Sulphur Oxide and Nitrogen Oxide emissions from ship exhausts and prohibits deliberate emissions of Ozone Depleting Substances;

- designated emission control areas set more stringent standards for SOx, NOx and particulate matter.

In order to maintain water tightness, seaworthiness, safe integrity and security of the vessel, it is important ships personnel ensure all openings to hull below water line and above waterline (weathertight & watertight doors etc.) are adequately secured. 

Confirmation of closure of openings shall be ensured that closed all openings to maintain water tightness, seaworthiness and integrity of the vessel, at the following times, 

• Before Sailing, 

• When heavy weather is expected 

To maintain Water tightness is concerned with both Seaworthiness and Cargo care, the following attentions should be paid, especially at: 

• Watertight doors in E/R and any provided on bulkheads between cargo holds 

• Weather-tight doors (Iron doors on exposed decks) 

• Side ports for pilots boarding, if applicable 

• Access hatches or manholes leading to cargo holds or tanks 

• Hatch Covers or Tank domes, if applicable 

• Ventilators in which sea water can enter and particularly those on the forecastle 

• Fan dampers in cargo holds, except while ventilating is required 

• All sounding & ullaging pipes, and where applicable, peep holes. 

  • If for any reason, any watertight or weather-tight openings are opened at sea, permission must be taken from the Master/Officers as the case may be, and same closed immediately after completion of work and reconfirmed to the Master/Officers. 

  • shall also ensure that the watertight doors in the machinery space, Shaft tunnel watertight door where fitted, are closed at all times, unless the space is manned. 

  • shall ensure that all self-closing devices on sounding pipes and glass-gauges for oil and water tanks are functional and never tied open.

(Had been trained in Basic Safety Training Course, make revision and discussion when teaching hours are available) 

(Had been trained in Basic Safety Training Course, make revision and discussion when teaching hours are available) 

(Had been trained in Basic Safety Training Course, make revision and discussion when teaching hours are available)

Knowledge of international maritime law embodied in international agreements and conventions. 

All shipboard operations shall be compliance with legislative requirements and paid regards especially to the following subjects: 

• responsibilities under the relevant requirements of the International Convention on Load Lines 

• responsibilities under the relevant requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 

• responsibilities under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 

• maritime declarations of health and requirements of the International Health regulations 

• responsibilities under international instruments affecting the safety of the ship, passengers, crew and cargo 

• methods and aids to prevent pollution of the marine environment by ships 

• knowledge of national legislation for implementing international agreements and conventions. 

In order to comply these legislative requirements wholeheartedly, the specific ship’s safe management manual as well as appropriate local regulations and guidelines shall be understood and followed properly. Required Knowledge:

(1) Read and interpret instructions, procedures and information relevant to legislative requirements and measures to ensure respective operations. 

(2) Select and use appropriate communications equipment during carried out tasks and operations. 

(3) Take appropriate initiatives as per respective procedure during vessel operations. 

(4) Interpret and apply practices and regulations on a vessel. 

(5) Communicate effectively with others on matters related to the respective operations. 

(6) Modify activities dependent on differing workplace contingencies, risk situations and environments. 

(7) Monitor and anticipate problems and risks related to the respective vessel operations, and assist to take appropriate action.