A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "Chief" or "ChEng", is the most senior licensed mariner ( engine officer) of an engine department on a

ship A ship is a large watercraft, vessel that travels the world's oceans and other Waterway, navigable waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research and fishing. Ships are generally disti ...

, typically a

merchant ship A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...

, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that department. In rank, a chief engineer is equivalent to the rank of a ship's

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. As a person who holds one of the most senior roles on the ship, they must have excellent communication and leadership skills. They will be expected to regularly work alongside other crew members and external consultants, and most importantly, provide guidance to their team. To be a chief engineer, an engineer must attain a chief engineer's license appropriate to the tonnage, power rating, and type of ship the engineer is employed on. A chief engineer is ultimately responsible for all operations and maintenance that has to do with any and all engineering equipment throughout the entire ship, and supervises all other engineering officer and engine ratings within the department.

United States

Job requirements

* A Chief Engineer must be a United States citizen of at least 18 years of age.National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (2018, July 24). Marine operations. Retrieved February 28, 2019, from https://www.omao.noaa.gov/find/careers/chief-engineer * A Chief Engineer must have at least one year of experience as a First Assistant Engineer * A Chief Engineer must have a

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

endorsed license

Job description

* A Chief Engineer must be able to stand watches regularly when the ship is at sea or in port. A chief remains on call at all times * The Chief Engineer plans, directs and performs as necessary, the activities of the Engineering Department in carrying out its assigned functions and responsibilities. * A Chief Engineer supervises fellow department personnel while providing job training and guidance as necessary. * A Chief Engineer must ensure each assigned task is completed, and keep required records and log entries. * A Chief Engineer must ensure the mission of the ship can be successfully completed by supervising or personally performing particularly complex or difficult technical work and activities. * A Chief Engineer must assume a leadership role for the rest of the crew and give orders or suggestions when needed. * A Chief Engineer salary can vary depending on the particular job. Salary level ranges from $90,000 to $268,000 in the United States.

Designed courses for potential chief engineers

Courses for potential Chief Engineers are designed by experienced engineers who had spent years in the field of

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

already, "To determine the topics that should be included in the certificate, the team undertook an analysis of existing company training materials that were being used for training their senior level project and systems engineers." A similar training program for potential Chief Engineers, the Certified Chief Engineer (CCE) Training is also being developed by the National Association of Hotel & Lodging Engineers. The development process of CCE includes gathering the input of various hotel management companies and industry professions. CCE program is designed to provide a curriculum exclusively for hotel engineers and maintenance professionals.

Notable representatives

George Hairston: A US Coast Guard Licensed Chief Engineer, who graduated from State University of New York Maritime College. Hairston had sailed on a United States Naval Ship spearhead. Patrick K. Brown: A US Coast Guard Licensed Chief Engineer, who was associated with discharging waste oil directly overboard.Former Chief Engineer Arraigned on Charges Related to Vessel Pollution. (2007, August 24). PR Newswire (USA). Retrieved from https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/11B3D1BC48F53680. As a result, Chief Engineer Brown faced up to five years of prison time, a potential fine, and a term of probation up to five years. Tim Olsen: An U.S Coast Guard Licensed Chief Engineer, who sailed on

NOAA The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) is an American scientific and regulatory agency charged with forecasting weather, monitoring oceanic and atmospheric conditions, charting the seas, conducting deep-sea exploratio ...

Ship ''Nancy Foster'', an oceanographic research vesselNational Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (March 07, 2018) NOAA Ship Nancy Foster makes a historic visit to

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

. Retrieved from https://www.omao.noaa.gov/find/media/articles/2016-05-17/noaa-ship-nancy-foster-makes-historic-visit-cuba that became the first U.S. Government ship to visit Cuba since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations.

References

External links

{{Merchant Marine Billets Nautical terminology Marine occupations Transport occupations