Lesson 2. The Engine Department

THE ENGINE DEPARTMENT

The Chief Engineer, or Chief Engineering Officer, is in charge of the Engine Department. He is responsible for all technical operations of the vessel, including engineering, electrical and mechanical units. In particular, he is responsible for all the propulsion machinery, power generating equipment and auxiliaries. He has to keep documents on the machinery working as well as all the repairs carried out on the vessel. He also logs fuel oil consumption. A varying number of officers, petty officers and ratings assist the Chief Engineer. The engine officers’ hierarchy goes as follows:

1) The First Engineer. He is responsible for maintenance and operations of the engineering and technical units.

2) The Second Engineer. His responsibilities usually include the maintenance of lubricating systems, engine room auxiliaries, and electrical equipment.

3) The Third Engineer. He is usually responsible for fuel and water systems. He also supervises tanks soundings and monitors the boiler room equipment.

4) The Fourth Engineer. His responsibilities may include, for instance, the operation and maintenance of engine room auxiliaries.

5) The Motorman. His duties are defined by the Head of the Engine Department and can include, for example, the daily maintenance and cleaning of specific engine parts.

The propulsion plant department can also include some petty officers, such as the donkey man and the storekeeper and, if the ship is a tanker, there may also be the pump man. The first one mentioned attends a donkey, auxiliary boiler, especially when the ship is in port. A storekeeper is in charge of all the spare parts and equipment stored for the engine room. The last one, a pump man, is employed to maintain and operate cargo pumps.

The engine room ratings, e.g. fire-fighters, greasers are usually employed on watches to assist the engineer in charge. They are responsible for daily cleanliness of the engine room and for routine oiling, greasing and machinery servicing.

The machinery driving a vessel which is underway is usually operated 24 hours a day. All running machinery must be controlled continuously in order to prevent any failure of the equipment. The majority of control systems on modern ships are automatic. A ship may operate for agreed periods with unmanned machinery, called UMS, which stands for Unattended Machinery Spaces.

The standard system of watches adopted on board is usually a four-hour period on duty followed by eight-hour rest. The word “watch” means both the period and the crew working at that time. The three watches in any 12 hour period are usually: 12 to 4, 4 to 8, 8 to 12. Thus, for instance, an engineer on duty for the 8 to 12 watch works from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight.

A watch is usually made up of an engineer in charge with an assistant engineer and a rating. Their duties include inspecting the main propulsion plant, auxiliary machinery

1. Complete the sentences. Translate.

1. The Chief Engineer, or Chief Engineering Officer, is ___.

2. He is responsible for all technical operations of the vessel, including ___.

3. In particular, he is responsible for all the propulsion machinery, ___.

4. He has to keep documents on the machinery working as well as all the ___.

5. He also keeps the log records of ___.

6. A varying number of ___ assist the Chief Engineer.

II. Complete the sentences.

A The Chief Engineer, or Chief Engineering Officer, is in (1) ___ of the Engine Department. He is responsible for all technical operations of the (2) ____, including engineering, electrical and mechanical units. In particular, he is responsible for all the (3) ___ machinery, power generating equipment and (4) ___. He has to keep documents on the machinery working as well as all the (5) ___ carried out on the vessel. He also logs fuel oil consumption. A varying number of officers, petty officers and (6) ___ assist the chief engineer.

B The engine officers’ hierarchy goes as follows:

1) The First Engineer. He is responsible for (1) ___ and operations of the engineering and technical units.

2) The (2) ___ Engineer. His responsibilities usually include the maintenance of (3) ___ systems, engine room auxiliaries, and electrical equipment.

3) The Third Engineer. He is usually responsible for fuel and water systems. He also supervises tanks (4) ___ and monitors the boiler room equipment.

4) The Fourth Engineer. His responsibilities may include, for instance, the operation and maintenance of engine room (5) ___.

5) The Motorman. His duties are defined by the (6) ___ of the Engine Department and can include, for example, the daily (7) ___ and cleaning of specific engine parts.

III. Match the jobs and the duties

1	The Second Engineer.	a	He is responsible for maintenance and operations of the engineering and technical units.
2	The Fourth Engineer.	b	His responsibilities usually include the maintenance of lubricating systems, engine room auxiliaries, and electrical equipment.
3	The First Engineer.	c	He is usually responsible for fuel and water systems. He also supervises tanks soundings and monitors the boiler room equipment.
4	The Third Engineer.	d	His responsibilities may include, for instance, the operation and maintenance of engine room auxiliaries.

IV. Insert the missing terms

The propulsion plant department can also include some (1) ___ officers, such as the (2) ___ and the storekeeper and, if the ship is a tanker, there may also be the (3) ___. The first one mentioned attends a (4) ___, auxiliary boiler, especially when the ship is in port. A (5) ___ is in charge of all the spare parts and equipment stored for the engine room. The last one, a (6) ___, is employed to maintain and operate cargo pumps.

The Motorman's duties are defined by the head of the engine department and can include, for example, the (7) ___ and cleaning of specific engine parts. The engine room (8) ___, e.g. fire-fighters, (9) ___ are usually employed on watches to assist the engineer in charge. They are responsible for daily cleanliness of the engine room and for routine (10) ___ greasing and machinery servicing.

V. Answer the questions.

What is the Chief Engineer in charge of?

What is he responsible for?

What is he responsible for in particular?

What kind of documents must he keep?

What must he log?

Who assists the Chief Engineer?

VI. Choose the appropriate term

The standard system of watches adopted on board is usually a two/three/four-hour period on duty followed by eight-hour rest.

The word “hour/watch/guard” means both the period and the crew working at that time.

The two/three/four watches in any 12 hour period are usually: 12 to 4, 4 to 8, 8 to 12.

Thus, for instance, an engineer on job/duty/work for the 8 to 12 watch works from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight.

 A watch is usually made up of an engineer in cargo/charge/job with an assistant engineer and a mate/rating/greaser.

Their duties include inspecting the main propulsion plant, auxiliary machinery and starting/stearing/steering gear spaces.

They should note any malfunctions and stoppages/defects/breakdowns, report and correct them.