Merchant Navy
The
merchant navy is the UK term for ships that are owned and operated by civilian companies. The merchant navy is essentially the
United Kingdom version of the
merchant marine.
The merchant navy was once one of the largest fleets in the world, but in the 1970s and 1980s many companies 're-flagged', that is registered their ships, in other countries, such as
Panama and
The Bahamas. The reason for this change was mainly due to high taxation.
In recent years
NUMAST, the
trade union of the merchant navy, has lobbied the UK government to reconsider the level of taxation placed upon shipping companies, and several new tax breaks have begun to raise the total number of ships that fly the UK flag. The flag that is flown by UK registered ships is the
red ensign, usually referred to as the "Red Duster".
The merchant navy, like the military, has both ratings and officers, both career paths require training and are usually open to applicants between the ages of 16 and 25.Ratings attend a system of training known as a 'Marine Traineeship' and must complete both academic and practical training. Officers undergo a 'Marine Cadetship' and must also complete academic training and 'sea time', that is time spent on ship learning the practical aspects of the job.The two methods of training result in an
NVQ and a
HND respectively.
There are two main career paths within the merchant navy: deck and engineering. A third career path is the recently introduced Electro-Technical Officer (ETO). A deck officer's duties would include
navigation, cargo loading and supervision, and most legal paperwork. An engineering officer's duties are mainly focused on maintenance of the ships machinery, although some engineers do work for shipyards in the construction process. An ETO is a trained engineer who also has qualifications that allow the officer to maintain vital electrical equipment such as
radio equipment and
RADAR. Due to the complex nature of this equipment, most mechanical engineers are unable to perform this kind of maintenance, so ETOs are normal marine engineers given extra training. Although ETOs are relatively new, many companies are beginning to employ them, although mechanical engineers are still employed too.
The ETO rank owes its existence to the merging of the radio officer and electrician roles. From the late 1980s shipping companies sought to combine the former separate roles of electrican and radio officer into a single role of ETO. Some were engineers who elected to train in electronics, others former radio officers who went on to take engineering watch keeping certificates.
The radio officer was originally placed onboard following the enquiry into the sinking of the Titanic. Safety of life at sea, or SOLAS regulations required that listening watches be maintained on all ships over 1600grt to listen out for and respond to ships in distress.
The R/Os main responsibilities were radio communications, and maintenance of the radio room equipment, and bridge navigational equipment, including the radars. These responsibilities grew over the years to encompass secretarial and administrative duties. The launch of communication satellites during the 1960s and 1970s paved the way for the demise of the R/O. Comsat launched their first commercial satellite in 1976 and from then on shipping companies who could afford to began to experiment with the new system. By the mid 1980s satellite communication domes had become a familiar sight at sea.
The Global Maritime Distress and Safety System or GMDSS was introduced in stages during the 1990s starting with
1 February 1992 from which date any shipping company who chose to fit satcoms were allowed to sail without an R/O. From 1995 all new ships had to be fitted with satcoms and from 1st Feb 1999 all ships had to be so fitted thus bringing to an end the rank of radio officer.
*
The Chamber of Shipping*
Careers at Sea*
The Maritime Trade Union*
The Merchant Navy Training Board
