ENGINE

Chief Engineer

A Chief Engineer is a licensed mariner in charge of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. "Chief Engineer" is the official title of someone qualified to oversee the entire engine department; the qualification is colloquially called a "Chief's Ticket".

Commercially, a Chief Engineer is the individual with overall responsibility for the engineering projects undertaken for or by a company.

A First Assistant Engineer (also called the Second Engineer in some countries) is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel. This title is used for the person on a ship responsible for supervising the daily maintenance and operation of the engine department. He or she reports directly to the Chief Engineer.

A Second Assistant Engineer or Third Engineer is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel.

The Second Assistant is usually in charge of boilers, fuel, auxiliary engines, condensate and feed systems, and is the third most senior marine engineer on board. Depending on usage, "The Second" or "The Third" is also typically in charge of fueling (a.k.a. bunkering), granted the officer holds a valid Person In Charge (PIC) endorsement for fuel transfer operations.

The Third Assistant Engineer, also known as the Fourth Engineer, is a licensed member of the engineering department on a merchant vessel.

An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure.

A Qualified Member of the Engineering Department also known as an Unlicensed Junior Engineer or QMED is a senior unlicensed crewmember in the engine room of a ship.

In the United States Merchant Marine, in order to be occupied as a QMED a person has to have a Merchant Mariner's Document issued by the United States Coast Guard with a QMED certification. Because of international conventions and agreements, all QMEDs who sail internationally are similarly documented by their respective countries.

An oiler is an unlicensed member of the engineering department of a merchant ship. The position is one of the most junior crewmembers in the engine room of a ship. The oiler is senior only to a wiper.