STEWARD

Purser

A ship's purser (also purser or pusser) is the person on a ship responsible for the handling of money on board. On modern merchant ships the purser is the officer responsible for all administration and supply; frequently the cooks and stewards answer to him as well.

A Chief Steward is the senior unlicensed crewmember working in the Steward's Department of a ship. Since there is no purser on most ships in the United States Merchant Marine, the steward is the senior person in the department, from whence its name. In the British Merchant Navy, a steward is a junior member of the department (referred to as a Steward's Assistant in the United States), and so the term "Chief Steward" is always used for the senior member.

A Chief Cook (often shortened to Cook) is a senior unlicensed crewmember working in the Steward's department of a merchant ship.

The chief cook directs and participates in the preparation and serving of meals; determines timing and sequence of operations required to meet serving times; inspects galley and equipment for cleanliness and proper storage and preparation of food.

A Steward's Assistant (SA) is an unlicensed, entry-level crewmember in the Steward's Department of a merchant ship. This position can also be referred to as Steward (the usual term on British ships), Galley Utilityman, Messman, or Waiter

The role of the SA consists mainly of stocking, cleaning and assisting with the preparation and serving of meals.