Duties of 3rd Engineer in the Merchant Navy
A 3rd Engineer or 2nd Assistant Engineer is a rank of an engine officer who is a part of the engine department on a ship. The 3rd Engineer is usually responsible for boilers, fuel, fuel, auxiliary engines, condensate, and feed systems. The exact duties of a 3rd Engineer depend on the type of ship and the arrangement of the engine department. In the following blog, we have written in detail about the duties of the 3rd Engineer in the Merchant Navy.
The 3rd Engineer’s basic general duties include the following –Â
- 3rd Engineer needs to take over 2nd Engineer’s duties in their absence or incapacity.
- They must keep the Chief Engineer fully informed about any concerns regarding their responsibilities.
3rd Engineer is responsible to the Chief Engineer and 2nd Engineer for –Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Watchkeeping Duties of 3rd Engineer in Merchant Navy
- The 3rd Engineer has to carry out watchkeeping duties as per schedule.
- They have to assist in the engine room during maneuvering.
- 3rd Engineers have to monitor the performance of cargo-related machinery and systems – ballast water treatment system, ballast system valves and pumps, cranes/gantries, and auxiliary engines.
- They need to perform other duties as directed.
Maintenance Duties of 3rd Engineer in Merchant Navy
3rd Engineer is personally responsible for supervising and carrying out the maintenance and repair of –
- Auxiliary engines, auxiliary boiler, and exhaust gas economizer include water analyses, chemical treatment of boiler, and main engine cooling water system.
- Incinerator
- Fresh water generator
- Lifeboat engine and emergency fire pump
- Life-Saving Appliances (LSA) and Fire Fighting Appliances (FFA) in the engine room (preventive maintenance)
3rd Engineer will take 3rd Officer’s assistance upon noticing any issues with any LSA and FFA.
Administration and Recordkeeping Duties of 3rd Engineer in Merchant Navy
- 3rd Engineer has to maintain Planned Maintenance Schedules and machinery history records.
- They need to take inventory and prepare requisitions for spare parts for equipment under their charge.
- They have to review and renew notices, posters, and procedures posted in the engine room.
- 3rd Engineers have to maintain and update safety data sheets for chemicals (except those used for cargo purposes) and lubricating oils.
Key Performance Duties
In addition to the jobs and duties mentioned above, 3rd Engineers have to take care of the following points –
- There should be no overdue maintenance or testing of critical equipment/machinery in PMS in their own areas of responsibility.
- No critical machinery/equipment is inoperative in its own areas of responsibility.
- No critical safeties inoperative or bypassed for any machinery/equipment in own areas of responsibility.
- No life-saving and fire-fighting appliances are inoperative in the engine room.
- No spares to be below minimum and critical spares requirement in own areas of responsibility.
3rd Engineer Salary in Merchant Navy
3rd Engineers are paid really well for all their hard work onboard. Like all other seafarers, even a 3rd Engineer’s salary depends on the type of vessel they are sailing in and the shipping company that they work for. Below we have mentioned the average salary of 3rd Engineers sailing in different types of vessels.
– LPG/LNG Tankers
LPG/LNG Tankers offer the highest salary in the merchant navy for active sailing seafarers. The salary of a 3rd Engineer in an LNG/LPG Tanker is in the range of 4500$ – 5200$ per month.
3rd Engineer Salary in Merchant Navy
– Oil/Chemical/Product Tanker
Chemical tankers offer higher salaries compared to Oil and Product tankers. 3rd Engineers sailing onboard these tankers are paid in the range of 4000$ – 4800$ per month.
– Bulk Carriers/Container Ships
Dry ships such as Bulk carriers and Container ships offer relatively less salaries compared to tankers. However, that doesn’t mean that the seafarers working on these ships are underpaid at all. 3rd Engineers working onboard Bulk carriers/Container ships are paid handsome salaries of around 3900$ – 4600$ per month.
In the above blog we have mentioned in detail the duties of a 3rd Engineer onboard a merchant ship. As you can read above the job of a 3rd Engineer is one that requires an individual to possess an immense sense of responsibility and dedication towards their job. They get really well paid for it as well the details of which we have mentioned above.
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