..that's an all rounder on board of ships. He must be able to handle all
systems and technical installations which you can find on board of a ship.
In the engine room it includes the operating, surveillance, maintenance and repair of the
main engines and there auxiliary aggregates. Because a ship takes care of its self he must
know the systems such as the air condition, water, engine and sewage. He handles and
maintains separator (Centrifuges), Generators, Pumps for different Media like oil and water,
boiler for the heat production, compressors… and so on…
On deck there is just as much work to do. There is the safe handling of the cargo, its security,
as well as the safe handling of winches and cranes. At the watch keeping the ship mechanic
acts in support of the watch officer. There he does lookout, security rounds, whereby
the cargo and the safety devices are controlled. Also steering the ship after the
instructions of the officer or the captain.
And of course he has to know the safe handling with the rescue systems too. There are all
kinds of different rescue boats, fire extinguisher, recovery systems and a lot more.
So what do I do for a living?
I am working at the deck department at the RoRo-Ferry Nils Hollgersson of the
TT-Line GmbH & Co. KG.
On our Ferry we have mostly rolling cargo. There are mostly trucks, trailers, cars and bikes.
They need to be led into the right position. The importance of that is using all available
space in such way that everybody can drive out again and that no one gets wedged, because it
is tight in the cargo area.
When we depart and when we arrive at the harbour I hold anchor watch and handle the winches
to secure or loosen it. As long as the ship hasn't left the estuary and port area the anchor has
to be kept at the ready, that you can drop the anchor if necessary (for possible emergencies).
Before mooring the ship I must prepare the mooring lines, with a diameter of 75 mm. When
mooring the ship one throws a thinner line (heaving line) witch is weighted with a sand bag
ashore. With this the larger line is then hauled ashore and put over a bollard. Detaching
becomes simpler. I just loosen the line a bit and the dock labourers ashore take it of the
bollard. Then I just have to hoist it.
If I am not kept busy with loading the cargo or the anchor watch I do repair works on doors and
locks, furniture's and other things, so I do also the job of a carpenter. When there is a
damaged door, a damaged bed, a broken glass or a jammed draw than I take care of those things.
I don't do the watch keeping on this ship, because I am kept rather busy with the maintenance
work. Because with several hundred passengers, who swap twice a day, it is very quickly that
things get damaged and nothing lives for ever.
