DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A 4TH ENGINEER ON SHIP

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A 4TH ENGINEER ON SHIP

According to the ranking rules On-board all types of merchant’s vessels, irrespective of the shipping company, a 4th engineer shall report to the second engineer, who assign the duties to him, both when the ship is at sea or at port also whose orders he or she shall consider effective and binding as though emanating from the Chief Engineer.

The 4th engineer who is already train during his or her cadet-ship, however, is to assist the 2nd engineer by a directive in carrying out maintenance duties according to the PMS (Planned Maintenance System).

In other hands, the 4th engineer is to work side by side with other engineers; to promote his or her knowledge while on board.

Duties of 4^th Engineer upon joining a Vessel

A 4^th engineer, upon joining a vessel, should carry out the following duties.

• Upon joining a vessel, the relieving 4^th engineer shall report his presence on board to the Chief Engineer or in his absence to the 2^nd Engineer.
• The 4^th engineer should take a thorough round of the engine department with the signing off engineer and do a proper taking over of the duties.
• He should check the inventory and location of all purifier and compressor spares.
• He should check Inventory and location of pumps spares and tools.
• He should check running hours and maintenance schedule of his designated machinery.
• He should check general condition of machinery and special procedure for operation.
• Condition and layout of bunkering system including valve operation, tanks and sounding pipe location should be checked.
• Condition and layout of sludge and bilge discharge system including valves and pump operation should also be checked.
• Thorough sounding of all fuel tanks, bilge and sludge tank should be taken.
• Daily consumption of lube oil, fuel oil, marine diesel or gas oil and cylinder oil for daily record keeping in sounding log is to be checked.
• Daily production of bilge and sludge on board for record keeping of waste water sounding log.

After completion of the engine room round together, the 4^th engineer shall report the details to the 2^nd engineer and notify discrepancies observed, if any.

The 4^th Engineer as in charge of Purifier, Compressor, and machinery other than main engine, auxiliary engine and boiler, is responsible for:

1. Record keeping of machinery running hours under his charge.
2. For carrying out planned maintenance routine under the supervisor of chief or second engineer.
3. Taking daily oil tank sounding of fuel oil, diesel oil, lube and cylinder oil on board ship and record keeping of the same.
4. Record keeping of sludge and bilge on board.
5. Acting as assistant in charge to chief engineer for operation during bunker of fuel, diesel and lube oil.
6. Completing the month end official papers for his designated machinery.
7. Compliance of environment policy and MARPOL requirements under the guidance of Chief Engineer.
8. Maintenance and up keeping of the engine room log book and all those files on board advised by the Chief Engineer.

The above mentioned duties are the basic requirements for any 4^th engineer going on board. However, duties might be subtracted or added on the basis of the type of the ship and shipping company.