What a Chief Officer should know

Chief mate is the person who turns the course set by the captain into reality. He runs the deck department, keeps cargo, safety, discipline, and documents in view, and does it so that the ship is “quiet”: without unnecessary movement, smoothly and predictably.

A good chief mate is not about heroics, but about a system that works every day.

 

I. Role and responsibility without sugarcoating.

The chief mate is the captain’s right hand and the “engine” of deck operations. He plans cargo work, monitors securing and stability, organizes mooring, oversees the condition of deck equipment, and ensures that everyone on board knows what to do right now. This is a position where you need to think strategically and act responsibly at the same time, down to the last detail: from the sequence of stowage to whether the seamen have serviceable helmets and whether the risk assessment is signed before working at height. All this is about preventing problems, not about pretty reports after the fact.

II. Cargo and stability: the heart of routine.

Every voyage starts with a plan, and every change of plan starts with checking stability. The chief mate balances ballast, controls drafts, watches hull strength limits, monitors cargo compatibility and the quality of stowage. The habit of asking “awkward” questions before the hatches are closed matters here: can the deck withstand the point load, do chains and slings match the actual weight, are the centers of gravity distributed correctly. Twenty minutes of meticulousness ashore almost always save hours of nerves on the open sea.

III. Emergency readiness and bridge culture.

Instructions make sense only when they live in actions. The chief mate organizes drills, checks the readiness of firefighting equipment, and ensures that the muster list is not a piece of paper on the wall but a clear role for every crew member. On the bridge, he sets the tone of communication: short briefings before departure, clear phrases without ambiguity, “challenge–response” instead of silent nods. In a crisis, it’s not bravery that saves, but interaction practiced to the point of automaticity.

*Challenge–response — verbal confirmation of orders: one gives a command, the executor repeats it, executes it, and says “done”.

IV. Crew, discipline, and humanity.

People follow those who speak to the point and lead by example. A good chiefmate explains tasks simply, isn’t ashamed to say “stop” when there’s risk, and is the first to put on a harness if the job is at height. Discipline here is born not from shouting but from predictability: when everyone knows what is expected of them and sees that the rules are the same for all. Attitude shows in details — you thanked for a well-executed operation, you didn’t “force” the schedule at the expense of safety — and thus you built a team better than with any orders.

Ship’s crew

V. Ecology and order as everyday routine.

Clean decks, correct entries in logbooks, care with fuel and waste — this is not “before an inspection”, but a daily habit. The chief mate sets up the process so that responsibility does not boil down to one person: everyone knows where a used rag goes, what goes into which container, how discharge operations are recorded, and where the instructions lie. The paradox is that it is precisely these “little things” that most often save the ship from big claims in port.

VI. Technology and new realities.

Today most processes are digitized: electronic charts, voyage planning, logbooks, load monitoring systems, and even electronic cargo-securing instructions. The chief mate doesn’t have to be an IT specialist, but must understand the logic of these tools and be able to train others. Add to this “green” practices: fuel choice, emissions control, and energy-efficient daily routines for the crew. This is not the future — it is already here and directly affects the daily work schedule.

Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS)

VII. A few useful observations from practice:

The names differ — Chief Mate, Chief Officer, 1/O — the essence is the same: the head of the deck after the captain. “Alarm lists” should be not only where it’s convenient for inspectors, but where people actually read them; and preferably in the language the team thinks in under stress. Cargo-securing instructions are not a “shelf book”, but a working tool: when they are followed literally, the ship leaves port with a much lower level of risk.

Conclusion:

The captain’s chief mate must know a lot — from hull stability to team psychology. But the main thing is to turn knowledge into habits: regular briefings instead of “we understand without words”, clean logbooks instead of “we’ll fill it in later”, attention to details instead of “it’ll somehow work out”. The sea rarely forgives carelessness but generously rewards preparation. If it’s calm on board, it means the chief mate is doing everything right — unnoticeably, systematically, and every day.

CMA CGM container ship

 

Our partners at Education Marine have prepared a short online course for chief mates who work or plan to work in the merchant fleet. The materials cover practical aspects of cargo operations, stability, safety, and typical situations that arise during a voyage.

The course is free and available online. If needed, you can take it at a convenient time

Courses by Education Marine

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