The deck department consists of navigators and deck hands that are headed by a bosun. We call navigators according to their rank as the Master (Captain), the Chief Officer (First Mate), the Second Officer (2^nd Mate), the Third Officer (3^rd Mate) and the Fourth Officer (4^th Mate). Deckhands are called ordinary seamen and able-bodied seaman.

All Deck Officers keep watch at the navigating bridge. They may not leave it when on watch and they relieve each other every 4 hours. Every navigator must know how to define the ship’s position, plot her course on the chart and take bearings. Besides navigators keep the Deck Officer’s Log Book which is full of the navigation and activities of vessel at sea and in port.

Deck hands participate in mooring operations, carry out all maintenance work including planned upkeep and repair of all hull equipment, paint work and deck cleaning – weeping, swabbing and scrubbing. AB seamen stand watches, during which they may be lookouts or work as a helmsman. Ordinary seamen don’t keep watch instead of it they may clean and paint the ship.

The Master is responsible for seaworthiness and effective operation of his vessel, for the safety of crew, cargo and equipment on board. He has a full authority over all persons on board his vessel, and he must be an experienced navigator.

The Chief Officer is the Master’s main assistant and the head of the Deck Department. He is an officer-in-charge in the absence of the Master and must be always ready to replace the Master and to perform his duties. He is responsible to the Master for the management and supervision of the Deck Department. The Chief Officer is responsible for the loading, stowage, and discharge of all cargo carried by the vessel. He also ensures that the personnel of his department know and comply with all safety rules and regulations.

The 2^nd Officer is the watchkeeping navigator. He is responsible to the captain for all aspects of navigation (voyage planning, chart/publication correction, navigation equipment maintenance) while at sea, in charge of cargo watch while in port for the safe and efficient transfer of cargo.

The 3^rd Officer is responsible for portable fire-fighting equipment and life-saving appliances except those which are assigned to the engine department.

And of course the ship’s officers are all responsible for maintenance of good order and discipline on board their ship.

Key word and expressions to the text:

5. seaworthiness                           мореходность, пригодность к плаванию

6. A.B.seamen                     матрос I-го класса

7. ordinary seamen              матрос II-го класса

8. under supervision            под руководством

9. stowage                           укладка, размещение

10. life-saving appliances      спасательные средства

11. deck hands                      палубная команда

12. mooring operations         швартовые операции

13. swabbing                         мытье шваброй, драйка

Exercise 9. Answer the following question:

1. What must Deck Department personnel know and comply with?

2. Who is the head of the Deck Department?

3. Whose responsibility is maintaining of the fire-fighting equipment and life-saving appliances?

4. Where do deck hands participate in?

5. How many ranks of navigators are there? What is each of them responsible for?

Exercise 10. Translate into Russian.

1. The navigators study the following subjects: Marine Law, Navigation, Sailing Directions, Basics of Ships Steering, Astronomy, Global Marine Satellite System and Navigational Aids Maintenance.

2. The third mate on cargo ships is assigned to calculate the overtime for the crew…

3. Navigators keep the Deck Officer’s Log Book which is full of accurate account of the navigation and activities of vessel at sea and in port.

4. The deck crew – A.B.seamen and ordinary seamen - are headed by the bosun.

5. The Chief Officer is second in command and administers the deck depart­ment, which operates and maintains all parts of the ship except its propulsion machinery and is in charge of cargo handling and stowage.

Exercise 11. Translate into English.

1. Старший помощник капитана является ответственным за погрузку, размещение и разгрузку груза.

2. Швартовые операции и уборка палубы – обязанности матросов (палубной команды).

3. На факультете «Судовождение» преподают астрономию, морское право, основы навигации и судовождения, глобальные морские системы спутниковой связи и т.д.

4. Система званий судоводителей включает такие должности: капитан, старпом, второй помощник, третий помощник и четвертый помощник.

5. Капитан несет ответственность за мореходность и эффективную эксплуатацию судна, безопасность команды и груза на борту.

6. Вахтенные офицеры несут вахту на капитанском мостике и сменяют друг друга каждые четыре часа.

7. В вахтенный журнал записывают все изменения курса судна и этапы погрузочно-разгрузочных работ в порту.

8. Второй помощник отвечает за навигационные карты и навигационное оборудование.

9. Матрос первого класса стоит на руле, использует сигнальные флаги и выполняет малярные работы (paint work).

10. Матрос второго класса обычно не стоит на вахте, ремонтирует, моет и подкрашивает палубу и убирает помещения (spaces), за которые отвечает служба эксплуатации.