You can tell what rank an officer holds by the number of stripes on their shoulder.
There is a very similar structure for the Engineering department. The Chief Engineer is responsible for the inner-workings of the ship’s engine and mechanical components, and he or she oversees a Second Engineer, a Third Engineer, and often a Fourth Engineer. Together with a team of three Able Seafarer-Engine crew (also known as Oilers), this team keeps us underway. On the S.A. Agulhas II there is also an ETO (Electro-technical officer) who is in charge of onboard technology, satellite communication systems and the ship’s electricity supply. For this voyage, the ETO is named Orlando, and we all owe him a big round of applause… he makes all of my livestream events from the ship with you possible.
The S.A. Agulhas II has a Deck Crew of about 10 people right now, all overseen by the Bosun, who is the most-experienced member of the Deck Crew. The Bosun also has a close confidant known as a Handyman, Chippy or Bosun’s Mate, who acts as his or her right-hand person. At each level in this hierarchy, a sailor can earn certificates of proficiency and (over time) prove that they are ready to be promoted to the next rank within the ship structure.
If all of this sounds complicated, let me describe how it unfolds aboard the S.A. Agulhas II. Every member of the ship’s crew knows exactly what his or her responsibilities are, and every job that needs doing is done with great reliability and precision.
