It took me a while to decide to start this blog about Marine Engineering, primarily because I had the impression that not enough people were interested in this field.
I did some internet research, and while there are some interesting blogs and sites, the majority of them are just theoretical scripts with no proper practical examples or tutorials.
Throughout my experience, I’ve discovered that most young and junior engineers, regardless of their theoretical knowledge level, require a great deal of practical guidance.
Theoretical and practical knowledge are obviously interrelated, and the first is extremely important in this field, as in any other working field, because it is difficult to explain and understand practical examples if the proper foundation is not in place.
The main issue in schools and colleges is that not enough theory is combined with practice. They expect to develop your practical skills to the workplace without taking into account that, given the current labor trend, there is no time or dedicated person to fill the gap.
Many of you may already be aware that the Chief Officer or Second Engineer on every vessel is the training officer, as per their job description and responsibilities outlined by the Company’s procedures, but in reality, due to increased workload, the respective officers have no time to do proper training, even though some of them are actively engaged in this.
Furthermore, it is expected that when you join the vessel in your respective rank, you are already familiar with your job scope and have the theoretical and practical abilities to take over the watch and represent the Master or Chief Engineer when they are not available.
The unfortunate reality is that, with a few minor exceptions, this is not the case.
Another major issue is that nowadays, everyone is rushing to become a “manager,” or a senior officer, even if they lack the necessary skills, knowledge, and wisdom. Everyone is on a fast track, superficial, and eager to become a Master or Chief Engineer as soon as possible.
This is very unfortunate, and I speak from my extensive experience in this field, as I have met many senior officers who are unable to perform their duties properly and professionally, and who hide their incompetence by bullying and blaming others.
So, these are the main reasons that prompted me to start this blog, and I hope you will find it useful and beneficial to your development, and I encourage you to participate in discussions via comments. Nothing is more beneficial than a healthy debate.
After all, we have all been in the “beginner” position, and it is up to each of you to determine how quickly you will learn, assimilate, and develop the practical skills required to be a competent and professional marine engineer or officer.