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Thread: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

  1. #21
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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Follow your dream, even if it is so much different than it was in our days. Your idea of calling in on a coaster and asking for a berth is a good one, but you may still be sent to the Union before they can take you on.
    That's right Des/Jimmy. My first ship 'MV Lowlander' Port line (six months) around the world, I called in to their Sydney office at just the right time. After six weeks my second ship SS 'Raranga' Shaw Savill Sydney office. Had a discharge paper; signed on to London and paid whilst waiting for return job to Sydney four months later. No problem getting on Aussie ships by just going to Trades Hall in Sydney with my papers. Twenty months later back to Port Line's Sydney office and straight onto MV 'Port Saint John' to England. Put the repatriation document in my kit bag and opted for a brand new British discharge book.
    A lot of luck involved but as they say, the harder you try the luckier you get.
    Research and from that, plan, Jimmy.
    Richard
    Last edited by Richard Quartermaine; 9th March 2018 at 03:28 AM.
    Our Ship was our Home
    Our Shipmates our Family

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  3. #22
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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Richard and Des, Nice to see someone older than myself and with such clear memories, sent a post just before on same lines but doesn’t seem to be there anymore, there was no. Politics init so maybe it just didn’t go. Was saying that Dads Army would have nothing on us . A friend of mine is a bit out of it now but was bell boy on the Queen Mary in 1948. Think he is quite happy living in the past. He was also chief steward with ANL. Another one just died recently and asked his son if he wanted it mentioned on site but got no reply so didn’t bother. Families can be funny about such things. The info someone put on about the near demise of the maritime unions I never knew about at least that it had shrunk to what it was, so we learn all the time. Cheers JWS.

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Just to assure you JS
    there have been no deletions from this Thread!
    Cheers
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

    R697530

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Just old age starting Vernon must have forgot to push send. Sometimes think this iPad is haunted. JWS

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Quote Originally Posted by Jimmy Shaw View Post
    Wow! Thanks guys. Certainly a lot of information right there.

    I will have a look at what you have given me, and try to work where to head. I am 16, so have a little time to think!

    Thanks again,
    Jim
    ##jimmy one or two of my friends as a boy got jobs on tugs just doing anything to help ist of all then progressed from there...cappy

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Wow, some replies! Thanks Gentlemen, for your friendly advice and encouragement.
    I will look into the bountiful options and see how I go.
    Thanks again, Chaps.

    Cheerio,
    Jim

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Re. Radio Officers at sea.
    As someone has previously posted, this is a position that is no longer carried at sea, either deep sea or coastal grade. All communications are covered by the Global Maritime distress and safety system and the equipment required to be fitted to comply with the regulations is fitted on the vessels bridge and monitored by the bridge navigation deck officers who all hold a General Operators Certificate as part of their GMDSS certificate. Radio communications are in Radiotelephone MF range and by Digital Selective Calling using VHF and radiotelephone. It is all push button controlled. Vessels are also required to be fitted with on form of satellite communication, as a minimum Sat C, which is a text only system. GMDSS was introduced in1992 and became fully implemented in 1999 as part of SOLAS amendments. These days I doubt that any seagoing vessel has not only the minimum requirements but also carry satellite communication systems that enables email and voice calls, even video comms. Satellite television is even available at reasonable cost using freesat decoders and a gyro staballised aerial in a 10inch dome. The last actual radio Room I saw on a ship that had carried aradio officer was 1994 when I was on a small Korean chemical tanker that my employer took over and we had to completely refurbish the accommodation, bridge and engine room control and navigation equipment. The radio room gear was stripped out and the space converted into the ships office. As master I was heavily involved with class and flag surveyors in choosing, siting and installation of new radars, gyro, GMDSS console and upgrade of the already fitted sat. Comms.
    I doubt that there are any dedicated radio officers employed in commercial shipping these days with ETO being the nearest to the old rank of radio operator but that Ramona's nothing to do with radio communications beyond possibly carrying out maintenance work on the GMDSS equipment.
    Sorry to put a Downer on his choice but his choice to become an Australian MN officer is limited to deck or engine room.
    Rgds
    J.A.

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    Or an IR. A certificated cook is only carried with 13 or more of a crew. The IRs also take turns in the Galley. On likes of seismic vessels where there are large numbers you might if lucky finish up with 2 cooks and a steward, the steward being the chief and only steward on board who does any cabins as necessary such as business clients etc. the only reason you would carry 2 cooks is if the ship was working on a round the clock basis. Feeding was from a communal self service messroom. Many of those who gave the sea away 20 or 30 years ago would be startled at some of the changes which have been enforced. I must say though even on some of the derelict tonnage i was on in the UK before leaving, a cook was always carried regardless of numbers on board. Whether they still do or not wouldn’t know. Cheers JWS.
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 9th March 2018 at 11:57 AM.

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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    J.S.
    The number of certified personnel on board any sea going vessel is determined by the Minimum Manning Certificate and if you look up the IMO guidelines for the requirements to have that statutory certificate issued you will see that there is a section covering the food and provisions on board along with maintaining cleanliness of the vessel. By implication I would think that this means that a certified ships cook has to be carried on virtually every vessel. My last 17 years at sea was spent onvessels where the max crew size was 12 and we always carried a certified cook/steward who along with his cooks qualifications also had a basic safety training certificate as required by SOLAS and STCW.
    Rgds
    J.A.

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  14. #30
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    Default Re: How to join the Australian Merchant Navy

    I only know that on leaving the uk in 1991 all British vessels carried a cook. On arrival in Australia and taken up command of a swires vessel the Pacific Dart no cook was carried and was told only what I have said. The only time in the next 11 years we carried a cook was when the complement of the ship was 13 and over. Which was all seismic vessels and any ships was taking back to their port of origin overseas carrying extra technicians and such like. This agreement was between the Maritime unions and the shipowner I was lead to believe and involved an increase in wages for the crews. Think of the maritime unions being the shipping federation and having the beef to make those decisions. Cheers JS. Re Jimmy if reading these posts, have you thought about applying to the Tasmanian ferries direct , just might get your foot in the door there. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 9th March 2018 at 01:24 PM.

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