A day of a deck cadet!

Deck cadet is the trainee officer inboard. A deck cadet need to complete 12 month seatime as trainee  officer at ship.During this period he receives training on various job onboard. A deck cadet trained from deck maintenance job to ship's official paper works.He receives training on navigation specially.


Officially a deck cadets responsibility is to take training under the supervision of chief officer.He is bound to abide by all orders of chief officer. Chief officer is the incharge of deck department shall report to the captain of the ship.Beside navigational duties a chief officer supervises deck maintenance job, Loading & discharging, cargo calculation, ballasing & de ballasting. So generally deck cadets help chief officer to perform and complete the above mentioned duties. This is how a deck cadet got the work competence at ship.

Generally Deck cadet do the navigation watch with chief officer. So day of a deck cadet starts at 0400 am.After finishing navigationala watch he joins with crews for deck maintenance job. Generally a cadet prescribed to take the sounding of all ballast db tank.It's  very important duty of a cadet for the safety of ship. Then he complete the jobs given to him by chief officer at deck.After lunch break he gets rest upto 1600 hrs. Then at 1600 hrs he again join navigational watch with chief officer. This is the routine of a cadet while sailing time.


During loading and discharging time at port chief officer and his cadets pass a very busy time.During loading time chief officer also have to supervise de ballasting process along with loading procedure.While de ballasting cadets play the main rules under guidance of chief officer.  Deck cadet continuously takes sounding and inform progress of de ballasting process. After the completion of de ballsting process he engage him self in loading procedure. He have to take draft for loading calculation continuously. Similarly during discharging time cadet have to take action for ballat in process in chief officers guidance. Beside ballast in he also takes part in discharge the cargo also help chief officer complete draft survey and cargo calculation.

Though deck cadet is just a trainee officer but he plays very important role. Cadets are called the working hand of the chief mate. They works really hard. This 12 month hard woking time helps them to develop their job skill. Which makes them a perfect officer And prepare them for any challenge at ship.