Ratings in the Merchant Navy
Encyclopedia
The following equivalent ratings were those officially recognised by the National Maritime Board
for British Merchant Navy ocean-going cargo vessels carrying up to six passengers. They are listed in ascending order of seniority.
National Maritime Board
The National Maritime Board was a bilateral board governing wages and working practices in the British shipping industry.It was founded in November 1917 against a backdrop of strike action amongst seafarers and was originally intended as a purely wartime measure to facilitate wage negotiations in a...
for British Merchant Navy ocean-going cargo vessels carrying up to six passengers. They are listed in ascending order of seniority.
Deck Department | Engine Room Department | Catering Department |
1919 | ||
Deckboy | Boy | |
Ordinary Seaman | ||
Assistant Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Assistant Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) |
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Messroom Steward (up to 59 white crew or 74 mixed crew) | ||
Assistant Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Assistant Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Messroom Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Saloon Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Second Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) |
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Assistant Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Assistant Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Cook (21-89 white crew or 26-112 mixed crew) Second Steward (no Storekeeper carried; 60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
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Able Seaman Able seaman An able seaman is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.-Watchstander:... |
Trimmer Trimmer In light-frame construction, a trimmer is a timber or metal beam used to create an opening around a stairwell, skylight, chimney, and the like... |
Second Cook & Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Storekeeper (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
Boatswain's Mate Boatswain's Mate A Boatswain's mate is a job classification in Navies and Coast Guards.*Boatswain's mate , a job classification in the United States Navy*Boatswain's mate , a job classification in the United States Coast Guard... Lamptrimmer Painter Quartermaster Quartermaster Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior... Deck Storekeeper |
Fireman | Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Butcher (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Pantryman (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Cook & Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Steward (Storekeeper carried; 60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Storekeeper (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) |
Launchman Launch (boat) A launch in contemporary usage refers to a large motorboat. The name originally referred to the largest boat carried by a warship. The etymology of the word is given as Portuguese lancha "barge", from Malay lancha, lancharan, "boat," from lanchar "velocity without effort," "action of gliding... Water Tender |
Assistant Engine Room Storekeeper Greaser Leading Fireman |
Second Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) |
Boatswain Boatswain A boatswain , bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander, except on vessels with small crews... Boatswain's Mate (large steamer) Carpenter's Mate & Joiner (up to 10,000 tons) Pumpman (oil tanker) Sailmaker Sailmaker A sailmaker makes and repairs sails for sailboats, kites, hang gliders, wind art, architectural sails, or other structures using sails. A sailmaker typically works on shore in a sail loft. The sail loft has other sailmakers. Large ocean-going sailing ships often had sailmakers in the crew. The... |
Diesel Engine Diesel engine A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber... Greaser Donkeyman Electrical Greaser Engine Room Storekeeper First Leading Fireman Refrigerator Refrigerator A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room... Greaser Tunnel Greaser |
Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Butcher (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Cook (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Ship's Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
Carpenter Carpenter A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors.... (up to 8,000 tons) Carpenter's Mate & Joiner (10,001-25,000 tons) |
Second Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Ship's Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) |
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Boatswain (large steamer) Carpenter (8,001-10,000 tons) |
Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Cook-Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) |
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Carpenter (10,001-12,000 tons) | Chief Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
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Carpenter (12,001-25,000 tons) | Chief Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Chief Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
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Carpenter (over 25,000 tons) | Chief Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) | |
1943 | ||
Ordinary Seaman | ||
Messroom Steward Assistant Steward/Stewardess Saloon Steward Assistant Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) |
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Second Cook (21-89 white crew or 26-112 mixed crew) Assistant Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Assistant Baker Assistant Butcher |
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Able Seaman | Fireman Steward Trimmer |
Second Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew; no storekeeper carried) Storekeeper (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Second Cook and Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
Lamp Trimmer Painter Quartermaster Deck Storekeeper |
Fireman | Second Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew; storekeeper also carried) Pantryman Storekeeper (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Butcher (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) |
Boatswain's Mate (up to 12,000 tons) Launchman Water Tender |
Leading Fireman Greaser Assistant Engine-room Storekeeper |
Second Cook and Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) |
Boatswain's Mate (over 12,000 tons) Pumpman Sailmaker |
Engine-room Storekeeper | Ship's Cook (21-89 white crew or 26-112 mixed crew; chief cook also carried) Ship's Cook (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Butcher (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) |
Donkeyman | ||
Boatswain (up to 8,000 tons) | ||
Carpenter's Mate/Joiner (up to 10,000 tons) | ||
Boatswain (8,001-10,000 tons) | Second Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Ship's Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew; chief cook also carried) |
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Carpenter (up to 8,000 tons) Carpenter's Mate/Joiner (10,001-25,000 tons) |
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Cook-Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Ship's Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; no other cook carried) Chief Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; another cook carried) |
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Boatswain (10,001-12,000 tons) | ||
Boatswain (over 12,000 tons) Carpenter (8,001-10,000 tons) Carpenter's Mate/Joiner (over 25,000 tons) |
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Chief Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) |
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Carpenter (10,001-12,000 tons) | ||
Chief Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) | ||
Carpenter (12,001-25,000 tons) | ||
Chief Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) | ||
Carpenter (over 25,000 tons) | ||
Chief Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) | ||
1964 | ||
Deck Boy | Engine Room Boy | |
Catering Boy | ||
Junior Ordinary Seaman | Junior Ordinary Engine Room Rating | |
Senior Ordinary Seaman | Senior Ordinary Engine Room Rating | |
Deck Hand (Uncertificated) | ||
Assistant Steward Messroom Steward Saloon Steward Stewardess |
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Assistant Baker Baker A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades... Assistant Butcher Butcher A butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments... Assistant Cook Second Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) |
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Able Seaman Efficient Deck Hand |
Cleaner & Wiper Fireman Steward Trimmer |
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Lamp Trimmer Painter Quarter Master (up to 12,000 tons) Deck Storekeeper |
Engine Room Hand Fireman |
Baker or Second Cook and Baker (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Pantry Pantry A pantry is a room where food, provisions or dishes are stored and served in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. The derivation of the word is from the same source as the Old French term paneterie; that is from pain, the French form of the Latin panis for bread.In a late medieval hall, there were... man Second Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Second Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Catering Storekeeper |
Launchman Quarter Master (over 12,000 tons) Water Tender |
Assistant Engine Room Storekeeper Greaser Leading Fireman |
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Boatswain's Mate (up to 12,000 tons) | ||
Boatswain's Mate (over 12,000 tons) Pumpman (oil tanker) |
Donkeyman Engine Room Storekeeper (up to 12,000 tons) |
Baker or Second Cook and Baker (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Butcher |
Assistant Carpenter & Joiner (up to 10,000 tons) Boatswain (up to 8,000 tons) |
Engineer Assistant | |
Engine Room Storekeeper (over 12,000 tons) | ||
Ship's Cook (up to 20 white crew or up to 25 mixed crew) | ||
Assistant Carpenter & Joiner (10,001-25,000 tons) Boatswain (8,001-10,000 tons) |
Second Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Ship's Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; Chief Cook carried) |
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Carpenter (up to 8,000 tons) | Ship's Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew; Chief Cook carried) | |
Assistant Carpenter & Joiner (over 25,000 tons) Boatswain (10,001-12,000 tons) |
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Carpenter (8,001-10,000 tons) | Chief Cook Chief Cook A chief cook is a senior unlicensed crewmember working in the steward's department of a merchant ship.The chief cook directs and participates in the preparation and serving of meals; determines timing and sequence of operations required to meet serving times; inspects galley and equipment for... (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Cook Steward Ship's Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; no Chief Cook carried) |
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Boatswain (12,001-25,000 tons) | ||
Carpenter (10,001-12,000 tons) | ||
Boatswain (over 25,000 tons) | Chief Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) | |
Carpenter (12,001-25,000 tons) | Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) | |
Chief (or only) Steward Chief Steward A chief steward is the senior unlicensed crew member working in the Steward's Department of a ship. Since there is no purser on most ships in the United States Merchant Marine, the steward is the senior person in the department, whence its name... (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) |
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Carpenter (over 25,000 tons) | ||
Chief (or only) Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) |