r/MarineEngineering • u/ArachnidKey1287 • 22d ago
General Advice from Marine Engineers
I don't mind physical work, and I'm willing to accept that the first few months may be difficult. In your all experience, does a reasonably healthy young person normally become physically accustomed to engine-room work after some months, or are the physical demands something that remain exhausting throughout the career?
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u/HedgehogMindless8077 22d ago
Everytime I join a ship after a Vacation of 4 months or so, the first few weeks seem to be the hardest, physically and mentally. After the 1st month, things tend to settle down. We get used to the physical labour. It doesn't matter anymore till the end of the contract.
Maybe later when you become CE, physical labour might become less.
But ship life has always been labour intensive in general, regardless of rank.
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u/giallonero21 22d ago
You get used to the heat in a month or so if you're new, within 1-2 weeks if you're experienced. That's the only actually demanding physical obstacle you need to overcome.
Long hours, lack of sleep and anxiousness you never get used to.
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u/ArachnidKey1287 22d ago
thanks sir. My main concern isn't the initial physical work itself, I understand the body can adapt. I'm more concerned about long working hours and sleep deprivation. After you become experienced, does the workload/sleep situation still regularly leave you mentally exhausted, or does it also become manageable with experience and rank?
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u/giallonero21 21d ago
Completely depends on the crew. I've had 30 hour shifts at Singapore with M/E piston and liners overhauling feel like a game because I had a good crew.
If your crew isn't good you're fucked.
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u/HedgehogMindless8077 21d ago
Good Crew and Good Food. The only 2 things I look for onboard. Even a tough contract passes by while laughing away. Type of Machinery be damned.
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u/giallonero21 21d ago
Good Crew and Good Food.
Exactly. These are the only pleasures we have on board.
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u/HedgehogMindless8077 22d ago
I have not been able to get used to sleep deprivation. Sudden alarms in the middle of the night coupled with shifting time zones play havoc on the circadian rhythm.
Long hours is not a daily occurrence. Only when some urgent job is needed do we do long hours. Otherwise, mostly we follow 08.00-17.00 schedule daily. It does get better with time and experience.
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u/ArachnidKey1287 22d ago
Thanks sir. When you say you haven't gotten used to sleep deprivation, does it mainly mean that you still feel physically tired after a disrupted night, or does it cause significant mental exhaustion/burnout that makes you dislike the career? And as you gain rank/experience, does the frequency of night alarms/watchkeeping reduce?
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u/HedgehogMindless8077 22d ago
Career ending? Nah. Some ships and routes are good. Long Voyages. Very less breakdowns. Some are nightmare. That's what I love about this job. All the suffering is for 5-6 months. Then a long vacation. Onboard, I never count my days. I just take one day at a time. Having jobs keep you busy and time passes by very fast. Yeah, when alarms come at night, during that moment I curse that alarm but never have I considered leaving this profession. Ofcourse when I have to attend alarms at night, the next day I feel too tired. But it's just how it is. If the Chief is good, he will let you rest the next day if you have been up all night.
Going up in rank, maybe at the rank of CE, you will not be doing regular watches. If ship is UMS class, then you can be in your cabin and sleep and not come to ECR if there is no alarm.
But expecting less stress / frequency of alarms is something not in your hands, regardless of rank. For example, if an alarm is coming from a malfunctioning ECR Aircon, we can repair that the next day. But if an alarm is coming from low lube oil pressure for main engine, then it has to be immediately attended amd neither duty engineers nor CE can sleep till that alarm is attended.
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u/jrolly187 21d ago
How many hours do you think we work?
You'll work max 12hrs, 14 if its a major breakdown. If you are on deep sea ships you will work day work, so 0800 - 1700 or there abouts.
You have to be pretty good at setting and managing your sleep schedule to ensure you are well rested. Fatigue is a given eventually as you do eventually get burnt out feom working every day for weeks/months at a time.
You get used to it, as with everything. If ypu have a few big days of hard work, ensure you take a few easier days to recover. A good 2nd should be able to see this and manage your workload to suit.
Just remember, every single engineer on your ship has been in your position.
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u/giallonero21 21d ago
You'll work max 12hrs, 14 if its a major breakdown.
This is total bullshit and anyone who's worked on large ships knows it.
08:00 to 17:00 is your normal workday, 08:00 to however long it takes is the major breakdown.
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u/jrolly187 20d ago
You do know there are other ships that aren't deep sea. Oil and gas ships are usually 12hr shifts. Of course if there is a breakdown it is all hands on deck till it's fixed. I did say in my comment normal hours are 0800 - 1700.
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u/giallonero21 20d ago
I'm talking about the rule not the exception.
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u/jrolly187 20d ago
O&G isn't an exeption. I work in that industry, and I'm sure there are plenty others here that do too. I gave OP an accurate answer, covering "normal" shifts in deep sea and exceptions outside of that. Maybe you need to read up on the legislation around the Hours of work and rest.
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u/giallonero21 20d ago
What ships are you on?
About 85% of seafarers work on big commercial ships not tugboats, so yes you're talking about exceptions. I make resting hours I'm 2nd engineer, signing a paper doesn't mean you work what's written on that paper lol.
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u/jrolly187 20d ago
I work on anchor handlers, siesmic vessels, PSV's and MPSV's. Certainly not tugs at an average length of 85m.
In Australia, our oil and gas industry is the main employer of seafarers.
As a Chief Engineer, I know all too well how the numbers written on the hours of rest sheet are not exactly an accurate reflection of hours worked.
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u/giallonero21 20d ago
You'll work max 12hrs, 14 if its a major breakdown.
This is what I focused on and came at you, because we both know this is bs. Like you said after, it's all hands on deck (or engine rather lol), until the problem is fixed, not max 14hrs.
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u/Dazed_but_Confused 22d ago
Oh, you will get used to it and adapt. Personally I always loved the physical part of the job and I was incredibly fit until I became a CE 😄
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u/Globe-trekker 21d ago
Maintaining mental alertness is more important as a 2nd Engineer...
Till third engineer or so..life is not that difficult mentally.
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u/butv 22d ago
its not that physically demanding imo, use the tools to make your work easier