CADETS CORNER
You said “yes”. But did you understand?
New instructions. Different accents. A brain still loading. Take a breath — asking again is part of becoming a useful member of the crew.
Someone explains a task. You catch the first sentence, lose the second and enthusiastically nod through the third. Congratulations: your face has confirmed something your brain has not approved.
On your first contract at sea, unfamiliar equipment, terminology and accents can make simple instructions feel complicated. That is normal. What matters is what you do next.
This guide is mainly for deck cadets and engine cadets on oceangoing merchant ships, with lessons that apply elsewhere too. Your vessel’s procedures, training programme and supervisor’s instructions always take priority.
1. Safety comes before looking confident
Your safety and the safety of the people around you come first. If an instruction is unclear, pause before acting and ask for clarification. Do not guess which valve, switch, tool or piece of equipment someone meant.
! Leave the ship as safely and as healthy as you joined it.
With more knowledge and confidence — not an injury caused by an awkward “yes”. Wear the required PPE, work within your authorisation and supervision, and stop and report anything that appears unsafe.
You are not expected to know everything. You are expected to be honest about what you understand.
2. Ask again — clearly and professionally
Good communication onboard is about shared understanding, not impressive English. Different accents and a noisy workplace can challenge experienced seafarers too.
- “I did not understand the last part. Could you repeat it, please?”
- “Could you show me which equipment you mean?”
- “I have not done this before. Could you demonstrate it?”
- “Before I start, what precautions do I need to follow?”
- “Let me repeat that back to make sure I understood.”
Repeat the instruction in your own words, including the task, the identified equipment and any limits or reporting requirements. Let the supervisor confirm or correct you before you act. This closes the communication loop.
These are everyday clarification examples, not a replacement for prescribed command wording or read-back procedures. Learn the IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases and the communication procedures used onboard.
General “why” questions can wait for a suitable moment. Questions that affect safe execution cannot. “I will ask afterwards” is a poor plan when you are already unsure what to do.
3. Learn widely. Focus on the responsibilities ahead.
Cargo operations are fascinating. On a gas carrier, the cargo control room can look like mission control. On other ships, loading plans and equipment can be just as interesting.
Wanting to understand cargo is a good thing. But do not let the most impressive-looking operation consume your whole training period while your basic officer skills remain untouched.
Ask your training officer: “Which skills should I prioritise now, and how do they prepare me for my first junior officer role?” Use your approved training record book to build a balanced plan. Cargo competence is part of that plan, not an optional extra to ignore until later.
The aim is to prepare for duties you may receive as a third or second officer, or a fourth or third engineer, depending on the vessel and company. Job titles and allocations vary; learn what those roles actually involve on your ship.
4. Deck cadets: the bridge AND the deck are your classroom
You are training to become a deck officer. Make bridge watchkeeping, practical seamanship and safety duties central parts of your supervised learning.
Participate actively in deck work with the bosun and deck team, under the Chief Officer’s arrangements and your assigned supervisor. Learn the preparation, equipment, hazards and teamwork involved — not just the name of the job.
- Bridge: lookout, watch routines, navigation, passage monitoring, communications and reporting.
- Deck: safe seamanship, maintenance and supervised participation in mooring and other assigned operations.
- Safety: firefighting equipment, lifesaving appliances, drills, inspections and the associated records.
Work with the designated safety officer or responsible officer where applicable. On bulk carriers, container ships and other vessel types, the organisation may differ. Find out who owns each responsibility rather than assuming the same title means the same job everywhere.
A drill is not something to attend while mentally planning lunch. Learn your assigned role and ask questions during the debrief.
5. Modern bridges: become a capable operator, not a button memoriser
A modern officer of the watch needs to use electronic equipment confidently. ECDIS, radar/ARPA, GNSS, AIS, autopilot, echo sounders, speed logs, communications and alarm systems may each have different controls and menus.
Think of a bridge with 15 different equipment interfaces to learn: that illustrates the challenge, not a fixed minimum for every vessel. These are different systems and interfaces, not necessarily 15 separate computer operating systems.
Read the manuals for the actual makes, models and software versions onboard. Ask your supervising officer to explain normal use, relevant settings, input sources, alarms, limitations and approved backup arrangements.
! Knowing five clicks is not the same as understanding the equipment. Ask what each step does and why it is appropriate in that situation. Never experiment with live equipment, change settings or acknowledge alarms without authorisation.
The useful question is not only “Which button?” It is also “What information am I using, what could be wrong with it, and how should it be checked?”
6. Keep the conventional navigation skills alive
Electronics do not remove the need to understand navigation. Work with your training officer on the conventional methods and calculations required by your programme, including:
- Sextant handling, corrections, observations and sight reduction.
- Star recognition and selecting suitable celestial bodies.
- Meridian passage, including upper and lower culmination where applicable.
- Great-circle and rhumb-line sailing calculations.
- Position fixing, dead reckoning, bearings and compass checks.
Practise when conditions, equipment and supervision allow. Understand what you calculate and how it relates to the vessel’s position. Some observations depend on latitude and visibility; not every exercise is possible on every voyage.
The stars have not retired because the bridge has Wi-Fi. And a screen full of information still needs a person who understands it.
7. Engine cadets: learn the machinery AND its connections
Your classroom is the engine department, but there is plenty of variety inside it. Build a supervised understanding of machinery rounds, maintenance, watch routines, safe isolation and the systems supporting the ship.
Ask experienced engineers, oilers and motormen what they check and why. Relate their explanation to the approved procedure and equipment manual.
Study piping diagrams and learn how fuel, lubrication, cooling, air and other relevant systems connect. Trace an approved drawing with someone who knows the installation. Identifying a pump is useful; understanding what supplies it and where it discharges is better.
Engine-room automation deserves the same approach as bridge electronics: understand the equipment and its limitations, not merely the sequence that makes an alarm disappear.
8. Cargo: understand the system, not just the spectacle
On LNG, LPG, chemical and product tankers, study the approved diagrams for the relevant cargo, ballast and associated systems with the responsible officer. Start by recognising the equipment, flow paths, hazards and purpose of each system.
On bulk carriers and container ships, learn the corresponding arrangements: cargo plans, securing or lashing, holds, hatch covers, ballast and stability considerations, as applicable.
Build knowledge progressively and complete the cargo training required for your role and vessel. Observation does not authorise you to operate equipment. “I saw someone do it yesterday” is not a qualification.
FOR EVERY CADET
RTFM: Read the fucking manual.
Yes, the actual manual. For the actual equipment. Preferably before your entire explanation becomes “someone showed me this once”.
Read the relevant section, check the ship’s approved procedure, write down what you do not understand and ask your supervisor. Reading supports supervised training; it does not authorise you to operate, dismantle or repair equipment yourself.
9. Do not expect every lesson to arrive ready-made
Take ownership of your learning. Read before asking when appropriate, keep notes, revisit explanations and arrive with specific questions. Showing sustained interest helps others see where you need guidance.
But you do not have to earn the right to safe instruction. Your company and designated trainers still have responsibilities to provide the required supervision and training. If your programme is being neglected, raise it professionally.
Watching someone senior use a shortcut does not prove it is correct. They may have context you lack — or the shortcut may simply be wrong. Ask respectfully how the method relates to the manual and approved procedure. Never copy something unsafe to fit in.
10. “Please scan these papers” is also real work
Photocopying documents, scanning records and updating a noticeboard can be serious parts of keeping a vessel organised. Correct information, legible copies and current versions matter.
Complete the task carefully. Then, when appropriate, ask why that document is needed, who uses it, where it belongs and how its revision is controlled.
Respect confidentiality and access restrictions. Do not browse or copy personal or restricted information out of curiosity, and do not retain ship documents on personal devices without permission.
Small task, useful lesson: posting an approved notice may teach you about the ship’s reporting structure or routines. The photocopier will not award you a Certificate of Competency, but the task does not have to be mindless. Equally, paperwork should not consume your whole cadetship at the expense of practical training.
11. Become someone the team can rely on
Respect every rank. Be punctual, work carefully, report completion and admit when you need help. Make your progress visible through demonstrated skills and honest training records.
A useful learning cycle is simple: read, ask, observe, practise under supervision, review. Keep doing it. Your goal is to become a dependable member of the team, not the person with the most confident nod.
For each task, write down three things: what you did, why it mattered and what you still need explained. Review them with your training officer and connect completed learning to your training record book.
Before your next “yes”
- Do I understand the task and its risks?
- Am I trained, authorised and appropriately supervised?
- Have I checked the relevant manual and procedure?
- Can I explain the instruction back correctly?
- Do I know when to stop and report?
Ask again. Learn the reason. Practise safely. Nobody becomes a good officer through nodding alone.
New onboard? Read our first-day guide for cadets for familiarisation, punctuality and settling into the team.
Keep your own maritime certificates and documents organised alongside your learning. Download Wave, or explore our offline maritime document wallet guide. Digital copies complement the originals required by your company.
More Cadets Corner articles will follow, taking these topics one at a time. Today’s homework is simple: replace one uncertain nod with one useful question.
Further reading: IMO Standard Marine Communication Phrases and STCW Code: deck and engineering competence standards. Training priorities should be agreed with your designated training officer and aligned with your approved programme.
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