Initially, the very first dugout boats were made in such a way that only one person could fit in them, he himself set the direction of the vessel and worked with oars. After mankind learned how to build multi-seat ships, the duties that were previously performed by one person were divided, now one person set the right direction and controlled the boat by means of the steering oar, and several people obeyed his commands, set or removed the sail and rowed with oars. The person who steered the ship was at the same time the captain, helmsman and navigator, in order to successfully cope with his duties, he had to have extensive experience in navigation and the ability to think calmly in emergency situations, therefore he had high authority among the rest of the ship's crew.

With the development of shipbuilding, not only the dimensions of the ships have changed, but also the number of people who have kept the ship in proper technical condition and managed has increased. The division of duties inevitably led to the emergence of highly specialized maritime masters in charge of a separate area of ​​service. Gradation led to the emergence of positions and titles. It is difficult to accurately determine the historical date of this process, but it can be said that the peoples who inhabited the coastal territories, several millennia before our era, had terms in their language that denoted maritime specialties.

In ancient Egypt, there was a class division into castes, one of them was entirely helmsmen. According to the ideas of the ancient Egyptians, these people were considered almost suicidal, because according to their beliefs, a person who left the borders of his native land was deprived of the protection of his gods.

The very first information about the rank system among sailors dates back to ancient Greek history, later this concept was borrowed from the Greeks by the Romans. Arab navigators developed their own nautical terminology, thanks to their own system of maritime knowledge. Over time, the term “admiral” appeared in all European languages, the word was formed from the Arabic phrase “amir al bahr”, meaning “lord of the seas”. Most of the Arabic marine terms became known to the inhabitants of Europe from the collection of oriental tales "A Thousand and One Nights", which includes a cycle of works united by the common title "The Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor". The very name of the protagonist, which is a collective image of the class of Arab merchants, is a distorted Indian word "Sindhaputi", which translates as "ruler of the sea", the inhabitants of India used this term to designate the owners of ships.

The system of maritime terms and titles among the southern Slavs was formed after the thirteenth century, so the owner of the ship was called "broad master", from the word "broad", which meant "ship", the sailor was called "broader" or in other words "ladyar", the rowers were called "oars". ”, the captain of the ship was called the “leader”, and the team was called the “posada”, and, finally, the supreme commander of the entire fleet was called the “pomor commander”.

Before the reign and reforms of Peter the Great, the Russian state did not have direct access to the sea, despite this, river navigation was very well developed, historical documents contain the designations of ship positions used in Russian: the captain was called “head”, the pilot was called “vodic” , the senior above the team was called "ataman", and the signalman was called "mahonya" from the word "wave". The term "sailor" did not yet exist, instead the word "sar" or "sara" was used, the same term was used by the gangs that robbed on the Volga as a call to attack: "Saryn to the kitchka", which meant an order for the ship's crew to move to the bow ship ("kichka").

In the Russian state, the words "shipman" or "guest" denoted the owner of the ship, who was both a merchant and a captain. Initially, the word "guest", which came from the Latin language hostis, had the meaning of "alien". In the languages ​​of the Romano-Germanic language group, this word went according to the following semantic principle: alien - foreigner - enemy. In Russian, the semantic development of the word "guest" went along a path different from that described above: a stranger - a foreigner - a merchant - a guest. In A.S. Pushkin's fairy tale about Tsar Saltan, the word "shipmen" is used on a par with the word "guests-gentlemen", they are semantic synonyms. Under Peter the Great, the word "shipman" was replaced by a new foreign term, but in the "Code of Laws of the Russian Empire" it was used as a legal term until 1917.

The first document where foreign maritime terms were used along with the words "pilot" and "shipman" was the collection of "Articular Articles" by the author David Butler, who commanded the first warship "Eagle". The document itself was a prototype of the maritime charter and was translated for Tsar Peter from the Dutch language. On the text of the translation, Peter the Great himself wrote a comment that the meaning of the articles is correct, and the text of this document should be used by all "initial ship people" and "ship captains." Thanks to the reforms of Tsar Peter, many foreign terms, words denoting titles and positions that were not previously used in Russian, came into use. For the speedy assimilation of new terms, Peter the Great ordered the writing of the "Marine Charter", so that every navigator knew the terminology related to his specialization to perfection. The further structure of the article describes some marine terms and their etymology.

BATALER - this is the name of the person responsible for the supply of food and non-food products on the ship, to military topics, namely, this term has nothing to do with the word "battle", the word comes from the verb in the Dutch language bottelen, which translates as the phrase "spill on bottles", the noun bottelier - "cupbearer" is also formed from the same verb.

BOATSMEN - the duties of this specialist in maritime affairs include ensuring order on the deck of the ship, the good technical condition of the rigging and spars, he supervises ship work, and also instructs sailors on all issues related to maritime affairs. The word "boatswain" was formed from the word "boat" (in Dutch - boot, in English - boat) and a man - man. The English, along with the word boatsman, which means a ship (boat) person, use the word boatswain, which is the name of the “senior boatswain”, who has several “junior boatswains” under his command. For the first time, the use of the word "boatswain" in documents in Russian occurs with D. Butler in the "Articular Articles", the form of this word looks like "butman" or "boatswain". The same document for the first time regulates the duties of the boatswain; for the merchant fleet, the title of "boatswain" was officially introduced in 1768.

WATCH - originally this word was used to designate a sentry on land, the word came to Russian from the German language, where the word wacht means the concepts of "guard" and "guard". Under Peter the Great, the concept of “watchers” was introduced into the Marine Charter, the origins of this word lie in the Dutch language.

DRIVER - this is the name of the helmsman on the boat, this word in Russian in this context has been used relatively recently, here the meaning is borrowed from the marine terminology of the English language - draiver. In the Russian state, even before the reign of Tsar Peter, among the marine terms, the designations of pilots with the same root as the word "driver" were used: "ship's leader" and "vodic". The term "skipper" is currently used in documents of an official type, such as maritime law, for example, "amateur boatmaster" in the context of "skipper", "captain" of a small tourist pleasure fleet.

DOCTOR - is a native Russian word, its root word is “liar”, both of these words lead their etymology from the Old Russian verb “to lie”, the original meaning of which was “to speak, idle talk, chat nonsense”, later the word acquired another semantics “to treat”, "talk".

CAPTAIN - Commander-in-chief on a ship. Before appearing in Russian, the word went through a difficult path, it was borrowed from the Latin of the Middle Ages - capitaneus, formed from the noun caput - “head”. For the first time this word is found in written texts in 1419, as a military rank, the term "captain" was first used in France, as the commanders of military detachments numbering several hundred people were called. This word was used in naval subjects thanks to the Italian term capitano. During the boarding battle on the galleys, the captain personally led the fighting and defended the banner, was responsible for the training of officers and soldiers, and was also the first assistant to the "saprokomite". This experience was subsequently borrowed on military sailboats and merchant ships that sailed along with mercenary units taken to provide protection.

In the 16th century, the position of captain was most often held by a person who was more knowledgeable in military affairs than in the sea. The captain had first of all to ensure the protection of the life and property of the shipowner or, with the help of military maneuvers, to defend the political interests of his employers. Since the 17th century, the title of "captain" has become mandatory for use on military ships in almost all states of the world. Subsequently, the division of captains into ranks was formed, depending on the rank of the vessel; in Russian, the word "captain" has been used since 1615. The first Russian captains were D. Butler, who in 1699 commanded the crew of the Orel ship, and Lambert Jacobson Gelt, who led the crew of the yacht built jointly with the Orel ship.

In the Amusing Troops of Tsar Peter, the title of "captain" received official status, the tsar himself was awarded the title of captain of the bombardment company of the Preobrazhensky Regiment. After 1853, on warships, the rank of captain was replaced by the phrase "ship commander". On the ships of the Russian Society of Shipping and Trade since 1859 and on the ships of the Voluntary Fleet, skippers of an officer military rank began to be unofficially referred to as "captains", this term was officially used in the civilian fleet in 1902, replacing the term "skipper".

COC - ship cook, the word appeared in Russian in 1698 and came from the Dutch language, originally it was formed from the Latin word cocus - "cook".

COMMANDER - commander of the yacht club, head of the joint voyage of the yacht flotilla. Initially, the word denoted one of the highest degrees of a knightly order, and in the era of the Crusades, this was the name of the commander-in-chief of a knightly army. The etymology of the word originates in Latin: the preposition cum - "with" and the verb mandare - "to order". At the beginning of the 18th century, the officer rank of "commander" in the navy of the Russian Empire between the captain of the first rank and the rear admiral, the title still exists in the terminology of foreign naval ranks. As a form, the commanders put on the admiral's, but with epaulettes without an eagle. Since 1707, the rank of "commander" was replaced by "captain-commander", was finally abolished in 1827. The commanders were outstanding explorers and navigators: V. Bering, A. I. Chirikov, I. F. Kruzenshtern.

KUPOR - there are words with a similar sound in English - cooper, and in Dutch - kuiper - "cooper", "cooper", the noun is formed from the word kuip - "vat", "tub". "Kupor" was a very important position on wooden ships. His duties included not only the maintenance of tubs and barrels in good condition, but also the condition of the ship hull as a whole, in order to prevent ship leaks. In Russian, the verbs “cork” and “uncork” were formed from this word.

PILOTSMAN - a specialist who paves the way of the ship, he had knowledge regarding various dangers along the ship's route: reefs, shoals, undercurrents, etc., and it was also his responsibility to ensure the safe mooring of the ship. As a rule, the pilot was no longer a young man, among the sailors there was an expression about the pilot: “White hair - red nose”, referring listeners to the lights installed for the pilot ship. Initially, the pilot was a member of the ship's crew, but later, in the 13-15 centuries, specialists appeared who worked only in a certain area. The word appeared in the Dutch language - loodsman, formed from lood - “sinker”, “lead”, “lot”. The first document in which the duties of a pilot were prescribed was the "Naval Code" of 1242, written in Denmark, and for the first time the state pilotage service was organized in 1514 in Great Britain.

The pilot in Russia was called the "ship's leader", and the pilot's assistant, who measured the depth with the help of a lot on the bow of the vessel, was called the "carrier". The term "pilot" was introduced in 1701 by decree of Peter the Great, but along with this term, the word "pilot" was also used until the middle of the 18th century. For the first time in Russia, the state pilotage service was organized in Arkhangelsk in 1613, and the first regulatory document for these specialists was the document published in 1711 under the authorship of Admiral K. Kruys "Instructions for pilots of the St. Petersburg port."

MATROS - the origin of this word is very difficult to determine, it is only known that in Russia the word came in the 17th century from the Dutch language in the word form "matros". Despite the fact that in 1724 the form of the word "sailor" is used in the Naval Charter, the original version was widespread until the middle of the 19th century. It is assumed that this word originates from the Dutch noun mattengenoot, which translates as “comrade in bed” (matta - “matting”, “mat” and genoot - “comrade”. Subsequently, the word form took a truncated version of matten and in this form came to France, where it was transformed into the French word matelot, meaning “sailor.” The word itself, in the transformed version, “matlo” returned back to the Dutch language, where it finally took on the sound we know, first matrso, and later the more convenient pronunciation matroos.

There is another theory of the origin of the word "sailor", some researchers in the first part of the term see the Dutch word matt - "comrade", others - mats "mast". A number of scientists attribute the etymology of the word to the origins of the Icelandic language, in which the influence of the Viking dialect is observed: mati - “comrade” and rosta - “fight”, “battle”. By addition, these two words formed the noun "matirosta", meaning "combat friend" or "comrade in arms."

ENGINEER - the word appeared during a period of time when sailing ships began to be replaced by ships with a steam engine, the word is borrowed from the German language mashinist, and its origins lie in the ancient Greek language - machina. For the first time in Russian, the word "engine driver" occurs in 1721, at that time this specialty was not a marine one.

MEKHANIK - the origin of this word is similar to the word "driver", but its appearance in Russian in the word form "mechanicus" is noted much earlier in 1715.

A SAILOR is a person who has connected his life with the sea, presumably this profession has existed for about 9000 years. Initially, representatives of this profession were called "morenin", "sailor" and "sailor". The root “mood” is of great importance, the origin of which is very ancient, the phrase “walking on the sea” can already be found in the annals describing the campaign of Prince Oleg in 907 to Constantinople or in the work “Journey across the three seas of the merchant Athanasius Nikitin”. In modern Russian, the root “mood” is fixed in the words: “navigation”, “seaworthiness”, etc. Tsar Peter tried to introduce a foreign word of Italian-French origin into use, denoting the name of a military sailor “mariner”, derived from the Latin word mare - “ sea". This word can be seen in documents starting from 1697 in the forms “marinir” and “marinal”, but by the end of the 18th century it completely fell into disuse, remaining only in the name of the cadets of the navigation school “midshipman”. The same situation happened with the Dutch term "zeeman" or "zeiman", which fell into disuse at the end of the first quarter of the 19th century.

PILOT - this is the name of the driver or less often the navigator of a racing boat, the word is borrowed from the terms of aviation, the general tendency can be traced in indicating high speed. In the Middle Ages, this was the name of the pilot who accompanied the ship throughout the entire journey from the exit from the port to the final destination. The word came to Russian from Italian from pilota, the origin of this word is originally ancient Greek: pedotes - "pilot", formed from the noun pedon - "oar".

STEERING - a specialist who directly controls the ship, which is at the helm, the term is based on the Dutch word "rur" - "rudder", in this form the word is used in 1720 in the Naval Charter, where it is prescribed to inspect the "ruhr" before sailing. In the middle of the 18th century, the word “ruhr” finally replaced the old Russian term “helm”, but the title “helmsman” was officially used in the Russian galley fleet until the end of the century.

SALAG - means an inexperienced sailor. On the topic of the origin of this word, there is a historical anecdote about the non-existent island of Alag, that is, an exemplary dialogue: “Where are you from?” - “From Alaga”, but more likely is the version about the relationship of the word “salaga” with the name of the small fish “herring”. In the Russian dialects of the northern provinces, the word “salaga” was used to refer to any small fish; in the Urals, the word “salaka” is recorded as a nickname in the semantics of “salaga”.

SIGNALER - this is the name of a sailor who transmits messages using a manual semaphore or signal flags from ship to ship or from ship to land. The term "signal" entered the Russian language under Peter the Great from the German language - signal, formed from the Latin signum - "sign".

STARPOM - the word is formed by the addition of two Old Slavonic foundations. The word "senior" is from the root "sta", which has the semantic meaning "chief", indicating that the position of the first mate should be occupied by an experienced navigator. The word "assistant" is based on the noun "moga" lost from the language in the meaning of "power", "strength" (related words: "can't help", "help", "nobleman").

SKIPPER - is a captain on a civilian ship, the word is synonymous with the term "shipman" - "shipper", similarities can be traced in the Dutch term schipper, derived from the noun schip - "ship". Some linguists trace the etymology of the word "skipper" from the Norman language - skipar or Danish skipper with the same semantics. A number of researchers point to the proximity of the term to the German word schiffer, derived from schiff (s) herr, meaning "master of the ship". For the first time in Russian, the word "skipper" begins to be used at the beginning of the 18th century, as a designation for a junior officer rank. According to the Maritime Charter, the skipper's duties included monitoring the condition of the ropes, how they were folded, and was also responsible for all manipulations carried out with the ship's anchor. In the merchant fleet, the title of skipper officially appeared only in 1768; it was possible to become a skipper only after passing exams at the Admiralty. After 1867, they began to separate the skippers of coastal and long-distance navigation, in 1902 the title was completely abolished, although the position of "sub-skipper" still exists on large ships. The duties of the sub-skipper include providing ship supplies in part, there is also the concept of "skipper's pantry".

SKOTOVY - this is the name of a sailor who works on sheets, the word is derived from the Dutch word schoot - “floor”, and the sheet itself is a tackle used to control the clew angle of the sail, it is found in the Naval Charter for the first time in 1720 in the word form "shkhot".

STURMAN - this term is called a specialist in navigation, for the first time in Russian it appears in the form "navigator" and is used by D. Butler in the "Articular Articles", and then by K. Kruys in 1698 in "The painting of supplies for the barcolon ..." in the word forms "navigator ” and “Styurman”, already in the Naval Charter of 1720, the word is indicated in its modern form. The origin of the term "navigator" goes back to the Dutch word stuur, meaning "rudder", "rule". In the era of the rapid development of navigation, when the ships of the East India Company sailed in the Indian Ocean, the role of navigators became one of the decisive ones during navigation, thanks to this, the term "navigator" entered into international use.

In Russian, the word "navigator" has replaced the original terms "helmsman" or "helmsman", formed from the noun feed, on which the ship's control post was traditionally located. The Articular Articles notes that the navigator was obliged to inform the captain of the height of the pole, to present his book with records of ship voyages and a book with records of which route the voyage should take, in order to ensure the best safety of the ship and the safety of people on board.

YUNGA - a teenager on a ship who is being trained in maritime skills, came to Russian during the reign of Peter the Great from the Dutch jongen - a boy. There was a division of the post into a "cabin cabin boy", who performed the duties of a servant, and a "deck cabin boy", who carried out deck work. Many subsequently famous admirals began their naval service as cabin boys, one of these people was Horatio Nelson - "Admiral of Admirals".

Admiral(vf) - higher
in the naval service, a rank corresponding to the rank of general in land
troops. Commands the fleet. Admiral ranks 4: Admiral General,
admiral, vice admiral and rear admiral.

Commodore(vf) - in England and Holland, a naval officer commanding a squadron

Captain - Commander of the ship. May even be a lieutenant (more on that in the next paragraph)

Lieutenant -
naval officer, is the captain's assistant. However, Lieutenant
is the commander of a ship of the 4th rank, having 14-16 guns. For such
ships captain is not appointed. On a rank 3 ship with 50 guns
the lieutenant is the senior assistant to the captain (because there, according to the regulations
no captain lieutenant). In modern terms, a lieutenant is
watch officer, head of the watch, i.e. part of the crew carrying
ship service in this period of time.

ship secretary -
there is one secretary on any ship. It can be said that this officer
is an assistant captain for personnel accounting, staff work,
accounting, control over the work of all supply services, correspondence. He is obliged
control the receipt of all supplies on the ship, keep a logbook,
to acquaint the crew with the Charter, written orders and instructions
senior naval commanders, keep court records, draw up
contracts for the supply of supplies, control the distribution of food and other
property to personnel, take into account the booty taken from the enemy,
record the consumption of gunpowder and cores during the battle, draw up applications to the port
to replenish supplies, rewrite the belongings of the dead and the dead and
pass them on to relatives. He is not allowed to leave the ship.
(except for the performance of duties requiring his presence at
shore) until it is put on a long parking lot and is not
disarmed.

Priest (chaplain) -
the priest was rather equated with officers in his position, but also
unambiguously to the officers it could not be attributed. Rather, he just stood
apart. The navy had one primary priest in charge of
activities of ship priests. Each ship had
the priest who sent all religious events. In addition, he
was obliged to visit the wounded and sick and to alleviate their spiritual
suffering. The priest was responsible for the priestly supplies and kept records of them and
use (camping church, throne with vestments, Gospels,
crosses, etc.)

healer -
All ships had one healer. Depending on the rank of the ship
he had a different number of assistants. The doctor was in charge of accounting,
supply of medicines, medical instruments, kept records of patients,
was responsible for the treatment of patients, the quality and quantity of food given to them.
During the battle, he was forbidden to go on deck, but had to
be in the chamber where the place of collection of the wounded was determined. If a
it was established that the sick or wounded died from the negligence of the doctor, then
the latter was treated as a murderer and subject to execution.

Skipper
one of the senior officers. According to the regulations, only the navigator was above him.
All ships had one skipper. The skipper was responsible for accounting, availability,
storage, use, repair, replenishment, replacement of skipper's
property. Kept a log of this property. To the skipper's property
included the entire removable spars (masts, yards), all rigging (ropes,
ropes, blocks), anchors, lanterns, washing and cleaning equipment, candles,
carpentry stock and tools, boat sails, all metal
products, inventory, materials and tools of the caulker, lubricants
materials, fixing material (nails, staples, bolts). Skipper accepts
to ship all this property and monitors the completeness of the receipt, quality.
He is also responsible for the distribution of all property and supplies in places.
storage, securing property from pitching. When placing the ship on
anchoring and unanchoring monitors the etching or reception of the anchor
rope, the operation of locking devices. He is also responsible for organizing
cleaning the ship, restoring order. The skipper supervises the work
sailors, punishes the negligent, trains the inept. Sub-skipper replaces
skipper in his absence.

Navigator
- was responsible for navigational property, its receipt, storage,
use, spending. Flags were considered navigational property,
signal flags, pennants, ship and boat guises, compass,
hourglasses, logs, lots, lamps. The navigator kept a log book
navigational property, monitored the replenishment and serviceability of his
property. He was also responsible for nautical charts, sailing directions, serviceability of the helmsman
ship control. He adjusted the compass and the hourglass. During
sailing, he had to check maps with a real coastline,
islands, rocks, reefs and map all their changes.
The navigator is obliged to inform the officers and the captain about the dangers of the ship's course
(shoals, reefs, rocks) and insist on changing it, and even if the captain
or another officer will not listen to him, and the ship will be lost, then the navigator
will be executed or sent to hard labor. When anchoring, the navigator
is obliged to ensure that this place is not shallow and the hull of the ship is not
would have broken through with its anchor. The navigator helps the navigator, and in his
the absence is fully responsible for the navigator's service.

Boatswain
- a specialist of the junior commanding staff of the ship's crew (in the Navy -
foremen); the immediate head of the deck crew. AT
The boatswain's duties include maintaining the hull in good condition,
rigging and deck equipment of the ship, management of general ship work
and training of ordinary members of the deck crew (sailors) in maritime affairs,
keeping order and cleanliness on board. On large warships
there is one chief boatswain and several boatswains.

Midshipman -
direct assistant to officers. Primary duty to look after
full and accurate execution by all crew members of the orders of officers.
Other responsibilities include organizing the installation and placement of
premises of the ship's property and keep a register of this property.

Gunners
These are naval gunners. We can say - the commanders of the guns. By
the number of guns and gunners, we can say that for three guns there were two
gunner. Consequently, the gunners were engaged in loading, aiming and
the production of a shot, and the roll of the guns into place, cooling, cleaning
after the shot was assigned to the soldiers. Sailors are not related to guns
had.

Quartermaster
- commands the sailors stationed in this cockpit. He must follow
for the presence of their sailors on the ship, for the health of their sailors,
cleanliness and serviceability of their clothes, for the issuance of food to sailors and for
return to the kitchen for leftover food and dishes, so that the products,
weapons, things, gear were not taken away from the ship. Quartermaster also
is the commander of the boat, monitors its serviceability, equipment,
manages it on the water and commands the sailors assigned to the crew
boats.

A carpenter
- is obliged to monitor all the wooden parts of the hull and spars and
repair them; to control the quality of those received on board
spars wooden parts (masts, yardarms); together with a caulker
fix leaks in the hull. It is also obliged to monitor whether there are any receipts
water into the hull. Keep a log of the receipt and consumption of wooden
details, materials. Required to know the dimensions and design of all
wooden parts so that they can competently order on the shore
production of parts for this ship.

Caulker -
have to keep an eye on it. so that there are no leaks in the hull, so that hatches and
cannon ports were tightly closed. When leaks occur, together with
the ship's carpenter to remove them.

sailmaster
- there is one sailmaster on a ship of any rank. Under his leadership
one or two sailing students. Responsible for keeping sails in good condition
fix them.

Soldiers (Marines)- were involved in servicing the guns to help the gunners, boarding and landing teams were made up of them.

Sailors -
junior rank. Engaged to work on the ship, such as: work with
sails, pumping water from the hold, keeping the ship clean. On the
robber ships made up the boarding team.

On modern German container ship
Captain (Master)
Chief officer



Miner (Oiler)
Four sailors and boatswain
Cook (Cook).

For example - senior mate

The shipowner does not need to pay two or three if one person can do the job. The fact that this one sometimes even has no time to sleep is violet to the shipowner. There is . Salary and conditions are good. Then forward and with the song. And what is there and how it will turn out as a result when working on a ship, the tenth thing ...

The reason for everything is money. And money rules the world. A capacious saying, of course, I don’t remember just whose ....

About positions and crews

I'll tell you about the positions on the ships of the merchant fleet. There are many positions good and different. Mechanics and navigator, electricians and sailors. There is enough work for everyone, especially now, when most merchant ships have reduced crews. Abbreviated - read the required minimum crew for the normal operation of the vessel. And how many sailors, navigators and mechanics should be on each ship? How does the shipowner know how much is needed? There is such a special document. It's called Minimum Safe Manning. This certificate specifies the minimum number of crew a ship must have in order to operate it safely, according to flag state regulations.

On board every ship, no matter what flag the ship operates under, be it Antigua and Barbuda or Pakistan, there is this document. An increase in the crew is allowed, at the discretion of the shipowner, of course. The main thing is not less than what is specified in the certificate.

At the time of the Union, on the ships of the Black Sea Shipping Company (ChMP), the number of crew was regulated in large offices, there were staffing tables, etc. For comparison, let's take a typical Soviet dry cargo ship with a deadweight of 10,000 tons. In the engine room - the fourth, third, second, senior mechanics, each minder in submission, and also a turner and an electrician; deck - similarly: fourth, third, second, senior assistants, pompolit, captain plus radio operator and ship's doctor. Sailors and boatswain. Cook, stewards. Lots of people. 25 people. Plus or minus. And everyone had their own responsibilities. Everyone had something to do.

On modern German container ship of the same deadweight (the vessel in the photo in the top is about 1000 containers) with a total of 12 crew members:
Captain (Master)
Chief officer
Second assistant (Second officer)
Chief Engineer
Second mechanic (Second Engineer)
Miner (Oiler)
Four sailors and boatswain
Cook (Cook).

Yes, what can I say, here. A huge ship, but it's hard to believe that there are also only 13 crew members.

Of course, we must pay tribute to technological progress. As I already wrote about modern ships, now some functions are performed by computers and automation instead of a person. But, nevertheless, almost every member of the crew of a modern vessel has several combined duties.

For example - senior mate. He is responsible for everything related to the cargo: planning, fastening, stability calculations; ballast operations, distribution of work on deck in close contact with the boatswain. The XO can also be a security officer, which also places additional responsibilities on him. Plus paper work: reports, checklists, reports, cargo documents for arrival and departure, and similar bureaucracy. And these same papers are indecently many. Well, nobody canceled the navigation watch. Four hours through eight. Frankly, as long as I work, I see so much that the first mate in the port, during cargo operations, hardly sleeps. There just isn't time for it.
Mechanics are not happy either. Maintenance of systems and mechanisms, bunkering, maneuvers. Again, paperwork. And if there is an emergency in the engine room - some mechanism is out of order, then there will be no end to the labor feat of mechanics. Ten people at the union on the same ship and three now. The difference is palpable.

The shipowner does not need to pay two or three if one person can do the job. The fact that this one sometimes even has no time to sleep is violet to the shipowner. There is

Educational program for "dummies": who does what on the ship and how not to get confused in elementary maritime jargon

A "land" person does not know how complex and multifaceted the life of a sailor is. Everyone on the ship is responsible for his own area of ​​work, and the crew of the ship consists of people of many maritime professions, without whom not a single ship would go to sea. Let's try to figure out the "backbone" of the seafarers, who does what and why a ship cannot do without these people.

bataler

This name does not apply to "battles" and military terminology. Everything is much more prosaic. Bataler - a person who is responsible for supplying the crew with food and non-food products, keeps records and draws up reporting documentation.

A bataler is a non-combatant fleet, but it is impossible to imagine a ship leaving the port without it.

Boatswain

Senior combatant "non-commissioned officer". All lower ranks are subordinate to him - both combatant and non-combatant. The boatswain is responsible for the order on the ship. The duties include testing the knowledge of sailors in maritime affairs.

The position of boatswain implies responsibility for the technical condition of the spars and rigging. He is also responsible for the technical condition of all ship equipment. There may be one boatswain or a whole boatswain team on the ship, the senior in it bears the title of chief boatswain. Each of them keeps watch on deck in turn.

Captain

Ship commander. In maritime jargon, the captain is called "cap" (behind the eyes, of course). This is the most important person on the ship, his orders are carried out implicitly, even by senior officers.

The chief commander of the entire team must know the ship, the strengths and weaknesses of the crew like the back of his hand and manage the process of moving the ship even in critical situations. No wonder there is an unspoken rule that the captain leaves the ship last - even during a storm.

He is responsible for saving the lives of the crew and the ship itself in the event of an unforeseen situation. If the ship cannot be saved, the captain is obliged to organize the rescue of the personnel and leave the ship with him, but only later than everyone else.

It would take a very long time to list all the duties of the captain of the ship, since they cover a wide range: from sanitary and economic management of affairs during navigation to safety and management of the ship, responsibility for observing the regime of maritime spaces, international law.

Cook

Another position, without the owner of which even a fragile ship will not go on a voyage for several days.

An analogue of a civilian cook, a sea cook must not only prepare tasty and healthy food from the products at his disposal, but also correctly calculate their quantity. Otherwise, the team may remain hungry, and he himself may be overboard.

Only the most trained sailors are selected for the position of cook, and the captain moving to another ship tries to lure a well-known cook to him.

Pilot

The duties of the pilot also include ensuring the safety of the ship's mooring. In the old days, the pilot had an assistant, whom the crew called the "carrier", because he measured the depth with a stick, standing on the bow of the ship.

Now this position has practically been withdrawn from the ship's staff, and the duties are performed by the navigator and navigator. But in order to overcome difficult straits and enter a narrow harbor, a local pilot who knows the surrounding water area and the seabed like the back of his hand always boards.

Sailor

It belongs to the lower order of the ship and belongs to the category of employees who ensure order on the deck. Roughly speaking, the sailor performs all the rough work on the ship. However, in civil navigation this position is very common.

The duties of a sailor include: washing the deck, cleaning, cleaning, rigging and cargo operations. But if it seems that anyone can become a sailor, this is not at all the case. To be admitted to a position, a modern sailor must have the skills to navigate a ship and navigate with a compass. The sailor is obliged to monitor the state of the vessel during the course. And even if he never uses these skills during a flight, he will not be able to join the team without them.

An inexperienced or lazy sailor who does not know how to do anything or does not want to do anything is called a “newbie”. This nickname is so widely included in the marine lexicon that on some ships the entire crew calls the sailors nothing more than “salagas”.

Machinist (minder)

The workplace of the driver (sometimes the position is called the “minder”) is the hold of the ship. This person is included in the ordinary, sometimes foremen of the ship, and is responsible for maintaining fire, drainage and other systems necessary for the correct operation of the ship.

The driver constantly monitors the serviceability of the engine and is obliged to know all the subtleties and nuances of eliminating breakdowns as quickly as possible. In addition, the machinist must be fluent in mooring skills, manage boats and be an excellent swimmer.

The work of a machinist is not at all easy, sometimes even exhausting, so a person is required not only good physical fitness, but also nerves of steel.

Mechanic

The mechanic works directly in the engine room of the vessel and monitors the operation of the engine and its parts, supervises the machinists. The mechanics have a great responsibility, his work is also not sugar. He has to spend the whole shift in a stuffy closed room without proper lighting, his hands are soiled with fuel oil and oil.

Most ships have only three mechanics. This is also due to the difficult working conditions: the shift is four hours, after which the mechanic rests for eight, while the next two take over in turn.

With the well-established operation of the mechanisms, the mechanic simply maintains their working condition, but in case of accidents and failures, an emergency starts. Then all three representatives of this maritime profession work tirelessly for days, trying to restore the ship's buoyancy and driving performance.

Senior assistant captain (commander)

In maritime jargon - simply "senior officer" or, as sailors are very fond of saying, "chief". A person who does nothing, but likes to give orders, as the junior staff of any ship believes. But, of course, everything is exactly the opposite.

The chief officer is the second person after the captain, so it is not surprising that he has a lot of responsibility. As the first deputy "cap", he manages all work on the ship, is responsible for the preparation of the crew and the condition of the ship during the voyage. At any moment, the first officer must be ready to replace the captain.

Navigator

He manages the ship, makes sure that the ship does not go astray, plots a course, monitors the navigation system and checks with the route map, manages the mooring, checks the health of the anchors and measures the depth so that the ship does not run aground during the stop.

In maritime jargon, it means "leader", since it is the navigator who leads the ship and all the sailors. A sub-navigator helps the navigator in a difficult task, who, in which case, can replace his boss.

cabin boy

Many believe that the cabin boy is a real naval rank, but this is not entirely true. A few centuries ago, cabin boys were called boys or teenagers who carried out cleaning and maintenance work on the deck.

However, intermittently, but such a rank in the combatant of the ship really existed, and in the Russian Empire they even opened junior schools. In fact, the cabin boy is a boy who was being prepared for the position of a sailor.

Some of the above titles were abolished, some still remain, under other names. In fact, there are a lot of maritime positions, because a ship is a whole life, a huge mechanism, which requires the uninterrupted work of tens or even hundreds of people.

Shipborne ranks in the navy are used in the Russian Navy and are assigned to sailors as far as they are able to take responsibility for the command of one or another military personnel. They are also assigned to the military of the coast guard of the border troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, underwater and surface units of the Navy and naval units of the troops.

Almost all naval ranks are different from the missile and ground forces, the airborne forces and the armed forces. From 1884 to 1991, they changed due to a number of events:

• the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917;
• the creation of the Soviet Union and its subsequent collapse 1922-1991;
• creation of the Russian Federation in 1991

Modern ranks in the navy divided into 4 categories:

1. Conscripts for urgent and contract service. This includes: a sailor, a senior sailor, a foreman of the second article, a foreman of the first article and a chief ship foreman. The senior midshipman and the senior midshipman are also included in the senior staff.

2. Junior officers of the fleet. These are: junior lieutenant, lieutenant, senior lieutenant and lieutenant commander.

3. Senior officers of the Navy. Ranks are divided: captains of the third, second and first rank.

4. The highest officers. Consists of: Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet.

Detailed description of ship ranks in ascending order

Sailor- junior rank in the navy, which corresponds to the land private. These are conscripts.

Senior sailor- a parallel to the army rank of corporal, which is assigned to a sailor for observing discipline and exemplary performance of duties. May be an assistant to the foreman and replace the foreman of the second article.

Senior staff

Sergeant major of the second article- junior rank in the senior staff, which was introduced on November 2, 1940. It is located in rank above the senior sailor and below the foreman of the first article. May be a squad leader.

Petty officer of the first article- a sailor of the fleet, who is located in rank above the foreman of the second article, but below the chief foreman. The second, as it grows in the list of senior officers, was introduced on November 2, 1940. This is the squad leader, who showed excellent results in the performance of military and organizational duties.

Chief ship sergeant major- military rank in the Navy of the Russian Federation and the Coast Guard. He occupies a place between the foreman of the first article and the midshipman of the fleet. The naval rank of chief ship foreman corresponds to the army senior sergeant. Can replace the platoon leader.

Midshipman- a word of English origin, which is assigned to a sailor after passing the relevant training programs and courses. On land, this is an ensign. Performs organizational and combat duties as a platoon commander or company foreman.

Senior midshipman- a military rank in the Navy of the Russian Federation, which is higher in rank than midshipman, but lower than junior lieutenant. Similarly, a senior warrant officer in other branches of the military.

junior officers

Rank junior lieutenant comes from French and translates as "deputy". He occupies the first step in the junior officers, both in the ground and naval forces. May be a post or platoon leader.

Lieutenant- the second among ranks in the navy, in rank above junior lieutenant and below senior lieutenant. Assigned upon expiration of service with the rank of junior lieutenant.

Senior Lieutenant- the naval rank of junior officers in Russia, which is higher in rank than lieutenant, and lower than lieutenant commander. With excellent performance in the service, he can be an assistant to the captain of the ship.

Lieutenant Commander- the highest rank of junior officers, which in the Russian Federation and Germany corresponds to the captain of the army of the ground forces. A sailor with this rank is considered the deputy captain of the ship and the commander of a company of hundreds of subordinates.

Senior officers

Captain 3rd rank- Corresponds to an army major. The abbreviated name of the shoulder strap is "captri". Among the duties is command of a ship of the corresponding rank. These are small military vessels: landing, anti-submarine, torpedo and minesweepers.

Captain of the second rank, or "kapdva" - the rank of a sailor in the Navy, which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in land ranks. This is the commander of a ship of the same rank: large landing, missile and destroyers.

Captain of the first rank, or "kapraz", "kapturang" - a military rank in the Russian Navy, which is higher in rank than a captain of the second rank and lower than a rear admiral. May 7, 1940 exists among ranks in the navy, decided by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. "Kapturang" commands ships with complex control and huge military power: aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and cruisers.

Senior officer corps

rear admiral can command a squadron of ships and replace the commander of a flotilla. Adopted since 1940 and since that time corresponds to the major general of the ground forces and aviation.

Vice Admiral- the rank of sailors in Russia, which allows you to replace the admiral. Corresponds to the lieutenant general of the ground forces. Manages fleet operations.

Admiral from the Dutch language it is translated as "lord of the sea", therefore it is in the highest officer corps. Army employees correspond to the rank of colonel-general. Operates an active fleet.

Fleet Admiral- the highest active rank, as well as in other types of troops, army general. Manages the fleet and is assigned to active admirals with excellent combat, organizational and strategic performance.

What types of troops are assigned naval ranks?

The Navy of the Russian Federation (Russian Navy) also includes the following units:

• marines;
• coast guard;
• naval aviation.

The Marine Corps is a unit that carries out the defense of military installations, sections of the coast and other sea lines. As part of the "marines" there are sabotage and reconnaissance groups. Marine Corps motto: "Where we are, there is victory."

The Coast Guard is a branch of the military that defends the bases of the Russian fleets and special objects of the coastal zone. They have at their disposal anti-aircraft, torpedo, mine weapons, as well as missile systems and other artillery.

Naval aviation - troops whose duties include the detection and destruction of the enemy, the defense of ships and other elements from enemy forces, the destruction of enemy aircraft, helicopters and other air structures. The aviation of the Russian Federation also carries out air transportation and rescue operations on the high seas.

How and for what is the next rank awarded to sailors?

The assignment of the next title is described in the current laws of the Russian Federation:

• for a senior sailor, it is necessary to serve 5 months;
• receiving a foreman of the 2nd article can be expected after a year of service;
• three years for senior sergeant and chief ship foreman;
• three years to receive a midshipman;
• 2 years for junior lieutenant;
• 3 to receive a lieutenant and a senior lieutenant;
• 4 years to get a lieutenant commander and a captain of the 3rd rank.
• 5 years to captain 2nd and 1st rank;
• for senior officers for at least a year at the same rank.

It is also worth knowing that military ranks in the navy can be assigned if the due date has not yet passed, but the military man has shown his organizational, tactical and strategic abilities. The sailor who does not want to become an admiral is bad, all the more so, it is possible. There are many examples of ambitious, ambitious sailors who became admirals.