Just trying to get some information on what an ROS ship is like. I would be reporting as a 2/O and can’t imagine I will be doing much navigation seeing how the ship will be going nowhere.
Creepy at times, easy most times. I think the engine department is much busier than the deck department, I enjoyed it.
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One of my friends is the Bosun on one. For the deck crew lots of chipping, painting, and that sort of stuff. He also helps the 2nd with the upkeep of the vessel’s safety equipment.
I was 2M for awhile on an ROS vessel, albeit an FOS vessel placed in ROS for a long yard period.
I kept updating the ECDIS and paper charts for our operating area, kept the logs in order and walked around during my 8 hour watch here and there checking lines and getting drafts at 0600 for the CM. The Master had me prepare the voyage plan for when we’d inevitably get placed back into FOS and return to Saipan, though for pure ROS vessels with little or no chance of being activated for long term service your routine and duties may be slightly different.
It was pretty easy and quiet.
Thank you sir. Is there a rotation for time off? I heard that it’s a year contract and you get the weekends off with the exception that you occasionally have duty on the weekends.
That’s where our experiences diverge. I was assigned rotary to a vessel placed in ROS for a 6 month yard period.
In fact, I shouldn’t have been there. They were scheduled to go FOS and crewed up as such but that got scrapped when more work needed to be done. They just left us there in ROS status but fully manned.
Work was mundane. AB’s vacuumed and painted cloverleafs, inventoried turnbuckles and cleaned living spaces/passages. Deck side we just stood our watches and filled out the logs…
2M specific, just what I mentioned above. Maintaining the charts, pubs and NTM catalogue.