Rank Of Oiler (Motorman)

An Oiler (Motorman) is an engine room staff forming the engine room rating. It’s a position equivalent to the Able Seafarer on the deck department in the engine department. They are also known as “Able Seafarer Engine” because the hold the watchkeeping (Certificate of Proficiency) in accordance with the provision of the “Regulation III/5” International Covention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) “95.

TO BECOME AN OILER

An oiler is expected to must have basic knowledge about the operations and standards of watchkeeping in the engine room. Also, a person who wants to become an oiler must have at least one (1) year experience as a wiper, Marine Engineer Assistant (MEA) or as a Trainee Engine Crew which qualifies the person to sit for the Engine Watchkeeping examination for the Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) which will certify the person as an Able Seafarer Engine in accordance to “Regulation III/5” (STCW) “95.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Being licensed and qualified engine rating and watchkeeper, the oiler is allowed to carry out some duties that could be assigned to the position but under the supervision of the Officer in Charge- Engine Watch (OiC- EW) are but not limited to;

Oilers were a sensibly ordinary circumstance in a couple of ventures with basic mechanical assembly. In addition, starting late, oiler obligations are collapsable into different summarized occupation positions. Regardless, the oiler work exists in nautical endeavors like the merchandiser marines.

• Watchkeeping
• Engine Room Maintenance
• Taking Sounding
• Oiling and greasing machineries as when due
• Assist duty engineer in maintenance and repairs
• Taking reading of engine parameters (eg: pressure, temperature, level guage etc)
• Filling Head tanks
• Preparing tools for engine jobs
• Assist during bunkering operation
• Changing and cleaning filters
• Fireman (incase of firefighting in the engine room)

Depending on the kind, size of ship and the company policy some oiler are also “FITTERS” who has welding and fabricating knowledge and qualifications in other to work in the two positions as an oiler and fitter.

Since an oiler is watchkeeper, in some ships or vessels two (2) or three (3) oilers and are divided into the respective watch hours of

• 0000H-0400H & 1200H-1600H
• 0400H-0800H & 1600H-2000H
• 0800H-1200H & 2000H-2400H an extra working hours (overtime) of two (2) hours could be add.
  The watch hour is subject to change depending on the number of oilers onboard or operation if two are onboard watch hours will six (6) hours of watch time with the timing of
• 0000H-0600H & 1200H-1800H
• 0600H-1200H & 1800H-2400H

In some ship or vessel that has the Unattended Machinery Spaces (UMS) the oiler would be a daysman who will work on normal working hours of 0800H-1700H with coffee and lunch breaks in between and will not keep duty watch at night but may will keep duty watch when the vessel is on operation or maneuvering.

SALARY

The ITF-IMEC International Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) rate the total wages of an oiler at $1732 excluding extra overtime pay. The wages of the oiler may differ depending on the type of vessel, company policy and state policies which may increase or decrease if other allowance are added and tax deductions.