Overseeing the systems
- Fuel, lubrication, cooling and compressed-air systems and their reliability and maintenance regimes.
- Pumping, bilge and ballast systems, and the oily-water separator with its oil-content monitoring.
- Fresh-water production, sewage treatment and the HVAC where fitted.
- Setting the maintenance and testing regimes for each system and holding the critical spares.
At management level the Chief does not just operate these systems but owns their reliability: setting the maintenance and testing regimes, holding the critical spares, and ensuring the compliance items — the oily-water separator monitoring, the sewage treatment, the pressure-vessel surveys — are kept current. The oily-water separator's discharge is governed by MARPOL and recorded in the oil-record book, and the Chief ensures the equipment works and the records are honest.
NOTE — Own the reliability, not just the operation At management level the Chief sets the maintenance and testing regimes and holds the spares that make the systems reliable, rather than only operating them. Reliability is designed in through the regime, not hoped for.
WARNING — The oily-water separator discharge is regulated Any overboard discharge of separated bilge water must meet the MARPOL oil-content limit and be recorded in the oil-record book. The Chief ensures the separator and its monitor work and the records are complete and honest.