Page 39 - 2021 - Q3 - Minerva in Focus

This issue’s key Question
What is the most essential skill

for a chief engineer?

auxiliary equipment, and boiler. Upon tak-
ing over the engine room, he should in-
spect the facilities and machinery, meas-
ure the amount of fuel and lubricants, and
draw up a protocol, which is also signed by
the officer who hands the engine room
over to him. When entering and leaving
ports, bays, canals, channels, and in any
other critical circumstances, he is obliged
to be present at the engine room.
The chief engineer also delegates the var-
ious tasks to the engine room personnel
and monitors their proper execution. He
Jojo O. Carilla ensures that the necessary measures are
Chief Engineer of M/T Minerva Grace should be well organized, keep logs, fill taken to prevent leakage or fire and that
forms, delegate tasks, and focus on safety all mechanical repairs, which the engine
by having a good safety plan to protect the crew can perform, are carried out. He
A chief engineer should crew and the environment. keeps the engine room logbook, in which
have a wide variety of per- he records events concerning the condi-
sonal and professional Patrick Lustestica tion and operation of the engines, fuel
skills; in my opinion, the Chief Engineer of M/V Parapola consumption, and completes the oil book
most essential is excellent corresponding to the ship’s flag.
communication skills, which I think ap- In my opinion, to be a good
plies to every leadership role. Being a chief engineer, one has to
leader or chief engineer, one must listen be effective both as a lead-
to one’s crew, paying attention to what er and as a manager. As the
they report or say. Being a leader doesn’t entire technical team’s
mean you no longer have to listen to oth- leader, the chief engineer should build up
ers or that anything you say goes. Good the team by creating a positive atmos-
communication and treating others with phere. Also, sharing his vision with the
respect allow a chief engineer to imple- team, motivating them, and keeping their
ment plans and communicate orders ef- morale and spirits high will maximize
fectively to fellow engineers or crew everyone’s output. Inspiring people makes
members. them more productive in their daily
routines.
Stefanos Koutoukler Scheduling work, planning priorities, moni-
Chief Engineer of M/T Minerva Kalypso toring, and evaluating a task’s progress are
all part of a chief engineer’s daily responsi-
A chief engineer should bilities that require managerial skills. From
possess specific skills, a technical perspective, he should have
which, in my opinion, are an open, analytical mind when technical
all essential. problems arise to resolve them effectively.
He must never forget that
as a human being, he should continuously
evolve and acquire new knowledge by Georgios Volikakis
reading books, attending seminars that Chief Engineer of M/T Minerva Elpida
upgrade and improve his knowledge, and
imparting his knowledge to his team, as The chief engineer is re-
a good facilitator should. A chief engi- sponsible for maintaining
neer should investigate technical faults the proper operation of
and provide solutions. In conclusion, he the ship’s main engines,

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