Life Onboard - Graeme Lannigan, Deck Cadet
Graeme Lannigan
For my third and maybe final trip as Cadet, I was sent to British Trader, an LNG Carrier. My previous two vessels had been the British Enterprise, a product tanker and the British Laurel, a crude oil tanker.
I joined the ship shortly after finishing Phase 5 of deck cadet training at South Tyneside College, in Cartagena, Spain. I have now been onboard the vessel for three and a half months, and we are completing our second cargo from Egypt to South Korea.
I am currently understudying the third officer on the 8-12 watch. I have been very lucky as I have been on watch with officers who are very willing to teach or show me anything I am unsure of, and they always encourage me to learn whilst on watch.
Most of my time on watch is taken up with traffic situations and application of the rules of the road. There are also many other tasks, such as daily GMDSS tests, compass errors and meteorological observations, which have to be carried out during the watch. When it is quiet on the bridge, I occupy myself by doing celestial navigation or studying.
Occasionally, the officer I am on watch with will do a task outside of their watch, such as lifeboat maintenance. I will go and help with these sorts of tasks if I’m allowed because maybe I will have to do these sorts of tasks in a few years time. The experience you can gain in this way is invaluable.
I also look to get involved with jobs that I would not get to observe when I am an officer. Onboard British Trader, the chief officer here occasionally allowed me time off from watch to observe special tasks happening out on deck. Again, this kind of experience is invaluable.