I currently work at the Port of Immingham alongside the Assistant Dock Masters (ADMs) and Marine Supervisors and I’m in my 3rd year of a 3 year Level 4 Port Marine Operations Officer Apprenticeship. My days can vary depending on which departments within marine I am working it. I can be working on the lock, in dock or on the jetties berthing ships, seeing them through the lock or running ship-to-ship mooring lines at the outer harbour. When the shipping schedule gets busy, I can find myself supporting the team and getting stuck in by pulling mooring lines to bollards, carrying out water jobs. When I’m with the ADMs, I speak to ship’s agents to ensure the safe arrival of the ship to dock at the correct times and ensure sufficient under keel clearance to clear the sill. I sometimes stand in for the radio operator and control the lock by opening and closing the sluices and giving permission to small craft wanting to cross the bell mouth as it is within the port limits.
The shift sometimes requires me to do two days (0700-1900), followed by two nights (1900-0700), then four days off. This is a three-week rotation and I then receive 10 days off. Other times I can be doing 0900-1700, or 1100-1900. This all depends on the shipping schedules and their activities that will help me complete my apprenticeship, as certain activities may only occur at certain times, such as putting fenders out at Outer Harbour.
The Port Marine Operations Officer Apprenticeship is challenging because one week I can find myself working in Immingham and other weeks I can be seconded to different departments such as Hydrography, Data Centre or the Pilot Launches. This provides me a great insight into how other departments work but also how they integrate with one another daily.
