Work onboard ships can vastly vary depending on what kind of vessel it is, and which 'department' (deck or engineering) you belong to. As a deckhand on a commercial passenger ferry, I am responsible for doing basic tasks including:

• Mooring operations (tying and untying the ship)
• Loading cargo (securing semi truck trailers and other cargo units onboard)
• Acting as lookout or quartermaster (steering the ship)
• Routine inspections and checks (inspecting firefighting equipment/sounding void spaces to check for water ingress/making sure we have enough lifejackets/etc...)
• Security and firewatch patrols (walk around the boat hourly to make sure nothing is amiss)
• Performing routine emergency drills (man overboard/firefighting/abandoning ship)

On other boats, deckhands might be responsible for more tasks, like cooking for the crew (on small boats), tending to the engine room (on small boats), or more intensive upkeep of the ship like needling/painting. The deckhand may be considered the lowest 'rank' onboard, but they perform many important small tasks to keep the vessel in working condition.

I have a family member who works as a mate for the same employer as me. I took a 6-week course on seamanship (a 'bridge watchman' training program) in university and 2 marine emergency duty (MEDs) courses to become qualified. I didn't really know much about ships at this time and didn't live on the coast where I could see them; but when I was in school and stepped onto a ship for the first time I felt that I had found my niche in life.

Qualifications will vary depending on the country you live in. I am a Canadian citizen and work only within Canadian waters. The full requirements for Canadian seafarers are outlined in the Marine Personnel Regulations; but in simple terms, you must be trained in marine emergency response and you must pass a Seafarer's Medical Examination (Physician's Guide/ the list of criteria which will determine eligibility or ineligibilty). To work on any ship, even as non-deck/engineering crew, you must be declared medically fit by a qualified examiner/doctor. The requirements to be medically fit aren't steep- but diabetes or poor eyesight could lead to additional testing.

I love any large ship, but my favorite type is probably the semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel. This kind of ship is really cool- they are engineered with decks low to the waterline and are designed to be ballasted down into the water, 'submerging' most of the ship and allowing heavy/large cargo to be floated onto the deck. These are the kinds of boats that tow massive factory equipment, offshore installations, and other ships around the world. Here is a photo of the 'Dockwise Vanguard' loaded with an offshore oil rig for transport.