Marine Department - Assistant Marine Officer
Assistant Marine Officer
Vincent: I graduated from the Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. When I was in the university, I joined a summer internship programme organised by the Marine Department. Later on I learned from the sharing of an alumnus who has become a Marine Officer that there is a high demand for personnel with experience in ocean-going vessels, I also learned about the career development for working ashore, so I decided to join the maritime industry.
Angus: I used to be a Deck Officer of an ocean-going container shipping company. I worked on board for eight years. Then I heard that the Marine Department was recruiting Assistant Marine Officers, after three to four years of training, we may be promoted to the rank of Marine Officer, so I decided to join the Marine Department.
Routine work of Assistant Marine Officer
Angus: I am currently posted to the Harbour Patrol Section. My main duties are to assist the planning and management of daily patrol work and to enforce the marine legislation. For example, when an organisation wants to hold a cross-harbour swimming race, a Marine Officer and I will attend meetings of the event to provide marine safety considerations and suggestions, and to formulate action plans according to the details of the event, including patrol boat arrangement, marine traffic control, and maritime emergency response, etc., ensuring that the event is organised smoothly according to marine legislation and the principle of safety.
Vincent: I am posted to the Dangerous Goods Unit, which is mainly responsible for regulating the transportation of packaged dangerous goods in the Hong Kong waters. We will closely liaise with different government departments and stakeholders in the industry to provide professional advice, to ensure that locally operated vessels can meet the Marine Department’s requirements on transportation of dangerous goods. We also arrange frontline staff of our unit to conduct spot checks on vessels in local waters to ensure that they comply with the rules and regulations on transportation of dangerous goods. In addition, we will supervise the courses on handling of dangerous goods organised by the Maritime Services Training Institute (MSTI).
Qualities of Assistant Marine Officer
Angus: To become an Assistant Marine Officer, there are several important qualities, the first is self-confidence. We have to believe in our own capability to show our best performance. The second is enthusiasm which provides the impetus to learn and strive for better performance.
Vincent: The third is resilience when we are facing urgent and difficult situations such as participating in search and rescue operations in the Hong Kong and neighbouring waters or assisting oil spill clean-up operations in the Hong Kong waters. We have to stay calm and use our professional knowledge and experience to think about workable solutions.
Applying for Assistant Marine Officer post
Angus: To become an Assistant Marine Officer, we need to pass a written test and an interview. The written test focuses on assessing our comprehensive thinking, analytical and writing skills. Thus, when we are answering the questions, apart from making use of our professional knowledge, we have to understand the core of the questions. I would suggest, before attending the written test, pay more attention to local and international maritime news. Reading more government policy documents is also conducive to the written test. For the interview, it is mostly situational questions about the daily work of the Marine Department. The interview is to test our analytical skills, resilience, self-confidence and leadership, etc. We have to be confident in ourselves and explain our viewpoints with sound arguments.
Promotion of Assistant Marine Officer
Vincent: A newly recruited Assistant Marine Officer will receive professional training. The designated training programme is jointly designed by the Marine Department and the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). It is tailored-made for Assistant Marine Officer, including the attachment opportunity in maritime industry related organisations or overseas training. When we complete the designated training programme and pass the assessment, we will be awarded professional qualification by IMarEST. If other requirements are fulfilled, such as having good character and ability, we can be promoted to the rank of Marine Officer. Like other government departments, there is an established promotion system in the Marine Officer grade. When one receives continuous positive appraisals, one may be promoted to Senior Marine Officer, Principal Marine Officer or even the higher management level.
Dedicated crew on the same boat
Angus: I remember when my vessel passed the southern waters of Sri Lanka during midnight, the fire alarm suddenly rang, everyone on the ship woke up and immediately positioned according to the emergency response procedures. The fire brigade soon found out the generator in the engine room caught fire, the captain immediately asked us to put out the fire with the carbon dioxide fire extinguishing system. In the end, there was no crew injury nor cargo damage. If someone strayed away from the fire brigade or the engine room crew were not familiar with the fire extinguishing system operation, the outcome might be disastrous.
Vincent: When we are on board, all are in the same team, everyone has to be dedicated to his post and give their best to perform their duties. No matter we are collaborating with other government departments to conduct search and rescue missions or handling accidents on our own vessels, we have to uphold our professionalism and work together to tackle the problems.
The missions of Assistant Marine Officer
Angus: I will study hard and obtain experience in different sections to broaden my horizons and improve my ability for work.
Vincent: With sufficient working experience in the department, I wish to be promoted to the directorate rank, then I can take part in formulating and taking forward more policy and legislation to enhance navigational and maritime safety, to provide better maritime services in Hong Kong.
