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The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is the only vessel of its kind—America’s ship for Ocean Exploration! However, working aboard any ship can be stressful for those who are not used to the close-quarters shared among the crew and mission personnel. In extreme environmental conditions, accomplishing even basic tasks can become increasingly difficult. It is imperative to have a structure of rules to guide the ship’s complement to prevent stressful or dangerous situations from developing.

A measure of consideration for one's shipmates is the single most important factor in maintaining shipboard harmony. No set of regulations can offset a lack of tolerance, patience, and common decency among the ship's population.

Adherence to Regulations: All persons boarding this ship give an "IMPLIED CONSENT" to conform to all safety and security policies and regulations which are administered by the Commanding Officer. All spaces and equipment on this ship are subject to inspection or search at any time. A simple summary of shipboard regulations is provided to all new personnel.

You can either choose a specific category from the pull down menu below or scroll through the entire document. Many of the topics covered here are general policies that apply to all ships in the NOAA fleet. These topics can be found on the General Shipboard Policy Information page and are denoted by an asterisk (*). Additional information on some of the topics that are specific to the Okeanos Explorer are provided here.

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The ship's work force consists of approximately 27 crew plus as many as 19 mission personnel. The ship's complement is organized into departments whose responsibilities include:

• Commanding Officer (CO): The CO is responsible for the safety of all hands aboard, for the security of the ship and machinery, and for the efficient accomplishment of the mission. The CO sets policy through the Executive Officer, the department chiefs and the deck officers. The CO is accountable for the actions of the entire complement, including the scientific party, while aboard and off the ship in any port.
• Executive Officer (XO): The XO is responsible for the overall readiness of the ship in conformance with budget and policy guidelines. The XO executes these duties through the department chiefs and the deck officers. The XO assumes Command in the CO's absence.
• Field Operations Officer (FOO): The FOO is responsible for coordinating the day to day ship operations with the scientific party chief. The FOO oversees the training of deck officers, prepares all operational reports and represents the ship in operational planning. The FOO assumes the XO's responsibilities in the XO's absence.


• Navigation Officer (NAV): The NAV is responsible for ensuring that all nautical charts, publications, and navigation equipment is up to date and ready for sea. The NAV officer lays out all project tracklines on the appropriate charts and enters the waypoints into the ship's navigation systems prior to each project and modifies these tracklines as necessary during the cruise.


• Officers of the Deck (OOD): The OOD is a direct representative of the Commanding Officer, and is responsible for the safe navigation and conning of the ship and the conduct of operations during an assigned watch period. Each OOD is assigned personnel to assist in these duties. These personnel are directly under the OOD's supervision for the duration of the watch.


• Engineering Department: The Engineering Department is responsible for the operation, maintenance and repair of all propulsion and auxiliary machinery. The department also maintains the shipboard electrical system, deck machinery, launch engines, engineering spaces, ventilation, refrigeration, hydraulic, and sanitation systems.


• Deck Department: The Deck Department is responsible for the operation of deck machinery used to deploy instruments (oceanographic, ROV, etc), handle cargo, anchor and moor the ship. The department also maintains the ship's external structure, rigging, boats, and interior spaces (except the engine room).


• Survey Department: The Survey Department is responsible for collecting and recording oceanographic data, assisting with the collection of marine specimens and data analysis. The department also maintains the lab spaces, and the equipment therein.


• Steward Department: The Steward Department is responsible for purchasing, stowing and preparing food for the ship's complement. The department also maintains the galley, mess decks, lounges, library, laundry room, reefers, and steward storage spaces.


• Electronics Department: The Electronics Technician (ET) is responsible for the maintenance, repair and calibration of all ship's electronic equipment, including data acquisition systems, electronic navigation systems, echo sounders and recorders, communications equipment, computers and winch instrumentation systems. The ET will assist in troubleshooting scientific equipment as appropriate but is not responsible for scientific equipment routine maintenance.

This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

Policy for the Okeanos Explorer:

Smoking is allowed on weather decks. There is a designated smoking area on the main weather deck, starboard side, outside the paint and dive lockers. Butts shall be extinguished and discarded in trash receptacles provided, NOT over the side.

Smoking is prohibited:

• in all interior spaces
• in the vicinity of stored flammable materials or fresh air intakes

Chewing tobacco: Chewing tobacco is permitted (except in control room) as long as spit is disposed of in a hygienic method. No spitting is permitted except into disposable cups. Contents will be washed down drain before cup is disposed in trash.

• Fire or Flooding

  This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

  Procedure for the Okeanos Explorer:

  Mission Personnel will generally muster on the aft deck or the bow of the ship. If there is a fire on one end of the ship or the other, muster will be on the opposite end of the ship. Please check the station bill prior to sailing to confirm your duty.

  The signal for fire or emergency is one continuous blast of the ship’s whistle and general alarm.
  (FFIIIIIIIIRRRRREEEEE!!!!!!)

  If fire or flooding is witnessed, notify the bridge immediately and report the location and type of fire (combustible, electrical or flammable liquids) or extent of flooding. DO NOT attempt to handle the situation without first notifying the bridge. The crew of the ship is trained in firefighting—they will attend to the situation.

• Abandon Ship

  This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

  Abandon ship drills are required by law to be conducted within 24 hours of leaving port with a certain percentage crew change. If you hear the signal:

  Six (6) or more short blasts on the ship's whistle and General Alarm, followed by one (1) long blast
  (Get-The-Heck-Off-The-Ship-NNNOOOOOOWWWW!!!!)

  Go to your stateroom for your survival suit, personal floatation device (PFD), hat and jacket, and proceed to the boat deck for muster and instructions.

• Man Overboard

  Witnessed Man Overboard-Actions of the Witness

  This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

  Procedure for the Okeanos Explorer:

  If someone is seen falling overboard, throw the nearest life ring, pass the word, "Man Overboard", indicating which side of the ship, and continue to point toward the victim until recovered. Once the bridge is notified, they will sound the following signal:

  Three long blasts of the ships whistle and general alarm
  (Man-Over-Board!!!)

  Upon hearing this signal, please lay to your station as designated by the station bill for muster. Please arrive promptly, so that we may be able to determine the identity of the victim.

  Un-witnessed Man Overboard
  

  This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

Information for the Okeanos Explorer:

Conduct: It is of paramount importance that drills be conducted in an alert, conscientious fashion with attention given to potential flaws in emergency procedures. Any suggestions for improvement should be brought to the attention of the Damage Control Officer or XO immediately after securing from drills.

Procedures: All hands should read and understand all emergency procedures. Drills are established for fire, flooding and collision, abandon ship, and man overboard situations. Each person should know their station and be proficient in the duties assigned to them. Emergency station billets are posted in the main deck passageway (outside the galley) and in the 01 deck passageway (forward of the labs). Your stateroom is equipped with a life jacket and survival suit for each occupant. Know where they are stowed and how to don them—this will be demonstrated at the abandon ship drill.

Frequency: Fire and abandon ship drills are conducted weekly; man overboard drills are conducted quarterly. Fire stations should be manned without life jackets. All hands should report to their abandon ship stations with their survival suit and wearing a hat, coat, gloves and PFD.

Liferaft locations:

Liferafts 1, 3, 5

Starboard side, 02 Level (Boat Deck).

Liferafts 2, 4, 6

Port side, 02 Level (Boat Deck).

This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

There will be a variety of operations on the deck. When deploying gear over the side, mission personnel are directed by the Officer-In-Charge of the operation and/or the Chief Bosun. During any operation involving gear over the side or over head, you will be required to wear the proper PPE or be asked to step aside.

Working Hours: Working hours for day workers are 0630 to 1830. Although there may be scientific operations conducted outside of these hours, please be respectful of the crew and mission personnel who may be sleeping at any time.

Mess Deck Attire: No dirty or wet clothing, foul weather gear, or boots are allowed on the mess decks. No sleeveless shirts or hats are allowed during meal hours. Napping or sleeping is prohibited at all times on the Mess Deck.

Meal hours at sea and in port, are as follows:

Avoid ordering food during the last 15 minutes of the meal period and notify the XO or Chief Steward as far in advance as possible if a late meal is required. Early meals will be served to watch personnel. Galley storage areas outside of the mess deck are off limits.

There are numerous first-aid kits distributed throughout the ship. Notify the Medical Officer if their use is required.

One of the least pleasant aspects of going to sea is the possibility of seasickness. Information concerning seasickness can be found in the General Shipboard Policy Information. Keep hydrated and get plenty of rest!

US Citizens: visitors, as guests, are welcome aboard while the ship is alongside. Ship personnel (including the scientific party) shall be responsible for the conduct of their guests while aboard and in the event of a disturbance may be asked to escort their guests ashore. Underway passengers must be authorized by the Director, Marine Operations Center, Atlantic (MOC-A).

Foreign Nationals: request 48 hours notice for special allowance procedures.

Do not visit the engine room without permission of the engineer on watch. Avoid the Bridge when the ship is maneuvering in restricted waters and when entering or leaving port. At night, avoid exposing the bridge watch to white light.

Avoid the weather decks during periods of heavy weather. Contact the Bridge if you must work outside and exercise extreme caution.

Do not climb the forward or after masts, J-frame, gantry, or other deck apparatus without permission of the OOD.

This policy applies to all ships in the NOAA fleet, see General Shipboard Policy Information.

Staterooms: Individual staterooms are considered restricted or private areas.

Berthing: Berthing assignments are based on the approved berthing plan and the Executive Officer's discretion. Each person is responsible for the cleanliness and maintenance of their stateroom and the secure stowage of their belongings. The XO, together with the Chief Boatswain and Chief Engineer, make periodic, announced inspections of all quarters for the purpose of ensuring material maintenance and sanitation. The Commanding Officer makes monthly Command Inspections of all spaces.

Shipboard Communications

• Ship Phone Services

Additional information on how to contact the Okeanos Explorer and all other fleet vessels can be found on the Fleet Telephone page. How to contact the ship AT SEA:

• Iridium
  Same as making a long distance call to Hawaii
  • Iridium Phone Number: 808-659-9179 (rings on bridge)
• INMARSAT Phone Voice Numbers
  This is an expensive way to contact the ship. The rates range from $3 to $6 per minute
• Voice 1: 011 870 764 852 328 (extension 200 rings the bridge)
• Voice 2: 011 870 764 852 329 (rings the handset)
(Please Note: 870 is the ocean region)
• VoIP
  Same as making a long distance call to Silver Springs
  
  • VoIP Phone Number: 301-713-7772 (rings on bridge)

• E-Mail Policy

At sea, e-mail is sent and received by the onboard IRRIDIUM and VSAT systems. In recent years the proliferation of electronic mail (e-mail) and the reduction of INMARSAT costs have permitted the sending of nominal amounts of personal e-mail when transmitted with official ship's business. The availability of e-mail services is a valuable quality of life standard aboard ship.

Each embarked personnel will have an e-mail account/address established by the Chief Electronic Technician (CET) at the time of arrival.

• Personal Non-NOAA Computers on Ship’s Network

Prior to arriving on the ship, please have the following completed:

a. Up-to-date virus scan software must be up and running


b. All applicable system updates must be installed


c. See ET for instructions on adding your computer to the network



For emergencies, the vessel maintains 24-hour contact with the nearest Coast Guard station and other vessels at sea. The radio is available for mission use if needed for communicating with shore stations.

• Ship's Mail

A letter drop is located in the Ship's Office. Mail is sent out at every opportunity. Use the following address for your mail:

Your Name
NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, R-336
1801 Fairview Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98102-3767

Bare/stocking feet are not allowed outside staterooms because of the risk of injury from slipping on wet decks, other hazards, and hygiene. Open-toed shoes may be worn during off-duty hours ONLY and ONLY in non-working, interior spaces.

Work Clothing: When conducting operations, personnel involved with the deployment and recovery of scientific equipment, or the launching and recovery of small boats, are required to wear hard hats and personal flotation devices. All employees are encouraged to wear safety shoes or boots. Standard work clothing requirements for rated and nonrated vessel personnel are listed in the various union agreements and PMC Directive 91-30. No hats, and/or rain gear is permitted on the mess deck.

Laundry: The ship's laundry (including soap, bleach and fabric softener sheets) is available to all hands 24 hours a day, unless secured because of heavy weather, water restrictions or repairs. Please be considerate of your shipmates when doing laundry by removing clothing from the washers and dryers in a timely manner.

Linens: Clean linen (flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillow case) and towels will be provided to all embarked personnel upon their arrival. Linen call is once a week.

The vessel is equipped with a sewage treatment system. Only biodegradable waste should be discarded down any sink drain or toilet.

Computers are available throughout the ship for use by all embarked personnel. Remember, mission support is the computers' highest priority followed by personal use.

Any software that is brought on board for either mission use or personal use must be scanned for viruses prior to its use. Failure to do so may result in a virus being inadvertently introduced to the ship's computers with catastrophic results. Do not reconfigure any of the ship's computers or install any software on a computer without first checking with the CET or Senior Survey Technician. Copies of software licensing agreements must be available on board. All software installed on the ship's computers at the beginning of a mission must be removed at the completion of that mission unless authorization to the contrary has been obtained from the Command or system owner.

A selection of movies and TV shows, via DVD and 8mm, are available for viewing in the lounge or on the ship's TV system (to watch in your stateroom) while away from port. Instructions are located in the lounge on the entertainment cabinet. If you put in a movie, please rewind and return it to its case when finished.

Okeanos Explorer exercise room is equipped with a universal gym, rowing machine, treadmill, cycling exerciser, exercise pads, and weights which can be used at any time. Clanging weights, loud music, or other loud noises should be avoided between 2200 and 0700.

The ship's store is located forward of the ship’s lounge on the port side. It will normally be open several times per week for small stores and ship’s logo items. See the Senior Survey Technicians for more information. Announcements are typically made via the PA system.