chief engineer

A chief engineer, commonly referred to as "Chief" or "ChEng", is the most senior licensed mariner of an engine department on a ship, typically a merchant ship, and holds overall leadership and the responsibility of that department. In rank, a chief engineer is equivalent to the rank of a ship's captain. A chief engineer has a strong technical expertise and therefore they have numerous shore jobs opportunities and are not just bounded to sail. They can become technical superintendents, fleet managers, surveyors, ship builders etc. As a person who holds one of the most senior roles on the ship,