Chief Engineering Officer

The Chief Engineering Officer, also known as the chief engineer or the engineering officer, was the officer in charge of all engineers and engineering-related duties aboard a vessel.

The chief engineer's duties ranged from making the duty shift roster for engineering personnel to advising the captain on possible solutions for certain technical problems.

In general the chief engineer was an officer with enough experience in his or her own field of expertise and with seniority over the rest of the engineers. A chief engineer was also a member of the senior staff and accountable for the overall performance of the vessel.