Ratings in the Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)

Last updated April 27, 2024

The following equivalent ratings in the Merchant Navy were those officially recognised by the National Maritime Board for British Merchant Navy ocean-going cargo vessels carrying up to six passengers in 1919, 1943, and 1964. They are listed in ascending order of seniority.

"Mixed" crew refers to crews that consisted of both white and non-white (African or Asian) members, as was common on British-registered ships, which often had white officers and (sometimes) petty officers, and non-white crew. These tables would probably only have related to white ratings. However, for these purposes, non-white ratings of European, American, or West Indian origin would probably have been considered "white".

The Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (MNRPF) defined benefits scheme was set up in 1978 to provide pensions for retired Merchant Navy ratings.^[1]^[2]

Deck Department	Engine Room Department	Catering Department
1919^[3]
Deckboy		Boy
Ordinary Seaman
		Assistant Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Assistant Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew)
		Messroom Steward (up to 59 white crew or 74 mixed crew)
		Assistant Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Assistant Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Messroom Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Saloon Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Second Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew)
		Assistant Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Assistant Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Cook (21-89 white crew or 26-112 mixed crew) Second Steward (no Storekeeper carried; 60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Able Seaman	Trimmer	Second Cook & Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Storekeeper (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Boatswain's Mate Lamptrimmer Painter Quartermaster Deck Storekeeper	Fireman	Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Butcher (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Pantryman (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Cook & Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Steward (Storekeeper carried; 60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Storekeeper (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
Launchman Water Tender	Assistant Engine Room Storekeeper Greaser Leading Fireman	Second Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
Boatswain Boatswain's Mate (large steamer) Carpenter's Mate & Joiner (up to 10,000 tons) Pumpman (oil tanker) Sailmaker	Diesel Engine Greaser Donkeyman Electrical Greaser Engine Room Storekeeper First Leading Fireman Refrigerator Greaser Tunnel Greaser	Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Butcher (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Cook (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Ship's Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Carpenter (up to 8,000 tons) Carpenter's Mate & Joiner (10,001-25,000 tons)		Second Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Ship's Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
Boatswain (large steamer) Carpenter (8,001-10,000 tons)		Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Cook-Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew)
Carpenter (10,001-12,000 tons)		Chief Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Carpenter (12,001-25,000 tons)		Chief Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Chief Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Carpenter (over 25,000 tons)		Chief Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
1943^[4]
Ordinary Seaman
		Messroom Steward Assistant Steward/Stewardess Saloon Steward Assistant Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew)
		Second Cook (21-89 white crew or 26-112 mixed crew) Assistant Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Assistant Baker Assistant Butcher
Able Seaman	Fireman Steward Trimmer	Second Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew; no storekeeper carried) Storekeeper (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Second Cook and Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Lamp Trimmer Painter Quartermaster Deck Storekeeper	Fireman	Second Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew; storekeeper also carried) Pantryman Storekeeper (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Second Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Baker (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Butcher (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Boatswain's Mate (up to 12,000 tons) Launchman Water Tender	Leading Fireman Greaser Assistant Engine-room Storekeeper	Second Cook and Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
Boatswain's Mate (over 12,000 tons) Pumpman Sailmaker	Engine-room Storekeeper	Ship's Cook (21-89 white crew or 26-112 mixed crew; chief cook also carried) Ship's Cook (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Baker (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Butcher (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
	Donkeyman
Boatswain (up to 8,000 tons)
Carpenter's Mate/Joiner (up to 10,000 tons)
Boatswain (8,001-10,000 tons)		Second Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew) Ship's Cook (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew; chief cook also carried)
Carpenter (up to 8,000 tons) Carpenter's Mate/Joiner (10,001-25,000 tons)
		Cook-Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew) Ship's Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; no other cook carried) Chief Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; another cook carried)
Boatswain (10,001-12,000 tons)
Boatswain (over 12,000 tons) Carpenter (8,001-10,000 tons) Carpenter's Mate/Joiner (over 25,000 tons)
		Chief Cook (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew) Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew)
Carpenter (10,001-12,000 tons)
		Chief Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew)
Carpenter (12,001-25,000 tons)
		Chief Steward (60-89 white crew or 75-112 mixed crew)
Carpenter (over 25,000 tons)
		Chief Steward (90+ white crew or 113+ mixed crew)
1964^[5]
Deck Boy	Engine Room Boy
		Catering Boy
Junior Ordinary Seaman	Junior Ordinary Engine Room Rating
Senior Ordinary Seaman	Senior Ordinary Engine Room Rating
Deck Hand (Uncertificated)
		Assistant Steward Messroom Steward Saloon Steward Stewardess
		Assistant Baker Assistant Butcher Assistant Cook Second Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew)
Able Seaman Efficient Deck Hand	Cleaner & Wiper Fireman Steward Trimmer
Lamp Trimmer Painter Quarter Master (up to 12,000 tons) Deck Storekeeper	Engine Room Hand Fireman	Baker or Second Cook and Baker (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Pantryman Second Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Second Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Catering Storekeeper
Launchman Quarter Master (over 12,000 tons) Water Tender	Assistant Engine Room Storekeeper Greaser Leading Fireman
Boatswain's Mate (up to 12,000 tons)
Boatswain's Mate (over 12,000 tons) Pumpman (oil tanker)	Donkeyman Engine Room Storekeeper (up to 12,000 tons)	Baker or Second Cook and Baker (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Butcher
Assistant Carpenter & Joiner (up to 10,000 tons) Boatswain (up to 8,000 tons)	Engineer Assistant
	Engine Room Storekeeper (over 12,000 tons)
		Ship's Cook (up to 20 white crew or up to 25 mixed crew)
Assistant Carpenter & Joiner (10,001-25,000 tons) Boatswain (8,001-10,000 tons)		Second Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew) Ship's Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; Chief Cook carried)
Carpenter (up to 8,000 tons)		Ship's Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew; Chief Cook carried)
Assistant Carpenter & Joiner (over 25,000 tons) Boatswain (10,001-12,000 tons)
Carpenter (8,001-10,000 tons)		Chief Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew) Cook Steward Ship's Cook (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew; no Chief Cook carried)
Boatswain (12,001-25,000 tons)
Carpenter (10,001-12,000 tons)
Boatswain (over 25,000 tons)		Chief Cook (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew)
Carpenter (12,001-25,000 tons)		Steward (up to 20 white crew or 25 mixed crew)
		Chief (or only) Steward (21-59 white crew or 26-74 mixed crew)
Carpenter (over 25,000 tons)
		Chief (or only) Steward (60+ white crew or 75+ mixed crew)

Footnotes

↑ "Stena Line Ltd v Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund Trustees Ltd & Anor | [2011] Pens LR 223 | England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) | Judgment | Law | CaseMine". www.casemine.com. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
↑ "Rmt Win Pensions Victory For Merchant Navy Rating Pension Fund Members – Pre 1978 Service Credits". RMT. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
↑ National Maritime Board, Sailors' and Firemen's Panel, Decisions up to 30th June 1919
↑ National Maritime Board, National Standard Rates of Pay effective from February 1, 1943, from The Seaman, February/March 1943
↑ National Maritime Board, National Standard Rates of Pay effective from 24th February 1964, from The Seaman, March 1964

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[1] "Stena Line Ltd v Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund Trustees Ltd & Anor | [2011] Pens LR 223 | England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) | Judgment | Law | CaseMine". www.casemine.com. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

[2] "Rmt Win Pensions Victory For Merchant Navy Rating Pension Fund Members – Pre 1978 Service Credits". RMT. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

[3] National Maritime Board, Sailors' and Firemen's Panel, Decisions up to 30th June 1919

[4] National Maritime Board, National Standard Rates of Pay effective from February 1, 1943, from The Seaman, February/March 1943

[5] National Maritime Board, National Standard Rates of Pay effective from 24th February 1964, from The Seaman, March 1964

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Ratings in the Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)

Footnotes

See also

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