Staying the course in choppy waters

IN the Indian Merchant Navy, a Fifth Engineer is the lowest and Chief Engineer the highest rank. Most Fifth Engineers reach the topmost rank after passing the Certificate of Competency examination, but when joining a ship, they are mostly called Panchu. Those holding higher ranks — Fourth Engineer or above — are known as Chaar Sahib, Teen Sahib or Second Sahib.

At the port, Panchu is required to perform a continuous 12-hour overnight shift from 6 pm to 6 am, while others work for about eight hours, even less with breakfast and lunch breaks.

Panchu is usually made a scapegoat. During my first posting as Fifth Engineer, the Second Engineer developed a dislike for me. The reason probably was that he had come to know that apart from the required MMD (Mercantile Marine Department) qualification, I was a graduate in marine engineering. He missed no opportunity to taunt me about my higher qualification.

Even after my overnight duty, he sent for me on one pretext or the other, though knowing very well that I needed a bit of sleep during the daytime. On the other hand, my Chief Engineer was appreciative of my qualification. This was a great solace for me, which spurred me to do my duty to the best of my ability.

On any officer’s birthday, a celebration was held in the ship officers’ common room, and I was hoping that there would be one on my birthday too. On our return voyage from the US West Coast, my birthday fell victim to the International Date Line. When coming from the West back to the East, the ships’ clocks are advanced by half an hour daily, so the date got advanced straight from 12th to 14th, thus missing 13th, which was my birthday.

When Second Sahib saw the Chief Engineer, the Captain and other officers wishing me, he, too, joined in, albeit reluctantly. In fact, it was a sort of financial relief for me as the birthday boy is expected to host a wet party, and I was then a non-drinker.

All those inconveniences of being a scapegoat were forgotten when I reached the top level within a short period of six years. When I became the Chief Engineer, I ironically happened to take over from that very Second Sahib, who was now the Chief Engineer of the ship I was to join. He was quite helpful in giving me the information I needed about the problems, if any, concerning the ship and the engine room. We parted as friends, forgetting the sour experiences of the past when he was Second Sahib and I was a Panchu — the scapegoat or just a punching bag.

Battling the odds, I had stayed the course. Fortunately, for me, I did not dither — it was a lesson well learnt.