Navy Ships Diver

Overview

Ships Divers maintain or repair military boats or ships.  This generally involves underwater hull searches and necklace or half necklace searches.

Tasks Performed on the Job

  • Underwater Engineering
  • Checks on intake valves, props and any other things on the outside of the ship under water

Responsibilities and Challenges

The challenges of Ships Diving are similar to other forms of diving. There are tides and currents, visibility issues, and exposure to the the cold which need to be taken into account when diving.

Risks specific to Ships Diving generally result from the ship’s movement, machinery, outlets, inlets, and propellers etc . Risk mitigation is based on formal planning of dives and usually involves being familiar with the ship’s hull, being well practiced at diving in the “abyss” (the dark depths of the sea), and ensuring clear communication between the diver and supervisor (e.g. if the diver discovers that tidal conditions or ship movement are different to the briefing given by the supervisor, it must be clearly communicated to the surface).

What Being a Ships Diver Can Offer

The return of working as a Ships Diver are working within a professional, well equipped team that can provide the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) or Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) with a dive and underwater maintenance capability.

How to Become a Ships Diver

Training requirements in the RAN and RNZN are similar. In general, Navy personnel qualify as a Ships Diver after passing a 3 weeks training course held at he relevant diving school.  This involves attaining 600 minutes of diving time and incoporates triaing in sea bed and wall searches, circular and hull searches (Half necklace).  Practical tests constitute a significant portion of the training.

ADAS Accredited Training Establishments providing Navy Ships Diving:

Career Pathways

Ships Diver is an additional qualification to already rated sailors, there is no specific career progression for ships divers.

Thanks to Taff Sweeney (RAN) for contributing to this web page.

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