My actual job title is "Integrated Rating" an Australian marine qualification which is basically a glorified deckhand onboard large "Bluewater" vessels(cargo ships,bulkies,roll-on-roll-off passenger liners and car carriers etc.) and the smaller offshore vessels(anchor handlers,supplies vessels etc.).
This position was born from de-manning over the years, from the days when there were sometimes 50 men on a ship to now when it's a skeleton crew. We are the lowest rank on a ship and do everything from steer a vessel under pilotage into port and through channels, to maintenance, mooring ops(tying up and letting go of mooring lines), watch keeping and some engine room duties.
There are a number of reasons things can go pear shaped and although the ship is large after being together for five weeks the ship gets smaller and smaller. I think it's probably similar in that regard to being in prison, but obviously no where near as bad.
Personalities are definitely a factor( this is a large passenger vessel, it is being used as a "floatel" here at Barrow Island as a place for roughly 1500 contractors to stay during the last 14 months or so of the construction Chevron's liquid natural gas plant here) but the rate of pay is really the root cause, we get paid very well. Also the resource boom in mining here is almost over, well it pretty well is and it's getting harder all the time to get these jobs which causes it to be so competitive. I can't believe how shocking some of these grown men are, shameless suckholes and they put a lot of thought into politics, stuff like if they get in so and so's ear and tell them that so and so did this or said that that it will create whatever relationship they believe will ultimately be to their benefit. I've never been in this kind've work environment before, that is so cutthroat and ruthless and I find it shocking, so shocking that at times I'm speechless and pissed off that I want to belt someone.