Possible Clues:

• Centre of nut
• Sounds as if the officer has got a nut case around him
• Report of officer gives the essentials
• Sailors have boarded vessel, that's the most important part
• Inner seed of nut
• Wheat seed
• This sounds rank in the middle of things
• Part of ship cut by navy in centre
• What a rank-sounding way to be at the centre of things!
• Ear component