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Introduction

 Bridge Watchkeeping – Is the single most

important activity conducted at sea. Upon the
watchkeeper’s diligence rests the security and
safety of the ship and all those on board. It is
the activity that needs supports,
encouragement, motivation, self-discipline and
high standard of professionalism.

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 KEEPING A SAFE
NAVIGATIONAL WATCH

Under the STCW Code The

officer in charge of
navigational watch is:
• the master’s representative and
• primary responsible at all times for
the safe navigation of the ship and
• for the complying with the
International Regulation for
Preventing Collision at Sea, 1972.

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 KEEPING A SAFE
NAVIGATIONAL WATCH

 Remember!

“ATNO WAY THE SAFETY OF THE CREW

AS WELL AS THE SHIP SHOULD BE
COMPROMISED!”

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 KEEPING A SAFE
NAVIGATIONAL WATCH

 The Master shall not be constrained by the following

in taking any decision which, in the Master’s
professional judgment, is necessary for safe
navigation.
 Shipowner
 Charterer
 Any other person
 Duties of every master
 Ensure that watchkeeping arrangements are adequate for
maintaining a safe navigational watch at all times.

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 Duties of OOW

 Maintain safe of navigation, safe operation

of the ship and protect the marine
environment.

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 Duties of OOW

 Strictly
comply with the procedures of the
SMS Manual, Master’s standing orders and
the night order book

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Duties of OOW
In order to maintain a safe
navigational watch, the
general duties of the OOW
involves watchkeeping,
navigation, and GMDSS radio
watchkeeping.

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 Duties of OOW

The intended voyage shall

be planned in advance
taking into consideration all
pertinent information and
any course laid down shall
be checked before the
voyage commences.

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 Duties of OOW

 Keep a proper and effective lookout.

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 Duties of OOW

 Responsible for the safety and security of

the ship.

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 Duties of OOW

 Ensurethe effectiveness of
lookouts are maintain at all
times.
- Lookouts are aids to navigation.
- Lookouts’ job is different from
helmsman.

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 Duties of OOW

 Continueassuming the safe

navigation in spite of the
presence of the master
unless properly relieved by
the master himself.

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 Duties of OOW

 He must not leave the bridge until he

is relieved by the master or by another
deck officer

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 Duties of OOW

 OOW shall not hesitate

to use the helm,
engines, and sound
signaling apparatus.

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 Duties of OOW

 During the watch the

course steered, position
and speed shall be
checked at sufficient
frequent intervals, using
any available navigational
aids necessary, to ensure
the ship follows the planed
course.

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 Duties of OOW

• Notify the master when in

doubt so to what action to
take for the interest of safety.
• The comparison of the
reading of gyrocompass and
magnetic compass must be
made every hour and on
every major course alteration.

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 Duties of OOW

In the presence of the pilot,

the OOW must engage in
fixing the position of the ship
by radar and or by other
means at regular interval and
do other normal navigational
duties.

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OOW as a Look-out

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 OOW as a Look-out

During the watch the OOW

shall not be assigned or
undertake any duties, which
would interfere with the safe
navigation of the ship.

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 OOW as a Look-out

Radar/Arpa must be utilized at

all times. It is an effective tool
for aiding lookout, determining
risk of collision, and fixing ship
position. The NYK Line
standard with regard to radar, it
should be in parallel operation
during navigation in all condition
of visibility.

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 OOW as a Look-out

Alert at all times,

having a full grasp of
the situation around
the ship both internal
& external.

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Safe Speed

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 Safe Speed
• Speed where you can take proper and effective
action to avoid collision.
• Stopped within the distance appropriate to the prevailing
circumstances and conditions
Examples:
1.Hazardous Navigation
2.Draft in relation to available depth of water.
3.Presence of background lights from shore or from ship.
4.When navigation is affected by limitation of radar equipment.
5.As per rule 6 of COLREGS

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 Handing-over Duties
 The relationship of the ship to other ships;
 The ship's position and the presence or
nearness to shoals, danger reefs, etc.;
 Nautical chart of navigating area (one with
the course line laid down);

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 Handing-over Duties

 Weather and sea conditions (particularly

what affects the ship's course or speed);

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 Handing-over Duties

 Course
(gyro/magnetic), speed, and
amount of deviation from course;

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 Handing-over Duties
 State of navigation lights

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 Handling-over Duties

 Stateof operation of navigation

instruments and signal lamps;

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 Handling-over Duties

 Ifduring the ballasting or de-ballasting

operations, then the state of those
operations

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 Handling-over Duties
 State
of work of the deck department
(what work is being done, and where)

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 Handling-over Duties

 State of transfer of fuel oil

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 Handing-over Duties

 Gyrocompass errors and deviation or

variation of the magnetic compass.

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 Inappropriate Relief

 Thewatch must not be relieved when the

OOW is engaged in navigating the ship to
avoid the danger of collision, etc.

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 Inappropriate Relief
 The OOW must not hand over his watch if
he judges that his successor is injured,
sick, under the influence of drugs or
alcohol.

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 Inappropriate Relief

 Hemust immediately report the facts to

the master and receive instructions from
him.

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 Inappropriate Relief

 Thenext OOW may refuse to take over

the watch if he has some doubts about
the handing over of the watch of his
predecessor and judges that it is not
appropriate to relieve the watch.

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 Inappropriate Relief

 Thenext OOW on night watch must not

take over the watch until his eyes have
become accustomed to the dark.

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 Items to be confirmed after
Taking-over the Watch

 Theposition of the ship with respect to

planned track, or shoals, other dangerous
obstructions

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 Items to be confirmed after
Taking-over the Watch

 Theintention and tendency of other ships

around

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 Items to be confirmed after
Taking-over the Watch

 Comparison of the planned track with the

course to be steered entered nearby

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 Items to be confirmed after
Taking-over the Watch

 Theinformation related to the nautical

chart and the bridge notebook

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 Items to be confirmed after
Taking-over the Watch

 Theoperational conditions of the manual

steering gears

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 When to Call the Master
 Ifrestricted visibility is encountered or
expected

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 When to Call the Master
 Ifthe traffic conditions or the movements
of other ships are causing concern

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 When to Call the Master

 If
difficulties are experienced in
maintaining course

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 When to Call the Master

 On failure to sight land, navigation mark

or obtain soundings by the expected time
 If, unexpectedly, land or navigation mark
is sighted or a change in soundings occurs

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 When to Call the Master
 ON breakdown of the engines, propulsion
machinery remote control, steering gear
or any essential navigational equipment,
alarm or indicator.

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 When to Call the Master

 If the radio equipment malfunctions

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 When to Call the Master

 Inheavy weather, if in any doubt about

the possibility of weather damage

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 When to Call the Master

 Ifthe ship meets any hazard to

navigation, such as ice or a derelict
 In any other emergency or if in doubt

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 Responsibility of OOW
 The OOW will continue to be responsible
for the watch, despite the presence of the
master on the bridge

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 Logbook Entry

 Thefact that the master has taken

command on the bridge should be
recorded in the log book.

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 Watch Levels
Conn Traffic Comm Nav Others Steering Look
out

Job Taking Radar VHF Fixing Engine Steering Look

the conn ARPA position Telegraph out

W-L 1 OOW AB
W-L 2 Capt OOW AB Look
out
W-L3 Capt Extra Officer OOW AB Look
out

MINIMUM WATCH LEVEL 2

Entering Leaving Poor Confined Heavy Malfunction Heavy Emerg’cy
Harbor Harbor Visibility Waters, Traffic of Critical Weather Handling
Narrow Machinery or Nav. in
{D01 PP01- Version Channels ice
01.jan.07- Revision 0} 54
 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

 The basic principle of bridge teamwork lies on

two (2) important factors:
1. Bridge Organization – An efficient bridge
organization will include procedures that:
a. Eliminating risk that an error on the part of one person
may result in disastrous situation
b. Emphasize the necessity to maintain a good visual look-
out and to carry out collision avoidance routines

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

c. Encourage to use of all means of establishing the ship’s

position so that in the case of one method become
unreliable others are immediately available.
d. Make use of passage planning and navigational systems
which allows continuous monitoring and detection of
deviation from track when in coastal waters
e. Ensure that all instrument error is known and correctly
applied
f. Accept a pilot as a valuable addition to a bridge team

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

2. Individual Role – These procedures can only

be achieved by each member of the bridge
team realizing that he has a vital part to play
in the safe navigation of the ship and that
safety depends upon all personnel playing
their part to the utmost of their ability.

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

Normal Assignment of Duties for the

Bridge Team

Master – Controls the movement of the vessel in

accordance with COLREGS. He regulates the course
and speed and supervises the safe navigation of the
vessel and coordinates and supervises the overall
watch organization.

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

 Watch Officer – Continues to navigate the ship

reporting relevant information to the master,
ensuring that such information is acknowledged. He
will fix the vessel and advise the master of the ship
position and other relevant information. He will
monitor the execution of helm and engine orders,
co-ordinate all internal and external communication,
record all required entries in the log books and
perform other duties required by the master.

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

 Helmsman – The duty of the helms man and

look-out are separate. The helmsman is not
considered a look-out while steering. The
helmsman should give undivided attention to
the job of steering and he should repeat every
order received from the master or OOW and
must report again to the conn after execution
of the order.

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

 Look-out – The look-out should report any lights,

vessels, or large floating objects which he sees, and
in low visibility any fog signals which he hears.
However, in crowded waters, he could not be
expected to report everything he sees; he must use
his discretion and report the lights or objects which
are likely to bring risk of collision, especially small
craft which may not have been observed from the
bridge.

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 Basic Principles for Effective
Bridge Teamwork Procedures

 Additional Officer – He should provide the master

with radar-based traffic information and to give
general backup to the OOW on the chart. This will
include providing the chart with navigational
information as required, confirming important
navigational decisions and coping with both internal
and external communications.

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