It is essential that officers of the watch (OOW) appreciate that the proper performance of their duties is necessary in the interests of the safety of life and property at sea and the safety of the marine environment. The OOW needs to be conversant with means and best practices of controlling the speed and direction of the ship, handling characteristics and stopping distances. The OOW should not hesitate to use helm, engines or sound signaling apparatus at any time. The OOW also needs to be fully conversant with shipboard obligations with regards to pollution prevention, reporting and emergency situations. The OOW should know the location of all the safety equipment on the bridge and how to operate that equipment.
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Rating as defined on STCW Code, means a member of the ship's crew except the master and the officers. Common ship’s ratings are:
a) Boatswain (Bosun)
b) Deck Fitter
c) Carpenter
d) Able-Bodied Seaman (A.B.)
e) Quarter Master (Helmsman)
f) Ordinary Seaman (O.S.)
A Look-out is a deck crewmember who is assigned or stationed on the forecastle deck or on the bridge to report to the officer of the watch or the conning officer of whatever sightings related for the safe navigation such as Watercraft, land, lights, rocks, shoals, buoys, beacons, floating objects, discolored water, or anything of interest for the safe navigation. Reports are not only limited to sightings but also include hearing of sound signals by other vessels, navigational aid, etc. Lookouts are the "eyes" and "ears" of the ship.
Summary of the duties and responsibilities of a look-out:
a) Be vigilant at all times by sight and hearing and other available means, with regard to any significant change in the operating environment.
b) Must not be impaired by fatigue or have sufficient rest (at least 6 hours continuous).
c) Must be able to give full attention to the keeping of a proper look-out and no other duties shall be undertaken or assigned which could interfere with that task.
d) The duties of the look-out and helmsman are separate. The helmsman shall not be considered to be the look-out while steering, except on board small ships where an unobstructed all-round view is provided at the steering position and there is no impairment of night vision or other impediment to the keeping of a proper look-out.
If assigned as Helmsman:
a) Must be able to understand and execute steering orders.
b) Must be familiar with the steering system (alarm, etc.) used on board.
c) Should know the proper procedures in change over operation from
d) manual steering to autopilot and vice versa, and non-follow up.
e) In areas of high traffic density or in all other hazardous navigational situations, must be able to take control of the ship's steering (manually) immediately.
f) Must be familiar with rudder, steering and maneuvering characteristic of the vessel.
g) Must report to the officer of the watch any malfunctions on the steering system.
Standard commands to the helmsman:
a) Hard starboard or Hard port - the order which requires the helmsman
b) to put the rudder on maximum rudder angle (usually at 35°)
c) Starboard/port 5°,10°,20°, etc. - to put the rudder angle on the degrees as ordered.
d) Steer course, 000°, etc. - to steer on the ordered course.
e) Steady on course, 000°, etc. - usually given while swinging, to indicate course on which the ship is to be steadied up or maintained.
f) Easy to 10° etc. - to bring the rudder angle slowly to the given degrees. This may be given as ease to her to 10° or 15
g) Ease to 10° etc. - to reduce the rudder angle. This may be given as ease to her to 10° or 15
h) Rudder midship - to put the rudder on the zero mark, no rudder angle.
i) Steady as she goes - to steady her upon the course she is heading when the order is given.
j) Nothing left - steadies on ordered course but do not let the Ship come (swing) to port.
k) Nothing right - steadies on ordered course but do not let the ship come (swing) to starboard.
l) What is your heading? - to be responded by giving the course presently heading.
The conning officer is the one who gives the order (Master, Officer of the Watch or the Pilot) to the helmsman and navigates the vessel. The helmsman must repeat the command first before executing, in order for the conning officer to response if the received command is correct. Once the command had been executed, the helmsman must repeat again the command.
For example:
Conning Officer: Hard Starboard
Helmsman: Hard Starboard ( the helmsman swings the wheel to starboard until the rudder indicator is at 35° starboard)
Helmsman: Rudder now on Hard Starboard Sir!
Conning Officer: Okay! Thank You…
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