8 key point for Taking over watch at Sea..

1.Ship’s Position – Speed – Course The most important factor or the first thing to be checked after coming upon the bridge is the position and speed of the ship. Once you are satisfied with the position of the ship on the chart, it is a good practice to browse through the chart and the course to be followed till the end of your watch. Check for waypoints of course alterations, any reporting points, traffic separation schemes, shallow patches, or any dangers to navigation along the intended track marked on the chart. Compare the course on the chart with the course in the passage plan. Make yourself aware of the Engine RPM, Speed, Log speed, Course made good, Course steered. Any doubt or uncertainties are to be checked with the OOW.

 2. Traffic Density Now that you are satisfied with the position and course of the ship, without wasting time look outside the bridge to get a clear view of the horizon and check the number of vessels around. It is advised to take a walk all the way to both the bridge wings to get a view of the stern of the ship, as it is likely to be omitted. Once you have visually ascertained the situation outside, glance at the Radar screen for the targets around and for more information provided by the Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA). It is recommended to switch to higher range scales for early detection of the aspect of vessels coming down (if any). If your ship is already in a situation such as overtaking, close-quarter, or a crossing situation, DO NOT take over the watch until the situation is over and the vessel is past and quite clear. 

3. Weather Conditions and Night Vision The next important factor to check is the weather condition. Make sure you are aware of  a) Wind speed and direction and b) the set and drift of current, as these play an important role in the charting a good course. With the available information, try to foresee if restricted visibility or precipitation is expected during your watch. During hours of darkness/restricted visibility, it is of utmost importance to be fully adjusted to the low lights, as it helps in the purpose of an effective look-out. Keep in mind that, it takes around 15 minutes for the eyes of an average person to get adjusted to low lights from artificial lights. Also ensure that complete darkness is maintained on the bridge during night watches.

 4. Bridge Equipment and Dimmers Ensure all bridge equipment are ready and intact. Any troubleshooting or exception is to be clarified with the OOW to be relived. If needed, adjust and configure the required bridge equipment to your settings. It is found that different officers like to use the Radar with different orientation, CPA limits, alarm settings and displays which they are comfortable with. Check the degrees of rate of turn set on the Auto-Pilot and make adjustments if necessary. During hours of darkness, all bridge equipment and other displays should be dimmed to absolute minimum. Switch the display of equipment to night mode. This will help in effective look-out and prevent back scatter of lights.

5. Logbooks – Checklists – Daily orders Make it a habit to check the latest entry of the logbook while taking over the watch. All the necessary information found there should be noticed. Any misgiving entries should be clarified with the OOW in no time. Do not forget to note the gyro-error as well. It is also important to check and sign the ‘change of watch’ checklist. The same should be complied as well. It is a common practice onboard to issue Master’s daily orders in addition to the existing Standing orders of the Master. Such daily orders will contain special guidelines and information about navigating the present leg of the voyage, and hence should be read with good care and the same should be signed and complied. If prior to arrival or pilot boarding, confirm while taking over the watch, weather you are supposed to prepare the required checklists or pilot cards or give notices to engine room or deck crew.

6. Readiness of the Look-out/ Helmsman It is a requirement to have an Able seaman for look-out duties as a part of the bridge team. He is also required to steer the ship in certain situations of emergencies, landfall, approaches to port or constrained waters. In open seas or day light hours, the OOW could be the sole look-out of the watch. In such cases, ensure that the look-out/ helmsman is readily available on the walkie-talkie in case to call on any emergency situation. It is a good practice to radio-check his availability while taking over the watch.

7. Miscellaneous Activities on Deck or Engine room image credits: http://www.seagoinghk.org/ If there is any out-of-ordinary jobs in progress or ready to commence on deck or engine room, such information has to be passed on to the OOW. It is also his responsibility to demand such information. The miscellaneous activities can be, but not limited to the following:- a)    Tank entry/ Inspection / Cleaning b)    Cargo Hold Entry c)     Bilge well entry/ routine alarm checks. d)    Fire watch/ Hot works / Welding on deck e)    Working aloft f)     Working on monkey island g)    Working on masts h)    Drills

8.Inform the Master if Required  The relieving officer has the authority to demand on any information regarding the navigation of the vessel and to elucidate on any uncertainty. If such uncertainties exists or there is lack of confidence about the situation from where you take over the watch, or that you are not satisfied with the hand-over, DO NOT take over the watch. You have the privilege to call the Master and wait until he is upon the bridge. Even though the factors discussed above sounds like a long, time consuming process, it can be efficiently checked and done in 10-15 minutes of time. It is always a good habit to reach the bridge 10-15 minutes before your watch. Such acts not only reflect your officer-like-quality but also help the other OOW to get relieved on time. The above points are some of the many important ones, which are helpful for a smooth and efficient takeover of a navigational bridge watch. While you’re busy doing the same, don’t forget to fill your cup with some hot coffee and positively wish yourself a good watch!

It's begin Here..

10 Important Jobs Deck Cadets Have To Perform On board Ships

1.    Tank Soundings: Almost all deck cadets are asked to check tank soundings on a regular basis. Generally taken after the 0400-0800 watch (before or right after breakfast), soundings are very crucial for ensuring the stability of the vessel. The fact that the ship’s stability is dependent on the total ballast being carried, makes a deck cadet realise the high level of responsibility given to him. Taking soundings must be learnt to the highest degree of precision so that the job becomes easier and executed swiftly. Knowing the depth of all the tanks also saves a lot of time. At ports, soundings are extremely crucial to the loading and/or discharging of the cargo and should not be meddled with at all. Fabricating the readings can be detrimental to the safety of the ship and its crew.

2.    Ship Maintenance: All cadets who have served onboard will know that an area within the ship is designated to the deck cadet for maintenance and upkeep. Generally, one deck (or a part of it) of the superstructure is assigned to the cadet. Maintenance of that includes overall cleanliness and reporting of any abnormalities within the area.

3.    LSA/FFA Maintenance:  Thorough maintenance of the life saving appliances (LSA) and fire fighting appliances (FFA)  is extremely important. Generally a part of the 3rd Mate’s duties and responsibilities, this work is assigned to the cadets  so that they learn the procedures of noting down expiry dates, carrying out repair work, checking for any defects, emailing the company for ordering new products etc. In the process, a cadet ends up learning a great deal about how each equipment functions and also a lot about the lifeboats, liferafts, pyrotechnics, SOLAS Regulations etc. All such information ends up being extremely useful when appearing for the 2nd Mates examination.

4.    Deck Work: Assisting the ship’s bosun in everyday deck work is embedded into any cadet’s daily schedule. This is basically grounding work, seemingly unimportant at the start, but builds the framework for the coming years as an officer. Work on deck including chipping, painting, grinding etc. is carried out to maintain the structural integrity of the deck, along with some rope work (e.g., splicing) that gives cadets the right aspect towards good seamanship. Also, as all cadets will tell you, the job of stenciling various parts on deck is the universal designated duty of a cadet!

5.    Berthing/Unberthing Operations: When a vessel goes alongside (or casts away), it’s normally “all hands on deck”. The entire deck populace is present at their respective stations to get the vessel to berth/cast off close to perfection. A cadet starts out at the stations as a sort of a rating, doing mainly the physical work. As time goes by and experience is gained, his job switches to more of a supervisory nature, wherein the cadet is expected to relay the orders of the Master to the ratings, ensuring that the operation runs smoothly and in order.

6.    Pilotage Operations: A cadet’s role during pilotage varies with the time he has spent onboard. Initially, a cadet assists the ratings in rigging the pilot ladder and lowering the gangway for the pilot to board, along with other related processes during pilotage. The process also involves learning, first hand, the precise construction of the pilot ladder as per Regulations (important when appearing for the 2nd Mates examination). Gradually, once the Master deems the Cadet to be relatively well versed with the vessel’s operations, he is called on the Bridge to assist the duty officer with the different pilotage paperwork, e.g. printing out and filling the pilot card, plotting the position, filling the radio log (under supervision), observing the steering etc.

7.    Port work and Cargo Operations: Being a trainee officer slated to sail as a 3rd Mate upon completion of the training period, a cadet is expected to be vigilant while in port. Work in port includes assisting the 3rd Mate with paperwork (Bond store, crew declaration etc.), i.e. keeping them stamped, signed and ready with a fair number of photocopies. Watches also have to be kept in port; this includes monitoring the cargo being loaded/unloaded (involves noting down precise timings of the start and end of loading/unloading, every time it happens). Normally, the cadet is made responsible to keep a tab on the tank soundings with continuous feedback to the duty officer on the portable VHF handheld/ walkie-talkie.

8.    ISPS Watch: A very integral part of the port watch, an ISPS watch is pivotal to the security of the ship. With the norms pertaining to ship security getting stringent by the day, the ISPS watch has become one that has to be taken rather seriously. A cadet is normally assigned to monitor the entry and exit points of the vessel. Usually stationed at the gangway, it is expected from a cadet to keep a log of all the persons entering and leaving the vessel; this includes all shore personnel as well as the ship’s crew (going on shore leave). IDs must be checked and logged in the ship’s ‘Visitor’s Log’.  If such a system exists onboard (differs from company to company), a ship’s numbered ID must be provided to keep a track of the person even more precisely. Bags and suspicious objects must be checked thoroughly. A cadet, being an officer in the making, is also expected to usher in various officials (PSC Surveyors, Coast Guard, Medical/Health Inspectors etc.) to the ship’s office. Informing the duty officer of the particulars of the person being brought in is crucial and comes naturally after having spent enough time onboard.

9.    Paperwork At Sea: All seafarers will agree that paperwork has increased many times over and so has the stress and irritation that comes with it! A cadet is expected to be a helping hand to the Chief Mate when it comes to the different checklists, familiarisation lists, key logs etc. Updating of the Muster lists and the cabin key log are generally handed over to the cadet when there are new on signers. Making photocopies of various lists are almost always the sole job of a cadet! (And sometimes the number is extremely large). Not to forget the thing that has become ubiquitous on almost all vessels- The Watch & Rest Hours- to be distributed to all on time; another universally allotted job of the deck cadet. Although not directly part of mainstream paperwork, the numerous discontinued charts that are used for stencilling are also to be cut out, close to perfection by the deck cadet!

10.  Navigation: Perhaps the most important aspect of being a cadet, navigation is the very purpose that the ship is in business and officers/ratings are employed! Not having a valid Certificate of Competency (COC), a cadet is naturally not allowed to keep a bridge watch independently. However, under the guidance and supervision of a certified officer (almost always it is the Chief Mate), a cadet is expected to learn the science and art of navigation. Theoretical knowledge of the COLREGS, Celestial Navigation, Bridge Equipments, Seamanship, Chartwork etc. all culminate into this one grand attempt at safe navigation of the vessel. Normally, the Chief Mate takes time out during the bridge watches (0400-0800 and 1600-2000) to teach a cadet about the ongoings in the bridge and also tests his knowledge of the myriad aspects of the merchant navy. Gradually, the Chief Mate and eventually the Master develops a trust factor (provided the cadet is worth the salt), which enables them to delegate work to the cadet. As daunting as it may seem, cadetship actually is the most fun part of one’s shipping career. With no responsibility at hand and not being answerable under legal bindings, cadetship is the time to learn and imbibe. Everyone that has gone through will look back at their time fondly (except the extreme cases!) and with pride. Donning the uniform as a young 20 something is a matter of respect. Provided a cadet is diligent in his duties, he can be assured that he’ll be respected by all onboard and the time he spends as a cadet will be full of lifelong memories.