Watchkeeping and Emergency Procedures: Bridge Discipline and Response
Bridge organisation
A candidate must understand the principles of safe watchkeeping: fitness for duty, the master's standing orders, the bridge team's composition in restricted visibility and coastal waters, and the handover checklist. Know when the officer of the watch must call the master.
Collision, grounding and distress
Be able to describe the immediate actions after a collision or grounding, including damage assessment, pollution prevention and notification. Know the distress, urgency and safety priorities, the content of a distress alert, and the use of the global maritime distress and safety system.
Emergency drills and musters
Understand the muster list, the roles of the emergency team, and the conduct of fire, abandon ship, man overboard and oil spill drills. Know the difference between a drill and an actual emergency and the requirement to record drills.
Search and rescue
Know the initial actions on receiving a distress alert, the role of the on-scene coordinator, and the standard search patterns.
Traps
- Delaying the master's call because the situation seems manageable.
- Sending a distress alert without the information needed for a response.
- Confusing the abandon ship decision with the decision to prepare to abandon.
- Failing to record drills and deficiencies.
Rule of thumb
When in doubt, call the master. The cost of an unnecessary call is negligible compared with the cost of a delayed one, and the officer of the watch retains responsibility until the master takes over.