Responsibility
Bridge discipline means the cooperation and sharing of responsibility between the Master, Officer of the Watch, helmsman and lookout.
The Master has overall responsibility for bridge discipline as well as all other matters, and it is one of his responsibilities to organize and detail navigating officer’s watch keeping duties.
In determining the above the Master shall take into account to what extent and in what rotation the navigating officers shall assist on the bridge watch in the varying conditions under which the vessel navigates.
Good communication is a necessity between those on duty on the bridge to ensure information concerning navigation is exchanged in a clear and precise manner.
Whilst on watch on the bridge the Officer of the Watch is responsible for the safety of the Navigation. Consequently the Officer of the Watch shall ensure that efficient watch keeping including efficient lookout and safe navigation is continuously maintained.
The Officer of the Watch continues to be responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel despite the Master’s presence on the bridge. If and when the Master takes control of the vessel, he shall specifically advise the Officer of the Watch and clearly establish mutual understanding of this fact. This also applies when the Master returns control to the Officer of the Watch. The Officer of the Watch shall therefore continue to navigate the ship until properly relieved or otherwise instructed by the Master.
It is the duty of the Officer of the Watch to notify the Master immediately if he/she thinks that the Master’s navigation does not follow the planned track.
On arrival standby, and in areas of restricted manoeuvrability, the Master for Chemical Tanker and the
Officer of the Watch shall be on the bridge until the vessel has reached berth.
On departure stand by, the Master and the Officer of the Water shall be on the bridge until clear water is reached.
When the Master has control of the navigation, change of watch shall not take place under conditions where particularly great care shall be taken. The Officer of the Watch shall have time with the Master to study and plan the navigation ensuring both are familiar with all buoys, lights and leading lights that are in the area to be transited.
Whenever the vessel is to be hand steered, the wheel shall be taken by a proper helmsman whose sole purpose is to steer the vessel and who has no other duties which could distract from the job in hand.
In narrow waters and during restricted visibility the Master shall consider whether in addition to himself and the Officer of the Watch, there ought to be an additional navigating officer on the bridge. In such cases one navigating officer shall be mainly responsible for fixing the ship’s position, while the other shall assist the Master in general navigation duties and collision avoidance. There shall be no misunderstanding as to whom of the bridge team is in charge of and responsible for the navigation.
