WATCHKEEPING STANDARDS (Including 2010 Manila Amendments)
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Information for Seafarers regarding WATCHKEEPING STANDARDS (including 2010 Manila Amendments) The STCW Convention and Code are amended from time to time, and the current requirements must always be consulted and complied with. To assist seafarers, this AMSA information document advises of the content of Chapter VIII of the STCW Code, including 2010 Manila Amendments, at the time of publication of the information. Paragraph 340(1)(h) of the Navigation Act 2012 makes provision for the safe navigation and operation of ships by giving effect to: (a) Regulation I/14 of the STCW Convention (Responsibilities of companies); and (b) Chapter VIII of the STCW Code (Standards regarding watchkeeping). Under this authority, Marine Order 28 (Operating standards and procedures) 2012 requires that companies, masters, chief engineers and all persons engaged on watchkeeping duties must observe both the standards and the guidance regarding watchkeeping set out in Chapter VIII of the STCW Code. Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Canberra ACT Australia – May 2013 © Excerpts from the IMO publication ‘STCW (with Manila Amendments), 2011 Edition’ are reproduced with the permission of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which holds the copyright. Readers should be aware that IMO material is subject to revision and amendment from time to time, and that partial extracts may be misleading. IMO does not accept any responsibility for the material as reproduced: in case of doubt, the official IMO text will prevail. CONTENTS This information document is divided into 4 sections: Section 1 Watchkeeping arrangements and principles to be observed (Section A-VIII/2 of the STCW Code) Page 1 Section 2 Guidance regarding watchkeeping arrangements and principles to be observed (Section B-VIII/2 of the STCW Code) Page 13 Section 3 The Navigation and Radio Watch This Section sets out for convenience those parts of Sections 1 and 2 that relate to the navigational and radio watch Page 17 Section 4 The Engineering Watch This Section sets out for convenience those parts of Sections 1 and 2 that relate to the engineering watch Page 27 i SECTION WATCHKEEPING ARRANGEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES TO BE OBSERVED 1 Section A-VIII/2 of the STCW Code Part 1 - Certification Part 3 – Watchkeeping principles in general 1 The officer in charge of the navigational or deck watch 8 Watches shall be carried out based on the following shall be duly qualified in accordance with the provisions of bridge and engine-room resource management principles: chapter II, or chapter VII appropriate to the duties related .1 proper arrangements for watchkeeping personnel shall to navigational or deck watchkeeping. be ensured in accordance with the situations; 2 The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall .2 any limitation in qualifications or fitness of individuals be duly qualified in accordance with the provisions of shall be taken into account when deploying chapter III, or chapter VII appropriate to the duties related watchkeeping personnel; to engineering watchkeeping. .3 understanding of watchkeeping personnel regarding their individual roles, responsibility and team roles Part 2 - Voyage planning shall be established; General requirements .4 the master, chief engineer officer and officer in charge 3 The intended voyage shall be planned in advance, of watch duties shall maintain a proper watch, making taking into consideration all pertinent information, and the most effective use of the resources available, any course laid down shall be checked before the voyage such as information, installations/equipment and other commences. personnel; 4 The chief engineer officer shall, in consultation with the .5 watchkeeping personnel shall understand functions master, determine in advance the needs of the intended and operation of installations/equipment, and be familiar with handling them; voyage, taking into consideration the requirements for fuel, water, lubricants, chemicals, expendable and other .6 watchkeeping personnel shall understand information spare parts, tools, supplies and any other requirements. and how to respond to information from each station/ installation/equipment; Planning prior to each voyage .7 information from the stations/installations/equipment 5 Prior to each voyage the master of every ship shall ensure shall be appropriately shared by all the watchkeeping that the intended route from the port of departure to the personnel; first port of call is planned using adequate and appropriate .8 watchkeeping personnel shall maintain an exchange charts and other nautical publications necessary for the of appropriate communication in any situation; and intended voyage, containing accurate, complete and up to date information regarding those navigational limitations .9 watchkeeping personnel shall notify the master/chief and hazards which are of a permanent or predictable nature engineer officer/officer in charge of watch duties and which are relevant to the safe navigation of the ship. without any hesitation when in any doubt as to what action to take in the interest of safety. Verification and display of planned route 6 When the route planning is verified, taking into Part 4 - Watchkeeping consideration all pertinent information, the planned route Principles applying to watchkeeping generally shall be clearly displayed on appropriate charts and shall 9 Parties shall direct the attention of companies, masters, be continuously available to the officer in charge of the chief engineer officers and watchkeeping personnel to the watch, who shall verify each course to be followed prior following principles, which shall be observed to ensure to using it during the voyage. that safe watches are maintained at all times. Deviation from planned route 10 The master of every ship is bound to ensure that 7 If a decision is made, during a voyage, to change the watchkeeping arrangements are adequate for maintaining next port of call of the planned route, or if it is necessary a safe navigational or cargo watch. Under the master’s for the ship to deviate substantially from the planned general direction; the officers of the navigational watch route for other reasons, then an amended route shall be are responsible for navigating the ship safely during their planned prior to deviating substantially from the route periods of duty, when they will be particularly concerned originally planned. with avoiding collision and stranding. 1 SECTION 1 – Watchkeeping arrangements and principles to be observed (Section A-VIII/2 of the STCW Code) 11 The chief engineer officer of every ship is bound, in .2 full account has been taken of all relevant factors consultation with the master, to ensure that watchkeeping including but not limited to: arrangements are adequate to maintain a safe engineering - state of weather, watch. - visibility, Protection of marine environment - traffic density, 12 The master, officers and ratings shall be aware of the - proximity of dangers to navigation; and serious effects of operational or accidental pollution of the - the attention necessary when navigating in or marine environment and shall take all possible precautions near traffic separation schemes; and to prevent such pollution, particularly within the framework .3 assistance is immediately available to be summoned of relevant international and port regulations. to the bridge when any change in the situation so Part 4-1 - Principles to be observed in keeping a requires. navigational watch 17 In determining that the composition of the navigational 13 The officer in charge of the navigational watch is the watch is adequate to ensure that a proper lookout can master’s representative and is primarily responsible at all continuously be maintained, the master shall take into times for the safe navigation of the ship and for complying account all relevant factors, including those described in with the International Regulations for Preventing this section of the Code, as well as the following factors: Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended. .1 visibility, state of weather and sea; Lookout .2 traffic density, and other activities occurring in the area in which the vessel is navigating; 14 A proper lookout shall be maintained at all times in compliance with rule 5 of the International Regulations .3 the attention necessary when navigating in or near traffic separation schemes or other routeing for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended and measures; shall serve the purpose of: .4 the additional workload caused by the nature of the .1 maintaining a continuous state of vigilance, by sight ship’s functions, immediate operating requirements and hearing as well as by all other available means, and anticipated manoeuvres; with regard to any significant change in the operating .5 the fitness for duty of any crew members on call who environment; are assigned as members of the watch; .2 fully appraising the situation and the risk of collision, .6 knowledge of, and confidence in, the professional stranding and other dangers to navigation; and competence of the ship’s officers and crew; .3 detecting ships or aircraft in distress, shipwrecked .7 the experience of each officer of the navigational persons, wrecks, debris and other hazards to safe watch, and the familiarity of that officer with the ship’s navigation. equipment, procedures, and manoeuvring capability; 15 The lookout must be able to give full attention to the .8 activities taking place on board the ship at any particular keeping of a proper lookout and no other duties shall