Part 4 – Watchkeeping at Sea
Clasification Society 2023 - Version 9.37

Part 4 – Watchkeeping at Sea

Principles applying to watchkeeping generally

9 Parties shall direct the attention of companies, masters, chief engineer officers and watchkeeping personnel to the following principles, which shall be observed to ensure that safe watches are maintained at all times.

  10 The master of every ship is bound to ensure that watchkeeping arrangements are adequate for maintaining a safe navigational or cargo watch. Under the master’s general direction, the officers of the navigational watch are responsible for navigating the ship safely during their periods of duty, when they will be particularly concerned with avoiding collision and stranding.

  11 The chief engineer officer of every ship is bound, in consultation with the master, to ensure that watchkeeping arrangements are adequate to maintain a safe engineering watch.

Protection of marine environment

12 The master, officers and ratings shall be aware of the serious effects of operational or accidental pollution of the marine environment and shall take all possible precautions to prevent such pollution, particularly within the framework of relevant international and port regulations.


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