It is the responsibility of a marine engineer working in the ship’s engine room to do whatever it takes to ensure the ship’s and its crew’s safety. The key to ensuring overall ship safety is to follow proper procedures not only while performing engine room watch but also when handing over or taking over the watch.
Handing over the watch at sea and handing over the watch in port are two distinct concepts that marine engineers must understand. While handing over the watch to the relieving officer, the officer on duty must follow the chief engineer’s instructions and company procedures.
Important considerations for marine engineers before taking over watch at ports are listed below:
Port Regulations and Local Laws Information
Every port has its own set of regulations and local requirements regarding water pollution, ship affluent, ship readiness, and so on.
Failure to comply with these laws can result in heavy fines for the vessel, detention of the master/duty watch keeper, and, in some cases, imprisonment. The officer on duty must ensure that all pertinent information about local regulations is communicated to the relieving engineer.
Lines of Communication
The officer on duty must inform the ship’s and shore personnel’s important lines of communication in case of an emergency or if assistance is required.
He should also be aware of when to contact the deck department. The relieving engineer should also be aware of all the important people to contact in an emergency.
Standing and Other Critical Orders
All standing orders for the day, as well as other important orders pertaining to the ship’s operation, maintenance, and repairs, must be forwarded to the relieving officer.
If the bunkering procedure is in progress, the officer on duty should inform the incoming officer of the amount already taken, tank level, and time remaining for completion.
Engine Room Machinery Condition
All important or unusual information about any of the ship’s machinery, such as the boiler, auxiliary engine, main engine, and so on, must be reported in the Marine Engineering discipline. If any parameter reaches a critical level, the relieving officer should be informed of the problem and the machinery while handing over the watch.
Repair And Maintenance Work Status
If any maintenance or repair work is being done on any machinery in the engine room, the officer on watch must make a note of it in the engine room along with its current status when handing over the watch.
Furthermore, the officer on duty must make every effort to complete any maintenance or job assigned to him before the end of his shift.
Any Special Operating Procedures
It is possible that the ship will leave port while the relieving officer is on duty. As a result, he must be informed about any mode of ship operation that is dictated by contamination, weather, visibility, ice, shallow water, damage, and so on.
The Engine Room’s Workload and Personnel Count
The relieving officer must be aware of all jobs being performed in the engine room, as well as the number of personnel and their location.
Power and Other Sources of Information
It is critical for the officer on duty to inform about existing and potential power, heat, lighting, and distribution sources.
Tank Levels and Fuel Quantity
The officer on watch is responsible for informing the relieving officer about the level and condition of water or residue in engine room tanks such as the bilge tank, slop tank, reserve tank, and so on. The relieving officer must also be aware of the ship’s fuel, lubricant, and water supplies, as well as their availability and condition.
The Log Book Contains All Correct Information
Last but not least, the watch keeping officer must record all information pertaining to the operation, adjustment, or repair of the ship’s machinery in the log book and record books provided.
It should be noted that the officer on watch must not hand over the watch to the relieving officer if he has reason to believe that the latter is incapable of performing his duties efficiently. In such cases, he must notify the chief engineer.