OOW (officer on watch)
Here in my office with the navigation equipment and always on the lookout for anything new on watch.
As a deck cadet, I have to familiarize myself with my duties as a deck officer. A deck officer counts among his duties the watches on the bridge and one of them is the anchor watch (Anchor means, the ship is secured using the anchor on the seabed).
The anchor watch can be done on the bridge or deck, it depends on the master and the level of security in the anchorage area.
As the level of traffic is abundant, it is important to minimize errors and ensure greater alertness and safety when at anchor. Therefore, the following parameters are monitored:
•The vessel's anchor area: This is the rolling area of the vessel, it is a radius around which the vessel could move.
•That there is no risk of the vessel's anchor dragging and the vessel begins to move dangerously and could collision another vessel nearby.
•Follow the captain's standing orders: These are orders written by the captain based on the vessel. These orders reflect the captain's requirements based on experience with the vessel. In case of any doubt do not hesitate to call him, as long as the officer does what is necessary and in sufficient time.
•Keep a close watch on vessels in the vicinity, as well as the tides and weather: Keep a close watch on vessels in the vicinity and verify that anchors are dragging in the vicinity due to bad weather.
•Maintain constant control of the vessel's position: Position yourself in vital, radar or GPS can be used to determine the vessel's position every hour, or as stipulated by the master in standing orders.
•Display appropriate lights: This helps at night to identify the vessel and its size to avoid collisions.
•Maintain a constant VHF radio listening: In case you are scheduled to receive the pilot or to obtain information about what is happening in the area.
•Alert nearby vessels when necessary: Avoiding a prudent distance range with other vessels is important, therefore, VHF alert calls can be made to avoid any collision.
