Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951)RegulationsMerchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations, 2021AnnexuresAnnexure 2 : Watchkeeping Arrangements and Principles for Ships other than Fishing VesselsPart 4-1 : Principles to be observed in keeping a navigational watch7. Lookout |
| 14 | A proper lookout shall be maintained at all times in compliance with rule 5 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended and shall serve the purpose of: |
| .1 | maintaining a continuous state of vigilance by sight and hearing, as well as by all other available means, with regard to any significant change in the operating environment; |
| .2 | fully appraising the situation and the risk of collision, stranding and other dangers to navigation; and |
| .3 | detecting ships or aircraft in distress, shipwrecked persons, wrecks, debris and other hazards to safe navigation. |
| 15 | The lookout must be able to give full attention to the keeping of a proper lookout and no other duties shall be undertaken or assigned which could interfere with that task. |
| 16 | The duties of the lookout and helmsperson are separate and the helmsperson shall not be considered to be the lookout while steering, except in small ships where an unobstructed all-round view is provided at the steering position and there is no impairment of night vision or other impediment to the keeping of a proper lookout. The officer in charge of the navigational watch may be the sole lookout in daylight provided that, on each such occasion— |
| .1 | the situation has been carefully assessed and it has been established without doubt that it is safe to do so; |
| .2 | full account has been taken of all relevant factors, including, but not limited to: |
| – | state of weather; |
| – | visibility; |
| – | traffic density; |
| – | proximity of dangers to navigation; and |
| – | the attention necessary when navigating in or near traffic separation schemes; and |
| .3 | assistance is immediately available to be summoned to the bridge when any change in the situation so requires. |
| 17 | In determining that the composition of the navigational watch is adequate to ensure that a proper lookout can continuously be maintained, the master shall take into account all relevant factors, including those described in this section of the Regulations, as well as the following factors: |
| .1 | Visibility, state of weather and sea; |
| .2 | traffic density, and other activities occurring in the area in which the vessel is navigating; |
| .3 | the attention necessary when navigating in or near traffic separation schemes or other routeing measures; |
| .4 | the additional workload caused by the nature of the ship’s functions, immediate operating requirements and anticipated manoeuvres; |
| .5 | the fitness for duty of any crew members on call who are assigned as members of the watch; |
| .6 | knowledge of, and confidence in, the professional competence of the ship’s officers and crew; |
| .7 | the experience of each officer of the navigational watch, and the familiarity of that officer with the ship’s equipment, procedures, and manoeuvring capability; |
| .8 | activities taking place on board the ship at any particular time, including radiocommunication activities, and the availability of assistance to be summoned immediately to the bridge when necessary; |
| .9 | the operational status of bridge instrumentation and controls, including alarm systems; |
| .10 | rudder and propeller control and ship manoeuvring characteristics; |
| .11 | the size of the ship and the field of vision available from the conning position; |
| .12 | the configuration of the bridge, to the extent such configuration might inhibit a member of the watch from detecting by sight or hearing any external development; and |
| .13 | any other relevant standard, procedure or guidance relating to watchkeeping arrangements and fitness for duty which has been adopted by the Organization. |