1 General
| (1) | The term engineering watch as used in this annex means either a person or a group of personnel comprising the watch or a period of responsibility for an officer during which the physical presence in machinery spaces of that officer may or may not be required. |
| (2) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch is the chief engineer officer's representative and is primarily responsible at all times for the safe and efficient operation and upkeep of machinery affecting the safety of the vessel and is responsible for the inspection, operation and testing, as required, of all machinery and equipment under the responsibility of the engineering watch. |
2 Watch arrangements
| (1) | The composition of the engineering watch shall at all times be adequate and appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions and shall take into account the need to ensure the safe operation of all machinery affecting the operation of the vessel. |
| (2) | When deciding the composition of the engineering watch, the following criteria, inter alia, shall be taken into account: |
| (a) | the type of vessel and the type and condition of the machinery; |
| (b) | the adequate supervision, at all times, of machinery affecting the safe operation of the vessel; |
| (c) | any special modes of operation dictated by conditions such as weather, ice, contaminated water, shallow water, emergency conditions, damage containment or pollution abatement; |
| (d) | the qualifications and experience of the engineering watch; |
| (e) | the safety of life, ship, cargo and port and protection of the environment; |
| (f) | the observance of relevant international and national regulations; |
| (g) | maintaining the normal operations of the vessel. |
3 Taking over the watch
| (1) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall not hand over the watch to the relieving officer if there is reason to believe that the latter is obviously not capable of carrying out the watchkeeping duties effectively, in which case, the chief engineer officer shall be notified. |
| (2) | The relieving officer of the engineering watch shall ensure that the members of the relieving engineering watch are apparently fully capable of performing their duties effectively. |
| (3) | Before taking over the engineering watch, relieving officers shall satisfy themselves about at least the following: |
| (a) | the standing orders and special instructions of the chief engineer officer relating to the operation of the vessel's systems and machinery; |
| (b) | the nature of all work being performed on machinery and systems, the personnel involved and potential hazards; |
| (c) | the level and, where applicable, the condition of water or residues in bilges, ballast tanks, slop tanks, reserve tanks, fresh water tanks, sewage tanks and any special requirements for use or disposal of tank contents; |
| (d) | the condition and level of fuel in reserve tanks, settling tank, day tank and other fuel storage facilities; |
| (e) | any special requirements relating to sanitary system disposals; |
| (f) | the condition and mode of operation of the various main and auxiliary systems, including the electrical power distribution system; |
| (g) | where applicable, the condition of monitoring and control console equipment, and which equipment is being operated manually; |
| (h) | where applicable, the condition and mode of operation of automatic boiler controls such as flame safeguard control systems, limit control systems, combustion control systems, fuel-supply control systems and other equipment related to the operation of steam boilers; |
| (i) | any potentially adverse conditions resulting from bad weather, ice, or contaminated or shallow water; |
| (j) | any special modes of operation dictated by equipment failure or adverse vessel conditions; |
| (k) | the availability of fire-fighting appliances; |
| (l) | the state of completion of the engine-room log. |
4 Performing the engineering watch
| (1) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall ensure that the established watchkeeping arrangements are maintained and that, under direction, other personnel, if forming part of the engineering watch, assist in the safe and efficient operation of the vessel's propulsion machinery and auxiliary equipment. |
| (2) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall continue to be responsible for machinery-space operations despite the presence of the chief engineer officer in the machinery spaces, until specifically informed that the chief engineer officer has assumed that responsibility and this is mutually understood. |
| (3) | All members of the engineering watch shall be familiar with their assigned watchkeeping duties. In addition, every member shall, with respect to the vessel in which they are serving, have knowledge of: |
| (a) | the use of appropriate internal communication systems; |
| (b) | the escape routes from machinery spaces; |
| (c) | the engine-room alarm systems and be able to distinguish between the various alarms, with special reference to the fire- extinguishing media alarm; and |
| (d) | the number, location and types of fire-fighting equipment and damage-control gear in the machinery spaces, and their use and the various safe precautions to be observed. |
| (4) | Any machinery not functioning properly, expected to malfunction or requiring special service shall be noted along with any action already taken. Plans shall be made for any further action if required. |
| (5) | When machinery spaces are in the manned condition, the officer in charge of the engineering watch shall at all times be readily capable of operating the propulsion equipment in response to needs for changes in direction or speed. |
| (6) | When machinery spaces are in the periodically unmanned condition, the designated duty officer in charge of the engineering watch shall be immediately available and on call to attend the machinery spaces. |
| (7) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall ensure that the main propulsion unit controls, when in the manual mode of operation, are continuously attended under stand-by or manoeuvring conditions. |
| (8) | When the engine-room is put in a stand-by condition, the officer in charge of the engineering watch shall ensure that all machinery and equipment that may be used during manoeuvring is in a state of immediate readiness and that an adequate reserve of power is available for steering gear and other requirements. |
| (9) | Officers in charge of an engineering watch shall direct any other member of the engineering watch to inform them of potentially hazardous conditions that may adversely affect the machinery or jeopardise the safety of life or of the vessel. |
| (10) | Before going off duty, the officer in charge of the engineering watch shall ensure that all events related to the main and auxiliary machinery that have occurred during the engineering watch are suitably recorded. |
| (11) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall bear in mind that changes in speed, resulting from machinery malfunction, or any loss of steering, may imperil the safety of the ship and life at sea. The bridge shall be notified immediately in the event of fire and of any impending action in machinery spaces that may cause reduction in the vessel's speed, imminent steering failure, stoppage of the vessel's propulsion system or any alteration in the generation of electric power or similar threat to safety. This notification, where possible, shall be given before changes are made to allow the bridge the maximum available time to take whatever action is possible to avoid a potential marine casualty. |
| (12) | The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall notify the chief engineer officer without delay: |
| (a) | when engine damage or a malfunction occurs that may be such as to endanger the safe operation of the vessel; |
| (b) | when any malfunction occurs that, it is believed, may cause damage or breakdown of propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery or monitoring and governing systems; and |
| (c) | in any emergency or if in any doubt about what decision or measures to take. |
| (13) | Despite the requirement to notify the chief engineer officer in the foregoing circumstances, the officer in charge of the engineering watch shall not hesitate to take immediate action for the safety of the vessel, its machinery and crew where circumstances require. |
5 Restricted visibility
The officer in charge of the engineering watch shall ensure that permanent air or steam pressure is available for sound signals and that at all times bridge orders relating to changes in speed or direction of operation are immediately implemented and, in addition, that auxiliary machinery used for manoeuvring is readily available.
6 Vessel at anchor
| (1) | At an unsheltered anchorage the chief engineer officer shall consult with the master whether or not to maintain the same engineering watch as when under way. |
| (2) | When a vessel is at anchor in an open roadstead or any other virtually "at-sea" condition, the officer in charge of the engineering watch shall ensure that: |
| (a) | an efficient engineering watch is kept; |
| (b) | periodic inspection is made of all operating and stand-by machinery; |
| (c) | main and auxiliary machinery is maintained in a state of readiness in accordance with orders from the bridge; |
| (d) | measures are taken to protect the environment from pollution by the vessel, and that applicable pollution prevention regulations are complied with; and |
| (e) | all damage-control and fire-fighting systems are in readiness. |
