Ship handing over procedure

A new captain while taking over a ship would take care of the following points:

 Find out about the condition of the ship, both on the interior and exterior side.
 Ask for a “To-do” list from the signing off master about jobs that are to be carried out
on the ship and also examine the ones that are recently carried
 Form a list of things that he would do on joining the new ship
 Take delivery of all the official documents of the ship from the off-going captain
 Have a look at the condition of the load lines, draft lines etc. to ensure that they are
properly visible
 Make an official log book entry and sign it along with the off-going master
 Check the condition of rigging, accommodation ladder, gangway and other related
accessories
 Fill the necessary details in the official log book such as name, type of certificate of
competency, reference number and other important particulars
 Take the combination/ keys of the ship’s safe and count the money and check the
amount with the official records.
 Check the condition of the life saving equipment and fire fighting appliances
 Check all the important documents of owners’, managers, classification society and P
& I club.
 Check the past records of the ship and recent activities that have been carried out from
the official log book
 Inspect the muster list and ensure that it is updated

 Receive familiarization training according to STCW

 Ensure that his personal life jacket is in proper condition. He must also know how to
use it in emergency situations
 Examine the passage plan and check details of the next voyage by consulting with
appropriate  deck officer
 Inquire about the condition of machinery and quantity of bunker fuel and lubricating
fuel from the chief engineer.
 Check about the safety surplus of fuel required by the charter party to be carried on
board ships
 Check the condition of all nautical charts and publications on board ships
 Check the situation of cargo, stability, ballast, freshwater, stored, maintenance of the
ship etc. by consulting with the chief officer
 Read all the relevant clauses of bill of lading or charter party
 Check ISM documentation for any pending or recently rectified non-conformities
 Have a thorough inspection of the ship (in a practical way) to make sure he is satisfied
regarding the condition of the ship to take it to the sea
 If necessary provide the standing orders for his crew

The signing-off master should ensure the following before leaving the ship:

 Check (count) the money in the ship’s safe and confirm it with the records
 Bring the accounts with owners or managers up to date
  Make sure all the documents of the ship, crew, cargo etc. are in order for handing over
to the new captain
 Provide hand-over notes for the new master
 Mention about any particular problem or an important task that needs to be carried
on in the next voyage
 Make sure he has signed every page of the oil record book
 Make sure to hand-over the duties in person to the new master
 Lastly make a note in the official log book and sign the same to confirm that he has
handed over the ship to the new master and has also submitted all the documents
related to the ship, crew, cargo etc.  This entry is signed jointly by both the masters.

Duties Of Master Prior Taking Over Command Of Vessel

1. Go to company office and meet technical superintendents, discuss about:
• Ship particulars
• Trading areas
• Company’s and charterer’s instructions
• Voyage instruction, type of charter
• Special instruction for maintenance and survey
2. On the way to master’s accommodation, form an initial impression of the ship’s general
condition and maintenance by observing exterior conditions such as: draft marks, load line
marks, condition of hull,deck, superstructure, rigging of accommodation ladder, safety net,
LSA & FFA arrangements.
3. Meet outgoing master and hand over letter of appointment 
4. Go through the hand over note, ship’s condition report, manning level, company and
charterer’s instructions.
5. Sight all the statutory certificates as per flag state circular, any survey due,
maintenance/preparation for each survey.
6. Go through the filing system and all types of log books.
7. AOA & last port clearance
8. Crew welfare and watch arrangements, any crew change/ repatriation in this port/ next
port.
9. Watch arrangement.
10. Take over all stores, ROB of FO/DO/GO/FW, provisions, medical stores as per scale,
narcotics under master’s control.
11. Cash balance onboard, ship’s account, satellite radio accounts.
12. Ask master about port rotation, trading areas, general condition of ports, present cargo
work, ship’s stability, estimated time of completion, cargo plan, departure draft, trim, GM
etc.
13. Detail of cargo gears, anchors, deck machineries, hatches and their conditions,
maintenance condition and schedule.
14. Crew familiarization process, basic trainings, onboard training programs, drills etc.
15. Go to bridge with master, familiar with bridge and navigation equipments, their
operational conditions and deficiencies, maneuvering characteristics of the vessel in various
conditions, passage plans, charts and publications, GMDSS equipment familiarization and
their operations.
16. Latest weather report received, weather expected in voyage.
17. Enter new master’s name in OLB. Also the changeover of command including the list of
documents onboard in OLB, signed by both masters.
18. Enter new master’s particulars, sign off/on in AOA. 
21. Ensure approved copy of stability booklet is available.

Master’s standing orders:-

In Port
1. Follow the instructions of the chief officer with regard to ballast, cargo being
worked, repairs carried out etc. This supports the chief officer’s authority with the
ship in port. 
2.  Ensure that access to/from the ship is kept as safe as possible, well lighted and the
gangway net properly rigged; make sure watchmen are on deck and shore people do
not smoke in unauthorised places. The chief officer will see that the gangway and
safety net are set up on arrival but it is then up to the 00W to keep it that way. 
3.  Keep the ship alongside and moorings tight; replace any ropes that break and call
me if the ship starts ranging or weather becomes adverse. Some officers don’t
appreciate that mooring winches have much more holding power ‘on the brake’
than they do ‘on heave’ and if the ship comes off the berth in strong winds, it can
make things worse by trying to heave her back alongside.
4.  Never hesitate to call for shore assistance (tugs, pilots, fire brigade or ambulance)
in any emergency and keep engineers advised. In practice the captain or chief
officer will be aboard if cargo is being worked but makes sure the 00W knows he
has authority. 
5. There are many thefts from ships in port and stowaways are a major problem. Try
to check on people coming aboard, that they do have business on the ship and, if in
doubt, take them to the person they wish to see or send watchman with them. The
co-operation of everybody on board is necessary to try to minimise thefts and
 stowaways but the example of a duty mate who takes this task seriously motivates
others on duty. 

Before arrival and sailing

1. Test all the bridge gear in accordance’ the checklist; switch on both steering
motors, radars and check alignment of radars, gyro repeaters and course recorder.
Prepare pilot information card. 
2.  Give the engine room one hour notice’ meaning that at the end of the one hour on
arrival we shall want to manoeuvre; and likewise one hour before ‘stand by’ on
departure. This is best defined to avoid confusion and of course the engine room
has to be advised of this. 

Log Books
1. Entries must be clear and accurate; names of all persons involved in any incidents
must be given fully and he must sign entries by the 00W or duty officer. This is
invaluable a few years later if there are any claims made. 
2.  If the wind is force 7 or more, put the weather in every two hours and the
barometer every hour if it is changing much, plus remarks on water coming
aboard etc. In port, ensure that weather remarks continue to be made in the log
book. In cyclone areas or adverse weather, further detail would be given in the
night orders. 
3.  While the log book only needs the important times, keep a complete movement
book with details of tugs, whose lines, moorings used fendering of the quay,
which side alongside and number of the berth. Routine again, but so often records
are incomplete.  

At Anchor
1.  Keep a good check on position of this ship and others close by – ships may drag
soon after anchoring, when the tide changes, when the weather freshens or when
the brake won’t hold with a lot of yawing. The danger is not only of this ship
dragging but of others drifting down to us. The bow stopper must always be in use
when at anchor. In adverse weather it is helpful to paint a link on the aft side of
the gypsy so it can easily be seen if the brake renders. 
2.  Normally full anchor watches will have to be kept but if cargo is being worked
while at anchor the opportunity must be taken at regular intervals to check the
ship’s position. Always a problem but deck and bridge have both to be watched. 
 3.  Ensure the lights/signals are correctly exhibited; usually a VHF watch will have
to be kept and if you’ve been away from the bridge for a time check with the
shore station that they have not been calling us. 
4.  If another ship tries to anchor too close or starts to drag, try and get them on the
VHF or flash them with the Aldis lamp. 
5.  At the moment of letting go the anchor, try to get a position on the chart and note
the ship’s heading – that way the swinging circle can best be worked out on
the chart. If the scale of the chart is good enough, it gives a circle within which
the ship should remain and is handy when weighing anchor in a crowded
anchorage. 

At Sea
1. Make sure the navigation lights are on at night and that a good lookout is kept
at all times. The seaman on watch is always available to the 00W and should
be used as a lookout at night, in rain or in fog. Usually single seaman watches
are kept at sea but the 00W must know that a man is available to him if
required during daytime. 
2.  Comply fully with the regulations for preventing collisions with other ships
and use sound signals when within two miles. 
3. In an emergency do not hesitate to use the engines but, if at all possible, warn
the duty engineer first and call me. Try to avoid close quarter situations by
early and substantial course alterations and in open waters give all traffic
plenty of room. Nothing is gained by passing too close. Running UMS, it is
preferable to have the duty engineer in the engine room first if that is possible. 
4.  Respond to any requests from the engine room to reduce speed and, in. the
event of a blackout with other ships around, try to get maximum helm on
quickly and switch on emergency NUC lights. Not always possible but, if it
can be done; this is the best way of reducing travel as running the way off may
take a long distance. 
5.  On taking over the watch, check the position, check the course to steer and the
course actually being steered; check the distance to go to the next alteration,
soundings or picking up land. In the night watches, please read and initial the
night orders. The routine of using the night orders every night is preferred as it
reduces the risk of something being missed if the book is sometimes used,
sometimes not. 
6. Compare magnetic and gyro compasses at least every hour and take azimuths
every watch. This is not an outdated routine, but good navigational practice. 
7.  Change to hand steering and back each watch (tests both) and check the course
recorder. Aim for the minimum use of rudder but don’t fiddle with the settings
 unless you think you can improve the situation. Small alterations, of course,
may be done on the autopilot but always change to hand steering for bigger
alterations. When a helmsman is engaged in hand steering, keep a close watch
on him  until you are sure of his ability, both in steering and following helm
orders. The ability of helmsmen due to the small amount of experience they
gain (both in general and in any particular ship), causes concern, particularly in
canals and restricted channels. 
8.  Use the navigational aids fully (including the echo sounder) but as a backup to
8. visual position fixing and do not rely on the aids to the point where common
sense is ignored. Always check the chart details for WGS details when using
GPS in coastal waters and In restricted waters always use visual bearings and
radar distances. We passed through the era of ‘radar assisted collisions and
may now be into that of ‘GPS assisted stranding’. When a ‘black box’ (voyage
data recorder) is fitted, continue to fix positions on the chart, particularly in
restricted waterways. 
9.  If not already running always put the radar on in good time if there is rain
around or visibility is doubtful. In open waters the best use of radar is in
tracking ships from 12 miles so that their movement is assessed by 8 miles and
there is then plenty of time to alter course if necessary and to make sure the
alteration is having the desired effect. This clearly spells out the philosophy
required by the master to avoid close quarter situations – the other ship may be
fast, may not be keeping an efficient watch and may unexpectedly alter course. 
10.  Approaching heavy rain or fog, have a good look around, switch on radar,
warn the engine room, call up the seaman for lookout, switch on the navigation
lights, fix the position of the ship, switch on fog signal to automatic and call
me. Extra manning or plotting routines will be arranged then, depending on the
locality/situation. Specific arrangement for bridge manning in fog is wise for
ships trading to the USA, and a lookout forward may be required. 
11.  Keep the ship on the course lines laid off on the chart and allow set as
necessary to do so (and use GPS for this in open waters). In coastal waters
bring the ship back to the course line and use set to keep her there, rather than
simply laying off a new course line to the next waypoint. The passage planning
notes should help with tides/currents. The whole point in laying off courses is
that is the route we want to follow; laying off new ones when the ship has set
inside can take her much closer to dangers than was the intention. 
12.  Fix positions regularly and continue to do so even when there is a pilot on
board to ensure the pilot’s route is safe. Ensure that pilot’s instructions are
correctly carried out by helmsmen and look after the pilot with coffee etc. We
are still fully responsible for the navigation of the ship despite the presence of
the pilot and position fixing and track monitoring continue in just the same way
 as without a pilot aboard. Language difficulties or unusual expressions
sometimes confuse helmsmen. The ability of each helmsman must be verified. 
13.  Never respond to calls on VHF to ‘ship on my starboard bow etc for any
action unless you are positive of her identification (an Aldis lamp may be used
for such identification at night). Even then, do not agree to any action that
contradicts normal safe practices. This is a frightening habit in some ships but is
better controlled rather than banned, as it is going to happen anyway. 
14.  Do check and identify – lights and buoys can shift very easily – so try not
to use them for position fixing without are used for the using the land as well.
In some overseas ports foreign charts channels and for these we may receive no
corrections. 
15. The man overboard response and manoeuvring data are posted on the
bulkhead in the wheelhouse; you should be fully familiar with the former to
respond immediately and be aware of the stopping distances and turning circles
of this ship. The manoeuvring data is posted and available to pilots; the ‘man
overboard’ response regarding release of the bridge wing ‘man overboard’ and
Williamson turn should be detailed if they are not already available. 
16. The 00W, particularly at sea, should be aware of the situation regarding
cargo ventilation or work being carried out on deck. If weather worsens, the
deck work may have to be suspended and a watch should be maintained to
ensure the safety of those working on deck. Instructions will be specifically
given with regard to cargo ventilation but the 00W should be directly aware of
the work being carried out on deck (whether routine or of a specific nature) and
must be aware that he is the one person able to keep an overview of such work
and the safety of those doing it. 
17. Rounds of the decks must be made after securing the anchors on any
departure. These include ropes, forecastle doors, deckhouse and superstructure
doors and lights, hold/tank access hatches, ventilators, any items stowed on
deck being adequately secured and equipment left on deck being collected and
secured. Rounds of the decks are to be made each evening at the end of the
working day but before darkness and these are to be entered in the log. It is
then a matter of naming who shall make the rounds; after sailing it will either
be the chief officer or the officer on the forecastle for unmooring and at sea
either the chief officer or the 1200-1600 00W. It is a good practice to involve
other officers in addition to the chief officer in these basic routines that. are
only too often neglected in many ships. 
18. My presence on the bridge does not mean that I have taken over control
from the 00W. My handover to the 00W or my takeover from the 00W will be
made clear on each occasion. 
General
1.  All the deck officers should be familiar with the steering systems and changeover
procedures, with all the bridge gear and with all the lifesaving/firefighting
equipment, regardless of whose duty it is to look after them. All the publications
watchkeeping, passage planning, codes of practice and manuals etc – are there for
your guidance. We may all think we’ve read them, but it is wise to look
through them again from time to time. The background of the officers varies and
ability to read pages of English may be limited; the deck officers are bridge watch
keepers firstly and secondly have their individual duties and responsibilities. 
2.  If the weather gets bad and we may have to slow down or alter course, call me.
solid water washing aboard will damage deck fittings and ships do not slow
themselves down in head seas (the power is being used to drive the ship into the
seas rather than through the water). If we are losing more than 25 % of our speed
(comparing rpm and tog) it may well be time to do something about it. The safety
of the ship, the crew and the cargo are always the first considerations and are all
in your care while you are on watch. Remove the theory that ships slow
themselves down. If the officers cannot sense when the ship is going too fast in
heavy weather, give them a mathematical guideline to follow. 
3. Call me any time if in any doubt whatsoever – for navigation, traffic, weather,
breakdowns, safety or anything else. I would rather be called many times,
apparently unnecessarily, rather than just once too late. 

Summary
Many of these ‘standing orders’ help the anticipation of the 00W and explain what is
wanted – another master may have somewhat different ideas. Nevertheless, it helps the
officers to know just what the master who is relying on them not only to manage but
also to call him if they are unsure of anything expected from them. 
In the first night orders I would ask the officers to read and sign the standing orders if
they are fully understood – and would go through them with the officers together
explaining the ‘whys’ if there was any difficulty with English reading. 
Night orders would give courses, rpm, manned / UMS, clock changes (always at 0200
as far as the logbook is concerned) and anything that was going on – fire pump under
repair, cargo ventilation, gas freeing, hatch lids or doors that are deliberately left open,
etc. A copy is normally sent to the owners for their retention. 
The aim of providing these standing orders and night orders is to spell out the
framework within which the 00W or duty officer is expected to work. It avoids any
questions of ‘but I wasn’t told to do so’ by the officers. For all of us in the bridge
management team removes any opportunity for anybody to suggest that we have been
negligent in the conduct of our duties. Any such suggestion would be an affront to our
individual professionalism.