HANDING OVER

AND TAKING
OVER OF
WATCH

MUHAMMED
WATCHKEEPING 2

INTRODUCTION
Engineers on ships perform their duties in rotational shifts, each having fixed and
equal number of hours. This work shift, also known as a watch, needs to be carried
out in an efficient manner to ensure the safety of life and property at sea.
HANDING OVER
WATCH
WATCHKEEPING 4

HANDING OVER
WATCH
Handing over of the watch should be carried out according to the instructions provided
by the chief engineer and company’s standing orders. It should be done in such a way
that the watch keeping becomes smoother and continuation of any kind of work is not
affected on the ship.

Practically, it is impossible for any relieving engineer officer to check all the valves,
pipelines, machinery, and controller in the engine room while taking over the watch. It
is therefore necessary that the right information is passed to the relieving engineer
officer by the relieved officer so that there are no surprises during the watch and one
can concentrate on more demanding and important jobs.
The following things need to be informed to the relieving officer: 5

•Special orders related to any ship operation, control system, or maintenance

work.
•Standing orders from the chief engineer or the company
•Level of important tanks such as bilges, ballast tank, sewage tank, reserve
tank, slop tank, fuel tank, or any other tank which requires attention
•Condition and state of fire extinguishing equipment and systems, in case any
specific section or fire alarm has been isolated
•Special mode of operation in case of emergency situation, damage, icy, or
shallow water etc
•In case there is any kind of maintenance work being carried out in the engine
room by other engineer officer and crew members, then their work location,
details of machinery under maintenance, and information of authorized person
and crew members should be provided. Any potential hazard because of the
ongoing maintenance work should also be informed.
•In case there is an equipment failure, details of the same should be informed
 6

•Condition and important information regarding mode of operation of main

engine, boiler, and auxiliary engines should be informed
•In case an equipment needs to be monitored manually, details of the same
should be provided, along with the condition of monitoring and control
equipment
•Any form of adverse ship condition needs to be informed
•Information on the condition and modes of all the important auxiliary
machinery such as purifiers, fresh water generator, oily water separator,
pumps, sewage treatment plant, etc. should be provided
•In case any important machinery failed to receive attention during the watch,
the reliving officer should be reported and asked to take care of the same
•The condition and modes of automatic boiler controls and details of other
equipment related to the operation of the steam boiler should be provided
•The engineer officer should ensure that all the important parameters
regarding main and auxiliary machines are suitably recorded in the engine
room log book.
 7

It is to note that if the engineer officer

feels that the reliving officer is not in a
condition to carry out the watch duties
efficiently, the former should not hand
over the watch and inform the same to the
chief engineer.
WATCHKEEPING 8

TAKING OVER
WATCH
WATCHKEEPING 9

HANDING OVER
WATCH
Handing over of the watch should be carried out according to the instructions provided
by the chief engineer and company’s standing orders. It should be done in such a way
that the watch keeping becomes smoother and continuation of any kind of work is not
affected on the ship.

Practically, it is impossible for any relieving engineer officer to check all the valves,
pipelines, machinery, and controller in the engine room while taking over the watch. It
is therefore necessary that the right information is passed to the relieving engineer
officer by the relieved officer so that there are no surprises during the watch and one
can concentrate on more demanding and important jobs.
WATCHKEEPING 10

HANDING OVER
WATCH
WATCHKEEPING 11

REVIEW THE
WATCHKEEPING LOG
•Begin by reviewing the engine room logbook for the
previous watch. This logbook contains essential
information about the status of machinery, fuel
levels, temperatures, pressures, alarms, and any
issues or events that occurred during the previous
watch.
WATCHKEEPING 12

FAMILIARIZE
YOURSELF WITH THE
ENGINE ROOM:

•Before officially taking over the watch, walk

through the engine room to visually inspect
the machinery and systems. Pay attention to
any ongoing maintenance or repairs, and
check for any abnormalities.
COMMUNICATE WITH
WATCHKEEPING 13

THE OFFGOING
ENGINEER
•Have a conversation with the engineer who is finishing their
watch. This conversation should include the following:
• A detailed briefing on the current status of machinery
and systems.
• Any ongoing maintenance or repair tasks.
• Special instructions or concerns, if any.
• Any alarms or issues that occurred during their watch
and how they were addressed.
WATCHKEEPING 14

CHECK INSTRUMENTS
AND GAUGES
•Inspect all instruments, gauges, and control panels in
the engine room. Ensure that they are functioning
correctly and that readings are within normal
parameters.
WATCHKEEPING 15

VERIFY ALARM
SYSTEMS
•Check the alarm systems for any active or standing alarms.
Investigate the cause of any alarms and take appropriate
action to address them.
WATCHKEEPING 16

CONFIRM FUEL AND

LUBRICATION LEVELS
•Verify the levels of fuel, lubricating oil, and other
essential fluids. Ensure that there is an adequate
supply for the duration of your watch.
WATCHKEEPING 17

REVIEW THE
WATCHKEEPING
CHECKLIST
•Use a watchkeeping checklist to ensure that
you go through all necessary tasks
systematically. This checklist may include
items such as equipment checks, logbook
entries, and safety procedures.
WATCHKEEPING 18

DOCUMENT YOUR
TAKING OVER
PROCESS
•Make detailed entries in the engine room
logbook, noting the time and date of your
takeover. Document the status of machinery,
systems, and any important information
provided by the offgoing engineer.
WATCHKEEPING 19

ASSUME CONTROL OF
THE WATCH
•Once you are satisfied that everything is in order
and you have a clear understanding of the current
situation, officially assume control of the watch.
Make sure you are aware of your responsibilities
and the duties you need to perform during your
watch.
THANK YOU
Mirjam Nilsson​
mirjam@contoso.com
www.contoso.com