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Maritime & Shipping vocabulary · Crew & Ranks

officer of the watch (OOW)

Meaning in maritime & shipping, with examples

nounCore term

In maritime & shipping, officer of the watch (OOW) means: The deck or engineer officer in charge of a watch. On the bridge, the OOW represents the master and is responsible for safe navigation during that watch.

In Turkish: vardiya zabiti

How it is used

Usually shortened to OOW, or EOOW for the engineer officer of the watch. The OOW follows the master's standing orders and night orders, keeps the logbook and calls the master whenever in doubt.

Example sentences

  1. The officer of the watch called the master when the ship ahead suddenly slowed down.

  2. The officer of the watch must never leave the bridge unattended.

Common collocations

  • relieve the officer of the watch
  • duties of the officer of the watch
  • engineer officer of the watch
  • OOW certificate
  • watchA fixed period of duty on the bridge or in the engine room, traditionally four hours, during which a person is responsible for safe navigation or for the machinery.
  • bridgeThe raised, enclosed area from which a ship is steered and navigated. It holds the steering controls, radars, chart displays and radio equipment.
  • masterThe officer in overall command of a merchant ship, legally responsible for the safety of the ship, crew, passengers and cargo. In everyday speech the master is called the captain.
  • STCWThe International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, which sets minimum international standards for seafarers' training, certificates and watchkeeping.

More terms: Crew & Ranks

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