ICS Bridge Procedures Guide — Cap. 2: Effective Bridge Organisation

1. Overview — What an Effective Bridge Team Does

Source: INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF SHIPPING. Bridge Procedures Guide. 6th ed. London: ICS, 2022. Chapter 2 — Effective bridge organisation.

Syllabus: Anexo 2-B, Área III (Navegação em Águas Restritas), item 3 — III.03 (ICS Bridge Procedures Guide), Cap. 2.

An effective bridge team manages every available resource and promotes good communication and teamwork. That combination lets it plan and complete a berth to berth passage in compliance with the COLREGS and with the watchkeeping requirements of the STCW Convention, and it also lets the team anticipate dangerous situations and respond to emergencies. Effective organisation is therefore not an administrative nicety — it is the condition under which safe navigation actually happens.

The information needed for effective bridge organisation must be built into the ship's Safety Management System (SMS) as a requirement of the ISM Code. The chapter frames the whole subject around seven things the SMS should address.

Under the ISM Code, the SMS should cover: safe manning levels; safe conduct of navigation; compliance with MARPOL and minimising impact on the environment; effective communication and teamwork; effective training and familiarisation; sound shipboard operational procedures; and robust, practised emergency responses (§2.1).

2. Bridge Resource Management and the Bridge Team

Bridge resource management (BRM) is the disciplined use of all the people, equipment and information on the bridge to keep the ship safe. The starting point is the team itself: who is on the bridge, what each person does, and how they talk to one another.

2.1 Composition of the bridge team

The team must have enough personnel to meet the operational requirements of the passage plan, and the bridge must never be left unattended at sea. When sizing the team, the Master weighs a defined set of factors rather than a fixed manning number, because the right size changes with the situation.

• Visibility, sea state and weather.
• Traffic density; navigation in or near traffic separation schemes (TSSs) or other routeing measures.
• Activities in the area, and proximity to navigational hazards and to fixed or mobile installations.
• Ship operating requirements, anticipated manoeuvres, and whether steering will be manual or automatic.
• The ship's draught, the available depth of water and the under keel clearance (UKC).
• Operational status of bridge equipment, including alarm systems.
• Any exceptional demands on the watch, and any other relevant watchkeeping standard or guideline.

2.2 Sole look-out

The Officer of the Watch (OOW) may, in certain circumstances, act as the sole look-out — but only in daylight. The permission is conditional, and the conditions have to be written down.

2.3 The bridge team and the Master

During sea passages, port approaches and pilotage the team must always work effectively, liaising between successive watches, the engine control room and other departments. Everyone with a bridge navigational watch or advisory duty is part of the team, and the Master, the other members and the pilot (when embarked) co-operate to ensure safe navigation.

Authority is unambiguous. The Master has the overriding authority and the responsibility to make decisions about safety and pollution prevention.

The Master's overriding authority should be clearly stated in the SMS, and the Master should not be constrained by the company or the charterer from taking any decision necessary for the safety of navigation (§2.2.4).

The team must know what should routinely be reported to the Master, must keep the Master fully informed, and must know the circumstances under which the Master is to be called (§4.6, checklist C2.17). A subtle but important point governs control: when the Master is on the bridge it is often preferable for the OOW to retain control while the Master provides oversight and guidance. The Master's mere presence does not remove the responsibility for navigation from the OOW, who remains in control of the watch unless explicitly advised otherwise by the Master.

2.4 Leadership, teamwork and 'challenge and response'

Team performance relies on good leadership, teamwork, communication and management — which is exactly why STCW requires BRM training for watchkeeping officers. A team that has a plan and is well briefed develops and maintains good situational awareness, so it can anticipate danger and recognise a developing chain of errors in time to break it and avert an emergency (§4.8).

To surface concerns early, people must be able to raise a doubt without fear of reprisal or ridicule. The leadership approach that makes this work is 'challenge and response': every level of the team is encouraged to challenge operational decisions. A rating may have more ship-specific experience than an officer and spot that an action is not the most effective; confirming actions this way helps avoid accidents. A second classic case is pilotage — if the OOW does not understand a pilot's action, or the action deviates from the agreed plan, the OOW should challenge, so the pilot either clarifies or adjusts.

Two habits support the approach. Members are encouraged to seek clarification of others' actions, and to practise 'thinking aloud' — speaking through actions as they are done, e.g. "I am altering course to port by 20 degrees to increase my CPA with the crossing vessel; I intend to pass astern with a minimum CPA of two nautical miles." Sharing a similar mental model lets the whole team understand what is intended and how it will be carried out, and it also develops junior officers.

2.5 Human element and a 'just' culture

The team should foster an environment where every member feels valued. A mistake — provided it is not intentional or caused by carelessness — should normally be treated as a learning opportunity. A 'just' culture gives people the confidence to admit mistakes or near misses, which leads to a safer workplace. Responsible behaviour and trust are promoted by encouraging reporting without fear of punishment, on the clear condition that genuinely unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated.

2.6 Briefing and debriefing

Briefs and debriefs are practical tools used before and after demanding operations — arrivals and departures, approaches to challenging areas, emergency responses, long pilotage, and assisting other vessels. The Master or a designated officer briefs the team (a short separate brief can be prepared for the engine room), and during it everyone is made aware of their duties and of any special instructions or concerns. After the operation, a debrief gathers feedback on what went right and what could be improved next time.

2.7 Internal communication

The team maintains communications with the engine control room and all other operating areas, co-ordinating the whole ship's activities on the Master's behalf. Bridge and engine room must communicate regularly — good internal communication and a well-briefed plan are essential, above all in emergencies, where an effective response depends on co-ordinated action.

• Machinery and propulsion status, including defects.
• Existing or anticipated circumstances that could affect machinery performance or manoeuvrability — including fuel changeover and planned maintenance.
• Any planned or anticipated speed changes.
• Any environmental regulatory requirements (§4.21).

2.8 Bridge team duties

The term "bridge team" covers all personnel with bridge watchkeeping or advisory duties. The OOW assigns duties and responsibilities clearly and makes sure each member understands them. Proactive reporting of events and actions lets the OOW monitor the team and detect any deterioration in watchkeeping performance.

An example team is shown above. A crucial reminder accompanies it: the presence of a pilot does not relieve the Master or the team of their duties for ship safety and pollution prevention (guidance on pilotage is in chapter 6). Performance is helped by a bridge free from distraction, so all non-essential activity should be avoided:

• Limit unrestricted bridge access to those with operational bridge responsibilities.
• Strictly control mobile phones and other personal electronic devices (§2.4).
• Restrict internal and external communications to those related to safe navigation (§2.5).

3. Familiarisation, Rest and Conduct

3.1 New personnel and familiarisation

The ISM Code and the STCW Convention require the company to have a system for familiarising new personnel with the ship's equipment and procedures. The procedures live in the SMS and in written instructions the company gives the Master for whenever a new team member joins. A reasonable period is allocated, a designated officer is responsible, and familiarisation is delivered one to one, in a common language, using a checklist (C2.3, C2.4), covering all equipment and procedures relevant to that person's duties.

Computer-based systems raise the stakes: equipment can vary greatly between ships even in the same fleet, and some systems — such as ECDIS — are particularly complex. Some familiarisation may happen ashore before joining, but familiarisation with the specific equipment installed on board is always required. Self-teaching manuals, videos or computer-based training can help, but they complement rather than replace one-to-one familiarisation.

3.2 Hours of rest

The STCW Code requires watchkeepers, including the Master, to take mandatory minimum rest so they are fit for duty.

The ILO Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006) also sets minimum rest and maximum work hours for all seafarers. Compliance with the MLC is subject to PSC, but in practice the STCW requirements are slightly stricter and are the ones normally enforced by PSC.

3.3 Record keeping and schedules

Under the STCW Code (and the ILO MLC), individual records of hours of rest must be kept to demonstrate compliance and, unless the flag State requires otherwise, should follow the model formats agreed by IMO and ILO. Each record must be signed by the seafarer to whom it refers. The STCW Code also requires companies to maintain a schedule of working arrangements — showing normal hours of work by grade — posted on board in an easily accessible place. Because keeping exact records and schedules is complex, a computer-based recording system is recommended.

3.4 Drug and alcohol policies

The STCW Code includes requirements for preventing drug and alcohol abuse. Most flag States apply a limit of not greater than 0.05% blood alcohol (BAC), or 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the breath, to seafarers performing safety, security or environmental duties; some Administrations apply stricter limits.

The company should have a drug and alcohol policy that bridge team members always comply with. The Master enforces it for visitors too — pilots, contractors and officials — and, if there is any concern about adherence, the Master (or chief officer) takes immediate action so the safety of the ship is not compromised (§2.2.13).

4. Use of English and the SMCP

English is the language of international shipping. Communications — including with ratings — should be in English or in a defined language common to all bridge team members, and they must be clearly understood by every member. If English is not the ship's working language, the company or Master decides on and records an alternative working language in the log book. The same approach applies under pilotage: the pilot should always be expected to explain, in English or the common working language, the instructions exchanged with other ships, pilot boats, tugs and vessel traffic services (VTS).

The STCW Code sets out the adequate knowledge of written and spoken English required of the OOW (Figure 2.3, §2.2.14).

5. Company Policy and Procedures

The ISM Code requires every company to have an SMS covering instructions and procedures for the safe operation of ships and protection of the environment. On the navigational side it should give practical guidance on a wide range of matters — from watchkeeping duties to emergency procedures — and it should identify clear levels of authority and lines of communication between the Master, officers, crew and the company.

• Allocation of bridge watchkeeping duties; a procedure for when to call the Master.
• Passage planning and navigation procedures, including departures from the plan; chart and publication update and correction; ECDIS procedures.
• Testing and availability of navigation equipment and main and auxiliary machinery; ship position reporting.
• Accident and near-miss reporting; recording of relevant events and voyage data recorder (VDR) policy.
• Use of the bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS) modes; bridge access and distraction prevention.
• Familiarisation and effective handover at crew changes; training, drills and a system for identifying training needs.
• Company contacts, including the Designated Person Ashore (DPA); emergency procedures.

5.1 Information distribution

IMO, flag States, other regulators and the industry regularly publish new rules, guidance and best practice (including lessons from casualties). The company needs a clear procedure for forwarding relevant information to Masters and crews. The company should assess relevance to its fleet, implement new requirements in the SMS where appropriate, and inform ships while seeking confirmation of receipt and implementation. The Master and team, in turn, review and implement as soon as practicable and report back on effective implementation or on any difficulties.

5.2 Orders — standing orders, bridge order book and night orders

Lines of authority on board follow the SMS and operational manuals. Beyond those, the Master issues orders at two levels: enduring instructions in the Master's standing orders, and period-specific instructions in the bridge order book.

The OOW briefs other team members, as appropriate, on the activities or requirements of the forthcoming watch. One rule overrides all of these documents: they must never stop the OOW from calling the Master at any time it is considered necessary.

6. Mobile Phones, Internet and Email

6.1 Mobile phones and personal electronic devices

The company should have a written policy requiring that mobile phones and other personal electronic devices are only used on the bridge in circumstances approved by the Master. Their use may sometimes be permitted, but the policy should minimise distraction by generally limiting it to circumstances where the device is operationally necessary. The policy should be read and understood by all team members.

6.2 Bridge internet and email

Where internet and email are available on the bridge, the company should have a policy to manage their use, again limiting bridge watchkeepers generally to what is necessary for safe navigation. Access should usually be restricted to:

• Updates for nautical charts and publications, licences and permits.
• Weather information.
• Navigational warnings.
• Information relevant to the ship's operations and passage plan.

7. Emergency Preparedness

The SMS should identify potential emergency situations and set out procedures to address them, including the actions of the team in the event of distress, damage, fire, pollution, personnel accidents, and security and cargo emergencies. A programme of drills and exercises is created to practise those actions and improve responses, and it should include the ship-specific procedures for recovery of persons from the water.

Procedures should support an effective response (§4.24) by ensuring that:

• Initial actions to establish control of the emergency are initiated.
• Communications between the team and all personnel involved are effective.
• Where appropriate, the team can set up and maintain communications with Search and Rescue (SAR) services, shore authorities, other vessels and/or aircraft.
• Emergency responses are reviewed to confirm they remain effective.

All drills and exercises are recorded in line with company procedures, and mandatory emergency drills are recorded as required by the flag State. Throughout any emergency, one thing does not change: the bridge team remains responsible for the safety of navigation (§2.6).