Watch (Duty Period)

A scheduled period of duty during which assigned personnel maintain specified responsibility for a vessel and its operations.

A navigational watch can include lookout, steering, position monitoring, collision avoidance, communications and machinery awareness, while separate engine, anchor, cargo or security watches may operate. Watch length and organisation vary with vessel, crew, regulation and voyage.

A proper handover communicates position, course, traffic, weather, equipment status, orders and hazards. Fatigue, distraction and unclear responsibility undermine watchkeeping, and automated alarms or autopilot do not replace an alert qualified person where one is required.