‼️👀We urgently need at least one more OOW.

By WE, I mean not only seafarers or the maritime community, but everyone who wants to live in a safer world.

After each marine incident, the question of changes to minimum safe manning is raised. But hey, let’s break it down and have a proper discussion about what exactly could be changed.

I’ll start with the area where I have the most experience: the bridge.

There should be three navigational OOWs. Why?

- Duties between the three officers can be fairly divided, with a maximum of 8 working hours each.

- You will always have one properly rested OOW, even if the other two were involved in unmooring or cargo operations.

-Navigational, safety, and paperwork duties can be split between three people—not two (or sometimes just one).

-The Chief Officer will have more time to focus on his actual responsibilities (which are many these days), without having to sit at the computer during a navigational watch.

This is not the highest-salaried position onboard, so increasing OOW numbers won’t break the budget-but it can significantly improve safety at sea and in port.

What do you think? Which positions do you believe could also be improved?