Second Officer (OOW)

Primary qualification

• Certificate of competency as officer in charge of a navigational watch on ships ≥ 500 GT — STCW Regulation II/1 (Code A-II/1): 12 months of approved-programme seagoing service with a training record book (of which ≥ 6 on bridge watchkeeping duties) or 36 months without a programme.
• Spain: professional title of Piloto de Segunda de la Marina Mercante (RD 973/2009) after the nautical degree; promotion to Piloto de Primera requires service as officer (12 months — as a guide, verify RD 973/2009).
• GMDSS General Operator's Certificate (GOC, STCW IV/2) mandatory for the watch; STCW V/1 tanker endorsements if the trade requires them.

Basic STCW

• A-VI/1 (basic training), A-VI/2-1 (survival craft and rescue boats), A-VI/3 (advanced fire fighting) and A-VI/4-1 (medical first aid).
• Valid seafarer medical certificate.

Specific courses

• ECDIS: IMO model course 1.27 plus type-specific familiarisation on the installed equipment.
• Radar/ARPA and bridge resource management (BRM/BTM).
• Passage planning per IMO Resolution A.893(21) (voyage planning guidelines — as a guide) and corrections via Notices to Mariners/NAVAREA.
• A-VI/4-2 (medical care on board) where the company assigns the medical function to this officer (per muster list).

Indicative experience

As a guide: 1-2 contracts (12-24 months) as third officer before promotion; moving up to second officer is a company decision and requires no additional CoC (same II/1 licence).

Observations

Bridge ladder: Third Officer → Second Officer → Chief Officer (requires STCW II/2 management level) → Master. Moving to II/2 (chief mate/master ≥ 3,000 GT) requires 12 months as watchkeeping officer plus the management level (36 months for master, reducible to 24 with 12 as chief mate — as a guide). The 00-04 and 12-16 watches are the classic navigator's watches: the night watch demands rest discipline per STCW A-VIII/1. On many ships the role is also the designated medical officer: medical chest, records and liaison with the radio-medical service.

Typical watches

• 00:00–04:00 Midnight Watch
• 12:00–16:00 Midday watch

Key responsibilities

• Prepare the berth-to-berth voyage plan and keep charts and nautical publications up to date.
• Keep the navigational watch as officer in charge (OOW), complying with COLREG and the master's standing orders.
• Keep navigation equipment operational: radar/ARPA, ECDIS, gyro, echo sounder and GPS.
• Keep and manage the ship's medical chest as designated medical officer, per the muster list.

Operational scope

• Bridge navigation
• Trip planning
• Navigation equipment