Shipboard Operations // Deck Officer Handover
3rd Officer Handover Checklist: LSA & FFE Inspections, Statutory Certificates, and Port State Control Preparedness
A practical guide for Third Navigating Officers taking over safety equipment responsibilities (Safety Officer). Step-by-step audit of lifeboats, liferafts, hydrostatic release units, breathing apparatus, and fire-fighting gear, with essential strategies for compiling deficiency notes in the Handover Report to safeguard professional standing during PSC inspections.
The moment your predecessor steps down the gangway, full statutory responsibility for every fire extinguisher, pyrotechnic distress signal, and hydrostatic release unit shifts entirely to you. If Port State Control (PSC), Flag State surveyors, or Oil Major vetting auditors board the vessel at the next port, any unrecorded deficiency or expired certificate will be logged under your watch.
1. Documentation & Statutory Certificates: The Cabin Desk Audit
An auditor begins by examining paperwork: what does not exist in the official logs and survey files does not exist legally. Sit down with your counterpart before heading out on deck and examine three primary documentation files:
Review the master safety spreadsheet and physical survey endorsements, verifying that critical equipment will not expire during your upcoming tour of duty:
- Annual servicing certificates for inflatable liferafts and hydrostatic release units (HRUs);
- 5-year hydrostatic pressure test certificates for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and Emergency Escape Breathing Device (EEBD) cylinders;
- Expiry dates of bridge line-throwing apparatus, rocket parachute flares, and lifeboat pyrotechnics (normally 3-year service life);
- Battery and release unit replacement dates for the EPIRB and Search and Rescue Transponders (SARTs);
- Lifeboat food ration packages and potable water tins (typically 5-year validity).
Inspect the official Form E attachment to the Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate (refer to our comprehensive review of Maritime Ship Certificates). Form E dictates the legally required quantities of safety appliances: immersion suits, lifejackets, lifebuoys, SCBA sets, and spare charges. The physical inventory on board must equal or exceed these numbers.
Verify that all routine weekly and monthly maintenance routines in the shipboard software (AMOS, TM Master, Danaos, ShipNet) have been officially signed off. Cross-reference the Official Deck Log Book to confirm that abandon ship and fire drills comply with SOLAS regulations (conducted monthly, or within 24 hours of departing port if more than 25% of the crew has been replaced).
2. Physical Deck Walkthrough: Life-Saving Appliances (LSA)
Do not rely on signed records. Conduct a physical inspection of every primary life-saving station:
| Life-Saving Appliance | Critical Checkpoints (Verify Physically) | Statutory Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeboats & Rescue Boats |
1. Start the propulsion engine and run tests in Ahead and Astern; 2. Confirm fuel tank levels are at 100% capacity; 3. Verify battery voltage across both starting banks and inspect the charger trickle feed; 4. Inspect the off-load/on-load release mechanism, ensuring the safety pin is seated and indicators read “LOCKED”; 5. On tankers: verify compressed air cylinder bank pressure and test the hull water-spray deluge valve. |
LSA Code Ch. IV, fuel capacity for 24 hours of continuous running at ≥ 6 knots. |
| Inflatable Liferafts |
1. Check serial numbers on container casings against shore test certificates; 2. Inspect the Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) weak link connection: the painter line must shackle through the Hammar H20 weak link to strong points on the deck structure; 3. Check the stamped HRU expiration date. |
SOLAS III/20, autonomous float-free deployment at water depths between 1.5 and 4.0 meters. |
| Davits & Wire Falls |
1. Verify date of last fall renewal or end-for-ending (wire life not exceeding 5 years); 2. Check grease points on gravity davit sheaves, rollers, and trunnions; 3. Test the electrical limit switches designed to prevent fall wire parting during hoisting. |
SOLAS III/20.4, 5-yearly dynamic thorough examination with 1.1 × working load. |
| Lifebuoys & Quick Releases |
1. Check lettering: ship’s name and port of registry in Roman capitals; 2. Bridge wing Man Overboard (MOB) apparatus: verify that 15-minute smoke floats and 2-hour lights are connected and pull-pins are clear; 3. Check buoys fitted with 30-meter buoyant lifelines along fairleads. |
SOLAS III/7.1, bridge wing MOB lifebuoys must have a mass of not less than 4.0 kg. |
| Immersion Suits & Lifejackets |
1. Spot-check suits in survival stations and accommodation lockers; 2. Inspect waterproof zippers (must be treated with paraffin wax); 3. Check whistles, retro-reflective tape, and expiry dates on locator lights. |
LSA Code Ch. II, donning time by an untrained person within 2 minutes. |
3. Fire-Fighting Equipment (FFE): The High-Risk PSC Inspection Target
Port State Control inspectors prioritize fire protection equipment because defects in firefighting readiness frequently warrant immediate ship detention:
• Pressure Gauges: Needles on stored-pressure powder and foam extinguishers must rest firmly in the green operational zone;
• Seals and Pins: Pull-pins must be secured with tamper seals that can be broken by hand in an emergency;
• Hoses & Hydrant Boxes: Open several boxes across the main deck and engine casing. Hoses must be correctly flaked or coiled without rubber deterioration. Verify the presence of spanners and confirm that dual-purpose nozzles operate smoothly between jet and spray modes;
• Spare Charges: Confirm that required onboard spare charges are present: 100% for the first 10 extinguishers and 50% for remaining units.
• Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA): Check cylinder pressure gauges on all emergency sets (must read at least 200–300 bar depending on cylinder design). Check the hydrostatic test dates stamped on steel or composite shells;
• Low-Pressure Whistle Alarm Test: Open the cylinder valve, charge the line, shut the valve, and slowly vent air via the bypass valve. The mechanical warning whistle must sound distinctly between 50 and 60 bar;
• Emergency Escape Breathing Devices (EEBDs): Inspect gauges across all accommodation and engine room transit stations, confirming cylinders are fully pressurized and distinguishing training units clearly;
• Firefighter Outfits: Confirm complete kit availability: protective suits, non-conducting boots, helmets, safety lamps, axes, and fire-resistant lifelines.
• International Shore Connection (ISC): The dedicated International Shore Connection locker must contain its 178 mm flange, 4 bolts (M16×50), 8 washers, 4 nuts, 2 wrenches, and at least two fresh rubber gaskets. In port, verify that this locker is mounted near the gangway;
• Fixed CO₂ Smothering System: Check that distribution valves are wired and sealed, the pre-discharge alarm siren functions, and cylinder weights or liquid-level ultrasonic checks are current;
• Ventilation Flaps & Quick-Closing Valves: Inspect remote cable and pneumatic trips for engine room fuel isolation and damper closures.
4. Navigational Equipment & Publications (When Assigned to the 3rd Officer)
On many merchant vessels, the Third Officer also manages nautical publications, bridge logs, and chart corrections:
- Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS): Verify Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) license validity, check the latest weekly update edition, and verify that Admiralty Information Overlay (AIO) is operating properly;
- Paper Charts & Notices to Mariners (NtM): Verify the latest bulletin edition received on board, confirming that active Temporary and Preliminary (T&P) Notices along the passage are marked;
- Nautical Publications: Confirm the presence and correction status of Sailing Directions, List of Lights, Radio Signals (ALRS), and Tide Tables;
- Bridge Systems: Check entries in the Compass Observation Error Book, chronometer rate sheets, and system readiness logs for the BNWAS and GMDSS batteries.
5. Signing the Handover Report: Protecting Yourself Legally
If your inspection reveals expired pyrotechnics, missing liferaft equipment, or an unpressurized SCBA cylinder, handle the situation methodically:
- Compile a Defect List: Record every missing, defective, or expired item on a separate note, identifying specific locations and equipment serial numbers;
- Review Open Requisitions: Inquire whether replacement stores have already been ordered from the office. If requisitions exist in the PMS (status Approved / In Transit), record the Purchase Order numbers and intended delivery ports;
- Report to the Chief Officer and Master: Present the list to the Chief Mate. State clearly: “I am prepared to accept the safety department and take over the navigational watch, but these items require immediate attention as they were outstanding prior to my arrival.”;
- Document Defects in the Remarks Section: Never sign a blank Handover Report. Summarize all identified deficiencies alongside open requisition numbers under the “Remarks / Outstanding Items” section. This forms your primary defense under the ISM Code.
Port State Control inspectors recognize that active commercial vessels encounter maintenance items. When you demonstrate that you took over two days prior, identified the discrepancies, noted them in the official Handover Report, and tracked purchase orders with the superintendent, auditors recognize an organized bridge officer. Rectification action plans are recorded without punitive observations against your professional record.
Frequently Asked Questions: 3rd Officer Handover (FAQ)