At 0300 on an ocean passage the vessel suffers a total blackout — all bridge electronics, lights and propulsion fail simultaneously. You are chief mate and OOW. Describe your immediate response.

A. TOTAL BLACKOUT — CHIEF MATE IMMEDIATE ACTIONS: FIRST SECONDS — SAFETY AND NAVIGATION: (1) MAINTAIN COMPOSURE: startle response must be controlled — announce to watch crew "blackout, blackout — stand by"; (2) EMERGENCY LIGHTING: should activate automatically within 45 seconds (SOLAS); if not, use portable torches; (3) NAVIGATION LIGHTS: will transfer to emergency supply — if not, hoist appropriate lights (vessel not under command signals: two all-round red lights); (4) SOUND SIGNAL: if in or near TSS or confined waters — sound appropriate signal (two short one long — not under command); (5) VESSEL IS NOW DRIFTING: note position before radar lost — GPS should be on emergency supply; if not, use last known position and note current, drift; (6) NOTIFY MASTER: immediately; (7) CONTACT ENGINE ROOM: by telephone (emergency circuit) — "Engine room, bridge, total blackout — what is the status?"; (8) MONITOR for other vessels: keep visual watch — lookout posted; (9) VHF: Ch 16 on emergency supply — advise nearby traffic and VTS if in TSS: "PAN PAN — vessel [name] has suffered a blackout and is temporarily not under command at position [X]"; (10) STEERING: loss of power = loss of powered steering — manual mechanical backup available? Note: many vessels use powered hydraulic steering with no mechanical backup. WHEN POWER RESTORED: resume normal monitoring, test all bridge equipment, log event.

B. Immediately transmit a Mayday on VHF. A total blackout means the vessel is in distress and SAR must be alerted without delay.

C. Go directly to the engine room to assist the engineer in restoring power. The vessel is drifting and restoring propulsion is the highest priority — leave the bridge.

D. Wait on the bridge for the emergency generator to restore power. There is nothing the chief mate can do until power is restored and no action should be taken in the dark.

A. BRIDGE ENGINE REMOTE CONTROL — PRINCIPLES AND TESTING: OPERATING PRINCIPLE: Modern vessels have a telegraph system that allows the bridge to command propulsion from three positions: (1) Bridge wing (port and starboard); (2) Bridge centre console (primary); (3) Engine room local control (manual override). The system typically uses an electronic or electro-pneumatic telegraph — the bridge moves the telegraph lever and the engine room control room (or automated system) responds with matching engine movement. REMOTE CONTROL TYPES: (a) Bridge full control: bridge moves engine telegraph → ECR or UMS system automatically adjusts fuel injection, ahead/astern valve, and RPM; (b) Telegraphed control: bridge signals intention, engine room carries out manually; (c) CPP (Controllable Pitch Propeller): blade pitch changes rather than engine RPM — bridge pitch lever directly adjusts thrust. PRE-DEPARTURE TEST: (1) Notify engine room of impending test; (2) Test both bridge wing controls and centre console — move telegraph full range ahead/stop/astern; (3) Confirm ECR repeater matches bridge telegraph position; (4) Test emergency stop function; (5) Confirm steering gear tested (SOLAS V/26 — 12 hours before departure); (6) Log all tests with times; (7) Confirm with chief engineer "engines ready for manoeuvring."

B. Bridge engine control is tested only at drydock. Between drydocks, the engineer officer of the watch is solely responsible for engine operations and the chief mate has no role in engine testing.

C. The bridge telegraph is advisory only. The engine room carries out all engine movements independently — the bridge telegraph is a communication tool, not a control system.

D. Engine testing before departure is done by increasing to full ahead for 5 minutes then stopping. Other tests are the chief engineer's responsibility and are covered by the SMS.

A. UMS ALARM — BRIDGE OOW/CHIEF MATE RESPONSIBILITIES: UMS BACKGROUND: SOLAS II-1/46-54 and the UMS Code (MSC/Circ.645) allow machinery spaces to be operated without continuous manning when the vessel meets prescribed equipment and alarm standards. The engineer is on call, not in the machinery space. OOW BRIDGE ACTIONS ON UMS ALARM: (1) ACKNOWLEDGE the alarm on the bridge alarm panel — this stops the audible alarm but keeps the visual; (2) RECORD: alarm type, time, and acknowledge time in the logbook; (3) CONTACT the duty engineer officer — give the alarm description and location; (4) MONITOR the alarm: if a second alarm follows rapidly (cascade alarms), or if a HIGH PRIORITY alarm activates (blackout, main engine shutdown, steering failure) — take immediate navigational action as appropriate; (5) DO NOT SILENCE AND IGNORE: the alarm system requires that alarms are responded to — an unresponded-to alarm triggers escalation to the next person on the call list; (6) HIGH PRIORITY ALARMS: main engine slowdown/shutdown → notify master, consider navigational implications (vessel now drifting or under reduced power); (7) Document all alarms, response times, and engineer actions taken in the UMS alarm log. CHIEF MATE UNDERSTANDING: must know which alarms require navigational response vs engineering response.

B. All UMS alarms are exclusively the duty engineer's responsibility. The bridge OOW should silence the alarm and wait for the engineer to respond — there is no bridge action required.

C. Wake the master for every UMS alarm. Only the master has authority to decide whether a UMS alarm requires action at night — the OOW should not make this assessment.

D. UMS alarms can be safely ignored for 30 minutes before escalation. The engineer's call response time is 30 minutes under SOLAS and the OOW should not contact the engineer before this period expires.