What is the role of the Officer of the Deck (OOD) on the bridge?

The role of the Officer of the Deck (OOD) on the bridge is to supervise the bridge watch team. This includes overseeing the conduct of the watch team members, ensuring that they perform their duties correctly, and maintaining a safe and efficient navigational watch. The OOD is responsible for the overall safety of the ship while underway and must ensure that all bridge personnel are effectively communicating and adhering to procedures and regulations.

While planning navigation, training enlisted personnel, or controlling propulsion are crucial aspects of ship operations, they do not fall directly under the responsibilities of the OOD. Instead, the OOD focuses on command and oversight, enabling the execution of navigation and operational procedures by delegating specific tasks to the crew under their supervision.