A lookout is a person at the ship’s bridge who maintains a
continuous watch of the sea to report any kind of hazard that
can be an obstacle in the navigation and cause harm to the ship.
According to COLREG, a lookout is required to give his
uninterrupted attention at all times to the ship’s navigation in
order to inform the officer on watch (OOW) about other ships,
shipwrecks, debris, floating objects etc. Though the job might
sound simple, the duty of a lookout is a responsible one and
should be taken with utmost seriousness. Lookout helps in
carrying out the duties of the officer on watch (OOW) more
efficiently. The lookout should inform the officer on watch when
he observes any of the following: - Any kind of floating object
- Navigation mark or lights - Any type of distress signal from
other ships or ports - Ice, irrespective of size or form - Any
type of ship irrespective of its size - Sandbags or prominent
navigational features - Problem with any of the ship’s
navigation systems, including navigational