In maritime terms, a watch refers to a period during which part of the ship’s crew is on duty, responsible for the operation and safety of the ship. Watches are typically organized in shifts so that all crew members share the responsibility around the clock. The main types of watches include:

Deck Watches: These involve the navigation and steering of the ship, maintaining a lookout for other vessels, obstacles, and navigational marks.
Engine Room Watches: These are focused on monitoring and controlling the machinery and engineering aspects of the vessel.
Port Watches: When the ship is in port, watches focus on security, safety, and cargo operations.
The traditional system divides the 24-hour day into watches of four hours each, with some variations like the “dog watches” from 1600 to 2000, split into two two-hour periods to allow for rotation and meal times.

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