[Presbyterian Reporter]

“Steering Gear Machinery Room Watch manned by a Machinist Mate”

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What if the Machinist Mate is disgruntled? Can that person override the bridge? What if the Machinist Mate is checking the AIS of other ships on their smartphone and deliberately turns the destroyer into the path of the tanker?

[cva66snipe]

What if the Machinist Mate is disgruntled? Can that person override the bridge? What if the Machinist Mate is checking the AIS of other ships on their smartphone and deliberately turns the destroyer into the path of the tanker?

The Bridge would know immediately if headings were off and could order "All Stop" to the Engine Rooms.The Engineering Officer Of The Watch if there was suspected improper watch dispatch a senior NCO to check. Oh and many critical spaces now also have video cameras going. The Watch is Watched. As for the Smart Phone? The Steering Gear Rooms are below water line IIRC.

Ships can loose steering from such common issues as a generator tripping offline causing loss of power and the time it takes to get the emergency generator up and the electrical switchboards involved transferred.