The STCW II/3 - Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OICNW) Less Than 500 GT Oceans (OC) or Operational Level is a licensed officer in the deck department of a merchant ship and reports to the First Mate. The third mate is a watch keeping officer, who performs duties including, planning the vessel's route for each stage of the voyage, monitoring and recording the vessel's progress along the route, upkeeping navigational charts and publications, and ensuring functionality of the vessel's radio equipment, firefighting equipment, lifeboats, meteorological instruments and various other emergency systems. Mate's duties vary depending on the type of ship, its crewing, and other factors. There are different licenses of a Mate according to the experience, certificates, and competencies such as Second and First Mates. Candidates must meet a minimum sea service, training, and exam requirement.
