Bridging the Wheelhouse and Engine Room: Collaborative Decision-Making Between Deck Officers and Engineer Officers During Main Engine Maneuvering Operations

Maneuvering operations represent the most dynamically complex and operationally hazardous phase of a vessel's voyage, demanding precise real-time coordination between deck officers at the bridge and engineer officers in the engine room. Communication breakdowns at this critical interdepartmental interface have been consistently implicated in propulsion-related maritime accidents, yet the collaborative decision-making processes that govern bridge-engine room interaction during maneuvering remain insufficiently examined in the research literature. This study investigates collaborative decision-making patterns between deck and engineer officers during main engine telegraph operations, employing a qualitative observational design grounded in human factors engineering and Crew Resource Management theory. Through 72 hours of structured simulation observation across two maritime training centers and 36 semi-structured officer interviews, the study documents communication pattern frequencies, decision latency behaviors, information-sharing strategies, and CRM competency profiles across both officer categories and experience levels. Findings reveal persistent asymmetries in situational awareness, authority gradient distortions under time pressure, and a systematic underutilization of standardized communication protocols during non-routine maneuvering events. The study contributes a dual-department collaborative framework for bridge-engine room operations and offers evidence-based recommendations for integrated officer training design and propulsion safety protocol development.