The Saturday Routine: Planned Maintenance Checks

1. What is the Saturday Routine?

The Saturday routine is the ship's weekly planned maintenance programme for testing and checking emergency and safety equipment. Work is scheduled by frequency — every Saturday, fortnightly and monthly — and each item is assigned to a responsible engineer.

Why It Matters:

• Emergency equipment sits idle for most of a voyage; the routine proves it will work when it is suddenly needed.
• Testing at sea (away from port restrictions) confirms the equipment is operational under realistic conditions.
• The records generated are the evidence a surveyor or Port State Control officer uses to confirm the planned maintenance system is effective.

Who Does What:

• Electrical Officer — electrical/electronic safety systems (fire detection, general alarm, emergency batteries and lighting, remote stops, safety devices, alarm circuits).
• Second Engineer — engine-room machinery safety (CO2, air & foam, emergency steering gear, remote stops, M/E manoeuvring, unused valves).
• Third Engineer — lifeboat engine, boiler safety valve (with Electrical Officer).
• Fourth Engineer — funnel flaps, emergency fire pump, emergency air compressor, emergency bilge suction valve, auxiliary engine safety (with Electrical Officer).

2. Every-Saturday Checks

These are carried out every Saturday:

• Fire Detection System [Electrical Officer] — every Saturday.
• Air and Foam Equipment [Second Engineer] — every Saturday.
• General Alarm System [Electrical Officer] — every Saturday.
• Funnel Flaps [Fourth Engineer] — every Saturday.
• Lifeboat Engine [Third Engineer] — every Saturday.
• Emergency Fire Pump [Fourth Engineer] — every Saturday.
• Emergency Air Compressor [Fourth Engineer] — every Saturday.
• Oily Water Separator & 15 ppm Indicator [Electrical Officer] — every Saturday.

Why these every week? Fire detection, the general alarm, the emergency fire pump, the emergency air compressor and the lifeboat engine are the first-response items in any emergency. A week is the longest they should sit untested, so they are proven every Saturday. The OWS/15 ppm is checked because it is a daily pollution-control item.

3. Fortnightly Checks

These are carried out fortnightly:

• Emergency Batteries [Electrical Officer] — fortnightly.
• Emergency Lighting [Electrical Officer] — fortnightly.
• Emergency Steering Gear [Second Engineer] — fortnightly.

The emergency power chain. Emergency batteries, emergency lighting and emergency steering gear all depend on the emergency source of electrical power. Fortnightly testing proves that when main power is lost, the emergency supply, lighting and steering are available — the classic "blackout" scenario.

4. Monthly Checks

These are carried out monthly:

• CO2 Bottles and System [Electrical Officer] — monthly.
• Emergency / Remote Stops [Electrical Officer & Second Engineer] — monthly (M/E quick closing valve, E/R blower, E/R pump, accommodation blower).
• Emergency Bilge Suction Valve [Fourth Engineer] — monthly.
• Normally Unused Valves [Second Engineer] — monthly (ship-side valve, sewage plant, isolating valve).
• Portable Electronic Tools and Equipment [Electrical Officer] — monthly.
• Main Engine Safety Devices [Electrical Officer & Second Engineer] — monthly.
• Auxiliary Engine Safety [Electrical Officer & Fourth Engineer] — monthly.
• Main Engine Manoeuvring [Electrical Officer & Second Engineer] — monthly.
• Cargo Gear — all Limit Switches [Electrical Officer] — monthly.
• Boiler Safety Valve [Electrical Officer & Third Engineer] — monthly.
• Alarms: freezer room, hospital room, bilge, incinerator room and steering gear alarms [Electrical Officer] — monthly.

Surveyor asks: "What do you do on Saturday?" Give the routine by frequency — and remember the two favourites they test: the emergency fire pump (every Saturday) and the emergency steering gear (fortnightly), plus the remote/emergency stops and engine safety devices (monthly).