YOC, Young Officer of the Watch

An informal designation for a newly certificated deck officer holding the STCW Regulation II/1 Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (OOW) endorsement, the first watchkeeping rank after cadet training. The young OOW keeps an independent bridge watch on ships of 500 GT or more, applies the COLREGs, and gains the sea time and experience needed toward the chief mate (II/2) and master certificates. The term flags the junior, supervised standing of an officer fresh from gaining the OOW certificate.