COURSES

ASSESSMENTSET

FUNCTIONS

Navigationattheoperationallevel

2 QUESTION SCORE15

COMPETENCIES

Planandconductapassageanddetermineposition

DISCUSSTHEUSEANDPROCESS,INMAKINGTHEAPPRAISALSTAGEOFTHEVOYAGEPLAN? SCORE18 Theappraisalstageofpassageplanningexaminesthese risks.Ifalternativesareavailable,therisksareevaluated andacompromisesolutionisreachedwherebythelevel ofriskisbalancedagainstcommercialexpediency.The appraisalcouldbeconsideredtobethemostimportant partofpassageplanningasitisatthisstage thatallpertinentinformationisgatheredandthefirm foundationfortheplanisbuilt.Theurgetocommence planningassoonaspossibleshouldberesisted.Time allocatedtoappraisalwillpaydividendslater. Suchappraisalwillbemadebyconsideringthe informationfromsourcesincludingbutnotlimitedto: 1ChartCatalogue. 2NavigationalCharts. 3OceanPassagesfortheWorld. 4RouteingChartsorPilotCharts. 5SailingDirectionsandPilotBooks. 6LightLists. 7TideTables. 8TidalStreamAtlases. 9NoticestoMariners. 10RouteingInformation. 11RadioSignalInformation(inc.VTSandPilotservice). 12ClimaticInformation. 13LoadLineChart. 14DistanceTables. SCORE20 Theappraisalstageofpassageplanningexamines theserisks.Ifalternativesareavailable,therisks areevaluatedandacompromisesolutionis reachedwherebythelevelofriskisbalanced againstcommercialexpediency.Theappraisal couldbeconsideredtobethemostimportant partofpassageplanningasitisatthisstage thatallpertinentinformationisgatheredandthe firmfoundationfortheplanisbuilt.Theurgeto commenceplanningassoonaspossibleshouldbe resisted.Timeallocatedtoappraisalwillpay dividendslater. Suchappraisalwillbemadebyconsideringthe informationfromsourcesincludingbutnot limitedto: 1ChartCatalogue. 2NavigationalCharts. 3OceanPassagesfortheWorld. 4RouteingChartsorPilotCharts. 5SailingDirectionsandPilotBooks. 6LightLists. 7TideTables. 8TidalStreamAtlases. 9NoticestoMariners. 10RouteingInformation. 11RadioSignalInformation(inc.VTSandPilot Page1of5

Theappraisalstageofpassageplanningexamines theserisks.Ifalternativesareavailable,therisksare evaluatedandacompromisesolutionisreached wherebythelevelofriskisbalancedagainst commercialexpediency.Theappraisalcouldbe consideredtobethemostimportantpartofpassage planningasitisatthisstage thatallpertinentinformationisgatheredandthe firmfoundationfortheplanisbuilt.Theurgeto commenceplanningassoonaspossibleshouldbe resisted.Timeallocatedtoappraisalwillpay dividendslater. Suchappraisalwillbemadebyconsideringthe informationfromsourcesincludingbutnotlimited to: 1ChartCatalogue. 2NavigationalCharts. 3OceanPassagesfortheWorld. 4RouteingChartsorPilotCharts. 5SailingDirectionsandPilotBooks. 6LightLists. 7TideTables. 8TidalStreamAtlases. 9NoticestoMariners. 10RouteingInformation. 11RadioSignalInformation(inc.VTSandPilot

COURSES

ASSESSMENTSET

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Navigationattheoperationallevel

service). 12ClimaticInformation. 13LoadLineChart. 14DistanceTables. 15ElectronicNavigationalSystemsInformation. 16RadioandLocalNavigationalWarnings. 17DraughtofVessel. 18NavigationalTerms. 19Owner'sandotherunpublishedsources. 20PersonalExperience. 21Mariner'sHandbook. 22GuidetoPortEntry. 23NauticalAlmanac. Havingcollectedtogetheralltherelevant informationthemaster,inconsultationwithhis officers,willbeabletomakeanoverallappraisalof thepassage. OCEANORCOASTALROUTES Havingmadehisappraisaloftheintended voyage/passage,whetheritisashortcoastal passageoramajortransoceanvoyage, themasterwilldeterminehisstrategyanddelegate oneofhisofficerstoplanthevoyage.Onmostships thiswillbethesecondmate,onsomeadesignated navigatingofficer,whilstonothersthemastermay prefertodohisownplanning.Irrespectiveofwho doesthe actualplanning,ithastobetotherequirementsof themasterwhocarriesthefinalresponsibilityfor theplan.

15ElectronicNavigationalSystemsInformation. 16RadioandLocalNavigationalWarnings. 17DraughtofVessel. 18NavigationalTerms. 19Owner'sandotherunpublishedsources. 20PersonalExperience. 21Mariner'sHandbook. 22GuidetoPortEntry. 23NauticalAlmanac. Havingcollectedtogetheralltherelevantinformation themaster,inconsultationwithhisofficers,willbeable tomakeanoverallappraisalofthepassage. OCEANROUTES Thepassagemaybeatransoceanrouteinwhichcase thefirstconsiderationwillneedtobethedistance betweenports,theavailabilityofbunkersandstoresetc. Agreatcircleistheshortestdistancebutother considerationswillneedtobetakenintoaccount. Meteorologicalconditionswillneedtobeconsidered anditmaywellproveadvantageoustouseoneofthe weatherrouteingservices.Althoughtherecommended routemaybelongerindistanceitmaywellprove shorterintimeandtheshipsufferlessdamage. Oceancurrentsmaybeusedtoadvantage,favourable onesgiving theshipabetteroverallspeed,offsettingthe disadvantageoftaking alongerroute. COASTALROUTES Thefirstconsiderationattheappraisalstagewillbeto

service). 12ClimaticInformation. 13LoadLineChart. 14DistanceTables. 15ElectronicNavigationalSystemsInformation. 16RadioandLocalNavigationalWarnings. 17DraughtofVessel. 18NavigationalTerms. 19Owner'sandotherunpublishedsources. 20PersonalExperience. 21Mariner'sHandbook. 22GuidetoPortEntry. 23NauticalAlmanac. Havingcollectedtogetheralltherelevant informationthemaster,inconsultationwithhis officers,willbeabletomakeanoverallappraisal ofthepassage. OCEANROUTES Thepassagemaybeatransoceanrouteinwhich casethefirstconsiderationwillneedtobethe distancebetweenports,theavailabilityof bunkersandstoresetc. Agreatcircleistheshortestdistancebutother considerationswillneedtobetakenintoaccount. Meteorologicalconditionswillneedtobe consideredanditmaywellproveadvantageous touseoneoftheweatherrouteingservices. Althoughtherecommendedroutemaybelonger indistanceitmaywellproveshorterintimeand theshipsufferlessdamage. Oceancurrentsmaybeusedtoadvantage, favourableonesgivingtheshipabetteroverall Page2of5

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Navigationattheoperationallevel

determinethedistancethattracksshouldbelaidoff coastlinesanddangers.Whentheshipispassingthrough areaswhereIMOtrafficseparationandrouteing schemesareinoperationsuchrouteingwill havetobefollowed.Insomecoastalareasminimum distancesoffforall,orspecifiedvessels,maybe determinedbytherelevantstate.Shippingcompaniesor charterersmayalsospecifyminimumdistanceoff dangersorland. Havingmadehisappraisaloftheintended voyage/passage,whetheritisashortcoastalpassageor amajortransoceanvoyage, themasterwilldeterminehisstrategyanddelegateone ofhisofficerstoplanthevoyage.Onmostshipsthiswill bethesecondmate,on someadesignatednavigatingofficer,whilstonothers themastermayprefertodohisownplanning. Irrespectiveofwhodoestheactualplanning,ithastobe totherequirementsofthemasterwhocarriesthefinal responsibilityfortheplan.

speed,offsettingthedisadvantageoftakinga longerroute. Weathersystemsalsoneedtobeconsidered,e.g. ashipintheFarEastinsummerneedsplentyof searoomifitisliabletobeinvolvedinatropical revolvingstormandapassageinhighlatitudes mayrequireiceconditionstobeconsidered. Irrespectiveoftheadvantagesofusinga preferredtrack,theLoadLineRulesmustalways beobeyed.Incertaincircumstances,often politicalorfor safetypurposes,ashipmayneedtokeepclearof specifiedareas. Theshipownerandthecharterersmayhave certainconditionsthattheplannerwillhaveto takeintoaccount.Specifiedunderkeelclearances mayhavetobeobservedasmaydistancesoff groundingareasorlandandtheownersmayhave areasoftheworldtheyprefernottouse,suchas certainstraitsinsomeofthearchipelagos. Somecharterersmayspecifythattheshipmust remainwithincertainlatitudesorthatagiven speedneedstobemaintained.Themaster,of course,willhavethefinalauthorityoversuch mattersandshouldspecifyanysuchconditions beforetheplanningstarts. COASTALROUTES Thefirstconsiderationattheappraisalstagewill betodeterminethedistancethattracksshould belaidoffcoastlinesanddangers.Whentheship ispassingthroughareaswhereIMOtraffic Page3of5

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Navigationattheoperationallevel

separationandrouteingschemesareinoperation suchrouteingwill havetobefollowed.Insomecoastalareas minimumdistancesoffforall,orspecifiedvessels, maybedeterminedbytherelevantstate. Shippingcompaniesorcharterersmayalso specifyminimumdistanceoffdangersorland. Inarchipelagos,itwillbenecessarytodetermine whichstraitsandpassagesaretobeusedand whetherornotpilotageisrequired.Undercertain circumstancesitmaybepreferabletodivert aroundanarchipelago. Havingmadehisappraisaloftheintended voyage/passage,whetheritisashortcoastal passageoramajortransoceanvoyage,the masterwilldeterminehisstrategyanddelegate oneofhisofficerstoplanthevoyage.Onmost shipsthiswillbethesecondmate,on someadesignatednavigatingofficer,whilston othersthemastermayprefertodohisown planning.Irrespectiveofwhodoestheactual planning,ithastobetotherequirementsofthe masterwhocarriesthefinalresponsibilityforthe plan. Theplanneedstoincludealleventualitiesand contingencies.Passageplansareoftenmadefrom pilotstationtopilotstationbutIMOResolution A.285(VIII),AnnexA(v)states:"Despitetheduties andobligationsofapilot,hispresenceonboard doesnotrelievetheofficerinchargeofthewatch fromhisdutiesandobligationsforthesafetyof theship." Page4of5

COURSES

ASSESSMENTSET

FUNCTIONS

Navigationattheoperationallevel

Thismakesitquiteclearthatitisnecessaryto planfromberthtobertheventhoughitis anticipatedthattherewillbeapilotconducting thevesselatcertainstagesofthevoyage. Thebridgeteamneedstobeabletoverifythat correctionsareuptodateandallrelevant navigationalwarningshavebeennoted.Charts containingcorrectionsdonotnecessarilyindicate whethertheyarethemostuptodateavailable.

REFERENCES

1.BridgeTeamManagement(SecondEdition)APracticalGuidebyCapt.A.JSwiftFNI

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