An efficient bridge organization will include procedures that 1.

Eliminate the risk that an error on the part of one person may result in a disastrous situation; 2. Emphasise the necessity to maintain a good visual lookout and to carry out collision avoidance routines; 3. Encourage the use of all means of establishing the ship's position so that in the case of one method becoming unreliable others are immediately available; 4. Make use of passage planning and navigational systems which allow continuous monitoring and detection of deviation from track when in coastal waters; 5. Ensure that all instrument errors are known and correctly applied; 6. Accept a pilot as a valuable addition to a bridge team.

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These procedures can only be achieved by each member of the bridge team appreciating that he has a vital part to play in the safe navigation of the ship. Each member will also realise that safety depends upon all personnel playing their part to the utmost of their ability. Junior team members and watchstanders must never hesitate to question a decision if they consider that such decision is not in the best interests of the ship. Careful briefing and explanation of the responsibilities required of each member will help to accomplish this.

Each team member must appreciate that the safety of the ship should never depend upon the decision of one person only. All decisions and orders must be carefully checked and their execution monitored.

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Masters, skippers and watchkeepers should therefore adhere to the IMO Guidelines taking the following measures to ensure that they appreciate and reduce the risks to which they are exposed:

Why plan in advance????

a) ensure that all show that human error contributes to 80% of (iii) cross-checking of individual navigation Investigations the vessel's human decisions adequate detail with is planned in soaccidentscan be that in many cases essential navigational that errors and detected and corrected appropriate contingency plans where as early as information that could have prevented the accident was possible; b) ensure that there is a systematic available to but not used by those responsible for the (iv) information available provides for: bridge organisation thatfrom plots of other
traffic is of the vessels concerned. navigationused carefully to ensure against over-confidence, bearing in mind

(i)that other vessels may alterof all comprehensive briefing course Most accidents happen because of simple concerned with the navigation of and/or speed mistakes in use of navigational equipment the that optimum c) ensure vessel; and interpretation ofand systematic use the available (ii) close andappropriate information continuous monitoring is made of all information, rather than because of any of the vessel's position navigational that becomes available to the ensuring as deficiency in basic navigational skills or staff; as possible that different far ability to use equipment. methods the intentions of a pilot are d) ensuring thatof determining the position are used to and acceptable to the fully understoodcheck against error in any navigational vessel's one system.staff
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20.0%

80.0%

2. RESPONSIBILITY FOR VOYAGE PLANNING

In most deep-sea vessels the master delegates the initial responsibility for preparing the plan for a voyage to the officer responsible for navigational equipment and publications (hereafter referred to as the navigating officer.) On smaller vessels, including fishing vessels, the master or skipper may have the responsibility of the navigating officer for voyage planning purposes. Prior to departure the navigating officer will prepare the detailed voyage plan from berth to berth in accordance with the Guidelines and to the master's requirements.

If the port of destination is not known or is subsequently altered, the navigating officer must extend or amend the original plan as appropriate.

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Learning outcome
Upon completion of this section. You will be able to
1. Know the two major stages in making a Passage Plan 2. Create a passage plan, base of the four stages as per SOLAS/STCW requirements; 3. Outline the important nautical publication that should be consulted and source of information through the voyage; 4. Identify critical area/s, or danger during the voyage;

Voyages of whatever length can be broken down into two major stages. 1. PREPARATION 2. EXECUTION Included in PREPARATION are: a. APPRAISAL b. PLANNING EXECUTION of the voyage includes: c. ORGANISATION d. MONITORING

PRINCIPLES OF VOYAGE PLANNING

The four stages of Appraisal, Planning, Execution and Monitoring logically follow each other. An appraisal of all information available must be made before detailed plans can be drawn up and a plan must be in existence before tactics for its execution can be decided upon. Once the plan and the manner in which it is to be executed have been decided, monitoring must be carried out to ensure that the plan is followed.

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Depending on circumstances, the main details of the plan should be marked in is the process of gathering vessel, her equipment to beany other A longer route should and prominent places on the relevant Bearing in mind the condition of the all information charts shorter Appraisal appropriate always be accepted in preference to aand used duringproposed aroute. The judgement of main engine of safety which must more the voyage. circumstances, balanced possibility to thehazardousvoyage, including ascertaining risks and steering gear the margins or breakdown at a critical moment must not list the items be allowed in the various sections of the intended voyage can assessing its critical areas. The Guidelinesbe overlooked. that now be They should also into account. Supporting made, be taken be programmed and shouldagreed and understood by all concerned. information relative to the stored electronically on which should voyage, such as times of include: Additional information an ECDIS or be marked on the charts high and low RCDS where fitted. water, navigating or sunset, should Once a full appraisal has been carried out theshould be made An overall assessment of the intended voyage or of sunrise officer carries out themaster, in process, acting on the navigating officer and Theused by the All radar-conspicuous objectsthealso be recorded in this notebook. Planning consultation with and RACONs, which may be detailed master's instructions. The main details of the voyage plan plan deck radar position fixing. othershould cover the wholebe involved, after all relevantand include all in officers who will voyage from is unlikely that every detail of a It berth to berth, should also be recorded in a bridge waters where a been gathered. information haspilot will be on board. The plan should been anticipated, voyage will have be completed and notebook used specially for this include all the relevant factors listed inparticularly in pilotage waters. Any transit marks, clearing bearings Guidelines. ranges (radar) the or clearing purpose to allow reference to details This appraisal mayprovide the advantage. his bridge team which will be used to master and of the plan at the conning position Much of what will have been planned The a clearneed to consult the withappropriate charts should be marked clearlyto be adjusted or changed without the and precise indication of all areas of danger, and areas of may have showing all It is sometimes intended track two conspicuous navigate danger and the possible to use taking into account the the pilot. where a delineate the areas in which it will be possible to clearing marks of chart. after embarking margins line drawn through them the clear of natural should allowable error. Where appropriate, due draught of the with the safely taking into accountrunscalculatedregard dangersbe paid to the need This in no planned of safety; if the vessel appropriate margin under-keel clearance. proceeds on the safe of a for advanced warning to be given on value of of plan, which side of vessel and way detracts from the realone chartthe the existenceis to mark out transit hazard immediately on transfer this in advance, areas clear the vessel must not go and The planned navigationalshe will bewhere of the danger. to the next. the appropriate precautions be plotted to clear hazards at as initial warning that track shouldwhich must be taken, and to give safe a distance as the vessel is standing into circumstances allow. danger
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Introduction
Before any voyage can be embarked upon or, indeed, any project undertaken, those controlling the venture need to have an understanding of the risks involved.

The appraisal could be considered to be the most important part of passage planning as it is at this stage that all pertinent information is gathered and the firm foundation for the plan is built.
The urge to commence planning as soon as possible should be resisted. Time allocated to appraisal will pay dividends later.

The appraisal stage of passage planning examines these risks. If alternatives are available, the risks are evaluated and a compromise solution is reached whereby the level of risk is balanced against commercial expediency.

In this stage, the master of the ship discusses with the chief navigating officer (usually the First Officer or the 2nd Officer), as to how he intends to navigate to the destination port. (In some other cases it may be required for the master to plan the passage itself). The assigned officers, taking into consideration masters guidelines, companys guidelines, ships cargo, marine environment, and all other factors that may affect the ship, the navigating officer draws upon a general track, which the ship shall follow.

The master's decision on the overall conduct of withpassage will be based In this stage, the master of the ship discusses the the chief navigating upon an appraisal of the Officer or information. Such appraisal will be made officer (usually the First available the 2nd Officer), as to how he intends by considering the destination port. sources including but not limited to: to navigate to the information from

(In some other cases it may be required for the master to plan the 1.Chart Catalogue. 14. Distance Tables. passage itself).
2. Navigational Charts. 3.Ocean Passages for the World. 4.Routeing Charts or Pilot Charts. 5. Sailing Directions and Pilot books. 6. Light Lists. 7. Tide Tables. 8. Tidal Stream Atlases. 9. Notices to Mariners. 10. Routeing Information. 11. Radio Signal Information (including, VTS and Pilot service). 12. Climatic Information. 13. Load Line Chart.

15. Electronic Navigational Systems Information. 16. Radio and Local Navigational Warnings. 17. Draught of Vessel. 18. Navigational Terms. 19. Owner's and other unpublished sources. 20. Personal Experience. 21. Mariner's Handbook. 22. Guide to Port Entry. 23. Nautical Almanac.