Where does it state that we have to passage plan?
SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 34 - states that we have to do it
Principles of passage planning
The purpose of passage planning is to develop a comprehensive navigation plan for the safe navigation of the ship from berth to berth.
The plan for the intended passage should identify a route that:
* Recognises hazards and assesses associated risks and decision points
* Ensures that sufficient sea room and depth of water is available
* Includes appropriate position fixing opportunities and intervals
* Complies with relevant reporting requirements and routeing measures for ships
* Considers anticipated traffic and weather conditions
* Complies with all applicable environmental protection measures
What are routing charts?
Routing charts are essential for use in passage planning for ocean voyages. They include:
- wind roses with statistics on the likely direction and speed in that particular area
- ocean currents (thicker the line the stronger the current)
- route and distances between major ports,
- ice limits
- load lines zones
- average barometric pressure
- mean air and sea temperatures
- TRS tracks
- Fog and poor visibility predictions
5 main routing charts: - North Atlantic - South Atlantic - North Pacific - South Pacific - Indian Ocean - 12 in total, one for each month of the year
Appraisal
Collecting and assessing all relevant information required for the intended passage.
Navigation:
- Advice in sailing directions, ocean passages, routing charts and guides, ALRS volumes, list of lights, NtMs, tide tables
- Availability and reliability of charts
- Availability and reliability of navigation aids
- Available sea room and traffic density
- Pilotage requirements
- Draught requirements
- Position fixing requirements
- Reporting requirements
- Weather routing
General:
- Berth requirements
- Bridge manning
- Security and anti-piracy measures
Environmental:
- Emission control areas
- MARPOL special areas
- Garbage disposal
Contingency:
- Emergency response plans
- Notifications and reporting
- Passage plan amendments
Planning
Developing and approving a passage plan based on the appraisal of all relevant information
Three phases: Pilotage, Coastal and Ocean
- Planned track with true course
- Leg distances
- Safety depths and contours
- Cross track distance
- Anticipated WP arrival times
- Conspicuous objects for position fixing
- No-go areas
- Safe water
- Decision/commit points
- Contingency plans & anchorages
- Turn radius
- Load lines
- Ice limits
- Ocean currents
Customizing the chart: No-go areas, safe water, parallel indexing, wheel over points etc
Execution
- Briefing the bridge team on the passage plan.
- Updated weather routing information
- ETA’s to critical points - night/day, tidal windows etc
- Pilot and berthing arrangements
Monitoring
Monitoring the vessels progress against the passage plan. If OOW is ever in any doubt - call the Master.
- Plotting of the ships position at appropriate intervals
- Ship remains within XTD
- Performance of navigation is checked and monitored
- Fuel consumption
Publications carried onboard
Guidance found in SOALS ch V, Mariners Handbook or Masters Guide to the UK Flag
- The Weekly Notices to Mariners
- Annual Summary of Notices to Mariners - NP247 Parts 1&2
- Chart outfit adequate charts for the voyage and of suitable scale. It will include NP5011, Chart Correction Log and Routing Charts
- List of Radio Signals
- List of Lights
- Sailing Directions
- NP100 Mariners Handbook
- Tide Tables
- Tidal Atlases
- Nautical Almanac
- Nautical Tables (Norries)
- IAMSAR Vol. III
- The International Code of Signals
- MSNs, MGNs, MINs
- Operating and maintenance manuals for all navigational aids.
- Offical Logbook
- COSWP - Code of Safe Working Practices
- Ship Captains Medical
How often should you fix your position?
Depends on the the distance from navigational hazards and the time the ship would take to run into danger before the next fix. This depends mainly on the ships speed - Rule 6
Factors when determining UKC
- Squat due to shallow water effect
- Vessels heel
- Reliability of charted data
- Tidal levels
- Movement of silt/sand
- Changes in water density
- Accuracy of draft
- Accuracy of echo sounder
- Manoeuvrability of the vessel
Masters considerations for passage planning
Master
- Compliance with National and International conventions and regulations
- Certificates in date, available and appropriate for the voyage
- Condition: Fit for the normal perils of the sea, watertight, meets her load line requirements, PMs up to date, no non-conformities in the ships SMS, machinery in good condition, LSA equipment available,
- Crew: Meet MSMD, appropriate certs/qualified, familiarised, adequate experience, well rested and fit for duty, visas
- Conduct: Safe operation of the vessel which the employer has a responsibility for (safe working environment, provide ppe, training, posters etc)
Voyage plan:
- Weather considerations for the time of year
- Contingency plans, fuel stops
- Ensure accurate and up to date charts and publications are available for the intended voyage
- Security - piracy risk, citadel, fly non-essential crew, insurance
- Emission Control Areas
2/O: Passage plan as per SOLAS ch V and following APEM. Bridge/GMDSS checks
C/O: LSA checks and appropriate for voyage (insulated immersion suits), Drills/Training, vessel stowed
C/E: Bunkers, PMs, defects/non-conformities, spares
Chef: Provisions to last voyage, meal prep in bad weather
How would you determine your safety margin?
- Reliability of the chart survey.
- The dimension and manoeuvering characteritics
- Accuracy of the navigational systems to be used.
- Accuracy of echo sounder.
- Tidal streams.
How far should you remain from a danger?
Approx 1.5 - 2nm
Far enough away to remain in safe water, but close enough to continue fixing your position.
An extra margin should be allowed when navigating with the hazard to starboard to allow for an alteration of course to starboard if required
New officer joins, how would you expect him to do the passage plan?
First establish his level of knowledge and experience
Explain my preferences, read and sign navigational standing orders
Establish your expectations. Make sure he does passage plan to the level you expect
Encourage questions/advice
Great circle - what is it and how would you use it?
Shortest distance between two points whos centre is at the centre of a sphere.
Draw a straight line on a gnomonic chart. Then take waypoints at every 15 degrees or navigators preference and transfer to Mercator projection, forming an arc.
Bridge pre departure checks
- Engine checks.
- Steering checks.
- Watertight integrity.
- Passage plan checked.
- Compass Checks.
- Radar checked.
- Bridge equipment checked.
- LSA items checked.
Masters pre departure checks
- Safely manned & all crew / Passengers on board.
- Update Crew lists.
- Update muster lists.
- Liaise with the ship’s agent about completion of outward clearance.
- Obtain outward clearance from customs.
- Garbage landed ashore.
- Notify the agent and port authority of departure intentions.
- Retrieve any ship’s certificates and documents taken ashore by the agent.
- Planned maintenance is up to date.
- Review the voyage plan with the navigating officer.
- ETA given to next port.
- Liaise with the chief engineer and chief officer about readiness for sea.
- Order a pilot, line handlers and tug(s) if required.
- Stability confirmed.
- Check the weather forecast.
- Stowaway search completed.
- Departure checklist completed including tugs ordered/ pilots.
- Engines and steering tests completed.
- Standing orders signed and understood.
- Fill out departure draught and posted.
- Fill out the OLB and record inspection of the ships steering.
New joining Master - what are your actions and expectations prior to sailing?
Master:
* Receive familiarisation training
* Read and, if necessary, write standing orders
* Make a full inspection of the ship as soon as practicable and, if possible, before taking the ship to sea.
* Check that all crew are on board as required by the Safe Manning Document
* Sight your personal lifejacket and ensure you know how to quickly don it in an emergency
* Inspect the muster list and ensure that it is updated
Chief Officer/navigation officer:
* Confirm all equipment has been maintained in accordance with the planned maintenance system - any non conformities?
* Stability, ballast, fresh water, stores, maintenance of ship, etc
* Examine the passage plan
* All required charts and nautical publications are on board
Chief Engineer:
* Condition of the machinery - any non conformities?
* Bunkers onboard - adequate for voyage + safety margin
Factors when determining bridge composition
- Fatigue.
- Weather conditions and visibility.
- Proximity of navigational hazards
- Use and operational condition of navigational aids.
- Whether the vessel is fitted with automatic steering.
- Whether there are radio duties to be performed.
- Unmanned machinery space (UMS) alarms, controls and indicators provided on the bridge, procedures for their use and limitations.
- Any unusual demands on the navigational watch that may arise as a result of special operational circumstances.
How would you expect your bridge team to maintain a safe navigational watch?
- Keep the watch on the bridge
- Under no circumstances leave the bridge until properly relieved by an appropriate officer
- Continue to be responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel despite the presence of the Master on the bridge until informed specifically that the Master has assumed the con and this is mutually understood
- Notify the Master when in any doubt
- If in any doubt as to the pilot’s actions or intentions, seek clarification from the pilot; if doubt still exists, they should notify the Master immediately and take whatever action is necessary until the Master arrives.
- Not undertake any other duties that would interfere or compromise the keeping of a safe navigational watch.
- No distractions caused by music, phones, personal computers etc
- Have available at all times, the services of a qualified helmsman.
- In areas of high traffic density, in conditions of restricted visibility and in all hazardous navigational situations ensure the vessel is in hand steering.
- Use radar in restricted visibility and high density traffic areas and understand its limitations
- Keep a proper record during the watch on the movement and activities relating to the navigation of the vessel.
- At sufficient intervals, check vessels position, course and speed
- Take fixes at frequent intervals by more than one method if possible
OOW duties in port
- To ensure that a proper gangway watch is kept; that the gangway is adjusted for tidal range; that no unauthorized persons are allowed aboard.
- ISPS.
- To ensure that all moorings are properly attended.
- To ensure that deck lights are switched on and off at dusk and dawn.
- To ensure that watchmen are properly relieved and that when men are working overside or aloft their equipment is in a safe condition and that a man is employed to watch for their safety.
- To frequently observe fire or smoke-detecting apparatus and to carry out fire patrols.
- To enter into the logbook: weather conditions, details of repair work, number of men employed on repairs, times when cargo is loaded or discharged, and which holds are in use, the number of stevedore gangs employed, reasons for stoppages of cargo work, the ventilation of holds, tank soundings, the draught each day, details of heavy lift work and names of gangway watchmen.
OOW duties at anchor
- To ensure that the anchor lights are burning properly.
- Ensure a good GMDSSS radio watch.
- To ensure that the anchor ball is displayed by day.
- To make the appropriate sound signals in fog or poor visibility.
- To take all possible steps to detect a dragging anchor.
- To make sure a second anchor is ready for letting go.
- To observe all boats arriving at and leaving the ship.
- To call the Master instantly should the vessel be in danger.
- To record in the logbook: the depth of water at the anchorage, the amount of cable veered, the nature of the bottom, the anchor bearings or transit bearings, i.e. those used to check the vessel’s position, any adjustments to the amount of cable veered, details of boats arriving at and leaving the ship, the arrival draught, any of the entries which are made at sea or when berthed in port and which are appropriate.
- To post extra lookouts in poor visibility, commence a radar watch, and call the Master.
Master / Pilot exchange
- Passage plan: navigational hazards, weather, traffic conditions, contingencies etc
- Defects
- Pilot card and wheelhouse poster
- Ship handling characteristics
- Location of life saving appliances
- Confirmation of working language
Pilot boarding arrangements
- On the side of the vessel where there is no overhang, so the pilot ladder does not swing in towards the ship
- Clear and safe access
- Well illuminated with a light shining forward so as not to blind the pilot boat
- Away from overboard discharges and scuppers
- Officer nominated by the Master standing by
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Surveys and Certification27
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General Exam Questions11
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Logbooks and Other Miscellaneous Docs15
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Crew certs/docs/crew lists9
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Code of Conduct6
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Passage planning & navigation27
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ECDIS/GPS12
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Meteorology7
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Stability and seaworthiness18
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Bridge Equipment18
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Master Specific17
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LSA & Fire14
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Emergencies11
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Man Overboard8
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Medical7
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GMDSS17
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Salvage & Towage6
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MARPOL17
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MLC & LYC11
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Merchant Shipping Health and Safety Regulations8
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Pilotage5
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ISPS13
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Port & Flag State11
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Legislative Requirements5
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ISM8
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Final Exam60
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Final Final15
