Santos, Reimon Joseph E.

MT 3Y2-2C

One of the most important procedure on a ship is voyage planning. A passage plan is a berth-to-
berth guide that identifies potential difficulties or risks on the proposed voyage. There are four
stages of voyage planning that are, Appraisal, Planning, Execution and Monitoring that logically
follow each other. A voyage requires a plan to be able to track it on appropriate scale charts. The
voyage plan indicates the true direction of the planned route, the areas prone to danger, existing
ships using the route, vessel traffic services, reporting systems, and regions where marine
environmental protection considerations apply. Elements to ensure safety of sea life, efficiency
and safety of the navigation and marine environment protection during the intended voyage. Safe
speeds are a necessity, considering the proximity of hazards of navigation along the intended
route for example some regions have limitations due to night passage, tidal restrictions and
allowance for the increase in draught due to heel effect when turning. It is important to take into
account the vessel’s turning circle at the planned speed and any expected effects of currents and
tidal streams. Consider also minimum clearance requirements in critical areas and locations
where machinery change status is required. Use of routing, vessel tracking and reporting
services, methods and frequency of position fixing, indication of areas where accuracy of
position fixing is crucial and maximum reliability must be obtained. Plan for alternative action to
place the ship in deep water or take refuge in a port or anchor in case of danger necessitating
dropping the plan considering inland based emergency response services, equipment and nature
of the cargo and of the emergency. The voyage plan is clearly marked and recorded
appropriately, on charts and in a voyage plan notebook/ computer. Finally, the plan is approved
by the ship’s master before the commencement of the voyage. After planning the plan is the
executed and during this stage considerations are made on the reliability and condition of the
vessel’s navigational equipment, estimated times of arrival at critical points for tide heights,
meteorological conditions, daytime/night time passing of danger points, traffic conditions at
navigational focal points. The research settled on the route manila to New York via the Suez
Canal. This is because in the business of transporting goods through the ship it is necessary to
consider the distance to be covered so that the shortest and most effective distance should be
covered. It is important to appreciate that technology has made the transporting firms to have a
better advantage because a lot of other capabilities and advantages shall be going with it. Some
of the advantages which can be realized when one incorporates technology in the transporting
system calculates the most effective distance. This was by the help of software which takes note
of the total weight of the given ship and scans it through the expected weight which the ship
should actually carry so that smooth sailing of the same is obtained. The risks involved by over
loading a ship are so adverse such that a lot of care should be taken to make sure that the ship is
not overloaded. In addition to overloading there might also be the aspect of overloading of the
ship, this is also greatly reduced by making use of the ship given that the software has the
capability of determining exactly what should be contained. This makes the maximization of the
ship capacity very possible given that the shipping company needs to make the efficient
utilization of the most available space in the ship. This will help the vessel to know what is the
best, fastest and safest route that can we can pass.