PREPARATIONS TO ARRIVE PORT

1. The Master and all navigational watchkeeping officers should, well before hand, thoroughly study
the Sailing Directions (often referred to as the Pilot Book) and the chart of the approaches to the port.

2. The passage plan for arrival at the port should be prepared and kept handy so that the OOW (Officer
on watch ) would be able to monitor the navigation of the vessel at all times, even when the Master or
the pilot is directing the process. This serves as a second check on the navigational safety of the ship.

3. Communicate to the arrival port, by VHF, the ETA of the ship as and when instructed by the
Master.

4. Inform the Master at the time indicated by him. (The Master may want to be called when the ship
reaches a certain position marked by him on the chart).

5. Give notice to the engine room at the time, or charted position, as instructed by the Master. Inform
Master when this has been done.

6. Synchronise clocks of the bridge, the engine room and the auto-recorder of the bridge-ER
telegraph.

7. Call up a seaman to act as the bridge messenger.

8. Change over to hand steering.

9. Switch on the other steering motor also.

10. Try out the steering system. After a long sea passage, it is necessary to try out the steering system
about two hours before reaching confined waters. This done by:

10.1. Changing over to hand steering and then putting the helm hardover to one side and then the
other whilst using one steering motor.

10.2. The same is then repeated while using the other steering motor.

10.3. If the ship is fitted with electro-hydraulic steering system, it is necessary to try out the
steering on the electric and the hydraulic systems separately.

10.4. On ships fitted with a shaft generator, it would normally be necessary to inform the Engine
Room before making sudden helm movements in order to prevent the generator from tripping off. If
this happens, a diesel generator would automatically come on but, in the intervening couple of minutes,
there would be no electric supply on the ship.
 PREPARATIONS TO ARRIVE PORT

11. Take in the log (retract log sensor). (Doppler logs do not have any sensors protruding from the
hull).

12. If daytime, keep flags ready - Red Ensign, courtesy flags, house flags, G, Q , H , etc.

13. If night time, try out lights of Christmas Tree by switching them on momentarily.

14. Try out pneumatic whistle and electric klaxon by giving a very short blast on each.

15. Rig up the daylight signalling lamp and try it out on the mains and also the battery.

16. Check communication system to the forward and aft stations and to the steering gear
compartment.

17. Have pilot ladder, life buoy with rope attached, heaving line and boat rope kept ready to be
rigged (also flood light at night).

18. Give adequate notice to the crew for coming on arrival stations.

19. Electric power to be switched on to the windlass (and to the mooring winch if aft stations are
also expected to be called).

20. Keep a record of all events and their timings in the Bridge Notebook. The important entries are to
be copies into the Mates Logbook later on.

21. Keep 'Pilot information card' ready for presentation to the pilot as soon as he enters the
wheelhouse. This card contains the necessary information regarding the ship's particulars, navigational
equipment, etc in a standard format as given in the 'Bridge Procedures Guide' published by the
International Chamber of Shipping (ICS ). This card is separate from, and in addition to, the
'Wheelhouse poster' displayed in the wheelhouse.

22. After ringing Stand-By Below (SSB) on the telegraph, the master would try out the engine by going
astern. An entry 'Engine tried out astern' should be made in the Bridge Notebook and, later, copied into
the Ship's Logbook .

23. Anti-pilferage watch to be arranged on deck to commence before arrival port.

 PREPARATIONS TO ARRIVE PORT
24. While going alongside, the pump room blowers should be switched off. This is to prevent sparks
from the funnels of tugs used from being drawn into the pump room.

The Chief Officer would have earlier, in consultation with the Master, during the working hours
of the crew, made the following preparations:

25. The anchor lashings removed, hawse pipe covers opened and spurling pipes uncovered.

26. The additional lashings, if any, on the gangway removed.

27. The mooring ropes and wires brought out on deck from the stores below, if expected to go
alongside right away.

28. The pilot ladder checked and cleaned.

29. Whenever the total height of the upper deck above the waterline is greater than nine metres,
one of the following methods would have to be used for embarking the pilot:

29.1. A combination consisting of a pilot ladder and an accommodation such that the pilot does
not have to climb the pilot ladder more than nine metres.

29.2. A pilot hoist specially provided for this purpose.

By,

VASANTHAKUMAR.K