Ewan Kirkbride

Execution

Monitoring
 Navigation Equipment

◦ What Navaids are available?

 More options = more frequent
fixing opportunities.
 More flexible choices.
◦ Are they working and reliable?
 Greater reliability of fixes.
 ETA @
◦ Way Points
 Compare expected time to
actual.
◦ Critical points of passage
 To ensure enough tide height.
 Any hazardous tide streams.
 Weather conditions
◦ Fog
 Reduces visibility
 May require reduction of speed
◦ Sea state
 Threat to safety of crew/ship &
cargo
 Speed adjustment
 Day or Night passage
◦ Hazardous areas
 Will affect fixing method
 Affects mental image of the area
◦ Availability of Nav. Aids
 Lighthouses
 Leading Lts.
 Light buoys?
 Traffic
◦ At focal points
 Density
 Pattern of traffic
◦ TSS
 May require SBE/Manned E/R
 Affect manning levels
 Progress along the track
 In a safe position?
 Is track direction safe?
 Is the speed suitable for
required ETAs?
 Inform Master when unable
to fix position.
 Navigation Equipment
 Ensure reliability &
Accuracy
 Check before departure
 Check performance regularly
 Check prior to entering
hazardous waters
WORLD WIDE
NAVIGATION
WARNING
SERVICE
 Primary
◦ That method which offers the
greatest reliability and
opportunity.
 Secondary
o Is used to cross check the Primary
and acts as ‘back-up’.
 Estimated Positions
◦ Used to compare with Fixes
 Global Navigation Satellite System
◦ GPS (USA)
◦ Galileo (European)
◦ Glonas (Russian)
◦ Compass (Chinese)

◦ Continuous position fixing

◦ Worldwide
◦ High degree of accuracy
 Loran-C
◦Ocean coverage
◦NOT complete coverage
◦Hyperbolic navigation
system
◦Multiple chains
Combination of:

◦Visual bearings
◦Radar Ranges
◦Horizontal Angles
◦Line of Soundings
 Frequency of Position fixing
◦ Proximity (nearness) of hazards.
◦ UKC availability.
◦ Availability of suitable objects for
position fixing.
◦ Number of P/Ls.
◦ Speed of vessel.
 Frequency of Position fixing
◦ Availability of other position
monitoring methods.
 PIs
 Transits (leading lights)
 Safe clearing bearings
 Cross track alarms
 ECDIS
◦ Reliability of alternative methods.
 Methods of continual
monitoring
 Parallel Index
 Transits
 Safe clearing bearings
 Depth soundings
 Vertical sextant angles
 Use of:
◦ Single Position line.
◦ Cross track error.
◦ Indicates rate and direction
of tidal set.
◦ Indicates the edges of a safe
channel.
 Selection of Target:
◦ Radar conspicuous
◦ Fixed to the ground
◦ Reliably identified
◦ Position is reliable
 Checks:
◦ Identity of the fixed object
◦ Radar performance
◦ Gyro error
◦ Heading marker alignment
◦ PI line set up correct
◦ Accuracy of VRM, EBL and
range rings
◦ Scale in use
 Parallel Indexing

Fl(3)R 20s
Ra Conspic
A parallel index is a line parallel
to the intended track, tangential
to a radar conspicuous object.

When viewed on a radar the

object will appear to track along
the PI line if the vessel is on the
intended track.

If the vessel is closing the

danger, the object will be inside
the PI line and closer to the
ownship spot on the PPI
Vesselmaintaining
Vessel standing into danger
track
 Pick a Reference
Point that is both
Visually and Radar
Conspicuous
Fl(3)R 20s
Ra Conspic

Add ‘Margin of
Set up Parallel
Safety’ Parallel Index
Index
lines on
lines on chart
chart and
and
radar
radar
 Use of Transits
◦ Provides a single Position line
◦ Used to obtain Compass error
 CE
 Deviation
 Gyro Error
◦ Monitoring the vessels track
 Maintain clearance from a hazard
 Remain in safe water
◦ Identifies the safe navigable track
 Selection of Transits
◦Visibility?
 Are they visible in the day time?
 Are they visible at night?
 Range of visibility
 Can they be reliably identified?
◦Reliability?
 Is the chart up to date?
 Is the chart reliable?
 Use of:

◦Clearing a hazard

◦In safe water

◦Out of dangerous
water
Clearing Bearings
B

Fl(3)R 20s
Ra Conspic
A

In the example shown, the

bearing of the lighthouse from
Ship B
A is
is smaller
greater than the
clearing bearing, and therefore
Ship B
A is
is in
in dangerous
safe water. waters.
 Provide a real time indication of whether
the vessel is in a safe water when
approaching or passing a navigational
danger.
 Usually sectored in three different
colours, white, green and red.
 Within the white sector of the light then
the vessel is in the safe area.
 If green or red light then the vessel has
drifted into a dangerous area.
CONTINUOUS MONITORING
AND ASSESSMENT
Display
Head Up (Course Up)
External view matches the HD UP RM

Radar picture

Useful mode for anti collision

work

Useful mode for narrow

channels and rivers.
CONTINUOUS MONITORING
AND ASSESSMENT
Display

North Up N UP RM

Reflects the same view as

would be seen on a chart or
an ECDIS.

It is gyro stabilised and a

good mode for coastal
navigation.
CONTINUOUS MONITORING
AND ASSESSMENT
Sea Stabilised
Stationary object (buoy)
Shows the motion of targets appears to be moving
through the water. towards ship as ship sets
down on to the buoy

Essential for Collision analysis and

avoidance
In a tidal stream stationary objects
fixed to the ground will appear to
move as the vessel is set by the
tide.
Stationary floating objects will
appear stationary.
CONTINUOUS MONITORING
AND ASSESSMENT
Ground Stabilised
Shows the motion of targets Own ships vector shows
relative to the ground. ship is setting to Port and
hence making the
required course up the
In a tidal stream fixed stationary channel
objects will appear stationary.

Floating objects will show an

additional relative motion due to
the tidal stream

In True Motion mode Ownship

vector will show Course over the
Ground.