Costal

Navigation 3 Nov. 2017

 
Section 1 : Passage Planning

 Passage Planning
‐ Passage planning is necessary to support the bridge team and ensure that the ship can be navigated
safely between ports from berth‐to‐berth through risk assessment of hazards and waypoint selection.
‐ The passage plan should cover ocean, coastal and pilotage waters.
‐ The plan may need to be changed during the voyage; for example, the destination port may not have
been known or may alter, or it may be necessary to amend the plan following consultation with the pilot.
‐ If the plan is changed during the voyage, the bridge team on each watch should be consulted and briefed
to ensure that the revised plan is understood.
‐ Responsibility of preparing passage plan in deep sea vessel delegated by master to officer of responsible
of navigational equipment and publication.
‐ The passage plan should aim to establish the most favorable route while maintaining appropriate
margins of safety and safe passing distances offshore. When deciding upon the route, the following
factors are amongst those that should be taken into account:
o The marine environment;
o The adequacy and reliability of charted hydrographic data along the route;
o The availability and reliability of navigation aids, coastal marks, lights and radar conspicuous targets
for fixing the ship along the route;
o Any routing constraints imposed by the ship, e.g. draught, type of cargo;
o Areas of high traffic density;
o Weather forecasts and expected current, tidal, wind, swell and visibility conditions;
o Areas where onshore set could occur;
o Ship operations that may require additional sea room, e.g. tank cleaning or pilot embarkation;
o Regulations such as ships' routing schemes and ship reporting systems;
o The reliability of the propulsion and steering systems on board.
‐ The intended voyage should be planned prior to departure using appropriate and available corrected
charts and publications.
‐ The master should check that the tracks laid down are safe, and the chief engineer should verify that the
ship has sufficient fuel, water and lubricants for the intended voyage.
‐ In addition, the duty of the master to exercise professional judgement in the light of changing
circumstances remains a basic requirement for safe navigation.
‐ Preparing of passage plan categorized into four stages:
1. Appraisal
2. Planning
3. Executing
4. Monitoring

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 Passage Planning Stages :
 Appraisal:
‐ The Master, in consultation with his Deck Officers, will consider all the relevant information and make a
general decision on the track to be followed.
‐ It could be useful to lay off the tracks on a small scale chart so that the overall situation may be assessed.
‐ Collection and validation of information from following chart and publication with latest up date
correction;
1. Chart catalogue
To check on those available, especially for the largest scale charts for coastal navigation.
2. Voyage chart
o Largest scale chart use for coastal water.
o Smallest scale chart use for ocean water.
o Navigation chart have been checked for feature landfall.
3. Routine chart
4. Admiralty sailing direction
For routes, approaches, pilotage, hazards, port facilities, local weather, etc., etc
5. Admiralty tide table
6. Admiralty list of radio signal
Vol. I : Communications.
Vol. II : Radio beacons.
Vol. III : Weather reports.
Vol. IV : Meteorological stations.
Vol. V : Radio aids to navigation.
Vol. VI : Port communications
7. Admiralty list of light and fog signal
Information is more detailed, and may be more recent than on the charts
8. Atlas tidal stream
9. Guide to port entry
Guide to port entry navigational publication and chart have been checked for pilotage water and any
restriction for berthing.
10. Mariners' Handbook (NP 100)
General information on navigation and weather.
11. Distance Tables.
Admiralty, or other

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‐ The following document and information shall be available during Appraisal stage in Passage
planning;
1. Passage Record Book.
Advisable to retain past plans for future reference. Value is enhanced by comments on the success, or
otherwise, of the plan used.
2. Routing Instructions.
IMO or local instructions. Details of Traffic Schemes.
3. Ships' Maneuvering Data.
turning circle, Allowance for "squat".
4. Bridge Procedures Guide.
Published by the International Chamber of Shipping. Gives check lists for various procedures while
coasting and when under pilotage.
5. Notices to Mariners.
For corrections to charts and publications.
6. Radio Warnings.
Shall be studied for passage to ensure that information is up to date.
7. Weather Reports.
For the latest weather information.
8. Special Publications.
As appropriate to some particular area,
9. Ship departure and arrival draft should be checked and any special operation for passage.
10. Master pilot exchange shall be prepared.
11. Pilot card shall be prepared.

 Planning:
‐ Using of all information from appraisal for planning the intended voyage.
‐ The Navigating Officer may now layoff the courses on charts of suitable scale and complete the details of
the plan, which should be from "berth to berth".
‐ Those parts under pilotage should be prepared in such a manner that the Bridge Officer may check on
the ship's safety independently of the Pilot.
‐ Following information shall be marked on charts:
1. Mark each leg of intended routes by degree of true course and distance.
2. Turn radios for each way point and wheel over point for each way point.
3. Any speed change along the route.
4. Maximum allowable off track for each leg of route.
5. Tidal diamond should be highlighted.

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6. Contingency plane and abort position shall be marked on chart.
7. No go area and Areas of Danger shall be marked clearly
8. Method and frequency of position fixing shall be marked on chart.
9. Clearing line and bearing shall use in appropriate position.
10. Manning level shall be note.
11. Parallel index method shall use.
12. Alterations of Course an Wheel over point and baring shall be marked
13. Radar conspectuses target such as RACON may be use in radar position fixing.
14. Passage plan notes in the chart shall not be over layered the chart data.
15. Communication and Reporting Points.
16. Underkeel Clearance

 Execution:
‐ After planning the passage master and officers shall taking into account about every thing mentioned
above which are about safety of navigation and safety of ship also master should find out how long
voyage will take and making sure there are sufficient fuel and water for voyage.
‐ Master should taking into account any condition of weather can be expected and area of with high traffic
density.
‐ When the time of departure is known, tactics may be considered. Conditions of light or darkness, the
state of the tide etc. must be assessed, and, if necessary, the Master consulted with a view to adjusting
speed or modifying the track so as to obtain more favorable circumstances.

 Monitoring:
‐ Monitoring of vessel’s progress along the route it is continuous process.
‐ At this stage the plan is in operation with the Officer of the Watch checking progress.
‐ He should, of course, call the Master in all cases of doubt, but also bear in mind the possible necessity for
immediate action in cases of emergency
‐ The officer of the watch at all the monitor position of ship by visual and radar positioning system and
whenever is any doubt in position of vessel OOW should call master immediately.
‐ Following point shall be bearing in mind:
1. Position by electronic position system must be regularly checked by visual marking and transit
where it appropriate.
2. It is danger to relay only one method of position fixing.
3. Use echo sounder for checking depth and use of depth counter for positioning.
4. Buoys should not use for position fixing.
5. Look out shall be carefully down as per ROR.

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 Definition on Passage plan:
 Under keel clearance: It is important that the minimum under keel clearance has been planned for and
shown in passage plan accordingly
 Tidal window: in tidal areas, adequate UKC may only be attainable during the period that the tide has
achieved at given height. Outside that period , the area must be considered no go . Such safe periods
called the tidal window.
 Course alteration and wheel over : in confined waters when navigation on large scale charts and
where the margins of safety may require , the ship has to commence altering course at the wheel over
position , some distance before the track intersection in order to achieve the new planned track.
 Parallel indexing : the parallel index (PI) is a useful method of monitoring cross track tendency in both
poor & good visibility and also is the simple and effective method of continuously monitoring a ships
progress
 Waypoints: a waypoint is a position, shown on the chart, where a planned change of status will occur.
It will often be a change of course but may also be an event such as:
a. End or beginning of sea passage.
b. Change of speed.
c. Pilot embarkation point.
d. Anchor station etc.
e. Reporting point
 Aborts and contingencies: no matter how well planned and conducted a passage may be, there may
come the time when , due to change in circumstances, the planned passage will have to be abandoned.
 Aborts: when approaching constrained waters , the ship may be in position beyond which it will not be
possible to do other that proceed .
 Termed the point of no return, it will be the position where the ship enters water so narrow that there
is no room to return or where it is not possible to retrace the track due to a falling tide and insufficient
UKC.
A position needs to be drawn on the chart showing the last point at which the passage can be aborted
and the ship not commit her self .The position of the abort point will vary with the circumstances
prevailing ‐ e.g. water availability , speed , turning circle , etc , but it must be clearly shown, as must a
subsequent planned track to safe water be marked on the chart.
 Contingencies : Having passed the abort position and point of no return still needs to be aware that
events may not go as planned and that the ship may have to take emergency action .
Contingency planning will include:
a. Alternative routes
b. Safe anchorage.
c. Waiting areas.

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d. Emergency berth
 Leading lines: The transit of two readily identifiable land‐ based marks on the extension of the required
ground track and usually shown on the chart are used to ensure that the ship is safely on the required
track.
 Clearing Marks and bearings : Clearing marks and clearing bearings , whilst not being considered to be
definitive fix, will indicate to the OOW that his ship is remaining in safe water.
 Air draught is the term used to describe the distance from the top of a vessels highest point to the
waterline of that vessel.

 Admiralty List of Radio Signal

 Volume 1 (NP281) ‐ Maritime Radio Stations (Parts 1 & 2)

 Global Maritime Communications
 Satellite Communication Services
 Coastguard Communications
 Maritime TeleMedical Assistance Service (TMAS)
 Radio Quarantine and Pollution reports
 Anti‐Piracy Contact Table

 Volume 2 (NP282) ‐ Radio Aids to Navigation, Differential GPS (DGPS), Legal Time, Radio Time
Signals and Electronic Position Fixing System (Parts 1 & 2)
 Listing of VHF Radio Direction‐Finding Stations
 Radar Beacons (Racons and Ramarks)
 Known operational Automatic Identification System (AIS)
 Aids to Navigation (AtoN)
 Radio beacons transmitting DGPS corrections
 International Standard and Daylight Saving Times and Dates
 International Radio Time Signal Broadcast details

 Volume 3 (NP283) ‐ Maritime Safety Information Services (Parts 1 & 2)
Split across two publications, Volume 3 includes radio details for:
 Maritime Weather Services
 Safety Information broadcasts
 Worldwide NAVTEX and Safety NET information
 Submarine and Gunnery Warning details (Subfacts and Gunfacts)
 Radio‐Facsimile Stations, frequencies and weather map areas

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 Volume 4 (NP284) ‐ Meteorological Observation Stations
 All Met Observation Stations listed worldwide

 Volume 5 (NP285) ‐ Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
 Worldwide communication requirements for distress, search and rescue
 Extracts from SOLAS and ITU Regulations
 Distress and SAR (incorporating MRCC and MRSC contacts)
 Worldwide NAVTEX and Maritime Safety Information

 Volume 6 (NP286) ‐ Pilot Services, Vessel Traffic Services and Port Operations (Parts 1 ‐ 8)
 Detailed Pilot information, contact details and procedures
 Vessel Traffic Service information, contact details and procedures
 National and International Ship Reporting Systems
 Port information, contact details and procedures

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Section 2 : Vessel Traffic Service

 VTS (Vessel Traffic Service)
‐ Vessel traffic services ‐ VTS ‐ are shore‐side systems which range from the provision of simple
information messages to ships, such as position of other traffic or meteorological hazard warnings, to
extensive management of traffic within a port or waterway.
‐ Generally, ships entering a VTS area report to the authorities, usually by radio, and may be tracked by
the VTS control center.
‐ Ships must keep watch on a specific frequency for navigational or other warnings, while they may be
contacted directly by the VTS operator if there is risk of an incident or, in areas where traffic flow is
regulated, to be given advice on when to proceed.
‐ A revised SOLAS chapter V on Safety of Navigation was adopted in December 2000, and entered into
force on 1 July 2002. Regulation 12 Vessel traffic services states:
1. Vessel traffic services (VTS) contribute to safety of life at sea, safety and efficiency of navigation
and protection of the marine environment, adjacent shore areas, work sites and offshore
installations from possible adverse effects of maritime traffic.
2. Contracting Governments undertake to arrange for the establishment of VTS where, in their opinion,
the volume of traffic or the degree of risk justifies such services.
3. Contracting Governments planning and implementing VTS shall, wherever possible, follow the
guidelines developed by the Organization. The use of VTS may only be made mandatory in sea areas
within the territorial seas of a coastal State.
4. Contracting Governments shall endeavor to secure the participation in, and compliance with, the
provisions of vessel traffic services by ships entitled to fly their flag.

‐ Importance of Vessel Traffic services can be better understood from the functions it plays in managing
ship traffic. The key importance of VTS is for managing vessel traffic. This further helps ensuring safety
of ships, along with helping attain maximum traffic flow from any given route.
‐ Maximum economic returns possible from a marine route can be realized only with help of these traffic
services that keep important marine information available for all mariners at all times.
‐ It even helps in keeping a tab on movement of unauthorized cargo movements, making waters safer and
more controlled. However, one of the most important roles of these services is to act as a vessel finder.
‐ The information gathered, stored and replayed by various sensors help in keeping a tab on movements
of vessels at all time. This crucial marine information is available at all times and can be used to find a
vessel if it goes missing.
‐ VTS can be classified as:

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o Surveilled – they consist of land based sensors for attaining important marine information.
These sensors include radars, AIS and closed circuit television sites. Signals from these
sensors are sent to central locations where trained VTS personnel analyze the information
and guides ship traffic.
o Non Surveilled‐ consists of one or more reporting points at where ships notify about their
identity, course, speed and other data. Using this data, courses of various vessels are mapped
out and regulated to avoid any mishaps

Section 3 : Ship Reporting System

‐ The MARPOL Convention recognizes that a vessel casualty or an accidental discharge from a ship may
give rise to serious pollution or a threat of pollution to the marine environment and provides, therefore,
that such incidents should be reported without delay and to the fullest extent possible, in order to
facilitate necessary counter‐pollution actions by coastal States that might be affected.

 GENERAL PRINCIPLES
‐ Ship reporting systems and reporting requirements are used to provide, gather or exchange information
through radio reports.
‐ The information is used to provide data for many purposes including search and rescue, vessel traffic
services, weather forecasting and prevention of marine pollution.
‐ Ship reporting systems and reporting requirements should, as far as practicable, comply with the
following principles:
1. Reports should contain only information essential to achieve the objectives of the system;
2. Reports should be simple and use the standard international ship reporting format and procedures;
where language difficulties may exist, the languages used should include English, using where
possible the Standard Marine Navigational Vocabulary, or alternatively the International Code of
Signals.
3. The number of reports should be kept to a minimum;
4. No charge should be made for communication of reports;
5. Safety or pollution‐related reports should be made without delay; however, the time and place of
making non‐urgent reports should be sufficiently flexible to avoid interference with essential
navigational duties;
6. Information obtained from the system should be made available to other systems when required for
distress, safety and pollution purposes;

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7. basic information (ship's particulars, on‐board facilities and equipment, etc.) should be reported
once, be retained in the system and be updated by the ship when changes occur in the basic
information reported;
8. The purpose of the system should be clearly defined;
9. Governments establishing a ship reporting system should notify mariners of full details of the
requirements to be met and procedures to be followed. Details of types of ships and areas of
applicability, of times and geographical positions for submitting reports, of shore establishments
responsible for operation of the system and of the services provided should be clearly specified.
10. The establishment and operation of a ship reporting system should take into account:
a. International as well as national responsibilities and requirements;
b. The cost to ship operators and responsible authorities;
c. Navigational hazards;
d. Existing and proposed aids to safety; and
e. The need for early and continuing consultation with interested parties including a sufficient
period to allow for trial, familiarization and assessment to ensure satisfactory operation and
to allow necessary changes to be made to the system;
11. Governments should ensure that shore establishments responsible for operation of the system are
manned by properly trained persons;
12. Governments should consider the interrelationship between ship reporting systems and other
systems;
13. Ship reporting systems should preferably use a single operating radio frequency; where additional
frequencies are necessary, the number of frequencies should be restricted to the minimum required
for the effective operation of the system;
14. Information provided by the system to ships should be restricted to that necessary for the proper
operation of the system and for safety;
15. Ship reporting systems and requirements should provide for special reports from ships concerning
defects or deficiencies with respect to their hull, machinery, equipment or manning, or concerning
other limitations which could adversely affect navigation and for special reports concerning
incidents of actual or probable marine pollution;
16. Governments should issue instructions to their shore establishments responsible for the operation of
ship reporting systems to ensure that any reports involving pollution, actual or probable, are relayed
without delay to the officer or agency nominated to receive and process such reports, and to ensure
that such an officer or agency relays these reports without delay to the flag State of the ship involved
and to any other State which may be affected;

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17. States which are affected or likely to be affected by pollution incidents and may require information
relevant to the incident should take into account the circumstances in which the master is placed,
and should endeavor to limit their requests for additional information;

 Reporting
 Sailing plan (SP) : Before or as near as possible to the time of departure from a port within a
reporting system or when entering the area covered by a system.
 Position report (PR) : When necessary to ensure effective operation of the system
 Deviation report (DR) : When the ship's position varies significantly from the position that would
have been predicted from previous reports, when changing the reported route, or as decided
reported route, or as decided by the master
 Final report (FR) : On arrival at destination and when leaving the area covered by a system.
 Dangerous goods report (DG) : When an incident takes place involving the loss or likely loss
overboard of packaged dangerous goods, including those in freight containers, portable tanks, road
and rail portable tanks, road and rail vehicles and shipborne barges, into the sea.
 Harmful substances report (HS ) : When an incident takes place involving the discharge or
probable discharge of oil (Annex I of MARPOL) or noxious liquid substances in bulk (Annex II of
MARPOL).
 Marine pollutants report (MP) : In the case of loss or likely loss overboard of harmful substances in
packaged form, including those in freight containers, portable tanks, road and rail vehicles and
shipborne barges, identified in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code as marine
pollutants (Annex III of MARPOL).
 Any other report : Any other report should be made in accordance with the system procedures as
notified in accordance with paragraph 9 of the General Principles.

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Section 4 : Navigational Warning

‐ Navigational warning are dsigned to give the mariner early information of important incident which may
constitute a danger to navigation.
‐ Masters are recommended to arrange, whenever possible, for the navigational warning broadcast to be
monitored prior to sailing in case any dangers affecting their routes are notified.
‐ The language used in both NAVAREA and costal warning is invariably English, although warning may
additionally be transmitted in one or more of the official languages of the united nations.
‐ Navigational warnings are of four types ;
o NAVAREA warning
o Sub‐area warning
o Costal warning
o Local warning
‐ Many Navigational warning are of a temporary nature, but other remain in force for several weeks and
may be succeeded by Notice to Mariner.

 NAVAREA
‐ For the purposes of the WWNWS (Word‐Wide Navigational Warning Services) the world is devided into
16 geographical sea areas, termed NAVAREAs, each identified by the roman numerals I – XVI and one
sub‐area (the Baltic sea).

 NAVAREA Warning
‐ NAVAREA warning are concerned with information detailed below which mariners require for safe
navigation. In particular, they include new navigational hazards and failures of important aids to
navigation as well as information which may require changes to planned navigational routes.
‐ NAVAREA warning are prepared in a numbered series for each calendar year.
‐ A list of those which warnings which remain in force is promulgated each week and should be recorded
in log.
‐ The NAVAREA Warning included ;
o Causalities to lights
o Fog Signals
o Buoys and other aids to navigation affecting main shipping lanes.
o The presence of dangerous wrecks in or near main shipping lanes and their marking.
o The establishment of major new aids to navigation or significant changes o existing one, when such
establishment or change might be misleading to mariners.
o The presence of large or unwieldy tows in congested waters.

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o Drifting hazards (including derelict vessel, ice, mines, containers and other large items)
o Areas where SAR and anti‐pollution operations are being carried out (for avoidance of such areas).
o The presence of newly discovered rock, shoals, reefs and wrecks likely to constitute a danger to
shipping and their marking.
o Unexpected alteration, or suspension, of established routes.
o Cable or pipe‐laying activity
o The towing of large items of submerged equipment for research or exploration purpose.
o The establishment of research or scientific instruments in or near shipping lanes.
o The establishment of offshore structures in or near shipping lanes.
o Significant malfunctioning of radio‐navigation services or shore‐based maritime safety information
radio or satellite services.
o Information concerning special operations which might affect the safety of shipping such as naval
exercises, missile firings, space missions, nuclear tests, ordnance dumping zones and etc.
o Security related information

 Sub‐Area Warning
‐ Sub‐area warning broadcast information which is necessary for safe navigation within a sub‐area.
‐ They will normally include all the subject matter listed for NAVAREA warning above, but will usually
affect only the sub‐area.

 Costal Warning
‐ Costal warning broadcast information which is necessary for safe navigation within areas to seaward of
the fairway buoy or pilot station, and are not restricted to shipping lanes.
‐ Where the area is served by NAVTEX, they provide navigational warnings for the entire NAVTEX service
area.
‐ Where the area is not served by NAVTEX, all warning relevant to costal water out of 250 NM from shore
may be included in the International Safety NET service broadcast for the NAVAREA.

 Costal Warning
‐ Costal warning broadcast information which cover inshore waters, often within the limits of jurisdiction
of a harbor or port authority. 
‐ They are broadcast by means other than NAVTEX or safety NET and supplement coastal warnings by
giving detailed information within inshore waters. 
‐ They are usually issued by port, pilotage or coastguard authorities. 
‐ The message may be in English or only in the local language. 

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‐ Warning may also be broadcast by other means not covered by the requirements of the GMDSS, such as
VHF R/T. 
 
 International Safety NET
‐ The International Safety NET Service is an automatic direct‐printing satelite‐based service for the
promulgation of maritime safety information (MSI).
‐ It forms par of the Inmasat‐C Enhanced Group Call (EGC) system to provide a simple and automated
means of receiving MSI onboard ships at sea.
 
 NAVTEX
‐ NAVTEX is the system for the broadcast and automatic reception of MSI by means of narrow‐band
direct‐printing telegraphy. 
‐ The International NAVTEX service uses a signal frequency 518 KHz transmission in English. 
 
 Updating charts for Navigational Warnings
‐ On charts affected, information received by Naviigational Warnings should be noted in pencil and
expunged when the relevant messages are cancelled or superseded by Notice to Mariners. 
 
 

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