BRIDGE PROCEDURES GUIDE

Need for Bridge Procedures

• Utmost important task of the OOW is “SAFE
NAVIGATION”
• Safe navigation :
- ship is not exposed to unnecessary danger and
that she can be ,at all times ,controlled within
‘acceptable limits’
- require effective CCCM
- demands that the situation,level of bridge
manning and their competency, ops status of nav
systems / ship’s engines & auxillaries are taken
into account
Need for Bridge Procedures (contd)
 Need for Bridge Procedures

• Passage Planning
- to assess the safest and most economical
sea route between ports
- detailed plans (coasting,port approaches,
pilotage areas), are needed to ensure
appropriate margins of safety
- contingency plans essential for the unexpected
and equipment failures
- once completed,the passage plan becomes the
basis for navigation
 Good Bridge Watchkeeping Practices
• Need to be able to keep a good lookout
• Monitor the chart and observe the radar
• Able to communicate on VHF without losing
situational awareness
• Limitations of any equipment(e.g bad siting)
and remedial actions, must be aware
• Should be possible to monitor instrumentation from
all places(helm & engine indicators) while ops like pilot
embarking/disembarking,berthing,handling tugs,etc
 Good Management of Bridge Procedures

Combination of the following;

• Clarity of purpose
• Ability to delegate authority as appropriate
• Effective organisation
• Motivation and the ability to motivate others
Clarity of purpose
• Passage plan objectives to be achieved without
ambiguity,communicate consistently and plan to
be agreed by all
• Plan to be in consonance with Company
instructions and Master’s standing orders
• Plan should ensure that dangers are noted and
safe water limits are identified
• Plan should be such as to ensure that ship can be
controlled within established safe limits
Delegation of Authority

The Master has the ultimate responsibility for the safety of the ship
Delegation of authority will depend upon;
• Ability and experience of the watchkeeper
• In accordance with agreed procedures
• Pilotage legislation in force – voluntary or compulsory (with regard
to Pilot’s role)
• Master remains in command at all times(except Panama canal)
• Delegation intention must be a clear and positive statement to
avoid any misunderstanding
• Masters should encourage OOW ‘s to carry out navigation, when
safe to do so, with they doing a monitoring role
Effective Organisation
• Execution of the passage plan requires bridge
resources to be appropriately allocated as per
demands of the different phases of the voyage
• Master to ensure availability of adequately
rested backup for the navigational watch
• Ensure that electronic navigational equipment
are carefully synchronised,aligned with the
chart datum(e.g. failure could lead to
grounding)
Motivation
• Teamwork is a valuable asset in any organisation
• Master’s responsibility to motivate and to create
conditions to encourage motivation
• Recognise the strengths, competence and
limitations of team members and organise work
accordingly for best advantage
• Working together in a professional way, enhances
the bridge team and master/pilot relationship
 BPG - CONTENTS
• Guidance to Masters and Navigating Officers
• Annexes
• Recommended Industry Publications
 Guidance to Masters and Navigating Officers

• Ch. 1 - Bridge Organisation

• Ch.2 - Passage Planning
• Ch.3 - Duties of OOW
• Ch.4 - Operation & Maintenance of B.equip.
• Ch.5 - Dynamic Positioning
• Ch.6 - Maritime Pilotage
 Ch.1 - Bridge Organisation
• Overview
• Bridge Resource Mgmt and the Bridge Team
Composition of the Navigational watch
Reassessing manning levels during the voyage
Sole look out
Bridge team and the Master
New personnel and Familiarisation
Prevention of fatigue
Alcohol consumption
Use of English
Bridge Team and the Pilot
• Navigation Policy and Company procedures
Master’s Standing Orders
Bridge Order Book
 Ch.2 - Passage Planning
• Overview
• Responsibility for Passage Planning
• Notes on Passage Planning
• Notes on Passage Planning
(ocean/coastal/restricted waters)
• Monitoring the Passage Plan
• Passage Planning and Pilotage
• Passage Planning and Ship’s routeing
• Passage Planning and Ship Reporting Systems
• Passage Planning and Vessel Traffic Services
 Passage Planning
Overview
- passage planning is necessary to support the bridge
team to help ensure safe navigation
- voyage should be planned prior to departure using
appropriate corrected charts and publications
- Master should check that the tracks laid down are
safe and ship has sufficient fuel/lubes/water for the
intended voyage
- Master is duty bound to exercise professional
judgement ,in changing circumstances, to ensure safe
navigation
Passage plan should be such that;
- to assess the safest and most economical
sea route between ports
- detailed plans (coasting,port approaches,
pilotage areas), are needed to ensure
appropriate margins of safety
- contingency plans essential for the unexpected
and equipment failures
- once completed,the passage plan becomes the
basis for navigation
 Passage Planning - Overview

Factors - when deciding upon the route;

• The marine environment
• Adequacy and reliability of charted hydrographic
data/navaids along the route
• Routeing constraints,e.g draught,type of cargo
• Areas of high traffic density
• Weather forecasts and expected conditions enroute
• Requirement to follow regulations ,e.g ship routeing
schemes/reporting systems
• Reliability of the propulsion/steering systems onboard
 Ch.2 - Passage Planning
• Overview
• Responsibility for Passage Planning
• Notes on Passage Planning
• Notes on Passage Planning
(ocean/coastal/restricted waters)
• Monitoring the Passage Plan
• Passage Planning and Pilotage
• Passage Planning and Ship’s routeing
• Passage Planning and Ship Reporting Systems
• Passage Planning and Vessel Traffic Services
Responsibility for Passage Planning
• It is the Master’s responsibility to ensure that
the passage plan provides the basis for safe
navigation for the intended voyage.
• The task of preparing the plan can however be
delegated to a suitable responsible officer
• The plan may need to be amended as per
circumstances/ advice of the Pilot.
 Notes on Passage Planning

Stages of Passage Planning

• Appraisal (chk list B5)
 Notes on Passage Planning

Stages of Passage Planning

• Planning
Planning
• Passage planning and electronic nav systems
• Passage planning in ocean waters
• Passage planning in coastal or restrd waters
• Passage planning and pilotage
• Passage planning and ships’ Routeing
• Passage planning and Ship Reporting systems
• Passage planning and VTS
 Notes on Passage Planning

Stages of Passage Planning

• Execution
 Notes on Passage Planning

Stages of Passage Planning

• Monitoring
 Monitoring
Monitoring the Passage Plan
• Progress of the ship must be monitored
continously and effectively.
• It would involve;
- Monitoring at and after w/o position
- details of reqired frequency of position fixing
- Cross checking of posn using alternate means
- leading lines and clearing bearings to be used
- radar conspic targets,good athwartship track
control,parallel indexing,etc, can be used to
monitor advance and maintaining vsl on track
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICER IN
CHARGE OF A NAVIGATIONAL WATCH

STCW Code states that

“The Officer of the Watch (OOW) is
the master's representative and is
primarily responsible at all times for
the safe navigation of the ship and for
complying with the COLREG.”
 Ch. 3 - Duties of OOW
• Overview
• Watchkeeping
• Navigation
• Controlling speed and Direction of the Ship
• Radiocommunications
• Pollution Prevention
• Emergency Situations
 Duties of OOW
Overview
• Master’s representative
• Primarily responsible for safe navigation and
complying with COLREGS
• In-charge of the bridge team for that watch
• To ensure manning levels are at all times safe
for the prevailing situation/condition
 Duties of OOW
Watchkeeping
• Maintaining a lookout
• General surveillance/awareness
• Collision avoidance action/detection
• Recording bridge activities
• Periodic checks on Nav equipment
• Operational checks
• Routine tests and checks (electronic equipment)
• Checking orders
• Changing over the watch (chk list)
 Ch. 3 - Duties of OOW
• Overview
• Watchkeeping
• Navigation
• Controlling speed and Direction of the Ship
• Radiocommunications
• Pollution Prevention
• Emergency Situations
 navigation
• OOW executes the passage plan as prepared and
monitors the progress, relative to the plan
• Deviation from the pre-determined plan
• Positions from electronic position fixing systems;
- Change of datum with nav chart
- Charts with very old source data
• Navigation with pilot on board
• Navigation in coastal/restricted waters
• At anchor
 Ch. 3 - Duties of OOW
• Overview
• Watchkeeping
• Navigation
• Controlling speed and Direction of the Ship
• Radiocommunications
• Pollution Prevention
• Emergency Situations
Controlling Speed and Direction of the Ship

• Use of engines
• Safe speed
• Steering control
• Manoeuvring data
 Duties of OOW
• Overview
• Watchkeeping
• Navigation
• Controlling speed and Direction of the Ship
• Radiocommunications
• Pollution Prevention
• Emergency Situations
• Radiocommunications
• The basic principles applicable to all radio
communications are;
- Absolute priority to distress, urgency, safety traffic
- Interference with other radio users to be avoided
- Frequencies to be used for their correct purpose
• GMDSS watchkeeping
- VHF w/keeping
- Satellite (SES) w/keeping
- Maritime safety information w/keeping
- Log keeping
- Testing of equipment
 Duties of OOW
• Overview
• Watchkeeping
• Navigation
• Controlling speed and Direction of the Ship
• Radiocommunications
• Pollution Prevention
• Emergency Situations
 Pollution Prevention

• OOW must be aware of the serious effects of

operational and accidental pollution of the
marine environment
• Should be familiar with MARPOL, SOPEP/ SMPEP
• Reporting obligations
 Duties of OOW
• Overview
• Watchkeeping
• Navigation
• Controlling speed and Direction of the Ship
• Radiocommunications
• Pollution Prevention
• Emergency Situations
 Emergency Situations
• The OOW must be fully conversant with the actions required to be taken
to tackle any contingency situation occuring (e.g collision, grounding,
MOB, etc).
• OOW would need to take the immediate action before the Master’s
arrival on bridge
• OOW must be fully conversant with the general emergency alarm
signals, ship’s emergency plans and actions to be taken
• Reporting Obligations ( SOLAS Ch V Reg 32)
- Obliged to broadcast danger msgs to ships/coast stns;
- Dangerous ice/derelict/any direct danger to navigation
- Tropical storm
- Wind force 10 or above, for which no storm warning received
- Sub freezing temperatures,gale force winds causing ice accretion
• SAR obligations (SOLAS Ch V Reg 33, IAMSAR Vol III)
• Helicopter operations ( ICS Guide to Helo/Ship ops)
• Piracy
 PRIMARY DUTIES OF THE OOW
1. Watch keeping.
The watch keeping duties of the OOW include maintaining a
lookout and general surveillance of the ship, collision avoidance
in compliance with the COLREG, recording bridge activities and
making periodic checks on the navigational equipment in use.
Procedures for handing over the watch and calling for support
on the bridge should be in place and understood by the OOW.
 PRIMARY DUTIES OF THE OOW

2. Navigation
The navigational duties of the OOW are based
upon the need to execute the passage plan
safely, and monitor the progress of the
ship against that plan.
 PRIMARY DUTIES OF THE OOW
3. Radio Communications
With the introduction of the GMDSS,
radio communications have now become
important elements in the functions of
the OOW, who will be responsible for
maintaining a continuous radio watch at
sea. During distress incidents, one of the
qualified radio personnel (master and
any deck officers) should be designated
to have primary responsibility for radio
communications. On passenger ships,
that person can have no other duties
during a distress situation.
Ch.4 - Operation and Maintenance of
Bridge Equipment
• General
• Radar
• AIS
• VDR / SVDR
• Steering Gear and Auto Pilot
• Compass system
• Speed and Distance Measuring Log
• Echo Sounders
• Electronic Position Fixing Systems
• Integrated Bridge Systems
• Charts,ECDIS and Nautical Publications
• Radiocommunications
• Emergency Nav. Lights and Signalling Equipment
 Ch.5 - Dynamic Positioning
• General
• Operational Planning on DP Ships
• Navigation in DP Mode
• Controlling Speed and Direction in DP Mode
• Operation and Maintenance of DP System
 Ch. 6 - Maritime Pilotage
• Principles for Safe Conduct of Pilotage
• Provision of Information for ‘Berth to Berth’
Passage Planning
• Master/Pilot information Exchange
• Duties and Responsibilities
• Preparation for Pilotage
• Pilot boarding
• Conduct of Passage in Pilotage Waters
• Berthing and Unberthing
• Other Matters
 ANNEXES
• Part A - Communications
• Part B - Bridge Checklists
• Part C - Emergency Checklists