NAVIGATION AUDIT

Self-Assessment

Capt Steven P Somerville Sept 2012

Revised April 2018
www.shipcaptstevesblog.wordpress.com
 When would you call the Master to the Bridge?

As per his Standing Orders & Night Orders

Reduced Visibility

Concerns over other ships movement

Difficulty experienced maintaining course

 When would you call the Master to the Bridge?

Any doubts over the vessels positions

(failure to make landfall at expected time)

FAILURE of M.E or Steering or Navigation Equipment

Heavy Weather or suspect heavy weather damage

 When would you call the Master to the Bridge?

At anchor if dragging

Receipt of distress alert/message

Sighting of oil pollution close to vessel

Any other time when in doubt

 COLREGS
ACTION TO AVOID COLLISION
 STAND ON!
SOUND 5 SHORT BLASTS ON WHISTLE
CALL MASTER
SOUND ONE SHORT BLAST ON WHISTLE
LARGE A/C TO STBD
PARALLEL OTHER SHIPS COURSE
AND/OR SLOW DOWN
AVOID TAKING A ROUND TURN

CLEAR VISIBILITY
OPEN WATERS
TARGET IS 4
POINTS TO PORT
STEADY BEARING
SOUND ONE SHORT BLAST ON WHISTLE
A/C TO STBD OR SLOW DOWN

YOU ARE PROCEEDING

TRAFFIC LANE
CLEAR VISIBILITY
TARGET 4 POINTS TO STBD
STEADY BEARING
 FISHING VESSEL –TRAWLING
SOUND TWO SHORT BLASTS ON WHISTLE
A/C TO PORT
PASS WELL CLEAR ROUND HER STERN

WHAT TYPE OF VESSEL ?

OPEN WATERS
TARGET IS 4 POINTS TO PORT
STEADY BEARING
 FISHING VESSEL OTHER THAN
TRAWLER
OUTLYING GEAR > 150m
SOUND ONE SHORT BLAST ON
WHISTLE A/C TO STBD
PASS WELL CLEAR AHEAD OF HER

WHAT TYPE OF VESSEL?

OPEN WATER
TARGET 4 POINTS TO
PORT
STEADY BEARING
 VESSEL NOT UNDER
COMMAND
UNDERWAY & MAKING WAY

SOUND TWO SHORT BLASTS

ON WHISTLE
A/C TO PORT
GIVE WIDE BERTH

WHAT TYPE OF VESSEL?

OPEN WATER
TARGET IS 4 POINTS TO PORT
STEADY BEARING
 STERN LIGHT OF
ANOTHER VESSEL
ONE SHORT BLAST ON
WHISTLE
A/C TO STBD
WHY?

A SINGLE WHITE LIGHT

DEAD AHEAD OPEN WATER
WHAT IS IT LIKELY TO BE?
 SOUND 5 SHORT
BLASTS ON WHISTLE
CALL MASTER
SOUND TWO SHORT
BLASTS A/C TO PORT

TARGET DEAD ASTERN

STEADY BEARING
OPEN WATER
NOT TAKING ACTION TO
AVOID COLLISION
 VESSEL ENGAGED IN
DREDGING
(or underwater operations)
Sound two short blasts on
whistle A/C to port

What Type of Vessel?

Observed Dead Ahead on
Approaches to Pilot Station
Steady Bearing
 Company Guidelines
Closest Point of Approach (CPA)

Head On Crossing Overtaking

Open Waters 3 5 2
Coastal – Good 1 3 1
Visibilty

Coastal- 2 4 2
Restricted
Visibility

TSS, Safety 0.5

Fairways

IMS 07.06.00
 WHAT ACTION DO YOU TAKE IN THE EVENT OF REDUCED VISIBILITY

• NOTIFY MASTER AS PER STANDING ORDERS

• COMPLETE CHECKLIST OPS 035
• COMPLY WITH COLREGS RULES 6 , 19 & 35
INFORM ENGINE – ENGINES TO STANDBY, REDUCE TO SAFE SPEED
• POST EXTRA LOOKOUTS
• REVERT TO HAND STEERING. PUT ON TWO STEERING MOTORS
• CHECK RADAR – PM. PLOT ALL TARGETS IN AREA
• UPDATE POSITION ON CHART
• CHECK AIS ON AND TESTED. CORRECT DATA INPUT
• VHF SET TO CHANNELS 13 & 16

• IF COASTAL WATERS
SWITCH ON ECHO SOUNDER, CLEAR ANCHORS
 Reduced Visibility
Target X detected
by radar alone
(Crossing situation exists)




Large A/C to STBD

Radar
North Up
12 Mile Range
Log Speed
 SOUND SIGNALS
Vessels in sight of one another

?
SOUND SIGNALS MAY BE
SUPPLEMENTED BY LIGHT SIGNALS
SOUND SIGNALS
Narrow Channel

Approaching a Bend

I wish to overtake to STBD

I wish to overtake to PORT

I confirm agreement

I do not agree with your intentions

 SOUND SIGNALS
Vessels not sight of one another

Power Driven Vessel underway & making way through the water

Power Driven Vessel stopped & not making way through the water

NUC, Restricted in Ability to Manoeuvre, Constrained by Draft,

Fishing, Sailing, Towing.

Vessel at Anchor - KEEP CLEAR OF ME!

 Fog Signal for this Vessel
when at Anchor

M.V
Ships Bell

At Intervals not exceeding One Minute

Rapid ringing of the BELL in the Fore Part

of the vessel for 5s

Followed by sounding of the GONG for

5s in the After Part of the vessel.

Gong
 How do you Handover the Bridge Watch?

• COMPLETE CHECKLIST OPS 010 & ECDIS Handover checklist

• READ AND ACKNOWLEDGE MASTERS NIGHT ORDERS
• ENSURE THE RELIEVING OFFICER IS FIT TO KEEP THE WATCH
• VESSELS POSITION, SPEED, COURSE
• ERRORS OF GYRO AND MAGNETIC COMPASS
• PREVAILING AND PREDICTED WEATHER
• PRESENCE AND MOVEMENT OF OTHER SHIPS IN THE VICINITY
• OPERATIONAL STATUS OF ALL BRIDGE EQUIPMENT, ENGINES
• ANY EFFECTS HEEL, TRIM, WATER DENSITY, SQUAT
• ANY DECK OR CARGO ACTIVITIES.
• DEFER WATCH HANDOVER IF ALTERATION OF COURSE OR HAZARD
BEING ENCOUNTERED.
 Bridge Watch Levels
&
Position Fixing Intervals

WATCH LEVEL OOW & LOOKOUT (AUTO STEERING)

ONE? POSITIONS MAX 60 MINUTES
E/R – Normal manning or UMS

WATCH LEVEL OOW, HELMSMAN, LOOKOUT

TWO? (HAND STEERING)
POSITIONS MAX 30 MINUTES
E/R – Duty Engineer or C/E and Oiler
 MASTER, OOW, HELMSMAN, LOOKOUT
(HAND STEERING)
WATCH LEVEL THREE?
POSITIONS MAX 10-20 MINUTES

E/R – Duty Engineer, C/E, Oiler and E/E if carried

MASTER, OOW, PILOT, HELMSMAN &

LOOKOUT
WATCH LEVEL FOUR? (HAND STEERING)
POSITIONS MAX 5-10 MINUTES
E/R – As for Watch Level Three
 Precautions to take prior to using a
Navigational Chart

• Largest Scale chart available for area

• Latest Edition of Chart

Refer to Chart Catalogue, ChartCo

• Latest correction applied

Refer to chart correction numbers/ChartCo

• Temporary or Preliminary Notices applicable

Refer T&P Log, Annual Summary Notices to Mariners, Cumulative Notice to
Mariners (6m), Chartco

• Latest Navigation Warnings

Refer to received by Sat C, Navtex, VHF Broadcasts – from VTS, USCG, Securitee
 Fixing & Monitoring
The Vessel’s Position

VISUALLY

At least THREE Position Lines

Separated by > 30°

Reference IMS 07.15.00

 Fixing & Monitoring
The Vessel’s Position

ELECTRONICALLY

Radar
At least THREE bearings and ranges
(Apply any gyro error)

GPS
Check Chart Datum WGS 84
 Monitoring
The Vessel’s Position

LEADING LIGHTS/RANGES

PARALLEL INDEXING
Preference - fixed objects/land
 Buoys

should not be used for precise position fixing

They maybe used with caution

but first confirm their
charted position is correct
 Before Parallel Indexing (PI) using Radar
Checks to make

Performance of Radar

Gyro Error

Heading Marker correctly aligned

Accuracy of range rings and variable range marker

Target to be use for PI correctly identified

 Dead Reckoning (DR)
&
Estimated Positions (EP)

LOG

Distance entered into log book at the end of each watch

Estimated Position

Mark the EP on the chart in advance of arrival

 When would you use the Echo Sounder?

When making landfall

When navigating in coastal waters

Cross check for position fixing when crossing a depth

contour

Where charted depths must be treated with caution

AT ALL TIMES UNDER PILOTAGE

If Printer Recorder - mark times when switching on/off

and at suitable intervals when passing navigational
marks

When switching on compare and record depth with

depth from ENC +/- tide
 BUOYAGE

Identify the following types of Buoy

What does it mark
Colour & Rhythm of the Light
System A – Red to Port (going into harbour)
Lateral Mark Port Hand Buoy.
Red Light any rhythm except 2+1
System A – Red to Port (going into harbour)
Lateral Mark Starboard hand Buoy.
Green Light any rhythm except 2+1
 Placed in the
West Quadrant
of Hazard
Pass to the West

West Cardinal Mark

White Light
VQ Fl. (9) 15 secs or QFl (9) 10 secs
North Cardinal Mark
White Light
VQ Fl or Q Fl

Placed in the
North Quadrant
of Hazard
Pass to the North
Indicates navigable
water all around
the mark
Mid-channel or
landfall buoy

Safe Water Mark

White Light
Isophase, Occulting, Long Fl 10 s or Morse A
Placed in the East
Quadrant of Hazard
Pass to the East

East Cardinal Mark

White Light
VQ Fl (3) 5s or Q Fl (3) 10s
 Placed on isolated
danger of limited extent
Navigable water all
around it

Isolated Danger Mark

White Light
Group Fl (2)
 Placed in the South
Quadrant of Hazard
Pass to the South

South Cardinal Mark

White Light
VQ Fl (6) + 1 long Fl 10s or
Q Fl (6) + 1 long Fl 15s
Recreation Area
ODAS Buoy
Military Exercise
Zone
Cables, Outfall
Pipes.
Spoil Ground

Special Mark
Yellow Light
Any rhythm except those used for white lights
Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy
Blue & Yellow Light
Alternate Flashing
Racon “D”
Preferred Channel Mark - to Starboard
Red Light
Group Fl Red (2+1)
Preferred Channel Mark - to Port
Green Light
Group Fl Green (2+1)
System B Regions
U.S.A
South America
Japan
Philippines

Lateral Mark System B Port Hand Buoy

Green Fl Light any rhythm except 2+1
Lateral Mark System B – Stbd Hand
Buoy
Red Fl Light any rhythm except 2+1
 Flags

I am carrying, loading, unloading

dangerous goods

I have a diver down keep clear at

slow speed

MAN OVERBOARD
 What should be recorded in the Bell Book
Ref SMS 07.26.00

CHANGE OF CON BETWEEN OOW/MASTER/PILOT(S)

PILOTS NAME, TIME BOARDED

EOSP & FAOP – TIME AND POSITION

TESTING OF BRIDGE EQUIPMENT AND ENGINES

HAND STEERING ENGAGED & POSITION

BNWAS TURNED ON/OFF

 What should be recorded in the Bell Book
Ref SMS 07.26.00

POSITION – PASSING BUOYS, BREAKWATERS, BRIDGES

ETC OTHERWISE AS PER PASSAGE PLAN - VISUAL

BEARINGS, RADAR RANGES

UNDER KEEL CLEARANCE – AT SUITABLE INTERVALS

ON TRANSIT

TUGS - NAME, POSITION, SHIP LINE, TIME FAST/CAST

OFF
 What should be recorded in the Bell Book?

ANCHORING & MOORING

TOLLBOX MEETING before ALL OPERATIONS

WHICH ANCHOR USED

TIME WALKED OUT/LET GO/ANCHOR AWEIGH

HOW MANY SHACKLES

SHIPS HEADING, SWINGING CIRCLE (PLOTTED ON ENC)

ANCHOR POSITION, BEARINGS

 What should be recorded in the Bell Book?

BERTHING - WHICH SIDE TOO

FIRST LINE ASHORE /CAST OFF LAST LINE

NUMBER AND CONFIGURATION OF MOORINGS

GANGWAY LANDED, PILOT OFF, FWE

 Squat & UKC

What is Squat? Amount of Sinkage

that occurs when
vessel is moving

Vessel is not moving but affected

What is Static Draft? by Water Density
Hogging & Sagging, Trim & List

What is Dynamic Vessel is moving and affected by

Draft? Speed through the water
Depth of water
Proximity of sea bed/river banks
 Know your Ship
What is....?

STOPPING DISTANCE

Fully Loaded Condition at Sea Speed:

Ballast Condition at Sea Speed:

Type of Rudder fitted:

Maximum Degrees Helm:

How many Shackles on each anchor:

What methods can you use to check the gyro error?

Observation of a celestial object –

Sun, Planet, Star
Most accurate - Amplitude

Leading Lights/Ranges

When Vessel is Alongside

Comparison of true direction of jetty
(from ENC) with gyro heading
 What is MOL
Policy on UKC?

Ocean Passages: 20% deepest draft

Fairways: 15% deepest draft

Port Limits: 10% deepest draft

What is the
minimum
Air-Draft
Clearance?

2 metres

Reference IMS 7.11.00

 Course Recorder
What information should be recorded on the
trace by the OOW at the end of each watch?

DATE & TIME OF PERIOD COVERED

CURRENT STEERING MODE

TIME OF CHANGE OVER OF STEERING MODES

WEATHER & RUDDER ADJUSTMENTS

(IF ON AUTO STEERING)

SIGNATURE OF OOW
 GMDSS
What action must you take
If you Accidentally send a Distress Alert?

TURN OFF THE POWER SUPPLY

NOTIFY THE MASTER

TURN THE POWER BACK ON

MAKE A BROADCAST – TO NEAREST R.C.C. & LOCALLY

MAKE AN ENTRY IN THE GMDSS LOG BOOK

 NAVTEX

What is the Range and what Frequency

does it broadcast on

Up to 400 nm and 518 kHz

What is the message format

ZCZC B1, B2, B3, B4

B1 – Station
B2 – Type of Message
B3 & B4 – Message Number
 Station Transmission Times

Station Start Times UTC ( Every 4 hrs for 10 mins)

(A-Z)
A 0000 0400 0800 1200 1600 2000
B 0010 0410 0810 1210 1610 2010
C 0020 0420 0820 1220 1620 2020
D 0030 0430 0830 1230 1630 2030
E 0040 0440 0840 1240 1640 2040
F 0050 0450 0850 1250 1650 2050
G 0100 0500 0900 1300 1700 2100
H 0110 0510 0910 1310 1710 2110
I 0120 0520 0920 1320 1720 2120
 What types of Messages A TO Z
A – Navigational Warnings

B – Meteorological Warnings

C – Ice Reports

D – Search & Rescue, Piracy, Tsunamis, other natural phenomena

WILL TRIGGER
E – Meteorological ALARM UPON RECEPTION
Forecasts

F – Pilot/VTS

G – AIS

L – other types of Navigational

What type of messages are MANDATORY for selection

 What are the 3 types of message priority

VITAL Broadcast immediately

IMPORTANT Broadcast next available period

ROUTINE Broadcast next scheduled transmission

How long is the message valid for

When received for first time

Stored in memory for 72 hours
Not repeated until after 72 hours if required
 What action do you take in
Man Overboard situation

Put helm hard over to casualty side if possible

Release MOB Lifebuoy

Post extra lookouts

MOB marker on ECDIS/GPS

Stop main engine, inform Master

 What action do you take in
Man Overboard situation

Sound Man-Overboard Alarm Signal

Internal alarms: Seven short, followed by one long

External alarm: Three long blasts on whistle

Galley – stop disposal of food over the side

Send Distress Message

Prepare Rescue Boat/Crew

 What action do you take in
Man Overboard situation

Complete Checklists
Vessel Emergency Response Manual

If Casualty not located

Implement Search & Rescue Pattern
 MOL POLICY

Depths up to 20m
Anchor walked out in gear well into the water before
letting go on brake

Depths > 20m

Anchor walked out in gear all way to bottom before
transferring to brake or walk out full intended scope
under power

Length of Cable to be used;

Calm weather: L = 3 x depth of water + 90m
Rough weather: L = 3 x depth of water + 145m
 BAD WEATHER
WHEN SHOULD THE MASTER WEIGH ANCHOR

If he deems necessary

Receives instruction from Company

Wave height reaches 3.5m & expected to remain at

this level for >12 hr

If wind speed expected to reach 40 kts

Advice or instructions from Port Authority warning of

bad weather
ECDIS
What Sensors are input to ECDIS onboard

Mandatory

DGPS GYRO SPEED

Optional
Radar
AIS
Wind speed/direction
Depth
AIO
NAVTEX
Weather
 What can be used to detect depths that are a
danger to navigation

SAFETY DEPTH SETTTING

How are these depths indicated on the ENC

Highlighted in BOLD

What is the default Safety Depth setting

30 metres

How do you determine the Safety Depth value

Draught + Squat + Safety Allowance +

CATZOC – Height of Tide
 What is used to distinguish between
safe and unsafe water

The Safety Contour

Ocean/Coastal navigation
what depth values would you set the Contour to

Draft 6-10m
Standard Setting may be 20m

Draft 10-20m
Standard Setting may be 30m
The Look Ahead Function
 Anti-grounding cone
(Danger Vectors and Sectors)
What is the recommended Anti-Grounding cone setting

Pilotage and Confined Water for Ahead, Port and Stbd

Ahead: 3 mins Port & Stbd: 0.1 nm

Coastal Waters

Ahead: 12 mins Port & Stbd: 0.1 nm

Open Ocean:

Ahead 15 mins Port & Stbd: 0.2 nm

 Crossing
Crossing a
a Safety
Safety Contour
Contour

A vessel has a draft of 12m.

With squat effect and UKC added, the safety
depth could be, for example 14m

If the ENC cell has depth contours for 10m and

20m, the ECDIS will chose the 20m curve for
the safety contour and any depth below this
will be a no-go area

How does the vessel cross this contour to

enter port, as alarm will continuously activate
 Crossing a Safety Contour
Ref NP 232 & SMS 7.29.00

One method:
Reduce and set the Safety Contour to 10m

Draw manual limiting lines of danger 14m

around soundings/seabed features etc using
highlighted depths as guidance

Attach an attribute to the line in order it will

alarm when the anti-grounding cone touches it

Run route check to confirm alarms and conduct

visual inspection
 What is the purpose of the Shallow and Deep Contours

Provide indication of dangerous depth contour

 What do the following symbols refer to

THE QUALITY OF ENC DATA (CATZOC)

Generic Isolated Danger Mark

Less depth than the selected safety contour
 What checks must be made at watch handover
(Ref ECDIS 008)

Correct display setting is shown

Correct route is loaded in Route Monitoring

Secondary route is loaded (if required)

If true motion the Look Ahead is configured correctly

 What checks must be made at watch handover

Safety depth and contour settings correctly set

Anti-grounding cone is correctly set

XTD applied and correctly displayed

Vectors correctly displayed

 What checks must be made at watch handover

Best scale chart in use

Most recent corrected ENC available

Fix vessels position on ECDIS and prove correct

Repeat above checks at Secondary ECDIS terminal

Sight ECDIS check off cards (ECDIS, 001,002,008,010)

ECDIS Management Card up to date (ECDIS 003,004)

What Action would you take in the event of ECDIS Failure?
(Ref ECDIS 003,004)

Inform Master

Master ECDIS failure, use backup unit

Power failure revert to UPS supply

(consider controlled shutdown)

On restart confirm power supplies to each

ECDIS
What Action would you take in the event of ECDIS Failure

Check ECDIS check off cards (correct settings)

Anti-grounding cone (Vector & Sector)

Safety Depth
Safety Contour
Velocity Vectors
Units
What Action would you take in the event of ECDIS Failure?

Check ECDIS check off cards (correct settings)

Chart Priority
Chart autoload
Check Primary & Secondary position sensors

Check gyro sensor

What Action would you take in the event of ECDIS Failure

Check ECDIS check off cards (correct settings)

Confirm RIO operating correctly

Check current position
Own vessel shape correct and ship aligned to
ship’s head

Conduct alarm self test

 What Action would you take in the event of GNSS Failure?
(Ref ECDIS 005)

Read and acknowledge the alarm

Identify failed sensor

Select Secondary position fixing sensor

If GNSS unavailable select DR or EP mode

Fix vessel position using visual or radar means

What Action would you take in the event of GNSS Failure?

Identify other affected equipment

Instigate defect rectification
Amend vessel route is necessary
Call Master
When problem resolved compare with RIO and
other means
 
 When should you conduct a
Passage Planning Route Check

During and on completion of route planning

After a route has been modified

After any charts used by the route have been updated

During Master’s approval of the route

 If you decide to update charts
while the vessel is underway
what precautions would you take

Conduct a Risk Assessment

(Ref Shipnet Active RA Library)
Who should conduct spot checks of charts
after they have been updated

Person who has conducted the update

The Master

Routinely by all OOW

If the AIO was not available what action would
you take with regard to T&P Notices

Check Voyager for T & P Notices that affect voyage charts

Make a record of these (attach to Passage plan notebook)

Apply manually to charts

 What action would you take
if the vessel had to divert for an Emergency
and you did not have the chart onboard

Contact the 24 hour support deck

AVCS Supplier - Thomas Gunn
Request chart and permit number
Via email or over the telephone
(Ref MOLT 005/Misc)