Navigation VII

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Specification of minimum standard of competence for officers

in charge of an navigational watch on ships of 500 gross
tonnage or more
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Function:

Navigation at the Management Level

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Competence:

Plan a voyage and conduct navigation (ML)

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Learning Objective:

After completing this subject, the cadet will be able to:

• Do voyage planning and navigation for all conditions by acceptable

methods of plotting ocean tracks, taking into account, e.g.:
1. restricted waters
2. meteorological conditions
3. Ice
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4. restricted visibility
5. traffic separation schemes
6. vessel traffic service (VTS) areas
7. areas of extensive tidal effects

• Routeing in accordance with the General Provisions on Ships’

Routeing.
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Voyage planning
The purpose of voyage planning is to adequately prepare for a voyage,
provide the necessary support to the bridge team and aim to establish
the most favorable route while maintaining appropriate margins of
safety and safe passing distances..
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Voyage Planning
All navigators must be briefed regarding the proposed navigation
throughout the voyage berth to berth. The voyage plan should be in
compliance with all statutory requirements and the practice of good
seamanship.
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Voyage Planning
Principles of passage planning

There are four main stages in the planning of a safe voyage:

• Appraisal
• Planning
• Execution
• Monitoring
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Voyage Planning

Monitoring
• Monitoring of the vessel’s progress along the pre-planned track is a continuous
process. The officer of the watch, whenever in any doubt as to the position of the
vessel or the manner in which the voyage is proceeding, should immediately call
the master and, if necessary, take appropriate action for the safety of the vessel.
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Voyage Planning
Advantage should be taken of all the navigational equipment with which the vessel is fitted
for position monitoring, bearing in mind the following points:
• positions obtained by electronic positioning systems must be checked regularly by
visual bearings and transits whenever available;
• visual fixes should, if possible, be based on at least three position lines;

• transit marks, clearing bearings and clearing ranges (radar) can be of great assistance;
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Voyage Planning
• it is dangerous to rely solely on the output from a single positioning system;

• the echo sounder provides a valuable check of depth at the plotted position;

• buoys should not be used for position fixing but may be used for guidance when
shore marks are difficult to distinguish visually; in these circumstances their
positions should first be checked by other means;
•  the charted positions of offshore installations should be checked against the most
recent navigational notices;
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Voyage Planning
• the functioning and correct reading of the instruments used should be
checked;
• account must be taken of any system errors and the predicted accuracy of
positions displayed by electronic position fixing systems; and
• the frequency at which the position is to be fixed should be determined for
each section of the voyage.
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Voyage Planning
Execution

Execution of the plan should be carried out taking into account the factors
listed in the Guidelines. The Master should take into account any special
circumstances which may arise, which may require the plan to be reviewed
or altered and ensures that proper log and voyage records are maintained in
accordance with maritime shipping acts and other laws and regulations.
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Deck Log Book is a clear and accurate

record of the activities of the ship are
kept, as the Log book will form a main
part of the collection of evidence in
case of any incidents.
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Entries to be made in the Deck Log Book should cover, but not be
limited to the following information:
• Standard Meteorological data which must be carefully assessed
• Record of Navigational and Pilotage events during watch
• Record of Vessel Position at regular intervals
• Behavior of Vessel and Effect of Heavy seas
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• Behavior of Vessel and Effect of Heavy seas

• Change from Hand to Auto steering and vice versa including Trial of
Hand Steering every watch 

• Verification of Compass error also including mention if unobtainable.

• Record of Inspections, Trainings and Emergency drills (preferably in

Red pen)
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• Information on Cargo work and other activities in port

• Visits by various Officials and Authorities

• Stemming of Bunkers, Freshwater, Stores, etc

• Search for Stowaways, Contraband and SSP related items

• All other information considered pertinent to the watch

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Voyage data recorder, or VDR, is a data

recording system designed for all vessels required to
comply with the IMO's International
Convention SOLAS Requirements in order to collect
data from various sensors on board the vessel. It
then digitizes, compresses and stores this information
in an externally mounted protective storage unit.
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Ships Routeing System

The purpose of ships routing is to improve safety of navigation in
converging areas and in areas where the density of traffic is great or
where freedom of movement of shipping is inhibited by restricted
sea-room, the existence of obstructions to navigation, limited
depths or unfavorable meteorological conditions.
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Ships Routeing System

Coastal states have established ship reporting systems in order to

monitor the ships in their waters.

In addition, reporting systems may be used and rescue purposes. The

master should comply with the requirements of ship reporting systems
and report all information required.
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Ships Routeing System

By using Routeing system some condition must be taken into account:

• Mandatory or recommended requirements including the IMO Routeing

Guide

• Various weather

• Necessity of extra manoeuvers

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Ships Routeing System

• Average passage speed and fuel consumption

• Under keel clearance

• The effect of meteorological and tidal influence on water depths

• distance
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Ships Routeing System

• Availability of position monitoring

• safety of life, property and the environment

• weather routeing information received from shore based providers

• weather routeing techniques using synoptic and prognosis information

observed and received from ashore
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Ships Routeing System

Weather Routeing

Ship weather routing develops an optimum track for ocean voyages

based on forecasts of weather, sea conditions, and a ship’s individual
characteristics for a particular transit.
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Ships Routeing System
The ship routing agency, acting as an advisory
service, to alert the commanding officer or
master about approaching unfavorable
weather and sea conditions which cannot be
effectively avoided by a diversion by issuing
initial route recommendations prior to sailing.