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Test Your Knowledge
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What is the purpose of a passage plan?
Berth to berth risk assessment of the intended voyage
Plan every aspect of the maritime adventure
What does SOLAS Chapter V Reg 34 say about passage planning?
“any ship routing, reporting, tss and any marpol requirements to be followed as well as allowing sufficient sea room throughout and anticipating all expected hazards and perils”
What is the appraisal stage?
Gather information
-Relevant
-Current
-Correct
Berth to Berth risk assessment of voyage
Hazard identification and limitation
What is planning in the passage planning preparations?
Put in place measures to ensure safe voyage in response to hazards and limitations
What are the key themes of planning?
What are the key themes of planning?
Safe route on chart
-Identify safe route
-Margins of safety
-Highlight navigation hazards
Safe speed
-COLREG rule 6
-Weather constraints
-Squat
Masters comments
Routines
-Bridge manning -> sufficient experience
-Additional as required
-Cross checking
Compliance
-Complies with legislation
-SMS
-MARPOL
-Flag state law
-Contingencies
What contingencies would you plan for when passage planning?
Abort points prior entering port / restricted waters
Emergency anchoring areas
Alternative entries if main channel is blocked
Ports / places of refuge along route
ETA’s at critical points
What things would you could in the Execution stage of passage planning?
Reliability of navigation aids
Critical ETA’s
Prevailing weather conditions
Night & Day visibility
Traffic conditions
Unacceptable hazards
What are common methods of position fixing that can be crossed checked?
GPS position
Radar range and bearing (multiple for fix)
Bearings line (multiple for fix)
Echo sounder bottom check
Sextant
Parallel index
Where can sources of information on passage planning be found?
SMS
Bridge Procedures guide
Mariners Handbook
What is the Master’s role in passage planning?
Ultimate responsibility as stated by SOLAS
Can delegate to OOW
Must check and approve plan
Provide guidance for OOW
What sources of information are used?
- Charts / ENC
- Best scale
- Port approach
- Routing charts
ALRS
1 – marine radio signals
2 – Electronic navigation systems including time
3 – Maritime safety information
4 – Met observations
5 – GMDSS
6 – Pilots, ports and VTS
M – Notices
Admiralty Notices to Mariners
Admiralty Sailing directions
Ocean passages for the world
List of lights and fog signals
Mariners’ handbook
Vessel particulars
Weather sources
Guide to symbols
Chart catalogue
Nautical almanac
Tide tables
Tidal stream atlas
Vessel specifics - draught, air draught, breadth
Local agent information
What is meant by no go areas?
Due to hazards present not suitable for vessel to navigate in that area.
Due to wrecks, shallows, particularly sensitive sea areas, offshore areas,
When determining the speed, what information can be used?
Masters’ comments
Rule 6
Eco speed from SEEMP
Critical ETA’s
Tugs, pilots etc limitations
Expected weather en route
- Past voyage performance tables
Machinery available
What happens if there is a change in the route based on information?
Amend passage plan
Brief officers
- To sign passage plan amendment
Enter record in deck log book
Where does the legal requirement for a passage plan come from?
SOLAS Chapter V
MS Safety of Navigation regulations
IMO Res 893.
What are the four stages of passage planning?
Appraise
Plan
Execute
Monitor
What are deemed as navigation hazards during the planning stage?
- Under keel clearance
- Shallows
- Squat
- Interaction
- Traffic
- VTS reporting
- Narrow channels
- Traffic separation schemes
Weather
-Ice
-Fog
-Strong winds / TRS
Tide rates
Poor navigation equipment
What chart markings would you expect on a passage plan?
Route
-Course
-Estimated speed
-Distance
-Wheel over marks
-Waypoints
-Reporting points -> pilots and VTS
-PI lines
-Radar conspicuous objects
-Buoyage
-Hazards
-No go areas
-Contingency abort points
-MARPOL areas
-Ballast water exchange areas
How would you establish no go areas on charts?
Simple calculation for shallow waters
Vessel Draft
+ UKC
+ Squat
- Height of tide (tide is optional)
No go limit
Maybe contained in SMS / Master Standing Order
What is required in the monitoring stage?
Cargo operations complete
Ballasting operations complete
Final drafts taken, fwd, aft and midships
Dock water density taken
All crew on board & ETD posted
Cargo gear housed and secured
Ship secured and ready to proceed to sea
Hatches battened down
watertight doors secured
Heavy and movable objects secured
Gangway and/ or accommodation ladder secured
If heavy weather us expected have appropriate measures been taken?
Winches checked
Anchors cleared away
Windlass checked
Stowaway search carried out
Crew check carried out