COURSE NOTES

VOYAGE PLANNING & ECDIS

Table of Contents

Sr. No. Contents Page No

1 Chart Corrections 3
2 Knowledge of Voyage Planning and its Execution 14

3 Ship Reporting systems 26

4 Bridge Resource Management 32
5 Routeing 38

6 Voyage Planning Exercises 40

7 ECDIS 47
8 GMDSS 64
9 Documents 82

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List of Figures:

Fig. No. Title Page

1 Cover of NP 133 A 5
2 NP 133 A – Main Part: Part 2 Section 6
3 Tracings 9
4 INSPIRES & INDSAR reporting areas 27
5 Indian Search & Rescue Region 28
6 Speed Performance Curve 40
7 Portion of a chart showing some of the markings on a chart for planning a 43
passage
8 Clearing Bearings 44
9 Marking of Wheel Over Position 45
10 Track when navigating in or near a TSS 46
11 International Standards for ECDIS 47
12 Components of ECDIS 54
13 Various ECDIS contours 55
14 CATZOC Tables 61
15 GMDSS Flow chart 65
16 GMDSS Equipment Carriage 66
17 MSI flow chart 80

List of Tables:

Table No. Title Page

1 Squat / Tidal Window calculation 21
2 Legend for Figure 9 45
3 Legend for Figure 10 46
4 ECDIS Glossary 48
5 Raster v/s Vector Charts 59

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 Chapter I – Chart Corrections
1. Chart Folio system:

Chart folios are the folder of charts used on board a ship in which charts are kept in
a systematic manner. Folio covers are mode of canvass or other appropriate material
capable of holding charts. A list of charts within it and a table of correction record may
be posted outside of the folio cover.

These folios may be divided into three main categories –

a. Standard Folios – Contain all navigational charts. These could be grouped in

one of the two following manners

i. Grouped as per geographical area in a serial order: For example –

Pakistan & West Coast of India, East Coast of India, Bangladesh, Burma
and Andaman Islands, Malacca Strait etc. (See – NP 131 – Part 2, page
X)

ii. Grouped as per serial order: say BA 501 to BA 1000, BA 1001 to BA

1500 etc.

b. Local Folios – Contain navigational charts for a particular requirement such as

US charts, Chinese Charts, Japanese Charts etc.

c. Special Folios – Contain Thematic Charts, Planning Charts etc.

2. Chart Correction Log (NP 131)

Error: Chart Correction Log is NP 133A - see diagram 1

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 Figure 1: Cover of NP 133A
Purpose:
1. To provide mariner with an easy to use administrative facility for maintaining
a documentary record of chart corrections to a chart outfit.
2. Assists authorities (Surveyors / PSC inspectors) to check / audit record of
chart corrections.
3. Forms a basis of good and safe working practices followed by the seafarer.

Arrangement: It lists the chart numerically.

Parts / Sections: The log is divided into following parts / sections:

1. Part 1 is divided into two sections – (Indicating receipt)

a) Section 1 is used to record receipt of chart outfit / folio and Admiralty
Weekly Notices to Mariners received and acted upon
b) Section 2 is used to record of new charts & new editions published.

2. Part 2 is divided in three sections – (Log of Corrections)

a) Section 1 is used to record Admiralty Notices to Mariners affecting
Admiralty Navigational Charts – see figure 2
b) Section 2 is used to record Admiralty Notices to Mariners affecting
Australian and New Zealand Charts.
c) Section 3 is used to record Admiralty Notices to Mariners affecting
Admiralty Miscellaneous Charts (5011, Instructional Charts etc.)

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 Figure 2: Part 2, Section 1 (Main Part)

Procedure for maintaining the Log:

a) On receipt of the ship's chart outfit / folio:

In part 1, section 1 make entry in pen as to when the chart outfit was received it on
board, along with the Notice to Mariner number up to which it is already corrected.
In part 2, insert in the Notices to Mariners column the number of the latest NTM
including the year (18/275) for which each chart has been corrected before supply.
If required, the folio number can be inserted in ink

b) On receipt of Weekly edition of ANTM –

In part 1, section 1, record in ink, the weekly ANTM number and the date received.
In part 2, log the following:
o Insert in ink, the number of the notice affecting the charts (pick up from
'numerical index' of charts affected in ANTM).

o Enter a new year with ink of distinctive colour or underline same.

o Enter (T) & (P) notices in pencil and rub out when cancelled (extreme right
column).

o Enter relevant info, if any, in Navarea warnings column (next to T & P

column).

Important: Only when the correction is updated of the particular chart, the notice number
should be written as small correction on the chart. After that, strike out the correction
number in the log by pencil.

c) On publication of new charts and editions (NC /NE):

In part 1, section 2, enter details (chart number, folio number, WNTM number & date). If
required, in consultation with master, indent for same at the next opportunity.

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 On receipt of the new chart:
• Enter details (date of receipt, replacing chart number) in Part 1, Section 2
• Transfer relevant details to the charts numerical position in Part 2, Section 1
(Main Part), in ink.
• Enter date followed by NC if new chart / NE if new edition. Put two oblique lines
after that and continue to write the corrections.
(1984 Oct 23 (NC) // 1998: 124 – 136 – 1258 – 2564)

3. Chart corrections; Procedures for correction of charts and publications

including T&P notices, using information from Notices to Mariners and
corrections using tracings

The two most important aspects of chart correction are-

1. Positions must be accurate
2. All writings / symbols must be clear & readable.

Explanation of some terms in the Notices to Mariners:

1. Insert: Used for insertion of all new data. Used with 'delete' command, when 'move'
command is not practical.
2. Amend: The feature remains in existing position, but characteristic has changed.

3. Substitute: The position remains the same, feature is replaced by existing feature.

4. Delete: Used when features are to be removed from chart. Used with 'insert'
command, when 'move' command is not practical.
5. Move: The description / characteristics remains unchanged; position is moved by a
small distance.

Explanation of symbols and instructions on tracings: (Refer figure 3 for symbols)

1. Insertion: Information (which is inside a box) to be inserted is shown by a crossed
arrow Position of insertion is shown as a small circle with a dot at its center.
2. Deletion: Information to be deleted will be boxed and hatched out by diagonal lines.
A deletion symbol may be given next to the hatched area.
3. Insertion after deletion: Often a deletion is coupled with an insertion on the same
tracing. Here, deletion to be carried out as stated earlier followed by insertion in
position shown by arrow.

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 Figure 3: Example of a tracing

Equipment required for chart / publication corrections:

1. Pens (Nib size 0.15 to 0.25 mm): 0.15 mm for inserting & 0.25 mm for deleting
information.
2. Ink bottle (Violet colour only): Easy to identify the corrections made.
3. Pencil (2B & 7H): 2B for day to day chart work& 7H for pin pointing position while
using tracings
4. Eraser (Soft & good quality)
5. Adhesive: Recommended – Mounted adhesive rolls (3M product)
6. Parallel ruler
7. Dividers: Recommended - Bow dividers, 9 inch
8. Compass: Recommended – 9 inch
9. Hacksaw blade: Recommended 14 teeth to 1 inch
10. Steel ruler (1 m length)
11. Template (with various sizes of circles): For drawing Racon / Limits / Aero beacons
etc.

Chart Correction (Small + Blocks): (Available in Weekly Notice to mariners Section II)

1. Enter in NP133A the chart number, folio number, weekly notice to mariner number &
date announcing publication of the new chart or new edition from Section I of the

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 weekly notice to mariner. (Part 1 / Section 2)
2. Make a note of Charts / Publications due to be published, considering your
forthcoming voyages.
3. Look at Index of Charts affected in Section II of the weekly notice to mariners and
compare with your list of charts on board (NP 133A Part 2 Section 1).
4. Enter, in ink, the notice number in NP 133A for the affected chart.
5. Do the correction (in violet ink pen) in the chart.
6. Enter the correction as a 'small correction' at bottom left hand corner.
7. Strike out by pencil, the notice number in NP 133A.
8. On the back side of the chart – Write the weekly notice number up to which the chart
is corrected.

Very important points / tips to note on chart correction:

1. Always insert information before you delete any information.

2. It is dangerous to enter the small corrections first and then apply the corrections on
the chart. Never ever do so.

3. Light must always be drawn in the correct position, not arrowed in (if you can insert
the circle, you can definitely draw that light in that place).

4. Write the light description near the light, but ensure other info of chart (e.g., depth,
symbols, etc.) Are not obscured.

5. When we need to draw a breakwater, ensure the line is a bit bold to identify clearly.

6. Light sectors may be drawn as solid lines or dotted lines, if not mentioned in
particular.
7. Use a pair of compass to draw the arcs of the light sectors & do not forget to write
the colour ('W' or 'R', etc.)

8. If a range of light needs to be changed and clear space not available, do not write
the range (e.g. 15 M) and arrow it to the place. Write the whole description of the
light and arrow in to the position of the light.

Points to consider when using tracings:

1. Tracing is only a guide to illustrate the update and pin-point a position.

2. Special symbols are used on tracing to indicate insertions and deletions. Do not copy
them on chart.

3. Do not make common error of drawing exactly what is on tracing onto the chart,
always. Insertion can be made in an open area of chart and arrowing (arrow length
should be less than 25 mm) it to a small circle in correct position.

4. Do not delete items in same manner as shown on tracings. Draw two straight lines
through each piece of text to be deleted.

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 5. If moving a feature is required, mark the new position with a small circle. Then, circle
the feature and arrow it to the new position.

Frequently asked questions:

Q.1: Which charts are to be corrected first?

A.1: Following procedure to be followed strictly: -
1. Current voyage charts
2. Next voyage charts
3. Charts of specific areas, in consultation with master, keeping in mind predictable
future employment.
4. All other charts.

Q.2: How are tracings to be stored in the packet?

A.2: Tracings are to be stored serially by chart numbers, so that in event of change of
passage plan, any chart(s) that is/are required but not updated, can be corrected quickly.

Q.3: How will you check the positioning of the tracings?

A.3: Position is verified by all the below methods
1. By latitude and longitude lines as shown
2. Quadrant of chart /Same may be written in words
3. Other fitting marks shown (e.g. soundings or prominent features)

Q.4: If you have more than one copy of a chart, how do you keep them updated and
recorded?
A.4: This can be done by either of the two methods
1. Log them separately in NP133A and keep them updated or
2. Write down the number of copies beside the chart number in NP133A and strike out
the notice number, only after completing correction in all the copies.

Q.5: How will you cut the chart block?

A.5: It should be cut along the black line around the limits of the area of a block. There is
normally at least 5mm inside the line with no new or deleted info on it.

Q.6: What information is available on a tracing / What will you check before updating from
the tracing?

A.6: The following information to be checked before using a tracing

1. Notice number
2. Previous update notice number
3. Published year of new chart or new edition.
4. Chart number
5. The section of the chart where the correction to be made.
6. The correction to be made

Chart Correction (T&P): (Available in Weekly Notice to mariners Section II, one sided printing)

Indicated by (T) or (P). These are found in section II in the Weekly Notice to Mariner,
printed on one side of paper, so that they can be cut and filed. The year of the notice is
indicated after the notice number e.g.: 301(T)/02. They should be filed in a separate file
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titled 'Temporary & Preliminary notices. File can be subdivided in 26 areas a per
Geographical Index in The NTM. The file is to be updated using the in-force list which is
published monthly (end of the month) in the WNTM Section IA. The file is to be maintained
for the calendar year. All in force notices are printed in the next Annual Summary of Notices
to Mariners
1. The in force (T) & (P) notices are referred to when navigating in the concerned areas
on the concerned chart.
2. (T) and (P) notices are to be executed in pencil only.

3. After correction, an entry to the effect to be made below 'small corrections' in pencil.
When a chart is printed, these notices are not included

Correction to Publications:
1. Sailing Directions: Amendments to Sailing Directions are available in Section IV of
the weekly notice to mariners. Printed one side, cut the correction pages from the
weekly notice to mariners and place them in a file for corrections to sailing direction
publications.

This file should have separate section for each sailing direction number.
Place the latest list of amendments on top. Maintain this file for the calendar year
(The list of amendments (NP Number – Page(s) – Title -Weekly edition) in force is
published in section 'IV' of the weekly notice to mariner on monthly basis (last week
of the month)).

The updated version is printed in the Annual Summary of Notices to Mariners.

Consult this file plus the Annual Summary of Notice to Mariners plus the Supplement
and the Parent sailing direction before passage plan.
2. Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals: Given in section 'V' of the Weekly Notices
to Mariners.
First, check the edition to which the corrections refer to. If the same edition is not
available on board, do not proceed. Indent for the same and wait till you receive it.
The first corrections to any edition has a note:
' This edition was published in week --/--. The first weekly notice to mariners was
issued in week --/--. '
Paste the statement in the box provided in the Record of Amendments.

Proceed correcting from then onwards. The last amendment is mentioned for your
reference. ensure, same is already corrected before proceeding.
The entire entry for each light amended is printed. In case of a new light, an asterix
(*) will appear under all columns.
For a particular light-
i. if it is a minor correction, involving few entries, do it by pen.
ii. if it involves corrections altering the light specs substantially, then cut the
section and paste it on top of the old entry.

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 iii. In case of a new light(s) published, then cut and paste the section adjacent to
the nearest serial number.
Ensure that all entries are visible.
Enter the date adjacent to the correction number in the place stipulated – Inner
Cover - Record of Amendments)

3. Admiralty List of Radio Signals

Given in section 'VI' of the Weekly Notices to Mariners.

First, check the edition to which the corrections refer to. If the same edition is not
available on board, do not proceed. Indent for the same and wait till you receive it.
The first corrections to any edition has a note:
' This edition was published in week --/--. The first weekly notice to mariners was
issued in week --/--. '
Paste the statement in the box provided in the Record of Amendments.

Proceed correcting from then onwards. The last amendment is mentioned for your
reference. ensure, same is already corrected before proceeding.

For a particular entry-

i. if it is a minor correction, involving few entries, do it by pen.
ii. if it involves corrections altering the specifications substantially, then cut the
section from the Notice to mariners and paste it on top of the old entry.
iii. in case of a new entry published, cut and paste the section on the page
mentioned in the notice.
Ensure that all entries are visible.
Enter the date adjacent to the correction number in the place stipulated – Inner
Cover - Record of Amendments)

4. Use of Admiralty publication NP 294

NP 294 refers to the publication – ‘How to Keep Admiralty Charts up – to – date’.

A navigator can rely on Admiralty Charts ONLY if they are updated accurately. The
purpose of this publication is to set out simply and clearly the essential points of good
chart maintenance

5. Checking newly received chart for last correction

a) Check the last correction entered at the bottom left hand corner of the chart

b) Open the Cumulative Notice to Mariners and note down if any new notices are
present

c) Refer to Weekly notice to Mariners (Index of Charts Affected) to see if any

notices were issued since the Cumulative Notice was published. Always start

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 from the latest weekly notice. Once a notice affecting the chart is observed, its
previous update can be seen in the notice itself

6. Chart correction using digital notices

The ship owner hires an Outfit Management Service (OMS) to help manage the
update of charts. The Organization maintains a list of the charts and publications
required for a vessel’s general trading pattern. This ‘Index’ forms the basis of how
the OMS operates and dictates which new edition items and correction data is sent
to the ship. Advance information on new editions and new issues of charts and
publications are fed into our OMS software. This information is compared against the
stored indexes and at specified regular intervals new edition charts and publications
which have become available are collated, called off and supplied. These are then
dispatched as directed by the ship owner.
Earlier chart updates have been delivered via CD or paper, making it almost
impossible to keep products up to date. Now it possible to receive these updates in a
timely manner via INMARSAT, thus ensuring safe and compliant navigation at all
times. Once received, paper corrections (including tracings) can be printed out and
applied to charts by the navigating Officer.

All corrections are delivered as soon as the data has been released by the national
authorities. Whilst the complete Notice to Mariner is delivered to the vessel, only
those corrections that are applicable to the charts in the outfits are initially displayed.

A log of all corrections applied to each chart is maintained within the system and
may be viewed at any time.

Similarly, corrections to Publications are also maintained up to date using the digital
notices to Mariners

7. Finding the date when chart was last brought up to date

Details in Point 5 – By checking against the entry for small corrections (Bottom left
hand of the chart) and records maintained in the chart correction log (NP 133A)

8. Corrections for digital publications

Admiralty Digital Publications (ADP) are a digital version of the Admiralty Nautical
Publications. These have been designed to meet SOLAS carriage requirements and
if approved by the flag state can replace the traditional publications. Presently the
following digital publications are available-
• Admiralty Total Tide (ATT)

• Admiralty Digital List of Lights (ADLL)

• Admiralty Digital Radio Signals Volume II (ADRS2)

• Admiralty Digital Radio Signals Volume VI (ADRS6)

These publications can be licensed, installed, used and updated. Corrections to the
same are made quickly and efficiently via e-mail.
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 However, the same should not be confused with the e-books which are available for
all major nautical publications. Although these books have standard features such as
search, re-sizing fonts, adding book marks etc. they cannot be updated.

9. Digital Notices to Mariners

Refer point 6.

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 Chapter 2 – Knowledge of Voyage Planning & its Execution

1. Introduction

Investigations show that human error contributes to 80% of navigational accidents. In many
cases, though the essential information that could have prevented the accident was
available, but was not used by those responsible for the navigation of the vessels
concerned. Most accidents happen because of simple mistakes in use of navigational
equipment and interpretation of the available information, rather than because of any
deficiency in basic navigational skills or ability to use equipment.

(IMO Resolution A.893(21) – Guidelines for Voyage Planning – should be followed by all
vessels)

Watch keepers should therefore adhere to the guidelines taking the following measures to
ensure that they appreciate and reduce the risks to which they are exposed:

1. Ensure that the vessel's navigation processes are planned in adequate detail with
contingency plans where appropriate

2. Ensure that there is a systematic bridge organisation that provides for:

• Comprehensive briefing of all concerned with the navigation of the vessel;

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 • Close and continuous monitoring of the vessel's position ensuring that different
methods of determining the position are used to check against error in any one
system

• Cross-checking of individual human decisions so that errors can be detected

and corrected as early as possible

• Information available from plots of other traffic is used carefully to ensure

against over-confidence, bearing in mind that other vessels may alter course
and/or speed

3. Ensure that optimum and systematic use is made of all appropriate information that
becomes available to the navigational staff;
4. Ensuring that the intentions of a pilot are fully understood and acceptable to the
vessel's navigational staff
Responsibility for passage planning
In most vessels the master delegates the initial responsibility for preparing the plan
for a voyage to the navigating officer who is responsible for navigational equipment
and publications. Prior to departure the navigating officer will prepare the detailed
passage plan from berth to berth in accordance with the guidelines and to the
master's requirements. If the port of destination is not known or is subsequently
altered, the navigating officer must extend or amend the original plan as
appropriate.

A voyage plan can have different components such as

i. Pilotage
ii. Coasting

iii. Ocean Passage

iv. Landfall

v. Waiting at Anchor
Each of the above components have to dealt in a different manner. However, the principles
involved irrespective of the component are the same.

Principles of Passage planning: The four stages are:

• Appraisal,

• Planning,

• Execution and

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• Monitoring
These steps logically follow each other. An appraisal of all information available
must be made before detailed plans can be drawn up and a plan must be in
existence before it can be executed. Once the plan and the manner in which it is to
be executed have been decided, monitoring must be carried out to ensure that the
plan is followed.
2. Appraisal

Appraisal is the process of gathering all information relevant to the proposed

passage, including ascertaining risks and assessing its critical areas. The
Guidelines require that following shall be taken into account.
1. The condition and state of the vessel, its stability, and its equipment; any
operational limitations; the permissible draught at sea, in fairways and in ports; its
manoeuvring data, including any restrictions;

2. Any special characteristics of the cargo (especially if hazardous), and its

distribution, stowage and securing on board the vessel;
3. Charts to be used shall be of appropriate scale, accurate and up-to-date for the
intended voyage or passage, as well as any relevant permanent or temporary
notices to mariners and existing radio navigational warnings;

4. Accurate and up-to-date sailing directions, lists of lights and lists of radio aids to
navigation; and
5. Any relevant up-to-date additional information, including:

• Chart catalogue, charts, ocean passages of the world, mariners’ routeing

guides and passage planning charts, published by competent authorities;

• Current and tidal atlases and tide tables;

• Data relating to climatology, hydrography, and oceanography as well as other

appropriate meteorological information;

• Availability of services for weather routeing

• Existing ships' routeing and reporting systems, vessel traffic services, and
marine environmental protection measures;

• Volume of traffic likely to be encountered throughout the passage or

passages;

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 • If a pilot is to be used, information relating to pilotage and embarkation and
disembarkation including the exchange of information between master and
pilot;

• Available port information, including information pertaining to the availability of

shore-based emergency response arrangements and equipment; and

• Any additional items pertinent to the type of the vessel or its cargo, the
particular areas the vessel will traverse, draft of the ship and the type of
voyage or passage to be undertaken.
An overall assessment of the intended passage should be made by the master, in
consultation with the navigating officer and other deck officers who will be involved,
after all relevant information has been gathered. This appraisal will provide the
master and his bridge team with a clear and precise indication of all areas of
danger, and delineate the areas in which it will be possible to navigate safely taking
into account the calculated draught of the vessel and planned under-keel
clearance. Bearing in mind the condition of the vessel, her equipment and any other
circumstances, a balanced judgement of the margins of safety which must be
allowed in the various sections of the intended passage can now be made, agreed
and understood by all concerned.
If the passage is transoceanic route the first consideration would be the distance
(Great Circle or Rhumb line) and the bunkers on board. Currents, meteorological
conditions, prevailing weather systems, load line rules will also need to be
considered in addition to the recommended routes mentioned in various
publications.
In case of a coastal passage main consideration will be to find a safe track the
vessel must take to avoid coastlines and dangers. IMO approved or recommended
TSS must be followed, where provided.
Where local / company regulations require vessels to keep minimum distances from
shore and danger areas, these shall be followed.
In some cases, it will be necessary to determine which strait or passage is used
and whether a pilot would be necessary or not. In certain circumstances it would be
preferable to divert around an archipelago for safety / commercial reasons.

3. Planning –

Plot courses on the charts, both small and large scale, way points, no-go areas,
contingency anchorages, alerts, abort points and other relevant marks; Select a
suitable anchorage; Selection of ocean routes; Prepare a Voyage Plan document.

Once a full appraisal has been done the navigating officer carries out the Planning
process, acting on the master's instructions. The detailed plan should cover the
whole passage from berth to berth including all waters where a pilot will be on

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 board. The plan should be complete and include all the relevant factors listed in the
Guidelines i.e.
1. The appropriate charts should be marked clearly showing all areas of danger (no
go areas), safe water areas, margins of safety and the intended track taking into
account the margins of allowable error. Where appropriate, due regard should be
paid to the need for advanced warning to be given on one chart of the existence of
a navigational hazard immediately on transfer to the next.

2. The planned track should be plotted to clear hazards at as safe a distance as

circumstances allow. A longer route should always be accepted in preference to a
shorter more hazardous route. The possibility of main engine or steering gear
breakdown at a critical moment must not be overlooked.

3. Course alteration points, taking into account the vessel's turning circle at the
planned speed and any expected effect of tidal streams and currents;

4. Each Alteration point must be indicated by

a. a waypoint number (WP – xy) and

b. the distance to go to end of sea passage

5. Additionally, the WP should be indicated by bearing and distance off from a radar
conspicuous object where possible

6. Safe speed, having regard to the proximity of navigational hazards along the
intended route or track, the manoeuvring characteristics of the vessel and its
draught in relation to the available water depth;

7. Necessary speed alterations enroute, e.g., where there may be limitations because
of night passage, tidal restrictions, or allowance for the increase of draught due to
squat and heel effect when turning;
8. Minimum clearance required under the keel in critical areas with restricted water
depth;
9. Positions where a change in machinery status is required;

10. The method and frequency of position fixing, including primary and secondary
options, and the indication of areas where accuracy of position fixing is critical and
where maximum reliability must be obtained;
11. Use of ships' routeing and reporting systems and vessel traffic services;

12. Considerations relating to the protection of the marine environment; and

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13. Contingency plans for alternative action to place the vessel in deep water or
proceed to a port of refuge or safe anchorage in the event of any emergency
necessitating abandonment of the plan, taking into account existing shore-based
emergency response arrangements and equipment and the nature of the cargo and
of the emergency itself.
Additional information which should be marked on the charts includes:

• All radar-conspicuous objects and RACONs, which may be used in radar position
fixing.

• Tidal data including direction and strength.

• Warning indicating that a next chart or a large scale needs to be consulted at this
point must be marked where it is required to change / consult from one chart to
other.

• In certain areas the ship may be required to navigate in areas with a reduced under
keel clearance (UKC). It is important that this reduced UKC must be planned and
indicated on the chart taking the vessels speed and squat into consideration.

• Positions of planned course alterations and wheel over positions must be pre
calculated and indicated on the chart. This is needed so that the vessel remains on
her intended planned track after an alteration of course.

• Watch level changes including positions when to call the Master.

• Security level changes

• Any transit marks, clearing bearings or clearing ranges (radar) which may be used
to advantage. It is sometimes possible to use two conspicuous clearing marks
where a line drawn through them runs clear of natural dangers with the appropriate
margin of safety; if the vessel proceeds on the safe side of this transit she will be
clear of the danger. If no clearing marks are available, a line or lines of bearing from
a single object may be drawn at a desired safe distance from the danger; provided
the vessel remains in the safe segment, it will be clear of the danger.

• Parallel index lines should also be drawn where appropriate.

• Depending on circumstances, the details of the plan should be marked in

appropriate and prominent places on the charts to be used during the passage.

• While approaching a port, additional information needs to be marked out such as

i. Notice to Engine Room
ii. Reporting to Harbour Control / Pilots

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 iii. Testing Controls
iv. Stand-by engines
v. Calling out stations

vi. Removing Anchor Lashings

vii. Testing Engines Astern

viii. Anchorage Areas enroute

• All details of the passage plan should also be recorded in a Voyage Plan document
/ bridge notebook used specially for this purpose to allow reference to details of the
plan at the conning position without the need to consult the chart.

• The Documented Voyage Plan must contain details of

i. Arrival / Departure Drafts; Estimated / Actual
ii. VHF Channels / Reporting Procedures of Port, Pilots & VTS

iii. Name and contact details of Agent

iv. Legal Time kept at the ports

v. Tidal Height Predictions

vi. Sunrise / Sunset as applicable

vii. Details of cargo; Total cargo, Hazardous cargo O/B

viii. List of Charts; with edition and last correction updated

ix. Bunker Calculations

x. Squat Calculations – (See Table 1)

xi. Stability Results

xii. Details of Weather Reporting Stations including Navtex and Weather

facsimile stations

xiii. Way Point numbers, Latitude / Longitude, Course, Distance. Distance

to go and Remarks for each leg –

Remarks to contain:

a. Parallel Indexing details

b. Clearing bearing / range details

c. Necessary information from Sailing Directions, Ocean Passages

of the World, Routing Charts,

20
 d. Necessary information relating to Safety of Navigation and
Pollution Prevention
e. Special instructions from Owners / Charterers / Shippers /
Ocean Routes, if any

• It is unlikely that every detail of a passage will have been anticipated, particularly in
pilotage waters. Much of what will have been planned may have to be adjusted or
changed after embarking the pilot. This in no way detracts from the real value of the
plan, which is to mark out in advance, areas where the vessel must not go and the
appropriate precautions which must be taken, and to give initial warning that the
vessel is running into danger.

• No matter how well planned a passage may be there may be occasions where the
plan needs to be aborted. Points of no return, contingency anchorages, abort
positions and alternative routes etc. must be clearly marked on the chart.

Controlling Depth at
1 Charted controlling depth
2 Minimum rise of tide
3 Minimum controlling depth (1+2)
4 Maximum Draft
Vessels speed
5 Estimated Squat
6 Total (4+5)
7 UKC available (3-6)
8 UKC required
9 Is the passage tide restricted
10 If yes, period of acceptable UKC
Table 1: Squat / Tidal Window calculation

4. Execution –

Execution of the finalized passage plan should be carried out taking into account the
factors listed in the guidelines. Before executing the plan, the Master must conduct a
briefing of all personnel involved in executing the plan. Such briefings will need to be
frequently updated at different stages.
The tactics used to ensure accomplishment of the plan should include:

21
 a. ETA at critical points to take advantage of favourable tidal streams.
b. Traffic conditions at focal points

c. ETA at destination particularly when there is no advantage even if the ship

comes early.
In order to achieve a safe execution of the plan it may be required to deploy
additional personnel and / or equipment. This will include awareness at positions
this would be necessary. For example, to call master, change from UMS to
attended engine room, calling extra officer, helmsman and lookouts, crew to
prepare pilot ladders, anchors, moorings etc.
Rest periods and fatigue factor must be adequately addressed, particularly at times
such as entering or leaving ports, river passages, bad weather and other high risk
situations.

The Master should take into account any special circumstances, which may arise,
such as changes in weather, which may require the plan to be reviewed or altered.
Factors which should be taken into account when executing the plan or deciding on
any departure therefrom include:
1. The reliability and condition of the vessel's navigational equipment;
2. Estimated times of arrival at critical points for tide heights and flow;

3. Meteorological conditions, (particularly in areas known to be affected by

frequent periods of low visibility) as well as weather routeing information;

4. Daytime versus night-time passing of danger points, and any effect this may
have on position fixing accuracy; and

5. Traffic conditions, especially at navigational focal points.

5. Monitoring – Monitor frequently the traffic, position, weather, visibility and maintain a
situational awareness at all times. Check the proper functioning of navigational
instruments and fills up logs periodically during watch.

The plan should be available at all times on the bridge to allow officers of the
navigational watch immediate access and reference to the details of the plan.
The progress of the vessel in accordance with the voyage and passage plan should
be closely and continuously monitored. Any changes made to the plan should be
made consistent with the guidelines and clearly marked and recorded.

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.

22
 The performance of navigational equipment should be checked prior to sailing, prior
to entering restricted or hazardous waters and at regular and frequent intervals at
other times throughout the passage.
Advantage should be taken of all the navigational equipment with which the vessel
is fitted for position monitoring, bearing in mind the following points:

1. Positions obtained by electronic positioning systems must be checked regularly by

visual bearings and transits whenever available;

2. Visual fixes should, if possible, be based on at least three position lines;

3. Transit marks, clearing bearings and clearing ranges (radar) can be of great
assistance;

4. It is dangerous to rely solely on the output from a single positioning system;

5. The echo sounder provides a valuable check of depth at the plotted position;

6. 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;

7. The charted positions of offshore installations should be checked against the most
recent navigational notices;

8. The functioning and correct reading of the instruments used should be checked;

9. Account must be taken of any system errors and the predicted accuracy of
positions displayed by electronic position fixing systems; and
10. The frequency at which the position is to be fixed should be determined for each
section of the passage.
11. With ECDIS care should be taken to ensure that the display shows sufficient "look-ahead"
distance.

12. Radar can be used to advantage in monitoring the position of the vessel by the use
of parallel indexing, which is a simple and most effective way of continuously
monitoring that a vessel is maintaining its track in restricted coastal waters. Parallel
indexing can be used in any situation where a radar-conspicuous navigation mark is
available and it is practicable to monitor continuously the vessel's position relative to
such an object.
The monitoring of the vessel should be in line with the Master’s Standing Orders

Prior taking over the watch the OOW must read the log book to understand the past
movement of the vessel and of the weather. He should maintain a proper log of all

23
 activities during his watch in accordance with “Instructions to fill the Log Book”. Entries to
include amongst others-
i. Course(s) steered

ii. Course Alteration details

iii. Weather / Sea State during the watch

iv. State of Visibility

v. Level of watch keeping

vi. Comparing of Compasses

vii. Engine RPM

viii. Vessels behaviour (in rough weather)

6. Landfall in thick and clear weather

The following factors should be considered for landfall:

▪ Largest scale charts should be used for landfall.
▪ There should be clear water all round at landfall points and in vicinity of the line of
approach.
▪ Areas of poor visibility should be avoided, particularly if landfall is to be made on a
lighthouse/landmark.
▪ When making landfall on a light, raising distances should be determined for various
conditions of visibility that are likely to be encountered.
▪ Where ground is open to weather, low clouds may form. Approaching land or islands
from windward may be avoided.
▪ Areas subject to strong tidal streams should be dealt with caution.
▪ Points of landfall and approaches should provide for more than one method of
monitoring position, e.g., visual and radar, as well as electronic aids to navigation,
including use of echo sounder.
▪ Low lying islands should be avoided as they may not be visible at reasonable distance
even during clear daylight.
▪ Areas with prominent headlands or coastal features should be preferred. Straight
coastlines should be avoided.
▪ Lee shores with strong onshore winds should be avoided.
▪ Areas of high traffic density may have to be avoided or require careful consideration.
▪ Use of floating aids (even LANBY’s with RACON) should be avoided, unless
absolutely necessary – in which case their position should first be confirmed by other
means.
▪ Celestial observation can be used to advantage for checking landfall approaches.
▪ Contingency plans and abort positions, as well as conditions, should be determined
along with risk assessment.
▪ Having chosen the landfall position, its adequacy for daylight, darkness and reduced
visibility should be assessed.

24
 7. Selection of a suitable anchorage.

Various factors influence the choice of an area for anchorage. For routine anchoring, when
the vessel is required to wait outside or inside the harbour area, the port authority usually
defines the anchorage area. Port, pilotage or VTS authorities may advise the ship to proceed
to a particular anchorage or position for anchoring. Some ports have clearly charted
anchorages for use by vessels. For commercial reasons, a vessel may be required to anchor
within the commercial limits of the port.

There may be circumstances when the vessel will have to anchor without appropriate
instructions or in cases of emergency. Careful appraisal of the navigational chart, Pilot Books
and current and forecasted weather conditions will enable the master to choose a safe area
for anchoring.

The choice of anchoring position depends upon the following factors:

▪ Size of the vessel, including windage area of the vessel’s hull, superstructure and
cargo.
▪ Draught of the vessel in relation to the depths available
▪ Depth of water for maximum anchoring depth.
▪ Holding ground - this depends upon the nature of seabed.
▪ Type of anchor and its holding power.
▪ Strength of wind, current or tidal stream.
▪ Length of time vessel intends to stay at anchor.
▪ Sea room available for swinging.
▪ Proximity to dangers, submerged or on the surface.
▪ Proximity to routes taken by passing or harbour traffic.
▪ Forecast and actual weather conditions.
▪ Availability of shelter.
▪ Commercial limits of port.
▪ Availability of position monitoring landmarks (transit/anchor bearings).
▪ Instructions from port authority, agent or owners/charterers.
• Security – piracy is common in some areas.

25
 Chapter 3 – Ship Reporting Systems
The use of reporting in accordance with general principles for ship reporting systems
and with VTS reporting procedures INDSAR as per M.S. Notice of DGS

Merchant Shipping Notice No. 07 of 2010 refers to Ship Reporting System in Indian Waters
– See figure 4

The Purpose of this Notice is:

(a) To provide information about the Ship Reporting System called the
INDSAR within Indian Search & Rescue Region- (ISRR); - See figure 5

(b) To Provide information about the Ship Reporting System operated

by Indian Navy called INSPIRES for open ocean vessel management
within the assigned INSPIRES Area;

(c) To encourage effective participation of vessels within the above

stated geographical areas;

(d) To fulfill the requirements of Maritime Search and Rescue services

(SAR) and open ocean vessel management for providing security to
ships under National and International Laws; and

(e) To ensure safety and security of maritime traffic in order to protect

life, property and marine environment.

26
Figure 4: INSPIRES & INDSAR reporting areas

27
 Figure 5: Indian Search & Rescue Region40

INSPIRES:

In order to exercise effective open ocean vessel management, to provide security to vessels,
weather forecast to enhance safety of navigation and monitor incidents of pollution from ships
engaged in carriage of hazardous cargoes, the Indian Navy in co-ordination with Directorate
General of shipping established an Indian Ship Position and Information Reporting System
(INSPIRES) with effect from 01 November 1986.
This reporting system has wider area of coverage in the Indian Ocean. The main objective of
the system is Open Ocean Vessel management for security of all vessels navigating in the
Arabian Sea/ Bay of Bengal. An Indian Naval Communication Centre (COMCENs) Mumbai
and Vishakhapatnam are functioning as the shore stations for receiving INSPIRES messages
from all vessels.
• All Indian vessels including coasting / fishing vessels of tonnage 300 GRT and above shall
participate in this reporting system.

• All vessels other than Indian ship of tonnage 100 GRT and above are encouraged to
participate.

The reports are to be sent in the prescribed format.

There are four types of messages each containing a selection of items. The message types
are
a. Sailing Plan (SP) – to be sent just prior to sailing or as soon as possible after sailing
from a port within the reporting area, or when the vessel enters the area

b. Position Report PR) – to be sent once every day as per notified schedule

28
 c. Deviation Report (DR) – to be sent when the vessels position varies significantly from
the position predicted from the previous reports

d. Final Report (FR) – to be sent on arrival at destination or when leaving the INSPIRES
area

INSPIRES messages are accepted free of charge by the Indian Naval Communication
Centers (COMCEN) Mumbai & Vizag

The format of the report or reports shall conform to the ship reporting guidelines prescribed
in IMO Resolution A.851 (20) and Special Edition of Indian Notices to Mariners No. 8. The
format is also available in the ALRS.

INDSAR
Conforming to the provisions of International convention on Maritime Search and Rescue,
1979 (SAR convention 1979) to which India is signatory and with the aim of providing /
coordinating the effective search and rescue operations in a possible event of any marine
casualty at sea, the Indian Coast Guard has brought in to operations a supplementary Ship
Position Reporting System with effect from 1st February, 2003 called “Indian Search and
Rescue (computerized ship reporting system” (INDSAR). This is a supplementary and an
advance computerized system designed to contribute to safety of life/timely search and
rescue operations at sea. This system is operated and maintained by the Indian Coast Guard
through their Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at Mumbai;
• All Indian ships of 100 GRT and above entering into or transiting the Indian Search and
Rescue Region (ISRR) shall participate in the INDSAR reporting system.

• All ships other than Indian Ships of 300 GRT and above entering or transiting through the
above region are encouraged to participate in INDSAR reporting system.

INDSAR is an integral part of the maritime search and rescue system in India. The objective
of INDSAR is to contribute to the safety of life at sea by: -
a) Limiting the time between the loss of a vessel and the initiation of search and rescue action,
in cases where no distress signal is sent out

b) Limiting the search area for a rescue action.

c) Providing up-to-date information on shipping resources available in the area in the event
of a search and rescue incident

On departure from an Indian port or on entering the INDSAR area from overseas:
a) Masters are required to send a Sailing Plan (SP) or Entry Report (ER) to MRCC Mumbai
by INMARSAT C on code 43 when entering ISSR

b) A computerized plot of the vessels position will be maintained

c) Masters are required to send a Position Report (PR) each day at a convenient time
nominated by the vessel, the maximum time between any two reports is not to exceed 24
hours. Dates and times contained in INDSAR reports should be in UTC

d) A deviation report (DR) to be sent when required

29
 e) A Final Report (FR) is to be sent on arrival at the destination or on departure from the
INDSAR area.

The format of the report or reports shall conform to the ship reporting guidelines prescribed
in IMO Resolution A.851 [20] and Special Edition of Indian Notices to Mariners No.8. Same
is also available in the ALRS.

M.S. Notice 20 of 2010 says -

“Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) to be developed by the Ministry of Shipping in consultation

with Directorate General of Shipping, Directorate General of Light House and Light Ships
(DGLL), concerned Port and Coastal State Authorities. The monitoring and enforcement shall
be by Port Authority within Port limits and other waters as per the notification of the Ministry
of Shipping. The VTS shall conform to the provisions of Regulation 12 of Chapter V SOLAS
1974 as amended”

The same is also applicable around off shore installations

Vessel traffic services deal with managing ship traffic on marine routes, suggesting best
routes for a vessel and ensuring no two vessels run into each other on congested routes.
Concept of VTS first came into being with increasing need for a single body to regulate ship
traffic.

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.

Vessel traffic services chiefly include devices to collect and transmit maritime information
which includes traffic images. This information is further transmitted to various vessels in a
given VTS zone. This helps the vessels’ captains to make better navigational decisions and
decide their routes. Several devices are used for purpose of gaining and transmitting this
information. Depending on type medium used to gain this information, VTS can be
classified as:

30
• 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.

• 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.

Details of VTS reporting is available in ALRS Volume VI.

Recommended routes are available in Ship’s Routeing and on the charts

31
 Chapter 4 – Bridge Resource Management

Bridge Resource Management reduces the risk of marine casualties by helping a ship’s
bridge crew anticipate and correctly respond to their ship’s changing situation.

Weakness in bridge organization and management has been cited as a major cause for
marine casualties worldwide. Accidents in operations are frequently caused by resource
management errors. Bridge Resource Management reduces the risk of marine casualties
by helping a ship’s bridge crew anticipate and correctly respond to their ship’s changing
situation.

What is Bridge Resource Management?

Bridge Resource Management (BRM), is the effective management and utilization of all
resources, human and technical, available to the Bridge Team to ensure the safe
completion of the vessel’s voyage.
BRM focuses on bridge officers’ skills such as teamwork, teambuilding, communication,
leadership, decision-making and resource management and incorporates this into the larger
picture of organizational and regulatory management. BRM addresses the management of
operational tasks, as well as stress, attitudes and risk. BRM recognizes there are many
elements of job effectiveness and safety, such as individual, organizational, and regulatory
factors, and they must be anticipated and planned for. BRM begins before the voyage with
the passage plan and continues through the end of the voyage with the passage debrief

Why do we need Bridge Resource Management?

Many accidents have been caused due to insufficient information at the planning stage and
/ or a lack of communication between the members of the bridge team
1. Failure to identify hazards
2. Failure to allocate responsibilities
3. Failure to prioritize tasks
4. Inadequate assistance to OOW
5. Insufficient monitoring
6. Reliance on unsupported information
7. Over reliance on electronic navigational equipment
8. Hesitation in reporting a deviation from the passage plan and failure to seek
assistance
How to carry out Bridge Resource Management?

1. Establish the resources available

2. Balance it with the abilities and limitations of the ship and the ships personnel

What Are the available Resources to Manage?

A mariner has many resources available to him/her for safe passage planning and

32
execution. Some examples include:
• Electronic equipment (i.e. Radar, Echo sounder, GPS/DGPS, ARPA, Gyro compass)
• Charts and publications, including electronic charts & publications
• Environmental factors (i.e. tide, wind, currents)
• Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) & Ship Reporting (Local & International)
• Characteristics of the ship - Propulsion / Maneuverability / Thrusters
• Experience and availability of Bridge Personnel - Officers and Ratings (Attention to
fatigue and rest hours)
• A comprehensive passage plan in which the resources are identified and used
• Internal and external communication equipment
• NAVTEX
• Automatic Identification System (AIS)
• Persons with local knowledge (i.e. Pilot)
• Bridge Personnel (i.e. Master, Officer On Watch (OOW), helmsman, lookout)

What are the objectives of Bridge Resource Management?

The objectives are to
• Share a common view of the intended passage and the agreed procedures to transit
the passage with all members of the Bridge Team.
• Develop and use a detailed passage plan to anticipate and manage workload
demands and risks.
• Set appropriate manning levels and make contingency plans based on anticipated
workload and risks.
• Make roles and responsibilities clear to Bridge Team members.
• Involve all team members in problem solving.
• Acquire all relevant information early and anticipate dangerous situations.
• Team members clearly understand the chain of command including the way
decisions and instructions are made, responded to, and challenged.

How is Bridge Resource Management implemented on the vessel?

BRM is implemented by considering and addressing the following:
• Passage Planning – covering ocean, coastal and pilotage waters. Particular attention
is paid to high traffic areas, shallow waters, or pilotage waters where the plan
incorporates appropriate margins of safety and contingency plans for unexpected
incidents.
• Passage Plan Briefing - all bridge team members are briefed on the passage plan
and understand the intended route and procedures to transit the route.
• Bridge Manning – Master uses passage plan to anticipate areas of high workload
and risk and sets manning levels appropriately.
• Bridge Team Training - is given all bridge crew members and they are sure of their
roles and responsibilities, both for their routine duties and their duties in the event of
an incident/emergency.
• Master’s Standing Orders – are read and signed before the commencement of the
voyage. Orders are clear on the chain of command, how decision and instructions
are given on the bridge and responded to, and how bridge team members bring
safety concerns to the notice of the Master.
• Master/Pilot Exchange – the passage plan is discussed by the Master and the pilot
and changes made as necessary. Any new information is communicated to the rest
33
 of the bridge team. When the pilot is onboard he/she should be supported as a
temporary bridge team member.
• End of Voyage Debriefing – provides the opportunity for the bridge team to review
the passage plan’s strengths and weaknesses, make suggestions for improved
safety or communications, and improve team problem solving skills.

What are the benefits of BRM when correctly practiced?

When BRM is practiced correctly onboard the result should be a Bridge Team that:
• Maintains its situational awareness;
• Continually monitors the progress of the vessel making appropriate adjustments and
corrections as necessary to maintain a safe passage;
• Acquires relevant information early;
• Appropriately delegates workload and authority;
• Anticipates dangerous situations;
• Avoids becoming pre-occupied with minor technical problems and losing sight of the
big picture;
• Undertakes appropriate contingency plans when called for;
• Recognizes the development of an error chain; and
• Takes appropriate action to break the error-chain sequence

Situational awareness -

• Maritime incidents rarely occur due to a single event

• Usually they are the culmination of a series of non-serious incidents (error chain)
• Situational awareness i.e. knowing what is going around the ship helps the OOW to
recognize that an error chain is developing
• Action taken on the basis of this awareness breaks the error chain

Causes of breakdown of situational awareness

1. Ambiguity
▪ Two independent and separate position fixes do not agree (clear ambiguity)
▪ Echo sounder does not agree with the charted depth (subtle ambiguity)
▪ Two members not agreeing upon a point of action
▪ Not following night orders, company's procedures
▪ Inexperience or lack of training - junior not confident to raise his doubts

2. Distraction
▪ Excessive workload
▪ Stress
▪ Fatigue
▪ Emergency conditions
▪ Inattention to detail (non-threating event) - VHF call

3. Inadequacy and confusion

▪ The feeling that the person concerned is losing control of the situation
(position fixing not going as it should)

34
 4. Communication breakdown
▪ Both internal and external
▪ Lack of common language
▪ Different procedural methods
▪ Plain misunderstanding

5. Improper conn or lookout (Very Important)

▪ Will lead the ship into a hazardous situation

6. Non-compliance with plan

▪ This will usually result from improper conn

7. Procedural violation
▪ Unjustified departure from clearly defined and understood operating
procedures must be recognized as a breakdown of situational awareness

Efficient bridge organization will ensure:

1. Eliminate - the risk that an error on the part of one person may result in a disastrous
situation
2. Emphasize - the necessity to maintain a good visual lookout and to carry out collision
avoidance routines
3. Encourage - the use of all means of establishing ships position so that in case of one
method becoming unreliable others are immediately available
4. Ensure - all instrument errors are known and are applied correctly
5. Make use - of passage planning and navigational systems which allow continuous
monitoring and detection of deviation from track when in coastal waters
6. Accept - a pilot as a valuable addition to a bridge team

Team work

When there is a team involved -

• Difficult to establish hard and fast rules as to how the task should be divided
• Depends upon the abilities of the persons involved
• Important that each member knows his role and the role of the others
• Ensures unnecessary duplication of work
• Also ensures that no task is ignored or overlooked

Communication issues:

Good communication between the members of the bridge team is the key to successful
BRM. Some features of good communication include:

1. Closed-loop communication – when repeating orders to ensure that they are well
understood, always assess the order to make sure that it makes sense, and then
observe to reassure yourself that it is completed.

2. Who has the con? – the officer of the watch has the con, regardless of whether the
Master is on the bridge. Should the Master want the con, he should clearly state that
35
 he is taking it, and the officer of the watch should repeat that, giving the Master the
con. This sounds very basic, but is a key communication issue.

3. Challenge and response – be ready to accept and consider reasonable challenges from
other members of the bridge team. Equally, be alert to what is going on, and be
prepared to speak up if you spot an error.

The primary focus of BRM to ensure proper situational awareness should include:
1. Ocean Passages

a) Weather

b) Ocean Currents

c) Load Line Zones

2. In coastal waters:

a) Proximity of Hazards

b) Frequent plotting of position

c) Vessel Traffic

d) Vessel Routeing

e) Vessel Reporting

f) Tidal data

g) UKC

3. Restricted visibility

a) Additional look outs

b) Engines ready for Manoeuvring

4. Pilot embarked

a) The Master should discuss the voyage plan with the pilot, and inform bridge
team members of the pilot’s intentions and special concerns.

b) The Master should advise the pilot, upon boarding, which members of the
bridge team speak English, and discuss how communications between the pilot
and the bridge team will be handled.

c) The Master or OOW should immediately advise the pilot when, at any point in
the transit:

1. The manoeuvrability of the vessel has been adversely affected;

36
 2. When he or she has information necessary for the safety of the ship’s transit;
or

3. When he or she is uncertain of the pilot’s intentions regarding the ship’s

movements

d) More Frequent plotting of position

e) Overseeing the actions of the helmsman

5. Action on receiving storm warming.

a) Predicting the path of the storm

b) Deviations required if any

c) Changes to Engine status if any

6. Monitoring of controls

a) Accuracy

b) Limitations if any

37
 Chapter 5 – Routeing
Ship's routeing systems (when adopted and implemented as per IMO guidelines) are
recommended for use by, and may be made mandatory for, all ships, certain categories of
ships or ships carrying certain cargoes

IMO is the only body for developing guidelines, criteria and regulations of ship's routeing
system.

The initiation of establishing a ship's routeing system is the responsibility of the state govt.

State govt. should submit the ship's routeing system to IMO for adoption.

Unless there is any compelling reason, a ship needs to follow the mandatory ship's routeing
system. Any such reason, shall be recorded in the ship's log.

General provisions of ship's routeing are established pursuant to Reg. V/10 of SOLAS.
Objectives: -
1. To improve safety of navigation in
a. Converging areas.
b. In areas where density of traffic is more.
c. Areas where ship movement is inhibited by
d. Restricted sea-room.
e. Areas where obstructions exist
f. Areas with limited depth of water
g. Areas with un-favourable meteorological conditions.

2. To prevent or reduce the risk of pollution or other damage to marine environment,

caused due to collision, grounding or anchoring in / or near environmentally sensitive
areas.

Definitions:

Routeing system:
Any system of one or more routes or routeing measures aimed at reducing the risk of
casualties; it includes traffic separation schemes, two-way routes, recommended tracks,
areas to be avoided, no anchoring areas, inshore traffic zones, roundabouts, precautionary
areas and deep water routes.

Recommended route:
A route of undefined width, for the convenience of ships in transit, which is often marked by
centre line buoys.

Recommended track:
A route which has been specially examined to ensure so far as possible that it is free of
dangers and along which ships are advised to navigate.

38
Part – A: General provisions on ship's routeing

Part – B: Traffic separation schemes

Part – C: Deep water routes

Part – D: Areas to be avoided

Part – E: Other routeing measures

Part – F: Associated rules & recommendations on navigation

Part – G: Mandatory ship reporting systems,

Mandatory ship routeing systems,
Mandatory no anchoring areas

Part – H: Adoption, designation and substitution of archipelagic sea lanes

39
 Chapter 6 – Voyage Planning Exercises

The contents of this are to be read in addition to the details provided in Chapter 2
1. Selection of ocean routes - While considering an Ocean Passage the following should
be referred to -

1 Ocean passages of the world

2 Routeing chart(s)
3 Charter party
4 Weather facsimile charts.
5 Small scale charts
6 Previous similar voyage plans along with other details pertaining to vessel.
7 Load line zones chart
8 Speed performance curve of the vessel, if available. Then plot the courses to
obtain the least time track.

Figure 6: Speed Performance Curve

From the publications / Charts / documents above the following should be considered-
1 Charter party limitations & instructions.
2 Owner's guidelines.
3 Load line zone limitations.
4 Probability of encountering ice.

40
 5 Probability of encountering rough weather.
6 Probability of encountering restricted visibility
7 Cargo on board (Is it sensitive, it's moisture content, temp, etc.)
8 Maintenance planned for the voyage.
9 Limitations of the vessel.
10 Speed & bunker consumption.

After obtaining the above a rough route is to be drawn up by the navigating officer (usually
the 2nd officer) and then consulted with master for approval and final plotting.

Most optimum route is selected after above considerations.

Ocean passage may comprise of

⚫ One or more rhumb line course.
⚫ A great circle course.
⚫ A combination of great circle and rhumb line course.

2. Shore- based weather routeing

Although there are many instruments on board providing accurate data of the weather
which allows the ships staff to overlay the graphic weather representations proposed
passage and selecting the best route available for safety, speed or comfort. However, the
knowledge and experience of interpreting the data may be poor and most importantly the
time available for planning the passage is less.

The time to assess the forecasts and select a suitable route is a day or two prior to
departure from the final port. This is usually at a time when the crew member is probably at
their busiest with cargo working and other shipboard duties.
There is shore based organizations that do weather routeing of ships across the North
Atlantic and North Pacific. They employ meteorological experts and experienced Master
Mariners and give routeing instructions radio on a request from a ship. Though the routeing
procedure is the same as on board, the shore office is aided by a computer and has a
better idea of the reliability of the prognosis. These organizations also employ experienced
Master Mariners who are consulted and the routeing instructions are given to the ship.
These instructions are amended as necessary, daily.
Many ship operators hire these shore based organizations to provide Ocean Weather
routeing information to the ships. Some of the advantages are

a. Time charterers & Insurers prefer the vessel to be weather routed. Weather recorded in log
book helps in defending liabilities for damages caused due improper ventilation and voyage
delay.

b. This partly shifts the responsibility from the Master to the ship operator for keeping to the
schedules.

41
c. The chances of an OOW recording exaggerated weather conditions in the log book is
eliminated

Q: What factors are considered by 'ocean routeing organization' before recommending

an ocean passage?

A: The factors considered are-

1 Type of ship. .... cargo on board with special mention on sensitive cargo.
2 Draft of ship.
3 Port of departure & port of destination.
4 Speed and fuel consumption of vessel in calm seas (usually force 3 or 4). Any
provision for increase of speed during voyage.
5 Charter party clause.
6 Weather synopsis & prognosis.
7 Load line zones.
8 Navigational safety.
9 Crew & passenger comfort.
10 Ice limits. Whether ship is of ice class.
11 ETA requirement & booking of berth in port.

Q: What information do 'Ocean Routes' give to vessels?

A: The information provided are-
1 Recommended route for next 2/3 days.
2 Positions of Lows and Highs: present and their predicted positions.
3 Any built up of storm or position of storm centre and its predicted movement.
4 Wind direction and force: present and expected.
5 Ice prediction, if any.
6 Swell direction and height: present & expected.

Q: What information do vessel need to provide them?

A: On daily basis or on alternate day basis, as per 'Ocean Routes' requirement: -
1 Position of vessel.
2 Speed since last position.
3 Bunker consumption during the period.
4 Weather encountered during the period.
5 ETA to destination.
6 Bunker reserve on board.

3. Planning & executing a coastal passage

As per Chapter 2

4. Navigation in pilotage waters

Due to reduced safety margins available, additional steps need to be taken when
navigating in restricted waters. Some of the steps to be taken are-

a. Contingency Anchorages: Risk assessment to be made for vessel’s

breakdown in critical areas. Suitable anchorages to be defined in case of such
contingency.

42
 b. Abort Point: The point beyond which the vessel should not proceed unless all
is in readiness. It is a position from where the ship may abandon her passage
safely return if there was change or deviation due to

▪ machinery, equipment or instrument malfunction or failure

▪ instructions of the harbour authority – pilot, tug or berth availability
▪ elements of nature – wind, poor visibility, etc.
▪ blockage of approach, channel or berth

c. Setting Safety Limits / Clearing Bearings / Transits / Clearing Ranges

Figure 7: Portion of a chart showing some of the markings on a chart for planning a passage

43
Figure 8: Clearing Bearings

44
 d. Marking Wheel over positions

WHEEL OVER POSITION:

D
Ө Course Alteration

Ө R

F
W/O Ө
Centre

Old Course

Figure 9: Marking of Wheel Over Position

F= Head Reach – Distance traveled by vessel after giving wheel over & before commencing
turn, i.e. distance to overcome inertia.
P= Perpendicular distance from wheel over point to new course extension.
D + P = Parallel Index distance at W/O position.
D= Parallel Index distance from new course, as obtained from chart.
R= Radius of turn.
Ө= Change of course angle.
W/O position = Fsin Ө + R (1-cos Ө)

Table 2: Legends for Figure 9

Rate of Turn = 0.96 V/R

e. More accurate check on Under Keel Clearances – Echo Sounder should be

on and regularly monitored for under keel clearance. Vessels squat and
speed should be considered. In shallow waters, a ship experiences interaction
– shallow water effect – with the bottom. The speed in shallow water leads to
a lowering of the water level around her hull and may cause a change of trim.

45
 This is referred to as squat and is quite difficult to quantify. It is expected to
occur when the ratio of draught to depth is less than 1:2. Reduction in speed
would reduce effects of squat as squat is proportional to the square of the
speed

5. Approaching and passing through a traffic separation scheme.

Figure 10: Track when navigating in or near a TSS

A Through the TSS

B Traffic using a lane then crossing other lane to reach the inshore zone
C Crossing TSS
D Joining the Lane from outside
E Leaving Inshore Lane, crossing one lane and joining other lane
F Traffic Leaving Lane
Table 3: Legends for Figure 10

46
 Chapter 7 – ECDIS
Introduction:
ECDIS is – Electronic Chart Display and Information System. It is an image of a paper chart
displayed on a monitor.
It has to interfaced with the following ship board equipment
a) Position Sensor (GPS)

b) Speed Sensor (Log)

c) Heading Sensor (Gyro Compass)

It may further be interfaced with Radar, ARPA, AIS, Echo Sounder, Navtex, Anemometer,
etc.
For an ECS to be called an ECDIS it must comply with regulations set by
a) IHO – Standard S52 (Symbols), S57 (Data Format), S63 (Security)

b) IEC – Standard 61174 refers

c) IMO – Resolution 817(19) & MSC 232(82)

Figure 11: International Standards for ECDIS

(IHO for software, IEC for hardware and IMO for the performance of the equipment)

47
Glossary & Definitions:
ECDIS Electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) means a
navigation information system which, with adequate back-up
arrangements, can be accepted as complying with the up-to-date
charts required by regulation V/19 and V/27 of the 1974 SOLAS
Convention, by displaying selected information from a system
electronic navigational chart (SENC) with positional information from
navigation sensors to assist the mariner in route planning and route
monitoring, and by displaying additional navigation-related
information if required.
ECS Electronic Chart System (ECS) is a navigation information system
that electronically displays vessel position and relevant nautical chart
data and information from an ECS Database on a display screen, but
does not meet all the IMO requirements for ECDIS and is not
intended to satisfy the SOLAS Chapter V requirements to carry a
navigational chart
RCDS Where ENC data (the official vector charts) has not been published,
official Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs) may be used in ECDIS in
the so-called Raster Chart Display System (RCDS) mode of ECDIS
operation. However, the IMO has ruled that an “appropriate folio of
charts” is required to complement this mode of operation. This is a
reduced folio intended to supplement the RCDS operation which is seen
to have limitations.
Dual Fuel A dual fuel system is one that operates as an ECDIS or RCDS mode
system according to the type of chart data in use.
ENC Electronic navigational chart (ENC) means the database, standardized
as to content, structure and format, issued for use with ECDIS on the
authority of government-authorized hydrographic offices.
The ENC contains all the chart information necessary for safe
navigation, and may contain supplementary information in addition to
that contained in the paper chart (e.g. sailing directions) which may be
considered necessary for safe navigation.
⚫ ENC content is based on source data or official charts of the
responsible Hydrographic Office;
⚫ ENCs are compiled and coded according to international
standards;
⚫ ENCs are referred to World Geodetic System 1984 Datum
(WGS84);
⚫ ENC content is the responsibility and liability of the issuing
Hydrographic Office;
⚫ ENCs are issued only by the responsible Hydrographic Office; and
⚫ ENCs are regularly updated with official update information
distributed digitally
SENC System electronic navigational chart (SENC) means a database
resulting from the transformation of the ENC by ECDIS for
appropriate use, updates to the ENC by appropriate means, and other
data added by the mariner. It is this database that is actually accessed
by ECDIS for the display generation and other navigational functions,
and is the equivalent to an up-to-date paper chart.
The SENC may also contain information from other sources.
RNC RNC means “Raster Navigational Chart”. RNCs are digital raster
copies of official paper charts conforming to IHO Product Specifications
48
 RNC (S-61). By definition RNCs can only be issued by, or on the
authority of, a national Hydrographic Office.
RNCs have the following attributes:
⚫ RNCs are a facsimile of official paper charts;
⚫ RNCs are produced according to international standards;
⚫ RNC content is the responsibility of the issuing Hydrographic
Office; and
⚫ RNCs are regularly updated with official update information
distributed digitally.
Display Base Display base means the level of SENC information which cannot be
removed from the display, consisting of information which is required
at all times in all geographical areas and all circumstances. It is not
intended to be sufficient for safe navigation.
Display base consists of following: -
a) coastline (high water);
b) own ship's safety contour, depth as set;
c) indication of isolated underwater dangers at depths of less
than the safety contour which lie within the safe waters
defined by the safety contour;
d) indication of isolated dangers which lie within the safe water
defined by the safety contour such as bridges, overhead wires,
etc., including buoys and beacons, whether or not these are
being used as aids to navigation;
e) traffic routeing systems;
f) scale, range, orientation and display mode;
g) units of depth and height.
Standard Standard Display means the SENC information that should be shown
Display when a chart is first displayed on ECDIS. The level of the information
it provides for route planning or route monitoring may be modified by
the mariner according to the mariner's needs.
a) display base
b) drying line
c) indication of fixed and floating aids to navigation
d)boundaries of fairways, channels, etc.
e) visual and radar conspicuous features
f) prohibited and restricted areas
g) chart scale boundaries
h) indication of cautionary notes
This list is minimum information to be provided in standard display.
It is the level considered by IMO as the minimum required for safe
navigation
Leg A leg is a straight line between two points
Turn Point A turn point is the beginning and end point of a turn
Area for which The following are the areas which ECDIS should detect and for which
special it should provide an alarm or indication as applicable:
conditions exist ⚫ Traffic separation zone
⚫ Traffic routeing scheme crossing or roundabout
⚫ Traffic routeing scheme precautionary area
⚫ Two-way traffic route

49
 ⚫ Deepwater route
⚫ Recommended traffic lane
⚫ Inshore traffic zone
⚫ Fairway
⚫ Restricted area
⚫ Caution area
⚫ Offshore production area
⚫ Areas to be avoided
⚫ Military practice area
⚫ Seaplane landing area
⚫ Submarine transit lane
⚫ Ice area
⚫ Channel
⚫ Fishing ground
⚫ Fishing prohibited
⚫ Pipeline area
⚫ Cable area
⚫ Anchorage area
⚫ Anchorage prohibited
⚫ Dumping ground
⚫ Spoil ground
⚫ Dredged area
⚫ Cargo transshipment area
⚫ Incineration area.
⚫ Specially protected areas
Safety The safety contour provides a visible boundary between “safe” and
Contours “unsafe” water with respect to depth, and is highlighted on the
display to enable easy identification. It is selected by the navigator to
reflect a ship’s draught, adjusted for the required under keel
clearance and for the height of tide, if required. As depth contours on
an ENC are normally only drawn at 5m intervals, the system
automatically uses the deeper contour when the selected safety
contour depth lies between contours.
Safety Depth The depth defined by the mariner, e.g. the ship's draft plus required
under keel clearance, to be used by the ECDIS to emphasize
soundings on the display equal to or less than this value.

The safety depth applies to spot soundings, the depth of which is

insufficient for a vessel to safely pass over. Spot soundings less than
the safety depth are displayed in bold type to provide a more accurate
representation of a vessel’s ‘no-go’ line than the safety contour.
Shallow and The shallow and deep contours are utilized when the multi-colour
deep depth display is selected. The deep contour is normally set at twice a
contours vessel’s draught to indicate when squat is likely to be experienced.
The area between the 0m contour and the shallow contour is coloured
dark blue, the area between the shallow and safety contour is
coloured light blue, and the area between the safety contour and the
deep contour is coloured grey. This allows the gradient of the seabed
to be graphically displayed. All of the area between the 0m contour
and the safety contour is also hatched.

50
 Safety
Water Depth
Limitations

Alarm An alarm or alarm system which announces by audible means, or

audible and visual means, a condition requiring attention.

Indicator Visual indication giving information about the condition of a system or

equipment.

SCAMIN Depending on the usage bands selected an ENC will display varying
levels of data. The ENC scale used can vary from the best possible to a
very small scale. When using a small scale, mariners may not wish to
display all the object data available for an ENC. Under the S-57
Standard provision is made for adding a special feature object called
SCAMIN (Scale Minimum) for defined spatial objects (as per S-57
Standard). Once defined, the value of SCAMIN determines the display
scale below which these objects will no longer be displayed, and this may
have a significant effect on the presentation of ENC data.

Some spatial objects may not be included within SCAMIN, these are:
⚫ Objects covering the earth's surface (e.g. coastlines),
⚫ Objects used for presentation of the Display Base,
⚫ Meta objects that ensure consistency of ENC information.

SCAMIN is a powerful tool and mariners should be aware that they

could significantly reduce the amount of information displayed.

Over-scale To display the chart information at a DISPLAY SCALE larger than the
COMPILATION SCALE. Over-scaling may arise from a deliberate over-
scaling by the mariner, or from automatic over-scaling by ECDIS in
compiling a DISPLAY when the data included is of various
NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES.

51
Under- The condition where data displayed are not the largest scale
scale NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSE data available for that area.

Own Ship Concentric Circles Ship Plan shape

Symbol

Symbols TRADITIONAL SYMBOLS SIMPLIFIED SYMBOLS

Display
Traditional symbols as per
Admirality Chart Symbols &
Abbreviations (NP-5011) or US
Chart No. 1
Designed specifically for fast draw
and to give the maximum clarity
under all conditions of viewing the
CRT. They are less complex than
the equivalent paper CHART
SYMBOLS.

Attribute In ECDIS a characteristic of an OBJECT, usually of a charted feature.

It is implemented by a defined ATTRIBUTE LABEL/CODE, acronym,
definition and applicable values. In the DATA STRUCTURE, the
attribute is defined by its LABEL/CODE. Attributes are either
qualitative or quantitative.
Cell In ECDIS the basic unit of ENC DATA covering a defined geographical
area bounded by two meridians and two parallels.

52
Issuing In ECDIS the official agency which issues nautical chart and updates
Authority including ENC’s and ENC UPDATES.
Marine An OBJECT which has one or more ATTRIBUTES, the value or
Information values of which vary with time.
Object
(MIO)
Navigational The specific purpose for which an ENC has been compiled. There are six
purpose such purposes; berthing, harbour, approach, coastal, general, and
overview.
Table 4: ECDIS Glossary

53
 1. IMO Performance standard for ECDIS

IMO Performance Standards Performance Standards for ECDIS were formally adopted
by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on November 23, 1995 and issued as
IMO Resolution A19/Res.817.
These have now been revised.
Resolution MSC 232(82) is the “Revised Performance Standards for ECDIS”

2. Difference between ENC and SENC

See Definitions above. The SENC reads and analyses the ENC and generates the display

Figure 12: Components of ECDIS

3. Safety Contours and Safety Depth

To differentiate between safe and unsafe waters, based on the vessel’s draft the Minimum
Depth Required (MDR) is calculated prior planning a passage. It is also called the Vessels
Safety Draught (VSD)
MDS / VSD = Static Draft + Squat + UKC required

Practically the input value of Safety Contour = Input Value of Safety Depth = MDR

The own ship safety contour is the contour related to own ship selected by the mariner out
of the contours provided for in the SENC, to be used by the ECDIS to distinguish on display
between safe and unsafe waters, and for generating anti grounding alarms

Once selected that contour is double coded by thick line and a prominent change in depth
54
shade

If the Safety contour selected by the mariner is not available in the SENC, the ECDIS
should select the next deeper contour.

If, when the ship moves onto a new chart, the safety contour previously in use is no longer
available, the ECDIS should again select the next deeper contour.

The own ship safety depth is intended as an aid when no appropriate safety contour is
available in the SENC.

Soundings equal to or less than the safety depth selected by the mariner are made more
conspicuous than the deeper soundings

Isolated dangers of depth less than the safety contour, and also lying within the safe water
defined by the safety contour, are highlighted by a special symbol

See Definitions above.

In addition, an ECDIS has the feature of input and display of the Shallow water contour and
the Deep Water contour as defined in the glossary.

Practically the input value of Shallow Contour = Static Draught

Practically the input value of Deep Contour = Twice the Static Draught

Figure 13: Various ECDIS Contours

55
 4. Features of ECDIS

Features -
• The Electronic chart by itself is an image of paper chart displayed on a CRT.
• When this electronic chart is capable of being interfaced with Navigational
Equipment.
• Mandatory interfaces are – position sensor, speed sensor and the heading sensor.
• The ECDIS may also be interfaced with the Radar, ARPA, AIS, Echo Sounder,
Navtex, Radio facsimile, Anemometer etc.
• Capable of setting and sounding of Alarms
• Thus, ECDIS becomes a powerful navigational aid for improved ship operation and
management.
Advantages -

1. Position fixing at 1-minute interval, continuous positions

2. Continuous monitoring of the ship's position w.r.t. it's planned track and available sea
room
3. When ARPA and / or AIS is interfaced with ECDIS, targets acquired by them can
also be similarly monitored
4. If two position fixing systems are available and interfaced with ECDIS, discrepancy
between positions taken can be identified
5. Passage planning can be done on ECDIS without referring to some publications
since most information required to do so are made available by the manufacturer.
6. To facilitate passage planning, various alarms can be set and if any parameter is
impeded, the alarm will be activated.
7. Progress of passage can be monitored in a more disciplined manner, since other
navigational data are also available on the ECDIS.
8. Alarms can be activated to attract attention of 'OOW' in case ship drifts out of pre-
determined X-track, and also when an alteration of course is reached or ship enters
critical areas.
9. Charts can be customized for the vessel
10. Anchoring can be planned precisely with radar information interfaced with ECDIS.
11. Charts can be corrected / updated directly by CD.
12. Workload of 'OOW' gets reduced, thus can give more time to other aspects of
navigation.
13. OOW is able to view his own ship on a different scale chart or in different
presentation almost instantly.

5. Limitations of ECDIS

1. Potential risk of improper functioning of the system:

a) Hardware Failure
b) Software Failure
c) Sensor Input Failure (3 mandatory – 11.4.8)
d) Virus
e) Chart Permit Expires
2. Hydrographic Data Accuracy:
a) Wrong Position (Datum)
b) Missing Information

56
 c) Surveyed when position Fixing was not accurate
d) Embedded Errors (Wreck vanishing on certain display / scale / safety contour
setting)
3. System Limitations:
a) GPS accuracy (95% error of 100m)
b) DGPS – Coverage area is less
c) Gyro Error
d) Log Error
e) Echo Sounder Error
f) Error in Radar Information
g) Error in ARPA information
h) Error in AIS information
i) Discrepancy in Radar Image & Electronic Chart
4. Risk of Human Errors:
a) Wrong scale in use
b) Wrong Safety Depth
c) Wrong Safety Contour
d) Position offset activated
e) Not using second means of position fixing
f) Wrong datum in use
g) Wrong configuration in ECDIS
h) Wrong Cross track applied
i) Wrong Display Reset
j) Wrong Setting of Anti Grounding Cue

6. Raster & Vector Charts

The electronic charts are stored in two formats – Raster & Vector

An RNC is a digital image originally scanned from paper charts into an electronic format.
Raster charts integrate with global positioning system (GPS) coordinates using raster chart
display systems (RCDSs.)

Raster charts have a similar presentation and style of use to traditional paper nautical charts
and maybe preferable to mariners who use paper nautical charts. Free weekly notice to
mariner (NTM) updates are available to ensure chart information is accurate and reliable for
mariners.
Raster Navigational Charts (RNCs) are a safe and reliable primary navigation alternative
under certain conditions and subject to individual Port and Flag State approval, for example
where electronic navigational charts (ENCs) don’t yet exist
Raster charts do have their disadvantages when compared to vector charts. Unlike an ECDIS
operating in ENC mode, RNC mode operation allows for limited alarm and warning
functionality. There is a finite amount of resolution because images are digitally scanned.
Vector charts may show more information when used to zoom in. Raster charts are limited in
their functionality in this regard. The overall usability of RNCs is less robust than ENCs. When
using an ENC certain features may be turned off, to allow for a less cluttered view. Again,

57
raster charts are limited in their functionality. Text on raster charts may be sideways or difficult
to read. Text in vector charts always stays the right side up and easy to read.
Vector charts are required to be used if data is available. A vector chart is merely a
representation of a database of information. All of the same information that is available on a
raster chart is present, with many significant additions. The use of vector charts is preferable
to raster charts. However, there are locations where vector charts are not available and crews
must use raster charts so long as SOLAS provisions are adhered to.
A Vector Chart contains more information than a Raster Chart and has a slightly different
look than a paper chart. Different objects on a Vector Chart have attributes; by clicking on a
vessel or lighthouse, for example, more information about the object will become available.
Data for vector charts is collected and organized according to the S-57 data standard. A
second data authentication and protection standard S-63 details security schemes for vector
chart data. The data for these charts is produced by governmental bodies following
International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) guidelines. Such Vector Charts are called
Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC). Only ENC are allowed for ECDIS use.
Vector charts are also produced by private organizations. Such charts cannot be used as
charts on the ECDIS as they do not meet SOLAS requirements
Vector charts allow users much greater utility. There may be instances where a certain
feature is of interest and other nearby features are cluttering the view. The user may turn off
the features that are cluttering the view. Text may also be turned off.
Because a vector chart is a graphic representation of a database, there are far fewer limits.
It is possible to zoom in on an area and gain more detail. It is also possible to zoom out,
especially to get a look ahead.

Positions of features on vector charts use the World Geodetic System 1984 Datum (WGS84).
This system is global navigation satellite system (GNSS) position compatible.

Raster Vector

The entire chart is stored as one single layer Information is stored in layers - can be
– info cannot be displayed selectively displayed selectively
Thus customization is not possible Thus chart can be designed as per
requirement of user

Scanned copy of the paper chart Computer generated chart

Chart appears cluttered Cluttering can be avoided

Information can only be added Information can be added and subtracted

Interrogation for more information is not Interrogation for more information is possible
possible

Seamless chart is not possible Seamless chart is a feature

58
 Head up display not possible Head up display possible

Limited Alarms can be inserted Alarms can be inserted

Scale of the chart cannot be changed – Chart can be viewed on different scales –
zooming not possible zooming is possible

Cheaper and simple to produce Costly and time consuming to produce

Worldwide coverage available Presently worldwide coverage not available

Used as interim to vector charts Once ENC is fully developed, raster charts
will be phased out

As chart is a single layer – no information can Loss of information layer is possible – visual
be lost indication is given.

Table 5: Comparison between Raster & Vector Charts

7. Traditional Symbols (NP 5011) & Simplified Symbols (NP 5012)

ENC supports two types of symbology for buoys and beacons. These two symbol sets are
referred to as ‘traditional’ and ‘simplified’.

Traditional symbols look a lot like those you would find on a paper chart. These are
internationally agreed and some of them have been in existence for over a hundred years.
So they are pretty familiar. They are used on all paper charts and as a consequence on all
electronic raster charts. The Admiralty Publication dealing with these symbols is NP 5011

Simplified symbols were invented along with the ECDIS standard. They are officially
described in the S-52 standard of IHO. The Admiralty Publication dealing with these
symbols is NP 5012

The traditional or paper chart symbols are

a) time proven
b) reliable
c) readily recognizable by anyone familiar with a chart.
The simplified symbols are rendered using just straight lines or simple circles.
a) This allows for clarity
b) They are coloured in nature
c) The centre of the symbol is the position of the object.

An ENC allows the mariner to use which ever symbol he / she is comfortable with. Details
of both, traditional and simplified, symbols are available in the presentation library of the
ECDIS

59
 8. Chart Quality and Accuracy (M Quality)

This feature is available on an S-52 (ENC) charts only. Category Zone of Confidence
(CATZOC) are the values that used to highlight the accuracy of data presented on charts.
Before the ECDIS era, mariners used to assess paper chart accuracy via Source Diagram.
However, this was changed with the wider introduction of ENC's in the industry and the
consequent introduction of CATZOC, which is described in IHO S-4 standard.
ECDIS displays these CATZOC values in ENCs using a triangular or lozenge-shaped
symbol pattern. The number of stars contained within these symbols denotes the CATZOC
value. For example, six stars are given to the highest level of data quality (A1) and two
stars to the lowest (D). A single star is not used to avoid possible confusion with a rock
symbol. Areas that have not been assessed for CATZOC are shown as the symbol (U) for
unassessed.

60
 Figure 14: CATZOC Tables

9. Chart Scale

Available on Vector Charts only.

Over scale and Under scale refer to the display of the electronic chart data at too large or
too small a scale, respectively.

In the case of OVERSCALE, the display is zoomed in too close, beyond the standard
accuracy to which the data was digitized.

61
If the chart information is displayed in a scale larger than in which the underlying ENC data
have been compiled, then
a) The quality and accuracy of the chart can no longer be trusted and
b) The display of detailed information on the chart is exhausted

The Over scale status is generally indicated by thin black vertical line pattern all over the
relevant chart areas.

UNDERSCALE indicates that larger scale data is available for the area in question.
For a given sea area, the chart with the largest scale should always be used else vital
information could be missed.
Underscaling clutters up the chart display.
The Under scale status is generally indicated by a coloured frame around the area of the
chart.
Under scale presentation may be accepted during Route planning to display a larger sea
area.

In normal practice the chart must be viewed in the scale it was prepared. The fastest way to
achieve it is by pressing the 1:1 button on the ECDIS

10. Information Layers.

The vector charts are created in layers which the mariner can choose to reduce clutter on
the screen.
These Information layers are available, usually, in the below packages-
• Base Display
• Standard Display
• All Display
• Custom Display
The first three are mandated in MSC 232(82) – Appendix 2.
Additionally, all manufacturers allow the mariner to choose certain layers between the
Standard display and All display called Custom Display or equivalent.
MSC 232(82) further mandates that the ECDIS should present the Standard display at any
time by a single operator action

11. Practical – (With reference to TRANSAS 5000 series ECDIS)

a. Draw courses Graphically and Alphanumerically -

Open Route Editor from the Task List menu. Press New button to display the blank table for
generation of new route. Also a Graphic cursor will appear on the chart panel. Press the left
button on the mouse where the route is to start. Drag and repeat the movement, pressing
the left click as and when way points are required. The default cross track limits will
automatically show up.
After fixing the last waypoint right click the mouse. Give the course a name and save it
Above is the fastest and preferred way
Courses can also be drawn by clicking on the Latitude / Longitude box and input of the
desired values
Routes can be modified (add / delete / shifting of waypoints) by using the Waypoint Editor.
62
b. Indicate Courses and Distances: Open Monitoring panel. Route Monitoring
– Press “Course / leg / speed”

c. Set Track Limits: The Port & Starboard track limits will appear at a default
distance. The same can be changed using the edit button. After calling for edit
– the track limits are adjusted graphically by dragging or upon entry in the
schedule

d. Set appropriate Alarms: Open Monitoring panel. Select Safety Alarms.

Between Basic Areas and Additional Areas, select the Alarms to be activated.

Note: Nav Danger / Land Danger / AIDS to navigation / Safety Contour /

Prohibited Areas cannot be turned off.

e. Carry out Route Check: Prior carrying out Route Check ensure

• All track limits are correctly set – System will check only for hazards within
the track limits

• Suitable alarms are selected – Task List Menu – Route Monitoring

• Go back to Route Editor – Check – Check Editor – Check Route Planning

f. Modify Route: Press Edit button, Edit the route leg as desired.

g. Create Maps: In the Task List Menu Open Maps. Press new to create a new
folder – preferably save it with same name as the route. Using Symbols /
Circles / Lines / Text create an object. Position the cursor where it is to be
fixed and click

h. Prepare Schedule: Route Editor – Enter ETD at the start waypoint. Then,
either enter the desired speed at each leg OR ETA at the last waypoint. Press
Calculate. To save the schedule – Press Save

i. Obtain Tidal Information: Open Tasks – switch to Tides – switch to Places.

Obtain reference point and click Enter. Information is available in graphical
and Tabular fashion

j. Chart Assistant: Open Charts – Chart Assistant to get details of all charts on
board and the date they have been updated to. Also useful for determining
charts required for the passage and ordering of charts. (Equivalent of NP 131
& NP 133A)

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 Chapter 8 – GMDSS

1. Introduction and use of radio communication equipment on board ship for

distress and safety.

Introduction to GMDSS: During the 18th century, the ships sailing in international and
coastal waters were dependent on the Morse code to send any kind of distress signal to
a coastal authority or ships in the nearby vicinity during emergency. Since it was a
transmission of texture information using tones or lights, this kind of message was never
very clear to understand what kind of emergency is there on board ships. Therefore, an
internationally agreed safety procedure was adopted by IMO under SOLAS chapter IV
which is known as GMDSS- Global Maritime Distress Safety System

GMDSS and its Uses: On 1st Feb 1999, the fully implemented GMDSS came to picture.
It was a set standard for usage of communication protocol, procedures and safety
equipment to be used at the time of distress situation by the ship. Under GMDSS, all the
passenger ships and cargo ship above 300 GT involved in the voyages in international
waters have to carry equipment as per GMDSS.

Advantages of the GMDSS: The fundamental difference between the old and the new
distress system is that the new system is shore centered /coordinated and moves
emphasis from ship to ship alerting to ship to shore alerting. The new system is
quicker, simpler and, most importantly, more efficient and reliable than the old manual
Morse Code and radiotelephone alerting system. GMDSS is specifically designed to
automate a ship’s radio distress alerting function, and consequently, remove the
requirement for manual (human) watch-keeping on distress channels

Basic Concept of GMDSS: The basic concept of the GMDSS system is that search and
rescue authorities ashore, as well as shipping in the immediate vicinity of the ship in
distress, will be rapidly and automatically alerted to a distress situation so that they can
assist in a co-coordinated Search & Rescue (SAR) operation with minimum delay. The
method of distress alerting used will depend on the sea area in which the vessel sailing.
The system also provides for urgency and safety communications, and the promulgation
of maritime safety information (MSI) including- navigational and meteorological warnings
and forecasts, and other urgent safety information to ships. In other words, every ship,
fitted appropriately for GMDSS, is able, irrespective of the area in which it operates, to

64
perform those communication functions, which are essential for the safety of the ship
itself and of other ships operating in the same area.

Figure 15: GMDSS Flow chart

SEA AREAS: The various Radio system used in the GMDSS have different limitations
with regards to range services provided. Earlier in SOLAS 1974 type of Distress System
carriage requirement of Radio Equipment was decided by the Size of the vessel. The
carriage requirement of these Radio equipment in GMDSS has been decided by the
trading pattern of the ship and not the size of the ships.
In GMDSS therefore the world’s ocean is divided in 4 Sea Areas - Sea Area A1 / Sea
area A2 / Sea Area A3 / Sea Area A4

Sea Area A1: This area of GMDSS is within the Radio telephone coverage of the at
least one VHF coast station in which continuous DSC alerting available.
Such area typically extends typically 30-50 nautical miles from the coast station.

Sea Area A2: This area of GMDSS is an area excluding Sea Area A1, within the

65
 Radio telephone coverage of the at least one MF coast station in which continuous
DSC alerting available.
Such area typically extends typically 50- 500 nautical miles from the coast station.

Sea Area A3: This area of GMDSS is an area excluding Sea Area A1 and A2, within
the Radio telephone coverage of the at least one HF coast station in which
continuous DSC alerting available.
This area lies between latitude 70° North to 70° South.

Sea Area A4: Area between Poles and 70° North / 70° South as applicable.

Carriage Requirement of GMDSS Equipment: To ensure proper functioning of the

equipment at all times, 3 options are available:
a) Duplication of Equipment
b) Shore Based Maintenance
c) At Sea Electronic Maintenance

Area A1 and A2 vessels must nominate one of the above options.

Area A3 and A4 vessels must nominate two of the above options.

Figure 16: GMDDS Equipment Carriage

Functional requirement: The GMDSS Regulations require that, every GMDSS equipped
ship shall be capable of performing the following tasks:
• Distress alerting – Ship to shore - a) EPIRB b) DSC c) Inmarsat

• Distress alerting – Shore to ship - a) NAVTEX b) EGC c) DSC d) Inmarsat

• Distress alerting – Ship to ship - a) DSC b) Inmarsat

• Search and Rescue Coordinating Communication - a) Portable VHF b) SART

• On-Scene Communication - a) VHF b) Portable VHF

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GMDSS Watch Keeping: Ships, while at sea, shall maintain a continuous watch
appropriate to the sea area in which the ship is sailing by using following GMDSS
equipment.
1) VHF DSC CH 70
2) MF DSC distress and safety frequency 2,187.5 KHz.
3) DSC distress and safety frequency 8,414.5Khz and at least one other
HF DSC frequency appropriate to local time and ship’s position relative to the
nearest DSC coast station
4) VHF CH 16
5) GMDSS ships, where practical, should maintain a watch on VHF Ch13 for
communication related to the safety of navigation.
6) A continuous watch for broadcasts of maritime safety information shall also
be kept, for the area in which the ship is sailing on the following –
1) NAVTEX (518Khz)
2) Inmarsat-C or EGC safety NET receiver
3) HF Telex

DSC (DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING): DSC is a technique of transmitting digital

codes which allow suitably equipped stations to transmit & receive Distress,
Urgency, Safety alerts, DSC Distress alerts and transmit routine alerts. Digital
Selective Calling is an integral part of the GMDSS. DSC is only mode of alerting. An
alert is followed by a call and message using Radio Telephony. The DSC
frequencies have been allocated in the VHF, MF and HF bands operation.

MMSI NUMBER: Since DSC equipment are digital equipment, all these DSC
equipment are programmed with a unique nine digit identification number, known as
a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI). The MMSI number is automatically
included with every DSC communication. Three types of MMSI numbers are in
common use.

a) Ship Stations - example 419001185

b) Group of Ships – example 041988552

c) Coast Stations – example 004196545

Maritime Identification Digits (MID): The first three digits of the MMSI are known as
the Maritime Identification Digits (MID). The MID represents the country of
registration (FLAG) of the vessel. MID's are allocated on an international basis by the
ITU, in much the same way as the international series of call-sign prefixes.

DSC Testing: Regular tests to be carried out and logged-

MF and HF DSC Testing: 1) Internal test – Daily without radiation. 2) External Test
(Live test) Weekly test with radiation by calling an authorised shore station.

VHF DSC Testing: 1) VHF DSC should be tested on VHF Ch. 70 by making use of
the built in test facility. 2) On VHF, if no suitable stations are within range, it may be
convenient to test the DSC by calling own ship’s duplicate unit, preferable using low
power (1 watt)

67
 2. Basic knowledge of the various components of a shipboard GMDSS station.

The essential feature of the GMDSS is that Radio watch keeping is automatic. When the
receiving equipment is activated, an operator is alerted. Subsequent distress and safety
communication are carried out on radio telephone or radio telex.

Various components carrying out the above functions are:

a. The Digital Selective Calling (DSC) terrestrial Calling System – GMDSS

communications at VHF, MF and HF are based on DSC technology which is a
method of calling a station or a group of stations using digital modulation techniques.
DSC provides an automated access to coast stations and vessels for the
transmission and reception of all types of messages from routine to distress
category. The DSC system is optimized for use in emergencies and allows for the
name of the vessel in distress, nature of distress and the last recorded position to be
displayed or printed upon receipt of distress message. DSC receivers sound an
alarm whenever a distress call is received.

Dedicated frequencies are available for maritime communication systems

using VHF, MF and HF bands, providing for short, medium and long range
communication.

The intention is that the automated calling system is used as an initial means
of contact with other stations.

b. The Satellite Communication System – Satellite networks are capable of

providing a full range of communications and services including all general
communication requirements as well as distress and safety functions. At
present INMARSAT is the only provider of comprehensive maritime
communication services.

c. The Maritime Safety Information (MSI) system – MSI includes navigational

and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other safety
related information of vital importance to all vessels at sea. This is broadcast
by MF telex (known as NAVTEX) for local MSI and by Satellite or HF telex for
long range MSI.

d. The EPIRB (Emergency Radio Position Indicating Radio Beacon) System –

Extensive EPIRB alerting facilities are available through COSPAS – SARSAT
and INMARSAT.

(SARSAT is an acronym for Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking.

COSPAS is an acronym for the Russian words "Cosmicheskaya Sistyema
Poiska Avariynich Sudov," which means "Space System for the Search of
Vessels in Distress")

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 Full global coverage is provided by the Polar Orbiting COSPAS-SARSAT
system. Signals are transmitted using 406 MHz and the 121.5 MHz It primarily
allows a homing signal for searching aircraft.

INMARSAT EPIRBs operate at the L Band (1.6 GHz) and will transmit their
position directly using information obtained from the vessels navigation
system. Coverage is limited to 70° N/S latitude.

e. The SART (Search & Rescue Transponder)- It is a portable radar transponder

which is designed to provide a locating signal and, as such, is primarily
intended to be used in a survival craft. When interrogated by a 9GHz (3 cm)
radar, the SART response paints a series of 12 dots, pointing to the distress
location on the radar screens of the ships and aircraft engaged in SAR
operations.

3. Communication procedure under GMDSS in Distress and safety situations in

accordance with regulations contained in SOLAS, ITU and other publications.

Distress, Urgency or Safety transmissions should be made slowly and distinctly.

The Distress Alert shall be sent
• Only on the Authority of the Master, or the person responsible for the ship

• In a distress call format using VHF, MF, HF DSC frequencies

Or

• In a distress message through a satellite using distress and safety frequencies

The distress alert consists of
• In case of undesignated distress – the identification, position / time (UTC)

• In case of designated distress – Also will contain nature of distress and mode of
subsequent

a. VHF / MF (Alert by DSC)

Distress:
MF and VHF DSC is designed for ship-to-ship and local ship-shore alerting
Once a DSC Alert has been transmitted on the MF and/or VHF DSC channel the
station in distress should then change to the radio–telephone distress frequency for
the band in use and send a voice MAYDAY message, after a brief pause to allow
other stations to receive the DSC Alert. Following a DSC Distress Alert sent on
2187.5 kHz radiotelephone distress traffic may be conducted on 2182 kHz

The procedures are:

a. Tune the transmitter to the DSC distress channel (2187.5 kHz on MF, channel
70 on VHF)
b. if time permits, key the nature of distress

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 c. transmit the DSC Distress Alert

Prepare for the subsequent radiotelephone distress traffic by tuning the transmitter
and the radiotelephony receiver to the distress traffic channel in the same band,
i.e. 2182 kHz on MF, channel 16 on VHF.

Distress signal consists of the word “MAYDAY” and it indicates that the mobile unit is
in grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance

Distress call consists of

i. The distress signal ‘MAYDAY’ spoken thrice

ii. The words ‘THIS IS’

iii. Name or call sigh of the ship in distress spoken thrice

Distress Message consists of

i. The distress signal ‘MAYDAY’

ii. NAME and / or CALL SIGN of the ship in distress

iii. POSITION of the ship in distress and time (UTC)

iv. NATURE of distress

v. Type of ASSISTANCE required

vi. Number of persons on board

vii. Weather and / or sea condition

Ships, acknowledging receipt of distress call or message on VHF / MF if

i. In the immediate vicinity should acknowledge immediately.
Should there be a coast radio station nearby, they should
acknowledge first

ii. Not in the immediate vicinity should delay their

acknowledgement to allow nearer ships to acknowledge first

iii. Far away, need acknowledge and relay to the nearest coast
station only if the message has not been acknowledged by any
other station

DSC Distress Alerts received on 2187.5 kHz or VHF channel 70 are normally
acknowledged by radiotelephony on 2 182 kHz or channel 16 respectively.
Acknowledgment of a DSC Distress Alert by the use of a DSC Acknowledgment
Message is normally made by coast stations only.

The message of acknowledgment of the distress message consists of-

i. The distress signal ‘MAYDAY’

70
 ii. NAME and / or CALL SIGN of the ship in distress spoken thrice

iii. The words ‘THIS IS’

iv. NAME and / or CALL SIGN of the ship acknowledging the

distress message spoken thrice

v. The words ‘RECEIVED MAYDAY’

A station which learns that a mobile unit is in distress shall initiate a Distress Alert relay
or a Distress Relay on behalf of the mobile unit in distress once it has ascertained that
any of the following circumstance apply:
i. on receiving a Distress Alert or call which is not acknowledged
by a coast station or another ship within 5 minutes
ii. on learning that the mobile unit in distress is otherwise unable or
incapable of participating in distress communications,

iii. if the Master or other person responsible for the mobile unit not
in distress considers that further help is necessary.

A station transmitting a Distress Alert Relay in accordance with the above shall
indicate that it is not itself in distress.

Urgency:
Transmission of Urgency Messages is carried out in two steps:
i. Announcement of the Urgency Message

ii. Transmission of the Urgency Message.

The announcement is carried out by broadcast of a DSC Urgency Call on the DSC distress
and safety channel (2187.5 kHz on MF, channel 70 on VHF).
The DSC Urgency Announcement may be addressed to all stations or to a specific station.
The frequency on which the Urgency Message will be transmitted shall be included in the
DSC Urgency Announcement.
The Urgency Message is transmitted on the radiotelephone distress channel (2182 kHz on
MF, channel 16 on VHF).
This process is carried out as follows:
i. Tune the transmitter to the DSC distress and safety channel (2187.5 kHz on MF,
channel 70 on VHF)
ii. Key in or select on the DSC equipment keyboard All ships call or the MMSI of the
specific station
iii. The category of the call (urgency)
iv. The frequency or channel on which the Urgency Message will be transmitted

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 the type of communication in which the Urgency Message will be given
(radiotelephony)
Send the DSC Urgency Announcement Message as follows:

i. ‘PAN PAN’ Repeated 3 times

ii. ‘ALL STATIONS’ / or Called Station Repeated 3 times

iii. ‘THIS IS’ The MMSI, call sign or other identification of own ship

iv. The text of the urgency message.

Ships receiving a DSC Urgent Priority Message should NOT acknowledge receipt via DSC
but should tune their MF/HF or VHF transceiver to the frequency nominated in the DSC
message and await the voice Urgency Message.

Safety Messages:
Transmission of Safety Messages is carried out in two steps:
i. announcement of the Safety Message
ii. transmission of the Safety Message.

The announcement is carried out by broadcast of a DSC Safety Announcement on the DSC
distress and safety channel (2187.5 kHz on MF, channel 70 on VHF).
The DSC Safety Call may be addressed to all ships or to a specific station.
The frequency on which the Safety Message will be transmitted is included in the DSC
Announcement.
The Safety Message is normally transmitted on the radiotelephone distress channel in the
same band in which the DSC call was sent (2182 kHz on MF, channel 16 on VHF).

The above process is carried out as follows:

i. tune the transmitter to the DSC distress and safety channel (2187.5 kHz on
MF, channel 70 on VHF)

ii. select the appropriate calling format on the DSC equipment (all ships, area
call or individual call)

iii. key in or select on the DSC equipment keyboard: specific area or MMSI of
specific station, if appropriate

iv. the category of the call (safety)

v. the frequency or channel on which the Safety Message will be transmitted

vi. the type of communication in which the Safety Message will be given
(radiotelephony)

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 Send the DSC Safety Announcement
Tune the transmitter to the frequency or channel indicated in the DSC Safety
Announcement

Transmit the voice Safety Message as follows:

v. SECURITE Repeated 3 times

vi. ALL STATIONS / or Called Station Repeated 3 times

vii. THIS IS The MMSI, call sign or other identification of own ship;

viii. The text of the Safety Message.

Upon Reception of a Safety Message the ship should NOT acknowledge receipt via DSC
but should tune their MF/HF or VHF transceiver to the frequency nominated in the DSC
message and await the voice message.

d. HF (Alert by DSC)

HF DSC is primarily designed for long range ship-to-shore alerting. HF DSC Distress Alerts
are normally directed to coast radio stations.

As a general rule the DSC distress channel in the 8 MHz maritime band (84l4.5 kHz) may in
many cases be an appropriate first choice for distress transmissions

DSC Distress Alerts may be sent by transmitting the DSC Distress Alert on one HF band
and waiting a few minutes to receive acknowledgment by a coast station. If no
acknowledgment is received within 5 minutes the process is repeated by transmitting the
DSC Distress Alert on another appropriate HF band.

For transmitting the Distress Alert:

a. Tune the transmitter to the chosen HF DSC distress channel (4207.5, 6312,
8414.5, 12577 or 16804.5 kHz)
b. Follow the instructions for keying in or selection of relevant information on the
DSC equipment keyboard
c. Select the appropriate mode for subsequent communications
d. Transmit the DSC Distress Alert.

As HF DSC is primarily a ship–shore alerting technique ships sending DSC Distress Alerts
should normally wait for a DSC Acknowledgment Message from a coast radio station before
transmitting the message over radio telephony. Message format is the same as mentioned
for VHF / MF.

In HF, the message can also be sent by Radio Telex also called Narrow Band Direct
Printing (NBDP)

Acknowledgment of a HF DSC Distress Alert by the use of a DSC Acknowledgment

Message is normally only made by coast stations on the HF channels
73
Urgency Messages
Transmission of Urgency Messages on HF should normally be addressed either to all ships
within a specified geographical area or to a specific coast station.
Announcement of the Urgency Message is carried out by transmission of a DSC call with
category urgency on the appropriate DSC distress channel.
The transmission of the Urgency Message itself on HF is carried out by radiotelephony or
NBDP on the appropriate distress traffic channel in the same band in which the DSC
announcement was transmitted.

e. INMARSAT (General)

The Inmarsat system provides priority access to satellite communications channels in

emergency situations. Each SES is capable of initiating a ‘request message’ with distress
priority. This is automatically recognized and a satellite channel assigned immediately. In the
event of all satellite channels being busy with routine communications, one of them will be
pre-empted and allocated to the SES which initiated the distress priority call.
The English language is used for international maritime distress messages.

The distress priority applies not only with respect to allocation of satellite channels but also
to automatic routing of the alert to the appropriate rescue authority. Each LES is required to
provide reliable telecommunications connections with an associated MRCC.

A MRCC is equipped with specialized facilities to organize and coordinate search and rescue
activities. MRCCs are connected by international telecommunications networks to MRCCs
located in other parts of the world. Many are also equipped with Inmarsat terminals to provide
direct communications to ships in the event of failure of communications to the associated
Inmarsat LES.

Initiation of a distress alert from most SESs is made simple by the provision of a distress
button(s), or in some cases the input of a brief keyboard code. This simple operation
provides an automatic, direct and assured connection to the MRCC associated with the
LES which has been contacted. The need for the operator to enter the telephone or telex
number (if used) of the MRCC is thus avoided. The establishment of the connection is
completely automatic and should take only a few seconds.

f. INMARSAT C

An Inmarsat–C SES allows an operator to send two different types of distress call-
a. A brief Distress Alert or
b. A detailed Distress Priority Message.
Both types of distress call are automatically routed through a LES to its associated MRCC.
Initially the brief Distress Alert should be sent, and if time permits a detailed Distress Priority
Message should follow.
The brief Distress Alert only requires the operation of one or two controls and results in a
Distress Message containing the following pre-programmed information being transmitted:
• The identity of the SES

74
 • The nature of the distress (chosen from a menu or maritime unspecified if not
chosen)
• the ship’s position, course and speed (from the most recent entry to the
equipment).

A Distress Alert may be initiated even when a SES is engaged in sending or receiving a
message. Routine communications will be abandoned immediately and the Distress Alert
transmitted.
If an acknowledgment is not received from both the LES and the MRCC within 5 minutes, the
Distress Alert should be repeated.
A detailed Distress Message may be typed into the equipment using the text editor facility in
the same way as a normal message. However, Distress Priority must be selected by the
operator before transmission.

Urgency messages - Current software fitted to Inmarsat–C equipment does not provide for
transmission of safety priority messages, only distress, urgent and routine

4. Selection of suitable frequencies

1 DISTRESS, URGENCY, SAFETY AND CALLING FREQUENCIES

Radiotelephone DSC NBDP
VHF Ch. 16 - (156.8 MHz) VHF Ch. 70 - (156.525 MHz) Not used
2 182 kHz 2 187.5 kHz 2 174.5 kHz
4 125 kHz 4 207.5 kHz 4 177.5 kHz
6 215 kHz 6 312.0 kHz 6 268.0 kHz
8 291 kHz 8 414.5 kHz 8 376.5 kHz
12 290 kHz 12 577.0 kHz 12 520.0 kHz
16 420 kHz 16 804.5 kHz 16 695.0 kHz

2. FREQUENCES FOR INTERSHIP NAVIGATION SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS

156.65 MHz (VHF Ch. 13 R/T)

5. Radio regulations relating to maritime services including maritime frequency

allocation

Two sets of Regulations govern the use of Radio for Maritime Services –
a. ITU Regulations

The ITU Radio Regulations define:

• The allocation of different frequency bands to different radio services;

• The mandatory technical parameters to be observed by radio stations, especially
transmitters;

75
• procedures for the coordination and notification of frequency assignments made to radio
stations by national governments;
• other procedures and operational provisions.

Some of the salient features with respect to GMDSS are –

1) Frequencies for GMDSS

a. Frequencies allotted

b. Watch keeping

2) Operational procedures for distress and safety communication in GMDSS

a. Distress Alerting

b. Distress Traffic

3) Operational procedures for urgency and safety communication in GMDSS

a. Urgency Communication

b. Medical Transports

c. Safety Communications

d. Transmission of MSI

e. Medical Advice

4) Alerting Signals in the GMDSS

a. EPIRB

b. DSC

b. SOLAS Regulations

The functional requirements for GMDSS compliant ships are contained in Chapter IV,
Regulation 4 of the SOLAS Convention. This regulation requires that every ship, to which
the regulation applies, and while at sea, shall be capable of:
• Transmitting ship-to-shore distress alerts by at least two separate and independent
means, each using a different radio communication service
• Receiving shore-to-ship distress alerts
• Transmitting and receiving ship-to-ship distress alerts
• Transmitting and receiving search and rescue coordinating communications
• Transmitting and receiving on-scene communications
• Transmitting and receiving locating signals
• Receiving MSI

76
 • Transmitting and receiving general radio-communications relating to the
management and operation of the ship
• Transmitting and receiving bridge-to-bridge communications.

Further the minimum equipment to be carried by a GMDSS is defined by Chapter IV,

regulation 7 of SOLAS. It states that a vessel must carry -
• A VHF radio installation capable of transmitting DSC on channel 70, and
radiotelephony on channels 16, 13 and 6
• A SART (two on ships 500 GT and over, one on ships of 300 GT and upwards but
less than 500 GT)
• A NAVTEX receiver if the ship is engaged on voyages in any area where a NAVTEX
service is provided
• An Inmarsat EGC receiver if the ship is engaged on voyages in any area of Inmarsat
coverage where MSI services are not provided by NAVTEX or HF NBDP
• A 406 MHz EPIRB (ships trading exclusively in Sea Area A1 may fit a VHF DSC
EPIRB in lieu of a 406 MHz EPIRB).

• Additionally, every passenger ship shall be provided with means of two way on
scene radio communications for search and rescue purposes using the aeronautical
frequencies 121.5 MHz and 123.1 MHz from the position from which the ship is
normally navigated

6. Satellite communication and alerting system - Equipment on board and shore.

Inmarsat’s primary safety satellite constellation consists of four satellites in geostationary

orbit, covering the surface of the earth up to latitude 76 degrees North/South comprising
IMO Sea Area A3. The Inmarsat system provides voice, email, telex, data and facsimile
services to shipping. The system also incorporates distress, urgency, safety and routine
communications services.
The satellites orbit approximately 36,000 kilometers above the equator over the Atlantic,
Indian and Pacific Oceans, providing overlapping coverage. The service delivers high
quality communications on a 24 hour a day basis. Back-up satellites are ready for use if
necessary.
A geostationary satellite follows a circular orbit in the plane of the equator so that it appears
to stay stationary with respect to the earth’s surface.
Powered by solar energy, each satellite acts as a transmitting and receiving station,
relaying messages between stations located on the earth’s surface.
Each satellite has its own coverage area (called a footprint) which is that area on the earth’s
surface within which an antenna can obtain a view of the satellite. These correspond to four
ocean regions:
Pacific Ocean (POR)
Indian Ocean (IOR)
Atlantic Ocean East (AOR East)
Atlantic Ocean West (AOR West).

77
Shore-to-ship communications are in the 6 GHz band (C-band) from the LES to the satellite
and in the 1.5 GHz band (L-band) from satellite to ship. Ship-to-shore communications are in
the 1.6 GHz band from the ship to the satellite and in the 4 GHz band (C-band) from satellite
to the LES
The basic concept of satellite communications involves the relay of radio signals up to a
satellite where it is converted to another frequency and retransmitted in a downlink. A
transponder is the device that converts the frequencies and amplifies them before
retransmission back to earth.
The Inmarsat system provides the following modes of communications:
a. Telex, both real time and store and forward (Note: Fleet77 does not support telex)
b. Voice and facsimile
c. Email
d. Data, both real time and store and forward.

Priority distress facilities exist for both voice and data/messaging. Once the ship in distress
selects the distress priority mode and transmits the request channel signal, the call is
automatically routed via dedicated landlines to the appropriate Maritime Rescue Coordination
Centre (MRCC).

Inmarsat GMDSS satellite terminals include a dedicated distress button (DDB), also known
as remote distress initiation devices (DIDs), which can be used to activate the distress alerting
functions directly, which is important where time is critical. In some installations, the distress
button is combined with a remote distress button (RDB), which can be located remote from
the main below deck terminal installation.

In addition to safety services Inmarsat provides many varied commercial applications at sea
including, internet access, fleet monitoring, security and vessel management.
Inmarsat-B — This service was discontinued on 31 December 2016.
Fleet77 — Inmarsat Fleet77 is the successor to the Inmarsat — A and B services. In addition
to PSTN voice and fax, the digital Fleet77 provides both mobile integrated services digital
network (ISDN) and mobile packet data service (MPDS), The 64 kb/s ISDN channel enables
large volumes of data to be transferred. It has a provision of voice services with four priorities
(distress, urgency, safety and routine) in line with GMDSS requirements.

Fleet77 does not support telex however, which is rarely used and in some countries no
longer available.

Inmarsat-C — This system is currently the only satellite system required by the SOLAS
Convention as a carriage requirement to receive MSI. Inmarsat-C and Mini-C terminals
support 5 out of 9 communications functions defined by Chapter IV of SOLAS. In addition,
they also support Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) and LRIT.

Following are the Types of stations in the Maritime Mobile Satellite Service -

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 Land Earth Stations (LES) - Each Inmarsat ocean region has a number of LESs,
which provide the interface between ships at sea and shore-based
telecommunications networks. This function is fully automated, and the LES is
effectively transparent as far as the system user is concerned. LESs were previously
known as coast earth stations (CESs).
Network Coordination Stations (NCS) - Each Inmarsat ocean region has a network
coordination station (NCS) which is responsible for the overall frequency, signaling
and traffic management of its respective region. This NCS function is incorporated in
one of the LESs. There are separate NCSs established in each ocean region for each
Inmarsat system except Fleet Broadband.
Ship Earth Station (SES) - The Inmarsat installation aboard a vessel is referred to as
a ship earth station (SES), or sometimes as a mobile earth station (MES). Inmarsat
equipment is installed on a wide variety of vessels, from fishing boats to very large
merchant ships and naval vessels.

7. Methods adopted, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System-principle and

actual application

Covered under items 1 & 2

8. World Wide Navigational Warning System-India’s role for co-coordinator as

area 8, Meteorological Broadcast- Routine weather messages and storm
warnings, Search and Rescue Communication.

Maritime Safety Information (MSI) has 7 basic categories within GMDSS

a. Navigational Warnings

b. Meteorological warnings

c. Ice Reports

d. Search & Rescue Information

e. Meteorological Forecasts

f. Pilot services

g. Updates on Electronic Navigational Systems

79
 Figure 17: MSI Flow chart

Thus information is collected from various providers such as the National Hydrographic
Offices, National Meteorological Offices, MRCC and International Ice Patrol in the North
Atlantic.
These NAV warnings, Meteorological information & SAR alerts are forwarded by the
information providers to an INMARSAT LES for broadcasting via the satellite network over
the entire INMARSAT ocean region.

The same information specially for coastal areas are sent to the NAVTEX transmitters.

This allows a vessel to receive all necessary information following an initial simple setup.

The World Wide Navigational Warning Service (WWNWS) comprises of 16 geographical

areas, termed NAVAREAS and identified by Roman numerals. The authority charged with
collating and issuing long range radio navigational warnings to cover the whole area is
known as an Area Coordinator.

Details of NAVAREAs / Area Coordinator / National Coordinator are available in ALRS Vol
V.

India is the Area Coordinator of NAVAREA VIII – Indian Ocean. The national coordinators
of this NAV AREA are Bangladesh, Burma, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri
Lanka and Tanzania.

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WWNWS comprises 3 levels of warning:

• NAVAREA warnings - issued by a NAVAREA coordinator and include information

required by ocean-going mariners for safe navigation. They are principally affecting
main shipping routes and offshore areas within GMDSS Sea Areas A3 and A4, so
they are not broadcasted via NAVTEX system but only via satellite SafetyNET
system.
• COASTAL warnings - issued by a national coordinator and include information
required by all vessels for safe navigation within the given area. They are affecting
areas up to 400 NM from a NAVTEX CRS but within the boundary agreed with
adjacent national coordinator.
• LOCAL warnings - issued by a local coordinator; for example, a port or harbour
authority. They include information required for safe navigation within port or inshore
waters.

Search & Rescue: The Indian Coast Guard is responsible for Coordinating SAR operations
in the Indian Maritime SSR. This region is divided in three sub-regions, each with an
assigned MRCC at Mumbai, Chennai and Port Blair.

Storm warnings and weather bulletins for NAVAREA VIII are issued by the Indian
Meteorological Department

The NAV and the MET information for NAV AREA VIII is transmitted through the ARVI LES.

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 Chapter 9 – Documents

1. Sailing Directions

Admiralty Sailing Directions, or “Pilot Books” as they are commonly known, are published in
volumes (approx. 72) by the UKHO, to provide worldwide coverage and are meant to
complement Admiralty charts. These contain descriptions of the coast, off-lying features,
tidal streams and currents, directions for navigation in complicated waters, information
about channels and harbours, navigational hazards, buoyage systems, pilotage,
regulations, general notes on countries covered by the volume, port facilities, seasonal
currents, ice and climatic conditions with direct access to the sea.
It is designed to assist the merchant mariner in all classes of ocean going vessels and
provide essential information on all aspects of navigation
They are listed in NP 131 - Part 4 in both text and map format.
The current editions along with current supplement are also published in Weekly and the
Cumulative Notices to Mariners

Layout / Content
Inner page has the record of amendments
Notes / Abbreviations / Glossary
Chapter Index diagram
Chapter 1 (General information)
Other chapters (Main text)
Index

Chapter 1 – Covers the entire area of the book and is subdivided in three categories which
include information as listed
a. Navigation and rules

Limits of the book

Navigational dangers and hazards
Traffic and operations
Charts
Navigational aids
Radio facilities
Regulations
Signals
Distress and rescue
Piracy

b. Countries and ports

General description
National limits

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 History
Government
Population
Languages
Physical features
Flora and fauna
Principal ports / anchorages
Port services - summary

c. Natural conditions

General information
Maritime topography
Current and tidal streams
Sea level and tides
Sea and swell
Sea water characteristics
Climate and weather
Diagrams / charts for
Surface currents
Swell distribution
Surface temperature
Tracks of cyclones
Wind distribution
Percentage of strong winds
Climatic tables of selected places

Other chapters contain information as we proceed along the coast with major focus on
the following -
Routes
Principal marks
Off shore dangers
Anchorages
Depths
Topography

----------------------------------------------------------

2. List of Light and Fog Signals

NP 131, Part 4 gives you the volumes of Admiralty List of Lights and Fog signals
published.
Volumes are named Alphabetically from 'A' to 'L', except 'I' covering the entire world.
These are numbered as NP 74 to NP 84
Contains notation of amendments, geographical range tables, luminous range
diagram, and description of lights and fog signals
Index provided at the end

All the volumes have the following headings:

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 # 1: International number of each light
# 2: Name of light
Place is printed in capitals
Name of lights having nominal range more than 15 nm are printed in bold
Light Vessels are shown in capital italics
Other floating lights are shown in italics.
#3: Latitude and Longitude – position of the light
#4: Characteristics of the light and its fog signal if any
#5: Elevation of the light in meters
#6: Range of the light in Nautical Miles, if range more than 15nm then in bold letters
#7: Description of structure and height in meters
#8: Remarks – These include sectors, arcs of visibility, temporarily extinguished etc.

The above headings are also written in the inside of front cover or in the initial
description.

----------------------------------------------------------

3. List of Radio Signals

These Admiralty Publications starts with the numbers NP 28_ (where _ indicates the
Volume number). Thus, NP 281 is Volume I.
There are six volumes. They are published every 18 months.
The editions are stated as 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, ..
The short form of the publication is ALRS.

The contents of the various volumes are different. However certain topics are common,
such as Preface, Useful contacts within UKHO, General information & Glossary

The contents of various ALRS are as follows –

Volume 1 (Part 1 & 2) – NP 281 (1), NP 281 (2)

Title: Coast Radio Stations

General information is provided about Global maritime communication services & Details
about how to use INMARSAT satellite services. The main section includes amongst other
topics –

1. Coast radio stations – Details of the service are provided such as their position in
latitude /longitude, Call sign, MMSI number, Telephone Number, fax number, notes (e.g.
station accepts AMVER, station accepts ship's weather reports), VHF/ HF / MF
channels/frequency for transmission and reception, time of watch keeping, etc.

Red' background indicates a marine rescue co-ordination centre.

'Blue' background indicates any other coast radio station

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2. Medical advice by Radio - worldwide list of stations – country wise and their contact
details and format of reporting, if any.

3. Radio quarantine reports - List of International Codes involving quarantine, country wise
formats of Pratique messages and to whom it is to be addressed, when it is to be sent

4. Pollution reports - Country wise formats of pollution messages and to whom it is to be

sent

5. Anti-Piracy – Contacts & Piracy and armed robbery reports, Locations and methods of
attack, recommended practices to combat/reduce attacks

6. Ship reporting systems (In the earlier editions)

7. General radio regulations

8. Extracts from the ITU

9. International telephone / telex codes

10. Phonetic alphabet and figure code

11. Index of stations - Listed alphabetically as per countries

Volume 2 – NP 282
Title: Radio aids to navigation, Satellite Navigation Systems, Legal time, Radio time
signals and Electronic Position Fixing Systems

1. Radio Direction Finding stations: country wise.

2. Radar Beacons

3. Satellite navigation systems – GPS / GLONASS / Galileo /Satellite based Augmentation

system

4. Differential GPS (DGPS): Alphabetical country list of beacons transmitting DGPS

corrections,

5. Standard times

6. Legal time kept by countries (alphabetical list): Standard time & Daylight saving time

7. Radio time signals

8. Index (Various)

9. International Morse codes and conventional signals

85
 Volume 3 – Part 1 & 2 - NP 283 (1), NP 283 (2)
Title: Maritime Safety Information Services

1. Maritime Safety Information (MSI) - Worldwide navigational warning services (WWNWS)

2. Navarea coordinators

3. Safety net - Flow chart and operation, Detailed areas

4. Navtex - Areas with stations and code

5. Radio – facsimile - Symbols used on weather charts, Map areas, Schedule (time) of
transmission of stations

6. Radio weather services and navigational warnings - Station name followed by its call
sign and if applicable the Navtex station identity, Service details, Individual station's
coverage areas, Types of reports transmitted by individual stations

Red colour: Navtex transmitting station or a 'Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre'

Blue colour: Any other coast radio station.
Green colour : A commercial broadcast station

7. Ship's weather reports

8. Ice reports

9. Weather routeing services

10. Tables

11. Index of stations

.
Volume 4 – NP 284
Title: Meteorological Observation Stations

1. Allocations of station numbers: continent wise, geographical country list.

2. Index of geographical sections

3. World map showing block numbers

4. World map showing WMO regions with block numbers

5. List of meteorological observation stations (block number wise)

6. Phonetic alphabet and figure code

7. International Code of signals - flags

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 Volume 5 – NP 285
Title: Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)

1. Global maritime distress and safety systems - Sea areas, Equipment requirement in sea
areas, Formats of distress messages, Testing of DSC, List of applicable radio
regulations, Flow chart for 'actions by ships upon reception of VHF/MF DSC distress
alert', Flow chart for 'actions by ships upon reception of HF DSC distress alert'

2. Communications systems for use in the global System - Ground segment, Mobile earth
stations, Inmarsat numbers, Inmarsat services, COSPAS - SARSAT system

3. Search And Rescue Transponder

4. SOLAS regulations

5. Distress communications & False alerts

6. The management of VHF

7. VHF DSC list of coast stations for sea area A1

8. MF DSC, list of Coast radio stations for sea area A2

9. HF DSC, list of coast stations for Sea areas A3 & A4

10. INMARSAT - General information including satellite access codes, GMDSS services
including special 2 digit codes, Maps showing global coverage area of different ocean
regions, List of LES operators contacts and services, Maps to obtain azimuth and
elevation of satellites in different ocean regions

11. COSPAS – SARSAT

12. Maritime Safety Information (MSI) under GMDSS

13. Safety Net

14. Navtex

15. Distress, Search and Rescue

Volume 6 – Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7 ---- [ NP 286 (1)/(2)... ]

Volumes are divided as per various areas of the world e.g. Vol. NP 286 (4) covers India
and other regions of the Indian Ocean

1. Areas are listed alphabetically, and within a country the ports are also listed
alphabetically. Information provided includes

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 • Name of the port

• It's position

• Pilot services / Vessel Traffic Services / port operations stating

o Contact details
o Working hours - in UTC
o Procedures for reporting
o Reporting points
o Information broadcasts

• Minor stations (if any)

• Maps of areas covering the VTS is given for most of the ports/places.

2. Ship reporting systems in the region (In the editions after 2012)

3. Ocean passage of the world

Published by the UKHO, (Admiralty Publication Number – NP 136), it contains information

on planning ocean passages, oceanography and currents. It provides recommended routes
and distances between principal ports of the world. It also includes details of winds,
weather, currents and ice hazards that may be encountered. It contains diagrams for main
ocean routes for power vessels and sailing ships.

1. Part - I

o Chapter – 1 (General Information) – World wide

▪ Planning a Passage: Introduction
▪ Charts & Publications: Introduction
▪ Weather conditions: Introduction
▪ World Climatic Charts: for January & July
▪ Wave height Charts: for Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct.
▪ World surface current chart: Nov. to Mar.
▪ World surface current chart: May to Sept.
▪ Current roses - Nov. To March
▪ Current roses - May to Sept.
▪ World load line zone chart.

88
 o Chapter – 2 (North Atlantic Ocean):
▪ Winds
▪ Weather
▪ Currents
▪ Ice
▪ Notes & cautions
▪ Various routes with explanation –
▪ Diagram of distance – both direct and alternate route
o Chapters 3 to 7: Information is available for South Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean
Sea & Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, Indian ocean and Pacific Ocean &
seas bordering it.
▪ Contents as in Chapter 2

2. Part - II deals with Sailing Vessels in Chapters 8 to 10. It includes –

▪ Sailing routes of various oceans

▪ Map of world sailing ship routes
Various tables are provided which include-
• Beaufort wind scale table (table 'A)

• Seasonal Wind/Monsoon table of all oceans (table 'B')

• Tropical storm table (table 'C')

• Gazetteer - Approx. positions of Ports

• Index

• Limits of Volumes of Admiralty Sailing Directions

4. Notices to mariners

Three different types of Notices to Mariners are published by the UKHO. Indian Notices are
published by Indian Authorities to maintain the Indian Charts. These are

a. Annual Summary of Admiralty Notices to Mariners

These are subdivided in 3 sections

Section 1: Annual notice to mariners 1-25
Section 2: Temporary and Preliminary notices

89
 Section 3: Amendments to Sailing Directions

Section – 1 deals with information relevant to shipping. Some of these are:

Distress and rescue at sea - Ships & Aircraft

Information concerning submarines
National claims to maritime jurisdiction
Worldwide navigational warning service
Traffic Separation schemes
Wreck Marking Buoys
AIS information
Satellite navigational systems
Electronic navigational charts

Section – 2 deals with Temporary and preliminary notices and is a comprehensive ready
reckoner at the start of the year of all valid T&P notices. It provides:
A Geographical index
A Numerical index of notices in force
Description of T&P notices in force

Section – 3 includes Amendments to Sailing Directions. It provides:

• An Index of amendments in force on date

• All the valid amendments are published.
• Corrections for NP 100', NP 136, NP 131 are also stated.

b. Cumulative List of Admiralty Notices to mariners

These are published every six months – in January & July. The first page states the period
over which the Notices to Mariners have been covered. It is usually the last two years in the
January edition and Two and a half years in the July edition.

If no notice issued in the last two years, then most recent notice from the previous years is
stated.

It lists out the Chart Number / Chart Edition and the Notices to Mariners affecting that chart.
(The weekly edition number which contained that notice is provided in brackets.)
Temporary and preliminary notices are not included in this list

Section – IB, same as the weekly edition of Notices to mariners includes list of latest
editions of hydrographic publications.

c. Admiralty Notices to Mariners Weekly Edition

These Notices are issued weekly by the UKHO. They are dated for the Thursday of the
week they are issued. Every edition includes notices up to preceding Saturday. The hard
copy is available with or without tracings. Also available in a digital format.
An asterix (*) adjacent to the number of the notice indicates that the notice is based on
original information.

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The Weekly editions have 6 sections.

Section – I contain a list of:

Admiralty charts and publications now published and available
Admiralty charts and publications to be published ------ date ----
Admiralty charts and publications permanently withdrawn
The charts which will be subsequently withdrawn.
The revised publication date for chart/pub getting delayed for publication with reason.

Section – IA (Issued monthly – last week of each month) contains a list of in force T & P

Section – IB (issued every three months – First week of Jan, Apr, Jul & Oct) contains a list
of Current hydrographic publications such as Sailing directions, List of lights & fog signals,
List of radio signals & Tidal publications

Section – II starts with three Indexes namely- Geographical Index, Index of notices and
chart folios and Index of Charts affected.

The updates to Standard Navigation charts are available as

Small corrections – Every Notice includes:
.1 Notice number
.2 Notice heading
.3 Chart number
.4 Previous update (last correction for the chart)
.5 Details of the present correction.

Temporary & Preliminary Notices printed on one side of the paper follow.
.1 Notice Number – followed by (P) or (T)
.2 Year Notice Issued
.3 Notice Heading
.4 Details of the correction
.5 Charts affected

Section – II A contains Corrections for New Zealand charts as obtained from New Zealand
chief hydrographer.

This section is followed by the Chart Blocks.

Section – III are the reprints of Radio Navigational warnings

Section – IV contains Amendments to Admiralty Sailing Directions

Section – V contains Amendments to Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals

Section – VI contains Amendments to Admiralty List of Radio Signals

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5. M & MS Notices

There are three different types of marine notices:

⚫ Merchant shipping notice (MSN) - are used to convey mandatory information that
must be complied with under UK legislation. These MSN relate to statutory
instruments and contain the technical detail of such regulations.

⚫ Marine guidance notice (MGN) - give significant advice and guidance relating to the
improvement of the safety of shipping and of life at sea and to prevent or minimize
pollution from shipping.

⚫ Marine information notice (MIN) - are intended for a more limited audience like
training establishments or equipment manufacturers, or timetables for marine
examinations. These notices come with expiry dates

⚫ Similar notices which are issued by the D.G. Shipping in India are known as MS
notices

6. Guide to port entry.

These are published by “Shipping Guides Ltd.”, London. These are published every 18-24
months, depending on corrections / amendments / reports received from authority’s / ship
master etc. It is also available as an e-publication / CD version. This is not an Admiralty
publication. Corrections are not received for this publication.

An in-depth report of the major ports of the world are made available in this publication.
This information is distributed over four volumes: -
Vol I – Describes the ports in countries from Albania to Kuwait (A-K)
Vol II - Describes the ports in countries from Latvia to Yugoslavia (L-Y)
Vol III – Contains plans of select ports of Vol I
Vol IV – Contains plans of select ports of Vol II

A general description of the country with respect to its economy, climate, mandatory
reporting systems, navigational / safety regulations, precautions, load line zones boundary,
etc. are stated at the start.

Type of information usually found in the Guide to Port Entry for a particular port are:
⚫ Co-ordinates of the port
⚫ Port limits including co-ordinates of same which is used for 'arrived ship'
⚫ Approaches - Max. draft permissible, Approach conditions (if any)
⚫ Documents required for entry - by Customs, by Immigration, by Port health, by
Agents, by Harbour master
⚫ Pilotage – Position of Pilot boarding Ground, VHF channels, Signals, Any
special info.
⚫ Anchorages - Boundaries, Names, Purpose (bunker, health, sanitary, waiting
for pilot, etc.)
⚫ Restrictions – (if any)

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⚫ Max. size of Vessel - Length, Beam, Draft, DWT etc. permitted
⚫ Health - Pratique message procedures & format
⚫ VHF - Channels kept by port, pilots, harbor Master, Tugs
⚫ RADAR / VTS - Areas covered, communication details, service provided
⚫ Tugs -
⚫ Available berth details, depth alongside, cargo handled
⚫ Cranes or cargo handling facilities
⚫ Stevedores - name, time of working, arrival notices required
⚫ Bridges - minimum clearance required
⚫ Medical - facilities available, distance to hospital,
⚫ ssDensity - water density with local monthly variations.
⚫ Fresh water - availability, rate, cost, mode of supply.
⚫ Fuel - grades available, mode of supply,
⚫ Consuls - names of countries at port or nearby.
⚫ Repairs - availability of workshop, type of job which can be handled.
⚫ Dry dock - availability with max. size permitted, facilities
⚫ Surveyors - Class surveyors, P&I, cargo inspectors: availability
⚫ Gangway / Deck watchmen - services compulsory or recommended.
⚫ Piracy / Stowaways - any incident, precautions advised
⚫ Hatches - Stevedores or Crew opens/closes covers
⚫ Custom allowances - quantity of alcohol / cigarettes permitted for each person
⚫ Repatriation - facilities available, formalities required
⚫ Time - local time kept, summer time, if any.
⚫ Holidays - dates of local holidays
⚫ Police / Ambulance / Fire - local telephone numbers
⚫ Emergency Co-ordination Centre, Coast Guard, SAR – details
⚫ Banks
⚫ Ship supply services
⚫ Shore leave - permitted or not, time limit
⚫ Garbage / Waste Oil Disposal - availability, charges, port requirement.
⚫ Seaman's club - availability, bus service, facility.
⚫ Regulations - any particular or unusual regulation (if any)
⚫ Delays - normally expected for berthing, loading, bunkering, etc.
⚫ Weather - local conditions, developments,
⚫ Details of expected depth increase, berth construction, etc.
⚫ Name, Address, Contacts of local port authority
⚫ General - Ship Master's Report (actual conditions experienced)

93