TEMA 1 Passage Appraisal

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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander

SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación


Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

TEMA 1
PASSAGE APPRAISAL
THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE
BRIDGE TEAM MANAGEMENT
A Practical Guide

INDICE

1.- OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................2


2.- INFORMATION SOURCES .......................................................................................2
2.1 CHART CATALOGUE ..............................................................................................3
2.2 NAVIGATIONAL CHARTS .....................................................................................3
2.3 OCEAN PASSAGES FOR THE WORLD .................................................................3
2.4 ROUTEING CHARTS & PILOT CHARTS ...............................................................4
2.5 SAILING DIRECTIONS AND PILOT BOOKS ........................................................4
2.6 LISTS OF LIGHTS AND FOG SIGNALS .................................................................. 4
2.7 TIDE TABLES .............................................................................................................. 4
2.8 TIDAL STREAM ATLASES ....................................................................................... 5
2.9 NOTICES TO MARINERS .......................................................................................... 5
2.10 SHIPS' ROUTEING INFORMATION ...................................................................... 5
2.11 RADIO SIGNAL INFORMATION .........................................................................5
2.12 CLIMATIC INFORMATION...................................................................................6
2.13 LOAD LINE CHART ...............................................................................................6
2.14 DISTANCE TABLES ...............................................................................................6
2.15 ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION SYSTEMS HANDBOOKS...................................6
2.16 RADIO AND LOCAL WARNINGS ........................................................................6
2.17 OWNER'S AND OTHER UNPUBLISHED SOURCES ..........................................6
2.18 DRAUGHT OF SHIP................................................................................................7
2.19 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE .....................................................................................7
2.20 THE MARINER'S HANDBOOK .............................................................................7

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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander
SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

TEMA 1

PASSAGE APPRAISAL
THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE
BRIDGE TEAM MANAGEMENT
A Practical Guide

1.- OVERVIEW

Before any voyage can be embarked upon or, indeed, any project undertaken, those
controlling the venture need to have a good idea of the risks involved. The appraisal stage
of passage planning examines these risks. If alternatives are available, these risks are
evaluated and a compromise solution is reached whereby the level of risk is balanced
against commercial expediency. The appraisal could be considered to be the most
important part of passage planning as it is at this stage that all pertinent information is
gathered and the firm foundation for the plan is built. The urge to commence planning
as soon as possible should be resisted. Time allocated to appraisal will pay dividends
later.

2.- INFORMATION SOURCES

The Master's decision on the overall conduct of the passage will be based upon an
appraisal of the available information. Such appraisal will be made by considering the
information from sources including:

1. Chart Catalogue
2. Navigational charts
3. Ocean Passages for the World
4. Routeing charts or pilot charts
5. Sailing Directions and Pilot Books
6. List of Light and Fog Signals
7. Tide Tables
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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander
SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

8. Tidal stream atlases


9. Notices to Mariners (Navareas, Hydrolants, Hydropacs)
10. Ships’ Routeing information
11. Radio signal information (including VTS and pilot service)
12. Climatic information
13. Load-line chart
14. Distance tables
15. Electronic navigational systems information
16. Radio and local warnings
17. Owner's and other unpublished sources
18. Draught of vessel
19. Personal experience
20. Manner's Handbook

These items are discussed in some detail below. Only British and American catalogue
numbers are quoted. Other, similar, publications may be available from other national
sources.

2.1 CHART CATALOGUE

Published annually by the Hydrographer to the Navy (British) as NP 131 and bythe Defence
Mapping Agency (US) as CATP2V01U.

2.2 NAVIGATIONAL CHARTS

Many merchant ships carry British charts published by the Hydrographer of the Navy.
However, there are areas of the world where the mariner may well be advised to consider
using locally published charts as well. British Admiralty policy is to chart all British
home and most Commonwealth and some Middle Eastern waters on a scale sufficient for
safe navigation. Elsewhere the policy is to publish such charts as will enable the mariner
to cross the oceans and proceed along the coasts to reach the approaches to ports. Along
many coasts not covered in detail by British charts the mariner may find it better to use
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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander
SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

the charts of the hydrographic office of the relevant country.both US and Canadian
regulations require that vessels in their waters must carry and use the appropriate charts.
This means that the vessel's chart outfit may not meet the regulations. Navigators need to
ensure that they have the correct charts.

Approximately 50 countries are listed as having established hydrographic offices


publishing charts of their national waters. Addresses of the agents appointed by such offices
may be obtained from The Catalogue of Agents for the Sale of Charts, published by the
International Hydrographic Bureau, 7 Avenue President J. F. Kennedy, BP445.MC98011
Monaco Cedex, Principaute de Monaco.

2.3 OCEAN PASSAGES FOR THE WORLD

International standard chart symbols and abbreviations allow foreign charts to be used
with little difficulty but care must be taken to establish the chart datums used.
Published by the Hydrographer of the Navy (British) as NP 136; contains information on
planning ocean passages, oceanography and currents.

2.4 ROUTEING CHARTS & PILOT CHARTS

Routeing charts are published by the Hydrographer of the Navy (British) as Charts Nos.
5124-8. These are similar to the Pilot Charts published by the Defence Mapping Agency
(USA). (see Atlases NVPUB105-9 & PILOT16 and PILOT55).
Both series give monthly information on ocean routeing, currents, winds and ice limits and
various meteorological information.

2.5 SAILING DIRECTIONS AND PILOT BOOKS

British pilot books are published in 74 volumes by the Hydrographer of the Navy and
give worldwide coverage. Sailing directions are published by the Defence Mapping
Agency (USA) in the series SDPUB 121-200. Some of these books are referred to as
Planning Guides, giving information essentially the same as the British Ocean Passages
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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander
SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

for the World, others as Enroute, giving similar information to the British pilot books.

2.6 LISTS OF LIGHTS AND FOG SIGNALS

Published by the Hydrographer of the Navy (British) in 11 volumes (NP74-84) giving


world wide coverage.

Seven volumes of Light Lists are published by the US Coast Guard, (COMDTM 165021-7)
giving details of all US coastal lights, including the Great Lakes. DMA publications
LLPUB110-6 cover the rest of the world.

2.7 TIDE TABLES

Published by the Hydrographer of the Navy (British), annually, in three volumes,


covering the world. Tidal times and heights may be readily obtained by using a computer
program published by the British Admiralty (SHM-159A).

Worldwide tide tables are also published by the US National Ocean Service (NOSPBTT)
2.8 TIDAL STREAM ATLASES

Published by the Hydrographer of the Navy (British), these atlases cover certain areas of
North West Europe and Hong Kong.Tidal current tables are published by the US National
Ocean Service, covering the Atlantic coast of North America and the Pacific coast of North
America and Asia. Tidal current charts are published by the US National Ocean Service
for four major US ports.

2.9 NOTICES TO MARINERS

Notices to Mariners are published in weekly editions by both the British and US
hydrographic authorities, enabling ships to keep their charts and other publications up
to date.

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SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

2.10 SHIPS' ROUTEING INFORMATION

Published by IMO, this publication gives information on all routeing. Traffic separation
schemes, deep water routes and areas to be avoided which have been adopted by IMO.
Routeing information is also shown on charts and is included in the sailing directions.

2.11 RADIO SIGNAL INFORMATION

The (British) Admiralty List of Radio Signals consists of seven volumes of text and four
booklets of diagrams covering the following:

 Vol.1 (1 & 2) coast radio stations, Inmarsat. GMDSS, SAR, Ship reporting
systems.
 Vol.2 radio navigational aids, RDF stations, radar beacons, time signals,
electronic position-fixing systems.
 Vol.3 radio weather services and navigation warnings. Vol. 4 meteorological
observation stations.
 Vol.6 (1 & 2) port operations, pilotage services and vessel traffic management and
information services.
Similar information is available in US DMA publication RAPUB117

2.12 CLIMATIC INFORMATION

Climatic information is available from a variety of sources including the pilot books, pilot
charts and Ocean Passages for the World already mentioned. The British Admiralty book
Meteorology for Mariners gives further general information.

2.13 LOAD LINE CHART

Load Line Rules are mandatory and the load line zones are shown in Ocean Passages
for the World or BA Chart D6083.
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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander
SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

2.14 DISTANCE TABLES

Both Ocean and Coastal Distance Tables are available from a variety of sources
including British Admiralty (NP350) and US DMA publications NVPUB151
and NOSSPBPORTSDIST.

2.15 ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION SYSTEMS HANDBOOKS

Information required will depend upon the systems in use on the particular ship and
should have been supplied with the equipment.

2.16 RADIO AND LOCAL WARNINGS

The latest information available on changes to navigation aids, etc., will be obtained
from radio (including Navtext) and local warnings and must always be made available to
those responsible for appraisal and planning. Local information is often available from
the harbour authority. For information on the worldwide navigational services and the
transmitting stations see Admiralty List of Radio Signals Vol. 3.

2.17 OWNER'S AND OTHER UNPUBLISHED SOURCES

Supplementary information from the vessel's owners should be consulted, when available,
as should reports from other vessels, information from agents and port authority
handbooks, regulations and guides to port entry.

2.18 DRAUGHT OF SHIP

The anticipated draught and trim of the ship at different stages of the passage will need to
be known in order to calculate the under-keel clearance when in shallow water. The
extreme height of the ship above the waterline, known as the air draught, may also be
required
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Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica de Santander
SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
Módulo 5 ‐ Tema 1

2.19 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

The personal experiences of crew members who have been to the anticipated ports and
areas may prove of value.

2.20 THE MARINER'S HANDBOOK

Published by the Hydrographer of the Navy (British), this book contains information
of general interest to the mariner.

Having collected together all the relevant information the Master, in consultation with his
officers, will be able to make an overall appraisal of the passage.

The passage may be a transoceanic route in which case the first consideration will need
to be the distance between ports, the availability of bunkers and stores, etc.

A great circle is the shortest distance but other considerations will need to be taken into
account.
Meteorological conditions will need to be considered and it may well prove advantageous
to use one of the weather routeing services. Although the recommended route may be
longer in distance it may well prove shorter in time and the ship suffer less damage.

Ocean currents may be used to advantage, favourable ones giving the ship a better overall
speed thus offsetting the disadvantage of taking a longer route.

Weather systems also need to be considered—e.g., a ship in the China Sea in summer
needs plenty of sea room if it is liable to be involved in a tropical revolving storm and
a passage in high latitudes may require ice conditions to be considered.

Irrespective of the advantages of using a preferred track, the Load Line Rules must always
be obeyed. In certain circumstances, often political, a ship may need to keep clear of
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SIG aplicados a la Planificación y Control de la Navegación
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specified areas.

The main consideration at the appraisal stage will be to determine the distance tracks
should be laid off coastlines and dangers. When the ship is passing
through areas where IMO-adopted traffic separation and routeing schemes are in operation,
such routeing will have to be followed. In some coastal areas minimum distances off for
specified vessels is determined by the relevant State.

Some shipping companies may also specify minimum distance off.

In archipelagos, it will be necessary to determine which straits and passages are to be used
and whether or not pilotage is required. Under certain circumstances it may be preferable to
divert around an archipelago.

Having made his appraisal of the intended voyage, whether it is a short coastal passage or
a major transocean passage, the master will determine his strategy and then delegate one
of his officers to plan the voyage. On most ships this will be the Second Mate, on some a
designated navigating officer, on others the Master may have to do his own planning.
Irrespective of who actually does the planning, it has to be to the requirements of the
Master, who carries the final responsibility for the plan.

The plan needs to include all eventualities and contingencies. Passage plans are often made
from pilot station to pilot station but

IMO Resolution A.285 (VIII), Annex A (v), subsequently incorporated in the STCW
Convention 1978, Regulation II/1 states:

Despite the duties and obligations of a pilot, his presence on board does not relieve the
officer in charge of the watch from his duties and obligations for the safety of the ship

This makes it quite clear that it is necessary to plan from berth to berth even though it is
anticipated that there will be a pilot conducting the vessel at certain stages of the voyage.
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