Concept:

The following list is divided by topics. Bridge being a relatively small area, they can be completed in any order.

Awareness:

If used by the Master for a Bridge audit, these checks must preferably be done in the presence of all Duty officers.

Any Inspector may verify the level of knowledge and awareness of the Bridge team. VIQ 7 (Tankers) places additional stress on this.

Live (Sailing) Audits:

A Live Nav-audit is when the auditor is sailing with the vessel and watching the operations with the bridge team in action. Internal auditors are likely to take this opportunity.

A SIRE or PSC officer, on the other hand, will be inspecting the vessel in port and will try to put the pieces together. This list is compiled keeping both the situations in mind.

Less than 10000 GRT - one X-band only required;

More than 10000 GRT - two required and at least one with ARPA.

The course recorder is not a requirement, just as the Engine telegraph logger is not. However, if a piece of equipment is fitted on the bridge, it must be operational.

ECDIS ENCs

To correct for the datum on ECDIS you can use the 'position offset' feature, if necessary.

For Paper charts

For paper charts the offset will be applied manually.

Applicable to vessels whose keel was laid after 1st July 2002.

 

For older vessels, skip this section

Remarks: 

There have been too many observations on the training and familiarisation of ECDIS with duty officers. It is extremely important for the bridge team to know the system and questions can be very detailed during an inspection.

Training and knowledge must be from the company familiarisation checklist, and the following list is not exhaustive. These, however, cover most of the questions which any inspector can ask the duty officers.

All the parameters below must be clearly defined in the Company SMS. Below is for guidance only.

Safety Depth:

Usually Safety Depth = Max draft + CATZOC or UKC requirement of the company, whichever is higher.

Soundings less than Safety Depth is highlighted in Black and bold letters. Those more than safety depth are faded out. Safety depth does not trigger an alarm.

Safety Contour:

Usually Safety Depth = Safety contour

Refer to Company Navigation procedures. There must be an alarm if the vessel crosses a Safety contour. There must be a Procedure or RA for it.

Shallow contour:

Shallow contour highlights the area of depths below the Shallow contour setting and zero. NO ALARM.

Deep contour:

Deep contour highlights the area of depths below the Deep contour setting and below. Those more than Deep contour setting are white. NO ALARM

Important Note:

It is important to understand that during the voyage, based on the change of depths the Safety settings will change. This must be calculated leg by leg and mentioned in the passage plan. It depends on the Company's UKC policy and ECDIS policy.

Admiralty publication NP133C (ENC and ECDIS Maintenance record for the upkeep of the Chart outfit) is to be maintained regardless of any other documents being maintained.

The record must be in PMS for ECDIS checked for operating anomalies using the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) data presentation & performance check (DPPC) data set.

If ECDIS is primary means of navigation - then focus should be on position comparison interval not fixing interval.

Remarks:

If an inspection is expected, do not erase positions before the inspection.

If there is a chance of taking a position from a shore object by Visual Cross bearings or Radar, this must be used every time over a GPS fix.

The position must be plotted manually even though the ECDIS is plotting itself - to crosscheck.

Where can you get NavWarnings from?

NavArea warnings can be received by EGC, Navtex, or Weekly NTMs.

If received from other private sources they must be checked against official data. Receiving Navarea from the WEB is not an approved method and can only be taken as a reference. This must be clear to the navigating officers. 

Is there a system of upkeep of NavWarnings?

All manually plotted Navtex messages and NAVAREA warnings on the ECDIS must be removed when no longer in force or relevant. There must be a procedure to ensure such upkeep of Navtex / Navarea warnings.

The duty officer must plot the warning as received and inform all other watchkeepers.

Operational control of BNWAS:

Selection of operational mode and the duration of the dormant period is security protected and access to these controls are restricted to the Master only.

Duty officer should not be aware of the Password.

Reset switches:

Reset switches can be interfaced with the Bridge equipment which is being used at the lookout position but they must not be with any equipment which is in the chart room or other spaces from where a visual lookout cannot be maintained.

We shall continue these checks on Navigation Bridge - 2.