AMSA Marine Notice 21/2013
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has issued Marine Notice 21/2013 to reaffirm navigational practices thatshould be followed by masters and navigatingofficers of ships in Australian waters.
Itcomplements other AMSA Marine Notices thataddress safety of navigation matters.
Passage plans
Regulation 34 of Chapter V of SOLAS (Safenavigation and avoidance of dangeroussituations) requires that before proceeding to sea,the master must ensure that the intended voyagehas been planned. IMO Resolution A.893 (21)Guidelines for voyage planning provides moredetailed advice on passage planning. AMSAMarine Order 21 implements these requirementsin Australia.
Voyage and passage planning includes:
- appraisal i.e. gathering all information relevantto the contemplated voyage or passage; detailed planning of the entire voyage or passage from berth to berth, including those areas requiring a pilot;
- execution of the plan; and
- monitoring progress of the ship during theexecution of the plan.
Passage planning should take into account the potential for reasonable unplanned diversions(due to change of commercial orders oremergencies) that may occur during passage. Any changes made to the plan should be consistent with the IMO guidelines and be clearly marked and recorded.
For Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS), the voyage or passage plan should be validated by the route-checking function of ECDIS using appropriate safety parameters. If any charts required for the voyage are to be delivered via a boarding pilot, the master should ensure such charts are prepared for the voyage prior to the commencement of the pilotage. The intent to prepare such charts during the voyage must be reflected in the passage plan.
Unplanned shortcuts to save time and distance, orunplanned deviations from the passage plan tosatisfy tourists or local customs, are dangerouspractices and should be avoided.
The above requirements should be included in theship’s Safety Management System (seeprocedures under section 7 of the InternationalSafety Management (ISM) Code).
AMSA’s port State control inspectors routinelycheck for well-documented passage plans andevidence of adherence to such passage plans.
Nautical charts and nautical publications
Regulation 19 of Chapter V of SOLAS(paragraph 2.1.4) provides that all ships musthave nautical charts and nautical publicationsto plan and display the ship’s route for theintended voyage and to plot and monitorpositions throughout the voyage.
Regulation 27 of Chapter V of SOLAS providesthat nautical charts and nautical publications(such as sailing directions, lists of lights,notices to mariners and tide tables) necessaryfor the intended voyage must be adequate andup to date.
Responsibility for safe navigation with apilot embarked
Masters and watchkeepers remain responsible forthe safe navigation of their ships, even when aport or coastal pilot is on board. The mastershould ensure that the bridge remains adequatelymanned and under the control of an appropriatelycertificated navigation officer who can ensure thatthe bridge team:
- supports the pilot by: maintaining a good lookout and situational awareness;
- and providing expertise in the use of bridge equipment and systems;
- continually monitors the pilot’s actions and promptly seeks clarification as necessary and/or calls the master. The Officer of the Watch must take whatever action is necessary before the master arrives to maintain the safety of navigation;
- and discusses, agrees and communicates to the entire bridge team, any change to the ship’s passage plan advised by the pilot. In case of any change, the original passage plan must beamended and documented;
- the amended passage plan must then be followed.
Sound navigation practice
Sound navigational practice for masters andnavigating officers includes:
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Owners and masters are reminded that personnelnew to a ship are to be given properfamiliarisation with their watch-keeping duties andwith the ships’ navigational equipment (seesections 6 and 7 of the ISM Code).
