The previous article in our “Bridge Procedures” series focused on the necessary steps during the ECDIS setup. Since ECDIS is a complex system, at this point, it is critical to clarify what should be done in the case of a failure.
Bridge Procedure Guide
- Key points for effective familiarization with bridge equipment
- Bridge preparations for voyage departure
- Preparations for arrival at port
- Marine Pilot’s role in safety and accident prevention
- The importance of passage planning
- How to get prepared for coastal waters navigation
- How to ensure safe ship navigation in ocean waters
- Proper knowledge and judgement needed during anchoring
- Ship navigation when in restricted visibility
- Actions to be taken for ship navigation under heavy weather
- What to avoid during ship navigation in polar waters
- Watchstanding guide for the Officers of the Watch
- When should the Officer on Watch call the Ship’s Captain?
- How to ensure vessel’s proper steering gear testing
- Mandatory actions during ECDIS setup
- What to do in case of ECDIS system failure
- GNSS failure while using the ECDIS
It’s a fact, that ECDIS is becoming necessary and more vessels are relying wholly on it, bringing up concerns regarding OOW’s actions in the case of a failure on ECDIS system. The kind and number of failures vary from a single unit failure that may require the system’s reboot to a double failure on both primary and secondary ECDIS. Equipment may fail during vessel’s voyage in the open ocean and also while vessel is navigating in narrow channels under pilotage.
The number of ECDIS failures has been increased with the use of USB flash drives and cables, connected to the system. Three failures in 2010, were caused from viruses on USB flash drives, resulting in disfunctions of the system, such as error messages and false alarms and very slow speed. In 2016, a seafarer plugged his smart phone into the ECDIS to charge it and as the phone began to update itself it wiped the entire chart folio.
Actions to be taken in the case of an ECDIS Failure:
- In the case of a single unit failure, use the second system, inform the Master and Navigator and instigate defect rectification
- In the event of a power failure with both systems reverting to UPS supply, consider a controlled shut down of one system and inform the Master and the Navigator
- In a timely manner to coincide with the expiry of the UPS on the first system, restart the second
- On restoration following a power failure or uncontrolled shut down of the system, confirm that there are power supplies to each system
- ECDIS check-off cards should be checked to ensure that settings of anti-grounding cone, safety depth, safety contour, velocity vector, units, chart priorities and chart auto-load are correct
- Check that both Primary and Secondary position sources are selected and that they are working correctly
- Confirm that the heading source is selected and is working correctly
- Confirm that RIO is operating correctly
- Check vessel’s current position
- Verify that own vessel shape is correct and that the ship is aligned to vessel’s head
- Conduct Alarm self-test
SQE Marine has prepared a checklist aiming to provide the necessary steps required, in case of ECDIS failure.
On vessels where the primary mode of navigation is using dual type approved ECDIS equipment the following should be carried out. A realistic ECDIS failure exercise should be one of the portfolio of Drills & Exercises conducted every three months. In addition a separate exercise causing failure of of one and then both GNSS receivers should also be carried out and vessel navigated for a reasonable period of time using terrestial and/or celestial means of position fixing. Both these exercises should be recorded in the Official Log Book.