Tag: Passage Planning

Planning a proper passage should be carried out by all vessels. However, the Shipowners' Club notes that numerous incidents have taken place due to improper passage planning.

In its recently published Casebook containing safety lessons learned from maritime incidents, the Swedish Club describes a collision of a container ship after grounding in a busy anchorage. 

In its latest Safety Digest, UK MAIB analyzes a passenger vessel's heavy contact with a bridge, which was attributed to strong breeze and peak flow of the river, despite the Captain was familiar with the route. 

The Bahamas Maritime Authority issued a Safety Alert to share lessons to be learned from an allision with a pier structure that occurred with a pilot onboard. Preliminary investigation findings reveal the allision occurred due to a substantial deviation from the planned passage at a critical time.  

The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) launched its latest information paper, which provides guidance on how to improve policies and procedures concerning the safe use of Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS).

The Maltese registered LPG tanker Seasurfer ran aground in the Port of Praia in October 2019, as the pilotage section of the passage plan contained no specific directions on manoeuvring with the use of tug/s at Praia, investigation by Transport Malta MSIU revealed. 

Safe navigation requires from professional navigators to keep themselves up to date with new regulations, practices, technology and information sources. Celebrating release of the 25th edition of The Navigator, The Nautical Institute shared key points highlighted over the years.

Despite small improvement since June 2020, the critically low water levels in the Parana River continue, as the rainfalls in the basin are still expected to be ‘deficient’ during the last quarter of the year. 

Capt. Yves Vandenborn, Director of Loss Prevention, The Standard Club, provides tips for safe navigation now that the typhoon season is underway and notes that this can cause widespread disruption and delays in the logistical supply chain. Also, he highlights that the ship’s passage plan should incorporate considerations based on the anticipated weather conditions, and contingency measures for avoiding depressions while maintaining the commercial and economic viability of the voyage.

A series of causes contributed to vessel grounding; the safety investigation revealed that the course recommended by the pilot was different from the one prepared in the passage planning. Moreover, during navigation in El Dekheila Channel (Egypt), the vessel navigated close to shallow areas, and subsequently ran aground and remained stranded.