VOYAGE

PLANNING
PROCEDURES
TRAINING OBJECTIVE

At the end of this lecture, the

students shall be able to explain
the basics of Voyage Planning.
ENABLING OBJECTIVES

a) Identify the different stages/phases of Voyage Planning

b) Determine the factors governing Voyage Planning.

c) Determine the objective and Importance of Voyage Planning

d) Determine several points to consider during voyage.

REFERENCE

PN Voyage
Planning
Manual
August 2014
SCOPE

 Appraisal Stage

 Planning Stage

 Conferring/Briefing Stage

 Execution/Monitoring Stage
VOYAGE PLAN SAMPLE OUTLINE
NAVIGATION
 The process of safely and efficiently directing the
movements of a vessel from one place to another.
VOYAGE PLANNING
 VOYAGE PLANNING
 Procedure to develop a complete description of the
vessel’s voyage from start to finish
 CO’s responsibility but delegated to Navigation Officer
(EX-O)
QM plays integral part in helping NO
VOYAGE PLANNING
The Guidelines specify three key items to consider in voyage planning:
 having and using a voyage plan is "of essential importance for safety
of life at sea, safety and efficiency of navigation and protection of the
marine environment,"
 voyage planning is necessary for all types of vessels on all types of
voyages,
 and the plan's scope should be based on all information available,
should be "berth to berth," including when under pilotage and the
plan includes the execution and the monitoring of progress.
WHY DO WE NEED TO PLAN THE VOYAGE?
 NAVY GROUNDINGS
 USS Guardian grounding
 17 January 2013 ran aground at Tubbataha Reef

 Causes of accident

Inaccurate digital maps

Complacency of crew
 NAVY GROUNDINGS
 Chinese Frigate 560 Grounding (2012)
 NAVY GROUNDINGS

USS Denver LPD 9 Yukon (T-AO 202)

 CASUALTIES AND CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS
 Weaknesses/Lapses in Bridge Organization
 Failure to keep a good lookout
 For Groundings:
 Failure to pre-plan a track

 Failure to monitor vessel’s progress along track

 Failure to take immediate action when deviating from track

 Failure to cross check fixes

 Failure to get visual fixes when available

 Failure to identify navigational aids

VOYAGE PLANNING STEPS

 Appraisal

 Planning

 Conferring

 Execution/monitoring
 PILOTING
Precise navigation involving
frequent or continuous
determination of position

Requiring the need for close

attention

Practiced in the vicinity of land,

dangers and navigational hazards
 Piloting
The planning and execution of pilotage is an
important and demanding part of a
Navigating Officer’s duties.
Visual pilotage and blind pilotage are
complementary to each other and are often
used together.
Pilotage Regulations
•The Navigating Officer is the pilot of the ship.
•If no navigation specialist is borne, the Captain may
undertake the pilotage himself or depute any other
officer.
The Captain is authorized to employ a licensed or
regular pilot for ports and channels which are
difficult of access or for which charts and directions
are insufficient guide, or in abnormal conditions.
Pilotage Regulations
 When a pilot is employed, the Captain may use him in an
advisory role/full control.
 ‘Does no t relieve the Captain of his responsibility for the
safety of the ship, and in the event of an accident which
could have been prevented by a common degree of
attention on the part of the Captain or the Navigating
Officer, these officers will be deemed to have neglected
their duty.’
 Local Pilots in Foreign Ports - Compulsory
I. APPRAISAL STAGE
APPRAISAL STAGE
Initial Navigational Plan
• Full details should always be entered in the
Navigating Officer’s Work Book.
• Charts and publications
• Chart selection - largest scale charts
• Corrected up to date for all Permanent, T&P NTMs,
NAVAREAs and Local Notices
APPRAISAL STAGE
Charts and publications - clear mental picture
Extract Info on directions, cautions, dangers &
tidal streams
Brief description of any conspicuous marks
should be entered on the chart.
The List of Lights -characteristics and
appearance of light structures and beacons.
APPRAISAL STAGE
Charts and Publications
• If proceeding to a foreign port, it may be necessary to obtain
larger scale charts produced by the national authority in
order to enter the port concerned.
• Extra charts for the port may be required for the following
reasons:
–Different departure/arrival plans
–Charts for blind pilotage/safety team
–Chart cut outs of CO/NO
–Chart for Boat crew
APPRAISAL STAGE
Charts and Publications
 Necessary specifically for pilotage:

- Sailing Directions
- Coast Pilot
- List of Lights and Fog Signals.
- Tide Tables.
- Tidal Stream Atlases.
- List of Radio Signals
- Nautical Almanac
APPRAISAL STAGE
Speed
Planning for Speed within Pilotage waters will
normally be dictated by:
– Local speed limits
– Interaction limitations
– Maneuvering constraints
APPRAISAL STAGE
Times of Arrival and Departure
 Height of Tide limitations – Underkeel /overhead
 Tidal Stream limitations
 Movements of other shipping
 Availability of tugs and/or local pilots
 Bearing and altitude of the Sun
 Likely local meteorological effects, including Fog.
 The period of daylight.
 Ceremonial requirements (eg. gun salute, etc).
 Administrative (eg. port working hours, storing, fuelling)
APPRAISAL STAGE
What is Squat?
The decrease in Underkeel Clearance which occurs
when the ship is making way, or is
alongside/anchored in a Current or Tidal Stream
Squat is one specific element of Shallow Water effect
and can be experienced more strongly in waters which
are also confined laterally than in open waters
APPRAISAL STAGE
 3 Methods for calculating Squat:

- 2 Rough calculations:
 10% of draught
 Is not a method used due to not taking into
account the
speed of the vessel
0.3 m for every 5 kts forward speed

- The second most accurate calculation for squat

APPRAISAL STAGE
 3 Methods for calculating Squat:

Block Coefficient (Cb) = Volume of displacement

LxBxd
APPRAISAL STAGE
Limiting Danger Line
 Is a line drawn on the chart joining
soundings of a selected depth to
delineate the area considered unsafe LDL
for the ship to enter.
 The selected depth provide sufficient
water for the ship to remain afloat, but
not to allow too great a safety margin –
so that LDL is disregarded when SUB
approached NOGO
 Water which is not ‘inside’ the LDL is
considered safe for navigation
APPRAISAL STAGE
Determining the LDL
 TAKE – Ship’s Draft
 ADD – Squat LDL
 ADD – Safety Margin
 TOTAL – Above Factors
 SUBTRACT – Height of Tide (HOT)
SUB
 OBTAIN – Charted Depth of LDL
NOGO

Or Draught + Squat + Safety (2m) – HOT = LDL

APPRAISAL STAGE
Sample Problem:
A frigate with draft of 6 meters entering Manila
Bay at a time when the allowance for squat is 0.75
meters and the predicted height of tide (HOT) is
1.25 meters. What is the charted depth to use when
drawing the LDL?
APPRAISAL STAGE
Sample Problem:
A frigate with draft of 6 meters entering Manila
Bay at a time when the allowance for squat is 0.75
meters and the predicted height of tide (HOT) is
1.25 meters. What is the charted depth to use when
drawing the LDL?

6m + 0.75m + 2 - 1.25m = 7.5m LDL

APPRAISAL STAGE
Appraisal of the passage
A plan view of the ship’s hull
shape cut to the scale of the
chart to obtain an idea of the
relative sizes of the channels
and harbor to the ship and
the likely distances from
dangers during the passage.
TAKE 15 (Next: PLANNING STAGE)
II. PLANNING STAGE
PLANNING STAGE

Pilotage plan must be complete in every

detail
Positions along the track

Safe Limits
 PLANNING STAGE

a. Track
Selection
- Local Port
regulations
- Sailing
Direction/Coast
Pilot
PLANNING STAGE
Depths and Heights

Height Clearance
PLANNING STAGE
 What is a datum?
 It is a reference from which measurements are
made.
 The datum used in tidal predictions is called the ‘Chart Datum’
Defined as a level so low that the tide will not
frequently fall below it
Usually at or near the level of Lowest Astronomical
Tide (LAT)
The depth of water below the chart datum is
referred to as ‘charted depth’
PLANNING STAGE
 MHWS:
 Yearly average of the heights of 2
successive high waters during
spring tides
 MHWN:
 Yearly average of the heights of 2
successive high waters during neap
tides
 MLWN:
 Yearly average of the heights of 2
successive low waters during neap
tides
 MLWS:
 Yearly average of the heights of 2
successive low waters during
springs tides
PLANNING STAGE
 HAT / LAT:
 Highest and Lowest levels which can be
predicted to occur under average
meteorological conditions
 MSL:
 Average level of the sea surface over a long
period or the average level that would exist in
absence of tides
PLANNING STAGE
 Charted Elevation:
 The distance from the focal plane of a
light to Mean High Water Springs
(MHWS)
 Vertical Clearance:
 The vertical distance from the
bridge/obstruction to Highest
Astronomical Tide (HAT)
 Structure Height:
 The distance from the top of the lights
structure to the ground on which it
stands
PLANNING STAGE
 We can use the Levels and Datums diagram to calculate
the following:
- Keel clearance over shoals
- Overhead structure clearance
PLANNING STAGE
To complete these calculations, we need to know a
combination of the following:
 Ship’s draught
 Ship’s masthead height
 Elevation of structure (referenced from HAT for clearance,
from MHWS for height)
 Charted Depth
 Height of water at time of calculation (e.g. Echo sounder
reading)
PLANNING STAGE
 Calculate tidal problems:
 Overhead structure clearance
 Keel clearance over shoals
 HOT
 Chart Datum (CD)
 Usually on or near Lowest Astronomical
Tide (LAT)
 Use tide levels and datums
diagram
 Datum used for overhead structures may
differ from MHWS.
PLANNING STAGE
Example 1: Entering Darwin Harbour at MHWN, a ship’s echo sounder gives the depth of
water to be 15.5m under the keel. The draught of the ship is 2.5m. What should the
charted depth be? PORT HAT MHWS MHWN MSL MLWN MLWS LAT
Darwin 8.1 7.0 5.1 4.2 3.3 1.4 0.0

MHWN

2.5m
5.1m Depth of water = 15.5+2.5
= 18.0m
Chart datum
Depth of Charted depth = 18.0 - 5.1
water = 12.9 m
15.5m
12.9m
 PLANNING STAGE
Example 2 : HMAS PARRAMATTA intends entering Brisbane Bar on 27 Jun 18 and passing under the Gateway
bridge at MHWN
(1.8m). The height of the bridge is 33.4m from HAT. Masthead height from the waterline is 32m. What is the
PORT clearance
masthead HAT MHWS MHWN MSL MLWN MLWS LAT
Brisbane under
when passing Bar 2.7 bridge.
the 2.2 1.8 1.3 0.8 0.4 0.0
HOT 1.8 M

Clearance?
33.4m
HAT Difference = 2.7m - 1.8m
34.3m 32m = 0.9m
? 0.9m
Waterline Bridge to = 33.4m + 0.9m
Waterline = 34.3m
1.8m
Chart datum
PLANNING STAGE
Get the Calculations Right!
PLANNING STAGE
Starboard / Port of Track
PLANNING STAGE
Using a headmark describe/determine whether you are PORT
or STBD of a track
1. Maintaining Transit

2. Maintaining Track by the Bearing of Single Mark – Method One

3. Maintaining Track by the Bearing of Single Mark – Method Two

4. Distance off Track from Headmark/Safe Water – Radian Rule

PLANNING STAGE
Maintaining Transit
PLANNING STAGE
Maintaining Track by the Bearing of Single Mark –
Method One
PLANNING STAGE
Maintaining Track by the Bearing of Single Mark –
Method Two
PLANNING STAGE
Distance off Track from Headmark/Safe Water – Radian
Rule

1 degree at 1 nm = 33 yards
PLANNING STAGE
Advance, Transfer and DNC
PLANNING STAGE
 Transfer
 Lateral distance moved at right angles to
original course
 First measurement usually plotted
 Advance
 Distance moved along original course to the
point where the ship steadies on her new
course
PLANNING STAGE
 Distance to New Course
(DNC)
 Distance along the original
course from the WO position
DNC
to the point of intersection
between the new and old
course
Little use in pilotage

Misleading for turns over 120

PLANNING STAGE
PLANNING STAGE
 Turning data of Advance, Transfer and DNC is located in the Nav Data Book
 Used to determine how a ship will turn for Wheelover, OOWMAN, MOB
 The turning data is calculated during first of class trials or as CO designates
PLANNING STAGE
Calculate a wheel over point using advance, transfer and DNC
information
PLANNING STAGE
Wheelover Bearings
(WOB)
 PLANNING STAGE
 Once Wheelover Point has been determined (using Adv, Tx and DNC), a visual point
must be determined as a Wheelover Bearing
 Theory:
 Once this visual point bears the calculated bearing, you will commence your wheel and will wheel over on
track
 To be accurate, WOB should:
 Visual marks should be chosen so that the WOB are as nearly parallel to new track as possible
Will ensure that if the vessel is ‘off track’, the WOB will bring the vessel on
track after wheelover
 Alternative WOB should be planned in case of:
One mark not easily identified

One mark not visible

PLANNING STAGE
PLANNING STAGE
Proximity to dangers
PLANNING STAGE
Constrictions
 Steady up on a course in plenty of time if track
has to pass through a constriction.
 Provides time to adjust to the planned track
on the correct heading
 Ship may fail to achieve this immediately on
altering course
 Most important if strong tidal stream (or
wind) is acting across the track.
PLANNING STAGE
The Sun
 Calculate bearings and altitude of the Sun
 Avoid tracks and ‘wheel over’ bearings which look directly into the Sun
PLANNING STAGE
Other Factors for Track Selection
 Night vision for bearings of unlit objects
 Course to Steer to counter tidal stream and leeway should be pre-
calculated (remember –1kn of cross stream roughly equates 5
deg throw off @ 10 Kn) – otherwise plot on chart
 Leeway effect – 20 Kn of wind produces leeway effect equal to 1 kn of
tidal stream
 Distance to Run – Mark every one mile for last 10 miles
 Every cable for last mile
 Mark every pilotage leg separately from w/o backwards
 Keep strict speed control by marking bubble time on track and arrival
gates
PLANNING STAGE
b. Selection of Marks

Identification of Marks
 Headmarks, Sternmarks, Wheel-
Over’, Clearing Marks and Fixing
marks should be well identified in
a pre-Planned way
– Shooting up to be planned
PLANNING STAGE
Headmark/Sternmark
PLANNING STAGE
Headmarks
 (Chimneys, flagstaffs, radio masts and even churches can cause confusion if there
are a number in close vicinity.)
 Flag staffs are frequently removed or repositioned; chimneys and radio masts
can change without notification.
 Avoid choosing objects which may no longer be visible because of changing
topography.
 Leading marks - two marks which, when kept in line, lead the ship clear of
dangers or along the best channel.
 often shown on a chart by a line drawn from them, called a leading line
 The leading line - full line where it is safe to use the marks, and dotted elsewhere.
(printed with names of the objects and the true bearing from seaward)
 A sensitive Transit -the ratio should be 1:3 or greater.
PLANNING STAGE
PLANNING STAGE
Edge of land
 vertical or nearly vertical edges of land -useful headmark
 If land edge is sloping, High water mark is to be used which is also the charted edge of land.
PLANNING STAGE
c. Planning for Course Alteration
 Calculate an accurate Wheel-Over position by plotting Transfer and Advance for each turn
 Make Allowance for any significant predicted Tidal Stream
 Planning a ‘count down’ to Wheel-Over
 When altering course –allow for turning circle so that ship correctly settles on the next
course
- Advance and transfer method or distance to new course (DNC).
PLANNING STAGE
PLANNING STAGE
SHIP’S TURNING DATA
PLANNING STAGE

G is the wheel over point

Ship will steady up at K
PLANNING STAGE
Wheel Over
 ‘wheel over’ bearing
– as parallel to the new track as possible.
– If not available, the headmark for the new track
– If known that 'ship on track’ a rapidly changing
‘wheel over’ bearing may precisely define the
turning point (cross check the bearing of the new headmark to
avoid under-shooting or over-
shooting)
 Always have an alternative ‘wheel over’ bearing available.
 In Practice, the next headmark is generally W/O Mark
PLANNING STAGE
The ‘wheel over’ bearing at point must be chosen with care to
ensure that the ship ends up on the required
PLANNING STAGE
Handbrake Turns (Twisting)
Putting the inboard engine astern during a hard turn (colloquially
referred to as a ‘Handbrake Turn’) normally reduces Transfer, but
has very little effect on Advance
PLANNING STAGE
d. Planning to Keep Clear of
Dangers
 Once the LDL has been created and the tracks
selected, Clearing Bearings should be plotted to ‘box
in’ the safe navigable water completely
 A Clearing Line (ie Clearing Bearing/Clearing Range)
is a line over which the Bridge (Pelorus Conning
position) of a vessel MUST NOT CROSS

- box in’ the safe navigable water

completely
PLANNING STAGE

• Normal Pilotage, where the width of the channel is not critical, it is usual to offset
Clearing Lines from the LDL by at least distance ‘ l ’ (ie Bridge-to-Stern / Bow distance -
whichever is greater) – allows for gyro error
• Narrow channels - a reduced offset of ½ l (or ¼ l ) may be used instead.
• As Sin 30/ = ½ and Sin 15/ = approximately ¼, these equate to a heading
offset of 30/ and 15/ respectively
PLANNING STAGE
Use of Echo Sounder
 Echo Sounder should be clearly marked with the depth to which
soundings are referenced
 Minimum Expected Depth
 Standard Echo Sounder Reports
 Use to Warn of Unexpected Danger
 Sounding as a Position Line or Clearing Line
PLANNING STAGE
e. Miscellaneous consideration in pilotage planning
Gyro Checks
 Gyro error should be established before starting Pilotage
 If the correction is applied in the wrong direction, it will double the
effect of the error
Shooting up
 The NO must always think ahead as to the next suitable object to use
for fixing, when navigating along the coast.
 The procedure to identify suitable marks is known as ‘Shooting up’.
 DR/EP, TRANSITS, BEARINGS
PLANNING STAGE
Use of Radar to Support Pilotage
 Position of buoys and confirming their abeam distance.
 Position in relation to tracks, safe water remaining and Wheel-Overs.
 Identifying beacons, buoys, ships, etc.
 Checking the distance of other ships in the vicinity.
 Identifying whether a planned anchorage position is clear of other
shipping.
 Identifying marks and other ships at anchor.
PLANNING STAGE
Point of No Return
 A point beyond which the ship becomes committed to the plan and
can no longer abort it to turn around or even anchor
 The width and complexity of the channel
 ship size and draught
 Tidal Stream
 Wind
 Ship maneuverability
 Availability of tugs
 Port regulations
PLANNING STAGE
Reserve
Anchorage for
emergency use

Plan for a reserve

anchorage in harbor
approaches to
anchor at short
notice.
PLANNING STAGE
Shift of Charge/Conn
 Clearly demarcated
 No ambiguity
 Early taking over to settle down and adapt to environmental
conditions
PLANNING STAGE
Traffic Monitoring Systems and VHF
Reporting
 Liaison with the port authorities
 Passing maneuvering intentions
 Instruction to tugs.
 Tugs/adjacent ships will usually be able to advise on the
local weather conditions at the berth, especially the wind
strength and direction, which may be quite different from
conditions outside the harbour
PLANNING STAGE
Shiphandling for coming alongside and casting-off
 Speed should be based on -
– Interaction effect
– Deceleration rate
– Response to astern power
Tugs
 How and where the tugs will be secured
 Tug rendezvous position
 Once tugs are secured, the ship’s speed must be slow
 Tug briefing on V/UHF R/T – By EX-O/CO
PLANNING STAGE
Ship handling Phase
 Navigating Officer to be fully prepared to handle the ship
– During the maneuver - watch ship’s movements
ahead or astern, and in azimuth, and should
ready with required ranges of objects.
– Appraise Captain about drift away from desired
COG
– Check Captain’s wheel and engine orders for
correctness.
– If he considers at any time that the ship is in
danger, never hesitate to say so.
PLANNING STAGE
SSD Timings and Check off List
 All associated actions with pilotage are to be managed in a
timely and coherent manner by NO
 Consider administrative and routine needs while planning
SSD etc.
III. CONFERRING (BRIEFING)
CONFERRING (BRIEFING)

The Pilotage NavPlan must be submitted to

the CO for ‘Command Approval’
The CO’s scrutiny of the detailed NavPlan and
workbook is an essential check that
contributes to the safe Conduct of the ship
CONFERRING (BRIEFING)

Entering/ Leaving Harbor

Briefing
 For all Head of Departments (HODs),
Captains of Tops, Key personnel,
Bridge/MCR/ etc.
 Keep it short simple and precise
 Detailed Pilotage briefing – in advance
CONFERRING (BRIEFING)
Navigation Officer (NO’s) Personal Equipment
 The NO should have necessary personal equipment in good time and ensure
it is in good working order.
 Equipment should include (but not be limited to):
– a shaded red torch for use at night
– Polaroid sunglasses
– Binoculars
– Stopwatch
– Pocket Calculator
– The completed NO’s Pilotage Notebook
CONFERRING (BRIEFING)

Briefing Content:
I. General Information
II. Bridge Piloting Organization
III. Charts and Publications
IV. Meteorological and Astronomical Data
V. Tidal Data
VI. Passage Overview
VII. Visual/Radar Fixing Marks
VIII. Pilotage Phase
IX. Ship Handling Phase
X. Miscellaneous
IV. EXECUTION/MONITORING
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Essential questions which the Navigator must be able to answer at all times:
 Is the ship on track?
 If not, where is the ship in relation to the track and what steps are being
taken to regain it?
 How close is the ship to danger?
 How far is it to the next alteration of course?
 Are the tidal streams and depths of water as predicted?
Questions?
EXECUTION/MONITORING (PILOTAGE AND BLIND PILOTAGE)

 Concept of Pilotage:
– keep the ship on track
– Wheel-Over onto the next leg so that the vessel steadies on new track
– If it is not possible to maintain track then the ship should be kept safe
by navigating
within its Clearing Bearings on each leg.
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Maintaining Track by Following a
Transit
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Maintaining Track by the Bearing of Single
Mark
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Maintaining Track by the Bearing of Single
Mark
 Headmark High. If the bearing of the Headmark
is HIGH, steer HIGHER.
 Headmark Low. If the bearing of the Headmark is
LOW, steer LOWER.
 Sternmark High. If the bearing of the Sternmark
is HIGH, steer LOW.
 Sternmark Low. If the bearing of the Sternmark
is LOW, steer HIGH.
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Altering Course
 Check Port/Starboard. Check new heading visually/chart/radar for
clearance
 Also check the appropriate quarter visually for anything overtaking from
that direction
 Swing on the Ship. Order ‘amidships’ prior to altering course.
 Smell the turn – by small degree alterations
 At wheel over order a plenty of rudder to break inertia and then ease as
required
 If wheel over is delayed too much-you might never recover
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Altering Course
 Wind and Shallow Water effect.
– Generally, ship’s going ahead turn better into the wind
– In shallow waters, Rudders lose efficiency, especially in deeper draught
vessels
– Thus, in shallow waters, turning out of the wind may be come
particularly difficult to achieve
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Check the Rudder and Engine Indicators
 Rudder angle indicators and shaft RPM indicators to be double
checked by NO/SSD OOW
 Order amidships or stop immediately if wrongly applied
EXECUTION/MONITORING
Other Important Procedures
 Positive identification of marks is an important task which must be given
due precedence in the NO’s workload.
 When altering course for shipping, the necessary action should be taken in
plenty of time. (COLREGS RULE 8)
 NEVER attempt, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, to pass too close upstream
of an anchored ship (ie across its bows); if possible, pass astern.
 If the anchored ship is blocking the channel, it may be necessary to take the
way off own ship and stop.
Buoys in Pilotage
 Use buoys but do not trust them implicitly. NEVER Fix with a Buoy
 Identification
 Repositioned buoys without advanced notice
 May have to pass on the wrong side of a buoy – if HOT permits and traffic situation
demands
Observation with a ‘Seaman’s Eye’
 Meticulous observation of everything around the vessel should be used to reinforce the
execution of the Navigation Plan;
 This is particularly important when assessing the actual effect of wind and Tidal Stream
Checks before Departure or Arrival
 Observe the situation in vicinity of the ship
 Walk down the jetty checking the catamarans, the positions of adjacent ships, etc.
 Note actual height of tide, strength and direction of the tidal stream and the wind , adjust
your plan accordingly
 While entering harbor, call up adjacent ships/Tug Masters/COY etc. to assess actual
situations
Miscellaneous considerations in Pilotage
 Take over in plenty of time, get settled early.
 Using one’s eyes –execute the plan by calculations and instruments but never neglect the
eye. Use the eye to reinforce the plan
 Making use of communications
 Make full use of communications to assist in the execution of the plan.
 Communications with the Port Authorities.
 Communications with the tugs, particularly to find out the conditions at the berth.
 Passing intentions to other shipping.
Actions to be taken when mistake took place
 It should be reported IMMEDIATELY.
 If in any doubt about the vessel’s immediate safety, consider taking way off altogether
using astern power
 Must always be scrupulously honest and never try to bluff out of an uncertain situation
 NO’s pride may be dented by admitting error, but that is better than denting the ship
EXECUTION OF VISUAL FIXING
 While noting bearings in workbook/ notebook
– Good idea to group bearing columns as per
use
– An ideal set of bearings for fix
1st Head on object
2nd object on bows
3rd beam on object
The W/O bearings can be written in
different color to highlight importance
SUMMARY OF PILOTAGE PLAN
Step # 1 - Demarcate Safe from Unsafe.
• Calculate LDL for time of pilotage
• Mark LDL on Chart
• Mark and Highlight all Dangers boldly
• Mark all visual/radar fixing objects
SUMMARY OF PILOTAGE PLAN
Step # 2 - Lay off tracks.
 Safest part of water (Anti grounding /collision)

Headmark (priority wise)

- Transits (ahead or astern)

- Single headmark or stern mark
- Fix and Run (Bearing/Range/HSA Lattices)
SUMMARY OF PILOTAGE PLAN
Step # 3 - Box Up Tracks
 Clearing Lines

- Clearing Marks
- Clearing Bearings
- Clearing Ranges
- Mention eyeball points
Abeam a buoy/beacon/jetty edge etc.
SUMMARY OF PILOTAGE PLAN
Step # 4 - Mark Wheel over points
Advance/Transfer ( correct for planned speed/rudder)

Join w/o to steadying point with intermediate points

Plan most suitable w/o bearings

SUMMARY OF PILOTAGE PLAN
Step # 5 - Mark DTR from respective W/o Points
 Plan suitable bearings for each DTR
- Group each side objects as per sequence of use (using different side objects – survey
errors!!)
- Sequence of objects – ahead/astern – bows/quarters –abeam
SUMMARY OF PILOTAGE PLAN
Step # 6 - Mark speeds and arrival gates
– ETA at berth –mark gates backward keeping actual speeds in mind

Step # 7 - Mark DTRs for miscellaneous actions

– Gyro checks
– Shooting up new objects
– Speed Reduction
– R/T Calls –to port control/Tugs etc.
Recap:

Voyage Planning Procedures

Appraisal Stage
Planning Stage
Conferring/Briefing
Execution/Monitoring