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Rederiet Stenersen as
SOM 03-06
Approved: Revision 08 / 23.09.2022

Ship Management • Ship Operation Manual • 03 Bridge Procedures

06 Monitoring of voyage

Monitoring of voyage

Purpose
The ship's passage shall be monitored to ensure that it is executed in accordance with the passage plan as
checked and approved by the Master and as briefed to the Bridge Team.

Scope
This procedure covers individual and team responsibility in ensuring the safety of navigation.

Responsibility
Master is overall responsible for safe and effective voyage monitoring.
The Officer of the Watch (OOW) is the master’s representative and is responsible at all times for the safe
navigation of the ship, in full compliance with the Convention on the International Regulations for the Prevention of
Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).
The presence of the Master on the bridge does not relieve the OOW of responsibility for the watch. A decision by
the Master to assume responsibility for the watch shall be clearly advised to the OOW and other members of the
Bridge Team.
The OOW shall comply with the requirements of the SMS and the master’s standing and daily / night orders.

The primary duty of the OOW is to maintain a safe navigational watch at sea or at anchor, which will require
ensuring that:
Compliance with the Company's navigational policies and requirements.
Effective watch handovers
Management of the Bridge Team
Keeping a proper look-out
Familiarity with the bridge layout and equipment
Familiarity with bridge procedures
Maintaining situational awareness
Surveillance of the ship & monitoring alarms and responding to alarms
Execution of the passage plan and recording of bridge activities
Navigation and control of the vessel
Collision avoidance
GMDSS watchkeeping.
Compliance with environmental requirements
Monitoring the performance of navigational equipment
Management of emergency situations
Security awareness.
01 Bridge watch duties
01.1 Effective Watch Handover
An effective watch handover shall occur, ensuring all relevant information is exchanged between the oncoming and
off-going Bridge Team members (Checklist BPC 08).

01.02 Managing the Bridge Watch

The OOW is in charge of the bridge team until properly relieved, in compliance with the SMS and Master’s
standing orders. This responsibility extends to ensuring that bridge watch manning levels are always kept at a safe
level for the existing circumstances and conditions. An OOW should always be on watch on the bridge at sea or at
anchor.
All bridge team members, including look-outs and any helmsman, should be fit for duty.
01.3 Maintaining a proper look-out
Maintaining an effective lookout is essential to the safe navigation of the ship. The OOW should ensure that a
proper look-out by sight and hearing, as well as by all other available means, is always maintained. No other
activity or duties should be allowed to interfere with this. While steering, a helmsman shall not be considered to be
the look-out.
The OOW, supported by other members of the bridge team, shall:
• Make a full appraisal of the risk of collision with other vessels;
• Identify navigational hazards, e.g., wrecks, floating objects, ice, and uncharted hazards;
• Determine the risk of grounding or stranding;
• Detect and respond as appropriate to any significant change in the weather, visibility or sea state;
• Identify aids to navigation, including buoys and lights;
• Respond to persons, ships, or aircraft in distress; and
• Identify threats to security, especially in areas with a known risk of piracy or armed robbery.
On ships with fully enclosed bridges, sound reception equipment shall be continuously in operation and correctly
adjusted to ensure that it operates effectively. The Master’s standing orders shall address the need to maintain
situational awareness, particularly when the characteristics of individual ship’s bridges could isolate the bridge
team from the outside environment.
During the hours of darkness, it is essential that the bridge team has adequate night vision to
maintain a proper lookout.
Note: Lighting used in the bridge and adjacent areas shall be of low intensity and colored red. Light
from bridge equipment can impair night vision and should be controlled by using appropriate
display settings. The use of blackout curtains will help to control light levels when it is not
otherwise possible to exclude it.
The use of deck lighting during the hours of darkness shall be carefully considered to avoid
adversely affecting night vision, even if the lighting only affects a restricted sector of the
horizon.

01.4 Sole look-out

Under the STCW Code, the OOW may be the sole lookout in daylight in certain circumstances when the Master
has decided that it is safe to do so. In making this decision, the Master shall consider certain factors such as
weather conditions, visibility, traffic density, and the proximity of dangers to navigation.
The OOW knows who will provide backup assistance, in what circumstances back-up should be called, and how to
call it quickly. The backup personnel is aware of required response times and any limitations on their movements,
and they can hear and respond to alarms or communication calls from the bridge.
01.5 Bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS)
The bridge navigational watch alarm system shall be in operation whenever the ship is underway at sea.
The BNWAS should be operational whenever the ship’s heading or control system is engaged (whenever
underway)
The BNWAS should also be operational when the vessel is at anchor.
The OOW should ensure that the BNWAS is operational and set correctly, in line with the SMS and the
Master’s standing orders.

01.6 Calling the Master

If there is any doubt about the safety of the ship or whenever there is any uncertainty, the OOW shall immediately
call the Master.

01.7 Familiarity with bridge layout and equipment

The OOW should know the bridge layout and be familiar with the operation of all bridge equipment so that the ship
can be safely navigated. The OOW shall:
Understand the status, capabilities, and limitations of all bridge equipment and its effective operation;
Recognize and understand how to respond correctly to alarms and warnings; and
Understand the status of the ship’s engines and other appropriate machinery and any restrictions or
limitations on maneuverability.
01.8 Situational awareness
Situational awareness means appreciating what is happening around the ship. This includes knowing where the
ship is, where it is planned to be, and whether any other vessel, event or conditions developing nearby could risk
the ship’s safety.
Situational awareness depends on:
• The bridge team’s ability to use information effectively to assess a situation accurately;
• The bridge team’s experience; and
• The absence of distractions.
Good situational awareness is essential for safe navigation and protecting the environment.
The OOW should develop and maintain situational awareness of the area around the ship, the ship’s activities,
and the possible impact of external influences on the ship’s safety. This will include awareness of requirements to
protect marine wildlife and environmentally sensitive sea areas.
Situational awareness on the bridge will be aided by:
• A clear understanding of the passage plan;
• An effectively managed bridge team;
• A proper and continuous look-out by all available means;
• Familiarity with and understanding of bridge equipment and the information available from radar, AIS, ARPA and
ECDIS;
• Using look-outs, ECDIS, radar and visual monitoring techniques to confirm the navigational safety of the ship;
• Continuous monitoring of the ship’s position and proximity to navigational hazards by all means available;
• Using look-outs, radar, and ARPA to monitor traffic; and
• Cross-checking information from different sources.
Caution: Over-reliance on individual electronic systems for developing and maintaining situational
awareness should be avoided.
The officer of the watch must avoid overreliance on ECDIS display of position alone to confirm
where the vessel is in relation to the leg. Manual position checks should be applied at
prescribed intervals using alternative means.
All ECDIS alarms must be investigated immediately, and actions to keep the vessel in safe
waters must be applied when necessary.

02 Voyage monitoring
02.1 Position Verification Intervals
ECDIS plots position every minute and is stored on ECDIS for unlimited time. Position verification methods include
one or any combination as follows:
Distance to Position
Navigation waters Position Verification method
shore Frequency
- Radar Overlay on
- Dilution of Precision (DOP)
checking
More than 12 - Visual or radar observation of fixed Once every
Open waters objects like platforms or offshore rigs. watch
NM
Fixed object position has to be
verified during passage planning to
ensure that it may be used as a
reference
- Visual observations, LOP (Line of
Position)
Less than 12 - Radar observations At least every
Coastal waters
NM hour
-Parallel Index
- Radar overlay
Parallel index or distance and bearing
Confined Less than 3
to nearest land or fixed navigation 20 min
Waters/Pilotage NM
mark

Note: Whichever of the above methods the OOW may choose to verify the ship’s position, it is
necessary to mark the verification on the ENC.

02.2 Visual observations (LOP)

The identity of the visual object should be positively confirmed by reference to the chart detail and (in the case of
lights) the details shown in the List of Lights. Position verification by visual bearing has to at least be done by two
separate observations. To get better accuracy of position fix three separate observations are recommended. The
bearing is plotted on ECDIS by using LOP function.
02.3 Radar ranges and bearings using variable range markers(VRM and EBL)
The nearest land or fixed navigation mark will generally give the most accurate distance. For this reason, the
opportunity should always be taken to fix the ship’s position when passing abeam of points of land, and radar-
conspicuous navigation marks. Radar bearings are much less accurate than visual bearings. This is particularly
true when taking bearings of the ends of land masses towards the bow and stern. Whilst still present, possible
error is less critical when taking bearings of objects towards the beam.
02.4 Parallel indexing on radar
Parallel indexing is a technique for assessing the distance at which the ship will pass a fixed object (such as
headland) on a particular course.
This technique requires an index line to be drawn parallel to the planned ground track that touches the edge of a
radar echo of a fixed object at a range equal to the desired passing distance.
This technique can be used in both relative motion and sea-stabilized true motion. In relative motion, the static
object will move along the parallel index line in a direction and at a speed reciprocal to that of the ship`s ground
track. In sea-stabilized true motion, the VRM will move along the parallel index as the ship moves towards the static
object.
Racon objects are very good for positioning parallel index lines.
Floating objects should be avoided from being used for parallel indexing purposes unless they have first been
checked for correct position verification.

02.5 Parallel indexing and Radar Image Overlay (RIO)

Parallel indexing and RIO are quick and effective ways to monitor the vessel`s position relative to the planned
route in coastal and pilotage waters. RIO is beneficial when cross-checking GNSS positions because any
misalignment between the radar image on ECDIS and the charted coastline on ECDIS can give an early indication
of position accuracy.

02.6 ARPA, Radar Image Overlay & AIS

Radar pictures can be displayed on top of the electronic chart. The use of this function is encouraged as it can
facilitate the identification of targets and coastlines. Although very useful, radar overlay does not substitute the
need for operating at least one radar at all times while at sea, and it is not replacing proper position fixing methods.
Radar and AIS overlays are features that aid situational awareness. However, using these features may lead to
error-enforcing conditions that navigators should be aware of. Inherent errors related to radar such
as horizontal beam width distortion, heading deflection, improper acquisition of shorelines caused by the nature of
the coastline, or environmental conditions could limit the use of radar overlay on ECDIS.
Radar overlays shall not be kept on continuously as they can over-clutter the ECDIS monitor, obscure critical ENC
information, and sometimes slow down the ECDIS refresh rate.
OOW shall use radar and ARPA to assess the collision risk and avoid actions.
AIS information overlaid on ECDIS shall be used as an identification tool, not a collision avoidance tool. AIS
information is not always accurate or complete because other vessels might switch off AIS or transmit inaccurate
AIS data.

02.7 Navigation warnings

When the vessel is at sea, the OOW shall continuously check the messages received on the Navtex receiver.
Navigational warnings concerning the planned voyage track shall be reviewed immediately upon receipt. The
warning notice should be marked on ECDIS and must be acknowledged and signed by every OOW by “adding the
note” in the system. The info must be handed over to the next watch. Weather forecasts shall be checked and
made ready for the Master. When the vessel is at the port, the Navigation officer shall check the messages
received on a daily basis.
The Master shall be immediately notified of any Navtex Distress messages received for the present
operating area.
All the passages related to NAVAREA, EGC, and other safety-related info must be plotted on the ECDIS, Master
and relieving OOW must be informed accordingly.

03 ECDIS
03.1 ECDIS Inputs
All NMEA and data inputs to the ECDIS system must be well known and monitored by the duty navigation officers,
enabling to respond to any equipment failure & limitation.
Unlike the paper chart, ECDIS is a highly sophisticated system that, besides the navigational functions, includes
components of a complex, computer-based information system.
In total, the system includes hardware, operating system, ECDIS software, sensor input interfacing, electronic chart
data, rules for presentation and display, status and parameters of alarms and indications, etc.
All these items are accessed through an appropriate human-machine interface. As such, care must be taken when
also navigating with ECDIS to avoid;
False operation
Misinterpretation
Malfunction or, even worse,
Over-reliance on this highly-automated navigation system
03.2 Means of position control:
Primary and secondary can be selected. Primary and secondary can be displayed simultaneously on the chart
display.
If the primary position fixing system falls out, the system automatically uses secondary.
If both positioning systems drop out, a changeover to dead reckoning is executed. (Input data from log and gyro
are used when available, if not, data must be entered manually).

03.3 GPS Data

It should be noted that if the Dilution of Position (DOP) value is set to high, the unit may accept only a very
accurate position, and if such an accuracy cannot be validated, the unit will change over to a Dead
Reckoning (DR) mode, consequently, the correct manufacturers recommended Horizontal Dilution of Position
(HDOP) value shall be posted next to the GPS, and the correct setting shall be regularly checked. When a position
fix is taken from a GPS unit, positive verification shall be done checking the unit is not giving a DR position.
The interface between GPS and other navigational equipment shall be regularly checked during a watch.
In case of malfunction of any input sensors to the ECDIS, Master must be informed immediately and
actions initiated as per following procedures:
Loss of position sensor, see in the attachments
Decision-making flowchart, see in the attachments

03.4 Position Datum:

The ECDIS/ECS datum must be set to the same datum as the GPS receiver - WGS 84.
The ship's position will be incorrectly displayed if the datum is different.

03.5 Monitoring & Alarm response:

All alarms should be immediately investigated, and corrective actions must be initiated. If dropouts or failures
cannot be corrected during the voyage, backup solutions should be used to end the voyage safely.
Corrective / Preventive action must be initiated accordingly to company procedures – without delay.
The navigation officers shall be drilled and simulate dropout of NMEA’s as a part of the maintenance of
navigational equipment

03.6 Alarms prohibited from being switched off:

Echo Sounder Shallow water alarm: the alarm should be set to an appropriate safe depth; this shall be set
as the formula used 1.5 x minimum UKC + Trim
Anti-grounding function: Enter settings for the vessel's safety sector/guard zone (time and sector width) –
Settings shall be approved by the master.
Dangerous CPA: Enter time and distance for the closest point of approach, enabling alarms to critical CPA
situations – Settings shall be approved by the master.
Company minimum recommendations:
Area CPA TCPA
Open waters 1.0 NM 15 min
Coastal waters 0.5 NM 15 min
Confine waters/pilotage Masters discretion

When CPA is less than 1.0 NM, and TCPA is at least 15 min, the Master shall be notified. When CPA of less than
0.5 NM and TCPA is 15 min, the Master shall be present on the Bridge. This requirement is not meant to apply
inside ports/ rivers/ estuaries, where the vessels may be required to maneuver at close quarters under Pilotage
and at reduced speed.
The above 0.5 NM may be reduced further if required by other constraints such as the width of navigable waters/
TSS etc., but careful consideration shall be given to other actions, such as altering speed, etc., to avoid such a
situation. In any case, if a reduction in CPA below 0.5 NM is unavoidable, the Master shall be notified and be
present on the Bridge until the other vessel is finally clear

04 Special circumstances

04.1 Bridge Team Meeting.

Before entering confined waters or a standby condition, the bridge team shall conduct a Bridge Team Meeting to
identify hazards and specific duties and to agree on safety precautions and actions required. A record of the
meeting shall be done in the deck logbook.
Stand by Conditions.
Reasons for stand-by conditions may include but are not limited to:
Deteriorating visibility
operational status of main or other machinery
Traffic density changes
malfunction of critical equipment or any other development that might impact the safe operation of the vessel
Plans for stand-by conditions shall be discussed, documented, and shared with all personnel onboard as
necessary. Experience from previous visits to the port or area should be evaluated.
If any deviation/departure from the stand-by plan is required, the Master shall be informed immediately and the
plan re-assessed.
The vessel shall be placed on standby if the Master considers that the vessel's safety, security, or maneuverability
may be compromised. The standby position shall be clearly noted on the ECDIS chart, the engine room shall
inform the bridge verbally that the vessel is ready for standby, and the time of standby conditions shall be recorded
in the deck & engine logbook.
Main & auxiliary machinery shall always be in a ready, online, and available power mode configuration that always
maintains ready availability. The power management system shall be configured so that redundancy is
maintained.

04.2 Navigation in coastal or restricted waters (Including TSS).

Costal or Restricted Waters include but are not limited to times when land or a navigational hazard is within 12nm,
and also includes navigation in and surrounding Traffic Separation Schemes. Navigation in and around Traffic
Separation Schemes (TSS) must be in accordance with COLREG 10*. Navigation should be carried out on a chart
of appropriate scale.
The Master’s Standing Orders and the orders in Night Order Book must be strictly followed.
The OOW should be familiar with the ship’s draught and safe speed as calculated in the UKC calculations
Watch levels should be strictly observed as per chapter BRM.
During navigation in coastal or restricted waters, including coastal TSS, there shall be sufficient power available
on the main switch board to prevent black-out in case of unexpected equipment failure or if high consumers are
connected to the switch board or started due to auto start sequences etc. OOW on the bridge to inform EOW when
to arrange extra power and when to disconnect. (Need for stand by engineer to be evaluated in the special cases
only).

04.3 Navigation in rough weather

When heavy weather is forecast or the barometer trend indicates a significant worsening of weather conditions,
the OOW shall call the Master, advise the duty engineer and mobilize the crew to:
Check all lashings and secure movable parts – especially large and heavy items.
Close ventilation intakes on forecastle and decks
Check closing mechanism / cementing of chain locker pipes.
Shut all weather doors
Secure mooring ropes
Rig safety lines/hand ropes where necessary.
When bad weather is encountered, it may be necessary to adjust speed and/or course to alleviate the motion and
to avoid damages. In such a cases course changes and speed adjustments shall always be referred to the
Master’s standing and night orders.
In the cases, if crew to be present on the deck for any safety reasons:
Bridge Watch Officer should be briefed on the operation
The bridge must be informed by radio when the party goes on deck, at agreed intervals throughout the work
and when all members are again off the deck.
Lifelines must be rigged preferably before weather sea conditions make such rigging dangerous.
All work carried out is to be closely and continuously monitored by a responsible officer, and all preparations /
and work done are to be logged in the deck log book.

04.4 Navigation under restricted visibility

04.4.1 Restricted visibility is any condition in which visibility is restricted by fog, mist, falling snow, heavy
rainstorm, sandstorm, or other similar causes (COLREG). Any visibility less than 3 n.m. should be considered
restricted.
04.4.2 Immediate actions when restricted visibility occurs:
Applicable restricted visibility checklist
Call the Master and notwithstanding, take any prudent decisions necessary regarding speed reductions,
alteration of course, etc. to prevent damage to personnel, ship, cargo, and environment:
Refer to watch the level in bridge procedures 02 "bridge resource management"
Adjust both radars adequately in order to detect small objects and use different ranges on both radars (short,
medium)
Start automatic fog signal as per COLREGs
Check that the sound reception facility is in the "on" position
Advise engine room (engine to be ready for immediate maneuvering)
Safe speed (ref. COLREG Rule 6)
Verify communications equipment (VHF watch on Ch.16 & VHF/ MF DSC on)
Check navigation lights
Monitor ships position and Echo Sounder (if in shallow waters)
If there is any doubt about the ship's position, the possibility of anchoring is to be evaluated.
During navigation under restricted visibility, the need for extra power available on the main switchboard to
prevent black-out shall be evaluated.

04.5 Unattended Engine Room

The Duty engineer must notify the bridge when he transfers the engine alarm responsibility to or from the bridge.
The change from manned to unmanned machinery space and vice versa shall be recorded in the logbook.
Before the transfer can take place, the following must be clarified:
Traffic and weather conditions permit unattended engine room.
That the propulsion is in the “Bridge Control” position.
That the fire alarm is on and all circuits connected.
Function tests are made for the alarm panel.
When the Duty engineer is assigned, light and sound signals will be activated until the switch is put in position
“Bridge Responsibility”.
Entry in the log book:
Time when unattended period commenced.
Time of alarms.
Times and ID of any person entering or leaving the engine room during the UMS period to carry out routine
checks
Time when the unattended period was finished.
04.6 Engine room Alarm condition.
When an alarm is activated in the engine room, alarm lights will flash, and horns will sound on the bridge. (The
horn may be silenced). The flashing light will change to a steady light when the alarm is acknowledged from the
Duty Engineer’s cabin. The steady light goes off when the alarm is acknowledged in the engine room.
If the alarm condition is not acknowledged in the engine room within 3 minutes, the duty officer on the bridge must
inform the Chief Engineer.
In case of a fire alarm from the engine room, the Duty Engineer must be informed immediately which circuit has
been activated. During operation with an unattended engine room, the Duty Officer on the bridge must ascertain
that the Duty Engineer is informed of the alarm condition without delay. For this reason, the Duty Engineer shall
always inform the Duty Officer of his whereabouts.
05 Reporting At Sea
According to daily report.
Changes and updates of the voyage:
- If there is any change in destination vessel should immediately, without delay, report to the company the new
destination, the position where the route towards the new destination started, and the new ETA.
- If any of the above-mentioned information is also sent to the charter, agents, etc, it is not necessary to send a
separate report to the Company. It is enough that the Company is copied in on this information.
- Ice navigation. If vessel is forcing ice or delayed due to ice conditions and the above-mentioned information is
sent to the charter, agents, etc., it is not necessary to send separate report to the Company. It is enough that the
Company is copied in on this information.
▇ ▇ Completed ▇ ▇

No references

Exported by: Bridge Baltic/VSLBaltic @ 2023-07-16T17:35:38.127+02:00