Maritime English

Ahli Nautika Tingkat II

Instructor:
Oktaviany Ekawanda K., S.S., M.Pd
Indicator:
Review voyage plan in all conditions between chief officer and
second officer
• Understanding the Principles of Passage Planning
• By Shilavadra Bhattacharjee | In: Marine Navigation

• Shipping cargo from one port to another involves coordinated working of several
operations of both land and ship staff. One of the most integral parts of a shipping
operations is the cargo or voyage planning, which is mainly undertaken by a
navigational officer of a ship.
• A passage plan is a comprehensive, berth to berth guide, developed and used by
a vessel’s bridge team to determine the most favourable route, to identify
potential problems or hazards along the route, and to adopt Bridge Management
Practices to ensure the vessel’s safe passage. SOLAS Chapter 5, Annexes 24 & 25
titled “Voyage Planning” and “Guidelines for voyage planning” respectively, give
specific regulatory information with regard to the passage plan.
• Passage planning includes a complete description of the ship’s passage which is
prepared by an experienced deck officer of the ship. This is done to ensure that
the ship sticks to the required routes for reaching the port of destination.
• Image Credits: Nachiketh Bhattathiri
• While making a passage plan, the officer must keep in mind that the ship must reach
the destination safe by abiding to both local and international rules and regulations.
• In this article, we will discuss the basic and essential stages of ship’s passage
planning.
• Ship Passage Planning – Essential Steps
• A ship’s passage planning involves 4 major steps/stages. They are as follows:
• 1.  Appraisal
• 2. Planning
• 3. Execution
• 4. Monitoring
• Each stage in the passage planning has its own importance and it is
extremely important to carry out each one of them with utmost care and up-
to-date seamanship to ensure a safe sail.
• In the start, a rough estimate is made of the whole sailing process. Once the
rough plan is ready, it is further tweaked and modified/refined considering
various details obtained from charts, pilot book, weather routing etc. These
processes are carried out throughout the appraisal and planning stages.
• In the next two stages i.e., execution and monitoring, the plan is used as a
guideline, and the sailing is executed taking into consideration various
factors, both observed and predicted.
• Each aspect of passage planning has been explained in detail below:
• Appraisal
• In this stage, the master of the ship discusses with the chief navigating
officer (usually the Second Mate), as to how he intends to sail to the
destination port. (In some cases it may be required for the master to plan
the passage). This is the process of gathering all information relevant to the
proposed passage, including ascertaining risks and assessing its critical
areas. This involves information extracted from publications as well as those
within the chart. The appraisal will include details from:
• Chart Catalogue
• Charts
• Ocean Passages of The World
• Routeing Charts
• Admiralty Sailing Directions
• Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals
• Admiralty List of Radio Signals
• Tide Tables
• Tidal Stream Atlas
• Notices to Mariners
• Admiralty Distance Tables
• Ships Routeing
• Navigational Warnings
• Mariner’s Handbook
• Load Line Chart
• Draft of Ship
• Owners and other sources
• Personal Experience
• Taking into consideration master’s guidelines, company’s guidelines, ship’s cargo, marine
environment, and all other factors that may affect the ship, the navigating officer draws upon a
general track, which the ship shall follow.
• For the ease of planning, this plan is first laid out on a small scale chart, which is later transferred to
larger scale charts, and then minor modifications are made as and when deemed necessary.
• Planning
• Having made a full appraisal using all information at hand
pertaining to the passage, the OOW, under the authority of the
Master is to prepare a detailed plan for the passage. In this stage,
the intended courses of the ships are actually laid out on the charts
of suitable scale and all additional information is marked. The plan
is laid out from pier to pier, including the pilotage waters.
• It is a good practice to mark dangerous areas such as nearby
wrecks, shallow water, reefs, small islands, emergency anchorage
positions, and any other information that might aid safe navigation.
• In addition to the above-mentioned things, is it advisable to layout the rate of turn for waypoints and laying
out of PI ranges for suitable objects, if any.
• Reporting areas should also be clearly marked on the charts. Elements of the Planning phase include:
• No-Go areas
• Margins of safety
• Charted Tracks
• Course alterations and wheel over points
• Parallel Indexing
• Aborts and Contingencies
• Clearing line and bearings
• Leading lines
• Tides and current
• Change in engine status
• Minimum UKC
• Use of Echo Sounder
• Head Mark
• Natural Transit
• Aborts: When approaching constrained waters, the vessel might be in a position beyond which there is no
possible action but to proceed. For example, the vessel enters an area so narrow that there is no room to
return. It is for this purpose that a position is drawn on the chart showing the last point wherein the passage
can be aborted.
• Contingencies: The bridge team must always be aware that the events might not go as planned and that
emergency action might be required. Contingency plans account for such situations, clearly shown on the
chart so that the OOW can take swift action in such a jam. Contingency planning will include alternative
routes, safe anchorages, waiting areas, emergency berths.
• Execution
• In this stage, the navigating officers execute the plan that has been prepared.
After departure, the speed is adjusted based on the ETA and the expected
weather and oceanographic conditions. The speed should be adjusted such that
the ship is not either too early or late at its port of destination. The Master should
find out how long his intended voyage is, accounting for water and fuel available.
Also to be taken into account are any expected weather changes along the way. In
case and ECDIS is being used, appropriate limits must be set with regard to the
safety settings.
• Monitoring
• Monitoring is that aspect which takes into account checking of the position of the
vessel, such that it remains within the safe distance from any danger areas.
Parallel Indexing can be used to maintain safe distance alongside any hazards to
navigation. A safe and successful voyage can only be achieved by close and
continuous monitoring of the ship’s progress along the pre-planned tracks.
Situations may arise wherein the navigating officer might feel it prudent to
deviate from the plan. In such case, he shall inform the master and take any
action that he may deem necessary for the safety of the ship and its crew. This
stage is a very important stage wherein all the deck officers contribute their part
to execute the plan. This calls for personal judgement, good seamanship and
experience.
• Activity 1
• Form a dialogue between C/O and 2/O
• Perform the dialogue in pairs

• Activity 2
• Answer these questions correctly.

• 1. What are the 4 stages of passage planning?

• 3. When should voyage planning be done?

• 4. How do you make an Ecdis passage plan?

• 5. What is the importance of chart Catalogue in voyage planning?

• 6. What is execution in passage planning?

• 7. What is ocean passages of the world?

• 8. What is appraisal in voyage planning?