Terrestrial and Celestial Navigation (TCN) - CM - I

Coastal Navigation

Planning a Passage Between Two Ports

Passage planning from Kolkata to Vizag (Example)

Vessel M.V. Raj at Berth No. 6 NSD drawing a draft of 6.5 m and has to reach Vizag Inner Harbour at berth No. WQ 5 

The Navigating Officer must provide the Master the following:

1. Sea Speed distance or details of open sea passage to next port
2. Distance of Harbour motoring  or distance to be traversed at reduced speed.
3. Fuel, disel, fresh water  and Lub oil on board.
4. ETA to Vizag at normal average speed.
5. Requisitions for Charts, harbor plans, nautical publications if required.

Appraisal

• Admiralty chart catalogue to be consulted to take out small scale chart, large scale charts, harbor plans and sailing directions for the voyage
• Latest cumulative notice is checked to find out if the charts are latest
• Latest quarterly, Weekly notices to Mariners or Cumulative notices are also checked to ensure that all admiralty publications including supplements are relevant and up to date.
• The voyage charts and connected publications are then corrected to the latest weekly “notices to Mariners” on board.
• Relevant Admiralty list of lights are looked into  to k now more details regarding position, characteristics of any Light or construction of any Lighthouse. 
• From admiralty sailing directions the following can also be obtained:

1. Information regarding waters close to shore and underwater dangers
2. The climatic condition of the destination port and meteorological information of the passage from Sandheads to Vizag 
3. Information regarding approaches and anchorages and important ports along the voyage routes
4. Information regarding shelter anchorages and important ports along the route.
5. Information regarding tidal streams.
6. From ALRS Vol 2 get the Navaids along the route and from ALRS Vol 6 obtain port, health  and pilot information.
7. Similarly Guide to Port  Entry and routeing chart for the current month to be studied thoroughly

Planning

Subsequent to the appraisal planning commences. Planning is done on chart and bridge note book

• Take out the smallest scale chart showing both the departure and arrival ports.  Draw the course in order to have a rough idea of the course. 
• Now take out the largest scale chart of the departure port and in this case it will be the approach area to Eastern Channel Light at Sandheads. Plot the initial position about 0.5 miles off the Light vessel and then draw the track to Vizag pilot station.
• Highlight the danger areas, showing areas dangerous for vessel on either side of the course. Safety margin lines on either side of the course line is drawn to make safe water band for the vessel,.
• Sometimes approaches and departure courses are along transit bearing lines.  
• Once the courses are decided, the alteration point need to be placed. The following points should be remembered in selecting an alteration point:

1. Floating points buoys etc cannot be relied upon for alteration of course.
2. Beam bearing of light is preferred as alteration point.
3. Depth contours perpendicular to the course may be used as a cross checking the position of the vessel.
4. 2 RACONS or 2 suitable conspicuous points of land with suitable angular separation (close to 90 deg) may be used for position fixing. 
5. Courses are marked close to the course line. While marking, it must be remembered that important navigational information must not be obscured.

• The voyage charts are then arranged sequentially. 
• Once the charts are marked with information, a brief summary of the voyage is to be written in Bridge Note Book

The Planning can be done in this type of format.

Execution & Monitoring

The Voyage from Kolkata NSD to Vizag will commence with the Pilot entering the wheelhouse for departure NSD. A Master- Pilot exchange of information must take place prior to commencement of unberthing and pilotage. Again towards the end of the voyage arrival port Pilot will board at Vizag Pilot Station to berth the vessel. Normally the following are discussed in case of Master-Pilot exchange

1. Currents
2. Conditions of wharves
3. Any amendment regarding harbor lights, Local depths, insertion or deletion of wrecks.
4. Peculiar manoeuvre if any
5. Any deviation required in the passage plan
6. Maintaining watch of VHF channels.
7. Use of tugs
8. Readiness of anchors for emergency or manoeuvering
9. Manning the forward station throughout the pilot waters,

Master then informs the OOD accordingly so that the Pilotage is conducted smoothly.

All OOD's during execution of voyage should strictly follow the Plan. They should also consider the reliability of all equipment while executing the plan. All the courses that are laid on charts by Navigating Officer must be actually checked. A watch keeper may find mistakes or may need to alter to some different course due to some reason. In such cases watch keeper must call the Master prior to carrying out such amendment.

In this example the Pilot departs at Sagar Roads and under the guidance of VTMS the vessel proceeds to Eastern Channel Light vessel at Sandheads. From Sandheads vessel will proceed directly to Vizag Pilot Station. The Vizag pilot pilots finally guide the vessel to required berth.