What are Passage Plan Final Check Points?

Written by Amit Sharma
  • Check on chart that the ground track is clear of hazards
  • Make use of all marks to help you with your navigation, use churches, lighthouses, radio masts and headlands.
  • Try to keep clear of traffic lanes.
  • Annotate the chart with the courses and distances. Later on you will have to work out the correct course to steer for each leg.
  • Think tides and the need to adjust for BST Work out the range of tide for the day so that you can quickly interpolate tidal strengths.
  • Mark up the tidal graph for a local port so that you can quickly reduce to soundings a tidal height or depth.
  • Draw up a list of way points and enter them into the GPS.

Checklist for Passage Planning

APPRAISAL:
1 All available charts for passage arranged.
2 Requisition sent for charts / pubs , approach charts for bunker/refuge ports enroute
3 Passage charts checked all corrected to date.
4 Sailing directions and supplements and corrections to sailing directions checked.
5 Light lists all corrected to date and onboard for areas of voyage.
6 ALRS’ all onboard and corrected to date.
7 Tide tables and Tidal Currents for route checked and relavant data collected for ready reference
8 Routing charts checked for guidelines on current and winds for the relevant period
9 Temporary and Preliminary notices checked.
10 Ocean Passages of the World,  checked for passage.
11 Draught calculated for the various stages of the passage.
12 Dynamic UKC during passage verified ( inside 30 mtrs contour / Canal / narrow passages )
13 Navigation marks and lights checked.Radar conspicuous points and coast lines checked.
14 Navigational warnings on Navtex as well as long range NAVAREA warnings
15 Weather reports taken, fax charts taken and weather routing done.
16 Latest US port advisory for list of countries rasining of Security level checked?
17 High Risk Area- Notification to P&I / MSCHOA/UKMTO  checked?
18 Precaution/Procedure as per Latesr Best management practicses checked?
19 LSFO requirement for the passage discussed with the Chief engineer ?
20 Requirements for the passage advised by Chief Engineer ( Fuel / Lube/Chemicals/ FW / consumables)
21 If ECDIS fitted on board, Additional Checklist for ECDIS to be filled for passage plan
PLANNING :
  Passage plan format must contain all the following elements.
1 Largest scale charts being used.  Charts corrected upto latest NM received from digitrace
2 Co’s to be marked on charts in 360 degree notation,  and checked against actual Co.
3 Distances between WPs marked. DTG and “waypoint co-ordinates” are marked at each waypoint.
4 Passage plan is prepared berth to berth
5 Waypoints entered into all electronic navigation equipment/ ETA for each way point to be calculated
6 Abort Point are to be marked on Narrow Passage/ Approach charts
7 Hazards, no-go and dangerous areas to be marked on charts including harbour charts /pilotage waters
8 Cross track error margins to be indicated,  as applicable,  on charts.
9 Bearing and distance from alteration points marked.
10 Radar conspicuous objects, coastline radar objects / shapes, indicated on charts.
11 Passage plan to have ETA to WP and place to record actual passing of WP ( during execution)
12 Danger clearing bearings and distances indicated on charts.
13 Parallel indexing distances to be indicated.
14 Safe and practical speeds for each stage of passage to be decided by Master
15 Areas where restricted visibility may be expected, and additional lookout  required are identified
16 Areas where traffic may be heavy or converging /crossing to be indicated.
17 Minimum under keel clearance for each stage to be more than 30 CM after allowing Squat.
18 MARPOL regulations incorporated in Passage plan in relation to Annex 1 , V and VI
19 Contingency Anchorages to  be identified  on approach chart / vicinity of narrow Passages
20 Strength of navigational watch to be decided for the various stages of the plan.
21 Position fixing frequency to be decided for various stages of passage & included in plan.
22 Tides/ currents written on chart for the narrow passage / ports ?
23 Passage Plan to be Signed by Master / Chief Engineer/All Navigating officers/  cadets.

 

About the author

Amit Sharma

Graduated from M.E.R.I. Mumbai (Mumbai University), After a brief sailing founded this website with the idea to bring the maritime education online which must be free and available for all at all times and to find basic solutions that are of extreme importance to a seafarer by our innovative ideas.

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