Question 1

Your examiner asks: "Is ECDIS mandatory on your vessel, and what chart data standard must it use?" Give the SOLAS requirement and ECDIS approval standard.

Accepted Answer

ECDIS is mandatory under SOLAS V Reg 19 for new cargo ships 500 GT+ on international voyages (phased in from 2012-2018 by ship type and size). It must use ENCs conforming to IHO S-57 standard, supplied by an authorised data distributor. The ECDIS unit must be type-approved to IEC 62288/62846 and IMO performance standards MSC.232(82). Paper chart backup or a second ECDIS is required as a contingency. SOLAS V Reg 19 mandatory ECDIS carriage phase-in: passenger ships 500 GT+ from 2012; tankers 3000 GT+ from 2012; cargo ships 10000 GT+ from 2013; cargo ships 3000-10000 GT from 2014; cargo ships 500-3000 GT from 2018. ENCs must meet IHO S-57 (transfer standard) and S-52 (presentation) — supplied by UKHO, NOAA or other authorised HOs. Raster charts (ARCS) are NOT approved for SOLAS ECDIS carriage — ENCs only. The type-approval standard is IMO Res. MSC.232(82). ECDIS without type-approved ENCs is legally equivalent to NOT carrying approved charts. Paper chart back-up is required unless a second independent ECDIS is carried. Candidates must know the difference between RNC (raster) and ENC (vector) and why ENCs are required.

Question 2

Your examiner asks: "What does SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 34 require regarding passage planning, and what are the four stages of passage planning?" Give a complete OOW answer.

Accepted Answer

SOLAS V Reg 34 requires that before proceeding to sea, the master shall ensure that the intended voyage has been planned using adequate and up-to-date charts and nautical publications. The four stages are: APPRAISAL (gather all relevant information); PLANNING (lay the plan on charts from berth to berth); EXECUTION (monitor progress against the plan); MONITORING (cross-check position continuously throughout the voyage). SOLAS V Reg 34 (Voyage planning) requires passage planning for ALL voyages — there is no distance threshold. IMO Res. A.893(21) "Guidelines for Voyage Planning" expands on the four stages. APPRAISAL: collect charts, publications, NOTAMs, weather, port information, draft restrictions, tidal windows. PLANNING: no-go areas, waypoints, abort points, contingency anchorages, speed profiles. EXECUTION: confirm plan implemented at departure and each watch handover. MONITORING: continuous position fixing, comparison with plan, CPA checks on all traffic. "Berth to berth" is the key phrase — the plan must cover the vessel from the departure berth to the arrival berth, including port approaches.

Question 3

During passage appraisal, you identify a shoal with 6.5m charted depth on your route. Your vessel drafts 7.2m. Describe how you would handle this in the passage plan.

Accepted Answer

The shoal is a no-go area. You would draw a no-go zone on the chart with a safety margin added for squat, wave response, tidal variation, and chart accuracy. A clearing bearing or limiting danger line would be drawn to keep the vessel safely clear. The passage plan waypoints must route the vessel outside this zone. The abort point where you could no longer safely turn back or divert must also be marked. A charted depth of 6.5m with a draft of 7.2m means zero underkeel clearance — the area is a no-go zone regardless of tidal height. Tidal heights add water but introduce uncertainty (sounding datum, tidal prediction errors, storm surge/set-down). The safety margin for no-go areas must account for: squat (speed-induced sinkage); heel; tidal prediction error; chart datum uncertainty; wave response; and sea state. A clearing bearing is a compass bearing drawn on the chart: as long as the bearing to a landmark or buoy is greater/less than the charted value, the vessel is safe. Limiting danger lines run parallel to the track at the minimum safe passing distance from the hazard. Both are standard passage planning tools examined at OOW level.