Question 1

You are planning the pilotage section for a call at the Port of Rotterdam (EuroPoort). What specific elements does the passage plan include for the pilotage section?

Accepted Answer

ROTTERDAM PILOTAGE SECTION — PASSAGE PLAN ELEMENTS: PILOTAGE IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO STOP PLANNING: the passage plan covers the pilotage section in detail because: (a) SOLAS V/34 requires berth-to-berth planning; (b) The master retains overriding authority even with pilot on board; (c) The master must be able to intervene if the pilot makes an error. THE PILOTAGE PLAN ELEMENTS: (1) PILOT BOARDING POSITION: Rotterdam/EuroPoort — pilot boards at the Maas approach at approximately 51°52'N, 3°51'E. Check current pilot boarding arrangements (may vary by season, traffic, vessel size). VHF contact with Rotterdam Vessel Traffic Service on VHF Ch 01 (Maas Approach); (2) VESSEL SPEED AND MANOEUVRING CHECKS: before pilot boarding — steering gear test, engine checks, anchor readiness, echo sounder on. Record in log; (3) VTS NOTIFICATIONS: Rotterdam Port Authority VTS (VHF 11, 12, 13 depending on area of the port). Advance notification requirements — Rotterdam typically requires 1 hour advance notice of pilotage commencement; (4) UKC IN WATERWAY: Rotterdam Waterway (Nieuwe Waterweg) — tide-dependent. Check tidal height required for adequate UKC at proposed arrival time; (5) TIDAL WINDOW: Rotterdam new waterway has some draught restrictions — check Port Authority guidance for deep-draughted vessels; (6) BERTHING PLAN: berth number, berth orientation (which side to), tug requirements (how many, booked?), mooring plan; (7) CONTINGENCY: if engine failure in the Nieuwe Waterweg — limited anchor opportunities. Confirm emergency anchoring positions with pilot in master-pilot exchange. Berth-to-berth obligation: SOLAS V/34 and IMO A.893(21) are explicit — the passage plan covers the voyage from departure berth to arrival berth, including the pilotage section. This is not optional. MCA MAIB investigations have found cases where vessels had a plan for the ocean section but nothing for the port approach — this is a SOLAS deficiency. Master-pilot exchange (MPE): the MPE before pilotage commencement is where the master and pilot agree on: (a) the pilot's plan for the approach; (b) speed reduction points; (c) tug arrangement; (d) abort/contingency points; (e) emergency communication signals between master and pilot. The vessel's passage plan provides the master with the information to conduct a meaningful MPE. Rotterdam VTS: Rotterdam has one of the most complex VTS systems in Europe, covering the Maas Approach, the Hook of Holland, the Nieuwe Waterweg, the port areas, and connecting waterways. Different VHF channels are monitored by different VTS areas. The passage plan must specify which channel to use at each section. Tidal windows: for vessels with draught over 12-15m, Rotterdam approach may require a tidal window calculation. The Nieuwe Waterweg depth varies with tide — at low water spring tide, there can be significant draught restrictions. A vessel that arrives at low water without checking the tidal window may be unable to enter the port.

Question 2

As Chief Mate, you are responsible for preparing the passage plan for a voyage from Rotterdam to New York. Describe the APEM framework you use and what the master must approve.

Accepted Answer

PASSAGE PLANNING APEM FRAMEWORK: IMO Resolution A.893(21) — Voyage Planning Guidelines. The APEM framework has four stages: (A) APPRAISAL: gather all relevant information before planning: (1) Nautical charts — identify correct editions, apply NtM corrections. Use largest scale available for all coastal sections; (2) Nautical publications — Sailing Directions (NP27 Bay of Biscay, NP69 North Atlantic, US East Coast Pilot), Light Lists, Tide Tables, Tidal Stream Atlas; (3) Weather routing service — seasonal North Atlantic winter storm track, pilot charts showing prevailing winds, currents, ice limits; (4) Notices to Mariners — weekly, check latest edition NTMs for all charts to be used; (5) Ship's draught and UKC requirements at departure and arrival; (6) Vessel characteristics — manoeuvring data card, stopping distances; (P) PLANNING: using the appraisal information, plan the complete voyage: (1) Berth-to-berth — departure berth Rotterdam, arrival berth New York including pilot boarding ground; (2) Waypoints with clearing bearings/distances from dangers; (3) No-go areas — shoals, traffic separation zones, exclusion areas, offshore installations; (4) Abort points — last point to turn back to Rotterdam safely; (5) UKC calculations at critical shallow sections; (6) Speed calculations for pilot station arrival time and tidal window; (E) EXECUTION: monitoring the voyage against the plan; (M) MONITORING: comparing actual position against planned track throughout. MASTER APPROVAL: the Master must sign the plan before departure — SOLAS V/34 legal obligation. APEM standard — universal application: APEM applies to ALL voyages including ocean passages. The depth of each stage varies with voyage complexity, but an ocean Atlantic crossing requires: (a) seasonal weather routing consideration (North Atlantic in winter — Genco/Maersk weather routing service); (b) ice limit consideration (Grand Banks area — seasonal icebergs from March to August); (c) North Atlantic shipping lanes (SOLAS Regulation for routeing); (d) GMDSS provision for the sea areas (A1/A2/A3 coverage). Chief mate's role in passage planning: in practice, the chief mate prepares the voyage plan and presents it to the master for approval. This is standard industry practice reflected in STCW competence requirements for STCW II/2 (Chief Mate). The STCW Chief Mate Certificate of Competency examination includes passage planning as a key competency. Master sign-off requirement: the master is ultimately legally responsible under SOLAS V/34 for ensuring the voyage is properly planned. In practice, the master reviews and approves the plan — but the chief mate prepares it. The master's approval signature has legal significance in any investigation. Great circle only (option C): while great circle routing is the default for ocean passages, the passage plan must still consider: (a) ice limits in the Great Circle track area; (b) Traffic Separation Schemes; (c) pilot boarding grounds; (d) UKC at port approaches. A bare great circle with no additional planning is not a complete passage plan for a SOLAS V/34 purpose.

Question 3

As Chief Mate, it is your responsibility to maintain the vessel's ECDIS and charts. Describe your procedure for ensuring all charts are up to date for a voyage.

Accepted Answer

ECDIS AND CHART MANAGEMENT — CHIEF MATE'S PROCEDURE: ECDIS CHART MANAGEMENT: (1) ENC SOURCE: Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) are sourced through an authorised distributor — AVCS (Admiralty Vector Chart Service), PRIMAR, or equivalent national chart authority. The subscription must be current; (2) WEEKLY UPDATES: AVCS provides weekly ENC updates. The chief mate must: (a) connect the ECDIS to the update service weekly; (b) download and apply all updates to ENCs covering the upcoming voyage; (c) verify update application — some ECDIS systems show "cells updated" count; (3) NtM CHECK: for paper charts (on ECDIS backup charts or paper chart primary systems) — weekly Notices to Mariners (NtM) must be applied. UK Hydrographic Office NtMs are published weekly. Each NtM specifies the chart number and correction. Mark each chart in the NtM index with the correction number applied; (4) CORRECTION LOG: maintain a Chart Correction Log recording: chart number, edition, NtMs applied, date of correction. This is a statutory record; (5) CHART CATALOGUE: the Admiralty Chart Catalogue specifies which charts are required for the planned voyage. Ensure all charts are: (a) latest edition; (b) all NtMs up to the current week applied; (6) NEW EDITIONS: when a chart is re-issued (new edition), all previous corrections on the old edition become incorporated. Order the new edition and apply subsequent NtMs from the new edition date; (7) T&P NOTICES: Temporary and Preliminary Notices to Mariners (T&Ps) apply to ENCs as Cell Update information — check these separately from permanent corrections. Frequency of NtM updates: the UK Hydrographic Office (and other hydrographic offices) publish corrections weekly. The MAIB has investigated groundings where the cause was an uncorrected chart — the most common pattern is a temporary or preliminary notice that changed a depth, moved a buoy, or added a new hazard. Investigations routinely check when the last NtM update was applied. SOLAS standard: SOLAS V/27 requires ships to carry adequate and up-to-date charts. "Up to date" means NtMs applied to the current week. Outdated charts are a PSC deficiency. The MCA's Concentrated Inspection Campaign on navigational equipment in recent years specifically targeted NtM compliance. Automatic ECDIS updates (option C): ECDIS does NOT automatically update charts without action. The chief mate must: (a) have an active subscription to AVCS or equivalent; (b) download updates from the update server; (c) apply them to the ECDIS. The process is not automatic — many ECDIS groundings have involved failure to update ENCs. Chart Correction Log requirement: the requirement for a Chart Correction Log is implied by SOLAS V/27 ("adequate and up-to-date charts") and MCA MGN guidance. The Log is not explicitly required by a single SOLAS regulation but is standard practice and expected by PSC. In any grounding investigation — the chart correction log will be examined to verify the chart was current at the time of the incident.