Bridge Procedures Guide Flashcards
Pilotage
The Master, Bridge Team, and Pilot should work together to ensure the safe navigation of the ship.
An effective Master/Pilot information exchange (MPX) is essential to ensure that the Master, Bridge Team, and Pilot have appropriate levels of situational awareness prior to commencing pilotage. The prescence of a Pilot does not relieve the Master or Bridge Team from their duties and responsibilities for the safety of the ship.
Bridge Team Leadership, Resource Management, and Teamwork
Challenge and response: Leadership approach which has been demonstrated to foster effective communication and teamwork. Under no corcumstances should this approach be considered as undermining the authority delegated to the OOW by the Master.
Providing that this does not compromise safety Bridge Team members should be encouraged to: Seek clarification regarding the actions of other Bridge Team members with the aim of better understanding the decision making proces.
and
Practice thinking aloud.
Drug and Alcohol policies
Flag states apply a limit of no more than 0.05 BAC to seafarers performing safety, security, or environmental protection duties (USCG 0.04 limit applies).
Company policy is enforced by Master amongst visitors to the ship including but not limited to Pilots, contractors, and officials.
Use of English
English is accepted as the language of international shipping.
During an emergency, in order to ensure clear and effective communication, IMO Standard Marine Communication Pharases (SMCP) should be used, particularly for external communications.
The same approach to communication within the Bridge Team should also apply when navigating under pilotage. The Pilot should always be expected to explain instructions exchanged with other ships, pilot boats, tugs, and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) to the Master and Bridge Team in English or a defined working language common to all personnel involved.
Mobile Phones ans Personal Electronic Devices
Limit use to operationally necessary circumstances.
Passage planning in pilotage waters
- Reccommended routes and channel information
- Procedures for pilotage including boarding points and means of embarkation
- Local conditions, rules and restrictions on navigation
- Reporting and communications procedures
- Details of the prospective berth and/or anchorages
Presence of a pilot
Does not relieve the Master or Bridge Team from their duties and responsibilities for safe conduct of the ship.
Master/Pilot Information Exchange (MPX)
The Pilot and Master should exchange information regarding the Pilot’s intentions, the ship’s characteristics, and operational factors as soon as practicable after the Pilot has boarded the ship.
For an effective MPX, use should be made of the MPX checklist. It is essential that the MPX results in clear and effective communication and should cover:
- Presentation of the completed Pilot Card
- The pilotage plan and the circumstances when deviation from the plan may be required
- Updates on local conditions such as weather, depth of water, tides and tidal streams.
- An update on traffic conditions
- Ship’s dimensions and maneuvering information should be provided in the form of a Wheelhouse Poster. A manoeuvering booklet containing more detailed information should also be available on the bridge.
- Any unusual shiphandling characteristics and machinery, navigational equipment, and crew limitations that could affect the safe conduct of pilotage and berthing.
- Information on berthing arrangements including the use, characteristics and number of tugs, mooring boats, mooring arrangements, and other external facilities.
- Contingency plans should also be considered. These should identify possible abort points in the event of a malfunction or shipboard emergency.
- Formal confirmation of the working language.
Any defects that may affect the maneuverability of the vessel or the pilotage should be reported to the Pilot.
Additional pilots
If more than one pilot is required or supernumerary pilots board:
- All pilots should be involved in the MPX
- Each pilot’s role and responsibility, including duty periods, should be understood by the whole bridge team
Duties and Responsibilities
The Pilot should effectively communicate expert local knowledge, information, and advice to the Bridge Team in English or a defined working language understood by the Master, Pilot, and Bridge Team. In turn, Pilots should be supported by all appropriate shipboard personnel in their execution of safe navigation.
Pilot’s Responsibilities
Throughout the pilotage and berthing the Pilot should:
- Use the agreed working language and if necessary, the IMO SMCP when directing or advising the Bridge Team.
- Understand the roles and responsibilities of individual Bridge Team members
- Make use of the information provided during the MPX regarding maneuvering characteristics
- Respond to information, advice, and questions from the Bridge Team
- Advise the Bridge Team of any failures or deficiencies, such as the unavailability of tugs in good time
- Keep the Bridge Team appraised of pilotage progress and any anticipated need to deviate from the pilotage plan
- Inform the bridge team of any handover between pilots
Maneuvering - mooring operations
The Pilot and Master should idscuss and agree the circumstances under which the Pilot may directly operate controls for key equipment (such as main engine, helm, and thrusters). The Master should bear in mind that the Pilot may not be familiar with the propulsion system on board, or its characteristics and methods of operation. If there is any doubt then the Master or OOW should control these systems.
The Pilot should coordinate the work of the Bridge Team, tugs, mooring boats, and linesman during mooring operations. The Pilot’s intentions and actions should be explained to the Bridge Team in the defined working language.
In supporting the Pilot, the Master and Bridge Team should:
- Ensure that the Pilot’s directions are conveyed to the mooring stations and are correctly implemented
- Ensure that the mooring stations provide relevant feedback information
- Advise the pilot once directions have been complied with, or where an omission has occured or if a potentional problem exists.
Maneuvering - use of tugs and mooring boats
The number of tugs, how they will operate (on a line or alongside), their capabilities, and their limitations should form part of the MPX and be understood by the Bridge Team. It is important that when used, the size and power of tugs is appropriate for the size of the ship.
Communications between the Pilot, tugs, and mooring boats should be monitored and verified. The Pilot should keep the Bridge Team informaed about the orders give to tugs and mooring boats. Any concerns should be reported to the Master and Pilot.
Care should be taken when operating with tugs and mooring boats to ensure that they are not endangered by the actions of the ship. This is also important when making fast or letting go tugs. The Bridge Team should be aware of the effects of interation between ships, tugs, and/or mooring boats and fixed structures.
Required boarding arrangements for pilot - freeboard less than 9 meters
- Handhold stanchions (min dia 32mm, 70-80cm apart) above bulwark (min 120 cm)
- Man-ropes (without knots), 28-32mm dia
- Spreader (maximum 9 steps beteween spreaders), 180cm long
- Side ropes (min dia 18mm), min 40cm apart
- All steps rest firmly against ships side, 31-35cm vertical spacing
- 5th step from bottom must be spreader
- Free from obstructions 6 meters on either side
- Height required by pilot
- On deck: responsible officer in contact with ships bridge, lifebuoy with self igniting light, pilot ladder secured to deck strong points, light shining forward to illuminate pilot ladder
Combination arrangement for ships with freeboard more than 9 meters
In addition to relevant requirements for freeboard less than 9 meters:
- 9 meters freeboard mark (optional) - vertical stripe 0.5 m wide and 4m tall, top half white, bottom half red
- Pilot ladder must extend at least 2 meters above lower accommodation platform
- Ladder must be firmly attached to ship’s side 1.5 meters above lower accommodation platform
- Accommodation ladder secured to ship’s side (using magnetic eyepad or pneumatic system), max 45° slope, should lead aft, lower platform horizontal and minimum 5 meters above the sea
- A pilot ladder requires a climb of not less than 1.5 meters and no more than 9 meters
