Recording bridge activities

It is important that a proper, formal record of navigational activities and incidents, which are of importance to safety of navigation, is kept in appropriate logbooks.

Paper records from course recorders, echo sounders, NAVTEX receivers etc. should also be retained at least for the duration of the voyage, suitably date and time marked if practicable.

In order to allow the ship's actual track to be reconstructed at a later stage, sufficient information concerning position, course and speed should be recorded in the bridge logbook or using approved electronic means. All positions marked on the navigational charts also need to be retained until the end of the voyage.

Periodic checks on navigational equipment

3.2.5.1 Operational checks

Operational checks on navigational equipment should be undertaken when preparing for sea (see bridge checklist B2) and prior to port entry (see bridge checklist B3).

ICS BRIDGE PROCEDURES GUIDE

After lengthy ocean passages and before entering restricted coastal waters, it is important also to check that full engine and steering manoeuvrability is available.

Routine tests and checks

The OOW should undertake daily tests and checks on the bridge equipment, including the following:

• manual steering should be tested at least once a watch when the automatic
pilot is in use (see annex A7);

• gyro and magnetic compass errors should be checked once a watch, where
possible, and after any major course alteration;

• compass repeaters should be synchronised, including repeaters mounted off
the bridge, such as in the engine control room and at the emergency
steering position.

Checks on electronic equipment

Checks on electronic equipment should both confirm that the piece of equipment is functioning properly and that it is successfully communicating to any bridge system to which it is connected.

Built-in test facilities provide a useful health check on the functional state of the piece of equipment and should be used frequently.

Electronic equipment systems should be checked to ensure that configuration settings - important for correct interfacing between pieces of equipment - have not changed.

To ensure adequate performance, information from electronic equipment should always be compared and verified against information from different independent sources.

Checking orders

Good practice also requires the OOW to check that orders are being correctly followed. Rudder angle and engine rpm indicators, for example, provide the OOW with an immediate check on whether helm and engine movement orders are being followed.

Date: 2016-04-22; view: 844