OVERVIEW

The course offers a throughout understanding of the procedures that are relevant for the maritime navigation in terms of voyage planning and a watchkeeping. It covers competence 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 of the IMO Model Course for Master and Chief Mate

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course offers a throughout understanding of the procedures that are relevant for the maritime navigation: a theoretical part allows to focus on the physics, geodesy and astronomy items related to navigation, while an operational part will focus on the methods that are necessary to carry out a reliable voyage planning and a correct execution, taking into account the use of nautical charts and publications, ship's routeing and ship's reporting systems. The position fixing will be analysed both in terms of coastal and celestial navigation considering the support provided by proper Aids to Navigation and the use and control of traditional instruments such as the magnetic and gyro compass and the marine sextant. The IAMSAR procedures are also taken into account.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to offer a great part of the learning outcomes set in the STCW Table A-II/2 “Specification of minimum standard of competence for masters and chief mates on ships of 500 gross tonnage or more”, function: Navigation at the management level.

At the end of the course the students are expected to:

Apply the pertinent methods for a reliable passage planning in compliance with the international regulations in all conditions

Apply the pertinent procedure for a safe watchkeeping in compliance with the international regulations in all conditions

Being aware of the traditional navigation equipment operation and limitations in all conditions

Respond to emergencies in terms of SAR

PREREQUISITES

Physiscs, trigonometry and spherical trigonometry basics

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, group work, exercises, lab activities.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Voyage planning - 15 h

International regulations overview

Introduction to voyage planning

The four steps of navigation

Variables to be considered in the planning stage

Nautical publications

Ship sailing (RL and GC)

Landfall

Clearing bearings

Margins of safety and parallel indexing

Planning and executing a turn

Weather routeing and climatological navigation

Environmental consideration for passage planning

EXERCISES

Ships’ routeing - 5 h

Watchkeeping principles

STCW Chapter VIII

COLREGs overview

Ship’s routeing publication

Dealing with TSS

Ships’ reporting – 2 h

Dealing with VTS

Ships' reporting system

Celestial Navigation – 15 h

Celestial coordinates systems

PZX triangle

Sun apparent motion and twilight

Moon apparent and real motion

Time in celestial navigation

Use of the nautical almanac

Use of the sight reduction tables

The sextant

Identifying celestial bodies by sight and by calculation

Use of the Star finder

Position fixing in celestial navigation

Meridian passage and latitude calculation

Saint Hilaire method

Compass error check in celestial navigation

EXERCISES

Coastal navigation - 8 h

IALA Buoyage system

Lights and AToNs

Coastal navigation plotting

Plotting the track

Dead reckoning plot

Use of LOPs for determining position

Running fix

Wind and current consideration

Tidal streams consideration on Admiralty charts

EXERCISES

Compasses use and control - 5 h

Magnetic force

Magnetic dip and variation

Magnetic deviation

Gyroscope orientation

Gyro-compass errors

New technologies for gyro-compasses

Compass adjustment

Echo-sounder and log

EXERCISES

Ice navigation - 5h

The Polar Code2

Sea ice origin and classification

Ice geographic distribution

Iceberg

Detection of the presence of ice and ice bulletins

Ice accretion on board

Health risks in low temperatures

Winterization

Ship design & construction

Ship equipment

Ice operations

Icebreaker assistance

Environment protection in polar waters

SAR schemes and procedures – 5 h

SAR Organization

Duties and facilities

Co-ordination and co-operation

IAMSAR main content

IAMSAR searching schemes

EXERCISES

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Handouts provided by the teacher.

Exam Board

RICCARDO ANTOLA (President)

BIANCA FEDERICI

LORENZO PAPA (President Substitute)

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons, group work, exercises, lab activities.

LESSONS START

22/02/2021

Exam description

The exam is oral but a short essay on astronomical fix with the use of sight reduction tables is required. The latter is assigned to each student that enrols for the exam by Aulaweb

Assessment methods

The assessment is based for the greatest part on the oral exam, for which the student is expected to demonstrate a comprehensive awareness of the subjects both in technical terms and in relation to the maritime international regulation. The correct use of specific lexicon is taken into account.

The essay is important for the evaluation of the celestial navigation part also in terms of the application of calculation schemes and procedures.

Exam schedule