Duration: 5 days
This course is practical and theoretical and consists of a series of exercises performed on a ship handling simulator. Classroom lectures are included in order to provide the necessary theoretical background for the exercises. Particular items dealt with in these lectures are illustrated either by including them as part of an exercise or by a separate simulator demonstration. Bridge teamwork is dealt with lecture.
Exercises are controlled by an instructor and, initially, allow the trainees to become familiar with the equipment, the controls and the instrumentation provided by the simulator.
The exercises increase in complexity as the course progresses and as trainees become familiar with the manoeuvring characteristics of the ship model and its response to the engine and helm in various conditions. The final exercises deal with the planning and execution of a coastal passage from port to port and will make use of the knowledge and skills learned in all of the previous exercises. Equipment failure or malfunction will be introduced during the latest exercises to afford trainees practice in taking emergency preventive action and to practice on bridge teamwork in critical situations.
During exercises, trainees are expected to make use of effective bridge procedures, to comply with International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREG 1972) and to observe the basic principles of keeping a navigational watch, as set out in regulation VIII/2, section A-VIII/2 and B-VIII/2 of the STCW Convention and Code as amended. They will assume the different roles of the bridge watchkeeping team, the roles being rotated to allow each trainee an opportunity to act as master for some of the exercises.
Each exercise will be preceded by a session for briefing and planning and be followed by a debriefing.
Objective
The trainees who successfully complete this course will have gained experience in handling ships under various conditions and will make a more effective contribution to the bridge team during ship manoeuvring in normal and emergency situations.
In particular, trainees will gain:
− familiarization with the use of engines and helm for ship manoeuvring;
− an understanding of the effects on the behaviour of the ship of wind, current, shallow water, banks and narrow channels and condition of loading;
− a greater awareness of the importance of planning a passage or
manoeuvre and the need for an alternative plan;
− a greater understanding and awareness of efficient bridge procedures and bridge teamwork during watchkeeping and ship handling; in normal and in emergency situations.
− a greater awareness and understanding of a good interactive communication style and benefit of building up a common shared mental model of the planned passage.
The course is approved by the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Cyprus and the Panama Maritime Authority.
