DETENTION PREVENTION

SAFETY OF NAVIGATION
A PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR THE SHIP OWNERS ,
MANAGERS AND CREW

SAFETY OF NAVIGATION
According to result of the PSC inspections during year 2008 we have noted that a huge
number of the deficiencies mostly leading to detention of the ships are directly related with
lack of safety of navigation, therefore we would like to share with you the most common
deficiencies and necessary preventive actions to prevent recurrence of such deficiencies. This
is not a complete list of deficiencies raised by PSC officers but most common ones leading to
detention. We would like to remind you that this issue has been raised by PSC officers 20
percent of the detentions during year 2008. We have tried to briefly explain you the
common deficiencies raised by PSC officers, why occured, how to prevent and conduct a
reasonable test for PSC officers,
According to results of inspections it is so clear that most of the deficiencies raised due to lack
of maintenance , lack of knowledge and/or training , if we could prevent recurrence of below
deficiencies we can reduce the number of detentions almost %20. The superintendants shall
carry out regular internal shipboard inspection and they shall continue training, drill and
inspection until all crew members are %100 familiar with their duties and able to test and
demonstrate the operation of the equipments, If a deficiency occurs during voyage to one of
these equipments , additional precaution to be taken to keep the utmost safety navigation of
the ship, the company shall consult and report immediately to the classification society and
flag administration for the necessary arrangements.

COMMON DEFICIENCIES RAISED FOR SAFETY OF NAVIGATION

Charts and publications not updated, missing or expired
Compasses are not as required,
Navigation lights not as required / inoperative
Echosounder is inoperative

CHARTS AND PUBLICATIONS

This issue has been raised by the PSC officers %12 percent of the detentions. The Captain and
responsible officers shall aware of this issue and to take seriously. The latest Notice to
Mariners shall be delivered to the vessel as soon as possible and the responsible crew shall
make the corrections and order the new editions of the charts and publications. A chart
catalogue shall be available on board. During shipboard inpections superintendants shall
check whether the corrections are done regularly and correctly. Unfortunately we faced many
times, uncorrected charts and publications , although the correction records are available on
board. Notice to Mariners should be supplied in suitable ports without delay.

COMPASSES
Most common deficiencies;
-Big difference between the gyro and magnetic compass,
-Big difference between the gyro compass repeaters,
-Incorrect entry to compass error book
-Magnetic compass fluid leakage
-Magnetic compass deviation card not reflecting the actual position
The deviation between the compasses and the repeaters to be periodically checked and
recorded to the compass observation book and to be compared with the deviation card,
The magnetic compass shall be properly adjusted and its table or curve of residual deviations
available at all times, there is no certain interval for adjustment but many inspector insist for
yearly adjustment, some flag administrations have their own instructions for every two year
(MCA, Hong Kong), except the periodical adjustment , magnetic compass shall be readjusted
if the followings were met;
-When a new compass is installed
-When deviation exceeds 5 degrees
-When a record of compass deviation has not been maintained or deviation does not appear to
correspond with that shown on deviation card
-When compass performance is unsatisfactory or unreliable
-After long term shipyard or repairs involving welding, etc which may affect the compass
3

Maximum divergence in reading between the master gyro compass and repeaters under all
operational conditions should not exceed +/- 0.5 degree.

NAVIGATION LIGHTS
The most common deficiency ; Inoperative lights, dirty lights, unmaintained bulbs,
All navigation lights to be properly cleaned, to be visible all times
Periodically tested including supply via emergency power supply,
Navigation light fault alarm to be tested.
Before arrival or departure from the ports make sure that all navivation lights are clearly
visible and operable,

ECHO SOUNDERS
Inoperative echosounders , one of very well known deficiency raised by PSC officers,
Echosounder is inoperative due to electronic failure or grounding or loss of sensitivity.
Echosounder to be examined regularly, in the sheltered waters accuracy to be controlled, if
the echo sounder is damaged, the flag administration and classification society to be informed
before arrival to port.

OTHER DEFICIENCIES
-Record of the navigation activities , tests and drills shall be available and up to date,
-All necessary charts and publications for the intended voyage shall be available and up to
date, please see attached list of publications
-Please ensure that speed log is operable
-Daylight signalling lamp is working properly and spare bulbs are available
-Radars are operable, crew is familiar for operation,
-Rudder , propeller and pitch indicators are operatve,
-GPS is operative,
-AIS and VDR are operative and free from fault, annual test reports of both equipment shall
be available n board,