Voyage Appraisal and Planning

Photo courtesy: Marine Insight

This serves only as a reference for voyage appraisal and planning but some points may differ

according to different Company procedures.

This procedure covers the voyage appraisal and planning process on paper and in ECDIS,

which starts after the vessel receives the next voyage instructions with destination or deviation

from the office. The procedure does not include the execution and monitoring of the voyage

plan.

Responsibilities

Warning!

Do not use previous passage plans as much as possible. Treat every voyage as

a new one and review all data to ensure maximum accuracy.

The Second Officer shall prepare the voyage plan. They are responsible for:

1. Completeness of the voyage plan

2. The briefing and understanding of the plan by all officers and their sign
Note: Carry out voyage planning detailed enough for all navigational staff to proceed the vessel

safely under all circumstances. This also applies whenever a pilot is onboard.

a. The approval and signature of the final plan by the master

b. The availability of the plan on bridge

Note: The second officer shall do so also after revising the plan, due to change of destination or

deviation.

a. The completion of the plan before departure

Storage and Documentation

Store the plans as follows:
a. ECDIS data storage

Note: Make a note on the voyage plan.

a. Back-up on external device

Make sure to save the planned route regularly so that you do not lose data. Ships using ECDIS

as primary means of navigation shall record the plan in “Voyage Plan Form”.

Plan a voyage always from berth to berth. When the next voyage starts from a different position

than the arrival point, make a note inside the new voyage plan.

Note: This might be the case, when the ship shifted within the port.

Point of no return (Abort point)

The point after which there is insufficient sea room for maneuvering. This can be for example:

• Approaching narrow passages

• Harbor entries
• Approaching areas of heavy traffic
• Before crossing the safety contour

Safety Settings

Caution: Do not forget, the reduction of the safety contour may lead to changes

how the ECDIS presents charts. Potential navigational dangers may become not

visible and not triggering important alerts.

The border between safe and unsafe navigable waters. Calculate as follows:
Safety contour = Dynamic draft + UKC - Height of tide

If no safety contour is set for the ENC, ECDIS will select a value by default, depending on the

ECDIS type. If the exact value is not available, ECDIS will use the next deeper depth value.

Refer to the user manual for the default setting.

Note: Company minimum requirements for the safety contour is: Max. ships dynamic draft + 15
%.

Safety Depth
It will visually highlight soundings equal and shallower than the settings. The value of safety

depth is generally the same as safety contour but at no time less than the safety contour.

Crossing the safety depth is not triggering an audible alarm.

Note: Company minimum requirements for the safety depth is: Max. ships dynamic draft + 15
%.
Shallow Contour

Shows non navigable waters between 0 meter depth and shallow contour settings. This value

can be set to the ship’s draft. In this depth the ship will run aground.

If no value is set for the ENC, the ECDIS will set the next available value by default. Crossing

the shallow contour is not triggering an audible alarm.

The contour is showing different values with the 2-color mode or the 4-color mode.

Note: Company minimum requirements for the shallow contour is: Max. dynamic draft.

Deep Contour

Setting can be twice the ships draft, but at least deeper than the safety contour. These are safe

navigable waters. If the exact value is not available on the ENC, ECDIS will use the next deeper

depth line. Crossing the deep contour is not triggering an audible alarm.

Note: Always check your ECDIS color mode. The contour is showing different values with the 2-

color mode or the 4-color mode.

Note: Company minimum requirements for the deep contour is: 3 x max. dynamic draft.

Look Ahead Sector/Safety Frame/Sector & Vector

This sectors are detection areas around the ship. Sector is comparing the safety settings and
user selected dangers with the depth on chart. It will raise an alarm. Adjust the settings during

the voyage for different areas, considering:

• The nature of the dangers outside the safety region

• Sea areas
• Traffic situations
• Bank effect
• Maneuvering characteristics
• Ship’s speed
• Weather conditions
• Quality of chart data

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know.
Remember the Lord in everything you, and He will show you the right away.”
Proverbs 3:5-6