Two checkpoints that keep the ship visible and the watch alert A vessel is only as safe as its ability to be seen, to signal and to keep the watch alert. Checkpoints 3.11 and 3.12 look at exactly that: whether lights and signalling gear are ready the moment they are […]
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Bridge Readiness: Passage Safety, Fire Watch & Navigation Equipment Charting a Safe Passage 3.7 – Under Keel Clearance & Air Draft Clearance Guidelines (M) Has the vessel’s manager actually produced a guideline covering under keel clearance (UKC) and air draft clearance? It’s a simple question with real consequences — inspectors […]
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3.2 — MASTER’S STANDING ORDERS & THE NIGHT ORDER BOOK What inspectors check Inspectors are checking whether the Master’s Standing Orders have actually been explained to the deck officers — not just filed away — and whether Night Orders are being written by the Master and countersigned by the officers […]
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Understanding Visibility, Fog Formation & Its Importance to the Mariner Visibility is one of the most important weather factors affecting safe navigation. A reduction in visibility can significantly increase the risk of collision, particularly when navigating in areas of heavy traffic, coastal waters, narrow channels or during pilotage. For the […]
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Thunderstorms are among the most powerful and rapidly changing weather phenomena encountered at sea. For mariners, the main concern is not only the lightning and thunder, but the sudden changes in wind, visibility, precipitation and atmospheric conditions that can accompany a storm. A thunderstorm may develop rapidly and can create […]
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Clouds are much more than attractive formations in the sky—they are one of nature’s most reliable indicators of changing weather. Long before the advent of satellites, radar, and sophisticated forecasting models, mariners relied on cloud observations to anticipate approaching weather systems. Even today, cloud recognition remains an essential skill for […]
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