The teaching offers a throughout understanding of the procedures that are relevant for the maritime navigation in terms of voyage planning and watchkeeping. It covers competences 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 of the IMO Model Course for Master and Chief Mate
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.
The teaching 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 teaching 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
None
The teaching includes lectures, group work, exercises and laboratory activities.
Working students and students with certified SLD (Specific Learning Disorders), disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the lessons to agree on teaching and examination arrangements so to take into account individual learning patterns, while respecting the teaching objectives.
Geodesy - 10h
The terrestrial sphere and ellipsoid, theorems and equations of operative geodesy.
The Geoid.
Coordinate systems, reference systems and transformations between them.
EXERCISES
Cartography - 7h
Cartographic projections
Chart scale, error of graphicism and deformations.
Horizontal and vertical datum in nautical charts.
Statistical approach to measurements - 13h
Source of errors, accuracy and precision
Probability vs statistic approach.
Position statistical indexes: average, median and mode.
Dispersion statistical indexes: residuals, standard deviation, variance.
Concept of tollerance and the Tchebycheff theorem
Error propagation for linear equations
Voyage planning - 15 h
International regulations overview
Introduction to voyage planning
The four stages 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
Watchkeeping - 7 h
Watchkeeping principles
STCW Chapter VIII
COLREGs overview
Ship’s routeing publication
Dealing with TSS
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
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
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
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
Handouts provided by the teacher.
Deck Officers and Masters Guide - Richard V. Weinberg (available on amazon https://www.amazon.it/Deck-Officers-Masters-guide-Watchkeeping/dp/B08MHRNMQT)
Ricevimento: By appointment, sending an e-mail (riccardo.antola at ext.unige.it)
Ricevimento: By appointment, by calling (+39) 010 335 2421 or sending an e-mail (bianca.federici at unige.it) or a message on Teams
RICCARDO ANTOLA (President)
DOMENICO SGUERSO
BIANCA FEDERICI (President Substitute)
https://corsi.unige.it/10948/p/studenti-orario
The examination is mainly oral, but at the beginning of the oral examination a short written test is offered relating to the geodesy and statistics exercises carried out during the teaching.
In addition, an 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
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.
