OVERVIEW

The teaching unit 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

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit offers a throughout understanding of the procedures that are relevant for the maritime navigation, also considering the proper sources of law: a theoretical part allows to focus on geodesy, cartography and astronomy items related to navigation and on the statistical approach to measurements, while an operational part, to be carried out also in lab and bridge simulator environment, 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, Aids to Navigation and the International Code of Signals. The position fixing will be analysed both in terms of coastal and celestial navigation considering the use and control of traditional instruments such as the magnetic and gyro compass and the marine sextant. The IAMSAR procedures and some basic ice navigation techniques are also taken into account.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit 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. In particular the theoretical knowledge that are relevant for develping the competences expected by the Functions 1,2,3, of Tables A-II/1 and A-II/2 of the STCW Convention. 

The learning outcome are:

• Theoretical and practical acquisition of the contents of the teaching unit.
• Elements for evaluating the accuracy of position and passage monitoring.
• Operational activities in lab and bridge simulator environment.
• Use of free and open source software, when possible, in accordance with the directive of the Minister for Innovation and Technology, December 19, 2003 that encourage the use of these technologies.

The teaching unit provides the tools for achieving the competences required by the STCW Convention.

The teaching unit will develop the following transversal skills and competences (soft-skills): literacy, strategic thinking and critical thinking; effective communication and argumentative skills.

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHING METHODS

Frontal theoretical lectures are alternated with computer-based lectures and in lab and bridge simulator environment, to put the notions into practice in real application situations.

Lessons will be held in the classroom, but will also be available in synchronous and asynchronous online modes.

Innovative teaching tools, such as instant polls, are used both to stimulate students' attention and to test their learning.

The course is held in English.

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 course to agree on teaching and examination arrangements so to take into account individual learning patterns, while respecting the teaching objectives.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Geodesy - 8h

The terrestrial sphere and ellipsoid, theorems and equations of operative geodesy.

The Geoid.

Coordinate systems, reference systems and transformations between them.

Cartography - 6h

Cartographic projections

Chart scale, error of graphicism and deformations.

Horizontal and vertical datum in nautical charts.

Statistical approach to measurements - 6h

Source of errors, accuracy and precision

Position and dispersion statistical indexes

APPLICATION EXERCISES

Voyage planning - 20 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

EXERCISES

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

EXERCISES

Coastal navigation - 15 h

IALA Buoyage system

Lights and AToNs

International Code of Signals

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

EXERCISES

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

EXERCISES

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 – 10 h

SAR Organization

Duties and facilities

Co-ordination and co-operation

IAMSAR main content

IAMSAR searching schemes

EXERCISES

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

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)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

BIANCA FEDERICI (President)

ILARIA FERRANDO

DOMENICO SGUERSO (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/10948/p/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The examination is mainly oral, but at the beginning of the oral examination a short written test is offered relating to the geodesy, cartography 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

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final grade will take into account the quality of the application carried out (processing and analysis techniques used, strategies for solving any problems encountered), the critical discussion of the results obtained and the expositive capacity, as well as the knowledge of the theoretical concepts.

The quality of the oral and written presentation will be assessed, as it is considered preparatory to the students' future working life, enabling them to better acquire the ability to share ideas and work in a team.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

None