Instruments for chief mate vacancies

All navigating officers should as soon as possible after joining the vessel and before taking over the first watch make themselves familiar with the instruments carried on board, their use and operating capability and any errors.

It is also the duty of each navigating officer to use all available navigational instruments to such extent that he knows the vessel’s position with the necessary accuracy at all times and is capable of conducting the navigation safely having regard to the nature of the surrounding waters and existing weather conditions.

Repairs of Instruments

It is the duty of each navigating officer to assist in ensuring that the instruments are always maintained in proper operational condition. Instructions and with the instruments shall be studied and closely followed.

manuals issued

Any fault occurring shall be reported to the Master. The Master shall ensure that necessary repairs are carried out as quickly as possible.

In the case of defective equipment, the Owners/Managers are to be informed immediately and all efforts will be made to rectify the fault as soon as possible.

Radar

No matter how good a radar is, its value as an aid will be entirely dependent upon the person who operates it, chief mate vacancies and the navigating officers must be fully conversant with the radar’s capabilities and limitations in order to understand and interpret the radar picture correctly.

Radar practice shall be carried out whenever possible in clear weather in order  to obtain such confidence and routine as necessary for proper use of radar in restricted visibility.

Radar information shall be used in such a manner that early steps can be taken to prevent any risk of collision from arising.

The Owner/Managers wishes to emphasis that the use of radar does under no circumstances relieve the officer of the watch of the obligation to obey and maneuvre according to the provisions in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

When navigating in or near an area with reduced visibility the indispensable rules are:

At all times navigate with extreme caution.

Proceed at a safe speed with due consideration to the particular circumstances and
conditions prevailing. as per Rule 6.

Likewise it is of utmost importance that the vessel’s radar installations are working, and that they are adjusted to give the optimum performance.