Back to Basics for Deck Officers

This course will cover the Collision Regulations as per the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs).

Lighthouses, buoys and navigational aids are indispensable to the mariner; however, they are only as useful as the ability of the mariner to read them. Apart from being able to read and understand the different marks, one must also appreciate the limitations of such marks, to make a full appraisal and a complete risk assessment during all stages of voyage planning.

The GMDSS network is a vital piece of equipment on board vessels for all seafarers whether it is professional or recreational. The system put in place allows us to connect with emergency services and rescue centres all around the world, preventing thousands of deaths since its inception.

Shallow Water Effects present errors in manoeuvring which if unnoticed are extremely dangerous and can lead to grounding or collision. During this course, Bernoulli ́s Principle, Squat, Bank Effect including Bank Suction and Bow Cushion and Interaction will be discussed in detail in addition to the actions that should be taken by a ship in order to avoid disasters resulting from these Effects. Therefore, this course aims to help seafarers recognise when these effects are acting on their vessel and the proper actions to be taken in different circumstances.

Anchoring is one of the most frequent operations carried out onboard different types of ships. It is an extremely important and dangerous procedure which requires full knowledge and understanding in addition to proper training. Several factors influence the anchoring operation and various methods are used to ensure the best results. With that said, it is of paramount importance for all crew members regardless of rank, to know the proper procedures and use of equipment during such operations.