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Disclaimer: The notes below were produced by the author for the purposes of
preparing for an Officer-of-the-Watch oral examination in November 2015. As such
they are intended only as simplified summaries and aide memoires and therefore do
not give a true reflection of the original content or intention of the documents to
which they refer. These notes are likely to contain inaccuracies and omissions that
make them unsuitable as an alternative to a proper study and understanding of the
current revision of the original document(s). They are posted here as a study aid and
may be used freely for non-commercial purposes, however any such use remains
the responsibility of the reader. Where a copyright claim is made the domain holder
should be contacted in the first instance to have the content removed.

Publications

Admiralty Sailing Directions NP1-72

Colour photography and views, as well as information on navigational hazards,
buoyage, meteorological data, details of pilotage, regulations, port facilities and
guides to major port entry

Ocean Passages of the World NP136

Ocean routes applicable to power and sailing vessels with distances between ports
and important positions. Details of weather, currents and ice hazards are also
included together with numerous route diagrams and chartlets showing the effects of
climate, wave heights and load line zones

The Nautical Almanac NP314

Describes the positions of a selection of celestial bodies for the purpose of enabling
navigators to use celestial navigation to determine the position of their ship while at
sea. The Almanac specifies for each whole hour of the year the position on the
Earth's surface (in declination and Greenwich hour angle) at which the sun, moon,
planets and first point of Aries is directly overhead. The positions of 57 selected stars
are specified relative to the first point of Aries

Rapid Sight Reduction Tables NP303

Contains the altitude to 1' and true azimuth to 1° for the seven stars most suitable for
finding your position at sea with a sextant by performing a three-star fix

The Mariners Handbook NP100

Chapters:
1 – UKHO, Surveying and Theory of Charting
2 – Paper and Digital Charts
3 – Admiralty Publications
4 – Information Flow Between the UKHO and Mariners
5 – Meteorology
6 – The Sea
7 – Ice
8 – International Organisations
9 – Constraints on Navigation
10 – Maritime Pollution and Conservation (MARPOL)
11 – Navigation and Aids to Navigation
12 – Military Operations
13 – Commercial Operations

Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals NP74-87 (Light Blue Spine)
Volumes A-P cover different parts of the world
They provide extensive information on all lighthouses, lightships, lit floating marks
(over 8m in height), fog signals and other lights of navigational significance including
appearance and characteristics of lights and fog signals
Tables are included to calculate the geographical and luminous ranges of lights
Details for all lights listed include the international number, location and/or name,
geographical co-ordinates, characteristics and intensity, elevation in metres, range in
sea miles and description of structure

Admiralty Tide Tables NP201-208 (Yellow Spine)

Detail the times and heights of high and low waters for over 230 standard and 6000
secondary ports. Standard Ports have graphs to allow you to calculate HoT at
particular times. Secondary ports require corrections to be applied to the height and
time for their standard port

Admiralty List of Radio Signals NP281-286 (Green Spine)

Volume 1 (1+2) – Maritime Radio Stations
Volume 2 – Radio aids to navigation, satellite navigation systems, differential GPS
(DGPS) legal time, radio time signals, and electronic position fixing system
Volume 3 (1+2) – Maritime Safety Information Services
Volume 4 – Meteorological Observation Stations
Volume 5 – Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS)
Volume 6 (1-8) – Pilot Services, Vessel Traffic Services and Port Operations

Cumulative List of Admiralty Notices to Mariners NP234 (Red Spine)

Published every six months in January and July

International Code of Signals (ICS)

Single-letter signals - very urgent, important, or common
Two-letter signals - other messages, sometimes followed with a numeric
"complement" that supplements or modifies the message.
Three-letter signals beginning with "M" - Medical Signal Codes
Admiralty Notices to Mariners Weekly Editions
Split into 8 sections plus Reporting Forms
I Explanatory Notes. Publications List
II Admiralty Notices to Mariners. Updates to Standard Nautical Charts
III Reprints of NAVAREA I Navigational Warnings
IV Updates to Admiralty Sailing Directions
V Updates to Admiralty List of Lights and Fog Signals
VI Updates to Admiralty List of Radio Signals
VII Updates to Miscellaneous Admiralty Nautical Publications
VIII Updates to Admiralty Digital Products and Services
Reporting Forms

Bridge Procedures Guide

Chapters:
1 – Bridge Organisation
2 – Passage Planning
3 – Duties of the Officer of the Watch
4 – Operation and Maintenance of Bridge Equipment
5 – Dynamic Positioning
6 – Maritime Pilotage
Annexes:
A – Communications
B – Bridge Checklists
C – Emergency Checklists

Merchant Shipping Notices (MSNs), Marine Guidance Notes (MGNs) and

Marine Information Notes (MINs)

Operating and Maintenance Instructions for Navigational Aids Carried by the

Ship

Conventions

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

I General Provisions
II-1 Construction - Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations
II-2 Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
III Life-saving appliances and arrangements
IV Radiocommunications
V Safety of navigation
VI Carriage of Cargoes
VII Carriage of dangerous goods
VIII Nuclear ships
IX Management for the Safe Operation of Ships
X Safety measures for high-speed craft
XI-1 Special measures to enhance maritime safety
XI-2 Special measures to enhance maritime security
XII Additional safety measures for bulk carriers
XIII Verification of compliance (2016)
XIV Safety measures for ships operating in polar waters (2017)

The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships

(MARPOL)
6 Annexes:
I Oil
II Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk
III Harmful Substances in Packaged Form
IV Sewage
V Garbage
VI Air Pollution

The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and

Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW)
Split into Part A mandatory Standards and Part B Guidance
Chapters (repeated in both parts):
I General Provisions
II Master and Deck Department
III Engine Department
IV Radiocommunication and Radio Personnel
V Special Training Requirements for Personnel on certain Types of Ships
VI Emergency, Occupational Safety, Security, Medical Care and Survival
Functions
VII Alternative Certification
VIII Watchkeeping

Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea

(COLREG)
Makes the rules mandatory and lists them

International Convention on Load Lines (LL)

Split into 3 Annexes
Annex I
Chapter I - General
Chapter II - Conditions of assignment of freeboard
Chapter III - Freeboards
Chapter IV - Special requirements for ships assigned timber freeboards
Annex II covers Zones, areas and seasonal periods.
Annex III contains certificates, including the International Load Line Certificate
Requires ships to be surveyed and assigned freeboard requirements to ensure
sufficient reserve buoyancy. Warm water and fresh water provide less buoyancy
causing the ship to sit lower. A series of Load Lines are marked on the ships side to
show the minimum freeboard required in each type of water:

International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR)

Divides the world into 13 Search and Rescue Areas and assigns SAR
responsibilities to nations including establishing shore facilities
Chapter 1 - Terms and Definitions
Chapter 2 - Organization and Co-ordination
Chapter 3 - Co-operation between States
Chapter 4 - Operating Procedures
Chapter 5 - Ship reporting systems

Codes

Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers (COSWP)

Chapters:
1 - Managing occupational health and safety
2 - Safety Induction
3 - Living on board
4 - Emergency drills and procedures
5 - Fire precautions
6 - Security on board
7 - Health surveillance
8 - Personal protective equipment
9 - Safety signs and their use
10 - Manual handling
11 - Safe movement on board ship
12 - Noise, vibration and other physical agents
13 - Safety officials
14 - Permit to work systems
15 - Entering dangerous (enclosed) spaces
16 - Hatch covers and access lids
17 - Work at height (See also MGN 410)
18 - Provision, care and use of work equipment (See also MGN 331)
19 - Lifting plant and operations (See also MGN 332)
20 - Work on machinery and power systems
21 - Hazardous substances and mixtures
22 - Boarding arrangements
23 - Food preparation and handling in the catering department
24 - Hot work
25 - Painting
26 - Anchoring, mooring and towing operations
27 - Roll-on/roll-off ferries
28 - Dry cargo
29 - Tankers and other ships carrying bulk liquid cargoes
30 - Port towage industry
31 - Ships serving offshore oil and gas installations
32 - Ships serving offshore renewables
33 - Ergonomics

International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code

2 Volumes and 1 Supplement
Volume 1
Part 1 General Provisions, Definitions and Training
Part 2 Classification
Part 3 Contained in Volume 2
Part 4 Packing and Tank Provisions
Part 5 Consignment Procedures
Part 6 Construction and Testing of Packagings, Intermediate Bulk Containers
(IBCs), Large Packagings, Portable Tanks, Multiple-Element Gas Containers
(MEGCs) and Road Tank Vehicles
Part 7 Provisions Concerning Transport Operations
Volume 2
Part 3 Dangerous Goods List
Appendices
Supplements
Emergency Schedules (EmS)
Medical First Aid Guide for use in Accidents Involving Dangerous Goods
(MFAG)
Reporting Procedures
Recommendations for the safe use of pesticides in ships
International Code for the Safe Carriage of Packaged Irradiated Nuclear Fuel,
Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes on board Ships (INF Code)

The International Code for Fire Safety Systems

Specifications for all fire equipment

The International Lifesaving Appliance Code

Specifications for all LSA