This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to manage safe navigational watchkeeping on a commercial ocean-going vessel in compliance with Australian and international regulations and guidelines, protection of the marine environment and the safety of vessel and persons onboard.

This unit applies to people working in the maritime industry in the capacity of:

Master of a commercial vessel less than 80 metres in length within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Legislative and regulatory requirements are applicable to this unit.

This unit is one of the requirements to obtain Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) certification as a Master less than 80 metres Near Coastal as defined in the National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) Part D.

ELEMENTS

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1

Establish safe watchkeeping procedures on vessels, potentially with limited qualified personnel

1.1

Set of Master standing orders is developed to supplement vessel safety management system (SMS) noting number of watchkeeping personnel

1.2

Accepted principles, vessel safety management procedures and Master standing orders are conformed with in conduct, handover and relief of watch

1.3

Appropriate bridge team is established according to vessel SMS and bridge personnel are confirmed as fit for duty

1.4

Duties are assigned to members of bridge team and their performance of those duties is monitored

1.5

Members of bridge team are correctly briefed on their duties

1.6

Action is taken to ensure vessel is navigated safely using appropriate position fixing techniques to check location the vessel and to maintain movement of vessel within planned limitations

1.7

Action is taken to ensure progress of vessel with respect to passage plan is analysed and vessel navigation is managed appropriately to maintain a required estimated time of arrival (ETA) at a point in the plan

1.8

Accepted principles and procedures are conformed with in relation to frequency and extent of monitoring of traffic, vessel and environment

1.9

Responsibility for safety of navigation is defined according to vessel SMS

1.10

Safe navigational practice is achieved by implementing accepted bridge resource management principles and procedures

1.11

Action is taken to ensure fatigue management strategies are correctly applied by bridge management team

2

Respond to potential collision and emergency situations

2.1

Leadership of bridge team is taken when called to bridge in response to navigational situation

2.2

Circumstances when assistance is required when Master is performing watchkeeping duties are identified

2.3

Potential collision situations are analysed and appropriate actions taken to avoid collision in ample time and in compliance with international collision regulations, resulting in a safe passing distance and following practices of good seamanship

2.4

SMS procedures and compliance with standard watchkeeping principles are correctly implemented when taking over bridge watch from officer of the watch

2.5

Appropriate action is taken to initiate search and rescue (SAR) procedures on receipt of a distress signal

2.6

Appropriate advice is given to watchkeepers and correct actions are implemented regarding a response to navigational or operational emergency situations

3

Maintain watchkeeping records

3.1

Relevant information is documented in required records

3.2

Action is taken to ensure deck logbook and other required records are maintained in an appropriate manner

3.3

Required records are filed and stored according to organisational procedures

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria on at least one occasion and include:

applying fatigue management strategies

assessing:

circumstances requiring Master to call for assistance from a second qualified watchkeeper

necessary actions to be taken when called to bridge by officer of watch

briefing officers of watch on passage plan and their watchkeeping duties

communicating effectively with other personnel when managing safe navigational watchkeeping activities

complying with mandatory rules, regulations and International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions and codes, including relevant sections of Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Marine Orders and ensuring codes, guidelines and standards recommended by IMO, classification societies and maritime industry organisations are taken into account

conducting emergency procedures

determining:

actions to take with respect to executing passage plan

most important watchkeeping task at any given time

ensuring established passage plan is correctly carried out

exchanging information with pilot about pilotage plan and conduct of bridge team

managing watchkeeping arrangements while underway, when berthed or moored, when slipped or in dry dock, and during routine or unplanned events

performing pilotage duties, where permitted

providing leadership to bridge team

recognising and adapting appropriately to cultural differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour, and interactions and communication with others

recognising situations warranting alterations to bridge team, including situations where vessel is under pilotage

solving problems that may arise when managing bridge team

taking prompt action to report and/or rectify watchkeeping incidents according to established procedures

using available technology when managing navigational watchkeeping activities.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

applicable legislation, regulations and codes of practice

bridge watch handover procedures

causes of groundings, collisions and casualties when onboard vessel

documentation and records, including:

company safety management system (SMS)

established passage plan

instructions of relevant maritime authorities

Master standing and night orders

navigational charts

operational orders

relevant maritime regulations as they relate to watchkeeping functions and operations during a coastal voyage

vessel log

emergency situations

fatigue management principles and techniques

International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs)

navigational aids, including:

compass and azimuth mirror

electronic charts

electronic navigation systems

radar

navigational hazards during voyage and implications for watchkeeping

precautions necessary when navigating in or near traffic separation schemes or other routeing measures

principles for maintaining a safe navigational watch on vessels with potentially limited qualified personnel

principles of bridge team management

range of factors that can affect watchkeeping functions on vessels under 500 gross tonnage (GT) and their implications, including:

attention necessary when navigating in or near traffic separation schemes or other routeing measures

maintaining proper lookout by all available means at all times

need to adhere to established passage plan

never leaving the bridge unattended

operational status of bridge instrumentation, controls and alarms and failure

provision on bridge of unmanned machinery space (UMS) controls, alarms and indicators, including loss of:

main engines

mooring lines or winches when berthing

watertight integrity

proximity of navigational hazards

rudder and propeller control and vessel manoeuvring characteristics

size of vessel and field of vision available from conning position

traffic density and other activities occurring in area in which vessel is navigating

unusual demands on navigational watch arising from operational conditions

use and operational condition of navigational aids and failure of bridge equipment, steering equipment and navigational lights

weather and sea conditions, visibility and whether there is daylight or darkness

relevant work health and safety (WHS)/occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation and policies

responsibility for safety of navigation, including:

periods under pilotage

periods when Master is on bridge.

Assessors must hold credentials specified within the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment must satisfy the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence and all regulatory requirements included within the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Practical assessment must occur in a workplace, or realistic simulated workplace, under the normal range of workplace conditions.

Simulations and scenarios may be used where situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely, in particular for situations relating to emergency procedures and adverse weather conditions where assessment would be unsafe, impractical or may lead to environmental damage.

Resources for assessment must include access to:

applicable documentation, such as legislation, regulations, codes of practice, workplace procedures and operational manuals

tools, equipment, machinery, materials and relevant personal protective equipment (PPE) currently used in industry.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Not applicable.

H – Navigation