Minding the Helm Marine Navigation and Piloting (1994) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
Pages 311-346
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 311... ...
Clearly, major marine accidents deserve attention, particularly in terms of prevention or mitigation measures. Public attention has opened a window for reasonable and positive changes in the marine navigation and piloting system.
|
From page 312... ...
The system is also characterized by considerable polarization over safety, economic, and jurisdictional issues that have prevented resolution of conflicts over marine pilotage and inhibited system-wide regulation of vessel traffic. Specific improvements can be made in system organization and integration, human systems, marine pilotage, waterways management, navigation and piloting technology, and marine research and development, as described in following sections.
|
From page 313... ...
Casualty Reports and Safety Records Although marine accident investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Coast Guard, and state boards and commissions often provide valuable information about particular accidents, available safety data are inadequate for valid statistical evaluation and comparisons of pilotage systems, even those covering the same routes. This is a longstanding problem in marine-safety
|
From page 314... ...
The U.S. Coast Guard should assign a high priority to data compatibility and sharing across existing and future marine safety data bases and should develop a sound methodology to enable comparison of safety data currently maintained in incompatible data bases.
|
From page 315... ...
Shipboard responsibilities often do not allow masters and bridge teams to develop proficiency in piloting skills, shiphandling, and local knowledge. There are few checks and balances within the marine navigation and piloting system, either human- or technology-based, for advance detection and correction of problems in the professional competence or performance of mariners, including marine pilots.
|
From page 316... ...
The U.S. Coast Guard should encourage the International Maritime Organization to adopt standard training procedures for the use of new navigation and piloting technology.
|
From page 317... ...
RECOMMENDATION 6: Marme pilot licensing authorities and marine pilot associations should encourage the selective use of marine simulation as one approach for meeting continuing professional development needs. MARINE PILOTAGE Debates over the safety performance of federally-licensed or state-l~censed pilots, especially over which of these categories of pilots has a better safety record, have generated considerable public attention but miss the mark.
|
From page 318... ...
Safety Performance The Committee on Advances in Navigation and Piloting found no statistical evidence that professional competence varies according to the methodology used to train independent marine pilots nor was any statistical evidence found that the performance of pilots varies by the level or type of maritime expertise acquired prior to entering the pilot profession. There is some anecdotal evidence from experts that differences in professional backgrounds can affect the time required for pilot candidates to adapt to various aspects of marine pilotage.
|
From page 319... ...
In each of these situations, the pilot is subject to different qualifications and to either federal or state authorities. For some intraport movements, there is no official pilotage requirement for foreign trade vessels, although the Coast Guard has proposed rules to begin closing these pilotage gaps.
|
From page 320... ...
Programs should be developed for continuing professional development and for periodic evaluation of all those who perform under pilot licenses, endorsements, or other off cial credentials. Adequate requirements for recency of service or training should be established as prerequisites for the exercise and renewal of pilot licenses, endorsements, or other official credentials.
|
From page 321... ...
The federal system, which has filled important needs for coastwise vessels, has not ensured quality control for the professional development of federal pilots or docking masters, nor has it routinely monitored the provision of pilotage services, leaving this aspect of federal pilotage largely self-regulated. Port-region control is exercised by a regional Coast Guard official, but this official has little flexibility to modify pilot qualification requirements to address experience or skills necessitated by unique local operating conditions.
|
From page 322... ...
Local organizations have demonstrated substantial capability to provide the expertise and interorganizational working relationships needed to guide marine traffic regulation at the port level. These organizations include, in some ports, officially chartered and informal advisory committees, composed of marine pilots, docking masters, shipping and towing industry interests, the public, and the Coast Guard.
|
From page 323... ...
Performance review of the national commission should be conducted periodically to determine that the commission is meeting goals and objectives established for it. A national commission concept has been suggested before for marine pilotage, but never attempted for either marine pilotage or marine traffic regulation.
|
From page 324... ...
National standards and guidelines must be sufficiently flexible to accommodate substantial variations in the form of pilotage administration as well as pilot development programs and requirements needed to prepare and maintain individual capabilities for effective service in unique local operating environments. Commission success in developing nationally accepted standards for marine pilotage and marine traffic regulation would be necessary prior to proceeding with a consolidation of pilotage into single systems at the port level.
|
From page 325... ...
Because of gaps in pilotage requirements, foreign-flag and U.S.-flag vessels in foreign trade can be moved without a licensed pilot aboard or can be piloted by a licensed pilot who is not performing under the authority of a federal or state license or by a person who does not hold a pilot's license. The recommendations for a national commission, local advisory groups, and measures to improve official accountability (see recommendations 7 through 10, and 15 through l9' will, over time, result in a new synergism between state and federal interests that, in turn, will improve pilot development and performance.
|
From page 326... ...
Finally, the order in which the recommendations are implemented is important: recommendations 10, 11, and 12 should be implemented only after recommendations 7, 8, and 9 have been implemented so as to ensure that the elements necessary for an effective single marine pilotage system in the United States (a national commission, national standards and guidelines, and port-level pilotage authorities and advisory committees) are in place and functioning to expectations prior to imple mentat~on of a nationwide protege system.
|
From page 327... ...
RECOMMENDATION 13: The U.S. Coast Guard should collect empirical data that are needed to assess the effectiveness and safety of navigation and piloting in general, with attention to improving the empirical data relevant to the pilotage of coastwise towing vessels.
|
From page 328... ...
Independent federal marine pilots affiliated with existing federal pilot associations and docking masters affiliated with existing docking master associations that are not under state pilotage administration (see recommendation 19) should be consolidated into the port-level pilotage system as it is established, subject to guidelines established for this purpose by the national commission (see recommendations 7 and 84.
|
From page 329... ...
· On establishment of the consolidated local pilotage system, the federal pilotage endorsement should serve as an entry-level requirements for obtaining a credential issued by the localpilotage authority for own-ship pilotage of U.S.-flag vessels. RECOMMENDATION 19: Steps should be taken immediately to close all gaps in the current system of pilotage administration so that all foreign trade vessels are piloted by individuals who are officially accountable to a pilotage licensing authority.
|
From page 330... ...
The real issue is that the national structure for waterways management does not guarantee consistent and adequate administration, marine traffic regulation, and safety performance. Management of U.S.
|
From page 331... ...
Marine pilotage requirements for foreign trade shipping, a state responsibility, need to meet high standards and be consistently applied (see recommendations 7 through 12 and 16 through 191. All these measures are essential to ensure that both federal and state marine and environmental safety interests are served and that marine pilots are adequately supported in their role as representatives of state and federal interests in ensuring safe navigation.
|
From page 332... ...
· The U.S. Coast Guard should, in consultation with appropriate federal agencies and national and local advisory bodies (recommendations 9 and 24)
|
From page 333... ...
All VTS systems and VTS-like operations should be accredited to these standards, to facilitate their use by vessels in foreign trade. The Coast Guard's substantial traffic regulation authority, which enables time and space management and direction of actions by specific vessels, could be more widely applied than it is now, especially where Coast Guard-operated VTS systems have been established.
|
From page 334... ...
Special Operational Considerations Access to channels by vessels that exceed channel design parameters and special operating criteria guiding their transit should be decided by port safety authorities based on consideration of operational risk, in consultation with affected and interested parties, marine pilots, and local advisory bodies (recommendation 91. Use of marine simulation should be considered when resolving uncertainties about the safety of such transits or for building a consensus con .
|
From page 335... ...
RECOMMENDATION 26: The U.S. Coast Guard should strongly encourage the development and updating of international technical and performance criteria for advanced navigation systems with the objective of providing a solid foundation for the systematic introduction of advanced navigation technologies and as a benchmark for national technical and performance criteria.
|
From page 336... ...
coastwise vessels, any other vessel subject to federal or state pilotage requirements should take the initiative to install electronic charting and precision navigation devices that are suitable for their applications andfor navigation safety of their vessels. Owners and operators of inland towing vessels that operate in pilot waters should make a concerted effort to install equal or equivalent navigation devices as practical for each vessel's conf gyration and operation.
|
From page 337... ...
RECOMMENDATION 30: The U.S. Coast Guard should maintain, and when appropriate, enhance existing short-range aids to navigation that will support evolving technologies as well as traditional navigation technologies.
|
From page 338... ...
Coast Guard, should accelerate establishment of Differential Global Positioning System for marine navigation in U.S. navigable waters and the seaward approaches.
|
From page 339... ...
Pilot uncertainty about the maneuvering behavior of unfamiliar ships and the pilot's general lack of familiarity with integrated bridge technology means that vessel- and route-specific validation will be necessary to establish IBS reliability for even regular routes. How an independent marine pilot would interact with IBS is not certain; full use of system capabilities seems to require either integration of independent marine pilots into the bridge team, a nontraditional role, or redefined working relationships between the pilot and the individual operating the IBS.
|
From page 340... ...
RECOMMENDATION 34: The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration should leverage earlier and existing research and should empirically evaluate the impact of advanced electronic positioning systems, automated steering systems, and integrated bridge and ship-control systems (including artificial intelligence and neural networks)
|
From page 341... ...
RECOMMENDATION 36: The U.S. Coast Guard, in coordination with the Maritime Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services, should assess electronic data links as a primary means for transmitting and receiving information needed for safe and efficient navigation and piloting of commercial vessels.
|
From page 342... ...
Research needs are substantial and cross the missions of the Coast Guard, Mantime Administration, National Oceanic and Atmosphenc Administration, Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Transportation Safety Board. Therefore, a comprehensive cooperative research program is indicated.
|
From page 343... ...
Navy, should be examined for relevance; insofar as practical, lessons from this research should be leveraged into the Department of Transportation cooperative research program. Research needs should be prioritized in each area according to their prospective contribution to marine safety and economic efficiency.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.