Passage planning is the mandatory, systematic process of preparing a safe route for a voyage before departure — required under SOLAS Chapter V for every voyage, on every vessel, no exceptions for “familiar” routes.
The Four Stages (APEM)
1. Appraisal
Gathering and reviewing all relevant information — charts, publications, tidal data, weather forecasts, Notices to Mariners, company routing instructions, and vessel-specific factors (draft, air draft, maneuvering characteristics) — before any actual route is drawn.
2. Planning
Using the appraisal information to actually draw the intended route on charts, marking waypoints, no-go areas, danger bearings, parallel indexing references, and identifying critical decision points where the plan may need to change.
3. Execution
Carrying out the plan during the actual voyage, with the bridge team briefed and aware of the plan’s key points, contingencies, and decision criteria.
4. Monitoring
Continuously checking the vessel’s actual position against the planned track throughout the voyage, and being ready to deviate safely if actual conditions require it — a plan isn’t followed blindly regardless of what’s actually happening.
Why Every Voyage Requires This, Even “Familiar” Routes
Conditions change — tides, weather, other traffic, temporary hazards (Notices to Mariners), and even a familiar route can present different risks on a given day. Passage planning isn’t a one-time exercise for unfamiliar waters; it’s a mandatory process for every voyage.
Who’s Involved
While the Master holds overall responsibility, passage planning is typically prepared by a navigating officer (often the Second Officer, given the role’s traditional link to navigation duties) and reviewed/approved by the Master before departure — a genuine team responsibility, not a single person’s task in isolation.
No-Go Areas and Danger Bearings
A properly prepared passage plan marks areas the vessel must never enter (no-go areas, based on draft and charted hazards) and danger bearings (a bearing line that, if crossed, indicates the vessel is standing into danger) — practical, visual tools that let the bridge team catch a developing problem at a glance, not just retrospectively via GPS position.
Passage Planning and Port State Control
Passage plan documentation and evidence of actual compliance (not just a plan that exists on paper but wasn’t followed) is a standard Port State Control inspection item — a real, verifiable compliance requirement, not just good practice.
Exam Relevance
Passage planning’s four stages, no-go area/danger bearing concepts, and SOLAS/STCW requirements are core, extensively-tested Navigation topics across all levels of deck officer competency exams.