Table of content

 Unit 1 – Geodesy basics, nautical charts and publications

Chapter 1 - Earth's shape and positioning
1.1           Geoid
1.2           Ellipsoid
1.3           Terrestrial sphere
1.4           Geographic coordinates
1.5           Nautical mile and knot
1.6           Track, course and heading
1.7           Bearings
 
Chapter 2 - Ship sailing
2.1           Introduction
2.2           Rhumb line properties
2.3           Planning a rhumb line track
2.4           Basic spherical trigonometry rules
2.5           Great circle properties
2.6           Planning a great circle track
2.7           Composite great circle track
2.8           ETA calculation
Exercises (Rhumb line and great circle planning)
 
Chapter 3 - Nautical cartography
3.1           Charts classification
3.2           Mercator projection
3.3           Other nautical charts
3.4           Nautical charts symbols
3.5           Updating nautical charts
 
Chapter 4 - Nautical publications
4.1           Introduction
4.2           Sailing directions
4.3           List of lights and fog signals
4.4           List of radio signals
4.5           Ocean passages for the world
4.6           Tide Tables
4.7           Nautical almanac
 
Unit 2 - Bridge equipment

Chapter 5 - Magnetic compass
5.1           Magnetic compass structure
5.2           Magnetic force
5.3           Magnetic dip and variation
5.4           Magnetic deviation
5.5           Compass adjustment
Exercises (Variation and deviation calculation for correction and conversion)
 
Chapter 6 - Gyro-compass
6.1           Gyro-compass structure
6.2           Gyroscope properties
6.3           Gyroscopic precession
6.4           Gyroscope orientation
6.5           Gyro-compass errors
6.6           New technologies for gyro-compasses
Exercises (Gyro error)
 
Chapter 7 - Echo-sounder and log
7.1           Echo-sounder principles
7.2           Echo-sounder errors
7.3           Log types and functions
 
Chapter 8 - Radar, ARPA and AIS
8.1           Radar regulations
8.2           Radar principles
8.3           Radar ranges
8.4           Radar errors
8.5           Radar and ARPA settings
8.6           Radar and ARPA functions and alarms
8.7           Parallel indexing
8.8           Radar transponders
8.9           AIS system
8.10       Radar plotting: relative and true motion
8.11       Radar plotting: use of the plotting diagram
8.12       Radar plotting: relative track
8.13       Radar plotting: the radar plot
8.14       Radar plotting: avoidance actions
8.15       Other radar plotting problems
8.16       Exercises (Radar plotting)
 
Chapter 9 - Satellite positioning
9.1           Introduction
9.2           Architecture of the GPS system
9.3           GPS signals and codes
9.4           GPS positioning by code measurement
9.5           GPS errors
9.6           GPS accuracy and GDOP
9.7           DGPS
9.8           Other GNSS systems
 
Chapter 10 - ECDIS and Integrated Navigation Systems
10.1       ECDIS principles
10.2       Digital charts format
10.3       Electronic charts characteristics
10.4       ECDIS settings
10.5       ECDIS alarms
10.6       Distributing and updating ENCs
10.7       INS architecture
10.8       Auto-pilot
10.9       BNWAS
10.10    VDR
 
Unit 3 – Coastal and celestial navigation

Chapter 11 - Aids to Navigation (AtoN)
11.1       Visible horizon
11.2       Ranges
11.3       List of Lights and Fog signals
11.4       IALA Buoyage system
11.5       Radio AToN
11.6       Exercises (IALA)
 
Chapter 12 - Coastal navigation plotting
12.1       Introduction
12.2       Plotting basics
12.3       Dead reckoning plot
12.4       Use of LOPs for determining position
12.5       Running fix
12.6       Doubling the angle on the bow and series of Troub
12.7       Wind and current consideration
 
Chapter 13 - Nautical astronomy basics
13.1       Celestial sphere
13.2       Celestial coordinates systems
13.3       PZX triangle
13.4       Movements of the celestial bodies on the celestial sphere
13.5       The solar system
13.6       Sun apparent motion
13.7       Amplitude
13.8       Twilights
13.9       Apparent and real motion of the Moon
13.10    Identifying celestial bodies by sight
13.11    Use of the Star finder
13.12    Identification by calculation
Exercises (Dealing with PZX triangle and celestial bodies identification)
 
Chapter 14 - Time in celestial navigation
14.1       Time diagram
14.2       Time intervals
14.3       True Sun and mean sun
14.4       Universal Time
14.5       Time zones
14.6       The marine chronometer
14.7       Use of the nautical almanac
14.8       Main calculation procedures using the Nautical Almanac
14.9       Use of the rapid sight reduction tables
 
Chapter 15 - The sextant
15.1       Sextant structure
15.2       Sextant principle
15.3       Sextant adjustment
15.4       Altitude corrections
 
Chapter 16 - Position fixing and compass check in celestial navigation
16.1       Meridian passage and latitude calculation
16.2       Calculating the latitude with the Polar Star
16.3       Compass check
16.4       Position circle
16.5       Saint Hilaire method
16.6       Fix with two lines
16.7       Errors in celestial navigation
16.8       Fix with more than two lines
Exercises (Position fixing in celestial navigation and compass error check in celestial navigation)
 
Unit 4 - Meteorology and oceanography

Chapter 17 - The atmosphere and the sea
17.1       Atmosphere composition and layers
17.2       Atmosphere functions
17.3       Ocean basins shape
17.4       Meteorology and oceanography parameters
17.5       Atmosphere stability and clouds
17.6       Fog
17.7       Rain, snow and hail
 
Chapter 18 - Atmospheric circulation
18.1       Causes of wind
18.2       Measuring the wind
18.3       Forces acting on the air
18.4       Geostrophic wind
18.5       Gradient wind
18.6       Thermal wind
18.7       Monsoons
18.8       Breezes
18.9       Global circulation pattern
18.10    Rossby waves
 
Chapter 19 - Cyclones
19.1       Introduction
19.2       Air masses and fronts
19.3       Extratropical cyclones genesis
19.4       Weather in an extratropical cyclone
19.5       Tropical cyclones - genesis
19.6       Evolution of a tropical cyclone and hurricanes
19.7       Hurricane paths
19.8       Navigation in the vicinity of a tropical cyclone
19.9        Saffir-Simpson scale
 
Chapter 20 - Tides and currents
20.1       Introduction
20.2       Newton's Theory of tide
20.3       Spring and neap tides
20.4       Real tides
20.5       The tidal problem
20.6       Tidal streams
20.7       Tide Tables
20.8       Geostrophic fluxes
20.9       Drift currents
20.10    Upwelling and downwelling
20.11    Oceanic circulation
Exercises (Tide problems)
 
Chapter 21 - Ice navigation
21.1       Introduction
21.2       The Polar Code
21.3       Sea ice origin and classification
21.4       Ice geographic distribution
21.5       Iceberg
21.6       Detection of the presence of ice and ice bulletins
21.7       Ice accretion on board
21.8       Health risks in low temperatures
21.9       Winterization
21.10    Ship design & construction
21.11    Ship equipment
21.12    Ice operations
21.13    Icebreaker assistance
21.14    Environment protection in polar waters
 
Chapter 22 - Weather information
22.1       Global meteorological organization
22.2       Meteorological charts
22.3       Meteorological satellites
22.4       Meteorological warnings and forecasts
22.5       Climatological charts
22.6       Weather tracks and weather routeing service
 
Unit 5 – Passage planning and manoeuvring

Chapter 23 - Ship handling
23.1       Manoeuvring principles
23.2       IMO provisions
23.3       Manoeuvre variables
23.4       Propeller
23.5       Rudder
23.6       Turning circle
23.7       Pivot point
23.8       Stopping distances
23.9       Standard manoeuvres
23.10    WP and WOP
  
Chapter 24 - Manoeuvring when in shallow and confined water
24.1       Introduction
24.2       Squat effect
24.3       Interaction (bank effect)
24.4       Mooring
24.5       Anchoring
24.6       Tug operation
 
Chapter 25 - Passage Planning
25.1       Introduction to passage planning
25.2       The four steps of navigation
25.3       Variables to be considered in the planning stage
25.4       Landfall
25.5       Clearing bearings
25.6       Margins of safety and parallel indexing
25.7       Planning and executing a turn
25.8       Planning and monitoring with ECDIS
 
Unit 6 - Watchkeeping

Chapter 26 - Watchkeeping principles
26.1       Introduction
26.2       STCW Chapter VIII
26.3       Bridge Procedure guide
26.4       Dealing with VTS
26.5       Ships' reporting system
26.6       Nautical log-book
26.7       Ship’s report and LRIT
 
Chapter 27 - COLREGs
27.1       Introduction
27.2       Part A
27.3       Part B Section I
27.4       Ships' routeing
27.5       Part B Section II
27.6       Part B Section III
27.7       Part C
27.8       Part D
27.9       Part E
27.10    Part F
 
Chapter 28 - Communication on board
28.1       ICS basics
28.2       GMDSS basics
28.3       GMDSS areas
28.4       Shipborne communication equipment
28.5       DSC
28.6       Radio telex (NBDP)
28.7       Satellite communication systems
28.8       WWNWS e MSI
28.9       Emergency locators
28.10    Introduction to SMCP content
28.11    SMCP's rules for communication
28.12    SMCP's emergency communication and signals