Elements and Performance Criteria

General context
Work must be carried out in compliance with mandatory rules and regulations and IMO Conventions and Codes including the relevant sections of the AMSA Marine Orders and ensuring that applicable codes, guidelines and standards recommended by IMO, the classification societies and maritime industry organisations are taken into account.

Work is performed relatively independently under broad operational requirements, with accountability and responsibility for self and others in achieving the prescribed outcomes.

Work involves the application of a significant range of fundamental nautical principles and complex manoeuvring techniques across a wide and often unpredictable variety of operational contexts. Contribution to the development of a broad plan, budget or strategy for vessel operations is required and accountability and responsibility for self and others in achieving the outcomes is involved.

Work requires significant judgement in planning, technical and leadership functions related to manoeuvring operations and procedures for vessels of 500 gross tonnage or more.

Worksite environment
Vessel may include any Australian or international commercial vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more.

Fixing of a vessel's position may be carried out:
by day or night in both normal and emergency situations
under any possible conditions of weather and loading
while underway
while at anchor or moored.

Instrumentation and equipment used in fixing a vessel's position may include:
radar equipment including ARPA
Loran C Navigation System
GPS and DGPS satellite navigation systems
ECS and ECDIS systems
integrated navigation systems
magnetic compasses
gyro compasses
gyro repeaters
chronometers
sextants
azimuth mirrors
azimuth vanes
pelorus
doppler and electromagnetic logs
echo sounders.

Sources of information/documents
Documentation/records may include:
ISM Code safety management system plans, procedures, checklists and instructions
operational orders
navigational charts
IMO STCW 95 Code and Convention
AMSA Marine Orders
vessel's log
relevant marine navigation publications
company procedures
navigation instruments and equipment manufacturers' instructions and recommended procedures
instructions of relevant Maritime Authorities
pilot instructions where relevant
relevant Australian and international standards.

Applicable International, Australian and State/Territory regulations and legislation
Applicable procedures and codes may include:
IMO STCW Code and Convention related to vessels of 500 gross tonnage or more
relevant sections of AMSA Marine Orders
International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea
IMO SOLAS Convention.

Critical aspects of evidence to be considered
Assessment must confirm appropriate knowledge and skills to:
Fix the position of a vessel using the range of navigational instruments and equipment found on a commercial vessel of 500gross tonnage or more
Determine errors in navigational instruments and compasses and make due allowance in the position of the vessel
Identify problems in fixing the position of a vessel and take appropriate action
Communicate effectively with others during position fixing operations
Record the vessel's position in accordance with company procedures and regulatory requirements.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit of competency must be assessed in conjunction with other mandatory units that form part of a job role of the master of a commercial vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more.

Required knowledge and skills
Knowledge of IMO STCW Convention and Codes and AMSA Marine Orders applicable for vessels of 500 gross tonnage and over as they relate to the fixing of a vessel's position and the use of a vessel's compasses
IMO SOLAS Convention
Methods for fixing the position of a vessel
Navigational instruments, equipment and systems typically found on commercial vessels of 500 gross tonnage or more and their operating characteristics and applications
Procedures for using relevant navigational instruments and equipment to fix the position of a vessel by various methods
Problems experienced when fixing the vessel's position and appropriate action and solutions
Limitations and errors in electronic navigation instruments
Principles of operation of magnetic and gyro compasses
Construction and features of compasses, including:
a magnetic compass and binnacle
a transmitting magnetic compass
a gyro compass
Typical operational characteristics for different types of vessel's compasses
Principles of compass compensation
Knowledge of the effects of a vessel's magnetic field
Procedures for the use of published charts to determine the intensity and direction of the earth's magnetic field
Procedures for making allowance for compass errors
The causes of deviation and changes in deviation
AMSA Marine Orders Part 21 as it relates to magnetic compasses
Procedures for the maintenance and adjustment of vessel's compasses
Procedures for compensating a vessel's magnetic compass and presenting a compass adjuster's declaration on completion
Procedures for determining the correct balance of Flinder's bar and F and A magnets.

Resource implications
Access is required to opportunities to either:
participate in a range of assignments, case studies and other simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge to fix the position of a vessel using the typical range of navigational instruments and equipment found on a commercial vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more, and/or
assist in the fixing of a vessel's position on board an operational commercial or training vessel.

Consistency in performance
Applies underpinning knowledge and skills when:
completing manoeuvring operations
identifying and evaluating manoeuvring problems and determining an appropriate courses of action
identifying and implementing improvements to manoeuvring procedures
applying safety precautions relevant to manoeuvring operations
assessing operational capability of vessel and manoeuvring plant and equipment.

Shows evidence of application of relevant workplace procedures including:
relevant sections of IMO STCW 95 Convention and Code and AMSA Marine Orders
ISM Code and associated vessel's Safety Management System and procedures
OHS regulations and hazard prevention policies and procedures
job procedures and work instructions
relevant manufacturer's guidelines relating to the use of machinery, including instructions on equipment capability and limitations
following on-board housekeeping processes.

Work is completed systematically with required attention to detail.

Context for assessment
Assessment of competence must comply with the assessment requirements of the relevant maritime regulations.

Assessment of this unit must be undertaken within relevant marine authority approved and audited arrangements by a registered training organisation:
As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral examinations
Appropriate practical assessment must occur:
at the registered training organisation, and/or
on an appropriate working or training vessel.