Page 44 - 2021 - Q3 - Minerva in Focus

ATHINA TRAINING CENTER Supporting our Officers in the Philippines

to become more familiar with the Wärtsilä Navi Sailor 4000

(Transas) ECDIS

by Jestoni Balibat & Regies Sampayan,
2nd Officers, Minerva Marine Inc.

Two Wärtsilä Navi-Sailor ECDIS units were recently installed at our Manila
Office, making our Junior Officers’ familiarization with this system more
effective with the assistance of the local personnel and two active 2nd
Officers.
However, it comes along the team conduct the ECDIS in-house
with challenges. One such familiarization and enhancement training
challenge in the transition course, which will last three days:
to paperless navigation and • Day 1 is devoted to SOLAS Require-
the required competence ments for ECDIS, types of ENCs,
of Bridge Officers is to fully Sensors and Instruments connect-
understand and operate the ed to the ECDIS, Navi Sailor 4000 In-
ECDIS. This has been causing terface, and Control Panel Windows.
significant concern since • Day 2 is devoted to basic naviga-
many mariners had always tional functions, route planning,
used paper charts, which charts management, safety settings
may significantly affect the as required by Minerva, and famil-
ship’s navigation and safe iarization with the equipment.
operation as a whole. • Day 3 deals with route planning
Minerva Marine Inc. has exercises, route checking and vali-
taken a significant step in dation, and further familiarization
ensuring its crew members with the equipment.
are competent and well-con- This initiative will equip Minerva Marine’s
versant with ECDIS use. With Filipino Bridge Officers with the knowledge
the cooperation of Minerva and skills needed to execute their jobs
Marine Agency Inc. in Manila, onboard properly. The pilot testing of this
headed by Engr. Henry Abella, in-house training took place in Manila on
Minerva has designed an July 12 this year. Crew members who were
in-house familiarization and about to embark on company vessels were
enhancement training course given priority.
to prepare new and existing Navigating Officers should be adequately
Navigation is the art and science of de- officers and crew to be promoted before familiar with the ECDIS, its basic operations,
termining a ship’s position and guiding joining the vessels. charts folio management, navigational
it to its specific destination in the safest, The training team, led by 2/M Jose Macato tools and functions, and route planning
fastest, and most efficient way possible. supported by C/M Christopher Balicat and and monitoring. They must improve their
The practice of marine navigation involves 2/M Edgar Donguez, started organizing knowledge and understanding of navigat-
good seamanship, professional knowledge this initiative. 2/M Regies Sampayan and ing the oceans and fully understand the
and judgment, and the application of 2/M Jestoni Balibat, two of the compa- importance of safety contour and safety
science and technology. Over time, many ny’s experienced navigation officers (on depth and why the safety contour provided
innovations have been introduced to fa- vacation and waiting for their next vessel by the ENC might not represent the limit
cilitate navigation and make the mariner’s line-up at that time), were called upon of navigable waters when considering the
job easier. to assist. 2/M Sampayan, who has been option of defining a no-go area.
One such innovation of great significance with Minerva Marine for 15 years, and 2/M Minerva Marine has some way to go be-
to the shipping industry is the ECDIS. Balibat, who has teaching experience in fore fully implementing its ECDIS in-house
This navigational aid enables mariners maritime schools and training institutions, training, but through the excellent coop-
to navigate with ease and comfort and combined their expertise to help plan and eration of the Athens and Manila Offices,
operate the vessel in paperless mode, of- execute the training course. it will soon become a reality, despite the
fering numerous advantages to its users. A training schedule was drafted to help challenges in these trying times.

42 MINERVA IN FOCUS – ISSUE 17 / Q3 2021