Regulation 1 (4)

TRAFI/12134/03.04.01.00/2011

Issued: Enetrs into force: Validity:

26 Sept. 2011 1 Oct. 2011 Until further notice
Legal basis:
Act on Ships’ Crews and the Safety Management of Ships (1687/2009), section 23(3)

Modification details:
New regulation

Scope of application:
Shipping

Ship voyage planning

CONTENTS

1 GENERAL PROVISIONS ................................................................................... 2

1.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................ 2
1.2 Definitions .................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Scope of application ....................................................................................... 2
2 SCOPE OF VOYAGE PLAN AND APPRAISAL OF INFORMATION .............................. 2
2.1 Scope of voyage plan ..................................................................................... 2
2.2 Planning prior to each voyage ......................................................................... 2
3 VOAYGE PLANNING AND LAYING OUT THE PLAN ON CHARTS .............................. 3
3.1 Voyage planning and approval of the plan ......................................................... 3
3.2 Voyage plan for areas necessitating the services of a pilot .................................. 3
3.3 Laying out the route on charts ......................................................................... 3
4 EXECUTION AND MONITORING OF THE VOYAGE PLAN ....................................... 4
5 ENTRY INTO FORCE ....................................................................................... 4

Liikenteen turvallisuusvirasto • Trafiksäkerhetsverket • Finnish Transport Safety Agency

Kumpulantie/Gumtäktsvägen 9, PL/PB/P.O. Box 320, 00101 Helsinki/Helsingfors, Finland Y-tunnus/FO-nummer/
Puh./Tfn/Tel. +358 (0)20 618 500, fax +358 (0)20 618 5095 • www.trafi.fi Business ID:1031715-9
 Regulation 2 (4)

TRAFI/12047/03.04.01.00/2011

1 GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of the present Regulation is to issue more detailed provisions on the voyage plan-
ning of Finnish ships referred to in section 23(3) of the Act on Ships’ Crews and the Safety
Management of Ships (1687/2009).

1.2 Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation:

1) ECDIS shall mean a conformity marked electronic chart display and information system that
displays information from official ENC charts and replaces paper charts;
2) ENC shall mean an electronic navigational chart in vector format published by the national
hydrographic office, conforming with the IHO S-57 standard and provided with an updating
service;
3) conformity marked equipment equipment approved in accordance with the Decree on Ma-
rine Equipment (925/1998).

1.3 Scope of application

This Regulation applies to:

1) ships engaged on international voyages;

2) passenger ships engaged on domestic voyages; and
3) ships of 100 gross tonnage and upwards engaged on domestic voyages other than those
referred to in 1.3.2.

2 SCOPE OF VOYAGE PLAN AND APPRAISAL OF INFORMATION

2.1 Scope of voyage plan

The intended voyage shall be prepared from the port of departure to the first port of call. The
plan shall also include those areas necessitating the presence of a pilot.

The voyage plan shall, whenever applicable, include check lists. The master may give standing
orders or orders for each voyage on the use of check lists.

2.2 Planning prior to each voyage

Prior to each voyage, the intended route shall be planned using adequate and appropriate
charts or ECDIS. Accurate, complete and up-to-date information contained in the following
publications shall be consulted:

1) sailing directions;
2) lists of lights;
3) tidal atlases and tide tables;
4) Notices to Mariners;
5) mariners’ routeing guides;
6) passage planning guides;
7) lists of radio aids to navigation;
8) meteorological information, and hydrographical and hydrological data;
 Regulation 3 (4)

TRAFI/12047/03.04.01.00/2011

9) VTS manuals and instructions on reporting procedures, etc.;

10) practical instructions published by the Icebreaker Service; and
11) available port information.

3 VOAYGE PLANNING AND LAYING OUT THE PLAN ON CHARTS

3.1 Voyage planning and approval of the plan

The voyage plan includes plotting of the intended route on the relevant charts or entering it
into ECDIS as well as a written description that contains all necessary information on the
route. The description shall be kept on the bridge and always be available for the officers of
the navigational watch. There must always be a paper copy of the route description.

When preparing the voyage plan, account shall be taken of the following factors:

1) standard of shipborne equipment;

2) the ship’s manoeuvring characteristics;
3) the ship’s speed;
4) cargo, especially dangerous goods carried on board;
5) the ship’s draught and trim in relation to the water depth in critical areas;
6) advice and recommendations contained in guides and manuals;
7) all relevant aids to navigation along the route;
8) routeing systems;
9) VTS areas, mandatory reporting systems and reporting points;
10) pilot boarding places and pilot exchange places, if appropriate;
11) speed limitations;
12) volume of traffic likely to be encountered throughout the voyage;
13) navigational warnings;
14) tides and currents;
15) weather forecasts for the entire voyage;
16) changes in visibility;
17) ice conditions;
18) cable ferries; bridges, canals and locks;
19) need for additional watchkeeping personnel;
20) need for towage;
21) other specific local requirements and conditions.

There shall also be a contingency plan for alternative action to proceed to a port of refuge or
safe anchorage in the event of any emergency or other circumstance necessitating abandon-
ment of the plan.

Each voyage plan shall be approved by the ship’s master.

3.2 Voyage plan for areas necessitating the services of a pilot

The voyage plan for the area(s) necessitating the services of a pilot shall be such that the
officer of the navigational watch is able to monitor the actions of the pilot.

3.3 Laying out the route on charts

Prior to the voyage, the intended route shall be drawn on general charts covering the entire
voyage and on the best-scale charts of the areas the vessel will traverse. The route may also
 Regulation 4 (4)

TRAFI/12047/03.04.01.00/2011

be entered into ECDIS. If paper charts are used as a back-up system for ECDIS, the route shall
also be laid out on the said chart(s).

Danger areas and obstructions as well as their safety zones shall be laid out on the chart(s) or
be entered into ECDIS. Safe distances from the track line to useful radar targets should also be
marked or recorded. Intended course alteration points and related information, such as radar
distances, bearings, etc., to be used for plotting of the course alteration points shall also be
laid out on the chart(s) or recorded in ECDIS.

Three-digit true courses shall be marked in advance along the track line. Other details shall be
marked in such a manner that they do not render it more difficult to read the chart.

4 EXECUTION AND MONITORING OF THE VOYAGE PLAN

The master shall ensure that the voyage plan is executed. If the port of call is changed during
the course of the voyage, or if the ship due to prevailing ice or weather conditions must make
significant deviations from the intended route, a new voyage plan should be prepared in accor-
dance with this Regulation. If the voyage plan has been altered during a watch, the officer of
the navigational watch shall notify the officer taking over the watch.

The officer of the navigational watch shall make efficient use of all aids to navigation available.
By plotting the position at frequent intervals he/she shall ensure that the ship is conducted in a
safe manner and that it proceeds in accordance with the voyage plan. If the ship is not
equipped with ECDIS, the positions and times for them shall be plotted on the chart(s).

5 ENTRY INTO FORCE

This Regulation enters into force on 1 October 2011.

Tuomas Routa
Director General, Regulation and Supervision

Sanna Sonninen
Director