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Basic : What is the importance of scrutiny “NO-Go Areas” when preparing voyage planning?Tip: 1 learning a day = 365 lear...
04/12/2025

Basic : What is the importance of scrutiny “NO-Go Areas” when preparing voyage planning?

Tip: 1 learning a day = 365 learnings per year.

In navigation, No-Go Areas are sections of water that a vessel must never enter because they are too shallow or unsafe for the ship’s draft and safety margins.

Definition

A No-Go Area is any area on a navigational chart where:
• The charted depth is less than the ship’s draft, PLUS a safety allowance
(squat, tide, under-keel clearance).
• Or where there are hazards that make entry dangerous (reefs, wrecks, rocks, restricted zones).

These areas are marked and avoided during voyage planning to ensure the vessel always remains in safe navigable waters.



How No-Go Areas Are Determined

When planning a passage, officers:
1. Check vessel draft (actual + expected deepest draft).
2. Add UKC (Under Keel Clearance) requirements.
Example: Required UKC = 1.0 m.
3. Add squat allowance when at speed.
4. Adjust for tide (rising or falling).
5. Compare with charted depths.

Any area shallower than the safe depth = No-Go Area.



Why No-Go Areas Are Important
• Prevent grounding.
• Ensure safe and deep water navigation.
• Help bridge teams visualize danger zones.
• Support good Bridge Resource Management (BRM).



How They Are Marked on Charts
• Usually highlighted in red or hatched on ECDIS.
• On paper charts, plotted (“boxed out”) during voyage planning.
• Displayed as areas you must avoid except in emergency.



Simple Example

If ship’s draft = 10 m
UKC required = 1 m
Squat at planned speed = 1 m

Safe depth needed = 10 + 1 + 1 = 12 meters

Any area with charted depth

NATIONAL MARITIME WEEK AND WORLD MARITIME DAY!!!“Happy National Seafarers Week! We honor your courage, dedication, and s...
26/09/2025

NATIONAL MARITIME WEEK AND WORLD MARITIME DAY!!!

“Happy National Seafarers Week! We honor your courage, dedication, and sacrifice in keeping global trade moving and our nation proud. Ever onward with vision and precision—salute to our modern-day heroes at sea!”

“Seafarers: stewards of the ocean — our obligation, our opportunity.”

゚viralシfypシ゚viralシ

19/09/2025

THE DEAD RECKONING EXPLAINED!!!

Leadears is mot a boss.
14/09/2025

Leadears is mot a boss.

06/09/2025

BASIC : IN-HOUSE TRAINING FOR SAFETY MOORING OPERATION.

Tip: 1 learning a day = 365 learnings a year

゚viralシfypシ゚viralシ

WHO IS ADMIRAL TOMAS CLOMA?THE ICONIC FIGURE OF PHILIPPINE MARITIME HISTORY - ADMIRAL TOMAS CLOMA  COLLEGES⸻Background &...
30/08/2025

WHO IS ADMIRAL TOMAS CLOMA?

THE ICONIC FIGURE OF PHILIPPINE MARITIME HISTORY - ADMIRAL TOMAS CLOMA COLLEGES



Background & Maritime Achievements:

• Born September 18, 1904 in Panglao, Bohol, Tomás Arbolente Cloma was a lawyer and businessman who earned the nickname “Admiral” due to his maritime ventures. Though not a formal naval officer, the title became widely associated with him .
• In 1948, Cloma founded the Philippine Maritime Institute (now PMI Colleges), the country’s pioneering private maritime education institution, cementing his legacy as the “Father of Maritime Education” in the Philippines .

Claiming Freedomland / Kalayaan:

• Driven by his passion for the sea and commerce, Cloma explored islands roughly 612 km west of Palawan in the South China Sea (present-day West Philippine Sea). On May 11, 1956, he and his team formally claimed a group of unoccupied islets, proclaiming the Free Territory of Freedomland—a self-declared micronation with its capital on Flat (Patag) Island .
• Cloma posted a “Notice to the Whole World” on each island and set up a government structure. The claim, however, drew protest from neighboring powers, notably Taiwan and China .
• Over time, Freedomland was renamed and reorganized into the Principality of Colonia St. John; by 1974, Cloma formally ceded all claims to the Philippines for just ₱1, later prompting President Marcos to incorporate the area as the Kalayaan Island Group under Philippine sovereignty in 1978 .

Recognition & Later Life:

• President Fidel Ramos bestowed upon Cloma the Legion of Honor, granting him the honorary title of Admiral in 1995—one year before his passing on his 92nd birthday, September 18, 1996, receiving full military honors .

Reddit Anecdote:

“He first established a fishing base in Itu Aba Island… Cloma was forced to sell his claim for Php 1.00” — Reddit user



Quick Summary

Aspect Details
Name & Lifespan: Tomás Arbolente Cloma Sr. (1904–1996)

Profession: Lawyer, businessman, maritime educator

Maritime Legacy: Founded PMI Colleges;

dubbed: “Father of Maritime Education”

Freedomland: Claimed Spratly islets as a micronation in 1956

Philippine Future: Transferred claim to government; islands became Kalayaan Group

Honors: Awarded honorary Admiral and Legion of Honor in 1995



In essence, Admiral Tomas Cloma was a visionary tying maritime education to national destiny—his bold claim over the Kalayaan Islands laid symbolic and practical groundwork for the Philippines’ current territorial assertions.

Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” - CaptM     ゚  ゚    #
23/08/2025

Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” - CaptM

゚ ゚ #

I’m Not Afraid of Storms, for I’m Learning how to Sail my Ship.”- CaptM     ゚  ゚    #
23/08/2025

I’m Not Afraid of Storms, for I’m Learning how to Sail my Ship.”- CaptM

゚ ゚ #

BASIC : WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SWING CIRCLE AND DRAGGING CIRCLE?Perfect 👍 Let’s compare them side by side so it’...
23/08/2025

BASIC : WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SWING CIRCLE AND DRAGGING CIRCLE?

Perfect 👍 Let’s compare them side by side so it’s clear:



⚓ Swinging Circle:

• Definition: An imaginary circle drawn on the chart around the ship’s anchored position.
• Radius: Distance from the anchor to the ship’s stern (or the ship’s extremity, usually the stern).
• Purpose: Shows the maximum area in which the ship can swing freely at anchor due to wind, tide, or current without hitting another vessel or obstruction.
• Focus: Safe clearance from dangers and nearby vessels.



⚓ Dragging Circle:

• Definition: An imaginary circle used to monitor if the ship is dragging anchor.
• Radius: Distance from the ship’s position fixing point (normally GPS antenna or bridge) to the anchor position (hawse pipe).
• Purpose: Ensures the ship stays within this circle when anchored. If it goes outside, it means the anchor is not holding, and the vessel may be drifting.
• Focus: Anchor holding check.



📝 Key Difference:
• Swinging circle = clearance & space to swing safely.
• Dragging circle = anchor watch tool to detect dragging.



👉
Here’s a simple diagram:
• ⚫ Black square → Anchor position (hawse pipe)
• 🔵 Blue dot → Ship’s reference point (GPS/bridge)
• 🟢 Green dashed circle → Swinging Circle (space ship may swing around anchor)
• 🔴 Red solid circle → Dragging Circle (used to monitor anchor holding)

👉 If the ship’s position moves outside the red circle, it means the anchor is dragging.
👉 The green circle ensures there’s enough room to swing without hitting dangers.

BASIC: WHAT IS ANCHORING OPERATIONS ONBOARD SHIP?Anchoring operation in a ship refers to the process of securing a vesse...
23/08/2025

BASIC: WHAT IS ANCHORING OPERATIONS ONBOARD SHIP?

Anchoring operation in a ship refers to the process of securing a vessel at sea or near a port by lowering its anchor to the seabed.

It’s one of the fundamental seamanship tasks to keep a ship safely in position when it’s not alongside a berth, pier, or dock.

Here’s a breakdown of what it involves:

Purpose of Anchoring:
• To hold the ship in place against wind, tide, and current.
• To wait for a berth, favorable weather, or tide.
• For emergencies (e.g., engine failure).

Steps in an Anchoring Operation:
1. Preparation
• Decide the anchoring location (sheltered waters, good holding ground, adequate depth).
• Calculate how much anchor chain (or cable) will be paid out (rule of thumb: 5–7 times the water depth).
• Ready the anchor and windlass.
2. Approach to Anchoring Position
• Ship moves slowly against the wind/current.
• Reduce speed, maintain control with engines and rudder.
3. Letting Go the Anchor
• Stop the ship’s forward motion.
• Release the brake of the windlass to let the anchor drop under control.
• Ensure the anchor digs into the seabed (called “holding”).
4. Paying Out Cable
• Let out the required length of chain to achieve proper scope.
• More chain provides better holding, but too much may cause entanglement.
5. Anchoring Check
• Observe ship’s position using bearings, GPS, or radar to confirm the anchor is holding.
• Secure the chain and monitor continuously for dragging.

Key Considerations:

• Holding ground: Sand and clay are good; rocky or weedy bottoms are poor.
• Depth & scope: Correct length of chain is critical for holding.
• Weather & tide: Must be considered for safety.
• Communication: Bridge and forecastle crew must coordinate closely.

In short: Anchoring operation is the careful process of preparing, lowering, and securing a ship with its anchor so it remains safely in position.

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