The Nautical Institute appealed to the maritime industry to help it get a copy of its free publication The Navigator onboard every SOLAS vessel to encourage the professionalism of watchkeepers.
The international professional membership organisation is reacting to concerns from the industry that casualties and near misses from navigational errors are increasing, and that navigational competence needs to be continually updated.
“Finding ways to increase the competence and professionalism of officers of the watch is one of the main concerns of our members,” Chief Executive Mr Philip Wake told a gathering of senior industry figures. “One of the ways we are working towards this goal is through our free publication The Navigator, which appears three times a year, highlighting some of the most important issues for them.”
He added: “In the year and a half since we began production, the publication has become a real success, with students, cadets and young officers telling us how much they appreciate it. But the challenge, as always, is getting the message to those people – and onboard those vessels – that will benefit the most.
“Now, thanks to the generosity of IFAN, the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation, we are in a position to put a copy on the bridge of every SOLAS vessel – potentially up to 100,000 magazines. In that way, we hope that watchkeepers will sign up to the digital version.”
