Chronometer – Officers have no clue.

Recently I could hear some information the STCW convention, and all standards of the seafarers’ education and training can be seriously reviewed.

As master mariner I fully agree with this. Having a chance to observe the level of theoretical knowledge of the officers trough last 7 years, I have impression that change level of knowledge of the officers is something opposite proportional to the growth of average deadweight of cargo ships.

Last 3 years – I have a favourite question which I address to the deck officers during my stay on board -“why we need to have chronometer on the bridge of the vessel”. After asking more then 20 deck officers, I got 0 right answers.

The best they can say is something like: “We need to keep log of chronometer error”.

It makes me to think that knowledge of most of deck officers reagarding navigation – is similar to knowledge of fisher man working in coastal waters.

There is one thing which makes difference between professional seaman, navigator and any other person. He knows how to bring the ship from one continent to another without GPS.

I am afraid that in case of problem with satellite navigation systems, like GPS or Glonass, shipping industry can be collapsed. And it will be much worse then corona virus. Isolation at home will not help. Ships with goods might not reach destination. Wish it never happen. But we should be ready for it, because it can happen.

Hope that something will change and international maritime organisation will manage to take care about it in advance.

21.03.2020. Capt. Tymur Rudov, Limassol