Getting from one port to another safely is a disciplined craft. Navigation is the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft from one place to another.

It includes pilotage in confined waters, coastal navigation within sight of land, and ocean navigation out of sight of land. Tools range from visual bearings and depth soundings to radar, GPS, and inertial systems. The navigator maintains a continuous assessment of position, danger, and traffic.

Good navigation is conservative: it keeps the ship in safe water with margins for error. Bridge resource management ensures that the whole team contributes to situational awareness. Technology has changed the tools, but the underlying responsibility to keep the ship safe has not.

• Planning and controlling a vessel’s movement
• Spans pilotage, coastal, and ocean techniques
• Uses visual, radar, and electronic methods
• Centered on continuous situational awareness