What the examiner is really probing
The examiner wants to know whether you understand passage planning as a professional, structured process — not just "plotting a course on a chart". They are testing whether you can articulate the four-stage APEM framework, identify the publications you would consult at each stage, and demonstrate awareness of your obligations under SOLAS V and the supporting MCA framework (MSN 1858 refers to the MCA's implementation guidance for yachts). A pass-standard answer names all four stages fluently, links specific publications to specific purposes, and shows you understand why each step exists.
The four-stage framework: APEM
1. Appraisal — Gather all relevant information before touching the chart.
- Charts (largest scale available for the area; verify they are the latest edition and corrected to current Notices to Mariners)
- Admiralty Sailing Directions (Pilots) — coastal hazards, port approaches, local regulations
- Admiralty List of Lights (ALL) — light characteristics, ranges, fog signals
- Admiralty List of Radio Signals (ALRS) — VTS, port operations, pilot stations, weather broadcasts
- Tide tables and tidal stream atlases (or equivalent data in chart plotters verified against official source)
- Admiralty NP5011 (Symbols and Abbreviations used on Admiralty Charts) — for chart interpretation
- Notices to Mariners (Temporary and Preliminary as well as permanent) — outstanding corrections
- Ocean Passages of the World / Mariners Handbook (NP100) as appropriate
- Meteorological information — routing forecasts, pilot charts
- Port guides, marina handbooks, and owner/operator's standing instructions
2. Planning — Construct the intended track on the chart.
- Apply all appraisal data; mark waypoints, wheel-over positions, abort points, anchorages, ports of refuge
- Identify dangers and set clearing bearings and safety depth contours
- Record planned courses, distances, ETAs, and tidal gate windows
- Set no-go areas; apply adequate margins from hazards
3. Execution — Work the plan underway.
- Monitor position continuously against the plan using all available means (visual, radar, GPS, echo sounder)
- Brief all watchkeeping officers; plan must be accessible on the bridge at all times
- Maintain a record in the logbook
4. Monitoring — Continuously reassess whether the plan remains valid.
- Compare actual position, weather, tidal set against assumptions made at planning stage
- Be ready to deviate or invoke contingency plans
Regulatory underpinning
SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 34 requires that a passage plan be prepared prior to proceeding to sea. The MCA applies this obligation to vessels operating under its flag state framework, including yachts, and the oral examination syllabus (underpinned by MSN 1858) assesses candidates on how this requirement is met proportionately for smaller commercial vessels. Candidates should be clear that passage planning is a statutory requirement, not best practice.
How to structure your spoken answer
When asked about passage planning in the oral, lead with the framework by name ("I use the four-stage APEM process"), walk through each stage in order, and name specific publications against specific purposes. Avoid vague answers such as "I'd check the charts". Demonstrate that you know which Admiralty publication, why you consult it, and when in the process.