Webinar: Practical & Legal Aspects of Passage Planning and Bridge Resource Management

The UK P&I Club hosted a series of three webinars focusing on the critical aspects of passage planning and bridge resource management (BRM). These sessions aimed to provide valuable insights into both the practical and legal dimensions of these essential maritime practices.

Webinar 1: Practical aspects of passage planning and BRM

The first webinar featured Captain Anuj Velankar, Senior Loss Prevention Executive, who presented a comprehensive case study on the CMA CGM Libra. He discussed the lessons learned and best practices to be followed.

Webinar 2: Q&A session

As a follow up to the first webinar, a special Q&A session was held with maritime pilots. During registration, many participants expressed concerns about the interaction between bridge teams and pilots. To address these issues, the Club invited Captain Don Cockrill, Secretary General of the UK Maritime Pilots’ Association, and Captain Mike Robarts, Senior Pilot at Harwich Haven Authority, to join the panel. The discussion covered various topics, including the Master-Pilot exchange, the pilots’ contribution to passage planning, bridge team interactions with pilots, and future developments in pilotage.

Webinar 3: Legal aspects of passage planning and BRM

A recent Court of Appeal decision on the CMA CGM Libra highlighted that defects in passage planning could render a vessel unseaworthy. In the final webinar, the focus shifted to the practical aspects of this issue. The discussion centered on what ship staff can do to ensure proper passage planning and bridge resource management, as well as the steps the shore team can take to support the bridge team. However, several legal questions remain unanswered:

• What effect does this decision have on the legal obligations of the Master and the Owners?
• Has the bar been set too high for Owners to demonstrate due diligence?
• Where does “Error of Navigation” end and “unseaworthiness” begin?
• How will this decision affect the handling of General Average claims going forward?
• What steps can Owners and Charterers take in their Charter party or contracts with shippers to rebalance these risks?

As the case proceeds to the Supreme Court, this webinar series delves into what is at stake for the maritime industry.

On the panel of this webinar was: Captain Anuj Velankar, Senior Loss Prevention Direction, UK P&I Club (Moderator), Tom Starr, Senior Claims Director, UK P&I Club and Toby Stephens, Partner, HFW

Webinar Links:

Webinar 1: Practical aspects of passage planning and BRM

Webinar: Bilibili

Webinar 2: Q&A session

Webinar 3: Legal aspects of passage planning and BRM (Vimeo)

Webinar 3: Bilibili