What is a PPU?

A PPU is a specialised navigation aid used by marine pilots to assist them while on a vessel under pilotage in challenging conditions and port waters.

A PPU is a system comprised of antennae, a display device and software. Ideally, each component should be risk assessed for suitability and compatibility in the context of the intended pilotage operation,

The key points regarding use and integration of PPUs are:

Enhanced Navigation Support:

• PPUs provide real-time data and integrate various navigational aids to improve situational awareness and decision-making.
• PPUs are especially useful in challenging conditions, such as night navigation or areas without visible landmarks, but should not be the sole means of determining position. Pilots should use PPUs in conjunction with other navigational tools and information.

Training, Competency and Bridge Resource Management (BRM):

• Pilots should undergo comprehensive training on the functionality, integration, and best practices of PPUs, including how to interpret data and troubleshoot issues.
• Training should cover the integration of PPUs into Bridge Resource Management (BRM) practices, ensuring effective communication and coordination with the bridge team.
• Regular refresher courses are essential to stay updated with technological advancements and software updates, maintaining high proficiency in using PPUs and enhancing overall BRM.

Maintenance and Safety:

• Regular maintenance is crucial for PPUs' reliability, including software updates, sensor calibration and physical inspections.
• Pilots should ensure PPUs are independent of the ship’s positioning system, with redundancy features and clear visual/audio warnings for positional accuracy, adhering to safety and cybersecurity guidelines.
• Proper documentation of maintenance activities and adherence to manufacturer guidelines help in prolonging the lifespan of the PPU and ensuring safe and efficient maritime operations.

Advantages

The use of a PPU is widely regarded as 'best practice' in marine pilotage, as an additional navigational aid to:

• improve situational awareness  
• enhance decision-making
• provide access to local real-time data
• support ease of use
• provide flexibility (i.e. PPUs are designed to be portable and can be easily set up on the bridge. They can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different pilotage areas).

As with any other piece of navigational equipment, PPUs should not be relied upon as the sole means of determining position.

The use of PPUs with an independent input for the ship’s position is intended to support safe and timely decision-making during pilotage operations.

A PPU can also assist in enhancing BRM by providing real-time, accurate navigational data and visualisation tools. It can help to establish a ‘shared mental model’ among the bridge team by offering clear, unified data and improving situational awareness.

Selection

PPUs used by coastal pilots should:

• conform to the minimum general requirements in Annex 1 of this PAN, and
• be capable of operating with the mandatory and suggested hardware and software requirements of a Class B unit (high accuracy unit) or higher, as determined by the - (September 2020) or as amended. A copy of the AMPI code is available via this link https://ampi.org.au/publications/https://ampi.org.au/publications/

Coastal pilotage providers should also consult the following information resources when determining the appropriateness of PPUs for use by coastal pilots:

•  https://www.impahq.org/impa-policies-publications
•  https://www.hydro.gov.au/prodserv/digital/ausENC/enc.htm

Training

PPU training is essential to ensure that coastal pilots can effectively leverage the advanced navigational capabilities these devices offer.

Comprehensive training programs typically include both theoretical and practical components covering the functionality of PPUs, integration with existing navigational systems and best practices for their use in various maritime scenarios.

Coastal pilots should be trained to interpret the data provided by PPUs, make informed decisions based on real-time information display and troubleshoot potential issues.

Regular updates and refresher courses are also important to keep pilots up to date with the latest technological advancements and software updates, ensuring they maintain a high level of proficiency and safety in their operations.

The PPU training syllabus and subsequent assessment should include (as a minimum) the items listed in Annex 2.

Coastal pilots should be provided PPU refresher training every 24 months to maintain ongoing currency.

Pilotage providers should provide supplementary instruction and notification to coastal pilots any time their PPU hardware and/or software configuration has undergone any change.

The initial specific and refresher training should only be facilitated by either:

• the PPU / equipment manufacturer
• a licensed pilotage provider appointed PPU instructor, or
• an AMSA-approved training provider.

Where the pilotage provider intends to facilitate PPU training in-house, the PPU instructor should have completed:

• extensive equipment-specific training on the PPU unit facilitated by the manufacturer, and
• a seafarer competency assessment training course mapped to an IMO Model 1.30 course.

Upon completion of the training mentioned above, coastal pilots should be well acquainted with the PPU equipment, be able to cope with abnormal situations, troubleshoot basic problems and demonstrate competency in the use of the PPU, by passing an assessment.

Maintenance

Maintaining PPUs is crucial for ensuring their reliability and accuracy in maritime navigation. It is advisable to have maintenance performed either by the manufacturer/supplier or by qualified IT service providers.

Regular maintenance involves updating software to incorporate the latest navigational charts and system enhancements, as well as calibrating the unit's sensors to maintain precision.

Physical inspections should check for any signs of wear or damage to the device, including the integrity of connectors and the functionality of batteries and other power sources.

Additionally, periodic testing of the PPU's communication capabilities with other onboard systems is necessary to ensure seamless integration and data exchange.

Proper documentation of maintenance activities and adherence to manufacturer guidelines help in prolonging the lifespan of the PPU and in maintaining its optimal performance, thereby supporting the safety and efficiency of maritime operations.

Pilotage Provider SMS Requirements

Coastal pilotage providers should consider amending their Safety Management System (SMS) to incorporate the requirements detailed in this PAN (if not already incorporated).

Specifically, the pilotage provider’s SMS should detail (at least) the following:

• Operational procedures outlining how the pilot integrates the PPU into their navigational practices, in order to safely navigate and monitor a ship’s position within the compulsory pilotage areas. These procedures should include that the PPU always use a positioning system independent of the ship's positioning system. If for any reason this is not the case, the pilotage provider’s designated person and ReefVTS are to be notified as soon as practicable, with a documented risk assessment carried out before conducting (or continuing with) the pilotage.
• The PPU must be preloaded with the approved passage plan model for the respective voyage (as agreed and shared with the ship prior to commencing pilotage). This plan should be regularly reviewed, updated and discussed with the bridge team throughout the voyage, including highlighting any discrepancies between the PPU and the ship’s onboard equipment and/or other navigational aids.
• PPU voyage data storage, backup and management.

The pilotage provider’s SMS should address the following (as a minimum) about training of their pilots on PPUs:

• Records of authorised PPU instructors who completed the required training mentioned in the training section.
• Records of training and assessment of each coastal pilot who are trained in the use of PPU.

All records related to PPU training should be kept for at least five (5) years.

The pilotage provider’s SMS should also address the following (as a minimum) about the maintenance and management of PPUs:

• How they manage PPU software updates to ensure software updates do not interfere with the use of a PPU during a pilotage. 
• Records and details of periodic maintenance checks.
• How they ensure the PPU is secured from a cyber-security perspective and the risks associated with other programs installed on the PPU.
• The arrangements for testing, calibration and software and/or hardware updates.
• A list of critical spare parts and their location, so that pilots can easily replace lost or damaged components.
• Contingency procedures in the event of PPU equipment failure whilst under coastal pilotage, which should include informing ReefVTS, and that a risk assessment is conducted by the pilot before continuing with the pilotage.
• A dedicated 24/7 technical support to assist with any problems.
• A bi-annual audit program to ensure all PPU associated hardware and software are kept to date.

ANNEX 1

PPU Minimum General Requirements

The following outlines the minimum general requirements for PPU usage by coastal pilots:

1. Use official electronic navigational charts (ENC’s).
2. Before each coastal pilotage voyage, be updated with the latest:
   1. device operating system / PPU software
   2. applicable Notices to Mariners, and
   3. ENC updates.
3. Be capable of using a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) such as SouthPAN, complying with minimum L1 SBAS open service, to enhance the position accuracy.
4. Have redundancy for GNSS corrections and display unambiguous visual and audio warning when positional accuracy falls below a set threshold (i.e. when the system diverts to DR mode/default mode etc. or there is any other threat to the integrity of displayed data, or the input signal is degraded).
5. Be capable of automatically recording both display and audio on startup and be capable of audiovisual playback. 
6. Be able to export the recordings in 1.5 for training, audit and investigation purposes.
7. Be augmented by an independent SBAS/GNSS positional input if the vessel's AIS is used as an input source. AIS data should not be relied on for vessel positioning.
8. Be capable of withstanding forms of electromagnetic interference that may be encountered during the coastal pilotage passage. The unit should comply with SOLAS Chapter V / Regulation 17 on electromagnetic compatibility and must also be labelled with a “compass safe distance”.
9. Be designed in accordance with the environmental requirements to at least IP66 standard rating.
10. Be able to be set up in a few minutes and be configurable so that a pre-selected default scale, route and layout will appear every time on startup with minimum input from the pilot.
11. Be as uniform as possible (including hardware and software components), such that PPUs could easily be swapped in the event of a malfunction before the pilotage commences.
12. Be repaired (and tested to ensure full functionality) or replaced before use if it is unreliable, malfunctioning, defunct and/or degraded equipment.
13. Be protected under the coastal pilotage provider’s cybersecurity and/or IT policies.

ANNEX 2

Guidance on PPU Training Syllabus and Assessment

The following outlines the minimum PPU training requirements for coastal pilots:

1. Type of positioning information and how to change positioning sensors – GNSS / GBAS / SBAS.
2. Optimal antenna locations and considerations for antenna placement.
3. How to configure the software so that a pre-selected default display, scale, route and layout will appear every time on startup with the minimum input from the pilot.
4. How to protect and archive PPU data.
5. How to identify a system that reverts to DR (default) mode even for short periods of time, or when positional accuracy falls below a set threshold.
6. Use of the software and how to use ‘user selectable layouts’ including the standard mode to revert to known setting parameters.
7. How to display and interrogate data using the software, including:
   1. sensor/antenna settings and offsets, including how to perform integrity monitoring of all sensors and their outputs
   2. vessel set up, including length offset, beam offset and reference points if applicable
   3. display features such as night mode, screen brightness, feature layers, Zones of Confidence, safety contours and tidal data integration
   4. chart orientation, scaling and navigational data
   5. changing the length of motion vectors and activating and interrogating alerts
   6. passage planning, including setting maximum cross track distance (XTD), adding turn radii and speed limits on routes, or legs of routes, and
   7. using electronic bearing lines and variable range markers.
8. Type of display device – PC / tablet / hand-held or portable GNSS.
9. User interface – Windows / Mac / manufacturer’s proprietary system.
10. Type of display format – text / graphical / charts / manufacturer’s custom system.
11. Equipment connectivity method(s) – wired / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth.
12. Intended operational area / usage environment.
13. Other tools combined with the navigation system – AIS / pilot plug / heading – Rate of Turn (ROT) generators / internet connectivity.
14. Theory behind the selected positioning device(s) including:
    1. hardware and software orientation
    2. principles and use of ENC and AIS (when equipped), and
    3. GNSS vulnerability and the importance of independent positioning sources for the PPU.
15. Integration of the equipment into the pilot’s BRM practices.
16. Potential benefits and limitations associated with PPUs.

Please forward any queries about this PAN to coastal.pilotage@amsa.gov.au

Note: AMSA is currently reviewing Marine Order 54 (Coastal pilotage) 2014 (MO54). The guidance contained in this PAN may be considered for incorporation into the marine order as a part of this review.