The Mariner's Blog

How to Read and Use Admiralty Chart Catalogue: Navigator's Complete Guide
  • Dec 29, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
How to Read and Use Admiralty Chart Catalogue: Navigator's Complete Guide

What Is the Admiralty Chart Catalogue and Why Do Navigators Need It? The Admiralty chart catalogue is the fundamental reference system for locating...

Choosing Between IMO Model Course 1.30 and 1.32 for ECDIS Training
  • Dec 27, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
Choosing Between IMO Model Course 1.30 and 1.32 for ECDIS Training

What ECDIS Training Certification Do Vessels Need? SOLAS requires all officers in charge of the navigation watch on vessels 3,000 GT or larger to h...

Best Maritime Navigation Software for Professional Vessels in 2025
  • Dec 26, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
Best Maritime Navigation Software for Professional Vessels in 2025

Professional vessel operators need software that ensures SOLAS compliance, prevents port state detentions, and integrates with fleet management. Re...

ECDIS Type Approval Requirements: Choosing Compliant Navigation Systems
  • Dec 25, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
Essential Maritime Publications for Your Library: Navigator's Complete Reference Guide

Every merchant vessel operates within international maritime regulations established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). These regula...

How to Choose the Right Nautical Charts for Gulf of Mexico Navigation
  • Dec 24, 2025
  • Charles Hays
How to Choose the Right Nautical Charts for Gulf of Mexico Navigation

Navigating the Gulf of Mexico requires precision, local knowledge, and most importantly, the right nautical charts. With over 1,000 charts covering...

ECDIS Type Approval Requirements: Choosing Compliant Navigation Systems
  • Dec 24, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
ECDIS Type Approval Requirements: Choosing Compliant Navigation Systems

What is ECDIS Type Approval and Why Does it Matter? ECDIS systems must pass rigorous type approval before installation aboard vessels. Type approva...

Maritime Safety Equipment Inspection Checklist for Year-End Compliance
  • Dec 23, 2025
  • Charles Hays
Maritime Safety Equipment Inspection Checklist for Year-End Compliance

Year-end represents a critical compliance deadline for commercial vessel operators. All safety certifications and decals expire December 31st of th...

Complete Guide to Digital Chart Licensing Models: Pay-Per-Use vs Annual Subscriptions
  • Dec 23, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
Complete Guide to Digital Chart Licensing Models: Pay-Per-Use vs Annual Subscriptions

Chart Licensing Confusion Costs Money Your vessel's chart licensing decision directly impacts compliance, operational cost, and crew efficiency. Ye...

SOLAS 2024 Amendment Summary: Key Changes Every Ship Officer Must Know
  • Dec 22, 2025
  • Charles Hays
SOLAS 2024 Amendment Summary: Key Changes Every Ship Officer Must Know

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) introduced significant amendments on January 1, 2024, marking the most comprehen...

What's New in IAMSAR Volume 3 Mobile Coordination Center Edition 2025
  • Dec 22, 2025
  • Maya Deiss
What's New in IAMSAR Volume 3 Mobile Coordination Center Edition 2025

Understanding IAMSAR Volume 3: The Three-Volume Framework The IAMSAR Manual consists of three distinct volumes serving different operational levels...

Top 10 U.S. Shipyards Where Ships Are Built: Complete Guide
  • Nov 28, 2025
  • Charles Hays
Top 10 U.S. Shipyards Where Ships Are Built: Complete Guide

American maritime strength depends on robust domestic shipbuilding in the US. From aircraft carriers protecting national security to commercial ves...

What is Flotsam and Jetsam in Shipping: Explained
  • Nov 28, 2025
  • Charles Hays
What is Flotsam and Jetsam in Shipping: Explained

When cargo ends up in the ocean, whether from an accident or emergency jettisoning, the legal classification determines who owns what and who pays ...