Communications Under the Spotlight

Communicating effectively on the bridge, between ships or to the shore is the topic under discussion in the eighth issue of The Navigator – the free publication from The Nautical Institute. The 12-page magazine, aimed at marine navigational officers at all stages in their career, is now being distributed to SOLAS vessels around the world.

Editor of The Navigator, Emma Ward, said: "Miscommunication or the use of poor information is a leading cause of accidents at sea. In this issue of The Navigator, we aim to encourage readers to adopt effective communication techniques onboard ship. We also want to open a discussion about best practices across the industry."

The new issue looks at the importance of different methods of communications at sea and examines the difference between data and information. There is an interview with a serving third officer and a brand new letters page offering insight into a number of maritime issues from members of the magazine's readership.

David Patraiko, Director of Projects for The Nautical Institute, added: "Communication and navigation are intrinsically linked. We are living in an age that sees large amounts of data routinely sent to ships. However, for this data to be translated into good information that facilitates good decisions, it needs to be managed, understood and applied correctly – no mean feat."

The Nautical Institute launched its 'Navigator Distributor' scheme last year, encouraging a wider, global distribution of the free magazine to as many professional marine navigators as possible. Anyone interested in finding out how their organisation can take part in the scheme should visit http://www.nautinst.org/thenavigator. 

The Navigator is produced by The Nautical Institute with support from the Royal Institute of Navigation. It is available free in printed format or as a pdf, digital magazine or App on The Nautical Institute website. Printed copies are currently distributed alongside The Nautical Institute's membership magazine, Seaways, as well as through missions and maritime training establishments.