Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 5 February (HL12745), whether, in the event of the failure of satellite-based and radio-based navigation provisions, ships’ officers should use navigation methods that were in place before the introduction of those provisions.

Merchant ships’ navigation officers, under part of their certificates of competency, are provided practical training both ashore and on board to detect and adequately respond to failures of satellite-based and radio-based navigation systems. These responses already include reverting to use of navigation methods other than the satellite and radio-based navigation provisions.

In addition, merchant ships’ navigation watchkeeping procedures contain explicit instructions to routinely employ alternative navigations systems - such as radar for harbour and coastal waters, and celestial navigation for oceans – so as to not rely solely on the satellite and radio-based navigation provisions.