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Understanding Parallel Indexing in Navigation

Parallel indexing is a technique used in navigation to monitor a vessel's progress along a track and maintain a safe distance from hazards. It involves drawing a bearing line parallel to the original course on a radar display. The increase or decrease in distance between this line and the ship's position indicates any cross-track deviation. To use parallel indexing accurately, the radar and gyro must be calibrated and a fixed target correctly identified to track progress against. It provides a continuous assessment of the vessel's position without delays, making it useful in reduced visibility or high-traffic areas.

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Vince Trinanes
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535 views3 pages

Understanding Parallel Indexing in Navigation

Parallel indexing is a technique used in navigation to monitor a vessel's progress along a track and maintain a safe distance from hazards. It involves drawing a bearing line parallel to the original course on a radar display. The increase or decrease in distance between this line and the ship's position indicates any cross-track deviation. To use parallel indexing accurately, the radar and gyro must be calibrated and a fixed target correctly identified to track progress against. It provides a continuous assessment of the vessel's position without delays, making it useful in reduced visibility or high-traffic areas.

Uploaded by

Vince Trinanes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Name : Triñanes, Vince V.

Section : BSMT-3A6

Parallel Indexing Procedure

Parallel indexing is a technique used as a measure to monitor the progress of a vessel on the track and
to minimize the cross track distance and to keep vessel at a safe distance from the shoreline or rock. The
basic principle of this method is that in order to maintain and follow a particular course – a bearing line
drawn parallel to the original course with a known and fixed perpendicular distance between both the
lines is used as a reference. The increase or decrease of the perpendicular distance between the bearing
lines drawn parallel to course-line and ship’s position at any time will indicate cross track deviation from
the initial planned course and thus advise a mariner if he/she is falling out of a traffic lane, entering a
traffic separation zone or closing in to a navigational danger.

How to use Parallel Indexing

The following must be confirmed before employing the radar in this way
 The performance of the radar must be checked at regular intervals.
 Gyro errors must be checked
 Heading marker should be in alignment with the ship’s fore and aft line.
 The accuracy of range rings and the variable range marker (VRM) should be checked against a
good fix.
 The fixed target that is to be tracked must be correctly identified.

Parallel indexing provides an active method of assessing the vessel’s progress continuously
and immediately without the need for visual bearings that provide historic data due to the
associated delay of assessment.

Parallel indexing is particularly useful in reduced visibility , areas of high traffic density,
coastal and pilotage stages of a voyage.
The vessel is shown to be maintaining the required track, with the target (point of land) . The ship is
following a ground track of 090°T.

The ship is shown to be setting away from the shore. The point of land is moving outside the PI Line. The
ship is following a ground track of 100°T.
The ship is shown setting towards the shore. The point of land is moving inside the PI line. The ship is
following a ground track of 080°T.

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