The number of collisions and groundings and the contact damage suffered by merchant ships every year is considerable, the averages for the years 1965–70 inclusive showing that some 15 per cent of the world's shipping over 500 g.r.t. has been involved annually in such accidents. United Kingdom shipping is no exception, and collisions and groundings alone as reported in Lloyd's Daily Lists during the first four months of 1971 show that ships from some 27 companies were involved, some with more than one incident reported although none had more than three. Collisions, groundings and contact damage are likely to occur if a ship's captain and his bridge watch keeping officers do not have immediately available in a simple form, complete information about their ship and her navigational equipment, and detailed information covering the essential tasks performed on the bridge. Unfortunately however, in a great number of ships, most of this information is not provided in an easily usable form and, as a result, even the most competent of navigators is all too often unnecessarily placed in a difficult and sometimes dangerous situation.