All ocean-going vessels are required to carry twelve parachute flares, the characteristics of which are the following: The rockets must reach a height of at least 300 metres when launched vertically. The parachute flare must burn with a bright red colour. It must burn for at least 40 seconds. It must have an average intensity…
When a vessel is in danger of sinking, lifeboats and rafts are not always available for abandoning ship. In such cases the crew and passengers should, if possible, remain on the ship until another vessel arrives on the scene and sends boats or rafts across. The rescue should not be attempted in darkness if the…
If a vessel is disabled or in distress the following actions should be considered: If it is disabled and the safety of the crew and vessel is not an immediate issue. Hoist/activate the not under command shapes or lights. Try and repair the vessel. If the crew cannot repair the vessel, then assistance should be…
When a sea boat is launched to recover survivors and the sea is rough, then the following should be done to limit the damage and risk to persons in the boat: The rescue ship should stop upwind of the area to provide a sheltered lee for the sea boat to operate in. Light vegetable oil…
If a person falls overboard whilst the vessel is under way, the following procedure should be carried out: A lifebuoy fitted with a self-acting light/smoke generator should be launched over the same side as the person fell. The helm must be put hard over to the side the man fell. Flag OSCAR must be hoisted…
Whilst the rescue vessel(s) are steaming towards the casualty area, the crew should start preparing for the rescue of the survivors. Whilst it is difficult to envisage every possible action one could take, the following should be considered when drawing up the plan. The weather and sea state in the casualty area. The availability and…
It is of great importance that all rescue operations are properly coordinated and with the new Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), the prime responsibility for coordination falls on the shoulders of shore base authorities, ie the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC). At sea the ship with the best communications is usually appointed as the…
When a ship is anchored, there are two things to consider, namely the nature of the sea bed and the depth of water. It is not the weight of the anchor that holds the vessel in place but rather the horizontal pull of the anchor along the sea bed. Anchors are designed with flukes which…
One can stop a vessel by one of the following methods: Inertia stop. Stopping the engine(s) and coasting to a standstill with the friction of sea and air overcoming the ship’s inertia. The total distance run will depend on the type of vessel, the initial speed, the displacement, the trim and condition of the underwater…
Factors affecting the acceleration / deceleration of a vessel Before discussing methods of stopping a vessel, we should look at the factors that affect the acceleration and deceleration of a vessel . They are the following: Inertia. Here we are talking about the amount of energy required to move an object (ship) from a state…
