Nautical Sciences

Deck Cadets 3
Unit 3 lesson 10

- Listening: talking about the relationship between meteorology and ship

safety
- Reading and writing: reporting meteorological conditions, damage caused by
adverse weather, and survival procedures at sea
- Vocabulary: life-saving equipment on ships; equipment in survival craft
Listening:

1. Listen to the recording. You are going to hear a conversation on the bridge of the
MV Elga during bad weather. What are the weather conditions like? Choose from
the list below: high winds , Gales.
2. Listen again and answer the questions
a. Why has the tanker issued a securite call?
 He issued a securite call to report about MOB.
b. How long will it take the MV Elga to reach the tanker’s position?
 It’s going to take 80 minutes away.
c. What is the problem on board the MV Elga?
 The engine room reported that that there is a problem with the main
engine.
d. Can the MV Elga assist the tanker
 The MV Elga is still going to assist the tanker thought the problem they
have.

Reading

Emergency Procedures: Always be prepared for a heavy weather phenomenon

Heavy weather combined with inappropriate manipulations may lead to damage of a
vessel, threatening the cargo, the environment or, even worst, human life. Most
common weather threats that can harm the vessel are hurricanes, squalls, typhoons
or tropical cyclones. The ship’s master should always be aware of the weather
forecast when she moves in dangerous areas and be ready to appropriately handle
the vessel under circumstances of bad weather in case that violent wind, torrential
rain or surging waves appear.

Three container vessels have recently suffered heavy-weather damage to deck

equipment, bow structure, anchor and containers. After studying the vessel's reports
submitted to the company, we are of the opinion that such damages could have been
avoided or at least minimised if the ships' officers had taken necessary
measures/actions.

It is important to bring to the attention of ships' officers the following for their guidance
and to assist them in operating their vessel safely whilst in heavy weather. This
information is based on studies made by the classification society.

Container ships are often built with considerable bow flare to accommodate as many
containers on deck as possible. Some of the small and medium-sized container
vessels have a bow form comparable to that of a cruise liner. These container vessels
are usually equipped with significant reserve power to compensate for extra
resistance encountered in heavy seas and therefore remain within the generally tight
schedule.

Despite the above, there have been many cases where the bow or the stern structure
of a container ship has been overloaded and could not withstand the heavy impact
load from the waves. In some cases the structure suffered considerable damage. For
Nautical Sciences
Deck Cadets 3
Unit 3 lesson 10

most ships' officers, especially newly promoted masters with little experience in
shiphandling, it is often difficult to recognise that the ship's structure is being
overloaded because the view to the bow is blocked by containers on deck. This
sometimes makes it impossible to see if green water is being shipped on deck. Also, it
is difficult to judge when the damage is not dangerous to the overall safety of the
vessel but needs attention to avoid or at least to minimise the damage to the ship and
the containers.

Masters should be made aware of the damages of the heavy bow flare impact in
operation when heavy weather is encountered. Depending on the loading condition of
the vessel, sea and wave conditions in relation to the ship's dimensions, necessary
measures should be taken by the master.

Read the article above and fill in the chart below as indicated

Weather conditions Vessel parts damage caused on Human errors or

board limitations
hurricanes deck equipment damage of a inappropriate
vessel, threatening manipulations
the cargo or human
life
squalls bow structure damage to deck necessary
equipment, bow measures or
structure, anchor actions not taken
and containers
tropical cyclones anchor the damages of the newly promoted
heavy bow flare masters with little
impact in operation experience in ship
when heavy handling
weather is
encountered
typhoons containers the bow or the
stern structure
could not withstand
the heavy impact
load from the
waves
violent wind the bow structure
torrential rain the stern structure
surging waves

Real case scenario

On September 10th, 2007 a bulk carrier arrived in ballast at the Houston Fairway Anchorage,
Galvestone, USA, and was due to load a cargo of Pet Coke on September 17th, 2007 in
Houston, USA. At approximately 18.00 hours LT, on September 12th, 2007 the Master came
on the bridge due to the increasing bad weather of Tropical Storm / Hurricane Humberto,
joining the OOW and AB, and ordered the Chief Engineer to put the main engines on
standby. At 22.00 hours LT, a security call was received over the VHF from another vessel
stating that due to the strong winds they were dragging their anchor and were without their
Nautical Sciences
Deck Cadets 3
Unit 3 lesson 10

main engines. At 22.55 hours LT the Master noticed that the second vessel called once
again on the VHF and reported that they had no control over their vessel. The Master of the
bulk carrier began to heaving in their port anchor and to maneuver the vessel to avoid
coming into full contact with the drifting vessel. At 23.20 hours LT the drifting vessel came
into contact with the portside of the bulk carrier causing damage to both vessels. It later also
made contact with a chemical tanker, who was also anchored nearby.

1. What could have been done to avoid the damage?

The captain should have reacted when they received the first call when there was still enough time
to avoid the damage by driving away as much as they could in that weather to eliminate any
possibility of collision.
2. What should be done in case of damage?
The first thing to do in that case is to contact the authorities of the nearest port and not to do
anything that can aggravate the damage in that weather.