Meg Batchelor - OMC International AMPI 2019

Safer Shipping | Smarter Ports
AMPI Conference 2019
Lessons from UKC Management
Meg Batchelor
Support Manager and 24/7 Help Desk
omcinternational.com
EMPLOYEES PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN

60 engineers, naval architects, Australian owned. Founded in 1987
oceanographers, software engineers, IT
personnel and master mariners
Maritime
DUKC® Solutions MARINE WEATHER
Focused on research, development, Research, development and delivery of
implementation and 24/7 support of critical marine weather intelligence for
DUKC® systems port and shipping operations
VALIDATED
TRACK RECORD
DUKC® has unrivalled level of full-scale >170,000 deep draft transits without
validation on over 650 vessels incident
transiting waterways across the globe
The 3 am On-Call situations I am going to talk about today
Case 1: Why is the DUKC® result less than static

Case 2: I have two similar vessels and one has a tidal window while the other
doesn’t
Case 3: Why is my tidal window closing
Case 4: I have a UKC warning breach while underway due to worsening
wave conditions and I can't get rid of it by adjusting my speed – What do I
do
Case 5: I am getting a manoeuvrability limit warning when underway but no
warning during planning phase
And how to mitigate risk of low UKC at 3 am!

Case 1: Why is the DUKC® result less than static
Example: Comparing Static Allowance

maximum drafts to the DUKC® Result for a
typical client
Example: Typical Static vs DUKC® Max Drafts in calm weather

HsSwell: 0.3 m Tide: -0.04 m residual Static Rule:
TpSwell: 15 s Squat: 0.50 m "Minimum of 1 m or
-> Expected Wave Response 0.4 m
10% Draft" includes
allowance for wave and
squat.
DUKC® Prediction:
0.96 m for wave, tide
and squat but NOT at
controlling location
(depth). Actual
controlling location:
only 0.24 m dynamic
DUKC® Result Static UKC Result motions
Example: Static gives more UKC than DUKC® during inclement weather.
HsSwell: 0.7 m Tide: -0.1 m residual
TpSwell: 17 s Squat: 0.55 m Static Rule:

-> Expected Wave Response 1.1 m "Minimum of 1 m or
10% Draft" includes
allowance for wave and
squat.
DUKC® Prediction:
1.75 m for wave, tide
and squat
Static not allowing for

high wave conditions
DUKC® Result Static UKC Result
Risk vs Results
STATIC RULES – GROSS DYNAMIC - NET
Traditional rules based on static Uses fixed safety limit with variable
data and no allowance for change allowances for environmental and
vessel conditions
VARIABLE RISK FIXED (CONSTANT) RISK

Depth Depth
+ Tide
UKC Equation + Tide
– Draft – Draft
+ Residual
– Squat
– Heel
– Wave Response
– Allowances
Static Vs Dynamic: Risk
OMC’s evidence from existing studies show:
95% existing static rule conservative
4% existing static rule marginal
Potential for a touch bottom incident. High risk but actual risk
never quantified
1% existing static rule unsafe
Very high potential for a touch bottom incident

Conclusions: Case 1
Static Rule has fixed allowance for wave, squat

and other factors
Static Rule UKC < DUKC® MOST of the time
When Static > DUKC®, typically indicates
inclement weather conditions
Static Allowance may be safe in calm weather
but risk of insufficient UKC at other times
Case 2: I have two vessels and one is not getting a window and the other
is.
Example: Wave Response due to load state and wave
conditions
Example: Direction of transit
Example 1 – Different Roll/Wave Response for Same Size Ship
Same ship dimensions

Different Load State
Measured Wave:
• Hs Swell = 2.4 m
• Tp Swell = 9.77 s
Ship A: WR = 1.69 m
Ship B: WR = 3.10 m
Example 2: Exports vs Imports
Exports: Pitching significant factor :: Imports: Roll significant factor
Results in different UKC clearances for same vessel depending on direction of transit!
Case 2: Conclusions
The wave response experienced by a ship depends on

the wave shape and period compared to the vessel load
state and RAO
The direction of the ship can dictate what type of wave
induced motions will occur
Intermission: Squat! -> Port and Vessel Specific, affected by Speed
- Maximum Modelled Speed

- Measured Speed
- Measured Squat
- Maximum Modelled Squat
Example FVSMA – Squat Survey

Intermission: Tide Plane! Examples from around the world. Why tide plane matters?
Case 3: Why is my tidal window closing up
Example: Planned departure at end of available window

during neap tides.
How can I increase my available UKC to give a window.
Example: Sailing near end of available window due to scheduling restraints

during neap tides
Tidal window closes due to increasing swell – but only for this departure time.
Other vessels still have a (reduced) window.
Default Speed Plan: This vessel plan is caught between a falling tide and
increased squat with swell increasing
Just before sailing time...
Plan earlier in day... Fast Speed Average Speed Slow Speed
Original Planned Speeds
v
Speeds adjusted to increase UKC in critical location and provide a tidal window
Case 3: Conclusions
Sailing on end of window -> falling tide :

Increase speed to beat tide, but not so that squat
increases so much that UKC benefits lost
Change of 20 cm UKC due to waves when already
sailing on end of window during neap tides = no window
Case 4: I have a UKC warning breach while underway due to worsening

wave conditions and I can't get rid of it by adjusting my speed
Example: Avoiding shoals using DUKC® Chart Overlays

Use of Chart Overlays to avoid shoals in transit
Pilot reduced SOG to 14 Knots

to reduce squat in a breaching
location which increased UKC
but not yet above BC limit of
0.25 m.
Can't get rid of UKC breach

due to vessel constraints.
Can avoid shoals on southern

edge to mitigate risk
Case 4: Conclusions
Speed adjustment not always enough to resolve a

reported UKC breach or not possible to maintain vessel
control
Position in the channel can change the available UKC
under the vessel
DUKC® Chart Overlay review may assist in avoiding
areas of greatest UKC risk
Case 5: Getting a manoeuvrability limit warning when underway but not during
planning
Example: The minimum UKC requirement for MM

(manoeuvrability) was not met once underway due to
vessel going too fast
Planning stage: v v
plenty of water
under vessel
SOG: 9 knots
Squat: 0.6m
UKC: 2.0 m above
MM Limit of 0.9 m
In transit: v v
Speed approaching
critical depths is much
higher than planned 9
knots. v v
SOG: 11.7 knots

Squat: 1.8 m
UKC: 0.25 m below
MM Limit of 0.9 m
Potential for loss of

steerage.
Case 5: Conclusions
A DUKC® transit is only valid for the planned speeds and

times
A small change in speed can be the difference between
UKC limit being met or breached due to vessel squat
Vessel Squat varies by channel and ship shape
VTS/DUKC Operators may not know what speed the pilot
intends to do or limitations of vessel – pilot can optimise
plan
Summary: Approaches to mitigate UKC risk at 3am
- Don't sail on Static if DUKC® says no

- Adjust speed to optimise UKC and mitigate UKC risk from changed
sailing conditions
- Tide Plane is important consideration in optimising planned speeds
due to the crossover between falling tide or increased squat
becoming the controlling factor for UKC.
- Allow for worsening wave or tide conditions when UKC is already
marginal, especially during neap tides
- Sail around critical UKC shoals using DUKC® Chart Overlay where
speed adjustment alone does not resolve UKC risk
Questions?

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Safer Shipping | Smarter Ports

AMPI Conference 2019

Lessons from UKC Management

EMPLOYEES PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN

The 3 am On-Call situations I am going to talk about today

Case 1: Why is the DUKC® result less than static

And how to mitigate risk of low UKC at 3 am!

Case 1: Why is the DUKC® result less than static

Example: Comparing Static Allowance

Example: Typical Static vs DUKC® Max Drafts in calm weather

TpSwell: 17 s Squat: 0.55 m Static Rule:

Static not allowing for

VARIABLE RISK FIXED (CONSTANT) RISK

Static Vs Dynamic: Risk

OMC’s evidence from existing studies show:

95% existing static rule conservative

4% existing static rule marginal

1% existing static rule unsafe

Very high potential for a touch bottom incident

Static Rule has fixed allowance for wave, squat

Example 1 – Different Roll/Wave Response for Same Size Ship

Same ship dimensions

Example 2: Exports vs Imports

Exports: Pitching significant factor :: Imports: Roll significant factor

The wave response experienced by a ship depends on

Intermission: Squat! -> Port and Vessel Specific, affected by Speed

- Maximum Modelled Speed

Example FVSMA – Squat Survey

Case 3: Why is my tidal window closing up

Example: Planned departure at end of available window

Example: Sailing near end of available window due to scheduling restraints

Original Planned Speeds

Sailing on end of window -> falling tide :

Case 4: I have a UKC warning breach while underway due to worsening

Example: Avoiding shoals using DUKC® Chart Overlays

Use of Chart Overlays to avoid shoals in transit

Pilot reduced SOG to 14 Knots

Can't get rid of UKC breach

Can avoid shoals on southern

Speed adjustment not always enough to resolve a

Example: The minimum UKC requirement for MM

SOG: 11.7 knots

Potential for loss of

A DUKC® transit is only valid for the planned speeds and

Summary: Approaches to mitigate UKC risk at 3am

- Don't sail on Static if DUKC® says no

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