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LEARNING ACTIVITY NO.5

Course SEAM 5 – Ship Handling and Maneuvering

Topic 5: Emergency Procedures
Topic
2.1 Explain the precautions for the protection and safety of passengers in
Learning Outcome(s) emergency situations

Instructor Capt. Raymundo Rafael B. Cabrejas

LESSON MAP

Principles of Ship Handling

Emergency Procedures

I. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

Contingency Plan

Contingency Planning means preparing a documented plan for emergencies and to ensure
all on board are trained and toward its execution.

Every seafarer is required to be prepared for emergencies. Such preparedness can only be
built in through well laid out plans, training programs and properly worked out exercises.

A study of several casualties has shown that seafarers tend to panic in an emergency as
there is no contingency plan and most crew members are not aware of the task they should
jump to in an incident.

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This can only be avoided by suitable contingency plan, for each type of emergency and by
carrying out regular drills.

MUSTER LIST

The Muster List, in a maritime world, is a list of the functions each member of a ship crew is
required to perform in case of emergency. It is defined in the Chapter III - Part A of the
SOLAS Convention. The Muster List must be written in both the language of country of the
ship registration and at least also in English.

Emergency planning of the ship and onboard training are closely related.  The ship’s crew is
divided into teams, and all are allocated duties to perform in response to emergencies and to
ensure personnel safety.  On board ship this is achieved through muster lists.

All ships engaged on international voyages and ships of Classes II(A) and III must have
muster lists.  It is the duty of the Master of the ship to compile the muster list and keep it up
to date.  Copies of the muster list must be exhibited in conspicuous places throughout the ship
and must be exhibited in the wheelhouse, engine room and crew accommodation.

The format of muster lists is usually prepared by the company under the SMS.  For ships of
Classes I, II, II(A) and III, the muster list should be approved by the Flag State
Administration.

Here is an example of the contents or information found in a muster list.

Emergency Signal Description of Signal

General emergency Seven or more short blasts/rings followed by one long blast on
alarm vessel’s whistle and internal bells

Withdraw to Series of long blasts/rings on vessel’s whistle and internal bells

boats/rafts

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Abandon ship Verbal command from Master or Officer in Charge

Man overboard Three long blasts on vessel’s whistle, repeated as necessary.

This signal may be supplemented as required on internal bells
and/or public address announcement

Automatic fire alarm Continuous ringing of internal bells

Emergency Signal Action on Hearing Signal

General emergency All crew proceed to their emergency station, wearing suitable and
alarm sufficient clothing, footwear and protective headgear, carrying
lifejacket, survival suit and hand-held VHF radios (where allocated),
closing all doors behind them as they go.  Team Leaders check off
personnel and report to Bridge Team.
Bridge Team ensures automatic fire doors closed (where fitted) and
ventilation stopped (as appropriate).  Specific duties are defined in
Muster List – Part B. Additional duties will be allocated depending
upon nature of the emergency.

Withdraw to All crew proceed immediately to their allocated boat/raft station,

boats/rafts donning survival suits and lifejacket.  Master or Officer in Charge
arranges distribution of GMDSS VHF radios, SARTs, EPIRT and
vessel’s current position.

Abandon ship All survival craft launched, followed by evacuation of crew.

Man overboard Master and deck officers to wheelhouse.  Chief Engineer and
motorman to engine control room.  All other crew to their
emergency station.  (Refer to appropriate ship contingency plan)

Automatic fire alarm During unmanned operation, either at sea or in port, protected space
to be examined by two persons including a responsible officer.
During manned operation, bridge or duty deck officer to be advised
immediately of the situation.  General emergency alarm shall thereafter
be activated if the fire confirmed, or at any time if there is doubt as to
the safety of the vessel or crew.

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Emergency Station Location for Muster

Bridge Team Wheelhouse

Engine Room Team Engine Control Room

Deck Team Fire Station

Back-up Team Upper Deck Starboard side

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FUNCTIONS OF EMERGENCY TEAMS ONBOARD

The Command Team – will be on the Bridge (called Command Center) and take overall
charge of all operations. Hence, frequent feedback, short and crisp, is necessary from each
team to the Command Center. Navigation, communication, maintenance of records of all
actions and their timings, etc. will be carried out at the Command Center.

The Emergency Team – would be divided into two, depending on the emergency. Where the
emergency is in the E/R, the second engineer will be the leader of the Primary Team and
Chief Officer will lead the back-up team. If the emergency is elsewhere, the Chief Officer
will be the leader of the Primary team and the Second Engineer will lead the backup team.

The Support Team – also called the medical team, will look after administration of first aid,
when required. They will prepare the patients for evacuation, prepare lifeboats in case of
necessity to abandon the ship, shut watertight doors and vents, aid other teams as directed by
the Command Team, etc.

Engine Room Team – also called Roving Team, will be under the charge of Chief Engineer.
They will attend to E/R systems, services and controls, start emergency fire pump when
required, isolate electricity from compartments on fire, shut off ventilation systems to
compartments on fire and provide assistance to other teams as directed by the command
team.

Crew for Rescue Boat – This team is mainly for man overboard or for picking up survivors
from the water. They will prepare the rescue boat and on specific instructions from the
command team, lower and launch the rescue boat, rescues the man or survivors and get
hoisted back on board.

Whenever some incident of a serious or harmful nature happens suddenly, we classify it as an

emergency. One of the most important factors in dealing with an emergency situation, apart
from a sharp mind and the control of respectful fear, is the presence of a solid action plan.
This is a general rule that is applicable to all situations whether on board a ship in the middle
of the ocean or in a crowded city port amidst a sea of people and machinery.

Emergency situations on a ship tend to be more critical because ships are isolated, solitary
floating objects moving in the vast and deep oceans. Since there are so many possible types
of emergencies, it is necessary to know about both common and emergency essentials.

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Emergency Essentials - Types of Emergencies

For effective usage of the limited emergency equipment available on board, all personnel
must be aware of the location of firefighting gear and lifesaving appliances and be trained in
their use. They must also be aware of the alarm signals, recognize them, and muster at the
muster point in case of any type of emergency.

The general alarm will be sounded in the event of:

1. Fire
2. Collision
3. Grounding
4. Cargo hose burst
5. Major leakage or spillage of oil cargo
6. Any other event which calls for emergency action

Other alarms could include:

1. Engineer alarm for unmanned machinery spaces
2. Carbon dioxide alarm
3. Fire detector alarms
4. Cargo tank level alarms
5. Refrigerated store alarm

If your ship’s alarms are ringing, it does not necessarily mean that the situation is out of
control. Alarms are warnings, which are sounded so that people onboard take the emergency
measures like wearing their life jackets, or gathering at a common point, depending upon the
type of emergency and instructions given to them.

General Guidelines for Emergency Response

All members of the technical staff must know all the ship emergency codes in detail. All
members of the crew should receive appropriate training in accordance with their role at the
time of emergency.

On board passengers must be told about the possible dangers because otherwise the general
public starts panicking.

An understanding of the effects on the behavior of the ship of wind, current, shallow water,
banks, and narrow channels is equally important so that the technical staff does the wise thing
at the time of emergency. Closing of the watertight doors, fire doors, valves, scuppers, side-
scuttles, skylights, portholes, and other similar openings in the ship is very important so that
ocean water does not enter inside the ship.

In case of abandoning the ship, all the passengers must be rescued first using life jackets and
lifeboats or shifting them to another ship. The staff members should be the last ones to leave
the ship and that even only after ensuring that no one is left on the abandoned ship. Modern
ships are equipped with hi-tech and advanced lifesaving tools and with the help of mobile
communication devices or can easily contact offshore rescue teams.

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WHAT TO DO INCASE OF FIRE BREAKOUT ONBOARD

As you must be aware fire and explosion often go hand in hand. An explosion can lead to a
fire; and a fire can lead to an explosion. So whenever there is either of the two, it is quite safe
(unsafe actually) to assume that the other might follow suit. Hence it is necessary to follow
fire and explosion principles and procedures, lest the proportion of damage goes out of hand.

 Raise the Emergency alarm.

 Determine Location of the fire/explosion.
 Check for oil/hazardous substances, pollution & possibility of one.
 Determine any casualties and provide FIRST AID if necessary.
 Find out the type of fire.
 If necessary, start the fire pump.
 In case of engine room fire start the emergency, fire pump and close the isolating
valve.
 Close all the QCVs (quick closing valves).
 Contain and extinguish the fire (using fixed system if necessary).
 Set up emergency distress transmitter and keep ready for use.

IN PORT

Stop cargo work, evacuate shore personnel, keep main engine ready and inform port and fire
authorities.

POWER FAILURE

Trouble seldom comes alone, and sometimes it may so happen that apart from handling the
fire and/or explosion, there might be a blackout situation. The following additional steps must
be taken apart from the previously mentioned points.

 Revert to manual steering and use the magnetic compass for heading.

 Engineers to rectify fault and revert to normal power.
 Take whatever actions are necessary to maintain the vessel in a safe position
 If emergency power did not cut-in and the vessel is unable to maneuver safely,
SECURITE message must be broadcast and display NUC (Not Under Command)
Signals.

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The duties of the various teams including the main command center team have been
described briefly as follows:

Command Team Duties

1. Fix the ship position and record all movements /events.

2. Compile communication reports and monitor weather condition.
3. Inform the technical department and designated person and advise them of the status.
4. Determine the possibility of sinking, breaking up or capsizing in due course.
5. Exhibit the required signals and broadcast a distress/urgency/safety message as per
the circumstances.
6. Inform the relevant authorities and for shore assistance required.

Emergency Team Duties

1. Chief officer is to be in charge of any deck emergency.

2. 2nd engineer to in charge of any engine emergency.
3. Identify and assess the source and report to Command Center.
4. Contain and extinguish the fire.
5. check for oil pollution and act accordingly.
6. Check stability criteria and stress.
7. Assess extent of damage to vessel / cargo.

Support Team Duties

1. Provide first aid.

2. Prepare lifeboats.
3. Shut all watertight door and vents.
4. Assist as directed.

Engineer’s Team Duties

1. Attend to ship’s engine room services and controls.

2. Report the status of main engine and auxiliary equipment to the command centre.
3. stop vents and isolate electrical supply if required.

As these are the various duties to be performed by the crew members in case of fire on board.

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PRECAUTIONS FOR THE PROTECTION AND SAFETY OF PASSENGERS

Some crew members will be assigned specific duties for the mustering and control of
passengers for vessels not classified as passenger vessels which may require specific training
as specified under Chapter V of the STCW Code, lists the duties such as:

 warning the passengers

 ensuring that all passengers spaces are evacuated
 guiding passengers to muster stations
 maintaining discipline in passageways, stairs, and doorways
 checking that passengers are suitably clothed and that life jackets are correctly donned
 taking a rollcall of passengers
 instructing passengers on the procedure for boarding survival craft or jumping into the
sea
 directing them to embarkation stations
 instructing passengers during drills
 ensuring that a supply of blankets is taken to the survival craft

II. REFERENCES
1. Baudu, H. (2018). Ship Handling. Netherlands: Dokmar Maritime Publishers
BV.
2. Naranjo, R. (2014). The Art of Seamanship. ME, United States: International
Marine Publishing Co.
3. Oil Companies International Marine Forum (2015). Single Point Mooring
Maintenance and Operations Guide. Livingston, United Kingdom: Witherby
Seamanship International Ltd.
4. Muster List Emergency planning of the ship and onboard training
(owaysonline.com)
5. Contingency Planning | Composition of Emergency Teams on Ships
(owaysonline.com)
6. Fire / Explosion - In Ships - Bright Hub Engineering

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III. Student Additional Activity
1. Watch the video Emergency Procedures - YouTube
2. Make a summary of the video. Please write legibly
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IV. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

I. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS: On the space provided, write the letter of your
choice.

1 It means preparing a documented plan for emergencies and to

ensure all on board are trained and toward its execution.
a. Contingency Planning c. Contingency Plan ____________
b. Congruency Planning d. Consistency Plan

2. It is a list of the functions of each crew member that they are

required to perform in case of emergency
a. Muster List c. Master List
b. Master Bill d. Muster Bill
____________

3 Bridge Team emergency station is located where?

a. wheelhouse c. hell house ____________
b. bridge wing d. house wave

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 4 What is three long blast in ship’s whistle means during
emergency?
a. MOB c. MAB
____________
b. Oscar d. MAD

5 Who will replace the Master if he gets incapacitated?

a. chief officer c. chief cook
b. chief engineer d. chief knife ____________

V. STUDENT REFLECTION
Write a min. of 200-word Reflective Learning Report. You may refer to the guide questions
below. Write legibly and submit your work at the end of the week.

Guide questions:
1. What is the importance of proper emergency procedure?
Explain the importance of proper emergency procedure and what are the consequences if
these procedures are not followed.

2. What are the precautions for the protection of passenger’s safety?

Explain the precautions and how to manage the passenger’s safety.

3. Who are responsible for ensuring the safety of passengers?

Explain what your learnings are.

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