The learning objectives for this chapter
is to be aware of the basic actions
which should be taken when the ship is
disabled or in an emergency situation
when a ship becomes disabled the primary
objective is to keep it away from
hazards or shallow water taking
appropriate action immediately the loss
of engines is predicted it must then
effect repairs or rely on another vessel
to tow it to a safe place for repair it
should request assistance at an early
stage and not too late to avoid
grounding if one or more spaces which
normally provide buoyancy become flooded
the immediate action to be taken should
prevent further flooding and will depend
upon the location of the flooded
compartment and the extent of the damage
in all cases of flooding reference
should be made to the ship stability
information to determine what action is
necessary to improve buoyancy the ship
will drift under the influence of wind
current and wave forces though the
direction and speed of drift cannot be
predicted precisely it can normally be
assessed roughly and the time limits for
retaining the ship in a safe condition
can be assessed the master should take
every opportunity to observe the drift
behavior of his ship in loaded and light
conditions and various aspects of trim
the drift pattern observed should be
documented and retained on board for
future reference use of the main engine
when steering capability is not
available may be very helpful in
changing the drift direction and speed
or even stopping the ship altogether
tests have shown the following
with full or emergency for Eastern power
it is possible to bring the stern of a
single-screw ship up into the weather
for a ship with the rudder jammed in
hard over position careful ahead
maneuvering can keep the ship's head
into the weather the effect of propeller
revolutions on a free flapping rudder is
such that the reading will generally go
to the hard to starboard position with
either ahead or astern revolutions and
stay there as long as the engine
revolutions are maintained the use of
thrusters and the emergency steering
position can also be an alternative to
conventional steering and should be
practiced in drills before it becomes
necessary in water too deep for the
anchor to reach the bottom lowering the
anchor or anchors to about four shackles
will reduce downwind progress the anchor
and cable may have the effect of a drug
or sea anchor and should keep the ship's
head into the weather once the ship is
in water depth where the anchor can find
bottom use of the anchors to stop the
ship's movement should be attempted
if the bottom is sand or mud it should
be possible to slow or even stop the
drift of the ship once the master has
decided that he requires the assistance
of a towing vessel he should immediately
begin to plan the possible methods of
making the towing connection emergency
telling will usually be undertaken with
the most suitable vessel available in
the vicinity the soulless regulations
require that tankers of 20,000 tons
deadweight and above are equipped with
an emergency towing system both forward
and aft the purpose of these systems is
to provide the ship with a storage
capability which can be rapidly deployed
and connected to a towing vessel in an
emergency situation
various factors should be borne in mind
when assessing the situation after ship
has run aground the master should first
obtain information about the situation
including the following immediate
sounding of all tanks and spaces to
assess any damage and possible pollution
report any pollution as soon as possible
tides and currents weather including
wind state of c and swell any forecast
change in the weather nature of the
bottom depth of water around the ship
the calculated buoyancy needed to
refloat and draft and trim after
refloating condition of the ship
including stresses on the whole salvage
assistance may be rendered without
agreement being reached in advance if no
contract has been made those rendering
beneficial assistance or in any event
entitled to claim Salvage worship is in
peril salvage may also be rendered by
agreement there are three main types of
arrangements one services may be
rendered on the bases the remuneration
will be settled later to remuneration on
the basis of a lump sum or a daily rate
three the most widely used and accepted
former salvage contract is the Lloyds
standard form of Salvage agreement