Why Ships are Slow?

Hi guys, today I brought you another very important article.Today we are going to talk about "why ships are slow"


Ship's speed plays a very important role in various environmental as well economic factors for the operator of the vessel.In this article we will talk about how ship Speed is measured, what are the variaus factors affecting ship speed ,What are the various design Speeds of Cargo Ships and why it is important know and regulate ships Speed? 

How ship Speed is measured 

The unit for Sship Speed is Knots (Unit) which is equivalent to one nautical mile per hour.The ISO standard Symbol for the knot is  "Kn" 
      Ancient seafarers used to measure the Speed of the Ship by "chip log" .The Chip log Consisted of a log allached to a rope with a number of knots at equal intervals. The log was dropped in the water at the aftar of the ship and one Sailor watched the Sand emply through 30 - Second Sandglass.while others Counted the number of knots being passed. The number of knots passed multiplied by the distance between the knots and divided by 30 Second stated that 1 knot is equal to 1.852 kilometer per hour or 1 knot is equal to 1 nautical mile per hour.

This is how 'knots' originated and become o metric System to measure Ships Speed.

 A nautrcal mile is based on the Circuference of the earth and is equal to one miunte of latitude.Therefore, it is used by ships in charting and navigation. These days most ships use GPS to measure the Speed of the ship.The GPS System Consists of a transmitter, receiver and Satellite system. 
         This is the most accurate method of measuring the Speed of the vessel. Multiple satellites orbiting the earth constantly.  After receiving Signals from different Satellites, the receiver can, calculate its position. The intermal electronics tracks that position in time and calculates ship Speed. 
             Other methods of measuring Speed are using doppler shift and correlation velocity log or CVL . Doppler shift uses the Doppler effect, which is the relative Change in frequency of a wave when the Source and the observer are in relative motion

 The Sound pulse generated by the Ship's motion is reflected off the ocean floor and the Same is measured by Sonar instruments on Ship. The CVL uses a Combination of multiple transmitters and receivers. Being one the expensive methods of measuring Speed, Correlation is generated between Signals from different transmitters at different locations and the Speed of the ship is calculated.

Now we move to the our main topic.

 Why Ships are Slow?

If we Compare a Sea going ship with other transport medium in terms of power, Ships are fitted with massive powerful engines.A mega Container ship engine generates power between 80, 000 hp to 109,000 hp .The biggest marine engine ever made is wartsila- Sulzer RTA96-C which generates whopping 109, 000 hp and it's fitted in Emma maersk, One of the worlds largest Ship.  The most Successful Commercial airplane- Boeing 747 Can generate power of up to 90, 000 hp with one engine.
weight of the ship and the Cargo which can be in the range of 150, 000 to 180, 000 Tonnes. Apart from the load the engine needs to bear, ships also need to over Come different types to resistance for land tronsportation, the vehicle moves on 4 Wheels on a tar rood which offers resistance against the motion of vehicle.
         How ever,the contact areas of the tyres are very Small hence the resistance acting on the tyres is easily over Come by the engine power. When it comes to Ship the large part of the enormous Ship's hull is inside water which resist the motion of the ship. The motion of a Ship through water requires energy to over come this resistance, i. e. the force working against the movement. when the ship is Sailing thorugh calm waters, it faces three types of opposing resistance . The firctional resistance works on the wetted surface of the ship ie the hull part Contacting the waters.This is the biggest factor among the 3 types of resistance and Can take upto 6o- 80%.of the total resistance for Ships.
Big Trailer truck engine Can generate power between 300 - 600 hp and a normal hatch back car engines are availble in 100-130 hp power range . How ever, when we Compare the graph of these transportation mode in terms of Speed, we will see a different visuals.


   The ships tends to be the slowest amongst all even after running with a powerful engine.  To understand the reason behind the ships Slow speed, we first need to understand two important Concept, the power to weight ratio and the ship resistance.  It is used as a measurement of performance of a ship as a whole, with the engine's power out put being divided by the weight of the Ship, to give a metric that is independent of the vehicle's Size .In Simple terms, the engine has to over Come the total weight of the ship, including cargo and passenger onboard, to move the Ship ahead. for a car engine of 100hp it needs to over Come the weight of the car which is around 1000kg. However for a Ship engine of 90000 hp, it needs to over Come the massive.
            like Bulkers and Tankers which are technically- low Speed ships. For Ships Such as container, RORO Ships, passenger ships etc. which has highr Speed, the frictional resistance Comprises of 40/60% of the total resistance.The residual resistance Come in to play when the ship generates wave by loosing its energy. AS the ship Cuts through the water, the hull looses its energy in developing pressure to generates wave and losn can be up to 10-30% for low Speed ship and 40-65 %. for high Speed Commercial ships.  The air resistance plays a Small role amongst the three howerer it Can be Singnificant if a loaded ship is heading against the wind.


Factors affectinc Ship Speed 


*Apart from the previously mentioned reasoning on Ship resistance the Speed of a ship depends on various foctors Such as, Displacement of the ship is the amount of water displaced by the Ship to get accommodated in the water to float. For an empty ship which has no cargo loaded Displacement is lesshen the draft will be less there is less resistance as the lesser Surface of the hull is in Contact with water and as there is  not much load on the main engine. it gives more Speed at less power in Simple terms, the more Cargo the ship carries, the more will be the displacement and less wll be the ship speed if the hull, propeller and rudder are not optimised.
            If the Sea State is rough and the Ship heading aganist the tide, the engine will have to work harder to over Come the force and the over all load will increase to maintain the Speed.If the engine is not able to maintain the ship Speed will decrease.Hull condition plays a vital role in maintaining the ship Speed. A clean hull with appropriate paint will have less resistance as compared to a fouled hull. The main engine is the reason behind the ship saling in the seas. If it is not maintained properly or not efficiently run, it will not" produced the required speed for the vessel. 


Regualting Ship Speed


At the design level, bigger container Ships with less Speed are being Constructed to obtain less CO2  emissions per Container. At the operatronal level, the practice of slow Steaming i. e. reducing Speed as a response to depressed market Conditiong and high ful prices is being used in almost all Commercial Shipping sector.



Have a nice day until you find another article like this....

Taking Over Cargo Watch in General Cargo Ships and Tankers

Hi guys, you may remember we talked about Taking Over Cargo Watch in a previous article.  If you missed that article, read it here
Taking Over Cargo Watch
Today we are going to talk about a few more points related to the same article.In the previous article we talked about some of the common procedures used in all types of cargo ships.Today we are going to talk about some of the procedures related to General Cargo ships and Tankers.All right, let's go to the article



FOR GENERAL CARGO SHIPS 


1. Thoroughly understand the stowage plan stowage locations, nature, quantity, desti- nations, classification (of dangerous cargoes), if any, of cargoes to be worked, dunnaging, separation, segregation, trimming of bulk cargo, if being loaded, and any other special instructions left by the Chief Officer. 

2. All gear used for cargo work is as per . "Register of Chains and Machinery'. 


3. All beams, TD hatchboards, dunnage, etc, if on deck, are neatly and safely stowed. 

4. All shackle pins used in cargo work are seized with seizing wire to prevent accidental opening out (e.g. gin shackles. topping lift shackles, guy shackles, preventer wire shackles, etc). Note: Cargo shackles are usually of the screw type whereas anchor shackles and mooring shackles are of the non-screw type. 


5. Winch drums have at least six turns of runner wire around them at all times. If not, the runner should be changed for a longer one. 

6. Surfaces of winch drums are coated liberally with WRP (wire rope protector) a special grade of grease. If not, jerks would result whenever the ginfall changes from slack to taut. A jerk is estimated to be about six times the constant load.

7. Winches are in proper gear Single gear: less load, more speed. Double gear: more load, iess speed. The limiting load for each gear is clearly marked on the winch. 

8. The sheaves of blocks in use are rotating smoothly, without squeaks caused by lack of lubrication. 

9. Cargo wires are in good condition and coated with WRP (wire rope protector) a special grade of grease. 

10.The angle between the ginfalls, when using the union purchase system, is kept to a minimum - generally in the region of about 90° but never in excess of 120°. To achieve this, the following actions should be taken: 

  •  If a sling is too long, use a 'Cat's paw each time to temporarily shorten it. Otherwise, to lift the load above the hatch-coaming. the monkey plate would have to be hoisted unduly high, resulting in a large angle between the ginfall wires. in other words, keep the distance between the monkey plate and the top of the cargo in the sling to a minimum. 

  • Do not lower the outboard derrick more than necessary. 

   • Unship any portable rails in the path of the slings.

11. Any bull ropes in use are directly from the heel lock and not through the gin block at the derrick head. 

12. Slings should are suitable for the nature of cargo being handled. 

13. Weight of cargo in each sling is not excessive. 

14. Winchmen are careful and diligent no jerky handling of cargo. 

15. Wherever a hatch is open, or partly open, the hatch pontoons are properly secured against accidental ciosure. 

16. Wherever cargo is being worked in the lower hold, with some beams of the tween deck in place, those beams are secured against accidental unshipping by locking pins or beam bolts. 

17. Proper lighting is provided for cargo work. 

18. Guard ropes or rails are in place whenever cargo is not actually being worked so as to prevent persons from fålling overboard. 

19. Balance parts of preventer wires and rope guys are coiled and secured to the bulwarks/ rails and not lying loose on deck.

20.Enquire from the outgoing officer the following cargo particulars: 

    • Number of gr cs aboard and their distribution. 

     • The number of hooks working or to be worked and in which holds. 

      • Details of čargo being discharged/ loaded - origin, destination, nature, quantity, where stowed/to stow, special precautions, etc

 FOR TANKERS

1. While taking rounds on deck, ensure that:

     • The air intakes for the air-conditioning of the accommodation are shut and that the air-conditioning system is in the re-cycle mode. This is to prevent cargo vapour from entering the accommodation. 

     • Scuppers are effectively secured to prevent minor oil spills on deck from going over-board. 

      • The drip trays at the manifold are lined up to be drained into an oil tank. 

       • No naked lights anywhere except in safe, designated areas. 

        • Ensure that all portable electric and electronic equipment to be used are intrinsically safe. Mobile phones must be switched off before going on deck. 

        •  'Spill drill' equipment is ready - buckets, sand, rags, etc. 

         • FFA (Fire Fighting Appliances) are ready near the manifold:
       1.Deck water running. Under normal circumstances, the discharge of this water is through the anchor-wash nozzles in the hawse pipes. with
       2.Two fire nozzles connected. 
       3.Two foam extinguishers. 
       4.All fixed foam installation monitors hoses jet/spray (turrets) pointing to the manifold.

     •  Tension winches not allowed to be used on tankers. The reason for this is as follows: 
       1.When a sudden surge greater than the setting of the winch is exp- erienced, say due to the waves caused by a passing ship, the winch would walk back, maintaining the pre-set tension. 
        2.The manifold connections, in many past instances, have been wrench- ed off with consequent oil spill.
        3.In modern terminals, the valve on the loading arm will automatically close and the arm will disconnect if the vessel surges beyond a pre-set limit value. ta 
        4.This appears to be safe while loading but, while discharging, there would be considerable oil spill. 
        5.Subsequently, the tension winch, still maintaining the pre-tension, would pull the ship alongside, with considerable force and speed, resulting in possible damage to the ship's side. 

     • Flag 'B' during day and red light at night are displayed. 
     
       • The IG PVB (Pressure Inert gas Vac- uum Breaker) has adequate liquid in it.

      •  Pump room entry permit is valid. This is granted by the Chief Officer after ensuring that: 
      1. Pump room blowers are on. 
      2. Adequate lights are on. 
      3. ELSA (Emergency Life Saving Appliance) is ready.
       4. Rescue equipment (rescue hamess and hoist) is ready.
      5. Gas levels (02 and HC) checked and found acceptable. 
      6. Pump room bilges are clean. 
       7. There are no known oil leaks in the pump room.



2. Read the contents of MSDS (Material Safety Date Sheet) supplied by the oil-cargo shipper through the shipowner/charterer or terminal. This includes:

     •  Material identification and description.

     • Ingredients and occupational exposure limits. 

     •  Physical data.
      
     •  Fire and explosion data. 

      • Reactivity data.

      •  Health and hazard data.

      • Spill, leak and disposal procedures. 3.2.8. Special protection data. 

       • Special precautions and comments. 

3. Read and understand written instructions, left by the Chief Officer, concerning oil cargo: 

      • Density of the oil at 15°C, or API gravity at 60°F, as declared by the shipper. 

     • Agreed loading/discharging temperature, if any, declared by the terminal. 

     • Agreed loading rate (rate of loading agreed to between the ship and the terminal). 
 
      • In case manifold pressure to be maintained. 

      • Agreed signals for emergency stoppage as per ship-shore checklist.

      • Quantities of parcels/grades, if any.

       •  Intended final distribution of cargo. 

       • Loading/discharging sequence.

       •  Deballasting/ballasting sequence. 

        • The topping off ullages required after of discharging, the agreed making due allowance for trim.

          •  Any other instructions. 

4. Read the ship-shore safety checklist and items to be periodically checked as stated therein. 

5. Enquire from outgoing officer: 

      • Current status of cargo work. 

      • Current status of ballast. 

       • Current status of Loadicator update. On 
modern tankers, the Loadicator is on line updates automatically every few minutes. In case it is not so, it should be manually updated at regular intervals - normally every hour but never exceeding three hours. 

       • Current status of valves of pipelines. 

       • Names and ranks of support level persons on watch.


Have a nice day until we see more articles like this in the future.

Navigational Watchkeeping

You may remember we talked about Taking Over Navigational Watch at Night in a previous article.  If you missed that article, read it here,
Today we are going to talk about Navigational Watchkeeping, an extension of the same article.
We now turn to the article..



Navigational Watchkeeping



First we will talk about a few things that are common to all types of ships


1. Compare compasses soon after taking over watch. Autopilots usually have a Magnetic Compass Off Course Alarm'. Ensure that it is switched on and check the 'Permissible drift value fed in . If such an alarm is not fitted, compare magnetic and gyro compasses at regular, frequent intervals to check for gyro wander. 

2. Check synchronisation of gyro repeaters at least once a watch. 

3. Fix the position of the ship at frequent, regular intervals. The intervals would be according to the Master's instructions. In coastal waters, it may be 30 minutes, 20 minutes, 15 minutes or even less, depending on the scale of the chart, speed of own ship, proximity of dangers, the current experience- ed. etc. Whenever possible. rely on visual fixes verified by Radar. Decca Navigator, Loran, etc. Do not rely on pasitions obtained by one instrument alone, Compare fixes with DR positions and obtain the set and rate of current. 

4. Check compass error as soon as reasonably possible, after taking over watch. Thereafter, if practicable, check compass error every time a major course alteration is made, after the compass has settled. Each time, enter the results in the Compass Error Book (also called Azimuth Book) for future reference. 

5. Before altering course, check the chart once more and verify that the intended course is safe and that its value has been correctiy read off. 

6. Keep a sharp lookout. Periods away from lookout, by the OOW, for any other essential work on the bridge, shouid be never more than 2 or 3 minutes at a time. 

7. Inspect the 'Navigation Light Sentinel' to ensure that each of the necessary navigation light bulbs are agiow Recheck at least once every half-hour. Once in a watch, check that the audible failure alarm' is working. 

8. Inspect the course recorder to ensure that the course steered is reasonably straight under the present weather conditions. If not, re-adjust auto- pilot controis. 

9. Ensure that the lookoutman is alert.

10. Keep an eye on the weather conditions: pressure, wind direction, wind force, air temperature, swell (direction, height and period) and visibility. Inform Master of any significant change. 

11. Compile and send out appropriate Position reporting messages' such as INSPIRE, AMVER, etc. 

12. Compile and send weather reports at synoptic hours - 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 GMT. 

13. Switch on weather facsimile receiver (FAX) and obtain weather analysis and prognosis maps at appropriate times. 

14. Remember to advance/retard clocks as instructed by the Master. This is usually done at 2200, 0200 and 0500 hours. 

15. Comply with the instructions written in the "Master's Bridge Orders' book. 

16. Carry out verbal instructions, if any, left by Master or Chief Officer e.g., change over of FW tanks, noid ventilation, treatment of sick persons etc., if they are not mentioned in the 'Master's Bridge Orders' book. 

17. Keep a record of any unusuai or interesting events for the information of the officer coming on watch next and also the Master. For example: Change over of FW tanks, status of health of sick persons,malfunction of equipment, replacing of echo- sounder paper or course recorder roll, replace- ment of bulbs of navigation lights, passing ships of the same nationality or the same shipowner, passing naval ships, unusual meteorological phenomena observed, etc. Since these events are of current interest only, such a record need be kept only on a piece of paper on the chart table. If the event is of lasting importance, the record should be kept in the Bridge Notebook and, if necessary, entered in the Mate's Logbook after the watch is over. 

18. Keep clear of traffic and abide by ROR. 

19. in waters less than 100 metres deep, use the echo sounder every hour (every half hour if sailing close to land), ensure that the under-keel clearance is adequate and enter the results in the Depth Record Book. This book is just a notebook with the headings: Date, ship's time, position by GPS, sounding obtained, draft and depth of water. 

20. See that all persons on deck, visible from the bridge, take proper safety precautions as per "Code of safe working practices'. For example: No smoking except in designated areas, wearing of goggles while chipping, safety harness in use by all people working aloft, safety lanyards on all portable equipment above deck level, etc. 

21. The autopilot should be tested in the manual mode at least once in a watch.

22. The Magnetic Compass Off Course Alarm should be tested at least once in a watch. 

23. Entries in the Ship's Logbook should be made only after the watch is over and having been relieved by the officer of the next watch. 

24.A general round of the ship should be taken, by the officer relieved, and its results communicated to the bridge soon thereafter 

25. NEVER leave the bridge, even for a minute, unless specifically relieved by the Master or another Navigational Watchkeeping Officer. 

26. Call the Master whenever:- 

  • In doubt: this includes doubts regarding the position of own ship, safety of courses laid out for the watch, erratic or incompre- hensible movements of other ships that cause concern, etc. 

   • A close quarters situation is likely to develop. 

   • The safety of the own ship or its personnel is likely to be affected. This includes encountering restricted visibility, ice, derelicts, debris, large oil patches, sudden changes significant reduction of engine RPM, failure in atmospheric conditions,of essential navigational equipment, inability to maintain course, development of a list, doubts about the stability or watertight integrity of the ship, possibility of heavy weather damage, etc; 

   • The safety of another ship or its personnel is likely to be affected. This includes sighting of other ships that have suffered or are suffering piracy, collision. fire, grounding, man overboard, sighting of small boats in the middle of an ocean, etc. 

  • Anything unusual that warrants the Master's presence on the bridge. 


27. Never hesitate to call the master at any time. 

28. Suggested methods to call the Master: 

   • Portable VHF or by loudhailer if he is on deck. 

   • By telephone if his location in the accom- modation is known.

   • By the ship's Public Address System (PAS) if his location on board at that time is not known.

   • in the case of the loudhailer or the PAS, the communication is one way only. Hence the following type of message is suggested: 
      * Master to the bridge please. Priority (one, two or three)
      *  Priority one: Means that Master's presence on the bridge is the required as soon as possibie as there is immediate danger. 
      *  Priority two: Means that the Master's presence on the bridge is required within five or ten minutes as a dangerous situation is likely to develop.
      *  Priority three: Means that the Master should contact the bridge, at his earliest convenience, as his instruction/advice is required. 

29. After the Master comes on the bridge, the OOW may take his advice but the Oow is still in charge of the watch uniess and until the Master specifically informs him that he has taken charge. 

30. When a pilot is on board, the OOW must remain alert in all operations concerning control of the ship, fix the position on the chart frequently and satisfy himself that the actions taken are safe and understood by him. Tactful discussion with the pilot, without distracting him, would help. 


Let us now consider a few points that apply to only a few specific ships


ON GENERAL CARGO SHIPS  


1. Check smoke detector alarm system once every watch. Inspect the controi panel for visual signs of smoke every half an hour. 

2. Attend to hold ventilation - generally the exhaust blowers are ON and the ventilator cowis are turned towards leeward.


ON TANKERS 


1. Note the reading of the IG pressure gauge on the bridge and record it every hour. 

2. Attention is invited to further points, concerning tankers, mentioned in the earlier article tiled, 'Taking Over Navigational Watch at Night ',


See you in more important articles like this in the future.  Have a nice day

Taking Over Navigational Watch at Night

Today we are going to talk about another very important topic.Today we are going to talk about some of the basics to follow while working on a ship as a navigation officer.Today's topic is Taking Over Navigational Watch at Night. This procedure usually applies to any merchant ship.We now turn to the article.


Taking Over Navigational Watch at Night 




1. Go to the chart room about 15 minutes early

2. Inspect the chart,
   • The course steered, the set and rate of current experienced, and the course and speed made good (ship's movement over ground) during the previous hour. 
• The courses to steer during the watch. Courses must be actually verified, not meroly inspected. 
• Anticipated times and positions for alterations of course.
• Expected under-keel clearances (charted depths plus height of tide above chart datum minus the draft of the ship).
• Distances to pass off dangers. 
• Characteristics of lights, their rising/dipping distances and the estimated times of such occurrences.
• The traffic separation scheme in that locaity.
• Any other relevant information.

3. Read, understand and sign the Master's Bridge Order Book. 

4. Read and sign weather analysis/forecast, if any. 

5. Inspect the compass error book (also called azimuth book) and see if:
• The error has been checked during the last watch. 
• The error obtained is being applied. 

6. Go to the wheelhouse at loast five minutes before time and get eyes accustomed to the dark. Meanwhile carry out points 7 to 12. 

7. Inspect tachometer (engine RPM). 

8. Inspect navigation light sentinel. 

9. Inspect the smoke detector (dry cargo ships only). 

10. Inspect the course recorder. 

11. Ensure that the VHF is on and switched to Channel 16. 

12. See whether on autopilot or hand steering. If on auto, check settings thereon. 

13. See what course is actualy being steered (temporary alterations may have been made for traffic, set of current, etc).


14.identify any shore lights that may be in sight. 

15. Understand the movement of all traffic in sight, consulting the outgoing duty officer if necessary. 

16.If radar is on, get familiar with the picture 

17. Look overside, using the daylight-signalling lamp if necessary, to ensure that there is no trace of oil pollution around the ship. 

18. Receive true course, gyro course and compass course from outgoing officer and repeat them. 

19. Must be in full charge of the watch at the scheduled time - when 8 beils are struck (the practice of striking half-hourly bells during the watch has gradually died out in many companies). 

20. The officer being relieved should be satisfied that the relieving officer appears to be fit in all respects to take over and keep the watch. If not, he should inform the Master (or the Chief Officer if the Master is ashore) and remain on watch until suitable relief is arranged. 

Soon after taking over watch: 

21.Compare compasses. 

22. Check soundings by echo sounder. 

23. Ensure that the lookoutman is alert.

24. Check that the position, as plotted by the outgoing officer, is correct. 

25. Discuss with the outgoing officer regarding any important, unusual or interesting events thit may nave occurred during his watch - concerning ship. ship's staff, meteorological phenomena, VHF or satellite communications with other ships, passing ships of own company or any unusual craft, etc. 

26. Ask the outgoing officer whether any verbal instructions have been left by the Master or the Chief Officer - hold ventilation, calling out of crew, changing over of FW tank in use, etc. 

27. Read the log entries made by the outgoing officer before he leaves the bridge. If necessary, ask for any clarifications or bring any obvious omi ssions/ errors to his notice. 

28. The ship s draft should be prominently displayed on the bridge for quick reference by the OOW. The Chief Officer should update this whenever there is any significant change so that the OOW is aware of the under-keel clearance at all times. 

29. Some makes of gyrocompasses require the ship's iatitude and speed to be fed in to offset gym error. In such cases, this must be done by the Eiecond Officer once a day, or earlier if there is any significant change. The Master should be in ormed as and when this is done. The Second Officer should make an entry in the Bridge Not abook,each time, stating the date and time of entry and the values of latitude and speed fed in. 


• Now let's see "How to Entries in the Logbook": 


Entries in the logbook must be made only after the watch is over and the officer making them has been fully relieved by another officer. The OOW may make notes in the Bridge Notebook, from time to time, to help him to write the logbook later on after handing over the watch. 


• Generai round of the ship:

Soon after handing over watch, the officer relieved should make a general round of the ship and ensure that: 

1. Fire safety is maintained. 

2. There are no apparent (visible) signs of flooding of the ship. 

3. There is nothing unusual visible anywhere - such leaking hydraulic connections, unsecured doors, etc. 

4. There are no loose/unsecured articles in the smoke room/lounge, pantry, etc. 

5. The officer must then inform the bridge "Fire and safe.y inspection carried out. The OOW (officer currently on navigational watch) would then make an appropriate entry in the Bridge Notebook in order to remind him to make this entry in the Logbook later on, after he has been relieved at the end of his watch. lines, loose electrical


In addition, there are special procedures to be followed depending on the type of cargo ship.Let us now talk about the Navigational Watch of several such ships.


On General cargo Ships:

Inspection of deck cargo lashings: 

In good weather: Lashings of deck cargo would be checked, once a day, by the cadets and/or crew under the general supervision of the Chief Officer. Tightening may be necessary as the lashings tend to stretch a bit, There should be sufficient scope left in the tumbuckles for this purpose. 

In bad weather: Lashings of deck cargo must be checked at the end of each navigational watch. The officer and the lookoutman, who just finished their spell of duty on the bridge, should carry out this duty. They would have plenty of time to do this thoroughly and, if any lashings need major attention, they can call out some more members of the crew and wait until the faults have been rectified to the satisfaction of the officer. The officer must then report to the bridge that deck cargo lashings have been inspected and found satisfactory. The officer currently in charge of the navigational watch should then make a note in the Bridge Notebook to remind him to make the entry Deck cargo lashings inspected and found satisfactory' in the log book after he has been relieved at the end of his watch.   


On Oil tankers: 


The reading of the pressure gauge on the Bridge, denoting the IG pressure in the tanks, should be recorded every hour. Any undue variation should be brought to the notice of the Master/Chief Officer.

During the day: 

The oil in the tanks would expand due to warming up of the decks and hull plating: 

1. The IG pressure would then increase. 

2. At 800 mm WG, the HP alarm would sound in the wheelhouse and in the CCR. 

3. At 1400 mm WG, the PVV would breathe outwards. 

4. At 2100 mm WG, the PVB would blow outwards. 

  However, the oow should take action when the HP alarm is heard and not wait for the PVV to act. He should inform the Chief Officer who would arrange to partially open the mastriser valve until the pressure falls to just below 800 mm WG. The HP alarm would then become silent. 

During the night : 

The oil in the tanks would contract due to cooling down of the decks and huli plating 

1. The IG pressure would then decrease. 

2. At 200 mm WG, the LP alarm would sound in the wheelhouse and in the CCR. 

3. At 100 mm WG, the VLP alarm would sound in the wheelhouse and in the CCR. 

4. At -350 mm WG, the PVV would breathe inwards, allowing air to enter the tank. This is dangerous as entry of fresh air would render the atmosphere in the tank to come within the fiammabie range. 

5. At -700 mm WG, the PVB would blow inwards.

However, the OOW should take action when the LP alarm is heard and act before the VLP alarm sounds. He should inform the EOW who would arrange to top up the IG by starting either. 

• The IG Topping up Generator, if provided on board or 
• The IG plant itself. 


In actual practice 


When the diurnal range of atmospheric temperature is expected to be iarge, some ships take steps to ensure that the necessity to top up IG at night/early morning should not arise. During the day, when the HP alarm sounds, the audible signal of the HP alarm is acknowledged (silenced) but the pressure, closely monitored, is allowed to rise up to about 1300 mm WG or so (the PVV breathes out at 1400 mm WG). If the pressure exceeds 1300 mm WG, the pressure is released by partially opening the mastriser valve. The IG pressure is thus maintained between 1200 and 1300 mm WG. During the night, the LP alarm may not sound (pressure in the tanks may not fall to 200 mm WG). The necessity to start the IG generator, or the IG plant itself, may not arise. 

      In UMS (Unmanned Machinery Space) ships, or UMS at night ships, the EOW usually makes an assessment at about 2200 hours or so and, if necessary, tops up the 1G in the tanks then itself so that he is not woken up during the wee hours of the morning for this purpose.

The ship should have a policy regarding this and the Chief Officer should leave written, standing orders for the OOW.


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6 Worst Cruise Ship Accidents Happened in the World

Hello guys, I came to see you today with another important article.Today we are going to talk about 6 Worst Cruise Ship Accidents Happened in the World.A large number of human lives have been lost due to these accidents. Many of these accidents were due to negligence.Okay, now let’s get to the article.


01. Wilhelm Gustloff


Guys, this is the biggest shipwreck in the world, but it's not an accident, it's a deliberate shipwreck. The ship's name is M.V Wilhelm Gustloff .In 1936, Germany created this ship as a passenger ship.  Then, during World War II, Germany rebuilt the ship with a hospital to transport its troops. 
       On January 30, 1945, the German army suffered a heavy defeat in the face of Russian attacks.
        The Nazis retreated in the face of Russian attack and set sail for another safe place. Thousands of city dwellers tried to board the ship for their own safety.  Struck by torpedo 3, the ship was sunk by a torpedo, the ship did not have enough life jackets, 9,000 people drowned in the cold water, this is the worst attack on a ship to date.


02. SS Eastland


 Guys, the SS Eastland is also known as the Speed ​​Queen of the Great Lakes.  Due to the shipwreck, the shipping company paid more attention to the safety of this ship.  But believe me, this ship was in danger because of the increased security.  

    Yeah, SS Eastland had a lot of lifeboats on board.  On July 24, 1915, the ship sailed to  Michigan City on Lake Michigan for a one-day voyage with the employees of the Western Electric Company and their families.  At that time there were about 2500 passengers on board the ship including the crew and 844 lives were lost due to this accident.  Everyone says that this ship had a lot of lifeboats and that the ship was in danger due to the weight of the ship.



03. MV Royal Pacific


The MV Royal Pacific, which set sail from Singapore on August 21, 1992, carried 534 passengers and crew.  This passenger ship was on its way back to Singapore when it unfortunately crashed. 

      At the time of the accident, some were in the large casino on the ship, while others were asleep.  On the night of August 23, 1992, a speeding fishing vessel collided with a ship.  The ship was severely damaged in that accident.  It took only 10 to 15 minutes for the ship to sink when the water came in. Immediately after the accident, the captain of the ship decided to empty the ship.  All the lifeboats on the ship were lowered, and some jumped into the sea in life jackets.  They were rescued from other ships passing by.  More than 30 lives were lost in this accident.


04. MS Estonia


September 27, 1994 The ship sails to Stockholm, Sweden with more than 900 passengers on board.  The ship had no technical faults, but was intercepted by large waves while sailing across the Baltic Sea.  These large waves caused water to enter the ship. Due to the effects of the continuous large waves, the water inside the ship began to fill up. As a result, many passengers were trapped in their rooms.  There were 981 people on board that day, including the crew.  852 lives were lost in this unfortunate accident.


05. Costa Concordia



The Costa Concordia is an Italian passenger ship. On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia sailed from Chivitaverchia, Italy to Savona with 1023 crew members and 3206 crew.  The captain has turned the ship towards the island for a maritime salute near an island near the passage.  A Maritime Salute is an old naval etiquette.  There's an old-fashioned way of saluting the captain with the ship's horn.  But it was later banned.  Despite the ban on this etiquette, the captain of the Costa Concordia turned the ship towards Tuscan Island to pay his respects.  Due to the captain's arbitrary decision, the ship collided with a reef near the island. The ship capsized and sank. 32 lives were lost in that accident.  The ship's captain was also sentenced to 16 years in prison.



06. RMS Titanic 



The RMS Titanic is the world's largest sinking ship. The builders never thought the ship would break in two and sink.  The White Star Line Company was well known for the strength and speed of its ships.  The Titanic can carry more than 3300 passengers.  But for the first voyage, there were only 2224 passengers and crew on board. The ship had all the amenities, including a gym, swimming pool, library, high class restaurant and comfortable bedrooms for first class passengers.  This ship was ready for any possible accident.  The first voyage of the Titanic left Southampton on April 10, 1912 for New York.  On the morning of April 15, 1912, the Titanic collided with an iceberg.  After that accident, water began to seep into the ark.  Despite the safety equipment, the ship had only 20 lifeboats.  That was not enough for the 2224 passengers on board.  Due to the belief in the safety of the ship, there were only a small number of lifeboats on board. First, women and small children were allowed on board.  Within hours of the accident, the ship broke in two.  More than 1,500 people lost their lives in this unfortunate accident.



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Top 10 World Largest Modern Tanker Ships In 2020

Hello guys, today we are going to talk about Top 10 world largest modern tanker ships in 2020.

The advent of the tanker fleet is a relatively new phenomenon.The first tanker appeared at the end of the 19th Century,Until that time technical difficulties did not allow for the transport of large quantities of bulk liquids such as oil and gas in holts.

Today we look at 10 of these large modern ships.


10. Seri Cemara

 Seri Cemara which is the last in the series of five mas type liquefied natural gas or LNG carriers.The tanker is 290m long and it's beam is 49m.Gross tonnage and deadweight are 133 948 and 84 291 respectively.The ship capacity is 150 200 m³ . This ship was developed as part of a long term program to expand the MISC Fleet to provide enrgy transportation for petronas. A global provider of good and service restricted to sea lanes.The MIFC group officially received the Seri Cemara in 2018 and it is an operation to this day.This tanker can call it any major LNG terminal around the world and can be used to load floating LNG plants



09. Pan Africa 



This is LNG tanker that can accommodate 174 000 m³ of liquid gas. This Vessel is the last of the TPG Fleet , Pan series it operates along side the Pan Asia of 2017, the Pan Europe of 2018 and at the Pan American 2018.These TPG owned vessels operate under 20 year charters for a shell subsidiary. The Pan Africa was launched in early 2019. It is 290m long and 47m wide. It's gross tonnage is just under 115 000 and deadweight is 88 438. The vessel is currently sailing under the flag of Hong Kong.



08. Gaslong Greece



This vessel was built and launched in 2016 by Samsung Heavy Industries under ABS.It is sailing under the flag of Bermuda. This ship is 290 m long and 46m wide. It's gross tonnage and deadweight are 112 764 and just under 88 000. The vessel's draft is 10.7m. Among other things the gas law greece is equipped with the innovative dual fuel technology of the large cela engine.


07. Gaslong Gladstone



Gaslog Gladstone was delivered to management company Gaslog Limited on 15th march 2019. The Gaslog Gladstone just like the previous tanker. This ship was build by Samsung Heavy Industries under the direction of ABS. The Gladstone has a capacity of 174 000m³. A length of 293m and width of 46m. Gross tonnage and deadweight 111 000 and 85 000 respectively.


06. FSRU BW Magna

 In december of 2019 the LNG tanker ship FSRU BW Magna completed. It's modification at the sembawang shipyard. It has a Capacity of 1 billion cubic meters per day. It is 294m long and 46m wide with a gross tonnage and deadweight 116 047 and 83 870. During the upgrade the vessel was equipped with loading weapons a complete quality control unit and a complete liquefied natural gas sampling system.


05. Flex Courageous


This ship was launched in july of 2019. It is a large carrier of liquefied natural gas capable of accommodating 173 400 m³.The tanker is 295m long and 46m wide. It's gross tonnage is 110 000 and It's deadweight is 95 500. The ship is equipped with a two - stroke MEGI engine with a portial recovery system In addition. The Flex LNG ship already have five large LNG carriers as well as plans to launch five ships in  2020 and another two in 2021 bringing the fleet to 13 carriers.



04. Diamond Gas Orchid


This ship launched in 2018.  This tanker is 297m long and 49m wide with an angle of as much as 11.5m. The vessel's gross tonnage is 144 828 due to it's special light hull.The diamond gas orchid has limited aerodynamic resistance which allows it to gain high speed. This ship is designed for stable operations during adverse weather condition.



03. LNG Schneeweisschen


Mitsui O.S.K line received a tanker in  2017 named LNG Schneeweisschen.It is 298m long with gross tonnage and deadweight of 111 000 and 97 000 respectively. A significant feature of the Schneeweisschen is that while, It is capable of attaining the same speeds as the previous vessel.It does so by a slow moving. two - stroke engine.Capable of operating on gas.Either off shore gas oil or heavy fuel oil.


02. Shinshu Maru


This vessel built in 2019. It has load capacity of 177 277m³ of LNG . It is 299.9m long , full size allow. It to dock to major LNG terminals around the world allowing for large cargo tanks to increase capacity.One destination of the vessel is the 2016 expanded Panama Canal. The Shinshu Maru has a special double hull and bottom desing protecting the tank section. So regardless of any external damage the liquefied gas.




01. Universal Leader 


In first place is a New very large crude oil carrier VLCC with the proud name of Universal Leader. The vessel is 336m long and 60m wide. It's gross tonnage and deadweight are 156 331 and 299 981 respectively. It was launched on  29th january 2019




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Life Saving Appliances used in ships

Hello guys, you may remember we talked about Emergency situations on board ship in a previous article.If you have not read that article,read it here

Today we are going to talk about the safety appliances used in a ship.

 Safety is not just a rule; it is a culture to live by. Ship and marine safety have always been an integral part of a seaman's life. It is the primary concern for all shipbuilders, manufacturers, and service providers, as adhering to safety compliances is a must for preserving human life on open seas. To this end, there are several personal life-saving appliances that are used on ships to protect the lives of all sailors on board. These include:

Safety helmet 

 
 A safety helmet is one of the most imperative personal life-saving equipment used on the ship. It is generally made of hard plastic and can be fastened under the chin. It can protect the sailors from cranial injuries during storms or rough weather. 


Safety Shoes

 
 
 Trading and merchant ships have large amounts of machinery and tools, which make navigating through the ship a difficult task. Although ship discipline is mandatory, it pays to prevent accidents by using safety shoes which protect the feet from being injured. 


Safety Hand Gloves 

 Various types of safety gloves are used while maintaining machinery and handling cargo on ships. The crew has to protect their hands from hot and rough surfaces, chemicals, abrasive


Goggles


 Ship maintenance includes various processes such as welding, machining, etc. In addition, the constant reflective glare from the sea can also damage the eyes. Hence, different types of goggles are used to protect the crew members' eyes from being damaged. 


Ear Muffs/Plugs


 The numerous mechanisms driving the engine of large ships and cargo carriers produce an inordinate amount of sound, sometimes as high as 110-120 db. Constant exposure to this kind of noise levels can permanently damage the hearing capabilities of sailors. As a result, seamen are advised to wear ear muffs or ear plugs to protect from auditory damage. 


Safety harness


 The safety harness is used to strap the crew member in safely, as routine ship inspection and maintenance measures are carried out at elevated heights. The harness is tied to a fixed point at one end and is used in conjunction with shock absorbers to reduce the impact if necessary. 


Fire and Immersion Suit 


 As the name suggests, fire and immersion suits are used to protect the wearer in care of fires at sea. Immersion suits are generally made completely of rubber, specifically neoprene, and help the person stay afloat without exposing any part of the person's body to the sea. They are also bright in colour, fluorescent reds and oranges being preferred, which makes them easy to spot from a distance.



Life rafts

 Life rafts are one of the primary life-saving devices that are mandatory on ships. There are generally expected to be enough life rafts to carry 120% of the ship's population. These are used in case the ship capsizes in an accident, or for short journeys away from ships. Life rafts are generally self-inflatable and can be easily launched in case of an emergency. 


Lifebuoys

 A lifebuoy is usually a ring-shaped personal safety device, used to protect a person from drowning at sea. Made of rubber, the personal flotation device is brightly coloured and available in different sizes for different age groups. 


Life jackets

 Life jackets are an important personal life-saving device that has been used by seafarers since ages. The design of lifejackets has developed over the years, with the current design being polyester stuffed with foam cubes. Life jackets fit the wearer snugly and prevent him/her from drowning when inflated, based on the principle of buoyancy, 


Marine Distress Signals 


 Marine distress signals include line throwers, man-overboard light and smoke signals, parachute rockets, and other buoyant smoke signals. These are used to indicate that the person or the ship requires external aid. 


 These are 11 principal personal life-saving appliances that are essential for ships. Ship and lifejacket manufacturers and life raft service providers in India, like SHM Ship care, provide quality life-saving devices, to make safe seas and safe shores a reality. 


Lifeboats 


 There are three types of lifeboats that are generally mandatory on ships, free-fall boats, partially-covered lifeboats, and totally-covered lifeboats. Per the SOLAS convention, every ship is expected to have enough lifeboats to secure 1.5 times the number of people present on the ship

      Totally covered lifeboats are watertight, with access through hatches that can be opened from both sides. The advantage of totally-covered boats is that they safeguard occupants from extreme temperatures while allowing people to navigate from within. 


Rescue boats 


 As the name suggests, rescue boats are used to rescue people from drowning, near the shore, or in the deep sea. Rescue boats can have a rigid, inflatable, or hybrid structure, with a minimum length of 3.8m and minimum capacity of 6 people, 5 seated and one lying down. They are designed to ensure faster speeds than conventional boats, with higher power capacity. In addition, they are equipped with all the material required to provide first-aid to the person in distress. 

        Technically speaking, rescue boats are expected to have a consistent speed of up to 6 knots for 4 hours straight and be able to tow life rafts and lifeboats of a ship, even when filled to complete capacity.


Thermal Suits

  Thermal suits are waterproof suits, designed to have a conductivity of less than 0.25 W/mk. They are used to conserve body heat in extreme temperatures, up to -30 degrees Celsius. Thermal protective aids generally cover the entire body of the wearer, except for the face.


A sailor must have these tools as well as his own self-defense and vigilance.


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