MANEUVERING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE

MANEUVERING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE

by Aleksandr D. Pipchenko

Incident statistics of European waters

• A very serious marine casualty means a marine casualty involving the total loss of the ship or a death or severe damage to the environment.

World statistics for ship losses

Incident statistics

COLREGs Rule 2: Responsibility

Rule 2 (a) requires you to follow both the rules and ‘the ordinary practice of seamen’. This means that you must always

USE COMMON SENSE

Rule 2 (b) is often misunderstood so read it carefully. It only allows you to

depart from the rules if that is

THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID AN IMMEDIATE DANGER

But, in almost every situation, it is the proper application of the rules that will

keep you out of that danger. Rule 2(b) is never a justification for not following

the rules properly.

In maritime cases, Each case is to be taken in the round andthe faults of each ship weighed in balance before anapportionment is made.

Responsibility & Court Cases

Human error… again?

Finland is throwing its weight behind the development of autonomous ships, with the country aiming to provide the world's first unmanned maritime products, services and ecosystem by 2025

MSC Alexandra & Dream II 03-Aug-16

• The VLCC Dream had deadweight of 319,999 DWT and gross tonnage of 164,241 GRT. The ship was en route from Beilun, China to Port of Khark, Iran under ballast. The vessel was built in 2008 by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in South Korea.

• The container ship MSC Alexandra 365.80 m/52.00 m /12.00 m.

• Deadweight of 165,908 DWT, gross tonnage of 153,115 GRT and capacity to carry 14,000 TEU. The container carrier was built in 2010by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in South Korea.

MSC Alexandra & Dream II

MSC Alexandra & Dream II

Josephine Maersk & Spring Glory 05-Jun-12



• 22:15 Vessels visible on radar’s 10 nm away

• 22:26 SG detected JM

• 22:29 JM detected SG (2 nm), officer went to

plot a position…

• 22:30 SG tried to contact JM on VHF (1.5 nm)

• 22:30-22:33 No understanding in comm’s

• 22:33 JM alters to STBD, SG alters to PORT

• 22:35 Collision

• Lack of situational awareness

• VHF assisted collision

• Late and erroneous actions

COLREGs is a logical algorithm to be followed by all vessels

When everyone is guided by a single algorithm, the actions of other vessels can be predicted, and

therefore right decision can be made

Vessel’s safety and COLREGs…

COLREGs IS EASY – JUST

ALTER COURSE IN ADVANCEREALLY???

TYPICAL ERROR, WHEN GIVE A WAY

SHALL I GIVE HER MORE SPACE… AND TURN SLIGHTLY TO PORT??

4-6 NM

I’LL TURN 5 TO STARBOARD TO ADJUST CPA….

ALTERATION SHALL BE SUBSTANTIAL TO BE CLEARLY SEEN FROM OTHER VESSEL

TYPICAL ERROR, WHEN STAND ON

SHALL I GIVE HER MORE SPACE… AND TURN SLIGHTLY TO PORT??

2-3 NM

SHALL I CALL HER ON VHF….?

NO!!!

IT’S HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO MAKE A PORT ALTERATION IN CLOSE QUARTERS

CASE STUDIES BY UK P&I


I have a turn in the next

2 minutes….

What shall I do??

2-3 NMTC 090



5-6 NMTC 090

YOU SHALL THINK AHEAD!!!

SHOW CLEAR INTENTION IN DUE TIME

TYPICAL ERROR, WHEN GIVE A WAY

SHALL I CALL YELLOW VESSEL ON VHF AND ASK TO TURN TO STBD TO OPEN SPACE FOR ME??

…SHALL I KEEP MY COURSE AND SPEED?

YOU MAY:

1. REDUCE THE SPEED

2. ALTER TO PORT IN DUE TIME, SHOWING CLEAR INTENTION (IF SPEED CAN’T BE REDUCED)

* ALWAYS CHECK BEHIND THE SIDE OF THE TURN



WHAT ARE WE?STAND-ON OR GIVING THE WAY?



Vessel’s safety and COLREGs…

• PORT TO PORT?

• STARBOARD TO STARBOARD?

• OR….

ZIGZAG?

What is close quarters?

• There’s no common definition for that…

What is close quarters?• There’s no common definition for that…

When is too late?

Vessels are maneuvering in ports

Vessels are passing each other in channels and rivers with CPA 1-2 cables

Highly maneuverable offshore vessels can operate in vicinity of each other as close as 2-3 cables, with

average speeds from 0 to 5 knots

Underway ship-to-ship operations is a common practice for seismic and tanker industries

Underway ship-to-ship operations is a common practice for seismic and tanker industries

• Risk of collision increases as distance between vessels decreases and uncertainty of the other vessel reaction gets higher

When is too late?

• Rule 17: Action by stand-on vessel

• Stand-on vessel may however take action to avoid collision by her manoeuvre alone, as soon as it becomes apparent to her that the vessel required to keep out of the way is not taking appropriate action in compliance with these Rules.

• When, from any cause, the vessel required to keep her course and speed finds herself so close that collision cannot be avoided by the action of the give-way vessel alone, she shall take such action as will best aid to avoid collision.

• A power-driven vessel which takes action in a crossing situation in accordance with this Rule to avoid collision with another power-driven vessel shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, not alter course to port for a vessel on her own port side.

When is too late?

When is too late?

When is too late?

• Maneuverability is the key…

Complacency & the last moment maneuverTurning circle (hard on rudder) Crash stop (full astern)

Complacency & the last moment maneuver

One might say, that the modern container vessels are fast and extremely maneuverable…

One might say, I can apply the crash stop if I really need to…

No, no… you can’t

IMO Standard for Advance:4.5 – 5 LOA

IMO Standard for Track Reach:

15-20 LOA

Maneuverability, space & dimensions

LOA 300 mAdvance > 1000 m

Crash Stop 4500 m

LOA 100 mAdvance > 100-150 m

Crash Stop 350 m

Different size… different time and space

Turning circles from Full Ahead, Rudder 35° STBD

Maneuverability, space & dimensions

Complacency & the last moment maneuver

Close Quarters distance is 5 X LOA?

For the ship of 300 m it will be approx. 0,8 nm…

What happens when you put hard to starboard from full speed?

You might get a dangerously big list

You lose control over the vessel, until you finish the manoeuvre

If you are alone on the bridge at the moment you are practically stuck to a steering helm

What to do, if you see that its critical?

• Reduce your speed, it will give you more time and lessen the severity

• Do a maneuver earlier. If you turn with 10°alteration your advance will be 7-10 LOA, list will not be too bad

For LOA = 300 m, 2100 – 3000 m : 1,13 – 1,62 nm

• Autopilot maneuver takes time, but you have your hands free

What does close quarters mean then?

• If you do an alteration with 10° rudder or similar ROT on Autopilot for 300 LOA you need to be at least 2 nm away

• So anything less will be the point of no-return or high risk zone

• 2 nm with 20 knots – TCPA – 6 min

• 2nm with 10 knots – TCPA – 12 min

• Not much time, when you are in anxiety…



COLLISION


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Unavoidable collisionOwn vessel 282/32 m, V = 20 kts, Target 300/32 m, V = 15 kts

Distance to collision point Distance between vessels

Distance, nm


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Unavoidable collision diagram

50/8 100/20 200/25 300/32 400/50Ship size: LOA / BreadthAngle of intersection, deg

Distance to CPA point, m

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION!

Education

MANEUVERING & COLLISION AVOIDANCE