Ship handling

Question 1

• Helm orders

Question 2

• Berthing and unberthing

Question 3

• Use of tugs

Answer 3

Having proceeded to within sight of the berth and taken the docking Master aboard, the crew makes the tugs fast and gets ready to go alongside. The tugs can be made fast in several ways, depending on where they are to be placed and the work they are going to do.

Rule one - do not use the tug.
Make the needed tugs fast, but plan the job so as to deliberately minimize their use. Let’s look at the reasons for this. The tug is simply another tool available to the shiphandler to accomplish the task at hand, supplementing the engine, rudder, bow thruster, anchors, and mooring lines. Use the tug only when these other tools will not by themselves accomplish the task. There are several reasons for this:
• The only way to develop a skill in shiphandling and a feel for handling ships is to do the work. If a ship is pushed and pulled into position primarily using the tug, you are not developing any skill in shiphandling; you are only learning to push and pull with tugs.
• If a job is planned to minimize the need for the tug, then those tugs are available as additional tools if required - an ace up the shiphandler’s sleeve. If the job is done in a manner that makes the use of tugs essential, this backup capability is lost. By making the tugs fast, and then working as if they were not available, the tugs can be used to correct any problem that might arise.
If being towed, Risk assessment and then start off slow etc.

Question 4

• Squat

Question 5

Shallow water effect

Question 6

• Interaction

Answer 6

Hydrodynamics (Interaction)
Interaction forces can be enormous; they can change rapidly and can greatly exceed the capability of rudders and engines to counteract them.
They take a number of forms:
• Shallow water effect.
• Squat.
• Canal effect.
• Ship proximity interaction.