Universidad Nacional Experimental Marítima del Caribe

Vicerrectorado Académico
Cátedra de Idiomas
Inglés VI. Ingeniería Marítima
Operaciones

Unit IV. General Procedure for Entering Ports

Speaking and writing

Look at the picture. What’s the difference between these vessel’s directions?
Which one do you think is leaving? Which one is entering port?

Look at the pictures below and tick (√) the ships that are entering port.

Now, write sentences.

Reading
Making arrangements before arriving
“Arrival at port” and “Departure from port” are two extremely important aspects of a ship’s
voyage. Both of these procedures are considered critical because of a number of complexities
involved with them. Both engine and deck departments have to prepare themselves well in advance
in order to ensure safety of the ship and the crew.
Before arriving at a port, the ship’s crew has to plan and discuss all the matters that would be
required for safe berthing and cargo operation of the ship at the port.
In this article, there is a general overview of the guidelines that are to be followed before
entering a port. It is important to pinpoint that officers in charge must use their knowledge and skills
in order to ensure safe maneuvering and berthing of the ship. It is also imperative that
the navigation officers thoroughly know their duties.

Below there is a list of the most important things before Entering a Port. Write numbers
from 1 to 5 to arrange a good planning.

_____ Once this is done, the officer-in-charge would check the conditions of all the items
mentioned in the “checklist for entering ports”.
_____ All those involved with the berthing procedure would be assigned a “position” to carry out
the duties and to guide the ship operations.
_____ All officers including deck cadets and crew members are assigned duties during
berthing of the ship.
_____ The master of the ship will inform well in advance the “time of arrival” of the ship to the
chief officer and the chief engineer. If needed, a meeting would be arranged with the senior officers
or the officers in charge to discuss all matters necessary for ship’s arrival at the port.
_____ The results of the checking procedure would be mentioned in the deck log book.

Now, write a paragraph with the information you get. Include connectors.
 What do you remember about the organization
on board a merchant ship?
Who makes what?

Writing and speaking

Write true sentences with the information from this table. Exchange information orally.

The chief officer Navigation

Bosun Life-saving equipment
Third officer is responsible for Supervising the crew´s work
The Deck department is in charge of Overall responsibility of the ship
Second officer First aid equipment
Master General maintenance

Noun/Adjective + Prepositions
Some adjectives and nouns go with certain prepositions. There is no real
pattern – you need to learn them as you meet them. Here are some examples,
but remember that there are many other noun/ adjective + preposition
combinations. For example:
Pop up grammar 1. As the OOW, I’m responsible for writing the entries in the log book.
2. He’s in charge of testing the alarms
3. I’m quite good at English.
4. She’s really capable of reading the information on the radar.
5. The rating has trouble with the cargo handling gear.

Procedures before entering ports

Deck Department

A general plan involving stations for entering the port would involve:

 Master taking the control of the vessel at the bridge, accompanied by the third mate

 Chief Officer at the ship’s bow to command and guide the forward station

 The second officer at the aft to command the aft station (However, this can change if
master has other duties for the second officer)

 Deck crew members will be asked by the second or chief officer to assist in the berthing
procedure

 Additional deck crew members can be asked to carry out the job of a lookout by the master
whenever necessary

 The Bosun would generally assist the chief officer

 Engine Department

A general plan for engine room department for entering port would involve:

 Chief engineer taking the control of the engine room

 First/Second engineer can also be asked to be in the engine room and command
subordinates for operating machinery systems

 Third and fourth engineer can be asked to be stationed at particular places in the engine
room according to the orders of chief or second engineer

 Junior engineer would assist senior engineers and would take rounds of the engine room
according to the orders of second engineer

 Motorman/Pump man would assist in engine room operations under the supervision of
senior engineers

 Other engine room ratings can be assigned duties by the chief engineer if required. It is to
note that the main engine astern testing should be carried out every time before entering
any port. The testing is generally done before the pilot board the ship.

Situation analysis and planning

Activate your
knowledge

You are to plan a voyage and you need to do it in steps.

Just for practice and in case you actually face this
situation one day, write a brief plan of the
procedures before entering the port
of destination.
General

The STCW Code (Standard Training Certification and Watch-keeping for seafarers) sets
out new uniform standards for the attainment of competences in the various maritime skills
required to qualify as a watch-keeping officer. Consequently, IMO-SMCP (Standard
Marine Communication Phrases) states a series of maritime phrases to be taken into
account by all seafarers when on board a ship. It is therefore important that the following
guidance is carefully followed.

AII/3.7 Berthing and un-berthing

.1 General

.1 Is/are the propeller(s) clear?

.1.1 Yes, the propeller(s) is clear.
.1.2 No, the propeller(s) is not clear.
.1.3 Keep the propeller(s) clear.
.2 Are fenders on the berth?
.2.1 Yes, fenders are on the berth.
.2.2 No, fenders are not on the berth.
.3 Have fenders ready fore and aft.

.2 Berthing

.1 We will berth port side / starboard side alongside.

.2 We will moor
~ to buoy(s) (ahead and astern).
~ alongside.
~ to dolphins.
.3 Send out
~ the head / stern / breast lines.
~ the ... spring(s) forward / aft.
.4 Do you have tension winches?
.4.1 Yes, we have tension winches (forward and aft).
4.2 No, we do not have tension winches.
.5 Have the heaving lines ready forward and aft.
6 Send the heaving / head / stern / breast line(s) ashore.
.7 The linesmen will use shackles / lashings for securing the mooring.
.8 Use
~ the centre lead / panama lead .
~ the bow lead.
~ the port quarter / starboard quarter lead.
.9 Heave on the ... line(s) / ... spring(s)..
.10 Pick up the slack on the ... line(s) / ... spring(s)..
.11 Heave away.
.11.1 Stop heaving.
.12 Slack away / check the ... line(s) / ... spring(s)..
.13 Hold on the ... line(s) / ... spring(s).
.14 Heave in easy.
.14.1 Heave alongside.
.15 Keep the ... line(s) / ... spring(s) tight.
.16 Report the forward / aft distance to ... .
.16.1 The forward / aft distance to ... ... is metres.
.17 We have to move ... metres ahead / astern.
.18 We are in position.
.19 Make fast fore and aft.
.20 Finished with manoeuvring stations.

.3 Un-berthing

.1 Stand by engine(s).
.2 Are you ready to get underway?
.2.1 Yes, we are ready (to get underway).
.2.2 No, we are not ready (yet) ( to get underway).
.2.3 We will be ready to get underway in ... minutes.
.3 Stand by for letting go.
.4 Single up the ... lines and ... springs fore and aft.
.5 Slack away / hold on / heave on the
~ head / stern line.
~ breast line.
~ fore / aft spring.
.6 Let go
~ the head / stern line.
~ the breast line.
~ the fore / aft spring
~ all (forward / aft).
.7 Let go the towing line(s).
.8 Stand by bow anchor(s).
.9 Finished with manoeuvring stations

"...If the wheelhouse is the brain of the ship,

the engine room may be called the heart of the
ship".

W. Somerset Maugham "Mister Know-All"