1 | P a g e S h i p H a n d l i n g

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Ship Handling


PILOT CARD DETAILS:

Port and date; Ships particulars: name, C/sign, displacement, deadweight, year built, LOA,
breadth, bulbous bow (yes/no), draft F,A and amidships. Air draft and height above keel
Port anchor and starboard anchor: number of shackles on each chain
Engine: Type, maximum power in kW and HP
RPM for F/ahead, H/ahead, S/ahead, DS ahead and all stages of stern movement and their
respective speeds for LOADED as well as LIGHT conditions.
Engine critical RPM; Maximum number of consecutive starts
Time: F/ahead to F/astern in seconds and Time limit astern in minutes.
Any equipment or machinery defects

WHEEL HOUSE POSTER DETAILS:

Name, c/sign, GRT, NRT, maximum displacement, deadweight, and block coefficient, full
load summer draft.
Loaded and ballast drafts at which maneuvering characteristics are given.
Steering particulars: type of rudder, maximum rudder angle, time hard over to hard over with
one and with two power units.
Anchor chain particulars: Number of shackles for each chain
Propulsion particulars: Type of engine, type of propeller, critical RPM, maximum RPM speed,
emergency F/ahead to F/astern in seconds, stop to astern in seconds, astern power ---- % of
ahead power, maximum number of consecutive starts, RPM and speeds for loaded and ballast
conditions at every stage of ahead and astern propulsion.
Port and starboard turning circles for loaded and ballast conditions with advance, transfer and
tactical diameters in miles/cables.
Stooping distances for loaded and ballast conditions
Man overboard maneuvers.


FACTORS AFFECTING UKC:

While planning passage and during the execution of ships navigation following factors must
be kept in mind as regards to UKC:
1. Submarine pipelines: The pipelines lying on sea beds may run to as much as 2 meters in
diameter and crossing over them means loss of UKC by the amount of diameter.
2 | P a g e S h i p H a n d l i n g
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2. Offshore tidal predictions: The tidal predictions fall in accuracy as one moves away
from the point for which predictions are made. For example, in the middle of Dover
strait, the height of tide may be as much as 1 meter less than the predicted height for the
adjacent standard port.
3. Weather: Vessel rolling and pitching runs the risk of compromising safe UKC
especially in shallow waters.
4. Negative storm surges: Due to abnormal weather conditions (continual offshore winds
coupled with falling tide) actual height of tide may fall beyond the predicted LW
height. OOW must be on guard about this.
5. Change in depths: This is possible where sand waves, mobile bottoms and/or seismic
activities are common. Particular caution is needed on charts which surveyed poorly or
having old survey dates.
6. Squat: This causes vessel to sink and seek bottom and thus causes reduction of UKC. It
is however important to note that there is no change in draft. It is more pronounced in
shallows and can be reduced by slowing down the vessels speed.