Публикация посвящена вопросам, связанным с правилами, регулирующими отношения по поводу стоянки судна на якоре. Особенное внимание уделяется автором вопросам безопасности мореплавания и ответственности за нарушения в этой сфере.
During a prolonged stay at anchorage awaiting orders, I was on the bridge with the duty officers for morning coffee. We could hear a lot of chatter on the VHF between the port authority and vessels in the anchorage. Some of what we heard was good advice, but some was unsafe.
This kicked off a discussion on anchorages, better design, safety of navigation within an anchorage, and so on. The discussion turned into an intensive brainstorming session, and I hope some of the notes which came out of it will be useful to the shipping community, and perhaps spark further discussion.
There are various regulations for the conduct of ships on the high seas and coastal waters. Governments continue to update the routing requirements around the coastlines – but very little is being done for the anchorages around the world.
It is a known fact that more collisions occur in anchorages than anywhere else. It is common thinking that in the case of an unfortunate incident or collision, it is very rare for the ship to sink or lives to be lost if the ship is’ close to land’. On the contrary, lives are lost in these situations all the time. It doesn’t take much time for a ship to sink – and we also have to take the high risk of pollution into account. So why is nothing being done to improve safety in these areas?
The question of responsibility is the primary problem. The attitude of the port can range from actively maintaining designated anchorages within the port areas that are marked on the chart, to downright lack of interest in where a ship chooses to anchor. Sometimes, almost nothing is done to ensure the safety of ships within port limits – even if the port authority has been informed that a ship has anchored too close to another vessel. But when an accident occurs the port will place the responsibility with the ship, no matter how it occurred. This is because the Master is always ultimately responsible for the navigation* of the ship.
COLREGS at anchorage
Navigation in an anchorage is the Master’s responsibility, but it is an area of great potential danger as ships are hampered in their movements and are gathered in close quarters. Unfortunately, it is expected that ships should conduct themselves as if they are in open sea.
While this is acceptable in theory, it is not entirely practical.
Ships within anchorage areas have varying limits to their maneuverability. Generally speaking, the larger the ship the less maneuverable she is. In a worst case scenario, a loaded VLCC or capsize bulk carrier making a final approach may well have stopped its engine a mile from the selected position, with the ship at a speed of three knots or less. At a distance of up to three cables from the anchor position and with the engines about to come astern, the vessel is not able to manoeuvre within the context of the existing rules. However, under these rules, the ship is still required to comply with the international regulations.
Safety and positioning
In anchorages without defined anchor positions, ships often anchor too closely. Each Master will have his own perception of what constitutes the safe distance that his ship may anchor from other vessels. This will take into consideration the existing or expected weather conditions, exposure of the anchorage, size of the ship, under &el clearance, holding ground and occasionally engine maintenance requirements.
However, safe distance can very much be a matter of perspective, and what is acceptable to a coastal vessel would be too close for a VLCC.
Take, as an example, a situation where a VLCC anchors at a distance of one nautical mile from ‘other vessels. A little later a coastal ship anchors within five cables. For the small ship this feels like a safe distance, but not for the larger one. The large vessel may now protest about the position of the other vessel but, if the smaller ship refuses to move, the Captain of the larger ship has a duty to move his ship to a safe position, if he believes there is a danger. In extreme circumstances, in a busy unrestricted anchorage, the larger ship could feasibly be on the move all day or even be forced out of the anchorage altogether.
This is another issue that needs to be addressed by ports. It has been my personal experience that, even where I have protested, the port authorities have little or no control over vessels anchoring in close proximity to ships that are already at anchor, and thus endangering their safety. This seems to me to be something that the port should lead or advise on, either by defining anchoring positions or by providing a ruling on appeals or protests.
Responsibilities within an anchorage
Although the anchored vessel has anchor chain, lookouts, and to some extent the engines and steering at her disposal, the one thing she is seriously short of is time to react. In congested anchorages, other vessels do pass at close quarters. All it takes is for one of those vessels to lose its steering just while passing own vessel, or drifting dangerously close due to current suddenly getting her on her beam, and the time to react, to pay out more cable and use engines is very inadequate. In these cases, collision is imminent.
The anchored vessel should use all possible means to attract the attention of the rogue vessel. No time should be wasted in waiting to take further actions. If it has been determined that the other vessel is on a collision course, and collision is imminent, then the anchor cable can be paid out or slipped off completely in order to have the vessel free to move on her own power.
It is normal practice to carry out minor repairs to the main engine when the vessel is at anchor – and finished with engines (FWE) is required for that. While this situation should be avoided as far as possible, it may be done at the Master’s discretion, taking into consideration factors including, but not limited to, the movement of traffic, the weather and weather forecasts, vessels in the vicinity, anchorage congestion, depths, currents, range from closest land, and buoys.
A vessel at anchor usually keeps one steering motor running. It has been suggested that vessels should have their engines on standby throughout their stay at anchorage. This can have some commercial implications, but the safety of the vessel must take top priority.
Port control and responsibilities
The type of port control available is often misstated. Too many ports that provide a traffic I advice service claim that they have traffic control advice, and the difference is considerable. Traffic control is when a port is capable of directing the navigation of ships from a shore-based radar, with this service operated by trained and experienced professionals. Without these professionals, and regardless of the radar system and its availability, the only service that can really be offered is advice. Very few ports exercise control or give advice on or to traffic in their anchorage areas. Of the ports that have established anchor positions, none have yet assumed responsibility for traffic control or advice within their anchorage areas.
A busy anchorage with constant traffic movement could be compared to an airport, but it is unimaginable that aircraft would be allowed to move freely on the ground without any control or advice. The same should apply to ships within an anchorage, or for that matter, fishing trawlers/ vessels.
Safety first
Although the vessel keeps proper and efficient lookouts in an anchorage, it is rare that she will be able to avoid a collision once anchored. Anchorages are congested, and vessels keep moving within this space, sometimes at close quarters. The Duty officer may have plotted a nearby vessel and be monitoring her movements, but it may not be possible to determine whether she will pass clear or lose control at the final moment. In either case, whenever there is a doubt, the engines need to be on standby. Steering alone can also be used to create a sheer, but this may well prove to be inadequate.
In summary, port authorities and Harbour Masters must consider the following:
- In busy ports, where anchorages are defined or restricted, an overflow area should be provided. This will be an area where ships can anchor if the main anchorages are full, and where they will be allowed to ‘arrive’ for any notice of readiness purposes;
- Separation of anchorages into areas for different sizes of ships;D
- esignated anchor positions;
- The establishment or extension of existing traffic advice or control services to cover their anchorage areas. This advice should include traffic movements;
- The establishment of routeing lanes from the fairway to beyond the anchorage areas where anchorages extend seaward beyond the port’s approach fairways;
- Pilot positions should be clear of the anchorage and fairway.
Автор: Capitan Umesh Bhatia
Источник: Seaways. – 2012. – June. – P. 4 – 5.