2.

Perform damage control measures after a

navigational emergency
Musters:
2.1 Shipboard equipment and areas are shut down and isolated in accordance
with the nature and extent of the emergency, company procedures and limits
of responsibility.
Refer to section 2.6, 3.1 and 4.1.

2.2 On-board personnel are mustered in accordance with company

procedures relevant to the identified emergency.
Refer to section 1.1 and 1.4.

2.3 On-board personnel and external agencies are notified of the navigational
emergency and action being taken.
Refer to section 2.6, 3.1 and 4.1.

Damage control:
2.4 Emergency equipment and damage control materials are prepared in
accordance with the nature and extent of the threat or danger.

2.5 Nature and extent of damage to vessel is assessed and an appropriate

damage control strategy is devised using available equipment, materials and
personnel.

2.6 Directions are given to officers and crew on action to be taken to manage
and control damage to the vessel

Seafarers who suffer a marine casualty are trained to minimise the

dangers by the process of damage control. Murphy”s law of the sea
ensures that anything that can go wrong will do so, and as a
consequence will start an inevitable spiral to disaster unless halted by
targeted and timely action. The principle of Safety management should
have encouraged the development of preparatory damage control plans,
practiced and honed by drills. The damage control will be also a priority
in the planning of the rescuers and may be simplified as a process to
FIRM up the deteriorating situation.

F find the problem.

I inspect and isolate the fault.
R report, repair or remove to safety.
M monitor for effectiveness of actions.
Techniques specific to rescue situations has been described in the
accompanying workbook “Participate in a marine rescue operation”, but
an appreciation of the common techniques of damage control will be
helpful for the rescuer to understand the nature of the problem and
what has already been done.

Loss of Rudder or Propulsion:

If the rudder loss is on a twin screw vessel then the problem is less.
Use can be made of the revolutions of each engine to control the direction
of the vessel. But if the rudder has been lost there is a high possibility of
water ingress from the rudder post area. Check the bilges, inspect and
isolate any damage. Secure watertight doors.

If rudder is in place but damaged, use rope across the trailing edge to
secure it in amidships position. Some rudders will have an access hole for
lifting gear. This could be used to hold shackles and enable the rudder to
be tied off. When secured to the centre of the transom, this arrangement
will keep the vessel moving in a straight direction.

An alternate method for small vessels may be to rig a jury rudder as illustrated
below.

Using a jury rudder.

(Drawing courtesy of Trust Publications)

In larger vessels the force on the lashing and the effort required to move
the jury tiller will be too great. An alternative control method can be
achieved by towing an object such as a fish basket or bundle of nets.

It will be necessary to attach the line (with the drag attached) to one
quarter of the vessel and a lighter line made fast to the other quarter.
Alteration of tension on the light line will cause a change in direction of the
vessel. One person can achieve operation of the twin gear if a drum is
mounted with the running part of the tackle from the two units being
wound in opposite direction around the operating drum.
Be aware of the consequences of astern propulsion while using emergency
steering. The action of the water being drawn across the blade will place
more load on the operating lines and could cause the lines to be pulled
through the hands.
 Using a drogue and tackles as emergency steering.
(Drawing courtesy of Trust Publications)

Steering loss damage control plan-

 stop engine and secure ignition if divers to go down.
 muster crew, anchor or sea anchor, display Not Under Command.
 check cause of failure.
 fit emergency tiller or operating tackle and tie off.
 disengage failed steering linkages, secure from fouling the emergency
gear.
 rig the jury gear so you have a clear view from the steering position.

Loss of propulsion:
Has the propeller been lost? Has shaft broken? Is there any water ingress
through stern tube? Catastrophic damage to shafting is rare, but it does
happen. As with loss of steering, immediate checks for watertight integrity
are required as are strategies to avoid collision and grounding due to lack
of control.

Propeller fouled or damaged:

A fouled propeller can usually be cleared. The course of action will depend
on the type and severity of the fouling. On rare occasions it may be
cleared by going astern for a short period but usually a line or net
entwined around the propeller or its shaft must be cut free by a diver.
Heavy fouling such as wire rope or chain may call for a more detailed
operation which could include ballasting or shifting weights to raise the aft
end of the vessel to enable work to be carried out and the use of cutting
equipment to remove the fouling.

A damaged propeller may be caused by striking an object in the water,

other equipment failure or partial grounding. Problems associated with a
damaged propeller can usually be detected by noise or vibration through
the vessel. If you feel a thump and vibration commences there is a good
chance that you have struck something and damage has occurred in the
propeller region. If the vibration occurs and there is noise from the aft end
of the vessel it could be the propeller loose, fouled or even rudder damage
causing interference with the propeller.

After the obstruction has been cleared and people are out of the water and
clear, bar the propeller for at least one complete revolution and feel
for any drag prior to starting the engine and engaging the transmission.
Then start the engine and check for any unusual noises or vibration in the
propulsion system. Power on gradually and
monitor area for any vibration, heat, noise and or leaks through the stern
gland. It could be possible that the aft bearing or propeller may have
sustained damage.

Propulsion loss damage control plan-

 stop engine and secure ignition if divers to go down.

 muster crew, anchor or sea anchor, display Not Under Command.
 check watertight integrity of the vessel.
 check cause of failure using a lookout observer at all times.
 ensure all are back aboard.
 start up and monitor for smooth running.

Collision:
Every vessel which is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel
must take early and substantial action to keep well clear (Rule 16). The
other vessel is initially required to keep her course and speed but may
take action to avoid collision if it becomes apparent that the other vessel
is failing to keep out of the way. The stand- on vessel must take action so
as to best avoid collision when collision cannot be avoided by the give-way
vessel alone. The “wake-up” signal of at least 5 short rapid blasts on the
whistle must be used in such circumstances and this may be
supplemented by a light signal of at least five short and rapid flashes.

Collision Imminent- If collision is unavoidable the first duty of the Master is

to prevent loss of life or injury. Muster stations should be called and
preparations taken to abandon the vessel if necessary.

If in anchoring depth the anchor should be let go when a collision is

imminent. The anchors may be lost but that is a better option than a
collision. Use of the anchor may well result in a collision being averted or
cause a beneficial sheer away from the danger, resulting in a glancing
blow. In confined waters it may be preferable to run the vessel aground,
by driving the vessel head-on ashore to minimise damage to sensitive
parts of the vessel. If collision is unavoidable damage can be reduced by:

 taking speed off the vessel by going full astern.

 turning the vessel to cause a glancing below rather than direct contact.

A bow to bow situation or bow to quarter situation will be far less

damaging than the bow striking the other vessel amidships or in the
region of the engine room resulting in serious and disastrous flooding.

Legal Requirements- In the event of a collision the Master, or person in

charge, is required, provided there is no danger to their own vessel, crew
and passengers to render assistance to the other vessel and persons
aboard to save them from danger, and to stay close by the other vessel
until no further assistance is required. The Master, or person in charge,
shall also:
  exchange names of vessels, ports of registry, departure, and destination.
 enter a witnessed statement in the Official Logbook.
 notify the authorities at the earliest opportunity but within 48
hours of the incident occurring.

Post collision damage control-

 stop vessel, sound emergency stations alarm, head count and injuries
check.
 transmit distress or urgency signal (if necessary).
 determine the extent of damage.
 inspect bilges, sound tanks, look for fuel spills in water around the vessel.
 repair the lost watertight integrity, and monitor repairs (see founder
section).
 prepare to abandon ship (if situation deteriorates).

With Situation Controlled-

 contact the other vessel and give whatever assistance is necessary.

 show the appropriate signals and undertake necessary repairs.
 undertake an on-board inquiry and detail information.

If the vessel looks like foundering then consider ‘beaching’. If the collision
has resulted in the vessel piercing the other and becoming wedged, refrain
from going astern immediately as this may result in sinking. If
abandonment of either vessel is essential, transfer while wedged, may be

easier than by doing so via the water.

Lash vessels together to lessen water ingress

Fire:
F find the problem.
I inspect and isolate.
R report or remove to safety.
E extinguish.
A vessel on fire may be able to position herself so that the spread of
smoke and flame is away from the heart of the vessel. A close approach
will be needed to pick up survivors and decisive action can quell a small
fire. Approaching the vessel into the wind removes the risk of a Rescue
Vessel drifting onto the fire, but exposes it to radiant heat, smoke and
cinders.

Positioning stricken vessel to lessen the spread of fire.

The RV’s fire pump will be most useful as misting to cool personnel from
radiant heat; the deck hose for boundary cooling and extinguishing cinders
that drop aboard. Approaching the vessel with the wind risks the RV
drifting onto the fire, but reduces radiant heat, smoke and cinders. With
the wind behind, the fire hose will have more range to attack the fire. The
deck hose may be needed to pump out the bilges of the vessel being filled
with water.
After an explosion or fire a vessel may be salvaged. If the damage is in the
superstructure or accommodation block only, it is likely that the engine is
serviceable and can make its own way back to port. If the steering gear is
damaged set up the emergency steering gear or use a jury rudder. If the
hull is damaged and water is flooding the vessel consider the following:

 if the vessel is bilged the holed compartment should be isolated by

closing watertight doors or openings and the section pumped out. If
the pump cannot contain the flooding other means may be needed
to reduce the ingress of water.
 try to reduce the ingress of water by blocking the hole in the hull
using anything handy.
 listing the vessel, especially if the damage is near the waterline,
will reduce the flow of water into the vessel. This can be achieved by
moving weights or ballasting.

Most likely, after a major machinery fire the vessel will require a tow to the
nearest port. Depending on the extent of the damage passengers may
need to be transferred to another vessel.
2.7 Records are maintained of damage control measures taken
during the emergency and their outcomes

It is a requirement that all distress radio traffic is logged. As a

legal document the logs must be factual (not contain opinion,
observations or course language), the date, time, details and
author must be identified. If an error is made it must not be
erased, but crossed out and initialled. As tempting as it may be to
include a humorous comment, this may not be appropriate if the
document is later read out in court and may lead to unintended
consequences for the squad or the author. Additional scribble
notes during incidents must be stored with the logs.

SARcc log- This will record date, time and detail of all
communications in and out at the SARcc (radio, phone, fax,
email, persons in and out). An SRB incident report form should
be forwarded to the NSW Police Marine Command as soon as is
practical after the conclusion of a rescue.

Radio traffic logs-

 The date and time.
 Traffic in or out.
 Names of persons or vessel assisted.
 Frequency used.
 Detail of the message.
 Any supporting notes.
 The difficulties encountered and their resolution.
 The names recording officer and signatures.