Understand The Drift Characteristics of A Disabled Ship

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3.4.

Understand the drift characteristics of a disabled ship

If propulsion has been lost, with no immediate prospect of restoring it, assess the

ship’s proximity to navigational or other hazards and plot the rate and direction of

drift on a suitably scaled chart (paper or electronic), in conjunction with the ship’s

records for any previously recorded drift patterns.

If the ship is in no immediate danger of stranding or collision with an object,

inform the company to discuss what assistance is required, available and when

it may be on location. As the situation evolves, it will be possible to predict

with increasing accuracy the ship’s likely drift direction and rate in the present

weather conditions.

When a sufficient number of observations have been taken to establish the drift

direction and rate, project the ship’s track forward, allowing a +/– 10° margin of

error. If any navigational hazards are found within the 20° arc of the ship’s plot,

calculate the time remaining before the ship drifts into danger.

Keep the company, any vessel requested to assist and other traffic in the vicinity

updated as to the ship’s situation and position.

The next step is to assess how it may be possible to influence the drift direction

of the ship.

In the 1980s the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), the

American Institute of Merchant Shipping (AIMS) and the International Salvage

Union (ISU) initiated research with the objective of providing Masters of disabled

tankers with information on the most likely drift behaviours of their ships. The UK

National Maritime Institute (NMI) was commissioned to carry out extensive model

testing. The results obtained were then validated by obtaining drift data from a
number of ships in service. Both the models and the ships used to validate the

results were predominately Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs).

Because the drift behaviours of VLCCs may not be representative of smaller

ships, the research was extended to tankers in the 50,000 to 70,000 Deadweight

Tonnage (DWT) range. This additional research was carried out by NMI using

computer modelling and the results were validated using free model testing

conducted in a variety of conditions.

Although this research is over 30 years old, no further predictions of disabled

tanker drift rates have been published. During the same time period tanker hull

designs have changed, principally through the introduction of the post-MARPOL

double hull tanker. OCIMF commissioned research using Computerised Fluid

Dynamics (CFD) to determine wind and current drag coefficients applicable

to modern tanker hull forms. The results of this research showed that, despite

changes in hull form and design, there was no substantive difference in the wind

and current forces experienced by pre-MARPOL and post-MARPOL tankers.

The CFD research was not intended to predict drift behaviours, however the

conclusion that similar wind and current forces are experienced by both tanker

hull types provides a reasonable basis to accept that the results of the earlier

drift behaviour studies may be applied to modern tankers. It continues to provide

tanker Masters with the most probable drift behaviours that may be expected

should their ships become disabled.

Although the research is for tankers, other ship types may exhibit similar

characteristics if they have a similar block co-efficient and hull form.

Tables 1 to 5 give the ship’s heading and drift directions relative to the wind and

wave direction, with the ship lying with the wind on the port and starboard sides.
In all cases the conditions are wind force 7 on the Beaufort scale and a significant

wave height of 5.2m. To get the true heading and direction of drift, apply the

relative angles shown in figure 2 and the body of the tables to the true wind and

wave direction the ship is experiencing.

Use the tables to guide decisions to optimise drift behaviour:

• Placing the relative wind on the port or starboard side before momentum

and steerage are lost can alter drift direction by up to 60°. This can gain a lot

of sea room and might be the best step to positively influence drift direction

without calling on outside help.

• If steerage has been lost, the rate and direction of drift can still be

influenced by:

Giving the ship a list.

Adjusting the trim, increasing or decreasing the existing trim, or even

changing from trim by the stern to trim by the head.

Locking the rudder hard over to the downwind side. (During model testing,

locking the rudder hard over to the upwind side produced no meaningful

change in drift compared to the rudder being locked amidships.)

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