Standard marine navigational vocabulary introduction

It is not intended that use of the vocabulary shall be mandatory, but rather through constant repetition in ships and in training establishments ashore, that the phrases and terms used will become those normally accepted and commonplace among seamen. Use of the contents of the vocabulary should be made as often as possible in preference to other wording of similar meaning.

In this way it is intended to become an acceptable ^"language^", using the English tongue, for the interchange of intelligence between individuals of all maritime nations on the many and varied occasions when precise meanings and translations are in doubt, increasingly evident under modern conditions at sea.

The typographical conventions used throughout most of this vocabulary are as follows:

( ) brackets indicate that the part of the message enclosed within the brackets may be added where it is relevant.

/ oblique stroke indicates that the items on either side of the stroke are alternatives.

... dots indicate that the relevant information is to be filled in where the dots occur.

Navigational Warnings

There is a dangerous wreck /rock/shoal in position (marked by

showing ).

There is a drifting mine reported in position

There is a gas leakage (from fractured pipeline) in position

There is a slick of oil in position (extending ).

There are pipeline/cable-laying operations in position

There are salvage/oil clearance operations in position You are not complying with traffic regulations. You are not keeping to your correct traffic lane.

There is a vessel in position on course and speed which is not complying with traffic regulations.

There is a vessel anchored ahead of you in position

There is a vessel ahead obstructing your movements.

There is a hampered vessel in position on course and speed

You will meet crossing traffic at

There is a vessel crossing traffic lane on course and speed

in position

There are many fishing vessels at

Route/traffic lane has been suspended/discontinued/diverted.

FUNCTIONAL PRACTICE. Asking people to do things. Orders I.

Notice how we use the imperative to give orders. e.g.

See that tugs are available!

Tell the Second Officer to come here!

Politer forms would be:‑

1. Please remember to see that tugs are available.

2. Would you mind telling the Second Officer to come here? Other forms taken from the dialogue are as follows:‑

I'd like you to

I^'ll leave you to

Keep me advised

Ask

Let me

Now using the polite forms give orders from the following prompts: e.g.

keep quiet/Bridge

Please remember to keep quiet on the Bridge.

warn/engine room/crew check check/temperatures/tanks tell/changes/loading rate

go over/charts

keep me advised/cargo temperatures examine/navigation charts work out/steaming time

make sure/clocks/synchronised batten/cargo openings

Orders II.

Various types of structures are used in giving orders. One of them is called the accusative/infinitive: e.g.

Tell him to report to me.

Now using this structure supply your own responses to the following statements: Chief Officer: He^'s waiting outside, Sir.

captain: Tell him to come in at once.

He's just come on board, Sir. Tell ...

They're loading the fuel oil, Sir. Remind ...

The crew are already on hoard, Sir. Ask ...

Visibility will be poor, Sir. Advise ...

He can? manage that weight himself, Sir. Help ...

We had a fire on our last voyage, Sir. Warn ...

He refuses to leave his cabin, Sir. Order ...

We're still not absolutely sure about the fuel oil burner, Sir. Get ...

We're way behind schedule, Sir, Urge ...

His English is poor, Sir! Encourage ...

COMPREHENSION PASSAGE A ship with a cargo of oil.

An oil tanker is a cargo ship specially designed and built for carrying petroleum in bulk. Below deck it is basically a long steel tank divided into a series of compart­ments. The forward spaces are designed to carry water, stores and spare bunkers, and the after-spaces contain the ship^'s boilers and engines, water, stores and oil bunkers. Between these end-spaces the rest of the ship is divided into a number of separate compartments for carrying the oil cargo and water ballast.

Each compartment is oil-tight and water-tight, with a steel access hatch. A vent pipe is fitted with a special valve to ensure that cargo tanks remain close to atmospheric pressure. The oil tanks are linked by a system of pipelines, by which each can be filled or emptied independently; these pipelines are controlled by numerous valves and are connected to the cargo pumps housed in the after-part. From these pumps, pipes rise to the ship's deck, terminating at manifolds con­veniently placed amidships for connecting to shore pipelines for loading and discharging the cargo. The oil cargo tanks are strengthened internally by framing. They are separated from the engine room by empty spaces called cofferdams, by permanent water ballast tanks, or by a combination of both.

The tops of these together form the ship^'s upper or weather deck. On this is built a large structure aft, comprising the navigating bridge and the accommodation for the ship's Captain, his officers and his crew.

Comprehension Questions

1. What is the simplest way of describing a tanker?

2. How is a tanker divided below deck?

3. How are the pipelines of each compartment controlled?

4. How is the oil discharged into shore pipelines?

5. What is the weather deck? And what is built on it?

READING PASSAGE Loading and Preparations

As with tankers the preparation (Ur departure for all ships requires the same careful attention. The captain of a passenger ship or cargo ship will need to verify that the charts are correct and up-to-date, that the navigational/ meteorological warnings are clear and understood and the ETA at the ship's destination has been calculated.

Loading procedures obviously vary with the design and construction of the ship and the type of cargo to be loaded. Different ships require different port facilities. Container ships, for example, usually go under container cranes; an oil or LNG tanker will require specialist facilities; a ro/ro ship will usually have its bow or stern up to the pier with the ramp down so that vehicles can easily drive on and off; a general cargo ship will go alongside the berth and cranes will load or off-load the cargo. In those ports that do not have suitable loading equipment, the ships will use their own gear to off-load to the pier or barges.

Important factors to be considered in regards to container ships would be how many cranes are available to work the vessel, how many 20' and 40' containers are to be moved on or off and the rate per hour. The answer to these questions would affect the length of time that the ships would be in port and how many gangs would be necessary to work the vessel. For a ro/ ro ship it would be important to know how many vehicles usually move on and off per hour. All these matters would be discussed by the Chief Officer and the Shore-cargo Operations Superintendent.

Comprehension Questions

1. What types of loading procedures are required for the following ships: container ships, ro/ro, and general cargo ships?

2. What factors must be considered for unloading container ships?

3. Who discusses matters concerning loading?

INTRODUCTION Preparations for the voyage

Amongst the several other preparations for departure `battening down' is very important. Not only are all the cargo openings and vents closed but also the cargo lines and the pumping system are shut down.

All Bridge equipment is tested and Bridge and Engine Room clocks are syn­chronised. The Captain will examine and sign any cargo statements and perform­ance reports. Port clearance too is a necessary procedure before leaving harbour and usually involves customs, immigration and other port officials.

SCENE 2

It is now 13.15. The loading of the cargo has been completed on time and personnel from the shore are disconnecting the loading arms. On the deck some members of the crew are busy battening down the tank openings, closing valves in the cargo lines and stowing away various equipment which has been used during the loading operation — dip sticks, ullage tapes, sample cans and thermometers. In the cargo office, the Chief Officer is completing his calculations of the quantity of oil loaded. He has already checked the draught marks and is now waiting for shore officials to arrive to complete the documentation of the cargo.

Meanwhile, on the Bridge the Second Officer is preparing to test the steering and navigation equipment and to synchronise the clocks.

Second Officer: (On the telephone to the Engine Room): Hello, is it all right to test the steering gear? Yes? Thank you. The time is now 13.17.

Having tested the steering gear, the officer returns to the telephone and confirms with the engineer that the steering equipment is working correctly. He then telephones the Captain.

In his office the Captain receives the Second Officer's call.

Captain^. Bridge equipment tested and satisfactory. Good. Thank you, Pablo.

The Chief Officer enters.

Captain: Good afternoon, Jose. Everything all right?

Chief Officer: Good afternoon, Sir. Yes, cargo as planned at 13.05. Hoses are being disconnected and tanks battened down. I have the cargo figures here; our own, and those calculated by the shore. You will see there is very little difference between the two; about 25 tons overall.

The Chief Officer gives the Captain the cargo statement and a performance report of the loading operations. The Captain studies both these documents before signing each one and handing them back to the Chief Officer.

Captain: Thank you, Jose. A good job done. Now, we've already checked that everyone is on board. The engine room is ready and the bridge equipment has been tested. All we need now is a Pilot, the tugs, and our clearance papers.

At this point some shore officials arrive at the Captain^'s office and the Chief Officer leaves. The Captain invites the officials to sit down and together they go through the formalities of clearing the ship outwards. The immigration authorities are provided with details of the crew and there is a declaration of stores and cargo for the customs authorities. These, and other formalities completed, the Captain is given clearance to leave port.

FUNCTIONAL PRACTICE. Complying with orders: 1.

We can comply with orders in the following manner: e.g.

Order: Test the steering gear! Response: Aye, Aye, Sir, Yes, Sir.

Ok, Sir.

We may add a rephrased version of the response when we do not personally carry out the order e.g.

Order: Test the steering gear!

Response: Yes, Sir. I'll see that the steering gear is tested at once.

Now using this particular structure, comply with the following orders: Disconnect the loading arms!

Batten down the tank openings!

Test the Bridge equipment!

Close the valves in the cargo lines!

Stow the dip sticks!

Synchronise the clocks!

Check the cargo figures with the shore figures! Do a crew-check!

Ship the gangway!

Rig the derrick!

Complying with orders: 2.

Sometimes the act of complying with an order is in the process of being carried out when the order is given. e.g.

Order: Test the steering gear!

Response: The steering gear is being tested at the moment, Sir.

Now from the prompts (1), form responses using this structure. Complying with orders: 3.

On board ship it is very rare that a subordinate officer or rating refuses to carry out an order of a superior officer. However, there may be valid reasons for not being able to comply with an order. e.g.

Order: Tell Ricardo to take over the Middle Watch!

Response: I'm sorry, Sir. He^'s just been taken sick.

Now form orders from the following prompts and give a reason for not being able to comply.

serve/lunch check/crew list

radio/ashore disconnect/loading arms

change over/settling tanks rig/derrick

drain/fuel lines batten/cargo openings. COMPREHENSION PASSAGE

The Structure of a Tanker

Some of the oil tankers at present in service have three separate superstructures; a forecastle space used for stores, a midship deckhouse containing the navigating Bridge, stores and accommodation for the Captain and some of his officers and cadets, and a large poop deckhouse with more accommodation, messrooms, galley and stores. These superstructures are connected by a fore-and-aft gangway, which runs along the ship about eight feet above the weather deck; this permits the seamen to pass safely from one deckhouse to another if decks are awash in rough seas.

Oil tankers may be driven by diesel engines or by steam turbines, each of which method has certain advantages and disadvantages. Steam turbines need less attention, and steam from the main boilers can be used to drive the pumps for discharging cargo and to heat heavy oil cargoes to make them pumpable. A diesel ship, which has to have special steam raising plant for these jobs, may in other ways be more economical.

Tankers are permitted to load more deeply than conventional cargo ships because their division into watertight compartments makes them exceptionally strong and buoyant, and because the deck openings are less vulnerable to sea penetration than the hatches of dry cargo ships. The cargo is stowed safely in all weathers and all risks of instability, fire or leakage are fully met.

Comprehension Questions

1. How many separate superstructures do some tankers have? What are they?

2. How are the superstructures connected?

3. Why is the gangway eight feet above the weatherdeck?

4. What are the advantages of a steam turbine?

5. Why are tankers exceptionally strong and buoyant?

READING PASSAGE Final Preparations

The dialogue that you have just listened to would be similar to that of most ships. However, there are slight differences. On a container ship, important points for the Captain to check with the Chief-Mate would he to verify whether the lashing gang is finished, the containers have been secured and stowed on deck. On a ro/ro ship he would need to know whether all the cargo has been loaded in its rightful place and has been lashed down. He would also need to check that the ramp is up. On a general cargo ship he would need to verify whether all the loading has been completed, that the hatches have been secured and that all the long-shore gangs are off the vessel. The Captain should also check that hazardous or dangerous cargo has been correctly stored and labelled and that the appropriate documentation is available for the shore officials.

Hazardous cargo must obviously, be clearly indicated so that in the event of a fire, the most suitable fire fighting techniques and equipment would be used.

Comprehension Questions

1. What important points must the Captain check with the chief-mate for a container ship?

2. What points must he check for a ro/ro ship and general cargo ship?

3. What factors must be observed for hazardous cargo?

INTRODUCTION Un-berthing

The operation of un-berthing, when the ship slips her moorings, should be preceded by a discussion amongst the ship^'s officers and the Pilot of the actual procedure for getting the ship away.

"Stand-by Fore and Aft^" is announced after the ship^'s gangway is hauled aboard. The Pilot, with his special knowledge of local tides, currents and hazards, will conduct the operation, assisted by the Captain and his officers. Tugs are some-times made fast to the vessel, either on the quarter and/or the bow to assist in the handling of the ship.

When the ship has finally cleared the port and the Pilot has disembarked it is "Full Away on Passage^" to the ship's next destination.

SCENE 3

A short while later tugs are arriving alongside and the crew are standing by to remove the gangway. The Pilot arrives and the crew, using one of the ship's derricks, begin to remove the gangway. The Pilot is met by one of the officers and goes to meet the Captain on the Bridge. They quickly confer over the unmooring operation.

Pilot: The `Santa Rosa^' will make fast on the starboard bow and the 'Santa Anna^' will be on the starboard quarter. Single up to one spring and breastline each end.

Captain: Fine. Will we be using the ship^'s or the tugs' towing wires?

Pilot: We^'ll use the ship^'s.

Captain: (To Officers) Right, we^'ll go straight to stations now. Single up to a breastline and spring each end. Ship^'s wires to the tugs.

Two of the officers leave to take up unmooring stations; one on the forecastle, the other on the poop.

On the Bridge, the assisting officer has telephoned the engine room to warn the engineers that the ship is about to let go. The engine room telegraph is rung to "Standby."

The Captain and the Pilot stand together watching the moorings being let go. They can communicate with the Forecastle and Poop by hand radio or telephone.

Captain: (On his hand radio) ^"Mara^" Fo^'csle and "Mara^" Poop. How do you receive me?

Chief Officer: (Replying on the radio) ^"Mara^" Bridge, this is "Mara" Fo'csle. Receiving you loud and clear.

Second Officer: (Replying on the radio) "Mara^" Bridge, this is "Mara^" Poop. Receiving you loud and clear.

Captain: "Mara" Poop and "Mara" Fo'csle. Start singling-up.

Chief Officer: Starting to single-up, Sir.

Second Officer: Starting to single-up Sir. (Ten minutes later)

Chief Officer: ^"Mara^" Bridge, this is "Mara^" Fo'csle.

(captain: Cone in, Fo'csle.

Chief Officer: Singled up forward, Sir; to one breastline and a spring. Tug `Santa Rosa^' fast starboard bow. Ship's wire.

Captain: Roger , Fo^'csle. Standby. (A few minutes later)

Pilot: Let go forward.

Captain: ^"Mara^" Fo^'csle, this is "Mara^" Bridge. Let go.

Chief Officer: "Mara^" Bridge, this is ^"Mara^" Fo^'csle. Let go. "Mara^" Bridge, this is ^"Mara^" Fo^'csle. All gone and clear forward.

Captain: (to Pilot) All clear forward, Pilot.

Pilot: Thank you, Captain. Have the after breastline turned up on the winch and heave on it.

Captain: "Mara" Poop, this is "Mara" Bridge. Come in.

Second Officer: "Mara" Bridge, this is "Mara^" Poop.

Captain: Pablo, put the breastline on the winch and heave on it. Heave it easy.

Second Officer: Heave easy on the breastline, Sir.

The Captain and the Pilot stand together on the port Bridge wing, which over looks the jetty, watching the bow slowly swinging away from the berth.

Pilot: Let go aft.

Captain: "Mara" Poop, this is ^"Mara^" Bridge. Let go aft.

Second Officer: "Mara" Bridge, this is "Mara^" Poop. Let go, Sir. (A minute later.)

Second Officer: ^"Mara^" Bridge, this is "Mara^" Poop. All gone and clear aft.

Captain: ^"Mara^" Poop. All gone and clear aft, thank you. (To Pilot) All gone clear aft. Pilot.

Pilot: Thank you, Captain. Wheel amidships, slow ahead.

Captain: (To Officer in wheelhouse) Wheel amidships, slow ahead.

Third Officer: Wheel is amidships, Sir. Slow ahead.

The Third Officer rings the engine room telegraph to Slow Ahead. He watches the engine tachometer and when the engine starts he calls to the Captain.

Third Officcr: Engines moving ahead now, Sir.

Captain: Thank you.

Pilot: Starboard 20.

Captain: (To Helmsman) Starboard 20.

Helmsman: Starboard 20, Sir. 20 degrees of starboard wheel on, Sir.

Captain : Thank you.

With a sequence of helm and engine orders, given by this form of interchange between Pilot, Captain, Third Officer and Helmsman, the ship is manoeuvred away from the jetty. When the ship is well clear of the jetty, the tugs are let go and a launch approaches to disembark the Pilot.

Pilot: Well, Captain, I^'ll be going now.

Captain: Thank you, Pilot. (To the Third Officer) Take the Pilot down.

The ship, now clear of the jetty is moving at very low speed away from Punta Cardon. The Pilot climbs down a ladder into the launch, which immediately moves off at high speed.

The Captain instructs the Helmsman to bring the ship on to the first leg of the planned course, while the Third Officer, who has now returned to the Bridge is busy plotting the ship^'s position on the chart.

Meanwhile, on the Poop and Forecastle, all the mooring ropes and wires and the fire-fighting equipment -- hoses and dry-chemical extinguishers — are being stowed away and the watertight doors are being secured.

Some thirty minutes later, the Chief Officer arrives on the Bridge. By this time, the ship has built up to full speed and is heading northwards around the Paraguana Peninsula.

Captain: Hello, Jose. Well, is everything under control?

Chief Officer: All the moorings are stowed away. The Pilot ladder is secured, and the Fo^'csle and forward facing doors have been battened down.

Captain: Good. Is the fire gear stowed away?

Chief Officer: Yes, Sir.

Captain: Have you double checked on the tank openings?

Chief Officer: Yes, Sir. All secure.

Captain: How about the Pumproom?

Chief Officer: I^'ve checked it and it's been battened down.

Captain: Fine. Well, thank you, Jose. That^'s all for now.

The Chief Officer leaves the Bridge and the Captain goes to study the chart. With the ship now en-route to the U.S., he wishes to send a cable to his company^'s agents giving them details of his E.T.A. and arrival draughts.

Using a chit on which the steaming times at various speeds have been worked out, he prepares a message on a cable form and passes it through to the Radio Room for transmission.

The voyage has started.