UNIT 11

NOTICE OF READINESS

VOCABULARY:

I. Read the text.

ТEXT.

In foreign ports the ship's administration has to contact many official organizations and persons in order to secure normal work of the ship.

Apart from numerous business talks, the ship's officers often have to exchange official letters with shore organizations, especially with the ship's agent.

First of all, in accordance with Charter Party terms, the ship is to send notices of readiness to load or discharge the cargo. This should be done immediately on arrival at the port. Usually a notice of readiness contains the following information: the name of the ship, time of arrival, the number of berth at which the ship is moored, description and quantity of cargo, time of the beginning and expiring of laydays.

As a rule, notices of readiness are sent to shippers or consignees through the ship’s agents. Notices of readiness are important formal documents, because the laytime begins to count some hours later from the moment when the notice has been accepted. As stated in Charter Party, lay days shall commence at 1 p. m. if notice is accepted before noon. Lay days will commence at 8 a. m. next working day, if notice is accepted during office hours after noon.

Official invitation of a surveyor, or of a representative of some repair shop to come aboard the ship is also written as a formal letter.

Receipts for money or other valuable things received aboard should be also written in a formal way.

It should be noted, that all the letters which are sent by a ship shall be signed by the master of that ship.

II. Answer the following questions on the text above:

1.Whom does the ship's administration have to contact in a foreign port?

2.What is the aim of these contacts?

3.Do the officers have only to speak with foreign officials?

4.With whom do they have to exchange official letters most of all?

5.According to what document is the ship to send notices of readiness?

6.When should notices of readiness be sent?

7.What information does a notice of readiness contain?

8.To whom are the notices addressed?

9.Through whom are they usually sent?

10.When will the laytime commence if the notice is accepted before noon?

11.And when will the laytime commence if the notice is accepted after noon?

12.In what way should official invitations be sent?

13.To whom may such invitations be sent?

14.In what way should receipts be written?

15.Who shall sign all the official letters sent by a ship?

III. Ask questions using the model.

MODEL: The vessel is (was) to arrive here on Monday. When is (was) the vessel to arrive here?

1.The notice is to be sent tomorrow.

2.He was to work there last Friday.

3.They were to discharge the cargo yesterday.

4.The cargo was to be received here last week.

5.The notices were to be accepted at 10.00 a. m.

IV. Ask questions using the model.

MODEL: We have (had) to make repairs in Naples.

Where do (did) you have to make repairs?

1.We have to anchor in that bay.

2.She had to stay in the hospital.

3.The vessel had to discharge part of the cargo.

4.He has to stay at home.

5.They had to pay freight in France.

V. Ask questions using the model.

MODEL: We are ready to discharge the cargo of Cotton. What kind of cargo are you going to discharge?

1.The ship is ready to discharge Fuel Oil.

2.We are ready to discharge Sugar.

3.They were ready to load Rails.

4.The barge was ready to load Rubber.

VI. Additional text.

In foreign ports we shall have to contact different people. Besides ordinary business talk we shall have to write official letters. Such letters are required in order to secure normal work of the ship. First of all, when the ship arrives in the port, the second mate is to prepare notices of readiness. These notices must be signed by the Master. When the ship's agent comes aboard, these notices will be handed over to him. His duty is to accept them on behalf of the consignees or shippers. Later on he is to deliver them to addressees.

VII. Say it in English:

В иностранных портах нашим морякам приходится вести деловые разговоры с должностными лицами. Эти разговоры необходимы, чтобы обеспечить нормальную работу судна. Помимо разговоров, командному составу судов приходится писать немало официальных писем по приходу судна в порт. Прежде всего требуется составить и вручить нотисы о готовности судна к погрузке или выгрузке. Нотисы должны быть подписаны капитаном. В нотисах указывается, когда судно прибыло, у какого причала оно ошвартовано, какой груз и в каком количестве оно готово разгружать или принимать на борт. Агент принимает эти нотисы и позже вручает их адресатам. Сталийное время начинает засчитываться после принятия нотисов.