14. Unit 9: safety at sea. Piracy

1. Safety at sea.

Ships must obey rules of the sea, which are designed to prevent collisions. These rules specify what action shall be taken by each of two approaching ships. They also prescribe the lights and sound signals to be used in various circumstances. Most ships are also listed by one of the classification societies that exist to facilitate the insuring of ships and their cargoes. These organizations issue rules governing ship construction and equipment, inspect ships at intervals, and assign them certificates of class, or quality. Lloyd's Register of Shipping in London is the best-known classification society. The corresponding body in the United States is the American Bureau of Shipping.

Ships and their crews are regulated by the United Nations through the International Maritime Organization, by the Coast Guards, and by governments. Several international conventions apply to ships, including those for Safety of Life at Sea, Marine Pollution Regulations, and Tonnage Regulations. Governments also specify and inspect the fire-fighting and lifesaving equipment of ships and license ship's officers.

Steering rules

To avoid the risk of collision at sea, all mariners abide by the "International Rules for Prevention of Collision at Sea". These rules set out precisely who must give way to whom in every conceivable situation.

For example:

If two ships are crossing and risk colliding, the ship which has the other on her own starboard bow must keep out of the way of the other vessel. An overtaking ship must keep clear of the vessel being overtaken. When two ships are approaching each other on reciprocal courses risk a head-on collision, each must alter course to starboard so that they pass on the port side on the other. It is a meticulous ruling on all ships that the man at the wheel repeats each and every helm order to confirm that he has heard it correctly, speaking loudly and clearly, as well as verifying the course as soon as he has brought the ship to it.

Ship’s lights

Ships carry lights not as an aid to vision, but to allow them to be noticed by other mariners at night. Steering rules are so precise that it is vital to know what other ships sailing in the vicinity are doing and which direction they are heading in. Ships' lights are therefore arranged at specific angles and are displayed to give the experienced navigator all the information he needs.

A ship is required by law to carry five lights:

a red light on the port side, and a green light on the starboard side, then identical white lights on the foremast and aftermast (the foremast light is lower in height), the fifth light is a white light on the stern.

Safety at sea.

Safety standards for ships have been set up by International Safety of Life at Sea conventions. All the major maritime nations have agreed to these standards. The standards require that ships have watertight bulkheads (compartment walls); fire-fighting equipment; and enough lifeboats, life jackets, and other lifesaving equipment. Other rules provide that lifesaving and fire drills must be carried out at regular intervals. In addition, ships must follow the International Rules of the Road. These rules deal with such points as the rights of way of ships on the high seas, the lights ships must show, and the signals that ships must give in fog and during times of distress.

In 1930, all the leading seafaring countries accepted rules set up by the International Load Convention to keep ships from being overloaded. These rules require that cargo ships have a series of short lines painted on their side to show the depth to which the vessels may be safely loaded at various times of the year and in various waters. When a ship, being loaded with cargo, sinks in the water to a certain line, it has reached the maximum load. The lines are called Plimsoll marks.