SHIPHANDLING WITH AZUMUTHING PODDED PROPELLERS

📖 The Scoop

Vessels ftted with azimuthing podded propulsors have much better maneuvering capabilities. They are also environmentally friendly with much reduced exhaust emissions. With these unique features ,they offer signifcant economic, safety and environmental advantages to society, but unfortunately, the routines and the emergency procedures of the azimuthing podded propulsion system were not clearly defned and incorporated into onboard ISM systems. Masters, Chief Engineers and Pilots should receive a specialist training before they lay their hands on the controls, but instead most of them still have to try learning on the job, which sometimes lead to serious incidents, near misses and accidents with serious consequences. One of the reasons that encouraged me to write this book is to draw attention to these serious shortcomings which someday may cause society to pay a high price. My main focus in this book has been on telling about the shiphandling behaviours of electrically-driven azimuthing propulsors rather than the mechanically-driven azimuthing propulsors. Despite the fact that the shiphandling principles of both systems are quite similar, I chose not to mention much about the mechanically driven azimuthing propulsors as they are mostly related with tugboats. Tugboat handling is another speciality, which I believe should be explained only by seasoned tugboat captains themselves. I am a professional maritime pilot but an amateur author and this book is solely intended to share my humble experience and knowledge with my colleagues, ship captains, students and all other interested parties of the maritime industry. Dear Reader, I had actually started writing this book in order to keep my experience on the subject in writing and bring together all the data I have collected from various resources at different times. To improve my knowledge and experience, I have also joined a special manned model course for “Pod Handling and Emergencies” at Port Revel Shiphandling Centre which is located at Grenoble, France in May 2010. Vessels ftted with azimuthing podded propulsors have much better manoeuvring capabilities, such as reduced turning diameters and signifcantly shorter stopping distances compared to the conventional systems with a fxed propeller and conventional rudder. They are also environmentally friendly with much reduced exhaust emissions. With these unique features ,they offer signifcant economic, safety and environmental advantages to society, but unfortunately, the routines and the emergency procedures of the azimuthing podded propulsion system were not clearly defned and incorporated into onboard ISM systems. Even class surveyors and Port State surveyors don’t seem to have enough knowledge about this technology. Masters, Chief Engineers and Pilots should receive a specialist training before they lay their hands on the controls, but instead most of them still have to try learning on the job, which sometimes lead to serious incidents, near misses and accidents with serious consequences. One of the reasons that encouraged me to write this book is to draw attention to these serious shortcomings which someday may cause society to pay a high price.

Genre: Antiques & Collectibles / Transportation (fancy, right?)