StJirl; o.i'.\!,ti;;t Tnu::for - !,larint twatigntion anl Sqle4'o1 Set ,rr,rrrrr,:::;;:::rlUr:r:':'1,:;; ;"1?

;X::r:;':r::,
Paradigm Shift in Ship Handling and its Training

S.G. Seo
Sou th arupt o tt So I s nt U n i w rs i h., S ott I h ant pt otr, UK
K. Earl
Tint s bu n, S h ip ha n d I i n g C e n t re, lyars a s h lllari t i m e Acade nty,
Soutlt*mptort Solent Uniyersitt', Soulhampton, UK

ABSTLA,CT: \Yith the clearer cxposition of the pivot point of a ship b-v some authors rccently, together rvith
the advancing technology of Global Positianing Svstems. the accurate location of the pivot point is norv avail-
able in real tinte, This information enables ship handling practitioners to perform more accurate and efficient
maroeuvres *,ithin confined areas. The training of professionals slrould therelore reflect this change of scenc.
The nranned model ship handling centres are the best places to accommodate this change quickly 'and
implement nerv training schernes.
Il this paper, the slrip's pivot point is espounded in a fresh light, leading to an equation for the definitiot and
others for the calculation of the pivot point location botlr in general and for specific examples. A number of
exercises for both steadl' cases and unsteacly cases have been suggested, Both cascs of exercises are of
practical value as shown jn a reai exan:ple of Southampton Container Port.

I INTRODUCTION mental attitude of ship handling practitioners and

thus in teaching and training the subject, too.
Ship handling has been vier.ved by many as an'*r',
meaning that it
cannot be performed by scientific
calculations *lone, but mrrst also be relied upon ? THE PIVOT POT.}{T
ore's otrvn r'xperience and intuition. One of the
factors contributed to this vien' is the concept of The concept ofpivot point has been an essential tcol
'pivot point' ll,hich has been the central and in ship hardling. The knorvledge about the position
important tool in ship hanclling. It has. unfortunately of the pivot point in a manoeuvring situation
ho1ye1,er, been a rather ambiguous entitv, resulting provides the ship handler s,ith the infonnation on
in some confllsion and misuse affiongst ship the geonetry of n,otion of the ship. Bauriu (2014),
handler*. Yet practitioners has been trving to Cauvier {2008). Clark I. {2005} and Rowe R.W.
understand ships'rnotion in terms of it. (2000). Hence. it is a requirement for the ship
In recent years a number of authors gar.e clearer handler to understand hrw and why the ship behaves
expositior:s of it - Artyszuk J. {2010}, Seo (201li, in a certain rvay. The pivot point now being
Tseng C-Y. {1998i for example - and demonstrated available, a ship handler, usirrg his knorvledge of
n'hat can be achievcd with the correct rnechanics can control the pivot point to rvhere he
understa*ding. These enabled the practitioners to rvants it to be, in order to take the next action in an
have arl rinambiguous picnlre of the concept. effort to make the desired manoeuyre.
Together rvith the adva*cing Global Positioning Ship's motion in a confined area car be modelled
System technology, its usage cafl norv be extended as a pianar rigid body motion assuming no vertical
fii*her. Its position can be calculated in real tirne movemert of any point of the ship. This is justified
:howiag tlre movetnent as it happens. as for the relatively calm free surface in such an area.
demonstrated in de Craaun' {.2012). This can be Manoeuvring a ship ahead or astem (surge) does
extrapolated into rhe near fufure, be it the next a few not pose much difficulty to the ship handler. Or:e
seconds or rninules, The ship handler can make a can easily make the required movement by mnking
plan of action based on the calculated positian and rcference to some landrnark alongsidc the ship.
trend of the pivr:t point. This signals a change in the Figure I.

89
 ta one ftrotiot?, which is tlre very reason r.vhy the
Beaeons in transit pivot point concept is so useful to ship handlers,

Beacons not in transitqf 2.1 Tlrc Pivot Point (lIow it is braught ahour)
rr4 In Figure 5. the initial position of the ship is shorqr
by the black outline {top). The ship norv tums about
Dirertion oftravel / I

<*-* I +
the centre of mass (G1) to become the red hull
(rniddle). While turning, the ship drifts at the same
time into the blue hull (bottom). The trrro motions
Figure l. Surge happening simultaneausly, the csntre af gravity
moves from Cl to C2. and the pivot point moves
Srvay motion alone can also be easil-v conducted from Pl ta P2.
by rnakirg reference to landmarks. Figure 2&3,

*
Figure 5. Ium aad Drilt
tseacon ligihts ll(il trl
traDslt Had the dri{ling prrceded the tuming, as happens
Figure 2. Srvay at every turn in zig-zag trial, the pivot point *'ould
have appeared at fonvard infinity and approached to
P2, as shorvn in Figure 6.
tsridge

91
o
,'-. ; e
: -' "i:*!i.:1s+ii*.:;:Ff?:i:w:t:.+i
.l+.
:
.
j. f i -

I
I
I
'i
I
Figure 6. Drift a*d Tum
I
Figxre -1. Srvay In continucd zig-zag runs. at every llim of the
rudder, the pir,ot point disappears into the fonvard
ln real situations. making a rotation iyaw) is infinity fron: P2 due to ship's momentum, and then
difficult fo be precise, because a transyerse motion reappear at aft infiniry to approach back and settle at
(sway) is usually accompanied while making a P2 untii the next nrrn of the rudder.
rotation, the rvater being a yielding material. Figure
4.
?.2 The trt*thenatical Definition af the Pivot Poinr

Sp}{6I15 in tre!it Arnong all the points in the ship in planar motion,
there is only one point on the cenfeline at rvhich the
{-I d srvay and yarv completely cancel each otheq thus
making this point seem to be stationary, All other
points appear to be tuming about this point. This
point is tl,e Pivot Point. If the srvay speed and yarv
speed are knou'n, the position of the pivat point can
be obtained as the distar"lce from the centre of mass
When srvay and yarv occur sirnultaneously, a ship (GP) using Equation { 1). Tseag ( 1998).
handler can only perceive the combinetl e,ffect tf'
tlrift ond /mr, rvhich gives him a false impression r'={CPxf)=0 (l}
that only a rotation happened about a ce*ain point .,vhere, v{rn,'s) : slyay sprcd of C; G = Centre of
on the ship's centreline. This seeming centre is Graviry; P = Firot Point; GP(m) : distance to P from
called the Pivot Point of the ship. This is a G; r{rad/s} = ya*' Speed.
s ittrytl ifr cat ion o-f percept ian ./ rorn l*,a not i ons clo*, n

90
2.3 The Celculation oJ'the Pirot Point Pasition Il - i2l

Since the pivot point is defined on the centerline of

GP = -i:'=Z
t2Gr,
(6)

the ship, only one dimensional coordinate system

rvill suffice for our purpose. The vertical line r\ssriming GF. = -0.5L and B = L/7, Equation (6)
through the centre of grar.ity is taker as the origin, gites GP = 0.170L. This means that the pivot point
,:ne side of rvhich is taken as positive directiott, the is at 0,330L from the borv. It is seen from Equation
other side negative direction. Figure 7. (6) that a bigger B rvili give a bigger GP, rvhich
irnplies tlta;tafullfrsrm ship {high Cs} ,l.ith a bigger
beam (cs a fi"action a_{ L} v'ill have the pivot pain,
(*vel
closer to the bo:y.'.
A rvall-sided huli could be defined by:

,=*{'{?)'} (7)

Figure 7. i -D Coordinate Systern

rvhere, x is the position alang L and y is the half
beam.
\Yhen a force causes a ship to drift and turn. the Again assuming CF. : -0.5L and B= L/7,
Eqnations (5i and (7) give CP : 0.102L. rvhich
centre of gravity rvill move due to the drifi motion.
means tirat the pivot poirt is at 0.398L frotn the
borv. Tlris hull has a CB:0.67 and a Ctp:0.67. By
oo, =;[i),' {l} comparing the rwo huils abor.e, one can deduce that
a smtrller hla* cac;llicient will ca*se ttrc pivot poirtt
n,here, F is the force; A is the mass displacement cf lo be closer lo G.
the ship; t is the time taken. Any applied force sets a ship into rnotion. The
The arc drarvn by G in an inruginury'.vau'motion gradually increasing motion changes gradually the
*'ith P as the pivotal point is: aerodynarnic and hydrrdynamic environment, Tlre
reactive forces increase until they balance rvith the
Ir*(-rGr)),'
t
\-.-/--' - 2[
{at.c)GG,= OO*
)
(3) active forces. By then the ship will have gained
some momentum, This molnenftlm adds further
mol'emefit in the pivot point position, rvhich settles
rvhere, GF is the distance from C to F, the negative
dorvn as the motion becomes steady. In reality,
;ign indicating the other side of G (origitt) from P; I
is the second moment of mass of the ship about the
therefore. dealing rvith the unsteady process
accurately is very diffrcnlt, if not impossible,
origin,
paxicularly rvhen varions forces al'e involved.
For a small change af heading, CGr can be
Forrunately. hcrvcvcr- ivith a clearer understanding
equated to (arc)CGr giving,
that the pivot point is the resrrlt of a ship's motion,
I and the advance of Clobal Positioning System
GP = ----:- technology, the pivot point lccation itself has
Ax(-ofl) t4) become reaclily available by sirnply measuring the
Equation (4) gives the position of the pivoral displacement of trl'o fixed points, bow and stem for
point in terms of GP. This pivotal point (P) is example, cf a slrip, as demonstrated by Arthur de
*anrrally called the 'Pivot Point' of the sltip even Craaur,r, (2012).
dronglr it is intaginarl,. Under the assumption of a
>oiid ship of urifonn density with multiple number
2.4 Interprctcrtion aJ'the Jbnnula.for the Pivot Paint
ef controiling forces, Equation (4) becorues:
Positian
_t
6p=--xGF,-lrlav (5) Two important aspects are noted frorn Equation {5),
tr/ J
Firstly, the minus (-) sign indicates that the pivot
-'vhere, point appears on the ather side al' G _/i'om F,.
V is the volume of the ship; CFc is the Secondly, a bigger GF. yields a snraller absolute GP,
I,:ngirudinal distance along the centreline betu'een G rvhich mears that an external .force .farther ev'at
*nd Fc, the positicn of the resultant of all applied
Ji'am G cuuses the pivot point to be clo.ser to G.
sontrolling forces; r in this equation is the radial 'fhese two {indings are essential knorvledge for the
listance of the infinitesirnal volume fron the origin. practitioners to proactively conffol the pivot point.
Equation (5) reduces. for a box barge
rCn=Crp:1.0), to an elegantly sirnple equation.

L)1
2.5 The ittribute aJ'rhe Pivat Pai*t surge, no srvay). In this case all three paints coincide
In derir,ing Equation {5), the ship rvas represerrted
"- the centreof yaiving, the centre nf circling (E) and
the pivot point (P), Figure 8. This manoeuvre could
by her centre of graviry, C, fixed *,ithin the ship.
be produced rvith the borv and stern thrusters, and
And this point was taken as the actual centre of
rugs in combination.
arrning {yarving), rather than the pivot point which
is just an imaginary point with ever-changing
l*cation and can sven exist outside tlie ship's hull, shh Tuming, No $w96. No S*Ey{ESP}
everl at the infiniry fonvard or aft. The centre of Poinl c6lo$
gravity is a clearly better choice for the reasoning Blsck Elcgnlre ot Pla*ar Rol6l*Ll
grssn S: Cstis ol gsd,V Rolalion
about the geoffietty of ship's motion, Taking the R€d F: Pieol Po;nl

pivot point as the centre of turning would rnake 5

manoeuvring problems needlessly difficult to solve.

This rvill become obvious when orle try to
proactively control the pivot point. E

The pivot point defined by a purely

is
geametriccl consideration of a ship's motion. Two
actuai motions, sway and yarv, u'ere repiaced *'ith
one imaginctry yarv motion in the process. This
means that the pivot point is only an imagirtart'
geomelrical property. It is, therefore, \1rong to
assaciate the pivot point rvith any acrual phtsical
quantity, e.g. a ruming moment. A mistake Figure L Ya* only
frequently seen is iaking the moment arm from the
pivot point in an effo* to explain the direction of
heading change whea an extemal force is applied. 4.2 Ship ll{otian rlitlr }"I*' afid Stray anlv *ith tke
Pit'vat Point aJi o-{Bott

In the absence of any longirudinal movement (no

3 INTO THE FUTURE surge). if the ship drifts at the same time as ruming,
and if the pivot point is betrveen S and the borv, the
The movement of the pivot point corld be motion sho*n in Figure 9 rvill resuit. In this case the
cxtrapolated into the immediate ftiture shorving the nvo points. E and F, rvill coincide.
trend of movement. This extrapolation is justified by
the fact that ships are operated in rvater rvhich is a ---q5
p fLr ^+ a-d C-i -:- [:; g;-e* FF tet*s. ll4*ts ] 6]C Sar; t€S9tri
yielding maiter. The large momenrum of a ship in
rnotion rvould prevent the ship from any jerky 8lact E CanrrdF*aEtraoa*F
Gs 6 Crt? .d BarqY R.lrt c.
change of motion under normal manoeur.ring R4id F P.t5i Ps.t

circumstances. This rvould fumish a continuolsiy

difYerentiabie pivot point movemefit except rvhen it
jur:rps from the fcnvard infinilv to the aft infinity as
happens in zig-zag runs.
I
This brings abant an important consequence that
the pivot point locarion is norv knou'n not only for
the past track but also for a foreseeable furure. This
in tum allorvs the ship handler ts envisage the ships
motion to be, and thus can make a plar or decision
of rnanoeuvre. Or in a more proaetive effort. he
could try to control the pivot point location by using "r i- . 1 :

any available means such as tugs or borv thrusters, to Figure 9. Yarr'and Sr.vay
achieve his manoeuvring objectives.
4.3 Ship Mation *,ith Yax'and Srlay only n,ilh the
Pivot Paint.fbnt'urtl n{ Ba'*'
4 SOME BASIC EXERCISES TO ACTIVELY
CONTROL THE PIVOT POTNT If the pivot point is ahead of the borv, the motion
shorvn in Fig. 10 will result.
4.1 Ship Motion u'ith Yatr but No Trailsla{iott The two points, E and P, arc at the same iocation.
This manoeuvre could be produced using the
This is the case rvhen the ship is tuming about the stem thruster. h practiee however, tl'le same
centre of yawing {Si, normally taken at the centre of manoeuwe rould be produced by a cornbinaticn of
gravity. The ship has no translational motion (no

92
all the three elemental motions .* short surge Si f r.'s .g Fenj ad Tsi rg ard H !g
gb;k E Ce"** {, Ea6 R!':asl
(ESePs)

follorved by srvay and yarv. G.H s: cels r, Bidis fl&*01.

.s.... _- =r
.. 8h,pT!fifraardDa:rllg NaSrrge PpBbe]lof Ac*{gsePi
/\
,' ! ,\r

E. C$tre a{ Pknd RotatEn

ala6&
cr@r S. C€*irg cf Bodity Rd8tim
Rsd P. PrvcB Po!n!
,1
ll I
., t

-!'
\.
'\- ' " -z'
-.

Figure l?. Ceneral Planar }-{otion

Figure 10. Yaw and S*ay

5 SOME PRACTICAL MANOE,UVRES

1.4 Ship Motion rvilh Yaw and Surge only
If the ship moves ahead rvhile hrrning but u,ithout 5.1 TurningShortRound
any sway motion. the resulting movelnent rvill look
like the one shown in Figure I L In this case, the
pivot point rvill be on top of the point S. This
manoeul,re could be produced with both bo*' and
stem pods deflected. This manoeuvre rvithout any ,,,::i-rl!lt'I
"l!
drift causes no srving out of the stern, thus it rnay be
a necessary manoelrvre in tightly restricted $'aters.

l-+oYirg Fs;rd,No Or'fiing.s and P C*ixide {EgSP}

3lq-Tu{ntng,and
Blecl( E; Cm'ir6 o{ Plarar Ro'Jli(H
Gffi S: Ce{88 ot Bqi'{y Rotstbn
,:nedP: PiYSPctut ._ S:li:- .ll.-,__-, Figure 13. Short Rounrl
-. \.,
,. ' , ',t.. Start manoeuvre at a slorv speed, then hard to
i .!,
starboard ivith a kick ahead
2 Stap engines-- rudder midships
3 Engine astem, transverse thrust continues to turfl
;l vessel.
I Vessel at a stop over the ground, continue n ith
engines astem. Transverse thrust still acting on
vessel.
5 Engine still running astem
6 Engine srill running astem, about to stop engine.
7 Rudder hard to starboard, engine ahead.
e Vessei cornpleted short round.
Note: This is a simplified version rather than
u,hat would be required in realiry.
;i Sflry; Motian *,ith Heading, Driliing ancl
Tw'ning
;\}en all the three rnctions (Surge, Srvay, Yarv) are
::rsent, all the three disfinctive poirtts {E, S, P) will
:x.ist separately as shorvn in Figure 12. In this
:.iSicular case, tite stern srvings out s$'eeping a
::'.*ger arc, as all skilled ship handlers are most
:.,,::scious of. Ship motions in general fall in this
;::egory. The amount of srving out is directly relatecl
;::h the position of the pivot point.

93
5.? Entering a Cut The "CMA CGh{ Marco Polo" is clear of the
berth. moving astern. The vectors for the borv and
stem are indicated by the black arrow, rvhilst the
predicted position of the ressel is outlined for .1

positions.
q. . ,'

Fiit;; t,i. E.ie'iiis at,ii

Whilc preparing for the manoeuvre shorvn in
Figurel4, the clearance from the jetg and the
lougirudinal position are crucially impofiant so as
not to come into contact $,ith any port strucfure
during the manoeuvre.
The pivot point wiil initially afrpear near the Figure 16.
centre of gravity, flot nearer to the borv as normally
quoted in ship handling literature, aud then gradually The gray fiIl outline is the actual position of the
move fonvard as the ship gains drifting rnolnentum. vessel (400m LOA). The vessel has 3 tugs in
attendance, and needs to swing within the srvinging
ground depicted by the purple circle.
5.3 Soulharrtplon Contaifier Port
u-'l' 't: -*:
The folloling of screen shots have been
sequence ."

taken from the PPU on the deparrure ol the "CMA

CCM Marco Polo" from Southampton, The pilots
portable unit is an AD Navigation ADX-XR which
includes RTK, giving a very precise position . The
performance criteria are :-
- Position Accuracy: l-2 cm iRTK mode)
0.8 m rvith EGNOSAA/AAS
? m uncorreeted GPS/CLONASS
-* Bow and Stern Speed: I crlsec (0-02 knots)
YerticallSquat: 2-3 cm (RTK mode)
- Heading: 0.01 deg (20m POD separationi
- RateofTum: 0.1 deg/min
L.' \' '-- -.

Figure l?.

The ship outlines rvith no fill, are the predicted

positions of the vessel after a set time duration. This
is set by the pilot / operator. The vector of tlre bou,
and stem ean also br seen, indicated on the chart
with the black arrow from the centre line, forc and
aft respectively.

94
 6 CONCLUSION

For some trvo hundrcd years or rnore the pivot poittt

location in
sliip handling has been rather a
ambiguous entify. Yet practitioners \Yere taught and
u# practieed to make ont ships' motion in terms of it.
lJr'
;r
I
s Norv the location of pivot point can clearly be
shotn in real time. Even the flirure loeation can be
siro,ivn if the ship's motion continuecl. This means
the furure sitration can be etvisaged and corrected if
needed by proactively controlling the pivot point'
This dictates a change in the mentality of ship
handlers frcm the passive use ofthe pivot point as a
rather unclear clue to active use of controlling its
position for their need to effectively, accurately and
safely manoeurore ships. The tiaining and educating
of ship handlers shculd thus be adjnsted to reflect
This is the sort of manoeuvre as the exerctse ln this change.
Figure 8. The ship is using fugs, in cornbi*atioir with In other rvcrds, the clear understanding of thi.r
*wn engine, rudder and borv thruster so as to concept of the pivot point cornbined rvith the
rnaintain a rotational mol'eillent about the vessels currently available GPS technoiagy enabie ship
nidship position. Borv velociry is depicted at the handiers to utilise more ftilly the convenient coneept
;ight hand side of the screen, in this iirstance of the pivot point, This is signaling the forthcoming
i.6knots to porl, and depicts that thc vessel is change $f vierv point on the use oF the pivof point
*roving 0.06 knots astem. The stern velociry is concept - a Paradign Shift.
srssently 1.76 knots to starboard^

REFEREI.{CES & BIBLTOGRAPHY

Andy Chase G. 1999 Sailing Vessel liaudling and Seamanship
-- The Moving Pivot ?oint The NoNhern A'fariner July
1999:5J-59
r\rtyszuk J. 2010 Pivot Poin! in ship martoeuvring .lcieiltilic
Jonrnaltt 2Al$:1 3-24
Bautlu H. 2014 Ship Handling Do&run" llst'itine Pt*lishers
Blackburn t. 1816 iratal Architeclure Longman, Rees. AftME,
& Co. Lortlur
Cauvier H. :0S8 ThE Pivot Poi*t The Pilot Octab*r 2A08
Clark I. 2005 Ship Dltamics lbr il'lariners The Nauti<'ul
Instimte
De Craaurt. ,1. ]011. lYhere is my Pivot Point? Seartzrtt
lfart* 20t!:23-24
Crassi C. R. :0{i0 A Task Ana}ysis of Pier Side Ship-liandling
lor Virluat Environment Ship-l-lardling Si:nulator Scenaric
iigure 19.
I)etelcpnrent llilsler's'!'hesis, Nrsral Postgtut*ute School
H*aog trY-Y. 1980 Application of System ldenlification tt)
This depicts the vessel having completed her Ship Maneuveri*g PhD ?'he$s, ililT
irving l4lrn off 107 berth proceeding outwards at Rowe R.W. 2000 l'he Shiphandier's 6uide llre Nttuticul
i.Tknots lttstitute
Seo, Seong-Gi. 201l. The Use oiPivot Point in Ship l"landlittg
Screen shots courtesy of ABP Southampton. for Safer and i!'lore Accurate Ship Manoeuwing.
IrterneilionaI Con-{erenrc I}{L.l I I: 7 -IO
Tseng C-Y. l99B Analysis of the Pivot Pcint ior a T'urniug
Shtp Jourxal af *Iaritin e Stiefice and Technalog;

95