SEAM 5 REVIEWER – MIDTERM

The Ship’s Turning Circle and the factors affecting it – TOPIC 3

Practical Use of Ship’s Turning Circle
The turning circle of a ship is a fundamental aspect of its maneuverability and has several practical
applications:
Navigating Narrow Channels and Ports
 Precision: Knowing the turning circle helps in planning precise maneuvers in confined spaces, such as
narrow channels, harbors, and ports.
 Safety: It ensures the ship can turn without colliding with other vessels, structures, or the shore.
Avoiding Collisions
 Emergency Maneuvers: In situations where a collision is imminent, understanding the turning circle
allows the crew to execute quick and effective turns to avoid other ships or obstacles.
 Traffic Management: Helps in managing traffic in busy waterways by predicting how much space a ship
will need to turn.
Docking and Undocking
 Alignment: Assists in aligning the ship with docks or piers, ensuring smooth docking and undocking
operations.
 Tug Assistance: Helps in coordinating with tugboats, which often assist in turning large vessels in tight
spaces.
Pilotage
 Pilot Knowledge: Pilots use the turning circle information to guide ships safely through challenging
navigational areas.
 Training: Essential for training ship pilots and crew in handling the vessel under various conditions.
Route Planning
 Efficient Routing: Helps in planning routes that minimize the need for sharp turns, thereby saving time
and fuel.
 Environmental Considerations: Ensures that turns are planned to avoid environmentally sensitive
areas.
Regulatory Compliance
 Adherence to Standards: Ensures compliance with international maritime regulations, such as those set
by the IMO, which mandate the display of maneuvering information.
  Safety Audits: Used during safety audits and inspections to verify that the ship can perform required
maneuvers safely.

Effects on Ship’s Turning Circle and Stopping Distances

Deadweight refers to the total weight a ship carries, including cargo, fuel, passengers, and crew.
 Turning Circle: A ship with a higher deadweight will generally have a larger turning circle due to
increased inertia. The added weight makes the ship less responsive to the rudder, requiring more time
and distance to complete a turn1.
 Stopping Distances: Heavier ships take longer to stop because of the greater momentum. The stopping
distance increases significantly with higher deadweight, especially in emergency stop situations1.

Draught and Trim

Draught is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull, while trim refers to the
difference in draught between the bow and stern.

 Turning Circle: A deeper draught increases water resistance, making the ship slower to respond to
steering inputs, thus enlarging the turning circle. Trim also affects turning; a ship trimmed by the stern
(deeper at the stern) will have a larger turning circle compared to one trimmed by the bow23.

 Stopping Distances: Greater draught increases the hydrodynamic resistance, which can help slow the
ship down faster. However, improper trim can negatively impact stopping efficiency, with a stern-heavy
trim generally increasing stopping distances4.

Speed

Speed is the rate at which a ship moves through the water.

 Turning Circle: At higher speeds, the turning circle tends to be larger because the ship covers more
distance before completing the turn. However, the rudder’s effectiveness increases with speed, which
can somewhat counteract this effect23.

 Stopping Distances: Higher speeds result in significantly longer stopping distances. The kinetic energy
of the ship increases with the square of its speed, meaning a ship moving at twice the speed will have
four times the stopping distance5.

Under-Keel Clearance

Under-Keel Clearance (UKC) is the distance between the ship’s keel and the seabed.
  Turning Circle: Reduced UKC can increase the turning circle due to the squat effect, where the ship sinks
deeper into the water as it moves, increasing resistance and reducing maneuverability67.

 Stopping Distances: Shallow waters increase stopping distances because of increased hydrodynamic
resistance and the potential for the ship to squat, which can affect propulsion and steering efficiency74.

The IMO Standards for Tactical Diameter and Advance of a ship

RESOLUTION MSC.137(76) (adopted on 4 December 2002) STANDARDS FOR SHIP MANOEUVRABILITY

Tactical Diameter

 Definition: The tactical diameter is the distance a ship travels perpendicular to its original course when
making a 180-degree turn.
 Standard: The IMO requires that the tactical diameter should not exceed 5 ship lengths12. This ensures
that ships can turn within a reasonable distance, which is crucial for avoiding obstacles and navigating
confined spaces.

Advance

 Definition: a. Advance is the distance a ship travels along its original course before completing a turn.
b. It is the distance travelled by ship along original course line when she alter her course through
360 deg.

 Standard: The IMO specifies that the advance should not exceed 4.5 ship lengths2. This standard helps
ensure that ships can change direction efficiently without covering excessive distance.
Factors Influencing Tactical Diameter and Advance

 Ship Design: The length, beam, and hull shape of a ship can influence its turning ability.
 Rudder Size and Type: Larger rudders or advanced rudder designs can improve turning performance.

 Speed: Higher speeds generally result in larger turning circles and advances.
 Environmental Conditions: Wind, current, and wave action can impact a ship’s turning performance.

Factors affecting the ship’s turning circle

Maneuvering is one of the critical aspects of any vessel. It is defined as the capability of a ship to change its
course or heading from its previous trajectory. Any ship must be able to turn or change its directional sense as
and when required. The requirements can be:

 Changing its course or heading from time to time.

 Changing its direction of voyage or route due to weather, uncongenial sea conditions, or internal
reasons about the ship itself
 Maintaining a desired course or trajectory.
 Sailing in meandering courses like rivers, channels, canals, etc.
 Avoiding obstacles like landmasses, bergs, reefs, offshore structures, and other vessels
 Circling some point like a port or terminal or an island due to unavailability of berths, tidal conditions,
rough sea or weather conditions, or marine traffic.

 After the vessel is launched, Maneuvering trials take place as a part of the sea trials and help assess the
vessel’s Maneuvering ability and performance under different modes of operation. These Maneuvering
trials are based on the plausible Maneuvering the ship must undergo during its lifetime under different
situations it may encounter.

 As per the guidelines for Maneuvering trials from the MSC 76 codes of IMO, all sea-going vessels above
100 metres in length are required to undergo these Maneuvering trials. And irrespective of length, all
gas and chemical tankers must undergo them after launching and before delivery to the client.

What is a Turning Circle?

 Imagine driving your car on empty, flat ground. Slowly start turning the steering wheel and keep it
fixated at a certain position. The car turns in the direction where the wheel is turned and starts making
a circle of radius.
 Or even simpler, start running on a football field or an open ground. Start turning towards a side. If you
do not turn forward again, you tend to keep going in circles about the same point, isn’t it? That’s the
simple law of nature: any finite object constantly tending to turn towards a particular side makes a
circular trajectory!
 But from the simpleton laws of nature again, the smallest circle traced by any object or body is directly
related to the size of the body. In other words, the minimum radius or diameter of the circle traced by a
 turning body increases with size because this depends on the locus of the centroid of the moving body.
From common sense, the smallest circle traced by you running on a field will be far smaller than a
constantly turning SUV!

Factors Affecting the Turning Circle Now, let us explore the factors influencing the vessel’s turning circle
considering a fixed turning moment.

 Size and Extent of the Vessel: Larger vessels generally have larger turning circles due to their increased
inertia and hydrodynamic resistance.

Example: A large container ship like the Ever Given (which famously blocked the Suez Canal) has a
much larger turning circle compared to a smaller vessel like a tugboat. The sheer size and mass of the
Ever Given make it less agile.

 Hull Form: The shape of the hull affects water flow around the vessel. Streamlined hulls typically have
smaller turning circles compared to bulkier designs.

Example: A cruise ship with a streamlined hull designed for speed and efficiency will have a smaller
turning circle compared to a bulk carrier with a boxier hull designed to maximize cargo space.

 Draft and Trim: A deeper draft increases hydrodynamic resistance, making the vessel less responsive to
steering inputs. Trim, or the difference in draft between the bow and stern, also plays a role. A vessel
trimmed by the stern usually turns more effectively.

Example: A vessel with a deep draft, such as an oil tanker, will have a larger turning circle compared to
a vessel with a shallow draft, like a ferry. Additionally, a ship trimmed by the stern, such as a naval
destroyer, will turn more effectively than one trimmed by the bow.

 Available Depth: Shallow waters can increase the turning circle due to increased resistance and the
potential for grounding.

Example: In shallow waters, a cargo ship might experience increased resistance, leading to a larger
turning circle. This is why harbor pilots are crucial for navigating large vessels in ports with limited
depth.

 Propulsion and Machinery: The type and power of the propulsion system affect maneuverability. More
powerful engines and advanced propulsion systems like azimuth thrusters can reduce the turning circle.

Example: A modern cruise ship equipped with azimuth thrusters can turn in a much tighter circle
compared to a traditional cargo ship with a fixed propeller and rudder system.

 Rudder Moment Applied: The angle and size of the rudder determine the effectiveness of the turn.
Larger rudder angles and more powerful rudders result in tighter turns.

Example: A sailing yacht with a large, responsive rudder can make sharp turns, whereas a large bulk
carrier with a smaller rudder relative to its size will have a more gradual turn.

 Displacement and Cargo Distribution: Properly distributed cargo ensures better stability and
maneuverability. Uneven distribution can lead to sluggish responses.
 Example: A container ship with evenly distributed cargo will maneuver more predictably than one with
unevenly loaded containers, which can cause sluggish or unpredictable turning behavior.

 Speed: Higher speeds generally result in larger turning circles due to increased centrifugal forces.
However, at very low speeds, the vessel may also become less responsive.
 External Forces and Wind Conditions: Wind, currents, and waves can significantly affect the turning
circle by altering the vessel’s drift and stability.

TOPIC 4 - The Ship’s Stopping Distance and the factors affecting it

Ship’s Stopping Distance

 The stopping distance of a ship refers to the distance a ship travels from the moment the engines are
put in reverse until the ship comes to a complete stop. This distance varies depending on the ship's
speed, size, design, and environmental conditions.

Practical Use of the Ship’s Stopping Distance Information

 Navigational Planning: Knowing the stopping distance is crucial for planning maneuvers, especially
when approaching ports, docking areas, or narrow channels.
 Emergency Situations: In cases of potential collisions or grounding, the ship's stopping distance
information is essential to avoid accidents.
 Training: Crew members must be trained to understand and apply the ship's stopping distance to
ensure safe navigation and maneuvering.

The IMO Standards for the Track Reach

 The International Maritime Organization (IMO) sets performance standards for the stopping ability of
ships:
 Turning Ability: A ship should be able to turn within a track reach of not more than 5 times its length at
full maneuvering speed.
 Stopping Ability: The track reach, or the distance a ship moves in the direction of the original course
after the stopping command is given, should not exceed 15 times the ship's length.
Factors Affecting the Ship’s Stopping Distance

 Ship Size and Mass: Larger and heavier ships require more time and distance to stop due to greater
inertia.
 Speed: A ship traveling at higher speeds will have a longer stopping distance.
 Hull Design: The shape of the hull affects water resistance, which in turn impacts stopping distance.
 Propeller and Rudder Configuration: The type and number of propellers, as well as the rudder size and
design, play a significant role in the ship's maneuverability and stopping capability.
 Engine Power: The power and responsiveness of the ship's engines directly influence how quickly the
ship can reduce speed.
 Load Condition: A fully loaded ship may have a longer stopping distance compared to an empty or
partially loaded one.
 Weather and Sea Conditions: Wind, currents, and wave action can either aid or hinder a ship's ability
to stop effectively.
 Draft and Trim: A ship's draft and trim can affect how water flows around the hull and impact its
resistance, thereby influencing the stopping distance.

Interactive Discussion on Stopping Distance, Head Reach, Track Reach, Side Reach, and Stopping Time

 The stopping performance of ships involves understanding several key components, including stopping
distance, head reach, track reach, side reach, and stopping time. Let's explore how these aspects differ
between two ships with varying characteristics:
 1. Deadweight (DWT)
 Ship A: Higher deadweight (DWT) — e.g., a fully loaded oil tanker.
 Ship B: Lower deadweight — e.g., a lightly loaded container ship.
 Deadweight (DWT) refers to the total weight a ship can carry, including cargo, fuel, passengers, crew,
provisions, fresh water, ballast water, and other supplies, without exceeding its maximum allowable
draft. In simple terms, it is the ship’s carrying capacity, measured in metric tons (1,000 kg). Deadweight
does not include the weight of the ship itself; it is a measure of what the ship can transport.

Impact on Stopping Performance:

 Stopping Distance: Ship A, with a higher deadweight, will have a longer stopping distance due to its
greater mass and inertia. Ship B, with a lower deadweight, can decelerate faster, reducing its stopping
distance.
 Head Reach: Ship A's head reach (distance traveled forward after initiating a stop) will be longer than
Ship B's because of the higher momentum.
 Track Reach: Ship A's track reach (the total distance traveled in its original course direction during
stopping) will be more extended due to its larger mass.
 Side Reach: Both ships may have side reach (lateral movement during stopping), but Ship A's side reach
may be more pronounced due to its size and difficulty in maintaining a straight path during
deceleration.
 Stopping Time: Ship A will take more time to stop completely compared to Ship B, owing to its higher
momentum.
Draught and Trim

 Ship A: Deeper draught and a slightly forward trim.

 Ship B: Shallower draught and neutral trim.

Impact on Stopping Performance:

 Stopping Distance: Ship A's deeper draught increases water resistance, potentially resulting in a slightly
shorter stopping distance compared to a ship of the same size with a shallower draught. However, its
forward trim can make it harder to stop quickly due to the added downward momentum.
 Head Reach: Ship A might have a reduced head reach if the deep draught helps create more water
resistance. Conversely, Ship B's shallower draught can lead to a longer head reach due to less
resistance.
 Track Reach: Ship A's track reach might be shorter if its deep draught enhances its stopping efficiency.
Ship B, with less resistance, may travel further along its original course.
 Side Reach: The deeper draught of Ship A can stabilize lateral movement, potentially reducing side
reach. Ship B might have a more pronounced side reach if the shallower draught allows for easier
lateral drift.
 Stopping Time: Ship A may have a slightly shorter stopping time due to increased resistance, but this
depends on the overall interaction between draught, trim, and hull design.

Speed
 Ship A: Higher speed — e.g., a container ship operating at full speed.
 Ship B: Lower speed — e.g., a bulk carrier moving at a slower speed.
Impact on Stopping Performance:
 Stopping Distance: Ship A, moving at higher speed, will have a significantly longer stopping distance
due to the squared relationship between speed and stopping distance. Ship B, at a lower speed, will
stop in a shorter distance.
 Head Reach: Ship A's head reach will be longer due to the initial high speed. Ship B's head reach will be
comparatively shorter.
 Track Reach: The track reach of Ship A will be extensive because of its higher momentum at greater
speed. Ship B will have a shorter track reach.
 Side Reach: High-speed maneuvers may cause Ship A to experience more side reach due to greater
inertia pushing it sideways during stopping. Ship B's side reach will be less pronounced.
 Stopping Time: Ship A will take a longer time to come to a complete stop, while Ship B, at a lower
speed, will stop more quickly.
Under-keel Clearance
 Ship A: Limited under-keel clearance — e.g., a vessel operating in shallow waters.
 Ship B: Ample under-keel clearance — e.g., a vessel in deep waters.
Impact on Stopping Performance:
 Stopping Distance: Ship A with limited under-keel clearance will experience increased hydrodynamic
resistance (squat effect), potentially reducing stopping distance. Ship B, with ample clearance, faces less
resistance and may have a longer stopping distance.
 Head Reach: The squat effect on Ship A can cause a nose-down attitude, which might marginally reduce
head reach. Ship B’s head reach will be more extended because of less hydrodynamic resistance.
 Track Reach: Ship A's track reach may be shorter due to increased drag from limited clearance. Ship B’s
track reach might be longer with less resistance.
 Side Reach: Ship A may have reduced side reach due to the constrained water flow beneath the keel.
Ship B might show more side reach if the water flow allows easier lateral movement.
  Stopping Time: Ship A might stop slightly faster due to the higher resistance from the limited clearance,
while Ship B may take longer to stop.
Safety Protocols

 Understanding stopping distances is crucial for ensuring the safety of a ship, the crew, and cargo. It
informs the operator on when to initiate braking to avoid collisions. This knowledge is essential for
efficient navigation in congested waters, where quick reactions can prevent accidents.

Operational Efficiency

 Accurate stopping distance information aids in planning routes and docking procedures. It helps
maritime operators optimize fuel usage and reduce unnecessary wear on the ship's systems,
contributing to better overall operational efficiency.

IMO Standards Overview

Regulatory Framework

 The International Maritime Organization outlines standards related to stopping distances, which
include guidelines for vessel types and operational conditions. These standards aim to enhance safety
and prevent maritime incidents. Compliance with these regulations ensures that global shipping
operates under accepted safety norms, reducing risks associated with marine navigation.
TOPIC 5 - The effects of Wind and Current on Ship’s Handling

Effects Of Wind On Ship Handling

 When we speak about ships, the most prominent force that comes to our mind is that offered by the
surrounding water body.
 Delving deeper into the effects of water, the forces that act on a floating vessel can be further
subdivided into various types like hydrostatic and hydrodynamic, and those kinds of loading stemming
from wave action, also known as wave loads.
 However, it is worth saying that the wind also significantly affects a floating vessel, though that is far,
far lesser than those from water.
 When a ship floats in the open, unbridled seas, there is the action of wind from every direction acting
on the vessel.
 The intensity of the wind depends on the local climatic conditions and may vary from a calm breeze to
fiery gale storms. So, when a ship is designed, other than the principally acting hydrodynamic loads,
the effects of wind are also considered.
 The collective time-variant effects of wind action on a vessel bring about what we know as the wind
resistance of the ship.

Before we delve further into the detailed effects of wind action, it is important to understand how the wind acts
on a floating vessel. So, the effect of wind resistance on any vessel depends on three major factors:
 The nature and intensity of the wind, as mentioned above
 The extent of the area on which the wind forces act
 The directional characteristics of wind

Windage Area, Wind forces, and Wind Pressure

 Concentrate on the second point. On any floating vessel, the wind acts primarily on the exposed area.
Exposed area means the surfaces of the vessel that are directly under the influence of wind action.
So, when you see a vessel floating on the sea at a specific draft, what areas are exposed to the wind?
 As expected, everything which is above the waterline or which is not submerged. This includes the
superstructure/deckhouse and the part of the main hull above the waterline, the extent of which is
also known as the freeboard in technical terms. So, the greater the area subjected to wind action, the
greater the effects.
 In technical terms, this area is also known as the Windage Area. So, windage area is the sum of all
areas when any view of a vessel is projected on a plane. The figure below clearly describes everything
described so far.
Windage Area, Wind forces, and Wind Pressure

 What is the maximum area on any vessel where the wind can act? The answer lies in the way we
perceive it in floating conditions.
 As expected, the highest area on which the wind comes from that specific direction can act is the lateral
area, or in other words, the profile view of the ship. The reason is simple. In any ship, the length is
always more than the breadth. So, when viewed along the length or from a transverse or lateral
direction, the surface is always more than when viewed in a longitudinal direction or from the aft or
front.
 For all practical purposes, the face area of the superstructure or deckhouse can be easily determined
from the first principles as they mostly have straight edges and no curves.
 On the other hand, determining the lateral projected area of the superstructure or deckhouse is slightly
complicated as they often have curvatures characteristic to the hull form.
 However, using design drawings, they can be estimated. For fuller-form vessels with lesser curvatures,
like tankers, the approximate part of the main hull contributing to the windage area can be calculated
as:
 Length Overall (LOA) X Depth of the vessel (D) – Length between perpendiculars (LBP) X Average
Draft (T).

 It can be said that larger vessels with more windage area suffer a greater influence of wind action. Of
course, for such vessels with high values of displacement (and thus inertia), the resultant effect is far
less as compared to a lighter vessel under the same conditions. However, the type and design of the
vessel are also important.
 For example, a large passenger cruise ship with a high and broad superstructure will be more
vulnerable to wind action as compared to a loaded tanker or bulker with a small
deckhouse/superstructure and a lesser exposed area of the hull as well under high displacement.
 At this point, it can also be said that a given vessel having a higher amount of loading, that is, having a
higher displacement, has a reduced freeboard (due to higher immersion) and thus lower windage
area as compared to when it is under a lighter load condition, that is having a lower value of
displacement. Hence, lower windage area coupled with greater inertia (due to increased
displacements) leads to significantly much lower effects of wind action in the case of higher loading .
 All classification rules for loads take this windage area and the resultant action of winds under
consideration.
 Accurate determination of the wind force is a complicated task as in sea conditions, the wind forces
can be highly non-uniform and erratic in nature. However, for all practical purposes, the wind force
can be approximately calculated (in tonnes per square metres) as per the empirical relation:
 W X V2 /18000
 Where W is the windage area in square meters as determined from above, and V is the velocity
component of the wind in the direction of action on the given windage area. That is, when a random sea
wind is acting on a vessel from any arbitrary direction, the component of velocity in the lateral direction is
perpendicular to the vessel’s length if we are interested in finding the force acting on the profile of the
vessel and the component of the velocity in the longitudinal direction if we are interested in finding the
wind forces on the front or aft end of the vessel.
 For a beam wind, almost the entire value of the total wind forces is assumed to be acting on the vessel
from its sides with no component in the longitudinal direction. Similarly, for a typical headwind
condition, the entirety of the wind-induced forces is acting in the fore-aft or longitudinal direction with
nearly no component in the transverse or lateral direction.

Wind Pressures

 Along with the windage area, it is crucial to understand the effects of wind forces in a vertical sense,
that is, how a wind force acting on the vessel from the sides can influence the loads. It is fair to
consider that the effects of wind on a given exposed region of a vessel can be deduced from the vertical
height above the baseline.
 For a floating vessel, the baseline can be considered the line about which the resultant moment acts
from the component of wind force produced. Henceforth, the lever or moment arm can be taken as the
distance between the baseline or bottom of the ship and the centroid of the area over which the
wind is taken to act.
 So, for a given area A on the superstructure, VCG alludes to the vertical centre of gravity of the given
area above the baseline, which in this case is the same as the moment arm or lever for the moment
from wind forces.

 And the net moment from the wind action is given as the product of the vector component of the
wind force acting on the area (point load acting on the centroid of the area) multiplied by the VCG or
vertical moment. Thus, for higher superstructures, the wind action on the upper regions is more
pronounced as compared to the lower ones due to higher moments caused.
 The pressure distribution also varies accordingly, with the gradient decreasing from top to bottom. The
pressure for a given area under wind action can be calculated simply by dividing the net value of wind
force acting divided by the area (P=F/A).
 One very important consideration, in this case, is that the wind has a uniform distribution of loading
over the area, which acts for simplicity of estimations. Though in real scenarios, the nature of a
blowing wind is highly random and over any given area, its intensity varies from point to point.
 After we have discussed the windage area and wind pressures, it is now important to learn more about
how the directionality of the wind can affect a floating vessel. But before that is important to know
about the types of wind-based on their direction.
Types of Winds and Wind Action on planar turning

 Headwind: This is the wind which acts in a direction opposite to the vessel’s heading. As they interfere
with the vessel’s surge, it produces the highest level of wind resistance to the vessel.
 Aft wind: They also act in a longitudinal direction but from the aft direction of the vessel. As they are
concurrent with the vessel’s heading, they constructively interfere with the surge headway and may
also bring about increasing the speed of the vessel without the expense of propulsive power, something
very desirable.
 Beam winds: They act in a direction perpendicular to the vessel’s length and, thus, headway. The
resultant forces affect the vessel’s surge as they tend to drive the vessel in a lateral or sideways
direction, also influencing the manoeuvring problems of the vessel. Suppose the vessel has a
significantly high windage area as described. In that case, they produce large degrees of resistance,
which may exceed that produced by an equivalent intensity headwind due to the forces acting on the
profile.
 Oblique winds: These winds flowing from any arbitrary direction are most common. They act in both
the longitudinal as well as transverse directions. For estimating the effects of the wind on the vessel
along a particular direction, they can be resolved into respective components and combined with the
windage area as described above.
 Recall that previously we had discussed how the wind force creates a moment at any given area. So,
while we take the entire windage area into consideration, the net result of the wind forces can be
considered acting on a centroidal point known as the Centre of effort of the wind, often denoted as
W. In other words, this W is the weighted average of all the centres of action of the wind forces.
 Now, also recall that all kinds of turning effects of the vessel are based on the pivot point of the vessel,
P.
 This pivot point, P, is forward of the midship and close to the bow when the vessel is moving ahead,
and vice-versa when the vessel is moving astern. When the vessel is at rest, the pivot point is more or
less close to the midship for all practical purposes.

 So, the interplay of the pivot point with this centre of effort affects the turning tendency of the vessel
based on the intensity of the wind and the current displacement of the vessel, of course. The physics
of turning is based on the lever WP, which is the distance between these two points.
 Though there can be several cases for consideration, for now, in this article, we consider a few
simplistic cases.
 When the vessel is at rest, and there is pure beam wind: In this case, as the vessel is at rest, the pivot
point can be considered at midships. For beam wind cases, in a longitudinal sense, the centre of effort
will also be near midships only. So, it can be said that both W and P are close to each other, and thus,
the lever or moment arm for turning, WP, is very small or almost negligible. However, if the wind
forces are significant and the vessel’s displacement is not sufficient to fully resist the wind forces,
there can be a lateral drift of the vessel in the direction of the wind. So, for vessels at rest and having
beam winds, there is no tendency for turning the vessel but can be a tendency to drift sideways.
  When the vessel is moving ahead, and there is beam wind: When a vessel is surging ahead, the pivot
point is skewed towards the bow. Considering a uniform flow of wind, the centre of effort can be
considered close to the midship again. So, this separation between these two points creates a turning
lever that causes the vessel to rotate.
 When the vessel is moving astern, and there is beam wind: This is the reverse case, and for the same
orientation of the vessel and wind direction, the turning sense is opposite.
 For headwinds and aft winds, as discussed above, the winds can only constructively or destructively
interfere with the vessel’s linear motion. Since the wind force vector is concurrent with the ship’s
centerline, there is no turning moment created.

Wind can significantly impact a ship’s course-keeping capability in various scenarios. Let’s
explore how wind affects a ship in each of the situations you mentioned:
Making a Large Turn:

 Effect: During a large turn, the ship’s side is exposed to the wind, which can push it off the intended
turning path. The wind can either assist or hinder the turn, depending on its direction relative to the
ship’s movement.

Slowing Down, Coasting, or Stopping:

 Effect: When a ship slows down, coasts, or stops, it loses the stabilizing effect of forward motion. The
wind can then push the ship off course more easily.

Making a Stern Way:

 Effect: When a ship moves astern (backwards), the wind can have a more pronounced effect on its
course due to the reduced hydrodynamic stability and the larger windage area exposed at the stern.

Handling a ship in a river or narrow channel with strong currents requires careful planning and execution.
Here are some key precautions that ship officers should consider:

 Understand the Current Patterns:

Example: Before entering a narrow channel like the Panama Canal, officers should study the current patterns
and tidal information to anticipate how the currents will affect the ship’s movement.

 Maintain Clear Communication:

Example: Use VHF radio to maintain constant communication with Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and other
nearby vessels. This is crucial in busy waterways like the Singapore Strait to avoid collisions and ensure smooth
passage1.
  Use of Tugs:
Example: In strong currents, employing tugboats can provide additional control and stability. For instance,
large container ships often use tugs when navigating the Port of Rotterdam.
 Adjust Speed Appropriately:
Example: Reduce speed when approaching bends or narrow sections to maintain better control. In the Suez
Canal, ships often slow down to navigate safely through the narrow and congested waterway.
 roper Use of Rudder and Thrusters:
Example: Utilize bow and stern thrusters to assist in maneuvering, especially in tight spots. A cruise
ship entering a narrow port like Venice relies heavily on thrusters for precise movements.
 Monitor Depth and Under-Keel Clearance:
Example: Continuously monitor the depth to avoid grounding. In the Mississippi River, where sediment can
shift, maintaining adequate under-keel clearance is essential.
 Positioning and Alignment:
Example: Keep the vessel centered in the channel to avoid bank effects, which can cause the ship to veer off
course. In the St. Lawrence Seaway, staying centered helps in avoiding the shallow areas on the sides2.
 Anticipate and Counteract Wind Effects:
Example: Strong winds can push the vessel off course. In the English Channel, officers must account for wind
direction and strength when planning their route.
 Use of Navigational Aids:
Example: Rely on buoys, beacons, and electronic navigation systems to stay on course. In the Hudson River,
navigational aids are crucial for safe passage through its narrow and winding sections3.

 Emergency Preparedness:
Example: Have contingency plans in place for engine failure or other emergencies. In the Strait of Gibraltar,
where currents are strong and traffic is heavy, being prepared for emergencies is vital.