Learning Module (LM)

This learning module forms the On-Line Learning part of Blended/Flexible Learning.

1. Program: BSMT 2. Course: Seam2 3. Period/Sem./AY:

4. Competence (including
Competence Table)

5. KUP

6. Certificate level

7. Topic Topic 7: intact Buoyancy /stability.

8. Course Outcomes

9. Learning objectives

10. KPI at Course level 1)

11. KPI at Program level

12. Practical exercises 1.

13. Reviewed by:

14. Approved by/on

Part B: Core element

Topic 7: intact Buoyancy /stability.

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https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/
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Discussion
1. Causes of flooding
There are several causes of flooding, broken seawater pipe, broken seachest/overboard valve, crack or
hole in the hull, but the most dangerous is collision or grounding,

2. Most dangerous location of flooding and why

The most dangerous location of flooding due to their permeability, i.e. the amount of water that may enter
them, are the cargo spaces and engine room. In addition to engine room flooding, is the possible failure of
machineries that may be used to mitigate flooding, such as the electric generator and pumps. Once these
machineries are submerged under water they may be rendered inoperable.

3. Objective of the Damage Control

Damage control has three basic objectives:

a. Arrest the progress of damage - The immediate action is to stop or at least reduce the source of
flooding. Maintain watertight integrity.

b. Mitigation - reduce the damage by localizing it. This means contain the flooding, prevent from
spreading.
c. Restoration - initiate repair; restore buoyancy by pumping out flood water. Damage control objectives
are attained by taking necessary action.

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 4. Preserve Stability

a) Preserve watertight integrity (buoyancy).

b) Control list and trim
c) Maintain effective segregation of the vital systems

5. Fire prevention
Prepare against ignition of fire, especially on tanker ships. If fuel oil tanks are involved, it is likely that fire
ignites. Prevent, isolate, combat, extinguish and remove the effects of fire. If the ship is a gas carrier,
cargo escaping into the atmosphere poses risk of fire. Stop all sources of ignition, including cooking that
generates heat. Emission from the funnel are also source of fire.

6. Oil pollution
If size of leak is preventable, initiate procedures to contain leak. Initiate oil pollution procedures. Activate
oil pollution party. Deploy oil boom.

7. Risk from chemicals

Some chemicals reacts with water. Detect, confine, and remove the effects other risks such as nuclear,
biological, and/or chemicals. The ship uses various chemicals for cleaning, some of which could have
lethal consequences if ingested or come into contact with the skin. Lockers, which are mostly found in the
engine room,are designed for storing similar hazardous materials. Anticipate the risk of their spread. The
scenario makes it doubly difficult if the ship is a chemical tanker carrying chemical cargo.

8. Assist in the care of injured personnel and protecting health of crew

In such incidents, it is likely that people get hurt. Anticipate such and prepare the first aid party. In the
event of escape of cargo that are harmful to health, initiate procedures to protect the crew, such
as wearing of breathing apparatus. Wear PPE appropriate for situation.

9. Investigation of Damage

To enable an effective flooding control, the damage or source of flooding has to be investigated. The Four
Principles of investigation should be considered in investigation of damage:

a) An investigation must be thorough.

b) It must be conducted with caution.
c) Results must be reported clearly and quickly.
d) Investigations must be repeated.

Ships have been lost and others have suffered unnecessary damage because investigating personnel
have neglected one or more of these four principles.

10. Investigation for Flooding

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As a general rule, complete flooding of a compartment or flooding to sea level indicates that a
compartment is open to that sea. Flooding to a lesser height may indicate that the puncture is relatively
small or that progressive flooding is occurring.

Monitor compartment by conducting soundings of compartments. This has to be done repeatedly.

10. Flood Control

One of the most important damage control measures is to control flooding. But prior to pumping out,
control the rate of flooding so that the pump is faster the the flooding damage until the rate of flooding has
been controlled.
Isolate the compartment being pumped-out to ensure the pump can cope up.
Basically, two methods can be used in the control of flooding:
a) restrict or entirely stop the flow of water entering the hull and
b) confine and remove water that has entered or still entering the ship.

How to determine flooding is progressing

The first step to be taken is to determine whether or not flooding is progressing.This can be done by a
careful survey, including observations to determine the rate of increase of list, trim, and bodily sinkage.

Effectiveness of immediate corrective measures

Other steps including the plugging and patching of holes, and removal of damage water with the
available capacity of undamaged pumping and drainage equipment.

12. Transverse Stability After Damage

A substantial underwater explosion usually results in the entrance of a great mass of water with extensive
free surface, the combined result of which is a reduction of stability. The seriousness of stability loss can
be gauged by the extent of the free surface, and by the behavior of the ship with respect to list and
tenderness. The effect of free surface is exacerbated by rough seas.
List is due to negative GM, or unsymmetrical flooding, or a combination or both. Whatever the case, list is
undesirable.

The following facts should be given particular attention:

a) GM usually is positive if flooding is limited to one main compartment.

b) If the flooding is unsymmetrical, it is safe to assume that GM is positive when the list has not reached
the margin line.
c) If the flooding is known to be symmetrical and there is an appreciable list, the situation will be definitely
identified as one of the negative GM.
d) If the list is small, the ship will loll (roll with a slow, “undecided” motion) from side to side under the
influence of a small disturbing force such as waves, weight movements or rudder forces.

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e) If the flooding is unsymmetrical and if there is extensive free surface, negative GM should be
suspected when the list is out of acceptable limit. Due to free surface the ship may roll in sluggish manner
or extremely tender if the list is large.

13. Reserve Buoyancy After Damage

If the ship side above the waterline is holed, some flooding may take place as the ship rolls. Reserve
Buoyancy as well as other stability characteristics will suffer. A heavy under water explosion will result in
the entrance of a great mass of water. Flooding will be limited by subdivision, dependent upon the type
and complexity of the ship. Tn any case the relative amount of freeboard remaining after damage will be a
good indication of the residual reserve buoyancy.

14. Longitudinal Stability After Damage

The freeboard remaining at the ends of the ship may be used as a measure of the residual longitudinal
stability. Trim is not apt to be fatal unless the sea is washing over the weather deck. In fact, ships have
steamed long distances with sterns submerged.

15. Structural Strength

Flooding in the middle length increases sagging stresses, while flooding at the ends increase hogging
stresses. If the ship does not break in two immediately, a prompt, careful examination should be made of
the principal strength members (main deck, stringer plate, shear strake, bilge strake, and keel.) Shoring of
decks and bulkheads may be beneficial if stanchions have been disrupted.

16. Damage control flow chart

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17. Actions to be Taken in Case of Damage

Following actions are to be taken immediately after damage in order to ensure the watertight integrity of
the vessel and to assess the damage:

1. Closing of watertight doors and hatches

All watertight hatches are to be closed immediately. In general the status of the closed hatches can be
checked on the status panel on the bridge. Additionally a visual check by a designated person shall be
performed. In case it is deemed absolutely necessary to open a watertight door or hatch in the damaged
condition in order to proceed with further actions, it should be carefully judged whether this hatch/door is
crucial to prevent progressive flooding. After use, the hatch is to be closed immediately.

2. Closing of weather tight openings

All weather tight openings are to be closed immediately, further more the closing appliances for ventilation
openings are to be secured.

3. Closing of valves

All valves in the piping system are to be closed immediately as far as the connected pipes are not used
for the pumping operations.

4. Check the extent of damage

If possible a visual check of the extent of damage and the affected compartments shall be carried out.

5. Sounding of flooded compartments

After having found out which compartments are damaged, the amount of water ingress shall be
determined by sounding measurements. In case a compartment is connected to the remote sounding
system, the amount of water ingress can be determined directly.

6. Draught readings

Draught readings at the forward, mid and aft draft marks shall be performed, the heel angle and trim shall

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be calculated based on the draught readings.

7. Calculation of water ingress

By periodical checking of the soundings of the damaged compartments and comparison with the draft
readings, a calculation of the water ingress and flooding rate shall be made.

8. Use of pumps

Bilge and ballast pumps are available for pumping out water from the damaged compartments. Two
scenarios – a) the amount of water ingress (flooding rate) exceeds the available pump capacity, the
compartment must be isolated by closing all water tight accesses including valves

in the piping system and b) the pump capacity exceeds the flooding rate, the pumping shall be continued.
It is important that the pumps shall be kept in a permanent stand-by mode and ready for use, at any time.

9. Use of loading computer

For determining the possible scenarios of liquid transfer operations, the loading computer shall be used.
Loading computer shall be used for estimating stability and strength after damage. For loading computer
which are intended to calculate intact conditions only, the amount of water ingress can be considered as
additional load in the respective compartments for the actual loading condition. It is to be noted that such
an idealization gives approximate results only. In case the loading computer is capable of damage
stability calculation, the actual extent of damage shall be considered.

10. Liquid transfer operations

Before any filling or discharging of water ballast carried out, a thorough check and precalculation of the
resulting floating position is to be carried out and the limit values for stability and strength are to be
checked. The crew must be aware that filling or discharging of water ballast tanks can have negative
influences on the stability due to the effect of free surfaces for
partially filled tanks. In order to minimize the heel and trim of the vessel, it may be advisable that water
should be pumped in the tanks opposite to the damage location. If possible, the filling of slack tanks
should be preferred to improve stability of the vessel.

11. Determination of ground condition, in case of grounding

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Check the ground condition and extent of damage by a diver. This check shall be performed only with the
necessary safety measures when the ship is in a stable position and no movement of the ground is
anticipated.
Be warned that in case of collision and if the two ships that collided are connected, it is wiser to leave
them in that position, since separating the two would leave a large opening for water to enter.

In case of grounding, check the tide. If low tide, the high tide may lift the vessel on its own making
refloating unnecessary.

12. Information to the owner, coast guard and P&I Club

The local coast guard and the ship owner shall be informed about the present situation. A possible
outflow of oil should be stated immediately.

The P&I Club is the ship’s protection against losses so that it would be wise to inform them as well.

The topic focuses on two aspects of damage ship stability, namely, a) the standard loading conditions and
damage assumption A design of a merchant ship’s ability to resist sinking after sustaining damage relies
on mathematical probability and assumption.

18. Emergency response providers

These days, especially on large ships on long voyages, shipowners employ the services of emergency
response providers to assist once a ship sustain damage. Before setting to sea, the ship’s particulars and
stowage plan is posted on the bridge as contingency against structural damage due to grounding,
collision or damage due to bad weather.

These companies provide technical and professional advise to the ship in case of damage in order to
save the ship.The following are just examples of such companies.

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SERS or Ship Emergency Response Service of Loyd’s Register.

ERS of DNV GL (DNV - Norwegian, GL - German Loyd)

Similar organizations are found in Japan, the ETAS or Emergency Technical Assistance Service of NK
Class and Greece, etc.

References

1. https://www.mermaid-consultants.com/damage-control-information-for-
ship.html

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2. https://www.brighthubengineering.com/seafaring/53510-ship-flooding-
emergency-procedures/
3. http://www.marine-knowledge.com/general/ship-flooding-emergency-
procedures/

See: ship construction stability /trim stab book by : Florencio Cosare Page
74

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1. . Intact buoyancy is a term used to describe _________________________ (5PTS.)

a. The volume of all intact spaces above the waterline

b. An intact space below the surface of flooded area

c. An intact space which can be flooded without causing a ship to sink

d. The space at which all the vertical upward forces of buoyancy are considered to be concentrated

e. Ans: open linked

f. https://www.coursehero.com/file/p7qp7l3/Intact-buoyancy-is-a-term-used-to-describe-A-The-
volume-of-all-intact-spaces/

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Assessment questionnaire

Answer in a short and concise manner.

1. A large leak at the engine bilge sprang. As the master, explain your immediate action to prevent the
leak from aggravating.

2. Explain the purpose of sounding tanks and compartments in case of damage due to grounding or
collision.

3. Explain the process of how flooding affect the ship’s GM.

4. Further to the above, explain the signs the ship has negative GM.

5. Provide at least one device on board that prevents spread of flood water.

6. Explain the risk of free surface in case of flooding.

7. Explain the particular risk with chemicals in case of flooding.

8. In case of collision or grounding, you have to anticipate and prepare against fire. Explain how the risk
of fire occurs.

9. If instructed to check if water is entering a fuel tank, how will you do it?

10. Explain you immediate reaction if your intention is to prevent spread of flood water and to preserve
buoyancy.

11. Explain when and when not to use pumps to remove flood water.

12. Explain one option you would take to offset a list.

13. In case of grounding, how do you find out which part of the ship is touching bottom.

14. Prove that employing a ship emergency response is beneficial in case of grounding or collision.

References:

1. Intact buoyancy https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a75c143ed915d6faf2b56e0/

hsc1994ch2_adt01.pdf

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