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Introduction
Introduction
This Graduation Thesis presents the specific aspects of the voyage with the route Xiamen
(China) Port Kelang (Malaysia) Nakhodka (Russia) accomplished on board a container vessel. In
the elaboration of this project, I used the knowledge acquired during my first voyage as cadet on
board CMA CGM Rigoletto and the others obtained during the four years as student at Constanta
Maritime University, in this way, preparing myself to become a competent Officer in charge with
the Navigational Watch.
The voyage was be conducted in the South China Sea, East China Sea and Sea of Japan
transiting Malacca Strait, Singapore Strait and Taiwan Strait. These areas will be described briefly
regarding the meteorological conditions and the problems which can appear concerning navigation.
The paper is structured in three chapters which present the phases that have to be followed
in order to prepare a voyage. First chapter explains the planning stage, followed by the second
chapter that exposes the voyage execution stage and last, the third chapter describes the voyage
monitoring phase.
Voyage Planning
Chapter I
Voyage planning on the route Port Kelang Xiamen Nakhodka
1.1
Principal engine
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Deadweight
Length over all (m)
Maximum breadth (m)
Depth
Gross tonnage
Net tonnage
Summer draft
Electric power
114004 t
349 meters
42.8 meters
27.3
107711
501109
15,022 meters
5 Diesel Generators, 2 DG X 2800 kw, 3dg X
200 kw
In hold
4673 TEU
700
On deck
4742 TEU
Total
9415 TEU
1.2
93360 HP at 94 RPM
84020 HP at 90,8 RPM
24,5 knots
255 tones
Kelang) and arrival port (Nakhodka), the ships voyage will be divided in two parts: Port Kelang
Xiamen and Xiamen Nakhodka. The execution of the route will be made initially on a small scale
chart afterwards the more detailed, large scale charts will be used. All the charts on which the route
will be drawn have to be updated including the temporary amendments from Notice to Mariners
and the ECDIS if it will be used for navigation purposes.
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Also it must be checked if the edition of the charts is not outdated, in this case, the latest
editions of the charts have to be ordered. The books for navigation on our route ( Admiralty Sailing
Directions, Admiralty List of Radio Signals, Admiralty List of Lights, Ships Routing, Tide Tables
etc.) have to be updated.
Coastal
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Approach
Harbour
2152 Pelabuhan Klang
4036 Raffles Lighthouse to The Sisters
4037 Keppel Harbour Tanjong
Xiamen to Nakhodka
General
1968 Taiwan Strait
2432 Musu Dand to Mys Nizmeny
3480 Yellow Sea and Korea Strait
Coastal
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Approach
b) Nautical publications
Admirality Sailing Directions
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PILOT distinctively marked on the hulls and at night display a white over red light. All pilot
boats maintain listening watch on Ch 12 VHF. Port Klang Traffic (VTMS) will advise of the height
of the ladder above water requirements but in general should not exceed 1.5 meters and shall be
rigged in strict accordance with SOLAS regulations. The pilot is usually coming from an outbound
vessel. The passing is done port to port, each vessel leaving Fairway buoy on their port side.
Boarding speed must be 8-9 knots on a NNE course, making lee as much as possible for the pilot
and observe drifting. All vessels shall navigate at a safe speed and in no case exceed 12 knots.
Vessels navigating within 300 meters of wharves or other mooring structures shall not exceed 8
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knots. Port Kelang authority operates a Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) for the
pilotage district of Port Kelang.
Available tugs :
Westport has 7 tugs of 40 to 65 BP. For vessels wit Length Over All greater than 145m, 2 tugs
are compulsory. If necessary a third tug can be used upon request.
Maximum depth :
Port Kelangs Westport has six berths, each of them 300 meters long with alongside depth of
15 meters.
Berthing :
There is no rule which side alongside. Better to turn bow in the current. There is a lot of room
for swinging , approximatively 600 meters, but strong current near berth while in spring tides.
Sometimes very narrow places are allowed for berthing, 20/40 meters from ahead astern vessels
alongside. Tugs are made fast fore & aft for the turn, sometimes a third one pushing on the shoulder
or quarter must be needed.
Limits
All vessels must navigate at a safe speed in the access channel and under no circumstances
exceed 12 knots. When within 300 meters from berths the vessel must not exceed 8 knots.
For vessels with Length Over All less than 200 meters and draft less than 10 meters the
allowed Under Keel Clearance is 1,0 meters. For vessels with Length Over All greater than 200
meters and draft greater than 10 meters the allowed Under Keel Clearance is 1,5 meters. At berth
minimum 0,5 meters Under Keel Clearance is recommended.
Cautions
The vessels must not approach Fairway buoy unless asked by Pilot. At least 1,5 Nm south of
the Fairway must be kept while waiting for the pilot.
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A vessel shall so far as practicable, keep out of the channel for emergency anchor and report to
Xiamen VTS Center immediately. Sea trials such as stopping, tactical test or any other actions which
might affect safe navigation of ships in deep-water route are ore within 2 miles from the both sides
of the route is prohibited.
There are three precautionary areas included in
1181137.30E
(5)
241948.42N
1181116.06E
(6)
242114.77N
1180929.50E.
Ship Reporting System
All vessels which enter in Xiamen water area have to comply with the Xiamen Ship Reporting
System. It is applicable for :
Foreign Ships
Chinese ships of 300 GT or above
Passenger Ships with capacity of 50 passengers or more
Ships carrying dangerous cargo
Ships engaging in towing operations
Other ships volunteer to make position report
Report format:
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position inside below areas or give authorization to enter into the Traffic Separation
Scheme.
Use VHF CH 09 for outside Nakhodka bay communication and VHF CH 13 for inside
Nakhodka bay communication.
Pilotage
Pilotage is compulsory within Nakhodka harbor areas but no pilot is needed on roads or to
proceed to Anchorage Zone Number 3 and Number 10 for bunkering operations. Pilot boarding is
made near the compulsory pilotage area limits and in the anchorage areas.
VTS provides assistance to a vessel approaching the pilot boat.
Tugs
Table 1.4 Tugs
Name of tug
<< Typhoon >>
<< Ruslan >>
<< Engineer Misan >>
<< Captain Zdor >>
Limits
Type
<<Pluton>>
134C
134C
134C
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On anchorage number 3 area, if wind blows with a speed greater than 15 m/s, VTS can order
to heave up anchor to join another anchorage area because of poor ground quality.
1.4
1.4.1
South China Sea. In the South-East half, the depths are below 50 meters.
The climate is warm and humid with high rainfall. Typhoons are not present in this zone but
intense tropical storms may be encountered West of Gulf of Thailand and North of Kra Isthmus.
Atmospheric pressure:
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Generally, the atmospheric pressure is 1010 most of the year with small alterations of 3 to 4
hPa in the North and 2 to 3 hPa in the South. During the North - East monsoon, December to March,
pressure is high over the Asian continent and low over Australia. During the South West monsoon,
May to October, the situation is opposite. The variations in this area are very small with a very small
exception, when a tropical cyclone may affect the South area, around the latitude of 5 South.
Tropical cyclones
North of Equator. Tropical cyclones are not often encountered in this area but intense tropical
storms are moving W across Gulf of Thailand and Kra Isthmus, to the north of the area, between
July and October.
South of Equator. Tropical cyclones are presented , mainly between 5 S and 20 S. They occur
during the period October to May and are very frequent between November to April.
Winds
The winds are in concordanta with monsoon, starting very strong in the period December to
March with the maximum height in January. The mean winds during this period are force 4
Beaufort. In April, the winds are becoming lighter and variable around all of the N area until the
onset of SW monsoon which starts in May and ends in October.
Squalls are a well known feature of Malacca Strait. Between April and November, squalls
also known as Sumateras, develop in Malacca Strait during the afternoon or over the night, moving
E affecting the W coast of Malaysia, lasting 1 to 4 hours.
Air temperature
The mean annual air temperature over the open sea is between 26 and 28C . The maximum
temperature over the coastal areas is 40 C while the lowest temperature is 17C. The air temperature
variation is very small throughout the year.
1.4.2
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It is known as a monsoon region with NE winds in winter more exactly, November to March
and SW winds during summer, from May to September.
Atmospheric pressure
In the South part the atmospheric pressure is constant of 1010 hPa while in North the pressure
reaches 1016 hPa during winter and a minimum of 1005 hPa in the summer. The variation is diurnal
with an amplitude of 3 hPa. The maximum variation is at about 1000 and 2200 local time while the
minimum is registered between 0400 and 1600, also local time.
Typhoons
Most of typhoons originate from E of the Philippine Islands and farther W in the South China
Sea. The speed of movement of typhoons is variable, usually between 5 and 15 knots, being even
less during recurvature. After recurvature, the speed increases to 25 knots.
The typhoons are rare in winter but their frequencies increases starting with May, being
located on latitudes greater than 10N. During July to September, their frequency increases to
maximum one per month.
Winds
The winds or monsoons are seasonal because of the pressure variation. NE winds prevail over
most of the area in winter and the SW monsoon is often during summer. Short periods of variable
winds in spring and autumn separates the two monsoons.
Air temperature
The maximum air temperature over the sea, 29.5 C, is registered during May and decreases
to 27 C in the Southeast part, respective 24C in the Northeast part in February. The annual
difference between sea and air temperature is about 1C while in the coastal area can reach to 4 C.
1.4.3
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General conditions
The East China Sea is a part of the Pacific Ocean being a marginal sea, east of China. This sea
is connected with the Sea of Japan and opens in the northeast part to the Yellow Sea. The climate is
monsoonal with cold NNW and NE winds during from October to March and hot SW to SSE winds
from June to the end of August.
Atmospheric pressure
The atmospheric pressure is variable, reaching 1022 hPa during January and 1006 hPa in July
increasing again to 1010 hPa at the beginning of September. Pressure pattern is dominated by the
Siberian anticyclone in winter creating strong
gradient.
Tropical cyclones
This storms are very often in the West part of the North Pacific Ocean being registered from
25 to 30 cyclones during the year. Most of them are formed
continuing on a N NW track reaching the toward the Chinese coast very often crossing the coast
line with a speed rate between 5 and 15 knots. The season can last from April to December with the
biggest frequency occurring between July and September.
Winds
The N winds of the winter monsoon last from October to March and the S winds of the
summer are present from June to August. In April and May, also known as transitional period, the
winds are tend to be lighter and variable tracking a North direction.
Air temperature
Over the open sea the temperature is very variable in February due to Siberian anticyclone,
varying between 0C in the North to 23C in the southest part. In August, because of the S airflow,
the temperature lies between 25C to 29C. The difference during the year between sea and air
temperature is about 1C.
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1.4.4
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Sea of Japan
General conditions
Sea of Japan, also named in South Korea the East Sea, is situated West from Pacific Ocean
and separates the Japanese Islands from Russia, North and South Korea. Because it is almost
entirely separated from the Pacific Ocean, the tide is nearly absent. The climate is characterized by
hot waters and monsoons.
Atmospheric pressure
The atmospheric pressure is variable with a tension of 1020 hPa in January and 1008 hPa
during July. There is a regular diurnal variation of 2 to 3 hPa reaching the maximum between 1000
and 2200 local time and minimum at 0400 to 1600 also local time.
Winds
Winds between W and N are dominate between November and March and with an average
strength of force 5. During the transition months of April and October the winds are variable and
slightly light. Strong to gale force winds are possible whenever a deepening depression tracks E to
NE across the area, and may veer from S to SE ahead of a depression to N NW.
Air temperature
In January the temperature varies between -6C and -13C in the North and -1 to -7 C in the
central areas, and increasing from 5 to 9 C in the far South. In July, the air temperatures for the
same areas are 8 to 11C , 10 TO 18c and 23 to 26 C. The ranges in temperature, between
summer and winter are greater in coastal areas than over the seas.
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