ACTIONS TO

BE TAKEN
FOLLOWING
A COLLISION
Members: Baldon, Baldoza, Baylon,
Beriong, Berol, Besares, Buenavista,
Camariosa
 Even with the latest developments in
navigational equipment and
communication systems,collision
accidentsbetween ships continue to
occuraround the world.

Some of the main reasons for such

accidents are negligence,
incompetence and
miscommunication.
 ShipCollision just do not leave the
ships damaged; they can also lead to
major pollutions and claim several
innocentlives.

Notto forget the ill fated ferry MV

Dona PAZ, a Philippine registered
passenger ferry, that collided with MT
Vector an oil tanker on 20thDecember
1987 and killed 4386 lives including
11 crew members from MT vector.
Things to consider
1. INFORM THE MASTER AND
ENGINE ROOM:
This is obvious, but make sure you inform the
Master, if he is not on bridge.
Inform the engine room and stop the engine.

Theofficer on watch should not hesitate to call

the mastereven if he has the slightest doubt
about any given situation.
(The decision to stop the engine would depend on
the severity of the accident and immediate action
to be taken.)
 Masters experience, knowledge and his
overriding authority helps in making quick and
bold decisions to save lives. Once the master
takes over the command of the situation, act on
his orders. Mark the position of collision on chart
or by pressing the mob button on GPS for future
reference. Exhibit NOT UNDER COMMAND
(NUC) signal if the ship has lost its headway
completely.
2. IMMEDIATELY SEND DISTRESS
SIGNAL
Send designated or undesignateddistress
messagesthrough VHF ,MF/HF, SAT C or any
other available means, depending on the sea area
you are in and time limit you have.
If you have enough time inform the company and
the nearest coast radio station about the incident.
3. RECORD IMPORTANT DATA:
Record the time of ship collision, name and IMO
number of the vessel(s) you collided with. Waste
no time in arguing with other vessel.
Leave VHF channel 16 unoccupied, through
which, you can get necessary information
regarding assistance and help if the situation
demands.
Use any other VHF channel for inter/intra ship
communication. If possible, take a photograph of
the collision from a secure location.
4. SOUND THE ALARMS:
Sound the general emergency alarm;
generalalarm signalis sounded as precaution. It
should not be mistaken as a signal for
abandoning the ship.
Take attendance, if anybody is missing report the
same to the master. Inform the officer responsible
on muster station about the situation.
Make arrangements, to search and find the
missing person. The responsible officers and crew
should lower the life boats up to embarkation
deck and make all arrangements to abandon the
vessel at quick notice.
 It should be noted that engine room should not be
left unattended if the impact of collision is
minimal, which do not need an immediate
evacuation of the compartment. Also, the engine
roomin-charge should ensure all officers and
crew working in the engineroom are ready with
their life jackets and TPA ifimmediate
evacuation is required in the later stages.
5. ASSESS THE DAMAGE:
Send an officer responsible to the area where the
vessels have taken the impact. Inquire about the
percentage of damage occurred.
If the damaged area is an enclosed space, ensure
to take all necessary precautions, for enclosed
space entry. Make an assessment of the damage
and report the same to master.
Any decision should be taken by the master or if
the master is incapable of making decision or
carry out his duties, the person next to his
command should do so.
6. TAKE THE SOUNDINGS:
Send crew to take sounding of all ballast
tanks, fresh water tanks, and wing tanks.
Give instruction to engine room totake
soundingof all tanks in engine room.
All tanks soundings are to be taken and
recorded, because the tanks far away from
the impact can experience damage or
crack due the shock created by the
collision.
 Record the sounding of all tanks and
compare it with the previous sounding
data. If there is any change in the
sounding, there can be a crack or a hole in
the tank. The sounding of the particular
tank or tanks should be monitored
carefully and the rate of increase or
decrease in water should be calculated.
7. TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IN
CASE OF DAMAGE:
If any tank or tanks appeared to have suffered
damage and ingress of water is confirmed, make
necessary arrangements to pump out the water.
If the pumps are not effective and cannot contain
the ingress of water the whole compartment can
be sealed preventing other compartments from
being flooded.
If a self- closing water tight door is provided, it
should be operated from the bridge itself.
8. CHECK FOR OIL SPILL:
Ifany of the fuel tanks or oil tank is
damaged and if there is imminent
danger of oil spill. The procedures
mentioned in SOPEP plan should be
followed to contain the oil spill.
9. REACH THE NEAREST PORT, IF
POSSIBLE:
If the master attempts to correct adverse list or
trim, he should consider the effects of shear force,
bending movements, free surface effect when
transferring liquids and blasting and de-blasting
on the hull.
If the own ship to be afloat without danger and
engines are ready to maneuver, set course for the
nearest port for repair.
All the above mentioned duties have to be carried
out in a very quick sequence and with utmost
precision as collision can lead to other
emergencies simultaneously.
10. ABANDON THE SHIP ONLY IF
EVERYTHING ELSE FAILS:
f the own vessel appears to be sinking and
leaving no other choice except to abandon the
vessel, it should be a verbal order from the
master. It should be always kept in mind that a
ship is the best lifeboat.
The master and crew should always try and carry
out all necessary means to keep it afloat. But
once the decision is made to abandon the vessel,
no time should be wasted.
All crew should carry out their duties effectively
and escape from the sinking ship as quickly and
as far away as possible.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
Emergency Contingency Plan
Should a collision occur the Master
should immediately refer to the
Emergency Contingency Plan.

If
oil has escaped from the own or
the other vessel involved, the Master
must notify the appropriate
authorities immediately!
GENERAL
The Master has the overriding authority and
responsibility to make decisions with respect to
safety and pollution prevention.
MASTERS RESPONSIBILITIES
The Master should therefore be in overall
charge of decisions and should:
immediately initiate a damage
assessment
check the watertight integrity of the
vessel, and
ensure the safety of the crew and
passengers.
Reversing the engines after a
collision, but prior to an
initial damage assessment,
may have catastrophic results
as one of the vessels may
suddenly lose her buoyancy
and sink.
TheMaster is therefore
advised to ascertain the
extent to which the other
vessel needs assistance before
reversing the engines.
 Aftertaking the steps outlined
below, the Master should encourage
all witnesses on his/her vessel to
immediately record their
observations and memories of the
events leading up to the collision.

The Master should encourage

witnesses to give a true and accurate
account of the circumstances, even if
it is to the detriment of the vessel.
 Additionally, any photographs or
video taken by crew members should
be collected and retained. Suitable
initiatives by crew members who
have collected valuable evidence
could be rewarded.
 As radar sets are not always provided
with a data recorder, plotting sheets
should be kept and/or sketches made
of the radar observations prior to the
collision by those having been on
radar watch at the material time.

A record of how the radar settings and

data were used will also be helpful in
reconstructing the course and proving
that a proper radar watch was
maintained at the time.
Arecord of any VHF traffic between
the vessels involved or with shore
installations prior to the collision
should be provided in writing to
establish what information or
warnings of manoeuvres were
conveyed.
 Ifthe vessel is equipped with ECDIS
or other electronic sea charts, these
should be stored as soon as possible,
if this is not automatically done by
the system.
REPORTING
The Company, the P&I and Hull and Machinery
insurers and the local correspondents should be
informed immediately, providing the following
information:

name, IMO number, call sign of the vessel

name of the Company

date and time of the collision, local and UTC

(Co-ordinated Universal Time)

position/location of the collision
 any fatality/personal injury on board
pollution or risk of pollution
extent of damage sustained by the vessel
structural damage
damage to cargo
condition of the vessel (water ingress or
stable)
own vessels destination and ETA
the other vessels name, flag and call
sign
any fatality/personal injury on other
vessel
 extent of damage sustained by other vessel
structural damage
damage to cargo
condition of other vessel (water ingress or stable)
other vessels destination and ETA
amount of oil carried as cargo or fuel

escaped from own vessel and/or from other

vessel
any loss of cargo overboard as a result of the

collision impact
prevailing weather conditions at the time of

the collision (keep any weather records)

estimated angle of blow.
EVIDENCE TO BE COLLECTED
General inform
Date and exact time of the collision as recorded
on the bridge and any discrepancy between the
times noted by the bridge and the engine room,
local and UTC (Co-ordinated Universal Time)
position/location of the collision
courses (chart course, steered course, gyro and
magnetic compass) at the time of the collision
speed, propeller revolutions or propeller pitch of
the vessel at the time of the collisionation
 bow and/or stern thruster in operation and rate of
power switched to
was the helm in manual or automatic at the time of
the collision
rudder position at the time of the collision
any alteration to course and/or speed immediately
before the collision, including exact time of the
alteration
any communications, including orders given to the
engine room
any signals acoustic or visual given by the vessel
or heard from the other vessel prior to the collision
any communications between the vessel and the
other vessel and/ or between both vessels and shore
radio stations or traffic control centres
 if under pilotage, any communications between
the pilot and the vessels command, including the
helmsman, prior to the collision
if under pilotage, any communications between
the pilot, tugs or shore radio stations or traffic
control centres
navigation lights shown on the respective vessels
at the time of the collision
description of how the navigation lights appeared
prior to the collision and any changes
any compass and/or radar bearings/distances
taken and recorded between the vessels prior to
the collision
 any helm or engine manoeuvres before and after
the collision and the times of such manoeuvres
prevailing weather, wind, sea state, visibility
conditions at the time of the collision
tide and current at the time of the collision
draughts of the respective vessels at the time of
the collision
names and call signs of any other vessels having
witnessed the collision and their approximate
positions.
PERSONS INVOLVED
Name, rank, duties, whereabouts and contact details of :
all persons attending the bridge at the time of the
incident
any lookouts not on the bridge and their positions
any other eye witnesses to the collision
engine room personnel at the time of the collision
any person suffering a fatality or personal injury on
board
any person suffering a fatality or personal injury on
the other vessel
any pilot on board at the time of the collision, times of
embarkation/disembarkation.
DOCUMENTS TO BE RETAINED
Chart used (paper or electronic) do not tamper
with or erase any marks/data
deck logbook
bridge bell book or scrap log
engine logbook
engine bell book or scrap log
manoeuvre/course recorder printouts
deviation log
STCW records of working and rest hours of the
Master, officers and crew on duty.