Extreme Weather Decisions Challenges and limitations for pilots

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Extreme Weather DecisionsChallenges and
limitations for pilots

• Capt. Chris Lefevere
• EMPA Secretary General

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Introduction - EMPA

• Non-profit organisation est.1968, Antwerp,
  Belgium
• Pilots from 25 countries EU Norway, Russia,
  Turkey, Ukraine
• Purposes of the association
• promote professional and safe pilotage,
• improve quality and safety standards for pilots,
• exchange experience and best practices regarding
  education and training, continued proficiency,
  operations, accident prevention.
• participation in research projects
• www.empa-pilots.org

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Contents

• Pilot boarding
• What Limits ?
• Limitations
• poor visibility
• wind
• high swell
• current
• ice
• New challenges
• Conclusions

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Pilot boarding
Safety !
1
2
3. Pilot remains on board till next port time
delay, shortage 4. Shore Based Pilotage
Assistance ?
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What limits ?

• Different Conditions Different Limits
• Port specific solutions
• Canal / Locks / Exposed-Sheltered / Sea-river /
• Ships type / size
• Equipment available
• Regulations issued by Port authorities and
  harbour masters
• Regular evaluation of existing limits
• Invest in research
• Who is best placed?
• Use local knowledge experience of
• pilots and all parties involved

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Limitations - Poor visibility (1)

• Pilot Boarding
• gtPilot boats radar, small pilot launches not
• gthelicopter winching visual
• Navigation
• gttechnology helps but has limitations
• AIS identification OK, navigation ?
• (D)GPS position OK but close quarter navigation
  ?
• Radar collision avoidance but technical limits
  ( clutter, small craft, )
• ECDIS voyage planning, navigation but
  reliability ?
• Shore Radar / VTMS monitoring and management
  traffic but limits radar communication
  technology,
• gt Also today navigation in poor visibility has
  its limits
• gt Ex. 2.000m for gas tankers, dangerous goods,
  special transports.

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Limitations - Poor visibility (2)

• Tugboats
• Risk making fast tug boats
• Risk girding fwd tug
• tug master best placed
• training pilots/tug masters reliable
  communication
• Manoeuvring / mooring
• Visual observation container cranes, quay,
  bridge, mooring boat
• gt move cranes, barges
• gt suspend operations below ? M
• Are prevailing weather conditions correctly
  integrated in limitations ?

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Limitations Wind
Large Lateral Surface
6.500m2
4.400m2
5.600m2

• Remedies
• Max. force 7 ( shipping company / port) ?
• Extra tugboat capacity available
• No delay, guaranteed docking min.speed

10.400m2
ULCS 14.500m2
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Limitations

• High Swell
• - Safe pilot embarkation
• - Steering / Mooring gt postpone manoeuvre,
• gt port infrastructure (vacuum mooring systems)
• Current
• - Steering / Mooring gt postpone manoeuvre,
• gt position and orientation docks/locks
• gt sufficient tug boat capacity
• Ice
• gt sufficient ice breaker capacity

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New Challenges
distance bollards
high bow
Very steep mooring lines - poor angle for
max.tension

• Remedies ?
• Additional bollards
• Prolonged tug boat assist.
• Vacuum mooring system

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Conclusions - Whats the point ?

• Why insist vessels should enter a port under
  extreme
• Conditions, exposed to higher risks, if port
  operations
• Are suspended anyway ?

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Conclusions

• Invest in new technology ( propulsion, tug boats,
  navigational equipment, etc. )
• Good planning of port infrastructure. Seek
  involvement pilots.
• There is not a technical solution for everything.
  Safe ship handling includes preset limits which
  should be based on risk analysis, know how and
  experience.
• Free of commercial pressure !
• Pilots reduce risk through recurrent training on
  simulators and manned models, use of PPU / POADSS
• Please, contact EMPA and local pilot
  organisations to further discuss
• extreme weather decisions