Lifeboat alarm - «ABANDON SHIP»

Продолжаем разбирать задание № 5 к экзамену. Часть II. Читаем внимательно тексты и отвечаем на вопросы.

Задание № 5. Answer the questions of your examiners.

 

Темы для устной речи билета (Speak about …)

1. Taking pilot aboard.

2. Safety system on board a ship.

3. The ship’s crew, its duties

4. Customs duties.

5. Duties of the officer on watch.

6. Responding to ship’s alarms.

7. Different types of ships.

8. Main particulars of the ship, her spaces and departments.

9. Process of anchoring.

10. Fire-fighting equipment, the fire alarm.

11. Responding to alarms “Abandon ship”, situation “Man overboard”.

12. Process of mooring.

13. Passing through narrows.

14. Shipboard training.

15. Family life. Biography.

16. Working experience. Carrier.

17. Advantages and disadvantages of the profession.

18. Prevention of pollution.

19. Safe working practice.

20. Plans for the future.

 

№ 2. Safety system on board a ship

The main documents we follow to provide safe working practice are:

ISM Code - The International Safety Management Code (The ISM Сode sets international standards for the safe management and operation of ship ashore afloat and pollution prevention).

SOLAS - International Maritime Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (It is an international maritime treaty which sets minimum safety standards in the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships),

MARPOL - International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships (It was designed to minimize pollution of the oceans and seas, including dumping, oil and air pollution. The object of this convention is to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances).

Safety system on board the vessel consists of: safe ship construction, all necessary documents concerning safety, well-trained crew, life-saving equipment, protective clothing.

- The main document which regulates safety on board the ship SOLAS Convention. (International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea. 1960 and 1974).

- Safety system consists of: ship alarms. There are 2 main alarms on board merchant ship. They are General and "Abandon ship" alarm.

The General alarm is followed by a description of a definite emergency and we act according to the Master’s list.

When we hear Abandon ship alarm we proceed to the master station and follow the Master’s orders.

We also have drills (учебные тревоги) on board according to the schedule.

- Special instructions, which members of the crew must follow in different situations. (e. g. fire-fighting instruction, lifeboat alarms instruction, abandon ship's alarm instruction,...).

- As to life-saving equipment we have life-jackets, immersion suits, life buoys, lifeboats, rescue boats and others.

- There are special safety signs-IMO SOLAS symbols and warnings.

- In accordance with the SOLAS convention seamen must have protective equipment and clothing, (protective suits, boots, gloves, breathing apparatus, helmet, ear plugs, ear muffs, safety belts, respirators...).

- The crew must follow daily safety rules on board the ship (they are written in the code of safe working practice). Safety at sea is the way of life.

- As to fire-fighting equipment we have fire extinguishers, fixed fire-fighting systems, fireman outfit (см. билет № 10).

- All standard life-saving equipment on board modem merchant ship can be divided into 2 main groups: personal life-saving appliances and survival craft. Survival craft (спасат. ср-ва) includes different types of life-boats and inflatable life rafts. They are used to save lives of crew members in emergency situation when they have to abandon the ship.

- Survival craft protects from water, wind, cold, sun, heat, helps in searching, preserves with rations and survival aids.

- There are also rescue boats.

- Standard life-saving appliances on board the vessel are life-jackets, immersion\survival suit, thermal protective aids and life-buoys.

- Life-jacket helps man to keep afloat in water. It is kept in the cabin and is ready to use. It takes a person 1 min to don it. The colour of it is orange or red, there is a whistle to give sound and light.

- In accordance with SOLAS convention shipping companies must provide crews with protective clothing and equipment and clothing, (protective suits, breathing apparatus, safety boots, gloves, goggles and face shields, ear plugs and earmuffs, helmets, respirators,...

The crew must follow daily safety rules on board the ship. They are written in Code of Safe Working Practice.

 

№ 10. Fire-fighting equipment, the fire alarm

1. There is a fire-fighting system on board every vessel.

2. It includes several fire-check points all around the ship.

3. On board the ship there must be fireboards with bar, axe, spade, extinguishers on it.

4. There are fire-fighting system cocks and hoses with nozzles on the deck.

5. There are boxes with sand on the decks.

6. The ship must have fire-extinguishing plants: sea-water, foam, CO₂.

7. The extinguishers must be in the engine room, on the decks and in all working spaces.

8. Members of the crew must follow daily safety rules.

9. There must be special warnings and signs on the ship.

10. There is a special Fire Team on the ship.

Your actions when:

Fire.

- raise sound the fire alarm.

- report to the bridge.

- close all doors and openings.

- protect myself from the fire (put on protective clothes, boots, gloves, breathing apparatus).

- go to the Muster Station.

- if anybody is missing I must inform about it.

- work according to the Muster list (судовое расписание).

№ 11. Responding to alarms “Abandon ship”, situation “Man overboard”.

№ 6. Responding to ship’s alarms.

Lifeboat alarm - «ABANDON SHIP»

1. On lifeboat alarm (seven short sound signals followed by a long signal) we must stop work and go to the muster station.

2. If possible we must put on warm clothes and boots.

3. We must don an immersion suit (life-jacket) before launching. If the time allows bring my identification papers.

4. Everybody must carry out the Commander's orders and tasks which may include me following:

a) Lower the lifeboat to the boat deck.

b) Enter the lifeboat.

c) Release the boat's lines (освободить концы).

d) Start the engine and clear the boat off the ship (отстранить шлюпку от судна), check if anyone is missing.

5. If somebody is missing we will initiate searching.

6. The chief-mate points the survival craft first to be launched and gives necessary orders.

7. We must report if assistance is required.

8. Launching of survival craft only upon the master's orders. Only master gives the order "Abandon ship". In his absence the chief officer will take command.

9. The engine must be stopped before launching.

10. We must stay in the area, use radio and signal equipment, keep a sharp look out.

Situation - “Man overboard”

Actions to be carried out:

1. Shout: “Man overboard”. 2. Release lifebuoy with light and smoke signal on the side the crew member has fallen overboard.
3. Sound three prolonged blasts of the ship's whistle and repeat as necessary.
4. Post a lookout with binoculars and instructions to maintain a continuous watch on the man overboard.
5. Hoist signal flag 'O'.
6. Note ship's position, wind speed and direction and time.
7. Inform master, if not already on the bridge.
8. Inform engine room.
9. Place engines on stand-by.
10. Muster rescue boat's crew.
11. Prepare rescue boat for possible launching.
12. Distribute portable VHF radios for communication.
13. Rig pilot ladder/nets to assist in the recovery.
14. Make ship's position available to radio room/GMDSS station.
15. Broadcast URGENCY message to ships in the vicinity.

№ 3. The ship’s crew, its duties (1)

 

There are two departments on board modern ships: the Deck Department and the Engine Department.

The Deck Department includes (включать) navigators, sailors, a boatswain, a doctor and a cook.

- The Master is responsible for the ship, her cargo and the crew, the safety of the ship. He must be well qualified and an experienced navigator.

- The Chief Mate is the head of the Deck Department. He is responsible for cargo operation.

- The Second Mate is responsible for safety.

- The Third Mate is responsible for charts correction and the navigational equipment.

- The navigators keep watch on the navigating bridge. They define the ship's position, plot the course on the chart, take bearings, transmit and receive radio telegrams, handle navigational instruments, navigate the ship.

- The Boatswain and sailors (AB, OS and cadets) are responsible for keeping the ship’s hull, holds and tackle in good condition. They also do cleaning, painting and repair work under the supervision of the Boatswain.

- The Doctor is responsible for the health of the crew and passengers.

- The Engine Department consists of (состоит из) the Chief Engineer, the Second, the Third, the Fourth Engineers; some motormen and electricians. They keep watch in the engine room, maintain, overhaul and repair the machinery, lubricate equipment in the engine room.

- The Сhief Engineer is head of engine department and is in charge of all the engine room;

- The Second and Third engineers are responsible for the main and auxiliary engines, fuel system, boilers arid auxiliary machinery.

THE SHIP’S CREW (2)

There is a lot of complex equipment on board modern ships so it is necessary to have skilled crews to operate the ships. The organization of the crew of a cargo ship is changing, but usually one can find at least two departments on such ships’: the deck department and the engine department.

The deck department includes navigators, radio-officers, a boatswain, sailors and a doctor. We call navigators according to their rank on board ship: the Master (Captain), the Chief Officer (First Mate), the Second Officer (Second Mate), the Third Officer (Third Mate), the Fourth Officer (Fourth Mate).

The Master is responsible for the ship, her cargo and the crew. He must be an experienced navigator.

The Chief Officer is the Master’s main assistant and the head of the Deck Department. He must be always ready to replace the Master and perform his duties.

All the navigators must keep watch on the navigating bridge. They may not leave it when on watch. The navigators relieve each other of watch every four hours. Every navigator must know how to define the ship’s position, plot her course on the chart and take bearings.

Radio officers keep watch in the radio-room and are responsible for radio-communications. There is often one or two Radio Officers on board ship, but on ships with continuous radio watches there may be even three radio officers.

A Boatswain and sailors must keep the ship’s hull, holds and tackle in good condition.

The Engine Department consists of the Chief Engineer, the Second, Third and Fourth Engineers, some motormen and two or three electricians. They keep watch in the engine- room and must maintain and repair its equipment.

Only well-qualified sailors can perform their duties properly that’s why the crews’ training is very important.

№ 8. Main particulars of the ship, her spaces and departments (1)

The main body of a ship is called a hull. The hull is divided into three main parts: the foremost part is called the bow; the rearmost part is called the stem; the part in between is called midships. The hull is the main part of the ship. This is the area between the main deck, the sides (port and starboard) and the bottom. It is made up of frames covered with plating. The part of the hull below water is the ship’s underwater body¹. The distance between the waterline and the main deck is the vessel’s freeboard. The hull is divided up into a number of watertight compartments by decks and bulkheads. Bulkheads are vertical steel walls going across the ship and along².

The hull contains the engine room, cargo spaces and a number of tanks. In dry cargo ships the cargo space is divided into holds. Openings giving access to holds are called hatches. In liquid cargo vessels the cargo space is divided into tanks.

At the fore end of the hull are the forepeak tanks, and at the after end are afterpeak tanks. They are used for fresh water and fuel. If a ship has double sides, the space between the sides contains wing tanks. The space between the tank top and the space contains double bottom tanks.

All permanent housing³ above the main deck is known as superstructure. Nowadays, cargo vessels are normally built with the after location of the engine room and bridge superstructure to gain more space for cargo⁴. The forward raised part of the deck is called the forecastle and its after raised part is the poop. On deck there are cargo handling facilities, such as cranes, winches, derricks etc. Ships having derricks also have cargo masts and cargo posts (or Samson posts) on deck.

Since a ship is supported by fluid pressure, she will incline in any direction in the process of loading according to the position of the weights placed on her. Therefore the ship’s position below water must be closely watched. The angle that a ship is making fore and aft with the water is known as trim. An extreme difference between the water levels at each end of the ship indicates bad loading. The levels are read by numbers painted on the ship’s stem and called draught marks⁵. A list or inclination from one side to another, caused by faulty loading⁶, is known as heel. In the course of loading load lines must be watched above all. The load lines are engraved⁷ and then painted on the both sides of ships. The divided circle on the left shows the depth to which the ship may be loaded in summer time. Below this line are, on the grid to the right, two lines. The one marked W means winter loading, the lower one marked WNA means the maximum depth to which the ship may be loaded if she is going across the North Atlantic in winter. The other marks above these are: T for tropical, F for fresh water. These lines are shown on the ship’s Load Line Certificate⁸. In case of overloading a ship, so that these lines are under water, the penalties are severe⁹.

Пояснения к тексту

1. ship’s underwater body — подводная часть корпуса судна;

2. across the ship and along — вдоль и поперек;

3. permanent housing — постоянные постройки;

4. to gain more space for cargo — чтобы выиграть больше места для груза

5. draught marks — марки углубления;

6. faulty loading — неправильная погрузка;

7. to engrave — (вы)гравировать;

8. Load Line Certificate — свидетельство о грузовой марке;

9. severe penalty — серьезное наказание; большой штраф.