{"id":10638,"date":"2012-04-18T07:23:37","date_gmt":"2012-04-18T07:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.168.1.14\/index.php\/2012\/04\/18\/case-study-23-lines-in-the-water\/"},"modified":"2025-09-01T01:21:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T17:21:47","slug":"case-study-23-lines-in-the-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/andrewliu.com.hk\/zh\/case-study-23-lines-in-the-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Lines in the water"},"content":{"rendered":"

 \"pdf\" ENG<\/a>   \"pdf\" \u4e2d\u6587<\/a><\/p>\n

The Captain was apparently ready to leave port with his 26 000GT fully laden containership, bound for Rio de Janeiro. After the completion of all tests of machinery and navigational equipment, the vessel started to single up lines. The pilot boarded the vessel and one tug was assigned to assist with the departure. The tug fastened two ship lines on the aft of the ship, and soon after the tug and the ship’s bow thruster moved the ship in aparallel direction to the pier.<\/p>\n

Both the pilot’s and the Master’s intention was to make a turn to starboard into a fairway channel. When the ship was about 50 metres away from the pier, the towing lines were suddenly released from the tug’s hook \u2013 without the bridge team instructing to do so nor having been notified of the intention to do so.<\/p>\n

A few seconds later and after a conversation in the local language between the pilot and tug Master, the Master ordered to let go of the tug. This order was confirmed by the pilot immediately thereafter. In reply to the order the third officer, who was stationed at the aft station advised the bridge that the towing lines had already been released by the tug before the order was given. At that moment, the engines were stopped and the propeller idle. The aft station now started to heave lines in order to get the lines out of the water and away from the propeller area. In the meantime the Master used the bow thruster at full to port to keep the vessel away from the pier.<\/p>\n

The tug had now shifted position to starboard side and started pushing as ordered.<\/p>\n

The towing lines in the water, left by the tug, were caught by the strong current and went underneath the stern. The crew on the aft station were not able to pull the lines out and recover them from the water, the 2 lines were eventually blocked. When the Master heard this he did not attempt to set the engine telegraph to “Dead slow ahead” and the engines remained stopped and propeller idle.<\/p>\n

After a successful turn into the channel, the Master ordered that the engines be shut down and to rotate the propeller shaft by means of turning the gear hoping that this maneuver would release the blocked lines. However, after several attempts it became clear this would not succeed and that professional help was required. The Master decided to put the ship alongside again and 30 minutes later the ship had all lines fastened to the pier again.<\/p>\n

A diving company was hired to assess the situation and it was then discovered that the two lines were stuck in the propeller. The ship was delayed for 4 days while retrieving the line from the propeller shaft.<\/p>\n

Keywords for discussion:<\/p>\n