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Emergency Contingency Procedures ECP Loss of Stability |
Doc No.: ECP 05-06
Revision: 01 Date: 15 Oct 2024 Issued by: DPA Approved by: MD |
5.6. LOSS OF STABILITY
Collision and adverse weather at time may lead to situations such as flooding or shifting of cargo. This in turn may cause change in vessel’s stability requiring immediate action by ship staff so as to avoid developing an imminent danger of capsizing or sinking.
5.6.1. Immediate Action
| Sr. No. | Action | Responsibility | Y/N |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inform company soonest and alert shipping & nearest coast station if required. | Master | |
| 2 | Close all ports and openings to prevent water from flooding into the ship. | Commander On Scene | |
| 3 | If there is a sign of negative initial stability, fill possible slack bottom tanks, one at the time, the narrowest tank first. | Master | |
| 4 | In order to improve stability, remove weights above the centre of gravity (like jettison of deck cargo, discharge top wing tanks); bottom tanks may be filled even if the free board is reduced. | Master | |
| 5 | Only when the vessel has a positive initial stability correct the angle of heel by removing weights from high level in the low side compartment. Alternatively, add weights at the high side in a low-level compartment in order to improve stability. | Master & C/O | |
| 6 | If the ship has sufficient stability, counteract the angle of heel by filling of one tank at a time. | C/O | |
| 7 | If there are leakages in several tanks/holds, start discharging from the hold/tank which has the least leakage. | C/O or C/E | |
| 8 | Reduce speed to avoid extra stress on the damaged hull. Adjust the course so that heaving, and pitching are reduced to minimum. Avoid the use of large rudder angles. | Master | |
| 9 | Correct trim only after evaluation of the risk of exceeding the longitudinal stresses of the ship. | C/O |
5.6.2. Important Factors to Consider
| Sr. No. | Action | Responsibility | Y/N |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Filling of water in cargo holds will reduce the stability due to the negative effect of the free surface and should be avoided. | ||
| 2 | Trimming from one tank to another should be avoided, because of the free surface in two tanks. | ||
| 3 | If there are leakages in several tanks/holds, start discharging from the hold/tank which has the least leakage. Only when it is determined that leakage may be controlled by the pumps, extra pump capacity may be used for the tank/hold with the second least leakage. This will ensure maximum utilization of available pump capacity. | ||
| 4 | If hull damages are extensive, head for nearest harbour. To get assistance to evaluate the consequences of the damage and the possibilities for keeping the situation under control, consult the Company and the classification society. |
5.6.3. Record Keeping
(a) In case of any damage or suspicion of damage, consider lodging a note of protest with the harbor master in the next port.
(b) C/O and C/E are responsible for maintaining all relevant records such as:
- Loading/discharging of water ballast, tank wise
- Internal transfer of fuel/cargo with volume/weight
- Stability/Stress calculations with loadicator printouts, if applicable
Note: Tankers should activate Emergency Technical Assistance Service, a 24-hour help provided by the Class as per the agreement of the company.