Initiation of search and rescue operations in respect of a vessel whose position is unknown
In the event of an emergency phase being declared in respect of a vessel whose position is unknown, the following shall apply:
1. when a rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre is notified of the existence of an emergency phase and is unaware of other centres taking appropriate action, it shall assume responsibility for initiating suitable action and confer with neighbouring centres with the objective of designating one centre to assume responsibility forthwith;
2. unless otherwise decided by agreement between the centres concerned, the centre to be designated shall be the centre responsible for the area in which the vessel was according to its last reported position; and
3. after the declaration of the distress phase, the centre co-ordinating the search and rescue operations shall, if necessary, inform other appropriate centres of all the circumstances of the state of emergency and of all subsequent developments.
Passing information to vessels in respect of which an emergency phase has been declared
Whenever applicable, the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre responsible for search and rescue operations shall be responsible for passing to the vessel for which an emergency phase has been declared, information on the search and rescue operation it has initiated.
Co-ordination when two or more parties are involved
Where the conduct of operations over the entire search and rescue region is that responsibility of more than one Party, each Party shall take appropriate action when so requested by the rescue co-ordination centre of the region.
Termination and suspension of search and rescue operations
Uncertainty phase and alert phase:
When during an uncertainty phase or an alert phase a rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre, as appropriate, is informed that the emergency no longer exists, it shall so inform any authority, unit or service which has been activated or notified.
Distress phase:
When during a distress phase a rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre, as appropriate, is informed by the vessel in distress or other appropriate sources that the emergency no longer exists, it shall take the necessary action to terminate the search and rescue operations and to inform any authority, unit or service which has been activated or notified.
If during a distress phase it has been determined that the search should be discontinued the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre, as appropriate, shall suspend the search and rescue operations and so inform any authority, unit or service which has been activated or notified. Information subsequently received shall be evaluated and search and rescue operations resumed when justified on the basis of such information.
If during a distress phase it has been determined that further search would be of no avail, the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre, as appropriate, shall terminate the search and rescue operations and so inform any authority, unit or service which has been activated or notified.
On-scene co-ordination of search and rescue activities
The activities of units engaged in search and rescue operations, whether they be rescue units or other assisting units, shall be co-ordinated to ensure the most effective results.
Designation of on-scene commander and his responsibilities
When rescue units are about to engage in search and rescue operations, one of them should be designated on-scene commander as early as practicable and preferably before arrival within the specified search area.
The appropriate rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre should designate an on-scene commander. If this is not practicable, the units involved should designate by mutual agreement an on-scene commander.
Until such time as an on-scene commander has been designated, the first rescue unit arriving at the scene of action should automatically assume the duties and responsibilities of an on-scene commander.
An on-scene commander shall be responsible for the following tasks when these have not been performed by the responsible rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre, as appropriate:
Determining the probable position of the object of the search, the probable margin of error in this position, and the search area;
Making arrangements for the separation for safety purposes of units engaged in the search;
Designating appropriate search patterns for the units participating in the search and assigning search areas to units or groups of units;
Designating appropriate units to effect rescue when the object of the search is located; and
Co-ordinating on-scene search and rescue communications.
An on-scene commander shall also be responsible for the following:
Making periodic reports to the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre which is co-ordinating the search and rescue operations; and
Reporting the number and the names of survivors to the rescue co-ordination centre or rescue sub-centre which is co-ordinating the search and rescue operations, providing the centre with the names and destinations of units with survivors aboard, reporting which survivors are in each unit and requesting additional assistance from the centre when necessary, for example, medical evacuation of seriously injured survivors.
*To be concluded next week
SHIPTALK: A GLOSSARY OF SHIPING AND MARITIME TERMS
ASTERN – Behind or a backward direction in the line of a vessel’s fore and aft line. When a vessel moves backwards it is said to move astern; opposite to ahead.
AUTOMATIC PILOT – An instrument that controls automatically a vessel’s steering gear to enable her to follow a pre-determined track through the water.
BARGE – Flat-bottomed boat for carrying cargo on protected waterways, usually without engines or crew accommodations. On inland river systems barges can be lashed together and either pushed or pulled by tugs and handle cargo of 60,000 tonnes or more. Small barges for carrying cargo between ship and shore are known as lighters.
CLEAN SHIP – Refers to tankers which have their cargo tanks free of traces of dark persistent oils, which remain after carrying crudes and heavy fuel oils.
COMPLEMENT – The number of officers and crew employed upon a vessel for its safe navigation and operation.
DAVITS – Two radial cranes on a ship which hold the lifeboats, which are used to lower and lift lifeboats.
DECK LOG – Also called Captain’s Log. A full nautical record of a ship’s voyage, written up at the end of each watch by the deck officer on watch. The principal entries are: courses steered; distance run; compass variations, sea and weather conditions; ship’s position, principal headlands passed; names of lookouts, and any unusual position, principal headlands passed; names of lookouts, and any unusual happenings such as fire, collision, and the like.
DISABLED SHIP – When a ship is unable to sail efficiently or in a seaworthy state as a result of engine trouble, lack of officers or crew, damage to the hull or ship’s gear.
DOUBLE BOTTOM – General term for all watertight spaces contained between the outside bottom plating, the tank top and the margin plate. The double bottoms are sub-divided into a number of separate tanks which may contain boiler feed water, drinking water, fuel oil, ballast, etc. Now becoming common on all tankers.
DUNNAGE – A term applied to loose wood or other material used in a ship’s hold for the protection of cargo.
FREIGHT FORWARDER – A person or persons who represents the cargo owner and who arranges shipments for that owner.
INTERNATIONAL WATERWAYS – Consist of international straits, inland and interocean canals and rivers where they separate the territories of two or more nations. Provided no treaty is enforced both merchant ships and warships have the right of free and unrestricted navigation through these waterways.
NVOCC – Non Vessel Operating (Common) Container Carriers – a carrier issuing bills of lading for carriage of goods on vessels that he neither owns nor operates.
PURSER – A ship’s officer who is in charge of accounts, especially on a passenger ship. Nowadays referred to as the Hotel Manager of most cruise ships.
WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT
09.01.2010:
1915 LT: Posn: 12:01.1S – 077:13.0W, Callao anchorage, Peru.
Eight robbers in two boats boarded a vehicle carrier at anchor. Duty officer noticed the robbers on the forecastle deck and raised the alarm. On hearing the alarm the robbers escaped in fast boats. Ship stores stolen. Port control informed.
9.01.2011:
0400 UTC: Posn: 17:42N – 057:17E, around 152nm ENE of Salalah, Oman,(Off Somalia).
Armed pirates in skiffs fired upon and boarded a dhow underway. They took hostage 14 crewmembers and hijacked the vessel.
10.01.2011:
2241 UTC: Posn: 14:31N – 042:29E, 31nm NE of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, Southern Red Sea.
Armed pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Master increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and managed to evade the attempted boarding.
11.01.2011:
1315 UTC: Posn: 14:00.7N – 067:24.3E, around 380 nm west of Mormugao, India. (Off Somalia).
Seven pirates armed with rifles chased and attempted to board a tanker underway. Master increased speed and carried out evasive manoeuvres. After chasing for about 30 minutes, the pirates aborted the attempt. Vessel and crew safe.
12.01.2011: 1453 UTC: Posn: 15:11N – 058:18E around 270 nm NE of Socotra island, (Off Somalia).
Four pirates in two skiffs boarded a general cargo ship underway. It was reported that the crew were in lockdown in a citadel. A boarding team from warship boarded and searched the ship for the pirates and the crew. The boarding team could not locate the crew or the pirates. It is believed that the pirates abandoned the ship but removed the six crew members from the ship and transferred them to a fishing vessel which itself was hijacked on 25 December off Madagascar. A warship remains in the area until owners send a tug a tow the ship to a safe port. View
13.01.2011: 0914 UTC: Posn: 13:50.0N – 056:45.0E: around 150 nm NE of Socotra island, (Off Somalia).
Four pirates armed with guns and RPG in a skiff chased and fired upon a tanker underway. The tanker took evasive manoeuvres and enforced preventive anti piracy measures and evaded the boarded. View
13.01.2011: 0430 LT: Posn: 01:18.1N – 104:12.14E: Tg Ayam, Malaysia.
Four robbers armed with a gun and knives boarded a product tanker at anchor. They entered the engine room and threatened the duty engineer who managed to escape and inform the officer on bridge. Alarm raised and crew mustered. Robbers escaped without stealing anything.
“My Life As a Pirate”: The story of Pirate Hussein Carab
Two out of the 10 Somali pirates on trial in Hamburg for hijacking a German container ship testified for the first time last week. Their stories provided a glimpse of the hardships of life in their lawless homeland.
The accused, Hussein Carab M. politely thanked the court and those present for their attention before describing the hardships that led him to join up with pirates. He claimed that he was six years old when his parents were killed by a grenade in the chaos of Somalia’s civil war, and then spent his childhood traumatized, and on his own.
Now a father himself, M. said he fears most for the safety of his son, given the mortal danger in which they have constantly lived. He claimed his son was kidnapped by a man to whom he owed about $1,100 (€848). He said he wanted to pay the man off using his cut from the ransoms he and fellow pirates planned to demand for the hijacked ship and crew.
Instead, M. and nine others were arrested by a Royal Dutch Navy special-forces unit after a failed raid on the German container ship, Taipan, and brought to Hamburg for trial. That was nine months ago. On Monday, M. and one of his fellow accused pirates had their day in court.
Since his arrest, M. said he has been living with the uncertainty about his son’s fate, making him depressed and unable to eat. He said he could even give the court the name of the man who is holding the child. When prison officials noticed his condition, he said, they asked him if he was thinking about taking his own life, but they could not understand his reply.
M. asked the court on Monday to give him the chance to make a phone call so he could inquire about his son. “I am deeply sad and don’t know how to go on”, he said, beginning to cry.
Militias Rule the Streets
The testimony of Abdi Yussuf K. gave a glimpse of living conditions in war-torn Somalia, one of the most dangerous countries in the world. It has no government, police force or functioning judicial system. Brutal militias rule the streets.
Abdi Yussuf K. did not speak himself, his lawyer Jan-Henrik Heinz read out the fisherman’s statement. The Somali had repeatedly claimed to be 20 years old — possibly so he could still be tried as a juvenile. However, three doctors had analyzed x-rays of his teeth, collar bones and hand bones, and had come to the conclusion that he was considerably older than he said — possibly as old as 30 or 40.
The accused pirate asked his lawyer to say on his behalf that he did not know his exact age: “We don’t record age where I come from, and it is also not important.” He said he thought he was 20 years old. “But after my examination, I no longer think I am 20. I believe what the experts say.”
‘How Would They All Survive?’
Abdi Yussuf K. claimed to have two wives and five daughters, and said that as a day-laborer fisherman he was no longer able to find work on a boat, thanks to depleting fish stocks, and couldn’t find any other work. “How would they all survive?” he asked.
The Somali said that he had often watched the pirate boats as they anchored by his village to load up on water and provisions. He claimed he knew one could earn between $3,000 and $5,000 for a successful pirate raid, and that he decided to join one.
Because spots on a pirate ship are in high demand he allegedly promised a part of his earnings to a man from his village who had a good relationship with the pirates. He said there were non-Somalis on the boat as well, apparently Indian crew members who had been kidnapped during an earlier raid. These men had led the pirates to the busiest shipping areas in the hope of being set free, according to K.
Each member of the pirate crew was allegedly assigned a particular task. K. said his job was to scoop water out of the boats with a bucket. “I had nothing to do with weapons,” he said. But he did not want to betray any friends by revealing who had done the shooting. He claimed that nothing was supposed to happen to the crew of the targeted ship, and that he had neither seen the rocket-propelled grenade being hoisted on the shoulder of one of the pirates upon spotting the Taipan, nor heard the corresponding bang.
He said he bailed water from the belly of one of the two boats — each containing a crew of five — that sped across to the Taipan, then tied the boat to the ship and climbed on board. They apparently searched in vain for the ship’s crew until a Dutch navy helicopter appeared. K. said he then ran straight into the arms of the soldiers, surrendered himself and lay down on the deck.
At the end of the session, Judge Bernd Steinmetz asked the defendant if the text presented by his lawyer, and translated in Somalia, was K.’s own explanation. K. then spoke his first word of the day: “Yes.”
Tanker Sinks in Japan
A 499-tonne tanker transporting flammable chemicals sank off the coast of Niigata Prefecture, Japan, on January 9. One crewmember is confirmed dead and the captain is missing, according to the Kyodo News Agency.
The tanker, ‘Seiyoh’, had a crew of five and was carrying 1,000 tonnes of vinyl acetate monomer from Oita to Niigata port. The vessel capsized in the Sea of Japan after being buffeted by 36kph winds and nearly four-metre waves.
The crew said that they had to abandon ship before calling on the Japan Coast Guard because water flooded the engine compartment and the vessel was listing badly.
A patrol ship rescued four crewmembers. Two patrol ships and a helicopter have been launched to find the captain.
Incredible: British Engineers Develop ‘Laser Brains’ To Fight Piracy
British engineers are developing a new type of defence system that uses lasers to incapacitate pirates by dazzling them as they approach a ship.
The non-lethal weapon, which has been developed by defence company BAE Systems, is effective against moving targets more than a mile away.
The company has started developing the laser in response to the growing threat from pirates to commercial vessels, particularly off the coast of Somalia where there have been several high profile hijackings.
The device effectively hides the vessel carrying it in a bright green glare from the laser, forcing the pirates off course and leaving them unable to aim their weapons accurately.
“We are using the laser as a kind of dummy sun that we can hide the vessel behind,” said Roy Clarke, BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre.
“As you go up in power with a laser, you get to a point looking at it creates a big bright light that dominates everything in your field of view.”
BAE has conducted trials on the laser at the Pershore Laser Trials Range in Worchester.
It can work in day light as well as night by directing a concentrated three foot wide beam of bright green light at a target which can temporarily dazzle anyone who looks at it.
The system is being developed so that it can be used with high frequency surface radar that can pick up the kind of fast small vessels used by Somali pirates.
The system would then automatically direct the laser towards the target. It can also rapidly fire beams at multiple targets to produce an intensive flickering effect that increases the dazzle affect.
The laser uses powers within the safety limits that do not cause blindness in case the system mistakes an innocent vessel as a threat.
Bryan Hore, the head of BAE Systems new antipiracy arm, said: “We have started to look at the piracy issue over the past 18 months due to the increasing threats to vessels around the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
“The laser provides a secondary capability over larger distances as it can act like a warning.
“Pirates approaching a vessel rely on the element of surprise, so by detecting those vessels and directing a laser onto them more than a kilometre away, it provides a clear signal to them.
“As the pirates come closer to about 400 or 500 metres of the ship, the power of the laser can be increased so that it affects their concentration and distracts them.
“We are also going to look at how different patterns and flickering can increase that affect.”
It comes after it emerged the British military command post running naval operations against Somali pirates is threatened with closure under cost cutting plans.
More than 600 sailors are currently thought to being held hostage by Somali pirates, who have hijacked 47 vessels this year. There were 440 piracy incidents worldwide in 2010 and 51 hijackings.
But the pirates are not just targeting commercial tankers and cargo ships. British couple Paul and Rachel Chandler were held for more than a year when a gang of pirates snatched them from their yacht as they made a round the world trip.
The laser, which will have to be approved for use under the UN’s protocol on blinding laser weapons before it can be deployed on ships, could also be mounted on smaller yachts to help protect them from being targeted.
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