Fuel Economy Assessment During Passage Planning: Operational Practices for Marine Engineers
Detailed guidance for marine engineers on assessing and optimising fuel economy during passage planning. Covers mechanisms, measurements, failure scenarios, troubleshooting, and best practices from cadet to chief engineer.
Chart Corrections and Updates in Voyage Planning: Operational Practice and Engineering Oversight
An in-depth, hands-on guide to chart corrections and updates as applied to marine voyage planning. Written for cadets to chief engineers, this article details the procedures, system mechanisms, monitoring, and troubleshooting required for safe, compliant operations.
Route Optimisation Algorithms for Long Voyages: Practical Engineering, Failure Modes, and Real-World Operation
A comprehensive technical guide written from a chief engineer’s perspective. This article covers the operational principles, mechanisms, and troubleshooting of route optimisation algorithms for long voyages. Includes best practices, real-world case studies, failure analysis, and shipboard safety for everyone from cadet to chief engineer.
How Navigation Systems Actually Fail
Why most navigation accidents begin quietly, long before the grounding or collision Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Navigation Systems Do Not “Break”, They Drift Navigation systems rarely fail in a dramatic way. There is almost never a moment where an officer looks at the bridge and says, […]
Emergency Response Planning for Oil Spill Response
Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – The Complexity of Oil Spill Response Oil spill response is a high-stakes operation requiring coordination, quick decision-making, and substantial resources. When an oil spill occurs, it can have devastating environmental, economic, and social impacts, which is why timely and effective response measures […]
Dynamic Positioning (DP) Case Studies & Lessons Learned
Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – The Cost of Complacency Dynamic Positioning (DP) is often hailed as a sophisticated system designed to keep vessels stationary in even the harshest conditions. While DP systems are effective, they are not infallible. Case studies involving DP failures often highlight that while […]
DP Class
Why DP class does not mean what many operators believe it means Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why DP Class Is Often Misunderstood Dynamic Positioning class is commonly treated as a badge of safety. “DP2 vessel” is spoken as though it represents immunity from loss of position. […]
DP Failure Modes & Escalation Pathways
Why DP incidents rarely start where they end Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – DP Failures Are Almost Never Singular Dynamic Positioning failures are often described using a single technical cause: blackout, thruster failure, sensor error. This is misleading. In reality, DP incidents unfold through escalation pathways — […]
Dynamic Positioning (DP)
Why DP is not automation — it is controlled instability Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – What Dynamic Positioning Really Is Dynamic Positioning is often described as a system that “holds a vessel in position”. That description is misleading. DP does not hold a ship still.It continuously loses […]
Canal Navigation
Why canals turn small margins into catastrophic failures Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why Canals Are Not Just Narrow Seas Canals are engineered waterways, not natural seas. They remove the freedom that ships rely on at sea: lateral space, depth margin, speed flexibility, and recovery distance. In […]