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 […]
The Polar Code
Why polar navigation is regulated differently — and why compliance is not optional Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why Polar Waters Are Not “Just Cold Seas” Polar waters expose ships to compounded risk, not isolated hazards. Cold temperatures, ice, remoteness, limited charting, unreliable communications, and restricted SAR […]
Types of Sea Ice
Why recognising ice correctly matters more than simply seeing ice Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Not All Ice Behaves the Same From the bridge, ice often looks deceptively uniform.White, grey, or broken — it is tempting to treat it as a single navigational problem. In reality, ice […]
Ice Navigation
Why vessels that behave perfectly in open sea can become uncontrollable in ice within minutes Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Ice Is a Different Operating Medium Ice navigation is often misunderstood as normal navigation with colder temperatures.This assumption is one of the most dangerous mindsets a bridge […]
Oil Spill Response
Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Oil Spills Are Not Just Environmental Disasters Oil spills are often perceived primarily as environmental catastrophes, but their consequences are far-reaching, impacting financial, legal, and reputational standing as well. The immediate actions taken after a spill can determine how severe the environmental […]
Search & Rescue
Why SAR success depends more on preparation and coordination than heroics Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – SAR Is a System, Not an Event Search and Rescue is often imagined as a dramatic moment: a helicopter hover, a lifeboat alongside, survivors pulled from the sea. In reality, SAR […]
Emergency Response & Contingency
1. Grounding – Immediate Actions & Decision-Making Introduction Grounding is one of the most serious navigational incidents that a ship can face. The immediate actions taken by the crew can mean the difference between a manageable situation and a full-scale disaster. The first few minutes after grounding are critical — acting quickly, but carefully, is […]
Port State Control (PSC)
How ships really get detained — and how professionals prevent it Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. What Port State Control Actually Is Port State Control is not an audit, and it is not advisory. PSC is the enforcement arm of international maritime law when a ship enters a foreign […]