Of all disasters that can happen to a vessel at sea, fire is one of the most devasting. Marine fire incidents are very destructive and have been responsible for the loss of many lives. Ship fires are second only to shipwrecks when calculating casualities and total loss.



It can often be a single careless act that edangers the lives of all the crew. that is why every member of the crew has a part to play in preventing fires. This aplies not only to fire-fighting methods. There are a number of precautions crew members can take on a day-to-day basis to make the ship a safer place and prevent the break-out of fires. The main danger spots are machinery, galleys, accomodation and cargo spaces.

- Careless smoking is a common cause of fire on ships. Always put out cigarettes completely. Smoking and non-smoking areas must be clearly defined. Comply with no-smoking signs. No one should be allowed to smoke in a ship's hold or the engine-room.

- Cleanliness is important in all parts of the ship. Do not allow flammable waste to pile up or accumulate. This is a special risk in the engine room, where heated parts of the engine may give off sparks ingniting surrounding materials and where dirt, grease, raqs and cotton waste mights easily self-ignite, if they come in contact with each other.



- Keep oil away from hot surfaces which might ignite it - check that all feed pipes and joints are in good condition. Be careful when pumping oil to ready-use tanks - avid spillage or overflow which could lead to fire.

Every crew member has their own specific duties, and when the alarm goes everyoane immediately rushes to their station to carry out their tasks. All the rescu equipment on board has to fulfil the rules and regulations given in the SOLAS , The Convention for Safety of Life at Sea.
Evacuation and roll call:

- Evacuate all decks, rooms and space and report!
- All rooms, deck and spaces evacuated.

- Assembly station 1. This is Bridge. Report on number of crew at assembly station!
- Bridge. This is Assembly station 1. Number of crew members at station is not yet complete.

- Assembly station 1. This is Bridge. Search for missing crew member and report!
- Bridge. Assembly station 1. Missed crew member recovered.


Abandoning Vessel:

- Lifeboatmen! Chech the outfit of crew members at assembly stations and report!
- Outfit of crew is complete.

- Put on warm clothing - long trousers, head covering and report. Crew! Follow the lifeboatmen to the lifeboat stations and life-raft stations on the embarkation deck.
- Swing out number 1 and 2 lifeboats and report.
- Number 1 and 2 lifeboats swung out.

- Lower number 1 and 2 lifeboats alongside the embarkation deck. Enter the lifeboats via the deck. Hold on to your seats while launching.

- Throw overboard life-raft and report!
- Life-raft thrown overboard.

- Enter the life-rafts via the slides, ladder, nets and manropes. Jump onto the life-raft alongside the vessel. Clear the entranceof the life-raft. Jump into the water and enter the life-rafts. Assist helpless people. Sit down in the life-rafts immediately.

- Report on number of injured persons!
- No persons unjured

- Let go sea anchor and report!
- Sea achor is let go.

- Fire rockets for identification

- Connect the life-boats and rafts with lines and report!
- Life-rafts and lifeboats connected

Excuse the people from this picture but they are just training :D I also tried this method and it's very hard to go up in the raft.

The time proved to be one of the most secure knots, known from antiquity, and is used today by sailors.

The crew on a ship is divided into three departments:
The Master
The Deck Department
The Engine Department
The Stewards's Department

We will start with The Master
Involves an enormous responsability. The Captain is in charge of everything and everyone on board. He has complete responsability for running the ship while at sea and for the safety of the Crew, passengers and cargo. Whenever there is an emergency or a serious problem of any kind.



The Master of a ship is not actually a crew member. But he supervise the work of any other office or a crew member on board. Determine the possition communicate with other vessels operate and overhaul engines, perform maintenance, handle lines or operate vessel equipment of any kind.

The Master of a merchant vessel is the agent of the company that owns the ship. This means that he represents the company business in every operation both at sea and in port. A Captain has to be able to coordinate both of these aspects. All this involves quite a lot of paper work. When we are at sea, the bridge officers and the Captain maintain the Ship's Log and the records of the ship's movements. Then there are the Ship's Papers such as the Certificate of Registry, the Muster Roll or Crew List etc and the documents dealing with loading and unloading of the ship;
The Bill of Lading, the Cargo Manifest, the Stowage Plan, the Dangerous Goods Stowage Plan, the Loading and Discharging plan.

First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! I would like to finish this chapter about GMDSS:

DSC DISTRESS COMMUNICATION
DSC DISTRESS INFORMATION:
A distress alert by Digital selective call should include the following information:
· the nature of call is DISTRESS
· MMSI number of vessel in distress
· position of vessel in distress in coordinates
· position at TIME
· nature of distress
· suggestion for follow up communication ( voice or text)
NOTE:
· A distress call is always addressed at all stations.
· Voice communication always takes place on channel 16.
NATURE OF DISTRESS
The DSC apparatus has a menu including the following choices for nature of distress:
· fire, explosion
· flooding
· collision
· grounding
· listing in danger of capsizing
· sinking
· disabled and adrift
· undesignated distress
· abandoning ship
· piracy/armed robbery attack
· man overboard
· EPIRB

EXAMPLE - DISTRESS CALL DSC
Area A1 on VHF
The DSC shows the following information:
Format: DISTRESS
Distress ID 230136780 (MMSI number of vessel)
Postion: 59 23 N 020 36 E
Pos.UTC: 1345 UTC
Nature of distress: LISTING IN DANGER OF CAPSIZING
Telecom: TELEPHONY (F3E/G3E SIMPLEX)
Transmitted: Ch 70
EXAMPLE - DISTRESS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DSC
Area A1 on VHF
The Distress call is acknowledged by MRCC Turku:
The acknowledgement repeats the information in the Distress Call.
It is directed to and seen on the DSC apparatus by all ships in the vicinity.
Format: ALL SHIPS
From: 002301000
Category: DISTRESS
Telecom 1: DISTRESS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Distress ID: 230136780
Position: 59 23 N 020 36 E
Pos.UTC: 1345 UTC
Nature of distress: LISTING IN DANGER OF CAPSIZING
Telecom: TELEPHONY (F3E/G3E SINPLEX)
Transmitted: Ch 70
AFTER THIS FOLLOWS VOICE COMMUNICATION ON CHANNEL 16
DISTRESS MESSAGE
MAYDAY
This is 230136780
VERA
CALL SIGN JULIETT ALFA BRAVO CHARLIE
POSITION: 59º 23´ NORTH 020º 36´ EAST
Heavy leaking, danger of capsizing. Sea is rough.
Three men on board, five men in dinghy.
REQUEST: I require immediate assistance.
DISTRESS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
MAYDAY
VERA VERA VERA
Call sign Juliett Alfa Bravo Charlie
This is RESCUE CENTRE TURKU RESCUE CENTRE TURKU
RESCUE CENTRE TURKU
RECEIVED MAYDAY
Over
FOLLOWED BY A MAYDAY RELAY FROM THE RESCUE
CENTRE ON CHANNEL 16...
MAYDAY RELAY MAYDAY RELAY MAYDAY RELAY

ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
This is 002301000
Rescue Centre Turku Rescue Centre Turku Rescue Centre Turku
Following received from Vera Juliett Alfa Bravo Charlie at 1200 UTC on VHF channel 16 :
Begins
Mayday
This is Vera
Juliett Alfa Bravo Charlie
In position 59º 23´ NORTH 020º 36´ EAST
Heavy leaking, danger of capsizing. Sea is rough.
Three men on board, five men in dinghy.
REQUEST: I require immediate assistance.
Ends
Ships in area report to Rescue centre Turku
Over
DSC SAFETY COMMUNICATION
The following is an example of the MESSAGE STRUCTURE of a Safety Call with DSC by Turku
Radio. This call is seen by vessels in the area.
Format: All ships
From: MMSI NUMBER (002300230)
Category SAFETY
Telecom: TELEPHONY (F3E/G3E SIMPLEX)
Work Channel 16
Transmitted: Ch 70
It is followed by a safety call by voice communication sent by Turku Radio on VHF channel 16, so
that every vessel, even smaller ones without DSC will receive the warning. The safety message is
then read on the traffic channel:
SAFETY CALL ON CHANNEL 16:
SECURITÉ SECURITÉ SECURITÉ
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
THIS IS: MMSI NUMBER
NAME OF STATION 1 X:
NAVIGATIONAL WARNING
PLEASE SWITCH TO TRAFFIC CHANNELS
SAFETY MESSAGE ON TRAFFIC CHANNEL:
SECURITÉ SECURITÉ SECURITÉ
ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS
THIS IS: MMSI NUMBER
NAME OF STATION 1 X:
NAVIGATIONAL WARNING ….

DSC URGENCY COMMUNICATION
A vessel or a coast station can send an urgency call (Pan-Pan call) by DSC. The DSC call contains
information on which channel the voice communication will be read (Channel 16). The call can be
directed to all stations or directly to the nearest Maritime Rescue Centre.
A Pan-Pan message may be sent in, for example, the following situations:
· a person has fallen overboard and the ship needs help with search and rescue
· signals have been observed that might be distress signals
· when reporting on missing vessels
· if a person on board a vessel needs immediate medical assistance
· red rockets have been observed

EXAMPLE
The following is an example of an Urgency call to all stations by DSC:
A
Format ALL SHIPS
Category URGENCY
Telecom 1 TELEPHONY (F3E/G3E SIMPLEX)
Work Channel 16
Transmitted 70
A vessel can send an urgency call directly to the nearest Maritime Rescue Centre. Example of a
call sent to MRCC Turku:
B
Format SELECTIVE
Party ID 002301000
Category URGENCY
Telecom 1 TELEPHONY F3E/G3E SIMPLEX)
Work channel NONE
Transmitted CH 70
NOTE: when sending a DSC call to a Rescue Centre or Coast Station a vessel does not suggest
the working channel. This is done by the Coast Station or Rescue Centre.

5. WORKING CHANNEL
The one who sends a DSC call can suggest a working channel for continued voice radio
communication.
NOTE: When a vessel is calling a coast station it does not suggest a working channel. The coast
station announces which radio channel to continue on.


ROUTINE COMMUNICATION WITH DSC CALL
EXAMPLE 1
A RADIO MESSAGE FOR SUOMENLINNA COAST GUARD STATION
COMPARE THE FOLLOWING TO THE EXAMPLES SENT WITHOUT DSC:
A Russian yacht Marlene is approaching the Finnish coast on its way to spend a holiday partly in
Helsinki and partly by sailing in the Finnish archipelago. According to European union laws a
foreign pleasure boat must report for passport control when she has entered the territorial waters
of one of the member states. The Marlene is a luxury yacht and is linked to GMDSS and has DSC.
It is 12.30 at Suomenlinna Coast Guard Station on a fine summer day.
The DSC at Suomenlinna starts signalling and shows the following message:
Format: SELECTIVE
Party ID: 002300005
Category ROUTINE
Telecom 1 TELEPHONY (F3E/G3E SIMPLEX)
Work channel NONE
Transmitted CH 70
NOTE: Marlene does not suggest a working channel. In communication between ship and coast
station, it is always the coast station that determines the choice of working channel.
SELECTIVE directed to a specific station only
PARTY ID 002300005 the MMSI number of Suomenlinna Coast Guard Station

The Coast Guard station sends the following acknowledgement:
Format: SELECTIVE
Party ID: 273678951
Category: ROUTINE
Telecom 1: TELEPHONY (F3E/G3E SIMPLEX)
Work Channel: 74
Transmitted: Ch 70
Party ID 273678951 = the MMSI number of Marlene
Format SELECTIVE = directed towards one station
The Coast Guard Station suggests:
Work channel 74
After this Marlene CONTINUES BY VOICE COMMUNICATION on channel 74:
Calling Finnish Coast Guard Suomenlinna, Finnish Coast Guard Suomenlinna,
This is Russian vessel Marlene, JAAA,
Russian vessel Marlene JAAA,
On VHF channel 74.
Over.
Russian Vessel Marlene JAAA,
This is Finnish Coast Guard Station
Suomenlinna,
Over.
Finnish Coast Guard station,
This is Russian yacht Marlene,
My position is: Latitude: 59° 56.9´ N Longitude : 024° 56.3´ E
I am in the approach channel passing Helsinki Lighthouse. I am proceeding to the Coast Guard
Station for passport control. REQUEST: Please give instructions to reach Suomenlinna Coast
Guard Station. Over.
Marlene,
This is Finnish Coast Guard.
INSTRUCTIONS: Proceed along the fairway. Pass
Harmaja Lighthouse and proceed along the fairway
distance 1.6 miles. Take fairway depth 9.6, course 328°.
Proceed distance 0.8 miles. You can see the information
on your starboard side.
I repeat: Proceed along the fairway. Pass Harmaja
Lighthouse and proceed along the fairway distance 1.6
miles. Take fairway depth 9.6, course 328°. Proceed
distance 0.8 miles. You can see the information on your
starboard side. Over.
Finnish Coast Guard ,
This is Marlene.

UNDERSTOOD. I will proceed along the fairway and pass Harmaja Lighthouse. I will take fairway
depth 9.6, steering course 328°. I will proceed along the fairway distance 0.8 miles ahead. I can
see information sign on starboard side. THANK YOU AND OUT.
AS YOU NOTICED THE DSC CALL REPLACES THE INITIAL VOICE COMMUNICATION CALL
AND ANSWER ON CHANNEL 16. CHANGING TO A WORK CHANNEL ALSO HAPPENED VIA
DSC.
THUS A TRADITIONAL VOICE TRANSMISSION ON CHANNEL 16 DIFFERS SLIGHTLY IN THE
INITIAL STAGE BUT RADIO PROCEDURE IS OTHERWISE THE SAME.

GLOBAL MARITIME DISTRESS AND SAFETY SYSTEM (GMDSS) DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALL (1)
GENERAL
The GMDSS enables Maritime Rescue Centres and radio stations to keep automatic watch on the
distress channels. A ship equipped with a DSC apparatus can make a distress call by simply
pressing a button, which results in an automatic alarm signal at the maritime rescue centre nearest
to the vessel.
DSC can be used for all kinds of radio calls between ship-ship and ship-shore–ship. DSC calls are
made on channel 70, which means that any voice communication on this channel is not allowed.
The DSC call includes and shows the following information:
- Format or Type of Call
- Receiver or Party ID
- Call Category or Priority
- Telecommand
(follow-up radio communication)
- Working Channel
1. FORMAT OR TYPE OF CALL
One of the following are chosen on the DSC apparatus:
- distress alert / distress call in a distress
- all ships a call to all stations
- selective/individual a call to one station
(e.g. in routine calls)
- group a group of stations
- area / geographical call to stations in a
particular area

2. PARTY/RECEIVER ID (IDENTIFICATION)
The receiver of the call (Party ID) you can click either the Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)
number of the recediving station, a group call number or area call number. The MMSI always
contains nine digits.
Example of MMSI Number system:
MMSI Vessel Explanation
230252000 230 country code (Finland)
always three digits
252000 (ship’s number)
MMSI Coast Station Explanation
002301000 00 means coast station in general
230 country code (Finland)
number of particular coast station
1000 (Turku Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre)

3. CALL CATEGORY OR PRIORITY
- distress
- urgency
- safety
Routine Communication can be of two kinds:
- routine
- ship’s business

4. TELECOMMAND
This gives information on what kind of follow-up radio communication the sender wishes to have. It
also gives information on what kind of message the sender is giving. The most common
telecommand choices include:
- telephony G3E/F3E simplex
o voice communication on VHF
- distress acknowledgement
o request for acknowledgement of distress call
- distress relay alert
o request for relay of distress
- ship’s position
o request for a vessel’s position to be shown on DSC (routine call)

In ordinary English we use expressions like:
The fairway is 23 metres deep. The mast is 9 metres high.
In radio communication we use the following expressions:
First a noun denoting quantity or unit of measurement and after that the numbers.
For example:
Depth Fairway depth is: 6m. (six metres)
Distance Distance to scene of accident is 120 [one-two-zero] miles. (120 nautical miles)
Draught My draught forward is: 7.2 [seven decimal two] metres.
(7.2m)
Height Height of seas in the area is three metres… (3m)
Speed My speed is 15 [one-five] knots. (15 knots)
Temperature Temperature is 23 [two-three] degrees Celsius. (23°)
Tonnage DWT/deadweight tonnes
NRT/net tonnes
GRT/gross tonnes
My tonnage is 30,000 [three-zero-thousand] gross tonnes.
(30,000 tonnes)
VHF frequency
Ohima Maru, this is Bravery. Change to VHF channel 72 [seven-two]. Over. (VHF 72)
Visibility to one mile
Visibility at Helsinki Lighthouse is 500 [five–zero-zero] metres.
(500m)
Visibility over one mile
Visibility is 1.5 [one-decimal-five] miles. (1.5 nautical miles)
Weight kilograms/kilograms
tonnes/metric tonnes
Wind speed
Wind is Force 10 [one-zero]. (Indicating the Beaufort scale)
Wind is 23m/s [two-three metres per second].
Wind is 18 [one-eight] knots.


DATE AND TIME
Time UTC/universal time coordinated
local time
Time is given in UTC at sea, before entry to a port, harbour or other terminal facility.
Time is given as local time inside a port, harbour or other terminal facility.
Time: 1500 [one-five-zero-zero] UTC.
Notice how coast radio stations give date and time at the end of messages:
Pan-Pan Pan-Pan Pan-Pan.
This is Scheveningen Radio, Scheveningen Radio, Scheveningen Radio.
Following received from DIANA 5 call sign PDQE.
Message reads: Engine troubler in position 3 miles north of Northhinder lightvessel... Need
immediate tug assistance.
Date and time: 010138 UTC Scheveningen Radio.
01 = date: first day of the month
0138 = time: one thirty eight a.m. (in the morning)

VERY IMPORTANT !!!

Methods of giving a position
Which method to use:
1. Latitude and Longitude:
- when clear of land, when near a clear coast
- when geographical names may be confusing
Example: 30° 50' N 018° 25' 02 E
Position: Latitude: three-zero degrees five-zero minutes North;
Longitude: zero-one-eight degrees two-five decimal zero-two minutes East.
2. Bearing and Distance:
- when near land or sea mark
- when there is a possibility of charts with different datums being used
Notice that the correct order is bearing from…distance…
Examples:
My position is: bearing: one-niner-four degrees true from Cape Fantasia, distance one two
decimal four miles.
Oil clearance operations in position: bearing 160° [one-six-zero] degrees from Barwater Pier
distance four miles (160°; 4 nautical miles).
3. Reference to a Navigation Mark
- when approaching ports or harbours
Example: Position: I am approaching / passing / leaving Harmaja lighthouse.
Using Cardinal Points / North, South, East, West, also Northeast, Southwest etc., example:
Oil clearance operations east of fairway at Helsinki Ligthouse.
4. By Reporting Points
- in areas where reporting points have been marked on the charts
Example: I am approaching reporting point number 2.
NOTE: In a distress, safety or urgency situation the position is always to be transmitted in
the form in which it was observed!
NOTE: Bearings and courses are always given in three figures:
Pilot boat is bearing 215° (T) from you.
Buoy 030° on your port bow.
[Pilot boat is bearing two-one-five degrees true from you.]
[Buoy zero-three-zero degrees on your port bow.]
NOTE: Rudder angles in steering orders are given as follows.
Starboard 15! (fifteen, NOT five-one)
Port 20! (twenty)

RADIO CONVENTIONS AND TRANSMISSIONS OF LETTERS:

The phonetic alphabet must be used when giving call-signs, when spelling a word or when saying individual letters:

A Alfa
B Bravo
C Charlie
D Delta
E Echo
F Foxtrot
G Golf
H Hotel
I India
J Juliett
K Kilo
L Lima
M Mike
N November
O Oscar
P Papa
Q Quebec
R Romeo
S Sierra
T Tango
U Uniform
V Victor
W Whiskey
X Xray
Y Yankee
Z Zulu

Some common abbreviations spoken as initial letters:

ETA - Estimated Time of Arrival
ETD - Estimated Time of Departure
IMO - international Maritime Organization
SAR - Search And Rescu
UTC - Universal Time Co-ordinated
VHF - Very High Frequency

Some common abbreviations spoken as words:

AMVER - Automated Mutual Vessel system
IALA - International Association of Lighthouse Authorities
LASH - Lighter Aboard Ship System
RORO - Roll On-Roll Off

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The most important cable handling equipment aboard "The Cable Innovator" is the electrically operated cable laying drum with various tension devices. The drum diameter is 4m long and has fixed-angle fleeting rings and blades for controlling the cable work. It is equipped with a special A-frame for handling the plough used for cable burial in the seabed.

Furthermore, "The Cable Innovator" is equipped with an echo sounder and devices for measuring the length of the cable laid out. While laying cables, all main data are monitored, logged and printed out as a quality control.

The control system can also dispaly all data accounting for the tension of the plough tow cable when the vessel operates and can activate the alarm in case the cable tension gets too high. The vessel automatically reduces the speed.

When buried safely beneath the sea bed, the fibre optic communication cables constitute a vital part of our global telecommunication network.