1. Emergency

Steering Gear Failure

• at sea

2. Application

• Shorebased Organisation

• All Ships

3. Situations and Action on Board

1. On the Bridge

Situation	Respon­sibility	Action	Comments
Changing over of Rudder Pumps	Officer of the watch	Changes over to other rudder pump set ; observes functioning of rudder; changing over to hand rudder
Traffic	Officer of the watch	If in danger of colliding with another ship: Stop engine ! Audial signal: Attention ! ___ Day: two black balls Night: two red round-about lights Fog: _ • • When obstructed, SECURITE message via VHF channel 16
Emergency Rudder Operation	Navigation Officer	If rudder cannot be operated via rudder pumps, send two men to steering gear room, have emergency rudder operation prepared. Establish and maintain permanent intercommunication with bridge	Walkie-Talkie
Position	Officer of the watch	Establishes and records position and time	Scrap log
Informing Engineroom	Officer of the watch	Under all circumstances discusses situation with engineer of the watch	Telephone
Informing Master	Officer of the watch	Reports situation to Master	Telephone
Informing Chief Engineer	Master	Discusses situation and agrees action with Chief Engineer, supplies Chief Engineer with walkie-talkie. (In case steering orders communicated via walkie-talkie, use alternative channel for other communication)	Telephone Walkie-Talkie

Situation	Responsi­bility	Action	Comments
Anchoring	Officer of the watch, Master	Given sufficient depth of water: Prepare to drop anchor. Master in charge of anchoring manoeuvre	Anchor
Rudder blade inoperative	Master	If rudder blade lost or blocked at 0° angle: on open sea and without major traffic: proceeds at slow speed ahead, tries to steer with bow thruster. ship without bow thruster: proceeds at half speed, pays out mooring lines through hawser ports at stern, using winches, tries to steer by changing length of lines. Winchman acts as helmsman (=ensure communication with bridge).	Bow thruster Mooring lines
Dangerously inshore	Master	If unable to throw anchor, requests tug assistance immediately, in case of need sends distress signal.	VHF, SW
Announcement	Master	Makes announcement via intercom.
Weather Report	Navigation Officer	Obtains weather report / forecast
Proceeding to port of refuge	Master	If unable safely to make port of destination, endeavours to reach port of refuge. If considered advisable, accepts tug assistance to make port.
Documentation	Master	Records incidence and writes report.	Ship's log, voyage report
Information of headoffice	Master	If ship delayed, advises headoffice. Requests assistance concerning despatch of spare parts and repair service	Telephone Fax

2. Engineroom

Situation	Responsi­bility	Action	Comments
Reporting to Bridge	Engineer of the watch	Reports breakdown to bridge immediately	Telephone
Engine ready for manoeuvring	Engineer of the watch	Puts engine at manoeuvring speed; reports to bridge	Telephone
Informing Chief Engineer	Engineer of the watch	Informs Chief Engineer about situation	Telephone
Investigation of cause	Chief Engineer, Engineer of the watch, Electrician	Investigate cause of steering gear breakdown Take immediate action to protect situation Inform bridge	Telephone
Continuing voyage with rudder inoperative	Chief Engineer and Master	If necessary spare parts not on board: endeavour emergency repairs and investigate possibility to continue voyage (case need, port of refuge).
Information of headoffice	Master Chief Engineer	Appraise headoffice of situation and of prospects.
Spare parts	Master Chief Engineer	Investigate chances to obtain spare parts from ashore
Repairs	Engine Crew	Carry out repairs
Documentation	Chief Engineer	Records incidence and writes report	Engine log Engine report
At next port	Chief Engineer, Master	Request P&I survey. Request confirmation of class.

4. Training on Board

• Daily rotation of steering gear pump sets

• Changing over to emergency rudder operation, practise steering with emergency rudder operation, practise communication with bridge

• Keeping time from failure of rudder through preparation and actual operation of emergency rudder. Compare with similar exercises. Every officer of the watch should know these times.

• Practise steering with bow thruster (Master), e.g. whilst in estuary. Establish maximum speed for safe steering with bow thruster.

5. Situations and Action Ashore

Situation	Respon­sibility	Action	Comments
Spare parts required on board	Fleet Manager / Technical Superintendent	Agrees with Chief Engineer on board, details of spare parts urgently required	Steering gear manual
Procuring spare parts	Fleet Manager / Technical Superintendent	Commences purchasing routine. Places urgent order for delivery by supplier close to scene.
Information of agent	Fleet Manager	Instructs agent closest to the scene to arrange urgent transfer of spares to ship (by launch or helicopter)	Fax
Information of ship	Fleet Manager	Keeps Master/Chief Engineer continually advised of action planned/taken	Telephone Fax
Tug(s)	Fleet Manager	Contacts salvage tug owners and investigates availability of tugs close to ship. Agrees outline contract as precautionary measure.	Telephone Fax

6. Training Ashore

• Prepare and have ready all ship's plans and manufacturers' data on rudder and steering gear

• Have instantly accessible, worldwide list of suppliers of sensitive spare parts

• Perhaps maintain a supply of sensitive and difficult-to-get spare parts.

• Joint exercises with ship.

7. Reference Documents

• Emergency Management Manual

• Manufacturers' manuals on rudder plant and steering gear

• Ship's plans

• Lists of spare parts

• Lists of suppliers of spare parts and of service stations

• Training manual

Emergency Response Plan

Schiffahrtskontor tom Wörden GmbH & Co. KG Wilhelm-Schröder-Str. 3 D-21726 Oldendorf

NP-011

Revision 3

18.12.02

Page 6 of 6

Emergency Response Plan

Reederei Heinz Corleis Kampweg 4a D-21706 Drochtersen

prepared: 28.03.1998	approved:	released:	Revision 0
			Emergency Response Plan No.: NP-011
J.Köster	H.Corleis	H.Corleis	Page 1 of 6

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