3 Ship Evaluation
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1255 – Guidelines for Owners/Operators on Preparing Emergency Towing Procedures – (27 May 2008) - Annex – Guidelines for Owners/Operators on Preparing Emergency Towing Procedures - 3 Ship Evaluation

3 Ship Evaluation

  3.1 The owner/operator should ensure that the ship is inspected and its capability to be towed under emergency situations is evaluated. Both equipment on board and available procedures should be reviewed. Items that need to be inspected are described in the following paragraphs.

  3.2 The ability of the ship to be towed from bow and stern should be evaluated, and the following items should be reviewed:

  • .1 line handling procedures (passing and receiving messenger lines, towlines, bridles); and

  • .2 layout, structural adequacy and safe working loads of connection points (fairleads chocks, winches, bitts, bollards), etc.

  3.3 The on-board tools and equipment available for assembling the towing gear and their locations should be identified. These should include but not be limited to:

  • .1 chains;

  • .2 cables;

  • .3 shackles;

  • .4 stoppers;

  • .5 tools; and

  • .6 line throwing apparatus.

  3.4 The availability and characteristics of radio equipment on board should be identified, in order to enable communication between deck crew, bridge and the towing/salvage ship.

  3.5 Unless the safe working loads of connection points are known, these loads should be determined by an engineering analysis reflecting the on-board conditions of the ship. The Guidance on shipboard towing and mooring equipment (MSC/Circ.1175) may be used for guidance.

  3.6 The evaluation should be performed by persons knowledgeable in towing equipment and operations.

Parent topic: Annex – Guidelines for Owners/Operators on Preparing Emergency Towing Procedures
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