A1/1.1 Distress Communications 1

A1 / 1.1 Fire, explosion

The first thing we are going to look at is communication having to do with distress communication. In this case a fire on board or an explosion.

We have a look at how this communication would look like if we apply all the rules of SMCP:

A1/ 1.1. Fire, explosion

.1 Fire, explosion

1 I am/MV ... on fire (- after explosion).

2 Where is the fire?

2.1 ~ Fire is

~ on deck.

~ in engine-room.

~ in hold(s).

~ in superstructure/accommodation/... .

3 Are dangerous goods on fire?

3.1 Yes, dangerous goods are on fire.

3.2 No, dangerous goods are not on fire.

4 Is there danger of explosion?

4.1 Yes, danger of explosion.

4.2 . No danger of explosion.

5 I am / MV ... not under command.

6 Is the fire under control?

6.1 Yes, fire is under control.

6.2 No, fire is not under control.

7 What kind of assistance is required?

7.1 I do not / MV ... does not require assistance.

7.2 I require / MV ... requires

~ fire fighting assistance.

~ breathing apparatus - smoke is toxic.

~ foam extinguishers/CO2 extinguishers.

~ fire pumps.

~ medical assistance/... .

8 Report number of injured persons.

8.1 No persons injured.

8.2 Number of injured persons/casualties: ... .

A1/ 1.8 Armed attack & Piracy

A1/ 1.2. Flooding,

A1/ 1.3. Collision

A1/ 1.4. Grounding

A1/ 1.5 List - danger of capsizing.

A1/ 1.6 Sinking

A1/ 1.7 Disabled and adrift

A1/ 1.8. Armed attack & piracy.

A1/ 1.2 Flooding

1.2 Flooding

1 I am/MV ... is flooding below water line/in the engine room/in the hold(s).

2 I/MV ... cannot control flooding.

3 What kind of assistance is required?

3.1 I require/MV ... requires pumps/divers, ... .

3.2 I will send pumps/divers/... .

3.3 I cannot send pumps/divers ... .

4 I have/MV ... has dangerous list to port side/starboard.

5 I am/MV ... in critical condition.

6 Flooding is under control.

7 I /MV ... can proceed without assistance.

8 I require/ MV ... requires escort/tug assistance/... .

A1/ 1.3 Collision

1.3 Collision

1 I have / MV ... has collided

~ with MV... .

~ with unknown vessel / object / ... .

~ with ...name light vessel.

~ with seamark ... charted name.

~ with iceberg/ ... .

2 Report damage.

2.1 I have / MV .. has damage above / below water line.

2.2 I am / MV ... not under command.

2.3 I/MV .....cannot establish damage.

2.4 I / MV cannot repair damage.

2.5 I / MV ... can only proceed at slow speed.

3 What kind of assistance is required?

3.1 I require / MV ... requires / escort / tug assistance /... .

A1/ 1.4. Grounding

1.4 Grounding

1 I am / MV ... aground.

2 I require / MV ... requires tug assistance / pumps / ... .

3 What part of your vessel is aground?

3.1 Aground forward / amidships /aft / full length.

3.2 I cannot establish which part is aground.

4 Warning. Uncharted rocks in position ... .

5 Risk of grounding at low water.

6 I / MV ... will jettison cargo to refloat.

6.1 Warning! Do not jettison IMO -Class cargo!

7 When do you / does MV ... expect to refloat?

7.1 I expect / MV ... expects to refloat

~ at ... UTC.

~ when tide rises.

~ when weather improves.

~ when draft decreases.

~ with tug assistance / ... .

8 Can you / can MV ... beach?

8.1 I / MV ... can / will beach in position ... .

8.2 I / MV ... cannot beach.

A1/ 1.5. List- danger of capsizing

1.5 List - danger of capsizing

1 I have / MV ... has dangerous list to port / starboard.

2 I / MV ... will

~ transfer cargo / bunkers to stop listing.

~ jettison cargo to stop listing.

.3 I am / MV ... in danger of capsizing (list increasing).

A1/ 1.6. Sinking

1.6 Sinking

1 I am / MV ... sinking after collision / grounding / flooding / explosion /.

2 I require / MV ... requires assistance.

3 I am / MV ... proceeding to your assistance.

4 ETA at distress position within ... hours / at ... UTC.

A1/ 1.7. Disabled and adrift

1.7 Disabled and adrift

1 I am / MV ...

~ not under command.

~ adrift.

~ drifting at ... knots to ... (cardinal points).

~ drifting into danger.

2 I require / MV ... requires tug assistance.

A1/ 1.8 Armed attack & Piracy

1.8 Armed attack / piracy

1 I am / MV ... under attack by pirates.

1.1 I / MV ... was under attack by pirates.

2 I require / MV ... requires assistance.

3 What kind of assistance is required?

3.1 I require / MV ... requires

~ medical assistance.

~ navigational assistance.

~ military assistance.

~ tug assistance.

~ escort / ... .

4 Report damage.

4.1 I have / MV .. has

~ no damage.

~ damage to navigational equipment / ... .

4.2 I am / MV ... not under command.

5 Can you / can MV ... proceed?

5.1 Yes, I / MV ... can proceed.

5.2 No, I / MV ... cannot proceed.

A1/ 1.10 Abandoning Vessel

A1/ 1.11 Person Overboard

A1/ 1.10 Abandon vessel

1.10 Abandoning vessel

1 I / crew of MV ... must abandon vessel ... after explosion / collision / grounding / flooding / piracy / armed attack / ... .

A1/ 1.11 Person overboard

1.11 Person overboard

1 I have / MV ... has lost person(s) overboard in position ... .

2 Assist with search in vicinity of position ... .

3 All vessels in vicinity of position ... keep sharp lookout and report to ... .

4 I am / MV… is proceeding for assistance. ETA at ... UTC / within ... hours.

5 Search in vicinity of position ... .

5.1 I am / MV ... is searching in vicinity of position ... .

6 Aircraft ETA at ... UTC / within ... hours to assist in search.

7 Can you continue search?

7.1 Yes, I can continue search.

7.2 No, I cannot continue search.

8 Stop search.

8.1 Return to ... .

8.2 Proceed with your voyage.

10 What is the result of search?

10.1 The result of search is negative.

11 I / MV ... located / picked up person(s) in position ... .

12 Person picked up is crew/member / passenger of MV ... .

13 What is condition of person(s)?

13.1 Condition of person(s) bad / good.

13.2 Person(s) dead.

Standard distress message

Standard distress message

.1 Structure

Upon receipt of a DSC Distress Alert acknowledgement the vessel in distress should commence the distress traffic on one of the international distress traffic frequencies such as VHF Channel 16 or frequency 2182 kHz (if not automatically controlled) as follows:

MAYDAY (3x)

THIS IS

- the 9-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity code (MMSI) plus name / call sign or other identification of the vessel calling

- the position of the vessel

- the nature of distress

- the assistance required

- any other information which might facilitate rescue.

.2 Example

MAYDAY (3x)

- THIS IS TWO-ONE-ONE-TWO-THREE-NINE-SIX-EIGHT-ZERO MOTOR VESSEL "BIRTE" CALL SIGN DELTA ALPHA MIKE KILO

- POSITION SIX TWO DEGREES ONE ONE DECIMAL EIGHT MINUTES NORTH

- ZERO ZERO SEVEN DEGREES FOUR FOUR MINUTES EAST

- I AM ON FIRE AFTER EXPLOSION

- I REQUIRE FIRE FIGHTING ASSISTANCE

- SMOKE NOT TOXIC OVER

** Vocabulary A1/ 1 Distress communications 1

Brand, explosie - Fire, explosion

Brand - fire

Explosie - Explosion

Gevaarlijke stoffen - Dangerous goods

Explosiegevaar - Danger of explosion

Onmanoeuvreerbaar - Not under command

Onder controle - Under control

Hulp - Assistence

Brandbestrijdingshulp - Fire fighting assistance

Persluchtmasker - Breathing apparatus

Giftig - Toxic

Bluspompen - Fire pumps

Medische hulp - Medical assistance

Gewonden (bij ongeluk) - Injured persons

Doden (bij ongeluk) - Casualties

Water maken / lekkage - Flooding

Lek - Flooding

Waterinstroom - Flooding

Duiker - Diver

List - Slagzij

Kritieke toestand - Critical condition

Doorvaren - Proceed

Assistentie / hulp - Assistance

Nodig hebben - Require

Aanvaring (met ander schip) Collision

Zeemerk - Seamark

Ijsberg - Iceberg

Lichtschip - Light vessel

Schade - Damage

Vaststellen - Establish

Repareren - Repair

Begeleiding - Escort

Aan de grond lopen - Aground (to be)

Sleepboothulp - Tug assistance

Over de gehele lengte - Full lenght

Midscheeps - Amidships

Voor - Forward

Achter - Aft

Niet in kaart gebracht - Uncharted

Laagwater - Low water

Lading van boord zetten - Jettison (to)

Vlot komen - Refloat

Kleiner worden - Decrease

Groter worden - Increase

Verbeteren - Improve (to)

Aan de grond zetten - Beach

Verplaatsen - Transfe

Kapseizen - Capsize (to)

Zinken - Sink (to)

Nood - Distress

Onmanoeuvreerbaar - Disabled

Op drift - Adrift

Afdrijven - Drifting

Aangevallen worden - Under attack (to be)

Piraten - Pirates

Medische hulp - Medical assistance

Navigatie assistentie - Navigational assistance

Militaire hulp - Military assistance

Meld schade - Report damage

Schip verlaten - Abandon vessel

Man overboard - Person overboard

Zoekaktie - Search

Omgeving - Vicinity

Uitkijk - Lookout

Rapporteer - Report

Vliegtuig - Aircraft

Keer terug - Return

Resultaat - Result

Gelokaliseerd - Located

Oppikken - Pick up (to)

Bemanningslid - Crew member

Conditie / toestand - Condition

Excercise 1: MV New Laurel on fire!

Distress message: MV New Laurel on fire!

Take your radios and find a suitable place to sit and prepare the following: You can also follow the Teams-procedure . Click on the following link: How to work with Teams

Partner 1: You are OOW of the crude oil tanker New Laurel. There is a a fire on board.

You are calling the MRCC. Make sure the MRCC understands your situation and will be able to offer the assistance you need.

Partner 2: You are part of the MRCC and you are taking the message from the OOW of the MV New Laurel. You have a lot of questions to ask MV New Laurel.

1/ Both partners should prepare the suitable questions and answers, so there will accurate and effective communication between MV New Laurel and the MRCC.

2/ Make sure, while communicating, that you follow the SMCP rules!

3/ When ready, evaluate the performance of your communication partner and discuss this together. What went wrong / OK?

Excercise 2: MV New Laurel has run aground!

Excercise 2: Distress message: MV New Laurel has run aground!

Take your radios and find a suitable place to sit and prepare the following: You can also follow the Teams-procedure . Click on the following link: How to work with Teams

Partner 1: You are OOW of the crude oil tanker New Laurel. You seem to have run aground.

You are calling the MRCC. Make sure the MRCC understands your situation and will be able to offer the assistance you need.

Partner 2: You are part of the MRCC and you are taking the distress message from the OOW of the MV New laurel. You have a lot of questions to ask MV New Laurel.

1/ Both partners should prepare the suitable questions and answers, so there will accurate and effective communication between MV New Laurel and the MRCC.

2/ Make sure, while communicating, that you follow the SMCP rules!

3/ When ready, evaluate the performance of your communication partner and discuss this together. What went wrong / OK?

Excercise 3: MV New Laurel has collided!

Exercise 3: Distress message: MV New Laurel has collided!

Take your radios and find a suitable place to sit and prepare the following: You can also follow the Teams-procedure . Click on the following link: How to work with Teams

Partner 1: You are OOW of the crude oil tanker New Laurel. You have had a collision with MV ( choose a card) You are calling the MRCC. Make sure the MRCC understands your situation and will be able to offer the assistance you need.

Partner 2: You are part of the MRCC and you are taking the distress message from the OOW of the MV New laurel. You have a lot of questions to ask MV New Laurel.

1/ Both partners should prepare the suitable questions and answers, so there will accurate and effective communication between MV New Laurel and the MRCC.

2/ Make sure, while communicating, that you follow the SMCP rules!

3/ When ready, evaluate the performance of your communication partner and discuss this together. What went wrong / OK?

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