A Contingency Planning and Crew Response Guide for Gas Carrier Damage at Sea and in Port Approaches Third Edition - 1999 International Chamber of Shipping Oil Companies International Marine Forum Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators Ltd WSIL - 188.indd 11/16/2009 5:45:20 PM iii FOREWORD This Contingency Planning and Crew Response Guide for Gas Carrier Damage at Sea and in Port Approaches has been compiled by an Inter-Industry Working Group with participation from members of the International Chamber of Shipping, the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, the Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators Ltd and the International Salvage Union. The purpose of the guide is to provide a reference which may be useful to operating managements of gas carriers in developing or reviewing their contingency planning for such ships in their fleet. These contingency plans are in addition to the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) that is required for all vessels over 400 GRT by MARPOL Chapter IV Regulation 26. In this revised edition, it must be noted that new rules such as the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers 1978, as amended in 1995 (STCW Convention) and chapter 9 of SOLAS, The International Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention, the ISM Code, are now requiring ships, and in the case of ISM, the office of the operators, to have contingency plans. Both rules place a responsibility on a ship operator to ensure that written procedures are in place and that the ship complement and the shore establishment are able to co- ordinate their activities in case of emergencies. The STCW Convention has been applicable since February 1997. The ISM Code was applicable to gas carriers from July 1998. The guide is not intended as a comprehensive manual on contingency planning, the basic principles of which are well understood by the experienced ship operator. Rather, the guide confines itself to addressing those aspects of contingency planning which are particularly relevant to the circumstances and requirements of the liquefied gas carrier. Similarly, the recommended crew response under ship damage conditions is not intended to be exhaustive but only to suggest the emergency response considered generally applicable to most accident situations. Although there are many variations in ship types and sizes, cargo characteristics and management structures associated with the marine transportation of LNG, LPG and chemical gases, the basic considerations in the contingency planning which this guide addresses are common to all. Companion volumes in this series present similar guidance in relation to the Gas Carrier at Terminals and to Accidents within Terminals. The definition of liquefied gases as given by the International Gas Carrier Code (IGC Code) reads as follows: Products having a vapour pressure exeeding 2.8 bar absolute at a temperature of 37.8°C and other products as shown in Chapter 19 of the Code, when carried in bulk. This definition distinguishes liquefied gases from other hazardous cargoes carried in bulk and imposes special requirements in ship design and operation which result in the gas carrier, in all its various forms, being a very safe ship both in day-to-day operation and in casualty conditions. This inherent safety is reflected by the gas carrier’s impressive safety record in over 17,000 ship-years of liquefied gas ocean trading to date. Whether the cargo is carried under pressure and/or cooled below the ambient temperature range, the cargo containment, generally, is not part of the ship’s structure and is always located inboard from the ship’s side and well above the ship’s bottom. The Vapour pressure characteristic of the cargoes carried also results, when cargo is aboard, in the cargo system being virtually free from other gases, including oxygen, and therefore maintained in a non-flammable condition. Non-flammability is also maintained on the ballast voyage by operational procedures which prohibit the entry of oxygen to the cargo system whenever flammable gas is present. In a major casualty, however, damage may be such as to put at risk the continued integrity of the cargo containment with consequent threat of cargo spillage. Because of the volatility of liquefied gases and, in most cases, their low temperature, the possibility of such spillage merits special consideration. Rapid and relevant response to a serious casualty situation may be essential in order to minimise the escalation of damage and, as soon as possible, to remove any threat there may be of cargo spillage. It is towards such response that the considerations outlined in this guide are directed. WSIL - 188.indd 31/16/2009 5:45:21 PM iv Much of the guidance given has been drawn from the contingency planning already formulated by a number of operating managements, in the liquefied gas industry. This most valuable data and experience, so openly and generously provided, is gratefully acknowledged. This guide, being primarily addressed to the ship operating managements, assumes an understanding of liquefied gas cargo characteristics and of gas carrier design, construction and operation. The successful handling of a ship casualty, however, may require the co-operation of national or local authorities if the incident occurs within their area of jurisdiction and often will require assistance from others such as salvors, fire services, etc. These bodies may also find the guide of use in acquiring a more complete appreciation of the various considerations which may be involved in gas carrier casualties. Such readers, wishing to equip themselves with general information on gas cargoes and their carriage, are referred to Liquefied Gas Handling Principles on Ships and in Terminals (Reference 1) and to Tanker Safety Guide (Liquefied Gas) (Reference 2). WSIL - 188.indd 41/16/2009 5:45:21 PM v Contents Page No. FOREWORD III CONTINGENCY PLANNING 1 1. IMMEDIATE ACTION BY THE SHIP 2 2. CASUALTY TEAMS AND CONTROL CENTRES 2 3. CASUALTY CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS 4 4. BUOYANCY, STRENGTH AND STABILITY CALCULATIONS 4 5. RESOURCES 4 6. JETTISONING 6 7. PROTECTION OF SHIPBOARD PERSONNEL 6 8. CO-OPERATION WITH NATIONAL AND PORT AUTHORITIES 7 9. CO-OPERATION WITH SALVORS 7 10. PUBLIC RELATIONS 8 APPENDIX I CASUALTY SCENARIO DISCUSSION 9 1. COLLISIONS 9 2. GROUNDING 11 3. LIQUEFIED GAS CARGO FIRES 11 APPENDIX II CREW RESPONSE TO GAS CARRIER DAMAGE AT SEA 13 1. GENERAL 13 2. IMMEDIATE ACTION/CONSIDERATIONS 13 3. LONGER TERM ACTIONS 15 WSIL - 188.indd 51/16/2009 5:45:21 PM vi APPENDIX III SPECIMEN CONTINGENCY PLAN PROCEDURE MANUAL 17 1. PURPOSE 17 2. ASSEMBLY OF CASUALTY RESPONSE TEAM 17 2.1 Initial Noti?cation 17 2.2 Response Team Call Out 18 3. FACILITIES 18 4. CASUALTY RESPONSE TEAM PROCEDURES 18 4.1 Initial Brie?ng 19 4.2 Advice to Company Of?cers 19 4.3 Advice to Associated Interests 19 4.4 Field Team 19 4.5 Assistance to Casualty 19 4.6 Families of Serving Personnel 19 4.7 Public Relations 20 APPENDIX IV JETTISONING 21 1. CARGO CHARACTERISTICS RELEVANT TO JETTISONING 21 2. THE EFFECT OF SHIP’S HULL 22 3. THE WINDSPEED AND DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE SHIP AND THE POSITION OF DISCHARGE FROM THE SHIP 22 4. HOSE OR NOZZLE DISCHARGE AND DEGREE OF VAPORISATION 23 APPENDIX V THE DRIFT AND RESCUE TOWAGE OF DISABLED GAS TANKERS 27 1. BACKGROUND TO RESEARCH 27 2. GAS TANKER DRIFT BEHAVIOUR 27 2.1 Computer Model Drift Predictions 27 2.2 The Coriolis Effect 28 2.3 Full Scale Gas Carrier Drifting Trials 29 2.4 Control of Drift by Rudder, Trim or use of Engines 29 3. RESCUE TOWAGE 29 APPENDIX VI REFERENCES 35 WSIL - 188.indd 61/16/2009 5:45:21 PM 1 CONTINGENCY PLANNING This guide addresses the circumstances and considerations relating to a casualty sustained by a gas carrier when the ship is en route from berth to berth. At sea, the responsibility for actions rests with the master and his operating management. As specified in the ISM Code, the master has full responsibility for taking whatever measures he considers necessary for the safety of the ship and its crew. Where a casualty occurs in territorial waters or port limits, the national authority and/or the port authority may be involved and the master’s and his operating management’s freedom of action may be thereby constrained. This would be particularly so if the hazards relevant to the casualty could put third parties at risk. In these latter circumstances, contingency plans may need to be adapted quickly to take account of the requirements of the shore authorities. However, the basic considerations in these circumstances are still of the same nature as those when the ship is at sea. When a ship is berthed alongside a cargo terminal, the responsibilities for action in the event of an accident are more complex, for the terminal management must also be involved both in the protection of the terminal facilities and in the provision of any remedial action. Furthermore, the likely circumstances of the casualty and the hazards which may result are of a different nature or have a different emphasis from those when the ship is under way. These different considerations relating to a contingency planning for both ship and shore when the ship is alongside are dealt with in a companion guide. Contingency planning can only be based upon an understanding of: the type of accidents which may occur.• the possible consequences.• the action that can practicably be taken.• the requirements relating to a suitable location or locations in which to take that action.• the possible reaction of the media and other bodies to the casualty, its handling and its • consequences. The following text and Appendices outline various emergencies in which a gas carrier may be involved and suggest some salient considerations in the formulation of a contingency plan to deal with them. The aim of the plan should be to ensure the most timely response, adequate in scope to meet the size and varied nature of such accidents and thereby, as quickly as possible, to remove any threat there may be of a serious escalation of the situation. In addition, to speed and adequate resources in men and equipment, the plan should reflect the need for the assured flow of accurate information and for the constant control of action being taken. The plan should involve the ship’s operating office in a supporting capacity. The plan should acknowledge priorities which, in turn, protect life, the environment and property. The personnel to be involved must be familiar with the procedures of the plan and understand what may be required of them. This necessitates that the plan be fully documented and available to those who may be concerned. Exercises must be conducted at regular intervals for training of personnel, including those from the operating office, in the planned procedures in order that they may gain experience, test the effectiveness of the plan and refine it if necessary. This guide is therefore addressed primarily to the operating managements of gas carriers who, in formulating or reviewing their own contingency planning specific to their ships, may find what follows a useful check list and aide memoire. WSIL - 188.indd 11/16/2009 5:45:21 PM 2 1. IMMEDIATE ACTION BY THE SHIP Operating managements, as a matter of standard practice, will have put aboard their ships advice and data to assist the master and his officers to take correct immediate action in the event of a serious casualty. Such advice should include information on: crew Response following Collision, Grounding or Fire and possible subsequent Gas Escape.• casualty Control Organisation.• reporting and Communication Procedures.• damage Stability Data.• emergency Transfer or Jettisoning of Cargo.• engagement of Salvors.• ships Drift Characteristics and Rescue Towage.• Much advice of this nature is to be found in the booklet Peril at Sea and Salvage - A Guide for Masters - 5th Edition (Reference 3). While the booklet has been prepared principally for guidance to the masters of oil tankers, it is recommended for study by gas carrier operating managements and by their masters at sea. A ship will have onboard at least general information which will be useful in taking immediate action to limit escalation of damage following collision, grounding or fire. Additional considerations apply to the gas tanker in circumstances which give rise to a threat of rupture of the cargo containment. Since real casualty experience of cargo release is very limited, such consideration must, to some extent, be conjectural. Appendix 1 outlines the likely consequences of various damage scenarios. Also, in such circumstances, consideration will need to be given to the immediate crew response which is intended to limit, as far as practicable, the extent of consequential damage with minimum risk to the crew, whilst the master assesses the overall situation. Appendix II outlines recommended immediate and longer term crew actions that are considered generally applicable in these situations. Operating management’s must inform their masters and officers on these matters and Appendices I and II may be found pertinent to the formulation of such guidance. With regard to the drifting of disabled gas carriers and their rescue towage, information additional to that given in Reference 3 will be found in Appendix V to this present guide. The information contained in this Appendix may be found suitable for placing aboard gas carriers in its entirety and separate reprints of the Appendix for this purpose are available from the distributors of this guide. Buoyancy, strength and stability calculations which may be required in some detail before refloating or cargo transfer from a damaged and part flooded ship are discussed in Section 4. However, in the immediacy of a situation where there are flooded compartments following collision or grounding, a master may find it useful to have at hand some guidance regarding the buoyancy and stability of his damaged ship. Consideration should be given, therefore, to providing the ship with progressive flooding data. It should also be considered that the operating office has, or has access to a suitable software programme able to model the vessel and to give expert advice to prevent further damage. 2. CASUALTY TEAMS AND CONTROL CENTRES Speed of response may be vital if escalation to a more serious situation is to be prevented and it is essential that the plan is activated promptly when warranted. Much time can be lost in deciding whether the plan should be activated and the plan should clearly indicate those in the management organisation who have this authority. Guidance should be given for the prompt channelling of concise and accurate information on which this decision can be made. Again, if time is not to be lost, there needs to be detailed pre-planning for the rapid assembly of the teams necessary to handle the incident. WSIL - 188.indd 21/16/2009 5:45:21 PM 3 Experience has shown that a casualty control centre is required in the office of the ship management and also ashore in the vicinity of the casualty. This latter centre can be most useful for relaying communications, liaison with local authorities and in providing support to those on the damaged ship and on assisting salvage craft. Staff are needed, therefore, to man the teams in these control centres and on the ship. These teams, dependent upon the nature and seriousness of the casualty, may need to include senior management, superintendents from operational divisions, personnel, legal and public relations departments and experts in cryogenics, naval architecture and marine engineering. Company personnel and consultants, if any, who may be required in the formation of these teams should at all times be aware of this and know their respective responsibilities. Call out procedures, day and night, should be detailed and understood by all concerned. In order to minimise the time to assemble, equip and despatch the teams to the area of the casualty, and to enable them to be operational as soon as possible, consideration should be given to having equipment available in the central management office and when appropriate, pre-packaged for air transport. This can include portable computers with printers and possibly scanners, e-mail and fax facilities, portable telephones, preferably of the intrinsically safe type, hand held VHF/UHF radios also of the intrinsically safe type, plans and manuals. Portable computers dedicated for use in a casualty situation should, in addition to being configured for use in remote locations, be supplied with adapters for connecting to both the ships’ and a variety of standard local power supplies and telecommunication systems. An immediate availability of a suitable supply of the world’s main currencies as well as internationally recognised credit or cheque cards could also be of advantage in easing the travel and the establishment of a team on arrival. If the operator has vessels on a regular route and, if it is known that visa requirements for certain countries are strict, it may be advisable to plan for long term multi- entry visas for key personnel. Salvors, once engaged, rely heavily upon ship’s plans and a set of the ship’s relevant plans for exclusive use by the salvors could most usefully be available onboard and /or included in the pre- packaged response kit. The central management office technical team will also need plans and data, and arrangements should be made for full access to the plans’ filing system at any time of day and night. In the event of a serious casualty, the work load on the central management team may be high and prolonged. Office accommodation should be allocated in advance in order to facilitate this task and provide adequate desk space, telephone, notice boards, sleeping facilities, etc. suitable for the size of team envisaged. Telephone conversation recording equipment may be of value in the accurate reception of information and recording of guidance given. Although the casualty may not have involved injury to the personnel, near relatives of those onboard the ship will be disturbed by media reporting of the event and will naturally seek information and assurance. If death or serious injury has been confirmed, it will be necessary for the next of kin to be informed prior to releasing the information to the press. It is recommended that a well trained team and suitable infrastructure is available for this e.g. contact with the mission to seamen. If the media services are aware of a serious casualty, there will be the need to prepare and provide suitable information in response to their inevitable enquiries. A specimen casualty response procedure manual which encompasses these various considerations, authorities and responsibilities is given in Appendix III. WSIL - 188.indd 31/16/2009 5:45:21 PM