How Navigation Systems Actually Fail
Why most navigation accidents begin quietly, long before the grounding or collision Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Navigation Systems Do Not “Break”, They Drift Navigation systems rarely fail in a dramatic way. There is almost never a moment where an officer looks at the bridge and says, […]
Emergency Response Planning for Oil Spill Response
Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – The Complexity of Oil Spill Response Oil spill response is a high-stakes operation requiring coordination, quick decision-making, and substantial resources. When an oil spill occurs, it can have devastating environmental, economic, and social impacts, which is why timely and effective response measures […]
Dynamic Positioning (DP) Case Studies & Lessons Learned
Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – The Cost of Complacency Dynamic Positioning (DP) is often hailed as a sophisticated system designed to keep vessels stationary in even the harshest conditions. While DP systems are effective, they are not infallible. Case studies involving DP failures often highlight that while […]
DP Class
Why DP class does not mean what many operators believe it means Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why DP Class Is Often Misunderstood Dynamic Positioning class is commonly treated as a badge of safety. “DP2 vessel” is spoken as though it represents immunity from loss of position. […]
DP Failure Modes & Escalation Pathways
Why DP incidents rarely start where they end Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – DP Failures Are Almost Never Singular Dynamic Positioning failures are often described using a single technical cause: blackout, thruster failure, sensor error. This is misleading. In reality, DP incidents unfold through escalation pathways — […]
Dynamic Positioning (DP)
Why DP is not automation — it is controlled instability Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – What Dynamic Positioning Really Is Dynamic Positioning is often described as a system that “holds a vessel in position”. That description is misleading. DP does not hold a ship still.It continuously loses […]
Canal Navigation
Why canals turn small margins into catastrophic failures Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why Canals Are Not Just Narrow Seas Canals are engineered waterways, not natural seas. They remove the freedom that ships rely on at sea: lateral space, depth margin, speed flexibility, and recovery distance. In […]
The Polar Code
Why polar navigation is regulated differently — and why compliance is not optional Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Why Polar Waters Are Not “Just Cold Seas” Polar waters expose ships to compounded risk, not isolated hazards. Cold temperatures, ice, remoteness, limited charting, unreliable communications, and restricted SAR […]
Types of Sea Ice
Why recognising ice correctly matters more than simply seeing ice Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Not All Ice Behaves the Same From the bridge, ice often looks deceptively uniform.White, grey, or broken — it is tempting to treat it as a single navigational problem. In reality, ice […]
Ice Navigation
Why vessels that behave perfectly in open sea can become uncontrollable in ice within minutes Contents Use the links below to jump to any section: 1. Introduction – Ice Is a Different Operating Medium Ice navigation is often misunderstood as normal navigation with colder temperatures.This assumption is one of the most dangerous mindsets a bridge […]