Deciding to stop before stopping becomes impossible
Contents
Use the links below to jump to any section:
- What Contingency Planning Really Means
- Why Abort Points Exist
- The Difference Between Contingency and Emergency
- What an Abort Point Actually Is
- Where Abort Points Must Be Placed
- Speed, UKC, and the Shrinking Decision Window
- Abort Points in Pilotage and Confined Waters
- Common Abort Point Failures
- Using Abort Points During Execution
- The Professional Mindset: Deciding Early
1. What Contingency Planning Really Means
Contingency planning is not pessimism.
It is respect for uncertainty.
It accepts that:
- equipment fails
- weather deteriorates
- traffic behaves unexpectedly
- humans misjudge situations
A contingency is not an emergency.
It is a foreseen loss of assumptions.
Planning for contingencies is planning for reality.
2. Why Abort Points Exist
Abort points exist because ships do not stop instantly.
Every decision has a latest safe moment. After that moment, even correct action may be ineffective.
Abort points answer one question clearly:
“After this position, do we still have enough space, depth, and time to stop, turn, or escape?”
If the answer becomes no, continuing is no longer a decision — it is a gamble.
3. The Difference Between Contingency and Emergency
This distinction matters.
A contingency is when something might go wrong and recovery is still possible.
An emergency is when something has gone wrong and options are limited.
Abort points are designed to be used before an emergency exists.
Waiting until the situation feels dramatic usually means the abort point has already passed.
4. What an Abort Point Actually Is
An abort point is a geographic and operational boundary.
It is defined by:
- position
- speed
- UKC remaining
- manoeuvring space
- environmental conditions
It is not just a mark on the chart.
It is a decision deadline.
Beyond it, safe recovery is no longer assured.
5. Where Abort Points Must Be Placed
Abort points belong:
- before narrow channels
- before sharp course alterations
- before shallow stretches
- before pilotage commitments
- before speed increases
They must be placed while there is still excess margin, not when margins are already thin.
A late abort point is not conservative.
It is dishonest.
6. Speed, UKC, and the Shrinking Decision Window
Speed is the silent enemy of abort planning.
As speed increases:
- stopping distance increases
- squat increases
- UKC reduces
- helm effectiveness decreases
This compresses the decision window.
A transit that is safe at 8 knots may be unsafe at 12 knots — even with the same track.
Abort points must always be speed-aware.
7. Abort Points in Pilotage and Confined Waters
Abort points are most critical where confidence is highest.
In pilotage waters, crews often assume:
- the pilot will handle it
- the channel is designed for the ship
- “this is routine”
This mindset removes abort discipline.
Professional practice includes:
- pre-pilot abort discussions
- speed-linked abort limits
- clear agreement on when to stop, not just how to proceed
An abort point ignored is worse than no abort point at all.
8. Common Abort Point Failures
Accident investigations repeatedly show abort planning failures such as:
- abort points not defined
- abort points not briefed
- abort points overridden for schedule pressure
- abort points ignored because conditions “looked okay”
- abort decisions delayed while hoping conditions improve
Most ships that ground or collide had an earlier chance to stop.
They simply did not take it.
9. Using Abort Points During Execution
Abort points only work if they are actively monitored.
Professional execution means:
- calling out approach to abort points
- reassessing conditions before passing them
- slowing early rather than stopping late
- escalating concerns before margins vanish
Passing an abort point without conscious decision is a failure of monitoring, not courage.
10. The Professional Mindset: Deciding Early
The hardest decision on the bridge is not stopping.
It is stopping early, when nothing appears wrong.
Professionals understand this:
Early abort feels embarrassing.
Late abort feels impossible.
There is no penalty for stopping early.
There is no recovery from stopping too late.
Closing Perspective
Contingency planning is the difference between control and hope.
Abort points are not signs of weakness.
They are signs of command.
The sea does not reward confidence.
It rewards preparation and early decisions.
Tags
contingency planning · abort points · passage planning · bridge decision-making · maritime safety · navigation risk