Britannia Club presents best practices for NAABSA ports

What is NAABSA? 

According to Britannia, usually, NAABSA refers to ports or berths where it is customary and an accepted practice for ships to ground or rest on the seabed, particularly in areas where the tidal variations are significant. This allows ships to optimise cargo operations and minimise downtime, which would be the case if they were required to always remain afloat. Consequently, NAABSA clauses are usually incorporated to prevent charterers from breaching the ‘always afloat’ requirements found in most charter parties (C/P). 

The Club advises the following practices to enhance safe operations in such ports: 

Prior to arrival

• The navigator should ensure all navigational charts and the chart datum are up-to-date
• Check the tidal information and make calculations to understand the estimated timing of resting aground and refloating
• Consult the ship’s classification society if the on board stability software cannot calculate the ship’s stability when resting aground
• Change the cooling water intake to appropriate sea chest so it does not to compromise the mechanical performance of the ship
• Ensure the ship’s mooring lines are in good working condition.

After alongside

• Conduct risk assessments with the port operator and stevedore of the operation
• Confirm the loading or discharging rate of the cargo operations to estimate the time of resting aground
• Ensure the crane operator is aware of the expected timing for resting aground and any possible listing when lifting cargo or hatch covers
• Ensure the port operator can provide alternative firefighting arrangements in case of an emergency when the ship is resting aground
• If possible, carry out visual check of the ship’s drafts and conditions of shore bollards
• After berthing, use hand lead lines to check the water depth and nature of the seabed around the ship. Compare this information with tidal data to obtain a more accurate estimate of low tide timing
• Endeavour to keep the ship as close to even keel as possible when taking the ground on NAABSA berth
• Regular visual inspections of the berth
• Check for any visible obstructions or fallen objects during cargo operations when at low water. Inform berth operator and take photos.
• Post notices that steering gear should not be operated prior to checking that ship is fully afloat.

When resting aground

• Check for any signs of indentation of the ballast tanks, duct keel, cofferdams or cargo hold bilges
• Be cautious of sudden ship listing caused by uneven seabed
• Have emergency procedures in place, including pollution control measures, in case of hull breach or any unforeseen complications
• The master should be aware that the ships may not always refloat at the time expected, due to nature of the berth and external influences
• Consider informing the berth operator and port authority if the ship is not refloated at the expected time and be prepared to activate the ship’s contingency plan, if necessary.

After refloating

• Inspect the hull for any potential damages
• Conduct thorough safety checks of all systems, especially the thrusters, propulsion and any hull appendages such as echo sounder or doppler log to ensure they are fully operational
• Ensure the steering system and rudder can turn freely to the maximum angles and has not been affected when the ship was resting aground
• Keep records of timing and all the condition checks after ship has been refloated
• Carry out an underwater survey, if required by class.