Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Thursday, July 3, 2025
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    bali indonesia

    Ferry sinks off Bali with multiple casualties

    Year in Review: How the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected shipping in 2022

    LR: New requirements for lifting appliances and anchor winches

    How to handle a vessel in rough seas

    Two crew members accused over deadly tanker collision

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

    public speaking

    8 Key rules of Public Speaking

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    hull

    AkzoNobel: Quality antifouling coatings can help with CII and EEXI compliance

    nuclear power

    Nuclear shipping inches closer to reality: Latest developments

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    CSA scrubbers

    CSA urges OSPAR to improve understanding before enacting scrubber ban

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    autonomous navigation

    New deal aims to advance autonomous navigation technology

    abs training center

    ABS opens smart training center in Athens

    iaph cyber security

    IAPH releases cyber security guidelines for new port technologies

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

    paris mou lists

    Paris MoU 2024 Performance lists

    PSC

    AMSA Annual PSC Report: ISM-related deficiencies on the lead

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    European Commission EU

    EU in discussions over maritime and port strategies

    underwater noise from ships

    AMSA: Reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    Germany shadow fleet

    German Government increases vigilance in the Baltic Sea

  • Columns
    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    human factor organizational safety

    Cracking the safety code: Why human factors matter

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    AP Companies: How physical and mental well-being shape happier ships

    bali indonesia

    Ferry sinks off Bali with multiple casualties

    Year in Review: How the Russian invasion of Ukraine affected shipping in 2022

    LR: New requirements for lifting appliances and anchor winches

    How to handle a vessel in rough seas

    Two crew members accused over deadly tanker collision

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    neck pain

    Neck pain: A growing health concern for maritime workers

    Book Review: Building leaders the MMMA way

    Book Review: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps

    time

    Stay SEAFiT: Time is non-renewable – invest it wisely

    public speaking

    8 Key rules of Public Speaking

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    hull

    AkzoNobel: Quality antifouling coatings can help with CII and EEXI compliance

    nuclear power

    Nuclear shipping inches closer to reality: Latest developments

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    CSA scrubbers

    CSA urges OSPAR to improve understanding before enacting scrubber ban

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    autonomous navigation

    New deal aims to advance autonomous navigation technology

    abs training center

    ABS opens smart training center in Athens

    iaph cyber security

    IAPH releases cyber security guidelines for new port technologies

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    OCIMF

    OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

    USCG

    ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

    paris mou lists

    Paris MoU 2024 Performance lists

    PSC

    AMSA Annual PSC Report: ISM-related deficiencies on the lead

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    European Commission EU

    EU in discussions over maritime and port strategies

    underwater noise from ships

    AMSA: Reduction of underwater radiated noise from shipping

    nuclear energy ABS

    Consortium advances floating nuclear power for the Mediterranean

    Germany shadow fleet

    German Government increases vigilance in the Baltic Sea

  • Columns
    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    AMPI: Seafarers face critical risks in pilot transfer rigging

    connectivity

    Innovating ocean safety: Intellian’s unified vision for connectivity and GMDSS

    human factor organizational safety

    Cracking the safety code: Why human factors matter

    Trending Tags

    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

How to handle a vessel in rough seas

by The Editorial Team
May 16, 2019
in Loss Prevention
wavy energy prototype

Above image is used for illustration purposes only

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

Japan P&I published a loss prevention bulletin on marine weather and the ship handling in rough seas. Navigating in rough weather conditions deserves extra attention from ship operators; Waves caused by winds and swell from several directions results to vessels experiencing a number of oscillations. Thus, it is crucial to have a  precise grasp of the lengths of waves and their undulations, their cycle and wave heights in order to operate safely.

Mainly, when a vessel sails in head seas, its hull experience severe shocks which induce violent ship motions. The ones that are experienced are able to respond by altering the ship’s course and speed as needed. Yet, to accomplish safe navigation in head seas, it is advisable to have more reliable ship-handling techniques backed by theoretical knowledge as to why these phenomena are created and how to avoid the generation of these critical effects, in addition to possessing sea-going experience.

When there are wind and waves, the vessel is at the mercy of the sea. Additionally, depending on the ship’s relative position in waves and, whether it is being lifted up to the top of a crest or falling into a trough, hogging, sagging and twisting forces generate great deflections in the entire hull structure.

In addition, the ship’s speed is usually decreased by wind and wave resistance. This phenomenon is particularly augmented in head seas.

RelatedNews

AMSA: 5,625 marine incident reports during 2024

RMI: 954 incident reports received during 2024

How to handle a vessel in rough seas
Image from Japan Captains’ Association, DVD

Pitching intensified motion in head and countering seas of rough weather has the greatest influence on the safety of a ship.

When wave length is shorter than ship length(Lpp): Because the ship motions are insignificant as the influence of waves is weak, the bottom of the bow neither rises enough to be exposed dangerously nor dips enough for the fore deck to take on water.

How to handle a vessel in rough seas

When wave length is longer than ship length (Lpp): A ship pitches and heaves slowly at the front and rear surface of waves that will affect its form. However, this does not cause significant movement.

How to handle a vessel in rough seas

When wave length is almost equal to ship length (Lpp): When wave length is almost equal to ship length, ship motion will be most intense. The heaving of the bow on a crest and the plunging of it into the succeeding wave will be accelerated.

How to handle a vessel in rough seasIn such cases, changes in water level both forward and aft become particularly great in regular wave conditions and relative water level at the bow is greatest when wave length is equal to ship length, and seas are likely to be shipped when the relative water level exceeds the freeboard at the bow, while in contrast, slamming may occur when the relative water level drops far enough below the forward draft to the extent that the bottom plates at the bow are exposed.

In addition, the rough sea weather conditions, result to:

  1. Propeller Racing: Whenever a ship pitches and heaves heavily at the bow, an equivalent heaving motion is generated at the stern. Due to these motions, the stern lifts out of the sea at intervals exposing part of the propeller and causing instant increases of propeller revolutions accompanied by intense vibrations due to the abrupt reduction of propeller load. This phenomenon is called propeller racing and can have adverse effects not only on the propeller itself, but also on the propeller shaft and engine Therefore, it is recommended to make the stern draft as deep as possible so that propeller immersion is kept at more than 20% of the diameter of the propeller when navigating in rough seas. However, when trimming excessively for a ballast passage, forward draft will be reduced. As the possibility of slamming phenomenon increases, it is essential that the hull’s condition be properly maintained in light of this,
  2. Speed reduction and a torque rich effect on the engine: When the vessel receives waves and undulation from the front, the resistance of these combined with additional wind pressure, the ship’s speed will decrease, and the engine will undergo a torque rich effect. Figure 66 illustrates speed reduction characteristics in irregular waves. As resistance to the hull increases, the engine requires more fuel in order to maintain the same number of revolutions as set under normal conditions, forcing the ship to plough through the water under excess engine load. This causes what is known as a torque rich effect and may often result in engine trouble due to overheating, or in a great waste of fuel. In such conditions, it is essential to reduce ship speed, because the engine might be damaged as a result of over-heating or it may consume a huge amount of fuel unnecessarily.
  3. Shipping Seas: A ship may sometimes sustain severe damage from the impacting green seas. Deck machinery, deck cargo and hatch covers are often damaged as a result of shipping seas which may cause water to enter into the holds. Damage sustained from shipping seas is two-fold: damage caused to the bow from green sea pounding, and damage inflicted on deck machinery and appliances from the subsequent incursion of sea water The dynamic pressure of green sea pounding on the deck vertically from above may reach around twice that of seas being shipped. Furthermore, the dynamic stress of a sweeping mass of launched and shipped seas over decks, proportional to the square of the ship’s speed, becomes almost as great as that from vertical pounding. Deck machinery such as sounding pipes and so on can be damaged as a result.
  4. Slamming Phenomenon: When a ship sails at a relatively high speed in head seas, slamming may occur. Slamming can be broken down into the following categories:
  • Bottom slamming;
  • Bow flare slamming;
  • Bow breaking wave impact.

Although the precise prediction of weather and sea conditions has improved over the recent years, it is still not 100% guaranteed. Naturally, although one may choose a route with a detour, there may be a situation whereby a shorter voyage was not taken due to a misinformed rough sea forecast.

Concluding, for additional information on ship handling in rough weather, you may click on the PDF herebelow

How to handle a vessel in rough seas

How to handle a vessel in rough seasHow to handle a vessel in rough seas
How to handle a vessel in rough seasHow to handle a vessel in rough seas
Tags: hazardous weather at seaJapan Clubloss preventionreportsweather data
Previous Post

Greek company fined for violating sulphur limit in the fjords

Next Post

What changes made to SOLAS Chapter II-1 on damage stability

Related News

NTSB
Loss Prevention

NTSB highlights effective placement of smoke and fire detectors

July 3, 2025
New South Wales
Alerts

New South Wales cyclone disrupts port operations

July 2, 2025
Dryad Global
Security

Dryad Global: Russia’s shadow tanker fleet has tripled since 2022

July 2, 2025
OCIMF
Vetting

OCIMF Annual Report 2025: SIRE 2.0 a welcome change for the industry

July 1, 2025
USCG
PSC Focus

ABS PSC Report Q1 2025: 526 total vessels detained

July 1, 2025
PSC
PSC Focus

AMSA Annual PSC Report: ISM-related deficiencies on the lead

July 1, 2025

Comments 1

  1. Anil Kumar says:
    3 years ago

    The details mentioned is very much knowledgeable on handling vessels in rough seas.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Explore more

No Result
View All Result
MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • SEAFiT
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Content Marketing
  • Contact

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA

Manage your privacy
We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • SEAFiT
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Case Studies
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Anchor Your Health
    • Book Review
    • Career Paths
    • Human Performance
    • Industry Voices
    • Interviews
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Opinions
    • Regulatory Update
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
    • Tip of the day
    • Training & Development
    • Wellness Corner
    • Wellness Tips
  • SAFETY4SEA Events
  • SAFETY4SEA Plus Subscription

© 2025 SAFETY4SEA