SHIP ТО SHIP TRANSFER GUIDE (PETROLEUM)
(Third Edition 1997)
For Use with Crude
Oil and Petroleum Products
Chapter 4
Communications
4.1 GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS
Good communications between the ships is an essential
requirement for successful STS transfer operations. The chief recommendations covering this subject are
addressed below.
4.2 LANGUAGE
To avoid any misunderstanding, a common language for
communication should be agreed before operations commence. In this connection, attention is drawn to the Standard Marine Communication Phrases
using the English language (Reference 4).
Should a serious language problem be detected between
either of the crews, then action should be taken to resolve this by, for
example, transferring an experienced person from one ship to the other, before
operations begin.
4.3 STS INSTRUCTIONS
Voyage instructions are generally provided by the
organisers. This may be the operator of the ships if carrying out
«in house» operations or it may be an STS agency. Normally such agencies send advance STS instructions
to the ships concerned. An example of typical information to be exchanged is
appended to this chapter (see Annex 4.1.)
4.4 INITIAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SHIPS
The ships should establish initial communication as
early as practicable to plan operations and to confirm the transfer area.
4.5 NAVIGATIONAL WARNINGS
Prior to commencing an STS operation, the person
having overall advisory control (see Section
1.5) should broadcast a navigational warning to all ships advising:
• name and nationality of the ships involved;
• geographical position of operations and general headings;
• nature of operations;
• time of starting operations and expected duration; and
• request for wide berth.
On completion of the transfer, the person having
overall advisory control should cancel the navigational warning.
4.6 COMMUNICATION DURING APPROACH, MOORING AND
UNMOORING
As the ships come into the transfer area, contact
should be established on the appropriate VHF channel at the earliest
opportunity, thereafter switching to a mutually agreed working channel. Approach, mooring and unmooring should not be
attempted until proper effective communication has been confirmed between the
two ships. At this time, in accordance with the information
exchanged, Check Lists 2 and 3 should be satisfactorily completed.
Hand-held radios are invaluable for inter-ship
communications during mooring and cargo transfer operations.
Inter-ship confirmation should be sought that the portable radios on each ship are capable of working on the same frequencies.
Ship's officers responsible for mooring stations
should be provided with hand-held radios.
4.7 COMMUNICATION DURING CARGO TRANSFER
OPERATIONS
During cargo operations, essential personnel on both
ships should have a reliable, common means of communication at all times,
including a backup system. It is recommended that spare radios and batteries are
available on both vessels.
4.8 PROCEDURES FOR COMMUNICATION FAILURE
If communication breakdown occurs during an approach manoeuvre, if appropriate and safe, the manoeuvre should be aborted and the subsequent actions taken by each ship should be indicated by the appropriate sound signals as prescribed in the International Regulations/or Preventing Collisions at Sea.
During cargo operations, in the event of a breakdown of communications on either ship, the emergency signal (see Section 10.2) should be sounded and all operations in progress should be suspended immediately.
In general, operations should not be resumed until
satisfactory communications have been reestablished.