Page 23 - CHIRP annual digest 2016.pdf

Annual Digest 2016

Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) have been around for
a long time and the rules for using them are fairly
straightforward – Rule 10 is hardly the most complex of
the collision regulations – so why did we receive more
reports in 2016 about separation schemes than any
other COLREGS-related topic?

I do not know the answer to that question, but perhaps
the reports below will at least illustrate some of the bad
practices that should be avoided. They contain details
of ships overtaking too close to other vessels, using VHF
when it would be better to take action immediately, not
monitoring the correct VHF channel, and crossing a TSS
inappropriately.
There appear to be some themes, which emerge even
from such a relatively small sample. I got the feeling
that a number of the vessels involved were trying to
doggedly follow their passage plan while ignoring the
traffic around them, but it may also be that some
officers are still reluctant to take avoiding action.
Slowing down is one of the most effective forms of
collision avoidance, but it also seems to be one of the
most difficult for officers to consider. There are some
cases here where slowing down would have removed all
risk, yet it was not attempted.

We also find a number of cases where vessels allow
themselves to be ‘squeezed’ by other ships in and around
a TSS. It seems some officers have difficulty thinking
ahead and devising tactics to avoid a close quarters
situation. Similarly, there are cases where it seems
officers do not appreciate that their actions will
embarrass another vessel that is hemmed in and cannot
manoeuvre freely.
On a happier note, there is one case where we received
an excellent response from the company whose ship
appeared to have caused a problem for the reporter. The
company took the lessons to heart and did their best to
ensure there would not be a repeat – exactly what
CHIRP Maritime hopes to achieve with every report we
publish.

The section concludes with another excellent MAB
Insight article on the best practice for crossing a TSS.
Judging from the reports, it should be required reading
for every navigating officer.

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Reproduced by permission of the Controller of
Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and the UK
Hydrographic Office (www.GOV.uk/UKHO).

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