The Standard Club has published ‘A Masters Guide to Berthing’ as part of its campaign to encourage best practice at sea.
It said the booklet covers all aspects of the berthing operation, paying special attention to the hazards that make it one of the most loss-prone aspects of seafaring.
“The purpose if this guide is to provide some insight into what can go wrong and why, why ships are designed the way they are, why they handle the way they do, and how to berth them,” said Standard’s head of loss prevention Eric Murdoch.
“On its own, the guide will not teach you how to become a ship handler, but it does provide background material to help a good ship handler become a better one,” he added.
The guide addresses berthing factors such as wind and current, as well as communication with tugs and pilots. The advice is backed up by case histories and illustrated diagrams, said Standard.
