Browsing the P&I Club’s websites can be quite enlightening. As the P&I Clubs bear the financial costs when mariners get injured or the ship is damaged, they can have insightful guidance. This month, one of the topics brings us back to the basics – routine inspections of the vessel by the captain.
Last year, I was inbound to a port-that-will-remain-nameless, with the local pilot at the conn. As we maneuvered up a winding channel, the channel curved to port, yet the pilot ordered starboard rudder as we approached the next turn. Our 3rd officer, who had been onboard for over two months already and well-drilled in bridge resource management theory piped up and said, “Mr. Pilot – the channel goes to port, why are you using starboard rudder?” The pilot responded by glancing at the rudder angle indicator and out the window. He then turned and told the helmsman, “Midships,” followed shortly by, “Port 20.” The pilot then turned, smiled at the 3rd officer, and said, “Thanks.”
Continue reading “The Effective Crew Project : Solent University”
