Tug Towage Safety Questionnaire
This questionnaire has been produced by Stephen Ford, a serving Tugmaster, as
part of a research project into Tug Safety, with Solent University. The purpose of
this questionnaire is to identify the specific risks involved in harbour towage
operations.
It is addressed to all Masters and asks them to describe one berthing or unberthing
operation which raised an issue of tug and vessel safety. This might have been a
near miss or an incident, but it includes challenging jobs; for example where
different choices were made on subsequent occasions.
All information provided will remain strictly confidential to myself, the researcher.
Anything that attributes information to a particular person, vessel or company will
be removed: any information provided is purely for statistical analysis. All
responses will be destroyed upon completion of the research project in June 2013.
To fill in the form, Masters are asked to put a cross (X) in the most applicable box.
If a question is not applicable, you are unsure about the answer, or you do not
wish to answer a question, please leave it blank.
Please email your completed questionnaire to:
tug.safety@btinternet.com
For more information about the project and for the results of the research
(available June 2013) please go to:
http://mahara.solent.ac.uk/view/view.php?id=66091
Alternatively I can be contacted at the above email address.
Thank you for your help with this research.
Q. SM
Details of the berthing or unberthing operation
Your Vessel
1. Vessel type
(Please state)
(Container, barge, etc.)
… …………………………………………..
2. Approximate
size (deadweight,
tonnes)
3. Bow form
Coaster
or Barge
Handy
Large
(<10,000t)
(10,00050,000t)
(51,000160,000)
Fine
Moderate
Broad
Very
Large
Not known
/ other
(>160,000)
Unsure / other
(Please state)
The Tug
4. Type of tug
Conventional
5. Tug Bollard Pull
approximate (tonnes)
Moderate
<30t
(propeller/
rudder)
ASD
Tractor
Not known
/ other
Medium 31t
- 65t
High > 66t
Not known
/ other
……
Tug Assistance Provided
6. Tug Help
Push &/or
pull
Tow on a line
7. Tug
Position
8. Whose
line
Tug Forward
Amidships
Not known / other
(Please state)
……
Tug Aft
Not known / other
(Please state)
Tug’s
Ship’s
Unsure / Not Appropriate
External factors
Conditions / Weather
9. Wind
(Beaufort Scale)
10. Swell height
(m)
11. Current
(knots)
Low
<F3
Moderate
F4-F6
Gale
F7-F83
Storm
>F9
Unsure
Calm
<0.2
Moderate
0.3 – 0.9
Rough
1.0-1.5
Storm
>1.5
Unsure
Low
<1
Moderate
2-3
Strong
>3
Unsure
12. Other external
condition
(please state)
…………………………………..
Q. SM
…….
The Safety Issue
The risk (to vessel or tug)
13. How likely were
the following
outcomes in this
case
a. Collision
b. Grounding
c. Foundering
d. Major damage
e. Minor damage
f. Loss of life
g. Major Injury
h. Minor injury
i. Pollution
Not likely / Not
applicable
Possible
Likely
Highly likely
Inevitable
The event
14. How would you best
describe the event:
Challenging
/
Instructive
Near
miss
Incident
Accident
Other
Brief description
15. Please use this space to briefly describe any other factors not already covered elsewhere.
Q. SM
Extent to which different factors were involved
Factors involved
16. Indicate the extent to which the following factors influenced the safety issue.
No effect /
Some effect
Important
Fundamental
Factor
Not
Applicable
effect
effect
Interaction between vessel & tug (e.g. tug
enters ship’s bow pressure wave)
Girting, Girding or Tripping (potential for
or actually observed)
Insufficient detailed planning of tow (e.g.
pilot orders insufficient tug bollard pull)
Speed through water too fast (e.g. tug
unable to maintain required position)
Ship size too large for tug/s (e.g. windage
too great for tug bollard pull)
Ship too powerful for tug/s (e.g. main
engines overpowering tug pull)
Wrong tug type used for job (e.g.
conventional tug used in vulnerable position)
Lack of manoeuvring space (e.g.
restrictions of shallow water, buoys or piers)
Excessive swell (i.e. snatching or parting
tow line)
Excessive current (e.g. tug finds it
difficult to control vessel)
Excessive wind strength (e.g. too great
for tug power)
Practical difficulties (e.g. tug needs to
remain in ‘critical area’ to pass tow line)
Ship securing arrangements (e.g. suitable
fairleads in wrong position)
Tug equipment inadequate (e.g. failure of
emergency quick release)
Inadequate tugs communication
equipment (e.g. poor VHF)
Language difficulties (e.g. lack of spoken
English)
Human factors (e.g. tug or ship’s crew
poor concentration, fatigue, etc.)
Training insufficient (e.g. more training
in working with tugs would be beneficial)
Other (please state: and continue in ‘Brief
Description’ above) ………………………..
Thank you for completing this questionnaire; please email it to: tug.safety@btinternet.com
Q. SM