Emergency Towing Procedures

 Purpose and Requirements:

• The purpose of the Guidelines is to assist owners/operators in preparing ship-specific emergency towing procedures for ships subject to SOLAS Chapter II-1, Part A-1 Regulation 3-4 (click here to know more).

• The guidelines are intended to help owners/operators to carry out the necessary steps in establishing emergency towing procedures, provide information on the scope of the emergency towing booklet (click here to know more) and give guidance towards creating a procedure for towage.

• The aim of these guidelines is to support the crew in establishing the safest and most efficient course of action to be taken when they meet with an emergency that requires towing.

• Owners/operators and crews should take into consideration that the procedures should be practised in such a way that the nature of an emergency does not allow time for deliberation.

• The towing procedure should be maintained on board the ship for ready use by the ship's crew in preparing their ship for towage in an emergency.

• The crew should have good knowledge of equipment stowage location and accessibility.

• Any identified improvements to the stowage arrangement should be implemented.

• Crew dealing with an emergency situation should be aware of the power availability required for winches and tools, as well as for deck lighting (for bad/low visibility and night-time situations). 

• The booklets, procedures and poster provided onboard the ship for the purpose of the ship's crew must be in a ready-to-use format.

Procedures for Emergency Towing:

        The emergency towing procedure should include, as a minimum, the following as required by the guidelines of the administration: 

• A quick-reference decision matrix that summarizes options under various emergency scenarios, such as weather conditions, availability of shipboard power, the imminent danger of grounding, etc.

• The organisation of deck crew (personnel distribution, equipment distribution, including radios, safety equipment, etc.)

• The organisation of tasks (what needs to be done, how it should be done, what is needed for each task, etc.)  

• Diagrams for assembling and rigging bridles, tow lines, etc., showing possible emergency towing arrangements for both fore and aft.

• Power shortages, dead ship conditions, which must be taken into account, especially for the heaving across heavy towing lines.

• A communication plan for contacting the salvage/towing ship.

• The communication plan should list all information that the ship's master needs to communicate to the salvage/towing ship. This list should include the following:

• Damage or seaworthiness
• Status of ship's steering
• Propulsion
• On deck power systems
• On-board towing equipment
• Existing emergency rapid disconnection system 
• Forward and Aft towing point locations
• Equipment, connection points, strong points and safe working loads(SWLs)
• Towing equipment dimensions and capacities
• Ship particulars

• Evaluation of existing equipment, tools and arrangements on board the ship for possible use in rigging a towing bridle and securing a towline.

• Identification of any minor tools or equipment providing significant improvements to the 'towability' of the ship

• Inventory and location of equipment on board that can be used during an emergency towing situation.

• Other preparations (locking rudder and propellor shaft, ballast and trim, etc.)

• Other relevant information (limiting sea states, towing speed, etc.)

Reference: IMO Publications & Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1255