INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION

E
IMO SLF 48/4/8 10 June 2005 Original: ENGLISH

SUB-COMMITTEE ON STABILITY AND LOAD LINES AND ON FISHING VESSELS SAFETY 48th session Agenda item 4

REVISION OF THE CODE ON INTACT STABILITY Proposed revision of MSC/Circ.707 Submitted by Germany SUMMARY Executive summary: This document contains a proposal for the revision and expansion of the MSC/Circ.707, which currently contains guidance for the master for avoiding dangerous situations in following and quartering seas. Paragraph 5 MSC/Circ.707, SLF 47/17, SLF 48/4/1, SLF 48/4/2 and SLF 48/4/3 (CG report)

Action to be taken: Related documents:

1 The SLF Sub-Committee, at its forty-seventh session, discussed the revision of the MSC/Circ.707 and has established a correspondence group to address this matter. This intersessional group has discussed many related issues, however, there was only limited time to be spent on the revision of MSC/Circ.707. 2 Recent accidents with large container ships have shown, that dangerous situations from heavy rolling can also occur in head seas at slow speed, a situation that has traditionally been considered as safe and suitable for riding out a severe storm. Parametric resonance has been found as the explanation for the heavy rolling in this situation. 3 Excessive stability has become a frequent occurrence on container ships and ro-ro ships designed for large deck loads, when operated in part deck load conditions. This condition makes those ships vulnerable in beam seas due to the risk of harmonic resonance. 4 In the annex to this document a draft of a revised MSC/Circ.707 is presented, which intends to provide a starting point for the further discussion, including the existing and new issues to be covered. Action requested of the Sub-Committee 5 The Sub-Committee is invited to take note of the above suggestions and the annex thereto and take action as appropriate. ***
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For reasons of economy, this document is printed in a limited number. Delegates are kindly asked to bring their copies to meetings and not to request additional copies.

SLF 48/4/8 ANNEX GUIDANCE TO THE MASTER FOR AVOIDING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IN ADVERSE WEATHER AND SEA CONDITIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. General............................................................................................................................ 1 Cautions.......................................................................................................................... 2 Natural roll period........................................................................................................... 2 Dangerous phenomena in following and quartering seas............................................... 4 4.1 Surf-riding and broaching-to................................................................................4 4.2 Reduction of intact stability when riding a wave crest amidships........................4 4.3 Parametric roll motions.........................................................................................6 4.4 [Sailing with the group velocity of waves.............................................................6 4.5 Combination of various dangerous phenomena....................................................7 Dangerous phenomena in head and bow seas................................................................. 7 5.1 Damage from slamming and shipping of water...................................................8 5.2 Parametric roll motions.........................................................................................8 Dangerous phenomena in beam seas.............................................................................. 8 6.1 Harmonic resonance..............................................................................................8 6.2 Capsizing in a steep or breaking wave..................................................................9 Abbreviations and symbols........................................................................................... 10 General

5. 6. 7. 1

1.1 Adverse weather conditions, for the purpose of the following guidelines, include wind induced waves or heavy swell with a wave length of more than [0.8] [0.6] x ship length and a wave height of more than 0.04 x ship length, or, regardless the wave length and height, a wave period in beam or quartering seas that may cause harmonic resonance with the roll motions of the ship. However, the above definition of adverse weather conditions shall not exonerate a ship master from taking reasonable action in less severe conditions if it appears necessary. 1.2 When sailing in adverse weather conditions, a ship is likely to encounter various kinds of dangerous phenomena, which may lead to capsizing or severe roll motions causing damage to cargo, equipment and persons on board. The sensitivity of a ship to dangerous phenomena will depend on the actual stability parameters, hull geometry, ship size and ship speed. This implies that the vulnerability to dangerous response, including capsizing, and its probability of occurrence in a particular sea state may differ for each ship. 1.3 For those ships, which are equipped with an on-board computer for stability evaluations, such software should be approved by the Administration. Results derived from such calculations should only be regarded as a supporting tool during the decision making process. 1.4 Waves should be observed regularly. In particular, the wave period TW should be measured by means of a stop watch as the time span between the generation of a foam patch by a breaking wave and its reappearance after passing the wave trough. With the measured wave period the phase velocity cW, the group velocity cG and the wave length can be found using the formulae:

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SLF 48/4/8 ANNEX Page 2 cW = 3 TW [knots] cG = 1.5 TW [knots] = 1.56 TW2 [m]

The period of encounter TE should either be observed directly or calculated by the formula:

TE = with

3 TW [s] 3 TW + v cos

v = ships speed [knots] = angle between keel direction and wave direction ( = 0 means head sea)

The diagram in Figure 6 may as well be used for the determination of the period of encounter. The height of significant waves should be estimated.
2 Cautions

2.1 It should be noted that this guidance to the master has been designed to accommodate all types of merchant ships. Therefore, being of a general nature, the guidance may be too restrictive for certain ships with more favourable sea keeping properties, or too generous for certain other ships. Masters are requested to use this guidance with fair observation of the particular features of the ship and her behaviour in heavy weather. 2.2 It should further be noted that this guidance is restricted to hazards in adverse weather conditions that may cause capsizing of the vessel or heavy rolling with a risk of damage. Other hazards and risks in adverse weather conditions, like damage through slamming, longitudinal or torsional stresses, special effects of waves in shallow water or current, risk of collision or stranding, are not addressed in this guidance and must be additionally observed when deciding on an appropriate course and speed in adverse weather conditions. 2.3 The master should ascertain that his ship complies with the stability criteria specified in the IMO Code on Intact Stability or an equivalent thereto. Appropriate measures should be taken to assure the ships water tight integrity. Securing of cargo and equipment should be re-checked. The ships natural period of roll T should be established by observing roll motions in calm sea. The period of roll at large amplitudes TR should be estimated using the current righting lever curve as explained under paragraph 3.
3 Natural roll period

3.1 The ships period of roll TR is the duration of a complete roll motion, i.e. the time span between a reversal point of the roll motion and the following reversal point in the same direction. When a ship is in calm water, any external disturbance in transversal, e.g. wind, will lead to roll motions. The period of roll is usually known to the ships command and frequently referred to as the natural period of roll T of the ship. The natural roll period is related to ship stability and mass distribution. The corresponding roll frequency is called the natural frequency. 3.3 In dangerous roll motions with large amplitudes of 30 or 40, the period of roll TR may differ considerably from the natural period of roll T due to the stability characteristics of the vessel. A rough estimation of these differences is facilitated by the still water righting lever curve of the vessel. 3.3 If the righting lever curve keeps below the tangent at zero heel (see Figure 1), the period of roll at large amplitudes will be grater than the natural period of roll T.

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GZ

Tangent at zero heel GMc

30

40

57.3

Figure 1: TR will be greater than T

3.4 If the righting lever curve up to 30 or 40 remains near the tangent at zero heel (see Figure 2), the period of roll at large amplitudes will be approximately equal to the natural period of roll T.
GZ

Tangent at zero heel GMc

30

40

57,3

Figure 2: TR will be about equal to T

3.5 If the righting lever curve up to 30 or 40 rises above the tangent at zero heel (see Figure 3), the period of roll at large amplitudes will be shorter than the natural period of roll T.

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GZ Tangent at zero heel

GMc 30 40
57,3

Figure 3: TR will be shorter than T

3.6 The magnitude of the deviation of TR from T may be established for the individual ship by practical on-board observation.
4 Dangerous phenomena in following and quartering seas

A ship sailing in following or stern quartering seas encounters the waves with a longer period than in beam, head or bow waves, and principal dangers caused in such situation are as follows:
4.1 Surf-riding and broaching-to

When a ship is situated on the steep forefront of a high wave in following or quartering sea conditions, the ship can be accelerated to ride on the wave. This is known as surf-riding. In this situation the so-called broaching-to phenomenon may occur, which endangers the ship to capsizing as a result of a sudden change of the ships heading and unexpected large heeling. The phenomenon of surf-riding is closely related to the wave length and the ships speed and becomes critical if: .1 .2
4.2

the speed is so high that its component in the wave direction approaches to the phase velocity of the wave; and the wave length is between 1-2 times the ships length.

Reduction of intact stability when riding a wave crest amidships

When a ship is riding on the wave crest, the intact stability can be decreased substantially according to changes of the submerged hull form. This stability reduction may become critical for wave lengths within the range of [0.7] [0.6] L up to [2] [1.5] L, where L is the ships length in metres. Within this range the amount of stability reduction is nearly proportional to the wave height. This situation is particularly dangerous in following and quartering seas, because the duration of riding on the wave crest, i.e. the time span of inferior stability, becomes longer. Figure 4 shows an example of the variation of stability parameters during sailing in longitudinal seas. Dangerous loss of stability on a wave crest is effectively avoided by keeping the ships speed below the dangerous zone in Figure 5.
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1.2 Righting lever GZ [m] 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 Wave crest 0.0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Angle of inclination 80

Wave trough

Still water

Figure 4: Variations of intact stability in longitudinal seas

Wave direction

1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4

v [knots] L [m]
2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0 2.2

Marginal Zone

2.6 2.8 3.0

220 210 200

Surf-riding Zone
150 160 190 = 180 170

140

Figure 5: Risk of surf-riding in following or quartering seas

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4.3 Parametric roll motions

Parametric roll motions with large and dangerous roll amplitudes in following or quartering seas are created by the variation of stability between the position on the wave crest and the position in the wave trough. Parametric rolling may occur in two distinguished situations: .1 The stability varies with an encounter period TE that is about equal to the roll period TR of the ship (encounter ratio 1:1). The stability attains a minimum once during each roll motion. This situation is characterised by asymmetric rolling, i.e. the amplitude with the wave crest amidships is much greater than the amplitude to the other side. Due to the tendency of retarded up-righting from the large amplitude, the roll period TR may adapt to the encounter period to a certain extent, so that this kind of parametric rolling may occur with a wide bandwidth of encounter periods. In quartering seas a transition to harmonic resonance may become noticeable (see paragraph 6). The stability varies with an encounter period TE that is approximately equal to half the roll period TR of the ship (encounter ratio 1:0.5). The stability attains a minimum twice during each roll motion. In following or quartering seas, where the encounter period becomes larger than the wave period, this may only occur with very large roll periods TR, indicating a marginal intact stability. The mechanism of this more dangerous 1:0.5 parametric resonance is that the situation wave crest amidships with weak stability coincides with the heeling phase to either side, while the subsequent up-righting takes place during the phase of increased stability in the wave trough. The result is symmetric rolling with large amplitudes, again with the tendency of adapting the ship response to the period of encounter due to reduction of stability on the wave crest. Parametric rolling with encounter ratio 1:0.5 may also occur in head and bow seas (see paragraph 5).

.2

For avoiding parametric rolling in following or quartering seas, the course and speed of the ship should be selected in a way to eliminate a period of encounter TE that is about equal to the period of roll TR of the ship or about equal to one half of that period of roll. The period of encounter TE may be determined from Figure 7 by entering with the ships speed in knots, the encounter angle and the wave period TW.
4.4 [Sailing with the group velocity of waves

Waves in a usual irregular sea state are not uniform in height. It is well known among seafarers that groups of higher waves appear, e.g. the so-called three sisters, followed by a number of waves of less height. These wave groups travel downwind at a speed that is about half the phase velocity of the waves within that group. The phase velocity is the actual speed of a single wave, which passes through a group of high waves from upwind to downwind. In this way the term group simply indicates an area where ordinary waves get larger through coincidental superposition of components in the wave spectrum. This area travels downwind with the group velocity. If the ship is within such a group of high waves and her speed component in the wave direction is about equal to the wave group velocity, the ship will be attacked by high waves repeatedly for a long time. The maximum wave height in a group of high waves may be almost twice the significant wave height of the existing sea state. In this situation, surf-riding, reduction of intact stability on a wave crest, parametric rolling or combinations of these dangerous phenomena will be more pronounced and thus the risk of capsizing aggravated.
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SLF 48/4/8 ANNEX Page 7 If these indices of dangerous behaviour of the ship can be clearly seen, the avoidance of successive high wave attack may become important. Then the master should keep the ship out of the dangerous zone shown in Figure 6, which indicates that the ship sails at about the group velocity of the waves. When the ship is situated in this dangerous zone, the ships speed should be reduced and/or the course changed to leave this zone. An equivalent indication for sailing with the group velocity of the waves is an encounter period TE of about double (i.e. about 1.5 2.8 times) the observed wave period.
Wave direction

0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6

0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

v [knots] 1.8 TW [s] 2.0

2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0

Dangerous Zone

2.2 2.4 2.6 2.8 3.0

220 210 200 190 = 180 170 160 150

140

Figure 6: Risk of successive high wave attack in following or quartering seas] 4.5 Combination of various dangerous phenomena

The dynamic behaviour of a ship in following and quartering seas is very complex. Ship motion is three-dimensional and various detrimental factors or dangerous phenomena like additional heeling moments due to deck-edge submerging, water shipping and trapping on deck or cargo shift due to large roll motions, may occur in combination with the above mentioned phenomena, simultaneously or consecutively. This may create extremely dangerous combinations, which may cause a ship capsize.
5 Dangerous phenomena in head and bow seas

A ship sailing in head or bow waves of a magnitude defined in paragraph 1.1 encounters the waves in shorter intervals than the wave period. Additionally, the orbital speed of the wave crests adds to the ships speed and thereby increases the kinetic energy of wave impact to the ships hull or deck structures. The principal dangers in such situation are as follows:
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5.1 Damage from slamming and shipping of water

Heavy slamming may cause damage to the ships fore bottom plating, bow flare or aftbody and to internal equipment in the fore body. Shipping of water from forward may cause severe damage to deck equipment, deck cargo or hatch covers due to the high relative speed of the overcoming water. Slamming or shipping of water may appear particularly when pitch amplitudes are getting large due to high speed of the vessel. The favourite measure to reduce slamming or shipping of water is the appropriate reduction of speed. This, however, may have consequences with regard to parametric rolling and course control.
5.2 Parametric roll motions

Parametric roll motions with large and dangerous roll amplitudes in head or bow seas are based on the variation of stability between the position of the amidships body on the wave crest and in the wave trough. Other than in following or quartering seas, parametric rolling in head or bow seas may generally occur with the encounter ratio 1:0.5 only, i.e. with an encounter period TE that is approximately equal to half the roll period TR of the ship, because the encounter periods in head seas are generally small (see Figure 7). The stability attains a minimum twice during each roll motion. The mechanism of this 1:0.5 parametric resonance is that the situation wave crest amidships with weak stability coincides with the heeling phase to either side, while the subsequent up-righting takes place during the phase of increased stability in the wave trough. The result is symmetric rolling with large amplitudes. Other than in following or quartering seas, where the variation of stability is solely effected by the waves passing along the vessel, the frequently heavy pitching in head or bow seas may contribute to the magnitude of the stability variation, in particular due to the periodical immersion and emersion of the flared stern frames and bow flare of modern ships. This may lead to severe parametric roll motions even with smaller wave induced stability variations. The ships pitch period usually equals the encounter period with the waves. How much the pitch motion contributes to the parametric roll motion depends on the timing (coupling) between the pitch and roll motion. The pitch motion could be seen as an increase of the roll restoring moment in a wave trough due to the further increase in water plane area created by the pitch motion. If the ship has significant bow-flare and is pitched bow down in the wave trough the water plane area will be larger than that at zero pitch. For avoiding parametric rolling in head or bow seas, the course and speed of the ship should be selected in a way to eliminate a period of encounter TE that is about equal to one half of the period of roll TR of the ship. The period of encounter TE may be determined from Figure 7 by entering with the ships speed in knots, the encounter angle and the wave period TW.
6 6.1 Dangerous phenomena in beam seas Harmonic resonance

Rolling in beam seas is the result of periodical heeling moments from asymmetric buoyancy in wave slopes. The intensity of this rolling depends on the energy transfer to the ship and can be assumed effective between encounter angles of 45 via 90 up to about [150] [135]from the bow
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SLF 48/4/8 ANNEX Page 9 on either side. Large roll amplitudes with the risk of damage, cargo shifting or personnel accidents must be expected if the encounter period of the waves TE is about equal to the roll period TR of the ship (encounter ratio 1:1). For avoiding harmonic resonance in beam seas, i.e. waves with an encounter angle between 45 and about 150 from the bow on either side, the course and speed of the ship should be selected in a way to eliminate a period of encounter TE that is about equal to the period of roll TR of the ship. The period of encounter TE may be determined from Figure 7 by entering with the ships speed in knots, the encounter angle and the wave period TW. For ships with long periods of roll (e.g. 20 or more seconds), the risk to encounter this phenomena is rather low.
6.2 Capsizing in a steep or breaking wave

The risk of capsizing in a steep or breaking wave is limited to small water craft like pleasure boats or small fishing vessels, where the size of the steep or breaking crest of the wave is greater than the vessels beam. If this risk is imminent, capsizing will be avoided by keeping the bow against the breaking wave at a speed, which ensures steer ability. Larger ships with adequate stability, e.g., according to the IMO Code on Intact Stability, and properly secured cargo do not capsize in beam seas.
= 0 360 10 350 20 340 30 330 40 320 50 310 60 300 70 290 80 280 Wave period TW [s] 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 90 270 knots 100 260 110 250 120 240 130 230 5s 6s 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 Period of encounter TE [s] 10 8 6 4 2 180 170 190 150 210 140 220 160 200

Figure 7: Determination of the period of encounter TE

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Abbreviations and symbols

The abbreviations and symbols used in this guidance are consistent with those used in the MSC/Circ.920 as far as applicable.
Symbols cW cG TW TE v T TR GZ GMC L Explanation phase velocity of waves group velocity of waves wave period wave length encounter period with waves angle of encounter ( = 0 when heading the waves) ships speed natural period of roll of ship (up to 5 amplitude) period of roll at large amplitudes righting lever of ship metacentric height, corrected for free surfaces length of ship (between perpendiculars) angle of heel Units knots knots s m s degrees knots s s m m m degrees

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