On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014

Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) Course

Constanta, Romania
1 – 12 September 2014

Initial Action Vessel

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Federation

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Vessels assisting
Immediate action
The following immediate action should be taken by any ship
receiving a distress message:

acknowledge receipt of message
Note: For DSC acknowledgement see flow charts

gather the following information from the craft in
distress if possible:

position of distressed craft

distressed craft’s identity, call sign, and name number of
POBs

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 1

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting

nature of the distress or casualty

type of assistance required

number of victims, if any

distressed craft’s course and speed

type of craft, and cargo carried

any other pertinent information that might facilitate
the rescue

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting
maintain a continuous watch on the following international
frequencies, if equipped to do so:

2182 kHz (radiotelephony)

156.8 MHz FM (VHF Channel 16, radiotelephony) for
vessel distress

121.5 MHz AM (radiotelephony) for aircraft distress
Vessels should maintain communications with the
distressed craft while attempting to advise the SAR system
of the situation.

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 2

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting
The following information should be communicated to the
distressed craft:

own vessel’s identity, call sign, and name

own vessel’s position

own vessel’s speed and estimated time of arrival (ETA)
to distressed craft position

distressed craft’s true bearing and distance from ship.
Use all available means to remain aware of the location of
distressed craft (such as radar plotting, chart plots, AIS,
and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting
When in close proximity, post extra look-outs to keep
distressed craft in sight.
The ship or CRS co-ordinating distress traffic should
establish contact with the SMC and pass on all available
information, updating as necessary.
Proceeding to the area of distress

Establish a traffic co-ordinating system among vessels
proceeding to the same area of distress.

Maintain if possible AIS data and active radar plots on
vessels in the general vicinity.

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 3

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting
Note: For DSC acknowledgement see flow charts.
They will be om the next slide in this presentation.
Ships reiceiving a DSC Distress Alert should NOT
acknowledge this, see the following FLOW-chart.
The reason for this is that sending an “acknowledgement”
to a ship transmitting a DSC Distress Alert wil stop the DSC
transmissions from the distressed vessel.
Within the GMDSS system it is the intention that shore
basec facilities receive and “acknowledge” the DSC
Distress Alert.

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 4

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Immediate action – Vessels assisting

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Proceeding to the area of distress

Estimate the ETA´s to the distress site of other assisting

vessels.

Assess the distress situation to prepare for operations
on-scene.
On-board preparation
A vessel en route to assist a distressed craft should have the
following equipment ready for possible use:
Life-saving and rescue equipment such as:

lifeboat

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 5

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Life-saving and rescue equipment

inflatable liferaft

lifejackets

survival suits for the crew

lifebuoys

breeches buoys

portable VHF radios for communication with the ship
and boats deployed

line-throwing apparatus

buoyant lifelines

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Life-saving and rescue equipment

hauling lines

non-sparking boat hooks or grappling hooks

hatchets

rescue baskets

litters

pilot ladders

scrambling nets

copies of the International Code of Signals

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 6

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Life-saving and rescue equipment

radio equipment operating on MF/HF and/or VHF/UHF
and capable of communicating with the RCC and rescue
facilities, and with a facility for direction finding (DF)

supplies and survival equipment, as required

fire-fighting equipment

portable ejector pumps

binoculars

cameras

bailers and oars

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Signalling equipment

signalling lamps

searchlights

torches

flare pistol with colour-coded signal flares

buoyant VHF/UHF marker beacons

floating lights

smoke generators

flame and smoke floats

dye markers

loud hailers

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 7

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Preparations for medical assistance, including:

stretchers

blankets

medical supplies and medicines

clothing

food

shelter
Miscellaneous equipment:

If fitted, a gantry crane for hoisting on each side of ship
with a cargo net for recovery of survivors.

OSC Course
Initial Action by Assisting Craft
Miscellaneous equipment:

Line running from bow to stern at the water’s edge on
both sides for boats and craft to secure alongside.

On the lowest weather deck, pilot ladders and manropes
to assist survivors boarding the vessel.

Vessel’s lifeboats ready for use as a boarding station.

Line-throwing apparatus ready for making connection
with either ship in distress or survival craft.

Floodlights set in appropriate locations, if recovery at
night

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 8

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

OSC Course
Vessels NOT Assisting
The master deciding not to proceed to the scene of a
distress due to sailing time involved and in the knowledge
that a rescue operation is under way should:

Make an appropriate entry in the ship’s log-book.

If the master had previously acknowledged and
responded to the alert, report the decision not to
proceed to the SAR service concerned.

Reconsider the decision not to proceed nor report to the
SAR service when vessel in distress is far from land or in
an area where density of shipping is low.

OSC Course

Any Questions ?

Thank you.

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 9

On-scene Coordinator Course 4-9-2014
Constanta, Romania 1-12 September 2014

Kees Koning
IMO Consultant

Zwarte Dolfijn 21
1704 VR Heerhugowaard
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 72 572 6266
E-mail: kko_ hk@yahoo.com

Copyright 2014 K. Koning - IMO Consultant 10