ICS GUIDE TO HELICOPTER SHIP OPERATIONS 2005

Guide to Helicopter /SHip Operations Fourth Edition International Chamber of Shipping The cover photograph is reproduced with the kind permission of CHC Helicopter Corporation Guide to Helicopter /SHip Operations Fourth Edition Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is a voluntary organisation of national shipowners' associations Established in 1921, it represents about seventy-five percent of world merchant tonnage The interests of ICS cover all aspects of maritime affairs, but it is particularly active in the field of marine safety, ship design and construction, pollution prevention and maritime law ICS has consultative status with several inter-governmental organisations, including the International Maritime Organization While the advice given in this guide has been developed using the best information currently available, it is intended purely as guidance and to be used at the user's own risk No responsibility is accepted by the International Chamber of Shipping or by any person, firm, corporation or organisation who or which has been in any way concerned with the furnishing of information or data, the compilation, publication or authorised translation, supply or sale of this guide, for the accuracy of any information or advice given herein or for any omission or for any consequences whatsoever resulting directly or indirectly from compliance with or adoption of guidance contained herein even if caused by a failure to exercise reasonable care Guide to Helicopter/Ship Operations Published by Marisec Publications 12 Carthusian Street London EC1M 6EZ Tel +44 20 7417 8844 Fax +44 20 7417 8877 Email ics@marisec.org Website www.marisec.org First Published Revised Edition Third Edition Fourth Edition 1979 1982 1989 2008 © Marisec Publications 2008 Guide to helicopter/ship operations CONTENTS Page Foreword Chapter GENERAL GUIDANCE 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Selection of a Helicopter Operator 1.3 Provision of Helicopter Landing/Operating Area Information Chapter PRINCIPLES OF OPERATING SAFETY 10 2.1 General Principles 10 2.2 Marine Responsibilities 10 2.2.1 Ship Operator 10 2.2.2 Master 11 2.2.3 Deck Party Officer (DPO) 11 2.2.4 Deck Party Crew (DPC) 12 2.2.5 Administrator 12 2.2.6 Officer of the Watch (OOW) 12 2.2.7 Passengers 12 2.3 Aviation Responsibilities 12 2.3.1 Helicopter Operator 13 2.3.2 Helicopter Pilot 13 2.3.3 Helicopter Winchman/Crew Member Chapter HELICOPTER OPERATING GUIDANCE 14 3.1 14 3.2 Designation of Helicopter Performance 14 3.2.1 Performance Class Introduction 14 3.2.2 Performance Class 14 3.2.3 Performance Class 15 3.2.4 Performance for Winching 15 3.3 The Use of Twin Engined and Single Engined Helicopters 16 3.4 Helicopter Size and Weight Restrictions 16 3.5 Equipment and Crewing 17 3.6 Helicopter Landing Gear 17 3.7 Weather and Sea Conditions 17 3.7.1 General 17 3.7.2 Wind Conditions Limiting Helicopter Operations 18 3.7.3 Sea and Swell 18 3.7.4 Special Conditions Guide to helicopter/ship operations Chapter GENERAL SHIP REQUIREMENTS 20 4.1 Ship Operating Areas 20 4.1.1 Types of Operating Area 20 4.1.2 Location and Size of Operating Area - Landing 26 4.1.3 Location and Size of Operating Area - Winching 26 4.1.4 Poop Deck Platforms 26 4.1.5 Structural Considerations (Purpose Built and Non Purpose Built Landing Areas) 26 4.2 Environmental Effects 26 4.2.1 General Considerations 27 4.2.2 Aerodynamic Effects 27 4.2.3 Wave Motion Effects 28 4.3 Details of Landing Area 28 4.3.1 General Guidance on Markings 28 4.3.2 Markings for a Landing Area Located at the Ship’s Side 29 4.3.3 Markings for Amidships Centreline Landing Area with or without Restricted Access from the Ship’s Side 29 4.4 Details of Winching Area 29 4.4.1 Positioning a Winching Area 30 4.4.2 Winching Area on the Bridge Wing 30 4.4.3 Marking a Winching Area 31 4.5 Additional Considerations for Helicopter Operating Areas 32 4.6 Night Operations: Landing and Winching Area Lighting 33 4.7 Fire Fighting Appliances and Rescue Equipment Chapter COMMUNICATIONS AND SHIP OPERATING PROCEDURES 34 5.1 Communications 34 5.1.1 General Guidance 34 5.1.2 Communications Equipment 34 5.2 Normal Operating Procedures - Pre-Arrival 34 5.2.1 Weather Conditions 35 5.2.2 Departure of Helicopter from the Heliport 35 5.2.3 Pre-Arrival Checks on the Ship 36 5.2.4 Pre-Arrival Checks from the Helicopter 37 5.3 Navigation 37 5.3.1 Identification of the Vessel 37 5.3.2 Manoeuvrability 37 5.4 Signalling Procedures 37 5.4.1 Ships’ International Signals 37 5.4.2 Visual Signals to Helicopter 38 5.4.3 Loss of Radio Communications 38 5.4.4 Warning Signal Guide to helicopter/ship operations 38 5.5 Basic Operating Procedures 38 5.5.1 Officer of the Watch 38 5.5.2 Deck Party 39 5.5.3 Fire Fighting 39 5.5.4 The Operating Area 39 5.5.5 The Helicopter 39 5.5.6 Emergency Shutdown 39 5.6 Helicopter Landing and Unloading 39 5.6.1 Landing 40 5.6.2 Disembarking Passengers and Freight from the Helicopter 41 5.6.3 Operational Safety 41 5.7 Helicopter Hovering 41 5.7.1 Winching Operations 42 5.7.2 Underslung Loads 42 5.8 Helicopter Loading and Departure 42 5.8.1 Loading Passengers and Freight 42 5.8.2 Take Off 43 5.8.3 Departing 43 5.9 Instructions to Helicopter Passengers 43 5.9.1 General 44 5.9.2 Landing 44 5.9.3 Winching 46 5.10 Passenger/Freight Handling Procedures 46 5.10.1 Passenger Pre-Flight Briefing 46 5.10.2 General Freight Handling 46 5.10.3 Carriage of “Dangerous Goods” 46 5.10.4 Carriage of Freight and/or Baggage in the Passenger Cabin with Passengers 47 5.10.5 List of Items Prohibited for Carriage in Passengers’ Baggage or on Person Chapter REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIC TO DIFFERENT SHIP TYPES 48 6.1 Tankers 48 6.1.1 Oil Tankers 48 6.1.2 Chemical/Parcel Tankers 48 6.1.3 Vapour Dispersal 49 6.1.4 Vapour Emission Control 49 6.1.5 Safety 49 6.1.6 Freeboard 50 6.2 Bulk Carriers and Combination Carriers 50 6.2.1 General 50 6.2.2 Geared Bulk Carriers 51 6.2.3 Gearless Bulk Carriers 51 6.2.4 Combination Carriers 51 6.3 Containerships 52 6.4 Gas Carriers 52 6.4.1 Design Limitations 52 6.4.2 Vapour Emission Control 53 6.5 General Cargo Ships Guide to helicopter/ship operations Chapter EMERGENCY EVACUATION BY AIR 54 7.1 54 7.2 Illness or Injury Evacuation 54 7.2.1 Requesting Assistance General 54 7.2.2 Preparation of Patient 55 7.3 Emergency Operating Areas Chapter HELICOPTER INCIDENT/ACCIDENT 56 8.1 General 56 8.2 Helicopter Accident Procedure 56 8.3 Fire Procedures 57 8.4 Helideck Emergency Procedures 57 8.4.1 Crash on Deck 57 8.4.2 Emergency/Precautionary Landing 57 8.4.3 Crash on Deck Major Fuel Spillage - No Fire 57 8.4.4 Helicopter Incident on Landing 58 8.4.5 Man Overboard (MOB) 58 8.4.6 Helicopter Ditching 58 8.5 Personnel in Water - Emergency Procedures 58 8.6 Plan of Action APPENDICES 60 Appendix A Commercial Helicopters in Marine Use 61 Appendix B Communications 66 Appendix C Shipboard Safety Check List for Helicopter Operators 68 Appendix D Instructions to Helicopter Passengers Transferring to and from Ships 70 Appendix E Marine Pilot Transfer 71 Appendix F Helicopter Landing/Operating Area Plan (to be used with accompanying CD) 79 Appendix G Duties and Suggested Action Plan for Helicopter Accident 80 Appendix H Bridge Wing Operations for Marine Pilot Transfer - A Risk Assessment FIGURES 22 Figure 4.1 Landing Area at the Ship’s Side 23 Figure 4.2 Amidships Centreline Landing Area (Purpose Built and Non Purpose Built) 24 Figure 4.3 Markings for a Purpose Built Landing Area in an Amidships Centreline Location 25 Figure 4.4 Winching Operations Area 32 Figure 4.5 Representative Landing Area Lighting Scheme 40 Figure 5.1 Representative Diagram of Helicopter Safe Approach Sectors Guide to helicopter/ship operations FOREWORD This guide has been published after wide consultation with both marine and aviation experts, whose contribution to this new edition is acknowledged with thanks Its purpose is to encourage safe and efficient helicopter/ship operations, and while the guide is intended principally for the use of ships' masters, officers and crew, it also offers advice to helicopter pilots and operators The objective is to promote standardised procedures and facilities for helicopter/ship operations worldwide This revision of the guide supersedes all previous versions It has been updated with extensive guidance regarding the role and responsibilities of both the ship and helicopter Definitions of helicopter performance have been both expanded and clarified, while information regarding the location and marking of landing and winching areas has been completely revised to reflect the latest International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements It is recognised that in the years since the Third Edition was published, on some ships and on certain trades, the practice has developed of transferring by winch marine pilots directly to the Bridge Wing Such operations should not normally be conducted unless a thorough risk assessment has been conducted, particularly when more conventional transfer arrangements can be provided Guidance and advice regarding a risk assessment to be conducted when planning for the winching of marine pilots to the Bridge Wing of ships forms Appendix H Guidance regarding emergencies has been supplemented with advice addressing the actions to be taken in case of a helicopter incident/accident A new Appendix F provides guidance regarding the provision by the ship of specific Landing/Operating Area data to the helicopter operator To provide additional value and utility, this new edition of the Guide is accompanied by a CD containing the full text in electronic form with a “search” function and the facility to print the check lists included in the Appendices Importantly, the CD also includes an electronic template for preparing Helicopter Landing/ Operating Area Plans for transmission from the ship to the helicopter operator For full instructions, see Appendix F All possible care has been taken in the preparation of this guide, but it must be stressed that it is only a guide It is not intended to be binding, and shipping companies, ships' masters and officers, helicopter operators and air crew are all responsible for acting in accordance with relevant national regulations and company instructions Ships may operate under codes or national requirements which may necessitate the application of alternative or higher standards than those advised in this guide Regulations for helicopter operations are established by the authorities in the country of registration of the aircraft and/or where the operation takes place, and may vary in detail from one country to another For those vessels to which the International Safety Management (ISM) Code applies, this guide may provide assistance in developing shipboard operating procedures and requirements for the various helicopter operations that may be undertaken on board It should be recognised that certain sections of this guide may be found to be of value by ship design teams, and for many users technical information within the guide may need to be accessed only occasionally Retaining advice for both the helicopter and ship regarding joint operations in one publication is considered by the authors to be appropriate, and it is anticipated that this consistency will be found to be useful to ship and helicopter operators alike Comment on the guide and suggestions for further improvement will be welcome, and should be addressed to the International Chamber of Shipping, 12 Carthusian Street, London, EC1M 6EZ, United Kingdom Email ics@marisec.org Guide to helicopter/ship operations Risk - Area of Risk Threat Threat Control 1.2 Loss of Reference Reduced visual cues (day) due to height of BW above the deck Operation started only if reference can be maintained under standard procedures Escalation Factor Escalation Control Pilot loses reference during winch cycle Pilot indicates to hoist operator that contact lost; procedure for loss of reference followed Operation to BW limited to operating height of m unless the size of the site and the visual cues permit it to be higher Use of helicopters that have minimum distance between pilot and hoist will reduce the threat Procedures for selection, training, qualification and checking of Helicopter Hoist Operations (HHO) crew established and followed Procedure for achieving and maintaining experience to ensure recent experience of all HHO crew established and followed Reduced visual cues (night) due to lack of lighting and height of BW above the deck Operation accepted only if sufficient lighting of winch site and obstacles is provided and indicated on ship’s “template” Lights found to be not sufficient on arrival at site Operation not commenced Lighting deficiency reported and filed with master and shipping company Pilot loses reference during winch cycle 98 Guide to helicopter/ship operations Pilot indicates to hoist operator that contact lost; procedure for loss of reference followed Risk - Area of Risk Threat Threat Control Escalation Factor Escalation Control Procedures for selection, training and checking of HHO crew for night operations established and followed Procedure for achieving and maintaining night experience to ensure recent experience of all HHO crew established and followed Strong wind requires pilot to sit ahead of references so that empty harness can be delivered to small site Vision impaired by soot particles Operation started only if reference can be maintained under these circumstances Pilot now too far ahead of clear zone to lift marine pilot Such complications are discussed as part of the CRM training Before lift is commenced, pilot is conned back to lifting position Lack of current night experience Procedures to maintain current night experience established Break off from task and clear ship until new direction is established - check power assurance before recommencing lift Guide to helicopter/ship operations 99 Risk - Area of Risk Threat Threat Control 1.3 Loss of Position Environmental disturbance (wind, turbulence) Establish wind limits for BW hoisting/winching (recommended 60 kts) Break off from task, clear ship and re-establish position Accentuated linear movement because of the height of the BW (sea conditions) Escalation Control Inability to accurately hold station on BW due to conditions Discontinue operation Equipment is not provided Employment of more conservative limits of operation based upon the calculations indicated below Equipment is unserviceable Employment of more conservative limits of operation based upon the calculations indicated below Roll of ship erodes the lateral obstacles’ clearance The distance of the closest obstacle that will affect height of operations m above BW should be established (measurement taken from the centre of the winch site); the relationship of the linear movement of this obstacle to the angular movement of ship should be established Establish obstacle linear displacement from the centre of the hoisting/winching site prepare ship’s template and make available to appropriate parties Establish helicopter limits of operation - based upon the linear movement of the significant obstacles outside the manoeuvring zone or obstacles surrounding the clear zone of the operational area Provide equipment that can accurately measure obstacle displacement at the BW location 100 Escalation Factor Guide to helicopter/ship operations Risk - Area of Risk Threat Threat Control Escalation Factor Escalation Control The limit of operation should be the angle of roll (converted to a linear distance at the BW) that preserves the margin of 0.5 RD (rotor diameter) between the rotor disc and the closest obstacle (thus meeting the intent of clearance from obstacles of D of the manoeuvring zone) or the angle of roll which permits the marine pilot to be landed within the extent of the clear zone Ship movement (manoeuvring) Heave of the ship erodes the vertical obstacle clearance Operational height should be based upon the visual cue environment and the width of the clear zone The heave limit should be based upon the operational height, a vertical clearance from obstacles of m at the top of the heave cycle and a heave rate that would not result in injury to the marine pilot Pitch of ship moves BW out of use for delivering marine pilot to the operational site Establish limit of pitch to be the linear displacement of 2.5 x width of hoisting/winching site (BW) or m whichever is the lesser (because of the longer lever arm, it is likely that the pilot will be able to follow any fore and aft movement of the BW) Break off from task and clear ship until new direction is established Guide to helicopter/ship operations 101 HAZARD - HOISTING/WINCHING CLEAR ZONE LESS THAN M Risk - Area of Risk Threat Threat Control Escalation Factor Escalation Control 2.1 Obstacles in immediate vicinity of clear zone are potential snagging hazard Hoist harness/and or marine pilot snags obstacles All snagging hazards to be removed from the width of, and up to m from end of, the BW Stanchions to rails remain a hazard Where possible, all stanchions to be boxed Ship’s crew member to take possession of harness when it is lowered for, or released by, marine pilot Static discharge risk to ship’s crew member if harness gathered before it has been grounded Master to ensure that deck crew are briefed on the effect of static discharge Ship’s crew member not briefed on duties BW hoisting/ winching should only be conducted if ship has, and complies with, BW procedures Ship moves outside limits Crew members wait until the ship moves back in pitching limit provided the roll remains within limits Ship moves outside limits Helicopter immediately moved off to a safe position; crew members wait until the ship moves back in roll limits or aborts mission as required Ship’s crew member not briefed on duties BW hoisting/ winching only conducted if ship has, and complies with, BW procedures 2.2 Marine pilot not delivered cleanly to centre of clear zone Ship pitching results in marine pilot being delivered outside rails Operational limitation on pitch of 2.5 x width of clear zone and appropriate operating height should reduce such an occurrence Marine pilot recovered to a safe height before lowering recommenced Roll of ship results in marine pilot being delivered outside rails Operational limits on roll of the length of the clear zone and choice of operating height should reduce such an occurrence Helicopter moved off to a safe position and marine pilot recovered to a safe height before lowering recommenced Ship pitching or rolling results in marine pilot closing to collision with rail 102 Ship’s crew, one or two members as required, guides marine pilot to centre of clear zone Guide to helicopter/ship operations Risk - Area of Risk 2.3 Marine pilot not picked up cleanly from clear zone Threat Threat Control Escalation Factor Escalation Control Pitch more than one ship’s crew member can handle Ensure that more than one ship’s crew member is made available and briefed before helicopter arrives on station Ship heave results in acceleration down to clear zone Crew co-operation to ensure that the marine pilot is delivered in a period of minimum movement Ship heave occurs when marine pilot is below level of rail Ship’s crew member attempts to cushion landing Snagging Pilot and hoist operator must be prepared to cut cable if snagging occurs Marine pilot is on the wire Cable cut considered only while marine pilot is below level of rail Hoist operator takes the strain on the wire to establish movement before continuing the lift to ensure that there is no snagging Marine pilot swings to rail or obstacle Ship’s crew, one or two members as required, support marine pilot until clear pick up is achieved Additional call of “passenger clear” by hoist operator to indicate that risk of snagging is past 2.4 BW clear zone not wide enough for safe operation Unable to deliver marine pilot to the clear zone in other than calm conditions Operation should not be conducted unless there is sufficient width to provide a safe clear area At a minimum, this might be