VHF COMMUNICATION:

DISTRESS

 Look at the image below and state what

happened.
What type of vessel is it?
Which message category is transmitted under this
circumstance?

 A distress situation is one in which a vessel, aircraft, vehicle, or

person is in serious and immediate danger and requires immediate
assistance. Examples of "serious and immediate danger" in which a
mayday call would be appropriate include: fire, explosion, sinking,
piracy or any situation involving the loss of life. In order to report
that they are in serious danger, seafarers transmit distress
messages to vessels and coast stations. They usually do that on
VHF channel 16.

 A distress message must include the following pieces

of information:
Identification (ships name and her call sign)
The position of the vessel
Time of transmission (not required)
The nature of distress and danger
The assistance that is required
Any other important information and requirements (e.g.
number of persons on board the vessel in distress)
Ending of the message

 As communication on VHF must be precise, unambiguous

and
simple,
the
IMO
SMCP (Standard
Marine
Communication Phrases) is often used in this respect.
In all types of messages the SMCP, must be used to reduce
the risk of accidents.
Under the international Convention on Standards for
Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers
(STCW) the ability to understand and apply the Standard
Marine Communication Phrases is required for the
certification of Officers of the Watch (OOW) on vessels of
500 Gross Tonnage or more.

 A vessel in distress should commence the distress traffic as

follows:
MAYDAY
THIS IS
- the 9-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity code (MMSI) plus
name / call sign or other identification of the vessel calling
- the position of the vessel
- the nature of distress
- the assistance required
- any other information which might facilitate rescue
-ending of the message: Over /Mayday

 Example of a DISTRESS MESSAGE

Mayday
Mayday Mayday

This is:
Vincente - Papa Alfa Bravo Charlie

Vincente - Papa Alfa Bravo Charlie

Vincente - Papa Alfa Bravo Charlie

Mayday
My position (is): latitude: three six degrees two one minutes N /
longitude: zero zero nine degrees five three minutes W. Vessel on
fire.
I require fire-fighting assistance.
Number of crew on board: one eight.
Number of injured persons: three.

OVER / MAYDAY

 COMPREHENSION
Transform the following sentences into a VHF
conversation format (SMCP phrases must be used):
Fire has been detected in no. 3 hold. The smoke is
poisonous.
Water is entering the ship below the waterline.
Vessel is heeling over 20 degrees to port side; deck
cargo will be put overboard.
Vessel is unmanoeuvrable.
Vessel is unable to continue her voyage. Tug
assistance is needed.
The crew are leaving vessel after the vessel has had a
collision.
Vessel is damaged below waterline, but she is able to
continue her voyage without assistance.

 According to the following data, draw up a distress

message:

MV Pearl Head (call sign VRSE) is on fire.

Her position is 38 degr. 10 min N / 018 degr. 10
min E.
Fire has been located in the engine room and in
No. 2 hold.
The crew are abandoning the ship.
Crew consists of 18 members, 8 of whom have
been injured one crewmember died.
Pearl Head is going to put two lifeboats in the
water.

 According to the following data, draw up a

distress messages:
MV Seaborne (call sign DKEL) is on fire.
Her position is 69 degr. 29 min. N / 042 degr. 18
min. E.
Fire is detected in the engine room and in the
superstructure.
Fire cannot be extinguished by vessels own
equipment.
There is danger that the vessel will explode.
Crew consists of 17 members, 6 of whom were
injured and 3 killed.

 Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word:

Reefer ship Antigone Z with Russian crew (1)..........is
anchored off Shetland, the North Sea, after running into
engineering problems in (2)........... water, said the
British Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The vessel with 10 people aboard was bound
(3).............Klaipeda in Lithuania and had engineering
problems in north-westerly winds of occasionally
(4)...............6 to 7 with 3 metre, rough seas. The ship
suffered an 8 degree (5)................ after 30 to 40 pallets
of frozen fish moved in poor weather and the crew trying
to fix a problem with the ship's fuel pump.
"We are keeping a close eye on the vessel and they
have indicated that it will take about 24 hours to
(6)..........out their problems on board," Katrina
Hampson, Duty Watch Manager said.

 Copy the following statements and then choose their endings

from the next slide to form meaningful paragraphs:
1.Sea routes are getting busier...........................................................
2.Technology advancement has helped large ships to sail at amazing
speeds. But with an increase in traffic and speed, ...........................
3.We all have heard about the historic accident of...............................
4.It was a ship to..........................................................................
5.Ship collision is a kind of marine accident that....................................
6.Collision can also be defined as the change.........................................
7.Ship collision is considered to be the worst of.......................................
8.Ship collision cases can be a ship to ship.............................................
9.The sea route traffic has increased by ...........................................
10.This has led to an increase in the probability of ships confronting
collision. Also, higher the velocity,....................................................
11.If the ship has high tonnage and is heavily loaded, .........................
12.Maritime Ship collisions have been the reason for many major sea
accidents in the past,........................

 A)...........................marine accidents as it leads to extreme adverse effects on

human and marine life.
B)..........................the collision of the ship Titanic to an Iceberg.
C)..........................the effects of collision can be more drastic in nature.
D)..........................greater the damage caused to the ship.
E)..........................the risk of accidents has also increased drastically.
F)..........................leaps and bounds and there has also been a sharp increase
in the speed levels.
G)..........................results from a ship crashing into a still or floating object.
H)..........................day by day as the number of sailing ships is continuously
increasing.
I)..........................floating object type of collision.
J)...........................in structural properties of a ship as a result of an impact with
a solid structure.
K)...........................ship to floating object, ship to submarine or ship to still
structure collisions.
L)...........................apart from other accidents such as ship grounding.

 Find the right order :

This is 700710720 Mayday Dolphin. Alpha-Bravo-Charlie-Delta

The object ripped two holes in the hull plating just
below the ER.
Towing is impossible while the ER remains flooded.
Hit an uncharted object, leaking (4)
Require Emergency Response Bag of magnetic
patches and
divers.
Position 59 deg 00 min North 020 deg 05 min East

Fill in the missing words.

Mayday
This is 123123123 m/v C. Diver, ... sign Sierra-India-NovemberWhisky. I ... assistance. A ... has just broken ... in engine ...
Over.
C. Diver, this is m/v Wanderer. Message not .... Say ..., over.
Wanderer, this is C. Diver. ...: I am on ... in engine .... I ...
assistance. Over.
C. Diver, this is Wanderer. ...: What ... of assistance is
required?
Over
Wanderer, this is C. Diver. I require foam .... ... hurry, fire is not
under .... Over.
C. Diver, I am twenty miles behind you. Intention: I am ... to get
closer and ... a boat with the required .... Over.

Make sentences from the words in brackets.

a. (day, during, not to attack, pirates, usually, the)
b. (OOW, to receive, reports, every, weather, the, day)?
c. (vessels, to require, in, assistance, distress, always)
d. (not to jettison, dangerous, cargo, warning)!
e. (you, to do, thing, every, the, same, day)?
f. (the, rare, captain, meat, to enjoy)

Which is right?
Mayday
This is Fireball. I am (A. in fire; B. firing; C. on fire; D. making a
fire) in the (A. berth; B. living; C. accommodation; D. lounge).
My position is 75 two miles south (A. for; B. of; C. off; D. from)
Euro Point. I (A. solicit; B. require; C. need; D. request) help.
Over.
Fireball, this is Gibraltar Station. Message received. Salvage
vessel Hercules will (A. go; B. head; C. proceed to; D. set off)
you. Please contact (A. she; B. him; C. he; D. her) on channel 14.
Out.

Match the definitions with the words.

(1) scheduled;
(2) expected to arrive;
(3) supposed to arrive;

(4) payable;
(5) the necessary;
(6) at a suitable time in the
future;
a. The baby is due in three weeks.
b. Payment is due in 30 days.
c. The pilot is due at midnight.
d. You will receive notification of the results in due course.
e. He was found to have been sailing without due care and
attention.
f. He is due any minute.

 Ask questions whose answers are the underlined

words:
The Rambo was an oil tanker hired to carry oil and other
commodities.
It was carrying 650 tons of diesel and kerosene to a port
off the Joy peninsula when it was attacked.
At least five explosive-laden rebel boats took part in the
attack, and their crews consisted of both men and
women.
On board the oil tanker was a cadet.
He noticed that the watch officers were unable to make a
decision, so he asked permission to contact the rebels on
VHF.
Ten minutes later, the visitors sailed away.

 A virus has corrupted the following message. Read it

carefully and make the necessary corrections:

over
Mayday Mayday
This is 70071072,
tanker Anne Tony,
call sign Alpha-November-December-Echo
collision with iceberg
require immediate assistance, singing
position: five miles from Cleopatra Lighthouse, Lebanon

 Fill in the missing words, and then make up the

distress message sent by the captain when the
fire was detected.

A fire (started) on board Holy Grail, a (ship that

doesnt carry liquid cargo) in the port of Camelot.
Fortunately, it was extinguished before any vital
installations were (impaired).
The fire was caused by a (error) of one of the
workers (engaged) in the (examine thoroughly
for repair or revision) of the vessel. (no more than)
a third of the ... (hands) died.

DISTRESS TRAFFIC CONTINUED: Further Procedures

(Received Mayday / Mayday Relay / Silence Mayday)

Received Mayday
When a vessel has received a Distress Alert from a
distressed vessel, the radio operator must wait and remain
stand-by for a few minutes until acknowledgement from
RCC has been received. Any ship receiving a distress alert
acknowledgement must transmit a RECEIVED MAYDAY on
VHF to the distressed vessel, in order to let the distressed
vessel know that the alert was received.

Procedure and Structure

MAYDAY
-Name of the distressed vessel (3 x, her call sign uttered once)
- Identification of the vessel receiving the distress message (3x,
call sign one time)
- Ending of the message (RECEIVED MAYDAY)

RECEIVED MAYDAY MV Ocean Queen IRSL to distressed

vessel Pearl Head

MAYDAY
Pearl Head Pearl Head Pearl Head Victor Romeo Sierra Echo
This is Ocean Queen Ocean Queen Ocean Queen- India Romeo
Sierra Lima

RECEIVED MAYDAY

 Received Mayday (supplementary)

A vessel that has transmitted a Received Mayday must

transmit a supplementary Received Mayday if she is
able to comply that is: within short range of the
distressed vessel-giving her identification, position and
speed, her ETA at the distressed vessel and any other
important information.

 Procedure and structure of a Supplementary

Received Mayday

MAYDAY
- Name of the distressed vessel (3x, her call sign
uttered once)
- Identification of the vessel able to comply (3x, call
sign once)
- position, speed, ETA at the distressed vessel
-any other relevant data
-ending of the message

 RECEIVED MAYDAY (supplementary) from MV Ocean

Queen IRSL on VHF

MAYDAY
Pearl Head Pearl Head
Pearl Head Victor Romeo Sierra Echo
This is Ocean Queen Ocean Queen

Ocean Queen- India Romeo Sierra Lima

Information:

My position: bearing zero four five degrees from

distress position distance three miles.

My course: zero three five degrees; my speed: one two

knots.

ETA distress position is within two five minutes.

OVER

 Mayday Relay

If a vessel has noticed that a vessel in distress is not able to

transmit a Distress Alert, she must transmit a Distress Alert
Relay (Mayday Relay) to the Rescue Co-ordination Centre
or coast station.

Procedure and Structure of a Mayday Realay

-Mayday (3x)
-name of the coast station (3x)
- identification of the vessel transmitting a Mayday Relay (3x,
call sign once)
- Mayday
- position of the vessel in distress
- any other relevant information
-ending of a message (MAYDAY RELAY)

MAYDAY RELAY from MV Ocean Queen IRSL

MAYDAY RELAY MAYDAY RELAY MAYDAY RELAY
Aveiro Radio - Aveiro Radio - Aveiro Radio
This is Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen
Ocean Queen India Romeo Sierra Lima
MAYDAY
Vessel in position three eight degrees one zero minutes
north / zero one eight degrees one zero minutes East is on
fire.
MAYDAY RELAY

 Silence Mayday

When a Search and Rescue operation is in progress, the

RCC or On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) will instruct other
vessels in the vicinity to keep radio-silence, unless they
have messages about the accident. Radio silence is
imposed to other vessels by the phrase Silence Mayday.

Procedure and Structure of Silence Mayday

- Mayday
- All Stations (3x)
- identification of the coast station transmitting a silence
mayday (1 time)
- time of transmission
-ending of the message

 SILENCE MAYDAY from Aveiro Radio to all

ships on VHF

MAYDAY

ALL STATIONS ALL STATIONS ALL

STATIONS
This is Aveiro Radio.
Time: one three one five hours UTC

SILENCE MAYDAY

 Silence Fini
The ending of SAR radio-communication after a SAR
operation has been completed is indicated with the
phrase Silence Fini.
Procedure and structure

-Mayday
- All stations (3x)
-coast stations identification
-time of transmission
-name and call sign of the vessel in distress uttered
once
-ending of the message

 Silence Fini from Aveiro Radio to all ships

on VHF

MAYDAY
All stations- all stations all stations This is Aveiro Radio.
Time: one four three zero hours UTC.
Pearl Head Victor Romeo Sierra Echo

SILENCE FINI

 I.Role Play:
You are the distressed vessel Anticosti TSUR in
pos. 45 degrees 56 min. N / 015 degr. 28 min. W. You
have collided with an unknown object. Vessel is
flooding. You are sinking. There are 18 crewmembers
on board, one of whom is dead and three injured. You
transmit a Distress Alert on VHF.
MV Seaborne- PWCV, position bearing 049 degrees
from the distressed vessel, at a distance of 4 miles,
her course is 036 degrees and speed 11 knots. She
reports that she has received the distress alert from
MV Anticosti TSUR and informs that she will arrive at
the scene in 30 minutes.

 I.Role Play:
MV Seaborne- PWCV, transmits a Distress Alert
Relay to Gibraltar Strait Information Centre. The
distressed vessels position is 28 degrees 14 minutes
North, 019 degrees 10 minutes east.
At 0450 hours UTC, Gibraltar Strait Information
Centre instructs all vessels in the vicinity to keep radio
silence if they do not have messages about the vessel
in distress.
At 0550 hours UTC, Gibraltar Strait Information
Centre announces all ships that the SAR operation
has been completed.

 Give answers to the following questions:

When and by whom must a Received Mayday be

transmitted?
When must a Mayday Relay be transmitted?
When will a Silence Mayday be transmitted?
When will a Silence Fini be transmitted?
Why must the SMCP be used in VHF conversation?
What is the difference between Repeat and Say
again in VHF communication?
What does Stand by imply in VHF communication?

Transform the following statements into SMCPs:

SRU Vendor will be the on-scene coordinator.

Vendor displays an orange flag and two red vertical lights.
SRU is underway to distress position to render
assistance. Her position is 60 degr. 29 min. S/ 030 degr.
53 min. E., her course is 135 degrees, her speed is 12
knots. ETA within 1 hour.
Request all ships to assist with search for missing person
and report any result to On-scene Coordinator.
Weather in distress position: wind SW 3; visibility is
moderate; the sea is smooth; current 2.5 knots to SW.
End of SAR operations. The search for missing person is
stopped; no one was found

 Role Play: Distress Communication

You are the vessel Emma Maersk OYGR2 in pos. 53

degrees 23 min. N / 024 degr. 13 min. W. Your vessel
was attacked by Somali pirates with rocket propelled
grenades. Vessel is on fire. There are 25 crewmembers
on board, three of whom are injured and four have been
taken hostages. You ask for assistance on VHF.
MV Jupiter- JGES, position bearing 024 degrees from
you, at a distance of 3 miles, her course is 038 degrees
and speed 16 knots. She reports that she has received
your distress alert and informs that she will arrive at the
scene in 40 minutes.

 Role Play: Distress Communication

MV Jupiter- JGES, transmits a Distress Alert
Relay to Nova Bossa Radio. The position of
Emma Maersk is 31 degrees 12 minutes
North, 027 degrees 13 minutes West.
At 0350 hours UTC, Nova Bossa Radio
instructs all vessels in the vicinity to keep radio
silence if they do not have messages about
the vessel in distress.
At 0655 hours UTC, Nova Bossa Radio
announces all ships that the SAR operation
has been completed.