Collisions.
When ships are about to collide, the following action should be carried out:

1. When one ship collides with another, there is greater likelihood of loss of life and serious damage if one vessel strikes another in the midships position where the compartments are larger (ie engine room). Every attempt must be made through the use of engines and steering to minimise the damage by achieving a glancing blow.
2. The general alarm should be sounded and all watertight doors closed.
3. An URGENCY signal (PAN PAN x 3) or distress signal (MAYDAY X 3) should be sent if the ship is in any danger.
4. If the engines have not been stopped or are going astern when the collision occurs, they should be stopped. If the bow of the one ship has penetrated the hull of the other ship, it should try and remain in that position to prevent the sudden influx of water into the hole, while the crew of the holed ship is evacuated.
5. The damage to one’s own vessel should be assessed as soon as possible. Any further action will be dictated by the assessment.

Groundings.
If the ship runs aground, the following action should be considered:

1. If the ship is stranded, there is bound to be damage below the waterline and this will most probably result in the flooding of the compartments affected. In order to try and limit the damage, the engines should be stopped immediately.
2. If the vessel is likely to be in any danger, ie strikes the rocks at high speed or in rough weather:
   • The general alarm should be sounded.
   • Watertight doors closed.
   • Boats prepared for launching.
   • A distress/urgency signal sent.
   • The crew should be mustered in a predetermined place.
   • All crew members should wear life jackets.
   • An inspection of the inside of the hull should be carried out to ascertain the extent of the damage.
   • The appropriate lights or day shapes should be displayed.
3. It may be worthwhile to attempt to refloat the vessel, in which case:
   • The engineers should be informed before the engines are used, in order to give them time to take steps to avoid drawing in sand or silt into the engine cooling system.
   • The engines must not be used excessively as the wash from the propellers may build up the sand around the ship.
   • One should also be wary of trying to lighten ship immediately by pumping out ballast, fuel, water or ditching cargo, since this may only drive the vessel further onto the shore or increase the pounding of the hull on the bottom.
   • It may be better to flood the ballast tanks to try and settle the ship on the bottom and prevent pounding/movement. Lightening ship should always be a last resort.
4. As soon as possible the ship should also try and have an anchor laid to seaward of the stern to help steady the ship and prevent her from moving broadside onto the shore. It can also be used to get the ship off the beach.

Heavy weather damage.
Heavy weather damage is likely to take the form of damage to upper deck structures and cargo, flooding of holds or compartments as a result of sprung bow plating or damaged hatch covers and the shifting of cargo. The remedies are to alter course and or speed to prevent further damage and to give the crew an opportunity to assess and repair the damage. Possible actions include:

1. The repair of the damaged structures.
2. Repair and re-securing of hatch covers.
3. The temporary repair of holes in the ship’s bow or side.
4. The pumping out of water in the compartments affected.
5. The flooding or emptying of ballast tanks to try and counter the effects of flooding or shifting of cargo.
6. The re-stowing of cargo to correct the stability of the ship.