97018 Heeding Navigational Warnings
Heeding Navigational Warnings
Persian Gulf
Report No. 97018
My ship has been engaged in oceanographic research in the Persian Gulf forseveral weeks. Our work has entailed towing an undulating instrument upto 200 meters astern with a limited rate of turn allowed and a speed rangelimited to 6 - 8 knots. It is not our usual policy to broadcast navigationalwarnings but after a series of close encounters by crossing ships, mainly"Port Hand Charlies", I decided to issue one through the localCoast Radio Stations explaining the nature of our survey and the area ofwork. My faith that there are still some professionals at sea, who takenotice of such warnings and are prepared to take positive action to findout what is going on, was somewhat restored by the attached message froman American gas carrier.
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THE LNG/C XXX INTENDS TO ANCHOR OFFSHORE YYY, IN POSITION ZZ-ZZN,LONG ZZZ-ZZE, TO TAKE BUNKERS AND HAVE A HULL SCRUB. OUR PRESENT ETA AT THE ABOVE POSITION WILL BE ABOUT 17OO LOCAL. THE ENTIRE OPERATION TAKINGABOUT 12 HOURS MAXIMUM. COULD YOU ADVISE IF OUR ANCHORING IN THIS POSITIONWILL CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR CURRNET SURVEY OF THE AREA. BEST REGARDS, MASTER |
I sent a suitably worded message of thanks in reply.