Key Points of Maritime Safety Knowledge After The Temperature Drops

With the arrival of winter, severe weather such as strong winds and cold waves at sea becomes more frequent, posing greater challenges to maritime navigation:

• • The deck is prone to icing and slipperiness, increasing the risk of slips, falls, injuries, and even falling overboard;

• • Ship pipelines and mechanical equipment may malfunction due to temperature drops, affecting normal navigation;

• • Frequent severe weather such as strong winds and dense fog, resulting in low visibility and large waves, increases the difficulty of ship handling;

• • The handling of emergencies such as fires and people falling overboard is challenging, placing higher demands on the crew's emergency response capabilities.

Keep these key points in mind to make winter sailing safer.

Prevention is better than cure: Three key safety precautions

1. Promptly remove snow, lay anti-slip mats, and always hold onto handrails when boarding or disembarking.

2. Insulate deck piping in advance to prevent icing, blockages, or cracks.

3. Strictly prohibit unauthorized wiring; regularly inspect electrical circuits and use high-power equipment correctly.

Falling into the water? Immediate rescue: Seize the golden three minutes!

• Self-rescue from the water: 

• Stay calm, hold your breath to avoid choking on water; wear a life jacket correctly, inflating it manually if necessary; keep your legs together and arms crossed over your chest to reduce heat loss; use flashlights and reflective strips to signal for help.

• Rescue from a boat: 

• Shout for help and sound the horn; throw life buoys/floating devices; continuously visually track the person in the water; immediately stop the boat and steer fully towards the side where the person is in the water; after the person has passed the stern, turn back to search for them, maintaining a safe distance during the search, trying to position the person on the leeward side of the boat; lower lifeboats/rafts or use ropes and cables for rescue; never go into the water alone; pull slowly and steadily.

Fire Control & Rapid Response: Step-by-Step Fire Emergency Response

• Initial Control: 

• Identify the fire type, immediately cut off power, close fire doors and ventilation openings; activate the fire alarm, and report the fire location, type, and extent of the fire.

• Fire Types:

• Solid Fire: Black smoke with open flame

• Liquid Fire: Yellow flame, spreads rapidly

• Electrical Fire: Burning smell, smoke, may trip circuit breaker

• Using a fire extinguisher (lift → pull → grip → press → aim)

• Dry powder fire extinguisher: Suitable for various types of fires. Maintain a distance of 1.5-2 meters and spray towards the base of the flames.

• Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher: Suitable for electrical and liquid fires. Be careful to hold the nozzle at the base to prevent frostbite.

• Foam fire extinguisher: Not suitable for electrical fires. Shake it upside down before use and spray towards the base of the fire.

Evacuation and escape

• Activate the emergency evacuation plan and assemble at the lifeboat/raft. Proceed in a low, crouching position, covering your mouth and nose with a damp towel. Check the lifeboat for damage, carry emergency supplies, and board in an orderly manner to evacuate quickly.