9 Design Environmental Conditions
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.884 – Guidelines for Safe Ocean Towing – (Adopted on 21 December 1998) - Annex - Draft Guidelines for Safe Ocean Towing - 9 Design Environmental Conditions

9 Design Environmental Conditions

  9.1 The towed object, including cargo and securing arrangements, should be capable to withstand the loads caused by the most adverse environmental conditions expected for the season and areas in question.footnote

  9.2 The duration of a towing operation is measured from the time the operation is started until the tow is in a safe condition at its arrival location. If there are locations along the route where the towed object can safely be located, the duration of the towing operation can be measured between such locations.

  9.3 For long duration towing operations passing through areas having different sea state characteristics, the worst sea state for the route should be considered when selecting the cargo securing arrangements and the equipment to ensure watertight integrity of the towed object.

  9.4 The continuous bollard pull of the towing vessel(s) involved should be sufficient to maintain station keeping of the tow in the following environmental conditions, acting in the same direction:

- Wind: 20 m/s
- Significant wave height: 5 m
- Current: 0.5 m/s

 Other criteria may be acceptable if high confidence on the weather forecasts and experience data for the actual waters can be obtained.


Copyright 2022 Clasifications Register Group Limited, International Maritime Organization, International Labour Organization or Maritime and Coastguard Agency. All rights reserved. Clasifications Register Group Limited, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as 'Clasifications Register'. Clasifications Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Clasifications Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.