Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Navigating a huge ship is not easy, but there are certain paths, such as the narrow, sandstorm-prone Suez Canal, which was closed by a cargo ship last year, or the windswept waterways surrounded by glaciers in Alaska. Its traversal is particularly accurate.
Andy Winbow, one of the main navigators who has commanded ships around the world, told CNN that the most difficult ports are often characterized by “bad weather conditions, lack of room to maneuver due to natural hazards, and a lack of navigational aids.”
These factors affect any ship, but cruise ships of several classes may be affected more due to their sheer size.
“The higher the ship, the higher the windage potential,” said David Bembridge, a retired cruise ship captain who has worked for decades on ships operated by P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises.
When elevated vessels are exposed to strong gusts of wind, they become prone to slippage, a term used to describe a ship that has been forced to swerve sideways, and to avoid this, the ship’s angle of destination must be adjusted.
However, this maneuver is very difficult when crossing a waterway such as the narrow Suez or Panama Canals, where ships also have to avoid hitting the sides of the two passages.
“If the ship goes too fast, it erodes the banks and pulls some sand away from the sides into the middle of the canal, which is not good because it makes the water less deep, it becomes shallow,” Bembridge explained.
Bembridge described the passage through the canals as “usually a long day for the crew, because once inside they do not stop until they reach the other end.”
Ship captain’s role
Ships operating in the Suez and Panama canals are backed by local sailors, known as sea captains, who board the ship at the beginning of the canal and work with the ship’s crew to ensure its safe passage.
The Suez and Panama Canals are considered “mandatory pilot zones”, meaning that naval captains are required by law.
Bembridge noted that the working relationship between naval captains and a ship’s captain was not always smooth.
He explained that they constitute “one of the helping factors, and one of the obstacles, sometimes, depending on the level of competence and the personalities involved.”
John Hering was a research vessel captain before becoming a sea captain in Southeast Alaska.
He told CNN there were two main reasons why naval captains should be on board ships in specific areas.
“First, we provide local knowledge of road hazards, tides and currents, weather, marine life, and more,” he explained.
“Second, being independent of the ship, we make objective decisions that are not subject to the economic pressures of the ship’s schedule. The captains are experts in their own ships and we are experts in Alaskan waters.”
Southeast Alaska is considered a mandatory extension area, partly because it is subject to strong winds and currents, and partly to its marine ecosystem.
“The coastal waters of Alaska are home to many marine mammals,” Hering said, noting that “whale watching is a favorite pastime of commuters, but it requires constant vigilance on the bridge to avoid close encounters.”
Likewise, viewing the mountains and glaciers may be a highlight of an Alaskan trip, but these ice formations can present difficulties for ships.
“This ice is hard and can damage the ship’s hull and propellers,” Hering said, adding that strong winds and currents make navigating in icy waters more difficult.
In recent years, technology has advanced, making navigating difficult routes a little easier on ships.
But Hering emphasized that naval captains are still an essential part of the age of satellite technology.
He pointed out that “the local captain can still deliver the ship safely to the port, without adopting the GPS.”
Water depth and local terrain
Ships navigating the Alaskan ocean have to deal with varying depths of water. In shallow water channels, ships need to move slowly to avoid creating a low-pressure area under the ship that could cause the ship to sink to the sea floor.
Planning and unexpected accidents
An accurate itinerary is necessary to facilitate navigation.
Bembridge explained that the cruise ship traffic scheme is usually set up by a junior officer, and then approved by the captain.
The scheme always takes into account any known potential challenges, such as wind, stream width, tides, and surrounding terrain.
“If you’re in an open ocean, the diagram is a relatively simple summary, that this is the path we’re going to take, and that’s the speed that we’re going to go with,” Bembridge said. The type of currents, the potential climatic effects of anything.”
“Then when you get into really confined waters, like the Suez and Panama canals, then it expands even more during the itinerary.”
The threat of piracy is another factor to consider, although Bembridge notes that it is no longer a problem as it used to be.
The weather is also taken into account when planning the trip, but all the preparations in the world cannot take into account the completely unexpected.
But Bembridge notes that while ships may face unexpected challenges, their crews are generally prepared to take on obstacles.
He pointed out that “modern cruise ships are well-equipped to deal with all the challenges that come their way to a large extent.”