• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.32 no.9
• /
• pp.711-716
• /
• 2008

Marine accidents related to the tug-barges are frequent recently, such as oil spill caused by collision between oil tankers and tug-barges. There are many causes of these accidents, but poor working condition of operators takes up a considerable part of most causes. That is, the danger of accidents caused by fatigue accumulation exists in tug-barges of less than 200 gross tonnage engaged on near-coastal voyages or short shipping, because of the long-distance navigational watch by only one master. This paper aims to deduce problems of human element part out of the plan of sqfe navigation, and to propose legal amendments for preventing marine accidents by tug-barges.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.33 no.9
• /
• pp.609-614
• /
• 2009

The traffic of tug/barges which are carrying construction materials, large plants for harbor development, or offshore structures has recently increased in the coast of Korea. The west and south coast of Korea are always congested due to a lot of islands and traffic concentration. Specially tug/barges have higher probability of marine accidents due to their bad maneuverability than others. Considering the operational circumstance and maneuverability, this study was to develop a wide-area monitoring and control system for tug/barges in the coastal area of Korea. The system was made in the form of three program modules i.e. navigation analysis program module, monitoring and control program module, database module. And seven functions were programmed to monitor and control the tug/barges efficiently. These are ship information search, tug/barge information and track management, designated area and safe navigation zone management, fairway management, accident data management, warning of danger, safety information management.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.113-119
• /
• 2011

This paper is a part of the development on the safe navigation model of tugs and barges in Korea waters. desk-top tug-barge simulator is to train the crew of tugs and barges, especially tugs' crew. It is connected with steering and engine telegraph console and winch control console, and can describe three types of operation mode for a tug-barge working unit, towing mode, side by side and push mode. It can also record and assess each simulation run. The evaluation module can confirm the result of a finished simulation run and help trainees to find and correct their faults, and it is composed of result evaluation and process evaluation.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.287-292
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was to create a cyber-training & education program in response to the needs of skippers and crews operating tug-barges within Korean coastal waters and the rapid changers in this industry. Skippers and crews are inclined to operate tug-barges on the basis of experience rather than information. It is not easy to provide useful information whenever they want or to drill them in safety management skills, because of their passive attitude toward education and the few opportunities that exist. In order to increase educational opportunities, efficiency and motivation, the authors have developed this program which consists of a 'tug bridge resource management module, risk perception training module, accident case module, operating module and navigation module', and are hoping that this program will enhance and strengthen all tug-barge operations. We are also putting all our energies into designing up to date animation programs and developing new scenarios concerning the method of evaluation and certification distribution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.946-954
• /
• 2022

More than half of barges have been surveyed and designated as an "unmanned barge". The main advantage of the unmanned barge is that it can carry more cargo equivalent to 25 percent of freeboard compared to that of a manned barge. In contrast, it needs an onboard crew barge because the bargeman is in charge of several tasks during sailing such as mooring or unmooring barges to or from a wharf, dropping and heaving up an anchor and turning on and of navigational lights and shapes. The instant recognition is that a tug assume the responsibility of operating a barge; however, different situations exist in which the shipper, as the operator of the barge, hires a tug. Although a tug might be a carrier of a barge under a specific contract, the master of the tug should fulfill his duty to complete its voyage. Most masters are not provided with the particulars of a barge and the information regarding the bargemen onboard, which is believed not to respect the master's authority and lead to an unintended violation of relevant laws. This paper presents three recommendations for resolving these issues: the policy approach for changing unmanned barges to manned barges, issuing a minimum safe manning certificate, and providing the master of tug information on the barge and the crew onboard. Thus, the proposed approach can be expected to improve the crew's working conditions, diminish the violation of the maximum number of persons onboard the barge, and ensure the authority of the master of tug through such recommendations.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.351-358
• /
• 2011

Recently, tugs and barges have become larger in size and increased in number. Also, most of tugs and barges are more than ten-years old. Total number of marine accident has been decreased, whereas that of accidental happening in tug-barge transportation has not been decreased. The statistics of marine accidents in 2010 shows that tug-barge accidents increased rapidly compared with those of 2009. The cause of accidental happening in tug-barge transportation is a quality of tug-barge operator the labour serious shortage of crew. This study is to give or suggest the various educational contents considering old age of crew and navigational environment for safe navigation in tug-barge transportation.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.437-443
• /
• 2019

Aid to navigation is a navigational aid facility that informs a sailing vessel of its location and direction as well as a location of a specific obstacle by means of a light, shape, color, sound, radio wave, etc. It can be valuable in improving the safety of day and night vessel navigation at sea. For the safety of the tug boat, the minimum equipment requirements for each type of tug boat are arranged. Despite these preparations, the collision accidents between tug boats, barges, and light buoys can occur when the tug boat turns due to the length of the tow-line, tidal current, and the barge's momentum etc. The purpose of this study was to propose the basic system that analyzes the physical relationship between two vessels regarding the tug boat-barge-light buoy dynamics and propagate the corresponding data through the aid to navigation management & operation systems in use at each regional oceans and fisheries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.27 no.7
• /
• pp.1051-1058
• /
• 2021

Barges that are towed by tugs do not have navigation capabilities and are usually connected to tugs. These kinds of combined navigation schemes have generated almost ten percent of all maritime accidents in the last five years. The study aims to reduce maritime accidents with barges towed by tugs by analyzing navigation characteristics and the current status of such combined navigation schemes. The analysis consists of the lesson learned from each verdict. The result of the study emphasizes that human factors continue to be the primary cause of maritime accidents with barges and tugs. Additionally, the research proposes that effective advertising for improving maritime safety by reducing towing barge maritime accidents should be created through associations of tugs and barges. Furthermore, relevant re-training must be conducted by maritime training institutions. The results of the study are expected to apply to the improvement of maritime safety through the advertisements to seafarers.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.67-92
• /
• 2009

A tugboat (tug) is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that should not move themselves alone, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal, or those that cannot move themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for their size and strongly built, some are ocean-going. Historically tugboats were the first seagoing vessels to receive steam propulsion, freedom from the restraint of the wind, and capability of going in any direction. As such, they were employed in harbors to assist ships in docking and departure. Towage is in essence a service by one vessel to another vessel for a fixed remuneration. The most common reason for requiring this service is the lack of its own motive power. Conventionally, towage is defined as "the employment of one vessel to expedite the voyage of another, when nothing more is required than the accelerating of her progress". Apart from accelerating vessels, acquiring towage service is a common practice for towing barges, platform of drilling oil, floating ship yards, etc.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 1997

When a barge is towed by a tug boat using a tow line, the barge is frequently subject to a large sway motion induced from its inherent yaw motions. This large sway motion combined with external forces due to winds and waves may makes the towing to be difficult or even dangerous. It has been reported that in worse situations, barges or tugs are capsized. In addition, the large sway motion of the towed barge gives a menace to the safety of ships navigating nearby. This paper is the results of the experimental investigation into the course stability of an 8,000 DWT barge using a Towing Tank and a Circulating Water Channel. Various skegs are designed and course stability tests for the barge with skegs are conducted in calm water and in irregular waves. It is observed that an effective skeg attached to the barge enables the sway motion to be zero while the sway amplitude of the bare hull is around 10 times its breadth.