Amethyst Ace "Not under command"

[GaryBoston]

Amethyst Ace (MMSI: 319570000) was heading towards Boston, Massachusetts, and then turned away.

It's current navigation status as reported by online AIS sites is "not under command",
although the AIS information was received more than 30 minutes ago.

Gary

[Phil English]

Ignore AIS navigation statuses. They are often incorrect.

Brgds
Phil

[Captain Ted]

may be they found OSAMA ?

[Federico]

What is wrong with the status "Not under command"? Not necessarily there must be a problem, it means that the ship is not using the engine and obviously that is not at anchor because maybe they are adjusting ETA to pilot station, or they wait orders, or ecc ecc...
This information is only useful to other ships in the area that can pass close to her. Don't worry...!

[Phil English]

I still maintain it's an error. AIS is prone to spurious data due to wrong code inputting, or software translation errors, amongst other things.

The uninitiated should not read too much into AIS data. Period.

Brgds
Phil

[brimar]

  Frederico.

  Without sounding official just a slight correction to your understanding of the Term 'Vessel not under Command' . . .It is not for the purpose of stopping engines to adjust the vessels ETA to the Pilot Station. It is a recognised defination of rule 3(f&g) of The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea set out by the IMO.

 RULE 3 (F) States 'Vessel Not Under Command' means a vessel which
            through some exceptional circumctances is unable to
            manoeuvre as required by these rules and is therefore
            unable to keep out of the way of another vessel .

        (G) The term 'Vessel restricted in her ability to manoeuvre'
            means a vessel which from the nature of her work is
            restricted in her ability to manoeuvre as required by
            these Rules and therefore unable to keep out of the
            way of another vessel.

            In such a case the vessel should show a visual signal
            of displaying two black balls during daylight and at
            night show two all-round red lights and when making
            way through the water,sidelights and sternlight should be
            visible (vessels under 12m do not have to comply)

             Frederico I hope you find this info useful.
                         Cheers
                                    

[Federico]

Dear brimar,

thanks for Your note, but I'm a master mariner and harbour pilot with 20 years experience in the field.

Best regards,
Federico

[brimar]

 Frederico.
           Ok fine but i don't understand why your previous post suggested that 'A vessel not under command' could mean that the vessel is just 'waiting for orders' or buying time to arrive at a pilot station on time.
           May be its me not understanding the Colregs correctly after 40 years of sea service.
          Perhaps I need to go back to Nautical College again . .LOL.
               
                         Have a good day Frederico.

[Federico]

Dear Brimar,
I understand we are "colleagues". I don't know if You work still onboard and apologize if I wrote that I'm in sector, but it is completely "normal" to find ship floating dead in the sea and showing NUC on the AIS because simply waiting the order to proceed at pilot station. This note on the apparatus is too many times "abused" because many captains don't like to anchor specially on high depth of water and remain like 15 miles away from shore requiring one hour or even more to resume approach. This is happening all around the world. Unfortunately modern way of seagoing is daily "upgraded or downgraded" depending on which quality of mariners are onboard! Personally me and many European colleagues experience every day unbelievable situations like big ships which are required to proceed to pilot station maybe 1,5 miles from the entrance and stop at 3 miles having fear to approach! On the contrary we see small coasters which are manned on the bridge only by the Captain and proceed full speed not towards pilot station because maybe he's disturbed from agents or commercials! That is how is running today the system!

[Captain Ted]

Frederico & Brimar

you both have your points, strikt to the letter BRIMAR is right
but as Frederico states it is common practice, which I can only confirm from daily
business as Master since 28 years.
However, one thing is very often plain overlooked that EU/US standard is for us normal, for others close to none achievable !!!
I let often already chief mates, never mind from which country making the approach to a port
entrance to take the pilot or going into an anchorage with no pilot.
9 out of 10 doing one thing first,, pull the lever back to dead slow ahead or even stop.
Then they look at you virtually all the time to say something. If you then are a "bad" person and go one side out of the bridge and close the door and walk around the back and enter again on the other side,,in the meantime the officers, never mind from which country, are chalk white and in need of oxygen !!!
Why is that,, because nowadays most officers are promoted too quick,,not seldom to see Masters still in their 20,s or early 30,s,, under no circumstances those young guys can do it without falling or tricking,,,One of the first tricks they learn at at sea,,setting early on NUC !!!
The worst guys, when they are 10-15 miles away and asking you what your intentions are,, my standard answer : reach next port !!!!

[GaryBoston]

This is a fascinating aspect of seafaring!

I'm not a professional mariner, so please bear with me if these questions, which I feel impelled (if not compelled) to ask, are "foolish" or "silly".

Do captains resort to NUC to boost their legal right-of-way when they are 'killing time'
while waiting for a pilot or permission to enter port?

Does NUC imply a situation to which the local authorities should respond?  That is, should
the coast guard or harbor master or whoever contact the captain to see what the problem might be?

Thanks for bearing with me!
Gary

P.S.  I feel a certain urge to open a new topic titled "NUCs" about any instances I notice
of an AIS NUC status.  Would this be of interest or would it just clutter up the forum?