The managing of the navigational safety of ships in port water areas

Existing ports are expected to service ships greater than those for which they were designed. The main restriction is the depth of port waters. The under keel clearance of a manoeuvring ship determines ship movement safety. In Polish ports, maximal keel clearance is fixed as determined by port law, but it is possible to change the maximum ship draught depending on the present and predicted conditions regarding the water level. This paper presents an assessment of navigational risk as a combination of impact against the ground and the results of ship hull damage. The results of this research can be used to improve ship movement safety in order to optimize the exploitation of ports.