USEFUL INFORMATION :
USER GUIDE OF TURKISH STRAITS VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICE

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BEAUFORT WIND SCALE

Devised by British Rear-Admiral, Sir Francis Beaufort in 1805 based on observations of the effects of the wind.

Force
Wind
(Knots)
WMO
Classification
 Appearance of Wind Effects
On the Water On Land
0
Less than 1
Calm
 Sea surface smooth and mirror-like Calm, smoke rises vertically
1
1-3
Light Air
 Scaly ripples, no foam crests Smoke drift indicates wind direction, still wind vanes
2
4-6
Light Breeze
 Small wavelets, crests glassy, no breaking Wind felt on face, leaves rustle, vanes begin to move
3
7-10
Gentle Breeze
 Large wavelets, crests begin to break, scattered whitecaps Leaves and small twigs constantly moving, light flags extended
4
11-16
Moderate Breeze
 Small waves 1-4 ft. becoming longer, numerous whitecaps Dust, leaves, and loose paper lifted, small tree branches move
5
17-21
Fresh Breeze
 Moderate waves 4-8 ft taking longer form, many whitecaps, some spray Small trees in leaf begin to sway
6
22-27
Strong Breeze
 Larger waves 8-13 ft, whitecaps common, more spray Larger tree branches moving, whistling in wires
7
28-33
Near Gale
 Sea heaps up, waves 13-20 ft, white foam streaks off breakers Whole trees moving, resistance felt walking against wind
8
34-40
Gale
 Moderately high (13-20 ft) waves of greater length, edges of crests begin to break into spindrift, foam blown in streaks Whole trees in motion, resistance felt walking against wind
9
41-47
Strong Gale
 High waves (20 ft), sea begins to roll, dense streaks of foam, spray may reduce visibility Slight structural damage occurs, slate blows off roofs
10
48-55
Storm
 Very high waves (20-30 ft) with overhanging crests, sea white with densely blown foam, heavy rolling, lowered visibility Seldom experienced on land, trees broken or uprooted, "considerable structural damage"
11
56-63
Violent Storm
 Exceptionally high (30-45 ft) waves, foam patches cover sea, visibility more reduced  
12
64+
Hurricane
 Air filled with foam, waves over 45 ft, sea completely white with driving spray, visibility greatly reduced  

VISIBILITY TABLE
Scale Description Limit of visibility
0 Dense fog 50 yards
1 Thick fog 300 yards
2 Fog 600 yards
3 Moderate fog ½ mile
4 Mist or thin fog 1 mile
5 Poor visibility 2 miles
6 Moderate visibility 5 miles
7 Good visibility 10 miles
8 Very good visibility 30 miles
9 Exceptional visibility over 30 miles

THE MORSE CODE

Signals by the Morse Code may be made either by long or short flashes of light, or by long and short sound signals (e.g., siren, whistle, foghorn, etc.), and wireless telegraphy.

The Morse Code consists of the 26 letters of the alphabet and numerals made up by combinations of dots and dashes. The dot is taken as a unit of time, the dash being equivalent to three units,while the interval between each flash or sound should be one unit, that between each letter three units, and between each word six units.

FIGURES
 
1 · - - - -
2 · · - - -
3 · · · -
4 · · · · -
5 · · · · ·
6 - · · · ·
7 - - · · ·
8 - - - · ·
9 - - - - ·
0 - - - - -
MORSE SIGNAL CHARACTERS
 
A · -
B - · · ·
C - · - ·
D - · ·
E ·
F · · - ·
G - - ·
H · · · ·
I · ·
J · - - -
K - · -
L · - · ·
M - -
N - ·
O - - -
P · - - ·
Q - - · -
R · - ·
S · · ·
T -
U · · -
V · · · -
W · -
X - · · -
Y - · -
Z - - · ·

PHONETIC TABLES

Figure-Spelling Table

Each syllable should be equally emphasised.

0 Nadazero NAH-DAH-ZAY-ROH
1 Unaone OO-NAH-WUN
2 Bissotwo BEES-SOH-TOO
3 Terrathree TAY-RAH-TREE
4 Kartefour KAR-TAY-FOWER
5 Pantafive PAN-TAH-FIVE
6 Sosisix SOK-SEE-SIX
7 Setteseven SAY-TAH-SEVEN
8 Oktoeight OK-TOH-AIR
9 Novenine NO-VAY-NINER
Decimal point Decimal DAY-SEE-MAL
Full stop Stop STOP

Letter-Spelling Table
Letter Code World Pronounced as
A Alfa AL FAH
B Bravo BRAH VOH
C Charlie CHAR LEE (or SHAR LEE)
D Delta DELL TAH
E Echo ECK OH
F Foxtrot FOKS TROT
G Golf GOLF
H Hotel HOH TELL
I India IN DEE AH
J Juliett JEW LEE ETT
K Kilo KEY LOH
L Lima LEE MAH
M Mike MIKE
N Nowember NO VEM BER
O Oscar OSS CAH
P Papa PAH PAH
Q Quebec KEH BECK
R Romeo ROW ME OH
S Sierra SEE AIR RAH
T Tango TANG GO
U Uniform YOU NEE FORM (or OO NEE FORM)
V Victor VIK TAH
W Whiskey WISS KEY
X X-ray ECKS RAY
Y Yankee YANG KEY
Z Zulu ZOO LOO

MARITIME ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ABS American Bureau of Shipping
ACOPS Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea
AFRA Average freight rate assessments
AIMU American Institute of Marine Underwriters
AMVER Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System
ARPA Automatic radar plotting aids
ASEAN Association' of South East Asian Nations
ATL Actual total loss
BIFFEX The Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange
BIMCO The Baltic & International Maritime Council
BTU Bow thruster unit
BV Bureau Veritas
CARICOM Caribbean Community
CTL Constructive total loss
DISH Data interchange in shipping
DNV Del Norske Veritas
EDIFACT Electronic data interchange for administration, commerce and transport
EFTA European Free Trade Association
EPIRB Emergency position-indicating radio beacon
FACS Federation of American Controlled Shipping
FDWT Formula deadweight tonnage
FOC Flag of convenience
FONASBA Federation of National Associations of Shipbrokers and Agents
FSI Flag state implementation
GATT General agreement on tariff and trade
GL Germanischer Lloyd
GMDSS Global Maritime Distress & Safety System
GPS Global Positioning system
IACS International Association of Classification Societies
IALA International Association of Lighthouse Authorities
IAPH International Association of Ports and Harbours
ICC International Chamber of Commerce
ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
ICHCA International Cargo Handling Coordination Association
1MB International Maritime Bureau
IMIF International Maritime Industry Forum
IMO International Maritime Organization
IMPA International Marine Purchasing Association
INMARSAT International Mobile Satellite Organization
INSA International Shipowners' Association
INTERCARGO International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners
INTERTANKO International Association of Independent Tanker Owners
IRS Indian Register of Shipping
ISF International Shipping Federation
ISM International Safety Management
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ISSA International Ship Suppliers Association
ITF International Transport Workers Federation
ITOPF International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation
IDA International Underwriting Association
LANBY Large automated navigation buoy
LASH Lighter aboard ship
LIMNET London Insurance Market Network
LMIU Lloyd's Maritime Information Unit
LNG Liquefied natural gas carrier
LPG Liquefied petroleum gas carrier
LR Lloyd's Register
MARAD UnitecT States Maritime Administration
MARPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
MAVIS Marine audio-visual instruction system:
NKK Nippon Kaiji Kyokai
NUMAST National Union of Marine, Aviation & Shipping Transport Officers
NVOCC Non vessel operating common carrier
OBO Ore/bulk/oil carrier
OCIMF Oil Companies International Marine Forum
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
OPA 90 United States Oil Pollution Act of 1990
OPEC Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
OPRC Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation
P & I Protection and Indemnity
PRS Polskie Rejestr Statkow
RCC Rescue Co-ordination Centre
RINA Registro Italiano Navale
RINAVE Registro Internacional Navale SA
RINET Reinsurance and Insurance Network
RMT National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers
RNLI Royal National Life-boat Institution
SAR Search and rescue
SART Survival craft radar transponders
SIGTTO Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators
SITPRO Simplification of Industrial Trade Procedures Board
SNAME Society of NavaJ Architects and Marine Engineers
SOLAS Safety of life at sea
STCW Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping
TEU Twenty foot equivalent unit
TOVALOP Tanker Owners Voluntary Agreement concerning Liability for Oil Pollution
U/C Under construction
ULCC Ultra large crude carrier
UNCLOS United Nations Conference on the Law < the Sea
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade am Development
USNH United States North of Hatteras
VDMA German Machinery Manufacturers & Plantmakers Association
VLCC Very large crude carrier
WMO World Meteorological Organisation
WNA Winter North Atlantic