Designation:F1878−98(Reapproved2015)AnAmericanNationalStandardStandardGuideforEscortVesselEvaluationandSelection1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF1878;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thisguidecoverstheevaluationandselectionofescortvesselsthataretobeusedtoescortshipstransitingconfinedwaters.Thepurposeoftheescortvesselistolimittheuncontrolledmovementofashipdisabledbylossofpropulsionorsteeringtowithinthenavigationalconstraintsofthewaterway.Thevariousfactorsaddressedinthisguidealsocanbeintegratedintoaplanforescortingagivenshipinagivenwaterway.Theselectionofequipmentalsoisaddressedinthisguide.1.2Thisguidecanbeusedinperformance-basedanalysestoevaluate:1.2.1Thecontrolrequirementofadisabledship,1.2.2Theperformancecapabilitiesofescortvessels,1.2.3Thenavigationallimitsandfixedobstaclesofawaterway,1.2.4Theambientconditions(windandsea)thatwillimpacttheescortresponse,and1.2.5Themaneuveringcharacteristicsofcombineddisabledship/escortvessel(s).1.3Thisguideoutlineshowthesevariousfactorscanbeintegratedtoformanescortplanforaspecificshiporaspecificwaterway.Italsooutlinestrainingprogramsandtheselectionofequipmentforescort-relatedactivities.1.4AflowchartoftheoverallprocessfordevelopingandimplementinganescortplanisshowninFig.1.Theprocessbeginswiththecollectionofappropriatedata,whichareanalyzedwithrespecttotheperformancecriteriaandinconsultationwithindividualshavinglocalspecializedknowl-edge(suchaspilots,waterwayauthorities,interestgroups,orpublic/privateorganizations,andsoforth).Thisyieldsescortvesselperformancerequirementsforvarioustransitspeedsandconditions;theseareembodiedintheship’sescortplan.Whenthetimecomestopreparefortheactualtransit,theplanisconsultedinconjunctionwithforecastconditionsanddesiredtransitspeedtoselectanddispatchtheappr...
