Análisis del plan de viaje para buques tanque que navegan en el golfo de Méjico, operando en Estados Unidos

Abstract Taking as an example a route between two ports in the Gulf of Mexico, this thesis describes not only a standard voyage plan, but also a great amount of essential factors that contribute to make a passage plan in the safest and most efficient way, always under international and local regulations. This passage is particularly interesting because the vessel calls to an American port, which is characterized by very strict rules, especially for tankers, and by the development of tropical cyclones. This voyage in particular was developed and experienced first-hand by my fellow officials and myself, and was observed thoroughly while on board. The officers forming part of the ships´ bridge team are responsible for designing and executing the voyage plan, while cooperating with the rest of their co-workers on board and outside the vessel. A vast majority of modern vessels are equipped with complex integrated bridge systems and, as vessels modernize, their crew must adapt to such new skills accordingly. Each piece of equipment has a specific function and requires a high level of familiarity and training to be used correctly. Regulations, whether they are local or international, limit the flexibility of any voyage plan they are necessary because navigation affects much more than just the ship involved, for example, it may affect the environment, marine traffic, etc. Plans must be flexible, especially when considering changes in weather, potential safety of the crew, the ship´s integrity, and any other external forces or emergencies. A tropical storm, for example, was the reason why the route of the vessel described had to be altered. Prenent com a exemple una ruta entre dos ports en el golf de Mèxic, aquest projecte descriu no només un pla de viatge en el sentit tradicional, sinó també una gran quantitat de factors essencials que contribueixen a fer un pla de viatge de la forma més segura i eficient contemplant, per exemple, normatives locals i internacionals. El passatge descrit és especialment interessant perquè el vaixell fa escala a un port americà caracteritzat per una normativa molt estricta, concretament pels petroliers, i per un clima de ciclons tropicals. Aquest viatge en concret va ser desenvolupat i experimentat en primera persona pels meus companys oficials i per mi mateix, i va ser observat en detall durant la meva estada a bord. Els oficials que formen part de l’equip de pont són responsables del disseny i l’execució del pla de viatge. Alhora q