1.1本指南涵盖了用于护送穿过受限水域的船舶的护送船的评估和选择。护航船的目的是将因失去推进力或转向而无法控制的船舶移动限制在航道的航行限制范围内。本指南中涉及的各种因素也可以整合到在给定水道护送给定船舶的计划中。本指南还介绍了设备的选择。 1.2本指南可用于基于性能的分析，以评估: 1.2.1失效船舶的控制要求， 1.2.2护航船的性能， 1.2.3航道的航行界限和固定障碍物， 1.2.4影响护送响应的环境条件（风和海），以及 1.2.5组合失效船舶/护航船的操纵特性。 1.3本指南概述了如何整合这些不同因素，以形成特定船舶或特定水道的护航计划。它还概述了培训计划和护送相关活动设备的选择。 1.4制定和实施护送计划的整个流程图如图1所示。该过程从收集适当的数据开始，根据性能标准进行分析，并与具有当地专业知识的个人（如飞行员、水道管理局、利益集团或公共/私人组织等）协商。这就产生了各种运输速度和条件下护航船的性能要求； 这些都体现在该船的护航计划中。在为实际运输做准备时，将结合预测条件和预期运输速度参考计划，以选择和调度适当的护航船（或船只组合）。召开护航前会议，以确保所有主要人员（船长、引航员和护航船长）充分了解如何在紧急情况下进行安全运输和互动。 1.5本指南阐述了护送的各个方面，包括用于分析标准的几个性能标准和方法，以及培训、舾装和其他护送相关注意事项。本指南可适当扩展，以添加新标准，随着行业中获得更多护送经验，纳入“经验教训”，或包括分析标准的替代方法。 1.6本指南阐述了在护航船的协助下对残疾船舶的物理控制。其他可能的功能，如消防、导航或导航冗余，不在本指南的范围内。此外，本指南适用于沿海水道中的远洋船舶；它不适用于河流环境中的驳船管柱。

1.1 This guide covers the evaluation and selection of escort vessels that are to be used to escort ships transiting confined waters. The purpose of the escort vessel is to limit the uncontrolled movement of a ship disabled by loss of propulsion or steering to within the navigational constraints of the waterway. The various factors addressed in this guide also can be integrated into a plan for escorting a given ship in a given waterway. The selection of equipment also is addressed in this guide. 1.2 This guide can be used in performance-based analyses to evaluate: 1.2.1 the control requirement of a disabled ship, 1.2.2 the performance capabilities of escort vessels, 1.2.3 the navigational limits and fixed obstacles of a waterway, 1.2.4 the ambient conditions (wind and sea) that will impact the escort response, and 1.2.5 the maneuvering characteristics of combined disabled ship/escort vessel(s). 1.3 This guide outlines how these various factors can be integrated to form an escort plan for a specific ship or a specific waterway. It also outlines training programs and the selection of equipment for escort-related activities. 1.4 A flowchart of the overall process for developing and implementing an escort plan is shown in Fig. 1. The process begins with the collection of appropriate data, which are analyzed with respect to the performance criteria and in consultation with individuals having local specialized knowledge (such as pilots, waterway authorities, interest groups, or public/private organizations, and so forth). This yields escort vessel performance requirements for various transit speeds and conditions; these are embodied in the ship's escort plan. When the time comes to prepare for the actual transit, the plan is consulted in conjunction with forecast conditions and desired transit speed to select and dispatch the appropriate escort vessel (or combination of vessels). A pre-escort conference is conducted to ensure that all principal persons (ship master, pilot, and escort vessel masters) have a good understanding of how to make a safe transit and interact in the event of an emergency. 1.5 This guide addresses various aspects of escorting, including several performance criteria and methodologies for analyzing the criteria, as well as training, outfitting, and other escort-related considerations. This guide can be expanded as appropriate to add new criteria, incorporate "lessons learned" as more escorting experience is gained in the industry, or to include alternative methodologies for analyzing the criteria. 1.6 This guide addresses physical control of the disabled ship with the assistance of the escort vessel(s). Other possible functions, such as firefighting, piloting, or navigational redundancy, are outside the scope of this guide. Also, this guide was developed for application to oceangoing ships in coastal waterways; it is not suitable for application to barge strings in riverine environments.