Ship Handling is divided into three sections. The first section describes the features of a ship and the different methods of maneuvering it. The second section deals with the forces which influence the movement of a ship and the final section describes the factors which affect the ship during maneuvers (mooring, sailing in shallows, maneuvering in the docks, etc.). The emphasis is placed on external factors which can influence the maneuvering characteristics of a ship. The initial approach is at a basic level, suitable for pilots in training, for example. The field of ship dynamics is then explored in more depth for seafarers with a greater knowledge of the subject.

The book analyzes all aspects of the maneuvering features of ships on both open water and narrow waterways, with reference to the recommendations of the STCW Convention, which sets out the required maneuvering abilities of helmsmen.

Author Hervé Baudu is a teacher in maritime training who has 15 years’ experience working on board ships, achieving the rank of captain. He taught maneuvers first at the ‘Ecole Navale’, then at the National Maritime College of France (ENSM) in Marseille.

The book is intended for both students in maritime education who are learning basic maneuvering skills and seafarers with extensive maneuvering experience who want to expand their knowledge in this field.

In 2012 the book was awarded the esteemed Grand Prize from the French National Maritime Society (L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure Maritime).