Greetings!
I figured the off-topic area was the most appropriate forum for this thread. I’m researching a book during which I currently have a cruise ship docked in Port Canaveral. It is early in the morning before passengers are allowed to disembark for the day. There is an emergency situation on the dock (for argument’s sake, assume highly credible evidence that there are going to be a series of bombs going off that would also destroy or severely damage the ship) and I currently have the captain making the decision to to an emergency undock and get as far from the pier as possible, not bothering to disengage the gangways and having his crew cut the ropes holding them to the pier.
I have no idea if this is plausible from a professional maritime point of view, which is why I’m here asking you fine gentlemen. Please help me get this right.
Here’s a series of questions I would like to confirm the answers to.
What is the commonly used maritime term for;
-an emergency undock situation? Getting the fuck off the dock
-is there a commonly used term for the fire-fighting teams? Fire teams
-the retractable ramp that allows passengers to embark/disembark at a port of call? Gangway
-the tug that helps a cruise ship into and out of a pier? Tug, often a tractor tug these days, most cruise ships however do their own dockings to my knowledge
-the smaller lead rope that is tossed to the dock allowing them to reel in the much larger rope for securing to the pier? Heaving line, often connected to a medium sized messenger line on larger stuff
-the team on the dock that secures the ship to the pier? Longshoremen
-the hardware the main ropes are secured to on the ship? Bitts
-the small opening the ropes pass through hull before running down to the pier? Chocks
-are there quick-releases that would allow the crew to immediately release the ship from the pier? If not, how long does it take if speed is crucial? If so, what is that quick release commonly referred to? If you need to get away in a hurry and the lines are made up single part (eye on the bollard on the pier, working end secured to your bitts) you can simply undo the lines and leave them. If they are made up two part (eye on your bitt with a bight around the bollard ashore) you can drop the eye and haul the lines aboard. Is this done on cruise ships or large ships? I don’t know, my background is in tugs and supply vessels.
Some of these probably seem obvious, but, hey, I was an Air Force puke. What do I know?
Scott