Seaways Book Reviews: Shiphandling: The Beautiful Game
What readers are saying
A must-read for anyone involved in shiphandling. Whether you’re a seasoned mariner, a pilot, or just starting out, this book offers valuable insights that go beyond textbook manoeuvres.
One of the key themes that really resonated with me is something we can’t emphasise enough: safety must always take precedence over speed and economic considerations. Good shiphandling isn’t about racing against the clock – it’s about exercising judgment, patience, and precision to protect the vessel, the crew, and the environment.
In a world where pressures to ‘move faster’ seem constant, this book is a strong reminder that true professionalism in shiphandling is measured by how safely and skilfully you can get the job done – not how quickly. Highly recommend giving this one a read.
Gavan Dunleavy, Docking Pilot, Delaware River
Decisions are rarely made in a vacuum. They’re shaped by context, time pressure, experience – and emotion. So to open The Nautical Institute’s latest publication Shiphandling, The Beautiful Game and find that its very first chapter was devoted to emotion left me very pleasantly surprised. It’s something I’ve preached to trainees for more than a few years now.
Understanding what you’re bringing into a decision – the tension in your shoulders, the need to prove something, the reluctance to speak up – can be the difference between reacting and responding. Between defaulting to habit, or pausing long enough to choose a better option. Operational decision-making is complex. But that complexity includes us, our mental states, our biases, and our blind spots.
The better we understand that, the better the decisions we make, and The Beautiful Game explains this from the ship handler’s perspective wonderfully.
I’m interested in exploring how this new resource can help to support training conversations around situational awareness, decision-making, and the building of capability and confidence in complex marine environments. Congratulations to both authors on what looks to be a fantastic addition to our industry!
Matt Shirley AFNI CEO, Safe Harbours Australia
Good ship handling is a skill first learned through studying mechanics, fundamentals, and observing others’ real world experiences. ‘Ship Handling: The Beautiful Game’ combines these aspects to benefit mariners of all experience levels and encourages us to expand our thinking about the learning process.
Capt Brad Simpson
Shiphandling, the Beautiful Game has been written to explain what differentiates a good shiphandler from a great one. The authors consider common challenges and how best to deal with the emotions that can affect the outcomes, sharing examples of how to master those emotions and avert disaster. The book explores the many ways the human brain assimilates experience and develops motor skills and cognitive deduction, turning shiphandling into an art form that can be enjoyed rather than a challenge to be endured.
Splash 24/7
A must-read for everyone involved in ship handling, the more so because the authors have very extensive experience as tugmasters as well. To mention just one important lesson: ‘One fundamental key to every aspect of shiphandling is speed.’ Yes, a too high speed has created so many accidents, even with the loss of lives when tugs were involved.
Henk Hensen FNI
Full of simple, basic common sense that applies whether the ship being handled is a 24,000TEU container vessel, a 250,000DWT bulker, a destroyer or a small harbour ferry […] An important and very valuable book that should be repeatedly studied by all mariners.
Dr Neil Baird Baird Maritime