Guidelines for Managing Wake Wash from High-Speed Vessels

Report, 2003

The intent of this report is to provide an overview of the hydrodynamic and physical aspects of high-speed vessel wake and to provide guidance for its effective management. This guidance does not prescribe a solution. Rather, it provides a process that waterway management authorities and vessel operators can use to develop an appropriate solution for managing high-speed vessel wake. This guidance is consistent with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) High-Speed Craft Code (2000) and may be used to support the development of the route operational manual required by Regulation 18.2.2 of that Code. The report does not address other issues associated with the operation of high-speed vessels that are within the purview of other organisations (e.g., IMO, the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA)); nor does it address issues related to vessel design since they are beyond the expertise of PIANC. Although these guidelines were developed in response to concern about the potential impacts of high-speed vessel wake (see Annex A), they can be used as the basis for managing potential impacts of wake generated by any vessel.