Michael Hancox’s Oilfield Seamanship series of books (see also pages 26 and 27) have become the focal point for everyone with an interest in modern practical seamanship as it applies to the marine oil industry. This new book, the first ever to look at this complex subject is, in effect, the Towmasters Handbook. Its uses Captain Hancox’s considerable towing and installation experience amassed on projects like Liuhua, Acquila, Maui B, Crawford, Brent, Tantawan, Chanterelle, Janice, Fornaven and many more, to bring the planning, execution and techniques necessary for success to life. His down to earth nautical writing style supported by over 300 explanatory diagrams, hundreds of ‘action’ on the job photographs, countless examples and tables takes the reader through, in 600 pages, every phase of the operation from pre-tow out planning to riser hook-up and first oil. At every stage Captain Hancox provides helpful tips and cautions to help overcome the problems that lie in wait to trap the inexperienced or unwary. Detailed below are some of the main chapter headings which can at best only provide a limited insight into the massive significance of this outstanding reference work. We would be happy to send the full contents list on request for you to make a fuller evaluation but rest assured that if you are involved in any aspect of towing positioning or hook-up for offshore production, this new book from Michael Hancox will be essential reading.

• Part 1 - Project Management, Organisation and Equipment - role and duty of Towmasters, activities and authority, operating procedures, contractors’ workscope, pre-mobilisation check lists, FPSOs, FSUs, ISVs, support vessel types.
• Part 2 - Mooring Systems - design, types, anchors, chain and wire moorings, composite lines, synthetic systems.
• Part 3 - Mooring Lay Operations - positioning systems and setup, running drag embedment-anchors, running pile moorings, running suction anchors.
• Part 4 - Tensioning - setting up, monitoring embedment, tensioning with tugs, cross tensioning using ISV’s.
• Part 5 - Towing - towout and ocean tow, tugs and towing, equipment, certification, passage planning, risk assessment/measurement, strength of tow gear, tow resistance, handling VLCC type vessels and barges, navigation.
• Part 6 - Towing Vessels - limitations of the AHTS, outfit of equipment, tow rigging, bollard pull, sizing tow gear, towing contracts, escort tugs.
• Part 6A - Tow Gear Connections - attachment points, use of mooring bollards, strengthening tow points.
• Part 7 - Preparing of Tows - mobilisation for tow out, setting up tow gear, preparation of towing and on location mooring systems, tow out certification, work files and check lists, trial fit and checks, clearance procedure tug and tow, the sailaway meeting.
• Part 8 - Towing Arrangements - bridle fore pennants and emergency pennants, pre-rigging for heavy weather, typical tow rigs, chafe chains, rigging bridles for deployment.
• Part 9 - Towout - initiation, departure from berth, drag tows, tow connection, steering and manoeuvering, rigging and limitations of AHTs, tow rigs, set and drift, heavy weather, tow behaviour, Towmasters instructions, bunkering at sea.
• Part 10A - Ocean Towing Operations - emergency tow connections, tow line breakage and reconnection, tug failure, heavy weather towline transfer, emergency response, man overboard.
• Part 11 - Mooring Hook-Up Operations - responsibilities, workscope, organisation, the procedure document, hook-up direction and line sequence, the storm safe mooring condition, positioning, tug management systems, surface diving operations.
• Part 12 - Hook-Up Towing - tug selection, tug positions, towing equipment, use of push/pull tugs, typical tow arrangements, tow rigging methods.
• Part 13 - Mooring Turrets - turret systems (external / internal) pull in winches, winch and Lars wire line markings, turret markings.
• Part 14 - Mooring Line Hook-Up - positioning trials, command and control, pre hook-up check list, reception of hook-up crews, coordination between hook-up crews and commissioning works, recovery of pre-layed mooring, tug configuration (live hook-up), step by step sequence of operations.
• Part 15 - Mooring Line Tensioning - angle measurement, tensioning procedure, heading management, pull in loads, chain tail removal, inclinometers.
• Part 16 - Riser Hook-Up - riser systems, riser sunning, rises pull in, set of the ISV, subsea TV and use of the ROV, tug and tow requirements, caution and advise for hold off towing.
• Part 17 - Floating Hose Assembly and Towout - checks and methods, towout vessel requirements, checklists.
• Part 18 - Shuttle Tanker Towing Operations - duties of field support tugs, approach to FPSO, holdoff, towing gear, mooring hawsers.

• Oilfield Seamanship Series - Complete Set
• Seamanship Vol 1: Rescue Towing
• Seamanship Vol 2: Jack-Up Moving
• Seamanship Vol 3: Anchor Handling
• Seamanship Vol 4: Towing
• Seamanship Vol 5: Barge Moving
• Seamanship Vol 6: Barge Mooring
• Seamanship Vol 7: Stability & Ballast Control
• Seamanship Vol 9: Dynamic Positioning