It Takes a Team to Back Up Eurodam

What does it take to maneuver a 935-feet-long ship in reverse? Captain van Donselaar explains:

“I have eyes all over to assist me. There are officers forward and aft to relay the distances to me from the ship to shore, as well as an officer on the opposite bridge wing. With my own visual observations and radar, all of these combine to assist me to ensure a safe maneuver in reverse.

“Wind, currents and other ship traffic are all factors that I also have to consider to determine the safest time to turn around and proceed forward. Twenty years of experience doesn’t hurt either!”

Captain van Donselaar stands on an observation window set in the deck of the bridge; there is a window on each bridge wing. These 22 millimeter-thick (.87 inch) glass windows enable the captain to monitor the ship’s position when docking.