The upper deck houses the exterior top deck, with life rafts, SART beacon and life preservers. In the very front, at the foredeck, you will also find a fire post, as well as the foremost mooring points.

On the middle deck you will find the main passenger compartment, with room for 40 passengers. In front of the passenger compartment is a storage space with survival equipment and an emergency exit leading to the top deck. In the other direction you will find the companionways up and down to the respective decks, an AC room containing the ship's ventilation machinery, a head, a diving room with equipment for smoke diving and, on the starboard side, a medical bay. Outside the medical bay, you will also find a fire station and the crew muster station.

The lower deck is a crew-only space design with comfort in mind - even during longer journeys or times of stand-by. Coming down the companionway, you will come down into a corridor, with a storage space for extra equipment to your immediate right, doors to the four crew cabins opposite each other in the corridor and a door to the technical compartments in the aft directly ahead of you.

The first technical room is the pump room, which also houses the engine control electronics. On each side of the pump room is a tank compartment with access to fuel tanks and misc fluid tanks, as well as the CO2 fire extinguishing system. Continuing further aft will take you to the engine room, with the two main engines, two small diesel pumps for the FiFi monitors on the deck as well as a generator. The last room, the steering compartment, gives you access to the steering gears, but also a small workshop for at-sea repairs and maintenance.

In the other direction, the main corridor will take you into the combined galley and mess, making for a comfortable space to share dinner, stories and relax! Door-to-door with the mess is the wetrooms compartment, with two shower rooms and a head reserved for the crew. Here you will also find some diving equipment. Foremost in the ship, there is a technical room that also serves as a laundry room for crew.

• Call master
  
• Sound fire alarm
  
• Determine location of fire
  
• Muster crew to fire control station, perform headcount of all personell
  
• Manouver ship away from nearby vessels and navigational hazards
  
• Perform fire fighting efforts. If in engine room - utilize built in suppression system before performing manual suppression.
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16

• Do not take your eyes off MOB! Alert nearby crew to the situation
  
• Release flare and lifebouy on the side person has fallen overboard on
  
• Sound general alarm, sound three long blasts of ship's whistle
  
• Mark position in plotter
  
• Call master
  
• Post extra look-outs if possible
  
• If location of MOB is determined, perform recovery
  
• If location of MOB is unknown, prepare MOB boat and commence search efforts
  
• Perform distress call on VHF ch. 16

• Call master
  
• Sound general alarm
  
• Call engineer
  
• Ensure all watertight doors are closed
  
• Stop engines if appropriate, do not manouver off ground until hull integrity can be assessed
  
• Localize any leaks in the hull using both alarm system and visual inspection
  
• Muster crew
  
• Perform damage control procedures
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16 if deemed approriate
  
• Check for spills/pollution
  
• Contact authorities and report the incident
  
• Offer assistance to other vessel
  
• If deemed appropriate, disengage from other vessel

• Call master
  
• Sound general alarm
  
• Call engineer
  
• Ensure all watertight doors are closed
  
• Stop engines if appropriate, do not manouver until hull integrity can be assessed
  
• Localize any leaks in the hull using both alarm system and visual inspection
  
• Muster crew
  
• Perform damage control procedures
  
• Offer support to other involved vessel(s) and exchange information
  
• Check for spills/pollution. See checklist 11
  
• Contact authorities for salvaging of vessel
  
• If ship condition allows - attempt refloating and manouvering off sea bed

• Acknowledge alarm and confirm affected compartment(s)
  
• Call master
  
• Call engineer
  
• Ensure all watertight doors are closed
  
• Perform inspection of all spaces for undetected flooding and perform initial assessment of severity of flooding
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16 if deemed approriate
  
• Attempt plugging/repair
  
• Consider options for grounding vessel
  
• If deemed necessary - prepare abondonment of ship according to checklist 6

• Sound general alarm
  
• Perform distress call on VHF ch. 16
  
• Muster crew and perform head count of all crew and passengers
  
• Ensure all crew maintain a calm behaviour to prevent mass panic amongst passengers
  
• Prepare all involved with life vests, survival suits and strobe lights
  
• Bring, into each life raft, the following items:
  - Handheld radio 1x
  - Handheld flare 1x
  - Handheld emergency transponder
  
• Perform safety briefing of life raft operation
  
• Launch life rafts by turning the launch key beneath the raft. Lift the raft with both hands (E and Q) and throw the raft over the railing, ensuring there is sufficient distance between the raft and the ship for the raft to deploy safely.
  
• Launch MOB boat
  
• Tie life rafts together
  
• Load life rafts
  
• Perform head count of all passengers and crew
  
• Utilize MOB boat to tow life rafts to nearby land. If no land is near, stay at position of ship!

• Call master and second officer
  
• Perform first aid and initial assessment of injuries according to ABCDE-method. Continuously re-assess injuries
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16 if deemed appropriate
  
• If appropriate - bring injured to medical room
  
• Contact telemedical via telephone
  
• If needed - prepare for evacuation

• Call master
  
• Take immediate action to keep ship away from danger
  
• Call engineer
  
• Activate Not Under Command (NUC) lights
  
• Check for navigational hazards and nearby vessels
  
• Determine status of electrical systems
  
• Consider interconnecting battery banks (supply and start) in pump/electrics room
  
• Anchoring prepared if water depth allows
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16 if deemed appropriate. Utilize handheld device if necessary
  
• Ensure all involved personell is informed

• Call master and engineer
  
• Prepare for and if necessary, perform, emergency anchor drop
  
• Display day signal or lights for Not Under Command (NUC)
  
• Perform assessment of issue and attempt repair
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16 if deemed appropriate

• Call master and engineer
  
• Prepare for and if necessary, perform, emergency anchor drop
  
• Come to full stop
  
• Utilize bow thruster and low speed to manouver into safe position
  
• Display day signal or lights for Not Under Command (NUC)
  
• Perform assessment of issue and attempt repair
  
• Perform urgency or distress call on VHF ch. 16 if deemed appropriate

• Call master
  
• Perform assessment of location and size of leak
  
• Stop and minimize spill
  
• Limit spread of pollution
  
• Contact authorities and report size, type and position of pollution

Before start-up is performed, it is recommended that inspection of engines is performed, including but not limited to:

• Control of all fluid levels and fluid quality
  
• Check engine log book for previous notes of issues or upcoming maintenance
  
• Visual inspection for leaks, damaged parts or foreign objects with potential to cause damage to operating machinery

1. Ensure all breakers are set to their default position ("off" = closed circuit). The breakers are located in the pump room.
   
2. Turn ignition key for engine 1 on the engine control panel.
   
3. Wait until the engine 1 status indicator switches to green. Ensure engine RPM is stable.
   
4. Turn ignition key for engine 2 on the engine control panel.
   
5. Wait until the engine 2 status indicator switches to green. Ensure engine RPM is stable.
   
6. Turn main systems key switch to position on.
   
7. Select appropriate screens on the multi function displays using keyboard buttons 1 and 2.
   
8. Ensure VHF 1 is set to channel 16 and VHF 2 is set to scan function or channel of choice.
   
9. Enable running lights on the navigation lights panel.

1. On the bridge, locate the remote start-up panel.
   
2. Hold the button for engine 1 remote start.
   
3. Wait until the engine 1 status indicator switches to green. Ensure engine RPM is stable.
   
4. Hold the button for engine 2 remote start.
   
5. Wait until the engine 2 status indicator switches to green. Ensure engine RPM is stable.
   
6. Turn main systems key switch to position on.
   
7. Select appropriate screens on the multi function displays using keyboard buttons 1 and 2.
   
8. Ensure VHF 1 is set to channel 16 and VHF 2 is set to scan function or channel of choice.
   
9. Enable running lights on the navigation lights panel.

• Press the control button in front of you in the main helm. A yellow light indicates seat has control. The vessel is now ready to maneuver.
  
• Press [SPACEBAR] on your keyboard to toggle between combined and split throttles.
  
• Use W/S to control both throttles in combined throttle mode. Use W/S for the port throttle and Up/Down for starboard throttle in split throttle mode.
  
• Use A/D to control the rudders. Left/Right controls the bow thruster.
  
• You can view rudder and throttle positions on the starboard-most display on the top panel. More detailed information can be viewed on the conning display maneuvering data field. It is recommended to use the conning display during all precision maneuvering. See the Navigation Equipment chapter for more detailed information.

The forward helm position offers maximum control over navigation and communication equipment - all available from the comfort of your air cushioned seat. The two multi function displays allow you to display the information most relevant to you in every specific situation. The navigational instruments in these displays is covered in detail in the Navigation Equipment chapter. The communication equipment is also available in a separate chapter. On top of these systems, the following instruments are at your disposal:

• Navigational lights, below the multi function displays.
  
• Anchor controls, to the very left.
  
• Alarms panel, to the right of the multi function displays. The alarms display will show you any issues with the main systems on the vessel, as well as flooding and fire alarms. To acknowledge an alarm, press the R button. This will silence the alarm. A new alarm notification will sound the alarm again, requiring a new acknowledgement.
  
• General alarm and fire alarm buttons, located above the alarms panel. Pushing the button once enables the alarm, pushing it again disables it.
  
• Interior and exterior lights.
  
• Multi function display night mode. This should be used at all times from dusk until dawn to preserve night vision.

The FCS 4310 comes equipped KO's latest in marine navigation, combined into a user friendly multi function twin display system, giving you the power to display exactly the information you need in every given moment. This system includes:

• ECDIS chart plotter with waypoint system and autopilot
  
• Conning screen for precise monitoring of all factors involved in precision maneuvering
  
• Radar with up to 32 km range
  
• Stabilized gimbal camera with FLIR and heading hold
  
• CCTV system

To navigate the multi function displays, press the buttons 1 and 2 on your keyboard. Each button will flip through one of the displays.

The chart plotter displays in the three corner data fields the basic information required for the majority of navigation, with Course Over Ground (COG) shown in the top right corner, Speed Over Ground (SOG) in the bottom right corner and Depth under keel (DPT) on the bottom left. In the final corner, there are buttons for zoom, as well as resetting the view to the ship and toggling the waypoint symbol.

To the left you will also find a collapsible data field. From top to bottom, this displays the compass Heading (HDG), Distance To Target (DTT) in kilometers, Bearing To Target (BTT) in degrees and Time To Arrival (TTA) in minutes.


The autopilot takes target coordinates in the keyboard to your right. These will be displayed as a waypoint on the map with a black line between the ship symbol and the waypoint. By pressing number 6 on your keyboard, the autopilot will activate and a green AP symbol should appear on the screen. To disable the autopilot, press the same button or wait until the vessel reaches its target, upon which it will come to a full stop and sound a notification sound.

The conning display is intended to be used during precision maneuvering or as a general information screen, with a wide array of data being displayed.

On the top left side of the screen, you will find a window containing wind data, with true wind direction displayed on the left and true wind speed in m/s on the right. Below that, a visual presentation that doubles as a compass is displayed. The red point is north, white south and the blue visor shows the wind direction in relation to the ship. Think of it like a wind vane or a flag - it will always point the direction the wind is blowing towards. When going straight ahead into the wind, it will therefore point straight backwards. This visual aid, too, shows the true wind direction, meaning ship speed will not affect the accuracy of the data.

Below, a simple Heading (HDG) data field is displayed, together with a turn rate indicator, measured in degrees per second.

Further down, a depth below keel (DPT) data field is combined with a visual presentation of the sonar data.

In the middle of the screen, the maneuvering data field shows current bow thruster, throttle and rudder positions, together with the current Course Over Ground (COG) and Speed Over Ground (SOG) in knots and finally, two fields that show the sideways movement of the bow and stern.

On the right side of the conning display, in addition to a digital clock, you will find engine RPM of both engines. Below these, a fuel data field is found, showing fuel consumption in liters per hour and km as well as total capacity in liters and status of each tank.

A given part of modern navigation, the radar screen should be displayed at all times during high speed navigation. To enable the radar, press the TX/STBY button on the bottom left corner. Adjust the range and gain on the left and right side of the display. The range is displayed in the top left corner in kilometers.

On the right side, basic navigational data is displayed with Heading (HDG), Course Over Ground (COG), Speed Over Ground (SOG) as well as the current coordinates of the vessel.

The bottom right corner is occupied by a SART emergency transponder locator. This will, upon discovering a transponder signal, display the current estimated range to the transponder and whether this distance is increasing or decreasing. Use this to localice the transponder.

The gimbal camera on the KO FCS 4310 is a stabilized digital camera with a powerful optical zoom lens and FLIR option for nighttime operations. The camera is a powerful tool during search and rescue missions as well as ordinary navigation for identifying targets from far away when human eyesight simply is not enough.

The camera can be locked at a fixed heading to easier stay on target. Press the "HDG" button on the top left corner to enable the heading lock. Below this, the button for IR mode is found. Opposite to this, the zoom buttons are located. To move the camera around, simply touch the display in the direction you wish to pivot.


The CCTV system is intended to be used both as an aid maneuvering and for monitoring unmanned spaces of the ship during routine operation. It is recommended that all technical spaces are checked via monitor on a regular basis for irregularities.

To switch between cameras, press the arrow keys on the bottom right.

The FCS 4310 is equipped with a wide range of communication equipment for internal and external communication, as well as determining the location of radio transmitters. The following means of communication come installed by default:

• KO digital VHF radio (2x)
  
• KO VHF direction finder
  
• Handheld VHF radio (3x)
  
• Ship-mounted loudspeaker

Note! Operation of any VHF radio requires a Short Range Certificate (SRC) or higher!
There are two Kahrstrom & Olsen digital VHF radios installed on the FCS 4310 from factory. Both are mounted at the main helm position, with the port side one being designated as "Radio 1".


The KO digital radio has access to all channels from 0-99 and is equipped with a scan function that will scroll through all channels and stop at a channel if a signal is recieved on that channel. The scan function can be toggled with the button "S" beneath the display. Channels can also be switched manually by pressing the + and - symbols. To return to channel 16, press the button "C".

In case of emergency, the radio is equipped with a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) style emergency call function which will activate an emergency transponder, allowing for search & rescue efforts to easier localize the vessel. This can be activated by pressing the "D" button. A transponder symbol will be displayed while the transponder is active.

It is strongly recommended to call a may-day or pan-pan call on channel 16, which is the international hailing and emergency channel. Please refer to the relevant emergency checklist for further information.

Mounted on the top right panel in the main helm position on the bridge you will find a Kahrstrom & Olsen VHF direction finder. The purpose of the direction finder is to determine the channel, direction and, in extension, the location of a transmitting radio antenna. This is done using an antenna array, found on the top of the mast. Please note that the direction finder is passive and cannot be used for transmission.


The direction finder is equipped with a scanning feature, able to scan through channels 0-99 in the VHF radio band. Note that some transmitters may operate outside of these ranges and can therefore not be detected. The scanning feature is recommended to be active during operation until a channel has been determined or a specific channel is to be searched. Press the "S" button to enable scanning. It is also possible to scroll through channels manually by pressing the + and - symbols. To return to channel 16, press "C". The active channel can be read at the top right corner of the unit.

When the direction finder finds a signal, the scanning feature, if active, will stop. On the top left corner, the direction of the transmitter, relative to the bow of the vessel. Please note that this is not a compass bearing relative to north. Underneath the direction reading, you will find a visual presentation of the signal direction, represented by a green dot on a scale. When the dot is in the middle of the scale, the reading is 0 degrees, meaning your bow is pointing directly towards the transmitter. Directly starboard - 90 degrees - places the dot halfways to the right on the scale. At 180 degrees, the dot is at the furthest to the right on the scale it will go, after it appears on the left, meaning it is now closer to turn the ship to port to approach the target. 270 degrees will subsequently be halfways to the left and when the value goes past 359 degrees and back to 0, it will once again be in the middle - you are headed towards the target.

Handheld VHF radios can be found at the charging station on the starboard side of the bridge. All deck personell should wear a handheld radio tuned to a clearly determined channel. If communication is not possible with the bridge, it is important to establish this as soon as possible. Ensure your handheld radio is charged by routinely putting it back in the charging station when not in use.

Mounted on the exterior of the vessel, is a loudspeaker controlled from the main helm position in the bridge. The loudspeaker is recommended for communicating with nearby PIW's (Person In Water), disabled vessels as well as a back-up means of communication with deck personell. To use the hailer, press the hailer PTT button to your left in the main helm while holding your microphone PTT button.

Mounted in various positions around the interior of the vessel is a number of loudspeakers intended for communication from the bridge to all crew. This can be used to call someone up to the bridge, complement alarms with information or make other general announcements. To use the internal hailer, press the internal hailer PTT button to your left in the main helm while holding your microphone PTT button.

The reverse seat has two main functions: precision maneuvering around objects located aft of the vessel, and operations including deck equipment.

Extra care should always be taken when utilizing the reverse seat, as the forward vision is limited to cameras. It is recommended to have both helm positions manned when performing operations with reverse seat.

To take control of the reverse seat, press the button on your left labeled "take control". This will switch the seat from crane control mode to ship control mode. The throttle, rudder and bow thruster controls are identical to the forward helm position, just switched around to make sense when reversing. Pressing [D] on your keyboard will take you to port side and vice versa. Pressing [W] bring the vessel backwards, [S] forwards. The throttles can be split in the same fashion as the forward helm position by pressing [SPACEBAR]

Above the window, a conning display is found. Please note that this displays identical information to the information displayed in the forward helm position, thus starboard is still starboard, port is still port - the information is not mirrored. To your left is an ECIDS chart plotter, and to your right a CCTV system - both operated in the same fashin as the multi function display equivalents in the forward helm position.

The Fire Fighting Monitors, located on the aft of the deck, are powered by one KO diesel pump each. They are intended for containing and extinguishing fires on other vessels, off-shore installations or port facilities. To use the FiFi monitors, first flip the ignition switches to your right, enabling the diesel pumps. When you are ready, open the valves by pressing the buttons on your left side. Controlling the FiFi monitors is as easy as pressing the numbers [5] and [6] on your keyboard and aiming the nozzles with your mouse.

When operating close to hot or gas contaminated scenes, it is strongly recommended that the mist wash is utilized. The mist wash will cover the deck in a cooling water mist, keeping the vessel and personell cool and safe. To enable the mist wash, flip the mist wash switch to your right.

Located on the deck is also a Kahrstrom & Olsen KB-25 knuckle boom crane. This can be operated by remote control on channel 1, or from the reverse seat position. To control the crane from the reverse seat, ensure that vessel control is disabled. The yellow light to your left should be OFF.

The crane controls are mapped with A/D to crane rotation, W/S to boom control, Left/Right to jib in/out, Up/Down to Jib up and down and buttons [1] and [2] winching the line down and up. Button [3] enables the spotlights and [SPACEBAR] toggles the attachment signal.

On the aft deck of the FCS 4310 is a KO DW-125/B deck winch, controlled from a panel mounted on the winch itself, or using the remote panel in the reverse seat position on the bridge. The panel has options for winch in and out, a guage to show the currently spooled out wire length and a toggle switch for any attachments you may have connected.

While the universal nature of the KO DW-125/B deck winch allows for varying types of connectors, the winch is delivered with a quick connect attachment. This floating attachment can be towed out to another vessel, connecting up to either rope anchors or electrical connectors. These can be released from the winch control panel using the attachment toggle button - an important safety feature for any towing operations. When using quick connect attachment, the bollard pull should never exceed 10 tonnes! For maximum towing capacity, use a single rope or cable from the winch to the towed vessel.

/!\ IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION /!\
Always keep snap zone clear during towing operations! Cables may snap and cause serious injury or death!

Located on the deck is also a Kahrstrom & Olsen KB-25 knuckle boom crane. This can be operated by remote control on channel 1, or from the reverse seat position. To control the crane from the reverse seat, ensure that vessel control is disabled. The yellow light to your left should be OFF.

The crane controls are mapped with A/D to crane rotation, W/S to boom control, Left/Right to jib in/out, Up/Down to Jib up and down and buttons [1] and [2] winching the line down and up. Button [3] enables the spotlights and [SPACEBAR] toggles the attachment signal.

To launch and lift the Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) on the FCS 4310, the davit is used. Launching and lifting shall be performed at a standstill or at speeds not exceeding 10 knots. Safe davit operation requires careful handling and the use of the proper procedures. Failing to perform all necessary actions may result in serious injury or death.

1. Detach the FRC charger cable and store in storage box below outlet.
   
2. Attach painter line between the bow of the FRC and the painter line winch, located on the outside of the hull, just in front of the gate at deck level. The winch will automatically correct the length of the rope.
   
3. Using either the control panel button or a remote control by pressing button number [6], start lowering the davit.
   
4. With the FRC in the water, enable FRC main systems, ignition and clutch in according to FRC instructions.
   
5. Detach the lifting line in the middle of the boat. Store the rope in the forward rope storage.
   
6. Detach the painter line at the bow of the boat.
   
7. Carefully bring FRC away from vessel.

1. Carefully maneuver FRC into position near the painter line winch.
   
2. Attach the painter line between the bow of the FRC and the painter line winch.
   
3. Bring FRC backward towards the davit winch.
   
4. Attach lifting line between center lift position and davit winch.
   
5. Using either the control panel button or a remote control by pressing button number [6], start lifting the davit.
   
6. Ensure the FRC locks into place in the cradle. If no lock is achieved, press the davit launch button again, wait a few seconds and re-lift the boat. Gently rocking the boat may also help.
   
7. Attach FRC charging cable.
   
8. Remote painter line from bow.
   
9. Refuel FRC if needed.

Aboard the Ability, a Kahrstrom & Olsen FRC 625 is stored. Its main use is as a Fast Rescue Boat, able to perform rescue of MOB's, but it also serves as a practical and easy to use tool for all manners of operations.

The FRC is equipped with a multi function display with chart plotter, radar, engine and depth screens. It also features a KO digital VHF radio. Powering the vessel is a KO marine diesel, coupled to a single water jet.


Controlling the FRC is a simle task, requiring minimum training. To power up the main systems (eg. displays, nav lights, etc.), press number [2] on your keyboard. Engine ignition is button [3] and clutch engagement is performed using button [6]. Buttons [1], [4] and [5] are used to detach the painter line remotely, using the VHF PTT and toggling the bow spotlights respectively. Up/Down controls the towing winch.

Steering is done with A/D. Remember that a water jet always steers the same no matter the movement of the boat - you will always control the direction the bow turns. Throttle and jet bucket controls are linked and controlled by W/S. To toggle sticky throttle, press [SPACE].

The FCS 4310 is equipped with four different fluid tanks. Two of these are reserved for fuel, while two are designated as "Misc. fluid tanks". These can be used for all manners of fluid, from spare fuel for yourself or others, to spill oil that has been retrieved from sea or transferred from another vessel in rescue operations.

The tank types each have one control panel, both located in the pump room. The misc fluid tank is further forward while the fuel tank panel is further aft. The panels work in the same fashion, with the left side of the screen controlling the tank you wish to be pumping FROM, while the right side controls which tank you want to pump TO. You can also choose to pump to or from the fluid or hose connectors on the deck of the vessel, in order to transfer fluids to or from other vessels or during bunkering operations. These are labelled as IN and OUT in the displays. If you wish to automatically balance the level between the, you can press the middle A button. Any time the pump is transferring fluid, the pump symbol will light up. This requires both a TO and FROM side switch to be activated.

The electronics system on the FCS 4310 consists of two main systems - the starter circuit, and the consumer circuit. Each circuit has its own battery bank. The starter circuit is charged by the main engines and runs all engine electronics. The consumer circuit on the other hand, is charged by an automatic generator, and powers all other systems on the vessel like navigational equipment, lights, deck equipment and so forth.

In the pump room, breakers for the main circuits are found on one panel, together with an emergency bridging key. This allows the combination of the two battery banks into one, for situations where one battery bank has been depleted or is not holding charge. On the right hand panel, the secondary breakers for each system can be found, allowing you to switch off a specific circuit should electrical gremlins need to be diagnosed or a circuit be shut off for safety.