The following paper’s aim is to provide a numerical analysis of well-known man overboard (MOB) manoeuvres
undertaken by vessels’ masters’ in critical situations, when a passenger or crew member falls out from
a vessel. The simulation, based on a complex hydrodynamical model of a merchant ship, which compares
3 variants of this manoeuvre, shows that the Scharnov turn is the shortest and the quickest one, but the ship
finishes the Anderson turn with the lowest velocity. Also, the time of the Williamson turn is short enough, to
successfully finish the operation. The duration of MOB manoeuvres is likened to the results of a medical overview,
with not only the duration of MOB, but also the time between falling overboard and the beginning of the
manoeuvre playing a crucial role in saving a casualty’s life.