12 months on from the Costa Concordia incident, a new Allianz report identifies that 106 ship losses were reported worldwide in the
12 months to November 25 2012 – up from 91 ships the previous year but a 27 percent decrease on the ten year average of 146 ships per annum.
Despite this long term downward trend, driven by technology, training
and regulation and a proactive response from the shipping industry to
safety improvement, human error remains the core challenge.In its annual ‘Safety and Shipping Review’ of maritime losses, marine insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) highlights
developments in shipping safety during 2012. The year was marked by two
high profile accidents with the loss of the Costa Concordia off Italy on January 13th (the largest loss of the year at 114,137 gross tons)
followed by that of the ferry, Rabaul Queen, off Papua New Guinea on
February 2nd, both causing multiple fatalities.According to the report, foundering (sinking or submerging) was the
most common cause of losses in the past year (49 percent) followed by
wrecking or running aground (22 percent). Collisions such as that
involving the Baltic Ace and Corvus J in early December 2012 accounted
for a relatively small number of losses (6 percent).With 30 losses reported, twice as many shipping accidents centered on the seas around South China, Indo China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Shipping losses also occurred more often in the East Mediterranean and
the Black Sea (15 losses in 2012) or around Japan, Korea and North China (10 losses).Human error – still the keyThe report highlights that human error remains a root cause of most
incidents. Fatigue, economic pressures, and inadequate training are
causes for concern. Dr Sven Gerhard of AGCS explains: “For some commercial ship-owners, especially in the hard-pressed bulk cargo
and tanker sectors, there is little money for maintenance and little
money for training.”New regulation focuses on the problem of human error. The Maritime
Labor Convention (2006), which comes into force later in 2013, will help improve safety by addressing the welfare and working conditions of
seafarers. In general, passenger vessels have been the focus of
attention throughout the year with both the International Maritime
Organisation and the cruise ship industry taking action to tighten
regulation and continuously improve operational practices.Check and balance on the bridgeMajor shipping companies have initiated self-regulation initiatives
post-Costa Concordia, with the Cruise Lines International Association
and the European Cruise Council partnering up to lead the industry-wide
voluntary adoption of policies that go beyond international regulatory
requirements. In addition, moves previously pioneered in other
industries (such as airlines) or by leading ship-owners are gathering
force: for example, greater adoption across the industry of the
‘function-based bridge’ concept whereby the bridge command structure
changes from the traditional captain’s sole command towards a ‘check and balance’ approach. “We see such self-regulation of the industry as the core driver of safety,” says Gerhard, who believes that such concepts will soon trickle down to other sectors where passenger safety is paramount.In addition, technological improvements such as the introduction of
mandatory Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) in
July 2012 are expected to reduce accidents, but only where properly
applied with effective training and management oversight. “Technology is only as useful as the training behind it – and we don’t always see
this human element keeping up with other advances. What we do see with
the best ship-owners is a proactive safety management culture, going
beyond the minimum standards and running from top to bottom of the
organization. This can really make an impact in improving safety,” Gerhard says.AGCS is one of the world’s leading marine insurers, offering
insurance cover for all types of modern shipping including tanker,
bulker or container ships and passenger vessels, as well as yachts and
pleasure craft. AGCS also offers cargo insurance, covering physical loss or damage to international and domestic goods in transit. In 2011,
AGCS’s marine business generated over €940 million in insurance premiums (on a gross written premium basis).
ACCIDENTS
08 January 2013 - 21:42
AGCS: 106 Ships Lost Worldwide in 2012
12 months on from the Costa Concordia incident, a new Allianz report identifies that 106 ship losses were reported worldwide
ACCIDENTS
08 January 2013 - 21:42
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