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Safety First!

Advanced safety culture in shipping


The statistics illustrate the significance of maritime shipping, which handles around 90 % of the intercontinental movement of commodities. Nearly 55,000 merchant vessels, manned by over a million sailors, transported approximately 8.4 million tons of goods all over the world according to IHS Fairplay/ISL. Every day enormous amounts of valuable goods are transported securely to their destination with demands on safety, reliability, economic efficiency and environmental compatibility throughout the chain of transport, and across numerous sovereign borders.

In recent years the maritime industry has made major progress in ensuring shipping is made more safe and efficient. New technologies have been developed and new markets created. And, despite the fact that fleets have grown rapidly in this period, ship accidents have declined overproportionately.

Nevertheless, by comparison to other modes of transport, all accidents at sea are perceived extremely critically by the public because, like air traffic accidents, the consequences are potentially devastating.

Maritime shipping is one of the first indus­tries that successfully implemented and continuously stipulates farreaching international safety standards. Because of its international alignment, representative offices of the United Nations – particularly the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – has special concern with safety in shipping.

The IMO has enacted extensive conventions for the maritime sector that are applied worldwide. These focus on crew and vessel safety, as well as prevention of marine pollution.

The expectations regarding safety increase with the challenges of today. The rising number of pirate attacks and terrorist incursions necessitate new safety and security concepts on which the shipping sector is working vigorously.

Furthermore, the beginning of the 21st century is extensively influenced by progressive climate change and the resulting environmental measures, as well as an altered political and market framework following the world economic crisis of 2009.

The human element
Meanwhile a cargo ship is such a complex system that it cannot be controlled with technical reliability alone. The handling of the more and more highly technical and automated navigating bridges requires qualified personnel. Safety, reliability and economic efficiency in ship operation can just be maximised if technical competence, functioning teamwork and highly sophisticated systems mesh together. Safety drills carried out periodically, shall train correct behaviour in emergency situations and are an integral part of everyday life on board.

The ongoing worldwide implementation of maritime safety standards led to the development of a “lived” safety culture in shipping with the maxim “Safety First!” that is promoted in all activities.

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