SWEDISH CLUB HIGHLIGHTS “COMPETENCE EROSION”

[proud_ionian]

Source: MGN

SERIOUS marine accidents are on the increase, according to marine mutual insurer The Swedish Club. Commenting on the findings of a new Club report on collisions and contact damage, Managing Director Frans Malmros says: "We saw fewer major accidents in the 1990s, but we are now experiencing a disturbing reversal of that positive trend. The truth is unpalatable. The most likely explanation for an increase in the serious accident rate is a fall in crew experience and, thus, lower competence levels, exacerbated by stress and fatigue."

These conclusions are contained in a review of collision and contact cases dealt with by the Club in the two years to end-2006. The accidents include collision and contact damages in port approaches, coastal waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone. The study focused on the causal factors linked to failure to follow standard operating procedures, instructions for critical shipboard operations (where an error might immediately cause an accident threatening people, the environment and the ship) and emergency response actions.

Frans Malmros warns: "Since 2000 there has been an increase in the number of new recruits to shipping, but this is coupled with lower retention and faster promotion. People now have less time to get to know their ship. Meanwhile, the paperwork and inspection-related workload continues to mushroom, but the average crew size is static.”

He adds: “Around half of all accidents at sea can be traced back to fundamental navigation bridge system failures – leading to collisions, groundings and contact damages. The problem is not necessarily attributable to crew size, but there is certainly a direct correlation with a generic loss of experience.”

"This is a significant stress factor, in its own right, for those more experienced seafarers who face the constant challenge of training the inexperienced. Clearly, this state of affairs is unsatisfactory and the implications of our findings offer sufficient grounds for the launch of a new joint industry initiative. The tanker shipping and cruise sectors are in an excellent position to take the lead here, as operating requirements in these areas are especially stringent. Meanwhile, The Swedish Club continues to make a significant global contribution, through the Maritime Resource Management (MRM) training programme. This is now available at 24 training providers in 15 countries around the world."