Human Errors and Oil Pollution from Tankers
International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation
Volume 2
Number 4
December 2008
Human Errors and Oil Pollution from Tankers
P. Arsenie & R. Hanzu-Pazara
Constanta Maritime University, Constanta, Romania
ABSTRACT: The economical development of the world is based on transportation system. More than half of the products transported all over the world are carried by sea. Sea transportation is made with different kind of ships, as bulk carriers, cargo vessels, container ships, tankers. Ships are managed by people. In group or as individual, anybody can make errors. In maritime area these errors have as results accidents and disasters.
Many of these events affect especially the environment. As 80% of necessary petroleum products are transported by sea, the risk of a major environment disaster caused by human errors is high. Anyway, over
99% of petroleum cargo transported by sea is carried without incidents. This paper presents the effects of human errors, mostly cases that involved tankers, which were produced in the navigation and operational processes. 1 INTRODUCTION
Over the last 40 years or so, the shipping industry has focused on improving ship structure and the reliability of ship systems in order to reduce casualties and increase efficiency and productivity.
We’ve seen improvements in hull design, stability systems, propulsion systems, and navigational equipment. Today’s ship systems are technologically advanced and highly reliable.
Yet, the maritime casualty rate is still high. Why?
Why is it, with all these improvements, we have not significantly reduced the risk of accidents? It is because ship structure and system reliability are a relatively small part of the safety equation. The maritime system is a people system, and human errors figure prominently in casualty situations.
About 75-96% of marine casualties are caused, at least in part, by some form of human error. Studies have shown that
Volume 2
Number 4
December 2008
Human Errors and Oil Pollution from Tankers
P. Arsenie & R. Hanzu-Pazara
Constanta Maritime University, Constanta, Romania
ABSTRACT: The economical development of the world is based on transportation system. More than half of the products transported all over the world are carried by sea. Sea transportation is made with different kind of ships, as bulk carriers, cargo vessels, container ships, tankers. Ships are managed by people. In group or as individual, anybody can make errors. In maritime area these errors have as results accidents and disasters.
Many of these events affect especially the environment. As 80% of necessary petroleum products are transported by sea, the risk of a major environment disaster caused by human errors is high. Anyway, over
99% of petroleum cargo transported by sea is carried without incidents. This paper presents the effects of human errors, mostly cases that involved tankers, which were produced in the navigation and operational processes. 1 INTRODUCTION
Over the last 40 years or so, the shipping industry has focused on improving ship structure and the reliability of ship systems in order to reduce casualties and increase efficiency and productivity.
We’ve seen improvements in hull design, stability systems, propulsion systems, and navigational equipment. Today’s ship systems are technologically advanced and highly reliable.
Yet, the maritime casualty rate is still high. Why?
Why is it, with all these improvements, we have not significantly reduced the risk of accidents? It is because ship structure and system reliability are a relatively small part of the safety equation. The maritime system is a people system, and human errors figure prominently in casualty situations.
About 75-96% of marine casualties are caused, at least in part, by some form of human error. Studies have shown that
References: McCallum M.C., Raby M. & Rothblum A.M. 1996 Procedures for Investigating and Reporting Human Factors and Fatigue Perrow C. 1984 Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies. Wagenaar W.A. & Groeneweg J. 1987 Accidents at sea: Multiple causes and impossible consequences. Hanzu-Pazara R. & Bocanete P. 2006 The influence of team error in maritime industry, Transport Book of Constanta Reason J, 1990 Human errors.