HISTORIC CRUISING
Not SOS but SOLAS S
Tracing The Evolution of Safety At Sea
Peter Newall takes a
personal look at the history of the Safety
at Sea (SOLAS) regulations, which have
recently ended the careers of some popular veteran ships
team-powered passenger ships started to appear in the 1840s and, before long, steam overtook sail as the main form of transport across the Atlantic. However, many of the
early ships were underpowered and had to rely on auxiliary sail. Crossing the Atlantic was also a hazardous experience with dangers from icebergs, collision and rough seas.
Between 1840 and 1892, almost 7,000 people lost their lives on the Atlantic and, without any form of long-distance communication, many ships were never seen again, including Collins Line’s Pacific, which disappeared in 1856 with 240 people aboard. Maritime authorities were slow to act in ensur- ing safety became a priority for ship owners. The first steps in Britain had been taken in the Mer- chant Shipping Act of 1854, which had a series
of regulations about safety and the prevention of accidents.
Lifeboats and life buoys had to be carried on
decked ships and failure to do so resulted in a steep fine for the owner and master. To avoid collisions, new rules were introduced where ships heading in opposing directions each had to give way to the port side. Despite these changes, many ships were overloaded and the term floating coffins was often used to describe their lack of safety. However, a great change happened in 1890
when load lines on the ship’s hull became com- pulsory. These ensured ships were loaded to a safe level and the marks were named after Samuel Plimsoll, who campaigned tirelessly for their introduction. Countless lives were saved by the Plimsoll Line, which is still in use today.
Summer 2011 I WORLD OF CRUISING 85
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