How do we learn from these incidents?


The Aulcac Fortune on fire. Photo courtesy of the Hong Kong Police Department.


The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Casualty Investigation Code’s (CIC) objective is, “a marine safety investigation, as defined in this Code, is an investigation conducted with the objective of preventing marine casualties and marine incidents in the future.” In short, the goal is for flag states and the maritime industry as a whole to learn from incidents, identifying opportunities for improvement and best practices.


Debris on the beaches following the loss of over 200 containers from MSC Zoe.


Unfortunately, 75% of the time according to Allianz Global, we find that the cause of these incidents are attributed to human error. “Human error” potentially involves all the different processes in shipping in which humans play a role – navigation, engineering, ship design, vessel management, shipping clerks, regulatory agencies, flag state. Everyone from the CEO down to the entry ratings in a shipping company is part of the human element. Everyone from the secretary of the IMO down to flag state and class inspectors is part of the human element. And all parts of the human element have the capability for error.


But what is human error?


The 650 foot Sincerity Ace pictured on fire 1,800 nautical miles northwest of Oahu in the Pacific Ocean. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard


Cable ship MV Star Centurion sinks after colliding with MT Antea in Bintan waters. Photo courtesy of Tanjung Pinang Naval Base


60 | The Report • March 2019 • Issue 87


The IIMS editor comments... “The sheer volume of accidents and incidents at the start of 2019, resulting in the death of such a large number of seafarers, is both concerning and distressing. It will take many months, or even years, before the official reports are published and are in the public domain. Only then can the true causes of these accidents be understood and then the lessons learned. Life at sea has always been a hazardous way of making a living, but as an industry, the maritime sector must take collective responsibility for an unacceptably high level of accidents and react accordingly. The thoughts of IIMS at this time are with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones.”


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