The Influence of Regulations on the Safety Record of the Aframax Tankers S. Delautre, Bureau Veritas, France E. Eliopoulou, National Technical University of Athens, Greece N. Mikelis Intertanko, United Kingdom An analysis carried out as part of the POP&C project # on the incidents/accidents experienced by the Aframax fleet of (80,000 to 120,000 DWT tonnes) for the period 1978 to 2003 has shown that there is a definite and sharp decline on the frequencies of occurrence in all categories of accident considered in the project, i.e. collision, contact, grounding, nonaccidental structural failure, fire, and explosion. Statistics have shown that averaged frequency rates for all types of accidents for the period between 1978 and 1990 were reduced to about one third in the period 1991-2003 and to about one eighth in the last 5 years period 1999-2003. Many regulations and also some industry initiatives have come into force during these last 26 years. There is no doubt that some of these regulations and initiatives had a definite impact on the decline of the accidents rates. The regulations helped to harmonize the quality level of the shipping industry by making mandatory some equipment and procedures which often already existed in the best shipping companies and on-board their ships. The present study identifies the introduction of key regulations that may explain the declining trends of accident/incident rates. It should be noted that the focus of this study is aimed at regulations which prevent accidents/incidents taking place, and not at regulations intended to mitigate the consequences of accidents. It is also noted that the interpretation as to which accident categories are affected by each regulation is to some degree subjective. # The Pollution Prevention & Control (POP&C) project is financially supported by the European Commission under the FP6 Sustainable Surface Transport Programme. 1
REGULATIONS Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion 1972 International regulations for the prevention of collisions at sea, COLREG 1977 All ships One of the most important innovations in the 1972 COLREGs was the recognition given to traffic separation schemes. Rule 10 gives guidance in determining safe speed, the risk of collision and the conduct of vessels operating in or near traffic separation schemes. 1981 Existing ships Range of lights and colour specification Impact on the prevention of Collision Impact on the prevention of Collision due to the navigational lights and colour code. 1986 Existing ships Navigation lights, positioning and sound signals Impact on the prevention of Collision due to the navigational lights and sound signals. 1974 SOLAS 1980 New ships Special requirements for - fire safety provisions: inert gas systems - requirements for carrying of radar and collision avoidance aids Impact on the prevention of Collision and contact due to the navigational equipments. Impact on the prevention of fire & explosion due to the inert gas system. 1978 Paris Memorandum of the understanding 1982 All ships entering ports of Regulations with respect to Port State Control in Europe and Canada The memorandum, although not introducing new regulations by itself, authorises and harmonises Port State Control within Europe * Note: New ships means new in relation to the enter into force date of the respective convention/amendments, while an existing ship means a ship constructed before that date. 2
Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion on Port State Control 1978 International on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW) 1995 1984 1997 * countries party to the memorand um Seafaring Port state control officers inspecting foreign ships to check operational requirements. The STCW code has been introduced and is mandatory for both countries that signed the convention and seafarers that enter countries which are party to the convention. * until 1 st of February 2002, Parties may continue to issue, recognise and endorse certificates which applied before that date in respect to seafarers who began training or seagoing service before 1 st August 1998 and Canada. Although the countries party to the ParisMOU already enforced PSC in one way or the other, the ParisMOU made the PSC more effective by combining each countries inspection reports. The STCW ensured that the level & quality of training of the mariners given by the national authorities was in accordance with the minimum standards prescribed by the regulation. The educational systems were examined by the IMO groups of experts who established a white list of all the countries which complied with the convention s standards. It is envisaged to perform this review every 5 years. Certainly the STCW had an impact on the shipping industry and on the decrease of the accidents rates. It ensured a universal level & quality of training of the seafarers. The STCW had an impact on the decrease of the collision, contact and grounding accidents. 1984 Collision bulkhead, bilge pumping arrangement, Provisions for halogenated hydrocarbon extinguishing systems, As said before, most of the navigational equipments were already on-board most of the ships. The regulations made mandatory these equipments (harmonization) or gave additional requirements such as the duplication of some of 3
Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion All ships Existing 1985 Existing 1988 Existing VHF radiotelephone Watches / operators Two-tone alarm Gyro compass, echo sounding device to indicate speed and distance, rudder angle indicator, propeller revolution indicator Duplication of steering gear parts for GT > 40000 requirements such as the duplication of some of them. This amendment had an impact on the prevention of the collision, contact and grounding accident by introducing new navigational aids and by duplicating the steering gear parts. The amendment also made Inert gas, DWT > 70 000 mandatory for existing ships the inert gas systems which had a great impact on the prevention of fire and explosion incidents. ARPA, GT > 40 000 The fire-fighting equipments introduced by the regulations had an impact on the mitigation of the fire or explosion accidents. 1983 SOLAS 1986 New Location and separation of spaces in ( regulation 56) Impact on the fire and on the explosion accidents. 1988 SOLAS Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) 1995 1999 New ships Existing ships 1995 Existing ships Ship must comply with GMDSS Two-way radiotelephone apparatus to be of VHF-type Fit two radar transponders complying with IMO This amendment had an impact on the prevention of collision accidents by introducing new navigational aids. 4
Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion 1990 Oil Pollution Act OPA90 1990 US: mandatory for all calling at US ports to have double hulls. The OPA90 liability provisions may have had an overall impact on the quality level of the shipping industry and on the decrease of all types of incidents. Oil Company Vetting Inspections of Tokyo memorandum of the understanding on Port State Control 1993 MARPOL Special enhanced inspection programme (ESP survey) From 1990, and from 1993 standardi sed under the SIRE system Existing oil 1993 All ships entering ports of countries party to the memorand um 1993 (IACS) 1995 (IMO) Crude oil > 20000 DWT and > 5 years. Product > This is a voluntary measure introduced by oil companies when chartering vessels. The first oil company inspections may have started in the 1970s but this was on ad hoc basis and not on a significant numbers of ships. In the late 1980s oil company inspections became more prevalent, but the real proliferation of oil company vetting inspections followed the introduction of OPA90. Regulations with respect to Port State Control in Asia & Oceania To ensure that any deficiencies such as corrosion or wear and tear resulting from age or neglect are detected. The programme requires mandatory preplanning of surveys and has introduced strict on-board record keeping of surveys, inspections, It is generally believed that Oil Company Vetting Inspections have contributed to increased operational standards on. As such it is thought that they will have contributed to the improvements in all accident categories, except Non Accidental Structural Failure, as the Vetting Inspections do not involve any structural surveying. The introduction of the ESP surveys has certainly had a great impact on the decrease of the Non Accidental Structural Failure accidents. 5
Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion 30000 DWT and > 5 years damage and repairs. 1994 SOLAS International Safety Management Code 1998 Oil > 500 GT The International Safety Management (ISM) Code made mandatory. Shipowning companies to hold a Document of Compliance and the ship to hold a Safety Management Certificate. The ISM Code has rationalized the existing procedures of shipping companies and harmonized the level and quality of their safety management systems. The ISM code represents significant progress which is thought to have had an impact on the decrease of all types of incidents. 1994 SOLAS 1998 New ships Stricter requirements for protection of oil fuel lines (jacketed piping for high-pressure pipes, insulation of surfaces with temp. above 220ºC, screening). Impact on the prevention of fire incidents. 1995 SOLAS 1997 All ships Ships' routeing systems may be made mandatory for all ships. This amendment had an impact on the prevention of the collision and grounding accident. 6
Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion 1996 SOLAS 1996 End of 1998 New ships > 20000 TDW Existing ships > 20000 TDW Emergency towing arrangement fitted on new. Safe access to tanker bows. Ships to be fitted with a system to ensure that the equipment necessary for propulsion and steering will be maintained or immediately restored in the case of loss of anyone of the generators in service. This convention may have an impact on the reduction of the number of grounding accident by making easier the salvage operations. However this impact remains limited for. 1998 New oil Dedicated sea water ballast tanks to have efficient corrosion prevention system. This amendment will have an impact on the decline of the number of Non Accidental Structural Failure accidents. As this amendment involves new building, it will certainly take years to show results. 1996 ILO C180 Seafarers' Hours of Work and the Manning of Ships Condition Assessment Program (CAP) 2002 All Ships Regulations concerning maximum hours of work, and minimal rest requirements. 2000 Existing A voluntary measure promoted mainly by oil companies for ships they charter. It is applied for of over 15 years old. The CAP scheme was first introduced in 1991, initially by one classification society, and quickly followed by a second one. The scheme really took off in terms of ship numbers around 2000. Effects watchkeeping and emergency response, hence grounding, contact or collision events. CAP addresses the structural condition of and therefore any positive influence CAP may have is on Non Accidental Structural Failures. 7
Date of entry into force Applicable Description Comments to * Collision Contact Grounding NASF Fire Explosion 2000 SOLAS 2002 Not later than mid 2005 New ships Existing Ships Temperature sensing devices with audible and visible alarm for shaft glands, bearings for cargo pumps, ballast pumps and stripping pumps installed in cargo pump-rooms and driven by shafts passing through pump room bulkheads. Interlock between lighting and ventilation in cargo pump-rooms. Continuous monitoring of concentration of hydrocarbon gases in cargo pump-rooms. Automatic alarm. Cargo pump-rooms shall have bilge level monitoring devices with alarm. This amendment may have an impact in the future on the reduction of fire and explosion incidents as the amendment is related to new building. 8
COLLISION ACCIDENTS 1972 COLREG 7.00E-02 6.00E-02 5.00E-02 4.00E-02 3.00E-02 2.00E-02 1.00E-02 POP&C AFRAMAX Tankers Incident Rate per Shipyear Collision Incidents Rate per Shipyear 1974 SOLAS Nav. Equipm. Duplication of 1988 SOLAS (GMDSS) 1994 SOLAS (ISM) 1978 STCW steering gear VETTING 1972 COLREG 1972 COLREG 1988 SOLAS (Navigational aids) 1995 SOLAS Routeing system OPA 90 TOKYO MOU 1978 PARIS MOU 1995 STCW 1988 SOLAS (GMDSS) 1996 ILO C180 0.00E+00 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Note: Green Arrow: regulations applying to new ships only Black Arrow: regulations applying to existing ships 9
CONTACT ACCIDENTS 4.00E-02 3.50E-02 3.00E-02 2.50E-02 2.00E-02 1974 SOLAS Nav. Equipm. 1978 STCW Nav. Aids POP&C AFRAMAX Tankers Incident Rate per Shipyear Contact Incidents Rate per Shipyear Duplication of steering gear VETTING OPA 90 1.50E-02 1.00E-02 1995 STCW 1994 SOLAS (ISM) 1996 ILO C180 5.00E-03 0.00E+00 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 10
GROUNDING ACCIDENTS 6.00E-02 POP&C AFRAMAX Tank ers Incident Rate per Shipyear Grounding Incidents Rate per Shipyear 1996 SOLAS ETS 5.00E-02 4.00E-02 3.00E-02 1978 PARIS MOU 1978 STCW Nav. Aids Duplication of steering gear VETTING OPA 90 TOKYO MOU 1995 SOLAS Routeing Systems 1995 STCW 2.00E-02 1996 SOLAS ETS 1994 SOLAS (ISM) 1996 ILO C180 1.00E-02 0.00E+00 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 MSRS: mandatory Ship Reporting System I SUGGEST THAT WE DELETE THIS NOTE (ON MSRS) AND INSTEAD HAVE THE INITIALS SHOWN IN THE TEXT DISCUSSING THE REGULATION. 11
FIRE ACCIDENTS POP&C AFRAMAX Tankers Incident Rate per Shipyear Fire Incidents Rate per Shipyear 4.00E-02 3.50E-02 3.00E-02 1994 SOLAS ISM Code 2.50E-02 2.00E-02 1.50E-02 1.00E-02 1974 SOLAS Inert Gas 1978 PARIS MOU Inert Gas 1983 SOLAS Space Separation VETTING OPA 90 TOKYO MOU 1994 SOLAS Fuel Lines Protection 2000 SOLAS Sensing Devices 5.00E-03 0.00E+00 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 12
EXPLOSION ACCIDENTS 1.20E-02 POP&C AFRAMAX Tankers Incident Rate per Shipyear Explosion Incidents Rate per Shipyear 1.00E-02 8.00E-03 1974 SOLAS Inert Gas Inert Gas 6.00E-03 4.00E-03 1983 SOLAS Space Separation OPA 90 VETTING 1994 SOLAS ISM Code 2000 SOLAS Sensing Device 2.00E-03 0.00E+00 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 13
NON-ACCIDENTAL STRUCTURAL FAILURE 4.50E-02 POP&C AFRAMAX Tankers Incident Rate per Shipyear Non-Accidental Structural Failure Incidents Rate per Shipyear 4.00E-02 3.50E-02 3.00E-02 OPA 90 1994 SOLAS ISM Code 2.50E-02 1993 MARPOL ESP 2.00E-02 1.50E-02 IACS ESP 1996 SOLAS BTks Corrosion Protection CAP Condition Asst Prog 1.00E-02 5.00E-03 0.00E+00 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 14