Maritime accidents cannot be predicted, but seafarers must try their level best to prevent them. The onus falls on the ship owners to keep up with the maintenance of their marine vessels to ensure no complications arise due to technical difficulties. If you’re contemplating a purchase of cruise ships for sale, it will be your responsibility to create a safe working environment on the ship. In this blog, we look at some preventive measures that ship owners can undertake to reduce maritime accidents from happening.
Fitness of Marine Crew
Mental and physical fitness is important for the shipping crew. Fatigue, working overtime, or feeling drowsy can cause unfortunate accidents. Especially for those who are responsible for handling any machinery, they must always be in an alert and conscious state. All crew shall undergo a physical fitness check before boarding the ship. They must also refrain from consuming alcohol, drugs, sleeping tablets, or other certain medications that can affect their mental state. Crew members must immediately consult a medical professional on the crew if they are not feeling well. Ship owners must also comply by labour laws and prevent long working hours for the crew that can make them feel overtired.
Test Operational Efficiency
Equipment failure is a common problem faced by shipping crews that can cause maritime accidents. This is why all on-board vessels must be thoroughly checked before setting sail. Ship owners must follow a regular maintenance schedule and conduct periodical machinery checks to ensure that all essential parts in a ship are working efficiently. The vessel inspection process for cruise ships for sale include various facets such as overload testing, stability, inclining, system commissioning, lightship weighing, performance trials, and so on. Such rigorous process ensures that the vessel meets all statutory requirements.
Assess Strong Currents
Sailing through strong water currents can pose a serious risk of maritime accidents. Manoeuvring a ship in such conditions can be difficult and mariners must practice caution. They shall assess the danger carefully before taking any step. To minimize the chance of risks, they must follow the instructions laid out by authorities like the Coast Guard. They must stay alert and pay heed to the recommendations of specialists.
Bridge Resource Management
Efficient bridge resource management can be of great help in handling ship operations. It is a crucial aspect in ship operation and testing and can help mitigate maritime safety risks and also aid with navigation. Operators who are well-versed with bridge resource management are especially trained in assessing and responding to the changing situations at the sea. They have expertise in handling situational awareness, teamwork, and international maritime regulations.
Conclusion
Above, we have discussed the most important steps one can take to reduce the risk of maritime accidents. But this is not an exhaustive list, as there many more things that can be done. When you consider buying cruise ships for sale, it is equally important that you also think about the operational safety of the vessel. At Norwegian Ship Sales ship brokering firm, we offer guidance in finding the right ship for you as well as providing vessel inspection services. To consult with the experts, you can give a call at +47 6754 1925 / +47 9177 6183.
