Page 28: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (May 2014)

28 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MAY 2014 passenger vessel lost since 2002, and there seems to be a trend to handle all of the incidents as separate and unique.

This was not the case in the tanker indus- try where we saw sweeping legislation and design changes after the Exxon Val- dez incident. I believe we need to look at the passenger and RoRo ferry indus- try and evaluate every component, from the design elements of the newest super ships right down to the manning, train- ing and staffi ng of the crew.”

Mass Maritime’s Bushy summarized the importance of repeated training per- haps best. “What actions are practiced aboard ship to keep skill levels high to unplanned events? Drills, drill and more drills,” said Bushy. “No ship should go to sea without knowing each per- son aboard knows how to recognize an emergency situation, and react to notifi - cation of one. This begins with knowing where you are aboard, how to get out, how to wear a life jacket properly, where to muster for accountability and loading of survival crafts. The offi cers and crew must know these skills cold, and can ac- complish them in the dark with a force 8 wind howling. They must know every mistake an inexperienced crew mem- ber or passenger will make, and correct them. These skills of survival apply to all offi cers and crew - from the OS up to the

Master. As master, I can manage drills effectively, but if I do not take it to the fi nal phase of actually giving the order to abandon ship, then I am ill-prepared.

And even when safely moored alongside my home port dock, when I give that or- der, it still gives me shivers.”

TRAINING & EDUCATION

Emphasis must be placed upon looking out the window.

What happens if the GPS goes out or ECDIS or Radar? Ships must still be able to navigate safely. At the bottom of U.S. charts there is a warning: Mari- ner should not rely solely on any one means of navigation.

Captain Jeff Cowan is a graduate of the

California Maritime Academy with a diverse seagoing career

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