Safety of Shipping in Coastal Waters 

The main aim of this EU-funded project was to increase the safety of shipping in European coastal waters by analysing the underlying factors that contribute to the accident risk level. This was achieved by a detailed evaluation of a range of safety critical functions by recognised experts of the project partners. The effect of each function was assessed by the construction of a risk evaluation methodology and implementation of a risk model. Analysis of the model results have identified the most important influences on ship safety for European coastal traffic. 

The goal has been to supply policymakers, regulators and parties in the shipping community with a model that gives an overview of ship risks. By using such a model, the impact of positive quality incentives or new rules and regulations for the enhancement of safety, efficiency and protection of the environment can be assessed.
Risk analysis is viewed by other industries, such as off-shore oil industry and onshore chemical plants, as the most suitable tool for making decisions under uncertainty. Thus, a risk model is an appropriate basis for determining the relative importance of possible reducing measures. Risk models on individual maritime issues are partly available, from previous research. The main basis has been damage records and/of traffic studies, as in earlier EU projects. This also remains an important basis and input to risk analysis. However, there is also a need to study scenarios that include the difference between individual ships of varying standards and document the effect of new actions, rules and regulations before accident data become available. The methods of arriving at risk quantification will be:

By use of simulators as a laboratory to establish a method for documenting safety effects of:
•    training schemes
•    new bridge equipment
•    communication method and procedures
•    manoeuvring capabilities 

By investigations in accident and track records to establish additional data related to in service experience on:
•    repairable failures with potential risks
•    critical component failure frequencies related to maintenance
Verification of the model was based on accident/track records. 

PARTNERS (Besides LMT)

Organisation	Type	Country
DET NORSKE VERITAS AS	Industry	NO
DANISH MARITIME INSTITUTE	Research Organisation	DK
GEMEENTELIJK HAVENBEDRIJF ROTTERDAM (ROTTERDAM PORT AUTHORITY)	Other	NL
KELVIN HUGHES LTD	Industry	GB
NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS	Education	GR
NORWEGIAN MARINE TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE	Research Organisation	NO
RISO NATIONAL LABORATORY	Research Organisation	DK
UNIVERSITY OF WALES, CARDIFF	Education	GB
MARINE SAFETY INTERNATIONAL ROTTERDAM B.V.	Industry	NL

Coordinator's name: Dr. Eirik SORGARD
Address: DET NORSKE VERITAS AS
Veritasveien, 1
POBOX 300
1322 Hovik
NORWAY
Tel: +47-67-577584
Fax: +47-67-577520

Related Projects :  SAFECO II