Shipping is considered one of the world’s oldest, and most dangerous industries. It has seen the worst accidents and still faces risks. For these reasons, the maritime industry also possesses the most rigorous rules and regulations on safety, as enacted by international regulatory bodies. These regulations apply to all companies, regardless of the country they originate from or operate in.
Every aspect of maritime safety is covered by a dedicated regulation, which specifies the minimum standards for safety. The most important treaty dealing with maritime safety is SOLAS, or the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. First adopted in 1914 in the hopes of preventing the Titanic tragedy from happening again, SOLAS specifies the minimum safety measures for the construction, equipment, and operation of merchant ships.
The International Safety Management (ISM) Code, meanwhile, first came into being in the 1990s to address poor management standards in shipping. It outlines international standards for the safe operation of ships and for pollution prevention.
Further regulations on the prevention of marine pollution are covered by MARPOL, or the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. Standards relating to training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers, which are necessary in order for them to take on their jobs safely, are detailed in the STCW (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) convention. All procedures implemented by shipowning and ship management companies are based on these regulations.
While there may be differences in how companies approach the implementation of international regulations through their internal procedures, it all boils down to one thing: Regulations, and in turn, procedures, are there to keep the maritime industry safe. Therefore, to follow procedures is an act of safety.
At 11:00 local time on Saturday, September 28, an explosion occurred on board the chemical tanker Stolt Groenland in Ulsan, Korea. Moored alongside at the time was Bow Dalian, Singapore registered 9,000 dwt chemical tanker managed by Thome Ship Management and owned by Odfjell Tankers.
The explosion caused a fire that quickly spread to Bow Dalian.
The Officers and crew of Bow Dalian responded rapidly to the emergency. Headed by the Master, the crew formed two emergency teams: One team fighting the fire on deck and the second controlling any damages to ship’s machinery.
As soon as the incident was reported, the Thome shore Emergency Response Team was mobilized onshore. Throughout, the team supported the Master and worked in close cooperation with local authorities and Odfjell's team.
The fire pumps and the foam fire extinguishing system at the main deck were activated promptly. The ship crew immediately stopped the ventilation of the Engine Room and accommodation area to prevent any smoke and toxic fumes from spreading inside.
Due to the extent of the fire on Stolt Groenland, the Master, in consultation with the local coast guard, decided that the crew should evacuate the vessel. All crew members were subsequently evacuated in an orderly manner after handing over the firefighting responsibility to the Korean coast guard team. Priority was given to the evacuation of visitors (cargo surveyors, ship chandler, etc.), before the crew disembarked. The Master was the last one to get off the vessel.
The coast guard team continued to fight the fire using the shore-based resources. After about seven hours, the fire was finally extinguished. The incident resulted in minor burn injuries to one of the Able-bodied Seaman of the Bow Dalian, who was treated at the hospital. All the other crew members were safe and physically unharmed, but were sent for a medical check-up to the hospital as a precautionary measure.
The manner by which Bow Dalian handled the incident is the perfect example of the importance of following procedures.
"The actions of the Bow Dalian crew ensured that everything turned out as well as it did. I was very happy to meet the crew and see that they were all unharmed and safe. Hearing their stories made a deep impression. This is a very scary reminder that in our industry, incidents can happen at any time. Therefore, it is everyone’s job to do whatever we can to prevent them and secure that we have robust processes and that we conduct drills to prepare for critical situations. The Chief Engineer on Bow Dalian said that they did not have to instruct any of the crew, as everyone knew what to do. They were on ‘autopilot’ – which is a very good way to explain it."
Kristian Mørch, CEO, Odfjell
The crew also received a well-deserved commendation from Thome.
"Thome Ship Management highly commends the actions of the Master and the crew of Bow Dalian. They did a remarkable job in dealing with this emergency, and exhibited the highest level of professionalism. They showed exemplary situational awareness and emergency preparedness to ensure that the damages sustained on Bow Dalian were minimized, thus mitigating a potentially worse outcome."
Steen Nygaard Madsen, Chief Operating Officer of the Tanker Division,
Thome Ship Management
According to Regulation 19 of SOLAS Chapter III, ships must hold fire drills every month, and within 24 hours after leaving port if more than 25% of the crew have not participated in abandon ship and fire drills on board that particular ship in the previous month. Seafarers have therefore been training to fight fire and rescue themselves since they first sailed on a ship. They have essentially been preparing for emergencies like this as if they will happen any time, which they do.
The shipping industry fulfills its goal whenever a person or a product is transported successfully from its origin to its destination. Safety is the element that determines this success.
Like the many routes that a ship may take to get from one point to another, procedures are written in different languages and styles, and are implemented in various manners. But they all serve one purpose: safety and security.
The case of Bow Dalian may be a perfect example of successful handling of a fire emergency. What happened to Bow Dalian can happen to any other vessel, and the crew can be any of Odfjell’s seafarers. Stay safe!
