| Evacuation of Bulk Carriers |
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Issue SummaryWhile great improvement have been made in bulk carrier safety, Intercargo members are concerned about the suitability of current Life Saving Appliances for the evacuation of bulk carriers. A common mode of failure for bulk carriers, as highlighted in the formal safety assessments of IMO, is to sink very quickly and by the head. There are two associated issues: the speed of evacuation by conventional means; and the suitability of freefall lifeboats to be launched in such circumstances.Intercargo PolicyAlthough Intercargo notes fewer Bulk Carrier casualties, lifeboat evacuation systems and processes for Bulk Carriers warrant further consideration. Intercargo will continue to work with interested parties – including regulators and lifeboat manufacturers, to provide data on perceived inadequacies and to press for Bulk Carrier-appropriate systems. Summary of Recent DevelopmentsThe Intercargo secretariat is reviewing bulk carrier losses and evacuations to gather base data with a view to stimulating research and/or amending regulation - anyone wishing to contribute to this work please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . |
| Last Updated on Monday, 15 March 2010 10:09 |