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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