IMO Safety Debate Highlights Key Trends

The Nautical Institute continues its important work of representing members' interests at the International Maritime Organization. Capt. John Dickinson FNI (pictured), the Institute's Head of Delegation to the IMO, recently attended an IMO symposium on the Future of Ship Safety at which a number of high profile speakers provided a useful insight into some key industry trends. Also there on behalf of the Institute were CEO Philip Wake MSc FNI and Senior Vice-President Robert McCabe FNI, among others.

Royal Caribbean Cruises advised that the size of cruise ships has doubled every ten years but suggested the optimum size of cruise ships may now have been reached. Maersk discussed trends in containership design, drawing parallels between early ships that could carry 3,000 containers and were much less fuel efficient and the new breed of vessels that can carry 18,000 containers while achieving 50% less in emissions. On the subject of accidents, DNV cautioned against complacency, saying that while accidents are reducing, 50% of those that do occur are caused by human factors and that serious accidents are on the increase.