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The latest incidents in European Maritime World, the TK Bremen grounding and the Costa Concordia near sinking make AFCAN question the reasons which could lead to these two incidents. Firstly be clear, the purpose is not to forgive nautical and/or behaviour errors those captains might have done. Each of us has his own point of view, but every captain should ask himself honestly how he would have reacted in such events. This is why it seems to be important to point out some thing: Why those captains did as they did? Does this kind of situation, hopefully usually without incident, happen regularly? Are there regulations or other rules which could help captain when they have to take such a decision? Captains, due to their rank on board, but also due to technological upgrading, mainly for communications, are more and more under pressures to go as close as possible to authorized borders in terms of navigation and safety. We can consider several kinds of pressures for captains: from owner or better from managers (technical, crew, quality), from charterer (word charterer includes agents, receivers, but also passengers for a cruise ship), and also from himself. External pressures :It is not rare (even frequent) the captain receives, more or less in the strict sense, phone orders. True that old captains, almost alone at sea during weeks and months, did not know this way of modern communication. Due to actual performance, communication tools, even if they should be considered as a considerable technological upgrading for captains relation work, may also be a source of pressure.Let us see some cases : Sailing from port despite bad weather forecasting, when the captain knows very well his vessel will not be safe at sea in such weather conditions, but sailing because he knows also that if he remains alongside, one can complain for a missed tide in next port, a cargo loaded by another vessel (of course a rival one), and he knows also that it is better to miss a tide due to bad weather at sea (already foreseen in charter party) instead to play safe by remaining at previous berth. How many captains were called to be informed that they were in challenge with other vessels at the next port, first on roads first at berth? How many captains were called by an “influential” person ashore to require him to do his best to be first at port, even by using engine above usual and nominal power, or by sailing as close as possible (or more) from coasts? How many captains were not in front of a reprimand for a slow steaming, a delay, a draft considered as too safe, and hearing that a colleague did not have this non commercial attitude? A vessel should be maintained, and cannot sail indefinitely without any maintenance. Not to be nostalgic, but nowadays it is quite impossible to stop a vessel at sea for maintenance, you know this maintenance which is forbidden while vessel is at berth for cargo operations. From now on, to stop at sea needs almost automatically a phone call to or from the technical manager (what happens? Do you have troubles? Why did not you ask for authorization? Why did not you call before?), who follows in direct live vessel position, heading, speed, etc. And this could be ok when you are only called by the technical manager, but most of the charterers can also follow instant vessel position, and then have the same questions or requirements. Last call in Far East, some captains ask all on board to be ready for an early sailing as they are afraid to miss the Suez northbound convoy 10 days later which will lead to 24 hours delay at next (and first) European port. Let us drive the point home, speak about Costa Concordia, it seems now evident that this vessel, as per some other cruise vessels including same company, was in the habit of coming very close to define coasts. Of course there could not be any official demand from Costa, of course this “Inchino” cannot be on the passage planning or in a procedure issued from the Safety management System of the company. But this is a habit, it is known and one keeps eyes shut which perpetuates it. Yes it is a very nice and free publicity, which gives opportunity to passengers to see coast from a short distance, to have a good souvenir of it, to relate same to friends who could be future passengers in same company. Without this habit, did the Costa Concordia captain start the same manœuver? Hopefully the pressure is not at all times a source of incident, but there are a lot of different kinds of pressure on the captains shoulders. That could be amount of overtime, judged too big by shore staff, which is required to be decreased, always by phone: “I let you to solve this problem on board”. That could also be a requirement for a minimum of near misses to be sent to quality manager. Some companies are even delivering a ranking to vessels based on the number of “Quality results and performance”. There is also a form of pressure, as one is going to see badly of the vessel, and consequently of her captain. Therefore we can see captains looking for minor incidents, near misses, even to create some, during full contract, only to be able to report something to the computer which will deliver the ranking of the vessels. Self pressure :And there is also the captains self pressure. Manager gives me confidence to be captain on his vessel; I should prove permanently that he did not make an error. I should prove that whatever is his demand or requirement, I am really ready to show him my value, even if I have from time to time to be too close of the borders, and even to break them a bit, to border nautical or commercial incident.We cannot exclude from the TK Bremen and Costa Concordia cases the important role played by self pressure. TK Bremen: as captain I will sail from port despite of announced strong weather, I know the risks with my old and tired vessel, but one more time maybe I will pass through and so I will have show to the manager he can still have confidence with me. Costa Concordia: as captain I will pass closer of shore as scheduled, make an announcement to passengers, it will be known, more passengers will join my company, I will have helped company and one will see that I am good captain for it. For these two captains, to be favorably seen, to be recognized could be also a matter of special allowance. This self pressure is already enough by itself and also source of potential incidents. Its lack of control leads captains to get out of control or to stop carrier as captain. So why to add an external pressure? And yet on 1979, November 15th, it is not last week, it was declared through IMO resolution A.443 (XI) :
And at last, beyond all amazing ideas which are coming to surface after Costa Concordia incident, one is now to control vessel, and of course her captain, permanently from shore, and this could certainly be technically possible. But the new question is: when such a controlled vessel will have an incident, as this will fatally happen one day, who will be held as responsible? Believe me, responsible will be the person on control on site, not ashore. Hence Captains, we should be vigilant that captains free will remains one of the most important skills of his function on board. Without any pressure, but with seaman sense.
Capt. Hubert Ardillon
AFCAN chairman Back to menu |
