A Century from RMS Titanic to MS Costa Concordia

Lessons to be Learned from the Marine Forensics Process

CAPT Eric P. Christensen Bryan Emond Kenneth Smith

Robert Wasalaski

2012 International Marine Forensic Symposium April 5, 2012

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Disasters at Sea

• Travel on the sea has always been fraught with danger. • Disasters occur when technology and seamanship fails to safeguard

the lives of passengers and crew and the ship. • The sea is a cruel master who waits for the unsuspecting sole to not

pay attention or neglect something. • The sea finds the vessel’s faults regardless of how insignificant and

delivers judgment without mercy. • The most common causes of disaster at sea are stranding, collision,

foundering and fire.

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Historic Losses - Fatalities 1. · 9,400-10,000 - MV Wilhelm Gustloff (Off Coast Poland) Torpedoed and sunk 30

January 1945 2. · 1,565–4,400 – MV Doña Paz (Tablas Strait, Philippines, 1987). Estimates of

casualties vary because of overloading and unmanifested passengers; the official death toll was 1,565, with only 21 survivors; apparently the deadliest peacetime shipping disaster ever.

3. · 2,750–3,920 – SS Kiangya (off Shanghai, 1948). Estimates of casualties vary due to large number of stowaways on board.

4. · 1,863 – MV Joola (Senegal, 2002) 5. · 1,547 – SS Sultana (Mississippi River, 1865) 6. · 1,517 – RMS Titanic (North Atlantic, 1912) 7. · 1,159 – Toya Maru (Tsugaru Strait, 1954) 8. · 1,021 – SS General Slocum (New York, 1904) 9. · 1,018 – MS al-Salam Boccaccio 98 (Red Sea, 2006) 10. · 1,012 – RMS Empress of Ireland, (Saint Lawrence River, 1914)

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Historic Losses - Fatalities

11. · c.1,000 – SS Hong Moh (South China Sea, 1921) 12. · 894 – MV Bukoba (Lake Victoria, Tanzania, 1996) 13. · 852 – MS Estonia (Baltic Sea, 1994) 14. · 844 – SS Eastland (Chicago, 1915) 15. · 832 – MV Princess of Stars capsized by Typhoon Fengshen off Sibuyan Island,

Philippines, June 21, 2008. 16. · 737 – SS Camorta (Irrawaddy Delta, 1902) 17. · 702 – Slavetradeship Leusden (Marowijne Suriname, January 18, 1738) 18. · c.640 – SS Princess Alice and SS Bywell Castle (River Thames, 1878) 19. · 627 – SS Norge (Rockall, 1904) 20. · 625 – 1947 Ramdas Ship Disaster, SS Ramdas (Bombay, 1947)

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Factors to Consider

• There is no such thing as a unsinkable ship or vessel. • Commercial ships are designed with a different philosophy than a warship:

Commercial ships designed for minimum manning. Commercial ships designed to limit spread of fire and contain flooding to assumed damage extent Commercial ships crews trained and lifeboats systems designed to get passengers off in ~30 minutes. Warships are designed and crewed to perform multiple missions at the same time. Warships are designed to take damage, maintain combat and maneuvering capability to survive and fight with a

crew trained to save the ship. • Casualty/accident response

For the first minutes, the safety of the crew and passengers and ship is in the hands of the ship designers and builders.

The next 30 minutes or so, the safety of the passengers and in the case of a warship, is in the hand of the crew. After that, the safety of the ship, the crew and the passengers is in the hands of the rescuers/salvage personnel.

• Nothing causes a new regulation to be adopted as fast as a casualty/accident!

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TITANIC - 1912

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Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS)

• 1914 International Conference • Regulations established: Ice patrols 24 hour radio watch - Communications Lifeboat capacity for all onboard Subdivision standards

• Margin line • Subdivision varies according to length and passenger services –

Factor of subdivision • Ratified by: U.K., Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden (NOT U.S.) • 1914 SOLAS did not come into force • 1929 SOLAS updates 1914 provisions – comes into force 1933

Setting the Range on Buoyancy

• Margin Line Defined in 1870s to prevent overloading Line drawn parallel to, and not less than 3 inches below, the upper deck at the

ship side Later modified to not less than 3 inches below upper surface of bulkhead deck

which may not be the upper deck It defines the highest permissible location of the damage water plane on the ship

side in the final condition of sinkage, trim and heel • Floodable Length

The maximum allowable length of a compartment that can be flooded • Without submerging the margin line • Permeability of compartment (floodable volume) based on compartment function i.e.

machinery space ~85% percent, berthing space ~95% Number of compartments based on ship type

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After Titanic

• Cause Allison/collision with iceberg Lose of buoyancy due to flooding

• Designed for 4 compartment flooding but damaged 6 • Progressive flooding over tops of bulkheads

• Result Establish margin line as a regulation Raise main transverse bulkheads to bulkhead deck i.e.

above margin line.

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Evolving Standards

• U.S ratifies 1929 SOLAS Convention

• Motivation for SOLAS 1948 Structural fire protection

• Poor crew training • No passenger drills

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SS MORRO CASTLE 1934

After SS Morro Castle,1934 and SS Mohawk,1935

• Cause Fire on Morro Castle (shown here) Collision on Mohawk Loss of stability Both ships grounded

• Result Minimum stability/GM required Lifeboats must be able to launched at a angle of list of 15 degrees

• People slide on deck above 15 to 20 degrees of list Better training for crew and passengers including routine fire and boat

drills

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Evolving Standards

• Radar assisted collision • Port lifeboats quickly

rendered useless • SOLAS 1960 Improved radar training Communication for

passing situations Use of liferafts

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SS ANREA DORIA 1956

After SS Andrea Doria

• Cause Collision Lose of buoyancy and stability due to progressive flooding

• Results Vent dampers must be able to be closed watertight Stop check valves on water systems such as sinks and

toilets to prevent flooding back into the ship Limits on accesses within center of the ship

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Evolving Standards

• SOLAS 1966 Non-combustible steel

construction Existing vessels phased

out over 40 years Additional inspections

during construction Fire Drills

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SS YARMOUTH CASTLE 1965

Evolving Standards

• First major oil spill disaster

• 730,000 barrels of oil • 1969 Civil Liability

Convention Strict liability

• MARPOL 73/78 Tank design changes Construction standards

to minimize oil loss

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TORRY CANYON 1967

Evolving Standards

• Port and Tanker Safety Act of 1978 Coast Guard given

additional authority in examine foreign and domestic tankers

• Largest US oil spill at that time

• Oil spill contingency plans

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ARGO MERCHANT 1976

Evolving Standards

• International Safety Management Code

• 1992 SOLAS Amendments Stability requirements

for RO/RO passenger vessels

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HERALD OF FREE ENTERPRISE 1987

Evolving Standards

• Oil Pollution Act of 1990 Double Hull

Requirements Tank vessel response

plans Revised drug and alcohol

testing requirements

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EXXON VALDEZ 1989

Evolving Standards

• 1995 SOLAS Convention Stability for Baltic

Ferries Watertight subdivision

for RO/RO passenger ferries

Voyage Data Recorders

• Standards for Training Certification and Watchkeeping

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ESTONIA 1994

Safety Summary

• Fire Safety: Prevention, Detection, Control, Extinguish Structural fire protection, non-combustibles

• fire insulation for time limit A-30; A-60 • Evacuation: Lifeboat launch up 15 degrees • Lifesaving: Adequate capacity and distribution • Training: Routine fire and boat drills; crowd management • ISM: Maritime safety culture –

Bridge resource management

Recent Casualties

M/V SEA DIAMOND 2007

Recent Casualties

AFP - Getty Images M/V Explorer

2007

Recent Casualties

Costa Concordia 2012

After MV Costa Concordia?

• Friday, 13 January 2012, allision and grounding Damage length

• Length of damage ~50m

• Required length of damage Specifics unknown

• Similar IMO requirements 3%LBP + 3m 11 m 2 compartment Whichever is less

Reported list to port Ship made port turn to bring ship to shore.

• Snap roll to starboard and back • Rolled to starboard until grounded

• Loss of stability and list Not all life boats/rafts usable Personnel lost footing/fell Ship gear, furnishings broke loss Listed to starboard to grounded position

• MFI of possible causes of list to starboard Free surface effect in damaged

compartments Passengers and crew moving to starboard High speed turn Beam Wind and waves Grounding stability Center of gravity outboard of center of

buoyancy 5/24/2012 24

2012 Casualties/Accidents to date

Ship type Fire Mechanical

Load Structure

Allision Collision Ground or hit sunk object

weather Stability list trim

Sank Pirate total

sub total

20 28 2 6 21 37 28 18 5 22 10 198

Caused sinking

1 1 2 11 7 2 22

caused grounding

4 4

Passenger ship

1 2 1 1 2 6

Ferries 2 4 2 3 2 4 2 16 Period of report

91

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Quantifying Casualties/Accidents

• Approximately 100000 ships in the world today. • There was about 30000 in 1912 • ~2 casualties/accidents/day 1/100 loss in 1912 • ~12% of c/a sank 1/670 loss today • Of these 297 are passenger cruise ships. • ~2 % involved in casualties/accidents • ~0.67 % sank • Still one of the safest way to transport passengers

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We learn little when nothing bad happens and yet a

measure of any Prevention effort is…

the 27

1910

Questions?

nothing bad happens… 2012

1912