Although safety has very much become part and parcel of today’s ‘quality and standard fashion’, its pursuit is as old as the shipping industry itself. A ship’s seaworthiness or fitness to be put to sea safely has always been of paramount importance in any ship operation aimed at achieving long-term profitability. Moreover, despite the publicity given to bad accidents, ships have become progressively safer, thanks to both technical and human improvements..
DNV senior vice president and corporate marketing manager for bulk carriers, Hans Viig, is in no doubt: The problem of bulk carrier losses is exacerbated as shipyards become creative in interpreting class rules, particularly when building new standard-type bulkers. To help combat this situation, the International Association of Classification Societies needs to introduce a minimum standard for bulk carriers to make them suitable for their intended cargoes and, in turn, make the industry safer for the ship and cargo owners, crews and the environment.
His views are echoed by three leading and influential shipping executives who, in this issue of DNV Forum, explain what they believe is the problem and how it should be addressed views that will be of interest to a wide cross-section of the maritime industry.
This issue of DNV Forum also addresses safety issues in other industries served by DNV. The Kuwait National Petroleum Company recently experienced a series of incidents at two of its refineries and, as a result, turned to DNV to develop and implement an integrated management system to help improve its safety and operational performance. Britains train operator Virgin Trains, Golden Vale Dairies, and the Russian/ Italian pipeline operator Blue Stream are all similarly focusing on safety issues in their respective industries. There is no doubt that land-based industries, as well as the maritime and offshore world, are making good use of DNVs wide cross-discipline safety expertise.
