Impact of Weather on Marine Vessel Accidents in the Iraqi Port of Umm Qasr, a Case Study of the Salihiah Tugboat Accident

Abstract

The Arabian Gulf is known as a global center for trade, oil export, and shipping because the countries around the Gulf have many important commercial and oil ports. The southern port of Umm Qasr is one of these important transportation sites in the northern Arabian Gulf, as it includes berths for shipping goods as well as oil berths for importing and exporting oil derivatives and crude transport. Any disruption or disruption in port operations may lead to significant economic and material losses to Iraq. Marine accidents caused by bad weather are considered one of the most serious risks and obstacles facing marine work. In this study, we will investigate and evaluate the meteorological conditions that influence and cause marine accidents. The Salihiah tugboat accident, which collided with a foreign ship in 2020, and led to the sinking of the tow boat in the southern port of Umm Qasr. The disaster was caused by a violent dust storm and high wind speed. Two cases of dust storms were recorded on the day of the accident and several cases of dust raised, and there was also a significant drop in sea level pressure that led to the storm and the lack of visibility in the port of Umm Qasr. The aim of the study is to know the main causative weather factor for the accident and to advise the managers of Iraqi ports to take measures and reduce activity in bad weather conditions.