Safety and Security in Shipping Operations

Abstract

Through the very intensive efforts of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a rather extended number of Conventions and Regulations stipulate the operational environment and the associated training requirements for maritime professionals, both on-board vessels and ashore. The influence of International Conventions that are regularly updated/improved, such as the one related to the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the one dealing with Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW) and the extremely important Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) are all very well known within the members of the maritime community and many outsiders. It is true that maritime accidents have always occurred throughout human history. However, all those involved with activities at sea (and especially with the conduct of navigation) need to exert every effort in order to ensure the safe voyage of the ship, as well as the provision of optimized shipping operations; more importantly, to reduce/eliminate incidents that could result into loss of human life and/or cargo. Standardization of shipboard equipment and ensuring services to support mariners in case of need through SOLAS is essential for the maritime industry. The SOLAS Convention, which is the focus of analysis within the current chapter, also includes the International Safety Management Code (ISM) and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS); with the first one dealing with risk mitigation in relation to the safety domain and ISPS dealing with the various contemporary security threats, a very effective regulatory framework to avoid safety and security incidents during shipping operations is created.