Why so many ships are grounding

[svfinlandia]

I have been wondering recently why we are seeing in the news so many ships running a ground like the Ever Forward.
Here is an article that may help explain it.

https://gcaptain.com/from-ever-given-to-ever-forward/


Al, S/V Finlandia

[tkeithlu]

Thank you for posting it, but I didn't find the article very enlightening. The total text on the point is :

"Yet as ships get larger and the supply chain requires greater speed, and as we reduce the size of crews and prolong their times aboard ships, accidents will increase along with their severity. Many ports lack vessel tracking systems to monitor passages. Nearly all ships rely on humans to steer vessels in confined waters when automated systems could provide backup to alert crews when they are deviating from their courses or track lines."

The rest is self promotion by the author.

[Benz]

I was hoping it would explain actually [I]why[I]
Surely there would have been a pilot aboard: did the captain or helm disregard the pilot's directions? Is there a language barrier that could not be overcome? Did the ship behave contrary to the pilot's expectations? I think the worst thing for a pilot would be to deal with a vainglorious captain who thought he knew better, and the worst thing for a captain to deal with a hotshot pilot who thought HE knew better.
No doubt maritime law breaks down the responsibility pretty clearly, but that doesn't really help in the moment when the boat is plowing into a shoal.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

I have been wondering recently why we are seeing in the news so many ships running a ground like the Ever Forward.
Here is an article that may help explain it.

https://gcaptain.com/from-ever-given-to-ever-forward/

Thanks for that link. He raises great points about how there's little communication or discussion of the incidents til something big gets public attention. Its a trend we see in rail transport too: trains get longer, crews keep getting smaller, safety standards haven't kept pace, and derailments get little notice until they threaten (or harm) the public.

I note that the author seems to agree with me that electronic monitoring of channel-holding is possible, so its apparent absence (or ineffectiveness) is puzzling.

[Island Time O25]

Perhaps because in the past 30-40 years promotions, etc. were based on many factors other than merit?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Thank you for posting it, but I didn't find the article very enlightening. The total text on the point is :

"Yet as ships get larger and the supply chain requires greater speed, and as we reduce the size of crews and prolong their times aboard ships, accidents will increase along with their severity. Many ports lack vessel tracking systems to monitor passages. Nearly all ships rely on humans to steer vessels in confined waters when automated systems could provide backup to alert crews when they are deviating from their courses or track lines."

The rest is self promotion by the author.

Indeed!

[boatman61]

Cost cutting by shipping companies paying for the cheapest instead of the going rate leads to all sorts of consequences..
P&O are following this path in the UK right now.
They off shored the ships after Brexit and now they're off shoring crew by recruiting from Philippine agencies.

[redneckrob]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Perhaps because in the past 30-40 years promotions, etc. were based on many factors other than merit?

If you want to come out and say that shipping companies put minorities in charge and that caused accidents, then embrace the bigotry and just say it. Otherwise, what, exactly, are you trying to say here? What specific factors of the "many factors other than merit" are you referring to and how did those lead to mishaps? Any data to back up that stance would be welcome.

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Thank you for posting it, but I didn't find the article very enlightening. The total text on the point is :

"Yet as ships get larger and the supply chain requires greater speed, and as we reduce the size of crews and prolong their times aboard ships, accidents will increase along with their severity. Many ports lack vessel tracking systems to monitor passages. Nearly all ships rely on humans to steer vessels in confined waters when automated systems could provide backup to alert crews when they are deviating from their courses or track lines."

The rest is self promotion by the author.

I agree that the article was not a lot of help, but it was the only thing I can find. I guess we will have to wait for the official report to see what “they say“ actually happened.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[MicHughV]

I have often come across ships while at sea. Invariably I have had difficulty in communicating with the ships' bridge personnel, as language differences are sometimes hard to overcome or understand, and I wonder if language plays a part in these occurrences ??

[Mirage35]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

I have been wondering recently why we are seeing in the news so many ships running a ground like the Ever Forward.
Here is an article that may help explain it.

https://gcaptain.com/from-ever-given-to-ever-forward/


Al, S/V Finlandia

Or maybe we're just seeing them in the news more because it's a hot topic and the media are publishing more stories on it.

[El Pinguino]

Two groundings make the news in the last 12 months, no loss of life, no serious damage to either ship.

In the last 12 months there have been how many arrivals and departures from the world's seaports??

[boatman61]

Ship ran aground March 21, large pollution problem.
https://phys.org/news/2021-03-ship-a...elago%20nation.

Japan 2021.. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/12/a...ntl/index.html

Dominican Republic.. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/lo...ican-republic/

Black Sea.. https://maritime.direct/en/2021/09/2...-runs-aground/

Random sample from Google..

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ship ran aground March 21, large pollution problem.
https://phys.org/news/2021-03-ship-a...elago%20nation.

Japan 2021.. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/12/a...ntl/index.html

Dominican Republic.. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/lo...ican-republic/

Black Sea.. https://maritime.direct/en/2021/09/2...-runs-aground/

Random sample from Google..

50% of that random sample can go into the 'you can't fix stupid ' box
2 of the random sample appear to involve significant hull loss and pollution.
Still not a large number compared with global ship movements.

[Cwens]

Originally Posted by svfinlandia

I have been wondering recently why we are seeing in the news so many ships running a ground like the Ever Forward.
Here is an article that may help explain it.

https://gcaptain.com/from-ever-given-to-ever-forward/


Al, S/V Finlandia

Are more ships running aground lately compared to the historical average? Any data? Is this a phenomenon that needs to be investigated?