Technical and Operational Options for Safer Tankers

Tanker accidents fuel the public discussion on maritime safety and corresponding legislation. Technical and operationalmeasures are reviewed. First, the general environmental friendliness of very large tankers in regular operation isreviewed, pointing out that the very aspects making tankers highly efficient in transport (with associated benefits foremissions) are linked to problems in accidents. Technical options to improve tanker safety at moderate cost includeexpert system technology for collision avoidance, larger rudders and structural design for increased collision resistance.Progress in design methods, most notably formal optimization, allows better tanker designs with improved safety andenergy efficiency. If available and proposed measures would be implemented, tanker safety would be significantlyincreased with a modest increase in gasoline and fuel oil prices. The problem is that many tanker accidents are due toviolations of existing legislation. The problem of implementing safety is then addressed with proposals to increaseliability and mandatory insurance independent of where the ship is registered.

Keywords:

environment , oil , pollution , safety , tanker