NTSB’s Safer Seas Digest 2023: A Critical Review of Marine Safety
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently issued the Safer Seas Digest 2023, an annual publication identifying safety issues and recommendations from marine investigations conducted over the past year. Thirty-one investigations concluding in 2023 were analyzed in this vital safety resource.
Key Investigations and Recommendations
One of the standout investigations detailed in the digest is the release of 588 barrels of crude oil into San Pedro Bay, triggered by an anchor strike on an underwater pipeline. This incident spurred the NTSB to recommend that the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) redefine federal anchorages in San Pedro Bay, with the goal to mitigate these devastating environmental impacts, and bolster the region’s maritime safety infrastructure.
Another critical case analyzed was the engine room fire on the Spirit of Norfolk, where 108 passengers and crew were successfully evacuated. The NTSB’s findings revealed a significant oversight: the absence of a fire-detection system in the engine room, delaying the fire’s detection. This led the NTSB to advocate for closing regulatory loopholes, which allow some small passenger vessels to operate without these safety systems.
The fatal collision between the USCG cutter Winslow Griesser and the center-console boat Desakata, resulting in one death and one serious injury, was also studied. The NTSB determined that both crews failed to maintain an adequate lookout, leading to the tragic incident. The NTSB has since issued a Safety Alert compelling small-vessel operators to improve their vessels’ detectability.
Beyond specific incidents, the Safer Seas Digest 2023 addresses many larger safety concerns and challenges faced in the maritime industry, including vessel stability, fire containment, severe weather preparedness, risk management, cargo preparation, teamwork, communication, standard operating procedures, narrow channel transit, distress communication, and the identification of navigational hazards.
“The NTSB will advocate tirelessly for our safety recommendations because we know from our investigations what’s at stake,” writes NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy in the publication’s opening message..
This year’s edition of the Safer Seas Digest also dedicated to Captain Morgan Turrell, the NTSB’s Director of Marine Safety and a strong advocate for maritime safety, who passed away last March at the age of 58.
We at the Herd Law Firm are proud to fight for seamen, maritime workers and passengers in all types of personal injury and death claims. As maritime personal injury attorneys located in northwest Houston, we never waver in our commitment to help these maritime workers and their families when they are injured or mistreated.
For more information and to read the full digest, visit the NTSB’s official website.
Image Source: NTSB.gov
7/3/2024
