Marine Incidents in Polar Region: Human Performance and Risk Management - Essay Sample

How human factor deficiencies contribute to marine incidents in polar region and why specific training program is needed in terms of risk management competency?

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Human performance and characters can be the leading factor that defines the level of safety for various maritime transport systems and the actions of management. The previous studies reveal that decision errors cause most maritime incidences. Human errors such as inadequate communication models, insufficient situation awareness, misuse of equipment and poor visibility are critical contributors to marine accidents. Inappropriate planning of operations at the leadership level provide insufficient instructions to the bridge team and also create supervisory violations. Leaders find it hard to adjust to their directives to a changing condition which discloses a poor safety culture (Xie and Gao, 2018, p.330).

Training workshops on safety culture and leadership is essential in the maritime sector. This is because it allows leaders to acquire guidelines, instructions and regulations relevant to the operation of ships and which the crew and officers are expected to be aware of and adhere to. This will help the marine organization to achieve a safety culture. The training will also provide the management official with the skills to encourage and ensure that the formal skills are strictly in practice and inspire the required attitudes to accomplish the safety objectives (Xie and Gao, 2018, p.330).

What additional courses, drills, equipment, and facilities are needed to improve the competency of ship officers and marine engineers?

Additional courses, drills, equipment, and facilities are necessary to enhance the competency of ship officers and marine engineers. Such courses include fundamental knowledge about the characteristic of ice and anticipating various categories of ice around the area of operation, necessary information concerning vessel performance in cold climate and in ice and fundamental data associated with how safely work and sail a ship in ice. Incorporating the ice navigation simulators into use in the pre-deployment phase is essential to any navigating individual in the Arctic since it helps them to adapt to with the extreme ice conditions in a safe and controlled environment (Dalaklis and Baxevani, 2018, p.389).

International Marine Organization (IMO) defines regulations on how to dress for you to operate in polar waters. It states that adequate clothing like survival suits must be provided to everyone on board for thermal protection. Unique equipment for removing ice like pneumatic and electrical devices and specialized tools like wooden clubs or axes are essential to enhance the competency of ship officers and marine engineers. Fire extinguishing facilities that are operational in cold temperatures are also vital in protecting people with cumbersome and bulky cold-weather clothes (Dalaklis and Baxevani, 2018, p.389).

What is the development of maritime higher education in China needed for seafarers involving polar water in next five years?

Development of maritime higher education in China is required for training people to be responsible and qualified seafarers. It is also relevant in educating marine managers found in the shipping companies and the researching and teaching staffs in maritime institutes and colleges. It is also significant in integrating vocational maritime education and training with degree education and allows seafarers to understand basics of marine theory and practice of maritime profession through undergoing essential maritime courses. Initiating these processes includes compliance with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and watchkeeping (STCW) for Seafarers (Khan Khan Veitch and Yang, 2018, p.489).

During this process, the maritime high education will be responsible for courses evaluation, teaching and training while Maritime safety Administration of china will be examining and supervising STCW training. Those who will complete the training, the courses and on-board training will be given a chance to sit for exams and issued with ship officers certificate. Preparatory training courses will provide critical information on how to address marine-related issues, and this will minimize marine incidences (Khan et al., 2018, p.489).

References

Dalaklis, D. and Baxevani, E., 2018. Maritime transport in the Arctic after the introduction of the Polar Code: a discussion of the new training needs. In Sustainable Shipping in a Changing Arctic (pp. 383-398). Springer, Cham. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-78425-0_21

Khan, B., Khan, F., Veitch, B. and Yang, M., 2018. An operational risk analysis tool to analyze marine transportation in Arctic waters. Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 169, pp.485-502. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0951832017303101

Xie, H. and Gao, X., 2018. The Effects Toward Maritime Higher-Education in China After the Entry into Force of the Polar Code. In Sustainable Shipping in a Changing Arctic (pp. 325-334). Springer, Cham. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-78425-0_18