Discussing Piracy Risk of PCTCs.

A PCTC Alongsside

Risk Assessment consists of an objective evaluation of risk in which assumptions and uncertainties are clearly considered and presented. (Wikipedia) (FAA Risk Assessment here)

I have talked to many people with regard to what the level of risk is involved in a transit of a car ship (PCTC) through the Gulf of Aden and what countermeasures are appropriate. What I have learned is that this is an emotional issue for many people and each persons views seem more related to that persons political outlook and personality then practicality and that the passion with which the views are held and how vigorously they express those view is not related to that persons level of expertise.

I am not just talking about laymen, the views of ship's captains are all over the map as well. My view is that the risk should be evaluated the same as other risks the ship must contend with such as fire, collision, grounding, labor troubles, weather and so on. (and on and on)

In the case of a piracy attack on a PCTC running at full speed I believe we are dealing with a risk with a large potential loss and a low probability of occurring. Appropriate countermeasures should be evaluated using cost and benefits analysis. Issues with regards to the use of deadly force and the use of lethal vs non-lethal weapons should be resolved at company level and shipboard discussions are generally not worthwhile nor are they particularly enlightening.

When I encounter a person who knows very little about the reality of the situation, assumes that I have no understanding and is determined to educate me, I change the subject and offer them a cup of coffee




K.C.

Risk Assessment Checklists

Risk Ready Reckoner from Bob Couttie's Marine Accident Casebook

The Document above can be downloaded as a DOC file here -Bob Couttie has it as a PDF at his site (next link)

Update below:

Getting mariners to use yet another check list can be a tough sell. The Risk Ready Reckoner recommended by Bob Couttie however could literally be a life saver.

From Bob Coutie's Marine Accident Casebook:

Just because there are safety procedures in your ship’s safety management system and various bits of bumf aboard doesn’t mean that you can’t develop your own safety system, one that belongs to you and which you use. Say hello to the Risk Ready Reckoner.

Bob also has an example of a hidden risk at Engineer Scalded - Risk not Mapped. The risk in this case was a pipe to an open tank that was plugged and unexpectedly filled with steam. It would have been difficult to uncover the risk in this case with a simple risk checklist, perhaps only previous experience would have uncovered this hidden threat.

There are some more sophisticated risk assessment tools available at this site: Step Change in Safety - A UK gas and oil site. This site includes the Task Risk Assessment Check list which is considerable longer then but more comprehensive then the Risk Ready Reckoner. The Task Risk Assessment Guide also at that site, is even more involved but I think it would be worthwhile going over with the senior officers. It might increase appreciation for risk assessment.

A captain I once sailed with had a term for mariners who felt they were too good to use checklist but often used unsafe practices. He would say that they were "so good they're brain dead".

K.C.


UPDATE:

In comments, Bob Couttie has pointed out that the Risk Ready Reckoner is aimed at all crew members, not just senior staff I had missed this and is an important point. From the Marine Accident Case Book. Read Make 2009 a Year of Safety Ownership

2009 should be SOS Year: Seafarer Ownership of Safety Year, a year in which active and positive efforts are made to give seafarers a sense of ownership regarding their own safety, that of their crewmates and their vessel.