In the current trading environment with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide economic downturn, the period spent waiting at anchorage outside ports around the world may increase for some ships. Lost and dragging anchors are the root causes of many groundings and collisions occurring while waiting at anchorages, and ship operators, Masters and crew need to be aware of the risks involved and thoroughly assess the limitations of a vessels’ anchoring equipment.
It is well known that the purpose of carrying out any kind of drill and exersice on a ship is to make the crew acquainted with various procedures to be followed during emergency situations. It promotes the acquisition of knowledge or skill through systematic training by multiple repetitions, practice, and rehearsals in order to learn or become proficient. Realistic safety drills are the perfect training for survival in an unexpected emergency. Done diligently and regularly, they can save lives and help seafarers to survive the unexpected, the emergencies, (which appear in many different forms) and make them aware how resources, training and procedures can help people to do the correct things, almost instinctively when time comes. The instictive part flourishes only though systematic training by multiple repetitions, practice, and rehearsals.
In 2019 we have initiated an HSE Campaign called “Vision Zero” that consists of topics that we believe relate directly to the key issues that are affecting our employees and the wider industry and focus on safeguarding live through graphical representation in a form of posters, alerts, lessons learned and other supportive material. Our campaign’s aim is to drive long-term and continual improvements in our HSE culture and performance.