Grounding Prevention

PROACTIVE AUTOMATED PROTECTION

24/7 automated alerting solution to prevent vessel groundings

Far too often

Vessel groundings occur multiple times each month. Too many are totally preventable. Groundings caused by crew error, or known variations in sea depth can now be avoided.

Preventable GROUNDINGS

Mauritius

1,000 tonnes of leaked oil caused “the worst environmental disaster in Mauritius history”. It was possibly caused by “poor seamanship”

Portugal

“A navigation error” resulted in the LEVANT HORIZON running aground while departing Lisbon, Spain.

New Zealand

Captain and Navigation Officer sentenced to jail after their vessel, Rena, struck a reef in New Zealand spilling 350 tonnes of heavy fuel oil.

A Proliferation of large vessels

The growing numbers and size of vessels has increased risk and damage resulting from groundings.

Fishing Vessels

Maritime shipping vessels

Gross Tons of shipping vessels

Who WE help

Small to Medium Ports

With higher marine traffic, there is greater risk of vessels coming closer to land to avoid each other.

Maritime or Transport Authories

Protect visiting vessels from known treacherous hazards along your coastline.

Private Terminals

Ensuring visiting vessels have clear approach and departure and are aware of changing sea bed conditions.

Marine Authorities

Prevent groundings by ensuring vessles have visibility and are proactively alerted about hazards.

Physical MARKERS ARE not ALWAYS enough

Physical Aids to Navigation (AtoNs) are expensive, don’t always work and are often not feasible.

Physical bouys, lights and markers on land should be utilised where possible. Visible markers that identify a potential grounding area will reduce the risk of incidents.

However physical AtoNs are often not feasible. The expense, regulatory barriers and often logistical impossibilities result in high risk areas going unmarked.

The Lady Busum was left high and dry after becoming stuck on a sand bar in Germany.

Why DO GROUNDINGS Still Happen?

1. Potential grounding areas are often difficult to physically mark. Marine charts don’t always show changeable risks – and even when they do, crews don’t always pay close enough attention.

2. Human error by the vessel crew is the fundamental problem. Inattentiveness or lack of awareness of the sea bed is the root cause of too many groundings. Mitigating human error has a significant impact on reducing groundings.

Mitigating human error is the key to protection

“It seems the wrong chart was being used”

– PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY

Mauritius’ worst marine environment disaster was likely caused by human error, according to the initial review by the Panama Maritime Authority.

“The increasing size of vessels within restricted waterways, is leading to reduced margins of operational safety.“

– Accident Investigation Report 23/2017

UK Government Marine Accident Investigation Branch

The UK government Marine Accident Investigation Branch concluded that a lack of planning and use of navigational equipment caused the grounding of a very large container vessel as it approached Southampton Port.