Solarglide explain three main reasons why ships sink.
There are three main reasons why ships sink; human error, collisions or harsh sea environments. Clearly human error can be prevented with training and due diligence. Collisions and sea environments can be preempted and with the advancement of technology within the industry, ships are less affected by sea conditions and collisions with the land or other vessels. Other causes of ships to sink are war, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks, but they are less common in modern times. Often it is a number of these conditions and errors combined that lead to a vessel sinking. Legislation set out by global maritime class societies aims to make ships as safe as possible and avoid such incidents, however there are still many ways in which a vessel can sink.
The Costa Concordia
One of the most famous ships to sink in recent times is the Costa Concordia which occurred in 2012. The Costa Concordia was a cruise ship which had begun a seven-day-tour of Italy when it crashed near the Italian island of Giglio, off the coast of Tuscany.
The ship had been expected to travel from Civitavecchia near Rome to Savona in the North. However, it diverted from its route in order to get closer to Giglio, which resulted in a fatal crash. The Italian cruise ship ran aground, capsized and sank in shallow waters on 13 January off the coast of Italy, killing 32 people (27 passengers and 5 crew) aboard. This disaster was caused by human error and bad judgement by the crew onboard.
Current situation of ship sinking
Today’s ships are made with state-of-the-art materials and operate using advanced technology, so they are very less prone to sinking. This combined with strict maritime safety rules and regulations aims to reduce such incidents from happening or being repeated. But there are always exceptions as 2021 figures indicate. Cargo vessels accounted for half of all vessels lost in this year (27). Foundered (sunk) was the main cause of total losses across all vessel types during 2021, accounting for around 60% (32). Fire/explosion ranked second (15%, 8), with machinery damage/ failure third (11%, 6). Extreme weather was reported as being a factor in at least 13 losses during 2021, while December and May were the most frequent months for losses with seven each, respectively.
Collectively, foundered (52%), wrecked/stranded (grounded) (18%) and fire/explosion (13%) are the top three causes of total losses over the past decade, accounting for more than 80% of 892 reported losses. Data taken from Allianz Shipping and Safety report 2022.
Improved visibility, means less collisions
As an industry leader in marine blinds and window coverings, Solarglide combats the problem of impaired visibility. Having high quality, reliable blinds fitted to your vessel prevents the possibility of collisions with other ships or land. Solarglide instals a number of different products from solar screens to marine window wipers. Each product across the Solarglide range is designed to either improve the aesthetic appeal of windows, block out light or enhance visibility during different weather conditions.
