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Maritime accidents: What are the most common types?

On Behalf of | Sep 2, 2016 | Maritime Accidents

If you work on or around commercial vessels or platforms in New York, you should be aware that there are many accident risks. However, what are the most common types of accidents that occur on the water?

According to Marine Insight, one type of accident is the barge collision. These vessels can be difficult to maneuver due to their size and shape. Accidents involving these ships are often caused by towing cables that are faulty or operator inexperience. If the person controlling the helm does not fully understand the limitations of the vessel, the chances of a collision occurring are going to be higher.

Another common type of accident that investigators are often called to is the cargo ship or crude oil tanker crash. It is estimated that 84-88 percent of these accidents are attributed to negligence on the part of workers on the ships themselves. Due to the fact that these ships are filled with “highly flammable” material, you should be aware that explosions are the most common risk. Therefore, it is important for workers to ensure that all rules and guidelines are followed in order to prevent unnecessary accidents.

It should not be surprising to see cruise vessels on this list as well. You have probably seen more than one news story that concerns accidents which involve these types of ships. In many cases, these accidents could have been prevented if workers were more careful. However, one of the biggest concerns these vessels face is weather. The immense size of a cruise vessel can make it susceptible to capsize in rough waters.

Accidents involving marine cranes can cause significant injuries to workers. Just as with cranes around the city, these structures are common sights on shipyards and in ports where they work to load containers on ships or perform other tasks. While inexperience and negligence plays some part, accidents have also been caused by faulty winches or wiring.