Safety at sea on tankerships

The objectives of this study are to show that although training of seafarers is of paramount importance this is not enough as other factors such us education of both seafarers and management are supreme in this matter, and to this end chapter one approaches the world's merchant fleet in general and the tanker fleet in particular. It encompasses the main casualties over the last thirty years, the causes that generated them, the losses of both ships and lives, and the main damages to the environment. Chapter two deals with the implications for the shipping industry of the implementation of regulations upon tankerships, principally the requirements of retrofiting SBT, IGS and COW, and training of seafarers.Within this chapter the handling of these iimovations are broadly tackled so that one can understand how training and education are standout points for a proper safety. Chapter three approaches the "why " and " how " changes are necessary to shipboard organisation for a really safety implementation. It also approaches the consequences of the new shipping mergers and FOCs upon the traditional maritime nations as well as the changes on shore organisation as recruitment and training is concerned. In Chapter four it is discussed the expected results of the implementation of the new STCW, which will come into force in 1997, upon companies and their seafarers as well as the effect of polivalence upon safety. Chapter five is a leaming of the whole framework regarding safety. It shows that only putting together the main factor - training, education, management and the age fleet structure - can safety be assured