'Titanic' 100 years on - Sea Travel is Safer!!

'Titanic' Off Hythe on Her Fateful Maiden Voyage 1912

  

Don’t Let All the Current “Titanic” Headlines Deter You Cruising

John Barrington-Carver writes:  One hundred years ago on 15^th April as we all know, the “Unsinkable “ S.S. Titanic sank with dreadful loss of life.  More recently Europe has seen the "Herald Free Enterprise" (1987) and the “Estonia” (1994) involved in accidents involving loss of life.  These tragic events did however spur significant safety reviews and subsequent improvements in ship design and safety features.    Nevertheless accidents at sea still continue to happen despite all the modern aids to navigation and safety improvements – particularly in Africa and the Far East.  If you want to check these out try  www.mapreport.com –  

The 21^st Century has already seen a number of incidents in Europe including cruise ships such as the recent "Costa Concordia" in Italy and a Russian River Cruiser the "Bulgaria" on the Volga River, both involving loss of life, as did the  "Costa Europa"  when it hit a pier killing several crew members in Sharm al Sheikh earlier this year.  With all the automation available today, accidents are more often than not down to human error.  If you see the news around the world, the odds are that a ferry will have capsized  (especially in Asia and the Far East) mostly due to overcrowding.  Either that or the vessel has had mechanical problems leaving it adrift like the "Costa Allegra" off the Seychelles recently.  Not for nothing the words of the 1860’s Naval Hymn  “…… for those in peril on the sea.”

With three times more merchant vessels plying the oceans than in 1912 you might be forgiven for thinking the seas would be more dangerous now.  However before you start thinking about cancelling your cruise,  let me assure you that statistically cruise ships are very safe forms of transport.

 According to a report by the insurance group Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty https://www.allianz.com/static-resources/en/press/media/documents/v_1332510148000/agcs_safety_shipping_1912-2012.pdf

“Sea travel itself is generally considered one of the safest modes of passenger transport. European Transport Safety Council data ranks marine transport in Europe as the 4th safest means of passenger transport after bus/coach, rail and air. Car travel is significantly more risky, but that risk increases further for cycling and walking –around 7-9 times riskier than car travel – and further still for motorcycle/scooter travel, being 20 times riskier than car travel. US transport fatality figures for 2009 support these findings, with ship-related fatalities second safest only to air transport; however these figures do not take into account the popularity of the mode.”

To put this in context, according to the same report,  passenger fatalities for every 100 million passenger kilometres work out as follows: air & rail – 0.035%; Bus – 0.07%; Cruise ships – 0.25%; cycling and walking are 6.4% & 5.4% respectively with Motor Cycles topping the bill at 13.8%.

Today in the UK it seems that ever more intrusive health and safety rules, designed it seems to protect us from ourselves, are being introduced in all areas of everyday life. It’s my personal opinion that very often many rules are created to protect the company, building owners, or local authority from being sued by staff and the general public rather than to protect Jack or Jill Average from themselves.   Having seen some examples of bureaucratic nonsenses over the past several years which defy common sense and challenge credulity ,  I am beginning to wonder if we shall soon be required to read and sign disclaimers before boarding a plane, ship or bus/coach.  

Wherever you go though, and however you intend to travel over the Easter and summer holidays , – travel safely especially if there are no ‘Elf n’ Safety rules to ensure your wellbeing!!!   Remember the best rule always is to use your common sense and never take any aspect of travelling for granted – for instance the total stranger calling me over when I was packing luggage into the rear of the hire car at the airport pick-up was only distracting me whilst his mate was pinching a hand-bag from the car.  Howeverwhilst always taking sensible precaustions when travelling, perhaps you should avoid my wife’s late uncle’s pre flights check!  He used to fly quite often (as a passenger!)in the early 60’s and in those pre hi-jack days always tried to ask the pilots personally if they were happily married ! But then again  perhaps in the recent case of the JetBlue flight 191 in the US where the Captain had a mental breakdown mid-flight, a quick chat may have been adviseable!!