A risk analysis of winter navigation in Finnish sea areas

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention Vol. 79; pp. 100 - 116
• Main Authors: Valdez Banda, Osiris A., Goerlandt, Floris, Montewka, Jakub, Kujala, Pentti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2015
• Subjects: Accident analysis; Accident conditions; Accident data analysis; Accidental collisions; Accidents; Accidents - statistics & numerical data; Cold Climate; Finland; Finnish–Swedish winter navigation system; Maritime risk analysis; Maritime safety; Models, Theoretical; Navigation; North Sea; Risk; Risk analysis; Risk Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Safety - statistics & numerical data; Seasons; Ships - statistics & numerical data; Sweden; Vessels; Winter navigation operations; Sweden; North Sea; Finland; Accident data analysis; Maritime safety; Winter navigation operations; Maritime risk analysis; Finnish–Swedish winter navigation system
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.03.024

•Accident data and expert judgments used for assessing the risk of winter navigation.•Ship independent navigation and towing are the operations with most accidents.•Collision is the most typical accident during ship navigation in ice conditions.•Consolidated ice and ice ridges are the most common ice conditions in the accidents.•The accident severity in winter ice navigation is mainly reported as less serious. Winter navigation is a complex but common operation in north-European sea areas. In Finnish waters, the smooth flow of maritime traffic and safety of vessel navigation during the winter period are managed through the Finnish–Swedish winter navigation system (FSWNS). This article focuses on accident risks in winter navigation operations, beginning with a brief outline of the FSWNS. The study analyses a hazard identification model of winter navigation and reviews accident data extracted from four winter periods. These are adopted as a basis for visualizing the risks in winter navigation operations. The results reveal that experts consider ship independent navigation in ice conditions the most complex navigational operation, which is confirmed by accident data analysis showing that the operation constitutes the type of navigation with the highest number of accidents reported. The severity of the accidents during winter navigation is mainly categorized as less serious. Collision is the most typical accident in ice navigation and general cargo the type of vessel most frequently involved in these accidents. Consolidated ice, ice ridges and ice thickness between 15 and 40cm represent the most common ice conditions in which accidents occur. Thus, the analysis presented in this article establishes the key elements for identifying the operation types which would benefit most from further safety engineering and safety or risk management development.