Risk analysis as an integrated operational and legal instrument with respect to the safety of maritime traffic

Abstract

This paper emanates from the European Research Project MarNIS. The possibility of monitoring traffic has improved considerably since the introduction of AIS (Automatic Identification System). A much better view of what is going on at sea offers new possibilities to enhance shipping safety. The risk of each ship delivers the basis for taking measures according to UNCLOS and the precautionary principle, to ships that have a far more than average risk. The application of this principle requires a scientific approach for the determination of the risk and new operational tools. The three main aspects necessary to implement risk analysis into the maritime traffic to enhance safety at sea are described. Firstly, the legal basis - the need for legal instruments, the definition of a high risk ship and new public competences. Secondly, a mathematical model to determine the so-called risk index for individual ships calculated dynamically, depending on the geographical position, the ship characteristics, the environmental conditions, other ships, shallows and other obstacles, such as offshore platforms and wind farms. Thirdly, there is the operational application. © 2010 WIT Press.