Norwegian marine insurer Gard has launched a new “awareness campaign” relating to watertight doors. It noted in a web release that, during day-to-day operations of a ship, particularly in situations where the ship has suffered damage, it was usually assumed that all watertight doors were closed and that the vessel’s internal watertight subdivision was 100% effective.
Gard said that the safety of the crew and passengers depended on the safety of the ship, including the safe use of watertight doors so that they did not pose any danger when passengers and crew passed through the doors or operate them. However, Gard said that its casualty statistics indicated that this was not always the case.
Gard said that its aim in the project was, together with its partner DNV GL, to create awareness of the correct use of and contribute to an increased competence on power operated watertight doors. Gard and DNV GL have produced a video and a presentation identifying the major risks, technical and operational issues, and steps the maritime industry can take to address them.
Video can be seen at: http://www.gard.no/web/content/watertight-doors-awareness-campaign