A group of leading shipping organisations and companies have united in a bid to drive up safety standards and save lives.
The Together in Safety consortium has launched its Golden Safety Rules document today, featuring free-to-use best practices for life on board vessels.
The idea is for the scheme to be the industry’s “virtual safety partner”, allowing every shipping company to initiate or further develop their own safety programmes.
The rules were developed by Together in Safety after a detailed review of fatal incident reports across all sectors of the shipping industry.
They comprise 10 straightforward-to-apply and easy-to-understand areas where injuries and deaths can be prevented.
These include guidance on an individual seafarers’ control over enclosed space entry, fall prevention, energy isolation and working over water.
“The rules have been designed to complement existing management systems and procedures, but do not replace these. They are designed to help keep seafarers safe and are applicable to everyone who works on a ship,” the coalition said.
Chairman Grahaeme Henderson, Shell’s former head of shipping, added: “Shipping is fundamental to the world economy and safety must be our top priority.
“The Golden Safety Rules are a first for the shipping industry and will further support our efforts to stop the large number of unnecessary serious injuries and fatalities that occur each day due to events that could and should have been avoided.”
He argued that working together can make a real difference.
“Shipping company owners, CEOs and senior executives must demand that change is required and lead the way. Their employees are the lifeblood of our industry and we must put them at the very heart of shipping,” Henderson said.
Strong safety, strong business
And he pointed out that companies with a strong safety performance also have a strong business performance.
“Simply put, if you get the safety right, you get everything right. The reason is that safety is central to everything that we do, both at work and in our own daily lives,” the chairman added.
A focus on safety will also enable the future sustainability of the shipping industry, attracting high-quality talent, he believes.
Henderson wants to help ensure every seafarer arrives home safely to their families and children.
“The impact will be positively felt across the entire shipping industry and will be a major contributor to its future success. This is a unique opportunity … let’s make it happen,” he concluded.
Together in Safety includes the International Chamber of Shipping, Bimco, Oil Companies International Marine Forum, Intertanko, Intercargo, Interferry, Cruise Liners International and the World Shipping Council, as well as global shipping companies, insurers, classification societies and country representatives.
Henderson was at Shell for 41 years, finishing with a 10-year stint in charge of global shipping and maritime.
