Tanker spill statistics tell us that accidents like the one that sank the 164,000-dwt Sanchi (built 2008) are thankfully rare — they have been virtually non-existent over the past 10 years or more.
The last major spill was in 2007 when 11,000 tons was lost from the 270,000-dwt VLCC Hebei Spirit (built 1993), which was involved in a collision with a crane barge.
The spill from the Sanchi is the largest since 260,000 tons was lost from the ABT Summer in 1991.
The circumstances of the Sanchi's collision with the 76,000-dwt CF Crystal (built 2011) are equally uncommon. Collisions often happen in congested seaways, such as off the coast of China, but there has not recently been an incident where the consequences are so tragic and catastrophic.
The Sanchi's cargo of 136,000 tons of highly volatile condensate, with a low flash point, was ignited by a spark when the ships came together. This subsequent fire and explosion resulted in the loss of 32 lives and a spill with devastating environmental consequences.
But does the tanker industry’s improving pollution record and the unique circumstances of this accident mean it should be dismissed as a one-off?
That might be a mistake — there will be critical safety lessons to be learned from the Panamanian and Hong Kong flag state safety investigation, and here is why.
The crux of the investigation will be to track the course of the ships and decide whether one or both vessels deviated from the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, known as Colregs.
There may even have been other circumstances, such as bad weather or even another merchant or fishing vessel, involved in affecting the course of the vessels.
But behind the navigational decision-making that led to the accident, there will have been a host of other causal factors that need to be uncovered to try to avert similar disasters.
The investigation will be very difficult because of a lack of crew evidence and data from the Sanchi.
But the probe needs to examine the standards and experience on the bridge of both vessels at the time and the quality of seamanship and management displayed by the officers on watch.
The working hours of the ships' officers and crew and the possibility of fatigue also need scrutiny.
Then there is the crew's interaction with and reliance on onboard navigational equipment. Another factor is the possible affect of heavy traffic around the coast of China.
Many of the “human element” factors are common themes in a collision accident investigation, but these are rarely acted on. They often end up unread or buried in a database of reports at the IMO.
But a fully transparent report into the loss of the Sanchi could gain more attention and traction in the industry because of the high profile of the accident.
Due to the scale of this disaster, the report could be a catalyst for improvement.
That is why it is important the Panamanian and Hong Kong authorities conduct a thorough, in-depth investigation and make it fully transparent to all concerned.
