Mariners are required to report any occurrence involving a vessel that results in:. Some of those terms are pretty straightforward, but what is the difference between grounding and stranding? Or foundering and flooding? And my favorite, collision and allision? Here is Helton's basic understanding of these terms, but he is confident that some of these could fill an admiralty law textbook.
Groundings and strandings are probably the most common types of marine casualties. I even find it a slightly useful distinction, but I would never use it in daily speech. The site is US-based and the term has been used a few times and that was my American connection.
The American connection was also used in online dictionaries although my hard copy dictionaries US and British make no mention of the word at all which tends to make believe it is a newish fad perhaps. Most commonly this is another ship, perhaps at anchor or docked, but it can also refer to a ship hitting a fixed object such as a wharf or a bridge.
I went off the road and collided with a tree? Hit or struck sounds better. Now, I use it all of the time. Check visually for any apparent hull damage. No, you cannot be called Captain. But, if you are the person in command on your vessel, you are referred to as the Ship Master.
Ship grounding accidents are mostly caused by human errors, sometimes by inadequate information related to the port or because of unknown coral reefs and rocks. Maneuvering inattention and improper navigational operations should be listed as the most usual root causes of major ship grounding accidents as well.
Skip to content Technology. A vessel is deemed unseaworthy if any part of it is not fit for its intended function.
The Jones Act is one of the most important of the statutes and federal regulations regarding injuries resulting from allisions. If the accident results in fatalities, the Death of the High Seas Act offers an avenue for the loved ones of the deceased to pursue compensation. The various statutes and laws, each which is opened to interpretation in any situation, makes proving liability more challenging. They can involve any unmoving object, such as a bridge or dock.
One example is the case of Bunge Co. Freeport Marine Repair. In , a hull Hull 40 broke loose from its mooring following a hurricane. The vessel was under construction at the time. Breaking loose allowed the hull to float into a grain-loading facility, leading to damages. This led to the application of the Louisiana Rule. Like the Oregon Rule, the Louisiana Rule stipulates that the moving vessel that strikes a stationary object is presumed to be at fault. Allisions also occur when ships crash into oil platforms or drilling rigs.
These crashes can cause explosions or fires that result in severe injuries and even death. The public usually hears about major oil spills like Deepwater Horizon in off the Gulf of Mexico. Less often, they hear about the many smaller oil spills and the combined impact they have on the environment. As many as half of the hundreds of oil spills that happen each year are caused by allisions, collisions, and grounding while in open water. Depending on the proximity to land, an oil spill can impact an entire coastline.
Oil spills harm mammals, fish, and marine birds. They cause lasting damage to the sensitive aquatic systems, and to the people who depend on them for their livelihood. The issue of oil spill liability is a complex legal one. As we learned from Deepwater Horizon, the liable party in an oil spill can end up paying many millions of dollars in compensation. The liable party is responsible for paying damages in four areas, including:.
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