The Exxon Valdez is the name of a American Pétrolier of which the shipwreck in 1989 because a Oil slick important with the the United States.

Shipwreck

March 23rd, 1989 towards 21:30 the Pétrolier Exxon Valdez leaves the terminal of Valdez in Alaska, it has just charged 180  000 tons of Oil gross. It is its voyage number 28, the pilot unloads towards 23:00.

On the way southern (in the downward way of the separation device of traffic) towards the Strait of the Prince william (see chart), ordering it Joseph Hazelwood asks for the coastguard (Control traffic) the authorization of borrow the northern way ( rising ) of the device in order to avoid growler S (drift ice: the growler is characterized like having a height of less than 1 meter and a width of less than 5 meters). This permission is granted to him, no ship not borrowing from this hour the rising way .

Before leaving the footbridge of navigation the commander Hazelwood asks the officer of the watch Gregory Cousins to start to return in the southern way ( downward ) when the ship is by through fire of the island Busby. The ship drifts towards the East, leaves the rising way and ventures in a zone of shallow water, without the control center of the traffic not initiating any call.

Although Cousins certifies to have given the order to the cox Robert Kagan to come on starboard (line) at the time from the change from road, the ship does not avoid (its road does not change) in time.

00:04 on March 24th, it is failed on the bench Bligh Reef . The investigation could not determine if the order were given too late or if the cox did not follow the orders correctly.

Inquire

  • a problem of alcoholism will be suspecté.
  • It will be reproached to the commander for having left the footbridge, leaving the ship under the orders of lieutenant Gregory Cousins which is not sufficiently qualified to direct only such a ship in these trimmings.
  • the NTSB (National transportation safety board) American, after study of the accident foot-note that It did not have there on Exxon Valdez at the time of the departure of the ship of the Alyeska terminal of officer bridge ready to take the quarter (rested).
  • the NTSB recommenda a more rigorous control of the periods of rest, as well as an improvement of the behavior of the quarter at the control center of the traffic (with ground), and mentioned that it is possible that tiredness and an inadequate management on behalf of the control center of the traffic could have an impact on the safety of the ship.
  • Following the shipwreck, on November 4th, 1993, the international maritime Organization published the resolution: A.772 (18) having for title Tiredness factors in manning and safety (see external bonds). It will have to be waited until 1995 so that convention STCW 1995 mentions that the period minimum of rest is 10 a.m. by 24 hour old sections. Thereafter, the international organization of work (ILO) jointly with the OMI, published a guide for the development of the management of work on board (IMO/ILO Guidelines one Seafarers' Hours off Work gold Rest) .
  • There exist unfortunately always today problems of management of the rest period on the tradind ships and can be more still on the fishing vessels, although efforts were made, tiredness is currently targeted like one of the leading causes of accidents.

Consequences

The failure damaged 11 of the 13 Citerne S of the tanker and caused the discharge of 40  000 tons of crude oil. More 7  000 km ² of tablecloths polluted 800 km of coasts (2  000 km with all the small islands and notches).

It is a shock for the the United States and the group Exxon, which did not imagine such a possible catastrophe.

Tens of thousands of volunteers and means without precedent are mobilized (1  400 ships, 85 helicopters and 1  100 people) to save birds and marine mammals, and to clean the littoral beach after beach.

A lawsuit is engaged by the American administration, of associations and the private individuals against Exxon, which is turned over against its insurers.

In the engaged legal actions, many charges will be carried against the Commander: alcohol consumption before embarking, lack of framing of its crew, dangerous attempts at déséchouement of the ship, etc

With nearly 1,5 billion euros (10 billion francs) to date paid and a final invoice which could exceed 3,8 billion euros (25 billion francs), it is by far the oil pollution most expensive of the history.

The ship will change name before continuing its career, out of American water.

External bonds

  • Geography of the places
  • Management of the work hours on board
  • A.772 (18) on site IMO
  • IMO/ILO Guidelines one Seafarers' Hours off Work gold Rest
  • Memory on tiredness
  • File on the accident of the exxon Valdez (Cedar)

Source

  • Anchorage daily news
  • Course of maritime security, school of the Merchant navy, Marseilles.

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