Comparative Analysis of the Marine Components Applied in the Prevention of the Central American Region Casualties

Abstract

In order to determinate he causes involved in the oceurrcnce of the maritime casualties happened in the Pacific side of the Central American Region (CAR) between 1980 and 2004 (O, the authors compiled necessary information about the maritime and port organization components from each ef the CAR countries. In addition, maritime regulations associated with each country's maritime organization were analyzed. Furthermore, the maritime conventioms issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Otganization (ILO), which have bcen ratified by the CAR., were analyzed. Based on the infbrmation obtained and within the existent legal frame, the CAR port and maritime components were analyzed. In order to establish a comparison parameter for the CAR maritime organization grade, the compired information was compared against the infbrmation obtained ftom the Japanese maritime authoritics, The objective of this research is to analyze the maritime components applied by the CAR in the prcvention of maritime casualties and to determinate the possible relationship between the high fatality rate and the CAR maritime organization, Based on the comparisen of the compiled infbrmation, authors determined the CAR maritime organization level and the difference that exists among the Maritime Organizations. The results ef this study provides general miderstanding of the causes of maritime casualties in the CAR and basis for support in improying safety navigation system and measures so that tlie number of fatalities and maritime casualties mav be reduced in the future, Keyyvords; maritim ¢ organization; Central American Rcgion; preyention ef maritime casualties; fatality rate. 1. Introduetion 1.1 CAR and their Maritime Problematic According to the provisiens of article 94 of the United Nations Conyention on the Law ef the Sea(2) (UNCLOS), "a flag State shall cause an inquiry into every maritime casualties or incidents of navigation on the high seas involving a ship fiying its flag and causing less of life er serious iajur)・ to national of anothcr State, which might pose a risk to life or to the environment, involve the coastal state search and rescue (SAR) authorities, or otherwise affeet the coastal State", Also, under relevant IMO cenventiens, such as SOLAS(3) regulation If21 and MARPOL 73f78(") articles g and 12, "each Administration ulldertakes to conduct an investigation into any casualty occurTing to ships under its flag suliject to those conventions and to supply the IMO with peninent information coneerning the finding of such investigations". The Load Lines Convention article 23 also requires the investigation of casualties. In cempliaiice with the international regulations mentioned in thg above, many countries have established a specific authority to carry out maritime casualty investigations, such MAIA in Japan, MAIB in the United Kingdom, and NTSB in the USA. According Ns'ith the results of the investigation compiled by Porras et al (i), the high ameunt of persens death and disappear happened between 1980 and 2004, by the maritime casualties in the Pacific side ef the CAR and the high fatality rate calculated by 100,OOO persons, was the base to supposed that the cause of this problematie would be the inexistence of a Maritime Organizatien on the CAR. In spite og the high amount of maritime casualties occurred in this Rcgion, the infbmiation about these casualties has not been reported in odicial documents. The reason why Japan was selected as the country of comparison with CAR is because Japan is an island country with long maritime traditien and it has a record of maritime casualties. Other important reason, that can be observer in Fig,1, is based on the historic decreasing of the amount ofJapanese dead and disappear persons from 1980. and the maintenanee of a lew fatality rate. ' Student member: [[bkyo University of Marine Science and Tlechnologrr (2-1-6, Etehajim4 Koto Ku, Tbkyo 135-8S33) ** Member/ [Ibkyo University ef Marine Science and [lbchnology (2-1-6, Etchojima, Koto Ku, [[bk)'o l35-8533) Japan Institute of Navigation NII-Electronic Library Service apanInstitute fNavigation 26 E7is[wthi\fttw= 18 fi 9 fi 1.2 CAR and Japan Fatality Rate Based on the number of death and missing persens caused by the maritime casualties occurred between 1980 and 2004 on the Pacific sicle of the CAR and Japan, the fatality rate (fatality per 100,OOO persons) was calculated. Fig.1, was generated based on the information compiled during the :esearch for the CAR (i) and from the Japan Coast Guard Statistics(S), Marine Accident Inquiry Agency(6) and Japan Fisheries Agency(D. The right vertical axis of the Fig, 1, represents the fatality rate by 100,OOO persons and the left vertical axis represents the number deaths and missing persons due to maritime casualties. The Japanese mortality rate is shown in circles and the CAR va]ues are represented by triangles. The black vertical columns Tepresent the number of dead and missing Japanese persons during maritime casualties occurred and the grey column represents those in the CAR case, . 500 :2in'a'Man335oOos" 250vts 200vg 15Qn 100 se Fig・1198