1. Expert Group on Maritime Policy
Reykjavík 14 March 2017
Maritime safety, training
and reduction of casualties in Iceland
Maritime Museum Reykjavík
Sverrir Konráðsson and Ólafur J. Briem
Icelandic Maritime Administration

2. Iceland‘s fight for safer seas
Dependent on shipping and fishing Alarming number of seafarers and fishermen have lost their lives every year in Iceland Fatalities at sea considered unavoidable toll for centuries Unforgiving climate, high winds, high waves

3. Employs around 9.000 people, or 5,3% of the total workforce in Iceland
The seafood industry is one of the key industries in Iceland contributing 11% to the GDP directly (25% if account is taken of the indirect effects of the ocean cluster)
Employs around people, or 5,3% of the total workforce in Iceland
Export value of marine products in 2012 amounted to ISK 269 billion (2.3 billion €) a total of 749 thousand tonnes
Marine products account for approximately 42% of the value of exported goods
Íslandsstofa

4. Iceland ranks in top 20 in list of world catches
Catch in 2015 around 1.3 million tonnes
2289 registered ships 1 Jan 2017
Total GT 160,937
7,300 fishermen registered on FVs in 2017
Average age of fishermen: 41 years (2017)

5. Positive development
Since 1973, when there were 34 seafarer fatalities, accident rates have been decreasing considerably In 2008, 2011 and 2014 no Icelanders lost their life at sea Drastic reduction in fatal incidents at sea over the past 40 years

7. Achived through numerous synergetic factors
Mandatory basic safety and survival training for all seamen at the Maritime Safety and Survival Training Centre - ICE-SAR Refresher training at 5-year intervals
Awareness-raising campaigns
Mandatory training in use of safety equipment
Helicopter hoisting training in real environment at sea, in cooperation with the Coast Guard
Helicopters have proven efficient in rescue operations in Iceland as elsewhere and have saved numerous lives

8. Helicopter hoisting training in real environment at sea, in cooperation with the Coast Guard

9. Cont.
Mandatory annual surveys of all ships – seaworthiness certificate issued – valid for one year
Immersion suits for all crew members mandatory
Inflatable life rafts are mandatory on board all vessels
Remote and automatic release mechanism for inflatable life rafts mandatory
Reliable weather forecasts and web-based information system for weather and sea-state

10. AIS carriage is mandatory for all vessels regardless of size
All vessels except pleasure boats are monitored by the
national Vessel Traffic Service in Reykjavík

11. Manual and Automatic Rescue Boat Release Mechanism

12. When the small trawler Hallgrimur foundered off the coast of Norway on 25 January 2012 one seaman of the five-man crew survived. Longest time that an Icelandic seaman remained in the sea clad in immersion suit – around four hours in cold water and extremely high waves.

13. Cont.
Automatic identification system (AIS) mandatory for all ships in commercial use
Vessels safer than before - operated on the basis of a fish quota system
Stability-campaigns, control of stability
Better catch stowage
Risk assessment helped to develop measures to reduce working accidents on board vessels
Transport Policy – renewed every four years

14. Cont.
Mandatory registration of all seamen on all Icelandic vessels in commercial use Continuous monitoring of all vessel traffic by the Vessel Traffic Service in Reykjavík through AIS Seafarers’ Registration System keeps track of validity of CoCs, insurances, manning and vessel seaworthiness and is connected to AIS to help monitoring compliance

15. The Markus Rescue-Net. Has been used in Icelandic waters since 1981 and has saved many lives.

16. Cont.
Long-term program on the safety of seafarers and fishermen launched in 2000 and still functional Booklets, DVD disks and online videos on various safety-related issues – distributed free Regulations on ship-construction, design and equipment implemented - based on IMO’s Torremolinos Conv. and Protocol provisions and EU Directive 97/70/EC, as amended

17. Cont.
Ship design, construction and equipment – higher degree of safety with respect to loading and stability
Strict manning requirements
Strict training requirements for certification of seamen
Experience from operation of smaller fishing vessel evaluated and recognized for meeting requirements for certification for larger ships

18. Photo: Capt Hilmar Snorrason

19. Photo: Capt. Hilmar Snorrason

20. Photo: Capt. Hilmar Snorrason

21. Positive development
The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that every year an average of fishermen and women lose their lives while at work Iceland‘s track-record in the fight against serious marine accidents proves that the battle against fatal accidents in fishing worldwide can be won

22. Thank you