Ferry Safety Project

Ferry Safety in the Developing World

The IMO/Interferry Bangladesh Project

Interferry has launched a joint initiative with the International Maritime Organization to improve the shocking safety record of domestic ferry operations in developing nations. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in January 2006 on a ten-year action plan aiming at a 90% cut in fatalities – conservatively estimated at 1,000 a year. In the first phase, a pilot project is being arranged in Bangladesh.

Why should Interferry and its members from the world's developed economies be interested in ferry safety in places like the Congo , Indonesia and Bangladesh ? The first answer would be based on simple humanitarian principles – we want to offer our wealth of experience to help stem this unacceptable and avoidable loss of life.

The second answer is less direct. Every time a ferry accident is reported in the developed world's media, it has a cumulative impact on the public perception of ferry safety. With the spread of global tourism, it is becoming less uncommon to find citizens of developed countries among the casualties in far-off ferry accidents. If the public image of ferries declines, then it will eventually affect the bottom line of operators everywhere as their customers have second thoughts about their safety at sea.

Ferry safety in developing countries is a big and diverse problem. Interferry represents more than 180 members in 25 countries but it is not a big organisation and its resources are limited. We decided to look for a partner and soon found one in the IMO, where we have consultative status. As publicly demonstrated by past and present Secretary Generals, the IMO shares our desire to tackle the problem – even though it falls outside their remit to regulate international rather than domestic shipping.

We decided to start with a single country that had a serious safety problem. Further, it was decided to work from the bottom up with the local industry to design a series of small demonstration projects to test potential solutions. Successful projects would be duplicated throughout the country and eventually rolled out to similar countries.

Bangladesh was chosen as the test-bed in liaison with the government. Following a planning trip in July 2006, a Working Group of government, industry, regulators, and other interested parties will meet later in the year to identify problems and possible remedies in areas such as overcrowding, weather reporting, crew training and vessel design and maintenance. Based on this meeting, a number of modest demonstration projects will be implemented and evaluated, hopefully leading to long-term solutions.

Of course, these kinds of projects do not happen without funding. So far all the planning work has been done by IMO and Interferry staff, with help from a few volunteer members. We have agreed to share certain costs, like the $5,000 from Interferry to help fund the initial planning visit to Bangladesh . But that is only the beginning – the longer term will require far more substantial backing.The IMO will seek financial support from governments and multilateral funding organisations, while Interferry will reach out to its own members, international private sector organisations and private sector ferry operators in the target countries.

Right now the priority challenge is to enlist further support for our pilot mission in Bangladesh . On the one hand we are looking for expertise, so please contact the people listed below if you are interested in being part of the Working Group, especially if you have experience in developing countries. We are also looking for donations – as little as $1,000 could fund local transport expenses; while $3,000, for instance, would help towards overseas travel and subsistence. Whatever you can contribute by way of manpower or money will help to make our mark on a state of affairs that ultimately reflects on us all.

For more information please contact:

Len Roueche, Interferry CEO
Tel: 1 250 592-9612
email: len.roueche@interferry.com

Roberta Weisbrod, Director
Partnership for Sustainable Ports
Tel: 1 718 722-2824
email: weisbrod@ix.netcom.com

See the attached documents for more background information.

Safety Project Annual Report, 2009
Safety Project Annual Report, 2007-08
Safety Project Annual Report, 2006
News Release: IMO/Interferry partnership
"Ferry Disasters in Developing Nations", Lawson and Weisbrod
"Inland Water Transport Accidents in Banglash", Awal