Shaping the Future of the Superyacht Industry: An Urgent Call for Resolute Measures to Improve Safety Features in Vessel Design

An insightful analysis from CHIRP Maritime’s Superyacht Feedback addresses the rising safety concerns in the superyacht industry. Through the detailed narrative of a reporter who recently joined a vessel under construction, this initiative highlights theSuperyacht Maritime Advisory Board’s commitment to improving maritime safety through anonymous reporting and sharing critical insights.

The reporter underlined the requirement for ‘pad eyes’- robust points enabling safe work practice at heights. While more pad eyes were deemed necessary, the request for additional ones was rebuffed by the shipyard. They claimed the design, already sanctioned by the owner, architects, and classification society, negated the need for modifications.

This matter underlines the much-needed emphasis on soliciting and assimilating the experiences of operators during the design stage. It’s absolutely integral to prioritize safety implications for crew and passengers right from the design phase. A rigid feedback process is propitious, enabling the integration of experiential learning into future builds.

Active participation from owners, classification societies, and Flag states is essential during the design phase. Equally, crews should provide feedback regarding design flaws to Flag states. It’s imperative to instill a proactive safety culture instead of a merely calculative one, where essential compliance is the bare minimum.

The salient points derived from this report entail promoting a proactive safety culture, emphasizing on additional safety features, and encouraging robust communication around safety designs. CHIRP’s commendable initiatives serve to encourage active participation in the pursuit of enhanced operational safety for crews working on superyachts. With this, it’s full steam ahead for the safety revolution in the superyacht industry.