Maritime safety as part of and overlapping with water safety is concerned with the protection of life (search and rescue) and property through regulation, management and technology development of all forms of waterborne transportation. The executive institutions are the national and transnational maritime administrations. maritime accidents, while characterized by a level of safety of the order of 10−5 (1 serious accident per 100,000 movements), which is only slightly inferior to that of the field of air transportation (10−6) are a significant source of risk for insurance companies, transport companies and property owners. [1] Beyond that, of course, ship owners and maritime institutions have to ensure that casualties at sea (mostly by drowning) are kept to the possible minimum. Organizational and human factors are critical antecedents to accidents such as MV Prestige, Herald of Free Enterprise, MS Sleipner, MS Estonia, Bow Mariner and Hoegh Osaka as well as the infamous Titanic. [2]
In recent years, advances in sensor fusion, artificial intelligence and computer vision have led to the development of predictive safety systems, including Maritime Collision Avoidance Systems, aimed at reducing maritime accidents. AI-powered platforms such as Sea.AI and Watchit.ai assist in identifying non-cooperative objects (e.g., floating debris, small vessels) and alerting operators in real time to potential collision risks, particularly in recreational and coastal navigation contexts. [3] [4]
International maritime safety is primarily governed by a set of conventions and codes developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. The cornerstone of this regulatory framework is the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), first adopted in 1914 in response to the sinking of the Titanic. SOLAS establishes minimum safety standards for ship construction, equipment, and operations. Complementary agreements such as the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code), the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR Convention) contribute to a comprehensive global safety regime. National maritime authorities are responsible for implementing and enforcing these standards, often through classification societies and flag state controls.
For a complete list, see Category:Maritime safety organizations