1. Promotion of Maritime Casualty Prevention Activities
A review of the causes of maritime distress requiring rescue reveals that human elements account for 71%. These include insufficient vigilance, inappropriate piloting and other navigational errors and unsatisfactory handling of engines. Consequently, spreading and enhancing awareness regarding maritime casualty prevention and working to have people acquire and improve their knowledge and skills in this field are effective means of preventing maritime distress. Accordingly, JMSA endeavors to spread awareness of maritime casualty prevention through activities such as having its JMSA officers provide onboard instruction and holding seminars on maritime casualty prevention throughout the nation (a total of about 47,000 people attended the 877 seminars JMSA held in 1995).
2. Guidance and Development of Maritime Casualty Prevention Organizations, etc.
To expect maritime casualty prevention to be effective, it is essential to have activities in which persons involved in maritime affairs and other parties concerned take the leadership role on their own. It is important that various private organizations formed to prevent maritime casualty comprise the core parent body and promote these activities vigorously.
JMSA works to strengthen the development of various private organizations so that their voluntary activities in response to trends in maritime casualties and changes in the navigational environment will grow steadily. These organizations numbered 482 as of May 31, 1996.
3. Safety Measures for Various Types of Vessels
(1) Tankers
In 1995, there were 48 tankers that experienced maritime distress from which they needed to be rescued (hereinafter referred to as "ships requiring rescue"). This accounted for only 3% of all ships requiring rescue, and this extremely low level has been the trend for the past ten years. However, a tanker or other such vessel carrying dangerous cargo in distress requires that special care be taken to prevent an accident. A single mistake can cause the spillage of crude oil or other harmful substances, a fire, or some similar disaster that would have a serious impact on not only the vessel in distress, but also on the surrounding waters and facilities.
The number of tankers entering designated ports in the three sea areas of Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay, and the Seto Inland Sea account for 75% of all tankers entering designated ports nationwide. Therefore. JMSA has devised safety measures, mainly for tankers entering
