How Safe Are Ferries?
In 2003, a ferry in New York City struck a pier in Staten
Island, killing eleven and injuring more than seventy. In 2005,
a ferry in British Columbia missed the dock and crashed into
small boats in the marina. And more recently, a ferry in the Red
Sea sank, claiming the lives of over one thousand passengers.
Just a few days previous to that disaster, a ferry in Indonesia
sank, killing dozens. All of these tragedies beg the question:
how safe are ferries? Ferries are popular with tourists,
considering them a scenic break from crowded highways, but
should you entrust yourself and your family to a ferry?
Ferries in developed countries are, relatively speaking, safe -
in fact, in the US traveling by ferry is far safer than
traveling by car. In the US, ferries operate in forty States,
and in 2002 ridership exceeded one million in several large US
cities (including Seattle, New York City, San Francisco, and
Boston). Seattle, which has the largest US ferry system, sees
approximately 26 million passengers each year. All the ferries
all operate under specific procedures and safety standards laid
out by state and federal authorities, some of which have been
updated since the 2003 crash in New York.
But ferries in Europe and the US have a new burden to consider,
as well: terrorism. Since September 11, all modes of mass
transit are coming under intense scrutiny by governmental
organizations, and this includes ferries. Often times operating
with the same number of staff, ferries are being required to
check and re-check both passengers and their vehicles for
anything suspicious. These new tasks are controversial in some
areas, especially in ferry systems already crowded, where the
additional security is seen as a hassle and time-suck. In the
past few years, the US Coast Guard has struggled with balancing
the demands for both safety and time and staff efficiency. The
new anti-terrorism regulations will have the highest impact on
large US and European ferry systems.
While the new regulations represent a hassle in developed
countries, ferry regulation in developing nations would be a
welcome relief. Ferry systems in developing nations suffer
continually from problems such as understaffing, severe
overcrowding, aging vessels, and a lack of regulatory standards.
As a result, it is not unusual to see repeat accidents in the
same rivers and ports, with the same ferry operators. The two
worst places to catch a ferry are Somalia and Bangladesh, where
ferry accidents are routine. In Bangladesh, roughly 1,000 people
die in ferry accidents every year. The International Maritime
Organization (IMO) has begun a ten-year plan to reduce the
number of ferry fatalities, but when this will realistically
begin to have an effect on the ferry systems of developing
nations remains a question.
In summary, if you are considering traveling by ferry as part of
your upcoming vacation, you would do well to consider where your
travel will be: In the US, Canada, and Europe, you can take
comfort on the fact that you are safer in a ferry than you are
in a car and even some planes. But if you are traveling in a
developing nation, either do your homework carefully, or stay
away from the ferry systems altogether.