Marine Casualties
Regardless of the location or the gravity, we are here to help. When accidents occur at sea, a whole response process is activated across our network of offices to find safe and efficient solutions in the shortest delays. This involves the work of our surveyors on site, and in parallel a casualty response team evaluating the outcomes of different salvage scenarios using computer models.
Every casualty can be managed and analysed in depth to precisely determine how the potential risks could evolve over time, and how to control them. We have at our disposition senior surveyors and engineers, as well as the computing tools to support our decisions.
Casualty Management
On-site Assistance
AMA are able to provide clients with comprehensive on-site casualty management. Some examples of the ways in which we can add value include:
- Assessing cause and extent of damages
- Monitoring salvage operations
- Arranging disposal of hazardous items
- Monitor and account for clean-up operations
- Liaising with local government agencies
- Sourcing and negotiating with local manpower
- Monitor and account for third party contractors
- Tracking cargo and other valuables
- Arranging bunker oil sampling
- Supporting client representatives and crew
- Providing local knowledge and language skills
Lloyd’s Open Form
When LOF is invoked for casualties it is almost always accompanied by SCOPIC and at such times AMA have the necessary, required experience and qualification to provide on-site H&M Casualty Representatives.
Continuity and Resolution
Unfortunately the legacy of a maritime incident can survive long after the initial event in the form of the wreck itself, pollution and fouling, cargo items and containers appearing on the beaches, and so on. Some casualties can continue on for months if not a year or more after the event. AMA are able to provide an appropriately scaled, continuing presence until completion and closure of the matter. This continuity provides not only a greater level of accuracy and accountability, but a deeper understanding and record of events should matters not later resolve amicably between our clients and any other parties concerned.
Navigation Simulation
Working hand-in-hand with our long standing expertise in the production of traditional 2D plots and time lapse marine casualty reconstructions, AMA also maintain the ability to produce fluid and compelling 3D reconstructions, based on the existing 2D information. These can be rendered on demand using our in-house software, or converted into a film format suitable for your own playing on a desktop or laptop computer.
Such reconstructions provide an invaluable insight for case handlers and legal practitioners into an incident, enabling them to clearly understand otherwise complex factors in a readily digestible format. They may also be used by ship’s crews and other potential witnesses to assist in their clearer recollections of events.
Typical uses for such reconstructions include in-house training (such as on past cases), settlement meetings, as well as court or arbitration submitted evidence. Even in the absence of VDR captured radar images, our software and expertise can recreate the likely radar targets or AIS information that would have existed, displaying these on demand together with stunning 3D rendered visuals of the vessels involved and the available environments, right down to the prevailing wave heights, cloud cover and daylight conditions.
Salvage Engineering
A vessel casualty can be a costly and complicated affair, not only legally but also practically from the damages sustained to a vessel and its machinery. When a vessel is damaged at sea there is an urgent need for reliable answers. Thanks to a number of advanced design tools in our arsenal, AMA have the capabilities and expertise to rapidly model a multitude of vessel hull forms. By importing such models into specialised salvage software, everything from intact to multiple damages vessel scenarios can be evaluated automatically. Working seamlessly together with our team of surveyors and consultants attending a casualty, these tools allow us to offer them superior front-line support and, to our clients dependable advice.