Watchkeeper: The value of ships

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

31 Jan 2010

As has been frequently demonstrated, major emergencies demonstrate the value of ships, and they do not get much worse than the terrible earthquake that wrecked Port au Prince, Haiti, on 12 January. In the aftermath of this terrible disaster, which afflicted one of the poorest countries on earth, “first-aid” was applied by air through a small and frequently congested airport. Distribution of aid was hampered by poor and almost wrecked infrastructure, with the roads blocked by collapsed buildings, and little in the way of usable heavy equipment available. 


The port, sadly, had been devastated, with no deep water wharf available and wrecked craneage, while there was also uncertainty about possible obstructions in the harbour and its approaches. It was a nightmare scenario, eased only by the availability of helicopters, which had initial difficulties in finding suitable places in the city to land to bring assistance to where it was so badly needed. 


It was ships, ultimately, that were able to make the difference. The immediate despatch by the US Government of the giant nuclear aircraft carrier Carl Vincent with her capability of supporting large numbers of helicopters, provided major useful assistance. The US hospital ship Comfort, with more than 12 operating theatres and several hundred medical staff, was also anchored off the Haitian coast within a few days of the disaster, having fortunately been available at short notice. 


The US was also making available one of its maritime prepositioning ships which was fortuitously being emptied of her load of war stores in Jacksonville in readiness for a refit when the call came. By 22 January this vessel, laden with dump trucks, bulldozers and earthmoving equipment, electrical generators, port equipment and palletised stores, along with a small fleet of small barges, was off Port au Prince, one of 10 Maritime Sealift Command vessels mobilised by the US to assist its small neighbour. 


Self-containment might be thought of as a major priority in such a situation when attempting to aid a devastated city and the prepositioning ship is well fitted for such an operation, with five heavy cranes, a heavy stern ramp and a substantial helicopter landing platform aft. The use of its barges will enable heavy plant to be transferred ashore from an anchorage. Other vessels which the US was mobilising included a 40 knot catamaran ferry, being reactivated from layup, and a special vessel for port clearance. 


What can be learned from this disaster, with its terrible death toll, the helplessness of the wretched inhabitants, and the sheer numbers of people requiring basic assistance to live? The world did what it could, but the fact that the principal donor of massive aid was a nearby superpower is not without significance. But it is the ability to mobilise such marine assets that will ultimately make a difference to the outcome. After the Indian Ocean tsunami, with its terrible death toll, there was discussion at both ASEAN and United Nations’ fora about the need for greater preparedness for these sorts of emergencies. A number of nations have upgraded their contingency plans to provide for maritime-borne assistance. But the Haiti disaster demonstrates, perhaps, that in a disaster of such magnitude, major investment in heavy-duty maritime assets are required. You cannot have too much of such resources. But at present, only a very few nations are able to make such equipment available, mostly employing military or auxiliary hardware. What, it may be asked, if such muscle is not readily available?

Source: Watchkeeper, BIMCO