The Maritime Advocate-Issue 914

The Maritime Advocate—Issue 914 is a reader-supported publication, free to access and backed by advertisers and sponsors, and it lists multiple topics for the edition, including distraction risks and maritime regulation themes. In the opening article, “Dangers of distraction,” author Michael Grey argues that handheld communication devices have increased driver distraction and that similar debates have long existed in maritime operations. He cites a recent US National Transportation Safety Board report on a fatal river collision involving a bulk carrier and a towboat, where the pilot was reportedly on an extensive non-work phone conversation while also issuing helm orders. Grey says bridge team members were heavily criticized for tolerating the behavior. He also references another costly US port grounding with a similar root cause, and notes that such distractions have led to preventable accidents.