Surviving disaster – The Titanic and SOLAS

In 1914, two years after the Titanic disaster of 1912, in which 1,503 people lost their lives, maritime nations Distress alert Inmarsat
gathered in London adopted the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention), satellite
The Titanic used radio IMO
taking into account lessons learned from the Titanic. The 1914 version was superseded by SOLAS 1929, which had a limited range
SOLAS 1948, SOLAS 1960 (the first adopted under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization) of 200 nautucal miles.
Ships can now communicate Helicopters and rescue planes
and SOLAS 1974. SOLAS 1974 is still in force today, but it has been amended and updated many times. globally via satellites. Unavailable in 1912, helicopters
The regulations relating to life saving appliances and arrangements, contained in chapter III of SOLAS, and rescue planes are now used
a new version of which entered into force on 1 July 1998, are intended to ensure that in the event to locate, search for and
rescue survivors.
of a catastrophe at sea, passengers and crew have the greatest chances of survival.
Improved design and equipment, better fire protection, satellite communications, rescue planes
Marconi
and helicopters and trained personnel also contribute to improved safety at sea. radio wires

Speed of navigation around ice

The Commission into the Titanic ruled the loss was
Lifeboat drill
due to collision with an iceberg brought about by No lifeboat drill was held on the Titanic.
excessive speed at which she was being Under SOLAS chapter III an ‘abandon ship’
navigated. and fire drill must take place weekly on all
Ice patrol Under SOLAS, when ice is reported on or near his passenger ships.
In the first SOLAS 1914, after the Titanic disaster, course the master of every ship at night is bound
ice patrols in the north Atlantic were set up and to proceed at a moderate speed or alter course.
continue to be a SOLAS requirement.

Evacuation chutes
Passengers on the Titanic jumped from windows
and doorways into the lifeboats as they were
lowered, often injuring themselves or other
passengers
New emergency evacuation chutes are both safer
and quicker.

Public address system

There was no public address
system on the Titanic and
news filtered to the passengers
slowly, adding to the disorder Training of crew in lifeboat drill Number of lifeboats
and confusion. The crew of the Titanic lacked training in The Titanic did not have enough
Under SOLAS, all passenger loading and lowering the lifeboats and few lifeboats for all passengers.
ships must be fitted with a knew which boat they were assigned to. Under SOLAS, passenger ships must
public address system. Lifeboats were not filled to capacity because carry enough lifeboats (some of which Location
senior officers did not know the boats had can be substituted by liferafts) for all The land station at Cape Race, Newfoundland and
been tested and were strong enough. passengers, plus liferafts for 25%. ships other than the Carpathia and the Californian
Under SOLAS, every crew member must
heard the Titanic distress call but the airwaves were
participate in regular practise drills and have
crackling and the Titanic’s position was misinterpreted.
easy access to training manuals.
With EPIRBs and global positioning systems, the position
of a ship in distress can be automically sent.
Lifeboat design Cospas sarsat
The Carpathia
Some people died from hypothermia in the Titanic lifeboats because satellite
Immersion suits Received distress call at Rad
they were open and gave no protection against the cold. io
12.25am. Travelled 58 miles wa
Under SOLAS, lifeboats must be fully or partially enclosed. On The sea temperature ve
and picked up first lifeboat at s
passenger ships, partially enclosed lifeboats can be used as they are when the Titanic sank 4.10am. Distress watch
easier to get into, but they must have a collapsible roof to fold across. was below freezing The Californian was
point and many less than 20 miles away
people died in the The Californian but the radio officer had
water from Stopped because gone off duty when the
hypothermia. of the ice less than distress messages
Under SOLAS, a 20 miles from the
were sent.
specific number of Titanic. Did not
approach until Under SOLAS, every
immersion suits ship while at sea must
after 6.00am when
must be carried on the Carpathia was maintain a continuous
both passenger and spotted. Arrived at watch on the distress
The Titanic
cargo ships, mainly for 7.30am - too late and safety frequencies.
Hit iceberg at
the crews of rescue 11.40pm and to rescue any
boats. sank at 2.20am. survivors.

GRAPHIC: LIZ GOULD ©