Changes in the Shipping Industry

U. S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol

The coast guard can trace the history if the International Ice Patrol back to the 1912 sinking of a large passenger ship called the Titanic. This ship, an important vessel full of high class people, sank by hitting an iceberg. This sinking was in the media’s eyes and shipping safety became a world-wide concern. The organization was founded in 1914 after a convention called Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). This showed flaws in overseas  transport. The Ice Patrol surveys for icebergs around the grand bank off the coast of North America. Members going though the north Atlantic ice fields will be notified on any changes to ice conditions. In collaboration with the Titanic Historical Society they have been a part of the wreath drop for 30 years now.

Changes in the ships design

There are many changes in the ships designs some of these changes include the hull and bulkhead design. A different metal is used now compared to the metal used in the titanic so it can hold up to cold temperatures.The titanic was made of  low-quality steel. Ships today are made of mostly iron and steel. Another improvement in ships would be the rivet patterns. In the safety part of ships building the lifeboats and the davits design are improved, and life jacket designs changed majorly.

Radio improvements

 With stronger radio signals the capability for safety was improved. The United states government made a mandatory law stating that every ship has a wireless operator but after the Titanic disaster  the United States government had an inquiry and  the results of the inquiry is that there is a mandatory of a minimum of 2 wireless operators. Another law that passed was that any ship has to keep in contact with the surrounding ship in the near vicinity and contact with coastal onshore radio stations. With the power supply if it happens to get disrupted there is a mandatory to have a secondary power supply. Recommendations were made by both the British and American Boards of Inquiry stating that ships would carry enough lifeboats for those aboard and  mandated lifeboat drills would happen and lifeboat inspections would be conducted this was then put into the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea passed in 1914.

Distress signals

After the Radio Act of 1912 was passed it was agreed that firing rockets at sea would be taken as distress signals only and removing any possible misinterpretation from other ships. This will help because during the Titanic accident there was a nearby ship and they did not realize that the Titanic was sinking.