Explaining groundings

THE shipping industry has grabbed the attention of the general public, and politicians, over the past couple of years in a way it would much prefer not to have done. There have been a number of bad accidents, including the high-profile groundings of the cruise ship Costa Concordia and the 3,351-TEU container ship Rena.

The Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized off the Italian island of Giglio in January last year, resulting in the loss of 32 lives. The reasons for that grounding are still the subject of a criminal case against her master.

The Rena grounded on Astrolabe Reef off New Zealand's Tauranga coast in October 2011, causing a major impact on a highly sensitive natural environment. The master and second mate were sentenced to seven months in prison for their actions leading to the disaster.