Impact case study database

RAIDS and its associated supporting models has influenced industrial practice and facilitated the shaping of a goal-setting regime, now increasingly used in maritime systems design and operation. Examples of industry adoption of the risk-based decision support tool follow:

1. The HSE has used the tool to improve offshore safety through a reduction in the number of collisions between offshore installations and vessels [ROs 3, 4; RPs 1, 2, 12]. The support tool currently benefits more than 184 offshore oil and gas installations on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). The research has directly led to the development of HSE guidance on avoiding offshore installation-ship collisions and improving the current capabilities of equipment able to warn of a potential collision - using Marine Radar (on Standby vessels or installations), Automatic Radar Plotting Aids, Radar Early Warning systems, Automatic Identification System (AIS) radio navigation and Vessel Traffic Monitoring Systems (VTS). The three relevant HSE guidelines produced by LJMU in collaboration with HSE are: 1) Effective collision risk management for offshore installations, HSE Book, 2019, 200 pages; 2) Ship/Platform collision incident database (2015), HSE Books, 2019; 3) Collision detection on the UKCS, HSE Books, 2019. 184 offshore oil and gas platforms on the UKCS and 1,327 worldwide have benefited from these guidelines since 2019 [Source 1]. Benefits to the offshore oil and gas platforms have included cost savings from the reduced risk of the demolition/removal of damaged installations after a collision, environmental clean-up and potential commercial costs associated with loss of contracts and business reputation. 14 ship operators including Swire Group, Tidewater, Fletcher Shipping and Subsea7 have benefited from the guidelines. Anchor-handling tug supply vessels, platform supply vessels, multipurpose supply vessels, emergency response/standby and rescue vessels, crew vessels and chase vessels run by these operators have used the guidelines to “ reduce the risk of a collision. In total, 500 offshore support vessels operated by these companies have used the guidelines in their enterprises” [Source 1]. The guidelines have provided the HSE with an indication of the effectiveness of the regulatory regime. They have been used to inform new HSE developments such as the ‘Walk to Work (W2W)’ and multi-agency incident response guidance. The guidelines have “ provided offshore stakeholders with an enhanced awareness of both incident occurrence and the regulatory oversight; and have assisted in the reduction of potential collisions and hence helped maintain the risk control options necessary to prevent the loss of life” [Source 1]. 10 other countries, including Ireland, have also benefited from this research, since they monitor ongoing activities on the UKCS and often duplicate the UK regulatory regime for their own use. Many large offshore operators such as BP and Shell are international operators with their own corporate standards which are then applied locally. They have used the research findings to benchmark themselves against the collision data and looked at ways of detecting potential collision risk as part of mitigation measures [Source 1].

2. The risk-based decision support tool has led to the development of a Risk-Based Verification (RBV) framework for offshore installations [RO 5; RPs 2, 4]. The RBV framework has “ helped duty holders effectively implement the verification process and guided Independent Competent Persons (ICPs) to evaluate the risk associated with safety critical elements” [Source 5.2]. Lloyd’s Register has adopted the tool to facilitate the RBV certification process for offshore oil and gas rigs, which is a mandatory process within the UKCS. Since the introduction of the EU Offshore Safety Directive in 2014, other countries including Cyprus, Ireland, Brunei and Nigeria have adopted this regime. 40 duty holders (owners) including BP, and 250 fixed offshore oil and gas installations have benefited from the work as it has identified the gaps in the verification process, as well as proposed solutions, such as a toolkit for duty holders/independent verification bodies and the introduction of a proactive verification process. Direct beneficiaries have been the offshore workforce, benefiting from a root cause analysis of the degraded Safety Environmental Critical Elements (SECEs). The RBV framework has been used to identify, and systematically analyse major accident hazards/SECEs, directly leading to a reduction in the cost of verification (10% estimated by Lloyds Register) [Source 2].

3. The risk-based decision support tool [RO 1; RPs 3, 6] has been used in Shell Global Lubricants’ planned maintenance system using lubricating oil condition monitoring techniques, benefiting 1,000 ships with tonnage ranging between 5,000 and 250,000 tons. Ship operators’ lubricating oil has been monitored in order to take appropriate action before the ship’s machinery system breaks down. Industry analysis has indicated that the Return on Investment for lubricating oil analysis, incorporating the safety-based support system, is approximately 14 times. The efficient marine planned maintenance system has been used for robust improvement and management, especially in situations where conventional planned maintenance techniques cannot be implemented with confidence due to data deficiency. The business benefit has been very significant in terms of: 1) the direct revenue from the LubeAnalyst service (over $10m each year since 2016); and 2) the additional lubricants business as a result of being able to offer innovative services (over $100m each year since 2016). It has also led to the development of new strategic partnerships in marine lubricants between Shell and a number of its clients [Source 3].

4. The research has been instrumental in the development of a new engineering safety training approach for high-risk industries, which includes the marine and offshore sectors (mainly in the Middle East region), initially through a two-year KTP project with Risktec Solutions Ltd [RO 6; RP 11]. Risktec Solutions Ltd is a global specialist in risk management consulting, software and risk management training, helping clients manage health, safety, security, environmental and business risk. This KTP project was assessed as “Outstanding” by the KTP Grading Panel in 2010, and selected as the best Knowledge Transfer Partnership in the North West in the KTP Regional Partnership Awards 2011. A novel training approach based on the risk-based decision support tool was used to develop a series of risk assessment courses [RPs 5, 9]. “ The Risktec training business has generated revenues of over £7.5 million since 2014. An approximate revenue per year is £1.2m. Based on 2019 revenue, the FTE for this new business is approximately an additional 5 FTEs.” Risktec has seen “positive internal staff development for junior staff. There is a general perception (but not one that is easily measurable) that offering training in addition to the core services has improved Risktec’s exposure to new customers and clients through an increased profile. This new training approach has enabled Risktec Solutions Ltd to operate their businesses with a much stronger capacity” [Source 4]. Risktec has part-funded an industrial lectureship (50%) in Risk Assessment at LOOM since 2014. An industrial MSc. course in risk assessment, managed by Risktec in cooperation with Liverpool John Moores University, has attracted an average cohort of 10 learners each year since 2014. The risk-based decision support tool has been used in more than 10 consulting projects worth £5m to Risktec since 2014 [Source 4].

5. The risk-based decision support tool has been used in the design of Alterations and Additions (A&As) for vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) since 2016 [RO 6; RP 6], specifically in upgrading and updating capability decision-making. The decision-making tool has been employed in 9 ships of the RFA flotilla and 4 ships (Tide Class tankers) in various stages of completion, trials and commissioning since 2016. The risk-based decision support tool has been incorporated in a novel way, through the application of formal decision-making techniques allied to A&A reasoning as an integral part of the ‘in-service’ Design Control Board (DCB) process for RFA ships. The DCB process is fundamental to the risk-based decisions made by the RFA for A&As, and has led to cost savings in A&As implementation as a result of a 14-26% saving in man hours. The fundamental principles (of A&A implementation) are applicable to surface ships undergoing design change throughout their service life within the Royal Navy [Source 5].

6. Operational policy and regulations for more than 200 large inland vessels have been shaped/modified through the use of the risk-based decision support tool [ROs 1, 4; RP 8] by the Three Gorges Navigation Authority and Changjiang Safety Agency, China since 2015. This has increased the annual ship capacity of the Three Gorges ship lock by between 5 and 8% since 2015. Over 45,000 vessels carrying more than 100m tons of cargo pass through the Three Gorges each year [Source 6]. Navigation pressure on the Three Gorges ship lock has eased significantly. The enhanced security warning capabilities incorporating the risk-based support tool have utilized fully the supervision and assistance of modern equipment such as VTS, GPS, and CCTV, rationalizing the working procedures and responsibilities of the navigable command, locks, anchorages, etc. The effective identification and real-time monitoring of the ship’s navigation are strengthened and implemented. As a result, the time taken for ships to pass through the gate has been shortened and the daily operating efficiency of the ship lock has been improved [Source 6].

7. The research into developing a risk assessment-based approach into the assessment of vessel traffic risks at pilotage and in congested waters [RO 2; RP 7], has been used by the Shanghai Pilot Station (SPS) at the Port of Shanghai to improve SPS pilotage safety since 2014. The technical model, with uncertainties in data and validation, of the proposed risk reduction measures has been developed within the risk-based decision support tool, in collaboration with those at SPS [Source 7]. The research has resulted in an annual reduction of pilotage-related vessel traffic incidents/accidents by 8-12% since 2014. The estimated savings from reducing pilotage-related vessel traffic incidents/accidents are £5m per year since 2014. SPS oversees about 5,000 large ships piloted through the Port of Shanghai each year [Source 7].

8. A detailed study of the relationship between pure risk and compliance and its impact on the risk assessment process has been conducted with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Limited since 2017 [RP 10]. “ Ascertaining what effect work-based substance misuse has on the safety and financial performance of business allows for better assessment methodologies and allows an understanding of the true cost and scale of substance abuse in a UK workforce. The control of substance misuse in the workplace has an effect on the company’s incident and accident rates”. The risk-based decision support tool has been used to produce an industrial guideline on drug and alcohol abuse through investigating if the control of substance misuse in the workplace has any effect on the company’s incident and accident rates. The guideline has been in use by Siemens, “ *already benefited a number of offshore wind farms and has been shared with the offshore wind energy industry body (The G+ Organisation)*”. The drug-related accident rate has fallen by 40% and the incident rate by 58% in 2019 when compared to the 2017 figures. Annual hours saved have increased by 56% when compared with the 2017 data [Source 8].

Evidence of the long-term industrial impact is demonstrated by three prestigious awards to LOOM members from three professional institutions. These include 1) the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Marine Safety’ from the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) in 2018; 2) the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) – Lloyd’s Register Maritime Safety award for improving the safety of life at sea and the protection of the maritime environment through novel and improved design, construction and operational procedures in 2018; and 3) “Award for Risk Reduction in Mechanical Engineering” for outstanding contribution in risk reduction of maritime/mechanical systems as the annual winner from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in 2018. All three awards are given to a member of the global marine community in recognition of a significant contribution to improving maritime safety in the sector annually.