Spatial and Statistical Analysis of Operational Conditions Contributing to Marine Accidents in the Singapore Strait

Narrow waterways are important connection hubs, also known as logistics transfer nodes, within maritime transport, where maritime traffic can become very dense and congested. Heavy traffic, unsuitable environmental conditions and human errors make narrow waterways risky areas for marine accident occurrence. Accidents in narrow waterways cause ship damage, loss of cargo, loss of life and environmental disasters, as well as interruption of maritime transport and negative impact on the economy. Thus, the sustainability of navigational safety in narrow waterways has been the focus of attention of all beneficiaries in the maritime industry. The Singapore Strait is one of the busiest narrow waterways in the world in terms of the number of ships transiting. Sustaining and safe maritime transport in the Singapore Strait is significantly important for the sustainability of the global trade. Therefore, it is vitally important to appropriately identify the threats to safety of navigation in the Singapore Strait. In this study, the operational conditions that have played a role in the occurrence of accidents in the Singapore Strait are examined. For this purpose, using the Geographical Information System (GIS), the areas where marine accidents are concentrated were determined by the Kernel Density Analysis method and a “Marine Accidents Density Map” was created for the Singapore Strait. The relationship between the dense areas in the marine accidents density map and the operational conditions that play a role in the accidents in the Singapore Strait were examined using the Chi-Square Test and expert opinions. The results of the study indicate that if there is a condition (e.g., turning, joining to the traffic stream, or failure in propulsion/steering systems) that directly or indirectly disturbs the normal flow of traffic in the Singapore Strait, the risk of having an accident increases. The results of this study can be used to determine the measures to be taken for the prevention of possible accidents, as well as to help manage the risks associated with the ships that pass through the region.