frequency of occurrence of accidents aboard j;hlp. This is borno out 

 by ix campio study of damaco and ciaiia records for shi'iiTip vessels incJ.uded 

 in tne report of Harvjell, Knoulos and Associates on tho efficiency of 

 domestic shrinip vessels from insurance company files for the years from 

 1^52 to 1955. 



On the basis of these records the accidents for which par- 

 ticulars veve made available were classed into two general categories : 



(i) Those due to the negligence and error in judgment 

 of the captain or crei?. 



(2) Those due to mechejiical failure of the vessel 

 equipment. (Some of the latter tyi^e of accidents 

 may be atti'ibutable to ji'oor maintenance of tfio 

 equipment by the crew or by shore personnel.) 



TABLE II -3. —FREQUENCY OF OCCURRiiMCE OF V.'ffilOUS TYfiJS OF SHBB!? 

 VESSEL ACCIDENTS, VESSEL SAMPLE FOR PERIOD 1952 - 1955 

 (SEI^CTED FROM REPORTS OF MARINE SURVEYORS) 



About 28 percent of the accidents reported in the files made 

 available xjero the direct result of hii^ian cri\>r. Many of tne luechanical 

 failui'os lidght have been avoided if propor preventive maintananca had 

 been observ-ed. About 13 percent of all the above-listed accidents 

 resulted from careless or incxporienccd vessel handling and were avoid- 

 able. A proper crci'} training program probably could have reduced the 

 incidence of this type of accident. 



Vessel ownership is an important factor to be considered in 

 this connection. Captain ovmership plays an important part in the 



Ih 



