FORMAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT
Know the risks and mitigate them
Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) is a structured and systematic methodology, aimed at enhancing maritime safety, including protection of life, health, the marine environment and property. International Maritime Organization (IMO) has published “Guidelines for Formal Safety Assessment for Use in the IMO Rule-making Process” (MSC/Circ. 1023) and its revised version MSC-MEPC.2/Circ. 12, which define FSA in five steps:
Our Approach
Our FSA team has conducted over twenty FSA studies that ensure the safety in the port development works in various countries, noticeably the development of Tuas Terminal at Singapore. We have an established methodology for conducting FSA that not only fully complies with the above IMO’s FSA guidelines, but incorporates necessary up-to-date techniques suitable for the local context.
1: Definitions of goals and data acquisition
Our FSA process begins with a preparatory step, where we hold discussions with our clients to determine the definition of purpose and objective of the FSA study, the scope of study such as the area of interest, vessel types and sizes, accident categories and operational conditions, the risk acceptance criteria as well as the data collection procedure.
2: Identify and prioritize the hazards within the Study Area
Our hazard identification takes a structured approach to finding all conceivable and relevant hazards, based on an understanding of the current and projected future traffic and conditions. The process is proactive and not confined only to hazards that have materialized in the past. The identified hazards will then be ranked based on their probability and severity.
3: Assess the current and future levels of marine risks
For hazards requiring detailed investigation, we assess the risk levels using a simulation-based probabilistic modelling approach to quantitatively evaluate navigational safety, in terms of the risk of collision associated with the movement of vessel traffic in the area of interest. Our simulation models vessels as intelligent objects capable of navigating on a dynamically selected route based on its source, destination and traffic conditions, in compliance with the IMO’s COLREGS and local regulations.
4: Develop practical risk control measures/options
We take a structured review technique to develop causal chains and identify Risk Control Measures (RCM), which may be grouped into practical regulatory Risk Control Options (RCO), e.g. those controlling the likelihood of initiation of accidents and those preventing the escalation of accidents.
5: Cost benefit analysis
To ensure that the risk control measures proposed are cost effective, we would carry out for each RCM/RCO an assessment of the life cycle costs, e.g. initial, operating, training, inspection, certification and decommissioning, as well as an assessment of benefits in terms of reductions in fatalities, injuries and casualties, indemnity of third party liabilities, environmental damage and clean-up etc. A ranking of measures is then presented according to their cost effectiveness, i.e. cost over risk reduction.
6: Recommendations for decision making
We emphasize the importance of a feedback loop at this stage to engage stakeholders to review and comment on the analysis and risk control measures proposed. When necessary, we will re-examine the FSA process, in part or as a whole, to address concerns from the decision makers.
7: Engage stakeholders
Before concluding an FSA study, we would engage stakeholders who are affected by the risks and the proposed mitigation measures to communicate the FSA outcome and gather their views, for the finalization of recommendation on the risk mitigation measures.
Why Us
Broad Experience
More than 20 international projects, for port authorities, port planners and contractors.
The Right Team
Master mariners, pilots, controllers, salvage professionals and simulation consultants.
The Right System
Integrated view and modeling of marine operations, full compliance with IMO guidelines and validated with live data.
We have done extensive FSA work for
various marine project activities at different parts of Singapore
conducted periodic FSA studies to ensure that the planned project activities do not impose any risk to shipping traffic in the vicinity of the project site and ensure the safety of marine operations. SimPlus is well recognized and trusted by major marine project contractors and is involved in literally all port development works currently ongoing at Singapore – Tuas Finger 1, Tuas Finger 2, Tuas Finger 3, Jurong Island West Extension, and Tekong Island.
sand supply plans for major port developments at Singapore
carried out an FSA to ensure the navigation safety for the reclamation, dredging and sand supply related activities in Singapore, taking into consideration the various port calling traffic; engaged key stakeholders to communicate the future port developments and corresponding changes expected as compared to today.
Tuas Port when fully operational
assessed the risk level when Tuas Port is fully operational and developed risk control measures to keep the risk as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP)
ferry terminals
carried out an FSA for all ferry terminals in Singapore under different future operations scenarios and suggested how the future passenger traffic could be sustained from the perspective of navigation safety.
new petrochem facilities
assessed the risk levels for the proposed new petrochem facilities with different profiles and developed risk control measures to keep the associated risks ALARP.