Kenneth Smith

Fellow’s Profile

Kenneth Smith

Fellow’s Profile

Kenneth Smith

Reducing vessel losses in the fishing industry

Fellowship

Themes

Focus

Reducing accidents and fatalities at sea by understanding deep-sea fishing dangers and mitigation measures

Countries

Fellowship year

2010

Locality

Scotland

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Biography

I am a chartered engineer and currently Director of Hook Marine Ltd, a company formed to develop engineering solutions for maritime safety. I was asked by a contact in the Department for Transport to study the terrible losses of vessels in our fishing fleet, and to propose solutions.

My 2010 Fellowship, in Canada and the USA, concentrated on the methods employed there to reduce accident rates in commercial fishing. The vital lessons learned centred on training being the most important technique for the safety of fishing vessel crews. Above all, hands-on demonstrations of equipment followed by periods of familiarisation were seen to be keys to progress in accident reduction.

Vessel losses happen most often as a result of inadequate stability, where the vessel becomes top-heavy. This dangerous condition can be caused through ill-advised modifications, and by water ingress or ice formation in mid-ocean.

Since 2010, I have been engaged in the development of a stability monitor to provide safety-critical indication of vessel stability at sea, and I am now ready to introduce the product to our fishermen through hands-on teaching and training.

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

Disclaimer

All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.

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