A look back at the Costa Concordia disaster and what could have been done to prevent it.

1. An Ounce of Prevention
The “Costa Concordia” Disaster

2. An Ounce of Prevention - The Costa Concordia Disaster
Facts:
• Length – 290 meters (about 970 feet)
• Displacement – over 51,000 tons
• Capacity – 3,700 passengers; 1,100 crewmembers
• Began service – July, 2006
• Ran aground off Isla Giglio coast about 22:00 hours
(10 p.m.), local time, on January 13, 2012
• 11 known dead (as of Jan. 19); number of missing
unknown, estimated to be 20

4. Satellite photo – AP Digital Globe

5. Associated Press photo

6. Guardia Costiera / Reuters

7. Reuters

8. Hull Damage (Reuters)

9. Underwater view of hull damage (Guardia Costiera)

10. Coast Guard diver (Guardia Costiera-Reuters)

11. An Ounce of Prevention - The Costa Concordia Disaster
Issues:
• Ship’s captain accused of deviating from course without
authorization
• Captain under house arrest, charged with manslaughter
and leaving his ship (dereliction of duty)
• Captains not required to file cruise plans – in contrast, all
pilots/aviators required to file flight plans
• Nothing in commercial shipping or cruising like system of
air traffic control, transponders required for airplanes
• About 2,500 tons of fuel still on board – no leakage as of
Jan. 20
• Question of what to do with CC (scrap or repair)
unresolved

12. An Ounce of Prevention - The Costa Concordia Disaster
What to do now:
• Account for missing
• Remove fuel
• Remove ship – dismantle or repair
• Take corrective action
• Develop, implement preventive action
• Learn from mistakes

13. An Ounce of Prevention - The Costa Concordia Disaster
Corrective action
• Clause 8.5.2 of ISO 9001 (Quality Management
Systems Requirements)
• Eliminate the causes of nonconformities to prevent
their recurrence
– Ensure the problem doesn’t happen again by removing
root cause(s)
– Ex., review company policies and revise where needed;
give CG power, resources to enforce regs. (e.g., evacuation
drill prior to departing)

14. An Ounce of Prevention - The Costa Concordia Disaster
Preventive action
• ISO 9001, clause 8.5.3
• Eliminate the causes of potential nonconformities to
prevent their occurrence
– Ensure the problem doesn’t happen to other ships, crews
– Identify weak spots – people, processes, materials
– Improve training, hiring practices
– Implement technologies (transponders, satellite
guidance, traffic control, etc.)
– Add automation, where possible

15. An Ounce of Prevention - The Costa Concordia Disaster
Are there lessons for small business in this?
• Implement best practices – exceed
regulations, industry standards where possible
• Correct deficiencies – document processes;
implement procedures (reviewing/revising as
needed)
• Design, implement preventive measures when you
recognize potential for problem
• Policy – encourage positive behavior (policy usually
written in response to problems – “don’t do it any
more”)