Impact of ship collision on the marine environment

Impact of ship collision on the marine environment
While shipping is considered one of the safest forms of transport, it is still substantially vulnerable to accidents, particularly ship collisions. When ships collide, the immediate and primary impact is on the marine environment.
First, a ship collision directly affects the seafarers on board. The impacts of a ship collision on humans onboard range from minor accidents to fatalities. Whatever the extent of the impact, ship collision has been shown to have substantial impacts on human life.
Ship collision is also the primary cause of marine pollution. A collision can result in oil spillage, resulting in polluted waters. Polluted waters can result in an increased risk of marine accidents due to decreased visibility and navigation of ships.
Besides, water pollution from the oil spillage threatens the marine and coastal ecosystems. When oil spills into the ocean, marine flora and fauna are impacted significantly. Over the years, marine pollution has been associated with the extinction of some sea species.
Additionally, the livelihood and quality of people living in the coastlines of the polluted waters can be reduced considerably. However, collisions resulting in accidental oil spillage have reduced significantly over the year.
Besides, a ship collision is not only limited to vessels. A collision can also involve a ship and marine creatures. Recently, a major concern has been raised concerning collision impacts between marine ships and large whales. Such a collision kills the sea animals threatening their existence in the long run.