Here are the most dangerous Danish territorial waters 

Drogden between Amager and Saltholm, the Hatter area near Samsoe and Langeland Belt are the three most exposed waters in Denmark. In these waters, as well as Kadetrenden south of Gedser and the northern part of the Sound at Elsinore, there have been a total of 73 accidents out of 206 registered during the last five years.

This is the conclusion of a new report on risk analysis of navigational safety in Danish territorial waters. With the report the politicians now has an important tool to in the decision process of what to do in order to reduce the spill risk of oil, gas and chemicals in Danish waters, where to intervene and what the costs would be to avoid a spill.

"For the first time it has been calculated what the costs are to avoid spill and which initiatives present the largest risk reduction for the money spent. In other words, we make guidelines for how much it is reasonable to spend on risk reduction in comparison to the costs of a spill. The basic idea is that societal resources are used in the most reasonable way. That you intervene where you get most value for money," says Andreas Friis-Hansen, Project Manager, COWI.

Detailed information

COWI has elaborated the report for the Danish Maritime Authority and the Royal Danish Administration of Navigation and Hydrography after the collision between the tanker Baltic Carrier and the cargo vessel Tern south east of the Danish island Moen in 2001. The collision caused an oil spill of 2700 tons oil and consequently a discussion on the navigational safety in Denmark.

In order to illustrate the situation in Danish territorial waters, the project team started by getting an overview of where the accidents, groundings, and collisions occur in Danish waters and then selected locations with special problems. Then the project team had detailed interviews with captains, VTS operators (Vessel Traffic Service) and chief pilots about each of the five selected territorial waters. Among other things, the interviewed persons told which conditions make it difficult to navigate in those waters and what can be done in order to improve safety.

Subsequently, the project team estimated what the risk reduction would be by introducing the initiatives in these areas and held it against the costs related hereto - both in the initial and the operative phase.

Four initiatives

The analysis points out four initiatives to be the most cost efficient. Firstly, a 100% extension of the width of the Drogden channel. Second is to incorporate the Hatter area in VTS's Great Belt surveillance area. Third is dredging of the main route at Hatter Barn to a minimum depth of 19 m and fourthly, the project team suggests to establish a VTS-center for the area of the Drogden channel.

"It is not the intention that all four initiatives should be implemented at the same time. If the politicians wish to improve safety at sea, they can choose between the alternatives according to budget or on political grounds without necessarily following their prioritization. One initiative for each of the two locations might be chosen, or just for one of them," says Andreas Friis-Hansen.

Published 07.08.2002