Due to the inherent dangers of ocean travel, maritime disasters have been a constant threat to naval transportation. Maritime disasters are normally boat-related catastrophes that occur while on a large body of water, like a gulf, sea, or ocean. Because of the nature and location of maritime disasters, they are often deadly or destructive to the passengers and natural ecological systems of the area. Such maritime disasters frequently impact the outcomes of wars, policies, and ecological welfare.
Often the most popularized of the maritime disasters was the sinking of the RMS Titanic. One of 3 Olympic-class luxury cruise liners, it collided with an iceberg during its maiden voyage in 1912, killing 1,517 people. Owned by White Star Line, the Titanic was the largest passenger vessel at the time. Coincidentally, another of the 3 Olympic-class cruise liner, the RMS Britannic, was also sunk, due to hostile German forces during World War I. The final Olympic-class cruise liner, the RMS Olympic, was never sunk and served an illustrious naval career.
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| The RMS Titanic, the largest cruise liner at the time |
Hostile forces during the two world wars were the cause of many maritime disasters. Many passenger ships were capsized during these wars, including the RMS Lusitania. With 1,198 casualties, 128 of which were American, this maritime disaster was a pressing factor for the United States’ involvement in World War I and caused international negative sentiments towards the Germans.
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| A depiction of the RMS Lusitania after it had been torpedoed by a German U-boat |
However, Germany also suffered casualties during the World Wars due to maritime disasters. The MV Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk during World War II in the Baltic Sea while attempting to save and escort fleeing citizens and Nazi officials from East Prussia when this region was attacked by the Red Army of Russia. With an estimated 9,400 casualties, the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff is the largest known loss of life from a single maritime disaster. Another enormous German loss was the sinking of the Goya, a German transport ship also ferrying escaping German civilians and injured Wehrmacht troops from the advancing Soviet armies. The Goya was torpedoed by a Soviet submarine, and sank 7 minutes later. Of the 7,000 passengers, only 183 were saved.
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| The large passenger ship MV Wilhelm Gustloff. 9,400 people died when it was torpedoed by Soviet submarines. |
There have been plenty of non-World War maritime disasters as well. Most notable was the destruction of the SS Kiangya, a Chinese vessel carrying thousands of refugees from the Chinese Civil War. While escaping the Communist armies in 1948, the Kiangya hit a mine planted by the Japanese during World War II. The ensuing explosion and sinking killed 3,920 refugees and stowaways.
Large-scale maritime disasters are not isolated during wartime or to immense passenger ships alone. The deadliest ferry accident occurred during the sinking of the MV Doña Paz in 1987. The Doña Paz, traveling from Leyte Island to the Philippines capital of Manila, harbored a death toll of 4,375 people. This occurred when the ferry collided with the oil tanker MT Vector, causing both ships to sink into the shark-infested waters of the Tablas Strait. The 8,800 barrels of gasoline onboard the MT Vector further exacerbated the death toll and ignited on impact with the ferry. Of the passengers, only 26 survived, many with severe burns.
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| The ferry Dona Paz, prior to its catastrophic sinking. |
Oil and gasoline in maritime disasters can have other effects as well. The capsizing of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker in the Prince William Sound caused 750,000 barrels of crude oil to spill into the ocean, causing the greatest human-caused environmental disaster until the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Of the 55 million gallons in the tanker, 11 million gallons were released in the ecosystems. The fauna of the Prince William Sound was severely affected: 250,000 seabirds were killed in the event, along with 2,800 sea otters, 247 bald eagles, 22 orcas, and billions of salmon and herring eggs, resulting in the largest ecological disaster in United States waters.
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| The Exxon Valdez during its 3rd day of oil spillage. Note the blackness of the surrounding ocean due to oil presence. |
Maritime disasters, for the most part, can be prevented through a variety of means. In most cases, faulty engineering and structural instability were the primary cause of the maritime disaster; ships like the RMS Titanic serve as a reminder for such blunders. When engineers and architects design a ship, the blueprint should be executed as planned. Cutting corners and budget saving can cause loss of life later on. Communication is also key: negotiating location of other ships can help prevent such collisions that destroyed the Dona Paz and the MV Vector. Communication can also safely lead ships in contended or hostile waters, preventing such accidents like the RMS Lusitania and the SS Kiangya. There is risk in every mode of transportation, but this risk can be mitigated.
Additional Resources:
Maritime Disasters of the 20th and 21st Century
Too Many People: Story of the SS Kiangya
List of Titanic Survivors
The United States in the First World War
Lost Liners: The RMS Britannic
I will honestly say that I liked reading your article. It covers a wide range of information on maritime disasters and related subjects, even covering ecological ramifications. The article also was ordered based on the chronology of the events, which makes sense for the subject matter. I also liked the use of visuals to show the ship in question. The article also was written very objectively, simply placing the information for the reader to take in. I initially found myself hard pressed to come up with any criticism.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with the audience in mind, I thought that the title was the first “problem” with the article. The word “lovely” is a little unsettling for the average reader, especially considering the subject matter and the aftermath of these disasters. The connotation of the word makes the title seem almost satirical, but the article itself is very serious. In addition, I thought the content of the article could have been more detailed. The basic pattern of the sections seemed to be a sentence of what caused it, and the casualties. Bearing in mind the length limitation, I thought that some more detail regarding the accident itself, rather than the beginning and the end may have been more informative.
All in all, the article was very well constructed, but could have been worded differently to achieve a somewhat different effect.
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ReplyDeleteFor a reader that does not know the definition of a maritime disaster, one may have a hard time understanding what the topic is about. While reading the first paragraph, it is written in a way that assumes that the reader knows what a maritime disaster is. I suggest that you define what a maritime disaster is for those who do not know what they are.
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect of this blog that I may suggest changing is the title. Since the main topic is maritime disasters and the main subtopic (s) are sinking of ships caused by maritime disasters, I feel as though the title A Lovely Discourse in Maritime Disasters is not appropriate in this case. A general title could possibly be “Sanken Ships by Maritime Disasters.” By using a title more related to the context, it makes more of a connection so that everything ties together.
Also, I feel like the layout of this blog is some what distracting. With the green background and white words, it is hard to read the text. The background does not correlate with the topic being discussed causing a misleading assumption of what is going to be talked about.
Besides that, the layout and organization of this blog is clear and easy to follow along. The information within the paragraphs flow and makes sense. Also, the opening sentences to each paragraph make the reader interested in what you are discussing. Overall, your blog is very professional and I think you did an outstanding job with grammar, sentence organization, layout, and how the information is presented.
I liked how your article flowed from the stories of one disaster to the next. The pictures of the ships definitely added to the topic because they connected with the story. However, I feel like you could have added a little more insight into other aspects of maritime disasters such as what often causes them and how ships become safer in order to avoid disasters. The background is pretty awesome but doesn't quite fit in with your article.
ReplyDeleteThe title is a little misleading as some others mentioned. I would suggest just switching out the adjective "lovely" with something a little more menacing and suggestive of an article talking about many casualties.
The way your information is presented is very organized and chronological which made it easy to read. Also it was professional to concentrate on the actual statistical consequences of the disasters. I thought that that was true to the title of maritime disasters. All in all I think that this article is very precisely written and in the expository format. The only slight adjustments I would address is the background and title and you could possibly think of adding a tiny bit more background information.
have to say that I really enjoyed reading this article. It was very informative for someone who does not know the significance of maritime disasters. After reading your post, it really made me think about how everything is interconnected and how one small disaster can have an impact worldwide. Even though I think the dinosaur wallpaper is really cool and all, I think it distracts from the text about maritime disasters. But the pictures of sinking ships and damaged vessels were definitely useful in enhancing your post. One thing I'm curious about is where you got all this information on maritime disasters. And is the location in which you gathered this information credible? I liked the use of the word "lovely" in the title. It gave an ironic touch that I found quite humorous. It also showed personality which is always good to see in writing.
ReplyDelete-Will
Hello, Nick.
ReplyDeleteI like the new layout of your blog; it's definitely not as distracting as the prior. Also, make sure you take the time and link everyone to your page.
D. Kopp