Experiments On the Survivability of Small Passenger Vessels in Collisions

Small passenger vessels frequently operate in close proximity to much larger ships, particularly in ports and on inland waterways. The smaller vessels’ operations often take them across the main shipping routes, where large vessels operate with restricted ability to manoeuvre. There is a potential risk for a small passenger vessel to be struck by a larger ship, and for a disastrous outcome, as was illustrated by the collision between the Marchioness and the Bow Belle on the Thames 1989.