PREVENTION OF RECURRENCE OF CASUALTIES
INVOLVING SHIPS CARRYING TIMBER DECK CARGOES
The Japan Coast Guard, in response to a number of casualties in the Sea of Japan involving ships carrying timber deck cargoes at the end of the year, requested the Governments of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Korea and China through the diplomatic channel to ensure that their industries including ships owners, operators and exporters of timbers are in compliance with the safe practice for ships carrying timber deck cargoes to prevent the recurrence of the similar accidents.
The Japan Coast Guard has set up the Special Campaign Weeks in January 2001 to promote the safe practice for ships carrying timber deck cargoes. Visiting the timber carriers in ports in Japan is ongoing to give the necessary guidance for the promotion of safe practice using the attached pamphlet "For Safe Transportation of Timber Carriers". It also instructs the timber importers in Japan to promote the safe practice.