Archive for category: News

New Best Practice Guideline: Calculating Loading Depth in Inland Shipping

At Platform Zero Incidents, our mission is to improve safety standards across the inland shipping industry. We are excited to announce the release of our latest Best Practice Guideline (BPG) on Calculating Loading Depth, designed to help shipping professionals enhance safety and efficiency during loading operations.

Why This Guideline Matters:
Loading depth plays a critical role in the safe navigation of vessels. The BPG provides a detailed explanation for a safe calculation of the loading depth on the Rhine.

Key Takeaways:
✔ Understanding the factors influencing loading depth
✔ Best practices for accurate calculations
✔ Practical examples and industry recommendations

📥 Download the full guideline here.

For more resources and industry insights, visit our library.

Press Release Dry Cargo and Passenger Group

Zwijndrecht, Netherlands – January 14, 2025 – Platform Zero Incidents (PZI), an organization committed to improving safety in inland shipping, is excited to announce the launch of its Dry Cargo and Passenger Group. This new group expands PZI’s work, which has already successfully represented 90% of European tanker barges, to include dry cargo and passenger vessels, with the goal of enhancing safety throughout the European inland shipping industry.

PZI brings together vessel owners and operators to share knowledge and prevent incidents in the inland shipping sector. By focusing on dry cargo and passenger vessels, PZI aims to set higher safety standards and encourage a shared commitment to avoiding accidents. The first event in which both tank barging and dry cargo/passenger play a role is titled Ports in Focus: Seagoing Meets Inland, which will take place in March in Wageningen.

“We are very pleased to launch the Dry Cargo and Passenger Group,” said Kristel Reiling, Program Manager at PZI. “This group allows us to work closely with these sectors and create programs that improve safety awareness across the industry.”

The new group will help members share best practices, analyze incidents, and learn from each other’s experiences. By promoting open communication, PZI hopes to identify safety challenges, find solutions, and create strategies to reduce risks and improve overall safety.

Major organizations, as well as smaller companies from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, have already contributed to set-up of this group. PZI invites all operators of dry cargo and passenger barges to join the group, as well as other stakeholders, to work together toward the shared goal of zero incidents.

With cooperation and proactive efforts, the inland shipping industry can continue to improve safety for both people and the environment. For more information about Platform Zero Incidents or joining the Dry Cargo and Passenger Group, please visit https://platformzeroincidents.com or email info@platformzeroincidents.com.

Stakeholder Conference 2024

Reflecting on an inspiring morning at our annual Stakeholder Conference yesterday, we gained valuable insights from various industries!

Our General Program Manager, Kristel Reiling-Steeds, reminded attendees of PZI’s core mission: ensuring the safety of our crew. She shared key outcomes from the database and highlighted the platform’s activities. Wilma Van sandijk announced the official kick-off for other cargo streams this year!

Danny Jolly, co-founder of Fish Climbing Trees and Senior Incident Investigator at NS, emphasized viewing people as solutions to safety challenges rather than problems. He shared how changing perspectives can reveal critical improvement points in our systems.

Dara van Langen, pilot and Flight Technical Committee member at Vereniging Nederlandse Verkeersvliegers, shared his expertise on automation in the aviation industry. He discussed the similarities, differences, and growth opportunities for the inland shipping industry.


Throughout the morning, there were ample opportunities for questions, networking, coffee, and a delicious lunch!

Watch the aftermovie to get a glimpse of this inspiring event at the Maritime Industry. Thanks everyone for coming and we look forward to seeing you next year! 👋

PZI Industry Safety Day – Ship-Shore Interface

In February, the 4th PZI Industry Safety Day convened, centering its discussions on the critical topic of Ship-Shore Interface. Terminal stakeholders and PZI members came together for an engaging and interactive session, delving into areas of improvement while fostering better mutual understanding.

The event commenced with Maurits van der Linde‘s call to action, urging participants to openly share their lessons learned, emphasizing that such transparency is essential for collective learning and the prevention of recurring incidents.

Ton Wingelaar provided an update on degassing and the forthcoming ban, slated to take effect within the year.

Keynote speaker Dr. Marit de Vos underscored the significance of not only dissecting failures but also acknowledging successes, particularly in collaborative settings like the ship-shore interface. Her insights aimed to inspire a holistic approach to process evaluation, fostering a culture of sharing lessons learned and constructive dialogue among teams, as well as encouraging crew members to adopt similar practices.

In the afternoon, participants engaged in three workshops. One session simulated the dynamics between a terminal operator and a captain in a roleplay, highlighting the importance of accurate reporting and the adherence to official procedures. It became evident that mutual understanding and awareness of each other’s roles fostered a safer and more harmonious work environment.

Round table discussions further explored various themes, emphasizing the importance of communication, mutual respect, and understanding within the PZI community.

The Serious Game ‘5 Kingdoms’ provided a unique perspective on the ship-shore interface, challenging participants to navigate different roles in a playful yet insightful manner, pinpointing potential areas for improvement.

Ultimately, attendees departed the event with newfound inspiration and expanded networks, poised to implement positive changes within their respective domains.

Maurits van der Linde

Ton Wingelaar

Dr. Marit de Vos

Roleplay

Round table discussions

5 Kingdoms

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