Halifax Explosion Research Paper

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A Defining Moment in Canadian History: The Halifax Explosion Kristina Wantola CHC2D1-03 April 22, 2005 Mr. Nicholson During WWI Halifax harbour was a main shipping port for supplies. Most of the supplies from Canada were sent to Britain through Halifax. The main Harbour in Halifax is about 10km long and almost 2km wide.[1] The eastern passage of the harbour is too shallow for any ship larger than a small fishing boat.[2] On the morning of December 15, 1917 there was a collision between two ships in the harbour, which led to the devastating explosion. The two ships involved were the Imo and the Mont Blanc. The Imo was a relief ship that had arrived from Rotterdam and the Mont Blanc was a French…show more content…
In the rules it states that ships, which must pass each other, must do so on their left or port side and stay to their right or starboard side.[8] The Imo moved to the wrong side of the channel setting a collision course with the Mont Blanc.[9] This gave the Mont Blanc no other option but to move into the shallow waters on the eastern side of the passage. The Imo should never have been on the wrong side. The crew of the Imo claimed that there was a ferry in their way so they had to go around. That is not an excuse because there was plenty of time to correct their course after they had passed the ferry. Another option that they had was that they could have simply waited for the ferry to move. The Imo didn’t respect the rules of safe passage in the harbour, which started the chain reaction that led to the…show more content…
The crews on both ships were stubborn and didn’t react until it was too late. The stubbornness and negligence of both ships is what caused the Halifax Explosion and one was not more at fault that the other. Through all this destruction and devastation people have come to realise that rules are there to protect them and that they should be obeyed at all times. As a result of this fatal collision captains are much more cautious and follow the rules of safe passage in the

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