Some level of failure is a certainty. Representatives of maritime industries have repeatedly bemoaned the fact that there is no central clearinghouse for information on the Y2K status of marine equipment. Now, it may be too late for anyone to create it. There is a shortage of contractors equipped to deal with embedded chip problems, both afloat and ashore. Also, companies have, out of fear of litigation, been reluctant to share information on the Y2K status of their company or their products, and this at a time when key information is what is needed most.
Legal concerns make themselves felt in another way.
As we rapidly approach the beginning of 1999, there is general acceptance throughout the industry that companies need to focus on contingency planning, either because it is too late to fix all of their technology, or to prepare for some level of inevitable system failure. However, concerns have been expressed that shippers that do so may be exposed to litigation for violation of charter contracts. Similarly, a wide range of organizations continues to foster Y2K awareness through a number of activities. They do not plan, however, to provide Y2K certification to ships which they may inspect. These international shipping organizations will advise member companies to determine their core functions, and ensure that they have alternate means to carry on those critical functions if they experience failure in their technology or if they are adversely affected by failures by key suppliers, financial institutions, information providers, or other business partners.