Two Years After Titan, the Push for Real Regulation
It's been two years since the Titan submersible imploded on its way to the Titanic wreck, killing all five people on board — and Canada is still working out how to make sure it never happens again. But according to Will Kohnen, executive director of the World Submarine Organization, the country needs to get this right the first time.
"The rules have to be simple," Kohnen told CBC News following the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's report on the disaster. "If you make them too complicated, companies will find the loopholes."
It's a pointed warning — and one that carries real weight given what investigators found in the Titan case.
What the TSB Report Found
The Transportation Safety Board's investigation painted a troubling picture of a company — OceanGate — that repeatedly prioritized speed and innovation over safety. The Titan was never certified by any classification society, and OceanGate had been warned by industry experts, including members of the Marine Technology Society, that its experimental carbon fibre hull design hadn't been adequately tested.
Those warnings went unheeded. On June 18, 2023, the vessel catastrophically imploded at depth, killing all five occupants: OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, British businessman Hamish Harding, French diver Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and Pakistani businessman Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman.
Closing the Gaps Before Someone Else Tries
Kohnen's concern is that without tight, unambiguous language, future operators could exploit grey areas in whatever regulations Canada and other countries put forward. The commercial submersible industry is still relatively small, but it's growing — particularly in the tourism and deep-sea research sectors.
"You don't want a regulation that has 10 pages of exceptions," he said. "Keep it clean. Make it clear what is required and what isn't."
The TSB report made several recommendations, including that Transport Canada develop clear safety requirements for crewed submersibles operating in Canadian waters. Currently, that regulatory space is largely a void — something the Titan disaster exposed in the most devastating way possible.
Canada's Role in Shaping Global Standards
Because the Titan was operating in international waters near Newfoundland, Canada has both a legal interest and a moral one in getting submarine safety right. If Canadian regulations are weak or full of loopholes, they could become the standard of choice for operators looking to cut corners — essentially making Canada a flag of convenience for risky deep-sea ventures.
Kohnen is pushing for international coordination as well, noting that submersible operations cross borders by nature. He'd like to see countries align their rules so there's no advantage to registering a vessel in a jurisdiction with laxer standards.
The Bottom Line
The Titan tragedy was a preventable disaster. The experts knew the risks. The warnings were documented. What was missing was the regulatory framework to enforce basic safety standards.
Canada now has a chance to build that framework — and according to Kohnen, the most important thing is to keep it simple, clear, and loophole-free.
Source: CBC News
