World Maritime Day 2021

Most households in the world are likely to have at least one item (or part of an item) that has landed there after sailing across the ocean in a container ship. Shipping is responsible for transporting more than 80% of goods traded internationally (from food to electronics to medicine) as it is the most cost-effective method of doing so.

Around 2 million seafarers serve on merchant ships around the world to make that possible, but it is not always smooth sailing for them, which is why the theme of World Maritime Day 2021 is “Seafarers at the core of shipping’s future” – to raise awareness of the importance of seafarers to the world, as well as the topics relevant to seafarers, such as safety, environmental protection, diversity (promoting seafaring careers for women) and the future of shipping in an increasingly automated and digital world.

Safety

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is the United Nations’ specialised agency responsible for the safety of shipping and prevention of pollution by ships.

Seafarers often work 10 – 12 hour shifts seven days a week and need to go home after a few months, both for their well-being and the safe operation of the ship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions, many seafarers have been stranded on ships or been unable to join ships to replace the outgoing crew. The maximum length of a seafarer’s contract is 11 months, but some have not been able to go home for 18 months.

A number of international treaties, regulations and standards others) are in place to ensure that shipping is as safe as humanly possible.

Nothing highlights the importance of safety measures like a disaster caused by the lack of them. One cannot talk of maritime disasters without mentioning the ‘unsinkable’ RMS Titanic, which hit an iceberg during its maiden voyage in 1912 and sank into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. But is it relevant here? Yes. More lives could have been saved that night had there been enough lifeboats to carry all those on board.

The deadliest peacetime maritime disaster in history is the collision between a passenger ferry, MV Doña Paz, and an oil tanker, MT Vector, off the coast of the bridge of the Doña Paz, there was no lookout on the Vector and both the ships were likely without a functioning radio. The oil and gasoline on board the Vector ignited and both ships were engulfed were rescued.