William_H
Well-Known Member
There is an interesting comparison here between aviation and shipping. Both involve long periods of boring watch keeping.
Aviation is of course much more scary so has received the attention of international agreement. So regulations are more strict on alcahol consumption and rest periods. Also operators are forced to invoke training and procedures designed to reduce risk of accident.
By comparison we have flags of convenience for ships so that rules can be minimised or flaunted. The flag of convenience then allows for crew on minimum wages and skills. All a recipe for disaster. It is generally the country where the accident happens that suffer with environmental damage and cost of wreck removal. What is needed is international standardisation of rules and consequent banning of non complying operators. Yes shipping will cost more but then the costs will be largely recovered by reduction in accidents.
Certainly the availability of cheap booze duty free and the boredom of ship life must result in alcaholism as a major OH&S concern.
Meanwhile we have just a handful of local ferries operated under Oz rules. All the international and much local shipping is done by ships of flag of convenience manned by asian workers on very low wages. The locals can not compete while meeting local rules and paying local high wages. Another Oz industry that has gone. olewill
Aviation is of course much more scary so has received the attention of international agreement. So regulations are more strict on alcahol consumption and rest periods. Also operators are forced to invoke training and procedures designed to reduce risk of accident.
By comparison we have flags of convenience for ships so that rules can be minimised or flaunted. The flag of convenience then allows for crew on minimum wages and skills. All a recipe for disaster. It is generally the country where the accident happens that suffer with environmental damage and cost of wreck removal. What is needed is international standardisation of rules and consequent banning of non complying operators. Yes shipping will cost more but then the costs will be largely recovered by reduction in accidents.
Certainly the availability of cheap booze duty free and the boredom of ship life must result in alcaholism as a major OH&S concern.
Meanwhile we have just a handful of local ferries operated under Oz rules. All the international and much local shipping is done by ships of flag of convenience manned by asian workers on very low wages. The locals can not compete while meeting local rules and paying local high wages. Another Oz industry that has gone. olewill
