Quality in Shipping - Ships, Ports and Seafarers

摘要

Thus, to attain quality in shipping, it is absolutely vital to lay emphasis on all the aspects relating to ships, ports and seafarers. For ships, high quality is to be maintained for construction as also high quality for shipboard management, operation and maintenance to ensure safe and environment-friendly operation throughout the vessels' economic life. The only way to ensure that "ships of shame" are not allowed to ply and pollute the environment is to have close monitoring by the maritime administrations, port states and the classification societies. It must also be recognized that shipping is a commercial activity and thus unless quality shipping could attract a premium over substandard shipping, only regulatory regime may not deliver the goods. Competition is the key for any economic activity and to ensure quality in shipping, there must be a level playing field. In this regard, a general global consciousness should be built whereby for any deficiency in quality, it is not only the shipowner but also the cargo owners, who are equally held responsible. This is happening to a limited extent in the oil trade but must permeate to the other segments of the maritime industry.