Making the grade

摘要

I have just finished reading a flag state report and recommendations for yet another enclosed space death -unfortunately a regular occurrence. At least this flag state had an investigation, which is more than many bother with and, more surprisingly, published the results. Their findings are in line with many such reports that are based around whether the ship complied with SOLAS. They conveniently forget, along with all the other flag state authorities, that SOLAS is intended as a base model which any flag state authority may enhance as it wishes. If SOLAS was used for such enhancement then it would be an effective instrument, but too many owners and flag state administrations wish to hide behind it. I often feel that the phrase, 'It's not required by SOLAS' should be the motto of the shipping industry as it must be the most repeated ship management phase in existence.