There’s often a whale of a difference between appearance and reality, between what one expects and what actually happens. Sometimes the discrepancy can be huge as to be jarring. However, many of us are so busy with making money and otherwise going on with life that we hardly notice the many ironies, big and small, that are present in our midst. Yet, being aware of them could help us see reality more clearly and probably change some things for the better.

Here’s our list of six maritime ironies of our time:

1. The term “flag of convenience” (FOC) is odious and, for some, even obscene because it is commonly associated with substandard shipping. Yet, the world’s three largest FOC registers – Panama, Liberia and Marshall Islands – are on the latest (as 1st July 2012) Paris Memorandum of Understanding list of 35 flag states which meet the criteria for a low risk ship (Paris MoU white list + IMO audit). Not less ironically, major shipping companies known for their adherence to safety are amongst the biggest users of FOC flags.

2. Both Georgia and the Philippines made it to the IMO’s June 2001 expanded “white list” of countries said to give “full and complete effect” to the STCW (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers). Using the same STCW framework, the EU subsequently withdrew recognition of Georgian seafarer certificates in 2010 whilst Philippine compliance with STCW standards is still under EU scrutiny.

3. The IMO holds the copyright to the STCW, which represents the collective intellectual effort of IMO member states. It sells copies of the STCW through its worldwide network of agents, thus effectively restricting distribution especially amongst seafarers. In contrast, the International Labour Organisation makes the full texts of all ILO conventions available in its website for everyone to read and copy.

4. Most, if not all, of the Philippine maritime schools inspected by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in 2006 and 2010 and found to have deficiences had quality assurance certificates from so-called reputable audit bodies.

5. The use of private armed ship guards has arguably helped reduce the number of successful pirate attacks and ship hijackings in the Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and other pirate-infested areas. But who’s guarding the guards? Some of these privately contracted guards are as trigger-happy as the pirates, and the maritime security industry continues to be beset by the presence of unscrupulous gun-for-hire outfits.

6. Major sea accidents – some involving veteran ship captains who should know better – still happen despite tighter international safety regulations, increased crew training requirements and stricter vetting policies on the part of shipping companies.

~Barista Uno