One of our minor pastimes is hunting for quotations from individuals who figure in the maritime news. Generally speaking, politicians are more quotable than maritime personalities as they tend to be outgoing types with the gift of gab. But the maritime world can cough up some verbal gems of its own. The following are samples from our collection of quotes with annotations to make your day:
“We could put a World War Two fleet of ships out there and we still wouldn’t be able to cover the whole ocean.” – ADMIRAL MARK FITZGERALD, commander of US Naval Forces in Europe and Africa, citing piracy attacks from the Gulf of Aden and the Mozambique Channel to off the coast of India.
Just like Afghanistan, Admiral?
“…we want to convey to you a clear message that the entire shipping community understands and cares for you – as shown by the efforts we make to ensure that you are fairly treated when ships on which you serve become involved in accidents; are looked after when you are abandoned in ports; are not refused shore leave for security purposes; are protected when your work takes you into piracy-infested areas; and are not left unaided when you are in distress at sea,” – E.E. MITROPOULOS, IMO Secretary-General, in a message to seafarers worldwide in the Year of the Seafarer, 2010
Very true, theoretically speaking.
“The International Maritime Organization (or IMO), a UN agency based in London, regulates and sets standards for its 167 member states to improve safety of life at sea and protect the environment.” – DORIS MAGSAYSAY HO, Philippine shipping and crewing magnate, in a by-lined article that appeared in a Kaiji Press supplement
We beg your pardon? That would make Admiral Efthimios E Mitropoulos, the IMO secretary-general, more powerful than US President Barack Obama.
“Hanjin shows off to the world the excellence of the Filipino workforce in building vessels sailing around the globe,” – ARMAND ARREZA, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority administrator, at the launch of a tanker newbuilding at the Hanjin shipyard, Subic Bay Freeport, north of Manila
Lucky Koreans. They get the Filipinos to build their ships at wages that Korean yard workers would never accept.
“I wasn’t part of the decision-making process. I’m not a cement engineer, I’m afraid.” – TONY HAYWARD, BP chief executive, when grilled by US lawmakers about bad decisions being made in the construction of the ill-fated well at the centre of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill
This is like saying that the captain of a ship is not a marine engineer, so he can’t know what’s going on down in the engine room or the horsepower of the ship’s engine. No wonder the righteous indignation from the US solons.
“We are experiencing a demand surge in most trades, which is a development that is both unprecedented and unexpected by us and our customers.” – LARS RENO JAKOBSEN, head of Maerk Line’s Network and Product, on the shortage of equipment as of mid-June 2010 brought on by strong shipping demand
Didn’t anybody have faith enough to believe that shipping would make a strong rebound? Not even the world’s largest container shipping company? ~Barista Uno
