Water is the greatest defining feature of our planet. Oceans cover three fourths of our world and remain radically free. More than forty thousand merchant ships ply these waters with little or no regulation. Sounds like a freedom-lover’s dream, doesn’t it? Well, you may want to read The Outlaw Sea by William Langewiesche (387.544 LAN Main) for a little reality check.
International shipping is regulated by a United Nations agency called the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It sets the standards for maritime safety. Sounds good, right? Except that the IMO has no enforcement authority, so everybody’s pretty much on the honor system. Whose honor? Well, that’s another interesting question. You see, ships operate under a system known as “flags of convenience,” which means that ships can be registered in countries that sometimes don’t even have coastlines. Owners? Good luck finding those, because they’re lurking behind mountains of paperwork. So who set up this brilliant system? Uh. . . we did. The United States of America, that is. During the chaotic days of World War II, it probably seemed like a good plan. Today—not so much.
And don’t think these freighters are like those shiny new cruise ships in the ads. Nope, these are aging vessels being pushed too hard and too fast, sailing in terrible weather to maximize profits. Their crews are sailors of varying expertise who often don’t even speak the same language. Getting an idea of just how messed up this situation is?
So before you set off on your next idyllic cruise to Europe, do yourself a favor and read The Outlaw Sea. It’ll explain things very clearly, give you a good idea of the current state of international shipping and commerce, relate stories of shipwrecks and piracy, and, oh, yes, stand your hair on end.
You might decide to fly to Europe instead.
Reviewed by Nancy
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