More tragedies just over horizon

November 15, 2009 · Filed Under Current, Lore of the Sea 

Princess Ashika bowThe  recent sinking of the Tongan ferry Ashika where over seventy are believed to have lost their lives has focussed attention on the aging, often poorly maintained and too often unseaworthy ferries that are essential to life in the Pacific island archipelagos.

More tragedies just over horizon

When boarding a ferry in the Pacific, islanders pray.

It’s not just smooth sailing or a timely arrival they’re wishing for – they hope to arrive at all.

The small countries of the Pacific have among the worst record of boating safety and regulation compliance in the world.


As a general rule, the passenger and cargo ferries that service the huge expanse of Pacific Ocean are ageing, poorly-maintained, ill-suited to deep waters and built for an entirely different purpose.

That’s unsurprising, given the Pacific islands, constrained by small budgets, often buy their vessels fourth-hand after they have been traded down the ranks from the First to Third World.

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Comments

3 Responses to “More tragedies just over horizon”

  1. CAPT. D. Peter Boucher, MN (Ret.) on November 15th, 2009 11:19 am

    Thank you for raising this issue. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is supposed to show interest and indeed take care of these things – it does not. There must be many retired Officers, like myself, who would be very pleased to have an opportunity to go on IMO low cost contracts to these places to train, guide and monitor marine personnel. So far this has been met with apathy not even an e-mail reply. Sadly loss of life motivates action – one lives in hope!

    Good Watch.

  2. Rick on November 15th, 2009 2:08 pm

    The article points out the tragic contradiction that while inter-island travel is essential, the volume of passengers & cargo and the rates that the market will support are insufficient to pay for the sort of vessels and the safety that they need. The islanders are being asked to pay a “death tax” for their passage on unseaworthy ferries.

  3. Ferry Dumai Express Sinks Off Sumatra : Old Salt Blog – a virtual port of call for all those who love the sea on November 22nd, 2009 9:44 pm

    [...] week we posted about an article in the NZ Herald -”More tragedies just over horizon,” which addressed [...]

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