Letter: Alarming level of cargo ship losses

Sir: As the union representing 20,000 masters and officers serving at sea in merchant ships, Numast welcomes the publicity given in your columns to the appalling losses of bulk carriers ('Safety warnings over cargo ship defects 'ignored' ', 24 July).

The situation you highlight is even worse than indicated - 279 bulk carriers lost between 1975 and 1990, an average of 17 vessels each year.

Such losses would simply not be tolerated if suffered by passenger ships or civil aircraft and it is shameful that the lives of seafarers are held with such scant

regard.

Your article emphasises the need for more and tougher inspections of these vessels, and stricter rules to combat the menace of flag of convenience registers which facilitate the operation of unsafe ships. These are among the issues Numast is consistently campaigning on.

The alarming level of bulk carrier losses was addressed by the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, which this year produced a hard-hitting report condemning low standards of maritime safety.

The Lords recommended that all ships over 20,000dwt should carry hull stress monitoring systems and that voyage data recorders - similar to the black boxes used in planes - be fitted to all ships.

In addition, they urged the use of better standards of steel.

The substandard state of many bulk carriers threatens not only their crews, but other ships, coastal populations and the environment, and Numast intends to ensure that the House of Lords report is not left to gather dust on the shelves of the Department of Transport.

Yours faithfully,

JOHN NEWMAN

General Secretary

National Union of Marine

Aviation and Shipping Transport

Officers

London, E11

24 July