Admiralty Lawyer

According to a Massachusetts newspaper, there is presently a 10,000 person shortage of officers to take over the vast network of cargo ships and oil tankers that traverse the globe. That number is expected to triple by 2015.

The shortage of officers is due in part to a huge increase in demand for officers. Between 2001 and 2005, the number of cargo ships and oil tankers sailing the seas rose 17%. This increase, coupled with an increase in the number of megayachts that also need large crews, leads to a shortage since there is less incentive for people to go to sea in the traditional areas, such as Japan and Norway. Booming economies have made it not true that a person with a bachelor’s degree can make twice as much on the open sea than on land.

In addition to the lack of officers, experienced crew members are also in a shortage situation. The majority of people that go to sea do not stick with it. They retire to land jobs a lot earlier than they used to. This is due to both the booming land economies and the lack of seeing the world. Stopovers in ports used to be multiple days long. Now, however with cargo ships dominating, the stops are merely a few hours. That does not leave much time to sea the world unless you count that the majority of it is covered in water so it would make sense for crew members to see mostly water.

Basically, all of these factors are likely to lead to an increase in the number of accidents. Officers and crew members have less experience and so are likely to make more mistakes. Mistakes often lead to injury.

 If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident on a ship, contact the Admiralty Lawyers of Williams Kherkher at 1-866-950-9000 to discuss your legal options and to schedule a free initial opposition.