This morning on opening our Press Folder NAUTICAL LOG was horrified to read in the BBC NEWS Asia that a replica of the RMS Titanic is going to be built.
It used to be that "The Americans" were accused of misuse of their wealth now it seems this has shifted to "The Australians" for the replica of this tragic vessel has been contracted by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer. Apparently he is a mining billionaire and construction of the replica will begin in a Chinese shipyard at the end of next year.
NAUTICAL LOG is certainly not going to go into the details of the projected vessel - research that for yourselves - however we do hope that there will be sufficient disgust at the insensitivity of Palmer to have the project scuppered before the keel is laid.
This vessel will be built in a yard, CSC Jining Shipyard, of a country with chronic Human Rights issues just as the original vessel was. Harland and Wolff of Belfast hired its workers based on religious preference and this resulted in members of only one christian sect being employed there. Those divisions still exist today in Northern Ireland though the employment issue is monitored by Human Rights groups both at the government level and by private organisations.
One might add that the reported comments by BBC NEWS Asia to this insensitive announcement were largely positive, my generation from another era entirely now being retired. Palmer who is now into tourism and resorts with large holdings in China will no doubt have a full vessel every voyage. One hopes that the project falls apart but if it is successful one hopes the vessel has safe voyages for the sake of all on board.
Good Watch.
There still remain off the coast of Puntland, Somalia some 300 of our fellow seafarers held hostage by pirates. They face mutilation and death every day some now in their third year of captivity.
It used to be that "The Americans" were accused of misuse of their wealth now it seems this has shifted to "The Australians" for the replica of this tragic vessel has been contracted by Australian billionaire Clive Palmer. Apparently he is a mining billionaire and construction of the replica will begin in a Chinese shipyard at the end of next year.
NAUTICAL LOG is certainly not going to go into the details of the projected vessel - research that for yourselves - however we do hope that there will be sufficient disgust at the insensitivity of Palmer to have the project scuppered before the keel is laid.
This vessel will be built in a yard, CSC Jining Shipyard, of a country with chronic Human Rights issues just as the original vessel was. Harland and Wolff of Belfast hired its workers based on religious preference and this resulted in members of only one christian sect being employed there. Those divisions still exist today in Northern Ireland though the employment issue is monitored by Human Rights groups both at the government level and by private organisations.
One might add that the reported comments by BBC NEWS Asia to this insensitive announcement were largely positive, my generation from another era entirely now being retired. Palmer who is now into tourism and resorts with large holdings in China will no doubt have a full vessel every voyage. One hopes that the project falls apart but if it is successful one hopes the vessel has safe voyages for the sake of all on board.
Good Watch.
There still remain off the coast of Puntland, Somalia some 300 of our fellow seafarers held hostage by pirates. They face mutilation and death every day some now in their third year of captivity.
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