I look back to 20012 when I outlined some possible maritime Christmas Wishes. And then to 2019 during COVID which could be said to apply today, although then there was wailing and gnashing of teeth due to our enforced isolation. I said "All mariners are going to wonder what the fuss is about, that the population of the western world is becoming hysterical at not being able to hug their families on the magical 25th December. Not being home for Christmas can be the normal state for many mariners, and their wish might be that at least they can be alongside somewhere, not having to do very much." Here are the wishes I outlined in 2012. Can we detect any changes since then?

It is surely time that the IMO got a grip of ship registries. If a country wishes to host a registry they should be able to demonstrate the necessary expertise and organization which would enable them to train seafarers, examine them and award certificates of competency and not least carry out investigations into accidents.

I know we keep talking about it, but could we possibly make some progress towards treating shipmasters who have had the misfortune to be involved in groundings resulting in pollution in a responsible manner, and stop immediately accusing them of being criminals. 

Could we review the relationship between the ship-owner and class. Is it right that the insurers of ships rely on the inspection processes carried out by the classification societies who are paid by the ship-owners? Hence of the ship-owner does not like what class are doing they can find themselves another.

Could we start to get real about risk assessments, and start to make them meaningful, ie, a means of keeping people alive and uninjured, rather than a means of arse-covering.

I realize that I could go on. There are many lesser wishes, which might help seafarers enjoy a relatively untroubled life, most of them to do with asking ship-owners to act responsibly, and while many do, there are probably more who do not, so we don’t have a level playing field. And here's Aberdeen Harbour at christmas in 2001.