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By
Terry Orr
(USN Ret.)
I
have always enjoyed the water – be it a small stream, river, lake, sea and of
course the oceans and this was probably an influencing factor in my joining
the Navy so many years ago. Memories of
sailing aboard ships are still fond for the most part and look back at those
peaceful and quite times when I was able just to enjoy the view.
Today as we celebrate maritime day, let us reflect on the past, keep current on
today’s activities and help where we can to make the waterways peaceful for all
to enjoy.
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The
United Nations (UN), via the International Maritime Organization (IMO), created
World Maritime Day to celebrate the international maritime industry’s
contribution towards the world’s economy, especially in shipping. The event’s
date varies by year and country but it is always on the last week of September.
The
World Maritime Day theme for 2012 is “IMO: One hundred years after the
Titanic”, which will focus on the
Organization’s roots and raison d’être, i.e. safety of life at sea.
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Undoubtedly
the most important legacy of the Titanic disaster was an urgent acceleration in
the process of setting and implementing international standards and procedures
for maritime activity. The first international conference on the safety of life
at sea was held in London in January 1914. Its outcome - the Convention on
Safety of Life at Sea - remains the leading international treaty on maritime
safety. The task of keeping it updated, and maintaining its development in
light of technological advances, falls to a United Nations agency, the
International Maritime Organization.
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The
United States Coast Guard (USCG), an agency of the United States Department of
Homeland Security, is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of
seven uniformed services. In addition to being a military branch at all times,
it is unique among the armed forces in that it is also a maritime law
enforcement agency (with jurisdiction both domestically and in international
waters) and a federal regulatory agency. The USCG has a broad and important
role in homeland security, law enforcement, search and rescue, marine
environmental pollution response, and the maintenance of river, intra-coastal
and offshore aids to navigation. As the lead maritime regulatory agency, the
Coast Guard develops national regulations, standards and policies to enhance
maritime safety, security and stewardship. In addition, the Coast Guard
represents the United States at the IMO for the development and execution of
international standards. The Coast Guard’s motto “Semper Paratus”, Latin for
“Always Ready”, is one fitting for all of the Coast Guard’s missions.
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Piracy
is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. While books and movie
industries made Pirates interesting and fun – today’s Pirates at sea are anything
but interesting – they are dangerous, murders and terrorist with little to no
regard to human life.
According
to Wikipedia, Seaborne piracy against transport vessels remains a significant
issue (with estimated worldwide losses of US$13 to $16 billion per year),
particularly in the waters between the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, off the Somali
coast, and also in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, which are used by over
50,000 commercial ships a year. A recent surge in piracy off the Somali coast
spurred a multi-national effort led by the United States to patrol the waters
near the Horn of Africa.
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References
and Links:
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