Why The Global Supply Chain Is Broken And How To Fix It birminghamtimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from birminghamtimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Adrift, Alone, and Far from Home: The Human Side of the Global Maritime Industry
30.Dec.2020 11:15 AM . 10 min read
At any moment, nearly 50,000 cargo ships are crossing the oceans, carrying more than 5 million containers of goods destined for countries around the world. Fueling this massive operation is an equally large workforce of more than 1.6 million people, many of whom hail from developing countries such as Indonesia, Ukraine, India, and the Philippines. Collectively, these sailors ensure not only the continued success of global commerce, but also the safe movement of goods that are essential to the wellbeing of billions of people.
However, despite the importance of their roles, sailors do not reap commensurate benefits or in fact, much benefit at all. The maritime industry, which includes both cargo ships and passenger-carrying cruise ships, relies heavily on low-cost labor sourced directly from developing countries. Many sailors sign fixed-term contracts to ser