The Irony of “Ocean as a governable place”
Langewiesche expounds, “In principle, the leading industrial nations continue to promote the idea of the ocean as a governable place, and they actively participate in the IMO and the other diplomatic forums that are supposed to make it that way. In practice, however, they are rapidly backing away- recoiling from the growing chaos and attempting to build national defences against the threat that it represents.” Diplomatic engagements have not succeeded in promoting the governability of oceans. The USA’s strategy of engaging in the diplomatic meetings and at the same time upholding its defense from the risks that are inherent in the ocean demonstrates that governing the ocean is utterly problematic even for big nations. Agencies such as United Nations are not efficient in mitigating all the risks which are attributed to oceans despite their funding and investments in diplomatic ventures.
The irony of "Legal Structures”
Langewiesche expounds, “They (sailors) are employed by independent Third World “ manning agents,” who in turn are paid for the labor they provide by furtive offshore management companies that in many cases work for even more elusive owners-people whose identities are hidden behind the legal structures of corporations so ghostly and unencumbered that they exist only on paper, or maybe as a brass plate on some faraway foreign door." Manifestly, legal framework relating to the shipping industries would be anticipated to cater for the sailor's welfare. However, the framework encourages the owners to generate massive profits at the expense of the sailors. Agents are used to conceal the owner's identities which complicates the sailor’s quest for justice. The owners enjoy extreme freedom due to the legal requirements which favor them more than the sailors who do most of the donkey (difficult) work.
The Irony of the “Kristal”
Langewiesche expounds, “Though the Kristal was well painted and regularly passed inspections, it was at least five years beyond the ideal retirement age, and had grown decrepit and difficult to maintain. Its owners kept it sailing anyway, apparently with the intention of squeezing a final few years of profitability from the hull before selling it." The Kristal's appearance gives the impression that it is still a functional ship. Painting conceals the ship’s exact condition which allows the owners to get revenue from it when they should not. The ship has outlived its useful life; hence, allowing it to sail endangers the sailors’’ lives. Owners are selfish individuals who value profits more than the sailors.
