Effective and Efficient Maritime Administration and Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

Shipping commonly refers to maritime transportation conducted by a ship, and irrespective of size or flag, a ship does not operate in isolation and its main purpose is to transport goods and cargos from one part of the world to another (Farthing and Brownrigg 1997). In this context, maritime transport is deemed as an indispensable part of international logistics and accounts for 80% of the volume of global trade (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 2013, p. 5). What can be gathered from the 2013 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report is that the shipping industry has played a key role in transforming the global economy in the last few decades (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development 2013, p. 5). Transportation being the catalyst of maritime explorations, shipping, to that extent, has not only made cross-border trade possible, it has also brought innumerable opportunities since it’s inception. From export-import of raw materials, consumer products, natural resources, oil and gas and chemicals to job opportunities on board ships, in the port or even in the government office—shipping in short, can be considered as a strong pillar of a nation’s economy. As a forerunner of globalization, shipping has changed the way one views trade and development. While shipping can be praised by a number of positive adjectives, mostly with regard to the way it contributes to the advancement of a nations economic growth, the advantages, nevertheless, come with a number of negative externalities. Quite often, these negative externalities begin to surface in the aftermath of a maritime incident and may pose a detrimental effect on the marine environment, the coastal community, the marine biodiversity, the seafarers working on board the ships etc.