Is Bezos the last, best hope for stranded seafarers?

I AM writing this on so-called Black Friday - Nov 27. That is when retailers in North America and Europe cut their prices by huge amounts in a bid to tempt shoppers to spend freely in the run-up to Christmas.

And, in fact, I have bought a very reasonably priced new laptop today. My new computer's planned arrival at my front door in three days time is the culmination of a logistical miracle. Of course, the key element in that miracle is the shipping industry, and, in particular, container ships.

I mention this because it is relevant to a new move by the leaders of the major global shipping industry bodies, who met virtually this week, as the Round Table, to discuss what they see as the most pressing issues facing the industry as we move into 2021. Afterwards they reiterated that the industry "is fully committed to finding solutions to the crew change and climate crises".