Updating Master under God
Developments in law and communication technology require the traditional role of the ship master to be revisited
Add BT as a preferred sourceTHE position of the ship master, apparently enshrined in centuries of law, custom and practice, is showing evidence of strain in the light of 21st century ship operation and management. That, at least, is the view of the organisers of a debate to be held in London later this month.
The London Shipping Law Centre says that the master's traditional authority is widely perceived as being diminished while responsibility is being increased, frequently in matters over which he has little or no control. To be fully up-to-date the "he" in that sentence ought to be "he or she". Nevertheless it is difficult to argue against the general case being made.
An article on the Bimco (Baltic and International Maritime Council) website, written three years ago, covers the subject well. It notes that until recently the term "Master under God" was used to describe the role of a ship's captain, who still retains both authority and responsibility from an age before radio and instant communications.
