Stamping out corruption in the maritime sector

ABOUT 50 years ago, I was a cadet on a ship picking up the pilot before proceeding up a major river in...well it doesn't matter where. The salient point is that the pilot rushed to the bridge and ordered "stop engine". The captain, not surprisingly, enquired why the pilot had given that order. It turned out to be all about how many bottles of whisky and cartons of cigarettes needed to be lowered to the pilot boat. After some negotiation, the ship carried on up the river.

Ask any ship's officer who has served worldwide and you are likely to hear countless similar stories.

I must confess that, with piracy, I have…