For those in trouble at sea, technology has dramatically increased the chances of survival. Satellite phones, GPS transducers, EPIRBs and the like have made it possible to call for help across the vastness of the world’s oceans.  Some things haven’t changed however.  When help arrives, chances are, it will be a merchant seafarer who comes to the rescue.

This Wednesday, when a distress call went out from a boat overloaded with asylum seekers bound for Australia’s Christmas Island, the first vessel on the scene was the Bison Express, a cattle carrier.  Within a few hours, two other merchant vessels also arrived.  Four of the refugees died, but 134 were saved by the crews of the merchant ships.

Modern technology allows merchant ships to work with coast guards around the world to save those in distress at sea.  For example, when a distress call comes in anywhere in the world, the US Coast Guard AMVER (Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System) vectors the closest of the thousands of merchant ships enrolled in the system to the vessel in distress.  AMVER has been saving lives for over 50 years. When the passenger liner Laconia caught fire on a Christmas cruise in 1963, AMVER sent five merchant ships to help rescue passengers.  Amver-participating ships have saved over 2,800 lives in the last twelve years, alone. Coast guards around the world, including the Rescue Coordination Centers (RCCs) in England and Ireland, have developed their own networks, which often link to AMER and to each other.

In addition to saving refugees, merchant ships have been rescuing sailors from a variety of vessels. A few examples from just the last few months include when circumnavigator,  Max Young’s boat, Reflections, was struck by a whale and was sinking beneath him, he was rescued by the Ocean Virgo, a Panamanian-flagged merchant ship.  Also in June, when solo rowers Sarah Outen and Charlie Martell were disabled by a tropical storm in the sea of Japan, they were recused by the car carrier Texas Highway and the bulk carrier MV Last Tycoon, respectively.  In May, five sailors were rescued from their sinking sailboat in the Atlantic by the tanker Stolt Invention.  In October, another five sailors were rescued by the cruise ship Norwegian Gem.  This is only a partial list of those rescued by the merchant ships.

The sea is a lot less lonely place these day for those in need of help. The technology makes it possible, but merchant seafarers, on merchant ships across the globe, make it happen. Another reason to say, thank you seafarers.