Union says accident should be a wake-up call to regulators

The union – which represents 23,000 ship masters, officers, ratings and other shipping industry staff – says the incident involving the Italian-flagged cruiseship Costa Concordia is the latest in a series that have highlighted its long-standing concerns over safety.

‘In this, the centenary of the loss of the Titanic, major nostalgia industry is already in full flow – but it is essential that everyone recognises that the Titanic offers lessons for today and that there are contemporary resonances that should not be lost,’ said general secretary Mark Dickinson.

In particular, Nautilus is concerned about the rapid recent increases in the size of passenger ships – with the average tonnage doubling over the past decade.