Freighter Safety

The cruise world has been shaken by the Costa Concordia tragedy. Most of my experience has been on freighters, which in many ways I believe are safer than cruise liners. First, with only 30 or 40 people to keep track of, you are sure to be missed at any of the regular drills and musters. Second, IMO and USCG regulations require a freighter to have enough lifeboats on each side to accommodate everyone aboard, unlike passenger vessels that have enough lifeboats for everyone, but they are on both port and starboard sides. Third, it seems that cruise liner captains are selected not only on their professional competence, judgement, and common sense, but also on their charisma and good looks. On freighters these last two things are far down on the list of qualifications. Freighters may not be as comfortable as cruise ships, but I believe that they are safer than cruise ships. But in reality both are a safe way to travel.

I'm a little bit leery of a full cruise ship to be evacuated in the best of circumstances, let alone the worse. I didn't know a freighter had twice he lifeboat capacity than the number of souls onboard.

The cruise world has been shaken by the Costa Concordia tragedy. Most of my experience has been on freighters, which in many ways I believe are safer than cruise liners. First, with only 30 or 40 people to keep track of, you are sure to be missed at any of the regular drills and musters. Second, IMO and USCG regulations require a freighter to have enough lifeboats on each side to accommodate everyone aboard, unlike passenger vessels that have enough lifeboats for everyone, but they are on both port and starboard sides. Third, it seems that cruise liner captains are selected not only on their professional competence, judgement, and common sense, but also on their charisma and good looks. On freighters these last two things are far down on the list of qualifications. Freighters may not be as comfortable as cruise ships, but I believe that they are safer than cruise ships. But in reality both are a safe way to travel.

I'm not sure I agree with your point of view on the virtues of freighters v. cruise ships, but more importantly don't see the correalation you are attempting to make. Unless you are only looking at transportation from point A to point B, people would not generally look at freighters as a cruise option. Cruising is about itineraries, on board experiences, and overall vacation atmosphere, non of which feighters will provide or are intened to offer. Certainly not a valid comparison in the typical sense my view. And while Concordia was a tragedy, it was also one that was 100% human error not typical of the standards of the industry. Certainly bad judgement and human error exists in the merchant world as well - remember Exxon Valdiz??

Cruising is about itineraries, on board experiences, and overall vacation atmosphere, non of which feighters will provide or are intened to offer.

I disagree, because for some people, the relaxing environment (for the passengers, at least) and the middle-of-nowhere location can be just what they want for a vacation atmosphere; as well, I'm sure there are many on-board experiences that freighter cruisers very much enjoy, though they're very different from the on-board experiences on a cruise ship.

I have not sailed on a freighter yet, but I'm looking at them now for a trip in the next 3 or 4 years.

Is there a site that shows freighter trips that are available?

I found this interesting website with links a while back: http://seaplus.com/shipping.php

If you can read any French, http://www.mer-et-voyages.info