| In 2003, a ferry in New York City struck
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| | new tasks are controversial in some
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| a pier in Staten Island, killing eleven
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| | areas, especially in ferry systems
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| and injuring more than seventy. In 2005,
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| | already crowded, where the additional
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| a ferry in British Columbia missed the
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| | security is seen as a hassle and
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| dock and crashed into small boats in the
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| | time-suck. In the past few years, the US
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| marina. And more recently, a ferry in
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| | Coast Guard has struggled with balancing
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| the Red Sea sank, claiming the lives of
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| | the demands for both safety and time and
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| over one thousand passengers. Just a few
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| | staff efficiency. The new anti-terrorism
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| days previous to that disaster, a ferry
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| | regulations will have the highest impact
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| in Indonesia sank, killing dozens. All
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| | on large US and European ferry systems.
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| of these tragedies beg the question: how
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| | While the new regulations represent a
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| safe are ferries? Ferries are popular
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| | hassle in developed countries, ferry
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| with tourists, considering them a scenic
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| | regulation in developing nations would be
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| break from crowded highways, but should
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| | a welcome relief. Ferry systems in
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| you entrust yourself and your family to a
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| | developing nations suffer continually
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| ferry?
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| | from problems such as understaffing,
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| Ferries in developed countries are,
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| | severe overcrowding, aging vessels, and a
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| relatively speaking, safe - in fact, in
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| | lack of regulatory standards. As a
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| the US traveling by ferry is far safer
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| | result, it is not unusual to see repeat
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| than traveling by car. In the US,
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| | accidents in the same rivers and ports,
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| ferries operate in forty States, and in
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| | with the same ferry operators. The two
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| 2002 ridership exceeded one million in
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| | worst places to catch a ferry are Somalia
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| several large US cities (including
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| | and Bangladesh, where ferry accidents are
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| Seattle, New York City, San Francisco,
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| | routine. In Bangladesh, roughly 1,000
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| and Boston). Seattle, which has the
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| | people die in ferry accidents every year.
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| largest US ferry system, sees
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| | The International Maritime Organization
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| approximately 26 million passengers each
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| | (IMO) has begun a ten-year plan to reduce
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| year. All the ferries all operate under
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| | the number of ferry fatalities, but when
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| specific procedures and safety standards
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| | this will realistically begin to have an
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| laid out by state and federal
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| | effect on the ferry systems of developing
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| authorities, some of which have been
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| | nations remains a question.
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| updated since the 2003 crash in New York.
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| | In summary, if you are considering
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| But ferries in Europe and the US have a
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| | traveling by ferry as part of your
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| new burden to consider, as well:
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| | upcoming vacation, you would do well to
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| terrorism. Since September 11, all modes
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| | consider where your travel will be: In
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| of mass transit are coming under intense
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| | the US, Canada, and Europe, you can take
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| scrutiny by governmental organizations,
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| | comfort on the fact that you are safer in
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| and this includes ferries. Often times
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| | a ferry than you are in a car and even
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| operating with the same number of staff,
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| | some planes. But if you are traveling in
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| ferries are being required to check and
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| | a developing nation, either do your
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| re-check both passengers and their
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| | homework carefully, or stay away from the
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| vehicles for anything suspicious. These
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| | ferry systems altogether.
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