Critical Links: February 13th, 2015
"The myth of the seafarer as the drunken adventurer with “a girl in every port” couldn't be further from the truth, with shore leave a rarity, and ports so far from urban centres that day leave excursions become little more than trips to out-of-town shopping malls to stock up on essentials such as shampoo, shower gel, and snacks. But for most of the Seletar's crew – made up of mainly Indian, Filipino, and Chinese seafarers – the reasons for going to sea are the same as they ever were: to make money that can be sent home to their wives, children, and parents."
Tim Maughan in The Invisible Network that Keeps the World Running