Seafarers and passengers who disappear without a trace from aboard ships.

It is a fact that not only ships, but also seafarers and passengers vanish without a trace at sea, be it in the past or in present times. Several examples for this phenomenon are given. A scheme of the ship conditions found after discovering that single persons or even whole crews had disappeared from board is provided as an orientation, before describing in detail the more than 18 reasons for vanishing from ships for good, giving examples where appropriate.

Regulations and control of in-transit fumigated containers as well as of fumigated cargo ships.

Introduction: According to IMO's international regulations, e.g. "Recommendations on the safe use of pesticides in ships", fumigated containers and ship cargoes must be labeled giving specifications about dates of fumigation and the fumigation gas used.

Gas permeable materials improve safety of life saving appliances.

Spray-hoods are additional items of life jackets. They are very effective in reducing water contact of the breathing openings when victims have to stay in rough seas without boat or life raft. A life raft is also a very important life saving device.