The last in the present series Rough Trade
In the cut throat days of The Onedin Line, commercial survival usually came before safety at sea. Nowadays, shipowners wallowing in the recession, battered by problems of over capacity and growing competition from subsidised fleets are increasingly seeking refuge in the less stringent flags of convenience. Eric Robson tells the story of the ship that caused a pollution emergency after ending up 120 miles off-course on a 100-mile voyage, and examines the threat that such vessels pose to their crews, the rescue services and the coastline of Britain.
Producer DAVID GEEN Editor COLIN ADAMS
BBC Manchester