Mixed memories of an eventful year

Ah, 2021. A year featuring the pandemic-related crew change crisis, the near-collapse of the cruise sector and the Ever Given becoming stuck in the Suez Canal.

Of course, most seafarers had to get on with their work in much the same way as usual, and A Maritime Review of 2021 certainly reflects this.

Part of an annual series published by the amateur enthusiasts at the World Ship Society, the work is essentially a shipspotting book: an album of vessel photos taken around the world and captioned with ship particulars and potted histories.

The book looks at vessels newly entering service – such as the Global Mercy hospital ship – as well as those coming to the end of their lives and those simply going about their business. Groundings and other incidents are recorded, and the Ever Given is allocated a special five-page section.

Although well-presented with high-quality photos on glossy paper, the book suffers a little from the apparently random order in which it presents the vessels. A more obvious theme or structure would have been useful. However, all the ships are listed in alphabetical order in the index at the back, so that definitely wins the work some points compared to many others of its type.

A Maritime Review of 2021
By Krispen Atkinson and David Walker
World Ship Society, £18
ISBN: 978 19160 58965