The onboard training environment is important for the continuity of cadets’ maritime careers and for the wider industry. Various studies have been conducted with the aim of improving the onboard training environment of cadets in various respects including education, health and safety, and sexual harassment. However, there is a lack of research that details the problems associated with onboard training and how the safety of cadets is managed in the field. Descriptive and non-parametric statistics were used to analyze the data from 284 cadets from maritime universities and 41 shipping company employees in South Korea collected between March and July 2020. The results show that many cadets are not guaranteed enough rest time and the provision of personal protective equipment. In addition, some companies consider cadets to be crew members or temporary workers. To improve the training environment, recommendations include the evaluation of the ship’s environment to establish whether it is suitable for training, constant monitoring of whether the onboard training guidelines are maintained in the field, strengthening of preventive education on human rights violations, and expanding efforts continuously not only to physically improve the onboard training environment but systematically manage cadets as students.

A synoptic typing approach was undertaken to examine the seasonal relationship (winter versus summer) between air mass types and pollutant concentrations of O₃, PM10, NO_x, NO₂ and CO in Birmingham, UK, from 2000 to 2015. Daily means of seven surface meteorological variables were entered into a P-mode principal component analysis. Three principal components explained 72.2% (72.9%) of the variance in winter (summer). Cluster analysis was used to group together days with similar PC scores and thus similar meteorological conditions. Six clusters provided the best air mass classification in both seasons. High pollutant concentrations were associated with anticyclonic types. In particular, tropical (polar) continental air mass type was most likely to produce extremely high concentrations in summer (winter). In winter, a sequence of Polar Continental (cool and humid) and Binary Mid-latitude Anticyclonic Maritime—Sub-Polar Cyclonic Maritime (cold and dry) induced severe pollution episodes in all pollutants. Whilst the mean duration of severe pollution episodes varied little between winter and summer (O₃ was an exception, with severe episodes lasting 20% longer in summer), high pollutant extremes were more common in winter. This was due to more favourable meteorological conditions (e.g. temperature inversions) and increased anthropogenic emissions during the cold season.

This paper assesses the relationship between gridded (5 × 5°) monthly North Atlantic (10–70°N, 80°W–20°E) sea-surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) and concurrent, one-monthly and two-monthly lagged rainfall totals for four coherent Icelandic precipitation regions over the period 1961–2002. Monthly correlation fields are derived and tested for field-significance at the 0.1 level. Stepwise multiple linear regression models are then constructed to predict one-monthly (t + 1) and two-monthly (t + 2) lagged rainfall from SSTA variations for those months and regions with field-significant correlation patterns. Most of the field-significant correlation patterns are for concurrent relationships and for precipitation during the winter months in northern Iceland at the t + 1 and t + 2 timesteps. The t + 1 and t + 2 predictor patterns of northern Icelandic precipitation in February are field-significant. For this month, above-average precipitation in northern Iceland in February is linked to a pool of warm water that tracks eastwards from the eastern Atlantic (40–55°N, 5–40°W) in December into northern European sea areas (e.g. North Sea, Norwegian Sea) by January. Study results also reveal that December precipitation in northern Iceland is also potentially predictable from SE North Atlantic SST (10–40°N, 5–45°W) in the preceding October and November. The models' skill is assessed retrospectively by re-deriving the forecasting algorithms over training periods A (1961–1990) and B (1971–2002), and then evaluating the models' performance over validation periods A (1991–2002) and B (1961–1970). Coefficients of determination (R²) between observed and modelled t + 1 and t + 2 February and December precipitation in northern Iceland range from 4 to 49%, indicating some utility of these forecasting models for seasonal predictions of Icelandic precipitation. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.

Despite the increasing number of foreign seafarers working in the Korean shipping industry and the growing concern for psycho-emotional stress due to discrimination in the maritime sector, few studies have focused on the working environment of foreign seafarers on South Korean vessels. This study aimed to determine whether foreign seafarers perceived discrimination in the Korean shipping industry and if so, the types of discrimination they faced and how they responded to this challenge. A survey was conducted to assess foreign seafarers’ experiences of discrimination, understanding of their own human rights, and level of satisfaction in working with Korean seafarers as well as identifying positive factors. The main positive findings included the kindness of colleagues, and excellent welfare facilities and benefits; whilst the most frequently reported negative factors related to language barriers and food types. These findings can be used to identify and share best practices and help determine priority areas for action. However, as the number of participants was small due to difficulties in contacting foreign seafarers during COVID-19 restrictions, further research is necessary to understand and improve the working environment of foreign seafarers on South Korean vessels.