Shipowners operating in the Mediterranean are soon likely to be called on to carry out an increasing number of dangerous mass rescue operations as the level of illegal migration from North Africa picks up this spring.
Migration between Africa and Europe is set to nearly double, at a time when government search-and-rescue operations are being curtailed.
According to figures from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), last year alone, some 80 merchant ships were involved in rescuing 40,000 migrants in distress.
