The Sea, January/February 2013

Issue 221 jan/feb 2013

Your views are wanted on burden of red tape

Los artículos en español aparecen en las páginas 6y7 Статьи на русском языке приводятся на стр. 6 и 7

Piracy lull off Somalia continues page 2 New head for the ITF page 4 Profile of North Tees Mission page 4/5 The Mission to Seafarers Founded in 1856, and entirely funded by voluntary donations, today’s Mission to Seafarers offers emergency assistance, practical support, and a friendly welcome to crews in 250 ports around the world.

Whether caring for victims of piracy or providing a lifeline to those stranded in foreign ports, we are there for the globe’s 1.3 million merchant seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs.

The Sea Editor: Ben Bailey News: David Hughes The Sea is distributed free to seafarers through chaplains and seafarers’ centres. You can also arrange to receive it regularly at a cost of £3.50 or $5 per year (six issues).

To find out more, contact: Ben Bailey, The Sea, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London EC4R 2RL Tel: +44 20 7248 5202 Email: ben.bailey@ missiontoseafarers.org www.missiontoseafarers.org Registered charity in England and Wales: 1123613 The Mission to Seafarers Scotland Limited, Registered charity: SC041938

THE Jules Garnier II, the first ship to be specially constructed for the carriage of nickel ore

Campaign under way to cut ore carrier losses

New ship type for ‘world’s most dangerous cargo’ T HE first ship built in response to concerns over the danger of carrying nickel ore cargoes entered service with Japanese shipping major JX Shipping in September.

The vessel, the Jules Garnier II, is the first in the world to be recognised as a Specially Constructed Cargo Ship for the carriage of nickel ore in accordance with the International Maritime O r g a n i z a t i o n ’s ( I M O ) International Maritime Solid Bulk Code (IMSBC). The vessel was constructed by Naikai Zosen to classification society ClassNK’s rules.

Nickel ore cargoes can liquefy during transport, drastically affecting a ship’s stability and safety. Unstable liquefied nickel ore cargoes were blamed for the sinkings of four vessels and the loss of 66 seafarers in 2010 and 2011.

While the bulk carrier owners’ association, Intercargo, describes nickel ore as “the world’s most dangerous cargo”, at IMO efforts are currently under way to strengthen the IMSBC. The IMSBC currently requires that the moisture content (MC) of cargoes that may liquefy be tested prior to their loading on board ships, and forbids nonspecialised vessels from loading cargoes with an MC greater than the specified Transportable Moisture Limit (TML).

NORTH of England P&I club’s poster to help seafarers to identify ore types However, questions have been raised about the testing procedures and the validity of moisture content test results, and there is growing concern about whether nickel ore can safely be carried by standard vessels.

While the IMSBC allows for these dangerous cargoes to be carried by Specially Constructed Cargo Ships, no definition or requirements for such vessels are included in the code itself.

ClassNK carried out

independent research on the physical characteristics of nickel ore in 2009 and, based on this research, developed the world’s first hull structure and stability requirements for building such ships.

The 27,200 dwt Jules Garnier II’s design incorporates longitudinal bulkheads in her cargo holds to ensure stability and structural strength even when liquefied nickel ore cargoes are loaded.

ClassNK operating officer and hull department general manager Mitsuhiko Kidogawa said that with “the completion of this vessel and the successful implementation of these new standards, we have realised an important step in our efforts to ensure the safety of vessels and their crews. While this is an important achievement, we are continuing our research on nickel ore and other cargoes that can liquefy during transport, and we hope that we can develop methods for existing vessels to safely transport these dangerous cargoes, as well.”

Meanwhile liability insurer North of England P&I club has launched a new poster to help seafarers identify ore types, as part of its campaign to cut the risk of further losses of ships and crews carrying ore cargoes that may liquefy at sea. It provides a quick visual reference for seafarers so they can check on the typical Continued on P3

INTERNATIONAL ship and crew management trade association InterManager, is supporting a survey which aims to identify how much of a burden red tape places on seafarers.

The online survey is being organised by the Danish Maritime Authority and InterManager is urging its members to encourage seafarers to take part.

The secretary general of the association, Captain Kuba Szymanski, said that “this important project will give a better understanding of seafarers’ view on administrative work on board and, hence, provide a basis for initiatives aiming to improve seafarers’ job satisfaction by reducing the burden of red tape they face”.

The survey, which is open to seafarers of all nationalities, is completely anonymous and no personal information will be disclosed.

Seafarers can take part in the online survey at the webpage: http://survey. enalyzer.com/ ?pid=g3fukakb

Advice on improving escape routes THE UK P&I Club has issued a new Technical Bulletin – Escape from Engine Rooms. It contains a number of practical suggestions on how to improve escape routes from machinery spaces.

The bulletin suggests that engine room emergency escape doors and exit routes should be highlighted more clearly, using fluorescent colour such as “day glo” orange or yellow or painting the door with “tiger stripes”.

The club also warns against locking engine room doors or hatches leading on to the upper deck, which is sometimes done for security reasons.

2 the sea jan/feb 13

Suspect pirate skiff destroyed by Italian warship Fleet renewal IN MID-October last year, the Italian warship ITS San Giusto stopped and destroyed a suspected pirate skiff after capturing her seven-strong crew. The San Giusto spotted the skiff carrying a ladder and up to 20 fuel drums, 180 miles east of Socotra and immediately launched its helicopter to investigate.

Once at the scene, a team from the San Giusto boarded the vessel and arrested the men on board (right).

EU Naval Force operation commander Rear Admiral Duncan Potts said that “this was the first sighting of a suspect pirate vessel in the Somali Basin for over three months and the EU Naval Force got to it before it had a chance of carrying out an attack on ships transiting the area.

“We knew, as the monsoon period ended this month,

project for Philippines ferries

that pirates would try their luck at sea and this is why we have constantly warned against complacency. My message to the pirates is clear

– we are watching you and we plan to capture you if you put to sea. Equally, this is an indication that pirates still intend to get out to sea and

all involved in countering piracy, whether they are the military or industry must remain vigilant and prepared.”

No room at all for complacency, warns IMB director

The reduction in attacks off Somalia continues T

HE operation commander of the E u r o p e a n U n i o n ’s counter-piracy mission (EU NAVFOR) off the coast of Somalia has said that while pirate attacks have reduced off the Horn of Africa over the past year, the threat of piracy remains.

In early November Rear Admiral Duncan Potts said that “we are currently witnessing a tactical, yet wholly reversible success in the reduction of pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa and we very much welcome the shipping community’s efforts to protect merchant ships transiting the area with the implementation of selfprotection measures to deter attacks. Counter-piracy forces also continue to maintain pressure on Somali pirates by disrupting their activities at sea.”

His remarks were primarily aimed at sailors of yachts who might be tempted to sail through the area. He warned that “it cannot be stressed enough the significant danger that pleasure craft owners will put themselves in if they choose to transit the high-

risk sea area where pirates are known to operate”.

The director of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), Pottengal Mukundan, also warned that the waters off the Horn of Africa and far out into the Indian were still very dangerous. He told The Sea that the actions of the navies operating in the area and the measures taken to protect individual merchant ships, including the deployment of armed guards, had been effective in reducing the number of attacks. But he stressed that there was “no room at all for complacency. The pirates are still out there waiting for their chance. It is vital that the navies continue their excellent work in disrupting the pirate gangs.”

Captain Mukundan said that, as of early November, nine vessels, including five local dhows and fishing vessels, were being held. He said it was believed 127 seafarers were on the vessels, while another 27 were being held ashore.

In its regular piracy report, issued in October, the IMB urges seafarers to remain vigilant in the high-risk waters

Kidnapped crew released SEVEN crew members who were kidnapped on October 15 from the the offshore support vessel Bourbon Liberty 249, which was operating in Nigerian waters, were subsequently released on November 1. Nine other crew members had been left on board the vessel and sailed to the port of Onne. The ship’s owner, Bourbon Marine Services, would not say if a ransom had been paid.

The company did say that the six Russians and one Estonian appeared to be in good health. They were returned home after receiving thorough medical

and psychological checkups.

Bourbon thanked the organisations which, with its own emergency unit, had worked towards freeing the men. These included the Nigerian police, Special Security Services, the Joint Task Force, and the Nigerian, Russian, Estonian, Luxembourg and French Governments.

The company added: “For reasons of confidentiality and in order to preserve the privacy of the families, no information will be given about the demands, the context, the released crew members and their families.”

around Somalia, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea and also warns that violent attacks and hijackings are spreading in the Gulf of Guinea.

Worldwide last year, the IMB reports, pirates killed at least six crew members and took 448 seafarers hostage. It says 125 vessels were boarded, 24 hijacked and 26 fired upon.

In addition, 58 attempted attacks were reported.

The drop in Somali piracy brought global figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea down to 233 incidents in 2012 – the lowest third quarter total since 2008.

However, the IMB says piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is becoming increasingly dangerous (34 incidents from January to September 2012, up from 30 in 2011) and has pushed westward from Benin to neighbouring Togo. It says attacks are often violent, planned and aimed at stealing refined oil products, which can be easily sold.

To cover their tracks once the vessel is hijacked, pirates damage the communication equipment and at times even the navigation equipment.

Captain Mukundan said:

“Not all navies in the Gulf of Guinea have the resources to fight piracy far out at sea, so criminal gangs shift to other areas. The Nigerian Navy must be commended however, on its reactions to a number of incidents where its presence was instrumental in rescuing vessels. It is particularly encouraging that the Nigerian authorities have managed to capture a number of pirate gangs.”

Piracy is also becoming an increasing problem in Indonesia, where 51 incidents were noted in the first nine months of 2012, up from an annual total of 46 in 2011.

The IMB says that “attacks tended to be opportunistic thefts and mainly carried out on board vessels at anchor.

Vessels were boarded in 46 of the 51 reports, which is a cause for concern.”

Elsewhere in South East Asia, in 2012, ships were hijacked in the Malacca Straits, the South China Seas and around Malaysia. The IMB warned that these waters are still not entirely free of piracy or armed robbery and crews should remain vigilant and alert.

New piracy awareness programme launched A NEW Pre-Departure Piracy Awareness Training programme has been launched in the Philippines by the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme. It is jointly funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, the TK Foundation and the International Group of P & I clubs.

The Pre-Departure Piracy Awareness Training for seafarers is designed for approximately 20 participants per session and involves participants analysing the guidelines contained in the

Best Management Practice (BMP) against Somali Based Piracy guide.

They are also taught: to be aware of the available resources and documents which give information, guidelines and recommended actions before, during and after a piracy and armed robbery incident; to understand the most common reactions of those affected by piracy, and to consider what they may wish to share with their family concerning the risks of piracy.

CHRISTOPHER Pastrana, founder of Archipelago Philippine Ferries, says his company has placed the first-ever order for purpose-built Philippines ferries. His company has launched a fleet renewal project with ten ships designed

by Australia’s Sea Transport. These are due for completion before December this year.

“This will be the youngest fleet in South East Asia and the first step towards a revolutionised maritime industry in the Philippines,” he told delegates at the recent Interferry annual conference. Two years ago he presented a shocking indictment of the nation’s domestic maritime safety record – 5,000 dead in 30 major incidents over three decades – which he blamed on ageing second-hand tonnage.

New tank monitoring system A NEW automated gas monitoring system for tankers and reefer vessels removes the need for seafarers to take hand notes on deck by producing a certificate for Port State Control and other inspectors as well as storing the information for download.

The new Marine Tankscape system incorporates seven instruments for confined space and cargo monitoring and inert gases into one instrument and allows up to five gases to be measured and displayed at the same time.

Proposal for teacher training THE global maritime education and training association, GlobalMET, has proposed the setting up of a maritime teacher training institute to serve the Asia Pacific region. The association’s executive secretary, Rod Short, put outline proposals to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila recently.

He said afterwards that “the presentation went very well and, as a result, employment of a consultant to provide

the ADB with advice on needs for human resource development in the maritime sector in Asia Pacific has been approved”.

Hydrogen ‘could be competitive’ GERMAN-BASED classification society Germanischer Lloyd says that combining liquid hydrogen and fuel cell/battery propulsion systems could be competitive if the price of marine gas oil reaches US$2,000 per tonne – but that compares with a current price of $900 per tonne and a peak of $1,300 in 2008.

HELM course now compulsory PASSING a Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM) course became compulsory for officer of the watch certificate candidates on January 1.

HELM courses address resource management and incorporate social skills such as leadership and team-working; communication; operating effectively in a multicultural environment; planning and co-ordinating skills to optimise work load management and delivery, and cognitive skills such as problem analysis and decisionmaking and high-level situational awareness.

The UK’s Warsash Maritime Academy has become the first college to be approved by the country’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency to run HELM courses at an operational level. The first course will run in February.

Reefers on borrowed time ACCORDING to Drewry Maritime Research’s latest Reefer Shipping Market Review and Forecast, the specialised reefer fleet is continuing “its inexorable decline”. No refrigerated cargoships are being built but over 500 containerships are on order.

Drewry notes: “The two fleets are moving in opposite directions and it is impossible to see this changing significantly.

However, survival in the specialised reefer industry appears to be achievable for the moment, based on its distinct advantages, expertise and service.”

jan/feb 13 the sea 3

‘Shortage of qualified seafarers steadily getting worse’

Crew wages expected to increase, says new survey C OMPETITION for crews is likely to help push up vessel operating costs by about 3 per cent in both 2012 and 2013, according to a new survey by international shipping accountant and consultant Moore Stephens. The survey finds that crew costs and lubricants expenditure are the categories most likely to produce the highest levels of increase.

The survey is based on responses from key players in the international shipping industry, predominantly shipowners and managers in Europe and Asia.

Crew wages, meanwhile, are expected to increase by 2.3 per cent in 2012 and by 2.4 per cent in 2013, with other crew costs thought likely to increase 2.1 per cent for both years under review.

A number of respondents cited crew costs as a major cause for concern. One said: “As long as there is stiff competition on crew costs amongst managers, with wages being increased at random, the situation will not settle down.”

Another noted: “The volume of new vessel deliveries

GROWING pressure on crew supply is predicted. and short contracts will put pressure on crew supply, and crewing costs will go up.”

Worryingly, respondents did not think that more expensive crews would actually mean better crews. “Crew competence and skill is declining,” said one, “with a trend towards short contracts and fast promotion. This is leading to more accidents and

to extraordinary unbudgeted expenses.”

Another remarked that the shortage of qualified crews was steadily getting worse. “A lot of the new crews are of a very low standard,” he said.

Another response was that “crews from countries that offer lower wages will play a very important role in the cost of operating vessels. With low

freight earnings, owners will try to save on crew wages.”

Meanwhile, one respondent claimed that “the biggest single factor in operating cost increases these days is the scarcity of Filipino and Chinese seamen”.

Although some seafarers may see increased wages the survey findings generally present a gloomy outlook for the coming year.

Several respondents expressed concern about overtonnaging. “The market has been very shaky in 2012, and will continue to be so next year, because of the oversupply of tonnage and the shortage of motivated and qualified crews,” noted one, adding that “below-break-even voyages are being undertaken in order to avoid sending ships into layup or being sold at very low prices”. Another respondent pointed out that the shipping markets would only get more difficult, as a result of overcapacity, while yet another respondent made the prediction that “due to the over-supply of ships, we face a major crisis, and an increase in the amount of laid-up tonnage”.

UK spending cuts ‘could have disastrous consequences’ THE UK Government’s proposed cuts in spending on maritime safety risk potentially disastrous consequences, seafarers’ union Nautilus International has warned. However, shipping minister Stephen Hammond responded: “Safety is very much this government’s highest priority and we would not do anything that would put seafarers or the public at risk.”

Nautilus International’s senior national secretary, Allan Graveson, issued the warning when he presented evidence to a House of Commons transport committee inquiry into changes which had been made to the UK’s Coastguard. The changes include the withdrawal of emergency towing vessels (ETVs) and the loss of the Marine Incident Response Group (MIRG), which provided specialist fire-fighting and rescue support to ships around the UK coast.

Mr Graveson told the inquiry that Nautilus was concerned about the erosion of “safety in depth” with the loss of the ETVs and the MIRG coming on top of the scrapping of the Nimrod long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and the failure to replace ageing search and rescue helicopters. The removal of such key elements of the safety net for shipping was “profoundly dangerous”, Mr Graveson added. He warned that the government needed to treat the Coastguard in the same way as the other emergency services.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency chief executive Sir Alan Massey admitted almost 14 per cent of Coastguard posts were currently unfilled, but argued that the changes would create a more efficient, networked system in which resources could be shared to cope better with emergencies.

THE recent Interferry conference in Dubai heard how two new concepts could lead to safer ro-ro ships. Masanori Onzuka, a naval architect at Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, described a new righting system that enhances the damage stability of ro-ro/ro-pax ships and car carriers. The system transfers floodwater into void spaces in the ship’s bottom, quickly lowering the centre of gravity to reduce the capsize risk. A 170-metre long ro-ro newbuild due for delivery this March will be the first ship equipped with the system.

Thomas Ritte, from German shipbuilder Flensburger, presented further solutions for hull damage survivability – notably a ro-pax subdivision concept where water ingress is diverted to a cofferdam straddling the lower hold, and a honeycomb-structure double hull that absorbs kinetic energy to reduce flood risk by 70 per cent.

Mandatory places of refuge call

Highly efficient tanker design ENGINE builder and ship designer Wärtsilä has developed a new, highly efficient Aframax tanker design which, it says, “offers solutions for current and forthcoming emissions legislation”.

The single screw crude oil tanker (above) features a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) optimised hull to provide less resistance with higher propulsion efficiency.

A minimum time at the terminals is ensured by the high loading/discharge rate.

‘World’s most dangerous cargo’ Continued from P1 particle size and appearance of the main types of ore cargo – fines, concentrates, pellets, lump ore and lateritic ore.

The insurer’s loss-prevention manager, Andrew Glen, has been involved in recent international efforts to improve safety with nickel ore cargoes in particular.

Mr Glen said a common problem faced by seafarers was “trying to work out whether an ore cargo about to be loaded on board matches that described by the shipper.

“The new poster campaign aims to help them with identification.”

Two new concepts could bring safer ro-ros

The poster shows scaled colour photographs of each ore type, along with a brief physical description, including liquefaction behaviour and IMSBC categorisation. Mr Glen advises that “if there is any doubt that the cargo being offered is not what was expected, seafarers should be instructed to stop loading and seek expert advice”.

The insurer also says that in the longer term it intends to identify organisations that are not following the IMSBC requirements in order to focus future loss-prevention efforts of industry and regulators.

The propulsion system is based on the high performance, two-stroke Wärtsilä X62 main engine.

Wärtsilä claims that, compared to currently available main engine options, the X62 can achieve fuel savings of 7 per cent on specific vessel design.

For emissions compliance, an integrated Wärtsilä exhaust gas scrubber has been placed on the funnel. The main engine, auxiliary engines and auxiliary boilers are all connected to the scrubber.

Problems in Sierra Leone UNSAFE iron ore cargoes are being delivered to vessels for loading in Sierra Leone, according to the liability insurer, the London Club. And, it says, limited local expertise and technology, together with poor communications, are making the problem worse.

Following the end of the country’s tenyear-long civil war, two shippers have resumed exports of iron ore from Sierra Leone. Some of these cargoes are Group

A (capable of liquefying) under the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC) Code.

According to the insurer, both Sierra Leone shippers are now aware of their obligations under the IMSBC Code and appear to be trying to avoid offering wet cargo and/or inadequate certification. However, the London Club says it expects some difficulties to persist, particularly as both shippers plan to increase their export volumes.

INTERNATIONAL Chamber of Shipping (ICS) secretary general Peter Hinchliffe has said that countries should be required to provide a place of refuge for ships in need of assistance and also that flag states should be obliged to report casualty investigations to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Speaking at the recent IMO Alternative World Maritime Day Event in Bahrain, he said that making the current guidance on providing a place of refuge mandatory would improve environmental protection and crew and passenger safety.

Personal data warning GLOBAL shipping agent Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) has warned “all crew, vessel owners, masters and operators” to triple check personal information before submitting Electronic Advanced Notice of Arrival (E-NOA) and Advance Passenger

Information System (APIS) reports to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to avoid financial penalties.

Inchcape says that, while errors such as misspelt names and transposed dates on the crew list portion of the E-NOA were often corrected in practice without penalties if highlighted by APIS to the submitter, the strict enforcement of any mistakes identified at all will now result in a US$5,000 fine for the first offence, going up to $10,000 for additional violations.

Club seeks to provoke discussion THE North of England P&I club has launched a range of topical sheets specifically designed for handing out and discussing at onboard safety briefings. The first Talking Point is on grinding wheel cutting disc failure and the second is on working at heights.

The liability insurer’s head of loss prevention, Tony Baker, says that “while drills, training videos, guides and posters all help to deliver safety messages on ships, getting people to actually talk and think proactively about risk is the most effective way to raise awareness.

Regular health and safety discussions also facilitate sharing of ideas and concerns and help seafarers to bond.”

The briefing sheets can be downloaded at http://www.nepia. com/loss-prevention/ publications-andguides/TalkingPoints.php

Eleven near misses off NZ coast IN THE 11 months following the 2011 Rena grounding, there were 11 incidents off the New Zealand coast where an accident was avoided only by luck or last minute action, according to Maritime New Zealand.

The government department said it had been told of two near misses involving passenger vessels, four involving container vessels, two involving tanker vessels, two involving cargo vessels and one involving a bulk carrier vessel.

All the ships were foreign owned. There have been renewed calls for compulsory shipping lanes around the country’s coastline according to The New Zealand Herald.

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4 the sea jan/feb 13

MICHAEL GREY

NEWS

Call for action on ID cards THE maritime employers’ organisation, the International Shipping Federation (ISF), which represents maritime employers globally, has called for action to implement International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 185, concerning the facilitation of shore leave and crew transits.

The ISF described the low level of implementation as a continuing source of disappointment.

According to the ISF’s director of employment affairs, Natalie Shaw, under the terms of the convention, and as a part of a quid pro quo for requiring seafarers to carry new ILO identity documents, port states were meant to find ways of making access to shore leave easier.

Mrs Shaw said that one of the problems of ILO Convention 185 was that the technical specifications for the required seafarers’ identity documents were different from those used in passports or by the aviation industry.

“The equipment needs to be interoperable, and understandably countries are reluctant to pay the costs re-

quired to purchase equipment solely for the use of seafarers,” said Mrs Shaw. “It would be much more viable to align the standards with those that exist elsewhere. Twenty-four countries have now ratified Convention 185 but few are able to issue the new ILO ID cards and there are few machines available internationally that can read them.”

Speaking at a seminar organised by the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA), which was held in Manila, Mrs Shaw explained that the ILO Seafarers’ Identity Documents Convention (ILO 185) – which the ISF helped to negotiate on behalf of employers in 2003 – was adopted as part of a package of measures following the terrorist attacks in 2001.

“The wide ratification of the convention would have materially assisted the welfare of seafarers as well as addressing the security concerns of port states,” said Mrs Shaw.

For example, she pointed out, while ILO 185 discouraged port states from requiring seafarers to have to obtain visas, reflecting

the special nature of their employment, the convention did not explicitly prohibit them from doing so, provided that the port state concerned took equivalent measures.

“This might include allowing seafarers to obtain visas on arrival, rather than requiring them to obtain visas from overseas consulates.”

However, she said, “insistence by port states that seafarers must obtain visas in advance of arrival in port is still a major problem in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

“If governments insist on requiring seafarers to obtain visas, which is contrary to the spirit of relevant ILO conventions and the IMO FAL Convention [Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic], it should be made possible for seafarers to obtain visas on arrival.”

The ISF remained committed, Mrs Shaw said, to encouraging the widespread ratification of ILO 185, and to finding a way forward at ILO so that the technical specifications for the ID cards could be modified.

Skill shortages cause increase in claims

Change at the top at ITF DAVID COCKROFT, who has been general secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) since 1993, is to retire at the end of May 2013 when he reaches the age of 60. Stephen Cotton (above), who is currently ITF

maritime co-ordinator, has been appointed acting general secretary.

Mr Cotton said that “to step into David’s shoes and to take on this new role is a huge responsibility and an extraordinary challenge”.

A STUDY by the Swedish Club, undertaken in response to a 60 per cent increase in hull and machinery claims over a three-year period, has pointed to skill shortages as one of the principal causes of this rise.

The club says the three key issues that have been identified are: lack of knowledge, failure to follow procedures, and inadequate resource management. The club also identifies excessive speed as a recurring issue, noting that situational awareness would often have been enhanced if the ship or operation had been slowed to a more reasonable speed.

Marshall Islands issues passage plan guide THE Marshall Islands has issued detailed guidelines on passage planning. The guidance includes preparing “on the basis of the fullest possible appraisal”, a detailed voyage or passage plan which should cover the entire voyage or passage from berth to berth, including those areas

where the services of a pilot will be used.

It adds that details of the voyage or passage plan should be clearly marked and recorded, as appropriate, on charts and in a voyage-plan notebook or on a computer disk.

If the vessel carries electronic nautical publications with an

electronic back-up, the voyage plan should include printed excerpts appropriate for the planned voyage.

The administration says each voyage or passage plan, as well as the details of the plan, should be approved by the ship’s master before the start of the voyage or passage.

Wallem upgrades Philippines training facilities HONG KONG-BASED Wallem Shipmanagement has installed the next generation VSTEP NAUTIS full mission bridge simulator at the Wallem Maritime Training Centre Philippines (WMTCP). The move coincided with the entry into force of the 2010 Manila Amendments to

the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW Convention). Wallem says it made this “substantial investment” in training equipment to improve the quality of training they provide for their Filipino officers and cadets.

A wish list for the New Year On the principle of ‘if you don’t ask, you don’t get’, Michael Grey sets out a wish list for 2013, even if many of the items will go the same way as New Year resolutions and get forgotten as the year advances

W

hat would you wish for in 2013?

Smooth seas and safe sailing, obviously, although with slow steaming becoming institutionalised, to wish for a fast passage would seem to be quite unrealistic!

But on the principle of “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”, it might be instructive to devise a wish list for the upcoming year, even if many of them will go the same way as those new year resolutions and be forgotten as the year advances.

Well, 2013 will be the year in which the Maritime Labour Convention begins to “bite” and it is not altogether an unrealistic hope that it might signal a sea change in the way that seafarers are treated. Crew welfare cannot any longer be left largely to charitable institutions, but must be taken rather more seriously. Seafarers, the convention clearly implies, must be treated as human beings and not just regarded as a commodity like luboil or tins

of anti-fouling, to be obtained as cheaply as possible. There are obligations here.

Perhaps a little less likely is a more creative approach to the lives seafarers live aboard ship, putting a bit more fun into life afloat, with more account taken of the fact that sentient human beings are social creatures and perform best when conversation is facilitated by a common language. Life is also a lot better if you are not dog-tired and at long last, through the Horizon Project, we have real evidence of the insidious effect of fatigue on people apart from anecdotes of exhausted folk making mistakes. You would think that a 90+ hours week was not the best fact to encourage recruiting. Maybe this year we will start to become sensible?

Wouldn’t it be good if the coming year was one in which there would be worldwide promotion of coastal and short sea shipping, with more goods and people exchanging crowded landside transport for the empty seas around our

Life at sea “is a lot better if you are not dog-tired... You would think that a 90+ hours week was not the best fact to encourage recruiting.” (Photo: Jamie Smith) coasts? It would be a lot better for the environment, too, and there would be more jobs for seafarers, if some of the really good examples of short

sea logistics (mainly practised around European waters) could be repeated around the world.

It’s just the policy-makers we have to convince.

Now here’s a very long shot. Most people agree that the 1969 Tonnage Measurement Convention has had a largely negative effect upon

ship design. It was supposed to do precisely the opposite, but it has brought in design stupidities like flush-decked ships with inadequate freeboard, the nonsense of the modern containership with most of its cargo piled high on deck, and has had a shocking effect on the provision of accommodation, not least that provided for cadets and trainees. We are never going to get it changed this side of 2020, but what a good start it would be if there was some research undertaken that would identify all the bad things that this hastily produced convention has left us with.

Then there are the plainly obvious, but no less difficult to achieve wishes. What seafarer would not wish to see some real, effective and lasting action on the “symptoms” of piracy?

Sure, best management practice and armed guards, along with the fleet of warships on patrol keep it damped down, but some day in the future we need things to be such that a voyage across the Indian Ocean or the Gulf of Guinea does not mean

ships swathed in razor wire and locked down, with relatives worried sick for weeks on end.

There needs to be some light at the end of this very dark tunnel, and the shipping industry won’t find it alone.

And would it not be so very good if there could be rather less use of criminal sanctions when accidents occur, or the wrong decision happens to be made by somebody who is under pressure? That won’t happen either, in an era where we are obsessed with the need to blame, but it is up to us all to make a noise about these injustices in our respective countries.

In the electronic age, campaigning is much easier than it used to be. And while we are at it, we should be shouting about the rights of seafarers to obtain shore leave without jumping through hoops to get visas, and to be politely and respectfully treated by all those officials who stamp up gangways in port. Seafarers need to be “empowered” – a word flung about liberally by other minorities!

The list is getting longer.

Would it not be a positive development if all those shouting environmentalists could back off shipping for a while and just digest what the industry has done to make itself greener? Because if shipping is a facilitator of world trade, this itself is going to be seriously damaged by endless environmental regulations that will make the movement of goods more expensive and harder. If they could just admit, during 2013, that shipping is making spectacular progress in so many different ways, how good that would be.

Now we are running out of space, with all sorts of items on the wish list unrecorded.

But let’s tell the people who use ships – the shippers and charterers – to stop interfering in detailed ship operations.

Let’s revisit the ISPS Code ten years on and make it better.

Let’s rein in manufacturers who seem intent on automating seamanship. And finally, let’s step up the campaign to raise awareness of seafaring.

You know it all makes sense.

SUSAN ANDERSON

Getting to know you – and the Mission’s work For the last year, Chris Collison has been writing the Focus on Faith column in this newspaper. Recently, The Sea sent the Mission’s senior development officer, Susan Anderson, on her first port visit to profile Chris and the work of the in MtS North Tees

I

have recently become The Mission to Seafarers’ senior development officer. I work at it’s central office in London and my job is to raise funds for the Mission’s services in over 250 ports worldwide. I do this by connecting our supporters with the projects which interest them most.

Coming from a family of Scottish fishermen, I know only too well the power of the sea. But as I sat down at my new desk, I asked myself: how can I paint accurate pictures of the life of a seafarer? I had to find out for myself. So, at the crack of dawn on a frosty winter morning, I headed to Hartlepool in the North of England to spend the day with the Revd Chris Collison, the Mission’s port chaplain for North Tees.

He has worked for the Mission on and off for a number of years and has some incredible stories about the seafarers he has helped.

Today, he tells me, we will visit the Loch Lomond, which is crewed by 22 Filipino seafarers.

On the ship, we are met with several smiling faces, one of whom asks me if I am Pamela Anderson’s sister when he sees my name on the sign-in sheet! On the bridge,

we meet Nelson – the ship’s second officer. He takes pride in the ship as he explains what the different controls are for and I try my hardest not to press any buttons.

Nelson has been a seafarer for many years and worked hard to reach his present rank. He has two young children back at home and his wife is expecting their third in January, although Nelson won’t be home until his contract ends in March. Yet, he seems so cheerful.

“I’m happy because I can feed my family three times a day. If I worked at home that wouldn’t be possible.”

We move on to the mess and meet some seafarers who have just finished their shift. They are delighted to see Chris and politely ask if they can get a ride to the seafarers’ centre or the town centre.

Others buy SIM cards so they can contact home.

The seafarers pile into the car and we set off for the centre. As we drive through the port, I ask Chris what he feels is the most important thing about his job. He quickly responds: “The most important thing is care and to be available to seafarers.”

The port of North Tees is an inhospitable environment,

surrounding by chimneys, pipes and huge cylinders containing all kind of chemicals. But nestled within this industrial landscape is the Mission’s seafarers’ centre.

The Flying Angel flag wafts in the breeze as we pull up outside the small but inviting building.

Inside are comfy seats and sofas for around 40 seafarers; a pool table; several computers; a shop adorned with clothing, gifts for home, toiletries and more, and a bar with all the popular beers, soft drinks and snacks.

Aiden Webster, the centre manager, tells me that he expects tonight to be busy as there are so many ships in port. He’s been with the Mission for three years and clearly adores his job. He is proud that he and the staff are able to offer both hospitality and welfare services.

He recounts the story of a seafarer who recently came to him with concerns about his ship’s safety equipment. “The seafarer was unwell and feared that he had come into contact with dangerous chemicals,” he says. “Even though he had visited the doctor, he was still concerned so I arranged for him to visit another doctor when the ship docked in his

SUSAN Anderson with North Tees chaplain Chris Collison (left) and on board the Loch Lomond (above) next port of call. Unfortunately, blood tests confirmed that he had been infected and required urgent and on-going treatment.”

Aiden contacted the ITF to make sure that the seafarer was sent home to receive treatment and to ensure that following a full safety inspection he received compensation from the shipping company. The Mission’s local

committee also raised funds for the seafarer so that he was able to continue his treatment.

“All seafarers struggle with being away from home. But the welfare and conditions from ship to ship vary dramatically,” says Aiden. “Many get seasick. Many feel isolated, especially if you are the only person from your country – some don’t speak much English.”

An assertive young cadet from Germany called Max, who certainly does speak good English, joins our conversation. “I don’t feel lonely or isolated, but I understand that some do. It’s just I don’t have a wife or children.

“I really like my job because it’s practical,” he says. “It’s the paperwork which gets me – I never thought there would be so much!”

Max enjoys visiting the Mission’s centres as he’s able to access Facebook and Skype so that he can stay in touch with his family and friends. His girlfriend is studying in New Zealand and he’s quite envious of all the photos she is posting of student parties!

As we say goodbye to Max, I notice that the centre is now full of seafarers playing pool, chatting, laughing, drinking beer and reading newspapers from their home countries. I look at the sign-in book and see that we have men from Russia, Poland, Korea, Germany and the Philippines. All the different roles, from cadet to captain, from engineer to chief mate, are represented.

As Max says, the centre is a good place to be as different ranks and nationalities mix and have fun.

Chris was right when he said that the most important service he and others at the Mission provide is care. All over the world, The Mission to Seafarers provides what seafarers need when they need it most: from connecting seafarers with their loved ones via email, Facebook or phone, to an international network of help and support.

6 the sea jan/feb 13

JUSTICE MATTERS  BY DOUGLAS STEVENSON

Ship foundering: seafarers’ rights FOR centuries maritime law has provided seafarers with protections that, in many cases, exceed those of land-based workers.

For example, maritime law requires shipowners to pay seafarers wages irrespective of whether the ship has made a profit, to provide seafarers with free medical care for any injury or illness incurred while employed on a ship, and to repatriate seafarers when their employment agreements have been completed. If the shipowner does not provide seafarers with these rights, the ship itself remains liable for unpaid seafarers’ claims. Seafarers can file their claims with a maritime court, which in turn can arrest a ship, auction it, and apply the proceeds of the sale to satisfy the claims.

What happens if the ship is lost and has no value that can be recovered to pay seafarers’ claims?

When a ship is wrecked or sunk, its crew members’ contracts are normally terminated. Although the ship’s owner remains liable to pay for earned wages and other obligations to seafarers that existed before the loss, the additional remedy of arresting the ship if the shipowner defaults no longer exists.

The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006) anticipates this situation through several provisions that clarify seafarers’ rights when their ship is lost.

The most important provisions, however, are those that are intended to prevent

ship losses from happening in the first place. Regulation 4.3 and its Standards and Guidelines seek to promote shipboard safety and prevent casualties through safety training, safe equipment, and safe management. Other MLC 2006 provisions related to ship loss include: Seafarers must have written employment agreements that specify the conditions for terminating the agreement.

Standard A2.1.4 (g).

Seafarers are entitled to adequate compensation for injuries and unemployment caused by a ship’s loss or foundering. Regulation 2.6.

Flag states must require shipowners to compensate each seafarer who becomes unemployed due to ship loss or foundering. Standard A2.6.1.

The recommended unemployment compensation should be at the same rate as specified in the seafarer’s employment agreement, but for only those days that the seafarer is actually unemployed.

The total unemployment compensation may be limited to two months’ pay.

Furthermore, seafarers should have the same remedies for collecting unemployment compensation as they have for recovering unearned wages.

With few exceptions, shipowners must pay for seafarers’ medical care for any illness or injury incurred from the time they begin their duties until they are repatriated. They must also pay medical

expenses for illnesses and injuries that are caused by the employment but are not diagnosed until after repatriation.

Standard A4.2.1(a) In addition, shipowners must maintain financial security for seafarers’ long term disability or death caused by employment on the ship. Standard A4.2.1(b).

Seafarers are entitled to be repatriated at no cost to themselves when their employment agreements are terminated by shipowners, by seafarers for justified reasons, or when the seafarers cannot be expected to carry out their duties in specific circumstances. Regulation 2.5 and Standard A2.5.1(b) and (c). Conditions that justify terminating seafarers’ employment agreements should include shipwrecks. Guideline B2.51.(b)(ii). Ships must maintain financial security to cover the costs of repatriating its seafarers.

Regulation 2.5.2. If the shipowner fails to make arrangements for repatriating stranded seafarers, the flag state must arrange to repatriate them. Port states where seafarers are stranded and seafarers’ home countries may, but are not required to, repatriate the seafarers and recover their costs from the flag state. Standard A2.5.5.(a) and (b).

The MLC 2006 will apply only in countries that have ratified it. It will come into force in those countries in August 2013, or one year after they have ratified the MLC 2006, whichever is later.

Derechos de la gente de mar en caso de pérdida del buque DURANTE siglos, el derecho marítimo ha ofrecido a la gente de mar un nivel de protección que muchas veces era superior al que disfrutan quienes trabajan en tierra.

Por ejemplo, el derecho marítimo exige a los armadores que paguen el salario de los marinos independientemente de si el buque es rentable o no, que proporcionen cobertura médica gratuita para cualquier enfermedad o accidente sufridos a bordo y que costeen los gastos de repatriación del marino cuando finaliza su contrato. Si el armador incumple cualquiera de estas obligaciones, el buque propiamente dicho servirá para cubrirlas: el marino puede presentar una demanda ante un tribunal marítimo que podrá incautarse del buque, subastarlo y utilizar la suma recaudada para indemnizar a los demandantes. ¿Pero qué ocurre si el buque se pierde y no puede utilizarse para indemnizar a los afectados?

Normalmente, los contratos de la tripulación se rescinden en caso de naufragio.

Si bien el armador sigue siendo responsable de los salarios y demás obligaciones contraídas con la tripulación hasta la fecha del naufragio, el recurso de incautarse del buque en caso de impago deja de ser viable.

Esta circunstancia está contemplada en diversas cláusulas del Convenio Sobre el Trabajo Marítimo de 2006 (MLC 2006), que clarifican los derechos de la gente de mar en caso de pérdida del buque.

Las más importantes, sin embargo, son aquellas que, de forma preventiva, se orientan a evitar que esta circunstancia se produzca. La Regla 4.3, con sus normas y pautas asociadas, busca fomentar la seguridad a bordo y evitar los accidentes mediante la formación en materia de seguridad, el equipamiento apropiado y la gestión segura del buque.

Otras cláusulas de MLC 2006 relacionadas con la pérdida del buque son las siguientes: La gente de mar debe contar con contratos laborales por escrito que especifiquen

las condiciones de su rescisión (Regla A2.1.4 (g)).

La gente de mar tiene derecho a recibir una indemnización adecuada en caso de lesión, pérdida o desempleo debido a la pérdida del buque o su naufragio (Regla 2.6).

Los estados de bandera deben exigir a los armadores que indemnicen a los marinos por el desempleo resultante de la pérdida del buque o su naufragio (Norma A2.6.1).

La prestación por desempleo recomendada se establece al mismo nivel que el salario especificado en el contrato laboral del tripulante, pero únicamente para los días en que el marino permanezca de hecho sin empleo. El total de la prestación puede estar limitado a un máximo de dos meses de salario. Asimismo, los marineros podrán recurrir a los mismos procedimientos jurídicos para percibir sus indemnizaciones por desempleo que los que tienen a su disposición para cobrar los atrasos de sus salarios no abonados durante su servicio.

Con unas pocas excepciones, los armadores deben cubrir los gastos médicos de los tripulantes por cualquier enfermedad o accidente ocurridos entre el momento en que se incorporan a su puesto y su repatriación.

Asimismo, deben cubrir los gastos médicos derivados de cualquier enfermedad o accidente que sean resultado de su empleo aunque no sean diagnosticados hasta después de la repatriación (Norma A4.2.1 (a)). Además, la Norma A4.2.1 (b) exige a los armadores la constitución de garantías financieras para asegurar el pago de una indemnización en caso de muerte o discapacidad prolongada del marino como resultado de enfermedad o accidente laborales.

La gente de mar tiene derecho a ser repatriada sin coste alguno cuando expira su contrato laboral, cuando el armador rescinde su contrato laboral, cuando renuncian a su contrato por razones justificadas, cuando dejan de estar en disposición de satisfacer sus obligaciones

contractuales o cuando no puede esperarse de ellos que las satisfagan en circunstancias específicas (Regla 2.5 y Norma A2.5.1 (b) y (c)). Entre las condiciones que justifican la rescisión del contrato laboral y la repatriación deberá figurar el naufragio (Pauta B2.5.1 (b) (ii)). El buque debe aportar garantías financieras suficientes para cubrir los costes de la repatriación de su tripulación (Regla 2.5.2).

Si el armador no adopta las disposiciones necesarias para la repatriación de la gente de mar, el estado de bandera deberá

encargarse de la repatriación.

Si el estado de bandera no lo hace, el estado del puerto donde se encuentren o los estados nacionales de los marinos podrían organizar su repatriación, en cuyo caso podrán exigir después a los estados de bandera que cubran sus gastos (Norma A2.5.5 (a) y (b)).

El MLC 2006 solo se aplicará en los países que lo hayan ratificado. El MLC 2006 entrará en vigor en agosto de 2013 o un año después de su ratificación, si esta última fecha es posterior.

Затопление судна: права моряков На протяжении многих веков морское право предоставляло морякам средства защиты, в большинстве своем во много раз превышающие те, что были доступны работающим на суше. Например, морское право требует от владельцев судов выплаты заработной платы морякам независимо от того, получило ли судно прибыль, обеспечения бесплатной медицинской помощи в случае любого телесного повреждения или болезни, произошедших в период занятости на судне, а также репатриации моряков по окончании срока трудового договора. Если судовладелец не обеспечивает соблюдение этих прав, то ответственность за неисполненные требования по выплате заработной платы продолжает нести само судно. Моряки могут подавать иски в морской суд, который, в свою очередь, может наложить арест на судно, выставить его на аукцион и использовать вырученные деньги для удовлетворения требований. Что происходит тогда, когда судно утрачено и больше не имеет ценности, которая может быть обращена на выплату по требованиям моряков? В случае крушения или затопления судна трудовые договора членов его экипажа обычно прекращают действие. Хотя судовладелец продолжает нести ответственность по выплате заработной платы и других обязательств перед моряками, существовавших до момента утраты, дополнительного средства защиты права в виде ареста судна в случае неисполнения обязательств судовладельцем более не существует. Конвенция МОТ о труде в морском судоходстве 2006 (MLC 2006) предусматривает такую ситуацию, включая в себя несколько положений, разъясняющих права моряков при утрате их судна. Наиболее важными, тем не менее, являются те положения, которые направлены в первую

очередь на предотвращение утраты судов. Правило 4.3 и его стандарты и руководящие принципы служат обеспечению безопасности на борту судна и предотвращению несчастных случаев посредством обучения технике безопасности, укомплектования соответствующим оборудованием и внедрения безопасного управления. Другие положения MLC 2006, относящиеся к утрате судна, включают следующее: Моряки обязаны иметь трудовые договора в письменном виде с указанием условий прекращения действия договора. Стандарт A2.1.4(g). Морякам полагается адекватная компенсация в случае получения телесных повреждений и потери работы в связи с утратой или затоплением судна. Правило 2.6. Государства флага обязаны требовать от судовладельцев выплаты компенсаций каждому моряку, потерявшему работу вследствие утраты или затопления судна. Стандарт A2.6.1. Рекомендованная компенсация в случае потери работы должна определяться в соответствии со ставкой, указанной в трудовом договоре моряка, но с учетом лишь тех дней, в течение которых моряк фактически являлся безработным. Общий объем компенсации при потере работы должен быть ограничен заработной платой за два месяца. В дополнение, моряки должны иметь те же средства защиты для гарантированного получения компенсации при потере работы, что и при возмещении невыплаченной заработной платы. С некоторыми исключениями, владельцы судов обязаны возмещать стоимость медицинского обслуживания моряков в случае любой болезни или травмы, полученной с того времени, как они приступили к выполнению своих обязанностей и до момента репатриации. Они также обязаны оплачивать

расходы на медицинскую помощь в случае болезней и травм, причиненных занятостью на судне, но не диагностированных до того, как моряк был репатриирован. Стандарт A4.2.1(a) В дополнение судовладельцы должны обеспечить защиту моряков от финансовых последствий длительной нетрудоспособности или смерти, произошедших в связи с их трудовой деятельностью на судне. Стандарт A4.2.1(b). Моряки имеют право на бесплатную репатриацию после расторжения их трудовых договоров по инициативе, как судовладельцев, так и самих моряков при наличии обоснованных причин, а также в тех случаях, когда моряки не могут исполнять свои обязанности в особых обстоятельствах. Правило 2.5 и стандарт A2.5.1(b) и (c). Условия, оправдывающие расторжение трудовых договоров моряков, должны включать крушение судна. Руководящий принцип B2.51.(b)(ii). Суда в обязательном порядке должны иметь финансовые возможности для покрытия расходов по репатриации своих моряков. Правило 2.5.2. Если судовладелец не в состоянии организовать репатриацию моряков, оказавшихся в затруднительных обстоятельствах, то государства флага обязаны позаботиться об их репатриации. Государство порта, где находятся моряки, и государство, гражданами которого они являются, могут, но не обязаны репатриировать моряков, а затем взыскать издержки с государств флага. Стандарт A2.5.5.(a) и (b). Конвенция MLC 2006 будет применима лишь в странах, ратифицировавших ее. В этих странах она вступит в силу в августе 2013 года или через год после даты ратификации, в зависимости от того, какое событие наступит позже.

jan/feb 13 the sea 7

FOCUS ON FAITH  BY CHRIS COLLISON

Exploring faith A FEW days ago in our church I met a man who plays the lead in a US sitcom. Another visitor recognised him and said ‘It’s …, isn’t it?’ And he had to admit he was often on the TV screen.

He had his little daughter with him, who was named Faith.

Just a few weeks previously, a bride’s mother spoke to me before her daughter’s wedding and said: “Lynne was a Christian before I was. I came later on to faith. I am a recovering alcoholic. I followed the Alcoholics Anonymous programme, and had faith in God to see me through.”

Faith is a very strange word in English these days, with layers of different meanings. At the church school where I am a governor we appointed a person who used to work in a “faith school”, a comprehensive school with public funding that has a Christian foundation. But personal faith is not an issue in these schools, at least not as far as funding or the media is concerned.

Faith is about core values and a strong foundation that may or may not influence people towards faith.

In the UK, a faith school might not

be Christian; it might be Muslim or Jewish in its foundation, Hindu or Sikh.

So faith is a hard word to focus on. It slips around. Faith in what, faith in whom?

Many Christian believers celebrate around All Saints Day. Perhaps, as in the Philippines, they meet as families around the graves of their departed.

They might build a shelter and bring card games, dance and eat, sing and remember together. Theirs is a faith that death is not morbid nor the future bleak. They celebrate their loved ones in being together, and looking to the future with faith.

I was in a meeting recently where we were talking about faith, and one bright, intelligent woman said: “I find it hard to talk about my faith. I know what I believe but I cannot express it.”

A writer in the New Testament wrote: “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

(Hebrews 11) A while after the meeting, I heard that the bright, intelligent woman had begun to talk more about her faith and was thinking about taking on an important role in her church.

And the bride’s mother – nervously waiting for her daughter to arrive – added: “It was much later that – with Lynne’s help – I connected with the Church and found other people of faith.”

So faith is to be lived out, shared, and not hidden in a corner. Jesus said: “You don’t light a lamp and put it under a bowl.” (St Matthew 5) So if you have faith you need to keep it out in the open. Not in everyone’s face, but not hidden away.

Perhaps that’s the simple truth about being a seafarer and being a person of faith. The two can go together easily as long as one does not deny the other. So a seafarer with faith looks to the wider, deeper aspirations of life. Faith in God will help seafarers see a greater purpose in their lives and will give them a desire not only to help their families but also to be faithful to God. And it is the saints of God who are our inspiration, who help us see and use our gifts well, who show us how to care for others and help us trust God in the most difficult of circumstances. They believed, they trusted – and so we too can have faith, a faith that works.

Examinar nuestra fe HACE unos pocos días conocí en mi parroquia a un actor que protagoniza una comedia de situación en los Estados Unidos. Uno de los feligreses lo reconoció y le preguntó: “Eres ****, ¿no?”. El actor reconoció de buen grado que, en efecto, era su rostro el que veíamos con relativa frecuencia en la pequeña pantalla. Su hija Faith (fe, en inglés) le acompañaba.

Hacía tan solo unas semanas, la madre de una novia me había dicho antes de la boda que su hija, Lynne, había adoptado la fe cristiana antes que ella.

“Yo me convertí tarde”, me explicó. “Soy alcohólica, pero la fe en el Señor me ayudó a seguir el programa de Alcohólicos Anónimos y me estoy recuperando”.

En los tiempos que corren, la palabra “fe” tiene significados muy diversos.

En la escuela religiosa de cuyo órgano rector formo parte hemos contratado recientemente a una persona que antes trabajaba en uno de los centros que en el Reino Unido se conocen como “escuelas de fe” (centros públicos de carácter religioso).

Pero en estas escuelas el concepto de fe no es algo personal, al menos no para los medios de comunicación ni para el Ministerio de Educación. Fe, en este caso, hace referencia a un conjunto de valores esenciales y a una base firme que podría o no conducir a los alumnos hacia la fe religiosa.

En el Reino Unido, los centros de este tipo pueden ser de confesión cristiana, musulmana, judía, hindú o sij. Fe, por lo tanto, es una palabra difícil de concretar, huidiza: ¿fe en qué, fe en quién?

Muchos cristianos celebran el día de todos los santos. En Filipinas, por ejemplo, las familias se reúnen alrededor de las sepulturas de sus seres queridos. En ocasiones construyen refugios improvisados junto a la sepultura y juegan a cartas, bailan, comen, cantan y rememoran juntos a quienes se han ido. Ellos tienen fe en que la muerte no es algo lúgubre, tienen fe en que el futuro es luminoso, y honran la memoria de sus seres queridos reuniéndose y enfrentándose al futuro con fe.

En un encuentro reciente departíamos sobre la fe y una mujer muy inteligente dijo: “Me resulta difícil hablar sobre mi fe. Sé que creo, pero no sé cómo puedo expresarlo”. En el Nuevo Testamento leemos: “Fe

es la certeza de lo que se espera, la convicción de lo que no se ve” (Hebreos 11).

Poco después del encuentro me enteré de que aquella mujer tan inteligente había empezado finalmente a expresar su fe y estaba pensando en aceptar un puesto de responsabilidad en su parroquia.

Mientras esperaba con nerviosismo la llegada de su hija, la madre de la novia añadió: “Fue mucho más adelante, con la ayuda de mi hija, cuando entré en contacto con la Iglesia y conocí a otras personas con fe”.

Mi conclusión es que la fe hay que vivirla, compartirla, y no arrinconarla. Jesús dijo: “Tampoco se enciende una vela para meterla debajo del celemín” (San Mateo, 5).

Es decir, que si se tiene fe, hay que airearla. No hacer

ostentación de ella, pero tampoco esconderla.

Quizás en eso se resuma ser un hombre de mar y una persona de fe: ambas facetas pueden coexistir fácilmente mientras la una no niegue a la otra. Un marino con fe busca algo más profundo y más vasto en su vida. Su fe en el Señor le ayudará a percibir el sentido más hondo de su existencia y le sostendrá en su deseo de ayudar a su familia y de ser fiel al Señor.

Para ello contamos con la inspiración de los santos, que nos ayudan a comprender y a hacer buen uso de nuestros dones, a preocuparnos por los demás y a confiar en Dios incluso en las circunstancias más difíciles. Ellos creyeron, ellos confiaron, y así nosotros también ponemos creer, confiar y tener fe: una fe viva.

Познание веры Несколько дней назад в нашей церкви я встретил человека, который играет главную роль в американском ситкоме. Один из прихожан узнал его и спросил: „Вы ****, не правда ли?“ И актеру пришлось подтвердить, что именно его мы так часто видим на телевизионных экранах. С ним была его маленькая дочь, которую зовут Вера. Всего за пару недель до этого со мной перед свадьбой дочери беседовала мать невесты, и вот что она сказала: „Линн стала христианкой раньше меня. Я приняла веру позже. Я борюсь с алкогольной зависимостью и участвую в программе «Анонимные алкоголики», а вера в Господа помогла мне пройти через многие трудности“. Вера — это очень странное слово в наши дни, несущее множество смысловых оттенков. В церковной школе, где я являюсь управляющим, мы приняли на работу человека, который раньше работал в «духовной школе». Это общеобразовательная школа с государственным финансированием, в основу программы обучения которой заложены христианские принципы. Однако в школах вера не является личным делом каждого, по крайней мере тогда, когда это касается вопросов финансирования или освещения в средствах массовой информации. Вера несет в себе основные ценности и прочный фундамент, которые могут побудить или не побудить человека к принятию веры.

В Великобритании духовная школа может не быть христианской. Это может быть мусульманская, иудейская, или же индуистская или сикхская школа. Поэтому вера — это сложное понятие. Его смысл нелегко уловить. Вера во что, вера в кого? Многие верующие христиане празднуют День всех святых. Возможно, как на Филиппинах, они всей семьей встречаются у могил ушедших родственников. Возможно, они тоже сооружают там навесы и играют в карты, танцуют, едят, поют и делятся воспоминаниями. Они верят, что смерть не так страшна и будущее не так уж и мрачно. Они радуются тому, что их любимые и близкие люди вместе, и смотрят в будущее с верой. Я присутствовал на собрании, где мы говорили о вере, и одна умная, эрудированная женщина сказала: „Мне трудно говорить о моей вере. Я знаю, во что я верю, но я не могу выразить это“. В Новом Завете написано: „Вера же есть осуществление ожидаемого и уверенность в невидимом“. (Послание к евреям 11) Спустя некоторое время после собрания, я узнал, что эта умная, эрудированная женщина начала больше говорить о своей вере и даже намеревалась принять на себя одну из ведущих ролей в своей церкви. А мать невесты, с волнением ожидающая появления

своей дочери, добавила: „И только намного позже, с помощью Линн, я открыла для себя Церковь и нашла других верующих людей“. Поэтому вера — это то, чем нужно жить и делиться с другими, а не прятать в углу. Иисус сказал: „Никто не прячет зажжённый светильник под перевёрнутый кверху дном сосуд“. (Евангелие от Матфея 5) Поэтому, если имеете веру, нужно открыто говорить об этом. Не бросая вызов каждому, но и не прячась. Возможно, эта простая истина учит, как можно быть моряком и одновременно верующим человеком. Эти два качества легко совмещаются при условии, что одно не отвергает другого. Верующего моряка отличают более широкие и глубокие жизненные устремления. Вера в Бога помогает ему видеть перед собой более возвышенные цели и рождает желание не только помогать собственной семье, но и сохранять верность Богу. И жития святых являются для нас источником вдохновения, помогающим разглядеть и использовать наши дарования с пользой, они подают нам пример служения людям и помогают верить в Бога в самых трудных обстоятельствах. Они верили, они уповали — и мы тоже можем обрести веру. И эта вера ведет к спасению.

If you have any questions about your rights as a seafarer, or if you want more information or help, you can contact: Douglas B Stevenson, Center for Seafarers’ Rights, 241 Water Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. Tel: +1212 349 9090 Fax: +1212 349 8342

Email: csr@seamenschurch.org or Canon Ken Peters, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal,

College Hill, London EC4R 2RL, UK. Tel: +44 20 7248 5202 Fax: +44 20 7248 4761 Email: justice@missiontoseafarers.org

8 the sea jan/feb 13

Stowaways still hiding in ships’ rudder trunks STOWAWAYS are still hiding in ships’ rudder stock recesses, especially at African ports, liability insurer The American Club has warned. The club first warned of this practice in April 2004.

The stowaways wait in port areas until after dark and then swim to the rudder stock, climb it and hide inside the recess, making it difficult for the ship’s crew to find them.

Most of these vessels come from Africa in ballast and, for that reason, the rudder stock recess s t a y s a b o v e w a t e r.

But of course the stowaways are exposed

to the sea as the vessel rolls and pitches.

T y p i c a l l y, t h e crew can only access the rudder trunk via a covered manhole fitted in the aft peak tank. However, the club recommends that, if this is not possible during a pre-departure stowaway search, the crew should use a small boat, such as a rescue boat or paint raft, to check the recess area. The club adds that owners should consider installing gratings above the openings to the rudder compartment to prevent stowaways from gaining access to the recess area in the first place.

New rules for the disposal of waste

A CONTINUING problem: stowaways climb out from a vessel’s rudder trunk in 2009 after hiding there at a previous port.

(Photo: Zululand Observer)

Latest in a series of drink-related cases before UK courts

Jail for master who sailed while four times over limit A 44-YEAR-old Russian master has been jailed for 28 days by a UK court following an incident at Goole docks in September last year. This is the latest of several occasions on which UK courts have jailed a ship’s master for drink-related offences. Earlier last year a master was jailed for a year following a collision between his general cargo vessel and a passenger ferry in Belfast Lough in March.

In the latest case Captain Poleshchuk, who was also fined more than £1,000 at Hull Crown Court, pleaded guilty to being four and a half times the limit for drink-driving.

The court heard that the 2,136 gt, Antigua and Barbuda-flag RMS Baerl had unexpectedly been required to move from her berth. Although Captain Poleshchuk had been drinking heavily he still took the

vessel off the berth and then twice crashed heavily into lock gates.

Judge Michael Mettyear said Poleshchuk “caused damage and then wanted to have another go”. The judge described his actions as “really disgraceful conduct” and said there was no excuse or mitigation. He said: “Poleshchuk should have said he was not fit to sail and waited until he’d sobered up”, adding that there was “always a danger when you have someone drunk in charge of a great big ship” and that there had been no case with readings as high as Captain Poleshchuk’s.

The judge also told Captain Poleshchuk, who had already spent a week in custody, that a “person as drunk as you were should expect an immediate custodial sentence” but praised him for pleading guilty at the first opportunity.

The UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency welcomed the sentencing and said “being drunk in charge of any vessel is a very serious matter”.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its report into the Belfast Lough collision between the 1,543 gt general cargoship Union Moon and the 21,856 gt UK-flag passenger ferry Stena Feronia. The incident occurred near the fairway buoy marking the port’s outer limit. Both vessels suffered major structural damage; however, there were no injuries or pollution and each vessel managed to proceed into port without assistance.

Once alongside in Belfast, the MAIB notes, both vessels were visited by officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, who breathalysed the bridge teams. The Union

Moon’s master was found to have an alcohol level of 123 mcg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath, in breach of the permitted maximum of 35 mcg of alcohol per 100 ml of breath.

He was tried and sentenced to one year in jail.

However, the MAIB’s investigation found that although the Union Moon’s master had been under the influence of alcohol and had altered course to port, resulting in a collision course with the Stena Feronia, several other factors contributed to the accident, including: a lack of clear guidance regarding traffic flow around the fairway buoy; no action taken by the bridge teams of either vessel to prevent a close quarters situation from developing; inappropriate action taken on board the Stena Feronia to avoid collision, and sub-standard VHF communications.

Training programme stresses importance of taking notes A NEW training programme, The Mariner’s Role in Collecting Evidence, which focuses on the importance of collecting and preserving good factual evidence in the event of incidents on board, has just been produced by Videotel.

The International Safety Management (ISM) code requires companies to have in place a comprehensive

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safety management system, but according to Videotel, it is all too easy when there is pressure, such as during an incident, for seafarers to become distracted and rely upon memory and instinct.

The new training programme makes clear that properly recorded notes become factual evidence, making investigations by

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TIGHTER regulations for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships came into force on January 1, 2013. Almost all discharges of dry waste into the sea will be prohibited and the rules relating to discharge of food and galley waste will be more stringent.

Under International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules the discharge of raw food waste will no longer be allowed inside designated Special Areas and outside the Special Areas only if it is ground up (able to pass through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm) and the ship is more than 12 nm from the nearest land. All discharges of cooking oil will also be prohibited, including oil and grease mixed with the galley grey water.

Fishing convention amended THE chances of international regulations on fishing vessel safety entering into force have now been improved, after many years when little was done to implement the Torremolinos Convention of 1977.

An international conference on fishing vessel safety held in Cape Town in October amended the convention’s entryinto-force provisions so that, while the number of countries needed to ratify the convention increases from 15 to 22, the total number of fishing vessels of those countries needed, decreases drastically from 14,000 to 3,600.

So far 17 countries, with fishing fleets totalling about 3,000 vessels, have ratified the Torremolinos Convention.

Boxship fleet is growing PROPERLY recorded notes help seafarers when they are questioned about an incident: a scene from the Videotel training programme. surveyors, lawyers and others faster and more accurate. It also points out that properly recorded notes, made during an incident, lead to an increased awareness of potential problems, preventing subsequent injury and making life safer for everyone on board.

“Good evidence is not subject to debate,” says Videotel CEO Nigel Cleave.

“The professional seafarer

needs to understand that properly recorded information becomes evidence, that collecting and documenting evidence must be part of shipboard routine. Should an incident unexpectedly turn out to be a reportable injury, and proper systems and procedures have been seen to be carried out, then the actions and professionalism of all involved are not open to question.”

THIS year is set to be the biggest year ever for containership deliveries, according to shipbroker Braemar Seascope’s latest estimate. The firm says that that about 1.7 million teu is scheduled to be delivered during 2013 and it estimates the cellular fleet will expand by around 9.5 per cent in 2013.

In the post-panamax segment of 10,000 teu or more, 2013 deliveries

will total 48 ships with a combined capacity of 650,000 teu. Braemar Seascope notes that “the container industry is becoming accustomed to accommodating large work horses of 10,000 teu or more. In 2011-14, annual deliveries of ultra large containerships in excess of 10,000 teu will average approximately 50 units per year”.

Guide to ECDIS best practice A GROUP of leading international shipping organisations co-ordinated

by The Nautical Institute (NI) has published Industry Recommendations for ECDIS Familiarisation.

It is intended to be an “invaluable point of reference for those keen to establish and follow best practice” when using Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS).

The recommendations include shipping companies establishing clear guidance for the use of ECDIS within their Safety Management System procedures. A familiarisation check-list details tasks officers of the watch of ships using ECDIS should be able to carry out competently. It covers initial preparation, basic operation, charts, navigation tools and functions, route planning and route monitoring.

Leaking pipes danger LIABILITY insurer The London P&I Club has urged shipowners to ensure proper maintenance of cargo hold pipework in order to prevent wet damage to cargo, which has become a regular source of claims. It says: “Every opportunity should be taken to inspect difficultto-access pipework in the upper hold areas at, and between, scheduled drydockings.”

The club says: “Leakage from pipework within holds continues to be a common cause of cargo wetting. Of particular concern are leaking top-side tank drain pipes and wells when located near or below the load water line, which can result in catastrophic hold flooding.”

Pipes should be monitored for signs of corrosion and kept well coated as part of routine preventative maintenance. Exposed pipework vulnerable to contact by cargo handling equipment should be fitted with protective guards or covers, and securing clamps should be complete.