The Sea, May/June 2014

www.missiontoseafarers.org themissiontoseafarers @FlyingAngelNews

Issue 229 may/jun 2014

IMO agrees new security guidance

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

Piracy: under control? page 2 New guide to stop stowaways page 3 Crews help in MH370 search page 8 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 260 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 1.5 million merchant seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs.

The Sea Editor: Michael Keating 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: Michael Keating, The Sea, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London, UK EC4R 2RL Tel: +44 20 7248 5202 Email: Michael.Keating@ missiontoseafarers.org www.missiontoseafarers.org Registered charity in England and Wales: 1123613 The Mission to Seafarers Scotland Limited, Registered charity: SC041938

THE crew on board the Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield prepare an underwater drone, ahead of its scan of the ocean floor in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared on March 8.

Merchant and naval ships have been heavily involved in the search. Continued on page 8. (Photo: Reuters)

‘Seafarers must not be left without repatriation’

MLC 2006 abandonment changes protect seafarers M ore than 300 representatives of seafarers, shipowners and governments, have met at the International Labour Organization (ILO), to agree measures to protect abandoned seafarers and provide financial security for compensation in cases of death and long-term disability due to occupational injury or hazard.

The amendments to the ILO’s Maritime Labour Convention 2006, (MLC 2006) were accepted without opposition, and will now be sent to the ILO’s International Labour Conference in May for approval. The proposed

changes, which have been nearly a decade in the making, establish mandatory requirements that shipowners have financial security to cover abandonment, as well as the death or long-term disability of seafarers.

“These legal standards will provide relief and peace of mind to abandoned seafarers and their families,” said Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, director of the ILO Labour Standards Department. “By adopting these amendments to MLC 2006, shipowners and governments are also strengthening its provisions aimed at ensuring a levelplaying field for quality

shipping around the world.”

The Revd Canon Ken Peters, director of justice and public affairs at The Mission to Seafarers, said: “The consensus that has formed around the protection of seafarers is significant. It shows that governments, shipowners and seafarers’ representatives realise that seafarers must not be left without repatriation.

“The Mission to Seafarers will continue to organise the provision of the basic necessities of life, such as food and drinking water, to those that are relying on us, knowing that repatriation is in sight and seafarers will not

be left abandoned indefinitely with only our help to survive.”

Under the new provisions, ships must carry certificates or other documents to establish that financial security exists to protect seafarers working on board. Failure to provide this protection may mean that a ship can be detained in a port.

MLC 2006 came into force on 20 August, 2013, and has been ratified by 57 ILO member states, representing more than 80 per cent of the world’s tonnage. As of April, the ILO’s abandonment of seafarers database listed 159 abandoned merchant ships, with some cases dating back to 2006.

Continued on P2

33 Seaman Guard Ohio crew bailed after 7 months THIRTY-THREE of the 35 crew of the Seaman Guard Ohio were released on bail in April, the first signs that what has so far been a seven-month ordeal for the seafarers and families involved may be moving towards a resolution.

However, two of the 35 men – the ship’s Ukrainian captain and the British team leader of the anti-piracy vessel’s armed guards team leader – were denied bail and will remain in custody. There is still no confirmation of a date for a full trial.

The Revd Canon Ken Peters, director of justice and public affairs at The Mission to Seafarers, said: “We are pleased that most of the men have been released on bail and our local port chaplain in Tuticorin has met with the seafarers and families to ensure they are safe and receive further counselling support.

“Of greatest concern remains the two men left behind in jail and the effect this is having on thier families. This is a www.missiontoseafarers.org

terrible blow. We will not allow them to be forgotten and will continue to raise their urgent plight with the authorities.”

The ship, owned by US company AdvanFort, was arrested back in October 2013 on weapons smuggling charges after it is alleged to have strayed into Indian territorial waters. The 35-man crew is made up of 14 Estonians, 12 Indians, 6 Britons and 3 Ukrainians.

Since then, The Mission to Seafarers has been supporting the crew by visiting them in prison and has been raising the profile of the case, especially in the UK, to help expedite the crew’s release. The charity has also been supporting the families of the seafarers, and recently helped them present a change.org petition to the UK Government. The petition, designed to bring the crew’s plight to the attention of the UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron, has 150,000 signatures.

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RESPONDING to widespread concerns within the shipping industry, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has agreed new guidance on training and certification requirements for ship security officers and seafarers with designated security duties.

The move is intended to resolve practical difficulties seafarers have experienced in obtaining security certification under the 2010 amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) and the STCW Code.

IMO recommends that, until July 1, 2015, relevant training under section 13 (Training, drills and exercises on ship security) of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code should be accepted as being equivalent to that required under the STCW Convention and Code.

Cigarette trouble?

THE US Navy Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO) in Bahrain has warned that reports have been received of incidents, such as vessel damage and threatening behaviour, occurring on vessels transiting the Suez Canal, allegedly in retaliation for Suez Canal Port Authority employees not receiving cigarettes from the crew.

MARLO said that although demands for cigarettes from port employees were quite common, refusals had recently led to threats to crew members and damage to vessels.

MARLO recommended various measures, including tighter gangway security, to reduce the risk of such incidents.

Unsurprisingly, MARLO’s new recommendations did not include handing out cigarettes.

2 the sea may/jun 14

With Somali piracy ‘under control’ according to some experts, what can be done to prevent violent attacks from increasing off the coast of West Africa?

Security firms ‘should meet international standards’

Industry takes aim at West Africa piracy

An armed pirate looks out over the side of a hijacked ship in the Indian Ocean (Image: Stolen Seas)

W

HILE Somali-based piracy is being kept largely “under control” by a massive effort on the part of the world’s navies and shipowners, the situation off West Africa appears to be getting worse.

This was the message presented by a maritime piracy photography exhibition in the European Parliament organised by the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and the Danish Shipowners’ Association in March.

The exhibition was hosted by Anna Rosbach, a Member of the European Parliament, who deplored the fact that “piracy continues to pose a threat to innocent seafarers, the shipping industry and by extension global trade”. She added that she hoped events such as the photography exhibition would contribute to raising awareness among the general public and decision-makers.

An ECSA spokesperson noted that while successful hijackings off the coast of Somalia had decreased considerably in the last few years, the root causes of Somali piracy had not yet been tackled and that it was only at great human and economic cost that the international community and shipowners had managed to keep piracy at bay.

Ships transiting the High Risk Area today were less vulnerable, the ECSA

spokesperson went on, due mainly to passive measures such as keeping a sharp lookout, barbed wire surrounding the ships and faster sailing speeds, alongside active self-defence measures, including the use of national armed forces or private armed guards on board.

But, the ECSA spokesperson warned: “Continued international military presence and the implementation of protective measures are still of the utmost importance.”

ECSA also described increasing piracy in West Africa as “extremely worrying”.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, in 2013, 53 incidents took place in that region, which is roughly one per week. However, in the first 45 days of 2014, ten incidents were reported: roughly one every four or five days.

However, it is felt that again, the real number of attacks was likely to be higher as many went unreported.

The chairman of the ECSA Piracy Taskforce, Jan Fritz Hansen, said: “Piracy in West Africa needs to be addressed effectively now before it escalates.”

Meanwhile, Japan has donated US$1 million to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) West and Central Africa Maritime Security Trust Fund, established by IMO secretary-general Koji Sekimizu to implement maritime

security projects in the Gulf of Guinea.

The projects include the prevention and suppression of piracy and armed robbery against ships.

Mr Sekimizu said: “This will enable IMO to support States in the Gulf of Guinea to develop their national and regional capabilities and to prevent piracy, armed robbery against ships and other illicit maritime activities. It is fundamental for a sustainable maritime transportation system that international shipping can operate without the threat of piracy and armed robbery.”

Last year the fund received donations from China (US$100,000) and the UK (£100,000).

Meanwhile, three incidents of armed robbery on board ships were reported in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in early March. The incidents involved a group of four or five men, armed with knives, who boarded the vessels while they were under way during the hours of darkness.

The Regional Co-operation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) group said the same gang could have been involved in all three incidents and urged vessels to increase vigilance and to report all incidents to the nearest coastal state immediately.

MLC 2006 will help to protect abandoned seafarers Continued from P1

“The new measures will guarantee that seafarers are not abandoned, alone and legally adrift for months on end, without pay, adequate food and water and away from home,” Ms Doumbia-Henry said. “They also make flag states responsible for ensuring that adequate financial security exists to cover the cost of abandonment, and claims for death and disability due to occupational injury and hazards.”

Canon Peters paid tribute to the desire of the fellow maritime welfare organisations, shipowners and seafarers to work together to find practical solutions. He added: “Almost all governments clearly showed their intent to ensure the rights of seafarers when confronted by unacceptable conditions.”

International Transport Workers’ Federation president Paddy Crumlin said: “Abandonment is a dark stain on the industry and the amendments are real and concrete relief for seafarers.”

Arthur Bowring, a spokesperson for the International Shipping Federation (ISF), noted that ISF members were particularly concerned to see a new ILO video explaining the case of the B Ladybug, in which the crew has been without financial or welfare support from the shipowner for over a

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USCG in new cruise ship swoops THE US Coast Guard (USCG) says it will conduct unannounced examinations on foreign-flag cruise ships for the remainder of 2014.

The “short” inspections are designed to spot issues early to avoid delaying a cruise ship’s schedule “unless deficiencies that impose inherent danger to the safety of passengers or crew are discovered”.

Navy rescues Turkish seafarers The B Ladybug, abandoned for a year (Image: ILO) year. He said: “This is the sort of deplorable situation that the amendments to the MLC 2006 will help to address.”

ILO representatives recently visited the crew of the Panamaflagged B Ladybug, a 27,003-dwt vehicle carrier, which has been stranded off the coast of Malta for over a year after its owner went bankrupt.

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THE shipping industry should adopt a unified international standard by which to judge and regulate security services provided by private contractors, according to maritime security company GoAGT. The company recently achieved International Organization for Standardization Publicly Available Specification 28007 certification for its service provision.

Its chief operating officer, Gerry Northwood, said: “Private maritime security companies (PMSCs) are an important part of the supply chain, protecting seafarers globally in highrisk areas. Substandard operators have been caught out cutting corners and have found themselves in hot water with local and national authorities, which places everyone in the industry at risk.”

He added: “It is extremely important that the shipping industry demands that internationally recognised standards are implemented to ensure PMSCs are capable of delivering a professional service.”

You can have your say on armed guards in our survey, which is online at www. missiontoseafarers.org/ vote

A HELICOPTER from the US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Bataan airlifted two Turkish seafarers from their grounded and listing ship on March 8.

The Yusuf Cepnioglu had gone aground off

the Greek coast and the Hellenic Coast Guard requested assistance from Bataan. The rescued seafarers were assessed

by Bataan’s medical team before being transferred to the care of the Greek authorities.

Fishy business on tuna trawlers THE US Coast Guard (USCG) based in Guam has fined the South Pacific Tuna Corporation for using unlicensed foreign personnel to illegally fill the roles of chief mate and chief engineer on US-flagged vessels.

The USCG says the violations happened on five of the company’s 14 purse seine vessels and were discovered during dockside vessel safety examinations in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.

The same legislation allows the US-flagged purse seine vessels, which operate under the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, to fill the positions of chief mate and chief engineer with licensed foreign officers.

There are 40 USflagged tuna purse seine vessels within the US-flagged Distant Water Tuna Fleet, which the USCG considers to be high risk.

Between 2006 and 2014, there were 19 deaths on this type of vessel, giving it one of the highest death rates of any US fishing fleet.

The South Pacific Tuna Corporation added 14 Taiwanesebuilt purse seine vessels to this between 2003 and 2008.

Falling asleep on the job THE operator of the dry cargo coaster Danio, which grounded in an environmentally sensitive area off the UK, on March 16, 2013, has been ordered to pay nearly £73,000 in fines and costs after her crew failed to keep a proper lookout.

The chief officer fell asleep on watch and, as no lookout was on the bridge, the ship failed to make course alterations and ran aground on rocks by a lighthouse after sailing with nobody awake on the bridge for 90 minutes.

Alan Thomson, of the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, said: “The requirement to keep a good lookout is set out in UK, national and international legislation.

All owners and operators are reminded to ensure that their vessels are being operated and manned correctly.”

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may/jun 14 the sea 3

Industry gathers to recognise seafarer’s supporters

ILO agrees new seafarer pay rate

Welfare awards wins for The Mission to Seafarers

A NEW minimum pay rate for seafarers has been agreed.

Maritime employer representatives and the International Transport Workers’ Federation have agreed that the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) recommended minimum monthly wage for an able seafarer will increase from US$585 to $592 on January 1, 2015 and then, a year later, to $614.

MLC app updated

The Revd Canon Dennis Claughton (main photo, far right) collects the Seafarer Centre of the Year award; Father Paul Noel (inset) with his award, accompanied by his wife Virginia Noel (Photos: ISWAN)

T

HE Mission to Seafarers won two prestigious welfare prizes at the International Seafarers’ Welfare Awards, held at the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva in April.

The Flying Angel Club in Fremantle, Australia won the Seafarer Centre of the Year Award and The Dr Dierk Lindemann Welfare Personality of the Year prize was awarded to Mission chaplain the Revd Paul Noel, based in Durban, South Africa.

The Port of Antwerp won Port of the Year, while Wallem Ship Management picked up Shipping Company of the Year. The Judges’ Special Award went to Ms Apinya Tajit of Thailand.

ILO director-general Guy Ryder, said the awards recognised the “people who do extraordinary work for the welfare of seafarers”.

Roger Harris, executive director of the International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network (ISWAN), which organises the awards, commented: “The awards recognise excellent achievement and inspire others to do more for the welfare of seafarers.”

The Revd Canon Ken Peters, director of justice and public affairs at The Mission to Seafarers, said: “Congratulations to Fremantle Seafarers’ Centre; it is very high praise indeed to win an award from ISWAN. The centre opened in 1931 and has a long history of dedicated service.

“It is also a fabulous achievement for Paul Noel to win the personality of the year prize. He has given over 50 years’ dedicated service to seafarers in the Port of Durban, which is one of the busiest in the world.”

The Revd Paul Noel said: “I am honoured to receive this award and want to thank all the team at Durban for their hard work and enthusiasm for helping seafarers from all nations. I have campaigned against non-payment of wages and unsafe working conditions; the Mission will continue to press for improvements.

“One of the most important aspects of my work is talking and providing ministry to seafarers. Showing care for their welfare and making the time to learn about their homes and countries puts them at ease and is the key to supportive relationships.”

They say smooth seas never made a good sailor...

TURBULENT seas and extreme weather can make conditions perilous but having a crew who are trained to understand how to minimise risks and manage the vessel under duress can make all the difference when trying to avoid loss of life, according to training provider Videotel, whose new Deep Water Handling programme examines the situations ships face in deep water and advises how best to address them.

The company’s chief executive, Nigel Cleave, says: “Seafarers can’t control the weather, but there is usually action which can be taken by the master or the officer of the watch which can minimise or even avoid any risk.”

The programme covers: ship An OOCL containership rolls 40-degree stability; head, beam and stern seas, and complex rolling motions, as well as storms. In December, a Russian master raising awareness and recommending is alleged to have hanged himself in actions to be taken. his cabin while in port in the UK after The programme is releaseds at a time a difficult crossing from Russia. It is when European and US coasts have thought he feared the return journey. recently been relentlessly battered by In January, a video appeared on

Hold falls ‘avoidable deaths’ alert

in January (Photo: YouTube) YouTube from the bridge of an OOCL containership, showing it go through 40-degree rolls in the North Atlantic, demonstrating the power of the seasonal storms and the need for the crew to respond.

New guide aims to give stowaways no place to hide MARITIME security improvments have made no impact on the number of stowaway incidents, according to the Nautical Institute. Its latest Maritime Security handbook, Stowaways by Sea,

by Steven Jones MNI, tackles this problem.

Mr Jones said: “The problem is a serious one and shows no sign of abating. This guide has been produced to help seafarers and shipowners to manage difficult security challenges

and the logistics of dealing with stowaways.”

Stowaways by Sea explains how to secure a vessel, how to manage stowaways on board, and how to organise repatriation. It also discusses who stows away and why, the responsibilities of everyone involved, and the importance of reporting.

One seafarer told The Sea: “We had a stowaway on board for a month.

He got on in Morocco, and in every

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LLOYD’S Register and the UK P&I Club have updated their “hugely popular” International Labour Organization Maritime Labour Convention smartphone app and launched a new International Ship Management and International Ship and Port Facility Security Conventions pocket checklist app.

Both apps are free and are available for Apple and Android devices from www. webstore.lr.org The apps enable ships’ crews and their managers to view necessary legislative and regulatory requirements; save multiple checklists; check off completed activities; add essential notes, and send the completed checklists via email.

The apps have been designed to help counter the risk of Port State Control detentions and to help companies comply with the legislative and regulatory requirements.

port no one would deal with him. He stayed until we reached Morocco again and we had to hand him in there.”

Port authorities in Durban have now classed unauthorised persons found on board, either during cargo operations or a search, as “stowaways”.

Previously, such individuals were categorised as “trespassers” who could be handed over to port security, but the new policy means that repatriating stowaways now rests with the vessel.

LIABILITY insurer Steamship Mutual P&I club has highlighted the dangers when working in cargo holds, following the “avoidable” deaths of two crew since 2010.

The club warns: “Crews should remember that when working at height it may not be possible to give their full attention to the job they are doing and at the same time guard themselves against falling.”

It recommends following the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen (COSWP) and stresses that work should be properly planned – including carrying out a risk assessment – appropriately supervised, and carried out in as safe a manner as practicable.

The club adds that

work at height should only be done by, or under the supervision of, experienced people and that safety harnesses and nets should be in place while work is being carried out.

Lifeboat accidents continue

A SHIP’S engineer was seriously injured on March 1 when a free-fall lifeboat on the Malta-registered bulk carrier Aquarosa was unintentionally released with him inside.

According to an initial Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report, the officer had entered the ship’s free-fall lifeboat and was topping up the release system’s hydraulic oil reserves and manually operating the pump to pressurise the system, when the lifeboat suddenly released.

The ATSB says that initial analysis indicates the release mechanism was not fully and correctly reset after it was last exercised, causing the hook to be released when the pump was activated.

The engineer suffered a fractured kneecap when the boat hit the water as he had not had time to strap himself on to a seat properly. It took over three hours to bring the lifeboat alongside the ship and get the injured engineer on board.

UK ratings leader dies BOB CROW, the wellknown general secretary of the UK’s Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), died on March 11, at the age of 52, of a suspected heart attack.

Representing UK ratings, the RMT is affiliated to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

Stephen Cotton, the ITF’s acting general secretary, said: “Bob was a true fighter for workers’ rights, an internationalist and an inspiration to the last.”

NZ slavery law delay PROPOSED legislation to outlaw slave labour in New Zealand waters has dropped down the priority order in the country.

National secretary of the Maritime Union of New Zealand, Joe Fleetwood, said parliament needed to pass its fishing slavery laws as a matter of urgency, two years after an inquiry into the use of foreign charter vessels.

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4 the sea may/jun 14

MICHAEL GREY

NEWS

Seafarer ‘caused his own injuries’

The rise of

Drone ships are back in the news the future to look at the roots of

S An injured seafarer is placed in a stretcher after an onboard accident (Photo: Jamie Smith) A FILIPINO seafarer awarded disability benefits after an onboard accident has had his award overruled after it emerged his injuries were “selfinflicted”.

According to lawyer Ruben Del Rosario, the seafarer alleged that while he was disposing of rubbish in the incinerator room of the vessel, there was an explosion, which caused chemicals to splash all over his body and cause burns. The seafarer underwent treatment and later filed a permanent disability benefits claim, saying his condition would not allow him to return to work.

The company said the seafarer’s injuries were self-inflicted and presented statements, made by other crew members, saying that the seafarer poured thinner on his overalls and set himself on fire. It was alleged that the seafarer harmed himself after being fired because he was caught stealing the ship’s supplies.

An initial hearing found in favour of the company but this was overturned by an appeal, which awarded the seafarer US$60,000. However, when the matter reached the Philippine Supreme Court, it made the decision to reverse the claim.

New drugs training materials available TRAINING programme producer Videotel has launched a new video, Drugs and Alcohol – A Manager’s Guide, which aims to make managers, ashore and on board, aware of their responsibilities and of the need to ensure that an effective drugs and alcohol policy is in place.

Videotel chief executive Nigel Cleave said: “Illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol are serious concerns within the maritime industry. Managers have a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of everyone on board as well as to ensure the safety of the ship and the environment.”

He added: “All seafarers have a vital part to play in the ship’s organisation and in an emergency

response. This ability can be seriously impaired by the use of drugs and alcohol, with potentially serious and often unforeseen consequences.”

This release comes after the deaths of two American security officers on board the Maersk Alabama in February. When the deaths were announced, the investigating police in the Seychelles said: “The police preliminary investigation report includes suspicion of drug use, as indicated by the presence of a syringe and traces of heroin which were found in the cabin.”

The Trident Group, which provided the security officers, has since implemented random drug testing for its employees.

Shipping community supports maritime training for disadvantaged youth

OME 30 years ago, a remarkable voyage took place when a 30,000-tonne Japanese bulk carrier set out for a trans-Pacific voyage from Japan to Seattle, with nobody aboard. It was the culmination of several years of research undertaken by a Japanese government agency to seek an answer to the country’s manning problems − there was a marked reluctance on the part of young Japanese to take up a sea career at that time.

The researchers’ solution was the “remote controlled ship”, where a single-manned ship would accompany and control a small fleet of unmanned vessels. It seemed an attractive proposition at the time, with just one crew to be hired, although it was admitted that special crews would have to be put aboard to assist the unmanned ships in and out of port.

The voyage was pronounced a technical success, with the control vessel steaming along in its charge’s wake.

However it was a fairly low-key affair, as many Japanese owners had already developed their

own manning solutions, by simply flagging out their fleets and employing cheaper foreign crews. The remote controlled ship project was quietly forgotten about.

But the “robot” ship has not entirely gone away, and it resurfaced earlier this year with an EU project to consider the idea, and some very imaginative “blue sky” thinking from Rolls-Royce Marine, which came up with a range of designs. However, instead of being huge robotic behemoths, the resulting vessels looked very much like conventional ships − but ones in which the builder had forgotten to place the accommodation. Which would, of course, be surplus to requirements.

The motivation for these latest studies was not dissimilar from that of the Japanese researchers, all those years ago.

Concern about where the next generation of European seafarers was going to come from was central, coupled with the obvious interest in establishing a technological lead for European maritime technology.

And if we have drone aircraft

flying thousand we can control l crawling around surface of Mars, surely we can m voyage? What c plicated?

It is probably we could, in pur terms, operate s today, given tha vanced data log computer-contr toring equipmen via brilliant com But there would number of prob out before such take place. Inter time law would to be tweaked fo present provisio sify a ship with as a “derelict”, u any capable salv salvage rights. L which would pe operation of suc bly could be acc not in a hurry!

Also it is imp forget that since peaceful days of security has bec problem. Piracy

CARLY FIELDS

Piracy at sea: a

Carly Fields speaks to EU NAVFOR’s Re Somalia and the Force’s success in tackli

T The centre helps disadvantaged young people seek careers at sea (Image: IBIA) MEMBERS of the international shipping community raised £ 5 , 0 0 0 f o r S o u t h A f r i c a ’s training academy, the Lawhill Maritime Centre, at the annual International Bunkering Industry Association (IBIA) dinner in London in February.

The money will be used to take on an extra student.

IBIA’s chief executive, Peter Hall, said the centre was doing a remarkable job in preparing young South Africans, many from disadvantaged backgrounds, for careers within the maritime industry. He added that IBIA was raising further funds for the centre.

Lawhill’s head, Brian Ingpen,

said it is the only centre of its kind in South Africa, and that even students who began the course with little background knowledge – some not even having seen the sea or a ship at close quarters – emerged with a range of knowledge and skills that led to jobs in the shipping industry.

EU set to change Schengen visa rules THE European Commission has proposed a revision of the EU Visa Code, which shipowners say will go a long way towards removing administrative burdens and facilitating the entry of seafarers into the Schengen area.

The European Community of Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) has welcomed the new provisions, which extend the validity period of multiple-

entry visas, shorten application processing time, and eliminate existing requirements to lodge them in person.

An ECSA statement says: “Not only will these measures bring certainty to shipping companies when finalising work contracts; they will also be beneficial to seafarers [who] need flexibility in order to properly carry out their work.”

ECSA says the introduction

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of a definition of “seafarer” in the Visa Code, explicitly mentioning the 2006 Maritime Labour Convention, will tie the EU legislation to the international regulatory framework. This will help ensure that all staff working on board ships in any capacity are duly covered by the Visa Code and benefit from the various procedural facilitations in place.

HE latest piracy report from the International Maritime Bureau on attacks off the coastline of Somalia makes uplifting reading: incidents are down 26% year-on-year and have reached a seven-year low. But while the statistics are positive, the threat of piracy remains and the “fear factor”’ of being boarded and taken hostage can still be psychologically damaging for seafarers.

Seafarers employed in High Risk Area (HRA) transits should, however, take heart from the successful decline in reported attacks, the result of a combination of initiatives including counter-measures employed by ships themselves, better reporting and monitoring of attacks and the employment of armed security on board merchant vessels.

But it is the unwavering presence of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) that has really tipped the balance in favour of safe passage for the world’s merchant fleet and seafarers. Operating within the framework of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, Operation Atalanta is the EU’s counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia. As operation commander, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant commands from the operational headquarters in the UK,

Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant on board with S where he plans and conducts the operation in conjunction with the political and military authorities of the EU. Having joined the Royal Navy in 1979 and spent most of his Royal Naval career at sea, Rear Admiral Tarrant can empathise with the toll that the threat of piracy takes on seafarers. He told The Sea: “I want to reassure seafarers that the EU

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warsh worki help t attack enviro racy p we ha matio we can keep t the ar

may/jun 14 the sea 5

f the machines?

s. As owners looks to continue to cut costs, Michael Grey goes back to remote control and what it means for the next generation of seafarers

ds of miles and little machines d sampling the , it was argued, manage a sea can be so com-

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New designs from Rolls Royce’s Blue Ocean team look similar − aside from a lack of room for humans (Image: Rolls Royce) itself as a serious plague in a number of different regions.

It is difficult to see how a ship could be “pirate-proof” ship with nobody on her at all.

While a heavily fortified robot vessel might tick the right boxes, its costs will surely escalate and become prohibitive. Also, placing armed guards aboard a ship with no crew would seem to be defeating its object! It is

also worth pointing out that ships wandering around with nobody aboard them would appear to be a temptation too far for technologically savvy pirates. A recent US university project has already shown it is possible to hack into a ship’s control systems and take it over. The possibility of remotely seizing a whole ship, laden with valuable goods, and

guiding her into a pirate port would surely be a temptation too far.

But the real challenge for anyone hoping to put robot ships into service would probably be the near-impossibility of replacing the ability of the crew to intervene usefully when awful things go wrong.

You might make the systems robust, but there would still

be that unexpected incident to which only a quick-thinking, properly trained human seafarer could respond. The sea is not the air, or space, but a dynamic, corrosive, hostile and often very violent place for any equipment to be. Seafarers all know this and learn how to live with it, because they are aware of what the sea can do and consequently make the

right decisions.

Think of the considerable number of accidents and incidents where contemporary ships and people have been saved in dire circumstances, through seamanship and brilliant engineering and ship handling and the proper response. Then ask yourself how the cleverest automatic systems would cope − to extinguish the fire, staunch the flow of water, get the ship back on an even keel, and home to a safe port.

This will not be a small aircraft or space vehicle, but possibly a very large ship. The technical challenges will be quite extraordinary.

Perhaps we could have a sort of “Maritime Mission Control” that would consist of ship operators who go home at the end of their shifts, looking after great fleets of unmanned vessels. The pace of technical progress has been amazing in recent years. But rather than spending the huge sums necessary to get the robots afloat, would it not a better use of the money to make the seafaring life more attractive to human beings?

addressing the fear factor

ear Admiral Bob Tarrant about international naval operations off the coast of ing piracy

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud (Photo: EU NAVFOR)

hips under my command are ing incredibly hard at sea to to keep them safe from pirate k. We operate in a high tempo onment with our counter-pipartners and we ensure that ave the most up-to-date inforon on the threat at sea so that n respond accordingly and the merchant ships transiting reas fully aware of the threats

they may face.

“Piracy has thankfully reduced – this has taken a lot of effort. We now need to maintain the pressure on the pirates, keep vigilant, and not become complacent.”

EU NAVFOR has warships from EU member states at sea in the piracy HRA 24 hours a day, conducting counter-piracy patrols. It also has maritime patrol and reconnais-

sance aircraft (MPRA) conducting aerial patrols, on the lookout for “pirate action groups”.

“Due to the size of the area (one and a half times the size of mainland Europe), EU NAVFOR co-ordinates piracy patrols and the escorting of vulnerable shipping with the other naval task forces from NATO and Combined Maritime Forces. We also share information and co-ordinate our efforts with independent deployers – warships from China, South Korea, India, Japan and Russia.

“This is crucial as the sea area is vast and we need to ensure that the counter-piracy forces operate where the risk is perceived as highest.”

However the activities of EU NAVFOR stretch beyond acting as a simple deterrent. It has had significant success in apprehending and transferring pirates to regional States for prosecution. Since the start of the operation, EU NAVFOR has successfully transferred 154 suspected pirates to regional courts to stand trial, as of the start of April 2014.

During port visits, EU NAVFOR warships also work with regional State navies and coast guards to help strengthen their own maritime security and effectively patrol their own sea areas. Efforts on the sea have been complemented by

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the EU Training Mission (EUTM) Somalia, which trains Somali security forces, and EUCAP Nestor, which provides training to regional coastguards and police. There are also programmes in place to support the implementation of regional initiatives such as the Djibouti Code of Conduct, the Eastern and Southern Africa – Indian Ocean Regional Strategy and Action Plan against Piracy and the programme to Promote Regional Maritime Security.

Addressing seafarers directly, Rear Admiral Tarrant says there is good news for seafarers that are affected by the “fear factor” of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and offshore Somalia.

“The piracy threat has reduced considerably since its height in January 2011, when 32 ships and 736 hostages were being held by pirates in appalling conditions. I travel into the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean region a lot, and rest assured, my thoughts are very much with the 50 hostages that are currently being held against their will. It is important that seafarers maintain their self-protection measures to ensure that they do not make it easy for pirates to mount a successful attack.”

The current EU NAVFOR mandate runs until December 2014

and EU warships will continue to patrol the seas off the Somali coast at least until that time. There is an understanding among EU member states that if EU warships withdraw from the piracy-risk areas, there is a real chance that pirate leaders will once again pay young men to go out to sea to attack ships.

“I know that the EU member states are discussing this at this time and we await the outcomes of those discussions,” says Rear Admiral Tarrant.

“In a global economy, we rely heavily on the sea for the movement of trade and natural resources. Every year, about 90 per cent of international freight is transported to and from Europe by sea. Where land boundaries separate countries, the sea connects, allowing trade to prosper. The waters off the Horn of Africa are a vast and fragile domain, which benefit us all and need our protection.”

To find out more about the work of EU NAVFOR, including the latest news and piracy statistics, visit www.eunavfor.eu. You can also connect with them on Facebook at “eunavalforce” or on Twitter @EUNAVFOR.

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6 the sea may/jun 14

JUSTICE MATTERS  BY DOUGLAS STEVENSON

MLC 2006 amendments On APRIL 14, 2014, the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006) Special Tripartite Committee adopted the first amendments to the MLC 2006. The amendments will significantly improve seafarers’ rights to their contractual entitlements for death and long-term disability, and they will protect them from abandonment.

When the Maritime Labour Convention was adopted in 2006, it anticipated that shipowners would be responsible - and available - to fulfill their obligations to seafarers. However, it has become clear that when shipowners disappear or become bankrupt, seafarers’ remedies under the Convention were inadequate. The amendments will fix this problem by requiring shipowners to have financial security to cover abandonment and seafarers’ death and long-term disability entitlements.

Shipowners will be required to provide certificates proving that they have financial security to cover seafarers’ repatriation expenses, four months’ wages and benefits, and other essential items such as adequate food, water, accommodation, medical care, and fuel required to keep the ship habitable. The financial security must remain in effect throughout the certificate’s validity period, even if the shipowner disappears. Financial security providers can cancel their certificates only after notifying the flag state at least 30 days in advance.

The money in the financial security fund will be available

directly to seafarers once they have been abandoned. Seafarers will be considered abandoned when the shipowner fails to pay their repatriation expenses, has left them without necessary maintenance and support (such as providing them with adequate food and water, accommodation, necessary medical care, or essential fuel for survival on the ship), or have not been paid wages for at least two months.

The amendments provide an incentive for seafarers to take action quickly once they have been deemed abandoned. Too often, abandoned seafarers prolong their misery by staying on ships in horrible condition long after they have been abandoned. Because the financial security system will make sure that seafarers are paid up to four months wages, seafarers will be motivated to make a claim to the financial security fund shortly after their not being paid for two months. Their food, water, accommodation, medical care and other reasonable repatriation expenses, will be paid until they arrive home.

Shipowners must also have a certificate of financial responsibility to cover their contractual obligations to pay benefits for seafarers’ death and long-term disability caused by an occupational injury, illness or hazard. The certificate of financial security must be posted in a conspicuous place on the ship where it will be easily seen by seafarers. Seafarers must be informed if a ship’s financial security is cancelled or

Enmiendas al MLC 2006 EL 14 de abril de 2014, la Comisión Especial Tripartita para el Convenio sobre el Trabajo Marítimo de 2006 (MLC 2006) adoptó las primeras enmiendas al CTM 2006. Las enmiendas supondrán una importante mejora para los derechos contractuales de los marinos en los supuestos de fallecimiento y discapacidad a largo plazo, y les proporcionarán protección frente al abandono.

Cuando el Convenio sobre el Trabajo Marítimo se adoptó en 2006, se anticipó que los armadores tendrían la responsabilidad – y se harían cargo – del cumplimiento de sus obligaciones hacia los marinos. Sin embargo, se ha hecho evidente que cuando un armador desaparece o se declara en bancarrota, los recursos a disposición de los marinos al amparo del Convenio resultan inadecuados. Las enmiendas solucionarán este problema al exigir a los armadores que dispongan de garantías financieras para cubrir el abandono y los derechos de los marinos en cuanto a fallecimiento y discapacidad a largo plazo.

Se exigirá a los armadores que presenten certificados que demuestren que disponen de garantías financieras adecuadas para cubrir los gastos de repatriación de los marinos, así como cuatro meses de sueldo y prestaciones, y otros gastos esenciales como la cantidad adecuada de alimentos,

agua, alojamiento, atención médica y combustible que se necesitan para mantener el buque habitable. La garantía financiera deberá mantener su vigencia durante todo el período de validez del certificado, aun cuando el armador desaparezca.

Los proveedores de la garantía financiera solo podrán cancelar sus certificados tras notificar de este hecho al Estado del pabellón del buque con un mínimo de 30 días de antelación.

El dinero depositado en el fondo de garantía financiera se pondrá directamente a disposición de los marinos una vez que éstos hayan sido abandonados. Se considerará que los marinos han sido abandonados cuando el armador no pague sus gastos de repatriación, les deje sin el mantenimiento y apoyo necesarios (como facilitarles alimentos, agua y un alojamiento adecuado, la asistencia médica necesaria, o el combustible esencial para sobrevivir en el buque), o no les haya pagado el sueldo durante al menos dos meses.

Las enmiendas proporcionan un incentivo a los marinos para actuar con rapidez una vez que hayan sido designados como abandonados.

Con demasiada frecuencia, los marinos abandonados prolongan su miseria al permanecer en los buques en condiciones horribles durante largo tiempo tras haber sido abandonados. Como el sistema de garantía financiera garantizará que

Поправки к MLC 2006

14 апреля 2014 года Специальным трехсторонним комитетом, учрежденным в соответствии с Конвенцией по труду в морском судоходстве (MLC 2006), были приняты первые поправки к MLC 2006. Эти поправки существенно расширят права моряков в отношении требований по контрактным обязательствам по компенсации в случае смерти или длительной нетрудоспособности, а также обеспечат защиту экипажам брошенных судов. Когда Конвенция по труду в морском судоходстве была принята в 2006 году, предполагалось, что судовладельцы будут ответственны и доступны для выполнения своих обязательств перед моряками. Однако выяснилось, что в случае исчезновения или банкротства судовладельца, средства юридической защиты для моряков в соответствии с Конвенцией оказываются недостаточными. Поправки решат эту проблему, обязав судовладельцев иметь финансовые гарантии для покрытия расходов, связанных с оставлением моряков на брошенных судах, а также выплат в случае смерти моряков или получения увечий. От судовладельцев будет требоваться предоставление сертификатов, подтверждающих наличие финансового обеспечения для покрытия издержек на репатриацию моряков, четырехмесячной зарплаты и пособий, а также других необходимых издержек, таких как стоимость питания, воды, проживания, медицинского обслуживания и топлива, требующегося для обеспечения жизни на корабле. Финансовое обеспечение должно оставаться действующим на протяжении периода действия сертификата, даже в случае исчезновения судовладельца. Учреждения, предоставляющие финансовое обеспечение, могут прекратить действие своих сертификатов только после предварительного уведомления государства

флага не менее чем за 30 дней. Деньги фонда финансового обеспечения будут напрямую доступны для моряков в случае оставления их на брошенном судне. Моряки будут считаться оставленными в случае, если судовладелец не в состоянии оплатить расходы по их репатриации, оставил их без необходимой поддержки и содержания (таких как обеспечение достаточным продовольствием и водой, жильем, требуемой медицинской помощью или жизненно необходимым топливом), или в случае, когда им не выплачивалась заработная плата как минимум в течение двух месяцев. Поправки будут мотивировать моряков в случае признания их оставленными действовать без промедления. Слишком часто моряки продлевают свои мучения, оставаясь на судах в ужасающих условиях спустя долгое время после того, как были оставлены. Поскольку система финансового обеспечения гарантирует выплату заработной платы за период до четырех месяцев, моряки будут стремиться предъявить требования фонду финансового обеспечения вскоре после того, как заработная плата не выплачивалась им в течение двух месяцев. Их питание, проживание, медицинское обслуживание и другие обоснованные расходы по репатриации будут оплачены до момента их прибытия домой. Судовладельцы также обязаны иметь сертификат финансового обеспечения для исполнения своих контрактных обязательств оплачивать пособия в случае смерти или длительной нетрудоспособности моряка, наступившей по причине профессиональной травмы, болезни или риска. Сертификат финансового обеспечения должен быть размещен на видном месте на корабле, где он будет доступен морякам. Моряки

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los marinos reciban hasta cuatro meses de sueldo, éstos se sentirán motivados para reclamar el pago del fondo de garantía financiera poco después de no haber cobrado el sueldo durante dos meses. También se pagarán los alimentos, el agua, el alojamiento, la asistencia médica y demás gastos de repatriación razonables hasta que el marino llegue a su hogar.

Los armadores también deben disponer de un certificado de responsabilidad financiera que cubra sus obligaciones contractuales para el pago de prestaciones por fallecimiento o discapacidad a largo plazo de los marinos causados por una lesión, enfermedad o riesgo laboral. El certificado de garantía financiera debe mostrarse en un lugar destacado del buque, donde todos los marinos puedan verlo. Los marinos deben ser informados de cuando la garantía financiera del buque se cancele o rescinda. Los marinos, sus familiares más próximos y sus beneficiarios o representantes designados podrán presentar reclamaciones para percibir prestaciones por fallecimiento o discapacidad contractual a largo plazo directamente al proveedor de la garantía financiera.

Las enmiendas al MLC 2006 son importantes por dos motivos: exigen a los armadores que dispongan de un seguro u otras garantías financieras que cubran

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terminated. Seafarers, their next of kin, designated beneficiaries or representatives will be able to make claims for contractual death and long-term disability benefits directly to the financial security provider.

The MLC 2006 amendments are significant in two ways: they require shipowners to have insurance or other financial security for abandonment and contractual claims for death and long-term disability; and they allow seafarers or their representatives make a claim directly to the security provider.

The amendments are even more significant in their ability to prevent abandonments and shipowner defaults from occurring in the first place. The amendments will raise the level of financial responsibility for shipowners and, hopefully, weed out substandard shipowners who exploit seafarers and malign the maritime industry’s reputation.

The amendments will be submitted to the International Labour Conference for approval at its next meeting this June. After approval by the International Labour Conference, countries that have ratified the MLC 2006 will have two years to consider them. The amendments will go into effect six months after the two-year period, unless 40 per cent of the ratifying countries representing at least 40 per cent of the world’s shipping tonnage disagree with the amendments. The amendments are expected to come into force early in 2017.

el abandono y las demandas contractuales por fallecimiento y discapacidad a largo plazo, y permiten a los marinos o a sus representantes presentar reclamaciones directamente al proveedor de la garantía. La importancia de las enmiendas es aún mayor en cuanto a que evita que se produzcan abandonos o que los armadores incumplan con el pago de los sueldos. Las enmiendas aumentarán el nivel de responsabilidad financiera de los armadores y, con suerte, eliminarán a los malos armadores que explotan a los marinos y dañan la reputación del sector marítimo.

Las enmiendas se presentarán ante la Conferencia Internacional del Trabajo para su aprobación en la próxima reunión del mes de junio. Tras su aprobación por parte de la Conferencia Internacional del Trabajo, los países que hayan ratificado el MLC 2006 dispondrán de dos años para considerarlas. Las enmiendas entrarán en vigor seis meses después de ese período de dos años, salvo que el 40 por ciento de los países que las ratifiquen, que representan al menos el 40 por ciento del tonelaje naviero mundial, no estén de acuerdo con ellas. Se espera que las enmiendas entren en vigor a principios de 2017.

должны быть извещены в случае отмены или прекращения действия сертификата финансового обеспечения. Моряки, их родственники, указанные бенефициарии или представители получат возможность предъявлять требования по пособиям по смерти или долговременной нетрудоспособности непосредственно предоставителю финансового обеспечения. Поправки к MLC 2006 важны по двум аспектам: они требуют от судовладельцев наличия страховки или другого финансового обеспечения на случай оставления моряков и выполнения контрактных обязательств в случае их смерти или долговременной нетрудоспособности, а также они позволяют морякам или их представителям предъявлять требования непосредственно предоставителю гарантий. Поправки имеют еще большее значение в плане предотвращения случаев оставления моряков и невыполнения судовладельцами своих обязательств. Поправки повысят уровень финансовой ответственности судовладельцев и, как мы надеемся, искоренят недобросовестных судовладельцев, эксплуатирующих моряков и порочащих репутацию морской отрасли. Поправки будут представлены Конференции международного труда для одобрения на ее следующем заседании в июне месяце этого года. После одобрения Конференцией международного труда странам, ратифицировавшим MLC 2006, будет дано два года на их рассмотрение. Поправки вступят в действие спустя шесть месяцев после двухлетнего периода, если только 40 процентов ратифицирующих стран, представляющих не менее 40 процентов объема мировых морских грузоперевозок, не откажутся от принятия поправок. Ожидается, что поправки вступят в силу в начале 2017 года.

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may/jun 14 the sea 7

FOCUS ON FAITH  BY KEN PETERS

Keeping calm in rough seas MY FIRST first sea voyage was from Southampton to the port of Leningrad as it was named at that time, now Saint Petersburg. I remember well the fierce storm that hit the ship. The pitching and rolling was considerable, and most on the ship suffered terrible seasickness. I had no difficulty, however, with the extreme motion.

Twenty years later, on another ship from the UK to Japan, we encountered nothing but calm seas aside from an electrical storm in the Indian Ocean. Although the ship was only gently swaying, on one occasion I felt really ill with nausea. I had thought that having not been affected by the battering received in the North Sea those years earlier, I would be really comfortable with the gentle motion, but innumerable short sea trips

across the bar at the Mersey estuary confirmed my dislike of the gentle movement.

There is no one reaction to disturbing events. Each of us responds differently to changes in our environment. Sometimes we remain calm when the expectation would be to panic. Other less stressful conditions may trigger a seemingly disproportionate response.

Mitigating the effects of stressful conditions depends on many things. Training and experience go a long way toward helping us cope when we are outside of our comfort zone. It is essential that all seafarers pay due attention to their continuing training.

I find however that the bedrock of comfort comes from an understanding that faith provides stability when everything around

us is in turmoil, gives certainty among all of the ceaseless changes in the world and calm in a storm. We may look for support from a variety of sources and there are some constants within loving relationships and family bonds. These are strengthened and enhanced by knowing that God loves us and cares for us.

Whether we are within our comfort zone or far outside what we normally experience, there is a sense of wellbeing when we are in relationship with God. This enables us to confront the difficult and dangerous with a reasonable confidence that we can cope and are able to meet the challenge. When we feel overpowered by all that is happening around us, when we think we are being swamped, we can call on God to help. The Bible records

the events of Jesus in a boat with his disciples. A Storm arose and the disciples were in fear. They woke Jesus who was sleeping and said, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

They were in panic and afraid. Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. He asks his disciples “Where is your faith?” Even in the company of Jesus they were unsettled and scared. The most important element that was missing, diminishing their ability to cope, was faith.

We are all called to acknowledge God and to place our faith in him. To cope with the gently swaying of life or with the dramatic storm that may beset us we can cope, if we have faith and believe that God loves us.

Mantener la calma en mares embravecidos MI PRIMERA travesía marítima fue de Southampton al puerto de la ciudad por aquel entonces conocida como Leningrado, y hoy en día como San Petersburgo. Recuerdo bien la feroz tormenta que nos encontramos de camino. El barco no paraba de cabecear y balancearse y la mayoría de la tripulación se vio afectada por un terrible mareo. A mí, sin embargo, la violencia del mar no me afectó.

Veinte años más tarde, en otra travesía del Reino Unido a Japón, tuvimos mares calmos durante todo el recorrido, a excepción de una tormenta eléctrica en el océano Índico. A pesar del suave balanceo del barco, en un momento dado de la travesía estuve muy enfermo con fuertes nauseas. Pensaba que al no haberme visto afectado unos años antes por el violento embate de las olas en el mar del Norte, me sentiría realmente cómodo con el leve balanceo del mar. Sin embargo, las innumerables travesías cortas que había hecho cruzando la barra del estuario del Mersey me habían confirmado que a mí lo que no me gusta es el balanceo suave.

No hay una sola manera de reaccionar ante acontecimientos perturbadores. Cada uno de nosotros responde de forma distinta a los cambios que se producen en nuestro entorno. A veces mantenemos la calma

cuando lo normal sería que nos dejásemos llevar por el pánico. Sin embargo, otras situaciones menos estresantes pueden generar en nosotros una respuesta aparentemente desproporcionada.

Mitigar las consecuencias de situaciones estresantes depende de muchos factores.

La formación y la experiencia contribuyen en gran medida a ayudarnos a superar situaciones que se salen de lo corriente. Es esencial que todos los marinos presten una atención debida a la formación continua.

Aunque para mí la base del consuelo procede de comprender que la fe nos da estabilidad cuando todo lo que nos rodea es confusión, nos proporciona certeza en medio de los incesantes cambios que tienen lugar en el mundo y nos da calma en la tempestad.

Puede que busquemos apoyo en una serie de fuentes y siempre disponemos de algunas constantes dentro de las relaciones afectivas y los vínculos familiares. Éstos vínculos y relaciones se ven fortalecidos y mejorados por el conocimiento de que Dios nos ama y se preocupa por nosotros.

Tanto si nos encontramos dentro del terreno de lo familiar como alejados de nuestra experiencia habitual, sentimos una sensación de bienestar cuando mantenemos

una relación con Dios. Ésta nos permite enfrentarnos a situaciones difíciles y peligrosas confiando con razón en que podremos soportarlas y salir adelante. Cuando nos sentimos sobrepasados por todo lo que sucede a nuestro alrededor, cuando estamos abrumados, podemos dirigirnos a Dios para pedirle ayuda. La Biblia narra la historia de Jesús en una barca con sus discípulos. Se desató una tormenta y los discípulos sintieron miedo.

Despertaron a Jesús que estaba durmiendo y le dijeron: “¡Maestro, Maestro, nos vamos a ahogar!”. Los discípulos se habían dejado llevar por el pánico y estaban atemorizados.

Jesús se levantó y reprendió al viento y a las aguas embravecidas, hasta que la tempestad cesó y la calma volvió a imponerse. Después preguntó a sus discípulos: “¿Dónde está vuestra fe?”. Incluso en compañía de Jesús se sentían intranquilos y asustados. El elemento más importante que les faltaba, y que afectaba a su capacidad para enfrentarse a la situación, era la fe.

Todos somos llamados a reconocer a Dios y a poner nuestra fe en él. Si tenemos fe y creemos que Dios nos ama, podremos superar tanto el leve balanceo de la vida con las enormes tempestades que puede que nos azoten.

Pелигия - Сохраняя спокойствие в бурных водах Мой первый морской вояж был из Саутгемптона в порт Ленинград, как в те времена назывался Санкт-Петербург. Я очень хорошо помню тот яростный шторм, в который попал наш корабль. Качка была очень сильной и бо́льшая часть пассажиров страдала от ужасной морской болезни. На меня же эти резкие движения совершенно не влияли. Двадцать лет спустя, на другом судне, идущем из Великобритании в Японию, мы встречали лишь спокойные тихие воды, не считая грозы в Индийском океане. И хотя корабль только мягко покачивался на волнах, в один из моментов я почувствовал ужасную тошноту. Я полагал, что если годами ранее на меня никак не повлиял шторм в Северном море, то во время штиля я буду превосходно себя чувствовать, однако множество коротких морских путешествий в районе устья реки Мерси подтвердили мою нелюбовь к мягкому покачиванию на волнах. Не существует единой реакции на тревожные события. Каждый из нас по-своему откликается на изменения в окружающем мире. Иногда мы остаемся совершенно невозмутимыми, когда ожидаемой реакцией была бы паника. Другие,

менее напряженные условия, могут вызвать несоразмерную на первый взгляд реакцию. Степень воздействия на нас различных стрессовых ситуаций зависит от многих вещей. Когда мы находимся вне зоны собственного комфорта, то в первую очередь справиться с трудностями нам помогают подготовка и опыт. Крайне важно, чтобы моряки всегда с должной серьезностью относились к своей непрерывной профессиональной подготовке. Тем не менее, я считаю, что основой нашего комфорта является понимание того, что именно вера придает нам устойчивость, когда все вокруг находится в смятении; дает нам определенность в нескончаемых переменах, происходящих в мире; и успокаивает в шторма. Мы можем черпать поддержку из многих источников, и, конечно же, существуют такие константы, как отношения любящих людей и семейные узы. Но еще более прочными и крепкими их делает знание того, что Бог любит и заботится о нас. Находимся ли мы в зоне нашего комфорта или далеко за ее пределами, но когда мы связаны с Богом ощущение благополучия не покидает нас. Это позволяет нам противостоять трудностям

и опасностям с достаточной уверенностью в том, что мы способны справиться и преодолеть любые преграды. Когда мы чувствуем себя подавленными тем, что происходит вокруг нас, когда нам кажется, что мы тонем, мы можем обратиться к Богу за помощью. В Библии описано путешествие Иисуса со своими учениками в лодке. Поднялся шторм и учеников охватил страх. Они разбудили спящего Иисуса и сказали ему: «Учитель, мы утонем!» Они были в ужасе и смятении. Иисус встал и укротил ветер и бущующие воды. Шторм утих, воды стали спокойны. Он вопрошает своих учеников: «Где же ваша вера?» Даже в компании Иисуса они были беспокойны и напуганы. Отсутствовал самый главный элемент, сводящий на нет их способность справиться с обстоятельствами, — вера. Мы все призваны признать Бога и поместить свою веру в него. Справиться с мягким покачиванием жизни или с сильной бурей, могущей охватить нас, мы можем лишь имея веру и веря в то, что Бог любит нас.

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, 118 Export Street, Port Newark, NJ 07114, USA. Tel: +1973 589 5825 Fax: +1973 817 8656

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 评论? 质问? 给我们发送电子邮件! themissiontoseafarers

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8 the sea may/jun 14

Fuel trends report finds that despite advancements in cleaner fuels, heavy fuel oil will remain number one for years to come

Get scrubbing: heavy fuel oil is ‘here to stay’ W HILE new environmental regulations coming into force in January 2015 will mean a short-term increase in the use of marine gas oil, ship’s engineers can expect to continuing to handle heavy fuel oil (HFO) for the foreseeable future.

The use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel will increase and there will be some take-up of other alternative fuels, according to Global Marine Fuel Trends 2030, a new report from Lloyd’s Register (LR) and University College London’s Energy Institute.

However, the report predicts that, in all scenarios, heavy fuel oil will remain the main fuel of choice for deep sea shipping while LNG will develop a deep sea bunker market share of 11 per cent by 2030. Low sulphur HFO and hydrogen emerge as alternatives in certain scenarios.

According to the research, HFO will still be very much around in 2030, with market shares ranging between 47 and 66 per cent, depending on three scenarios

looked at by LR. LR notes: “A high share of HFO, of course, means a high uptake of emissions abatement technology when global emissions regulations enter into force.”

While the use of LNG may increase gradually, shipowners appear to be rapidly taking up abatement technology (or “scrubbers”) that removes sulphur from emissions. There are several competing scrubber systems and a significant number of orders are being placed. Some vessels have had systems in place for a while.

D i m i t r i s A r g y r o s , L R ’s l e a d environmental consultant, said: “I think that the report underlines that any transition from a dependency on HFO will be an evolutionary process. LNG is forecast to grow from a very low base to a significant market share by 2030 – even if there is no major retrofit revolution – and most of the LNG take-up will be in new buildings.”

However, taking a bleaker view, the European Shipowners’ Associations’ (ECSA)

secretary general, Patrick Verhoeven, says: “Shipowners’ hopes for decisive action with regard to LNG refuelling points have been shattered.”

He was responding to an agreement

by EU member states, the European Commission and the European Parliament on a text that would considerably weaken an initial Commission proposal for a Directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in Europe. According to the new agreement, EU countries will only have to ensure that “a sufficient number” of big European ports have developed LNG refuelling infrastructure for maritime transport by 2025.

“While the 2015 deadline for the compliance with the requirements of the EU Sulphur Directive is fast approaching and with time running out, it was our hope that the EU would break the LNG chicken and egg dilemma by deciding that major European ports will need to have LNG refuelling points in place by latest 2020,” Mr Verhoeven said.

Ro-ro crew first at scene in MH370 search

Sailors on the US Navy’s USS Kidd conduct search operations in the Andaman Sea (Photo: Karolina Karmowska-Brooks) WHILE military and government ships and aircraft from several countries have been scouring the southern Indian Ocean for any sign of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a merchant ship was first on the scene when two floating objects were spotted by satellite.

The Norway-flagged car carrier, Hoegh St Petersburg, manned by a 20-strong Filipino crew, was diverted from its voyage from Madagascar to Melbourne at the request of the Australian Maritime Safety Agency (AMSA). Her arrival at the location was the start of weeks of searching for the plane, thousands of miles from her original route from Malaysia to China.

The 2009-built, 68,392 gt ship spent several days searching for any sign of the missing aircraft, but found nothing.

The search of remote areas of the Indian Ocean, which has been hampered by the very rough conditions, has been

co-ordinated by the civilian AMSA, rather than the military authorities. AMSA is responsible for merchant ship safety within Australian waters and ports and enforces port state control of foreign ships, as well as co-ordinating search and rescue operations. At the operation’s peak, over 20 merchant and naval ships were involved in the search.

Earlier, in the initial stages of the hunt for any trace of MH370, a Cosco bulk carrier, Tai Shu Hai, took part in a search in the South China Sea. The 47,000-dwt vessel was on passage to Qinzhou, Guangxi Province, China. Four other Cosco ships were reportedly put on standby but it rapidly became clear that MH370 had not crashed into the South China Sea. Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield took the lead in the search operation recently, as the search for the plane’s black box and presumed wreckage continued.

Food hygeiene: do galley staff know least?

A SURVEY of officers and crew by Italian tanker owner Finaval shows that catering and galley staff throughout the industry may be in need of some food hygiene training.

The survey focused on knowledge and understanding of food hygiene and handling, and surprisingly found that catering staff were the “the least informed” members of the crew.

“The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 has explicit rules covering food and catering to ensure that seafarers have access to good quality food and drinking water,” says Anders Brunvoll, senior course instructor at Seagull, a computer-based training provider. “However, this survey suggests that there is considerable work to be done so that the relevant staff are suitably trained.”

Shortcomings were found in basic areas of knowledge,with only 52 per cent of catering and galley staff being aware that food may be responsible for disease transmission.

Deeper problems are suggested by findings that: 88 per cent of catering staff got the correct storage temperature for dairy products (below +40C) wrong; 20 per cent believed refrigeration helped germs to grow; 35 per cent thought hazardous foods always had a bad taste or smell, and 48 per cent thought refreezing thawed food was not a problem.

“Tools ensuring that catering staff are properly trained for their positions are critical for shipowners, but also for the rest of a ship’s crew,” says Mr Brunvoll.

When writing about sea cooks in the Nov/Dec 2013 edition of The Sea, Michael Grey said: “When seafarers talked about a happy ship they would invariably describe them as ‘good feeders’. Nobody would describe sea cooks as having an easy life, having to produce three meals every day against a strict budget. They are important crew members who really make a difference to the cheerfulness of a voyage.”

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‘Virtual ER’ for seafarers US COMPANIES Globecomm and Future Care have combined to create a “virtual emergency room” to deliver an emergency medical response to seafarers.

They say that the new Future Care Live telemedicine service combines cost-effective video streaming with cutting-edge health care provision for crew in remote locations.

The new service allows the simultaneous remote participation of general and specialist doctors, hospital treatment staff, a Future Care case manager, shipowner representatives, and family members while the patient is being treated on board ship.

Gas companies seeking LNG officers REFLECTING a big growth in demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG), some companies are offering perks to experienced LNG seafaring officers to come ashore and manage their ships, according to international recruitment agency Faststream.

The move comes as the shipping industry seeks personnel to man and manage its growing fleet of LNG carriers, while facing stiff competition for staff from the growing floating LNG production sector.

There are currently 127 new LNG vessels on order, which means there is a need for some 2,000 officers as well as ratings and experienced shore-based technical superintendents.

Faststream data reports that the average salary for an LNG technical superintendent is US$113,528, while LNG chief engineers command an average annual salary of $121,536.

Family sues Disney THE parents of a British crew member of the Disney Wonder, Rebecca Coriam, who went missing from the cruise ship on March 22, 2011 off the Mexican coast, are suing Disney Cruise Lines for US$75,000.

The BBC reports that Mike and Ann Coriam claim that Disney failed in its duty of care by @FlyingAngelNews

waiting more than four hours to alert the US Coastguard, more than five hours to contact the Mexican navy, and nearly seven hours to call the Bahamas police, after Rebecca Coriam’s disappearance was noticed.

In the legal papers they have filed it is claimed that Disney gave “false and misleading” information about the ship’s position when it alerted the coastguard.

It is also alleged that Disney’s monitoring of crew members and passengers was inadequate, as was its “surveillance for a person falling overboard”.

Mr and Mrs Coriam also claim that the company breached established protocols for a person overboard.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “This incident has been investigated by the authorities. The claims are without merit, as we will demonstrate in court.”

Seafarers love bottled water HEALTH-CONSCIOUS seafarers are drinking more bottled water, according to UK-based ship supplier Hutton’s Group.

It says sales of bottled water to seafarers are up 30 per cent on last year’s figures and that this January alone it sold almost 40,000 large bottles and 20,000 small bottles of still water. Sales of sparkling water, which were particularly popular with Eastern European customers, were also growing.

The firm’s managing director, Alex Taylor, said the increase was due to a growing awareness of healthy living and the industry-wide prohibition of alcohol on board ships.

Superyacht crew protection INSURER The Shipowners’ Club has launched a policy for superyacht clients to protect them against Seafarers Unpaid Wages Following Abandonment.

The club notes that many owners and managers are unsure as to the extent of the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, which includes the requirement for “financial security” to be guaranteed by the vessel owner, leaving them liable for unpaid wages owed to the crew.