The Sea, September/October 2010

Issue 207 sep/oct 2010

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

Anger at pirates’ release page 2 Asbestos still a danger page 8 Success of Party in the Park page 8

UK registered charity no: 212432 Scottish charity register no: SC039211

The Sea is published by The Mission to Seafarers

Editor: Gillian Ennis News: David Hughes It is distributed free of charge to seafarers through chaplains and seafarers’ centres. However, if you want to be sure of getting it regularly, send us £3.50 or $5 for post and packing and we will mail it to you for a year (six issues).

It is available from: Kathy Baldwin The Sea, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London EC4R 2RL. Tel: +44 20 7248 5202 Fax: +44 20 7248 4761 Email: pr@missiontoseafarers.org Website: www.missiontoseafarers.org

Seafarers’ safety posters relaunched

Satellites are watching you EVER more sophisticated oil-spill detection technology means coastal states can quickly spot ships illegally discharging oil, according to the North of England P&I club.

The club highlights the CleanSeaNet satellite surveillance service which is used by both coastal states and the European Maritime Safety Agency to identify oil slicks. Oil spill alerts can be provided to coastal states within 30 minutes, enabling them to send spotter aircraft to confirm whether there is a slick. All ships in the vicinity – or known to have passed through it – are potentially subject to investigation.

Samples of a slick can then be taken, analysed and cross-referenced against samples from suspect ships. “If the samples match, or there are no other ships in the vicinity, the evidence against the vessel is very strong and the usual outcomes, including claims, vessel arrest, fines for the owner and officers, and custodial sentences, can result,” says the club’s loss prevention executive, Colin Gillespie.

A SERIES of health and safety posters designed by seafarers for seafarers has been relaunched by the Chamber of Shipping to mark the International Year of the Seafarer.

They were originally designed by seafarers for an annual competition, which started in the 1990s and ran for over ten years. The participants suggested the most important subjects based on their own experiences.

The winning drawings were sent to a designer who drew up the ideas as suggested, but with a common style linking the series. They cover all aspects of work on a ship, from keeping stairs and walkways clear to making hatches and movable objects secure at sea.

Mark Brownrigg, director general of the Chamber of Shipping, said the posters conveyed essential safety messages in a clear and direct manner – “exactly what is needed wherever there are hazards on ship”.

The posters cost £1.50 each for members and £2 for non-members, with a standard charge of £5 per order for (UK) postage and packing.

Visit http://www.britishshipping.org/publications/ posters to see the entire range of 33 posters and to order.

Union anger at compromise on hours of rest

IMO conference adopts revised training rules A

CONTROVERSIAL compromise on hours of work was agreed at an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conference held in June in Manila to update the rules on training and qualifications for the global shipping industry.

The “Manila amendments” to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) convention and associated code are mainly aimed at catching up with technical developments since the last revision.

The Manila conference followed several years’ work at IMO and there was general agreement on most training and certification issues prior to the meeting.

Rod Short, executive secretary of the training college organisation GlobalMET, told The Sea that there was strong

motivation at IMO to modernise. “Celestial navigation requirements were reduced and those concerning electronic navigation increased, with concern being expressed about the need for a much greater effort to ensure that watchkeepers are competent with e-navigation.

“Tanker operations training is to be brought up to date.

Engineering competencies are moving more towards plant and systems operation, implying a significant rethink about how engineers are trained.

Able seafarer requirements for deck and engine shifted from the International Labour Organisation to STCW. Electro-technical officer training is now mandatory, with a cross-over between marine engineering and electro-technology,” he said.

There was now more em-

phasis on leadership and management, he added.

The Manila amendments, which come into force on January 1, 2012, include a new measure to stop certificate of competency fraud and new requirements for the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as updated medical fitness standards for seafarers.

The conference also passed a large number of resolutions, including ones on: attracting new entrants to, and retaining seafarers in, the maritime profession; accommodation for trainees; and the promotion of the participation of women in the maritime industry.

More controversially, delegates at Manila agreed, at an intense round of negotiations, a series of new provisions intended to provide watchkeeping officers aboard ships with

sufficient rest periods. The Manila amendments say that watchkeeping officers and ratings must have a minimum of 10 hours of rest in any 24hour period and 77 hours in any seven-day period.

That means maximum working hours allowed will be 91 hours a week. The compromise, however, gives flexibility to allow up to 98 hours of work in a week. Up to two consecutive 98-hour working weeks will be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

When that happens, however, another period of extra long hours will not be allowed for the following month.

International Chamber of Shipping secretary general Peter Hinchliffe said the organisation was very pleased that governments had responded to employers’ Continued on P3

MLC 2006 heading for ratification THE Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 is on course for ratification according to Cleo Doumbia-Henry, international director of labour standards at the International Labour Organisation.

Speaking at the ITF world congress in July, she said that 10 countries had so far agreed to ratify the 2006 convention. It brings together and updates more than 65 international labour standards for seafarers adopted over the last 80 years.

Ms Doumbia-Henry described the MLC as a new kind of convention, as it “has teeth” and incorporates procedures for implementation. Before it comes into force it has to be ratified by at least 30 countries, representing one third of the world’s gross tonnage. So far, 10 had done so, said Ms Doumbia-Henry, accounting for 46 per cent of world tonnage.

2 the sea sep/oct 10

Ships sailing in the waters off Somalia remain vulnerable, says IMB

Fewer pirate attacks in first half of this year T HERE were fewer pirate attacks worldwide in the first half of 2010, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), but ships remain particularly vulnerable in waters off Somalia where there were 100 pirate attacks. Of those, 27 resulted in actual hijackings, only three less than in the same period last year despite increased naval activity and massive efforts to ensure merchant vessels take adequate precautions.

A total of 196 incidents around the world were reported to the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre, compared to 240 in the same period in 2009. This includes 31 vessels hijacked, 48 vessels fired upon and 70 vessels boarded.

One crew member was killed, 597 were taken hostage and 16 were injured.

The IMB says the use of firearms, including rocket propelled grenades, was particularly marked in the waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden. Together they are still by far the most dangerous region, accounting for more than half of the incidents reported over the past six months.

Until mid-June when the rough seas of the southwest monsoon set in, the pirate gangs were increasingly ranging far out into the Indian Ocean. In July and early August the three hijackings that occurred were in the Gulf of Aden despite the concentration of warships there.

IMB director Captain Pottengal Mukundan drew attention to a number of attempted attacks in the southern Red Sea. This is a new area of activity for Somali pirates and has the attraction for them of not being affected by the monsoons.

A KENYA police officer arranges an exhibit of weapons used by suspected Somali pirates at the court in Mombasa. The use of firearms has been particularly marked in waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, says the IMB. (Photo: Reuters) He said that most attacks originating on the Somali coast depended on mother ships, which enabled small pirate boats to attack ships on the high seas. These had been the target of navy vessels operating in the area. “The actions of the navies in the Gulf of Aden have been instrumental in decreasing the number of attacks there,” Captain Mukundan said.

“The Indian Ocean poses a different challenge. Nevertheless, naval initiatives to target and disrupt pirate groups in the Indian Ocean should be applauded

and sustained. It is vital that the naval presence continues. The other important factor in the number of attacks being brought down is the action taken by vessels themselves and the adoption of the best management practices put out by industry bodies and the naval co-ordination groups.”

He urged shipmasters and owners to report all incidents to the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre. This was the first step in the response chain and vital in ensuring that adequate resources were allocated by governments to deal with the problem, he said.

While the attention of the shipping industry and the seafarer unions has been focused on Somalia, pirate incidents have continued to occur elsewhere. Actual attacks in the South China Sea more than doubled in the first half of 2010. Incidents in the waters of Malaysia and Indonesia have also increased but only one attack was reported in the Singapore Straits and one in the Gulf of Thailand.

Nigerian waters continue to be dangerous but the number of reported incidents remained stable. However, the IMB cautions that many attacks go unreported in this violent piracy hotspot.

Meanwhile, the unprecedented coalition of organisations – from trade unions to shipowners’ associations and insurers – which is backing a global e-petition demanding effective action to end piracy, is calling for more seafarers to sign up.

The coalition is aiming to collect 500,000 signatures for a global petition

by World Maritime Day on September 23, but by late July only about 150,000 people had signed. You can find the petition at www.endpiracypetition.org

Industry fury over release of Bow Saga attackers SEVEN Somali pirates caught in the act of hijacking a chemical tanker in early August were released the following day, prompting a storm of protest.

The Norwegian Chemical tanker Bow Saga was sailing through the transit corridor in the middle of the Gulf of Aden when it came under attack. A pirate skiff with seven people on board shot at the bridge, damaging the windows. The ship used evasive manoeuvring and water hoses to prevent attempts to board and sent out a mayday.

The EU Naval Force (EU Navfor) picked up the mayday and ordered the closest warship, the Spanish frigate Victoria, to respond. The warship’s helicopter was on the scene 10 minutes later. The pirates broke off the attack and tried to flee. After warning shots, first from the helicopter and then from the warship, the pirates eventually stopped and the skiff was searched.

Weapons were found.

The following day tanker owners’ organisation Inter-

tanko issued a statement saying: “We hope that these men will not be released due to the absence of any country

to another state.

When news broke that the men had been freed, Intertanko said that releasing

A TEAM from the frigate Victoria searches the skiff after the attack on the Bow Saga. (Photo: EU Navfor) willing to detain them and try them in court.” Within hours, however, that was exactly what happened.

Intertanko had appealed to the seizing state Spain, and Norway, where the ship is owned, to “co-operate to the fullest possible extent in repression of piracy as per Article 100 of the united Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea” and either to prosecute the pirates on the basis of customary international law or to transfer the prosecution

the Bow Saga pirates back to Somalia was a bitter blow to the shipping industry (and to its seafarers) in the global fight against piracy. “This undoubtedly will also disappoint those governments that have encouraged the detention and prosecution of pirates.”

Explaining the release, EU Navfor said: “Due to the legal framework and timelines encompassing piracy and criminal activity at sea, the prosecution of the seven individuals in this specific

case could not be initiated with confidence. While this EU Navfor operation was successful in preventing the attack on the MV Bow Saga, this case again highlights the importance of the continuing efforts to harmonise the prosecution system.”

The lenient treatment of the pirates contrasts with a much tougher line taken in two other recent cases. A Seychelles court sentenced 11 men to 10 years’ jail for an attack on the Seychelles Coast Guard patrol vessel Topaz. In Europe, a Rotterdam court sentenced five Somali pirates to five years’ imprisonment for an attack on the Dutch Antilles-flag general cargo vessel Sananyolu. Intertanko sees this as a possible landmark case since the crew did not attend to give evidence in person but provided written testimony. The pirates also apparently threw their weapons over the side, but the court believed evidence from the crew of the warship that captured the gang that they had used them.

Al-Qaeda link to explosion that damaged Japanese tanker A GROUP linked to the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation has claimed responsibility for an apparent suicide attack on the Mitsui OSK Lines VLCC M Star while the ship was sailing out of the Persian Gulf.

An explosion caused damage to the vessel, and United Arab Emirates sources reported there was a dent in the hull near the hole caused by the explosion, suggesting that a small boat packed with explo-

sives had been used.

According to the ship’s master, five doors on the starboard side of the accommodation were blown off. One of the crew was slightly hurt but no serious injuries were reported,

and no oil leaked from the hull.

The attack happened west of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters. Afterwards the M Star sailed to the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah.

An organisation called the Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility and said one of its members had blown himself up on the ship. Some experts, however, were sceptical of the claim.

Danny F-II sinking: appeal for information LAWYERS advising seafarers’ union Nautilus International as investigations continue into the capsize and loss of the merchant vessel Danny F-II off the coast of Lebanon last December are appealing for information on the ship and the sinking.

A total of 44 crew, including two Nautilus members, died when the Panamanian-flagged livestock carrier capsized and subsequently sank some 12 miles off Tripoli.

Jonathan Doughty, a partner at law firm Bridge McFarland, said: “We are interested in tracing survivors of this tragic accident, particularly deck and engineering officers. Equally, we would welcome contact from deck or engineering officers who had recently served aboard the vessel or are aware of any information regarding her safety and stability.”

Mr Doughty can be contacted confidentially on +44 (0)1522 518888 or email jcd@bmcf.co.uk

Stowaways ‘thrown overboard’ AUTHORITIES in Ghana detained the Chineseowned bulk carrier Rui Ning 3 in June after two Ivorian nationals rescued from the sea by the Ghanaian Navy claimed to have stowed away on the vessel and to be have been thrown overboard. A third man is missing, believed dead.

Omar Secei and Djiba Kamarah said they spent more than 12 hours in the water before being found.

The ship’s chief officer is accused of finding the stowaways and ordering them to be thrown overboard.

Dismay at master’s prosecution AUSTRALIAN shipping industry association, Shipping Australia, has expressed dismay at the prosecution of the master of the container ship Pacific Adventurer. The ship lost 31 containers overboard in a severe storm in March last year and some of them punctured the bunker tanks. As a result, 270 tonnes of oil spilt off the Queensland coast.

In July this year the master, Bernadino Santos, was committed

for trial in Queensland.

Llew Russell, Shipping Australia’s chief executive, said that his members had questioned whether Captain Santos and the shipping company involved would receive a fair trial “given all the media hype”. He added that the master “should be commended for bringing his crew and ship safely to port”.

Marpol guide for crews THE American P&I Club has launched a computer-based training package intended to familiarise seafarers with the International Maritime Organisation’s environmental protection regulations.

Developed in conjunction with the Philippine training provider IDESS, the course covers the six annexes to the Marpol Convention.

William Moore, senior vice president of the club’s managers, Shipowners Claims Bureau Inc, New York, pointed out that the potential for owners and their crews to have criminal and civil suits brought against them had increased in many jurisdictions around the world.

The modules are specifically designed to be user-friendly for seafarers, and focus on the practical application of the Marpol convention on board ship.

APL recruits cadets in Sri Lanka FOLLOWING a successful link with private colleges in Sri Lanka, Singaporebased Neptune Orient Lines says its container shipping arm APL wants to take on more Sri Lankan cadets.

It is exploring opportunities with government establishments, including the Mahopola Training Institute. Sri Lankan deck cadets from Mercantile Marine Management are already sailing on APL container ships, while engineer cadets from Colombo International Nautical & Engineering College are currently in the final phase of class room-based training before joining APL vessels.

“We are pleased to support the Sri Lankan maritime industry, and the communities we operate in, through this programme,” said APL Sri Lanka managing director Elias Abraham. “It will allow APL to have top-quality Sri Lankan seafarers serving in our global ship fleet for years to come.”

sep/oct 10 the sea 3

Comic books aimed at recruitment THE International Maritime Employers’ Committee (IMEC) sponsored comic book Ahoy! (right) is a new initiative to introduce careers at sea to a much younger audience in the Philippines.

IMEC secretary general Giles Heimann said that his organisation was investing US$100,000 to produce the comics. They were being distributed to Filipino youngsters from the age of 12 upwards through some 200 schools to try to instil an interest in seafaring.

The first comic is one of a three-part series. It follows a group of young friends as they discover what the role of a ship’s captain involves and later become inspired to embark on a career at sea themselves. It also has interviews with real captains and contains reader competitions with some exciting prizes to be won.

Emissions rules Inquiry warning from into death shipowners finds safety THE global shipowners’ organisation, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), has presented a paper to the International Maritime Organisation warning that new strict rules on how much sulphur there can be in marine fuel could mean cargo switching from ships to road transport. This could actually harm rather than protect the environment.

The ICS points to a study by specialist firm Entec which predicts, based on several other studies, that the additional cost of switching from heavy fuel oil with 1.5 per cent sulphur content to gas oil with 0.01 per cent, as planned in 2015, could increase fuel prices by €230 per tonne. This, says Entec, will lead to some shift away from short sea shipping to road and rail freight but the volume involved could vary widely, between 3 per cent and 50 per cent, depending on routes and fuel price projections.

Case should serve as wake-up call says union chief

Cadet’s death sparks call for thorough investigation F OLLOWING the death of a 19-year-old female South African cadet, shortly after allegedly saying she had been raped by an officer, there have been calls for a thorough investigation by the flag state, the UK. Akhona Geveza died in June after falling overboard from the UK-registered containership Safmarine Kariba off the coast of Croatia.

South African newspapers subsequently reported claims that she had told a colleague she had been raped by a ship’s officer.

She was on board the vessel as part of an arrangement with the South African national ports authority, Transnet, to give seagoing

opportunities for 130 Transnet cadets. Other Transnet cadets were reported as making allegations of male and female rape, bullying and harassment.

Seafarers’ union Nautilus International has written to the UK’s transport minister Philip Hammond, and Home Secretary Theresa May, calling for a full and transparent inquiry into the death and subsequent allegations of rape and harassment.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said the case should serve as “a wake-up call” to the international shipping industry. “It is essential for the shipping industry and for the UK register that no effort is spared

Revised training rules adopted Continued from P1 arguments about the need for flexibility to ensure safe and efficient operations during short-term peak workloads.

He added that newly strengthened mandatory hours of work recording requirements should lead to increased enforcement by port state control authorities.

However, Allan Graveson of seafarers’ union Nautilus International was very unhappy at the outcome. “This shows that this industry has no regard for the long-term health of seafarers or their safety, nor the safety of life at sea or protection of the marine environment. Flexibility comes at a price, and the countries which accepted this should not be surprised when there are bodies in the sea and oil on the beaches.

They should not blame the seafarer for what are entirely

foreseeable events caused by working excessive hours.

“It is worth noting no other form of transport or sector of industry is seeking such hours of work,” he said.

“It will be increasingly difficult to defend such working practices.”

Speaking at the close of the conference, IMO secretarygeneral Efthimios Mitropoulos said there needed to be a drive to put the new rules in place.

“The immediate task at hand is to promulgate the standards of maritime excellence we have just come to adopt amongst those working at the sharp end of the industry and to promote their proper implementation and enforcement through the usual means of enacting legislation and introducing enabling measures in maritime administrations and training establishments.”

to establish the truth of the allegations and, if true, to ensure that appropriate action is taken.”

Mr Dickinson added that research by Nautilus a decade ago showed serious problems of sexual harassment in shipping. As a result, the union developed equal op-

portunities policies with the UK Chamber of Shipping and these had subsequently been taken up across the European Union. Working with the firm Videotel International also resulted in a training package on equal opportunities policies and procedures, he said.

Crackdown on cruiseship crime A US law is bringing into force a large number of new rules intended to make cruiseships safer. The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act 2010 applies to cruiseships of all flags carrying over 250 passengers on international voyages which embark or disembark passengers in any US port.

The regulations are in response to a spate of accidents and shipboard crimes. They cover vessel design and construction, medical facilities, passenger and crew information, and training and measures to report and combat crime. Many of the regulations will apply at once, but 18 months will be allowed for the implementation of new design and construction standards, which include raising the minimum deck rail height.

Among other things the new law requires owners to have examination kits for anyone alleging sexual assault, and medication to prevent sexually transmitted diseases as well as medical staff trained in emergency medicine.

Ships not complying may be stopped from entering port or owners could be fined

US$250,000 or even jailed for up to a year.

Meanwhile the UK is adopting a lower key approach to achieve similar results. The recent death of the South African cadet (see above) has brought to light that, while no formal guidelines on dealing with crime at sea are currently available to most masters of UK ships, a new joint project by the country’s Association of Chief Police Officers, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Hampshire Constabulary is set to fill this gap.

The three bodies have been working for the past two years to develop a comprehensive manual on dealing with crime at sea. An initial version completed last year has been distributed in CD form to some cruiseships but has not yet been rolled out across the whole UK commercial fleet. It includes specific guidance on responding to allegations of rape and sexual assault. While introducing no new rules, it is understood that training and procedures based on the manual meet or exceed the requirements of the new US law.

lapses

AN able seaman from the UK-flag container ship Ever Elite drowned in San Francisco Bay last September after the lower section of the accommodation ladder he was standing on broke free and fell into the water.

The UK’s Marine Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that the seaman fell into the water and drowned because he was not wearing a fall arrest device or a lifejacket, both of which should have been required for working over the side.

Rigging the ladder when under way, the MAIB says, was unnecessarily hazardous, and a safe system of work had not been developed.

The ladder was set free when the hoist winch gearbox failed.

The MAIB found that the gearbox had been incorrectly re-assembled by the ship’s crew following maintenance. It says this was because of a lack of technical information, an ineffective management system of onboard maintenance and the low-level of maintenance and testing requirements adopted for the hoist winch because it had not been considered to be lifting gear as defined in national regulations.

Other, unrelated, safety shortfalls were identified during the investigation.

Al-Salam families sue RINA FAMILIES of some of those who died when the ferry Al-Salam Boccaccio 98 sank in the Red Sea in February 2006 have taken the Italian classification society RINA to court.

Their lawyers allege that RINA was negligent in its implementation and auditing of the ship’s ISM code. Initially a fire broke out.

Subsequently the ship capsized, with the loss of over 1,000 lives.

New rules for safer box securing NEW container-securing rules and software have been developed

by Lloyd’s Register (LR), which says they will provide a “robust framework for safer, more effective modern ship designs”.

The new rules and supporting software were developed after detailed consultation with major container-shipping lines

and manufacturers of lashing equipment.

David Tozer, LR’s global business manager for container ships, said that safety, as always, came first, but ensuring flexibility in loading and discharging operations was vital for operators.

“These new rules were created to combine safety and flexibility, allowing more sophisticated and varied container stows to save time and expense in port,” he said.

LPG fleet at highest level THE world LPG carrier fleet reached its highest level so far, totalling 1,092 ships, at the beginning of July. A further 166 vessels are on order, according to LPG World Shipping magazine.

“Although the LPG fleet, like all sectors of shipping, has been impacted by the economic recession, contracts for new gas carriers have begun to percolate through once again in recent months to replenish the orderbook,” says editor Mike Corkhill.

The largest single segment of the world LPG fleet remains the fully pressurised gas carrier.

There are 532 of these “workhorses” in service, ranging in capacity from 10,000 down to a few hundred cubic metres, while the fully pressurised gas carrier orderbook stands at 71 vessels.

The existing fleet of semi-pressurised/fully refrigerated gas carriers now stands at 320 ships and includes 127 liquefied ethylene gas carriers.

The ethylene carrier fleet has been the most rapidly expanding segment of the LPG fleet in recent years, with 37 such ships currently on order.

Recession boost for shipmanagers THE recession has boosted the fortunes of shipmanagement companies, according to Spinnaker Consulting.

The specialist employment consultant said that a couple of years ago the dollar strengthened, increasing shipmanagers’ earnings almost overnight by as much as a third.

On top of that, Spinnaker said, it had been told by shipmanagers that those of their shipowner clients, who predicted the shipping market correctly and had become cashrich as a result, had been buying up cheap tonnage which was swelling their managed fleets.

“Some shipmanagers have told us they have had their best year ever, which is quite a surprise,” said Spinnaker.

sep/oct 10 the sea 5

4 the sea sep/oct 10

MICHAEL GREY

NEWS

UK pay discrimination row OPERATORS of UK-flag vessels have reacted furiously to a government-commissioned study that concluded that proposed legislation to ban the practice of paying seafarers according to nationality should go ahead.

External consultant Susan Carter, who carried out the study, said that the impact of any changes on the UK maritime cluster and the UK economy were unlikely to be significant in the short-term and were too uncertain in the long term to be taken into account. She recommended outlawing the practice of nationality-based pay differentials for seafarers altogether.

The UK Chamber of

Shipping, representing owners, issued a statement saying the review displayed “a breathtaking ignorance of the nature of the shipping industry”. It warned that the result would be that companies would be forced to register their ships elsewhere.

Faced with warnings from shipowners of a mass exodus from the UK register, the seafarers’ union Nautilus International has urged the government to consider the sort of scheme that applies in the Netherlands. This would mean unions and owners negotiating a framework agreement to ensure that European Union/ European Economic Area sea-

farers on UK ships received no less favourable treatment than their UK counterparts, and that the pay and conditions of crew members from other countries were set at the international levels determined by collective bargaining.

The union’s general secretary, Mark Dickinson, said he was concerned by the owners’ warnings, but pointed out that the existing rules had to change to bring the UK into line with European law. “However,” he added, “we are also realists and we recognise the risk of flagging out if the costs of using the UK register are significantly increased in these economically difficult times.”

Big rise in number of Filipinos on European ships THE number of Filipino seafarers on ships operated by European owners has increased, according to new Philippine official statistics. The Nautilus Telegraph reports that seafarers’ remittances from European countries to the Philippines almost doubled last year, as the region’s shipowners cut costs by turning to sources of cheaper labour.

The amount sent from Europe rose to US$1.1bn from $650m in 2008, according

to the Philippines’ central bank. Norway, which employs around 25,000 Filipino seafarers, was the biggest European source at $300m, while the UK was second at $251m — more than double the $116m sent in 2008. Remittances from the Netherlands also almost doubled, from $26.6m to $54.3m.

The biggest employer of Filipino seafarers was Japan, with around 40,000.

Globally, the number of

all Filipino seafarers deployed increased by 23 per cent last year. According to the World Bank the rise was well above the average of 14 per cent for the previous three years.

“Pressure to drastically reduce costs has led some companies to accelerate their staff sourcing from countries such as the Philippines which has a pool of comparatively cheap, English-speaking and well qualified seafarers,” it said.

Princess seeks support for new welfare services BRITAIN’S Princess Royal (right) has called on shipping industry leaders to help The Mission to Seafarers expand its services in nine new ports around the world to meet the growing needs of seafarers.

At a reception on board Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, the princess, who is president of the society, met 200 business leaders, including representatives from Maersk, Bibby and other industry supporters, to encourage them to help the organisation expand its care for seafarers.

“Seafarers are not merely a workforce or a human resource,” said the princess, “but vulnerable and valiant human beings who endure much to bring us our home comforts.

Employers through the years have

found supporting the Mission to be an effective way of providing for their crews … no company can have a welfare officer in every port, but the Mission is on hand around the world.”

The secretary general of The Mission to Seafarers, the Revd Tom Heffer, said the Mission was adapting to changing patterns of world trade by withdrawing from historic ports where there was clearly no need for welfare provision and developing services in new ports where there were few or no facilities. He spoke of new work which had begun in Suape and Belem in Brazil and revealed plans to open welfare facilities in nine new locations in countries as diverse as Vietnam, Spain, Russia and Estonia.

Visitors by appointment only Convention ashore is that people don’t just turn up and expect everyone to rush around to accommodate them. Not so on board ship, but seafarers deserve more consideration and respect, says Michael Grey

Y

OU have had a hard day at the office. In fact you are dog tired after a particularly busy period and all you really want to do is go to bed and sleep for about 24 hours. But as you are blearily mixing your hot cocoa, there is a loud ring on the doorbell. It is a man with a clipboard who wants to ask you a whole lot of questions about your household’s energy consumption.

You are at the office, your in-tray piled high and several hours of concentrated work to be done, when your secretary bustles in with the news that the company auditors have turned up, quite unexpectedly, and want your undivided attention.

You have had two days of thick fog, after a transAtlantic passage of unusual ferocity, and few aboard the ship have had any proper sleep. The engineers have been working flat out to keep the machinery running after a breakdown.

But you know that cargo operations will start first thing in the morning, and

what everyone really needs is some rest. Then, with the ship alongside, comes the unwelcome news that immigration wants to interview everyone aboard.

Customs “rummagers” are next, and a port state control inspection team has arrived, which will expect the attendance of yourself and another officer.

Three scenarios, but with two different outcomes. The first two shore-side visitations might prompt a pretty fierce reaction, with the nocturnal visitor being told in no uncertain terms to go away and not come back, and the unexpected auditors that they should jolly well make an appointment. Convention ashore is that it is both polite and expected to plan a visit to coincide with the convenience of the person being visited. People don’t “just turn up” and expect everyone to rush around to accommodate them.

But ships, for some reason, are different. Officials go stamping aboard, demand to see the master, and expect that he will drop everything and do their bidding. These of-

‘CUSTOMS, port security and port state control officials (as above) all have legitimate jobs to do. But they need to be more understanding of the needs of those aboard ship. Perhaps they could learn something from the rather more courteous behaviour of the local Mission to Seafarers chaplain (right) and ship visitors.’ (Photos: USCG and Crispin Hughes) ficials seem to believe that their mission is so terribly important that it will “outrank” all the other things that the master has to do.

Many of them will turn exceedingly nasty if they are politely told that their visit is currently inconvenient and they must await their turn. And those aboard ship will have no illusions that

these important officials must be obeyed “or else”.

Why should ships be different from shore-side establishments, where polite conventions apply? Why should some uniformed official think he is so important that an exhausted shipmaster, who has been up all night, will welcome his intrusion and leap

about to provide the necessary bits of paper, or answer questions? Why is it so difficult to persuade shoreside officialdom to see the point of view of those aboard ship? They mostly fail to realise that they are entering somebody’s home, besides their place of work.

Like people ashore who fail to take time zones into ac-

count when they send their urgent communications to ships, demanding instant reactions, there is a lamentable lack of what might be thought of as elementary courtesy in the unthinking actions of many of those who stamp up the gangway in port.

These people don’t seem to realise that those

aboard ship have other jobs to do, which arguably deserve a greater priority.

The safety of the ship, the expeditious loading and discharging of the cargo, and even the need for exhausted people to get some much-needed rest, might be thought of as rather more important than ministering to somebody who

demands six copies of the crew list, or wishes to inspect the medical cabinet.

Certainly, port state control, customs, and port security officials all have legitimate jobs to do, as do the charterers’ audit teams.

But they really do need to be more understanding of the needs of those aboard ship, who deserve to be treated with rather more politeness and understanding. Perhaps they could learn something from the rather more courteous behaviour of the local Mission to Seafarers chaplain and ship visitors, who always ask if it is convenient for them to board and are generally welcomed as a result.

Let’s face it, there is an enormous amount that could be done to reduce the amount of old-fashioned, pointless paper-based bureaucracy that requires shipmasters to spend hours preparing bits of paper for shoreside officialdom, when they would be better occupied doing something else. Has nobody heard of emails?

Why is it necessary for all these people to demand

entry to a ship to ceremonially receive their miserable forms, completed in the singular style demanded in that particular port?

Why does every wretched charterer demand his own inspection of the ship?

Why can they not speak to one another?

The fact is, as crews have become smaller and the operation of ships more intense, the bureaucracy and the number of visitors demanding this and that (never politely asking) has intensified.

Not long ago, a master of a tanker wrote about an incident when his vessel was alongside. There were just so many people aboard ship demanding urgent attention, all crammed into the cargo control room where the chief officer was trying to start the cargo pumps, that he judged it a hazardous incident and threatened to stop the discharge.

So let us have a bit more consideration and fewer surprises sprung on busy seafarers, who deserve more consideration and respect. It is, is it not, the Year of the Seafarer?

THE SEA INTERVIEW

‘The best protection is to know your rights’ S The projected cost for the new services is approximately £1.5 million – equivalent to just £1 for each member of the world’s seafaring population.

You asked for it – now here it is

New global SIM card Call from 35 US cents per minute n Call anywhere from nearly everywhere n Global rate from 35 US cents to make calls n Receive calls from as little as 6 US cents a minute n No roaming charges n Your own number worldwide n Works on any unlocked phone n Send SMS from 22 US cents n Receive SMS free n Top up at seafarers’ centres or online

Ask for it at a seafarers’ centre or visit www.searoam.com

The services are intended to be selffunding and will vary in terms of provision according to the requirements of the port.

Help for seafarers THE International Transport Worker’s Federation (ITF) has raised the money to fly home eight of 13 Russian seafarers who had been stranded on the Panamanian-flag, 5,900dwt Southern Pearl at the Bulgarian port of Bourgas for 15 months.

According to the ITF, the crew are owed a total of $250,000 in wages. The master and four crew members have stayed on board to maintain the ship and attempt to secure repayment of the unpaid wages.

EAFARERS the world over should know their rights and claim them in order to benefit from the minimum working conditions provided for by international conventions.

That’s the message from the senior maritime consultant at the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Dani Appave, as the shipping industry prepares for the entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 which is expected to be at the end of next year.

“One of the most important ways a seafarer can protect himself is to know what he is entitled to and what is expected from him,” says Dani, who has been working at the ILO since 1985. “The Maritime Labour Convention is an important piece of legislation which sets out the minimum conditions men and women who go to sea can expect from their employer. A lot of seafarers are already enjoying the benefits laid out in the convention because many shipowners already provide superior conditions of work for their crew. Seafarers who enjoy their time at sea are more efficient and more likely to have long careers,” he says.

An exciting career at sea is

something that Dani enjoyed, having, at 16 years old, left his island home of Mauritius and begun a cadetship with a local shipping company.

“Initially I never considered a career as a seafarer,” confesses Dani, speaking to me in London from his office in Geneva. “I had always been more interested in marine biology – the wonders of the deep – and enjoyed studying biology at school because of it. However, I would often watch ships going in and out of Port Louis and was fascinated by the activity of the port.

“Over time, my love of the ships increased, so much so that the harbourmaster would let me ride out on the pilot vessel every Sunday morning to watch the pilot climb aboard the cargo ships and take them into port. It was an early introduction to the industry and when I turned sixteen I applied to several companies.

One in particular, Mauritius Steam Navigation, accepted me immediately and three days later I joined my first ship and began travelling the world on general cargo vessels.”

Such a career during the heyday of the shipping industry must have been very exciting for the young

Dani Appave, a former seafarer and now with the International Labour Organisation, talks to Ben Bailey about his early life at sea and the Maritime Labour Convention 2006

DANI APPAVE, senior maritime consultant at the ILO

Dani. He fondly recalls large crews, big cabins, ship stewards and the length of time spent in port which allowed him and his fellow seafarers to explore the countries they visited.

“The first port I remember visiting was the Port of London where we delivered sugar to the docks in Dagenham. It was as much fun visiting large European city centre ports as small anchorages off tropical islands such as in Indonesia. We would routinely spend a few days in port while the ship was unloaded or loaded. Life for the modern seafarer is definitely tougher than it was

when I first went to sea,” says Dani.

In the early 1980s Dani was about to embark on a career ashore at a time when the industry was going through a massive period of change. As a consequence, he says, seafarers started to change their working patterns, working shorter tours of duty in order to get more periods of leave.

“Today the industry doesn’t offer any other incentive to become a seafarer apart from working on a ship,” he says.

“When I was at sea we had time to see the world. But with turnaround times being what they are now,

there just isn’t the time to visit capital cities or make lasting relationships at the seafarers’ centres as there was then. Seafarers work so intensively nowadays that it’s difficult for people who have never been to sea to understand just how difficult it is. If you are employed in a land-based occupation, you can expect to have at least one day off a week. You can go home at the end of the day and socialise with your family and friends. But seafarers don’t have that opportunity.”

It was a strong interest in these employment issues and other areas affecting seafarers’ lives which led Dani to leave the sea and complete a degree at the department of maritime affairs at the University of Wales in Cardiff. For three years he supported himself by working at sea every summer and then continuing his studies during the winter months. It was while he was at university that one of his lecturers asked him if he would like to work on a UN-led port management training project.

“From there I applied for a job at the ILO and I’ve been here ever since, working for the maritime sector including shipping, fishing, ports and inland waterways.

“My previous experience as a seafarer has certainly helped me working here,” says Dani. “The first convention I worked on was the seafarers’ welfare convention and following that I’ve worked on legislation regarding recruitment, and hours of work. Being a former seafarer has helped me and others shape the regulations so that they are beneficial for the whole of the industry. Knowing first-hand what life at sea is really like is very useful when you’re trying to put it on paper.”

“Similarly my experience with port management training at the UN was a fascinating insight which helped me contribute to a similar training programme in the ILO called the Port Worker Development Programme, which is now active in around 60 countries.”

Most recently, Dani has been involved in the MLC 2006 – a convention which has been called by many within the industry the “super convention” as it brings together existing and new provisions covering wide-ranging aspects of the conditions of work of seafarers.

“The best of the MLC is that it provides for ships to be inspected, not only by the flag

state but also by port states. This is good for seafarers because it ensures the verification of proper implementation of appropriate conditions of work on a continuous basis. Awareness of the existing conventions has increased as a result of the promotion of the MLC. An example is the increased effectiveness of existing hours of work limits. A higher number of detentions of vessels for breach of crew-hours-of-work rules are being reported. This is sending the right message to the industry,” he says.

“The MLC will enter into force at the end of 2011. The best protection, however, that seafarers can give themselves is to know what is expected of them and what they can expect from their employer. They should also know what recourse is available in case of breaches of the convention.

Knowledge is power. I would urge any seafarer wanting to read the MLC 2006 in full to visit the ILO website and download it, or to write to the ILO to ask for a copy. We have in the MLC a set of provisions – many of which are already being implemented – that will help all seafarers enjoy at least the minimum decent conditions enshrined in the convention.”

6 the sea sep/oct 10

JUSTICE MATTERS  BY DOUGLAS STEVENSON

For those in peril on the sea RECENTLY a large merchant ship collided with a fishing vessel in the English Channel and continued its voyage without stopping to render assistance. The fishing vessel radioed distress calls and fired numerous distress flares.

Several ships sailing in the vicinity failed to respond to the distress signals. One of the fishermen lost his life when the fishing vessel sank. An official account of the incident stated that some of the seafarers on the vessels that failed to render assistance claimed to be unaware of their obligation to render assistance to persons in distress at sea.

Modern ships have advanced safety, communication, and navigation equipment that not only makes them much safer than vessels from the past, but also makes them more capable of rendering assistance to people in distress at sea. At the same time, commercial forces have pressured seafarers not to divert from their schedules. Commercial shipping practices, however, do not relieve seafarers of their obligation to go to the aid of people in distress at sea.

There is no more fundamental seagoing tradition than the duty of all seafarers to go to the

aid of persons in peril at sea. Seafarers throughout history have endured the dangers of winds and seas in part because they knew they could rely on other seafarers to come to their aid if they were in peril. In this ageless tradition there is no race; there is no colour; there is no religion; there is no nationality; there are no politics and there are no strangers. There is only the simple, unambiguous obligation to help a fellow human being in distress at sea.

Maritime law has supplemented this moral obligation by placing legal obligations on seafarers.

Customary maritime

law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the International Maritime Organisation’s Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS), and the domestic laws of most maritime nations require ships’ masters to go to the aid of persons in distress at sea if they can do so without seriously endangering their own ships.

The customary maritime law is reflected in Article 98 of UNCLOS. Every country that has ratified the convention must require the master of a ship flying its flag “in so far as he can do so without serious danger to the ship, the crew or

the passengers; to render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost.” The master is also required “to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress, if informed of their need of assistance, in so far as such action may reasonably be expected of him.”

SOLAS Chapter V, regulation 33, expands on UNCLOS by requiring masters to communicate, if possible, with the distressed vessel or the search and rescue service that they are responding to the distress.

If the ship is unable to render assistance or if it is unreasonable to do so, the

master must write in the ship’s logbook the reason for failing to assist the persons in distress. The master must also inform the appropriate rescue service that the ship is unable to render assistance.

Despite modern maritime safety advances, working on ships is still a dangerous occupation.

Accidents still happen.

Winds, seas and shoals still create hazards. Seafarers must be confident that if they are ever in distress at sea, other seafarers will come to their aid.

The obligation to render assistance to those in peril on the sea is as important now as it ever was.

Para quienes se enfrentan a peligros en el mar EL pasado mes de diciembre un gran barco mercante chocó con un buque de pesca en el Canal de la Mancha y continuó su viaje sin detenerse para prestar asistencia. El buque pesquero emitió señales de socorro por radio y lanzó numerosas bengalas de auxilio. Varios barcos que navegaban cerca no respondieron a las señales de socorro. Uno de los pescadores perdió la vida cuando el buque pesquero se hundió. El informe de la investigación sobre el incidente señaló que algunos de los marineros de los buques que no prestaron asistencia afirmaron desconocer su obligación de prestar ayuda a quienes se encuentren en una situación de peligro en el mar.

Los barcos modernos cuentan con equipos avanzados de seguridad, comunicaciones y navegación que no solo

los hacen mucho más seguros que los buques antiguos sino también más capaces de prestar ayuda a quienes se encuentren en peligro en el mar. Al mismo tiempo, las fuerzas comerciales ejercen presión sobre los marineros para que cumplan con sus calendarios. No obstante, las prácticas de la navegación comercial no exoneran a los marineros de su deber de asistir a quienes se encuentren en peligro en el mar.

No existe una tradición marítima más elemental que la del deber de todos los marineros de ayudar a las personas que se encuentren en peligro en el mar. A lo largo de la historia los marineros han hecho frente a los peligros de los vientos y los mares en parte porque sabían que podían contar con que otros marineros acudiesen en su ayuda si se encontraban en

peligro. Dentro de esta tradición inmemorial no existen razas, ni colores, ni religiones, ni nacionalidades; no existe la política y no hay forasteros. Solo existe la sencilla e inequívoca obligación de ayudar a otro ser humano que se encuentra en peligro en el mar.

La legislación marítima ha complementado este deber moral con obligaciones jurídicas para los marineros. El derecho marítimo tradicional, el Convenio de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho en el Mar (UNCLOS), el Convenio para la seguridad de la vida humana en el mar (SOLAS), de la Organización Marítima Internacional, y las leyes nacionales de la mayoría de los países marítimos exigen que los capitanes de los barcos acudan en ayuda de personas que se encuentren en peligro en el mar si

pueden hacerlo sin poner en grave peligro sus propios barcos.

La ley marítima convencional se encuentra reflejada en el Artículo 98 del UNCLOS. Todos los países que han ratificado el convenio deben exigir al capitán de un barco que ondee su bandera que «ayude a cualquier persona que se encuentre en el mar en peligro de desaparecer; siempre y cuando pueda hacerlo sin poner en peligro grave al barco, su tripulación o los pasajeros». El capitán también tiene la obligación de «actuar con la mayor rapidez posible para rescatar a personas en peligro si se le informa de la necesidad de ayuda, siempre y cuando sea razonable esperar que lleve a cabo esa acción».

La sección V, norma 33, del Convenio SOLAS va más allá al exigir a los capitanes que informen, cuando sea

Для тех, кто терпит бедствие в море В декабре прошлого года большой торговый корабль в проливе Ла-Манш столкнулся с рыболовным судном и продолжил свой путь, даже не остановившись для оказания помощи. Рыболовное судно передавало сигналы бедствия по радио, и с него было выпущено несколько сигнальных ракет. Несколько судов, находящихся поблизости, не откликнулись на сигналы бедствия. Один из рыбаков погиб при потоплении рыболовного судна. В отчете о расследовании происшествия отмечено, что некоторые из моряков, находившихся на судах, не оказавших помощь, заявили, что не были осведомлены о своем долге по оказанию помощи людям, терпящим бедствие на море. Современные суда оснащены самым совершенным навигационным оборудованием и средствами безопасности и связи, что делает их

не только намного безопаснее судов, использовавшихся ранее, но также повышает их возможности по оказанию помощи тем, кто терпит бедствие на море. В то же время, законы коммерции оказывают давление на моряков, заставляя их не отступать от жесткого графика. Тем не менее, практика коммерческого мореплавания не освобождает моряков от обязанностей по оказанию помощи людям, терпящим бедствие на море. Не существует более основополагающей морской традиции, чем долг всех моряков приходить на помощь тем, кто попал в беду на море. Моряки на протяжении всей истории противостояли опасностям ветров и морей отчасти потому, что знали, что могут положиться на других мореплавателей, которые придут им на помощь в случае беды. В этой извечной традиции

нет расы, нет цвета кожи, нет религии, нет политики, и для нее нет посторонних. Есть только простой, недвусмысленный долг оказания помощи своим собратьям, попавшим в беду на море. Морской закон дополнил этот моральный долг, установив правовые обязательства для моряков. Обычное морское право, Конвенция Организации Объединенных Наций по морскому праву (UNCLOS), Конвенция Международной морской организации по охране человеческой жизни на море (SOLAS), и внутренние законы большинства морских государств требуют от капитанов кораблей приходить на помощь людям, терпящим бедствие на море, если они могут сделать это, не подвергая существенной угрозе безопасность собственного судна. Обычное морское право отражено в статье 98 UNCLOS.

Каждая страна, ратифицировавшая конвенцию, должна требовать от капитана корабля, плавающего под ее флагом: «оказания помощи любому человеку, находящемуся под угрозой гибели в море, при условии, что при этом не будет подвергаться серьезной опасности его судно, экипаж или пассажиры». От капитана также требуется: «поспешить со всей возможной скоростью на помощь людям, терпящим бедствие, если получен сигнал о необходимости оказания помощи, и такие действия могут обоснованно ожидаться от него». Правило 33 главы V конвенции SOLAS расширяет требования, изложенные в UNCLOS, обязывая капитанов связываться, по возможности, с судами, терпящими бедствие, или с поисковыми и спасательными службами, и сообщать о том, что они реагируют

на призыв о помощи. Если судно не имеет возможности оказать помощь или для него это представляется неблагоразумным, капитан корабля должен сделать запись в судовом журнале о причинах неоказания помощи людям, терпящим бедствие. Капитан также обязан проинформировать соответствующие службы спасения о том, что судно не может оказать помощь. Несмотря на прогресс современных средств морской безопасности, работа на судах продолжает оставаться опасным занятием. Аварии случаются. Ветра, моря и мелководные зоны остаются источниками опасности. Моряки должны быть уверены в том, что если когдалибо они попадут в беду на море, другие мореплаватели всегда придут им на помощь. Долг оказания помощи терпящим бедствие на море остается таким же важным, каким был всегда.

posible, al buque en peligro o al servicio de búsqueda y rescate de que están respondiendo a la necesidad de auxilio. Si el barco no puede prestar ayuda o no es razonable esperar que la preste, el capitán debe anotar en el cuaderno de bitácora el motivo porque el que no se pudo ayudar a las personas en peligro.

El capitán también debe informar al servicio de rescate apropiado de que el barco no puede prestar ayuda.

A pesar de los modernos avances en seguridad, el trabajo en los barcos sigue siendo peligroso. Todavía hay accidentes. Los vientos, los mares y los bancos de arena todavía suponen peligros. Los marineros deben confiar en que si alguna vez se encuentran en peligro en el mar, otros marineros acudirán en su ayuda. La obligación de auxiliar a quienes estén en peligro en el mar es tan importante ahora como siempre lo ha sido.

sep/oct 10 the sea 7

FOCUS ON FAITH  BY PETER ELLIS

You’ve got talent I AM writing this article at the end of an incredible run of sporting events: the World Cup in South Africa; the Tour de France and the end of an era for Lance Armstrong; the most exciting and driest Wimbledon in years; the controversy over Fernando Alonso’s win in the German Grand Prix; and, of course, Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s 800th wicket in his final test match in the game of cricket, which was supposedly first played by monks.

One is naturally very aware that those participating in sport and entertainment have a gift. They have talent, a word we can trace back to the Bible. Jesus told of a businessman who went on a trip leaving three of his servants – staff might be a better word – with a gift to increase in value during his absence. They were given five, two and one talents

respectively. A talent, which comes from the Greek word talenton, meaning a unit of money, indicated that it was a fair amount of cash. The first two multiplied their talents during the businessman’s absence; the third wrapped his in a cloth and buried it. A wasted talent, yes, but let’s not be too critical. I know there is a heavenly meaning to this parable, but just taking its earthly side, there would have been a lot of empathy for his action during the recent financial crisis. Many might have thought it a better bet to place their money under the mattress than put it into the bank.

From that story we get our word talent which means a gift of natural ability. Did you manage to see the film Billy Elliot? It is a brilliant fictional story about a young boy brought up in an English northern

town in the 1980s. His dad expects him to take up boxing, but he shows no sign of being a Manny Pacquiao. His real talent is ballet dancing which, to say the least, is not highly regarded by Billy’s family and schoolmates. It’s a great story about someone whose hidden talent is spotted by one of his instructors, who encourages him to persevere in the face of much opposition and derision. His brilliance is eventually not only recognised by ballet fans, but by his community, and above all by his coalminer dad who had previously disowned him.

Last year you may have been one of the 116 million people who watched Susan Boyle on You Tube singing on the show Britain’s Got Talent. When she came on stage the audience laughed at the appearance of this dumpy-looking person. But

after she sang a few bars of I Dreamed a Dream you could see a wave of confusion sweep across the audience, followed by expressions of guilt and then incredible applause. This was no fictional story. Here was someone who had long been laughed at for her ambition and maybe even her nature. But Susan Boyle knew the gift – the talent – that was within her. She knew before the audience and the world got the message.

It is true that many of us will not play football like Kaká or sing like Pucelli, but we are all in many and different ways “gifted children of God”. Importantly, we need to recognise the gift of life itself, the gifts of goodness, truth and love – gifts that we can’t earn or buy. So surely the least we can do is to unwrap them and put them to good use. Got talent? Of course you have!

oposición y la burla. Al final, su talento no solo es reconocido por los seguidores del ballet sino también por su comunidad y, sobre todo, por su padre minero que antes lo había repudiado.

El año pasado a lo mejor estuviste entre los 116 millones de personas que vieron a Susan Boyle en You Tube cantando en el concurso Britain’s Got Talent. Cuando salió al escenario, el público se rió por su aspecto desaliñado.

Pero después de cantar unas pocas líneas de I Dreamed a Dream se pudo observar cómo la confusión se apoderaba del público, a lo que siguieron expresiones de culpabilidad y, finalmente, increíbles aplausos. Esa no fue una historia ficticia. Ahí

estaba alguien de quien se habían reído mucho por su ambición y, tal vez, incluso por su forma de ser. Pero Susan Boyle sabía que tenía un don, un talento. Lo supo antes de que se enteraran el público y el mundo.

Es verdad que muchos de nosotros no jugamos al fútbol como Kaká ni cantamos como Pucelli, pero todos somos, de diferentes formas, «hijos de Dios con un don». Lo más importante es que nos demos cuenta del don de la vida en sí, de los dones de la bondad, la verdad y el amor. Son dones que no podemos ganar ni comprar, así que lo menos que podemos hacer es desenvolverlos y aprovecharlos. ¿Tienes talento? Por supuesto, ¡tú sí que vales!

Tú sí que vales ESCRIBO este artículo tras una serie increíble de acontecimientos deportivos: el Mundial de Sudáfrica, el Tour de Francia y el fin de una era para Lance Armstrong, el Campeonato de Wimbledon más emocionante y seco de los últimos años, la controversia sobre el triunfo de Fernando Alonso en el Grand Prix de Alemania y, por supuesto, la marca de 800 eliminaciones alcanzada por el lanzador ceilandés Muttiah Muralitharan en su último partido de Test del juego de críquet, que supuestamente empezaron a jugar unos monjes.

Todos sabemos que quienes pertenecen al mundo de los deportes y el entretenimiento tienen un don. Tienen talento, una palabra que ya apareció en la Biblia. Jesús contó la historia de un hombre de negocios que se fue de viaje y dejó a tres de sus sirvientes (puede que «empleados» sea un mejor término) con un don cuyo valor debía aumentar durante su ausencia. Les concedió cinco, dos y un talento respectivamente.

Un talento, que viene de la palabra griega «tálanton» (una unidad de dinero) indicaba que se trataba de una considerable cantidad de dinero. Los dos primeros multiplicaron sus talentos durante la ausencia del hombre de negocios; el tercero, lo envolvió en un trozo de tela y lo enterró.

Un talento desperdiciado, sí, pero no juzguemos. Sé que esta parábola tiene un significado divino, pero si la interpretamos de forma terrenal entenderemos que muchos habrían simpatizado con esta acción durante la reciente crisis económica. Muchas personas probablemente pensaron que

era mejor poner el dinero debajo del colchón que en un banco.

De esa historia viene nuestra palabra «talento», que significa un don de habilidad natural. ¿Alguien vio la película Billy Elliot?

Es una estupenda historia fictici a sobre un chico que crece en un pueblo del norte de Inglaterra en los años 80. Su padre quiere que se convierta en boxeador, pero el chico no parece querer ser un Manny Pacquiao.

Su verdadero talento es el ballet que, por decirlo de algún modo, su familia y compañeros no ven con muy buenos ojos. Es una fantástica historia sobre cómo el talento oculto de Billy es descubierto por otra persona que lo alienta a perseverar a pesar de la

Вы обладаете талантом Я пишу эту статью в тот момент, когда завершается фантастическая череда спортивных событий — чемпионат мира по футболу в Южной Африке, «Тур де Франс» и завершение эры Лэнса Армстронга, самый волнующий и самый сухой из Уимблдонских турниров, споры по поводу победы Фернандо Алонсо на Гран-При Германии и, конечно же, 800-ая калитка, взятая шри-ланкийским спиннером Маттиа Муралитхараном в его последнем пробном матче по крикету, который, как предполагается, был придуман монахами. Каждый из нас, совершенно естественно, знает, что те, кто участвует в спортивных

состязаниях или же работает в индустрии развлечений, обладает особым даром. «Они обладают талантом», — эти слова берут начало в Библии. Иисус рассказывал о торговце, который отправился в путешествие, оставив трех своих слуг — лучше сказать работников — с даром увеличивать стоимость данного им в его отсутствие. Им было дано: одному пять, другому два и третьему один талант. Слово «талант» происходит от греческого «talenton», означающего денежную единицу, что указывает на то, что это была значительная денежная сумма. Первые два работника умножили свои таланты во время отсутствия торговца,

третий же завернул свой в тряпицу и закопал в землю. Да, это пропавший впустую талант, но давайте не будет столь критичны. Я знаю, что эта притча имеет божественный смысл, но, рассматривая лишь земную ее сторону, такой поступок вызвал бы массу сочувствия в свете недавнего финансового кризиса. Многим подумалось бы, что действительно лучше хранить свои деньги под матрасом, чем доверить их банку. Из этой притчи мы берем наше ключевое слово — талант, что означает дар врожденной способности. Довелось ли Вам посмотреть фильм «Билли Эллиот»? Это блистательная вымышленная история

о мальчике, выросшем в 80-х годах прошлого века в городке на севере Англии. Его отец хочет, чтобы он стал боксером, но мальчик не подает признаков того, что он станет новым Мэнни Пиакиао. Его дар — это балет, что, мягко говоря, не слишком высоко ценится семьей Билла и его товарищами по школе. Это прекрасная история о человеке, чей скрытый талант замечен одним из его учителей, воодушевляющим его настойчиво добиваться своего перед лицом серьезного противостояния и насмешек. Его способности, в конечном счете, оценены не только любителями балета, но и всем сообществом, и, что особенно важно,

его отцом-шахтером, который ранее отказался от него. В прошлом году Вы, возможно, были одним из 118 миллионов зрителей, кто смотрел в YouTube выступление Сьюзан Бойл на конкурсе Britain’s Got Talent. Когда она вышла на сцену, аудитория смеялась над ее невзрачным видом. Но после исполнения ею нескольких тактов песни I Dreamed a Dream Вы могли наблюдать волну замешательства среди слушателей, за которой последовало выражение чувства вины и неслыханные аплодисменты. Это уже не выдуманная история. Здесь мы видим человека, над амбициями и, возможно, самой природой которого долгое

время насмехались. Но Сьюзан Бойл знала, что дар — талант — всегда с ней. Она знала это до того, как слушатели и весь мир поняли это. И хотя это правда, что многие из нас не будут играть в футбол как Кака или петь как Бучелли, но все мы поразному и различными путями является «одаренными детьми Господа». Важно то, что мы должны признать дар жизни как таковой, дар великодушия, правды и любви. Это дары, которые мы не можем заработать или купить. Поэтому самое малое, что мы можем сделать — это «развернуть» их и использовать по назначению. Вы обладаете талантом? Конечно же, да!

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 sep/oct 10

ITF revamps flag of convenience policy

SEAFARERS make their nominations for the ICSW’s Seafarers’ Welfare Awards.

ROGER Harris of ICSW and Sister Marinic Ching of the Apostleship of the Sea, Manila, with seafarers.

Party in the Park in Manila was ‘tremendous success’ OVER 1400 seafarers with their wives and children, as well as members of the Filipino and international shipping community packed into the Luneta Seafarers’ Center in Luneta Park, Manila, in June for the “Party in the Park” organised by the International Committee on Seafarers’ Welfare (ICSW).

Roger Harris of ICSW said that there had been several objectives: to celebrate

the Year of the Seafarer, to promote seafarers’ welfare worldwide, to involve the families as well as the seafarers, and to have fun. “The party was a tremendous success and way beyond our expectations.”

Over 350 seafarers’ wives and children attended the party from the AMOSUP Seafarers’ Village and provided cultural dancing, children’s games, face

painting, book reading and a magician to keep the crowd and, in particular the children, entertained throughout the party.

Other events included team games, song and dance routines from the cadets of the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific on the theme of “Go to Sea”, and music, provided by the Navy band and Marlow Navigation.

Material banned by IMO is widely used in newbuildings

Asbestos still a danger S

E A FA R E R S a r e s t i l l being exposed to the dangers of asbestos, the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA) has warned.

“We thought this was a problem of the past, but unfortunately it is very much with us today,” IFSMA assistant general secretary Marcel van den Broek told the organisation’s annual assembly in Manila.

Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that comprise long, thin fibres, too small to be seen by the naked eye. Disturbing asbestos during repairs or demolition can cause these fibres to float in the air, which makes them

easy to inhale. Over time fibres can build up in the lungs, causing scarring and inflammation and eventually lung cancer, which often develops many years afterwards. Asbestos has very good insulating properties and was once widely used as packing in ship machinery spaces and in many other applications.

The installation of materials which contain asbestos has been banned by the International Maritime Organisation since July 2002. However, it seems that it is still finding its way onto ships. Writing in IFSMA’s annual report, Mr van den Broek says that in August last year a Turkish shipyard

delivered a new chemical tanker to its Dutch owners.

During repairs a few month later, the discovery was made that packings needing to be replaced contained asbestos. This alarming discovery forced further inspections, which eventually led to the “horrendous conclusion” that every single packing on board the tanker contained the material. “A team of specialists is now replacing thousands of packings, one by one, each team member using specialist gear, protective clothing and breathing apparatus.”

Worryingly, however, IFSMA says that it soon became

clear that this was not a single incident. A series of tug newbuildings from the same shipyard have encountered similar problems, and a series of tankers still under construction have also been found to contain large amounts of asbestos packing.

IFSMA has discovered that the use of the material is not only widespread in Turkish shipyards, but also in many other shipyards around the world. “In 2010 the shipping industry is still, on a daily basis, exposing its seafarers to this hazardous material and creating victims of decades to come,” Mr van den Broek warned.

Sea anchor for tankers NORWEGIAN company Miko Marine says that it has successfully completed the first full-scale test of its ShipArrestor system, which enables a helicopter to attach a sea anchor on a tow line to an unmanned vessel drifting without power. The idea is to reduce the speed of the ship’s drift, and increase the time available for rescue tugs to reach the vessel before it runs aground, with potentially severe environmental consequences.

The trial took place off the north coast of Norway using the 147,000 cubic metre LNG tanker Arctic Princess. In the trial’s

first phase (pictured below), a helicopter lassoed the winch gear and bollards on the ship’s foredeck. The helicopter pilot had no problems attaching the tow line to the ship and then releasing it correctly, though a real chain was not used to avoid the danger of damaging the ship.

The second phase of the trial was to test the performance of the sea anchor itself. A 30-metre diameter nylon parachute anchor was deployed from the Arctic Princess by a tug. It then turned the tanker up into the wind in less than 20 minutes and reduced its rate of drift by 58 per cent.

THE seven rescued seafarers with the Uni-Pacific’s master.

Evergreen ship to the rescue THE officers and crew of Evergreen Line’s 1,618 teu containership Uni-Pacific rescued seven Indonesian seafarers when their small cargoship sank in rough seas in the Java Sea near Jakarta in June.

The ship’s chief mate, YT Tai, spotted several people on a raft. Despite the difficult conditions, the master, PC Fan, managed to bring the ship close to the men and, using line-throwing apparatus, was able bring all seven on board within 15 minutes. The Indonesians were taken to the Uni-Pacific’s next port of call, Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia where their country’s embassy arranged for them to return home.

Whistleblower’s claim leads to fine

Computer enhanced illustration

GREEK-based Irika Shipping has been fined US$3m, and ordered to pay $1m community service charges, as well as being placed on probation for five years following a plea bargaining

deal over oily waste discharges from the the Greek-flagged bulk carrier Iorana.

A whistleblower prompted a US Coast Guard investigation into claims that a bypass, or “magic pipe”, had been used.

THE International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has overhauled its flag of convenience policy in the first major update since 1998 by adopting what is to be known as its Mexico City policy. The ITF said this aimed to create a better balance between unions in beneficial ownership countries and those in labour supply countries in order to improve protection for seafarers.

Crucially the new stance reflects what the ITF described as “the increasingly important role of the new global pay bargaining arrangements with international maritime employers”.

As well as accepting that the International Bargaining Forum plays a positive role, the ITF has now more clearly defined the concept of beneficial ownership, introduced changes to the way it takes decisions to make them more democratic, and has set new minimum standards for non-domiciled crew employed on national flag ships. Moreover its seafarers’ charter, which aims to ensure that seafarers covered

by ITF agreements have democratic rights within their unions, within the ITF and on their ships, has been made more effective.

Criticism of Arctic rules SHIPPING industry body Bimco has criticised strict new reporting rules imposed by Canada on ships sailing in Arctic waters within 200 miles of the country’s coast. From July 1 all ships over 300 gt in these areas have had to report identity, position and destination to the Canadian Coast Guard. Bimco says the rules break the United Nations Law of the Sea and the International Maritime Organisation’s Safety of Life at Sea Convention.

Overweight containers still shipped THERE will probably have to be a major disaster before effective action is taken to stop overweight containers being shipped or their contents being misdeclared. That was one view from a conference held in London entitled

“Weighing containers: is it really that difficult?”

Public relations company Dunelm arranged the conference because it said nothing seemed to be happening to ensure that weighing took place.

So the container shipping industry, including all those who sailed on deepsea and shortsea/ feeder vessels, continued to rely on shippers being accurate and honest when they declared the weight of their cargo to the carriers.

Presentations at the conference backed up Dunelm’s arguments.

Conference chairman Steve Cameron, former operations director of OT Africa Line, recalled Samuel Plimsoll’s 19th century campaign against overloaded “coffin ships”. “What we are talking about today is the modern equivalent,” he said.

Orders are sign of recovery AN increasing number of container vessels coming out of lay-up and back into service is just one sign of a recovery in the shipping markets.

Another is substantial series orders of large containerships by major owners Evergreen and Neptune Orient Lines (NOL).

The Taiwan-based Evergreen Group has ordered ten 8,000 teu vessels from South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries, while NOL has placed orders for ten 8,400 teu ships from another Korean yard, Daewoo, and signed a letter of intent for two 10,700 teu vessels.

Each company will be spending over US$1bn for its new ships.

Fewer port state control detentions THE proportion of ships detained after failing checks in Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control ports dropped last year to its lowest level in a decade.

The number of deficiencies declined by more than 14 per cent from 2008, and the number of detentions dropped from 1,220 in 2008 to 1,059 last year.

The 27 Paris MoU members inspected almost 30 per cent of ships visiting their ports last year.

The MoU secretariat warns, however, that the number of flags on its “white list” has dropped by two and that a hard core of blacklisted flags is doing “little or nothing to improve their safety record”.