The Sea, September/October 2011

Issue 213 sep/oct 2011

Award for Samho Jewelry master

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

Shipping recovery uncertain page 3 Time for action on fatigue page 4/5 IBF pay deal reached page 8

Life@Sea competition winner receives his prize THE winner of The Mission to Seafarers’ Life@Sea photography competition, Chief Officer Stanislav Skvortsov (right), recently received his prize from the Mission’s Antwerp port chaplain, John Attenborough.

Mr Skvortsov’s entry of a ship in rough seas beat off stiff competition from around the world to win the prize of a digital camera, which John presented to him when

his ship called into Antwerp in August.

“Taking photographs really helps me to relax and I can forget about the stresses and strains of being at sea,” said Mr Skvortsov on receiving his prize. “I love photography, it is very much part of who I am.”

Mr Skvortsov is from Russia and has been working at sea for 25 years. He says that he entered the

competition because he thought the title was interesting and he wanted to capture the excitement that a career at sea can bring.

“I really cannot believe that my picture has been chosen,” he said.

“I like camera equipment and I look forward to taking more photos with this new piece of equipment!”

To see some of Mr Skvortsov’s photos, visit www.photogorky.ru/a191

IMO to remember Titanic 100 years after disaster Registered in England and Wales: 1123613 The Mission to Seafarers in Scotland: SC041938

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 230 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 1.2 million merchant seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs.

The Sea Editor: Gillian Ennis News: David Hughes It is distributed free to seafarers through chaplains and seafarers’ centres. However, if you want to receive 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

Renewed focus on safety of life at sea I

N a move underlining the prime importance of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) original objective, safety of life, the theme for next year’s World Maritime Day will be “IMO: One hundred years after the Titanic”.

Soon-to-retire IMO secretary-general, Efthimios Mitropoulos, proposed the theme recently and outlined a number of areas where safety issues needed to be addressed.

Ensuring that these are tackled effectively will fall to Mr Mitropoulos’s successor, Koji Sekimizu, who takes over in November.

The initiative comes at a time when much of IMO’s attention is being taken up by environmental issues such as what the shipping industry’s response should be to global warming. Mr Mitropoulos

SOON-to-retire IMO secretary-general, Efthimios Mitropoulos (left) and his successor, Koji Sekimizu, who takes over in November. said the time had come for IMO to return to its roots and raison d’être, “that is safety of life at sea”.

He pointed out that one of the consequences of the sinking of the Titanic, with the loss of 1,503 lives, was the adoption, two years later, of the first International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (the Solas Conven-

tion). The 1914 version of the convention was gradually superseded by three later versions prior to the current Solas 1974, which has itself been amended and updated many times.

According to Mr Mitropoulos, the Maritime Day theme will provide an opportunity to achieve several objectives. It would provide a

chance, he said, to “pay tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic on that fateful night of 14 April 1912” and to highlight the fact that the sacrifice of so many of the Titanic’s passengers and crew had not gone in vain, resulting as it had in conventions that had done much subsequntly to save lives.

He went on to say that he hoped the theme would also prompt people in the industry to take stock of improvements in maritime safety during the 100 years since the sinking of the Titanic. He said the industry should look at what had been achieved, examine the safety record of shipping and identify those areas that have contributed the most to its improvement over the years.

Continued on P3

THIS year’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) award for exceptional bravery at sea is to be awarded to Seog Hae-gyun, master of the chemical tanker Samho Jewelry. Captain Seog was nominated by South Korea for “his heroic actions to keep his vessel and crew safe, while suffering vicious assaults, following a hijack by pirates off the coast of Somalia”.

The IMO Council agreed with a judging panel that Captain Seog displayed “truly extraordinary bravery and concern for his crew ... going far beyond the call of duty, at great risk and danger to himself”. With the pirates on board, Captain Seog steered the vessel away from the Somali coast, watered down the fuel to prevent combustion, pretended the steering gear was not working properly and reduced the vessel’s speed.

He also managed, surreptitiously, to communicate information to naval forces, which facilitated a dramatic raid by commandos from the South Korean Navy’s destroyer Choi Young. All 21 crew members were rescued.

During the hijack, Captain Seog was subject to a number of assaults, which caused fractures to his legs and shoulders.

While the commandos were storming the vessel he was shot twice in the abdomen and once in the upper thigh. He required several operations and nearly died.

Heavy oil banned in the Antarctic A NEW International Maritime Organisation regulation to protect the Antarctic from pollution by heavy-grade oils came into force on August 1. This means, in effect, that ships trading to the area, whether passenger or cargo ships, need to switch to distillate fuels when transiting the Antarctic area, which is defined as the sea area south of latitude 60°S. Exceptions are vessels engaged in securing the safety of ships or in a search-and-rescue operation.

2 the sea sep/oct 11

EU Navfor seeks to gain ‘understanding’ of pirates THE EU Naval Force (EU Navfor) which operates warships on anti-piracy duties off Somalia says it plans to appoint a “pirate cultural adviser” and has circulated an advertisement for the post.

The adviser’s role is described as being “to provide the operation commander and operations headquarters staff with pirate cultural and religious advice and in particular to advise on pirate trends and weaknesses, including their perceived role in Somalia”.

The advertisement asks for candidates with military backgrounds who have worked with the counter piracy forc-

es, and others with relevant experience such as insurers or negotiators.

An EU Navfor spokesperson said the idea was to help gain understanding of how the pirates were likely to react to change, both in naval forces’ tactics and in the political situation in Somalia. He said the pirates reacted to every change in tactic to protect merchant shipping and that the intention was to get into the minds of the pirates and understand how they were likely to respond to change. He said that there had been about 60 applications for the post by mid-August.

Meanwhile, the Nato Shipping Centre, which, like EU Navfor,

NATO launches its new piracy information website. has its headquarters at Northwood, in the UK, has launched a new website: www.

shipping.nato.int It is intended to provide “more comprehensive and timely information

about pirate activity around the Horn of Africa for the shipping community”.

No ship with armed guards captured so far, it is believed

Pirate attacks increase but number of hijackings fall W HILE Somali pirates managed to capture fewer ships so far this year and were able to hijack just one ship between early June and mid-August, worldwide the number of pirate attacks on shipping has increased.

A spokesman for the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said that although Somali pirates had continued to attack in the Indian Ocean for longer into the monsoon season than normal, there had been a lull in attacks there since mid-June. However, he went on, the number of attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden had increased.

According to unconfirmed reports, Somali gangs have been using the Yemeni island of Socotra as a refuelling base.

The only vessel the Somali pirates managed to take between early June and midAugust was an UAE-owned products tanker, trading into Somalia. This was an unusual case in that the ship was released within 11 days. It is believed local connections were used to persuade the pirates to free the ship.

The IMB puts the pirates’ lack of success down to increased naval activity and the “hardening” of merchant vessels and they say that it is vital that “this naval presence be sustained or increased”.

While “hardening” refers to passive measures to prevent boarding and stop access to

accommodation areas, industry sources acknowledge that the use of armed guards has become prevalent and is now routine practice for many shipping companies. So far, it is believed, no ship with armed guards has been hijacked. There have now been numerous exchanges of fire between guards and pirates.

Although Somali pirates were more active – 163 attacks so far this year, up from 100 in the first six months of 2010 – they managed to hijack fewer ships: just 21 in the first half of 2011 compared with 27 in the same period last year.

IMB director Pottengal

Mukundan said in the bureau’s latest Piracy Report that “in the last six months, Somali pirates attacked more vessels than ever before and they’re taking higher risks. This June, for the first time, pirates fired on ships in rough seas in the Indian Ocean during the monsoon season. In the past, they would have stayed away in such difficult conditions. Masters should remain vigilant.”

Many of the attacks took place east and north-east of the Gulf of Aden, an area transited by crude oil tankers sailing from the Arabian Gulf, as well as by other traffic sailing into the Gulf of Aden.

Surge in violence off West Africa WHILE the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB’s) latest Piracy Report records few pirate attacks occurring off the coast of West Africa in the first half of 2011, the area has seen a surge in particularly violent and highly organised attacks this year. It lists 11 attacks and one attempted attack on tankers off Benin since March, an area where no incidents were reported in 2010.

Five vessels were hijacked and forced to sail to unknown locations, where pirates ransacked and stole the vessel’s equipment, and part of their cargoes. Six more tankers were boarded, mainly in violent, armed robbery style attacks, and one attempted

attack was reported. Since the end of June a further two tankers have been hijacked.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in neighbouring Nigeria was informed of three boardings, two vessels being fired upon, and one attempted attack in the first six months of the year. During the three boardings the crew were beaten and threatened and ship’s equipment and crew’s personal effects were stolen.

The IMB says that in reality, the seas around Nigeria are more dangerous than the official reports suggest. The organisation is aware of at least 11 other incidents that were not reported by ships’ masters or owners.

According to the Piracy Report pirate attacks worldwide totalled 266 in the first six months of 2011, up from 196 incidents in the same period last year. More than 60 per cent of the attacks were by Somali pirates, a majority of which were in the Arabian Sea area. In mid-August Somali pirates were believed to be holding 19 vessels and about 400 crew.

The report also says that Somali pirates took 361 crew members hostage and kidnapped 13 in the first six months of 2011; worldwide, 495 seafarers were taken hostage; pirates killed seven people and injured 39; 99 vessels were boarded, 76 fired upon and there were 62 thwarted attacks.

The IMB also reports increased levels of violence, pointing out that ships, including oil and chemical tankers, are increasingly being attacked with automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade launchers. “Whereas five years ago pirates were just as likely to brandish a knife as a gun, this year guns were used in 160 attacks and knives in 35.”

Although most piracy incidents occurred off the African coast 50 incidents were recorded in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Singapore Straits and the South China Seas in the first two quarters of 2011.

Three tugs were hijacked by armed pirates and 41 vessels were boarded.

Flag states act to help publicise human cost of piracy THREE of the largest flag states, Panama, Liberia and the Marshall Islands, signed a declaration at the beginning of August condemning the acts of violence against seafarers by pirates. The flag states, which together account for around 40 per cent of the world’s commercial shipping tonnage, agreed to pool information on the mistreatment of seafarers at the hands of pirates and to pro-

vide information on the levels of violence faced by seafarers to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), based on reports received by them. The IMB will then assemble and distribute the data. All names will be omitted to protect identities and privacy.

The project is supported by the One Earth Future Foundation (OEFF), whose vision is of a world beyond war, achieved

by developing more effective systems of global governance, and the TK Foundation which, among other things, aims to promote the health, safety and welfare of seafarers.

IMB director Pottengal Mukundan said that this new initiative would help to publicise the human cost of piracy, which at times could go unnoticed among reports of hijacking and huge ransoms.

The agreement has come about as a result of the efforts of OEFF’s Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) working group, which in June 2011 produced The Human Cost of Piracy report.

The OBP working group found that while thousands of seafarers were subjected to gunfire, beatings, confinement and in some cases torture, these cases were under-reported and misunderstood by the public.

IMO agrees deal on greenhouse gases THE International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has agreed mandatory measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from international shipping. This is the first ever mandatory global greenhouse gas reduction regime for an international industry sector, says the organisation. However, environmental campaigners want more done to cut GHGs from shipping.

New regulations will make the Energy Efficiency Design Index, a system of measuring energy efficiency, mandatory for new ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan mandatory for all ships.

But the Carbon War Room, an environmental campaign group founded by airline boss Richard Branson, is calling for the mandatory use of energy efficiency ratings across the entire fleet. It was signed by 50 organisations, including Maersk Line and a number of other shipping companies.

The Carbon War Room said that the new standards – if applied to all ships, not just newbuilds – would “save the industry more than 220m tons of CO2 and US$50bn a year”, adding that while this was an historic move by IMO, there was a bigger environmental and economic opportunity out there that was too good to miss.

The regulations apply to all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above, and are expected to enter into force on January 1, 2013. However, the new rules give countries the right to delay implementation until July 2017.

Low cost fuel could be on way CHEAPER bunkers could be a step closer, says UKbased firm Quadrise Fuels International (QIL), thanks to its new MSAR emulsion fuel, which is intended as a low-cost replacement for conventional fuel oil in refining operations, steam and power generation and the international marine bunker market.

The company says a joint development programme – involving QIL, Danish shipping giant AP Møller-Maersk (Maersk) and chemical manufacturer AkzoNobel – is “moving rapidly to the commercial test phase”.

Maersk plans to start using the fuel throughout its containership fleet

next year, subject to successful sea trials later this year.

Quadrise says a key feature of its bunker programme is the production of a stable emulsion fuel, manufactured from different oil refinery heavy residues, with fuel properties that substantially eliminate the need for any marine engine modifications. It adds that a number of extensive landbased marine engine tests have been completed, with final testing scheduled to be concluded in the coming months.

Fishing safety move THE International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will hold a diplomatic conference in South Africa next year to amend and adopt the 1993 Protocol relating to the 1977 Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels. IMO says the safety of fishermen and fishing vessels forms an integral part of the organisation’s mandate but that its regulations on fishing vessel safety have not come into force due to a variety of technical and legal obstacles. It notes that the fishing sector is still experiencing a large number of fatalities every year. It says in a statement that bringing into force a binding international safety regime is expected to play a part in helping to reduce the number of accidents on fishing vessels.

New guide on noise and vibration JAPANESE classification society ClassNK has released its new Noise and Vibration Guideline for measuring and evaluating the noise and vibration on ships, which is based on the results of new research. The guideline addresses the growing demand for new standards for noise and vibration on commercial vessels and provides detailed requirements for measuring and evaluating noise and vibrations in crew accommodation and machinery rooms.

It also establishes new notations for ships that comply with the new requirements.

ClassNK points out that “as efforts to improve the working conditions of seafarers have come to the forefront over the past several years, vibration and noise in accommodation areas have become an increasingly important topic in the maritime industry”.

sep/oct 11 the sea 3

New drive to improve container safety

A RANDOM crew knowledge and proficiency test under way on board ship.

Voluntary on-board tests designed to improve training UK-BASED Videotel Marine International, in association with the Chemical Distribution Institute, has launched a voluntar y crew knowledge and proficiency (CKP) testing system which randomly tests officers’ operational knowledge. The short tests are designed, says Videotel, to complement the crew’s existing training programme and provide strong evidence of continuous objective assessment of officers.

Renewed focus on safety of life Continued from P1 “We ought”, he suggested, “to identify the most important factors in the quest for ever-enhanced safety in shipping.” He added that the shipping industry should pay tribute to all those who, in the course of the last 100 years, had contributed to improvements in maritime safety.

Mr Mitropoulos further added that “we should examine whether the lessons drawn from the accidents over those 100 years which have been the most costly in terms of human lives lost, have been learnt to the full”.

He concluded that “we ought to examine which areas, within the overall spectrum of maritime safety... should be given priority consideration in the years to come”.

No training for hi-tech kit TOO many seafarers fail to receive adequate training on new, sophisticated shipboard equipment and are left to rely on manuals, according to Tang Lijun of the Seafarers International Research Centre at Cardiff University, UK. Speaking at a recent symposium Dr Tang highlighted the need for seafarers to receive adequate and timely training.

V i d e o t e l Tr a i n i n g S e r v i c e s ’ vice president Milind Karkhanis said “what the industry needs is a globally consistent system of quality m e a s u r e m e n t . Wi t h t h i s s y s t e m , the individual ship operator can benchmark the CKP of his officers against the world chemical and gas tanker fleet average. This provides a genuine measurement of performance, allowing those fleets demonstrating

high quality standards to receive the recognition they deserve.”

Selection of the officers is made randomly by computer and the checks are carried out on a one-to-one basis on board by an inspector via predetermined questions programmed into a laptop.

A CKP review committee has been set up to review the progress, results and statistics of the CKP database on a quarterly basis.

Too many ships available and more are on way

Fears that shipping recovery is uncertain L OW freight rates, the possibility of many vessels being laid up again and several reports of owners unable to pay their creditors, have all underlined a widespread fear in shipping circles that the weak recovery in shipping is beginning to falter.

The main factor keeping the price of shipping down in almost all sectors is that too many ships are available and the problem is being made worse by large numbers of new ships coming into service. At the same time, more orders at the shipyards and the prospect of only slight growth in world trade have raised fears that poor markets might continue for a number of years.

In late June, shipping accountant and adviser Moore Stephens reported that overall confidence levels in the shipping industry had dropped for the fourth successive quarter in the three months ending May 2011.

In that month, the average confidence level expressed by respondents to Moore Stephens’ latest shipping confidence sur-

vey was 5.6 on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), compared to 5.8 in the previous survey in February 2011.

The firm said the threat posed by overtonnaging was the single most dominant theme running through the responses to the survey, which also revealed a high level of concern about continuing rises in the cost of marine fuel.

The mood among respondents was noticeably downbeat, Moore Stephens said. It quoted one as saying that “the key word for most companies right now is ‘survival’”. Another claimed that “increasingly, companies would rather shut down operations than risk losing even more money in the current climate”.

Meanwhile, shipbroker Braemar Seascope’s latest Containership Fleet Statistics warns that next year looks set to be the biggest year for containership newbuilding deliveries in history, in terms of teu capacity entering the cellular fleet. The firm expects a cellular fleet expansion in the region of 9.5 per cent for

2012, increasing the available capacity to 16.8m teu.

Many of the ships on order are in the very large containership category. Of the 230 ships due for delivery next year, 59 have a nominal container capacity of 10,000 teu or more, meaning fleet growth for this size bracket of about 70 per cent from 2010 to 2011 and a further 57 per cent increase in 2012.

Braemar Shipping Services’ Singapore-based director, Denis Petropoulos, said shipowners were finding they had problems offsetting rising vessel operating costs against dwindling freight rate revenues.

He warned that “the ships won’t go away and one factor that can’t be discounted if the market carries on as it has done, is lay-up. Lay-up has been present in every market segment since the late 1970s, when there was massive overordering following a strong market.” He added that “overordering is here and one of the solutions to ships running below operational costs is lay-up”.

New simulators for Tanzanian institute TANZANIA’S Dar Es Salaam Maritime Institute has upgraded its bridge simulator. A Transas NTPRO 5000, with a 270 degree, horizontal field of view and an astern view channel, has numerous new features, including wind-generated sea state and variable swell.

The upgrade is part of a project which also included the supply, installation and commissioning of a full-mission engineroom simulator, steam boiler and gas turbine simulators as well as a PC-based multifunctional classroom simulator for 12 students to train in Ecdis and GMDSS operations.

TWO leading containership operators, MSC and Maersk, are spearheading a new drive to improve container safety. The aim is to reduce the number of accidents caused by hazardous cargoes, poor stowage in boxes and inaccurate weight declarations. They are being joined by other prominent container lines in a pilot scheme to establish a database of information that would be widely available throughout the industry.

However, International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) spokesman Alessandro Morelli voiced doubts about the effectiveness of such voluntary schemes. He said the publication in 2008 of The Guidelines on Industry Best Practices for Safe Transport of Containers by Sea had not had a great effect and that, due to the apparent failure of voluntary measures, many interested parties were asking for the introduction of international mandatory instruments, including an amendment to the International Maritime Organisation’s Solas Convention.

Isle of Man conditions agreement THE Isle of Man Government, the Isle of Man Shipping Association and seafarers’ unions have agreed an updated tripartite declaration designed to improve the living and working conditions of all seafarers on vessels registered in the self-governing British Crown Dependency.

The declaration formalises understandings reached by the three sides over many years. It also recognises the importance of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and demonstrates how the Isle of Man is working towards its adoption.

Palm-based anti-fouling research SCIENTISTS at Germany’s Biomimetics-Innovation-Centre have developed a promising new anti-fouling surface that is toxin-free, based on a seed from a species of palm tree that is dispersed by ocean currents. They are hoping that this could provide an alternative to the toxic paints currently used to prevent fouling

on ship hulls.

Suspecting that certain seeds may have specialised surfaces that give them the ability to remain free of fouling, to allow them to disperse further, the researchers floated seeds from 50 species in the North Sea for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12-week period, the seeds of 12 species showed no fouling at all.

To create an artificial surface similar to that of the seeds, the researchers used a silicone base, with fibres covering the surface.

The new surface is currently being trialled by floating it in the sea.

Initial results are said to be “quite good” but the researchers admit there is still a long way to go.

Master slept before ship grounded THE Ukrainian master of the 3,817dwt Gibraltarregistered cargo ship Musketier had been asleep on watch for over an hour while transiting the Dover Strait in February before the ship went aground on the French coast, according to French accident investigators.

The investigation report drew attention to the “inappropriate” working patterns of the master and mate, who were the only bridge watchkeeping officers. It also found that both the Ecdis waypoint alarm and the deadman’s alarm had been switched off. Cap Gris Nez vessel traffic service had not noticed the vessel had left the traffic lane and was heading for the shore.

‘Alcohol played part in death’ THE UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) says that an able seaman who fell from his ship into the River Clyde in December last year and drowned had been under the influence of alcohol. The AB on the St Vincent and Grenadines-flag vessel Joanna “almost certainly” fell while climbing up to the port side platform of the straddle lift used to move the vessel’s cargo hatch covers.

The MAIB also found that the means of access to the straddle lift platforms used by the ship’s crew was unsafe, the risks of accessing and operating the straddle lift had not been assessed and important personal protective equipment was either not available on board, or was not fit for purpose.

sep/oct 11 the sea 5

4 the sea sep/oct 11

MICHAEL GREY

NEWS

Class societies gear up for MLC THE ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) is taking longer than had been hoped. It was originally expected to come into force this year. So far 18 countries have ratified the MLC 2006, with another 12 still pending. It is now thought that full ratification will be achieved late this year or early in 2012, with entry into force 12 months later.

The class societies will play a key role in certifying the compliance of some 55,000 seagoing ships. The convention sets out international regulations to provide seafarers

with fair, safe and decent working and living conditions.

The main classification societies are already busy on what Hamburg-based classification society Germanischer Lloyd (GL) says will be the massive task of getting ready for MLC. GL has developed the first comprehensive e-learning tool for the MLC in CD form.

GL’s Olaf Quas said “this tool has been built with both the on-board crew and shore-based personnel in mind, but its portability and ease of use will be especially helpful for personnel who cannot easily visit a training seminar”.

Meanwhile, Paris-based Bureau Veritas (BV) has certified Philippines-based manning agency Maryville Manila for compliance on a voluntary basis. This is the first manning agency certified by BV in the Philippines.

BV’s Claude Maillot said they had so far certified one seafarer manning office in the UK, its branch office in India, and two in Greece, and had published a Guidance Note to facilitate the certification process. “We expect other manning offices to be looking for certification before the convention enters into force, probably next year.”

Hard-hitting message on enclosed spaces A NEW training programme aimed at preventing deaths and injuries in enclosed spaces has been launched. Videotel Marine International and Mines Rescue Marine’s new training series, Entry into Enclosed Spaces, delivers a hard-hitting message to both shipboard and shore-based personnel that is intended to ensure that the correct equipment is used when working in enclosed spaces and good safety procedures become second nature.

“There is no excuse for the unacceptable casualties we have seen recently,” says Videotel’s deputy chairman Stephen Bond.

“Again and again we hear of seafarers coming to grief in

AN illustration from one of the six programmes which make up the training package. enclosed spaces. These incidents could have been avoided by an understanding of the dangers

of entering enclosed spaces and the critical importance of following proper procedures.”

Gifts to get things done could cause trouble SHIPPING companies with UK-based operations are at risk of falling foul of the country’s Bribery Act 2010, which came into force on July 1 this year, according to Kevin Cooper, a partner at law firm Ince & Co. In a blog posted on the firm’s website he warns that “it’s been reported that some shipping companies are keeping a record of any gifts or small payments that their employees or agents are obliged to make in order to ‘get things done’ locally. The idea is that if they are open about their procedures, those procedures will

be deemed adequate. In truth, they run a risk that those records may well form part of the evidence against them in any subsequent investigation and prosecution.”

Mr Cooper says that the issue of “facilitation payments” to public officials to secure or expedite performance of their duties particularly worries the shipping industry. He adds that such payments were already illegal under English law but that the wide-reaching and extra-territorial nature of the new law radically changes the situation, making “facilitation

payments” beyond the shores of the UK illegal for companies with UK-based operations.

In many countries, he says, a ship’s master or agent will routinely be expected to make minor donations or gifts to port officials, for example during customs or cargo clearance or to obtain necessary permits.

Shipowners fear failing to make these payments could have serious consequences, such as manufactured deficiencies and expensive delays, caused by officials expecting a “bonus” for doing their job efficiently.

Guidance on stowaways and migrants

A UNHCR picture from the computer-based training module.

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NORTH of England P&I Club and the Norwegian distance learning company, Seagull, have launched a computer-based training module on how to deal with stowaways, migrants and people in distress.

The insurer says people attempting to stow away on board ships in many parts of the world continue to pose a serious problem. Others attempting to escape regional conflicts or economic hardship do so in small, overcrowded and unseaworthy boats, which are liable to get into distress.

The stand-alone training module provides guidance on dealing with migrants and refugees, outlines the legal issues involved, suggests practical measures that can be taken to prevent, and to deal with, stowaways, and offers advice on how to provide assistance to people in distress at sea.

Time for action on fatigue If the industry is going to attract the recruits it needs, it should stop talking and putting off the day when ships are manned adequately for the intensity of their trade, says Michael Grey

G

OODNESS knows there is enough work being undertaken on fatigue among seafarers and how it can be dealt with. Useful research projects are being undertaken in the UK, the US, Sweden and doubtless in other places too. Any amount of evidence has emerged from accident investigators about the contribution made by exhaustion and lack of sleep to all sorts of incidents, from the Barrier Reef to the Irish Sea. But is anything positive actually being done to stop people dropping from exhaustion, or deciding that a life lived with matchsticks holding their eyes open is not for them?

A correspondent to the Nautilus Telegraph, a 26year-old second officer on a containership, writes with considerable feeling of the regime aboard his ship and the fact that the operational needs of his vessel make it quite impossible for him to live his life in any other state than dog-tired and stressed. It is a balanced letter, written by

somebody who is thoughtful and clearly diligent, but who is effectively being driven away by the unreasonable demands of his trade.

His final paragraph, above his signature (Knackered Sailor), which understandably protects his identity, is something that deserves to be given wide circulation, and should be read by those recruiting into the industry, shipowners and regulators alike.

“The sad thing about all of this is that with a few changes, this could be an extremely satisfying job. It is up to the powers that be, without the input of shipping companies and their shareholders, to implement the changes necessary to make this an attractive career for young people, and not the last resort option that often it sadly is.”

What he is really talking about is the need for ships to be adequately manned for the intensity of the trade they are operating in. It is surely not something that is beyond the wit of man or regulators to address. But instead, we have been bogged down for years

in research projects which, however valuable, merely put off the day when serious decisions will have to be taken.

Flag states don’t help when they compete with each other for the most liberal manning scales (liberal, that is, for the employer). A good operator who is aware of the menace of a fatigued crew, then finds he is at a disadvantage when competing with a company operating under a different flag where the crew is smaller.

Too many people operate with minima, without any “leeway” to deal with all the events that crop up during a voyage.

Fatigue then becomes endemic – par for the course.

The whole situation has been brought about by the simultaneous reduction in crew numbers pretty well across the board, the increase in the utilisation of ships, and the intensity of their operation. It might be justified in business terms as sensible cost reduction, leading to extraordinary productivity increases, but it has come at a pretty high human price.

The Nautilus Telegraph correspondent, spells out

A PARTICIPANT in Project Horizon, a simulator-based study into fatigue featured in the last issue of The Sea, is wired up so his brain activity and physical condition can be monitored.

It is one of a number of fatigue research projects currently being undertaken. “However valuable they are, they are putting off the day when serious decisions about manning have to be taken.” what this sort of “life on the wire” is like in terms of 11hour working days at sea and

13-hour days in port, but with the added exasperation of sleep interruptions for mooring

operations. He tells it like it is, suggesting that young people contemplating such a career

ought to be appraised of this reality. “I work, I sleep, I watch films,” he writes. It does not seem a stimulating life, and it ought to be better.

Seafaring has always encompassed an element of “go-on, stop-on” about it, but in an earlier age when there was far less haste and manning was more generous, there was more opportunity to get some rest and relaxation, along with a bit of fun in shore excursions. A ship, generally less of a multi-national and multi-lingual hotchpotch, had sufficient people aboard to generate something of its own social life.

Of course we can ignore this letter, dismissing it as a whine from somebody who has become disillusioned.

There have, after all, been plenty of similar complaints over the years, as the manning scale has been reduced and ships have started to be operated more “optimally”.

People of a certain age might scornfully suggest that the “younger generation” is somehow lacking in moral fibre, and that a bit of sleeplessness never did

them any harm. In this, they would be doing themselves a disservice and misinterpreting the importance of such a message from the people who actually run ships today. What is the new potential recruit going to be told as he digests the sales pitch about foreign ports, good pay, long leaves and early responsibility in a really interesting job, and asks the killer question about the length of the working week? “Oh....it’s only about 94 hours...”

Maybe it is time we actually did something concrete about the haste with which we expect ships to operate, or at least man them accordingly, so that utter exhaustion is not an accompaniment to the normal job. Perhaps, if we are to attract and retain the bright young officers we hope will enter the industry, and prevent those we have describing the job as “a misery”, we ought to stop talking and putting off the day when ships are going to be manned adequately for the intensity of their trade, and not by some ridiculous minima cobbled together between the owner and flag state.

BEN BAILEY

Filling the missing link in global piracy response W

HEN video footage surfaced on the internet of a crew held hostage in the Somali bush, it brought into sharp relief the desperate plight of seafarers held by pirates.

The crew of the Danish vessel MV Leopard appeared ragged and tired as they pleaded under duress to be rescued by the ship’s owner and the Danish Government. The four Filipinos and two Danes appear in the video sitting cross-legged on the dusty ground as masked pirates brandishing guns and grenade launchers stand behind them.

One of the Danish crew members is seen answering questions from the pirates about how they were attacked. While another, fighting back tears, pleads with his government to “please help us before we die”.

In this International Maritime Organisation year of “orchestrating the response to piracy”, shipping companies and governments have been falling over themselves to prove that they are doing all they can to suppress and eradicate the violent rise of piracy in the Indian Ocean. In Germany, there is much debate between the German shipping associations and the government about the most appropriate way to protect their ships transiting the region. In the

Ben Bailey looks at how The Mission to Seafarers is equipping its chaplains to care for the victims of piracy VIDEO footage pictures from the Save our Seafarers campaign website of the crew of the MV Leopard who are being held hostage in the Somali bush by pirates. From left: the MV Leopard’s captain, members of the crew, and the crew with their captors.

UK, the industry is working on the fourth version of Best Management Practice, and organisations such as Maersk and the Steamship Mutual Association have produced online training courses and films for seafarers entering pirate waters.

But being trained to defend a ship against pirates is one thing. But how do you train yourself to deal with the psychological effects of an attack or a period in captivity?

Nowadays, far too many seafarers have to handle the aftershocks of having been taken hostage by pirates, or the sustained pressure of living with the risk of it. And while combat stress and post-traumatic stress disorder are conditions commonly associated with veterans of conflict, many crews who transit the dangerous routes exist in

the same state of anxious hypervigilance as troops fearing ambush at any time of day or night.

“The ones who are attacked but escape probably don’t get any counselling apart from when they talk to someone like me,” says the Mission’s chaplain in Mombasa, the Revd Michael Sparrow. “On occasions, seafarers are instructed not to talk to anybody. The order is given on board ‘don’t tell anyone what happened’. That’s very unhealthy and does not even pretend to put the needs of seafarers first.”

For The Mission to Seafarers, victims of piracy are never far from its mind – or care. Chaplains regularly report on the work they are doing to help seafarers come to terms with what’s happened

to them. In Mombasa, Michael Sparrow helps seafarers released by pirates. In Tuticorin, Simon Dharmaraj counsels family members as they anxiously await news of their loved ones. And in Hartlepool, a ship’s captain talked about his experience of Somali piracy to the manager of the Mission’s centre there. In short, the Mission is continuing to fill a much-needed gap in crew welfare.

“It’s a macho environment: seafarers like to be self-reliant and don’t want to be seen by colleagues or employers as ‘weak’ or ‘damaged’,” says the Revd Canon Ken Peters, director of justice and welfare at The Mission to Seafarers.

“If you let on that you have been affected by the experience, will crewing agencies hire you?

Will they trust your reactions if you’re attacked again? There’s no evidence that a blacklist exists, but as everybody believes it does, the effect is the same.”

Finding someone to talk to on board a ship in the middle of the ocean is hard enough at the best of times. Relationship worries, the death of a loved one, the illness of a baby, bullying, loneliness, fear, depression – these are the kinds of issues seafarers routinely manage alone during the long months at sea. Many mariners contact a port chaplain on arrival to unburden themselves. But with the threat of piracy being so great, there is another set of problems which can affect the brave men and women who make their living at sea, and The Mission to Seafarers, recognising its responsibility to provide first-class welfare facilities,

is training its chaplains across the globe in order to help.

Over the past year, Mission chaplains have been steadily completing the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation’s range of courses, led

by Dr Marion Gibson. Her work on a humanitarian response to piracy is grounded in her experiences with veterans of the Vietnam war and survivors of the Northern Ireland troubles.

“It’s a psychological first-aid kit for those supporting individuals in disaster or crisis situations,” says Ken Peters. “It raises understanding of the reactions survivors have in the immediate aftermath, and gives guidance on communicating effectively with trauma victims. It also trains chaplains to make an initial assessment for referral to a more specialist service, if that is appropriate.”

The vast majority of Mission chaplains come from the Anglican Church, and many of them have spent time as parish priests. How does this training compare with that which they received prior to ordination?

“Marion’s course encourages a structured approach to counselling,” says Michael Sparrow, “the intention being to ensure that one covers everything necessary

in the time available. Those of us, like me, who have been in parish ministry, have done a lot of counselling in the past, but it is not always so structured. She has given us a structure in which to work and that’s very useful.”

For too long there has been a link missing in the global response to piracy, and it seems that an employer’s “duty of care” to his crew is often forgotten when pirates strike.

The Mission has heard stories of crews being repatriated without any ongoing support. Others have been forced to sail their vessel on to a port thousands of miles away before being discharged from their contracts. For Ken Peters an international network of support is vital to assist crews.

“There needs to be access to care for all seafarers who have suffered piracy or the strain of working in its shadow,” he says. “The Mission to Seafarers has always believed that the most important cargo aboard any ship is the crew and our chaplains have, over the years, helped and supported hundreds of thousands through their problems.

This latest development in our training will help to ensure that those who have suffered piraterelated problems receive the support they need.”

6 the sea sep/oct 11

JUSTICE MATTERS  BY DOUGLAS STEVENSON

Crew salvage THANKS to modern vessel safety standards, ships are safer than ever. But despite technological and operational advances, the sea remains a dangerous workplace.

Because of this, modern maritime law perpetuates ancient seagoing traditions by codifying the fundamental duty for all seafarers to go to the aid of people in peril at sea. Mariners understand that their duty to rescue people is not based on any expectation of financial reward. Rather, they go to the aid of others knowing that if the circumstance were reversed others would come to their aid.

The law and motiva-

tions for rescuing property at sea are quite different from those for rescuing people.

The maritime law of salvage provides financial rewards for seafarers who rescue ships, their cargo or other property from marine peril. Salvage is compensation given by courts to seafarers and others whose voluntary assistance saved a ship or property from peril or loss at sea.

In some countries, statutory law determines the amount of a salvage award.

In other countries, courts have sole discretion to determine the salvage awards.

Judges base their award decisions on the value of the

property saved, the danger to the rescued property, the risks to the rescuers, and the efforts expended in rescuing the property. Salvage awards cannot exceed the value of the property saved. Although there have been some awards of over 50 per cent of the saved property’s value, salvage awards today usually range from 10 to 25 per cent of the property’s value.

Normally, all of a rescuing vessel’s crew members, irrespective of their duties, are entitled to a salvage award. Crew salvage awards are based on the theory that each crew member’s labours contribute to the operation as a whole. In most cases, however, crew rewards are divided among the crew according to each crew member’s rank or

rating, with those performing more dangerous assistance getting higher awards.

There are three elements that must be present before a court will grant a salvage award: 1. There must be a marine peril. There are many kinds of maritime perils where courts have awarded salvage.

Some of these include aiding a distressed vessel, recapturing a ship or property from pirates, standing by a vessel in distress, supplying a distressed vessel with provisions and stores, towing a vessel out of danger, extinguishing a fire on a vessel, and sending information leading to the rescue of a vessel in distress.

2. The service must be voluntarily rendered when not required as an existing

duty. Almost anyone who voluntarily provides useful services to a ship in distress is entitled to make a salvage claim, provided there was no obligation to do so. For example, seafarers cannot normally claim salvage for services to their own vessel because they have a pre-existing duty to preserve their ship.

3. The service rendered must have contributed to saving some or all of the property. Saving the vessel, its cargo, appurtenances, furnishings, and equipment are subject to salvage awards.

The services rendered must be successful in order to qualify for a salvage award. It is not enough that property was saved. The salvors’ efforts must have contributed to the

Salvamento por parte de la tripulación GRACIAS a las actuales normas de seguridad en los barcos, estos son más seguros que nunca. Pero a pesar de los avances tecnológicos y en las operaciones, el mar sigue siendo un lugar de trabajo peligroso. Por eso, la legislación marítima moderna mantiene la antigua tradición marítima al contemplar el deber fundamental de todos los marineros de acudir en ayuda de cualquier persona que se encuentre en peligro en el mar. Los marineros saben que su deber de rescatar a otros no se basa en la posibilidad de obtener una recompensa económica. Al contrario, acuden en ayuda de otros sabiendo que si fuesen ellos los que estuviesen en peligro, otros irían en su ayuda.

Las leyes y motivaciones para el rescate de bienes en el mar son muy diferentes a las del rescate de personas. La ley marítima de salvamento ofrece recompensas económicas a los marineros que rescaten

barcos, su cargamento u otros bienes en peligro en el mar. Los tribunales ofrecen recompensas a los marineros y otras personas cuya ayuda voluntaria permitió el rescate de un barco o de bienes en peligro en el mar.

En algunos países, las leyes establecen el valor de la recompensa que se entrega por el salvamento.

En otros, son los tribunales los que deciden ese valor. Los jueces basan sus decisiones en el valor de los bienes que se rescataron, el peligro en que estaban los bienes rescatados, los riesgos para los rescatadores y los esfuerzos dedicados al rescate. Las recompensas por salvamento no pueden ser superiores al valor de los bienes rescatados.

Aunque se han entregado recompensas cuyo valor era más del cincuenta por ciento del de los bienes rescatados, hoy en día los valores de las recompensas equivalen a entre el diez y el veinticinco por ciento del de los bienes.

Normalmente, todos los

miembros de la tripulación que participó en el rescate, independientemente de sus funciones, tienen derecho a una recompensa por salvamento. Las recompensas por salvamento para la tripulación se basan en la teoría de que todos los miembros de la tripulación contribuyen a la operación.

No obstante, en la mayoría de los casos las recompensas a la tripulación se reparten entre los miembros según el grado de asistencia que brindaron, y los que realizaron labores más peligrosas para el rescate reciben las recompensas más altas.

Hay tres condiciones para que un tribunal conceda una recompensa por salvamento: 1. Debe haber un marinero en peligro. Hay muchos tipos de casos en los que los tribunales han concedido recompensas por salvamento. Algunos de ellos son asistir a un barco en peligro, recuperar un barco o bienes secuestrados por piratas, permanecer al

Вознаграждение экипажей за спасение имущества БЛАГОДАРЯ современным стандартам безопасности в настоящее время суда гораздо надежнее, чем когда бы то ни было. Но, несмотря на технологический и эксплуатационный прогресс, океан остается очень опасным местом работы. Именно поэтому современное морское право навсегда сохраняет древние традиции мореходства, законодательно закрепляя моральное обязательство всех моряков оказывать помощь людям, терпящим бедствие в морских водах. Мореходы прекрасно понимают, что их долг спасать людей не предусматривает каких-либо денежных вознаграждений. Скорее, они приходят на помощь, зная, что в других обстоятельствах помощь точно также будет оказана и им. Законы и мотивация при спасении имущества во многом отличаются от тех, что действуют при спасении людей. Морские законы в отношении спасения имущества предусматривают денежные вознаграждения для моряков, спасающих суда, их грузы и другие вещи в случае угроз морских рисков. Вознаграждение за спасение имущества — это компенсация, определяемая судом и выдаваемая морякам и другим лицам, чья добровольная помощь спасла судно или имущество от опасности или гибели в море. В некоторых странах сумма вознаграждения за спасение

имущества определяется статутным правом. В других странах эти суммы оставлены на усмотрение судов. Судьи при принятии решения о сумме вознаграждения руководствуются стоимостью спасенного имущества, степенью опасности, угрожавшей ему, и объемом усилий, приложенных к спасению. Вознаграждения не могут превышать стоимость спасенного имущества. Хотя в истории встречаются вознаграждения, составляющие более пятидесяти процентов стоимости спасенного имущества, в настоящее время суммы вознаграждений варьируются от десяти до двадцати пяти процентов от стоимости имущества. Обычно всем членам экипажа судна, проводящего спасательные операции, независимо от их должностных обязанностей, полагается вознаграждение за спасение имущества. Выплата вознаграждений всей команде судна основывается на теоретическом положении, что успех операции по спасению был обусловлен усилиями каждого члена команды. В большинстве случаев, однако, вознаграждения для всего экипажа делятся между его членами в соответствии с рангом или рейтингом каждого, и те, кто подвергался большей опасности при оказании помощи, получают большее вознаграждение. Прежде чем суд примет

решение о выдаче вознаграждения за спасение имущества необходимо выполнение следующих трех условий: 1. Необходимо наличие морской опасности. Существует множество видов морских опасностей, при которых суды присуждают выплату вознаграждений. Вот примеры некоторых из них: оказание помощи терпящему бедствие судну, возврат захваченного пиратами судна или имущества, поддержка судна, терпящего бедствие, обеспечение судна, терпящего бедствие, провиантом и припасами, буксировка судна из района опасности, тушение пожара на судне и отправка информации, ведущей к спасению судна, терпящего бедствие.

2. Оказание помощи должно быть добровольным там, где это не требуется имеющимися обязательствами. Практически каждый, кто предоставляет необходимую помощь судну, терпящему бедствие, имеет право на получение вознаграждения за спасение имущества, при условии, что оказание помощи не требовалось от него по долгу службы. Например, моряки не могут обычно претендовать на выплату вознаграждения за спасение имущества, если они спасают собственное судно, поскольку они уже имеют обязательства по сохранению в целости своего судна.

lado de un barco en peligro, proporcionar provisiones y reservas a un barco en peligro, remolcar un barco para alejarlo del peligro, apagar un incendio en un barco y enviar información que permita el rescate de un barco en peligro.

2. El servicio debe brindarse de forma voluntaria cuando no sea exigido por una obligación existente.

Prácticamente cualquier persona que brinde ayuda voluntaria a un barco en peligro tiene derecho a solicitar una recompensa por salvamento, siempre y cuando no fuese su obligación hacerlo. Por ejemplo, los marineros no pueden solicitar recompensas por servicios de salvamento para su propio barco porque tienen la obligación preestablecida de protegerlo.

3. El servicio prestado tiene que haber contribuido al rescate de todos o algunos de los bienes. El salvamento del barco, su cargamento, accesorios, mobiliario 3. Оказанная помощь способствовала сохранению некоторой части или всего имущества. Спасение судна, его груза, принадлежностей, предметов обстановки и оборудования — все это подлежит выплате вознаграждения. Оказанная помощь, для того, чтобы являться основанием для выплаты вознаграждения, должна быть успешной. Недостаточно лишь того, что собственность была сохранена. Усилия спасателей должны привести к полученному результату. Неудачные попытки сохранить имущество не могут претендовать на выплату вознаграждения. Помощь не может быть оказана против воли судна, терпящего бедствие. Капитаны, командующие судами, терпящими бедствие, могут отказаться от предложений помощи. Капитаны также могут требовать прекращения оказания помощи со стороны спасателей, таким образом ограничивая вознаграждения лишь той помощью, которая была оказана до момента требования капитаном ее прекращения. Оказание помощи в спасении имущества рассматривается как морское залоговое право. Это означает, что судно несет ответственность по выплате вознаграждений за оказание помощи в спасении имущества даже если оно продано новым владельцам. В большинстве юрисдикций требования по выплате вознаграждений должны быть поданы в суд в течение определенного периода времени после оказания услуг. Обычно он составляет два года.

y equipos da derecho a recompensas. Los servicios se deben haber prestado con éxito para poder ser objeto de una recompensa por salvamento. No basta con que los bienes se hayan salvado. Los esfuerzos del rescatador deben haber contribuido al resultado. Los intentos fallidos de rescatar bienes no son objeto de recompensas por salvamento.

No se puede imponer el servicio de asistencia a los barcos en peligro. Los capitanes a cargo de los barcos en peligro pueden negarse a recibir ayuda. Los capitanes

result. Unsuccessful attempts to save property do not qualify for salvage awards.

Assistance cannot be forced on a ship in distress.

Masters in command of vessels in distress can refuse offers of assistance. Masters can also terminate assistance from salvors thereby limiting salvage awards to those services rendered prior to the master’s request to stop.

Salvage services are considered maritime liens. This means that the vessel remains responsible for paying for the salvage services even if it is sold to new owners. In most jurisdictions, salvage claims must be filed in court within a certain time period after the services were rendered; usually within two years. también pueden poner fin a la asistencia de los rescatadores y, de ese modo, limitar las recompensas por salvamento para esos servicios prestados antes de que el capitán solicitase su cese.

Los servicios de salvamento se consideran privilegios marítimos. Esto significa que el barco tiene la responsabilidad del pago de los servicios de salvamento, incluso si se vende a otro propietario. En la mayoría de las jurisdicciones, las solicitudes de recompensa por salvamento se deben presentar ante un tribunal dentro de cierto plazo después de la prestación de los servicios. Ese plazo normalmente es de dos años.

海员的海难救助 得益于现代船舶安全标准，当 今的船舶比以往任何时代都更 加安全。但是，尽管人类取得 了种种技术和运营进步，海洋 仍是危险的工作场所。有鉴于 此，现代海事法律延续了古老 航海传统，明文规定所有海员 都必须承担一项根本义务，即 救助在海上遇险的人们。海员 们理解：他们救助人们的义务， 并不是基于任何对财务回报的 期望，而是明白这一点 ：如果 换一个处境，别人也会来救助 他们。

在法庭授予救助报酬之前，有 三个必要条件必须得到满足 ：

在海上救助财产的法律和动 机，与救人相当不同。海事救 助法律规定，救助遇险的船舶、 货物或其它财产、使其免遭海 难的海员，应当得到财务报酬。 救助报酬是法庭命令给予海员 和其他人的补偿，因为他们的 自愿援助使相关船舶或财产 在海上免遭海难或损失。

务的情况下自愿提供。任何人 如果向一艘遇险船舶自愿提供 有用的服务，几乎都有资格请 求得到救助报酬，但前提是救 助人没有救助义务。比如，海 员一般不能以救助本船为由， 请求得到救助报酬，因为他们 本来就有维护本船的义务。

在某些国家，法律规定救助报 酬的金额。在其它国家，法庭 有权酌情确定救助报酬。法 官们在确定报酬金额时的依据 包括 ：获救财产的价值、获救 财产当时面临的危险、救助者 当时面临的风险，以及救助财 产时付出的努力。救助报酬不 能超出获救财产的价值。虽然 在某几个案例中，救助报酬达 到获救财产价值的 50% 以上， 但现在，救助报酬通常在获救 财产价值的 10% 至 25% 之间。 一般来说，救助船的所有船员 都有权得到救助报酬，而不 论他们的具体职责是什么。船 员救助报酬所依据的理论是 ： 每一名船员的劳动都为整个作 业作出了贡献。不过，在多数 情况下，船员的救助报酬根据 每一名船员的级别或成绩进行 分配，那些执行较危险救助 任务的船员得到较高的报酬。

1. 必须存在海上危险。法庭判

决授予救助报酬的海上危险 有很多种类。其中一些危险包 括 ：援助一艘遇险船舶、从海 盗手中夺回船舶或财产、陪同 一艘遇险船舶、向一艘遇险船 舶供应伙食和物料、将一艘船 舶拖离危险、扑灭一艘船舶上 的火灾，以及发出信息，导致 一艘遇险船舶获救。

2. 相关服务必须在并非现有义

3. 所提供的服务必须对部分

或全部财产的获救作出贡献。 救助船舶、船上货物、附属物、 家具以及设备，都有资格获得 救助报酬。所提供的服务必须 成功，才有资格获得救助报酬。 财产获救本身还不够。救助 人的努力必须为结果作出了贡 献。救助财产的企图如果不成 功，就没有资格获得救助报酬。 不能迫使一艘遇险船舶接受救 助。遇险船舶的船长可以拒绝 救助。船长还可以终止救助人 的救助行为，从而将救助报酬 局限于针对船长发出停止请求 之前所提供的服务。 救助服务被视为船舶优先权。 这意味着即便相关船舶被卖 给新的船东，该船仍须负责支 付救助服务。在多数法律管辖 区，救助报酬的请求必须在提 供服务后一定时期内向法院提 出 ；通常这一时效为两年。

sep/oct 11 the sea 7

FOCUS ON FAITH  BY GEOFFREY MOORE

We all need help in dark times I HAVE recently been in touch with a seafarer who came to speak to me following the death of his grandmother. He told me how isolated he felt, being so far away from his home and family. He also felt quite alone in his grief, even among his colleagues, as his pain was personal, felt only by him. We talked and prayed together, celebrating his grandmother’s life. I was able in a small way to empathise with his predicament as my own mother-in-law, Marjorie was, at the time, very ill in hospital. And although my wife was with her, and I planned to join her as soon as I could, at that moment I shared the seafarer’s sense of helplessness.

Marjorie had been ill for some years with Alzheimer’s, but due to excellent care within the family she had been able to remain at home.

So we could sit and talk with

her day and night, ensuring that she was never alone, and letting her know we were there and how much she was loved.

She was one of life’s unsung heroes, giving most of her time and resources to help others, and was one of the nicest people you could meet. After she died we all talked together about her life: how she had been a great mother and grandmother, of the help and advice she had given in abundance to family and friends and how invaluable this had been.

Again, I thought how different it had been for the seafarer, who could only hope that the support we had been able to give Marjorie had been available to his grandmother. I continue to pray for him and his family, just as I and my family have been prayed for by The Mission to Seafarers’ family. I hope

my prayers have been of the same comfort and consolation to him as the Mission’s prayers have been to us.

Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is not easy, but talking with others about the life of the person who has died, and being there to support each other in our grief helps all of us to get through the dark days.

In such a situation, fellow crew members can help through their support, comfort and reassurance. Many who have been at sea for a long time will know how seafarers in such circumstances feel. Also, port chaplains can be contacted to provide support, to arrange a mass on board or simply to pray with the grieving seafarer. Chaplains and ship visitors are listening ears for all. You only have to ask for their help.

Romans 8: 35-39 tells of the love God and that we

will not be separated from him, which may be of comfort, as may be this prayer: Eternal God and Father, we praise you that you have made people to share life together and to reflect your glory in the world. We thank you now for all that we saw of your goodness and love in .....’s life and for all that ..... means to each one of us.

As we too journey towards death may we do so in the company of Jesus, who came to share our life that we might share the life of eternity. To him be glory with you and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen Finally, to conclude on a high note, following the celebration of Marjorie’s full and rich life, came the beginning of a new Christian life within the Church family when my great niece, along with two other babies, was baptised recently. And so life goes on.

Todos necesitamos ayuda en los momentos difíciles HACE poco estuve con un marinero que había venido a hablar conmigo tras la muerte de su abuela. Me dijo que se sentía muy asilado al estar tan lejos de su hogar y su familia. Además, se sentía solo en su duelo, incluso entre sus compañeros, porque su dolor era personal, solamente lo sentía él.

Hablamos y rezamos juntos para celebrar la vida de su abuela. De cierto modo, me pude identificar con su sufrimiento porque mi propia suegra, Marjorie, estaba muy enferma en el hospital en ese momento.

Y, aunque mi mujer estaba con ella y yo tenía pensado reunirme con ellas en cuanto antes, en esos momentos compartía con el marinero esa sensación de impotencia.

Marjorie llevaba varios años sufriendo de Alzheimer, pero gracias a los excelentes cuidados de la familia había podido permanecer en casa.

De ese modo, podíamos sentarnos a hablar con ella de día o de noche, asegurarnos de que nunca estuviese sola, hacerle saber que estábamos ahí y que la queríamos.

Ella fue uno de esos héroes anónimos que dedicó casi todo su tiempo y recursos a ayudar a los demás. Era una de las mejores personas que he conocido. Después de su muerte, todos hablamos sobre su vida, sobre la maravillosa madre y abuela que había sido, sobre la ayuda y los consejos que había brindado en abundancia a familiares y amigos, y sobre lo valioso que eso había sido.

Una vez más, pensé en lo diferente que había sido para

el marinero, que hubiese deseado para su abuela todo el apoyo que nosotros pudimos dar a Marjorie. Sigo rezando por él y su familia, tal como mi familia y yo hemos sido objeto de las oraciones de la familia de The Mission to Seafarers.

Espero que mis oraciones hayan servido también para reconfortar y consolar a ese marinero.

Superar la muerte de un ser querido no es fácil, pero hablar con otros sobre la vida de la persona que ha fallecido, y estar ahí para los demás durante el duelo les ayuda a atravesar los momentos difíciles.

En ocasiones como esa, los compañeros de la tripulación pueden ayudar con su apoyo y consuelo;

muchas personas que han estado en el mar durante mucho tiempo sabrán cómo se sienten los marineros en esa situación. Es posible acudir a los capellanes de puerto para buscar apoyo, para solicitar que se celebre una misa a bordo o, simplemente, para que recen con el marinero que está de duelo. Los capellanes y visitantes de los barcos están ahí para escuchar. Solo hay que pedir su ayuda.

En Romanos 8: 35-39 se habla del amor de Dios y de que nadie podrá apartarnos de Él, lo que puede servir como consuelo, al igual que esta oración: Dios y Padre eterno, te alabamos porque haces que las personas compartan su vida y sean reflejo de

tu Gloria en el mundo.

Te damos las gracias por todo lo que de tu bondad y amor vimos en la vida de … y por todo lo que significó para cada uno de nosotros . Puesto que todos caminamos hacia la muerte, hagámoslo en compañía de Jesús, que vino a compartir su vida con nosotros para que compartamos con él la eternidad. Que la gloria de Jesús y el Espíritu Santo esté contigo por siempre. Amén.

Por último, para terminar con una nota positiva, tras celebrar la plenitud y riqueza de la vida de Marjorie, celebramos la llegada de una nueva vida cristiana cuando bautizamos a mi sobrina recientemente junto a otros dos bebés. La vida continúa.

我们在黑暗的日子都需要帮助 我 最 近 接 触 到一名 海员， 他在祖母去世后找我交谈。 他告诉我，远离故乡和亲 人的他，是怎样地感到孤 独。 即 便 周 围 就 有 同 事， 但他觉得自己在孤独中悲 痛 着， 因 为 他 的 痛 苦 是 个人的， 只有他 才感受得 到。我们在一起漫步、祷 告，赞美着他的祖母的一 生。在某种程度上，我能 够同情他的处境，是因为 当时我的岳母 Marjorie 病 情危急，正在医院里。虽 然我太太陪着她，而且我 计划尽快赶去，但在那一 刻，我能够体会到那名海 员的无助感。

Marjorie 患上老年痴呆症

已有多年， 但由于家人的 悉心照顾，她此前一直住 在家里。就这样，我们跟 她朝夕相处，陪她坐着聊 天，确保她一直有人看护着， 并且让她知道我们在那里， 而她得到家人的深切爱护。 她是生活中的无名英雄之 一，把自己的大部分时间 和 资 源 拿出 来 帮助别 人， 她是你可能遇上的心地最 好的人之一。在她过世后， 我们聚在一起回忆她的一 生 ：她是怎样的一名了不 起的母亲和祖母，她向亲 友们提供了大量宝贵的帮 助和建议。 我又一次想到，那名海员 的经历是多么的不同。他 只能希望，他的祖母能够 得到我们给予 Marjorie 的 那种支持。我继续为他和 他的家人祈祷， 就像“ 海 员使团” （The Mission to Seafarers）大家庭为我和 我的家人祈祷一样。我希 望，我的祷告为他带来舒

适与安慰，就像“海员使团” 的祷告为我们家带来舒适 与安慰那样。 在心理上接受一名亲人的去 世并不容易，但与别人交谈 死者的一生，并且与亲友相 聚，在悲痛中相互支持，能 够帮助我们大家度过黑暗的 日子。 在这种情形下，同船的海员 通过自己的支持、安慰和鼓 励，能够给予帮助 ：许多长 时间出海的人，了解海员们 在这种情形下的感受。也可 以找港口牧师提供支持，在 船上举办弥撒，或只是与悲 痛中的海员一起祈祷。牧师 和船舶访问者可以聆听任何 人的倾诉。你只需请求他们 帮助。 《 罗 马 书 》(Romans) 8: 35-39 叙 述了主 的 爱， 以 及我们不会与主隔绝，这 段经文可能提供一些安慰， 以下的祷文可能也有帮助 ： 永恒的主和天父，我们赞 颂你让人们有缘共享人生， 在世间思索你的荣耀。对 于我们在……的一生中所 见到的你的仁慈和爱，对 于他 / 她在我们每一个人 心中的份量，我们现在感 谢你。在我们也迈向死亡 之际，让我们得到耶稣的 陪伴，他降临我们的人生， 使我们也能分享永恒。让 你的荣耀和圣灵永远伴随 着他。阿门 最后说一件令人振奋的事。 在赞美了 Marjorie 完整丰 富的一生后，教会大家庭又 增添了新的基督徒。我的侄 孙女和另外两个婴儿最近 接受了洗礼。生活就这样 继续着。

В тяжелые времена нам всем нужна поддержка СОВСЕМ недавно мне довелось пообщаться с моряком, который пришел ко мне поговорить после того, как знал о смерти своей бабушки. Он рассказал мне о том, что чувствует себя оторванным от дома и семьи. Он также рассказал как одиноко ему даже среди своих коллег, поскольку его боль очень личная, и испытывает ее он один. Мы разговаривали и молились вместе с ним, воздавая должное жизни его бабушки. Я мог в некоторой степени проникнуться его чувствами, поскольку моя собственная теща — Марджери, в этот самый момент, тяжело больная лежала в больнице. И хотя моя жена была с ней, и я собирался присоединиться к ней, как только освобожусь, в этот момент я разделял с пришедшим ко мне моряком его чувство полной беспомощности. Марджери была больна уже несколько лет, страдая от болезни Альцгеймера, но благодаря отличному уходу со стороны родных и близких она могла оставаться дома. Поэтому мы могли сидеть и разговаривать с ней

в любое время дня и ночи, никогда не оставляя ее в одиночестве и давая ей понять, что мы всегда будем рядом и очень любим ее. Она была героиней, не требующей славы, отдающей другим большую часть своего времени и ресурсов, одной из прекраснейших женщин, каких только можно встретить. После ее смерти мы все много разговаривали о ее жизни. О том, какой она была прекрасной мамой и бабушкой, о помощи, которую она неизменно оказывала членам семьи и друзьям, о ее мудрых советах, о том, как бесценно все это было. И снова я думал о том, как отличалась от моей ситуация пришедшего ко мне моряка, который мог лишь надеяться, что поддержка, которую мы могли оказать Марджери, была оказана его бабушке. Я продолжаю молиться за него и его семью, точно так же, как за меня и мою семью молится вся «Миссия для моряков». Я надеюсь, мои молитвы послужили в какой-то степени поддержкой и утешением для

него, как молитвы «Миссии» послужили нам. Принять смерть любимого человека нелегко, но разговаривать с другими о его жизни и быть рядом с теми, кто нуждается в поддержке в горькую минуту, помогает всем нам пережить эти тяжелые дни. В такой ситуации члены одного экипажа могут помочь друг другу, поддерживая, утешая и подбадривая. Многие, кто ходил в море в длительные плавания, знают, как себя чувствуют моряки в таких обстоятельствах. Для дополнительной поддержки можно связаться с капелланом порта, который организует службу на борту судна или просто помолится вместе со скорбящим. Капелланы и социальные работники, посещающие суда, — внимательные слушатели для всех, кому требуется сочувствие. Необходимо лишь попросить их о помощи. Рим. 8: 35-39 говорит нам о любви Бога и том, что ничто не отлучит нас от нее. Это может служить большим

утешением, как может служить этому и следующая молитва: Предвечный Боже и Отец наш, мы славим тебя, создавшего людей, идущих по жизни вместе с нами и служащих отражением славы твоей в этом мире. Мы благодарим тебя за все, что мы видели от доброты и любви твоей в жизни …, за все, что он/она значит для каждого из нас. И совершая наш путь к смерти, мы хотели бы идти по нему, сопровождаемые Иисусом Христом, пришедшим разделить нашу жизнь, дабы мы смогли разделить жизнь вечную. Ему слава вовеки. Отцу и Сыну и Духу Святому. Аминь. И, последнее, чтобы завершить на высокой ноте, хочу поделиться известием о том, что, следуя за воздаянием должного наполненной до краев щедрой жизни Марджери, пришло начало новой христианской жизни в семье Церкви, когда совсем недавно, вместе с двумя другими младенцами, приняла крещение моя внучатая племянница. И так продолжается жизнь.

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 11

‘Use of scrubbers to take off’

More editions of successful comic

THE launch of the International Maritime Employers’ Committee’s (IMEC) Ahoy! comic book in the Philippines earlier this year was so successful that it has commissioned another three editions.

IMEC’s manager of operations and training, Adam Lewis, said the good response from young Filipinos with regard to the competitions featured in Ahoy! was what prompted them to issue the further three editions, the first of which is currently being distributed to schools around the Philippines.

He said 60,000 copies of each edition of Ahoy! were being distributed, mainly to students in 100 selected high schools with good academic results. The main objective of Ahoy!, he added, was to increase awareness of the sea as a career and not just to recruit for IMEC member companies. IMEC currently has over 750 cadets, both deck and engineering, going through training programmes at the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific and the University of Cebu.

A NEW report supports a growing belief that abatement technology – scrubbers – will be increasingly attractive as a way of meeting new strict sulphur content rules for marine fuel. Outlook for Marine Bunkers and Fuel Oil to 2030 by Robin Meech and analyst company FGE, says that implementing the International Maritime Organisation sulphur limit proposals by 2020 will be “virtually impossible”, requiring the refining industry to invest in more than 4 million barrels a day of extra secondary-processing capacity, above that already scheduled.

The report concludes that, under pressure from the impending marine emissions legislation, the mix of fuels used in the shipping industry will proliferate and that onboard scrubbing will become viable, initially for vessels operating in Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) but subsequently for all newbuilds.

‘Complex’ package covers some 85,000 seafarers

IBF deal will increase pay in three stages A

FTER long-running talks, an International Bargaining Forum (IBF) pay deal has been agreed that covers some 85,000 seafarers sailing on about 7,500 open-register, or “flag-of-convenience”, ships.

The deal will cover all IBF agreements with effect from January 1, 2012. Pay will be increased in stages: there will be a 2 per cent increase on January 1, 2012, followed by 2.5 per cent and 3 per cent increases on January 1, 2013, and January 1, 2014, respectively.

Negotiators from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the employers’ Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) finally agreed the complex three-year package at talks held in Miami in July after a series of talks that started in 2008. Both sides described the negotiations as “hard fought”.

The talking is not over yet, however. Under a new way of calculating the increases, agreed last year, the percentage rise will be split between actual seafarer pay and union funding. Local negotiations between ITF-affiliated unions and employers will decide on the allocation of the extra money paid, both between officers and ratings and also seafarer pay and union funding.

Included in the deal is an incentive aimed at bringing more ships into the IBF framework. The amount of money paid back to the IBF from the ITF Welfare Fund will increase by an additional 5 per cent, on top of the current 5 per cent, if the number of vessels being covered under IBF agreements increases year-on-year by 2 per cent, 2 per cent and 1 per cent in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively.

The agreement also includes a change to the length of the probationary period when seafarers begin their first term of employment and covers new requirements to be brought in by the International Labour Organisation’s Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

Piracy was debated at great length and the two sides agreed a revised text on warlike operations/high-risk areas. The issues of reviewing the extended high-risk area and compensation were held over for further dialogue in the near future.

Agreement was reached on the principles governing disciplinary and grievance procedures and the response to bullying and harassment allegations. The employers also made commitments to maintain future officer supply through cadet training and to provide training

Quick guide to ‘Manila amendments’ THE International Shipping Federation (ISF) has produced a special quick guide for seafarers, explaining the i m p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e “Manila amendments” to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW 2010).

The quick guide is available to download free from www. marisec.org/quickguide and is also available free from national shipowners’ associations.

It was issued on June 25, the first IMO “Day of the Seafarer”, which seeks to draw

attention to the unique contribution that seafarers make to international seaborne

trade and to civil society.

ISF secretary general Peter Hinchliffe said that the competence of seafarers was a critical factor in the safe and efficient operation of merchant ships, which in turn had a direct impact on the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment. “It is incredibly important,” he went on, “that seafarers are aware of the changes to the STCW Convention so that they can be implemented as smoothly as possible, ensuring that the highest standards of seafarer competence will continue to be maintained worldwide.”

berths on board IBF-covered ships.

At the conclusion of the talks, the leader of the ITF negotiating team, Dave Heindel, said that the last few years had put great pressure on both sides of the IBF to be seen to be acting responsibly in support of both seafarers and of those that employed them.

“The collapse in the world financial market has led to employers wanting to minimise their cost increases in difficult times, and has put pressure on those who represent the seafarers to understand this financial situation, while ensuring that they are protecting the interests and livelihoods of their members,” he said.

For the employers, JNG joint secretary Giles Heimann said the final outcome reached by the IBF was both a pragmatic and mutually acceptable agreement for both sides.

Design for ‘safe’ bulker ITALIAN classification society RINA has established new design standards for the modification or newbuilding of dry bulk cargo carriers to enable them to carry fine ores safely at any moisture content.

Several recent bulk carrier losses have been caused by the liquefaction of wet nickel ore cargoes. RINA says that ships meeting its new standards will be safe even if the cargo liquefies and will no longer have to rely on unreliable moisture tests at the load port to determine whether the cargo is safe to load.

Most Sky saga ends with sale of vessel THE long running saga of 1,972gt Turkishowned, Panamanianregistered general cargo ship Most Sky ended with the sale of the ship at Birkenhead in the UK. The vessel was detained last October as a result of a number of problems, including: the failure to maintain adequately the ship and equipment; unsigned records of rest; no heating; dirty crew showers and toilets; and out-ofdate lifejacket lights. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) found that the crew had not been paid for some time and negotiated payments for them and for their repatriation to Turkey.

A substitute crew came on board expecting the ship to sail but that never happened as the ship’s many deficiencies were not put right.

The new crew were found to be on very low pay and suffering poor conditions on board.

Eventually the ship was arrested and sold by the local port authority and the ITF negotiated a deal to pay and repatriate the crew.

Paris MoU detains fewer ships COUNTRIES signed up to the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control detained 790 ships in 2010, down from 1,059 in 2009.

In a statement the MoU said that “since 2007 the detention percentage has been decreasing gradually.

The trend has continued and in 2010 the percentage reached 3.3 per cent, an alltime low over the past decade.”

From September 1 the Paris and Tokyo MoU countries are to carry out a threemonth-long concentrated inspection campaign to ensure compliance with structural safety and the International Load Line Convention.

Swiss Unia seafarers join Nautilus AROUND 800 Swiss maritime workers have joined seafarers’ union Nautilus International (NI). The successor to Nautilus UK, formerly Numast, NI was launched in 2009 – creating an Anglo-Dutch

union with some 23,000 members, including ship masters, officers, cadets, and other professional staff in the shipping industry, working at sea and ashore. Taking the seafarer and boatmen members of Swiss transport union Unia into NI is another step in the union’s development as a transnational specialist maritime union.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said that the agreement with Unia was a logical step that built upon NI’s previously stated commitment to continue developing the Nautilus International concept of a transboundary union for maritime professionals working in the most globalised of all industries.

Model shiphandling centre opens THE UK’s Warsash Maritime Academy’s new manned model ship-handling centre at Timsbury Lake has been officially opened following two years of planning and development.

The specially created features of the remodelled lake include: a canal with a scale length of four miles, incorporating straight and curved elements; a harbour area designed to provide close manoeuvring practice; a ferry port equipped with a narrow entrance and finger jetty; 19 strategically placed jetties, offering an enormous number of ship handling scenarios; buoyed channels, critical bends and restricted turning basins that create realistic manoeuvring challenges, and lake-bottom contours created to demonstrate shallow water effects on a ship’s handling.

Warsash says that the sheltered woodland environment ensures that training can continue in most wind conditions.

New equal pay law for UK ships A NEW law banning pay discrimination of European Economic Area (EEA) seafarers on UK-flagged ships sailing wholly or partly in the country’s territorial waters came into force on August 1. Pay discrimination is also outlawed for seafarers from certain other “designated states”. Employers will still be able to pay lower rates to nationals of countries which are not EEA or designated state nationals, unless they apply for work as a seafarer in the UK and are recruited in the UK.