User group spring with cover 2014

84 Newman Street, London W1T 3EU, UK • Tel: +44 (0)207 299 1800 • Fax: +44 (0)207 299 1818 mail@videotel.com • www.videotel.com

Dear Manager/Master, In the past, printed copies of each Videotel Users Group newsletter have been sent to you for onward forwarding to your ships. This is our second digital only edition, as the response from our trial run in October 2013 indicated that the vast majority of you prefer it in this PDF format.

It may be easier for you to send it to ships electronically, but we would hope that you will encourage office and sea staff to print it out and share it with others. On-screen documents don’t always start interesting group discussions. They are often read once and forgotten. They may, however, encourage more people to provide comment and feedback to you as managers and to us as producers, if people can do it at the touch of a button. For on-shore personnel, the electronic version also contains web and email links for further information and ease of communication.

We would welcome your views on the content and usefulness of the newsletter, and whether you prefer the convenience of an electronic version. Of course, if you prefer printed hard-copy, we are very happy to supply it in that format. Send your requests for printed User Group newsletters to administration@videotel.com.

Please forward the attached PDF newsletter to your ships with appropriate company advice.

We also would like to invite you to suggest topics you would like to see covered in the User Group newsletter. Please make your suggestions regarding any subject that you would like more information on or discussion you would like to start by contacting us at news@videotel.com. We are always pleased to hear your views and concerns.

With best wishes for the future.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Bond Deputy Chairman Email address for comment and feedback news@videotel.com Encl: Users Group Newsletter April/May 2014

User Group Newsletter April/May 2014 Dear Master Welcome to the Spring 2014 User Group newsletter. This edition will focus on the changes to and challenges of our industry with the aim of not only keeping you informed, but also to obtain direction from you as to which areas of training you would like to see addressed. The high cost of not having well trained crew far outweighs any monies saved in cutting back in this vital area, but we want to ensure that the Videotel courses and programmes available are the most practical, in terms of effectiveness.

IMO Restructures Sub-Committees In order to better meet the needs of seafarers, the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) agreed to restructure the sub-committees as proposed by Secretary-General Mr Koji Sekimizu. Although the restructuring saw the number of sub-committees reduced from nine to seven, the new format better addresses both technical and operational issues that face today’s mariners, realigning the scope and mandate of each of the sub-committees to more closely reflect the maritime industry’s needs today and tomorrow.

IMO Member State Mandatory Audit Scheme In 2016, the IMO’s Member State audit scheme will become mandatory. The adoption of the IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code) provides a global standard for Flag, Port and/or Coastal States to meet their obligations and responsibilities, offers any assistance needed where required and to ensure that amendments to various International Conventions are fully enforced. To this end, in 2013 Videotel launched its web Flag State Administrator (webFSA), a highly secure web-based on-shore training and records management programme built around cloud based technology enabling Member States and Maritime Administrations to access a surveyor’s records, results and performance instantly via the internet, making spread sheets and paper records a thing of the past.

Accident Zero In September 2012, Secretar y- General Mr Koji Sekimizu proposed an initiative in which ports, harbours, straits and sea areas with Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) would count the number of consecutive accident-free days, publicising the results, with the aim of involving all the stakeholders - maritime authorities, VTS operators, mariners, pilots and shore personnel - in the process in order to create a safety culture, one that strives to record Accident Zero each and every day.

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Response to Piracy While incidents of piracy in the west Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden have seen a decrease in recent months, the threat has not gone away and piracy off the west coast of Africa and in the Gulf of Guinea has seen an increase. In order to counter these acts, the IMO has taken a leadership role with the introduction of Best Management Practices (BMP) and guidelines, setting out the best ways to prevent, evade and defend against pirate and armed robbery. There has also been growing use of privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) and recommendations and guidance on their usage has also been developed. Videotel has recently updated their awardwinning Piracy and Armed Robbery programme and is about to release Working with Maritime Security Guards, a production which gives useful guidance on how to engage and work with private maritime security companies (PMSCs).

Environment With the opening of polar waters, both Arctic and Antarctic, to increased shipping, the IMO has created a number of draft texts and amendments that will be working their way through the IMO’s sub-committees, putting in place a Polar Code that covers a vast array of shipping-related matters from environmental protection to ship design, from navigation and emergency equipment and response to manning and training issues.

Fuel efficiency is another topic taking centre stage. Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI created mandatory regulations for international ships to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are covered under Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). Videotel has just updated The Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (Edition 2) programme including a new workbook which provides the theory behind energy efficiency and suggestions on how best to achieve it.

Maritime Security Awareness Because of a perceived lack of situational awareness of general security whilst on board, the IMO set about correcting this deficiency. On 1st January 2012, revisions to the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code known as the Manila Amendments came into effect with a two-year grace period. That deferral is now ended. As of 1 January, 2014.

ALL seafarers, with or without security duties, must have security awareness training and the certification to prove they have completed it to a satisfactory level. The definition of ‘seafarer’ under MLC includes absolutely everyone on board a vessel other than passengers. The US Coast Guard has announced they will be performing unannounced inspections in addition to scheduled examinations throughout the remainder of 2014. Lack of proper certification, whilst noted as a deficiency by the Paris MOU, could even lead to detention by Port State Control authorities.

In addition to the Ship Security Officer and Designated Securities Training Courses, Videotel offers a Maritime Security Awareness Training Course that supplies recognised certification upon successful completion. To date, over 10,000 candidates have recently successfully completed this four-hours eLearning CBT course. Maritime Security Awareness Course

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Mentoring

By Dr Chris Haughton There’s no doubt about it – the way we manage ourselves does tend to go around in circles. ‘Personnel management’ changed into ‘human resources’ and back to ‘people management’. Apprenticeships, abandoned at one stage, have returned (in some parts of the world) with a vengeance, with mentoring being the latest buzz word on everyone’s lips. Of course, the technical rate of change knows no bounds – but the underpinning concepts of motivation, knowledge acquisition and learning are the same now as they were when Captain Cook went to sea, even if we perhaps understand them better now. He would never have referred to his nurturing of talent as ‘mentoring’ but the principles current then are just as relevant today. The brain hasn’t changed much, even if the stuff we put into it has.

In its most basic form, mentoring acknowledges the treasure of knowledge and skills embedded in the current generation of expert practitioners and expects or requires it to be passed on to the next. This doesn’t happen automatically, or by osmosis. If it does, it’s a very hit and miss affair. No, mentoring is the express and purposeful coming together of minds. It is the common goal of the transfer of expertise (not to be confused with experience). Mentoring is sometimes perceived as a one-way street - usually senior to junior. Not so. Mentoring happens peer to peer and even from juniors upwards. After all – it’s not rocket science that today’s youngsters can teach the older generation a trick or two when it comes to the gadgetry ruling our lives.

Poor or ineffective mentoring intrinsically reflects shallow values and so cements bad practice. This is probably worse than no mentoring at all. True mentors will be alert to this, aware of their responsibilities, knowledgeable of the basic steps required to conduct an effective mentor/mentee relationship and attentive to the ways in which their effectiveness can be gauged.

If you are new to mentoring and so not quite sure of these responsibilities and boundaries, there is a wealth of information online and the Nautical Institute have recently published a very accessible handbook on the subject. www.nautinst.org/en/forums/mentoring/

White papers available online For the past few months, Videotel’s LinkedIn page has included White Papers. White Papers are informational articles written to explain a particular view, concept or policy set out by an organisation, business or government. The ones freely available on our LinkedIn page range in topic from the importance of feedback to the background of distance learning to the more technical aspects of behaviourism. The purpose of White Papers is not only to put forth our policies, but also to invite feedback and discussion. It is only through communication that Videotel, as the world’s leading supplier of maritime training solutions, can evaluate what aspects of marine safety are in need of new or updated programming and courses to keep seafarers safe and the maritime industry aware of latest developments. www.linkedin.com/company/videotel-marine-international

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Serious Games and Training Statistics show that Millennials (those born after 1980) have higher levels of engagement, motivation and retention of knowledge gained through Serious Games, rather than traditional learning methods. Serious Games are computer games that interactively teach specific tasks with the kind of instant acknowledgement and feedback of amusement games. Serious Games set goals, award points and, most importantly, allow the opportunity for failure and with it, the ability to learn from those mistakes in a safe environment. Videotel’s Enclosed Spaces takes players through a scenario requiring repairs in an enclosed space, challenging their knowledge of safety and equipment checks, on board procedures and ultimately gauging their ability to make the correct decisions in a dangerous situation.

Meet the President There is an extensive audience on Videotel TV with William O’Neil, a key member and President of the Videotel organisation. This in-depth interview covers his vast and varied career, spanning the development of inland canals and seaways, pioneering marine services including the Canadian Coastguard and taking the helm at the IMO as SecretaryGeneral for many years. Bill became President of Videotel in 2004 and is currently the Chancellor Emeritus of the World Maritime University and Chairman of the Panama Canal Advisory Board.

Videotel TV An Interview with William A O’Neil

BeDP Module 1 - Introduction to Shipping - Free on VOD to Shipboard Officers

Further information from Videotel Marine International 84 Newman Street London, W1T 3EU, UK Tel +44 (0) 20 7299 1800 Fax +44 (0) 20 7299 1818 www.videotel.com sales@videotel.com

In conjunction with BIMCO (the Baltic and International Maritime Council), Videotel recently established the BIMCO eLearning Diploma Programme (BeDP). The study modules from the BeDP courses are available to Videotel clients through Videotel on Demand (VOD). With this innovation, shipboard personnel can begin studying towards their BIMCO diploma while on board, or simply take advantage of the material, building their knowledge as self-study. he FREE Module 1 - Introduction to Shipping provides an excellent basis for officers to proceed T with subsequent, more specialised subjects including Bills of Lading, Time Charter Parties, Dry Cargo Laytime and Demurrage, as well as Tanker Chartering, Laytime and Demurrage.

Please advise your officers to experience the FREE Module 1 - Introduction to Shipping on board by accessing VOD on board.

And Finally...

Thank you to all Videotel Users. We will continue to support you in the years ahead. If there are any matters you wish to raise or discuss, please contact me at news@videotel.com, marked “For the attention of the Deputy Chairman”. © Videotel MMXIV

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen C. Bond Deputy Chairman Videotel Marine International Ltd.

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