The Sea Nov/Dec 2017

Issue 250 Nov/Dec 2017

Lifeboat drill simulator could save lives IN A bid to cut seafarer deaths, marine IT specialist Transas aims – by using simulation – to prepare crew for real lifeboat drills on board ship.

Transas says that while effective survival craft training is essential to prepare crew for a disaster at sea, practical lifeboat drills have a troubling track record of causing fatalities. The company says that by shifting part of the training to a simulated environment, created by its Survival Craft Simulator, the risks are minimised and the crew can focus on the procedures that will increase safety when operating the real lifeboat equipment in an emergency.

Concern has focused mainly on the complex quick-release hooks that suspend enclosed lifeboats from their davits. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) expects new guidelines addressing long-standing issues, including the

Credit: Transas

Shifting part of survival craft training to the simulated environment can minimise risks and protect seafarers

New simulator could take some of the danger out of lifeboat drills

need for uniform and documented standards for hook servicing, to enter into force on 1 January, 2020.

However, Transas points out, a failure to follow correct procedures and lack of proper training have also been partly blamed for causing lifeboat accidents. The Transas Survival Craft Simulator allows such training to be conducted either at a training centre or on board in a safe environment, allowing trainees to learn essential procedures, such as the preparation of a survival craft,

its launch and boarding, without the risk.

At the heart of the new simulator is a highly-detailed virtual model of a totally enclosed, davit-launched, self-righting lifeboat. It is supported by a functional model to simulate the hook-release gear, wire lashings and gripes, and for boat securing on to a davit. Instructions on using the release handle, a safety pin and hydrostatic interlock level can be delivered either virtually or with a physical device connected to the simulator. n

New advice on lifeboat launching SHIPPING industry organisation BIMCO has issued new guidance for seafarers on the safe launching and recovery of lifeboats using fall preventer devices (FPDs)to reduce the number of seafarer deaths and injuries during drills.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recommends the use of FPDs because most of the accidents involve enclosed boats using conventional davits and on-load release systems. The use of FPDs has been controversial, with some equipment manufacturers saying FPDs are unnecessary. They are intended to be an interim measure until an IMO scheme for approving lifeboat launching systems is developed.

The new guidance has been produced in a handy illustrated pamphlet, Avoid Lifeboat Accidents, and can be downloaded free of charge from the BIMCO website, www.bimco.org.

Seafarers’ training under scrutiny Performance Manager will help increase operational efficiency, safety, and crew performance.

Prominent ship management

company Thenamaris is already using the system. The company’s performance & development supervisor, Yannos Koudounas,

Credit: KVH Videotel

SEAFARERS on many ships that use KVH Videotel distance learning courses for onboard crew training will soon find that their progress on those courses, and possibly other required training, will be closely monitored by shore-based managers.

A new cloud-based software platform allows ship managers access to a seafarer’s latest training records from any internet-enabled device, as well as to data about an individual crew member’s performance, skill levels, strengths, weaknesses, and training schedules.

KVH Videotel says that, by providing maritime managers with useful insights about their fleets’ training activities, its new Videotel

Training will be closely monitored by shore-based managers

says: “It offers a wide range of sophisticated features and reports, enabling our marine personnel team to have accurate and timely insight of the training progress per person, per vessel, per title. Consequently, this application becomes a valuable tool in decision-making for our seafarers’ onboard training plans.

We like its simplicity and the fact that it is constantly upgraded with new features. Most of all, we have found that it is well-supported by a skilful and fast-responding team.” n To find a seafarers’ centre near you and for more information about the Mission’s services, visit www.missiontoseafarers.org

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Bauxite instability warning THE International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a new warning that bauxite may become unstable when carried in bulk on a ship, potentially causing the vessel to capsize.

In 2015, a bulk carrier sank while transporting bauxite, with the loss of 18 seafarers.

New research has found that certain forms of bauxite with a large proportion of smaller particles could be subject to a newly-identified phenomenon of “dynamic separation” where there is excess moisture in the cargo.

IMO says that extreme care should be taken, and IMO regulations followed, when handling and carrying bauxite in bulk.

HFW supports the Mission THE shipping group of international law firm HFW has chosen The Mission to Seafarers as its first ever global charity partner. Over three years, HFW will offer legal, practical and financial support to The Mission to Seafarers to support its essential welfare work with seafarers around the globe.

The partnership between HFW and the Mission will involve direct practical and legal support as well as an annual financial donation to the charity. HFW has pledged to offer pro bono legal counsel to support the effective governance of the charity and compliance with local regulations in the regions in which it works.

Ship sale proceeds aid crew IN LATE September, the crew of the offshore support vessel Malaviya Seven, detained for unpaid bills in Aberdeen in the UK for over a year, were preparing to fly home to India once their ship had been sold following a court order.

The ship’s owner, GOL, has reportedly gone into liquidation.

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Pay rates unlikely to rise Seafarers’ wages set to stay flat or decline in real terms, Drewry claims DESPITE a recovery in cargoshipping markets, seafarers’ wages are set to either stay flat or decline in real terms, according to a new report from global shipping consultancy Drewry.

It says lack of confidence in the industry has seen wage increases almost at a standstill since 2009, and that over the past year, average officer pay rates have slid into reverse. While there remains an overall shortfall in officer numbers, this has reduced markedly over the past year and the poor financial state of the industry has forced employers to limit labour costs to affordable levels.

“Meanwhile,” says Drewry, “ratings’ wage levels have fared little better and we estimate that average global rates have risen by around 1 per cent between 2016 and 2017, which is consistent with the trend of the past few years. Both International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Transport

Officer pay levels have slid into reverse

Workers’ Federation (ITF) base rates have remained unchanged in 2017. However, seafarers have been helped by a stronger US dollar, as most are paid in this currency.”

Looking at supply and demand in the marine labour market, Drewry says that the global officer shortage has reduced by a third in a year, while “all assessments continually show a surplus of ratings”.

“Since the fall in oil prices, the demand for officers in the offshore

sector has fallen and this has been a major factor in the softening of overall seafarer wage costs,” says Martin Dixon, Drewry’s director of research products and editor of its Manning Report. “While some sectors, such as LNG that require officers with particular experience, will continue to see above-average wage rises, we expect the downward pressure on manning costs to prevail with below-inflation increases anticipated over the next five years.” n

Film highlights SGO crew’s plight THE families of the six British India, they were put on trial on security guards imprisoned arms charges and were convicted, in India on firearms charges in January 2016, of illegally launched a short film in September possessing firearms in Indian highlighting the case and their waters and sentenced to five years campaign against what is widely in jail. An appeal was heard in seen as a miscarriage of justice.

December last year but the judge The release of the film, The has not yet delivered his verdict.

Chennai Six – A Miscarriage of Justice The Mission to Seafarers has (www.youtube.com/watch?time_ supported the men and their continue=2&v=miofrRlooTI) was families throughout. timed to coincide with London Joanne Thomlinson, sister of International Shipping Week one of the imprisoned men, John (LISW), when top shipping industry Armstrong, said: “We’re really people from around the world pleased with the video. gathered in the UK’s capital.

The men are among 35 men who were on the anti-piracy ship Seaman Guard Ohio when it was intercepted off the Indian coast in October 2013.

They were detained for six months before being released and the initial charges were eventually dropped, but, following a further 18 months of being forced to remain in Seaman Guard Ohio crew still in jail

“It’s quite hard-hitting and very emotional to watch.”

Ms Thomlinson said that the film’s producer, Standby Productions, had “really done the story justice and obviously we couldn’t have done it without our sponsors Whittaker and Co, Human Rights at Sea and Global Maritime Recruitment Solutions”.

She added: “Everything is at a standstill at the moment. We are still just waiting for the judge to release his verdict on the appeal.

“We’ve now been waiting nine months.” n

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Mental health aid now in Tagalog A leaflet helping sufferers to cope with mental health trauma has been translated into the main language of the Philippines IN A move aimed at supporting the huge number of Filipino seafarers in the world merchant fleet, a leaflet helping sufferers to deal with mental health trauma has been translated into Tagalog.

Seafarer support organisation Human Rights at Sea says that, following the success of the mental health welfare leaflet, Remaining Resilient after Traumatic Events, the leaflet is now available in the main language of the Philippines. It can be downloaded free of charge at www.humanrightsatsea.org.

Translation of the leaflet was made possible with the help of the UK P&I Club. Sophia Bullard, the Club’s crew health programme director, commented: “The UK P&I Club is very pleased to be involved in the production of the HRAS Trauma leaflet into the language of the Filipino people. In Tagalog, the valuable information contained in the booklet, will be more accessible for all. This

Filipino seafarers to benefit from translated information

will be of great assistance to those seafarers most in need of guidance with mental health and wellbeing.”

David Hammond, former CEO at Human Rights at Sea, commented: “We are enormously grateful for the support from the UK P&I Club to make this first translation of the original self-help leaflet from English to Tagalog. We hope that those organisations who are working with and employing seafarers from the Philippines will use this freely-available crew resource and distribute it widely, including to both seafarers and fishermen’s families.”

The leaflet was originally drafted by Professor Neil Greenburg from March on Stress, and it is supported by Seafarers UK, the UK P&I Club, The Fishermen’s Mission, the Sailors’ Society, the Apostleship of the Sea, The Mission to Seafarers, the National Federation of Fisheries Organisations and Human Rights at Sea. n

Autonomous ships on the horizon Kent, technical director for marine and offshore at Lloyd’s Register, said: “Networks of autonomous surface and underwater vessels are set to radically change the nature of maritime operations. Developments widely reported in the media, such as those in autonomous shipping, are happening with greater pace

than expected as little as two years ago.”

Meanwhile technology company Rolls-Royce is investing in a new marine fleet management centre in Aalesund, Norway to allow remote monitoring, data analysis, and optimisation of ships and their onboard equipment. n

Credit: Rolls-Royce

MARITIME activity over the next decade will be dominated by unmanned surface and underwater vessels, according to a report on the future of autonomous maritime systems launched during the recent London International Shipping Week (LISW).

That view is not shared by all experts and the subject was debated at the main LISW conference, where some voices, from ship operators and a maritime union, urged caution.

Nevertheless the new report, Global Marine Technology Trends 2030 Autonomous Systems, written and researched by Lloyd’s Register, QinetiQ and the University of Southampton, predicts rapid progress towards remotely-operated and even autonomous ships. It has been reported that the first semiautonomous cargoship could be in service in 2020.

Commenting on the report, Tim

Rolls-Royce is investing in a new marine fleet management centre in Aalesund, Norway

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Firefighting improvements needed THE International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has called for better onboard firefighting systems for container vessels.

The insurers’ organisation said in a statement: “Mindful of the increasing size and complexity of modern containerships, IUMI believes that it is necessary for further steps to be taken to improve the safety of the crew, the cargo and the ships themselves.”

Risky game for seafarers MARINE insurer UK P&I Club has launched a gaming app, Risk Ahoy, to highlight – in an engaging and interactive manner – the hazards that those on board ships face on a daily basis.

The game is available via the iTunes and Google Play stores and has been intuitively designed to allow users to dip in and out of the action, with short, medium and long modes available.

Players navigate their ship through 38 colourful levels of increasingly-challenging difficulty, working their way through the various mini-games, while identifying and avoiding common onboard hazards.

Speeding fine for cruise ship company REGENT Seven Seas Cruises has been fined C$6,000 because its 28,803 gt, Bahamas-flagged Seven Seas Navigator exceeded a 10-knot speed limit, imposed to protect North Atlantic right whales, in Canadian waters in the Gulf of St Lawrence.

The country’s transport minister, Marc Garneau, warned: “Canada takes the protection, conservation, and recovery of endangered species very seriously.

“The recent deaths of several North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St Lawrence are extremely concerning.

“Transport Canada will not hesitate to enforce the speed restriction in the Gulf of St Lawrence.”

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The support seafarers can expect to receive when they retire varies greatly

Swallowing the anchor What provisions can seafarers expect when they retire from sea service?

By David Hughes

I

T IS human nature to worry about what will happen when we can no longer work – or no longer want to – and of course that applies to seafarers as much as anybody else.

You would therefore expect what happens when seafarers ‘swallow the anchor’ to come up in conversation with Mission to Seafarers chaplains, and that does indeed appear to be the case.

The Mission’s regional director for the USA, Ken Hawkins, told The Sea: “Yes, we have lots of discussions with cruise ship employees and merchant seafarers.” However, Mr Hawkins said how seafarers see the issue varies greatly, largely depending on where they come from.

Mr Hawkins explained that many cruise ship employees, especially those from Eastern Europe, tell him that they see working on cruise ships as a career step. In some cases, it is an opportunity to improve proficiency in English so that they can get a better job requiring fluency in English somewhere nearer home. Therefore, going to sea is seen as a step towards a better life.

Additionally, many seafarers on other types of merchant ship, especially those from China and Korea, want to save enough money to buy another business, or see seafaring as a bridge to a new career. Again, going to sea is seen as a move towards a better standard of living.

Indeed, the idea that seafarers from developing countries build up funds to finance business ventures is widespread. A

senior Asian-based figure in the shipping industry told The Sea: “Many Asian seafarers save their wages, which is not difficult, to buy businesses ashore, hotels, etc, and then ‘retire’ from a seagoing career early to take on their second career paths.”

He added: “It is my understanding that there are very few pension systems for seafarers – the ones that are in existence are, I believe, put in place by a few companies that employ seafarers on continuous engagement, not on a contract basis.”

Pension provisions While many seafarers see sea service as a stage in their careers, many others, perhaps the majority, will have to rely on savings, pensions or provident funds to see them through old age. Seattle-based Mr Hawkins

said: “For Filipino crew, regardless of employment circumstances, and for most Indonesian crew with Holland America or Royal Caribbean, seafaring is a career and they are typically supporting an extended family, so the pension, savings and residue of earnings from working are what they hope will comfort and sustain them after work.

“Unfortunately, currency issues, their local economy, an inability to monitor and invest from abroad and other noncontrollable events all weigh heavily on their futures.”

There is an international Convention stipulating what pension provisions countries should put in place. The International Labour Organization (ILO) Seafarers’ Pensions Convention was adopted back in 1946, and technically entered into force in 1962. However, only

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What the ILO wanted BACK IN 1946, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted its Seafarers’ Pensions Convention, which detailed what arrangements should be in place. ILO Convention 71 specified that ILO member states should “establish or secure the establishment of a scheme for the payment of pensions to seafarers on retirement from sea service”.

The Convention provided that such a scheme “shall comply with one of the following conditions: (a) the pensions provided by the scheme – (i) shall be payable to seafarers having completed a prescribed period of sea service on attaining the age of 55 or 60 years as may be prescribed by the scheme; and (ii) shall, together with any other social security pension payable simultaneously to the pensioner, be at a rate not less than the total obtained by computing for each year of his sea service 1.5%

of the remuneration on the basis of which contributions were paid in respect of him for that year if the scheme provides pensions on attaining the age of 55 years or 2% of such remuneration if the scheme provides pensions at the age of 60 years; or (b) the scheme shall provide pensions the financing of which, together with the financing of any other social security pension payable simultaneously to the pensioner and any social security benefits payable to the dependants (as defined by national laws or regulations) of deceased pensioners, requires a premium income from all sources which is not less than 10% of the total remuneration on the basis of which contributions are paid to the scheme.”

ILO 71 also specified that seafarers “collectively shall not contribute more than half the cost of the pensions payable under the scheme”. n

13 countries have ratified it so far, meaning that at the moment, the Convention only applies to seafarers from Algeria, Argentina, Bulgaria, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama and Peru.

Natalie Shaw, director of employment affairs at the International Chamber of Shipping, told The Sea that when most existing ILO Conventions were consolidated into the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), the Pensions Convention was excluded. It was decided a commitment to seafarer pensions would have discouraged governments from ratifying the MLC. She added: “This view has not changed.

“Indeed, the challenges in relation to broader social security provision are still inhibitors to ratification for some developing countries.

“The shipowner group and governments realise how difficult this area would be, so this is certainly not on the agenda at the current time.

“Of course, if shipping companies wish to introduce their own pension schemes for their own employees, that is entirely up to them.”

own rules and regulations. The board of trustees is normally composed of a balanced number of representatives from the union and participating companies.

While India has not ratified the ILO Convention, the country’s seafarers are covered by a provident fund scheme, as the general secretary of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), Abdulgani Serang, explained. Mr Serang said that when India achieved independence in 1947, the new Indian Government implemented many welfare measures, including the Employees Provident Fund 1952 which was aimed at the working class.

However, seafarers were

specifically excluded from the scope of this important retirement benefit due to worries that it would lead to a loss of jobs for Indian seafarers, many of whom worked on foreign-flag ships. NUSI campaigned against what it saw as discrimination against seafarers, and eventually, the Seamen’s Provident Fund Act, 1966 was passed. Mr Serang described this as “a great victory for NUSI”.

“We fought for it and got it. It was worth the fight,” he added.

Mr Serang explained that seafarers working under the Indian flag are covered under the statute. 12% of the basic wage is deducted from seafarers and a matching contribution from Credit: Silvia Honores

non-contributory for seafarers.

The schemes are administered

by AMOSUP’s Provident Fund Office, and each seafarer has a passbook that serves as a record of contributions while serving on participating vessels. The contributions are directly remitted by the participating companies to designated depository banks.

Contributions vary in amount depending on the provisions of each CBA. AMOSUP says that the funds are invested and managed by different reputable financial institutions or fund managers, both locally and abroad, in accordance with the directives of the board of trustees. Each fund, under each CBA, has a different set of trustees and its

CBA cover Most Filipino seafarers sailing on open register vessels are covered by collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) between Philippine union AMOSUP and employers. These CBAs provide for provident funds for seafarers, with contributions coming from employers, but are

Currently, only 13 countries have ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Seafarers’ Pensions Convention

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Globally, what seafarers can expect to receive when they leave the sea varies enormously

seafarers. We have very limited ex gratia financial assistance.”

Mr Serang added that there is no government support for a pension scheme for seafarers.

In the absence of a pension scheme, NUSI, through its welfare initiatives, provides financial assistance to seafarers for things such as medical expenses, as well as scholarships and grants for seafarers’ children. However, in Goa State, there is an additional scheme supporting the many seafarers based there. Mr

Credit: Olivier Terrier

employers is paid into the office of the Seamen’s Provident Fund.

This is the amount available to the seafarers on retirement, on becoming medically unfit, at death or on leaving the seafaring profession, according to certain guidelines. The payments are credited to the individual accounts of the seafarers according to their service on board ship. Mr Serang said that, while negotiating agreements for foreign-flag ships, NUSI also persuaded foreign shipping companies to contribute the equivalent amount for Indian seafarers serving on foreign-flag ships.

“Thus thousands of seafarers working on both Indian and foreign-flag ships are covered by the Seamen’s Provident Fund, so our seafarers get the provident fund and a gratuity when they retire,” he said.

“Apart from these two benefits, a real pension still eludes Indian

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Some provisions exist for Filipino and Indian seafarers

Serang stressed that while Indian seafarers working on vessels covered by NUSI agreements receive a number of benefits when they retire, the many Indian seafarers who sail on other vessels do not.

Supporting retired seafarers is not only an issue in developing economies. In the UK, maritime union Nautilus operates a caseworker service to help individual retired seafarers to claim welfare benefits and grants they may be entitled to. It can

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also provide information and support on a range of other issues, including housing, health and debt problems, as well as access to local health and community services. Last year, the Nautilus Welfare Fund assisted more than 350 retired seafarers and their dependants and secured a record amount of £610,000 in benefits and grants for them. The service started in the Merseyside area in 2010 and, with the support of the charity, Seafarers UK, expanded to the Hull and Southampton areas in 2013. The scheme is now set to grow further, with plans to appoint a further caseworker in the Glasgow area.

Globally, what seafarers can expect to receive when they leave the sea varies enormously and depends very much on arrangements negotiated by the relevant unions and the policies of a seafarer’s home country.

There is little prospect of that changing. n

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Living with giants With upscaling occurring throughout the shipping industry, those in the field need to get used to things getting bigger and bigger

By Michael Grey

W

E all know about scale economies, which have been evident in the shipping world since the ‘supertanker’ and VLCC burst upon the scene in the 1970s.

There is just no denying that one giant ship doing the job of several smaller ones makes perfect sense.

We might marvel at the amount of cargo a Very Large Ore Carrier can handle or wonder how ship operators can even contemplate a container carrier that would carry more than 20,000 teu, but commercially, like the containers piled nine high on deck, it all stacks up.

It is also misguided to think of scale economies as something reserved for the biggest ships, because the same sort of upscaling is taking place throughout the shipping industry. Chemical or parcel tankers, car carriers, offshore supply craft and even the smallest coasters are now a great deal bigger. There is no arguing with the economics from the operators’ point of view. Bigger ships lower the unit cost of transport and that, at a time when sea transport is inadequately rewarded, is the price of survival.

However, living with giants, or, at least, far larger ships than one might have been used to, is a challenge for all those who have to deal with them. For a start, they ‘stretch the infrastructure’, giving nightmares to those who operate ports and terminals with natural and man-made facilities, which every ship needs, dimensioned for smaller ships than those that are now to appear. Deeper channels will be required and dredging will be necessary – itself a major environmental obstacle, with no shortage of people willing to object to dredging as a matter of principle. Shore-side cargohandling equipment won’t be able to handle ships that are too wide or high. Even the bollards on the berth, and the quay itself, may have to be reinforced to cope with the stresses of the higher and heavier

The giants are here to stay and we’d better get used to them

hull lying alongside, with the wind trying to tear it adrift. It may sound inconsequential, but we might be talking about major engineering.

Consider the dilemma facing the Port of New York and New Jersey, with some of America’s biggest container terminals, who found

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get quarts into pint pots and get a great deal of flak if something goes wrong. They sometimes worry that it is only economic factors that are considered when a ship operator decides to upscale the fleet, and the safety envelope around a ship in confined waters looks as

Nobody likes to ask what might happen in New York/ New Jersey if containership sizes increase again that with the expanded Panama Canal, they wouldn’t be able to get the bigger ships using the waterway into their port because of the height of the Bayonne Bridge. At a staggering cost, this mighty bridge, spanning the access channel, was therefore jacked up to fit the larger vessels, which are now squeezing under it. Nobody likes to ask what might happen in NY-NJ if containership sizes increase again.

Pilots are good people to talk to on the subject of giant ships, as they are the people who have to

if it is diminishing fast. There is a lot of pressure on pilots. The port doesn’t want to turn away trade, the channel deepening or widening might take years to accomplish and the bigger ships are on the way!

If we use our initiative and skill, it will be suggested, we can take the big new ships into their berth on the top of the tide, with just a few inches under the keel and not much leeway in the swinging basin. And it might all work out for the best, with the tidal predictions perfect, the weather kindly and the

tugs performing brilliantly, so there will be relief all round. But it might not quite happen to schedule with a tide slow to flood, the tugs being late or the engine management system of the huge ship shutting the works down because it detects insufficient water under the keel.

It has happened. If you add up the number of giant containerships that have come to grief in port approaches in recent months, it is a growing and substantial number.

If you ask pilots, they will suggest that too many people in the commercial or operating departments of shipping companies think that big ships manoeuvre with the speed and precision of a small car. Designers too get quite a lot of criticism for their inability to comprehend that there is more to ship operation than bounding across the ocean in a manner as economical as

See the cartoon on page 13

by Michael Grey possible. A ship has to get in and out of port and has to be handled in confined spaces. Thus, argue pilots, we probably need rather bigger rudders to be fitted and it would assist no end if they could be manoeuvred, under power, at lower speeds, without breaking all the lines of all the ships they pass or the engine stopping.

As the designers pile loads higher and higher, or bigger ships in ballast get further out of the water, not enough people seem to realise the astonishing power of the wind on the vast acreage of the ship’s side. What have you got tugs for, the operators will ask. Fine, if you let us use them, say the pilots.

The giants are here to stay, without a doubt, and we’d better get used to them. And the scale economists are looking for even bigger ships! Where will it all end? n Para basahin ito sa salitang Tagalog, pumunta sa: http://bit.do/mtstagalog

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Getting the real lowdown on life at sea When discussing the plight of seafarers, people often forget to ask those that might have a valid and insightful opinion on the matter

By Carly Fields

M

UCH is said and debated about the issues facing seafarers today. But, says industry veteran Steven Jones, all too often this is done without real data to back up the talk of the realities of life at sea.

This gap in knowledge allows fear to pervade the industry, fuelling concerns that some companies are not doing enough to ensure that a career at sea is both productive and fulfilling.

“While there are studies which assess the confidence of the shipping market and health of businesses, often these are affected by macro issues – such as financial markets, socioeconomics and geopolitical concerns. It is obvious that such fundamental concerns would shape the shipping industry. But what of the micro level effects, the everyday travails and challenges of seafarers?” asks Mr Jones, the original creator and developer of the Seafarers Happiness Index.

The real effect of how shipping is delivering is felt in the cabins, wheelhouses and control rooms on board, he says. In containerships, bulk carriers and tankers, the industry is being shaped from the bottom up by

Seafarers answer just ten standard questions when completing the survey

the feelings of seafarers – the professionals who really shape shipping.

Mr Jones tells The Sea that the industry needs to ask “real and vital questions” of the seafarers themselves – only then can the industry build up a true picture of the successes, problems and areas of improvement in the seafaring sector.

“By finding out how happy seafarers are, the shipping

industry can then build a picture of where employers and seafarers are winning and losing,” he says.

“So, in order to provide this vital, live and ongoing link with crews, The Mission to Seafarers has relaunched the Seafarers Happiness Index (SHI).”

Asking questions From the start of 2015, Crewtoo, as the world’s largest online network of the

Your starter for ten THE Seafarer Happiness Index consists of a set of 10 standard questions with ongoing levels of satisfaction marked out of 10. Additionally, the index asks for some key information regarding basics such as age, rank, vessel type and nationality.

Aside from these questions, which are important to provide context, the survey is completely anonymous.

Question 1 – How happy are you generally when you are at sea?

Question 2 – How happy are you about the contact you are able to have with your family when you are at sea?

Question 3 – How happy are you about your access to shore leave?

Question 4 – How happy are you about your wages/salary?

Question 5 – How happy are you about the standard of food you eat on board?

Question 6 – How happy are you about your ability to keep fit and healthy on board?

Question 7 – How happy are you about the training you receive?

Question 8 – How happy are you about interaction with other crew members on board?

Question 9 – How happy are you with your workload?

Question 10 – How happy are you with welfare facilities when you are ashore? n

seafaring community, asked its approximately 112,000 seafarer members how happy they felt with their life at sea via ten key questions, in order to build up the Crewtoo Seafarers Happiness Index. The results were collected, collated and analysed, and crews’ reactions to connectivity and internet usage on board, healthy eating, access to welfare facilities, and increasing workloads were measured on a scale of one to 10, with a score of 10 being the most content and one being the unhappiest.

The Mission to Seafarers has now taken over the SHI and aims to continue and build on the work of Crewtoo.

Ben Bailey, assistant director of advocacy and regional engagement at the Mission, explains: “The Mission took over the SHI because we’re passionate about ensuring seafarers have a voice. The Happiness Index provided some valuable insights into how crews really feel about a life at sea, and we wanted to ensure that the Index had a place which could allow it to grow. We

missiontoseafarers.org want to hear from seafarers about all aspects contained in the Index.

This will be used to campaign for change within the industry, and will allow The Mission to Seafarers to benchmark its service provision to make sure we give crews what they need.”

The feedback from the industry has been positive and there’s a buzz about the Index’s relaunch, says Mr Bailey. “It’s key that seafarers – who keep the world running with goods and supplies – are valued and listened to.”

Mr Jones was integral in the establishment of SHI in partnership with CrewToo. He remains intrinsically involved in it now that it has become a Missionled initiative and expresses his delight that the Mission has stepped in and taken up the opportunity to drive it forward.

“I can see a future in which the true happiness of seafarers is valued and appreciated,” he says.

“I can also foresee a time, before we see autonomous ships, when the blockchain (a digital ledger) could incorporate data relating to seafarers. So chartering decisions could incorporate the human element – that would be quite a goal to work towards – and the SHI is an important step in that direction.”

As digitalisation beckons for shipping, he continues, it is not just data and feedback from client bookings or from machinery that is important. It is vital to also have feedback from the people who make shipping work – the seafarers on board. “It is fantastic that The Mission to Seafarers has picked up the baton and is building on the great work which has gone before,” says Mr Jones.

A fresh start Since its launch, the SHI has built up a back catalogue of valuable historical data under Crewtoo’s management. That cache will provide a context for the data now being collected by the Mission. However, Mr Jones stresses that the Mission is making a fresh start for the Index, and that while collection of data is the fundamental task of the SHI, it is not the only important outcome of the project.

“The feedback is not simply about data,” says Mr Jones.

“While numbers provide a quick way to see and gauge progress, it

missiontoseafarers is actually the words of seafarers which are even more important.

There have been thousands of seafarers since 2014 who have provided their thoughts on happiness and satisfaction at sea.

The challenge for the SHI is to take those thoughts and to write the story of their life at sea, a narrative which allows readers to understand how things really are, whether good or bad, happy or sad. The trends are useful, but it is the stories of those working on board ship which provide the real backdrop and explanation as to how things really are, and how they could and perhaps should be.”

Mr Jones concedes that the feedback can only ever represent the mindset of a fraction of serving seafarers, but he believes that the feedback that is received provides a useful indication of how seafarers feel generally. One big challenge is to try to ensure that everyone who has contributed has their voice and story heard. “That can involve trying to weave together occasionally contradictory responses. Not every seafarer’s experience is the same: some are hugely happy, others are incredibly dissatisfied. So while true representation is hard, every effort is made to ensure that the messages are heard and the story told captures what is being experienced,” says Mr Jones.

The anonymity afforded by the survey allows seafarers to truly speak their minds, something that the Mission fully supports.

And while there is no mechanism for communicating back to individuals, if there was a real concern about someone’s safety or mental health then there would be some attempt to reach out.

Welcome insight Since its inception, there has been a strong reaction to the SHI. Seafarers have embraced the opportunity to share their thoughts, while other stakeholders have read the Index with interest. Some, explains Mr Jones, have been shocked by revelations, such as seafarers seemingly dreading port calls and the suggestion that companies are cutting back not only on feeding rates but also even on spending on spares and machinery.

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“

It has always been too easy for people to second guess seafarers, or to fill in the gaps – but with the Seafarers Happiness Index there is an opportunity for the voice of crews to be heard. The system has been built and now we just hope they support it and tell us how they feel.

Steven Jones “Since 2015, the Seafarer Happiness Index has revealed fascinating trends and early warning signs. All in all, the fact that there is a dialogue and a means of finding out what people at sea experience, see, think and feel has to be good – even if some of their feedback is bad. The more seafarers who share and express their views, the more powerful and compelling the data is. So all seafarers are encouraged to help us to help them. By completing the SHI, and by revisiting it every quarter to

update their thinking, a really powerful body of evidence can be developed.

“It has always been too easy for people to second guess seafarers, or to fill in the gaps – but with the SHI there is an opportunity for the voice of crews to be heard. The system has been built and now we just hope they support it and tell us how they feel.”

Seafarers keen to take part in the SHI can do so via the Mission’s website at https:// www.missiontoseafarers.org/ seafarershappiness. n

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Looking out for seafarers in Canada

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C A N DA A

The Canada Branch of the Mission faces geographical and geopolitical challenges in assisting seafarers in North America By the Revd Maggie Whittingham-Lamont

C

ANADA is a large country – in fact, it is the secondlargest in the world. The distance from its easternmost to westernmost point is 9,306 km (5,780 miles). It has the longest coastline in the world and a total of 243,042 kilometres on three oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic.

The size of Canada presents some trials for shipping, as ships travel far inland along the Saint Lawrence River as well as on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways. In the future, there

Currency causes undue distress ONE of the pleasures that our volunteers and staff have is taking seafarers who have arrived shopping, and that usually means a trip to their favourite stores, writes the Revd Judith Alltree. Last May, one of our volunteers drove a group of Filipino seafarers to a store near our Mission station in Hamilton and dropped them off with the promise of returning to pick them up in an hour. Imagine his shock when he returned to find the seafarers standing outside the entrance, surrounded by police. He alerted the chaplain, who immediately drove over to the store to assess the situation.

The problem? US money. We all know that American money is the currency used by the entire shipping industry, no matter where in the world a ship is. Because of this, we regularly check with stores that US currency will be acceptable. We had been assured by this particular store that it was but, in this case, the staff at this branch had arbitrarily declared the money to be counterfeit and had called the police.

We have begun a process in our stations of training our staff and volunteers to do all that is possible to protect seafarers against any form of what we perceive to be prejudicial treatment by staff of stores, banks or other institutions. We are putting a plan in place to work with local police departments to help them better understand seafarers, and we are doing all we can to get funds exchanged before the seafarers go shopping wherever possible. In this case, the banks had closed and there were no currency exchange stores open when the group decided to go to shopping.

It was a difficult lesson to learn, but it opened our eyes again to how vulnerable seafarers are, especially if they are not able to have people from local Mission stations to assist them. A letter of complaint sent in May to the Canadian president of the store in question remained unanswered at the time of writing. n The Revd Judith Alltree is senior chaplain for Southern Ontario which encompasses Toronto, Hamilton and Oshawa.

is the possibility of commercial traffic traversing the Northwest Passage, a feat that was thought to be impossible until recent times.

The above facts create unique challenges for maritime ministry.

Ports are spread very far apart, so chaplains may find themselves covering huge areas in their efforts to serve seafarers. Many ports are remote and located in areas where there are few facilities such as shops and transport. WiFi is often weak in these areas, so communication with loved ones is difficult.

Weather plays a huge part in our lifestyle in Canada, and ships are at the mercy of weather extremes as they enter Canadian waters. The east coast is clipped by almost all hurricanes as they travel north and out to sea, and icebergs also present a real threat to shipping. Chaplains on the east coast often find themselves dealing with seafarers traumatised after storms, in port whilst their ship awaits repairs.

Ships often become stuck in ice in the winter, meaning that seafarers are left standing extra watches as the ship inches its way through the ice, and the

ever-present fatigue can become almost unbearable.

For crews that find themselves in port for longer than usual, various Missions will try to offer some form of recreation.

In Southern Ontario, a favourite trip is to Niagara Falls, whilst on the east coast, seafarers love to visit the Titanic Gravesite or Peggy’s Cove. In Vancouver, the verdant Stanley Park is a favourite destination. Furthermore, all centres are helpful when seafarers are looking for something specific. It may be something pertinent to their work on the ship or something for personal use. It is these small errands that make a seafarers’ centre memorable.

Seafarers often arrive in our ports ill-equipped for our weather, especially during the winter, so it is important that each centre is able to obtain good, warm second-hand clothing. Most centres report that it is difficult to keep winter coats at the centres during our winter months – they fly out of the Mission as soon as they are unpacked. Seafarers are also often not aware of the dangers of exposure to the cold and thus do not protect their extremities

missiontoseafarers.org adequately. Chaplains spend a lot of time in the winter ensuring that seafarers are properly dressed for the climate. Most seafarers smile when they are told we only have two seasons: winter and roadworks, or, if they don’t like the weather, to wait five minutes.

Despite all this talk about the weather, winter does end, and several Canadian ports have a vibrant cruise industry. A small Canadian city takes on a very different look when there are five cruise ships in town on the same day. In most Canadian ports, the chaplains cannot routinely board the cruise ships, so it is important that they utilise other methods of contacting crew and letting them know that there are services available to them. Centres have used various methods, but one that has worked particularly well is asking pilots to take a small packet of information on board ships, outlining the services that the seafarers’ centre is able to offer.

The east coast of Canada is famous for the height and variations of its tide, and this is something that vessel operators and ship visitors have to take into account. On larger containerships, a ship visit at low tide is much less arduous than traversing a sixty-step gangway at high tide. The tides also affect a ship’s ability to travel under bridges, so docking times will often vary according to the tide.

Chaplains who often visit at break times may have to alter their

missiontoseafarers visiting pattern to best serve the crews, which may mean an early morning start or a late evening visit. Likewise, seafarers’ centres may have to alter their opening times to enable seafarers to access their services.

Canada is no different from most places in the world in that resources for seafarer ministry are often scarce, so chaplains have to be quite innovative in how they offer their services. The Reverend Judith Alltree, senior chaplain and executive director of The Mission to Seafarers’ Southern Ontario branch, has been quite innovative in endeavouring to bring quality care to seafarers. She has revitalised ministry in Oshawa and Hamilton and is constantly seeking opportunities to promote the Mission whilst also ensuring financial viability. Hers is the only centre in Canada thus far that has managed to set up a port welfare committee.

Canada is behind when it comes to communication technology. It is very expensive and often hard to obtain. Whilst WiFi is available in the centres, most chaplains in Canada are still constantly striving to obtain cost-effective WiFi for ships that do not yet have this facility whilst in port. Eric Phinney at the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick is one Mission to Seafarers chaplain who has been able to obtain free WiFi for visiting seafarers in one part of the port.

Because of the vastness of Canada and the distances

FlyingAngelNews between ports, communication between chaplains is important.

The Mission to Seafarers Canada is still relatively young as an organised region and there is a lot of work to do. The aim is to increase awareness of each other’s ports and set up good channels of communication.

Currently, as things stand with the Mission in Canada, unless we increase membership, we will not survive. Furthermore, there are many ports in Canada that do not have maritime ministry, so there

theSea | Nov/Dec 2017 11 is a lot of communication needed between myself and clergy in these places to attempt to increase our outreach to seafarers. Of course, none of the above can be done without funding, so I, along with the membership, will be looking for ways to obtain funding to continue the care of seafarers in Canada. n The Revd Maggie WhittinghamLamont is a chaplain at Mission to Seafarers Halifax and regional director for Mission to Seafarers Canada.

Three very happy individuals after Maggie (right) managed to get these seafarers’ money back

A battle to return a deposit OUR Mission in Halifax has helped many seafarers over the years who have landed in Halifax before their ship has docked. Sometimes the agent will provide a hotel room, but if seafarers arrive during the daytime, the agent will quite often request that they spend time at the Mission while awaiting their vessel’s arrival.

On 24 January, 2017, two Filipino seafarers arrived in Halifax late at night, and their agent placed them in a local hotel as their ship was delayed by a winter storm. The agent had booked the hotel using his credit card, but when the seafarers checked in, the hotel asked for another $250 from each of them as a damage deposit.

The crew members paid the money and retired to their room, but were awakened at three o’clock in the morning with the message that their ship had arrived and that they should check out and join it. The duo were supposed to receive their damage deposits back, but no one was at the reception desk, so they left without receiving their money.

On 23 August, the two seafarers arrived back in Halifax and confided

in Dylan, the NAMMA (the North American Region of ICMA) intern, about not having received their deposits back from the hotel. He passed the information to me, as chaplain. I called the hotel, but as it was out of business hours, there was no reply.

Early the next morning, I went to the hotel and explained the situation, speaking to several people who were unable to help.

All senior staff were away at a fundraising event for the day and it looked doubtful that we would be able to obtain the crew members’ money. However, I was insistent, explaining the plight of seafarers in general and that $250 was a large amount of money for them. The hotel chain had already written off the amount as it had not been claimed in six months.

Eventually, a hotel employee, touched by the seafarers’ story, contacted his boss, who, after determining that I was legitimate, agreed to refund the seafarers’ deposits. There were two very happy seafarers on board when I arrived with the money and I was touched by the round of applause I received from the rest of the crew. n

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Expanding horizons at sea Crews of different nationalities give seafarers a perfect excuse to experiment with apps for learning a new language at sea, says Kate Jones

H

AVE you ever found yourself in a situation while at sea where you cannot speak the same languages as other crew members? If you have, you won’t be alone: with the five biggest supply countries for seafarers being China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia and Ukraine, a ship can hold crew encompassing a wide range of nationalities and tongues. However, thanks to 21st century technology, being unable to meet and converse with foreign-speaking crew members can be a thing of the past.

With the proliferation of apps in recent years, a wide variety of free tools – some of which are available for offline use – have sprung up, allowing users to learn foreign languages without having to attend classes or invest in the services of a tutor. If you fancy investing your free time at sea into expanding your horizons and potentially getting to know some of your fellow seafarers, why not download a language learning app while your vessel is in port?

Here’s our pick of the best apps for learning foreign languages while at sea.

Pro, you can download lessons so that you can also use the app offline on some platforms. Memrise apps are available for Android, Windows and iOS systems.

4. Travel Phrasebook

1. Duolingo This free app, available for Android, Windows and iOS users, offers courses in a number of languages, including Russian, Ukrainian and Vietnamese. You begin by using text, pictures, and audio to help you learn your language of choice.

You can also try out several sections at once if you already have some knowledge of a language, and the app will adapt the questions to how you’re doing. Offline mode offers a handful of lessons without an Internet connection to Android and iOS users.

2. 50LANGUAGES On 50LANGUAGES, which is available to Android and iOS customers for free, both offline

and online, there are over, unsurprisingly, 50 different languages for you to try out, including Ukrainian, Urdu, Chinese, Hindi and Indonesian. A hundred lessons are offered for your chosen language, with each lesson containing 18 phrases.

There are also over 2,500 language combinations on the app, allowing you more freedom if English is not your mother tongue.

3. Memrise Memrise is a well-known tool when it comes to learning languages, and it also has apps. The learning tool offers courses in languages such as Tagalog, Nepali, some Chinese languages, Russian and Ukrainian.

By paying to upgrade to Memrise

If you’re looking for a simple app to help you learn a few key phrases, why not try Travel Phrasebook?

This app, which you can use offline, is available on Android and iOS and can teach you key expressions for several languages, including some Chinese languages, Russian, Indonesian and Hindi. Tap on a phrase and the app will speak it out loud.

5. Babbel The Babbel app, available for Android, Windows and iOS users for free, can teach you languages including Russian, Indonesian and Portuguese. The app teaches with a focus on everyday conversation and lessons last an average of 15 minutes. On the Android and iOS apps, if you download courses while you’re online, you can use them on the app when you aren’t connected to the Internet as well. n

Sudoku

The aim of Sudoku is to fill in the empty cells so that each column, row and 3x3 region contains the numbers 1 to 9 exactly once.

Find the answers to both puzzles in the next issue.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

BEGINNER LEVEL SOLUTION (ISSUE 248)

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL SOLUTION (ISSUE 248) Credit: www.sudokuoftheday.com

BEGINNER LEVEL

Jumble

Can you correctly unscramble these anagrams to form four words? If so, send your answers by email to thesea@missiontoseafarers.org by January 30, 2018. All correct answers will be entered into a draw for a chance to win a Mission to Seafarers’ Goodie Bag, containing a pen set, mug and handmade woolly hat. Please include your answers, name, the vessel you are working on, nationality and finish this sentence: “I like The Mission to Seafarers because…”

1) OHENLT YCO G

2) SLABA LT

3) BO R HUR A

4) VO ITG ANAIN

September/October solutions: 1. Battery 2. Demurrage 3. Lash 4. Submarine

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theSea | Nov/Dec 2017 13

See Michael Grey’s article on page 7

“The Captain wants to know if he waits for the tide, will he get in?”

Get in touch!

Have you got news or views that you’d like to share with The Sea? Please get in touch: thesea@missiontoseafarers.org.

Ben Bailey, The Sea, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London, UK EC4R 2RL

We work in over 200 ports in 50 countries caring for seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs.

T: +44 (0)20 7246 2947 E: ben.bailey@missiontoseafarers.org

Through our global network of chaplains, staff and volunteers, we offer practical, emotional and spiritual support to seafarers through ship visits, drop-in seafarers’ centres and a range of welfare and emergency support services.

The Sea Editor: Carly Fields News: David Hughes Assistant Editor: Kate Jones www.missiontoseafarers.org

The Mission to Seafarers The Mission to Seafarers provides help and support to the 1.5 million men and women who face danger every day to keep our global economy afloat.

The Sea is distributed free to seafarers through chaplains and seafarers’ centres. missiontoseafarers

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Overhead cuts may mean trouble ahead InstituteForApprenticeships

Some cost-cutting measures have been long overdue, but others could have dire consequences for the shipping industry

By James Wilkes

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HE shipping industry is finally showing signs of recovery after one of the longest downturns in recent memory.

Low rates and bankruptcies have been the obvious signs of strain.

Less visible has been the impact of sustained pressure to cut operational costs. These savings could come at a high price.

There is nothing new in the idea that cutting overheads carries risk. In 2015, two academics, one from Turkey and one from Japan, published a paper in The Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics entitled The Fallacy of Random Marine Accidents in Dry Cargo Fleet. The academics examined the idea that, in the dry cargo sector at least, there was a link between marine accidents and low freight rates, concluding that this link existed. Low rates did show a correlation with an increase in marine casualties, albeit with a time lag.

The academics postulated two theories as to why there might be a link. One was the ‘voluntary loss theory’, which assumed that during a downturn, when values were low, some owners – deliberately or recklessly – put their vessels at risk. The other was that low rates encouraged cuts in operational costs, with the inadvertent side effect of eroding safety standards.

Both theories mirror the concerns of maritime insurers in 2017.

Increasing risk The marine insurance industry has seen a decline in shipping losses and casualties. In the last ten years, losses reported to maritime insurers have fallen more than 50%. That might suggest that the link between low rates and marine accidents has been broken.

One maritime insurer – Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) – has its doubts. The company’s Safety and Shipping

state level has been declining in some regions. Resources have been redirected or simply withdrawn.

“I think economic downturn puts pressure on the ‘regulatory industry’ as well as on the shipping industry,” she told Gray Page. “It contributes to a culture where decent standards can be eroded.”

Short-term expedients

Cuts to operational costs could come at a high price Review for 2017 warned of a ‘perfect storm’ of thin margins and regulatory pressure. Nearly ten years of low rates have seen cuts to maintenance budgets and pressure on crew numbers, training and morale. High debt levels and low earnings could yet generate a spike in maritime losses. The seeds for accidents in years to come may already have been sown.

“Crew negligence and inadequate vessel maintenance are potential areas of increasing risk,” said Duncan Southcott, global head of marine claims at AGCS, writing in the review. It was particularly true, he warned, if shipowners stretched maintenance work “to the longest possible intervals” or recruited inexperienced or poorly -trained crews.

Crew morale There are already signs that pressure to cut crew costs could have jeopardised performance.

An analysis of the mental health of crews by the UK P&I Club has

exposed troubling levels of anxiety and social isolation.

The Club’s senior loss prevention advisor, Anuj Velankar, told a seminar in Singapore this year that stress and long hours were to blame. He might easily have added long rotations and low wages.

Furthermore, shipping consultancy Drewry said that the average wage for seafarers has been unchanged since 2009, with average officer rates actually falling in the past year.

It is hard to prove a link between seafarer morale and accidents but it seems fair to assume that well-motivated, well-trained and well-rested crews are less prone to mistakes. ‘Crew negligence’ and ‘crew morale’ are two sides of the same coin.

The economic factors that contributed to low rates may also have undermined maritime safety in other subtle ways. Katie Higginbottom, maritime projects and campaigns leader for ITF, said that interest in policing international regulations at port

Some cost-cutting programmes, such as improving fuel efficiency, have been effective and overdue.

Others should be seen for what they are: risky, short-term expedients. Captain John Evanson, senior nautical advisor at Gray Page, said that the industry is at the point where some potentially damaging practices – in terms of vessel and machinery condition, crew and office staff – risk becoming embedded. He suspects there may already be an upturn in incidents but that the scale of it may be hidden, as some potential claims have gone unregistered.

“For many observers, we now await the next big event,” said Evanson. “It may not come from a budget operator, thinly-stretched.

It is quite possible it could be an aspirational player who has taken in a distressed vessel with the benefit of full knowledge of the vessel’s history.”

Cost-cutting has been a survival response to a hostile economic climate. It appears to have had little impact on the long-term fall in the number of shipping accidents being reported to insurers. But that could be down to luck or – more likely – the fact that some problems have yet to surface. The most dangerous aspects of the recession may still be lying in wait. n James Wilkes is managing director of maritime investigation, intelligence, and security consulting company Gray Page. He has more than 20 years of experience helping clients manage corporate malfeasance, criminal activity, political instability, terrorism and other complex problems.

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Protection offered to abandoned seafarers Provisions are in place to ensure that protection is available for seafarers left high and dry by shipowners

By Douglas B Stevenson

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BANDONING seafarers without wages, food, water, medical care or the means to return to their homes is one of the most shameful aspects of the maritime industry.

Maritime law has long protected seafarers from being stranded far from home. Age-old shipping customs and the earliest maritime codes have required shipowners to pay and repatriate seafarers.

When shipowners failed to do so, their vessels could be auctioned by tribunals to satisfy their obligations to their crews.

Seafarers’ rights to wages and repatriation endure in modern maritime statutes and in the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006). However, in some cases, these rights can be illusory.

When shipowners disappear, leaving their crews abandoned, seafarers can have difficulty being paid wages and being repatriated when litigation costs are expensive, there are lengthy court backlogs or the vessel is not worth enough at auction to satisfy claims. Recognising this problem, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United States Congress have created new protections for abandoned seafarers.

When the MLC 2006 was adopted, it provided protection for seafarers in Regulation 2.5, which codified seafarers’ rights to be repatriated at no cost to themselves, and in Regulation 2.2, which codified their right to be paid earned wages. These protections assumed that there was an existing shipowner who would pay these expenses.

However, the Convention lacked provisions to protect seafarers who had been abandoned by their ship’s owner. The original MLC 2006 did not define abandonment, nor did it have any provisions for paying necessary expenses (such

Abandoned seafarers can claim for unpaid wages, repatriation and other abandonment-related expenses

as food, clothing, accommodation and medical care) for abandoned seafarers.

In 2014, the ILO adopted an amendment to MLC 2006 that provided protection for seafarers in abandonment cases. The amendments came into force on 18 January, 2017 in almost all countries that had ratified MLC 2006 (though the Netherlands and Curaçao have indicated that they will not be bound by the amendments until after they notify the ILO of their acceptance).

The new Standard A2.5.2 requires shipowners to have a financial system in place to assist abandoned seafarers. Shipowners must provide proof to flag states that they have a financial system set up that will pay abandoned seafarers up to four months’ wages, cover contractual entitlements and repatriation expenses and cover essential needs such as adequate food, clothing, accommodation, drinking water, essential fuel for survival on the ship, medical care and other reasonable costs until the seafarers arrive home. A certificate, or other documentary evidence of financial security for the crew,

must be posted on the vessel.

The financial security provider, usually an insurance company, must provide direct access to abandoned crew members.

The amendments also implicitly require seafarers to take action to mitigate the effects of abandonment. After being abandoned, seafarers can submit a claim directly to the financial security provider for unpaid wages, repatriation and other abandonment-related expenses.

According to the amended MLC 2006, seafarers are considered abandoned when the shipowner fails to cover the cost of a crew member ’s repatriation, the shipowner has left the crew member without the necessary maintenance and support and the shipowner has otherwise unilaterally severed their ties with the crew member, including failure to pay contractual wages for a period of at least two months. MLC 2006 abandonment amendments must be enforced by flag states that have ratified the Convention on their ships and they may enforce them on foreign ships in their ports.

While the US has not ratified MLC 2006 and does not enforce

the Convention’s abandonment provisions on its ships or on foreign vessels in its ports, it has enacted another law designed to protect seafarers from abandonment. In 2014, Congress created the Abandoned Seafarers Fund (46 U.S.C. §11113) to be used to pay necessary support to foreign seafarers abandoned in the US. Under this law, a seafarer is considered abandoned when the shipowner unilaterally severs ties with the seafarer or when the shipowner fails to provide necessary support to the seafarer.

Necessary support means normal wages and reasonable expenses for lodging, subsistence, clothing, medical care (including hospitalisation), repatriation and any other appropriate expenses.

The Abandoned Seafarers Fund is financed by penalties from marine environmental crime convictions. Although $1,000,000 has already been deposited in the fund, it is not yet able to pay necessary support to abandoned foreign seafarers. The US Coast Guard, which will administer the fund, still needs additional Congressional authorisation before it can begin paying out from it. n

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FlyingAngelNews

Making a difference

In all the interactions we have as seafarers, we should aim to make a positive difference, says the Revd Canon Andrew Wright

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HE Christian Bible is full of great stories which contain insights for those of all faiths and none. In its gospel of John, for example, we read of many different meetings Jesus had with a wide range of people.

He came across people of so many kinds on the roads he walked, just as all do who travel the seas. Among them was Philip, who believed that “nothing good could come from Nazareth”. Soon afterwards, Nicodemus, an important and intelligent man, fearful of being seen, came secretly by night to explore deep, spiritual questions.

Then there was the woman at the well who was shocked when Jesus spoke to her and asked her to give him a drink. She was a Samaritan and a woman. People like Jesus did not normally speak to people like her.

A prayer for seafarers God our Father, we thank you for all that we can learn from Jesus. Like him, we meet many people in our travels, both on land and sea. Through all we do and say, make us a blessing to others. Be in all our speaking and in all our doing. Amen Later, a blind man met with Jesus and subsequently found he could see again. And then there was Thomas, who told Jesus frankly that he found it impossible to believe that the man who stood before him could really have returned from the dead.

All these meetings and many more – some short, others long

– were unique and profound. I recently heard someone draw a conclusion about these meetings.

He said that after each one, there was “more of the person afterwards than there was before”. Every conversation made a difference – a good one. Each interaction made things a little better!

Perhaps something new was learnt. Perhaps a sense of purpose and wellbeing was improved.

Always, time was given and each person was made to feel valued.

Of course, at one level, these encounters remind us of the deep love of God for all, which Jesus constantly conveyed. At another level, these encounters should inspire all of us at the beginning of every day.

We will have many meetings: with fellow crew members, with others on board or in port, with family and friends via telephone or internet. In all our conversations, are we going to leave “more of the person afterwards than there was before”? Are we going to add value to each life and leave people feeling better? There is no greater gift that we can give. To do so is to be a blessing. n

Paggawa ng pagbabago Sa lahat ng interkasyon namin bilang mga mandaragat, maging sa mga kapwa miyembro ng tripulante, sa ibang nakasakay sa barko o sa puwerto o sa pamilya at mga kaibigan sa pinaggalingang bansa, dapat tayong maghangad na makagawa ng positibong pagbabago, sabi ni Revd Canon Andrew Wright

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NG THE Christian Bible ay puno ng magagandang kuwento kung saan naglalaman ng mga nakapaglilinaw na pananaw para sa lahat ng nananalig at hindi.

Sa ebanghelyo nito ni John, bilang halimbawa, nabasa natin ang maraming iba’t ibang pagtatagpo na ginawa ni Hesus sa isang kalawakan ng mga tao.

Nakatagpo niya ang napakaraming uri ng tao sa mga lasangan na kanyang nilakaran, gaya lang ng ginagawa ng lahat na naglalakbay sa mga dagat. Kasama sa mga ito ay si Philip, na naniniwala na “walang mabuti ang maaaring dumating mula sa Nazareth”. Hindi nagtagal pagkatapos, si Nicodemus, isang mahalaga at matalinong tao, na natatakot na makita, ay sikretong dumating sa gabi para siyasatin ang malalim na ispirituwal na mga katanungan.

Pagkatapos ay naroon ang babaeng nasa balon na nabigla nang kinausap siya ni Hesus at hinilingan siyang bigyan siya ng inumin. Isa siyang Samaritan at isang babae.

Isang panalangin para sa mga marino Diyos na aming Ama, pinasasalamatan ka namin sa lahat ng matututunan namin kay Hesus. Tulad niya, maraming tao ang aming nakakatagpo sa aming mga paglalakbay, pareho sa lupa at dagat. Sa lahat ng aming gagawin at sasabihin, gawin kaming isang biyaya sa iba. Sumama sa lahat ng aming pakikipag-usap at sa lahat ng aming gagawin. Amen Ang mga taong tulad ni Hesus ay karaniwang hindi nakikipag-usap sa mga taong tulad niya.

Pagkatapos, nakasalubong ng isang bulag na lalaki si Hesus at natuklasan pagkatapos na nakakakita na siyang muli. At pagkatapos ay naroon si Thomas, na deretsahang sinabi kay Hesus na natuklasan niyang imposibleng paniwalaan na ang taong kaharap niya ay talagang nagbalik mula sa kamatayan.

Lahat ng pagtatagpo na ito at

marami pa – ang ilang ay maikli, ang iba ay mahaba – ay mga naiiba at napakalalim. Kamakailan lang ay naringgan ko ang isang tao na naglabas ng kongklusyon tungkol sa mga pagtatagpo na ito. Sabi niya na pagkatapos ng bawat isa, nagkaroon ng “higit pa sa tao pagkatapos kaysa dati”. Ang bawat usapan ay nakagagawa ng pagbabago, isang maganda. Bahagyang ginawang mas mainam ng bawat interaksyon ang mga bagay!

Marahil may natutunang isang bagay na bago. Marahil ay napabuti ang isang diwa ng layunin at kapakanan. Palagi, naibigay ang panahon at nagawang makaramdam ng pinapahalagahan ang bawat tao.

Siyempre, sa isang lebel, ang lahat ng pagtatagpo ay ipinapaalala sa atin ang malalim na pagmamahal ng Diyos sa lahat, na palaging ipinapaabot ni Hesus. Sa isa pang lebel, dapat tayong pukawin ng mga pagtatagpo na ito sa bawat umpisa ng araw.

Magkakaroon tayo ng maraming pakikipagtagpo: sa mga kapwa miyembro ng tripulante, sa ibang nakasakay sa barko o sa puwerto, sa pamilya at mga kaibigan sa pamamagitan ng telepono at internet. Sa lahat ng ating usapan, iiwanan ba natin ang “higit pa sa tao pagkatapos kaysa dati”?

Magdaragdag ba tayo ng kahalagahan sa bawat buhay at iwanang mas mabuti ang pakiramdam ng mga tao?

Wala nang mas magandang regalo na maaari nating ibigay. Ang gumawa ay para maging isang biyaya. n