The Sea May/June 2016

www.missiontoseafarers.org themissiontoseafarers @FlyingAngelNews

Issue 242 Jul/Aug 2016

Los artículos en español aparecen en las páginas 6y7

Officer shortage is expected ‘to get worse’

Статьи на русском языке приводятся на стр. 6 и 7

A

West African waters are becoming increasingly violent

page 2 Shore-side corruption and bad practice highlighted

page 3 Accurate box weights now required by law

page 8 The Mission to Seafarers Founded in 1856, and entirely funded by voluntary donations, today’s Mission to Seafarers offers emergency assistance, practical support, and a friendly welcome to crews in 260 ports around the world. Whether caring for victims of piracy or providing a lifeline to those stranded in foreign ports, we are there for the globe’s 1.5 million merchant seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs.

NEW report says there is a current shortfall of about 16,500 officers, or 2.1 per cent of the total requirement, but by 2025 the world merchant fleet will need an additional 147,500 officers.

It also suggests there could already be more Chinese seafarers than Filipino ones. Meanwhile ship managers expect experienced and well qualified officers to be in great demand, in contrast to ratings, who they expect to be in a less enviable situation.

The latest five-yearly Bimco/International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Manpower Report says the global supply of officers is forecast to increase steadily, but this is predicted to be outpaced by increasing demand.

Some officer categories are in especially short supply, including engineer officers at management level and officers needed for specialised ships such as chemical, LNG and LPG carriers.

The report suggests that in the past five years the industry has made good progress in increasing recruitment and raising training levels and reducing officer wastage by retaining

Credit: Marcel Crozet, ILO

Growth in demand for seafarers could generate a serious lack of officers by 2025 unless training levels are increased, warns report

Low training levels are detrimental to supply of seafarers

qualified seafarers and increasing the number of years which they serve at sea. But the report indicates that, unless training levels are increased significantly, the growth in demand for seafarers could generate a serious shortage in the total supply of officers.

However, the report estimates

there is a current surplus of about 119,000 ratings, or 15.8 per cent of the required number, with demand only having increased by about 1 per cent since 2010.

While the Philippines is still the largest source of ratings, China is thought to have overtaken the Philippines as the largest single source of seafarers

of any rank qualified for international trade. However, the report qualifies this finding by saying that data from international shipping companies suggests that the extent to which Chinese seafarers are available for international service may be more limited, with the Philippines and Russia seen as equally important sources of officers, followed closely by Ukraine and India.

Bimco’s CEO, Angus Frew, said: “BIMCO and ICS have once again collaborated closely to produce a valuable in-depth analysis of maritime manpower trends. The industry can put this report to good use by ensuring we can continue to operate the world merchant fleet with sufficient numbers of qualified and competent seafarers.”

ICS secretary general Peter Hinchliffe commented: “Without continuing efforts to promote careers at sea and improve levels of recruitment and retention, the report suggests, it cannot be guaranteed that there will be an abundant supply of seafarers in the future.”

Call for investment in training – Page 4

Organisations rally to promote shipping careers THE latest Manpower Report should act as a “wake-up call” for the industry to address the issue of the accelerating shortage of seafarers, ship managers’ body Intermanager has said.

InterManager secretary-general, Capt Kuba Szymanski stressed shipping should not sit on its laurels when it came to the recruitment and retention of seafarers.

“Our people are our assets and we need to develop a strategy whereby shipping is once again seen as a career of choice for tomorrow’s young talented people.

“There is no avoiding the fact that the global fleet is increasing and more manpower is needed. However, we are demanding more from current seafarers rather than recruiting even more cadets into the market. And these cadets need training berths on our ships if they are to fulfil their true potential. Attracting new seafarers and retaining them will test the industry, but we are taking action now with initiatives such as the single window, paperless shipping, and project MARTHA to address this issue.”

Ship manager Thome described the latest report as “worrying” and called on fellow ship managers to redouble their efforts to promote shipping as an attractive career option for young people.

Another ship management company, Norbulk Shipping, said the shortage of officers could lead to an accelerated level of competition between ship managers.

The Glasgow-based company added that it was possible quality shipowners could in fact benefit from the lack of qualified officers.

The Sea Editor: Carly Fields News: David Hughes Assistant Editor: Lara Shingles The Sea is distributed free to seafarers through chaplains and seafarers’ centres. You can also arrange to receive it for a suggested donation of £3.50 or $5 per year (six issues). To find out more, contact: Laura Hayes, The Sea, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London, UK EC4R 2RL Tel: +44 (0)20 7248 5202 Email: laura.hayes@ missiontoseafarers.org www.missiontoseafarers.org Registered charity in England and Wales: 1123613 The Mission to Seafarers Scotland Limited, Registered charity: SC041938

Protests break out over Prestige ruling THE bodies representing European transport unions and shipowners, the European Transport Federation (ETF) and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) respectively, have jointly expressed extreme concern over the final ruling in the Prestige case. The Spanish Supreme Court unexpectedly overturned the judgement by the Provincial Court of La Coruña, which had cleared both the ship’s master, Apostolos Mangouras, and the chief engineer of criminal responsibility.

ETF and ECSA said in a statement: “Judges have now convicted Captain Mangouras of gross negligence for his decisions during the voyage and his actions as events unfolded.

But this decision is nothing less than a further proof – one time too many – of the illtreatment of seafarers that began as early as www.missiontoseafarers.org

at the time of the accident and which, in the case of Captain Mangouras, has continued for an agonising period of fourteen long and stressful years of judicial harassment.”

The shipowners and unions argue that the Provincial Court judgement found Capt Mangouras innocent for the simple reason that he bravely fulfilled his professional duty in attempting to save his ship. Confronted with a refusal by the Spanish authorities to give the damaged ship a place of refuge, where an oil spill could have been contained, not only the master but also the chief engineer and the chief officer remained on board the vessel, while the hull was breached and the risk of capsize was dramatically increasing.

Under pressure from the Spanish authorities, the master had to take a series themissiontoseafarers

of actions against his will that resulted in the damaged tanker being forced to remain out at sea in dreadful conditions, where it eventually broke in two and sank off the coast of Galicia.

ETF and ECSA say they “cannot accept that seafarers should have to pay such a heavy price whilst the Maritime Authority, which had been exempted from any liability, ordered the vessel away from any port of refuge, with well-known catastrophic effects upon the natural environment”.

They add: “It is beyond dispute that seafarers are too often used as easy scapegoats upon whom to shift all the responsibility for possible environmental damages, and unfairly sued – sometimes in flagrant breach of their fundamental rights.” @FlyingAngelNews

No lookout as vessels collide AN INVESTIGATION by Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit (MSIU) into a collision last year between the Malta-flagged vehicle carrier Tongala and the South Korea-registered general cargoship Bo Spring has found that no look-out was being kept on either vessel.

The investigation concluded that, in a typical crossing situation and in good visibility in daylight and with vessels in sight of one another for around one hour, both navigational officers of the watch (OOWs) “did not have an accurate situation awareness of the dynamic context around their respective ships”.

The Tongala’s OOW was preoccupied with chart corrections and was unaware of the other vessel until the two ships collided.

The Bo Spring’s managers did not provide any information to the investigation but it was clear that the ship’s OOW took no action to avoid collision.

Ferry collision officer jailed AN ITALIAN second officer has been jailed for eight months for breaches of the UK Merchant Shipping Act that contributed to a 2010 collision which led to the death of a 16-year-old fisherman.

Pasquale Miccio was in charge of the ferry Scottish Viking when it collided with the prawn fishing boat Homeland off St Abbs Head, near Eyemouth, Scotland, in August 2010. The Homeland deckhand drowned in the incident.

His 20-year-old brother, Joseph, who was the skipper, was rescued.

Mr Miccio failed to take early and sufficient action to avoid the collision, despite warnings from his bridge look-out.

An earlier UK Marine Accident Investigation report detailed numerous failings

by Mr Miccio, but also concluded that the Homeland, which had a crew of two, had not kept a proper look-out. Mr Miccio told the court he was “profoundly sorry” for his actions.

2 the sea Jul/Aug 2016

Warning on generator dangers

West African waters are becoming increasingly violent Reports indicate ‘unacceptable violence’ against ships and crews in the Gulf of Guinea

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“Reports in the last quarter indicate unacceptable violence against ships and crews in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly around Nigeria. The current increase in kidnappings is a cause for great concern,” says Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB. The IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) warns all seafarers in the region to stay vigilant, maintain anti-piracy watches and take additional measures to prevent boarding. Already this quarter, armed groups have attacked vessels and their crews along the coast, on rivers, at anchorages, and in ports and surrounding waters. Bulkers and vehicle carriers have been targeted as well as vessels associated with the oil industry.

The IMB noted ten incidents off India in the first quarter of 2016. The seaport Kandla in Western India reported seven of these – more incidents than the port had for the whole of 2015.

No small product tankers were hijacked in South East Asia in the first three months of the year, after a spate of attacks between April 2014 and August

2015. In April Capt Mukundan commented: “Actions taken by the Malaysian and Indonesian authorities against pirate gangs in 2015 appear to have had the necessary deterrent effect.”

Since then, however, there has been another such incident. On 7 May a product tanker en route from Singapore to the Sunda Straits was boarded by armed pirates. They took all the crew hostage and hijacked the tanker. Fortunately there was an effective response to this incident. Nine suspected pirates were detained and all the crew were reported to be safe.

No pirate attacks were recorded off Somalia in the first three months of 2016 but suspected Somali pirates continued to hold 29 seafarers to ransom.

The IMB PRC advises masters to stay vigilant and follow the industry’s Best Management Practices while sailing through these waters, especially as the situation onshore in Somalia remains fragile and the threat of Somali piracy has not been eliminated.

Credit: Kenan O’Connor, U.S. Navy

HILE in general piracy on the world’s seas continues to diminish, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) says there is growing violence off the coast of West Africa, where 44 seafarers were captured in the first three months of 2016.

In the same three months worldwide, the IMB recorded 37 piracy and armed robbery incidents, down from 54 in the same period last year. Three vessels were hijacked and 29 boarded, with 26 crew kidnapped for ransom and a further 28 held hostage.

With Nigeria and Ivory Coast accounting for two of the three hijackings recorded globally, and all 28 hostages, the IMB says “the Gulf of Guinea dominates world piracy in terms of numbers and severity”. Additionally, the region saw 16 crew kidnapped from chemical and product tankers in four separate incidents. Ten attacks were reported off Nigeria alone, all involving guns.

MARINE insurer North P&I Club has warned of the potentially severe consequences of poorly maintained or overloaded onboard generators being unable to meet the electrical demands of ships at sea.

The insurer’s deputy loss prevention director Colin Gillespie said: “Generators have a critical function to play on all ships. They provide electrical power for ever-more complex navigation, communication and safety systems as well as essential onboard services and vital equipment such as cranes, winches and bow thrusters.

If the generators cannot cope due to poor condition or excess demand, it can lead to total loss of electrical power and put the safety of the ship, crew and cargo at risk.”

He added that generators need the same level of care as a ship’s main propulsion engines, with a good monitoring and maintenance regime, which should include sufficient spare parts.

Emissions testing starts in UK ports

Rising piracy attacks off West Africa have prompted increased military drills

Mission highlights refugee migration THE Mission to Seafarers shone a spotlight on refugee migration by sea and its effect on seafarers, by hosting a seminar at the major Posidonia shipping exhibition in Athens, Greece, in June.

The seminar discussed the impact the recent refugee crisis in the Mediterranean has had on seafarers, and, in particular, the risks and legal factors the crisis raised for seafarers and the broader shipping industry.

Jos Standerwick, director of development for the Mission, addressed industry concerns, including how both refugees and seafarers are regarded and treated under international law. “We cannot forget that the rescuing of refugees at sea is a highly courageous act by seafarers, and one that is often sadly ignored. We will look at the effects of this and how the shipping

industry can help tackle the risks imposed on seafarers, when they stop to help a failed attempt to cross international waters,” he said.

The Mission also used the occasion to launch its corporate portfolio, which outlines the work the charity carries out and the importance of the integrated network of support which it offers to seafarers worldwide.

“We are hugely privileged to have been chosen as the nominated charity for Posidonia,” the Revd Canon Ken Peters, director of justice and public affairs at the Mission, told the seminar. “Launching our corporate profile will shine a wider light on the work we do and how seafarers and their families rely on us in stormy waters.”

Traditional navigation skills needed MARINE insurer UK P&I Club has warned that the loss of traditional navigation skills poses a danger to the shipping industry. It says that while the use of GPS as a means of position fixing is now commonplace on vessels of all descriptions, and has made a significant contribution to the safety and accuracy of marine navigation, nevertheless, over-reliance on a single form of position fixing can become a danger in itself.

The insurer is encouraging navigating officers to practise traditional methods of navigation,

including celestial observation using a sextant, and keeping a proper lookout, as a failure to do so is often mentioned in marine casualty reports.

It warns: “Even with all the technological advances that have been made the sea remains as hostile a place as it has ever been. As such, UK P&I believes that the safe navigation of a ship to its destination cannot yet be achieved purely with technological resources, and still requires the presence of experienced and properly trained people with traditional seafaring skills.”

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Continuing reports of alleged jamming of GPS signals, as well as the potential for other sources of signal interference, are of widespread concern to governments and to the shipping industry as a whole, the UK P&I Club warns. This can cause particular problems for vessels which have come to rely exclusively on GPS for position fixing, says the Club, and highlights the importance of vessels using the full range of navigational equipment available to them, as required by SOLAS and STCW regulations.

According to the insurer, even with the continual introduction of new technology and regulations for ship management, there remains a steady flow of reports of ship groundings and collisions, with many of these incidents being attributed to basic errors of navigation by the ships involved. Aside from the disastrous loss of life and pollution, the Club says, these incidents can prove to be extremely financially burdensome, both to the shipowners and to the wider shipping community, due to increased insurance premiums.

THE UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has acted to implement sulphur content testing of bunkers in ships in the country’s ports. It has awarded hazardous material and risk management specialist Lucion Marine the contract to provide fuel oil sampling and testing services at ports across the UK. The contract runs until 2020 and involves the provision of a sampling and analysis service to test that fuel being used by vessels in UK waters does not exceed the maximum allowed sulphur content of 0.1 per cent, as stipulated in the International Convention for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

Lucion says that its specialist marine team will test upwards of 240 vessels each year at 13 major UK ports including Aberdeen, Belfast, Port of London and Port of Tyne, to make sure that the MARPOL regulations, promoted by the International Marine Organization (IMO) are strictly adhered to.

David Attenborough beats Boaty McBoatface THE UK’s new £200 million (US$292 million) state-ofthe-art polar research ship is to be named after worldrenowned naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough and not the favourite choice in an online poll, Boaty McBoatface.

However, one of the ship’s remotely controlled submarines will be named after the people’s choice.

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3 the sea Jul/Aug 2016

Shore-side corruption and bad practice highlighted

Cruise ship saves fugitives THE Bahamas-flagged cruise ship Disney Fantasy rescued three suspected criminals after they were found clinging to an overturned boat in waters between Cuba and the Bahamas. The Cuban nationals were transferred to a US Coast Guard vessel at sea. It turned out they were on the run from authorities in New Orleans, where they face credit card charges. It is thought they were trying to sail to Cuba.

Seafarers are routinely placed in stressful positions in order to appease port-based personnel with ‘facilitation gifts’, finds study could lead to disproportionately large penalties for ships.

In many cases, according to the study, seafarers found the negotiations over socalled gifts to be stressful and found raids on provisions and bonded store items particularly upsetting as they resulted in shortages of certain items on board, depriving seafarers of food and sundry supplies.

Financial extortion was less common than demands for facilitation gifts but had nevertheless been experienced by the majority of seafarers in the study.

Also, it was reported, port personnel exploited minor errors made by seafarers in order to attempt to extort cash from them or their companies. Personal demands for cash were sometimes addressed to individual seafarers.

One area of particular concern highlighted by the study was bunker supply-related fraud, which “caused a great deal of stress for chief engineers”.

According to the study, bunker suppliers employed a variety of techniques to allow them to charge vessels for more bunkers than they actually delivered.

Chief engineers had to accept fraudulent figures or risk expensive delays to the ship. Bunker surveyors could be helpful by mediating between ship and bunker suppliers but local surveyors were

not always seen as impartial. Short supply was often obscured on board by chief engineers routinely adjusting fuel consumption figures fractionally upwards to compensate for any deficits. But they could only cover up so much theft in this way, especially when the next leg of a voyage was going to be short.

Outright theft in port was rife in some places and could put seafarers in a difficult position. Hiding expensive parts, such as brass fittings from lifesaving appliances, when entering problem ports, could endanger seafarers’ lives and could also render vessels that were subsequently inspected by port state control vulnerable to detention or a fine.

On a more positive note, the study concluded that: “despite these stressful encounters with port personnel and the impact they had on the quality of relationships, interactions were generally characterised by professionalism on the part of seafarers”. However, it also warned: “The stress associated with these practices may result in ill-health amongst seafarers and a lack of desire for promotion.”

This comprehensive study, The relationships between seafarers and shoreside personnel: An outline report based on research undertaken in the period 2012-2016, can be found at: www.sirc.cf.ac.uk.

Mass flow meters could put an end to bunker delivery fraud

Solving the current situation The Seafarers International Research Centre has made 20 recommendations to improve shore-side corruption in its recent study, The relationships between seafarers and shore-side personnel: An outline report based on research undertaken in the period 20122016. It proposes that a code of practice implementing a permanent ban on facilitation gifts should be developed and adopted by companies, trade associations, liability insurers and professional associations around the world.

It also argues that international agreements on the conduct of port-based officials should be drawn up. These could be

supported by a body which could receive and publicise the numbers of complaints of extortion from seafarers by port, country or region.

Other recommendations include tightening up on bunkering procedures and the routine use of surveyors. However, the study makes no mention of mass flow meters, which accurately measure the quantity of bunkers supplied and make bunker delivery fraud almost impossible. The fitting and use of these meters is becoming mandatory in Singapore and is being adopted elsewhere on a voluntary basis.

Boost for Ukrainian officer training THE International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) are donating US$3 million to support Ukrainian marine training. The money is coming from the Seafarers’ Employment Promotion Fund (SEPF), a training fund sourced from collective bargaining agreements negotiated by the two organisations.

The IMEC and the ITF work together to administer the SEPF. The funds will support the work of the Kherson State Maritime Academy (KSMA) and the National University Odessa Maritime Academy (NU-OMA).

In 2015, a substantial amount of unclaimed SEPF funds remained, meaning that both parties, along with the ITF’s affiliated union in Ukraine, the Marine Transport Workers’ Trade Union of Ukraine (MTWTU), were able to make a substantial investment there.

As a result, a full mission Transas DP offshore simulator, a GMDSS simulator suite, a desktop engine room simulator suite and a full mission engine room simulator, have been installed at the KSMA. This was followed by the installation of a full mission Kongsberg engine room simulator at the NU-OMA. Phase two of the investment will

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consist of developments to the boat station and fire ground of the Kherson Maritime Specialised Training Centre and an engine room simulator upgrade in the Odessa Maritime Training Centre.

After the installations, IMEC CEO Francesco Gargiulo said: “Training budgets have been significantly reduced in the current economic downturn that the shipping industry is experiencing. However, across IMEC’s 224 member companies, Ukraine is the third most utilized country in terms of officers’ employment. It was therefore important to invest in the country, to ensure the sustainability of future quality officers.”

UK coastal shipping inquiry call

Credit: CYE Petrol

A NEW study has highlighted the problem of shore-side officials demanding bribes to carry out their duties, as well a catalogue of other practices that can harm seafarers.

The study, by the UK-based Cardiff Seafarers International Research Centre reports: “In the course of the research the vulnerability of both vessels and seafarers whilst in port became starkly apparent.”

It concludes: “Vessels are vulnerable to local officials who might cause delays and have the power to fine, detain, and tarnish the reputation of a vessel. On the other hand, seafarers are vulnerable to reprimand from their companies and to the possibility of criminalization and imprisonment at the hands of port officials.”

The researchers sailed on nine vessels and carried out 87 interviews with seafarers on board their respective ships. The study was also based on 303 interviews with seafarers while they were ashore and a questionnaire completed by a further 2,500 active seafarers.

The study found that ‘facilitation’ gifts of cigarettes, canned drinks, and alcohol as well as ship provisions are routinely used to appease port-based personnel and so secure fair treatment for vessels. Refusal to distribute relatively trivial and inexpensive facilitation gifts

UK TRANSPORT union RMT, which represents ratings, has called for a review of the safety of the country’s coastal shipping. The move follows the publication of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the loss of the Cyprus-registered cargo vessel, Cemfjord, and all her eight crew in the Pentland Firth in January last year on passage from Denmark to North West England.

RMT says in a statement: “The MAIB report reveals that the Cemfjord was cleared to sail despite several safety defects having been recorded by inspectors, the distribution of the cement cargo was likely to have caused vessel instability and the vessel’s capsize went unnoticed as the UK coastguard was not required to monitor its progress, despite the Pentland Firth’s reputation for violent maritime conditions.”

The union also highlighted MAIB’s conclusion that: “industry and commercial pressures at all levels in the management and oversight of the vessel almost certainly had an impact on the vessel’s operations”.

Carnival Australia in penalty dispute AUSTRALIA’S New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined Carnival Australia A$15,000 (US$10,774) after one of its P&O cruises ships, the Pacific Jewel, allegedly breached new low sulphur fuel regulations in Sydney Harbour.

The EPA said a fuel sample had a sulphur level of 0.293 per cent, nearly three times the 0.1 per cent limit.

However, Carnival is appealing against the finding and has called on the EPA to review the penalty notice on the basis that the EPA failed to take into account available technical information that would have confirmed the ship had completed the changeover to low sulphur fuel within the prescribed time period.

Fire-fighting simulators for Greek owners TWO Greek shipowners, Danaos Corporation and Prime Marine, have bought RescueSim advanced firefighting simulators as additions to their current VSTEP Nautis Bridge Simulators. The new simulators will allow both shipping companies to add STCW advanced fire-fighting training to their current curriculum.

Labour Convention study authorised THE ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) says it has commissioned an in depth study into the implementation and enforcement of the ILO Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC 2006), which came into force in August 2013. The study will be carried out by Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI).

The MLC sets out comprehensive and enforceable minimum standards for seafarers’ working and living conditions. ITF seafarers’ section chair Dave Heindel explained: “Although the ITF is delighted that the Convention is now in force, there is a clear need for a critical evaluation of its implementation and enforcement. Both port state control and ITF inspectors have reported numerous breaches of the MLC.”

Terrorist attack off Yemen THE Marshall Islands has issued an advisory note stating that a ship was attacked by two skiffs, each carrying three men, on 24 April while off the Yemeni coast near Mukalla, Yemen.

Shots were fired by the attackers and by the embarked security team and the two skiffs turned away. It is understood to be likely that the attackers were terrorists and not pirates.

Nobody on the ship was injured.

Sailing cargoship project A STATE of the art, zeroemissions, low-impact sailing cargoship has been designed for transporting goods from small remote ports, estuaries and beaches to points of purchase. The UK company, Fair Winds Trading, has based its design on the ancient prao multi-hull cargo sailing ship of the South Pacific.

It plans initially to transport goods between its sustainable development project in West Africa and Argyll, Scotland. Its long term vision is to assist Small Island Developing States and coastal communities in the least developed countries to acquire their own ships and establish their own trade routes.

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4 the sea Jul/Aug 2016

MICHAEL GREY

Credit: IMO

NEWS

Wanted: m

A predicted shortage of officers i continue to prosper through ship

E Marine engineers in especially short supply

Call for investment in training SHIPOWNERS and ship managers need to invest in seafarer training to help combat a predicted shortfall of officers, according to major training provider Videotel but another senior industry figure has pointed to the difficulty in persuading young people to train as marine engineers.

Videotel CEO Nigel Cleave said: “Attracting new blood into the industry is vital and having properly structured training programmes to ensure competent cadets can advance quickly through the ranks will help make a career at sea an attractive option to young people.”

He added: “Young seafarers can enjoy an exciting career at sea which is well-paid and challenging and rewarding.”

However, a lack of interest in marine engineering as a career was highlighted during Norbulk Shipping’s recent celebration of

25 years of training and recruiting seafarers from its management office in Riga, Latvia.

The Latvian crewing and training operation is run by Hanza Marine Management, a partner company to Norbulk Shipping, and supplies 4,000 seafarers to 150 vessels as well as a wide range of crewing recruitment and training services to its clients.

Capt Aleksandrs Goridjko, who heads up the office, commented that he had seen the crewing sector change extensively over the last 25 years, with young aspiring seafarers spending less time to become qualified, and fewer people training as engineers.

Capt Goridjko said: “Less and less young people are making their occupational choice in favour of the harder engineer’s job, most people prefer the profession of deck officer, which looks much more

attractive for them. Another big problem is the shortage of electrical engineers, reefer and gas engineers.

The main reason for this is that specialists in these positions will remain in the same rank until the end of their career, with no prospects of promotion.”

He added: “We are working with colleges and schools to encourage young people to consider training as an engineer in the shipping industry. We need to attract more young people into shipping.”

However, he also highlighted the harsh realities of the ship management business, saying: “Nowadays, with the economic crisis, more and more employers want the most experienced crew members but only want to pay the minimum amount for them.” Officer shortage is expected “to get worse” – Page 1

IMO meeting sparks difference of opinion STARKLY contrasting views have been voiced on what was achieved at a meeting in London in April of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). Among other topics the meeting discussed how shipping should respond to the challenges of global warming and the need to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

IMO, in a statement, highlighted that the MEPC had approved of mandatory requirements for ships to record

and report their fuel consumption, “in a move that sends a clear and positive signal about the Organization’s continuing commitment to climate change mitigation”.

Two environmental lobby groups, Transport & Environment and Seas At Risk, had a very different take on what happened.

In a joint statement they say that the meeting “was hopelessly split in a divisive debate with most of the so-called BRICs countries [a group including Brazil, Russia, India and China] opposing the

call from Pacific island nations, developed countries and much of the industry to develop a postParis work plan on what emissions cuts would be needed”.

However, for shipowners, Simon Bennett, the International Chamber of Shipping’s director policy and external relations, said: “We don’t see it so negatively.

Agreement on a mandatory CO 2 collection system is a major achievement and it has been agreed there will be a working group on next steps at the next session.”

Medical progress for seafarers INSURER UK P&I Club says its preemployment medical examination clinics (PEME) are helping seafarers to continue working at sea even after they have developed diabetes.

Meanwhile a new app is now available to allow seafarers to monitor and improve their health.

Marcus Brauer, a general practitioner from one of UK P&I Club’s approved clinics in South Africa, said: “The early detection and effective early management of diabetes is one of the most satisfying parts of our work as PEME doctors, as we are able to not only preserve and maintain the health of the seafarer, but we are also able to assist them in understanding and managing their condition.”

Treatment involves seafarers taking the following steps: minimizing the intake of sugar in sweetened foods; minimizing the intake of starches; exercising at least three times a week for 30 minutes; and monitoring blood sugar levels with tests such as urine glucose tests, blood sugar tests and a diabetes control measuring test which provides a measure of diabetes control over the previous six weeks.

Seafarers must also keep a logbook of their diabetes control to enable them to understand their health condition, and to take responsibility for its management.

In another move, the Mission to Seafarers is extending its training

for Port Chaplains to recognise signs of mental anguish.

For the last twelve years, the Mission has pioneered the training of its Chaplains in the principles of being first responders. Trained to the global standard of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, the course offered to the Australian Mission in an advanced course that has been delivered in South Asia, Africa and Europe, with other regions to follow in 2017.

The Revd Canon Ken Peters said: “Seafarers and the industry need the confidence of knowing Port Chaplains are specifically trained and have an understanding sufficient to know if a referral to an appropriate clinician is advisable.”

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VERY five years since 1990, the shipping organisations BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping have taken a close look at the global supply and demand for seafarers. At the time, it was the very first attempt to look at this very important component of industrial health from a global perspective – up to then various national surveys of seafarers had been undertaken, but in other parts of the world nobody had much of a clue about the numbers of seafarers on their books.

It immediately identified serious future shortages, 1990 being the tail end of a period which had seen recruitment and training being described as “missing a generation” on account of the long shipping recession. So if ships in the future were not to be tied up for want of crew, training needed to be ratcheted up dramatically.

The 2015 edition of the Manpower Report was published recently, and while carrying no great cause for immediate alarm (with earlier lessons on recruitment and training having been clearly learned) the future looks distinctly

concerning. While the availability of ratings looking forward does not appear problematical, there is a “potential” shortage of 147,500 officers by 2025. And bearing in mind the time taken to train both deck and engineer officers to gain their highest qualifications, and the experience they need to fit themselves for these senior roles, this ought to set alarm bells ringing.

Long term forecasting is in itself a risky business, with all sorts of external events intervening to affect the future as it was projected with the very best information available at the time.

It might be remembered that just as the 1990 Manpower Report appeared, the Soviet Union collapsed, one result being the availability of large numbers of well-trained and experienced East European officers. And nobody anticipated the 2008 financial crisis, with its various maritime consequences, some of which we are still getting over.

But at the same time, it is worth noting that a ten-year forecasting period is only around half the life of a ship, so any views on manpower supply and demand have to take into account the

highly problemati new tonnage an growth. And w certainties in this rightly identified taxes”, it is also assumption that wo will continue and and the marine in choices, are un overtaken by any that will make sh The 2015 repo

by Dearsley Mariti with statistical a Dalian Maritime very readable and thorough analysis and the people w that I have come is much more tha statistics; great been made to disc opinions about lives, what motiv what would make whole lot better. T interspersed th narrative and the lot of value to th hopefully, making of recruitment and a bit more deep responsibilities.

CARLY FIELDS

Complications

Social cohesion on board is eq overcoming feelings of isolatio

B

ETTER connectivity is undoubtedly a lure for seafarers hoping to stay in touch with loved ones back home during stints at sea. But is greater connectivity actually causing more problems than it’s solving?

For those seafarers fortunate enough to have online access on board, the feeling of isolation is lessened as instant messaging and voice-over-internet calling allow for easier contact with those ashore.

However, access to connectivity is not uniform and a recent release from navigation systems provider GNS Worldwide found that despite orbiting the earth thousands of miles away, astronauts are more connected than seafarers sailing the oceans on our own planet.

In conversation with The Sea, Robert Robinson, claims executive with leading marine liability insurer North of England P&I Association, says that isolation is as much of a problem today as it was in the past, but the causes of the feeling of isolation may be different today.

“Where in the past a seafarer may have felt isolated from friends and family ashore, activities on board tended to be more interactive

between crew members and thus friendships were forged. With increased online connectivity, a seafarer can now stay in touch with family and friends, which is positive, however, this may lead to less interaction between crew members on board. As with most things in life, it is important to try and strike a balance between interactions ashore and those on board.”

While those ashore debate the issue of isolation, seafarers do have a responsibility to help themselves, he adds. Ultimately, seafarers know what is best for themselves and for the crew they are serving with.

“They are therefore best placed to reduce any feeling of isolation, based upon the social dynamics of that particular vessel and the crew serving on board,” says Mr Robinson. As examples, seafarers could opt for movie nights in communal spaces rather than watching a DVD alone in their cabin.

From a shipowner or operator’s perspective, connectivity remains important and seafarers should be given the opportunity to contact home as much as possible, but that should be seen as just one solution to addressing the problem

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of isolation. “Con inherently a bad important that a s the opportunities board, in a face-to says Mr Robinson achieved with dire guidance from sh operators but ulti be down to each p So, work towa connectivity on ev definitely contin with a greater encouraging interaction. If connectivity is stan the board, that con then be harness crew relations an for example thro chats and online “There is poten and certainly onlin between vessels co greater face-to-fa between crew mem Robinson. “The certainly be seafa board different ves each other from p etc and this could with crew relation it is important to also interact social of their current ve

5 the sea Jul/Aug 2016

more officers by 2025

matical demand for and world fleet while the only his life have been ed as “death and lso a fairly safe world fleet growth nd that seafaring industry, as career unlikely to be ny developments ships redundant. eport, undertaken ritime Consulting, l assistance from me University, is nd easily the most sis of our industry e who work in it me across so far. It han numbers and eat efforts have discover seafarers’ ut their working tivates them and ake their lives a er. Their views are throughout the he data, adding a o the report and, ng those in charge nd retention think eply about their s.

The report once again shines a light on training and the willingness of maritime employers to invest in people for the future.

Colleges comment on the difficulties in finding training places to enable young people to gain essential sea time. More trainees are being carried onboard – with the ratio of trainees to officers improving since the 2010 report from 1:10 to 1:7.6, but there is clearly more work that needs to be done.

There is a memorable quotation from a deck cadet commenting on one period of sea time, with no mentoring, no bridge time, four months of anti-piracy watch and a month of hold and tank cleaning, being kept away from mooring and anchoring, no steering practice and generally being treated as a cross between a passenger and cheap labour.

One hopes that whoever employs cadets in such a fashion sees the report and feels guilty about this disgrace.

Seafarers complain about the burden of paperwork and suggest there is room for improvement in the relationships between ship and shore. “A professional and

well-trained crew” is sought by one Master, while another would like shore staff to be rather more professional. But it is not all complaints. An engineer writes about his pride in his profession, while another expresses delight at his career choice. A second mate is happy in his “dream job”.

A chief engineer, possibly recalling days before alcohol bans, would value “a cold beer”.

There is recognition of the changing technology that runs through the industry, although concerns about the emergence of “autonomous” ships are thought somewhat premature. It is also noted that seafarers are more specialised than before, possibly less flexible between trades, and that the demands of charterers and others for “experience in rank” will make life harder for those charged with appointing crews to ships. Concern is expressed about very different standards and quality of training institutions throughout the world, despite the existence of the STCW Convention.

But there are reassurances in this report, not least in the things that seafarers value: wages paid

Credit: Marcel Crozet, ILO

in the future needs to be addressed now so that global trade can ipping, explains Michael Grey

The long lead-in time for training officers means the industry needs to step up to the plate now

on time; promotion opportunities; a happy place of work; good training and food; family benefits,

their singular employment, seafarers are just like any other members of society.

and good communications. Not for the first time, readers are left with the impression that despite

s of connectivity ‘cure’

onnectivity is not ad thing, it is just a seafarer also has ies to socialise on -to-face scenario,” son. “This can be irection or general shipowners and ultimately should h particular vessel.” wards improving every ship should tinue in tandem er emphasis on face-to-face If and when tandardised across connectivity could ssed to improve and engagement, hrough inter-crew ne competitions. tential in this idea nline competitions s could encourage -face interaction members,” says Mr here will almost afarers serving on vessels, who know m previous voyages uld definitely assist onships. However, t to remember to ially with the crew t vessel as well.”

Credit: Marcel Crozet, ILO

qually as important as access to the internet when it comes to on for seafarers, finds Carly Fields

Seafarers are an at-risk group when it comes to feelings of isolation

The key is to find a balance.

Crew should be able to connect with those ashore, while also having opportunities to interact face-to-face on board. Finding that balance is ultimately down to each individual crew member, however, it is in a shipowner’s interest to provide appropriate

facilities on board that will enhance a crew member’s physical and mental wellbeing.

There is another issue to consider when it comes to improved connectivity. Another marine liability insurer, the Norwegian Hull Club recently raised concerns that seafarers

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may underestimate the power of public social media posts. “Not everyone fully understands how social media works and that traditional media and journalists use it as a source for information,” says the Club.

It gives examples of a seafarer who posted a public comment

to Facebook about the evacuation of an oil rig, and another in which a Master was discussing detailed information about a hijack.

“Norwegian Hull Club uses social media as one of the intelligence sources in emergency response, in order to identify possible information that can

give us better situational awareness, but also to make our clients aware of postings that are related to the ongoing situation. In our social media searches, we quite often find on-scene reporters that probably are unaware of the reach of their pictures and status updates,” it says.

Mr Robinson said that North of England P&I appreciates that this could occur and advises shipowners to provide guidance to their crew regarding the kind of information that they share across their personal social media platforms.

Norwegian Hull Club highlights three main risks to consider: security/safety risk – if Norwegian Hull Club can find it, it is possible that people with evil purposes could find it; economical risk – your company might be fighting hard for their contracts in a challenging market.

‘Funny’ party pictures from on board your vessel could be enough to send the client to a competitor they see as more professional; and reputational risk – a scatterbrained comment that you think you are sharing with your friend could make headlines in the hands of a journalist looking for ‘breaking news’.

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6 the sea Jul/Aug 2016

JUSTICE MATTERS n BY DOUGLAS STEVENSON

Protection from withholding of wages IN A recent case, a shipowner withheld wages from seafarers to pay for damages to a ship, which, according to the shipowner, was caused by the seafarers’ negligence. Can a shipowner withhold earned wages from seafarers to pay for damages to a vessel or other expenses that were caused by the seafarers?

Ancient maritime law allowed shipowners to take deductions from seafarers’ earned wages to pay for a variety of injuries or damages caused by seafarers’ neglect of duty or misconduct. Historically, shipowners and masters could withhold seafarers’ wages for even trivial reasons, and seafarers were powerless to recover them. Because of the abuses in depriving seafarers of their hard-earned wages, national legislatures and maritime courts have adopted protections for seafarers.

Maritime courts and national legislatures now accord seafarers special status because of their vulnerability to exploitation and abuse.

Seafarers’ rights to their earned wages are now highly favoured in maritime law. Claims for unpaid wages have been called “sacred claims”. While the specific protections may vary between maritime nations, as a general rule, deductions from seafarers’ wages can be made only according to statute law or contract.

The Maritime Labour Convention in Standard A2.2 (MLC 2006)

requires that seafarers be paid their wages in full along with an accounting of the amount of wages at least once a month. The Guidelines to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 in B2.2.2.4.(h) re-state the protections found in most maritime nations’ laws that deductions from seafarers’ wages should be allowed only by express provisions in statutes or regulations or in collective bargaining agreements.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation’s Uniform TCC collective bargaining agreement requires payment of wages every month and does not allow any deductions from wages except those provided for in statute, those agreed upon by the seafarer, and those provided for in the contract. The contract allows a shipowner to dismiss a seafarer for misconduct and to recover from the seafarer’s wages repatriation expenses and the costs incurred by the shipowner that are “directly attributable to the seafarer’s proven misconduct”.

It does not allow deductions from wages for damages caused by the seafarer if the seafarer remains in employment.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Standard Agreement for Filipino Seafarers also requires that wages be paid monthly. Although the POEA agreement contains a table of

misconduct and penalties, it does not allow deductions to cover damages caused by a seafarer’s misconduct other than repatriation expenses and the expenses of providing a replacement where the seafarer’s contract is terminated for misconduct.

Some maritime nations have enacted statutes that allow shipowners to deduct their expenses for damages caused by seafarers’ misconduct, but only for limited specified acts, such as wilfully damaging the vessel, embezzling, and smuggling. Shipowners are not allowed to deduct penalties from seafarers’ wages for minor infractions, simple negligence or other acts not specified by statute. Courts have interpreted these statutes as superseding ancient maritime law and have allowed deductions from seafarers’ wages only for reasons specifically listed in the statute.

Even in circumstances where deductions from seafarers’ wages for damages caused by seafarers’ misconduct are authorised by statute or contract, shipowners cannot arbitrarily deduct wages. Shipowners must have sufficient cause to prove that they were authorised by statute or contract to withhold earned wages. Shipowners who wilfully, unreasonably, or arbitrarily fail to pay seafarers’ wages on time are subject to penalties in some jurisdictions, including the US.

Protección ante la retención de salarios En un caso reciente, un armador decidió retener los salarios de los marinos para pagar los daños a un buque que, según el armador, habían sido causados por negligencia de los marinos. ¿Puede un armador retener los salarios ganados por los marinos para pagar los daños a una embarcación u otros gastos ocasionados por los marinos?

Antiguamente, el derecho marítimo permitía a los armadores realizar deducciones de los salarios de la gente de mar para pagar por diversas lesiones o daños causados por incumplimiento del deber o faltas de los marinos. Los armadores y capitanes podían retener los salarios de la gente de mar incluso por razones triviales, y los marinos no podían hacer nada para recuperarlos. Debido a los abusos que se producían al privar a los marinos de esos salarios que tanto les costaba ganar, las legislaciones nacionales y los tribunales marítimos han adoptado fórmulas para la protección de la gente de mar.

Los tribunales marítimos y las legislaturas nacionales ahora confieren a la gente de mar una condición especial debido a su vulnerabilidad ante la explotación y el abuso.

Los derechos de la gente de mar en relación con su remuneración ahora están muy favorecidos por la legislación marítima. Las reclamaciones de salarios no pagados han llegado a llamarse «reclamaciones sagradas».

Si bien los mecanismos concretos de protección pueden ser diferentes en cada nación marítima, por norma general, las deducciones de los salarios de la gente de mar solo pueden realizarse de conformidad con la ley o con lo estipulado en el contrato.

La norma A2.2. del Convenio sobre el trabajo marítimo (CTM 2006) requiere que la gente de mar reciba sus salarios completos, junto a un estado de cuenta de las sumas adeudadas, al menos una vez al mes. La pauta B2.2.2.4.(h) del Convenio sobre el trabajo marítimo 2006 reafirma las protecciones que se encuentran en la mayoría de las leyes de naciones marítimas, según las cuales solo deberían permitirse deducciones de las remuneraciones de la gente de mar en caso de que en la legislación o normativa aplicable o en un convenio colectivo aplicable exista una disposición expresa al respecto.

El convenio colectivo TCC uniforme de la Federación Internacional de los Trabajadores del Transporte requiere el pago de la remuneración todos los meses y no permite ninguna deducción a los salarios, excepto las previstas en las leyes, las acordadas por el marino o las previstas en el contrato. El contrato permite a un armador despedir a un marino por una falta y recuperar, a partir del salario del marino, los gastos de repatriación y otros gastos en los que haya incurrido el armador y que sean «directamente atribuibles a la falta demostrada del marino».

No permite deducciones de salarios por daños causados por el marino si dicho marino conserva su empleo.

La Agencia de Empleo en el Extranjero de Filipinas (POEA, por sus siglas en inglés) tiene un contrato estándar para marinos filipinos que también requiere el pago mensual de las remuneraciones. Aunque el contrato de la POEA incluye una tabla de

faltas y sanciones, no permite deducciones para pagar daños causados por faltas del marino ni otros gastos de repatriación o derivados de la sustitución del marino cuando el contrato del marino se rescinde por una falta.

Algunas naciones marítimas han promulgado leyes que permiten a los armadores deducir sus gastos por daños causados por faltas de los marinos, pero solo en el caso de actos concretos limitados, como daños intencionales a la embarcación, malversación y contrabando. Los armadores no pueden deducir cantidades de los salarios de los marinos como sanción por faltas menores, negligencia leve u otros actos no previstos en la ley. Los tribunales han interpretado que estas leyes sustituyen a las antiguas leyes marítimas y solo han permitido las deducciones a los salarios de los marinos por motivos incluidos de manera específica en la ley.

Incluso en los casos en que las deducciones de los salarios de los marinos realizadas para pagar daños causados por faltas de los marinos estén autorizadas por la ley o por el contrato, los armadores no pueden realizar dichas deducciones salariales de forma arbitraria.

Los armadores deben tener suficientes motivos para probar que la ley o el contrato les otorga el derecho de retener salarios ganados. Los armadores que de forma deliberada, injustificada o arbitraria no paguen a los marinos la remuneración que les corresponda de forma oportuna podrían ser sancionados en algunas jurisdicciones, como la de Estados Unidos.

針對扣發工資的保護 在最近一起個案中，船東以賠 償船舶損害為由扣發海員工 資；船東聲稱，這些損害是海 員的疏忽所致。船東可以扣發 海員掙得的工資，以償付船舶 損害或者由海員造成的其它費 用嗎？ 古老的海上法律允許船東扣除 海員掙得的工資，以償付海員 怠忽職守或不當行為所導致的 各種受傷或損壞。歷史上，船 東和船長可以基於微不足道的 理由扣壓海員工資，而海員無 力追討工資。由於此類濫用權 力剝奪海員辛苦掙得的工資的 行 為， 各 國 立 法 機 構 和 海 事 法院實行了面向海員的保護 措施。 海事法院和各國立法機構現在 賦予海員特殊地位，因為他們 易受剝削和不公正對待。海員 獲得自己掙得的工資的權利如 今受到海事法律的高度重視。 追 討 欠 薪 被 稱 為「 神 聖 的 索 賠 」(sacred claims)。 雖 然 具 體的保護可能隨具體航海國家 而 有 所 不 同， 但 作 為 一 般 規 則，扣減海員工資只能根據法 律法規或合同進行。 《2006 年海事勞工公約》(MLC 2006) 標 準 A2.2 要 求 按 不 超 過一個月的間隔向海員支付全 額 工 資， 並 列 明 工 資 細 目。 《2006 年海事勞工公約》導則 B2.2.2.4.(h) 重 申 了 多 數 航 海 國家法律規定的保護，即扣減 海員工資只應在國家法律或條 例或集體協定有明確規定的情 況下才被允許。 國際運輸工人聯合會 (ITF) 的 統一 TCC 集體談判協定要求

每月支付工資，並且不允許扣 減任何工資 — 除非是法規有 規定的，海員同意的，以及合 同有規定的。該合同允許船東 解雇行為不當的海員，從海員 的工資扣除遣返費用，並收回 船東因「可直接歸因於海員被 證明的不當行為」而發生的費 用。它不允許在海員繼續受雇 的情況下，用扣減工資來償付 海員引起的損害。 菲律賓海外就業管理局 (POEA) 面向菲律賓海員的標 準協議也規定按月支付工資。 雖 然 POEA 協 定 包 含 一 份 不 當行為及處罰表格，但它除了 遣返費用和在海員合同因行為 不當而終止的情況下換人的費 用外，不允許扣減工資以償付 海員不當行為所造成的損害。 一些航海國家已頒佈法規，允 許船東扣減因海員行為不當造 成損害而導致的開支，但僅限 於有限幾種特定行為，如故意 破壞船舶、貪汙以及走私。船 東不准因輕微違規行為，單純 的疏忽或者法規沒有規定的其 他行為而扣減海員工資作為處 罰。法院已把這些法規解釋為 取代古老海上法律，並且僅允 許基於法規具體規定的理由扣 減海員工資。 即使在因海員行為不當造成損 害而扣減工資得到法規或合同 授權的情況下，船東也不能隨 意扣減工資。船東必須有充足 理由證明，他們扣發海員掙得 的工資是得到法規或合同授權 的。蓄意、不合理或隨意不向 海員支付工資的船東在某些司 法管轄區（包括美國）會受到 處罰。

Как защититься от удержаний из заработной платы НЕДАВНО владелец одного судна удержал из заработной платы своих моряков стоимость ущерба, который, по его словам, был нанесен судну вследствие халатных действий моряков. Имеет ли право владелец судна удерживать из законной зарплаты моряков стоимость ущерба, нанесенного судну, или другого ущерба, возникшего вследствие их действий? В прежние времена морское законодательство разрешало владельцам судов удерживать из заработной платы моряков суммы различных видов ущерба или расходов, вызванных халатным отношением моряков к своим обязанностям или их ненадлежащим поведением. В прежние времена владельцы и капитаны судов могли осуществлять такие удержания по самым пустяковым причинам, и моряки не имели никакой возможности вернуть свои деньги. Ввиду злоупотреблений в части лишения моряков денег, заработанных ими тяжелым трудом, национальные законодательные органы и морские суды приняли ряд мер по защите моряков от таких действий. В настоящее время морские суды и национальные законодательные органы наделили моряков особым статусом, учитывающим их уязвимость для эксплуатации и злоупотреблений. Права моряков на их заработную плату теперь гораздо лучше защищены морским законодательством. Иски по выплате заработной платы называются «неприкосновенными». Несмотря на то что в разных странах защитные меры могут отличаться друг от друга, общим правилом является то, что вычеты из зарплат моряков возможны только в соответствии с законодательными или договорными положениями. В соответствии со Стандартом A2.2 Конвенции о труде в морском судоходстве (MLC 2006), моряки должны получать свою заработную

плату в полном объеме, с отчетностью о размере заработных плат, подаваемой как минимум один раз в месяц. Руководящие указания B2.2.2.4.(h) Конвенции о труде в морском судоходстве 2006 года подтверждают защитные меры, содержащиеся в законодательных положениях большинства морских государств, о том, что вычеты из зарплат моряков возможны лишь при наличии соответствующих положений нормативных актов, законодательства или коллективных трудовых договоров. Универсальный коллективный трудовой договор Соглашения об общих издержках по подготовке и содержанию экипажа (TCC) Международной федерации транспортных рабочих (International Transport Workers Federation) требует, чтобы выплата заработной платы осуществлялась ежемесячно, и не допускает каких-либо удержаний, за исключением предусмотренных законодательством либо договором или согласованных с самим моряком. Договор допускает возможность наказания моряка владельцем судна за ненадлежащее выполнение моряком своих обязанностей, а также удержания из его заработной платы затрат на репатриацию и расходов, понесенных владельцем судна и «непосредственно связанных с доказанным фактом ненадлежащего выполнения моряком своих обязанностей». При этом договор не предусматривает возможности вычета из заработной платы за нанесенный моряком ущерб, если этот моряк остается на службе. Стандартное соглашение Филиппинского управления по трудоустройству за рубежом (Philippines Overseas Employment Administration, POEA), предназначенное для моряков с Филиппин, также требует ежемесячной выплаты заработанных средств. Несмотря

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на то что соглашение POEA содержит таблицу примеров ненадлежащего выполнения обязанностей и соответствующих штрафов, оно не допускает возможности вычетов для покрытия ущерба, вызванного ненадлежащим выполнением моряками их обязанностей, помимо затрат на репатриацию и на кадровую замену в том случае, если договор моряка был расторгнут за ненадлежащее поведение. Некоторые морские государства приняли законы, позволяющие владельцам судов вычитать понесенные ими расходы на покрытие ущерба, вызванного ненадлежащим поведением моряков, однако они касаются лишь некоторых, отдельно оговариваемых действий, таких как намеренное причинение ущерба судну, растрата и контрабанда. Владельцы судов не имеют права взыскивать с моряков штрафы путем их вычитания из заработной платы за мелкие нарушения дисциплины, простую халатность или другие действия, не описанные в законодательстве. Суды считают эти законы заменяющими положения старинного морского законодательства и допускают вычеты из зарплаты моряков только в целях, отдельно прописанных в законе. Даже в тех обстоятельствах, когда вычеты из заработной платы моряков за их ненадлежащее поведение оправданы законодательными или договорными положениями, владельцы судов не могут осуществить их самовольно. Владельцы судов должны доказать наличие у них достаточного основания на удержание заработанных моряками денег, руководствуясь законодательством или договором. Некоторые юрисдикции, в том числе в США, налагают штрафы на владельцев судов, которые намеренно, без веских причин или своевольно отказываются вовремя выплачивать морякам зарплату.

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7 the sea Jul/Aug 2016

FOCUS ON FAITH n BY KEN PETERS

Breaking free from confinement RECENTLY I was privileged to visit Jerusalem and other sites of religious significance in Israel. To realise that these places have spiritual significance to Muslims, Jews and Christians is a salutary reminder that these three faiths have a convergence in history that has been both beneficial and a cause for conflict.

Conflict seems to dominate the present and this is significantly accentuated by the overbearing and dominating presence of the wall being built around the Palestinian territory. I reflected that there is nowhere for the Palestinians to go to get away from their confinement. However, the human spirit cannot be confined.

For seafarers the confinement is artificial. On board a ship with no means of retreat it may be that only God offers comfort, sustains and helps one to overcome isolation, loneliness, tedium and the disconnect with ‘the outside world’.

The ‘inside world’ needs refreshment and how and where we find this depends upon how we understand our relationship with God. Are we in touch with what we understand to be our response to God’s offer of understanding and help?

We all need to let God into our lives to give us the blessings of His love. The power of love is so underestimated, yet it is this that provides peace and contentment in the face of adversity.

突破空間限制

When the circumstances of our life are challenging, to say the least, we may think that we are isolated on a ship, behind a wall or whatever it is that ‘cuts us off from help’, but if we reach out and respond to God's call we can break through the chains that hold us down. God does not impose anything on us but offers us the choice not to be intimidated by circumstances, and to be set free from all that confines us.

I was very fortunate to visit Jerusalem, Qumran, and the Sea of Galilee and in comparison to those who are physically confined I have great freedom. At another level, confinement in whatever form is only an illusion if we understand the freedom that God offers. Freedom from all things that degrade humanity, freedom from those who seek to impose their will on others, freedom from anything that restricts human endeavour.

More than anything else we need freedom from those things that drive us to regard those that are different from us in any way, as being of less value than ourselves, alien in comparison to ourselves, as though we alone, and no one else, are made in God's image. We are all of value to God, we are all His children.

Our responsibility is to recognise this – and that it means no one, however different from us they may seem, is excluded from His love.

Abandonar el confinamiento EL MES PASADO tuve la suerte de visitar Jerusalén y otros lugares de importancia religiosa en Israel. Ver que esos lugares tienen importancia espiritual para la musulmanes, judíos y cristianos constituye un saludable recordatorio de que las tres fes tienen una convergencia histórica que ha sido tanto beneficiosa como causa de conflicto.

El conflicto parece dominar el presente, algo acentuado por la presencia invasora y dominante del muro que se está construyendo alrededor del territorio palestino. Estuve pensando en que los palestinos no tienen a dónde ir para escapar de su confinamiento. Sin embargo, el espíritu humano no puede ser confinado.

Para los marinos, el confinamiento es artificial. A bordo de un barco sin refugio alguno es posible que solo Dios pueda reconfortar, apoyar y ayudar para superar el aislamiento, la soledad, el aburrimiento y la desconexión con el «mundo exterior».

El «mundo interior» necesita renovación

y la forma y el lugar en que la encontremos dependen de cómo entendamos nuestra relación con Dios. ¿Somos conscientes de la que creemos que es nuestra respuesta al ofrecimiento de Dios para entendernos y ayudarnos?

Todos necesitamos dejar que Dios entre en nuestras vidas y nos bendiga con Su amor. El poder del amor está tan infravalorado y, sin embargo, es lo que proporciona paz y tranquilidad ante la adversidad. Cuando las circunstancias de nuestra vida son difíciles, es posible que nos sintamos aislados en un barco, detrás de un muro o en lo que sea que nos está separando de la ayuda, pero si nos acercamos a Dios y respondemos a su llamado podremos romper las cadenas que nos atan. Dios no impone nada sino que nos ofrece la opción de no sentirnos amedrentados por las circunstancias y de liberarnos de lo que nos esté confinando.

Tuve el privilegio de visitar Jerusalén, Qumrán y el Mar de Galilea y, en

comparación con quienes están confinados físicamente, yo disfruto de una gran libertad. En otro nivel, el confinamiento en cualquiera de sus formas es solo una ilusión si somos conscientes de la libertad que nos ofrece Dios. Libertad de todas las cosas que degradan la humanidad, libertad de los que quieren imponer su voluntad a los demás, libertad de cualquier cosa que limite la actividad humana.

Más que nada, necesitamos liberarnos de esas cosas que nos llevan a creer que quienes de cualquier modo son diferentes a nosotros tienen menos valor que nosotros mismos, que son totalmente extraños en comparación con nosotros, como si solo nosotros, y nadie más, estuviésemos hechos a imagen y semejanza de Dios. Todos somos valiosos ante los ojos de Dios y todos somos Sus hijos. Nuestra responsabilidad es reconocerlo y entender que nadie, por muy diferente a nosotros que pueda parecer, está excluido de Su amor.

上月，我有幸參觀耶路撒冷和 以色列其他一些具有宗教意義 的場所。意識到這些地方對於 穆斯林、猶太教徒和基督徒都 有精神意義，是一個有益的提 醒，這三種信仰在歷史上曾經 交集，這種交集既是有益的， 也是一個釀成衝突的起因。

上，擋在高牆或者其它使我們 得不到幫助的障礙內，但只要 我們伸出手，回應主的召喚， 我們就能打破束縛著我們的枷 鎖。主不會強加任何東西給我 們，而只是向我們提供不被處 境嚇倒的選擇，突破限制著我 們的所有事物，獲得自由。

衝突似乎主宰著當下，圍繞巴 勒斯坦領土興建的霸道的高牆 突顯出這一點。我思索著，沒 有什麼地方能夠讓巴勒斯坦人 擺脫這種空間限制。然而，人 的精神是拘禁不了的。

我有幸訪問耶路撒冷、庫姆蘭 和加利利海，相比那些在活動 空間上受限的人們，我有很大 的自由度。在另一個層面上， 任何形式的空間限制都只是一 種錯覺 — 如果我們懂得主提 供的自由。不受那些侮辱人性 的事物影響的自由，不受那些 尋求把自己的意志強加給他人 的 人 影 響 的 自 由， 不 受 限 制 人類奮鬥的任何事物影響的 自由。

對海員來說，空間限制是人為 的。在沒有退路的船上，也許 只有主帶來舒適，讓人堅持下 去，克服孤立、寂寞、無聊以 及與「外面世界」的隔絕。 人的「內心世界」需要滋潤， 我們如何以及在何處發現這種 滋潤，取決於我們如何理解自 己與主的關係。對於我們所理 解的我們對主提供的理解和幫 助的回應，我們是否懂得？ 我們都需要讓主進入我們的生 活，用他的愛祝福我們。愛的 力量如此被低估，然而正是這 種力量在逆境中帶來平靜和滿 足。當我們的人生處境往好的 方向說也是具有挑戰性的，我 們可能認為自己被隔離在船

比什麼都重要的是，我們需要 擁有不受那些驅使我們另眼看 待與自己不同的人們的觀念影 響的自由，這些觀念認為他們 的價值不如我們，他們與我們 相比是另類的，就好像只有我 們是按照主的形象造出來的。 我們對主都有價值，我們都是 他 的 孩 子。 我 們 的 責 任 是 認 識到這一點 — 這意味著任何 人，無論他們看起來與我們多 麼不一樣，都沒有被排除在主 的愛之外。

На волю из заточения МЕСЯЦ НАЗАД я имел честь посетить Иерусалим и другие религиозные объекты Израиля. Понимание того, что эти места имеют большое духовное значение для мусульман, иудеев и христиан, благотворно и напоминает нам о том, что эти три конфессии имеют историческую общность, которая и объединяет их, и становится причиной конфликтов. В современном мире конфликты, кажется, берут верх, что особенно подчеркивается властью и доминированием стены, воздвигаемой вокруг Палестинской автономии. Однажды мне показалось, что палестинцам некуда вырваться на волю из своего заточения. Но потом я понял, что человеческий дух пленить невозможно. Как и для моряков, их «заточение» является лишь мифом. Находясь на борту корабля, откуда некуда отступать, человек понимает, что только Господь способен утешить, поддержать его и помочь ему в преодолении чувства

изоляции, одиночества, тоски и отрыва от так называемого «внешнего мира». Наш «внутренний мир» жаждет обновления. Способ и место нашего обретения себя зависит от того, как мы понимаем свои взаимоотношения с Богом. Умеем ли мы должным образом реагировать на божественное понимание и помощь? Мы все нуждаемся в том, чтобы Бог вошел в нашу жизнь и благословил нас Своей любовью. Мы недооцениваем силу любви, а ведь именно она способна принести нам мир и удовлетворение перед лицом превратностей судьбы. Когда в нашей жизни, мягко говоря, наступают трудности, то находясь на судне мы можем ощутить себя в изоляции, за стеной или в иных условиях, «отрезающих» наш путь к получению помощи, однако если мы протянем руку и ответим на призыв Господа, то мы сможем разорвать сдерживающие нас цепи. Ничего не требуя взамен, Бог предлагает нам самим выбирать, стоит ли пригибаться под тяжестью обстоятельств или же

освободиться от всего, что нас связывает. Мне повезло посетить Иерусалим, Кумран и Тивериадское озеро, и по сравнению с теми, кто находится в заточении, моя свобода практически безгранична. С другой стороны, как только нам станет понятно, какую степень свободы предлагает нам Господь, любое заточение станет иллюзией. Свобода от всего, что разрушает человечность, свобода от тех, кто пытается навязать свою волю другим, свобода от всего, что ограничивает наши дерзания. Ни в чем мы не нуждаемся так остро, как в свободе от того, что заставляет нас считать не похожих на нас людей менее ценными, чем мы сами, или изгоями, как будто только мы и никто другой сделаны по образу и подобию Божьему. Для Бога все мы ценны, и все являемся Его детьми. Мы обязаны признавать, что никто, как бы от ни отличался от нас самих, не лишен любви Господа.

If you have any questions about your rights as a seafarer, or if you want more information or help, you can contact: Douglas B Stevenson, Center for Seafarers’ Rights, 118 Export Street, Port Newark, NJ 07114, USA. Tel: +1 973 589 5825 Fax: +1973 817 8656

Email: csr@seamenschurch.org or Canon Ken Peters, The Mission to Seafarers, St Michael Paternoster Royal,

College Hill, London EC4R 2RL, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7248 5202 Fax: +44 (0)20 7248 4761 Email: Justice@missiontoseafarers.org 评论? 质问? 给我们发送电子邮件! themissiontoseafarers

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8 the sea Jul/Aug 2016 Credit Port of Grangemouth

Ports prepared for box weighing rules

Accurate box weights now required by law A new amendment to IMO’s Convention for Safety of Life at Sea will help to protect seafarers, ships and their cargoes

I

N A move intended to improve the safety of containership operations, the weight of containers loaded on to a ship must now be declared accurately under international maritime law.

An amendment to the Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) came into force on 1 July, 2016 requiring, as a condition for loading a packed container on to a ship for export, that the container has a verified gross mass (VGM).

In April, liability insurer UK P&I Club warned that “chaos and commercial disputes” could be expected as some terminals and shippers still seemed unprepared or even unaware of this SOLAS amendment.

The insurer notes: “This SOLAS amendment is intended to address the problem of variability in cargo weight declarations and its potential impact on

the safe stowage, securing and carriage of these containers. In practice, a failure to comply will likely result in fines and penalties but it may also result in delays, disruptions to loading procedures and potential loss of business for carriers.”

It adds that the responsibility for obtaining and communicating the VGM of a packed container lies with the shipper, that is to say the person or company sending the container for export. The VGM declared has to be signed off by a person duly authorised by the shipper.

No separate obligation is imposed on the carrier or the terminal operator to check the VGM declared. However, as a condition for loading, the carrier and the terminal operator must ensure that every container on the ship’s stowage plan has a properly declared VGM. Two methods can be used obtain the

VGM of a packed container. Either the packed container can be weighed (Method 1) or all the contents can be weighed and added to the empty weight of the container (Method 2). Using either method the VGM must be obtained using calibrated and certified weighing equipment that complies with the accuracy standards of the jurisdiction in which the equipment is used.

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) has said it strongly supports the new mandatory weighing requirements but that it also believes not all shipping and logistics companies, nor all shippers, will be ready in time. “But once this new regulation is fully implemented and practised,” the insurance industry body said: “IUMI is confident that it will contribute significantly to the safety of seafarers, ships and their cargoes.”

IMO softens SOLAS enforcement IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has agreed that it would be beneficial if Administrations and Port State Control authorities could take a “practical and pragmatic approach” when enforcing the new SOLAS requirements during the next three months.

MSC, meeting for its 96th session, noted delegations’ comments that some leeway should be provided in order for any problems resulting from software updates to be rectified without causing delays to containers being loaded.

The Committee also said that authorities should adopt a common sense approach for containers loaded before 1 July, 2016 and then transhipped.

“This will help ensure that containers that were loaded before 1 July 2016, but transhipped on or after 1 July 2016, reach their final port of discharge without a verified gross mass, and it will provide flexibility, for three months immediately after 1 July 2016, to all the stakeholders in containerised transport to refine procedures for documenting,

communicating and sharing electronic verified gross mass data,” it added.

TT Club’s risk management director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox, was among many who applauded the move: “There are no doubt still a number of grey areas.

In order to give time for these to be resolved the IMO’s intent is that any party who has done its level best to comply, even if it has not technically fulfilled the letter of the law, may expect to be treated with understanding. Those, however, who have done little or nothing can expect to be penalised.”

Stop! Is it an enclosed space?

LIVES are still being lost because seafarers do not realise they are entering enclosed spaces and so do not take proper precautions, and because they do not respond correctly when colleagues are in trouble.

Liability insurer London P&I Club says it continues to see cases of injuries and fatalities associated with entry into enclosed onboard spaces, including cargo holds on bulk carriers where atmospheres have not been treated as potentially dangerous.

In a recent case, the ship’s crew allowed two shore staff to enter the cargo hold of a bulk carrier using the usual means of access. There was not enough oxygen

within the space to support life and initially one of the shore staff collapsed in the hold. Then a crew member entered the space to attempt a rescue without following proper emergency procedures. Both died.

London Club loss prevention manager Carl Durow says: “Despite the recent introduction of legislation relating to drill requirements for personnel engaged in entry into enclosed spaces, the Club is still concerned about the number of spaces which should be considered potentially dangerous but may not be by crew who might focus on the traditional spaces such as ballast tanks and bunker tanks.”

He stressed: “The carriage of goods in bulk which may deplete oxygen content

www.missiontoseafarers.org

or produce toxic substances remains a threat, together with the dangers arising from the use of fumigants in ships’ holds.

Ships’ officers in particular should consider the risks of cargo hold entry at all points during the voyage and ensure that, by means of onboard training, drills and toolbox meetings, crew are also reminded to question circumstances in which they and others are entering holds.”

The insurers also emphasised the need for crews to practise the necessary skills and emergency response procedures set out in their safety management systems, “so there is every possible chance of a positive outcome in the event of such an incident”. themissiontoseafarers

Crew technology survey launched

Seafarer loses bid to stop arbitration

UK-BASED seafarers’ Nautilus International has launched what it says is the most comprehensive survey ever undertaken on crew connectivity, “to ensure that seafarers have the opportunity to shape the way shipping companies use technology on board vessels”.

“The first stage of our Crew Comms campaign is to find out what seafarers think about their current connection on board and in ports and what they want to see in the future,’ said general secretary Mark Dickinson.

To take part in the survey visit: www.surveymonkey. co.uk/r/CrewComms.

A US court has rejected a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) crew member’s attempt to prevent arbitration of his work injury claims because of the high costs involved in the arbitration process.

The Appeal Court found that Nicaraguan citizen, Willman Suazo, had not provided enough evidence to show that arbitration represented an insurmountable financial burden. Mr Suazo was injured in 2011 while lifting heavy garbage bins but NCL are disputing the amount claimed and enforcing an arbitration clause in the seafarer’s contract.

Indonesian coal dangers warning MARINE insurer London P&I Club has warned of the dangers of carrying cargoes of Indonesian thermal or ‘steam’ coal, following a number of recent incidents.

Indonesian coal tends to self-heat and/or emit methane.

If uncontrolled, self-heating can lead to serious cargo fires, and an accumulation of methane can explode.

According to the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code, coal with such characteristics should not be loaded if the temperature of the cargo exceeds 55ºC, and the atmosphere in the holds must be monitored at least daily on passage.

The oxidisation process that can lead to self-heating can be detected by checking the hold atmosphere for rising levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and falling oxygen (O2) levels. Methane levels can be measured directly. But the insurer warns that checking for O2, CO and methane must be done with properly sited, calibrated and maintained equipment.

Costa Concordia master’s sentence upheld AN ITALIAN court has confirmed the 16-year sentence given to the master of the Costa Concordia, which capsized in 2012, killing 32 people.

It rejected an appeal by Francesco Schettino against his conviction and sentence last year, for manslaughter but it also rejected a prosecution case to increase the length of the sentence.

The cruise ship capsized after hitting rocks off the Italian island of Giglio.

Capt Schettino remains free pending a final appeal to Italy’s highest court. @FlyingAngelNews

South Philippines warning THE Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) has reported three incidents involving the abduction of tug crews in the waters off East Sabah, Malaysia, and South Philippines in March and April. Meanwhile the US Department of State has warned US citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to the Sulu Archipelago, Philippines, and through the waters of the southern Sulu Sea due to continued terrorist threats, insurgent activities, and kidnappings.

Drowning leads to new pool procedures P&O CRUISES Australia has implemented new safety rules for passenger swimming pools following the drowning of a male passenger on the UK-flagged cruise ship Pacific Dawn while on passage in the Coral Sea, South Pacific Ocean, on 9 November, 2015. A UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report says the man was noticed lying motionless at the bottom of the forward swimming pool. He was quickly pulled out of the water but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

The MAIB reports that, after the accident, P&O Cruises Australia completed a formal documented risk assessment for swimming pool usage and is implementing several measures aimed at preventing a similar incident.

These include: updating its guest safety video to include pool safety information; providing flotation devices as an option for weaker swimmers; developing enhanced standard pool safety signs, and developing a pool safety guide for guests.