Nautilus International - April 2014 by Redactive Media Group

Chamber’s leader My seafaring past will help, says new head of UK owners’ body 19

All under control PSC chief promises new inspection focus on human factors 24-25

NL nieuws Twee pagina’s met nieuws uit Nederland 36-37

Volume 47 | Number 04 | April 2014 | £3.50 €3.70

Leading from the front... AOprey poses on the bulbous bow of

Queen Mary 2 master Captain Kevin

the Cunard vessel off the coast of Bali last month as part of a series of celebrations to mark the ship’s 10th birthday. The dramatic shot was taken as the ship sailed towards Sydney during a round-the-world cruise that is due to finish in Southampton in May, with two safety craft standing by while the film crew photographed the master from various angles. ‘When I was left alone on the bulb everything was very quiet,’ said Capt Oprey. ‘It was almost like an eerie silence. I was actually facing ahead at this stage and couldn’t really see what was behind me. ‘In years to come I will be very proud of the picture’, he added, ‘but the important thing is that it is the ship that counts.’ g Go the the Nautilus website — www. nautilusint.org — to see a behind-thescenes video of how the pictures were taken. Picture: James Morgan

Insurers warn of new safety risks Nautilus backs concerns over competence shortfalls as report highlights ‘emerging challenges’

Shortages of skilled and experienced seafarers are posing a growing safety risk as ships get larger and more sophisticated, insurers warned last month. The annual safety and shipping review published by the Allianz insurance group warns of ‘new risks and challenges’ emerging around crew safety and training — and most notably associated with the takeup of alternative fuels and the growth of ‘mega-ships’. It also expresses particular concern about a rise in engine damage linked to cat ﬁnes and ‘a lack of knowledge on proper handling for the grades of fuel available today’. The Allianz alert was echoed by the classiﬁcation society Lloyd’s Register as it released a report on the future of marine fuel, with a warning about the competence and training issues arising from the move to ‘greener’ fuels — including LNG and hydrogen. Nautilus said the concerns should serve as a wake-up call to the industry. ‘There have been countless warnings about the skills

01_front.indd 25

shortage in recent years,’ said general secretary Mark Dickinson. ‘However, despite all the evidence there has been very limited action to increase training to the levels required. ‘What is clear from the Allianz and LR reports is that the complex technology and systems now being used onboard, coupled with the scale of the risk presented by the new generation of mega-ships, are ramping up the demand for highly skilled and well-trained seafarers. ‘If the industry is serious about maintaining high safety standards, it also needs to be equally serious about the recruitment and retention of the professionals it requires for that,’ he added. On the plus side, the Allianz review notes a 20% reduction in ship losses last year — with the total of 94 reported worldwide being only the second time in the past 12 years that the ﬁgure has been below 100. But Allianz pointed to 21 key risks to the future safety of shipping, including: z eco ships z alternative fuels z increasing ship sizes

z human error z skill shortages z lack of standardised training z reduced crewing numbers z crew fatigue It said the ﬁrst 24,000TEU containerships could be in service around 2018 — raising the prospect of a total insurance liability for a single vessel of more than US$700m. Increasing ship sizes are also posing huge salvage challenges, the report adds, with ‘staggering’ timescales involved in removing thousands of containers. Pointing out that the total salvage costs for the Costa Concordia are likely to top $2bn, it warns that while the capability to handle huge accidents may exist, the potential ﬁnancial burdens are immense. Dr Sven Gerhard, of Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty (AGCS), said there was a risk that such vessels could block access to port and terminal accesses and added: ‘The large loss potential has increased for events which are not extraordinary on these big ships, and these are uncharted waters for salvors.’

Allianz said it was worried that machinery damage continues to be the cause of the majority of losses on marine insurance and it warned that this trend is set to increase — and the growing use of low-sulphur fuels is likely to exacerbate the problem of cat fines. ‘The fear is that we will see more and more cat fines problems and more damaged engines,’ said Captain Rahul Khanna, AGCS senior marine risk consultant. ‘Higher amounts of cat fines can be dealt with by experienced and competent engineers onboard the ships, but a lack of such engineers and a lack of training and awareness is also adding to the problem,’ he warned. The report also argues that another emerging risk for shipowners and ports is the growth in LNG and other alternative fuels. ‘The technology itself is not new; the concern is storing the LNG as a fuel and handling it onboard,’ Capt Khanna pointed out. ‘LNG expertise is not easily available — there needs to be a change in mindset and training.’ g LR future fuels study — see page 23.

Inside F Reporting lines

New head of the conﬁdential incident reporting programme wants to breathe new life into the scheme — page 20-21 F Smart ships?

Satcoms company Inmarsat has launched an industry debate on the potential impact of the ‘industrial internet’ services to shipping — pages 26-27 F Writing winners

The pick of the entries from the Nautilus/Marine Society writing competition — pages 31-33

19/03/2014 18:10

02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Nautilus warns UK minister over jobs General secretary calls for action to stop unfair competition in ferry sector

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson has held top-level talks on a range of maritime policy issues with UK shipping minister Stephen Hammond. Topics covered during the meeting at the House of Commons included seafarer training, the tonnage tax, and concerns over unfair competition in the ferry sector arising from the cutbacks proposed by Stena Line. Mr Dickinson said he had urged the minister to ensure that UK national minimum wage provisions are applied for the crews of ferries operating on routes in and out of the country and he also called for the UK to reopen moves to develop the European ‘manning directive’ to regulate conditions on intra-EU services. Nautilus also discussed proposals for increasing UK seafarer training numbers, stressing its concern that current numbers are not sufﬁcient to prevent long-term shortages — and the minister said he was keen to do

Mark Dickinson meets shipping minister Stephen Hammond

something more on this, together with training for ratings under tonnage tax. Mr Dickinson said he had told Mr Hammond of his disappointment that the UK had not repat-

riated the crew of the Panamaﬂagged vessel Donald Duckling following its detention in the Port of Tyne last year. The Union argued that the UK had a responsibility to act follow-

ing the failure of the flag state, the owner and the labour-supplying nation to provide the assistance required by the Maritime Labour Convention. Mr Dickinson said the minister had agreed to consider this matter with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. ‘I also expressed our frustration at Panama over the case of the Danny FII and the lack of a publicly-available flag state report on the ship’s loss,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘I asked that the UK government keep the pressure on the IMO to ensure that the likes of Panama investigate causalities in a timely and through manner, ensuring transparency and dissemination of the findings.’ Nautilus also told the minister about the evidence it had recently present to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency detailing cases in which officer trainees had complained of problems with the quality of their training — particularly during seatime on ships with no other UK nationals onboard.

Petition to PM seeks help for guards under arrest in India the relatives of six British crew A members who have been detained

Nautilus has backed a call from

onboard an anti-piracy support vessel in India for more than five months for the government to do more to help them. The family members went to Downing Street last month to deliver a petition signed by more than 143,000 people urging prime minister David Cameron to help secure the release of the men, who were alleged to have illegally carried weapons in Indian waters. The six Britons were among a multinational crew of 35 onboard the Sierra Leone-flagged piracy protection

vessel Seaman Guard Ohio, which was detained in the port of Chennai after Indian authorities intercepted the ship and said they found weapons and ammunition onboard which was claimed to have not been properly declared. The crew members have been held in prison, on charges including firearms offences and illegally entering Indian territorial waters. There have been complaints that they have been subjected to inhumane conditions in jail — including being deprived of proper medical treatment, bathing facilities and adequate food. The Mission to Seafarers has been providing prison-visiting services

and working to support families in the UK. Secretary general the Revd Andrew Wright described the case as traumatic and pointed out: ‘These men have now been held for over five months and these issues need urgent resolution.’ Nautilus has written to Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire to support the calls for UK government intervention. General secretary Mark Dickinson described the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the subsequent treatment of the crew as ‘deeply disturbing’. ‘The UK has commendably taken an international lead in developing standards and protocols to govern

the use of armed guards and the need for intervention by the UK in this case is an important extension of those principles, because it is surely not right that those who risk their lives protecting seafarers themselves face the additional risk being of criminalised and prosecuted,’ he added.

g The families of the men have

decided to launch a fighting fund to help support their loved ones in prison. The Mission to Seafarers is manaing the fundraising campaign, via the JustGiving website: www.justgiving.com/ Yvonne-MacHugh.

Bob Crow, left, at a protest against EU shipping policy in Brussels in 2008 Picture: Jess Hurd/Report

Bob Crow: ‘a tireless fighter for the trade union movement’ tributes paid last month F following the sudden death of Bob Nautilus joined the many

Crow, general secretary of the UK Rail Maritime & Transport union (RMT), at the age of 52. Politicians and labour movement figures spoke of their shock at the loss of Mr Crow, who had been leader of the RMT since 2002. After leaving school at 16, he became an apprentice track worker with London Underground and by the time he was 20, he was a local representative for the then National Union of Railwaymen and he became assistant general secretary of the RMT in 1991. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said he had been proud to work alongside the RMT leader on a wide range of campaigns to defend jobs and conditions in the shipping industry and to secure more investment in the employment and training of British seafarers — most recently in getting tonnage tax support for UK ratings training. ‘The crude media caricature did Bob few favours — but may have led many to under-estimate his quick thinking and sharp intellect,’ he said. ‘And whatever anyone said or wrote about him, no one could question Bob’s remarkable drive and commitment to his members.

He was a formidable negotiator and a tenacious fighter for the cause of British shipping and seafaring. ‘Behind Bob’s public persona was a really decent bloke — someone who I came to respect as a man of deep principle and determination,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘He will be hugely missed and our sincere condolences are extended to his friends, family colleagues, and his partner, Nicola. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady described the news of Mr Crow’s unexpected death as shocking. ‘Bob was an outstanding trade unionist, who tirelessly fought for his members, his industry and the wider trade union movement,’ she added. Steve Cotton, acting general secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, commented: ‘Bob was such a vital, tough, campaigning tower of strength that it’s almost impossible to believe that he is no longer with us. Bob was many things: a true fighter for workers’ rights, an internationalist and an inspiration to the last.’ Guy Platten, chief executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping, added: ‘At his core, he was a man who cared. He believed in his members, and he fought for them every single day.’

MNOPF: notice from the Trustee the Trustee of the Merchant Navy Officers F Pension Fund. Date of publication: March 2014. This notice is issued for and on behalf of

Were you a Merchant Navy officer before April 1978 and in the Merchant Navy Officers Pension Fund (MNOPF)? The Trustee of the MNOPF is intending to wind up the Old Section of the Fund. The assets will be used to provide pensions for all Old Section members by way of individual policies, covering each member’s full benefit entitlement, issued in each member’s name. Such policies will also be issued to dependants (such as widows) already in receipt of a benefit. This announcement is a call to any members of the Old Section of whom the MNOPF is unaware, to make contact. Members of the Old Section may include any persons with employment as an officer

02-03_at work.indd 2

in the Merchant Navy on or before 5 April 1978. The Old Section of the MNOPF relates only to MNOPF benefits in respect of service accrued up to that date. Please note that you do not need to contact the Trustee if you fall into one of the following categories: z you have already been notified of the proposal to wind up the Old Section by the Trustee, z you are already receiving a pension from the MNOPF, z you have made a claim for benefits from the MNOPF and received a response. Any persons, unless they fall into one of the above categories, having a claim or interest in the Old Section are required to send particulars in writing of such claim or interest, together with details of their full name, address, and date of

birth, to the MNOPF Trustee c/o Ensign Pensions Administration Limited, Leatherhead House, Station Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7ET, UK, no later than 31 May 2014. In order to ensure that the Trustee receives notice of any such particulars, the Trustee recommends that the details of any claims are sent by a guaranteed delivery method. As soon as possible after the expiry of the two month period referred to above, the Trustee will arrange for the distribution of the remaining MNOPF assets, in accordance with the MNOPF Rules, in order to provide benefits for the members and dependants (such as widows) having regard only to claims and interests of which it is aware/had notice. The Trustee will not be liable to any person of whose claim it has not had notice.

unions around the world are F pictured with Nautilus general Delegates from maritime

secretary Mark Dickinson at last month’s meeting of the ITF International Officers’ Forum (IOF). Held in Rotterdam, the two-day meeting was chaired by Mr Dickinson and issues on the agenda included the need to further enhance the ITF’s work in the International Maritime Organisation, ITF activity in the

International Labour Organisation and International Bargaining Forum, and the forthcoming ITF Congress and proposed work programme of the ITF’s seafarers section. Mr Dickinson also briefed the meeting on latest developments in the the Nautilus/SEKO initiative on fair transport, as well as the results of EU-funded projects on maritime career mapping and dealing with harassment and bullying at sea.

19/03/2014 19:28

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

‘Trailblazing’ boost for UK sea training Ratings training programme chosen as one of new model apprenticeships

Nautilus has joined the UK Chamber of Shipping in welcoming the government’s announcement last month that ship ratings — including engineering, navigation and catering roles — will be included in the latest phase of an innovative apprenticeship programme. Ministers have approved the inclusion of the maritime ratings scheme — led by employers including DFDS, Princess Cruises, Carnival UK, P&O Ferries, the Royal Navy and James Fisher (Shipping Services) — as one of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) ‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeships. Trailblazers are a new model of apprenticeships that will supersede all existing schemes by 2016, ensuring that apprenticeship training meets standards required by industry and employers rather than training providers. Shipping industry organisations — including the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) and the Maritime Skills Alliance (MSA) — campaigned successfully through 2013 to allow the Trailblazers model to extend to elements of seafarer training. Chamber of Shipping CEO Guy Platten commented: ‘The UK is known the world over for its seafaring skills and the UK has a proud maritime history, but this investment proves we are determined to build a maritime future too. ‘The long-term prosperity of the UK shipping industry depends completely on the people entering it. Training must equip seafarers with key skills and develop their careers as fully as possible while meeting the needs of employers, and the Trailblazer announcement is a huge step towards this. ‘This announcement is extremely valuable for the industry and demonstrates the government’s recognition of the importance of maritime careers,’ he added. Gemma Grifﬁn, DFDS Seaways vice president of HR and crewing, attended a Downing Street reception to launch the new Trailblazers as part of National Apprenticeship Week, accompanied by deck rating apprentice Brandon Payne.

02-03_at work.indd 3

shortreports RESIDENCE TEST: Nautilus members have been reassured that their entitlement to UK Seafarers Earnings Deduction (SED) will not be affected by a new residency test introduced by HM Revenue & Customs. HMRC’s Statutory Residence Test (SRT) — introduced in April last year — will be applied from the tax year 2013/14 onwards, and revised guidance explaining how the rules determine the residence status of an individual in the UK for the purposes of income tax, capital gains tax and, where relevant, inheritance tax. Members with queries should email sed@nautilusint.org. JURISDICTION CLAIM: a man accused of starting a fire on a North Sea ferry which sparked a major rescue operation off the UK coast is set to argue the court has no jurisdiction in his case. Boden George Hughes is charged with arson and affray following the blaze onboard the DFDS vessel King Seaways in December last year. In a hearing due to take place on 8 May, his legal team will claim that the vessel was not British-flagged and was on the high seas at the time of the alleged offence, and therefore the court has no jurisdiction. SPILL FINE: the German owners of a containership which spilled 1,000 litres of heavy fuel oil into Tauranga Harbour in New Zealand while the vessel was refuelling last year have been fined NZ$30,000 ($25,500). Jule Schiffahrtsgesellschart admitted a charge that a harmful substance was discharged into water in a coastal marine area when the oil over-flowed during bunkering of the vessel Liloa in July last year as a result of confusion between the chief engineer and the second engineer as to which tanks were to be filled. SINKING PROBED: the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch is looking into an incident in which a Barbados-flagged cargoship started to sink off the coast of Cornwall last month. The Sea Breeze was towed to safety in St Austell Bay by a local tug after taking on water in the engineroom while sailing to Shoreham with a cargo of limestone and six crew members had to be rescued by helicopter. P3 PROTEST: the Global Shippers Forum (GSF) has called for international regulators, including European competition authorities, to investigate the impact of the proposed P3 vessel-sharing agreement between the world’s three largest container lines. It wants authorities to make ‘appropriate changes’ to ease unfair competition concerns. CANAL DEAL: the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has secured an agreement to end a dispute over cost over-runs which threatened the completion of work on the expansion of the waterway. Under the deal with the consortium building the third set of locks, both sides will put in US$100m to ensure the project is finished by the end of 2015. MLC APP: the classification society Lloyd’s Register and the UK P&I Club have produced a new version of their Maritime Labour Convention pocket checklist smartphone app. The new edition is said to be more interactive and complements similar checklists for ISM and ISPS Code requirements.

DFDS rating trainee Brandon Payne with HR vice-president Gemma Griffin in Downing Street last month

DFDS Seaways was the ﬁrst ferry company to introduce ratings apprenticeships, taking on six deck rating trainees in December 2012 on a two-year training programme. The company announced last month that it is to take on an additional six apprentices — three further deck ratings and three engine ratings — in the second phase of its scheme. ‘Employer-led apprenticeships of this kind are not only vital for DFDS Seaways, but also for the maritime sector as a whole,’ Ms Grifﬁn said. ‘They help us safeguard the future of our industry by ensuring that we have young

people entering the industry with the right skills, expertise and support they need to be able to work effectively and safely. ‘At DFDS Seaways, we also have a ratings to ofﬁcer scheme, providing our able seafarers with the training and support they need to progress to the top of their chosen ﬁeld,’ she pointed out. ‘That means that the apprentices who sign up to our scheme could feasibly become a captain or chief engineer in the space of 15 years or so, if they demonstrate the right aptitude and competence.’ As chair of the UK Chamber’s employment committee, Ms

Grifﬁn will chair a Trailblazer employer group that will work with the MNTB and MSA to deﬁne the scope of the Maritime Trailblazer Apprenticeship Scheme. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘This is good news and we hope it will deliver a real incentive for owners to do more to invest in ratings training. It is much needed and there is a lot of work to do to get the numbers to the right level. ‘We hope the government will now enact the extension of the tonnage tax training commitment to ratings, as agreed by the unions and the owners,’ he added.

PLANE SEARCH: merchant ships transiting the Indian Ocean and South China Sea have been asked to help search efforts for a missing Airlines Boeing 777200 ER, which disappeared while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in the early hours of 8 March. SECURITY SUPPORT: the Japanese government has contributed US$1m to a fund established by the International Maritime Organisation to implement counter-piracy projects off the coast of west and central Africa. FATAL COLLISION: one seafarer died and eight were missing, feared dead, after a collision between a containership and a general cargo vessel in Tokyo Bay last month. The Panama-flagged Beagle III sank following the collision with the South Korean-registered boxship Pegasus Prime.

19/03/2014 19:29

04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports WAGE WARNING: plans to ‘name and shame’ employers who breach the UK’s national minimum wage laws are a good start — but more needs to be done to enforce the rules properly, the TUC said last month. General secretary Frances O’Grady welcomed the government’s decision to expose employers who flout the rules, but said greater efforts had to be made to publicise all companies cheating their staff. BUDGET BOOST: the UK Chamber of Shipping has urged the government to do more to attract maritime companies to the country, in order to support the goals set out in last month’s Budget. Chief executive Guy Platten said the Chancellor’s announcement of a cut in VAT for maritime rescue services was hugely welcome and will ‘help ensure the safety of our seafarers’. PNTL PRESSED: Nautilus is seeking a date to meet management to discuss a pay and conditions claim for members employed by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. The claim includes an RPI increase, a move towards a one for one leave ratio and shared duties remuneration for members operating on reduced manning. TUNNEL DELAY: the UK Competition Commission (CC) has delayed the publication of its latest provisional decision into Eurotunnel’s ownership of the MyFerryLink service, following the Competition Appeal Tribunal judgment quashing the original CC decision. The report was due as the Telegraph went to press.

Pay deal ends long dispute at Orkney Union praises members for solidarity during year-long wrangle over offer

Nautilus members at Orkney Ferries have voted to accept a 1% pay offer for 2014/15, bringing their long-running dispute with the company to a successful conclusion. The deal was accepted after the board wrote to the Union advising that the Council’s grant from the Scottish government, and therefore the overall budget, had been reduced, but that the agreed budget for Orkney Ferries included a provision for a 1% pay increase. The company also conﬁrmed that this new offer was in addition to the existing 2012/13 and

2013/14 offers, which were outstanding. Members at Orkney Ferries have been taking industrial action involving working to their contracts since March 2013 and have been locked in a stalemate since October last year when the company refused to remove a line from the 2013/14 offer which stipulated that the ﬁnancial impact of a 2% increase would be taken into account in the 2014/15 negotiations. The members requested that this statement be removed from the offer and when this was refused by the board, members rejected the offer.

tribunals have fallen by almost F 80% over the past year following Claims to UK employment

BRIGGS CLAIM: a pay and conditions claim for an RPI pay increase has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Briggs Marine and serving onboard Environmental Agency vessels. DFDS DATE: Nautilus is awaiting a date for a further meeting with DFDS to discuss this year’s pay and conditions claim, with the anniversary date switched to 1 April.

HANSON DEAL: following consultations with members employed by Hanson Ship Management, Nautilus has accepted an across-the-board 2% pay offer. INTRADA CALL: Nautilus is pressing for a meeting with Intrada Ship Management to discuss this year’s pay and conditions claim.

MARINE TAX SERVICES (CARDIFF) LTD complete service for mariners run by certificated ex-officer qualified accountants always available computerised 100% claims and forecast projection will writing service available 26 High Street, Barry CF62 7EB, South Glamorgan, UK Tel. Barry (01446) 739953 MARINETAX@YAHOO.COM Established 1974

04-05_at work.indd 4

To advertise in the Telegraph contact: Tom Poole T: 020 7880 6217 E: tom.poole@ redactive.co.uk

FOR SALE small marine survey/ consultancy practice.

West of Scotland based. Modest income with scope for growth. Serious enquiries only to hgsos@tiscali.co.uk

‘For more than 12 months, members have solidly supported the industrial action and this helped to eventually reach a negotiated settlement,’ Mr Byrne added. ‘I have really appreciated members’ support during this difﬁcult time and the solidarity they have shown will not have gone unnoticed by the company.’ The acceptance of this latest offer means that members employed by Orkney ferries will now receive £600 (consolidated) for 2012/13; a 2% salary increase, annual pay scale increments and an additional one week’s leave for 2013/14; and a 1% pay increase for 2014/15.

Tribunal fees lead to big fall in cases

BW CONSULT: members serving with BW Fleet Management are being consulted on a 2.25% pay offer, in line with the settlement for Norwegian unions. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder said the deal is the best that can be secured through negotiations.

LCT MEETING: Nautilus is to meet LCT (Newhaven) management early this month to discuss this year’s pay claim. The Union is seeking an above-inflation increase.

‘It was a surprise when I received details of this new offer, as we had not heard anything from Orkney Council since the end of last year,’ explained industrial organiser Derek Byrne. ‘In February we met with MSP Liam McArthur, member for Orkney Islands, to discuss the dispute and I wonder if he put pressure on the council to make a new offer ahead of Scottish Parliament and local elections later this year.’ ‘The offer made by the council did not seem to include any reference to the ﬁnancial impact of last year’s offer so it is a bit of a mystery as to why they couldn’t remove it when we asked last year.

Nautilus Women’s TUC delegates Lisa Carr, Karolina Bieganska, and Jessica Tyson Picture: Janina Struk

Nautilus urges parental rights for seafarers to the same maternity and F paternity benefits as colleagues

UK seafarers should be entitled

ashore, Nautilus women’s forum vice chair Jessica Tyson told the Women’s TUC conference last month. Moving the Nautilus motion at the conference, Ms Tyson called on the TUC to support efforts to secure better legal protection for women at sea and provide the best possible maternity and paternity rights for seafarers. ‘Maternity and paternity rights are not something that you think about until you find yourself in that position,’ she said. ‘At that point it is too late to find out you don’t have any, or at best very limited, rights. It can have an extremely detrimental effect on your life and your career prospects. ‘If you don’t have any legal rights it is impossible to feel you have any security in the future,’ she added. ‘No male or female should feel that they have to choose between their career and having a family.’

The motion was seconded by the RMT and unanimously agreed by the conference. Nautilus delegates at the meeting also supported a motion tabled by the construction workers’ union, UCATT, which highlighted the problems of bullying and harassment in maledominated industries. Karolina Bieganska told the conference that Nautilus had produced a Protect and Respect handbook which helped members recognise and deal with bullying and harassing behaviour, and helped to deliver new industry-wide guidance. The Union’s women’s forum had also conducted training specifically for women members on supporting members and changing cultures of bullying onboard, she added. Ms Bieganska urged the TUC to convene a meeting of female union members working in male-dominated workplaces to share best practices and support.

the government’s controversial introduction of fees for workers bringing cases such as unfair dismissal. Charges for lodging a claim were introduced in July last year and official statistics show that the number of claims received in the last quarter of 2013 was 9,801 — compared with 45,710 in the same period in 2012. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady commented: ‘These figures show that introducing fees for tribunal cases has stopped many people seeking justice. ‘No one will believe that Britain’s workplaces have got fairer overnight’, she added. ‘Too many of Britain’s bad bosses are getting away with treating staff badly, confident that the government is on their side.’

She argued that workers are being deterred from taking cases for unpaid wages where the fees are greater than the sums held back by their bosses. ‘Only the very poorest get relief from fees — TUC research shows that more than one in three households containing at least one worker on the minimum wage has to pay £390 to bring an unpaid wage claim,’ she added. Charles Boyle, head of Nautilus legal services, said the figures demonstrate the importance of union membership. ‘With the costs of bringing employment tribunal claims being significant, it is even more important that workers join unions which meet these costs,’ he added. ‘Nautilus will pay these costs for members where the prospect of success is at least 51%. This is a very important membership benefit for seafarers.’

Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr is pictured with PAW delegates at talks with Global Marine Systems management on issues including changes to competency, tax, auto-enrolment, bullying and harassment, and the employee handbook review.

Talks lead to extra severance additional £4,000 in F redundancy pay for a member who Nautilus has secured an

was unhappy with the weight and the score of the criteria used by his company when he lost his job last year as a result of a ship sale. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder

spent several months negotiating the enhanced payment, on top of the statutory entitlement, for the officer. ‘The settlement is an example of the practical support that Nautilus can provide when things go wrong and it shows the value of maintaining your membership,’ he said.

19/03/2014 19:32

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports PRINCESS SWITCH: Nautilus has welcomed a move by Princess Cruises to reflag two ships to the UK register. Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess are being transferred ‘in order to better support business operations’, the company said. Nautilus national secretary Jonathan Havard said talks are taking place with management to ensure that no members are disadvantaged in any way as a consequence of the changes.

Unions and employers at last month’s International Bargaining Forum negotiations in Tokyo

Slow progress in global pay talks took part in top-level negotiations last month F on a proposed new agreement on the pay and Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson

conditions of thousands of seafarers covered by the International Bargaining Forum total crew cost agreement. Held in Tokyo, the second round of talks between International Transport Workers’ Federation delegates and shipowner representatives in the Joint Negotiating Group made little progress on the key issue of a pay increase. Further talks are due to take place in London in April, to be followed by a final meeting in June. ‘The JNG maintained the position that the recovery in global shipping is too weak and it is premature to be talking of pay increases,’ Mr Dickinson told the Telegraph. ‘The offer they made

earlier — of holding the current IBF wage rates for a further three years — was repeated. ‘For the seafarers, the ITF presented market research that suggested the recovery was more positive and maintained the demand for a 10% increase for a two-year deal and 15% for a threeyear deal, plus other contractual improvements such as aligning IBF benchmark wages for officers more closely to actual pay, reduced voyage lengths, improved leave and overtime rates. ‘We are also pressing the JNG to support joint work on a range of partnership, issues such as efforts to eradicate harassment and bullying at sea; the promotion of more jobs for women, and best practice guidelines on cadet training,’ he added. Nautilus also took part in talks which resulted in an agreement on an increase in the International

Labour Organisation’s minimum wage rate for seafarers. Under the terms of the deal, this will increase by $7 per month from 1 January 2015, and by a further $22 on 1 January 2016. The ILO governing body has also been asked to arrange further talks early in 2016 to consider updating the wage rate with effect from January 2017. The increases take the minimum monthly basic wage for an AB from $585 to $592 and then to $614, with the commensurate monthly total earnings for an AB based on the agreed ITF/ISF interpretation to $1,040 and $1,078 respectively. Mr Dickinson described the deal as ‘a good result’ in a difficult climate. ‘The increase is very close to 5% over the two years of the deal — about 1.2% in 2015 and 3.8% in 2016 — and potentially sets a helpful benchmark for negotiations elsewhere,’ he added.

Stena visits on cutback plans Nautilus consults members before talks with company

Nautilus is undertaking a series of ship visits throughout the Stena Line ﬂeet to consult members on the company’s controversial costcutting plans. Stena is seeking to slash its crewing costs by 10% to help it compete with other operators using cheaper foreign crews. Although it has yet to produce detailed proposals, the company has already moved to impose a pay freeze for all staff and to postpone the second stage of pay harmonisation for onboard services staff. Stena has indicated that it wants to cut current pay rates by 5% and is also seeking to increase work time from 24 weeks to 26 per year, to introduce new lowergraded positions in some departments and to bring in a different pay scale for new entrants. Nautilus has told the company that whilst it is prepared to negotiate on proposals to ensure that UK crewing is retained, it is not Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr is pictured right with members and management at a meeting with the Natural Environment Research Council to discuss ownership and governance proposals affecting members serving on ships operated by NOC-NMFSS and British Antarctic Survey. Nautilus was due to meet the company again at the end of March to formalise the pay structure and review the terms of reference.

04-05_at work.indd 5

prepared to discuss any reductions in members’ existing terms and conditions. Senior national secretary Garry Elliott and national ferries organiser Micky Smyth last month began a programme of ship visits that will run into the second week of April. ‘We are trying to get onboard every vessel to gather feedback on the company’s proposals before going back into negotiations with management,’ Mr Elliott told the Telegraph. ‘It is clear that the proposals have caused a lot of concern and have lost the company a lot of goodwill and motivation, with a lot of anger among members at pay being frozen. ‘We are now waiting for the company to present us with formal detailed proposals, and management’s position will determine whether we can go forward as we have consistently said we cannot remain at the negotiating table unless existing terms

and conditions are protected,’ he added. Nautilus is expecting to hold further talks with the company in mid-April, once the programme of ship visits is completed. If management table detailed proposals during these discussions, the Union plans to conduct further consultations with members. z Stena Line has acquired the Irish-owned Celtic Link ferry service, which operates on a yearround basis between Rosslare and Cherbourg. The service uses the Italianﬂagged ferry Celtic Horizon, which will be renamed and technically managed by Northern Marine Ferries. The ship’s existing crew will be transferred to employment with a Northern Marine group company. Stena described the move as ‘an important acquisition’ and said there was potential for revenue growth ‘by utilising the existing lower cost base of the operation’.

First moves in RFA claim Fleet Auxiliary have been asked A for their views on the contents of this

Members serving with the Royal

year’s pay and conditions claim. The submission is set to be made ahead of the 1 July review date, although the Union is continuing negotiations with management on a number of non-pay issues, including concessionary travel, study leave arrangements, certification, disciplinary policy and hotel payments for personnel standing by ships and national secretary Jonathan Havard said he was hopeful that progress can be made on these. Formal consultations are also due to begin soon on proposals developed through the Future Development programme, although informal discussions are seeking to resolve some issues before then. ‘One of the main stumbling blocks at present is the thorny issue of pay on promotion, which currently rests at 8%, and we hope to find a solution to this,’ Mr Havard added.

Fleet Maritime Services on A P&O Cruises and Cunard vessels have

CONDOR WARNING: French seafaring unions have warned that their dispute with Condor Ferries is not over, despite an agreement to end a two-week strike by members on the fast ferry Condor Rapide. The action was called off when the company offered talks on French contracts for crew members and the possibility of reflagging to the French RIF register. Union are continuing to press the company for seafarers to have the same rights as workers ashore. PUBLIC PROTEST: the TUC has condemned the UK government’s announcement of a fresh round of below-inflation pay increases for public sector workers. General secretary Frances O’Grady, commented: ‘Ministers’ message to Britain’s young people is that they should not seek a career in health, education or other public services if they want a decent standard of living or to work for an employer who values them.’ ABSOLUTE START: talks on the pay and conditions claim for members employed by Absolute Shipping and Absolute Shipping Management got under way late last month. The Union is seeking an above-inflation pay rise and a formal response from the company will follow in writing. MAERSK CONSULT: members employed by Maersk Offshore in the tanker fleet are being consulted on the company’s ‘full and final’ pay offer. Management said the company was unable to improve an initial 1% offer in the light of the 2013 financial results. The results of the consultations were due late last month. WESTMINSTER CLAIM: following feedback from members serving with Boskalis Westminster, Nautilus has submitted a claim for an above-RPI pay increase, improved travel allowances and study pay, and reversion to an annual bonus system. LIGHTHOUSE MEETING: Nautilus industrial organiser Derek Byrne is seeking a meeting with Northern Lighthouse Board to discuss a claim for an above-inflation pay rise after the original meeting was postponed. BOSKALIS DEAL: the Dutch shipping company Boskalis has secured an agrement to takeover the towage firm Fairmont Marine from the French group Louis Dreyfus Armatuers.

Nautilus members serving with

rejected the company’s 2.5% pay offer. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder has requested further talks with management after consultations showed just over 51% of members wanting to reject the package, which also included new proposals for travel arrangements. Mr Schroder described the level of participation in the consultations as disappointing. He said the feedback indicated that the biggest concern was around the travel proposals and he hoped the company would be able to make a positive response to the Union. In line with the commitment to partnership at work principles, the company has agreed a programme of Nautilus visits to all 10 ships and this will begin in May, Mr Schroder said.

The Tube, 86 North Street Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8RA

DELIVERY WORLDWIDE

Q Braids Q Work Wear Q Tropical Wear Q Cadet Uniforms Q Officers Uniforms

19/03/2014 19:32

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports SEACOR SUBMISSION: Nautilus has submitted a pay and conditions claim which includes an RPI inflation-plus increase for members employed by Seacor Marine and serving onboard BPOS vessels. The claim also includes Christmas and new year bonuses and a comparison of all ranks with the market rate. Industrial organiser Lisa Carr said members had raised a number of other issues which she will discuss separately with the company. These included improvements to communications, clarification on travel expenses and docking day payments; and for surveys to be divided equally between crews. Ms Carr is currently seeking a meeting with the company to discuss the claim. CHOPPERS ‘SAFE’: the safety record of North Sea helicopters is as good as other sectors, aviation experts told a Parliamentary inquiry last month. Mark Swan, from the Civil Aviation Authority, told the House of Commons transport committee that offshore helicopter services are not inherently unsafe, even though there have been five major crashes in the past four years. The Scottish TUC has supported calls for a review of the fatal accident inquiry system after it took five years to report on an Super Puma EC225 accident in which 16 people died in April 2009. GULF CLAIM: a pay and conditions claim has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Gulf Offshore. The detailed claim includes an RPI-linked increase, a reduction in leave days held by the company, compensation for crew change delays and training, first class travel for officers, and increases in sick pay and compassionate leave. FARSTAD TALKS: Nautilus has held talks with Farstad Singapore management on the Union’s claim for an RPI inflation-plus pay increase for members serving with the company. Industrial organiser Gary Leech and liaison officers Peter Tipping and Neil Coltman took part in the discussions and a formal response was awaited late last month. SEALION PRESSED: Nautilus was set to meet Seahorse Maritime management late last month for more talks on this year’s pay and conditions claim, following members’ rejection of a 2% offer. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder said the Union will be pressing the company for an improvement to the package. SKILLS CALL: the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and the recruitment agency Matchtech have published a report with 16 recommendations to tackle a shortage of marine engineers which, they warn, is particularly affecting the offshore oil and gas sector. TECHNIP CALL: Nautilus is continuing to press Technip Singapore management for a meeting to discuss the Union’s claim for improvements to a two-year pay and conditions offer that was rejected by members. NKOSSA DEAL: members employed by Maersk Offshore and serving on Nkossa II have voted to accept the company’s offer of a 2.7% increase in salaries.

Excellence in Training

The construction support vessel Havila Phoenix, left, has had a new section, above, inserted at a yard in Poland

Phoenix given an extra 17 metres... remarkable conversion project which has A seen an offshore construction support vessel

Nautilus members have been involved in a

lengthened by more than 17m and equipped with state of the art cable-laying and trenching equipment. The 9,418gt Havila Phoenix, originally built in 2009, has been transformed at the Havyard Ship Technology shipyard in Leirvik, Norway, ahead of its planned return to service next month on a major seven-year contract for offshore construction and trenching activities. The work began in the second half of 2013 and first involved the vessel being cut in two and

extended from 110m to 127.4m, with almost 700 tons of extra steel being installed at a yard in Poland before going to Norway to complete the upgrade. New equipment fitted to the ship includes state of the art trenching machines and a vertical carousel with capacity to store 2,000 tons of cable. The ship’s stern has been reinforced and a 250-tonne A-frame installed. DeepOcean — which has chartered the ship from Havila — described the new equipment as the world’s most sophisticated subsea trenching system, including the world’s largest selfpropelled trencher. Key features of the spread

include a 3,200hp track-based machine, equipped with a high sea state handling system, which will be capable of working in a combination of mechanical cutting and jetting modes. The vessel has also been fitted with a high power, neutrally buoyant ROV jet trenching system and two DeepOcean owned and operated ROVs. Work on the conversion has involved around 100 marine staff. The DeepOcean contract is for seven years with four one-year options. Havila Phoenix is booked for most of 2014 following its delivery in April and will work on three projects in Norway.

UKCS ‘could deliver a £200bn boost’ Report recommends new regulatory body to maximise North Sea output

With the referendum on Scottish independence fast approaching, British prime minister David Cameron has promised to ‘use the UK’s broad shoulders’ to invest further in the offshore oil and gas industry. His words followed the publication of a UK government-commissioned report by Sir Ian Wood, tackling the question of how to maximise output from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The Wood report calculates that the British economy could receive a potential £200bn boost over the next 20 years, through the recovery of an additional 3-4bn barrels of North Sea oil and gas. Its key recommendations include: z a new shared strategy for maximising oil and gas recovery,

with commitment from the government and the oil and gas industry z creation of a new arm’s length regulatory body to oversee and develop this programme of change and growth z greater collaboration by industry in areas such as development of regional hubs, sharing of infrastructure and reducing the complexity and delays in current legal and commercial processes Campaigners for Scottish independence wish to see the country reap the full benefit from oil and gas extraction on its territory. However, Mr Cameron and his Westminster colleagues argue that an independent Scotland could have difficulty finding the money needed for investment

— with a greater sum needed per head of population than in the ‘broad-shouldered’ UK. Whatever the outcome of September’s referendum, the North Sea offshore sector cannot survive without substantial and sustained investment, stressed Malcolm Webb of Oil & Gas UK, and he urged the government to continue providing a ‘competitive environment’ for this. Oil & Gas UK published its own report in late February: the Activity Survey 2014. The industry body’s analysis is generally upbeat about the state of the UKCS, forecasting capital expenditure of around £13bn in 2014, the second highest year for investment on record. The report also points to better than expected production last

Maersk launches emergency courses

STCW10 Refresher Training Now Available

two new offshore emergency F courses at its Aberdeen centre, using a

HOTA is introducing STCW Certificate’s of Updated Proficiency following the “Manila amendments to the STCW Convention and Code.”

newly-built helicopter simulator and helideck fire ground. It is now offering the four-day OPITO helideck emergency response team member training (HERTM) course and the six-day OPITO combined helideck and team member training programme using equipment which can simulate the Sikorsky S92 and the Eurocopter 225. The HERTM course provides a solid knowledge of all procedures associated with the helideck and helicopter landing, as well as a more general

Maersk Training has launched

• Personal Survival Techniques Refresher • • Basic Fire Fighting & Fire Prevention Refresher • • Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher • • Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats (Other than Fast Rescue Boats) Refresher • • Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats Refresher • The new courses are in addition to HOTA’s current Maritime portfolio which includes:

• STCW Basic Safety Training • Ship Security Officer • Ship Safety Officer • PSCRB • • Efficient Deck Hand • Crowd Management • • Crisis Management & Human Behaviour • Please visit the HOTA website www.hota.org for course dates or call 01482 820567 HOTA is a limited company with Charity Status, open 51 weeks a year with a rolling timetable of courses held at its Malmo Road and Albert Dock sites in Hull

06_offshore.indd 6

year, with new developments and an increased focus on production efﬁciency credited for the outcome of 1.43m barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) produced in 2013, 8% lower than in 2012 but a signiﬁcant improvement on the average yearly decline of 15% experienced between 2010 and 2012. Production is expected to pick up further in 2014, but, with exploration, Oil & Gas UK says the industry is facing its biggest challenge in 50 years. Only 15 exploration wells were drilled in 2013, continuing a steep downward trend since 2008 when 44 exploration wells were drilled. Exploration over the past three years has been at its lowest in the history of the UKCS and in 2013 replaced just 80m barrels.

Emergency training at Maersk’s new Aberdeen-based facilities

understanding of emergency response procedures on an offshore installation. The combined course aims to enable offshore workers to potentially fulfil a dual role as both a helideck assistant and an offshore emergency response team member. ‘By adding the HERTM to the company’s course list, Maersk Training is one step closer to being a one-stop shop for all offshore wind and oil and gas training needs,’ said MD Stuart Cameron. ‘The simulators will enable us to offer a better offshore emergency response learning experience which is not only realistic but also unique.’

20/03/2014 08:47

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

First arrival at new boxship berth new facilities for handling A ‘mega’ containerships were

The UK port of Southampton’s

christened last month with the arrival of the 13,082TEU Hyundai Tenacity, pictured left. Built as part of a £100m expansion programme, the 500m long new berth (SCT5) is designed to handle the largest vessels in the world, including the new generation of 18,000TEU boxships. It has a depth alongside of 16m, and can be deepened to 17m in the future. Equipped with four new Liebherr cranes capable of reaching across a span of 24 containers, the new quay also has a fifth crane, relocated from elsewhere in the terminal, to speed up loading and discharge operations. Picture: Gary Davies/Maritime Photographic

Union urges CCTV rules for UK ships

Nautilus backs GLA warning over AIS vulnerabilities UK and Irish General F Lighthouse Authorities warning

z loss of VHF reception z control system malfunction

Nautilus has backed a

over the vulnerability of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) information. The warning was issued last month in response to research showing that AIS information provided on internet sites can be spoofed — enabling false information to be presented, including the names and other details of vessels, their position and status. ‘AIS was originally provided for safety reasons, not for security purposes, so it was never designed to be resistant to malicious interference,’ said Dr Nick Ward, research director for the GLAs. Although the vulnerabilities of the system have been known for a long time and maritime authorities do not rely on AIS internet sites, there is concern about failures arising from such causes as: z incorrect data input to AIS unit z disruption to GNSS (GPS) z failure of AIS unit z degradation of VHF propagation

Paul’s marathon efforts Paul Schroder is pictured A left after completing the adidas

Nautilus industrial organiser

Passengership cameras would cut crime and improve safety, Nautilus says

Nautilus is urging shipowners to install CCTV onboard passenger vessels to help improve safety and to reduce the number of ‘missing without trace’ cases of people falling overboard. The Union has tabled a paper at the UK national maritime occupational health and safety committee, calling for the introduction of a policy to require the ﬁtting of CCTV cameras on the open decks of all cruiseships and ro-ro passenger vessels. Similar provisions were introduced in the US by the 2010 Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. This requires owners to use tech-

nology to capture images of passengers, or to detect passengers, who have fallen overboard. The US regulations also require owners to maintain a video surveillance system to assist in documenting crimes on their vessels and in providing evidence for the prosecution of such crimes. There is currently no requirement in UK law for the installation of CCTV cameras on passenger vessels or ro-ro passenger vessels — but Nautilus argues that such rules would be of beneﬁt to shipowners, passengers, crew, SAR services and law enforcement and investigation agencies. The Union’s paper argues that

such technology would help SAR services by determining the exact time and place a person went overboard and assist investigations into the reason why a person went overboard. ‘It would eliminate unnecessary costs incurred by shipping companies and SAR services in the event of a missing person or MOB false alarm,’ senior national secretary Allan Graveson added. ‘We believe that it would also help to prevent crime through deterrence and give assistance to investigators when a crime has been committed.’ The use of CCTV could improve safety onboard by discouraging

‘Spoofing’ of data input or GPS signals can result in a false position or identity being broadcast and the GLAs stress that, in common with other navigation and communications systems, AIS should not be relied upon as the sole source of information. All AIS information should be verified by some other means, for example radar or VHF DF, they advise. Any apparently false or anomalous signals should be investigated by cross-checking with other AIS receiving stations and displays and the integrity of broadcast information, especially AIS AtoN, should be monitored to ensure that identity, position and status are correct. Local navigation warnings should be considered if false AIS signals are being broadcast, the GLAs add. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the advice was important. ‘Nautilus stated this at the outset,’ he added. ‘AIS should be used with extreme caution — and particularly on collision avoidance.’

half marathon at the historic Silverstone racetrack as part of his training towards running the London marathon to raise money for Seafarers UK this month. Paul — a self-confessed former couch potato — was one of 6,930 runners taking part in the event and managed to complete the course at the motor racing circuit in comfortably less than two hours (1.52.29), despite difficult conditions. g He is now aiming to raise at least £1,500 for Seafarers UK by completing the London Marathon on 13 April. You can donate through the website: http:// uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ schroder.

staff from carrying out unsafe acts and enabling companies to identify areas where further training is required, Mr Graveson pointed out. ‘Evidence provided by surveillance cameras can reduce a shipowner’s liability in cases involving crimes, accidents and other incidents onboard a vessel,’ he argued. The UK Chamber of Shipping has established an ad hoc working group to consider the value of CCTV cameras on open decks of passenger vessels, in the aftermath of the disappearance of passenger Richard Fearnside from the Pride of Kent in May last year.

Conference considers North Sea safety UK detains Dutch ship detained in the UK port of F Southampton for almost three weeks A Dutch-flagged ship was

Proposals for ensuring the safety of shipping in the increasingly busy North Sea Region were presented to the second annual conference of the EU-funded ACCSEAS project last month. Workshops to consider the future of e-Navigation training, the provision of e-Navigation services — including the concept of the Maritime Cloud — and the impact of e-Navigation on the wider logistics chain were on the agenda at the three-day meeting. The three-year ACCSEAS project was established to look at ways of improving maritime access to

the North Sea Region by minimising navigational risk. It is examining ways of harmonising maritime information and improving e-Navigation training provision. It is hoped the results will shape policy development and influence the creation of any necessary institutional structures and regulatory instruments for future e-Navigation services. The conference included demonstrations of a number of potential e-Navigation solutions developed in the project, including a vessel

operations coordination tool, dynamic predictor, multi-source positioning service and ‘no-go area’. ‘The waters of the North Sea Region are forecast to become increasingly congested, with an estimated 50% increase on the number of ship movements by 2020,’ said project manager Dr Alwyn Williams. ‘Likewise, the navigable space taken up by wind farms could increase from 440km2 to 23,500 sq km in just a few years. This poses significant safety concerns for vessels in the North Sea, which already has some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.’

We are able to offer competitive, specially negotiated fares for all types of air travel, be it UK Domestic, European or Worldwide. Thank you to the Maritime industry for making the last 25 years so exciting

07_news.indd 7

PLACING PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE FOR 25 YEARS

1988-2013

after a port state control inspection revealed 29 deficiencies onboard. The 1,512gt motor hopper Deo Gloria was held by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) with problems including missing seafarers’ hours of work records, missing charts and navigation records, and damaged rescue boats.

Deo Gloria was one of nine foreign ships detained in UK ports during February. One of the other ships failing inspections was the Panama-flagged livestock carrier Express 1, which was found to have 31 deficiencies when it was towed into Fowey after suffering engine failure. Problems included false records of work and rest hours, inoperative fire doors and fire alarms, lack of knowledge in fire drills and defective pipes.

Staff employed in the marine industry, from crew and shore-based staff to spouses travelling to and from vessels, can make use of our extensive marine fare programme, while those seeking flights for other types of travel will benefit from our efficient and personal service.

19/03/2014 18:56

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Dutch builder shows off new concept at Gulf exhibition among the exhibitors at the A Dubai International Boat Show last

The Dutch builder Oceanco was

month — with its 88.5m motor yacht Nirvana being the largest vessel on show. The company also displayed scale models of several projects, including the 110m Rialto, pictured left. First revealed at the 2013 Monaco Yacht Show, this 5,600gt

Palma shapes up for success Nautilus plans to attend show and return for MLC course by Michael Howorth

In only the second year since it began, the 2014 Palma Superyacht Show is fulfilling its potential as a season opener in the Mediterranean. Majorca’s hospitable climate, combined with mainland Europe’s 1 May public holiday, have made the prospect of visiting the show an attractive proposition. As the only public admission event organised by the industry itself, the Palma show benefits from a recently signed partnership agreement with MYBA, the worldwide yachting agency. Timed at the beginning of the season and taking place between 30 April and 4 May, the show clashes somewhat with MYBA’s own Superyacht Charter Yacht Show in Genoa (28 April to 2 May) and slightly conflicts with those of the Antibes Yacht Show, held from 23 to 26 April in Port Vauban, Antibes.

From an organisational point of view, take-up has exceeded all expectations, with berths for over half the expected number of 60-plus yachts over 24m length taken, and 75% of shore-side exhibitor stand space already allocated. Running concurrently with the 31st Boat Show Palma, exhibitors and visitors beneﬁt from the prospect that yachts can be sold and charters booked in readiness for the coming season. Palma Superyacht has proved to have the pleasing ability to attract an approximate 50:50 ratio of sail to power. Conﬁrmed highlights include: Mystere 43.2m, currently the largest sailing yacht signed so far, and the 38.9m Ganesha 1, built by Fitzroy Yachts in 2006. Arne Ploch, CNI Palma senior yacht broker and member of the show’s organising committee, commented: ‘Most of the yachts attending fall between 28m and

Lairdside Maritime Centre

35m, with the 47m Heesen Let it Be the largest booked to attend so far, but that may change between now and when yacht registrations close on 1 April.’ z Nautilus will have a stand at the Palma crew show and the Union will return 10 days later to conduct the latest in its series of Maritime Labour Convention training sessions, between 5 and 6 May. Expert speakers will provide essential information about the way in which the convention is being implemented and enforced, covering such issues as seafarer employment agreements, collective bargaining agreements, complaints procedures and inspections.

gAttendance at the seminar is free to members, and costs £268 for non-members. To register for the course, contact Hilary Molloy on (+44)0151 639 8454 or email: hmolloy@nautilusint.org.

concept vessel will be capable of accommodating 18 guests and 37 crew. Powered by four 4,290hp MTU 20V 4000 M 73 engines, Rialto will have a maximum speed of around 21.5 knots. Designed by Oceanco’s in-house team, Nuvolari-Lenard and BMT Nigel Gee, Rialto will be compliant with the Passenger Yacht Code (PYC).

Concern raised over sector skills shortage professionals’ association, F Gépy, has expressed concern at The French yachting

standards of competence in the sector. Members attending the organisation’s annual meeting in Cannes criticised what they described as an increasing influx of undertrained and untrained skippers, and also expressed concern about the scarcity of competent engineering and service staff. The meeting also condemned European Union regulations banning financial arrangements that enable crews sailing on foreign-flagged vessels to contribute to Enim, the French maritime social security system, on the grounds that the Commission considers that they

are not employed by ‘companies engaged in maritime activity’. Gépy chairman Jacques Conzalès also spoke of concern about the distortion of competition arising from discrepancies in the amount of VAT to be paid on contracts by charterers. He said that when a charter is contracted the client must pay national tax, which differs according to country and is even non-existent in Croatia, the newest EU member. ‘Distortions in competition are huge and the consequences on the price of food, fuel and other supplies are enormous,’ he added. The consequences will include an increasing number of departures this year that will originate in Greece and Turkey, he pointed out.

is not one reserved only for H commercial ships with fuel, ballast The term free surface effect

or cargo tanks — it also explains the reason superyachts need to empty swimming pools before they sail. Refilling the pool can be a lengthy process and some guests get agitated that they cannot use the pool as soon

International Boat Show has F closed and reports coming from The 22nd edition of Dubai

exhibitors seem to suggest it has been a most successful event, with organisers claiming more than 26,000 visitors from 70 countries to see 430 boats, including 19 superyachts. Within hours of the five-day show opening at the Dubai International Marine Club, the Sunseeker Middle East office signed a deal for a 48m superyacht, worth more than AED153m (£25.5m) and Turkish builder, Bilgin Yachts Shipyard, reported a sale of a 50m superyacht worth AED114m on day three. Exhibitors reported sales of small and medium sized boats were also on the rise with solid leads and sales reported by international and regional yacht and boat manufacturers. These boats proved popular with visitors, as the leisure boating community continues to take advantage of growing network of inner waterways and marinas. Demonstrating the region’s growing maritime market, there were 750 exhibitors — up 20% from 2013 — who came from 50 countries, and a total of 42 launches. The 88.5m Nirvana and 88m Quattroelle, two of the largest superyachts in the show’s history, proved to be the biggest draw.

Help for Hampshire switch Just in time F deliveries on the rise When the owners of the superyacht Hampshire chose to move from commercial to private use classification they contracted Andrew Weir Yacht Management to provide services to the yacht. AWYM, a division of ship managers Andrew Weir Shipping, was asked to review the yacht’s management and safety systems and provide emergency response services and assistance to the captain and crew where required.

Hampshire’s master, Captain Edmund Wilkinson, said: ‘Andrew Weir’s response to our change in classification allowed us to immediately continue with the safe management of the yacht. Their advice was clear, proactive and has fitted in well with our operations onboard.’ AWYM provides a range of services, including of technical supervision, ISM, ISPS, crew payroll, insurance and claims management.

Pool problems designed out by Michael Howorth

Big sales at Dubai event

as the yacht is at anchor. In short, it is a problem the large yacht crews wish they could do without. Dutch naval architects Cor D Rover Design believe they have found the solution with an idea so good they have patented it: pressing up the pool before and after the large covering doors are closed. The clever part of the patent is that the adjustable floor of the swimming pool moves upwards

and solves the disadvantage of the free surface effect of the water. The novel feature is the watertight closure used in conjunction with top-filling the pool after its closure. To guarantee a 100% fill, a small but constant overpressure is applied The idea of covering a pool means that the extra deck area a closed pool provides can be used for large parties and on-deck sports.

Set to become the 76th largest yacht in the world by the end of this year, Kibo is due to be delivered in June following a series of sea trials and equipment tests.

The project, managed by Y.CO, was built with a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure, with exterior and interior design by Terence Disdale.

newbuild 54 superyacht F highlights the increasing trend of The sale in February of a

owners towards semi-production craft. Amels, the yacht-building division of the Dutch-based commercial shipbuilding group Damen, has perfected the art of semi-production superyachts to guarantee superior delivery times and exceptional quality and design. Across the industry delivery time is seen as increasingly pivotal in owners’ decision-making, and this new order, which was brokered by Burgess, confirms the trend. The yacht will be delivered in May 2015, just 16 months after she was commissioned. The platform used by the builder eliminates technical risk and allows the owners to focus on customising the ‘fun parts’ secure in the knowledge that their yacht will be delivered on time.

ECDIS COURSES Other Courses Available include:

■ Ship Handling for both Junior and Senior Ofﬁcers ■ ISPS Designated Security Duties ■ ISPS Prevention of Piracy and Armed Robbery Rasmussen has launched the A second largest superyacht it has ever The German builder Abeking &

For further information : t: +44 (0)151 647 0494 f: +44 (0)151 647 0498 w: www.lairdside-maritime.com e: lairdside@ljmu.ac.uk

08_yachts.indd 6

built — the 81.8m Kibo, pictured above.

19/03/2014 18:11

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

New service offers Strong turn-out for Fleetwood’s open day ‘virtual ER’ at sea A communications company has F revealed a new telemedicine service A US-based maritime

for shipping which, it claims, will create a ‘virtual ER’ onboard merchant vessels. Globecomm Maritime has teamed up with the medical company Future Care to launch the video-enabled telemedicine service ‘to provide a revolutionary level of medical care to commercial shipping and marine personnel during emergency illness or injury at sea, as well as to respond to routine healthcare needs’. Originally developed for military use, Future Care Live will use the video-streaming properties of Access Chat Plus to enable the simultaneous remote participation of doctors,

shipowner representatives, family members and a Future Care case manager while the patient is onboard ship. Globecomm Maritime president Malcolm McMaster said the launch of the service was timely following the introduction of the Maritime Labour Convention. ‘Shipowners and managers are more than ever focused on the human factor as the key to safe and efficient operations,’ he added. ‘Until now, this realisation has lacked the mechanism to truly provide innovative services like telemedicine. Putting Access Chat Plus together with Future Care creates the opportunity to deliver a service that can improve healthcare for mariners and also be highly cost-effective.’

More evidence that young people remain interested in maritime careers was highlighted by the strong turn-out at this year’s Fleetwood Nautical Campus open day — pictured right. Just over 500 people attended the careers day and the college has 166 potential candidates following the annual event which gives school leavers the chance to meet current cadets and lecturers, and representatives from training providers including BP, Bibby, Maersk, Carnival, Clyde Marine Training, Trinity House, James Fisher and the RFA. As well as being able to watch fire-fighting and survival training demonstrations, prospective MN trainees had the opportunity to have a go and the bridge simulator, see the newly refurbished engineering simulator and other facilities.

Call for ‘green’ aid Governments should ease cost burden of sulphur rules, say Nautilus and European shipowners

European governments need to urgently deliver clarity on state aid measures to help shipping companies comply with environmental regulations, Nautilus has warned. General secretary Mark Dickinson said he was increasingly concerned at warnings byshipownersoverthethreattokeyservices arising from the costs of falling into line with the fuel sulphur cap taking effect on 1 January 2015. A report commissioned by the UK Chamber of Shipping last year found that the extra fuel costs alone could total more than £300m for ferry operators in the Western Channel and North Sea and that this could in turn threaten some 2,000 jobs at sea and ashore. ‘We cannot dismiss such warnings as

simple scaremongering,’ Mr Dickinson said, ‘and it is important that the European Commission and member states face up to the impact of these regulations on a sector that has already been struggling to adjust to the effects of the economic downturn.’ Mr Dickinson said more governments should follow the example set by Finland, which last month announced a second round of ﬁnancial support totalling €12.6m for companies ﬁtting emission-abatement equipment to their vessels. The European Community Shipowners’ Association has called for rapid action to address both the state aids regime and the legal issues surrounding the introduction of Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA). Secretary general Patrick Verhoeven told the Clean Shipping Conference in the port

of Gdansk last month that compliance with the rules is a major challenge — with questions about fuel availability, price and the effectiveness of abatement technologies such as scrubbers. ‘The business case for certain shipping routes in the SECA region is already marginal, and the slightest cost increase could mean the end of proﬁtability,’ he warned. Mr Verhoeven called for ‘concrete support’ for reconversion projects and newbuilds, and urgent clarity on the aid that could be given at national and international level. ECSA is also seeking legal certainty over the rules and regulations covering the treatment in ports of scrubber wastewater and LNG bunkering operations, as well as monitoring and enforcement measures to

ensure that early adopters are not penalised. ‘With the SECA implementation date approaching fast, there is a lot of talk about monitoring and enforcing compliance,’ Mr Verhoeven added. ‘I would make a plea for a playing ﬁeld that is level but fair. ‘It means ﬁrst of all that the early adopters, those operators that completed all the investments and are ready to meet the sulphur norms in time, are not penalised’ he stressed. ‘But it equally means that those that can demonstrate that they made the necessary commitments to meet the norms, but may not be entirely ready by the time the deadline elapses for technical or other good reasons, are given a compliance path within a limited and conditional timeframe.’

Captain cleared on charges of putting his ship in danger from a court in New Zealand F after being cleared of causing

A shipmaster has walked free

New ECDIS training suite Academy’s new £60,000 A ECDIS suite, above, opened for The Scottish Maritime

business last month — reflecting a mood of optimism and expansion at the Aberdeenshire nautical college. Centre manager Linda Hope said that the equipment could be used to train up to nine delegates at a time, each with their own ECDIS station. ‘This MCA-approved course uses the Transas software,’ she said, ‘and given the level of interest we have had, more dates have been added.’ Formerly part of Banff and Buchan College, the Academy has seen substantial changes in

09_news.indd 9

recent months, due the Scottish government’s post-16 education legislation, and its parent body is now North East Scotland College. The institution is still the main training provider for Scottish fishing crew, but has also been building a substantial portfolio of Merchant Navy courses, including STCW Officer of the Watch training. Strong demand from the thriving North Sea offshore sector has contributed to a 19% increase in enrolments in the last year, but the Academy has pledged to continue with the small class sizes for which it is known.

unnecessary danger to passengers and crew by taking a ferry to sea with a hole in the hull. Captain John Henderson, master of the 14,588gt ro-pax Santa Regina had denied the charge, which was brought by Maritime New Zealand following an incident in April 2011 in which the Cook Strait ferry was damaged during berthing operations in the port of Wellington. Prosecutors alleged that the ferry had been left with a 3.5m hole in its side after colliding with a fishing boat while berthing in bad weather and that this had not been not noticed while the ship sailed to Picton and back to Wellington. But defence lawyer Michael Reed called for the case to be thrown out. He said the ferry had suffered two

holes in the collision — the smaller of which had been repaired before the vessel left port. Capt Henderson had been very thorough in his inspection of the ship after the incident, but the other hole — which was an opening of 1.8m — had not been noticed by anyone until the ferry arrived back in Wellington. While the hole should have been fixed had it been spotted, he argued that it posed no threat to the safety of the ship. ‘No water got in and it was nonsense to suggest that any water getting in would have caused a problem,’ Mr Reed told the court. District court judge Tom Broadmore granted the application to reject the case on the basis that there was insufficient evidence from the prosecution to prove that a failure to find the hole and deal with it had caused a danger or risk to passengers and crew.

UKHO staff protest over pay policy Office staged a mass walkF out last month in protest over the

Staff at the UK Hydrographic

government’s hardline public sector pay policy. Members of the Prospect union staged a week-long series of actions short of a strike — including a work-torule and an overtime ban — following the imposition of a 1% pay offer. The union says UKHO is a successful organisation which makes a profit and could afford to give a bigger increase. Prospect negotiator Helen Stevens said: ‘We need a new pay system because the existing arrangements have driven down morale, are unfair to large numbers of staff and ultimately affect UKHO’s ability to attract the specialists it needs to operate effectively. ‘Prospect members are proud of the specialist skills they deploy to ensure the safety of those at sea and to serve the national interest,’ she added. ‘They should be paid fairly for it.’

Advice service for seafarers and their families FREE, FAST & CONFIDENTIAL SAIL is an advice service operated by Greenwich Citizens Advice Bureau on behalf of the Seamen’s Hospital Society. We provide information, advice and support to serving and retired merchant seafarers, ﬁshermen and their families on a wide range of issues including:

* * *

Debt problems Welfare beneﬁts Tax credits

* * *

Housing Pensions Employment

* * *

Consumer Family problems Immigration

We also provide specialist support to other agencies and currently take RN referrals from the White Ensign Association. CONTACT US FOR ADVICE Phone: 08457 413 318 (Monday to Friday, 10.00am to 4.00pm) Fax: 020 8269 0794 Email: admin@sailine.org.uk Post: PO Box 45234, Greenwich, London SE10 9WR

Supported by:

19/03/2014 18:12

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

NEWS

New directions for former seafarers Hull launch for project to help ex-MN personnel start their own businesses

Hull MP Alan Johnson has helped to launch a new scheme developed by a national charity to support former seafarers and their dependants to start up their own businesses. The Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise (PRIME) staged the launch event at the Maritime Museum in Hull to enable local ex-seafarers to ﬁnd out about the support they can receive to start their own enterprises as an alternative route to get back into sustained employment. Backed with funding from the Seafarers UK charity, the PRIME scheme, which aims to help out of work and unemployed over50s into self-employment, has launched a scheme to help ex-seafarers and their dependants start up their own businesses. It is the ﬁrst time PRIME has developed a programme for those with a seafaring background, as well as their dependents, and the scheme can provide an introduction to self-employment workshops, mentoring schemes, networking events, as well as business clubs, to help aspiring ‘mature entrepreneurs’. PRIME also offers business

Pictured, left to right, at PRIME’s launch in Hull are: Alan Johnson MP; PRIME CEO Alastair Clegg ; PRIME northern development manager Terry King; and author Rose George

training courses to ex-seafarers, which will include three workshops spread over six to eight weeks, covering the essentials to any start-up a business, including managing accounts, understanding legal requirements and how to write a business plan.

Mr Johnson — who held a string of Cabinet posts in the last Labour government, including education minister, health minister and home secretary — commented: ‘The seafaring community is a valuable source of skills and experience and a scheme

like this would not only be beneficial for the ex-seafarers who are unfortunately out of work but would also be positive for their families, local communities and the wider economy.’ Commodore Barry Bryant, Seafarers UK’s director general, added: ‘We are excited to be partfunding a pilot of this initiative that is specifically for seafaring veterans. ‘Getting people into work is an absolute priority and we hope that this initiative will support more of our veterans to view selfemployment as a viable option and go on to set up their own businesses.’ PRIME’s northern development manager, Terry King, said the Hull event had been a great success. ‘We’re looking forward to working with the seafaring community in Hull and the surrounding areas and we hope our support will result in new businesses, as well as new avenues of employment, making use of this much-valued community’s skills and experience to benefit their local areas, as well as the wider economy.’ g For further information: www. prime.org.uk.

Do you know a MN Medal candidate? deserves an award for their F bravery at sea or their work to

Do you know someone who

support seafarers? Now is the time to nominate them for the 2014 Merchant Navy Medal (MNM) presentations. Established in 2005, the MNM is awarded annually to honour acts of courage afloat, or meritorious service, by people from the UK or British overseas dependent territories, within the Merchant Navy or the fishing fleet. Up to 20 medals may be awarded annually and the committee responsible for the MNM is now seeking nominations for this year’s awards. The committee is particularly keen to receive nominations for personnel serving at sea — and these can be put forward by colleagues or employers. The award is made for meritorious

Lottery grant boost for historic ship training to be given a helping hand with F a £261,000 Heritage Lottery Fund Traditional maritime skills are

grant to National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK). The money will go towards the Shipshape Heritage Training Partnership project, which aims to train young people in traditional skills and techniques while also taking part in work on the conservation, handling and maintenance of historic vessels. NHS-UK director Martyn Heighton said he was delighted by the award. ‘The funding will help to promote the traditional seamanship skills that are integral to the future of the UK’s

UKSA scheme gets Josh a job in Dover port services trainee Josh F Francis, who has embarked on a

Pictured right is 23-year-old

maritime career thanks to a backto-work scheme run by Isle of Wight youth charity UKSA. The Change Direction course is a four-week programme for UK-based 16 to 24 year-olds seeking to move off benefits and into employment. It involves a two week residential at UKSA’s Cowes HQ, made up of marine industry workshops and water-based activities, followed by another two weeks of hands-on work experience back home — which in Josh’s case meant a spell at the Port of Dover. Josh explains: ‘I’d been unemployed for 18 months and felt really low and worthless, so when my local Job Centre Plus recommended Change Direction last summer I jumped at the chance. It was brilliant fun and I learnt so much in a short

10-11_news.indd 10

space of time. My communication skills improved and I became a lot more assured around new people, plus I discovered a new-found confidence around the water, having not had much to do with boats before.’ During his work experience at the Port of Dover, Josh says he felt very much part of the team, cleaning and maintaining the launch boats, and working in the engineroom on the dredger. He was so keen to work at the port that he stayed on as a volunteer after the Change Direction placement finished, and eventually won a place as an ICT apprentice. Around 85% of all Change Direction participants to date have moved into some form of work or training. UKSA is hoping to roll out the programme throughout the country, and expects to have 2,000 participants by 2017.

service to those who are judged to have made a worthy contribution to merchant shipping, including operations, development, personnel, welfare and safety, or who have performed an act of courage afloat. A small number of medals can be awarded as ‘honoris causa’ to those who have made a major contribution to the shipping sector but have not served afloat. g The closing date for 2014 nominations is 30 June and further information — including the regulations and a nomination form — can be found the Merchant Navy Medal website: www. merchantnavymedal.org or from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board, 8 Cumberland Place, Southampton SO15 2BH. Tel: 00(44)2380 337799 enquiries@mnwb.org.uk

operational historic vessels,’ he added. ‘It will also aid the development of specialist training across five regions via our Shipshape Network which we have set up to help support such initiatives. ‘A skills mapping exercise, coupled with the development of an assessment framework in traditional seamanship skills, will ensure a legacy which will endure beyond the length of the two-and-a-half year project,’ he added. The project will support 10 yearlong training placements with a wide range of partner organisations across the UK.

Crew welfare awards for best practice Nautilus members have been F shortlisted for the International

Several companies employing

Seafarers’ Welfare Awards, due to be presented this month. The awards are organised by the International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network (ISWAN), which has sifted through a wide range of seafarers’ nominations to select the following finalists for Shipping Company of the Year: BW Maritime; China Navigation Co; Royal Caribbean Cruises; Shell Shipping; and Wallem Ship Management. The other categories in the competition are Port of the Year, Seafarer Centre of the Year and Welfare Personality of the Year. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Geneva on 7 April, hosted by International Labour Organisation director general Guy Ryder.

19/03/2014 18:59

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

EU seeks to clarify rules on search and rescue

Alarm at new risk of piracy

European MPs have agreed binding new rules on search and rescue which, they claim, will protect shipmasters and seafarers from criminalisation as a result of picking up refugees in distress at sea. A package approved by the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee last month aims to clarify how border guards serving in EU Frontex border agency sea operations should deal with migrants and where they should disembark them. The rules on SAR operations and the disembarkation of migrants will only cover operations coordinated by Frontex, in an attempt to dispel confusion created by EU member states’ differing interpretations of international law and practices. A provision allowing ‘pushback’ operations on the high seas was deleted from the text. The only possibility that remains is to ‘warn and order’ a vessel not to enter in the territorial waters of a member state. ‘The shipmaster and crew should not face criminal sanctions for the sole reason of having rescued persons in distress at sea and brought them to a place of safety,’ states an amendment inserted into the text by MEPs. The text also reiterates that member states facing migratory pressure may activate several solidarity tools — including human, technical and financial resources — in the event of a sudden influx of migrants. The new rules have been drawn up in response to problems caused by a dramatic increase in migrants seeking to reach EU countries by sea. Frontex said 42,618 people came ashore in the third quarter of 2013, some four times as many as in the first quarter of the year. Particular concern has been raised over the number drowning as a result of substandard boats sinking. The agreement is to be put to a vote by Parliament as a whole in April.

Fort Victoria begins refit 23-year-old Royal Fleet H Auxiliary vessel Fort Victoria got A major £47m reﬁt for the

under way at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead last month. The project — the biggest ever to be undertaken by the yard since it began its 25-year ‘through-life support’ contract to maintain nine of the RFA’s 13 ships — will include an accommodation upgrade and an overhaul of the engine, main propulsion systems and the steering systems. The yard will replace six diesel generators with complete new fuel, lube oil, salt water and fresh

Plans for a common European

action to cut the risks of piracy and terrorism at sea — have been revealed by Brussels. The package, jointly developed by the European Commission and the EU’s foreign affairs and security policy section, proposes cooperation between member states on functions including coastguards, navies, port authorities and customs. Put forward as the first stage in the adoption of a full-fledged EU maritime security strategy, the document argues that effective maritime security is essential — with 23 of the 28 member states being coastal states, 90% of external trade going by sea, and more than 400m passengers passing through EU ports each year. The document calls for a holistic EU-wide approach to maritime surveillance and information sharing,

10-11_news.indd 11

RFA’s chief technical superintendent, commented: ‘Fort Victoria has been at the forefront of military operations for most of her life and is in need of some tender loving care to re-invigorate her for future adventures. ‘This challenging project will require significant effort from the joint MOD and Cammell Laird teams in order to refit and deliver this complex platform,’ he added. ‘I look forward to accepting Fort Victoria back into service at the end of this year refreshed, invigorated and enhanced to meet the future operational challenges that await.’

STCW deadline extended Organisation has agreed to F an effective grace period for the

The International Maritime

implementation of new training and certification requirements for ship security officers and seafarers with designated security duties. The organisation’s human element, training and watchkeeping sub-committee has approved new guidelines which seek to ‘address practical difficulties seafarers have reportedly experienced in obtaining the necessary security certification’ required by the 2010 Manila amendments to the STCW convention. The guidance recommends that, until 1 July 2015, relevant training

Europe plans joint maritime security Union approach to maritime A security — including coordinated

water systems and pumps. Two new environment-friendly ballast water treatment plants will be installed, along with a new incinerator and reverse osmosis plants. The ship’s fire detection system is being replaced and a new local fire suppression system will be installed for the main engines and generators. All the weapons and weapon systems will also be overhauled. And work will also include painting and blasting of tanks and the underwater hull, as well as painting the superstructure and decks. Captain Ian Schumacher, the

capacity building, risk management, protection of critical maritime infrastructure and security research, education and training. ‘The security and well-being of Europeans greatly depend on open and safe seas,’ said maritime affairs commissioner Maria Damanaki. ‘Our citizens expect effective responses to the protection of ports and offshore installations, securing our seaborne trade, addressing potential threats from criminal activities at sea or possible disputes of maritime boundaries.’ Catherine Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy head, added: ‘We need a joined-up approach, as demonstrated in the Horn of Africa where we have achieved significant results in fighting piracy. This communication paves the way for a more systematic use of all the tools we have at our disposal and will allow us to speak with one voice to our international partners.’

under section 13 (training, drills and exercises on ship security) of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code should be accepted as being equivalent to that required under the STCW Convention and Code. The meeting approved an STCW circular on advice for port state control officers, recognised organisations and recognised security organisations on action to be taken in cases where seafarers do not carry the required certification. It also sought to clarify training and certification requirements for ship security officers and seafarers with designated security duties,

by agreeing that SSO training encompasses the competence requirements of the STCW Code (section A-VI/6). Therefore, holders of SSO certificates should not be required to undergo further training and obtain certification. The move follows a request from the International Chamber of Shipping for an extension of the 1 January deadline for compliance with the rules in response to concern that large numbers of seafarers were unable to access approved training courses or to be issued with certification of security-related training in accordance with the STCW regulations.

Owners warn on west African attacks

European Union politicians are facing fresh industry calls to maintain counter-piracy patrols off Somalia and to spearhead a concerted drive to reduce the growing risks of attack on ships off the west coast of Africa. An analysis published by the maritime security ﬁrm Control Risks last month warned that a 5% global decline in reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea has been outweighed by the changing threat in the Gulf of Guinea. It cautioned that while improved ship security measures and naval coordination have dramatically cut Somali piracy, groups continue to launch attacks and political tension in the area presents a real risk of a resurgence of piracy. Its RiskMap Maritime 2014 analysis also points to a 30% increase in piracy incidents and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea. Kidnapping for ransom off the Niger Delta has soared by some 335% over the past year, it added, and successful attacks are being recorded much further from the Nigerian coast. Although there have been improvements such as ‘secure anchorages’ in some ports, local navies still have a limited capability and the region lacks a centralised reporting and coordination centre to assist ships under attack, the report adds. If the growing piracy problem

SEAFARER

BOOK OF THE

YEAR

in the Gulf of Guinea is to be tackled effectively, shipowners need to share information about pirate attacks on their vessels, UK-based maritime intelligence provider Dryad warned last month. Ian Millen, Dryad’s director of intelligence, said many vessels are ill-prepared for kidnap attempts because they do not fully understand the risks and the true scale of the problem. In the last three months, reports Dryad, eight vessels have been attacked in the west African region and 20 crew members kidnapped. Shipowners and seafarers need to gain a better understanding of the ways that criminal gangs operate using the cover of estuaries and the riverine system of the Niger Delta — and heading out to sea is not necessarily a way to avoid the gangs either, as last year a vessel was targeted some 160nm offshore. Speaking at a European Parliament event last month, European Community Shipowners’ Association secretary general Patrick Verhoeven urged MEPs ‘to maintain a credible military presence off the coast of Somalia while also scaling up their efforts in West Africa’. Jan Fritz Hansen, chairman of ECSA’s piracy taskforce, added: ‘Piracy in west Africa needs to be addressed effectively now before it escalates. The situation affects not only seafarers and shipowners but also jeopardises efﬁcient trade with the entire region.’

VOTE FOR YOUR BOOK OF THE YEAR! Tell us your favourite books and authors of 2013 for a chance to win one of 5 Kobo e-readers! Terms and conditions apply. visit: marine-society.org/seafarerbook

Vote here:

marine-society.org/seafarerbook

A charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808

19/03/2014 18:59

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

HEALTH & SAFETY

Warning issued after officer dies following an investigation into the death of an F engineer officer during a routine task to drain water An industry-wide warning has been issued

from his ship’s main air receiver. The officer was fatally injured by flying debris when the receiver drainage pot observation window exploded onboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Nireas in March last year. Investigators said the glass had exploded as a result of a build-up of pressure. The design of the drainage pot had been modified to create a closed

system and the water being drained restricted the flow into and through the pot outlet line. During the investigation, the Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) discovered that similarly designed drainage systems had been — and continue to be — fitted to other ships by various yards around the world. It issued a safety alert to draw industry attention to the incident and to highlight the need for ‘appropriate safety action’ to be taken when such systems are found.

The ATSB said the design modification had been made by the Chinese builders of a previous ship following a request by the owner’s representative, who was seeking to eliminate the splashing of condensate during draining. No risk analysis or engineering scrutiny and testing of the design had been carried out, the report notes, and the yard had been unable to show that the modification to the drainage pot — pictured right — had been checked against the ship specifications and class requirements.

Action sought on wire rope risks Salvors stress need to cut engineroom fires F

A leading salvage firm has warned that the shipping industry is suffering too many engineroom fires and is failing to learn the lessons of previous incidents. Following a review of cases from 2013, Braemar SA said it was particularly concerned at evidence of a ‘continuing neglect of areas where flammable liquids can escape from high pressure (HP) and LP (low pressure) fuel, HP and LP lubricating, purifier and fuel valve cooling systems’. Graeme Temple, regional director of Far East operations, commented: ‘Last year we attended a significant number of engineroom fires — the industry is still experiencing far too many unnecessary casualties where flammable liquids in enginerooms

are finding their way onto hot spots. ‘On many of the vessels I visit, these hot spots are only too easy to find, with thermal imaging photographs readily identifying these defects.’ Braemar stresses the need for potential problems to be detected earlier to ensure a fast and efficient first response. ‘In reality, basic maintenance is all that is required,’ Mr Temple added. ‘Engineroom crew should carry out regular inspection of pipes and associated fittings; they should refit brackets and lagging when carrying out maintenance; leaks should be repaired quickly before a drip becomes a spray; spares for HP fuel pipes should be available, and leakage alarm systems should be tested regularly. Prevention is as straightforward as that.’

Colregs workshop at college ways in which the collision F prevention regulations can be made Researchers investigating

simpler and easier to understand are this month hosting the first in a series of college-based workshops to discuss the issues. The two-year EU-funded ACTS project is examining the problems

of applying colregs in a bid to develop a new online course to help navigators to interpret and apply the requirements. The first workshop will be held on 7 April at Warsash Maritime Academy, with a second planned for June or July in SW England. g Full details: www.ecolregs.com

Investigations into lifeboat falls point to problems in checking for corrosion

Calls for action to improve the maintenance of wire ropes in lifeboat systems have come following an investigation into an accident onboard a cruiseship last year in which five seafarers died. The findings are reinforced by the results of an investigation into a similar accident only a couple of weeks later, which found severely corroded wire ropes to be a key factor. Three other crew members onboard the Maltese-flagged Thomson Majesty were injured when a lifeboat plummeted 20m into the water after a wire rope fall parted and a hook failed during a drill in the port of Santa Cruz de La Palma in February 2013. An investigation by the flag state found that the wire rope had parted as a result of ‘very severe’ corrosion wastage which had not been spotted during regular inspections. Investigators also discovered that the wire rope was not of a high strength type and did not meet minimum break load strength specified by the manufacturer. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘This illustrates a total disregard by those responsible for procurement and operation of the safety management system. It is regrettably all-too common.’

The corroded inner strands of the wire rope fall onboard Thomson Majesty Picture: Transport Malta

The report notes that the ship’s safety management system had recommended that the lifeboat should first be lowered and recovered without anyone onboard. ‘This would have ascertained whether the system was functioning correctly and would have identified the hydraulic leak that resulted in the lifeboat crew hanging idle for 40 minutes,’ it adds. Investigators suggested the crew may have ignored the advice as they had been given a false sense of security because the lifeboats had been fitted with approved

fall preventer devices. ‘However, these devices are meant to stop the accidental release of the hooks and are ineffective against failure of the wire rope or any other part of the lifeboat launching system,’ the report points out. The accident investigation also concluded that crew members lacked the knowledge and skills to adequately analyse the condition of the rope and determine problems. The location and design of the davit made it difﬁcult to inspect the rope for signs of corrosion, the report adds.

Although the number of seafarers in the boat was double the recommended hoist crew, the investigation ruled that this was not a contributory factor to the rope parting. Just over a fortnight later, a similar accident occurred onboard another Maltese-registered cruiseship, Celebrity Century, during tender boat operations in Hawaii. A wire rope fall parted, and the tender plunged 15m into the water. Fortunately no one was onboard. An investigation found the rope had parted as a result of a ‘severe corrosion attack’ — with electron-microscope and X-ray analysis showing that this amounted to as much as a 50% reduction in its cross-section. The report notes that the corrosion was the result of a lack of adequate anti-corrosion protection, but it acknowledges that the change in the internal crosssection of the wire rope would not have been obvious in a visual examination. The Thomson Majesty report calls for Malta to request the International Maritime Organisation to conduct ‘appropriate research and analysis’ into ways in which the inspection of wire ropes can be improved to detect internal corrosion and also to review the methods for their maintenance.

wreck to Containership cracking probe Dutch be removed set for completion by August F society ClassNK has promised A to complete an eagerly-awaited The Japanese classification

investigation into the loss of the containership MOL Comfort by August. The five-year-old 8,110TEU vessel split apart and sank in the Indian Ocean last year after developing a hull fracture that began below the waterline in the bottom shell plates of one of the cargo holds, according to preliminary results of the probe. The ClassNK investigation — which is looking into the safety of

12-13_h+s.indd 12

large containerships — is examining factors such as the possibility of similar casualties and is conducting onboard measurements of containerships in operation to verify actual hull structure responses and acting wave loads. The UK classification society Lloyd’s Register has also been involved in the investigations, as a technical advisor. The results will be reported to the Japanese transport ministry and given to the International Association of Classification Societies

(IACS), which established a new project team in February to address large containership safety issues. Based on the findings of its expert panel and the results of related IACS discussions, ClassNK said it will also carry out a review of relevant rules and guidelines. MOL has begun legal proceedings to sue the ship’s builders, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, for damages related to MOL Comfort and to cover the costs of precautionary strengthening of six sisterships.

Dutch shipping firms Boskalis and Mammoet Salvage have secured a contract to remove the wreck of a car carrier which sank in the approaches to the port of Rotterdam following a collision in 2012. The Dutch department of public works said the Baltic Ace and its cargo of 1,400 cars need to be salvaged because they pose a threat to the environment and to shipping safety. The salvage project is expected to begin later this year and will be completed before the end of 2015. Work will include the removal of the entire wreck, its cargo and 540,000 litres of fuel oil.

19/03/2014 18:12

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Blaze report calls for EU to act on ports of refuge German investigation recommends new IMO regulations to improve fire-fighting systems on large containerships

Europe has been urged to toughen up its rules on the provision of ports of refuge following an investigation into an incident in which it took eight weeks to provide shelter for a containership that had suffered a serious fire in the Atlantic in 2012. The report, from the German marine accident investigation bureau BSU, also calls for the introduction of new rules to improve fire-fighting equipment onboard containerships. Running to more than 180 pages, the report examines the causes of the blaze onboard the 75,590gt MSC Flaminia and the response to the incident in which three crew members died and two suffered serious injuries. Investigators said they had been unable to establish the sole cause of the fire or the location of the explosion. But they said it was likely the blaze was the result of three tank containers carrying the chemical divinylbenzene being exposed to temperatures exceeding 30C for an extended period. They also found that around

MSC Flaminia is escorted into port almost eight weeks after the fire broke out Picture: Havariekommando

10% of the containers in the area of cargo hold 4 had ‘exhibited shortcomings or negligence’ in their dangerous goods declarations. And the BSU expresses concern about the ‘inappropriate’ classiﬁcation of divinylbenzene in the IMDG Code, recommending further development of the regulations to reﬂect the chemical properties of several substances.

The report notes that the crew were ‘not fully prepared for fighting a fire in the cargo hold’ and incorrectly installed pipes in the extinguishing system had delayed the discharge of CO2. Investigators said they could also see no reason why cooling work started two hours after the fire alarm, although the report concludes that an earlier start would probably have made no dif-

ference to the course of the fire or the explosion. BSU said its investigation had shown the need to use both CO2 and water to control a cargo fire on a containership, and highlighted the case of a general carriage requirement for an additional water-based extinguishing system. The ability to use such systems for cooling and to create fire zones before professional

Cruiseship hatches did not comply with SOLAS about an investigation into a A serious fire onboard a cruiseship last

Nautilus has expressed concern

year which revealed that the vessel had been fitted with non-SOLAS compliant aluminium hatches. The Bahamas Maritime Authority probe of the incident onboard the 73,817gt Grandeur of the Seas concluded that the two non-insulated aluminium hatches had been installed without the necessary authority and integrity tests when the vessel was built in 1996. Although aluminium is noncombustible, it melts at a low temperature without evidence of ‘red heat’, the report points out, and the structural failure of the hatches significantly increased the spread and extent of the fire after it broke out in the aft mooring area on deck 3. The ‘serious and large conflagration’ spread rapidly up to deck 6 — where stowed liferafts ignited outside the glass screening of the lounge area — and it took crew members more than three hours to extinguish the fire, with boundary cooling finally called off eight hours after the blaze began. The investigation also revealed

12-13_h+s.indd 13

The fire-damaged stern of the Grandeur of the Sea Picture: Bahamas Maritime Authority

problems with fire-fighting systems — with crew members unable to reach the master control valve for the water drencher system in the aft bosun’s store on deck 3 because of the fire, and it could not be used because there was no remote operations system. Investigators said they had been unable to determine the cause of the blaze, despite expert forensic analysis, and described the most probable causes — a discarded cigarette end

or electrical equipment failure — as ‘speculative’. They also found that the lack of any detection system and the timing of fire patrols had resulted in a delay in discovery which had ‘allowed smouldering materials to become an intense blazing fire’ Materials on the aft mooring deck — including dirty rags and exposed mooring ropes — had also fuelled the fire, the report adds. Investigators praised the crew’s

‘effective and highly professional’ response in successfully dealing with the incident without external help and with no reported injuries. During the incident, the passengers had to be mustered in anticipation of a potential need to abandon ship. Problems with the electronic mustering system delayed the tally of passengers and crew, and the investigation found that it had taken ‘a considerable time’ before all 2,224 passengers and 796 crew were finally accounted for. Recommendations in the report include a call to review the storage of combustible materials on open deck spaces, more effective CCTV for open deck areas, and remote activation capabilities for manual fire-fighting system valves which could become inaccessible as a result of localised fire. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said some of the report’s findings were disturbing. ‘Urgent attention is required to the design and construction of passenger vessels, with particular attention to fixed fire-fighting systems and the continued use of aluminium,’ he added. ‘How many more such warnings do we need?’

fire-fighters arrive onboard is extremely important, the report adds, especially onboard increasingly large vessels. Permanently installed equipment on the upper decks would reduce the risk to seafarers and enable them to do other duties in an emergency, it points out. The report also recommends improvements to IMO requirements for the provision and positioning of first aid equipment — to ensure that they are readily available even on very large ships. The fire and explosion occurred on 14 July, as MSC Flaminia was sailing from the US to Antwerp with 2,876 containers onboard; but it was not until 9 September that the ship was able to berth in the port of Wilhelmshaven after attempts to find ports of refuge in Ireland, Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium and the Netherlands proved unsuccessful. BSU said it feared the case showed that the existing legal framework was limited in its ability to cope with disasters of the magnitude of MSC Flaminia. The report says the EU directive on ports of refuge fails to ensure ‘the

swift allocation of the objectively most appropriate place or port of refuge after a ship has an accident at sea’ and gives coastal states the impression that they only have to take responsibility for a ship if the accident occurred within their jurisdiction. The report praises the ‘exemplary’ role played by the UK’s Secretary of State Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (SOSREP) in attempting to coordinate the response to the stricken ship and to provide a temporary place of refuge to enable the vessel to be inspected off the south coast of England. And the BSU calls for the European Commission to draw up new regulations to establish harmonised and effective procedures to ensure a coordinated approach by member states on granting a place of refuge to vessels in an emergency. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘This report demonstrates the inadequacy of current international regulations in a number of areas — the lowest acceptable compromise being the norm.’

Fatal falls prompt alert on working at height take more care when working F at height in cargo holds following Seafarers have been urged to

two ‘avoidable’ fatalities. The warning has come from the P&I Club Steamship Mutual following a recent review of death and injury claims. In a special risk alert, it highlighted the need for crew members to properly plan such work, conduct risk assessments and ensure appropriate supervision. The club stressed the need for the use of a safety harness with a lifeline or arresting device attached to a strong point. A safety net should

be rigged where necessary, and care should be taken to avoid risks to anyone working or moving below. The alert highlights a case in which a fitter died after falling from a platform in the hold of a bulk carrier. His safety helmet was not fitting tightly and he had not connected the safety harness before stepping off a ladder onto the platform. In another case, the bosun on a bulk carrier lost his balance while climbing on a hatch coaming during hold cleaning work. He had failed to use a safety harness, and fell about 25m to the tank top, where he died.

SK Tax Service Ltd We are a team of friendly and approachable tax advisers with many years experience in Marine Taxation matters. In a seafaring world amidst rumours and speculation, why try and work out the complications of the 100% claim yourself? Let us, the experts take the worry from your shoulders. Your leave is important to you and your family, don’t waste it trying to sort out your tax affairs. Receive personal attention and advice on: * 100% claims and constant advice on achieving this * All aspects of your self assessment tax return * National Insurance contributions * Non residency claims We now submit tax returns electronically, speeding up the refund process by an amazing rate.

Initial Fee £205 — Re-Enrolment Fee £195 Contact us or visit our website for enrolment forms or advice on: Kingsway House, PO BOX 1504 Haxey, Doncaster, DN9 2WW

Tel 01427 753400 Fax 01427 753665

info@sktax.co.uk www.sktax.co.uk

19/03/2014 18:13

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports DIEPPE RE-THINK: French politicians have promised a new style of public service ferry operations on the Newhaven-Dieppe service following a decision not to accept any of the companies bidding for the contract. Nicholas Roudy, the newly-elected chairman of the Seine Maritime district council, said discussions with unions, ports, and other stakeholders will lead to a ‘new-type public service mission’ for the route. This may include different ownership arrangements, a possible change in the type of ferries used and in the number of crossings, as well as a review of the ownership of the port of Newhaven. COASTGUARD PROTEST: three seafaring union branches in the French port of Marseilles have given notice of strike action in protest at the reorganisation of local Coastguard services. The CGTCFDT-Unsa joint union committee said removal of vessels stationed in Marseilles and six other ports would lead to the ‘programmed death of the Marseilles coastguard’. They have made representations to the sea minister and launched an online petition. DISMISSALS RULING: a court in Calais has ruled that French Rail (SNCF) wrongly dismissed 93 employees of its former cross-Channel ferry subsidiary SeaFrance. SNCF was criticised for not offering alternative jobs within the group and was ordered to pay almost six months of salaries in compensation. A further 200 cases are set to be heard later this year. CLAIM SETTLED: the French ferry operator SNCM has secured a settlement with insurers over damage to the ro-pax Napoléon Bonaparte incurred during an accident in the port in October 2012. Reports suggest the company could receive around €60m from the insurers following flooding suffered when the ship broke its moorings in the port of Marseilles. CHERBOURG BOOST: the French port of Cherbourg has seen the first growth in cross-Channel ferry volumes since P&O pulled out in 2004. Last year saw a 3.2% rise in freight traffic and stabilisation of annual passenger loads at 300,000. While passenger traffic with Ireland last year fell 8%, freight on the services grew by 4%. DUNKIRK WORK: a €12m project to improve Dunkirk’s cross-Channel ferry facilities has secured support from the European Commission. The scheme aims to improve ship turn-around times and will enable DFDS Seaways to increase its capacity from the current 12 daily calls to 13 or 14 visits. WELFARE WARNING: a French maritime welfare leader had expressed concern over financial problems affecting seafarer centres in the ports of Calais and Dunkirk, calling for visiting ships to pay more to help fund the facilities. SNCM DELAY: French seafaring unions have voiced concern at the slow progress being made on the confirmation of an order for four new ferries for the Mediterranean operator SNCM.

ordered up to four LNG-powered A shortsea dry cargoships from the

The Swedish owner Erik Thun has

Dutch yard Ferus Smit. The design of the 5,875dwt ‘bulk-oriented general cargo vessels’, pictured left, will include an option to convert them to self-unloaders. The vessels will feature a Wärtsilä dual-fuel main engine and a pressurised LNG tank, enabling round trips of about two weeks. The first delivery is due in autumn 2015.

Nordic flags ‘fail on jobs’ Unions warn over decline of jobs for national seafarers by Andrew Draper

Scandinavian seafarers fear they are becoming a dying breed as they are still increasingly being replaced by foreign crews on Nordicflagged vessels, with little let-up in the downward trend. New statistics on employment in the Danish fleet confirm that the decrease in the number of jobs for Danes has accelerated, even though the number of ships increased last year and the country’s shipping industry contributed a record amount of foreign earnings. The DMMA seafarers’ union says the reworked employment figures from the Danish Maritime Authority are difficult to compare with previous years, but the officers’ union SL believes the statistics suggest the Danish captain is a dying breed. In a commentary on the statistics, the union laments that shipowners were supposed to provide 75 to 100 work experience places for Danish ship assistants

a year as part of the deal in 2007 that brought in tonnage tax. But it also notes that the number of Danish ship assistants on Danish vessels dropped to just 49 in 2013. SL says this position is a major route into the industry for many young people and the cut in places under the DIS register is cause for further concern. There was also a drop of some 10% in the number of navigating officers last year. ‘If the development continues, the only Danish item left on the ships will be the flag,’ says the union. Norwegian officers’ union (NSOF) director Hans Sande asked at a recent conference whether it was too late for the Norwegian International Ship register (NIS) to safeguard national maritime skills — pointing out that there are fewer than 1,000 Norwegian seafarers serving on NIS ships, and the number is going down. Foreign owners operating under NIS are leaving the flag while Norwegian owners are still loyal, Mr Sande said. But NIS vessels offer very little recruitment in Norway, he added.

In Sweden, the government has launched one of its periodic hand-wringing exercises, which will result in its first national maritime strategy this autumn. ‘Shipping is of major significance to the Swedish transport system,’ the government said, adding two sentences later: ‘The number of merchant vessels has dropped from around 250 a few years ago to about 100 today.’ z The Norwegian Seamen’s Union has welcomed new government proposals to switch more freight from road to sea. But it has asked why Fjord Line, a Norwegian company, should be carrying cargoes between Bergen and Stavanger — two Norwegian ports — on a Danish-flagged vessel crewed by Danes. Union chairwoman Jacqueline Smith commented: ‘For many years, the union has been looking for this kind of resolute action from the authorities when it comes to ensuring the subsidy scheme for employing Norwegian seafarers in Norway, the socalled net salary scheme.’

Smuggling master goes to prison been sentenced to 16 years A in prison by a French court for his A Greek shipmaster has

role in smuggling drugs onboard a Panamanian-flagged cargoship. Capt Sokratis Vassis was among five people jailed by the Rennes Assizes

special court of appeal on charges brought after three tonnes of cocaine was found onboard his vessel, Junior, when the French navy intercepted the ship in international waters in the Gulf of Guinea in February 2008. The drugs were valued at €900m

and were said to have been loaded onto the ship in Brazil, apparently destined for Algeria. Tried in his own country , the Greek owner of the ship, Nikolaos Kornilakis, was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2009.

Engineer faces jail in the US facing up to six years in prison A and fines totalling as much as A Filipino chief engineer is

US$250,000 after being found guilty of illegally discharging bilge water into the sea. And the Singapore-based owners of his ship, Odfjell Asia, have been ordered to pay $1.2m and put on probation for three years after admitting polluting international waters between October 2011 and October 2012. The case was brought after a US Coast Guard inspection of the 46,047dwt tanker Bow Lind in the port of New Haven, Connecticut, in November 2012 uncovered evidence of illicit discharges on three occasions. Senior engineer Ramil Leuterio was said to have ordered crew members to bypass oily water separator equipment and make false records in an attempt to conceal the discharges. A number of the engineroom crew testified that Mr Leuterio had told them to use a complex system to transfer the bilge water from the bilge holding tank to the sewage tank, from where it was dumped directly into the sea. The chief engineer then directed crew members to put a mixture of fresh and salt water into the tank and flush this through the pollution prevention equipment to create an electronic record to account for the bypassed bilge water. Mr Leuterio also pleaded guilty to his role in directing lower ranking crew members to make the illegal discharges and for failing to accurately maintain the vessel’s oil record book. He is due to be sentenced on 14 May 2014. Acting assistant attorney-general Robert Dreher said the convictions should ‘send a strong message to the shipping industry that committing crimes at sea will not be tolerated’.

SAMTRA celebrates 10 years of training Africa’s Maritime Training F Academy (SAMTRA) have celebrated Officials and staff at South

10 years of existence — during which time almost 10,000 trainees have passed through the state-of-the-art maritime simulator training centre. Since the centre opened its doors a decade ago, the number of courses it provides has more than tripled, and it now delivers cadet training management services to companies and organisations including the SAMSA national cadet programme, Safmarine/Maersk Line, Maersk Supply (Angola), Transnet National Port Authority, BW Fleet

14-15_int.indd 14

Management Services (Nigeria), the Gulf Agency Company, Anglo Eastern and Shell. SAMTRA chief executive Andy Maclennan said he had been pleased to boost local maritime skills. ‘As trade with Africa increases, so the need to provide the global maritime industry with skilled maritime personnel will continue,’ he added. ‘This provides wonderful opportunities for developing Africa’s vast human resources.’ Pictured, left to right, are: SAMTRA chairman Fred Jacobs; SAMSA CEO Tsietsi Mokhele and SAMTRA founding chairman Tony Farr.

19/03/2014 18:57

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

French union alarm over tanker trades Government urged to move faster on extended oil cargo flag restrictions by Jeff Apter

Two French maritime unions are warning that skilled seafarers are being lost as the country’s tanker fleet dwindles away while new rules to tighten flag restrictions in the country’s cabotage trades are being considered. Two of the biggest unions representing French officers and ratings have attacked the Total oil company for failing to use national-flagged ships in the country’s cabotage trades. FOMM-CGT and FNMS-CGT claimed the company was using Gibraltar-flagged tankers to carry cargoes between French ports and had also replaced a Frenchflagged tanker supplying the island of La Réunion with foreignregistered tonnage. FOMM deputy general secretary Jean-Philippe Chateil accused Total of ‘destroying’ French maritime employment and he criticised the government for allowing the company’s flagging policy to have a negative effect on the highly skilled seafaring jobs needed for oil and chemical tankers. Mr Chateil said he was con-

Seafarers serving onboard the French-flagged cable-layer Raymond Croze, above, took action to delay the vessel’s departure from the port of Brest last month in protest at plans by Orange Marine to reduce the number of French junior officers ahead of the delivery of new tonnage. Three of Orange Marine’s five

ships fly the French flag, employing a total of 132 officers. The CFDT union has accused the company of ‘craftily’ encouraging seafarers to take individually enhanced redundancy packages to cut the number of jobs without consulting unions before th e new vessel, Pierre de Fermat, comes into service in October. Picture: Eric Houri

cerned that, despite government promises, updated rules to extend a 1992 law requiring a proportion of French oil cargoes to be carried on national ﬂagged ships have still not gone before parliament. Meanwhile, he warned, companies such as BWM, Maersk

Tankers and others are quitting the French ﬂag and destroying French maritime jobs and conditions. ‘The CGT is expressly asking the French government to take rapid action over these vital questions concerning the French ﬂag and French jobs,’ he added. The French oil industry asso-

ciation, UFIP, has expressed its opposition to the government plans to upgrade the 1992 law. But unions and owners are backing the proposals, which are now expected to come before parliament in the autumn. Bordeauxbased Socatra — the only French oil tanker operator — is warning that it will withdraw its 50,914dwt tanker Tamarin from the country’s RIF international register if the government does not extend the crude oil carriage law to refined products. z French unions have welcomed the official go-ahead for plans to give equal rights to seafarers on foreign ships operating in country’s cabotage trades, irrespective of the ship’s flag. The provisions — which include social security, leave entitlement, salaries and other benefits — will apply to all ships calling at French ports on the way from or going to other countries, but will not affect cross-Channel ferries. The government says the measures — which were approved by 27 votes to two in the Senate — will ensure fair competition in French territorial waters. The plans will go the National Assembly later this month.

Ships warned on Argentina customs fines

14-15_int.indd 15

SEAFARER SUPPLY: Ukraine and Russia are now second and third in the ‘league table’ of countries supplying officers for the global shipping industry, coming in behind the Philippines, according to a new report. In all, 27,000 Ukrainian and 25,000 Russian officers are employed internationally, along with a further 40,000 Ukrainian and 11,000 Russian ratings. Russia’s merchant fleet is ranked 31st in the world while the Ukrainian-flagged fleet is the world’s 72nd biggest. INDIAN AIM: India’s shipping ministry has announced plans to increase the country’s share of the global seafarer labour market from 7% to 9% over the next five years. Shipping minister GK Vasan said the programme will include the opening of new Indian Maritime University campuses across the country, Currently India has more than 135 maritime institutes offering pre-sea and post-sea training in various forms. MOROCCAN ROLE: the Italian ferry firm Gran Navi Veloci (GNV) is awaiting confirmation from the authorities in Morocco to continue running services between France and the ports of Tangiers and Nador. GNV took over the routes in June 2012 following the collapse of the Moroccan operator Comarit Comanav and last year carried 170,000 passengers on the services and almost the same number on the route to Genoa. DATA GAP: the CGT union in France has urged the country’s government to provide better data on French seafarers. It warned that the patchy information currently provided by official sources fails to give a clear picture of employment trends in the French shipping industry, and it is calling for figures for the last five years by operator, vessel category, nationality, number of officers and ratings and type of register. FERRIES SALE: Italy’s state-owned train company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), Europe’s last rail operator with a maritime fleet, has announced its intention to sell its Bluferries subsidiary, which runs services between Sicily and mainland Italy. The route is the third busiest in Europe and FS’s nine vessels — including four train ferries — carried 6.7m passengers in 2012. ORDERS UP: a total of 2,958 ships worth around US$131bn were ordered by owners around the world last year, the Greek broker Golden Destiny has reported. The figures compare with the total of just 665 ships ordered in 2009, and the broker said last year had also seen growth in sales of secondhand tonnage — with some 1,490 ships changing hands.

Seafarers and shipowners have been warned to beware of fines being imposed by customs authorities in Argentina for misdeclaration of shipboard stores. The American P&I Club says customs officials in ports such as San Nicolas have been taking a hard line on such issues as the declaration of lube oils, bunkers, chemicals, spare parts, grabs and other items in lists of stores carried onboard vessels. It says ships have even been boarded by customs agents asserting that the lube oil in the sump tank has not been declared, meaning a customs infringement. Masters are advised to take great care when declaring quantities. ‘There have been instances of customs agents finding discrepancies which, in reality, do not exist but are difficult to disprove after the owner has already been fined as a consequence,’ the club adds.

shortreports

Charity ship chalks up record visit the vessel’s fifth anniversary with a record-breaking C five-day visit to Sri Lanka in which a total of 73,783 people

The crew of the charity ship Logos Hope have marked

came aboard in the port of Trincomalee, above. Since the former car ferry came into service in 2009 as a ‘floating book fair’ for the GBA Ships organisation, it has sailed the equivalent of 2.7 times around the world, made 87 port visits in 48 different countries and more than 3.5m people have come onboard. The 12,519gt vessel is operated by a volunteer crew from some 45 nations, who all have financial sponsorship to cover their living costs while onboard. GBA Ships also offers a seafarers’ fund in place to help qualified crewmembers

who may not otherwise have means to raise sponsorship. ‘We are always on the lookout for qualified crew who are willing to volunteer with us and who are committed to the Christian faith and the principles we live by onboard,’ said director of marketing John Crowe. There is a special need this year for a chief engineer officer and other engineers, he added. Towards the end of the year, the ship will enter the installation phase of the Power Up Logos Hope Project — replacing two generators and the main electrical switchboard, as well as installing a heat recovery system to improve energy efficiency. g More information on the website: www.gbaships.org.

GUARDS DEBATE:: French seafaring unions and shipowners have welcomed an announcement by the country’s transport minister that the parliamentary debate on the government’s bill to authorise private armed anti-piracy forces onboard French flagged ships will take place on 9 April. MAERSK JOBS: a big majority of the seafarers employed by Maersk Tankers France have voted to accept management’s redundancy plan ahead of the company’s closure later this year. The agreement affects 95 people serving on Maersk’s six French-flagged tankers. CUTS CHALLENGE: six French ratings serving with the gas tanker company Gazocéan have challenged the operator’s plan to replace 57 French crew members with cheaper foreign labour.

19/03/2014 18:57

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

YOUR LETTERS

What’s on onyour yourmind? mind? Tell your colleagues shipping. Keep yourTelegraph letter to ahave your name, address colleaguesin inNautilus NautilusInternational International— —and andthe thewider world of but you must let the maximum words if you canyour — though contributions will beand considered. Use number. a pen name or wider world300 of shipping. Keep letter tolonger a maximum membership just membership number you don’t want to be identifi in anyour accompanying — Telegraph, Nautilus 300your words if you can — thoughif longer contributions will ed — say soSend letter to thenote Editor, but you must let the Telegraph have your name, address and membership number. Send yourShrubberies, letter to the George Lane, be considered. International, 1&2 The Editor, International, 1&2number The Shrubberies, George Lane,Woodford, South Woodford, Use aTelegraph, pen nameNautilus or just your membership if you South London E18 1BD, or use head office fax London E18to 1BD, use head ceso faxin+44 (0)20 8530 1015, or— email+44 telegraph@nautilusint.org don’t want beor identifi ed —offi say an accompanying note (0)20 8530 1015, or email telegraph@nautilusint.org

Our heritage sites are still under threat now, probably rather used to P looking down from his column to Admiral Lord Nelson is, by

see which bands have taken over Trafalgar Square. No longer just a focus for celebration, protest sometimes, it’s a music venue promoted by City Hall. The Merchant Navy Memorial in Trinity Square Gardens, by Tower Hill tube station, is a memorial to tens of thousands of merchant seamen who have no grave but the sea. Yet, in 2011, Tower Hamlets Council gave party licences for Christmas ‘functions’ in the gardens until objections made them see sense. It’s obscene that anyone should think a war memorial suitable for parking one’s glass. Now, Wren’s Old Royal Naval

College, Greenwich, centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich and a World Heritage Site, is to be an outdoor concert venue in August. What state the place will be in after four nights and 16,000 people is hard to imagine, though the mess that Hyde Park is after big events gives a clue. It is often said the British are sea blind. Our civic leaders are deaf, too, it seems, to ancient mariners, dead and alive. Those involved with these plans probably don’t even see these memorials and heritage sites as revered parts of our national story but as open spaces ideal for loud noise, alcohol and partying, what others might call desecration. LESTER MAY (Lt Cdr RN, rtd)

We’re on Facebook. Become a fan! Visit www.nautilusint.org

Have your say online Last month we asked: Do you think the European Maritime Safety Agency should withdraw recognition for Filipino seafarers’ certificates?

The Red Ensign: a poetic tribute On all the seas and rivers where British seamen go, From the tropics to the edges of where the icebergs grow, You will see the ruddy bunting of bright or smoky red, It’s our Merchant Navy Ensign flying overhead.

Picture: Nick Ardley

Molliette, Violette and the mystery concrete coaster at Greenhithe... C

I read with interest the article about the concrete coasting motor ketch Molliette a little while ago. There were some inaccuracies; however, we’ll let those pass... I see in the February 2014 issue there is a letter from John M. Dines, a retired member, regarding the vessel at Greenhithe in Kent. Greenhithe was of course the headquarters of that great sailing barge owner, Everard, who became one of Britain’s largest coastal and near continental ship owners before amalgamation with another. Everard, I understand, owned a small number of concrete coasters during the inter-war years and after. I looked at the vessel discussed by John Dines during a sailing trip up the Thames in 2011. She has the humdrum name of ACT 10 — clearly there were just a few more. The vessel, apparently, had her bow cleaved off when the waterfront was piled and the sea defences improved during clearance and redevelopment of the old Everard shipyard and wharves — now a des-res housing development. The ship had latterly been in use as a

crane barge. With regards to the Molliette and Violette, built by Pollock of Faversham, and mentioned by John Dines. Angular they are, but both these vessels had elliptical transoms that swept up from the propeller ‘dead wood’ and the deck line did have a little sheer to ease the eye too. The Violette sits at Hoo in Kent ‘awaiting’ a buyer: surely she is of importance to our maritime history, especially now the country is commemorating the world conflict of 1914-18, for which she was built, to save precious steel. The Molliette sits, shattered by RAF bombs, on the Mersea Flats, Essex. The latter two vessels are mentioned and illustrated in my books, Salt Marsh & Mud: A Year’s Sailing on the Thames Estuary, and Mudlarking: Thames Estuary Cruising Yarns. NICK ARDLEY mem no 154620 Retd Member

Many an eye has danced at our banner flying true, Our hearts and souls are British and our colours too, Whipping in defiance when white waves are below, It flew above the vanquished and defeated foe. No one should prevent us from hoisting it by day, Since eighteen twenty four its prominence held sway, Either flying in the breeze when trading near and far, Or draped upon a coffin when a seaman’s crossed the bar. It’s more than just a symbol of a nation brave and free, Not only just an emblem proclaiming liberty, For the showing of our ‘duster’ from gaff or lofty spar, Sets pride among our mariners, no matter where they are. JOE EARL mem no 097338

f For more creative writing by

talented seafarers, see pages 31-33.

Where’s my Telegraph?

Yes 79% No 21%

This month’s poll asks: Do you think Lloyd’s Register is right to suggest that heavy fuel oil will still be the main fuel for shipping in 2030? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org.

16-18_lets+your news.indd 16

If you have moved recently, your home copy may still be trying to catch up with you — particularly if you gave us a temporary address such as a hall of residence. To let us know your new address, go to www. nautilusint.org and log in as a member, or contact our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454 or membership@ nautilusint.org.

PRICE $120 PRICE $150

19/03/2014 18:59

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS

Our unpaid telegraph working time verges on slavery

THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

STAFF editor: Andrew Linington deputy editor: Debbie Cavaldoro production editor: June Cattini-Walker senior reporter: Sarah Robinson web editor: Deborah McPherson ADVERTISING Redactive Media Group 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP.

School holiday rules unfair to seafarers P

I am writing to agree with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) investigation into the possible de-recognition of Filipino certiﬁcates (front page, March Telegraph). I am hoping that all the EU states actually enforce the report’s ﬁndings. The reason for this, in my opinion, is that shipowners in all sectors have been getting away with using substandard cheap foreign labour since the year dot and at last it has been proved. I have worked with excellent Filipinos before, but they have been through the UK colleges or approved colleges around the world. The others come onboard with a piece of paper for everything you could imagine,

but in practice are useless and frankly dangerous. To stop this is excellent — hopefully, the same kind of inspections will be done in Russia and its former Soviet states, as I feel that these guys will also need checking. It is good that this is happening as I know that a lot of UK cadets don’t get the opportunity to get to sea as they are undercut by the Filipinos. Now, as it turns out they are substandard, so no wonder they accept a pittance of a wage; it just shows how unscrupulous shipowners are and I am glad they have been caught red-handed. My second point is a topical one in the UK, that is the ﬁnes parents receive for taking kids

out of school during term time. I wrote to the department of education about this, (as I work in the offshore sector and I am always busy over summer and I can’t remember the last July or August I have had time off) — but they said that there is no reason that I can’t take my children on holiday at the correct time. So to actually have a holiday with my children, I have to take a ﬁne. I think that the Union should be campaigning on our behalf about this as I hit a brick wall and I am sure that many fellow ofﬁcers are having the same problem. Maybe the government should be made aware that some professions don’t get to choose when we have time off. mem no 180850

As an officer working for one of the world’s leading ferry companies, I have just returned home after a two week voyage in which I calculated that I had worked 189 hours in that time. We are contracted to work 168 hours, but due to operational commitments, extremely bad weather and onboard contractors’ time demands, an extra 21 hours was steadily added — all unpaid, naturally. Using an average UK working week of 37 hours, this equates to over five weeks’ work for the average person compressed into two. This, at a time when the certain aforesaid company are asking us to seriously consider a pay cut of 10% and the loss of our four weeks’ leave, amongst other things, which simply leaves us speechless and demoralised. To put it into more simple terms, the loss of leave alone equates to us working a 42 hour week, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year without a single day off, no weekends or bank holidays — would anyone in their right mind accede to such a deal? In fact the only thing left to do is to shackle us down and be handed an oar each… KUNTE KINTE SV Amistad en route to the plantations Name & no supplied

Recruitment adverts: John Seaman tel: +44 (0)20 7880 8541 tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6200 email: info@redactive.co.uk website: www.redactive.co.uk Although the Telegraph exercises care and caution before accepting advertisements, readers are advised to take appropriate professional advice before entering into any commitments such as investments (including pension plans). Publication of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation and Nautilus International cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods and services offered in advertisements. Organisations offering financial services or insurance are governed by regulatory authorities and problems with such services should be taken up with the appropriate body.

Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

ISSN 0040 2575 Published by Nautilus International Printed by Polestar Colchester

GENERAL SECRETARY Mark Dickinson MSc (Econ) HEAD OFFICE 1&2 The Shrubberies George Lane, South Woodford London E18 1BD tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015 www.nautilusint.org

We’re on Facebook Become a fan! Visit www.nautilusint.org

Memories and anecdotes My first-hand welcomed for new book wave experience to contribute their memories F and anecdotes to a new book about

Display adverts: Tom Poole tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6217

NETHERLANDS OFFICE Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Postbus 8575, 3009 AN Rotterdam tel: +31 (0)10 4771188 fax: +31 (0)10 4773846 NORTHERN OFFICE Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801 SWITZERLAND OFFICE Gewerkschaftshaus, Rebgasse 1 4005 Basel, Switzerland tel: +41 (0)61 262 24 24 fax: +41 (0)61 262 24 25

UK seafarers are being invited

the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, which will be published to celebrate the charity’s 150th anniversary next year. The book is to be titled Home from Sea, taken from a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. Written by maritime historian John Allan, it will explore the charity’s work providing housing, residential and nursing care since 1865. Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt, the Royal Alfred’s chief executive, commented: ‘As the Society prepares to celebrate its landmark birthday next year, it is an excellent opportunity to share with the public the Society’s rich and detailed history whilst looking after former seafarers during an unbroken 150 years. We have already discovered gems of

16-18_lets+your news.indd 17

information and some fantastic images from our archives and held some vivid interviews — we look forward to being able to share all this next year.’

g Anyone with anecdotes or

memories of the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society to contribute to the book should contact the charity directly on +44 (0)1737 353 763.

Regarding the incident on the Marco Polo reported in the March Telegraph, I am surprised that Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson stated that: ‘It is not acceptable to say that there was an abnormal wave and there are questions to be asked about how a vessel can be struck in such a manner.’ Well, there are such abnormal waves. I was on a laden 16,000 ton tanker, with bridge amidships, in 1967. Due to bad weather, the pilotage was suspended and we were hove-to off the Elbe. Shortly after the evening meal, without warning, we were struck by one of these waves and the damage was enormous. All the glass ports/windows on the forepart of the superstructure were

smashed-in. The wheelhouse was flooded and damaged. The master’s accommodation below that was also flooded and damaged, and below that, the saloon and some engineers’ cabins were wrecked by the force of the water. Fortunately, the saloon had been vacated half an hour earlier. After eventually berthing and discharging our cargo, we spent over two weeks at a Hamburg dockyard being repaired and refurbished. The damage on the foredeck was considerable and even some of the bridge front had to be renewed, as it had been set back one and a half inches in places. Yes, there are these abnormal waves. T. HAMILTON mem no 169215 (rtd)

DEPARTMENT EMAILS general: enquiries@nautilusint.org membership: membership@nautilusint.org legal: legal@nautilusint.org telegraph: telegraph@nautilusint.org industrial: industrial@nautilusint.org youth: youth@nautilusint.org welfare: welfare@nautilusint.org professional and technical: protech@nautilusint.org Nautilus International also administers the Nautilus Welfare Fund and the J W Slater Fund, which are registered charities.

19/03/2014 18:59

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

YOUR NEWS

Member’s desert trek to bring hope from tragedy P

Nautilus is supporting a recently-qualified deck officer who will this month set out on a gruelling seven-day run across the Sahara desert to raise money for charity in tribute to his brother, William, who committed suicide earlier this year. Union member Nicholas Chubb will be running the 150-mile Marathon des Sables course — which is claimed to be the toughest footrace on Earth — with all of his food and survival equipment on his back, and is aiming to raise £10,000 for the mental health charity Mind. Nicholas said he had wanted to run the race for many years, but never intended to do it in memory of his brother. ‘It was meant to be a run to show support for William in his ongoing battle with mental illness,’ he told the Telegraph. ‘But, tragically, after fighting so

valiantly for the last seven years against psychosis and bipolar disorder, William could no longer bear the torment of his illness, and he took his own life in January of this year, aged just 25.’ Runners in the Marathon des Sables have to complete a series of stages of up to 50 miles, facing the challenge of difﬁcult terrain and temperatures that can hit 50°C during the day and plummet to just above freezing at night. Nicholas, who was a Trinity House cadet and studied at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, has never run a marathon before, although he has always enjoyed endurance sports such as rowing. ‘I’m not new to running or keeping ﬁt and while I was a cadet I took part in the South Tyneside versus Fleetwood rowing race each year,’ he added, ‘but running this distance, and in this environment, is a

From sandy beaches to the dunes of the Sahara: Nicholas trains for the 150-mile Marathon des Sables

totally new ball game for me. ‘The race is split up into six stages, and it is mandatory to rest after each stage,’ Nicholas explained. ‘One particular stage is usually between 50 and 60 miles long, meaning competitors have to race through the night. So, yes, I will need to take the full seven days to complete it!’ As well as raising money for Mind, Nicholas says he hopes he will help to raise awareness of mental illness — especially within the shipping industry. ‘I believe it is an issue that is often swept under the carpet for fear of the stigma

attached, and I particularly believe that mental illness among seafarers is often overlooked,’ he added. ‘The pressure of being away from home, without proper contact with family or friends, and often being the only person who speaks a particular language can be very isolating and can cause people to become ill,’ he pointed out, ‘and there is a distinct lack of support for seafarers who are suffering from mental health problems. ‘The story is as much about coping with loss, and bringing about something

positive out of tragedy, as it is about raising money and awareness for a good cause, and I want to say to people that it’s OK to talk about their mental health,’ he added. ‘Being able to talk about mental illness, spotting the warning signs, and getting the right help quickly are all critical to making a full recovery.’ g Donations can be made via: www. virginmoneygiving.com/nicholaschubb or by text: ‘EPIC91’ plus the amount you wish to donate (£1, £2, £3, £4, £5, or £10) to 70070. Texts are free, and the amount you donate will be added to your phone bill.

NZ book is another good read A couple of months ago I wrote to you saying that I had just read Rose George’s excellent book Deep Sea & Foreign Going. Another superb book — Below the Waterline, by David Carpenter — was recommended to me recently by a friend in New Zealand who worked, as I did, with the New Zealand Shipping Company. Where Rose’s book is set in the modern day merchant navy, which seems to me rather depressing and leaves much to be desired as a way of life, David’s is about his experiences in

the late 50s to early 60s which, as he says, was probably the era of the last ‘hands-on engineer’. What a difference in lifestyle! For me, his descriptions of life and work onboard, in what would be termed today as a ‘health and safety’ nightmare, brought back many happy memories. I read about their escapades onboard and ashore and thought we didn’t do that! But thinking about it properly, we did! What an excellent, enjoyable life it was, even on the long nine-month

double-header voyages, helped along with the ‘occasional can or two or three’! His book is well illustrated with photos of life onboard and the pay-off forms show how little we earned, but still had a good life on leave. I highly recommend David’s well written book to any ship’s engineers of that era, particularly those who worked for NZS Co and the Federal steam Navigation Company. DAVID KIRKMAN mem no 95476

Giving you a voice on your future Worried about your retirement? Join us! The Nautilus Pensions Association is a pressure group and support organisation that: z provides a new focal point for seafarer pensioners — increasing their influence within, and knowledge of, the Merchant Navy Officers’ Pension Fund and other schemes within the industry z serves as a channel for professional advice on all kinds of pensions, as well as offering specific information on legal and government developments on pensions, and supporting the Union in lobbying the government as required z provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for advice on other organisations providing support and assistance to pensioners z offers a range of specialised services and benefits tailored to meet the needs of retired members z operates as a democratic organisation, being a Nautilus Council body — with the secretary and secretariat provided by the Union 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD t +44 (0)20 8989 6677 f +44 (0)20 8530 1015 npa@nautilusint.org www.nautilusint.org

16-18_lets+your news.indd 18

Fleetwood graduation (Princess Cruises), Solomon C Appiah and Furqan Masoodi (both

Nautilus members Joe Mattock

Havila Shipping) are pictured right after graduating from Fleetwood Nautical Campus with their HND in nautical science as part of their training towards Chief Mate’s. They were among 20 students attending the graduation ceremony (above) for the 44 students who completed the HNC and HND in nautical science. The graduates with gold hoods are HNC, while the blue hoods are the HND students. ‘Thanks to friends and family and the college for fundamental support in an important step in our career,’ said Joe. ‘Part of the course involved state of the art simulator training and Human Element in Leadership and Management training.’

19/03/2014 18:59

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MARITIME CAREERS

From cadet to chief exec Nautilus members can be found in all sorts of jobs at sea and ashore. But there are few who can match the role filled by Guy Platten since the start of this year. ANDREW LININGTON meets the member who broke the mould at the UK Chamber of Shipping…

As chief executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping, Guy Platten leads a body which has traditionally been seen as the shipowners’ organisation, and as a master mariner who began his career as a cadet with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1982, he hopes to bring a direct and dynamic approach that comes with time served at sea. The Chamber traces its roots back to 1878, and today it represents the interests of around 140 member organisations — including not just the owners and managers of UK-based shipping, but also a wide range of UK-based legal, banking and other maritime service providers. Describing himself as ‘passionate’ about shipping, Mr Platten says he had always loved his time at sea and believes his seafaring experience will bring a fresh dynamic to the Chamber. ‘I think they were keen to get someone with a practical rather than a theoretical experience base, and it gives me the confidence to speak in meetings on the basis of my direct professional knowledge,’ he explains. ‘I understand the stresses and strains of seafaring and know how small changes made ashore can have a massive impact onboard,’ he adds. ‘You understand the problems a bit more — the practical and technical difficulties of dealing with the sulphur regulations, for example.’ ‘The industry has been very good to me, and it has been great to have a whole career involved in ships and ports; and latterly to be commissioning newbuilds and see them coming into service is a terrific thrill. ‘I’ve never had a defined career plan — I don’t think many people do — but I’ve always had the aim of having a varied career and not wishing to end up looking back and thinking “what if?”,’ he says. ‘My grandfather had worked for Cunard, in a shore-based post, and my dad had wanted to go to sea but couldn’t because of his eyesight. University was not an option for me for a number of reasons, and going to sea looked very attractive and a lot of fun, so I applied to a number of companies and the RFA picked me.’ The RFA was a great place to work, he recalls, with the varied mix of different operational roles and responsibilities. ‘I was serving on Argus in the first Gulf war and part of a big convoy going up the Gulf, and I remember looking out

19_chamber.indd Sec1:19

and thinking this was something quite special,’ he recalls. But marriage and family commitments made the long tours of duty difficult, and so he moved ashore — first as a divisional inspector with the RNLI, with responsibilities including the training of lifeboat crews, and then as a salvage and mooring master with the Ministry of Defence. Seeking to gain some management experience, Mr Platten moved to the Northern Lighthouse Board as director of marine operations, running ships and support bases and taking care of navigation requirements. And in 2007, he became chief executive of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) — the newly-formed organisation set up by the Scottish government to provide the ferries, ports and infrastructure for the Western Isles and Clyde lifeline services in line with European Commission tendering requirements. ‘CMAL was a new body and we had no real remit to begin with,’ Mr Platten said. ‘We tried to push the boundaries forward a bit, developing maintenance and replacement regimes for ships and harbours and ordering new ships like the hybrid ferries. I think we achieved a lot in a short time.’ Mr Platten says he hopes his appointment will provide further evidence to young people of the opportunities opened up by seafarer training. ‘I want to get it across that going to sea is not a life sentence,’ he adds. ‘If you choose to stay at sea, that’s great, but there are also so many other options available to you. The one piece of advice I would give is to get your master’s or chief engineer’s ticket — then your options are as wide as possible.’ In fact, his daughter has followed in his footsteps and is now serving as an officer with Red Funnel ferries. ‘She had done some sail training and enjoyed that, but I didn’t push her one way or the other,’ he says. ‘I think she has a natural aptitude and she really loves the ship handling side of things.’ Mr Platten firmly believes there is a future for British seafarers — but he accepts that developments such as Stena Line’s current move to cut its employment costs reflect the commercial pressures that affect the labour market. ‘Stena is having an honest

Guy Platten Picture: Andrew Linington

engagement and that is really important,’ he argues. ‘Responsible owners do want to employ our people, but I don’t think we can legislate our way out of an open market. We have to differentiate ourselves and make sure our workforce is more attractive and more productive, with high skill sets. Highly trained and highly qualiﬁed people will always have jobs because they will be worth every penny they are being paid.’

Since starting at the Chamber, Mr Platten has been busy meeting ministers, MPs and other politicians, as well as key figures in the maritime sector — including Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson. He’s been especially busy in Scotland, where the Chamber is seeking assurances on a long list of maritime policy issues arising from the independence debate. ‘Whatever Scotland decides, we need to be sure we are there fighting for the industry and protecting everything that has been built up over the years,’ he adds. Shipping is of immense importance to Scotland — with many leading owners and managers operating in the country and Scottish seafarers making up a significant proportion of the UK

skills base, Mr Platten points out. ‘However, there are presently many unanswered questions: who would run a Scottish ship registry; would there be public money to support seafarer training, income tax concessions for seafarers, or capital allowances

I want to get it across that going to sea is not a life sentence

“

”

for ships; would shipping companies in Scotland be covered by the UK tonnage tax; and what would the maritime safety infrastructure be — to name just a few. Our members need to have some certainty on these issues.’ Mr Platten is also leading a major review of the Chamber’s future strategy. ‘We’re starting from basics: do we want a Chamber, what is it for, what do we want

it to be, and how do we give it a vibrant future,’ he explains. ‘The Chamber has changed enormously over the years, but needs to carry on changing to remain relevant . ‘I think it is clear that we want the Chamber to be the voice of British shipping and to help create the environment where owners and operators can thrive,’ he adds. ‘What is special about the Chamber is the depth of knowledge that we have here and the expertise we can provide on things like employment, training, the environment, health and safety, and piracy. ‘So we are looking at the strategic goals which ﬂow from this and how we can be the natural home for companies with business in the maritime sphere,’ Mr Platten says. ‘The more we have, the stronger we become and we are engaging with our members and organisations like Nautilus to see how we deliver those strategies.’ He believes the shipping policy package developed last year between the industry and the government has helped to give the maritime sector a voice at the highest levels. ‘And that’s only right,’ he argues. ‘This is a sector that employs over half a million people and contributes more

than £32bn a year to GDP, and maybe in the past what we haven’t been good at doing is persuading governments that we should be listened to and our needs considered like any other major industry. ‘Now we have a real partnership, and ministerial roundtables that make sure that all the government departments understand us and are aware of the impact of their decisions and policies. There’s a genuine engagement and that is good news for our industry.’ That said, Mr Platten stresses the need for continued dialogue to keep the regime for British shipping and British seafaring as attractive as possible — and he says the Chamber is looking at further ways to encourage more companies to use the UK ﬂag. ‘The register has been built on heritage and history, but that’s not the way the world works now and it needs to be more customer-friendly,’ he adds. ‘I’m genuinely passionate about the industry and want to see it have a vibrant and a thriving future,’ Mr Platten concludes. ‘From what I’ve seen so far in this job, I am very positive and I think it can offer a good future to young people who are highly motivated and highly skilled.’

19/03/2014 18:14

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

SAFETY AT SEA Confidential reporting scheme’s marine director tells the Telegraph how he hopes to encourage seafarers to share their ‘near miss’ experiences to prevent similar incidents from occurring onboard other ships...

New chief at CHIRP has global plans John Rose meets general secretary Mark Dickinson during a recent visit to the Nautilus head office

John Rose has a clear message for seafarers in his role as head of the maritime sector of the Conﬁdential Human factors Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP): ‘If you don’t report anything, we will never get any change.’

Ship simulation and resource management

Since his appointment as CHIRP’s maritime director last year, John has been busy trying to breathe new life into the body which seeks to provide a no-blame channel for seafarers to highlight hazardous occurrences in the hope of securing effective action

Specialist ship handling training

to prevent them from happening again. He sees his role at CHIRP as the culmination of a career which began as a Shell cadet in the 1970s. Growing up in Coventry, he was about as far from the sea as you can get in the UK, but the attrac-

STCW, safety and security training

Raising the standard Warsash Maritime Academy is at the forefront of training and developing maritime personnel. We provide the necessary advice, training and certiﬁcation to advance your career, including progression to senior certiﬁcates of competency and advanced professional development for experienced seafarers.

To ﬁnd out more: www.warsashacademy.co.uk For all enquiries contact us: E: wma@solent.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1489 576161

20-21_chirp.indd Sec2:20

tion of travel and gaining respected qualifications was irresistible, and he has never regretted his career choice. Following more than a decade at sea, John progressed into a series of operational and management positions ashore in the UK and overseas and he feels his experience has given him a deep understanding of the pressures on safety in the industry. ‘As a junior officer at the tail end of the 70s, I enjoyed the fruits of the tanker boom at the time before going on to take my Extra Master’s and leaving the sea as a result of marriage and children,’ he recalls. A spell as harbourmaster and chief executive at Yarmouth in the Isle of Wight was followed by a return to Shell, where he worked as a marine superintendent and marine manager in London, Aberdeen, Melbourne and Houston. For the past eight years, John has been running his own consultancy specialising in ship management and operational safety — but says he now wants to ‘put something back into the industry that has given me so much.’ He has big ambitions for CHIRP — and it certainly needs the boost he is seeking to deliver. Launched in 2002 in response to recommendations made in a House of Lords report on ship safety a decade earlier, the maritime scheme mirrors the programme pioneered by the aviation industry in the early 1980s to help individuals raise issues of concern without being identified to management or the authorities. However, following the loss of government funding in 2011, CHIRP is now a charitable trust that relies on sponsorship from organisations such as the Corporation of Trinity House, the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and the Britannia P&I Club. The maritime and aviation programmes have only five staff — and two of them are part-time. ‘I’m working hard to get new sources of sponsorship and funding to help develop a more global approach,’ John explains. ‘At present, the focus is very northern

Back in the day: John Rose as a harbourmaster in the Isle of Wight

Even if you can save just one or two lives, it has got to be worth it

“

European and there is only so far you can go on that basis.’ He’s seeking a massive increase in the global distribution of the Maritime Feedback newsletter which summarises reports to CHIRP and sets out lessons to be learned. John is also harnessing social media to take CHIRP to a much wider audience and is delighted to report that the number of Facebook followers has risen more than fourfold in the past few months — and that these followers come from almost 50 different countries. Underpinning this drive is his

”

belief that there is huge underreporting of incidents and ‘nearmisses’ in the shipping industry. ‘I know from my work in vetting on tankers that even with the oil majors the level of incident reporting is very poor, as people do not think there is any value in submitting reports,’ he notes. The ‘incident pyramid’ that is topped by fatalities and lost-time incidents has its base in unsafe acts, unsafe conditions and at-risk behaviours — all of which serve to reinforce the argument that the number of near-miss reports should be much higher than it is. ‘When I arrived at CHIRP we

19/03/2014 18:15

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

SAFETY AT SEA were down to just three reports for the previous five months,’ John says. ‘I’m glad to say that we’ve now got that up to 17 since August, which equates to around three a month.’ But, he adds, CHIRP’s aviation programme gets more than 300 reports a year, and he reckons the maritime figure should be higher than that. ‘Whilst there is a big difference in culture between the two industries, the number of ships means that the reporting figures should be far higher than they are — and at least in the region of 10 reports a month.’ Consequently, one of his immediate priorities is to regenerate awareness of CHIRP and the value of making reports to the organisation. ‘My simple message to seafarers is that if you don’t report anything, there will be no data and it will be impossible to change anything,’ he points out. ‘If you just take 10 minutes to put something over to us it could make a real difference.’ CHIRP provides a safety reporting structure that is not always available to all seafarers, John stresses. Those most likely to benefit are: seafarers operating on vessels with hazards or incidents not managed within an appropriate safety management system; seafarers with concerns over fatigue or stress-related issues; seafarers encountering gaps in the interface between two safety management systems; and managers whose ships encounter poor application of the collision regulations by other vessels.

John is particularly concerned at the low level of reporting from engine room staff, and he is also keen to see marine pilots and even shipping companies making more use of the programme. ‘There are still big issues like deaths in enclosed spaces and substandard pilot ladders, and if we get the reports it is very easy for us to take things up with the relevant bodies,’ he stresses. ‘But it’s not all about numbers,’ John adds. ‘I don’t think there is any incident that you can’t learn something from, and even if you can save just one or two lives it has got to be worth it.’ He says CHIRP’s approach to the reports it receives helps to deliver a deep understanding of safety issues and challenges. ‘When a report comes in we will ask why did the incident happen — and ask that question again and again. By the third or fourth “why” you will arrive at the root cause — and that is the most important thing.’

If you don’t report it, we can’t change it

“

”

John urges seafarers to be constantly vigilant and to provide CHIRP with reports on problems that they come across in all sorts of circumstances. ‘It shouldn’t ﬁnish when you step off your ship,’ he adds. ‘Many hazardous occurrences involve lots of different parties or interaction between the ship and third parties such as bunkering or drydocking, and if you see something wrong ashore — like line-handling men standing in the bight of a rope — let us know.’ In fact, he adds, after receiving just such a report from a ship visiting a port in the Caribbean, CHIRP took it up with the authorities and got a good result. Since taking over the job, John has spent as much time as possible getting out and about to promote CHIRP. He is especially keen to get solid support from companies and he has clear views on how this could be done. ‘While change often comes from the top, it is usually implemented by middle management, and that is an area where I think we can do much more,’ he explains. ‘If marine superintendents are better trained in safety and commercial issues, and if seafarers have faith and conﬁdence that middle management are supportive of them, so much more could be achieved.’ He would also like owners and operators to share their safety data. ‘If we had just 10 companies giving us their near-miss reports, the scale of what we could learn and the results that could be achieved would be fantastic,’ he points out. ‘I am very positive about the future for CHIRP and what we can achieve,’ John says. ‘I am passionate about the need to improve safety at sea, and the reaction from everyone I have spoken to is extremely encouraging. I will carry on meeting the movers and shakers in the industry. There is a huge opportunity and I am excited about the way we can make a big change for the better. ‘I would hope that in two years’ time we will be able to say that we are a better junior relative of the aviation side of CHIRP rather than being something of a country cousin in rags…’

Close call: CHIRP says ‘near-miss’ reports are essential to understanding root causes and accident trends

Learning from experience Reporting Programme (CHIRP) investigates F hazardous occurrences — those that nearly result The Confidential Hazardous Incident

in injury or damage and which are often referred to as a ‘near-miss’. The aim of CHIRP is to seek out root causes, identify the lessons learned and to consider how best this information can be used to prevent reoccurrence elsewhere in the maritime industry. CHIRP does not seek to apportion blame to any company or individual(s) and the organisation avoids the use of the term ‘whistleblowing’ as it is often used to cast blame on an organisation or an individual. Reports can be made to CHIRP either online (through the secure website www.chirp.co.uk), as a written report (via post/Freepost), or by telephone to the office in Farnborough. The programme covers the commercial transport, fishing and leisure communities, and reports come from professionals and ‘amateurs’ in all these sectors. Upon receipt, all reports are validated by the maritime director. Anonymous reports are not normally acted upon as they cannot be validated. User privacy is taken very seriously, always maintaining the confidentiality of the source. And only de-personalised data is used in discussions with third party organisations. The same data is presented to CHIRP’s

INTRODUCING THE MARITIME SKILLS ACADEMY... Viking Recruitment’s new training division offer a portfolio of MCA accredited short courses and is an Approved English Marlins Test Centre.

MARITIME SKILLS ACADEMY

20-21_chirp.indd Sec2:21

www.maritimeskillsacademy.com +44(0) 300 303 8393 shortcourses@vikingrecruitment.com

Maritime Advisory Board. Its expert members provide advice and recommendations on whether there is benefit in sharing the results in the Maritime Feedback publication, which has a global circulation of some 33,000 copies. The results are also fed back to the reporter. On completion of the investigation, all personal details are removed from all files. Only key information is retained to help establish trends or identify root causes linked with ‘human element’ behaviours. To date more than 800 hazardous occurrence reports have been reviewed. These cover all aspects of vessel operations including cargo handling, catering, engineering, navigation, shipboard services, and activities at the ship/ shore interface. Examples of hazardous occurrences examined by CHIRP include: z a very hazardous operation in severe weather on an offshore vessel with potentially fatal consequences. This was followed up with the vessel operator, which took up the lessons learned and applied them to all the vessels in its fleet z sailing club members injured by a shackle after webbing failed during the recovery of their safety craft. Advice provided on inspection of equipment, risk assessment and the need for supervision z expert advice given on a concern expressed over the information contained in operational and

maintenance manuals; where text can be inaccurate and/or poorly written, which can create confusion for the operator z explosion as a result of heavy corrosion of an air bottle in a ship’s lifeboat. This incident highlighted the importance of regular inspection and survey of all parts of a lifeboat, including bottles containing pressurised gas or air z a major argument witnessed between the captain and the pilot when entering port has highlighted the importance of establishing a positive relationship when the pilot first boards and then reaching agreement when the passage plan is discussed z a small passenger ferry was on passage when the vessel suffered intermittent power loss on both engines. The loss was due to blocked filters due to fuel bugs in the diesel fuel. This flagged up that increased care is needed on small vessels in the storage of diesel where this contains biodiesel z poor application of the collision regulations led to feedback reiterating the need to take positive and early action when altering course, noting also that although there is often a reluctance to do so, reducing the speed of the ship can be used as an alternative means to avoid a collision

g To access past Maritime Feedback publications and to submit dangerous occurrence reports, visit www.chirp.co.uk

Over the next 12 months a state of the art training and conference facility will be built in Dover, Kent, perfectly located for links to the UK and Europe. The Academy will specialise in STCW training and professional development courses for everyone involved in the maritime industry. Courses currently running include:

• 5-part Basic Safety Training • Crisis Management & Human Behaviour

• Crowd Management

• Security Awareness • Designated Security Duties • ISPS Ship Security Ofﬁcer • GMDSS Training

Viking are able to arrange ﬂights, local accommodation & airport transfers for delegates

19/03/2014 18:15

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

MARITIME POLICY

Making waves at the IMO K

The contents of this article are concentrating on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the relationship that IFSMA has with the IMO as a nongovernmental organisation (NGO) in consultative status. The IMO is something that everyone has heard of and has an opinion on, but how many people are actually aware of how it works — of the full spectrum of what it does and achieves beyond producing more legislation that the mariner has to deal with? It would be very good if anyone reading this article who wanted to express their thoughts on the IMO were to pass them to me. This can be done via email and addressed to jj.wdickie@ btinternet.com. All emails received will be treated in full confidence and the information given will be kept with no identification of the sender being revealed. This will help me to gain an understanding about the views of mariners on the IMO and enable me to make some suggestions as to what the Organisation might do to engage with the seafarer. The IMO is a United Nations (UN) Agency and its HQ is at 4 Albert Embankment, London. It has a website — www.imo.org — which is full of information that can assist anyone to a better understanding of how it operates and what it does. The question I would ask is when was the last time that you used this website and did you find what you needed? If you did not find what you wanted, let me know about this too. You may not be aware of the

meetings as well as correspondence groups and panels of experts who work between meetings to progress the work of the IMO. All of this is overseen by the secretarygeneral and his secretariat, who are the professional full time employees of the IMO and who are never acknowledged for the work that they do above and beyond their contract. There is also all of the administration staff who supply the support mechanisms which enable the IMO to function. The current IMO secretarygeneral, Koji Sekimizu, has a vision of what the IMO should be and how it should operate. He is working hard on these changes and how to ensure that they do not distort the main aim of the IMO: ‘…to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented’. This can be seen in the Strategic Plan for 2014 – 2019 and the High Level Action Plan for 2014 -2015. All of the information about this work can be found on the IMO website.

In his latest article about the work of the International Federation of Ship Masters’ Associations, secretary general JOHN DICKIE looks at IFSMA’s important work at the UN agency governing shipping safety…

The annual IMO Assembly — the most important meeting in the calendar

relationship between the IMO and the World Maritime University (WMU) located in Sweden, and the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta. The IMO’s support and engagement make these bodies possible and they work for the betterment of the global

MCA Approved STCW’95 Courses Quality Training for the Commercial Maritime, Port, Superyacht and Fishing sectors

maritime industry through the education of postgraduate students from all over the world. There are many initiatives and other work being conducted at IMO, and this is carried out in a quiet and purposeful manner, taking positive steps towards raising safety standards, as well as protection of the marine environment and other major issues affecting the maritime industry. One of the major projects currently under way that is taking a lot of resources is the development of the so-called

Polar Code. This is a new undertaking and it has been necessary to allocate different parts of this code to various committees and sub committees. Bringing all of this together and having a working Code is going to take a lot of effort. A lot of work has recently been undertaken to reduce the number of IMO sub committees (from nine to seven) to ensure balance and also absorb the contents of the previous sub committees so that none of the ongoing work is lost. There are also inter-sessional

Over the years IFSMA has always been active and works with IMO member states and other NGOs to prepare papers and take part in the discussions in the committees and their subsidiary bodies, including working groups (WG) and drafting groups (DG). As an NGO there is no voting right awarded to IFSMA; only the member states hold this right, although it is very rarely used as almost all decisions are reached by consensus. NGOs cannot raise new items for consideration by the committees but can seek support from a member state for a speciﬁc item. For matters that are already on the agenda, IFSMA can submit a paper as long as it has

been prepared in the desired format and structure required by the IMO and has been presented by the closing date in advance of the meeting. This is not days but weeks or months, depending on the size of the document and its content. IFSMA and the other NGOs are industry representatives bringing their skills to the forefront to allow their expertise to be used and assist the passage of new legislation to a style that can be used onboard ship by the crews that work on them. IFSMA is at the IMO to represent the shipmaster and this is the prime consideration, but as we all know a master is only as good as his crew and in this matter IFSMA supports and assists other NGOs in their work to further seafarers’ rights and their working conditions; although these issues are chieﬂy dealt with by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Being granted NGO consultative status requires a commitment by that organisation to be an active participant at the IMO by attending the meetings, being proactive in papers and making constructive interventions where deemed necessary. In this respect IFSMA has been supported by member associations who have provided additional personnel to spread the load. Also, at many of the meetings IFSMA members can be found as part of member state delegations. This enables a good dialogue on how IFSMA is performing, as well as on proposals for the direction it should take.

f John Dickie would like to

thank the member of the IMO secretariat who reviewed this article to ensure that the content was accurate and no errors existed which might lead readers in the wrong direction.

High speciﬁcation courses delivered to high standards using our state of the art 270 degree Full mission bridge simulator with Wheel and Azimuth helm • • • • •

Master (Yacht) 200 OOW 500 Master (Yacht 500) OOW (Yacht) 3000 Orals Prep

• Basic and Advanced Fire • Personal Survival and Social Responsibilities (PSSR) • Personal Survival Techniques • Basic and Advanced First Aid

• NAEST Operational • ECDIS • Small Ships Navigation and Radar

GMDSS: • General Operators Cert. • Long Range Cert. • Radio Operators Cert.

Bookings and payment can be made via telephone or securely online Call:

01752 770589

Email: enquiries@swta.co.uk Web:

www.swta.co.uk

Historic venue-modern training Crownhill Fort, Crownhill, Plymouth, PL6 5BX

IMO headquarters in London Pictures: IMO

22_ifsma.indd Sec2:22

19/03/2014 19:27

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

GREENER SHIPPING

Fuelling the debate… O

Heavy fuel oil is set to continue as the main fuel for deepsea shipping over the next 15 years, according to a new study produced by Lloyd’s Register (LR) and University College London’s Energy Institute. Announcing the findings last month, the authors of the report also expressed concern about competence and training issues arising from the increased use of alternative ‘greener’ fuels — including LNG and hydrogen. LR marine director Tom Boardley described the skills required for safety-critical operations such as LNG bunkering or onboard fuel switch-overs as ‘a huge open question’ and warned that there are significant doubts about the future supply of sufficient welltrained crews despite long-standing warnings about the growing shortage. ‘With 138 LNG carriers on order, you might think the competence issue is being addressed because of the large number of seafarers required,’ he pointed out. ‘One would have hoped that the need would have been recognised, but there is no sign that is happening.’ Mr Boardley noted the ‘horror stories’ about problems associated with switching over to low sulphur fuels. ‘When switching from gas to fuel oil, you pray for a high degree of reliable automation so we don’t have to think about these things,’ he added. Setting up a good safety process for LNG bunkering is a major challenge, Mr Boardley said. ‘You can’t just do a cut and paste from the existing regime,’ he stressed. The LR/UCL study — Global Marine Fuel Trends 2030 — was undertaken as a follow-up to the classification society’s previous two-year research project to investigate the prospects for world shipping between now and 2030. It seeks to provide an insight into future fuel demand for the containership, bulk carrier/general cargo and tanker sectors — together accounting for approximately 70% of the global shipping industry’s fuel demands. Mr Boardley said that the project had raised a lot of questions about future fuel sources for ship-

Given the challenges surrounding the move towards ‘greener’ bunkers, a new study predicts that HFO will be with us for a long time to come

Graphic: Lloyd’s Register Marine

ping, and the new research had been undertaken to address these within the context of the wider debate over energy supplies, emissions controls and regulatory demands. Consideration of the future is ‘really important’, he added, to ensure that marine fuels are not only available, but also cost-effective, compatible with technology and compliant with all regulations. The fuel trends research builds on three potential scenarios for shipping that were identiﬁed in the earlier study: z status quo — in which the world will continue its current growth momentum, with some booms and busts, over the next 20 years z global commons — governments will ﬁnd common ground and accelerated economic

growth, within a framework of sustainable development z competing nations — states act in their own national interest, with little effort to forge agreement on sustainable development leading to a rise in protectionism and slower economic growth Researchers found that in all three of these scenarios shipping’s demand for fuel will increase — by as much as double by 2030 — and heavy fuel (HFO) will remain the main fuel for deepsea shipping, ranging from 46% of the total in the status quo scenario to 66% in the competing nations model. Consequently, demand for HFO in 2030 could be up to 23% higher than the demand in 2010 and emissions from shipping are likely to increase despite the introduction of new regulations and new abatement technology.

The declining share of HFO will be offset by low-sulphur alternatives (such as marine diesel oil, marine gas oil or low sulphur HFO) and by LNG, and the report suggests this will happen differently for each ship type and scenario — with LNG likely to reach a maximum 11% share by 2030 in the status quo model and hydrogen having the potential to be ‘a serious contender’ if there is more political pressure to cut carbon emissions. Compliance with the energy efﬁciency design index requirements will be achieved by a mix of

UECC newbuilds to be LNG-ready

MARINE OFFICER TRAINING

(UECC) has announced an A order for two new ‘dual fuel’ car

United European Car Carriers

carriers capable of running on LNG or heavy fuel oil and marine gas oil. Capable of carrying up to 3,800 cars over 10 decks, the two ships will be the first PCTCs of their kind to be fitted with an LNG fuel propulsion system and will be built at the NACKS shipyard in Nantong, China, with delivery expected in the second half of 2016. Of 181m loa, the vessels will have 1A super Finnish/Swedish ice class, facilitating year-round trading in the Baltic area. A significant part of their cargo capacity can also be used to transport high and heavy cargo and any other cargo loaded on to mafi trailers.

23_fuel.indd 23

speed reductions, technology and alternative fuels — with the mix dependent upon factors such as ship type, size and which of the three scenarios comes to fruition, the report suggests. Luis Benito, LR’s global strategic marketing manager, said HFO — with exhaust gas cleaning systems — and LNG are set to dominate the fuel mix for the immediate future, with biofuels, hydrogen and nuclear power being options for the longerterm. Other alternatives include methanol, ethane and glycerine, he added.

Some of the challenges facing the industry include the availability of LNG and the port-based bunkering infrastructure, costs of retrofits, designing leak-free cryogenic systems and minimising the space for fuel tanks, and regulatory demands. ‘I think that the report underlines that any transition from a dependency on HFO will be an evolutionary process,’ said project leader, Dimitris Argyros — LR’s lead environmental consultant. Previous propulsion advances — such as the move from sail to steam — had delivered major leaps forward in efficiency, speed and reliability, he added, but the future for marine fuel is now more complex, with different scenarios likely to deliver different types of fuel demand. ‘LNG is forecast to grow from a very low base to a significant market share by 2030 — even if there is no major retrofit revolution — and most of the LNG take-up will be in newbuildings,’ he added. ‘But it is important to note that an 11% share in 2030 is the equivalent in volume of about 20% of the bunker market today.’ Mr Argyros said the uptake of alternative propulsion systems for ships was not limited by technology. ‘The biggest driver will be society’s response to climate change,’ he argued. ‘Key will be policy and markets. Shipping can control its own destiny to some extent — but shipowners can only focus on compliance and profitability. ‘If society wants lower greenhouse emissions and cleaner fuel, change in shipping has to be driven by practical regulation and market forces so that cleaner, more efficient ships are more profitable than less efficient ships with higher GHG emissions.’ g To download a PDF of the report, go to www.lr.org/gmft2030 — hard copies can be ordered from the Lloyd’s Register Webstore at www.webstore.lr.org

Pre-cadetship Training in Engineering and Nautical Science HNC/HND Merchant Navy Deck Ofﬁcer Training HNC/HND Marine Engineering Ofﬁcer Training Foundation Degree Marine Operations The LNG capacity has been calculated to give the vessel a two-week round trip, and the ships include a range of other design features to cut CO2 and NOx emissions. ‘The LNG installation is a pioneering design and will be

one of the largest employed on a commercial vessel — and the largest of its kind on a pure car and truck carrier,’ said UECC CEO Glenn Evardsen. ‘We are proud of the exciting step UECC is taking towards greener and more environmentally friendly shipping.’

Foundation Degree Marine Engineering Foundation Degree Electrical and Electronic Marine Engineering

T: 01914273772

W: www.stc.ac.uk

E: marine@stc.ac.uk

19/03/2014 18:36

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

HEALTH AND SAFETY

As head of the organisation leading port state control work in almost 30 countries, Richard Schiferli has a clear message for seafarers. ‘I want them to know that we are there for them. As an inspector, you can leave the ship — but they are staying onboard, and if you can leave knowing that you would have sailed with them, then you are doing a good job.’ And as a former ship’s officer, Mr Schiferli remains fully aware of the pressures and problems that seafarers face today — pointing out that port state control inspectors are now starting to switch their focus from the ‘hardware’ to the ‘software’ of shipping operations. ‘Human factor’ issues like fatigue and training are to be increasingly targeted by port state control officers, he promises. Concentrated inspections over the next three years are set to focus on hours of work and rest regulations, crew familiarisation and entry into enclosed spaces, as well as the rules on shipboard living and working conditions laid down by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Mr Schiferli, who has headed up the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on port state control (PSC) since 1997, says the approach to inspections is coming full circle after almost two decades in which attention has been directed largely at the physical state of ships and their equipment. The time is right for such a shift, he adds, with increasing concern about issues like training standards, reduced manning levels and communication problems between multinational crews. He’s conscious of the demands that PSC puts on seafarers — and masters in particular — but hopes they can accept that inspections aim to uphold their safety and welfare. The paperwork demands of the industry also have an impact on port state control officers, he stresses. ‘What worries me is the bureaucracy today, which means that half the time PSC officers spend on inspections is dedicated to going through all the documents, certificates and record books. ‘It’s not only a nightmare for the master, but also for the inspectors who would much rather spend their time on the bridge, on the deck or in the engineroom or crew areas which are where the real PSC inspection takes place,’ he adds. Mr Schiferli believes PSC is not given enough credit for the marked improvement in maritime safety standards over the past 30 years. The proportion of unseaworthy ships having to be detained after inspections has fallen from almost 20% to less than 4%, he says, and the statistics show a substantial reduction in the scale of structural and maintenance problems. The development of performance lists has helped to expose poorly performing flags and recognised organisations, he adds, and has extended the scope of the inspection process to other parties with responsibility for shipping operations. This increased transparency means that anyone involved in the transportation process has access to data to demonstrate whether they are doing business with a quality owner, he suggests. Mr Schiferli points to Panama as an example of the way PSC can bring about beneficial change. ‘For years it was on the blacklist, and one time when I was in London the Panamanian ambassador told me she was very upset with the Paris MOU. This led to meetings between us and the Panamanian administration, and they must have listened — because two years later they went through some major changes and went on to move onto the whitelist, which shows that even the biggest registers can change.’ He emphasises that the Paris MOU was born out of the attempts in the 1970s to secure effective enforcement of the key measures governing seafarers’ living and working conditions — the International Labour Organisation conventions 147 and 180. But in response to the 1978 Amoco Cadiz tanker disaster, the focus soon switched to structural and operational safety — and, fuelled by further acci-

24-25_spread_sr edit.indd 24

As the Paris MOU prepared for an inspection campaign on hours of work and rest, the organisation’s leader Richard Schiferli spoke to ANDREW LININGTON about port state co MLC, the human factor and an inspector’s intuition... dents like the Prestige and Erika — it continued to concentrate on SOLAS and MARPOL. Now, some three decades later, Mr Schiferli says it is appropriate to put the spotlight back onto the way ships are crewed. And the Paris MOU is kicking this off later this year with a three-month concentrated inspection campaign to check compliance with the STCW Convention rules on watchkeepers’ hours of work and rest. However, this is not a sudden shift of emphasis, Mr Schiferli says. The Paris MOU had already become the first to address operational drills — even though there had been scepticism about the ability to do this during inspections. ‘When I started, port state control was all about the hardware,’ he recalls. ‘If something is corroded, you can spot the rust. But if a crew member doesn’t understand how to operate a lifeboat in an emergency, it’s a very different concept.’ The shift to ‘human’ issues is just part of a radical transformation of port state control philosophies and practices in recent years, Mr Schiferli contends. ‘We used to get a lot of criticism from the industry, and the new inspection regime that we introduced in 2011 is based on criteria which are much more based on ship risk profiles,’ he explains. The previous system — in which port state authorities had to check at least 25% of visiting vessels — has been replaced by a system in which ships judged to be of greater risk because of factors such as age, flag, class or type undergo expanded inspections, while those fitting the profile of quality tonnage can go for up to three years without being checked. ‘It is fair to say that it had started to become inspecting for numbers and that a lot of good ships were being inspected again and again,’ Mr Schiferli admits. ‘So we did

PSC through the decades and originated from an initiative developed by the F Dutch ministry of transport which resulted in the 1978 ‘Hague Port state control (PSC) has its roots in the Netherlands

Memorandum’ — an agreement by eight European nations on the enforcement of International Labour Organisation standards for shipboard living and working conditions. Events — in the shape of the Amoco Cadiz tanker disaster off the coast of France in March 1978 — overtook the agreement, however. The outcry over the oil spill from the grounded tanker prompted political pressure for much stricter controls over shipping safety and saw the Hague Memorandum replaced by the 1982 Paris Memorandum of Understanding, which was extended to cover the enforcement of rules governing the safety of life at sea and the prevention of pollution by ships. Originally agreed by 14 European countries, the MoU came into force on 1 July 1982. Since then, its membership has grown to 27 nations — including not just European Union member states, but also Russia, Norway, Iceland and Canada. The Paris MoU represented the first attempt to develop a coordinated and harmonised programme of putting into practice the pre-existing powers of maritime authorities to conduct port state control inspections under the terms of such conventions as SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW and Load Lines.

away with the numbers and started focussing that really needed attention.’ Mr Schiferli says the MLC will give inspec better framework in which to conduct the inh ficult work of checking seafarers’ condition states that a valid certificate of compliance is evidence that the ship is in order,’ he point ever, the Paris MOU experience with SOLAS an tificates is different and inspectors have all c unsafe ships with certificates that are so be could use them as a picture on the wall.’

Inspectors can already make a pretty g ment of a ship’s state when they look a galleys, storage rooms and accomm adds. But it can be harder to get to the bottom rest periods — especially if the record books a kept properly. ‘Most inspectors have served at sea, so the sort of thing that goes on onboard ships an ble records that can be kept,’ Mr Schiferli not officer has to look at the system and try to detec the master has to satisfy them that things are in He says the impact of the MLC was eviden months of it coming into force in August last is confident that its benefits will be felt by se more once it takes full effect in the countries th in the first wave of ratifications. ‘We have been very supportive of the MLC the beginning and worked closely with the In Labour Office on its development,’ he adds. ‘W put a lot of effort into enforcement. If the in to do a good job, they need the right tools an special task force to produce particular gu

Concentrat inspection campaigns inspection campaign (CIC) every year — target F area of concern that is usually selected in response to The PSC authorities usually conduct one conce

of detention and deficiency results or the introductio regulations and requirements for shipping. Subjects are chosen by the advisory board and ar planned on a long-term basis. A technical evaluation develop guidance for inspectors and special survey fo address important items. Last year was one in which two CICs were carried one on propulsion and auxiliary equipment and the on passengership safety. The cruiseship campaign re concerns raised by the Costa Concordia accident and preliminary results are due soon. ‘It was very important for us to look at operationa passengerships after Costa Concordia,’ Mr Schiferli ex ‘The data is being analysed now and the first signs ar encouraging. We hope to have some good news — i always have to be bad!’

19/03/2014 19:20

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

HEALTH AND SAFETY

n on rd e control, sing on the ships spectors a much he inherently difitions. ‘The MLC nce is prima facie points out. ‘HowAS and other cere all come across so beautiful you

retty good assessook at things like ommodation, he ttom of work and oks are not being so they know the ps and the douli notes. ‘The PSC detect errors and are in order.’ vident within six t last year and he by seafarers even ries that were not e MLC right from the International dds. ‘We have also he inspectors are ols and we had a ar guidelines for

ated n ns concentrated targeting an nse to analysis duction of new and are usually uation group will rvey forms to rried out — d the other ign reflected nt and the ational safety on ferli explains. gns are very ws — it doesn’t

port state control officers and spent a lot of resources on training.’ The MOU runs a special four-day course for inspectors, which includes expert training on human element issues, addresses areas such as STCW and ISM, and covers intercultural communications to help them in their dealings with shipmasters and seafarers from different countries. ‘The skillset of an inspector today is completely different from what it was 20 years ago,’ Mr Schiferli points out. ‘It used to be reasonably straightforward and simple, and not only was there hardly any MARPOL then, but there was no ISM and no ISPS.’ Seafaring expertise is still an essential part of the job, he believes. ‘A good inspector will be able to walk up the gangway and be 80% sure when they step onto the deck whether it is a good or a bad ship. If you have been at sea, you have that kind of intuition,’ he adds. ‘For a standard inspection, you may not need a master’s or chief engineer’s ticket, but if it gets difficult, complex or technical, people with high level experience can address the situation much better.’ However, Mr Schiferli recognises the increasing pressure of recruiting suitably qualified personnel. ‘Everybody is fishing in an increasingly smaller pond and in many MOU member states there are many fewer seafarers than there used to be,’ he reflects. There’s also the problem of austerity-driven public spending restrictions in many member states, which have not only put pressure on the number of inspector jobs but also the pay and conditions packages offered to them. For the future, Mr Schiferli suggests that while safety standards have improved, there is no room for complacency. He believes the inspection/detention rate has ‘stabilised’ at around 3.5% and he doesn’t see it going dramatically lower than that. ‘Overall, the industry is now pretty good and most owners are very responsible — but there is an element that does not care about responsibility and is only interested in money. Those are the ones that we will always be chasing,’ he adds. While it might be nice to have the aviation approach of grounding entire fleets that are found to breach standards, Mr Schiferli says it is much harder to take broad brush action against substandard owners — especially as many vessels are operated through one-ship companies. However, he adds, the banning powers introduced in 2007 for repeat offenders have been a big success — ‘we often see ships that have been banned going off to be scrapped’ — and the Paris MOU works with its counterparts in other regions to try to prevent such vessels from continuing their operations in different areas. Global cooperation between the various PSC authorities is at an all-time high, Mr Schiferli says, and it is enhanced by systematic exchanges of information and training programmes that seek to support technical expertise and common standards. Port state control has also moved into the superyacht sector, matching the dramatic increase in the size and sophistication of such vessels and the regulatory requirements they have become subject to. ‘We had never had a dialogue with this sector before, and they misunderstood what PSC is all about,’ Mr Schiferli explains. ‘International conventions require you to do certain things, but once we had some meetings to discuss their concerns we were able to deliver guidelines that make it clear for the industry when yachts are subject to PSC and when they are not. The dialogue is continuing, but I think they are much happier now.’ While he does not entirely support the idea that shipping faces a regulatory ‘tsunami’, Mr Schiferli says the constant introduction of new rules and requirements means inspectors can never rest on their laurels and regular refresher training and updating is essential. ‘There’s lots to do in this job,’ he reflects. ‘If I thought that our work was finished, I would have done something else a long time ago.’

24-25_spread_sr edit.indd 25

Richard Schiferli — a life devoted to the sea when Mr Schiferli was a child; the son of a C Dutch Navy officer. ‘We moved around a lot and he The seeds of a seafaring career were sown

was based in Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles for four years,’ he recalls. ‘In those days, the officers had the choice of returning home by plane or by ship, and I had my first experience of the sea at six or seven when we left from New York on the Holland America Line ship Nieuw Amsterdam.’ After studying at the Dutch merchant navy academy in Den Helder, Mr Schiferli joined Holland America Line as an apprentice in 1973 — initially

serving on ro-ro containerships, but switching to the company’s passengerships in part to satisfy his love of celestial navigation. He gained his master’s certificate in 1982, but decided to come ashore a couple of years later as the company’s fleet reductions narrowed promotion prospects and career opportunities. Starting as a marine surveyor with the Dutch shipping inspectorate, he moved into shipping policy work for a few years before deciding that he wanted more than driving a desk five days a week. ‘In 1989, I saw an opening at the Paris MOU,

which was very small in those days, and joined as deputy secretary,’ Mr Schiferli recalls. ‘When I started, there were just two full time and one parttime members of staff — now we are eight — and the membership has grown from 14 countries to 27.’ He says he loved his time at sea — which also resulted in his marriage — but is well aware of the sweeping changes since he came ashore. ‘I was lucky to sail in a period where we had time in port and didn’t have to put up with so many restrictions. It was a nice time in the 70s and 80s, and it is much harder now,’ he adds.

Picture: Kim Rasmussen

MLC works, say Danish unions C

Danish seafaring unions have welcomed a banning order on a Greek-owned cargoship which has failed a second port state control inspection within the space of 36 months. The CO-Sea confederation of unions said the 1,856gt Moldovan-flagged Mermaid had been issued with the three-month bar from EU ports after it was found to be in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). Failure to issue proper contracts for the crew and

a lack of procedures for handling onboard complaints by crew members resulted in the latest detention, in the Danish port of Aabenraa last month, the unions said. The ship had been detained in Germany for seven days last July after an inspection revealed 16 deficiencies, including problems with charts, the safe manning document, and machinery and safety equipment. CO-Sea chairman Ole Philipsen said he was

pleased to see the results of the Danish Maritime Authority’s focus on the MLC during port state inspections, but said he was concerned that some of the problems had not been detected when the Mermaid was inspected in the Netherlands in the previous week. ‘The Danish Maritime Authority deserves praise for focusing on MLC,’ he added. ‘In this case you get both visible and tangible consequences for the owner where conditions are not right for the crew. This confirms again that the MLC works.’

19/03/2014 19:01

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

SEAFARER COMMUNICATIONS

5,000 days in shipping Industry professionals have been discussing how the maritime industry will change over the next decade, and despite the varied answers all agreed that communications would be key…

The president of Inmarsat Maritime has challenged the maritime industry to consider what the next 5,000 days in the shipping industry will look like — suggesting that ‘smart’ ships will be a common occurrence, with information analysts becoming vital members of the crew. ‘The future is already here for the shipping industry,’ Frank Coles told the inaugural Smart Operations conference in London. ‘Communication has been the central theme in most of the recent technological developments, but it has been the one thing that the maritime industry has most struggled to come to terms with.’ Mr Coles said he felt that following the invention of the astrolabe 5,000 years ago and sails 4,000 years ago, shipping developments had levelled out

until the industrial revolution. ‘Everything sped up from there and developments have come faster and faster. The industrial revolution changed everything — including shipping. First there was steam power, then electricity, new fuel, aviation and submarines. ‘During this time shipping was keeping up and even leading new technology advances,’ he added. ‘Shipping was the beginning of the global economy, with Solas being the ﬁrst global legislation. We were the ﬁrst globally connected industry.’ But Mr Coles suggested that from the mid-20th century technological developments in the maritime industry slowed down and the only real changes were to build bigger and bigger ships. ‘By the 1980s the internet revolution began. It was driven by faster and faster computers and

72'$< :( 1((' <28 7202552: <28 0$< 1((' 86

The maritime industry has lagged behind the internet revolution in the last few decades, but ship -to-shore communications are set to improve rapidly

larger and larger data networks. Today we ﬁnd ourselves with unprecedented access to infor-

1)6',%28 2%:=

FUND www.merchantnavyfund.org

Please help us to help serving and retired UK Merchant Navy seafarers and their families who are struggling in these difficult times. HOW YOU CAN HELP

A regular donation of £10 per month will help support seafarers from the Merchant Navy and their families when they need it most. We also welcome one-off donations. Thank You. Email: mnfund@seafarers-uk.org Phone: 020 7932 0000 The Merchant Navy Fund is a collaborative initiative by two national charities, the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and Seafarers UK. Both organisations recognise that many people would like their donations to be used specifically in support of British Merchant Navy seafarers and their families. The Merchant Navy Fund is administered by Seafarers UK (King George’s Fund for Sailors), a Registered Charity in England & Wales, No. 226446, incorporated under Royal Charter. Registered in Scotland SC038191. Registered Office: 8 Hatherley Street, LONDON, SW1P 2QT.

26-27_inmarsat.indd 26

mation and communications and those of us who work ashore take this level of access for granted.’ Communications onboard ships had lagged behind in the new world of instant access to communications and information, Mr Coles pointed out. ‘But things are now changing,’ he added. ‘Many shipyards, builders and equipment manufacturers are looking at “Smart” ships. New ships being launched today have more and more technology onboard and new platforms are being built to permanently connect the ship to the shore. ‘The “industrial” internet is coming,’ he argued. ‘Faster machines which are more intelligent require advanced analytics to filter through all the data and turn it into something useable ashore for smart decision making.’ Mr Coles said that the new industrial internet and the vast amout of information it delivers will need to be communicated from the ship to the shore so that it can be validated, filtered and used for business intelligent decision-making which will then be communicated back to the ship. ‘All of this needs the support of the stakeholders,’ he continued. ‘But I believe the leaders will be equipment manufacturers and ship builders who are already building and developing these things. ‘There will be the need for skilled analysts who will have the ability to make decisions on the ships, as well as network operating centres to manage ships, systems from ashore. ‘And this leads to the most difficult question — can we work to an open standard? Engineer and bridge equipment manufacturers want to bring their information ashore, but not everybody is using the same standards. If we work to a common standard we

Many of these new technologies will require better communications from ship to shore.

“

”

can bring all this information ashore. ‘And critical to all of this is reliable and ﬁt-for-purpose communications, along with reliable hardware and software, like those of us ashore take for granted.’ Mr Coles pointed to research which showed that if information is dealt with in a better way, the potential value creation or savings for the maritime industry could be around US$20bn. This value is created through ‘smart’ operations, such as reducing downtime and switching out equipment at the right time. ‘Shipowners only do things for two reasons,’ Mr Coles con-

cluded. ‘Because they think it will save them money or because the IMO or governments tell them to through legislation. ‘The future is now, in 5,000 days’ time (or nearly 15 years) we will be looking at connected ships, making smart decisions with smart people running them in a much more efﬁcient way.’ David Balston, director of safety and environment at the UK Chamber of Shipping, agreed that the shipping industry had changed a lot in the last few years. However, he believes the next 5,000 days could be very negative ones if charter rates continue to decline and no support is given to shipping companies to deal with the ﬁnancial impacts of the ‘huge numbers’ of new regulations — especially environmental measures — due to come into force. ‘The International Chamber of Shipping estimates that between 2015 and 2025 [the cost of complying with new regulations] will be about $0.5 trillion,’ he said. ‘I believe that is a very conservative estimate, but there is no doubt that the one thing that all the new regulations have in common is that they will all cost shipping an awful lot of money to comply with.

Frank Coles from Inmarsat Maritime Pictures: Debbie Cavaldoro

19/03/2014 18:37

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

SEAFARER COMMUNICATIONS The ‘industrial’ internet is coming. Faster machines which are more intelligent…

“

OPTIMISED OPERATIONS Inmarsat brings unrivalled high-reliability, premium quality global voice and data connectivity. This facilitates ultra-reliable ship-to-shore communications, linking shore side experts to your crew and seamlessly connecting your office with your fleet.

”

‘I am not saying these new regulations aren’t needed,’ he added. ‘Many of them are. It is just a shame that they are all set to come into force at a time when the industry is suffering. We need a more pragmatic approach from governments, especially in the UK where the shipping industry is so vital to the economy.’

Paul McStay, lead environmental specialist from Lloyd’s Register Marine, added that he felt energy efficiency issues are going to dominate the shipping industry in the years to come. ‘A lot has already been said about this subject and it can be associated with a lot of negativity,’ he said. ‘But it is clearer now which are the better options and which aren’t. I appreciate that there is nothing new in this and everyone understands there is a need for a solution on energy efficiency. But it is connected, as it is all about future-proofing assets.’ He agreed with Mr Balston about the amount of new regulation coming into force, making it a difficult decision for owners when considering how to secure their assets in the future. The next 5,000 days will see ships which are operating today competing with ships which have been built to comply with all those new requirements, he pointed out. ‘Therefore, we must ensure that ships built today have the flexibility in their operations to adapt to an uncertain future. It requires a bit of “crystal ball gazing” or scenario planning to try and see what future holds for issues like what fuels there may be available and how quickly the market will recover. ‘There is a need for greater transparency of data across the industry to try and make these predictions more accurate.’ Mr McStay also agreed that the future would continue to be dominated by new technologies and the challenge will be to ascertain which of the claims made about emerging technologies are realistic and deliver the benefits they purport to have for the investment required. ‘Many of these new technolo-

Next generation of satellite comms will bring crew benefits Alaunch of Inmarsat’s ‘smart operations’ debate — and believes Nautilus has welcomed the

that the new generation of satellite communications should lead to big improvements in crew connectivity. The first of the three new Global Xpress satellites is now in orbit and has successfully passed a monthlong testing programme — the first stage in the global launch of the world’s first high-speed mobile broadband satellite service to the maritime industry, scheduled for early 2015. Inmarsat says the ‘game changing’ Ka-band service will transform communications between ship and shore, offering

gies will require better communications from ship to shore. It will be interesting to see over the next 10 years how developments in communications technologies will improve onboard ships,’ he added. ‘The beneﬁts of improving the communications from ship to shore are there and owners will have to weigh the costs of implementing them with the business cost of not. There won’t be a one size ﬁts all solution and owners will need to look closely at developments to see what best suits their business.’

David Balston from the UK Chamber of Shipping addresses the conference

26-27_inmarsat.indd 27

ultra-fast data transfer rates — with the ability to send bundles of between 15 to 20MB. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the service should pave the way for some long-awaited and welcome enhancements in seafarers’ access to the internet. ‘This package will enable not only improved social and welfare conditions, which will assist recruitment and retention and provide new opportunities for education and training, but will also make very good sense for shipowners with respect to commercial operations, search and rescue, and the potential use of telemedicine,’ he added.

Mr McStay concluded that the next 5,000 days for many shipowners would be about researching the emerging and existing technologies and quantifying which will be worth investing in and which would not. All three keynote speakers at the Smart operations conference were in agreement that the next 5,000 days in shipping would see vast improvements in ship-toshore communications alongside other developments which would mainly be driven by compliance with new regulations.

g Nautilus International would like to continue the debate about what the next 5,000 days in shipping will bring, and is interested in ﬁnding out members’ views. Do you agree that ship to shore communications will be the major development, will ship operations eventually be majority managed from the shore, and what will this mean for the master’s role? Will environmental or energy efﬁciency be more dominant and how will this compete with the ever-present need to keep costs down? Join the debate on the Union’s social media channels — Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter, or email telegraph@ nautilusint.org.

MANAGED SERVICE With Inmarsat, you’re not just getting cutting-edge maritime connectivity and technology, you have the backing of a global team of highly skilled technicians with over 30 years maritime experience. They advise on end-to-end network agnostic solutions that help you optimise your maritime business.

ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES The iFusion platform brings a revolution in enhanced commercial maritime fleet technology management. The new industry standard, this open architecture vessel technology suite reduces operational overheads and enables bespoke IT integration.

SMARTER SAFER SHIPPING_ Inmarsat offers your ship a highly evolved maritime communications ecosystem which makes every trip or voyage more efficient, safer and more productive. In short, just a lot smarter. Visit inmarsat.com

19/03/2014 18:37

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

MARITIME LEGISLATION

The department for maritime and transport within the European Commission, known as DG MOVE, held a seminar last month to update member states on EU maritime policy and projects ahead of European Parliamentary elections later this year. Fotis Karamitsos, director of logistics for DG MOVE, opened the seminar by confirming that members of the European Union have long been proud of the region’s record for providing high quality shipping. He explained that there was an important balancing act within the European Commission to not over-legislate, forcing shipping companies to move ships onto flags of convenience, or member states to try to ‘go it alone’ within the global shipping body — the International Maritime Organisation — or introduce unfair regulation of their own. ‘We have to ensure that the measures we apply compare globally, and ensure that member states comply with the measures in the state aid guidelines which provide for fair competition within Europe,’ he said. ‘On the global arena we must encourage member states to stand by agreements made within the EU. Individually, they may have up to 10% of the global fleet and this makes it difficult to compete at IMO. However, the EU together is a much stronger negotiating power and represents over 40% of the global fleet.’ When asked about the lack of an imperative to provide training and skills commitments within the state aid guidelines, Mr Karamitsos said that there was guidance to countries on training but that it was for individual countries to decide how they would implement this. He also stressed the importance of the Connecting Europe project, TEN-T, which aims to close the gaps between member states’ transport networks by removing bottlenecks and implementing modern technology. The project officially launched at the start of this year to run until 2020 and has a budget of €26bn. Magda Kopczynska, head of maritime for DG Move, told the audience that one of the favourite sayings of Siim Kallas, vice president of the European Commission and the commissioner responsible for transport, is that ‘cargo doesn’t vote’ and therefore, despite the high reliance on shipping within Europe, decision-makers can overlook the sector in their desire to do the best thing for voters.

One of the main projects that DG Move is currently working on is simplifying the administration demands on the ship’s master when entering ports. The IMO agreed that by 2015 a large amount of documentation must be accepted in an electronic form, and following this the EU has set a directive to allow these documents to be transmitted via a ‘single window’ from 1 June 2015. This means that masters will only be required to complete ship information once and the port state will then undertake to ensure that the required information is duplicated to all necessary authorities, via a system called SafeSeaNet (the maritime transport information system) ‘It is a huge undertaking,’ explained Ms Kopczynska. ‘It is not only about creating a system where electronic documents can

28_europe.indd Sec2:28

EU know we’ll keep on moving With European Parliamentary elections due to take place in May this year, the department responsible for EU maritime policy is keen to reassure the industry that it’s a matter of ‘business as usual’ in Brussels…

unit, admitted that maritime security hadn’t been on the EU agenda at all before the terrorist attacks in New York in 2001. ‘It took the events of 9/11 for the member states to give us a mandate to develop a maritime transport policy for security,’ he said. ‘This prompted the development of the IMO ISPS code — the International Ship and Port Facility Security code. One of the problems with developing this code was that there was no one defined definition of security in a maritime context. Security means many things to many people.’ In developing the ISPS code, maritime security was eventually defined as: ‘the combination of preventing measures intended to protect shipping and port facilities against threats of intentional unlawful acts’. This became the foundation for three codes — the regulation on maritime and port facility security, the port security directive and the commission regulation on inspections.

Seafarers protest outside the European Parliament in Brussels about the risks to European seafarers’ jobs

come in but completely changing the way authorities on land talk to each other and how they exchange information. It is also focussed on ensuring that vessels have to report just once, leaving the master free to run the ship.’ Related to this is the EU Blue Belt initiative, which aims to bring a better internal market to European shipping. ‘Currently when a ship leaves the 12 nautical mile zone of an EU country it is considered to be in international waters and will therefore be subject to customs on entering the next port. Currently, if a cargo is loaded in Hamburg and goes to Rotterdam it considered an international cargo but we believe this is against the EU internal market policy. ‘Goods which are travelling within the EU should not be subject to any additional customs procedures and the systems for those with goods from outside the EU should have one set of customs forms to be completed at the first EU port of call. ‘We are just about to reach an agreement to simplify customs agreement for EU ships,’ Ms Kopczynska confirmed, ‘But again this means standardising documentation across many countries and therefore it takes some time to finalise.’

Christine Berg, head of the unit for maritime safety, spoke about the importance of EU regulation for safe shipping and reinforced the notion that the maritime industry does not get the attention it deserves by highlighting how shipping is often reported in the press.

The EU together is a much stronger negotiating power

“

”

‘Between 2011 and 2013 there were around 5,300 accidents involving EU-ﬂagged ships or in EU waters, and 211 of these were registered as very serious accidents in that they involved loss of ship, death or severe damage,’ she

explained. ‘There were 232 fatalities; 180 of these were crew members and they barely figured in any news stories. There were 35 passenger deaths and 32 of these were from the Costa Concordia, and these deaths have dominated the news agenda for shipping.’ The human element is high on the agenda for the safety unit of DG Move, and currently the issue of certification for Filipino officers is dominant. ‘Our colleagues in EMSA have been working to ensure that the training and certification of Filipino officers is improved and they have been visiting the Philippines twice a year since 2006. European owners and member states have also provided help and support through various programmes to increase the standards of the training provided. ‘There have been improvements, especially in the last two years,’ Ms Berg confirmed. ‘The government and maritime schools have started to take the matter very seriously but there was another set-back recently with the typhoon. ‘We are now at the junction where we think that despite the credible efforts of everyone involved to change the situation,

Picture: Thierry Roge / Reuters

there have not been enough improvements. The question therefore arises of whether the European Union should withdraw recognition of certificates so that European shipowners are not able to employ Filipino officers or do we look at the problem with the IMO to resolve the issue and ask them to build on the work already undertaken by the EU. ‘The Philippines is a large labour supply country and we believe it is of benefit to shipping globally for training standards to be improved. Therefore, we intend to have further discussions with the IMO to resolve the problems and decide how to better support the Philippines maritime industry.’ Ms Berg concluded that member states would be meeting in April to have further discussions on the issue and that derecognition of Filipino officer certificates is still a possibility alongside discussions on raising it with the IMO in October. Ms Berg added that the next project which her unit would be looking into was the safety of the offshore energy sector — especially with regards to windfarms — and research would begin on this issue shortly. Finally, Robert Missen, head of the land and maritime security

Since its inception the maritime security unit has also taken on responsibility for piracy issues within the European Commission. ‘Thankfully the measures taken to reduce piracy in the Somali basin have been effective and the number of attacks is reducing,’ continued Mr Missen. ‘However, the problem arose because Somalia was a failed country with a non-functioning government, and this is still the case. The long term aim is to make Somalia a functioning country and eliminate piracy as a career option in Somalia.’ He gave credit to the three aspects that had contributed to the decline in piracy off Somalia — the employers’ compliance with Best Management Practices, the member states’ commitment to EU Navfor’s Operation Atalanta and the increased use of privately contracted armed guards on ships. However, he did note the worrying announcement from the French government that they would be down-grading their involvement in Operation Atalanta and stressed that there was little the Commission could do if countries did reduce their commitment. Mr Missen went on to acknowledge that whilst the number of piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia have declined, attacks in the Gulf of Guinea have increased, and these operate to a completely different business model. ‘There are many states bordering the Gulf, all of which have functioning governments,’ he explained. ‘The issue is that there is no coherent approach from those countries to eradicate the piracy problem. Because many of the attacks are in coastal waters armed guards are not an option and neither is an EU Navfor-style approach. ‘The situation is of considerable concern but the next steps are not known at this time. Ideally this will be dealt with by the IMO but given the politics and numbers of countries involved this may not be realistic or quickly resolved.’ Again Mr Missen stressed the importance of all the EU member states working together to ﬁnd solutions to piracy and other maritime security issues, to build on the successes that have already been made.

19/03/2014 18:37

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

MARITIME WELFARE

First the book, now the run! Early this month, award-winning writer ROSE GEORGE will be running the London Marathon in aid of Seafarers UK. In this special article, she explains how her voyage on a Maersk containership inspired her to dust off her trainers...

I used to be a sprinter. Two hundred metres was my limit at school sports days; 400 meant gasping and 800 was unthinkable. But after school I did running only on a hockey pitch, and that was that until 2010, at the age of 41, when I decided to do two things. One: go to sea on a containership for five weeks. Two: learn to run properly. This plan was somewhat flawed. Picture this containership for a minute: it is a working ship, the length of three football pitches, 10 stories high. Its decks are covered with stacks of many-coloured metal containers. There is no pretty promenade deck; no shuffleboard. There is only metal and water, neither of which are conducive to running, nor was the obligation to wear a hard hat while on deck. But I was lucky enough to go to sea on a good ship. Maersk Kendal, operated by the largest multinational most people have never heard of, took its seafarers’ welfare seriously enough to provide them with a basketball court on the poop deck (an odd choice, when balls must surely have bounced merrily over the rail into the ocean), a swimming pool (though I never saw it filled), and a gym on B-deck, with several machines, weights, a TV, and in the corner, my salvation. A treadmill. The gym was in the accommodation house. I learned my bearings in a couple of days: my quarters were on D deck, the bridge was two decks up, food was two below and the gym was one deck further down. I’d loaded Get Running, a couch-to-5K app, onto my iPhone before I left — there was no chance of uploading it at sea, when they only had dial-up email access twice a day, and Skype or browsing was a distant dream — and off I went. There was no risk that I would skip a session: I had a lot of downtime, and a lot to run off, such as a stepfather sectioned with violent Alzheimer’s, a recent diagnosis of severe endometriosis, and a book to write that was going nowhere.

Rose G George’s eorge’ ge’s 2013 2 201 013 bestseller bests be stsell t eller

29_rose.indd 29

All those fuelled plenty of miles. Ship-running also taught me a rare stability, as the monsoon waves of the Indian Ocean sent the gym swaying by about 20 degrees each way. I could always get my sessions in, because the gym wasn’t popular. The captain liked to use the rowing machine, but in the evening when other crew members weren’t likely to be there. The ﬁrst ofﬁcer, an Indian, did some desultory exercises, and gladly accepted my yoga DVD because his brother swore yoga had cured his migraines.

My choice of charity has puzzled some people. They say, why should we donate to people who have jobs?

“

”

But it was really only a trio who were regulars: Julius Jefferson, a muscled Able Seaman, and the quieter of the two cadets onboard, who was training to run a marathon with his dad. I knew when he had been in because the clock was covered with a towel: a trick that treadmill runners use to avoid watching the minutes tick by, so, so slowly. The cadet wanted to run with his dad but really he just wanted his dad, and as the five weeks passed his quietness magnified along with his homesickness. The crew joked often that their job was like being in prison with a salary, although researchers have found that UK prisons provide better facilities than many working ships. So why weren’t they in the gym? Because they were too knackered. When a fitness trainer was w eembarked at Rotterdam for four days, there was a flurry of gym attendance, but once the trainer fl disembarked, so did the enthusiasm. d So Julius, the quiet cadet and the supernumerary ccarried on in our little empire out of sight, and I ccompleted five weeks of couch to 5K, and disembarked at Singapore, having gone through d pirate waters, monsoon weather and 9,288 nautical p miles of ocean, more of a runner than when I m eembarked. Did I go running immediately around a Singaporean park? No, because I was too sad at S leaving the ship, and because I’d got mentally stuck le on the treadmill. It took me another year to discover o outdoor running, build up a daft number of running o sshoes in my collection, and learn to love mud. And then I decided to run a marathon. That was a ssurprise. After Kendal, I joined a running club in Leeds where I live, and was surprised I could run six L miles. m But being in a club infects you: your mileage increases, and so does your ability and your in ambition. On Kendal, I would have laughed aloud at a tthe thought that running 26.2 miles was something I aspired to. Eventually, slowly, it became normal. So here I am, three and half years after leaving Kendal’s small gym, running 40 miles a week, and K

preparing to run the London Marathon for Seafarers UK. My choice of charity has puzzled some people. They say, why should we donate to people who have jobs and salaries? So I tell them about seafarers held hostage for months and years for doing nothing more than their job. I tell them about the crew of the Donald Duckling, abandoned on a ship in a piteous state, or countless others also abandoned by unscrupulous owners. I tell them that the network of port missions and welfare is partly funded by Seafarers UK, and that if those missions and seafarers’ centres didn’t exist, seafarers would be even more isolated than they are already, unable to Skype home, and easily exploited in the little time they have ashore. I tell them of Father Colum Kelly, parish priest of Immingham, who spends his life going up and down

gangways of ships, asking only, ‘How can I help you? What do you need?’ He does that now even though his seafarers’ centre has been ruined by a tidal surge, and will take eight months to repair. And he lives there now, in a building site, because he thinks he should be there, for the seafarers’ building, and for the seafarers. That’s why I’m running 26.2 miles around London on April 13. Please sponsor me; it’s a good cause, and I’m going to earn every penny, in sweat and chaﬁng. g Rose’s fundraising page: www.justgiving.com/ rosegeorge3. g Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry that brings You 90% of Everything, by Rose George was published by Portobello Books last September — www.portobellobooks.com

Are you serving or retired

MERCHANT NAVY FISHING FLEET ROYAL NAVY ROYAL MARINE or a dependant or do you know someone who is and needs help? Seafarer Support is a free confidential telephone and award winning online referral service helping you find support for serving and former UK seafarers and their families in times of need

www.seafarersupport.org Freephone 0800 121 4765

19/03/2014 18:18

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

LIFE AT SEA

Cunard crew highlight job diversity Crew members from every staff role onboard the Queen Mary 2, including the canine variety, came together to celebrate the ship’s 10th anniversary in Sydney...

Who makes a cruiseship tick? Cunard provided an answer by staging this portrait showing more than 120 crew members with diverse roles and responsibilities onboard the Queen Mary 2. Taken during the ship’s visit to Sydney last month during a round-the-world cruise, the striking shot by internationallyacclaimed photographer James Morgan was arranged to mark the ship’s 10th anniversary. It captures crew from every one of Queen Mary 2’s broad spectrum of roles — from the master, Captain Kevin Oprey, to ‘gentlemen dance hosts’ and housekeepers to the kennel master and florist. Props featured in the shoot range from dogs for the kennel master through to a double bass and a harp for the liner’s musicians and a large frozen sculpture for the resident ice carver. Since her first visit to Sydney in February 2007, when spectators gridlocked the city and brought traffic to a halt, Queen

Mary 2 has become a firm favourite with Australians. Her call in Sydney, her ninth to date, came at the start of her second circumnavigation of the country, a 23-night roundtrip voyage which saw her visit seven ports around Australia. In the 10 years since coming into service, Queen Mary 2 has: sailed the equivalent of three times to the moon and back; served more than 58m meals, enough to feed the combined population of Sydney, Hong Kong, Cape Town, Rio and Dubai for an entire weekend, and 21.9m cups of tea, enough to fill three Olympic swimming pools; and baked 2.7 million scones, which if stacked on top of each other would reach a soaring 80km in height. Queen Mary 2 will return home to Southampton on 9 May where her 10th birthday celebrations will continue with all three ships of the Cunard fleet taking part in special sail-pasts, a celebratory lunch and a spectacular send-off of fireworks.

Crew members from children’s entertainers and chefs to deck officers and dance troupes created an iconic image of life at sea Picture: James Morgan

smm-hamburg.com

keeping the course 9 – 12 september 2014 hamburg new in 2014: the SMM theme days

the leading international maritime trade fair 8 sept

ﬁnance day

9 sept

environmental protection day

10 sept

security and defence day

11 sept

offshore day

12 sept

recruiting day

scan the QR code and view the trailer or visit smm-hamburg.com/trailer

HMC_533633_SMM_AZ_Image_284x190.indd 1

30_cunard.indd Sec2:30

03.03.14 13:38

19/03/2014 18:18

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

WRITING COMPETITION

Lost at sea, but not on us Overall winner W. Ken Davies wowed the judges of the Writing@Sea competition with his short story, Only us. Now’s your chance to discover the secret of his success for yourself… Last month, we announced the winners of the Nautilus/Marine Society Writing@Sea competition, and we are now pleased to publish some of the creative writing picked out by the judges. The overall winning story, Only Us by W. Ken Davies, was felt to be outstanding, and is printed below in full for readers to enjoy. We also have space for two section winners, and hope these will whet readers’ appetites for the anthology of stories and poems from the competition that will be published later in the year.

Only Us, by W. Ken Davies ‘They say Grundy likes young girls,’ says Griff to the mate as the ancient steamer Belinda Jolly eases out of the Swansea locks into the Bristol Channel. Wouldn’t surprise me. Nasty bit of work, Grundy — and he has dedicated his life to making my life hell; the only downside to this ship as far as I am concerned. My shipmates grumble at the prospect of an uncomfortable four January days. They reckon only fools and misfits sail in this class of vessel in 1958, but I don’t give a damn. The earlyhours cold bites to the bone, my ears sting, and I hug myself into my donkey-jacket. The smell of smoke and the taste of salt makes me feel real. Antwerp with coal from Swansea; the very idea sends a tingle up my spine. I am alive, at the heart of the things, and a warm sense of being surges through me. ‘Go aft and brew up,’ says the mate. ‘Me an’ Griff will square the ropes up.’ I make my way across number one hatch, up the ladder to the lower bridge, to trot alongside numbers two and three. We’ve washed all the coal dust away before sailing, but the whiff of bunker coal comes up from the stoke-hold door, top half open for air. Next to it is the galley, smelling of hot metal, the cooking range taking up most of its space. I know the score: keep half-door open on the lee side to let a breath of air in; drag the cast-iron kettle on to the heat; swill out the chipped enamel teapot and shovel in ten handfuls of tea — both watches are out leaving port. Spread the mugs out across the scrubbed deal work-top, sugar and condensed milk in ready. Watch the drizzle damp evaporate out of my jacket until the kettle boils, spitting globules to scurry about the hot iron like little silver mice. Griff comes in, grey eyes squinting through gusting tobacco smoke. The raindrops glisten on his duffel coat, its grease stopping the rain as well as any oilskin. He’s smirking. ‘Do anything with that little blonde I saw you with on Wind Street?’ I don’t rise to the bait and he stares at the rivets in the bulkhead, squinting through his cigarette smoke. Without taking the roll-up from his mouth, he starts to murder an old Joseph Locke number, ‘He-arr my song, read my let ta-ta, dum de dum… He-arr my song-ah beneath the moon.’ They’re the only words he knows, and his imperfect rendering makes it sound all the more comical. He laughs, throws his cigarette stump into the ash pit beneath the fire, then stretches out on the deal bench and sings the same lines again. Silence again but for the thunk thunk thunk of the old triple expansion engine and the scrape of the Somali fireman’s shovel on the stokehold plates. Griff starts to snore. The Swansea girl slides into mind — the warm little breast, the touch of soft fabric as the soft bush hiding the coy sweet moisture of her body is revealed — blue eyes in a pinched face framed by blond curls. My body begins to respond in the warmth of the galley range, so I go out into the cold to get the log-line ready for streaming. I flake the cord up and down the deck, then dodge back into the galley. Can’t get the girl out of my mind. She was sitting alone in a coffee bar on Wind Street. Said her name was Sally, and I took her to the pictures. She told me her father was a brute. Her mother had left him years ago, but he insisted on seeing her, and she shuddered. Then we huddled in a back alley. ‘Be quiet, and the world is ours,’ she said, echoing a line fresh from the film. ‘There is only us,’ I reassured her with another line from the same one. ‘Just us,’ she said, and we fumbled with each other’s clothes, each believing the other to know more about how these things should be approached. She seemed anxious to leave as midnight approached. I slipped my address into her hand and she blanched when she looked at it. Seemed put out when I told her my ship was sailing in the small hours. Probably doesn’t care for sailors. Can’t blame her really, but you never know. I really hope she will write — something warm about her. Once the pilot is away, we stream the log at the Helwick light ship, then make more tea for the wheelhouse. ‘Read the log an’ we’ll go up,’ says Griff, peering at the galley clock. Griff takes over from O’Donovan on look-out on the wing of the bridge. In the wheelhouse, I give the mate his tea. He winks at me, a beret, pulled forward to look like a peaked rat-catcher cap sharpening the leanness of his face. I seek out the skipper’s bulk, hunched in the window on the port side. His lighter flares as he lights a Capstan and gropes for the mug. The

p31-33_writing comp_june edits.indd 31

flame lights up a scowl out of hell. Livid blue eyes glare out of so many wrinkles I wonder how he shaves without mincing himself. ‘Wha’d’y’ do,’ he snarls after tasting the tea, ‘piss in it?’ I might do just that the next time, I’m thinking; then aloud, ‘Sorry, Skipper, the spray got into it.’ ‘Don’t call me Skipper — how long’ve you been aboard?’ ‘Nearly eighteen months, Cap’n.’ ‘It’s Captain Grundy to you,’ he growls. ‘Remember, you’re just the ordinary seaman — d’y’ get the log?’ ‘Five point six miles at eight bells,’ I tell him. I reckon she’s run more like eight, over the land, having a strong ebb with her, but I choose not to air my new-found knowledge. I grope my way to relieve Murphy at the wheel. ‘Sou’west by west,’ he tells me, ‘She’s usin’ half a turn of port,’ then he whispers, ‘but ye have to watch her like a fucken hawk.’ I grasp the spokes of the wheel, brace myself against the vessel’s movement, and peer at the compass, bobbing about in its bath of alcohol. ‘She’s all yours, Davey,’ Murphy says, and repeats the course to the skipper. Grundy grunts his reply. What do you expect from a pig but a grunt? Running before the brisk ebb, she’s testing me. Like a big dog on a leash, she gripes out to starboard. Easy to notice with all the Bristol Channel traffic, and I get a gob-full off Grundy. ‘Watch y’ bloody helm,’ he screams. He’s like a cat with piles when there’s traffic about; windy. The mate peers into the binnacle and winks at me ‘ Built like a bloody box,’ he remarks. ‘Better lines on a fooking coffin.’ An ex-skipper, the mate is as cool as yesterday’s custard. Five minutes later Grundy decides to go below, and turns to the mate. ‘Call the second mate yourself at seven bells,’ he says. ‘Keep the crew out of our accommodation for the rest of this trip.’ I’m puzzled. What’s got into him all of a sudden? ‘How’s she heading now?’ Grundy growls as he leaves the wheelhouse. ‘Sou’west by west,’ I tell him. She’s spot on course; a fluke if there ever was one. Aboard the Belinda Jolly, some jobs are heavy and most are dirty, but my next task is pure heaven. The best way to ensure a full belly is to get the cook on your side, and I know the secret. Get a good fire going in the galley range, warm the pans, boil the kettle — things like that. You coax the fire like she’s a woman. Stoke her gently and check the damper is right for the draught. Build the heat up slow and she’s putty in your hands. The

rattle of the poker makes my mouth water. The galley boy uses the corner of his apron to rub the sleep from his eyes. He slings two loaves onto the bench without stepping over the washboard, throws back a lock of greasy hair and disappears behind the open door of the cold room to return with the bacon and a tray of eggs. Charlie the cook is a giant who starts laughing the minute he wakes up. ‘You want breakfast early, Davey boy?’ he drawls in an accent, nurtured in a sunshine thousands of miles away, rising and falling with the vessel’s motion. He ladles up a bowl of burgoo for me then pours a deluge of syrup over it. He laughs his bulky way around the galley with a grace to shame a ballerina. Charlie’s philosophy on life is simple: live fast an’ die young — leave a decent lookin’ corpse. One hand breaks two eggs into the ocean of fat whilst the other splits bacon slices from the pack. Black pudding, flapjack mix, bubble and squeak, the whole thing chuckles away in a frying-pan the size of Belfast Lough. The three of us tuck in. ‘Don’ go to the saloon this trip,’ Charlie tells the boy. ‘Captain’s orders; prob’ly got some poor young tart in there — he’ll end up in jail, dirty old bastard. ‘He shakes his head and starts putting the crew’s breakfast into the stainless steel kits. It’s nearly one bell, so I pick up the kits, and hurry across the hatches for’ard to call O’Donovan and Murphy. The chill spray in my face livens me up. The fo’c’sle is divided by tongue-and-groove bulkheads into three rooms. The door off the deck opens into a tiny mess-room in the middle, with a twin berth room each side. I call Murphy and O’Donovan who live on the starboard side, then I shake up the fire of the little range that struggles to heat the whole fo’c’sle. After plating up the breakfasts and putting them in the oven, I get the kettle boiling before snatching a rest on the bench crammed between the bulkhead and the plain deal table. The kettle’s hiss and the rattle of cutlery in the drawers beneath the table make me feel good. The Belinda Jolly’s soul has been cobbled together from the rattle of riveters, the thump of grabs and the buffeting of endless gales. The wind’s down to nothing by evening, and she goes round the Longships easy, to heave her way through the Channel. The passage is marked by familiar events: keeping a sharp look out for the French and Spanish ferries in and out of Plymouth; passing the Bill of Portland and St. Catherine’s Point; crossing the Bournemouth traffic; avoiding the ships anchored off Shoreham; and keeping an eye out Continued overleaf A

WERE YOU AWARE that following the successul outcome of a judicial review in respect of two Seatax clients, (brought before the Courts by Nautilus in collaboration with Seatax Ltd as expert advisors on the Seafarers Earnings Deduction), it was deemed that the two Seatax clients did have a legitimate expectation in applying the only published Revenue Practice with regard to the application of a day of absence in relation to a vessel sailing between UK ports. HMRC did not want to accept this practice (although referred to in their very own publications) but have now accepted that expectations of a claim based on such practice would be valid until the published practice is withdrawn. Following on from this, HMRC have now conﬁrmed that this Practice is withdrawn as of the 14 February 2014. Seatax was the only Advisory Service that challenged HMRC on this point.

WHY TAKE CHANCES WITH YOUR TAX AFFAIRS? Let Seatax use their knowledge and 35 years experience to ensure you do not fall foul of the rules Please visit our website for full details of the case. OUR FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Annual Return ...................................................................................................... £195.00 inclusive of VAT at 20% NAUTILUS members in the UK sailing under a foreign ﬂag agreement on gross remuneration can obtain a 10% reduction on the above enrolment fee by quoting their NAUTILUS membership number and a 5% reduction on re-enrolment.

or ite, e now r W on re ph r mo : fo tails de Elgin House, 83 Thorne Road, Doncaster DN1 2ES. Tel: (01302) 364673 - Fax No: (01302) 738526 - E-mail: info@seatax.ltd.uk www.seatax.ltd.uk

19/03/2014 18:38

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

WRITING COMPETITION Meet the author W. Ken Davies originally came up with the plot for Only us as part of an attempt to write his first novel, but when life got in the way and the novel had to be set aside for a while, he crafted the material into a short story. He told the Telegraph that his most important aim was to give the reader a flavour of the shipping industry in the post-war period: ‘It’s never adequately treated in fiction’. Dr Davies was at sea as an AB in the 1950s and 1960s, and he even met his wife through his job — although not in quite such a dramatic way as the protagonist of Only us. ‘My wife was at sea too; she was a ship’s cook when I was working onboard a Norwegian vessel,’ he explains. But they both decided to come ashore when they started a family, because Dr Davies remembered how tough life had been for his mother when his engineer officer father had been away on long trips. Although he has done a wide variety of work ashore since the 1960s — and taken his education to PhD level — Dr Davies says he still identifies strongly with the Merchant Navy. ‘You never forget; you’re always an ex-seaman. The story I wrote was about something that is part of me.’ Happily, this gifted writer is now back on track to complete his maritime-themed novel. Keep your eyes peeled for a future review in the Telegraph…

LEADING GLOBAL PROVIDER OF DP TRAINING C-MAR Group’s Dynamic Positioning Centre is one of the largest providers of Nautical Institute DP training in the world. We have an innovative and market leading reputation for focussing training on the operational output of all types of DP vessels. 2 EYXMGEP -RWXMXYXI &EWMG %HZERGIH (4 GSYVWIW HIPMZIVIH through Kongsberg and Converteam DP systems. 'SRZIVXIEQ ETTVSZIH (4 1EMRXIRERGI XVEMRMRK (4 %TTVIGMEXMSR GSYVWIW +PSFEP RIX[SVO SJ XVEMRMRK JEGMPMXMIW MR 0SRHSR 7MRKETSVI &VE^MP 1YQFEM ERH 7TPMX 'VSEXME The DP Centre is expanding its technical service provision – *1)%W %RRYEP XVMEPW HIWMKR GSRWYPXERG] ERH STIVEXMSR QERYEPW ¯ ERH LEW GEVIIV STTSVXYRMXMIW JSV (IGO 3J½GIVW )RKMRIIVW 7YVZI]SVW )83W

T: +44 0207 407 3131 E: courses@thedpcentre.com F: +44 0207 7357 9621 W: www.c-mar.com

+PSFEP 1EVMRI ERH 3JJWLSVI 7IVZMGIW

p31-33_writing comp_june edits.indd 32

Picture: Mary Evans Picture Library/Roger Mayne

for the Dieppe ferry from Newhaven. The rhythm of four hours on and four off gets easier as we catch up on our sleep, but the sea air encourages sleep, and I’m glad it’s our watch below once we’ve cleared the Dover traffic. Sleep has barely claimed me before Murphy bursts into the room. ‘Get ye’s arses outa there,’ he calls. ‘Grab ye’s life-jackets and get aft.’ ‘What’s up?’ says Griff. ‘Fog thick as a bag out there,’ Murphy tells us. ‘Steamin’ full speed through it — the second mate reduced speed, but Grundy came up and puts the telegraph right down. Reckons he only knows how far we’ve steamed when he’s sure what our speed is.’ ‘Damn’ fool,’ says Griff, and we crowd out into the messroom. Next thing, there’s the most godawful crunch I ever heard — like a train steaming head-on into a steel shed. The whole vessel shudders, and the door to our room flies open. There’s water gushing in, and the screech of steel-on-steel as she heels over to port. Out on the deck the port side is awash, the cargo pouring out of a mighty gash. A tanker towers above us, and we can see the officers leaning over the wing of the bridge as she disappears into the fog astern of us. ‘Another eejyit steaming full ahead,’ says Murphy as we climb up the ladder onto the lower bridge, where O’ Donovan and the second mate are sliding down the bridge ladder. ‘Where the hell’s the old man?’ asks the second mate. ‘I’ll get ’im,’ says O’Donovan, and tugs at the door to the skipper’s day-room. The housing leans crazily at forty five degrees, and it is like trying to open the lid of a great chest as seawater replaces our cargo. ‘Pull, damn you, pull.’ It is Grundy’s voice on the other side, and he’s trying to push the door upwards. Then there is an agonised cry and the sound of stuff sliding down the deck as the angle gets steeper. The Belinda Jolly is on her beam-ends now, and the second mate is already aft, grabbing a fire-axe from the fiddley. He climbs up on the boat-deck to hack away at the falls to allow the port boat to float clear. The galley boy and the downbelow men join him to push the boat off its chocks and into the water. Charlie is struggling toward us, one foot on the coaming the other on the sloping deck. ‘Where’s Grundy?’ he says. ‘There’s a girl in there with him.’ The four of us renew our efforts to open the door and find the day-room half full of water. No sign of Grundy, but the girl is like a rag-doll splashing about in the darkness. O’Donovan jumps into the room and lifts her up so that I can grab her and pull her clear. ‘Get her aft fast,’ says Charlie, who is straining to hold the door open. ‘This ol’ bitch is gonna turn over any time now.’ I clutch the girl to my chest and struggle between the hatch and the bulwarks. The old vessel shudders and there is an almighty thud behind me. I look over my shoulder to see no sign of the others. One more lurch, and I’m tumbling across the hatch.

We are in the water, and there is only one thought in my head: must get away from the vessel before she sucks us down with her. Turning on my back, I grip the girl’s head up to my chest and begin kicking. The Belinda Jolly has turned turtle, her red bottom like a huge lobster, and she’s going down fast by the head. Swallowing and spitting salt water, I kick and kick, remembering my old life-saving lessons from school. The old vessel’s stern rises high into the fog, and her dying plunge pulls us under. I suddenly realise how cold the water is as it closes over me, then everything goes dark. The voice of death is quiet. There is no threat in its hoarse call. The ship has gone, and the images that float before the eyes I cannot open are heavenly. In that sacred stillness the air is like gaseous crystal, and my senses are graced by the smell of a thousand spices and a dozen brands of rich tobacco. Then I smell a tinge of disinfectant. Two women are talking. I know just about enough waterfront French to understand them. ‘He’s survived.’ ‘Needs a shave.’ The voices are burdened with sadness, and I force my eyes open. They smile out of nurses’ uniforms and one has an electric shaver in her hand. She holds a mirror to my face. The eyes peer from dark caverns peering from the growth of black stubble. ‘I will shave you.’ ‘I can shave myself, thanks.’ The words are barely a murmur. My hand is lying on the counterpane, and the nurse puts the shaver into it. When I try to lift it, my hand stays where it was. She shaves me, telling me how I had hypothermia and have slept for eighteen hours. ‘Must get you looking nice for a special visitor,’ she says, but there is an unfathomable sadness in her voice. The girl stands at the entrance to the ward, peering along the beds until her eyes settle on mine. The hospital robe she clutches tightly about her slight form accentuates the rag-doll image, as does the paleness of her face, and the straight fair hair. She is pretty, pert, and even without the make-up there is no mistaking her. It is the Swansea girl. ‘Thank you,’ she says, sitting on the edge of my bed, her hands lying limp in her lap. ‘You saved my life.’ Not a single platitude will float into my mind, and I must look as dim as Goofy. ‘Sally...’ I say dumbly. ‘Sally Grundy,’ she says. ‘Grundy...’ I say, still short on words. ‘He was my father,’ she says, and begins to weep. Was. The significance slowly sinks in. ‘And the others?’ She shakes her head, and sinks into my arms. ‘Only us,’ she says. ‘There is only us .’ I find myself weeping with her, wanting only to help her out of the terrible darkness that has engulfed us.

19/03/2014 18:38

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

WRITING COMPETITION

Timeless mariners’ tales Sail Away With Me, by Jack William Metcalfe

The poetry prize and short story prize for serving seafarers were both won by Nautilus members — and both wrote about the challenges of maintaining personal relationships when at sea. Jack William Metcalfe says he wrote his poem Sail Away With Me while sailing on a twin gaff rigged schooner around the Greek islands last summer — and he actually sent it to the loved one waiting for him at home. In A Watchkeeper’s Arms, Philip C. Mack writes thoughtfully and honestly about the attractions and downsides of a career at sea. The story’s narrator lives in the internet age, but the problems he and his girlfriend encounter would have been familiar to the characters in the 1950s-set overall winner ‘Only us’ — being apart on special occasions and dealing with misconceptions about the Merchant Navy.

Sail away with me O Friend Please do not leave me Sail away with me until the very end From the touch of light at dawn Till the last ﬂash of illumination at dusk

Extracts from A Watchkeeper’s Arms, by Philip C. Mack

Sail away with me O Friend Please comfort me always Fill my sails with wind Direct my rudder with ease I ask this of you, Please, Please, Please Sail away with me O Friend Allow my course to meander For my soul to ﬂoat free Make the Ocean blue and clear So my desired path experiences little danger

‘Where are you? I can’t ﬁnd your ship on the tracking website.’ ‘Just arrived in Mauritius. It looks really nice. I just went out on the bridge and there’s a smell of sweet burning wood in the air, we’re pretty close to shore. I wish you could smell it.’ ‘Me too.’

Sail away with me O Friend Always I ask watch over Me The shackles that bind my bones Shall be released for all eternity Thank you my lover, for Sailing Away With Me

Growing up he always said he would never go to sea, because he knew how hard family life was with his dad away all the time. But he tried several different career paths, and none could satisfy him. He could no longer ignore the call of the sea, so it wasn’t a choice as such. He had seen the most breath-taking sunsets and sunrises, he had seen the northern lights and the green flash many times. Starry skies and shooting stars filled most of his nights out on the open seas and oceans — sights and views not attainable anywhere else — and you would find him outside enjoying it all, with the feeling of absolutely nothing but God Himself and a million miles of sky above him. A message came through from her on her night out. ‘I’m so miserable here without you . I can’t stand this job of yours. I know you love the sea, but it’s torture for me. It’s like you love another woman, and she’s your wife.’

Speak up…

Picture: Thinkstock

g Have you had your say yet in the Nautilus/Marine Society Book of the Year survey? Lots of Telegraph readers have already taken part in our 10-minute online quiz about seafarers’ reading habits and favourite books, but we want to hear from as many people as possible. Go to www.nautilusint.org to take part.

Yet another email came through. ‘My friends don’t get it either. They don’t have a clue how it is. Jane’s boyfriend did a tour of Afghanistan and everyone says how he is a hero. He was away once for six months. He didn’t miss a birthday or Christmas, they had Skype every day, good mail service and everything. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that they don’t do a good job because they do, but people know all about it. What do people know about you? Nothing.’ Her hair was shorter now, but it suited her he thought. She swept some behind her ear revealing better her perfect face. It still hurt him every day, the way in which he let her go. But here she was. Smiling, gathering groceries, so he must have done right by her. She was pushing a buggy with a baby in it. He snuck around the aisle to get a closer look and he could tell somehow that the baby was hers. He had wrestled with himself ever since that night at anchor off Mauritius. But looking at her now he knew — a stone thrown into the ocean can never be retrieved. He put down his shopping basket where he stood, making a swift, stealthy and distressful exit . Every ship he joins now, he takes her old photo and hangs it on the bulkhead. It’s dog-eared and well looked at by now. It’s travelled the world several times over. Other crew members ask presumably, ‘She is very beautiful, is that your girlfriend?’ He replies very simply, every time, ‘No. That’s just the girl I love.’

The full story Here is the complete list of winners from the Nautilus/Marine Society Writing@Sea competition. Entrants were invited to submit poems or short stories for the creative writing competition, on the theme of ‘life at sea’. The judges were Mark Windsor of the Marine Society, poet Jeremy Reed, novelist Howard Cunnell, retired shipmaster and author Colin Darch, and retired engineer officer and author Bob Jackman. The overall winner receives the Marine Society Prize of £1,000, and the other winners and runners-up listed below each receive a Kobo Aura e-reader. All the winners will be invited to an awards ceremony later in the year. z Overall winner: W. Ken Davies, for Only Us z Poetry prize for serving seafarers:

p31-33_writing comp_june edits.indd 33

Jack William Metcalfe, for Sail Away With Me; second place, Marc Rattle; third place, Christopher Stevenson z Story prize for serving seafarers: Philip Mack, for The Watchkeeper’s Arms; second place, Matthew Winwood; third place, Buchanan Bailie z Poetry prize for entrants not serving at sea: Roy Cockcroft, for Finisterre; second place, Ellen Cranitch; third place, David Broadbridge z Story prize for entrants not serving at sea: Robert Francis Harris, for A Titan’s Case; second place, Kevin Field; third place, Robert Ogden z Poetry prize for entrants aged 12-18: Amy Bales, for We’re Here; second place, Lucas Ferrar z Story prize for entrants aged 12-18: Caitlin Vinicombe, for Story With No End; second place, Clementine Thompson

Training to be prepared Bridge Resource Management (BRM)

28 Apr, 9 Jun, 7 Jul, 21 Jul

Electronic Chart Display Information System (ECDIS)

7 Apr, 28 Apr, 12 May, 19 May, 2 Jun, 16 Jun, 30 Jun, 14 Jul, 28 Jul, 11 Aug, 01 Sep, 08 Sep, 15 Sep, 29 Sep

Engine Room Resource Management (ERM)

21 Apr, 16 Jun

Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM)

28 Apr, 2 Jun, 14 Jul, 08 Sep

OPITO Oﬀshore Emergency Response Team Member (OERTM)

21 Apr, 28 Apr, 19 May, 26 May, 16 Jun, 23 Jun, 14 Jul, 21 Jul, 11 Aug, 18 Aug, 15 Sep, 22 Sep

OPITO Further Oﬀshore Emergency Response Team Member (FOERTM)

17 Apr, 15 May, 22 May, 12 Jun, 19 Jun, 10 Jul, 17 Jul, 7 Aug, 14 Aug, 4 Sep, 11 Sep,

OPITO Oﬀshore Emergency Response Team Leader (OERTL)

14 Apr, 16 Jun, 14 Jul, 11 Aug, 8 Sep

OPITO Further Oﬀshore Emergency Response Team Leader (FOERTL)

24 Apr, 1 May, 29 May, 26 Jun, 24 Jul, 21 Aug, 18 Sep

OPITO Helideck Emergency Response Team Member (HERTM)

12 May, 9 Jun, 7 Jul, 4 Aug, 1 Sep, 29 Sep

OPITO Helideck and Team Member Combined

5 May, 2 Jun, 30 Jun, 28 Jul, 25 Aug, 22 Sep

STCW 95 Basic Safe Training

28 Apr, 12 May, 2 Jun, 9 Jun, 7 Jul, 4 Aug, 11 Aug, 1 Sep, 15 Sep, 29 Sep

STCW Advanced Fire Fighting

7 Apr, 14 Apr, 12 May, 19 May, 9 Jun, 8 Sep

STCW Medical Care Onboard Ship

21 Apr, 12 May, 23 Jun, 28 Jul

Our comprehensive training programmes can be tailored to include:

TRAINING TRANSPORT ACCOMMODATION MEALS For more information or to book a course, please contact: UK Freephone: 0800 169 4426 Aberdeen: +44 (0)1224 228 148 Newcastle: +44 (0)191 270 3220 E: BookingUK@maersktraining.com www.maersktraining.com

*Additional course dates can be scheduled on request.

19/03/2014 18:38

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

OFFWATCH ships of the past by Trevor Boult

50 YEARS AGO

steamer built on the Clyde at F Dunbarton in 1902 by William Denny, for

Shipowners in many parts of the world seem to be actively engaged in studies relating to the manning of their vessels. One recent study suggests that the manning of UK foreign-going ships is exceeded only by one other long-established maritime nation, namely Denmark. The variations are quite marked, for instance on tankers of about 35,000 tons the total crew ranged from 58 under the Danish flag, with 52 under the UK flag, 43 under the German flag and 36 under the Belgian flag. Members will not be surprised to learn, therefore, that some British owners are complaining of being handicapped by having to carry larger crews than many of their competitors. The MNAOA is represented on high-level groups looking at increasing efficiency and we would be foolish if we tried to ignore the pressure for manpower savings MN Journal, April 1964

Scotia was a twin-screw passenger

the LNWR — London & North Western Railway, to serve the Irish Sea route between Holyhead and Dublin. In 1914 Scotia was requisitioned by the Admiralty and is recorded as having delivered ‘laudable service in the Mediterranean’ as a fast armed boarding steamer. After the war she was renamed as Menevia and in 1923 began operating for the LMS Railway. In 1928 the ship was sold to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and was sent for scrap later that year. Scotia was an elegant twin-funnelled vessel with an impressive speed of 21 knots. As such she attracted the eye of contemporary marine artists. Perhaps her most unusual yet signiﬁcant depiction was that of a poster advertisement in 1905 by the artist Norman Wilkinson. It proved to be a seminal image which helped inaugurate a new era in such advertising, the lineage of which remains evident up to the present day. Railway posters have an enduring appeal which stimulates the imagination. The ﬁrst such notices appeared in the 1820s. The posters were similar to those made earlier by the stagecoach companies and were intended to be informative rather than persuasive or artistic. At the beginning of the 20th century almost every town had a railway station and the rail network was virtually complete. Travelling for pleasure had become commonplace and there were over one hundred railway companies vying for attention and a distinguishing brand. Some of the major players also opened up their own shipping links, such as to the Continent, and Ireland. As tourism continued to grow, the role of publicity became ever more important. Eventually, this was to bring a high standard of modern art to advertising hoardings. It was normal practice for railway companies to use printing agencies to source images for posters, with traditional subjects of coastal or rural holidays and outdoor activities. However, the railway companies were beginning to see the true value of such advertising, and gradually a number of particular artists were becoming recognised for their work.

25 YEARS AGO

Scotia in the picture Concurrently, there was lively debate about how rail services were advertised on hoardings. On the one hand, textbased notices were considered best, as they could be understood instantly. Others stressed the additional need for advancement in poster design, citing that a poster’s message should be obvious through its picture, even to a passenger who did not wish to stop and read the text. A single clear image would grab the passer-by’s attention and its considered design would sell the product. Norman Wilkinson was an artist who speculatively submitted paintings to railway companies. He, too, was unimpressed by the design of contemporary pictorial posters, describing them as ‘an uninspired jumble of small views of resorts...with a good deal of meaningless decoration and quite unintelligible at a distance.’ In 1905, Wilkinson produced a poster for the LNWR that stood out from many of its predecessors. The design for ‘To Ireland’ [above] gave him the opportunity to break with tradition, in which he rendered a simple view of a steamer in the Irish Sea. Company directors were not keen on his realistic depiction and considered that the ship should be more prominent. It was

only through the efforts of the General Manager that the design was used. Norman Wilkinson’s simple bold design caused a stir in the press and has latterly been appraised: ‘The image told the story; the customer was not required to stop and read the poster but could readily see that on the LNWR one could travel to Ireland on a modern steamer, enjoying a pleasant and calm crossing of the Irish Sea. Its symbolic pictorial content was felt to be superior to the explicit narrative of posters such as those for the East Coast route. Wilkinson had come down ﬁrmly in support of greater simplicity and clarity in both the image and composition of posters...Keeping the text to a minimum, Wilkinson painted a calm sea with a small ship in the distance, which he intended to represent accurately the small tonnage of the steamer.’ In 1975 Sealink produced a poster which was an extension of Norman Wilkinson’s concept of visual impact and clarity, which gave prospective passengers a cross-sectional look inside what had then become huge ro-ro ferries, for a glimpse of the facilities on offer. Much is owed to Norman Wilkinson, and to the TSS Scotia for her inspiration. fWith thanks to Lorna Frost/National Railway Museum.

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book The Unseen Britannic (reviewed in last month’s Telegraph). To enter, simply complete the form right and send it, along with your completed crossword, to: Nautilus International, Telegraph Crossword Competition, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane,

South Woodford, London E18 1BD, or fax +44 (0)20 8530 1015. You can also enter by email, by sending your list of answers and your contact details to: telegraph@nautilusint.org.

10 YEARS AGO NUMAST has expressed concern over disturbing evidence that the shipping industry is on course to fail to meet the July deadline for compliance with the International Ship & Port facility Security Code. The Union has also protested over an International Maritime Organisation decision that there should be no restrictions placed on shipmasters being designated as ship security officers (SSOs). A conference in London last month heard that only 3% of the 30,000 ships covered by the Code have so far gained certification and only a small proportion of the 6,000 ports affected have demonstrated they are in line with the requirements. NUMAST said the industry had no excuse for failing to meet the rules and the Union has also warned about the serious workload implications of the SSO role The Telegraph, April 2004

THEQUIZ 1

What proportion of the current global cruiseship orderbook is being built in Japanese yards (in gross tonnage terms)?

How many 150,000gt-plus cruiseships are currently in service in the world fleet?

The Caribbean is the leading cruise destination in terms of ship deployments — what percentage

of global itineraries does the region account for? 4

What proportion of the current global orderbook for offshore support vessels is accounted for by platform supply vessels?

The ferry company Buquebus recently took delivery of the world’s first LNG-fuelled high-speed ferry. Where does it operate?

What was an octant?

J Quiz answers are on page 46.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

Membership No.:

Closing date is Friday 11 April 2014.

QUICK CLUES

34_offwatch.indd 34

More than a year after launching the world’s first marine ‘black box’, Lloyd’s Register has announced its first customer for the device. Wescol International is to fit the voyage data recorder (VDR) to its 29,411gt containership Gulf Spirit. LR said the unit will collect and store data such as hull stresses, ship motion and machinery performance during the ship’s regular 35-day voyages between Europe and the US. As well as providing safety information, the equipment could also enable savings in operating costs by cutting fuel consumption, optimising ballast draughts and reducing heavy weather damage, the classification society claims. The decision has been welcomed by NUMAST. Assistant general secretary Derek Bond said the VDR had the potential to supply information on ship losses which might otherwise remain a mystery and could also be useful in assessing the cause of marine casualties The Telegraph, April 1989

1. 6. 9. 10. 12. 14. 15. 17. 19. 21. 24. 25. 26. 27.

Across Reporter (10) Helen’s city (4) Coin (5) Set out (9) Baker’s prayer (3,5,5) Singlet (3-5) Baker/s residue (6) Fruit (6) Wine (8) Using power (13) Cattle space (9) Oil producer (5) Capp (4) Off-colour (10)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 7. 8.

Down Obscure Hardy character (4) Open up (7) Resolved to go on (2,7,4) ‘Vive …’ (2,6) French philosopher (5) Chemical agitator (7) Giving way (10)

11. 13. 16. 18. 20. 22. 23.

Life support (9,4) Flower (10) Self-destructive (8) Robot (7) Not night (7) Andean pack animal (5) Hardy girl (4)

CRYPTIC CLUES 1. 6.

9. 10.

12. 14.

Across Graft lounge from outer space to make a container (10) Technology divides Brussels with information for case in French (4) Rock city to its foundations (5) Mistake after start of trial first to label one others’ freedom fighter (9) Repaired medal with red paste mixture, it’s a craft (6,7) Otherwise currency of Iraq and capital of Yemen are much of a muchness (8)

15. Presenter has to be weighed before cruise (6) 17. Make contact and a resounding hit with French fencing fraternity (6) 19. I guess I’d look different in wig and dark glasses (8) 21. Imagine stately residence becoming a cinema (7,6) 24. Haute couture, so high it floats and creates its own atmosphere … (9) 25. … to bring into the world through airtight opening (5) 26. Catch sight of English agent (4) 27. Be grateful for increase in value (10)

Down How I perfectly concealed a cleaner (4) 2. Used keys again to instil some class into communist (7) 3. Getting on with MPs’ workplace, enter as 1.

accommodation (8,5) 4. Done with moving around — let’s rest (8) 5. Note change for much of the continent (5) 7. If not Kipling’s imposter then a two-wheeler (7) 8. Mate with a mate (10) 11. CIA change poor results from main research (13) 13. Brushed up on dentistry (10) 16. If not Kipling’s other imposter then rides sat uncomfortably (8) 18. ‘Peace, cousin! say no more: And now I will --- a secret book’ (Henry IV Part 1) (7) 20. Not going anywhere, i.e., train derailment (7) 22. As expedition starts with a joke, prepare for it (5) 23. Redesigned hose for item of footwear (4) J Crossword answers are on page 46.

19/03/2014 18:19

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

books

OFFWATCH

Maritime meditation is scholarly but accessible The Sea: A Cultural History By John Mack Reaktion Books, £17.95 ISBN: 978 17802 31846 interesting books about the sea in recent K months, and this title — ﬁrst published in 2011 There has been something of a spate of

and now available in paperback format — helps to explain why the subject is one that engages not just writers, but also artists, anthropologists and scientists so intensely. John Mack, a professor of world studies at the University of East Anglia, ranges far and wide in his geographic, historic and social considerations of the way people interact with the sea — both professionally and intellectually. While the book makes many references to writers such as Conrad and Melville, artists such as Turner, and Shakespeare’s plays, it also addresses ‘culture’ in a broader anthropological sense —

First-class text book can help with career development Reeds 21st Century Ship Management By John Dickie Adlard Coles Nautical, £30 ISBN: 978 14729 00685 an increasingly important K element of shipping operations,

Ship management has become

challenging the traditional model of ship ownership and operation in a way that has sometimes attracted concern and criticism. John Dickie, who will be familiar to many Telegraph readers as the secretary-general of the International Federation of Ship Masters’ Associations, has produced this book as a sort of ‘best practice’ compendium to address those concerns — and not least the role of genuine and effective safety management in delivering quality operations. It also serves as a highly accessible introduction to the work of ship management for seafarers considering the move. As well as offering clear and practical information on the intricacies of strategic and operational management, it provides some excellent material describing the skills required and the responsibilities demanded of good managers. Over 18 chapters, John Dickie guides the reader through the

35_books_SR edit.indd 35

examining, for instance, the way in which early African and Arab sailors made remarkable voyages of exploration, or the differing navigational techniques used around the world. Very much a meditation on what the sea means to different people, the book reﬂects on the way knowledge about the sea has changed our relationship with it — typiﬁed, Prof Mack argues, by the advances in charting and ship technology which have reduced some of the inherent challenges of venturing away from the coast and diluted the direct contact between mariner and the marine environment. Telegraph readers are likely to be particularly interested in the sections that explore the realities of seafaring and the culture of life at sea. There is a substantial focus on the concept of the ship as a ‘micro-society’ and the way shipboard communities are created, although it is a shame that this does not really extend into contemporary shipping operations.

complex management models and the way they interact with both commercial demands and regulatory requirements. There is a healthy emphasis on the principles of planning and strategic thinking, and on the true delivery of compliance with ISM, ISPS and all the other elements of effective operational cultures. The book also explains with clarity and depth the way in which managers can develop positive relationships with their teams and with external authorities. Ways to deliver effective communications and coordination, clear identification of responsibilities and resources required, and coherent planning and preparation are all set out — with useful ‘self-assessment’ tests at the end of each section to help the reader reflect on the subject matter. Produced to high standards, well laid out, referenced and indexed, this offers first-class advice and information to both prospective and practising ship managers and should serve a standard reference to the subject for many years ahead.

Provocative polemic argues for privatisation

Who Pays the Ferryman? By Roy Pedersen Birlinn Publishing, £9.99 ISBN: 978 17802 71224 Ferries Swindle, this book K provides a detailed critique of what Subtitled The Great Scottish

the author describes as ‘scandalously inadequate’ current operations that will probably win few plaudits from Nautilus members. The son of a shipmaster, and a former manager with the Highlands & Islands Development Board, Roy Pedersen assembles the case against state-run ferry operations — arguing that the publicly-supported services are both inefficient and ‘indifferent’. He provides background for lay readers to explain the development of the Scottish ferry network and the different types of ferry used on the

Prof Mack notes the long history of multinational crewing — reminding readers that barely half the seafarers on British merchant ships in the mid-19th century were British. He draws on history and the works of maritime writers to explain how these diverse crews managed to work together and how captains maintained discipline and order in often difﬁcult circumstances. Noting the cosmopolitan nature of ships as a working and living space, he argues that seafaring makes an ideal subject for ethnographic study — although anthropologists ‘have rarely exposed themselves to the shock of being on ships’. Prof Mack also muses on the cultural differences between ship and shore — looking at the use of language (‘sailortalk’), rituals and superstitions to create bonds between crew members, and how symbols from the sea are used on land, not least within architecture and religion, or in metaphors such as ‘ship of state’.

routes, as well as the reasons why the ‘state’ became involved in the provision of lifeline operations run by what he lambasts as ‘bloated, polluting and secretive’ subsidised operators. In a nutshell, Mr Pedersen claims that the CalMac and NorthLink services perform ‘conspicuously badly’ against the private sector in terms of capital cost, crewing and fuel consumption, with oldfashioned ships, poor environmental performance and inappropriately long routes. Not only are the ‘state’ ships over-manned, their crews are over-paid and work only 21 weeks a year, he argues. His recipe for the future includes a move from ‘large live-aboard crews’ to a local shore-based crews working on a more diverse range of vessels — including catamarans, high-speed passenger ferries and medium-speed river ferries — along with detailed proposals on different structures for individual routes. It adds up to a controversial and provocative read, and there is much to take issue with — including the failure to address concerns over the ‘human’ issues of the lowcost crewing alternatives and the social, safety and human impact of remodelling services that have delivered impressive safety records. But it does need to be taken seriously as part of the continuing hot debate over the future of Scottish shipping services and the prospect of yet more tendering for the CalMac and NorthLink operations…

like a pretentious or If it sounds d lik t ti a difﬁcult book, don’t be put off — Prof Mack brings the subject to life with good writing and remarkably varied approaches to his core themes. Studded with arresting facts and ﬁgures and drawing from a deep range of sources, it is a thought-provoking work that asks readers to question the way in which they see the sea.

Comprehensive guide draws on years of best practice advice Ship to Ship Transfer Guide Witherby Publishing, £225 ISBN: 978 15560 95945 fwww.witherbyseamanship.com cargoes have become an K increasingly common practice —

Ship to ship transfers of liquid

and one which has attracted some controversy off the east coast of the UK in recent times. Mindful of the need to maintain safety in these potentially hazardous operations, there have been industry guides on operational procedures since the mid-1970s and the industry organisations OCIMF, SIGTTO, CDI and the International Chamber of Shipping have cooperated to produce this new publication to consolidate previous recommendations and reflect the experience gained over the years. Aimed at masters, marine superintendents and others involved in the planning and execution of STS operations, the new edition brings together the latest advice on the transfer of petroleum, chemical and LNG cargoes and is intended to be applicable to transfers involving all bulk liquid cargoes, with specific recommendations for particular

A Pacific pioneer that lasted almost 150 years Pacific Steam Navigation Company: Fleet List and History By Ian Collard Amberley, £19.99 ISBN: 978 14456 34845 Available as an e-book fwww.amberley-books.com

This is a decent history of a company which no doubt featured in the early careers of many Telegraph readers. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company was founded in 1838, and the name endured until 1984 — although many of its vessels

continued after that date as part of Furness Withy and then Eurosal or Hamburg Sud. The company was the first to operate steamships in the Pacific, primarily trading from the UK to the Pacific coasts of South America. Its fleet encompassed passengerships and cargoships, and included the well-known Reina del Pacifico and Reina del Mar. As promised in the subtitle, the second half of the book offers a full list of vessels, with particulars, launch dates and notes on each ship’s fate when taken out of service.

cargo types included in dedicated appendices. A model of good layout, clear guidance and good graphics, the book reinforces key principles of safe operations, including the effective planning and control of operations, risk assessment, training and the management of workloads to minimise fatigue. The guidance aims to cover the wide range of ship types, including barges, which may be involved in transfer activities, as well as transfers at sea and in port. Although emergency lightering operations involving a disabled or stranded ship are not specifically addressed, many of the principles contained within this guide will apply. There are more than 50 pages of appendices, including additional advice on particular cargoes, sample checklists and guidance on risk assessment processes.

BOOK SAVINGS Telegraph readers can buy the books reviewed on these pages at a whopping 25% discount on publisher’s price through the Marine Society’s online shop. need to make their purchase g at www.marinesocietyshop.org.

To qualify for this offer, readers

Before this, there’s a narrative history, well-illustrated with photos, maps, historic advertising posters and the like. The text is enlivened

by anecdotes from seafarers who worked for the company, and all in all, it’s a nice volume to add to the bookshelf.

Click on the ‘Books of the month’ button with the Nautilus logo to see the books featured in the Telegraph, and use the promotional code Nautilus when buying your book.

19/03/2014 18:20

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

NL NEWS Heerema Fleet Personnel en Nautilus bereiken akkoord over tweejarige CAO C

Al in november bereikten de vakbonden Nautilus en VOC een principeakkoord met Heerema Fleet Personnel. Toch duurde het nog tot februari dit jaar voordat de tekst helemaal in kannen en kruiken was, maar nu is de nieuwe CAO dan ook echt deﬁnitief. Het betreft een tweejarige CAO, lopend van 1 januari 2014 tot en met 31 december 2015. De onderhandelingspartijen zijn een loonsverhoging overeengekomen van 2,5% per 1 januari 2014 en 2% per 1 januari 2015 voor alle medewerkers van Heerema Fleet Personnel (HFP). Dit is inclusief prijscompensatie en exclusief de periodieke RSP (verhoging op basis van beoordeling). Levensfasebewust personeelsbeleid

De reden waarom de nieuwe CAO wat langer op zich liet wachten was het levensfasebewust personeelsbeleid. Hoewel HFP wel een bepaald ad hoc beleid hanteerde, was dit nog niet echt gestructureerd. Door de bonden is erop aangedrongen om van langer doorwerken een realistische optie te maken, bijvoorbeeld door het introduceren van parttime werk. De werkgever heeft toegezegd de looptijd van de CAO te gebruiken om invulling te geven aan het

levensfasebewust personeelsbeleid. De eerste stappen zijn inmiddels gezet en de verwachting is dat er in 2014 een geïntegreerd beleid wordt ontwikkeld, dat in de daarop volgende jaren geleidelijk kan worden uitgebreid. Aanpassing pensioenen

Met ingang van 1 januari 2014 wordt de pensioengerechtigde leeftijd vastgesteld op 67 jaar en de opbouw op 2,15% per jaar. Per 1 januari 2015 moet er een heel nieuw pensioenpakket liggen dat voldoet aan de eisen van het nieuwe Fiscaal Kader voor pensioenregelingen. De per 31 december 2013 opgebouwde pensioenafspraken worden premievrij gemaakt. Deze aanspraken blijven echter volledig intact en verminderen niet onder de invloed van de wijziging van de pensioenregeling. Het pensioenreglement wordt nu aangepast, waarbij de bonden in de gelegenheid worden gesteld om te controleren of de gemaakte afspraken ook correct verwerkt zijn in het reglement. De CAO is met een positief advies aan de leden voorgelegd. Tijdens de ledenvergadering op 13 februari jl. hebben de leden hun akkoord gegeven waarmee de nieuwe CAO een feit is.

Wij hebben Facebook. Volg ons ook! Bezoek www.nautilusint.org

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Bent u van mening dat het Europees Agentschap voor Maritieme Veiligheid de erkenning van Filippijnse zeevaart certificaten moet intrekken?

Ja 67%

HYLKE HYLKEMA 40 JAAR IN DIENST BIJ NAUTILUS A

In haar lange geschiedenis heeft Nautilus (en haar voorgangers) vele markante bestuurders gekend. De collega die afgelopen januari door zijn collega’s werd geëerd, maakt ontegenzeggelijk deel uit van dit illustere gezelschap. Hylke vierde zijn 40-jarig jubileum in de besloten kring van vrouw en collega’s.

Carrière

Hylke begon zijn carrière bij de bond in 1974, vrijwel direct na het beëindigen van zijn carrière als stuurman. In de ‘dienstgang’ viel hij al snel op door zijn gedrevenheid bij de behandeling van individuele en collectieve zaken. Na een aantal jaren verruilde hij de dienstgang voor de post Singapore waar hij gedurende 3 jaar de rol van vlootbezoeker vervulde. Eenmaal terug in Nederland pakte hij de zaken weer voortvarend op. Hij werd al snel bevorderd tot bestuurder en ging zich steeds intensiever bezig houden met het beleid van de bond en een toenemend aantal zware portefeuilles. Na zijn bevordering tot hoofdbestuurder nam Hylke de rol op zich van vice voorzitter/penningmeester, een rol die hij tot op de dag van vandaag bekleed. Inclusief zijn nautische

opleiding en de tijd aan boord kan Hylke zich bogen op bijna een halve eeuw betrokkenheid bij de maritieme sectoren. Redevoering

In zijn toespraak memoreerde voorzitter Marcel van den Broek de belangrijke rol die Hylke tot op de dag van vandaag speelt bij de belangenbehartiging van de leden. Met zijn scherpe geest, aangevuld met een bewonderenswaardig doorzettingsvermogen

Uit de dienstgang A

Stel: je werkt en leeft 12 jaar met je werkgever in goede harmonie dag en nacht samen op een binnenvaartschip en je krijgt dan zomaar zonder mededeling vooraf een schriftelijke aanvraag tot een ontslagvergunning in je brievenbus omdat je werkgever de bedrijfsactiviteiten gaat staken... dat was wat ons lid enige tijd geleden overkwam. Op het moment van beëindiging van het dienstverband zagen de kansen op ander werk er niet rooskleurig uit, aangezien ons lid nog herstellende was van een operatie en het onzeker was of hij op korte termijn weer in staat zou zijn om te werken. Voor ons lid een reden om zijn werkgever te vragen of deze bereid was een beëindigingsvergoeding te betalen ter compensatie van zijn inkomensschade die hij zou ondervinden door de beëindiging van het dienstverband. De werkgever gaf helaas geen enkele

respons. De werknemer wendde zich daarom tot Nautilus International met het verzoek om contact op te nemen met zijn werkgever om het verzoek om een beëindigingsvergoeding te herhalen. Pijnlijk

Een juriste van een rechtsbijstandsverzekeraar meldde zich namens de werkgever met de mededeling dat de werkgever tot geen enkele vergoeding bereid was en een gerechtelijke procedure met vertrouwen tegemoet zag. Voor ons lid kwam dit hard aan. Hij had het liefst in overleg met zijn werkgever een redelijke beëindigingsvergoeding overeen willen komen ter compensatie van zijn inkomensachteruitgang en als waardering voor alle jaren, die hij voor zijn werkgever werkzaam was geweest. Met name de wijze waarop de werkgever het dienstverband had beëindigd was voor hem onacceptabel: hij ontving immers zonder enige

waarschuwing vooraf een verzoek tot een ontslagvergunning. Kennelijk onredelijk ontslag

Gelukkig herstelde ons lid na enkele maanden goed van zijn operatie en vond na verloop van tijd nieuw werk via een uitzendbureau. Omdat de werkgever echter geen enkele beëindigingsvergoeding wilde aanbieden is de Juridische Dienst van Nautilus namens ons lid een ‘kennelijk onredelijk ontslagprocedure’ gestart. Op de zitting heeft de Kantonrechter nog geprobeerd een schikking tussen de partijen te treffen, maar de werkgever bleek niet bereid het door de rechter voorgestelde bedrag te betalen. De Kantonrechter deed daarom enkele weken na de zitting schriftelijk uitspraak en gaf aan dat er, gelet op alle omstandig heden, inderdaad sprake was van een kennelijk onredelijk ontslag. In haar overweging nam zij onder meer de leeftijd van ons lid

De poll van deze maand is: Denkt u dat Lloyd’s Register gelijk heeft met hun verwachting dat zware stookolie nog steeds de belangrijkste brandstof voor schepen zal zijn in 2030 ? Geef ons uw mening online, op www.nautilusnl.org

36-37_nl.indd Sec2:36

mee, de duur van het dienstverband en het jarenlang nauw samen wonen en werken. Maar ook het feit dat ons lid ten tijde van het einde van het dienstverband arbeidsongeschikt was, de bedrijfsbeëindiging ter vrije bepaling was van de werkgever èn het feit dat de werkgever in het geheel niet bereid was om een vergoeding toe te kennen (zelfs geen geringe vergoeding), waren voor de Kantonrechter voldoende reden om te bepalen dat er sprake was van een kennelijk onredelijk ontslag. Vergoeding

De Kantonrechter veroordeelde de werkgever dan ook tot betaling van een vergoeding die hoger lag dan het bedrag dat de Kantonrechter ter zitting aan de werkgever had voorgesteld. Ons lid was hiermee tevreden en kon deze zaak nu eindelijk voor zichzelf afsluiten. Nu kon hij zich weer echt helemaal richten op de toekomst.

Nieuwe tweejarige CAO voor Stichting Greenpeace Council Council wilden graag een nieuwe CAO afsluiten F voordat de huidige op 31 december 2013 was afgelo-

echter niet vinden in het resultaat; zij waren het met name niet eens met de punten die door de werkgever waren ingebracht en het resultaat werd afgewezen. Vervolgens hebben de leden per punt het mandaat bepaald waarbinnen de onderhandelingsdelegatie met de werkgever afspraken kon maken om toch tot een nieuwe CAO te komen.

Nautilus International en Stichting Greenpeace

Nee 33%

en een sterk gevoel voor rechtvaardigheid heeft Hylke zich een alom gerespecteerde positie in de maritieme sectoren verworven. Ook Hylke’s vrouw Ida werd door de voorzitter volop in het zonnetje gezet. Door Hylke’s lange werkdagen en talloze overleggen in het buitenland leefde zij min of meer het leven van een zeemansvrouw. Een rol die zij met liefde vervulde en het Hylke mogelijk maakte om zich vol voor de bond in te zetten. Zij werd derhalve ook bedankt voor haar tomeloze inzet over de afgelopen 40-jaar. General secretary Mark Dickinson roemde Hylke in zijn speech voor de belangrijke rol die hij heeft gespeeld bij het tot stand komen van Nautilus International en de doortastende wijze waarop Hylke heeft bijgedragen aan de goede afloop van menig dossier. Na wat geestige overpeinzingen van collega Jos Hilberding was het de beurt aan de jubilaris zelf. Hij dankte allen voor de collegialiteit die hij al die jaren heeft mogen ervaren. Ook stond hij uitvoerig stil bij zijn werk voor de bond. ‘Veertig jaar is weliswaar een lange tijd maar als je die tijd mag gebruiken om heel direct wat te kunnen betekenen voor de leden, dan vliegt de tijd ongemerkt voorbij’.

pen. Daarom is tijdig gestart met het bepalen van de inzet voor een nieuwe CAO vanaf 1 januari 2014. Namens de leden heeft Nautilus International de lopende CAO schriftelijk opgezegd. Tijdens de ledenvergadering in oktober zijn de voorstellen bepaald, waarbij het loon- en arbeidsvoorwaardenbeleid voor 2014 van de FNV richtinggevend is geweest. De looptijd en gageverhoging zijn vaste onderdelen van de CAO, waarbij de looptijd gebaseerd is op een eenjarige CAO. Een langere looptijd is bespreekbaar, maar dan gelden dezelfde uitgangspunten als voor het eerste jaar. De voorgestelde gageverhoging bedraagt 3,0%. Tevens zijn aanvullende voorstellen benoemd, waaronder het aanpassen van de verlofregeling, overleg over een pensioenregeling en het aanpassen van de CAO aan de MLC afspraken. Na het versturen van de voorstellenbrief aan de

Terug naar de werkgever

werkgever zijn er twee onderhandelingsgesprekken geweest, waarbij de werkgever ook voorstellen heeft ingebracht. Resultaat en ledenvergadering

Begin januari 2014 vond een ledenbijeenkomst plaats waarin het resultaat van de onderhandelingen, ter goedkeuring werd voorgelegd. De leden konden zich

Er volgde een nieuw overleg met de werkgever, waarbij de reacties op de afgewezen punten werden besproken. Uiteindelijk ging de werkgever akkoord met alle punten binnen het afgegeven mandaat waardoor de CAO voor de werknemers in dienst van Stichting Greenpeace Council een feit is! De CAO heeft een looptijd van twee jaar en loopt van 1 januari 2014 tot en met 31 december 2015. De leden zijn over de uitkomst geïnformeerd en de afspraken worden nu uitgewerkt en vastgelegd in een resultatenlijst, mantelovereenkomst en aangepast reglement.

19/03/2014 18:22

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

NL NEWS

Moet het pauze-artikel uit het arbeidstijdenbesluit vervoer zeescheepvaart? A Ledenvergaderingen bepalen inzet voor nieuwe CAO met VWH en Spliethoff het kantoor van Nautilus C International ledenvergaderingen Begin maart 2014 zijn op

gehouden om voorstellen te bespreken en de inzet vast te stellen voor het verlengen van de CAO voor de Handelsvaart tot 9000 GT en de CAO met Spliethoff Beheer BV. De onderhandelingen voor deze CAO’s worden vanuit de werkgevers gelijktijdig gedaan door een delegatie van de Vereniging van Werkgevers in de Handelsvaart (VWH) en Spliethoff. Beide CAO’s lopen van 1 april 2013 tot en met 31 maart 2014. Tijdens de ledenvergaderingen is aangegeven dat de CAO’s — met inachtname van één maand opzegtermijn — door Nautilus International schriftelijk zijn opgezegd. Samen met de leden is de inzet voor de nieuwe CAO bepaald, waarbij het loon- en arbeidsvoorwaardenbeleid voor 2014 van de FNV richtinggevend is geweest. Onderdeel van dit beleid is dat de arbeidsvoorwaardenruimte zoveel mogelijk wordt omgezet in geld en arbeidsvoorwaarden die zekerheid scheppen. Voorstellen

Voor beide CAO’s zijn de looptijd en gageverhoging vaste onderdelen en de looptijd is gebaseerd is op een éénjarige CAO. Een langere looptijd is bespreekbaar, maar dan gelden dezelfde uitgangspunten als voor het eerste jaar van de CAO. De voorgestelde gageverhoging in beide CAO’s bedraagt 3,0%.

Bij de Spliethoff CAO zijn er bovendien een aantal aanvullende voorstellen. Dit betreft onder meer het opstellen van een toeslagenregeling voor de schepen die in toenemende mate werkzaam zijn in de offshore en het fiscaal faciliteren van de vakbondscontributie via de werkgever. Levensfasebewust personeelsbeleid

In het principeakkoord van beide CAO’s 2013 — 2014 is een afspraak gemaakt over het uitvoeren van een levensfasebewust personeelsbeleid gericht op jongere en oudere zeevarenden. De leden van zowel de VWH als van Spliethoff hebben benadrukt dat hieraan serieus invulling gegeven moet worden, tegen de achtergrond dat werknemers langer moeten doorwerken en de door hun in de praktijk ervaren toename van de (administratieve) werkdruk. Dit mede door toegenomen weten regelgeving (o.a. ISPS, MLC, Security, Ballastwater- en Emissie eisen) en kleinere bemanningen.

Dat was de vraag die voorlag aan de Nautilus ledenvergadering van 20 februari jl. in het NH Hotel te Utrecht. De leden waren heel duidelijk; het pauze-artikel mag niet worden geschrapt maar, er kan wel worden gekeken naar een mogelijke aanpassing van het artikel. Na het uitspreken van een woord van welkom kregen de aanwezige leden van Nautilus voorzitter Marcel van den Broek een uitgebreid verslag van al hetgeen er aan de vergadering vooraf was gegaan. Het door de reders ingediende verzoek ter verwijdering van het pauzeartikel en het onderzoek dat het Nautilus bestuur vervolgens in nauw overleg met de Nautilus Raad van Advies had ingezet. Het was van meet af aan duidelijk dat de aanwezige leden, in lijn met de ontvangen schriftelijke reacties, niets wilden weten van afschafﬁng. Het twee-mans-wachtstelsel werd unaniem beoordeeld als ongewenst en het schrappen van het pauze-artikel zou het nog moeilijker maken om dit wachtstelsel te bestrijden. Middels een presentatie nam de voorzitter het vraagstuk puntsgewijs met de leden door

daarbij alle voor en tegens benoemend. Hierbij was, zoals reeds aangekondigd, veel plaats ingeruimd voor de vorig jaar afgeronde studie Project Horizon en de daarbij behorende rekentool Martha. Martha maakt het mogelijk om op wetenschappelijk verantwoorde wijze wachtpatronen door te rekenen op de opbouw van fatigue. Tevens kan worden berekend wanneer fatigue zodanige vormen aanneemt dat het kan leiden tot problemen. Bij het tegen elkaar afzetten van diverse wachtstelsels zijn het met name die kritische waarden die een belangrijke rol spelen. Er werd een aantal doorgerekende scenario’s gepresenteerd die uiteenliepen van de klassieke 6-op/6-af variant tot wachtschema’s op basis van 5/7 en 7/5. Tevens waren er de Martha-uitkomsten van de voornoemde wachtschema’s maar dan met een verschuiving van de aanvangstijd

Telegraph kon u lezen dat de F leden in dienst bij P&O NSF bereid In de vorige uitgave van de

Uitnodiging

Nautilus heeft de werkgever inmiddels uitgenodigd voor een bijeenkomst om voorgaande onderhandelingspunten namens de leden toe te lichten. Vervolgens kunnen de onderhandelingen beginnen. U en de overige leden worden over het verloop van de onderhandelingen en de uitkomst op de hoogte gehouden.

36-37_nl.indd 37

boven de 50 jaar ligt. De Europese Commissie bezint zich samen met de lidstaten en de sector op geschikte maatregelen. Begin dit jaar is het NAIADES II programma door de EU aangenomen. Onder NAIADES II worden concrete acties op volgende terreinen voorgesteld: z kwaliteitsinfrastructuur, waaronder ook wordt verstaan de betere verbinding en integratie van binnenvaart met andere modaliteiten. Daarbij spelen de havens (zee- en binnenhavens) als connectors een belangrijke rol; z innovatie; z een goed functionerende markt; z afname van de milieubelasting

meeste voordeel valt te behalen uit een combinatie van deze verschuiving met een wachtstelsel van 5/7 of 7/5. Na aﬂoop van de presentatie volgde er een diepgaande discussies waarbij alle voor- en nadelen nogmaals werden gewogen. Mede gezien de uitkomsten van de Martha berekeningen werd in unanimiteit besloten dat het pauze artikel niet mag verdwijnen maar ook, dat het niet verstandig zou zijn om de Martha uitkomsten te negeren. De leden konden zich uiteindelijk unaniem vinden in een optie waarbij zonder het pauze artikel te schrappen er door de overheid toestemming wordt gegeven om in de vorm van een pilot tijdelijk af te wijken van het betreffende artikel. Door de periode van 6 uur zoals in het artikel genoemd te verleggen naar 7 kan dan worden geëxperimenteerd met het varen in 5/7 cq 7/5 en dit, idealiter in combinatie met de voornoemde verschuiving van de aanvangstijd van de hondenwacht. Het Nautilus bestuur gaat met deze uitkomst van de ledenvergadering van start. Er zal contact worden gezocht met overheid en werkgevers om te bezien hoe e.e.a. vorm kan worden gegeven.

Witte rook uit Dover: P&O NSF gaat overstag inzake de particuliere zorgbijdrage

‘Social Dialogue en NAIDES II’ In Brussel wordt gesproken en besloten. Of men het hier politiek mee eens is of niet, het is een feit dat de macht en de reikwijdte van de Europese Commissie steeds groter wordt. In plaats van zich hier tegen te verzetten (en men zich dus schaart onder de beste stuurlui aan wal) is het dus zaak dat men er voor zorgt wel aan tafel te zitten met deze Europese beslissers. Deze inspraak vindt onder meer plaats via de z.g. sectorale ‘Social Dialogue’ bijeenkomsten waaraan zowel de Europese werkgevers- als de werknemersorganisaties deelnemen. In de afgelopen jaren is de werkgelegenheid in de binnenvaart naar schatting met 10 procent gedaald, terwijl de gemiddelde leeftijd van werknemers in de sector

van de hondenwacht van middernacht naar 01.00 uur. Hetgeen direct duidelijk werd was het feit dat de loper van de hondenwacht de meeste risico’s loopt bij het overschrijden van de kritieke waarden. Dit laat zich eenvoudig verklaren. Hij of zij loopt namelijk wacht op een tijdstip dat de mens normaal gesproken zou moeten slapen. Tevens heeft deze persoon over het algemeen moeite om voorafgaand aan deze wacht voldoende slaap te krijgen met als gevolg dat hij/zij niet voldoende uitgerust aan de wacht begint. Uit de Martha berekeningen werd onverkort duidelijk dat in alle doorgerekende scenario’s ﬂinke winst te behalen valt door het verschuiven van de aanvangstijd van de eerste wacht. Indien deze wordt verschoven naar 01.00 uur nemen in alle doorgerekende wachtschema’s de risico’s op kritische fatigue waarden af. Echter, veruit het

door middel van lagere emissies; z gekwalificeerde werknemers en hoogwaardige arbeidsplaatsen; z integratie van de binnenvaart in de multimodale logistieke keten. NAIADES II beoogt onder meer de attractiviteit van de sector op de arbeidsmarkt te verhogen en kwalitatief hoogstaande arbeidsplaatsen te creëren, alsmede de arbeidsmobiliteit te stimuleren. Daarvoor bestaat het voornemen om tot een harmonisatie van beroepsprofielen en Europese afstemming van beroepskwalificaties te komen. Dit kan bijdragen tot het oplossen van het tekort aan gekwalificeerd personeel in de binnenvaart. Ten aanzien van de sociale

zekerheid (één communautair sociaal beleid voor de binnenvaart) is in de afgelopen jaren in het kader van de Sociale Dialoog nader uitwerking gegeven en een en ander heeft inmiddels geleid tot de totstandkoming van een specifieke regeling op het gebied van de arbeidstijden in de binnenvaart, waarvoor de sociale partners een overeenkomst hebben getekend. Verdere initiatieven die binnen de sociale dialoog momenteel besproken worden en die de attractiviteit van het beroep kunnen verhogen zijn zaken zoals de arbeidsomstandigheden en sociale zekerheden, harmonisatie van de opleidingen en kwalificaties, bemanningseisen en oneerlijke concurrentie.

waren tot acties als de werkgever geen boter bij de vis zou doen over een bijdrage in de zorgpremie. Inmiddels zijn we een aantal weken verder en er is nu eindelijk groen licht. Dit was echter nooit gelukt zonder de steun van de (kader)leden. Sinds de invoering van de zorgverzekering in 2006, ontvangen de werknemers geen particuliere zorgbijdrage meer. De werkgever beloofde toen dat er een bepaalde vorm van compensatie zou komen voor de vrijgekomen loonruimte en dat deze aangepast zou worden in het nieuwe reglement. Ondanks deze belofte kwam P&O NSF maar niet over de brug. En ook tijdens de CAO-onderhandelingen voor 2013 werd de zorgkwestie op de lange baan geschoven. De leden hadden er inmiddels schoon genoeg van en maar liefst 83% was zelfs bereid tot actie. Hierop gaf de werkgever aan wel wat te

willen doen aan de zorgbijdrage per 1 januari 2014, maar in een gesprek met de kaderleden werd meteen duidelijk dat dit absoluut geen optie was. Overstag

De werkgever is vervolgens naar Dover teruggegaan om de boodschap over te brengen. En eindelijk ging men overstag en kwam er witte rook uit de schoorsteen: de leden ontvangen per 1 januari 2013 €30,per maand bruto ten behoeve van de zorgbijdrage! Bovendien is de werkgever tegemoet gekomen aan de eis dat deze bijdrage structureel is en dus elk jaar terug komt. Na een pittige onderhandelingsperiode is de CAO voor 2013 nu een feit. Dankwoord

Nautilus werd tijdens de CAO-onderhandelingen met raad en daad bijgestaan door de kaderleden. Het is dankzij de steun van de (kader)leden dat we tot het gewenste resultaat zijn gekomen!

WILT U EEN ADVERTENTIE PLAATSEN IN DE TELEGRAPH NEEMT U DAN CONTACT OP MET: Tom Poole at Redactive Media Sales T: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 F: +44 (0)20 7880 7691

E: tom.poole@redactive.co.uk

19/03/2014 18:22

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

38_advert rfa.indd Sec2:38

19/03/2014 18:29

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

APPOINTMENTS NOTICE TO READERS Nautilus International advises members that some crewing agencies may not be advertising specific positions, but instead may be seeking to develop their databases of job hunters.

Join us in bringing knowledge, help and hope to the nations! OM Ships, a worldwide worl charity, is looking for qualified engin engineering officers, mechanics, fitters fitte and welders to volunteer to serve ser on their ship Logos Hope which is presently in the Far East.

For details visit www.omships.org or email: recruiting@omships.org

9 April 2014 is the closing date for May 2014. You can still advertise online anytime.

Sealion Shipping manages a Åeet of platform supply, anchorhandling tug supply, DP oɈshore construction/ROV support/saturation diving and well testing vessels. Due to further expansion and delivery of new vessels Farnham Marine Agency invites applications from suitably qualiÄed:

Experienced Masters & Chief Oɉcers for our new build anchor handlers Applicants must hold valid STCW 95 CertiÄcation, and have recent seagoing experience. Applications should be made online at:

www.farnhammarineagency.co.uk

CV Professionals Maritime & oσshore specialists www.cvprofessionals.co.uk

Marine Surveyor required for survey and consultancy work, mainly in ship and small commercial vessel sector in UK and abroad. The post is based in Central Scotland, and applicants should hold a full driving licence. Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced marine engineers, preferably holders of Class 1 Certificate of Competency. To apply send a recent CV to info@aadamson.co.uk

Leading Marine Recruitment Specialists We are seeking all ranks of seafarers, offshore and shore based personnel and in particular:

Your First Port of Call Address: 114-118 Hampton Lane Southampton SO45 1WE UK Telephone: +44(0)2380 890432 Email: recruitment@seamariner.com www.seamariner.com

Deck Of½cers - AHTS, PSV & RoRo’s Engineering Of½cers - Tankers, Cruise & RoRo’s All Of½cers & Crew - ERRV All DPO’s/SDPO’s (Unlimited DP Cert.) Various temporary assignments (Of½cers, Ratings & Catering) If you would like further information in registering with Seamariner or you would like to discuss your crewing requirements, please contact one of our experienced consultants

Advertise here & reach over 110,000 readers. Contact Paul Wade on 020 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk to find out how.

ANGLIAN MARINE RECRUITMENT LTD Marine Placement Agency

Ongoing vacancies for all ofﬁcers and ratings deep sea, coastal, st.by, supply, ahts, etc. To register send cv and copies of all certiﬁcates to: 6 Birch Court, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8LJ Tel/Fax: 01603 478938 Email: malcolm@anglianmarine.co.uk www.anglianmarine.co.uk

ISO9001:2008 accredited and KvK and MLC compliant Reg Co number: 2745210

Pritchard-Gordon Tankers (Guernsey) Ltd

Pritchard-Gordon Tankers Ltd, a family owned and managed company, operating British and Isle of Man registered oil tankers of between 5,000 and 12,000 dwt, are seeking experienced and suitably quali½ed, high calibre:

Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers

Farstad Shipping is actively looking for the following ranks with experience in working on AHTS DP I / DP II vessels and excited with the prospect of working in Asia:

Masters for AHTS Chief Mates for AHTS / PSVs Chief Engineers for AHTS / PSVs

(Requirements apply from 1, 4 & 7 to 14) (Requirements apply from 2, 5 & 7 to 14) (Requirements apply from 3, 6 & 12 to 19)

Requirements: 1. Master - Master COC– Unlimited Gross Tonnage and unlimited area of operation 2. Chief Mate - Chief Mate COC– Unlimited Gross Tonnage and Area of Operation. 3. Chief Engineer - Chief Engineer COC– Unlimited BHP / KW and Area of Operation. 4. Minimum two years’ experience as Master onboard AHTS / DP1 / DP 2 vessels more than 2,000 GRT / 10,000BHP or 100tBP. 5. At least two years’ experience as Chief Mate onboard AHTS / OSV DP1, DP1 vessels. AHTS vessels more 8,000BHP or 100tBP. 6. At least two years’ experience as Chief Engineer onboard AHTS vessels >8000BHP / PSVs >2500dwt. 7. Valid DP unlimited certificate. 8. Jack-up support, semi-sub rig/barge moves and regular platform supply duties. 9. Excellent vessel manual handling and station keeping skills. 10. Operational experience in anchor handling and towing. 11. Additional experience in Pre-lay mooring activities is an advantage. 12. Medically fit. 13. All valid STCW required training certificates. 14. Fluent in English both verbal and in writing. 15. Experienced operating and maintaining work/tow winches, bulk & liquid cargo handling systems, HV switch boards & controls systems. 16. Operational experience with jack-up, semi-sub rig/barge moves and regular platform supply duties on PSVs. 17. DP maintenance training is an advantage. 18. Experience with diesel electric propulsion systems and advantage. 19. Operational experience with jack-up, semi-sub rig/barge moves and regular platform supply duties on PSVs.

If you think, that you have what it takes for this position then send your comprehensive and up to date CV with personal information, work experiences and references to our Human Resource Department: hr.singapore@farstad.com

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 39

We lay great importance on teamwork and continuity, with a number of senior of½cers having been with the company over 20 years. Our company ethos is to offer a superior service and level of professionalism to our Major and National Oil Company customers in challenging operational conditions. Voyage lengths are of 10 to 13 weeks duration followed by an equal period of leave. Terms and conditions are competitive and commensurate with rank and experience.

Applications in the ½rst instance to Head of Personnel, Pritchard-Gordon Tankers Ltd, 6 Coronation Street, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE33 1AZ Tel 0191 427 0303 Email personnel@pgtankers.com Website www.pgtankers.com

Where’s my Telegraph? If you have moved recently, your home copy may still be trying to catch up with you — particularly if you gave us a temporary address such as a hall of residence.

To let us know your new address, go to www. nautilusint.org and log in as a member, or contact our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454 or membership@nautilusint.org.

18/03/2014 14:54

40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

APPOINTMENTS

Engine Room Technician For service onboard their Lighthouse Tenders on a fixed manning rota – 28 days duty followed by 28 days leave. The Northern Lighthouse Board – www.nlb.org.uk is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man, responsible in law for the provision and control of a network of marine aids to navigation – lighthouses, buoys, beacons and a precision satellite-based navigation service. The Engine Room Technician assists the Engineer Officers with the operation of ships machinery in a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly manner. The Engine Room Technician will be required to carry out maintenance and repairs on ships machinery. Applications are invited from those who have the following: • An STCW95 Engineering Watch Rating certificate • Mechanical engineering background & experience • Valid STCW95 basic training courses • Knowledge & experience of ship’s engineering and safety systems • Recent relevant sea-going experience in a similar position • Valid unrestricted MCA Medical Certificate (ENG 1) Flexibility and good interpersonal skills are essential, as is the ability to communicate at all levels. The current pay band for an Engine Room Technician is £27,852 per year rising to £30,084 per year depending on performance. Benefits package includes generous career average occupational pension scheme For further details and an application form please e-mail jobs@nlb.org.uk or telephone Paul Keane, HR Advisor on 0131 473 3123. Closing date is Friday 18th April 2014 Northern Lighthouse Board, 84 George Street, EDINBURGH EH2 3DA The Northern Lighthouse Board is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible people regardless of sex, race and disability

HM GOVERNMENT OF GIBRALTAR

OFFICIAL NOTICE

Navigation Specialist Based in Taunton, Somerset

Salary range £23,680 - £31,124 + benefits (dependent on skills and experience)

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is at the forefront of the digital revolution in maritime navigation and the organisation behind the highly successful Admiralty brand. We provide comprehensive world coverage of navigational charts and publications, digital products and services to the mariner, international shipping and our Defence customer. We need Navigation Specialists to provide navigational and maritime guidance to Production Teams within UKHO. Using excellent judgement, combined with extensive sea-going experience, you will produce safe, accurate, clear, comprehensive, timely and up-to-date volumes of sailing directions to mariners for the maritime customer. Your key role is to assess and verify new information, including Foreign Government Hydrographic Office charts and Sailing Directions, photographic views and reports of survey from HM Ships and contract companies; updating databases and products accordingly. In addition to this, you will be required to produce Notice to Mariners to update Sailing Directions, liaise with and advise internal colleagues and liaise externally with Harbour Masters and Port Companies as appropriate.

The MoD is an Equal Opportunities employer and seeks to reflect the diverse community it serves. Applications are welcome from anyone who meets the stated requirements.

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 40

To be successful, you must hold a Deck Officer Certificate of Competence or a seagoing Royal Navy/ Merchant Navy equivalent qualification. With practical navigational experience on an international scale, you will be a strong communicator with the ability to distinguish significant information from data presented and keep accurate records of the actions taken. Excellent IT skills, including experience of MS Suite packages, are essential. This is a UKHO non-reserved post for which applicants must be British citizens, citizens of the Irish Republic, a Commonwealth state, or EEA nationals. Successful applicants will require security clearance; you will therefore need to have resided in the UK for a minimum of 5 years. Please visit www.ukho.gov.uk for an information sheet and an application form. Alternatively, you can contact the Recruitment Team at the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, Admiralty Way, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 2DN. Tel: +44 (0)1823 723353. Email: recruitment@ukho.gov.uk The closing date for applications is 30th April 2014.

VACANCY FOR MARINE SURVEYOR The Government of Gibraltar invites applications for appointment as Marine Surveyor with the Gibraltar Maritime Administration. Applicants must by virtue of their citizenship, be entitled to take up employment in Gibraltar and to travel without restriction within the EU. This is an opportunity to join a Maritime Administration which is growing quickly and the duties are varied and interesting and include: conducting ship surveys, flag and ILO inspections and ISM/ ISPS audits of Gibraltar ships; PSC inspection, survey of harbour craft, examination of seafarers and approval of service providers for the maritime industry. The successful applicant will have a positive approach, the drive to effectively carry out his duties, the ability to work with a small team, IT skills and be fluent in English. What you will need:a) A Chief Engineer’s Certificate of Competency (Unlimited) - STCW Reg. III/2 issued by an EU Flag State b) 5 years experience as Chief Engineer, marine superintendent or marine surveyor c) ISM Lead auditor qualification and experience d) A minimum of 5 years relevant experience in a marine environment Preference may be given to applicants with Flag State and/or Port State inspector experience. The appointment is on contract terms, initially for three years. Further particulars may be obtained from the Maritime Administrator on Tel +350 200 46862. Application forms may be obtained from the Human Resources Department, 82-86 Harbour’s Walk, New Harbours, Rosia Road, Gibraltar, and (Tel No. +350 200 51680, email: humanresources@gibraltar.gov.gi) and from the Maritime Administration web site at www.gibraltarship.com. Applications must be handed in or received by the Human Resources Manager, at the above address by no later than 1.00pm on Monday 28th April.

18/03/2014 14:54

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 41

APPOINTMENTS

SHORE BASED Senior Marine Personnel Adviser South East England - £35K Marine Superintendent South East England - £60K

OFFSHORE

Captain - 60m M/Y - €120K

Chief Officer - AHTS - £300/day

Chief Engineer - 45m M/Y - €72K

Master - AHTS - $500/day

Chief Engineer - 50m M/Y - €78K

Master - PSV - $450/day

Second Engineer - 46m S/Y - €54K

Chief Engineer - PSV - $400/day

AV/IT Engineer - 90m M/Y - $54K

Master - PSV - £64K

Marine Operations Officer Switzerland - 140K CHF

Chief Officer - 60m M/Y - €60K

2nd Master - AHTS - $140K

2nd Officer - 100m+ M/Y - $60K

Master - AHTS - $165K

Offshore Technical Superintendent Hamburg - €60K

Chief Steward/ess - 100m+ M/Y - €42K

Senior DPO - DSV - £65K

Tanker, LNG & Ro-Ro Technical Superintendent Glasgow - £55-60K + Benefits Tanker Marine Superintendent Glasgow - £58K + Benefits Assistant Tech Superintendent The Netherlands - €60K + Benefits Safety Officer The Netherlands - €52K + Benefits

Electrical Tech - FPSO - £58K

CRUISE

Stg 3 Crane Op - Construction - £375/day

Master - Cruise - €69K Chief Engineer - Cruise - €63K Junior Chief Engineer - Cruise - $90K

DEEP SEA

1st Engineer - Cruise - $75K

Master - LNG - $120K

3rd Engineer - Cruise - £28K

Chief Engineer - LNG Steam - $117K

Chef de Partie - River Cruise - €15K

Chief Engineer - LNG Motor - $117K

Hotel Manager - River Cruise - €48K

4th Engineer - LNG - $52K 3rd Officer - LNG - $52K

WORKBOAT/FERRY

Chief Officer - LNG - $96K

Offshore Marine Superintendent Aberdeen - £65K + Benefits

Chief Engineer - Tug - £48K

Electrical Officer - LNG - $56K

2nd Engineer - Workboat - £40K

Chief Engineer - VLCC - $117K

Offshore Technical Superintendent South East - £60K + Benefits

Chief Engineer - Ferry - £50K

2nd Engineer - VLCC- $96K

3rd Engineer - Ferry - £35K

4th Engineer - VLCC - $52K

Shore-based: +44 (0)23 8020 8840 shipping-uk@faststream.com

Seagoing: +44 (0)23 8020 8820 seagoing-uk@faststream.com

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 41

YACHTS

Search for ‘Faststream Seafarers’ @faststreamsea www.faststream.com

18/03/2014 14:54

42 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

APPOINTMENTS

MERCHANT NAVY OFFICER TRAINING COURSES DECK COURSES

START DATES

ENGINEERING COURSES

START DATES

Class 1 Orals Preparation Course

18 Aug 2014, 3 Nov 2014 & 2 Feb 2015

Chief Mate Full Reg II/1

18 Aug 2014 & 5 Jan 2015

Class 1 Naval Architecture & Electrotechnology

22 April 2014

Chief Mate Post HND

18 Aug 2014 & 10 Nov 2014

OOW Post HND

29 Sep 2014 & 19 Jan 2015

Class 1 & 2 Engineering Knowledge (General and Motor/Steam) - Unlimited

12 May 2014

Class 4 EOOW & IAMI Preparation

25 Aug 2014 & 27 Oct 2014

Email contact for above courses: Senior.Marine@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk

Department of Marine Operations - SHORT COURSES

Email contact for above: Engineering@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk

We offer a full range of STCW, MCA & Specialised Marine Short Courses.

For other Engineering enquiries please contact BTMT: 07/04/14, 23/06/14

Caroline Alderdice - 0141 565 2713 Caroline.Alderdice@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk

CPSCRB (Certiﬁcation of Proﬁciency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats): 21/04/13, 28/04/14, 05/05/13, 02/06/14, 09/06/14, 16/06/14, 23/06/14 ECDIS: 28/04/14, 12/05/14, 09/06/14, 30/06/14

Lecturer in Marine Engineering

HELM Management: 31/03/14, 21/04/14, 28/04/14, 19/05/14, 26/05/14, 02/06/14, 16/06/14, 30/06/14

Permanent Full Time, 35hrs per week £27,167-£35,254 (Starting Salary will depend on industrial experience)

HELM Operational: Please contact for availability

Lecturer in Nautical Studies

PSSR: 02/05/14, 20/06/14 Safety Ofﬁcer: 16/06/14

Permanent Full Time, 35hrs per week £27,167-£35,254 (Starting Salary will depend on industrial experience)

Shipboard Security Ofﬁcer: 22/04/14, 09/06/14 Specialised Chemical Tanker: 07/04/14, 21/07/14 Specialised Gas Tanker: 14/04/14, 23/06/14, 04/08/14 Specialised Oil Tanker: 07/04/14, 16/06/14, 28/07/14 Tanker Familiarisation: 16&30/06/14 For info on our other courses: LICOS, GMDSS, NAEAST, Freefall Lifeboat, Advanced Ship Handling, BRM.

For further Marine enquiries please contact Alison Bryce - 0141 565 2700 Marine.Short.Courses@cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk

We are currently recruiting for specialist Lecturing staff. For detailed post descriptions and to apply for either of the vacancies above please visit the ‘work for us’ section on the College website at www.cityofglasgowcollege.ac.uk Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory PVG Disclosure Check and must be eligible to work in the UK. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from applicants who add diversity to the College.

City of Glasgow College SC036198

Catering Superintendent

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 42

18/03/2014 14:54

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43

APPOINTMENTS

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 43

18/03/2014 14:55

44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

APPOINTMENTS Engineer Surveyor – Pressure Various UK locations: NE England, South/Central/West Scotland, South London, Salary: £28,000 - £32,000 and company car or £3,400 allowance with up to £6,000 London weighting allowance and excellent beneÀts

If you’re currently a Marine Engineer looking for a new challenge, who wants their career to make a sustained difference, then Bureau Veritas should be your ¿rst choice. Bureau Veritas ranks as the world’s second largest group in conformity assessment and certi¿cation services in the ¿elds of quality, health and safety, environment, and social responsibility (“QHSE”) and the world leader in QHSE services not including raw materials inspection. Our Inspection teams offer the highest levels of engineering In-service inspection solutions to organisations the world over. Bureau Veritas can offer, complete training in the industry, a stable long term career, a dynamic work environment, generous salary and a comprehensive bene¿ts package.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

Hold NVQ III/ONC/HNC/HND or comparable in a mechanical discipline Hold a current UK driving license Proven experience and sound technical knowledge of the relevant engineering discipline Experience of inspection/maintenance of pressure systems (air, steam, hydraulics, pneumatics) Computer literate skills

BENEFITS

Bureau Veritas offers a comprehensive ¿nancial package which includes: Competitive salary and allowances; De¿ned contribution pension 25 days holidays plus public bank holidays; Various insurances Private health insurance; Various Àexible bene¿ts to suit individual requirements To apply for this role send your CV and covering letter by email stating the role title in the subject line to yourcareer@uk.bureauveritas.com

Fleetwood - a top UK Nautical College with a long established reputation for being a leading provider of training to the Maritime industry. OFFSHORE Advanced Fire Fighting – 26 May, 2 June, 30 June, 14 July, 21 July, 28 July | Basic Training for Seafarers – 28 April, 12 May, 19 May, 23 June, 4 Aug | Deck Ratings (Apprenticeship) – 5 May, 10 Nov Efficient Deck Hand – 28 April, 19 May, 23 June, 21 July | Medicare – 28 April, 23 June Medical First Aid – 26 May, 23 June, 7 July, 28 July | NEBOSH General – 7 July, 6 Oct NEBOSH Oil/Gas – 12 May, 11 Aug | PSC&RB – 28 April, 19/May, 23 June, 4 Aug E offshore@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/offshore Facebook /FleetwoodNauticalCampusOffshoreOperations

MARITIME ECDIS - 14 July | NAEST (M) - 28 April, 14 July, 21 July, 28 July HELM (M) - 14 July, 21 July, 28 July | Bridge Team Management - 22 Sept, 10 Nov For more information E maritime@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/nautical If you are interested in working at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, call 01253 50(4760) to register your interest or for information on current vacancies.

Co mmended

WWW. BLACKPOOL. AC.UK

THINK YOU CAN MASTER ONE OF OUR PSVs?

Gulf Offshore retrain Masters from all shipping sectors through their unique Skills Transfer and Development Training Programme. If you are a serving Master and are looking for a rewarding career change please send your CV to mastermind@gulfoffshore.co.uk

THE DIFFERENCE IS OUR PEOPLE

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 44

18/03/2014 14:55

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 45

APPOINTMENTS

Holyhead Towing Holyhead Towing has an excellent reputation for the supply of modern support vessels to projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and beyond. Continued expansion means we are looking to recruit:

Engineering Superintendent The role will include â&#x20AC;˘ arranging repairs and maintenance â&#x20AC;˘ carrying out ship visits â&#x20AC;˘ dry dock supervision â&#x20AC;˘ liaison with regulatory bodies and classiďŹ cation societies The ideal candidate will have qualiďŹ ed to 2nd Engineer (Unlimited CoC) level or above.

Marine Superintendent The role will include â&#x20AC;˘ carrying out ship visits and inspections â&#x20AC;˘ assessment of crew â&#x20AC;˘ dry dock supervision â&#x20AC;˘ liaison with regulatory bodies and clients The ideal candidate will be qualiďŹ ed to Class 1 Master Mariner level, experience of tug and anchor handling work is essential. Consideration will be given to candidates with Chief OfďŹ cer (Unlimited CoC) if they have the right background and experience. Shore based experience in a similar role would be advantageous.

Send letter of application and CV to: superintendentapplications@holyhead.co.uk There will be time away from home during vessel visits and dry dockings and because of the international nature of the operations there will be a considerable amount of foreign travel. The ofďŹ ce is based in Holyhead, the successful candidates will be expected to live on, or near, the beautiful Isle of Anglesey or be prepared to move to the area. Only UK residents or those able to work in UK will be considered.

When advertising your maritime and oďŹ&#x20AC;shore opportunities in the Nautilus Telegraph, we will now give you a standard listing on nautilusint.org/jobs for no extra charge. This gets you extra visibility to 8,000 active jobseekers as well as 100,000 readers who read the magazine.

To advertise your vacancy contact Paul Wade on +44 20 7880 6212 or paul.wade@redactive.co.uk

Salary is negotiable, depending on experience and qualiĂ cations.

www.holyheadtowing.co.uk

INTERISLANDER Wellington, New Zealand Have you thought of working in New Zealand? Would you like a way of life which incorporates: Â&#x203A; 8 YXcXeZ\[ c`]\jkpc\6 Â&#x203A; FlkjkXe[è^ eXkliXc Y\Xlkp6 Â&#x203A; 8 î\Xk gcXZ\ ]fi k_\ n_fc\ ]Xd`cp6%%% Ă&#x2C6;E\n Q\XcXe[\ij \eafp X _\Xck_p nfib c`]\ YXcXeZ\ $ jfd\ jXp k_\ Y\jk è k_\ nfic[Ă&#x2030;% @ek\i`jcXe[\i _Xj Y\\e Zi\Xkè^ E\n Q\XcXe[Ă&#x2039;j dfjk i\d\dY\i\[ aflie\pj jèZ\ (0-)# n`k_ fm\i *- d`cc`fe g\fgc\ kiXm\ccè^ fe fli j_`gj Y\kn\\e k_\ Efik_ Xe[ Jflk_ @jcXe[j [liè^ k_\ gXjk ,) p\Xij% @ek\i`jcXe[\i `j efk aljk X :ffb JkiX`k ]\iip j\im`Z\ Ylk Xe `Zfe`Z E\n Q\XcXe[ \og\i`\eZ\ ]fi [fd\jk`Z Xe[ èk\ieXk`feXc kiXm\cc\ij Xc`b\% @ek\i`jcXe[\iĂ&#x2039;j :ffb JkiX`k =\ii`\j# k_\ BX`kXb`# 8iX_liX Xe[ 8iXk\i\# kiXm\c Y\kn\\e N\ccè^kfe Xe[ G`Zkfe% K_\ 0)bd mfpX^\ kXb\j * _flij Xe[ _Xj Y\\e [\jZi`Y\[ Xj Ă&#x2C6;fe\ f] k_\ dfjk Y\Xlk`]lc ]\iip i`[\j è k_\ nfic[Ă&#x2030;%

Masters

Job Reference 2420 K_\ DXjk\i `j fm\iXcc è Z_Xi^\ f] k_\ \ekì\ m\jj\c Xe[ `j k_\ @ek\i`jcXe[\iĂ&#x2039;j j\e`fi i\gi\j\ekXk`m\ fe YfXi[% K_`j èZcl[\j _Xmè^ k_\ i\jgfej`Y`c`kp ]fi k_\ jX]\ Xe[ \]Ă&#x201D;Z`\ek fg\iXk`fe# èZcl[è^ ZXi^f Xe[ gXjj\e^\i fg\iXk`fe# eXm`^Xk`fe# Zi\n dXeX^\d\ek Xe[ \ejliè^ k_Xk k_\ m\jj\c Zfdgc`\j n`k_ Xcc jkXklkfip Xe[ cfZXc I\^lcXk`fej Xggc`ZXYc\ kf k_\ j_`g Yfk_ Xk j\X Xe[ è _XiYfli% 8ggc`ZXekj j_Xcc Xj X dè`dld1 Â&#x203A; ?fc[ X Zlii\ek JK:N$0, @@&) DXjk\ij :\ik`Ă&#x201D;ZXk\ f] :fdg\k\eZp n`k_ X Zlii\ek j\X$^fè^ c`Z\eZ\ \e[fij\[# fi ZXgXYc\ f] Y\è^ \e[fij\[# Yp DXi`k`d\ E\n Q\XcXe[% Â&#x203A; ;\dfejkiXk\ \og\i`\eZ\ è ifcc$fe$ifcc$f]] gXjj\e^\i ]\iip fg\iXk`fej Xe[ gifm\e \og\i`\eZ\ è k_\ ifc\% Â&#x203A; 9\ kiXè\[# fi Xi\ ZXgXYc\ f] Y\è^ kiXè\[ kf X _`^_ c\m\c f] j_`g _Xe[cè^ Zfdg\k\eZp% Â&#x203A; ?fc[# fi Y\ ZXgXYc\ f] fYkXèè^# G`cfk <o\dgk`fej ]fi k_\ gfikj f] N\ccè^kfe Xe[ G`Zkfe èZcl[è^ DXicYfifl^_ Jfle[j # Xe[ Xep fk_\i gfikj Xj [\j`êXk\[ ]ifd k`d\ kf k`d\% Â&#x203A; Gifm\e c\X[\ij_`g \og\i`\eZ\ è X DXjk\i fi =ìjk DXk\ ifc\% 9Xj\ jXcXip (+,#*-) gclj X[[`k`feXc XccfnXeZ\j Xe[ gXpd\ekj% (( \dgcfp\i jlg\iXeelXk`fe Zfeki`Ylk`fe XmX`cXYc\%

First OfďŹ cer Engineers Job Reference FOE14

8j =ìjk F]Ă&#x201D;Z\i <e^è\\i pfl n`cc gcXe# fi^Xe`j\# [ì\Zk# Zffi[èXk\ Xe[ dfe`kfi k_\ fg\iXk`fe Xe[ nfib f] k_\ \e^è\\iè^ [\gXikd\ek jf k_Xk jpjk\dj Xe[ \hl`gd\ek Xi\ gifm`[\[ Xe[ Zfjk \]]\Zk`m\cp dXèkXè\[ è X jX]\ Xe[ i\c`XYc\ Zfe[`k`fe% K_`j n`cc Y\ Zfej`jk\ek n`k_ k_\ gièZ`gc\j f] ^ff[ dXiè\ \e^è\\iè^ giXZk`Z\ Xe[ k_\ Zfdd\iZ`Xc fYa\Zk`m\j f] k_\ @ek\i`jcXe[\i% Pfli \ok\ej`m\ \e^è\\iè^ dXeX^\d\ek \og\i`\eZ\# \og\i`\eZ\ nfibè^ n`k_è X Yl[^\k Xe[ gi\m`flj jkX]] dXeX^\d\ek n`cc \ejli\ pfli jlZZ\jj è k_\ ifc\% 8cc Xggc`ZXekj j_Xcc gi\]\iXYcp1 Â&#x203A; ?fc[ Xe JK:N @@@&) :_`\] <e^è\\i :\ik`Ă&#x201D;ZXk\ EQ :cXjj ( Dfkfi # \e[fij\[ fi ZXgXYc\ f] Y\è^ \e[fij\[# Yp DXi`k`d\ EQ% Â&#x203A; ?Xm\ gifm\e c\X[\ij_`g Xe[ g\fgc\ dXeX^\d\ek jb`ccj% Â&#x203A; ?Xm\ X jfle[ k\Z_e`ZXc befnc\[^\% Â&#x203A; ?Xm\ \og\i`\eZ\ n`k_ GcXee\[ DXèk\eXeZ\ Jpjk\dj `%\% 8dfj % N\ Xi\ XYc\ kf Xjj`jk n`k_ E\n Q\XcXe[ @dd`îXk`fe gifZ\[li\j le[\i fli KXc\ek M`jX XZZi\[`kXk`fe% 9Xj\ jXcXip ()-#'-- gclj X[[`k`feXc XccfnXeZ\j Xe[ gXpd\ekj% (( \dgcfp\i jlg\iXeelXk`fe Zfeki`Ylk`fe XmX`cXYc\% To ďŹ nd out more about these roles, or to apply, visit careers.kiwirail.co.nz and enter the job reference code. Applications close Thursday, 10 April 2014.

careers.kiwirail.co.nz

p39-45_TELApr14.indd 45

18/03/2014 14:55

46 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MGN 504 (M) — Maritime passenger rights: role of the national enforcement body This note summarises the rights of passengers on vessels operating in and out of EU ports, and explains who should handle any complaints. It replaces MGN 488 (M), as it contains information about certain changes effective since 1 January 2014. EU Regulation No 1177/2010 establishes the right of all passengers to assistance in cases of cancelled or delayed departures and lays down the right, in certain circumstances, to compensation in case of delay in arrival. The Regulation also provides disabled persons, or those with reduced mobility, with rights to accessibility assistance when travelling by water comparable with those in other transport sectors. If an individual has a complaint, they should first raise it with the operator. Within the UK, if it cannot be resolved in this way, the complaint may then be referred to the appropriate voluntary Complaint Handling Body (CHB). MGN 504 contains a list of these CHBs, their areas of operation and their contact details, as of 1 January 2014. If it is not possible to resolve a complaint via the operator or CHB, it may then be investigated by the National Enforcement Body (NEB), which will consider whether there has been a breach of the EU Regulation. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) will operate as the National Enforcement Body for the whole of the UK. All complaints that are upheld by the CHB involving a breach of the Regulation are to be reported to the NEB. MIN 474 (M) — Training and certification: changes to IAMI Officer of the Watch written examinations This note reports that, from 1 September 2014, a new syllabus will be introduced for examinations leading to UK Engineer Officer of the Watch certification under STCW 78, as amended. The change will apply to International Association of

Maritime Institutions (IAMI) written examinations, which will now include an exam on ‘Control Engineering’. At present (prior to 1 September 2014), candidates must pass the following exams in order to qualify for an Engineer Officer of the Watch Reg III/1 Certificate of Competency (CoC): z General Engineering Science (GES) A & B — Minimum 50% pass in each section z Engineering Knowledge (EK) ‘General’, ‘Steam’ and/or ‘Motor’. Minimum 50% pass in each section From 1 September 2014, candidates must meet the following examination requirements in order to qualify for the Engineer Officer of the Watch Reg III/1 CoC: z General Engineering Science A & B — Minimum 50% pass in each section z Engineering Knowledge (broken down into the following sections) a) General, consisting of the subjects Auxiliary Equipment, Electrical and Ship Construction. A 40% pass rate is acceptable for each subject individually; however, an average of 50% overall must be met b) Motor and/or Steam — minimum of 50% pass required c) Control Engineering — minimum of 50% for a pass MIN 474 sets out the time frames within which candidates must pass the various examinations and apply for EOOW certification. It also notes that some candidates may be exempt from the Control Engineering paper if they have already studied this subject as part of an approved qualification. MIN 476 (M+F) — Codes of practice for controlling risks due to noise and vibration on ships Following the implementation of several pieces of legislation on shipboard noise and vibration, the MCA has produced three codes providing guidance and interpretation to help users comply with the regulations. These are: z Code of practice for controlling risks due to noise on ships z Code of practice for controlling risks due to whole body vibration on ships z Code of practice for controlling hand transmitted vibration on ships Those primarily affected by the noise and vibration regulations will

Member meetings and seminars Nautilus International organises regular meetings, forums and seminars for members to discuss pensions, technical matters, maritime policies and legal issues. Coming up in the next few months are:

be operators and managers of ships, fishing vessels and other marine craft, including yachts and work boats registered in the UK on which workers are employed. The regulations will apply also to charities and similar organisations that operate vessels, but only when there are workers on such vessels. The codes of practice are intended to assist those concerned with designing, building and owning or managing ships to comply with the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Noise at Work) Regulations 2007, and the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Control of Vibration at Work) Regulations 2007. The codes of practice collectively deal with: z the assessment of risk from noise and vibration onboard ships z the measurement and evaluation of noise and vibration z the assessment of the severity of exposures to noise and vibration z the identification of controls to eliminate or reduce exposures to noise and vibration z the involvement of crew members in the control of noise and vibration risks, including the provision of information and training z the provision of health monitoring and surveillance for noise and vibration MIN 476 lists the publication details of the codes of practice, which are available for purchase from The Stationery Office (TSO) as paperback books or downloadable PDFs. See www.tsoshop.co.uk.

z M-Notices are available as

electronic documents or as a set of bound volumes. z A consolidated set of M-Notices is published by The Stationery Office. This contains all M-Notices current on 31 July 2009 (ISBN 9780115530555) and costs £210 — www.tsoshop.co.uk z Individual copies can be electronically subscribed to by emailing a request to mnotices@ ecgroup.co.uk or downloaded from the MCA website. Go to www.dft. gov.uk/mca and click on ‘Ships and Cargoes’, then ‘Legislation and Guidance’.

What does MLC 2006 mean to you? Nautilus International is staging more of its seminars to help members get to grips with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. The next seminar is being staged for members in the superyacht sector

and will be held on 5 and 6 May, at the Mood beach in Portals, Palma. All the course materials are free and lunch will be provided on both days. Accommodation and travel will be at attendees’ own cost. Non

members are welcome to attend this event if they pay a full year’s membership subscription of £276.00. g For more information about the forum, or to register, email: hmolloy@nautilusint.org.

g Basic lay reps training course Monday and Tuesday 28/29 April 2014 at Nautilus House, Northern Ofﬁce, Mariners’ Park, Wallasey, Merseyside CH45 7HP The basic Lay Representative course aims and objectives are to give an insight into what each department does to support members and give representatives the knowledge to assist their colleagues in the workplace. Contact Hilary Molloy: +44 (0)151 639 8454 or email membership@nautilusint.org.

Contact Nautilus International Nautilus International welcomes contact from members at any time. Please send a message to one of our department email addresses (see page 17) or get in touch with us at one of our offices around the world. For urgent matters, we can also arrange to visit your ship in a UK port. Please give us your vessel’s ETA and as much information as possible about the issue that needs addressing. UK Head office Nautilus International 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane South Woodford, London E18 1BD Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 Fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015 enquiries@nautilusint.org

SINGAPORE Nautilus International 10a Braddell Hill #05-03 Singapore, 579720 Tel: +65 (0)625 61933 Mobile: +65 (0)973 10154 singapore@nautilusint.org

Offshore sector contact point Members working for companies based in the east of Scotland or UK offshore oil and gas sector can call: +44 (0)1224 638882 THE NETHERLANDS Postal Address Nautilus International Postbus 8575 3009 An Rotterdam Physical Address Nautilus International Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Tel: +31 (0)10 477 1188 Fax: +31 (0)10 477 3846 infonl@nautilusint.org

FRANCE Yacht sector office in partnership with D&B Services 3 Bd. d’Aguillon 06600 Antibes, France Tel: +33 (0)962 616 140 nautilus@dandbservices.com www.dandbservices.com SPAIN Yacht sector office in partnership with dovaston C/Joan de Saridakis 2, Edificion Goya Local 1A, Marivent 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain Tel: +34 971 677 375 recruitment@nautilusint.org www.dovaston.com

College contacts Induction visits See www.nautilusint.org/newsand-events for dates of upcoming college visits by the Nautilus recruitment team (scroll down to ‘latest events’). For further information, email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call Garry Elliott on +44 (0)151 639 8454. Industrial support for cadets An industrial official is appointed to each of the main nautical colleges. In addition the industrial department is responsible for representing

trainee officers in line with all members that we represent; please contact the union on +44 (0)20 8989 6677. Your enquiry will then be directed to the relevantindustrial organiser for your employer/sponsoring company. The union also facilitates a Young Maritime Professionals Forum to provide an opportunity for young members to engage in discussions on the specific challenges facing young workers in the maritime profession. For further information members/ trainee officers should contact Paul Schroder at youth@nautilusint.org.

g Professional & Technical Forum Wednesday 7 May 2014 at 1300hrs for 1330hrs at the FNV Bondgenoten, Pegasusweg 200, 3067 KX, Rotterdam The forum deals with a wide range of technical, safety, welfare and other professional topics of relevance to all members, including training and certification. The meeting is open to all members (UK, NL & CH). Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 protech@nautilusint.org

Quiz and crossword answersACDB Quiz answers 1. Around 9% of the current global cruiseship orderbook is being built in Japanese yards. 2. There are six cruiseships of150,000gt and above presently in service in the world fleet. 3. The Caribbean accounts for 37.3% of all global cruiseship itineraries. 4. Around two-thirds (65%) of the OSV orderbook is accounted for by platform supply vessels. 5. The LNG-powered Burquebus ferry Francisco operates a service between Argentina and Uruguay. 6. A predecessor of the sextant. Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 1. Journalist; 6. Troy; 9. Ducat; 10. Formulate; 12. Our daily bread; 14. One-piece; 15. Gluten; 17. Orange; 19. Muscadel; 21. Hydraulically; 24. Stockyard; 25. Olive; 26. Andy; 27. Pallidness. Down: 1. Jude; 2. Unclose; 3. No turning back; 4. La France; 5. Sorel; 7. Reagent; 8. Yieldingly; 11. Umbilical cord; 13. Monochasia; 16. Suicidal; 18. Android; 20 Daytime; 22. Llama; 23. Tess. This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph. Congratulations to Nautilus member Derek Forward who has won the prize draw for the March cryptic crossword. Cryptic answers from March Across: 7. Feldspar; 9. Plural; 10. Ditto; 11. Validate; 12. Go the extra mile; 15. Mosque; 16. Scream; 18. Chinese whisper; 20. Bleacher; 22. Limbo; 24. Miller; 25. Bacteria. Down: 1. Headroom; 2. Edit; 3. Privet; 4. Opal; 5. Quadriceps; 6. Rattle; 8. Prosecute; 13. Hospitable; 14. Alcoholic; 17. Mnemonic; 18. Collie; 19. Enrobe; 21. Hart; 23. Meet.

To suggest an organisation which could appear here, email telegraph@nautilusint.org

Maritime & Coastguard Agency +44 (0)23 8032 9100 www.dft.gov.uk/mca Implements the UK government’s maritime safety policy and works to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea.

International Transport Workers’ Federation +44 (0)20 7403 2733 www.itfglobal.org A federation of over 700 unions representing over 4.5 million transport workers from 150 countries.

Merchant Navy Welfare Board www.mnwb.org Umbrella body for the UK maritime charity sector, promoting cooperation between organisations that provide welfare services to merchant seafarers and their dependants within the UK.

Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport + 31 88 489 00 00 www.ilent.nl Dutch maritime authority (separate from Dutch coastguard).

Merchant Navy Training Board www.mntb.org.uk UK organisation promoting maritime education and training, and providing careers guidance. Administers the Careers at Sea Ambassadors scheme, under which serving seafarers can volunteer to give careers talks in UK schools.

Seafarers UK (formerly the King George’s Fund for Sailors) +44 (0)20 7932 0000 www.seafarers-uk.org Supports and promotes UK charities helping seafarers from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and fishing fleets. Often organises places for maritime fundraisers to enter marathons and other charity challenges.

46-47_info+join.indd 46

SWITZERLAND Gewerkschaftshaus, Rebgasse 1 4005 Basel, Switzerland Tel: +41 (0)61 262 24 24 Fax: +41 (0)61 262 24 25 infoch@nautilusint.org

Northern office Nautilus International Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 Fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801 enquiries@nautilusint.org

Useful organisations

Swiss Maritime Navigation Office +41 (0)61 270 91 20 www.smno.ch Swiss maritime authority.

g Advanced lay reps training course Monday and Tuesday 19/20 May 2014 at Nautilus House, Northern Ofﬁce, Mariners’ Park, Wallasey, Merseyside CH45 7HP This course is for those with experience in representing members or who have attended the basic course. It covers representing members to Employment Tribunal stage and taking a pay negotiation to industrial action. Contact Hilary Molloy: +44 (0)151 639 8454 or email membership@nautilusint.org.

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multi-lingual helpline for all seafarers’ welfare and support needs, as well as an emergency welfare fund. SAIL (Seafarers’ Information and Advice Line) 08457 413 318 +44 (0)20 8269 0921 www.sailine.org.uk UK-based citizens’ advice service helping seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, benefit

entitlements, housing, pensions and relationships. Seamen’s Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.uk UK charity dedicated to the health and welfare of seafarers. Includes the Dreadnought health service. Seafarers’ Link +44 (0)20 7643 13856 www.csv-rsvp.org Telephone friendship project connecting retired UK seafarers at home through a fortnightly telephone conference service.

Seatax Ltd +44 (0)1302 364673 www.seatax.ltd.uk Company providing specialist tax advice for merchant seafarers. Marine Society +44 (0)20 7654 7050 www.marine-society.org UK charity dedicated to the learning and professional development of seafarers. Offers 120,000 books to ships through its library service, plus distance-learning programmes and scholarship schemes including the Nautilus-administered Slater Fund.

19/03/2014 19:00

April 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 47

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Joëlle Knegt, personal assistant

Joëlle Knegt is a personal assistant who has been working in the Nautilus Rotterdam office since June 2012, providing vital support to assistant general secretary Marcel van den Broek and other senior officials. Joëlle was born and brought up near Spijkenisse, part of the Rotterdam municipal area, and she has her home there now — describing it as a very nice place in which to live. After finishing school and ‘spending some time figuring out what I wanted to do’, Joëlle spent almost three years

studying at a college to qualify as a personal assistant. ‘You learn things like time management and how to take minutes, as well as working with programs like Outlook, Excel spreadsheets, Word and Powerpoint — and typing very quickly,’ she explains. She went on to work in administrative roles in a health care centre for old people and at a hospital, before applying for a job with Nautilus. Much of her work is in support of Marcel van den Broek — and other officials in the Rotterdam office, such as Marcel van

Dam, Dirk Broek and Hylke Hylkema, when it’s necessary. ‘I really enjoy organising meetings and making sure all the appointments in the diaries fit together,’ Joëlle says. ‘I like to help people as much as possible.’ Joëlle knew something about shipping and seafaring, as her grandfather worked at sea for many years as an electrician. But she says she has learned a lot more about the industry through her attendance at Nautilus national committee meetings, where she takes minutes and listens to the debate and discussions.

Outside of work, she is keen on keeping fit and does a lot of fitness training. Joëlle also enjoys socialising with friends and family and is an avid movie-goer. She particularly recommends the recent release Wolf of Wall Street and also highly rated Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks as the captain of the Maersk Alabama, the US-flagged ship hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. ‘It was a great film — very real — and I couldn’t help crying in the last part when Captain Phillips is asking for his family and you see his shock. It’s so sad…’

Wherev er you are , we are

CALL NOW TO JOIN NAUTILUS ON: UK: +44 (0)151 639 8454 NL: +31 (0)10 477 11 88 CH: +41 (0)61 262 24 24

Join today so we can be there for you too! Pay and conditions Nautilus International is the first truly trans-boundary trade union for maritime professionals, reflecting the global nature of the industry. We negotiate with employers on issues including pay, working conditions, working hours and pensions to secure agreements which recognise members’ skills and experience, and the need for safety for the maritime sector. Legal services Nautilus Legal offers members a range of legal services free of charge. There are specialist lawyers to support members in work related issues and a number of non-work related issues. The Union also has a network of lawyers in 54 countries to provide support where members need it most. Workplace support Nautilus International officials provide expert advice on work-related problems such as contracts, redundancy, bullying or discrimination, non-payment of wages, and pensions. Certificate protection Members are entitled to free financial protection, worth up to £116,900, against the loss

46-47_info+join.indd 47

of income if their certiﬁcate of competency is cancelled, suspended or downgraded following a formal inquiry.

Extra savings Members can take advantage of many additional discounts and beneﬁts organised at a local level. These include tax advice, insurance discounts and advice on pension matters. In the Netherlands, discounts are organised through FNV, and trade union contributions are mostly tax-friendly, entitling members to receive a signiﬁcant part of their contributions back. International representation Nautilus International represents members’ views on a wide range of national and international bodies including the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA). We work at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on key global regulations covering working

conditions, health and safety and training. The Union is afﬁliated to the TUC in the UK, FNV in the Netherlands and SGB/USS in Switzerland.

In touch As a Nautilus International member, help is never far away — wherever in the world you are. Ofﬁcials regularly see members onboard their ships and visit cadets at college. Further support and advice is available at regular ‘surgeries’ and conferences. The Union has ofﬁces in London, Wallasey, Rotterdam and Basel. There are also representatives based in France, Spain and Singapore.

It’s never been more important to be a Nautilus member and it’s never been easier to apply for membership. You can now join over the phone, or online at www.nautilusint.org. If you can’t get online or to a telephone, post us this form to start the joining process. A member of the recruitment team will contact you as soon as possible. Please note that membership does not begin until subscriptions are paid. FIRST NAMES SURNAME ADDRESS POSTCODE EMAIL ADDRESS MOBILE (INCLUDING DIALLING CODE) HOME TELEPHONE GENDER

Your union, your voice The Union represents the voice of more than 23,000 maritime professionals working in all sectors of the industry at sea and ashore — including inland navigation, large yachts, deepsea and offshore. For members, by members Nautilus International is a dynamic and democratic trade union offering members many opportunities to become actively involved and have your say — at a local, national and international level.

DATE OF BIRTH

EMPLOYER SHIP

RANK

DISCHARGE BOOK NO (IF APPLICABLE) COLLEGE OF STUDY (CADET APPLICATIONS ONLY) COURSE (CADET APPLICATIONS ONLY)

Please post this form to: Membership services department Nautilus International Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH, United Kingdom

19/03/2014 18:30

48 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | April 2014

NEWS

Philippines bid to stave off EU ban have agreed to create a single F body to govern seafarer training and Politicians in the Philippines

certification in an attempt to stave off the threat of de-recognition by the European Union. Ahead of the long-awaited results of a new European Maritime Safety Agency audit of STCW compliance in the Philippines, the government has secured agreement on a bill to make the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) the sole administration responsible for oversight of the training and certification of Filipino seafarers. Marina administrator Maximo Mejia said the move would ensure that Filipino seafarer certification is ‘backed by a credible, responsible, and high quality monitoring system’. Some reports suggest the Philippines is now urging the EU to give it another 12 months to prove that the changes have addressed concern over its training standards.

Cadets in 24-hour lifeboat challenge for cancer charity cadets from Warsash Maritime Academy H who were last month preparing to do what Pictured above is the team of intrepid

seafarers all hope they will never have to do for real — spending 24 hours on the water in a liferaft. As the Telegraph went to press, the 39 officer trainees were due to squeeze into five

liferafts secured to a buoy on the River Hamble — and were hoping to raise nearly £8,000 for charity from their crowded, bumpy experience. It’s the first time that a nautical college has taken part in Sail 4 Cancer’s 24 hour liferaft challenge, which raises funds to provide respite breaks for families affected by cancer. WMA cadet liaison officer David Baker

commented: ‘This is a chance to enhance their training, and a great opportunity to raise funds and awareness for those facing far longer and more difficult challenges — UK families living with cancer.’ Maersk Crewing cadet Thomas Jones said he wished he’d known about the charity when he lost his mother to cancer. ‘I feel that this

charity would have helped me deal with the stress of the situation,’ he added. ‘They support people by helping to take their minds off things and creating some great lasting memories.’ g Each cadet has been given a target of £200 to raise for the charity. To support the cadets with a donation, go to www.sail4cancer.org and select ‘Liferaft challenge 2014’.

New bid to open up EU port services is halted Nautilus warns that controversial plans may re-emerge as Brussels runs out of time in third deregulation package

naming ceremony for the H latest addition to the ABP Humber

Pictured above is last month’s

Estuary Services fleet of pilot launches — Humber Jupiter. Built as part of a programme to upgrade the fleet, the £1.2m Nelson class vessel complements the existing four launches and can carry

as many as eight pilots and a crew of two at speeds of up to 23 knots. Humber Jupiter was christened by sponsor Mrs Rachel Cooper in a traditional ceremony hosted by ABP Humber director John Fitzgerald and harbourmaster Captain Phil Cowing, with the service of dedication by Fr Colum Kelly.

The European Commission has had to abandon its latest attempt to secure agreement on plans to deregulate key port services, including pilotage and increased market access. Work on the controversial proposals has been suspended after it became clear that MEPs would be unable to approve the draft regulation in time for it to be adopted before the European elections in May. The draft regulation was the third attempt within the space of a decade to deregulate port services, but it had attracted some 500 amendments since it was published last May. MEP and rapporteur Knut Fleckenstein said the measure could not be approved within the time constraints as a consequence of a lack of compromise on the scope of the market access

chapter and because of the need to better understand the European Commission’s intentions over state aid rules for ports. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the proposals had been the subject of signiﬁcant opposition, but it was unlikely that this will be the last attempt to deregulate the sector. ‘It is worrying that the discredited Ports Directive has reemerged as a Regulation targeted at certain safety-critical sectors of the industry with the objective of dividing and conquering all opposition,’ he added. The European Maritime Pilots Association (EMPA) said the timeout should be used to give careful consideration to proposed amendments to exclude pilotage from the market access chapter. EMPA president Captain Stein Inge Dahn said he was pleased to note a ‘better understanding’ of

the role of pilots. ‘The European pilots agree that the public service of pilotage should be subject to transparency and local port users’ influence and consultation processes,’ he added. ‘European pilots will continue participating in efforts to increase the efficiency of the traffic flow in ports throughout Europe, for example by utilising new technology and supporting proportional nautical guidelines — measures that have proved to be effective in allowing for substantially higher cargo volumes and increasingly larger ships’ sizes in our ports over recent decades.’ The European Sea Ports Association said it welcomed signs that the proposals would be reconsidered following the elections. ‘We understand that achieving a good compromise on such a controversial file in such a short time frame, especially in the run-up to

the European elections, is not an easy job,’ said secretary-general Isabelle Ryckbost. ‘We are pleased that there is a clear will from the main players on this file to continue the work after the elections, away from any electoral pressure.’ Patrick Verhoeven, secretarygeneral of the European CommunityShipowners’Associations, said the ‘time out’ on the debate was probably the only sensible option. ‘It should, however, not stop the European Commission from encouraging port development and efficiency in the meantime,’ he argued. ‘There is now an opportunity to make progress on the longoverdue proposal regarding pilotage exemption certificates and follow up on those areas where market access and transparency are problematic.’

Training courses for the maritime and offshore industries

Merchant Navy Operations (Deck) Certificate of Competency Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Jan, May & Sept intakes Chief Mate/Masters (Unlimited) Jan & Sep intakes Master Mariner (Unlimited) Orals Prep Mar & Oct intakes Shipboard Safety Officer Master Mariner (200Gt) Orals Prep (2 weeks) Shipboard Security Officer STCW Safety 5 day STCW Basic Safety Training Personal Survival Techniques Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Elementary First Aid Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting Advanced Fire Fighting Efficient Deck Hand Man Over Board / Rib Capsize Drills IMDG awareness

48_news.indd 48

Navigation NAEST (O) & (M) ECDIS generic and type speciﬁc Medical and First Aid Bridge Team Management Medical First Aid Onboard Ship Pre ARPA and ARPA Medical Care Onboard Ship (and Refresher) SVNR HSE Offshore First Aid (and Refresher) Tanker HSE First Aid at Work (and Refresher) Tanker Familiarisation HSE Emergency First Aid at Work Specialist Tanker Training (Oil) Radio Dynamic Positioning GMDSS GOC/ROC/LRC/CAA DP Induction VHF Short Range Certiﬁcate DP Simulator DP Introduction

Offshore Oil & Gas OIM Management of Major Emergencies CRO Controlling Emergencies Command & Control for ERRVs Masters & Mates Oil Spill Crisis Management (OPRC) COMPEX EX01 to EX04 Offshore Wind 5 day Wind Energy Safety Training Working at Height & Rescue (RUK) Advanced Rescue Climbing Awareness Marine Transfer Conﬁned Space Entry & Rescue

Facilities for Hire Environmental Pool (wave, wind, rain) Marine Transfer Ladder Full Mission Ship’s Bridge Simulator Dynamic Positioning Simulator Offshore Control Room Simulator

Lowestoft College, St Peters Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2NB United Kingdom

Tel:

00 44 1502 525025

Email: maritime@lowestoft.ac.uk Web: www.lowestoft.ac.uk/maritime.asp

Accredited by

19/03/2014 18:30