Nautilus Telegraph October 2017

Flying the flag Record numbers of Red Ensigns mark MN Day 02

Making waves Warm welcome for ‘milestone’ windfarm vessel 29

NL nieuws Vier pagina’s met nieuws uit Nederland 32-35

Volume 50 | Number 10 | October 2017 | £3.50 €3.70

Ministers pledge to double fleet Nautilus welcomes shipping policy promises, but warns that action — not words — is essential

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Ambitious government plans to double the size of the UK flag and to boost British seafarer training have been welcomed by Nautilus.

But the Union is also warning that the industry needs action as well as words — and ministers need to deliver on the SMarT-Plus package to improve support for maritime training if progress is to be made.

September’s London International Shipping Week (LISW) saw ministers make a series of policy announcements pledging their backing for the industry and challenging companies to double the number of maritime apprentices.

Speaking at the LISW conference, international trade minister Liam Fox said shipping remains the foundation of the country’s prosperity. ‘Just as shipping supports the UK economy, so we will support your industry,’ he added.

‘And if the shipping industry is the keystone of global trade, then we will do everything we can to extend and support your operations here in the UK. As a government, and as a country, we are committed to strengthening this vital sector.’

Transport minister Chris Grayling said Brexit would ‘allow Britain to seize new opportunities and rediscover our heritage as a truly global, seafaring, trading nation’ and the government was determined to work with the industry to ensure it can expand.

Mr Grayling promised that he will shortly announce plans for a public discussion ‘to help shape and promote the future of the maritime industry both up to 2050 and beyond’ and added that this ‘vision will look at how the government can support future growth in an industry which directly supports at least 111,000 jobs and contributes around £15bn to the UK economy each year’.

Much of the LISW business was devoted to discussions about the future of the industry and the impact of automation on seafaring. Mr Grayling suggested that the ‘seafarer of today might be

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Officers’ pay ‘set to stay depressed’ challenges’ for the shipping F industry mean that seafarer pay Continued ‘financial

rates are set to remain under intense pressure, a new report has warned.

The annual Manning Report published by the global shipping consultancy Drewry reveals that seafarer wage increases have been almost at a standstill since the global slump began in 2009.

It says that the worldwide shortage of officers has eased as a result of the reduction in international fleet expansion — and in some sectors of the industry pay rates have even gone into reverse.

The report notes that officers in specialist sectors, such as LNG, have received above-inflation increases — but it forecasts that the downwards pressure on crewing costs could continue for a further five years. g Full report, see page 7

Inside F Looking ahead

Report predicts a major revolution in the way that seafarers work — page 40 F Called to account

Shipping minister John Hayes promised to make Britain’s maritime future ‘as glorious as its maritime past’

the unmanned vessel operator of tomorrow — supervising several ships from a control station onshore’ and added: ‘Roles like these require different skills. Which is one reason why it makes sense to invest in training.’

Shipping minister John Hayes said he was determined to ‘make Britain’s maritime future at least as glorious as its maritime past’.

He said he was passionate about the ‘life-changing’ effect of giving skills to young people and the maritime sector offered huge opportunities — with forecasts of national and international seafarer shortages.

‘In the UK we could be 3,500 officers short by 2021,’ he warned.

‘Without a change of direction, that will inhibit what we can achieve. It will cost us dearly as a country as well as a sector.’

Transport, trade, treasury and business ministers met a delega-

tion of shipping industry leaders at 10 Downing Street on the first day of the week. The delegation — led by Maritime UK — took part in a round-table debate with ministers on the challenges and opportunities facing the UK’s maritime industry — with issues on the table including calls for a ‘more attractive and flexible tonnage tax regime’ and action on the SMarT-Plus proposals to double training support to £30m a year in return for guaranteed jobs for newly qualified seafarers with UK shipping companies.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘The shipping minister’s enthusiasm for the industry and his strongly expressed commitment to increase both the size of the fleet and the number of British seafarers is very encouraging.

‘However, we’ve been hearing warm words about the Merchant

Navy since the Maritime Growth Study was published more than two years ago.

‘Now we have ministers putting shipping centre stage in the post-Brexit industrial strategy — but we really need to see these fine words translated into real action if these goals are going to be met,’ he stressed.

‘All sides of the industry have come together to propose the SMarT-Plus plans for improved support for training and employment,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘This would cost less than half a mile of motorway, yet the government’s own research has shown that it would be paid back almost five times over.

‘Supporting the industry would make not just economic sense, but would also deliver social, strategic and safety benefits,’ he pointed out. ‘It’s therefore time for ministers to put their

money where their mouths are by delivering the practical measures and investment that are required to ensure that British ships and seafarers can compete fairly with the rest of the world and contribute to the nations prosperity.’

RMT general secretary Mick Cash added: ‘The shipping industry certainly needs to train and employ more seafarers, but they should be in secure jobs on good conditions, and we should seize the opportunity of EU withdrawal to end the scandal of social dumping and the dodging of minimum wage and other core employment regulations.

‘If we get this wrong, and if policies aren’t rigorously enforced, shipping employers will carry on with their low-cost crewing model which has decimated UK seafarer numbers since the 1980s.’ g LISW reports — pages 19-27.

Union’s assistant general secretary tells of his work for a better future — page 18

F Life support

We meet one of the RNLI’s youngest volunteer lifeboat crew members — page 28

20/09/2017 11:01

02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Flags flown high to honour MN crews Seafarers UK campaign sees Red Ensign flown from more than 650 locations

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Nautilus members, officials and staff helped to make this year’s Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day campaign the biggest and best yet.

Organised by Seafarers UK, the initiative resulted in a ‘red duster’ being flown ashore at more than 650 locations, far inland as well as in coastal towns and cities.

The total this year compares with more than 400 in 2016.

Nautilus raised the Red Ensign at its UK offices and took part in services for Merchant Navy Day

on Sunday 3 September — the annual event to highlight the nation’s dependence on seafarers.

Staff and residents at Mariners’ Park in Wallasey also gathered in remembrance at the Liverpool parish church of Our Lady and St Nicholas.

The Union was represented at the Merchant Navy Day memorial wreath-laying ceremony in Dover on Friday 1 September, and again in London on 3 September at the Merchant Navy Memorial service in Trinity Gardens on Tower Hill.

Many flag-hoisting ceremo-

nies were attended by local Merchant Navy Association and Royal British Legion members, who welcomed being part of a nationally coordinated promotion.

A special Roll of Honour, on the website www.merchantnavyday. uk, lists all the local authorities and councils that agreed to fly a Red Ensign on 3 September. Local media coverage was widespread, helping to raise public awareness of the UK’s dependence as an island nation on MN seafarers — past, present and future.

Campaign manager Nick Har-

vey commented: ‘Flag flying locations included town and village halls, civic centres, churches and historic buildings, including quite a few castles.

‘Our flag supplier alone sold 100 Red Ensigns that we now expect will be hoisted annually on Merchant Navy Day,’ he added.

‘Our target is to see a Red Duster flying in 1,000 locations next year, when we are keeping our fingers crossed for that rare combination of a bright blue sky and a stiff breeze,’ Mr Harvey told the Telegraph.

A WW2 Arctic Convoy veteran stands by the Marine Parade memorial to Merchant Navy seafarers during the MN Day ceremony in Dover Picture: June Cattini-Walker

editor June Cattini-Walker F represented the Union at the Nautilus production

MN Day is marked at the Nautilus welfare complex in Wallasey

Former Nautilus Council member and welfare committee member Chris Hairsine took this shot of the Red Ensign flying from St Mary’s Church in Beverley.

‘I heard about the Red Ensign being flown over public buildings and I just happened to have one in the

F

cupboard under the stairs, so up she went — by kind permission of the vicar and churchwardens, of course,’ he said. ‘The day’s intercessions were directed towards seafarers and the work of the Mission to Seafarers and other organisations directed towards their welfare.’

member Captain James Hofton F is pictured above hoisting the Red

the Second World War wearing his campaign medals from North Africa.

‘The church service included a sermon about the Merchant Navy and the sacrifices made by so many seafarers in both world wars and subsequent conflicts,’ Capt Hofton added.

‘It was the first time Merchant Navy Day has been commemorated in Elston, and it will now be an annual ceremony.’

annual Merchant Navy Day commemorative service in Dover town hall, and at a wreath-laying ceremony on Dover seafront. A wreath was also presented at the Royal Norwegian Navy garden of remembrance.

Officiant Revd David Ridley, Roger Round (HMT Lancastria Association), Revd Mandy Reynolds and David Slater (lead chaplain,

Port of Dover) all participated in leading the town hall service.

Dover council chair Sue Chandler gave an address on the work of seafarers, explaining that the majority of our imported goods arrive by sea.

Donald Hunter, the founder of the Dover and District Merchant Navy Memorial Fund, was unable to attend the event due to a recent operation. This was the first time that he was not able to attend the service since it began.

The Red Ensign goes on display at Nautilus head office in London

Former Nautilus Council

Nautilus head of strategic development Steven Gosling lays a wreath on behalf of the Union at the Tower Hill MN memorial in London

Nautilus member Frank Le Messurier (second from left) laid a wreath on behalf of the Guernsey Merchant Navy Association during a remembrance service at the memorial to the 18 crew of the Cypriot cargoship Prosperity, who died when the vessel ran aground on La Conchee reef in January 1974 Picture: The Guernsey Press

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Ensign at his local church to mark Merchant Navy Day. Capt Hofton, who is a member of the Nautilus Welfare Fund committee, said the event was attended by a councillor from the Newark and Sherwood District Council and several notable Elston villagers, including one soldier from

Nautilus was represented at the Merchant Navy Day service at the national Merchant Navy Memorial in Trinity Square Gardens, London

MacKenzie is pictured above F at the Merchant Navy Day event

Nautilus UK branch chair Iain

held in George Square, Glasgow.

He said he was deeply honoured to represent the Union and MN officers at the event.

The Red Ensign was flown from the City Chambers for the ceremony and Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Eva Bolander, was among those who laid wreaths in memory of MN crews and fishermen who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars and other conflicts.

More than 100 cadets from

the nautical faculty of The City of Glasgow College took part in the event and cadets Jake Napoli and Finlay Clunas read names from the Merchant Navy Roll of Honour, which documents the details of thousands of Glaswegians who lost their lives.

A two-minute silence followed, during which the Merchant Navy standard was dipped in salute to lost seafarers.

Former councillor Nina Baker, who served in the Merchant Navy, read the poem In Waters Deep by Eileen Mahone.

20/09/2017 12:39

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

‘Equal rights needed for superyacht crews’

Dickinson elected to top post

enforcement of international F maritime regulations to better protect

secretary Mark Dickinson has F been re-elected to the ruling body

crews in the expanding superyacht industry.

Proposing a Nautilus motion on the superyacht industry at the TUC Congress last month, senior national secretary Garry Elliott said that whilst the sector offers attractive employment, there is evidence to show problems of bullying, harassment and insecurity — with many crews routinely denied the rights that shore-based staff would be entitled to.

A study by the Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) at Cardiff University found that 75% of crew were worried about job security, 94% had experienced work-related stress, and more than 40% had experienced bullying and harassment on an occasional, frequent or constant basis, he noted.

While salaries are pretty good — and often tax-free — many crew are not entitled to sick pay and only a fraction have pension contributions paid by their employers, Mr Elliott added. Working days of 10 to 14 hours are commonplace and many crew struggle to get adequate rest onboard their vessel.

There has been no shortage of horrendous accidents — and some cases where badly injured crew or

of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) — the general council (GC) — for the ninth year in a row. The GC also approved his surprise appointment to the TUC executive committee.

Mr Dickinson received 204,000 votes in the elections for the seven TUC general council seats reserved for smaller specialist unions. ‘I do feel honoured to be returned to the TUC general council for a further term and blown away to be asked to serve on the executive,’ he said.

‘We need to make a contribution to the TUC’s work, but also secure the widest of support for our campaigns to influence government policy, and I want to make sure that maritime issues are right at the top of the TUC agenda in the year ahead,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘We can offer real insights to the challenges our members face in the most globalised of all industries, which will help others. I will now take this experience to the executive committee.

‘Our motions to Congress this year highlighted some of the most pressing problems facing members and the support of the TUC will help us in our battle to secure effective action on issues such as training and unfair competition in UK waters.’

Nautilus has called for active

Nautilus International general

Garry Elliot moves the TUC motion on superyachts Picture: Andrew Wiard

the relatives of those who have been killed on superyachts have received no compensation, he said.

Some of these cases have highlighted a disturbing lack of accountability, compounded by the use of flags of convenience and complex contractual arrangements.

‘We need to ensure that the Maritime Labour Convention is applied, making sure that global standards for seafarers’ working and living conditions, and requirements covering employment agreements, wages, hours of work and rest, leave, repatriation, and compensation, are extended to superyacht crew,’ Mr Elliott told the meeting.

The UK has a special responsibility to ensure that the MLC standards are applied, given that two-thirds of the world’s super yachts are under Red Ensign Group flags, he added.

RMT delegate Karlson Lingwood spoke in support of Nautilus: ‘What this motion delivers is minimum standards. Accommodation, food, quality of food, health protection — things you take for granted on shore. We must support these young workers. It is a good opportunity for young workers to make their way in the world. Let’s protect and respect them, ensure they enjoy their working lives.’

The motion passed unanimously.

UK shipping needs action, TUC is told Congress backs Nautilus motion calling for urgent support for the industry

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For the cost of half a mile of motorway the British government could create a sustainable supply of seafarers for the future, Nautilus told the TUC Congress.

Proposing the Union’s motion on the state of the shipping industry, assistant general secretary Ronnie Cunningham said ministers must act to implement the findings of the Maritime Growth Study, two years after it was published.

Recommendations on training and employment need to be put into effect and backed up with measures to eradicate the conditions of ‘modern day slavery’ that exist on some vessels operating in UK waters, he told the meeting.

For an island nation like the UK, the decline of the Merchant Navy should be a major concern, Mr Cunningham said. Yet the national fleet had fallen from 18% of world tonnage 60 years ago to just 0.8% today.

‘British seafarer numbers have slumped from 90,000 to just 23,000 over the past 40 years,’ he pointed out, ‘and with more than half of them well over the age of 45 and with recruitment into the industry at less than half the level

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Ronnie Cunningham addresses the TUC Congress Picture: Andrew Wiard

needed just to stand still, those numbers are set to fall by a further third over the next decade.’

More than 90% of everything we consume — from fuel to food, and TVs to telephones — comes and goes by sea, Mr Cunningham said. ‘But more and more of it is coming and going on ships that are not fit to be at sea, with poorly paid and poorly trained crews

from low-cost labour countries,’ he added. Conditions on some ships are worse than they were 250 years ago.

Mr Cunningham said the Maritime Growth Study had offered a glimmer of hope when it came up with recommendations that would ‘keep Britain as a great maritime nation’ — but tangible action is still awaited, he noted.

He urged the TUC to lend its support to the industry campaign for the SMartT-Plus plans for improved support for maritime training — with research showing that every £1 of support delivers a £4.80 return for GDP. ‘And this has got to be backed up by effective action to stamp out unfair competition and conditions akin to modern-day slavery,’ he concluded. ‘Effective employment laws shouldn’t stop at the shoreline: we need proper enforcement of National Minimum Wage and work permit requirements for all seafarers working on UK domestic shipping services.’

Seconding the motion, RMT delegate William Jones claimed Britain’s merchant fleet was ‘dying on its feet’. A seafarer of 40 years’ experience, he told the conference: ‘It’s getting worse week by week, month by month, even day by day.’

Dave Semple, of the PCS union, said the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster served as an example of what happens when safety and regulation become lax and he warned that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency still lacks sufficient staff.

The motion passed unanimously.

shortreports TECH SUPPORT: the UK government has announced a £6m package of support for technological projects to boost ‘green’ shipping. The programme includes funding for trials of new energy-saving propellers, onboard waste heat recovery systems, rotor sails to cut fuel consumption, and research into the use of hydrogen fuel cells for ferries. Announcing the aid, shipping minister John Hayes said: ‘The UK is home to a wealth of expertise in maritime technology, but more needs to be done to move this sector toward a zero emissions world.’

AID APPROVED: the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) Surveillance Authority (ESA) has approved changes to Norway’s tax refund scheme for employers of Norwegian and EEA nationals on ships under the Norwegian International Ship Register (NIS).

The amendments will increase the refunds from 26% to 100% for deepsea vessels over 10,000 dwt.

The Norwegian government said the current aid is ‘insufficient to equalise the wage differences in high-cost countries compared to low-cost countries’.

BUILDING BACKED: Nautilus has welcomed the UK government’s decision to back a new strategy for British shipbuilding. Drawn from the recommendations of a report produced by Sir John Parker last year, the policy sets out plans to enable UK yards to compete for the contracts to build the new Royal Fleet Auxiliary solid support vessels and to encourage the Ministry of Defence to make more use of commercial shipping for ‘lowthreat’ strategic purposes and to consider converting merchant vessels for defence roles.

PACKET PLAN: a three-week public consultation on proposals to switch Isle of Man Steam Packet Company services to Northern Ireland to the port of Larne was concluded last month, with more than 3,000 responses received. Company chief executive Mark Woodward said a research company is now working through the information and will produce a report that will ‘be central to our final decision’.

TRAINING PACKAGE: a new software package which aims to provide shipping companies with realtime monitoring of crew training records from any webenabled device has been launched by KVH Industries.

Videotel Performance Manager can also be used to generate training schedules for seafarers and to provide evidence of compliance for external audits.

CLYDE PRAISE: Scottish government business minister Paul Wheelhouse has praised the marine and offshore training facilities at the Clyde Training Solutions centre, which opened last year. During a visit to the site last month, Mr Wheelhouse said he was delighted to see the way in which the centre would benefit the local community ‘for years to come’.

SKIPPING MEALS: one in eight UK workers are skipping meals to make ends meet, the TUC revealed last month. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said a survey of more than 3,200 workers showed how many are ‘on a financial cliff edge’ — struggling to cope with rising household bills and shrinking pay packets.

DUNDEE DECOMM: plans to create a new offshore oil and gas decommissioning centre in the port of Dundee have been revealed by Forth Ports and AF Offshore Decom UK. A £10m quay extension is being constructed to enable the port to handle the large-scale loads involved in the work.

BALLAST FINE: the US Coast Guard has imposed a $5,000 fine on the Panama-flagged bulk carrier ANSAC Moon Bear after an inspection revealed it had discharged untreated ballast water into the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon.

RED ORDER: Red Funnel has announced an order with the Wight Shipyard for a new 41m high-speed catamaran. Due to come into service next summer, Red Jet 7 will be a sister vessel to Red Jet 6, built by the same yard last year.

20/09/2017 17:56

04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports

Nautilus launches P&O ferry fleet visits

GARDLINE PARTNER: a vacancy on the Partnership at Work (PAW) committee representing members employed by Ultimate Marine Solutions and on Gardline vessels has been filled. Allan Maclachlan will represent chief engineers on the body and members serving with the company have been invited to fill a further seven available vacancies, with the Union looking for representation across all ranks. Nautilus is also awaiting a response from the company following questions raised after its takeover in August by Boskalis.

Nautilus P&O liaison officer F committee meeting at Channel Members attending the

PG CLAIM: Nautilus has made a claim for a ‘significant pay rise above inflation’ for members employed by PG Tankers (Guernsey) ahead of its 2018 pay and conditions review. The claim also asks for improvements in cadet training packages and travel policy as well as wi-fi provision onboard all its vessels. A meeting to discuss to the claim was held as the Telegraph went to press and members will be advised on the outcome via a bulletin.

House, Dover, are pictured above.

The meeting was the last one to be attended by liaison officer Ken Konasik, pictured below with national ferry organiser Micky

Smyth. Mr Konasik first went to sea in 1972 and has served as a liaison officer for 20 years.

Mr Smyth said he was sorry to see Mr Konasik retire and he thanked him for his efforts over the past two decades. ‘He will be a great loss and I’ll miss working with him.’

FISHER REJECTION: members employed by James Fisher have voted to reject a 2% pay increase. The offer would have seen the effective loss of six days annual leave a year — although this would have been offset by the reduction of six days’ training. Adjustments to sick pay would also have been included, and national organiser Steve Doran is seeking further talks with the company, and is hoping to meet members on vessels shortly.

Martyn Gray is pictured above F (centre) alongside Captain Robert Nautilus strategic organiser

Archibald (left) and Ian Cross (right) during a series of ship visits last month on P&O Ferries’ shortsea route. He is pictured below with deck cadet William Parker-Gorman (right) and two other crew members.

The three days of visits to Spirit of Britain, Spirit of France, Pride

of Burgundy, Pride of Canterbury and Pride of Kent were carried out as part of a programme to meet members and to highlight the value of Nautilus membership for maritime professionals. National ferry organiser Micky Smyth and Martyn Gray are planning to carry out similar visits to meet members serving on the P&O North Sea ferries Pride of Hull and Pride of York.

SERCO SUBMISSION: Nautilus has submitted a claim for an above-RPI pay increase for members employed by Serco Ferries (Guernsey) Crewing. A meeting to discuss the claim was scheduled to take place shortly after the Telegraph went to print. National ferry organiser Micky Smyth was also due to make a series of visits to meet members onboard Hrossey and Hjaltland.

FORELAND CALL: a claim for an above-RPI pay increase for members employed by Foreland Shipping (Guernsey) has been submitted by Nautilus. The claim also includes a request for fit for purpose broadband internet provision. A meeting to discuss to the claim took place in London as the Telegraph went to press. Members will be advised on the outcome via a bulletin.

CARISBROOKE CONSULT: consultation has opened with members employed by Carisbrooke Shipping ahead of the 2018 pay and conditions review.

Nautilus has asked members for views on the contents of the claim and says the 3.6% RPI inflation rate published in August will be used as a benchmark for the submission.

PNTL PAY: members employed by Pacific Nuclear Transport have rejected a 2% pay offer. The company has said it will look at a number of changes to terms and condition to address members’ concerns — a concession which the Union has described as ‘pleasing’.

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Union urges tighter rules for pensions Government should ensure all seafarers have entitlements, says Nautilus

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The UK government needs to introduce new regulations to ensure that all British seafarers and offshore workers get decent pension arrangements for their retirement years, Nautilus has told the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP).

In a response to the DWP’s consultation on the application of the auto-enrolment provisions of the Pensions Act to seafarers and offshore workers, the Union warned that the current regulations are excluding large numbers of such employees — leaving them vulnerable to having to rely

on the state and charity in their retirement.

Nautilus said the rules need to be tightened, so that all seafarers who are resident in Great Britain and employed on vessels registered in the UK are included in the auto-enrolment provisions.

Seafarers serving on ships that operate wholly outside the UK should also be covered by autoenrolment if their employment retains sufficiently close links to the country, it added, with factors to be considered including where the seafarer is subject to tax, where the employer or principal is incorporated and established,

and where the ship on which the seafarer works is registered.

The Union also told the DWP that seafarers serving on ships not registered in the UK should be covered by auto-enrolment if their base of employment is in the country.

Changing the rules in this way would ensure that seafarers who are likely to spend their retirement in the UK will have pension entitlements, Nautilus said. It would also end the current anomalies over auto-enrolment coverage and would ensure that employers to not have to undertake complex assessments to

determine whether the rules apply to their seagoing staff.

‘Nautilus believes that with fairness in mind, and from an administrative perspective, the easiest solution is to maintain that all seafarers and offshore workers ordinarily resident in the UK must be subject to the UK’s auto-enrolment pensions legislation,’ the Union’s submission concluded.

‘Maintaining the status quo will continue to create uncertainty, defeat the policy purpose of the 2008 Act and without doubt result in further costly and time-consuming litigation.’

Call for more talks over NERC pay plans more talks with the Natural A Environment Research Council (NERC) Nautilus has requested

after members serving on NOCSNMFSS ships and British Antarctic Survey vessels voted by overwhelming majorities to reject a revised offer for the 2016 pay and conditions review.

NOCS members voted by a majority of five to one against the proposals — which would

have incorporated the removal of automatic progression steps from marine pay scales — and BAS members rejected the offer by a three to one majority.

Management told the Union that they are still required to introduce the new pay arrangements, in line with government public sector pay policy. After securing legal advice on implementation, it is planned that

individual seafarers will be offered a choice between remaining on the current pay arrangements or moving over onto the new system as set out in the 2016 pay offer.

National secretary Jonathan Havard commented: ‘Both Nautilus and the RMT believe that it is possible to reach agreement on an offer that has the effect of removing the progression steps and marine pay

scales, so long as all seafarers are appropriately compensated for this fundamental change to their terms and conditions of service.

‘We have requested reconvened negotiations at the employer’s earliest convenience, and remain committed to engaging in discussions with the employer to achieve a solution acceptable to the majority of our membership,’ he added.

20/09/2017 17:58

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Windfarm ship’s CBA ‘benchmark’ Union says new Bibby vessel sets standards for other operators to follow

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Nautilus has secured an important new agreement covering the terms and conditions of seafarers serving on a pioneering new offshore energy support vessel.

Head of recruitment and membership Derek Byrne said the collective bargaining agreement with Atlas Professionals and Bibby Marine Services covering the crew of the UK-flagged Bibby Wavemaster 1 sets a breakthrough benchmark for seafarers serving in the windfarm sector.

Mr Byrne signed the agreement onboard the vessel with Atlas Professionals renewables manager Martine Rondeel and Bibby Marine technical and operations director Howard Hughes, following its christening in Rotterdam last month.

Bibby Wavemaster 1 is the first of a specially-designed new class of service operations vessel, with ‘walk-to-work’ capability via a motion-compensated access system.

Mr Byrne said the single-union agreement with Atlas Professionals covers all aspects of pay and working conditions for the crew.

‘It sets what we believe should be the standard to which all compa-

Pictured signing the new CBA, left to right, with members onboard Bibby Wavemaster 1 are Bibby Marine technical and operations director Howard Hughes, Nautilus head of recruitment and membership Derek Byrne, and Atlas Professionals renewables manager Martine Rondeel

nies in the expanding windfarm sector should be aspiring to,’ he added.

Mr Byrne described the working conditions onboard the ship as first class and at a level that all operators in the sector should be seeking to provide for their crews — with all cabins having internet, telephone and video-on-demand

and satellite television.

The ship has gone straight into service with James Fisher Marine Services at Innogy’s 336MW Galloper wind farm off the coast of Suffolk, UK, performing winter commissioning work on the project’s substation and 56 Siemens 6MW turbines.

‘It goes to show that invest-

ment in innovation and quality can pay off and that the windfarm sector can deliver decent work for seafarers,’ Mr Byrne said. ‘We aim to ensure that this is the first step towards our aspirations for the highest employment standards in this sector.’ g Full report on Bibby Wavemaster 1 — see page 29.

BW DEAL: members employed by BW Fleet Management have voted to accept an improved pay and conditions offer. National organiser Jonathan Havard accepted the offer after no objections were raised by members. The changes to pay scales — and additional increases at years 24, 27 and 30 — will be backdated to 1 January 2017 and Nautilus is now seeking aspirations for the 2018 pay and conditions review.

P&O PAY: aspirations are being sought from members employed by P&O Ferries across all routes for the forthcoming pay and conditions review. A joint consultative committee meeting was due to take place late last month to discuss issues of concern to members, including manning levels and increased workloads.

TRINITY WARNING: Trinity House has informed Nautilus and Unite representatives that there is ‘no room for manoeuvre other than submitting a pay remit for a maximum 1%’ pay increase for its 2017 review. The proposals have been submitted to the secretary of state and a decision was awaited last month.

RED FUNNEL: members employed by Red Funnel have been asked to submit their aspirations for the next pay and conditions review. Nautilus strategic organiser Martyn Gray was due carry out a number of vessel visits to meet members ahead of the negotiations.

THAMES REVIEW: members employed by Thames Clippers have been asked to provide Nautilus with information and evidence to shape the Union’s pay and conditions claim for the forthcoming negotiations.

WINDSTAR VIEWS: members employed by Windstar Management Services have been asked for views on the contents of the 2018 pay conditions claim.

over the future terms and F conditions of members serving

Nautilus is seeking assurances

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MSC SETTLEMENT: members serving with Marine Scotland Compliance (MSC) have voted to accept a 1% pay offer following months of negotiations.

The deal will also see the recruitment and retention allowance increase from £2,000 to £3,400 per year after members had rejected earlier offers which would have seen a much lower payment. National organiser Steve Doran is hoping to arrange partnership meetings, where further relevant issues can be progressed.

ORKNEY OFFER: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth has written to Orkney Ferries to express the Union’s disappointment at management’s failure to improve a 1.5% pay offer. The company said it believes the offer is in line with its position as a public-sector organisation, and Mr Smyth will now undertake ship visits to discuss the issues with members.

Union seeks assurances at Maersk with Maersk Tankers following an announcement last month of a US$1.7bn sale agreement for the fleet.

A.P. Moller-Maersk announced that the tanker division is being sold to a privately-controlled holding company, AP Moller Holding Invest (APMHI), which will operate the ships through an ownership consortium with the Japanese firm Mitsui.

The sale forms part of a restructuring programme, under which Maersk last month sold its oil and gas business to the French firm Total as part of a move to concentrate on transport and logistics.

APMHI chief executive Robert Uggla said: ‘Maersk Tankers has over the last century built a great company.

With this acquisition, AP Moller Holding aspires to remain an engaged owner and contributor to Maersk Tankers’ future development as an industry-leading platform for own and third-party vessels.’

Nautilus national organiser Steve Doran commented: ‘We will be seeking assurances from the employer that members’ terms and conditions of employment will be fully protected and that acceptable collective bargaining arrangements will remain in place moving forward.’

shortreports

HANSON HOPES: members employed by Hanson Ship Management have been asked for their views on the contents of this year’s pay and conditions claim.

Union voices concern at RFA pay delay right are liaison officer Russell F Downs, Nautilus representative Pictured above from left to

body member John Perkins, national organiser Steve Doran, Captain David Eagles, RFA personnel

strategy officer Liza Buckingham and Navy secretariat Mark Bartlett.

The group met on 7 September at the RFA headquarters in Portsmouth for the quarterly meeting.

Mr Doran said Nautilus had

raised a number of issues during the meeting and express particular concern about the way in which members had been left frustrated by delays to pay discussions caused by the snap election earlier in the year.

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Job fears over Medway VTS move VTS officers with the Medway F Navigation Service have been warned Nautilus members serving as

by Peel Ports that they are at risk of being made redundant.

The company is proposing to wholly transfer all the London Medway VTMS functions to the to Peel Group Port Control Centre at Maritime House in Liverpool by 1 April 2018.

Management said the redundancy

consultation supersedes any previous suggestions.

Formal consultations are underway and negotiations between the Union and the company were due to take place in Sheerness late last month. Management told staff: ‘It is important to note that no final decisions have yet been taken and will not be made until consultation has concluded.’

National national organiser Jonathan Havard described the announcement as very disappointing.

‘This comes as a major blow to our members,’ he said.

‘We will continue to talk to the company and I urge any members with any concerns about the process to contact the Union immediately so we can discuss the situation fully,’ Mr Havard added.

20/09/2017 17:57

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports

Seacor proposes pay freeze are Seacor international HR F manager, Diane Smart, second

Pictured left, from left to right,

DEEP CUTS: members employed by Deep Ocean (Guernsey) who voted to accept a 5.5% pay cut in August 2016 in a bid to help the company with its cost-saving exercise, have seen their salaries return to the previous rates, with effect from September. Deep Ocean said that the loyalty plan scheme that members were signed up to — which may see them recoup 75% of the compensation reduction for the period — will be paid, but it won’t be discussed until books are closed for 2017.

SUBSEA RESPONSE: Nautilus has met Subsea 7 management to discuss the rejection by members of a zero-consolidated pay offer, together with a one-off US$1,000 payment. Following the meeting, national organiser Steve Doran received a response from the company concerning issues that members have asked him to raise, and a further bulletin has been issued advising of a proposed simplified sick pay scheme and an update on tax arrangements.

MAERSK REJECTION: members employed

by Maersk Offshore (Guernsey) and serving on supply vessels have rejected a proposed pay freeze, along with plans for the removal of training days from the early recall payment calculation and an increase in buffer days when liquidating leave to 10 days. National organiser Steve Doran is seeking a further meeting of the Partnership at Work Committee (PAW).

HAVILA FREEZE: Nautilus members serving with Havila Marine (Guernsey) are being consulted on proposals for a pay freeze. During talks between the Union and management last month, the company said it was not able to reinstate pay cuts of 6% for officers and 25% for ratings, which were implemented last year.

National organiser Steve said members’ views are being sought ahead of further talks.

JOBS TOLL: around 36 North Sea related jobs were lost every day last year, according to figures released by UK Oil & Gas last month which showed that the sector now employs or supports one-third fewer posts than it did in 2014. Chief executive Deirdre Michie said there are signs that conditions are improving and it is hoped that employment levels will stabilise.

OCEAN OFFER: a 1.5% pay offer to members serving with Ocean Supply (Guernsey) has been rejected.

National organiser Steve Doran said 67% of those who participated in the consultation had rejected the offer and he had written to the company to urge it to consider making an improved offer.

BP QUESTIONS: Nautilus is still awaiting a response on questions about pay for members employed by VGG (Singapore) on the BP offshore vessels agreement. Management said it was ‘very conscious’ that a response was overdue after the Union made the request back in May. LAST LAP: the North Sea is entering the final decade of production, a University of Edinburgh study claims. It estimates that close to 10% of the UK’s original recoverable oil and gas now remains.

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mate and liaison officer Chris Sterry, Seacor director Paul Willis, and Nautilus national organiser Steve Doran during a pay meeting at the company’s offices in Lowestoft.

The discussions were centred on the 2017 pay and conditions review

for members and resulted in company proposals for a pay freeze to reflect ‘continued extremely challenging market conditions’.

Management have, however, agreed to consider first class travel and the possible reconfiguration of internet allowances. Members are currently being consulted on the proposals.

Industry meets on windfarm fatigue Nautilus raises concerns over ‘culture of fear’ among crews within the sector

P

Nautilus has taken part in industry talks on many of the key issues affecting the employment, safety and working conditions of members serving in the offshore windfarm sector.

Strategic organiser Lee Moon attended the first offshore wind– specific safety forum organised by the National Workboat Association (NWA) in Lowestoft last month. Subjects on the agenda included fatigue, crewing levels and proposed risk assessments for crew transfers.

Working hours dominated the discussions, said Mr Moon, and he told the meeting that many members in the sector are routinely

working above recommended limits. ‘It appears that a big issue is the expected working hours for technicians,’ he added. ‘The contracts are designed to allow the technicians to work for 12 hours, but if this time is spent on the turbines there is no allowance for travel time to and from the windfarm.’

Mr Moon also raised concern over the ‘culture of fear’ that appears to be present among vessel crews and said the industry should be adopting ‘best practice’ monitoring of working time and taking account of the demands of maintenance, chart work and other duties. He also pointed out that quality of rest is a critical

factor and travelling time before and after any shifts needs to be considered.

The NWA organised the meeting to bring CTV and windfarm operators together to discuss safety and to consider ways of improving collaboration in the expanding sector. As well as looking at the challenge of working hours when servicing large-scale projects, delegates debated the step-to-work interface, onboard accommodation, and safety codes and were encouraged to share information on nearmisses and incidents to improve safety in future operations.

The NWA said improved communication between CTV and

offshore wind operators, and the continuous development and revision of best practice guidelines, have been targeted as crucial factors in the safe operation of offshore wind support vessels.

NWA secretary Mark Ranson commented: ‘There is a clear opportunity for greater dialogue and alignment between offshore wind project owners and CTV operators. The NWA’s latest safety forum is designed to provide a unifying platform for industry debate on crucial safety issues, particularly the step-to-work interface, which need to be discussed openly and taken forward in a collaborative and expedient manner.’

Union warns UK minister over German sector threats F

Concerns that British masters are being barred from working on windfarm vessels in German waters have been raised by Nautilus with the UK shipping minister, John Hayes.

The Union told the minister that members have complained of being threatened with arrest and fines, and vessel detention, if small commercial workboats operating in German waters do not have a master certificated to 3,000gt or above.

The problems — which began earlier this year — arose because German authorities refused to accept the UK’s <200gt Master Code Vessel and <500gt Master Workboat certificates of competence, issued under Article IX of the STCW Convention.

Nautilus strategic organiser Lee Moon also spoke of members’ concerns and frustration at the situation when he attended the National

Workboat Association’s offshore wind safety forum in Lowestoft last month.

The meeting heard that talks between the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency and the German authorities have resulted in proposals for an interim solution under which UK masters serving in Germany will be issued with an additional ‘near coastal’ certificate. It was hoped that agreement could be reached by the end of September.

DSV members want to balloted for action (Singapore) as marine crew F on the DSV agreement have voted to Members employed by VGG

undertake a formal ballot on industrial action after rejecting the latest offer from the company.

The proposal was rejected by a majority of members, and Nautilus has informed the company of the result with further negotiations being arranged last month.

Nautilus and the company have already been discussing the costcutting plans for several months, and speaking after receiving the results of the consultations, national organiser Jonathan Havard said: ‘Whilst industrial action is not where we ever want to go when we enter a negotiation, if the will of the members is strong enough then we as a Union will support them wholeheartedly.

‘The vast majority of the 70% that turned out said that this was the course of action they wished to take and this is now being considered by senior management at Nautilus.’

The news follows a similar result from members employed by the company as dive techs on the DSV agreement who, at the end of August, all voted to reject the proposal made to them in favour of balloting for industrial action.

Mr Havard said the industrial action ballot would not take place while the Union believes there is a chance to negotiate a better deal.

‘Negotiations remain ongoing for our members on the DSV agreement,’ he explained. ‘At this stage I still think there is room for negotiation and until this avenue has been completely exhausted, no ballot will commence.’

Technip talks on contracts F

Pictured above, left to right are Technip resource manager Alan McConnachie, liaison officer Derek Scott, deputy director offshore personnel services Alan Paterson, liaison officer and Nautilus Council member Willie Jackson, director offshore personnel services Christelle Roge and national organiser Steve Doran

during a meeting at the company’s offices in Aberdeen on 1 September.

Items on the agenda included the latest market conditions and issues raised by members concerning permanent and day rate contracts. A formal response is currently awaited, which will be forwarded to members via a bulletin when received.

20/09/2017 16:48

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

Charity reveals prize-winning sea pictures Alarm at increase

in calls to welfare hotline service

Roberts, pictured right, was one A of the winning entries in a UK-wide ‘Homeward bound’ by John

photography competition organised by the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society and supported by Nautilus.

The charity last month announced five winners in its ‘Ultimate Sea View’ competition following a ‘challenging judging process’ of over 1,300 entries. Overall winner was amateur photographer William Pollard whose image ‘Beams’ captured the lighthouse at St Abb’s Head shining into the North Sea, and landed him a £500 prize voucher for photographic equipment.

Mr Roberts picked up the prize for the best entry in the working at sea category, while Alex Iacobet was the winner in the ships and wrecks section, John Dyer got the best coastal view and Roy Curtis won the people and recreation section.

F

Wages face yet more pressure Report reveals that officer pay levels have gone backwards in the past year

P

Tough conditions in many shipping sectors have caused wage rates for some officers to go into reverse over the past year, according to a new industry analysis.

And the annual Manning Report published by the global shipping consultancy Drewry warns that the pressures on pay — which have caused increases to stagnate since the global slump began in 2009 — could continue for a further five years.

While there remains an overall shortfall in officer numbers, the report concludes that it has reduced markedly over the past year and — combined with ‘the poor financial state of the industry’ — the reduced demand for

seafaring expertise has resulted in employers limiting labour costs ‘to affordable levels’.

The report notes that since 2009, officer wages have been limited to average annual increases of just 1.5%. Officers in specialist sectors, such as LNG, have received above-inflation increases — but average rates have actually declined by around 1% in the past year, it adds.

The study estimates that average global wages for ratings have risen by around 1% over the last 12 months — in line with the trend of recent years. Both International Labour Organisation (ILO) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) base rates have remained unchanged in 2017, it

notes. However, it adds, seafarers have been helped by a stronger US dollar, as most are paid in this currency.

‘Since the fall in oil prices the demand for officers in the offshore sector has fallen and this has been a major factor in the softening of overall seafarer wage costs,’ said report editor Martin Dixon.

‘While some sectors, such as LNG that require officers with particular experience, will continue to see above-average wage rises, we expect the downward pressure on manning costs to prevail with below-inflation increases anticipated over the next five years.

‘Slowing fleet growth and a healthy supply of officers is expected to eliminate the officer

shortage over the next five years with a small surplus anticipated for 2021,’ he added. ‘But we think that experienced officers for service on specialist vessel types such as gas carriers will continue to be in tight supply.’

Mr Dixon said the study shows there are variations by country, depending on the demand for certain crew types and the currency in which they are paid — but overall pressure on pay rates is likely to continue as ‘we do not anticipate the same growth in demand for officers as we had previously’.

The data gathered is based on a survey of shipowners and operators which covers as much as half the deepsea cargo shipping fleet, depending on the sector.

Seafarers are continuing to pay a high price for the economic problems facing the global shipping industry, with a new report revealing a big increase in the number of new cases dealt with by one of the major maritime welfare services last year.

The International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) said its SeafarerHelp service had dealt with a record number of 3,078 new cases involving 11,228 seafarers and their families last year — a casework rise of 37% from 2016.

ISWAN chairman Per Gullestrup commented: ‘A difficult year for the shipping industry means it was also a difficult year for many seafarers.

The reality is that when the maritime industry needs to make cost savings, seafarers are often negatively affected.’

The most frequent reason for contact was from seafarers seeking work — and the report suggests ‘this could well be a reflection of the destabilised labour market’. ISWAN said it had also reported a number of cases in which crewing agencies have been making illegal charges to find work.

‘The number of seafarers coming to us seeking employment is an issue of concern and we are looking again at other ways to assist them,’ it added.

Failure to pay wages was the second most common issue, accounting for 16% of all cases.

The number of cases involving abandonment of ships and crews more than doubled. ‘This is an area of real cause for concern because it puts seafarers in extremely difficult situations that they have no control over and it is through no fault of their own,’ the report states.

The number of welfare and emergency provision cases almost doubled during the year, and ISWAN said this also reflected the poor state of many shipping markets.

SeafarerHelp is a free, confidential, multilingual helpline for seafarers and their families and ISWAN said the service is proving vital. The report notes that the shipping industry is starting to recognise the problems caused by social isolation, stress and fatigue, but warns that seafarers still seem reluctant to openly talk about these issues or identify themselves for fear of risking their employment.

Officers ‘don’t make the best managers’ F

Seafarers do not make the best leaders in shore-based jobs, according to a survey of more than 3,000 senior maritime executives.

Research conducted by the recruitment firm Faststream found that 78% of industry managers considered that former mariners do not make the best leaders, because of the differences between the working environment at sea and ashore.

The study also found 60% of executives thought that being a senior officer does not prepare you for being a senior manager ashore — and seatime needs to be matched with commercial experience in the office.

‘Vessels are hierarchical with multiple tiers of management,’ the report points out. ‘Organisations ashore increasingly have much flatter structure and collaborative leadership is becoming prevalent. Life onboard

a vessel is process-driven, there is a rulebook, regulations and huge emphasis on compliance, whereas life ashore — and especially so for those looking to transition into leadership positions — need to be autonomous, free-thinking and have a sense of entrepreneurialism about them.’

The report also found that 52% of maritime executives have been worried about their job security at some point over the last two years and 65% considered that the maritime industry doesn’t pay enough to compete with other sectors for new talent.

Singapore was ranked as the top source of future talent, with 36% of executives believing that it would have the most skilled people to offer over the next five years, beating London (12%), Copenhagen (10%), Hamburg (9%) and Hong Kong (5%).

Concerns raised as IMO research warns of capsize risk from bauxite cargoes Masters’ Associations (IFSMA) have expressed F concern after research presented to the International

Nautilus and the International Federation of Ship

Maritime Organisation (IMO) last month revealed serious safety risks for the carriage of bauxite by ships.

The IMO has issued a special circular calling for care

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07_news.indd 7

following the working group study’s findings showing that certain forms of bauxite with a large proportion of smaller particles could be subject to the phenomenon of ‘dynamic separation’ when there is excess moisture in the cargo.

In such conditions, a liquid slurry can form above the

solid material and the resulting free surface effect may significantly affect stability, leading to the risk of the ship capsizing, it warned.

IFSMA secretary-general Jim Scorer said the study was of great concern and warranted strong changes to the codes governing its carriage. There are also big questions

about training and educating shipmasters and shippers in taking the necessary actions in response to the research results, he stressed.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson added: ‘It is disappointing we are having to relearn the lessons of a previous generation.’

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20/09/2017 11:02

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Hopes of French Yacht will support diving missions retreat on social A security decree

by Michael Howorth

month that the French F government has backed down on its Hopes were rising late last

controversial tax and social security regime for superyacht crews.

The Antibes-based yacht management company Hill Robinson engaged the marine lawyers Ince & Co to mount a legal challenge to the French government agency ENIM, which is responsible for collecting social security payments from seafarers.

Hill Robinson founder Nick Hill said the company felt it had no alternative but to take legal action against the government decree because of concerns about its potentially negative effect on yacht crews who spend three months or more cruising or chartering on the Cote D’Azur, but who reside elsewhere.

‘Our concern was that if not reversed, the decree could lead to a large-scale enrolment of crew members from all other nationalities into the French social security system, with severe potential penalties for non-compliant employers, owners and crew members,’ he explained.

‘That would mean all targeted crew and their employers must pay social security contributions into the French system.

‘Non-French employers will also be required to provide a bank guarantee

or deposit funds with the French authorities to cover potential liability,’ he added.

Following lobbying by Hill Robinson, MYBA, and other representatives of the yachting industry, it was announced last month that the legal basis for the decree may be modified to provide a choice for affected seafarers between affiliation with ENIM or affiliation with another social security regime.

Possible options for the alternative social security regime are the implementation of private schemes allowed under the MLC 2006, or with the French social security regime applicable to foreigners.

This would be a major step towards limiting the impact of the decree on the large yacht industry. An official confirmation from the French Government is expected shortly and the modifications should be made as part of the Social Security Finance Law of 2017, to be in force by early 2018.

‘If and when this poorly conceived legislation is reversed later this year, it will mean that a huge proportion of the superyacht fleet will no longer be deterred from visiting French waters for any significant time,’ said Mr Hill.

‘That is good news not only for the yachts themselves, but for the whole infrastructure built around the superyacht industry, including suppliers, contractors, shipyards and brokers.’

Consultation on new Code on the new Red Ensign Group F Yacht Code, which is planned for

A six-week public consultation

publication in November, was launched last month.

The new code, produced by 10 special working groups in three countries, will set new standards

for the design, construction and operation of large yachts and aims to update both the Large Yacht Code (LY3) and Passenger Yacht Code (PYC) within a single publication. g The consultation runs until 13 October at: www.redensigngroup. org/consultations

Yacht crew join now! email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call +44 (0)151 639 8454

As part of our growing support for seafarers serving in the large yacht sector, all members are entitled to a free copy of the Nautilus service record book, which has been produced to assist in the recording and calculation of qualifying sea service for the purpose of certification.

Nautilus International works closely with the MCA and regulatory authorities in Europe and around the world, and this SRB is recognised by the MCA as evidence of acceptable service.

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cht Commercial Ya ok Bo rd co Re Service (Power & Sail) rty Book remains the prope This Service Record al. of Nautilus Internation to If found please return 0 Antibes, France.

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Once your yacht service is verified O iin our office in Antibes, the MCA aaccepts the Nautilus SRB as ssufficient proof of onboard and ssea service. No further supporting ddocumentation is required, and the pprocess with the MCA is quicker than uusing individual testimonials. zContact the membership ddepartment either via email or telephone to receive your free SRB.

Pictured right is the new Feadship yacht Samaya — a 69m vessel custom-built by the Dutch yard to support luxurious diving expeditions around the world.

Completed within three years of signing the first agreement, the Dutch-flagged vessel has been designed to be capable of remaining self-sufficient for long periods while exploring uncharted areas.

Powered by twin CAT 3512 C main engines, Samaya has a top speed of 16.4 knots and a range of 5,000nm.

The yacht can carry up to 12 guests and 16 crew and features a dedicated dive room in the stern, with a recovery plunge pool and nitroxenriched air system. Samaya carries two 8.8m and 7.2m tenders housed in a dedicated garage in the main deck and launched via convenient large doors.

Union wins crew wages Case demonstrates the value of Nautilus membership

P

The importance of Nautilus membership for superyacht crews has been highlighted once again by a case in which the Union secured more than €140,000 in owed wages for nine members.

The case began late in 2013, when members onboard the Maltese-flagged commercial yacht Pure One contacted Nautilus to complain about outstanding salary and leave payments — some dating back many months.

The vessel had been in a marina in Italy for several months and the money should have been put into the crew members’ bank accounts in line with their departure notices — but individuals were owed anything from US$4,800 to almost US$25,000.

Nautilus initially contacted the vessel’s Swiss-based owner in an attempt to secure the payments. After these approaches proved unsuccessful, the legal department began working with

lawyers in Malta — the flag state — to secure an injunction against the 46m vessel’s sale before the crew’s claims had been had been resolved, together with a judgment for the outstanding wages.

The owner initially claimed there was no legal relationship with the crew, who were employed through a company based in Malta. However, a court in Malta ruled in the Union’s favour and upheld the move to block the sale of the Pure One. The Nautilus legal department then had to instruct lawyers in Italy — where the yacht was moored — to seek enforcement of the judgment against the sale of the 422gt vessel, which had gone onto the market at €13.5m.

‘Even when the yacht was eventually sold, the case was by no means over and we had to do a lot more work to recover the crew’s wages from all the other creditor claims,’ head of legal services Charles Boyle said.

The Union finally secured the payment of almost €110,000 in owed wages and a further €33,500 in interest payments, he added.

‘We are delighted this case is finally resolved and that the crew have got their wages and a substantial amount of interest,’ Mr Boyle said. ‘It has been a difficult and drawn-out process that took a long time to settle because of the different jurisdictions involved and the slow pace of proceedings in Italy.

‘We thank the crew for their patience and I pay particular tribute to Sharon Suckling, of the Nautilus legal department, who worked extremely hard throughout the case,’ he said.

‘This is certainly another example to highlight the vitally important benefits of Nautilus membership in the superyacht sector, where employment can sometimes be very precarious and a “hire and fire” culture can be commonplace,’ Mr Boyle added.

New site seeks to spread the word

by Michael Howorth

website specially built to gather F data from crew members around YachtRanking.com is a new

the world about the yachts that they have worked on — with the aim of providing a reliable and unbiased source of information about life on different vessels.

The site was started by two crew members working on large yachts and followed on from an idea they had one evening while on watch undertaking an ocean passage. The site seeks to empower crew members everywhere by making sure they are informed about the yachts they are looking at working on, ultimately improving transparency and accountability in the superyacht industry.

Yacht crew currently serving in the industry are being asked to help improve the site by reviewing the yachts they have worked on. The procedure takes about eight minutes to complete and by doing so, will be helping future crew members make informed career decisions as well as raising the standards overall.

The success and the value of the website will depend on gathering data and the anonymous owners of the site urge: ‘Please, help us spread the word.’

Yachts may go domeless

by Michael Howorth

devoid of ugly satellite F communication domes has moved a The concept of superyachts

step further now that tests onboard two vessels were declared successful.

The sea trials, made over several months on the 65m motor yacht White Rose of Drachs, were undertaken by the by US-based firm Kymeta and its distribution partner e3 Systems. The three-masted sailing vessel The Maltese Falcon also took part in the testing process.

Up-close views of the trial

installation of the Kymeta KyWay terminals onboard the yacht were available when White Rose of Drachs attended the Monaco Yacht Show in September. Kymeta and e3 Systems worked with the yacht’s master, Captain Andrew Schofield, the owner and the onboard IT manager to perform the trials, having outfitted the vessel with four Kymeta KyWay terminals.

The terminals were tested with various MIR/CIR services from leading maritime satellite service providers, including Speedcast. Multiple terminal configurations were trialled,

ranging from single panel to multiple panel solutions, and it is now clear that dome-less vessels are a new reality for the yacht industry.

‘We are proud to be the first motor yacht to perform sea trials with Kymeta technology,’ said Capt Schofield. ‘We look forward to progressing from the current temporary trial installation to the finalised fully-integrated solution, which will rid the yacht of the current VSAT and TVRO domes. This will remove over five tons of weight from her superstructure and provide the yacht with permanent access to the internet.’

20/09/2017 12:40

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

Nautilus official wins MN Medal Honours for work to support training, welfare, rescues and the environment

P

Nautilus International senior national secretary Allan Graveson is one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal, the government has announced.

Mr Graveson, a former seafarer who works in the Union’s professional and technical department, receives the award for services to seafarer training, welfare and safety.

‘This came as a complete surprise, and I appreciate it must have taken a great deal of effort to ensure complete secrecy,’ Mr Graveson said.

‘Endorsement by one’s peers makes this rather special,’ he added, ‘and I would like to express a sincere thank you. The work continues for those at sea.’

Now in its second year, the

Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service is awarded to those who are serving or have served in the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets of the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands. The state award is handed out for exemplary service and devotion to duty, rewarding those who have set an outstanding example to others.

Announcing the awards, shipping minister John Hayes said: ‘Merchant Navy seafarers and those serving in the fishing fleets provide an invaluable service to our island nation, often in difficult and dangerous conditions.

‘Just a week after we mark Merchant Navy Day and remember the sacrifices of the seafarers of the past, this award provides the opportunity to proudly show our appreciation for British shipping

today and in the future.’

This year’s other winners — who will receive their awards at a ceremony later this year — are: z Andrew Armstrong, for services to seafarer training z Anthony Cash, for services to seafarer welfare and the Merchant Navy Association z Captain Stephen Clinch, for services to the safety of ships and seafarers z Captain Geoffrey Cowap, for services to the careers of young seafarers z Patrick Dolby, for services to international ship safety standards and seafarer welfare z Captain Mark Holden, for services to the offshore maritime industry z Captain John Hughes, for services to environmental pro-

tection at sea

z Francis Kelly, for services to apprenticeships for ratings

z Captain Charles Kelso, for services to the shipping industry and sea cadets z Lt Cdr Mark Kemmis Betty, for services to the Merchant Navy and seafarer welfare z Captain Andrew O’Brian, for services to maritime careers and charity z Francis O’Neil, for services to marine engineering z Ian Spreadborough, for services to seafarer training and careers z Stephen Todd, for services to seafarer employment, training and welfare z Captain Jamie Wilson, for services to the rescue of refugees in peril

Former RN officer appointed as UK’s new salvage chief

BIMCO bid to cut lifeboat drill deaths

Chapman has been appointed F by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency

welcome to a new guidance F pamphlet aimed at helping crews

Former Royal Navy officer Les

(MCA) to be the new person to lead the UK’s response to accidents at sea.

Mr Chapman, right, will take over from Hugh Shaw as the Secretary of State’s Representative (Sosrep) for Maritime Salvage & Intervention following a transition period which is due to conclude later this year.

Established in 1999 in response to a series of major accidents in UK waters, the Sosrep role includes responsibilities for effective emergency response — including salvage and pollution prevention.

Recent incidents requiring Sosrep involvement included the groundings of the Transocean Winner rig off the Isle of Lewis last year and the

Hoegh Osaka car carrier in the Solent in 2015.

Mr Chapman served in both the UK’s Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy and went on to work with organisations including Associated British Ports, DNV and The Maritime Group.

‘The Sosrep role can be a difficult but very rewarding one as it’s all about providing protection and safety in the maritime world,’ he said.

MCA chief executive Sir Alan Massey said he was delighted by the appointment and added: ‘As we have seen from many serious incidents in UK waters over recent years, the Sosrep has a unique and critical role in rapidly and effectively marshalling the resources of all parties to achieve the best possible outcomes.’

Nautilus has given a qualified

avoid lifeboat accidents.

The publication — from international shipowner body BIMCO — provides guidance on the safe handling of lifeboats and rescue boats equipped with on-load release systems, as well as advice on the use of fall preventer devices.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson cautioned: ‘While the good intentions of BIMCO must be acknowledged, the issuance of yet more guidance will not address the serious safety concerns of design, construction and maintenance of lifeboats. Safety is an alien concept in an industry that considers its workforce disposable commodities.’

Warsash cadets start at new training site A

Pictured above are some of the new officer trainees starting their courses at Southampton Solent University’s new Warsash Maritime Academy facilities in the heart of the city.

Situated in St Mary’s campus, within the grounds of City College, the new premises will house the officer cadet training and first certification courses previously taught on the top site at Warsash.

The centre includes brand new engineering workshops, a welding area and electrical and control laboratories, along with an ECDIS simulator suite and marine electrotechnical officer workshops.

Practical short courses and teaching for the fire school, maritime safety and offshore, first aid and medical, and seamanship courses, remain at the waterside, lower site of the current Warsash campus, with investment plans for new and redeveloped facilities.

Future development phases will

involve teaching provision for senior officers and superyacht certification relocating to the University’s main campus, along with bridge, engine and liquid cargo simulation courses and maritime professional development programmes.

Syamantak Bhattacharya, director of the Warsash School of Maritime, Science and Engineering at Solent, said: ‘We are excited to have reached the first phase of our investment plans into maritime education and training at Solent. Investing £6m into the refurbishment of the new premises forms part of the university’s major plans to modernise facilities and bring our professional and higher level maritime education programmes from the Warsash campus to the city centre by 2019.

‘The new premises will provide officer cadets with a distinct modern teaching environment, exclusively for seafarers studying for their officer of the watch certificate of competency.’

Insurers in fire-fighting call Marine Insurance (IUMI) F has published a report calling for The International Union of

improved fire-fighting systems to be fitted on containerships.

It warns that recent amendments to the SOLAS convention do not go far enough, arguing that the requirements had developed from conventional cargo ships. IUMI wants

to see individual fire compartments below deck, fitted with fixed CO2 and water-based firefighting systems.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘This call

by IUMI is welcomed. However, given the distortion in design to reduce gross tonnage and so much deck cargo it is difficult to see how this will be achieved.’

R A I S I N G T H E S T A N D A R D MAJOR INVESTMENT SUPPORTS AMBITIOUS PL ANS Southampton Solent University’s maritime strategy has reached an exciting phase. In September 2017 we are proud to open our new maritime centre for the tuition of officer cadets and first certification courses in Southampton city centre. Our ambitious plans and significant investment further strengthen Warsash Maritime Academy as a world-leader in maritime education and training.

Find out more: www.warsashacademy.co.uk/ourfuture

09_news.indd 9

20/09/2017 16:48

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NEWS

UK port pioneers levy for welfare Stena brews up a storm Hopes that success of Tyne scheme will spread to other parts of the country for Mercy Ships charity P

partnership with the maritime F charity Mercy Ships by launching a Stena Line has extended its

group-wide campaign to encourage passengers to contribute to its work to provide floating health care in developing nations.

Pictured above onboard Stena Superfast VIII as the initiative was kicked off are, left to right: Stephen Bryden, Stena Line onboard sales and services manager (Irish Sea North); Norris McLean, Stena Superfast VIII onboard sales and services manager; and Anna Hazzard, Stena Line route marketing executive.

Under the campaign — which runs until the end of October — passengers are being given the

opportunity to choose to buy coffee or tea in a special Mercy Ships mug, with a 20p donation going direct to the charity.

‘Every year we sell over 1m cups of coffee or tea onboard our ships and we believe that buying their hot drink in a Mercy Ship mug is a simple and effective way for our customers to help make a contribution to the inspiring work of the Mercy Ships charity,’ said Stena Line CEO Niclas Mårtensson.

The formal partnership between Stena and Mercy Ships — established in February — includes initiatives to promote volunteering and charitable giving within Stena Line and amongst its customers and partners.

Nautilus has welcomed the launch of a new voluntary levy scheme to fund welfare support for the more than 100,000 seafarers who visit the UK Port of Tyne each year.

Under the project, shipping companies are invited to pay a gross tonnage-based fee — ranging between £20 to £30 — each time one of their vessels calls at the port.

The optional levy is payable on the vessel’s first 10 visits to the Tyne each calendar year and is matched by the Port of Tyne, which contributes 50p for very £1 collected through the welfare fund.

Money raised from the scheme is being used to increase ship visits by welfare workers, and to provide legal support, transla-

tions and communications services, counselling, transport and emergency care.

The port said the fund had been developed in collaboration with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) to respond to the needs of visiting seafarers — some of which have been at sea for many months on end, and whose welfare, working conditions and pay vary greatly.

‘We are delighted that we have been able to work with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and introduce a scheme that provides practical help and support to the many ships’ crews who come in to our port,’ said Port of Tyne CEO Andrew Moffat.

‘Targeted specifically for crew members who may need some support in a variety of ways,

whether that is a phone call to contact their families, get some welfare advice or provide emergency care, we hope it will help to make a difference.’

In 2016 around £10,000 was raised by the Port of Tyne welfare fund and will be distributed to projects that support seafarers, via the MNWB, providing funding to the principal welfare organisations that provide services to seafarers visiting the Tyne, including the Mission to Seafarers, Apostleship of the Sea and Fishermen’s Mission — all of which are dependent entirely on charitable donations.

The MNWB is now hoping to set up similar schemes in other UK ports. Chief executive Peter Tomlin commented: ‘With ships carrying over 90% of the globe’s

Green alert over Polar cruise risks

Ship’s crew ‘forced to drink sea water’ day slavery’ in the shipping F industry have been raised by the

Fresh concerns over ‘modern-

seafarers’ charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) after it found crew members on a Turkish-owned ship detained in a UK port having to live off sea water and out-of-date food.

The AoS and the International Transport Workers’ Federation have been providing assistance to the crew of the Panama-flagged general cargoship Tahsin, which had been detained in Sharpness Docks since 2 June after a port state control inspection uncovered a long list of deficiencies onboard.

As well as unpaid wages and invalid seafarers’ employment agreements, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency found problems including missing charts, defective life-saving appliances, damaged

hatchways and inoperative ventilation of working spaces.

The AoS team in Sharpness has been visiting the ship three times each week, providing the crew with Turkish, Indian and English newspapers, bringing baked goods and fresh produce from their gardens, and providing transport for the seafarers to go into town to send money home to their families.

ITF inspector Darren Proctor said there was evidence that the crew had been drinking seawater as there had been no potable water on the ship for more than 10 days.

Following intervention by the ITF, seven of the nine crew members were paid owed wages and repatriated — including one who was on just US$250 a month — but their replacements had also complained about poor conditions and broken promises.

warned about a growing risk F of air pollution in the Arctic region Environmental groups have

Humber staff help seafarer centre British Ports (ABP), is pictured A above presenting a £1,000 cheque Jeno Kocsis, from Associated

for the Immingham Seafarers Centre to Humber Seafarers’ Service Trading director Ros Dezelsky.

ABP Humber staff made £1,000 donations to the centre and to Grimsby and Cleethorpes Sea Cadets following their success in an internal awards ceremony in categories

such as operations, safety and environment.

Mark Frith, port manager for Grimsby and Immingham, said: ‘It’s key that we support our local charities, especially those in the maritime industry who may often get overlooked. Every day, we see how important their work is and our teams chose to donate their prizes to the seafarers’ centre and Sea Cadets

as a token of our ongoing support.’

Ms Dezelsky added: ‘It is through the generosity of people and organisations which make these donations that enables us to give a much-needed supporting role to the seafarers from all over the world and provide the assistance they need.

We greatly appreciate this donation and thank ABP for their continued support.’

Film highlights plight of ‘Chennai 6’ part of a campaign to secure the A release of the crew of a counter-piracy A new film has been released as

vessel imprisoned in India for almost four years.

The 35 crew of the Seaman Guard Ohio support vessel were first detained on 12 October 2013, accused of possessing illegal firearms.

10-11_news.indd 10

raw materials, commodities, and manufactured goods, it is really important to the global economy to ensure the welfare of seafarers in ports around the world. The scheme introduced by the Port of Tyne will made a tangible difference to local charities in Tyneside that work hard to support seafarers in need.’

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson added; ‘We are pleased to see the successful introduction of this very interesting scheme.

‘The fees are small change for shipping companies, but make a massive difference to the lives of seafarers,’ he pointed out. ‘We certainly hope other ports will adopt similar schemes, as there are significant and complex welfare needs to be addressed.’

The charges were initially quashed.

But the case went to another court and they were sentenced to five years in jail. Now supporters of the ‘Chennai 6’ — the British security guards on the vessel — have released a film aimed at raising awareness of their plight: ‘The Chennai 6 — A Miscarriage of Justice’.

Nautilus general secretary Mark

Dickinson said: ‘It is unacceptable that personnel who were seeking to keep the seas safe have been treated in this way. We have already raised this case with the prime minister and have just urged the shipping minister to ensure that the UK makes the strongest possible representations to get the men released.’

posed by the increase in polar cruise operations.

Experts from Germany’s Nature and Biodiversity Union (NABU) and the Iceland Nature Conservation Association (INCA) said samples taken in the port of Reykjavik showed air pollution downwind of visiting vessels to be up to 1,000 times higher than local background levels.

They warned that exhaust gases and particular matter from ships using heavy fuel oil are adding to climate change and presenting an environmental threat to Arctic ecosystems.

Dietmar Oeliger, head of transport policy with NABU, commented: ‘The use and carriage of heavy fuel oil is unacceptable in Arctic waters. The ships must switch to low-sulphur fuels and install particulate filters and nitrogen catalysts in order to limit the amount of harmful emissions.

This can be done at low costs and will significantly improve the air quality.’

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said shipping must stop being a mobile incinerator for the oil industry and adopt the use of clean fuels, such as LNG and methanol, to not only reduce the environmental threats but also the health impact on passengers, crew and people living near ports.

‘Sampling needs to take place at major sea ports in Europe and around the world to increase public and political awareness,’ he added. ‘In many cases, the nation state picks up the cost, and in the UK alone shipping is estimated to cost the NHS as much as £3bn a year.’

20/09/2017 11:42

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

Salvors hit by revenue fall

Dutch ship in UK’s first LNG bunker operation become the first in the country F to bunker a visiting ship with LNG

The UK port of Immingham has

fuel, pictured right.

In a joint project with the supply company Flogas Britain, Associated British Ports (ABP) refuelled the Dutch-flagged cement carrier Ireland in a truck-to-ship operation.

ABP Immingham & Grimsby port manager Mark Frith said: ‘We are proud to be a key part of this flagship operation, which has really put the UK on the map as the latest European hub for more climate-friendly bunkering. Demand is already

The Danish ferry company

stowaways have been stuck on one of its ro-pax vessels for almost two months because no country will accept them.

The men were discovered onboard on the Lithuanian-flagged Kaunas Seaways in late July and have had to be locked in cabins because neither Turkey nor Ukraine — the two countries which the vessel operates between — will allow them to come ashore.

One of the difficulties is that the stowaways have no identification papers. When questioned, they claim to be stateless Palestinians, but DFDS thinks that they are probably from either Algeria or Morocco.

DFDS said the men have been violent and threatened suicide. The company described the situation as intolerable and has called for governments to intervene.

CEO Niels Smedegaard said seafarers are not trained or equipped to deal with such situations and the

The salvage industry is facing

beginning to shift away from oil across the international fleet, and we very much see natural gas taking its place as the marine fuel of choice.’

Flogas MD Lee Gannon added: ‘There is great potential for LNG in the maritime industry as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional oil-based bunker fuels, but until now this potential has remained untapped here in the UK.’ He said demand for the ‘highly versatile fuel’ is expected to grow rapidly as environmental regulations increasingly prohibit the use of polluting heavy fuel oils.

Migrants trapped on ferry for weeks DFDS has expressed concern F over a case in which 12 North African

‘significant commercial A pressures’ after losing almost half of

company has had to hire security guards for the vessel.

‘At the moment, everyone is washing their hands of the problem, he added. ‘Nobody wants to allow these poor people to come ashore so that they be properly processed as asylum seekers, or whatever else they want.’

‘It is completely unsound that we should handle this. This is a situation the border controls should handle, not a transportation company.’

The company said the best solution would be for Ukraine or Turkey to agree to take the migrants, or to get final confirmation of their origin so they can be sent back to their countries.

The Danish foreign ministry became involved in talks to resolve the stalemate last month.

A spokesman for the Ukrainian border service said the men wanted to go from Turkey to Romania but got on the wrong ferry and ended up in Ukraine, where they cannot be taken in because they do not have documents.

its revenue in just one year, according to the outgoing president of the International Salvage Union (ISU).

Speaking at the organisation’s annual meeting in Singapore last month, John Witte said ISU members are not only having to compete amongst themselves but also against ‘more opportunistic operators’ such as under-utilised offshore support vessels and ‘so-called consultants’ operating on a case by case basis.

Mr Witte said owners and insurers would benefit from supporting ‘a strong, professional salvage industry’.

P&I club warns on UK stowaway risk Vessels bound for British ports recommended to take ‘robust’ precautions

P

Ships bound for UK ports have been urged to take ‘robust’ measures to guard against an increasing risk of stowaway attempts.

Figures released by the West of England P&I Club indicate that the number of stowaways being discovered has risen by more than 75% over the past five years — with the ports of Ghent, Lagos and Rotterdam heading the list of ‘hot spot’ areas.

In an alert to owners, the club described stowaways as ‘a perennial problem’ and pointed to a marked recent increase in cases.

In the past 12 months, it handled 60 incidents involving 220 stowaways, which together cost more than US$1.6m to resolve. This

compared to 51 cases involving 125 stowaways and a cost of around $1m in 2012.

The club said there has been a particularly marked rise in cases involving stowaways getting onto ferries sailing from northern European ports to the UK — usually hiding in trailers.

The Belgian port of Ghent was identified as the biggest ‘hot spot’, with 55 stowaways detected in the past year. A total of 28 were found in Rotterdam over the same period, and the Club also noted significant numbers in Cuxhaven and Bremerhaven in Germany, Esbjerg in Denmark, Vigo in Spain, and Istanbul in Turkey.

The West of England also warned owners that African ports

continue to be a big problem, with the Nigerian port of Lagos accounting for 48 stowaways in the past 12 months.

South African and Moroccan ports, and Doula in Cameroon, were among the other major hot spots on the continent. The club said there had been several incidents in which large numbers of stowaways — 10 or more — had managed to board vessels.

The club said it ‘strongly recommends that vessels visiting, in particular, African ports and northern European ports when destined for the UK, ensure robust anti-stowaway measures are in place at all times’.

Noting that the void space surrounding the rudder trunk

continues to be a common hiding place for stowaways, it also urges owns to weld a substantial metal grating in position, clear of the full movement of the rudder stock.

The West of England said stowaways should be treated firmly but humanely — and under no circumstances mistreated.

‘Stowaways are expensive to process and repatriate, and it is often necessary to employ escorts to accompany them in transit when they are finally sent home,’ it pointed out. ‘Vessels may also be delayed and fined. Moreover, it can be difficult to find countries willing to allow stowaways to disembark, particularly if they have no identification documents.’

STUDY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD We help seafarers get ahead through our flexible one-to-one distance learning courses.

Hotel firm goes cruising Carlton is moving into the A cruiseship market with an order for The luxury hotel group Ritz-

three new vessels from the Spanish yard H.J. Astilleros Barreras.

The first ship in the ‘Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’, pictured above, is due to come into service in 2019. The 190m vessels will be capable of accommodating up to 298 passengers and will offer seven- to 10-day cruises in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe,

10-11_news.indd 11

the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Latin America.

Ritz-Carlton said it had decided to move into the cruise business as so many of its customers had taken cruises in recent years. ‘While we currently plan to start with three ships and evaluate from there, we do feel that this design and product concept can sustain a larger fleet and so plans for additional vessels may be a possibility in the future,’ said chief executive Hervé Humler.

Learn with us – from GCSEs and A Levels, right through to degrees and postgraduate qualifications. marine-society.org 020 7654 7029

Marine Society & Sea Cadets, a charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808

20/09/2017 11:42

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

HEALTH & SAFETY

Officers not trained University simulator helps Dublin port expasion on weather system F cargoship which sank in a F hurricane near the Bahamas in 2015 Officers onboard a ro-ro

had not been formally trained in the use of a weather information system onboard their ship, an investigation has revealed.

All 33 people onboard the US-flagged El Faro died when the 31,515gt vessel went down during Hurricane Joaquin and a US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on the human factor elements of the loss says investigations showed ‘a varying degree of knowledge’ about the Bon Voyage System for relaying forecasts to the ship every six hours.

Some masters and mates who had sailed on the ship, and a sister vessel, told investigators that they knew how to change setting to reduce clutter but most could not recall how they had learned to use the system and no formal training had been provided.

The system had options for custom settings that would enable information to be received more frequently — such as tropical cyclone

updates — but these had not been activated onboard El Faro.

The NTSB has determined that had the ship received an up-to-date cyclone advisory, officers would have known that the centre of the hurricane had moved and that the vessel’s course was going almost directly towards it.

Investigators said the ship’s owners, TOTE, did not have a policy for monitoring vessels while at sea and no one at the company was aware of the El Faro’s position in relation to the storm.

The report also notes concerns about fatigue being experienced by El Faro’s officers, with evidence that their working days were averaging between 12.5 hours to 13 hours in the previous month. The chief engineer had complained of being exhausted from extra maintenance work, the second mate was taking a sleep aid medication, and a review of the third mate’s STCW work/rest logs had shown four violations during August and September.

Liverpool John Moores University’s Maritime Centre has carried out ship manoeuvring simulations using its state-of-the-art 360-degree ship-handling simulator to support new developments in Dublin Port’s Alexandra Basin.

The centre provided a platform for the Dublin Port Company to risk assess ship manoeuvres and establish the control measures required to maintain optimum levels of safety in critical operations.

A number of vessel movement simulations were run in the main bridge, alongside two smaller bridges used for tugs or independent ships,

to model scenarios such as turning, berthing, and unberthing associated with the proposed Alexandra Basin ro-ro jetty. Results are being used by the DPC harbour master and pilots to understand the manoeuvring requirements for vessels using the new facilities.

Abdul Khalique, head of the LJMU Maritime Centre, said: ‘LJMU’s investment in simulation technology continues to provide the vital platform where critical operations can be trialled without the fear of real damage and therefore make improvements in the design of maritime structures or operations.’

Loose screw led to loss of control Report raises fresh concerns over ECS

Ferry grounded because of failure in controllable pitch propeller system

F

P

Nautilus has raised renewed concerns over electronic chart training following an investigation into the grounding of a containership in Denmark earlier this year.

The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) said the 1,678TEU Victoria grounded at the entrance to the deepwater channel near Lillegrund after the crew decided to take an ‘untraditional’ approach to the waterway.

The grounding resulted in serious damage to the hull of the Portugueseflagged vessel. Several fuel oil tanks and ballast tanks were ruptured, and the DMAIB said it was fortunate that not much of the 720 tonnes of heavy fuel oil had been lost.

Investigators said the bridge team had been aware of the shallow waters ahead, but as their attention was focused on the turn into the channel they had failed to notice an isolated danger sign.

The report says the bridge team were navigating visually by means of the buoys rather than using

MARINE TAX SERVICES (CARDIFF) LTD Dcomplete service for mariners Drun by certificated ex-officer Dqualified accountants always available Dcomputerised 100% claims and forecast projection DLimited Company Formation & Admin 26 High Street, Barry CF62 7EB, South Glamorgan, UK Tel. Barry (01446) 739953 MARINETAX@YAHOO.COM Established 1974

12-13_h+s.indd 12

paper charts or the electronic chart system (ECS). Investigators said they had been unable to determine the intended purpose of the ECS — with the bridge crew saying that it was rarely used when navigating because it was not approved and there was a sticker on the monitor highlighting that it was for ‘training only’.

However, the report notes, there was evidence to show that the system was being used to some extent in daily navigation.

The passage plan — which had been based on waypoints from a previous passage plan — required that the turn into the channel be made with precise timing and positioning, the DMAIB said.

However, the current and the wind had resulted in drift of the vessel which made it appear to the crew that Victoria was further east of the shallow water than it actually was.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘We have stressed the need for both generic and equipment specific training. This illustrates yet again the lack of training and commitment to invest in proper equipment.’

A loose screw has been blamed for an incident in which a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry ran over mooring pontoons and grounded in North Uist in September last year.

The 5,5606gt Hebrides suffered a damaged propeller blade and stern tube outer seal as a result of the accident, but none of the 45 passengers and 32 crew were injured.

The UK Marine Accident Branch (MAIB) said a mechanical failure within a linear servomotor actuator had resulted in control of one of the controllable pitch propellers being lost when Hebrides was approaching the pier at Lochmaddy.

The failure had been caused by a setscrew used to attach a coupling to a stepper motor shaft not being secured in position with thread locking compound when it was replaced six months earlier, the investigation report notes.

Investigators found that neither the service engineer who fitted the setscrew nor the ferry’s engineers were aware of the manufacturer’s service instruc-

Hebrides aground at Lochmaddy in September last year Picture: MAIB

tions on how to fit it. They said the absence of service instructions from the equipment manufacturer Rolls-Royce Marine was ‘pivotal’ to the failure.

The report also points out that the pitch control system had not been upgraded to incorporate a pitch deviation alarm and/or an automatic clutch-out capability, as recommended by the manufacturer.

The MAIB said the ship’s bridge and engine control room teams

were not sufficiently prepared to deal effectively with a loss of control in confined waters.

‘The master attempted to control the ferry’s movements but he was unable to prevent it from running over several mooring pontoons and briefly grounding,’ the report adds.

The crew’s response to the loss of control was well intended, but was uncoordinated because they were not sufficiently prepared or practised to deal quickly and

effectively with the loss of pitch control in the confined waters, the MAIB said.

It took the bridge team two minutes to realise that control of the port CPP had been lost. By then, the ferry was less than 700ft from the pier and was still making a speed of 10 knots.

The MAIB recommended that Rolls-Royce Marine verify its processes to ensure that service and inspection instructions provided by the manufacturers of the components used in its control systems are available to its service engineers and in the documentation provided to vessels.

It also called for CalMac to introduce drills and contingency plans to better prepare its crews to deal with propulsion failures.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘The MAIB’s conclusions related to factors such as the startle effect, panic, preparedness, practise and communications may be better addressed by a recommendation for additional regular enhanced simulator or virtual reality training.’

New guidance aims to improve safety culture in UK ports in Felixstowe last month of A new industry guidance that aims Pictured right is the launch

to improve health and safety leadership, as well as worker engagement, in UK ports.

Developed by Port Skills and Safety (PSS), the Health & Safety Executive and Unite the Union, the document emphasises that human factors, relationships, trust, communication and behaviours are as vital as risk assessments, procedures and controls.

‘Excellent leadership and employee engagement are the foundation of an effective health and safety culture,’ said PSS chairman Tim Clarke. ‘Proactive leadership behaviours and highly

engaged people deliver better quality, increased efficiency and a sustainable business.’

Speaking after the launch, Nautilus national secretary Allan Graveson said that whilst the guidance was welcome, more needs to be done to combat other concerns.

‘If the aspirations are translated into reality, this would be very much welcomed,’ he stated. ‘Regrettably, though, this is rarely the case with respect to individual employers operating within ports.

‘Nautilus has particular concern with respect to the excessive working hours and fatigue on tugs,’ Mr Graveson added. ‘Ports need to take responsibility for what happens in their estate.’

20/09/2017 11:03

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Tow risks were badly assessed Ships sank as a result of ‘ineffective’ mitigation measures, report concludes

P

Shortfalls in risk management were a key factor in the sinking of two Maersk offshore support vessels which were being towed off the coast of France last year, an investigation has concluded.

The AHTS vessels Maersk Search and Maersk Shipper both capsized and sank in heavy weather in the Bay of Biscay while being towed by the Danish-flagged Maersk Battler to be scrapped in Turkey.

A report from the Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) describes the incident as ‘very serious’ and of special concern because of the potential risk of harm to the environment as a result of oil leaking from the wrecks.

Investigators said Maersk had spent four months planning the tow, but crucial information and expertise was lost when a marine superintended was laidoff before he had finalised the towing procedure and completed the final assessment of the towing method.

The DMAIB said Maersk had chosen an ‘unconventional’ method of towing the two ships side by side as ‘it was deemed too expensive to tow the ships in series because then one of the towed ships had to be manned’.

It was thought that the two vessels would behave as a single unit and individual movement would be reduced when they were both towed with a shared bridle, the report notes.

However, the vessels were affected by a swell of up to 4.5m when they entered the Channel and investigations showed that they behaved as two interact-

Star Pride after grounding off Panama’s Coiba Island last year Picture: BMA

Officers ‘should have recognised grounding risks’ in an area where the water F depth varied between 0.5m

A passengership ran aground

Maersk Searcher and Maersk Shipper shortly before they sank off the coast of France last year Picture: DMAIB

ing units, exposing the fenders between the ships to forces that they could not withstand.

When the fenders failed, the ships were able to make direct contact and they collided constantly for at least 36 hours, causing severe structural damage to both of them. Maersk Searcher began taking on water and lost stability before capsizing and dragging Maersk Shipper over as it sank.

Investigators said Maersk Battler’s crew did not realise that the ships were at risk of being lost until 10 minutes before Maersk Searcher capsized as they were ‘of the understanding that structural damage was to be expected with this type of set-up’.

The crew had not noticed any

damage below the waterline and were more concerned about the towing bridle, the report adds.

Investigators said the risk of losing the fenders, and collision and flooding of the towed vessels, had been identified during the planning process and mitigation measures were in place for each risk.

However, the report concludes, these initiatives were ‘ineffective’ — with the forces acting between the ships under tow being underestimated and the mitigation strategies failing to reflect the ‘acute potential’ of interaction between the various invidual risk factors.

Investigators also questioned the suitability of the fenders used — noting that the it was originally

planned to use a minimum of three fenders with a diameter no less than 3m and a length of 4m to 5m.

However, the report notes that it was found that such fenders were ‘difficult to locate and expensive to buy or rent’ and it was decided to use fenders with a diameter of 3m and a length of 4m at a ‘significantly lower price’.

‘Some concerns were raised within the operations department as to whether the smaller fenders were acceptable, but the cheaper and smaller fender type was chosen,’ the report adds. ‘No recalculations or considerations were made to assess whether the reduction in fender size would have an impact on the towing setup and the risk assessments.’

ETV ‘would not have stopped rig from being swept ashore’

to 4.99m against the charted depth of approximately 21m, an investigation has revealed.

The 9,975gt motor passenger yacht Star Pride suffered multiple hull breaches, took on water and the 156 passengers had to be disembarked after grounding on rocks in the Canal de Rancheria, near Panama’s Coiba Island, in December last year.

An investigation by the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) found that the ship had followed the same course as it had five and a half days earlier, when the bridge teams heard ‘an unusual noise consisting of three bumps’, and when the tide was some 4.4m higher.

Although divers had found no significant hull damage, the report says the first incident ‘should have warranted further precaution to be exercised’ until the source of the bumping was fully determined.

The last known official charted survey of the area was carried out between 1934 and 1935 and investigators said the location of Star Pride’s grounding had not been charted.

Investigators said paper charts were being used as the primary means of navigation, with ECDIS being used for passage planning and to monitor the vessel’s position in relation to the planned track.

‘This could potentially cause confusion given the data was presented in two different formats,’ the report notes.

‘The bridge team did not recognise the impending danger the vessel was standing into when additional, uncharted exposed rocks were sighted ahead of the vessel,’ the report adds. ‘The realisation should have been made by any one of the bridge team that the reliability of chart information could not be guaranteed to maintain navigational safety.’

The BMA said the master was probably suffering from a degree of fatigue at the time of the accident, as he had entertained guests at the captain’s table on the evening before the grounding and went with them to a bar, where he stayed until 0100hrs. The report notes that he had ‘retired to his cabin for approximately four hours prior to navigating a vessel through a narrow channel to anchor, on a small scale navigational chart, at low water with a navigator who had not been properly familiarised with onboard procedures as required by company policy’.

The report also describes a 36-hour delay in ordering postaccident drug and alcohol tests as ‘inexcusable’ and in breach of the vessel’s safety and environmental management system.

The BMA recommends Windstar Cruises to consider implementing an internal audit to check that company procedures are being adhered to and to consider additional bridge resource management training to improve communication, spatial awareness, utilisation of bridge equipment and operational planning techniques.

MAS MARINE CONSULTANTS LTD CAPTAIN PHILIP R SHENTON

unable to prevent the grounding of the semiF submersible rig Transocean Winner after a Dutch tug An emergency towing vessel would have been

lost the tow in severe weather off the Scottish coast in August last year.

The UK Maritime Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) concluded that once the 17,580gt platform had broken free from the tow, there was nothing that could have been done to prevent its grounding on the Isle of Lewis.

Investigators said the effect of wind and waves on Transocean Winner resulted in the Dutch-flagged tug ALP Forward losing control of the rig and being dragged backwards for more than 24 hours before the line parted as a result of repeated sudden loadings.

12-13_h+s.indd 13

The MAIB said the towing manual had failed to set out any contingency plan for adverse weather, or identify any ports for the NW coast of Scotland while the platform was being towed from Norway to Malta. The passage of the 2,789gt tug had left little room for error, the report adds.

‘ALP Forward’s capabilities satisfied industry requirements but the master had insufficient information to predict that the tug would be unable to hold the rig in the forecast weather,’ the MAIB stated. ‘Owners and warranty surveyors ashore were not able to provide timely assistance due to ineffective monitoring of the daily reports, and the emergency towing arrangement was unsuitable for use in poor weather.’

The MAIB said subsequent checks showed

the tow line was in a generally poor condition, with partial disintegration of the core leading to significant loss of strength before the tow commenced, and it was further weakened during the heavy weather before the accident.

‘Had significantly more tow line been deployed, it is likely that the line would have suffered less damage from sudden loading, and it might not have failed,’ the report states. But it also adds: ‘It is quite possible that a new tow line would have also parted under the same circumstances and conditions.’

The report recommends ALP Maritime Services to review its towing manuals to ensure crews have all necessary information, including tow-specific guidance on the need to consider sea room and lee shores during passage planning.

Deck Oral Prep Courses All MCA exam grades - unlimited - limited Commercial - Workboat - Yachts Full details on website www.masmarineconsultants.com Email: course@masmarineconsultants.com Tel: + 44 (0) 783 778 1178 Times House Wallasey, Merseyside, CH45 3NQ, UK

20/09/2017 11:03

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports FEES SCRAPPED: the Danish government plans to scrap registration fees for merchant ships as part of a plan to increase its fleet. Ministers are also aiming to abolish the special fee on secondhand ships using the Danish International Ship Register. Danish owners have welcomed the move, claiming that it can be three to four times more expensive to register a ship in Denmark than under flags such as Singapore.

LIVESTOCK REVIEW: the Australian Maritime Safety Authority is reviewing rules governing the age of ships being used for livestock exports and the welfare conditions for animals being carried following a recent exposé which revealed that 3,000 cattle died onboard the 1980-built Kuwait-flagged vessel Al Messilah during a voyage from Australia to Doha.

SECURITY CORRIDOR: a new security corridor for merchant shipping has been established in the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al Mandeb. The Combined Maritime Forces urged vessels to make use of the new corridor to benefit from military presence and surveillance following recent attacks in the region.

TICKETS ‘RINGFENCED’: more than 7,200 New Zealand seafarers have registered with the country’s maritime authority to ‘ringfence’ their ‘legacy’ certificates before the 1 September deadline following a year-long campaign to raise awareness about new certification rules.

STENA ADDITION: Stena Line has deployed a fourth ship, the 3,652gt Gute, on its route between Gdynia, Poland, and Karlskrona, Sweden following a significant increase in its Baltic Sea South freight operations in the first eight months of the year.

MEGA ORDERS: the French shipping group CMA CGM has revealed plans to build nine of the world’s largest containerships at two Chinese shipyards. Due to come into service in 2019, the vessels will be of 22,000TEU capacity.

SINGAPORE SMASH: five seafarers were feared dead last month after the Indonesian-registered tanker Kartika Segara collided with the Dominican-registered dredger JBB De Rong 19 in the Singapore Strait last month.

CREW RESCUED: 11 crew members were rescued last month when the 42-year-old Mongolia-flagged general cargoship Leonardo split in two in the Black Sea off Turkey’s NW coast while en route to Tuzla dockyard for repairs.

GROUNDING PROBE: an investigation was launched last month after the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Star of Sawara grounded off Gedser, Denmark, and had to be towed free by four tugs.

CRUISE BOOM: cruiseship capacity in Asia increased 38% last year to a new total of 4.24m passengers, the Cruise Lines International Association reported last month.

Full range of STCW10 Basic & Update Training available in Hull, Yorkshire Personal Survival Techniques and Update Basic Fire Fighting & Fire Prevention and Update Advanced Fire Fighting and Update Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats (Other than Fast Rescue Boats) and Update Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boats and Update These courses are in addition to HOTA’s current Maritime portfolio which includes: STCW Basic Safety Training including Elementary First Aid & Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities • Ship Security Awareness • Designated Security Duties • Ship Security Officer • Efficient Deck Hand • Crowd Management • Crisis Management & Human Behaviour • Medical First Aid • Proficiency in Medical Care on Board Ship and Update • Entry in to Enclosed Space • VHF Certificate

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F

The 14,400TEU capacity CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt is pictured above last month as it became the largest containership to ever call at the port of New York and New Jersey after sailing underneath the raised Bayonne Bridge.

The arrival of the UK-flagged vessel at the APM Terminals Elizabeth container terminal

followed a US$1.6m project to increase clearance under the bridge — which is the the fifth longest arch bridge in the world — to enable ultra-large containerships (ULCVs) to call at terminals on the New Jersey side of the port’s inner harbour.

Earlier on the Chinese-built CMA CGM Theodore Roosevelt’s maiden voyage on the

Ocean Alliance South Atlantic Express service linking Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian and Hong Kong to Savannah, Charleston and Norfolk on the US east coast, the 140,872gt ship also set the record as the largest vessel to pass through the expanded Panama Canal.

Picture: US Coast Guard

Danes warn on seafarer decline Official statistics show slump in officer numbers under international register

by Andrew Draper

P

The decline of the Danish seafarer is much more severe than previously realised and latest statistics from the national maritime authority — forced out by a freedom of information request by the officers’ union Søfartens Ledere (SL) — have sparked serious warnings.

‘The figures are alarming and much worse than before,’ said SL general secretary Fritz Ganzhorn.

The statistics show that the proportion of Danish deck officers in Denmark’s international fleet (DIS) fell from 79.9% in 2000 to 40.7% at end-September

last year. For engineer officers, it was down from 79.7% to 33.0%.

On 75% of DIS vessels there is only one senior Danish engineer officer left. On the other 25%, there is none.

In 2011, an amendment to the DIS Act enabled up to 40% of ships DIS-registered ships to be commanded by a captain recruited from outside Denmark or the EU/ EEA. Danish masters have fallen 8% in number since the change, to make up just 66% of the total.

SL said this data is normally published annually by the Danish Maritime Authority but that there had been delays due to a new IT system and staff changes.

The union had requested the data repeatedly since March and after being told it was not ready, it forced the release through freedom of information rules.

Mr Ganzhorn said SL is now preparing a set of recommendations which it will send to the Danish government and parliament on how Denmark can rebuild its maritime labour force and maritime skills.

The rapid decline in the Danish officer workforce (ratings virtually disappeared from DIS ships some years ago) has come on the back of a rise in the Danish merchant fleet.

The number of vessels on Den-

mark’s international register has risen from by 25% over the past 15 years and overall employment (excluding passenger vessels) by 55%. By contrast, jobs for Danes dipped by 30% and they now make up less than a quarter of all jobs in DIS. The Danish government is proposing to widen the scope of DIS to include the offshore sector. While owners say they want to maintain Danish seafarers onboard, the CO-Sea union says it will be important to stipulate the use of Danish labour and to produce detailed training plans to prevent a ‘slippery slope’ of fewer jobs for the country’s seafarers.

French maritime unions lobby over employment ‘stagnation’ welcomed their government’s F decision to release national maritime French maritime unions have

employment statistics for the first time in many years.

But the unions have also voiced concern over the figures — warning that training numbers are far from adequate.

The 2016 data shows a total of 17,695 seafarers registered with Énim, the national social security system for seafarers serving on French-flagged or controlled vessels.

Of this total, almost 6,000 were working on passenger ferries and 350 on cruiseships, with around 2,333 on offshore service vessels and specialised tonnage. A further 835 French seafarers serve on containership and cargo vessels, and 485 on deepsea tugs.

All French cruiseships are registered in the overseas territory of Wallis-et-Futuna, but not all the French seafarers working on ships

More than 400,000 French trade unionists took to the streets last month to protest over President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed changes to the Labour Code which will weaken worker s’ rights. Turnout was particularly high in port communities, like Le Havre (above) Picture: Eric Houri

under the flag — 42% of the total employed — contribute to Énim.

The French merchant navy officer training academy ENSM last month

took on 116 new students. Females comprised 11% of the total intake, a figure strongly criticised by the unions. Jean-Philippe Chateil, general secretary of the FOMM-CGT officers’ union said the figure was ‘pitifully low’ despite attempts to reverse the trend.

The unions — who are awaiting details of the new government’s maritime policies to establish a ‘strategic’ French fleet — say action is vital, with new figures showing a total of 106 dry and liquid bulk vessels under French control, down from 130 a year earlier.

The French operators’ association AdF has expressed concern about the potential impact of Brexit on the maritime sector. It has raised questions about future UK shipping policies — including possible changes to tax concessions and other support for the industry — and how they might affect cross-Channel shipping, in which France is the UK’s main logistical partner.

20/09/2017 16:43

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

Greece urged to act on training Report says Athens should introduce its version of Maritime UK organisation

P

Greece has been urged to overhaul its maritime education and training facilities as part of a programme to ensure that the country continues as a global shipping centre.

A report published by the multinational professional services firm EY last month warns that the competitiveness of the Greek maritime cluster is being undermined by a reduction in the number of young people in the country training as seafarers — despite persistently high levels of unemployment.

It also highlights ‘widespread concern that marine education is being overlooked’ — with training centres ‘grossly underfunded’ and

training programmes becoming rapidly outdated.

‘There is a need for the formulation of a national strategy on marine and maritime education, an increase of funding for marine academies, and closer involvement of the shipping community in the formulation of curricula in order to strengthen the supply of human capital in terms of both numbers and quality,’ it argues.

EY said the Greek fleet remains the largest in the world — totalling more than 5,270 ships and worth almost US$86bn — and income from shipping activities accounts for some 6.5% of the country’s GDP. The report points to research

showing that an increase in ship management activities in Greece could create an ‘added value’ of €25.9bn and create up to 550,000 jobs.

But it warns that the Greek maritime cluster is suffering as a result of poor infrastructure, economic and political uncertainties, and tax issues — with a survey showing that 56% of major shipping companies would consider shifting their ship management functions to other countries.

Singapore, London and Dubai were ranked as the most popular alternative destinations, and the report notes that Cyprus is emerging as a competitive maritime cluster.

The EY study says the Greek government needs to take a series of strategic and policy interventions to improve the country’s ability to compete as a global maritime centre.

As well as improvements to the maritime training system, the report also recommends a more stable and ‘business-friendly’ regulatory, tax and legal framework and improved coordination within the country’s maritime cluster. It suggests that Maritime UK — the organisation which brings together British shipping, ports, marine and business services sectors — could serve as a useful model for a similar Greek body.

ITF opens new Singapore base have welcomed the official F opening of a new local office for the

Maritime unions in Singapore

International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), pictured right.

The new office — the ITF’s fourth in the Asia-Pacific region — is based in the Seacare building in Singapore, owned by ratings’ union the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS), and will run with a staff of three.

‘The opening of the Centre of Excellence in Singapore will further strengthen the ITF affiliates in Southeast Asia, a booming region with rapidly growing air, sea and land transport sectors. With Singapore as a major air and sea hub, this ITF office is well positioned to support and reinforce ITF work programmes in the Asia-Pacific,’ said SOS general secretary Kam Soon Huat.

Speaking at the opening ceremony ITF secretary-general Stephen Cotton said: ‘We’re excited about this new opportunity — every new resource to support workers on the ground is a step forward. This office is not just a maritime office, it’s the ITF in all the modes of transport.

This office isn’t about influencing

shortreports GREEK SPILL: authorities in Greece have been criticised following an oil spill caused by a tanker which sank off Athens in almost perfect conditions last month.

The government announced measures to improve vessel audits and inspections after the accident involving the 45-year-old Agia Zona II. The maritime union PEMEN claimed the ship had been badly repaired and water had leaked through holes in the ‘patched up’ engineroom.

INDIAN HOTLINE: the Indian government has set up a special reporting hotline to help stranded seafarers following a series of abandonment cases in United Arab Emirates waters. The Mumbai-based Directorate General of Shipping Communication Centre aims to serve as a ‘one-stop shop’ to coordinate the response to crews’ complaints, issues and grievances and it will create a centralised database of incidents.

SEAFARER LOST: a 47-year-old Filipino seafarer who was about to return home after several months at sea was feared dead after being reported missing from the Gibraltar-flagged gas carrier Eship Shamal off the French port of Saint-Nazaire last month. The crewman was thought to have fallen overboard, but extensive searches by rescue boats and a helicopter proved fruitless.

FATAL COLLISION: a total of 20 seafarers died after a collision between the 48,200dwt bulk carrier Royal Arsenal and the Iraqi-flagged offshore support vessel Al Misbar just outside the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr. A court ordered the detention of the St Vincent & Grenadines-registered bulker while investigations into the accident were conducted.

LNG CONVERT: the 1,036TEU containership Wes Amelie, owned by the German operator Wessels Reederei, has re-entered service after becoming the first vessel of its kind to be retro-fitted to run on LNG fuel.

The conversion work, backed by Germany’s transport ministry, is expected to extend to other ships in the company’s 36-strong fleet.

MALAYSIAN JOBS: Malaysia’s transport minister has announced plans to increase the country’s seafarer workforce. Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said there are currently more than 6,000 foreign crews working on Malaysian-registered ships and the country needed to increase its supply of seafarers to sustain its maritime industries.

MANAGERS MERGE: Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement and Marlow Navigation have secured regulatory approval for their proposed merger. The tie-up will create one of the world’s biggest technical and crew management companies, with responsibility for some 1,500 vessels and about 24,000 seafarers.

Singapore, it’s about using a base to grow ITF influence in Southeast Asia.’

ITF president Paddy Crumlin, who is based in Sydney, said: ‘As a trade union organisation we’ve identified Asia-Pacific as a major area of growth. We want to see more unions in the region affiliating to the ITF family. We’ll be working in countries where we believe we can help build stronger unions and make solid improvements to labour

standards.

‘The location and stability of Singapore make it the ideal hub for this work and we know the new office is going to play a vital role in coordinating and managing our activities across Asia-Pacific together with the other ITF centres of organising excellence in the region.’

Mary Liew, general secretary of the Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union, added: ‘We believe

that we will have many further collaborations in the future to benefit the workers in this region.

We also look forward to the ITF’s continued support for our unique culture of tripartite social dialogue which have been a cornerstone of our harmonious industrial relationship and an important framework for the Singapore labour movement to help working people navigate the challenges.’

FAROES PLAN: the Faroese government has formulated a strategy to make the Faroe Islands a North Atlantic maritime centre for all types of ships, with particular focus on offshore vessels. Faroese officers account for some 25% of all senior positions onboard Danish ships.

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Australian coastal trades ‘at risk’ A

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has accused the conservative Australian government over making a new attempt to decimate the country’s domestic shipping fleet.

The warning came last month as a Bill was introduced which would relax the rules governing the issue of temporary licences to allow foreign ships to operate between Australian ports.

ITF president and Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Paddy Crumlin commented: ‘Put simply, the proposed changes would make it more

14-15_int.indd 15

difficult for Australian ships with Australian crew to compete in the coastal trade. Instead of enhancing a vital national industry with a long and proud tradition, the Turnbull government wants to send the jobs offshore.’

Unions accuse the government of failing to fully consult over the plans and of ignoring evidence from a recent Senate inquiry which highlighted economic, social and security concerns about flag of convenience operations in Australian waters.

Darren Chester, the MP who introduced the

measure, told Parliament that the current rules are ‘pushing costs up for businesses’ and imposing ‘unnecessary costs’ on shippers and consumers.

Cunard’s former Asia-Pacific vice-president Sarina Bratton told a conference in Sydney last month that the current regulations restrict the number of cruiseships operating in the country’s waters.

‘There should be no cabotage in Australia,’ she said. ‘Are we trying to protect an industry that doesn’t exist? Most other governments incentivise companies to visit.’

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20/09/2017 11:04

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

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

Wanted: a company to take on the Standguard P

In April 1953, at the age of 17, I joined the greatest and biggest Merchant Navy in the world — the British Merchant Navy — and one of the most renowned companies, Marconi, as well as the Radio Officers Union.

A hell of a lot has happened since that time, but after 64 years and counting I am still part of the amalgamation of that union, which is now called Nautilus International and renowned worldwide.

Safety of life at sea has always been very close to my soul, firstly as a radio officer, secondly as a shore technician, following on as a radio surveyor for the societies and finally for the Board of Trade (MCA).

I was the second to last person to leave a sinking ship and that feeling remained with me when we left a ship after our service work and surveying was done and the crew sailed on to the next port — had we done our best?

This remained with me when I retired from Marconi Marine in April 1998 and a new safety device had arrived: the emergency position indicating

radio beacon (EPIRB).

The days of SOS and radio officers were disappearing fast.

This new device, to coin a phrase, was ‘the best thing since sliced bread’ — but the downside was 98% of the calls picked up by the satellites were false!

If you had a malfunction on your vessel, unless you had eyes everywhere to see the little flashing light, you would be the last to know.

It had concerned me greatly when doing surveys when captains and crews told of false alarms they had been involved with. There was also a faint hesitation when asking them to test their EPIRB during surveys — they appeared afraid of it.

I put my thinking cap on and along came the Standguard EPIRB Guard Receiver. The MCA, P&O and other shipping and electronic companies showed great interest and my own union organised extra funding (desperately needed) from the International Transport Workers’ Federation, which provided a loan on the proviso that if I did not make a profit they wanted nothing in return. They were magnificent.

Have your say online Last month we asked: Do you agree with the new research report which suggests that seafarers are becoming healthier?

Where’s my Telegraph?

Yes 60% No 40%

This month’s poll asks: Can traditional ship registers like the UK, Netherlands and Switzerland, persuade owners to switch back from flags of convenience? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 16

In the beginning it went well, I was even given a Highly Commended Certificate to Safety of Life at Sea in the London Guildhall on 7 April 2003. Overall we sold about 150 — P&O Irish Sea, Caledonian McBrayne and the Irish Navy have supported me from the beginning. The Irish Navy even took another two last year. Every penny has been well spent and I would do it again.

But at the end of the day, I am £100,000 down and so, much to my regret, I have been unable to repay the ITF, which is of great concern to me.

I tried to get the International Maritime Organisation

If you have moved recently, your home copy may still be trying to catch up with you.

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 The membership team can also cancel your print copy if you prefer to read the paper on the Telegraph app.

interested, but they said I should apply via our MCA. I tried, but they were very reluctant.

However, the IMO did borrow my units over several years during EPIRB trials on the beach in Florida. The Americans also trialled it and got us to redesign certain circuits to give them more control over the receiver sensitivity when carrying out tests from aircraft, which we did.

But all to no avail.

The consensus was, it needed to be mandatory to be accepted.

This I still do not believe — you should not have to demand carriage. For one thing it becomes a ‘safety aid’ and has to comply with seriously expensive

safeguards in order to comply when all I wanted was it to be an ‘aid to safety’.

The safety budget for a small country could be blown away chasing a false alarm. And false alarms must be hitting our own safety organisations in the pocket.

It would also be an ideal unit to have in a yacht marina office or harbour, where it could keep a listening watch for boat owners and where they could check their EPIRB’s hex codes prior to sales and be reminded about registering their personal information.

A fortnight ago in Liverpool’s Albert Dock, on the tug Francis Hayhurst (our home since we lost our Lightship Planet), my Guard Receiver picked up a distress call. Cathy Roberts, the owner and master, passed the Hex code on to me, which I forwarded to Falmouth Coast Guard. It turned out to be another false alarm, this time on a vessel in dry dock.

It still works.

Our website — www.stanguard. com — is a fantastic meeting place, where all counties with EPIRB concerns join in every day.

I have reached 81 now and would like to take it easy over my remaining years. I own the patent in the UK for the EPIRB Guard Receiver. What I would dearly like is a company to take on what we have built and possibly turn things around. We don’t want to throw it all away!

STAN McNALLY mem no 445596 Innovation Technology UK

Follow us on Twitter Time for the MCA to review seafarer sight tests?

Peetz (Hearing help for seafarer, F September Telegraph) on his use of Congratulations to Karsten

hi-tech hearing aids to give restoration to full pitch in both his working and social environment. Surely there will others who will benefit in a like manner.

Is now not a good time for a rethink on the subject of vision tests in the navigation branch? Over the years many promising seamen on a chosen career path have seen it ruined because of being unable to read a few letters onboard. Colour vision is a different matter for obvious reasons.

Civilian pilots are allowed to wear glasses and even the RAF has had serving pilots who wore contact lenses.

With all the vision aids now available, it must be time for an examination of present ways.

Even now I can hear all the old diehards hollering in protest in defence of how things were and how they should remain. I confess to being old, but not a diehard.

A. MANSON

The Nautilus professional and technical department replies: The UK has one of the best systems of assessment for seafarer health in the world that provides for both consistency and flexibility. Significant changes have taken place with vision assessment and the MCA does take a flexible approach to eyesight standards, as permitted by STCW. It is perfectly acceptable to wear glasses as a seafarer providing that the minimum standards for aided and unaided vision can be met. Nautilus helped to instigate a move away from reliance on the lantern test for colour vision and is engaged in development of new methods of assessment.

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

Giving you a v oice on

your future

1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD t +44 (0)20 8989 6677 npa@nautilusint.org www.nautilusint.org

20/09/2017 17:08

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

www.thefreakywave.com

Free entry telegraph to London marine art exhibition STAFF editor: Andrew Linington production editor: June Cattini-Walker chief sub-editor: Sarah Robinson reporter: Steven Kennedy Dutch correspondent: Hans Walthie ADVERTISING Redactive Media Group 78 Chamber Street, London E1 8BL. Display adverts: Joe Elliott-Walker tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 email: joe.elliott-walker@ redactive.co.uk

Marine Artists annual exhibition, F at the Mall Galleries in London, This year’s Royal Society of

contains some stunning examples of painting documenting contemporary shipping, including tankers, containerships and bulk carriers.

Peter Cronin, who became an associate member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists, spent 20 years employed as a structural engineer at Port Talbot steelworks before becoming a full-time artist. His atmospheric watercolour ‘Iron Ore Carrier, Port Talbot’ and the above ‘Bulk Carrier 2’ testify to his familiarity with and continued interest in the industry.

The exhibition is open from 5 to 14 October between 10am and 5pm, and contains some 400 works by many of the most celebrated marine artists at work today. All the works are for sale, and many of the artists are available for commission.

Join us to celebrate everything that is wonderful and inspiring about the sea and marine environment. We would be happy to offer your readers free entry for two to the exhibition upon mention of your publication at the Gallery Desk (normal price £8).

LIBERTY ROWLEY The Mall Galleries London SW1

Remembrance sculpture for mission garden P

This photograph shows two Mission to Seafarers volunteers from Australia with a sculpture inside Falmouth docks, dedicated to those lost in WW2, which is part of the garden that seafarers enjoy at the Falmouth Mission. The garden environment helps seafarers through a stressful time, so they can relax away from their vessels.

The sculpture was made by me, from wire and fibreglass, and finally finished six months ago. I also

designed and built the garden, but the concept of providing seafarers with a place where they could get away from shipboard life for a few hours was wholly the idea Penny Phillips, the Falmouth Mission chair.

Penny is the driving force behind all we do at our Mission. With 14 volunteers, fund-raising and admin as well as sharing duties and a fulltime job as the managing director’s executive PA, Penny does magnificent work for seafarers from all nations.

GRAHAM HALL MNM

Pictured right is the JuiSEA smoothie bar which opened

Navy Training Board and the UK Chamber of Shipping, the bar showcased the work done by seafarers to transport fruit and other foods to the UK. Four delicious varieties of smoothie were on offer, themed by geographical region: z Uncle Sam’s Berry Blitz, featuring blueberry, chia seeds, almond milk and maple syrup z Mediterranean Sunset, featuring grape, melon and date syrup

MARITIME TRAINING for professional seafarers Est 1990 Plymouth

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16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 17

Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

ISSN 0040 2575 Published by Nautilus International Printed by Wyndeham Peterborough.

GENERAL SECRETARY Mark Dickinson MSc (Econ)

NORTHERN OFFICE Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801

Loved the live feed!

F e: bookings@wm.training

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.

NETHERLANDS OFFICE Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Postbus 8575, 3009 AN Rotterdam tel: +31 (0)10 4771188 fax: +31 (0)10 4773846

sugar and sparkling water z Caribbean Cooler, featuring banana, pineapple and coconut An accompanying leaflet — What have seafarers ever done for us? — explained where the smoothie ingredients came from and how they were transported to the UK, along with facts about the UK maritime workforce and the importance of shipping to the country’s economy. As the leaflet said: ‘Seafarers play a vital role in the UK, with 95% of everything we eat, use and consume coming to us by sea. Our smoothies would certainly be a lot plainer without them!’

w: westernmariƟme.training

website: www.redactive.co.uk

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

Linking farm, ship and cup for business at the LISW Maritime Skills and Careers Hub. F A collaboration between Nautilus International, the Merchant

Recruitment adverts: Jude Rosset tel: +44 (0)20 7880 7621 email: jude.rosset@redactive.co.uk

The live feed from the ‘So where are the jobs?’ seminar during London International Shipping Week was brilliant. Thank you so much for it and your hard work in juggling it all.

I’m not sure the question was answered, but we can say we have tried!

KATE GILLESPIE MEF Training

SWITZERLAND OFFICE Gewerkschaftshaus, Rebgasse 1 4005 Basel, Switzerland tel: +41 (0)61 262 24 24 fax: +41 (0)61 262 24 25 DEPARTMENT EMAILS general: enquiries@nautilusint.org membership: membership@nautilusint.org legal: legal@nautilusint.org telegraph: telegraph@nautilusint.org industrial: industrial@nautilusint.org youth: ymp@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.

20/09/2017 17:08

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NAUTILUS AT WORK

A safe pair of hands Assistant general secretary OLUWOLE TUNDE has worked for Nautilus International for over 12 years, overseeing activities in finance, human resources and IT. As part of our occasional series profiling the Union’s senior management team, he explains what he is doing to make the future brighter for members…

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As the person whose responsibilities include the finances at Nautilus, I am probably not always the most popular person at the Union! However, part of my job is to ensure that departments and activities have the right resources to fulfil their objectives. We are continuing to work on a number of developments, all of which we feel will improve the lives of our members and also make a contribution to the wider maritime community.

With a keen eye on the money, I am pleased to say we are working towards finalising the introduction of the proposed Nautilus Credit Union, which will operate as a bank for members and their families. It has been a long process but, subject to Bank of England approval, it is hoped that we will have a launch date in 2018. The Credit Union will provide an alternative to high street banks and payday loans, whilst also having the ambition to help our members with the cost of continuing professional development.

The finances of our members

are highly important to us, and we feel the proposed Credit Union, in addition to our ongoing work on pensions as part of our campaigning and negotiating work, will help offer members the security that is often missing from a life working at sea.

“

We hope our new credit union will help members with the cost of continuing professional development

”

Saving for the future is also important in respect of retirement. The MNOPF has established the Ensign Retirement Plan, which is now the industry

scheme put in place to support our members in planning for retirement. Our aim is to ensure good pensions are supplied to maritime professionals that provide security in retirement.

As one of the member-nominated trustees to the MNOPF, I am working with colleagues to secure a fair deal in pensions for all our members — past, present and future.

In addition to this, the Nautilus Welfare Fund (NWF) — 160 years old this year — continues to provide support for necessitous seafarers and their dependants who have fallen on hard times. I am part of the team that helps to ensure that the NWF continues to have the funds necessary to serve the residents of Mariners’ Park.

I am also part of the team supporting rating-to-officer career progression through the John William Slater Fund, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. We are immensely proud of the work that is done by the Slater Fund — we have already provided grants totalling £5.4m and helped 445 ratings get their

Oluwole ‘Olu’ Tunde, Nautilus assistant general secretary

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 ...................................................................................................... £215.00 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

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first Officer of the Watch certificate. We now also help crews in the large yacht sector and assist electro-technical officers to gain their STCW certificates.

It is important that, as a union, we cooperate with shipowners who share our objectives of developing employees and continuously improving living and working conditions. We encourage members to get directly involved in the negotiating processes as, to get the best results for our members, we need to continually hear their views and concerns so that we can take these to the negotiating table. It is imperative that we work closely together, and we are taking steps to ensure these ties are as strong as ever. If members have an issue, we want to hear about it so we can commit to resolving the situation quickly and effectively. This is the type of union Nautilus is: we work hard on behalf of our members and we listen carefully to what they have to say. This is something I am personally very passionate about.

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Contact with the Union has been improved in the last two years by the introduction of Nautilus 24/7 — the 24-hour, seven-daya-week service that helps Nautilus members wherever they are in the world. We are also working on a new website to cater for our members working all around the world, especially those who only have low band-

width access when at sea. This is a big project for the Union and one that I am very proud to lead.

The new website will provide a greater information base with easily-accessible news, a members’ portal and improved functionality to enable members to interact with the secretariat.

We are working to ensure we have the best IT systems in place, so members can feel close to the Union regardless of their location around the globe and from whichever device they use to access to the internet.

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The future does pose challenges to the maritime sector, with economic uncertainty and — if we believe the almost constant barrage of articles in the media — developments such as autonomous ships. But, rest assured, we are working tirelessly to ensure a positive and fair future for all our members.

With the introduction of our new website, the formulation of our proposed Credit Union, the reinforcing of our commitment to industry-wide pensions, and our charitable activities for training and welfare support, I am confident about the future and the direction of Nautilus International.

I have every confidence that Nautilus will be there to assist members and be even more accessible as the years progress, and I am excited to share these developments with our members.

20/09/2017 11:45

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

LISW 2017 Nautilus International assistant general secretary Olu Tunde is pictured as he joined more than 30 maritime industry figures and shipping minister John Hayes to take part in the market opening ceremony at the London Stock Exchange which would officially launch the third London International Shipping Week (LISW).

Mr Tunde — who also signed the official register, which records every person who has officially opened the UK markets — said it had been a privilege to be at the official opening of the Stock Exchange and celebrate the start of LISW. This year’s event proved to be a real record-breaker, attracting more than

15,000 global maritime decisionmakers from over 50 countries to the 160-plus official LISW events held during the week — culminating in a high-level conference attended by more than 500 people. Such was the international interest in the week that LISW hashtags trended on Twitter twice during the week, with an estimated 11.2m user reach.

With other meetings held at venues including Downing Street and the House of Commons, the programme aimed to ‘showcase Britain’s maritime offer to the world’. Nautilus took part in many of the events to highlight the vital contribution made by merchant seafarers and maritime professionals.

Looking to the future P

‘Tomorrow’s maritime world’ was one of the core themes of this year’s London International Shipping Week (LISW) and Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson was part of a top-level conference panel discussing the impact of technology on the industry.

He told the meeting he would be proud to be called a Luddite — on the grounds that the Luddites were not opposed to technology but wanted it to be used in a way that enhanced work and improved society.

Surely, he suggested, it would be best to ensure that ‘smart’ shipping improves the working lives of seafarers — reducing working hours, cutting fatigue and easing the burden of paperwork and administration.

‘The debate over autonomous shipping is being driven by those who sell the technology, and it is being presented in a marketing blitz as if it could happen tomorrow,’ he argued.

Rather than rushing headlong into this brave new world, the industry should have a ‘holistic’ discussion to assess automation’s impact on society, safety and the environment — and seafarers and their representatives should be right at the heart of this.

‘Enhancing work should be what drives this, rather than the fact that people have invented a ship that can be driven by three people in a shore-based centre in a remote part of Finland,’ Mr Dickinson said.

He told the meeting that economics

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson argued that new technology should be used to improve the working lives of seafarers

will be a crucial factor in the embrace of autonomous shipping and at present the figures may not stack up — as the industry is being asked to replace ‘what is the cheapest part in the equation’.

Mr Dickinson said he thought it may be a forlorn hope that there will be a smooth transition to smart shipping — but the serious concerns over how autonomous ships will run alongside conventional vessels need to be properly assessed. And he suggested there could be cases where some coastal states would refuse to allow crewless vessels

to operate in their waters — in much the same way as the United States prevented ‘one-man bridge operations’ around its coast in the 1990s.

Technology doesn’t necessarily make ships safer, he stressed. There are many cases showing how issues such as poor ergonomics have contributed to accidents.

Joshua Rozenberg, the BBC’s legal commentator, highlighted the scale of the regulatory challenge facing the industry — with radical reworking of important conventions, like SOLAS and

STCW, being required.

There are also big questions about liability, he added. ‘Traditionally, the shipmaster has been held legally accountable — but who will be held accountable if an unmanned ship runs into trouble?’

Similarly, he asked, could equipment designers and manufacturers be held liable for problems, and how would flag state and coastal state powers be affected by the development of shore-based control centres in different parts of the world?

BMT CEO Sarah Kenny argued that autonomous ships would be good for business and good for society. Technology provides ‘pivotal moment’ for the shipping industry, she added, paving the way for huge changes in the way it operates.

However, she cautioned, the way in which new technology is adopted is critical and there needs to be more collaboration and cooperation within shipping if it is to bring not just cost savings but also new skills.

Lloyd’s Register CEO Inga Beale said autonomous ships would not mean the end of seafaring. ‘There will still be lots of jobs, but they will just be different jobs,’ she argued. ‘We should be embracing and working with the technology to make sure that humans are still in control of it.’

DNV GL CEO Knut Orbeck-Nilssen told the conference that cutting crew costs would deliver ‘huge benefits’ for shipping companies — and reducing the number of officers in particular ‘would

make a good value proposition for operators and owners’.

However, International Chamber of Shipping chairman Esben Poulsson suggested that the many legal and regulatory issues surrounding the operation of autonomous ships mean that it will be many years before they are commonplace in deepsea trades.

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Inmarsat Marine president Ronald Spithout said shipping is a few years behind the ‘digital society’ — but as it moves towards ‘always-on’ connectivity, the industry will change significantly as it becomes more integrated within the wider world.

And Rolls-Royce Marine president Mikael Makinen agreed that it will be some time before drone vessels are dominating the sealanes. The changes will come over time, and companies like his are taking an ‘airline philosophy’ in dealing with safety issues — with the prospect of a sort of convoy system, in which one crewed ships runs alongside a couple of unmanned vessels.

Seafarers involved in trials of remotecontrolled ships found the experience much easier than they had expected, he told the conference. Big data analytics and hi-tech equipment can help crews to perform better, he argued, and new seafaring skillsets will be required, with a focus on digital, electrical and mechanical expertise. Seafarer training could become more like that of airline pilots, who do the vast majority of their learning on simulators.

Galatea puts the ship into London shipping week many of the LISW events — and few A were busier than the crew of the Trinity Nautilus members were involved in

House vessel Galatea, which hosted a series of meetings and VIP visits.

The multi-function tender arrived in the Pool of London at 0615 on the first day of the week and was the venue for a meeting of the Department for Transport executive committee and external stakeholders, as well as the launch of a Merchant Navy Training Board film about careers at sea.

The ship also hosted visits by London Nautical School sixth formers and the HMS

19_lisw opening_SR edit.indd Sec1:19

Belfast Sea Cadet unit, as well as staging presentations with other maritime partners covering subjects such as navigation, engineering, charitable works, research and development, commercial services and marine operations.

Galatea’s master, Captain Wayne Durrans (pictured right), said it had been a very busy week — and at the end of it the ship was off to Harwich to load buoys for deployment at the Hornsea windfarm in the North Sea, followed by work to support maintenance of the Sark lighthouse in the Channel Islands.

20/09/2017 13:08

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

LISW 2017

So where are the The Maritime Skills and Careers Hub was one of the highlights of London International Shipping Week. It kicked off with a briefing session on inclusivity and included a special CV surgery for seafarers seeking work.

But the keynote event was a hotly-anticipated jobs seminar aimed at holding the industry to account and telling some home truths about the employment opportunities for British junior officers, as SARAH ROBINSON reports…

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Bill O’Shaughnessy, Ian Hampton and Greg Livermore recruitment agencies on the F ‘So where are the jobs’ panel were

Representing employers and

Greg Livermore of Seamariner, Bill O’Shaughnessy of Carnival UK and Ian Hampton of Northern Marine Group (Stena).

Mr Livermore said he agreed with Gail Jonsen that it is often difficult as a recruiter to find work for newlyqualified officers, especially without specialist certificates for a particular sector. He had noted a trend for officers to go to sea as ratings or in hotel services in order to find work, but pointed out that this can be a useful way to gain seatime and may provide an opportunity to rise through the ranks.

Mr O’Shaughnessy said that Carnival is keen to bring employees through the ranks, and has crew members who have worked their way up from ‘pot-washing jobs’ to senior roles. As well as offering apprenticeships, he added, the company has graduate training schemes for onboard hotel staff and human resources professionals.

When it comes to deck and engineering personnel, he continued, ‘we see the UK seafarer talent pool is not as strong as we would like it to be.’ It can be a challenge to recruit from the generation of ‘millennials’ who expect to be on Facebook and Skype all the time and aren’t prepared

to share a cabin, he noted. ‘The big question is why would people want to come to sea? You’ve got to get to people when they’re about 13 and they’re starting to think about their GCSE options.’

Recruiting more women into deck and engineering roles is important for British shipping, he noted. ‘If Crossrail [the new London railway line] can have 50% female engineers, why can’t we? What do we need to do differently?’

He also suggested that the UK needs to make better use of the ex-military talent pool by reviewing at how Royal Navy qualifications and experience transfer to the Merchant Navy, and he highlighted the major shortage of electro-technical officers.

Ian Hampton (pictured above) said that Stena has made a firm commitment to employing UK seafarers — ratings as well as officers — but cannot always fill its posts.

It was also a worry that 75% of his officers are over 40, and he expressed exasperation at other companies poaching the officers Stena trains rather than meeting their own training obligations.

Mr Hampton concluded with a startling offer. ‘I believe there are jobs out there,’ he said, ‘and if you can’t get one as a UK seafarer, I urge you to come to me with your CV, as someone already has today.’

Jonathan Roberts indication that the UK is open for F business than London International ‘There can be no greater

Shipping Week,’ said Jonathan Roberts of the UK Chamber of Shipping.

‘With so much interest from all over the world, we want to see more UK seafarers. We want the world to want UK seafarers as the best in the world.’

Mr Roberts drew attention to SMarT-Plus as a tool for helping newlyqualified British officers into work.

20-21_lisw spread_SR edit.indd 20

The proposed scheme would see companies who operate under the UK tonnage tax building on their existing requirement to train UK seafarers and committing also to employ British junior officers.

‘The Chamber, Nautilus and the MNTB are all pushing for SMarT-Plus,’ he stressed, and we’re getting backing from national papers including the Sun [the UK’s biggest-selling daily newspaper].’

Maritime employers say they can’t find the skilled workers they need to fill vacant posts, yet qualified seafarers say they can’t find work. We’ve been hearing these opposing points of view for years, but the problem never seems to be resolved. Surely they can’t both be right?

London International Shipping Week was the perfect opportunity to try to get to the bottom of this. Nautilus International therefore teamed up with the Merchant Navy Training Board and the UK Chamber of Shipping to host a seminar and frank discussion under the title So where are the jobs?

In the lead-up to the event, there had been a great deal of interest on social media, so as well as presenting to a packed hall, the speakers were live-streamed on the Nautilus Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Information and views were shared from the perspectives of employers, recruitment agencies, unions and government, but the most powerful contribution was undeniably that of Nautilus member Gail Jonsen, who spoke on behalf of British junior officers.

‘I’m a second officer,’ began Ms Jonsen, ‘and I like it, but I’m not sure I could recommend the career to everyone.’ There are at present widespread difficulties, she explained, in the transition between cadet and junior officer — and there’s more than one problem to address.

Gail Jonsen was a tonnage tax cadet, meaning she did her seatime with a company obliged to take on a certain number of British trainees as a condition of benefiting from a favourable tax arrangement in the UK. As is often the case with this scheme, Ms Jonsen found that the cadets were the only British crew members on the vessels where she did her sea training. ‘I didn’t really mind this, and it helped a lot that I learned the language of the people around me, but I think it can be discouraging for British trainees not to see British officers on their ship. It shows you’re not necessarily wanted for a job there.’

In fact, it often seems that British junior officers aren’t wanted anywhere — most likely for reasons of cost, as elaborated on by other speakers at the seminar. ‘Only senior roles are advertised,’ Ms Jonsen pointed out. ‘But if you’re looking for British senior officers, surely you should want British junior officers, or where will the senior officers come from in future?’

Another problem for newly-qualified officers is they may not have trained for the sector where the available jobs are, she continued. ‘You’ll need sector endorsements like DP or helicopter training, and often they want specific experience. People think they’ve completed their training [by gaining their STCW Officer of the Watch certificate] but they end up having to pay for additional training

Marcel van den Broek

before they can get started.’

In this climate, she reported, it had taken a British engineer friend six months after qualifying to get a job, and he was the first to do so in his class at nautical college.

Ms Jonsen next drew attention to an issue that was new to many in the room: job blocking. When there are too few jobs available to British junior officers, she explained, experienced candidates apply for roles for which they are overqualified, because they need the work. Naturally, the employer usually takes on the more highly-ranked applicant, which may block an opportunity that should be available to a newly-qualified officer.

The final issue Ms Jonsen raised was the difficulty some junior officers have in progressing their careers when they take time out for further study but need occasional shifts at sea during this period to keep up the seatime requirements for their certification.

Those who have built up a relationship with a good employer may not struggle with this, but others find themselves in competition with hundreds of similar applicants for short term contracts and agency work, and the unluckiest may end up with all their exams passed for a higher certificate but with expired seatime.

So where are the jobs, then? From the perspective of British junior officers like Gail Jonsen, it looks like the jobs are in places

David Rowlands was at the seminar to represent Frazer-

recently been engaged by the UK government to investigate how well SMarT is working from an independent perspective.

The findings he shared included the following:

z The four main UK nautical colleges say that 95% of their

cadets find work after qualifying, but it is not known what this

work is (so it could be z Training managem going into work after q better results. z ‘Value added’ ana productive — i.e. the than is invested in the z The research confi junior officers are una

Rod Paterson with the seminar panel, right) has A a maritime brief at the UK government’s Rod Paterson (pictured standing

Nautilus deputy general

welcome delegates to ‘So where are the jobs?’ and share information on the Dutch system for training and employing seafarers.

‘In the Netherlands,’ he said, ‘students do not have to pay for their training, and every youngster with a brand new certificate is offered a job onboard a Netherlands-flagged ship.’

How can this be, he mused, when it’s apparently not possible in the UK? Does the Netherlands not have the global shipping crisis? Are Dutch seafarers cheaper? ‘No, it’s because

seafarers are seen as essential to the wider maritime sector, which is responsible for 3% of the Dutch economy.’

This, he explained, has led to seafarer training and employment being financially supported by the Dutch maritime cluster (i.e. related shore-based industries such as shipbroking and marine insurance).

A system of permits ensures everyone does their bit, he added, and the scheme has resulted in a flexible labour market with excellent opportunities.

‘Why not do this in the UK?’ he added. ‘The maritime cluster is important here too.’

w In Br re of th qu co In

David Rowlands Nash, an engineering consultancy whose work includes A the maritime sector. He explained that the consultancy had

secretary Marcel van den A Broek (pictured above) spoke to

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Department for Transport. He was responsible for setting up the Frazer-Nash report and another study to assess the future need for seafarers in the UK. He spoke to emphasise the success of the wider UK maritime industry, pointing out, for example, that the country’s ports are thriving and there has been a renaissance in shipbuilding.

Mr Paterson apologised that he was not yet in a position to report on the progress of SMarT-Plus, but said that the shipping minister is committed to improving fair treatment and opportunities for seafarers in UK waters, with work now being done on the proposal to extend UK national minimum wage legislation to apply offshore. The government is also looking to expand apprenticeships, he added: ‘We want companies to be bold and double apprentice numbers on their books.’

Success can only be achieved by government and industry working together, he stressed. ‘We need everyone to work out where the skills gaps are and think how the UK can capitalise on opportunities in new sectors.’

20/09/2017 17:37

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

LISW 2017

e jobs?

Inclusivity seminar tackles bullying, safeguarding and mental health P

When you work in an industry that describes its workers as ‘the human element’ as if they were a machine part, it’s not surprising that shipping is behind the times in terms of employee welfare. Nautilus research has indicated that seafarers are more likely to experience workplace bullying and harassment than shore-based workers, and modern ideas of inclusivity can seem remote in a workforce that is 98% male and mostly over 45 years old.

How can shipping make its employees happier and its workplaces more, well, normal? After decades where these issues didn’t appear to be of much interest to maritime employers, there has recently been a shift in perception. Bosses have started to realise that aspects of the industry’s culture and working practices are off-putting to potential trainees, and are causing some existing employees to cut their sea careers short.

To address these issues, the UK Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) hosted a special breakfast briefing session as part of London International Shipping Week. Titled Inclusivity and fair treatment at sea, it brought together representatives of maritime employers, nautical colleges, welfare charities and unions for a discussion and sharing of information.

Glenys Jackson of the Merchant Navy Training Board

Nautilus member Gail Jonsen gave an eye-opening speech about the employment challenges facing junior officers

where they are not particularly welcome.

In companies that are happy to take on British senior officers because of their high reputation, but won’t bring British junior officers through their ranks. In companies that require applicants to have sector-specific qualifications and experience that weren’t covered in their Officer of the Watch training.

In companies that know they can take their

ld be unrelated to their training). nagement companies see 84% of their cadets after qualifying, but charitable sponsors have d’ analyses show that UK seafarers are e. the UK economy gains more from their work in their training. confirmed anecdotal evidence that British e unattractive to some employers because

pick of overqualified applicants because opportunities are thin on the ground.

This is the reality as Ms Jonsen sees it, and it’s now up to the UK shipping industry to decide whether it is prepared to address the issues she has raised, or succumb to the alternative of seeing trained British officers abandoning careers that never really got started.

they are more expensive than their counterparts from some other countries. Senior British officers are also considered expensive, but companies value them very highly and are prepared to find the money for their salaries. David Rowlands raised the possibility that the difficulties for junior officers could be partly to do with how UK training is structured. g To read the full Frazer-Nash report, go to www.gov.uk and enter Support for Maritime Training review in the search box.

Opening the seminar, MNTB chair Kevin Slade said that, where companies had adopted robust policies on bullying and harassment, incidents were thankfully few and far between, but more work was needed to ensure female employees are treated fairly, as the industry has a poor reputation on this to overcome. He also pointed out that employers need to commit to promoting good mental health in their crews.

Chris Bailey of BP Shipping was next on the panel to speak, noting that crew welfare was important to his company because it was about the attraction and retention of talent. He remembered his own years at sea as a time of warmth and camaraderie, but times had changed and companies should find out what is happening onboard their ships now. ‘Are people having a great experience? How do you know?’ he asked. ‘Do people feel they can speak up if there’s a problem?’

To ensure crew members can ‘speak up’, BP gives them each a free 20-minute phone call a day, he continued. It is usually used to phone home, but can be a way for employees to call an anonymous helpline. This is an example of how the company is putting its policies into action, he said. ‘You can have all the policies and procedures, all the good stuff, but you have to follow them up.’

BP is keen to tackle its high attrition rate for female officers, who number fewer than 20 out of a total of 1,200 officers across the company and are less likely to stay long-term. An online group has therefore been established so BP’s women can talk to their female colleagues on other vessels, and the company is trying to ensure their

contribution is acknowledged and welcomed. Even the little things help with inclusivity, like having personal protective equipment available that fits women (and smaller men) properly.

Providing senior officers with diversity and inclusion training has been another successful initiative at BP. ‘I wasn’t sure this would go down well with masters and chief engineers, but it really has,’ said Mr Bailey. Senior staff are aware that expectations of their behaviour have changed over the years, he explained, but aren’t always sure what they should be doing and appreciate some guidance.

Following this was Neil Atkinson of Fleetwood Nautical Campus, who said: ‘For me, the question we need to address today is what’s being done and what more we can do.’ Safeguarding and mental health were key issues, he continued, and shipping could learn from the road haulage industry in the way it supports personnel with the problems associated with long hours and solitude.

While cadets are in their college phases at Fleetwood, they benefit from a system of pastoral support offered by trained staff members, but it’s not always clear what should be done by a college if a student reports bullying or harassment that took place during a sea phase. ‘It is vital for us to work closely with the companies to resolve problems,’ he stressed.

Lee Moon of Nautilus then gave the Union perspective, drawing attention to the Protect and Respect anti-bullying guide developed on the initiative of the Nautilus Women’s Forum. The guide takes issue with some unhelpful traditional notions — such as the idea that bullying is just ‘banter’, or part of ‘shipboard discipline’ — and makes it clear what behaviour is unacceptable in the maritime workplace. It also explains how members can get help from the Union and other sources.

Another issue relates particularly to trainees, male and female.

Their confidence and mental health can take a knock when they first find themselves in the unfamiliar shipboard environment, and in the worst cases this can lead to people abandoning their career. Nautilus seeks to anticipate any problems by helping new cadets prepare for life at sea and reassuring them that support is available if they should need it. ‘I take a young member who’s been to sea on college visits with me to tell the cadets what to expect,’ said Mr Moon. ‘Because they just don’t know, and can’t know.’

Steve Todd of the RMT union added that the macho ‘messroom culture’ on some ships was still deterring good female applicants from pursuing a career at sea, and a company-wide effort could be needed to change attitudes. Unions have a role to play in this too: ‘We know our members can be the bullies themselves, which is difficult but important to acknowledge.’

There is research and guidance available to help address these issues, he pointed out, but valuable literature is too often left to gather dust. ‘I don’t think we use it enough to get through to people — we need to get out there more.’

Glenys Jackson of the MNTB (pictured left) agreed that guidance on inclusivity and fair treatment should be more widely disseminated. She said the one set of materials that all companies should have is the ETF/ECSA training pack Say No to Bullying, Say No to Harassment, which was produced in 2014 with input from throughout the European shipping industry. Available in several languages, it includes a workbook and training video as well as guidelines for producing a company policy on bullying and harassment.

Concluding the presentations from the panel, Ms Jackson urged attendees to look at these materials (which are available on the Nautilus website www.nautilusint.org) and take action. ‘What are you doing in your company?’ she asked the delegates. ‘Do your seafarers feel safe? Have you spoken to the unions? This isn’t just about recruitment and retention — it’s about everyone’s right to fair treatment.’

Strong interest in CV advice from Nautilus International ran an online and face-to-face CV and careers F advice session. Led by professional and technical officer David As part of the day-long Skills and Careers Hub, Nautilus

Appleton and strategic organiser Lee Moon, the session included one-to-one advice for any members who attended on the day, written feedback for anyone who had submitted a CV and general advice posted to the Union’s social media channels.

Over 30 CVs were submitted for appraisal, a figure which Mr Appleton says reflects the reality about the number of UK seafarers seeking employment.

‘I was really impressed with the general standard of CVs which were submitted,’ he said. ‘Which means there is definitely a disconnect in the industry, as employers keep telling us that they are struggling to fill roles.

‘I found it very useful myself to get a real insight into the types of seafarers who are seeking employment. I will be taking what I have learnt back to the industry groups Nautilus International is represented in and looking at ways to bridge the gap.’

David Appleton’s top tips from the session were: z If you haven’t produced a CV before or your computer skills

aren’t that good then use a CV template — these can be found in Word or downloaded from the internet. Also, don’t forget to spell check, don’t use all capitals and ask someone else to read through

20-21_lisw spread_SR edit.indd 21

Union officials Lee Moon (left) and David Appleton (right) giving advice to a Nautilus member

it to check it for you. Putting your qualifications in a table will save space. z The process for applying for a job at sea is similar to ashore. Just because you have the qualifications, that is not enough — you need to differentiate yourself. A personal statement is a good way to do this. z Your personal statement needs to make you stand out from the crowd. Summarise your career to date, your best skills, and any awards or commendations you’ve received. Avoid general statements like ‘I am a team player’, or ‘I have excellent IT skills’.

Give specific examples of things you have achieved. z Highlight your relevant qualifications — don’t ‘lose them’ in a list of GCSEs or higher qualifications. z Make sure you have a sensible email address at the top of your CV. Check that your social media accounts don’t let you down — don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say to your boss.

Google yourself to see what comes up!

20/09/2017 17:37

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

LISW 2017

Changes on the horizon Amid calls to attract more women into the shipping industry, the WISTA conference at LISW explored the likely impact of automation on female seafarers…

O A scene from the film To Sea or Not to Sea Picture: ITN Productions

New careers film aims to recruit youngsters through social media London International Shipping Week, of a new F film that aims to encourage more young people to train Nautilus has welcomed the launch, during

as seafarers.

The short film, titled To Sea or Not to Sea, was produced by ITN Productions and will be promoted across social media in an effort to raise awareness of the maritime sector.

Funded by the Maritime Educational Foundation, with support from Nautilus, RMT and the UK Chamber of Shipping, the film has been specifically backed

by Nautilus as part of its Jobs, Skills and the Future strategic campaign to increase employment and training for UK seafarers.

Merchant Navy Training Board director Kathryn Neilson said: ‘We know there are many talented young people in the UK who want a career in the Merchant Navy, but there are many more talented young people out there who we could attract to the industry if only they knew of the opportunities available to them.

‘This film marks a shift in our approach,’ she added.

‘In the months ahead we will dedicate significant resource to targeting social media users, and together with our Careers at Sea Ambassadors — who travel the country to speak at careers events, schools and youth groups — we will ensure young people from all backgrounds, and all corners of the UK, are able to see the vast opportunities a career at sea can provide.’

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The maritime industry needs to do more to encourage women into the sector for the benefit of all, a seminar run by the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) heard.

During his address to the WISTA London International Shipping Week (LISW) conference titled Autonomy, Robotics and the Internet of Things, shipping minister John Hayes said the industry must take advantage of the untapped talent that women represent.

Women make up around 3% of the 14,000 certified officers in the UK and Mr Hayes said that this meant that talented women were missing out on careers that best utilise their skills.

‘It’s in all our interests to allow people to fulfil their potential, allowing them to gain skills and build careers that leave them with fulfilled lives, whilst also equipping our maritime industries and economies with the skilled workforce which it needs to prosper,’ he said.

‘We already have a skilled maritime workforce but that doesn’t mean the workforce doesn’t need to grow and alter.’

Mr Hayes added that he was challenging maritime organisations in the UK to go further and faster to change. ‘I’m writing to the heads of maritime organisations calling for proposals for addressing the gender imbalance,’ he explained. ‘We have the perfect opportunity for these plans to come together next year as the government and industry are joining forces for the 2018 year of engineering.

‘It’s a chance to give young people direct experiences of the engineering profession, especially young women. They make many choices in school which impact their future opportunities, so we need to get the message out loud and clear, and persuade young people that maritime industries are the place of choice.’

Mr Hayes called on organisations in the maritime industry to ‘redouble their efforts’ to encourage young women to take up opportunities.

Moving on to address the future of the maritime industry and the possible impact of autonomy, Mr Hayes warned against complacency and being too preoccupied by the past — missing out on the opportunities of the future.

‘Anticipating change in a highly dynamic industry is critically important,’ he said. ‘All through this week, as well as showcasing where we currently are and cementing relationships, we must think collaboratively about what we can do as an international community to place the maritime industry in the best position to excel in the future.’

Mr Hayes said that new technology and automation would alter the shape of the maritime industry and the nature of the skills required to work in them. He added that it could deliver a number of benefits for safety, the environment, and opportunities for women.

‘Let’s make 2018 the year the scales tip in favour of women in shipping,’ he concluded. ‘Let’s make a difference that all of us can be proud of.’

Chris Welsh, from the Global Shippers’ Forum, added that other transport sectors had proven that the technology, and the capability, for increased automation are already here.

‘The question is how to harness it, whether the industry is ready to do so, and in what way can it be used to maximise efficiency and reduce costs,’ he said.

‘The maritime supply chain has so many different stakeholders who do not sufficiently talk to each other so decisions are not made for the benefit of all.’

He said that unless the industry could find a way to work together, the potential for automation and new technology might not be realised.

In a discussion panel which focused on exploring the potential human impact of automation David Patraiko, director of projects at The Nautical Institute, said the existence of autonomous vessels is already a reality for those working in the industry today and that consideration must be given to the ways in which manned and unmanned vessels will interact. ‘[Seafarers] are already dealing with many autonomous systems onboard, including machinery, cargo, communications and navigation,’ he told the conference. ‘Understanding and refining the interaction between the human and these systems is a priority as

WISTA president Sue Terpilowski opening the conference

we move into the future.’

The final session of the conference focussed on what automation and new technology could mean for maritime careers, and whether they might help the industry redress the gender imbalance.

Debbie Cavaldoro, Nautilus head of strategic campaigning, said that it was important to think about the effect technology has on the individuals using it.

‘Technology is only useful if it’s economically and socially viable,’ she said. ‘It must make life cheaper and easier, and all too often we lose sight of that, when rushing to see if we can automate something.’

‘There are clearly aspects of automation which will enhance the safety and wellbeing of those onboard and make a career at sea more accessible for women.

‘Ships’ communications abilities will inevitably increase as more operations are controlled from the shore, and if this connectivity is extended to the crew then many of today’s isolation and mental health issues could be assuaged.

‘Many of the specific barriers to women could also be removed as automation will mean there are fewer requirements for physical strength onboard.’

However, Mrs Cavaldoro said that further computerisation should not be seen through rose-tinted glasses.

‘How many of us can say that the computers we use every day never break down, randomly freeze or decide to run updates at the most inappropriate times?’ she asked. ‘And if a computer error is responsible for an accident then people will be very unforgiving.’

‘There are also potential negative consequences if there are further reductions in crew numbers,’ she added. ‘If increased automation means that ships sail with only a few seafarers onboard who are waiting for things to go wrong, then loneliness and boredom may become incredibly acute which could lead to the industry entirely unattractive to newcomers.’

O

Mrs Cavaldoro also speculated that if seafaring jobs began to require a higher level of computer skills then this might benefit seafarers from developed countries like those in Europe, which are home to many innovative technology companies and also have more women applying to work at sea.

‘Further down the line, as more at-sea jobs move ashore, the industry will open up even more for women,’ she concluded. ‘Bridge management could be an office job, opening it up to legislation covering maternity leave, discrimination, and working hours.’

In the debate that followed, many audience members agreed that there could be more opportunities for women in the future, but that men needed take a lead to ‘normalise’ changes in working practices.

Referring to flexible working, Mrs Cavaldoro said that it could not be left to women to introduce changes.

‘Women in the industry already often say that they have to be better and work harder than male counterparts in order to be seen as equal; they may be unwilling to want to stand up and ask for a changes to traditional working practices.’

Karen Waltham, from HR Consulting, added that men benefit from flexible practices as much as women and need to come forward and champion these types of changes.

The debate ended with the panel and the audience agreeing that the future was positive for women in the maritime industry.

20/09/2017 17:29

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

LISW 2017

Constructive dialogue International employer-and-union partnership toasted its success at LISW and invited others to join...

P

The International Transport Workers’ Federation and the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) held a London International Shipping Week event to celebrate 14 years of partnership working.

IMEC — whose 230 members include ship owners and ship and crew managers — negotiates with the ITF on the pay and conditions of some 294,000 seafarers of 68 different nationalities serving on around 11,000 ships.

Together with the International Maritime Managers’ Association of Japan, the Korean Ship Owners’ Association and Evergreen, IMEC holds collective bargaining negotiations with the ITF on a three-yearly basis. The current round of talks — which began earlier this year — are

presently unresolved, but ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith and IMEC CEO Francesco Gargiulo said both sides are determined to secure an agreement by the end of the year.

“

As social partners, we believe you need happy seafarers

”

Mr Gargiulo said the relationship provides ‘an impressive example of how unions and ship operators can work together to improve the quality of personnel for vessels’ — with a joint fund-

‘Ship management to enter a new era’

ing mechanism used to support seafarer employment and training projects around the world.

Support has included a cadet training programme at the Maritime Academy of Asia & the Pacific which has produced more than 1,150 officers, and runs projects to improve training facilities in Ukraine, Italy, the Philippines and the United States.

The ITF and IMEC also donated €50,000 to help the CIRM telemedicine service in Italy after the government cut support to the charity.

‘As social partners, we believe you need happy seafarers who benefit from collective agreements and joint discussions,’ Ms Smith said. ‘Next year is our 15th anniversary, and we are looking for more to join us to improve the whole shipping industry.’

to third party managers, a conference held on the first day of London International Shipping Week heard.

Mark O’Neil, chief executive with Columbia Marlow, told the International Shipowning and Shipmanagement Summit that management firms are offering increasingly specialist services and are moving into new area such as cruiseships and LNG vessels.

A Has the ‘bill of rights’ for seafarers changed lives?

D More and more shipping companies will contract out key functions — such as crewing, surveys, newbuilding supervision and technical services —

Is the Maritime Labour Convention making life better for seafarers?

Is the shipping industry delivering decent work? These were some of the key questions considered during a special debate organised by the International Chamber of Shipping during London International Shipping Week.

Chaired by Nautilus head of communications Andrew Linington, the panel discussion involved German shipowners’ association leader Max Johns, Paris MOU on Port State Control secretary-general Richard Schiferli, ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith, and Brandt Wagner, who heads the transport and maritime unit at the International Labour Organisation.

Mr Johns said he believed life at sea is getting better, with fewer accidents, better food and ‘almost continuous communication for seafarers’. However, he suggested, increased connectivity had also added to the administrative burden on crews.

Mr Schiferli said the MLC has delivered ‘a major improvement’ and the recent concentrated inspection campaign had produced ‘quite positive’ results.

Mr Wagner said the MLC has now been ratified by more than 80 countries accounting from 90% of world tonnage, and this is increasing the pressure on the flag states which have not yet signed up. He described the convention as ‘a fantastic thing’ and said workers in many other industries had expressed their desire to see something similar for their sectors.

23_lisw_SR edit.indd 23

Warsash Maritime Academy officer trainees James Hughes (RFA) and Danielle Blackburn (Trinity House) are pictured with Nautilus head of communications Andrew Linington at the International Chamber of Shipping conference Picture: Branimir Pantaleev

However, Ms Smith said the poor trading conditions in many shipping markets do seem to be having a negative impact on seafarers, with particular problems being identified in the Middle East. There have been at least 37 cases of abandonment around the world so far this year, she added, and ITF inspectors recovered more than US$41m in owed wages last year.

Ms Smith said a tougher line should be taken against ‘repeat offender’ ships — arguing that banning them would help to reduce surplus tonnage.

And Mr Brandt pointed out that the MLC is a ‘living’ convention — with recently-agreed amendments

likely to reduce the risk of abandonment cases.

But Mr Johns cautioned against ‘raising the bar’ of the MLC much higher, as this might make it more difficult for other countries to ratify the convention.

Asked what single thing they would pick for a ‘shopping list’ to improve seafarers’ lives, two of the panel members — Mr Schiferli and Ms Smith — said better accommodation standards. Mr Johns said he believed that reducing the administrative burden would have the most beneficial effects, and Mr Brandt said he considered isolation to be the most important issue.

ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith and IMEC CEO Francesco Gargiulo

With major changes in ship operation likely to come as large logistic companies seek to gain control over the entire supply chain, Mr O’Neil predicted that managers will be given ‘cradle to the grave’ responsibilities for entire fleets.

He predicted further consolidation of the ship management industry. ‘Ship managers will only survive if they can do all of this, and have the size to be able to deliver

economies of scale and the ability to invest in crew and technology,’ Mr O’Neil argued.

‘Well-trained, well-educated and motivated crew are at the heart of everything,’ he stressed. ‘There is a huge investment required and it is time for managers to work together to set up centres of excellence for seafarer training.’

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20/09/2017 11:43

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

LISW 2017

Where people come second to procedures John Hayes, Keeta Rowlands and David Dingle with the new apprenticeships booklet

Minister: UK needs to double its number of maritime apprentices chairman David Dingle are pictured with Keeta A Rowlands, one of the first people to complete the fourShipping minister John Hayes and Maritime UK

year ABP port marine operations officer apprenticeship during the Maritime Skills Alliance’s (MSA) reception for London International Shipping Week.

Mr Hayes told the audience of business and college leaders that he wanted to see the maritime sector double the number of apprentices it employs. ‘I am passionate about skills, because I know the lifechanging effect that their acquisition has on people,’ he added.

The minister said the shipping industry needs to boost recruitment levels if it is to avoid a damaging shortage of seafarers within the next four years.

He also called for companies to recruit more women — ‘not for some politically correct tick-box reason, but because we are wasting all sorts of people’s talents’.

Mr Hayes thanked the companies profiled in a new booklet on maritime apprenticeships which he launched at the event. The booklet challenges common myths about apprenticeships and features several case histories, including Ms Rowlands’.

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@seafarersupport

How can the shipping industry best motivate its seafarers and avoid getting bogged down in systems and processes? That was the question posed at a lively debate during London International Shipping Week.

SANDRA SPEARES reports…

M

The meeting, sponsored

by ShipMoney, opened with a presentation from ex-Forces consultant Phil Kelly of Pro-Noctis, who showed — using the example of training a top Olympic athlete — how employers can motivate a workforce.

He outlined two methodologies — one involving systems, protocols, procedures and processes, and the other involving people.

Mr Kelly said some 80% of the companies he works with have workforces that perform their own role and do not look at the wider picture of what is to be achieved. Teamwork is the key, and an Olympic athlete is part of a team — it is not just a question of equipment. In dysfunctional teams there is normally an absence of trust, a fear of debate on how change can be driven and a lack of commitment and avoidance of accountability.

Understanding where you want to go is important, he told delegates. Inattention to results is also a problem. For example, a fast jet pilot in a conflict situation has less than one second to make a decision based on his or her perception of reality. In this situation, the individual has to recognise a decision has to be made, assess the information and prioritise.

What tends to happen in industry, said Mr Kelly, is that no decision is made. ‘A decision is better than no decision, especially if it is time critical,’ he argued. Miscommunication is a key failure that even the most high-powered training course cannot guard against.

M

InterManager secretarygeneral Kuba Szymanski said that in his experience the shipping industry didn’t know anything about the system that focused on humans.

Ship masters are moulded to be decision-makers, but the expectation that they should take a lead has been constrained by regulations. There has been a shift away from the person to processes and systems, including the ISM Code and ISPS, he argued.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said masters had been left to their own devices in the past to make good or bad decisions. Communications with

management ashore were limited, and in this system it was vital to have the best possible master — because the safety of the crew, company and its prosperity depended on it.

Mr Szymanski said the shipping industry has ‘superb’ control of procedures, and the ISM Code had helped a lot of people.

bank accounts or credit cards, because they may have gaps between periods of employment.

He said he is constantly surprised how many people who themselves benefit from regular payslips and credit cards do not realise that only 7% of seafarers have credit cards.

ShipMoney offers a pre-paid Visa card which allows seafarers to receive their wages anywhere in the world, transfer funds and buy on the internet. It also provides the master with a means of paying for supplies.

M

Performance consultant Phil Kelly of Pro-Noctis

“

The seafaring profession has been turned into a disposable commodity

”

Allan Graveson Nautilus International However, he noted, some 70% of seafarers are let go at the conclusion of their contract, and the ship will then have a new crew.

Mr Graveson said such processes had transformed the relationship between seafarers and their employers, but not for the better. ‘You are not dealing with an elite product, you are dealing with a commodity,’ he told the meeting. ‘The seafaring profession has been turned into a commodity and in many cases a disposable commodity.’

Mr Szymanski said the lack of a permanent contract means that seafarers find it difficult to get

Discussion turned to the issue of where arrogance at work started and selfconfidence ended. Those taking decisions can be deemed to be arrogant, Mr Szymanski argued, and Mr Kelly added that arrogance was often a defensive mechanism and an overplayed strength.

Mr Graveson said there was a fine line between ‘arrogance’ and ‘confidence’ — and this opened the debate about the relationship between the office and the ship.

To make changes, people need to be empowered to make decisions that will be acted on and not delayed, the meeting heard.

Questioning a decision and conflict resolution are also issues to be considered.

Problems extended to the management of resources relating to the vessel, Mr Szymanski noted. An LNG vessel with operating costs of $4m, will have half of those costs administered by a technically qualified person on a salary of £80,000, while $2m of labour costs will be administered by a human resources person on £22,000 who has never been to sea. Therefore, he argued, processes and systems dominate over people.

The meeting was told that a balance needs to be found in ensuring that everyone involved in the operation feels part of the team.

Returning to the Olympic theme, Mr Graveson pointed out that athletes sometimes take drugs to enhance their performance — undermining elite athletes in the same way that shipping companies break the rules by not following regulations, undermining operators who tried to comply with acceptable norms.

20/09/2017 16:48

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

LISW 2017

A question of fairness Lively LISW debate explores whether — and how — principles from the fair trade movement should be applied to the seafarers in the supply chain...

I

Stuart Rivers, chief executive of the Sailors Society, opened a debate at London International Shipping Week titled ‘Fair Shipping: does it exist?’ by asking if it is even possible to decide what ‘fair’ means.

‘Some people will have the answer to that straight away, but for others it is more difficult,’ he said. ‘Especially when you try to compare fairness in one thing, or one industry, to fairness in another.’

Tom Holmer, from the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, spoke about the Goodship project launched in 2015 with support from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and Nautilus International.

‘We wanted to find out why some shipowners treat their seafarers extremely well, providing good ships and welfare facilities over and above the minimum standards, while others adopt a ‘compliance culture’ with the floor being the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC),’ he explained.

Mr Holmer said that when consumers buy fair trade products, they understand that the premium goes to the workers. ‘But what about the transport workers?’ he asked. ‘Why is there no audit process from production to consumer?

‘It would be good to see a situation in shipping where those who are about good practice get rewarded and those who adopt bad practice are held back and penalised.’

Speaker Phil Parry said that his company — the maritime recruitment agency Spinnaker — had investigated adopting a mark to recognise good companies, but had decided against it due to the heavy burden of inspection that owners already had to undergo. ‘We also discussed whether we would ever be able to convince the general public to give a damn about the treatment of seafarers, and felt that

this was highly unlikely,’ he added.

‘As a former lawyer, I tend to think there are only two ways to get companies to do things — mandate or incentivise — and I’d prefer to find a means by which companies benefit from either enhanced reputation or higher profits.’

Kuba Syzmanski, secretary general of the International Ship Managers’ Association, said that he had enjoyed a very good seafaring career and had worked for good companies who respected and valued him. He warned against giving too much publicity to bad companies and bad experiences, thereby making them appear to be the norm rather than the exception.

‘I’m not denying there aren’t any issues, but we should be responsible and accountable,’ he added.

‘Before we start making statements we must make sure they are well founded, otherwise we end up having to face parents of cadets asking if their children are safe.’

Natalie Shaw, from the International Chamber of Shipping, said 84 countries have now ratified the MLC. ‘But when you compare that with MARPOL, SOLAS and STCW, we still have a considerable way to go to get to the 150 ratifications that they have,’ she pointed out.

Ms Shaw said that this was important because it meant that now was not the time to ‘change the ball game’ — as those countries who have not yet ratified would be very unlikely to do so if the standards were raised before they met the current levels.

Mission to Seafarers secretary-general Rev Andrew Wright said that whilst it was true that there are some very good owners, there are still too many cases of unfair treatment. ‘Denied or insufficient shore leave and difficulties accessing communica-

Kuba Syzmanski, secretary general of the International Ship Managers’ Association

tions facilities are among those issues which still affect far too many seafarers,’ he added. ‘We also still see some counties where there are too many cases of real nastiness.

‘In the United Arab Emirates in 2016 our organisation dealt with 1,589 seafarers who had been without pay for a combined 529 years. ‘Much has been achieved but there is plenty more still to be done.’

Nautilus head of strategic campaigns Debbie Cavaldoro told the meeting about the Union’s Fair Transport Mark — a project which sought to commend shipowners who treat their seafarers well and provided good quality working conditions.

‘We tried to get this Mark adopted by the Fairtrade Foundation, but their answer was that they only ensure a fair deal for famers, not anyone else involved in the supply of the goods,’ she explained.

‘When we have tried to get the Mark adopted within the shipping industry, there has been opposition based on the fact that the shipping industry could not be responsible for what happens on the roads and the entire supply chain and therefore it wouldn’t work. It’s a shame that we can’t take a leaf out of the Fair Trade book and just look to solving one hurdle in the supply chain rather than having an “all or nothing” approach.’

LISW launch heralds quiet revolution in port welfare seafarers’ access to shore-based A welfare services and to develop maritime

A programme which aims to improve

At the International Port Welfare Partnership launch, L-R: Bob Jones of MNWB; Lucy Cooper of ITF Seafarers’ Trust; Barry Bryant of Seafarers UK; and Kuba Szymanski of ISMA

GET YOUR

welfare boards around the world was officially launched at Trinity House during London International Shipping Week.

The International Port Welfare Partnership (IPWP) programme is now fully underway, following a successful pilot project which established welfare boards in Europe, Africa, Australia and the United States.

The joint initiative – managed by the UK Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) on behalf of the International Seafarers Welfare Assistance Network (ISWAN) – has been developed to promote compliance with Maritime Labour Convention requirements for seafarer welfare services.

Funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, the TK Foundation, Seafarers’ UK and the MNWB, the project uses the ‘best practice’ model of port welfare committees, which have been

operated in the UK by the MNWB for 70 years.

Speaking at the launch, Brandt Wagner, who heads the transport and maritime unit at the International Labour Organisation, pointed out that the Maritime Labour Convention called for countries to promote the development of welfare facilities in ports, and he was pleased to see the way in which the project reflected the spirit of tripartism and social dialogue.

MNWB chief executive and IPWP programme director Peter Tomlin said port-based welfare facilities and services are vitally important for seafarers. ‘Good working practice and common sense dictate that seafarers visiting ports should be able to enjoy their limited time off ashore in a safe and welcoming environment,’ he added.

‘Whilst this is true of nearly 500 ports, common sense is not yet common practice and our IPWP programme aims to help the maritime sector address the situation.’

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20/09/2017 17:38

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

LISW 2017

An industry embracing a new world Maritime technology is now so important that tech events filled several days of London International Shipping Week, starting with a summit on crew connectivity. ANDREW LININGTON and STEVEN KENNEDY report…

Malcolm McMaster, Globecomm Maritime president

L

Ship owners and managers have been urged by the head of a major maritime communications company to act on the findings of Nautilus International’s crew connectivity survey.

Speaking at the International Shipowning and Shipmanagement Summit on the opening day of London International Ship-

ping Week, Globecomm Maritime president Malcolm McMaster questioned whether the shipping industry is ready for the ‘big data revolution’ when more than 70% of the world fleet is still using L-Band.

Households in the UK and the US download about 200GB of data every month, he said, while up to 15% of ships use 1GB a

month or less.

Strong competition and technological advances mean that the cost of good shipboard connectivity is falling dramatically, he added. ‘Is 1% to 2% of operating expenditure too big a price to pay?’

Mr McMaster said companies should pay heed to Nautilus International’s research into the prob-

Our purpose built training facility on the banks of the River Clyde puts you and Glasgow at the centre of safety training. clydetrainingsolutions.com customerservices@clydetrainingsolutions.com

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lems faced by seafarers in getting good internet access. ‘The crew are going to be the real drivers of big data,’ he pointed out. ‘They are all wired up to social media and things like fitness apps and are going to demand the same sort of access at sea as they get ashore.

They want a constant and reliable service and are prepared to pay for it in a number of cases.’

It is difficult to provide evidence to show the return on investment from improved crew connectivity, he admitted, but the Union’s survey had shown that around one-third of seafarers would change to employers who offered better shipboard communications, and ‘it is only when employers and managers start to feel the pain of losing crew that

they will begin to see the return on investment case’.

Mark Woodhead, senior vicepresident with KVH Industries, said there was evidence to show the benefits of providing good onboard communications. One company had half of its fleet with VSAT and seafarers were far more willing to sign up to serve longer contracts on these ships, he added.

Cyber security system to tackle threat to ships Secure system — claimed to the F industry’s first fully-managed service Inmarsat launched its new Fleet

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GLASGOW’S MARINE & OFFSHORE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

26-27_inmarsat.indd 26

to detect cyber vulnerabilities, respond to threats and protect ships from widespread cyber-attack — during London International Shipping Week.

The Unified Threat Management (UTM) and monitoring service will offer owners and managers a continuous view of the status of their digital security. Fleet Secure detects external attacks via high-speed satellite broadband connectivity, while also protecting vessel networks from intrusion through infected USB sticks or crew devices connected to the onboard network.

‘Cyber-crime is an inevitable downside of the digital economy, on land or at sea,’ explained Inmarsat’s senior vice president of safety and security, Peter Broadhurst. ‘Other maritime cyber-security offerings we have seen address only part of the threat or some of the management issues.

‘Inmarsat’s new Fleet Secure service provides an all-inclusive, realtime managed monitoring service, giving ship operators and managers the cyber-security tools they need to protect their fleets continuously from malicious attack or malware, detect vulnerabilities, and respond to threats,’ he added.

Fleet Secure is powered by Singtel subsidiary Trustwave, and will be available in a choice of three service levels depending on a company’s needs.

Service levels include a fully-managed gold standard, with real-time threat monitoring and analysis, including immediate notifications with high

Peter Broadhurst, Inmarsat’s senior vice president

severity level security threats followed up by telephone to escalate threat management.

The need for the system is down to years of the maritime industry not taking cyber-security seriously, Trustwave worldwide vice president Lawrence Munro said. ‘Essentially, when we look at maritime as an industry, it’s very immature when you compare it to other sectors,’ he added.

‘If you have a Windows machine on a ship that’s connected to the internet then an attacker may potentially not know that what they are attacking is a ship. IT onboard has been homogenised so much that, if it’s running off

Windows, then it’s just like your home PC. It can just be an opportunistic attack.

‘It’s only when an attacker realises that they have accessed a ship or a fleet of ships that they then start asking for even more money. This is the type of event we want to avoid using Fleet Secure.’

Inmarsat also announced plans for the launch of its sixth generation of satellites in 2020. The I-6 satellites will boost ship safety and connectivity, having a dual payload, each supporting L-band and Ka-band (Global Xpress) services and Fleet Xpress ship communications and maritime safety services.

20/09/2017 18:00

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

LISW 2017

What skills do people have that robots don’t? believes that advances in ship F automation will not spell the end of Futurist Gerd Leonhart

seafarers’ jobs.

Making the claim in a talk at Inmarsat’s headquarters, during London International Shipping Week (LISW), Mr Leonhart said he believed that whilst advances in technology will cause considerable disruption to the way shipping companies currently work, it would not mean that humans were made redundant from the process.

‘A lot of research shows that we are creating new jobs that don’t need people,’ he said. ‘So if there is a ship that is automated, will there be other jobs that are not?

‘Ultimately we are going to find new ways to employ these people,’ he added, ‘and I think the government will have to retrain them. The government has to change our schools and the skills we learn, so we need a social system that captures the changes.

‘What we can do is look to the new ways of working, look at skills that a human can do that a robot cannot. In that sense robots will not make humans redundant. Who knows, maybe in 20 years we will work for half the time for the same money.’

FleetBroadband World class. Worldwide.

CONNECTING THE WORLD’S OCEANS SINCE 2007 Tech futurist Gerd Leonhart

His comments were backed up by Inmarsat president Roland Spithout, who added during a panel discussion that he did not believe that totally unmanned vessels would be a reality.

‘The question we have to ask is will there still be a need for people on vessels,’ Mr Spithout said. ‘I strongly believe that there will be autonomy and remote control, but I absolutely do not believe in total autonomy or unmanned vessels. I strongly believe

that there will still be people on vessels in the future.’

Lloyds Register vice president for commercialisation, David Ryder, said that advances in technology are enabling smaller companies to compete with larger ones, and that change must be embraced. ‘It’s about not doing things the same way. We need the companies and the people to look at what is out there and really embrace it.’

Text chat tool introduced for use in emergencies communication between distressed vessels and P rescue coordinators is being launched as part of the next A new WhatsApp-style chat system aiming to aid

wave of Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems (GMDSS).

The Distress Chat system allows group communications between stricken vessels and onshore services. It also means that rescue coordinating centres (RCCs) will be able to add other nearby vessels to the discussions in order to get suitable aid to the casualty as quickly as possible.

Inmarsat director of safety John Dodd said that the system — which will be available to all of the 40,000

vessels on its FleetBroadband system — will allow real-time discussions to take place during safety-critical events.

‘Distress Chat is something I’m very proud of,’ he said.

‘It’s similar to WhatsApp and Skype, which we all have access to on our phones. Everyone we have spoken to has said why hasn’t this been done before?

However, International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) project manager David Jardine-Smith warned that many seafarers in developing areas are unable to use satellite services. ‘They cannot afford FleetBroadband and the global rescue system needs to be able to rescue those people too,’ he added.

Government cyber-guidelines helping shipping companies to F avoid falling victim to cyber-crime has

A new set of guidelines aimed at

been published by the Department for Transport.

The document — which was officially launched during London International Shipping Week (LISW) during an industry discussion held at Inmarsat — provides firms with key recommendations about the threat of not being electronically protected and how an attack could impact on a firm’s finances as well as its reputation.

Entitled Code of Practice: Cyber Security for Ships, it provides advice for owners, operators and crews on issues including the development of a cyber security assessment, how to plan to manage risk and how to handle security breaches and incidents. It also highlights the relevant national and international standards and the relationship to existing regulation.

Launching the guidance, transport minister Lord Callanan said it aimed to reduce the risk of incidents that could affect the safety or security of a ship, its crew, passengers or cargo.

‘Anything that threatens the

26-27_inmarsat.indd 27

Over the last ten years FleetBroadband, Inmarsat’s maritime voice and broadband data service, has helped more than 40,000 vessels stay connected, no matter where they’ve sailed. inmarsat.com/fleetbroadband

UK transport minister Lord Callanan

reliability and performance of the shipping sector that provides 95% of our trade, has to be taken extremely seriously,’ he warned. ‘There is a growing dependence on operational systems and autonomous technology, which has the potential to make the industry much more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.’

Lord Callanan said a compromised ship system could trigger physical harm to the system or the crew or cargo — potentially endangering

lives or the loss of the ship, as well as the loss of sensitive information, or lead to criminal activity, including kidnap, piracy, fraud, theft of cargo, or imposition of ransomware.

Even if the problem is on a much smaller scale, it could play havoc with an industry that requires order and reliability to operate efficiently, he added. In June this year Maersk fell victim to the NotPetya ransomware, causing the company an estimated cost of up to US$300m.

20/09/2017 18:00

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

MARITIME RESCUE

A call that can’t be ignored Hundreds of stricken seafarers owe their lives to the volunteer crews of the RNLI lifeboats. STEVEN KENNEDY meets one of the dedicated rescuers...

Michaela Howells with the RNLI Spirit of Padstow lifeboat

Michaela Howells’s grandfather Tony Warnock during his days with the RNLI in the 1970s

I

Tackling the open sea can be a daunting task even for the most seasoned professionals.

So imagine how much more challenging it is when you’re trying to help rescue those in trouble, perhaps in a life-or-death scenario, and all as an 18-year-old volunteer.

That’s the case for one of the UK’s youngest Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat crew members. Michaela Howells lives in Padstow, Cornwall, and joined the RNLI when she was just 17. Over the past 18 months she has been a volunteer crew member helping those in need off the Cornish coast.

She was inspired to join up because of a family connection to the lifeboat service — her grandfather, Tony Warnock, was coxswain of the Padstow lifeboat in the 1970s.

‘It was always something I wanted to be involved in when I was old enough to volunteer,’ Michaela says. ‘It’s a hobby for me and I’m going to university next year, but this is something that I enjoy doing.

‘I went on a week’s training course in Poole where I did sea survival — which was great fun,’ she recalls.

‘It involved going in a pool where they have a wave machine and simulate thunder, and lightning, and we have to put up the liferaft.

Michaela is currently employed full-time at high street chemist Boots as she waits to start her paediatric nursing course at Bristol University in February next year. Being on call 24 hours a day can be a challenge, but it’s something she just copes with in order to do what she loves.

‘I always have my buzzer on me,’ she explains.

‘One time I was getting on the college bus and it went off in my bag. I got on, but only to the top of the hill in Padstow to run and jump in the Land Rover.

When the pager goes off your heart starts going a hundred million miles an hour — but it’s good fun.’

Founded in 1824 as the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, the RNLI was granted a Royal Charter in 1860 and is a charity in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Since its inception, it has saved some 140,000 lives — at a cost, sadly, of more than 600 lives lost in service.

Continuing that work today, the RNLI has 237 lifeboat stations and operates 444 lifeboats, rescuing, on average, 22 people a day according to figures released in 2015.

The station in Padstow is one of 14 stations in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly — a statistic that makes it the best covered county in the UK, with a total of 21 lifeboats available for deployment.

The Padstow station opened during the 1800s and now houses just one lifeboat, called The Spirit of Padstow. It is, fortunately, not called into action very often: in 2016 it was launched just 16 times and this year — at the time of writing — it has been launched a further 11 times.

The boat is a Tamar class lifeboat which was introduced into the fleet in 2005 and is described as one of the most sophisticated and safest lifeboats of its time. It was also the first to be fitted with an

RNLI lifeboat crew member Michaela Howells Pictures: RNLI

integrated electronic Systems and Information Management System, allowing the crew to operate the all-weather lifeboat from the safety of their shock-absorbing seats.

I

The vessel requires seven crew members to operate it. When a call comes in, the team get in their Land Rover and make their way to the station. Once there, they quickly absorb the facts of the case and then set about resolving the issue.

‘Usually we get the Land Rover out and we speak to the coastguard,’ Michaela explains. ‘They tell us where we’re going and what the task is. Then we launch.

‘We usually know where the issue is and how many people there are, but you can’t really assess a situation until you have it in front of you.

‘There are seven of us that respond to a call,’ she continues. ‘My role in an operation depends on how many people there are in trouble and what the weather conditions are like.’

Michaela trains every Wednesday afternoon at sea and is the only female in her crew of 14. However, she points out: ‘There are lots of other women at other lifeboat stations; it just happens that I’m the only one at this one. It’s not seen as a maledominated environment at all. There are lots of other women on other crews.’

While her career aspirations will mean she will have to continue to juggle her responsibilities, Michaela aims to remain an active part of the lifeboat scene for many years to come. She also says that she hopes her story can inspire the next wave of young lifeboat crew to ask questions and get involved.

‘I want my connection with the lifeboats to be a long-term thing,’ she concludes. ‘I think encouraging new people to join the lifeboats is brilliant. I’d say to them don’t hold back and come and ask some questions if they want to join.’ g For more information about the RNLI visit www.rnli.org.

Padstow Lifeboat Station

28_life_SR edit.indd Sec2:28

20/09/2017 11:44

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

OFFSHORE ENERGY

The winds of change Bibby Marine Servicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; high-spec new windfarm service vessel has received the Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stamp of approval following its naming ceremony in Rotterdam last monthâ&#x20AC;Ś

K

Nautilus has welcomed the introduction into service of Bibby Wavemaster 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a new, state-of-the-art vessel for the offshore energy sector.

Head of recruitment and membership Derek Byrne, who attended the christening of the ship at the Wilhelmina Cruise Terminal in Rotterdam last month, said it would set a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gold standardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the windfarm support industry.

Built by the Dutch ďŹ rm Damen Shipyards, the UKďŹ&#x201A;agged Bibby Wavemaster 1 is the ďŹ rst of Damenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new class of 9030 Service Operations Vessels with walk-to-work (W2W) capability. The design â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which combines DP2 with a new motioncompensated gangway with an innovative hull form and a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;revolutionaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; internal layout â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was developed following extensive research and consultations within the offshore renewables industry.

The ship features a long hull form to enable bow thruster integration. The V-shaped bow section will reduce slamming and improve the offshore operation of the bow thrusters.

Following the initial design work, Damen, Bibby and the equipment ďŹ rm Kongsberg, engaged in extensive tank testing at Marin which validated the targeted reduction in roll and heave that was fundamental to the project aims.

The validation resulted in Bibby Marine Services placing the order in January 2016, and the 6,241gt vessel was built to time and budget in the Damen Shipyards Galati facility in Romania, being ofďŹ cially launched on 24 March this year.

Bibby Wavemaster 1 was designed and built with the North Sea in mind, and with the goal of providing year-round access to offshore facilities. The ship features a height-adjustable gangway system, with a fully stepless and slopeless design meaning that workers can walk on a level basis when going from their work station onboard the vessel to

Christening the Bibby Wavemaster 1

the offshore structure they are serving.

The ship is supported by a full Hardware in the Loop simulator (HIL) that uses the seakeeping model developed at Marin in conjunction with the Kongsberg DP controller and Uptime gangway controller to accurately model how the vessel will perform.

Bibby Wavemaster 1 has a deck area of 470 sq m, which can accept a deck load of 600t. The SPS90 vessel includes a 10-person daughter craft and 2t active heave-compensated crane and has a helicopter landing spot at forward bow section, which will support the operations of a single helicopter with a take-off weight of up to 12t.

K

The diesel-electric propulsion includes a lowpower mode designed to minimise emissions and maximise fuel consumption, and integrates two main 690V diesel engines and two 2,150kW electric motors driving two azimuth thrusters with ďŹ xed pitch propellers, and two 860kW ďŹ xed and one 860kW retractable bow thrusters.

Bibby Wavemaster 1 has a normal speed of 13 knots and is capable of remaining at sea for a period of 30 days. The vessel accommodates 15 crew members and up to 45 service personnel.

The Comfort Class 2 standard accommodation comprises 30 individual en suite berths and 30 large double en suite cabins, all of

which are equipped with TV and wi-ďŹ , and class-leading leisure facilities including a two-deck sauna and gym.

Stephen Bolton, commercial director at Bibby Marine Services, commented: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bibby Wavemaster 1 has been developed with our customers in mind. The offshore energy sector is changing, with offshore windfarms being located farther from shore and oil and gas platforms looking to helicopter alternatives and cost savings. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Working with potential clients, we have developed a ďŹ&#x201A;exible and cost-effective solution to meet these challenges and more,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he added. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Certainty of access and employee safety was highest on the agenda, but so too was comfort and modern living conditions. The result is that we have combined many elements of Bibbyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and current businesses, including our expertise in offshore vessel ownership and management and in-shore hospitality, to deliver a solution which ticks all of these boxes for the offshore wind and oil and gas sectors.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Mr Byrne said he was impressed by the shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quality and the facilities for crew. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It is particularly good to see the vessel is going straight into service, starting operations with James Fisher Marine Services at Innogyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 336MW Galloper windfarm off the coast of Suffolk,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he added.

Bibby Wavemaster 1 has also been contracted for a project in the Dutch sector of the North Sea, starting work on 1 April next year for Total E&P Nederland, working on gas platforms. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;This was a conscious decision of Total to examine, explore and utilise techniques developed by the offshore renewables industry and import those techniques into the oil and gas sector,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; said Bibby Marine Services CEO Stephen Blaikie. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Bibby WaveMaster 1 will deliver substantial cost savings over the traditional forms of transport and access and accommodation used for gas platform maintenance.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

The UK-flagged Bibby Wavemaster 1 is ready to go straight out to work in the North Sea All pictures: Damen Shipyards Group

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29_bibby_SR edit.indd 29

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20/09/2017 12:41

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

OFFWATCH ships of the past

by Trevor Boult

50 YEARS AGO

Grytviken, in the remote British F sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, a

The Merchant Navy & Airline Officers’ Association has met Lord Rochdale and members of the committee which is inquiring into the finance and structure of British shipping. During the informal discussions, ahead of the launch of the inquiry, the Association drew Lord Rochdale’s attention to the fact that 40% of the UK’s exports go to Europe and trade with the EFTA countries, particularly Scandinavia, is expanding. Should the UK eventually join the European Economic Community, trade will increase further — but if, in the meanwhile, the home trade fleet is allowed to run down further it will not be in a position to seize the new potentialities of trade with Europe and another balance of payments problem will arise, with the Dutch and Germans making further inroads in the carriage of our exports and imports to and from Europe MN Journal, October 1967

At the former whaling station of

unique historic vessel — pictured right — lies marooned but not forgotten. Built in 1906 as the Hull steam trawler Viola, she was at the leading edge in the transition from fishing by sailing smacks to the new technology and efficiencies of steam power.

Viola was the product of the foresight and commitment of Charles Hellyer, at that time the leading trawler owner in Hull. His family were established trawlermen from Brixham on the south coast of England who, with others, gravitated to the Humber and other North Sea ports. Viola — under a different name — is the sole survivor of her type.

Her career began as part of the Humber North Sea boxing fleet — an early form of industrial fishing. These fleets worked far from port for up to six weeks, their boxed catches transferred by especially robust open rowing boats to fast steam cutters for rapid dispatch to satisfy the markets of London’s Billingsgate, and elsewhere across the country.

Unconstrained by Plimsoll marks, such trawlers left port with scuppers awash, laden with stores, and bunker coal stowed in the forward fish hold to sustain a lengthy trip, the fleet ‘skirmishing’ for the best fishing grounds, under the authority of the boxing fleet ‘admiral’.

At the outbreak of the First World War, Viola was requisitioned by the Admiralty for conversion and placement in Shetland for arduous auxiliary patrol duties: antisubmarine and minefield patrols, boom defence and supporting larger units in tightening the trade blockade on deepsea routes to Germany, surviving many engagements with the enemy.

In 1916 Viola was further modified.

Assigned to the River Tyne and based at North Shields as a minesweeper and escort, she was eventually able to deploy both hydrophones and depth charges in the defence of the inshore shipping lanes off Northumberland.

Viola took an active part in a joint operation which concluded with the sinking of U-boat 115, considered as probably the last U-boat sinking of the war in the North Sea. After post-war demobilisation in Milford Haven, Viola was bought by Norwegian interests, renamed Kapduen, and based at Sandefjord for use as a tug and transport in

25 YEARS AGO

Viola/Dias: survivor of the South Atlantic the winter herring fishery. In 1923 a company takeover by a stalwart of the whaling industry heralded a new career for Kapduen, as a whale-catcher in far-distant waters, joining an expedition to hunt humpback whales off Angola. On a second such voyage, under new ownership, the vessel was renamed Dias. These expeditions were commercially unsuccessful.

After a period of layup, and under Argentinian ownership, Dias operated out of Grytviken as a sealer. She proved ideal in this role. In her first two-months, the blubber she delivered rendered over 500 tons of oil. However, working and living conditions are reckoned to have been amongst the least pleasant.

Dias was also regularly used for other work, especially outside the sealing season. Her cargo capacity enabled her to support expeditions to South Georgia and the Antarctic. Of note are the reliefs of the Argentine meteorological station in the South Orkney Islands; biological work undertaken by the Falkland Islands Government; and Royal Navy hydrographic surveys.

Throughout the Second World War the sealing company worked continuously, supplying seal and whale oil deemed essential to the British war effort and shipped indirectly

via ports in the United States.

To prolong her active life, in 1956 Dias was converted to oil burning. Several years later she was acquired by British interests. When Grytviken was finally closed in the mid-1960s, Dias was laid up with two other catchers, Albatros, and Petrel. They were kept in working order by a skeleton crew, but abandoned in 1971, after which destruction and progressive dereliction followed, falling prey to crews of eastern European fishing boats and private yachts. Eventually, under the weight of accumulated snow, Dias and Albatros partially sank at their moorings.

In 1982, the vessels became a subject of devious interest for a group of Argentinian scrap dealers whose nationalistic actions on South Georgia sparked the beginnings of the Falklands War. Across the bay from Dias, Argentinian troops from helicopters initiated hostilities by opening fire on Royal Marines.

After the war the vessels deteriorated further, despite interest in returning Dias to the UK. In 2004 her hull was patched, refloated and re-berthed alongside Albatros, with the long-term goal to repatriate her to the Humber for preservation.

Primary source: Viola by Robb Robinson & Ian Hart

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book U-Boats off Biscay by Eric Wiberg (reviewed on the facing page).

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 Nautilus is raising renewed concerns over the commercial pressures facing the UK flag after a case in which a car carrier was accepted onto the register even though its fire-fighting arrangements breached the intentions of the international Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.

The Union raised alarm after it was discovered that the CO2 low pressure bottle room fire-fighting system onboard the 46,800gt Morning Miracle — which has been transferred from the Liberian flag — was sited outside a protected space, forward of the collision bulkhead. Nautilus has raised concerns with the Department for Transport, arguing that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency appeared to have accepted the ship on the basis of ambiguity in the regulations rather than properly assessing the safety of the crew The Telegraph, October 2007 is claimed to be the largest floating structure ever built.

What is its gross tonnage?

THEQUIZ 1

Greece, Japan and China are the world’s top three shipowning nations. Which country is in fourth place?

4

In which country is the ferry company Viking Line based?

5

Roughly how many offshore support vessels are presently in lay-up around the world?

How long did it take to build the Panama Canal?

2

What is the world’s largest ship management company?

6

3

Shell’s FLNG vessel Prelude

J Quiz answers are on page 38.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

Membership No.:

Closing date is Friday 13 October 2017.

QUICK CLUES

30_offwatch_SR edit.indd 30

A fresh wave of job losses, tumbling charter rates and unfair foreign competition have prompted NUMAST to urge the government to act to protect the UK offshore support vessel fleet. With one recent report suggesting that 90 OSVs will soon be chasing work in a spot market capable of supporting only 50, the Union is demanding a return of the controls on foreign ships which cut the over-tonnage from the sector in the late 1980s. Within a year of the introduction of these measures following the oil price collapse in 1986, UK-flag tonnage accounted for 109 of the 138 support vessels working in the UK sector of the North Sea, but the controls were abolished in March 1989 The Telegraph, October 1992

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Down Uncluttered (4) Dramatic part (4) Cigarette tip (3-3) Like a bear (4,1,4,4) Pushers (8) Lethal quality (10) Fed up (5-5) County (13)

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Deluge (5,5) Evil (10) Legislation (8) Pancake mix (6) Fortified wine (4) Verse (4)

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CRYPTIC CLUES

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Across Underground after the big international match, useful for experiment (4-4) Residential road has arboreal growth in its abbreviated form (6) Direction somehow set as draw (9) Med city is more pleasant before end of September (5) Building design begins with one of its features, then erect it clumsily about Ulster capital (12) Between once and time, so the stories start (4) For amateur judge, looks like

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27.

Zoroastrians are not bent, or so we hear (10) Three small house-builders also in bacon production industry (6,4) Have the definition of average (4) Shop furniture and idea for interactive melody (12) Internal decoration specialist returned having ignited again (5) Measure arachnid on hard gardens (9) Feel bad about what is posted again (6) Flyer as communist beginning (8)

Down 1. Level left out of 24 (4) 2. Waist cloth can hold window panes (4) 3. They pull but buildings sound different (6) 4. Celebrations by pa, a third, try moving around (8,5)

6. Holding firm when number seen over an urban area (8) 7. Sides of bench removed and, belonging to us, elderly folk are spurred on (10) 8. Opera cost a bit in old currency (10) 10. Seated then carried around university to place in Kent (13) 13. Northern Irish politicians, 51 linked to conspiratorial 5, right, it copies (10) 14. Fortified gateway, like a wine, to reduce numbers on half isle, the reverse of some 8 bits (10) 17. “A ---- ---- for a Farthing” (Juliana Ewing) (4,4) 20. Songs I rearranged through knowledge of things spiritual (6) 22. Mail redirected to capital (4) 23. Parody to be found in part of Craddock’s kitchen (4) J Crossword answers are on page 38.

20/09/2017 12:41

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

MARITIME BOOKS

In praise of Brunel’s original masterpiece The First Atlantic Liner

By Helen Doe Amberley Publishing, £20 ISBN: 978 14456 67201 historian Helen Doe sets out to give some K long-overdue recognition to Isambard Kingdom

Marking 180 years since its launch, maritime

Brunel’s first steamship — Great Western — and its remarkable impact on vessel design and operation.

She makes a persuasive case for the ship to get its rightful place in history, instead of being overshadowed by the subsequent Great Britain and Great Eastern — underlining the scale of its innovative and successful career.

Equipped with two 450hp engines — the largest marine engines ever built — and four masts for ‘hybrid’ sail power, Great Western was a 234ft-long iron-strapped, wooden, side-wheel paddle steamer of 1,604 gross tons which chalked up an average speed of 13 knots during trials in the English Channel in April 1836, before making the first Atlantic crossing in just 14 days.

The book explains the context in which Great Western was developed, barely two decades after the first successful commercial steamboat came into service. It notes the boldness of the vision

to utilise what was still an emerging technology on transatlantic voyages in the face of significant commercial and operational challenges.

Helen Doe vividly describes the incredible work to design, fund and construct what was promised to be ‘a truly magnificent vessel’ — bringing to life some of the key personalities who made the ambitious project a reality.

The human story is extended with a particularly strong focus on the crew, and the book points out that the new complexities of running a large passengership with deck, engineering and hospitality departments presented challenges for the company, the masters and senior officers.

This is rounded out with some fascinating material about the British maritime labour market at the time, including the somewhat haphazard nature of training and the Parliamentary pressure to develop a proper system for seafarer certification.

Helen Doe also describes the new skills required from the engineering department — with firemen and trimmers having crucial roles in the safe and efficient operation of the power plant. Recounting the sad story of the death of Great Western’s first chief engineer in a boiler accident at the end of the first Atlantic crossing, she points out that

and packets, pioneering steamships, passenger and excursion vessels, and unusual visitors such as a Q-Ship and a German U-boat.

Despite its black and white images, the book is full of colour and explains the Pool’s role in connecting the UK with northern Europe, as well as shipping’s role in the development of London as a global maritime centre. And whilst it’s perhaps not for everyone, it does deserve its place in the enthusiast’s collection.

Promising cruise history Thoughtful port chronicle let down by with strong presentation K niche appeal

Amberley, £14.99 ISBN: 978 14456 67508 f www.amberley-books.com

Cunard Cruise Ships

By Ian Collard

The Ships That Came to the Pool of London

By Nick Robins Amberley, £15.99 ISBN: 978 14456 64613 f www.amberley-books.com has been a focal point of British K trade and maritime activity, and in For hundreds of years, London

this book author Nick Robin traces the fascinating history of the city’s nautical trade — right back to the first Roman galleys carrying grain from Egypt.

The Pool of London is a stretch of the River Thames from London Bridge to below Limehouse. Part of the tideway of the Thames, the Pool is divided into two parts: the Upper Pool and Lower Pool.

The Upper Pool consists of the section between London Bridge and the Cherry Garden Pier in Bermondsey. The Lower Pool runs from the Cherry Garden Pier to Limekiln Creek.

In just shy of 160 pages, the book looks at all aspects of the Pool’s history — including the development of London as a port and the vessels that used it, such as sailing ships

31_books_SR edit.indd 31

Given the number of Cunard history books already on the market, it’s hard to believe there’s a public appetite for any more, but Amberley Publishing must have

even highly trained and experienced personnel could fall victim to the ever-present dangers posed by the machinery.

Also interesting is the cadet system pioneered onboard the ship and modelled on the midshipman programme used by the Royal Navy.

It’s especially interesting as it was developed against the background of timeless shipowner complaints about costs and their opposition to compulsory carriage of apprentices onboard British merchant vessels of 700 tons and above.

Great Western attracted huge crowds to watch its entry into service and also commanded intense media edia and wider cultural interest, not least because of the many celebrity passengers it carried. Defying the sceptics who suggested the ship was too big, it proved an economic success and completed more than 40 Atlantic crossings until the company was forced to sell Great Western to the Royal Mail Steam Packet because of losses incurred by the grounding of Great Britain.

The book races through Great Western’s final

calculated that it’s worth a shot.

With Cunard Cruise Ships, readers are promised ‘rare and unpublished images’, and it’s true that the glossy paperback is strong on pleasing illustrations.

You’ll have to search through every page if you’re after a picture of a particular vessel, though, as there’s no index or list of contents. And it’s unfortunate that none of the pictures are used to break up the eight-page written history at the beginning, which is densely laid out in very small type.

When you get through to the ship pictures, these are quite well labelled with potted vessel histories, notes about interesting features, or information about where and when a photo was taken. Even here, though, it is disappointing to see spelling mistakes like ‘trails’ for ‘trials’.

You get the feeling that there’s the makings of a decent cruise ship history here, and the author

years, including time as a troopship in the Crimean War before being broken up in London in 1857. ‘Her influence was wide and she deserves to be fully celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic,’ Helen Doe concludes — and it is hard to disagree. Her book is nicely written and well researched, and comes complete with a wealth of appendices giving further background and links to other sources of information.

appears to have done a great deal of research, but the lack of care taken with the layout and production of the book means that it can’t really be recommended in its current form.

Interesting new perspective on a world war’s local impact The Isles of Scilly in the Great War

By Richard Larn Pen & Sword Publishing, £12.99 ISBN: 978 14738 67666

K

Richard Larn was a Merchant Navy deck cadet before serving with the Royal Navy for 22 years, and shipping looms large in this account of Scilly’s contribution to the war effort a century ago.

Classy addition to annals of Merchant Navy in WW2 U-Boats off Bermuda

By Eric Wiberg Fonthill Media, £25.00 / $35.95 ISBN: 978 17815 56061 f www.fonthillmedia.com the Telegraph, historians were slow to start K documenting the role of the Merchant Navy in the As we’ve heard about in recent editions of

Second World War, and there’s still a great deal of work to be done on the subject. Happily, maritime lawyer and historian Eric Wiberg can now add his name to those helping to fill in the gaps, with an interesting new book focused on the tiny Atlantic island group of Bermuda.

Bermuda’s war may seem a minor footnote in the wider story of the conflict, but Wiberg argues that the British territory punched above its a weight due to its strategic position on the route w of o many Atlantic convoys, and its role as the host of o a US military base. The islanders also took care

of hundreds of merchant seafarers rescued from Allied merchant ships sunk by German submarines.

U-Boats off Bermuda uses a chronological structure to document the attacks on a wide range of merchant vessels between 1940 and 1944.

As well as giving blow-by-blow accounts of these attacks, the author looks back at each vessel’s history and writes about interesting crew members — and he does the same for many of the U-boats involved.

The quality of Wiberg’s research can be seen in the extensive source materials listed in the endnotes and bibliography. His appendices also include a table of particulars for 80 Allied merchant vessels sunk around Bermuda in the Second World War, as well as details of 15 Allied merchant seafarers who were buried in the territory.

These fallen comrades have their graves tended to this day by the people of Bermuda, points out Wiberg — a testament to the ‘spirit of hospitality of the tight-knit island community’.

His book describes the historic importance of the islands in the defence of the Western Approaches as a consequence of their position at the hub of six major shipping routes — even though this significance had been somewhat underestimated by the UK government in the years before the outbreak of the war.

Just six weeks before hostilities began, the islands were given a taste of what was to come — when a Belgian ship ran aground close to the Bishop Lighthouse and the local ferry and lifeboats went to the aid of the 217 survivors.

As the U-boat threat intensified, Scilly witnessed an increasing number of attacks on merchant vessels, and by the spring of 1915 a naval base was established — hosting an ever-rising presence of patrol boats and, eventually, sea planes and armed motor launches.

Richard Larn does a great job in describing the impact of the war on the island community, including the inevitable tensions of having so many service personnel stationed there and the responses to the many merchant vessel casualties in the area. Supported by some excellent photographs and firsthand accounts, the book also has a poignant conclusion, with the author telling how his father — who suffered what was then described as ‘shell-shock’ as a result of his war service — committed suicide in 1931, eight years after being invalided out of the Army.

20/09/2017 12:42

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NL NEWS In this month’s Dutch pages: z Nautilus advice to members on partner’s pension

z Nautilus Career Advice Centre up to speed

z Stena Line fleetwide protest

z Jumbo fleet visit

z Works councils of Boskalis and Van Oord

z New Young Maritime representatives

z Sustainable employability survey

z Inland Waterways employers should

z High school trainees tell their stories

z Nautilus & FNV advice centres officially

& Dredging pension fund on its way

z Nautilus members reject P&O CBA

elected

INTERNATIONAL

organise

opened

Acties bij Stena Line: ‘Niemand de poort uit!’

A Volg ons op Twitter Wij hebben Facebook.

Volg ons ook!

Bezoek www.nautilusint.org

Tijdens de Nautilus/Stena Line ledenvergadering op 6 september, aan boord van de Stena Hollandica, besloten de leden tot het voorbereiden van acties op 26 september (nadat dit nummer ter perse ging). Dit omdat de Stena Line directie nog altijd niet op de belangrijkste eis van het personeel ‘Niemand de poort uit’ wenst in te gaan.

Ook is er nog steeds de nodige onduidelijkheid over de toekomstvisie van de Stena Line directie.

Vlootbezoek Stena Severine

Op 5 september bracht Nautilus ook een vlootbezoek aan de Stena Severine in de Europoort. Hier werden de leden bijgepraat en vond de eerste vergadering van het Stena actiecomité plaats.

Signaal afgeven over de hele vloot

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Bent u het eens met het nieuwe onderzoeksrapport waarin gesuggereerd wordt dat zeevarenden gezonder worden?

Nautilus bestuurder Marcel van Dam: ‘De gehele vloot wil een signaal geven aan de Stena Line directie dat het ze menens is.

De Stena Line directie heeft inmiddels via een brief aan de medewerkers en aan ons aangegeven ‘zijn best te doen’ dat iedereen binnen boord blijft, maar garanties worden

niet gegeven. Eind september zegt men meer duidelijkheid te kunnen geven. Onze leden zijn daar niet gerust op en willen daarom een actiesignaal afgeven. We denken nog niet aan harde acties zoals stakingen. Maar als de Stena Line directie eind september niet over de brug komt, dan sluiten we die niet uit. Het actiecomité is inmiddels al druk aan het werk om de acties eind september goed voor te bereiden.’

Bareboatcharter

De Stena Line medewerkers vrezen voor hun baan omdat Stena Line twee schepen, de Capucine en de Severine, varend tussen de

Europoort en Harwich, inruilt voor twee nieuwe. Deze nieuwe schepen huurt Stena Line inclusief personeel. Wellicht neemt Stena Line ook nog een bareboat charterschip in de vaart. Maar zeker is dit nog bepaald niet.

Bij een bareboat charter/ rompbevrachting stelt de rompvervrachter (verhuurder) een zeeschip exclusief bemanning ter beschikking aan de rompbevrachter (huurder), zonder enige zeggenschap over het schip te behouden.

De exploitatie van het schip ligt dus geheel bij de rompbevrachter/huurder.

Ook alle kosten komen voor rekening van de rompbevrachter/huurder.

Nieuwe Young Maritime Representatives aan boord F

Nee 83%

Ja 17%

Vlog-camera

De poll van deze maand is: Kunnen traditionele scheepsregisters, zoals die van de UK, Nederland en Zwitserland, scheepseigenaren overhalen Flags of Convenience weer om te zetten naar de nationale vlag? Geef ons uw mening online, op nautilusint.org/nl

32-35_nl_19.9.indd 32

de aandacht te brengen. Ik vond het een eer dat ik YMR mocht zijn afgelopen jaar. Ik heb het erg naar mijn zin gehad, ondanks dat ik een half jaar op stage was. Ik heb in de tijd dat ik aan wal was mijn best gedaan om zo veel mogelijk jongeren te bereiken en hun proberen duidelijk te maken waarom de maritieme wereld zo leuk is om in te werken. Aan de andere kant heeft het YMR-schap mijn carrière ook goed gedaan.

Op 1 september, tijdens de Wereldhavendagen in Rotterdam werden ook de vier nieuwe Young Maritime Representatives (YMR’s) voor het studiejaar 2017/2018 bekendgemaakt: Laura, Desiree, Jelle en Dennis werden gekroond tot jongerenambassadeurs van de maritieme sector. De YMR’s gaan zich een jaar lang onderdompelen in de maritieme top-sector, met maar één doel voor ogen: jongeren interesseren voor een opleiding en baan binnen de maritieme wereld.

Wim van Sluis, voorzitter van Nederland Maritiem Land, benoemde Laura, Desiree, Jelle en Dennis tot nieuwe Young Maritime Representatives uit een groep van tien enthousiaste maritieme studenten. Van Sluis nam gelijktijdig afscheid van de drie jongerenambassadeurs, die het afgelopen jaar de sector hebben

Deuren geopend

Foto: Erik Jansen

vertegenwoordigd. Op symbolische wijze werd door hen de vlog-camera aan de nieuwe YMR’s overhandigd.

Zodat zij hiermee het aankomende studiejaar hun ervaringen kunnen delen.

YMR Douwe Pentenga zwaait af

De Telegraph vroeg Nautilus lid Douwe Pentenga, YMR van afgelopen seizoen, om zijn ervaringen: ‘Op 1 september hebben we ons kandidaatschap als YMR overgedragen aan vier nieuwe YMR’s.

Komend jaar zullen zij hun uiterste best gaan doen om de maritieme wereld nog beter bij jongeren onder

Ik heb op plekken mogen komen waar de meeste mensen van mijn leeftijd niet komen. Nederland Maritiem Land heeft deuren voor mij geopend en mij met veel mensen in contact laten komen aan wie ik wellicht nog wat heb tijdens mijn werkcarrière. Ik kan iedere student en young professional, die enthousiast is over de maritieme wereld, aanraden om zich volgend jaar op te geven voor het kandidaatschap als YMR. Wellicht dat hij/zij dan net zo’n leuk jaar als ik mee mag maken!’

20/09/2017 14:45

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

NL NEWS

Nautilus aan boord bij de Jumbo Fairmaster Nautilus bestuurder Maarten F Keuss en communicatie adviseur Medio augustus waren

Hans Walthie op vlootbezoek bij de Jumbo Fairmaster, afgemeerd bij maritiem dienstverlener Huisman in de Schiedamse haven. Eén van de twee unieke Jumbo zware ladingschepen. Beide Jumbo K-klasse schepen — de Fairmaster en de Kinetic — beschikken ieder over maar liefst twee zware 1.500 ton kranen.

Cao voorstellenbrief toegelicht

Maarten Keuss: ‘Op 14 augustus hebben we als Nautilus een eerste cao-gesprek gehad met de Jumbo directie. De huidige cao liep 31 maart af. Tijdens deze eerste cao-ronde hebben we onze voorstellenbrief toegelicht.

En de werkgever heeft ons een schets gegeven van de huidige economische situatie bij Jumbo.

Het leek ons goed, nu de Fairmaster in Schiedam lag afgemeerd, om met enkele van onze leden aan boord even terug te koppelen.

Maar ook voor mij als nieuwe Nautilus Jumbo bestuurder was het goed om sfeer te proeven en contact te leggen met de mensen aan boord.’

‘Dan zie je pas echt wat varen is’

Stagiair Dan Moerdijk (22 jaar;

HBO Marof student HZ Vlissingen) verzorgde de rondleiding door het schip van de Nautilus gasten.

Dan: ‘Ik heb het hier prima naar mijn zin. Ben nu vijf weken aan boord. We komen net terug van een mooie tocht naar Lake Charles (USA). We zijn inmiddels aan het laden voor onze volgende trip naar Brazilië. De eerste vier weken heb ik meegedraaid in de machinekamer.

Heel leerzaam. Ben vervolgens naar de brug gegaan en heb al een keer wacht gelopen met de 1e stuurman. Dan zie je pas echt wat varen is. Super!’

1/3e van mijn klasgenoten heeft geen stageplaats

Over het vinden van een stageplaats is Dan minder tevreden. ‘Het is gewoon ruk om zelf te ervaren hoe moeilijk het op het ogenblik is een stageplaats te vinden. Er zijn gewoon veel te weinig stageplaatsen beschikbaar. Maar liefst 1/3e van mijn klasgenoten heeft nu geen stageplaats. Zelf heb ik bij wel 25 bedrijven gesolliciteerd en bijna de helft daarvan heeft gewoon geen plek! Dat kan zo toch niet doorgaan? Daar moeten de reders toch echt wat aan gaan doen. En ik vind ook dat Nautilus daar nog harder aan mag trekken. En ook de scholen ja. Gezamenlijk de schouders eronder zetten. Dit gaat echt de verkeerde kant op zo!’

John de Wolf en minister Asscher Trappen Nautilus WAW AF A

Oud Feyenoord speler John de Wolf verrichtte op 4 september, samen met demissionair minister Asscher (SZW) en FNV voorzitter Han Busker, de aftrap van het nieuwe Nautilus & FNV adviescentrum Werken Aan Werk (WAW). Ook de andere 4 landelijke FNV WAW centra werden officieel geopend. Plaats van handeling: FNV Regionaal Vakbondshuis Rotterdam.

Tevens ging een speciale filmclip met John de Wolf en een WAW deelnemer (geschoten in de Kuip) deze middag live (zie: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=JM7ZCro0Yro) Werken Aan Werk (WAW) is er voor om werknemers (van alle leeftijden) die ontslagen dreigen te worden of net hun baan hebben verloren zo snel mogelijk weer aan de slag te helpen. WAW biedt werknemers: gratis advies, begeleiding en training bij (dreigend) ontslag om hun kansen op de arbeidsmarkt te vergroten. De service staat ook

open voor niet-leden en is kosteloos.

Trots en eigenwaarde

‘Ik ben trots op de FNV, dat ze met dit project werkzoekenden een extra steun in de rug geven om weer een nieuwe baan te vinden’, aldus demissionair minister Asscher (SZW) tijdens de opening.

‘Het valt niet mee om ineens zonder werk te zitten. Ik hoop dat we met dit project werkzoekenden trots en eigenwaarde kunnen teruggeven.

En ook dat het enthousiast wordt opgepakt door iedereen die met dit project te maken krijgt.’

werkloze. Dat staat al actiever. Ik ben zelf trots op elke werkzoekende die weer een baan vindt.’

FNV voorzitter Han Busker stelde dat het WAW project ‘uitstekend past bij de FNV agenda: ‘Gaan voor echte banen, koopkracht en bestaanszekerheid’.

Nautilus vice voorzitter Sascha Meijer gaf aan dat Nautilus ook actief meekijkt naar nieuwe kansrijke sectoren met nieuwe werkgelegenheid, ‘zoals in de sector Offshore Wind.’

Terugknokken

Persoonlijke begeleiding en training bij dreigende werkloosheid

John de Wolf, die veel werkzoekenden, vaak via sportactiviteiten, helpt zich weer ‘terug te knokken’ richting een nieuwe baan, gaf aan ‘dat hij ‘graag zijn steentje bij wil dragen aan het stimuleren van werkzoekenden richting een nieuwe baan’. ‘Ik spreek bewust over werkzoekende in plaats van

De kracht van de werkwijze van FNV & Nautilus Werken Aan Werk is die persoonlijke, intensieve en individuele begeleiding, de vertrouwensband tussen de trajectadviseur en de werkzoekende, aandacht voor de emotionele gevolgen van het ontslag en praktische, direct toepasbare adviezen en

trainingen. Daarnaast beschikken de vakbond en zijn partners in dit project over vele bestuurders die dagelijks op de werkvloer komen en een grote kennis van de arbeidsmarkt meebrengen.

FNV Werken Aan Werk wordt in eerste instantie tot eind 2018 uitgevoerd als een experiment in het kader van het Sociaal Akkoord 2013, mede gesubsidieerd door het ministerie van SZW. Afhankelijk van het succes wordt dan bezien in hoeverre de vakbeweging weer structurele betrokkenheid krijgt bij de arbeidsbemiddeling en sociale zekerheid. Die verdween in 2001 met de vorming van het UWV. NAUTILUS/FNV WERKEN AAN WERK

Voor meer informatie over NAUTILUS WERKEN AAN WERK kunt u contact opnemen met Nautilus trajectadviseur Jelle de Boer. g Tel.: 06 155 39 730 Email: jdeboer@nautilusint.org

Doe ook mee aan het Onderzoek Duurzame Inzetbaarheid! en hun werkgevers uitgenodigd F om mee te doen aan een enquête

Inmiddels zijn veel zeevarenden

over duurzame inzetbaarheid. Doel: onderzoeken hoe zeevarenden tot aan hun pensioenleeftijd gezond en plezierig kunnen werken. In hun eigen werk of elders.

Doe mee en ontvang tips

Krijgt u een uitnodiging voor deelname in uw mailbox, of op andere wijze, doe dan svp mee aan de enquête. Want meedoen betekent dat u ook invloed heeft op het beleid over duurzame inzetbaarheid.

Tevens krijgt u meteen een aantal tips om uw werk gezond en met plezier te kunnen blijven doen.

32-35_nl_19.9.indd 33

Direct meedoen

U kunt nu ook direct meedoen, via: rebrand.ly/DIscheepvaart .

Het invullen van de enquête kost u maximaal 15 minuten.

Varen: een mooi, bijzonder en zwaar beroep

Varen is een mooi, bijzonder, maar ook zwaar beroep.

Alleen zeevarenden zelf kunnen vertellen wat nodig is om hun werk goed en met plezier te kunnen doen.

Nu en in de toekomst. Dit is nu nog belangrijk geworden nu de pensioenleeftijd is verhoogd en er dus langer doorgewerkt moet worden’.

Daarom ook wil Nautilus, mede gebaseerd op de uitkomsten van deze enquête, beleid maken op dit belangrijke onderwerp.

De en quête is opgesteld in nauwe samenwerking met reders en op kosten van Stichting Zeerisico 96.

Vertrouwelijke enquête

Deelname aan het onderzoek is anoniem. Het onderzoeksbureau Factor Vijf behandelt de onderzoeksgegevens strikt vertrouwelijk. Antwoorden zijn niet zichtbaar voor collega’s of werkgevers. Alleen de onderzoekers hebben toegang tot de antwoorden.

Meepraten over beleid

December 2017 worden de eerste resultaten aan reders en zeevarenden gepresenteerd.

Dit gebeurt onder andere tijdens interactieve bijeenkomsten.

Daarin kunnen zeevarenden en vertegenwoordigers van reders volop meepraten en meedenken over slim en menswaardig beleid, waardoor zeevarenden tot op hoge leeftijd plezierig kunnen werken.

Vragen over het onderzoek?

g Mail ze naar: onderzoek@ factorvijf.eu.

20/09/2017 14:45

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NL NEWS

Ouderdoms- en partnerpensioen uitruilen

De heer Broekman* wilde graag langskomen op het Nautilus-kantoor om over zijn pensioen te praten.

De pensioenrechten van ons lid zijn wat versnipperd.

Binnen een mum van tijd ligt dan ook de tafel bezaaid met vier verschillende pensioenoverzichten, van vier verschillende pensioenfondsen (verzekeraars). Daar komt bij dat de heer Broekman momenteel een kleine WIA-uitkering heeft.

Met twee schoolgaande kinderen onder de 18 kan het gezin door zuinig te leven net rond komen.

Wel hebben we even de heer Broekman gewezen op de mogelijkheid zorgtoeslag aan te vragen.

Vanwege het lage gezinsinkomen.

Arbeidsongeschikt

Ons lid is ‘pas’ 62 jaar en met de AOW pas in 2022 in het vooruitzicht (67 jaar en 3 maanden) was de vraag wat te doen met de pensioenaanspraken her en der. De heer Broekman is een gewezen deelnemer in de Pensioenregeling van het BPF Koopvaardij. Het grootste deel van zijn pensioen is hier opgebouwd. Echter niet meer werkend in de Koopvaardij, werd hij in 2009 arbeidsongeschikt in een walbaan. Helaas kwam hij aansluitend in een ziektewetuitkering van het UWV en is er verder geen pensioen meer opgebouwd in het pensioenfonds

van zijn walbaan. Bij alle pensioenregelingen is betrokkene dus ‘slaper’, zoals dat wordt genoemd in de volksmond.

Nog maar een paar jaar te leven…

Verschrikt kijkt onze Nautilus adviseur op als de heer Broekman hem vertelt dat hij misschien nog maar een paar jaar te leven heeft... Er zijn hartproblemen in zijn familie en hij schat in dat hij eerder komt te overlijden dan zijn echtgenote. Vervolgens hebben wij naar het nabestaandenpensioen gekeken in al de vier pensioenaanspraken. De nabestaandenpensioenen zijn allemaal op opbouwbasis. Het recht op het opgebouwde nabestaandenpensioenen vervalt dus niet (anders dan bij het nabestaandenpensioen op risicobasis) bij einde dienstverband.

Bij vroegtijdig overlijden van de heer Broekman is er een wezenpensioen voor de kinderen onder de 18 jaar (of ouder indien schoolgaand) en een nabestaandenpensioen voor de echtgenote. Ook bestaat er een mogelijke aanspraak op een Anw (Algemene Nabestaanden wet)-uitkering wanneer de kinderen onder de 18 jaar zijn. Na alles te hebben besproken, ging de heer Broekman enigszins tevreden naar huis. Later op de fiets naar huis realiseerde onze Nautilus adviseur zich echter dat hij iets vergeten was.

Hoger partnerpensioen

Het is namelijk mogelijk minder ouderdomspensioen te ontvangen door inruil van het ouderdomspensioen voor partnerpensioen.

Hierdoor ontstaat een hoger partnerpensioen voor de partner, wanneer (in dit geval) de heer Broekman overlijdt. Voorwaarde is dat het nieuwe partnerpensioen niet meer dan 70% van het ouderdomspensioen dat na inruil resteert is.

Kortom bij het aanvragen van het pensioen kan een deel van het ouderdomspensioen ‘ingeruild’ worden voor een hoger nabestaandenpensioen. Overigens, andersom kan ook: het nabestaandenpensioen inruilen voor een hoger ouderdomspensioen.

Blij met telefoontje

De volgende dag werd de heer Broekman daarom nog even gebeld en werd hem gewezen op de mogelijkheid het BPF Koopvaardijouderdomspensioen deels in te ruilen voor een hoger nabestaandenpensioen. Nu is praten over pensioen en overlijden geen plezierige aangelegenheid. Maar ons lid was toch erg blij met ons telefoontje. g Heeft u ook vragen over uw pensioen? Neem dan contact op met Nautilus: infonl@nautilusint.org of, tel.: +31 (0) 10 4771 188. *een gefingeerde naam

Waterbouwpensioen: Ondernemingsraden Boskalis en Van Oord aan zet A

In deze rubriek worden steeds vakbondszaken belicht waarin Nautilus en FNV Waterbouw een actieve rol spelen ten behoeve van de leden.

Dit keer betreft het:

Nautilus adviescentrum ‘Werken Aan Werk’ komt op stoom Na de kick off op het Nautilus symposium op 20 juni 2017 begint het Maritiem Nautilus/FNV Waterbouw Adviescentrum ‘Werken aan Werk’ goed op gang te komen.

Steeds meer deelnemers worden gewezen op de dienstverlening van het adviescentrum of beginnen de weg ernaar zelf te vinden. Het adviescentrum is voor leden en niet-leden uit de maritieme sector.

Eerste resultaten

In Rotterdam is het adviescentrum een samenwerking tussen Nautilus International en FNV, waarbij de maritieme deelnemers uit het gehele land komen. De eerste hoopvolle resultaten zijn al zichtbaar. Van de 15 deelnemers die nu door het Maritiem Adviescentrum worden begeleid om weer fit voor de arbeidsmarkt te worden, hebben er 7 zelf weer werk gevonden.

Tijdens de uitvoeringsperiode, van mei 2017 tot en met 31 december 2018, zullen per regionaal adviescentrum 500 werkzoekenden begeleid worden. Hierna zal worden besloten of en in welke vorm deze adviescentra zullen worden voortgezet. In Nederland zijn in totaal 5 van deze regionale adviescentra gestart, welke 4 september 2017 landelijk zijn geopend.

Doelstelling en uitgangspunt

Maritieme werknemers kunnen via het Nautilus adviescentrum sneller de strategie richting een nieuwe

32-35_nl_19.9.indd 34

baan inzetten. Met meer mogelijkheden om hun eigen talenten en vakmanschap te kunnen inzetten. Dit op hun eigen niveau, met minder inkomensverlies en zonder eerdere investeringen in kennis en vaardigheden overhaast te vernietigen, door werk te aanvaarden beneden hun niveau of in een heel andere tak van sport.

Uitgangspunt hierbij is dat de werkzoekende zelf de regie heeft en de mogelijkheden die er zijn maximaal benut: voor het kunnen maken van eigen keuzes in het vinden van werk.

Trajectadviseurs

Tijdens het traject naar het vinden van werk is er vanuit de adviescentra begeleiding door trajectadviseurs. Zij ondersteunen de individuele werkzoekende in zijn of haar werktraject. Het werktraject is gericht op: verliesverwerking, zelforiëntatie (wie ben ik ?, wat wil ik ?, wat kan ik ?, waar sta ik op de arbeidsmarkt ?); en de vertaling daarvan naar concrete acties rondom werk zoeken of scholing. Er is een trainer beschikbaar, die tijdens het werktraject zowel de Nautilus International- als FNV deelnemers trainingen aanbiedt.

Meer informatie of een afspraak maken

Leden en ook niet leden uit de maritieme cluster kunnen bij Nautilus terecht als zij kampen met transitievragen. Over werkloosheid, maar ook over duurzame inzetbaarheid of loopbaanplanning.

Voor verdergaande vakbondsdienstverlening moet men uiteraard wel lid worden. Onze collega’s van de FNV doen hetzelfde voor niet-maritieme professionals.

g Meer informatie met een filmpje

en onze brochure is te vinden op onze website: www.nautilusint.org/nl/ wat-we-zeggen/nautilus-nieuws/ nautilus-adviescentrum-van-start g Neem voor een afspraak met het Nautilus adviescentrum contact op met Jelle de Boer via 010-4771188 of infonl@nautilusint.org.

krijgen de FNV Waterbouw bestuurders A en — medewerkers met enige regelmaat de

Nu de vakantieperiode weer achter ons ligt,

vraag van nogal wat ongeruste werknemers in de Waterbouw: ‘Hoe gaat het nu verder met mijn pensioen in de Waterbouw?’

Eerder hebben wij onze leden geïnformeerd over de uitkomsten van een onderzoek naar de toekomst van het pensioenfonds BPF Waterbouw.

Daaruit bleek dat zelfstandig doorgaan van het fonds de meest gunstige optie is voor het pensioen van de werknemers in de Waterbouw.

Zorg

Cruciaal besluit

Waterbouw voorzitter Charley Ramdas: ‘Wij hebben onze leden op de hoogte gebracht dat twee werkgevers, Van Oord en Boskalis, de vrijwillige deelname aan het pensioenfonds per 1 januari 2018 hebben opgezegd. ‘Is dit een voldongen feit?’... vragen veel van onze leden zich nu af. Het antwoord is: ‘Nee, zeker niet! De ondernemingsraden van beide bedrijven zijn namelijk nu aan zet.

Zij hebben de wettelijke bevoegdheid en zelfstandige positie om te bepalen wat er met het pensioen van onze leden staat te gebeuren.’

‘Belangrijk is dat de werknemers bij Van Oord en Boskalis door hun OR over de toekomst van hun pensioen worden geraadpleegd.

Zeer binnenkort zullen de OR’ en een cruciaal besluit over de toekomst van dit pensioen nemen. Ik zou daarom tegen alle medewerkers willen zeggen: ‘Zorg ervoor dat ook u hierover door uw OR wordt gehoord. Het gaat immers om het inkomen voor later. Van u en uw nabestaanden. Daar hoort u gewoon in gekend te worden. FNV Waterbouw heeft de OR’ en van beide bedrijven hierover al benaderd. Doet u dat ook, is ons advies!’

Eindbod cao P&O Ferries door leden afgewezen van 19 mei 2017 werd een F eerder bereikt akkoord tussen

Op de twee ledenvergaderingen

partijen door leden afgewezen op twee punten. Begin juni zijn partijen opnieuw om de tafel gaan zitten om deze twee punten te bespreken. De punten waren: de overeengekomen ouderenregeling en de sociale begeleidingsregeling in geval van een overcompleet. De ouderenregeling houdt in dat werknemers met 60 jaar 80% gaan werken tegen 90% van het loon en 100% pensioenopbouw.

Ontslagvergoeding

Nautilus bestuurder en caoonderhandelaar Marcel van Dam: ‘Onze leden konden op zich instemmen met de inhoud van de ouderenregeling, maar niet met het feit dat werknemers gebruik moeten maken van de regelingen vanaf 60 jaar en hier geen eigen keuze in hebben. De leden wensten dat zij zelf kunnen beslissen of zij gebruik maken van de regeling. Met betrekking tot de sociale begeleidingsregeling wensten de leden vast te houden aan de bestaande regeling. Deze regeling voorziet bij een overcompleet in een ontslagvergoeding aan ontslagen werknemers, die gebaseerd is op de kantonrechtersformule. Dit in plaats van de transitievergoeding, die werkgevers sinds 2015 verschuldigd zijn bij een beëindiging van het dienstverband.’

Eindbod werkgever

Op 25 augustus heeft de werkgever een eindbod uitgebracht op de twee punten, die de leden hadden afgewezen. Dit eindbod is met de leden besproken tijdens twee ledenvergaderingen. Het eindbod hield in een kleine verbetering van de ouderenregeling ( de 90 % van het loon wordt verhoogd naar 93 %), maar het verplichte karakter blijft bestaan. En tevens een ophoging van de wettelijke transitievergoeding bij ontslag van factor 1 naar 1,5.

Aanpassing sociale begeleidingsregeling onacceptabel

Vrijdag 1 september heeft Nautilus een ledenvergadering gehouden

aan boord van de Pride of Rotterdam in Hull. Hierbij waren 25 leden aanwezig. Op verzoek van de bemanning van de Norbank heeft Nautilus een extra ledenvergadering georganiseerd. Deze vond plaats op donderdag 7 september op het vakbondskantoor te Rotterdam.

Tijdens beide ledenvergaderingen is het eindbod van de werkgever uitvoerig besproken. Beide ledenvergaderingen hebben UNANIEM besloten dat het huidige eindbod op 1 onderdeel niet acceptabel is. Dit onderdeel is de aanpassing van de sociale begeleidingsregeling per 1 januari aanstaande. Leden hebben wel alsnog ingestemd met het verplichte karakter van de ouderenregeling bij

het bereiken van de 60 jarige leeftijd na verbetering van de regeling.

Acties?

Op donderdag 14 september heeft Nautilus deze boodschap aan P&O Ferries gemeld. De P&O directie heeft meegedeeld zich te beraden en eind september uitsluitsel te geven.

Mocht de werkgever niet ingaan op de eis van werknemers met betrekking tot het behoud van de sociale begeleidingsregeling voor de looptijd van de cao ( tot 31 december 2018) dan zullen acties in het najaar worden gevoerd… voor het behoud van deze regeling!

Meer hierover in de Telegraph november.

20/09/2017 14:47

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

NL NEWS

DE BINNENVAART TOETERT…maar wil zich niet verenigen… laatste maanden over van alles A in de media: De Binnenvaart toetert de

z minder handhaven en lagere boetes z meer markt transparantie voor hogere opbrengsten z maatregelen om het tekort aan personeel op te vangen z en ga zo nog even door Nautilus Binnenvaart bestuurder Carl Kraijenoord roept de Binnenvaart ondernemers op zich te verenigen: Steek de hand ook eens in eigen boezem

‘Wat al deze oproepen met elkaar gemeen hebben, is dat de oplossing hiervoor steeds van iemand anders wordt verwacht.

In de meeste gevallen is dat de overheid. Veelvuldig worden dan ook Tweede Kamerleden ingeschakeld, die zich gewillig voor het toeterende Binnenvaart-karretje laten spannen voor electorale winst of media profilering. Slechts weinig wordt de hand ook in eigen boezem gestoken en aangegeven wat de werkgeversorganisaties daar zelf aan gaan bijdragen. De goede werkgevers, die er gelukkig ook nog zijn, even niet te na gesproken. Al met al komt het nogal opportunistisch over van veel van die particuliere ondernemingen en rederijen.

Op Europees niveau kan het wel

Op Europees niveau wordt vooruitgekeken naar de betaalbaarheid van vergroening en CO2 reductie. Ook wordt op dit niveau samengewerkt met vakbonden om te komen tot Europese afspraken over vaar- en rusttijden, arbeidskwalificaties en opleidingseisen in de Europese Binnenvaart. Sterker nog, op Europees niveau is het één van de meest succesvolle sectoren binnen het transport waarin voorstellen van sociale partners worden omgezet in Europese regelgeving.

Organisatiegraad…nog maar een magere 40%!

Maar waarom lukt dit dan niet op nationaal, Nederlands, niveau?

Het antwoord hierop ligt in het gebrek aan lange termijn visie van veel van deze ondernemers.

Het aantal ondernemers in de Binnenvaart wat nog lid is van een werkgeversorganisatie is de laatste jaren alleen maar teruggelopen. Dit ondanks alle inspanningen van BLN en CBRB om de collectieve belangen te behartigen. De organisatiegraad is naar verwachting op dit moment niet hoger dan een magere…40%!

Zonder sterke en representatieve werkgeversorganisaties kunnen vakbonden geen afspraken maken die verplichtend gelden voor heel Nederland. Denk hierbij aan: instroom op de

arbeidsmarkt, ondersteuning van het opleidingsveld, loopbaanontwikkeling, sectorpromotie, modernisering van loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden (denk aan de balans tussen werk & privé en levensfase bewust personeelsbeleid) en pensioen.

Steeds meer vestigingen in Luxemburg en Zwitserland

Het is toch eigenlijk te gek voor woorden dat menig Nederlandse eigenaar in de vracht- of passagiersvaart zijn bedrijf met een ingewikkelde constructie vestigt in Luxemburg en/of Zwitserland, omdat hij zo minimaal 20% minder premiedruk heeft. Of zijn personeel makkelijker kan ontslaan en daardoor een veel betere concurrentiepositie verkrijgt ten opzichte van een volledig in Nederland gevestigde ondernemer, maar wel mee toetert waar het gaat om een tekort op de Nederlandse arbeidsmarkt?

Verbeteren arbeidsmarkt

Het is toch eigenlijk te gek voor woorden dat Nederlandse ondernemers met een ingewikkelde constructie Filipijnse matrozen via Duitsland te werk laat stellen op zijn Nederlandse schip en mee toetert over het tekort op de Nederlandse arbeidsmarkt of over de instelling van de Nederlandse jongeren, zonder dat hij als ondernemer is aangesloten bij een werkgeversorganisatie waardoor het verbeteren van de arbeidsmarkt in de Binnenvaart niet collectief kan worden opgepakt?

Meer eenheid in de sector gewenst

Het is toch eigenlijk te gek voor woorden dat bepaalde Tweede Kamerleden zich het vuur uit hun sloffen lopen om de particuliere ondernemers de faciliteren, terwijl de overheid al jaren tot meer eenheid in de sector wil komen zodat de modaliteit ‘vervoer over (binnen-)water’ een volwaardige en professionele bijdrage kan leveren aan het gehele vervoersprobleem, filebestrijding en co2 reductie op nationaal niveau?

Nautilus wil graag bijdrage leveren

Nautilus wil als werknemersvertegenwoordiger graag een bijdrage leveren aan het verder ontwikkelen van een solide en gezonde Binnenvaartsector in Nederland en Europa. In dat kader is het wellicht wat vreemd om van een werknemersvakbond de oproep te horen aan ondernemers om zich te verenigen zodat deze ontwikkeling ook van de grond komt.

Maar toch zou Nautilus de volgende oproep willen doen: ‘Ondernemers in de binnenvaart verenigt u!’

Wilt u een groter publiek bereiken? Presenteer uw product of service aan meer dan 15,000 maritieme professionele lezers uit Nederland, ter land en op zee!

Spreek met één van onze vertegenwoordigers om uit te vinden hoe wij u het beste kunnen helpen.

Neem contact op met Hammad Uddin van Redactive Media Group T: +44 (0)20 7324 2756 E: hammad.uddin@redactive.co.uk.

32-35_nl_19.9.indd 35

Meevaarstages: Meer jongeren enthousiast maken voor de zeevaart A

In 2008 werd de Taskforce Arbeidsmarkt Zeevarenden (TAZ) opgericht. Hierin zijn ook Nautilus en de KVNR vertegenwoordigd. De TAZ stelt zich onder meer ten doel bij te dragen aan een goed opgeleide en op hoog kwalitatief niveau opererende bemanning aan boord van de Nederlandse vloot.

Eén van de TAZ speerpunten is dat jongeren meer geboeid raken door het beroep van zeevarende en in grotere getale een nautische opleiding gaan volgen.

In 2010 zijn vanuit dit speerpunt de meevaarstages van start gegaan.

de stages tijdens de schooljaren in gaan plannen en onderdeel laten uitmaken van hun lesprogramma’s en andere stages.’

De Telegraph interviewde 3 jongeren, die aan een Meevaarstage hebben meegedaan en mede hierdoor nu voor een studie aan een zeevaartschool hebben ingeschreven.

Isa van Bruchem (16 jaar): ‘Ik voelde me meteen thuis aan boord’

‘Juli dit jaar heb ik 8 dagen meegevaren op de Tharsis.

Toegerust voor zee- en binnenvaart. Ben opgestart in Gorinchem. We hebben een voorraad ijzer en aluminium afgeleverd in het Engelse Goole, vlakbij York. En toen weer terug.

Ik mocht al snel aan het roer

dacht toen ik in Antwerpen het schip zag liggen? Nou, mijn eerste gedachte was: ‘dat schip is best wel groot’…en mijn tweede gedachte: ‘best wel veel trappen hier..!’ De (Nederlandse) kapitein ving me gelijk goed op en voorzag me van goede en nuttige info.

Daarna heb ik snel mijn hut ingeruimd. Mijn werkschoenen had ik al aan. En voor ik het wist voelde ik me al behoorlijk thuis

Jelle de Krieger

Isa van Bruchem

Ivo van Toor

Jelle de Krieger (17 jaar): ‘Zo vader, zo zoon’

staan. Onder toezicht van de kapitein natuurlijk. Van jongs af aan droom ik er al van stuurvrouw te worden. Dus dat was echt ontzettend cool natuurlijk.

Mijn vader heeft bij de marine gewerkt. Dat trekt mij ook.

Hoewel de cruisevaart me ook gaaf lijkt. Op de brug van de Koningsdam van de Holland Amerika Lijn bijvoorbeeld.

Dat lijkt me wel gaaf. Misschien kan ik daar wel stage lopen…’

aan boord. We voeren eerst met containers via het Kielerkanaal naar Hanko in Finland.

Vervolgens naar het hoger gelegen Finse plaatsje Rauma.

Daar hebben we papierrollen ingeladen en zijn toen weer teruggevaren naar Antwerpen.

Instroom vergroten in nautisch onderwijs

De meevaarstages hebben als doel de instroom te vergroten in het nautisch onderwijs. Een positief neveneffect hierbij is dat de scholier beter weet aan welke studie hij of zij gaat beginnen. Een goed gefundeerde studiekeuze verkleint de uitval.

Ondersteund door de Tijdelijke Subsidieregeling Kennismakingsstages Zeevaart van het ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu hebben de afgelopen jaren drie typen meevaarstages plaats kunnen vinden. In 2014 werd de subsidie verlengd. En onlangs is er weer een subsidie verlenging aangevraagd bij het Ministerie.

Positieve invloed op schoolkeuze

Fransje Trotz, Zeebenen coördinator project Kort Meevaren: ‘De koopvaardijstage heeft als doel jongeren vanaf 16 jaar te ‘binden’ aan de zeevaartsector.

Jaarlijks varen ruim 90 geselecteerde deelnemers mee op een koopvaardijschip. Door het meevaren heeft bijna 70% van de deelnemers een erg positieve houding ten opzichte van de zeevaartsector. Na afloop van de koopvaardijstage besluit bijna 60% van de jongeren om een opleiding te gaan volgen aan één van de Nederlandse zeevaartscholen. Bijna 70% van de jongeren geeft bovendien aan dat de koopvaardijstage een belangrijke factor heeft gespeeld in de keuze voor een vervolgopleiding.’

‘We kunnen echt wel spreken van een succes. Vooral ook omdat deze jongeren vaak extra gemotiveerd aan hun opleiding op de zeevaartscholen beginnen.

De meesten van hen haken ook niet meer af tijdens de studie, omdat ze weten waar ze aan beginnen, dankzij de meevaarstages. Vooral voor jongeren die geen maritieme achtergrond hebben, is het heel belangrijk om eerst te varen voordat ze een studiekeuze maken. Zij zijn immers helemaal niet bekend met de scheepvaartwereld. De scholen werken ook graag aan dit project mee en je ziet nu ook steeds meer scholen

‘Ik ben vorig jaar in de zomervakantie 9 dagen meegevaren op het Ro-Ro Cargo schip PLYCA. Van Antwerpen naar Finland en terug.

Was gaaf. Ik werd goed ontvangen en meteen opgenomen door de bemanning. Beide kapiteins hebben mij erg goed begeleid. Je moet het echt zelf meegemaakt hebben. Om te bevatten hoe het is om te werken en wonen op een schip op zee. Waarom ik me heb opgegeven voor zo’n stage? Nou, de appel valt niet ver van de boom, denk ik. Mijn vader heeft een aantal jaren ‘in de bagger’ gezeten.

Dus mij trok varen ook. Ben eerst met hem op een Open Dag van de zeevaartschool Vlissingen geweest. En later op Terschelling.

Op de Willem Barentsz. Vooral op Terschelling vond ik het er gaaf uitzien allemaal. Ook de sfeer op het eiland trok me.’

Meesleutelen in de machinekamer

‘Maar ik wilde toch eerst zelf eens van het vak proeven. Op internet kwam ik toen de Zeebenen website tegen en heb me gelijk opgegeven. Na een goed gesprek met Fransje Trotz is zij een goed schip voor me gaan zoeken. En dat werd dus de PLYCA. Was super.

Ik mocht ook gelijk meesleutelen in de machinekamer. Repareren van de compressoren en luchtfilters vervangen. Dat technische trekt me enorm. Nu weet ik helemaal zeker dat ik er mijn beroep van wil maken. Heb me daarom ingeschreven bij het MIBW op Terschelling en ben inmiddels begonnen. Met mijn Havo diploma net op zak. En mijn vader? Nou, die vindt het hartstikke gaaf. Ik kan het iedereen aanbevelen, zo’n meevaarstage!’

Zelf aan het roer staan

‘Hoe ik met Zeebenen ik contact ben gekomen? Ik was met mijn vader op een Open Dag van het STC in Rotterdam. Daar zagen we het staan. We hebben toen meteen via de mail contact gezocht. Al snel werden we teruggemaild en toen heeft mijn moeder het uiteindelijk rondgemaakt. Ik kon mee gaan varen op de Tharsis. Toen ik aan boord ging, was ik wel een beetje zenuwachtig. Maar toen ik eenmaal zelf aan het roer mocht staan, voelde ik me meteen thuis.

Ik weet nu zeker dat ik mijn hele leven wil varen. En ja, op de brug staan, lijkt me dan het mooist! Ik ben dit jaar geslaagd voor mijn VMBO-TL examen. En ben inmiddels gestart op het STC in Rotterdam. Ik kan zo’n meevaarstage iedereen aanbevelen. Dan weet je voor jezelf of je dit beroep echt leuk vindt of niet.

Anders kom je daar pas later achter tijdens je stage, via school.

En als het dan tegenvalt, heb je zomaar een paar jaar verspeeld.

Dat zou toch zonde zijn…’

Ivo van Toor (17 jaar): ‘Je bent met elkaar een klein dorp op zee’

‘Ik ben in maart dit jaar een week meegevaren op het Ro-Ro Cargo schip Pulpca. Wat ik als eerste

Fantastische zandbak om in te spelen

Ik wilde altijd al varen. Helemaal omdat mijn ouders jarenlang een binnenvaartschip hebben gehad.

We vervoerden van alles, naar allerlei binnenhavens in Nederland, Duitsland en België.

Ook vaak zand…dus als kleine jongen had ik al een fantastische zandbak om in te spelen. Toch trekt de zeevaart me nu meer. En dan vooral de kustvaart, dan heb ik het allebei eigenlijk: zee- en binnenvaart. Ik zit nu in 6 VWO. Volgend jaar wil ik me inschrijven op het Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz. Op de Open Dagen ben ik al wezen kijken. Ziet er goed uit daar.

Veel geleerd aan boord

Of ik veel geleerd heb aan boord?

Nou en of! Ik heb meegelopen in alle departementen. Navigatie, kaarten intekenen , vind ik eigenlijk het boeiendst. Alhoewel het met elkaar uit elkaar halen en weer in elkaar zetten van de Vers Water Generatoren ook een gave klus was. Al met al een prima stage, die voor mij ook perfect paste in mijn internationale schoolstage, die ik voor mijn tweetalige VWO opleiding moest vervullen. Ook het omgaan met allerlei bemanningsleden uit allerlei landen vind ik fascinerend. Je bent met elkaar een soort klein dorp op zee. Met elkaar moet je het zien te redden.’ g Meer informatie? Kijk zelf eens op: www.zeebenengezocht.nl

20/09/2017 14:47

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

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www.imca-int.com/recruitment

Nautilus recruitment.indd 36

19/09/2017 16:59

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

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.

CV Professionals

Join us in bringing knowledge, help and hope to the nations!

Maritime & oĎ&#x192;shore specialists

OM Ships, a worldwide worl charity, is looking for qualified engineering engin 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

SHOREBASED

www.cvprofessionals.co.uk

11 October 2017 is the closing date for November 2017.

You can still advertise online at any time.

Marine Superintendent - Tankers

Hotel General Manager

*ODVJRZ e . %HQHĆ&#x201A;WV

Cruise - $80 -110K

Technical Superintendent - Tankers

Executive Sous Chef

&\SUXV Ĺ&#x; . %HQHĆ&#x201A;WV

Cruise - $38-45K

Onboard Fleet Trainer - Tankers

Doctor

Home-based - ÂŁ50K

Cruise - $72K

Fleet Manager - Tankers

Pastry Chef

Hamburg - â&#x201A;Ź100K

Cruise - $3.3-8K/mth

Technical Superintendent - LPG

Executive Chef

North East UK - ÂŁ60K

River Cruise - â&#x201A;Ź2.9/mth

Germany - â&#x201A;Ź85K

CRUISE

Executive Sous Chef

Auditor SQE - Cruise

Chief Refrigeration Engineer

Ship Manager - Cruise USA - $110K

Refurbishment Super - Cruise UK - ÂŁ65K

Technical Superintendent - Cruise UK - ÂŁ80K

Technical Superintendent - Cruise Germany - â&#x201A;Ź85K

Marine Superintendent - Cruise

USA - $80K

Cruise - $74K

Marine Operations Manager - Cruise Refrigeration Cadet Germany - â&#x201A;Ź80K

Cruise - â&#x201A;Ź26K

Technical Superintendent - LNG

2nd Engineer

London - ÂŁ75K + Package

Technical Superintendent - LPG Glasgow - ÂŁ65K + Package

Technical Super - Tanker Glasgow - ÂŁ65K + Package

Marine Superintendent - Bulk Glasgow - ÂŁ60K

. %HQHĆ&#x201A;WV

2nd Engineer - LNG (DFDE/Q-Flex)

Cruise - â&#x201A;Ź51K

. %HQHĆ&#x201A;WV

Environmental Engineer

Cruise - $4.3/mth

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

Seagoing: +44 (0)23 8020 8820

seagoing-uk@faststream.com

C/O - LPG/LEG C/O - LNG

VW 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU

Hotel Purser

SEAGOING - TANKERS $10.8/mth on contract 3/3 rotations

Cruise - â&#x201A;Ź50K

Cruise - ÂŁ37K

River Cruise - â&#x201A;Ź1.8/mth

C/O - LNG ÂŁ65-68K + bonus on 3/3 rotations

C/E - LNG (DFDE/Q-Flex) Ĺ&#x; %HQHĆ&#x201A;WV

Search for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Faststream Seafarersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; @shippingjobs www.faststream.com

F

Euros or US Dollars at highly competitive exchange rates and use it abroad like any other payment card. Avoid rip-off rates from banks, high street bureaux de change and airports, and discover the smart way to spend Household bills add up... are abroad. PLUS get ÂŁ5 extra free you getting the best deals on when you order your first card.* your gas and electricity? g For more information log on to Nautilus Plus Nautilus members have access to Member Energyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free, To access all of these benefits and more, log in to 100% impartial energy price nautilusint.org/plus comparison service which can and start saving today! help you find the cheapest gas and electricity suppliers in your View more information g *Terms and conditions apply to all area. The average saving per benefits. See website for details. Offers and annum is ÂŁ395.14*. prices subject to change without notice. g For more information log on Apple - Annual purchase limits apply.

Discounts are subject to availability. For to Nautilus Plus or call 0800 the latest offers visit the Apple EPP store.

410 1249 (quote NTU) Member Energy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 20% of all users over

Nautilus Plus has been designed to help our members save money on lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purchases â&#x20AC;&#x201D; big and small.

Take a look at the latest offers and start saving today.

UK market-leading foreign exchange Nautilus members are eligible to claim a FREE FairFX Prepaid Currency Card, normally worth ÂŁ9.95. Load your card with

the last 60 days (15 Jul â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12 Sep) achieved a saving of at least ÂŁ395.14. Includes every tariff available on the switching market.

Available for households in Mainland England, Scotland and Wales only. FAIRFX - Subject to minimum load of ÂŁ50, â&#x201A;Ź60 or $75. New customers only. Nautilus Plus is managed on behalf of Nautilus by Parliament Hill Ltd.

Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing (Guernsey) Limited has a requirement for:

Chief Engineer ÂŁ66,687 Permanent Applications are invited for the position of Chief Engineer within the CalMac Ferries Limited Fleet.

The successful candidate will report to the Master of the vessel they are assigned to. As Chief Engineer you will be responsible for the safe and efficient running and management of the Engineering Department including the vessels machinery maintenance.

Applicants must be qualified to a minimum of STCW Chief Engineer III/2 Unlimited Motor. Applicants should have LNG dual fuel experience. It would be advantageous to be in possession of an updated certificate in accordance with Manila Convention or in the process of revalidating.

Applicants must have the right to work in the U.K and U.K CoC or CoEC. The successful candidate will also have exceptional technical and professional skills, and be able to

demonstrate excellent leadership and communication skills, as well as the ability to think in a creative and innovative manner. You will also be able to demonstrate a strong awareness of the business environment, have a clear understanding of the customer interface and have a proactive approach to customer care.

A shift pattern will apply and this will normally consist of two weeks on / two weeks off.

Please apply online at https://www.calmac.co.uk/careers/permanent-vacancies quoting reference number 552-SG no later than 20 October 2017 to: David MacBrayne HR (UK) Limited Ferry Terminal, Gourock PA19 1QP t: 01475 650100 f: 01475 650268

Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing (Guernsey) Limited is an equal opportunities employer.

Nautilus Plus is managed on behalf of Nautilus by Parliament Hill Ltd.

Nautilus recruitment.indd 37

19/09/2017 17:00

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices Merchant Shipping Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MIN 552 (M) — Changes to the Y4 and Y3 auxiliary equipment module requirements and the subsequent oral examinations This note explains that, after consultation with industry, the MCA has designed a new route for engineers to obtain a Yacht 4 (Y4) certificate of competency. This has also had an effect on progression to Y3.

Candidates can now complete the SQA Auxiliary Equipment Part 1 module and examination instead of the full SQA Yacht Auxiliary Equipment requirements. However, in order to meet the requirements of the STCW convention, the clutch and gearbox syllabus will be covered in the oral examination.

To obtain an engineering certificate of competency under STCW Regulation III/3, candidates now have the following SQA module options in addition to the requirements in MSN 1859.

Option 1: successfully complete the MCA-approved modules and pass the corresponding SQA examinations for: z Yacht SQA Marine Diesel Engineering z Small Vessel SQA Auxiliary Equipment 1 z Yacht SQA Operational Procedures, Basic Hotel Services and Ship Construction Option 2: successfully complete the MCA-approved modules and pass the corresponding SQA examinations for: z Small Vessel SQA Marine Diesel Engineering (which includes clutch and gearbox syllabus) z Small Vessel SQA Auxiliary

Equipment 1 z Yacht SQA Operational Procedures, Basic Hotel Services and Ship Construction In all cases (including the route covered in MSN 1859), candidates must pass the MCA oral examination for Y4, which will always include a section on clutch and gearbox topics. The Seafarer Training and Certification Branch will indicate this requirement on the candidate’s Notice of Eligibility (NOE).

To progress to a chief engineer certificate of competency under STCW Regulation III/3, candidates can now choose from the following SQA module options in addition to the requirements in MSN 1859: z if a candidate completed options 1 or 2 above to obtain a Y4, they will need to complete SQA Auxiliary Equipment 2 in lieu of SQA Yacht Auxiliary Equipment z if a candidate goes straight to Y3 (not holding a Y4 CoC), they will now have the option of completing SQA Auxiliary Equipment 1 and 2 in lieu of SQA Yacht Auxiliary Equipment.

Candidates who undertake this route (which does not include SV Marine Diesel Engineering or SQA Yacht Auxiliary Equipment), will not cover the clutch and gearbox syllabus, but oral examinations will always include these topics. The Seafarer Training and Certification Branch will indicate this requirement on the candidate’s NOE z candidates who complete the routes outlined in MSN 1859 may be tested on clutches and gearboxes in the oral examination, but this will be at the discretion of the Examiner and is not a mandatory requirement It is the MCA’s intention to phase out Yacht Auxiliary SQA Equipment and Yacht SQA Marine Diesel Engineering, as these will be replaced

Member meetings g Young Maritime Professionals Forum Monday 2 October 2017 Nautilus UK Branch Conference Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel, Willerby, Hull HU10 6EA The meeting is open to members aged under 35.

Contact Danny McGowan: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org g Women’s Forum Monday 2 October 2017 Nautilus UK Branch Conference Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel

by SV Auxiliary Equipment 1 and 2 and SV Marine Diesel Engineering respectively. The Agency would therefore not expect any new examinations for these modules after 31 July 2018.

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 2015 (ISBN 978 01155 34034) and costs £210 — www.tsoshop.co.uk z Individual copies can be downloaded from the MCA website.

Go to www.gov.uk/mca and click on Find marine (M) notices. z Email alerts can be sent automatically whenever an M-Notice is published or updated. To set this up, follow the instructions in MIN 515 (M+F) — Guidance for subscriptions to safety bulletins and MCA document notifications on GOV.UK.

Automation in Shipping

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Seafarers UK (formerly King George’s Fund for Sailors) +44 (0)20 7932 0000 www.seafarers.uk Supports and promotes UK charities helping seafarers from the Merchant

38_info sprd.indd 38

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

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

SPAIN Yacht sector office in partnership with Dovaston Crew Carrer de Versalles 9A, 07015, Palma de Mallorca, Spain Tel: +34 971 677 375 recruitment@nautilusint.org www.dovastoncrew.com

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

Out of European office hours Contact the Nautilus 24/7 service g Go to www.nautilusint.org and click on the Nautilus 24/7 link to access our Live chat instant messaging service.

You’ll also find a list of freephone numbers from 45 countries that you can use to call us free of charge. g Send an SMS text message to +44 (0)7860 017 119 and we’ll reply. g Email us at helpline@nautilus247.org. g Reach us via Skype (username nautilus-247).

UK Branch Conference 2017

College contacts Nautilus International will holding a special symposium on autonomous shipping at the Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel in Willerby, just five miles from Hull on Tuesday 3 October at 14:00 – 16:45. g For more information visit www.nautilusint.org

Induction visits See www.nautilusint.org event section for dates of upcoming college visits by the Nautilus recruitment team.

For further information, email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call Lee Moon on +44 (0)151 639 8454.

Yara Birkeland could be the first autonomous ship in service Picture: Yara

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 relevant industrial 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 should contact Danny McGowan at ymp@nautilusint.org.

Quiz answers 1. Germany is the fourth largest shipowning nation, with a fleet totalling more than 70.4m gt.

2. The V.Group is the world’s largest ship management company, with a fleet of more than 1,000 ships and a total of 37,000 sea staff.

3. The FLNG vessel Prelude is of 499,167gt.

4. Viking Line is based in Finland and operates a fleet of ferries and cruiseferries between Finland, the Åland Islands, Sweden and Estonia.

5. According to Clarksons Research, there are presently around 1,800 offshore support vessels in lay-up around the world.

6. The Panama Canal took 10 years to complete. France had begun work in 1881 but abandoned the project because of problems and the United States took over in 1904 and opened the canal in August 1914.

Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 1. Turn down; 5.Shadow; 9. Delegates; 11. Stair; 12. Unparalleled; 15. Lear; 16. Conference; 18. Sweetheart; 19. User; 21. Frontiersman; 24. Overt; 25. Driftwood; 26. Detest; 27. Detritus.

Down: 1. Tidy; 2. Role; 3. Dog-end; 4. With a sore head; 6. Hustlers; 7. Deadliness; 8. World-weary; 10. Staffordshire; 13. Flash flood; 14. Malevolent; 17. Statutes; 20. Batter; 22. Port; 23. Odes.

This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph.

Congratulations to Nautilus member Michael Bechley, who has won the prize draw for the September cryptic crossword.

Cryptic answers from September Across: 1. Exoskeleton; 9. Species; 10. Murexes; 11. Catamaran; 12. Intro; 13. Eros; 14. Flashlight; 16. Diagnostic; 19. Idle; 21. Manor; 22. Fire drill; 24. Integer; 25. Endless; 16. Cleanliness.

Down: 1. Electromagnetic; 2. Opium; 3. Kestrel; 4. Laments; 5. Tortilla; 6. Next to godliness; 7. Psyche; 8. Escort; 15. Intrigue; 16. Domain; 17. Saffron; 18. Israeli; 20. Enlist; 23. Dodge.

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 below and regular updates are available at www.nautilusint.org Willerby, Hull HU10 6EA Contact Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org g Professional & Technical Forum Tuesday 5 December 2017 at 1300hrs,

Jurys Inn, 43 Jeffrey Street Edinburgh EH1 1DH The Forum deals with a wide range of technical, safety, welfare and other professional topics.

Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8530 1660 protech@nautilusint.org

Useful organisations Maritime & Coastguard Agency +44 (0)23 8032 9100 www.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.

infoch@nautilusint.org

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

Quiz and crossword answersACDB

g MNOPF and NPA pension forums January 2018, Cardiff Coffee served at 1000hrs, and a light lunch will be served after the meeting.

Open to all members (UK, NL and CH) Further meetings have also been scheduled for 2018.

Keep checking this page or future Telegraphs for venue details.

Please register online via the link on the session dates supplied, or call +44 (0)1293 804644.

Go to the events section of the Nautilus website: www.nautilusint.org/en/ what-we-say/events

To suggest an organisation which could appear here, email telegraph@nautilusint.org Navy, Royal Navy and fishing fleets.

Often organises places for maritime fundraisers to enter marathons and other charity challenges.

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multilingual 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.

Seafarers’ Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.org.uk UK charity dedicated to the health and welfare of seafarers.

Includes the Dreadnought health service.

Seafarers’ Link +44 (0)1752 812674 www.communitynetworkprojects.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 Slater Fund.

Sailors’ Society Contact Charis Gibson or James Leslie on +44 (0)23 8051 5950 press@sailors-society.org www.sailors-society.org Sailors’ Society aims to transform the lives of seafarers and their families at home, in port and at sea through the delivery of chaplaincy, education and the relief of poverty and distress.

The charity works internationally to provide practical, emotional and spiritual welfare support to the world’s 1.6m seafarers, regardless of background or faith. Sailors’ Society chaplains and ship visitors have a

presence in 91 global ports, with wider projects and services covering 27 countries.

CHIRP The Confidential Hazardous Incident Reporting Programme (CHIRP) aims to contribute to the enhancement of maritime safety worldwide, by providing a totally independent confidential (not anonymous) reporting system.

Reports can be submitted online, by email to reports@chirp.co.uk or by post to: The CHIRP Charitable Trust, Ancells Business Park, Ancells Road, Fleet, GU51 2UJ, UK (no stamp required if posted in the UK).

Confidential Tel (24 hrs): +44 (0) 1252 378947 or Freefone (UK only) 0800 772 3243.

Report forms are available on the CHIRP website: www.chirp.co.uk

20/09/2017 14:49

October 2017 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Julia Murphy, welfare administrator

g

Experienced administrator Julia Murphy has been the smiling face of Nautilus during the construction of the new Seafarers UK Wing at Mariners’ Park, the Union’s retirement estate in Wallasey, on the banks of the river Mersey.

‘I was taken on for six months to help out with the extra work associated with the last stages of the building project, and to cover for a colleague seconded to another department,’ she explains.

Julia wasn’t new to Nautilus, having previously provided a few weeks’ admin and reception cover at the Mariners’ Park Care Home. ‘I was very impressed with the home,’ she recalls. ‘It was spotlessly clean and the

staff were conscientious and caring. And I was pleased to be included in the friendly atmosphere — even helping to make a poster for a resident’s birthday.’

When, about two years later, her temp agency said there was more work on offer at Mariners’ Park, Julia jumped at the chance, and soon settled into her new role at the Trinity House Hub. ‘I’ve been on the front line for people looking to live at the park — taking enquiries on the phone or when people pop in to see us,’ she says. ‘I’ve also been helping to draw up accommodation contracts for new residents and those moving from one home to another within the Park.’

The frequent contact with residents is one

of the best things about working at Mariners’ Park, she adds. ‘I’ve worked in administration for 20 years, and I’ve never liked the backroom jobs as much as the work where you meet people face-to-face. It’s been particularly satisfying here to see one gentleman progress through from his first enquiry with me to the point where he’s been accepted as a resident.’

As well as her office skills and warm personality, Julia can offer her employers some surprising skills. For one thing, she has a degree in Russian, which came in handy in a past job with an agency for business travel in the former Soviet Union. ‘I still try to keep it up by finding ways to speak Russian socially,’ she notes.

She has also gained qualifications in alternative therapies such as aromatherapy and reiki massage, but accepts that these are more of a hobby than a way to make a living.

So what will the future hold when Julia’s current spell with Nautilus comes to a close this month? ‘I’d love to come back if Mariners’ Park if there’s anything available here in future,’ she says. ‘I’ve enjoyed working in different industries all over the UK and even on Jersey, but it’s been nice to be back here on the Wirral, where I grew up. But after several years of temping and short contracts, I’m really after something more long-term now, so I think that will be the main consideration in what I do next.’

Wherev er you are , so are we

Join now

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 £120,700, against the loss

39_info sprd.indd 39

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

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

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.

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.

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

Join us today…

Call +44 (0)151 639 8454 Visit www.nautilusint.org Email membership@nautilusint.org g For the full range of member benefits visit www.nautilusint.org

OR g Speak with our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454

Your union, your voice The Union represents the voice of more than 22,000 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.

20/09/2017 12:43

40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2017

NEWS

North Sea support vessel is remotely controlled from the US vessel Highland Chieftain, F pictured right, has taken part in a

The UK-flagged offshore supply

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;landmarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trial of remote-controlled shipping operations.

The 3,260gt Gulfmark Offshore vessel was driven through a sequence of manoeuvres in the North Sea at both low and high speeds, using a combination of dynamic positioning and manual joystick control â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all carried out from a shore-based office in San Diego, California, some 8,000 km away.

The four-hours of trials â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the first to involve an offshore support vessel

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were staged by the technology group Wärtsilä in collaboration with Gulfmark, and were described as a big success, with all the tests going to plan.

Highland Chieftain is already fitted with a Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum package for navigation, automation and DP systems, and additional software was temporarily added to the DP system to route data over the vesselâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s satellite link to the onshore work station in California.

Wärtsilä said the testing was carried out using standard bandwidth onboard satellite communication,

with no land-based technology used for the communications between the vessel and the remote operator work station. The retrofitting of the DP software was completed within just 30 hours.

Andrea Morgante, head of digital with Wärtsilä Marine Solutions, commented: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;One of the first and most critical hurdles to overcome along the path to the enablement of intelligent shipping is to develop efficient and reliable remote control and monitoring capabilities, taking factors such as bandwidth limitations and cyber security into consideration. This

test provides a clear indication that we are well on the way to achieving this.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The company said the tests are likely to lead to new remote services, such as tuning and testing of DP systems, and other pilot projects, such as automated docking procedures.

Gulfmark Offshore operations vice-president Ashley Robinson described the trials as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;excitingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the future of the industry. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If companies are to remain competitive they must look ahead and take advantage of the tremendous development work being done by companies such as Wärtsilä,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he added.

Seafaring faces shake-up Experts call for training to be overhauled to equip crews for revolutionary new roles in high-tech shipping industry

P

The rapid rise of automation within the shipping industry makes it â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;necessary to fundamentally re-evaluate the role of the seafarerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, a new research report has concluded.

The study â&#x20AC;&#x201D; produced by Lloydâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Register, QinetiQ and the University of Southampton â&#x20AC;&#x201D; examines the likely impact of autonomous systems on the shipping industry over the next decade and a half, and notes the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;signiďŹ cant implications for the nature of work in the maritime sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Released during a London International Shipping Week event last month, the report argues that a shortage of skilled seafarers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; particularly ofďŹ cers

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;resulting in an accelerated move to unmanned and autonomous shipsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

And it suggests that the pace of automation will pick up even further as costbeneďŹ t ratios are improved through cheaper technology.

The study notes that the negative effects of autonomous systems are widely discussed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it calls for consideration of the positive impacts. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;These technologies have immense potential to improve working conditions by reducing exposure to hazardous working environments and, for seafarers, particularly monotonous routines and extended periods away from home life,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; it adds. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The introduction of autonomous

systems could make the maritime sector a more attractive employment proposition by eliminating many of the more negative aspects of life at sea.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The report says the shipping industry needs to plan its workforce on the basis of a detailed understanding of the way in which new technologies will shape future operations.

It says there are already signs of an increased demand for highly specialised crews with technological skills, such as electro-technical ofďŹ cers.

By 2030, the study concludes, maritime roles will be revolutionised â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with seafarers working on ships that are highly digitised. This will also fuel demand for higher levels of competence in work-

ing across cyber-physical boundaries, it argues. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Overall, â&#x20AC;&#x153;smarter shipsâ&#x20AC;? will require â&#x20AC;&#x153;smarter peopleâ&#x20AC;? as they adjust to new routines, lower manning levels and technology that is not infallible,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; the report states. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Training also needs to adapt to equip seafarers with these skills.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; LRâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marine and offshore technical director Tim Kent said technological developments such as autonomous shipping are happening with greater pace than expected as little as two years ago and this is raising some important issues. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The principal challenges will be the integration of these autonomous systems into current maritime operations, legal and regulatory requirements, and

not least the impact upon seafarers,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he added.

Professor Ajit Shenoi, director of the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute at the University of Southampton, said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The report recognises that autonomous systems and associated technologies will require people to learn to work seamlessly with them.

Crew members of the future may become shore based, managing vessels remotely from the ofďŹ ce or the sea, creating the need for new training and skillsets. The potential for the command and control to be geographically displaced from the vessel will also require behavioural and cultural changes within the maritime community.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Time to lift pay cap on public service seafarersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aid to hurricane-stricken islands A in the Caribbean should not continue British seafarers delivering vital

to be subjected to the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hardline pay policy, Nautilus said last month.

The call came as Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) members serving on the landing ship Mounts Bay were praised for their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;herculean effortsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in providing emergency supplies and support to island communities devastated by some of the strongest hurricanes in recent history.

The shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commanding officer, Captain Stephen Norris, said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;To witness the level of destruction wrought by Hurricane Irma is truly shocking and humbling. Faced with the herculean task of attending several devastated islands has been immense and I can only praise the professionalism and tireless

dedication of everyone onboard. We will continue with this task for as long as it takes.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Nautilus said it would be wrong to keep the pay cap for RFA seafarers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and other â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;public serviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; crews â&#x20AC;&#x201D; because of their vital work in supporting UK maritime interests, including defence, humanitarian support, and navigational safety. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The government is wrong to adopt a â&#x20AC;&#x153;divide and ruleâ&#x20AC;? policy for public sector pay â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it should not exclude seafarers working for the RFA, NERC, British Antarctic Survey, Marine Scotland Compliance, the UK Border Force and other essential shipping operations from any move to lift the austerity restrictions,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; said general secretary Mark Dickinson. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Once again, the RFA is in the front line of UK crisis response, and our members have been delivering

life-saving support to stricken communities,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he pointed out. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It is time for the government to deliver for them, and to ensure that public service shipping can recruit and retain the skilled seafarers it needs for the future.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; After the government moved to lift the public sector pay cap to offer a pay rise to prison and police officers, TUC general secretary Frances Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Grady said: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Police and prison officers are long overdue a pay rise, but so too are the nurses, firefighters and all public servants working across the country. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;This is not a popularity contest,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; she stressed. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ministers must not cherry-pick some workers for a pay rise, while leaving others in the cold.

Public sector workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pay has fallen for seven long years. They have all earned a pay rise.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

A Mexeflote from the RFA Mounts Bay heads ashore with building materials Picture: MoD

EAST COAST COLLEGE IS HERE!

GREAT YARMOUTH AND LOWESTOFT COLLEGES HAVE COMBINED FORCES

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really excited about the launch of East Coast College and wanted to let \RX NQRZ WKDW ZKLOVW RXU QDPH LV FKDQJLQJ \RX ZLOO VWLOO EH DEOH WR EHQHÂżW IURP our comprehensive range of STCW, GWO, Nautical Institute, OPITO and MCA approved training courses at our Lowestoft campus.

We look forward to seeing you at East Coast College in 2017 www.eastcoast.ac.uk | 01502 525025 | maritime@eastcoast.ac.uk

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