Nautilus December 2015

The missing link New research finds more crews are connected 22-23

Funding change How the Nautilus Slater Fund can help change lives 19

NL nieuws Vier pagina’s met nieuws uit Nederland 34-37

Volume 48 | Number 12 | December 2015 | £3.50 €3.70

Owners’ costs are set to rise, report warns

Glasgow opens its £66m new ‘super-campus’

rise over the next two years F after falling by an average of 1% in

Sturgeon has officially opened A ‘world-leading’ new seafarer training

2015, a new study has warned.

The annual costs review and forecast published by Drewry shipping consultants says weak freight markets have forced owners to cut costs — although they have also benefitted from reduced costs for oil and insurance.

The study says scope for further cost-cutting is now limited, but it predicts that increases in crew salaries will be ‘modest’ in the light of uplifts agreed for in International Transport Workers’ Federation wage scales for 2016 and 2017.

Drewry said there is evidence that owners have cut back on repairs and maintenance in the past few years and when markets improve there will need to be some ‘catching up’ in this area.

facilities at the City of Glasgow College — speaking of her recognition of the importance of the maritime sector to Scotland.

Costing some £66m, the new Riverside Campus features cuttingedge bridge and engine simulator facilities, as well as new engineering workshops and a 10-storey accommodation block.

The new ‘super-campus’ will be able to cater for up to 10,000 students a year and will enable the college to significantly increase its officer trainee intakes.

Principal Paul Little described the new facilities as ‘truly outstanding’ and ‘a bold statement of intent by City of Glasgow College to lead the global maritime college community’. g Full report, see pages 24-25.

Scotland’s first minister Nicola

Ship operating costs are set to

Pictured in the new simulator facilities at City of Glasgow College are, left to right, principal Paul Little, cadets Olivia Chittick and Liam Dyer, first minister Nicola Sturgeon, cadets Rachel Davies and Alan McIntosh, and Captain Angus Ferguson Picture: Christian Cooksey

Training boost cuts seafarer shortage Nautilus voices caution as new research suggests that recruitment difficulties have been eased

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An unprecedented increase in recruitment and training over the past five years has helped to make a ‘substantial’ shift in the balance between global supply and demand for seafarers.

Researchers working on the eagerlyawaited new edition of the BIMCO/ICS Manpower Report found that, for the first time in 25 years, a majority of shipping companies are reporting little or no difficulty in finding seafarers.

Initial findings from the study presented to a conference in the Philippines last month reveal that many major companies have increased their training intake by around 200% since 2010.

The latest study is the most comprehensive analysis of worldwide maritime employment and training ever undertaken and is based on information from 44 countries covering more than 1m seafarers and almost 60 companies employing more than 152,000 seafarers and 12,500 trainees.

The first BIMCO/ISF report, published in 1990, warned that the world was short of 50,000 officers and that cuts in training

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and rising age profiles meant the deficit could rise to 750,000 by 2000.

The new research, which is due to be published early next year, found 62% of companies reporting either ‘no’ or ‘some’ difficulty in recruitment, as opposed to ‘substantial’ or ‘major’ difficulties.

Delegates at the CrewConnect Global conference in Manila heard that the ‘dramatic’ increase in training levels had been seen across all companies and all countries in the survey.

However, feedback also revealed that many companies are complaining about problems in filling certain ranks — such as chief and second engineers or masters and chief officers — and in recruiting for certain ship types, including chemical tankers and gas carriers.

The report will include the results of surveys completed by more than 1,600 seafarers — of which a significant proportion reported being happy or very happy with their job. Timely wage payments, promotion and career prospects, and happy ships were among the key factors they cited for

job satisfaction.

Researchers said the study raised some serious concerns over aspects of seafarer education and training, with more than one-fifth of colleges expecting that between 10% and 30% of officer trainees will fail to get their STCW qualifications and one in 10 estimating that between 30% and 50% will not achieve OOW certification.

The conference also heard that newlyqualified officers have ‘worrying’ job expectations — with a ‘disappointingly high percentage’ only finding employment as ratings. The industry needs to reflect on these findings, researchers suggest, ‘as they represent a huge loss of talent to the sector and a waste of the time and financial investment made by the potential seafarers and their families’.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said: ‘We helped to provide a significant input into this research and we await the full report with great interest. These initial findings confirm much of what apocryphal evidence has suggested; it is very welcome to see evidence that there

has been such a significant increase in training numbers.

‘However, I don’t believe the industry should be in any way complacent about the results,’ he warned. ‘A large proportion of current seafarers are due to retire in the next few years and there are also good grounds for believing that many may leave when the STCW refresher training requirements kick in at the start of 2017.

‘If global trade and the historically low oil prices do bounce back, the industry could once again face a huge challenge in finding the quantity and the quality seafarers it requires for safe and efficient operations,’ he added.

The leader of the International Ship Managers’ Association has described the shortage of seafarers as ‘a dangerous myth’.

In an interview last month, InterManager secretary-general Captain Kuba Szymanski stated: ‘There is a serious oversupply of seafarers, especially in the offshore sector, but also in the container trade. This means no pressure on salaries and conditions of employment coming from seafarers.’

Inside F Hover success

How a UK operator is expanding the only commercial hovercraft service — page 26 F End of an era

Member’s sadness as Stena’s last HSS leaves the UK for a new role in Turkey — page 27

F UK’s top trainee

Nautilus Bevis Minter award winner gets to meet Scotland’s first minister — page 3

18/11/2015 14:10

02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

TUC bids to beat bullies for ‘zero-tolerance’ of bullying A at work, as new research reveals that UK union leaders have called

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson and RMT assistant national secretary Mark Carden laid wreaths at the Merchant Navy War Memorial, at Tower Hill in London Picture: Andrew Wiard

Chief engineers Tom Ward and Simon Jewell, with Captain Darren Brighton and Anthony Pollendine at the Festival of Remembrance

Nautilus Council members Russell Downs and Jessica Tyson were among the Union’s representatives at the Westminster Abbey service

Warsash Maritime Academy cadets Robert Bissel, Jay Robbins, Hannah Rosson, Doug Willats and Rachel Horsfall attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall

Serving seafarers pay tribute to the MN’s victims of war took part in the Royal British Legion’s F Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert

Five serving officers and five officer cadets

Hall, representing the British merchant service present and future whilst paying respects to the past.

The group was led by Captain Darren Brighton, from BP, who has 22 years’ service, three and a half as master. Other participants

included Tom Ward, a chief engineer with BP Tankers, and chief engineer Simon Jewell, third officer Lauren Corston and general manager Anthony Pollendine, all from Princess Cruises.

Mr Pollendine joined P&O as a bellboy in 1975 and served onboard Canberra during the Falklands conflict.

The five deck and engine cadets were Robert Bissel, Hannah Rosson, Rachel Horsfall,

Jay Robbins, and Doug Willats, all from Warsash Maritime Academy, and representing Carisbrooke Shipping, Princess Cruises, Carnival UK and Subsea 7.

On Remembrance Sunday Mr Jewell took part in the remembrance service at the London Cenotaph, representing serving officers and crew whilst laying a wreath on behalf of Cunard, P&O and Princess Cruises officers,

crew and shore staff.

Nautilus Council members Joe Bowry, Thomas Cardy, Russell Downs and Jessica Tyson attended the Westminster Abbey service along with senior national secretary Allan Graveson, and Council member Captain Stephen Gudgeon laid a wreath on behalf of the Merchant Navy at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

Row over veteran ‘ban’ at remembrance event Seafarer groups criticise Legion’s decision to withdraw invitation to take part in festival parade

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Nautilus International added its voice to protests over a decision to prevent Merchant Navy Second World War veterans from taking part in this year’s Festival of Remembrance muster and parade at the Royal Albert Hall.

Nautilus described the decision by the Royal British Legion (RBL) not to include MN veterans in the event as ‘a kick in the teeth’ to civilian seafarers who had played a pivotal role in the conflict — and who suffered a higher proportion of deaths than any of the armed forces.

MN veterans have been part of the parade for more than 20 years, and six had

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been put forward by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) to participate this year. No formal explanation for the decision was given, although there were concerns that the format has been changed to be more entertainment-focused.

The decision was described as particularly disappointing because the youngest of the veterans on standby was in his late 80s and this year’s festival — which marks the 70th anniversary of VE and VJ Days — would have been the last significant one in which they could take part.

MNWB chief executive Captain David Parsons commented: ‘Unfortunately, for

undisclosed reasons, the Legion has taken a decision not to include our veterans in this year’s performance. They did offer a small number of seats in the audience, but we felt that this was an unacceptable level of recognition and this was therefore declined.’

Nautilus assistant general secretary Mike Jess added: ‘This is a disgraceful decision that serves as a kick in the teeth to the Merchant Navy and its seafarers, who have traditionally been seen as the “fourth arm” of this island nation’s defences.’

Captain John Sail, national chairman of the Merchant Navy Association, said ‘the lack of acknowledgement for the dedica-

tion, courage and commitment of merchant seafarers’ was an insult.

During the Second World War, a total of 2,426 British merchant ships were sunk and 30,248 merchant seafarers lost their lives. More than 12,200 merchant seafarers died in the First World War and 13 British merchant seafarers were killed during the Falklands War. The RBL denied there had been any change in policy, adding: ‘Levels of involvement may vary year on year.’ Ten serving MN personnel did take part in the parade, along with a contingent from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.

nearly a third of employees have suffered from the problem.

The survey was carried out by YouGov for the TUC, and results were released last month to coincide with UK Anti-Bullying Week. The findings showed: z women (34%) are more likely to be victims of bullying than men (23%) z the highest prevalence of workplace bullying is among 40 to 59-year-olds, where 34% of people are affected z in nearly three-quarters (72%) of cases the bullying is carried out by a manager z more than one in three (36%) people who report being bullied at work leave their job because of it TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady commented: ‘There is no place for bullies in the modern workplace. Bullying causes stress and anxiety and can have long-term effects on victims’ physical and mental health.

‘If bullies are allowed to dominate a workplace, wider office morale and productivity suffers too. Employers must have a zero-tolerance policy.

Too many are simply ignoring bullying behaviour and failing to support staff.’ g Nautilus members have the full, confidential support of their Union in dealing with workplace bullying. For help, please speak to your workplace lay representative or email bullying@nautilusint.org. Detailed advice is available in the Nautilus guide Protect and Respect, available free of charge from the publications section at www.nautilusint.org.

New rates agreed approved increases in key F membership benefits provided by the The Nautilus Council has

Union — the professional protection provided in the event of a certificate of competency being cancelled, suspended or downgraded following a formal inquiry.

The amounts payable, provided for in Rule 6, and detailed in Regulation 2, of the Union’s rulebook, are set out below.

Subject to the discretion of the Council in every case, the new payments take effect from 1 January 2016. The existing rates are shown in brackets: z Regulation 2.1: £119,900 (£118,500) z Regulation 2.2: £10,200 (£10,100) z Regulation 2.3: £5,100 (£5,050) z Regulation 2.6: £59,950 (£59,200) z Regulation 2.7: £5,100 (£5,050) z Regulation 2.8: £2,700 (£2,650) Council members also approved increases in membership subscription rates, broadly in line with the level of the benefit increases, which will also come into effect on 1 January 2016.

Members will be notified of the new rates by individual letter and via the Nautilus website.

18/11/2015 15:37

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

‘Inspirational’ trainee officer is Nautilus award winner officer’s certification at the City A of Glasgow College, Caera Kimmit

While studying for her engineer

attracted praise from lecturers for her hard work and commitment to the shipping industry.

Her ‘inspirational determination to succeed’, and her volunteering work at open days, resulted in college staff nominating her for the annual Nautilus International Bevis Minter Award to the officer trainee judged to have demonstrated outstanding performance, commitment and dedication during their training.

Now serving as a third engineer with North Star Shipping, Caera has long had an interest in the maritime industry — and has been a Sea Cadet since the age of 11, working her way up from cadet to instructor and winning the award for best Sea Cadet in Scotland.

Presenting the award, Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said he was deeply impressed by Caera’s commitment to her training and to raising awareness about shipping and seafaring. She had been described by college staff as ‘a star student’ who gained an A in her graded units, he added, and her sea reports have always been outstanding.

Mr Dickinson said Caera had also impressed lecturers by the way she helped others during her cadetship, as well as taking part in open days, school visits and — most recently — joining representatives from college at a memorial service for all the people in the Merchant Navy who lost their lives in the wars.

Matthew Stewart, curriculum head for maritime engineering,

DRONE ALONE: the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) is considering the use of drones for surveillance of shipping — including the possibility to use them to check on vessel emissions. EMSA is working with the European Space Agency on two pilot projects to examine the use of remotely-piloted aircraft for surveillance on such issues as safety of navigation, irregular migration, illegal fishing and drug trafficking.

added: ‘Caera has been a fantastic student throughout her cadetship.

She has always been a strong leader within the class and, indeed, her faculty. Her determination to succeed is truly inspirational and I am excited to see how her career will progress.’

Caera said she was proud to receive the award and said she felt honoured to be recognised by the Union.

‘I enjoyed my training, but it was

hard going at times and it feels great to have qualified,’ she added.

Since qualifying in July, Caera has been serving on the standby safety vessel Grampian Devotion and says she loves working at sea. ‘We have a small crew of just 12, and everyone bonds together and helps each other,’ she added. ‘It’s a nice feeling to be part of something like that.’

The four weeks on/four weeks off working pattern is another good side

of seafaring, Caera said, although conditions in the North Sea can be very testing at times. ‘It can get really choppy, although you do get used to it once you find your sealegs.’

Caera said she would like to progress all the way to chief engineer — and on a longer-term basis she hopes that one day she might return to the City of Glasgow College as a lecturer to help others follow in her footsteps.

Nautilus says wave of job losses is threatening to derail maritime policy plan

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LIFE SENTENCE: South Korea’s supreme court has upheld the life sentence handed down to the captain of the capsized ferry Sewol. It ruled that the master had committed homicide by ‘wilful negligence’ — abandoning his ship without giving an evacuation order. The ferry sank last year, killing more than 300 people, many of them schoolchildren. The court also upheld prison terms of 18 months to 12 years for 14 other crew members who faced charges of negligence and passenger abandonment.

CYBER ALERT: shipowners have been warned of the need to do more to protect their vessels against the growing threat of cyber-attacks. Captain Alexander Soukhanov, from the US Maritime Resource Center, told a conference organised by the owners’ body BIMCO last month that there is ‘significant potential for cyber disruption, including malicious takeover of engineering controls, widespread exposure of critical data and systems, and corrupted electronic navigation charts’.

Minister warned on UK jobs ‘crisis’ Nautilus International urged the UK government to take urgent action to address a growing crisis in seafarer employment and training.

In a letter to shipping minister Robert Goodwill, the Union warned last month that maritime policy objectives are being threatened by a rising tide of redundancies — several thousand of them in the offshore support vessel sector.

General secretary Mark Dickinson said the government’s Maritime Growth Study plans to boost British shipping and seafaring — which were published in September — are being jeopardised by such moves as Maersk Line’s decision to re-register its last six UK-flagged containerships and

shortreports

a seemingly constant stream of cutbacks in the North Sea. So far this year, around 2,500 seafarer jobs have been lost from the offshore support vessel sector — and Nautilus has recorded more than 550 redundancies among its members in the industry.

‘I am struggling to think of a single offshore support vessel company that we deal with which is not in the process of making seafarers redundant, winding back training programmes and/or reducing terms and conditions,’ Mr Dickinson told the minister.

‘With reliable warnings that the number of vessel lay-ups is set to increase further, I do not believe it is an exaggeration to describe the current situation as a crisis,’ he added.

‘Nautilus believes that the situation is so grave now that it demands urgent action from the government.’

Nautilus says the UK should act on the European Task Force on Maritime Employment and Competitiveness (TFMEC) proposal that member states should consider regulating manning conditions in offshore services.

‘Such a measure would do much to address unfair competition in the offshore sector and to protect the resources that we have,’ Mr Dickinson pointed out.

Nautilus said the minister’s comments in a speech to UK marine pilots last month that ‘governments do best when they give the market the freedom to do its job’ is hard to justify when set against state aid in the form of

the UK tonnage tax and the £15m Support for Maritime Training scheme.

‘The case for state intervention has long been made and accepted in shipping and your sentiments will not be sufficient to reassure our members who are paying for lack of determined government intervention to protect British interests with their jobs and with reduced terms and conditions whilst lower cost seafarers take their jobs,’ Mr Dickinson told the minister.

In response, Mr Goodwill has offered to meet the Union to discuss the concerns, but he warned that — given the government’s ongoing departmental spending review — he was unable to give any guarantees on the question of SMarT funding.

OIL STORES: the falling oil price has resulted in more than 100m barrels of crude and heavy fuel oil being stored on tankers at sea, according to a report published last month. The International Energy Agency said the demand for tankers has driven up day rates to the highest level in seven years — topping more than US$100,000 a day last month.

OILY FINE: Greek ship management firm Chandris had been ordered to pay a US$1m penalty after pleading guilty to deliberately concealing pollution discharges and falsifying its oil records. Charges were brought after the Liberian-flagged tanker Sestrea was found to have used a ‘magic pipe’ system to bypass its oily waste separator equipment.

DAMAGES DEAL: French shipping firm CMA CGM has been sentenced to pay €216,600 in damages and interest to the family of Romanian crew member George Popescu, who died when he was struck by a mooring rope which snapped while he was working onboard the 6,480TEU containership CMA CGM Rigoletto in 2007.

MAERSK CUTS: Maersk Line has announced a package of cuts which will see its worldwide workforce cut by 4,000 over the next two years. The company said it will also reduce its network capacity and delay investment in new tonnage as part of a money-saving programme in response reduced demand.

STOWAWAY ALERT: shipowners have been urged to consider retrofitting bars across rudder tanks to deter stowaways from boarding vessels. The advice came from the UK P&I Club last month, which warned of the increased risk of stowaways as a result of the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.

PASSENGER BOOM: the number of passengers travelling between the UK and the rest of Europe by ferry has risen at the fastest rate for 20 years, according to government statistics published last month. A total of 21.3m shortsea ferry journeys were made last year, the report noted.

HEBRIDES DEAL: the luxury cruiseship Hebridean Princess has changed owners in a £3m deal agreed last month. The All Leisure Group said it had sold the ship to private investors led by Roger Allard, the group’s chairman, and two other directors.

ARCTIC PLAN: Russian designers are developing a new nuclear-powered ice-breaker that will cut through ice up to 4m thick, enabling year-round shipping operations in its polar waters.

18/11/2015 17:32

04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports

More visits to Fleet Marine members

PRINCESS PAY: Nautilus national secretary Jonathan Havard was due to meet Princess Cruises for pay discussions as the Telegraph went to press. The Union is seeking a 5% pay rise, with the possibility of a two-year deal, and other improvements including a meaningful loyalty bonus and a discounted share option scheme.

Members will be updated as soon as a formal response is received.

SHELL THOUGHTS: members serving with Shell International Shipping Services and QGTC Shipping are being asked to submit their aspirations for the 2016 pay and conditions claim. Members were asked to inform the Union if there have been any increases in officers’ workloads and responsibilities, or other developments to support the claim, by the end of November.

FORELAND FURNISHINGS: Foreland Shipping management has agreed to a programme of refurbishment which will eventually extend to all ships in the fleet. The plans include new curtains, sofas, mattresses and coverings for day beds. The first ship to be refurbished will be Hurst Point and this will be used to formulate a wider refit plan for the fleet.

ORKNEY REJECTION: members employed by Orkney Ferries have rejected a second offer from the company in response to this year’s pay and conditions claim. Management had offered members a 3% up-front pay increase covering two years, backdated to April 2015.

Nautilus was last month seeking an urgent meeting to discuss a way forward.

RED REVIEW: Nautilus has submitted a claim to Red Funnel for the 2016 pay and conditions review.

The Union has asked for a substantial above-RPI pay rise, hours of work to be reduced to 40 a week, and the 30-minute free overtime to be abolished. A meeting has been set up for 1 December to discuss the claim.

BAS SETTLEMENT: Nautilus members serving onboard British Antarctic Survey ships have agreed to accept an improved pay and conditions offer, which will see bonuses of £150 and £200 in the November pay packets. The additional £50 recognises the additional time members spent working on a refit.

COASTEL OFFER: members employed by Bibby Ship Management on the coastels agreement have accepted the company’s pay and conditions offer. The three-year deal includes a move to salary payments as opposed to a day rate and tour changes from 10-on/5-off to 8-on/8-off.

CARISBROOKE DEAL: a revised pay offer for members employed by Carisbrooke Shipping has been accepted by Nautilus. The new deal will mean members get a 4% pay increase upfront commencing in January 2016. The next pay review will be on 1 January 2018.

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Schroder is pictured during F his three recent visits to the Aurora,

Nautilus industrial officer Paul

Queen Victoria and the Oceana to meet members employed by Fleet Maritime Services. He is due to complete the series of visits with trips to Oriana and Queen Mary 2 on 12 December in Lisbon.

Nautilus remains in discussions with Fleet Maritime Services over

the 2016 pay and conditions offer for members serving onboard Cunard and P&O Cruises vessels. Mr Schroder says it is expected that an offer will be tabled in the near future and members will be advised as soon as this is received.

It is also anticipated that a one-day training course for selected Partnership at Work members will take place in early 2016.

Consult on HAL deal Members asked if they want to accept three-year offer, giving 3% each year

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Following a series of consultation meetings and ship visits, UK and Dutch members employed by Marine Manpower Services and serving on Holland America Line (HAL) vessels are being consulted on a pay and conditions offer.

The offer includes a three-year pay deal that will see members receive a 3% increase each year starting on 1 January 2016.

Members had until Tuesday 24 November to complete the online consultation on the package. Results will be known early this month.

The company has also agreed to form a working group including company and Union repre-

sentatives to consider how best to implement a fully consolidated wage scale.

HAL said that there were benefits to a fully consolidated wage, including the elimination of variable overtime administration and the resulting ability to pay officers earlier in the month.

Consisting of two Union and two HAL representatives, the working group will now look at suitable ways to implement this.

The Union and management teams agreed that the joint working which had taken place recently between Dutch and UK members on the pay and conditions negotiations had shown obvious benefits for both groups and that this

would continue in the future. HAL said that this would help to provide fleet-wide Union representatives during the negotiations and ensure that at least some reps were able to make every meeting.

The company added that part of the consolidation process had included creating more transparency in the criteria for promotion which had been taking place over the last three years.

‘Removing subjectivity as well as creating a clear career path for every individual onboard has been the key elements of creating the “Career Roadmap”,’ the company said. ‘The next step is to introduce an IT solution onboard the ships, which is called Corner-

stone. This IT solution will be the vehicle to communicate with seafarers as well as the ship staff in setting career goals and creating shipboard teams.’

It is expected that the new system will be introduced in 2016, with an estimated completion by the end of that year.

During the meetings the company also reaffirmed its commitment to reducing the turnover of staff and that the company president had set a target of a 5% reduction. Numbers have improved, with staff turnover in the deck department improving by 50% between 2014 and 2015 and turnover in the engine department is currently at a historic low of 7%.

Heyn improves offer Serco tables 2% rise

Carr is pictured above meeting F with members employed by Heyn

Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa

Engineering Solutions ahead of a meeting with management at the company’s head office in Belfast last month.

The meeting was held to enable further talks on this year’s pay and conditions review for members serving onboard Corystes, following the earlier overwhelming rejection by members of a 1% pay offer and

improvements to death–in–service benefits.

As a result of the talks, a new and improved offer was presented that includes a 1.25% pay increase, improved death in service benefit and a £100 annual bonus for all ratings.

Nautilus believes that this is the best that can be achieved through negotiation and Ms Carr is recommending acceptance of the offer. Results of the consultation should be known early this month.

Micky Smyth is pictured during F a visit to Serco NorthLink Ferries Nautilus national ferry officer

vessel Hrossey in Aberdeen last month, along with liaison officers Captain Willie MacKay and Sean Smith. Members serving with the company are being consulted on the company’s proposed 2% pay increase and had until Wednesday 25 November to accept or reject the offer.

Discussions have also continued on new terms and conditions for members. Questions on the proposed new schedule of employment raised by members covered new terminology, sickness entitlement, study leave, extra duties and the 14-day lieu bank.

Mr Smyth agreed to circulate the company’s answers to these questions when formal responses are received from management.

18/11/2015 17:33

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Pay offer is rejected at Thames Clippers Recruit a colleague scheme gives boost to Nautilus membership numbers

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Members employed by Thames Clippers have overwhelmingly rejected the company’s offer of a 1.5% increase in pay.

The Union’s claim had sought an above-inflation increase, improved sick pay and additional annual leave. In making the offer, the company had explained that following a record-breaking 2014, this year had been one of transition and development for its business.

Management also said that following the delivery of two new high-speed craft, a multi-millionpound ticketing system, the creation of new piers and for potential route expansions on the horizon, it was looking forward to fulfilling its potential in 2016.

Industrial organiser Lisa Carr will be meeting management on Friday 4 December to discuss the issues further.

During September Ms Carr and senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan joined members at the company to organise a two-day recruitment exercise at Trinity Buoy Wharf and at North Green-

Danny McGowan and Lisa Carr meet Thames Clippers members

wich Pier. During this event, a total of 17 staff from Thames Clippers became Nautilus members.

The recruitment exercise was part of the Union’s Introduce a Colleague scheme, where existing

members who encourage a workmate to join the Union receive a £25 Marks & Spencer gift card.

Thames Clippers members Alice White and Malkeet Verdi recruited 11 new members between them and will be receiving their vouchers as soon as their colleagues complete three months of membership. They will also enter a prize draw for the chance to win an additional £100 voucher, alongside all members who have recruited a colleague.

In total, the scheme has seen more than 80 new members introduced to the Union since March 2015. Members still have the chance to enter the scheme, as long as their colleagues submit application forms before the deadline of 31 December 2015.

Senior assistant organiser Lee Moon said: ‘We’ve had a great response so far from people but there is still time left to sign up new members. Membership of Nautilus provides people with a louder voice when it comes to ensuring that their rights and views are at the forefront of a company’s thoughts.’

How to get more from your membership money-saving discounts, designed to support A members both personally and professionally, Nautilus Plus is a portfolio containing

including:

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Stunning bouquets, with prices from £25 including free delivery, you can afford to make someone’s day!

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Redeem the voucher against a spend of £39.99 or more (next day delivery of £4.99 is payable separately, eligible for new customers only) and choose from a range of pre-mixed cases or create your own with six or more bottles.* z Savings on Apple products Nautilus members can make great savings on a wide range of Apple products, including iPad, iPhone, iPod, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Apple

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shortreports STENA MEETS: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth, national secretary Gary Elliott and liaison officers for Stena Line’s Irish Sea and North Sea routes met Northern Marine Manning Services last month. The introductory meeting discussed the outstanding issue of officer ranks and rates of pay for future recruitment of junior officers. Members are now being consulted on the company’s offer, which includes the implementation of a two-year pay award of 1.75% in January 2016, the introduction of a third officer position and continuation of the study leave programme.

FERRY CLAIM: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth has arranged meetings with P&O Ferries to discuss the pay and conditions claim for members on all routes. The first meeting was due to take place on Friday 20 November, with follow-up talks pencilled in for Wednesday 9 December. The Union’s claim includes a significant pay increase over and above the rate of inflation, a call for a review of the current salary scales for chief officer and second engineer roles, and travel allowances to and from vessels.

CALMAC PENSIONS: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth was set to meet Scotland’s transport and islands minister Derek MacKay last month for talks on pension arrangements for members serving with Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing. Mr Smyth said the meeting, organised via the Scottish TUC, would be an opportunity to voice concerns at the delayed start of discussions on proposals to reform the pension scheme.

RFA PAY: members serving with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are being consulted on a proposed 1% pay rise, with a deadline to accept or reject the offer by midday on 30 November. Nautilus is also seeking to meet with the new Commodore, Duncan Lamb, to discuss the other issues within the 2015 pay and conditions review, including baggage allowances, death in service benefit, leave ratios and mentoring.

BW DEAL: Nautilus has written to BW Fleet Management to accept a two-year pay and conditions offer to members. The package will see a 1.2% pay rise in the first year — backdated to 1 July 2015 — and a 2% rise in the second year, effective from 1 January 2016. The next pay review will be 1 January 2017.

PACKET CLAIM: Nautilus was due to meet management late last month for pay and conditions talks on behalf of members employed by Manx Sea Transport and serving onboard Isle of Man Steam Packet Company vessels. The Union is seeking a substantial pay increase and parking expenses.

PG PAY: industrial organiser Derek Byrne has met PG Tankers to discuss the Union’s claim for an aboveinflation pay rise and other improvements. A formal response was awaited as the Telegraph went to press.

Talks as Global Marine warns of redundancies requested that Global Marine F Services Group (GMSG) consider Nautilus International has

Nautilus industrial officer Lisa Carr is pictured during an introductory meeting with management at Associated British Ports in Hull last month, together with marine pilot Chad Lingard, pilot operations manager Jim Warnes, deputy harbour master Andy Swift, and deputy pilot operations manager Matt Booth.

04-05_at work.indd 5

a request to focus on voluntary redundancies following a meeting at the Union’s head office last month, pictured above.

The company has advised the Union that around 70 seafarers are at risk of redundancy and a formal consultation period is now underway.

Industrial organiser Lisa Carr expressed extreme disappointment at the news, but says the Union is committed to working with the company to achieve the best deal possible for members.

Actions from the meeting included an agreement to work in partnership to reduce the number of redundancies as far as possible and further talks were scheduled as the Telegraph went to press.

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18/11/2015 17:33

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports MAERSK MEETS: Nautilus national secretary Jonathan Havard and the Maersk Offshore (Guernsey) partnership at work committee have met management to discuss redundancies on supply vessels. The meeting received an update on the company’s performance and management answered questions put by the committee, including the numbers and ranks involved, and the redundancy package. The company confirmed it would seek voluntary redundancies in the first instance.

SEAHORSE JOBS: Nautilus industrial organiser Paul Schroder and liaison officers had further talks with management last month over job losses arising from lay-ups in the Sealion fleet. The company confirmed that it has managed to reduce the number of employees at risk of redundancy by approximately 25, which leave around 90 still at risk. This takes the approximate total of redundancies to around 360 employees.

TECHNIP TARGET: Nautilus national secretary Steve Doran and Technip liaison officers have met management for further talks about the company’s cost-cutting programme. The Union is currently awaiting a formal response to the meeting, but has been told the target of a 10% reduction in costs remains in place — although the overall number of expected redundancies could be lower than originally stated.

GULFMARK LAY-UPS: Nautilus is seeking a meeting with Gulfmark after it announced the lay-up of five more ships, which will result in further redundancies.

A designated email — hrwg@gulfmark.com — has been set up by the company for enquiries and members will be updated once a meeting has taken place.

SUBSEA SALARY: Subsea 7 has advised Nautilus that current market conditions mean a salary increase cannot be awarded to members in respect to the 1 July 2015 review date. Nautilus says the decision is consistent with other areas of Subsea’s organisation, and will therefore not pursue the claim any further.

VROON TALKS: a meeting between Nautilus and Deeside Guernsey to discuss redundancies was due to take place as the Telegraph went to press. Also on the agenda was the 2016 pay and conditions review and an update will be given to members when available.

HAVILA TOURS: a move from four weeks on/ four weeks off to five-on/five-off has been reluctantly accepted on behalf of members employed by Havila Marine. The change will take effect from January 2016.

Ulstein unveils new OCV

Union sets up summit summit this month to update F members on work to address the

Nautilus will be hosting a special

trials last month is the new A construction vessel Island Venture, Pictured undergoing sea

which is nearing completion at the Ulstein Verft shipyard in Norway.

The 13,800dwt vessel is the first of two being built for a joint venture between Norway’s Island Offshore and the US firm Edison Chouest Offshore. Redesigned during the

engineering phase to increase deck area and tank capacity, the 160m X-Bow vessel is now more than 12m longer than originally planned.

The Ulstein SX165 design ship is one of the largest built at the yard so far, and will feature three moon pools, including the largest open moon pool of any construction vessel yet built. A 140-tonne crane

with 3,000m of wire is being installed, as well as a 400-tonne crane that can operate at depths of up to 4,000m.

Island Venture will be able to accommodate up to 200 people.

The second ship in the series is being built at ECO’s LaShip yard in Louisiana and is the first X-Bow to be built in the United States.

impact of the downturn in the oil and gas industry.

Guest speakers, including representatives from the Scottish TUC and other trade unions representing workers in the sector, will discuss issues including job cuts, the potential loss of skills, cheap labour and social dumping.

Members will also be invited to raise their concerns about the ongoing situation and help shape the Union’s policy for dealing with the battle ahead. f The Offshore Oil & Gas summit takes place on Thursday 3 December between 18:00 and 21:00 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Beach Boulevard, Aberdeen. f To book contact Pauline Parry on +44 (0)151 6398454 or email pparry@nautilusint.org.

Bid to boost UKCS decommissioning Industry bodies launch partnership as study shows growing scale of work

P

Two offshore industry bodies have agreed plans for a ‘joined-up’ approach to boost decommissioning work in the North Sea. Oil & Gas UK and Decom North Sea said the partnership agreement announced last month should help to deliver a more efficient and effective decommissioning programme for the sector.

‘Alignment on key areas will help ensure our industry stays focused on maximising economic recovery, while managing late life strategy and timely decommissioning in a safe, efficient and cost effective manner,’ said Oil & Gas UK chief executive Deirdre Michie.

‘Decommissioning spend is likely to rise from £1bn in 2014

to over £2bn in 2018, by which time over 50 fields will either be approaching or undertaking decommissioning,’ she pointed out.

‘This is a key issue for industry to manage and for the market to respond to. Aligning our two organisations at this time is strategically important for the industry and will aid effective preparation for the years ahead.’

The growing potential of decommissioning projects was highlighted in a new report last month, which predicts that almost 80 platforms will need to be removed over the next decade.

The Decommissioning Insight study forecasts that total decommissioning expenditure on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) will reach £16.9bn over the same

period — up by £2.3bn from last year’s forecast.

Actual expenditure on decommissioning on the UKCS in 2014 was just over £800m, the study adds. It predicts that costs will fall, however, as a result of low oil prices, improved decommissioning experience and the work of Oil & Gas UK’s efficiency task force.

The 79 platforms forecast for removal over the next decade represent around 17% of the 470 installations that will need decommissioning over the next 30 to 40 years. Plugging and abandoning wells makes up the biggest part of decommissioning costs — totalling around 46% of forecast spending.

The study notes that the majority of the 47 new projects announced in the past year are

scheduled towards the end of the 2015 to 2024 timeframe, with nearly two-thirds of the associated expenditure occurring post2020. Technological advances and improved production cost efficiency could defer the timing of decommissioning for these projects, it adds.

This year’s survey has been expanded to include analysis of the oil price impact on decommissioning and also includes a deeper analysis of floating, production, storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs) decommissioning projects, as well as examining supply chain capabilities.. f Oil & Gas UK has reported a slight increase in levels of optimism for the industry — up from minus 27 to minus 25 in the third quarter of the year.

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06_offshore.indd 6

provide assistance to the crew F of a trawler that capsized and sank Important opportunities to

in the North Sea — including the offer of help by a platform support vessel — were missed, an accident investigation has revealed.

Three of the five crew onboard the UK-registered fishing vessel Ocean Way died when it went down in rough seas 100nm off the NE coast of England in November last year.

A UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch report on the incident concludes that Ocean Way broached and capsized after losing stability and

freeboard as significant quantities of water became trapped on the deck in heavy following seas.

Had the capacity of the trawler’s freeing ports been maintained in accordance with statutory requirements, the accident might not have occurred, investigators suggested.

However, modifications to the freeing ports had not been identified in successive surveys and even though Ocean Way had a history of marginal stability an inclining test had not been carried out in the previous 10 years.

The MAIB pointed to various causes

for delays in the search and rescue response — including old computer technology at Humber MRCC which prevented coastguards from accessing information received from the Ocean Way’s AIS and the vessel monitoring system reports.

Investigators found that the PSV Maersk Laser — ‘with excellent rescue capability’ — had contacted the coastguard to offer its services while some 40nm from the distress position.

But the offer had been turned down without any assessment by the MRCC of its ability to conduct and coordinate a surface search, the MAIB noted.

‘A surface vessel — particularly one with the capability of Maersk Laser — would have improved the efficiency of the search and, in this case, could have recovered the EPIRB, enabling the helicopters to remain on scene for a longer period,’ the report adds.

The MAIB recommended that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency takes action to ensure that EPIRBs carried on UK-registered fishing vessels are equipped with integral GNSS receivers so that positional information is readily available to search and rescue authorities.

18/11/2015 15:38

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

ITF warns against HIV/AIDS ‘fatigue’ threat’ to merchant seafarers F and the industry must guard against HIV/AIDS remains a ‘very real

complacency and ‘AIDS fatigue’, the International Transport Workers’ Federation has warned.

A survey of 33 ITF-affiliated seafaring unions in 29 different countries has revealed ‘encouraging’ levels of support and information programmes — with the majority providing information to members and many others offering education and training, confidential voluntary testing for HIV, and referral systems for access to appropriate medical services.

More than three-quarters of the unions ranked HIV prevention as the number one health and wellness issue for their members, followed by sexually transmitted infections and stigma and discrimination linked to HIV. The ITF report highlights the need for more information about seafarers and AIDS, pointing out that two of the most detailed studies date back to 1999. The survey also looked at the extent to which AIDS policies are enshrined in national legislation and collective agreements.

One-third of the unions identified alcohol abuse as a key issue, followed by obesity, depression and mental health, and the ITF said there was strong demand for programmes to address nutrition and exercise at sea.

Concerns over psychiatric problems — including higher than average rates of suicide among seafarers — were also raised by many of the affiliated unions, and the ITF said it will be looking at the issues in more depth in response to this.

Alarm over STCW rules Union expresses concern as survey shows lack of knowledge about refresher training deadline

P

Nautilus concerns over the potentially severe impact of new seafarer refresher training requirements have been underlined by feedback showing widespread lack of knowledge about the forthcoming rules.

Worries about the changes have been raised at the Union’s professional and technical committee and Nautilus has also been working to raise awareness of the steps that need to be taken to keep certificates of competency valid after 31 December 2016.

Now a survey carried out by

Clyde Marine Training — the UK’s largest seafarer training provider — shows that many Merchant Navy personnel are either unaware of the changes to the STCW Convention rules or the courses that they will need to undertake.

The company found that 46% of those questioned were either unaware or unsure what refresher courses meant for them and what they needed to do to remain qualified. A further 37% were unaware of the date when refresher courses will become mandatory.

Under the so-called Manila amendments to the convention,

which were agreed in 2010, seafarers qualified in mandatory STCW courses — such as fire prevention and fire-fighting, advanced firefighting, personal survival techniques, proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats (other than fast rescue boats), and proficiency in fast rescue boats — will have to provide documentary evidence of either completing the initial training course or a refresher course within the last five years.

Clyde Marine Training managing director Colin McMurray commented: ‘We knew there was still a lot of confusion regarding

refresher training, the timescales involved and the courses and skills affected.

‘With less than 18 months to go until compliance is compulsory it’s clear the level of confusion is higher than we thought,’ he added.

‘The concern is people will leave taking refresher courses to the last minute and may find they run out of time to complete them all,’ Mr McMurray said.

The company has created a dedicated helpdesk to assist and inform seafarers of their obligations and to explain the quali-

fications they need to update. Seafarers can contact the helpdesk by phone or email on +44 (0)141 427 6655 or shortcourses@clydemarine. com and speak with a qualified trainer with previous MN experience who can advise on their individual requirements. f Nautilus is urging UK-based members to refer to the relevant M-Notices issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency or to contact the professional and technical department — protech@ nautilusint.org. g What you need to do — see page 43.

Protest as MPs debate anti-union proposals are pictured left as they joined A more than 2,500 people from other

Nautilus members and officials

TUC-affiliated unions in a protest against the government’s attack on trade union rights, shortly before the Trade Union Reform Bill had its third reading in the House of Commons last month.

The rally at Westminster Central Hall was so popular that many people couldn’t get into the main building, and speakers left the hall to address the crowds from the top of a fire truck.

On the day after the lobby, the government agreed to remove some controversial social media restrictions proposed by the Bill. However, despite the huge protests from unions, civil liberties organisations

and even some Conservative Party MPs, the Bill passed the third reading and now goes to the House of Lords.

The TUC promised to continue the campaign against the controversial legislation, warning that the government ‘may have won the Commons vote but it lost much of the argument’.

General secretary Frances O’Grady said there is widespread concern about the way in which the proposals would damage industrial relations, undermine the fundamental right to strike and will make it harder for working people to get fair treatment at work.

‘This Bill is not fit for purpose and should have no place in a modern democracy,’ she added.

Call for port state powers to combat LNG ‘is set to become non-compliance with emission rules mainstream option’ given the power to take action against ships F with non-compliant fuel in their bunker tanks and Port state control authorities should be

no abatement equipment onboard, a top-level conference heard last month.

Delegates at the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) convention heard that effective enforcement of emission controls is vital if the industry is to come into line with stricter low-sulphur requirements.

IBIA vice-chairman Robin Meech suggested the International Maritime Organisation should be asked to introduce a new regulation prohibiting vessels from having onboard fuel which cannot be burnt in compliance with MARPOL. This would

ensure ‘level playing’ once the global sulphur cap of 0.05% comes into force in 2020 or 2025, he argued.

Mr Meech said low fuel prices had resulted in a slow-down in investment in fuel-saving devices and technologies for ships and had also reduced the attractiveness of scrubbers and LNG. However, he added, there is evidence to show relatively high levels of compliance with emission control areas (ECAs) in Europe and North America – greater than 80%.

Michael Green, technical manager with Intertek ShipCare, said sample testing results indicated that fuel quality had increased significantly since the introduction of the 0.10% sulphur in fuel limit for ships in ECAs in January this year.

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But, he warned, additional treatment processes for distillate fuels can have a detrimental impact on final fuel quality, with problems including lubricity issues, poor combustion characteristics and reduced flash points.

IBIA chairman Jens Maul Jørgensen complained that the fuel quality received by ship owners was poor, indicating that they do not get what they pay for. Around one-third of the problems lie with the ship, with mistakes caused by inexperience, and another third of problems were down to inexperienced surveyors. The final third was the result of under-supply and poor quality caused by blending, he claimed, and he repeated a previous call for the IMO to regulate fuel quality.

an inevitable game-changer F for shipping that ‘will be with us for Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is

a long time’, an industry conference heard last month.

Speaking at Gastech in Singapore, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement UK managing director Angus Campbell said the ‘early movers’ to LNG could secure ‘market-leading’ advantages.

Mr Campbell predicted that LNG will become a mainstream option for the industry. ‘It has happened before,’ he argued. ‘Wind gave way

to coal and coal in its turn gave way to oil. The move from oil to natural gas is simply the next progression in the evolution of maritime transportation.’

He told the conference that distillate fuels and the use of scrubbers with conventional fuels do not offer the advantages of LNG, as they both pose cost and regulatory challenges. ‘LNG will be with us for a very long time —with over 200 years’ supply in the ground it is sustainable, meets current and planned emission limits and, is a clean fuel,’ he added.

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07_news.indd 7

18/11/2015 14:10

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Toys steal the show at biggest FLIBS yet

by Michael Howorth

New partner for Nautilus

floating real estate on display H at the 56th annual Fort Lauderdale

Monaco-based crewing firm in agreement with Union

There was £5bn worth of

Boat Show, which took place in early November.

This year’s event, which is considered by many to be the most significant superyacht show after Monaco, was said to have been the biggest yet, with a 4% increase in the number of boats on display (around 1,500). Attendance also was up, with around 100,000 visitors over the five days.

The show hosted 137 yachts larger than 100ft and five larger than 200ft and among the notable craft on show were Lurssen’s 75m Northern Star, as well as the launch by the Dutch builder Heesen of its 38m Project Nina and 50m hybrid Project Nova.

While some of the world’s biggest and most expensive yachts were on display, the sale was not limited to high-end yachts, and for many, it was the toys that sold the show — including a yacht-friendly Bell 407GX helicopter and a luxury submarine, which has room for two passengers and one pilot and can dive more than 300m.

P

Nautilus International has further enhanced its work to represent seafarers in the superyacht industry after recruitment specialists Hemisphere Crew Solutions became the Union’s latest strategic partner.

The two organisations joined forces following discussions held at the Monaco Yacht Show in October and signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the benefits to each side of the partnership.

It means that Hemisphere will encourage all its officers and crew to become Nautilus members, giving them unrivalled and comprehensive employment support and representation.

Monaco-based Hemisphere is now one of a number of organisations to join Nautilus’s network of yachting strategic partners, including Dovaston Crew and

International Crew Training.

The Union’s base in Antibes, in partnership with D&B Services, remains available for officers and crew to visit at any time, for advice and guidance, and also when they wish to verify their sea time in the Union’s industry-leading Service Record Book.

‘Nautilus welcomes the opportunity to develop mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with high quality organisations across the yachting world,’ said Nautilus senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan.

‘With our partnerships focussing on mutual respect, trust and the shared vision for the success of international yachting, such ventures will also ensure that maritime professionals can enjoy the benefits of high employment and welfare standards across the industry.’

Hemisphere managing direc-

tor Nicky André said: ‘Nautilus can provide vital support and representation to all yacht crew.

They can assist with invaluable information on employment protection to include grievance and disciplinary matters and very importantly; certificate protection. For junior crew they also offer a free service record book.

‘I know of several crew who have called upon Nautilus to assist them in matters aboard,’ he added. ‘They were very impressed with the support and response times to get resolve matters; which otherwise could have escalated unnecessarily.’

Hemisphere Crew Solutions specialises in crew recruitment for the luxury superyacht industry, offering bespoke crew searches, headhunting services and generic recruitment, providing a highly motivated and skilled workforce to its clients.

UK superyacht firm moves to national finals of best apprenticeship awards refit firm Pendennis Shipyard F has progressed to the national finals

The UK superyacht building and

Young people undertaking the Pendennis Shipyard four-year general apprenticeship and the surface finishing scheme

of a competition to find the country’s best apprenticeship schemes.

The Falmouth-based company picked up the awards for best apprenticeship in the South West in two separate regional contests and will now go forward to the 2016 Insider Media national finals, the winners of which will be announced at a ceremony in Liverpool in June 2016.

Over the past 17 years Pendennis has trained more than 180 young people through two schemes, with over 95% of the apprentices given full-time contracts with the company following graduation and a further 17.5% of ex-apprentices now employed in managerial positions.

‘Our success in these awards is a credit to everyone at Pendennis and the industry who supports the scheme and works alongside the apprentices during and after their training,’ said managing director Mike Carr.

‘Our apprenticeships bring youth, enthusiasm and trained expertise to all areas of our business. Experienced long-term tradespeople and previous apprentices mentor new arrivals, passing on skills and building a strong sense of teamwork between employees.’

The company has also announced the dates for next year’s Pendennis Cup superyacht sailing regatta. The biennial event — which is open to any modern or classic sailing yacht over 24m — will take place between 27 June and 2 July 2016.

HOTLINE FOR YACHT CREW Nautilus has established a dedicated phoneline in Antibes to offer advice and assistance:

+33 (0)9 62 61 61 40 Nautilus International, in strategic partnership with D&B Services, 3 Bd. D’Aguillon, 06600 Antibes, France.

08_yachts.indd 8

Captains Giles Douglas Smith and Luca Mosca collect Fraser Yachts’ first Yacht Management Captain of the Year award

First management awards presented to Fraser captains

by Michael Howorth

Yachts has presented annual H awards to charter captains at the

For more than 15 years Fraser

Monaco Yacht Show. This year it has launched a new award to recognise management captains — and the first were presented at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last month.

There were two joint winners — Captain Giles Smith, of Helios 2, and Luca Mosca, most recently of Annaeva.

Capt Smith has served on Helios 2 for two different owners since 2006, continuously part of the yacht management fleet of Fraser Yachts Fort Lauderdale. He first ran the yacht as a busy charter vessel with full ISM and a very demanding schedule, and then more recently as a private family yacht with an extensive cruising plan.

He spent his early seafaring career on fishing and tourist boats on the Great Barrier Reef before moving to yachts in the 1990s and first serving with Fraser Yachts in 2000 as a relief captain. He has almost 30 Atlantic

crossings under his belt and at least two full circumnavigations.

Capt Mosca grew up on yachts, following in his father’s footsteps to become a yacht captain. He started in the early 1980s, gaining experience working seasonally as a deckhand and has been with Fraser for 20 years, completing four Atlantic and two Pacific crossings as captain.

His last command was on the 50m yacht Annaeva, which he ran for 18 months before concluding its sale in September and whose owner described him as the best captain he had ever had.

Lisa Peck, global marketing manager for Fraser Yachts, said all departments had a hand in the nomination of candidates and the winners were chosen for a range of attributes, including management of the crew and the safety culture onboard, precision and punctuality in accounting and cost control, respect of the planned maintenance onboard, and the happiness of the owner and guests.

Eighth honour for UK-flagged and Italian-built Grace E has been presented with the A International Superyacht Society’s

The Italian builder Perini Navi

award for the best power yacht of 65m or larger.

The trophy was awarded to the company at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last month for its 73m UK-flagged motor yacht Grace E — the third in the company’s Picchiotti range.

Launched in 2013, the 1,590gt

vessel can carry up to 12 passengers and 20 crew and features an advanced diesel-electric propulsion system with two Azipod propellers.

The latest award is the eighth since Grace E came into service.

She won Motor Yacht of the Year at the World Superyacht Awards 2015, and has also been honoured for excellence in exterior and interior design, and environmental protection.

18/11/2015 16:01

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

EU plans tougher rules on stability Brussels set to table new passengership sub-division proposals at the IMO

by Justin Stares

P

The European Commission is lining up a new push to improve the stability of damaged passenger vessels after the previous two attempts were torpedoed by shipbuilding nations.

Academic research commissioned by the Brussels executive shows that ro-pax ships and cruise vessels need design improvements to ensure they do not capsize following the ingress of water after a collision. The studies suggest that ships could capsize even in mild weather because there are too many unenclosed spaces below deck that allow seawater to slosh around.

But shipbuilders and their government allies say design changes would be too expensive.

And EU member states operating old fleets fear there might be knock-on effects for existing vessels as well as newbuilds.

The Commission says it will ‘promote the upgrade of international damage stability standards for passenger ships’ via a submission to the International Maritime Organisation early next year.

The upgrade focuses on a ship construction formula known as the ‘R required sub-division index’, which the Commission says should rise.

In 2013 and 2014 Brussels said it wanted to push up the R index, but France, Italy and Germany

derailed the proposal before it could be tabled at the United Nations agency. If Europe cannot provide a united front in IMO, the chances of non-EU countries agreeing to ship design upgrades are slim.

This time, the Commission believes it has sufficient support to push through a watered down proposal. ‘I don’t think it will be a problem,’ said one source.

This is, however, not the view held in the Council of Ministers, where Europe’s national governments are represented. Sources there say opposition from shipbuilding nations is mustering once again.

Damage stability came to the fore after the Costa Concordia

disaster and again after the Norman Atlantic ferry casualty of late 2014. While cruise lines agreed to voluntarily introduce safety upgrades, the powerful cruise lobby convinced law-makers in Brussels to shelve plans for a new wave of safety legislation.

The shipbuilding lobby in Germany is so strong that it convinced government officials to ignore the will of their own transport minister, who was in favour of improved passengership safety.

Studies have focused on ropax ships, but concerns have widened to include cruiseships by implication. z Justin Stares is editor of maritimewatch.eu

ABP recruits pilot apprentices last month began recruiting its F first marine pilot apprentices under Associated British Ports (ABP)

a pioneering new scheme designed to address the declining flow of seafarers into shore-based posts.

ABP launched a marine operations apprenticeship scheme in 2012 in a bid to train a new generation of port-based maritime professionals and last month invited applications from mariners who have gained their first OOW certification to start on the UK’s first marine pilotage apprenticeship programme.

Two successful applicants will be given the opportunity to train on the Humber Estuary, and in ABP’s South Wales ports.

ABP training manager Captain Martin Gough, pictured right with the company’s current marine operations apprentices, commented: ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who’d like to progress their career in the marine industry.

‘The course will give learners

a thorough grounding in ABP as a business, as well as a wide variety of maritime skills, which will ultimately

see them become an authorised marine pilot,’ he explained.

‘It’s very exciting and I’m looking

forward to welcoming our first learners in February 2016,’ Capt Gough added.

New tug in port of Belfast omni-directional tug ASD A Merchantman, which began

Pictured above is the new

operations with SMS Towage in the port of Belfast last month.

The Turkish-built tug is of 25m loa, is powered by Caterpillar main engines, and has a bollard pull of 50 tonnes. It joins a sister vessel, ASD Masterman, which came into

service in 2013, and is expected to have an operational life until 2040.

SMS Towage started harbour operations in Belfast in 2013 and has a 25% stake in Belfast Towage, where it employs five skippers and five crew. The company also operates in the Humber and the Bristol Channel and has a total fleet of 14 tugs.

Owners penalised for safety breaches UK-registered fishing vessel has F been fined £20,000 after an engineer The owner/skipper of a

died from inhaling toxic fumes in an accident that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) said had ‘no reason’ to happen.

In a hearing at Elgin Sheriff Court last month, James Strachan Thores pleaded guilty to breaching maritime health and safety regulations.

The court heard that the ship’s engineer, Artis Sterkis, had been in instructed by Mr Thores to pump out water in the boat’s bow thruster space as both the pumping systems were not working while the vessel was undertaking pipeline standby duties in August 2011.

Mr Sterkis and another crewman attempted to pump the water out manually. But the crewman began to feel unwell and left the hold, only to find Mr Sterkis unconscious when he returned. After raising the alarm, the crewman returned to the hold but collapsed.

A medic was called from a nearby platform support vessel by Mr Thores, and the two crewmen were airlifted to hospital, but Mr Sterkis died from his exposure to the dangerous fumes.

Following the case, MCA area

manager Captain Bill Bennett, said this was an accident which should never have happened. ‘The dangers of using of a petrol engine in a confined space are well known,’ he pointed out. z The owner/skipper of a fishing vessel who was accused of putting the reputation of the UK fishing industry at risk by flouting health and safety rules was sent to prison last month.

Michael Roy Stimson was given a four-month custodial sentence after pleading guilty to not showing navigation lights, employing crew who had not completed safety training and to using his vessel, Alicia, while it was unregistered.

Southampton Crown Court heard that the vessel had been boarded by a fisheries protection team in October 2013 who noted that the navigation lights had been turned off and the decks were awash. After their evidence was passed to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, Alicia was detained on the grounds of being dangerously unsafe, with insufficient freeboard and stability.

The vessel had also been seen fishing in Southampton Water — which is closed to fishing due to high e-coli levels — on at least two occasions in 2013 and 2014.

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18/11/2015 14:59

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

NEWS

EU set to ease visa rules for seafarers Lobbying by cruise shipping companies secures a backdown by Brussels

by Justin Stares

Chris Macdonald receives his Shipwrecked Mariners Society award from former First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band

Tug crewman wins award for bravery Southampton-based tug has A been presented with a Shipwrecked A seaman from a

Mariners’ Society award to recognise his ‘heroism and quick thinking’ in helping to save the life of a crew member trapped aboard a capsized vessel.

Solent Towage seafarer Chris Macdonald went to the rescue of a crew member who was spotted inside the wheelhouse of the tug Asterix, which had capsized in strong winds and choppy conditions during a towing operation at the Fawley terminal in March this year.

Mr Macdonald grabbed a sledgehammer and leapt into the water, swimming to the upturned tug. He scrambled up onto the side of the wheelhouse and whilst standing on the window, smashed it so that he dropped into the wheelhouse and was able to extricate his colleague to safety.

The vessel sank a matter of seconds later.

‘Without Chris’s prompt action that night their colleague would have died,’ the award commendation stated. ‘There was

very little of an air pocket remaining in the wheelhouse and if the vessel had sunk with him still inside he would definitely have been lost.

He was hypothermic and barely conscious when recovered from the water.’

Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society chief executive Commodore Malcolm Williams added: ‘We were immensely impressed by Mr Macdonald’s quick thinking and determination and hope this award goes some way to acknowledging the courage he displayed in rescuing a fellow mariner.’

Other winners of this awards included the crew of an RAF helicopter who carried out an ‘outstanding’ rescue of a fishing vessel crewman who went overboard off the coast of the Falkland Islands last July.

And another individual commendation was given to Jake Bowman-Davies, skipper of the fishing vessel Cesca, who, at the age of 16 successfully orchestrated the evacuation of his sinking fishing vessel in order to save the lives of his crew.

Lairdside Maritime Centre

P

Brussels is planning to ease visa restrictions for non-European seafarers working on ships based in Europe, largely as the result of lobbying by the cruise industry.

Visa requirements for seafarers looking to enter Europe’s Schengen zone look set to be diluted so that they can apply earlier. More multiple-entry visas are also likely to be issued.

Cruise lines say crews, many from Asia, have difficulty applying within the timeline proposed

by the European Commission: six months before their intended voyage. Lobbying of the European Parliament and Council of Ministers, where national governments are represented, is underway in an attempt to increase this to 12 months.

Operators also want crew members who have held a visa in the past to be able to apply for multi-entry visas, and also to be given the chance to apply at the external Schengen border.

This last request is unpopular among national governments, according to internal documents

English platform has been F launched online to help standardise A new EU-backed Maritime

and improve the teaching of English to seafarers.

SeaTALK — available at www. seatalk.pro — provides Maritime English teaching materials free of charge, and aims to offer resources suitable for every rank and function of seafarer.

The project has been two years in the making, involving some subject experts familiar from their Telegraph contributions, such as Alison Noble of Antwerp Maritime Academy and Martin Ziarati of C4FF (Centre for the Factories of the Future).

The SeaTALK materials have been developed in accordance with STCW competences, as well as the Common European Framework for Language.

The scheme is also linked to the

Seafarers UK has provided A support to a new scheme to enable The UK maritime charity

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10-11_news.indd 10

liament transport committee debate, several Euro-MPs tabled amendments suggested by industry, after which they were adopted by the whole committee.

Crew visa requirements are a headache for companies, which have to juggle crews outside the EU according to seafarers’ paperwork.

Easing visa applications should also help non-European passengers meet their ships, thereby creating new business, operators argue. z Justin Stares is editor of maritimewatch.eu

Online resource to help improve use of English at sea European Qualification Framework and the European Credit system for Vocational Education and Training.

In a statement last month, the project developers said: ‘We hope that SeaTALK will become a benchmark for learning Maritime English. Easy access to the materials provides the SeaTALK user with the opportunity to improve knowledge and enhance seafaring skills, resulting in safer seas for all concerned.’

As with any new website, www. seatalk.pro is still a work in progress, and visitors are invited to try it out and give feedback — both on the quality of the materials and on the site’s ease of use. Additional study materials were due to be added by the developers at the end of November, and there is also a function for Maritime English teachers to upload and share their own materials.

Mobile reports for missing crew site ECDIS COURSES

circulating in the Commission, though the thrust of the amendments under negotiation would suggest that non-EU seafarers will benefit from a liberalised visa application regime.

Cruise lines have poured serious money into Brussels lobbying over the last decade, and their ability to influence draft EU legislation has increased as a result.

The Commission’s plans to crack down on cruiseship safety following the Costa Concordia disaster were dropped in response to pressure from the owners.

In a recent European Par-

the use of smartphones and tablets to report missing seafarers and fishers to an online reporting platform.

Users of the Missing Seafarers Reporting Programme run by the Human Rights at Sea group will now be able to report missing seafarers and upload documentation about them using mobile devices from anywhere in the world.

The platform was launched in a bid to develop an accurate international database of the status of seafarers and fishermen who go missing. It allows relatives to upload pictures and information about their loved ones.

Seafarers UK director general Barry

Bryant said the charity was pleased to have supported the development of the reporting programme.

‘The technical development of a mobile version of the programme’s Missing Seafarers’ Register is very welcome, and is in keeping with such a fluid and versatile workforce,’ he added.

‘Hopefully this will now aid the loved ones of missing seafarers in uploading information and documents more quickly and easily than before, and Human Rights at Sea, as it continues with its key aim of building an accurate international database of the status of seafarers missing at sea.’ g The site can be viewed at: www. missingseafarers.org

One of the families who have been helped by the donation of a new fishing boat from the Sailors’ Society

Charity helps Filipino families after cyclone helped thousands of Filipinos F from seafaring communities who A maritime charity has

suffered devastating losses in one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded.

The Rebuild Philippines campaign delivered by the Sailors’ Society is providing long-term support for families affected by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, in which more than 6,000 people were killed and millions were left without food, shelter or a livelihood.

An emergency appeal after the disaster saw £225,000 raised by the Sailors’ Society, who partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines and the Homer Foundation to assist those in need.

So far the charity has delivered 48 new typhoon and earthquake resilient homes for seafarers’ families, fishing boats for seafarers’ families who need this supplementary income to get back

on their feet, and a dedicated family outreach worker providing trauma counselling and specialist help.

Around 4,500 schools were damaged or destroyed in the disaster and Sailors’ Society has also built classrooms that double as emergency community shelters.

Two newly-built medical and community centres are also providing vital health facilities and meeting points.

Sandra Welch, Sailors’ Society’s director of programme, said: ‘Thousands of lives are now getting back on track as a result of our joint relief efforts — but the development work is ongoing and, for many, the emotional scars are still healing.

‘In 2016, Sailors’ Society plans to build more homes and medical centres for seafaring communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan, as well as continuing to provide welfare and emotional support,’ she added.

www.irishseafarerstax.ie

18/11/2015 15:01

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

Vigilance warning to ships on piracy

is pictured making a maiden call A to DP World’s Southampton container

The 18,340TEU Mathilde Maersk

terminal at the end of October.

The Danish-flagged vessel was one of the first to visit as part of the new AE2/Swan service between Asia and the UK, operated by the 2M Alliance — Maersk Line and MSC. The companies have 12 ships deployed on the service, which offers a 24-day transit time from Yantian to Southampton and 19 days from Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.

The service rotation also includes Busan, Tianjin/Xingang, Qingdao, Shanghai and Ningbo, Yantian and Tanjung Pelepas, as well as calls at Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Gothenburg and Arhus. Picture: Gary Davies/

warned against complacency on A piracy following new figures showing The shipping industry has been

Maritime Photographic

Felixstowe extension is opened F

A new mega-ship facility has been officially opened at the UK’s largest container port — allowing it to handle two of the world’s largest containerships simultaneously.

The 190m Berth 9 extension at the port of Felixstowe — which takes the quay length to 920m — was opened last month by Therese Coffey, deputy leader of the House of Commons.

Felixstowe is the largest container port in the UK, handling 44% of all UK container traffic. Berths 8 and 9 at the port were the first in the UK to handle the latest generation of giant containerships. To date, more than 80 ships of 18,000-plus TEU have been handled at the port in 2015.

The port has also acquired three new ship-to-shore gantry cranes to work on the extended terminal.

The cranes are capable of working on vessels with containers stacked 10-high and 24-wide on deck.

Dr Coffey said she was delighted to open the new facilities. ‘An ever increasing proportion of UK trade is moving on these huge container ships and UK ports need to provide the facilities they require. Felixstowe was the first port in the UK to handle these vessels and this latest development will help ensure UK exports reach overseas markets in the most efficient way possible.’

Calls for controls on weapon ships Slump in maritime security demand ‘could lead to black market in arms’

P

Nautilus International has backed a security firm’s calls for tighter flag state controls over private maritime security companies (PMSCs) last month — amidst warnings that the scaling back of the Indian Ocean high-risk piracy area could lead to arms flooding onto the black market.

ESC Global Security (ESCGS) said last month that the decline in Somalia piracy means that more PMSCs who had provided protection against pirates operating in the region are expected to close, with vast stores of floating armouries remaining unaccounted for.

The number of licenced PMSCs has halved over the past four years as a result of the reduction in the requirement for security aboard

merchant vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden. There are reports that as many as 70 PMSCs have already gone out of business and a further 20 could fold if the threat of attacks remains low.

‘The geographical reduction to the Indian Ocean HRA from 1 December is good news for shipping, but my main concern is what will happen to the arsenal of very sophisticated weapons that bankrupt PMSCs have stored in floating armouries,’ said ESCGS chief operating officer Madis Madalik.

He said many security firms have stored weapons onboard floating armouries in international waters, but that maritime storage is currently unregulated — even though there are estimates that around 15,000 weap-

ons and four million rounds of ammunition could be stored in Indian Ocean armouries alone.

Mr Madalik questioned what may happen to weapons if clients are unable to pay to get them back for decommissioning or proper disposal. ‘There is certainly no register of vessels or barges operating as armouries and no inventories of the weapons they store,’ he warned.

He said the lack of regulation was ‘a major concern’ that could irrevocably damage the reputation of the PMSC industry.

A report commissioned by the Remote Control Project and published in December 2014 found that none of the more than 30 vessels being used as floating armouries have been purposebuilt and therefore may not have

safe and secure storage for arms and ammunition.

The first steps to regulate the weapons rental market are being taken with flag states beginning to implement measures to ensure the weapons used are only those owned or licensed by the PMSC hired by the shipowner.

However, there are warnings that ship masters may become responsible for checking license documents against weapon serial numbers before security personnel come onboard.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘It is hoped this is neither a premature decision, nor brought about for political convenience. There are possible consequences that flag and coastal states may have to address.’

no successful attacks off Somalia or in the Gulf of Aden this year.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) also noted that a crackdown on piracy in SE Asia appears to be bearing fruit, with only two hijackings reported in the third quarter of the year.

IMB director Pottengal Mukundan said ‘robust action’ taken by the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities ‘is precisely the type of deterrent required’.

The IMB said 190 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were recorded in the first nine months of 2015 — compared with 178 in the same period last year. A total of 86 mainly low-level incidents took place off Indonesia and 19 off Vietnam. While only one actual attack was reported for the last quarter in the Gulf of Guinea, the IMB believes the real number to be considerably higher.

Its report said 154 vessels were boarded around the world between the start of the year and the end of September, with 15 vessels being hijacked. A total of 226 crew were taken hostage, of which 14 were assaulted, 13 injured, 10 kidnapped and one killed.

The IMB urged shipowners and seafarers to remain vigilant against the threat of attack — warning of the ‘increasingly fragile’ situation ashore in Somalia. It said the presence of naval forces and the use of Best Management Practices by merchant ships have been key factors in the decline in Indian Ocean piracy.

However, there are concerns that many governments are seeking to withdraw warships from the area when the NATO and EU mandates expire at the end of 2016.

John Steed, from Oceans Beyond Piracy, warned: ‘The pirates haven’t gone away — they are still holding 50 hostages — and the could easily go back to taking vessels again.’

GET A HEAD START AT SEA UK trainer gets ISO award training provider has achieved A international certification for the A Plymouth-based maritime

standard of training it provides.

Western Maritime Training has been awarded ISO 9001:2008 certification by Quality Management Systems (QAS) for its commercial maritime training which includes the use of a state-of-the-art 270-degree bridge simulator, pictured above, along with three additional smaller bridges.

10-11_news.indd 11

Western Maritime Training Ltd began life 25 years ago providing safety courses for the commercial fishing industry. It now delivers an extensive range of courses across all commercial maritime sectors — including basic mandatory STCW programmes and refresher training, through to management level deck officer qualifications.

Company director Philip Davey said he was delighted to have secured ISO recognition.

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18/11/2015 16:51

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

HEALTH & SAFETY

Pilot boat foundered when hull was holed after bolt came loose of Denmark after being holed F when its driveshaft came loose A pilot boat sank off the coast

following the failure of a bolt, an investigation has revealed.

The Danish Marine Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) said the design and construction of the 15m pilot boat Triton, pictured left, had not been ‘sufficiently robust to withstand such a mechanical malfunction’.

The boat foundered within 10 minutes of the engine compartment flooding when one of the bolts that

Officer killed by cargo’s fumes Investigators warn that other crew could have been killed in rescue attempt

P

Concerns over crews’ awareness of enclosed space hazards have been raised in a Dutch Safety Board report on a fatal accident last year.

The chief engineer of the Dutch-registered general cargoship Lady Irina died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the bow thruster room during a voyage between Russia and Denmark last July.

Investigators warned that other crew members who went to help the officer could easily have lost their lives because they had assumed he had fallen — possibly as a result of a heart attack — and had failed to plan or prepare for the rescue, or to consider oxygen deficiency as a factor.

The report notes that the chief engineer had gone to the bow thruster room to prepare for draining the chain locker ahead of a draught survey in the next port and the alarm was raised when he

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failed to return to his cabin.

All the crew apart from the master took part in the rescue attempts and said they did not use breathing apparatus initially as they did not think air quality was the cause of the chief engineer’s fall.

During the operation to recover the officer, the chief mate lost consciousness and two other crew members had to be taken to hospital ashore to be treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.

The 33,323gt vessel was carrying a cargo of wood pellets and investigations revealed that carbon monoxide from the cargo hold had leaked into spaces in the bow — including the CO2 room and bow thruster room — as a result of a gap in an inspection hatch on a ventilation duct running from the cargo hold through the forecastle.

The fleet manual laid down entry procedures for these spaces

Warning signs on the Lady Irina’s bow thruster room entrance Picture: Dutch Safety Board

and there were warning signs on the access from the forecastle and the bow thruster room. But investigators said crew members did not follow the confined space entry procedures and instead left

the door open for 15 to 20 minutes before going in, considering the natural ventilation would be sufficient to minimise the risks of a hazardous atmosphere.

‘This accident shows that for this kind of incident, it is important that crew think first of their own safety, estimate the possible risks, discuss and share tasks between the crew, ensure that the correct personal protective equipment is available, and then start with the real assistance,’ the report states.

The Safety Board said the ship’s owner — Wijnne Barends — has responded to the accident by introduced a new ‘first entry’ procedure for entering confined spaces, involving the use of extra multi-gas meters onboard its vessels. The report welcomes the new policy, but warns that it will rely on ‘discipline from the crew’ and checks will need to be made on the way it is implemented.

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Dutch-flagged ship ran aground off the coast of Finland.

The 2,229gt general cargoship Lady Hester, pictured right, touched the bottom and ran aground in the 6.1m deep Ruotsinsalmi channel off Kotka in December last year with visibility down to between 100m and 200m and just the master and the pilot on the bridge.

The Finnish Safety Investigation Authority said the master had sent the watchman to get some sleep because he wanted to prepare for loading work on the following day and to ensure that rest periods were maintained.

But investigators said the master became overloaded without a

helmsman and a lookout in the poor conditions. ‘In the prevailing circumstances rudder work was a difficult task and would have required undivided attention,’ it added.

The visibility was so poor at the first pair of spar buoys that the unlit green spar buoy only became visible at midships when the vessel was

passing it, the report noted, and navigation was mainly based on the vessel’s ECDIS display and the pilot’s portable electronic chart device.

After the ship touched the bottom, the bow thruster failed because of frequency variations in the shaft generator and it became impossible to stabilise its course, the report added.

held the aft shaft drive link worked loose and fell out, causing the shaft to rotate uncontrollably and penetrate the aluminium hull.

In a report on the incident, the DMAIB said it highlighted ‘the importance of having a preventive maintenance programme in place on smaller boats that have little or no redundancy in terms of residual buoyancy or emergency bilge pumps’.

Investigators said the bolts on the shaft were not of the grade specified in the technical documents and had not been fastened in accordance with

the manufacturer’s specifications by the sub-contractor which had been hired by the pilot company to realign the driveshaft.

The DMAIB said the incident highlighted the importance of having life-saving equipment readily available on small vessels. The lone crew member had managed to abandon the craft in a controlled and calm manner because he responded quickly and inflated the life raft almost immediately after spotting the ingress of water, it noted.

Picture: DMAIB

Report calls for more checks on state of ropes welcomed the findings of a fatal F accident investigation report that calls Nautilus International has

for tougher checks on the condition of mooring ropes.

A seafarer onboard the Cyprusflagged general cargoship Kurland died when he was hit by a forward head line which broke as the 3,925gt vessel was berthing in the Swedish port of Husum in January 2013.

An investigation by the maritime authorities in Cyprus concluded that the rope was ‘extremely worn’ and its strength had been reduced. The average percentage of failed threads in each strand was found to be 35% and the break occurred as a result of friction damage.

The report notes that the ship was engaged in a ‘difficult mooring operation’ in icy conditions, but that the master’s decision to approach at an angle and use the lines to pull the ship alongside was not unusual.

However, it could not be established if both head lines were on the same capstan or if one was remaining loose

while the other took all the tension.

Investigators said ropes used in conditions of high tension and low temperatures tend to lose their properties earlier than those used in routine service. The report recommended extra crew training to ensure they regularly examine the rope and replace them before they are worn out and also called for port state control and management audit bodies to focus on the condition of ropes during their inspections.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Gaveson commented: ‘It has taken considerable time to produce this report; however, the findings are welcomed. The report makes some useful recommendations; in particular the need to examine and discard worn ropes.’ g Further information is available in the revised UK Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers in chapters 18.33 (general use of ropes), 18.34 (characteristic and examination of ropes) and 26.3 (making fast and casting off).

Carnival tender safety warning review key elements of the use F of tenders following an investigation Carnival UK has been urged to

into the death of a passenger from the Queen Elizabeth earlier this year.

Mary Atherton died from severe head injuries after falling into the gap between a tender and the ship’s port pontoon when she was returning from a visit ashore in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, in April.

An investigation by the Bermuda flag state authorities found that there was a force 4 wind at the time of the accident and the tender was moving up and down by between 1ft and 2ft, as well as yawing away from the pontoon on occasions.

Mrs Atherton — who was said to have walked with difficulty, even with the aid of a stick — fell into the water as the tender yawed away from the pontoon. Crew members managed to hold on to her, bur were forced to let go when the tender yawed back and crushed her against the pontoon.

Investigators said the two lines

securing the tender to the pontoon were insufficient to prevent the yawing. ‘Taking into consideration the uncertain movements of the tender and the known mobility difficulties of the passenger, the disembarkation process should have been stopped until appropriate safe conditions were established,’ the report states.

It recommends that Carnival UK should investigate the feasibility of using ‘suitable safety equipment’ between the tender and the pontoon — such as a removable ramp or brow instead of steps — to prevent falls into the water when embarking or disembarking.

It also urges the company to review its mooring practices for tenders and to revisit the workplace risk assessment for tender operations, as well as recommending a review of the training and competency requirements for seafarers undertaking ‘special tasks’ that may not be covered by the STCW Convention provisions.

18/11/2015 16:47

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Ferry fire set off by failed valve

Experience ‘is key factor’ in engine claims

Investigators found ‘vital safety aid’ had not been checked for 23 years

P

An engineroom fire onboard a P&O ferry last year was caused by the failure of a pressure safety valve that had never been functionally tested or inspected in the 23 years since the ship was built, an investigation has revealed.

The 30,635gt Pride of Canterbury suffered extensive damage in the area of the starboard main engines when the blaze broke out as the ship was approaching the port of Calais with 337 passengers and 113 crew onboard in September last year.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found that the fire began when hydraulic oil had sprayed from a ruptured pipework joint in the starboard controllable pitch propeller (CPP) system onto the hot exhaust uptakes of the starboard main engines.

The joint failed as a result of a build-up of pressure when a back pressure valve in the CPP hydraulic system jammed shut.

The bridge team had declutched the shaft when they noticed the CPP was not responding to the controls on the approach to port and the chief engineer had manually started the CPP system standby pump to maintain oil circulation.

Investigators noted that the pressure safety valves are a ‘vital’ safety aid and need to be checked to ensure that they function correctly.

However, they had never been tested since the ship was built and while the system manual covered

Main engine claims by vessel type 2012-2014 Picture: The Swedish Club

F

Fire damage around the Pride of Canterbury’s starboard main engines Picture: MAIB

annual tests of the pressure safety valve and back pressure valve, it did not specify how the testing was to be achieved.

The report argues that it would be ‘prudent’ for CPP systems not to have a single point of failure and it also points out that an effective joint shield would have prevented the oil from spraying onto the hot exhaust uptakes.

‘The shielding of joints, which is a requirement for ships constructed on or after 1 July 2002 and recommended for other ships in respect of pressurised flammable oil systems, was a relatively easy modification that could have

been carried out retrospectively,’ it adds.

Another ‘critical missing safety feature’ was the absence of a high pressure alarm, the report points out.

While the hi-fog system was highly effective in tackling the blaze, investigators noted that the fire was able to spread from the immediate vicinity of the engines — which was ‘not helped by combustible materials, including wooded packaging, that were located near the source of the fire’.

The report praises the ‘swift and timely response’ of the crew and notes that the regular emer-

gency drills held onboard had enabled good team working.

P&O has taken a series of measures in response to the incident, and the engine manufacturer Wärtsilä has issued a technical bulletin instructing that back pressure valves should be replaced after 15 years.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘This is yet another example of where the shipping industry continually fails to ensure a standard of safety found in other industries. Credit must go to the master and crew who ensured a safe return to port.’

MCA calls for use of lifeboat fall preventer devices Agency is ‘strongly urging’ A operators of UK ships equipped with The Maritime & Coastguard

lifeboat on-load release systems to fit fall preventer devices.

In a Marine Guidance Notice issued last month, the Agency explains the new SOLAS Convention

requirements for lifeboat release and retrieval systems which entered into force in January 2013 in a bid to cut the number of accidents during lifeboat drills.

It points out that existing systems which do not comply with the revised LSA Code must be replaced by the first

scheduled dry-docking after 1 July 2014 and no later than 1 July 2019.

The Agency says it strongly urges that all UK vessels fitted with on-load release systems should be equipped with FPDs to reduce the risk of accidental on-load hook release and that FPDs should be used until the

‘Keep a camera with you’ been urged to ensure goodA quality digital cameras are kept on Owners and operators have

their ships to enable crews to collect vital evidence following accidents.

The London P&I Club says experts need clear images to provide early remote assistance with incidents and the immediate actions required, and insurers need evidence of the alleged damage and the losses suffered.

Digital photographs are particularly useful in fixed object claims, which can often lead to a remarkably large bill for repairs and loss of use, it states.

Writing in the latest issue of the

12-13_h+s.indd 13

club’s StopLoss Bulletin, Mike Harrison of marine consultancy Solis Marine Consultants, points out: ‘In many cases, the immediate task of collecting and preserving evidence lies with the master and crew.

‘Good photographs taken as soon as possible after the event are invaluable, and can easily be shared by email with a remote expert for instant advice on key issues. The expert can then identify where further detail might be useful, the signs of prior damage and perhaps dilapidation or poor design.’

The club says a decent camera capable of storing and taking quality

images can be bought for $100 and the specification should include at least 8X optical zoom, built-in flash and video function, at least 10 megapixels resolution, two 8GB or larger blank SD cards (pre-formatted) and checked for operation, a spare battery pack and mains charger with ship-compatible plug The camera should be kept on the bridge, fully charged with an empty storage card. Most cameras have an internal clock which should be checked and set to UTC. This time-stamp is used when the image file is stored, essential when the chronology of events could be questioned, the club adds.

ship has a system that meets the IMO standards.

The notice also applies to davit-launched lifeboats fitted with on-load release hooks and any similar on-load release systems if fitted to rescue boats, the MCA adds. g More information — see page 42.

Inexperienced seafarers and incorrect maintenance have been identified in a new study as key factors in the continuing high number of main engine damage incidents.

A report published by the Swedish Club last month warns that main engine incidents account for almost half of all machinery claims costs, with an average claim per vessel of US$545,000, and it urges owners to invest in training as part of a programme to cut the number of cases.

‘The latest survey has shown that most main engine claims are as a direct and indirect result of incorrect maintenance,’ the report states.

‘Numerous cases have been noted where damage occurs shortly after the engines have been overhauled by ship or shore staff. This emphasises the importance of correct maintenance.’

‘We are seeing crew with insufficient experience and training; experts not in attendance at major overhauls; contaminated lubrication oil and contaminated bunkers; and engine components not operated or overhauled as per management instructions,’ said club director Lars Malm.

‘It is a catalogue of errors which can only be remedied by the implementation of a proper management system, backed up by comprehensive audit and inspection.’

The report points to recurring problems such as insufficient planning, non-compliance with procedures, unclear or inadequate procedures, and insufficient reporting and follow-up work.

Noting shortcomings in seafarer training, it stresses the importance of monitoring by shore staff and warns

that ‘there is a significant risk that officers are being promoted before they have acquired the necessary experience for senior command’.

The rate of incidents has remained stable over the past decade, the study notes, but container and dry cargo ships are experiencing a disproportionately high number of claims.

Containerships, it points out, account for 47% of the total cost of main engine claims but only 37% of the total fleet. Korean-built ships account for 31% of the fleet but only 12% of claims costs, while Chinesebuilt ships total almost 30% of the fleet and 36% of claim costs.

The club found a higher claim rate for medium and high speed engines, and said V-configured engines have a 42% higher average claim cost than inline engines.

By contrast, low speed engines total 57% of the fleet, but only 40% of main engine claims cost. Four-stroke main engines experience 2.5 times more claims than two-strokes, the report adds.

The survey found that bearing damage is now the most costly type of main engine claim, with an average bill of just over $1.6m — up by 110% since the last survey, which covered the period between 2005 and 2011. Other common claims include camshafts, cylinder liners, cylinder covers, fuel pumps and pistons.

Lubrication failure is still the most expensive cause of damage, the club notes, and contaminated lube oil and contaminated bunkers are among the most common causes of damage, along with purifiers not being operated in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions.

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18/11/2015 16:47

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports SEISMIC PROTEST: French unions have protested over plans for fresh cutbacks in the CGG seismic vessel fleet which will halve the number of seafarers serving with the company. CGG said it needed to restructure its operations and withdraw five more ships from service after chalking up a US$1bn net loss in the third quarter of this year. The company’s fleet has already been reduced from 18 ships in 2013 to 11 this year and its global workforce has been cut by 25% over the same period. Unions have urged members to protest to the government, which has an 11% stake in the company.

SMUGGLERS JAILED: eighteen people, including two containership masters and six dockworkers, have been jailed by a French court for their part in a cigarette smuggling ring. The illicit cargoes were transported onboard the Antigua & Barbuda-flagged boxships Susan and Myriam Bochard, whose Lithuanian and Ukrainian masters were each imprisoned for 18 months.

SHEPHERD’S SHIP: work has begun in Turkey on a new ship for the marine environment protest group Sea Shepherd. Due to come into service next year, the new vessel is a customised version of the Sea Axe design offshore support vessel, with a strengthened hull and hybrid propulsion.

LOCK AID: the European Investment Bank has agreed to provide €165m towards the costs of a new sea lock at IJmuiden, Amsterdam’s main access port. The existing Noordersluis lock was built in 1929 and the new facility will be able to take bigger ships and operate in all tides.

Unions attack Danish policy ‘International register is a threat to national seafarers’

by Andrew Draper

P

Danish seafaring unions have launched a fresh attack on the country’s international ship register, DIS, for its continuing failure to deliver domestic jobs — something employers promised when it became law in 1989.

Danish officers’ union SL has seized on fresh data from the national maritime authority showing a record low number of Danes employed on DIS-flagged ships, despite the fleet being at record levels.

Danes managed to make up only 27.7% of the overall workforce in DIS last year — down from 55.9% in 2002. SL said 83% of navigation officers on DIS ships

were Danish in 2000 but by last year the figure had dipped to just 46.5%.

A big influx of seafarers from other EU or EEA countries has been keenly felt, with the proportion of Danish engineers falling from 80% in 2000 to just 37% in 2014.

Addressing the Danish trade union congress LO in October, Henrik Berlau, of the 3F union, made a stinging attack on the DIS register. He told delegates there would soon be no Danish seafarers left under the flag, and noted that 200,000 jobs had left Denmark since 2007.

He said the cost to the state had been large, with orders going to China and India, and at the same time a flight of tax capital had

emptied the coffers.

Mr Berlau called on the LO leadership to work to bring the DIS legislation into line with international conventions which Denmark has ratified through the ILO. The DIS Act explicitly prevents Danish unions from negotiating on behalf of the 5,000 foreigndomiciled seafarers working on DIS ships.

Anne Trolle, director of the Danish Shipowners’ Association, said she was pleased the number of the country’s merchant fleet had hit an all-time high after rising from 12.3m gt to 15.5m gt over the past 18 months. According to owners, the national fleet now employs 23,221 people, up from 23,048 in 2014.

CABLE CUT: a merchant ship has been blamed for breaking an underwater cable linking France and Algeria, resulting in the loss of 80% telecoms capacity to the north African nation. The damage was repaired by the French-flagged vessel Raymond Croze.

IRANIAN EXPANSION: Iran’s biggest shipping company, IRISL, is planning to order a series of 18,000TEU-plus containerships as part of a plan to expand its fleet of 158 ships in response to the ending of western trade sanctions.

GAS SUPPORT: the German operator Wessels Reederei has received a ‘seven figure’ government grant to retrofit its 2011-built containership Wes Amelie to run on LNG instead of heavy fuel oil in the first conversion of its kind in the world.

CAT RESCUE: the French-flagged containership CMA CGM Rossini rescued two men off the South African coast last month two days after their 16m catamaran capsized following a collision with a whale some 50nm off East London.

DOCKER DIES: a dockworker was crushed to death after being caught between two containers on a vessel deck during loading operations at Vuosaari Harbour in Helsinki, Finland. Local police are investigating the incident.

A

Pictured above is Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship — the 165,1570gt Norwegian Escape — leaving Germany before being christened in Miami last month.

Built by Meyer Werft within the space of 17 months, the Bahamas-flagged ship is the largest in the company’s 14-strong fleet and can accommodate up to 4,248

have welcomed their A government’s decision to bring in

German unions and shipowners

100% income tax and social security concessions for seafarers.

Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the move at the National Maritime Conference last month — promising that it would bring the German fleet into line with other countries and ensure that maximum use is made of EU state aid guidelines.

But she also warned the owners that she expected them to demonstrate a clear commitment to the German flag in return for the aid. At present, only 368 of the 3,244 German-owned vessels are on the national register.

Alfred Hartman, president of the German Shipowners’ Association (VDR) said the measures should help to boost domestic seafarer employment and training. ‘We have a Chancellor who understands the maritime industry and knows what it needs,’ he added. ‘She has made it clear how important is the nautical and technical knowledge of our sailors for the entire maritime industry. Now, if we get the framework in Germany which is common to our European neighbours, we can halt the downward trend in German seafarers being employed.’

Ms Merkel told the conference that the income tax concession for seafarers on ships flying the German flag will be raised from 40% to 100% and implemented in legislation in the short term. Social security contributions for seafarers will also be fully refunded, she added.

The Verdi union welcomed the announcement, which came after an academic expert, Professor Ralf Converts, warned a decline in German seafarer numbers — now totalling fewer than 7,000 — could pose a risk to pilotage, ship management and other maritime businesses.

The union said the measures should be linked to requirements for shipowners to train and employ German nationals.

Canadian calls for ITF warning over policy makeover Australian cuts Union of Canada is to have F early talks with the country’s new

The Seafarers’ International

government — calling for new measures to strengthen cabotage laws to protect local maritime jobs.

SIU president James Given said the union welcomed the Liberal Party’s election victory and is ‘eager to start working with the government and develop a maritime policy that works for our Industry after years of neglect’.

The major issue for the SIU is the use of low-cost foreign crews in domestic shipping services.

‘Temporary work permits lose Canadian seafarers more than 2,100 jobs a year. We currently have a lawsuit on this issue and will see where it goes under the new government,’ Mr Given added.

SIU believes there is ‘a real

14-15_int.indd 14

passengers and 1,641 crew. Norwegian Escape will also be the largest-ever cruise ship to homeport year-round in Miami, operating weekly seven-day cruises to the eastern Caribbean, with calls including St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, and Nassau, Bahamas.

Germany increases seafarer tax aid

opportunity to strengthen our cabotage laws and open new markets in shortsea shipping and other sectors, and to start the process of educating the government on what the maritime sector means and how it supports 225,000 direct and indirect jobs,’ he said.

The union also wants to discuss its concerns about the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement treaty (CETA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

CETA would open Canadian cabotage to EU vessels in the movement of empty containers, feedering services between Montreal and Halifax, and dredging.

‘We oppose the maritime provisions of CETA as well as those affecting other parts of the economy,’ Mr Given said.

Workers’ Federation (ITF) has A urged a US aluminium company to The International Transport

rethink a decision to sack Australian seafarers and replace them with lowcost foreign crews.

The company, Alcoa, says it plans to sell the Australian-flagged general cargoship Portland, which trades exclusively between the states of Western Australia and Victoria, but to maintain the route with a flag of convenience ship — resulting in 40 Australian job losses.

ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith said the move was a direct attack on the principle of cabotage protection and an unacceptable case of social dumping.

‘The principle of cabotage is important for a number of reasons, including retaining and nurturing

maritime skills, national security, sovereignty and the right to work in one’s own country,’ she pointed out.

‘It’s a very important campaign for the ITF and it’s very upsetting that a hugely profitable company would engage in a race to the bottom by utilising a FoC ship on a domestic route.’

Maritime Union of Australia national secretary Paddy Crumlin said the company had been using Australian-flagged and crewed ships for more than 50 years.

He added: ‘Alcoa has profited off the back of Australian workers for many decades and is now using a loophole in Australia’s Coastal Trading Act to undermine cabotage. It’s a contemptible act by the company that the loyal, hard-working seafarers are being scrapped in order to save a couple of bucks.’

18/11/2015 17:34

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

Crew’s conditions were unlawful Swiss-Italian operator MSC A Cruises to pay damages to 11 Brazilian A court in Brazil has ordered

seafarers after ruling that their working conditions were unlawful.

The case was brought by the country’s Public Defence Office after authorities ‘rescued’ the crew members from the Panamaflagged MSC Magnifica in the port of Salvador last year when they lodged complaints about their treatment.

The seafarers claimed they had been forced to work up to 18 hours a day and as much as 93 hours a week, and were also subjected to bullying, abuse and sexual harassment.

They also complained of poor food — with one crew member saying that she had lost 14 kilos in weight during three months

The MSC Cruises’ vessel MSC Magnifica Picture: Eric Houri

onboard. Others testified that they had been forced to carry out unpaid

overtime, with threats of dismissal if they refused.

The labour court upheld their complaints and ordered the payment of fines, wages, overtime and ‘moral damages’ equivalent to US$85,000.

It said there was evidence to show ‘serious violations’ of the collective bargaining agreement for the ship and of the Maritime Labour Convention requirements.

MSC denied the allegations and said it would appeal against the ruling, stating that the company ‘fully complies with the standards of national and international work and is collaborating with the competent authorities’.

MSC said it had four ships operating in Brazilian waters last year and several inspections had been carried out without any irregularities being found.

France introduces tonnage tax plan Seafaring unions question whether new rules will generate extra jobs

by Jeff Apter

P

French shipping companies have welcomed the country’s new tonnage tax system, which came into effect last month following European Commission approval.

Maritime unions, however, have doubts about the scheme and remain concerned at the low level of national-flagged shipping.

The French scheme is open to companies where at last 75% of gross revenues derive from the operation of commercial vessels engaged in the transport of cargo, passengers and towage — including special purpose vessels such as cable-layers and offshore supply vessels.

Ships in the French tonnage tax regime will not be required to fly the French flag, but the ‘strategic and commercial management’ of the vessels must be carried out from French territory.

Philippe Chateil, general secretary of the FOMM-CGT officers’ union, said the unions have expressed concern for years at the decline of the French flag and the loss of jobs — particularly in the ferry and oil products transport sectors.

However, the French-controlled fleet is relatively stable at present — totalling 796 vessels as at 1 July this year. There were 301 vessels under the French flag, of which 176 were merchant ships

ecological groups have A welcomed a move by the Brittany Maritime unions and

regional council to demand national government action to remove a flag of convenience ship abandoned in the port of Brest for the past seven years.

The council is urging the government to start forfeiture proceedings against the Greek owners of the Panama-flagged containership Captain Tsarev, pictured above, whose crew were — three down in a year — and 125 were service vessels, an increase of eight.

The CGT union has called for a meeting with prime minister Manual Valls to discuss the ‘sad plight’ of French shipping and measures to prevent a further decline in maritime employment. z Unions representing seafarers serving with the cross-Channel operator Brittany Ferries have

stranded without wages when the ship was towed into port after a mechanical breakdown in 2008.

The French government repatriated the Ukrainian seafarers but other creditors have refused to accept the proposals to sell the ship for scrap, warning that the proceeds will not cover their €1.3m debts.

And the ecological group Mor Glaz had warned against the ship being sold to substandard operators who may use it for people smuggling.

Picture: Eric Houri

cast doubt on the company’s claims to be taking on 400 new permanent staff over a 15-month period.

The company says the jobs are being created as a result of fleet expansion, with a 5.5% increase in passengers over the past year and with this summer’s numbers up by 9% from 2014.

But Michel Le Cavorzin, general secretary of the FNSM-CGT maritime union, questioned the

company’s employment statistics. ‘Many of these jobs are transfers to full-time contracts by employees who have been working on temporary arrangements for far too long — often five to seven years,’ he said.

So far, around 100 transfers have been made, Mr Le Cavorzin added, and the union is awaiting news on the remaining promised 100 full-time jobs while ‘difficult’ negotiations continue on working time. z The future of the troubled French ferry firm SNCM was set to be decided last month — with a long-awaited court ruling on the four bids to take over its ‘lifeline’ Mediterranean services.

The Marseilles commercial court named Corsican transport businessman Patrick Rocca as the favoured candidate to take the company, rejecting rival offers from French-owned Mexico operator Baja Ferries, Corsica Maritima, and the Greek firm Arista.

All the bidders proposed the retention of between 800 and 878 jobs, with Mr Rocca’s plan being to employ 873 people and to safeguard salaries and other conditions. His bid was also backed by the lawyers representing the French state, which has a 25% shareholding in the firm.

The court’s final meeting will establish a timetable for SNCM’s liquidation and a change of name for its successor.

Greek seafarers strike over cuts in conditions A

Greek seafarers staged a four-day strike last month in protest at the austerity measures imposed by the European Union and against cuts in their employment conditions.

The Panhellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO) said the stoppages aimed to highlight the ‘unprecedented demolition’ of members’ employment, pensions and social security rights,

14-15_int.indd 15

pension cuts and unemployment. An initial 48-hour strike was extended for a further two days and affected local ferries, port pilotage and towage services, resulting in vessels being unable to berth or depart from any Greek port.

The action in Piraeus also affected bunker fuel deliveries as barge loadings from refineries were suspended.

The strikes stranded tens of thousands of residents of small islands, prevented agricultural produce from reaching mainland markets and trapped thousands of refugees on eastern Aegean islands. The Greek government had unsuccessfully appealed to the PNO to allow exceptions for ferries transporting refugees and migrants from the islands to the mainland.

shortreports BRITTANY BOOST: unions representing seafarers serving with the cross-Channel operator Brittany Ferries have cast doubt on the company’s claims to be taking on 400 new permanent staff over a 15-month period. The company says the jobs are being created as a result of fleet expansion, with a 5.5% increase in passengers over the past year and with this summer’s numbers up by 9% from 2014. But Michel Le Cavorzin, general secretary of the FNSM-CGT maritime union, questioned the company’s figures. ‘Many of these jobs are transfers to full-time contracts by employees who have been working on temporary arrangements for far too long— often five to seven years,’ he said.

TRADE ROW: US unions have called for President Obama to reject European Union proposals to include maritime transport services in talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement.

They warn that the EU plans could threaten the US Jones Act, which protects the country’s cabotage trades from foreign competition. The unions claim that US economic and security interests would be undermined if EU operators are allowed to run ships on American coastal services.

JAIL RULING: a court in Hong Kong has dismissed an appeal by the master of a ferry who was jailed after an accident in 2012 in which 39 people died. The court upheld an eight-year prison sentence on Captain Lai Sai-ming, arguing that there should be ‘an element of deterrence — particularly for those who are entrusted with the carriage of passengers, whether they be the pilots of ferries or aeroplanes, or the drivers of vehicles, trains or trams’.

ARCTIC PLANS: authorities in Iceland have agreed a feasibility plan with the German company Bremenports for a large, deepwater harbour in Finnafjörður, NE Iceland, to facilitate ‘safe and sustainable’ international Arctic shipping. The port aims to be a base for Arctic oil and gas operations and a hub for trans-Arctic shipping, and will include LNG bunkering facilities and a search and rescue base.

GREEK LEAD: Greece remains top of the world’s overall ship ordering league and has the largest volume of planned new tanker tonnage, with 51 ships of 4.4m gt — equivalent to 25% of the world tanker orderbook.

According to Clarksons, China is in second place for orders, followed by Japan, Saudi Arabia and Norway.

SCRAPPING FALL: the French ecological association Robin des Bois reports a steep fall in the number of ships broken up in the third quarter of this year. It says owners have decided to delay demolition programmes because scrap metal prices have fallen by around 40% over the last year.

TAKEOVER TALKS: the Singapore-based containership company Neptune Orient Lines said last month that it is in potential takeover talks with Maersk and CMA CGM. The French firm is reported to have made a preliminary offer for NOL, which recently announced a third quarter loss of US$96m.

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18/11/2015 17:34

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

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

Follow us on Twitter

All the latest from The Watch Ashore Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Hull, SouthampA ton and Plymouth are still enjoying themselves at Watch Ashore members from our branches in

social activities whilst fundraising for many seafaring charities. We continue to provide huge amounts of support to wives, partners and families whilst their loved ones are at sea. This support comes in the form of fun and friendship or just a quick chat over a cup of coffee or something a little stronger… If you have a UK based partner who might need support when you are away at sea why not look at our new website www. watchashore.co.uk (supported by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board) We continue to help raise awareness of Merchant Navy issues, and currently are hoping to attract new members from the RFA — many of our older members’ husbands sailed as RFA seafarers, but we are aware that our numbers have reduced and hope that this letter may encourage others to find out about us.

Our future social activities are on our website, and we would encourage you to join us at any of the events or just by going on Facebook, where our public page and private members’ group also offer support and friendship.

Members from both Glasgow and Edinburgh

attended this year’s Annual Scottish Service for Seafarers at South Leith Parish Church on 15 November, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Merchant Navy Memorial at the shore.

The service is traditionally attended by the Lord Provost and councillors of the City of Edinburgh together with the High Constable, the master and members of Trinity House of Leith, senior officers and trustees and chaplains of the society — joining with Rev Iain May, honorary chaplain of the Sailors’ Society and minister at South Leith Parish Church.

On 1 November, along with The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE, my husband John and I attended the rededication of the Fishermen’s Memorial Room in Newlyn — a very moving event. Following this on 11 November, longstanding Plymouth members Wendy Hawkins (past Plymouth chairman) and Sue Williams (national vice chairman) held an afternoon tea and flower fundraising event to support the Fishermen’s Mission, with Gina Moore from the mission in attendance. This was another great afternoon and a fun way to raise money for a good cause.

The Plymouth branch of the Watch Ashore is now part of a fundraising effort to provide a more prominent

Merchant Navy monument sited on Plymouth Hoe. The new monument will stand alongside the statue of Sir Francis Drake and the memorials to the armed forces.

It will be dedicated to all those who have served in the British Merchant Navy or fishing fleets in times of peace and war. To support the cause, our Plymouth members have recently held a quiz night with the South West Company of Mariners and a charity fashion drop in day in Torpoint, Cornwall.

In my role as national chairman of the Watch Ashore, I joined the mayor of Plymouth on 3 September to lay a wreath for Merchant Navy Day (left). Also participating were a new RFA cadet who was excited about travelling to start his cadetship at Warsash, and chief officer Ollie Chasteauneuf, who raised the red ensign in support of Seafarers UK’s Red Ensign initiative. The Plymouth branch is delighted that Mila Chasteauneuf, Ollie’s wife, is our latest new member. g Looking forward, we are currently in the process of finalising our 84th anniversary AGM in Bristol from 20-22 May 2016. More details are on our website, as it is going to be something very different this year!

CHRIS RANKIN MBE MNM National chairman and Plymouth branch member of The Watch Ashore

Carisbrooke’s safety culture P

The loss of two or our long-time colleagues onboard our vessel Sally Ann C in March this year has caused immense shock to all of us at Carisbrooke Shipping, where we pride ourselves on having a strong safety culture onboard our vessels.

To ensure that other companies learn as much as possible from our loss, I am writing to clarify the record on some of the points raised in your report (page 12, November edition) and to address some of the assumptions made

by Capt. Michael Lloyd in his

Have your say online Last month we asked: Do you think current maritime education and training programmes are meeting the industry’s needs, now and into the future?

No 67% Yes 33%

This month’s poll asks: Is the US Navy right to bring back celestial navigation training for its new recruits? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 16

letter published in the same edition.

The article states that no warnings were in place at the cargo hold access. However, highly visible warning signs were in place in the immediate vicinity of the hold. We also had posters explaining the dangers of enclosed spaces displayed in all crew accommodation areas.

We have now committed to put these types of signage on all and every access to any enclosed space.

Capt Lloyd suggests our crew had ‘sparse’ equipment and a lack of training. However, as noted by the Isle of Man accident report, we introduced entry to enclosed space drills as early as 2014 ahead of the planned IMO implementation and we ensure that our crews practice enclosed space drills every two months.

The effectiveness of these drills is evidenced by the skilful rescue operation carried out by the crew which was praised in the flag’s report.

Turning to the onboard equipment, all Carisbrooke vessels carry more multigas analyser and portable oxygen meters than is required for use before any crew enter enclosed spaces.

During the rescue of the affected crew, self-contained breathing apparatus, or SCBA, and EEBDs (Emergency Escape Breathing Device) were on hand and used. We have four sets of SCBAs onboard as the vessel can transport dangerous goods.

We also already had a resuscitator onboard with two 2-litre oxygen cylinders, two off valve and bag resuscitators, four 10-litre medical oxygen cylinders, provided the equipment/

flowmeter units are arranged to supply oxygen to two people simultaneously.

Unrelated to this tragedy, but in line with our commitment towards safety, we have now supplied our deepsea vessels with an automatic external defibrillator. This is not part of any mandatory requirement.

Furthermore we have now supplied all vessels with rescue tripods with winches and additional harnesses. Again, these are also not part of a mandatory requirement.

The IoM Ship Registry has stated very clearly that it is satisfied that we have addressed all recommendations in the

report including amending and issuing new procedures, prior to the issue of their report. Also the report notes ‘…despite the amount of shore training provision, the amount of shipboard training provision, and enclosed space rescue drills. The message about the dangers associated with entering such spaces has apparently still not permeated the human psyche’. (Report No. CA121, page 33).

Enclosed space deaths are tragically nothing new and we urge other shipping companies to heed our upsetting experience and ensure drills and warnings are followed closely to guarantee crew safety.

Perhaps even more importantly, we encourage shipping companies to share our tragic story and others like it, with all seafarers because, as this case demonstrates, procedures, equipment and training alone are not enough to prevent these tragedies, we must find ways to ensure that an understanding of the invisible dangers of enclosed spaces ‘permeates the psyche’ of every seafarer.

Capt. BOGDAN COJOCARU-ASSOCRINA Marine Manager Designated Person Ashore & Deputy Company Security Officer Internal Auditor ISM/ISPS/ISO 9001/ ISO 14001 & MLC Internal Inspector Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd

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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

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18/11/2015 16:02

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

www.thefreakywave.com

telegraph Use our experience

and let us pass it on November Telegraph about the F US Navy’s decision to renew celestial

With reference to the article in the

navigation training for its recruits, I also received an email from my spy at the IMO. I fully agree with his subject field: ‘There is a god after all and he may be an American Admiral!’

Now I’m retired I am of no account, but I still mourn the demise of basic skills and instincts and fear for the future. I am astonished that the USN stopped celestial navigation training 15 years ago, so that a huge cohort of young officers have missed a chance of bedding in knowledge and skills.

Learning navigation requires a

Jesuitical approach: get ‘em young and you have them for life. I hope that our Navy has been a bit more sensible.

Meanwhile, before the full rollout of ECDIS to existing standards is completed, the UKHO is urging ship owners to liaise with equipment manufacturers over the new standards. Am I thick, or is there something missing here? Where are the consultations with practising navigators?

I must stop or I will drop into ‘rant’ mode — I’ll go and talk to my tomatoes — a true meeting of minds.

Captain A. IAN HALE mem no 89709

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Aviation comparison is not always valid P

I read the comments on the findings of the recently published Marine Accident Investigation Branch report about the first onboard a DFDS ferry in May 2014.

I haven’t read the report in detail, but I noted Allan Graveson’s comment at the end asking why the shipping industry ‘tolerates repetitive incidents’ when the aircraft industry doesn’t and inviting us to comment. To which ‘incidents’ is Allan alluding? I made a brief check into the dispersion of MAIB investigations since 1 January 2014 and found the following: Contacts, five; collisions, four; groundings, three; capsize and/or flooding, three; fires (including one sinking), three; structural failure, two; plus a host of singleton events such as man overboard, lifeboat release, fall, disappearance, CO

poisoning, etc.

I’m afraid I can’t get hot under the collar about MAIB reports and their findings. I was involved in one some years ago and my impression was that learned and knowledgeable though the investigation team undoubtedly is, they are masters of judgement in hindsight.

It is well known that any fire has got to be jumped on fast. Did I say fast? Yes — FAST! This means that mistakes can and do get made. Usually, fast response saves the day, even when mistakes are made, but sometimes there is a cock-up and some poor devil makes the wrong call.

I would also challenge the assertion that the aviation industry does not tolerate repetitive incidents. To cite a couple of cases, the Boeing 737 hydraulic rudder servo control valve and the Boeing Dreamliner

battery pack. Unlike whoever was involved in the contacts, collisions and groundings mentioned above, a pilot at fault in an air accident does not often get a second chance.

There is a reason why the maritime industry is more lax than the aviation industry.

Compensation. It all boils down to filthy lucre in the end. The chances of an airline getting away with sloppy practices are far less than a shipping company losing the odd seafarer or two, when there are hundreds of distraught relatives united in grief and anger. In spite of this, I’m sure we have all heard the stories of planes circling over London running on fumes because of penny-pinching.

So the lesson really has to be ‘Look after your own safety because nobody else will — not really’.

Name & no supplied

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16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 17

Tel No: +44(0)1506 463 227 Fax No: +44(0)1506 468 999 Email: info@emailws.com Web: www.witherbyseamanship.com

STAFF editor: Andrew Linington senior reporter: Sarah Robinson reporter: Steven Kennedy Dutch correspondent: Hans Walthie production editor: June Cattini-Walker ADVERTISING Redactive Media Group 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Display adverts: Jude Rosset tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 Jude.rosset@redactive.co.uk Recruitment adverts: John Seaman tel: +44 (0)20 7880 8541 tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6200 email: info@redactive.co.uk website: www.redactive.co.uk Although the Telegraph exercises care and caution before accepting advertisements, readers are advised to take appropriate professional advice before entering into any commitments such as investments (including pension plans). Publication of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation and Nautilus International cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods and services offered in advertisements. Organisations offering financial services or insurance are governed by regulatory authorities and problems with such services should be taken up with the appropriate body.

Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

Telegraph got it wrong about Maersk officers this month’s Telegraph that a F PAW meeting was held for officers I am disappointed to read in

serving with Maersk Tankers, whilst the meeting was with Maersk Line officers, and that in the article concerning the transfer of ships from the UK flag, we only have 170 British officers.

For the record, there are almost 170 British masters and chief engineers serving with Maersk Line,

the total number of officers excluding cadets is more than double that figure. As of today, there are 699 British and Irish seafarers employed onboard Maersk Group vessels, excluding Svitzer. Of these, we have the following numbers with serving Maersk Line: 169 are senior officers and 259 junior officers and cadets.

NIGEL LEHMANN-TAYLOR Head of UK Shipping The Maersk Company Limited

Poor operators still gravitate towards flags of convenience the executive vice-president F of Vanuatu Maritime Services (Open

With reference to the letter from

registries are not all bad, November Telegraph), it is true that following a letter to them from me the Vanuatu Register wrote a very forceful letter to the owners of the detained bulk carrier Wisla reminding them of their responsibilities.

Their action in doing so was most welcome and was in stark contrast to some of the responses I have had from other flag of convenience administrations. There is no doubt that their stance added to the pressure on the company to do the right thing.

However, that in itself did not force the company to meet its obligations to the crew. The vessel was already detained by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency for the nonpayment of wages up to the end of August and would not be released until they were paid.

But rather than insist that the crew be repatriated, as they had requested, the MCA issued a deficiency notice in respect of the crew claim for repatriation and gave the company a couple of weeks to put this right.

Therefore the crew had to resort to

employing the services of a solicitor to arrest the vessel for repatriation costs and for wages owed up to the date of repatriation. It was the detention and subsequent arrest which prevented the vessel from sailing and the crew being paid and repatriated rather than the letter from the Vanuatu administration.

The ITF will continue to tackle the abuse of seafarers and cannot be held responsible for the fact that operators at the worst end of the industry gravitate towards flags of convenience where the records show we find most problems. Something obviously attracts them. There are also plenty of decent operators in the same sector.

And of course the ITF will from time to time be required to assist seafarers sailing on vessels registered under traditional, national flags — what FoC administrations refer to as closed registers.

Readers — including the Vanuatu Register — may be interested to learn that at the time of writing the vessel is once again arrested for non-payment by the same Manchester-based lawyers who represented the crew. This time in Greece for unpaid bunkers.

TOMMY MOLLOY Nautilus/ITF inspector

ISSN 0040 2575 Published by Nautilus International Printed by William Gibbons.

GENERAL SECRETARY Mark Dickinson MSc (Econ) HEAD OFFICE 1&2 The Shrubberies George Lane, South Woodford London E18 1BD tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015 www.nautilusint.org NETHERLANDS OFFICE Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Postbus 8575, 3009 AN Rotterdam tel: +31 (0)10 4771188 fax: +31 (0)10 4773846 NORTHERN OFFICE Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801 SWITZERLAND OFFICE Gewerkschaftshaus, Rebgasse 1 4005 Basel, Switzerland tel: +41 (0)61 262 24 24 fax: +41 (0)61 262 24 25 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.

18/11/2015 15:39

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

YOUR NEWS

Maritime accolade for Union website Mission’s fundraiser offers a rousing start to the festive season will be holding its Festival F of Nine Lessons and Carols in The Mission to Seafarers

London this month — celebrating Christmas and raising funds for the Mission’s work with seafarers and their families around the world.

Last year’s event brought in over £60,000, and this year promises to be even bigger and better.

Lloyd’s Choir (pictured above) will be leading the singing on 9 December, with performances of John Joubert’s modern classics Torches and There is no Rose. And in the usual way of such concerts, the audience will be able to join in with

favourite carols such as Once in Royal David’s City, While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night, and The First Nowell.

g A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols 9 December 2015, 18.00-21.00 St Michael Paternoster Royal, near Cannon Street, London, UK The service will be followed by a drinks reception at Skinners’ Hall g Tickets are £30.00

To book, contact Ravina Patel on +44 (0)20 7246 2915 or ravina. patel@missiontoseafarers.org

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Nautilus International has picked up a commendation for its new website in the 2015 Maritime Media Awards, which honour outstanding contributions from journalists, writers and filmmakers whose work deepens understanding of Britain’s dependence on the sea.

Presenting the certificate of merit for the First Sea Lord’s Digital Media Award, broadcaster Martin Muncaster paid tribute to the ‘impressive relaunch of the Nautilus International website, which is well designed and easy to use, offering clear and concise information to the maritime community throughout the world’.

He said the range of material and the way it is displayed ‘makes this a leading multilingual website for all working within the maritime sector’.

Debbie Cavaldoro, head of strategic campaigning, received the award — remarking on the teamwork which had helped to overcome the ‘technological

Debbie Cavaldoro, head of strategic campaigning and Andrew Linington, director of campaigns and communications for Nautilus at the Maritime Media Awards

nightmare’ of dealing with the complexities of website design and construction.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Media Awards, held annually

in memory of former Daily Telegraph naval correspondent Desmond Wettern. Other award winners included former Merchant Navy officer Professor Alistair Couper, who was

presented with the Maritime Fellowship Award to honour his outstanding contribution to stimulating public engagement in maritime issues. After serving at sea, he became a prominent academic and writer, heading the Department of Maritime Studies and International Transport at the University of Cardiff, Wales, and serving as director of the Seafarers International Research Centre.

The Desmond Wettern Media Award for best journalistic contribution went to Rear Admiral Chris Parry and the Mountbatten Award for best literary was presented to Professor Barry Gough for Pax Britannica, a history of the British Empire between 1815 and 1914.

National Geographic and Windfall Films picked up the Donald Gosling Award for best television contribution, for the documentary Raising the Costa Concordia, while the National Museum of the Royal Navy was the winner of the Digital Media Award.

Seafarers shine at Lord Mayor’s Show Members’ MLC masterclass members, officials and guests F from across the Dutch maritime Pictured above are Nautilus

industry who attended the latest Union-led course discussing the articles and provisions of the MLC in Rotterdam last month.

Charles Boyle, director of legal services, was joined by Jorg Wendt

from the Union’s strategic yachting partner D&B Services to deliver the seminar.

Attendees discussed a number of issues and topics, ranging from how breaches of the convention are dealt with to the delegation of a flag state’s responsibilities to competent organisations.

Nautilus reaches out to cadets and pupils

conducted two college visits last F month to inform new entrants, and Nautilus International

those interested in pursuing a career at sea, about how the Union supports and protects maritime professionals.

Senior assistant organisers Lee Moon and Danny McGowan gave a talk to cadets who had recently enrolled at Liverpool John Moores University about some of the issues they may face as they embark on their careers and how the Union can support them.

Mr Moon and Mr McGowan also hosted a stall at the National Maritime College of Ireland open day.

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They explained to school leavers the options that are available for those who embark on a career at sea and how the Union is there to support maritime professionals, from cadets to masters and shoreside workers.

‘Attending events such as these are an important part of the Union’s work,’ said Mr Moon. ‘Whilst all the training colleges Nautilus works with provide their students with a great deal of support, it is vital that cadets, trainees and other students know where they can go for additional advice and guidance from the very beginning of their education and throughout their careers.’

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horses and 155 floats were watched by an estimated half a million people as they welcomed Lord Mountevans to his new role.

‘The crowds of spectators lining the route appreciated the exuberance that the YMP members displayed as they were walking, waving, high-fiving and sometimes even dancing!’ said Nautilus senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan. ‘The YMP members enjoyed their day and hope to be able to take part in future similar events.’

Other maritime floats included: Trinity House, Maritime London, the Society of Maritime Industries, Baltic Exchange, Lloyds Register, Company of Watermen and Lightermen, the Port of London Authority, Royal Navy, RN Reserve, Sea Cadets, and Mercy Ships UK.

Seafarers UK and Nautilus International teamed up to promote maritime awareness with a float in the 800th Lord Mayor’s Show in the City of London last month.

Delegates from the Nautilus Young Maritime Professionals Forum were joined by Council members and staff for the 1.7-mile procession to spread the message that 95% of the UK’s imports and half of all the food eaten in the country are delivered by seafarers.

The new Lord Mayor of London — Alderman Lord Mountevans (Jeffrey Evans), a trustee of Seafarers UK — had chosen his theme for the show as ‘London — Maritime Powerhouse — home of skills and innovation, haven of philanthropy and opportunity’.

More than 7,000 people, 200

who last month marked 60 C years living on the Nautilus Mariners’

Pictured above is Sheena Shaw,

Park retirement estate. This unusual situation came about because she moved to the park as a young adult to help care for her father — a former mariner — and has stayed ever since.

Now retired herself, Miss Shaw is a popular figure who has often taken on voluntary work at the park and participates fully in the social scene there. To celebrate her 60th anniversary as a resident, she invited her friends and neighbours to afternoon tea in the Jubilee Lounge of the Mariners’ Park Care Home.

Mariners’ Park remembers the fallen been moved to a more central position on the estate F to make it easier for infirm residents to attend memorial The memorial stone at Nautilus Mariners’ Park has

ceremonies. This decision proved i ts worth last month, when over 70 attendees joined the 11 November Remembrance Day service.

The service, paying tribute to Merchant Navy seafarers who fought and died in conflict, was officiated by Alan Leach.

Several veterans of the Second World War were present to remember their fallen comrades: Captain James Burt laid the wreath, Captain Ron Pengelly read out two epitaphs and Bob Lockwood lowered the flag.

18/11/2015 17:35

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MEMBERS AT WORK

How a little help can make a big difference For almost 40 years now, the Union’s JW Slater Fund has been providing support to help British seafarers to rise up the ranks. With applications for the 2016 awards being invited soon, ANDREW LININGTON meets a member whose success story shows the value of the scheme…

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‘I wanted to prove to myself and to other people that I can really apply myself and get my ticket instead of being jack-the-lad — and there’s no way I could have done it without the Slater Fund’.

Colin Leggett is one of more than 1,500 seafarers whose careers have changed course thanks to the JW Slater Fund — a Nautilus International scheme that provides substantial financial support to those seeking to gain their first certificate of competency.

Launched in 1977 in tribute to former general secretary John William Slater, the fund was originally created to help British ratings with the costs of studying to become officers. In recent years, the scope of the scheme has been widened to enable electrotechnical officers and yacht crews to benefit.

The awards — which are worth up to £17,500 — can be used towards the costs of any necessary full-time or part-time education, and to provide some financial support for those who have to go off-pay during college phases. Administered for Nautilus by the Marine Society, the scheme also offers assistance with the costs of up-skilling in functional skills, such as maths.

For Colin, the Slater Fund provided a second chance — which he was delighted to take advantage of. Born and brought up in a village called Northam, near Bideford in North Devon, he had been interested in going to sea from an early age.

‘Dad was a carpenter for P&O back in the 60s, so he’s always had

a love of the sea and tells many good stories about it,’ he says. ‘So that kind of played a part in my choice — although the travel was a big draw as well. Unfortunately, you don’t get the time in port that they used to back then, but I always wanted to see the world.’

Colin began a cadetship at Warsash in September 1994 and flew out to Indonesia to join his first ship on his 18th birthday.

‘I got deported for having the wrong visa and was sent to Bangkok to wait for the ship to arrive three days later!’ he recalls.

‘Cadetship-wise everything was hard,’ he admits. ‘I’m not hugely academic, but I enjoyed most of the subjects. I tended to spend too long not paying attention when they explained the basics and by the time I was interested and woke up it was too late.

I also had a fairly large interest in student life, which didn’t help.’

Colin failed in his final year at college, but still keen to work as a seafarer, he became an AB — serving on P&O ferries in the Irish Sea and on the Tilbury-Zeebrugge service.

After several years at sea, Colin moved ashore in 2002 and worked as a chef at a local pub, training on the job. ‘I moved to Bath, where I worked for a chef called Stephen Terry who sent me out to work experience in different kitchens in London. I spent time in the Wolseley, Le Caprice, the River Cafe, Smiths of Smithfields and also in the Maze.’

After working in such top restaurants, Colin decided he wanted to return to Devon. ‘I moved to Dartmouth and it was here that I really missed being

After qualifying as an OOW with Slater Fund assistance, Colin Leggett is now third mate on the NERC vessel Discovery

at sea,’ he says. ‘We worked in an open-plan kitchen and could see the river, and I always looked out to sea on my breaks. So I began to think if I was having no time off and working big hours ashore then I might as well do it at sea where I enjoyed being more.’

He started job hunting and returned to work on ferries, but the call of the deepsea was strong and he applied for a job with the British Antarctic Survey. ‘I knew some people working there and decided to go for it,’ he recalls. ‘It used to be a case of dead men’s shoes, but I got lucky in February 2008 and was shortlisted for an interview when I was doing some general work on a ferry, and then they phoned me to say I had got the job and to report to the ship on the 18th. I had assumed it was the 18th of March, but it was February!’

Following his first four-month trip with BAS, he has spent seven and a half years working in what he describes as ‘some of the most

What are your learning needs? out a strategic review of its K educational services for seafarers

The Marine Society is carrying

— and it needs your help to better understand personal learning and development needs.

The charity — which was founded in 1756 — provides a wide range of education and financial support for professional seafarers and has launched the review to identify such factors as whether

19_slater_SR edit.indd Sec1:19

learning needs vary by geography, rank, role, and organisation, and to find out where seafarers look for information about learning and development, and, crucially, what are the triggers for engaging with it.

The findings will be used to refresh the services in response to those needs — retaining and building upon existing provision, developing new services where necessary, and discarding or

adapting what is no longer required.

The short online survey takes only 10 minutes to complete and your feedback will not only help the Marine Society to improve its services but will also give you the chance to win a £50 voucher to use at the Marine Society online shop.

g Go to: www.surveymonkey. com/r/MarineSociety

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They said they wouldn’t have sponsored me if they didn’t believe I’d finish Nautilus member Colin Leggett beautiful yet brutal places in the world’ — as well as working in every ocean in the world, standing on every continent and coming within 1,000 miles of both poles.

‘The Antarctic is incredible — a desolate place yet full of amazing wildlife,’ he says. ‘It’s certainly not a place to sit bottom end on for weeks and weeks and it can make the North Sea look like a weekend at Butlins.’

Colin says he decided to apply for the Slater Fund after hearing from an officer onboard a ferry about the support it provides. ‘I had seen it in the Telegraph, but had never really considered it,’ he admits. ‘But one of the officers had just completed his ticket and he encouraged me to give it a bash.’

Thanks to good references from his captains and advice from Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson — who had been a lecturer at Warsash when Colin first began his cadet studies — he secured a Slater Fund scholarship and went back to the classroom.

‘I decided to train at Fleetwood and they were fantastic,’ Colin says. ‘The lecturers were so

”

helpful and provided me with several kicks up the backside when it was required. Studying was sometimes hard and sometimes it would be easy, but shutting yourself away in your cabin whilst everyone else relaxed was difficult at times.’

The Slater Fund is managed for Nautilus by the Marine Society, and Colin also praises its staff for the support they gave throughout his OOW studies. ‘I would never have been able to do it without them,’ he reflects.

‘When I was struggling, they told me that they would never have sponsored me if they thought that I wouldn’t finish.’

Colin passed his orals in April last year. ‘I took the exam in Liverpool and it was the most confident I have ever been in such a situation,’ he says. ‘I remember so well answering the last question, which was on restricted visibility, and the examiner looking at me and saying congratulations, you have passed. I was so happy, but like everyone else I had to go back and hunt for a job.’

Through a crewing agency, he returned to BAS as an AB and then spent time working on the UK-registered tug MTS Valiant.

‘I had a great time there and couldn’t have wished for a nicer skipper to work with, but when I got off, my bosun at BAS told me about a job and I studied like a demon before going for an interview for a second mate’s post and then getting a third mate’s job.’

Presently third mate on the Natural Environment Research Council vessel Discovery, Colin says he’s delighted to be working as an officer. ‘You get to go to some really cool places and things you get to see and do in the job are amazing.’

He says he would like to continue rising up the ranks. ‘NOCS has got a great programme for study leave, and I’m definitely planning on going onward and upwards, and am currently trying to plan out doing my mate’s at Fleetwood.

‘I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity and to have been supported by the Slater Fund was a massive thing,’ Colin reflects. ‘There are not many people who can afford to take a full academic year out of work, but if you have got the time to invest in it, I would say you should do it.

‘You have got to put the time and effort in, because it won’t just happen like I thought it would as a young and impressionable 18-year-old,’ he points out. ‘If you can commit to it and fancy an office job instead of an outside job, then do it. It’s hard work but worth the effort eventually.’ g For more information, visit the websites www.nautilusint.org or www.marine-society.org

18/11/2015 17:35

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

HEALTH AND SAFETY

One-stop shop for safety The UK industry has long been a leader in producing valuable health and safety guidance, and now it’s all available in a single handy volume…

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Nautilus has helped to launch a new book bringing together UK shipping industry health and safety guidance in seven key areas.

The 95-page publication is an anthology of advice developed by owners and unions through the UK National Maritime Occupational Health & Safety Committee since it was established in 1990 following the demise of the National Maritime Board.

Guidelines to Shipping Companies on Health and Safety covers subjects such as drugs and alcohol, smoking, hepatitis, HIV and AIDS, and measures to deal with violence, abuse and threats against staff on passengerships.

Chamber of Shipping policy director Tim Springett said he was proud to see the book being launched. ‘It is the product of a lot of work done through the committee by the social partners,’ he added.

Unions and owners recognise the importance of working

together on health and safety policies, he added, with a recognition that companies who did not have adequate policies in place could be leaving themselves open to legal action.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said he hoped the book would be the first of many. ‘Over the years, I think we have produced a very good set of guidelines, which have been refreshed and kept up to date.

‘With this book, we have a product that can be put out to the world,’ he added. ‘There are countries that do not know of guidance like this, which is to the detriment of companies and to seafarers. At the end of the day, if you don’t get these things right it will cost you. Guidelines like this can be a win-win for everybody.’

Mr Graveson said he hoped the range of subjects addressed by such guidelines could be extended, to cover such issues as pre-employment medical examinations.

Launching the new guidelines (left to right): Tim Springett, Allan Graveson, Julie Carlton, Eddie Perkins

Alcohol misuse is the first topic covered in the book — reflecting the fact that these guidelines were the first to be developed by the committee, in the aftermath of the Herald of Free Enterprise and Exxon Valdez disasters. The guidance — which has been revised to reflect changes in regulations and industry policies since then — addresses issues including testing, blood/alcohol levels, assistance and treatment, and disciplinary procedures.

The section on drugs also addresses testing, disciplinary procedures and assistance and treatment, as well as the use of legally-available medications.

And the policies covering hepatitis, HIV and AIDS give advice on the conditions, along with preventive measures, treatment and employment implications.

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The guidelines on workplace smoking policies reflect legislation on the issue as well as the practical procedures for controlling smoking on various ship types. They detail procedures for implementation and operation of the policies, and the measures that companies can take to support seafarers seeking to stop smoking.

In the section on guidelines for reducing the threat of violence, abuse or threats against staff on passengerships, the guidelines set out policies that companies should adopt to protect their crews and procedures to be followed in the event of incidents. It also covers the national and international laws, the sale and consumption of alcohol, the powers of the master and liaison with police, along with detailed procedures for controlling, restraining and detaining unruly passengers.

The book also includes the

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guidelines on behavioural safety systems, which were developed by the committee following concerns raised by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch about the increasing role of ‘complacency’ as a causal factor in incidents.

involved with the committee for 13 years, said it provided a vital forum for gaining awareness on health and safety developments and foresight on new regulatory requirements. ‘There is good, sensible and pragmatic discussion that results in a common position that is workable,’ he added.

‘This book shows how we have always come up with good solutions that were certainly helpful to me as a safety manager with an offshore support vessel company.’

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This book shows how we have always come up with good ideas

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It explains how behavioural safety programmes — including observation and intervention techniques, coupled with proactive reporting of unsafe acts and conditions — can result in significant safety improvements.

‘Many companies are keen to run such systems, but they can be expensive to implement,’ Mr Springett pointed out. ‘These guidelines aim to deliver an introductory-level policy for companies introducing such techniques on their ships.’

Eddie Perkins, who has been

Mr Perkins said the book contains a lot of information that is not easily found elsewhere — and its contents will be especially useful for safety officers serving with smaller shipping companies working to comply with increasingly complex requirements.

Julie Carlton, head of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s seafarer safety and health branch, said the committee had produced clear and pragmatic guidance for the industry that should help to promote high standards at sea for years to come.

Mr Springett said three sections within the book are specifically referred to in the Maritime Labour Convention as issues which authorities should address in their national guidelines for the management of occupational health and safety onboard ships.

‘Companies who are looking for authoritative industry statements that have been accepted by owners and the unions can turn to this and get the best practice policy on these issues.’ g Guidelines to Shipping Companies on Health and Safety is published by Witherby and costs £75. For more information, www.witherbyseamanship.com

18/11/2015 17:39

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

MARITIME EDUCATION New officer trainees at one of the UK’s leading maritime colleges are being taken out of their comfort zones right from the beginning of their studies.

Client liaison and technical manager TONY DUMBELL tells how a four-day outdoor induction programme aims to develop leadership skills from the outset…

On the final night of the programme, trainees change into their uniforms for a formal dinner

Start as you mean to go on O

Something special is happening at the Nautical Campus in Fleetwood.

The campus is part of Blackpool and The Fylde College, which is graded Outstanding by OFSTED and rated as the best performing college in the UK, with an overall success rate of 92.9% against a national average of 83.6%.

Students from the campus have won the MCA Trainee Officer of the Year Award in seven of the last nine years and — building on such success — it has introduced another innovative initiative.

For many years now, trainee officers attending the School of Maritime Operations have been greeted during their first weeks on campus to a residential experience at one of a number of outdoor pursuit centres situated around the North West of the UK. From the stunning Lake District to the rugged North Welsh countryside, these trainee officers — some fresh from school or university — have been taken out of their comfort zone and charged to become leaders and team players in the most challenging of situations.

This experience has been the fundamental first step, and wholly part of the package, devised to ensure that the maximum possible development outcomes are met by these trainee officers and leaders of the future.

Offering much more than just a fourday programme of familiarisation, introduction and team exercises, Fleetwood’s enrichment team have gone one better and devised the course activities to encourage and build leadership skills right from the off.

An important part is finding out how to deal with fatigue

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Simon Bond and Claire Titterington — two very experienced and qualified enrichment officers — have taken the Learning Outcomes from the Human Element, Leadership and Management (Operational Level), as outlined within the STCW Code, and integrated as many as possible of them into the activities and challenges.

While not designed to replace the HELM (O) course, this initiative does introduce the trainees to the criteria from the very first day — providing an extremely solid foundation for future

21_fleetwood_SR edit.indd 21

Trainees have to plan and execute an unfamiliar hill climb

studies and assessments that are encompassed within the full qualification.

Commonly known as the Cadet Development Course (CDC), the programme gradually introduces the trainees to the elements of task and workload — and in particular to those associated with effective resource management techniques.

Learning Outcome 1, Objective 5 of the HELM course provides the backbone of the CDC course where effective communication, team-working principles, assertiveness, leadership, motivation, obtaining and maintaining situational awareness are all key aspects of the exercises and challenges presented.

But the challenges are supported.

Both Simon and Claire are well experienced in encouraging natural skills, building and supporting positive aspects of behaviour, while at the same time developing those aspects that are not as natural or easily adopted. As part of the very first briefing everyone is encouraged to share openly their strengths — what they feel they are really good at and will benefit the group.

Those same individuals are also encouraged to share the aspects where they feel the need for support, guidance or simple demonstration. This ‘open’ approach quickly promotes sharing of talent and support of under-developed skills, and with this in mind the group sets off on the four-day voyage of discovery.

Of course there are always sceptics within the group at the start and, in some

cases, a reluctance to admit perceived weakness to their peers. This is where the skills and experience of Simon and Claire really comes into their own, for both individual and group benefit.

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Throughout the programme group and group dynamics are changed on a daily basis to encourage the trainees to adapt and grow their ability to deal with changing situations. Not just climbing or hill walking, trailing along with instructors and following instructions but full responsibilities for the day’s events — what resources are needed, individual tasks, planning whilst taking into account the abilities of the participants, communications and risk assessments, comprehensive briefings, dealing with different personalities, cultures and language.

All of these are carefully factored into the daily challenges to ensure that everyone is involved and gainfully employed on task. At the end of each exercise the participants reflect and report on the whole process, how improvements can be made and mistakes avoided.

At the end of the day, role plays and exercises present new challenges and learning forums until late evening when the whole day is summed up and any concerns merged with the following day’s programme.

During the most recent intakes the exercises and challenges presented to the new trainees included planning and executing an unfamiliar hill climb, non-

visual communication/building project, team management, trust and leadership skills, the use and effectiveness of an assertive approach, assessment of risk including practises to reduce risk, negotiation and command skills, reflection and ramification.

Comments from the participants are extremely positive, with a general feeling of well-being and self-satisfaction.

Fatigue and the effects of fatigue play a part too — after four full days of activities many otherwise hidden aspects of human behaviour are highlighted, pro-

viding even more opportunities for reflection and the development of those all-important management skills.

On the final night of the programme the trainees attend a formal dinner by way of a ‘well done’ where outdoor kit and casual clothes give way to uniform — this highlight provides welcome relief from what has been a full-on programme of activity.

Reflections and thoughts are taken at the end of the programme to help inform future events, trainees are encouraged to be open and honest: ‘I found the Cadet Development Course to be extremely beneficial to educational and personal development.

Learning how to negotiate with a group and motivate a team’ — Aoife CameronMitchell, MEF ‘The CDC pushed me out of my comfort zone. I discovered that I was more capable of surmounting challenges than I previously believed’ — Matt Thacker, Gardline Geosurvey ‘CDC was a good way to meet people from my course, especially those who are normally not in my class. We also made good memories from sport activities’ — Iona Zalissetskaia, BP Shipping ‘CDC was an amazing experience, we’d been at college less than two days and we were shipped out to the Lake District.

It was an incredible way to get to know my fellow cadets and was the foundation of what is already becoming life-long friendships. The highlight of the trip for me was the mock mess dinner on the last day where we were no longer individuals but a team’ — Yeager Coghill, Princess Cruises g For further information, email: Tony.Dumbell@blackpool.ac.uk

Teamwork and communication are central to the course

18/11/2015 16:48

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

CREW COMMUNICATIONS

Are employers meeting their MLC obligations on crew communications? A new study has the answer — and reveals much more about the current state of connectivity at sea…

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More and more seafarers are getting decent IT links with home — but high costs and low bandwidth continues to curb crew connectivity, a new study has found.

Findings based on feedback from more than 3,000 seafarers from 30 different countries show that 58% have access to some form of crew communications either always or most of the time they are at sea — up from 56% last year.

However, the report raises concern that 35% of seafarers state that they are able to access crew communication services only sometimes — and 7% say they never have access while onboard. Extrapolated to the global seafarer population, it notes, this would equate to some 103,000 seafarers who are routinely unable to get connected at sea — an increase of 25,000 since last year.

‘Given that the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 stipulates that ship operators should give crew reasonable access to communications at a reasonable cost, it seems clear that meeting this provision is proving challenging to operators,’ the report adds.

Just over 20% of seafarers surveyed said crew communications had improved since the MLC came into effect and 38% said access had improved a lot, while 39% considered there had been no improvement and 3% said things had got worse.

The study was conducted by Futurenautics Research, in association with the International Seafarers Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN), the shipowners’ organisation BIMCO, InterManager, Crewtoo, and the crewing firm PTC. It concludes that seafarers are generally highly ITliterate — although there are signs of a widening gap between officers and ratings — and that the provision of decent shipboard communications is of increasing importance in the choice of who to work for — with 73% stating that crew connectivity influenced their decision.

‘This momentum cannot be ignored by shipping companies, who are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of providing the crew with good connectivity,’ the report notes.

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The ‘modest’ increase in internet access over the past year is in part a response to demand from crew, it adds, and may also reflect a recognition by operators of the benefits to crew retention.

‘It is difficult to ascertain exactly how much of the improvement is attributable to MLC — given the minimal coverage of connectivity within the regulation — and how much relates simply to improving levels of connectivity at sea,’ the report states.

‘Nevertheless, it is an encouraging statistic, and should be good news to seafarers.’

It is clear this will have a major influence on who crews choose to work for

“

”

The importance of shipboard services is underlined by 72% of the respondents stating that they are either never or rarely able to go ashore during port calls. Only 22% said they were able to go ashore during the majority of port calls, and the report suggests this explains why only 28% use the welfare services available in port.

The research showed widely varied levels of provision across different ship types — with access to crew communications highest in the passenger and offshore sectors and lowest on bulkers and general cargoships.

Telephones remain the most common form of communications access onboard, with 79% having access — up by 3% from last year. The internet came second, and of the 40% with access at sea (up 6% from last year), half had it for free.

However, the researchers noted, the figures showing the general level of access to internet are distorted by the passenger sector, where 85% of respondents had access compared with less than 25% in the container, bulk and general cargo sectors.

Text-only email was the most popular non-internet based communications method and was the most commonly free service — compared with satellite phone, where only 4% of ship operators allow usage for free.

The report points to a significant shift over the past year in the frequency with which seafarers access communications services. Last year, the majority said they used services no more than once a week — but this year the majority report access on a daily basis, with 60% of those with internet facilities using them daily.

Similarly, 58% of those with communications access had it always or most of the time — an increase of 20% from last year.

Futurenautics estimates that the value of combined shore and sea-based crew communications is worth more than US$3.3bn a year, with the average

How often do you go ashore?

respondent’s internet-related expenditure ashore alone totalling some $70 a month. The highest levels of spending — ‘by some margin’ — were within the 35 to 44 year age group.

Unsurprisingly, cost is the biggest factor curbing the use of crew communications — with the number of seafarers citing this as the main reason for limiting use of facilities provided increasing by 10% over the past year. Problems with physical access to services and quality of service issues, such as relatively low levels of bandwidth, are also common reasons, and only 18% of respondents said there were no limits on their use.

Researchers said the average price paid by seafarers for telephone calls had fallen from $1.42 a minute to $0.91 a minute, while the average price for sending an email has risen by 10% to $0.30. However, the report is cautious about the figures — warning that ‘overly-complex pricing structures’ mean that many seafarers don’t know what they are being charged for a minute of voice calling.

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The smartphone has emerged as the most popular device to access the majority of crew communication services, replacing the laptop, and reflecting the fact that some 77% of seafarers now bring their own smartphone onboard — up 20% over the past year. The number taking laptops has fallen from 75% to 69% and only 2% of seafarers said they now take no form of technology with them when they go to sea.

Fewer than one-third of the seafarers taking part in the survey used welfare facilities whilst in port. Of them, 34% use the wifi services provided by seafarer centres, and 6% use the telephone service — including the ability to purchase local SIM cards.

When asked what additional facilities port-based welfare services could provide, 54% flagged up internet and wifi access — and the report notes that the majority of those requesting these services said they would be prepared to pay for them.

However, when asked about what services they would like to see in the future, most wanted to see free wifi in ports. The potential savings for seafarers could be significant, the report points out, as their internet-related expenditure ashore averages around $70 a month.

Researchers said there is still strong demand for a global roaming SIM card that would enable seafarers to make low-cost calls from any country. ‘Considering the wide availability of such global roaming SIMs and smartphone mobile apps, it continues to be a mystery why none of the terrestrial providers of such services have recognised the opportunity to market these SIMs to seafarers, or that maritime communications

Picture: Apostleship of the Sea

suppliers have not added them to their product portfolios,’ the report adds.

The survey showed more interest in cost-effective communications than in new or innovative means of contact. However, Whatsapp — which did not feature on last year’s survey at all — is a fast-increasing method of contact.

When asked to rate their computer skills, 57% of respondents said they felt comfortable using IT and 33% felt very knowledgeable. These figures demonstrate that seafarers are a highly IT literate workforce, the report added, although officers were 20% more likely than ratings to rate themselves as knowledgeable about IT. The proportion of seafarers who consider that increased IT access at sea has lowered social interaction onboard has fallen from 46% to 40% over the past year. Only 16% said that crew communications had affected safety onboard their vessel — down from 22% last year — but with significant numbers of officers complaining about detrimental effects such as increased fatigue and distraction.

Access to crew communications

60%

officers

Factors limiting use nothing limits my use

always

I don’t want to use these services

50%

ratings 40%

most of the time

I have no privacy when using too many people trying to use

30% sometimes

I don’t get regular access

20% never

10%

they are too expensive

0%

0% never

22-23_spread_sredit.indd 22

rarely

most port calls

every port call

5%

10%

combined

15%

20%

25%

ratings

30%

35%

40%

0%

10%

20%

officers

18/11/2015 17:12

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

CREW COMMUNICATIONS

Nautilus to fight for ‘fundamental right’ planning to launch a major A campaign in the new year to Nautilus International is

improve members’ access to good communication services while at sea.

General secretary Mark Dickinson said the initiative is being drawn up in response to the growing evidence of significant connectivity issues for seafarers and the increasing importance that members place on contact with their friends and families.

The Union’s 2010 Conditions for Change survey found that better communications with home was rated as the second most important factor in improving life at sea — topped only by more pay.

Mr Dickinson noted that UK prime minister David Cameron had argued last month that access to

rtve ns eang of nd nce, ore gehat ache ns wn of ch

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This year’s survey asked a series of questions around cyber–security, training and experiences. Only 12% of crew had received any form of cyber–security training and only 43% were aware of any cyber–safe policy or cyber–hygiene guidelines provided by their company for personal web-browsing or the use of removable media, such as memory sticks. More than 40% said they had served on a ship that had been infected by a virus or malware.

When asked who was responsible for cyber–security, the largest number of respondents named the ship’s master (25%), rather than the owner or management company (18%) or the IT department (17%). ‘A very encouraging sign was that 20% of crew thought that it was the collective responsibility of everyone onboard,’ the report adds.

Researchers said the findings underlined the ‘very significant gap in competence where cyber– security and resilience is concerned’ and said operators should utilise their IT-literate seafarers to help prevent the growing threat of cyber–attacks.

e

ISWAN executive director Roger Harris said the survey had underlined the how vital communications are for seafarers. ‘The significant impact that cost has on their access to communication at sea, as well as the large number of respondents unable to go ashore during port visits, gives welfare organisations and others in the maritime industry, a lot to consider,’ he added.

And the report concluded with a strong message to the industry. ‘For ship operators evaluating the importance of crew communications to their own overall recruitment and retention policies, it is clear that the level of provision of crew connectivity will have a major influence on which companies crew ultimately decide to work for,’ it argues.

‘In a time where attracting and retaining quality, qualified crew is so important, this should serve as a wake-up call to crewing and HR departments and further strengthens the need for them to work more closely with other departments within the organisation in order to ensure the package they provide attracts and retains the right crew.’

If ship operators could provide one free service, what should it be? free satellite television 4% free video chat 11% free internet access 70%

other 1% free email 7%

%

30%

40%

50%

22-23_spread_sredit.indd 23

60%

free voice calls 7%

the internet should not be regarded as a luxury, but as a right that is absolutely fundamental to life in 21st century Britain.

‘We believe that what applies on land should apply at sea, and that those rights extend to seafarers,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘It’s very clear that crews are increasingly unwilling to accept second-class IT services and it’s high time that companies addressed the shortfalls revealed in this research.’

While more than 90% of Nautilus members reported email onboard their ships and almost twothirds had internet access, many complained of problems such as high costs, unreliable services, slow speeds, unnecessary restrictions and insufficient terminals.

‘While it’s good to see that the MLC appears to be having a positive

impact, it’s also worrying to note the scale of the shortcomings and the huge fluctuations in the services provided to seafarers across the industry,’ Mr Dickinson said.

‘It is disturbing to see how many seafarers now say they are unable to go ashore during port visits, and this reinforces the case for good shipboard connections and for harbour authorities to provide decent wifi services,’ he pointed out.

‘Our campaign will seek real improvements in connectivity, tackling some of the myths around costs and security, and demonstrating to employers that investment in this area will be repaid over and over again as a result of improved recruitment and retention, better morale and motivation, and increased safety,’ he added.

Poorconnectivity can affect health communications survey highlight the need for A shipping companies to do more to reduce the social The ‘concerning’ findings of the crew

isolation suffered by many mariners, the International Seafarers’ Welfare & Assistance Network (ISWAN) has warned.

The organisation said it is planning to work with industry partners to open up debate on the problems over the next few months and to develop an effective response that will enable key causes to be tackled.

In a report for ISWAN, Dr Olivia Swift warned that seafarers are becoming increasingly isolated as a result of changes in the industry — with the resulting alienation leading to feelings of boredom, marginality, exclusion, anger, despair, sadness, frustration and — especially — loneliness.

‘The reasons for this are well established: crew numbers have fallen; working hours, responsibility and paperwork have increased. Close friendships and talk of emotional and personal subjects have never been common at sea, where social life is rigidly hierarchical and senior ranks (in particular) feel the need to maintain social distance,’ she explained.

The problems have also been fuelled by the rise of multinational crewing, meaning that seafarers often lack the shared background and command of a common language required for ‘banter’ and a deeper understanding of one another, she added.

Faster turn-around times and reduced opportunities for shore leave, as well as alcohol bans and fewer communal spaces onboard ships, have also increased social isolation among seafarers.

‘What makes it problematic is that social isolation is both a cause and symptom of a range of mental health conditions,’ Dr Swift added. ‘And these conditions make it harder to both retain crew and maintain safety.’

Although there is evidence that seafarers are healthier than the general population, studies show they are more likely to experience mental health

problems — especially mild anxiety and depression, linked to increased workloads and working hours, decreased crewing levels and high levels of monotony.

Being away from home and family has also been linked to high levels of stress among seafarers, she pointed out, and the problems can also be exacerbated by harassment and bullying, job insecurity, piracy and criminalisation. and seafaring is one of the occupations in which A workers are most at risk, she noted.

In severe cases, depression results in suicide

Dr Swift said there needs to be better access to mental health care for seafarers — including improved guidance and training, and additional counselling services. The industry must do more to keep crews better connected, she added, with policies including: z provision of adequate and affordable means of communicating, with private access to all seafarers, especially internet z adequate periods of shore leave for all ranks z encouragement of onboard social life z fostering mentoring onboard which nurtures teambuilding z careful consideration of cultural factors in crewing policies z restrictions rather than total bans on alcohol z provision of adequate communal space z continued provision of port seafarers’ centre facilities and ship visits z provision of daily news bulletins and a regular supply of documentary-style magazines z continuity of employment z flexibility in the length of contracts and in periods of leave between contracts z company involvement with families, including enabling seafarer partner voyages where possible. z enabling more than one female seafarer to be employed on the same voyage wherever possible

18/11/2015 17:12

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

MARITIME EDUCATION

Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon joins City of Glasgow College principal Paul Little and officer trainees in the new bridge simulator, left, and gets a smart welcome to the college, right Pictures: Christian Cooksey

Seafarers start to shine at super Scottish centre It’s been described as a new ‘powerhouse’ for maritime education — and was opened last month by Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon. ANDREW LININGTON visited the impressive new Riverside Campus at the City of Glasgow College and spoke with staff about how the facilities are revolutionising training…

I

Engine simulator manager Duncan Isbister and director of nautical studies Dr Nicola Crawford

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24-25_glasgow_SR edit.indd 24

Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has opened a new £66m new seafaring ‘supercampus’ in Glasgow — a ‘wow factor’ facility which has been welcomed by Nautilus.

Officials from the Union attended the event to unveil the new maritime training centre at the City of Glasgow College’s Riverside Campus. Built as part of a £228m project to expand and upgrade the college, work at the Riverside site has included the creation of a new seven-floor teaching tower and a 10-floor accommodation block, with navigation and marine engineering facilities that are said to be among the most advanced in Europe.

A new simulator suite includes a full mission engineroom simulator and three simulator labs for studying electronic navigation systems, GMDSS training, liquid cargo handling and DP operations training. The ship-handling simulators feature four part-task bridges with 135° visualisation and a 360° full mission ship handling simulator for advanced training and certification.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said he was deeply impressed by the new centre. ‘It is great to see such impressive investment in worldclass training,’ he added. ‘Scotland has a long and proud seafaring tradition, and the stunning new maritime campus here will ensure that it has a long and proud seafaring future.’

College principal and CEO Paul Little described the campus as ‘a bold statement of intent to lead the global maritime college community’ and said it was the most advanced of all 230 seafarer training sites anywhere in the world.

Mr Little said the centre will make ‘a superlative contribution to upskilling Scotland’s workforce’ and would help to safeguard the £10bn a year contribution its shipping sector makes to the country’s economy.

‘We are making a significant contribution towards

to the renaissance of Glasgow’s maritime industry,’ he added. ‘We have made a transformational difference with the opening of this new campus.’

Ms Sturgeon said she was thrilled to formally open the ‘world-class’ facilities. ‘Scotland has a strong maritime history and now 10,000 students a year will be able to come to the Riverside Campus to continue that proud tradition,’ she added.

‘Scotland is rightly proud of our excellence in shipping and engineering that this fantastic new campus will ensure that the city of Glasgow, which did do much to pioneer shipping in the 19th and 20th centuries, will continue to be a world leader in the future,’ the first minister said.

The Riverside Campus is the first stage in a twopart project to create one of the largest college education campuses in Europe, accommodating 1,200 members of staff and up to 40,000 students each year from across the globe.

Work on the project started in summer 2013, with the Riverside campus being completed on time and within budget this summer, with the second phase set to finish in summer 2016.

New simulation facilities are at the heart of the Riverside development — with a suite that includes a full-mission engineroom simulator with six models available, a 360° full-mission ship handling simulator, four part-task bridges with 135° visualisation, and three simulator lab for studying electronic navigation systems, GMDSS training, liquid cargo handling and DP operations.

A new marine engineering workshop features what is said to be Europe’s most technologicallyadvanced equipment, including a working ferrysized ship’s engine and gas welding facilities, while the marine skills centre has its own jetty and freefall lifeboats.

The bridge and engine control room simulators can be linked to enable coordinated training between

18/11/2015 14:53

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

MARITIME EDUCATION

Training underway at the new Riverside Campus marine engineering facilities Pictures: Andrew Linington

both departments. In the six weeks since opening, the simulators have been running at around 100% capacity, with courses including bridge resource management and specialist pilot training.

Dr Nicola Crawford, faculty director of nautical studies at the college, said she was delighted with the new campus and said it would serve as a ‘beacon of excellence’ for seafarer training. The new facilities have paved the way for new approaches to preparing officer trainees for their seatime, she added, and the college has liaised with the Merchant Navy Training Board to develop special ‘bridge/engineroom-ready’ courses with an increased emphasis hands-on training to reinforce theoretical learning.

Angus Ferguson, curriculum head of maritime skills, said cadets are being given a session on the simulators right at the start of their courses and the equipment will also enable much deeper training in

“

Coming here has breathed fresh life into our staff and courses

”

behaviours and attitudes to ensure that trainees are properly prepared for their watchkeeping duties.

‘It’s like going back in time, but with modern technologies,’ he added. ‘It’s a good mix of traditional skills and state-of-the-art equipment.’

Matthew Stewart, curriculum head for maritime engineering, said the mix of a working engine and the new simulators will give students a ‘joined-up’ insight into theory and practice. The design of the workshop also creates very realistic conditions, he added.

As well as being able to conduct joint exercises by linking the simulators, the two departments also report that the new facilities have helped to promote much closer working relationships. ‘Before, there was very little cross-fertilisation but the new openplan layout has taken the barriers away and it means we can bounce ideas off each other all the time,’ Mr Ferguson said.

I

The college has seen an increase in cadet numbers over the past decade and currently has around 360 UK and international officer trainees, who start in August and January intakes. The new buildings were ready for this autumn’s intake of 92 engineer officer trainees and 83 deck cadets, and the extra space means the college will be able to increase its cadet capacity to 800 and to increase the number of spaces for professional training — such

as safety, STCW refreshers and Masters) for serving seafarers to around 2,000.

At present, there are around 280 international officer trainees from countries including Oman, India, Pakistan and Nigeria, and the college is also planning to boost these numbers too.

‘Coming here has breathed fresh life into all the staff, and the way in which we run courses.

We have the facilities now to compete on the world stage, and the resources here have given us the ability to do lots of things that we wanted to do before but were not able to do,’ Mr Stewart said.

‘It’s almost like starting afresh,’ Mr Ferguson added. ‘The lecturers have had their imagination fired up by the new equipment, and all of us have this clear vision that we want to give the students deep and relevant learning of what life at sea is all about.’

Are you serving or retired

MERCHANT NAVY FISHING FLEET ROYAL NAVY ROYAL MARINE or a dependant or do you know someone who is and needs help?

Seafarer Support is a free confidential telephone and award winning online referral service helping you find support for serving and former UK seafarers and their families in times of need

www.seafarersupport.org Freephone 0800 121 4765 The new accommodation block, inset, and the seven-storey atrium at the Riverside Campus

24-25_glasgow_SR edit.indd 25

18/11/2015 14:53

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

MARITIME TECHNOLOGY

One more shot at the big time L

When the hovercraft first appeared on our waters almost 60 years ago, it was expected to revolutionise passenger shipping services.

It was in 1956 that British inventor Christopher Cockerell showcased the promise of the hovercraft using only a cat food tin and a vacuum cleaner. Since then many hovercraft services have been tried, but all have ended up replaced by cheaper, quieter and more convenient forms of traditional transport.

The concept of the hovercraft was discussed as far back as the 18th century. However, it wasn’t until Cockerell figured out how to produce a working prototype in 1955 — testing it the following year — that the once fanciful idea took shape.

He discovered that by using two different-sized tin cans, one inside the other, he could make the smaller hover above the bottom of the larger simply by blowing air through it. From those early experiments he created a working prototype. He called the idea the hovercraft and patented it in 1956.

The benefits of the technology were clear to see. Hovercrafts could transport cars and people at up to 60knots, didn’t require piers, jetties or pontoons for embarking and disembarking, and could be used in extremely shallow waters where larger ferries were unable to operate.

But despite such advantages, the idea failed to take off on a long-term basis. Reasons for this failure stem from a range of factors, including the noise created by the craft preventing them from being operated on rivers such as the Thames, while fuel prices rose in the 1960s and 1970s due to conflicts in the Middle East.

Hovercraft struggled to compete on cross-Channel routes operated by cheaper and more

The Sea Containers hovercraft Princess Margaret shortly before withdrawal from service in September 2000 Picture: Gary Davies/ Maritime Photographic

Almost 60 years after the first prototype was tested, two new hovercraft are being built for the UK company running the world’s only remaining commercial service. A great idea or good money after bad? STEVEN KENNEDY investigates...

Under construction at Griffon Hoverwork in Southampton, Hovertravel’s two new passenger hovercraft will be the first to be built in the UK for a decade

spacious ferries and catamarans, and the opening of the Channel tunnel in 1994 was a further blow.

Their ultimate demise came in 2000, after some 30 years of service, when they were replaced on the same route by Seacats that could carry up to 50% more passengers and cars.

It wasn’t just the English Channel that saw commercial hovercraft routes close. Over the years, both in the UK and overseas, more and more services shut down — with many believing that commercial use of hovercraft was not viable and that the crafts’ future lay entirely

with coastguard and military operations.

However, one operator has bucked the trend and, on top of celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will be enhancing its own fleet by building two new state-of-the-art vessels.

Hovertravel is now the world’s only remaining scheduled commercial hovercraft operator. It recently announced that it would be building the new hovercraft to improve the performance of the fleet and to replace existing craft that have each served for over 26 years and travelled the equivalent distance of flying to the moon and back.

The hovercraft — which will be tested during 2016 and are costing around £5m each to build — will provide pilots with greater visibility, have air ducts almost one-third bigger than those on existing craft surrounding each propeller, and will be able to carry up to 80 passengers across the Solent between Portsmouth and Ryde on the Isle of Wight.

Carrying an average of 15,000 passengers per day, and making approximately 66 journeys each way, the company’s hovercraft can travel at speeds of 45 knots and allow passengers to cross the 4.5 miles of the Solent in under 10 minutes — compared with the

25-minute journey time of the nearest competitor.

Hovertravel currently employs 50 people, of which eight — five full time and three part time — are trained hovercraft pilots.

As the sole commercial operator, Hovertravel can find it difficult to get pilots. Today, a fully qualified hovercraft pilot must have an STCW 95 certificate from the MCA and, after joining Hovertravel, they will get 25 hours of onboard instruction covering safety and all aspects of the craft, as well as a full medical and eye sight test.

This will be followed by 100 hours of supervised en route

piloting under the supervision of a senior pilot.

Commercial and marketing manager Loretta Lale says Hovertravel is providing a vital service to its passengers, helping local residents travel to work, to school and for leisure.

‘Hovertravel is the quickest way for tourists to visit the popular destination of the Isle of Wight and, as a unique mode of transport, attracts visitors from across the globe,’ she added.

‘Providing a safe, reliable service for all these different markets in a friendly and customer-focussed way has helped Hovertravel celebrate 50 years and plan for the next half a century.’

While the route Hovertravel operates remains the world’s only commercial hovercraft service, there have been proposals in the past few years for a service to operate between Liverpool and the north of Wales. So far this has not been taken any further than a discussion.

Elsewhere, hopes for a crossForth commuter service between Fife and Edinburgh appear to have hit the rocks. One potential hovercraft operator, Forthfast, which had hoped to have services running as early as next year, has put plans on hold, while Stagecoach, which invested heavily in a successful hovercraft trial in 2007, has completely ditched its interest after Edinburgh City Council refused planning permission for a terminal at Portobello in 2011.

The future of this one-time revolutionary transport is uncertain. While running costs have fallen, there is scant sign of new services.

Until someone takes the plunge, Hovertravel will remain the only commercial operator on the planet — providing a solo salute to the ideas put forward all those years ago by Cockerell and his empty tin of cat food.

Hovercraft facts:

Hovertravel has two craft in its fleet, Island Express and Freedom 90, both now over 30 years old and one of which holds the world record for most operated hours

26_hovercraft_SR edit.indd Sec2:26

z Originally the government classified hovercraft as airborne rather than seagoing craft, resulting in strict requirements on operating hours. z In June 1962 shipbuilder Vickers launched the UK’s first commercial hovercraft service across the estuary of the River Dee. z The Zubr-class LCAC — used by the Russian, Ukrainian and Greek navies — is the world’s largest hovercraft with a cargo area of 400 square metres. z The highest recorded speed by a hovercraft is 85.38mph (137.4 km/h) set by Bob Windt (USA) at the 1995 World Hovercraft Championships on the Rio Douro River, Peso de Regua, Portugal.

18/11/2015 17:39

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

MARITIME TECHNOLOGY Picture: Gary Davies/Maritime Photographic

An era ends on the Irish Sea Airways trainers on how to work in a cockpit environment.

Throughout the ship, the there was a horizontal management style, he adds — quite different from the hierarchy found on many traditional vessels.

‘Everyone pulled together, whatever their job was. There was such a great team, onboard and ashore, and so many of us are friends still.’

Described as shipping’s Concorde, the Stena HSS has made its final sailing from the UK. Sarah Robinson hears how the pioneering vessel will be sorely missed by some…

M

The last of Stena Line’s revolutionary HSS fast ferries left UK waters for good last month (pictured above) ending nearly 20 years of service.

During its time with Stena Line, the Stena Explorer carried more than 15 million passengers between Holyhead in north Wales and the Irish port of Dun Laoghaire. It also transported three million cars and over half a million freight units — on nearly 29,000 sailings.

The catamaran’s final commercial journey on the Irish Sea was in September last year, and it has now been sold to a firm in Turkey, where it has been renamed the One World Karadeniz and is expected to continue in service.

Ian Davies, Stena Line’s route manager (Irish Sea south), explained the decision to cease using this type of vessel: ‘Whilst the HSS class was a unique and highly innovative development for Stena Line at the time, the market has evolved significantly since her introduction in the mid-1990s, and today’s business model requires a more balanced mix of freight and car traffic all year round. That’s why earlier this year we introduced Stena Superfast X onto the route and consolidated our operation from Dun Laoghaire to Dublin.’

There may be sound business reasons for the change, but the

attractive and technologically sophisticated HSS vessels will be missed — rather as Concorde is missed by the British aviation industry. When commissioned

by Stena Line, the HSS (highspeed sea service) series of three ships helped to revolutionise the look of the ferry industry. With a top speed of over 40 knots, they had capacity for 1,500 passengers and more than 600 vehicles.

The Stena Explorer was the first of the three to take up service, and was introduced to Holyhead on 6 February 1996 by Nautilus member Captain Andy Humphreys. It made quite an impact, he recalls: ‘Holyhead, a port used to virtually every shape and size of vessel, had never seen anything like it. The Stena Explorer was the most beautiful and innovative looking vessel we had ever seen, and being able to captain this superb vessel was an honour that I will

Captain Andy Humphreys

M

Captain Andy Humphreys (far left) with his team when he was building master for the Stena Explorer in 1996

treasure for the rest of my life.’

When Capt Humphreys went to work for Stena in 1993, he was already a master mariner, and after serving on the firm’s earlier high speed ferries for two years as a master, he was pleased to be chosen as the building master for the new HSS vessel being designed by Stena Teknik.

So in 1995 he went to Finland for a year to work with Finnyards Rauma on the development and testing of the Stena Explorer.

‘I was basically checking the build — the bridge equipment, the paint specifications and so on,’ he explains. ‘I really had to get clued up on the design, thinking about how we were going to manoeuvre the vessel in the cockpit-style bridge without bridge wings. We had to design a joystick strategy and test it

in a simulator, which is more common now but quite new 20 years ago.’

The vessel ended up with amazing manoeuvrability and power, he notes: ‘We could make a 180 degree turn in less than one-and-a-half minutes.’ The body was made of aluminium, and the four General Electric gas turbine engines produced 100,000hp, which was huge for a ferry. Two of the engines were the same as those used in a Boeing 747 airliner, and two came from the Stealth fighter jet. ‘We reached 48 knots, equivalent to 60mph, both in testing and later on the Irish Sea.’ Capt Humphreys was appointed senior master of the vessel when it came into service, and he and his bridge team had input from British

Operating on the Irish Sea, the Stena Explorer could cross from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire in one hour 40 minutes, in comparison to the three hours taken by a conventional ferry.

And the catamaran-style hull made the vessel more stable than previous fast ferry designs: ‘It was so big, but so exciting — driving it was a pleasure compared with other high-speed craft. Because the HSS class had no centre bow and so much power, it was raised partly out of the water. Both passengers and crew had much less trouble with motion sickness than on other high-speed designs with a centre bow.’

The law restricts high-speed vessels to relatively calm seas, but the HSS class was permitted to go out in a significant wave height of 4m thanks to its stability measures; this compared to 3.5m for other highspeed ferry designs. ‘We didn’t often have to cancel sailings,’ recalls Capt Humphreys.

In 1996, the Stena Explorer was an instant hit with the travelling public, both because of its speed and initially because it sold duty-free alcohol and cigarettes onboard. There were five round-trips a day, and the route was profitable because of low fuel costs and the high

revenue from the duty-free shop.

Even when a change to EU law ended the duty-free business in 1998, the route initially retained many of the passengers who had been attracted to the HSS ferry in the early days.

However, as the years passed, the competitive environment changed. Many passengers shifted to low-cost airlines, and freight started to play a more important role in the ferry sector — something which disadvantaged the HSS class, with its relatively modest freight capacity. Sailings eventually dwindled to one round-trip a day, and then to a summer-only service.

Capt Humphreys continued to enjoy operating the vessel, taking on occasional shifts even after he moved ashore to become a marine manager with Stena in 2001. In 2003 he became Stena’s safety manager for the UK, but continued to be closely involved with HSS as his knowledge and experience were in demand for the installation of a new bridge system, updates to lifesaving equipment and other maintenance tasks.

When the decision was taken to take the Stena Explorer out of service, he felt the loss very keenly: ‘It’s amazing how a heap of aluminium can carry such emotional baggage’. The Explorer’s sister vessels Stena Voyager and Stena Discover had already been sent to scrap, and he was relieved to hear that ‘his’ ship would have a new lease of life in Turkey.

‘I was there to watch her leave Holyhead for the last time, and I felt quite choked up,’ he says.

‘Being involved with the Stena Explorer was probably the most fantastic opportunity of my life.’

INTRODUCING THE...

MARITIME SKILLS ACADEMY With the expansion of our training facilities, Maritime Skills Academy will be offering the following STCW Refresher Courses in the coming months: • Updating Personal Survival Techniques • Updating Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting • Updating Advanced Fire Fighting

• Updating Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats other than Fast Rescue Boat • 4-Day Combination Refresher Package (PST, FP&FF, AFF, PSC&RB)

For a full listing of 2015 and 2016 dates, please visit the Maritime Skills Academy website or give us a call.

MARITIME SKILLS ACADEMY

27_hss_SR edit.indd 27

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

We are currently seeking additional Training Consultants to join our expanding team. We are offering the right candidates a great package.

18/11/2015 17:13

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

MARITIME CAREERS

Making a meal of it As managing director of one of the world’s biggest ship supply companies, former seafarer Alex Taylor tells DEBBIE CAVALDORO how he is continuing to put his maritime skills to use ashore…

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Many seafarers believe that in order to secure a good shore position, you must stay at sea until you have your master’s or chief engineer’s certificate — but Alex Taylor, managing director at ship supply company Hutton’s Group, believes it is more about keeping your eyes open for the right opportunity, whenever it comes along.

Mr Taylor served with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary for six years, going straight from Trinity House School in Hull into a deck cadetship. ‘I had just been promoted to second officer when the opportunity came along to join Hutton’s Group in its logistics department,’ he explains. ‘It wasn’t planned, it was just that the opportunity became available and I took it, and just progressed from there.’

Although Hutton’s wasn’t a company he had dealt with during his time at the RFA, his family has been involved in the industry for a number of years. When he heard it was going through transition period and had an opening in logistics, he decided to take the plunge instead of progressing up the ranks at the RFA. ‘I think making the move ashore when you are still young

Making the move ashore from a lower rank is easier in some ways than waiting until you are a master

“

and in a lower rank is easier in some ways than waiting until you are a master,’ Mr Taylor says.

‘If you have a long career at sea and progress through the ranks, waiting to become a captain or chief engineer before moving ashore you are at a more settled time of life.

‘You might have family commitments or be settled and you will certainly be used to a much higher salary than you will get when you first move to a shore role,’ he points out. ‘It could be much more difficult to make that move because you have become accustomed to your life.

‘I was quite new into my career and therefore making the step to shore wasn’t a financially difficult decision to make. I was able to build up a career from a lower position without having to worry about maintaining a lifestyle for a family.

”

‘Of course if you are in a more senior position with a lot more experience, the opportunities available to you ashore are different to the opportunities I had as a second officer,’ he adds. ‘When I moved ashore from my junior position I wasn’t able to apply for things like a superintendent’s job, so therefore different opportunities were available. But the opportunities are there whatever rank you achieve when you decide to move ashore.’

Mr Taylor says that the sea time he had meant he was able to understand the point of view of the people at the end of the chain and help other staff who didn’t have that background. He admits that making a transition within Hutton’s Group, from logistics to sales, was probably a much harder step than the move from sea to logistics.

‘Going from sea into logistics

is actually a relatively simple step because the knowledge and experience that you gain at sea, in any function, means that you have an understanding of the logistical requirements of a ship,’ he explains. Moving into sales was an area which I previously knew nothing about — I had never been involved in sales or dealing with commercial issues.

For me that the was a much bigger step than originally moving from sea to logistics in the first place’ Mr Taylor has now been at Hutton’s Group for 14 years and is now the managing director.

The company provides a wide range of supplies and services to the shipping industry, from food and catering appliances to medical stores and pharmaceuticals.

He believes that his time at sea is still valuable and helps him to provide advice and guidance to customers.

‘We are all very aware of the problems with seafarers being able to make healthy choices at sea and we aim to provide a onestop shop for our customers so that they can have the widest range of provisions onboard,’ he adds.

‘The maritime community is talking a lot about seafarers

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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Alex Taylor has been working for Hutton’s Group for 14 years

being healthier, making good choices and also taking the time to exercise,’ Mr Taylor explains.

‘But I also understand the situation seafarers are in. They work very long hours, doing very strenuous and stressful work, free time onboard is not always available and not all ships have gym equipment or a space to work out.’

K

Mr Taylor admits that providing a wide range of quality food is also sometimes difficult because of the tight economies of scale ship management companies are trying to operate within.

‘As with every industry there are good companies and not so good companies’, he admits.

‘Some don’t invest as much in their crews and therefore don’t provide a wide selection or only go with the cheaper options. As much as everyone talks about the need to invest in crew and provide education on making healthy food choices, all these things cost. We are in a world controlled by economics and I know this makes it very difficult for the people onboard.’

‘It is easier to be able to work with companies and encourage them to make better choices for their seafarers where we have long term or full service agreements,’ Mr Taylor adds.

‘We operate a number of different customer options, and we have a number of customers where our contract allows us to provide the full range of equipment onboard through to others where we operate on an ad hoc basis and provide strictly the items on a set list,’ he says.

‘Where we have a long-term relationship, we discuss a range of products and include things like how to add healthy options.

However, where we have to supply to a set list we are competing purely on price and that leaves little room for dialogue.’

‘It is the same with the medical provisions,’ Mr Taylor continues. ‘Where we provide a medical management system we look after all the medical requirements of a particular vessel or fleet. We make sure the vessel has everything onboard and it is all in date. We can also remotely manage stock levels and order items as soon as levels are low to avoid running out.’

Mr Taylor says the company hasn’t seen a big rise in requests for more medical supplies specifically for female seafarers, but it is beginning to provide a bigger range on some vessels. ‘It’s not a big driver the moment, but I think as more females go to sea this will become a bigger issue that needs a better solution,’ he adds.

Mr Taylor concludes that there are obstacles that need to be overcome in the shipping industry with regards to ship supplies — both in terms of medical and food provision.

‘It is a unique industry with unique challenges, especially with the different ethnicities, nationalities and religions that can be onboard together,’ he points out. ‘Our long-term customer/supplier relationships makes this easier, as we can liaise with them and provide variety, which in turn will assist seafarers in being able to make healthy choices onboard.’

18/11/2015 17:13

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

HISTORIC SHIPS

New lease of life for Clyde icon The Queen Mary, currently berthed in Tilbury

One of the ‘crown jewels’ of Scottish shipbuilding could soon be returning to its birthplace in the river Clyde thanks to a Glasgow-based charity. Now Nautilus members are being asked to support the project to provide a long-term home for the former excursion steamer Queen Mary…

J

A campaign to bring the original Queen Mary back to a berth on the river Clyde, where the vessel was built more than 80 years ago, has taken a significant step forward with its sale to a charity spearheading the project.

The Glasgow-based Friends of TS Queen Mary (FOTSQM) says it is delighted to have secured the historic ship for an undisclosed sum in an auction. The vessel was sold following a dispute over berthing fees in the port of Tilbury, where it had languished since 2009 after a conversion plan collapsed.

Now the charity wants to make the ship seaworthy over the next few months to enable the passage to the Clyde. Once there, the plan is to transform the vessel into a visitor attraction, a centre for training, and a conference and arts venue.

Nautilus member Ronnie Keir is a trustee of the charity and told the Telegraph: ‘This is great news.

It’s been a few months getting the paperwork and legal stuff done but we did it, and the bill of sale has been signed.

‘Now the hard work starts,’ he added, ‘and we need to do some serious fund-raising. We hope that Nautilus members will be able to help us achieve our aims by bringing this marvellous vessel back home and giving her a new life that will preserve her for future generations.’

FOTSQM patron Robbie Coltrane said he was delighted

by the ‘wonderful’ developments and is ‘hugely excited by the idea that the old girl will be on the Clyde’.

Built in 1933 by the Denny yard in Dumbarton for Williamson Buchanan Steamers, Queen Mary has been described as one of the finest excursion steamers ever constructed.

Re-named Queen Mary II in 1935 after Cunard White Star Line requested the title for its newbuild, Yard Number 534, the original Queen Mary was re-christened in 1976. Originally of 870grt, the vessel operated day excursions on the Firth of Clyde — with a break for war service as the Gourock-Dunoon ferry — until a final public sailing in September 1977.

Laid-up in Greenock until 1981, Queen Mary was sold to Glasgow District Council — whose plans to turn the vessel into a maritime museum failed. The ship was sold again and towed to King George V Dock in London, with the brewing company Bass Charrington acquiring the vessel in 1987 and running it as a restaurant and bar moored in the heart of London.

Queen Mary changed hands again in 2009, sold to a French company that planned to operate the ship as a floating hotel. But that scheme failed to materialise and the vessel was sold to a British-based businessman in 2011. As his plans for Queen Mary also failed to develop, concerns over the ship’s condition increased and FOTSQM

was formed in an attempt to safeguard its future.

With the sale agreed, the charity’s immediate priorities are to dry-dock the ship and carry out essential repairs and then to arrange the tow from London to Glasgow — as well as fundraising to cover the estimated £150,000 costs involved.

Beyond that, there is a £1.2m plan to refurbish the hull, restore key public spaces and develop the permanent berth infrastructure.

A further £3.5m project will fully rebuild Queen Mary in a static condition, develop a visitor centre and investigate the return of the ship to operational condition.

J

One of the charity’s core objectives is to use the ship to provide training opportunities in engineering, electrical work, joinery, craftsmanship and hospitality.

It has developed plans to work in partnership with local colleges and to seek HNC and HND accreditation, with a special emphasis on creating apprenticeships for long-term unemployed people in the Glasgow area.

FOTSQM also want the ship to serve as a major educational resource — with museum facilities highlighting the history of Clyde shipbuilding and a range of curriculum-linked learning experiences for school children.

Mr Keir — who is a chief engineer serving with Cunard

Nautilus members Ronnie Keir and Captain Calum Bryce on the bridge of the Queen Mary

Line — said Nautilus members can play a vital role in turning the charity’s aims into reality.

‘We have a big fundraising challenge ahead of us, so we will obviously welcome donations from everyone,’ he explained.

‘But we are also keen to get the practical support of seafarers

for the project — especially in terms of a skills base that covers such aspects as ship ownership, operations, engineering and marine architecture,’ he added.

‘Queen Mary is the last of her type — a truly iconic vessel of national significance — and we hope that Nautilus members will

take this opportunity to support our project to not only preserve her for future generations, but also create a real asset for Glasgow,’ Mr Keir said. g For more information, and to find out how you can contribute to the charity’s fundraising efforts, visit: www.tsqueenmary.org

Merry Christmas

and a Happy New Year

www.stc.ac.uk

/SouthShieldsMarineSchool

Call us on: 0191 427 3772 or Email: marine@stc.ac.uk

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The Riverside transport museum in Glasgow, which could provide a future home for the Queen Mary

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18/11/2015 14:11

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

MARITIME HISTORY

Pioneers who set standards for a century A German destroyer raised as part of the salvage project to recover the scuttled German fleet in Scapa Flow

100 years on from the formation of the Admiralty Salvage Section, TREVOR BOULT looks back at its remarkable work to recover and repair maritime casualties during the First World War…

I

The dangers of the British coasts have long been regarded as a serious threat to shipping. Yet in times of national crisis they proved a blessing in disguise. The yearly toll of wrecks on the home shores has provided fine experience for our salvage experts, which put them at the forefront of their challenging profession, and their

knowledge proved of vital importance in sustaining the viability of the merchant fleets in the First World War. Before the war, most salvage services were almost wholly mercantile and commercial. Most Admiralty efforts in this direction were confined to ports and harbours, where method could be ordered and controlled by

routine; their more arduous and unmanageable cases were frequently handed over to the merchantmen.

No serious provision for a succession of maritime casualties had been made in peacetime and there was no specially organised and equipped Naval Salvage Service.

At the start of the war Britain

Over 170,000 people in the seafaring community need your help today

could muster a significant number of marine salvage units. The most important contemporary operators were the Liverpool Salvage Association, the London Salvage Association, and the firm of Henry Ensor, at Queenstown in Ireland. All salvage concerns operating in Britain were promptly taken over by the Admiralty. No time was lost in carrying out work to safeguard the home harbours, and mines and long lines of steel nets were laid to protect troopships on their way to France.

Under a new imperative, no cost of salvage operations was high if ‘a keel could be added to our mercantile fleets in one minute less than the time the builders would take to construct a new vessel... By whatever skill and daring and exercise of seamanship, the wrecks must be returned to service’. The merchants’ salvage enterprise was to hand.

Critically, in November 1915 the Admiralty Salvage Section was formed. Germany’s shrewd calculations of winning the war by its submarine campaign reckoned without the Salvage Section. While the powers of the Admiralty were concentrated on countering the U-boat menace, the abilities of the Salvage Section were focused on repairing the damage inflicted by enemy torpedoes. From a relatively minor position, the Section

“

Germany’s plan to win the war using submarines had reckoned without the UK Salvage Section

”

sprang into paramount importance. As the list of casualties grew, so the salvage organisation was enlarged.

The practice and experience gained in quick succession of ‘cases’ tuned their operations to a high pitch of efficiency. New and more powerful appliances came to their hands while a skilled and technical directorate liberated initiative. Strandings, torpedo or mine damage, fire, collisions — frequently a compound of several — provided occasion for every ingenuity or resource.

Every effort was made to bring a damaged ship to drydock.

Many new perils were added to the risks and hazards of their already-dangerous work. Casualties were rarely located in safe

and protected waters; more usually on the open coast and main channels where the enemy kept a close eye for a pot-shot to prevent succour to a previous victim, and where the salvage vessels themselves could be attacked.

The menace of sea-mines was ever present: ‘[The] run and swirl of Channel tides had strength to weigh a stealthy mooring and carry a power of destruction up stream and down. They have a new and deadly danger to be guarded against in the ammunition and armaments of their stricken wards. Many went down at ‘action stations’, and carried ‘hair-sprung’ explosive charges, the exact condition and activity of which were usually a matter of conjecture. ... It called for a courage of no ordinary measure to grope and stumble under water amid shattered wreckage for the safety clutch of the charges, or grapple in the mud and litter for torpedo firing levers. This the pioneer of the divers must do, as the first and most important of his duties’.

I

The salvagemen delivered their uncanny services so efficiently that they steamed ahead of the processes of reconstructing the casualties at the crowded drydocks or in the lay-by anchorages. Working night and day, the Repair Section returned each vessel to sound-

Please help us to support them by making a donation today Text SEAF17 to 70070 to donate £5 or visit www.seafarers.uk Seafarers UK (King George’s Fund for Sailors) is a Registered Charity, no. 226446 in England and Wales and SC038191 in Scotland.

A torpedoed merchantman on the shoals: Salvage Officer making a survey Picture: Muirhead Bone

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18/11/2015 14:12

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

MARITIME HISTORY hawser creaks and strains, and we draw off gently to seaward.’

I

The first torpedoed ship in Britain to be repaired with concrete during the First World War

ness in a third of the time it would take to build a substitute; the Sea Section taking them out to sea in seaworthy condition once more.

Directly a ship was torpedoed, Whitehall was informed by radio and the nearest available naval craft was ordered to stand by and render all possible assistance until a salvage steamer arrived from the most convenient depot to take over. If a vessel still floated, tugs would tow her to port; if she sank, the salvage officer immediately reported the position to the director of salvage. No time was wasted, for the loss of a single tide might easily have meant the vessel’s total loss. Within minutes of the report being received the director would suggest how the case should be treated.

I

What proved to become one of the greatest aids of the Salvage Section was the ‘standard patch’. It was designed and constructed by Captain GI Wheeler, whose brilliant salvage feats in WW1 he went on to repeat in WW2. Many ships which would irretrievably have sunk were brought safely into port under the protection of this invention. Its significance is recognised: ‘So long as the U-boat campaign continued it remained a great tug-of-war between patches and pumps and torpedoes. Ultimately it was the paraphernalia of the Salvage Section that robbed the Germans of progressively more of their prizes.’

The Standard Patch was formed of grooved timbers that fitted into one another, resembling the top of a massive rolltop desk. This construction adapted perfectly for fitting the compound curves of a ship’s hull. After the size of the hole was ascertained, the tailor-made patch was bolted in position and the edges made watertight with cement. Many ships had to be beached at the nearest spot to save them, and the patch was then fitted to facilitate reaching port for permanent repair. Other

30-31_trevor b_SR edit.indd 31

ships still remained afloat, and it was not uncommon for ships’ carpenters to construct their own standard patch on deck. On completion it was lowered over the side, the bottom edge being weighted, while divers guided it into place for securing.

The demand for pumps of all types was tremendous: motor, steam, and electric pumps were required. It was the war that brought out the good points of the electric submersible pump.

So much so that, having demonstrated its effectiveness at the Battle of Jutland, the whole Royal Navy was fitted with them.

The submersible pump was much in demand by salvage officers for ‘touch-and-go’ cases, but for those which required long and steady pumping for days, or weeks, the Gwynne steam pumps could not be excelled. Their reliability inspired implicit faith by salvagemen. Henry Ansor, one of the cleverest salvage experts of his day, has remarked: ‘For a long voyage in a leaking ship, give me the Gwynne.’

z Edited extract from A Day on the Shoals, by David Bone: ‘As we passed alee of the grain carrier, steam pumps on her foredeck were forcing a sickly mixture of liquid batter through hoses to a barge alongside, and the overpowering stench of the mess blew down to us and set eyes and noses quickening with instant nausea.

‘Clear of harbour limits and heading out to the shoals, a brisk rigging of gear and tackle brings action to the decks of the salvage steamer. Already we had thought the narrow confines from bulwark to bulwark congested by the bulk of appliances but, from hole and corner and cunning stowage, further coils and shoots and lengths of flexible, armoured hose are dragged and placed in readiness for operations. Derricks are topped up and purchases rove for handling the heavy twelve-inch motor-

pumps. Hawsers are uncovered and coiled clear, stout fenders thrown over in preparation for a grind alongside the wreck.

‘Mindful of possibilities, the engineer-lieutenant and his artificers go over the insulation of their power leads in minute search for a leak in the cables that may occasion a short circuit later on. The terminals and couplings are buffed and polished with what seems exaggerated and needless precision — but this is salvage, where sustained effort is only possible in the rare and all-too-brief union of favourable tide and weather conditions. A cessation of the steady throw of the pumps, however instant and skilful the adjustment, may mean the loss of just that finite measure in buoyancy that could spring the weight of thousands of tons.

Second chances are rarely given by a grudging and jealous sea; there must be no hitch in the gear, no halt in weighing the mass.

‘There is no preparatory trickle at the outboard end of the hose ejections; with a rush and roar, a clean, solid flood pours over, an uninterrupted cascade at seven tons from each per minute!

‘The sea-tug that has till now been a quiet partner in operations, smokes up and backs in astern to pass a hawser to the wreck. She drops away with a good scope, and lies handy to tow at orders...

‘Without a jar or surge the wreck becomes a floating ship; she lists a little, as the towing

Occasions arose when prompt decisions had to be made. Damage to a ship by water can be remedied but fire, once it gets a hold, consumes ship and cargo. Of the two evils, the salvage man would choose the lesser, and, if there was no other way of combating the fire, he would calmly sink the ship as a preliminary to saving her. To a salvor there is no such thing as ‘can’t’.

Such was the fate of the troopship Onward. One midnight, lying at the quay at Folkstone, she suddenly took blaze from a thermite bomb which threatened destruction to the whole quay — a disaster to communications with France. Onward was sunk by opening the sea-cocks, but capsized in the process. Before being raised she had to be set upright.

Enormously strong wooden tripods were built on the quay. Lifting vessels were moored close by.

Cables from them were led under the ship’s keel and attached to the visible upper side of the hull.

Other cables were led across the tripods and, uniquely, were attached to five powerful railway locomotives acting in tandem: ‘There followed one of the strangest tugs of war in the world between railway engines and a sunken ship.’ They were successful and Onward was raised and put in drydock.

Drydock workers also saw their peacetime practices modified in dealing with the aftermath of attacks on the ships brought to them.

z Edited extract from The Dry

Dock by David Bone: ‘The symmetry of conventional docking is not possible in the overcrowded basin. There is

“

The electric submersible pump ended up on all Royal Navy ships

”

need to pack the vessels closely.

They lie at awkward angles, the stern of one overhanging the bows of another. Masts and funnels and deck erections, upstanding at varied rakes, emphasise the confused berthing and draw the eye to the condition of the mass of damaged shipping.

‘A chill breeze from the sea carries reek and cinder of northcountry coal to thicken the lash of the rain. The waft comes from heeling dock tugs that strain at their hawsers, spurring the muddy tide to froth in their task of moving the helpless vessel in the basin. By check, and the powerful heave of a shore capstan, she warps in and straightens to the line of the docks.

‘Mindful to conserve their precious drydock space to the limit of good service, the repair section select the vessels with rare judgement. In drydocks with a twin-berth, there is need for parallel treatment. The two ships must be considered as one, and all efforts be promoted towards refloating them, when hull repairs are completed, on one opening of the sea-gate.

‘On the ship the receding waterline exposes the damage to her engine- and boilerrooms. A litter of coal and oily scum showers from angles of the wrecked bunker and stokehold to the floor of the dock, and

A British lifting craft supporting a German U-boat

leaves the fractured beams and tubes to stand out in gaunt twist and deformity. Through the breaches the shattered cylinders and broken columns of the engines lie distorted in a piled raffle of wrenched pipe sections, valves and levers, footplates, skeleton ladders and shafting... but no hammer falls as yet.

There is, first, a sad freight to be discharged; not all the crew managed to escape. Three sombre closed wagons are waiting by the dockside, and towards them down the long gangway from the ship, the bodies of an engineer and some of the stokehold crew are being carried. The weltering flood that held them has drained to the dock, and busy hands have searched in the wreckage where they died at their post.

‘We have no flags to honour, no processional march to accompany our dead. Their poor bodies, dripping and fouled, are draped in a single coarse shroud that hardly conceals the line of their mangled limbs. Awkwardly the carriers stumble on the sodden planking and rest arms and knees on the guiding hand-lines. The workmen pause on the ship and gangways and look respectfully, if curiously, at the limp burdens as they are carried by.’

I

The planned sinking of HMS Vindictive as a naval block ship at the Belgian port of Ostend, to deny its use by Germany as a submarine base, had been superlatively successful. When the Germans eventually retreated they, too, had sunk many blocking craft in the harbour. The monumental task of re-opening Ostend fell to the Salvage Section.

The final act of raising the shattered British warship was by no means the least of the many triumphs that crowned the Naval Salvage Section during WW1 — triumphs that could only have inspired what became the biggest wreck-raising job in the world — the lifting of the scuttled German fleet in the sheltered Scottish waters of Scapa Flow.

Altogether, the Admiralty Salvage Section during WW1 salved nearly 500 ships. z Principal sources: Wonders of Salvage by David Masters; Merchantmen-atArms by David Bone

Uniquely, five railway locomotives haul the steamer Onward upright, at Folkestone

18/11/2015 14:59

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

OFFWATCH ships of the past

by Trevor Boult modern industry. To F support its operations, highly Fish farming is a major

sophisticated ‘well boats’ transport the live fish, both out to the sea cages and later to the slaughterhouse. However, carriage of live fish is not a new phenomenon. Two centuries ago, young salmon were transported to London in waterfilled wells within the larger holds of purpose-built ships; the Berwick smacks.

The Borders town of Berwick stands at the mouth of the River Tweed which marks the historically contested frontier between Scotland and England.

It is one of the great salmon rivers of Britain. There is a long history of locally caught salmon being shipped to London. A contemporary diarist records: ‘The London market may indeed be said to be supplied from this plentiful source, as the salmon offered by the rivers in England are of inferior flavour, and in no great quantity.’ Throughout 2015 Berwick celebrated 900 Years of History. Salmon — the ‘King of Fish’ — featured prominently.

Sailing ships came from the Thames specifically to carry the salmon to Billingsgate. The Berwick merchants then decided to operate their own transport.

Their need for a fast sailing ship was ably met by the Berwick Smack. A local shipbuilder, Arthur Byram, is considered to be the originator of this unique vessel, which is described as being ‘rigged like a cutter, with a very full-bodied hull. It also had a very long bowsprit, an exceptionally tall mast, and a huge amount of sail.’

Many smacks were built at the mouth of Tweed, and they were reputedly the fastest vessels sailing on the east coast to London. They could cut the journey time to London from five to two days. The smacks captured a great deal of

When salmon sailed south on speedy smacks trade in other commodities, notably grain and eggs which were brought overland from considerable distances. They also carried passengers more quickly, and cheaply, than any other form of transport.

A traveller records an unusual deck passenger: ‘[Perhaps] the most indifferent spectator was a poney, which his master had thought proper to convey by sea. This unsociable animal seemed entirely occupied with his own grievances; and far from enjoying the novelty of his situation, was strenuously kicking his heels in the air, to the terror of all those who had the misfortune to be near him.’

A contemporary analyst summarises the smacks’ contribution to trade: ‘I myself remember when the vessels trading between Leith and London took up to 2 months in the voyage, and they were constantly laid up during the winter. At present, an average passage is less than a week, and [Berwick Smacks] sail regularly two times every week all the year round. For this very great improvement in the coasting trade, we are indebted to the inhabitants of Berwick-upon-Tweed. They first employed smacks, and were thus enabled to perform their voyage in a short space of time.

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book Heraldry of the Oceans by Alastair Arnott (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.

The consequence was, that almost the whole carrying trade between Leith and Edinburgh fell into their hands; and about 50 waggons were constantly employed in carrying the goods between Berwick and Leith. This continued for several years; till at last the inhabitants of Leith and Edinburgh built smacks of their own, and drove the Berwickers out of the trade.’

Cargo data of the smack Queen Charlotte records a summer sailing of 1807: 313 kitts of salmon; 186 bags of grain; 101 bundles of paper; 70 chests of eggs; 21 tubs of pork.

Traditional transporting of salmon saw the barrelled fish shipped raw in the colder months. In summer they were pickled and salted. As salmon could now be caught, packed in ice and be sold fresh in London all within a few days, the demand for ice required large quantities to be stored in the winter. Gathered from local ponds and river shallows, in mild winters large sailing ships were dispatched to Norway for ice. To accommodate it, huge icehouses were built in Berwick.

The heyday of the smacks lasted until 1838, after which locally owned steamships provided a still faster and more reliable service. When the magnificent curved viaduct — the Royal Border Bridge — was opened across the Tweed, it allowed trains to travel between Edinburgh and London, eventually leading to the demise of the coastal shipping.

Many of the smacks were owned by the Berwick Shipping Company. In 1872, it became the Berwick Salmon Fisheries Company, as the shipping side was replaced by the catching and selling of salmon as its principal business. Today, the River Tweed still sees salmon netted on a small scale. To anglers, it remains internationally renowned for the quality of its salmon fishing.

Routeing in the Dover Strait, with northbound traffic keeping to the French side and southbound traffic to the British side, may come into operation late in 1966, according to the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation. Introduction of the scheme depends upon the allocation by the French government of sufficient finance to allow buoyage of the Channel off the French coast. On the British side, which is much better marked, only a few additional buoys will be required. With about 300,000 ships a year passing through the Dover Strait, it is the busiest stretch of open water in the world and it has been estimated that at any moment there are 40 ships in the Strait. A questionnaire sent by the Institute of Navigation to 10,000 ship masters in the UK, France and Germany found that 94% favoured routeing MN Journal, December 1965

25 YEARS AGO Shipowners have been given a bleak warning that the world could face a shortage of 750,000 seafarers by the end of the decade. Redundancies and reductions in training over the past 10 years, coupled with natural wastage, mean that there is already a global deficit of 50,000 officers, a speciallycommissioned report concluded last month. Carried out for the shipowner organisations BIMCO and the ICS, the study says the shortfall of officers is presently being ‘managed’ by owners and operators through such tactics as reduced back-up, cutbacks in leave and training, and reductions in crewing levels. The report warns that the gap between supply and demand will increase in the years ahead as the world fleet grows and increasing numbers of seafarers reach retirement age, unless global cadet intake increases to around 40,000 a year The Telegraph, December 1990

10 YEARS AGO NUMAST has joined with other unions representing seafarers on ferries operating in the Irish Sea in calling for urgent meetings with the British and Irish shipping ministers. The unions want talks on proposals to protect jobs and working conditions for the crews of ferries operating between EU member states following concern over Irish Ferries’ controversial plans to make more than 500 of its existing British and Irish seafarers redundant and to replace them with cheaper agency-employed crews. Maritime unions from across Europe staged a 10,000-strong protest march to the Irish Parliament to highlight concerns about the increasingly poor pay and conditions on Irish Sea ferries, with evidence of pay rates as low as €3.60 an hour The Telegraph, December 2005

THEQUIZ

4

What is China’s share of global container exports?

1

What was the fastest growing sector of the world merchant fleet last year, in terms of total tonnage?

5

Roughly how many ships are there in the world heavylift fleet?

6

2

What is the average size of a new containership this year, TEU capacity?

The passenger and cargo shipping firm Manchester Liners began life in 1898. In which year did it cease operations?

3

Approximately how many containerships are presently

on order around the world?

J Quiz answers are on page 42.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

Membership No.:

Closing date is Friday 11 December 2015.

QUICK CLUES

32_offwatch_SR edit.indd 32

50 YEARS AGO

1.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

16.

19.

21.

22.

24.

25.

26.

Across Prevention (11) Peculiarity (7) Smelly (7) Lucky footwear (9) Andronicus (5) Get up (4) Land and water creatures (10) Electronic keys (5,5) Consumer (4) Flair (5) Small picture (9) Chirp (7) Cavalry (7) Imaginary (3-8)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Down Delay (15) Egg-shaped (5) Ferry port (7) Palace (7) Electronic device (1-3,4) Half opaque (4-11) Slice (6)

8.

15.

16.

17.

18.

20.

23.

Explosions (6) Hormone (8) Caution (6) Deadly bacteria (7) Isle of Man port (7) Flavour (6) Alcoholic splurge (5)

CRYPTIC CLUES 1.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Across The man’s musical threesome in charge between north and south, producing tantrums (11) Leaving to the hairdresser to draw the line (7) Take away from value of French piece of land (7) ‘For they say every why hath a ---’ (The Comedy of Errors) (9) Went on horseback with nothing but cowboy skills on show (5) Fruity engagement (4) For hanging out online, we hear (7,3)

16. See pottery shaped to order (10) 19. Ballgame for swimmers (4) 21. Turner discovered amongst spoil at her gallery (5) 22. Arrest for having common download then 24 her to the finish (9) 24. Setback concerning piece of poetry (7) 25. Demand payment when ready to give a song, usually good (7) 26. Dirge for learner, so be it, with Jacques the film director going ahead (11)

Down Father’s vast live gathering at church (7,8) 2. To get ball to move England should show backbone (5) 3. Cheap newspaper with page three American bits of stuff …

(3,4) 1.

4. … strange, fellows take on head of Titbits in a scrap (7) 5. Milanese footballers took on Manchester devils, and got buried (8) 6. It’s the stage where one cracks jokes (5-2,8) 7. Drive over the limit around Welsh capital and get ejected (6) 8. Powerful poet that Patience (6) 15. Replace the vision in TV with lightweight message (8) 16. Payment for Ray and Al’s got mixed up (6) 17. Trained to cobble together a part exchange (5-2) 18. If I don’t see a P I park anyway — it spices things up (7) 20. Helps window cleaner with rent (6) 23. A short stanza sounds like it came from a diplomat (5) J Crossword answers are on page 42.

18/11/2015 17:35

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

MARITIME BOOKS

Dress to impress: a uniform history Heraldry of the Oceans

By Alastair Arnott The History Press, £20 ISBN: 978 07524 93411 get Telegraph letter-writers going — anything K from sloppy standards of dress to the longUniform is one of the subjects that certainly

standing debate over the origins of the purple background for engineer officers’ braid.

Alistair Arnott has stepped into the arena with this marvellous book — subtitled The Garb of the Merchant Seafarer — which aims to provide a definitive account of the development of MN uniform, cap badges and buttons, and which includes quotes from a couple of such letters to the Telegraph.

Mr Arnott says the book was triggered by what should have been a fairly straightforward request for a description of the cap badge for officers employed by the Great Eastern Railway during the First World War. Problems in obtaining the information made him question what other knowledge had been — or is in danger of being — lost as the British shipping industry declines.

It’s clear he faced a lot of challenges in assembling his account. Few manufacturers seem

Arctic convoy account is a gripping read The Road to Russia

By Bernard Edwards Pen and Sword, £12.99 ISBN: 978 14738 27677 f www.pen-and-sword.co.uk much of Europe, the Second K World War is perhaps one of the With battle raging across

best documented periods in world history. Fresh perspective of the time can be hard to come by, so it’s a testament to Bernard Edwards that he’s been able to shine new light on one of the war’s most compelling maritime stories.

Exploring the fates of Convoys PQ13 and PQ17 — both sailing from Iceland to Northern Russia as well as the westbound Convoy QP13 — The Road to Russia is a fact-filled account of the events taking place in some of Europe’s northernmost seas.

The book centres on the events of the summer of 1942. With Soviet Russia struggling to hold off Hitler’s invasion, Britain and the United States agreed to send supplies to bolster their diminishing resources.

Giving the view from the ships’ decks

33_books.indd 33

to have kept records of the shipping companies they worked for and labour-intensive jobs such as cap badge production are no longer carried out in the UK. However, he has managed to produce a remarkably wide-ranging book that covers such subjects as the intricacies of producing gold braid and the significance of symbols such as laurel and oak leaves on cap badges.

There are pictures of almost 300 different company cap badges and Mr Arnott has analysed the details to find that 70% of these feature a flag, 15% incorporate an anchor and 21.5% are surmounted by a naval crown.

It’s clear from the chapters on badges and buttons that many companies were proud of their own traditions and identity, resulting in an incredible diversity of designs. Similarly, while attempts to regulate naval uniform date back to the 1740s, a standard uniform for merchant shipping was not set until 1919.

Mr Arnott tells how the development of MN uniform — or, more properly, livery — was spurred on by the increasing presence of former RN officers onboard ships operating long-distance mail routes from the 1840s onwards. He also explains how the First World War served as the catalyst for a Board of

and bridges it puts the reader into the pulse-raising viewpoint of those who had to be constantly on guard from the often unseen threat posed

by German U-boats and aircraft.

With 37 years’ of experience at sea in the Merchant Navy, Captain Edwards uses the full breadth of his maritime knowledge to outline the dangers, and pitfalls that were awaiting the crews of the ships making these perilous journeys.

Through clever penmanship as well as providing a host of intriguing imagery, Captain Edwards paints a vivid picture of the time that was so well immortalised by Nicholas Montserrat’s The Cruel Sea. This is a well-researched and gripping account that provides a 200-page glimpse into the extreme hardships and tragedies that befell the men of the Merchant Navy of the time. The often gritty subject, while not easy to read, is hard to put down and gives a well-rounded account of those who put their lives on the line.

Trade report in 1917 which developed the proposals for the standard uniform.

The book includes 23 pages packed with original colour artwork illustrating the incredible variety of dress adopted by individual companies — with lace designs, for example, ranging from chevrons to curls and loops, straight lines or the more familiar diamond. Such ‘creativity’ lives on today, the book notes, with many companies continuing to deviate from the standard design.

Mr Arnott’s thorough approach to the subject leaves few angles untouched — including uniforms for cadets, women seafarers, foreign crews and the diverse ways of demonstrating rank distinction, such as the use of green background cloth for radio officers, as well as the use of additional items of dress, such as swords and guernseys.

There’s also a section on medals, decorations and awards made to merchant seafarers, with some interesting references to gallantry awards that have been given over the years — including those given to UK seafarers by other countries.

Classic tells of sailship techniques Seamanship in the Age of Sail

By John Harland Bloomsbury, £45 ISBN: 978 18448 63099 30 years ago, this book has K resurfaced in a new edition that First published more than

marks its ‘classic’ status as one of the most definitive accounts of the remarkable development of seamanship techniques between 1600 and 1860.

Author John Harland spent more than 20 years working on the book — much of it researching contemporary accounts and old textbooks to discover how the crews of the sailing ‘men-o-wars’ operated their vessels — and the depth of his

endeavours is clear from the range and scope of the contents.

It is, as the introduction points out, a book of present-day relevance — not just to the crews of modern tall ships, but also for anyone with an interest in the fundamental skills required to operate safely at sea and

And he handily provides information about museums and galleries where the best collections of uniform can be seen.

The book is tinged with sadness at the lack of appreciation for the MN uniform and the changes which have seen an increasing move towards the use of ‘workwear’ and a relaxation of formality within the workplace. It’s a truly fascinating study and Mr Arnott concludes with a challenge for others to pick up his research and to expand the knowledge about the subject. f Telegraph readers can buy the book for a special price of £16 (including free postage and packing to UK addresses only). To order a copy, phone Marston Book Services on +44 (0)1235 465500 and quote offer code: HPHeraldry. The offer will close on 31 March 2016.

for model-makers, artists and marine historians.

The book gives good detail on the development of sailing ships and their rigging, explaining the different sails and how sail plans changed over the years. It also describes the theoretical principles of seamanship — including factors such as hull form and stability — and gives some fascinating background on how crews were organised for tasks such as going aloft, and working the sails and yards.

With the aid of clear and simple illustrations, John Harland also gives an insight into how the old sailing ships dealt with squall and storms, how much sail was set in various conditions, how they responded to man overboard emergencies and how their boats were raised and lowered. There’s also a pretty chilling concluding chapter that describes all the many types of accident that could take place onboard.

One to keep a weather eye upon…

Meteorology for Seafarers

By Richard Frampton & Patricia Uttridge Brown, Son & Ferguson, £55 ISBN: 978 18492 70564 storm wave on the cover of K this fourth edition of a truly classic

The illustration of an extreme

Story of a voyage that changed our thinking The Voyage of the Beagle

By Charles Darwin Zenith Press, £25.00 ISBN: 978 07603 48130 fwww.quartoknows.com featured the research vessel K Discovery, on which Nautilus Last month’s Telegraph

members are continuing a proud maritime tradition of supporting scientific study. One of the Discovery’s best-known predecessors was the Beagle — the ship that enabled 19th century naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin to make the observations central to his theory of evolution.

The Voyage of the Beagle is Darwin’s memoir of his five-year adventure, recounting his travels and commenting on discoveries he made in places as far afield as the

Galapagos islands, Patagonia and the Australasian coral reefs.

This beautiful new edition from Zenith Press claims to be the first that is fully illustrated, and the images are a fine complement to Darwin’s well-known text. Scientific engravings from the author’s contemporaries sit alongside useful maps of the voyage and good colour photos of locations that remain wild and fascinating to this day.

The Zenith edition also includes a welcome seafaring perspective, as the records and observations of the Beagle’s captain Robert FitzRoy are interspersed throughout Darwin’s text. The book is even quite reasonably-priced for a large, glossy hardback — could be just the Christmas present you need for the research vessel crew member in your life.

title underlines its importance. As climate change seems to make the world’s weather increasingly volatile, an understanding of the principles of meteorology is ever more essential for seafarers.

Several generations of seafarers will be familiar with the book — but this latest version incorporates some extensive changes to reflect advances in technology and changes in the operation of meteorological and forecasting services.

Well-structured and copiously illustrated with diagrams, charts and photographs, the book provides clear explanations of the way that weather systems work and their implications for seafarers. It aims not only to provide all the information needed for those studying for their first class certificates of competency, but also to spark a deeper interest in a subject that affects us all.

BOOK SAVINGS g Purchase at www.marinesocietyshop.org.

18/11/2015 14:13

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

NL NEWS Wij hebben Facebook.

Volg ons ook!

Bezoek www.nautilusint.org

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Geslaagde MLC training in Rotterdam International een tweedaagse training F ‘Implementatie van de Maritime Labour

Medio november organiseerde Nautilus

Convention (MLC)’ voor leden, medewerkers en relaties in Rotterdam. Ook Nederland behoort tot de VN lidstaten die zich hierbij hebben aangesloten. Het MLC dient onder meer goede leef- en arbeidsomstandigheden van zeevarenden te waarborgen. P& O North Sea Ferries werknemers Hans Seven (links), assistant OBS manager en Marco Stolk (2e van links), head

chef, waren twee van de deelnemers. Hans Seven: ‘Wij zitten beiden ook in de Ondernemingsraad en krijgen altijd veel vragen van collega’s over de leef- en werkomstandigheden aan boord.

Dankzij deze training zijn we nu in staat die vragen beter te beantwoorden.’ Marco Stolk: ‘Ik heb veel meer inzicht gekregen in hoe het allemaal in elkaar zit en hoe het werkt. En met het MLC trainingsboek in de hand heb ik nu ook een prima stuk gereedschap om mijn collega’s beter voor te lichten.’

Minder inzet tegen piraterij vergroot noodzaak mogen inzetten van private beveiligers Kiwa Register adviseert tijdig een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs STCW 2010 aan te vragen 2 oktober 2015

Langere levertijden in 2016 voor aanvragen Vaarbevoegdheden STCW 2010 Zeevarenden die in het bezit zijn van een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs conform de normen van voor de STCW Kiwa Register introduceert versnelde afgifte CRA 2010 Manila Amendments (STCW 2010) zullen dit vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs vóór 31 december 2016 moeten omzetten naar een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs conform STCW2010. Kiwa Register maakt zeevarenden attent CRA gelijktijdigaanvraagpiek met ontvangstbevestiging op de verwachtte van vaarbevoegdheden in 2016. In de 2e helft van 2016 voorziet Kiwa In goed overleg met de KVNR, de Inspectie Leefomgeving Transport en klanten heeft Kiwa Register Register grote hoeveelheden aanvragen, waardoor deenverwerking van aanvragen langer zal duren dan de mogelijkheid gezien om het afgifteproces van een Certificate of Receipt of Application (CRA) te gebruikelijk. Kiwa Register adviseert de zeevarenden hier rekening mee te houden en een aanvraag voor een evalueren en te herzien. Met als resultaat dat Kiwa Register onder strikte voorwaarden direct een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs het eerste half jaar van 2016 in te dienen.

CRA kan afgeven.

Met ingang van maandag 5 oktober zult u na het indienen van een aanvraag voor een erkenning van

Achtergrond een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs van een buitenlandse zeevarende direct een CRA ontvangen. U ontvangt Sinds de inwerkingtreding van de herziene bemanningswetgeving opdat 3 mei kuntheeft). u bij Kiwa. Register deze CRA gelijktijdig met de ontvangstbevestiging per mail (of per post als uw 2014 voorkeur vaarbevoegdheden aanvragen die voldoen aan de nieuwe wettelijke eisen conform de 2010 STCW 2010 Manila De aanvraag voor een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs van erkenning dient wel aan onderstaande Amendments. uitgegeven voor die datum hebben een looptijd tot en met uiterlijk voorwaarden teVaarbevoegdheidsbewijzen voldoen: 31-12-2016. x

de aanvraag wordt gedaan met e-Herkenning;

STCWx pre-2010 de aanvraag is compleet; Om zeevarenden de tijd te geven te voldoen aan de nieuwe aanvullingseisen, de opleidingen hoogspanning en/ x de aanvraag is betaald. of ECDIS , bestaat tot en met 2016 nog de mogelijkheid om bevoegdheden aan te vragen onder de voorwaarden Indien de aanvraag aan bovenstaande voorwaarden voldoet zal de CRA Hierdoor gelijktijdigzijn meten deworden door Kiwa nog van de oude bemanningswetgeving en de pre-STCW2010-normen. ontvangstbevestiging worden verstrekt. bevoegdheden afgegeven met een beperkte geldigheid van 31 -12-2016.

Zorgvuldig invullen van gegevens

STCW Zorgt u2010 bij het aanvragen dat u zorgvuldig bent met het invullen van gegevens in de aanvraagportal, de gegevens die 2017 u invult op de portal komen verplicht op de CRAom te staan. is mogelijk Vanaf 1 januari is iedere zeevarende in het Deze bezitversnelde te zijn vanafgifte een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs door een volledig geautomatiseerd proces waardoor Kiwa Register niet in de gelegenheid is gegevens conform STCW 2010. Kiwa Register voorziet dat er in 2016 zo’n 10.000 vaarbevoegdheidsbewijzen moeten op de CRA aan te passen. worden omgezet van STCW pre-2010 naar STCW 2010. De verwachting is dat er vanaf de 2e helft van 2016 een enorme toenameter vanvoorkoming het aantal aanvragen te zien zal zijn.

Maatregelen van fraude Het per direct verstrekken van een CRA valt of staat met het juiste gebruik van de aanvraagportal.

Aanvragers die herhaaldelijk een aanvraag indienen welke niet voldoet aan de eisen zullen worden Niet wachten uitgesloten van deze functionaliteit en slechts na beoordeling gehele dossier en opRegister verzoek zullen de Ondanks zorgvuldige voorbereidingen en uitbreiding van van o.a.het de capaciteit bij Kiwa een CRA kunnen ontvangen.

levertijden in het laatste kwartaal van 2016 onder druk komen te staan. Om de continuïteit te behouden is het advies, ook van Nautilus International, de KVNR en de Vereniging van Waterbouwers om aanvragen voor Levertijden vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs van erkenning en Express Service het vanvan de vaarbevoegdheidsbewijzen nietveranderen tot het laatste kwartaalafgifte van 2016 uit te stellen, maar Metverlengen de introductie de versnelde afgifte van een CRA de bestaande processen indien mogelijk al eerder in teblijft dienen. zorgt uService ervoorbestaan. dat u op tijd in het bezit bent van het juiste niet. Naast het reguliere proces ook Daarmee de dienst Express vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs.

Overige wijzigingen

Kiwa Register B.V. Sir Winston Churchilllaan 273 Postbus 4 2280 AA RIJSWIJK (ZH) Tel. 088 998 48 73 Fax 088 998 44 89 vergunningen@kiwa.nl www.kiwaregister.nl

Naast de introductie van de versnelde afgifte van de CRA voert Kiwa Register enkele verbeteringen Aanvullende certificaten door welke de performance ten goede komen en ook worden enkele wensen doorgevoerd. Zo zijn de Om een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs conform STCW 2010 aan te vragen, dienen stuurlieden en kapiteins aan brieven die u ontvangt beter te koppelen aan de gegevens van de zeevarenden en de aanvraag in uw te tonen dat zijDaarnaast voldoen aan dehet eisen met betrekking tot ECDIS eninloggen radarnavigator administratie. wijzigt inloggen voor particulieren.

Het met het (management level).

Werktuigkundigen dienen dat en zij voldoen aan de eisen vanpersoonlijk hoogspanning.

Maritieme officieren burgerservicenummer (BSN) aan komttetetonen vervallen wordt vervangen door een account.

Een particulier registreert zich en kan op basis van dit account aanvragen moeten aantonen dat zijéénmalig voldoen als aanklant ECDIS, radarnavigator (management level)indienen, en hoogspanning. deze manier lijkt erg veel op de wijze waarop webwinkels klanten laten registreren.

Afh ankelijk van de functie van de aanvrager kan er sprake zijn van een bijscholing. Indien het desbetreffende onderdeel al deel heefterop uitgemaakt regulierewens schoolopleiding (of eerdere Kiwa Register vertrouwt hiermee van een de belangrijke te hebben ingevuld en de training) kan d.m.v. een schriftelijk bewijs, wordt door de desbetreffende school, aantoonbaar worden gemaakt dat aan dienstverlening naardat een beterafgegeven niveau te brengen. de gestelde eisen wordt voldaan.

Het betreft de volgende bevoegdheden: • Kapitein alle schepen • Eerste stuurman alle schepen • Kapitein kleine schepen • Eerste maritiem officier alle schepen Voor meer informatie hierover en het indienen van een aanvraag kunt u de website www.kiwaregister.nl raadplegen.

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Denkt u dat de huidige maritieme opleidings- en trainingsprogramma’s voldoen aan de behoeften van de maritieme industrie, nu en in de toekomst?

A

Vereniging Maritiem Gezinskontakt ook bezorgd

De vakbond voor maritiem personeel Nautilus International was samen met de Koninklijke Vereniging van Nederlandse Reders (KVNR) verrast door de mededeling van bevelhebber Middendorp, in de Telegraaf eind oktober, dat de Marine minder zal gaan bijdragen aan de internationale antipiraterijmissies. De bevelhebber erkent wel dat minder inzet kan leiden tot het weer de kop opsteken van de piraterij. Van de twee internationale antipiraterijmissies is die van de NAVO Ocean Shield feitelijk al gestopt, de EU operatie Atalanta functioneerde nog wel.

Stevige inzet

De afgelopen jaren hebben laten zien dat de combinatie van èn een stevige inzet van de Marine door veel landen èn het beveiligen van schepen met private beveiligers, zoals alle zeevarende EU landen behalve Nederland inmiddels toestaan, zeer effectief is. Geen schip vaart onbeveiligd door het piratengebied.

Noodzaak private beveiliging

Nu de inzet van de Marine afneemt, neemt de noodzaak van private beveiliging op schepen met de Nederlandse vlag alleen maar toe.

Nautilus en de KVNR pleiten er al veel langer voor dat schepen onder Nederlandse vlag private beveiligers mogen inzetten als het inzetten van een militair VPD team niet kan.

Uiteraard dient de Nederlandse overheid het

geweldsmonopolie te behouden en kan dat realiseren door strenge voorwaarden op te leggen aan de private beveiligers, net zoals bijvoorbeeld België en Duitsland doen.

Brief kabinet

Nautilus en de KVNR dringen er, gezien de verminderde inzet van de Marine, met klem op aan dat het kabinet haar brief met het standpunt over private beveiligers zo spoedig mogelijk naar de Tweede Kamer stuurt. Dan kan het parlement op basis van een concreet voornemen het debat voeren. De brief was toegezegd voor begin oktober, verder uitstel is zeer ongewenst. Helaas werd inmiddels het bericht ontvangen dat het beleidsstandpunt over het toestaan van gewapende particuliere beveiligers weer is uitgesteld tot uiterlijk begin december.

Contributie 2016

In this month’s Dutch pages: F

De Council van Nautilus International heeft besloten om de contributies licht te verhogen.

Hieronder vindt u de per 1 januari 2016 geldende contributiebedragen:

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De poll van deze maand is: Heeft de Amerikaanse (USA) Marine gelijk om de oceaan navigatietrainingen voor zijn nieuwe recruten te verminderen? Geef ons uw mening online, op www.nautilusint.org

Ook voor Mascha Bongenaar, spreekbuis van de Vereniging Maritiem Gezinskontakt, kwam het interview in de Telegraaf als een nieuwe onwelkome verrassing. ‘Het blijft een gevaarlijke regio, dus je kunt er nu niet zomaar mee ophouden als Nederlandse Marine,’ stelt ze. Mascha, zelf getrouwd met een zeeman die regelmatig in dit gebied vaart en moeder van twee kleine kinderen, moet er niet aan denken als de piraterij weer toeslaat. ‘Daar lig ik toch nog vaak van wakker.

En met mij een groot aantal andere vrouwen in dezelfde situatie. Overigens hebben wij vorig jaar al, tijdens het aanbieden van een petitie hierover, samen met Nautilus en de KNVR, aangedrongen op de inzet van private beveiliging. Nu al zijn de huidige Marine teams niet flexibel genoeg en niet op elk schip inzetbaar. Daarom pleiten wij nog altijd voor het inzetten van private beveiliging. Ik meen dat Nederland het enige land ter wereld is, dat dit niet toestaat. Daarom zie je nu al dat bepaalde reders dit zelf willen gaan doen. Met alle gevolgen van dien, als het dan weer een keertje echt fout gaat. Vaak draait dan de kapitein persoonlijk op voor de gevolgen.

Dat mag toch echt niet gebeuren. Het zou voor alle partijen gewoon veel beter en veiliger zijn als kabinet en parlement hier nu op korte termijn de knoop over doorhakken met elkaar en private beveiliging toestaan.’

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18/11/2015 14:55

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

NL NEWS

Een bijzonder bezoek aan de Verenigde Naties A

Europort: veel aandacht voor innovatieve technologie november bezochten bijna C 30.000 bezoekers Europort, de In de eerste week van

internationale ontmoetingsplaats voor innovatieve technologie en complexe scheepsbouw, in Ahoy te Rotterdam. Ook dit jaar laar lag de focus op special purpose schepen, inclusief offshore-, bagger-, constructie-, marine-, binnenvaart- en visserijschepen en megajachten. Met ruim 1.100 exposanten behoort Europort tot ’s werelds belangrijkste maritieme ontmoetingsplaatsen. Ook een aantal Nautilus International leden en medewerkers stelden zich belangstellend op de hoogte van de nieuwste ontwikkelingen. Ruim 20% van de bezoekers kwam dit keer uit het buitenland en er waren ook 15 landenpaviljoens te bezoeken.

Van Imtech Marine naar RH Marine

Op donderdag 5 november werd op Europort voor de verzamelde pers, klanten en relaties bovendien de nieuwe naam van Imtech Marine onthuld. Dit door Parcom Capital en Pon Holdings uit de failliete Imtech boedel overgenomen florerende bedrijfsonderdeel gaat nu verder als RH Marine Group. RH is tegelijkertijd een verwijzing naar de oprichters

Radio Holland en Van Rietschoten & Houwens.

Directeur René ten Brinke gaf in zijn onthullingsspeech aan dat het nieuwe bedrijf nog altijd schatplichtig is aan Van Rietschoten & Houwens (sinds 1860) en Radio Holland (sinds 1916). Oud-navigator van de Flyer ( op de stand prominent aanwezig) Gerard Dijkstra, verrichtte samen met mevrouw Brinke, de champagnedoop. De Flyer was het beroemde zeiljacht, waarmee Conny van Rietschoten in 1978 de Whitbread around the world race (nu Volvo Ocean Race) won.

De groep en de beide RH-bedrijfsonderdelen presenteren zich in een vernieuwde huisstijl.

De andere dochterbedrijven Van Berge Henegouwen, Venteville, Techsol Marine, Elkon, Schiffbau-/ Dockbautechnik en Tess houden hun eigen naam en huisstijl.

‘Klantgerichtheid en flexibiliteit, nauwkeurig afgestemd op de wensen van onze klanten, staan bij ons centraal’, aldus Ten Brinke over de visie van de nieuwe RH Marine Group, dat zichzelf als een leidend bedrijf in de wereldwijde maritieme markt afficheert.

De volgende Europort editie vindt plaats van 7–10 november 2017.

Eind oktober bracht Nautilus executive officer, alsmede algemeen FNV bestuurslid, Charley Ramdas een bezoek aan de Verenigde Naties in New York.

Hij maakte deel uit van een parlementaire maatschappelijke Nederlandse delegatie. Charley Ramdas, over zijn bijzondere week in New York: ‘Het is een bijzonder inspirerende reis geworden. We hebben allemaal weleens beelden op tv gezien van vergaderingen van de Verenigde Naties. Maar als je dan zelf in dat gebouw rondloopt, in al die vergaderzalen en tussen al die mensen uit allerlei windstreken, dan voel je je zelf eigenlijk meer dan ooit wereldburger. Dan denk je weleens ‘wat zou het mooi zijn om al die wereldproblemen hier met elkaar op te lossen’. En wat zou het goed zijn als de internationale vakbeweging, en dus ook Nautilus, een belangrijke stem in dit alles zou hebben, als het gaat om zaken als Fair Transport en ‘gewoon goed werk’ wereldwijd.

Maar als je dan even later zelf zo’n vergadering meemaakt waar bijvoorbeeld Israël en de Palestijnen bijna letterlijk tegen elkaar te keer gaan, dan sta je gelijk weer met beide benen op de grond. Dat geldt ook als het om armoedebestrijding en het uitbannen van kinderarbeid gaat, waar wij als internationale vakbeweging toch ook dagelijks voor strijden met elkaar. Dat verander je niet in een week. Maar daarom is zo’n ervaring om ‘een weekje mee te draaien’ bij de Verenigde Naties wel een bijzondere ervaring.’

Hieronder een kort verslag van zijn bezoek.

Maandag: hoe werkt het bij de VN?

In de ochtend werden wij op de Nederlandse missie (kantoor) ontvangen door de plaatsvervangend Permanent Vertegenwoordiger, Paul Merkveld. We kregen een briefing over de structuur en werkwijze van de Verenigde Naties VN en de werkzaamheden die de Nederlandse missie daarbinnen verricht.

De VN vormt een bijzonder platform, bestaande uit zes commissies, waar door 93 lidstaten gediscussieerd wordt over o.a. veiligheid, duurzaamheid en mensenrechten.

De zes commissies zijn: z General Assembly (algemene vergadering VN)

Charley Ramdas, Nautilus International executive officer, 3e van rechts, tijdens zijn bezoek aan de Verenigde Naties

z Security Council (veiligheidsraad) z Economic en Social Council (ontwikkelingssamenwerking) z Secretorial (ondersteuningsapparaat, dat de lidstaten bedient) z International Court of justice (Den Haag, Intern Gerechtshof) z Trusteeship Council (Financiën) ‘s Middags werd er een rondleiding verzorgd door het VN gebouw en mochten de vergaderingen van de commissies, die op dat moment gaande waren, kort worden bijgewoond, zoals de Economic en Social Council. Vervolgens kregen we een presentatie van de militair adviseur, over VN vredesoperaties. Ook werd stilgestaan bij de kandidaatstelling van Nederland voor een zetel in de Veiligheidsraad bij de verkiezingen in 2017.

Dinsdag: noodhulp aan 13.5 miljoen Syriërs

In de ochtend werden wij bijgepraat door de Secretaris Generaal (SG) Jongeren, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi. De Substainable Development (duurzame ontwikkeling) Goals die recent zijn aangenomen, bieden volgens de SG uitstekende mogelijkheden voor de werkgelegenheid van jongeren. Het verduurzamen van de wereldeconomie zal veel nieuwe banen creëren, ook in ontwikkelingslanden. Tegelijkertijd heeft het bestrijden van terrorisme en het voorkomen dat jongeren zich inlaten met terroristische organisaties hoge prioriteit. Het bieden van

perspectief op decent work (gewoon goed werk) zal daar al een enorme impuls aan kunnen geven.

In de middag vond er een briefing plaats over de humanitaire situatie in Syrië. Benadrukt werd dat de focus ligt op een politieke oplossing. Het begon allemaal met de Arabische lente.

De opstand werd steeds heviger en werd met dezelfde hevigheid ook weer hard de kop ingedrukt.

De gevolgen zijn sindsdien alleen maar verergerd en manifester geworden in Europa. Op basis van een ‘framework’, voortvloeiend uit de Geneve Conventie wordt via een voorgeschreven stappenplan gewerkt aan een politieke oplossing. Dit is echter erg ingewikkeld omdat de Geneve Conventie verschillend geïnterpreteerd kan worden.

Er zijn drie werkgroepen geïnstalleerd, die zich richten op veiligheid, politieke oplossing en ‘humanitaire bescherming’. Waar nu de nadruk op ligt is om mensen in nood te hulp te schieten op medisch gebied, voedsel en onderdak. 70% Van de Syrische bevolking heeft inmiddels te maken met de gevolgen van de oorlog. 13.5 Miljoen mensen hebben noodhulp nodig en hun behoefte om hulp wordt groter.

Woensdag: in wat voor wereld willen we leven?

Briefing over de Substainable Development Goals (SDG) en de agenda 2030. Hoofddoel is het uitbannen van armoede. Er is

wereldwijd input opgehaald inzake de vraag ‘In wat voor wereld willen wij leven?’ De vele initiatieven die tot nu toe zijn genomen hebben geleid tot armoedebestrijding, afname kinderstraffen en toegang tot onderwijs voor meisjes. Echter, door de vele oorlogen is er sprake van een terugval.

Belangrijk is ook om goed te kijken met welke bedrijven er samengewerkt gaat worden aan de SDG’s. Wat worden de minimum standaarden waaraan voldaan moet worden? Ik heb opgeroepen dat vakbonden zeker ook geconsulteerd moeten worden betreffende de reputatie en werkwijze van bedrijven, vooral als het gaat om decent work (gewoon goed werk) en gedrag in het buitenland.

In de avond werd door de ambassadeur van de Nederlandse missie voor de VN, Karel van Oosterom, thuis bij hem een diner aangeboden.

Donderdag: ruzie tussen Israël en de Palestijnen!

Zeer inspirerende vergadering van de Veiligheidsraad voor het Midden Oosten bijgewoond.

Als eerste gaf Palestina een uitgebreide uiteenzetting van de recente gebeurtenissen, waar Israël buitensporig veel geweld heeft gebruikt en waarbij onschuldige burgerslachtoffers zijn gevallen. Vervolgens reageerde Israël door alle beschuldigingen af te wijzen en omgekeerd de Palestijnen van vele overtredingen te beschuldigen. Het over en weer beschuldigen eindigde in een ernstige oproep van de voorzitter om alsjeblieft in het belang van onschuldige burgers de dialoog te zoeken en vooral ook oprecht naar elkaar te willen luisteren.

Of daar gehoor aan zal worden gegeven? We gaan het zien!

In de avond werd er een receptie aangeboden door de Nederlandse ambassadeur aan de delegatie.

Vrijdag: terugkijken op een inspirerende week

Op deze laatste dag kregen wij een tour aangeboden door het Nederlands Consulaat. ’s Middags volgde een bijzondere ontmoeting met een Nederlandse journalist/correspondent inzake de Amerikaanse presidentsverkiezingen. Tenslotte vond er een eindevaluatie plaats van een bijzonder inspirerende week.

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AZVZ Zorgverzekering is er ook voor u specifiek richt op werknemers in de maritieme F sectoren. En dat doet de AZVZ al meer dan 60 jaar AZVZ biedt de enige zorgverzekering de zich

zonder winstoogmerk. Veel Nautilus International leden zijn dan ook bij het AZVZ verzekerd.

34-37_nl_18.11.indd 35

Het label AZVZ richt zich specifiek op maritieme bedrijven en op maritieme werknemers en hun gezinsleden. Het label AZVZ werkt zonder winstoogmerk en kan daardoor de verzekerden laten profiteren

van gunstige voorwaarden en premies. Via collectieve overeenkomsten met de maritieme sectoren kunnen zeevarenden, opvarenden in de binnenvaart, de zeegaande waterbouw en de gezinsleden van deze groepen verzekerden,

walpersoneel van rederijen met hun gezinsleden en voormalige zeevarenden plus gezinsleden profiteren van een zeer gunstige premie. g Meer informatie in de AZVZ flyer en op www.scheepvaartnet.nl

Spreek met één van onze vertegenwoordigers om uit te vinden hoe wij u het beste kunnen helpen.

Neem contact op met Jude Rosset van Redactive Media Group T: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 E: jude.rosset@ redactive.co.uk.

18/11/2015 14:55

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

NL NEWS

Flinter op bezoek bij FNV Ledenparlement A Monica Milcoveanu, Flinter’s directeur bemanningszaken

‘Het draait allemaal om toegevoegde waarde’ interview met Gaby Steentjes, C vlootmanager Flinter en Henk Op het moment dat het

Eijkenaar, namens Nautilus International lid van het FNV ledenparlement, plaatsvond, was Monica Milcoveanu verhinderd. De Telegraph interviewde Flinter’s Roemeense directeur bemanningszaken enige tijd later alsnog op het Flinter hoofdkantoor in Barendrecht. Het bieden van ‘toegevoegde waarde’ staat centraal bij Flinter. ‘Voordat ik bij Flinter aan de slag ging, januari 2014, heb ik ook gewerkt in een multiculturele omgeving voor Duitse en Roemeense reders. Ik hou er van om met mensen van verschillende nationaliteiten te werken, wat me de mogelijkheid biedt altijd weer nieuwe dingen te leren. Mede daarom voel ik me hier goed op mijn plaats. We beschikken bij Flinter over 42 schepen en aan boord hebben we een goede diversiteit qua bemanning: Nederlanders, Duitsers, Russen, Oekraïners, Filipino’s en Indonesiërs werken hier goed met elkaar samen. Dat gaat niet altijd vanzelf, want je hebt uiteraard met cultuurverschillen te maken. Mede daarom investeren we ook veel in seminars en trainingen op dit gebied. Maar in die trainingen investeren we ook veel in kwaliteit en, voor onze leidinggevenden aan boord, in modern leiderschap. Coachen van medewerkers en goed communiceren zijn hierin erg belangrijk.

Zo houden we voor elke afvaart onze ‘pre departure seminars’ bij onze lokale bemanning agentschappen voordat de bemanning aan boord gaat. Dit om medewerkers bewuster te maken van de cultuurverschillen. Zo wordt de bemanning goed voorbereid op de nieuwe klus die ze met elkaar aangaan.’

Ondernemingsraad en vakbond belangrijk voor Flinter ‘Bij Flinter vinden we het overleg met de Ondernemingsraad(OR) en ook met de vakbond erg belangrijk.

Wel gaan we er van uit dat het toegevoegde waarde moet hebben.

Daar draait het toch allemaal om.

Uiteindelijk moet alles erop gericht zijn dat het iets toevoegt aan onze kwaliteit van dienstverlening.

Met uiteraard ook goede leef- en arbeidsomstandigheden voor onze bemanning, als ook goede werkomstandigheden voor de kantoormedewerkers. Wij faciliteren onze OR-leden dan ook zo goed mogelijk om hun OR-werk goed te kunnen doen. Dat geldt ook voor kaderleden van Nautilus International. Ook hen bieden we de ruimte die ze nodig hebben om hun vakbondswerk goed te kunnen uitvoeren. Zo krijg je een goed tweerichtingsverkeer

34-37_nl_18.11.indd 36

met de vakbond en kun je elkaar stimuleren tot het treffen van betere maatregelen. Wat mij betreft zouden de contacten van de vakbond met ons best wat nader kunnen worden aangehaald. Dat we nog beter van elkaar weten wat we aan het doen zijn en welke uitdagingen voor ons liggen om onze belangrijkste doelen te bereiken. Met ook hier weer het uitgangspunt dat het toegevoegde waarde moet bieden.’

Persoonlijkheidstesten stagiairs Op de vraag hoe ze de toekomst van met name de Nederlandse bemanningsleden aan boord bij Flinter ziet, heeft Monica Milcoveanu een duidelijk antwoord. ‘Ik voel me verantwoordelijk voor al onze bemanningsleden, los van hun nationaliteit.

En dus voor alle nationaliteiten aan boord, inclusief de Nederlandse bemanningsleden’, stelt ze. ‘Uitgangspunt is dat we over een ervaren en kwalitatief goede bemanning overal aan boord beschikken. Wat we wel zien is een toename aan Nederlandse stagiairs de laatste jaren. En dat is natuurlijk een goede ontwikkeling. Dit jaar hebben we er ook 10 aangenomen. Wel onderwerpen we ze eerst aan een persoonlijkheids- en IQ-test. We willen graag zien dat ze goed gemotiveerd zijn en dat ze bereid zijn te investeren in hun toekomst op zee. En of ze het werk aan boord goed aankunnen, zonder familie om hen heen. Of daar geen taak voor de zeevaartscholen ligt?

Die zouden daar ook wel meer aan kunnen doen in hun opleidingen ja, zodat de juiste kandidaten voor dit werk al beter worden voorgeselecteerd. Ook hier gaat het om een zo goed mogelijke toegevoegde waarde bieden met elkaar.’

Nazorg Flinterstar bemanning ‘Het was de eerste keer dat ik zoiets meemaakte en ik hoop ook de laatste keer’, zegt Monica Milcoveanu beslist, gevraagd naar hoe zij het ongeluk met de Flinterstar heeft ervaren.

‘Gelukkig zijn de bemanningsleden en de loods er levend en wel van afgekomen. Dat is het allerbelangrijkst. Psychologische ondersteuning is in deze gevallen essentieel en we hebben dit onze bemanning direct aangeboden. Sommige bemanningsleden varen alweer. Anderen hebben wat meer tijd nodig en zullen begin volgend jaar weer worden ingepland. Goede nazorg voor zowel de bemanning als hun families is erg belangrijk. Binnenkort vliegen we naar Rusland en de Filipijnen waar we bijeenkomsten gaan organiseren met onze bemanning en hun families om voor een optimaal herstel zorg te dragen en onze betrokkenheid te tonen.’

‘Volgens mij heb je in Nederland niet echt meer een vakbond nodig. De meeste zaken zijn hier nu toch wel goed geregeld. Dat is tenminste mijn persoonlijke mening. Met name in de 70-er en 80-er jaren heeft de vakbond goed werk gedaan. Toen hadden ze ook nog veel leden.

Ook onder jongeren. Niet voor niets zie je het ledental de laatste jaren alleen maar afnemen.

Zelf was ik vroeger ook lid, evenals van de ondernemingsraad (OR) bij mijn vorige werkgever. Een OR vind ik wel belangrijk. Daar kun je met elkaar dingen bespreken die zowel in het belang van het bedrijf zijn als goed voor de werknemers.’

Aan het woord is Gaby Steentjes, vlootmanager bij Flinter. Op uitnodiging van het FNV Ledenparlement (LP) is hij te gast op een bijeenkomst van het LP met een aantal werkgevers. Dit om meer begrip voor elkaar te krijgen en ‘om eens te zien hoe dat gaat op zo’n LP bijeenkomst’, licht Flinter kapitein Henk Eijkenaar, namens Nautilus International lid van het LP en tevens OR-lid bij Flinter, toe.

Voorafgaand aan de bijeenkomst discussiëren beide heren met name over nut en noodzaak van de vakbond en van een goed functionerende ondernemingsraad (OR).

Vakbond wel belangrijk

Henk Eijkenaar is het volledig oneens met zijn vlootmanager dat een vakbond tegenwoordig niet meer nodig is. ‘En hoe wilde je dan een goede cao afsluiten? Denk je dat je dat als werknemer alleen af kan? Ook acht ik onze eigen OR er absoluut niet toe in staat om zelf cao-onderhandelingen met de directie te beginnen. Daar heb je de vakbond voor nodig.

In ons geval Nautilus International!’, aldus Henk. ‘Verder hebben we als vakbond ook een belangrijke rol richting overheid en hebben we invloed op wetgeving. Als wij er niet meer zouden zijn, dan zouden we een stuk slechter af zijn. Ik ben overigens wel met je eens dat we ons veel meer moeten richten op jongeren.

Op dit moment zijn we goed bezig met FNV Young & United, maar wat dat betreft kunnen we nog veel leren van de Zweedse vakbond TCO. Daar zijn ze erin geslaagd 300.000 nieuwe, vooral veel jongere, leden aan te trekken de laatste jaren....’

Vaste bemanning aan boord

Flinter telt circa 700 zeevarenden, waarvan circa 425 op de schepen, de rest is met verlof.

De rederij heeft circa 50 Nederlandse officieren in dienst. Van kapitein tot eerste stuurman en senior of tweede werktuigkundige. Steentjes: ‘Wij houden de bemanning, vooral in de hogere rangen, graag bij elkaar op hetzelfde schip. Dit verhoogt de betrokkenheid. Zo wordt het ook meer ‘hun schip’. Henk Eijkenaar staat ook achter deze

Henk Eijkenaar, Nautilus International (links) en Gaby Steentjes, vlootmanager Flinter

filosofie. ‘Daar ben ik ook een voorstander van’, zegt hij. ‘Bij een vast schip raak je meer betrokken. Het wordt ook meer een stukje van jezelf. Zelf heb ik 9 jaar op de Flinterduin en ruim 4 jaar op de Flintercrown gevaren. Toch heb je er ook collega’s bij die liever wat rondzwerven op verschillende schepen. En dat moet ook kunnen natuurlijk.’

Maritieme arbeidsmarkt: transfervergoeding

Dan komt de maritieme arbeidsmarkt nog even ter sprake. Gaby Steentjes juicht het toe dat er weer meer Nederlandse jonge zeelui van de zeevaartscholen afkomen.

‘Het is goed dat we nu ook veel stageplaatsen kunnen bieden en dat we veel jongeren ook een baangarantie kunnen bieden.

Wel zie je in toenemende mate na zo’n jaar of vijf, nadat ze bij ons toch veel praktijkervaring hebben opgedaan, dat velen weer de wal op gaan of in het Loodswezen terechtkomen. Persoonlijk vind ik dat wij als bedrijf hier een soort ‘transfer’-vergoeding voor zouden moeten krijgen, net zoals je dat bijvoorbeeld in het voetbal ziet.’

Ongeluk met Flinterstar

Op 6 oktober in de vroege ochtend kwam de Flinterstar in aanvaring met de LNG-tanker Al Oraiq. Dit 20-keer zo grote schip boorde zich met 15 knopen in de Flinterstar. Uiteindelijk kwamen de 11 bemanningsleden, alsook de loods aan boord, met de schrik vrij.

Alleen de kapitein vertoonde enige onderkoelingsverschijnselen, maar kon als snel na behandeling uit het ziekenhuis worden ontslagen. Steentjes: ‘Dat was wel behoorlijk schrikken ja, toen ik gebeld werd vanaf de boot. Vooral toen ik even daarna geen contact meer kreeg. Gelukkig heeft uiteindelijk iedereen het er levend afgebracht.

We zijn nu in afwachting van de lopende onderzoeken. Onder andere van de Onderzoekraad voor de Veiligheid.’

Profiel Flinter

Flinter is een aanbieder van zeetransport en bijbehorende diensten. Het bedrijf, gevestigd in Barendrecht, beheert en exploiteert een vloot van moderne vrachtschepen in laadvermogen oplopend tot 11.000 ton.

Het merendeel van de vloot bestaat uit multi-purpose-schepen. Dit type schip is erop gebouwd om diverse soorten droge lading — al of niet gecombineerd — te kunnen vervoeren.

Operatiegebied

Met ruim 40 schepen in eigendom of in beheer staat het bedrijf inmiddels in de top-5 van Nederlandse rederijen. Vrijwel alle schepen zijn ijsversterkt. Hierdoor kan naar niet-ijsvrije havens worden gevaren.

Er wordt regelmatig verkeer onderhouden in het Europese vaargebied, naar NoordAmerika, Zuid-Amerika en naar Afrika.

Jaarlijks vervoert de vloot meer dan vijf miljoen ton lading.

HAL cao principeakkoord medio oktober in Boston hebben cao-partijen F een principeakkoord weten te bereiken over de Na twee intensieve dagen onderhandelen

nieuwe Holland America Line (HAL)cao 2016–2018.

Een van de belangrijkste onderdelen van het pakket betreft de gageverhoging. HAL is bereid om, gedurende de looptijd van de cao, de gages te verhogen met 3,0 % per jaar (dit is inclusief de jaarlijkse diensttijdverhoging van 1 %). Het bestuur van Nautilus is inmiddels van mening dat het totale pakket — in vergelijking met andere recent afgesloten meerjarige cao’s — zeker niet verkeerd is en legt het resultaat daarom positief voor aan de leden.

Namens Nautilus NL waren bij de caoonderhandelingen aanwezig: bestuurder Marcel

van Dam; adjunct-bestuurder Maarten Keuss en kaderleden kapitein Vincent Smit en chef elektricien Harry van Kaam. Het was de eerste keer dat Nederlandse kaderleden aanwezig waren bij de HAL onderhandelingen.

Kaderleden er meer bij betrekken

Marcel van Dam: ‘Dankzij de bijdrage en inzet van onze kaderleden zijn wij in staat nog korter te schakelen en direct zaken door te nemen met vertegenwoordigers van onze achterban. Dat heeft ook hier duidelijk zijn vruchten afgeworpen. Als Nautilus willen we voortbouwen op deze lijn en in het algemeen onze kaderleden directer gaan betrekken in de communicatie met werkgevers, dus ook met

cao-gesprekken.’

Op maandag 16 november 2015 organiseerde Nautilus een ledenvergadering over de nieuwe cao 2016–2018. De vakbondsbestuurders hebben de leden geïnformeerd over het bereikte onderhandelingsresultaat en de aanwezige leden hebben hierbij de gelegenheid gekregen om zich over het principeakkoord uit te spreken.

Vlak voor het ter perse gaan van dit blad bleek dat de ledenvergadering zich kon vinden in het bereikte onderhandelingsakkoord. De ledenvergadering verzocht aan Nautilus om ook de leden aan boord erbij te betrekken door het houden van een korte elektronische enquête.

18/11/2015 14:55

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

NL NEWS

Recht gedaan aan bemanningsleden Ocean Trader A Prachtig fotoboek clipper Stad Amsterdam over het vlaggenschip F van Nederland, de clipper Stad

Het unieke visuele verhaal

Amsterdam, is nu in een prachtig vormgegeven fotoboek vervat.

Een grootformaat koffietafelboek, eenvoudig getiteld: ‘Stad Amsterdam’. De productie van dit boek is een liefdeswerk geweest voor beide auteurs, zo stellen zij. Zij hebben jaren aan boord gewerkt en geleefd.

Gelauwerd fotograaf Anthony Smith, ook aan boord tijdens de Beagle reis, en kwartiermeester Bart Huijs, tekenen voor de fotografie.

Meer dan 50.000 zeemijlen aan boord van de Stad Amsterdam werden afgelegd om het bijna 300-pagina’s tellende fotoboek te kunnen vullen. Ook zijn een aantal pagina’s ingeruimd voor

dagboekfragmenten van Bart Huijs.

Spannende momenten door de Straat van Magellan worden afgewisseld door lyrische ontboezemingen als een walvis met een kalfje even langszij komt…

De lancering van dit boek vond plaats op 19 augustus aan boord van het schip tijdens de spectaculaire Sail-in parade bij de opening van SAIL Amsterdam, waarbij de eerste exemplaren werden overhandigd aan Zijne Hoogheid Prins Maurits, Frits Goldschmeding (oprichter Randstad uitzendbureau) en Eberhard van der Laan (burgemeester van Amsterdam).

Inmiddels zijn al meer dan duizend exemplaren van het boek verkocht. g Meer informatie op de website: www.stadamsterdambook.com.

‘Na tweeënhalf jaar procederen is een schikking getroffen voor de vier Filipijnse bemanningsleden van het ms. Ocean Trader. Zij hebben het durven opnemen tegen hun werkgever en de eigenaar van het schip. Ondanks dat ze zich behoorlijk geïntimideerd voelden, hebben ze toch volgehouden en alsnog het salaris ontvangen waar zij recht op hadden.’ Aan het woord is Kirsten Boele, van het Rotterdamse advocatenkantoor Wybenga Advocaten dat ook regelmatig adviseert en procedeert in opdracht van Nautilus International en de International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). ‘In dit geval waren de vier Filipijnse bemanningsleden onze cliënten, maar de ITF heeft de proceskosten voor haar rekening genomen. Omdat principiële aspecten zoals het recht op staking een rol speelden, was de uitkomst van de zaak ook voor de vakbeweging van belang.’ Drie weken geleden is een regeling getroffen; de eigenaar en werkgever hebben de aansprakelijkheid niet erkend, maar wel het volledige bedrag voor de achterstallige gages inclusief rente betaald.

Eind 2012 werd de onder Liberiaanse vlag varende Ocean Trader door een staking op initiatief van de Zweedse vakbond SEKO aan wal gehouden in de Zweedse haven. Een SEKO inspecteur had vastgesteld dat de 21 Filipijnse bemanningsleden minder dan het vastgestelde ILO/ITF- minimumloon ontvingen. Na onderhandelingen werd vervolgens door de kapitein met de bemanningsleden een nieuw arbeidscontract afgesloten, gebaseerd op de internationale ITF collective agreement. Maar zodra het schip de Zweedse wateren had verlaten, werden de bemanningsleden gedwongen om weer een ondermaats contract te ondertekenen, ver onder het ITF/ILO minimumloon.

Arbeidscontracten verscheurd

Begin februari 2013 ontving ITF inspecteur Aswin Noordermeer een SMS-je van één van de bemanningsleden, dat hij het niet met deze wijziging eens was en dat men onder druk de nieuwe contracten had moeten tekenen. Aswin Noordermeer: ‘Toen de Ocean Trader vervolgens enkele dagen later

Kirsten Boele, advocate van de vier Filipijnse bemanningsleden van de Ocean Trader: ‘Het allerbelangrijkste is dat de mannen hun achterstallig salaris, met rente, krijgen uitbetaald.’

de haven van Rotterdam binnenliep, ben ik aan boord gegaan en bleek inderdaad dat de in Zweden afgesloten ITF overeenkomst verscheurd was en men een nieuw en veel slechter contract had moeten tekenen.

Uiteindelijk hebben toen vier bemanningsleden de zaak doorgezet, waarna we Wybenga Advocaten hebben ingeschakeld. Al met al is de afloop van de zaak een erkenning dat de bemanningsleden in hun recht staan. Maar het is tevens een belangrijk signaal dat onze internationale ITF collective agreement wel degelijk serieus genomen dient te worden wereldwijd. En dat reders niet ongestraft onze contracten in de prullenmand kunnen gooien.’

Zweedse staking rechtmatig

Boele: ‘De tegenpartij had aangevoerd dat de door SEKO georganiseerde staking onrecht-

matig zou zijn. In het tussenvonnis werd dit standpunt afgewezen. De staking in Zweden was rechtmatig volgens de Rechtbank Rotterdam. Ook SEKO stond met deze actie dus in haar recht. Dat is een belangrijk winstpunt voor de internationale vakbeweging.’

De aanhouder wint

Volgens Boele is het allerbelangrijkste dat de vier bemanningsleden nu alsnog hun achterstallig loon, met rente, hebben ontvangen. Of deze vier bemanningsleden alweer een nieuwe baan hebben gevonden?

‘Neen, nog niet en dat geeft toch wel te denken. Evenals het feit dat de overige bemanningsleden het uiteindelijk niet aandurfden om ook hun volledige loon te vorderen. Zo’n rechtszaak illustreert dat er in dit soort gevallen helaas vaak sprake is van een angstcultuur aan boord’, aldus Boele.

Teken de Fair Transport petitie Themadag Maritiem Platform Gepensioneerden ‘Wijzigingen in pensioenland vanaf 2015’ Maritiem Platform C Gepensioneerden vindt plaats op

De eerstvolgende themadag

donderdagmiddag 14 januari 2016 in Amersfoort. Het thema is dit keer ‘Wijzigingen in pensioenland vanaf 2015’. Gastspreker is pensioendeskundige Hamadi Zaghoudi. Hij neemt u mee in de belangrijkste wijzigingen die vanaf 2015 in werking zijn getreden op het gebied van uw pensioen, zoals de nieuwe FTK (Financieel Toetsings Kader)-wetgeving en de nieuwe UFR (Ultimate Forward Rate). De nieuwe UFR leidt tot hogere premies, een daling van de dekkingsgraden en een druk op de opbouwpercentages. Hoe gaat uw pensioenfonds hiermee om?

Kortom, het belooft een boeiende (pensioen)middag te worden…

34-37_nl_18.11.indd 37

Locatie:

Eenhoorn Amersfoort (Regardz) Barchman Wuytierslaan 2 3818 LH AMERSFOORT Tijdstip:

Inloop vanaf Start themamiddag om Einde:

13:00 uur.

13:30 uur.

16.30 uur.

U kunt zich aanmelden voor deze middag via infonl@nautilusint.org Het Maritiem Platform

Gepensioneerden is de vereniging van de gepensioneerde leden van Nautilus International (Zeevaart, Binnenvaart en Waterbouw) en de gepensioneerde leden van de Nederlandse vereniging Kapiteins in de Koopvaardij (NVKK).

de Telegraph riepen we al onze F lezers op de Fair Transport petitie In het november nummer van

van de European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) te ondertekenen. Een aantal van u heeft dit gedaan, maar we zijn er nog niet. Het doel is volgend jaar tenminste 1 miljoen handtekeningen van Europese burgers te verzamelen.

Dus we kunnen elke handtekening goed gebruiken.

Zoals bekend maakt Nautilus International zich al jaren sterk voor Fair Transport (Eerlijk Transport) in de zee- en binnenvaart. Het doel hiervan is om goede scheepvaartmaatschappijen eenvoudig herkenbaar te maken via een nieuw Fair Transport Mark(keurmerk) en om de import-/ exportbranche aan te moedigen met deze bedrijven te werken en de prijsvechters links te laten liggen.

We doen dit samen met de Zweedse zeevaartbond SEKO. Uitgangspunt in dit alles is om ‘eerlijk werk’ voorwaarden in de gehele Europese transportsector te bevorderen. Ook in de zee- en binnenvaart. g Teken de petitie: www.fairtransporteurope.eu. g Zie ook ons Nautilus International

Nautilus International was ook aanwezig. Links assistant general secretary Marcel van den Broek. Rechts director of campaigns & communications Andrew Linington

Fair Transport initiatief: www. nautilusint.org/nl/wat-we-zeggen/ campagnes/eerlijk-transport/ Weg met social dumping

Willen we echt een betere toekomst voor Europese zeevarenden? Waarom staan we dan toe dat ‘sociale dumping’

op steeds grotere schaal plaatsvindt op schepen onder Europese vlag?

Hoe behouden we een gezonde en sterke Europese vloot? Dat waren de belangrijkste vragen die eind oktober op een gezamenlijke bijeenkomst van de ETF en de fractieleden van de Socialisten & Democraten in het

Europarlement werden gesteld.

Nautilus International was erbij.

Nautilus director of campaigns & communications Andrew Linington nam deel aan één van de twee paneldiscussies. Hij ging in op de basisprincipes van de Amerikaanse Jones Act, die de maritieme industrie in de VS succesvol beschermt. Hij adviseerde de Europese politici zich te laten inspireren door de positieve kanten van deze wet, waarmee ook sociale dumping kan worden tegengegaan. Nautilus assistent general secretary Marcel van den Broek: ‘Het is een goede zaak dat dit soort bijeenkomsten worden gehouden. Immers Europese politici moeten er goed van worden doordrongen dat als het zo doorgaat het aantal Europese zeevarenden, inclusief hun maritieme kennis en kunde, steeds verder dreigt terug te lopen. En dat is om vele redenen slecht voor Europa.’

De ETF pleitte tenslotte in een manifest voor het creëren van een gezonde maritieme Europese sector met meer banen voor Europese zeevarenden. Belangrijk onderdeel van dit manifest vormt ook weer het Fair Transport Initiatief.

18/11/2015 14:56

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

APPOINTMENTS

Fleetwood - a top UK Nautical College with a long established reputation for being a leading provider of training to the Maritime industry.

Get in touch and see where your career will take you in 2016.

MARITIME

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all at Clyde Marine Recruitment.

Masters Orals 11 Jan (2016) | 29 Feb (2016) | 3 May (2016) | 20 Jun (2016) FD to Chief Mate 3, 30 May (2016) HELM (M) 8 Feb (2016) | 28 Mar (2016) | 04, 18 Apr (2016) | 30 May (2016) | 18, 25July (2016) | 01Aug (2016) HELM (O) Wed 10 to Fri 12 Feb (2016) | Tue22 to Thu 24 Mar (2016) | Wed1 to Fri 3 Jun (2016) | Wed 13 to Fri 15 Jul (2016) BTM 18 Jan (2016) | 22 Feb (2016) | 29 Feb (2016) | 21 Mar (2016) | 9 May (2016) | 27Jun (2016) | 11Jul (2016) NAEST (M) 15 Feb (2016) | 8 June (2016)

Clyde Marine Recruitment is a leading provider of marine recruitment DQG EHVSRNH FUHZ PDQDJHPHQW VHUYLFHV :LWK RIÂźFHV ORFDWHG LQ 8. /DWYLD Poland and Singapore it allows us to provide our clients with easy access to a multi-national pool of candidates from a single point of contact.

For sea-going jobs apply at www.clyderecruit.com

NAEST (O) 4 Jan (2016) VTS Operators (2 Weeks) 4 Jan (2016) | 4 Jul (2016)

For all shore-based jobs, please visit:

www.redtheconsultancy.com

VTS Refresher (3 Days) 1 Dec (2015) | 22 Mar (2016) | 28 Jun (2016)

For flexible enrolment and more information E blearning@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/nautical If you are interested in working at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, call 01253 50(4760) to register your interest or for information on current vacancies.

WWW. BLACKPOOL. AC.UK

/calmacferries

@calmacferries

For Sea-going Jobs visit Clyde Marine Recruitment:

www.clyderecruit.com Glasgow +44 (0) 141 427 6886 Singapore +65 6299 4992

@calmac_updates

Gdynia +4858 665 3860 Riga +371 6733 1357

@calmacferries

Exciting opportunities exist within CalMac Ferries Limited for various positions including: SHORE BASED â&#x20AC;˘ Marine, Technical and HSEQ Management positions â&#x20AC;˘ Project Management SEA GOING â&#x20AC;˘ All deck, engine and retail positions â&#x20AC;˘ Permanent, seasonal and temporary positions CalMac Ferries Limited is a multi-award winning business serving some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland with over 30 ferries providing lifeline services to the islands and peninsulas on Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s west coast.

Our excellent benefits package includes a competitive salary plus generous annual leave entitlement programme. You could also take advantage of free CalMac staff travel for you and your family.

We provide extensive structured training programmes for both marine and shore staff, encouraging all employees to continuously update their skills and knowledge.

To view all details of our current vacancies and for further information, please visit our website at www.calmac.co.uk or email to: recruitment@davidmacbrayneHR.co.uk.

www.calmac.co.uk

38-41_rec.indd 38

18/11/2015 07:57

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

APPOINTMENTS www.windstarcruises.com

GET AWAY FROM THE ORDINARYWORK WITH WINDSTAR With our three newest stars having now joined the fleet, Windstar is the No. 1 choice for career opportunities.

Now consisting of 6 prestigious yachts, our fleet will travel worldwide taking our passengers to some of the most unique and exotic ports there are to be found.

Benefits package includes: · Competitive wages paid in GBP and USD

Windstar Cruises are currently looking for suitable candidates for the following positions:

· Retirement Savings Plan / Pensions (subject to eligibility)

· One for One Rotation for Staff Officers · Contributory Medical / Dental Insurance

· Annual & Return Bonuses (dependent on rank)

· Captains and other Deck Officers

· Company Sponsored Study Leave Programme

· Engineering Officers of all ranks

· Officer Cadet Training

· Electricians, ETO’s & IT Officers

· Excellent Spouse Policy

· Hotel Officers · Guest & Destination Service Professionals

Prospective candidates need to complete our online candidate database via our website or email us at applicants@vikingrecruitment.com quoting reference VRL 12/15

Viking House, Beechwood Business Park, Menzies Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2FG T: +44 (0) 300 303 8191 vikingrecruitment.com

ISO 9001

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

Pritchard-Gordon Tankers (Guernsey) Ltd

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

Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers

We lay great importance on teamwork and continuity, with a number of senior of½cers having been with the company over 20 years. Our company ethos is to offer a superior service and level of professionalism to our Major and National Oil Company customers in challenging operational conditions.

Voyage lengths are of 10 to 13 weeks duration followed by an equal period of leave. Terms and conditions are competitive and commensurate with rank and experience.

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

Your first port of call Address: First Floor Unit 7, Hythe Marine Park, Shore Road, Southampton, SO45 6HE UK Telephone: +44(0)23 8084 0374 Email: recruitment@seamariner.com

Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers - All vessels All Of½cers and Crew - ERRV Tug/Multicat Crew - All ranks Various shore based personnel All Crew for temporary assignments If you would like further information in registering with Seamariner or you would like to discuss your crewing requirements, please contact one of our experienced consultants.

www.seamariner.com

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

7 December 2015 is the closing date for January 2016.

You can still advertise online at any time.

Reach over 110,000 readers.

Contact Paul Wade on +44 (0)20 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk to find out how to advertise.

bluewater

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

CHARTER • BROKERAGE • TRAINING • CREW • MANAGEMENT

We are a UK MCA approved maritime training centre based in the South of France and Mallorca.

We are currently looking for experienced, motivated training providers in the fields of: • FIRE FIGHTING & SURVIVAL and • NAVIGATION & SEAMANSHIP up to Masters level, to join our expanding and dynamic team.

The position would be UK based but you must be prepared to travel.

Please send CV’s to our COO, Sarah Corn. sarah@bluewateryachting.com

38-41_rec.indd 39

18/11/2015 07:57

40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

APPOINTMENTS

SHOREBASED

SUPERYACHT

Port Manager (Tug Towage) Wales - £55K + Pkg

Fleet Manager Superyacht - €75K

Technical Superintendent (Tanker or Ro-Ro) Glasgow - £55-£60K

Manager Superyacht - £65K

Technical Superintendent (Dry Cargo) Cyprus - €70K + Bens Technical Superintendent (LPG) London - £75K Technical Superintendent (OSV) Qatar - Tax Free Pkg Technical Superintendent (Tanker) Dubai - Tax Free Pkg Vessel Manager (OSV) Aberdeen - £70K + Pkg HSEQ Superintendent (OSV) Qatar - Tax Free Pkg

FERRIES Chief Engineer - Ferry - €57K 2nd Engineer - ROPAX - £47K Master - ROPAX - £63K ETO - ROPAX - £225/day

Deckhand/Tender Driver 80m+ - €2.5K/mth

Service Stewardess 100m+ MY- €2.7K/mth Deckhand 70m+ SY - €2.3K/mth

WORKBOAT Chief Engineer - Workboat - £55K

Lead Stewardess 60m+ - €3.2K/mth

AB - Dredger - £150/day

4th Engineer 100m+ - €3.5K/mth

Master - Towage - £250/day

Bosun 60m+ - €3.5K/mth 2nd Stewardess 70m+ - $4K/mth Deckhand 100m+ €2,500/mth Stewardess 50m+ MY - €2.5K/mth Chief Stewardess 60m+ MY - €6.3K/mth Bosun 50m+ MY - €3.5K/mth Chief Stewardess 100m+ MY - $8.5K/mth

Shorebased: +44 (0)23 8020 8840

2nd Engineer - Dredger - £46K

AB - AHTS - £150/day

CRUISE Technical Superintendent - €70-85K Technical Superintendent - £60-70K 1st Engineer - €56K 2nd Engineer - £39K Senior 2nd Engineer - $65K (QYLURQPHQWDO 2IƂFHU £36K 3rd Engineer - €34K &UHZ 2IƂFHU €30K

Search for ‘Faststream Seafarers’

shipping - uk@faststream.com

Seagoing: +44 (0)23 8020 8820

@faststreamsea

seagoing - uk@faststream.com

www.faststream.com

A South Wales engineering and manufacturing company located to the west of Cardiff is looking to fill the following immediate vacancy:

CONTRACTS MANAGER Royal Caribbean builds, owns and operates the most innovative and most technically advanced ships on the planet. Come and join our team!

Royal Caribbean is seeking a Ship Manager, to be based at our UK head office in Weybridge, Surrey.

As a Ship Manager, you will be either a Chief Engineer or Chief Electrical Engineer holding a Chief Engineer License or Degree equivalent, and have extensive experience with modern cruise ships. Working alongside similar individuals in a very challenging envrironment, you will be organised and a fast starter.

Please send a covering letter and your current CV to May Macinnes, mmacinnes@rccl.com

38-41_rec.indd 40

To work in conjunction with the Technical Manager to monitor incoming enquiries and service ongoing projects; additionally to contribute to marketing activities in order to promote the business and increase client numbers and turnover.

Key responsibilities include: O Monitor incoming enquiries and allocate tenders for quotation to Project Managers O Ensure tenders are returned to clients in advance of the submission date O Be actively involved in the compilation of large value tenders and be expected to quote individual projects O Review tenders prior to submission to ensure target profit margins are maintained and the technical and commercial content are in place Candidates should provide a copy of their CV to the HR Manager sending this to the below address or email it to fabrizio.caponi@harrispye.com HR Manager, Harris Pye United Kingdom Ltd, Hangar 5&6, Bona Road, Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan, CF71 7PA

18/11/2015 07:57

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 41

APPOINTMENTS

PLOT YOUR NEXT COURSE WITH US Excellent opportunities exist within our fleet of Oil, Chemical, LPG and LNG Tankers for various positions including:

MASTERS - CHIEF OFFICERS CHIEF ENGINEERS - SECOND ENGINEERS OOW DECK AND ENGINE We also have current opportunities onboard RoRo/RoPax Vessels.

To view all current vacancies and for further information, please visit our manning agent website: www.nmms.co.uk.

Or send full CV to: recruitment@nmms.co.uk

MASTERS / CHIEF OFFICERS / SECOND ENGINEERS / OOW DECK AND ENGINE / MASTERS / CHIEF OFFICERS / SECOND ENGINEERS / OOW DECK AND ENGINE

Get knotted with a Nautilus Tie Where’s my Telegraph?

Nautilus International has produced a 100% silk TIE to enable members to show off their membership with pride and celebrate seafaring traditions.

Available for just £9.50 or €13.

Please send in a cheque for items to our Central Services department at head office and let them know how many you need.

Also on offer are enamel badges of the Nautilus logo for £1 or €1.50.

Call Central Services on +44 (0)20 8989 6677 or email centralservices@nautilusint.org

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.

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

Join the Viking crew Bringing together the best industry talent, since 1988.

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

RYAN OFFSHORE LTD RYAN SHIP MANAGEMENT LTD S SHIPPING

CONNECTIONS

MARITIME RECRUITMENT FOR - 4-PT MOORING DSV / AHTS/ PSV/ MRV/ ERRV REQUIRE MASTERs, CHOFFs, 2ND OFFs, CHENGs, 2ND ENGs, 3RD ENGs, DP ENGs, ETOs FOR - DP3 / DP2- DSV / DP2- AHTS / DP2- PSV / DP3 PIPELAYER / DP2 CLV REQUIRE MASTER-DPOs, CHOFF-SDPOs/DPOs, 1ST OFF-DPOs, 2ND OFF-DPOs, CHENGs, 2ND ENGs, 3RD ENGs, ETOs FOR - SHORE BASED OFFSHORE FLEET REQUIRE TECH MANAGER, TECH SUPT, DIVE SUPT (OFFICE BASED), ENGINEERING SUPT, ELECTRICAL SUPT, PORT CAPTAIN, PORT ENG, QHSE

CONTACT DETAILS

T E L: +44 (0) 1 9 1 5 4 8 8 8 5 9 FAX: +44 (0) 1 9 1 5 4 88 425

EMAIL: office@ryan-shipmanagement.co.uk, office@ryanoffshore.net, office@shipping-connections.com WEBSITE: www.ryan-shipmanagement.co.uk , www.shipping-connections.com, www.ryanoffshore.net RYANSHIP, P.O.BOX–1282, SUNDERLAND, SR5 9HX, UNITED KINGDOM

38-41_rec.indd 41

We have excellent career opportunities with some of the most prestigious names in the cruise and superyacht market.

Positions include: • Captain

• Chief Engineers

• Chief Electrician

• Chief Officers

• 2nd Engineers

• ETO’s

• 2nd Officers

• Y1 -Y4 Engineers

• Hotel & Guest Services Professionals

For a full list of career opportunities, visit us at vikingrecruitment.com or give us a call.

www.vikingrecruitment.com +44 (0)300 303 8191 info@vikingrecruitment.com

18/11/2015 07:57

42 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MGN 540 (M+F) — Fitting of ‘fall preventer devices’ to reduce the danger of accidental hook release This note draws attention to new requirements from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) that have introduced standards for all lifeboat release and retrieval systems (LRRS), including those installed on existing ships.

Existing systems that do not comply with the revised Life Saving Appliances (LSA) Code, as per SOLAS III/1.5, must be replaced by the first scheduled drydocking after 1 July 2014, and not later than 1 July 2019.

The MCA strongly urges that all UK vessels fitted with lifeboat on-load release systems should be equipped with fall preventer devices (FPD) pending the evaluation of the systems for compliance with the requirements of the revised LSA Code. The full list of guidance and reference documents related to FPDs is given in MGN 540.

The FPD requirements are applicable to davit launched lifeboats fitted with on-load release hooks, and any similar on-load release systems if fitted to rescue boats. FPDs should be fitted in accordance with MSC.1/ Circ.1327 ‘Guidelines for the fitting and use of fall preventer devices (FPDs)’ and MSC.1/Circ.1466 ‘Unified Interpretation on Fall Preventer Devices’. These guidelines apply until the FPD system is: z evaluated and found compliant with the revised LSA Code z modified and found compliant with the revised LSA Code z or replaced by a new lifeboat release and retrieval system compliant with the revised LSA Code The MCA recognises the responsibility of the master to make decisions with respect to safety, as set out in the ISM Code 5.2, and consequently the use of FPD should be advocated by the shipowner/ management company and master.

Procedures for use, inspection and maintenance are to be available and documented in the ship’s safety management system (SMS) and training documents.

The professional judgement of the master is necessary in deciding the occasions and circumstances when FPDs are used. Decisions relating to the fitting and use of FPDs should be documented in the vessel’s SMS and training manual. Where a different procedure is followed during routine drills compared with an abandon ship situation, this should be clearly described.

UK port state control officers

should rely on the ship’s master, SMS and training documents as a guide to the individual vessel’s operations regarding the fitting and use of FPDs. In the event that an FPD cannot be fitted, then other mitigating safety measures should be taken such as not requiring operating crew to be onboard lifeboats during launching.

Where locking pins are provided as an FPD, the pins should be designed so that they have a minimum factor of safety of 6 as per the LSA Code, paragraph 6.1.1.6. Where existing on-load release hooks are drilled to provide a locking pin insertion point, the strength of the hooks should continue to satisfy the requirements in the LSA Code and other relevant legislation. MGN 540 also sets out the test requirements to be used where strops or slings with fittings (e.g. shackles) are used as an FPD — for example, checking that materials are rot-proof and resistant to deterioration from exposure to sunlight and seawater.

No modification of a lifeboat release and retrieval system or a lifeboat onboard a ship can be made unless the notified body authorised to carry out the approval under the Marine Equipment Directive Regulations has agreed the change — see MSN 1734 for more on this.

The LSA Code requires the minimum strength for the hangingoff arrangement to be the mass of the lifeboat when loaded with its full complement of fuel and equipment plus 1,000 kg. If the hanging-off arrangement is designed to this minimum requirement, this may not be suitable for the attachment of a strop type FPD when the lifeboat is fully loaded with its occupants. The possible shock loading of the boat in the event of an inadvertent release could result in much higher dynamic load than the hanging-off arrangement is designed for, causing a subsequent failure.

With certain types of ship such as oil, gas or chemical tankers it may not be possible to use an FPD in an abandon ship situation where the release mechanism of the device is not inside the lifeboat. In such cases, the master should take this into account when considering when an FPD should be fitted to the lifeboat. Where a different procedure is followed during routine drills compared with an abandon ship situation, this should be clearly described in the ISM Code documentation and training manual.

On certain types of ship such as passenger vessels, dependent on the master’s decision, the number of FPDs carried onboard need not necessarily be the same as the total number of on-load release mechanisms fitted.

If the vessel type precludes the fitting of an FPD, such as on vessels using fire-protected lifeboats, then other

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

MGN 541 (M+F) — Evaluation and replacement of lifeboat release and retrieval systems This note follows on from MGN 540, and relates to the new IMO requirements for all lifeboat release and retrieval systems (LRRS), including those installed on existing ships.

MGN 541 is applicable to davit launched lifeboats fitted with on-load release hooks, and any similar on-load release systems if fitted to rescue boats. Companies should approach the original equipment manufacturer of their LRRS to see if the model installed on their lifeboats will be evaluated against MSC.1/Circ.1392.

If the manufacturer confirms that the LRRS model is not to be submitted for evaluation, the company should prepare to change LRRS at first scheduled dry-docking after 1 July 2014, and not later than 1 July 2019.

MGN 541 details the procedure for the replacement of non-compliant LRRS, including such matters as approval certification and engineering analysis. It is noted that every lifeboat, complete with LRRS, is type-approved at manufacture, and a lifeboat which is retro-fitted with a new LRRS must meet the satisfaction of a UK-authorised recognised organisation (RO). The LRRS should be regarded as offering a level of safety which is higher than that of the original installation.

Companies should, where possible, select replacement equipment acceptable to the lifeboat manufacturer. However, in cases where the lifeboat manufacturer is unable to offer a suitable replacement LRRS, the Company may select an alternative LRRS provided it is approved by the RO. Installation and testing of replacement LRRS should only be carried out by the manufacturer of this equipment.

MGN 541 sets out the documentation relating to LRRS which must be carried onboard, and lists all the relevant legislation.

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 electronically subscribed to by emailing a request to mnotices@ecgroup.co.uk or downloaded from the MCA website.

Go to www.gov.uk/mca and click on Find marine (M) notices.

g Professional & Technical Forum Tuesday 26 January 2016 Cardiff — TBC. The Forum deals with a wide range of technical, safety, welfare and other professional topics of relevance to all members, including training and certification.

The meeting is open to all members (UK, NL & CH)

g Young Maritime Professionals Forum Saturday 5 March 2016 Southampton — TBC. The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing young people in the shipping industry and on the issues that matter to them.

Open to all young members (UK, NL & CH).

g Women’s Forum Saturday 5 March 2016 Southampton — TBC The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing women in the industry and encourages female participation in Union activity.

Open to all female members.

Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 protech@nautilusint.org

Contact Danny McGowan: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org

Contact Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org

Contact Nautilus International Nautilus International welcomes contact from members at any time. Please send a message to one of our department email addresses (see page 17) or get in touch with us at one of our offices around the world.

For urgent matters, we can also arrange to visit your ship in a UK port.

Please give us your vessel’s ETA and as much information as possible about the issue that needs addressing.

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

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

College contacts Induction visits See www.nautilusint.org 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.

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. The gas carrier fleet was the sector recording the biggest tonnage growth last year — up by 7.2% from the previous 12 months.

2. The average size of a newbuild containership this year in 8,400TEU — compared with 3,435TEU in 2008.

3. According to IHS/Fairplay, there are 530 containerships in the global orderbook.

4. China had a 32% share of global container exports last year.

5. There are 825 ships in the world heavylift fleet.

6. Manchester Liners ceased operations in 1985.

Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 1. Prophylaxis; 9. Anomaly; 10. Miasmal; 11. Horseshoe; 12. Titus; 13. Rise; 14. Amphibians; 16. Swipe cards; 19. User; 21. Flair; 22. Thumbnail; 24. Twitter; 25. Lancers; 26. Non-existent.

Down: 1. Procrastination; 2. Ovate; 3. Heysham; 4. Lambeth; 5. X-ray tube; 6. Semi-transparent; 7. Rasher; 8. Blasts; 15. Secretin; 16. Safety; 17. Anthrax; 18. Douglas; 20. Relish; 23. Binge.

This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph.

Congratulations to Nautilus member R.D. Neal, who has won the prize draw for the November cryptic crossword.

Cryptic answers from November Across: 1. Cornell; 5. Harvard; 9. Roses; 10. Numbskull; 11. Cancelled; 12. Ratel; 13. Enter; 15. Replenish; 18. Post-haste; 19. Thyme; 21, Rigid; 23. Alignment; 25. Tantalise; 26. Vogue; 27. Nascent; 28. Torrent.

Down: 1. Coracle; 2. Resonates; 3. Ensue; 4. Landlords; 5. Humid; 6. Resurgent; 7. Adult; 8. Delilah; 14. Rehydrate; 16. President; 17. Ivy League; 18. Puritan; 20. Entreat; 22. Gangs; 23. Agist; 24. Never.

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

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.

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

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

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

Merchant Navy Training Board www.mntb.org.uk UK organisation promoting maritime education and training, and providing careers guidance.

Administers the Careers at Sea Ambassadors scheme, under which serving seafarers can volunteer to give careers talks in UK schools.

Seafarers UK (formerly the King George’s Fund for Sailors) +44 (0)20 7932 0000 www.seafarers.uk Supports and promotes UK charities helping seafarers from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and fishing fleets.

Often organises places for maritime fundraisers to enter marathons and other charity challenges.

42-43_infosprd.indd 42

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

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

Useful organisations

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

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

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multi-lingual helpline for all seafarers’ welfare and support needs, as well as an emergency welfare fund.

SAIL (Seafarers’ Information and Advice Line) 08457 413 318 +44 (0)20 8269 0921 www.sailine.org.uk UK-based citizens’ advice service helping seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, benefit

entitlements, housing, pensions and relationships.

Seamen’s Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.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-administered Slater Fund.

18/11/2015 16:02

December 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Danny McGowan, senior assistant organiser

g

From the thin blue line to the deep blue sea, it may seem that Danny McGowan’s career took a sharp change of direction when he joined Nautilus in January 2015 — but he doesn’t agree.

‘I spent eight years working for the Metropolitan Police in London,’ he explains. ‘I was originally a civilian 999 operator, and then I moved into radio despatch, and eventually became a manager overseeing one of London’s 32 boroughs.

‘Dealing with police incidents was a tough job. Taking 999 emergency calls can be hard — especially when talking to people in distress.

People rarely phone the police with good news, so you have to be prepared to hear anything.

‘In that respect my job now is similar,’ he adds. ‘Although the calls are not quite so “life and death”, members rarely call the Union to tell us that their bosses are brilliant and everything is fine!’

Whilst working for the police, Danny was an active member of PCS, the public sector union, starting as a lay representative supporting other members at the call centre, then taking on branch work as an organiser and secretary.

‘Large unions like PCS work differently from Nautilus,’ Danny explains. ‘There are a lot more branches and a lot of the support for members is undertaken by lay reps through the branch network.

‘Eventually I was responsible for union representation for London’s three police control rooms, looking after nearly 2,000 union members, and for young members across the whole London region.’

Danny’s role at Nautilus International, as one of two senior assistant organisers, is varied and ever changing — he was recently appointed

as the secretary for the Young Maritime Professionals forum — but his main focus area is the enhancement of support for the Union’s large yacht sector.

Danny also enjoys working for a Union with an international perspective.

‘I am a firm internationalist,’ he admits.

‘When I saw the opportunity to work for a global union, my eyes lit up.

‘Nautilus is unique in this way and I’m proud to be able to work with colleagues and members from anywhere in the world,’ he points out, ‘and I can’t wait for further opportunities to develop our work across all of our sectors with the Union and Nautilus Federation.’

Wherev er you are , so are we

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

Want to keep your job in 2017? Then read on!

It’s time to get your papers out and start checking whether your UK certificate of competency will still be valid when STCW 2010 comes into force…

A

Nautilus is urging members to take note that the countdown has begun to new rules that will require additional training to be undertaken to keep UK certificates of competency valid for service after 31 December 2016.

The new requirements are being introduced as part of the ‘Manila amendments’ to the Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping (STCW) convention, which were agreed at an international conference in 2010.

g Members are encouraged

to refer to the relevant M-Notices or alternatively contact the professional and technical department: protech@nautilusint.org

42-43_infosprd.indd 43

13 MONTHS TO GO UNTIL 1 JANUARY 2017 HELM course or acceptable equivalent

DECK UPDATEE TO TO 010 STCW 2010

(e.g. sea service)

ECDIS certificate caat ate te ach achie achi achieved chie hie h after 1 January 2005 to avoid negative endorsement oid idd neg nega

HELM course or acceptable equivalent

ENGINE UPDATEE TO TO 010 STCW 2010

(e.g. sea service)

High Voltagee certifica certificat certificate ertific ertifica tifi ifi or qualifying sea void oid idd n ne neg service to avoid negative endorsement

NEW FICATE ICATE CAT CATE A AT CERTIFICATE alternati lterna lternat t terna — otherwisee alternat alternative designation, ctrical trical rical icall En E such as Electrical Engineer

I addition: seatime In rrequirements for revalidation — 12 months in preceding five years or three months in preceding six months plus valid ENG1.

5

I addition: appropriate In ttanker endorsements — subject to revalidation.

6 To serve as an ETO certification is required...

ETO

4

R Refresher training — rrequired every five years for certificates held.

Dependent upon rank (support/ operation/management) and duty — for example, Fast Rescue Craft certificate.

18/11/2015 16:48

44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2015

NEWS

RN ship pays tribute to support from RFA tanker Gold Rover is pictured A undertaking a final replenishment at The Royal Fleet Auxiliary

sea (RAS) with the Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster last month — shortly before the two ships went their separate ways after five months and 16,500nm together.

The two ships first joined forces in the Falklands in June and then sailed across the Atlantic to the remote island of Tristan Da Cunha, and on to South Africa. Following a maintenance period in Cape Town, both ships started up the west coast of Africa with stops in Angola, St Helena, Ghana and Togo.

During their time together, Gold Rover conducted nine RASs with Lancaster — equating to a total transfer of half of the Type 23 frigate’s own weight in fuel. The RFA ship is now returning to the South Atlantic and Lancaster is coming home.

Lancaster’s commanding officer Cdr Peter Laughton said: ‘I would like to thank Captain Peter Selby and the crew of RFA Gold Rover for the exceptional support that they have provided us during our five months in company. It has been a challenging programme and Gold Rover has delivered with enormous pride and style.’

MN neglect ‘is a threat to UK defence plans’ strategy is putting UK national F security at risk, Nautilus has warned

Long-term neglect of maritime

the government.

In a submission to the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), the Union warns that the continued decline of the UK merchant fleet and the reduction in the pool of UK seafarers pose serious implications for defence.

The SDSR was ordered by the government following the general election earlier this year and is due to be published before the end of the year. The previous review, carried out in 2010, resulted in wide-ranging cutbacks — including the loss of maritime patrol aircraft, and the planned reduction in the size of the armed forces by over 30,000 by 2020.

The new review aims to define British defence policy over the next decade and the Nautilus submission expresses concern at the lack of political awareness about the strategic importance of merchant shipping.

‘The Merchant Navy has a long and proud record of providing essential support to the military in British overseas operations,’ the Union points out, ‘but the decline over the past 30 years has presented a growing threat to the UK’s ability to provide adequate and independent maritime support for transporting troops, weapons, equipment, ammunition and essential supplies to conflict areas.’

Worryingly, the submission

continues, the UK government has in recent years reduced its fleet of specialist ro-ro ships, which were designed and built to support MoD strategic sealift requirements: ‘We believe that there is a consequent serious threat to the UK’s ability to protect its essential trade routes during national emergencies.’

Nautilus says it is disturbed by evidence suggesting the MoD considers that the global market can bridge the gaps caused by the domestic fleet decline.

Other major nations do not plan to rely on chartering from foreign flags in times of crisis, it argues.

The United States, for example, has support measures in place to ensure the retention under the national flag of ‘militarily useful’ merchant vessels and an adequate pool of national seafarers.

Also highly disturbing, says Nautilus, is the UK government’s chronic underinvestment in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary— both in terms of its vessels and of its ageing pool of seafarers. With more than half the ships in the fleet being over 35 years old, there is an urgent need for new tonnage, it adds.

This ‘cost-effective and efficient service’ is suffering from extreme neglect that threatens its essential work as the civilian support arm for the Royal Navy. It is important that long-standing concerns over its potential privatisation are quashed, stresses the Union, and that a clear commitment is given to its future as a public asset.

Merchant Navy Operations (Deck) Certificates of Competency Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Jan, May & Sept intakes Chief Mate/Masters (Unlimited) May & Sep intakes Master Mariner (Unlimited) Orals Prep Mar & Oct intakes Master Mariner (200Gt) Orals Prep (2 weeks) STCW Safety, Navigation & Management STCW Basic Safety Training Personal Survival Techniques (FULL) Personal Survival Techniques (UPDATE) Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Elementary First Aid Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting ECDIS Efficient Deck Hand HELM Operational & Management

44_news.indd 44

Action urged on ‘missing’ cases Union backs calls for better investigations when UK nationals are lost at sea

P

Nautilus International has joined renewed calls for major changes in the way in which UK authorities investigate deaths at sea.

Politicians are seeking a shakeup in the law after the family of British woman Rebecca Coriam — who disappeared from the Bahamas-flagged cruiseship Disney Wonder off the coast of Mexico in March 2011 — raised fresh worries about the way the case has been handled.

They told a BBC documentary that crucial information about the inquiries into their daughter’s loss had been withheld from them.

Their local MP, Chris Matheson, said evidence uncovered by the family should be strong enough to warrant the reopening of police investigations into the case. There are strong grounds for believing that a crime may have taken place, he added, Mr Matheson said he was also pushing for a change in the law to allow UK authorities to investigate the cases of any British national lost at sea. He recently met the head of the International Maritime Organisation to discuss the issues.

Man Over Board / Rib Capsize Drills NAEST (O) & (M) Security Awareness Designated Securities Duties Shipboard Safety Officer Shipboard Security Officer

Rebecca Coriam went missing from a Disney cruiseship in 2011

Former transport minister Lord Prescott added his voice to calls for a fresh inquiry, and said that the UK police should always investigate cases involving British citizens onboard flag of convenience vessels.

Nautilus International general secretary Mark Dickinson said that Rebecca Coriam’s case is one of a number of incidents which fail to be properly investigated as a result of the complex nature of jurisdiction in the global maritime industry.

He said the situation is made worse by the lack of regulatory control by some flag of convenience registers.

‘Nautilus believes that the UK police should be required to investigate all serious criminal incidents on UK-registered ships wherever they are; on all ships in UK waters; and any serious criminal incidents involving UK citizens at sea,’ Mr Dickinson added.

‘In America, the FBI must be informed about any maritime incidents, in any jurisdiction,

which involves US citizens, no matter where a ship is registered,’ he pointed out, ‘and we support Lord Prescott’s call for this kind of legislation to be introduced in the UK.’ Mr Dickinson added that the UK can, if it wants, investigate crimes on UK-flagged ships in any waters but this does not always happen.

‘In June 2010, South African cadet Akhona Geveza died after falling overboard from the UKregistered containership Safmarine Kariba off the coast of Croatia,’ he explained.

‘On the morning of her death Ms Geveza was due to meet with the ship’s master following allegations of sexual assault onboard.

She never made it to that meeting and we have never been convinced by the Croatian authorities’ investigation which concluded that she committed suicide. The UK police were ready to investigate, but they were never asked to do so.

‘Despite the incident taking place on a UK-registered ship, and following repeated calls from the Union, the UK government claimed it had no jurisdiction to launch a separate investigation,’ Mr Dickinson pointed out.

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18/11/2015 14:14