Nautilus Telegraph February 2015

Brainy bridge Project reveals ‘intelligent ship’ design concept 20

Site for sore eyes Nautilus boosts online presence with website refit 22-23

NL nieuws Drie pagina’s met nieuws uit Nederland 34-36

Volume 48 | Number 02 | February 2015 | £3.50 €3.70

Pictured left is the upturned hull of the general cargoship Cemfjord in the Pentland Firth. Above is the Italian-flagged ferry Norman Atlantic on fire in the Adriatic Sea, and below is the car carrier Höegh Osaka aground in the Solent Pictures: RNLI Wick, Marina Militare, Gary Davies/Maritime Photographic

Inside F Learning lessons

Former head of UK MAIB questions the response to accidents at sea — page 19

Spate of accidents sparks safety calls

F Woolly thinking

How knitters make a real difference for seafarers in cold climates — page 30-31

IMO urges more action as Nautilus calls for investigations to focus on the underlying causes

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The new year started with a series of serious shipping accidents — and Nautilus has called for thorough investigations into them all to ensure that valuable lessons are not lost.

The incidents also sparked a call from the head of the International Maritime Organisation for further action to improve shipping safety — and passenger vessels in particular.

‘As we begin the new year, we must all rededicate ourselves to ensuring the safety if all those who live, work and travel on the world’s oceans,’ said secretary-general Koji Sekimizu.

At least 27 people died when a car deck fire spread through the 26,904gt Italianflagged ferry Norman Atlantic during a voyage between Greece and Italy on 28 December.

Greek and Italian authorities are investigating the incident, and prosecutors

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are considering charges of multiple manslaughter and negligence against the ship’s master and owners.

Four days later, 18 seafarers died when a bulk carrier sank off the coast of Vietnam, and on the following day eight seafarers died when the Cyprus-flagged general cargoship Cemfjord sank off the coast of Scotland while carrying a cargo of cement from Denmark to Runcorn.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch launched a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) survey of the wreck in an effort to find out why the vessel foundered so rapidly, why none of the crew survived, and why it took so long for the alarm to be raised.

On 5 January, the 51,770gt car carrier Höegh Osaka ran aground in the Solent. The master and pilot of the Singapore-flagged vessel were praised for their quick thinking in deliberately grounding the ship after it

took a sudden ‘life-threatening’ list while manoeuvring around Bramble Bank after leaving the port of Southampton.

Investigations into the incident are said to be concentrating on the ballasting of the ship and the state of the fuel tanks, and Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the focus should be on underlying issues rather than proximate causes.

He said the case highlighted the Union’s concerns over the safety of car carrier design and operation, which it had raised in 2006 following the capsize of the Cougar Ace. ‘In reality, these vessels — both vehicle and livestock carriers — are built to the edge of safety for commercial reasons. Their design has gone beyond what is reasonable and these ships need a lot of careful management,’ he added.

‘There is manifest failure of the regulator that permits the design and operation of ships in this way. Improvements are

required and we hope the investigation will examine the root causes of this incident.’

Mr Graveson said the skills and experience of the pilot onboard Höegh Osaka had helped to prevent a major accident. By running the ship onto the sandbank, his quickthinking and professionalism had helped to avert loss of life, environmental damage and potentially catastrophic blockage of a major UK port.

Captain Don Cockrill, chairman of the UK Marine Pilots Association (UKMPA) said the incident demonstrated the value of quality pilotage services.

‘The manner in which the Höegh Osaka situation as it evolved was handled by her pilot is testament to the rewards that are inevitably reaped from proper investment in the training and operation of port pilotage services and the professionalism and dedication of UK pilots,’ he added. g Cemfjord probe — see page 7.

F Striking seafarer

Nautilus member’s FA Cup goal takes his non-league team into the third round — page 21 F Shoot and win

You could win up to £1,000 in this year’s ‘life at sea’ photo competition — page 37

21/01/2015 16:12

02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Nautilus GM to be held in Liverpool takes place every four years, F and is the Union’s major policy-

The Nautilus General Meeting

making forum, giving full members the chance to set priorities and to debate the important issues that affect maritime professionals.

Arrangements are now being finalised for the 2015 General Meeting, which will be held in Liverpool at the Titanic Hotel, Stanley Dock, Regent Road. Members attending the event will gather on the evening of Monday 5 October, with the conference taking place on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 October.

Formal notification of the General Meeting will appear in next month’s Telegraph, along with full details of how to participate in this important event.

Full members have also been sent papers for the 2015 Nautilus Council elections — an individual ballot paper, a pre-paid return post envelope and an information booklet giving details of the nominees.

Members have been urged to cast their votes and to return the ballot paper to the scrutineer as soon as possible, and no later than the deadline of 1700hrs on Tuesday 21 April.

Criminalisation concern raised F

Concern over the continued criminalisation of ship masters and officers was raised at the December Nautilus Council meeting.

General secretary Mark Dickinson said the Union had condemned the treatment of the master and officers from the South Korean ferry Sewol, who had faced charges which could have led to long prison sentences or even the death penalty.

‘We are not trying to make excuses for seafarers who have been negligent in their duties or made mistakes, but we are trying to get some common sense and proportion applied to prevent them from being treated as scapegoats,’ he added.

Trustee director John Lang said he was disturbed by the lack of support shown for the Sewol seafarers by the rest of the international maritime community. ‘I am glad that Nautilus did stand up, because the die has been cast for other incidents where masters are being crucified for what would have been regarded in other circumstances as an accident,’ he added. ‘They may have done something wrong, but you will never get to the bottom of why they have done something wrong if you treat them like this.’

Union backs plans to control inland waterway hours

month of retired Nautilus member Captain Peter Goodwin, EU agreement will introduce new rules to govern crew work and rest periods F above, who died on Boxing Day at The funeral took place last

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Nautilus International has welcomed a longawaited decision which will pave the way for the introduction of new controls over working time onboard vessels operating on European Union inland waterways.

The Council of Europe had given the go-ahead for moves to translate a 2012 social partners’ agreement (SPA) into a directive that will set down unitary regulations for work and rest hours in the sector.

This is the first case of a SPA on working time being converted into a directive — a possibility opened up by the 2007 Lisbon Treaty.

The adoption by the Council will result in measures to limit daily, weekly, monthly and annual working hours and to set minimum rest periods.

The agreement is based on the principle of a 48-hour working week, and would give crew members the entitlement to a minimum of 10 hours of daily rest (with at least six hours uninterrupted) and to a weekly total of at least 84 hours of rest.

It will also introduce a new measure limiting time spent onboard freight vessels to a maximum of 31 days, after which at least 10 days’ rest will have to be taken, and the total of night working time would not be allowed to exceed 42 hours per week.

A Nautilus project to help

grants they are entitled to has obtained more than £410,000 over the past year, Council members have been told.

General secretary Mark Dickinson said the ‘caseworkers’ scheme has helped to deliver vital assistance to serving and retired seafarers facing problems. ‘This is a really impressive result from just three staff,’ he added, ‘and the service they provide helps to take the pressure off other charities.’

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Inland navigation barges in the Swiss port of Basel

The agreement will also ensure that crews will have at least four weeks paid annual leave, and paid annual medical tests.

Nautilus International officer Nick Bramley, who chairs the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) inland waterways transport section, commented: ‘We are delighted to have reached this milestone after seven long years of negotiations and it demonstrates the importance of trade union organisation in this sector.’

He said the agreement meets the needs of all sides of the industry, including freight, tourism, annual and seasonal work. ‘It also demonstrates the importance of

European social dialogue in providing the necessary social conditions for a sector working in a complex reality, such as a vessel owned by a German company, registered in Malta, crewed with contracts from a Swiss company under the laws of Cyprus, and sailing in Belgium and the Netherlands.’

Theresia Hacksteiner, secretary-general of the European Barge Union (EBU), added: ‘The adoption of the SPA brings legal certainty and introduces a specifically adjusted framework to meet the needs of the sector. It will contribute significantly to the attractiveness of the work on more than 14,000 vessels in European IWT.’

z Nautilus

has expressed concern about a Dutch government move to review the crewing requirements for inland navigation barges. Council members heard that calls for changes to the regulations are being made on the basis of technological advances since the last time the rules were revised.

‘We argue that while there have been technical changes and the work has become physically lighter, the average size of barges has increased and there are new burdens on crew such as more shift work and more intense operations which need to be taken into account,’ Mr Bramley told the meeting.

EU deal to end employment law exclusions for seafarers

Union’s caseworkers A secure £410,000 seafarers and dependants F in need to secure the benefits and

Obituary: Capt Peter Goodwin

Nautilus International has welcomed an important step forward in the long-running campaign to prevent seafarers from being excluded from key elements of European employment protection laws.

The EU’s Council of Ministers has backed the Commission’s proposal to remove the exclusion of seafarers from five directives covering employer insolvency, European works councils, information and consultation, collective redundancies and transfer of undertakings.

General secretary Mark Dickinson led the union team that negotiated with European owners to achieve a joint compromise agreement on the package which was subsequently adopted by the Italian presidency.

‘The social partners worked hard to find common ground on the exclusions and both sides are we are convinced that the compromise agreement can contribute to closing some loopholes and ensuring

that seafarers are treated on an equal footing with land-based workers,’ he said.

‘The Council agreement can be hailed as a very positive outcome that will help guarantee the full enjoyment of seafarers’ rights to information and consultation within the undertaking and their right to fair and just working conditions,’ Mr Dickinson, added.

‘It is a step in the right direction and we look forward to the discussions in the European Parliament in the hope that they will lead to a speedy adoption of the revised rules for seafarers, which will contribute to promote employment, improved living and working conditions, proper social protection and enhanced dialogue between management and labour.’

Danish shipowner Pia Voss, who led the European Community Shipowners Associations in the negotiations, also welcomed the agreement.

‘The social partners’ common position was the result

of fruitful and constructive deliberations and it is therefore very encouraging to see our position taken up by the EU member state,’ she added.

EU employment commissioner László Andor commented: ‘Offshore and onshore workers should have equal rights, in particular when it comes to such a fundamental right as information and consultation.

‘This proposal would improve the living and working conditions of seafarers and so help to attract more young people to work in the maritime sector,’ he added. ‘It would also create a level playing field in Europe’s maritime sector, since all shipping and fisheries companies within the EU would have the same obligations.’

As there are wide variations in the size and nature of EU member states’ maritime sectors, and in their use of the options to exclude seafarers from the directives, a five-year transition period is proposed to bring the changes into national legislation.

the age of 90.

Capt Goodwin first went to sea at the age of 15, when he joined the training ship Mercury on the banks of River Hamble. He joined his first ship — Reardon Smith’s Leeds City — as an apprentice in 1941 and spent three years of the second world war serving on the vessel, before taking up an appointment as third mate on Empire Takoradi.

He once said of his wartime experiences: ‘I was one of the lucky ones — three years on the same old tramp steamer, built in 1927 and got right through the war. When I joined her, she was just finishing repairs after being bombed and nearly sunk in mid-Atlantic. It seemed on at least two occasions I remember, the German bombers took a look at us, decided we weren’t worth the bother and flew off to trouble someone else.

A charmed life.’

After obtaining his master’s certificate in 1951, Capt Goodwin joined the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company and secured his first command in 1956, taking Empire Kittiwake — a large landing craft chartered from the Admiralty reserve fleet — to the Middle East during the Suez crisis.

He went on to serve with Townsend Thoresen and P&O, serving in command of various ships sailing between Tilbury and Antwerp, and Felixstowe and Rotterdam. He retired in 1984 and was appointed Master of the Federation of Merchant Mariners in 2010. He is pictured above laying the Federation’s wreath at the Tower Hill Merchant Navy remembrance service in September 2010.

Lisa Edmonston, one of his daughters, told the Telegraph: ‘All three of us are totally overwhelmed with the wonderful letters and emails we have received, and at a time like this it is comforting and fills us with pride that so many people thought so much of our dad.’

Obituary: Capt Gerald Rolph International were saddened F to learn last month of the death

The Council and staff of Nautilus

of Captain Gerald Rolph. After a long career at sea, Capt Rolph was for many years estate manager at Nautilus Mariners’ Park, on the banks of the River Mersey. In retirement, he himself became a park resident, and will be greatly missed by his friends and neighbours there.

Capt Rolph’s funeral was held on 26 January in Woodchurch, Wirral, followed by a celebration of his life at Mariners’ Park. A full obituary will be published in the next edition of the Telegraph.

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February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Scottish centre gets go-ahead to run MNTB deck cadet courses

shortreports PAPERWORK PLEDGE: seafarers do not face a ‘burdensome’ volume of administrative requirements as a result of International Maritime Organisation mandatory instruments such as conventions and codes, according to the results of an industry survey.

The Organisation said its consultation had attracted more than 3,220 responses and yielded the ‘perhaps surprising’ finding that 66% of the 563 mandatory instruments were not seen as individually burdensome by any of the respondents.

ROTTERDAM ROW: the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has called for ‘all-party’ talks about the future of the port of Rotterdam after dockers refused to handle a barge that had been loaded at the new Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) terminal. They were protesting about RWG’s refusal to sign a collective agreement with the FNV Havens union, and over concerns about the potential loss of jobs as a result of increased automation at the port.

A seafarer trains on the state–of–the–art Transas full mission bridge simulator at the Scottish Maritime Academy

Maritime Academy (SMA) has A secured Merchant Navy Training The Peterhead-based Scottish

Board (MNTB) approval to run deck officer trainee cadet programmes.

The Academy joins a handful of colleges offering the three-year Higher National Certificate and Diploma in Nautical Science course in the UK, and will be promoting

the opportunities it offers to the North East Scotland College Careers Showcase event on Thursday 5 February.

SMA maritime centre manager Linda Hope commented: ‘I am delighted that the college is now able to add the cadet programme to our portfolio of courses. We are now working very closely with leading

shipping companies and maritime training providers to recruit for our first intake in September this year.’

MNTB head Glenys Jackson added: ‘We have been working with Linda and her colleagues in the Scottish Maritime Academy to encourage and assist in the development of their officer training programme. Our

programme approvals committee were delighted to approve their submission and commended the Academy on their well-presented, well-thought through programme, which has excellent employer involvement and provides excellent opportunities for local young people to enter the industry and be trained through their local college.’

Nautilus calls for training aid rise Minister reveals that 2014 funding was just £3,139 higher than in 2008-9

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Government support for the training of UK seafarers needs to be dramatically increased if the nation is to avoid a serious maritime skills shortage within the next decade, Nautilus is warning ministers.

The Union is calling for the UK to take full advantage of the European Union state aid guidelines to ensure that shipowners receive more help with the costs of training British seafarers, and for shipowners to redouble their efforts to recruit and train British seafarers.

General secretary Mark Dickinson warned that the value of the Support for Maritime Training scheme (SMarT) has slumped in recent years — meaning that it now covers barely 20% of the costs of training, compared with more than 40% just a few years ago. This puts UK seafarers at a serious disadvantage in comparison with those in other EU member states, he argued.

The Union’s warning comes after shipping minister John Hayes revealed last month that SMarT funding in 2013-14 totalled only £3,139 more than the figure for 2008-9 and was almost £3m less than the amount given out in 2010-11.

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‘The government’s own statistics show that we are on course for UK officer numbers to fall by around 5,000 within the next decade,’ Mr Dickinson said. ‘For a major maritime nation, such a loss of essential skills could be catastrophic and poses disturbing questions for maritime safety, the economy and the UK’s longterm survival as a global maritime centre.

‘The minister’s statement shows that SMarT is not keeping pace with inflation, and is also fail-

ing to cover the increased costs of training and tuition,’ he added.

‘With other EU member states giving assistance up to the 100% of training costs allowed under the state aid guidelines, the UK is becoming increasingly uncompetitive as a centre for seafarer training.

‘It is essential that we see a redoubling of investment in training,’ Mr Dickinson warned.

‘Shipowners must step up their commitment to the future and the government must act to

ensure that Britain remains a significant player in the global maritime labour market.

‘British seafarers are well respected around the world and the demand for their skills and experience is high, but the need for action to increase the number of new entrants is increasingly urgent.

‘The figures involved are a drop in the ocean in terms of the Department for Transport’s overall budget, but will be paid back many times over,’ he pointed out.

Review of UK shipping support public consultation on future policy and support F measures for British shipping and seafarers. Nautilus is The UK government has launched a major

urging members to play a full part in the initiative.

The six-week consultation is seeking evidence from all in the maritime sector on what the government can do to keep British shipping internationally competitive.

The Maritime Growth Study will examine issues including maritime education and skills, ship ownership and financing, and the government’s administration of maritime activities such as ship registration.

The review is due to be completed by the summer and will identify potential areas of growth, together with recommendations for the government on ways to boost the maritime sector.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘This is a very important development and offers us all an opportunity to help shape the future of our industry.

‘If you care about the future of British shipping and seafaring and believe that the government should invest more in our maritime skills, it is vital that you take part in this consultation and ensure that it receives input from maritime professionals.’ g The call for evidence for the consultation closes on Friday 27 February.

Full details are available at www.gov.uk/government/ consultations The associated survey can be accessed via: www.surveymonkey.com/s/maritime-growth-study

FUEL RULES: more than 40% of European shipping companies are planning to increase freight rates to help cover the costs of new sulphur emission rules, according to a survey by the owners’ association ECSA. It found that 97% of operators surveyed were switching to low-sulphur fuel as a ‘quick fix’ to comply with the regulations, while in the longer term around 15% would be installing scrubber technology and a further 15% switching to LNG. COASTAL SLUMP: Nautilus has expressed concern over figures showing another big slump in the volume of UK freight being carried on water. Domestic waterborne freight tonnage declined by 19% in 2013 and UK coastwise traffic has fallen by 38% between 2011 and 2013. The Union says the figures highlight the need for the government to improve the support being given to encourage freight off the roads and onto water.

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE: Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry — who has been described as the mother of the Maritime Labour Convention — has been named as the new president of the World Maritime University. Presently director of the international labour standards department at the International Labour Office, Dr Doumbia-Henry led the work to develop the seafarers’ bill of rights.

FERRIES BOOST: the UK has recorded an increase in passenger, car and coach volumes on ferries for the second successive year, according to a report released last month. Figures compiled by the industry body Discover Ferries show that passenger numbers rose by 1m in 2014, from 38m in 2013, with a 1.6% increase in the number of cars carried and a 3.1% rise in coach numbers.

SCOTTISH CALL: the Scottish Parliament has heard calls for the reintroduction of a ferry service to Scandinavia. In a debate last month, East Falkirk MSP Angus MacDonald urged the Scottish government to consider the case for a link between Aberdeen or Rosyth and Norway, arguing that there is evidence to show sufficient demand for the route to be viable.

EBOLA ADVICE: European seafaring unions and shipowners have issued a joint declaration stressing the need for relevant guidance to be given to crew members onboard ships sailing to ports in countries affected by the Ebola virus. Nautilus members are reminded that the Union’s website contains detailed advice on the issue.

BP ORDERS: BP Shipping has placed an order with the South Korean yard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for six new LNG carriers to be delivered by April 2019. Each ship will have a capacity of about 174,000 cu m and they will feature electronically controlled gas-injection propulsion systems.

WAGE DEMAND: firms that fail to pay the UK National Minimum Wage should face fines of up to £75,000, the TUC said last month. In a new report, it warned that an increasing number of companies are resorting to scams to cheat staff out of their rights. The current maximum fine is just £5,000.

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04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports

Eurotunnel told to sell its ferries

WINDSTAR REVISIONS: Windstar Management Services has made a revised offer to members following their initial rejection of a 2% base wage increase plus 1% incremental increase, or a 1% base wage increase plus 2% incremental increase. The new offer includes a 3% base wage increase, and a consultation was due to close at the end of January.

FLEET VISITS: industrial organiser Paul Schroder has confirmed that the ship visit programme launched last year will continue this year for members employed

by Fleet Maritime Services and serving on Cunard and P&O Cruises vessels. Visits are due to take place in February, April, June, August and October this year, with Mr Schroder planning to visit all ships in the fleet.

Buyer sought for MyFerryLink ships

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FORELAND RISE: members employed by Foreland Shipping received a 2.5% increase in pay from 1 January 2015. This is part of the five-year pay deal accepted in 2012 for increases based on the UK government’s Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) figure for September each year, with a minimum increase of 2.5%.

The AWE figure for September 2014 was 1%.

HANSON OFFER: members employed by Hanson Ship Management are being consulted on an offer including a 2.75% increase in salaries across the ranks, a 2.75% increase in day rates and agency rates, and a discretionary bonus scheme. The consultation closes on Monday 2 February .

RED RISE: members employed by Red Funnel have voted to accept the company’s 2.3% pay offer and other improvements to conditions of employment. Industrial organiser Lisa Carr has also confirmed that she will be organising a meeting with new liaison officers shortly.

TANKER REJECTION: Nautilus members serving with PG Tankers are being consulted on whether they wish to accept a 2.8% pay offer or be balloted for industrial action after the company refused to improve the package following an earlier vote to reject it.

GLOBAL VIEW: following the rejection of a one or two-year pay deal by members employed by Global Marine, industrial organiser Lisa Carr was set to meet management late last month. Members will be informed when a formal response has been received.

WESTERN CLAIM: a claim for an above-RPI pay increase has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Western Ferries. Industrial organiser Gary Leech was due to meet management to discuss the claim as the Telegraph went to press.

SEATRUCK SUCCESS: members employed by Seaway Manning Services onboard Seatruck Ferries have voted to accept the company’s 2% pay offer with effect from 1 January 2015.

Programme of Princess visits is Nautilus national secretary F Jonathan Havard meeting members Pictured from top to bottom

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onboard Sun Princess, Pacific Pearl, Pacific Jewel, Pacific Dawn and Sea Princess in Australia in December.

The concentrated programme

of ship visits enabled Mr Havard to meet members to discuss a wide range of issues. He confirmed that members serving in the fleet received a 3% increase in salaries in January as the final instalment of a three-year pay deal.

Eurotunnel has conceded defeat in its fight to remain a cross-Channel shipping operator — putting its MyFerryLink service up for sale after UK competition authorities dismissed its appeal against a ruling that it was too dominant on Dover routes.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) said it had decided to uphold the Competition & Markets Authority order for Eurotunnel to cease its ferry operations within six months because of concern that the group’s share of the cross-Channel market amounts to more than half of the total.

Alasdair Smith, chair of the Eurotunnel Inquiry Group, said: ‘With two of the operators on the Dover–Calais route making substantial losses, it remains our view that the current level of competition on the route is unsustainable and likely to lead to the exit of a competitor.

‘Having one of only two ferry operators owned by the competing rail link would be bad for customers,’ he added. ‘It would be much better for passengers and freight customers to have three competing cross-Channel operators — with Eurotunnel running the rail link and two independent operators on the ferry route.

‘We are conscious of the potential effect of our decision on the jobs of the MyFerryLink workers,’ he said. ‘However, there will also be job losses if MyFerryLink remains on the route and another operator leaves.’

Eurotunnel said it would not pursue the case any further and said that it is now seeking a buyer for the three MyFerryLink ships.

But it criticised the judgement as ‘illogical’ and against the interests of free trade — claiming that it would reduce competition on the shortsea route.

MyFerryLink began operat-

ing in August 2012 following the collapse of SeaFrance and last year had a 10% share of DoverCalais traffic. Eurotunnel had subcontracted the operation of the ships to SCOP, a cooperative set up by former SeaFrance staff.

Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth said the Union is watching developments closely.

‘We are obviously determined to protect our members’ jobs and we are particularly concerned about the future of the MyFerryLink ships — who they might be sold to and whether they would be sold as a package or individually,’ he added.

Jean-Philippe Chateil, general secretary of the French officers’ union FOMM-CGT, described the decision as a further blow to jobs, services, competition and the French flag.

‘DFDS has already withdrawn a Channel service, threats to the Dieppe route remain and we are fearful about any future for French operators and seafaring jobs in the Channel,’ he added.

P&O welcomed the decision.

‘We have always called for a level playing field and any subsidy of a competitor distorts the market, so this is the right decision,’ a spokesman said. ‘We have no problem with MFL being sold to a new buyer as long as there are no subsidies involved.’

DFDS senior vice-president Carsten Jensen commented: ‘This has been a difficult ongoing situation for our employees and all operators on the Channel for more than two and half years. We believe this is the right decision for free and fair competition on the Channel.

‘From a DFDS Seaways perspective, it also enables us to finally be able to plan for the future with confidence, and we hope that the decision will be enforced as swiftly as possible.’

Steam Packet settles employed by Manx Sea F Transport and working onboard Isle of

Nautilus International members

Man Steam Packet Company vessels have accepted a 2.3% pay offer.

Meanwhile, Isle of Man infrastructure minister Phil Gawne announced in December that the government is inviting expressions of interest to run the passenger and ro-ro freight ferry service between the island and Heysham and Liverpool, when the existing user agreement for the Steam Packet runs out in 2020.

The current agreement has an option for extension to 2026, but

the Department of Infrastructure announced that it was looking beyond the expiry of the current agreement and it is expecting to make a report to the Tynwald in July.

Manx Sea Transport has expressed an interest in retaining the agreement, and at least three other ferry companies, including Caledonian MacBrayne and Irish Ferries, are thought to have registered with the department.

Mr Gawne said that the invitation for interest was an exercise in ‘testing the water’ and not part of any formal tendering process.

Pictured above is Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr with Thames Clippers members Mark Peachey (left) and Tom Bullock (right). Ms Carr met with members onboard to discuss the company’s offer of a 2.5% increase in pay and other improvements. Consultations with members showed a majority rejecting the offer and Ms Carr is now seeking further talks with the company.

21/01/2015 17:27

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

More talks on RFA future plan

Pictured left L-R: Ed Read, RFA; Commodore Rob Dorey, RFA; Russell Downs, RFA liaison officer; Anna Soubry, minister of state for defence personnel, welfare and veterans; and Steve Doran, Nautilus national secretary Pictured above L-R: Danny McGowan, Nautilus assistant organiser; Russell Downs, liaison officer; Jonathan Havard, Nautilus national secretary; Commodore Dorey; and Mark Bartlett, RFA.

two further top-level meetings F to continue discussions on members’ Nautilus International has held

rejection of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (RFA) Future Development proposals.

In December, Nautilus national secretary Steve Doran and liaison officer Russell Downs met Anna Soubry, minister of state for defence personnel, welfare and veterans, as part of the third and final stage of the disputes procedure.

Following this meeting, national

secretary Jonathan Havard and Mr Downs held another meeting with Commodore Rob Dorey, to discuss members’ concerns over the Future Development package.

It is expected that the minister will hold further discussions with RFA management on any proposals to amend the Future Development plan before a final version is put to members.

‘Members can be reassured that no single group of seagoing staff will

financially gain from revised proposals at the expense of another group,’ said Mr Havard.

‘Once I have received the final version of the Future Development Plan from the RFA, I will put this out to all members for consultation and would urge members to have their say by voting and providing me with feedback,’ he added.

Without prejudice to the outcome of the discussions, the RFA has agreed to introduce a proposed 3.4% uplift in

salaries for all grades, with effect from 1 July 2014.

Nautilus has signalled its acceptance of proposals to increase study leave funding, expand the RFA special bonus scheme, and amend cadets’ terms and conditions.

The Union has also agreed to provide input into a manpower recovery programme launched by the Commodore as part of a response to concerns about recruitment and retention.

CalMac bid to end call-back problem Union seeks review of fleet manning levels to help ease pressures on officers

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Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth and senior national secretary Garry Eliott are pictured with Caledonian MacBrayne liaison officers Alex Forrest and James Dunlay ahead of talks with company management last month.

Discussions covered recruitment and promotion opportunities and the future of the fleet, and centred on members’ concerns over call-backs — an issue outstanding from the two-year pay and conditions agreement secured by the Union last year.

Mr Smyth said the company had given assurances over its commitment to make ‘best endeavours’ to provide cover for employees who have returned forms requesting that their callback banked days are treated as leave in line with the terms of the pay settlement.

‘Management believe that it will be possible to resolve the

issue by the deadline of 30 September, but Nautilus and the other unions would like to see this deadline extended if the company is unable to provide the necessary cover,’ he added.

Nautilus has warned the company that it believes that officer numbers need to be increased to provide the necessary flexibility

— particularly in senior ranks.

‘We consider that manning levels in the fleet need to be reviewed and have presented management with evidence of recent cases where officers were called back to work to ensure that ships sailed,’ Mr Smyth explained.

CalMac has proposed that officers with the required higher

certification who meet the necessary criteria will be inducted into the higher rank to relieve senior officers, and summer staff will be recruited earlier to provide sufficient cover.

‘The company believes that around a dozen junior officers will need to be employed on fixedterm contracts,’ Mr Smyth said.

‘This will be done as soon as possible and the marine and crewing departments are currently addressing this issue.’

Further talks are scheduled for mid-February and Nautilus is also planning a series of ship visits to discuss the issues with members.

Nautilus has joined with other CalMac unions and the Scottish TUC to hold further talks with Transport Scotland on safeguards for members in the forthcoming tendering process.

A special working group is due to meet in Glasgow on 11 February to discuss the issue of future pensions provision.

Smit meeting

P&O finances

industrial organiser Paul A Schroder meeting with Amanda

Micky Smyth, and P&O Ferries, A P&O Irish Sea and P&O North Sea

Williams and Chris Cates from Smit International at the Union’s head office.

The meeting was held to discuss a lay representative structure within the company. Mr Schroder will inform members when a formal agreement has been secured.

liaison officers, were due to meet with management to receive a company financial presentation at the end of January The meeting forms part of the 2015 pay and conditions negotiations. The Union is seeking an increase in excess of the RPI inflation rate.

Pictured right is Nautilus

04-05_at_work.indd 5

shortreports SHELL SUBMISSION: a pay and conditions claim has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Shell International Shipping Services and QGTC Shipping Inc. The claim includes a substantial increase in pay over and above RPI, for STCW training to be paid for by the company, the reintroduction of long tour bonuses and the introduction of an extra junior deck officer and engineering officer on each vessel. Nautilus industrial organiser Derek Byrne will inform members when he has met with the company to discuss the claim.

INCREASE IMPOSED: Maersk Offshore is imposing a 1% pay increase on members serving on tankers even though the offer was rejected by a majority responding to a consultation. Nautilus national secretary Steve Doran said that only 18% of members eligible to vote in the consultation had responded — which was insufficient for the Union to effectively oppose it. He urged all members to take part in consultations in the future so that Nautilus has a strong mandate to represent members’ views.

NEW ORGANISER: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth has had his role expanded to represent members in a number of ferry companies. He will now look after members in Caledonian MacBrayne, Stena Line and P&O Ferries. There has also been a re-organisation of some other company allocations following this change. Members affected will all be notified by a bulletin, and a list of all allocations can be found in the membership section of the Union’s website www.nautilusint.org.

ORKNEY CLAIM: a claim seeking a substantial above-inflation pay increase has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Orkney Ferries.

Industrial organiser Paul Schroder, who now has responsibility for members at the company, is due to visit members in February, along with previous representative Derek Byrne. Members will be informed when a date for the visit has been confirmed.

SUPPORTER TALKS: negotiations are continuing on behalf of members employed by P&O Maritime Services and serving onboard European Supporter, following the rejection of a proposed pay freeze. National secretary Jonathan Havard, organiser Paul Schroder and liaison officer Martin Ingham held follow-up discussions with management, but were unable to reach an agreement.

SERCO MEETINGS: Nautilus national secretary Steve Doran and the Serco Ferries liaison officers met management in December to progress issues including seafarers’ employment agreements, a staff handbook and collective bargaining procedures. Mr Doran is now waiting for proposed re-drafts of the documents and will then be looking to arrange a further meeting with the company.

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

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Nautilus national ferry organiser

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21/01/2015 18:03

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports NOISE APPEAL: Nautilus members who have experience of high noise levels onboard anchor-handling vessels have been asked to assist in a case being brought on behalf of a member whose hearing has been damaged. Union lawyers are acting for a former ship master who now suffers from noise-induced tinnitus. He worked on AHTS vessels in the North Sea and worldwide between 1991 and 2014 and was routinely exposed to noise from bow thrusters, main engines and winches.

The lawyers are urgently seeking witnesses who worked on this kind of vessel and who have experience of the noise levels to which seafarers were exposed. Please contact Bonnar Accident Law on Freephone 0800 163 978 or email ronniec@bonnarandco.com.

TECHNIP PRAISE: members employed by Technip (Singapore) received a 3.4% increase in pay in January as part of the two-year deal agreed in May 2014. National secretary Steve Doran, who has taken over responsibility for members in the company, praised the work of industrial organiser Derek Byrne and the company liaison reps in achieving a good settlement through their negotiations and said he was looking forward to meeting members in the next few months.

DEESIDE DECLINED: a pay and conditions offer, including varying increases in pay from 3% to 7%, has been rejected by members employed by Deeside Crewing and serving on vessels operated by Vroon Offshore Services. Industrial organiser Gary Leech said he is trying to arrange a meeting with the company to secure an improved offer.

NKOSSA HOLDING: Maersk Offshore management have confirmed that they have spoken to members and the Partnership at Work committee about their pay and conditions aspirations and are currently investigating the options. National secretary Steve Doran will inform members when a formal response has been received.

BIBBY CLAIM: members employed by Bibby Ship Management on the coastels agreement have accepted the company’s pay and conditions offer, which included a 3.5% increase in pay, annual increments for electrical and maintenance technicians, and a commitment to assess possible improvements to crew rotations.

SEAHORSE REFUSAL: members employed by Seahorse Maritime and serving on Sealion vessels have voted to reject the company’s pay and conditions offer, which included a 2% pay rise across all ranks. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder was due to meet management late last month to push for an improved offer.

OCEAN ACCEPTANCE: a pay and conditions offer of a 2.1% increase in pay and a similar increase in the subsea allowance has been accepted by members employed by Deep Ocean (Guernsey). This concluded the 2015 pay and conditions negotiations.

X-BOW MILESTONE: the Ulstein Group has reported the 100th sale of an X-Bow vessel, just 10 years after the design was introduced in 2005.

New cable-layer for Dutch operator layer Nexus, which was recently A delivered to the Dutch offshore

Pictured left is the 8,650gt cable-

contractor Van Oord.

Built in Romania by Damen Shipyards, the 126m DOC 8500 vessel is intended for the installation of electricity cables for offshore windfarms. Its first contract will be working on the Gemini windfarm, some 55km to the north of Schiermonnikoog, one of the Dutch Wadden Islands.

Six Damen companies in the Netherlands, Romania, and Ukraine were involved in the engineering and project management work on the vessel. Nexus was delivered several days ahead of the specified completion date, and the entire design, engineering and build took just 15 months.

Nautilus in North Sea crisis talks Government urged to act to offset impact of ‘challenging’ oil price slump

P

Unions and industry bodies met in Scotland last month to discuss the slump in oil and gas prices and its possible knock-on effect on North Sea workers.

The meeting came as industry experts warned that the UK’s oil and gas industry is in ‘crisis’ — with oil prices down by over 60% in six months and predicted to remain low for the next two to three years.

The price of a barrel of oil fell from £75.90 last summer to £30.30 at the beginning of this year.

The meeting discussed how best the industry could work together to protect the long-term future of the North Sea industry and any immediate steps that could be taken to secure shortterm job security.

Nautilus International, RMT and Unite have committed to holding further talks with industry bodies to secure longer-term action.

Nautilus has also submitted a motion to the Scottish TUC conference expressing concern over

Union bids to protect jobs largest employers of Nautilus F members, and the Union is working

hard to ensure that members’ job are protected as far as possible.

Two companies where the Union has numerous members have already given warnings that jobs could be at risk.

Farstad Singapore announced that it was considering the warm lay-up of one or two vessels, which could result in a small number of redundancies.

Maersk also announced that, whilst its strategy would remain the same, with safety being a priority, it would be looking to improve ‘cost discipline’ and ‘work processes’, and

called for staff to submit ideas for improving earnings or cost savings.

Members were encouraged to use up their earned leave, as the company had confirmed that seafarers would no longer be able to cash out accrued leave days.

National secretary Steve Doran and industrial organiser Gary Leech have been taking part in meetings on behalf of the Union.

‘It is important for Nautilus to have a presence at these discussions as the long-term effect of the low oil price could have a devastating effect on our members. This will therefore remain a priority for the Union for the foreseeable future,’ Mr Leech said.

job losses in the sector and calling for the STUC to lobby for measures to incentivise investment in new developments.

The motion also calls for a campaign to resist commercial pressures that could erode safety standards and reduce employ-

ment and training levels in the sector.

BP reacted to the slump by announcing around 300 job losses, of both contractors and employee positions, from its 3,500 Aberdeen-based staff.

Other companies have also

The offshore sector is one of the

announced cuts or delays to new projects in light of the uncertainty in the sector. Sir Ian Wood, who led a review into the future of the industry last year, warned that around 40,000 jobs — 10% of the total — could be lost as a result of the slump in oil prices.

‘Even at $100 a barrel, the industry was facing some pretty serious problems,’ he said. ‘It [now] moves from being a challenging scenario to quite a serious scenario and, frankly, is now very dependent on the government taking appropriate taxation action to prevent what could become quite a serious downturn.’

Labour and the Scottish National Party both called on the UK government to take urgent action to support the sector. Chancellor George Osborne has instructed the Treasury to explore providing additional tax relief for companies working in the North Sea, and the government has also asked the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) to lead an urgent commission to identify key risks to oil and gas production in the North Sea.

Touch of Glamour at VOS the first in a series of four new A field support vessels featuring a

Pictured right is VOS Glamour,

wave-piercing bow shape that has been specifically designed for Vroon Offshore Services.

Built by the Fujian Southeast Shipyard in China, the 1,969gt vessel began a delivery voyage to the UK last month. The UK-registered emergency response and rescue/field-support vessel will operate in the North

06_offshore.indd 6

Sea and will be managed by Vroon Offshore Services Aberdeen.

VOS Glamour is powered by two CAT3512C diesels, is equipped with a 15-person daughter craft and a 15-person fast rescue craft and can accommodate 22 crew, with seats for 66 survivors and bunks for 26 survivors.

The remaining three vessels will be delivered to the company over the next few months.

21/01/2015 18:09

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

Saga ship undergoes Rotterdam refit cruiseship Saga Sapphire during A a major refit at Damen Shiprepair’s Pictured left is the 37,049gt

yard in Rotterdam.

The Maltese-flagged vessel, which was built in 1981, underwent an extensive overhaul and a scheduled class survey before departing for the port of Dover to pick up passengers for a cruise to the Canary Islands.

The 19-day project included repairs to deck steel work and a comprehensive overhaul of the lifeboats and their davits. General repairs were also carried out to the vessel’s piping, electrical and hydraulic systems.

Damen project manager Paul Ippel said the most challenging aspect of the work was replacing the ship’s two sewage plants. ‘To get to the sewage plant, we have to go through the hull and the enginerooom bulkhead,’ he explained. ‘This involved a lot of coordination between the various subcontractors.’

Subsea survey of cargoship wreck MAIB deploys ROV in an effort to provide answers to key questions on loss

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Nautilus has welcomed a decision by the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) to conduct an underwater survey of the wreck of a general cargoship which sank off the north coast of Scotland last month.

Eight seafarers died when the 1,850gt cement carrier Cemfjord capsized and sank some 20 miles east of the Pentland Firth during what were described as ‘atrocious’ conditions. A search and rescue operation was mounted after the NorthLink ferry Hrossey ferry spotted the ship’s upturned hull between Caithness and Orkney on the following day.

The MAIB said it had decided to use the Northern Lighthouse Board vessel Pharos to conduct a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) survey of the wreck, which lies in some 70m of water.

It said it hoped the survey would help to answer key questions about why the vessel foundered so rapidly, why none of the crew survived, and why it took so long for the alarm to be raised.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson welcomed the move. ‘This is a significant

Kai-Erik Clemmensen, MD of the Cemfjord’s German owners, Brise, is pictured with Revd Tim Tunley of the Mission to Seafarers, following a memorial service for the crew in Wick last month Picture: MtS

step in maritime accident investigation — and as we know from the case of the Derbyshire, information gathered in such a way can be invaluable in reaching the correct conclusion so that appropriate measures can be taken to prevent a recurrence.

‘No ship should be beyond such investigation,’ Mr Graveson stressed, ‘but it does require the will and determination of the responsible flag state or coastal state.’

Scottish politicians have questioned why it took so long for the search and rescue operation to take place. Shipping minister John Hayes told Parliament that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency had sent the correct SAR resources following the report of a capsized hull. The SAR response included four lifeboats, two helicopters and other vessels in the Pentland Firth area, he added.

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur described the ship’s loss as ‘an

We are able to offer competitive, specially negotiated fares for all types of air travel, be it UK Domestic, European or Worldwide.

awful tragedy’ and added: ‘We will need to await the outcome of the MAIB investigation before learning what happened, and what lessons must be learned. For now, though, there appear to be serious questions about why it took so long to identify that a large cargo ship, passing through a busy stretch of water like the Pentland Firth, was in such difficulty. It is not at all clear, for example, why emergency positioning beacons onboard the Cemfjord or its life rafts were not activated. No doubt this is something MAIB will be looking at very closely indeed.’

Northern Isles MSP Alistair said he was concerned by an apparent delay in the launch of the emergency towing vessel Herakles to join the hunt for survivors, and SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson said: ‘This tragedy once again raises questions about the scrapping of Nimrod.

Not to have multi-purpose maritime patrol aircraft, whether for submarine patrols or searching for vessels at sea, was always going to be a mistake. Their ability to remain on the scene and coordinate rescue missions was highly effective.’

MNTB begins review of UK sea training reaching review of UK maritime F education and training got under way Nautilus is taking part in a far-

last month.

Conducted by the Merchant Navy Training Board, the review is the first in more than a decade and its remit includes ways in which to ensure that the UK system keeps pace with technological advances, and remains both internationally competitive and of high quality.

‘The world has changed and there is a danger that if we don’t do this, the UK could fall behind,’ said former MNTB chairman Nigel Palmer, who is chairing the review. ‘The current system is not broken, but there are certainly areas in which it can be improved.

‘We want to take a holistic view of developments and also to look ahead to 2025 and think about what the skillsets industry will require from its seafarers then and how their training should be delivered,’ he added. ‘There is a future for British seafarers in the shipping industry, but their training has to delivered in a way that is right for the future.

Capt Palmer said the review is starting with a blank sheet, but issues likely to be considered will include the extent to which simulator training can

be used, the impact of new systems such as eNavigation, and the potential to extend the scope of distance learning.

It is also likely to look at the way training and education is undertaken in other major maritime nations and in other comparable industries such as aviation, as well as examining pathways for progression through the ranks and into shore-based positions.

Employer and maritime college representatives are also taking part in the review, and Capt Palmer said he hoped initial results and recommendations could be made by the middle of this year.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘Nautilus is seeking to ensure members, present and future, have the necessary knowledge and skills to meet technological change and their continued employability.

‘In order to meet this challenge, this will necessitate increased capital spending in nautical colleges to ensure competitiveness on cost and quality to the benefit of the workforce and industry,’ he stressed.

‘Members’ views are sought on the generality of nautical education and training, and any particular issues they wish to raise.’

Seafaring skills are vital for the future, IMO leader warns Organisation leader Koji F Sekimizu has urged the shipping International Maritime

industry to do more to ensure it has the skilled seafarers it needs for the future.

Speaking at the World Maritime University last month, the IMO secretary-general said maritime education and training would be the theme for this year’s World Maritime Day — to highlight the message that investment in people is essential for the long-term sustainability of the sector, both at sea and on-shore.

‘Effective standards of training remain the bedrock of a safe and secure shipping industry, which needs to preserve the quality, practical skills and competence of qualified human resources,’ Mr Sekimizu said.

‘Without a quality labour force, motivated, trained and skilled to the

appropriate international standards, the maritime industry cannot thrive,’ Mr Sekimizu added. ‘Not only that, but all the many advances that have been made, in terms of safety and environmental impact, are at risk if those at the “sharp end” are unable to implement them properly.’

Mr Sekimizu said this year’s theme will provide ‘the opportunity to highlight the importance to everybody, not just within the shipping industry, of there being sufficient quantity and quality maritime education and training available to meet the sector’s needs, now and into the future’.

World Maritime Day will be marked at the IMO’s headquarters in London on Thursday 24 September, and other events and activities focusing on maritime education and training will be held throughout the year.

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07_news.indd 7

21/01/2015 18:04

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Apprentice scheme pays off at Pendennis

Long-range delivery in the North Sea is the 51m full A displacement long-range motor yacht

lounge with a 270-degree view and a fully equipped gymnasium located on the sundeck. A ‘touch-and-go’ helicopter pad forward of the bridge can transform into another large sun terrace providing secluded lounging even when the yacht is docked stern-to.

Flush-mounted tinted windows thermo-bonded to the superstructure create a continuous wall of glass that gives MySky a highly distinctive look.

Pictured right during sea trials

MySky, which was recently delivered to its owners by the Dutch yard Heesen.

Powered by two MTU 20V 4000 M53 engines, the 600gt Cayman Islands-registered vessel has a range of 5,400nm at 10 knots and can accommodate up to 12 guests.

Key features include an upper deck

Sector urged to watch US health rules

by Michael Howorth

to ensure that crew members H serving in US waters meet the The superyacht sector needs

requirements introduced by the so-called Obamacare — otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Eva Maria Karlsson, president of the Superyacht Insurance Group (SYIG), said superyachts need to be aware of the tighter guidelines regarding time spent ‘in-and-out of US waters’.

Most underwriters require yachts to spend at least six months outside the US in a 12-month period, but SYIG says the sector is facing increased insurance difficulties when yachts do not leave the US for extended periods of time.

Mr Karlsson said she has been dealing with a ‘challenging case’ involving a US-registered yacht with10 US citizen crew members, which makes incidental trips to the Bahamas and back. ‘They don’t qualify for the international plans that are specifically designed for yacht crew, because they don’t spend six months per year outside the US,’ she said.

‘However, US domestic insurance carriers are reluctant to offer group coverage to the crew since the crew members are from different states.’

Superyacht fleet is set to grow further Healthy orderbook for 2015 masks concerns at decline in Russian demand

by Michael Howorth

P

This year is set to see almost a dozen new vessels entering the Top 100 superyacht league table, industry experts have predicted.

But while the annual report produced by Superyachts.com and Y.CO shows that the average size of superyachts is set to grow even further, one key builder has voiced concern about the potential for a downturn in Russian demand as a result of the fall in the value of the rouble.

Seven new yachts joined the Top 100 list last year — the largest being the 140m Ocean Victory built by Fincantieri. The second largest was Lürssen Yachts’ 104m Quantum Blue, followed by the 101m V853 from the Kusch shipyard, the 95m Lürssen vessel Kismet, the 91m Equanimity and the

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

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

Nautilus International works closely with the MCA and regulatory authorities in Europe and around the world, and this SRB is one of only two that the MCA recognises worldwide as evidence of acceptable service. p Once your yacht service is verified O in our office in Antibes, then the MCA accepts the Nautilus SRB as M ssufficient proof of onboard and sea sservice and no further supporting ddocumentation is required. z Contact the membership ddepartment either via email or telephone to receive your free SRB. te

08_yachts.indd 8

F

88.5m Y710 by Oceanco, and the 82m Kibo from Abeking & Rasmussen.

New yachts due for launch this year include one of more than 140m from the Nobiskrug yard in Germany and a 125m vessel from Lürssen Yachts. The Norwegian builder Klevan Yachts is set to launch a 107m motor yacht and Oceanco is due to launch the 105m Project Solar, which is set to become the largest yacht ever launched in the Netherlands.

However, Lürssen Yachts CEO Peter Lürssen expressed caution for the future. ‘A large part of the market was driven by demand from Russian clients,’ he pointed out. ‘They clearly are in a different position than they were two years ago. The cost in rouble to buy a yacht has more or less doubled, which is reaching limits which are possibly prohibitive.’ z Revenues from the UK superyacht industry rose 7% last year, with sales up for the third year in a row, according to statistics revealed at the CWM FX London Boat Show last month.

Around 400 yachts of 30m and over were built in the UK last year, with sales totalling some £490m.

One-third of the boats built in Britain were exported.

Boat Show organisers said the entire UK superyacht, leisure and small marine commercial industry generated £2.9bn in revenue during 2014, and employed in the region of 30,000 people.

A UK superyacht builder and refit yard is boosting its training efforts with a new intake for its apprenticeship scheme.

The Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth has trained more than 160 local young people in the past 17 years — and more than 70% of those who have passed through its apprenticeship programme are now working at the facility.

Pendennis manages two courses: a general apprenticeship scheme and the surface finishing apprenticeship.

For each intake the yard receives over 10 applications for every one space offered.

In recent months Pendennis has seen two apprentice courses graduate, with 18 young people moving on to full-time careers with the company. A new group of surface finishing apprentices started their three-year course at the end of January.

Managing director Mike Carr commented: ‘These apprenticeships not only provide Pendennis Shipyard with the next generation of superyacht employees, but provide an opportunity for local young people to build a long-term career in a fascinating and highly skilled industry.’

New facility is largest refit A Suezmax supertanker yard in Med the megayacht — here comes A Yachtmax, a 280m vessel with a hull shape based on a Suezmax tanker.

The Austrian design company Motion Code Blue has developed the concept — called Imara — with the idea of appealing to clients in the Middle East, who would be keen to have a yacht with a design reflecting the oil resources of the region.

If built, the yacht would have

11 decks, with a raised foredeck hosting three helipads — with a helicopter hanger located directly underneath. It would also feature an atrium stretching across four decks, and four 15m-wide side hatches capable of handling tenders of up to 30m length.

Imara would be so huge that all the passageways are designed for BMW i3 electric cars, with every guest having their own garage in front of their cabin.

The revamped boat show — the 61st to be held in London — featured eight world debut yacht launches, including the new Sunseeker Predator 57.

This year’s attractions included the real-time build of a 5.9m sailing catamaran with a cutting-edge hydrofoil system developed by a senior lecturer

at Warsash Maritime Academy.

The Solent Whisper features new hydrofoil technology developed

by Ron Price, a senior lecturer in naval architecture, and colleagues from Southampton Solent University. The catamaran comfortably achieves over 25 knots and it can ‘fly’ on its foils in as little as five knots of wind.

Forget the superyacht, forget

of France has become the F largest superyacht repair facility in

The IMS Shipyard in the south

the Mediterranean with the opening of its IMS site near Toulon last month, five days ahead of schedule.

Just nine months after the start of building work at the former French Navy seaplane base, the 47m Heesen yacht Sister Act was successfully hauled out of the water using a brand new Travelift, which can handle up to 670 tonnes.

Costing around €25m, the new facility covers an area of around 130,000 sq m and is intended for the refit, repair and maintenance of boats from 20m to 80m. Together the two sites, IMS 300 and IMS 700, will be able to accommodate up to 100 yachts simultaneously.

Work continues on the site and the facility will be inaugurated for full capacity opening at the end of March.

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.

21/01/2015 17:59

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

Australian official set for charity swim in English Channel pictured left on Bondi Beach, is planning to swap the A warm waters of his home for the chilly English Channel Australian maritime union official Dean Summers,

in August this year — when he will attempt to swim the busy waterway exactly 140 years after a seafarer named Matthew Webb became the first recorded person to swim it without the use of artificial aids.

Dean Summers, the International Transport Workers’ Federation coordinator for the Maritime Union of Australia, has dedicated his 50km challenge to the world’s seafarers and is aiming to raise of A$20,000 (€14,200) for two charities that are close to his heart.

He got the idea to swim the Channel in 2013, having taken up swimming after a long gap which began when he first went to sea at the age of 16. He had made a few sporadic attempts to return to the pool since then — but ‘work and the demands of being a single dad got in the way’ until a couple of years ago, when he joined the Vladswim squad in Sydney.

‘A while after joining I noticed that after some morning training sets there were several swimmers staying back completing increasingly longer distances. I learned that these were Channel swimmers and I was enormously impressed that I was actually swimming in the same pool as those attempting the iconic swim,’ he explains.

‘I listened to the extra coaching sessions and was soon

drawn into the idea of taking on perhaps the toughest swim in the world.’

Dean’s now training hard — with two hours of squad training in the pool four days a week and a long swim of over 10 kms of open water on Saturdays.

He is also building up his ability to swim in cold water — including a ‘cold camp’ in Melbourne, swimming for eight hours in under 16 degrees. ‘The single biggest cause for swimmers not being able to finish is associated with the cold conditions and the onset of hypothermia,’ he adds. ‘This can be mitigated to a large degree through conditioning by exposure to cold.’

‘I appreciate that English Channel swimmers must be an incredibly frustrating annoyance for ship’s masters and pilots navigating this already difficult passage,’ he admits.

‘But at least on this occasion I hope that they will see my swim as a supportive and progressive attempt to celebrate their work.’

Money he raises will go to Hunterlink Recovery Services, which supports seafarers working in Australian waters, and the Black Dog Institute, a not-for-profit organisation providing help with conditions such as depression and bipolar disorder. g Contributions can be made through the web blog www.channelswim4seafarers.com.

Picture: Kylie Thomas

Union backs plan to protect shore leave US Coast Guard tables proposals to end port problems for visiting seafarers

Record arrival in Rotterdam

P

F

Nautilus International has welcomed plans to improve seafarers’ rights to shore leave and access through ports when visiting the United States.

The Union has taken part in a formal consultation on US Coast Guard proposals to require all ports and facilities to provide seafarers with ‘timely’ and no-cost access between their ships and the dock gates.

Assistant general secretary Marcel van den Broek said the issue is of the utmost importance to the health and safety, welfare and morale of seafarers and for the efficient operation of shipping services.

‘Ever since 9/11 our members have found this necessary access severely restricted and in some

cases even completely denied,’ he added. ‘This is occurring in spite of the provisions in the ISPS Code that seafarer access is to be facilitated and IMO recognition that access to shore leave is a basic human right.’

Nautilus said there is evidence that more than 10% of seafarers on ships visiting US ports have been denied the right to shoreside access — and the Union fears the true figure could be even higher.

Last year’s annual shore leave survey carried out by the Seamen’s Church Institute found that problems had increased from 2013 — both in the percentage of ships with at least one seafarer denied shore leave (23.3%) and in the percentage of seafarers denied shore leave (11%).

Lack of visas accounted for 86% of the shore leave denials, with terminal restrictions accounting for 7% and vessel operations being responsible for a further 7%.

In its response to the consultation, the Union says the Coast Guard proposal ‘addresses a serious problem with a solution that is long overdue’.

US maritime unions and seafarer welfare organisations were set to meet to consider the proposals ahead of a public meeting organised by the Coast Guard late last month.

The consultation documents point out that some US ports and terminals have made it impractical for visiting seafarers to go ashore ‘by placing extreme limitations on escort availability or by charging exorbitant fees’.

Waiting times of up to three hours for approved escorts have been reported, along with complaints of charges of up to $500 for seafarers to be taken to the facility gates.

The proposed new rules would place the requirement to provide access directly on the terminal facility owner or operators — meaning that they would not be permitted to rely solely on third parties, such as taxi services or seafarer welfare organisations. z The Coast Guard is inviting comments on the proposals and Nautilus members wishing to take part in the consultation — which closes on 27 February — can do so through the Federal Rulemaking Portal: www. regulations.gov through docket number USCG-2013-1087.

Pictured above arriving in the port of Rotterdam last month is the 403,342gt platform installation, decommissioning and pipelay vessel Pieter Schelte — claimed to be the world’s largest ship.

Built in South Korea, the Panamaflagged vessel is owned by the Swiss company Allseas, and is being fitted with main mission equipment and undergoing final testing in the inner

lake of Maasvlakte 2 before entering into service in April.

Under construction since 2007, the 382m long and 124m wide vessel will have a 48,000-tonne topside capacity, a 25,000-tonne jacket lift capacity, and a 2,000-tonne pipelay tension capacity. Work undertaken at Rotterdam will involve 440 different Dutch firms.

Picture: Kotug

Disney ship to the rescue a Royal Caribbean cruiseship F eight miles off the coast of Cozumel,

A man who fell overboard from

Mexico, was rescued five hours later by a passing Disney Cruise Line ship after a passenger heard him calling for help.

The 22-year-old American man had fallen from RCCL’s Oasis of the Seas

during the early hours of 8 January and was spotted by passengers and crew onboard the Disney Magic.

The Disney ship recovered the man in a rescue boat and took him to the port of Punta Langsota, where has was transferred to a private clinic for medical care.

Compressed air EBS training Compulsory from January 2015 Book your training As from 1 January 2015 it will be compulsory in the UK sector of the North Sea for all personnel to have completed the compressed air emergency breathing system (CA-EBS) training.

You will need an in-date BOSIET, FOET or HUET certificate as a prerequisite to undertake CA-EBS training. We offer:

For information on availability and prices visit our website:

www.warsashacademy.co.uk/offshorecourses Or contact our admissions and recruitment team: T. +44 (0)23 8201 5004 E. wma.training@solent.ac.uk

· CA-EBS ‘bolt on’ to BOSIET or FOET course · Standalone CA-EBS course

www.warsashacademy.co.uk

09_news.indd 9

21/01/2015 17:59

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NEWS

Union unveils new training courses Nautilus can sharpen your skills and increase knowledge of the MLC 2006

Ten-month refit for RFA Fort Victoria P Spencer Atkinson and Royal A Fleet Auxiliary defence equipment

Cammell Laird project director

and support Commodore Ian Schumacker are pictured last month as the yard neared completion of a £49.5m refit of the fleet replenishment ship Fort Victoria.

The massive 10-month refit is the biggest ever undertaken by the yard since it began its through life support ‘cluster’ contract to maintain nine of the 13 ships in the RFA flotilla in 2008.

The work involved overhauling both main engines and a power generation upgrade which included major steelworks, new fuel and lubrication oil as well as freshwater and saltwater pipework and pump systems. New sewage treatment plants, boilers and ballast water treatment plants were installed, the ship’s accommodation was

refurbished and navigational systems were upgraded.

Drydock work included overhauling of the main propulsion and steering systems, blasting and painting of the ballast and cargo tanks, ultra high pressure blasting and painting of the underwater hull and painting the superstructure.

Fire detection and suppression systems were replaced and all the weapon systems were overhauled.

‘Completing this refit is a formidable achievement for the yard and everyone involved,’ said Mr Atkinson. ‘We did undertake a lot of planning, particularly around big jobs like the removal and replacement of six diesel generators which saw the ship cut open on both sides of the hull and then once the generators were installed the shell plating was then refitted and fully welded.’

US acts on cruise crime require cruiseship companies F to improve systems for dealing with US Coast Guard proposals to

onboard crime have been welcomed by the International Cruise Victims lobby group.

The proposed regulations build upon the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act (CVSSA), and will require a ship to ‘maintain a fall-overboard

image capture system, or a falloverboard detection system, or some combination of both’. Cruiseships will also have to maintain a video surveillance system to help document crimes and provide law enforcement with copies of video records.

Training for crew members who interview alleged sexual assault victims will also be required.

Nautilus International has launched a brand new training syllabus with something to interest all members.

Taking an active role in the Union can involve anything from putting bulletins on your ship’s noticeboard and encouraging members to vote in consultations, to providing the link between full-time officials and members, and assisting in pay negotiations.

Well-informed liaison officers and Partnership at Work delegates (collectively known as lay representatives) are vital for the Union to properly represent members and understand the industry they work in.

Nautilus relies heavily on its lay rep structure and activists to provide links to all members in their workplaces.

The 2015 course programme will continue to build on the successes of previous lay rep training courses and include a new round of Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 courses.

The lay rep course structure will be further developed, focussing more on discussion-

based sessions and individual and group tasks.

Topics covered in the Essential lay reps course and the Advanced lay reps course include: z trade union structure and history z expectations, roles and responsibilities z dealing with members z bullying and harassment z campaigning z threats and opportunities of social media z negotiation and consultation MLC courses return this year, co-hosted by the Union’s director of legal services Charles Boyle and yacht sector partners D&B Services.

The course is free for members to attend, whilst non-members may attend for a fee equivalent to one year’s membership.

‘As well as these courses, we are interested in hearing members’ views and opinions on other courses that they would like to see us develop over the next year,’ said senior assistant organiser Lee Moon, who is organising the training.

‘We could run courses on equality issues,

mentoring, or transitioning from sea to shore, for example.

‘The Union values the contribution of every member and workplace, and we are committed to offering development opportunities to help members work effectively.’

Course dates currently arranged are: z Essential lay reps, Wallasey, Monday 30 March to Wednesday 1 April z MLC, Antibes or Palma, April or May (TBC) z MLC, Wallasey, Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May z Essential lay reps, London, Wednesday 17 to Friday 19 June z Lay reps forum, London, Friday 25 September z MLC, Rotterdam, October (TBC) z Advanced lay reps, Wallasey, Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 November g For more information on any of these courses, to register your interest, or book your place contact Lee Moon on +44 (0) 151 639 8454, email membership@nautilusint.org or visit the website www.nautilusint.org.

Lookouts sent off on patrols raised concern over two cases F in which ships ran into problems as a Accident investigators have

result of ratings being sent to carry out security patrols during their lookout duties.

The Maltese Marine Safety Investigation Unit last month published a pair of reports warning of the way in which vital preventive barriers were lost when watchkeeping officers were left alone on the bridge.

In one case in January last year the

5,006gt containership Romy Believer suffered extensive underwater hull damage when it hit rocks at full speed off the Greek coast.

And only three days later, the 75,583dwt bulk carrier Ligari collided with the 47,204dwt product tanker DL Sunflower in the Korean Straits.

Investigators discovered that onboard both ships it was the practice to send the lookout to carry out safety and security rounds when they were meant to be on the bridge.

The OOW on Romy Believer is believed to have fallen asleep after the lookout left the bridge. He missed a critical course change and also failed to respond to radio calls from a nearby ship warning that his vessel was at risk of grounding.

Investigators found that the Ligari’s OOW had released the lookout to carry out the patrol even through the safety management system stated that these rounds should be carried out at the end of each navigational

watch. The report also states that the watchkeeper’s ability to keep a proper lookout may have been adversely affected by loud music being played on the bridge.

The vessel managers were urged to ensure through regular audits that the safety management policy is implemented at all levels of the organisation and to warn other ships in the fleet of the potential risks related to the misuse of VHF as a means of collision avoidance.

Rules aim to cut deaths in ship spaces

Lairdside Maritime Centre

introduction of new rules F making it compulsory for ships to

Nautilus has welcomed the

ECDIS COURSES Other Courses Available include:

■ Ship Handling for both Junior and Senior Officers ■ ISPS Designated Security Duties ■ ISPS Prevention of Piracy and Armed Robbery

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

p10_TELFeb2015.indd 10

Sea Cadets’ vessel is launched attended a launch ceremony for their new training A ship at the Astilleros Gondan shipyard in Spain, pictured

Twelve Sea Cadets, representing each part of the UK,

above.

Ordered in August 2013, the £4.8m vessel will accommodate up to eight crew and 24 cadets on voyages lasting from six to 14 days in northern European waters and will be in service for the 2015 sailing season.

Of 32m loa, the new ship will be named TS Royalist, after the predecessor vessel which was withdrawn from service in November 2014 after taking more than 30,000 cadets to sea over 43 years in operation.

Slightly larger than the old ship, the new vessel is faster under sail and power, easier to handle, offers greater use of space, and will be more economical to run.

It is expected to be in service for 40 years.

conduct regular enclosed-space entry and rescue drills.

Effective from 1 January, the amendments to SOLAS regulation III/19 will require crew members with enclosed-space entry or rescue responsibilities to participate in an enclosed-space entry and rescue drill at least once every two months.

The new rules aim to cut the large number of accidents involving seafarers who enter enclosed spaces without adequate training or protection.

The International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft (HSC Code), the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU Code) and the Code of Safety for Dynamically Supported Craft (DSC Code) have been similarly amended. g New training package for space safety — see page 24.

21/01/2015 14:39

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

EU promises action against ‘ghost ships’ has promised to take action to A combat the use of ‘ghost ships’ to The European Commission

smuggle migrants to Europe.

Concerns were raised after two merchant ships had to be towed to Italy after being apparently abandoned by their crew with migrants onboard. Almost 1,000 mainly Syrian migrants were found onboard the Moldovan-flagged Blue Sky M, left, and 359 were discovered on the Sierra Leone-registered Ezadeen only two days later.

Home affairs commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said Brussels would take decisive action against the ‘ruthless criminal organisations’ using new methods ‘in order to exploit desperate people who are trying to escape conflict and war’.

Picture: Reuters

Call for controls on floating armouries Research report recommends that counter-piracy ships should not use FoCs

P

Counter-piracy ‘floating armouries’ pose a potential risk to safety and security and should not be operated under flags of convenience, a research study has warned.

A report from the UK-based Omega Foundation warns of the ‘worrying’ lack of laws and regulation governing the use of piracy protection ships, and calls for the International Maritime Organisation to introduce standards to ensure that they are properly checked and controlled.

The study — commissioned by the Remote Control Project, a body that raises awareness of new military trends — warns that the absence of effective con-

trols ‘creates the opportunity for unscrupulous actors to exploit the situation’ and means floating armouries ‘could represent a threat to regional peace and stability rather than the solution’.

The study accepts that the deployment of armed guards on merchant ships has helped to cut the number of successful pirate attacks, but argues that the proliferation of private maritime security contractors and their use of floating armouries — ships packed with weapons, ammunition and related equipment — ‘raises important questions regarding the regulation of emerging security actors’.

It points out that there is no

centrally managed, publicly available register of floating armouries — but suggests there may be more than 30 in operation. Twelve of these are known to be registered with ships on the port state control blacklists, it adds.

None of the ships currently used as floating armouries has been purpose-built for the role, the report notes. As a result, these vessels may not have safe and secure storage for arms and ammunition, it warns.

Flag states need to set benchmark requirements for the storage, security and record-keeping of arms held on such ships and insurance companies should undertake regular and unan-

nounced compliance checks, the report recommends.

Companies should flag floating armouries in their own country and should not be allowed to use flags of convenience, it adds, and procedures should be introduced to ensure that weapons or ammunition are securely stored or destroyed if a security firm goes bust.

Threats to maritime security are not confined to the Indian Ocean and Red Sea regions, the report stresses, and because floating armouries are mobile the complex jurisdictional issues they raise require a global response and much more effective oversight.

Nautilus welcomes UK assurance on ransom payments government pledge not to F outlaw the payment of ransoms to Nautilus has welcomed a UK

secure the release of seafarers held hostage by pirates.

The Union had written to ministers to express concerns over the potential for proposed new counter-terrorism laws to restrict or prevent future general average or kidnap and ransom policy payments to secure the release of ships and seafarers held by pirates.

In a response to Nautilus, Home Office minister James Brokenshire says the government intends to maintain the distinction between ransom payments made to criminals and those made to terrorists.

‘It is already an offence to make ransom payments to terrorists,’ he adds. ‘The situation is different in piracy cases. Whilst the government strongly advises against making

ransom payments to pirates, doing so is not illegal under UK law.’

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson welcomed the response. ‘This is the clarification we have been seeking and it is very important, because we believe that any attempt to make the payment of ransoms illegal — or even to delay the payments — would jeopardise the safety of seafarers held captive, and that pirates would have little reluctance to carry through threats to kill and/or cause environmental damage if they are not paid.’

Mr Dickinson pointed out that a significant number of Nautilus members have been taken hostage in recent years — and as recently as October one was held captive for a fortnight in Nigeria before a ransom was paid for his release and that of other shipmates who were taken from his vessel.

Pirate attacks fall to eight-year low dropped to the lowest level F in eight years in 2014 — but the Pirate attacks on shipping

number of vessel hijackings almost doubled as a result of an increase in incidents involving small tankers in SE Asia, a new report has revealed.

The annual study published by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) also reveals a marked rise in the number of seafarers being taken hostage last year — a total of 442, compared with 304 in 2013.

The IMB said a total of 245 piracy incidents were reported worldwide in 2014 — some 44% less than the peak year of 2011. But the number of hijackings rose to 21 last year from 12 in 2013.

A total of 183 ships were boarded and 13 fired upon, with four seafarers killed, 13 injured and nine

kidnapped from their vessels.

The IMB said it was particularly concerned about the rise in attacks in SE Asia, with evidence that they are becoming increasingly violent.

‘Gangs of armed thieves have attacked small tankers in the region for their cargoes, many looking specifically for marine diesel and gas oil to steal and then sell,’ said director Pottengal Mukundan. ‘It is important that these gangs are caught and punished under law, before the attacks become more audacious and violent.’

Only seven incidents last year were linked to Somali pirates, but the report says that west Africa is a cause for concern, with 41 attacks reported last year and the IMB warning that many others went unreported.

GET A HEAD START AT SEA Get the qualifications and confidence you need to go further with our Maths@sea and Writing@sea online courses.

education@ms-sc.org marine-society.org A charity registered in England and Wales 313013 and in Scotland SC037808

p10_TELFeb2015.indd 11

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12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

HEALTH & SAFETY

Bridge routine gets blamed

Training package seeks to tackle cultural challenges

early last year as a result of A inadequate routines on the bridge,

Videotel has developed a new F programme to help multinational

the Swedish Accident Investigation Authority has found.

The 196m ro-ro Gotland ran aground in the approach to the port of Oskarshamn on 2 January 2014.

Investigators noted that control of the ship was taken over at the bridge wings during the final approach to Oskarshamn, but there was no log or wind indicator at the work stations and they were also not equipped with manual steering.

crews to work together as a cohesive unit, regardless of cultural differences.

The training package — Working with Multinational Crews… It’s a Cultural Thing! — highlights the potential for misunderstandings and disharmony to arise as a result of a lack of awareness of varied cultural values.

The programme covers the importance of understanding that

A Swedish ferry ran aground

The maritime training firm

Union opposes DSM audit cuts MCA plans are being driven by cost-cutting considerations, Nautilus warns

P

Nautilus is opposing UK government plans to relax the rules governing the safety management of ships operating on domestic services.

In a response to a consultation on the proposed changes to the Domestic Safety Management regime, the Union raises concern over a move to cut the frequency of ship audits from twice-yearly to twice in every five years.

Nautilus says it believes the proposals are being driven by cost-cutting considerations and argues that the government has over-estimated the costs of surveys in its impact assessment by failing to reflect the fact that one of the surveys takes place at the same time as the Passenger Ship Safety Certificate.

Even using the figures put forward in the consultation document, the Union argues that the proposals are not justified. ‘An

estimated cost of approximately £250 per company per year cannot be defined as “unduly burdensome on business” when we consider the purpose of the inspections,’ it states.

The consultation document says that the DSM audit regime is disproportionate to the ‘perceived safety risks involved’ — but Nautilus contends that ‘regardless of the “perceived risk”, the actual risk to safety in the event of an incident on a vessel to which the DSM code applies is very high.

‘Many of these vessels carry large numbers of passengers in dangerous and congested waters where the chance of survival upon entering the water is little better than it would be in open sea,’ the Union points out.

‘Additionally,’ it states, ‘the age of many of these vessels means that they are a higher risk from a number of potential dangers.

‘The rationale that ships operating locally have a lower level of risk because they operate closer to shore is flawed,’ Nautilus stresses.

‘The DSM Code covers all aspects of the safe operation of a domestic passenger ship including prevention of accidents, injuries, slips, trips and falls as well as major incidents such as flooding/ sinking and fire. Distance to shore has no bearing on the likelihood of these incidents occurring.’

The Union points to a number of accident investigations demonstrating the ‘very real risks involved in operating domestic passenger vessels’ and warns that the proposals to shift responsibility for safety from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to shipowners, through the introduction of self-assessment processes, will ‘greatly diminish’ the effectiveness of enforcement.

‘There have been a number

of incidents identified in MAIB reports where non-conformities with the DSM have been identified in the accident report but had not been picked up at the last inspection (Hurlington and Snowdrop are two examples),’ it warns. ‘If the frequency of inspection is reduced then it is inevitable that these occurrences will increase.’

Nautilus says it cannot accept the proposals to reduce the DSM survey frequency given the safety risks involved and the very minimal cost savings arising from the proposals.

‘We accept that the diminishing capability of the MCA to carry out its regulatory functions, and the subsequent reductions in safety levels, are an inevitable consequence of the budget cuts imposed,’ it concludes. ‘With this in mind, we could reluctantly accept a proposal to reduce the frequency to once per year.’

body language, gestures, hand signals, and postures can mean entirely different things to people from diverse cultures. It addresses issues such as language problems and how communications can be further complicated by people, in some cultures, not always saying what they mean.

The package is available in a range of formats, including online and DVD, and is accompanied by a workbook containing further information about the topics covered and notes on how best to run the training session.

Bulker sinking sparks bauxite cargo alerts over bulk carrier safety following F the loss of a Bahamas-flagged vessel Fresh concerns have been raised

off the coast of Vietnam on New Year’s Day, with the loss of 19 seafarers’ lives.

The sinking of the 56,009dwt Bulk Jupiter — which was carrying was carrying 46,400 tonnes of bauxite from Malaysia to Vietnam — sparked warnings from insurers and owners about the risks associated with cargoes that may have the potential for liquefaction.

The owners’ organisation Intercargo said it feared the case ‘may again prove to be yet another casualty statistic in the long list of bulk carrier losses caused by liquefaction’ and it called for ‘a swift and thorough’ investigation.

‘Bauxite appears to be another cargo that now requires the increased vigilance necessary to ensure safe carriage conditions are validated and maintained,’ it added.

Intercargo secretary-general David Tongue warned: ‘What is normally considered a Group C cargo may have the potential to behave like a Group A cargo when that cargo’s specified characteristics are not maintained, especially when cargoes with higher levels of fines and moisture beyond those specified in the IMSBC Code are presented.’

The North of England and Skuld P&I clubs also urged owners to take precautions, pointing to evidence of bauxite shipments which appeared to show signs of liquefaction.

Big fall in tanker spills tankers around the world fell A to a new low last year — with the The number of oil spills from

total having halved over the past 25 years, according to a new report from the International Tanker Owners’ Pollution Federation (ITOPF).

Its data shows that the annual average number of large spills (over 700 tonnes) dropped to just 1.8 over the period between 2010 and 2014.

Last year it recorded only one large oil spill — an incident involving 3,000 tonnes of bitumen from a tanker in the South China Sea — and four medium spills of 7 tonnes and over.

‘Interestingly, a number of tanker incidents reported in 2014 involved fire and explosion, where potentially significant quantities of cargoes and bunker fuel burned,’ ITOPF noted.

‘The cargoes involved included condensate, diesels and fuel oils.’

The organisation said it was encouraging to note that spills had reduced in spite of an increase in the amount of oil being shipped around the world. ‘It is also a testament to the ongoing work by industry and governments to maintain high standards of operations in seaborne transportation,’ it added.

Master-pilot disagreement caused cargoship grounding Ex Tax Inspector at Cardiff Marine - 30 years experience with seafarers’ tax

ran aground in the St Lawrence A Seaway following a disagreement

A fully-laden general cargoship

teams are pictured £195.00 FRescue above searching for bodies onboard a Singapore-flagged tug FLAT FEE PER TAX RETURN

01908 583 738

12-13_h+s.indd 12

that capsized with the loss of 22 lives during operational trials in China last month.

The 368gt JMS Delta overturned in the Yangtze River near Taizhou, in China’s Jiangsu Province. Those onboard included shipowner

representatives and technicians from Singapore, India, and Japan.

Three crew were rescued and one said the tug had flooded within 20 seconds and suddenly capsized after a load test for the main engine.

The Jiangsu Maritime Safety Administration has launched an investigation into the accident.

Picture: Reuters

between the master and the pilot over the best way in which to slow the vessel as it approached a lock.

In a report on the incident, which involved the Barbados-flagged Claude A Desgagnes, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) repeats previous warnings about the need for effective communication between ship crews and pilots.

The 9,627gt vessel suffered hull and frame damage after striking a wall and grounding while approaching the Seaway locks at Iroquois, Ontario, bound for Northern Ireland with a cargo of corn.

Investigators found that the pilot had wanted an anchor lowered to slow the ship, while the master wanted to reverse the engines. The pilot had advised against this as a result of the direction and force of the current, but each time he requested the forward anchors to be deployed to ‘dredge’ the ship the master declined.

The report notes that the pilot had explained his plan to dredge the anchor to the officer of the watch earlier in the voyage — but the details of the plan were not relayed to the master when he arrived on the bridge.

Although the pilot later informed the master of his intention to carry out the manoeuvre in broad terms, investigators said the master had

not confirmed that he understood or agreed with the manoeuvre.

The TSB report highlighted the results of an investigation that it published in 1995 which examined safety problems arising from deficiencies in master-pilot exchanges. And the Board said it ‘remains concerned about the number of marine accidents resulting from ineffective bridge communications’.

Bridge crew must develop a common understanding of what their jobs are, the report states, and failure to ensure a shared view of the vessel’s manoeuvres poses ‘a risk that crucial manoeuvres to ensure safe navigation will not be completed in a timely manner’.

21/01/2015 16:15

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Rena report raises whitelist worries Investigation argues that greater transparency over STCW process would help improve safety

P

Concerns over the effectiveness of the International Maritime Organisation’s Standards of Training Certification & Watchkeeping ‘whitelist’ have been raised in an official report on the loss of the containership Rena in New Zealand in 2011.

The final report from the NZ Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) on the catastrophic grounding of the Liberian-flagged vessel concludes that the standard of watchkeeping onboard ‘in almost all respects did not comply with the requirements of the STCW Convention’.

It notes that the whitelist was created in an attempt to lift global standards of seafarer training, but warns that its investigation highlighted issues over STCW ‘which may have broader safety implications for marine transport’.

The report points to ‘ambiguity’ about the system and the lack of an agreed mechanism for states to be removed from it if they fail to meet the standards.

Improving access to information on STCW compliance and better transparency over the whitelisting process ‘could avoid unnecessary duplication and expedite the harmonisation of global seafarer training and certification systems,’ it argues.

The 37,209gt vessel caused New Zealand’s worst ever environmental disaster when it ran aground on a reef and spilled around 200 tonnes of heavy fuel oil while approaching the port of Tauranga in October 2011.

Investigators found that the ship had deviated from the planned course in a bid to save time and ensure that it arrived at the pilot station before the end of the window for pilotage. The master had failed to make allowances for the unfavourable currents when he calculated the estimated

The containership Rena begins to break up after running aground on a reef off New Zealand in October 2011 Picture: Maritime New Zealand

time of arrival, the report points out. ‘The pressure to achieve this unrealistic arrival time was ultimately what led to the series of ill thought-out deviations from the passage plan, the last of which directly contributed to the grounding,’ it adds.

TAIC said the failure of the crew to follow best practice guidelines for making and executing the passage plan was not an isolated case. Investigators reconstructed 30 of the ship’s previous voyages and found that the ‘acts and omissions’ on the final voyage were not one-offs — with watchkeep-

IACS probe results in new boxship rules agreed new rules to govern F containership construction in an

Classification societies have

effort to prevent a repeat of the MOL Comfort disaster, in which the 8,110TEU vessel split apart and sank in the Indian Ocean in June 2013.

The new unified requirements (UR) have been developed by an International Association of Classification Society working group and are due to be delivered in the first quarter of 2015. They cover longitudinal strength standards and functional requirements and

12-13_h+s.indd 13

load cases for direct analysis of containerships.

IACS members and shipping industry representatives have also backed proposals developed under its Common Structural Rules project for bulk carriers and oil tankers, and these rules will enter into force on 1 July this year.

IACS is also working on new guidelines for LNG bunkering, and has established an expert working group to consider the challenges posed by the increasing complex systems now being fitted to merchant ships.

ers routinely fixing the position hourly using only GPS. The crew had made only infrequent checks on the compass error and none at all on the final voyage, the report adds. When the second mate made a series of course adjustments towards the reef to make the shortcut, he failed to make an allowance for any compass error or sideways drift, and as a consequence Rena made a ground track directly for the reef at full speed.

The crew had also failed to follow company procedures for monitoring the Rena’s progress in

relation to known dangers to navigation, the report states, and at the time of the accident there was no clear delineation over who had control of the ship as hand-over procedures had not been followed properly.

‘The master, having assumed that he had taken control, had received virtually no information on where the ship was, where it was heading, and what immediate dangers to navigation he needed to consider,’ it adds.

The investigation concluded that the performance of the master and second mate was likely to

have been at least mildly affected by fatigue in the period leading up to the grounding.

The master and second mate — both Filipinos — were each sentenced to seven months in prison in 2012, but were released after serving half the sentence.

The report says there had been ‘clear indications’ before the accident that Rena’s safety management system was not functioning properly. Its port state control deficiency rate was almost twice the average for ships in the AsiaPacific region and it had been detained in Australia in July.

ITF urges action to drive up crewing levels Workers’ Federation has urged F its seafarer union affiliates to take The International Transport

advantage of new rules to secure more realistic manning levels on merchant ships.

It says new International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements which came into effect in January will require flag states and shipowners to ‘safely and transparently meet the unique operational and administrative needs of each vessel’.

Rather than ‘rubber-stamping’ minimum numbers which only reflect a ship’s ability to navigate and manage basic emergencies, the IMO will now seek to ensure that crew numbers take allowance of other duties, the frequency of port calls, cargo operations, maintenance or administrative tasks.

IMO Assembly Resolution A 27/ Res.1047 outlines the elements to consider when determining safe manning for all functions on a vessel.

In addition, the ITF points out, the IMO’s maritime safety committee has adopted a change to the SOLAS Convention and amended the International Safety Management Code to ensure vessels are properly manned.

ITF IMO-accredited representative Branko Berlan explained: ‘Although regulatory changes happened in 2011 and 2012, administrations, companies and port state control inspectors have yet to implement them. The cumulative effect of these latest actions is that they will be legally required to do so.

‘Seafarers’ organisations need to become more proactive by using the media and legal system to force the proper determination of vessel manning in a transparent way,’ he added.

‘Ultimately these changes are about seafarer safety, that’s why we’re so keen to make sure our affiliates know about them and can take steps to make them a reality.

Only a concerted effort to force the implementation of these IMO instruments will result in properly manned vessels.’

UK-flagged ship struck bridge after its bow thruster failed struck a bridge after its bow F thruster failed while entering a port in A UK-flagged general cargoship

Denmark last year.

The 4,151gt Carisbrooke Shipping vessel Karla C suffered extensive damage in the incident, which took place last April as the ship was manoeuvring to berth in the port of Vordingborg.

A report from the Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board notes that the bow thruster had shut

down earlier in the day as a result of overheating after 30 minutes of operation as the ship departed the port of Amsterdam. It was the first time the problem had occurred and crew members had been checking the system during the voyage, with a closer inspection and test planned once the ship had arrived in Denmark.

Investigators said the approach to the port had appeared ‘unproblematic’ — but as Karla C approached the berth, the pilot

realised that the 1.5 knot current and force 5 winds were affecting the ship more than expected and decided to bring it alongside with the bow heading into the wind and current.

However, half-way through the turn the bow thruster overheated and stopped after just a few minutes of operation. The master managed to avoid a collision with another vessel by putting his ship astern, but as the risk of an allision with the bridge increased he ordered the anchors to be dropped.

The report notes that the master and pilot had between four to six minutes to avoid the allision and although there had been a slight delay in dropping the anchors, the margins were so tight that it was inevitable the ship would strike the bridge.

Investigators determined that the thruster problem had been caused by a faulty thermistor, and the report notes ‘how a rather simple technical fault can potentially result in severe damage’.

21/01/2015 16:15

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports GAS GROWTH: French officers’ unions have welcomed the news that Gazocéan is to increase its officer workforce by 25%, with 15 new personnel being taken on to serve on two new gas carriers due to enter the fleet by the beginning of 2017 on long-term charter to GDF Suez. Gazocéan has also agreed to increase the number of cadets it takes on from France’s national officer training academy, ENSM. SINGAPORE SPILL: an investigation has been launched after a collision between a tanker and a bulk carrier off Singapore, resulting in the spill of some 4,500 tonnes of crude oil. The incident involved the Libyanflagged tanker Alyarmouk and the Singapore-registered bulker Sinar Kapuas, and occurred 11nm NE of the island of Pedra Branca.

OILY FINE: the Italian shipping firm Carbofin has been fined US $2.75m after pleading guilty in a ‘magic pipe’ pollution case involved its LPG carrier Marigola. The charges were brought after US Coast Guard inspectors received a tip-off from crew members who provided video evidence that the ship’s oily water separator had been by-passed.

EMISSION PENALTIES: four shipping companies have been fined a total of US$146,719 for failing to comply with low-sulphur fuel rules in Californian waters. The penalties were imposed by the California Air Resources Board on two Chinese shipping firms, one German operator and a Japanese company.

SCRAP SLUMP: the number of ships broken up worldwide has fallen for a second successive year, according to the broking firm Barry Rogliano Salles. It said 864 ships of 22.3m gt were sent for scrapping last year. India, Bangladesh and Pakistan together broke up 66% of the world’s tonnage sent for demolition.

DOCKER DIES: a Spanish docker died inside the hold of the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Hanjin Sines while the vessel was moored in the Spanish port of Ferrol for unloading. Initial reports said the man mistakenly entered a compartment that contained a lethal concentration of carbon dioxide.

MOL ORDERS: the Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK (MOL) has announced plans to upgrade its containership fleet with an order for at least two 20,000TEU vessels. The company says it is mounting a ‘counter-offensive year’ after suffering a ‘significant deficit’ during 2014.

DFDS EXPANSION: the Danish ferry firm DFDS has confirmed its interest in taking over the state-owned Polish operator Polferries, stating that it is seeking to build on its strategy of expanding the route network with ‘value-creating acquisitions’.

WATER MOVE: Sweden has introduced new rules to make it easier for merchant shipping to use the country’s inland waterways. Owners have welcomed the move, saying it will enable them to better compete against road and rail.

Union ‘will fight SNCM break-up’ Seafarers threaten to occupy ferries if administrators allow piecemeal sale

by Jeff Apter

P

A leading French maritime union has warned that its members will occupy ferries in the SNCM fleet if moves are made to sell off the services in a piecemeal fashion.

The future of the Mediterranean ferry firm remains in doubt after being placed into administration on 28 November. SNCM is now in a six-month ‘observation period’ during which the administrators monitor the company’s financial situation and examine bids from potential buyers for all or part of its operations.

But last month Frédéric Alpozzo, head of the CGT seafaring union, warned that action will be taken if the SNCM is broken up. He told a mass meeting in the port of Marseille that the union has no confidence in the recovery plan being put forward for the company and accused the courtappointed administrators of ‘siding with the bosses’ by advocating the company’s early liquidation.

Mr Alpozzo said seafarers would not stand by and allow a ‘simple dismantling plan’ to be put in place. And he warned that unions could stage protests lasting six months or even a year if SNCM is broken up and sold to a ‘false buyer’ on a route by route basis.

On the following day, the Corsican maritime union STC occupied the Bastia offices of the

cargoship Zortürk, which was facing a demolition A order last month after being held in a French port for Pictured above is the Turkish-owned general

more than five years.

The 2,796gt vessel was first detained in Saint Nazaire in July 2009 and has been refused permission to leave ever since, on the grounds of insufficient repair work and non-payment of port fees. A deadline for completing the maritime administration in a ‘symbolic action’ to hand over a letter to national transport minister Alain Vidalès warning of further protest action.

Mr Vidalès had previously indicated that the European Commission would not object to SNCM’s 10-year public service contract being broken up into several parts. CGT claims this would

repairs takes effect in February and port authorities have threatened to have the ship scrapped if this is not met.

Zortürk was recently sold to another Turkish owner and reflagged to the Togolese register. A court has ordered the owner to pay €24,000 in owed wages and legal costs to a crew member who had remained onboard to maintain the vessel.

Picture: Eric Houri

mean SNCM would no longer exist in its current form — ‘bringing in its wake a large number of job losses and the withdrawal of ships from the full French flag’.

A court hearing last month confirmed that SNCM, which employs 2,000 people, has sufficient liquidity to see it through until the end of February. It decided to delay for two weeks a

meeting to examine any offers for the company. At least two companies are believed to have submitted bids.

However, SNCM’s problems deepened when the Corsican administrative court last month rejected its request to suspend repayment of nearly €200m in subsidies given between 2007 and 2013.

Danish ‘shore-pilotage’ plan A

The Danish Maritime Officers’ union has expressed concern about proposals to develop the concept of ‘shore-based pilotage’ for ships operating in the country’s waters.

Denmark has introduced a package of measures, effective from 1 January, to relax pilotage regulations and to make the ‘pilotage market more efficient’. The Danish Maritime Authority says the measures aim to create greater flexibility, while maintaining the high level of navigational safety in Danish waters.

The changes include a new pilot embarkation arrangement and relaxation of reporting requirements for pilotage service providers. With effect from 1 May, Denmark will allow private pilotage service providers to apply to operate in its territorial waters as part of a ‘gradual discontinuation of the monopoly of DanPilot to perform transit pilotage assignments’.

The officers’ union is also concerned about the Danish Maritime Authority’s move to develop the concept of shore-based pilotage following a report from consultancy

company COWI last year. The study concluded that such a system is technologically possible and would cut shipping industry costs with ‘relatively little effect to safety’ and recommended ‘careful and selective’ testing of the system in a few areas.

The union is concerned by evidence that as many as 445 ships sailed through Danish waters without a pilot in the first 11 months of 2014.

One operator — the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) — declined to use a Danish pilot 39 times last year.

The rules on the use of pilots

in Norway have also been relaxed with effect from 1 January. The main amendments relate to passenger ferries and the use of pilots within port areas.

The changes have generally been welcomed by Norwegian maritime trades unions, but they argued that the criteria for issuing a waterways certificate should include a requirement for command of a Scandinavian language as the majority of navigational safety communication takes place verbally via VHF.

Arctic shipping movements declined in 2014 fell sharply last year following four years A of growth. Initial reports suggest that both the

Shipping traffic using the Northern Sea Route

number of ships and the volume of freight in transit along the route dropped by as much as 77% from the previous year.

Russian officials have blamed reductions in gas and iron ore cargoes for the downturn and say they

14-15_int.indd 14

expect traffic to increase again in future — with prime minister Dmitry Medvedev claiming that volumes could rise tenfold over the next decade.

However, an academic paper published in the Polar Geography journal suggests that optimism about the potential of Arctic routes as an alternative to the Suez Canal is overstated and expansion could be hampered by poor reliability,

communication problems and limited search and rescue resources.

‘The advantage of connecting Atlantic with Pacific with a 24% distance reduction (for Shanghai–Rotterdam) is offset by many factors including harsher weather and free-floating sea ice, requiring more expensive ship construction, and winterisation investments,’ the paper argued.

21/01/2015 16:16

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

LNG ferry ordered for Australian service A

Pictured left is the design vision for a new LNG-powered ferry ordered by the Australian company SeaRoad from the German builder Flensburger-Shiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG).

The 181m loa vessel will be used on a regular liner service across the Bass Strait, between Melbourne and Devonport, Tasmania. Due to be delivered in autumn 2016, the ferry will have a service speed of 20.5 knots and some 1,960 lane metres capacity.

FSG says the ship will have a particularly flexible cargo-carrying capability for containers, trailers, cars and livestock and will be the world’s first ro-ro with the ability to transport reefer containers and hazardous cargo side by side.

US alarm at new Jones Act threat Former presidential candidate moves to abolish shipping support laws

P

US maritime unions have voiced alarm at a new bid to abolish a 95-year-old law protecting the country’s shipping industry from foreign competition.

Republican Senator and former presidential candidate John McCain has tabled amendments that would repeal the 1920 Merchant Marine Act — the so-called Jones Act — which requires shipments between US ports to be carried on vessels owned, crewed, built and flagged in the country.

Senator McCain described the Act as ‘an antiquated law that has for too long hindered free trade’ and claimed that it makes US industry less competitive and raises prices for US consumers.

‘The amendment I am introducing would eliminate this unnecessary, protectionist restriction,’ he added.

Mr McCain claimed that ‘it

costs $6 per barrel to move crude oil from the US Gulf Coast to the NE of the country on a Jones Act tanker, while a foreign-flag tanker can take that same crude to a refinery in Canada for $2 per barrel’.

But the US Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) warned that the proposals would ‘undermine the domestic maritime industry and the 400,000 jobs associated with it’ by allowing foreign companies to operate in the US market. It urged US politicians to oppose the amendment, arguing that it could also lead to lower standards of safety and security in US waters.

Michael Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union, added: ‘It is just another attack on the Jones Act, one that could cripple the US-flag maritime industry. We need all hands on deck to defeat this amendment.’

Tom Allegretti, chairman of

the American Maritime Partnership — an alliance of unions, owners and other shipping organisations — added: ‘The McCain amendment would gut the nation’s shipbuilding capacity, outsource our US Naval shipbuilding to foreign builders, and cost hundreds of thousands of familywage jobs across this country.

‘It is hard to believe that the Congress would endorse a change to the law that would outsource US jobs and reduce national security by effectively creating dependence on foreign countries to build our ships.’

The head of the US Coast Guard, Admiral Paul Zukunft, was also reported to have expressed opposition to the plan. ‘If we have foreign-flag vessels doing coastalised trade, what are the safety standards, what are the maritime pollution standards, how are they in compliance with the same

standards that we apply to our US fleet?’ he asked.

The US Navy League warned that abolishing the measure could actually increase costs for the US. ‘The loss of the Americanbuilt provisions in the Jones Act would have devastating ripple effects on all the sea services,’ it stated. ‘Its immediate impact would be a reduction in the number of ships built in US shipyards, which would result in a loss of jobs, a loss of industrial knowledge and skills, and a loss in America’s edge in shipbuilding quality and technology.

Talks on repealing the Jones Act have been taking place between the US and Europe as part of the proposed new Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement — but US negotiators have expressed opposition to EU calls for its abolition. g TTIP campaign — see page 27.

urged Trade deal a risk to security, Nigeria to act on jobs Canadian seafarers warn A union has warned that a new A trade agreement with Europe could Canada’s leading maritime

create ‘an open door of entry for terrorists’ into the country.

The Seafarers International Union of Canada (SIU) claims the maritime provisions of the Canadian-European Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) could create a range of security risks and it has urged the country’s government to hold an open and public debate on the issues.

Under the agreement, foreign owned and crewed vessels would gain more access to Canadian cabotage services — giving them the right to

14-15_int.indd 15

trade between Canadian ports, which was previously reserved for Canadianflagged and Canadian-crewed vessels.

The union pointed out that Canadian seafarers must go through vigorous police background checks before seeking employment on domestic tonnage — something which ensures security and safety.

‘Once CETA opens Canadian waters to foreign vessels and crews, we will lose control of who is coming in to Canada,’ it warned. ‘This is the reality that we face. Are we ready for the possibility of a terrorist sneaking onto a vessel as a crew member for easy access into Canada?

‘Opening our waters, and subsequently our land, to foreign seafarers is reckless for Canada’s safety, especially in the wake of recent terrorist acts, including most recently in Paris, France,’ it added.

‘If the Canadian government can say with 100% certainty that they know who is on a vessel which is registered in Cyprus, owned in Greece, operated from Thailand, classified in Japan, insured in the UK and crewed by Indonesian and Syrian seafarers hired through third party manning agents, then they are living in a world that I did not know existed,’ said SIU president James Given.

Nigerian shipowners have urged the country’s government to protect jobs for local seafarers by introducing rules to prevent foreign companies from operating in its coastal trades.

The Nigerian Indigenous Ship owners Association (NISA) claims several thousand of the country’s seafarers are unemployed because of the lack of control over the nationality of ships operating in Nigerian cabotage services.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency says it is seeking an arrangement with foreign owners on seatime for the country’s cadets and structures for the implementation of cabotage restrictions have been put in place.

shortreports FATIGUE FAULTS: six ships were detained with crew working time deficiencies following a three-month concentrated port state control inspection campaign in the Black Sea. Authorities carried out checks on 1,146 ships in six countries in the region and almost 30% of the subsequent detentions were linked to breaches of the STCW working time rules. The most common nonconformities were incorrect records of rest hours, no watch schedules being posted, and failure to endorse the daily rest records for each watchkeeper.

TANKER HIT: Greece has condemned an ‘unprovoked and cowardly’ attack in which two crew members were killed when unidentified military aircraft bombed a Greek-operated oil tanker in the Libyan port of Derna. The Liberian-flagged Araveo was carrying 12,600 tons of crude oil, and Libyan military officials said the vessel had acted suspiciously following a warning not to enter port. Libya later issued an apology after confirming that the ship had been delivering fuel to a power station operated by the National Oil Corporation.

DANISH STRATEGY: the Danish Shipowners’ Association has launched a new three-year strategy to boost the country’s shipping industry and to regain its position among the world’s top five maritime nations in terms of gross tonnage. The overall Danish fleet has fallen by 12m dwt over the past year and the owners blame intensified international competition from other flags for Denmark’s slump to eighth place in the global fleet rankings.

INDIAN AID: India’s shipping ministry has announced plans to introduce a new training support scheme to help the country’s cadets get the seatime they need to qualify as officers. India is aiming to increase its stake of the global maritime workforce from 7% to 9% and says the financial assistance for onboard training will help to break a backlog affecting around 4,000 would-be officers.

FRENCH PLEDGE: French prime minister Manuel Valls has promised action to implement 26 measures to boost the country’s shipping industry, originally tabled in a report published in 2013. He told an industry conference in Nantes that France is ‘still a great and powerful maritime nation’ and has a bright future — but unions have criticised the slow progress on new policies.

SWEDISH SERVICE: a new liner service linking Sweden, the Netherlands and the Humber is set to begin operations this month. Baltic Euro Lines is a new joint venture established between the Norwegian shipping companies Seafront Maritime and North West Ship Management, and will begin operations using the 4,462gt Barbados-flagged general cargoship Skog.

CREWMAN JAILED: a hotel services crewman who attacked a passenger onboard the Holland America Line cruiseship Nieuw Amsterdam in February 2014 has been sentenced to 30 years and five months in jail by a US court. Ketut Pujayasa, from Indonesia, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault.

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21/01/2015 16:16

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 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

Telegraph poetry competition: the merchant marine in wartime centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania, we F are inviting readers to send in poems exploring Calling maritime poets! To mark the

the experiences of merchant seafarers involved in conflict.

Wanted: stories of Cunard in Liverpool I am undertaking a project for City of Liverpool and Cunard with regard to the celebration/commemoration of 175th anniversary in Liverpool from 24 to 26 May 2015.

On 24 May, Cunard flagship Queen Mary 2 will arrive at Liverpool Cruise Terminal and will stay overnight. The next morning, her sisterships Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria will also arrive on the Mersey, creating an unprecedented three Queens spectacle in Liverpool.

The three ships will be close to the famous Cunard Building on the Pier Head, for a once in a lifetime event that will make maritime history.

On 4 July, Queen Mary 2 will return to Liverpool to celebrate the transatlantic departure, exactly 175 years earlier, of Britannia, the first ship built for Cunard’s revolutionary new Atlantic service.

Liverpool’s maritime history as the birthplace of the first passenger cruise line is certainly something to celebrate, along with many events across the city which will commemorate the glamour

and excitement of cruise travel and how an industry that was born in Liverpool changed the world culturally.

Both of these events will be under the umbrella brand One Magnificent City, which is a six week city-wide ‘bridge’ of cultural events that will run throughout the summer of 2015. The city’s theme for 2015 is ‘looking to the New World’.

I am looking for ex-Cunard employees, both at sea or on the land, who have a story to tell prior to 1967 when Cunard pulled out of Liverpool.

These stories will be used as a record of life at the time, and will also be used as an education hub, along with interviews which will be taken into schools.

Please contact me, either by email or home address with your stories (printable!) and also your contact details, as there will be a service held at St Nick’s Church (the sailors’ church at Pier Head) on 25 May. PAMELA BROWN Email: p.brown387@ntlworld.com 35 Winston Drive, Noctorum Birkenhead, Wirral CH43 9RU

Have your say online Last month we asked: Do you think it is right that the shipping industry should be facing the strict new controls on sulphur emissions?

Yes 63%

No 37%

This month’s poll asks: Do you think containerships can continue to grow beyond the 20,000TEU barrier? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 16

Any take on this is welcome — whether it’s to do with the convoys of the First and Second World Wars, or perhaps the supply ships for the Falklands or the Gulf. g Please send in your poem about the merchant

marine in wartime to: The editor, Nautilus Telegraph, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, London E18 1BD, or email your entry to telegraph@nautilusint.org, marked ‘Poetry competition’.

The deadline for entries is 31 March 2015.

Winning entries will be published in the Telegraph, and each winner will receive signed copies of Lusitania R.E.X by Greg Taylor, a new novel about the disaster.

How much of a menace are solo yachtsmen?

Nairn Lawson (letters, P January Telegraph) on the

I totally agree with Captain

subject of ‘keeping a proper lookout at all times’ (Rule 5).

Rule 5 is the only rule (apart from the application rule) of the Steering and Sailing Rules that consists of one paragraph, which underlines its importance.

The single-handed yachtsman will no doubt maintain that, provided everyone else complies strictly with the rules, then he is safe.

This totally defeats the care and attention that has been put into MSN 1781 (M+ F) to prevent accidents at sea.

One critical aspect is the provision, under Rule 17, that if the give-way vessel fails to take appropriate action, then the stand-on vessel may take whatever action is necessary to prevent a collision. This vital rule provides the necessary back-up to address those occasions when, for whatever reason, a watchkeeper on a give-way vessel fails to fully comply with these rules.

We are all human, and no human, no matter how experienced, is infallible.

Over the years there has been a sad record of smaller vessels being run down by larger ones, quite often with no survivors from the smaller one. Although it is often impossible to prove, it is highly likely that the smaller vessel was not keeping a proper lookout at the time, as otherwise, the collision would probably not have occurred. However, it is invariably the watchkeeper on the larger vessel who will be in the spotlight in the subsequent investigation.

The rules should apply to all, with no exemptions.

DAVID SPENCER Retired mem no 092283 I would like to stress my wholehearted support for Capt Nairn Lawson in the letter published in the January 2015 edition concerning yachtsmen not keeping a proper lookout.

Why these lone yachtsmen should be given titles for wandering the oceans in

Picture: Gary Davies / Maritime Photographic

complete disregard of one of the main Rules of the Road completely mystifies me.

I believe that the yachtsman mentioned in the letter is the holder of a Certificate of Competency which I think should be cancelled, as if he didn’t know the regulations in the first place it would never have been issued.

I had the misfortune when I was master of a deep draft tanker in the Ushant separation scheme of a lone yachtsman claiming we had hit him while he was below making a cup of tea. After months of paperwork and investigation the claim was proved untrue, but it did cause

a great deal of hassle for myself and the duty watchkeeper.

It is surely time that the likes of the IMO became involved in outlawing these single-handed challenges on the basis that it is impossible for a single-handed yachtsman to keep a proper lookout by sight and hearing as well as by all available means.

PETER JACKSON Master, retired mem no 158914 As a gold pin member of Nautilus International, I am tired of reading over the year’s letters of complaints about single-handed recreational sailors. The only risk they take

is to themselves. The argument that they put the rescue services at risk is a nonsense, one could just as easily complain about commercial fishermen who put to sea in clapped-out or poorly maintained boats, and there are far more of them.

One reason that rescuers do their job is because they enjoy the thrill and anyway the occasional yacht rescue scenario is a good exercise. I suspect there is a body of opinion that would ban all extreme sports — that’s fine if we want to live in a country of wimps.

ROBERT KNIGHT BSc Retired shipmaster mem no 145558

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21/01/2015 17:58

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS

Checklists overrated I was doing a sort-out of paperwork and publications and came across an edition of the Telegraph from some time ago that I had not read. On reading through the journal, I came across the article regarding the award of a medal for the master involved in the introduction of checklists onto ships.

Not wishing to detract from the captain concerned, I would like to say that I introduced a checklist system on my first command in 1971. I had several friends who were private and commercial pilots. I flew with some of them in their light aircraft and noted the use of pre-flight, take-off and landing checklists.

On assuming my first command, I decided to introduce simple checklist.

These were nothing like the presentday tick-box sheets; they were simple cards with a series of questions relevant to the situation.

For example — entering port: Contact with the port/pilot; Pilot ladders ready; appropriate flags; engine notice;

STAFF editor: Andrew Linington deputy editor: Debbie Cavaldoro production editor: June Cattini-Walker senior reporter: Sarah Robinson web editor: Deborah McPherson

etc. The points were covered in a verbal exchange between myself and the OOW referencing the list. A similar departure list was available.

I found them useful and continued to use them throughout my time in command and continued to use them during my time as a mooring master.

I also introduced a ‘welcome on board’ booklet because of the presence of new cadets, junior engineers and officers’ wives.

It was a relatively simple production as we only had a ‘Roneo’ machine, no printers in those days.

It laid out things like safety procedures, do’s and don’ts, prohibited areas, meal times, etc, bringing information that was available in various locations into a single document.

I believe that, like many things today, the checklists have become an overcomplicated tick-box exercise to meet ISM requirements.

Capt KEITH J. BEVERLEY, MN, HCMM Beverley Marine Services

Nautilus membershipsurvey

F

You don’t have to write a letter to the Telegraph to tell your Union what you think of it. The 2015 Nautilus membership survey is now underway, and by taking part you’ll get the ear of the Union’s leadership. How do you feel we are doing with recruitment, organising, collective bargaining, campaigns, communications, and legal and welfare services?

The survey is conducted and analysed by an independent organisation, and the results are assessed by the Union’s governing

telegraph

THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

body — the Council —to help decide on changes and improvements. g You can take the Nautilus membership survey online at www. nautilusint.org; or if you’d prefer us to send you a paper copy, call +44 (020) 8989 6677 and ask for the Communications department .

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Free screening could save your life Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is now offered by the NHS for all men when they reach the age of 65. The phased implementation of the NHS AAA screening programme was announced by the Department of Health in 2008, with completion for England in April 2013. All men are currently invited for screening when they reach age 65, as this condition is most common among men aged 65 or over.

What has not been widely publicised, and many members may

be unaware of, is that for those over the age of 65 when the programme was introduced in their area there is no automatic catch-up system in place.

However, if a request is made to their GP they are entitled to the screening on the NHS. As the many Nautilus Pension Forums that I have attended over the years have shown, there must be many members, who, because they were born in the 1940s, or earlier, will have passed the age of 65 when this programme was introduced in their area. Whilst

breast cancer can be fatal for women, but rarely for men, the opposite applies to AAA, which is why it is applied to men only.

The screening in my case was done with a hand-held scanner, took only a few minutes at the local surgery, and the results were available a few days later.

A large aorta aneurysm is, if it gives way, usually fatal, but does not have any prior symptoms to give advanced warning.

DAVID SPENCER mem no 092283

Learn lessons, don’t just blame book — Titanic: A Fresh P Look at the Evidence. In the

Three years ago I wrote a

epilogue I commented on whether, after all these years, there were any lessons still to be learned from the loss of that unfortunate ship. There were, I concluded, two and I quote from the book: ‘I believe there are at least two issues that still remain:

the use of large rudder angles when underway at relatively high speeds, and how one rescues large numbers from a sinking ship if, for any reason, it is not possible to use all the available lifeboats and liferafts.’

As we welcome in 2015, I cannot but help reflect that these two concerns have returned to haunt us. Last year we saw two

horrific maritime disasters: the capsize of the ro-ro ferry Sewol in Korean waters in April, and the outbreak of a fire onboard the Norman Atlantic in the Adriatic at the end of December.

We still await the outcome of the formal investigations, but it would appear the initiating cause of the Sewol tragedy was the sudden use of a large rudder

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

16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 17

angle when proceeding at her normal full speed. Rather than conduct an investigation to determine the actual causes and the many underlying reasons for what went wrong, the authorities chose to prosecute several members of the crew and even describe them as murderers. The captain was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 36 years in prison. It was, in my opinion, an outcome that does little to improve safety at sea. I think most seafarers will want to know how a ship capsized as the result of a large rudder angle being applied.

With the Norman Atlantic fire and the prolonged rescue operation still very fresh in our minds, there is an overwhelming need to establish what caused the fire and how it was contained. The seafaring community will also want to know what lessons can be learned from an in-depth investigation into every aspect of the rescue operation.

Both ships were carrying large numbers of passengers. The time available to rescue people onboard the Sewol was short.

Very different circumstances prevailed in the Norman Atlantic but, in both cases, the process of evacuating people failed to match theoretical expectations.

There will be technical issues as well as human ones and it is vital we know what went wrong and why.

My long-standing concern about whether the current thinking for the mass evacuation

of souls from passenger ships in distress is fit for purpose has been re-awakened. It appears that time and time again, something seems to interfere with the concept that we can evacuate large numbers in an orderly manner and within very ambitious timescales. The reality is that when accidents occur they never seem to conform to the predictions of the textbook.

Conditions are likely to be too windy, too rough, too cold and too dark. It may involve a ship that is capsizing too fast, or there is smoke blowing in the wrong direction. It may be that the decks are too hot or the ship is too far from land for helicopters to play a part.

That many accidents occur close inshore should be construed as very helpful rather than inevitable. Plans should be drawn up to cater for the worst case scenario; offshore and in bad weather.

I hope I’m not being too pessimistic, but I still think we have a long way to go before we have a workable solution to a very difficult problem. I hope I’m wrong but, with the fixation on criminal investigations in too many parts of the world rather than learning the lessons from marine casualties, we are still far from identifying the right solution to a challenging predicament.

JOHN LANG Nautilus Trustee Director Former Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents

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Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

ISSN 0040 2575 Published by Nautilus International Printed by Polestar Colchester 2 Wyncolls Road, Severalls Industrial Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 9HU.

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.

21/01/2015 14:41

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

YOUR LETTERS

Sometimes hard, but never boring Professionals forum, here is my input on P lessons to learn for seafarers.

Following the call from the Young Maritime

When I left school I wasn’t sure where my future was heading and now my biggest regret is never pursuing a career at sea when I was younger. I worked a summer on a local ferry service where one of the crew started talking to me about cadetships and, following a short and extremely enthusiastic discussion with one of the masters, I made my mind up there and then — I was going to apply to a few companies and become a deck officer.

After a couple of interviews, I took a cadetship with Maersk and was sent to South Tyneside College.

My friends thought it was strange that I was excited to be going back to college at the age of 25, but to me it was exhilarating. This wasn’t just going back to college, it was a training scheme which was subsidised so I didn’t need to take out a student loan.

I was being paid a small wage and to top it all off, there was not only a guaranteed job at the end but an actual guaranteed career and a future with extremely good prospects in an industry like no other.

The course was never boring — in fact it was exactly what I wanted to do. It was balanced between classroom-based learning, which I found much more informal than college or school-based learning, and also had plenty of practical aspects. Having grown up right by the sea and having a passion for boating, I thoroughly enjoyed ‘playing’ about on the Tyne in the various lifeboats — even in the fog in the near freezing conditions!

Having the course split between time at college and time at sea made it even better. At sea all the theory you learnt was put into practice and, to some extent, it is where you learn more and develop your sense of seamanship. As a cadet, you generally got a bit of freedom to get ashore in most places and I certainly took advantage of that when I could.

Three years of hard work and studying paid off and led to my current position as third officer and I’m currently serving on the sister vessel of the first ship I started on. It’s incredible to think how fast the time has gone from being a cadet to being an officer of the watch.

Letters continue to arrive about the challenges facing trainees and junior officers. This month, three more readers share their experiences and offer advice...

As with any other job, there are good days and bad days, but the best thing to come out of any bad day is the camaraderie of everyone pulling together to get things right: ‘we’re all in the same boat’ really rings true. I can’t really think of anywhere else I’d rather be and as I said earlier, my main regret is not pursuing this career when I was younger.

There’s a wide world out there and this job is totally unlike any other. The things you see at sea, the people you meet and the places you visit truly do take your mind off everything and more than anything makes this more of a way of life rather than just a ‘normal’ job. Sure, it has its downfalls and at times things can get difficult when you’re so far away from family and friends but I can’t imagine any other job which has the same plus points as a career at sea.

GYWN WILLIAMS mem no 196819 After applying to the Merchant Navy whilst in school and passing the interview at 15 years old, I had a massive interest in working at sea from listening to stories and seeing photographs of amazing places and sights around the world. I knew it was the career for me.

I joined college the following September and endured the three-year cadetship with 12 months at sea loving every minute of it. Along the way I was told so many times that ‘the world is your oyster’ and ‘you can get a job anywhere in the world’ as soon as you have your CoC due to the high demand for British officers across the whole industry.

I have come to realise that this is not the case at all after recently passing my OOW oral exam (September 2014) because not all companies take you on as an officer after the cadetship, which leaves you sat at home with your ticket wondering what to do next.

Trying to get a job as an officer has proven to bee more than difficult as after almost three months of constantly applying every day has turned up fruitless. I am currently working on shore in a warehouse spending all my time off looking and applying to companies.

Long gone, it seems, are the days of the CV being enough for an application since now you need to submit one, a custom covering letter, written references and then input everything contained in those onto a form online as well. I’m starting to get fed up with the online application, as to apply to one company takes around 1.5 hours, constantly inputting certificate numbers, expiry dates and sea service records into dreaded dropdown boxes.

So far the only response was from a cruise company to say that after completing the two-hour application form, they did not want me because I am under the age of 21 — I’m still not sure how this is relevant as I am just as qualified as any other applying for the role. The most annoying part is the fact that, since I was not taken on straight away, I do not have any experience as a qualified officer and the majority of companies I’ve applied to have stated they want a minimum of ‘two contracts’ or ‘12 months’ experience in the role applied for’. I’m not sure this is fair because it makes it impossible to get that first 12 months’ experience needed to kick-start your career and I almost feel discriminated against for not having months under my belt.

Passenger vessels pretty much only accept those with passenger vessel experience and crowd management certificates, offshore companies expect all navigation officers to have a full DP ticket, and I am finding that now even tanker companies are only really looking for people with previous tanker experience.

And no, it’s not just me, I am only one of a massive group of British cadets who have been looking for

We have just increased the value of the support on offer to help with the costs of studying for your first ticket — with up to £17,500 now available, plus a discretionary £1,500 bonus payment for those who successfully obtain an approved OOW certificate!

The support is provided through the JW Slater Fund, named in honour of a former general secretary of the Union, which has been awarded to over 1,400 seafarers since it was launched in 1997.

The scheme provides help for selected UK-resident applicants

16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 18

I read with interest the comments by Nautilus International’s professional and technical assistant David Appleton in January’s Telegraph complaining that too much time is spent in learning celestial navigation. Call me oldfashioned, but anyone who can’t use a sextant can hardly be called a navigator.

When my wife used to travel with me in later life I taught her to plot the ship’s position using Decca and Loran, but by no means would I have called her a navigator. However, looking at the grounding reported in January’s

towards the costs of any necessary full-time or part-time education, as well as some financial support during college phases for those having to go off-pay while they study for a certificate.

Administered by Nautilus International, the scheme can provide assistance worth up to £17,500 to help ratings study for their first certificate, as well as offering similar assistance for ETOs and yacht crew to gain STCW 2010 certification.

Nautilus International is now inviting applications for the 2014 Slater Fund awards. g If you are keen to get your officer qualifications, don’t leave things to chance. The Slater Fund is just the ticket — fill in the form or apply via the website: www.nautilusint.org

Your correspondent, regarding words of wisdom from the engineroom (letters, January Telegraph), has invited comment and I am sure that there will be many. I will restrict myself to just two.

Treating the chief engineer, or any of your superiors, like a ‘moron’ should not even deserve a mention, this should be inbred.

If this line should ever be crossed, the offender could expect to gain an enormous amount of experience in the cleaning of bilge strum boxes, sewage plant strainers and scavenge spaces, all of which can only be performed during 0200 0600hrs daily for the remainder of their tour of duty.

On a more serious note, having scrutinised this missive carefully, on not one occasion is the word safety mentioned. Your personal safety in the machinery spaces and duties as an emergency response team member is paramount, both for yourself and your ship’s company.

You may enjoy the convenience of crossing a gangway to join your ship, but always be mindful that you may not enjoy that same luxury when you disembark.

You should be made aware of your team duties as a priority, familiarise yourself with your muster station and alternative routes to it, if it is locked, be aware of the location of the key.

If your superiors are aware of your interest and concern, you will always gain brownie points on your voyage reports.

Name and no withheld on request

If you can’t use a sextant, you’re not a navigator

Fund can help you to climb career ladder If you’re a Merchant Navy rating, electrotechnical officer or yacht crew member looking to move up the maritime career ladder, Nautilus may be able to help you…

months to find a job at sea and are all waiting at home, lost in shore-based jobs eager to get a trip in anywhere. The so-called high demand for British officers is actually a high demand for experienced officers. mem no 199675

Complete this form and send it to: Slater Fund, The Marine Society, 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW. I am over 20 years of age and normally resident in the UK. Please send me details of the John Slater Award.

Name: _________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

Email:

_________________________________________________________________________________

This form is also available online at: www.nautilusint.org or email your name, address and request for Slater Fund details to: slater@ms-sc.org

Seaways magazine, I’d say she was at least as good as the OOW on that ship.

We must be very careful before we discard old-fashioned seamanship practices in case our reliance on electronics goes too far. Maybe life was much simpler in my day; on my first trip to sea as third mate, on a voyage to India, the ship didn’t even have a gyro, let alone a radar set. Now there is so much to monitor one hardly has time to look out of the bridge windows.

TONY GATT mem no 312654

Corrections to Telegraph articles I refer to December’s Telegraph — in particular the item on page 9: ships detained in UK ports, and the vessel Harvest Sun ‘held in Tyneport’. The River Tees is Teesport, and the River Tyne is Port of Tyne.

Excellent factual publication.

P. SMITH Tyne & Wear On page 29 of the January 2015 Telegraph there is a photograph of the

Braemar research ship S A Agulhas, named after Cape Agulhas at the Southern extremity of South Africa and also the current which runs down the east and round the south coast of Africa — reputed to cause devastating rogue waves when up against the prevailing westerly winds. The caption under the photograph has it named as Argulhas in error.

RUSS GARBUTT mem no 71248

21/01/2015 14:41

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MARITIME SAFETY

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The man in the street may have forgotten how important sea transport is in servicing the world economy.

The maritime world has not.

In the fiercely competitive world of shipping, many are committed to providing wellrun ships and competent crews to carry goods and people from one port to another as cheaply, safely and efficiently as possible.

The work goes on largely unnoticed and ignored by a world used to instant communications, air travel, the ready availability of fuel and power, and supermarkets laden with the paraphernalia and food we claim to be essential to satisfy our everyday needs.

Every so often, however, something goes wrong to remind us that there are ships out there and manned by people trying to do a good job in difficult circumstances. In recent weeks we have seen an Italian-registered ro-pax ferry catch fire in the Adriatic, a small cement carrier capsize and sink in the approaches to the Pentland Firth, and a large car carrier being deliberately beached with a very heavy list, on a sandbank in the approaches to the Port of Southampton.

Tragically, the first two events were accompanied by loss of life.

They all attracted media headlines. Seafarers and others the world over will now want to know what went wrong so that remedial actions can be put in place to prevent the same things happening again. Most will also hope that the investigations will focus on finding the real causes rather than the convenient ones.

These and other accidents will also prompt some seafarers to reflect on how they might cope should they ever have the misfortune to be involved in a serious marine casualty — the more so if the vessel involved happens to be carrying numerous passengers.

Few, thank heavens, will ever experience such a situation — but memories of past casualties linger. Many of us will recall ships such as the Titanic, Princess Victoria, Andrea Doria, Doña Paz, Herald of Free Enterprise, Estonia, Scandinavian Star, Princess of the Stars, Sea Diamond, Costa Concordia, Sewol and now, Norman Atlantic. Each one serves to remind us that passengercarrying ships are not exempt from disaster.

Any master in command of such a ship, be it a ferry or a cruise ship, that becomes involved in an accident will fervently hope that both he, or she, and the crew will rise to the challenge and cope with what is likely to be a very challenging experience.

When it happens, the master will discover that they are the loneliest person on earth and having to face events well outside any previous experience. It is highly probable that whatever happened will have occurred with little or no warning. From the outset, the master will have to act with a clear head and take some crucially important decisions. He or she will be reliant on the competence and training of those around them to do the right thing, hoping also that the equipment, communications and power will function as designed and the passengers entrusted to their care will be able to meet the demands likely to emerge.

The first unexpected challenge is the possibility of posttraumatic stress. Too often, it is either completely ignored or totally dismissed as a factor in post-accident behaviour. Every-

19_lang_SR%20edit.indd 19

Passengers and crew awaiting rescue from the stricken ferry Norman Atlantic as fire swept through the vessel Picture: Italian Navy

Three incidents, many questions The new year has begun with a series of shipping accidents, some fatal.

Nautilus International trustee director JOHN LANG, former head of the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch, wonders whether we can finally start to learn something from disasters like these… one is expected to conduct themselves as if nothing un-toward has happened, and any action that falls below the high standards expected is castigated publicly.

Close analysis of human conduct in the wake of major passengership accidents reveals that well-trained, competent, conscientious and very experienced members of a crew, including the master, do not perform as well as expected. Despite the rigorous efforts of a number of organisation trying to do something about this, the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder among seafarers in the aftermath of an accident in the commercial sector are still not understood.

Traumatic stress or not, the master remains ultimately responsible for the safety of his ship and all onboard, and has to direct whatever action is necessary based on the information available to him. Unlike those who will pronounce on his performance from the comfort of a desk or studio ashore, he does not have the benefit of hindsight as the situation unfolds. He will be

heavily dependent on the right people passing timely and accurate information to him to enable him to take the right decisions.

Past experience, from a range of incidents at sea, suggests that incoming information is often incomplete, usually conflicting, probably fragmented and very likely to overwhelm those entrusted with gathering it.

Training exercises are one thing, reality is usually something entirely different.

U

The master will also have to inform the authorities ashore, who will immediately demand to know more.

Search and rescue organisations have an insatiable thirst for information, as will the Designated Person Ashore. Deciding on the best way of keeping those ashore informed is an additional pressure on ship’s staff and monumentally distracting at a very difficult time. The situation is likely to be aggravated if there is any suggestion of pollution.

In the aftermath of any major accident or incident, the master’s

most pressing priority is the wellbeing and safety of his passengers and crew. He will be well aware that they will all be worried and, probably, very frightened. From the moment they become aware that something is wrong they will seek three things: accurate and timely information, reassurance, and clear instructions about what to do next. Passengers will rely on both easily understood information being broadcast at regular intervals, and the competence of the crew to whom they will turn.

The crew’s ability to work closely as a team may be aggravated by not having a common first language and not having accurate information or clear instructions about what to do in a confusing scenario. The failure, or inability, to keep people informed and pass clear instructions is the most frequently criticised feature of any shipboard emergency. But as those who have found themselves in such situations know to their cost, it isn’t always that easy. The links and methods used do not always work, and analyses of accident

It is sobering to reflect on how much we still don’t know about how people react in a crisis at sea

“

”

John Lang

after accident indicate that good communications and timely information are the least wellhandled aspects of any accident.

One of the most challenging features of any accident is handling the passengers. There isn’t a shipmaster afloat who doesn’t worry about how the elderly, the disabled, the less fit, the sick and those who have over-imbibed will cope. Not everyone will do as they are told, and there will be some who have paid no intelligent attention to mandatory lifeboat or emergency drills. Families might be separated. Movement around the ship might be difficult. Smoke may be present and normal access routes denied.

Language difficulties will emerge.

Lifts will no longer be available.

The noise levels will rise and panic can be infectious. Some will be filming and recording everything, while others will be using their smart phones to contact the media and friends ashore long before those on the bridge have a clear idea of the full extent of any damage and the implications. Passengers will invariably look to the nearest member of the crew for the right answers to their questions and will be fiercely critical of perceived shortcomings.

Probably the most difficult condition of all, applicable to both crew and passengers, is a steadily increasing list. Very, very few people have any concept of how difficult it is to think straight and perform normally, let alone stand up or move about, in such circumstances. Even the most experienced mariner will be fazed by the disorientating effect

it creates. That said, no allowance, tolerance or latitude, is ever given to those who have to take charge in this most difficult of situations.

If everything goes well and the lifesaving apparatus works no matter what the sea conditions and wind strength happen to be, and the search and rescue organisations have been able to function as they would wish, the hope is that everyone onboard will survive.

It is then that the next ordeal begins. The authorities will start an investigation. Ideally this will be conducted by a flag state that is committed to a no-blame culture and a commitment to finding what went wrong and why.

Their investigators understand how accidents are caused, have no preconceived ideas about the outcome, follow the evidence alone and are not influenced by either hindsight or vested interests. They will have no hesitation in identifying shortcomings in management, failings in internationally agreed rules and regulations, and any human factor fallibilities such as fatigue, stress or an over-reliance on technology.

A well conducted marine accident investigation is the ultimate audit on accepted safe practice at sea and will achieve results by publishing a comprehensive report as quickly as possible with sensible recommendations to prevent the same thing happening again.

Sadly, and all too often, the investigating authority has other ideas. With increasing frequency the trend nowadays is to launch criminal proceedings against the crew of any ship where there is loss of life or damage to the environment. This worrying development thrives despite the lack of any convincing evidence to suggest it improves safety at sea apart from the rather dubious claim that it is ‘pour encourager les autres’.

F

The question nowadays is all too often: ‘Who is responsible and how can that person be held accountable?’

Few will argue that there are circumstances when wrongdoing or gross negligence is a factor, but it is rare. Unless there is overwhelming evidence to indicate wrongdoing at the outset, determining culpability should never be given priority over the overwhelming need to identify all the underlying reasons for something going seriously wrong.

Correcting underlying causes is, as the aviation sector has so convincingly discovered over many years, by far the most effective way of improving safety.

As 2015 gets underway with a string of misfortunes, it is sobering to reflect on how much we still don’t know about how people react in a crisis at sea or, indeed, the measures needed to help them. As the difficulties increase, how, for instance, do we relieve the pressure on a shipmaster in a post-accident situation? Do ships need to be manned differently or the training changed? How do you prepare people for the possibility of the trauma in the aftermath of some entirely unforeseen event? And do we have the right survival regimes and equipment to maximise the saving of life in bad weather?

And perhaps most pertinent of all, how can we persuade flag states to stop resorting to a criminal investigation when an indepth, no-blame, investigation really does improve the safety of ships and all who sail in them?

21/01/2015 18:01

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

MARITIME TECHNOLOGY

The bridge with a brain ‘Intelligent’ ship systems are fast becoming a reality, and Rolls-Royce has revealed its vision for the future – claiming that clever computers will help to improve seafarers’ working conditions and cut human error…

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‘Smart’ workstations that recognise you and adjust to your own preferences. Augmented reality bridge window displays of key information and hazards that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye. And systems that monitor your performance to flag up fatigue risks and training needs. Welcome to the future shipboard workplace.

And the future is closer than you might think.

Rolls-Royce has unveiled its first Unified Bridge onboard a new platform supply vessel and predicts that ‘Ship Intelligence’ will be the next major transition for the industry.

Three years in development, the Unified Bridge is described by Rolls-Royce as the culmination of a long development of integrated ship systems by the company. Installed onboard the 4,829gt Norwegianflagged PSV Stril Luna, it seeks to provide watchkeepers with ‘a functional and easily used human/ machine interface’ with ergonomically placed control levers and touchscreens to control systems and display their status in a logical format.

‘Our key aims in designing the Unified Bridge have been to offer the operator performance, simplicity and safety with proximity, with an improved view of the aft deck,’ said Rolls-Royce technical manager Ludvig Kåre Øyen.

‘We have not only focused on providing a variable working position but a clear and simplified graphical user interface, where only the data needed by the operator for the task in-hand is displayed, using a philosophy of “what you see is what you need”,’ he added.

‘Data not required for the decisions being made is not on screen, reducing the potential for errors.’

Stril Luna’s master Captain Lars Aure said the Unified Bridge improves the working environment and should improve safety once ‘fine-tuning’ of elements

The Norwegian-flagged platform supply vessel Stril Luna has been fitted with the first ergonomic Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge

such as screen heights for best sightlines has been completed. ‘Controls are easy and logical to handle, and information presented on the screens is clear,’ he added.

The Unified Bridge layout involves two operator chairs on slides, one each side of a centre console.

Outside each chair is an outer console, with joysticks and control handles positioned so that the operator can work comfortably from a standing or sitting position.

Essential data such as the radar picture and electronic charts are displayed on 26in touchscreens, while other systems are monitored and controlled from a series of smaller touchscreens located in the consoles.

The set-up is flexible, so that different screens can be used for different systems and functions as the operators prefer. Because most functions are accessed via touchscreens, the number of buttons on the consoles is greatly reduced. Those that remain are typically those where push buttons and indicator

lights are either mandatory or desirable — fire alarms, for example.

The Unified Bridge — which is also being fitted to a sistership, due for delivery in January 2016 — gives a taste of further developments being planned by Rolls-Royce, which has worked with the VTT Technical Research Centre and Aalto University of Finland to set out a vision for a future ‘intelligent bridge’ concept which, they claim, could become reality by 2025.

Its Future Operator Experience Concept — ‘oX’ — not only offers the crew smart workstations, but also augmented reality bridge window displays of the vessel’s surroundings, including visualisation of potential hazards that would otherwise be invisible to the human eye. The system can, for example, pinpoint sea ice or tugs and other craft that may not be visible to the crew, especially on large containerships.

Oskar Levander, Rolls-Royce VP for innovation, engineering and technology, said the system is a practical response to the increasingly complex equipment now being fitted to ships. Crew levels are being cut and automation levels are increasing, he pointed out, and there is a growing requirement for smarter interfaces to help them.

‘There is a real need for intelligent systems that can run themselves, with the crew becoming supervisors, concentrating on managing the exceptions when they arise and reviewing decisions with human experience machines just don’t have,’ he added. ‘The technologies that enable experts on land to be placed in the centre of problems onboard are already with us, and developing technologies like augmented reality are also likely to play a bigger role.’

Intelligent ship systems will help to make sense of the bombardment of information from multiple sources and will be capable of differentiating between important data that will require some action, and routine data that is just building the operational picture.

The IBM supercomputer Watson has already demonstrated how vast amounts of data can be used to make informed predictions better than humans in certain medical fields, Mr Levander pointed out.

‘Ship intelligence will be the enabler for machines to do some of the jobs done by humans today, and it may well do them better and safer,’ he added.

With ‘human error’ blamed for 75% of shipping accidents and seafarer fatigue being a major risk factor, systems that monitor crew activities may well become more commonplace, he suggested. ‘Data will then be available for analysis and comparison, and can be utilised with discretion to improve crew effectiveness and identify training needs.’

Mr Levander acknowledged that some see these developments as a threat. But, he argued: ‘As with any introduction it will be gradual, so the need for smaller crews will be slow. Many captains now at sea would welcome the chance of going ashore if they could continue to operate vessels, so it may well aid retention.

‘The vessels delivered today with 25 to 40 year lives will be the training ground, with shore command a logical and attractive career progression for officers,’ he stressed. ‘The new intake will come from generations that have grown up with advanced simulations and video games. Machine/control interfaces we see as acceptable today, will not be good enough for tomorrow’s generation.’

Vision of the future: the ‘oX’ bridge concept features augmented reality window displays of the ship’s status and potential hazards ahead

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21/01/2015 17:28

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

MEMBERS AT WORK

It’s a life of two halves Scoring the winning goal in an FA Cup match or working onboard a cruiseship? For Nautilus member Stephen Turnbull, they’re both a dream come true.

DEBBIE CAVALDORO reports…

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There can’t be many Nautilus members who have played in a FA Cup football match. But engineer cadet Stephen Turnbull is not only a member of non-league side Blyth Spartans but also scored for his team as it defeated Hartlepool United — a team 65 places above them — 2-1 in the second round.

His team, from the northern premier league premier division, is comprised of players who have regular full-time jobs away from football — and Stephen’s job not only means that he can’t train during the day, but that he can’t train properly for six months of the year, as he is away with P&O Cruises.

Stephen joined Carnival in September 2013, having been accepted on an engineering cadetship serving onboard Princess Cruises ships and studying at South Shields Marine School (South Tyneside College).

‘Going to sea was something I have always been interested in,’ Stephen says. ‘It’s a great career and lots of my friends already do it. My brother Jonathan is a chief engineer at Trinity House and that’s what I’m now working towards.

‘However, when I was 16 I got offered the chance to play football for a living and I couldn’t really turn it down.’

Stephen signed for Hartlepool

United as a trainee and spent four years there before spells at Rochdale and Gateshead.

‘At Gateshead a new manager came in and he didn’t rate me, so I got released at the end of my contract,’ he explains. ‘I had a few offers for trials at other clubs but at the time my twin brother Phil, who also plays professionally, had an injury which made me reevaluate my career options.

‘He had dislocated his shoulder several times and was travelling up and down the country trying to get it sorted and not playing any football. My Dad sat me down and we talked about how well Jonathan was doing as an engineer, so I decided to try something else.’

Stephen didn’t go straight into a career at sea, but went back to college to study sports science in the hope of retaining an involvement in sport. He thought about becoming a PE teacher, but after a few practice lessons decided that wasn’t for him.

‘Engineering had always been in the back of my mind, so I applied to Carnival Cruises, went through the interviews and got accepted for a cadetship,’ he says.

‘I had spoken to a friend who worked for P&O Cruises and they were always my favourite option, but I would have joined any company to get a chance to start out in an engineering career.’

Even though he is now fully

committed to an engineering career, Stephen wanted to keep playing football when he was on leave or at college. When he returned from his first sea phase, the Blyth Spartans manager Tom Wade offered him the chance to play part-time.

‘It’s a non-league part-time team, so when I am home I can fit it in after college,’ Stephen explains. ‘We train twice a week and play Saturday and sometimes on Tuesday. I spoke to the manager and explained that going away to sea is my career now, but he is very understanding and said to let him know every time I am home and available to play.

‘Three months ago when I was sweating my nuts off in the engineroom I never imaged I’d be on TV scoring a goal in the cup!’

Luckily, Stephen’s current college period coincided with Blyth Spartans’ fantastic cup run — allowing him to play, and score, in the second round. Sadly for him and the team, though, they went out of the cup in the third round losing 3-2 to Championship side Birmingham City, but Stephen remained one of their star players.

He and twin brother Phil, whose Gateshead team went out to Premiership opposition in the same round, were featured in a number of newspaper articles and pre-match coverage on the BBC — although Stephen admits that

Above and right: Stephen Turnbull’s life off the pitch ‒ in the engineroom onboard a P&O cruiseship

21_football_SR edit.indd 21

Stephen Turnbull celebrates his goal for Blyth Spartans during the FA Cup game with Hartlepool United Picture: Simon Moore/Focus Images Ltd

this wasn’t the first time he had attracted media attention.

‘I was on TV once before when I got my team kicked out of the FA Cup! I was signed to Hartlepool, but I was out on loan to Bury,’ he explains. ‘I played for Bury in the second round and we beat Chester City 2-1; however, the club secretaries had not agreed that I was allowed to play in cup games.

‘I was staying in a hotel and one of my friends, who was actually working away on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic, called me and told me to turn on the TV as I was on the news. When I turned it on, my face was on the screen — I thought I was dreaming!

‘My manager then called me and confirmed that we were out because I was ineligible to play.

Although it wasn’t actually anything to do with me I got a bit of stick from the fans as if I had deliberately played just to get the team kicked out. It didn’t help that I moved almost immediately afterwards to play for Rochdale, who are Bury’s local rivals.’

Stephen is now back at college and focused on passing his next round of exams. He has made himself a little more popular with classmates as some of them placed bets on Blyth to beat Hartlepool at very favourable odds. ‘As they knew me, there was a novelty factor and many of them put bets on me scoring as well as Blyth winning,’ he says. ‘So I got a lot of texts that night from happy cadets who had won some money.

‘They were all delighted for me and I can’t thank South Shields enough for the support they have given me. I wanted to go down to Hull for the draw and I spoke to the college and my company and both said that as long as I was up to date with my work I could take the afternoon off for it.’

Stephen says he is extremely grateful for the ongoing support he has received from the footballers’ union, the PFA, and that this encouraged him to join Nautilus as soon as he started his engineering course.

‘I can’t thank the PFA enough for the help they have given me,’ he adds. ‘They gave me a grant when I started my course to help me buy a laptop and every school year they send me a cheque to help with my living expenses.

That’s on top of my Carnival sponsorship, so I’m really lucky.

Three months ago I never imagined I’d be scoring a goal in the cup

“

‘I can also call them at any time if I’m getting tight for money and they help me out. As I am older than most other cadets I have a house that I have to keep up the repayments on, so it really makes a difference to have somewhere to turn to for help.’

Stephen adds that although football and engineering are completely different careers, he has seen some similarities. ‘You have to be disciplined and prepared to give things up in order to be successful,’ he explains. ‘Going away to sea meant leaving football and friends behind while I was away for four months. In football you can’t go out partying with your friends at the weekend or drink alcohol.

‘I am completely dedicated to marine engineering now, and I would have taken passing my next exams over beating Birmingham any day of the week,’ he adds. ‘Everyone at college thinks I’m a bit of a worrier as I am always stressing about passing exams, and I stay after classes to study if I think I’m getting behind as I hate to fail at things. I have to make sure I pass every exam as marine

”

engineering is my 100% focus.

I hope to go on to become a chief engineer like my older brother, and I’ll give it all I’ve got to achieve that aim.’

Stephen admits that his first trip away to sea was an eyeopener, but probably for different reason than other cadets might state.

‘It was amazing,’ he says; ‘you could eat what you wanted and drink beers after work! Totally different to the regimented lifestyle I was used to. After the first few weeks I realised how much weight I had put on and changed to eating properly and going to the gym whenever I can.

‘I always hoped that I would be able to play football in some form when I was home from sea, so I had to get back in shape,’ he says. ‘Luckily the gyms onboard cruiseships are also better than most gyms at home, so I went there with one of the electricians onboard and we did the insanity programme every night to keep in shape.

‘I’ve now got a routine going for my next trip and I can’t wait to move forwards with my career.’

21/01/2015 16:42

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

www.nautilusint.org

Union spins a new website Nautilus has recently re-launched its website, with a stronger focus on people, more information about the Union’s work and better support for members at sea and ashore. Debbie Cavaldoro takes you on a tour around the site to see what’s new…

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If you have logged on to www.nautilusint.org in the last two months you will have noticed a big change. Gone are the big blocks of text, gone are the weirdly long and thin pictures and gone is the confusing layout which made information hard

to find.

In December, Nautilus launched a brand new website in the three languages of the Union, complete with a modern fresh design and built entirely with members in mind.

One of the major changes that visitors to the site probably won’t actually notice is that the site is ‘responsive’ in design. This means that when you enter the site it will detect what technology you are using and therefore how big the site needs to appear. This is especially important for those accessing the site from mobile phones or on computers with low bandwidth. On mobile phones the site will appear in a narrow format without many of the pictures, and the tabs along the top run downwards so that users don’t miss any. The low bandwidth option does a similar thing so that visitors are not kept waiting for images or videos to load. This should allow those on ship with limited access to the internet to get hold of Union information in the shortest amount of time and without having to pay extra to download a large amount of data. The website should be able to detect automatically what device is being used, but buttons along the top allow users to select the low bandwidth option if the site is running slow. Mobile users who prefer to access the full site can also do so from a button at the bottom of the site.

The home page of the site sets the tone of the entire website and of the Union’s work in general — it’s all about people. Members may have heard the expression ‘you are the Union’ and we hope the home page reflects this.

The most eye-catching item on the home page is the new ‘slider’ which runs through three different screens highlighting the work that our members do and the work the Union does, and will also be used to draw attention to new information on the site.

At the top of the screen there is an option for members to log in to the members’ only area — more on that later — and flags indicating the languages the site is available in.

There is an option to ‘select a language’ but this simply translates the English version of the site into the selected language using Google Translate. Members who wish to read the site in the main languages of the Union (English, Dutch or German for Swiss members) should click the relevant country flag as these pages are originated in those languages and are therefore more accurate.

News from the Union, electronic versions of the Telegraph and online joining remain key functions of the website and feature prominently on the home page.

22-23_spread_SR edit.indd 22

However, members will see that a large box has been added on the front page which is dedicated to getting help or support from the Union, as quickly as possible. The ‘Need Help?’ box opens a page with numerous links to allow members to immediately find union contacts for a specific problem. Telephone numbers for Nautilus 24/7 — the Union’s freephone helpline — can be found on this page, allowing members to get specialist support from almost anywhere in the world for free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This page also contains all the main contacts for the Union, including who to contact in the event of a maritime accident, if members are having problems with their employer, or following an injury at work. Whatever problem members need support with, how to access that support can be found here — remember ‘wherever you are, so are we’.

From the homepage, visitors can also find links to the Nautilus Jobs site, access special deals and discounts from Nautilus Plus and take part in opinion polls on critical industry issues (the results of which are shown in the Telegraph each month on the letters pages and the Dutch pages).

The inner pages of the site are more intuitive than the old site. We tell visitors plainly ‘who we are’, ‘what we do’, ‘what we say’ and ‘where we work’.

Who we are In this section we run through what Nautilus International is all about. The history pages make their way from the first glimmers of the organisation in the shape of the Mercantile Marine Service Association (MMSA) formed in 1857; through the forming of the Bond van Nederlandsche Stuurlieden ter Koopvaardij for Dutch seafarers in 1901 and the HTV (Commercial and Transport Workers’ Association) in Basel in 1907. The timeline covers every merger, name change and transfer of members that has helped to make up the membership of Nautilus International today.

Visitors can find out how Nautilus is run in the Governance pages. These cover the make-up of the Council and other Union committees and forums, and you can even find out what many of our Council members look like. In Participation, you can learn how members are elected to Council, how to attend a Branch or General Meeting, how to become a Union representative — supporting members in your workplace — and other ways of getting involved in Union activity. There is information on who handles specific Union work internally, information on Union policy, and information on organisations the Union works with to support the wider global maritime industry.

What we do Once you’ve learnt what Nautilus is about and w talks about the many and varied strands of work both a trade union and professional organisatio personal development as well as providing emp Did you know that as well as representing m conducting pay and conditions negotiations, N many standard-setting global bodies, helps mem influences how maritime training is carried out tab and find out more... This section is full of lin find out exactly how the work that the Union un member.

What we say With a full-sized newspaper being produced eac

21/01/2015 17:28

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Charting a course for e-communications towards Nautilus becoming a more K digital Union. Plans are already underway

The website re-launch is the first step

to use secure electronic voting in Union consultations so members away at sea can have their say using the internet instead of emailing or posting voting forms in. We will also continue to support the UK Trades Union Congress (TUC) campaign for the UK government to allow electronic voting for all trade union elections, a campaign that was initiated by a Nautilus motion to the TUC conference in 2013.

We are hoping that the General Meeting in October this year will be the Union’s first ‘paperless conference’, with delegates accessing all the conference materials online and reading them on their laptops or tablets.

This will then feed through to having a paperless Council and other committees. We are also exploring the possibility of streaming the General Meeting on the internet so that members who are not able to attend in person can listen to the debates and even use social media to send questions or opinions to the conference.

The Telegraph is already available as an app and online version, and this will be developed further in the future. For example, where the paper copy might carry one photograph from an event, the online version

and where we come from, the next section f work that the Union undertakes today. As isation, we support members’ careers and g employment representation. ng members in their workplaces and ns, Nautilus also trains members, has a role on s members plan for their retirement and d out? If you didn’t, click on the ‘What we do’ of links and further information so you can on undertakes directly benefits you as a

ed each month, you might be well aware that

Nautilus often has a lot to say. But you may not be aware of the many different ways that the Union speaks out, or how members can influence what we say about the issues that affect them.

This section of the new site is where you will find listings for upcoming events organised by Nautilus or its partners so you can go along to meetings and share your views in person. Or you can complete one of the surveys that the Union uses to ensure we represent members’ views. Go to the Surveys page for a list of current surveys that the Union is running or supporting. For example, have you completed the latest membership survey? You can access this from the Surveys page, but remember to have your membership number to hand as the survey is only for members (that’s why it’s called the membership survey!).

You’ll also find all the Union’s publications in one place on the site, ready to download — why not download some application forms to hand out to non-members or pin on noticeboards?

As well as commenting on maritime issues as they happen, the Union also runs a number of campaigns to raise awareness of specific issues with governments, the public and the wider maritime industry.

In the Campaigns section you’ll see that Nautilus is currently running 11 union-wide campaigns, along with a number of branch-specific campaigns. These range from campaigning about the dangers of fatigue, calling for a Fair Transport Mark to recognise decent working conditions across the supply chain, and highlighting the risks of modern-day piracy. Many of the campaign pages include information about how members can get involved. In the future we will also be looking at launching a new strategic campaign across the Union which makes better use of social media and has a defined set of goals.

The Telegraph also sits in the What we say section, although it is linked to the front page; you can download the Telegraph app from here so that the digital version can be downloaded directly to your tablet every month.

All the Union’s news can be found in this section, but unlike the Telegraph, which carries more varied industry news, the website focuses on issues which the Union has made a comment on or is actively involved in. We will also continue to use social media to promote these stories, and we hope to get more involved and use more multimedia in future.

will have a gallery of pictures or even a video to watch. We will continue to develop the Union’s social media presence, extending more into online videos, picture libraries and ways for members to engage in debates on current issues.

In the future, as members themselves become more able to access the internet at sea, the website will become the main vehicle for news about the Union and the industry.

This is intended to reflect the fact that news is much more instantaneous these days, and therefore there is a demand for news which is delivered more frequently than monthly. This will mean that the Telegraph also changes to contain only snippets of recent news, giving more space to features and comment, including more space for members to contribute.

However, none of these changes will be happening overnight. We are aware that some members still don’t have good access to free, fast unlimited broadband internet onboard — something that we will continue to campaign for.

But change is coming, and we are aware that technology is developing at an extraordinary rate. Therefore, we are planning now so that we can be ready to take full advantage of the digital opportunities of the future.

Members area Before we get bombarded with letters pointing out the missing apostrophe, we should explain that, unfortunately, website design doesn’t obey the same grammar and punctuation standards as the Telegraph so we have had to leave it out...

If you can dodge the punctuation police, in this section you will find a lot of information just for members. You can amend or update your membership details — essential to ensure you are sent all the correct company consultation bulletins and pay offer information; you can check how you pay your subscriptions and make payments — you wouldn’t want to miss an edition of the Telegraph through lapsed membership — and you can access member-only benefits.

You’ll also find further information about the legal services members and their families are entitled to. And this is the place you’ll find member-only links to other benefits such as Nautilus Plus, financial advice and insurance.

Those experiencing problems at work can download the AA form, which is required by the Union to represent members with employment concerns, and also details of which industrial organiser is responsible for your company. We ultimately hope to be able to link the companies under ‘Where we work’ to their specific information in the Members area.

Other Union information specific to members, including documentation for any Union elections taking place and minutes from the Young Maritime Professionals or Women’s Forums, can also be found here.

P

That concludes our whirlwind tour of the new site, and hopefully you have been inspired enough to get online and check it out for yourself. If you would like to take a more structured tour around the site then there is a survey set up which will guide you around the various tabs through a series of questions. Can you guess which section of the site you’ll find the survey in? That’s right: in the What we say section on a page called Surveys! If you complete this online tour of the site you’ll be rewarded with a limited edition Nautilus thermal mug.

So get along to www.nautilusint.org and have a look around. Feedback from members and non-members alike is always welcome at webmaster@nautilusint.org.

Where we work Another section which might surprise some readers is ‘Where we work’, which focuses on the many different sectors our members work in. Superyachts and offshore have dedicated pages in the Telegraph so will be more familiar, but we have many members who work ashore, for example, and members who work in dredging or on inland waterways.

Each sector has a dedicated page and members are encouraged to ‘adopt’ their sector and submit information or updates for it.

How about writing your own ‘day in the life’ or an article on a new ship that has been specially designed for your sector? As well as being featured in the Telegraph, your article can have a permanent home on the website representing ‘where you work’.

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21/01/2015 17:57

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

MARITIME SAFETY

Check, share, stay alive Nautilus has welcomed the development of new risk management software which seeks to reduce the number of seafarers who lose their lives in enclosed spaces. MIKE GERBER reports on the launch…

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Proportionately more seafarers die in enclosed space incidents onboard their ships than from any other type of accident

at sea.

In May last year, for instance, three crew on a general cargoship were asphyxiated after entering the hold. The TT Club reported that the vessel was carrying a seemingly harmless cargo of sawn timber — but during the passage the oxygen in the hold became significantly depleted.

So an enclosed space that is safe at one stage during a voyage may not be safe at another.

In safety terminology, an enclosed space is defined as one where there is a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances or danger-

ous conditions such as lack of oxygen, or from unventilated or poorly ventilated rooms.

And as the Standard Club has warned, the hazards are compounded by the fact that more than half those who die in enclosed spaces do so while attempting to rescue stricken colleagues.

Nautilus has campaigned long and hard to highlight the risks and to secure safety improvements, and with the new year comes a welcome new development — the launch last month, in London, of Videotel’s innovative Enclosed Space Management System (ESM) software. This offers the industry the means — if widely adopted — to dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, the risks of entering enclosed spaces.

Danger zone: enclosed space accidents are one of the biggest causes of shipboard deaths

Videotel developed the system in conjunction with Mines Rescue Marine (MRM) — a company which developed from Mines Rescue Service Ltd, which had provided specialist emergency support to the mining industry for more than a century.

The ESM system facilitates assessment, auditing and management of the safety of enclosed spaces on ships — information that can be transmitted via the internet or email to the operating office ashore, and also to any shore-side ship visitors who may be at risk, such as contractors and surveyors.

It complements Videotel’s e-learning course Virtual Training for Enclosed Spaces, which deploys computer gaming technology to alert seafarers about the dangers of enclosed spaces, and how to safeguard themselves.

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Nautilus Council member Captain Michael Lloyd is MRM’s marine adviser. He has argued that the enclosed space issue can be most effectively tackled through more rigorous regulation governing training, equipment and rescue arrangements.

In response to the concerns, the International Maritime Organisation has issued revised recommendations for entering enclosed spaces, with new SOLAS Convention recommendations stating that owners should carry out a risk assessment to identify all enclosed spaces onboard the ship, with assessment repeated periodically to ensure it remains valid.

Videotel’s new system promises to be perhaps the most powerful tool yet for compliance with that recommendation.

Capt Lloyd said the ESM package was the result of two years’ development work, and that it aimed to address a widespread lack of knowledge. ‘On every ship we went on, not one could identify the enclosed spaces they had,’ he added. ‘No ship could tell us about those enclosed spaces — and that includes the oil and gas industry and their platforms in the North Sea. Nobody knew anything about them.’

The ESM system provides an auditing process for the assessment of internal spaces, entry points and rescue requirements — so safety-critical data can be inputted on, for example: the size of manholes; the difficulty of entry; the ability to rig a riding winch for rescue purposes; the availability and effectiveness of communications; the dimensions and internal design of each space; and the ability to operate in the space while wearing breathing apparatus. Ship designers have much to answer for, contends Capt Lloyd, as the spaces in question are so constricted.

The Videotel system also prompts users to record the crewing and equipment requirements for both entry into, and potential rescue from, a space. On completion of the audit, a simple colourcoded traffic light type warning system is provided, based on the degree of difficulty to get into, operate inside and rescue from each space.

The system allows safety risks to be identified and solutions to be put in place. The printing of reports on each enclosed space can be sent to third parties and contractors ahead of planned visits.

‘When you look at people dying,’ Capt Lloyd pointed out, ‘it wasn’t just the crew, it was the visitors to the ship — contractors and surveyors from the classification societies were going down and dying. They are in danger because they are so reliant on the crew having done everything right and the space being safe, and they’re having to take the word of the ship that all this has been done. ‘ Many ships miss out the safety-critical work documentation, he suggested. ‘They don’t check the risk assessment, they don’t do a work permit properly — and all those procedures are there to assist, and stop the deaths. Under this system, you can’t miss it out because we’re forcing them to do everything — a very simple system that everybody can follow.’

MRM general manager Adam Allan displayed a sample of the questions that come up on the computer screen relating to any particular enclosed space on the ship on the ESM system internal audit.

‘The most critical part of this is the comments column; the more information that people can put there in answer to the questions, the better, because you’re describing what the potential problems might be,’ he explained. ‘These are the critical questions that will give you the red, amber or green designations for the space.’

All crew members can contribute by adding comments, photographs and experiential data on the ship’s enclosed spaces. This ‘living system’ ensures that knowledge is retained and the risk of safety being compromised by crew changes is lowered.

‘The information stays on the ship, so that when the next officer goes up and accesses the information, they know as much about the space as the guy that just left,’ said Mr Allan.

O

All critical information entered on the ESM system can be viewed ashore as well as onboard, and a report can be sent in PDF format directly to any third party by email. The system can be updated regularly to reflect changes in laws and regulations.

By sharing data and pooling information, Mr Allan said the ESM system will result in significant safety improvements. Raal Harris, director of e-learning and digital media at Videotel, said shipping companies who adopt the ESM system can create as many online users as they want.

‘It really is about knowledge building and participation,’ he stressed. ‘So it’s very important that that person in the office is not just seeing what the master has decided to put in his report, but also where individual seafarers have participated in it, their experiential data. It’s not just picking up safety things, it’s also picking up operation difficulties that are causing people problems — blockages to them doing good work.’

The launch of the system, Mr Harris suggested, is just a starting point. ‘The way this has been developed, it’s a very agile piece of software. We don’t see this as being something that is really finished, it’s something that will always be evolving. That’s why commercially it’s being sold as a service rather than as a stand-alone program.’

21/01/2015 18:03

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

MARITIME CAREERS

A breath of fresh sea air Former deck officer Fena Boyle is now spearheading UK shipping’s efforts to ensure it secures the talented young people it needs for the future. She tells Andrew Linington about her plans to revitalise the campaign programmes, and how Telegraph readers can help…

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Do you like being a seafarer? Are you keen to see a new generation following in your footsteps? You need to speak to Fena Boyle…

As training and careers coordinator with the Merchant Navy Training Board, it’s Fena’s job to help attract the future British seafarers into the shipping industry.

Since starting in October, she has drawn up an ambitious programme to promote maritime careers in a better way and to spread the message that the sector offers high-class training that can lead to well paid jobs at sea and ashore.

‘When I was at sea, I always used to tell my cadets that I would work for the Merchant Navy Training Board one day — and here I am,’ Fena reflects. ‘It’s everything that I love — working with cadets and seeing people progress through their career.’

Fena followed family footsteps to begin her seafaring career. ‘My brother was working for the RFA and he told me it would be a good idea. I thought so too, as he was six years ahead of me and had plenty of time to think about it.’

She applied to the RFA at the age of 15 but became a Trinity House cadet, as the cadetship offered her a wide range of fascinating seatime.

‘I served on seven ships as a cadet and my first one was a general cargoship, which I joined in France, sailed through the Panama Canal, into the Pacific, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Singapore for a month in dry dock. For a 16-year-old, that was one hell of an experience!’

Fena also served on two ro-ros, a cruiseship and three lighthouse authority vessels during her cadetship, but after gaining her OOW certificate she struggled to find her first job as an officer.

‘I spent three months trying to find a job, but it was the classic case of no one offering a position on the basis of not having the experience,’ she recalls. ‘I had actually started working in a call centre and had been there for four days when I got a call to say there was a job on a tanker, starting on the following Wednesday. Did I want it?’

That was her last day at the call centre and she remains grateful to the tanker operators. ‘They took a real punt on me. I had no tanker experience and I owe them a lot for giving me a chance.’

“

The MNTB role is great because I have been there and I can give advice that I would have liked to have had early in my career

”

That job came to an end when the company decided to scrap the ship, but — armed with her experience — Fena went on to secure a job with Condor Ferries, working onboard the 11,166gt freight ferry Commodore Goodwill, running between Portsmouth and the Channel Islands, with a weekend call to France.

‘It was hard work, with three ports — sometimes four — in a day, but really enjoyable,’ she says. ‘There was a great bunch of officers and crew and I made some really good friends there.’

Fena then went back to college to study for her mate’s certificate. ‘It was a good learning experience, as many of my classmates were much older and I

25_mntb_SR edit.indd 25

decided I was rushing it and needed more experience in my role. It was a lesson well learned.’

She went back to sea, serving on the P&O ferry Pride of Hull on the route between the UK and the Netherlands, before taking up a shore-based post working for a maritime security provider.

Fena’s partner had spotted the advertisement for the MNTB job. ‘He passed it to me and said I ought to go for it. I said I would apply, but I never thought I would get it…’

The role involves all aspects of raising awareness of MN careers and coordinating the work to promote seafaring, and she has big plans for developing this further. The Careers at Sea website is set to be relaunched later this year as part of a major rebranding of the programme. The Careers at Sea and Beyond website which aims to help with important transitions from training to work, from rating to officer, and from the sea to the shore will also be developed over the coming year.

‘We want to make it easier for people to understand the routes into seafaring and to improve our social media so people can contact us more easily for information about careers at sea,’ Fena explains. ‘There are good jobs out there, and it offers travel, learning for free, and great qualifications. If you are willing to put a lot into it, you will get a lot out of it and you don’t realise when you are at sea just how transferable your qualifications are ashore.’

Fena Boyle at her new workplace

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The MNTB is also keen to develop the Nautilus-backed Careers at Sea Ambassadors scheme further. There are presently some 200 volunteers in the programme, which brings serving seafarers and other shipping industry personnel into schools and youth groups to talk about the opportunities in the sector.

‘Even now, it’s amazing and quite frustrating to see how little some people know about shipping and how everything gets to the shops,’ Fena points out. ‘However, there is no shortage of interest and we have no shortage of requests for Ambassadors to come to give presentations.’

There is something of a shortage of Ambassadors, though, and notably in the English midlands, the southwest and Wales. So, the MNTB is seeking more volunteers to take part in the scheme — ideally by making two or three presentations each year, and building links with local schools and youth organisations.

Training and presentation resources are provided, and Fena is working on a new range of promotional materials and encouraging existing Ambassadors to support this with personal accounts and photographs of their experiences at sea.

She believes the interest in the Ambassadors scheme reflects a wider and growing interest in maritime careers. ‘We’ve had more than 200 enquiries since I started and there were seven or eight careers events in January alone.’

Some of the most common enquiries are about the qualifications that training will lead to, the way in which sponsorship works and whether there are any age restrictions. ‘We have had a lot more mature students coming forward and we also get a lot of people asking about ratings training,’ Fena adds.

‘It’s great for me, because I have been there and I can give advice that I would have liked to have had early in my career,’ she says. ‘It’s really good to see the enthusiasm out there and it’s nice when you hear that people you have helped have been successful. If I can help to make things a reality for them, I am definitely up for the job.’

g For more information about the Careers at Sea Ambassadors programme, visit www.mntb.org.uk or email enquiry@careersatsea.org

21/01/2015 14:45

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

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February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS

Free trade, or a free-for-all?

A new trade agreement between the United States and Europe is currently under negotiation — and alarm bells are sounding for workers. One campaign group is warning that the deal could be particularly detrimental to seafarers…

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The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a free trade and investment treaty currently being negotiated between the European Union and the United States.

It is being negotiated just as a parallel deal between Canada and the EU (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA) is being prepared for ratification.

John Hilary, executive director of the charity War on Want, believes that both agreements will prove to be incredibly damaging for workers, and that seafarers in particular need to be aware of the changes to working practices that the agreements could bring.

‘This agreement is a charter of rights for big business,’ he explains. ‘There is absolutely nothing in it that supports workers. These agreements are explicitly in favour of corporations and unless you believe that the interests of workers are the same as the interests of business, then they must be opposed.’

Mr Hilary says that, in contrast to previous agreements, the primary aim of TTIP is not to stimulate trade through removing tariffs between the EU and US, as these are already at minimal levels. The main goal of TTIP is to remove regulatory ‘barriers’ which restrict the potential profits to be made by transnational corporations on both sides of the Atlantic.

The main barriers that big business cites as being restrictive to profitability include labour rights and environmental legislation — and Mr Hilary says this should immediately set alarm bells ringing.

‘TTIP sets the basic principle of free trade as being that there can be no terms or conditions attached to the way in which business operates in a global economy,’ he points out. ‘This means that safeguards to protect workers’ rights will be further eroded. These safeguards include health and safety, collective bargaining and pay.’

Mr Hilary says that the implications for European seafarers should not be underestimated. The principle of ‘free’ trade is that even internationally-agreed standards of employment could be undermined if they are determined to be ‘barriers’ to the maximisation of profits.

That could eventually include the Maritime Labour Convention, the International Bargaining Forum and even global safety legislation such as

John Hilary of War on Want is urging Nautilus members to join the campaign to halt TTIP

SOLAS, as they have cost implications for businesses when complying with them.

‘The principles of TTIP are in direct conflict with the principles of global minimum standards and workers’ rights,’ Mr Hilary stresses. ‘Anything which is considered, by global corporations, to be a regulatory barrier to businesses being able to maximise profit, is being targeted by TTIP for removal. And the real worry is that TTIP is being set up as the gold standard for all future deals to emulate.

‘Even workers such as seafarers, who already operate in a globalised industry, could face upheaval if this agreement goes ahead,’ he adds. ‘All terms under which industry operates are up for grabs. This agreement allows business a completely free hand to operate without having to take into account the social or environmental standards which surround their operations.

‘In fact, you could say that seafarers have more to lose if TTIP goes ahead than workers in other sectors like the public sector,’ he warns. ‘There are far more global standards and agreements recognising the rights and basic conditions for seafarers than there are in, for example, the health service, which is just managed by UK law. This means that there is far more for free trade negotiations to target for removal. They could ultimately affect so much of the work that has taken place over the last 20 years to try and bring about a level playing field in the global maritime sector.’

In September last year, the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) opposed the proposed trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, stating that it would ‘seriously limit national governments’ sovereignty and capacity to decide on their national development strategies and policies’.

War on Want is calling on trade unions to come out equally as strongly against TTIP and learn lessons from the CETA agreement, which Mr Hilary believes was opposed too late to have a real impact.

Many waited for the details of the CETA agreement to be published before strongly opposing it — but once the details had been published it was then too late to try and amend them, he says.

‘Much of the problem with all these agreements is that they are negotiated behind closed doors and only published once agreed. We need to fight against TTIP while those negotiations are ongoing, to ensure they never reach the agreement stage.’

K

In opposing CETA and TTIP, Nautilus, the ETF and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) have called on the EU to introduce legislation similar to the US Jones Act in Europe, to protect European seafarers working on intra-European routes.

Mr Hilary says it is vital for European seafarers to make their voices heard on this issue in particular, as the Jones Act has already been targeted in the TTIP negotiations, with the EU calling on the US to scrap its legislation.

In statement to the European Parliament in December, the EU said that it saw ‘no reason’ why maritime services should be excluded under the provisions of TTIP. ‘In order to reduce the significant unbalance between EU and US/Canada operators, the Commission supports the opening up of [cabotage] activities in North America,’ said the EU’s new trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmström.

The Jones Act has been targeted by the EU before, under reviews by the World Trade Organisation, Mr

Hilary adds. What saved the Jones Act on that occasion was the strength of support that it has in the US. This strength of support is being voiced once more in the US and must be echoed in the EU if it is to have any chance of replication for European seafarers.

Mr Hilary also warns that there are other multinational agreements in the pipeline alongside TTIP and CETA. ‘As well as this agreement with the EU, the US is also working on a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) involving 12 countries throughout the AsiaPacific region. Although not yet a member, the Philippines has requested to join the agreement, and this could have a massive effect on seafarers if they use lower-paid labour supply countries as a benchmark for seafarers’ terms and conditions.’

As well as CETA, TTIP and TPP, there is also the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) which includes 50 countries (taking all EU states separately).

‘The idea is to construct enough agreements with ‘friendly’ countries so that you lock down the global market,’ Mr Hilary explains. ‘That way, if any other countries want to compete they have to join those existing agreements.

‘It’s interesting to note that none of the agreements include any of the BRICS countries. These are the five major emerging national economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It is a very deliberate attempt to exclude them and halt their progress.

‘The share of global trade that the US and Europe have is shrinking, and these trade deals, especially TTIP, are a deliberate attempt to retain control. They even call TTIP the economic NATO, to demonstrate how powerful they intend it to be.’

War on Want has been campaigning for a number of years to inform the public that these private negotiations are taking place, and to galvanise workers to oppose them.

‘One of the problems with free trade agreements is that they can often set unions against each other,’ Mr Hilary notes. ‘Some unions or members may believe that these agreements will bring new jobs and opportunities for members, and that it is better to work with companies and governments to find the best form of the agreement rather than oppose them in their entirety.

‘However, we must all realise that there is no best possible TTIP for workers. It’s like trying to secure the best possible type of landmines for children.’

Mr Hilary concludes by adding that European governments are not opposing TTIP, as too many believe that the only solution for a strong economy is to give large corporations free rein. It is therefore down to workers, unions and other third sector organisations to stand up and voice their opposition before it is too late. g War on Want is part of a group of European organisations campaigning to force the European Commission to halt negotiations on TTIP. They have already gained more than one million petition signatures on a self-organised European Citizens’ Initiative to stop TTIP and CETA, and are set to intensify the campaign in the year ahead. To add your name to the petition, visit www.waronwant.org/eci

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21/01/2015 18:01

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

MN VETERANS

Russians rise to the occasion w

Ceremonies have been held to present British veterans of the Arctic Convoys with the Ushakov medal — a mark of thanks from the Russian people to the seafarers who delivered supplies to them in the Second World War. Like its British equivalent, the Arctic Star, the Ushakov medal has been a long time coming.

Decades of poor east-west relations led many to forget (or deliberately ignore) the fact that the UK and Russia had once been allies, and British veterans had to campaign hard for recognition of their service.

Since the end of the Cold War, there has been a greater willing-

After seven long decades, the wait for recognition is finally over for UK seafarers who took part in the Arctic Convoys... ness to acknowledge and honour those who battled through icy seas to reach Russian ports such as Murmansk and Archangel. But

it took until 2013 for most of the veterans to receive their Arctic Star medals, and the awarding of the Ushakov medal was further delayed by a UK government rule which did not allow British servicemen to receive a foreign medal if the act happened more than five years previously.

Happily, this rule was recently relaxed for the veterans of the Arctic Convoys, and in November and December 2014 the Russian Embassy organised a number of presentation ceremonies around the UK.

w

Receiving his Ushakov medal at the Exeter ceremony was Merchant

Are you serving or retired

MERCHANT NAVY FISHING FLEET ROYAL NAVY ROYAL MARINE or a dependant

Filmed by a local TV crew, Russian diplomat Sergey Nalobin presents MN veteran Len Fergus with his Ushakov medal at the Exeter ceremony Photo: Devon News Centre

Navy veteran Len Fergus, who went to sea as a deck boy during the Second World War and served in the Arctic Convoys aged just 16.

In the August 2013 Telegraph, he recalled how he was assigned in 1941 to the Botaven, a supply ship heading to Murmansk with a cargo of tanks for the Russian allies.

It turned out that no military escort was available for the outward voyage, so the Botaven had to take its chances with the enemy U-boats — and of course the weather conditions were atrocious. ‘All we did all day was chip ice,’ said Len. ‘As the spray blew over, it froze. And when people were on lookout on the open monkey island, they’d come in like zombies, with icicles on their balaclavas.’

Len stayed in the Merchant Navy after the war and rose to the rank of bosun. He was involved in two more conflicts as a merchant seafarer, and is thought to be the only person to have been awarded campaign medals from both the Arctic Convoys and the Falklands conflict.

w

The Ushakov medal was also awarded to Orston Bulman, father of Nautilus member Phil Bulman. Sadly Orston passed away recently, but Phil attended a London presentation ceremony on his father’s behalf. He said: ‘I would like to thank, through the pages of the

The Ushakov medal awarded to Orston Bulman Photo: Kris Bulman

Telegraph, the Russian ambassador and all the staff at the embassy in London for the wonderful day they provided for the veterans of the Russian convoys and their families.’

He added that the care taken by the Russians over their Ushakov medal ceremonies had contrasted sharply with the UK government’s distribution of its own Arctic Star. As Len Fergus had also discovered, many veterans simply received their Arctic Stars in the post, and Phil felt this had ‘showed no gratitude to those brave men who took the journey to Hell and back’.

However, at the Russian

embassy, the ambassador personally presented the Ushakov medal to each veteran or relative.

‘I was so proud to receive this on my father’s behalf,’ said Phil.

‘He had told me of the horrors of being torpedoed in the Arctic Circle on PQ16 and it took him 60 years to be able to recount this.

‘The staff treated us like royalty, and following the presentation provided refreshments and a speciality Russian cake; a tot of the best vodka I have ever tasted was also on offer. Thank you Mr Alexander Kramarenko [minister counsellor at the Russian embassy] for making the few remaining veterans happy men.’

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

28_medals_SR edit.indd Sec2:28

Phil Bulman (right) at the Russian embassy in London with the Russian admiral who helped the ambassador present his father’s medal Photo: Kris Bulman

21/01/2015 16:18

February 2014 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

MARITIME HISTORY

Pioneer, war hero, one of us

Russian women seafarers visiting the UK nautical college at Warsash in the 1960s

Captain Anna Shchetinina during her seagoing days Picture: RIA Novosti

It’s now 80 years since Russian merchant seafarer Anna Shchetinina became the world’s first female ocean-going shipmaster. JO STANLEY tells her remarkable story‌

K

In the summer of 1924, Anna Shchetinina travelled on a ship along the Amur Estuary in eastern Russia and became fascinated by the (men-only) vessel and its voyage.

Was there any such thing as a female seafarer, she wondered?

So, she did what any would-be navigating ofďŹ cer did at the time: she applied to a nautical college.

In her case it was the prestigious nearby Vladivostok Marine School, which might be seen as Soviet version of Warsash. ‘You can’t be serious’, the college principal barked at the 5ft 3in 16-year-old, after she was invited in for an interview. She recalled: ‘He looked at me and said, “Listen, why don’t you just run along home and bake some pies. Who ever heard of a thing like this‌ has it ever happened before? Never — for as long as people have been at sea. Cook never heard of it, and neither did Magellanâ€?.’ ‘All kinds of things have never happened before,’ Anna replied, after checking the college had no formal restriction on the gender of students. ‘And if there was no such rule, I wasn’t going to be intimidated by Magellan or anybody else!’ Just like any principal in Britain in the early 1970s, he warned her: ‘If a male student makes a mistake, it will simply be seen as a mistake. But, in your case, they will say, well, what did you expect from a woman? And your suc-

29 RH_SR edit.indd 29

cesses won’t be recognised as highly.’ Ten years later, in 1935, Captain Shchetinina got command of her ďŹ rst vessel, the general cargoship Chavycha. The 27-year-old was internationally acclaimed as the world’s ďŹ rst woman ocean-going shipmaster.

Her success was less about what the Soviet revolution enabled and more about determined women moving forward in a new period in world history. Anna looked set to become the ďŹ rst of many Soviet women captains.

Who was this woman? Her lively 1968 memoir At Sea and Beyond the Seas, which unfortunately is not yet available in English, records her career, as does a translated 1937 interview. ‘Why did I become a sailor?’ she says. ‘It is very simple: I love the sea‌ [not] because of sentimentalism, romanticism or exaltation‌ I am a practical person with a mathematical mind.’ At college, she was very determined to be seen as equal. She never refused work, because if you do so even once, she thought, you’ll never be accepted as an equal: ‘You’ll always remain a passenger.’ During her training, Anna initially served as an Ordinary Seaman in a shipping company in the Kamchatka Peninsula. She faced surprisingly good responses from men — particularly a ‘rough old’ bosun, Matchenko, who men-

tored her on her ďŹ rst training voyage.

When he once found her helplessly weeping in frustration at some knot work, Matchenko told her that men also cried — but they just acted cool in public. ‘You’ll manage,’ he added. ‘We’ll help you — we’re all Soviet people after all.’ Ratings and petty ofďŹ cers sometimes showed a little hostility, but not ofďŹ cers. Anna lived in non-segregated crew quarters along with 10 men, and was mainly treated with respect, she says. Initially some shipmates courted her and she had to refuse gifts of owers because the ensuing gossip would have compromised her.

Slowly the sexist gallantry was replaced by far more useful comradeship. ‘That’s the most important thing — to make them forget that you are a woman; to make them accept you as a buddy, as one of them,’ she said.

When, as third mate, she went to Hamburg in 1931 to inspect a trawler’s navigational equipment, shipyard workers whispered that she must be just doing the job for a poster and they told her captain: ‘Don’t bring this Mädchen with you again.’ But, four years later, she did return, as captain, to take delivery of her ďŹ rst ship, the Chavycha.

Women on the bridge were unusual, Anna acknowledged. But ‘as soon as a seaman realises that he is not dealing with a helpless female but with a determined, self-assured person who knows her job and has a loud voice, his respect and obedience will be guaranteed.’ From 1939 to May 1941 she was studying at the Leningrad Institute for Marine Transport Engineers. In August 1941 she contributed to the war effort by evacuating people from Nazioccupied Tallinn under bombardment. The down-played bloody affair is seen by some as the worst naval disaster since the 1571 Battle of Lepanto. At least 12,400 are thought to have died.

Anna’s war work was particularly acclaimed. Under the LendLease agreement with the US she brought back cargo from San Francisco. The Luftwaffe attacked and hit the bridge of her ship: ‘Steam was rising from the damaged funnels, water‌ forming puddles in the grooves of the deck,’ she recalled. ‘The water was

pink. Why pink? Blood. Two died, two more were injured.’ Of course she was in danger and learned to respect the ocean. ‘The sea doesn’t like to fool around. Danger awaits you at every turn. But‌ [a]fter a while you stop seeing anything unusual in this.’ By contrast, the Soviet Navy had the same trouble as most defensive navies in letting women sail in this all-male organisation.

In WW2 some rose as high as captains sailing on the relatively safe

Amur and Sungari rivers.

After the war Anna was acclaimed as a Hero of Socialist Labour (one of the two highest awards of the USSR) and a Distinguished Worker of the Merchant Marine. Soviet authorities named streets and buildings after her.

In 1949, when Anna was 41, she swallowed the anchor and began teaching navigation at the Leningrad Marine Engineering College.

She was also involved in the Soviet Women’s Committee from 1944 where she met another major pio-

neer — the cosmonaut and engineer Valentina Tereshkova.

Evidence about all Anna’s sisters in the Soviet merchant marine is now hard to ďŹ nd, even for Russia. It’s rather peculiar that the progressive trend of women doing ‘men’s work’ at sea didn’t continue in the USSR. The 1960s photo on this page of 16 Soviet women seafarers visiting Warsash College (now Maritime Academy) in the UK indicates that they not only existed but travelled. But by the late 1970s their progress was forgotten.

Today, women are ofďŹ cers on merchant and naval vessels of former USSR countries. A British cadet told the online OfďŹ cer Cadet forum in 2014 about the time she was on a ferry with Russian and Ukrainian crew and Polish ofďŹ cers: ‘Don’t get me wrong. The Russian crew didn’t take so well to having women onboard... Comments were constantly made by the crew and ofďŹ cers about how I shouldn’t be doing certain jobs and should be doing others.’ But Captain Anna herself is commemorated on websites, with statues and by Cape Shchetinina, on the Sea of Japan, named in her honour. Vladivostok lists her as one of its celebrities, along with ďŹ lm star Yul Brynner.

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21/01/2015 17:29

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

MARITIME STYLE

The journey of a woolly hat It’s an icon of merchant seafaring, and a link between sea and shore. SARAH ROBINSON finds out where your favourite headwear comes from and how it reaches you…

The knitter

M

‘When you love knitting, you find after a while that your family have all the hats and jumpers they can wear — or want to wear! It’s great to have a reason to make something that will be used and appreciated.’ And that’s why Jane Dadswell knits woolly hats for seafarers. Jane lives in north London and had never previously had any particular connection with the sea, but she spotted an ad for the Sailors’ Society in a knitting magazine about five years ago and was intrigued. ‘The advert explained what the hats were for, and included a pattern,’ she recalls.

‘It seemed like a good way of using up odds and ends of wool, and of finding a new purpose for something I would have been doing anyway.’

Even so, it took a couple more reminders for her to really get going on her hats. Another leaflet found its way into her shopping bag when she was buying wool from a knitting shop, and then she noticed the Sailors’ Society stand on a visit to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, an exhibition centre near her

home. She resolved to send off a hat or two to the charity, and was pleased with the response: ‘They sent back more patterns, and I discovered they were after knitted gloves too.’

Now she makes hats several times a year, often getting her needles out because her memory has been jogged by a letter or email from the Sailors’ Society. ‘The little Christmas pack they sent out this year was an inspired piece of marketing,’ she smiles. ‘I was pleased with the Christmas card thanking me for my contribution, and they also sent interesting new patterns and some labels to sew into the hats to tell people they’re hand-knitted.’

Jane likes the fact that she can put her own stamp on the way the hats and gloves are made.

Working as a design technology teacher at a secondary school, she instils the values of creativity and good craftsmanship into her pupils, and she also carries these principles into her own handicrafts.

The patterns supplied by the charity are there as a guide to the size and shape of the hats, she explains, but as an experienced knitter

and designer, she can put in stripes and other patterns. ‘The one thing we do have to avoid is bobbles on the tops of the hats,’ she notes. ‘Apparently they might get caught on something when people are working on a ship.’

When she finishes a hat or pair of gloves, she sends them to the Sailors’ Society head office in Southampton. It’s up to the individual knitters to pay for the postage and packaging, as well as giving their time of course; this is both a piece of voluntary work and a donation to charity.

And Jane is happy with that. She likes to do her bit, and learning about conditions in parts of the shipping industry has been quite an eye opener. ‘It’s hard to believe that crews can be sent to cold places without enough warm clothes,’ she says. ‘It’s something people don’t tend to know much about and it’s good to know you’re making a real difference. I mean, it’s lovely to knit for babies in children’s hospitals, but they’ve probably got more bootees than they can ever use, whereas there’s a constant, genuine demand for these woolly hats.’

Knitting volunteer Jane Dadswell demonstrates how to knit a woolly hat ‘in the round’

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

30-31_hats_SR edit.indd 30

The maritime welfare charity

M

When Jane Dadswell sends her woolly hats to the Sailors’ Society in Southampton, the package is likely to be opened by Hannah Willard or her colleague Steph Bramhall. Their job is to check the hats for quality and suitability and distribute them to the ports where they are needed.

Most of the knitted items sent in are made according to the approved patterns, and a bit of variation by skilled knitters is welcome, but it’s true that bobble hats are out. ‘It’s not just because the bobbles can get caught on doors and machinery,’ notes Hannah. ‘Flattop hats are also better because the seafarers can wear them under their safety helmets.’

To transport the hats to the seafarers’ centres around the UK, the Sailors’ Society staff usually box them up and send them by post or courier, but if anyone from head office happens to be heading off to a port, they are likely to find themselves with a package to hand over to the local port chaplain.

Getting the right number of hats to the right places can be

Hannah Willard of the Sailors’ Society opens up parcels of handmade hats

quite a tricky process, points out Hannah. ‘The aim is to achieve a steady flow to match demand,’ she explains, ‘rather than having to store lots of hats at some times and finding ourselves without enough at other times. We get a general feel for how many hats are usually needed, and we also respond to requests from our chaplains.’

When the woolly hats reach the ports, they are offered to

21/01/2015 14:46

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

MARITIME STYLE

The ports and seafarers

M

As well as a warm welcome, seafarer centres in UK ports offer free warm clothes to visiting crews, and this is where the woolly hats finally meet their new owners — either in the centre itself or during a ship visit.

The centres tend to be run

by Christian maritime welfare charities, so it is likely to be a port chaplain who greets seafarers and directs them to facilities such as phones and computers they can use to contact their families. Seafarers of all faiths

and none are encouraged to use the centres, and the chaplains are happy to direct the visitors to other nearby places of worship such as mosques.

In the past, many ports had more than one seafarer centre, each run by a different Christian denomination, but in recent years there has been a move for the faith groups to team up and establish modern ecumenical centres together. The centre in the port of Southampton is a good example of this: it is run by the organisation Centres for Seafarers, which

is a collaboration between the Apostleship of the Sea (Catholic), the Mission to Seafarers (Church of England), the Sailors’ Society (free church) and the Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest (Methodist). Centres for Seafarers also provides facilities at three other ports in southern England: Fawley, Tilbury and London Gateway.

Last month, Southampton centre manager Steven Hulbert and his staff took some pictures for the Telegraph of seafarers who came to the centre in search of woolly hats and a spot

of rest and relaxation while their vessels were in port. Some of these hats would have come via the Sailors’ Society — and maybe even from Jane Dadswell — but others would have been contributed by volunteers knitting for the AoS, MtoS and QVSR. While taking the photos, Steven and his colleagues had a chat with the visitors about their vessels and their voyages.

They chose not to give their names, but they were keen to express how much they appreciated their hats.

Filipino K seafarers work These

on the car carrier Columbia Highway. After Southampton, the vessel was headed to Zeebrugge and then Bremerhaven, and the seafarers were expecting to need their hats when working on deck in those chilly regions.

Their message to the people who knitted their hats was: ‘please keep knitting, these hats make the cold weather better.’

works on the car carrier K Hoegh Detroit. When it docked This Filipino seafarer

in Southampton, it had just come from Le Havre in France, and was ultimately destined for Durban, South Africa. He said his next port of call was Zeebrugge, where it was always cold, and that he always gets hats whenever

he comes to Southampton. He planned to wear his hat whenever he’s on deck, or ashore when cold, and he had also taken a scarf, more as a fashion statement than as something to wear at work!

His message to the person who knitted his woollies was: ‘a big thank you — these hats, scarves and gloves make a big difference.’

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Propelling world trade 7-11 SEPTEMBER 2015

LONDON INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING WEEK

Hannah drops some hats collected by the Sailors’ Society into the Southampton Seafarers Centre and helps to stock their shelves

crews in two main ways: either when seafarers come into a port welfare centre or when a chaplain visits a ship. Not surprisingly, the colder parts of the UK tend to experience the strongest take-up. ‘Our chaplain Drew Anderson needs loads of them up at Invergordon in northern Scotland,’ says Hannah. ‘He must hold the record for the largest number of hats distributed — one time it was 600 in one day!’

The hats are also an important feature of the Sailors’ Society’s Christmas boxes — gifts for seafarers spending the festive season away from home — so quite a few have to be set aside for this purpose in November and December.

Another part of Hannah’s job is to manage the supply side, maintaining a good relationship with knitters like Jane and encouraging them to send in hats regularly. Over the last year,

30-31_hats_SR edit.indd 31

the Sailors’ Society received hats from 114 named knitters, but the actual number of contributors is likely to be higher than this, as sometimes packages come in from anonymous donors or a group of friends who aren’t all named. To make things as easy as possible for the volunteer knitters, the Society’s knitting patterns are widely distributed and can be downloaded from the charity’s website. And as well as the classic hats, there are patterns for balaclavas, fingerless mittens and neck warmers (a kind of scarf that doesn’t get caught in things).

New contributors are sometimes recruited via large hobby exhibitions at Alexandra Palace or Harrogate, but Hannah and her colleagues have also had success in finding volunteers by giving talks to church groups and reaching out to experienced knitters

via the Women’s Institute and specialist magazines. The biggest publicity push each year is centred on Woolly Hat Week, an annual event organised by the Sailors’ Society that is now in its 10th year. Woolly Hat Week 2015 will take place from 8 to 14 February and includes various fundraising activities: z woolly hat walks — sponsored walks wearing hats z ‘knit and natter’ events z wearing woollies for the day and donating to the Sailors’ Society z taking part in the Nautical Knit competition, where entrants design and knit a maritime-themed hat and can win a year’s subscription to a knitting magazine

Leaders from every sector of the global shipping industry will descend on London in September 2015 to celebrate the second London International Shipping Week (LISW).

LISW will be packed with over 100 individual events and top rank meetings, culminating in a highly focused industry and Government shipping conference and spectacular Gala Dinner.

For more details visit www.londoninternationalshippingweek.com Organised by

SHIPPING INNOVATION

GLOBAL SHIPPING EVENTS

in association with

OUR SPONSORS PLATINUM

DIAMOND

VENUE HOSTS

GOLF DAY

GOLD

EVENT APP & SILVER

GALA CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION

BRONZE

SILVER

ASSOCIATE SPONSOR

f There’s more about Woolly

Hat Week 2015 on the Sailors’ Society website: www.sailorssociety.org.

Media Partners

21/01/2015 14:46

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

OFFWATCH ships of the past

by Trevor Boult

50 YEARS AGO

be sunk by an enemy torpedo in the First F World War, with great loss of life.

The MNAOA is concerned about the number of British ships manned by foreign officers and crews who do not comply with the general standards observed in ships normally trading from the UK. There is particular concern about ships which seem to switch from register to register, thus avoiding the normal national and international obligations observed by our own shipowners. British Consuls may provide a provisional certificate of British registry, which is valid for six months or until such time as the ship reaches a UK port. This certificate, however, confers no dispensation with regard to manning and the Association intends to do all that it can to ensure that the statutory provisions are observed to limit the extent to which our flag is abused as a result of the flexibility of the requirements MN Journal, February 1965

Royal Edward was the first troopship to

The ship, which had been built on the Clyde in 1907, was originally named RMS Cairo. Together with her sister, Heliopolis, she entered service for the Egyptian Mail Steamship Company, a British-owned firm that provided a fast mail service between Marseilles and Alexandria in Egypt. The service proved unsuccessful and ceased after one year.

In 1910 both ships were bought by the newly-established Canadian Northern Steamship Company, a subsidiary of the Canadian Northern Railway, and were refitted for operating in the North Atlantic. Cairo was renamed Royal Edward; Heliopolis became Royal George. The Toronto-based company operated the ships under its Royal Line brand.

Royal Edward was employed on the Avonmouth-Quebec-Montreal route in the summer and Halifax in the winter. On 8 April 1912 she encountered and reported an ice-field in the vicinity of the area in which Titanic sank four days later.

In Britain, the first state control of merchant ships following the declaration of war began with transports carrying the Expeditionary Force to France. Vessels of all sizes and classes were commandeered. The short distance across the Channel and need for haste negated elaborate preparation or refitting.

While the transport of troops in the Channel was never seriously interfered with by enemy action, the movements of larger wide-ranging ocean transports were subjected to losses. The effectiveness of the ever-improving submarine had been underestimated by the authorities.

At the start of the war Royal Edward and her sister were pressed into service as Troop Transports. Initially Royal Edward brought Canadian troops to Britain, after which she was anchored in Southend and used for some months to hold enemy personnel.

In July 1915 some 1,370 officers and men were embarked at Avonmouth. The majority were reinforcements for the British 29th Infantry Division. There were also members of the Royal Army Medical Corps. The ship sailed for Gallipoli at the end of the month.

Royal Edward reached Alexandria before

25 YEARS AGO

Titanic contemporary was first torpedo loss then sailing for Moudros on the island of Lemnos, a Greek island in the north Aegean which was a staging point for the ships in the Dardanelles. The German submarine UB-14 was on patrol off the island of Kandeloussa, in the shipping route known to be used by troopships. The submarine’s first sighting was the properly marked hospital ship Soudan, which was left unmolested. When Royal Edward appeared, some six miles from Kandeloussa, the submarine closed to within a mile and loosed a single torpedo which struck the troopship in the stern. It took less than six minutes for Royal Edward to sink.

An SOS was successfully transmitted. The Soudan subsequently rescued some 440 survivors; two French destroyers and some trawlers rescued more than 200. Losses in the order of 1.000 have been cited. UB-14 did not stay to harass the rescue effort but returned to base at Bodrun with technical difficulties.

Just prior to the attack a lifeboat drill had been carried out on Royal Edward and it was whilst the men were below decks re-stowing

their kit that the attack was made. It has been surmised that this fact probably contributed to the extent of the fatalities. Soudan landed the survivors at Alexandria. From there, the medics were sent to Port Said, where they were assigned to work in a convalescent hospital.

The Helles Memorial in Turkey is a 30m high obelisk which stands at the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula and can be seen by ships transiting the Dardanelles. It serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign, and a place of commemoration. The memorial bears more than 21,000 names, and there are panels for those who died or were buried at sea in Gallipoli waters, including those of Royal Edward.

The sinking of Royal Edward highlighted the fact that troopships and merchantmen were operating unprotected and therefore vulnerable to attack. Measures were soon taken to afford more protection to the mercantile fleet.

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book Light Through A Lens by Neil Jones & Paul Ridgway (reviewed on the facing page).

To enter, simply complete the form right and send it, along with your completed crossword, to: Nautilus International, Telegraph Crossword Competition, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane,

South Woodford, London E18 1BD, or fax +44 (0)20 8530 1015.

You can also enter by email, by sending your list of answers and your contact details to: telegraph@nautilusint.org.

10 YEARS AGO NUMAST has warned that International Maritime Organisation talks on passengership safety are being ‘filibustered’ by vested interests. In response to growing concerns over the safety issues posed by the increase in cruiseship size, the IMO’s maritime safety committee has agreed a revised work plan to address issues such as damage survivability, fire protection and life-saving arrangements. However, NUMAST has expressed alarm that the committee’s work has been ‘bogged down’ by a debate over the definition of ‘large’ passengerships. The Union says this is a ‘stalling exercise’ that has eaten up valuable time for reviewing many regulations that were drawn up at a time when the largest ships in service were around 80,000gt The Telegraph, February 2005

THEQUIZ 1

Shanghai was the world’s busiest container port in 2014.

Roughly how many TEUs did it handle during the year?

2

True or false? — China is the world’s second largest shipowning nation

3

Approximately how many ultra-large containerships

(10,000TEU-plus) are presently in service around the world?

4

What is the total TEU capacity of the global containership fleet now in service?

5

Roughly how many new merchant ships were delivered last year?

6

How many 200,000 cu m plus LNG carriers are currently in service around the world?

J Quiz answers are on page 46.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

Membership No.:

Closing date is Friday 13 February 2014.

QUICK CLUES

32_offwatch.indd 32

Very nearly half of all foreign flag ships inspected in British ports last year were found to have defects under international port state control requirements. Department for Transport surveyors inspected 1,830 vessels and found defects on 900 of them. NUMAST has expressed concern at the figures and has written to the shipping minister after the report revealed that the UK has now fallen below its target of inspecting 30% of all foreign ships visiting the country’s ports each year. The Union notes that the DfT report admits that the reduction in the inspection figures ‘reflects the continuing reduction’ in manpower in the Surveyor General’s Organisation and warns that there is a need to increase the inspection effort in response to the growing number of FoC ships in UK waters The Telegraph, February 1990

1.

4.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

18.

20.

23.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

Across Fight (6) Branch (8) Electron tube (9) Confess (5) Dilapidated (7) Poet (7) Arise (5) Condition (8) The entire way (5,3) Selective eater (5) Seafarer (7) X-rated (7) Although (5) Embodied (9) Equestrian event (8) Optimistic (6)

1.

2.

3.

5.

6.

7.

Down Squeeze (8) Primary colour (7) Nasal (9) Last alteration (9,5) Roofing tile (5) Plant process (7)

8.

9.

16.

17.

19.

21.

22.

24.

University staff (6) Attractive royal (6,8) Listen in (9) Capital gain (8) Erratic (7) Mills bomb (7) Said to be (6) Estimate (5)

CRYPTIC CLUES 1.

4.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Across Born a Pratt, Quentin became one of them (6) Poet after strike-breaker as somewhere to plant blade (8) Hot drink available in bars (9) Left after primates returned to get part of flower (5) Neptune’s proof of who he is seen in Midlands flower (7) Stool is in place for lone performer (7) Fashionable group put together as part of bigger picture (5)

15. Current level at resort ain’t deep (4,4) 18. ‘He sits --- of sight/ And lamentably wrapt in twofold night’ (Wordsworth, November 1813) (8) 20. Stocking US state with half UK capital (5) 23. Bad break and prognosis for part of anatomy (7) 25. Not, we hear, only part of smart attire (7) 26. Argentinian couple prone to upsets (5) 27. Random Google first for rock investigator (9) 28. Crooked livestock worker (8) 29. Go up to wild dances (6)

Down Bird with feathers, available in bars (8) 2. Tickled by 13 playing Chopin, for instance (7) 3. Regent, with a box at Lords (9) 5. 1. across available at bars (6,3,5) 1.

6. A herb mister Fawlty? (5) 7. Put in for job with a proxy signature then gave false information (7) 8. Become greater, as the Princess now deceased (6) 9. 1 across available at bars (4,3,7) 16. USA, once it is riled, can be quite resolute (9) 17. Concealed only by satin vest, Edwina took a risk (8) 19. Sanction finish with code, minus the opening two dashes (7) 21. An island race, and one encased in a type of curtain on certain windows (7) 22. Grounds for studying temporary accommodation with the others and me (6) 24. Break down 1. across, a large amount around the north (5)

J Crossword answers are on page 42.

21/01/2015 16:40

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

MARITIME BOOKS

Inspiring images tell Trinity House story Light Through A Lens

By Neil Jones & Paul Ridgway Adlard Coles, £20 ISBN: 978 14081 75958 used word quincentenary as Trinity House K marked the 500th anniversary of its incorporation Last year saw much mention of the rarely-

by Royal Charter. Richard Woodman’s excellent history Light Upon the Waters deservedly won a Maritime Foundation prize, but this book by two other Trinity House stalwarts should not be overlooked.

As custodians of the lighthouse authority’s archives, artefacts and publications, Neil Jones and Paul Ridgway have delved into the rich records to produce a picture-led celebration of the Trinity House history — using much material which has never been seen in public before.

They canter through the corporation’s history in

How to help our families when tragedy strikes at sea Collective conviction

By Anne Eyre and Pam Dix Liverpool University Press, £9.99 ISBN: 978 17813 81236 saw a spate of serious accidents K in the UK — including several The second half of the 1980s

involving shipping, such as the Herald of Free Enterprise and the Marchioness.

Disaster Action was created in 1991 as a consequence of the frequently appalling experiences of their survivors and bereaved families.

It grew out the Herald Families Association, whose founders saw many common themes running through the terrible tragedies of the time.

The charity was set up to campaign for improvements to health and safety culture and to support others affected by such events. This book tells its story and also offers advice to other people who might find themselves in the centre of tragic events in future.

Shipping accidents are a recurring thread across many of the chapters and besides the Herald and the Marchioness, the book also covers the work of the Derbyshire Family Association, the sinking of the educational cruiseship Jupiter in 1988, and Piper Alpha.

What comes across strongly is the need for those affected by such incidents to be treated much

33_books_SR edit.indd 33

less than a dozen pages of text, leaving the pictures to tell the story. The illustrations include stunning paintings, charts and diagrams (such as 18th and 19th century technical drawings of lighthouse sections), and some remarkable photography.

The imagery is linked with brief but informative text explaining different aspects of the work of Trinity House, including the development of the lightvessel fleet, the training of and licensing of pilots, and the system of buoyage.

A combination of first-hand accounts and informal shots of life on lightvessels and lighthouses gives a good insight into working lives that have either disappeared or have been radically changed. The authors also make effective use of pertinent quotes from the past to reinforce the constant principles that have guided the Corporation over half a millennium.

But the book is no mere wallow in nostalgia.

There are plenty of reminders about the

better — and not least through the provision of information in an honest, sensitive and transparent way.

Many of the families and survivors involved in Disaster Action give compelling accounts of the way in which the aftermath of these accidents — and especially the consequent legal battles to get to the truth of their causes — was almost as traumatic, and left a lot of people feeling doubly victimised.

Accountability is another strong theme, and the authors make clear their desire to see that lessons are not only learned, but also not forgotten as a result of short institutional memory spans.

‘A new generation needs to take on the mantle of ensuring that the rights and needs of those affected by disaster remain at the core of responding to and planning for emergencies,’ they conclude.

The book is packed with practical information for anyone affected by such accidents — ranging from dealing with the media, attending inquests and inquiries, and responding to the additional challenges of accidents overseas. These guidance notes offer a lasting legacy to keep the charity’s core aim of providing support to address the human aspects of disaster as critically important as it was at the outset.

Century-old rescue rightly remembered Into the Maelstrom — the Wreck of HMHS Rohilla

By Colin Brittain The History Press, £17.99 ISBN: 978 07524 97655 f www.thehistorypress.co.uk commemorating the centenary K of the First World War at the moment, There’s no shortage of books

importance of the service provided by Trinity House — extreme weather conditions, treacherous tides, shifting sands and shoals, and increasingly congested waters — and of the UK’s continued dependence on the sea.

While there is a focus on the recent embrace of new technologies such as AIS, GPS, ECDIS, and modern light sources, there are also clever juxtaposition of many ‘then and now’ images to demonstrate recurring themes in the core principles and objectives of the navigational aids service — perhaps most visible in the work of the current Trinity House fleet in ensuring the provision of buoys, surveying channels and

but this is an interesting take on the conflict — as seen through the eyes of lifeboatmen. The Rohilla disaster is still remembered as one of the worst ever tackled by RNLI volunteer rescuers, and Into the Maelstrom aims to bring the story to a wider audience.

As the book explains, the Rohilla was a British India liner fitted out as a hospital ship for the Great War. In the early hours of 30 October 1914, the vessel was on a passage from Queensferry in Scotland to Dunkirk in France to pick up wounded servicemen. 234 people were onboard — seafarers and hospital personnel — and weather conditions were very poor.

The Rohilla was approaching Whitby Rock, a known hazard off the east coast of England, when it was spotted through the gloom by a coastguard lookout. He realised that the vessel would not have had its usual warning of the reef system because the light on the reef’s marker buoy had been extinguished and its bell silenced due to the war.

The coastguard sounded his foghorn as a warning, but the ship did not hear or could not take action, and it grounded on the reef.

A desperate rescue effort ensued, with the vessel visible from shore but the lifeboatmen constantly hampered by the high seas, strong winds and dangerous rocks. Attempts were

Scottish ferry fans share pictures and enthusiasm West Highland Steamers By the West Highland Steamer Club Amberley, £14.99 ISBN: 978 14456 44172 f www.amberley-books.com along Scotland’s west coast are K so well loved that they have their own The lifeline ferries operating

fan club. Since 1967, members of the West Highland Steamer Club have been meeting regularly to share their enthusiasm for the MacBrayne company and its vessels.

Monthly seminars are held between October and April to learn about the history, operation and preservation of the members’ favourite steamers, and the club also has a proud tradition of highquality ship photography. It showcases the

best shots in its journal and on its website, and even produces an illustrated calendar each year (get your 2015 calendar at www.westhighlandsteamerclub.org).

Now there is also a book — West Highland Steamers — which focuses particularly on the photography of two stalwart club members: Jim Aikman Smith and Hamish Stewart. Mostly in colour, the pictures are presented two to a page with a short paragraph outlining the history of each vessel. Ships of the past are remembered, such as the Lochiel, which served Islay for over 30 years, and today’s trusty CalMac workhorses are also given their due. Look out for the Hebridean Isles, commanded by Nautilus Council member Captain Norman Martin, and the Hebridean Princess, known for being chartered by the British royal family.

marking wrecks.

A good picture, it’s said, is worth many words, and the imagery in this book leaves a powerful impression of tradition and evolution, demonstrating the unique and very special nature of this important institution.

made to reach the Rohilla by firing a rescue line from an onshore rocket, but these were unsuccessful, and the conditions also made it impossible to launch the Whitby No. 1 lifeboat.

Instead, the No. 2 lifeboat (operated by oarsmen) was lifted over the sea wall and hauled over rocks. Despite being holed, this small boat managed two trips to the vessel before breaking up. As the hours went by, the RNLI and members of the public continued the battle to help the stricken crew members, but despite so many rescuers risking their own lives to save them, 89 souls perished.

Into the Maelstrom vividly portrays these events and their aftermath, remembering the individuals involved through photographs and brief biographies, and noting the shocked public reaction to the disaster and the strong turnout at the funerals of the deceased. There were obviously repercussions for the war effort from losing a hospital ship, and lessons to be learned about lifesaving at sea — not least the need for the RNLI to move towards motorboats rather than continuing to use rowing boats.

But it is the courage of the rescuers which lives on in our collective memory, and for the 2014 centenary commemorations a permanent memorial was installed on Whitby’s West Pier.

Useful annual update to RN and RFA list British Warships & Auxiliaries

By Steve Bush Maritime Books, £8.99 ISBN: 978 19044 59613 yearly overview of the ships of K the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Steve Bush has updated his

and survey ships. The format remains the same, with the information on each vessel well displayed and interesting. They are listed by class, giving their vital statistics and notes on their use and significant events, all with accompanying pictures.

These books remain an essential purchase for military and maritime enthusiast, and the author’s introductory pages make them a compelling read as well as a reference point.

Whether you have any of the previous editions, get British Warships now, before they’re all gone — the ships that is, not the print supply!

BOOK SAVINGS Telegraph readers can buy the books reviewed on these pages at a whopping 25% discount on publisher’s price through the Marine Society’s online shop. g To qualify for this offer, readers need to make their purchase at www.marinesocietyshop.org. Click on the ‘Books of the month’ button with the Nautilus logo to see the books featured in the Telegraph, and use the promotional code Nautilus when buying your book.

21/01/2015 17:33

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NL NEWS

CAO Handelsvaart 2014 2017 afgerond!

Overgrote meerderheid akkoord Stena Line en met opnemen kapitein in CAO en Nautilus bereiken uitbreiding werkingssfeer boven principeakkoord 9000 GT voor nieuwe CAO A

C

Nautilus International en Stena Line BV zijn tot overeenstemming gekomen over een CAO voor het zeevarend personeel van Stena Line BV De nieuwe CAO heeft een looptijd van 2 jaar en 11 maanden: van 1 mei 2014 tot 1 april 2017.

De onderhandelingspartijen hebben een gageverhoging afgesproken van respectievelijk 2% per 1 oktober 2014, 1,5% per 1 oktober 2015 en 1 % per 1 oktober 2016.

Bij de gageverhoging voor het laatste jaar is bovendien afgesproken dat indien de afgeleide inflatie in 2016 hoger dan 1,5% uitvalt, het meerdere boven de 1,5% per 1 januari 2017 wordt uitgekeerd.

Verder zal de werkgever net als in voorgaande jaren een bijdrage in de zorgverzekering toekennen.

De werknemers zullen tweemaal een eenmalige uitkering van €180,bruto ontvangen, waarvan de eerste 180 euro in maart 2015 wordt uitgekeerd en de tweede 180 euro in maart 2016.

Daarnaast loopt Stena Line mee in de afspraken met betrekking tot de afkoop van het eigen risico.

Gelijktrekken gages 3e WTK

Tevens is Stena Line bereid de gage van de 3e werktuigkundige (thans gagetabel J2) gelijk te trekken met de gage van de 2e stuurman 4. Inschaling in gagetabel K vindt plaats met ingang van 1 januari 2015 volgens de door Stena Line gehanteerde methodiek op de naast hogere gage in de nieuwe tabel met daarbovenop een extra anciënniteit.

In 2014 hebben wij u geïnformeerd over het onderhandelingsresultaat van de CAO voor de Handelsvaart. Hierin was vastgelegd dat als het opnemen van de kapitein in de CAO en het uitbreiden van de CAO tot boven de 9000 GT binnen de werkgroepen waren uitgewerkt, deze ter goedkeuring aan de leden worden voorgelegd. Half december 2014 was de uitwerking afgerond en zijn deze twee onderwerpen met een stemformulier aan de leden gestuurd. Zij hadden tot eind december 2014 de mogelijkheid om aan te geven of zij met de uitkomsten van de werkgroepen konden instemmen.

Ledenvergaderingen

Op 12 en 13 januari heeft Nautilus de resultatenlijst met de leden besproken tijdens een tweetal ledenvergaderingen aan boord van de Stena Hollandica in Hoek van Holland. De leden konden ook hun stem uitbrengen op het principeakkoord. Tijdens het ter perse gaan van dit nummer was de uitslag hiervan echter nog niet bekend.

Opnemen van de kapitein in de CAO

In het reglement is de definitie van ‘zeevarenden of werknemers’ uitgebreid met kapiteins.

Hierdoor vallen de kapiteins onder alle loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden die in het reglement behorende bij de CAO Handelsvaart 2014-2017 zijn vastgelegd. Ook horen hier de afspraken bij die zijn gemaakt naar aanleiding van het uitbrei-

den van de CAO naar schepen groter dan 9000 GT. Bestaande rechten kapitein gehandhaafd

De functie van kapitein is aan de loongroepindeling in het reglement toegevoegd. De afspraak over de inschaling van de kapiteins is, dat dit gebeurt in de loongroep volgend op de loongroep van 1e werktuigkundige, op een schip van dezelfde grootte. Tussen de nieuwe loongroepen zijn dezelfde verschillen toegepast als in de gehele tabel.

Het uitgangspunt bij deze inschaling is dat de bestaande rechten voor de kapiteins gehandhaafd en gerespecteerd blijven.

Uiteraard zijn partijen vrij om hogere gage- en arbeidsvoorwaarden af te spreken, de CAO is echter het minimum.

deze al bestond bij Wagenborg, aangehouden voor de schepen boven 9000 GT. De bestaande afspraken per 1 april 2014 tussen individuele VWH leden en Nautilus International blijven in stand. Ook de bestaande afspraken tussen werkgever en de individuele werknemer blijven gehandhaafd en gerespecteerd.

De CAO is het minimum, maar het staat partijen vrij om hogere loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden af te spreken.

Bodemafspraak

Uitbreiding werkingssfeer boven de 9000 GT

De werkingssfeer van de CAO is uitgebreid met schepen boven de 9000 GT. Vanwege deze uitbreiding zijn de loongroepen en gageschalen in het reglement aangepast. Voor de inschaling van de functies 9000-18000 GT en >18000 GT is de indeling, zoals

Door het uitbreiden van de werkingssfeer met schepen boven de 9000 GT kan zich de situatie voordoen dat een zeevarende een periode dienst doet op een schip groter dan 9000 GT. Wanneer de zeevarende daarna weer dienst doet op een schip kleiner dan 9000 GT, is er een bodemafspraak over de loon- en arbeidsvoor-

waarden in de CAO ingebouwd.

Dit betekent dat de zeevarende die van een schip >9000 GT naar een schip <9000 GT gaat, niet lager wordt ingeschaald dan de loongroep en functie van 6000-9000 GT. Als voorbeeld: een 1ste stuurman die een periode dienst doet op een schip groter dan 18000 GT (loongroep N) en daarna dienst gaat doen op een schip van 4000 GT — 6000 GT wordt ingeschaald in loongroep L en niet in loongroep I. Inmiddels zijn de stemmen geteld en een overgrote meerderheid van de leden is akkoord met het opnemen van de kapitein in de CAO en het uitbreiden van de werkingssfeer voor schepen boven de 9000 GT. De naam van de CAO is nu gewijzigd naar CAO Handelsvaart. Het reglement bij de CAO Handelsvaart 2014-2017 is bijgewerkt en aan alle leden toegestuurd.

Volg ons op Twitter EU Council akkoord met uniforme werk- en

rusttijden regeling binnenvaart

opgetogen over de beslissing F van de Council van de Europese Unie Nautilus International is

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Vindt u het juist dat de zeescheepvaartsector wordt geconfronteerd met stringente nieuwe regels voor zwaveluitstoot?

Ja 60% Nee 40%

De poll van deze maand is: Denkt u dat containerschepen kunnen groeien tot voorbij de 20.000 TEU grens? Geef ons uw mening online, op www.nautilusnl.org

34-36_nl_15.1.indd 34

om het akkoord van sociale partners (SPA) uit 2012 om te zetten in een richtlijn die de weg plaveit voor de introductie van een lang verwachte uniforme regeling ten behoeve van werk- en rusttijden op de Europese binnenwateren.

Dit is de eerste keer dat een SPA inzake werktijd wordt omgezet in een richtlijn, wat mogelijk is dankzij het Verdrag van Lissabon uit 2007.

De overname van de voorstellen door de Council zal leiden tot

maatregelen die de dagelijkse, wekelijkse, maandelijkse en jaarlijkse werkuren begrenst en tevens de minimale rusturen vastlegt. Onder de nieuwe maatregelen is de tijd die wordt doorgebracht aan boord van vrachtschepen, gelimiteerd tot een maximum van 31 dagen, waarna tenminste 10 dagen rust moeten worden genomen.

Een mijlpaal

Het bleef tot op de dag van de stemming spannend of de EU Council het voorstel ongeschonden zou aannemen. Enkele grote maar

ook kleinere EU-lidstaten hadden namelijk bezwaren geuit. Door de autoriteiten van die staten direct te benaderen, voorkwamen de Europese transportbonden dat de uniforme regeling vroegtijdig zou sneuvelen.

Nick Bramley van Nautilus International, die de binnenvaart sectie van de Europese Transportwerkers’ Federatie voorzit, reageerde met de woorden: ‘We zijn enorm blij met het bereiken van deze mijlpaal na zeven jaar van onderhandelen en het toont wederom het belang aan van een vakbond organisatie in deze sector.’

Bramley zei dat de overeenkomst tegemoet komt aan de behoeften van alle kanten van de sector, waaronder vracht, toerisme, voltijds-en seizoensarbeid. ‘Het toont ook het belang van de Europese Sociale Dialoog voor het verkrijgen van de noodzakelijke sociale condities in een sector die opereert in een complexe omgeving, zoals een schip in eigendom van een Duits bedrijf, geregistreerd in Malta, bemand via contracten met een Zwitsers bedrijf onder de wetgeving van Cyprus en varend in België en Nederland.’

Charley — Even voorstellen…

F

Mijn naam is Charley Ramdas (1963), ik ben geboren in Suriname en opgegroeid in Rotterdam.

In 1992 ben ik gestart bij FNV Jongeren. Daarna heb ik ruim negen jaar bij de Vervoersbond FNV (later FNV Bondgenoten) gewerkt als bestuurder in het Wegvervoer.

Vanaf 2002 tot en met 2009 ben ik werkzaam geweest bij ABVAKABO FNV, eerst als sectorbestuurder TNT Post en in 2006 werd ik gekozen als vice voorzitter.

In 2009 werd ik benaderd door

het bondsbestuur van FNV Bouw met het verzoek om mij te kandideren voor de functie van vice voorzitter. Ik heb daar gehoor aan gegeven en vanaf eind 2009 tot 1 januari 2015 heb ik de functie van vice voorzitter bij FNV Bouw vervuld.

Door het ontstaan van de nieuwe FNV worden de besturen van de fusiebonden opgeheven.

Ik heb goed nagedacht over het vervolg van mijn loopbaan.

Vanuit mijn bestuursfuncties vond ik het altijd ontzettend belangrijk om een goede verbinding te

houden met de werkvloer. Werken op hoofdlijnen is voor bestuurders absoluut noodzakelijk maar mag nooit leiden tot het creëren van een eigen werkelijkheid, een risico dat op de loer ligt als je de signalen vanaf de werkvloer niet meer hoort.

Aangezien bij Nautilus International het vakbondswerk juist van onderop wordt aangelopen en er vanuit het hoofdbestuur een nadrukkelijke verbinding is met de werkvloer, heb ik weloverwogen besloten om toe te treden tot het hoofdbestuur.

21/01/2015 17:30

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

NL NEWS

Nautilus wil passend alternatief voor pensioen werknemers Rederij Cement Tankers BV A FNV Waterbouw per 1 januari 2015 volledig onderdeel van Nautilus International van FNV Bouw en Nautilus D International die werkzaam zijn

Sinds 2007 waren de leden

in de nationale- en internationale waterbouw, lid van FNV Waterbouw.

Omdat FNV Bouw door de fusie met de bonden van FNV Bondgenoten, FNV ABVAKABO, FNV Sport en FNV Vakcentrale per 1 januari 2015 ophoudt te bestaan, hebben de waterbouw leden van FNV Bouw ervoor gekozen om over te gaan naar Nautilus International. FNV Waterbouw blijft bestaan met als moedervereniging Nautilus International.

Het gevolg van deze keuze is dat FNV Waterbouw volledig onderdeel is geworden van een sterke maritieme vakbond. Nautilus International heeft al jarenlange ervaringen met het behartigen van de belangen van haar leden in de zeevaart, binnenvaart, offshore en waterbouw.

FNV Waterbouw gaat gewoon door met het maken van afspraken over de loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden in de waterbouw CAO en buitenlandovereenkomst. Ook zal FNV Waterbouw blijven deelnemen in het bestuur van het Pensioenfonds Waterbouw en verder als gesprekspartner van de Nederlandse overheid met betrekking tot scheepvaartwetgeving,

zeevaartonderwijs, veiligheid, belasting en sociale zekerheid voor onder andere de FNV Waterbouw leden. Ook is er de ambitie om het ledenblad ‘Golf’ ten minste drie keer per jaar uit te brengen. De website van FNV Waterbouw blijft actueel met informatie en nieuws over de sector. De afvaardiging van leden in de Raad van Advies van FNV Waterbouw blijft ongewijzigd.

Veel van de dienstverlening blijf dus onveranderd.

Wat wel verandert, is dat FNV Waterbouw leden die voorheen contributie betaalden aan FNV Bouw dit nu gaan betalen aan Nautilus International. Per brief en per email zijn de leden hierover geïnformeerd.

De personeelsbezetting wijzigt ook.

Charley Ramdas die voorheen vicevoorzitter was van FNV Bouw, treedt bij Nautilus International in dienst.

De CAO en buitenlandovereenkomst onderhandelingen zullen onderdeel zijn van zijn takenpakket. Elders op deze pagina stelt hij zich aan u voor. g Nautilus International is verheugd om zich in te kunnen zetten voor de belangen van alle leden in de waterbouw sector. Waterbouw leden kunnen ons bereiken op telefoonnummer 010-2862979 of per email: infowaterbouw@ nautilusint.org.

De werkgever (RCT) heeft er jaren geleden voor gekozen om af te wijken van de verplichte deelname aan het Pensioen-fonds voor de Rijnen Binnen-vaart. Dat mag als hiervoor door partijen zogenaamde dispensa-tie wordt verleend. Wél moet er dan sprake zijn van een andere (collectieve) pensioenregeling die minimaal gelijkwaardig is.

Door te kiezen voor aansluiting bij het pensioenfonds ENCI voldeed de werkgever aan deze verplichting.

In 2014 is bekend geworden dat het pensioenfonds ENCI zal worden geliquideerd. Dit betekent dat het per 1 januari 2015 ophoudt te bestaan en voor alle deelnemers een vervangend alternatief moet komen.

Het opbouwen van pensioen is één van de arbeidsvoorwaarden die zijn vastgelegd in de Collectieve Arbeidsovereenkomst (CAO). De CAO wordt afgesloten tussen werkgever en de vakbond(en), dus in dit geval RCT en Nautilus. Op het moment dat er wijzigingen (gaan) komen in dit contract, dienen deze partijen elkaar hierover tijdig te informe-

en Binnenvaart als best passende alternatief beschouwd. Volgens RCT betekent dit een voortzetting van pensioenopbouw waarbij wel sprake zal zijn van een versobering. Een versobering die volgens de werkgever geldt voor alle bestaande pensioenregelingen als gevolg van de gewijzigde pensioenwetgeving.

Overlegafspraak

ren en in gesprek te gaan. Op dit onderdeel gaat het echter niet goed bij RCT. Nul op rekest

Wij zijn al geruime tijd op de hoogte van de aanstaande verandering. Met name omdat onze collega’s van Bondgenoten die bij het bedrijf ENCI betrokken zijn, al vroeg in 2014 met hun onderhandelingspartner overlegafspraken hebben gemaakt. Wij zijn door hen steeds meegenomen in de vorderingen

rondes tussen Nautilus F en Chemgas Shipping en nog

Na diverse onderhandelings-

enkele tegemoetkomingen van werkgeverszijde, hebben de leden nu ingestemd met het onderhandelingsresultaat. Hiermee is de nieuwe CAO met Chemgas, die loopt van 1 juli 2014 tot en met

Binnenvaart moeten meer A pensioen kunnen opbouwen

31 december 2015, een feit.

Het was deze keer zeker niet eenvoudig om tot een akkoord te komen; medio oktober wezen de leden het eerdere resultaat unaniem af en gaven zij Nautilus een mandaat om alsnog tot een CAO-resultaat te kunnen komen. Nadat deze boodschap eind oktober aan Chemgas werd

de pensioenen weer kunnen worden geïndexeerd. De sociale partners hebben nu afgesproken om in 2015 een deel van deze bijdrage aan te wenden voor de bekostiging van de pensioenopbouw.

Werknemers in de Rijn- en

34-36_nl_15.1.indd 35

tijdelijke extra premiebijdrage aan het pensioenfonds is vastgelegd.

Versobering

Het voorlopige hoogtepunt in de maand december 2014 is dat de werkgever door een brief laat weten dat RCT een aansluiting bij het Pensioenfonds voor de Rijn-

De laatste tussenstand is dat de werkgever, naar aanleiding van deze correspondentie, de handschoen heeft opgepakt en het initiatief heeft genomen om tot een overlegafspraak te komen.

Vooralsnog staat het eerste overleg gepland op 23 januari 2015.

Wij houden u op de hoogte van de voortgang in deze kwestie.

Uitslag stemming CAO Chemgas Shipping: Leden verkiezen loonsverhoging boven ouderendagen

Sociale partners maken afspraken over pensioenopbouw 2015 en gaan in overleg over aanpassing pensioencontract Rijn- en Binnenvaart dan vanuit reguliere premie gefinancierd kan worden. Dat hebben de werkgevers- en werknemersorganisaties CBRB en BLN en de vakbonden Nautilus International en CNV Vakmensen met elkaar afgesproken voor het jaar 2015.

Eerder heeft het Pensioenfonds voor de Rijn- en Binnenvaart aangegeven dat de pensioenopbouw nog maar in beperkte mate gefinancierd kan worden uit de reglementaire premie. Het zogeheten opbouwpercentage zou in 2015 tot 1,3% moeten worden teruggebracht.

Sociale partners vinden dat dit percentage omhoog moet naar 1,45%. In 2006 hebben sociale partners een pensioenakkoord gesloten waarin onder meer een

hiervan en de informatie aan hun leden. Uiteindelijk heeft dit traject voor die CAO geleid tot ledenbijeenkomsten en een resultaat. Parallel hieraan hebben wij aangedrongen op een soortgelijk traject bij RCT maar steeds nul op rekest gekregen.

Het mag duidelijk zijn dat wij ons hier niet zomaar bij neerleggen.

In woorden van gelijke strekking hebben wij schriftelijk gereageerd naar deze werkgever. Wij houden RCT verantwoordelijk voor een vergelijkbare pensioenopbouw na 31 december 2014 voor alle deelnemers. Overigens is hiervan een circulaire uitgegaan naar onze leden.

Deze bijdrage is bedoeld om het fondsvermogen te versterken zodat

Daarnaast gaan Sociale partners begin 2015 praten over een aangepaste pensioenregeling.

In eerste instantie zal dan worden gesproken over het onderzoek dat nodig is voor een aangepaste pensioenregeling voor de sector.

Dat hebben de sociale partners kenbaar gemaakt in een gezamenlijke brief aan het Bedrijfspensioenfonds (Bpf) voor de Rijn- en Binnenvaart dat de regeling uitvoert. De uitkomsten van het onderzoek zullen betrokken worden bij de mogelijke aanpassing van de pensioenregeling. We houden u op de hoogte over de voortgang.

overgebracht, heeft de werkgever nog een laatste inspanning verricht om de leden tegemoet te komen, hoewel dit niet binnen het aan hen verstrekte mandaat viel.

Behoud van indexeringsartikel

De werkgever kwam met een tweetal opties. De eerste betrof het behouden van het indexeringsartikel. Indien de leden hiervoor zouden kiezen, zouden zij een keuze moeten maken tussen de ouderendagen en de loonsverhoging van 2% per 1 juli 2014 (eerdere voorstel was 1,2% per 1 juli 2014 en 0,8% per 1 januari 2015).

De tweede optie betrof het opgeven van het indexeringsartikel.

Wanneer de leden daarvoor zouden kiezen, was de werkgever bereid zowel de loonsverhoging van 2% per 1 juli 2014 als de ouderendagen toe te kennen.

Stemmen geteld

Nautilus heeft de opties aan de leden voorgelegd middels een stemformulier; zij hadden tot 8 november om hun voorkeur aan te geven of het resultaat af te wijzen.

De uitslag is inmiddels bekend: 2/3 van de leden heeft voor het resultaat gestemd.

Overige zaken

Naast de eerder genoemde loonsverhoging, zijn er nog meer zaken in de CAO opgenomen. De werkgever wil blijven investeren in de opleiding en ontwikkeling van de medewerkers. Het loongebouw wordt daarom aangepast zodat de instroom van schoolverlaters makkelijker wordt en betere doorgroei mogelijk is.

Zo wordt de functie van 3e Stuurman en 3e Scheepswerktuigkundige opgenomen in de CAO. De functie van kapitein zal toegankelijk worden voor medewerkers zonder binnenvaartpapieren. Verder wordt de zorgverzekeringsbijdrage voor de zeevaartmedewerkers per 1 juli 2014 verhoogd van €40,- naar €50,-.

De uitslag van de stemming is inmiddels naar de werkgever gestuurd, waarmee de nieuwe CAO een feit is.

WILT U EEN BREDER PUBLIEK BEREIKEN? PLAATS DAN EEN ADVERTENTIE IN DE TELEGRAPH. NEEM CONTACT OP MET: Jude Rosset at Redactive Media Sales

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E: jude.rosset@ redactive.co.uk

21/01/2015 17:30

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NL NEWS

Overal ter wereld 24/7 bereikbaar: Nautilus International lanceert nieuwe website haar website in een compleet F nieuw jasje gestoken. De modern Nautilus International heeft

vormgegeven site is beschikbaar in maar liefst drie talen en specifiek afgestemd op de behoeften van onze leden. Op www.nautilusint. org/nl kunnen leden op één centraal punt terecht voor hulp en advies, vanaf elke plek ter wereld, 24 uur per dag. Via een satellietbreedbandverbinding is de nieuwe site ook op zee uitstekend bereikbaar.

‘De nieuwe website voorziet onze leden van één centraal informatiepunt en leidt de vakbond het digitale tijdperk in,’ aldus General Secretary Mark Dickinson. ‘Voor ons was het erg belangrijk dat de website snel kan reageren, zodat deze op zee met een beperkte internetverbinding of online via een mobiele telefoon even goed werkt als voor leden die aan land gestationeerd zijn en die regelmatig online zijn.’

Mensen centraal

‘In onze nieuwe website staan mensen centraal, omdat onze vakbond immers om mensen draait,’ vervolgt de General Secretary.‘We hebben zelfs een aantal foto’s op de website staan van leden die aan eerdere fotowedstrijden hebben deelgenomen. Ik hoop dat hieruit blijkt dat onze vakbond gevormd wordt door onze leden en dat we er voortdurend naar streven hen de best mogelijke dienstverlening te bieden!’

Gratis hulplijn

Met de nieuwe website kunnen leden makkelijk en eenvoudig ondersteuning krijgen, onder andere via de gratis 24/7 hulplijn.

Verder zijn er specifieke pagina’s voor alle sectoren waarin onze leden werkzaam zijn en wordt online specialistisch advies gegeven, zodat leden zichzelf op het werk kunnen beschermen tegen problemen.

Voor niet-leden

De site biedt tevens meer informatie over de maritieme bedrijfstak voor niet-leden. Daarnaast kunnen nietleden hier terecht voor updates over de campagnes van de vakbond en online aanmeldingsformulieren.

Feedback

‘Ik ben trots op de nieuwe website en ik hoop dat onze leden en andere bezoekers de website informatief en nuttig vinden,’ zegt de heer Dickinson. ‘Dit is echter niet het eindstation van een verbetertraject, maar slechts het begin. Zoals gebruikelijk in de nieuwe media, gaan we de website voortdurend bijwerken en herzien, zodat we de best mogelijke informatiebron blijven. Ik wil iedereen van harte uitnodigen feedback te geven of suggesties te doen om onze website te verbeteren.’

g Opmerkingen over de website kunt u sturen naar webmaster@ nautilusint.org.

Veiliger en gezonder werken heeft gelukkig in toenemende mate de aandacht A

Dagelijks krijgen we te maken met keuzes waardoor we veiliger en/of gezonder kunnen werken. Veel sectoren en bedrijven hebben daar systemen voor, zoals de International Safety Management Code die in de koopvaardij gehanteerd wordt. Toch is het de realiteit dat incidenten, ongevallen en (bijna) ongevallen nog altijd voorkomen. Soms gaat het allemaal net goed of betreft het een klein schrammetje waar we nauwelijks bij stil staan, maar regelmatig lezen we over ongevallen met veel ernstigere afloop voor mens en/of milieu.

Wanneer we een incident of ongeval goed onderzoeken — dat geldt zowel voor kleinere incidenten en (bijna) ongevallen als grotere incidenten — en de resultaten van deze onderzoeken analyseren, kunnen we te weten komen wat de echte oorzaak is. Gebaseerd op deze oorzaken kunnen we maatregelen nemen om te voorkomen dat een soortgelijk incident/ongeval nog een keer plaats vindt.

Kortom, lering trekken uit een incident/ ongeval is een verantwoordelijkheid van de hele sector.

anoniem) meldingssysteem voor alle personen werkzaam in, of in verband met genoemde sectoren, wil het programma een bijdrage leveren aan de verbetering van de veiligheid daaromtrent.

CHIRP is in 1982 gestart voor de luchtvaart binnen het Verenigd Koninkrijk. In 1996 werd het programma geherstructureerd en de organisatie omgevormd naar een charitatieve vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid. Hierdoor werd het in staat gesteld een effectieve bijdrage te leveren aan de oplossing van belangrijke veiligheidsgerelateerde vraagstukken. Door de nieuwe structuur werd de organisatie volledig onafhankelijk, inclusief management en budgettaire verantwoor-delijkheden en met een onafhankelijke Raad van Toezicht. Het maritieme programma draait sinds juli 2003 en staat open voor meldingen vanuit de hele wereld.

CHIRP verwelkomt dus veiligheidsgerelateerde meldingen/rapportages van mensen uit de internationale maritieme sector, met inbegrip van de scheepvaart, visserij en recreatieve gebruikers.

Het belang van melden

Meldingen en rapporten

Mensen en bedrijven lijken echter nogal huiverig om incidenten en ongevallen te melden, veelal omdat iemand als ‘schuldige’ aangewezen kan worden, aansprakelijk kan worden gesteld of gewoonweg vanwege imagoschade. Toch is het melden van ieder incident en (bijna) ongeval van groot belang, alleen al vanwege de mogelijkheid iets van het ongeval te leren en maatregelen te kunnen treffen ter voorkoming in de toekomst.

Alle meldingen binnen CHIRP worden vertrouwelijk behandeld. Persoonlijke gegevens worden niet bewaard en na sluiting van het dossier worden originele stukken teruggestuurd naar de melder van het rapport of vernietigd. De verstrekte informatie wordt, met goedkeuring van de melder en in een geanonimiseerde vorm, ter beschikking gesteld aan degenen die actie kunnen ondernemen om het probleem te verhelpen.

Informatie uit de rapporten kan belangrijk zijn voor een bredere doelgroep in de maritieme industrie om soortgelijke incidenten te voorkomen. Met toestemming van de rapporteur en nadat alle herleidbare gegevens uit het rapport zijn verwijderd, wordt de informatie drie keer per jaar gepubliceerd in Maritime FEEDBACK en op de website. Met de geanonimiseerde publicatie van de melding en de feedback vanuit CHIRP kan een brede doelgroep bewust worden van verbeterpunten in situaties die zich mogelijk ook bij hem of haar voordoen.

Wat is CHIRP?

Wij hebben Facebook.

Volg ons ook!

Bezoek www.nautilusint.org

34-36_nl_15.1.indd 36

Het Verenigd Koninkrijk heeft een speciaal programma waarin incidents- en ongevalsmeldingen in de luchtvaart en zeevaart vertrouwelijk worden behandeld: Confidential Hazardous Reporting Incident Program — Maritime (kortweg CHIRP). CHIRP beschikt over de infrastructuur en staat open voor vertrouwelijke rapportages over veiligheidsincidenten vanuit de luchtvaart in het Verenigd Koninkrijk en de maritieme industrie wereldwijd. Via een volledig onafhankelijk en vertrouwelijk (niet

CHIRP ‒ Rapportage richtlijn

Hieronder vindt u een aantal richtlijnen met betrekking tot de incidenten die gemeld kunnen worden bij CHIRP.

Wat kan ik melden?

Veiligheidsgerelateerde incidenten of gebeurtenissen met betrekking tot: z Jezelf z Andere mensen z Uw organisatie of organisaties waar u mee te maken heeft Incidenten/voorvallen kunnen bestaan uit: z Fouten z Individuele prestaties z Aspecten in wet- en regelgeving z Onveilige praktijken of een onveilig ontwerp

Wat kan ik niet rapporteren? z Incidenten of gebeurtenissen die niet te maken hebben met veiligheid z Kwesties die te maken hebben met conflicten tussen personen z Problemen die te maken hebben met arbeidsverhoudingen en/of arbeidsvoorwaarden met de werkgever Wanneer meld ik? z Als u bezorgd bent en u wilt uw identiteit beschermen (Let op dat anonieme meldingen niet worden geaccepteerd.

Meldingen worden wel vertrouwelijk behandeld.) z Als u anderen wilt laten profiteren van de lering die getrokken kan worden uit een incident of ongeval waar u kennis van heeft z Wanneer andere rapportage procedures niet geschikt zijn of niet toegankelijk z Als binnen de eigen organisatie de mogelijkheden zijn uitgeput, zonder dat het probleem is aangepakt Rapporteren Rapporteren kan per post (gedownload formulier), online (versleuteld via de website), per email (reports@chirp.co.uk) en telefoon/ fax (+44 808 1003237 / +44 1252 378940). g Meer informatie over het rapporteren, beschikbare rapporten en een gratis abonnement op feedback is te vinden op de website van CHIRP www.chirp.co.uk.

21/01/2015 14:48

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

PHOTO COMPETITION

Our world, in your pictures Share your images of life at sea and win up to £1,000…

A

This year’s Nautilus/ Inmarsat ‘Life at sea’ photo competition is now well underway, and there’s a selection of early entries on this page. Can you take a photo as good as these — or even better?

The aim of the competition is to find the best photographs of life at sea today, a subject which is seldom tackled by photographers in the national media. By sending us pictures of what you see in the course of your work, you’ll be helping us get the message out about what the industry is really like. And the generous cash prizes are another great incentive to take part, of course!

In previous competitions, we’ve had some very technically accomplished entries with beautiful colours and skilled use of focus and contrast. But you don’t need to have professionalstandard kit to join in. Even with a fairly basic camera or a smart phone, you can demonstrate an eye for good composition and capture a powerful story in pictures.

The rules of the competition are simple. Judges will be looking for images that not only display

Crew members on the vessel Roerborg prepare for a tow, about 300nm NE of Malta, after a main engine breakdown, by Maarten van Leeuwen

A stunning sunset captured by Ryan Jon Young

photographic merit but also capture the reality of life and work at sea — any aspect of modern seafaring that you choose. First prize is £1,000, second prize is £750 and there is £400 for the third-placed entry.

You can submit your shots in colour or black and white, and as prints or e-mailed highresolution JPEG electronic images (300dpi is preferred).

There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. The competition’s closing date is Monday 1 August 2015 and the prizes will be presented at the Nautilus International General Meeting in October, where an exhibition of the best entries will be on show.

To enter with hard copies, please cut out and complete the form on this page and send your pictures to: Nautilus/Inmarsat

Photo Competition, Nautilus Telegraph, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Make sure you state on the form whether you want us to return your photographs.

To enter with digital photos, please email them to telegraph@ nautilusint.org with Nautilus/ Inmarsat photo competition 2015 in the subject line. In your email, you must supply your contact information in the same way as on the printed entry form, and don’t send file attachments totalling more than 10MB at a time, as this will exceed the server limit.

Please note that by entering the Nautilus/Inmarsat photo competition 2015, you are giving Nautilus International permission to use your submitted images.

Photo competition 2015 Name:

...................................................................................................

Address:

.................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................. ..............................................................................................................

Home tel: Email:

...............................................................................................

....................................................................................................

Mem no.:

...............................................................................................

Photos to be returned: YES / NO

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38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

APPOINTMENTS

38-41_rec.indd 38

21/01/2015 14:51

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

APPOINTMENTS NOTICE TO READERS

12 February 2015 is the closing date for March 2015.

You can still advertise online at anytime.

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Maritime Progress Ltd, situated in Redhill Surrey, requires a Marine Engineer to head up the marketing and development of safety signs and products which are distributed worldwide.

At present we have vacancies for the following: Minimum Requirements Chief Engineers - CoC less than 3000kW (Motor), with Oil DCE 2nd Engineer - CoC less than 3000kW (Motor), with Oil DCE Contract Type - Permanent/Temporary Leave/Work - 4 Weeks on/4 Weeks Off Salaries - will be discussed at Interview stage

This is an exciting position for the right candidate with the appropriate experience and energy to help drive this international company forward.

Send full CV to recruitment@maritimeprogress.com

Please forward all applications to: Mrs Elaine Wilson, Personnel OfďŹ cer, Crown Crewing (UK) Ltd, Payroll Bureau for Crown Crewing (Jersey) Ltd, Crown Dry Dock, Tower Street, HULL HU9 1TY Email: eb@whitaker-tankers.co.uk

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

Your first port of call

Deck & Engine Room OfďŹ cers, all Ratings, also ďŹ shing Industry crews To register, send your CV and copies of all STCW CertiďŹ cates to Foyle Marine Recruitment Ltd, PO Box 322, Londonderry, BT48 4ET Northern Ireland

Email: charles@foylemarinerecruitment.com Tel/Fax: +44 (0)28 7151 0343 Mobile: +44 (0)7872 070727 R.O.I: 00 353 74 938 2855

Address: First Floor Unit 7, Hythe Marine Park, Shore Road, Southampton, SO45 6HE UK Telephone: +44(0)23 8084 0374 Email: recruitment@seamariner.com

Â&#x201E; Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers - All vessels Â&#x201E; All Of½cers and Crew - ERRV Â&#x201E; Tug Crew - All ranks Â&#x201E; Various offshore personnel - Drill ships, Jack-ups and Rigs Â&#x201E; 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

SHORE BASED

OFFSHORE

YACHT

Fleet Manager London - ÂŁ65-70K

&KLHI 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU '32 PSV - ÂŁ45K

2nd Engineer 50m+ Sailing Yacht - $6.5K/mth

Technical Superintendent South East England - ÂŁ65-75K

&KLHI (QJLQHHU PSV - ÂŁ317/day

Y2 Chief Engineer

&KLHI 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU 1RQ '3 PSV - ÂŁ260/day

50m Sailing Yacht - â&#x201A;Ź6.5K/mth

Technical Manager Aberdeen - ÂŁ90K Package

VW 6NLSSHU Dredger - â&#x201A;Ź400/day

Asst. Safety Manager/Safety Coach South of England - ÂŁ45K + BeneďŹ ts Technical Manager London - Up to ÂŁ65K Technical Superintendent Glasgow - ÂŁ55K + BeneďŹ ts Cargo Superintendent North West England - ÂŁ45K LNG Marine Superintendent London - ÂŁ65K Nautical Trainer Glasgow - Up to ÂŁ55K Port Manager South of UK - ÂŁ50K + BeneďŹ ts

&KLHI 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU '32 PSV - ÂŁ350/day

QG 6NLSSHU Dredger - â&#x201A;Ź275/day

6HDJRLQJ

VHDJRLQJ XN#IDVWVWUHDP FRP

70m Motor Yacht - â&#x201A;Ź9K/mth

QG 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU '32 PSV - ÂŁ300/day 6WDJH &UDQH 2S DSV - ÂŁ375/day

Y3 2nd Engineer

0DVWHU 0DULQHU PSV - ÂŁ70K Pkg

50m Motor Yacht - $6K/mth

&KLHI 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU EERV - ÂŁ32K

Y1 Chief Engineer

0DVWHU 0DULQHU EERV - ÂŁ35K

50m+ Motor Yacht - â&#x201A;Ź7K/mth

PASSENGER

Y3 Sole Engineer 35m Motor Yacht - $7K/mth

QG (QJLQHHU Cruise - ÂŁ35-40K VW (QJLQHHU Cruise - ÂŁ40-45K QG (QJLQHHU Cruise - ÂŁ35-40K

Y3 Sole Engineer 40m Motor Yacht - â&#x201A;Ź4K/mth

6DIHW\ 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU Cruise - ÂŁ35K

OOW Engineer Unlimited

VW 2IĆ&#x201A;FHU Cruise - ÂŁ40K

100m+ Motor Yacht - â&#x201A;Ź3.5K/mth

6KRUH EDVHG

VKLSSLQJ XN#IDVWVWUHDP FRP

Y2 Chief Engineer

Search for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Faststream Seafarersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; #IDVWVWUHDPVHD www.faststream.com

38-41_rec.indd 39

21/01/2015 14:51

40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

APPOINTMENTS ANGLIAN MARINE RECRUITMENT LTD Marine Placement Agency

Ongoing vacancies for all officers and ratings deep sea, coastal, st.by, supply, ahts, etc. ©Colin Jarvis Foundation Degree in Photography and Digital Design

Curriculum Manager – Nautical Science, School of Maritime Operations Salary £38,775 - £42,373 Blackpool and The Fylde College is a Grade 1 Ofsted Outstanding college with commendations from the Quality Assurance Agency for its higher education programmes. More recently it was named as the National College Hub for Onshore Oil and Gas, sealing its reputation as a centre of excellence for engineering and energy sectors.

Our commitment to continuous investment in staff, accommodation and employer relations ensures a superlative learning experience for students. We reward our team with excellent annual leave entitlement, full use of cross campus facilities including subsidised on-sight restaurants and free parking. Our comprehensive induction programme welcomes you from day one, including your own one to one mentor who will be on hand throughout your career at Blackpool and Fylde College, underpinning our key recruitment message “An Employer of Choice”

To register send cv and copies of all certificates to: 6 Birch Court, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8LJ Tel/Fax: 01603 478938 Email: malcolm@anglianmarine.co.uk www.anglianmarine.co.uk

Advertising is quick and easy, contact Paul Wade on

Maestro Shipmanagement Limited We are currently inviting applications to join the on-board management team for the following positions onboard our Ro-Ro vessels

Chief Engineer 1AE Engineer The terms and conditions offered are competitive & commensurate with the vessel type & trade. Relevant medium speed experience is required. The vacancy is from February 2015.

Please submit your application to us in the strictest con¿dence, preferably via e-mail, to: Maestro Shipmanagement Limited P.O. Box 50718 Limassol 3608 E-mail: recruitment@maestroshipman.com

020 7880 6212 now.

Each year the Apostleship of the Sea Visits over 10,000 ships Helps over 200,000 seafarers Deals with over 2,100 welfare issues

a million for your very warm heart “andThanks for the help you have given us. I am not going to forget the good deeds you have shown us and we will never forget you.

”

A message from a seafarer to an Apostleship of the Sea Chaplain

I wish to support AoS with a donation of: £ _______ Please return it to: AoS, Freepost LON21409, London, EC1B 1NB (Please make cheques payable to AoS)

Relocation packages are also considered for the right candidate.

An excellent opportunity has now arisen in the School of Maritime Operations for the post of Curriculum Manager, to manage the curriculum area of Nautical Science. The School of Maritime Operations provides a high quality learning environment reflecting advanced industry facilities with programmes endorsed and supported by employers.

The school enjoys a reputation for curriculum innovation which is delivered by staff committed to learning, teaching and assessment as our core business. As a direct result, the school is one of the UK’s top Merchant Navy Training establishments, attracting students from all over the world.

As Curriculum Manager, you will be responsible for managing staff and resources within the School with a strategic overview of a designated portfolio of programmes.

You will take responsibility for business processes that ensure a high quality learning experience for all learners.

Title:_________ First Name:________________ Surname:__________________

WILL YOU HELP US? To donate or read more about the Apostleship of the Sea visit our website

It is also essential that you can show initiative in developing curriculum based on the demands of the sector and that you are capable of leading, motivating and inspiring a team.

Closing date: 12 noon, 13th Feb 2015 Interview date: 26th Feb 2015 To apply please visit www.blackpool.ac.uk/jobs The College is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our learners. Successful appointment will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service and preemployment safeguarding checks.

SHIPPING

Email: ____________________________________________

(Please only give us your email if you are happy to be contacted in this way)

833 069 18 o: 1 3203 ty N n: 3 hari tio d C istra terey Reg is g Re mpan Co

CONNECTIONS MARITIME RECRUITMENT FOR - DP3 / DP2- DSV / DP- AHTS / DP- PSV / DP3 PIPELAYER / DP2 CLV REQUIRE MASTER-DPOs, CHOFF-SDPOs, 1ST OFF-DPO, 2ND OFF-DPOs, CHENGs, 2ND ENGs, 3RD ENG, ETOs, CRANE OPTRs - STG 2 / 3 DIVING REQUIREMENT DP2-DSV ELECTRICAL / MECHANICAL DIVE TECHs FOR - 4-PT MOORING DSV / AHTS/ PSV/ MRV/ ERRV REQUIRE MASTERs, CHOFF, 2ND OFF, CHENG, 2ND ENG, 3RD ENG, DP ENG, ETO FOR - SHORE BASED FOR OFFSHORE FLEET REQUIRE OPERATION MANAGER, ENGINEERING, MANAGER, TECH MANAGER, MARINE, SUPT, TECH SUPT, PORT CAPTAIN, PORT ENG, HSE MANAGER, 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

Where’s my Telegraph?

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

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

38-41_rec.indd 40

____________________________________________Postcode: ________________

Telephone: ________________________________________

RYAN OFFSHORE LTD RYAN SHIP MANAGEMENT LTD

It will also be your responsibility for liaising with external bodies in maintaining and enhancing the profile and activities of the School – including partner Universities, awarding body, Shipping companies, MCA etc.

With proven experience in an appropriate discipline, you will have a background of teaching a wide range of levels and this will be evidenced by high student satisfaction and high success rates. You will have knowledge of effectively tutoring and supporting individuals and of successfully co-ordinating and leading a portfolio of programmes.

Experience of implementing and monitoring quality improvement strategies to bring about improvement or maintain high performance is also important, coupled with experience of performance management. You will also be practiced in effective resource management.

______________________________________________________________________

www.apostleshipofthesea.org.uk

You will supervise the development and delivery of full-time and part-time programmes to achieve College and School objectives and will oversee the management of a suite of courses within the School. Whilst working across the School in leading and co-ordinating curriculum development and teaching and learning strategies, you will also co-ordinate, manage and review quality assurance as well as income generating projects and activities. You will also assist with the co-ordination of marketing activities of the School.

It is essential that the successful candidate possesses a recognised teaching qualification (minimum level 5) and holds Master Unlimited (UK) or Chief Mate Unlimited (UK) with a relevant degree.

Address:_____________________________________________________________

Manchester Pilots Ltd. Est. 1894

We invite applications from suitably qualified personnel to fill current and future vacancies for Marine Pilots based at Eastham, Wirral.

Following a successful training programme, applicants will be authorised by Peel Ports Limited, the competent Harbour Authority, to work on a self employed basis, piloting a variety of vessels on the Manchester Ship Canal.

It is essential that you have a STCW Master Unlimited Certificate of Competency, preferably with command and/or previous Pilotage experience.

Interested applicants should forward their CV to the Training Officer at: Queen Elizabeth II Dock, Ferry Road, Eastham, Wirral, CH62 0BB. E-mail: manchesterpilots@btinternet.com

21/01/2015 14:51

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 41

APPOINTMENTS

Visit vikingrecruitment.com

A world-class career awaits Embark and expand your career in 2015 with Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruises &SXL GSQTERMIW EVI TEWWMSREXI EFSYX XVEZIP ,SPPERH %QIVMGE 0MRI SJJIVW XLEX FMK WLMT ]IX PY\YV] I\TIVMIRGI [MXL ZIWWIPW ZMWMXMRK WSQI SJ XLI QSWX HIWMVEFPI HIWXMREXMSRW EVSYRH XLI [SVPH 7IEFSYVR MW YRPMOI ER] SXLIV JSVQ SJ XVEZIP 8LIMV MRXMQEXI ERH IPIKERX WLMTW ZMWMX XLI LMHHIR KIQW [LIVI PEVKIV ZIWWIPW GERRSX JSPPS[ &SXL GSQTERMIW LEZI [SR RYQIVSYW MRXIVREXMSREP E[EVHW ]IEV EJXIV ]IEV We are currently recruiting for the following positions:

Benefits package includes:

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'SQTIXMXMZI VEXIW SJ TE]

)RKMRI 3J½GIVW SJ EPP PIZIPW IWTIGMEPP] MRXIVIWXIH MR LSPHIVW SJ 'PEWW 'S'

%RRYEP WEPEVMIW ERH 7XEJJ 3J½GIV &SRYWIW

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7EMPMRK %WWMKRQIRX 6IXYVR &SRYWIW 7%6&

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6IXMVIQIRX 7EZMRKW 4PER 4IRWMSR

)PIGXVMGEP )PIGXVSRMG 3J½GIVW

7TSRWSVIH WXYH] PIEZI ERH 8VEMRMRK TVSKVEQQIW

,SWTMXEPMX] +YIWX 7IVZMGIW 4VSJIWWMSREPW

)\GIPPIRX SRFSEVH WTSYWI JEQMP] TSPMG]

SV VSXEXMSR JSV 7IRMSV 3J½GIVW

Candidates need to complete our online database via our website or email us at applicants @vikingrecruitment.com quoting reference VRL02/15

Viking Recruitment Limited Viking House, Beechwood Business Park, Menzies Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2FG T +44 (0) 300 303 8191 (option 2)

38-41_rec.indd 41

ISO 9001

21/01/2015 14:51

42 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MSN 1734 (M+F) Amendment 8 — Approval of marine equipment (EC Notified Bodies) This notice contains a new Annex A.1 to MSN 1734. The new text updates the international standards used as a basis for type approval for marine equipment, and implements Commission Directive 2013/52/EU of 30 October 2013.

MSN 1734 Amendment 8 also updates the United Kingdom’s designated Notified Body contact list and provides transitional arrangements for equipment manufactured before 4 December 2014. These arrangements will apply until 4 December 2016.

MSN 1735 (M+F) Amendment 8 — Type-approval of marine equipment (UK Nominated Bodies) This notice implements recent changes to the listing of equipment in Annex A.2 to European Council Directive 96/98/EC. The changes apply where no detailed internationally agreed testing standard exists.

Equipment listed in the amended directive will continue to be type approved by the UK’s Nominated Bodies until international standards are agreed.

MSN 1734 Amendment 8 also updates the United Kingdom’s designated Nominated Body contact list.

MSN 1819 (M+F) — Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) and Motor Fuel (Composition and Content) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (2014 No. 3076) The purpose of this notice is to detail the technical aspects of the United Kingdom’s implementation of Annex VI of MARPOL in conjunction with the Regulations.

The schedules (i.e. topics) covered are: z ozone-depleting substances z nitrogen oxides (NOx) z sulphur oxides (SOx) z volatile organic compounds z shipboard incinerators z reception facilities z fuel oil quality z platforms — survey and certification In various appendices, MSN 1819 also provides: z IMO guidelines for the sampling of fuel oil z local fuel oil suppliers’ initial declaration form z local fuel oil suppliers’ annual declaration form z list of controlled ozone-depleting substances as defined in the Montreal Protocol z form of the UKAPP Certificate z marine fuel sulphur record book MGN 525 (M+F) — Merchant shipping and fishing vessels: guidelines for the provision of food and fresh water This note provides practical advice on

the provision of food and water for all non-Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) merchant ships and on fishing vessels.

The main points are as follows: z non-MLC merchant ships and all fishing vessels should provide free of charge food and drinking water of appropriate quality, nutritional value and quantity to meet the needs of those onboard z food hygiene principles and the provision and maintenance of fresh water must be applied regardless of the age, size and type of vessel z bacterial contamination is the most serious risk to food and fresh water safety z those preparing or serving food must be properly trained and demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles and practices of food hygiene z prevention using a risk assessment and management approach is one of the most effective means of ensuring food and fresh water safety MGN 527 (M) — Tonnage measurement: clarification of procedure; multihulls under 24m load line length This note clarifies the procedure for calculating the tonnage of small multihull vessels and defines the use of tonnage breaks as they apply to multihulls. This is intended as interim guidance and will eventually be replaced by a full set of instructions to surveyors for the tonnage measurement of small (under 24m) vessels.

MGN 528 (M) — Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC): European Social Partners’ Agreement This note draws seafarers’ attention to the European Social Partners’ Agreement (SPA) on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. The SPA was made between the European Community Shipowners’ Associations and the European Transport Workers’ Federation, and is an instrument for implementing the standards of the MLC in Europe.

The text of the SPA is reproduced in full in the annex to MGN 528. This satisfies the legal requirement that seafarers must have access to the document.

MIN 493 (M) — Human Element, Leadership and Management training Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM) training is now mandatory at either operational or management level for many shipboard personnel. This note reports that the same training may now also be offered to shore staff (who may not hold the requisite sea service or qualifications) on a non-mandatory basis.

Consideration had previously been given to the idea of developing a different HELM course for shore staff, but it has been decided by the UK authorities that it would be better for all personnel to have the same training — thus facilitating a common understanding of HELM principles between seagoing and shore staff. For advice and guidance on UK HELM training requirements, see an earlier note: MIN 482.

Member meetings and seminars MIN 496 (M) — MCA safety bulletins This note advises that safety bulletins have been introduced to replace safety alerts — technical. As before, the new bulletins will be issued whenever a piece of safety information needs to be circulated urgently, but unlike the old safety alerts, the bulletins will not be confined to technical issues.

MIN 496 also explains how to receive notification of the issue of a new safety bulletin and access past bulletins and safety alerts.

MIN 497 (M) — Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC): proposed amendments This note provides information on proposed amendments to the MLC agreed by the International Labour Organisation in June 2014. These proposals originate from a joint IMO/ILO working group which met in 2009, but could not be progressed until the Convention had come into force internationally. The MLC came into force internationally on 20 August 2013, and in the UK on 7 August 2014.

The proposed amendments would provide for further protection for seafarers in relation to: a) the abandonment of seafarers b) claims for compensation in the event of a seafarer’s death or long term disability due to an operational injury, illness or hazard The ILO arranged for the amendments to be redrafted in early 2014.

The redrafted amendments were then agreed by the International Labour Conference, and member states were notified of this on 18 July 2014, thus starting a two year consultation period.

MIN 498 (M) — Seafarer training and certification: using yacht sea service towards unlimited Merchant Navy certificates of competency applications This note outlines the requirements for deck officers or ratings using yacht service as qualifying seagoing service towards the issue of an unlimited certificate of competency. It also contains the new seagoing service testimonials for those working on yachts.

MIN 498 sets out the length of sea service, type of voyage and size of yacht required to obtain qualifications at different levels. All yacht service must be submitted either in yacht service testimonials supported by a discharge book, or in an MCA-approved log book. This must include a breakdown of actual sea service, standby service and yard time.

z M-Notices are available as electronic

documents or as a set of bound volumes. z A consolidated set of M-Notices is published by The Stationery Office.

This contains all M-Notices current on 31 July 2009 (ISBN 9780115530555) and costs £210 — www.tsoshop.co.uk z Individual copies can be electronically subscribed to by emailing a request to mnotices@ecgroup.co.uk or downloaded from the MCA website. Go to www.gov.uk/ mca and click on Find marine (M) notices.

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: g Professional & Technical Forum Tuesday 3 February 2015 at 1300hrs for 1330hrs Novotel, Southampton 1 West Quay Road Southampton SO15 1RA The Forum deals with a wide range of technical, safety, welfare and other professional topics of relevance to all members, including training and certification. The meeting is open to all members (UK, NL & CH).

Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 protech@nautilusint.org

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.

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 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 (scroll down to ‘latest events’).

For further information, email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call Garry Elliott on +44 (0)151 639 8454.

Industrial support for cadets An industrial official is appointed to each of the main nautical colleges.

In addition the industrial department is responsible for representing

trainee officers in line with all members that we represent; please contact the Union on +44 (0)20 8989 6677. Your enquiry will then be directed to the 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/ trainee officers should contact Paul Schroder at ymp@nautilusint.org.

g Young Maritime Professionals Forum Saturday 7 March 2015 1000 to 1300hrs Jury’s Inn, Southampton 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).

Contact Paul Schroder: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org

Quiz and crossword answersACDB Quiz answers 1. The port of Shanghai handled some 35.2m TEUs in 2014, up 4.8% from 2013.

2. False. China is currently the world’s third largest shipowning nation, with a fleet standing at 120m gt at the start of December 2014, equivalent to 10.2% of the global fleet.

3. At the end of 2014, there were 261 containerships larger than 10,000 TEU in service, with a further 143 on order.

4. The total TEU capacity of the current global containership fleet is 18.17m TEU. 5. Around 2,630 new merchant ships were delivered last year.

6. A total of 45 LNG carriers of 200,000 cu m plus capacity are currently in service.

Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 1. Combat; 4. Offshoot; 10. Magnetron; 11. Admit; 12. Rundown; 13. Spenser; 14. Stand; 15. Epilepsy; 18. Whole hog; 20. Vegan; 23. Voyager; 25. Obscene; 26. While; 27. Incarnate; 28. Dressage; 29. Upbeat.

Down: 1. Compress; 2. Magenta; 3. Adenoidal; 5. Finishing touch; 6. Slate; 7. Osmosis; 8. Tutors; 9. Prince Charming; 16. Eavesdrop; 17. Interest; 19. Haywire; 21. Grenade; 22. Avowed; 24. Guess.

This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph.

Congratulations to Nautilus member Sean Budge, who has won the prize draw for the January cryptic crossword.

Cryptic answers from January Across: 1. Neanderthal; 7. Cos; 9. Trenchant; 10. Gripe; 11. Potency; 12. Hominid; 13. Dickensian; 16. Bear; 18. Crib; 19. Rock pigeon; 22. Illegal; 23. Triceps; 25. Panto; 26. Gin palace; 27. Res; 28. Entitlement.

Down: 1. Notepad; 2. Adept; 3. Decanter; 4. Ready; 5. Hatchback; 6. Legume; 7. Clientele; 8. Slender; 14. Chitlings; 15. Spotlight; 17. Titivate; 18. Clipper; 20. Nascent; 21. Ignore; 23. Tenet; 24. Evade.

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.org Supports and promotes UK charities helping seafarers from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and fishing fleets.

Often organises places for maritime fundraisers to enter marathons and other charity challenges.

42-43_infosprd.indd 42

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

Useful organisations

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

g Women’s Forum Saturday 7 March 2015 1000hrs to 1300hrs Jury’s Inn Hotel Charlotte Place Southampton SO14 0TB 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 Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multi-lingual helpline for all seafarers’ welfare and support needs, as well as an emergency welfare fund.

SAIL (Seafarers’ Information and Advice Line) 08457 413 318 +44 (0)20 8269 0921 www.sailine.org.uk UK-based citizens’ advice service helping seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, benefit

entitlements, housing, pensions and relationships.

Seamen’s Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.org.uk UK charity dedicated to the health and welfare of seafarers.

Includes the Dreadnought health service.

Seafarers Link +44 (0)1752 812 674 www.communitynetworkprojects.org Telephone friendship project connecting retired UK seafarers at home through a free 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.

21/01/2015 17:31

February 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Lee Moon, senior assistant organiser

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Lee Moon has been the senior assistant organiser with Nautilus for a year, having joined following 12 years as a firefighter and eight years as an official with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

‘Coming into the maritime sector was quite daunting at first until I realised quite how many similarities there were between the Merchant Navy and the fire service,’ he says. ‘The Merchant Navy uses a lot of the same terminology as the fire service — words like mess, watches, rigging and knots were already in my vocabulary!’

Lee says that a lot of issues that Nautilus members experience are also very familiar

to him. ‘Rank structures, hours of work and rest, crewing levels, training standards and pensions were all issues that I dealt with at the FBU.’ Lee’s Nautilus role covers industrial, membership and recruitment responsibilities, and he assists the industrial organisers with casework, research, workplace mapping and analysing density figures.

‘My role covers a number of different areas and I hope to meet as many members as possible over the next year,’ he adds.

‘I have been asked to facilitate and deliver training for members — both

through the Union directly and using other trade union training providers like the TUC. ‘We are already planning for lay reps training, more MLC courses and a lay reps forum this year,’ he points out.

Lee will also focus on recruiting new members via college and ship visits, along with identifying potential new areas where the Union could expand its membership base. He says he is also looking forward to working with the communications department to produce new campaign and recruitment material to ensure the Union’s message is heard far and wide across the industry.

Outside of work Lee has been married to wife Michelle for five years and is a big football fan.

He plays for a local team, coaches — he has a level 2 FA coaching qualification — and supports ‘five times champions of Europe, Liverpool Football Club’.

Members might also want to note that Lee isn’t one to exaggerate — when discussing his love of Liverpool he describes winning a European title in football as ‘quite difficult’. Although he does go on to describe Steven Gerrard as ‘arguably our greatest ever player in, arguably, our worst ever team’…

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

Join today so we can be there for you too!

Pay and conditions Nautilus International is the first truly trans-boundary trade union for maritime professionals, reflecting the global nature of the industry. We negotiate with employers on issues including pay, working conditions, working hours and pensions to secure agreements which recognise members’ skills and experience, and the need for safety for the maritime sector.

Legal services Nautilus Legal offers members a range of legal services free of charge. There are specialist lawyers to support members in work related issues and a number of non-work related issues. The Union also has a network of lawyers in 54 countries to provide support where members need it most.

Workplace support Nautilus International officials provide expert advice on work-related problems such as contracts, redundancy, bullying or discrimination, non-payment of wages, and pensions.

Certificate protection Members are entitled to free financial protection, worth up to £118,500, against the loss

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

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

Extra savings Members can take advantage of many additional discounts and benefits organised at a local level. These include tax advice, insurance discounts and advice on pension matters. In the Netherlands, discounts are organised through FNV, and trade union contributions are mostly tax-friendly, entitling members to receive a significant part of their contributions back.

In touch As a Nautilus International member, help is never far away — wherever in the world you are.

Officials regularly see members onboard their ships and visit cadets at college. Further support and advice is available at regular ‘surgeries’ and conferences. The Union has offices in London, Wallasey, Rotterdam and Basel.

There are also representatives based in France, Spain and Singapore.

International representation Nautilus International represents members’ views on a wide range of national and international bodies including the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA).

We work at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on key global regulations covering working conditions, health and safety and

Join us today…

Call +44 (0)151 639 8454 Visit www.nautilusint.org Email membership@nautilusint.org g For the full range of member benefits visit www.nautilusint.org

OR g Speak with our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454

Your union, your voice The Union represents the voice of more than 22,000 maritime professionals working in all sectors of the industry at sea and ashore — including inland navigation, large yachts, deepsea and offshore.

For members, by members Nautilus International is a dynamic and democratic trade union offering members many opportunities to become actively involved and have your say — at a local, national and international level.

21/01/2015 18:02

44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | February 2015

NEWS

UN report warns on impact of increased containership size presenting a growing threat to A developing nations lacking the port

Super-sizing of containerships is

facilities to handle big boxships, a United Nations report has warned.

The 2014 UN Conference on Trade &Development (UNCTAD) maritime transport review says that many ports on north-south routes are ‘hard-pressed’ to make the necessary investment and they risk relegation to feeder port status as a result.

The study points out that container cranes were traditionally designed to serve ships 13 boxes wide.

Post-panamax designs increased this to 18 containers’ width and the new generation requires a reach of 22 to 23 boxes.

The arrival of ‘megaships’ on key east-west routes is displacing the previously larger vessels to other services, it notes, and this trend is especially evident on north-south routes.

Port planners and investors in infrastructure face a growing challenge in responding to these developments and ‘future-proofing’ facilities and terminals — particularly because of forecasts that vessels of

up to 24,000TEU may be brought into service, UNCTAD adds.

The report suggests that ports not only face financial challenges in keeping pace with these developments, but also strong spatial issues — with bigger ships requiring deeper access channels, wider turning basins, more pilotage facilities, strengthened quays, larger storage areas and more sophisticated terminal operating systems within the port, along with improved land transport links.

UNCTAD says the problems will be particularly acute for ports that serve as main national or regional gateways and face the choice of catering for vessels of around 5,000TEU to 13,500TEU — where the choice of buying cranes to cater for future demand ‘is more of a gamble’.

Ports around the world will also need to invest in new terminal operating systems and information technology that can be integrated with other global systems, the report argues. ‘Port collaboration will be a sign of the future and gradually the differences in port performance will narrow around the world.’

The 19,100TEU CSCL Globe ‒ the latest contender for the title of world’s largest containership ‒ is pictured making its maiden call to the UK port of Felixstowe last month. The 187,541gt vessel is the first of five in a series being introduced by the China Shipping Container Line on its Asia Europe Express service this year. Pictured below is the 18,300TEU Triple-E Marstal Maersk as it became the largest vessel to call at the new Maasvlakte II facilities at the port of Rotterdam last month . The expanded terminal is set to fully open for commercial operations this month.

Union secures U-turn on ferry safety plans Shipping minister agrees to retain emergency locker requirements on UK ferries following ‘persuasive’ arguments

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Nautilus International has welcomed the UK government’s decision to abandon controversial proposals to scrap rules requiring ro-ro passengerships to be fitted with lockers containing emergency equipment.

Following an eight-week consultation and talks between the Union and shipping minister John Hayes, the government said ‘persuasive’ arguments had been made in favour of retaining the regulations, which were introduced following the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster in 1987.

The regulations were developed in response to the findings of the formal investigation into the loss of the ferry

and require ro-ro passengerships to be fitted with on-deck emergency equipment lockers, containing such items as axes, crowbars, lifting gear and ladders.

But in June last year the government tabled proposals to remove the mandatory requirements of the regulations and to end the requirement for goods vehicles and items of cargo over 7.5 tonnes to be weighed in ports before loading.

It argued that these could be revoked ‘because of the effect of other regulatory requirements that have been introduced in the intervening years.’

Nautilus strongly opposed the proposals, arguing that they appeared to be driven by cost-cutting considerations and that it would be wrong to remove

anything that could increase survival chances of passengers and crew in an emergency. ‘We made a robust case for these regulations to remain in place and we are pleased the minister has made the sensible decision to maintain them,’ said Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson.

‘While this is a specific UK requirement, we believe there is a strong case for the UK to take this forward internationally and regionally for all ro-ro passengerships, passengerships and other high-sided vessels such as car carriers and livestock carriers,’ he added.

‘There are incidents where the provision of such equipment would have proved extremely beneficial,’ Mr Grave-

son said, ‘and we now look to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to take this further — especially in the light of incidents such as the Costa Concordia, where passengers had to scramble down a single ladder on the side of the ship, and the capsize of the South Korean ferry Sewol where passengers were trapped inside.’

Although the government agreed to retain the equipment locker rules, it said the minister had decided that safety would not be compromised by associated proposals to revoke three regulations governing the weighing of goods vehicles and other cargo.

Mr Graveson said Nautilus had accepted that this was unlikely to be a substantive issue for ferries operating

on international routes, and the Union believes there are some safeguards within the UK on lorry loads and axle weight that ensure a level of safety for ferries operating in categorised waters and Scottish services.

‘However, we did argue for the necessity to weigh accompanied and unaccompanied freight in containers,’ he added.

‘While there are international measures coming into effect on 1 January 2016, we question how effective they will be as they will be largely reliant on self-declaration,’ he said.

g Nautilus warns against plans to dilute domestic safety management audit rules — see page 12.

Training courses for the maritime and offshore industries

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

44_news.indd 44

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

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

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

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

Tel:

00 44 1502 525025

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

Accredited by

21/01/2015 14:49