Nautilus Telegraph May 2016

Remote control Drone ships will be in service by 2020, experts forecast 44

Salvage worries ‘Mega-ship’ risks highlighted at salvors’ meeting 26-27

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

Volume 49 | Number 05 | May 2016 | £3.50 €3.70

RFA ship stands in for RN’s biggest vessel replenishment ship Fort Rosalie F helped Portsmouth harbour tugs to The Royal Fleet Auxiliary

prepare for the arrival next year of HMS Queen Elizabeth — the largest warship ever built for the Royal Navy.

At 23,384 tonnes and 185.1m in length, the RFA vessel is nearly 100m shorter and nearly three times lighter than the new aircraft carrier — but still considerably larger than any warship currently based in Portsmouth.

Fort Rosalie — which had recently completed a refit at Birkenhead — was met by the Serco tugs Bountiful, Indulgent and Independent just south of the Nab Tower, about 10 miles from the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. Bountiful, with chief Admiralty pilot Nick Randall onboard, took the bow position with the other two tugs at the stern.

The tugs carried out a number of training serials on the approach to

Round Tower before bringing Fort Rosalie into harbour and mooring her at Victory Jetty, which will be one of the quays used by the new carriers when in port.

Fort Rosalie commanding officer Captain Gerard Patterson said: ‘The tugs wanted to practice the techniques required to tow a large ship. They got what they wanted and the beauty of it was it was a lowwater arrival and it doesn’t get any more difficult than that.’ z The amphibious support ship Lyme Bay has won the title of RFA ship of the year in recognition of its work to combat drug smugglers and to provide disaster relief in the Caribbean during 2015.

‘The effort and professionalism of the commanding officers, officers and crew of Lyme Bay is to be applauded,’ said RFA Commodore Duncan Lamb.

‘They should be rightly proud of the accolade of RFA ship of the year.’

Insurers warn on cost-cutting risks Report says safety is being threatened by moves to delay maintenance and cut crewing levels

P

A ‘put it off until later’ policy on vessel repair and maintenance is threatening to reverse an improvement in the shipping industry’s safety record, a major maritime insurer has warned.

While large shipping losses have fallen by 45% over the past decade, the downturn in seaborne trade, the surplus of world tonnage and pressures on charter rates are leading some owners to cut spending in safety-critical areas, according to a report from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS).

The company’s annual shipping safety review also warns that seafarer fatigue, patchy training standards and declining levels of experience among key shorebased staff are adding to worries about accident rates.

Total shipping losses declined by 3% last year, to just 85 vessels of 100gt and above — the lowest level for a decade, the report says.

The number of reported shipping casual-

01_front.indd 1

ties fell by 4% year-on-year, to 2,687.

But AGCS warns that the ‘encouraging’ trend is being put at risk by cost-cutting.

‘Machinery damage (36%) is already the most common cause of shipping incidents and preventative measures is often one of the first shipboard expenses to suffer,’ the report adds.

‘It’s critical that economic pressures do not allow a “put it off until later” mentality to set in,’ it notes. ‘Some shipowners are already stretching maintenance to the longest possible intervals.’

AGCS is also concerned that companies are seeking to make savings by increasing use of condition-based maintenance (CBM) without having detailed procedures and track records, putting undue pressure on crew, who may already be suffering from fatigue or be inadequately trained.

This is akin to ‘allowing the crew to put band aids on the ship’, the report says. ‘The disadvantage of CBM is that the machinery in question needs to be monitored very

accurately. If not, we run the risk of a potential fault going undetected and resulting in a major breakdown — especially in case of fatigue and uniform wear failures.’

The report warns about the safety risks arising from vessel lay-ups — especially when older vessels are reactivated — and senior marine risk consultant Captain Jarek Klimczak said there is an urgent need to address the problem. ‘Lay-ups are not very structured because there are very few standards and no mandatory procedures for lay-up,’ he pointed out.

The report expresses concern at an increase in fatigue-related claims over the past decade and says the International Maritime Organisation needs to speed up a review of its guidelines on the subject.

‘Fatigue will continue to be an issue as the drive to do more with less continued through 2016, aggravated by the pressure to cuts costs,’ warned senior marine risk consultant Captain Andrew Kinsey.

Seafarer shortages are adding to pres-

sure for officers to work longer shift patters, he added. ‘We are multi-tasking our crews and then talking about reducing their numbers — as an industry we are not supporting these people.’

AGCS said it was concerned about evidence that crew training ‘remains under par in some areas — especially with regards to e-navigational aids’.

The report also raises alarm at the diminishing extent of experience among onshore technical staff. ‘Seafarers today come ashore much earlier than they used to, so the level of experience is less,’ said Captain Rahul Khanna, global head of marine risk consulting. ‘With rapid changes in technology onboard, staff onshore can quickly lose touch with what’s onboard ships. There needs to be some sort of bridge or mechanism to keep the onshore staff in better touch with what’s onboard,’ he added. ‘Reducing human error onboard is key, but improving decision-making onshore is also vital.’

Inside F A shore thing

The special course that helps officers move into the top shore-based posts — page 19 F Women’s work

Author chronicles the contribution made by female seafarers over 250 years — page 31

F A new flagship

The Dutch flag was raised on Holland America Line’s new flagship last month — page 44

20/04/2016 12:35

02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Condor told to act over ferry delays

Work starts on Hub 2 addition to the Union’s welfare F and residential facilities at the

Work has begun on a major new

Mariners’ Park Estate on the banks of the river Mersey.

The £2m project will see the construction of 22 new care apartments in the highly anticipated extension to the Trinity House Hub — to be known as the Seafarers UK Centenary Wing.

Seafarers UK — formerly the King George’s Fund for Sailors — has donated £1.17m to support the scheme, which should be completed early in 2017 during the charity’s 100th anniversary year.

The new wing will provide 22 single and double occupancy rooms

for retired and elderly seafarers, and their dependants. As with the firstphase of the Hub, the apartments will be fully accessible, and residents will have access to Mariners’ Park’s highly-rated domiciliary care service, social activities and communal facilities.

Older houses next to the existing Hub have now been demolished as part of the project, which will also provide a new games room for residents, a staff room and extra storage facilities.

The building work forms part of a programme of new developments at Mariners’ Park, which currently accommodates 160 retired seafarers and their dependants.

the Channel Islands following a F series of technical problems with the Protests have been staged in

UK pressed on seafarers’ pay Nautilus lay reps take part in first new training course F

Pictured above are delegates attending the first new-look Nautilus essential lay reps’ course, held at the General Federation of Trade Unions’ Quorn Grange centre last month.

The three-day course is designed to provide lay representatives and liaison officers with the skills and knowledge needed in the role of helping to provide effective support for their work colleagues.

The interactive training is driven by delegates, with activities based on the issues affecting them at work.

Subjects covered included safety, working hours, the blame culture and redundancies.

Other topics addressed included how to recruit colleagues into the

Union, membership services and benefits, bullying and harassment, and dealing with disciplinary and grievance cases.

Senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan said feedback from members on the course had been extremely positive — summed up by one lay rep who said: ‘I now have the confidence and knowledge to put myself forward to members and help them to get involved too.’ g The next essential course will be held between 7 and 9 September, followed by an advanced course between 23 and 25 November.

To apply, contact your Nautilus industrial organiser or Sam Udall at head office — email: sudall@ nautilusint.org.

MPs call for tougher enforcement of minimum wage

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UK government ministers have been urged to end the exclusion of seafarers from National Minimum Wage and Equality Act protection.

In a House of Commons debate last month, Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens warned that exploitative pay and conditions in UK waters are undermining the employment and training of British seafarers.

The debate came as the government prepares to issue new guidance on the application of the NMW to seafarers as a result of a long-running working group led by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and involving Nautilus, the RMT and shipowner representatives.

Pressure for the government to act on the issue has also been intensified with more than 30 MPs signing a Parliamentary motion urging ministers to accept a Low Pay Commission (LPC) recommendation to strengthen the investigation of third party com-

plaints about breaches of NMW compliance in industries such as shipping.

Ms Stevens told the House of Commons that seafarers are the only group of workers who are excluded from the full protection of the NMW and equal pay legislation.

Owners are increasingly recruiting foreign crews to profit from sub-national minimum wage pay rates, she added, and the number of UK officers and ratings has fallen by nearly 60% since the 1980s.

‘Presently, passengers and businesses are travelling on vessels crewed by seafarers who are earning as little as £2.40 an hour,’ Ms Stevens said. ‘This legalised exploitation has systematically undermined maritime jobs in the UK, damaging the skills base and driving up unemployment rates in seafarer communities across the UK.’ She pointed out that an independent review commissioned

by the last Labour government had concluded that there would be no adverse impact on the shipping industry if nationality-based pay differentials for seafarers were outlawed.

Although the report had been rejected by the last coalition government, Ms Stevens said ministers had been forced, under threat of infraction by the European Union, to protect European Economic Area seafarers from nationality-based pay discrimination.

She urged the government to implement the LPC recommendations to strengthen the complaints procedure for third party ‘whistleblowing’ on NMW breaches — arguing that it ‘currently represents the most effective way to tackle pay rates in the shipping industry that fall below the national minimum wage because of the understandable reluctance of the affected seafarers to complain directly to the UK government’.

Global minimum rate for ABs is frozen until 2018 took part in top-level talks last F month on the worldwide minimum

Nautilus International officials

Training fund trustees meet A

Members of the JW Slater Memorial Fund management committee are pictured at Nautilus head office last month at a meeting to discuss the latest batch of scholarships to boost Merchant Navy training.

The Nautilus scheme — named after a former general secretary of the Union — has provided grants totalling more than £4.5m since its inception nearly 40 years ago to help seafarers progress up the career ladder.

02-03_at work.indd 2

The Fund gives up to £17,500 and a discretionary £1,500 completion bonus to help ratings, electrotechnical officers and yacht crew with the costs of studying for their first OOW certificate. It has helped nearly 1,600 ratings to train for officer certificates and is presently supporting a total of 232 seafarers. g Applications can be made through the Marine Society, which administers the scheme for Nautilus — www.marine-society.org/slaterscholarships.

wage for able seafarers.

Maritime unions and employers involved in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) talks agreed to freeze the minimum wage for ABs at its current level of US$614 basic pay per month until at least 2018.

Employers had sought to cut the rate — which is reviewed every two years — arguing that it should be reduced to just $539 a month.

‘As expected, the employers aimed at a reduction of the minimum wage, based on their dramatic discourse about the bad state of trade and their

insecure expectations for the next few years,’ said Nautilus senior national secretary Sascha Meijer.

‘For the seafarers’ side, however, any reduction of the minimum wage was unacceptable,’ she added. ‘While it was disappointing that the rate is not increasing, we have managed to protect the safety net.

‘Nautilus firmly believes in the ILO global minimum wage, she said. ‘It is a measure that contributes to our endeavours to provide protection and decent work to the most vulnerable seafarers in the world.’

Max Johns, from the German owners’ association, said freezing the minimum wage at the rate agreed

in 2016 until at least 2018 ‘means that employers should benefit from a period of stability in what are otherwise very challenging markets for the global industry’.

The International Chamber of Shipping —representing employer groups — said it firmly continues to support the global minimum wage. ‘While the ILO minimum only refers to the basic wage for the nonofficer grade of Able Seafarer, the total minimum payable is actually much higher when account is taken of overtime payments and other pay-related entitlements under the ILO Maritime Labour Convention,’ it added.

fast ferry Condor Liberation.

Residents in Jersey and Guernsey have urged Condor Ferries to improve the reliability of its passenger services between Poole and the Channel Islands in the wake of repeated delays affecting the Bahamas-flagged vessel this year.

As well as having to undergo repairs after suffering hull damage while berthing in a storm in January, Condor Liberation has also had to have work on its ride control system following complaints from passengers.

In March, the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency detained the vessel for three days after a port state control inspection found a total of 11 deficiencies — including main engine propulsion not as required, inoperative steering gear, and fire doors and International Safety Management Code not as required.

Checks also revealed that the vessel’s Maritime Labour Convention certification was invalid and that there was a lack of training for fire drills.

The company said it was aware that ‘public confidence is at a very low point’ — but said it had contingency plans in place to maintain the ‘lifeline’ services to and from the Channel Islands.

Union to join LGBT march LGBT Pride parade in London on F 25 June — and is inviting members Nautilus will be attending the

to take part by marching beneath the Union’s banner.

Senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan said Nautilus will be taking part in the event for the first time this year, building on the motion on equality and diversity tabled by members of the Young Maritime Professionals Forum at the 2015 General Meeting.

Other organisations participating include the Armed Forces and MoD Civil Service, the General Medical Council, London Fire Brigade, Met Police and the Royal College of Nursing. g If you would like to attend, email Mr McGowan: dmcgowan@ nautilusint.org.

UK Branch will meet in Cardiff conference is to be held in F Cardiff, on Tuesday 4 October,

This year’s Nautilus UK branch

members of the Union’s UK national committee have decided.

It will be the fifth UK branch conference since Nautilus International was formed and will continue under the theme of Jobs, Skills and the Future.

The conference will be preceded by meetings of the UK national committee, the Young Maritime Professionals Forum and the Women’s Forum on Monday 3 October. Full details of the meeting and the venue will appear in the next issue of the Telegraph.

20/04/2016 16:01

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Back pay victory for FoC crew Molloy helped to recover some A US$60,000 backpay for seafarers Nautilus/ITF inspector Tommy

on a flag of convenience general cargoship detained in the UK port of Runcorn last month.

The Belize-registered Luka, right, was held for nine days after a Maritime & Coastguard Agency inspection found 21 deficiencies, including owed wages, inadequate food supplies and cooking facilities, missing nautical publications and ISM Code shortcomings.

Mr Molloy said the port state control checks had found the crew on the Russian-owned vessel were owed three months of wages.

The money was paid before the ship was allowed to sail, with one crew member receiving one month’s outstanding wages for July 2014; and another seafarer who had completed his contract was repatriated.

He said there had been a number of Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) issues on the 3,796gt vessel.

‘On top of the problems with wages, the crew’s employment contracts did not make their employer clear and crew time onboard had exceeded the

contractual specified employment terms,’ he added.

If an ITF or International Bargaining Forum (IBF) contract was on the ship, it would have been in compliance with the MLC — or at least would have enabled the non-compliance issues to have been overcome more easily, he pointed out.

Mr Molloy said he proposed

an ITF-approved employment contract to Rosshipcom — the Luka’s owner — but it was declined.

‘Non-payment of wages is a detainable issue and neither we, the authorities, nor any of the other stakeholders within the local maritime community want ships of this nature coming to our ports and leaving in the same situation, without any of the breaches of

international law being rectified,’ he added.

‘Ships like this will arrive in our local ports from time to time,’ Mr Molloy said. ‘But as ITF inspector with responsibility for the area I am determined that they won’t set out to sea from here in the same condition and will work with all local port stakeholders who share that view to ensure that is the case.’

Union talks with new IMO leader Nautilus highlights ‘human element’ issues in meeting at UN agency’s HQ

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Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson had high-level talks at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) last month when he met the recently-appointed new secretary-general of the United Nations specialist agency.

Former seafarer Kaitack Lim took up the post of IMO secretarygeneral on 1 January this year following his election in June 2015.

His seagoing service included time with Sanko Shipping, before he moved ashore to work for the Korea Maritime & Port Administration in 1985 and starting work for the IMO in 2009.

Mr Dickinson said he had been delighted to see the appointment of an experienced seafarer at the helm of the IMO — especially as ‘human element’ issues continue to be so important.

‘We were pleased to see Mr Lim’s election material recognising that more needs to be done to reduce accidents by addressing subjects such as the morale of seafarers, working conditions and the public image of the shipping industry,’ he added.

Mr Dickinson told the IMO leader that Nautilus firmly supports the principle of global regulation of the shipping industry and it wants to see more effective action to ensure that flag states comply with international conventions. Citing the case of

02-03_at work.indd 3

Mr Dickinson presented IMO leader Kaitack Lim with a copy of Stefan Lindberg’s book, Seafarers, which documents working life at sea today

the loss of the Panama-flagged livestock carrier Danny F II, he expressed concern about the failure of some registries to publish investigation reports — raising the risk that important safety lessons are missed.

He said the Union has been a lead voice in the campaign for better controls on seafarers’ working hours and had been a partner in the EU Project Horizon research, which was presented at the IMO. Nautilus is keen to see progress

on measures to address stress, excessive workloads, social isolation, shortfalls in training and fragile employment models, Mr Dickinson said, and the Union also hopes that better ways can be found to ensure the views and experiences of seafarers are heard at the IMO. Mr Dickinson described the meeting — which also involved Ashok Mahapatra, director of the IMO’s maritime safety division — as extremely positive. ‘Mr Lim was very sympathetic to our views and had some good ideas in response to my comments about the voice of seafarers at the IMO,’ he said.

‘He was also very interested to hear of our work on mentoring and transitions, which comes via our women’s and young maritime professionals’ networks,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘He said he was keen on promoting the industry to young people and inspiring seafarers to think of the career beyond the sea phase and how to convey the breadth of careers in the industry.’

Mr Dickinson said the IMO officials were also interested in the Nautilus Federation’s joint assistance and support network (Jason) project to provide reciprocal support for seafaring union members in different parts of the world following incidents or accidents.

shortreports LASER ALERT: Nautilus has expressed concern after shipping minister Robert Goodwill revealed that four laser pen attacks on shipping have been reported in UK waters over the past year. A Freedom of Information Act request by the Press Association revealed that a laser pen had been directed at the bridge of an Isle of Wight ferry in February, causing a dangerous ‘navigational hazard’. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said it was worrying that ships have been subjected to laser pen attacks. ‘In addition to making reports to authorities and management, members are requested to inform Nautilus of any such incidents,’ he added.

RIVER CAMPAIGN: Nautilus International secured extensive media coverage in the Netherlands and Switzerland after staging a week of action to support the campaign for higher wages and improved working conditions in the river cruise sector. Union officials presented passengers with leaflets explaining the case for improved regulations and measures to combat fatigue in the industry, warning that while wages have stagnated for years working periods of 14 to 16 hours a day have become the norm.

SERVICE RECORD: contract problems and unfair dismissals top the list of employment concerns reported by Nautilus members to the Union’s free 24/7 emergency helpline. More than 400 individual seafarers have sought help from service since it launched in July 2014. Seafarers can contact the service by direct emails, free phone calls, or live chat messages and more than one in 10 of those assisted reported various contract problems, while nearly 5% of calls related to unfair dismissal.

SECURITY SHUTDOWN: the directors of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) have put the company into voluntary liquidation following a decline in membership. ‘There has not been a successful hijacking of a commercial vessel in the High Risk Area since May 2012 and this is principally due to the increasing competence and professionalism of the private maritime security industry,’ said CEO Peter Cook.

‘This is the task SAMI set out to achieve and we have done it.’

WAGES WORRY: the head of the Liberian ship register has expressed concern about an increase in cases of crew abandonment as a result of the economic downturn. ‘It is not uncommon that wage payments are delayed and crew changes are prolonged beyond reason,’ Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR) chief executive Scott Bergeron told the CMA Shipping conference in the United States last month.

PRINCESS BOOST: two new 143,700gt vessels are to be built for Princess Cruises as part of a five-ship contract between the Carnival Corporation and the Italian yard Fincantieri. Two other vessels will join the Costa Asia fleet, for deployment in China, and one is designated for the P&O Cruises Australia fleet.

PORTS APPEAL: the Rotterdam and Amsterdam port authorities are leading a challenge to a European Commission ruling that Dutch ports must pay corporation tax from 1 January 2017. The ports complain that foreign competitors do not have to pay such tax and also receive other forms of state support.

TILBURY REFIT: the seafarers’ centre at the UK port of Tilbury has had a £25,000 makeover thanks to a grant from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and will now be able to offer some of its services on a 24/7 basis.

RAIL DEAL: P&O Ferries has entered into a joint unaccompanied ‘piggyback’ transport operation between Calais and Perpignan with VIIA, a subsidiary of French rail, using the freight ferry European Seaways.

BOURBON CUTS: the French offshore support vessel operator Bourbon has warned that it may withdraw up to 20% of its 511-ship fleet this year as a result of the downturn in markets.

20/04/2016 17:54

04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports RMS REDUNDANCIES: Nautilus is involved in consultations with Bibby Ship Management after the company warned that up to 34 members serving onboard RMS St Helena are facing potential redundancy as a result of the vessel’s withdrawal from service. The ship was put up for sale last month and the company has told Nautilus it is committed to minimising the number of job losses.

CARNIVAL UPDATE: environmental officers and technical stores managers onboard Carnival UK vessels have now been included within the Nautilus collective bargaining agreement (CBA) following consultations. The Union is now working with Carnival UK to update the SEAs and the CBA, which is due to be sent to members by the end of April 2016.

FISHER OFFER: members employed by James Fisher have been consulted on proposals for a pay increase in line with CPI inflation. Members have been advised that the proposal for years in rank payments to officers remains at a 1.5% uplift in salary for every three years, up until the maximum of 4.5% is achieved.

NORTHERN MEETING: Northern Lighthouse Board management have agreed to meet Nautilus and the other unions to provide an update on the 2015 pay and conditions review and to discuss the matter further.

Industrial organiser Derek Byrne said members will be advised when an offer has been received.

WESTERN RISE: Nautilus has accepted a 2% pay offer following consultations with members employed

by Western Ferries (Clyde). National ferry organiser Micky Smyth has now written to the company on members’ behalf to formally accept the offer, which is effective from 1 April.

CEMEX CONSULT: consultation with members employed by Cemex UK Marine has shown a majority in favour accepting the company’s 2016 pay offer — 1.6%, in line with the rest of Cemex UK’s business — as well as a bonus of up to 4.8% payable in April.

SCOTLAND SCHEDULE: a meeting to discuss recruitment and retention allowances for members serving with Marine Scotland Compliance is having to be rescheduled. Members will be advised when a new date has been set.

CalMac concern raised at STUC Nautilus calls for continued campaign against tendering

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The long-running campaign to protect Scotland’s lifeline ferry services needs to continue, Nautilus warned the Scottish TUC Congress last month.

Moving a motion from the Union highlighting continued worries about the tendering of Scottish ferry operations, national ferry organiser Micky Smyth warned that the repeated process has ‘created uncertainty, unease and concern for the future’.

Putting the services out to tender raises the prospect that low-cost substandard operators will bid for the routes, posing a threat not only to the existence of the current network, but also to safety, efficiency, and quality jobs and training, he argued.

‘We rightly speak of Scotland’s ferries as lifeline services, providing vital economic and social

connections to communities.

Yet, time and time again, they are being exposed to fierce commercial pressures as they are put out to external bidders,’ he told delegates.

Mr Smyth said the tendering process is not only disruptive and unsettling, but is also unnecessary and expensive — with the 2007 tendering of CalMac having cost Scottish taxpayers more than £15m, or more than half the annual subsidy for the Clyde and Hebrides routes.

‘As experience here and in other parts of Europe has shown — tendering does nothing to safeguard routes or to support the endangered marine species that is the European seafarer,’ he warned. ‘In fact, it does the reverse by opening the door to cut-throat operators and putting pressure on existing service providers to find short-term cuts that have

long-term consequences.’

Mr Smyth described CalMac ‘a rare ray of light for training’ and said its move to provide apprenticeships for ratings was a sign of ‘the added social value of a company committed to the future’.

The Nautilus motion also raised concern over the longrunning delays in discussions on proposals for reform of the CalMac pension fund and urged the STUC to continue to support unions in their negotiations on behalf of members.

A motion submitted by the RMT union highlighted the results of a survey showing that only 10% of Scots support awarding the CHFS contract to Serco and two-thirds support retaining the service in the public sector. The RMT called for the Northern Isles ferry services to be returned to the public sector when the contract is renewed in 2018.

GMSG pledge on UK officer posts that UK officers will be F re-recruited to ‘back deck’ (systems

Global Marine has confirmed

specialist) posts should the market improve, following a meeting between GMSG representatives and Nautilus national secretary Jonathan Havard and industrial organiser Lisa Carr.

Management told the Union that although the ratio of non-UK to UK officers had increased following

redundancies, the actual number of non-UK officers had not. This was due to the redundancies amongst systems specialists, who are almost exclusively UK officers. The company said UK officers would be re-recruited to these posts if the market allowed it.

During the meeting, Nautilus was also given the company’s recruitment strategy for 2016, which will see a variety of positions filled through

rehiring of members or internal promotions. However, in some cases new staff will be employed.

Nautilus also discussed the collective grievance around changes to terms and conditions.

The Union said it was disappointed that the company had made the changes without fully considering alternative options; officials will now consult the legal department.

WESTMINSTER VIEWS: members serving with Boskalis Westminster have been asked to give the Union their views and relevant information ahead of negotiations on this year’s pay and conditions claim.

ENTIER FREEZE: members employed by Entier Manning Services Singapore have agreed to accept a pay freeze following consultations on the company’s offer.

The next pay review will be 1 January 2017.

Ex Tax Inspector at Cardiff Marine - 30 years experience with seafarers’ tax

£195.00 FLAT FEE PER TAX RETURN

01908 583 738

www.taxaidforseafarers.co.uk

04-05_at work.indd 4

International Transport F Workers’ Federation (ITF) call for Nautilus has supported an

action to be taken against flags of convenience in the wake of the ‘Panama papers’ leak.

General secretary Mark Dickinson said the revelations of tax evasion and money laundering in the leaked documents underlined the importance of measures to ensure a ‘genuine link’ between the ownership of a vessel and the flag it flies — in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. ‘The ITF has rightly drawn attention to the parallels between the brassplate companies used to dodge responsibility for tax payments and those that are used by shipping companies to frequently evade responsibility for operating to industry standards for safety and employment,’ he pointed out.

‘It’s no coincidence that Panama — the world’s biggest flag of convenience — is also the global centre for tax evasion and money laundering,’ Mr Dickinson said. ‘However, the UK is also actively involved in supporting such mechanisms — with many of its dependent territories being used in a similar way.

‘For the UK, this means significant unfair competition with the Red Ensign Group of registers being used to prop up the FoC system and undermine the British flag.

The release of the Panama papers underlines the case for the UK to stop its backdoor support for these registers and to make them stand or fall on their own resources. In doing so, the government could also do much to encourage the owners of British ship to return to a reformed and revitalised UK register.’

ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton said that FoCs are form of tax avoidance and their use makes it more difficult for unions, industry stakeholders and the public to hold shipowners to account.

‘As an FoC flag — the largest in the world — Panama is essentially a tax haven like many of the UK territories that have been mentioned in these papers,’ he added. ‘And who pays the price? Seafarers, who are subject to poor conditions and lower wages because they’re at the mercy of a system that allows for minimal regulation and the acquisition of cheap labour.’

New rates for Stena Line

To find out about advertising opportunities in the Telegraph contact: Jude Rosset T: 020 7880 6217 E: jude.rosset@ redactive.co.uk

ITF call on ‘Panama papers’

with proposals for new salary F scales for future entrants in junior Nautilus has been presented

staged a fresh series of ship visits F to meet members serving on Holland Nautilus International has

America Line ships. During the meetings, discussions were held on a wide range of subjects, including the new collective bargaining agreement for the fleet. Pictured with members onboard Rotterdam, Eurodam and Amsterdam are Nautilus industrial organisers Maarten Keuss and Lisa Carr and senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan.

ranks on Stena Line’s North Sea routes. The changes will not affect the current and future rates for senior officers.

The company said the proposals form part of the process of securing a single procedure agreement for its Irish Sea and North Sea operations.

Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth said: ‘We’ve spoken with the company and are now consulting with members. I urge members to make their thoughts known on these proposals before the deadline closes.’

20/04/2016 17:21

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports RFA REJECTION: members serving with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary have voted by 75% to 25% to reject the 1% pay award imposed by management, indicating a wish to balloted on some form of industrial action. National secretary Jonathan Havard has requested an urgent meeting with the Commodore, at which senior national secretary Garry Elliott and liaison officer Russell Downs will also be present, to discuss matters further before a further consultation or ballot of members. This meeting was scheduled to take place in London on 22 April. One of the two candidates for the Nautilus/RFA liaison officer position, Iain Goodchild, has withdrawn his nomination.

It means that the current incumbent, Russell Downs, has been re-elected unopposed. His new term will run for three years from 1 October 2016 until 30 September 2019.

Mark Dickinson with Captain Patrick Blackwell-Smyth and officers during the visit to the European Highlander

Mark Dickinson onboard the Stena Line vessel Superfast 7 with Captain Alistair McCarlie and some of his officers

Second officer Stuart Fyfe (left) and Captain Stephen Ross (right) with Mark Dickinson and Micky Smyth onboard Caledonian Isles

Mark Dickinson and Micky Smyth are pictured with Captain Ian Stevenson and first officer Alex Gooch onboard the CalMac ferry Bute

Mark Dickinson and Micky Smyth with European Causeway members second engineer Dougie Beveridge, night master Jonathan Martin, and second officer Stephen Maskey

General secretary in ferry sector ship visits Mark Dickinson and national F ferry organiser Micky Smyth have Nautilus general secretary

undertaken a series of ship visits to meet members serving in the UK ferry sector.

They visited vessels including Stena Line’s Superfast VII and VII, P&O’s European Causeway

and European Highlander, and Caledonian MacBrayne’s Argyle, Bute and Caledonian Isles.

Mr Dickinson said the visits provided an opportunity for discussions on a wide range of company-related and industry issues, including pension fund developments and new-start

salaries at Stena Line, and the tendering of Caledonian MacBrayne’s services.

He also discussed with members the Union’s position on the UK referendum on European Union membership (see page 24). ‘There is a lot of interest in the issues arising from the Brexit debate and the

potential impact on the shipping industry,’ Mr Dickinson said, ‘and members were supportive of Nautilus taking a position.’

Mr Dickinson thanked members for the warm welcome he had been given during the visits and said he is planning to conduct similar visits to Dover-based ferries in June.

Nautilus urges EU safety crackdown Call for action after ‘damning’ report on loss of ship off the coast of Scotland

P

Nautilus has called for further action to crackdown on substandard shipping in European waters following a UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch report on the loss of a cement carrier and its eight crew off Scotland in 2015.

The MAIB concluded that the capsize of the Cyprus-flagged Cemfjord in ‘extraordinarily violent sea conditions’ was a predictable accident that could have been avoided, with the decision to enter the Pentland Firth rather than to seek shelter the result of poor passage planning and commercial pressures.

04-05_at work.indd 5

Investigators said the 31-yearold vessel had gone down during a voyage from Denmark to the UK port of Runcorn with a 2,084 tonne cargo of cement. The accident went unnoticed ashore because the vessel’s progress through the Pentland Firth was not being monitored and Shetland Coastguard did not require vessels to report when exiting the voluntary reporting scheme area.

The rapid nature of the capsize meant the crew were unable to send a distress message or abandon ship, and the float-free EPIRB did not work because it became trapped in the upturned hull.

The investigation also revealed that the 1,850gt Cemfjord was at sea with significant safety deficiencies related to its rescue boat launching arrangements and bilge pumping system.

In the 13 months before the accident, the ship was found to have spent 54% of its time with exemptions from safety regulations — 40% of this related to lifeboat defects — and 91 deficiencies had been found by port state control.

MAIB chief inspector Steve Clinch commented: ‘This tragic accident is a stark reminder of the hazards faced by mariners at sea

and the factors that can influence decision making in such treacherous circumstances.’

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the report showed the ‘rotten underbelly’ of the shipping industry.

‘Given the damning findings of the investigation, the European Maritime Safety Agency needs to take substantive action to ensure that all ships sailing under member state flags are maintained to appropriate safety. The operation of such older tonnage is unfairly undermining good operators who run modern and environmentally sound ships,’ he added.

FISHING CALL: Nautilus has backed a call for European Union member states to urgently ratify an international convention which aims to ensure decent working and living conditions on fishing vessels. Meeting in Brussels last month, industry social partners said it was imperative that European countries speed up work to coordinate and implement ILO Convention 188 on Work in Fishing as part of efforts to combat unfair competition, forced labour and other abuses in the sector on a global basis.

MAERSK MEETS: a Partnership at Work (PAW) meeting took place on 3 March in Newcastle for members employed by Maersk and working on container vessels. During the meeting attendees were updated on issues including the company’s 2015 financial report, and a request to consider a salary increase for chief engineers due to workload increases and travel day arrangements. The next PAW meeting is due to take place in September.

LCT CLAIM: Nautilus has presented a claim for an above-RPI pay increase and an increase to the bonus and tugs allowance for members employed by LCT Support Services (Newhaven). The Union has also requested talks on issues including unsociable hours, increased workloads and under-staffing. A meeting has been arranged for 10 May at the company’s offices in Newhaven.

HEYN OFFER: members employed by Heyn Engineering Solutions onboard RV Corystes are being consulted on a 0.5% pay offer and improved conditions including TV reception in the mess room. The company has said that wi-fi will not be provided on the vessel for crew due to security implications.

DFDS DEAL: a 2% pay offer has been accepted by members employed by DFDS following consultation.

Industrial organiser Lisa Carr has now written to the company to accept the deal, which will take effect from 1 January 2016.

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20/04/2016 17:21

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports NORWEGIAN ALERT: Norwegian shipowners have warned of further cuts in seafarer employment and training as a consequence of the slump in oil prices.

The Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) said that more than 100 offshore support vessels belonging to its member companies were laid up in February this year.

Some 3,150 jobs were lost in the sector during 2015 and the owners say a further 1,500 posts may go this year.

Norwegian operators presently provide around 1,900 training positions, the NSA said, but it expects that this number could fall by around 200 during 2016 with almost 60% of its members expecting that conditions will worsen this year.

TECHNIP TALKS: a meeting has took place in April between Nautilus officials, liaison officers and management from Technip (Singapore) to discuss a range of issues including the summary of agreements for redundancy terms, changes to the drug and alcohol policy and the evolution of the seafarers’ employment agreement. Nautilus is now consulting members on the company’s proposed new redundancy terms, and views should be submitted by 12 May. SUPPORT SHORTFALL: the UK government’s Budget tax cuts for the offshore sector may be ‘too little, too late’ to reverse the decline in the North Sea, analysts Douglas-Westwood warned last month. The company said that increased investment and new developments would only be secured through higher oil prices, and widespread decommissioning could potentially limit future field activities.

FARSTAD AGREEMENT: proposals by Farstad Singapore for 20 redundancies and 20% pay cut for remaining crew to prevent them from being replaced by Asian seafarers have been accepted by members following consultation. Nautilus has advised the company of this and is seeking clarification on the implementation date.

ATLANTIC ASSURANCE: Atlantic Offshore has said that 260 seafaring and shore-based jobs will be protected following the sale of its Aberdeenbased ERRV and crewing operations to the Norwegian company Aegopodium last month. They were sold by administrators after a period in liquidation.

DONG DEAL: Dong Energy has signed a two-year deal with the offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services for a four workboat crew transfer service to support construction operations at the 91-turbine 580MW Race Bank offshore windfarm.

MAERSK CLAIM: Nautilus is urging members employed by Maersk Offshore (Guernsey) and serving on supply vessels to provide information to help the Union with its submission for the forthcoming 2016 pay and conditions review.

ISLAND LAY-UPS: Norwegian operator Island Offshore has begun talks with unions over job losses following its decision to put two more platform supply vessels into lay-up.

DP vessel guide is updated Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr is pictured with liaison officers and Sealion Shipping personnel manager Captain John Thomson (fourth from the right) during a meeting at the Bush Hotel in Farnham, Hampshire, last month. The meeting was organised to discuss potential changes to terms and conditions for members employed by Seahorse Maritime and serving on Sealion vessels.

Unions warn on job losses Offshore cuts are eroding skills base, Scottish TUC hears

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Nautilus helped to spearhead calls at last month’s Scottish TUC congress for more effective government action to address the jobs crisis in the North Sea. Delegates at the conference voted to support a composite motion calling for an emergency summit with unions and the Scottish and Westminster governments ‘to save and sustain production, jobs, skills and safety across the UKCS’.

Congress heard that an estimated 65,000 jobs have been lost in the sector since the start of 2015 and unions are concerned that cuts in staffing on installations and dangerous shift patterns will undermine safety.

‘This vital industry is seeing decades of skills and experience bleeding away almost unnoticed,’ Nautilus industrial organiser Gary Leech told the meeting.

Speaking in support of the motion, Mr Leech said seafarers are particularly exposed to the cutbacks affecting the sector — and the scale of redundancies ought to be of immense concern to the country.

‘In such a safety-critical industry, the way in which the clock is being turned back on working practices in the North Sea is deeply disturbing,’ he added.

‘Low-cost foreign crews are being brought in with no specialist knowledge and experience of conditions in the North Sea, while fear of redundancy makes workers reluctant to report actual and potential safety breaches, and massive increases in working time are damaging morale and motivation.’

Mr Leech said Nautilus is part of the Offshore Coordinating Group of unions, campaigning to defend jobs and protect health

and safety. ‘There is still a future worth fighting for,’ he said. ‘There are still reserves out there and there is also a post-oil economy to plan for. But building a sustainable future requires collaboration, innovation and common high standards — all of which are absent at the moment.’

Unions want to see a coherent plan that will maximise the remaining opportunities offered by the North Sea oil and gas reserves whilst building a sustainable long-term future based on diversification of energy supplies, wise use of renewables and carbon capture and storage, Mr Leech added.

The motion — which was unanimously approved — called for a study into the future of the offshore oil industry, with analysis of issues such as skills and retraining, working hours, and options on decommissioning.

Contractors Association (IMCA) F has completed a major overhaul The International Marine

of its guidelines for the design and operation of dynamically positioned vessels (M 103).

The revised document now includes generic design and operational guidance, as well as vessel type-specific guidance for 17 representative vessel types that utilise DP in support of the offshore oil and gas and offshore energy industries.

‘The design guidance, based on IMO Circular MSC 645, focuses on the methods for creating fault-tolerant DP systems based on the principles of redundancy; operational guidance focuses on current good industry practice and draws from existing operational guidance from industry,’ said IMCA technical director Richard Benzie.

‘The vessel type-specific guidance focuses on the industrial mission of the vessel and the impact that this has on its design and operation,’ he added.

‘A brief description of the industrial mission is included for each vessel in order to better explain the technical and operational guidance and to give an indication of the risks associated with an inability to maintain position,’ he explained.

M103 was last revised in 2007 and the review was conducted with industry input gathered through the IMCA ‘open forum’ web-based system.

Mr Benzie said the new guidance ‘is right for the current era of DP vessels, and can be easily modified when needed, thanks to our decision to produce only PDF versions of all guidance documents’.

IMCA has also revised M166, Guidance on Failure Modes & Effects Analyses, which highlights industry good practice in the use of FMEA techniques when applied to the technical systems associated with offshore vessels and, in particular, DP systems.

Twelve posts set to go after Ocean Supply lay-up announced further job losses, F with up to 12 seafarers employed by Ocean Supply (Guernsey) has

the company facing redundancy.

The moves comes after the company decided to put the anchor-

Manifesto for UK offshore

handling supply tug Ocean Spey into lay-up this month and to review manning levels in an attempt to reduce operating costs.

The positions affected are two chief officers, two second officers,

three second engineers, two motormen, two bosuns and one cook.

Following initial discussions with the Union the company said it is committed to exploring ways of

avoiding compulsory redundancies and has agreed to seek volunteers in the first instance. Terms will be based on statutory redundancy and the notice period will be as specified in members’ terms and conditions.

BPOS meeting on redundancies Lisa Carr is pictured right with A Union liaison officers Keith Edmunds Nautilus industrial organiser

F

UK offshore operators have published a manifesto outlining key areas the next Scottish government should concentrate on, to ensure the future of the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Launching the document last month, Oil & Gas UK urged members of the Scottish Parliament to create a supportive business environment that keeps Scotland internationally competitive, delivers world-class infrastructure, and supports skill development and retention.

It backs the introduction of the apprenticeship levy and calls for a centre to develop technology for making the most of existing fields.

06_offshore.indd 6

and Chris Sterry and Boston Putford Offshore Safety (BPOS) management during redundancy talks last month.

BPOS announced the start of a 30-day consultation process on up to 19 redundancies following the decision to lay-up the UK-flagged standby safety vessel Putford Artemis in response to the North Sea slump.

Nautilus has asked the company to consider seeking voluntary redundancies in the first instance via natural wastage or early retirement.

The company has agreed to do this and the Union is also seeking an enhanced severance package.

20/04/2016 17:22

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

Union alarm over marine office cuts Maritime & Coastguard Agency is urged to reconsider Tyne closure plans

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Nautilus and the RMT union are opposing a plan by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to close its Newcastle marine office as part of a shake-up of its survey and inspection operations.

The two unions have also expressed concern over the short timescale — just one month — for the public consultation on the plans, with Nautilus warning that many of the changes appear to have been pre-determined or have already taken place.

The MCA proposals form part of programme to transform its survey and inspection work — being taken in parallel with the move to split the UK Ship Register away from its regulatory and safety management activities.

Under the plans, the MCA will close the Tyne and Plymouth offices in 2017, Beverley, Harwich

and Orpington in 2018, and Norwich in 2019. The Agency says the plans were developed on the basis of workloads and operating costs in each office, and will result in savings of around £400,000 a year.

The Agency is proposing to open new offices in Bridlington and Ipswich — but, overall, the national network of marine offices will be cut from 17 to 10, with offices at Brixham, Leith and Newlyn already vacated.

In its response to the consultation, Nautilus says it understands the need to make savings and the advantages that advances in technology can offer. ‘However, this should not be used as a means of reducing either the service to shipowners and seafarers and/ or a reduction in the level of safety associated with UK-registered vessels,’ it cautions.

‘Survey and inspection of ves-

sels is inextricably linked to the overall quality of service, including examination of seafarers for certificates of competency,’ the Union adds. ‘Therefore it is important that an adequate survey and inspection service is retained, as is the capability for oral examinations throughout the UK.’ Nautilus says that while it may be sensible to relocate and reduce the number of offices, it has grave concern over the plan to close the Newcastle office.

‘Closure would be detrimental not only to the NE of England but in particular to one of the four major nautical colleges in the UK,’ it notes.’ While accepting there is no such office at Fleetwood, the distance to Liverpool is relatively short whereas from South Shields to the nearest marine office is considerable and transport links are poor.’

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the proposed closure of the Tyne office posed ‘a particular threat to the NE economy and the cluster of maritime workers and services in the region, including the offshore supply and decommissioning sectors’.

The MCA is also proposing changes to its working practices, including issuing certificates digitally, moving its Seafarers’ Documentation System online, and making more use of classification societies for ship surveys and inspections.

Nautilus has restated its opposition to the use of recognised organisations, pointing to their commercial links with shipowning interests. And the Union argues that it is ‘essential that surveyors are duly compensated for skills and experience and the hours worked’.

Nautilus calls for urgent review of UK CECs conduct an urgent review of the way it issues A Certificates of Equivalent Competency (CECs) to Nautilus has urged the UK government to

foreign seafarers.

The Union’s comments come in response to the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) decision to extend its current 10-yearly regulatory review of shipping-related legislation beyond primary and secondary legislation.

Nautilus said it was disappointing that the focus of the review ‘appears to be to the benefit of ship owners with no consideration of the “burdens” faced by seafarers’. It also called for assurances that

all regulations arising from inquiries into shipping incidents are retained unless it can be shown that they have been superseded by technological advances or improved legislation.

Nautilus said the MCA should consider improvements in examination and certification arrangements to ease some of the burdens faced by seafarers — including the ability to fully complete Notices of Eligibility online.

The Union also urged the UK to ratify ILO Convention 185 on seafarer identity documents, with all records held centrally on a single secure database. ‘This would reduce administration,

simplify records, assist in preventing fraudulent certification, and increase security,’ Nautilus pointed out. ‘Seafarers would benefit from travel and shore leave without the need for visas.’

Senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the UK should also revisit the results of its 2007 review of the CEC system. ‘The English and legal knowledge tests are inadequate,’ he pointed out.

‘A single oral examination conducted by a surveyor would give the assurance of both proficiencies in the English language and comprehensive knowledge of maritime expertise in the appropriate areas consistent with rank.’

Dr Grahaeme Henderson, who heads Shell’s marine operations, is the new president of the UK Chamber of Shipping

Owners’ leader warns on safety the safety of seafarers, the F new president of the UK Chamber of

More must be done to improve

Shipping has said.

In his inaugural address, Dr Grahaeme Henderson — vice president of shipping and marine at Shell — said he wanted to put safety as a priority issue during his year leading the owners’ organisation.

‘I have asked the families of our seafarers what is the most important thing to them when their loved ones are at sea and without hesitation, they all say safety,’ he said.

‘There is nothing worse than a major incident. No one wins. People are killed and injured, the memories last forever and time never heals.

Reputations are damaged and the costs are high.’

Dr Henderson warned that while ship losses have halved over the past decade, there is evidence that crew safety is not improving at the same rate — and some studies have found it to be getting worse. ‘We must identify why that is the case, and move

MN is a mystery to 85% of the public unaware of what the Merchant F Navy is and what it does, according

An amazing 85% of UK adults are

Industry ‘firsts’ for Windstar Cruises master Acredited with several shipping A Nautilus member is being

industry firsts after being appointed as master of the 5,703gt motor-sail yacht Wind Star.

Belinda Bennett, left, is not only the first female captain serving with the luxury passengership operator Windstar Cruises, but is also understood to be the first black cruiseship master.

Capt Bennett, who was born in St Helena, began her career at the age of 17 as a deck cadet onboard RMS St. Helena. She served on the vessel for nine years and rose to the rank of second officer, before working as chief officer on a private charter yacht and

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on Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ferries.

She joined Windstar Cruises as second officer at the Port of Monaco in September 2005 and says: ‘Having been with Windstar for the past 11 years, I couldn’t be more honoured to serve as captain with such a respected and hard-working team. Earning this title has been a long and exciting professional journey.’

Windstar Cruises chief executive officer Hans Birkholz said he was ‘thrilled’ at the appointment: ‘Belinda’s leadership qualities and hard work have made her an asset to our team and invaluable to her colleagues and crew.’

towards delivering a step change with shipping companies working together to a common goal of a zero-incident industry,’ he added.

Dr Henderson said he hoped the industry would take the opportunities offered by the government’s Maritime Growth Study to grow the UK flag and recruit more seafarers.

‘A key part of what makes us a maritime nation is not just our global reach, but the jobs we create here at home,’ he noted. ‘That emotional attachment people have to the sea and seafaring way of life is an important part of our influence, and our claim to be a truly British industry.

We must protect that. British seafaring jobs are in decline and we will work with government to find a solution.’

Dr Henderson also highlighted the environment as a key issue — warning that the projected growth in emissions from shipping is ‘simply unacceptable’. He said the industry has a responsibility to set its own reduction measures, without the need for legislation.

to research carried out for the Royal Merchant Navy Education Foundation (RMNEF).

The survey found that one-third of respondents had heard of the Merchant Navy, but admitted to not knowing what it is.

More than one-quarter incorrectly believe it is part of the Royal Navy and only 5% considered the Merchant Navy to be an important organisation.

Nearly one person in 10 said they had never heard of the Merchant Navy. The researchers found that the levels of awareness were lower among young people — although even among the over-55s only 33% of people said they knew what the merchant fleet is.

RMNEF chief executive

Commander Charles Heron-Watson commented: ‘The temptation might be to think “Ah well, kids these days…”

— but as our research shows, even the older generations have been quick to forget how Merchant Navy ships helped secure victory in the Second World War. ‘The Merchant Navy remains enormously important, and while it is not as visible as the armed forces, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be fighting hard to raise awareness once again,’ he added.

The RMNEF — which provides educational support to the children of MN seafarers — published the Bridge Report last year in an attempt to remind the public of the role played by merchant shipping in British history and to highlight the fact that more than 90% of the UK’s international trade continues to go by sea.

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07_news.indd 7

20/04/2016 12:36

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Ex-Soviet ice-breaker now an expedition yacht returned to service as an expedition yacht A following a major year-long refit at a Dutch yard.

A former Soviet Navy icebreaking tug has

Originally built by IHC in 1973, the 77m vessel — now named Legend — served with the Soviet Navy for more than 20 years before conversion into a superyacht in 2003.

Last month Legend was re-launched at the Icon Yacht yard in Harlingen, the Netherlands, following a project which has resulted in extensive interior and exterior redesign, and included lengthening the stern by 3.6m, transforming the aft deck into a commercially certified helicopter deck, and creating more deck space.

Industry alarmed at spate of fires on superyachts

by Michael Howorth

fires in less than 18 months has H caused concern in the industry and A spate of seven superyacht

has even attracted attention from the mainstream media.

The incidents include Notorious, a Feadship dating from 1953 – previously owned by US president Gerald Ford, and famous for being used by Charlton Heston during the filming of Planet of the Apes – which caught fire while hauled for major repairs in the United States.

The 25m Ocean 5 burst into flames and sank in July last year following an onboard explosion off Piraeus. Not long after that, the 31m superyacht Angra, owned by Italian film producer Aurelio De Laurentiis, caught fire while anchored off Posillipo, near Naples, Italy.

This was followed by the loss of the iconic superyacht The One, designed by the late Jon Bannenberg. The 71m yacht was declared a total loss after catching fire in Marmaris, Turkey. No one was injured during the incident, but the flames spread to the 52m Barbie which was also declared a total loss. The 29m Queen Anna burned out in Fethiye, Turkey, and the 26m Positive Energy was wrecked in a fire in Charlotte Amilie, in the US Virgin Isles.

Writing for Bloomberg, Polly Mosendz questioned Al Golden, president of US-based International

Marine Insurance Services, which insures around 14,000 boats, who said: ‘Almost always, when a boat catches fire and it’s in a marina, and there are numerous boats downwind from it, the fire spreads pretty rapidly.’

But is it cash-strapped owners seeking insurance bail-outs in a weak economy or just a run of bad luck?

Nancy Sprigg, manager of the yacht department of insurance group Gowrie, thinks it is unlikely to be insurance fraud but does concede that her firm has dealt with around 25 fire claims over the past 40 years and points out ‘When it comes to fire, arson is an exclusion. If there is a fire on a large yacht, we have to do due diligence and find out the cause of origin, it is always investigated.’

It is far more likely that fires are being caused by owners cutting back on crewing costs and maintenance schedules.

Older and smaller boats are typically more at risk, says Joe Foggia, a yacht sales broker at Northrop & Johnson. ‘As wires get older and they chafe on the metal structure, any of that kind of stuff can create a fire,’ he adds.

Electrical fires are most commonly to blame on yachts — from faulty connections to docks, wiring damage from salt water, and poorly trained ill-equipped crew. Issues in the fuel system and galley fires are also concerns.

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. zContact the membership ddepartment either via email or telephone to receive your free SRB. te

08_yachts.indd 8

Now a Class 1B icebreaking passengership, Legend can accommodate up to 26 guests and 19 crew, and up to 10 specialist expedition crew. The vessel will operate in the charter market for Verkerk Yachting Projects and after attending this year’s Monaco Yacht Show she will spend her first winter cruising South America and Antarctica.

Union aids crew in fatal accident Nautilus supports members after yacht officer is killed by anchor chain

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Nautilus International has provided extensive advice and support to members involved in a horrific incident in which a superyacht crew member was killed while lowering an anchor off the coast of Thailand.

The Union has also been pressing for assurances that the results of a flag state investigation into the accident will be published so that vital safety lessons can be learned.

The incident involved Bulgarian third officer Toni Hristov Kolev onboard the 140m superyacht Ocean Victory, registered in the Cayman Islands.

Initial reports said he had been killed after his legs were struck by the anchor chain when the windlass brake failed and the bitter end broke off while the vessel was anchoring in calm seas, some 0.7 miles east of the island of Koh

Tachi, in the waters of Thailand’s Mu Ko Similan National Park.

Fellow crew members tried to desperately save Mr Kolev’s life, providing him with first aid and CPR for several hours. He was taken ashore by a rescue boat and transferred to an ambulance, but was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital.

Phuket police said they had concluded an investigation into the incident, ruling that it was an accident and that no criminal charges should be filed.

Nautilus has given guidance and support to members onboard the vessel, including making initial representations to Thailand’s maritime authority and Ocean Victory’s managers over concerns about safety onboard, as well as seeking to ensure that post-incident counselling and rights to repatriation were provided.

‘Our main interest has been

the ongoing welfare and safety of those seafarers and Union members onboard the vessel, ensuring that they have received the appropriate support from the yacht management company and flag state,’ said senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan. ‘This has involved Nautilus officials in the UK and in Antibes liaising with both of those organisations, along with the local regulatory authorities.

‘All members will also be represented when the appropriate time comes for negotiation surrounding any relevant payments outstanding to them,’ he added.

‘In the coming weeks and months, regulatory authorities are likely to look into the incident more deeply, apportioning responsibility and making relevant recommendations.

‘Our members will continue to receive support throughout these

investigations and inquiries,’ Mr McGowan said. ‘Nautilus has written to the yacht management company to provide them with the opportunity to work in formal partnership with the Union, to reduce the risks of similar incidents occurring in future.’

Nautilus has also been assured by the Cayman Islands authorities that the accident is being investigated in accordance with the IMO Casualty Investigation Code. An initial bulletin issued by the flag state stresses the need for danger areas and snapback zones around anchoring equipment to be clearly marked and for equipment to undergo regular inspection and maintenance.

Built by Fincantieri in 2014, Ocean Victory is one of the largest superyachts in the world and is owned by Victor Rashnikov, a billionaire in the Russian steel business.

North Sea last month is Plvs Vltra A — the first in a series of three 74m Pictured undergoing trials in the

Amels 242 superyachts being built at the Dutch company’s Vlissengen facilities. The 1,725gt Project Freefall vessel is the fourth largest to have been built by Amels and will accommodate up to 12 guests and 19 crew. Powered by two diesel engines, Plvs Vltra is capable of a top speed of 16 knots, with a maximum range of 5,000nm at 12.5 knots.

Moran Yacht & Ship sold the project and the brokerage firm’s construction team was onboard since the beginning to oversee the build.

Sector predicts a record year sector are suggesting that 2016 F is set to be the best year ever for the Key players in the superyacht

industry. Brokers and shipyards have revealed a positive start to 2016 with strong sales, continued growth and optimism.

Burgess Yachts confirmed that greater revenue had been achieved in 2015, compared with 2014. ‘This year is looking very strong out of the blocks,’ said sales director Rupert Nelson.

A number of superyacht shipyards

revealed strong starts to 2016, including the Damen-owned Amels, which currently has 10 Limited Editions superyachts and five SeaAxe yacht support vessels in build at its facilities.

Fellow Dutch shipyard Heesen Yachts currently has 10 superyachts under construction, ranging from 47m to 70m in length.

The US sector is a particular target market for 2016 and superyacht shows are also reporting a promising start to the year, with record visitors at Yachts Miami Beach and Boot Dusseldorf.

Data from the industry body British Marine shows that the UK superyacht sector is also doing well, with revenue up 10% on last year to £542m and companies in the sector staging a week-long ‘tour of excellence’ last month in a bid to attract more international business.

British Marine chief executive Howard Pridding commented: ‘British captains and crews are highly respected in the industry and the UK is a centre for their training and recruitment.’

20/04/2016 12:37

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

IMO urged to improve watertight door safety Union backs calls for the use of systems to prevent seafarers from being crushed as doors close

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Nautilus has backed a European Union move to secure new International Maritime Organisation measures to cut the number of accidents involving watertight doors.

A paper presented to the IMO’s ship systems and equipment sub-committee by the EU last month proposed the introduction of anti-crushing protection (ACP) technology to prevent seafarers from being killed or injured in watertight doors.

Nautilus has been pressing for improvements to the standards governing watertight doors, highlighting the fact that it is more than 100 years since the last major changes were made — when warning lights were added to supplement bells.

Although the SOLAS Convention requires as few watertight doors as possible in sub-division bulkheads, their use has

been increasing in recent years — and some cruiseships now have as many as 70 doors.

As part of its work on passengership safety, the IMO has reviewed the conditions under which watertight doors may be opened during navigation and EU member states have tabled proposals to reduce the number of accidents involving seafarers being crushed when doors are closed.

Some reports suggest that at least one seafarer is killed every year after being trapped, with many more suffering amputations and other injuries.

The EU noted that ACP-equipped doors are used in the offshore industry — with some rigs equipped with a safety strip system that uses laser beam sensors to prevent crew from being crushed — and such technology is a mandatory requirement in many shore-based health and safety regu-

lations. ‘It should be underlined that there are even possibilities to install ACP on existing watertight doors,’ the paper added.

The sub-committee was urged to adopt a design for power-operated doors, which could be over-ridden when required, to spring back when in routine use. The EU proposed that ACP should be required for new ships after an agreed date — and that it should be considered for cargo ships as well as passenger vessels.

Speaking at the meeting on behalf of the International Federation of Ship Masters’ Associations, Nautilus professional and technical assistant David Appleton backed the plans and said the introduction of ACP would save many lives. ‘Technology exists, and is commercially available, that can prevent serious injury and death to seafarers during routine operations,’ he added. ‘This

technology also maintains the current safety levels with regards to watertight subdivision through the use of safety over-ride functions.’

German delegate Anneliese Jost told the meeting that the IMO has been debating the issue for more than 30 years and it is time to take it forward so that risks to seafarers can be minimised. ‘Technical developments will help us to continue to achieve a better solution for people onboard,’ she added.

Progress on the proposals has stalled, however, with some flag states and industry groups expressing opposition to the paper.

The EU has been asked to provide further information and technical analysis to support the case and a working group has been established to consider relevant industry standards for ACP that can be applied in the maritime sector.

ABP’s pilot apprentices begin training A

Three seafarers have started training on the UK’s first ever marine pilotage apprenticeship scheme, which was launched by Associated British Ports (ABP) late last year.

They were chosen from almost 40 applicants from across the country and will undertake two years of training and complete final assessments — including a full act of pilotage within the training district — before joining the team of 218 ABP pilots at the company’s 21 ports.

The course — which was written and developed by ABP’s marine training manager Martin Gough — covers tug and pilot launch familiarisation, man overboard procedures, and ship simulator work including bridge/pilot resource management and targeted trips and situations.

‘This new scheme was developed following the success of our port marine operations apprenticeship,’ Mr Gough explained. ‘We have long known there was a need to get young people into the marine

industry and developing a marine pilotage apprenticeship scheme made perfect sense.

‘The traditional route into pilotage, of spending many years at sea, usually qualifying as master mariners before coming ashore, means the average age of

pilots is quite high and that needs to be addressed,’ he added. ‘By developing the apprenticeship scheme to ensure it complies with the requirements of the National Occupational Standards for Marine Pilots and IMO resolution A960, we can reduce the amount of time

required to be spent at sea and focus the training on developing the specific skills required by a marine pilot.’

The three apprentices are Kym Hughes, Tom Donaghy and Jonathan Sleep. Mr Hughes completed his cadetship with Carnival UK and

reached the rank of second officer before making the transition to the apprenticeship. ‘I’ve always wanted to be a pilot and had been looking at gaining experience by staying at sea for many more years,’ he said. ‘This apprenticeship has opened up an alternative path for me, allowing me to gain experience which is directly relevant to the job, in preparation for gaining my first authorisation next year.’

Mr Donaghy has worked at North Star Shipping, Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL) and in the marine operations department in Dublin Port. ‘The apprenticeship scheme is a fantastic opportunity to achieve a career goal of becoming a marine pilot,’ he said.

Mr Sleep added: ‘During my time onboard geotechnical research vessels I was given the opportunity to learn and practice ship manoeuvring and ship handling on a variety of vessels. This was always the fun part of the job and enjoying that can only be beneficial to my new chosen career.’

‘Seafarers can reduce cyber risk’ prevent cyber attacks on their F ships, an industry conference heard

Seafarers need to be trained to

last month.

‘With increased emphasis on minimising cyber risks, education and training of the seafarers is vital, but it must be supported from the top,’ Videotel chief executive told the cyber-security roundtable at the CMA Shipping conference in Connecticut.

‘Crew need to be aware of the risks, for example, of bringing unlicensed material onboard, which could introduce a virus or other problem.’

Rick Driscoll, vice-president of satellite products and services with KVH Industries, said shipping companies need to apply the ‘best practice’ measures used for networks ashore. ‘Ship operators need to make sure there’s a process that is consistent throughout their organisation, especially as ships are increasing their data usage,’ he added.

‘For example, a vessel’s digital systems must be configured to ensure personal devices brought onboard by the crew use a network separate from ship operations, and that individual passwords are utilised when logging onto the ship’s computer systems, rather than relying on one password common to the ship,’ he argued.

ITF welcomes Maersk deal on charters F

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has welcomed Maersk’s agreement to ensure that any vessel it charters has an ITF or similar agreement covering crew conditions.

The Maersk Group owns and charters around 500 ships, and already has collective bargaining agreements for its directly owned fleet and ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith welcomed the company’s decision to ensure crews on chartered vessels are protected.

‘This closes a circle that has been kept open by, in some cases, vessel providers who have told Maersk they have agreements onboard when we know they haven’t,’ she added. ‘It shows that Maersk Group is reaching for high standards and behaving in a responsible and praiseworthy manner.’

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09_news.indd 9

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10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NEWS

West Africa kidnap risks raise concern Charity moves to appoint care worker for seafarers attacked in the region

P

Rescued refugee is now a ship master thousands of Vietnamese A ‘boat people’ rescued by merchant Ngoc Nguyen was one of the

vessels in the 1970s and 80s — saved by the Maersk Line containership Arnold Maersk in 1981, when he was a child.

Now, 35 years on, he is serving as a master with Maersk — fulfilling an ambition that began when he and his family were rescued, along with 65 other refugees, from a boat in the South China Sea as food, fuel and water were running out.

Stepping onto Arnold Maersk’s lowered gangway, the 13-year-old Nguyen caught a glimpse of Captain Jørgen Orla Hansen. It was then that he decided: ‘One day I will become a captain on a ship like this so that I can do what the captain onboard did.’

After spending six months in a former army camp in Hong Kong,

Fleet Xpress ‘will boost crew links’ communications company F Inmarsat has launched its longMaritime satellite

awaited Fleet Xpress service — claiming that it will deliver a major boost for crew connectivity.

The high-speed broadband service utilises the new Global Xpress satellite constellation and will open up access to functions such as realtime monitoring, remote diagnostics and telemedicine, as well as offering new seafarer welfare benefits.

‘Fleet Xpress is a groundbreaking new service that will shape communications at sea beyond recognition,’ said Inmarsat maritime president Ronald Spithout.

‘It will provide the guaranteed high-speed connectivity that is essential to support the safest and most efficient vessel operations, anywhere in the world. While, in parallel, it will match the personal connectivity needs of even the most demanding modern seafarer, delivering services previously available only onshore.’

As a fully integrated service, Fleet Xpress switches automatically between Ka-band and L-band, to provide an ‘always on’ guaranteed connection with a committed information rate.

10-11_news.indd 10

the Danish government granted the family asylum as a Danish vessel had rescued them. ‘We were so lucky to have the opportunity to stay in Denmark,’ he says. ‘The people were very kind and helpful. We got an education, we got jobs, then we got married and had children.’

As time passed, Nguyen stayed true to the vision he had as a boy.

In 1989, he joined Maersk Line as a cadet. He left for two years to serve in the Royal Danish Navy, but returned in 1997 and worked his way up to become chief officer in 2001 and a captain in 2014.

Following his experiences, Nguyen offers this advice: ‘Never give up. We have to fight for the things we want, and, in the end, maybe we will have a little bit of luck. In my case, my luck began on the day I met Arnold Maersk and went on to begin a new life.’

The number of seafarers being kidnapped and held for ransom off the coast of west Africa appears to be on the increase, a leading piracy charity official has warned.

And, to help crew recover from the trauma of attacks, the International Seafarers Welfare Assistance Network (ISWAN) is looking to employ a counsellor in the region to provide post-incident support.

According to statistics from the International Maritime Bureau, a total of 19 seafarers were held hostage off Nigeria during 2015. So far this year, the total has risen to almost 30.

Tom Holmer, who leads ISWAN’s Maritime Piracy Human-

itarian Response Programme (MPHRP), said last month: ‘There seem to be a lot more seafarers kidnapped this year. The figure has already surpassed the haul for last year. Kidnapping seafarers seems to be a bit of a pattern.’

ISWAN is looking to base the counsellor in Nigeria as a way of improving the aftercare for seafarers who have been the victims of pirates. The position would provide them with general care and psychological support as they return to normal life following captivity.

‘Nigeria is huge and quite dangerous, so whatever we put in will probably have to be inside ports and quite carefully targeted,’ explained Mr Holmer. ‘It’s post-

trauma care and we hope to be able to refer people on for other treatment if needed. We thought we’d try it and see how it goes.

‘We’ve got interest in funding the social worker and we’re looking to see who’s available in Nigeria to offer this,’ he added.

‘What we’re looking at now is less purely piracy programmes and more slightly more generalised welfare programmes that have piracy content. In Nigeria, for instance, it’s not only piracy; a lot of it will be concerned with the after-effects of violence and hostage taking. It’s a bit more general.

Increasingly we’re trying to look in more general terms in crisis,’ he added.

Chirag Bahri — who experi-

enced piracy first-hand off the coast of Somalia when he was held hostage for eight months between 2010 and 2011 — now works as MPHRP’s regional director for south Asia and said Gulf of Guinea piracy can leave seafarers extremely traumatised.

‘West African piracy tends to be more violent in nature because they have less time to complete all the tasks that they intended to do — coming onboard, taking the cargo or taking people as hostage — as the navy is on them,’ he explained.

‘Seafarers have lost their lives or can come back more traumatised. The period of captivity is usually not that long but it can be extreme.’

Security firm highlights GoG ‘blight’ and ransom of seafarers off Nigeria is starting F to run rampant — and that the crime is ‘proving a Security experts have warned that the kidnap

far more effective business plan’ for pirates than hijacking ships.

Dryad Maritime said its first-quarter report on incidents of piracy and crime against seafarers showed the Gulf of Guinea ‘continues to blight an otherwise cautiously optimistic analysis’.

From January to March, pirate action groups had been ‘operating with impunity in the face of overstretched Nigerian naval patrols’, it warned.

A total of 14 merchant ships had been attacked off Rivers and Bayelsa States, and in six of these incidents 23 crew members were kidnapped for ransom.

In contrast, Dryad said Somali piracy continues to be broadly contained — with no confirmed attacks

on large merchant vessels since January 2014. And in SE Asia there has been a fall of more than 50% in reported maritime crime compared with the same period in 2015.

‘The first three months of 2016 have visibly demonstrated the dynamic nature of maritime crime and how effective action to combat it can turn the tide in favour of the good guys,’ said chief operating officer Ian Millen.

MN Medal nominations needed now Seafarers A

Nautilus members have been urged to send in their nominations for a new state award — the Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service — which was announced by the UK government in November 2015.

The new awards — the first of which will be presented later this year

— will replace the existing Merchant Navy Medal, which has been given by the Merchant Navy Medal Committee, on behalf the industry, for the past decade in recognition of meritorious service and acts of courage afloat.

The committee — which is administered by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board — has offered to

help the Department for Transport (DfT) review submissions for the new award to ensure they meet the criteria outlined in the nomination guidance notes.

The first of the new medals will be announced on Merchant Navy Day — 3 September 2016. Nominations are due to be reviewed in late June and

these should be submitted in sufficient time to be properly assessed.

Nomination forms are available on the Merchant Navy Medal website —merchantnavymedal.org They can also be sent direct to the DfT, which is responsible for recommending awards to the minister.

Mariners’ Park tribute to former resident retired seafarers at Nautilus A International’s Mariners’ Park Two new bungalows for

Mariners’ Park residents Gordon Gibbons, Sheena Shaw, Anne Corlett, Marion Nicholson and Muriel Eady visit one of the two new bungalows dedicated to Mr Tunstall

Estate in Wallasey have been dedicated to a former resident whose generous donation made the work possible.

Former Elder Dempster purser John Tunstall, who died last year at the age of 89, has been honoured with a commemorative plaque mounted outside both bungalows which are named after his favourite ships — Fulani and Aureol.

The new bungalows replace two older semi-detached houses previously converted to apartments in the 1970s. The work was made possible by a donation from Mr Tunstall, who lived at the Care Home on the estate from 2011 until his death last year.

get BYOD service

introducing high-speed internet F facilities across its 65-ship fleet, giving Carisbrooke Shipping is

crew members wi-fi access from their own devices.

The company plans to complete the roll-out of the Marlink Ku-band VSAT service by the end of the year, providing throughput up to 1028 Kbps (downlink) and global coverage with unlimited MSS (L-band) back-up, in addition to Local Numbers and Virtual Private Networks (VPN).

The service includes the XChange BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) option for crew members. The system will enable Carisbrooke seafarers to communicate with friends and family using their own smartphones, tablets and laptops, with internet access through pre-paid cards.

Carisbrooke says the VPN system will enable remote control of IT equipment and systems onboard.

‘Improved control and management of systems and computer networks from ashore is a big plus, but more importantly, Marlink VSAT gives our crew members onboard access to modern, reliable and fast communication services that can even be used from their own devices,’ said fleet technical director Martin Henry.

20/04/2016 12:38

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

RN officers given a taste of the MN at Warsash is pictured right in one of F Warsash Maritime Academy’s

Royal Navy officer Sam Jacques

bridge simulators as he took part in a training day to provide an insight into merchant shipping operations.

He was among a group of RN warfare officers who were able to use the Academy’s full mission and multi-purpose bridge simulators to experience the realities of manoeuvring large ships in constrained waters.

Lieutenant Commander David Carter, the RN’s Merchant Navy liaison officer, commented: ‘It’s wonderful that these officers can be exposed to the differences necessary in ship operations in the Merchant Navy because they can take away

some real gems of ship handling that will shape the way they will then conduct their work for the future.’

Sub Lt Jacques, who has just finished initial warfare officer training at HMS Collingwood added: ‘It’s been a fantastic opportunity to be able to see the Merchant Navy side of maritime operations — it’s very different. One thing that was difficult to adapt to was that a Royal Navy warship is like a Ferrari; they speed up very quickly and can turn on a sixpence, whereas driving the Merchant Navy simulator today was like driving an HGV.’ The workshop was a taste of what the officers could expect in the future, as the RN and MN work more closely to develop professional

seafarer training. ‘What we’re aiming for is that, in terms of technical qualification, the RN officers are as close to our civilian counterparts as possible during their training,’ Lt Cdr Carter explained. ‘That’s value added to naval retention and professionalism: the officers get an incentive to stay in the Navy, knowing they’ve got qualifications to transfer and enjoy a second career at sea at the end of it.’

Steve Window, programme group leader of bridge simulation at Warsash, added: ‘At the end of the day, whether you are in the Royal Navy or Merchant Navy, you are still engaged in the act of taking ships to sea. It’s an area of commonality that we need to build on going forward.’

Investigators warn over boxship fire challenges Union urges industry to act after report blames undeclared hazardous cargo for blaze onboard Maersk vessel

P

Nautilus has backed the findings of a report on a blaze onboard a Maersk containership which highlights the challenges facing crew members fighting fires on increasingly large vessels.

The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) report on the incident involving the 9,578TEU Caroline Maersk in August last year also warns of the dangers posed by shippers who misdeclare hazardous cargoes.

The blaze began in a cargo hold as the 92,198gt vessel was some 80km off the coast of Vietnam, sailing from China to Malaysia. Investigators found the fire originated in a container of charcoal tablets which had been loaded in Korea — but because the cargo had not been correctly declared as dangerous goods, it had not been stowed in the correct position.

‘The basic information about the individual con-

tainers, such as their contents, was unknown to the crew members on board Caroline Maersk,’ the report points out. ‘The cargo carried in the burned container was of a nature that was not expected to be stowed in that particular position in the hold below deck.

‘Despite a number of challenges related to knowledge about the contents of the cargo container and the nature of the formal fire emergency preparedness, the crew members — aided by the company crisis team — managed to successfully contain the fire for several days and prevent it from spreading excessively,’ it adds.

The report commends the crew and the crisis team for their ‘resourcefulness’ in dealing with the situation — despite the problems posed by the incorrectly declared cargo, the failure of the CO2 fireextinguishing system and the ‘great difficulties’ in

entering and manoeuvring in the hold while dragging pressurised fire hoses through manholes.

‘The CO2 system had failed as a main distribution valve did not open — resulting in a near-explosion in the CO2 room, which presented a serious risk to the crew who had mustered in the area,’ the report says.

‘During the manual fire-fighting, the compressor for filling BA bottles broke down and in effect left the crew without any means of fighting or further assessing the fire,’ it adds. ‘Furthermore, the container firefighting equipment did not work as expected.’

The DMAIB noted that fire-fighting is ‘not the primary function’ of crew members and that they should not be expected to ‘hold a level of experience equal to that of professional fire-fighters’.

However, the report points out, ‘many procedures — emergency procedures in particular — bear

an inherent assumption that the crew has extensive knowledge of the situation or is able to quickly gain such knowledge, which they in most cases are not.’

The report questions whether the regulations governing fire-fighting procedures are adequate in the light of the significant increases in the size of containerships and their cargo capacity.

Amended rules have simply added more of the existing equipment rather than reconsidering the strategies needed to deal with emergency situations, it points out.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘A manifest is not a statement of fact, it is a work of fiction. This industry needs to take safety seriously —testing of and training with the specialist equipment placed onboard to combat individual container fires is essential.’

Crews warned on fire door closures

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to prop open fire doors — after A an investigation into a blaze onboard

Don’t miss out on opportunities just because you’re at sea.

Seafarers have been warned not

a ship found that it had spread to the upper and bridge decks because a selfclosing stairwell fire door had been hooked open.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said the fire onboard the Singapore-flagged livestock carrier Ocean Drover, in the port of Fremantle, in October 2014 had caused extensive damage to the bridge and accommodation areas that took four months to repair.

The fire took a day to control, leaving four of the 50 crew members injured, including one who was admitted to hospital for smoke inhalation and burns.

The intensity of the fire — which began in a crew member’s cabin — and the damage was so severe that it was not possible to determine how it had begun, but the ATSB found that

10-11_news.indd 11

the shipboard smoking policy and associated risk controls onboard were not effectively managed.

Investigations revealed that the cabin door was left open after the fire was discovered, allowing smoke and flames to spread, and the crew did not complete a muster and accurate head count when responding to the fire.

Following the accident, the vessel’s managers revised the shipboard smoking policy and restricted smoking to designated rooms, the ATSB noted.

‘Containing a shipboard fire in the compartment where it originates is critical to fire-fighting,’ the report warned. ‘Effective containment relies on maintaining the integrity of fire divisions, including bulkheads, decks and doors. In this regard, particular attention must be paid to ensuring fire doors, designed to limit or prevent the spread of fire, are never latched/lashed open, or otherwise compromised.’

From GCSEs to A-Levels, degrees to postgraduate, our distance learning programmes give you access to education wherever you are.

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20/04/2016 12:38

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

HEALTH & SAFETY

Seafarer died after falling from pilot ladder sea while rigging a combination pilot ladder A while approaching Port Sudan in the Red Sea.

A seafarer died last year when he fell into the

A report by Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit concludes that the crewman had fallen from the 45,406dwt bulk carrier CY Thunder after losing his balance, and that he was not using a fall

prevention device nor wearing a lifejacket.

Investigators also noted that the response of the crew ‘suggested there was a lack of exposure to realistic man overboard drills’. The report adds: ‘By the time the lifebuoy had been released by the master and the reciprocal course completed, significant distance had been covered and time had

elapsed, presenting an enormous task for the crew members to locate the missing AB.’ The report calls for the ship’s Turkish owners to improve the procedures for rigging and unrigging combination pilot ladders and to ensure that crew members are familiar with man overboard drills and procedures for saving VDR data.

Tanker grounding caused by fatigue Investigation calls for companies to reduce the risks of excessive hours

Training centre for enclosed spaces chairman of the Merchant F Navy Training Board, officially

Pictured above is Kevin Slade,

opening the new enclosed spaces training facility at South Tyneside College in NE England.

Part of the college’s Marine and Offshore Safety Training Centre, the two-storey building provides a state-of-the-art environment for learning how to avoid injury and loss of life from hidden toxins in enclosed spaces.

Instructors are teaching the techniques needed for entering an area which may have an oxygendeprived or toxic atmosphere, as well as helping students understand the risks to consider before a rescue or escape is attempted.

The facility, operated by South Shields Marine School, has been built in response to a significant number of accidents in the Merchant Navy caused by a lack of awareness of the hazards of entering enclosed spaces onboard ships. Courses will also be offered to

support people working in enclosed spaces on land.

Those entering the enclosed spaces building can be set a number of scenarios, with various light settings available — including pitch black — and can be required to wear breathing apparatus. They will usually navigate their way through its split-level ground floor and seek access through a tunnel or ladder, with the roof also accessible.

Training sessions can be for up to 20 people and include both theory and practical sessions, taking about seven hours.

South Shields principal Gary Hindmarch commented: ‘There is a continual need for enclosed spaces training in the Merchant Navy, and we have responded to that. Figures show that up to 50% of people killed in an enclosed space are the rescuers themselves. We want to show people how difficult it is to enter an enclosed space to undertake a rescue and to ensure they have the right training to do so.’

P

The master and helmsman of a tanker which ran aground in Canada were suffering from ‘severe fatigue risk factors’, an accident investigation has concluded.

The 9,176dwt oil and chemical tanker Nanny touched bottom in confined waters in Chesterfield Inlet, on the western shore of Hudson’s Bay, in October 2014 after the helmsman made a wrong turn during the hours of darkness.

A report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) describes how the master had ordered a turn to port, and the helmsman repeated the order —but turned to starboard. When the master ordered an increase in

the angle of the turn to port, the helmsman increased the angle — again in the wrong direction.

It took almost a minute before the helmsman applied the correct port order — but it was too late to prevent the ship from touching bottom, causing damage to the tank plating and internal structures of the double-bottom ballast tanks.

Investigators said the ship’s crew were working a six-on/sixoff pattern and checks on the work-rest schedules of seven of the seafarers for the fortnight before the accident showed that only two were in compliance with the vessel’s safety management system.

The master had been awake for 13.5 hours before the accident and had only obtained a three-hour nap in the previous 24 hours. In the seven days before the accident, the helmsman has worked 106 hours with only 62 scheduled hours of rest.

Experts said the master and the helmsman had been subject to ‘acute and chronic sleep disruption’ and the OOW may have been subject to fatigue risk factors related to acute and chronic sleep disruption.

The TSB noted that the ship had been involved in a similar grounding in the same area in 2012 and it said there had also been deficiencies in navigational

procedures and in the application of bridge resource management principles in both incidents.

The report stresses the need for companies to be required to develop comprehensive fatigue management plans — warning that the lack of such regulations creates a risk that those in safetycritical positions will suffer from performance decrements.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the investigation had provided further evidence of the risks of excessive hours and added: ‘Transport Canada is to be commended on this report. Progress on the issue of fatigue is slow, but the direction of travel is positive.’

Crew cuts can be ‘a false economy’ levels may be making false economies, the UK A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has Shipping companies who skimp on crewing

warned.

In the latest edition of its safety digest, the MAIB highlights the case of a coastal general cargoship which ran aground after the chief officer — alone on the bridge at night — fell asleep.

It took 12 days before the vessel could be refloated and extensive repairs were required, including replacement of both propellers, rudders and gearbox. Substantial steelwork was needed, and the ship was out of service for five months.

Investigations revealed that the master and chief officer were working six-on/six-off watches at sea and the chief officer was also responsible for cargo work during the frequent port calls. ‘This resulted in him getting very little rest in the three-month period that he had been onboard and he was suffering from significant cumulative fatigue,’ the report notes.

‘Given the vessel’s operating pattern, not employing a third deck officer was a false economy that nearly bankrupted the company,’ it adds.

‘Another officer to share the workload would have enabled the chief officer to be well rested and would have significantly reduced the likelihood of him

falling asleep and a costly accident.’

In his introduction to the safety digest, MAIB chief inspector Stephen Clinch highlights a case in which a passenger drowned in a cruiseship’s swimming pool and expresses concern over the way in which companies have rejected proposals for lifeguards to be stationed poolside following similar incidents.

‘The mix of holiday makers, swimming pools, food and alcohol provides an obvious pre-cursor for an accident, while the logistics and cost of providing a lifeguard to sit poolside on a cruise liner seem trivial compared to the benefits of preventing someone from drowning,’ he adds.

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exchanges between ship masters and pilots in a report on a collision between a Dutch-flagged LPG tanker and a cargoship in the Kiel Canal.

The busy waterway had to be closed for three days during a complex operation to stabilise the 2,882gt Siderfly after it nearly foundered following the collision with the 6,875dwt Coral Ivory in October 2013.

The St Vincent-flagged cargoship was holed in two places in the collision, causing water ingress and a substantial list. Three tugs were used to hold the ship to the canal embankment while the vessel was secured using bulldozers which were attached to the ship by cables.

The German casualty investigation

The cargoship Siderfly following the Kiel Canal collision with the LPG tanker Coral Ace Picture: Havariekommando

body BSU said the collision occurred when Coral Ivory, owned by the Dutch firm Anthony Veder, turned into the

canal after leaving the inland port of Ostermoor with a cargo of ammonia.

Investigators said the gas tanker

— which had a pilot onboard — had failed to comply with a VTS instruction to start filtering into the canal only

after the passage of Siderfly and another vessel.

Coral Ivory’s rate of turn had been ‘abnormally low’, the report notes, and its turning motion was further reduced by a severe gust of wind.

BSU said there was evidence that the pilot did not fully inform the Dutch master about Coral Ivory’s obligation to give way, and the report stresses the need for pilots to make all information available to the bridge team — especially if radio communications are being made in German.

The report says pilots and ship commands should be aware that VTS stipulations on stopping or starting a passage in the canal are ‘police orders’ It also recommends the installation of a signalling system at point where the Ostermoor harbour approach connects with the Kiel Canal.

20/04/2016 12:39

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Ship ‘was unstable when it left port’ Hoegh Osaka investigation raises disturbing questions on design and operation, says Nautilus

P

Nautilus International has described the findings of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report on last year’s listing, flooding and grounding of the pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) Hoegh Osaka as ‘a damning indictment’ of the shipping industry.

The 86-page report concludes that the Singapore-flagged vessel developed a significant starboard list while making a turn shortly after leaving the port of Southampton because it departed with inadequate stability. The list resulted in a shift of cargo, with the vessel losing steerage and propulsion before grounding on Bramble Bank in the Solent.

The MAIB said the accident occurred because ‘unsafe practices had become the norm’ onboard Hoegh Osaka, with the vessel routinely sailing before its departure stability condition had been accurately calculated. The report notes that the chief officer was using estimated figures to assume a ballast condition for the vessel’s departure that ‘bore no resemblance to reality’.

Investigators said they found evidence that such unsafe practices are widespread within the car carrier sector — ‘for reasons of efficiency’ — and the MAIB has issued a safety bulletin to the industry warning that ‘assessing a ship has adequate stability for its voyage on completion of cargo operations and before it sails is a fundamental principle of seamanship that must not be neglected’.

The investigation found that the voyage cycle of the 51,770gt Hoegh Osaka had been changed because of the new year holidays,

Hoegh Osaka aground on Bramble Bank in the Solent last year Picture: MAIB

but the cargo loading plan had not been adjusted.

It was discovered that figures in the pre-stowage plan and the actual cargo weight and stowage were significantly different from the final cargo tally. Neither the ship’s duty deck officer nor the chief officer had been advised about the loading of some additional high and heavy cargo that was on the reserve cargo list.

The ship’s ballast tank quantities had been estimated by the chief officer and differed significantly from the actual tank levels, while most of the cargo weights supplied to the ship were estimated rather than actual values.

The upper vehicle decks were full while the lower decks were lightly loaded, and Hoegh Osaka was low on bunker fuel oil, which was stored low down in the vessel

— meaning that the overall vertical centre of gravity was very high, with no additional ballast having been loaded before departure.

Soon after Hoegh Osaka began sailing down Southampton Water, the master called the chief officer to tell him that the ship did ‘not feel right’. The officer — who was just starting to calculate the departure stability — told the master: ‘I’m working on it.’

Barely 45 minutes later, as the ship was rounding West Bramble buoy in the Solent, it developed a significant starboard list — causing some of the cargo to shift, holing the shell plating and allowing sea water to enter deck 6. With the list in excess of 40°, the ship lost steerage and propulsion, and subsequently drifted onto Bramble Bank and ran aground.

The MAIB report makes a series of recommendations which aim to improve safety in the sector and it also issued a special safety bulletin to the industry.

MAIB chief inspector Steve Clinch said: ‘This accident is a stark reminder of what can happen when shortcuts are taken in the interest of expediency. It is therefore imperative that working practices adopted by the car carrier industry ensure that there is always sufficient time and that accurate data is available on completion of cargo operations to enable the stability of such vessels to be properly calculated before departure.’

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the Hoegh Osaka accident was the latest in a long list of similar incidents, which highlighted the need for such vessels to be operated to the highest standards.

‘The MAIB is to be commended on producing such a thorough report with limited resources and the findings are a damning indictment of the industry, raising disturbing questions about the design and operation of such ships,’ he added. ‘The action taken by the operators in response beggars belief — and is simply restating what should be basic good practice.’

Admiralty alert over fake chart increase (UKHO) has urged seafarers to A beware of an increase in the number The UK Hydrographic Office

of counterfeit versions of Admiralty charts and publications — warning that they pose a threat to the safety of ships, crew and cargo.

The UKHO has advised seafarers to take precautions to ensure that they are not using fake charts and to report any suspicions over the authenticity of the charts and publications on their vessels.

UKHO chief commercial officer Damian Bowler said some pirated charts are very easy to spot, while others are much more difficult to detect. ‘Counterfeit versions have not been through the same rigorous checking procedures as official Admiralty charts and publications and cannot be used for voyage planning or navigational purposes,’ he warned.

‘They are unsafe, unofficial, noncompliant with SOLAS and illegal to carry or sell,’ Mr Bowler pointed out.

‘Buyers also carry the considerable risk of failing port state inspections.’

The UKHO has raised concerned with the International Maritime Organisation, the International Hydrographic Organisation and flag states and has introduced a number of preventive measures, including a new watermark on paper charts and updated guidance on identifying fake versions.

Official Admiralty charts bear the Admiralty ‘Flying A’ watermark within the paper, and they will carry a ‘thumb label’ strip on the reverse with the Admiralty logo, chart number, geographical area, barcode and date. Suspect charts and publications can also be identified by comparing them against official Admiralty versions, where variations may be spotted in the look, feel and weight of the product, the colour tone and strength of the ink, the folds on charts and the height and binding quality of publications.

Seafarers with suspicions over the authenticity of their Admiralty charts and publications are urged to contact the UKHO by emailing customerservices@ukho.gov.uk

Ferry’s helmsman took wrong turn F

A ro-pax ferry ran aground in New Zealand after the helmsman turned the ship in the wrong direction while entering the ‘high risk’ Tory Channel.

A report published by the NZ Transport Accident Investigation Commission last month blames poor bridge resource management for the incident in which the 11,630gt Monte Stello hit a rock, damaging the hull and a propeller, during a voyage from Wellington to Picton in May 2011.

Investigators said the master had given a helm order of port 15 in the entrance to the channel, but the helmsman thought he had ordered starboard 15. ‘The error in rudder direction was not picked

12-13_h+s.indd 13

up in sufficient time to prevent the grounding because the procedures for checking and cross-checking every action during critical phases of navigation — known as bridge resource management — were not being strictly followed by the bridge team,’ the report states.

The commission said KiwiRail had accepted a recommendation to ensure its BRM policy is effectively implemented on all ships in its fleet.

‘Bridge resource management is not something that can be trained for and then left to chance,’ the report stresses. ‘It must be a standard operating procedure fully understood and followed by all crews all of the time.’

Ship & Port Maintenance

Boxship breaks up after grounding launched in Taiwan after a F 15,487gt containership ran aground Investigations have been

and began to break up off New Taipei City last month.

A major clean-up operation was launched after the bunker tanks of the 1,578TEU TS Taipei were breached when the vessel struck

rocks after losing power in heavy weather.

Oil from the ship was reported to have polluted more than 20km of the shoreline, but government ministers rejected claims that there had been a slow response to the accident. The environment department estimated that the

clean-up project will be completed by mid-May and the wreck will be removed in August or September.

The 21 seafarers on the Taiwanflagged ship were airlifted to safety, but a helicopter involved in the oil spill mitigation operations crashed, with the death of two crew.

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20/04/2016 12:39

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports US DETENTIONS: the US Coast Guard has reported a 42% increase in the number of ships failing port state control inspections. Figures released last month showed the proportion of ships having to be detained rose from 1.5% to 2.3% last year. The USCG said it had removed 13 flag states from its Qualship 21 list of high performing registries and it also referred 15 ships for criminal charges during 2015 — a three-year high.

NO TRIAL: French prosecutors have decided not to hold a criminal trial over a 2012 collision between a Turkish tanker and a trawler that killed the fishing vessel’s skipper, stating that they had no jurisdiction in the case. A report on the accident, which involved the 6,300dwt Lady Ozge and the trawler Pere Milo, found that navigational failings onboard both vessels were to blame.

MASTER ARRESTED: the master of the Dutchflagged general cargoship Abis Bergen was arrested last month when he failed a breath test after the vessel ran aground while departing the German port of Rostock. Police said the captain was facing charges of endangering shipping traffic while under the influence of alcohol and had been ordered to pay a €6,000 bail bond.

CAEN RISE: the French port of Caen-Ouistreham has marked 30 years of cross-Channel crossings with a 6% rise in freight traffic — its second best result since 2010.

Passenger loads increased 2.5% to 991,750, due mainly to Brittany Ferries crossings to England and Ireland. The port is also developing its cruise business, with the aim of receiving 15 calls by 2017 — up from five last year.

Flag-out fears for Italian seafarers Owners warn of mass exodus if crew nationality restrictions are brought in

by Jeff Apter

P

Italy’s maritime unions fear that hundreds of seafaring jobs could be lost if the country’s government goes ahead with controversial proposed changes to the Italian second register and tonnage tax scheme.

Owners have threatened mass flagging-out if politicians approve new rules to restrict the use of foreign crew on Italian ships qualifying for tax breaks and subsidies under the international register and tonnage tax provisions.

They have warned that as many as 600 ships — representing around 80% of the Italian fleet — could be re-registered if the

proposals are approved. Unions fear this could put as many as 20,000 jobs at risk.

The Italian owners’ organisation Confitarma said the rule changes would remove the incentive to use the country’s international register and tonnage tax scheme and result in the ‘massacre’ of the Italian-based shipping industry, which is the second largest in Europe in terms of owned vessels.

Confitarma president Emanuele Grimaldi said the restrictions — which have been tabled in two amendments being put before parliament — would reduce the fleet flying the Italian flag to ships in the cabotage trades or running services between Italian islands and the mainland.

‘These amendments were perhaps designed with the objective of increasing Italian employment, but will in fact have the opposite result,’ he warned. ‘We would lose in addition to almost all of the vessels flying the Italian flag all the Italian maritime employment now used on international routes.’

Confitarma said the Italian international register had been created in 1998 to keep the Italian flag competitive with registers such as Panama, Liberia and Malta. The owners say it has helped to ensure a doubling of investment under the Italian flag during the past decade — with more than 1,500 ships now on the register.

Mr Grimaldi said that crew

ITALIAN ALARM: seafaring unions have expressed concern about the absence of a new agreement covering employment conditions following the privatisation of a regional ferry firm. A majority stake in the former Tirrenia subsidiary Siremar, which operates between Sicily and other Italian islands, was sold to Ustica Lines.

Scrubbed up has completed a £60m project F to install exhaust scrubbers on six of

French operator Brittany Ferries

its ships.

The 40,859gt Pont Aven is the last vessel to be equipped with the systems, which remove sulphur and reduce particulate content in exhaust emissions, with the work being carried out at the Gdansk yard in Poland.

The programme took 18 months to undertake and Mike Bevens, Brittany Ferries group commercial director, said the ‘significant investment’ reflected the company’s commitment to respect the environment in which it operates.

FATAL BLAST: three men died following an explosion and fire onboard the inland navigation tanker Julius Rütgers at the Meidericher shipyard in Germany last month. Initial reports suggested a leftover gas mixture in the tanks ignited when the vessel was being loaded.

IDLE RECORD: the volume of laid-up global containership capacity has reached a record high of 1.57m TEU, according to a report from the industry analyst Alphaliner. It said the 352 laid-up vessels, as of 11 March, accounted for 7.8% of the world containership fleet.

BALTIC BAR: plans for a new NOx emission control area for shipping in the Baltic Sea have been agreed by coastal states and the European Union. The proposals are set to be submitted to the International Maritime Organisation in October this year.

CUBAN CRUISES: Carnival Corporation will launch its first US-Cuba cruises on 1 May, using its new subsidiary Fathom’s flagship Adonia to operate bi-weekly seven-night trips from Miami to Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.

PILOT PROTEST: maritime pilots, mechanics and tug masters called off a strike in the port of Limassol last month after the Cyprus parliament fast-tracked measures to protect jobs and conditions when the port is privatised.

nationality restrictions would make the Italian flag too costly — and would also be impossible to enforce because there are not enough Italian officers to fill all the posts on the ships owned in the country.

Owners would be forced to flag out and relocate their offices abroad, Confitarma claimed, and this could mean the loss of 13,000 of the 23,000 jobs for Italian and EU seafarers on Italian-flagged ships.

The new rules have been tabled by Italian senator Roberto Cociancich, who is supported by a group of Italian ferry operators, including Moby Lines and Tirrenia, who insist that all subsidies should go only to operators employing Italian or EU seafarers.

Picture: Gary Davies/Maritime Photographic

US urged to maintain aid for fleet to continue the financial and A regulatory support for the country’s

US politicians have been urged

merchant fleet during a series of Congressional hearings on the maritime industry.

US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft told the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee that the repeal of the 1920 Jones Act regulations reserving coastal trades to domestic-flagged and crewed

ships would ‘cut to the heart of that industrial base’.

And US Maritime Administrator Chip Jaenichen said the Jones Act underpins a $36bn industry which supports 110,000 US jobs. But, he warned, cuts in the number of defence and aid-related cargoes being sent on US ships are feeding through to reduced numbers of US seafarers.

‘I’m concerned about the number of mariners that are available to fully man the government reserve sealift

fleet in a time of either conflict or in humanitarian crisis if we fully had to activate them,’ he added.

Mr Jaenichen said the US will require around 70,000 new seafarers by 2022 — but at present only 900 a year are graduating from the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, and the six state maritime academies.

General Darren McDew, head of US Transportation Command, told a second hearing that he was disturbed

about the impact of the decline in the US-flagged deepsea fleet and the associated reduction in the number of US seafarers on defence department sealift requirements.

US unions are backing calls for the government to maintain funding for the Maritime Security Programme, which provides some $300m support for up to 60 ‘commercially viable, military useful, privately-owned US-flag vessels and crews operating in international trade’.

Cyprus introduces subsidy scheme for officer cadets Cyprus government has launched a www.irishseafarerstax.ie AThe scheme to subsidise deck and engineer cadet training onboard ships flying the Cyprus flag or operated under the country’s tonnage tax system.

The scheme will provide a monthly subsidy of €600 for each cadet and a contribution of €250 to the cost of basic training and ship security

14-15_int.indd 14

awareness training for the graduates or students of universities.

The support is limited to 60 graduates or students of merchant marine academies and five graduates or students of universities each year, and employers are required to contribute at least €200 per month to each cadet officer’s salary.

To qualify for funding under the scheme, cadets must be a permanent resident of Cyprus, have a good standard of Greek and English language, and be a graduate or student of a recognised merchant marine academy or a marine engineering, mechanical engineering or naval architecture university faculty.

20/04/2016 12:40

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports FRENCH AID: French shipowners have welcomed their government’s decision to introduce a ‘net wage’ system for seafarers — meaning that they no longer have to pay social security and pension contributions for the crews of French-flagged vessels, including those on the RIF second register. Unions are less enthusiastic about the measures introduced in the long-awaited maritime bill, which are expected to come into effect on 1 July. They argue that tax breaks have been given to the operators without any clear commitment to a dedicated fleet, jobs or training.

of Southampton last month is the PanamaA flagged containership NYK Blue Jay — the first in

Pictured making a maiden call to the UK port

a series of 10 new ‘cutting edge’ energy-efficient vessels.

One of the largest containerships to have been built in Japan, the 144,285gt NYK Blue Jay is operating between Asia and Europe and has a 14,000TEU capacity.

Powered by a dual-rated Wärtsilä X82 engine,

the ship’s ‘green’ features include a highly hydrodynamic hull form that improves cargoloading efficiency by minimising engineroom space.

Picture: Gary Davies/Maritime Photographic

Engineer cleared of waste charges US appeal court rules that masters have responsibility for oil record book

P

A chief engineer was wrongfully charged and convicted of failing to maintain an oil record book onboard a foreign-flagged merchant ship, a US appeal court has ruled.

Three judges in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals argued that the US government had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Greek chief engineer Matthaios Fafalios was the ‘master or other person in charge’ with legal responsibility to maintain the record book.

Mr Fafalios had been sentenced to a year of probation in February 2015 after he was found guilty of failing to maintain an oil record book, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.

Prosecutors said that the chief engineer had been serving onboard the bulk carrier Trident Navigator in December 2013 when he ordered crew onboard his vessel to pump oily bilge water directly into the ocean in international waters. Mr Fafalios had noticed the bilge tank was almost full and feared that the bilge water could damage engine components before it could be filtered properly through the oily water separator.

He was taken to court after a whistleblower contacted the US Coast Guard when the ship arrived in the port of New Orleans.

The appeal court upheld his claim for acquittal on the charge of failing to maintain an oil record book while in US waters, noting

that the regulations under which he was prosecuted mention only the ‘master’ of the ship as the individual ‘responsible’ for maintaining the oil record book. The court found that this ‘plainly indicates that the responsibility does not extend to others on the vessel’.

However, the judges stressed that chief engineers can be prosecuted for failure to sign an oil record book when that failure occurs on US-flagged vessels or in US waters, or for aiding and abetting the failure to maintain an accurate record book and for making false statements to a Coast Guard investigator. z Norwegian company DSD Shipping has been ordered to pay $2.5m after a court in Alabama ruled that its tanker Stavanger

Blossom had illegally discharged oily water off the US coast between 2010 and 2014.

The ship’s chief engineer and second engineer were both sentenced to six months in prison and the fourth engineer was jailed for two months in charges of obstructing justice, violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and tampering with witnesses. z The South Korean operator Doorae Shipping has been ordered to pay a total of $950,000 for failure to maintain an accurate oil record book and making false statements to the US Coast Guard about dumping oil contaminated bilge water from the Vanuatuflagged tanker B. Sky earlier this year.

cu m LNG carrier Champlain F which was recently delivered to Pictured left is the 84,000

Geogas Maritime, the French wing of Switzerland-based Geogas Trading.

Built by Hyundai Samho in South Korea, Champlain is the biggest French-flagged LNG carrier. The 47,791gt Bureau Veritas-classed vessel will soon be joined by a sistership, Pointis, and both will operate with French officers and Romanian crew.

Picture: Eric Houri

Indian union bids to block foreign crews of India (NUSI) is campaigning A against moves by the country’s

The National Union of Seafarers

shipowners to get government approval for the use of foreign crew on domestic vessels.

It has urged the country’s shipping ministry to block the owners’ plans, warning that there are already

14-15_int.indd 15

significant levels of unemployment among Indian seafarers.

‘The priority of the Indian government should be to boost employment opportunities for Indian maritime workforce,’ said NUSI general secretary Abdulgani Serang. ‘Why should we allow foreign seafarers to work on Indian ships?’

The union argues that any shortage of seafarers for domestic services could be addressed by allowing Indian seafarers with foreign certificates to serve on Indian-flagged ships.

NUSI has also urged the Indian government to introduce mandatory registration for crewing agencies, warning that many seafarers are

currently being exploited on false promises of employment.

The union has also called on the government meet its Maritime Labour Convention requirements by allocating land for seafarer welfare centres at every port in India, with funding to be raised through a nominal charge on visiting vessels.

PIRATE SENTENCED: the Somali pirate leader Mohamed Abdi Hassan has been sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison for his involvement in the hijacking of the Belgian dredger Pompei in April 2009. The 10 crew members were held hostage for two months until a €2m ransom was paid. The Somali ‘pirate king’ was also convicted of torture and ordered to pay €20,000 compensation to the vessel’s Dutch master.

SAFMARINE DEAL: the Rotterdam-based operator NileDutch has acquired Safmarine MPV’s Europe-West Africa services and operations. NileDutch said it will continue Safmarine’s services with direct calls from numerous ports providing a full range of cargoes, including containers, break-bulk, neo-bulk, project modules and oil and gas-related freight ‘to the most challenging destinations in West Africa’.

PONANT ORDER: Ponant, the only French cruise company, has signed a letter of intention with Fincantieri’s Norway-based subsidiary Vard for four 128m ice-class passengerships. The vessels will operate with 110 crew and accommodate 180 passengers. They will enable Ponant to expand its operations to areas including the Orinoco River, Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea and the Indian Ocean.

PANAMA START: the US$5.3bn Panama Canal expansion project is set to be officially inaugurated on 26 June following a series of operational tests in May. However, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) cautioned that draft restrictions may have to be imposed on ships using the waterway as a consequence of a drought.

GREEK GROWTH: the number of Greek-owned merchant ships increased by 35 over the past year, to a total of 4,092 vessels, according to a report from the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee. The figures reveal that the number of ships under the Greek flag fell by 30 to 809 vessels in the same period.

PILOTAGE WIN: Antwerp river pilots belonging to the BvL union have won a claim for higher payments for handling ships over 339m. Management at the port agreed to make the increased premiums after the pilots moved to take industrial action last month.

EFFLUENT FINE: a Panamanian-flagged general cargoship has been fined ISL6,000 (€1,400) after it discharged effluent into the sea while anchored at the Port of Haifa, Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection said.

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20/04/2016 16:02

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

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

COMPETITION: guess the uniform buttons F

The deadline for the Telegraph’s uniform button competition has been extended for a month, so there’s still time to enter if you know your buttons!

Can you identify the shipping companies represented by the six buttons below? Please email your numbered answers to telegraph@ nautilusint.org or write to the

editor at the usual address. The new deadline is Wednesday 11 May. The entrant with the most correct answers will win a copy of The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin, which was recently re-released in a special illustrated edition by Zenith Press. If more than one entrant has all the correct answers, the winner will be chosen in a draw.

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will be Poor seamanship There mayhem if AIS ever fails appears rife in F today’s industry

P

I am writing in response to Captain Michael Lloyd’s letter in April’s Telegraph, titled ‘Don’t blame the forecast: use your seamanship’.

As a senior lecturer with 24 years’ seagoing experience, teaching at one of the country’s oldest marine colleges, it is not only the ship-handling element of seamanship that is in decline; it is all aspects of seamanship across the board. I teach both Efficient Deck Hand (EDH) and Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats (PSC&RB) to some pretty experienced guys — including some who have been to sea for around three years — and the standard I witness week in and week out fills me with dread.

In a class of 16 students on the first day of an EDH course, at least 12 of the class are unable to tie a single bowline and about half cannot tie a reef knot. As for splicing, again it is about 12 who cannot or have not even heard of a black splice or what it is used for.

As for PSC&RB, many students struggle with simple commands such as ‘hard a port’ or with steering a course using a compass.

Many of the foreign students do

not understand the terms ahead/ astern or even port and starboard, and these students have in their possession a steering certificate or navigational watch keeping certificate.

When talking to the students, they tell me that they never have to tie knots at sea or do any ‘real seamanship’ so I feel that the standards are slipping. Some of my cadets do EDH before their first sea phase, and when I catch up with them later I ask them how many bowlines on the bight or round turn and two half hitches they have tied, or how many times have they rigged stoppers or the paint stage/boson’s chair.

The answer is always the same — ‘Never’ — as they always seem to be on watch or with their heads buried in some training manual, and the other ships’ officers/ crew are too busy to teach them real seamanship. How times are changing.

Name withheld on request Referring to Michael Lloyd’s letter in the April edition, I am completely in agreement with him. The last three paragraphs are most important.

For the first six years of my seagoing career I spent a lot of time in and around the Bay of Bengal and China Sea area.

The company rules and regulations stated: ‘No excuse whatsoever will be accepted from the master of a vessel caught in a tropical revolving storm’.

There were some occasional near misses: I recall one voyage to Hong Kong, in which heading northeast from Singapore, we turned back southwest, then northeast again at a reduced speed.

Modern vessels may be bigger and more powerful, but seemingly more vulnerable.

My one particular gripe is that a former question for second mate orals was: ‘Your vessel is proceeding up-channel to pick up a pilot at Dungeness.

What preparations will you make?’ We didn’t need tick boxes; it was hammered in to us as apprentices, along with a lot of other good advice, which would usually result in an instantaneous response.

PHILIP I MORGAN member 098796

For some years now I have had to listen with dismay to the rapidly increasing number of ‘navigating officers’ arranging collision avoidance over the VHF radio, and in some cases aided by the CG (if you don’t answer the caller, the CG will call you; if you don’t answer the CG, you are not listening to the VHF). A no-win situation.

Is it now a coincidence that the latest Manila Amendments are all emergencyrelated — i.e. PST, RB, FF — preparing for the inevitable increase in collisions perhaps?

When I trained as a navigating officer, a thorough knowledge of the Colregs was required. The modern day bridge navigating watchkeeper appears to have no or very little knowledge of these regs. AIS/VHF Ch.6 has superseded them!

If the AIS system ever fails, there will be mayhem. I suggest the ‘powers that be’ re-assess, put the horse before the cart and ensure all navigating officers are proficient in their main function first. mem no 182146

Where are the British seafarers on UK ships? with 40 years’ experience at sea.

F Now I am a ship visitor and I feel really I am a retired chief engineer

Have your say online Change in engineer cadet Last month we asked: Do you think shipping companies should be taken to court if their vessels are found to contravene safety and welfare regulations?

Yes 95% No 5%

This month’s poll asks: Do you think ‘drone ships’ will be a reality by 2020? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 16

portfolios snubs chiefs engineers who are employed A on British ships and are involved in the I wonder how many of the chief

training of engineer cadets on their vessels have noticed the change in the cadet portfolios for their testimonials, which now have to be signed by the master of the vessel.

In all my time at sea — some 47 years, and 22 years as a chief engineer — whenever engineer cadets were onboard for training it was always the chief engineer who signed their testimonials, the same as they did for the watchkeeping engineers who were progressing through sea service.

The cadet portfolio states on page 7 that the chief engineer and master of the ship in which qualifying seagoing service has been performed must sign the required testimonials.

However, on the testimonial section (Part 4 Official Endorsement) the master is the only person to sign the testimonial, though at the bottom it does state: ‘In exceptional circumstances this testimonial may be signed by a responsible official of the company who holds an engineer

officer certificate of competency and has knowledge of the trainee’s sea experience.’

Have chief engineers now been usurped of the position they have held since engineers first went to sea — to sign testimonials for cadets and engineer officers — by some faceless bureaucrat within the MNTB who knows nothing of the roles of senior officers in various departments on a vessel?

As most masters will testify, they have enough paperwork on a trip to last them a month of Sundays without having this further task given to them when they have no idea sometimes who the cadet is or how he performs in his duties. I have contacted the

MNTB through their website for an explanation of this new way of signing cadets’ testimonials some months ago, but to date they haven’t acknowledged me or answered my query; perhaps our Union can answer this or get an explanation from the MNTB. DENNIS TALBOT Chief Engineer MNM mem no 146702 Glenys Jackson, head of the Merchant Navy Training Board, responds: We can only apologise for not replying to your recent email contact.

We would like to assure you that we are deeply concerned and are investigating the matter you raise.

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bad about the fact that I go on plenty of British-flag vessels and there are no Brits on them — mostly mariners from eastern European countries. I think the Union should take this matter up like the German union that insists that German officers are on their flag vessels.

J WATT Former MNAOA member

Clarification on Maersk’s British and Irish officers F

In response to the letter published in the March edition of the Telegraph requesting details of the number of British and Irish officers serving with Maersk Line prior to 2009, I can confirm that there were 210 senior officers and 280 junior officers and cadets serving with Maersk Line at the end of 2008. The figures provided in my original letter published in the December edition were 169 and 259 respectively as calculated at the end of October 2015.

NIGEL LEHMANN-TAYLOR Head of UK shipping, Maersk

20/04/2016 16:03

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

www.thefreakywave.com

New date for MtS race telegraph F

The Morpeth to Newcastle road race has been moved to 30 October, so there’s more time for the Mission to Seafarers team to prepare!

Would you like to join us?

There will be three different races

for runners of all ages, and for the first time in the event’s history, cyclists can join in the fun too — riding a 26-mile route that begins at Morpeth, passes through Bedlington, Seaton Delaval, Earsdon, Seaton Burn and Gosforth, and finishes in Newcastle.

Registration prices start at £42, and we are asking participants to raise a minimum sponsorship depending on which Morpeth to Newcastle challenge is taken on. g To register, please visit: www. missiontoseafarers.org/m2n g For more information, please contact Ravina Patel on +44 (0)20 7246 2915 or email ravina.patel@ missiontoseafarers.org

Nominate a colleague for exceptional deeds F

‘No evidence of fatigue’ is often a flawed finding P

Reading the excellent MAIB report on the grounding of the Hoegh Osaka indicates that the master and mate, to mention just those two, had been awake and working for, at the very least, twenty hours non-stop. No wonder things went wrong. I’d be surprised if either of those two unfortunate officers remained articulate by the end of that rotten day. Reading the ship’s itinerary, I doubt if any of the ship’s senior officers had had a decent night’s sleep for the few days prior to its arrival at Southampton.

The MAIB report stated correctly that there was no evidence of fatigue; this was not surprising. Their investigation obviously started after the

incident occurred and by that time any ‘live’ evidence of fatigue would have long gone.

No admission of overwork would have been logged, and fatigued personnel are unlikely to admit to any investigator that their workload influenced their competence. The very nature of fatigue is such that often the person suffering from it may not be aware of their condition.

(Many of us will have been there.)

The critical stability of these tender ships is well known. One extra experienced ballast control officer assisting the overworked mate may have prevented this accident and the subsequent massive costs. As for the master’s job, the checklists and paperwork alone warranted a dedicated

secretary/writer. (The manager of any similarly responsible job ashore will have a secretary.)

The ‘port captain’ mentioned was of no assistance to the mate whatsoever and obviously didn’t want to get his hands dirty. Not advising the mate of late extra cargo was unforgivable.

Insufficient staff cost that particular operator a great deal of money. Their reaction to the report was to publish a list of overused platitudes. Will they ever learn? When minimum manning is used at peak times, crew fatigue becomes inevitable, and accidents will continue to happen.

ROBERT KNIGHT BSc MNI Retired shipmaster mem no 145558

UK CHAMBER OF SHIPPING

PILOTS’ POCKET GUIDE AND CHECKLIST OUT NOW Harbou Harbou b r towage t g is a pote ge otenti ntiall allyy haza hazardous d business and sh ho oul ulld nott be u b und u nd ndert erttake aken k n unle nlle n less ss the th he h erre e has has as be been en a p prop ro rop operr ass op ass as ssessmen ess ess ssmen men me e t of the he ris r sks ks iinv nvolv o ed. Go oo od d co com om o mmu mun mun un nica ica ic ica cation tiio ttio ion b byy all ll p pa par ar arttie tiiie es, s, pro op per pl per pla ann nn ning ing in ng wi with th an an un u und nd n ders ders errs e rstan ta ta an nding diin d din ing o off what ha h att ca a can go wron ro g, g goo oo od seam eam ea amans a ship hip ip, and nd, n d, ffiin d, nal na a allly, lyy,, ly again aga in goo good d comm communi uniicat cation ion o ar on are crrit riiittica icca cal iin n ens nsu n ssu surin urrin riin ing tha ha hat att tth he ris iisk sks are sk re min i imi im m sed.

£10 Witherby Seamanship International 4 Dunlop Square, Livingston, Edinburgh, EH54 8SB, Scotland, UK

16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 17

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

The Marine Society is seeking nominations for its Thomas Gray Medal — an annual UK award recognising exceptional deeds of merit at sea.

These deeds can be related to any aspect of seafaring, including saving of lives, the wellbeing of seafarers and any exceptional deeds related to the business of seafaring. Last year, the medal was awarded to Dr Tim Carter for his services to maritime health, and in 2014 it went to Glenn Mallan of the RNLI. Established in 1925, the award honours the memory of Thomas Gray, a senior surveyor for the Board of Trade, who wanted to improve the professionalism of seafarers in the latter half of the 19th century. g To make a nomination, please send a citation to the Marine Society describing the candidate’s exceptional deeds of merit. The candidate must

ADVERTISING Redactive Media Group 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Display adverts: Jude Rosset tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 Jude.rosset@redactive.co.uk Recruitment adverts: Paul Wade tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6212 tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6200 email: paul.wade@redactive.co.uk website: www.redactive.co.uk Although the Telegraph exercises care and caution before accepting advertisements, readers are advised to take appropriate professional advice before entering into any commitments such as investments (including pension plans). Publication of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation and Nautilus International cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods and services offered in advertisements. Organisations offering financial services or insurance are governed by regulatory authorities and problems with such services should be taken up with the appropriate body.

Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

ISSN 0040 2575 be a UK resident who has lived in the country for at least three years.

Citations can be emailed to crockson@ ms-sc.org or sent in the post to: Thomas Gray Medal nomination Marine Society, 202 Lambeth Road London SE1 7JW g For further information, go to www.marine-society.org/ thomasgraymedal or call +44 (0)20 7654 7029.

The deadline for nominations is Friday 1 July 2016.

George Kaz: war hero, seafarer and friend paying tribute to George Kaz, A a resident of Nautilus Mariners’ Park Friends and family have been

who died on 23 March this year. His friend Capt Harry Hignett has written to the Telegraph with the following tribute to a long and eventful life.

George Kaz was born Jerzy A Kazimierszuk on 25 March 1924 in Poland, near the Ukrainian border. He joined the Polish army at the outbreak of war in 1939. Taken prisoner in November that year, he escaped to Yugoslavia.

After making his way to Marseilles, he re-joined the Polish Army and began working with the French resistance in 1943. He was taken prisoner again in March 1944, but escaped once more and evaded capture until Allied forces freed France. He was awarded a medal specifically for forces serving with the French resistance.

At end of the war, he was taken into the Polish forces and sent to the UK, where he was stationed first in Scotland then treated in hospital in Southport, Lancs. Discharged in London in 1946, he found work as a waiter in south coast hotels. Through a chance meeting with a former comrade, he learned of possible work in catering at sea.

In 1949 he became an assistant steward on Elder & Fyffes vessels, and in 1951, he took up the same post on Shaw Savill’s SS Tamaroa. He remained in the Shaw Savill fleet until 1975, when the

STAFF editor: Andrew Linington senior reporter: Sarah Robinson reporter: Steven Kennedy Dutch correspondent: Hans Walthie production editor: June Cattini-Walker

Published by Nautilus International Printed by William Gibbons.

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

company ceased passenger operations.

He served on Corinthic and as second steward on cargo vessels Suevic and Cymric. From 1963 he was chief catering officer on Southern Cross, Northern Star and Ocean Monarch.

Leaving the company in 1975, he was recruited by CTC as a consultant training catering staff. He held the same position with Royal Caribbean International and Princess Cruises (Australia), living in Sydney and Miami with the different companies.

He retired in 1992 and took residence in Mariners’ Park in 2006. I live near the Park in Wallasey and knew George well; we were both members of the Shaw Savill Society. I understand that his ashes will be distributed in the Mersey in May.

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

20/04/2016 15:20

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

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16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 18

Move is not for WMA’s benefit P

Following the article in the March Telegraph about Southampton Solent University’s (SSU) plans for the Warsash Maritime Academy (WMA), I have since addressed two questions to the Academy — the first, as follows: z The article refers to the ‘significant limitations’ of the current site. Can this assertion

by Southampton Solent University be justified?

In brief, SSU responded: ‘The required capital investment at Warsash is too high. The Warsash campus makes a lower contribution to the operation of the university as a whole, when compared with other operating areas, despite the increase in income between 2010-15.’

SSU continued: ‘The university also has to demonstrate, on an annual basis, that it has secured best value for money across all of its activities and this would be best evidenced by investing in campus developments that could be shared across a range of areas.’

Therefore, it appears the ‘significant limitations’ referred to in the Telegraph article are financial, based on an accountant’s unimpassioned, myopic view, rather than through a mariner’s eye for scanning the wider Warsash picture.

Since it appears the move is fundamentally all about money, then why cannot SSU be allowed to finance Warsash through the provision of central funding, as in other parts of the British Isles?

My second question follows: z How could further development in maritime training be better achieved through moving, rather than investment on the current site?

Unfortunately, SSU’s derivative answer missed the point, as follows: ‘Teaching delivered on the upper site will be moved to a new location in Southampton.’

The answer goes on to justify the move: ‘Students, professional delegates, officer cadets and staff will benefit from a central location, with better transport links, a wider choice of local amenities and university facilities, and new, modern, fitfor-purpose teaching spaces and offices.’

However, it is not clear how some of the ageing facilities and buildings within the existing SSU are to be funded in future that would be adjacent to the proposed new maritime site.

The reply then expresses aspirations for further growth, as follows: ‘The university is committed to the continuation and expansion of maritime education and training and will seek to build on the current reputation of the Academy, for example, by extending the superyacht provision to incorporate undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in yacht and powercraft design; professional courses and superyacht cadetships.’

However, any discerning mariner would not lose sight of the obvious motive for these

changes as the university’s

the admirable concept and

Southampton Solent University’s City centre campus Picture: Anna-Cariad Graves

initiative for achieving greater financial benefit through economies of scale, rather than providing any proven additional benefit to those who would attend the new Maritime Centre.

Since academia is an industry, it would appear the financial survival of SSU has been considered paramount in the decision to move the Academy.

Therefore, I would suggest the current proposals resemble an aggressive ‘land grabbing’ initiative, to complement the opportunistic snatching of an intended city building site from the receiver in 2011 that conveniently lies adjacent to SSU. The reply to my question concludes: ‘Any relocation has its challenges, but the brand, experience and quality can travel and translate elsewhere.’

I would suggest the unique maritime location of Warsash has been the source of its international renown. This would be lost with the planned move into the city centre, into the graveyard site that would eclipse the name. As any connoisseur of the finest malt whiskies would know, the essence of success could be lost in a move elsewhere. So beware!

P

SSU’s Maritime Strategy 2020 appears to ‘cherry pick’ training in the superyacht sector in an attempt to boost lucrative business and university ratings in cooperation with China. This could distract from the full range of professional and vocational standards offered in the dedicated surroundings of Warsash. I would suggest the Warsash location is necessary, as maritime courses are so intensive, compared with wholly academic disciplines.

Ships are complete communities in themselves and the ‘self-contained’ nature of the Warsash Maritime Academy and remoteness of the village from Southampton could positively instil an element of necessary selfdiscipline that should distinguish undergraduates from young, impressionable cadets. So why tamper with a winning formula, by moving the WMA? How long would the ethos of Warsash, cadet uniforms and necessary discipline survive such a move, together with the proud Merchant Navy heritage?

The tragic dilemma for Warsash appears to stem from

introduction of nationally recognised qualifications for MN officers by a former director of Warsash, the late Captain Stewart, in 1968. It is most unfortunate the unintended consequence of academic development now threatens to destroy the identity of Warsash as an autonomous academy. In some respects, an apparent victim of the vision equating mariners to others in shore-based roles.

It shocks me that SSU has made the decision to move the WMA without a recognisable consultation process and I would surmise the future of maritime training could not be trusted in such hands.

I have noted the SSU’s intention to retain the lower part of the existing WMA estate, together with the fire-fighting and sea survival facilities, but with no apparent mention of the wellappointed engineering centre!

Therefore, if the upper site should be vacated, then presumably the engineer cadets would have to be transported back there daily from their new accommodation in Southampton!

It does not make any apparent logistical or business sense to abandon either the present engineering centre or the accommodation at Warsash.

Since June last year, I have sailed with a number of deck and engineering cadets at various stages of their training. Those who know Warsash would favour the logic of preserving its present location and distinctive Wessex dragon logo.

The SSU article concludes with a pledge ‘to preserve and protect the Warsash legacy’ although it is unclear how this would be achieved through absorption into the SSU in Southampton city centre.

My concerns extend beyond ‘legacy’ to the priceless history and heritage of Warsash that has helped to distinguish the Merchant Navy.

I feel responsibility for such considerations should rest upon informed persons of influence who so far appear to have remained silent in this matter.

This includes the Chancellor of Southampton Solent University who should be relied upon, as a mariner, to recognise a wrongheaded strategy originating from those ignorant of the sea.

MALCOLM GRAVES mem no 118081

20/04/2016 16:03

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MARITIME CAREERS

A smooth transition to superintendent status P

Going to sea is the ultimate goal for many mariners — as it gives them a chance to see the world and learn new skills. However, for some, a life afloat is not the long-term plan.

Moving from ship to shore is a major change in any seafarer’s career. Everything from the style of work down to the wages they take home will be different.

Acknowledging this, a training centre for the next wave of superintendents is helping to make that transition a bit more manageable.

Based on the Isle of Man, the intensive Ship Superintendents’ Training Course provides all participants with the knowledge, tools and skills they may need in order to work on the shore side of the industry.

The course is a joint initiative between the Isle of Man Ship Registry and the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education. It is delivered by a range of industry experts and it lasts for nine days, at a cost of £3,000 per participant.

For over a decade it has been run by EMCS International — a family-run business based on the Isle of Man. At the forefront of the business, helping to guide participants through the training, is EMCS owner and programme manager Steve George, who spent 14 years at sea before coming ashore.

‘The idea of the course is principally to bring senior officers from onboard ship to shore,’ he explains. ‘It is a career progression where they have come from captain or chief engineer onboard ship to shore as a superintendent.

‘A superintendent is the managerial link between the ship and ashore,’ Steve notes. ‘The course has developed over the years where it’s not just captains and chief engineers, but we also get different people from the marine industry.

‘They come on the course to learn the new skills they need, which are legal issues, accountancy issues, report writing and insurance, to name a few. The big advantage of this course is the interaction between future superintendents so they learn from each other’s experiences.’

P

Every year, two training sessions are undertaken at the Nunnery, near the Isle of Man’s capital Douglas. This beautiful setting — spreading over 12 acres and dating back as far as the 12th century — is a tranquil surrounding to help attendees focus on the new skills they are learning.

The move from working at sea to working ashore is not always an easy one. But a special course run in the Isle of Man aims to give seafarers the skills and knowledge they need to progress their careers as respected maritime professionals on land.

STEVEN KENNEDY joined the students last month…

Participants listen during the training at the Nunnery on the Isle of Man Pictures: Steven Kennedy

During the training, students are guided through topics including dry docking, changes to reporting lines, environmental issues, budgeting, repair costs, buying and selling ships, media responses, and damage surveys.

Each course usually welcomes 12-15 participants, arriving from all over the world. This occasion — the 22nd course — is no different. In the room is an assortment of nationalities. Seafarers from Britain are flanked by colleagues from Latvia and Germany, as well as from as far afield as India and Venezuela — including the 300th person to have taken the course. All have a goal in mind, and that involves taking those steps back to shore following a life at sea.

Due to the nature of the industry — and with the international flavour of the participants — the course constantly has to keep adapting and changing to ensure its students are receiving up-todate knowledge.

‘The course changes progressively all the time,’ says Steve. ‘We still have the same key people to pass on the information because they are key to the course as they have the in-depth experience.

The Nunnery Picture: Isle of Man Department of Economic Development

19_superintendents_SR edit.indd Sec1:19

Over the years we adapt to trends and changes in the business. On the current course, for instance, we’ve actually bought a superintendent of the police force here, who’s retired now, to teach them about incident investigation and protecting the evidence.

‘There are 37 modules here and maybe once a year we’ll change one,’ he adds. ‘It takes quite a long time to do that.

There are quite basic things which don’t change like the legal issues and insurance. It’s the side issues that do change.’

P

Nine long days of training can be a big commitment for a working person, perhaps with a family to support. With a substantial course fee to pay and a life-changing decision to make, the choice to come to shore for a superintendent’s existence is not one participants make lightly.

However, for those who are willing to make the jump back to land, it can be a decision that is extremely rewarding, and — although not easy — it’s a path Steve believes will serve them well in the future.

‘It’s £3,000 to do the course, which is

Steve George, programme manager for EMCS

a lot for an individual, but much of the time it’s the companies that are putting people forward,’ he explains. ‘What we’ve seen is that many of the people who’ve finished this course go on to be junior superintendents, then full superintendents, then they may move to become a fleet manager. The sky really is the limit.

‘The biggest changes they’ll have to get used to are working in an office environment — the wages aren’t quite as good as they can get at sea, and you get half the leave as well.

‘These are things that may put people off coming ashore but you’ve got to choose,’ Steve points out. ‘You can stay at sea, but you’ve got to look at the reason why you’ve come ashore. At the end of the day if you’re at sea you can be the chief engineer, you can be the captain on the ship and go two months on, two months off, but you can’t get any higher.

‘If you choose to come ashore as a superintendent, it’s career progression.

You can make managing director, but you won’t as a captain on a ship. You have to suffer a little bit at first. Superintendents are on call all the time — seven days a week, 24/7.

‘Personally, I love doing this job,’ Steve says. ‘Sometimes people come and they’re quite apprehensive about what’s going to happen. Seeing them go from that through the course and then at the end seeing the confidence that they’ve got means a lot.

‘The good thing about it is that even once the course has finished they can pick up the phone to us as they have all the contact numbers. They can ring and say “I’m in the bottom of a dry dock here and there is a big lump off the end of the propeller blade. What do I do?” We get those calls all the time and it gives them confidence. At the end of the day we’re here to help.’ g For more information about the Ship Superintendent Training Course, contact Steve George on +44 (0)1624 833 955 or email enquiries@emcs.co.im.

Kulmjakovs became the Ship D Superintendent Training Course’s 300th Latvian-born seafarer Taras

participant when he enrolled on April’s course.

A voyage manager for MOL LNG Transport (Europe), Taras first went to sea back in 2007 and said that he always planned to make the move ashore when the time was right.

Now, almost a decade on, Taras is in the first stages of making that ambition a reality.

‘I’ve been sailing since 2007 until 2015 on the LNG carriers and decided to try out the superintendent’s life and come ashore last summer,’ said Taras. ‘I’ve been working with my current company, MOL LNG, since September, so I’m pretty new to life ashore.

‘This was always my intention from when I started sailing,’ he added. ‘The main reason for this was to go on developing.

There were times at sea when I wasn’t moving forward. I was stuck doing the same routine tasks; I was very comfortable in it, but I felt bogged down.’

Coming into the course, Taras didn’t know what to expect. Through his work and time at sea he has seen various ways of working which have helped shape the way he operates. He is now looking at identifying the areas that need improvement and says he is looking forward to the challenge of being a superintendent.

Aspiring superintendent Taras Kulmjakovs

‘So far I’m doing operational superintendency. I hoped the course would give me a better understanding of what I’m getting into. I don’t expect it to give me an instant boost in my career or anything like that.

‘In this course we’ve spoken about general managerial skills, assertiveness and being able to talk to people. I’m not entirely sure that I have all those skills yet at the required level, but I’ve spotted areas that I need to develop in myself, which is an important thing to do.

‘I’m excited about the prospect of stepping up. I want to see if I can handle it.

I’m already seeing how difficult it is, but I wasn’t looking for easy so I’ve embraced that,’ he added.

One surprise Taras couldn’t have anticipated was that his enrolment was to be a landmark for the training course. From his own experiences on the Isle of Man, he said he’d not hesitate to suggest the same for others.

‘Being number 300 through the course is a good thing,’ said Taras. ‘I didn’t realise that until I was told in the room. I’ve heard that pretty much everyone who’s done the course is happy with it. I’d certainly suggest to people looking to start out as a superintendent to do the course. It’s a great thing to go through.’

20/04/2016 15:21

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

SEAFARER TRAINING

Choosing the right blend There’s more than one way to study for your OOW certificate, explain Katrina Burton and Katherine Higgins of Fleetwood Nautical Campus …

K

As highlighted in several recent editions of the Telegraph, alternative paths to Officer of the Watch certification are becoming increasingly popular. Attending college full-time as part of a sponsored cadetship is no longer the only way to study, and many trainees are keen to earn while they learn.

One of the institutions at the forefront of this movement is the UK maritime academy Fleetwood Nautical Campus — which offers ‘blended learning’ courses for learners who are based overseas, work full-time or prefer to study in a flexible mode.

The Campus, which is now part of Blackpool & the Fylde College, has long shown a commitment to distance learning. From the paper-based correspondence courses of the 1990s to today’s online learning, the academy has provided numerous options for seafarers who wish to improve their job prospects and prefer to study at their chosen location, time and pace.

Fleetwood’s current Blended Learning Unit was founded six years ago, and has grown from offering a single HNC qualification to providing an extensive set of MCA-approved programmes, including the HND in nautical science, a bespoke nautical knowledge package and a VTS induction course.

The unit creates and develops an extensive range of online learning resources, continuously adding to its suite of online educational facilities.

These include online video catalogues, specific videos created by subject specialists, special access

OneFile e-portfolio software and online formative assessments ‒ downloaded for smartphones or tablets

Fleetwood student Karley Smith, winner of the MCA Trainee Officer of the Year 2010

to industry publications, OneFile e-portfolio software and online formative assessments — all of which can be downloaded for use on smartphones or tablets.

The unit also strives to meet the learning styles of individual students, as their learning material is provided in module format with accompanying nautical publications where required, along with additional equipment including a scientific calculator, formulae sheets and navigational charts.

Advice and guidance is given at every stage in a trainee’s programme of study, with a range of experienced seafarers on hand to help — some currently serving at sea and others having had a full career to the level of shipmaster, with all the knowledge that entails. Although the programmes are based online, students can contact the blended learning tutors between Mondays and Fridays via telephone, email or Skype. The lecturers are as accessible as they would be if the trainees attending the college in person.

To some students, self-study can seem daunting, but staff at Fleetwood are committed to ensuring they receive the same support they could expect

BUILD YOUR CAREER WITH A SLATER SCHOLARSHIP The Slater Scholarship offers a bursary of up to £17,500 for Merchant Navy ratings, electrotechnical officers and yacht crew to study for the STCW officer of the watch qualification (either deck or engineer).

Apply now! marine-society.org/slater slater@ms-sc.org Administered by the

20_fleetwood_SR edit.indd Sec2:20

if they were on a full-time course in college. Full access to subject clinics and the Learning Resource Centre are further valuable means of study available to blended learning students.

Last year saw students from six continents enrol on Fleetwood’s blended learning programmes and then attend college to successfully complete summative assessments. Since its launch in 2010, the unit has seen the demand for online learning increase and has developed programmes not only to meet this demand but to be constantly at the forefront of online training for seafarers.

K

On enrolment, the programme material is supplied in sets, with each set containing two or three modules; on completion of these modules, the next set is supplied. This ensures the student can build confidence in their own ability and makes the course more manageable.

After enrolment, the students can therefore purchase individual modules from each set, paying only for the work they are currently undertaking, which allows for easy budget monitoring and avoids a large initial outlay.

The blended learning programme is designed to follow the syllabus of the HND and prepare the student for the external MCA exams leading to a UK certificate of competency. Preparation for formal assessment at college is completed online before students make any travel arrangements to Fleetwood. When the student is considered ready, the flexibility of the course allows them to choose the date and time of their assessment at Fleetwood.

The course is structured to minimise the amount of time the students have to attend college, and all formal assessments can be completed within four visits.

The blended learning style has proved so successful that many students who have completed their HNC by this method and obtained their Officer of the Watch Unlimited have enrolled with the unit again to complete their HND leading to Chief Mate Unlimited and will then go on to Master Unlimited.

g For more on the Fleetwood blended learning

programme, email blearning@blackpool.ac.uk. g Information on all the flexible training paths to OOW certification in the UK is available from the Marine Society, which can also advise on whether a candidate is eligible for a scholarship from the Nautilus Slater Fund. Contact education manager Carla Rockson at crockson@ms-sc.org or call +44 (0)20 7654 7029.

Fleetwood’s blended learning students say:

Jacopo Flotta – HND Italian national working as a deck officer and studying for HND ‘The amount of learning resource offered is beyond expectation. The contents are up to date with the latest news in the shipping industry and the examiners are professional and experienced.

‘The resources available at Fleetwood provide all the tools that an average deck officer needs in order to become a first quality senior professional in the maritime industry.’

S Warwatkar – HND Indian national working as a deck officer and studying for HND ‘Blended learning is an excellent opportunity for seafarers who are looking for higher education without losing their current job. I think it is an excellent method of study to obtain higher education.’

Tim Davison – HNC British yacht master who has completed the HNC through blended learning and is now studying for HND ‘Fleetwood’s blended learning has enabled me to work towards my OOW Unlimited whilst still working at sea. This qualification vastly improves my professional learning and job prospects. The distance-learning delivery enables me to achieve something that I would not have been able to afford to do otherwise. The course is by no means a small undertaking and candidates should expect to dedicate hard work and time in order to succeed. The staff have been extremely helpful at the college and the set-up for learning is well-established.

I am happy to have been a part of it.’

Richard Baum – RN to MN conversion Royal Navy commodore transferring to Merchant Navy ‘For me, overall the course has been brilliant and exactly what I was looking for. The support from the blended learning team has been first class in every respect, and I could not have wished for more. Their approach is professional, friendly, efficient and very prompt. The tutor support has been exceptional and again very prompt when requested.’

20/04/2016 16:04

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

SEAFARER TRAINING A former NUMAST member is now working in France helping to train officers for gas carriers. He tells JEFF APTER about the challenge of pre-empting a skill shortage in the LNG fleet…

Sector seeks specialists

F

One sector of the world shipping industry which continues to undergo healthy expansion is the LNG fleet — and Ray Gillett, director and general manager of GTT Training, says this growth is creating good opportunities for merchant seafarers.

Mr Gillett, who served at sea for 17 years before moving ashore to train in liquid cargo handling and simulation, notes that worldwide demand for natural gas is growing at an average 5.5% a year, fuelled by continuing strong demand from Asia and by rising demand in Europe.

While small membrane-type LNG carriers have been in operation for over 50 years, the marked growth of the fleet is recent years has led to a ‘huge expansion’ of opportunities for seafarers in the sector, he adds. ‘Five hundred LNG carriers came into service between 2014 and 2016, representing a 25% increase in two years,’ he points out.

Gas is the most abundant and cleanest of the fossil fuels. Each year sees new countries becoming LNG importers, with the share of gas consumption in the global energy mix is forecast to rise to nearly 25% by 2040.

The emergence of new sources of supply is driving LNG transport on more and longer shipping routes, sustaining demand for LNG carriers and other LNG vessels, Mr Gillett says. Although the 35 orders booked during 2015 is down from the record 47 set the previous year, the fleet remains on an upwards curve.

In June 2014, Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) — the world leader in cryogenic membrane containment systems used for the transport and the storage of LNG — established UK-based GTT Training as a wholly-owned subsidiary with a

An advanced GTT Mk 3 LNG containment tank being fitted to a new Chevron Shipping gas carrier

training facility just outside Paris to take on the challenge of responding to the rapid expansion of the LNG fleet.

GTT Training was set up in a facility outside Paris with the purpose of supporting the LNG industry by providing high-quality specialist training and technical services to all LNG sectors and taking steps to tackle the shortage of officers for the gas fleet.

The company operates in several sectors: LNG carriers, very large ethane carriers, multi-gas carriers, floating LNG units, floating storage and re-gasification units, onshore storage tanks, and in the use of LNG as a fuel.

‘All these are markets whose longterm fundamentals remain favourable,’ Mr Gillett stresses. The current orderbook of 118 units includes 105 LNGCs and

Students at the GTT Training facility near Paris Picture: Jeff Apter

ethane carriers, seven FSRUs and three FLNGs, earmarked for delivery by 2017.

In March, the company announced its first contract to supply its G-Sim LNG simulator software for the development of a new LNG carrier model based specifically on the new LNG vessels owned and operated by Chevron.

Mr Gillett’s seagoing career culminated in a brief spell as master of an LPG vessel, before going ashore to specialise in LNG and LPG operations training and in the development and sale of liquid cargo handling simulators and associated training services.

A former member of the Nautilus predecessor union NUMAST, he believes the growth in the LNG fleet spells a ‘great need for training for all those involved in the sector’; and GTT, which has more than 80% of the world’s orders for LNG vessels, established its training programmes with specially-developed courses in transporting LNG as a cargo, commercial LNG and instruction for LNG technicians.

Training is delivered on demand for three or more people, with a maximum of six to a classroom. One course per quarter is set aside for two, or even one attendee. On average about 100

students a year attend courses. They come from various countries, while those based in France attend internal GTT training courses that are relevant to all serving on LNG carriers. These involve people working in areas such as classification societies, shipbuilding, and repair yards.

The intensive five-day course uses a

combination of classroom lectures on theoretical knowledge, simulator exercises for the various cargo operations using an appropriate LNG carrier ship mode and the use of electronic tablets.

Assessments are undertaken through de-briefing sessions for review and reflection and evening guided study to ensure attendees have a sound theoretical and practical level of knowledge at completion of the course.

Mr Gillett says membrane technology and its application ensure LNG vessels are safe and reliable, and the fleet has a good safety record. Bespoke courses are designed for all officers who will sail onboard LNG carriers and especially those responsible for the safe planning and execution of all the related cargo operations and for those seeking a better understanding of LNG vessel cargo operations — and now for LNG as a fuel.

Systems training is offered for shipowners, operators, LNG cargo operations, classification societies and approved ship repair yards and for crews to become familiar with the use of LNG as a fuel in an operational environment. The courses encompass SIGTTO LNG shipping suggested company standards covering all operations conducted in dry dock to the dry dock voyage cycle of a typical vessel, and are approved by DNV GL. For Mr Gillett, the one major challenge is that LNG training is not keeping pace with the rapid developments in the sector. ‘Our training is very specialised,’ he notes, ‘and while some owners have their own facilities, fuel courses are more detailed, depending on the client. It’s very new area and only basics are needed — ten people for each ship.’

IMO standards are the basic level, and all training offered by GTT goes beyond IMO requirements. All extra training has value, Mr Gillett argues, but not enough companies are offering training — so an insufficient number of people are taking courses. ‘The biggest challenge is to convince owners to send LNG officers on courses. as there is a tendency to say it is not necessary as people train hands-on onboard ship,’ he adds.

Ray Gillett, director and general manager of GTT Training Picture: Jeff Apter

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20/04/2016 16:04

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NAUTILUS AT WORK

INTERNAT

Strategic campaig members, for mem Jobs, Skills and the Future

Nautilus International is set to launch three n focusing on the issues that matter most to m head of strategic campaigns, explains the ke

Meeting in 2015, and in his 2016 new year message, general secretary S Mark Dickinson said ‘Jobs, Skills and the Future encapsulates perfectly what Members may recognise this title, as it was the theme of the General

K

At the 2015 Nautilus General Meeting, general secretary Mark Dickinson announced that the Union would be focusing more resources on strategic campaigns — fighting to secure a better deal for our members in the face of global challenges.

‘The maritime industry is a global industry, which has a local impact,’ Mr Dickinson said. ‘For our members this means that issues on the other side of the world can have a big impact on their lives — whether this is the effect on jobs and skills of globalisation and the impact of international labour markets; the changes stemming from new international legislation such as the Maritime Labour Convention 2006; or the loss of skills caused by a downturn in global oil prices and oversupply of container ship capacity.

Because of these large scale issues the

Nautilus is all about. For the Union and its members, there is no theme more important or obvious than this.’

The Union’s membership survey highlighted that the future of the industry as a whole was of concern to members, with many calling on Nautilus to do all it can to protect jobs, improve training and preserve the future of the maritime industry in their countries.

The survey respondents rated securing the future for maritime jobs and increasing the skills base as the two most important issues which the Union should be campaigning on in the future.

Therefore, this umbrella campaign will cover a number of different issues within the maritime and inland waterways industry, allowing members across Union to bring a number of objectives under one central focus — safeguarding the industry for the future.

Europe: following a motion to the General Meeting last year, Jobs, Skills and the Future will promote cabotage as a mechanism to support the employment of European seafarers and the benefits of an EU version of the American Jones Act. It will continue the Union’s opposition to European trade agreements which seek to remove the employment rights of seafarers such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Netherlands: Jobs, Skills and the Future in the Netherlands will focus on what the future of the industry looks like and investigate how technology will impact it. The campaign will look at autonomous shipping and the role technology could play onboard so that we can ensure the seafarers of the future have the right technical knowledge and skills to operate with them.

As part of the focus on the future, the Jobs, Skills and the Future campaign will work to ensure that all Dutch maritime students who want to go to sea continue to be able to secure a berth on ships in the Dutch maritime industry and have access to the best training available.

UK: the Union will campaign for quality training and decent career progression for seafarers. This will include supporting SMarT Plus, which calls for the government to change the funding scheme so that it involves an element of sea time once cadets have qualified. One activity already planned will award medals to companies to reflect how well they recognise and implement good practice for cadets and career progression. ‘Gold medal winners’ will be the companies who take UK cadets every year, give them a good level of training during their sea phases, and offer opportunities for work once the cadetship is completed. They will also have a good track record of internal promotion and supporting seafarers

22-23_spread.indd 22

with training.

Through Jobs, Skills and the Future, the Union will be launching a 10-point charter for industry and government, giving realistic and achievable actions that can be taken to improve the future for the British shipping industry.

Crew Communications

North Sea: Jobs, Skills and the Future has already been used as part of the Union’s work to halt the job losses in the offshore oil and gas sector and secure a sustainable future for the North Sea. Nautilus has joined with other unions representing workers in the North Sea to call for change, and will continue to work with them and the Jobs, Skills and the Future campaign to call for government intervention and a rational response to the low oil price.

Switzerland: the Union’s Swiss office is located in Basel — the heart of the Rhine’s maritime hub.

However, the port of Basel is under threat from developers who want to see it turned into housing, which could effectively end centuries of waterways transportation. Through Jobs, Skills and the Future, Nautilus will be joining port workers and river users to protect the port and call for it to be expanded. Nautilus will be campaigning to reverse the trend for logistics traffic to move from the waterways on to the roads.

The campaign will also work with tripartite groups to secure improvements in the terms and conditions of Rhine workers.

Union will be focusing more on a small number of targeted campaigns, working areas that I hope will improve the day-to day lives of our members.

‘These campaigns will focus on secur changes in the wider industry, as well as improving individual workplaces,’ he added.

Following the Council meeting in Apr this year, three campaigns have been selected: an umbrella campaign continu the Jobs, Skills and the Future theme use at the General Meeting, one focused on the ongoing criminalisation of seafarers and at third working for improved communication and connectivity at sea ‘The Union’s mission is to be an independent, influential, global trade un and professional organisation, committ to delivering high quality, cost effective services to members, and welfare to

S

The ability for seafarers to stay connected whilst away at sea is something which is becoming an increasingly important issue when they are choosing an employer.

Over 80% of people completing the membership survey in 2015 said that improved onboard communications was one of the most important collective bargaining issues, second only to improved pay. A number of members also wanted to be able to contact the Union for free when abroad, or to have better contact with their shore management, and these would be much easier if companies provided free access to the internet.

The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) states that ‘consideration’ should be given to the provision, at reasonable cost, of TV and radio, personal computers and internet and email access — and the IMO and European Commission have both said that improving communications at sea should be a priority for the industry. The UK government recently announced that access to the internet should no longer be a luxury but a basic right.

Despite this, a number of recent surveys by the Union and other maritime organisations have found that the ability for seafarers to get online is decades behind the rest of the world — even astronaut Tim Peake at the International Space Station has a better connection to earth than many seafarers!

Therefore, Nautilus is launching a Crew Communications campaign, which will highlight the lack of connectivity at sea, seek to find out why connectivity at sea remains difficult, and provide solutions to some of the problems which can be overcome.

This campaign will work with shipping companies

to find out what they be connectivity, and encou members on their vesse provision, to encourage and ultimately full ente Nautilus will be work providers to ultimately options for connectivity employers during pay a The first stage of the members and find out w onboard and in ports, w to sea, and how they fee key part of this survey w at the stage of making e availability of internet a suggests is beginning to The aim of the camp of information on inter at sea, to demonstrate t have been addressed in Member involvemen to its success. The Union what today’s seafarers w so that the industry doe behind in the race to a f

20/04/2016 16:19

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

NAUTILUS AT WORK

NATIONAL

Increased focus on social media

gns from mbers

S

ee new major campaign strands o members. Debbie Cavaldoro, key themes… mall rking in ay-toecuring ell as he n April en ntinuing e used d on arers; at sea. de union mmitted ctive o

necessitous seafarers and their dependants and other maritime professionals,’ said Mr Dickinson. ‘I hope that members will agree that the Union’s renewed strategic campaigns focus will help to achieve all of these goals.

‘There will be plenty of opportunities for members to get involved — completing surveys, attending events and, most importantly, taking real solutions back to their management to improve their own workplaces.

‘We want members to feel that these campaigns are their campaigns, and work with the Union to secure real improvements in the industry. I urge members to get in touch if they feel there is an issue that the Union could be addressing under the Jobs, Skills and the Future, Fair Treatment, or Crew Communications themes.’

Mr Dickinson was keen to stress that the new emphasis on strategic campaigning does not mean the Union will only be campaigning on three issues.

‘The Union has a long and proud history of actively campaigning on a number of issues including fatigue, bullying and harassment, asbestos, and fair transport — to name but a few — and we will continue to do this,’ he added.

‘These strategic campaigns simply allow the Union to focus resources on a smaller number of key areas to try and achieve real improvements for our members’.

In addition to running three strategic campaigns, there will also be an increased focus on the ways the union uses social and traditional media.

‘There is a saying that if no one knows you’re campaigning, then you’re not campaigning, and this is something that will become very important as we launch these new campaigns,’ said Mrs Cavaldoro. ‘We want to ensure that every statement, every comment and every industry warning that the Union makes is heard by the people who need to hear it, whether they are the media, the public, politicians or other industry organisations.

‘By improving the Union’s social media output and increasing our presence in the mainstream media, we will help to give our campaigns the platforms they need to attract the attention of a wider audience, which in turn, will add support to our aims and objectives.’

Nautilus will be looking to react to more mainstream news stories and by providing comment, interview

subjects and ideas for developing stories.

The Union will also be increasing its use of video and the number of social media platforms where it has a presence. Members are encouraged to follow the Union on: g Twitter twitter.com/nautilusint g Facebook www.facebook.com — search for Nautilus International g LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/ groups/5133007 g YouTube www.youtube.com/ user/nautilusint You can reach all these groups and pages with one click by following the links from the website www.nautilusint.org — see ‘OUR NETWORK’ at the bottom of each page.

Nautilus will also be developing profiles on other social media sites, and members are encouraged to come forward and suggest platforms they already use and would be keen to see Nautilus use. g Suggestions can be sent to campaigns@nautilusint.org.

g For more information on the activities

already planned under the three campaign themes and how to get involved, please contact Debbie Cavaldoro at campaigns@ nautilusint.org.

“

More than 90% of members surveyed were worried about criminalisation

”

Fair Treatment S ey believe the barriers are to good encourage them to provide access to all vessels; or where there is already a basic urage a move to free wifi access onboard entertainment packages. working with maritime communications ately provide members with a range of ctivity which they can take back to their pay and conditions negotiations. f the campaign will be to survey out what their current provision is rts, what devices they currently take ey feel provision could be improved. A vey will be to find out if members are ing employment choices based on the rnet access, which anecdotal evidence ing to happen. ampaign will be to bring together a range internet and communications provision rate that most of the previous concerns ed in one way or another. ement in this campaign will be the key Union wants to be able to fully represent rers want from connectivity onboard y does not find itself slipping further to a fully connected world.

22-23_spread.indd 23

Accidents happen in every industry, but when they do, no other industry treats its workers like criminals. When maritime accidents occur, there is often an implication that seafarers somehow deliberately set out to cause a collision, injury or spillage.

A survey of members in 2010 found that whilst the instances of criminalisation among seafarers were low, more than 90% were worried about the increasing criminalisation of maritime professionals and believed it affected how they felt about working in the shipping industry.

In the 2015 LRD membership survey, respondents said that fair treatment / criminalisation was the third most important issue for the Union to campaign on (after maritime jobs and skills). Therefore, Nautilus will campaign to ensure that all maritime professionals can do their jobs without fear, allowing the rest of the world to go about theirs.

The campaign will include a new survey of members to understand whether the fear or reality of criminalisation has changed since the original findings. As part of the wider Nautilus Federation, the Fair Treatment campaign will look at ways to better support members following accidents in one of the Federation countries.

As well as promoting fair treatment of seafarers to industry, the Fair Treatment campaign will ensure that the Union is able to react when an incident or accident occurs in an attempt to discourage ‘trial by media’ or the criminalisation and poor treatment of any members involved. The Union will develop a database of previous

accidents and responses to these, to highlight the generic wider causes of accidents.

The Union will, through its cooperation with other maritime unions within the Nautilus Federation, seek to extend the scope of the support provided to members through the effective collaboration and coordination of union and legal services to seafarers.

20/04/2016 16:19

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

EU REFERENDUM

Maritime decision time I

The 23 June referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the European Union has generated vast amounts of coverage in the UK press recently — although much of it has been short on fact and long on scaremongering.

At last month’s meeting of the Nautilus Council, general secretary Mark Dickinson led a discussion on the potential impact of ‘Brexit’ on British shipping and seafarers — with the aim of reaching a consensus on the Union’s position in the referendum debate.

‘It is important to remember that this is a debate about our profession, the shipping industry, and what is best for Britain only in those contexts,’ Mr Dickinson told the meeting. ‘This is not a proposal for a political or even an emotional viewpoint. In fact, much of the debate thus far has been deeply emotional and largely ill-informed.’

He explained that it was important for the Union to give members the facts about EU membership and what it means to maritime professionals and the shipping industry.

Mr Dickinson told the Council that opinions are generally divided between those who think that being outside the EU will mean that free movement of

Should we stay or should we go? Last month’s Nautilus Council meeting considered whether the Union should take a view on the upcoming UK referendum on EU membership. DEBBIE CAVALDORO reports…

I Picture: Thinkstock

labour will no longer apply and that other European seafarers working on UK ships will be

replaced by British seafarers, and those who worry that the UK being outside the EU will put a

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24_eu_SR edit.indd Sec2:24

tonnage tax, the SMarT training scheme, and income tax (SED) and social security concessions.

‘It is a risk, at least, that the current government — with its current austerity-driven restrictions on public spending and the stated preference of ministers for the free market over intervention — would not exploit an opportunity to cut government fiscal support being underpinned by EU guidelines that would no longer apply,’ he warned.

‘Despite all the noise created around the UK’s Maritime Growth Study and all the warm words for the industry from the government, no new money or investment has been forthcoming.’

stop to their existing opportunities to work in the European maritime industry.

Mr Dickinson pointed out that the UK had always provided for seafarers from the British Empire, and then the Commonwealth, to serve on UK ships. ‘It was in fact entry into the EU in the 1970s that resulted in the extension of employment opportunities to EU citizens, and the UK was required to respect the qualifications of EU officers under the mutual recognition of qualifications directive,’ he explained. ‘However, arguably this would have been the case in any event under STCW requirements.’

With no nationality restrictions applied to seafarers on UKregistered vessels or on foreignflagged vessels trading in UK waters, ‘it would therefore seem to be entirely unrealistic to imagine that leaving the EU would result in more jobs for British seafarers’.

Mr Dickinson argued that the more likely consequence of an ‘out’ vote in the referendum would ultimately be more nonEU/EEA seafarers being recruited — and at rates of pay substantially below those being paid to British and other European seafarers.

Leaving the EU would mean that the UK is no longer subject to EU directives — including those outlawing discrimination on race or nationality — which could enable ship owners to employ labour from lower-cost EU countries, thereby endangering British jobs, Mr Dickinson warned.

‘On the other hand, the UK does apply the national minimum wage and work permit requirements in a limited and haphazard fashion to shipping, and as a Union we have on occasion been able to ensure that foreign seafarers are paid at least the correct UK minimum wages or have the required work permits,’ he noted. This general lack of enforcement is a national issue related to a lack of resources or

political will, and not as a result of EU law, Mr Dickinson stated.

‘Those members who may be of the opinion that leaving the EU would create jobs for British seafarers are probably those who work in the offshore or ferry sectors, whose work is wholly or mainly in UK waters and who have seen many EU/EEA seafarers being employed in their sectors — often as a consequence of alleged shortages of skilled and certificated officers locally.

This is not about politics — it’s about what’s best for seafarers

“

”

‘It is here that perhaps some think that the government would be able to take action to support local employment and, in doing so, not have to also provide for EU/EEA nationals,’ he added. ‘This, of course, assumes that the UK would be minded to do this, as historically no British government has ever restricted employment in UK trades to UK nationals.’

There is, however, a European directive on maritime cabotage which provides the legal basis for the UK government to regulate the manning conditions on intraisland ferry services, he pointed out. The UK government has chosen not to do so, and this places the best hopes of securing this type of intervention to protect and enhance jobs within Europe.

Mr Dickinson also explained the way in which the EU state aid guidelines for maritime transport have led to UK support for the shipping industry through

Mr Dickinson went on to cover the importance of the European Commission’s sectoral social dialogue committee (SSDC) on maritime transport, which supports a process of positive discussions between owners and unions to foster good industrial relations. The social partners have the power to propose legislation through the negotiation of agreements, and these agreements can be annexed to a directive by an EU Council decision. They must then be incorporated into member states’ national laws.

Nautilus is extensively engaged in this process, and the general secretary is the elected spokesperson for European seafarers on the committee. ‘In recent times the SSDC has concluded agreements covering seafarers’ working time and paid annual leave, applying the MLC in EU law, removing exclusions from social and employment directives, and is currently negotiating an agreement to bring the 2014 MLC amendments into EU law,’ he added.

Mr Dickinson argued that whilst there are many benefits to UK shipping from being in Europe, none of the current challenges facing the industry will disappear as a result of being outside. ‘We will still have to deal with global competition, but instead of fighting the negative aspects of globalisation as part of the largest economic bloc in the world, we will have to fight it alone.’

Mr Dickinson concluded that the impact of the UK being outside of the EU could be significant and the risks of taking such a leap into the unknown are great.

‘It would seem on balance that UK maritime workers are better in Europe than out,’ he stated. ‘It is just not clear what “leaving” will look like and those campaigning for “out” have not explained what will happen to the UK economy and the jobs of British workers.’

Following an interesting and extensive discussion, the Council unanimously agreed that whilst the Union is politically neutral, the best interests of the profession and the industry would be secured by the UK remaining in the EU. g Members in the UK are reminded that in order to vote in the EU referendum on Thursday 23 June you must be registered on the electoral system by Tuesday 7 June. Visit www.aboutmyvote.co.uk for more information.

20/04/2016 17:20

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

MARITIME SAFETY

It could all be down to you The SOLAS Safe Return to Port (SRTP) regulations place significant responsibilities on seafarers serving on new medium-sized and large passenger vessels, and certain special pecial purpose ships. DR LUIS GUARIN, partner and naval architect at Brookes Bell Safety at Sea, explains the implications of the rules for crew, and the measures ship owners and operators can take to prepare their teams for flood or fire emergencies…

M

The SOLAS ‘Safe Return to Port’ (SRTP) regulations represent a step change in crew responsibilities during flood and fire emergencies. Under the regulations, crew are required to contain emergency fire or flooding incidents defined in SRTP regulations and recover the operability of affected essential systems and the ship.

Working under the philosophy that a ship is its own best lifeboat, a vessel’s essential systems must be shown to remain operational following fire and flooding damage that does not exceed a certain pre-defined casualty threshold.

While a simple concept in essence, SRTP regulations present significant and multi-faceted challenges. Although the regulations came into force almost six years ago — on 1 July 2010 — it is only recently that many affected ship owners and operators have realised the full scale of the challenges these pose during vessel operation. This is because adherence to SRTP regulations is the responsibility of the ship builder up to the point of vessel delivery, at which point the ship owner or operator becomes responsible for compliance.

This trend for ship owners and operators to typically engage with SRTP regulations at the point of vessel delivery was foreseen by Brookes Bell in 2010, at which time we identified the need to introduce processes that made SRTP compliance more integrated between ship design and operation.

By introducing measures to improve the flow of this transition, the aim is to make SRTP easier to implement for seafarers, and more efficient and cost-effective for owners and operators.

M

The scale of the SRTP compliance challenge is considerable, but not insurmountable.

To achieve compliance, shipbuilders typically carry out Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) for each essential system, culminating in an extensive FMEA report for each system approved by a class society on behalf of a vessel’s flag state.

When a vessel is delivered, the crew must interpret the outcome of the FMEA studies for each essential system and use the information to develop procedures that ensure compliance in an emergency.

For a single flood or fire scenario, the number of manual tasks the crew must complete to contain damage and recover essential systems varies significantly. It could involve a few individual actions, or hundreds, depending on the nature of the incident.

To compound the issue, the crew must be able to contain damage and recover essential systems when impacted by all flood or fire scenarios defined in the SRTP regulations. The total number of individual damage scenarios varies depending on the size of the ship, but could include 100 or more.

In one industry example, all this meant that 100 different manual actions were required to contain damage and recover the operability of an essential ship system in a single scenario. For this vessel, a total of 200 possible scenarios required SRTP compliance. Therefore, the crew required training to implement a total of 20,000 manual steps to ensure compliance in emergency situations.

This may sounds like an overwhelming task to prepare for and instigate when necessary. However, with the right preparation, compliance processes between shipbuilders and ship owners, operators and crew can become more integrated, and the flow from vessel design to operation more fluent.

Upon delivery of a new vessel, design assumptions made in the FMEA studies need to be validated to ensure any discrepancies between compliance during vessel design and operation can

25_safe return_SR edit.indd 25

be addressed. To do this, ship owners and operators need access and sufficient resources to review the information, which is extensive and at times difficult to interpret. These steps are all necessary to ensure FMEA studies can be effectively applied to ensure SRTP compliance during vessel operation.

Once crew procedures to recover the operability of essential ship systems are defined, continuous and systematic drills must be conducted. This will ensure that the crew tasked with carrying out manual actions are familiar and competent with the emergency control procedures in line with the correct design intentions and for all SRTP scenarios.

SRTP compliance is made harder by high crew turnover leading to loss of knowledge

“

”

While effective, this strategy has its own associated challenges. For example, planning and conducting SRTP drills is likely to require extensive efforts due to the large number of scenarios and associated manual actions. Manual actions may involve sequential steps carried out at different locations throughout the ship, requiring, for example, specific access arrangements. This logistical information (not necessarily provided in the FMEA studies) needs to be defined and recorded in a systematic manner and made available to crew throughout the life of the ship, including all possible maintenance work and modifications.

Furthermore, SRTP compliance is made more difficult by the high crew turnover inherent within the passenger and cruise industry. Steps need to be taken to ensure acquired SRTP knowledge is not lost when p people process of p move on and that the p

increasing competence for new crew members becomes faster, more efficient and controlled.

As more newbuilds are delivered, an increasing number of passenger ship and special purpose vessel owners, operators and crew will be impacted by the SRTP regulations. It is essential that appropriate steps are taken to ensure SRTP compliance measures introduced at the ship design stage can be delivered throughout the lifecycle of the ship. To achieve this, ship owners and operators may find it useful to draw upon the expertise of a team of independent experts who can review, check and comment on the FMEA studies completed by a ship builder, and provide tools that support the maintenance of FMEA studies during ship operation.

M

Brookes Bell has developed an SRTP onboard advisory system, designed to be an emergency information management system for crew. The technology, which continues to be developed in partnership with ship owners and operators, provides accurate design information on the vessel as delivered, and stores information relating to SRTP casualty damages and associated manual actions, both of which are required to contain the damage and recover the affected essential ship systems. Additionally, ship owners are using the tool for planning, monitoring and analysis of SRTP drills, as well as facilitating efficient training platforms for crew.

By enabling controlled and secure modification of SRTP compliance protocols that are based on key leanings experienced onboard, ship builders, owners, operators and crew can achieve collective learning.

Ultimately, SRTP is a unique safety regulation that requires an innovative approach, excellent teamwork, modern tools and application of best practices. It cannot be finalised at vessel delivery and is instead a lifelong process, which needs to be well planned and organised throughout the lifecycle of a vessel.

It should include new crew training so that seafarers can confidently contain fire and flooding damage, and recover affected essential systems and the ship p in an emergency. g y

About the author: at Brookes Bell Safety at Sea. He joined the F company in 2002 after receiving a PhD in ships’

Dr Luis Guarin is the director of safety engineering

seakeeping and green sea loading in extreme sea conditions at the University of Strathclyde, where he continued his involvement in safety research until 2005.

In 1998 he received a MEng degree in ship structural design from the Technical University of Gdansk.

At Brookes Bell Safety at Sea, Dr Guarin has worked extensively on the development and implementation of risk assessment techniques in the evaluation of ship safety. He is responsible for the development of the evacuation analysis software Evi and for the systems redundancy verification software ISys (Systems FMEA).

Dr Guarin has been involved in newbuilding design projects of innovative cruise vessels, passenger ferries, mega-yachts, pipelay vessels and windfarm platforms, dealing with aspects of damage stability, fire protection, essential ship systems (Safe Return to Port), and escape and evacuation. He has conducted a variety of design risk analysis and Formal Safety Assessment studies on areas including operation of ships in polar regions, air and oil pollution from ships, navigation, and evacuation and rescue arrangements.

Furthermore, measures should be taken to ensure SRTP compliance can be maintained throughout all upgrades and possible conversions, and to support the crew during maintenance work.

If clear and well-demonstrated processes such as onboard crew advisory systems can be introduced to achieve this, SRTP compliant vessels will become easier and more cost-effective to operate and maintain.

The SOLAS Safe Return to Port regulations apply to new passengerships, such as Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, pictured leaving the STX Les Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard in March Picture: Stephane Mahe/Reuters

20/04/2016 16:20

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

MARITIME SALVAGE

Professionals who plan for the worst International Salvage Union president John Witte Jnr Picture: ISU

It’s not pleasant to think of a large vessel catching fire or starting to sink, but someone has to know what to do in these situations. STEVEN KENNEDY attended the ISU Associate Members’ Day to hear how salvors are preparing for the challenge of the mega-ships…

J

‘Thirty years ago, salvors were more often compared to Blackbeard the pirate with his eye patch and parrot than seen as someone to trust,’ pointed out International Salvage Union (ISU) president John Witte Jr last month. ‘Today we are, in fact, considered more like true professionals — not unlike lawyers, journalists or doctors — and that’s really important.’

It’s been a long time coming for those in the salvage industry. In his closing speech to the 200 delegates at the ISU Associate Members’ Day, Mr Witte spoke proudly of the progress the industry had made in recent times. He said that developments such as the EU initiative on places of refuge and the enhanced role of marine consultants in salvage operations were likely to add benefit to the sector for years to come.

Yet it was the final panel discussion of the day — made up of representatives from salvage operators, lawyers and the mari-

One of the world’s largest containerships,the 19,224TEU MSC Oscar 192,237gt vessel Picture: Eric Houri

time insurance industry — that could have the most significant impact on the salvors at the conference.

That discussion was around the impact of mega-ships.

These monster vessels have become more prominent across the world, with more on order each year. They are cost-effective and popular with shipowners,

but the salvage industry has a major concern: if one of these vessels were to get in trouble, how would salvors deal with it?

A lot of factors come in to play with these ships. How much bunker fuel is being used? How many crew members are there? How much cargo is onboard? What is being transported and — as is too often a priority — what is the

Sister ship MSC Zoe (19,224TEU), a Panama-flagged vessel, is the third in MSC’s Oscar Class and was built in South Korea by Daewoo Shipbuilding

value of the goods being shipped?

According to an Allianz expert risk article published last year — Megaships making waves — cargo-carrying capacity has increased by 1,200% over the past 50 years and 80% in 10 years. With the prospect of even larger ships on the horizon, the increasing potential for loss means risk management may need reviewing.

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.

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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

26-27_salvage_SR edit.indd 26

With more cargo on the open waters, the issue of salvage becomes that bit more complicated.

J

Currently the largest containerships on the world’s waters are the MSC Oscar and sister ships MSC Zoe and MSC Oliver. Christened on 8 January 2015, MSC Oscar took over the title of the largest container ship from the CSCL Globe, which had held the record since November 2014.

Built by Daewoo in South Korea for US$140m, MSC Oscar was first planned to be 18,400 teu, but upon completion of construction the capacity was 19,224 teu, including places for 1,800 refrigerated containers.

Should this — or indeed any large vessel — experience trouble, the issues could be catastrophic.

Panellists at the ISU Associate Members’ Day expressed their reservations about the influx of mega-ships on salvage operations, and explained how the size of the ship would cause problems beyond the actual recovery of the stricken vessels.

Following the event, a spokesperson added: ‘The ISU has been concerned for a number of years about the potential difficulties in handling mega-ships should they become a casualty.

‘Containerships have grown in size dramatically in the last few years. But other classes of vessel have also grown, such as ultra large ore carriers, large LNG carriers and cruise ships.

‘The challenges salvors face include the availability of large and powerful tugs and heavy lifting gear; cargo transfer and discharge operations; and handling vast numbers of containers — including quayside storage.

‘Repair and drydock facilities large enough to accommodate the very largest vessels are also rare.

There is also the matter of seeking security from potentially thousands of different cargo interests.

‘ISU has said that its members are great innovators and will always stand ready to intervene and to assist even the largest ships, but operations may well take longer and be more complicated and, for the insurance industry and shipowners, more costly,’ the statement concluded.

However, the sheer size of the vessel is not necessarily the decisive factor when it comes to assessing the complexity of a salvage operation. Many other issues will be assessed before action is taken, and whilst the enormity of mega-ships will, of course, mean any problems encountered are magnified, smaller salvages could actually be more costly, time-consuming and indeed dangerous.

Richard Cornah, the chairman of Richard Hogg Lindley (RHL) — a leading provider of independent marine claims advice — made this point at the ISU event and pointed at the recent case of the German containership Flaminia.

‘It’s really not so much the size of the vessel as what’s happened in the particular casualty,’ explained Mr Cornah. ‘If you’ve got no cargo damage then life tends to be easier. Where you’ve got damage to cargo and have to take it off for safety, that’s where problems occur. That’s why the Flaminia was so difficult. You had not only a damaged ship, but damaged cargo and risk of fire.

Then there is also the case of contamination in the hold when you introduce firefighting water.

‘It doesn’t even have to be the hazardous cargoes that cause the contamination. If you’ve got foodstuffs and vegetables and they sit in the hold full of water and rot, you’ve got lethal gases coming out of that. These are the big issues depending on what circumstances arise. The Flaminia wasn’t a big ship but the problems experienced and the cost were huge.’

J

In the case of the Flaminia — a 6,750 teu capacity vessel — a fire broke out on July 14 2012 causing an explosion aboard and killing three crew members. At the time, the ship was already underway from the US port of Charleston to Antwerp in Belgium, and the incident forced the crew to abandon the ship some 1,000nm from the nearest land, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Following extensive fire-suppression and salvage operations, as well as a five-week delay in getting permission to bring the ship into any European country’s coastal waters, the Flaminia was given permission to enter German waters on 20 August 2012.

20/04/2016 16:20

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

MARITIME SALVAGE

The tug Fairmount Expedition assisting the fire damaged containership MSC Flaminia in the Atlantic in 2012 Picture: ISU

The problems experienced by salvors on this particular case were large in comparison to the size of the vessel. However, those issues could be a whole lot worse if a similar incident occurred on a vessel two to three times the size of the Flaminia.

The realisation of this made a number of groups sit up and take notice of the issues that had prevented the vessel from being allowed to dock during the initial salvage operations. Delegates at the ISU event listened keenly to updates from the EU on its guidelines for offering places of refuge to ships in trouble.

The EU says that in many situations, a request for refuge will involve member states in the vicinity of the incident. In order to facilitate cooperation between states, an expert group was established in 2013.

This group, which meets regularly, decided to develop EU operational guidelines to complement national plans and apply to situations where it is likely that more than one state may become involved, or where the incident falls outside the jurisdiction of any member state.

The EU operational guidelines were drafted using a real operational situation for a vessel in need of assistance. The aim was to create a robust operational process leading to well-advised and, where possible, quicker decision making. At the same time, the guidelines aim to promote positive attitudes — within governments, authorities, and the industry — for the purposes of places of refuge, in the interest of the protection of human life, maritime safety, security and the environment.

It’s a step in the right direction, salvors agree, but a place of refuge is only as good as the largest possible ship it can allow to berth safely, or the amount of damaged cargo it can store. This in itself is a huge issue for the industry, and one that gets no easier to answer with more mega-ships on the way.

26-27_salvage_SR edit.indd 27

J

Questions were also raised, during the ISU discussion, about who was actually in control of vessels.

Members of the panel spoke of cases where pressure is put on shipmasters by shipowners to work in ways that may be unsafe, or at least without the up-to-date knowledge of the condition of the vessel and the area it was operating in. This type of ‘back-seat driving’ puts in question the authority of masters.

“

If you’ve got foodstuffs and vegetables and they sit in the hold full of water and rot, you’ve got lethal gases coming out of that

”

Panellist Leendert Muller, the managing director for towage and salvage specialist Multraship, told the ISU audience of his own concerns that masters were not always being given total control over their own vessels.

He explained that he had seen instances where pressure was being applied by shipowners to continue operations when the master knew the vessel was in trouble — an issue which would be made still more serious if a larger ship were to be involved.

‘We’ve seen shipowners say the vessel is not in danger when the master says it is,’ explained Mr Muller. ‘The masters don’t have the autonomy from the

shipowners and sometimes don’t know what’s in the boxes they are transporting.

‘Also, on a big ship you can easily have around 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of bunker fuel onboard, which could cause salvage crews huge problems,’ he added.

That type of operation could be a recipe for disaster.

What was clear from the ISU discussion is that more could be done by all parties before problems start to occur onboard the new wave of mega-ships. However, the desire and financial will has to be there to tackle some of the issues, and, as Mr Cornah pointed out, this is unlikely to happen with the extensive pressures already on the industry to do more for less.

‘Obviously the sheer size of the ships means it’s only the bigger specialist salvage tugs that are going to be able to intervene successfully,’ he explained. ‘In a serious incident in the open ocean you’re going to get particular problems. You get groundings in the approaches to ports where you have some port tugs around, but they’re not appropriate to deal with ocean salvage or major firefighting. Those, in real terms, are the big issues.’

However, he added, it’s understandable that the industry wants to keep things in perspective: ‘99.9% of the time it all works wonderfully. Therefore, there isn’t that much incentive to invest too much on that 0.1% where there’s a difficulty. People have to be realistic that when these casualties occur there are going to be problems, and you just have to be patient and pragmatic. In other circumstances you may be able to recover reconditioned cargo in containers. Well, that’s fine when you’ve got two or three, but when you’ve got thousands that’s just not going to happen.

‘The pressures come from it being a very competitive industry, and margins are not great, so this is why ships have become bigger. I don’t think through choice

that any owner would go out and build a 20,000 teu ship, because they are so lacking in flexibility. I think the answer is that they feel they have to in order to compete.

‘You’ve got an extremely competitive insurance industry,’ he concluded, ‘and shipowning is over capacity. The people sending the cargo are suffering difficult

times, so while it’s a nice idea for everybody to stand back and take a look at things in real terms, it’s very difficult to convince people to do that.’

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20/04/2016 16:05

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

MN PENSIONS

Towards a secure retirement K

You will have read in last month’s Telegraph that the MNOPF Trustee had taken the decision to close the Fund to future DB accrual. In the pensions industry, we are good at making ourselves sound clever with our grand sounding terms, but perhaps we would benefit more from trying to explain things a bit more clearly. Your income is, after all, going to be very important to you in retirement, and we are working hard to make sure that the industry has the highest quality pension provision available.

So what is future DB accrual? DB stands for ‘Defined Benefit’ and this is a type of pension based upon how long you have been contributing to the fund and how much you earn. Members and employers make contributions that are set at a level designed to ensure that there is enough money in the fund to provide the pension benefits when they need to be paid. If it becomes clear at a later date that there is not going to be enough money in the fund to meet the benefits that have already been promised, then the employers are asked to make additional contributions.

This can happen for many reasons, but probably the biggest factor is that we are all living longer than we used to!

Contributions in 1970 would have been based on an average pension needing to be paid until age 78. Those members are now expected to live on average to age 88, and the extra ten years of pension payments were not built into the calculations of required contribution levels at the time.

We know now that our members will live much longer and we can factor this into the contribution calculations; however, this does not make attractive reading for the employer or the employee. There were only 600 members still contributing to the MNOPF and their average age was quite high, meaning that current contributions would not be able to be invested for very long before a member retired. Calculations by the MNOPF’s actuary show that members would need to pay over 15% of their monthly salary in pension contributions in the future, with their employer paying over 25% every month. The MNOPF Trustee felt that this contribution level might make the scheme unaffordable for some members and decided to look at other options.

The solution that the Trustee proposed was to fix contributions at 30% of member’s salary (10% paid by the member and 20% by their employer), but it was clear that,because this level would not be sufficient to deliver DB benefits, that these contributions would need to be invested in a different type of pension. The Trustee decided that if the proposal went ahead, the contributions

Phil Boyle, communications director of the MNOPF and the Ensign Retirement Plan, takes a look at the reasons behind recent changes to industry-wide pension schemes for UK seafarers…

Navy Officers Pension Plan (MNOPP) quickly took the decision that it was in the interests of that scheme’s members to close MNOPP and transfer their retirement pots and contributions to the Ensign Retirement Plan.

A replica of the Ensign Retirement Plan, called the Ensign Retirement Plan (for the MNOPF), was created within the MNOPF to allow MNOPF employers to put new members into the Fund, and it is this scheme that the MNOPF Trustee decided to use for the future contributions from 1 April 2016. The contribution levels that will be made in respect of the members joining

“

Contributions in 1970 were based on pensioners living until 78, but we now expect to live until 88

Merchant Navy pensioners should be able to look back at their seafaring days from a position of comfort and security Picture: Thinkstock

would be made to the Ensign Retirement Plan (for the MNOPF). This would, however, only affect future contributions and benefits, which is what is meant by ‘future accrual’. The proposal was that all the benefits that members had earned up to 31 March 2016 would be be retained as DB benefits in the MNOPF, and would increase whilst the member was still contributing.

The proposed 30% contribution level was significant. Agreement from both members and their employers was required for the proposal to be implemented, and for this reason, input was sought from the Joint Officers Pension Committee (JOPC) before the proposal was finalised. The JOPC is made up of representatives from the employers and from Nautilus International, and Nautilus ensured that the final proposal contained a contribution rate that would provide an acceptable replacement for the benefits that members would otherwise have continued to earn in the MNOPF. At the end of last year, the employers consulted with their members to

explain the position and the Trustee’s proposed solution, and the feedback from members was gathered and passed to the Trustee to consider in reaching their final decision.

Christmas and New Year was a busy time for my colleagues at Nautilus and the Ensign Pensions team as we worked to ensure that members had as much information as they needed during a consultation process with their employers and to answer any questions that they had.

The outcome was that a majority of the members and employers were in favour of the proposal — as were their employers. All feedback received, whether in support or opposition to the proposal, was collated and passed to the MNOPF Trustee to consider.

This resulted in the Trustee’s February decision to proceed.

With the change taking place on 1 April 2016, the race was quickly on to communicate with the employers and make arrangements to get everything set up to ensure that contributions could be made on time to the Ensign Retirement Plan (for the MNOPF).

K

We launched the Ensign Retirement Plan in July 2015. The Plan is a ‘Defined Contribution’ (DC) pension scheme which means that all the contributions made in respect of a member are put in a pot specifically for that member and used to provide retirement benefits. The Ensign Retirement Plan was introduced to take advantage of recent developments in pensions that allow members more flexibility over how they can take their benefits (buy a pension, take the pot as cash or use it like a bank account and draw out money as and when required). The Plan was established with the aim of providing an industry scheme that could be used by any employer for any employee. Like the MNOPF, it is run by a trustee board comprising of employer and Nautilus International representatives. The scheme has low charges and meets the pensions industry standards for a high quality pension scheme. We believe that many employers will find it much easier and cheaper to use the Ensign Retirement Plan than to run their own pension schemes, and the Merchant

”

from the DB section of MNOPF are very generous compared to most DC pensions. The base contribution level for employers who join the Ensign Retirement Plan is 10% of salary (4% paid by the member and 6% from the employer) and although some employers and their members pay as much as 18% of salary, the 30% level that will be paid in respect of these MNOPF members means their retirement pots will grow more quickly and boosts their ability to secure good levels of retirement benefit.

We think that the future will be a bright one for the Ensign Retirement Plan. We hope that many of the employers who are using the Ensign Retirement Plan (for the MNOPF) for their contributing MNOPF members will also consider putting other employees into the Plan or using the Plan to replace in-house pension schemes. We also hope that the growth of the Plan will persuade other employers to look at the merits of using an industry scheme to provide high quality retirement benefits for their employees.

Nautilus to continue pressing for improvements to the Joint Officers Pensions Committee on the K options for the future of MN pensions provision. In that Back in 2013 Nautilus presented a strategy paper

paper the Union acknowledged the industry’s concerns about the various risks associated with the MNOPF — not least those related to triggering a Section 75 debt.

Nautilus emphasised that solutions to these risks would not secure its support if they failed to put securing and improving members’ pensions at the very heart of the debate. The Union made it very clear that any outcome that started with the objective of saving money for shipowners, rather than improving the pensions of members, would be rejected.

Nautilus therefore highlighted its key priorities for future pension provisions including:

28_phil boyle_SR edit.indd Sec2:28

z improving pensions for all members z maintaining an industry wide scheme z providing security for members’ accrued pension

benefits z administrative and life assurance costs to be borne by employers z a new DC arrangement that met pension industry quality benchmarks z a commitment from employers to continuous improvement in pension provision To this end, Nautilus called upon the employers to agree a special resolution of the JOPC at a meeting held in September 2015. This resolution recalled the above objectives and highlighted that, with MNOPF joint contribution levels set to rise to over 41% of pensionable

salary, a more viable solution for members and employers was needed.

The resolution was unanimously adopted and signed by the general secretary of Nautilus and the chair of the MN Pensions Employers Group.

The agreed way forward was as follows: z joint contributions of 30% (20% for the employer and 10% for member) for MNOPF members transferring into the new Ensign Retirement Plan (for MNOPF) z protection of accrued benefits z a new pension quality mark DC scheme for the whole industry with 10% joint contribution levels and no deduction for administrative costs or life insurance z a commitment to increase contribution levels for all other members of the Ensign Retirement Plan to ensure a

decent pension can be provided in retirement General secretary Mark Dickinson said: ‘There is much work still to be done, particularly to ensure that employers live up to their commitment to increase contributions and improve pensions for our members in the Ensign Retirement Plan. This is something we will need to take up in our industrial negotiations with individual employers as well as maintaining pressure on employers collectively.

‘For the MNOPF members who have transferred to the Ensign Retirement Plan (for MNOPF), Nautilus has secured their accrued pension benefits and made sure that a quality industry wide DC pension has been put in its place that maximizes the advantages of the new pension flexibilities.’

20/04/2016 16:06

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

MARITIME HISTORY

Chronicler of sea changes With a new book just published on the history of female seafarers, writer Jo Stanley tells SARAH ROBINSON how she became an expert on the subject…

Jo Stanley’s great-aunt May Quinn, Elder Dempster stewardess, with the Elder Dempster steward Billy Sullivan she married in 1939

Jo Stanley says: ‘This is my favourite cartoon from the Telegraph in 1970, a response to the Rochdale Report, which said more women should be on ships. I like it because it made sense; the cartoonist seemed to think it likely that although women might come aboard as deck officers, they’d still be expected to do what other women onboard traditionally did’

Jo Stanley in 1970: ‘the year I transitioned from being a would-be fiction writer & poet to a TGWU shop steward in a soft toy factory’

I

How much do you ‘man up’? Can you be feminine if you want to? Can you still be yourself? Women working at sea have been considering these questions for over 250 years, and there are still no easy answers.

Here in 21st century Europe, we can have all the equal opportunities legislation we like, but it still takes guts to be the only woman in a crew, or part of a small minority onboard. Your male colleagues these days are likely to be decent guys who know you’ve done the same training as them and can pull your weight.

They are also used to having female friends at home and seeing women in positions of responsibility onshore. But at sea, it’s still essentially their world: a male-dominated culture where the onus is on women to fit in.

It must surely help a female seafarer to know that she is not the first person to deal with this situation, and this is where British social historian Dr Jo Stanley comes in, with her new book From Cabin ‘Boys’ to Captains: 250 Years of Women at Sea. Jo has a long and proud record of chronicling the contribution of women to working life. ‘It was back in the 1970s when I started to wonder where all the women were in the history books,’ she explains. ‘I was involved in the women’s liberation movement, which was so exciting, and part of it was about making women’s overlooked pasts more visible.’

She wasn’t some kind of ivory tower academic at the time, she stresses: ‘I was working as a machinist in a soft toy factory. I had been to art school, but I had left secondary school at 16, and my real education came through the trade union movement.’

As a workplace rep for the T&G union — now part of Unite — she became informed about workers’ rights in general, and women’s rights in particular; and was encouraged to attend a shop steward’s degree access course at Middlesex Polytechnic in London. ‘Part of it involved looking at occupational sociology and oral history, where working people got to tell their stories. I was inspired by a book about lorry drivers, and then getting extra stories from Ron, a trucker on my course.’

At around the same time, Jo’s mother had been researching their family history and had come across an interesting figure: ‘Great Auntie May had been a ship’s stewardess in the early 20th century, when women were just starting to be allowed into that role. I realised

Captain’s wife, pregnant: an illustration by Val Mitchell for From Cabin ‘Boys’ to Captains

that she’d dusted her way around the world, whereas girls of my generation travelled by being au pairs!’

More should be known about the way enterprising women like May managed to see the world for free, decided Jo. She continued her studies through to a degree in social sciences, and started interviewing ship’s stewardesses for a play she was writing — which was eventually performed at the Merseyside Trade Union, Community and Unemployed Resource Centre in 1985.

Jo also worked out how to make a living as a writer and researcher. She initially became a journalist, and by the mid-90s she was working freelance on oral history projects and teaching creative writing. In 1996 she published a ground-breaking book: Bold in Her Breeches: Women Pirates Across the Ages.

‘It made me a celebrity for a while,’ she laughs. ‘My publisher HarperCollins used to send its limo to take their featured author of the week (me) to interviews. I even went on Women’s Hour [one of the UK’s most popular radio shows], which really helped the sales.’

However, queueing up in an unglamorous university building a day later to register for her PhD brought her back to earth. Returning to her earlier interest, she chose to do a thesis on the ships’ stewardesses of the 1920s and 1930s. ‘I looked at how these women were “consuming” the sea,’ she explains. ‘What did they want from that job? I found that they saw it mainly as a way to travel. But there were two stories, both equally valid, and equally true for most people: “We had a great time”, and “We were working flat out”.’

I

g From Cabin ‘Boys’ to Captains: 250 Years of Women at Sea is published by The History Press and is available now from all good booksellers. It will be reviewed in the Telegraph next month.

250 YEARS OF WOMEN A

29_jo stanley_SR edit.indd 29

g Jo Stanley’s next project is to write a book about women and the British Royal Navy, Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. If you would like to contribute to this research, please contact Jo at j_v_stanley@hotmail.com J O S TA N L E Y FROM CABIN ‘BOYS’ TO CAPTAINS

Jo Stanley this year with her rambling group, The Cakewalkers, at Hardcastle Crags in Yorkshire: ‘We’re all showing off our Nautilus stickers saying A woman’s place is on every ship.’

The next landmark in Jo Stanley’s career was the 2003 publication of Hello Sailor: the Hidden History of Gay Life at Sea, which she wrote with Paul Baker, an academic specialising in ‘lavender linguistics’ (LGBT language). The book was very well-received, and led to an exhibition at Merseyside Maritime Museum, which then toured other UK and Canadian museums. It is now seen as a model for museologists thinking about how to represent diversity.

Since then, Jo has worked on a book about women at sea in the First and Second World Wars (which has not yet been published) and of course on her new release, From Cabin ‘Boys’ to Captains: 250 Years of Women at Sea. This scholarly but accessible work of popular history is the result of many years of research, much of which involved trawling the Nautilus archives and interviewing the Union’s members. ‘At home I have two

walls of maritime books, and many boxes of photocopies from archives,’ says Jo. ‘You can’t just look this stuff up online, although the internet can be a good way to help you get in touch with interviewees.’

The NUS union’s archive at Warwick University proved very useful, as did the records held at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. The maritime world owes a particular debt of gratitude to Memorial University, she points out: ‘In the 1970s, there was a large archive of crew agreements in danger of being destroyed.

These were registers of each voyage, with names of crew members, dates of birth, next of kin and so on. Nowhere in Britain had space for them, but thankfully Memorial stepped in.

That invaluable archive is still available to any researcher.’

Having found out so much about the experiences of women working at sea over the last few centuries, what are the main trends Jo has identified? ‘The overwhelming thing that hit me was the extent to which sexual bullying was so common,’ she says. ‘Thankfully, authorities such as the IMO have made progress on this, and I think the fact that most of today’s British male seafarers attended coeducational schools has also helped the culture to change somewhat. It’s no longer immediately assumed that women at sea are just totty or after a husband. Establishing much better policies for women who want kids and careers is the next big step.’

As far as employers are concerned, she notes that BP, Shell and Denholm were particularly supportive towards female seafarers in the 1970s. ‘Progress in employing women has been patchy since then throughout the industry, but we are now seeing lots more women in senior hotel management roles onboard.’

It’s disappointing, she adds, that women still make up only a small proportion of the intake to train as deck and engineer officers at UK nautical colleges, but it’s not because they are being actively discouraged from going to sea: ‘It’s connected to the wider problem of low female participation in STEM subjects [science, technology, engineering and mathematics].’

What Jo can certainly confirm, from interviewing so many of today’s female seafarers, is that role models play a crucial part, both in encouraging women to go to sea and in showing them how to handle themselves onboard ship. ‘We have several high-profile female captains in the industry now, and they are a genuine inspiration. The overriding message I took away from speaking to them is that female seafarers don’t have to “man up” and go along with everything in the traditional macho shipboard culture — it really does pay to be yourself.’

FROM

CABIN ‘BOYS’ TO CAPTAINS 250 Y E ARS OF W OM EN AT S E A

20/04/2016 13:31

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

OFFWATCH ships of the past

by Trevor Boult became the first president F of the United States of America When George Washington

in 1789, in the aftermath of the War of Independence from Great Britain, the country’s navy had become non-existent and the treasury was empty. The US owed money to its citizens and to foreign nations. No revenue flowed into the treasury, and although Congress quickly passed an import tariff to raise some, no organisation existed to collect it.

The first secretary to the treasury, Alexander Hamilton, created a revenue-raising department in 1789 which was initially the biggest in the government. Increasing amounts of authority were delegated to collectors of customs.

Many of the collectors’ duties were directly related to commerce and trade: ensuring import duties were paid; registering, licensing and inspecting vessels; and clearing ships engaged in foreign trade.

Collecting tariffs and tonnage duties were paramount, and the most difficult. It was this that led to the creation of the Revenue Cutter Service (RCS).

Smuggling, which had been rampant under state control, continued unchecked under federal regulations. It was a wellestablished custom, and nature had shaped an Atlantic coast of harbours and inlets, rivers and offshore islands that further complicated efforts to collect revenue.

The RCS played a significant role in the history of the young republic. At first, the United States depended completely on revenue from merchant shipping to survive. As the nation’s revenue collector, the service succeeded quickly in establishing a measure of respect for the new

Going offshore to collect taxes

A painting of the US revenue cutter Massachusetts, demonstrating some artistic licence in wrongly portraying the Revenue Ensign and commission pennant, neither of which existed at the time of this vessel Picture: US Coast Guard

constitutional government and its laws — something that had proven beyond the means of both the British Colonial Customs Service and the Confederation.

A bill presented by Hamilton was approved by Congress for the establishment of the service, which resulted in a fleet of 10 cutters being built. Such was the importance placed on the service that Washington retained for himself the exclusive right to appoint the masters: competent, mature officers of sound judgement.

They faced a formidable task, but proved equal to the challenge.

They began by supervising the construction of their own cutters, a task also suggested by Washington.

Design and construction was carried out in 10 states by independent builders.

Endurance and seaworthiness were prerequisites, whilst for law enforcement, speed, shallow draught, the ability to sail to windward and to carry guns were also needed. At this time, the revenue cutters were evidently the only armed vessels that the nation possessed.

Recognising that a cutter which could operate off the Massachusetts coast in winter would have to be bigger than average, the building of Massachusetts was formally approved. As one of the first vessels ever built by the US government, it nevertheless exceeded the authorised expenditure by over 40%.

Built by Searle & Tyler

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book Steamship Travel in the Interwar Years: Tourist Third Cabin by Lorraine Coons and Alexander Varias (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.

Closing date is Friday 13 May 2016.

QUICK CLUES

30_offwatch_SR edit.indd 30

7.

9.

10.

11.

12.

15.

16.

18.

20.

22.

24.

25.

Across Bran (8) Month (6) Fashion (5) Choral response (8) Search (14) With good view (6) Bacon slice (6) Show (6,8) Disruptive Activist (8) Pay levels (5) Herb (6) Pop (8)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

8.

13.

Down Stronghold (8) Ailment (4) Mountainous national (6) Final (4) Lily (10) On the beach (6) Tempo (9) Seaworthy (10)

at Newburyport, she was ‘a two-masted schooner with a handsome Indian figurehead, quarter badges and considerable carved work about her square stern, and she bad a long quarter deck and deep bulwarks’.

Unfortunately, this biggest and costliest of the cutters was a ‘poor sailer’ and a terrible disappointment to her master.

As a result she was replaced two years later by a small sloop bearing the same name.

In 1798, with the establishment of the US Navy, the government followed the precedents set by the RCS, which were a lasting legacy. In the following year the organisation took on the dual character of a maritime and naval service, with officer ranks being given the naval titles of captains and lieutenants. The service joined the navy in fighting the QuasiWar with France at the turn of the century and did similarly in the War of 1812, the Seminole War, the Mexican War and, finally, the Civil War. By the end of the war with France, the role of the service had expanded in noncombat areas from preventing smuggling to charting rivers and harbours, tending aids to navigation, establishing lighthouses, compiling sailing directions, protecting public health, suppressing the slave trade and carrying out ceremonial functions.

In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Act to Create the Coast Guard. It became an amalgamation of five Federal bodies — the Revenue Cutter Service, Lighthouse Service, Steamboat Inspection Service, Bureau of Navigation, and the Lifesaving Service.

The US Coast Guard is America’s oldest and principal maritime agency, and has a direct constituted link with the original 10 sailing revenue cutters.

50 YEARS AGO The Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation’s maritime safety committee has opened discussions to determine what practical steps could be recommended to improve fire protection in passenger ships.

Proposals stem from the disastrous fires which affected vessels including the Lakonia, Yarmouth Castle and the Viking Princess. Seafarers’ organisations have stressed the necessity for improving the arrangements in all countries for the training of officers and crews in fire-fighting methods, and also the drills and routines to be carried out at the beginning of a voyage and at regular intervals throughout. The MNAOA has also recommended that all passenger ships remaining 20 years under one national flag should not be sold for registration under the flag of another country, but should be broken up MN Journal, May 1966

25 YEARS AGO The worldwide shipping industry needs to do more to improve the standards of seafarers, the head of the International Maritime Organisation has argued.

Speaking to the Swedish shipowners’ annual meeting, IMO secretary-general William O’Neil warned: ‘Recent disasters have clearly demonstrated the need for greater attention to be paid to the human element.’ The IMO’s maritime safety committee will this month consider ways of improving crewing standards and training, he added. Mr O’Neil said shipping companies should ‘insist on standards which are higher than the basic required by minimum law’ and said the industry should take into account the potential savings to be made by improving training to increase efficiency and to prevent accidents The Telegraph, May 1991

10 YEARS AGO Promotion may leave some seafarers less satisfied with their jobs, a new study has concluded. Research by University of Liverpool post-graduate George Horsington found that masters — despite having higher salaries and rank — did not have the highest levels of job satisfaction and were generally less satisfied than their colleagues. The study — which was based on feedback from 60 seafarers serving in the offshore supply sector — suggests that engineer officers do not experience the same feelings as they rise up the ranks, being generally more satisfied with their jobs the more senior they become. Masters were disproportionately represented among those who said they were working long hours and considered themselves stressed, with many complaining about the burden of excessive paperwork and regulation The Telegraph, May 2006

THEQUIZ 1

Which shipyard builds the most LNG carriers?

2

How many people around the world are expected to take a cruise in 2016?

3

What is the most common commodity shipped in containers on the eastbound northern Europe/Asia trade?

4

What is the most common commodity shipped in containers on the westbound northern Europe/Asia trade?

5

In which country is the company Höegh Autoliners based?

6

Seatrade is the world’s biggest operator of reefer ships.

Where are its headquarters?

J Quiz answers are on page 42.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

14.

17.

18.

19.

21.

23.

Percussion instrument (5,4) Around boxers (8) Millworker (6) Without light (6) Slippery in jelly (4) River (4)

CRYPTIC CLUES Across 7. Part of engine, not unlike choke (8) 9. Protection got by swallowing piece of bread (6) 10. Pepper-picking performer with Pan’s preferred playthings popular in Pitlochry and Peebles (5) 11. What spark is for, when it is immersed in a couple of mixed gins (8) 12. Capital Valerie put aside for attention in final days (10,4)

Membership No.:

15. Just about manage to get to small hotel with bed, breakfast and lakeside view (6) 16. Body in Oxford College (6) 18. Fie, conic insect! Deranged product of a literary genre (7,7) 20. Introductory statement before walk (8) 22. Darkness is a different thing (5) 24. Biscuits for protracted struggles containing iron (6) 25. About the old language, a spur to the horse becoming aspic (9)

Down Type of injury one might sustain in collision between car and impatient jockey (8) 2. Italian flower on elected representative for show (4) 3. Twin space programme (6) 1.

4. Part of the job Anna found was in Scottish fishing town (4) 5. Children’s TV character given the sack by Royal Mail (7,3) 6. Rim of pastry dish, for example, upside down (6) 8. Sailor joins surviving Beatle in cover version (9) 13. Given oil, lab crude is refined with it (10) 14. Worked up over European proposal number 50 (9) 17. Train in certain type of surveillance (8) 18. Margarine or soft cheese on table as laid out (6) 19. Europe to amalgamate, or so it might appear (6) 21. Here’s neither --- nor shrub to bear off any weather at all (The Tempest) (4) 23. Sounds like a way of walking on northern street (4) J Answers on page 42.

20/04/2016 15:21

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

MARITIME BOOKS

‘The greatest skipper on the North Atlantic’ Captain of the Carpathia

By Eric Clements Bloomsbury, £20 ISBN: 978 18448 62894 and villains — and the different fortunes of K the seafarers involved in the disaster remind us The Titanic tragedy created many heroes

that they have long been treated as convenient scapegoats.

However, as master of the Carpathia — the Cunard passenger liner which was first on the scene after Titanic began to sink — Captain Arthur Rostron was widely praised for his professional response and he went on to become something of a minor celebrity — showered with awards and becoming an aide de camp to the King.

This excellent biography tells not just his story, but also gives a great insight into the broader world of British seafaring at the time — spanning the transition from sail to steam, two world wars and the depression years in the 30s.

The man that emerges from the book is a formidable character. Arthur Rostron certainly knew his own mind. He announced that he wanted to go to sea at the age of five. At the age of 15 he was

enrolled aboard the seafarer training ship HMS Conway — whose existence was, as the book notes, due in no small part to the Nautilus predecessor organisation the Mercantile Marine Service Association.

In his early career on sailing ships, Rostron narrowly escaped death on several occasions, had to sleep with a gun under his pillow because of death threats from rebellious crew, and even had to use his fists to assert his authority.

Eric Clements — a history professor in the United States — does a grand job in trawling contemporary reports to describe the harsh and dangerous life at sea, and explaining how it shaped Rostron’s resourceful, self-disciplined and steady personality.

Having gained his Extra Master’s certificate at the age of 25, Rostron migrated — somewhat reluctantly — from sail to steam, and to life as a fourth officer with Cunard. Those who think times are tough today might note that during his first four years with the company, Rostron reported that he never enjoyed more than 48 consecutive hours of leave.

By his early 30s, however, he was doing well — and his annual salary as a master had risen from

collection of historical ship pictures — and leave it at that.

1,400 years of maritime heritage Ships to Remember

By Rorke Bryan The History Press, £25 ISBN: 978 07509 65903 f www.thehistorypress.co.uk

An enjoyable album for the coffee table K Titanic Unseen

By Senan Molony The History Press, £25.00 ISBN: 978 07509 67174 f www.thehistorypress.co.uk

K

Titanic Unseen? Seriously?

There’s something about the Titanic that the publishing world hasn’t already seen, in painstaking, relentless detail?! Oh wait, there’s a subtitle: Titanic and her Contemporaries. Now, that makes a little more sense. It turns out that the Titanic is the hook for a volume that actually covers a range of vessels from the early 20th century, including the Oceanic, Olympic, Athenic, Medic, Runic and Majestic.

The images showcased in the book are taken from the albums of two amateur photographers: White Star Line officer Philip Agathos Bell and Harland & Wolff engineer John Westbeech Kempster.

Attractively laid out on high quality paper, there is a good balance between pictures of ships and machinery and images of passengers, crew, dock workers and shipbuilders. An effort has clearly been made to do some background research on the material, as each photo is captioned with an illuminating commentary.

In fact, it’s really rather a high-quality production that would add a touch of class to any coffee table, so perhaps we will forgive the attempt to exploit the Titanic connection. Let’s enjoy the book for what it is — a decent

31_books_SR edit 4.indd 31

Throughout the years, many books have hit the shelves telling the stories of various ships’ construction, operations and in some cases, untimely fates.

A lot of those books go unnoticed or at least achieve little acclaim, despite the many hours of research going into their creation.

One example that really does

deserve recognition is Rorke Bryan’s new work Ships to Remember.

Beautifully illustrated by prominent marine artist Austin Dwyer, the book is a collection of 25 stories about remarkable ships from around the world.

The vessels chosen all had interesting tales to tell, and over the chapters Mr Bryan manages to capture and illuminate their history — spanning some 1,400 years of maritime heritage.

Within its 192 pages, Ships to Remember paints pictures of some of the world’s best-known vessels

£275 in 1907 to £400 by October 1911.

At the heart of the book, of course, is the Titanic disaster and the Carpathia’s role in rescuing 700 survivors — in which Capt Rostron’s role was described by the US Senate as ‘deserving of the highest praise and worthy of especial recognition… a marvel of systematic preparation and completeness’.

The calm and methodical manner in which the rescue was carried out was just the beginning. Capt Rostron not only had to coordinate with other vessels in the vicinity, but also use his guile to outwit the press, who were using all sorts of subterfuge to try to get the first interviews with survivors as his ship neared New York.

Professor Clements described the remarkable reception given to Rostron and his subsequent stellar career — becoming one of Cunard’s senior captains in the 1920s, ‘with an authority born of both his seniority and successes’ and the ultimate accolade of a knighthood.

The book gives a real depth to the understanding of Capt Rostron’s character and the charm and

including the HMS Beagle and the Cutty Sark, whilst also showcasing the often understated but equally important roles of tugs like the Yelcho, Foundation Franklin and Turmoil.

Looking back to 570 AD, the first chapter concentrates on the Irishbuilt Brendan — whose willow ribs held the lives of up to 15 monks who sailed on her. The book then takes the reader through to vessels built in the mid-1900s.

Each chapter starts with text boxes giving the ships’ vital statistics before providing the reader with a detailed chronology of the vessels’ time at sea.

Austin Dwyer’s illustrations enhance the book throughout, and are complemented by photographs of the more recent vessels.

Apart from being ‘historic’, the vessels chosen for profiling don’t seem to be linked by any theme, but this is not a problem for the reader.

As Alexandra Shackleton, president

correctness which saw one VIP passenger describe him as ‘the greatest skipper on the North Atlantic’. And at the same time, it also offers up a vivid picture of working life at sea — right down to describing the liner captain’s obligation as ‘paper shuffler’.

It serves as a fine, and highly readable, tribute to a man that — as Prof Clements notes, while ‘not a great historical figure… is universally esteemed as an excellent and devoted sailor’.

of the James Caird Society, says in her foreword to the book: ‘[Bryan’s] subjects have little in common, which adds to their appeal: they provide an eclectic look at matters maritime. Rorke Bryan tells these stories well.’

The tale of a port that became important Maritime Portsmouth

By Paul Brown The History Press, £16.99 ISBN: 978 07509 65132 f www.thehistorypress.co.uk have long been a hive of K activity. For over 2,000 years, in one The dockyards of Portsmouth

Welcome return for history of the common people at sea Steamship Travel in the Interwar Years: Tourist Third Cabin

By Lorraine Coons and Alexander Varias Amberley, £9.99 ISBN: 978 14456 49863 f www.amberley-books.com may be because you already K have a copy in its 2003 incarnation, If this book seems familiar, it

which has the slightly different name Tourist Third Cabin: Steamship Travel in the Interwar Years.

Thirteen years on, the authors have not only swapped some words round in the title, but also revised, updated and expanded the book, resulting in an in-depth and accessible work of 20th century social history.

The focus is very much on the ‘ordinary’ people who started to travel more widely by sea in the 1920s, and 1930s — and that

applies to crew members as well as passengers. The boom in liner travel offered new opportunities for workers in port cities such as Southampton to start a sea career in a low-skilled position such as cabin boy and work their way up through the ranks in what we would now call hotel services.

From this perspective, ships’ officers, engineers and masters appear in the book as rather remote figures, sometimes expressly forbidden from fraternising with crew, and held to a high standard of conduct. One captain, note the authors, reprimanded an officer ‘who does not realise the dignity of his position.’

Although all those onboard, whether passengers or employees, were supposed to know their place, shipboard work did offer the prospect of advancement,

and women of all classes were gradually afforded new freedoms. It would of course bee many decades before female seafarers were seen in the deck or engine departments (with the exception of notable pioneers such as Victoria Drummond) but it became relatively common for women to become senior stewards.

Meanwhile, a new breed of adventurous female passenger was increasingly exploring alone during port visits, ‘with no male protector’.

As can be seen, there’s lots of interest to maritime readers in Steamship Travel in the Interwar Years: Tourist Third Cabin (note current title!), and as well as being engagingly written, it’s based on sound academic

research, h with ith a proper index i d andd bibliography. What’s more, it’s a reasonably-priced paperback with a nice selection of glossy images in the centre pages. Even if you already have the 2003 version, it’s worth a second look.

form or other, ships have used the Portsmouth area to dock, unload and take onboard goods and cargo before setting sail once again.

In Paul Brown’s Maritime Portsmouth we get a potted maritime history of the area. This fact-fi fa lled book guides the reader through a chartered history of th the th docks, setting sail from the port’s po early incarnation, plotting its way through the Georgian and Victorian eras, and finally docking Vi in Portsmouth’s Naval Base, whose history anchors the story to the hi present day. pr In great detail, Mr Brown explains the th aspects of Portsmouth that have ha always made it so attractive to the th shipping industry, leading it to become one of Britain’s pre-eminent be ports. po The author describes some of the great gr ships to have used these docks over ov the years, including the HMS Victory and HMS Warrior, as well Vi as exploring local coastal features including the Spithead sea forts and in the th commercial port.

High-quality colour photographs are ar generously displayed throughout.

The author himself was born in nearby Gosport and comes from a ne naval family with a lifelong interest in the Royal Navy and maritime history of Portsmouth. Mr Brown is a retired academic and spends his time now writing, researching, speaking on and photographing maritime subjects.

20/04/2016 15:22

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NL NEWS

Nautilus Symposium Smart Ships A

zijn van harte welkom tijdens het ochtendgedeelte.

Nautilus organiseert ieder jaar, als onderdeel van het openbare gedeelte van haar jaarvergadering een symposium over een actueel onderwerp. Deze keer, dinsdagmiddag 21 juni, is het thema Smart Ships (‘drone ships’), dat aanhaakt op de almaar toenemende discussie over onbemande of minimaal bemande schepen van de toekomst. Gaat het werkelijk zo’n vaart lopen? En zo ja, waar liggen dan de kansen voor de (aankomende) Nederlandse zeevarenden?

Bestuursverkiezingen

Dit jaar vinden er bestuursverkiezingen plaats.

Voor voorzitter Marcel van den Broek en penningmeester/algemeen secretaris Charley Ramdas eindigt de huidige termijn per einde jaarvergadering. Beiden stellen zich herkiesbaar en de Raad van Advies heeft inmiddels, conform de statutaire bevoegdheid van de Raad, een bindende voordracht opgemaakt..

Presentatie studenten en enquête uitkomsten

Verkiezing Raad van Advies

Naast een externe spreker is deze keer ook aan een tweetal studenten van de STC Group gevraagd hierover een presentatie te komen geven. De beide studenten, Coen van Iersel en Christiaan Drent, maken beiden deel uit van een groep van 30 STC studenten die dit jaar een uitgebreid onderzoek doen, met als thema ‘onbemand varen’. De

Ongeveer de helft van de Raad van Advies (tevens NL National Committee) treedt dit jaar af, te weten: z Uit kiesgroep kapiteins en stuurlieden: Johan Kooij, Peter Lok en Henk Eijkenaar z Uit de kiesgroep WTK’s: Wilco van Hoboken z Uit de kiesgroep

‘toekomst van de zeevarende beroepen’ speelt hierin een belangrijke rol. Speciaal voor Nautilus International hebben Coen en Christiaan een enquête opgesteld, die — via Survey Monkey — inmiddels is uitgezet naar Nautilus leden. De uitkomsten van deze enquête

worden voor het eerst gepresenteerd tijdens het symposium. Eenieder die de enquête heeft ontvangen, wordt vriendelijk verzocht deze in te vullen en te retourneren.

Jaarvergadering 2016 Op dinsdag 21 juni 2016,

voorafgaand aan het symposium, vindt ook de jaarvergadering van de Nederlandse branch van Nautilus International plaats. Locatie voor zowel de jaarvergadering als het symposium is het Rotterdam Marriot (voorheen Manhattan) Hotel te Rotterdam. Alle leden

Scheepsgezellen: Marinus van Otterloo z Uit de kiesgroep Wal: Geert Feikema z Uit de kiesgroep Binnenvaart: Jan de Rover, Jan van der Zee In de kiesgroepen Maritiem Officier en Pensioen- of uitkeringsgerechtigden zijn geen aftredende leden. In de kiesgroep werktuigkundigen is er naast de bestaande vacature, met het terugtreden van Karel Slootstra een tweede vacature ontstaan.

Ook in de kiesgroep Maritiem Officier bestaat een vacature. Alle aftredende leden is gevraagd of zij beschikbaar zijn voor herverkiezing. Inmiddels is bekend dat alle leden zich herkiesbaar stellen.

‘Zoveel mogelijk werknemers herplaatsen bij Boskalis’ werknemers intern herplaatst F worden bij Boskalis’, zegt FNV

’Wij willen dat er zoveel mogelijk

Waterbouw voorzitter Charley Ramdas in reactie op de plannen van Boskalis en de consequenties hiervan voor werknemers.

De stevig gedaalde prijzen van onder meer olie en gas zetten de werkgelegenheid bij Boskalis onder druk. Het afgelopen jaar kon het bedrijf nog teren op een goed gevulde orderportefeuille, maar voor de nabije toekomst ziet het er minder goed uit, stelde de Boskalis directie in maart bij de presentatie van de resultaten over 2015.

De werkvoorraad is afgelopen jaar per saldo geslonken van 3,29 miljard naar 2,49 miljard euro. ‘Volumes en prijzen staan onder druk, wat zich ook vertaalt in onze orderportefeuille’, aldus Boskalis CEO Peter Berdowski.

De bezetting van de vloot en de marges staan onder druk omdat Boskalis minder werk heeft. Men probeert dat nu te ondervangen door oudere schepen vervroegd uit de vaart te nemen.

Herplaatsing personeel en verlies werkgelegenheid

Hoewel Boskalis gaat proberen de bemanningen intern te herplaatsen,

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Vindt u dat rederijen voor de rechter moeten worden gedaagd als hun schepen niet voldoen aan wetgeving inzake veiligheid en welzijn?

kan ‘hier en daar’ werkgelegenheid verloren gaan. ‘Maar dan gaat het over tientallen, niet honderden banen’, zei Berdowski.

Onderzoek personele gevolgen

FNV Waterbouw voorzitter Charley Ramdas: ‘Wij gaan dit proces nauwlettend volgen en we willen dat er zo veel mogelijk werknemers herplaatst kunnen worden. Dat moet kunnen bij een dergelijk groot bedrijf, dat de laatste tijd zoveel geld investeert in allerlei overnames. En mochten er toch ontslagen gaan vallen, dan zal er een goed sociaal plan op tafel moeten

In this month’s Dutch pages:

komen. Inmiddels heeft Berdowski ons aangegeven dat Boskalis nu bezig is met een onderzoek inzake vlootrationalisatie- en kostenreductie.

Als dit onderzoek is afgerond, wil hij met ons aan tafel. Ons uitgangspunt is duidelijk. We houden de vinger nauwlettend aan de pols. ‘ Van Oord: goede jaarcijfers, dankzij goede medewerkers

‘Goed om te horen dat Van Oord een goed jaar achter de rug heeft en tegelijkertijd aangeeft geen banen te willen schrappen dit jaar, ondanks de mindere verwachtingen voor 2016’, aldus FNV Waterbouw

voorzitter Charley Ramdas. ‘Ook goed om te horen dat Van Oord wil blijven investeren in kennis en innovatie.

Daar past ook bij het investeren in de hardwerkende medewerkers, dankzij wie deze goede bedrijfsresultaten bereikt kunnen worden. Want, zoals onlangs in de Volkskrant 11 vooraanstaande hoogleraren al verklaarden: het succes van een bedrijf op langere termijn wordt in belangrijke mate bepaald door de betrokkenheid en de inzet van de medewerkers.’

2015: record omzet en winst

Van Oord heeft een prima 2015 achter de rug, met records voor omzet en

winst. Maar het bedrijf deelde wel mee: ‘Dat gaan we in 2016 niet evenaren.

Omzet en winst zullen lager uitkomen.’

Geconfronteerd met de uitspraken van Boskalis, die wel banen wil schrappen dit jaar, stelt Van Oord in het Financieel Dagblad van 15 maart: ‘Met een dergelijk programma zijn we nu niet bezig. We hebben onze vloot in de afgelopen jaren al aangepast.

In de afgelopen zes jaar hebben we achttien schepen uit de vloot gehaald, die deels zijn vervangen door efficiëntere schepen met een hogere capaciteit. We zijn wat dat betreft redelijk op orde. Het schrappen van banen staat momenteel niet op de rol.’

Veel media aandacht voor River Cruise campagne River Cruise campagne van start F in Amsterdam. Een internationale Op 4 april ging de Europese

z Nautilus services;

z Boskalis/Van Oord yearly figures

ETF campagne van Europese transportbonden en Nautilus International voor meer loon en betere werkomstandigheden.

Gelijktijdig werd er deze gehele week campagne gevoerd rondom River Cruise schepen in: België, Frankrijk, Duitsland, Tsjechië, Bulgarije en Zwitserland.

Amsterdam staat bekend als het Europese hart en opstappunt van de River Cruise sector.

z FNV May 1 festival

Radio- en televisie aandacht

fixing agreements

Ja 93%

z Sickness and death payments z Member meetings onboard P&O ferries

z Smart Ships Symposium z Manning requirements seminar z Sea Blind documentary

Nee 7%

z Rivercruise campaign launch z College visits: IJmuiden, Harlingen

De poll van deze maand is: Denkt u dat drone-schepen werkelijkheid zullen worden in 2020? Geef ons uw mening online, op www. nautilusint.org

32-35_nl_18.4.indd 32

z Nautilus annual Works Council meeting

z Day of the Seafarer z Nautilus campaigns are launched

Ook de media lieten zich niet onbetuigd. In de ochtend liet Carl Kraijenoord, bestuurder Binnenvaart Nautilus International, zich interviewen door NPO radio 1. In de middag kwam Omroep MAX langs om een tv-reportage te maken die dezelfde middag nog werd uitgezonden op NPO 1. Werkgevers gaven in de uitzending aan ‘zich van geen kwaad bewust te zijn’ en lieten weten de bonden uit te nodigen voor een gesprek.

‘Ze leven op de fooienpot’

‘Personeel op riviercruiseschepen moet te lange dagen maken, leeft onder slechte omstandigheden aan boord en wordt zwaar onderbetaald.

Ze leven op de fooienpot’, aldus Carl Kraijenoord. ‘Wij gaan het gesprek met de werkgevers daarom graag aan’.

‘De verwachting is dat het aantal passagiers in de RiverCruise de komende jaren nog fors zal toenemen. Naast de spectaculaire groei van de sector merken we ook een spectaculaire toename van de concurrentie tussen de verschillende RiverCruise operators. Dit leidt weer tot kostenbesparing met als gevolg:

minder personeel dat dienst doet voor meer passagiers; overbevolking van de bemanningshutten; stressvoller werk en langere werkdagen; verschillend loon voor hetzelfde werk afhankelijk van de nationaliteit of het woonland; een gebrek aan medische en andere bepalingen van de sociale zekerheid van de werknemer. De personeelsleden (nautische bemanning en hotel-, restaurant en catering personeel) krijgen steeds meer te maken met steeds meer onzekerheid over lonen en arbeidsvoorwaarden. Deze vorm van sociale dumping moet zo sp oedig mogelijk stoppen’.

20/04/2016 13:34

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

NL NEWS

Nautilus International Plan strategische campagnevoering 2016 tot 2019 F

De maritieme sector is een internationale bedrijfstak met lokale relevantie. Voor onze leden betekent dit dat problemen aan de andere kant van de wereld voor hen gevolgen kunnen hebben.

We kunnen hierbij denken aan de gevolgen van globalisering voor de werkgelegenheid en vaardigheden en de invloed van internationale arbeidsmarkten; veranderingen door nieuwe wetgeving zoals het Maritiem Arbeidsverdrag 2006; of het verloren gaan van kennis en vaardigheden door dalende olieprijzen en overcapaciteit op containerschepen.

Algemene ledenvergadering 2015

Tijdens de Algemene Nautilus International Ledenvergadering van 2015 is aangekondigd dat Nautilus International, gezien de ernst van deze kwesties, meer middelen gaat inzetten voor strategische campagnevoering — waarin we in een mondiale arena en onder uitdagende omstandigheden betere voorwaarden voor onze leden willen realiseren. Inmiddels wordt er via een beperkt aantal gerichte strategische campagnes gewerkt aan kwesties die het dagelijks leven van onze leden daadwerkelijk kunnen verbeteren.

Met deze campagnes streven we veranderingen binnen de bedrijfstak en verbeteringen op de individuele werkplek na.

Drie strategische campagnes

De Council van Nautilus International heeft voor de periode tot de volgende Algemene Ledenvergadering in 2019 de volgende drie strategische campagnes goedgekeurd: Banen,

Vaardigheden en de Toekomst; Eerlijke behandeling; en Internet op zee. Hoewel we drie hoofdthema’s hebben geselecteerd voor de strategische campagnes, betekent dit niet dat Nautilus zich uitsluitend voor deze onderwerpen inzet.

Nautilus heeft een lange en trotse traditie van actievoeren over uiteenlopende kwesties, zoals: vermoeidheid, treiteren en pesten, asbest, Fair Transport en het opkomen voor goede arbeids- en leefomstandigheden. En we zullen dat ook blijven doen, zoals onlangs nog met onze internationale River Cruise campagne.

Nederlandse campagne

De campagne in Nederland haakt in op de kerndoelen van de vestiging ten aanzien van de werving en het vergroten van de betrokkenheid van kaderleden. Als één van de activiteiten wordt er aandacht besteed aan de vraag hoe de technologie de toekomst van de bedrijfstak zal veranderen en welke implicaties dit heeft voor de werkgelegenheid en vereiste vaardigheden, met name voor jonge mensen. Een voorbeeld hiervan is het organiseren van het Symposium Smart Ships op 21 juni, dat onder meer in samenwerking met een aantal STC studenten wordt voorbereid.

Een belangrijk ander doel is bovenal om te zorgen dat alle maritieme studenten in Nederland die een carrière op zee ambiëren, een plek kunnen vinden op schepen binnen de Nederlandse maritieme bedrijfstak, met een specifieke nadruk op toekomstige stageplaatsen. We zullen regelmatig publiceren over onze campagnes.

Leerzame OR Contactdag op maatschip Geertruida

‘Scheepvaart moet schoner’ Poolreizigster Bernice Notenboom op reis met documentaire Sea Blind

A

Pittige interviews met reders en scheepvaartdeskundigen

‘Ik heb ontzettend veel reacties gehad na de vertoning van onze film Sea Blind in de maassilo in Rotterdam, eind januari. Van allerlei mensen. Van binnen en buiten de scheepvaartwereld.

Mede ook dankzij de uitgebreide persaandacht die er direct erna op volgde’.

Bernice Notenboom, Nederlands bekendste poolreizigster, klimaatjournalist — en nu ook hoofdrolspeler en co-producer van de documentaire Sea Blind — blikt terug op enkele bewogen maanden en werkt aan een wereld met een schone(re) scheepvaart.

Uitstoot zwarte koolstof moet stoppen

Bernice Notenboom: ‘Wat het kernthema van de documentaire is? Mensen, binnen en buiten de scheepvaartwereld, ervan bewust maken dat er een halt moet worden toegeroepen aan de uitstoot van zwarte koolstof.

Vooral de grote containerschepen moeten worden aangepakt. En verder ook alle andere vervuilende schepen natuurlijk. Het smeltende ijs aan de polen wordt voor een belangrijk deel veroorzaakt doordat zwarte koolstof in steeds grotere hoeveelheden op het ijs terecht komt. Er ligt een grote uitdaging voor de scheepvaart om hier een halt aan toe te roepen. Er moet veel meer gewerkt worden met schone vormen van energie. Technisch kan het allemaal al lang!’

Het idee voor de

Voor het maken van Sea Blind reisde Bernice Notenboom onder meer naar Groenland, Noorwegen, Denemarken, Canada, de Verenigde Staten, Engeland, Rotterdam en Terschelling. Dynamische natuurshots worden afgewisseld met pittige interviews met reders, verladers, milieuorganisaties en scheepvaartdeskundigen.

Volgens menigeen kan en moet het beter, maar vanuit concurrentie oogpunt betalen grootschalige milieuinvesteringen zich niet zomaar gelijk terug. documentaire kreeg ze tijdens haar laatste Noordpooltocht in 2014. Omdat het noordpoolijs uiteindelijk niet meer betrouwbaar was, moest ze, samen met haar begeleidingsteam en een tv-ploeg, het smeltende ijs verlaten.

‘Dan word je even stil’

‘Heel jammer ja, maar het was echt niet langer verantwoord’, blikt ze terug. Maar het heeft me wel het idee voor deze documentaire gebracht. Op een gegeven moment stond ik op een hoge ijsschots en had ik een prachtig uitzicht. Dan word je wel even stil. En plots ging het door me heen…in feite behoor ik tot de laatste generatie poolreizigsters, want door al dat roet smelt de Noordpool nu steeds harder. Hier moet ik iets aan doen, dacht ik. En omdat we

toch al met een andere documentaire bezig waren, kreeg ik de ingeving hiervoor een speciale documentaire te maken: Sea Blind!’

Website Sea Blind

Op de speciale website (www. seablind.org) van Sea Blind staat te lezen: ‘Negentig procent van alles wat we kopen, bereikt ons per schip. Schepen brengen ons voedsel, kleding, meubels en de nieuwste gadgets. Het grootste schip ter wereld vervoert 19.200 containers, waar honderdzeventien miljoen paar schoenen in passen. De scheepvaart is tegelijkertijd één van de meest vervuilende, ongereguleerde en gesloten bedrijfstakken ter wereld. ‘We lijken wel ‘zeeblind, stelt klimaatjournalist Bernice Notenboom. ‘Hoe groter de containerschepen worden, hoe minder wij over ze weten’.

Speciale korting voor Nautilus leden

Op dit moment heeft Bernice Notenboom het erg druk met het regelen van volgende vertoningen van Sea Blind. Eerst in Nederland, zoals onlangs eind april in Amsterdam, vervolgens ook in Engeland. Er zijn al contacten in London en Southampton. Bernice Notenboom: ‘Het is belangrijk dat zoveel mogelijk mensen deze documentaire zien. Ook de leden van Nautilus International zijn van harte welkom om een keer te komen kijken. Ik bied ze dan graag een korting van 50% op de entreeprijs aan. We gaan waarschijnlijk eind september op een ijsversterkend schip de film draaien: op de Ortelius in Vlissingen. Zodra ik meer weet, neem ik weer contact op’.

DAG VAN DE ZEEVARENDE: 25 juni 2016 de Dag van de Zeevarende op F de Nederlandse kaart gezet. Dat is

Op zaterdag 25 juni 2016 wordt

organiseerde Nautilus voor F de 9e keer de Ondernemingsraad

Op woensdag 16 maart 2016

(OR) Contactdag; dit keer op de Geertruida, gelegen voor het Maritiem Museum in Rotterdam. De Geertruida voer ooit als maatschip.

Een sleepschip op maat gemaakt voor de route, speciaal afgestemd op kanalen, sluizen en bruggen op de route.

Aansprakelijkheid en faillissementen

Ruim 15 OR-leden namen deel aan deze boeiende en leerzame dag en namen volop de gelegenheid om de banden met andere collega OR-leden in de Binnenvaart, Zeevaart, Offshore en Waterbouw aan te halen en onderlinge ervaringen in de Medezeggenschap uit te wisselen. Door de juristen van Wybenga advocaten werden een aantal actuele thema’s behandeld.

Deze thema’s waren:

32-35_nl_18.4.indd 33

Actualiteiten WOR; Arbeidsomstandigheden en aansprakelijkheid na ongeval; De rol van de OR bij faillissement.

Levendige communicatie

Na afloop werd er geborreld en bijgepraat in het sfeervolle Maritiem Museum restaurant Lloyd’s. Dagvoorzitter en Nautilus communicatie adviseur Hans Walthie: ‘Er werd goed en levendig gecommuniceerd tussen de verschillende OR-leden en ook in samenspraak met de juristen van Wybenga advocaten. Maar ook tijdens de koffie- en theepauzes, tijdens de lunch en de borrel zag je dat mensen veel ervaringen met elkaar uitwisselden. Daarvoor is deze dag juist bedoeld en dus zeker weer voor herhaling vatbaar.’

Ook voor volgend jaar staat er weer een OR Contactdag gepland, eveneens weer op een bijzondere locatie.

reden voor een feest! De zeevarenden worden in het zonnetje gezet en er komt aandacht voor het, vaak onzichtbare, beroep wat zij uitoefenen.

Zet het vast in uw agenda.

Wilt u een groter publiek bereiken? Presenteer uw product of service aan meer dan 15,000 maritieme professionele lezers uit Nederland, ter land en op zee!

Het thema van deze bijzondere dag zal zijn:

They are at sea for all of us Alle zeevarenden gaan een maand chillen… wat dan?

Geen stroom → Geen IPhone Geen katoen → Geen kleren Geen benzine → Geen bezoek aan familie Het werk van zeevarenden is vaak onzichtbaar. Hun schepen zijn ver weg.

Staan wij daar ooit bij stil?

25 juni wel! Van 10.00 tot 14.00 uur in het STC-gebouw aan de Lloydstraat 300 te Rotterdam

Het overgrote deel van het Nederlandse publiek weet tot nu toe weinig van vervoer over water.

Zij realiseren zich nauwelijks dat 90% van de goederen via schepen aangeleverd worden èn dat daar nog een hele wereld achter zit. Op 25 juni kan iedereen kennis maken met de wereld van de Zeevarende!

Nautilus International, de KNVR, de Vereniging Maritiem Gezinskontakt, STC Group, alsmede tal van rederijen en organisaties,

hebben hun medewerking inmiddels al toegezegd. Iedereen wordt hartelijk uitgenodigd om aanwezig te zijn op 25 juni.

Het organisatiecomité bestaat uit:

Mascha Bongenaar en Gaby Niesthoven (Vereniging Maritiem Gezinskontakt), Marieke Klip (STC/ Rotterdam Mainport University), Toon van de Sande (Spiritension), Fred van Zeijl (KNVR), Hans Walthie (Nautilus).

Spreek met één van onze vertegenwoordigers om uit te vinden hoe wij u het beste kunnen helpen.

Neem contact op met Jude Rosset van Redactive Media Group T: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 E: jude.rosset@ redactive.co.uk.

20/04/2016 13:34

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NL NEWS

Nautilus seminar Bemanningseisen Binnenvaart: 25 jaar 13.30 – 16.00 uur, organiseert F Nautilus International een speciaal

Op woensdagmiddag 25 mei,

seminar over Bemanningseisen in de Binnenvaart. Het seminar vindt plaats tijdens de beurs Maritime Industry in Gorinchem( 24 t/m 26 mei). Een niet te missen middag met enkele vooraanstaande sprekers over dit actuele onderwerp: Arjen Mintjes, Director Maritieme Academie Holland Kirsten Schreibers, Intergo bv, Human Factors consultant Niels Groenewold, CEO VT Group Myriam Chaffart, ETF Political Secretary for Inland Waterways and Logistics Carl Kraijenoord, Nautilus bestuurder Binnenvaart.

Verder professionaliseren

Carl Kraijenoord: ‘Het leek ons goed hier een seminar aan te wijden. Want er zijn veel veranderingen op dit gebied.

Zo wordt al jarenlang in de Binnenvaart het vereiste aantal bemanningsleden bepaald door de lengte van het schip en het systeem waarin dit vaart.

Echter de afgelopen jaren zijn er op allerlei gebieden ontwikkelingen die er ook voor zorgen dat de bedrijfstak verder moet professionaliseren. Als dit niet gebeurt dan verliest deze transportmodaliteit haar positie ten opzichte van het vervoer over de weg of spoor. De technische toepassingen aan boord van een schip zorgen er steeds meer voor dat werken en leven aan boord veranderen. Dankzij de techniek worden veel werkzaamheden minder belastend voor het lichaam.’

Communicatie en werkbelasting

‘Maar hoe zit dat met andere aspecten? Tegenwoordig wordt van iedereen verwacht dat hij of zij goed kan communiceren. Niet alleen onderling maar ook met behulp van machines en computers. Steeds meer communicatie verloopt digitaal. Dit betekent dat er altijd wel een signaaltje knippert of een bliepje wordt gehoord.

Welke uitwerking heeft dit op de werkbelasting?

Robots in de Binnenvaart

Çarl Kraijenoord over de nabije toekomst: ‘Voor sommige werkgevers gaat dit te langzaam en nog lang niet ver genoeg.

We zijn al in staat om een schip als drone te besturen en van A naar B te laten varen. Heb je straks nog wel bemanning aan boord nodig?

Of wellicht veel minder dan nu het geval is…

Ook in de opleidingen wordt uiteraard vooruitgekeken en gewerkt met de beschikbare nieuwe technieken om de nieuwe instroom van arbeidskrachten voor te bereiden op de toekomst in de sector. Hierbij maakt het varen met een simulator ook deel uit van de opleiding. Je zou kunnen zeggen dat de leerlingen hiermee ook worden getraind in het werken achter een beeldscherm. Hoe ver gaat dit? Gaan wellicht robots veel werk overnemen? Is dat de realiteit van de toekomst?’

Aanmelden seminar

‘Ook als Nautilus erkennen wij dat de technologische ontwikkelingen het werk en de werkprocessen beïnvloeden. De vraag is dan wel hoe deze zo goed en verantwoord mogelijk in te vullen. Tijdens het seminar willen we daar graag met elkaar van gedachten over wisselen.

Het kan een interessante middag worden in Gorinchem.’

g U kunt zich nu alvast aanmelden

voor dit (gratis) seminar, via: infonl@nautilusint.org Inschrijving vindt plaats op volgorde van aanmelding (vol is vol!).

Nautilus beursstand Maritime Industry: 391

Nautilus International is bovendien met een stand aanwezig op de beurs, op stand 391, van 24 t/m 26 mei in de Evenementenhal in Gorinchem.

Iedereen is van harte welkom!

g Vraag via onderstaande link een gratis toegangskaart aan: booking.evenementenhal.nl/nl/ maritime-industry/gorinchem

Heeft u uw emailadres al aan ons doorgegeven..? en sneller van dienst te zijn, F beschikken we graag over hun Om onze leden nog beter

email adres. Heeft u uw emailadres nog niet aan ons doorgegeven? g Mail ons uw emailadres dan s.v.p. naar infonl@ nautilusint.org

Volg ons op Twitter Wij hebben Facebook.

Volg ons ook!

Bezoek www.nautilusint.org

32-35_nl_18.4.indd 34

Drukbezochte ledenvergaderingen op Pride of Bruges en Pride of Rotterdam A

Op 9, 10 en 11 maart voeren Nautilus bestuurder Marcel van Dam, adjunct-bestuurder Maarten Keuss en communicatie adviseur Hans Walthie mee op twee (van de drie) Nederlandse P&O North Sea Ferries veerboten. Met de Pride of Bruges (PoB) van Zeebrugge naar Hull en met de Pride of Rotterdam (PoR) van Hull naar Europoort.

Op beide ro-pax schepen vonden ook ledenvergaderingen plaats en tevens werd tijdens de rondleidingen uitgebreid gesproken met tal van bemanningsleden over het reilen en zeilen aan boord.

Voorstel reiskostenvergoeding

Tijdens beide ledenvergaderingen is uitgebreid gesproken over het voorstel van de werkgever om de huidige reiskostenvergoeding te veranderen. Het bleek dat er nogal wat onduidelijkheden en vragen waren over het voorstel. Aan de hand van het onderzoeksrapport van Wybenga Advocaten (welke op verzoek van de ondernemingsraad van P&O NSF was opgesteld) hebben de Nautilus bestuurders uitgelegd waar de werknemers volgens het MLC in ieder geval minimaal recht op hebben.

Tijdens de ledenvergaderingen is afgesproken dat Nautilus eerst de OR zal consulteren alvorens zij het verdere gesprek zal aangaan met de werkgever.

Nieuwe cao

‘Het zou mooi zijn als we voor 1 januari 2017 een nieuwe ondernemings-cao met P&O North Sea Ferries kunnen afsluiten’, aldus adjunct-bestuurder Maarten Keuss. Om dit mogelijk te maken is op 10 maart aan boord van de PoB en de PoR aan de leden gevraagd om alvast na te denken over de inzet voor de nieuwe cao. De cao-inzet wordt mede gebaseerd op de FNV en Nautilus uitgangspunten inzake loonsverhoging, werkdruk, ouderenbeleid en duurzame inzetbaarheid. Zo gaf een aantal leden aan liever wat extra vrije dagen erbij te willen krijgen, dan alleen puur een loonsverhoging.

Marcel van Dam: ‘Dit zou dan één van de nieuwe cao-voorstellen kunnen worden. Je kunt ook denken aan deeltijdarbeid voor oudere werknemers of aan het kopen van verlofdagen. Overigens zijn dit nog eerste verkenningen. Dat geldt ook voor het onderbrengen van de kapiteins in de cao. Ik proef daar wel veel eensgezindheid over onder de kapiteins. Bij Maersk en Spliethoff zitten de kapiteins bijvoorbeeld al in de cao en bij de HAL hebben we recent afgesproken om de kapitein ook onder de cao te brengen. Na de zomer zullen we aan boord ledenvergaderingen gaan organiseren om samen met de leden de inzet voor de nieuwe cao te bepalen.’

‘Vroeger ging je met 57 jaar met de VUT. Nu heeft het parlement er in een paar jaar tijd nieuwe wetgeving doorgejaagd en mag je met 67 jaar met pensioen. Eerst zouden zware beroepen, zoals ons beroep, worden ontzien, maar daar hoor je niemand meer over. Een belachelijke ontwikkeling natuurlijk. Daarom moeten we het nu gewoon goed per bedrijf gaan regelen. Wat mij betreft wordt dit ook één van de belangrijkste speerpunten in het komende cao overleg. En dat zeg ik niet voor mezelf, want dan ben ik al met pensioen. Maar ik zie tal van oudere collega’s echt op hun tandvlees lopen. De werkdruk wordt te hoog.

Dat moeten we echt goed aan gaan pakken met elkaar.’

Stagiair Stephan: prima werksfeer aan boord

Stephan Bijleveld, 4e jaar STC student HBO maritiem officier, loopt sinds een aantal weken stage op de Pride of Bruges. In 2013 liep hij al een half jaar stage bij Wagenborg op de grote vaart. ‘Daar heb ik ook het nodige geleerd, maar eerlijk gezegd vind ik het op een veerboot leuker. Ook met al die passagiers erbij. Daarnaast werk ik nu 5 weken op en één week af. Dat bevalt me eigenlijk beter dan dat je maandenlang weg bent. De werksfeer aan boord is hier prima en ik word goed begeleid.

Bovendien kan ik in mijn eigen hut ook computeren. Dat vind ik ook fijn. Zo kan ik goed werken aan mijn takenboek.’

Geen ‘9 tot 5 type’

De uit Bilbao afkomstige Marga Martier werkt sinds 2012 als receptioniste op de Pride of Bruges. Daarvoor werkte ze ook al op de Pride of Bilbao. ‘Ik vind het hier heerlijk werken. Ik ben geen “9 tot 5” type en ik werk hier “2 weken op, 2 weken af”, dat vind ik ook erg prettig. Ik werk graag met mensen, dus met al die verschillende soorten passagiers hier aan boord, kom ik goed aan mijn trekken. Mannen en vrouwen werken hier goed samen. Dat is niet overal zo. Zo volgde ik in Spanje een keer een medische cursus met alleen maar mannen van andere scheepvaartbedrijven.

Sommigen vonden het maar gek dat ik op zee

werkte. Waarom ik niet gewoon een baan aan wal zocht..? Dat vond ik echt belachelijke opvattingen. Hier op de Pride of Bruges speelt dat gelukkig niet. Ik ben gewoon één van de vele personeelsleden.’

Twee vrouwelijke wtk’s

Jurjen Wedema, alweer een tijdje actief als HWTK op de Pride of Rotterdam, staat ook positief tegenover de toename van werkende vrouwen aan boord. ‘Sterker nog, we werken hier met 2 vrouwelijke wtk’s van de in totaal 7. En de samenwerking is prima.

Dat was, toen ik ruim 30 jaar geleden begon, nog ondenkbaar. Gelukkig ligt die tijd nu ver achter ons.’

Samantha Zondervan is 2e kok aan boord van de Pride of Rotterdam. Ze kookt vooral voor de bemanning. ‘Hartstikke leuk werk joh.

Ja, we proberen hier gezond te koken en ook divers. Dat moet ook wel met de diverse nationaliteiten en geloven aan boord. Ik werkte eerst aan de wal. Maar geef mij maar ‘koken op zee’. Veel leuker, vooral ook omdat ik om de 2 weken werk en 2 weken vrij ben. Waar vind je dat bij de horeca aan de wal?’

Respect voor mede-passagiers

Stephen Boel is Senior Security Warden aan boord van de Pride of Rotterdam. Samen met drie collega’s zorgt hij ervoor, vooral in de weekenden als er door jongelui wat gedronken wordt, dat eventuele uitspattingen binnen de perken blijven. ‘Het begint al bij de incheckbalie in de terminal. Daar halen wij bepaalde groepen en/of bepaalde jongeren uit de anonimiteit en leggen hen de spelregels aan boord uit. Uitgangspunt is dat ze begrijpen dat “respect voor de medepassagiers” centraal staat. Dat iedereen zich normaal gedraagt, zoals je dat ook thuis doet. Vaak gaat het goed, een enkele keer moeten we optreden, vooral in de wat latere uurtjes. Door zichtbaar aanwezig te zijn en zowel de “overlastgever” als zijn kameraden hierop aan te spreken, voorkom je een heleboel. Ik zeg altijd maar zo ‘we zijn geen partyboat maar een ferryboat waar ook ouders met kinderen zich prettig en veilig moeten voelen.’

Ouderenbeleid en werkdruk

Hoofdwerktuigkundige Gerard Hensen, binnenkort na een dienstverband van 41 jaar afzwaaiend bij P&O NSF, heeft een duidelijke mening over het te voeren ouderenbeleid:

20/04/2016 13:34

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

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Steeds meer vaststellingsovereenkomsten

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Nautilus weer te gast op Zeevaartschool IJmuiden te gast op Zeevaartschool F IJmuiden/Nova College, onderdeel

Eind maart was Nautilus weer

van de Maritieme Academie Holland.

Nautilus adjunct (ferry) bestuurder Maarten Keuss en communicatie adviseur Hans Walthie namen ruimschoots de tijd alle gestelde vragen te beantwoorden. In de ochtend bij klas MAROF 3AB (Maritiem Officier) en klas MAROF 3C + WAS 3 (Werktuigbouwkundige Alle Schepen). Na de lunch bij klas SAS (Stuurman Alle Schepen) en klas 2ABCD. De 3e jaars studenten hadden al een eerste stage achter de rug.

Voor de 2e jaars studenten zal deze stage binnen een paar maanden gaan beginnen. Hier werden vragen behandeld als: Mag je naar gevaarlijke gebieden varen? Wat zijn de gevaarlijke gebieden? Heb

je recht om van boord te gaan als je in de haven bent. Mag je alcohol aan boord? Zo nee, mag je dan drinken als je van boord bent?

Waar ligt de grens tussen goedkope arbeidskracht en vakspecialist/ stagiaire? Welke rechten heb ik als het gaat om vakinhoudelijk werk?

Mag ik werken met gevaarlijke stoffen?

24/7 service vakbond

Verder kregen de studenten een presentatie over het werk van de vakbond en de meerwaarde van het speciale studentenlidmaatschap tegen een sterk gereduceerd tarief (€3,35 per maand, inclusief toezending van de vakbladen de Telegraph en SWZ Magazine). Dit is ook inclusief de 24/7 service die Nautilus International al zijn (studenten)leden wereldwijd biedt.

Het komt steeds vaker voor dat een arbeidsovereenkomst wordt beëindigd door middel van wederzijds goedvinden en de afspraken hierover vastgelegd worden in een vaststellingsovereenkomst. Ook in de maritieme wereld wordt in individuele, maar ook collectieve zaken, veel gebruik gemaakt van deze mogelijkheid.

Wat is een vaststellingsovereenkomst?

Een vaststellingsovereenkomst is een bijzonder soort overeenkomst. Bij het aangaan van een vaststellingsovereenkomst maken partijen afspraken over de oplossing van een geschil of een andere onzekere situatie.

Vanaf de invoering van de nieuwe werkloosheidswetgeving in 2006 is deze mogelijkheid in de wet vastgelegd. Dit is een rechtsgeldige manier om tot een beëindiging van het dienstverband te komen, die niet leidt tot eventuele problemen bij de toekenning van een Werkloosheidsuitkering (WW). Een andere veel voorkomende term voor een vaststellingsovereenkomst is de beëindigingsovereenkomst.

Wat wordt er in de overeenkomst opgenomen?

In de eerste plaats worden de algemene gegevens van partijen opgenomen, zoals namen, adressen, maar ook de functie van de werknemer en de datum van indiensttreding.

Verder wordt de reden van beëindiging van de arbeidsovereenkomst vermeld.

Om problemen met het verkrijgen van een WW-uitkering te voorkomen, dient dit een ‘neutrale’ reden te zijn. Bijvoorbeeld bedrijfseconomische redenen of een verstoorde arbeidsrelatie, die niet verwijtbaar is aan de werknemer. Wel verwijtbaar zijn bijvoorbeeld diefstal, agressie en andere redenen voor ontslag op staande voet.

Het initiatief tot beëindiging van de arbeidsovereenkomst dient genomen te zijn door de werkgever en de voor de werkgever geldende opzegtermijn moet in acht worden genomen. In sommige arbeidsovereenkomsten voor bepaalde tijd is echter geen tussentijdse opzegmogelijkheid opgenomen.

Het gevolg daarvan is dat de WW-rechten pas ingaan, nadat de looptijd van een dergelijke arbeidsovereenkomst verstreken is.

Daarnaast dient — uiteraard — de beëindigingsdatum van de arbeidsovereenkomst te worden opgenomen en de eventuele ontslagvergoeding die de werknemer uitbetaald krijgt. Verder kan worden afgesproken dat de werknemer voor de rest van de duur van de arbeidsovereenkomst wordt vrijgesteld van werk en dat hij de resterende vakantiedagen al dan niet krijgt uitbetaald.

Ook wordt vaak vastgelegd dat de werknemer nog bepaalde bedrijfseigendommen (bijvoorbeeld een laptop, telefoon) moet teruggeven en/of de werknemer na beëindiging van de arbeidsovereenkomst nog gebonden is aan een concurrentie- of relatiebeding.

Getuigschrift

Werkgevers zijn wettelijk verplicht om een neutraal geformuleerd getuigschrift af te geven aan het einde van het dienstverband. Er kan ook worden afgesproken en vastgelegd dat dit een positief getuigschrift wordt. En in lijn daarmee, positieve referenties ten behoeve van mogelijk nieuwe werkgevers.

Een vaststellingsovereenkomst wordt meestal afgesloten met de bepaling dat partijen elkaar ‘finale kwijting’ verlenen als alle afspraken, genoemd in de overeenkomst, zijn nagekomen. Omdat partijen daarmee verklaren niets meer van elkaar te vorderen te hebben, is het van belang dat de gemaakte afspraken betreffende de rechten en plichten van partijen compleet zijn.

Bedenktermijn

In de wet is vastgelegd dat de werknemer, na het sluiten van een vaststellingsovereenkomst, een bedenktermijn van twee weken heeft. De werkgever is verplicht om dat in de overeenkomst te vermelden. Doet de werkgever dat niet, dan heeft de werknemer een bedenktijd van drie weken.

Binnen de bedenktijd kan de werknemer zonder opgaaf van redenen terugkomen op de gemaakte afspraken, door schriftelijk aan de werkgever de ontbinding van de overeenkomst in te roepen.

Beëindigingsovereenkomst bij ziekte

In de meeste gevallen is het niet verstandig een vaststellingsovereenkomst aan te gaan indien u ziek bent. Het verkrijgen van een WW-uitkering of Ziektewetuitkering is dan vaak niet mogelijk. Maar er zijn uitzonderingen denkbaar, vooral indien de ‘ziekte’ samenhangt met de arbeidsrelatie (situatieve arbeidsongeschiktheid). Als lid van een vakbond heeft u het voordeel dat u eerst deskundig advies kan vragen, vóórdat u in een dergelijke situatie een vaststellingsovereenkomst acce pteert.

Individueel en collectief toegepast

In de inleiding hebben wij aangegeven dat ook in de maritieme wereld in individuele, maar ook collectieve zaken, veel van deze mogelijkheid gebruikt wordt om arbeidsovereenkomsten te beëindigen.

Als voorbeeld geven wij de verkoop van meerdere schepen, waardoor er collectief zeevarenden boventallig werden. Als belangenbehartiger voor de leden heeft Nautilus met de werkgever dan onderhandeld over een sociaal plan.

In een sociaal plan wordt vastgelegd welke collectieve voorwaarden en afspraken van toepassing zijn als een beëindiging van de arbeidsovereenkomsten met betrokkenen overeengekomen wordt. Een onderdeel hiervan is de inhoud van de vaststellingsovereenkomst, welke verwijst naar de afspraken in het sociaal plan.

Nautilus advies en begeleiding

Zoals u kunt lezen zijn ontslag en beëindiging ingrijpende gebeurtenissen met veel ‘valkuilen’, waarbij Nautilus International u kan adviseren en begeleiden. Daarom is het belangrijk om lid te zijn van Nautilus International, zodat wij naast collectieve en individuele loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden voor leden, ook uw belangen op het gebied van ontslag en vaststellingsovereenkomsten kunnen behartigen.

g Wij helpen u graag verder.

Onze contact gegevens en meer informatie over een lidmaatschap kunt u vinden op onze website: www.nautilusint.org/nl

Nautilus International en FNV Waterbouw

VMBO gastlessen in Harlingen communicatie adviseur Hans F Walthie weer 2 gastlessen op de

Begin april verzorgde Nautilus

Maritieme Academie Holland, locatie Harlingen. Ditmaal werden leerlingen van de 4e klassen, vmbo, zee- en binnenvaart, bijgepraat over nut en noodzaak van een vakbond. Op een paar uitzonderingen na, wisten de meeste leerlingen niet of nauwelijks iets van een vakbond af. En dus ook niet van het afsluiten van een cao (collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst) en van het bieden van juridische hulp bij bijvoorbeeld een arbeidsconflict.

Veel werd er ook gediscussieerd over (toekomstige) stages en wat daar allemaal bij komt kijken. En ook hoe om te gaan met (vooral) alcohol en drugs.

32-35_nl_18.4.indd 35

24/7 service vakbond

Verder werd de meerwaarde van het speciale studentenlidmaatschap tegen een sterk gereduceerd tarief (3,35 euro per maand, inclusief toezending van de vakbladen de Telegraph en SWZ Magazine) toegelicht. Dit is ook inclusief de 24/7 service die Nautilus International al zijn (studenten)leden wereldwijd biedt.

De Maritieme Academie Harlingen is een school voor binnenvaart, kustvaart en zeevaart. Met haar moderne schoolgebouw, twee nieuwe opleidingsschepen en vier zeevaartsimulatoren beschikt de Academie over een up to date instrumentarium om vele jongeren een goede maritieme opleiding te geven.

vakbondszaken belicht, waarin A Nautilus en FNV Waterbouw een In deze rubriek worden steeds

actieve rol spelen ten behoeve van onze leden.

Dit keer gaat het over: Recht op een uitkering bij ziekte of overlijden

Wanneer u als zeevarende ziek bent of komt te overlijden, dan heeft u of uw nabestaande recht op een uitkering. Indien u in Nederland woont en werkt, heeft u bij ziekte een wettelijk recht op loondoorbetaling van 70% van uw overeengekomen loon — maar tenminste het minimumloon — gedurende maximaal 104 weken.

Mocht u komen te overlijden, dan heeft uw nabestaande recht op één maandloon. Deze uitkering is voor iedereen die woont in Nederland, de Europese Unie of de Europese Economische Ruimte (EER) en indien de werkgever in Nederland is gevestigd. Mocht de werkgever

gevestigd zijn in een andere Europese staat, dan valt u onder de sociale voorziening van dat land.

In uw collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst kan een hogere vergoeding zijn vastgesteld.

Indien na 104 weken de arbeidsongeschiktheid voortduurt, kunt u binnen de EU en EER een beroep doen op een arbeidsongeschiktheidsuitkering of een sociale voorziening.

Zeevarende buiten de EU

Hoe is dit nu geregeld voor een zeevarende van buiten de EU of EER? Voor zover er met het woonland geen verdrag betreffende sociale zekerheid is afgesloten kunnen deze zeevarenden een beroep doen op de Vereniging Zee-Risico 1967.

Vereniging Zee-Risico1967 voert de wettelijke regeling uit zoals die is vastgesteld in artikel 734 van Boek 7 van het Burgerlijk Wetboek (BW) en dan vooral de artikelen 7:734 d t/m 7:734 m.

Ook iemand die AOW ontvangt en vaart kan aanspraak maken op de regeling zoals die wordt uitgevoerd door de Vereniging Zee-Risico 1967.

Al ruim honderd jaar is de Vereniging aangewezen om zorg te dragen voor de inkomensvoorziening van zeevarenden bij arbeidsongeschiktheid en overlijden. In 1915 werd de vereniging Zee-Risico opgericht en voerde toen al de Zeeongevallenwet uit. In 1967 is de huidige Vereniging opgericht om de sociale verzekeringswetten, zoals die toen werden gevormd, uit te voeren voor de zeevarenden.

Werkgevers en scheepsbeheerders

De werkgevers en scheepsbeheerders met zeevarenden, zoals eerder aangegeven, zijn van rechtswege aangesloten bij de Vereniging Zee-Risico 1967. Zij betalen een

premie waarmee de uiteindelijke uitkeringen bekostigd worden.

Dit is in feite dezelfde manier van financiering als bij de werknemersverzekeringen in Nederland. Deze premies worden door de werkgever betaald.

Indien aan de geldende voorwaarden wordt voldaan, heeft u als zeevarende recht op een uitkering bij arbeidsongeschiktheid en uw nabestaande bij overlijden.

g Mocht u geïnteresseerd zijn in de

geschiedenis van het de Vereniging Zee-Risico 1967 (ZR67), dan kunt u nu op de website van de Stichting Scheepvaart een jubileum uitgave downloaden of aanvragen. De website is: www.scheepvaartnet.nl en kies vervolgens het tabblad ZR67.

20/04/2016 13:34

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

UNIONS AT WORK

Campaigner for our cause Trade unionist Henrik Berlau retires this month after decades battling on behalf of seafarers. He tells ANDREW DRAPER about a career that began in a UK port as a 15-year-old seafarer and ended as head of the transport section of Denmark’s biggest union…

N

International Workers’ Day, 1 May, is a fitting date for Henrik Berlau to retire. A former seafarer and national secretary of the transport section of Danish general workers’ union 3F, Mr Berlau has spent a lifetime in trade union and party political work — never afraid to speak his mind and stand his ground or to be a thorn in the side of the shipowners.

The former chairman of the Danish Seamen’s Union, before it merged with other unions into 3F, Mr Berlau began his working life at the age of 15 when he got a job with Denmark’s East Asiatic Company. He joined his first ship on the Isle of Grain, in Kent, in 1968.

He also served with Kosangas and on coasters, and it was not long before he responded to a union recruitment campaign and joined the Danish Seamen’s Union. He got involved in the youth group and represented them in the youth section of the Confederation of Danish Trade Unions, rising to become treasurer.

In 1976, Mr Berlau was elected travel secretary in the Seamen’s Union. That job entailed visiting ships to inspect them. ‘I sought out new ships and slowly began to work on flagging questions,’ he says. Four years later, he was union secretary and then rose to become chairman of the union in 1991 — a post he held for three

years until the union merged with the SiD general workers’ union, after which he took charge of the transport and service section.

The Danish Seamen’s Union had a strong communist section, Mr Berlau included. But it did not always have an easy relationship with the Party leadership, having disagreements on several policy issues. This eventually resulted in a split in 1979 and the formation of a new communist party called Common Course — ‘Fælles Kurs’ in Danish — named after the grouping’s newspaper. Mr Berlau found himself elected as a member of the Danish parliament for the party for a short time between 1987 and 1988.

O

He notes that seafarers have often been at the forefront of international struggles for justice and solidarity, including action on behalf of workers in Chile, South Africa and the UK. During the UK miners’ strike in the 1980s, the Danish Seamen’s Union was asked by the World Federation of Trade Unions and the Trade Unions International of Transport Workers to send aid to the striking miners.

‘The Seamen’s Union chartered two ships which we filled up and sent to the UK to help the miners.

It was just before Christmas and there were also toys for the children,’ Mr Berlau recalls.

Apartheid South Africa was

Henrik Berlau with Karsten Kristensen, who takes over as national secretary of the 3F transport section on 1 May

a prominent area of activity for international seafarers, and for Mr Berlau. The Danes were very active in combating and exposing the secret and illegal transport of weapons and oil to South Africa.

Danish seafarers were encouraged to report to their union actual vessel movements, which allegedly often contradicted false reports from shipping companies.

Recognition of his work to combat the supply of arms and oil to South Africa was a highlight of Mr Berlau’s career. ‘It was an honour for me to be invited to Nelson

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Early booking is advisable Courses available most weeks. Please call or email for available dates.

Experienced Ships’ Cooks:

have overstepped the limit for what is right when everyone criticising DIS is turned down.’

As a committed internationalist, the ILO and ITF have never been far from Mr Berlau’s work.

He states his departing wish for the ITF: ‘I hope the ITF finds its way back to its foundations. The ITF has a less critical attitude now to the way shipping has developed.

‘It’s because the FoC campaign has also become a business, not only for shipowners, crewing agencies and governments, but also for flag organisations. So there’s a consensus over many things.’

At the ILO, Mr Berlau has been head negotiator for a committee working on the minimum wage for ratings since 2000, and last month, he took part in the discussions between international unions and maritime employers on the ILO rates.

Other career highlights include his work to secure a collective bargaining agreement for nonDanish domiciled seafarers, even after the DIS came into force, and, in 1999, negotiating a CBA for Filipino seafarers that was labelled by shipowners as ‘the world’s most expensive’.

He also played a key role in helping to put a block on shipowner plans to secure the go-ahead at the IMO for round-

the-clock ‘one-man bridge’ operations.

N

So what’s next for Henrik Berlau? Tending his flower beds or daytime television as an elderly gent isn’t really his thing. He says he will now devote time to single-issue politics — pointing to the European Union as an area of keen interest.

‘The EU is a danger to workers and their trade unions and I hope the UK votes to leave,’ he says, wryly pointing out that Denmark often follows Britain on foreign policy matters. Denmark joined the then European Economic Community on the same day as Britain: 1 January 1973. Like the UK, Denmark has not adopted the euro, and prides itself on being somewhat Eurosceptic and a long way from Brussels.

He also wants to spend more time with his wife Jeanne and family. The activist genes have already been laid. Daughter Majbrit is national chair of Denmark’s social workers’ union and a prominent member of the leftwing Unity List party. Like her father, she was briefly a member of the Danish parliament. And in the style of her father, on the day of this interview she was on the front page of her union newspaper addressing an activists’ rally, megaphone in hand.

Kristensen ‘to continue Berlau’s work’ Denmark’s 3F general workers’ industries ranging from fishing Mr Berlau’s strong opposition to union has appointed Karsten to cement and chemicals. He was the Danish International Register of K Kristensen as the new national formerly a shop steward and branch Shipping and warns that jobs are a big

A two week programme starting from: June 13, 2016.

www.stc.ac.uk

/SouthShieldsMarineSchool

Call us on: 0191 427 3772 or Email: marine@stc.ac.uk

@ssmarineschool

36_berlau_SR edit.indd Sec2:36

Mandela’s inauguration as president of South Africa in 1994,’ he says.

Another major area of his campaign work has been the Danish International Ship Register (DIS), which 3F has labelled a flag of convenience. The unions argue that its introduction has led to the massive loss of Danish seafaring jobs.

Mr Berlau has spoken out tirelessly against the register and his union has repeatedly but unsuccessfully sought legal redress against a section of the regulations which prevents Danish unions from negotiating on behalf of foreign-domiciled crews working onboard DIS-registered ships — something which has drawn regular and increasing international criticism.

He points out that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Council of Europe have been critical of the DIS for the past 25 years. ‘The discrimination is extended to EU citizens, particularly from eastern European countries, and that is in breach of the EU Treaty,’ he adds.

But despite several attempts, the unions have been unable to take the issues to the European Court. Legal matters with a European legal dimension should be considered by the EU, Mr Berlau says. ‘You can’t use the word “criminal”, but the Danish courts

secretary in its transport section to replace Henrik Berlau on 1 May. From the west coast of Denmark, Mr Kristensen has worked in

chairman in the fishing town of Thyborøn-Harboøre for SiD, a union that merged into 3F. Mr Kristensen says he will continue

concern. ‘We are working to secure that as many Danish or European seafarers as possible can get jobs in the shipping industry,’ he adds.

20/04/2016 15:23

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

APPOINTMENTS Britannia Aggregates Limited is seeking a

Ship Manager to work w as part of its ship management team Working as part of a small but close-knit and professional team based in NorthŇeet, Kent, you will be responsible for the day-to-day marine and technical management of the company’s 5,786 dwt ‘A’ class sucƟon dredger, MV Britannia Beaver, with the responsibility of maximising operaƟonal and Įnancial eĸciency and minimising downƟme, thereby ensuring opƟmum commercial eīecƟveness within all requisite legislaƟve boundaries.

Your key roles and responsibiliƟes include managing the repair and maintenance budgets to ensure that spend is in line with agreed parameters and you will conƟnually be seeking ways of reducing running costs. You will therefore be responsible for compiling docking and maintenance speciĮcaƟons as well as maintaining spares stock in a cost eīecƟve and eĸcient manner to ensure that spare parts are always available as and when required.

You will act as both the Designated Person Ashore and the Company Security Oĸcer and must therefore have previous experience in, and undertaken appropriate training for, both of these roles. And with safety absolutely paramount in the Britannia ethos, you must be able to show previous experience in the management of Health & Safety. You will also be involved in the welfare of the crew as and when required and so must have proven abiliƟes in man management.

You will hold a current valid STCW III/2 Chief Engineer CerƟĮcate of Competency and have previous experience in a senior sea-going rank. A knowledge of small vessel operaƟons is preferable and you must be able to demonstrate previous experience of shipboard maintenance management systems. However, as indicated by your key responsibiliƟes shown above, you must understand Įnancial reports and be experienced in both devising and managing budgets as well as being competent in budget analysis.

An excellent communicator, both spoken and wriƩen, you must have the iniƟaƟve to work independently as well as being part of the core Britannia ship management team.

The post oīers a compeƟƟve salary, with pension and other beneĮts commensurate with such a management role.

If you are interested in this challenging but proacƟve role, please send your CV with a covering leƩer to Phil Collier at phil@philcollierassociates.com

Help shape the future of transport Passenger Shipping Safety Policy Lead £40,533 - £46,612 Ref: 1486034

Southampton

Playing a key role at the heart of passenger shipping safety, you will help to promote the passenger shipping industry, grow the UK-flagged fleet and support the British economy.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) develops and implements the Government’s strategy for maritime safety and environmental protection. Our work spans education, prevention, regulation and inspection. We also initiate and coordinate search and rescue through HM Coastguard. It’s important work that affects everyone in the UK, and you’ll have a key role to play.

Your role You will develop and promote ship technical standards and policies that attract great public, media and Government attention. As a policy lead, you’ll help to create the framework that enables the shipping industry to deliver the goods and passenger transportation, offshore energy, leisure and maritime services including brokering and insurance. Developing ideas that shape regulations with broad benefits, you’ll be instrumental to implementing the Government’s agenda for supporting small businesses, boosting economic growth and deregulation.

Negotiation with industry stakeholders and regulators, both at home and abroad, will be key to your success. We will look to you to develop impact assessments which demonstrate the costs and benefits of proposed policies. Along the way, you’ll visit ships, companies and other regulators, and call on engineering and maritime expertise to frame safety and operational standards. Your flair for building relationships could see you become a key player in the industry.

About you To be equal to the challenge, you’ll need proven experience and qualifications relevant to the shipping industry, naval architecture or marine engineering. We’ll expect you to demonstrate the ability to see the big picture in which UK businesses operate, while keeping a keen eye on technical details vital to safe ship operations. A flair for collaboration and negotiation is essential.

Rewards Besides the rewarding nature of the job itself, the benefits are excellent. The package includes generous leave entitlement, attractive pension options, flexible working and other policies to enable a good work/ life balance, including beneficial childcare arrangements and offices based all around the UK coast. You’ll also benefit from our commitment to nurturing and developing talent.

Apply To discover more and apply online please visit: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/jobs.cgi and quoting the above reference.

Closing date: 27 May 2016.

The Department for Transport is an equal opportunities employer.

We value diversity and want our workforce to reflect the communities that we serve.

Broaden your horizons with a career at sea

The Port of Blyth is a modern statutory Trust Port handling up to 2 million tonnes of cargo each year across a variety of sectors and with ambitious plans for future expansion.

As a result the following vacancy has arisen:

FULL TIME MARINE PILOT/ASSISTANT HARBOUR MASTER

Secure your future with Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruises We are currently recruiting for the following positions: (IGO 3J½GIVW 'PEWW -- 'S' )RKMRI 3J½GIVW 'PEWW -- 'S' *EGMPMX] 1EREKIVW ,SXIP 7IVZMGIW )RKMRIIV 6IJVMKIVEXMSR )RKMRIIVW )PIGXVMGEP )PIGXVSRMG 3J½GIVW ,SWTMXEPMX] +YIWX 7IVZMGI 4VSJIWWMSREPW

Benefits package includes: 'SQTIXMXMZI VEXIW SJ TE] %RRYEP WEPEVMIW ERH 7XEJJ 3J½GIV &SRYWIW SV VSXEXMSR JSV 7IRMSV 3J½GIVW 6IXMVIQIRX 7EZMRKW 4PER 4IRWMSR 7TSRWSVIH WXYH] PIEZI ERH 8VEMRMRK TVSKVEQQIW )\GIPPIRX SRFSEVH WTSYWI JEQMP] TSPMG]

Can all candidates please email us on the following: Seabourn seacareers@seabourn.com Holland America Line seacareers@hollandamerica.com

Nautilus recruitment.indd 37

Applications are invited from individuals with the relevant qualities, experience & certification to fill the position of Marine Pilot/Assistant Harbour Master.

The Marine Pilot/Assistant Harbour Master is responsible to the Harbour Master for the safe and efficient management of all marine activity within the Port of Blyth harbour limits. The role will involve piloting a wide range of vessel types and sizes up to maximum of 200mLOA & 40,000DWT. The successful candidate will also be required to deputise for the Harbour Master as required and assist with daily operational port requirements.

A valid STCW certificate of Competency, previous vessel command, marine pilotage and/or comprehensive ship handling experience would be advantageous but not essential, as full training will be given providing qualification criteria are met.

The successful applicant will be required to undertake a probationary period as Trainee Marine Pilot, this period being subject to relevant experience and aptitude. He / she will be expected to demonstrate an enthusiastic and motivated approach to all aspects of their employment in return for a professionally rewarding career.

An attractive remuneration package (salary, pilotage bonus, performance related bonus, pension scheme, private medical insurance, annual leave etc) is offered for the post and assistance with relocation costs into the region may be possible for the successful applicant dependant on relevant personal circumstances.

Please apply with full CV (including details of current salary) to The HR & Safety Manager, Port of Blyth, South Harbour, Blyth NE24 3PB, stuart.balmer-howieson@portofblyth.co.uk by 20th May 2016 with interviews to be conducted soon after.

Further details and job description available on our website www.portofblyth.co.uk or by contacting the Harbour Master Captain M Willis on 01670 357020.

18/04/2016 12:53

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

APPOINTMENTS CV Professionals

NOTICE TO READERS

Maritime & oσshore specialists

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

www.cvprofessionals.co.uk

12 May 2016 is the closing date for June 2016.

You can still advertise online at any time.

An exciting opportunity exists to join Saga as it embarks on a new adventure.

31st May 2016 smlgroup@saσery.gg

of exciting and diverse itineraries and with preparations underway for delivery of our first new build in 2019 this amazing opportunity is not one to be missed.

Where’s my Telegraph?

An established company of Marine Consultants is now seeking:

• MASTER MARINERS • MARINE ENGINEERS To work from offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai Minimum Qualifications: Superior certificates and/or relevant Degree.

Experience at senior officer level, or command would be advantageous A high standard of written and spoken English is essential. Successful candidates can expect excellent career prospects.

Applicants should e-mail their c.v. and covering letter to:

Careers@Andrew-moore.com

Nautilus recruitment.indd 38

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

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

Reach over 110,000 readers.

To advertise contact Paul Wade on +44 (0)20 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@ redactive.co.uk to find out how.

Arklow Shipping We operate a dry cargo fleet of 46 modern, purpose built ships from 4,500dwt to 35,000dwt. Due to continued expansion we have a vacancy for the following position:-

Marine Engineer Superintendent This position, residing and based in Arklow, Ireland, will require a person who is keen to advance and develop their skills further in the marine sector. The successful candidate will be responsible for the efficient operation, management and maintenance of vessels under their control. The candidate will be required to join the team to oversee the future new build construction programs in Europe.

Minimum qualification is Chief Engineer (Unlimited) certificate of competency.

Applicants must be fully conversant in the English language.

Previous experience in this position is not essential but considered advantageous.

EU working entitlement is essential for this role.

Please send detailed cv to:Arklow Shipping, North Quay, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland Email: shipsuperintendent@asl.ie

18/04/2016 12:53

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

APPOINTMENTS Clyde Marine Recruitment is a leading provider of marine recruitment and bespoke crew management VHUYLFHV :LWK RIÂźFHV ORFDWHG LQ 8. /DWYLD 3RODQG DQG Singapore it allows us to provide our clients with easy access to a multi-national pool of candidates from a single point of contact.

For sea-going jobs apply at www.clyderecruit.com CONTAINER

SPECIALIST

Chief and 2nd Engineer required for Container vessel. Operating worldwide. 3 month trips.

Permanent position. Container experience preferred but not essential.

(QJLQHHULQJ 2IÂźFHU with a Chief Engineer CoC, Second Engineer CoC and System Engineer required for vacancies within the RFA Fleet.

TANKER

ˆ Competitive Salary

Master required for LNG, this is a permanent position. Trips are 3 months on with 28 days leave per month served. Master unlimited CoC with Gas DCE required. Must have recent LNG experience EW 1EWXIV )\GIPPIRX WEPEV] ERH FIRI½XW TEGOEKI

ˆ Paid Voyage Leave

&KLHI 2IŸFHU VIUYMVIH JSV 3MP XEROIV XLMW MW E permanent position. Trips are 3 months on with HE]W PIEZI TIV QSRXL WIVZIH 'LMIJ 3J½GIV unlimited CoC with Oil DCE required. Must have VIGIRX PEVKI 3MP XEROIV I\TIVMIRGI EW 'LMIJ 3J½GIV )\GIPPIRX WEPEV] ERH FIRI½XW TEGOEKI Chief and 2nd Engineer required for Container vessel. Operating worldwide. 3 month trips.

Permanent position. Container experience preferred but not essential.

PASSENGER

%HQHÂźWV LQFOXGH

ˆ 4:3 Rotation Including Training ˆ Career Average Occupational Pension Scheme ˆ Fully Funded Study Leave Programme ˆ World Class Comprehensive Training Programme Candidates must have experience as Chief Engineer, Second Engineer or ETO and have a UK CoC/CEC. **Please note for this vacancy MOD requirements dictate when you join, you must have British Citizenship and have been living in the UK for EX PIEWX JSYV SJ XLI TEWX ½ZI ]IEVW

For all shore-based jobs, please visit:

Motormen, ABs and Stewards holding Crowd 1EREKIQIRX GIVXM½GEXI VIUYMVIH JSV XIQTSVEV] trips on passenger ferries in Scotland. Contact SYV +PEWKS[ SJ½GI JSV QSVI MRJSVQEXMSR

www.redtheconsultancy.com

For Sea-going Jobs visit Clyde Marine Recruitment:

www.clyderecruit.com Glasgow +44 (0) 141 427 6886 Singapore +65 6299 4992

Gdynia +4858 665 3860 Riga +371 6733 1357

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS IN 2017

WITH A LONG ESTABLISHED REPUTATION FOR BEING A LEADING PROVIDER OF TRAINING TO THE MARITIME INDUSTRY.

MARITIME COURSES 2016

STCW UPDATING 2016

FD to Chief Mate 30 May | Masters Orals 20 Jun | HELM(O) 1 Jun & 13 Jul | ECDIS 18 Jul

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NAEST(M) 6 Jun, 25 Jul | HELM(M) 18 & 25 Jul | TASCO 1 Aug |

The above four courses can be booked as a 4 day package ÂŁ680*

BTM 27 Jun, 4 &11 Jul | VTS Induction 4 Jul |

1 Day MCA Approved FRB updating course with Capsize drill ÂŁ245

VTS Operator Simulator 11 Jul | VTS Refresher 28 Jun FOR MORE INFORMATION E maritime@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/nautical

Nautilus recruitment.indd 39

2016 AVAILABLE COURSE WEEKS 6, 13, 20 Jun | 4, 11, 18 Jul | 1, 15, 22 Aug | 12, 9, 26 Sep | 3 Oct, 24, 31 Oct | 21, 28 Nov FOR MORE INFORMATION E offshore@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/offshore

/FleetwoodNauticalCampusOffshoreOperations

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40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

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

Your first port of call

Increase your audience when advertising You can advertise your maritime and off shore opportunities in the Nautilus Telegraph, and also on our jobsite nautilusint.org/jobs

Address: First Floor Unit 7, Hythe Marine Park, Shore Road, Southampton, SO45 6HE UK Telephone: +44(0)23 8084 0374 Email: recruitment@seamariner.com

Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers - All vessels All Of½cers and Crew - ERRV Tug/Multicat Crew - All ranks Various shore based personnel All Crew for temporary assignments If you would like further information in registering with Seamariner or you would like to discuss your crewing requirements, please contact one of our experienced consultants.

www.seamariner.com

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

This increases your visibility to over 17,000 active jobseekers as well as the 110,000 readers of the magazine.

Discuss all print and online opportunities with Paul Wade on +44 20 7880 6212 or paul.wade@redactive.co.uk

Worried about your retirement?

DEEP SEA & COASTAL PILOTS LIMITED

Join us!

We currently have several vacancies for Deep Sea Pilots, both full and part Ɵme, and are looking to recruit Masters with STCW II/2.

The Nautilus Pensions Association is a pressure group and support organisation that:

You will need to have a minimum of three years deep sea command experience and be required to meet the criteria for CerƟĮcaƟon by the UK Trinity House. A knowledge of the English Channel/North European water will be of requirement to your applicaƟon.

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

All applicants will be required to aƩain a valid license issued

by Trinity House (London, Newcastle or Hull).

All applicants must have exisƟng EU working enƟtlement and be able to demonstrate a legal right to take up residence in the UK. ApplicaƟons to be sent to seapilots@dscp.net for the aƩenƟon of Chris Brooks or by post to Deep Sea & Coastal Pilots Limited, PO Box 201, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 3WB. For background on our company proĮle please refer to www.deepseapilots.com

z serves as a channel for professional advice on all kinds of pensions, as well as offering specific information on legal and government developments on pensions, and supporting the Union in lobbying the government as required

z provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for advice on other organisations providing support and assistance to pensioners z offers a range of specialised services and benefits tailored to meet the needs of retired members z operates as a democratic organisation, being a Nautilus Council body — with the secretary and secretariat provided by the Union

Giving you a v oice on

your future

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

PLOT YOUR NEXT COURSE WITH US Excellent opportunities exist within our fleet of Oil, Chemical, LPG and LNG Tankers for various positions including:

MASTERS - CHIEF OFFICERS CHIEF ENGINEERS - SECOND ENGINEERS OOW DECK AND ENGINE We also have current opportunities onboard RoRo/RoPax Vessels.

To view all current vacancies and for further information, please visit our manning agent website: www.nmms.co.uk.

Or send full CV to: recruitment@nmms.co.uk

MASTERS / CHIEF OFFICERS / SECOND ENGINEERS / OOW DECK AND ENGINE / MASTERS / CHIEF OFFICERS / SECOND ENGINEERS / OOW DECK AND ENGINE

Nautilus recruitment.indd 40

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May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 41

APPOINTMENTS

SHOREBASED

TANKER

WORKBOAT/ROPAX/CONTAINER

Technical Superintendent - Tankers Glasgow - £55-60K + Benefits

Chief Engineer - DFDE LNG - £85K

Chief Engineer - Dredger - £45K

Technical Superintendent - Ro-Ro Glasgow - £55K + Benefits

Master - LNG - €105K

Master - Dredger - £50K

&KLHI 2IƂFHU LNG - $100K

Deck Hand - Dredger - £20K

2nd Engineer - DFDE LNG - £70K

3rd Engineer - Ferry - £34K

4th Engineer - DFDE - $54K

Chief Engineer - Dredger - £50K

HSEQ Superintendent - Tankers Glasgow - £45K + Benefits Marine Superintendent - Tankers Glasgow - £55K + Benefits Marine Assurance Super - LNG/LPG UAE - $120K + Benefits

ETO - LNG - €60K

Vessel Manager - LNG London - £75K + Benefits

Cargo Engineer - LNG - $80K

Vessel Manager - LPG London - £70K + Benefits

CRUISE

2nd Stewardess - 50m+ M/Y - €3.5K

Technical Superintendent Cyprus - Competitive Salary & Pkg

1st Engineer - Cruise - £43K

Junior Stewardess - 60m+ M/Y - €2K

Senior 2nd Engineer - Cruise - €64K

Deckhand - 100m+ M/Y - $3K

2nd Engineer - Cruise - $50K

Head Chef - 45m+ M/Y - €6K

Marine Superintendent - Chemical UAE - Tax Free Salary & Pkg Senior Technical Super - Tankers Rotterdam - Competitive Salary & Pkg

YACHTS 2nd Engineer - 100m+ M/Y - $DOE

2nd Engineer - Cruise - $45K

Carpenter/Deck - 100m+ M/Y - €3K

Technical Superintendent - Dry Cargo Hamburg - €90K

Refrigeration Engineer - Cruise - €34K

Chief Stewardess - 100m+ MY - $8K

Fleet Manager - Yachts France - €70K

QG 2IƂFHU Cruise - €34K

Stewardess - 80m+ MY - €3K

Technical Superintendent - Cruise Germany - €85K

2nd ETO - Cruise - £32K

2nd Stewardess - 50m+ MY - €3K

Chef de Partie - Cruise - £15K

ETO - 110m+ MY - $6K

(QYLURQPHQWDO 2IƂFHU Cruise - £37K

Stewardess - 55m+ MY - €2.5K

6HFXULW\ 2IƂFHU Cruise - $60K

Deckhand - 45m+ MY - €2.6K

Marine Superintendent - Cruise Germany - €85K Safety Superintendent Cruise - Germany - €75K

Shorebased: +44 (0)23 8020 8840

Search for ‘Faststream Seafarers’

shipping - uk@faststream.com

Seagoing: +44 (0)23 8020 8820

@faststreamsea

seagoing - uk@faststream.com

www.faststream.com

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A REWARDING NEW CHALLENGE? WHY NOT CHANNEL YOUR PASSION INTO EDUCATING OTHERS? FLEETWOOD - A TOP UK NAUTICAL COLLEGE

with a long established reputation for being a leading provider of training to the Maritime industry.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join us at Fleetwood Nautical Campus within the School of Maritime Operations. This is an excellent modern facility which 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.

At Blackpool and The Fylde College you will enjoy an excellent annual salary, plus superb benefits including generous holiday allowance, pension scheme and continuous professional development.

We are one of the UK’s leading Further Education colleges and our reputation for excellence has developed through professionalism and passion for learning, helped by talented staff, outstanding resources and massive commitment to student support. With a turnover of £50 million, we are an ambitious college with high aspirations for our learners and the community we serve.

VACANCY Curriculum Manager Nautical Science Salary: £38,775 - £42,373 The successful candidate will lead a vibrant team of dedicated and professional staff who have built this forward thinking and innovative Maritime centre.

This role requires a detailed knowledge of the higher education structure in the UK and in particular, how to enhance the student experience within the School of Maritime Operations using QAA Codes and complying with the College and SQA requirements. The successful candidate will manage the MCA approved MNTB Merchant Navy Deck Certificate of Competency curriculum at Fleetwood Nautical Campus.

A scarcity uplift allowance of £3,000 and relocation package of up to £3,000 are available for this vacancy (subject to eligibility of the successful candidate).

CLOSING DATE: Monday, 30 May 2016 at 12:00noon INTERVIEWS: Thursday, 16 June 2016 The College is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our learners. Successful appointment will be subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service and pre-employment safeguarding checks.

CONTACT INFORMATION: E jobs@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 504 173 BLACKPOOL.AC.UK/JOBS

Nautilus recruitment.indd 41

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42 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MIN 521 (M) — Amendments to MSN 1858 OOW Yacht requirements to gain an exemption from completing the training record book This note explains that there has been an amendment to line (f) of section 3.3 of MSN 1858 — which relates to the type of sea service that allows a candidate an exemption from completing the training record book for the Officer of the Watch Yacht certificate.

Member meetings and seminars Previously, the wording stated that the exemption was possible if the applicant could demonstrate 36 months’ onboard yacht service. This term has now been replaced with actual sea service, which is defined as ‘time spent at sea, which may include time at anchor or river and canal transits associated with a passage’.

The 36 months of actual sea service must be carried out on vessels of at least 24 metres in load line length.

z M-Notices are available as

electronic documents or as a set of bound volumes.

z A consolidated set of M-Notices is published by The Stationery Office. This contains all M-Notices current on 31 July 2015 (ISBN 978 01155 34034) and costs £210 — www.tsoshop.co.uk z Individual copies can be downloaded from the MCA website.

Go to www.gov.uk/mca and click on Find marine (M) notices. z Email alerts can be sent automatically whenever an M-Notice is published or updated. To set this up, follow the instructions in MIN 515 (M+F) — Guidance for subscriptions to safety bulletins and MCA document notifications on GOV.UK.

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 Young Maritime Professionals Forum Saturday 25 June 2016 London, TBC The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing young people in the shipping industry and on the issues that matter to them.

Open to all young members (UK, NL & CH).

g Women’s Forum Saturday 25 June 2016 London, TBC The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing women in the industry and encourages female participation in Union activity.

Open to all female members.

g Professional & Technical Forum Tuesday 27 September 2016 at 1300hrs for 1330hrs in Hull.

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 Danny McGowan: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org

Contact Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org

Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 protech@nautilusint.org

Contact Nautilus International

New online resource for officer studies g

A Nautilus member launched a new study support and professional development website last month for UK cadets and officers.

Called Officer of the Watch, the site will offer educational materials free of charge, and online forums for discussing study topics.

The venture is the brainchild of RFA officer Steven McCubbin. ‘I felt the need for something like this when I was studying for my Officer of the Watch orals in 2015,’ he explains.

‘Your own college does help you, of course, but I wanted a way to access a wider range of expertise from across the industry.

‘It was also important to me that the website I envisaged would be free to use, and that officers of all roles and ranks would feel part of the online study community. I wanted it to be there for people like me as we rose through the ranks, supporting our professional development and our studies for higher certificates’ While Steven has been developing the site, he has found that maritime professionals are keen to share their knowledge. ‘It’s not just college tutors who are coming forward,’ he notes.

‘Many experienced seafarers are experts in particular subjects, and have articles to share or advice to give. We want to cover all aspects of maritime study, whether that’s on the deck side, engineering or ETO.’ Officer of the Watch features a library of articles intended to help users study for STCW qualifications or engage in professional development at different stages of their careers.

There is also the Officers’ Mess — a forum offering informal discussions on different study topics — plus a

Nautilus International welcomes contact from members at any time. Please send a message to one of our department email addresses (see page 17) or get in touch with us at one of our offices around the world.

For urgent matters, we can also arrange to visit your ship in a UK port.

Please give us your vessel’s ETA and as much information as possible about the issue that needs addressing.

Offshore sector contact point Members working for companies based in the east of Scotland or UK offshore oil and gas sector can call: +44 (0)1224 638 882

Exploring www.officerofthewatch.co.uk

maritime news feed and an M-notice searcher. ‘You’re guaranteed to be asked about the latest M-notices in your orals,’ Steven points out, ‘and this tool works with the MCA website to help you check that your knowledge is up to date.’

The site makes it easy for registered users to add content and join the discussion forums, he adds: ‘We give out straightforward instructions so people can upload articles themselves, and our moderation team then will give the material a quick once-over to check it complies with our community guidelines. Users can also help to make sure the right kind of content is displayed by reporting any problematic comments.’

A facility is also being developed for maritime professionals to advertise their services on the site as paid tutors — setting out their areas of expertise and the fees they would charge. ‘This will allow users access to the best possible subject experts, from any background and from anywhere in the

world,’ says Steven. ‘Young people today are used to the idea of going onto a website to look for a tutor, but there’s nothing out there yet that’s specifically for nautical tutors.’

With most of its content generated by users, the success of the Officer of the Watch site will rest on attracting large numbers of visitors, but Steven McCubbin is upbeat about the prospects for this. ‘Obviously it’s early days at the moment and we need to expand on what we’ve got,’ he acknowledges, ‘but we’re getting the word out, and we’ve had positive feedback from UK nautical colleges like Fleetwood and Glasgow.

‘I’m hoping that colleges and other maritime bodies — like Nautilus — will link to us from their websites, and that in a few years’ time we’ll end up with an active community solving problems on all kinds of maritime study topics.’ g Visit the Officer of the Watch study support website at www.officerofthewatch.co.uk

THE NETHERLANDS Postal Address Nautilus International Postbus 8575 3009 An Rotterdam Physical Address Nautilus International Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Tel: +31 (0)10 477 1188 Fax: +31 (0)10 477 3846 infonl@nautilusint.org

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

College contacts Induction visits See www.nautilusint.org event section for dates of upcoming college visits by the Nautilus recruitment team.

For further information, email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call Lee Moon on +44 (0)151 639 8454.

Industrial support for cadets An industrial official is appointed to each of the main nautical colleges.

In addition the industrial department is responsible for representing trainee officers in line with all

members that we represent; please contact the Union on +44 (0)20 8989 6677. Your enquiry will then be directed to the relevant industrial organiser for your employer/sponsoring company.

The union also facilitates a Young Maritime Professionals Forum to provide an opportunity for young members to engage in discussions on the specific challenges facing young workers in the maritime profession.

For further information, members should contact Danny McGowan at ymp@nautilusint.org.

Quiz answers 1. Hyundai Heavy Industries has the biggest orderbook for new LNG vessels.

2. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) forecasts that 24m passengers are expected to sail in 2016, up from 23m in 2015.

3. Cork and wood is the most common commodity shipped in containers on the eastbound northern Europe/Asia trade.

4. Electrical machinery is the most common commodity shipped in containers on the eastbound northern Europe/Asia trade.

5. Höegh Autoliners is based in Oslo, Norway.

6. Seatrade Reefers’ headquarters are in Antwerp, Belgium.

Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 7. Roughage; 9. August; 10. Trend; 11. Antiphon; 12. Reconnaissance; 15. Scenic; 16. Rasher; 18. Window dressing; 20. Saboteur; 22. Rates; 24. Fennel; 25. Lemonade.

Down: 1. Fortress; 2. Ague; 3. Nepali; 4. Last; 5. Agapanthus; 6. Ashore; 8. Andantino; 13. Oceangoing; 14. Snare drum; 17. Ringside; 18. Weaver; 19. Darkly; 21. Eels; 23. Tyne.

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 April cryptic crossword.

Cryptic answers from April Across: 1. Toothpaste; 6. Bust; 9. Antibiotic; 10. Limp; 12. Clinker boats; 15. Celebrant; 17. Overt; 18. Demob; 19. Fortunate; 20. Manslaughter; 24. Chip; 25. Engagement; 26. Lied; 27. Benevolent.

Down: 1. Trap; 2. Oats; 3. Hubblebubble; 4. Acorn; 5. Trimester; 7. Unicameral; 8. Typesetter; 11. Absolute zero; 13. Academical; 14. Clementine; 16. Affluence; 21. Heave; 22. Fete; 23. Stat.

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

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

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

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

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

Merchant Navy Training Board www.mntb.org.uk UK organisation promoting maritime education and training, and providing careers guidance.

Administers the Careers at Sea Ambassadors scheme, under which serving seafarers can volunteer to give careers talks in UK schools.

Seafarers UK (formerly the King George’s Fund for Sailors) +44 (0)20 7932 0000 www.seafarers.uk Supports and promotes UK charities helping seafarers from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and fishing fleets.

Often organises places for maritime fundraisers to enter marathons and other charity challenges.

42-43_infosprd.indd 42

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

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

Useful organisations

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

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

UK Head office Nautilus International 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane South Woodford, London E18 1BD Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 Fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015 enquiries@nautilusint.org

Quiz and crossword answersACDB

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multi-lingual helpline for all seafarers’ welfare and support needs, as well as an emergency welfare fund.

SAIL (Seafarers’ Information and Advice Line) 08457 413 318 +44 (0)20 8269 0921 www.sailine.org.uk UK-based citizens’ advice service helping seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, benefit

entitlements, housing, pensions and relationships.

Seafarers Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.org.uk UK charity dedicated to the health and welfare of seafarers.

Includes the Dreadnought health service.

Seafarers’ Link +44 (0)1752 812674 www.communitynetworkprojects.org Telephone friendship project connecting retired UK seafarers at home through a fortnightly telephone conference service.

Seatax Ltd +44 (0)1302 364673 www.seatax.ltd.uk Company providing specialist tax advice for merchant seafarers.

Marine Society +44 (0)20 7654 7050 www.marine-society.org UK charity dedicated to the learning and professional development of seafarers.

Offers 120,000 books to ships through its library service, plus distance-learning programmes and scholarship schemes including the Nautilus-administered Slater Fund.

20/04/2016 15:23

May 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Keith George, finance manager g There aren’t many people who can say they’ve worked out how to make money from noxious gases, but that used to be an important part of Keith George’s job. ‘I worked in the finance department for waste management facilities,’ he explains. ‘You have to think about making it pay, and that includes burning the gases from rotting biowaste to generate electricity.’

Sometimes the smells weren’t so pleasant around his office building, he admits wryly, but it was interesting work that gave him opportunities both in the public and private sector, working his way up the accountancy ladder.

Keith joined the finance department of Wirral Council in NW England straight from school, aged 17, and he learned the basics there with a BTEC qualification, then took the AAT accounting technician course. He later transferred to a private waste management firm when the service was contracted out, and eventually became a CIMA chartered accountant.

After numerous years in waste management, he decided it was time for something a little more glamorous, and he moved into the luxury holiday industry. ‘The finance work there involved a lot of foreign exchange,’ he recalls, ‘and I was fortunate to travel to five-star hotels in places like Dubai and the Seychelles. I also worked for a chain of health spas for a while.’

So how did Keith end up at Nautilus? ‘The job at Mariners’ Park caught my eye because it was close to home,’ he says. ‘I had driven past the site many times [next to the river Mersey in Wallasey] but didn’t know what was behind the hedges. Also, I liked the idea of working for a trade union, as I have always been a believer in unions and have been a union member myself wherever it was possible at the organisation I worked for.’

Since joining Nautilus in 2012, he has worked mainly on tasks related to the Union’s registered charity, the Nautilus Welfare Fund. ‘I take care of

income and expenditure, looking out for any problems and making sure our contracts are sound,’ he explains.

‘The work includes coordinating the payroll for our welfare staff at the Mariners’ Park estate and overseeing day-to-day expenditure on things like food and cleaning at the Mariners’ Park Care Home.’

Accountancy is a classic ‘back room’ job, and Keith acknowledges that he’s mainly office-bound, but he enjoys taking opportunities to get out and meet the residents on the retirement estate. ‘Although I’m not so popular when the rents have had to go up,’ he smiles.

He also gains professional satisfaction from balancing the books, and is committed to making sure every penny donated to the Nautilus Welfare Fund is well spent.

All in all, it’s been a good four years at Mariners’ Park, he concludes. ‘Being close to home means I can cycle to work and I’ve got more time for my family.

Also, my colleagues are great and the environment is more pleasant than a landfill site!’

Wherev er you are , so are we Join now

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

Want to keep your job in 2017? Then read on!

It’s time to get your papers out and start checking whether your UK certificate of competency will still be valid when STCW 2010 comes into force…

A

Nautilus is urging members to take note that the countdown has begun to new rules that will require additional training to be undertaken to keep UK certificates of competency valid for service after 31 December 2016.

The new requirements are being introduced as part of the ‘Manila amendments’ to the Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping (STCW) convention, which were agreed at an international conference in 2010.

g Members are encouraged

to refer to the relevant M-Notices or alternatively contact the professional and technical department: protech@nautilusint.org

42-43_infosprd.indd 43

8 MONTHS TO GO UNTIL 1 JANUARY 2017 HELM course or acceptable equivalent

DECK UPDATEE TO TO 010 STCW 2010

(e.g. sea service)

ECDIS certificate achieved after 1 January caat ate te ach achie achi chie hie h 2005 to avoid negative endorsement oid idd neg nega

HELM course or acceptable equivalent

ENGINE UPDATEE TO TO 010 STCW 2010

(e.g. sea service)

High Voltagee certifica certificat certificate ertific ertifica tifi ifi or qualifying sea void oid idd negative ne n neg service to avoid endorsement

NEW FICATE ICATE CAT CATE A AT CERTIFICATE alternati lterna t terna — otherwisee alternat alternative designation, ctrical trical rical icall En E such as Electrical Engineer

I addition: seatime In rrequirements for revalidation — 12 months in preceding five years or three months in preceding six months plus valid ENG1.

5

I addition: appropriate In ttanker endorsements — subject to revalidation.

6 To serve as an ETO certification is required...

ETO

4

R Refresher training — rrequired every five years for certificates held.

Dependent upon rank (support/ operation/management) and duty — for example, Fast Rescue Craft certificate.

20/04/2016 13:31

44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | May 2016

NEWS

Nautilus calls for rethink on ETV cutbacks

First of new class delivered to HAL taken delivery of its new A flagship, Koningsdam, ahead of an Holland America Line has

official naming ceremony by Queen Máxima of the Netherlands in Rotterdam on 20 May. Built at the Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Italy, the 99,836gt Dutch-flagged vessel is the largest ever built for the company and will carry up to 2,650 passengers and 1,025 crew.

The first in HAL’s new Pinnacleclass, Koningsdam is set to spend the summer sailing from the port of Amsterdam on itineraries around Norway, the Baltic and Iceland.

Following the inaugural Europe season, the ship will sail to Fort Lauderdale to undertake a series

of winter and spring Caribbean cruises. A second Pinnacle-class vessel is expected to join the HAL fleet in 2018.

‘We are incredibly honoured that Queen Máxima will carry on the tradition of Dutch royalty christening Holland America Line ships, which began 87 years ago,’ said HAL president Orlando Ashford.

‘We chose Rotterdam as the location for the official ceremony because of the deep historic connection between Holland America Line, the city and the people of the Netherlands. May 20 will be a very special day in our company’s 143-year history as we officially dedicate Koningsdam.’ g HAL ship visits — see page 4.

gambling with the safety of F shipping and seafarers by cutting The UK government is

Drone ships ‘will be in service by 2020’ Experts promise revolution in shipping services after completing first year of ‘robot vessel’ study

P

‘Drone’ ships should be in commercial service by the end of this decade, the leaders of a project to develop remote and autonomous vessels promised last month.

Experts involved in the Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA) said constant real-time remote monitoring of vessels around the world will revolutionise shipping — opening it up to new players in the same way that Uber, Spotify and Airbnb have done in other industries.

‘The technologies needed to make remote and autonomous ships a reality exist. The sensor technology needed is sound and commercially available and the algorithms needed for robust decision support systems — the vessel’s “virtual captain” — are not far away,’ said Jonne Poikonen, from the Technology Research Centre at the University of Turku in Finland. ‘The challenge is to find the optimum way to combine them cost effectively in a marine environment.’

The AAWA project involved

The prototype shore-based control centre developed by Rolls-Royce for the autonomous ships project

universities, ship designers, equipment manufacturers and classification societies, who are working on ways to address the economic, social, legal, regulatory and technological factors that will make autonomous vessels a reality.

Merchant Navy Operations (Deck) Certificates of Competency Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Jan, May & Sept intakes Chief Mate/Masters (Unlimited) May & Sep intakes Master Mariner (Unlimited) Orals Prep Mar & Oct intakes Master Mariner (200Gt) Orals Prep (2 weeks) STCW Safety, Navigation & Management STCW Basic Safety Training Personal Survival Techniques (FULL) Personal Survival Techniques (UPDATE) Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Elementary First Aid Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting ECDIS Efficient Deck Hand HELM Operational & Management

44_news.indd 44

Announcing the results of the first year of research, project leaders said a series of shipboard trials will be carried out on a Finnish ferry to test visual and thermal cameras, radar, LIDAR and sensor arrays.

ESL Shipping will also be

Man Over Board / Rib Capsize Drills NAEST (O) & (M) Security Awareness Designated Securities Duties Shipboard Safety Officer Shipboard Security Officer

involved in work to examine how drone ships could be deployed in shortsea services. ‘While not all ships will be remotely operated or autonomous, these developments have the potential to transform mariners’ jobs for the better,’ said ESL managing director Mikki

Koskinen. ‘The work will not disappear but it will be different and more attractive to younger generations.’

The project has also developed a simulated autonomous ship control system which will be connected to a satellite communications link and land-based systems to enable the use of interactive smart screens, voice recognition systems, holograms and surveillance drones to monitor and control fleets remotely.

Experts are also conducting comprehensive risk assessments, examining cyber security issues and looking at the legal and liability challenges of constructing and operating autonomous ships.

‘This is happening — it’s not if, it’s when,’ said Oskar Levander, VP of innovation at Rolls-Royce Marine. ‘This work supports the development of remote controlled and autonomous vessels and will enable proof of concept demonstration following the completion of the project. We will see a remote controlled ship in commercial use by the end of the decade.’

emergency towing vessel (ETV) cover around the country, Nautilus warned last month.

Speaking at the Scottish TUC Congress, industrial organiser Lee Moon said the number of ETVs has been slashed from four to one — and there are fears that even the last one, which is stationed in the Northern Isles, may be withdrawn at the end of September.

‘Whilst the ETVs have been withdrawn, the risks certainly haven’t,’ Mr Moon told delegates.

‘Losing this vessel would represent a massive step backwards for maritime safety. We all know that the waters around Scotland are some of the most treacherous in the world and when we see the poor quality of some of the ships that come into our ports, it makes it all the more essential that we have such a vital emergency service in place.’

The conference backed a motion tabled by Nautilus condemning the ‘short-sighted’ decision to scale back ETV cover around the UK and urging the government to not only retain the Northern Isles tug but to urgently review the provision of services in other areas as part of its current consultations on future arrangements.

Mr Moon told the conference that there are significant safety risks on the west coast of Scotland, and the Orkney-based tug is too far away to provide urgent protection. He said the UK’s ‘penny-pinching’ approach to ETV cover stands in stark contrast to European partners such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Norway.

‘The sea is a dangerous place and our maritime environment is a precious resource,’ he added.’

We should not allow a reckless government to put coastal communities at risk for the sake of short-term savings.

‘The Northern Isles’ tug costs less than £3 million a year — but the costs of a major oil spill could easily run to ten times that amount, and the salvage fees for a grounded containership or cruise vessel could very easily total 100 times more.’

Questioned on the issue in Parliament, prime minister David Cameron said the ETV is ‘currently used very sparingly so it is right to look at the right way to deliver this service in the future’. A decision will be made in September.

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20/04/2016 17:22