Nautilus Telegraph September 2015

Fit for the job New service gives free treatment for work injuries 24

NL nieuws Twee pagina’s met nieuws uit Nederland 32-33

Pick of the pics See some of the finalists in Life at Sea photo contest 26

Volume 48 | Number 09 | September 2015 | £3.50 €3.70

UK maritime cluster faces skills threat

MSC ship is the biggest of Hamburg to be named last A month is the 19,224TEU MSC Zoe, the

Pictured right arriving in the port

experienced UK seafarers is F posing a major threat to the country’s The growing shortage of

latest vessel to claim the title of the world’s largest containership.

The Panama-flagged vessel is the third in MSC’s Oscar Class and was built in South Korea by Daewoo Shipbuilding. The 395.4m loa ship has been deployed on the SWAN service between Asia and North Europe, which includes calls to Antwerp, Hamburg and Bremerhaven.

The 193,000gt Oscar Class ships have a number of ‘green’ features, including a diesel engine which has been optimised so that fuel consumption can be automatically controlled to take into account both speed and weather condition.

Wrong-way ship had no one on the bridge France files formal protest as ship is boarded after sailing down the wrong lane of Channel TSS

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Nautilus has voiced alarm about a case last month in which French maritime safety officials had to send a helicopter and an emergency towing vessel out to a general cargoship that failed to respond to calls from ashore when it was spotted sailing in the wrong direction in the Channel.

The Gibraltar-registered Musketier was taken under French coastguard escort when the French Navy helicopter winched an officer onto the ship after it had sailed for more than an hour in the wrong lane of the traffic separation scheme.

It was then discovered that there was no one on the bridge of the 2,545gt vessel, which was sailing from St Petersburg in Russia to Bermeo in Spain, with a cargo of steel. The Musketier’s master was alerted and took the con, with the ship having to be escorted by the ETV Abeille Languedoc until it left the TSS. Officials at French Coastguard Regional Operational Centre for Surveillance and Rescue (CROSS) said the incident began at around 2040hrs on 6 August when coastguards noticed that the ship had

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The Gibraltar-flagged Musketier was found in the wrong lane of the Channel TSS with no one on the bridge Picture: BEAMer

had failed to change course at the entrance to the strait of Pas-deCalais.

Coastguards made repeated attempts to call the Musketier by all means available, but the ship failed to respond. Because of ‘the proven danger to navigation, especially in this heavy traffic area of the Pas de Calais’, CROSS Gris Nez and the French Navy Operational Centre (COM) in Cherbourg decided to launch a helicopter to intercept the ship.

The helicopter arrived on the

scene at around 2334, and decided to winch someone onto Musketier after it failed to respond to further calls and flash lights. After the master took control of the ship, it rejoined the TSS track at 0011hrs.

French authorities said they were making a formal complaint to the Musketier’s owners, stating that the ship was involved in a near-miss situation and posed a danger to navigation as a result of infringing rules on look-outs, collision prevention, traffic sepa-

ration schemes, and mandatory reporting in the Dover Strait.

The Préfecture Maritime said the ship had been ‘administratively immobilised’ in the Spanish port of Bermeo and its master, officers and crew had been temporarily suspended. It said the Gibraltar flag state had responded quickly and sent an inspector to make a report which will then go to the Le Havre maritime court.

The inquiry will take ‘several months’, it added.

This was not the first incident involving Musketier in the Channel. In February 2011 the ship ran aground to the south of Calais during a voyage from Spain to Germany. Investigations revealed that the Ukrainian master had fallen asleep at least 80 minutes before the grounding and the report criticised the ‘inappropriate’ four-on-four-off-eight-on work pattern for the two watchkeepers.

In 2011, Musketier was running with just seven crew onboard and the French maritime investigation body BEAMer recommended the owners to ‘put in place a complement and bridge organisation consistent with the type of the

vessel and her activity’.

At the time of the incident last month, the German-owned, Dutch-managed ship was being operated by a crew of eight — three Filipinos, four Russians and one Ukrainian seafarer.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson described the ship as a ‘disaster zone’ and said it highlighted long-running safety problems. ‘In 2011, the French authorities told the IMO and the European Maritime Safety Agency that the Musketier’s grounding showed the risk posed by ships operating around European coasts with “obviously under-sized complements”. This latest incident shows that nothing has changed and it is only a matter of luck that there has not been a major incident as a result.

‘What will it take to get the necessary action?’ he asked. ‘We should not have to wait for a disaster with massive loss of life or environmental pollution before governments finally enforce proper manning levels on ships and end the scourge of seafarer fatigue once and for all.’ g UK presses IMO on fatigue — see page 44.

future as a global maritime centre, the government has been warned.

Evidence presented to the Maritime Growth Study, which was commissioned by ministers to find ways to compete with other countries, repeatedly identified skill shortages are the major challenge.

More than 200 individuals and organisations, including Nautilus, made submissions to the study. The results, and accompanying recommendations, are due to be revealed during London International Shipping Week, which starts on 7 September.

Nautilus will be staging a special seminar on the opening day with a panel of expert speakers who will examine the problems posed by the increasing tension between supply and demand for maritime expertise. g UK shipping special — see centre pages.

Inside F Women’s health

Research report highlights need to address health issues for female seafarers — page 25 F Union rights

TUC campaign over UK government’s plan to ‘shift balance of power in the workplace’ — page 29

F Last call for GM

Don’t miss the deadline to register for Nautilus conference next month — page 34

19/08/2015 18:16

02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Member praised for Pacific rescue Maersk master tells how his ship saved three fishermen attacked by pirates

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A Nautilus member has been involved in the ‘challenging’ rescue of three South American fishermen who were left adrift in the Pacific for almost two weeks after being attacked by pirates.

Captain Rob Morrison was master of the 35,835gt Maersk Batur, which was sailing from Panama to New Zealand when the watchkeeping officer spotted a small fishing boat in apparent difficulty to the north of the Galapagos Islands.

Noticing that the men in the boat were waving their arms, Capt Morrison altered course, sounded the general alarm and advised the crew to prepare for a rescue.

He had been intending to give the men some fuel, food and water – as the ship had done in similar situations in the past – but it was discovered that the skiff had been adrift for 12 days, with no engine, no sails and no oars, and it was clear that there was no option but to take them onboard.

The ship’s crew brought the boat alongside, manoeuvring to create a better lee and to minimise the difficulties caused by the 2m swell conditions. This enabled the fishermen to board via the combination pilot ladder.

Although communications were difficult, as the fishermen had no English and the seafarers onboard Maersk Batur had only limited Spanish, they were able to establish that the men – two from Ecuador and one from Colombia – had been attacked by seven heavily armed pirates who had robbed them of their outboard motors and fuel supplies.

Capt Morrison said the men were found to be in good health despite their ordeal and were extremely grateful for the rescue.

‘Only the callous, heavily armed pirates who robbed these men

A vapour cloud envelopes the LNG tanker Fuwairit during the cargo overflow in the Spanish port of Barcelona in June

Alarm raised over LNG spill in Spanish port about an incident in which F a Bahamas-flagged LNG carrier

Nautilus has expressed concern

Captain Rob Morrison and the Maersk Batur crew are pictured above after the rescue of the three fishermen from the drifting skiff, below, as first sighted from the ship

of their two outboard motors and fuel off the coast of Ecuador knew of the possible plight of an open skiff left to drift at the mercy of wind and wave into the vast expanse of the Pacific ocean,’ he added. ‘Without VHF radio, GMDSS SART or EPIRB, flares or light, it would have been very difficult for these fishermen to alert any passing vessel or coast

radio station.’

He praised the way his officers and crew reacted as a ‘competent single team’ and added: ‘It seems more than luck that those young men were close to our track in daylight hours, and it was indeed very gratifying to see the skills we practice in our regular drill exercises being put to such good use.’

The men had managed to stay

alive by strictly rationing their limited provisions and catching fish, but by the time of the rescue they had drifted nearly 570nm in open sea without spotting another vessel and their water supplies were running dangerously low.

One of the fishermen, Jamil Caicedo, told of the mixture of panic and relief felt when they first saw the Maersk Batur: ‘We kept waving our arms and flags, anything we could wave, while hoping and praying that the ship would see us.’

The three fishermen were repatriated from New Zealand in July following Maersk Batur’s arrival in Auckland. ‘They had a long debrief and questioning session with New Zealand customs in the presence of consular officials,’ Capt Morrison noted. ‘There is always the suspicion of drug running as soon as Colombia is mentioned.’

released some of its cargo while discharging in the port of Barcelona.

Local reports stated that port authority emergency procedures were activated when an unknown quantity of LNG was spilled from the 74,067dwt Fuwairit — forming a spectacular vapour cloud, pictured above.

The LNG cargo was said to have overflowed during the ramp-up process onboard the vessel, which is managed by London-based MOL LNG Transport Europe and is under the technical management of Azalea Maritime. The overflow resulted in a complex fracture of the port upper deck walkway and extended overside to the hull.

Investigations into the incident were underway last month — and

initially focused on the possible failure of a valve.

After completing the discharge, the 2004-built vessel — which is on long-term charter to RasGas, of Qatar — was allowed to anchor for initial repairs to prevent the spread of the cracks.

Following approval from the harbour master and the classification society ABS, Fuwairit was given the go-ahead to sail to the Navantia shipyard in Ferrol for permanent repairs, returning to service early in July.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘These vessels are “high risk” and “high value”, hence the need for high quality crew and management with a high degree of flag state oversight. Actions taken by the port state to ensure safety are therefore understandable.’

Nautilus joins ‘fly the flag’ MN Day events be joining more than 200 UK A local authorities, ports and shipping Nautilus International will

companies flying the red ensign for Merchant Navy Day on Thursday 3 September.

The ‘Fly the red ensign for Merchant Navy Day’ campaign has been organised by Seafarers UK and the Merchant Navy Association, and endorsed by The Earl of Wessex and former First Sea Lord Baron West of Spithead. They hope to see the flag flying on all public buildings and landmark flagstaffs to celebrate the vital role of the Merchant Navy and

those who sail under the red ensign today.

The Earl of Wessex called on people to fly the flag and support not just the past, but also the future of the Merchant Navy.

‘Too often they are the forgotten or invisible service,’ he said. ‘By flying the red ensign you will ensure that at least on this day they are remembered.’

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson added that: ‘It is an excellent way to raise awareness of both the historic role of the Merchant Navy and the continuing importance of shipping for an island nation’.

Port blast highlights safety concerns insurers in voicing concern F over last month’s massive fire and Nautilus has joined marine

explosions in the Chinese port of Tianjin.

More than 110 people died and over 700 were injured following a series of explosions in the port — the world’s tenth largest — which were so big they were seen by satellites in space and registered on earthquake sensors.

The International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI) said the incident highlighted the growing problem of ‘accumulation risks’ in the shipping sector as a result of the trend for bigger containerships and the construction of

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extensive freight handling and storage facilities.

Accumulation risks — when a single event causes an exceptionally large group of related losses — such as this, are continuing to grow, IUMI warned. ‘Although we are focusing on losses caused by natural hazards such as flooding or hail, it is human error that is often to blame, particularly around industrial facilities,’ said president Dieter Berg.

‘Man-made losses or damage caused by explosions are hard to model but they are comparable with acts of terrorism,’ he added. ‘To evaluate worst-case scenarios we need to fully understand the value of

the goods in the port and all potential exposures before we can calculate adequate premiums. This is becoming more of a challenge as these facilities continue to expand.’

The explosions occurred in a warehouse being used to store dangerous and toxic chemicals. Police said materials on the site at the time of the blast included ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate and calcium carbide.

The Tianjin Maritime Safety Administration said the company which owned the warehouse had been found to be in breach of container packaging standards during a safety inspection two years ago.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the incident highlighted the importance of maintaining strict regulatory controls over port safety. ‘In recent months, Nautilus has worked hard for the retention of the UK’s Dangerous Goods in Harbour Regulations,’ he added.

‘The participation of our harbour master members was significant in persuading Health & Safety Executive officials, driven by a de-regulation agenda, to retain universal regulations applicable at all ports in the UK. Incidents like Tianjin are rare but are catastrophic, hence the need for effective regulation and enforcement.’

Damaged cars and containers in the port of Tianjin Picture: Reuters

19/08/2015 16:07

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Owed wages are paid to seafarer after 20 years Molloy has helped to secure A the payment of owed wages to a

Nautilus/ITF inspector Tommy

seafarer who lost his job following the collapse of the Greek company Adriatic Tankers 20 years ago.

Sri Lankan seafarer Shantha Mendis was among the crew of the Panamanian-flagged tanker Ionian Prince which was arrested in the port of Rotterdam in the autumn of 1995 as the company’s financial crisis deepened.

He was one of more than 2,000 crew members on around 100 ships that were abandoned by the company in 1995 and 1996 following a long series of financial problems. Mr Molloy was among the International Transport Workers’ Federation staff all over the world who went to the aid of the stranded seafarers.

ITF inspectors in the Netherlands were taking legal action to recover money owed to the Ionian Prince crew when Mr Mendis and a number of other seafarers onboard the vessel decided to jump ship because of the time it was taking to secure their wages.

He spent some time ‘living a hard life’ in Rotterdam before moving to France in 1997. The ITF contacted him there over the payment of the balance of his wages, but Mr Mendis was unable to finalise the arrangements because of illness.

Last year, Mr Mendis finally

Ranjan Perera, the ITF inspector in Sri Lanka, presents Shantha Mendis with a cheque for US$2,500 to settle his 20-year-old unpaid wages claim

returned to Sri Lanka with the help of his brother. He contacted local ITF inspector Ranjan Perera who, with the assistance of Mr Molloy, was able to secure the payment of the outstanding owed wages.

The amount owed totalled US$729.25 but when the ITF’s finance department calculated the interest it came to $2,026.40, and it was rounded up to $2,500 to cover any bank charges.

Mr Mendis paid tribute to everyone who had worked on the case for so long and ‘the wonderful job’ they had done in securing his unpaid wages. ‘The extra time and effort you put in were certainly worthwhile,’ he wrote.

‘I want you to know how much I appreciate your taking care of it.

With your help I will be able to get to my balance of wages on time and get the medication I needed.

Your dedication and hard work are greatly appreciated.’

Mr Molloy said he was delighted to see the case settled after such a long time. ‘This brought back some terrible memories of what the crews of Adriatic Tankers went through.

It was a shameful episode and this seafarer wasn’t the only one who was affected so severely,’ he added.

‘It was the first case I was assigned when I joined the ITF in 1995 and I couldn’t believe the scale of the problem and the appalling way these people were treated.

‘Colleagues such as Miren Del Olmo, John Wood and Geoff Ablett did a tremendous job in assisting hundreds of employees of this lousy company to get all or most of their wages back by working with mortgagee banks and many others across the industry,’ he pointed out.

‘It may have been 20 years ago, but it’s fantastic to hear that the ITF can be shown to be true to their word,’ Mr Molloy said. ‘I wrote to Shantha advising him what he had to do to obtain his owed wages and I never dreamed that circumstances would see him replying all this time later.

‘Many organisations and individuals may have written it off, but thanks to Geoff’s doggedness he managed to track the payment down. It’s great that such a horrible period for Shantha has ended on a positive note.’

Call for action to end ID problems Nautilus urges UK to take a lead after new evidence of shore leave difficulties

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Nautilus has made a fresh call for action to implement the international convention on seafarer identity documents, following fresh evidence of shore leave problems.

The Union has written to UK shipping minister Robert Goodwill to highlight the pressing need for global adoption of ILO Convention 185, which was developed in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in an attempt to provide a system of ID that would ensure the highest levels of security whilst also safeguarding shore leave, transfer and transit arrangements for seafarers.

General secretary Mark Dickinson warned the minister: ‘There continues to be worrying evidence that, 12 years after its adoption, the convention is not getting the support that it deserves from governments around the world, and as a consequence the antici-

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pated safeguards and protections that seafarers have sought are not being delivered.’

For example, he pointed out, the annual shore leave survey conducted by the SCI Centre for Seafarers’ Rights in the United States found that around 17% of crew members on ships visiting 27 key ports have been denied shore leave, and that almost 30% of visiting ships had members of their crew detained — the highest total in 12 years.

The survey, which was carried out over a week in May this year, found that almost 80% of the seafarers who had been denied shore leave were refused on the grounds of not having valid visas. And more than 80% of these seafarers were serving on ships that were flying the flags of countries which have ratified the Maritime Labour Convention.

The report also found that 17

seafarers from UK-flagged ships (and 71 from other Red Ensign Group member ships) were detained, with more than 30% of these being as a result of a lack of a visa.

Mr Dickinson said he was concerned about the problems caused by the different interpretations that arise when countries which have ratified ILO Convention 185 seek to control the movement of visiting seafarers.

India last month approved ratification of the convention and is taking steps to implement the associated system of biometricbased seafarer identity documents (SIDs), he pointed out. ‘The UK needs to be aware that there will come a time when having ratified the now outdated Convention 108 will not be enough to satisfy the port states which have stepped up and ratified C185,’ he warned the minister.

‘As a major maritime nation, the UK needs to show leadership by ratifying ILO 185,’ Mr Dickinson added. ‘In doing so, we will not only ensure proper levels of security but also uphold important principles of seafarer welfare.

Persistent question marks over the technical standards for SIDs have been addressed, he stressed. ‘All the obstacles are in the process of being removed,’ he told the minister, ‘and, as a leading maritime nation with a significant number of seafarers who increasingly work in a globalised labour market, I believe it is more important than ever before that the UK acts swiftly to implement the convention, and to provide the resulting greater surety over shore leave, repatriation and transit arrangements for seafarers without the need for visas or for lengthy visa application procedures.’

shortreports CAMERAS CALL: Nautilus has renewed its calls for CCTV to be fitted on all open decks on passenger ships and passenger ferries to provide an historical record of time, place and nature of incident. Senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the case for such equipment to be installed onboard had been highlighted by an incident last month in which a chef was lost overboard from the Cunard liner Queen Mary 2 during an Atlantic crossing. The ship was boarded by local police after arriving in the port of Halifax, with investigators hoping to determine the circumstances under which Chilean chef Favio Ordenes went missing.

STRESS STUDY: the Dutch research institute Marin is taking part in a new project to investigate seafarer stress and workloads. The pilot study, being conducted in collaboration with the Technical University of Berlin and k + s projects, will initially use a ship simulator to assess individual reactions in stressful situations, and the impact of factors such as noise and extreme weather conditions. Researchers also want to focus on the relationship between workloads and performance.

FRENCH ROW: further talks have taken place between French seafaring unions, DFDS and French politicians in a bid to resolve a dispute over the number of jobs being offered on two former MyFerryLink vessels bought by the company from Eurotunnel. DFDS has offered to take on 230 seafarers, but the Scop workers’ cooperative claims the figure is too low; it has occupied the vessels in protest.

SLIDING SCALES: the average £5m salary of a top UK company boss is a staggering 183 times higher than that of full-time workers, according to a new study which shows that the top 10 CEOs collectively earned over £156m last year. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady expressed concern at the findings and said companies should rebalance pay grades to fairly reward those who do most of the work.

BG BOOST: Dutch operator BG Freight Line has extended its Irish Sea Hub network by adding the Scottish port of Greenock to its Belfast, Rotterdam and Liverpool rotation. The company — which has three 1,000TEU vessels deployed on the service — says the extended route will offer international traders ‘a way to minimise costs, carbon emissions and congestion’.

NO BEACHING: the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association has announced that its members will no longer send their end-of-life vessels to be beached for breaking up in developing nations. CEO Sturla Henriksen commented: ‘As an industry we can no longer defend that ships are broken in a way that puts health and the environment at risk.’

ASSAULT PROBE: a crew member has been accused of sexually assaulting a boy on the Panamaflagged cruiseship Carnival Valor. Yovany Suazo-Batiz, a Honduran citizen, was arrested last month after the vessel docked in Port Canaveral in the US. DREDGING DEAL: the Dutch operator Van Oord has been awarded a €130m dredging contract for the second phase of a new container terminal at the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung. Work will involve dredging 37m cu m of sand to create new land.

EMISSION PENALTIES: the Alaskan Department of Environmental Conservation has penalised seven major cruise lines for emissions violations since 2010, according to documents published last month.

HOLYHEAD SMASH: some 650 passengers and crew were forced to disembark the Irish Ferries fast craft Jonathan Swift after it struck the berth while departing the port of Holyhead in gale force winds last month.

SANDY SALE: the 962gt French hopper dredger Penfret has been sold to UK-based Severn Sands and will be deployed on operations in the Bristol Channel.

19/08/2015 18:40

04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports BULLYING CAMPAIGN: Nautilus has reminded members of the wealth of information and support available from the Union to tackle bullying and harassment at work. This ongoing campaign aims to equip crew with the information and advice they need in order to recognise the problem and to prevent issues from escalating. Contact the dedicated email address bullying@nautilusint.org for help.

BAS REJECTION: members employed by the Natural Environment Research Council and serving onboard ships operated by British Antarctic Survey are being consulted by the Union after management said they would implement and pay and conditions offer which had been overwhelmingly rejected.

SERCO VIEWS: members serving with Serco Ferries (Guernsey) Crewing have been asked to submit their views on the contents of the forthcoming pay and conditions claim. The Union has held further talks with management with the aim of concluding the updating of members’ terms and conditions.

STENA WAIT: Nautilus is still waiting for a date from Stena Line management for talks on new-start salaries. National ferry organiser Micky Smyth said liaison officers have been involved in discussions on the transfer of crew management to NMM. DFDS CONSULT: members serving with DFDS have been asked to give the Union their views on what should be included in the next pay and conditions claim.

Talks are due to begin in the autumn.

Big differences in revalidation help Nautilus Council members, the F Union has conducted research into the Following concerns raised by

levels of support given by companies to members revalidating their certificates.

Officials contacted a wide range of employers to find out how many members have to cover the costs of revalidation of certificate themselves, and how many companies provide it as a part of their training and development of staff.

Evidence gathered suggests that more than two-thirds of companies do cover the costs of revalidation courses, although some still require seafarers to pay for the certification from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.

It shows that some members are significantly worse off than others,

with a number of companies not only not paying for revalidation but also expecting their seafarers to use their own leave to undertake the courses needed to keep their certificates up to date.

A number of companies stated that they consider requests for study leave on a ‘case by case’ basis or only allow it for those who have served with the company for more than two years.

The Union is calling on companies to consider supporting staff with the cost of revalidation, especially in light of the 2010 amendments to the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention which come into effect on 1 January 2017. g For more information on revalidation, see page 35.

RFA ‘crisis’: Union calls for inquiry Nautilus warns MPs over service cuts

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Nautilus has called for a Parliamentary inquiry into the ‘crisis’ currently facing the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

The Union has written to members of the House of Commons defence committee to highlight concerns over the impact of cuts on the ‘vital’ RFA service.

General secretary Mark Dickinson told the MPs that the RFA service is ‘suffering from extreme neglect’ — with cutbacks having a detrimental impact on fleet size, operational capability, and manning and training.

He said the government needs to make urgent decisions on new tonnage, as more than half the ships in the RFA fleet are over 35 years old and some are even over 40 years old. ‘Five tankers which failed to meet modern pollution prevention regulations have been scrapped in the past decade, all without replacement, and Nautilus believes it is essential that clear decisions are made now about the replacements for the specialist forward repair vessel Diligence and the aviation training/hospital ship Argus,’ he added.

Mr Dickinson also warned the MPs of the growing challenge posed by the ageing RFA workforce. ‘An overwhelming proportion of RFA officers and ratings are

Nautilus general secretary Mark

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Fleet Maritime pay visits Jonathan Havard conducted F a series of ship visits at the end of Nautilus national secretary

July to gain pay and conditions aspirations from members employed by Fleet Maritime Services and serving onboard Princess Cruise Line and P&O Cruises Australia vessels.

He is pictured above, from top to bottom, with members on Island Princess, Caribbean Princess, Royal Princess, and Sea Princess, ahead of initial pay talks which were due to take place as the Telegraph went to press.

The formal pay claim will be submitted in a few months’ time.

Members urged to support campaign on anti-union law Dickinson is urging UK members A to support a campaign to oppose the

MARINE TAX SERVICES (CARDIFF) LTD

due to retire in the next five to 10 years and Nautilus believes that the service is facing a growing crisis in sustaining fleet staffing,’ he added.

‘In part, this is because the RFA has failed over a very long period to recruit and train a new generation of seafarers and, in part, it is because retention rates have been undermined by long-standing public sector pay restraint policies which have left the RFA remuneration package well behind market rates,’ he pointed out.

Mr Dickinson said the ‘disturbing’ situation deserves urgent political attention.

‘The role of the RFA has never been as important as it is today, yet it is in an increasingly uncertain state,’ he added. ‘Nautilus has therefore consistently argued against the simplistic notion that the RFA can be cut back in line with the reduction in the RN surface fleet. In fact, we believe the opposite is true and that it should be developed and expanded to reflect its increasingly important role.

‘With the decline in the UK merchant fleet and of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, the RFA has taken on an even more important role by helping to cover some of the strategic shortfalls that have arisen.’

Trade Union Bill and to call on the government to make meaningful steps towards increasing trade union democracy by introducing online voting for official ballots.

Nautilus is joining with other TUC affiliated-unions to warn that the Bill, formally introduced in Parliament last month, could tip the balance of power in the workplace and undermine effective negotiations between employers and unions.

The TUC says the legislation is based on the false assumption that most employers and trade unions have an obstructive or difficult relationship, ignoring the fact that most, including Nautilus, enjoy constructive employment relations.

‘The proposals will make getting a much-needed pay rise, stopping job losses or negotiating better conditions at work much more difficult,’ said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.

‘If ministers were serious about improving workplace democracy they

would instead let workers vote online.

In an era of online banking, safe and secure online balloting is a common sense option.’

Mr Dickinson urged Nautilus members not to be distracted by the media’s interest in industrial action ballot turn-outs. ‘On the rare occasions that members vote for industrial action, they do so after many months of negotiation with the employer, and a series of consultations,’ he said. ‘The option to take action is only ever a last resort when these negotiations have broken down.

‘But if the government was genuinely seeking to increase the democracy of trade unions they would allow options like online voting which we have been calling for, for many years,’ Mr Dickinson added.

‘This would allow our members who are working away at sea and unable to post official ballots, like those calling for industrial action, to take part. But the government is simply looking for ways to reduce the rights of everyday working people.’ g See feature — page 29.

Negotiations begin on HAL pay and CBA industrial organisers Lisa Carr, C Marcel van Dam and Maarten Keuss Nautilus International

are pictured meeting with Holland America Line management last month for the first round of talks on the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The negotiations follow a series of ship visits by Dutch and UK officials, which are set to continue this month.

During the meeting, joint proposals were submitted on behalf of Dutch and UK officers serving in the HAL fleet. These included: the length of contract/duration of agreement; a pay increase including the

outcome of a job evaluation study; a three months on/three months off sailing schedule; and improved communications onboard, including the provision of internet access.

Further ship visits are planned to continue discussions on the CBA and pay and conditions review. These will take place onboard Rijndam on Monday 7 September in Bergen, Norway; Eurodam on Wednesday 9 September in Bergen; and Maasdam on Saturday 10 October in Boston, USA. Talks on the joint CBA will then continue with the company on 12 and 13 October in Boston.

19/08/2015 18:25

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

CalMac pledges are welcomed Ministers promise that jobs, conditions and pensions will be protected

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Nautilus has welcomed long-awaited assurances on members’ terms and conditions which have been set down in documentation for the tendering of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Ministers told the Union that the package provides ‘the most comprehensive pension protections and employment arrangements compared with any previous Scottish ferries tendering exercise’.

The initial invitation to tender document has been given to the two companies bidding for the CHFS contract — CalMac Ferries and Serco Caledonian Ferries. The invitation for both operators to submit a final tender is scheduled for December 2015, with a view to awarding the contract in May 2016.

Ministers said the Scottish government would give an assurance that a ‘fair, sustainable and affordable’ CalMac pension scheme will be written into the contract and that the way in which bidders deal with workforce issues will be a key element in assessing the quality of tenders.

And in parallel talks with all the CalMac unions, the employer

Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth is pictured with liaison officers Jim Dunlay, Alex Forrest and Archie Mac Donald at the quarterly meeting last month

gave additional assurances that there will be no changes to terms and conditions — including pay — without full consultation, and that there will be no reductions in operating staffing without the agreement of the unions.

Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth welcomed the developments and said ministers had responded positively to the concerns raised by unions.

Negotiations will now focus on the reform of the CalMac pension scheme, he added, with the timetable now extended following objections from unions about the original ‘unrealistic’ schedule.

The Scottish government has agreed to indemnify the scheme

for the duration of the tender and de-couple the issue of reform from the tender process.

‘The timescale will also be driven by the requirement for the pension trustees to submit a recovery plan to the regulator, to be approved by June 2016, to address the sizeable shortfall in the scheme,’ Mr Smyth explained.

‘We are willing to sit down and discuss ways in which we can safeguard the future for our members.’

During last month’s quarterly CalMac liaison officers’ meeting, an update was given on the company’s recent recruitment drive.

Mr Smyth said 20 permanent deck and technical positions had

been created in response to the Union’s long-standing concerns over the lack of elasticity in the establishment. ‘We have made very positive progress in reducing call-back days and creating more jobs,’ he added. z Scottish transport minister Derek Mackay has announced plans for a comprehensive study of the Northern Isles Ferry Services (NIFS) to inform the tender process for the next contract. He said the views of key stakeholders will be sought as part of the study, which is expected to begin in the next few weeks and be completed in time to inform the early stages of the procurement for the next NIFS contract.

P&O Ferries rejects new ‘first choice’ pension scheme launch of a new industry-wide A defined contribution pension scheme Nautilus has welcomed the

C

Nautilus industrial organiser Paul Schroder has conducted a series of ship visits to meet members employed by Fleet Maritime Services and serving as deck and technical officers onboard Cunard and P&O Cruises vessels.

04-05_at work.indd 5

He is pictured above, top to bottom, with members onboard Queen Elizabeth, Ventura and Arcadia following discussions about their aspirations for the forthcoming pay and conditions negotiations.

for people working in the UK maritime sector. But the Union has also criticised P&O Ferries for its refusal to join the plan.

Effective from 1 August, the Ensign Retirement Plan (ERP) provides members with full access to recently introduced pension flexibilities and is intended to become the ‘first choice pension arrangement’ for all employers in the maritime sector.

The ERP aims to provide a high quality ‘future-proofed’ pension scheme that is easy for employers to join, with low member charges, a wide range of investment options and the ability to participate in a new industry-wide group life assurance arrangement.

Minimum contribution rates, at 6% of pensionable salary for employers and 4% of pensionable salary for employees, are above the statutory minimum, and the annual management charge for the default fund is well below the statutory maximum.

The Trustee of the Merchant

Navy Officers Pension Plan (MNOPP) — whose 1,500 members include employees of 40 of the UK’s major maritime employers — has taken the decision to close the plan and transfer the entire membership into the ERP. Nautilus assistant general secretary and MNOPF vice-chairman Mike Jess commented: ‘We welcome and fully support the ERP, and we would look to the plan to become the first choice pension arrangement for all employers in the maritime sector.’

However, despite repeated requests from Nautilus, P&O Ferries has refused to join the ERP — because it was not prepared to increase its contributions by 0.9% in the first year and it would have no control over any future contribution rates.

Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth said he was disappointed by the decision. ‘For a company with such a history, P&O should be embarrassed by this attitude, which sends the wrong signal to its current staff and future employees,’ he added.

‘The number of officers is not large and it would not cost the company much. We will continue to press management to see reason.’

shortreports LIGHTHOUSE MEETING: Nautilus industrial organiser Derek Byrne has met with Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) and other unions to discuss the 2015 pay and conditions claim. Following the meeting, the NLB submitted a market-based pay remit to the Department for Transport and an alternative solution, should the market-based award not be approved. This means that any increase will be delayed, but will be backdated to 1 April 2015 for marine staff and 1 August for shore-based staff.

ORKNEY OFFER: members employed by Orkney Ferries have rejected the company’s two-year pay offer.

The package included a 3% front-loaded pay rise and the provision for non-committal discussions to be reopened in April 2016 if there is a significant rise in RPI in the intervening period. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder is due to meet with the company and other unions early in September to discuss members’ rejection.

HEYN REVISED: following the rejection of a 0.75% pay offer by members employed by Heyn Engineering Solutions and serving onboard RV Corystes, an improved package has been proposed. The company is offering a 1% salary increase, along with previously proposed increases to death in service benefit. Members were being consulted last month.

CROWN MEETING: members employed by Crown Crewing have been offered a 1% increase in pay and the company has agreed to make substantial improvements to sick pay and accident at work pay. The offer was due to be accepted by the end of August unless a significant number of members provided convincing arguments on how to improve it.

RFA TALKS: senior national secretary Jonathan Havard was hoping to meet with liaison officers and company representatives at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary late last month to continue pay and conditions talks. He will also attend a routine quarterly meeting with the RFA on 16 September.

HANSON VISITS: industrial organiser Paul Schroder is due to visit members employed by Hanson Ship Management. He will be onboard Arco Beck in Southampton on Tuesday 8 September and Arco Dijk in London on Wednesday 16 September.

CEFAS ACCEPT: members employed by P&O Maritime Services and serving onboard Cefas Endeavour have voted to accept the company’s 2.5% pay offer.

This is in addition to the previously negotiated annual increase of 1.5%.

NOCS PAY: a pay and conditions offer has been reluctantly accepted by members employed by the Natural Environment Research Council and serving onboard NOCS-NMFSS vessels.

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19/08/2015 18:30

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports

Harkand DSV ‘most advanced’ in Gulf

SEAHORSE CALL: Nautilus has urged Seahorse Maritime to ‘put aside’ the issues of territorial jurisdiction and comply with the ‘spirit’ of the Trade Union & Labour Relations Act 1992 by carrying out collective consultation with the Union over proposed redundancies. Seahorse had refused to comply with the consultation procedures as the company considered that each vessel was a separate ‘establishment’ so there were not enough workers on each vessel to trigger the statutory procedures. Lawyers acting for the Union and the company have been in contact over the issue and members will be updated when a formal response is received.

BIBBY TECHS: Nautilus members employed

by Bibby Ship Management as dive techs on the DSV agreement have rejected the company’s ‘full and final’ offer — which re-states a proposed pay freeze, along with a reduction in guaranteed days and a commitment to specific courses being eligible for the full day rate. Industrial organiser Derek Byrne has advised management of the outcome.

DECOM WORK: the scale of UKCS decommissioning projects is set to double over the next three years, according to a new report. A study published by DecomWorld last month said there are presently 19 decommissioning projects under way or being developed in the sector and it forecasts that the value of the market could rise to more than £58bn by 2050.

SUPPLY WARNING: the industry analysts Clarkson Research Services have warned that the supply vessel sector is set to face further ‘challenging’ conditions with supply continuing to outstrip demand as 273 vessels remain on order.

BIBBY MARINE: members employed by Bibby Ship Management as marine crew on the DSV agreement have voted to reluctantly accept a full and final offer as being the best that can be achieved at the current time.

COOKS CUT: as a result of BP’s decision to remove ARRCs from service and to decommission the RSVs’ launch and recovery systems, Bibby Ship Management has made the position of second cook redundant.

NKOSSA ACCEPTED: members employed by Maersk Offshore and serving onboard Nkossa II have reluctantly accepted the company’s full and final offer of a 1.5% increase in pay.

has completed a US$10.5m upgrade of A its dive support vessel Swordfish, pictured left.

London-based subsea specialist Harkand

The company says the work — carried out in the port of Galveston — will make the ship the most advanced DSV in the Gulf of Mexico region.

Originally built in 2007, the Marshall Islands-flagged Swordfish has been upgraded to the highest safety standards in the offshore industry. Fully International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) compliant, the 104 m long, DP2 DSV features a refurbished 15-person saturation diving system with a three-person bell, along with a new surface diving system.

Swordfish has been equipped with a newbuild 18-person self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboat for evacuation of the divers under saturation in case of an emergency. This SPHL can be coupled with a newly-built and dedicated portable hyperbaric rescue facility to ensure safe decompression of divers.

UKCS output ‘is set to rise’ Operators point to ‘encouraging’ increase in production

P

Following months of bad news in the North Sea, operators have revealed that production in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) is set to increase for the first time in 15 years.

A further boost came last month with BP’s announcement of a £670m investment in its Eastern Trough Area Project — an integrated development of nine fields some 150 miles east of Aberdeen. BP said the area has ‘significant potential’ and the project would secure the future of the fields until 2030 and beyond.

Oil & Gas UK said that output from the region over the first six months of this year could be 2.5% higher than the same period last year.

On these estimates, it suggests that the North Sea could increase production this year for the first time since 2000.

The Department for Energy

figures were welcomed by Oil & Gas chief executive Deirdre Michie.

‘Clearly the oil price —which has more than halved since this time last year — continues to really challenge the industry,’ she added. ‘However, this positive news can indeed be attributed to the effort and investment industry has put into improving the integrity and performance of UKCS assets.’

Provisional data for the first six months of 2015 show liquids production to be up by around 3% and net gas production to have increased by 2.5% this year, compared to the first six months of 2014.

The operators said production in the second quarter of the year looks particularly encouraging, with signs that May saw the most oil and gas produced on the UKCS since March 2012.

Ms Michie said a clearer pic-

ture would emerge at the end of the summer maintenance season, as figures for July and August are historically the most uncertain.

The figures came barely a month ahead of the Oil & Gas UK annual economic report, and Ms Michie said the sector is ‘in the midst of reform’ in a bid to ensure that the UKCS remains a commercially attractive and predictable place in which to invest.

Although production has increased, oil and gas operators in the North Sea have axed several thousand jobs in response to the oil price falls and there has also been a sharp reduction in exploration activity in the sector.

Oil & Gas UK believes the improved performance is partly as result of the production from Nexen’s Golden Eagle field, which came on stream in November 2014, as well as increased output from existing assets.

Proposals for pay cut tabled by Technip F

Nautilus officials and liaison officers representing members at Technip Singapore have attended a series of meetings to discuss the company’s plans for worldwide restructuring and cost reduction initiatives.

The company is considering an overall reduction in staff of around 6,000 from a total of around 38,000 as part of a restructuring plan seeking savings of €830m (£588m).

Members have been asked to consider a cost reduction of 10% in pay rates, in line with that being put before the company’s information and consultation forum (I&C).

The company fears that without this cost reduction it will be unable to win any of the reduced number of contracts currently available and may have to consider further job reductions.

I&C reps reported that the majority of their constituents opposed the pay cut proposal, but could reluctantly accept a pay freeze.

A number of questions have been raised on behalf of members about the redundancies and cost efficiencies, including whether the company would consider enhancing the redundancy terms and how future work would be distributed.

Work lined up for new Maersk vessel Supply Service (MSS), F DeepOcean UK and the Damen

Representatives from Maersk

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06_offshore.indd 6

Shipyards Group watched the launch last month of the new subsea support vessel Maersk Connector at the Damen Galati yard in Romania, right.

Now berthed alongside for the installation of a helideck, cranes and bridge, as well as the fitting-out of the interior, the 9,300dwt Damen DOC design vessel is set to work on a range of oil and gas projects in the North Sea after delivery in February next year.

Of 138m loa, Maersk Connector will have 2,200 sq m of unobstructed deck with a loading capacity of 20t/ cu m and ro-ro capability.

MSS chief commercial and strategy officer Søren Karas, commented: ‘We are naturally very pleased to see that our long-term customer DeepOcean has already assigned the vessel to its first project, and we look forward to providing superior marine operations to enable DeepOcean’s continued success.’

DeepOcean commercial director Pierre Boyde said the new vessel will be ‘a critical part of the company’s growth strategy, delivering production efficiencies that will contribute to the lowering of costs in the offshore wind sector company’.

The first project for the vessel — on the Bligh Bank Wind Farm — has already been signed.

19/08/2015 16:54

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

MAIB ‘too costly’ for REG registers Union says flag states are being given ‘a licence to investigate themselves’

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Nautilus calls for the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) to be given back the responsibility for investigating casualties involving Red Ensign Group ships have been vetoed on the grounds of cost, shipping minister Robert Goodwill has told the Union.

The availability of MAIB services for Category 1 members of the REG was withdrawn in 2007 for financial reasons and these flags — Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Gibraltar and the Isle of Man — have been required to develop their own procedures.

In a letter to the Union, Mr Goodwill confirmed that the MAIB has recently proposed options for re-engaging with REG flag states. However, he added, ‘the proposed costs involved are prohibitive against the costs of the REG retaining their own in-

house resources and, to date, no REG member has indicated that they will be making use of MAIB’s services under these terms’.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said he was disappointed by the minister’s response. ‘We believe it is essential for the UK to ensure that consistent procedures are applied by all the flag states in the REG to prevent unfair competition on the basis of less rigorous enforcement,’ he pointed out.

‘At present, there is evidence of vastly varying standards in both the quality and the quantity of REG casualty investigation reports,’ Mr Dickinson said.

‘In effect, some of these flags are being given the licence to investigate themselves — which does not serve the cause of safety.

‘It is particularly unacceptable that the excuse of costs is being used as a justification

for not using the world-leading resources of the MAIB,’ he added.

‘There should be no second tier of investigation standards for any ship flying the red ensign and surely the registers that benefit from the respectability conferred by the flag should be required to pay to maintain a level playing field on quality.’

Nautilus had also written to the minister to express concern over continued staffing and resources problems at the Maritime & Coastguard Agency — highlighting severe shortfalls in the number of surveyors and the impact this has had on the work of the Agency.

Mr Goodwill said the Union was ‘right to highlight the challenges the MCA has had and continues to have in both recruiting and retaining marine surveyors in a highly competitive labour market’.

But, he added, there is a ‘determination to explore different ways of working and longer term options for tackling the resourcing challenge’.

The minister paid tribute to the ‘professionalism’ of MCA staff in helping to successfully address a recent ISO non-conformity and ensuring that the Agency retains its ISO 9001 quality management certification.

Mr Dickinson said he remains to be convinced that measures are in place to deal with the difficulties faced by the Agency. ‘The evidence we have demonstrates that there are profound problems caused by long-term lack of proper funding for its vital services,’ he added. ‘The situation is grave and it demands radical action. Whether the Maritime Growth Study will deliver this may become apparent in the next few weeks.’

Maritime medic at Wallasey chance to meet the chief F medical adviser for the Maritime Nautilus members have a

& Coastguard Agency at the Union’s professional and technical forum, taking place in Wallasey on 15 September.

Dr Sally Bell was appointed to the post last April, following a career which included 13 years as ship’s doctor and senior doctor onboard P&O and Princess Cruises’ vessels and 13 years working as a clinical quality consultant specialising in maritime medicine.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the forum will give members the chance to hear about latest developments in seafarer health and medical policy, including the principles used to determine fitness for duty. g The forum takes place at the Nautilus northern office, Mariners’ Park, Wallasey, starting at 1300hrs on 15 September. For more information, email protech@nautilusint.org.

Teignmouth’s first cruise call is pictured above making the A first cruiseship call to the UK port of

The 2,112gt Hebridean Princess

Teignmouth.

The former Caledonian MacBrayne ferry, which was carrying 50 passengers, spent a day in the port, which handles more

than 400,000 tonnes of cargo each year.

Teignmouth port manager Dave Atkin commented: ‘We hope that this is the first of many cruise calls at Teignmouth and look forward to welcoming many future passengers to this attractive Devon destination.’

Master was drunk while on watch has been fined £1,000 and F given a four-month suspended prison The master of a products carrier

sentence after being found guilty of being drunk in charge of his vessel in the port of Liverpool.

Captain Sandro Carnemolla was breathalysed by police who were called to the Italian-flagged Quercianella at Eastham Docks on 6 July after the ship’s pilot reported the master to police as the 13,776 dwt vessel was preparing to leave the QEII locks for a voyage to Amsterdam with 11,000 tonnes of petroleum.

Rob Jones, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that the Sicilian master had accused the pilot of using his mobile phone on the bridge, and they argued. The pilot called the police because he suspected the captain had been drinking.

The court heard that a breath test showed Capt Carnemolla was just over twice the legal limit and he was arrested.

Anthony Berry QC, defending, said that although there were two first officers on the bridge who could have manoeuvred the vessel, the master was guilty because he was officially in charge. He said the captain had an exemplary record, but had been drinking after ‘a stressful day’ and had his last drink more than two hours before the incident.

Capt Carnemolla, from Port Sala, Sicily, pleaded guilty to being a professional master of a ship having consumed excess alcohol and was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for two years. He was also fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £250 costs.

Ex-master plans boost to Indian crew training announced plans to set up a F US$10m maritime training centre in A former shipmaster has

RFA crew mark out VJ message Royal Fort Auxiliary (RFA) A replenishment vessel Fort Seafarers onboard the

Victoria commemorated the 70th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ) Day with a ‘flight deck spell-out’ last month.

The ‘VJ70’message, photographed from one of the Sea King helicopters embarked with the ship, was made up of both RFA and Royal Navy personnel,

including those from the Maritime Aviation Support Force and 849 NAS Palembang Flight.

VJ Day is particularly poignant for 849 NAS, as the squadron were part of the British Pacific Fleet during World War II and hold battle honours for raids on Okinawa and Palembang.

Fort Victoria’s commanding officer Captain Steve Norris said: ‘The Royal Navy, Royal Fleet

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

Auxiliary and Fleet Air Arm all played key roles in the Far East during World War II. The ship’s company of RFA Fort Victoria are honoured to be able to demonstrate their recognition and support to veterans of that campaign on this, the 70th Anniversary of VJ Day.’ RFA Fort Victoria is currently deployed to the Gulf providing crucial support to coalition warships in the area.

one of India’s poorest regions.

Captain Nalin Pandey, who served at sea for 23 years before launching the Mumbai-based ship management company Pentagon Marine Services, says the college will train as many as 2,000 people a year.

Work on the centre — to be known as the Pentagon Maritime Training & Research Institute (PMTRI) — is due to start this autumn. It will be built in the Patna district of Bihar State — one of India’s poorest and most populous.

Capt Pandey said the college will deliver world-class training to provide

‘stimulating and fulfilling careers’ for young people.

Courses on offer will include marine engineering, nautical sciences, electro-technical training, advanced ship handling, crew safety, heavy lift crane operation, cleaning and hygiene, as well as various offshore training courses and maritime English.

PMTRI will also meet a growing need for well-trained seafarers in India, Capt Pandey said, with ‘massive investment’ being made in the country’s maritime infrastructure on the back of government plans to boost coastal shipping, inland waterways and port operations.

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07_news.indd 7

19/08/2015 16:08

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Newbuild’s ‘perfect balance’ debuts at this year’s Monaco A Yacht Show will be Suerte — left — a One of the most anticipated

69m UK-flagged newbuild from the Italian shipyard Tankoa Yachts.

Final sea trials took place in the bay of Portofino and the last stages of outfitting were completed before delivery late last month. Powered by two Caterpillar 3516B diesel engines, Suerte achieved a top speed in excess

of 18 knots with a load close to 70% during trials in a 2m swell with winds gusting up to 35 knots.

The trials showed the 1,300gt vessel will be able to achieve the 5,500nm contractual range at 14 knots rather than the planned 12.

Tankoa general manager Eduardo Ratto said he was particularly pleased with the yacht’s launch, claiming that as soon as Suerte hit the

water she showed perfect balance with zero degree lateral inclination and a draft only 1cm off calculation.

‘Achieving such perfect balance during a first launch happens once every 40 new launches,’ he added.

‘Most builders are still capable to compensate an eventual slight balance issue with all that is left to install onboard, but here we have nothing to correct.’

UK builders seek support for skills Marine federation calls for measures to encourage more jobs in sector

P

Britain’s boatbuilders enjoyed a busy year during 2014 — chalking up a 4.3% increase in production, despite ‘challenging’ trading conditions in the Eurozone and other key foreign markets.

The figures come from research published last month by British Marine, in collaboration with Phil Draper & Associates, which reveals that UK manufacturers built total of 10,120 boats in 2014, ranging from 3m racing dinghies costing £1,500 to multimillion-pound 46m superyachts.

British Marine, which represents some 1,600 members in the superyacht and leisure boat sectors, urged the government to do more to help boost production

— including measures to develop skills and to support growth in domestic and foreign markets.

The organisation said its members generated turnover of almost £3m last year, supporting around 31,500 jobs.

Output of small sailboats rose by 7.2% last year, to a total of 7,770, British Marine said. Production of boats above 24m has increased by 10% — with brands like Princess Yachts and Sunseeker International building bigger and bigger boats.

However, British Marine’s data revealed that production of power boats between 7m and 23m was 7% lower than in 2013 at 820, and the number of motoryachts of 24m or longer was down 8% to 55.

Membership and services director Sarah Dhanda commented: ‘These figures showcase the strength of Britain’s marine industry in a climate where UK manufacturing is under pressure to compete in international markets. It is the high-quality skills and versatility of our members which keeps the UK at the forefront of production.

‘With increased support from the government, we could see future figures soar as the full productivity potential of UK marine businesses is unleashed,’ she added.

British Marine wants the government to specify the marine sector in its next industrial strategy, and to support the develop-

ment of the UK marine supply chain with increased resources at the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to help it meet the policy needs of the industry, along with quicker and simpler funding application processes.

It has drawn up a manifesto for MPs, with proposals for increasing jobs and encouraging innovation in the sector. This seeks more support for marine companies taking on apprentices and measures to increase awareness of careers in the sector among young people.

The government also needs to help improve the profile of boating and watersports and help to ‘future-proof’ the environmental sustainability of the industry, the federation argues.

North Sea is the latest delivery A from the Dutch builder Heesen Yachts

Pictured right during trials in the

— the 50m full-custom motoryacht Ann G, which will be on display at the Monaco Yacht Show this month.

Designed by naval architects Van Oossanen and the Heesen engineering team, the steel-hulled, full-displacement 499gt yacht is powered by two MTU 8V 4000 M63 diesel engines, with a range of 4,000nm at 12 knots.

During the trials, in smooth sea conditions, Ann G exceeded the contractual speed by 0.6 knots, reaching a top speed of 15.6 knots.

Nautilus officials will be at Monaco show the London and Wallasey F offices visited Antibes in July.

Nautilus representatives from

Liaising with a number of the Union’s strategic partners on the Cote d’Azur, Garry Elliott and Danny McGowan (pictured above) also visited D & B Services, which administers the free Nautilus service record book.

Discussions during the meetings covered the Union’s improved legal services for members — including the new instant response from the UK-based law firm Bridge McFarland.

This service is in addition to the Union’s hotline for yacht crew and the worldwide network of lawyers for all members.

Also discussed was the forthcoming Union coverage of the Monaco Yacht Show, taking place between 23 and 26 September.

Nautilus personnel will be available to speak to officers and crew at the event — if you are exhibiting or onboard a yacht at the show and would like Nautilus to visit, contact yachts@nautilusint.org

MYS marks 25 years

by Michael Howorth

Yacht Show will celebrate its F 25th anniversary and deliver its

Later this month the Monaco

HOTLINE

largest ever event, unveiling a recordbreaking showcase of more than 120 spectacular superyachts afloat.

Back in 1991, the first show had 30 yachts on display whose average length was just 32m — while the expected average size of the yachts this year exceeds 47m. This continued expansion means that Quai Rainier III, usually utilised by cruiseships during

the show, has been specifically set aside to offer three extra berths for superyachts in excess of 100m.

Against a background of rising confidence in the sector, with designers talking of ever-larger newbuilds, around 500 exhibiting companies will take part in the event this year.

A large number of visitors from the Far East are expected, following extensive promotional work and an awareness programme devised and implemented by show organisers earlier this year.

FOR YACHT CREW New focus at Turquoise Nautilus has established a dedicated phoneline in Antibes to offer advice and assistance:

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

08_yachts.indd 8

owner of the Dutch shipyard F Oceanco, acquired the majority stake Mohammed Al Barwani, the

in the Turkish shipyard Proteksan Turquoise during the closing stages of 2014. Now, with three newbuilds already underway and the yard renamed Turquoise, he has announced a new strategy.

Turquoise was established in 2001 and has built 20 superyachts at its yard

near Istanbul. Three yachts ranging between 47m and 81m are presently under construction and Dr Al Barwani said the company will focus on building yachts up to 80m in future.

‘There is definitely an opportunity for a high quality, high value builder with an established track record,’ he said. ‘We’ll enhance Turquoise’s ability further with leading-edge design and innovative engineering.’

19/08/2015 16:08

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

Australia calls for better lookouts

Fleet meets

A

The four ships in the Fred Olsen fleet came together for the very first time last month.

The 45,537gt Balmoral, 24,344gt Braemar, 21,891gt Boudicca and 21,847gt Black Watch are pictured right as they sailed into the Norwegian port of Bergen for a day of celebrations which ended with the vessels leaving in a diamond formation.

The Fred Olsen company was founded in the village of Hvitsen, near Oslo, in 1848 and its ships will be making a total of 17 calls to Bergen this year.

officials have called for ships to F keep better lookouts following the Australian maritime safety

UK court in ‘landmark’ norovirus judgement Passengers fail in claim that vessel operator had been negligent in containing illness onboard

P

In a landmark decision, a British court has found that a cruise operator was not responsible for an outbreak of gastroenteritis onboard one of its vessels. It is the first time in the UK that a case like this has been successfully defended at trial by a cruise company.

The case rested on whether the crew of the Maltese-flagged Thomson Spirit — chartered by TUI UK and operated by Louis Cruise Lines — had kept the ship free of infection before the passengers embarked, and had acted correctly to contain the outbreak once the first passengers had fallen ill during a cruise in 2009.

There were 43 claimants in the class action, 28 of whom had alleged bacterial illness (for example, food poisoning from

the ship’s restaurants), and the rest claiming breach of contract. To disprove the first allegation, Louis Cruise Lines produced test results showing that the passengers’ illness was due to norovirus rather than campylobacter as alleged.

The ‘breach of contract’ charge was also dismissed by the judge, who ruled that the norovirus attack had not been caused by pre-existing contamination of the 33,930gt Thomson Spirit, and that the company had not acted negligently in its containment procedures.

‘The court accepted that the systems onboard had been fully implemented by the officers and the crew to bring the virus under control,’ said Maria Pittordis of Hill Dickinson, the company’s defence lawyers.

Louis Cruise Lines had also won approval for its efforts to test for pathogens, she added, and for deploying control systems ‘beyond the levels that were required for the numbers of illness’.

In coming to his decision at the central London county court, Judge David Mitchell took into account not only the evidence taken from the ship, but also evidence from the passengers. This included passenger complaints about not being able to have self-service food, being given paper napkins and being confined to their cabins.

Rather than being signs of crew negligence, these complaints were deemed to be evidence of compliance with the ships’ outbreak plan.

Ms Pittordis commented: ‘The judge-

ment … is of great importance to the cruise industry in recognising that norovirus is not caused by the ship, and that even with high levels of implementation of industry procedures, outbreaks of norovirus do occur.’ z The US-based operator Crystal Cruises has introduced a ‘no handshake’ rule between passengers, captains and senior officers in a bid to prevent norovirus outbreaks onboard its vessels.

The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) said it was up to individual companies to decide on such policies, but it claimed norovirus is rare on cruiseships and pointed out that people are 750 times more likely to get norovirus on land than during a cruise.

P&I club concern at threat of new fuel penalties about the growing range of penalties A facing masters and owners around the world for A leading P&I club has expressed concern

failure to comply with low-sulphur fuel rules.

The UK P&I Club says there is clear evidence of a global move towards the use of cleaner fuel, with many countries forming new regulations or reforming old ones, and an increasing demand for the use of low-sulphur fuel in ships that berth in their ports Loss prevention director Stuart Edmonston

said owners and masters need to be aware of the differing rules and variable — and potentially significant — penalties that they may face for non-compliance.

Hong Kong and Australia are the latest countries to introduce their own bespoke requirements, he pointed out. Low sulphur fuel (0.1% or less) will be mandatory for all cruiseships berthing in Sydney Harbour after 1 October 2015 and, in all New South Wales ports after 1 July 2016. Owners can be fined up to A$44,000

(€29,200) and the master up to $22,000.

In Hong Kong, Mr Edmonston added, all ocean-going vessels (above 500gt) are now required to switch to low-sulphur fuel (or LNG/ or similar approved fuels) while at a berth, excluding the first and last hour of the berthing period. The sulphur content of the fuel may not exceed 0.5%.

‘The requirements impose criminal sanctions against the owners (including any bareboat charterers and ship manager) and the master.

A contravention of the provisions relating to fuel use attracts a maximum fine of HK$200,000 (€23,521) and up to six months in prison,’ he added.

At the same time, Mr Edmonston said the industry is raising concerns including technical issues such as low viscosity, lack of lubricity, and low density of the new fuels. ‘Other issues are the higher costs of these fuels, as well as difficulties in obtaining them in some parts of the world,’ he added.

latest in a series of collisions between merchant vessels and small craft off the country’s coast.

An Australian Transport Safety Board (ATSB) investigation into a collision between the Singaporeflagged containership Kota Wajar and the 13.4m yacht Blazing Keel in the approaches to the port of Brisbane last July found that no one onboard either vessel had been aware of the other vessel before the collision.

The Board said there had been 63 such incidents over the past 26 years and it has issued a safety advisory notice stressing the importance of ‘taking all necessary measures to ensure that a proper lookout is kept at all times’ and taking early action to avoid collisions.

Nev Blyth, general manager of ATSB surface safety investigations, said the accident was very similar to a collision between a yacht and a bulk carrier in 2009. ‘Back then, the ATSB noted there were significant lessons to be learned from this incident and I’m concerned that the message is not getting through,’ he added.

The ATSB investigation found that the 16,722gt Kora Wajar had collided with the yacht in clear visibility in the early hours of 6 July 2014. The yacht — which had been crossing the shipping channel at the time — suffered extensive damage, but the two people onboard were not injured and it was able to return to the marina.

Investigators said safety management system procedures had not been effectively implemented onboard the containership, as no one had been assigned the duties of a dedicated visual lookout.

The high workload of the ship’s bridge team — including four course changes in the 22 minutes before the collision — and local conditions, such as background lights ashore, were factors in not detecting the yacht, it adds.

‘While measures to prevent collisions might appear straightforward, the recurrent contributing factors in collisions between ships and small vessels indicate that implementing such measures is not,’ the report says.

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09_news.indd 9

19/08/2015 16:09

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

NEWS

Drone alone: what the Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship will look like

Industry warned of cyber attack threat

‘Drone’ ship set to Owners and crews urged to be more aware of shipping’s IT security risks cross the Atlantic P

speculation about the A possibilities for unmanned cargo Following much recent

vessels, a date has been set for the first full-sized ‘drone ship’ to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

The Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship (MARS) will set sail in 2020, according to its designers — helping to mark the 400th anniversary of the original Mayflower sailings from Plymouth to the North American continent.

MARS is the creation of a partnership between industry and academia, comprising Plymouth University, autonomous craft specialists MSubs, and yacht designers Shuttleworth Design.

They estimate that the vessel will take two and a half years to build, followed by a year-long testing phase.

The vessel — a trimaran — will be powered by renewable energy systems such as solar panels, and will carry a variety of drones for conducting experiments during the

crossing. It will also serve as a test bed for new navigation software.

Brett Phaneuf, the managing director of MSubs, said the project would confront current regulations governing autonomous craft at sea, and confirmed that conversations had already been initiated with bodies such as the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency and the classification society DNV GL. ‘While advances in technology have propelled land and air-based transport to new levels of intelligent autonomy, it has been a different story on the sea,’ he added.

‘The civilian maritime world has, as yet, been unable to harness the autonomous drone technology that has been used so effectively in situations considered unsuitable for humans.

‘It begs the question, if we can put a rover on Mars and have it autonomously conduct research, why can’t we sail an unmanned vessel across the Atlantic Ocean and, ultimately, around the globe?’

Shipowners urgently need to invest in cybersecurity, and seafarers need to exercise care over their social media activity, as internet attacks are set to become as much of a threat as armed pirates, a new report has warned.

Produced by Security Lancaster, a specialist research centre at Lancaster University in the north of England, the Cyber Operations in the Maritime Environment study warns that shipping is becoming increasingly reliant on information technology, which can make vessels vulnerable to criminals armed only with a laptop and an internet connection.

Shipowners need a new mindset, the authors argue. IT systems need updating and securing frequently, so owners can no longer think in terms of installing one system for the life of a vessel.

The report highlights, for

example, how the ending of support for software such as Microsoft’s XP operating system (after 13 years) means there will be no further official security updates.

However, ships using the software are designed with much longer lifespans.

And it’s not just software obsolescence that needs to be considered: cloud computing, and the deception and bribery of key staff and crew through social media are also emerging as potential weaknesses that online criminals and agents could exploit.

‘The whole maritime industry must reassess its spending on long-term platforms (ships and other vessels),’ commented Oliver Fitton, one of the report’s authors. ‘Shipbuilders especially must consider whether it is right to spend billions of pounds on platforms, and physical defensive systems, when they have

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The study is part of a series of MARAD projects looking at the use of hydrogen as a clean fuel for shipping, and it will also include work on a refuelling station for the ship.

Lairdside Maritime Centre

launched a review of the F ‘mission cars’ it funds in ports around The ITF Seafarers’ Trust has

Attendees of the inaugural meeting of the port welfare committee in Gladstone, Australia, outside the local Mission to Seafarers

UK welfare board helps to promote new port project shore-based facilities for F seafarers has seen its first success with A global initiative to improve

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young seafarers and contributes to the wellbeing of employees far from home. However, the Union acknowledges that mariners may need advice on the potential pitfalls of using social media at sea —for their own sakes as well as the security of their vessels.

‘We have dealt with cases where members have got in trouble at work through posting inappropriate photos and videos on social media, or by sharing negative opinions of colleagues online,’ said senior national secretary Steve Doran. ‘I have also have advised members to avoid posting details of future assignments due to the risk of criminals targeting their homes while they are away at sea.

‘Shipboard internet access is a welcome development for crews, but people are not fully used to it yet and may need reminders to be vigilant.’

Trust reviews aid for ‘mission cars’

US backs fuel cell ferry study Transportation’s Maritime A Administration (MARAD) is providing

the potential to be nullified by a single well-informed individual, thousands of miles away, with an internet connection and a few browser tabs open.’

Shipowners should also keep their eyes open when installing shipboard wi-fi for crews’ leisure use, added Mr Fitton. ‘Friend and contact lists [on social media] allow attackers to build up a picture of acquaintances, colleagues, friends and family members for use against the target, maybe in the form of an identity theft attack or in the form of blackmail — which is especially effective when an individual is thousands of miles away from his or her loved ones. Each connection in a social network is a potential vector for social attack.’

Nautilus supports the introduction of crew wi-fi throughout the industry, as this is now an important recruitment tool for

the founding of a new port welfare committee in Gladstone, Australia.

The International Port Welfare Partnership aims to help port communities around the world to establish local welfare committees like Gladstone’s.

Led by the International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network (ISWAN), the project is funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and managed by the UK Merchant Navy Welfare Board.

The scheme uses an established model which has been effective for many years in Britain. Port welfare committees bring together local service providers, pooling their resources and deciding where improvements can be made.

Gladstone’s inaugural meeting was typical of such gatherings — attended by representatives from government, port authority,

shipowners, unions and voluntary organisations.

The new committee is chaired by Mike Lutze, who recently retired as Gladstone’s harbour master. ‘We rely on foreign owned ships and foreign crews to distribute our produce around the world and we need to make sure that all those seafarers who spend long periods away from their families are looked after well,’ he commented.

Gladstone is the first of five new port welfare committees planned for the pilot stage of the International Port Welfare Partnership.

If the pilot is successful and further funding can be found, the scheme could be rolled out to more ports and countries around the world — and interest has already been registered by ports in 38 countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, South Korea, Mauritius, Vietnam, Antigua and Barbuda, USA and Canada. g To find out more about the project, see www.portwelfare.org

the world, to make sure resources are being used in the best interests of visiting seafarers.

Transport grants to seafarers’ missions and other maritime charities are one of the trust’s main areas of funding, with over £2.5m used for this purpose over the last 34 years.

The money helps to buy the familiar vehicles used by chaplains and ship visitors to reach vessels and transport crews to local seafarers’ centres.

With port welfare provision expanding in some parts of the world and contracting in others, the trust has decided to gather data that will help make grant-giving more fair and equitable to the service providers. It has teamed up with the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA) and the North American Maritime

Ministry Association (NAMMA) for the survey, which will focus on the following metrics: z number of seafarers served z current state of vehicles used for seafarer welfare purposes z distance from ship to services z mileage per year Once the information has been collected, the organisations that the trust determines are likely to get a vehicle grant will be contacted and invited to apply. Neither IMCA nor NAMMA will be involved in the granting decisions, only in gathering data and sharing information about the programme.

Kimberly Karlshoej, head of the Seafarers’ Trust, commented: ‘We continue to believe that providing seafarers with transport is a high priority for their welfare, and we want to be proactive in finding where our grants will have the greatest impact.’

Tanker crew overcome by fumes to hospital after exposure to the A toxic compound aniline onboard the Seven seafarers had to be taken

chemical tanker Bomar Mercury in the port of Rotterdam last month.

Police and harbour authorities were investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred as crew on the Maltese-flagged tanker were taking part in cleaning work.

www.irishseafarerstax.ie

19/08/2015 16:53

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

Master fails in claim for piracy raid damages

LNG-powered Costa ships will be the world’s biggest Cruises has announced an order A for two new 180,000gt ‘mega’ ships The Italian operator Costa

which will have the world’s largest passenger capacity.

To be built by the Meyer shipyard in Turku, Finland, the two ships will be able to carry up to 6,600 passengers — just over 300 more than the current record holders, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.

The Costa ships will be the first in the cruise industry to be powered at sea by the use of LNG in dual-powered hybrid engines.

Piracy care scheme is switched to ISWAN shipowners have welcomed A an agreement to transfer the work of Seafarers’ unions and

the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) to the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN).

Concerns over the future of the programme — which provides practical and specialist support for seafarers and their families who have been affected by piracy — had been raised earlier this year The International Transport Workers’ Federation Seafarers’ Trust — which had provided core funding for the scheme since its launch in 2011 — said the MPHRP needed to refocus its work in response to the decline in incidents off Somalia and said it should develop plans to become part of an existing charitable structure, such as ISWAN, by the end of 2015.

Under the transfer agreement signed last month, ISWAN will be responsible for all the activities of the programme, which will now concentrate on supporting the victims of the increase in attacks in SE Asia and the Gulf of Guinea while still supporting seafarers who were held for years in Somalia.

ISWAN has appointed a new programme manager, Tom Holmer, to lead the MPHRP in this new phase of its development. The programme in South Asia will continue while an immediate priority will be to secure funding to continue the programme in SE Asia and eastern Europe.

Jon Whitlow, secretary of the ITF seafarers’ section, commented: ‘We are pleased that the programme can now continue as part of ISWAN. The ITF will play its role, with other industry partners, to ensure that piracy, with its devastating effect upon seafarers and their families, is not forgotten about.’

International Chamber of Shipping secretary-general Peter Hinchliffe added: ‘The MPHRP Board decided some time ago that the best way to provide the very best long-term stability for the support of seafarers and their families caught up in the appalling acts of piracy in the Indian Ocean and in Somalia was to find a permanent home under the umbrella of an existing and highly respected seafarers’ charity. Attacks on merchant ships and seafarers are still happening and we must ensure that the MPHRP is there to support seafarers if they are attacked, and to prepare them for passages through high-risk areas.’

10-11_news.indd 11

Due for delivery in 2019 and 2020, the ships will store LNG onboard to generate 100% power at sea which, the company says, will significantly reduce emissions and support its ‘aggressive sustainability goals’.

Costa says it will hire around 750 Italian crew to work on the new ships, which are being built as part of a multi-billion-dollar deal between Carnival and Meyer Werft, Meyer Turku and Fincantieri for nine new vessels between 2019 and 2022. The orders include two new ships for Aida Cruises, the German brand of Costa Group.

A

Alarm as SE Asian attacks increase Reports reveal rising threat to tankers in Malacca and Singapore Straits

P

Two new reports have highlighted the growing threat of attacks on ships in SE Asia — with analysts warning that the region could be on track for record hijackings in 2015.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) revealed that attacks on tankers in the region are averaging one every two weeks. Five small tankers were hijacked in SE Asian waters in the second quarter of 2015 alone, it said last month.

The IMB’s latest global report reveals that a total of 134 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported to its Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first six months of 2015 — up from 116 in the same period last year.

Pirates managed to board 106

UK support for Singapore bid to cut attacks F

The UK has announced plans for increased cooperation with Singapore to combat the dangers of piracy in SE Asian waters.

During a visit to Singapore last month, prime minister David Cameron said it was important to respond to the growing threat to maritime security in the area.

‘We have agreed to provide further assistance to the Singaporean Navy as it works with partners in the region to tackle the threat from piracy and improve maritime security,’ he added.

‘With 15% of all UK shipping passing through the Malacca and Singapore Straits, it is in our national interest to work with Singapore on this,’ Mr Cameron stated.

Downing Street said the UK will deploy a military expert to the Singaporean Navy’s ‘information fusion centre’ to help with their counter-piracy efforts.

vessels and carried out 13 hijackings during the first half of 2015.

A total of 250 crew members were taken hostage, 14 assaulted, 10 kidnapped, nine injured and one killed.

The IMB said that more than one-third of the incidents had occurred off the coast of Indonesia, and it also warned of a significant increase in the number of incidents off Bangladesh and Chittagong.

Eleven attacks were reported off Nigeria, but the IMB said it was encouraged that no attacks had been reported off Somalia in the second quarter of 2015.

The IMB also noted that enhanced cooperation between regional authorities in SE Asia is paying off, with several recent cases involving the tracking,

arrest and conviction of pirates following attacks in the area.

The maritime security provider PVI warned that small tankers are particularly at risk in SE Asia due to the high demand for illicit oil and a well-established black market.

As well as the trauma suffered by the affected seafarers, there have been substantial financial losses: at least 20,270 metric tonnes of fuel has been stolen, with a value of over $10m.

Hijackings since April 2014 have followed a common pattern, PVI added, and most cases have concentrated on congested areas around the Malacca and Singapore Straits, which present the best opportunities for pirates to board tankers with low freeboards.

Pirate groups generally consist of a team of up to 10 men armed with knives and/or guns, and crew members are normally detained for the duration of the attack, the security firm said. Hijackings typically last from several hours to overnight, depending on how quickly the attackers are able to siphon fuel cargo onto secondary vessels.

PVI urged owners, operators and masters of small tankers to pay heed to the current threat level, and to take the following protective measures: z practise anti-piracy training and procedures for crew z ensure crew are proficient in standard watchtower procedures z promptly implement evasive anti-piracy measures in the event of a suspicious approach

A US shipmaster has lost a legal bid to claim compensation from his employers after he was kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Nigeria in October 2013.

Captain Wren Thomas had sought unspecified damages from Edison Chouest Offshore and Chevron USA after he was held hostage for 18 days when the US-flagged supply ship C-Retriever was attacked off Brass while servicing a Chevron platform.

He brought the claim under the US Jones Act, complaining that his vessel had been particularly vulnerable to attack because of its age, lack of speed and the use of VHF to communicate locations. He had accused the companies of knowingly, intentionally and wilfully sending employees into a high-risk area and of failing to take adequate steps to protect staff.

Capt Thomas said crew members had to hide in a bulk tank room because the ship had no citadel, but the pirates got in and started shooting. He was taken ashore with the ship’s chief engineer and was tortured by the pirates.

His lawsuit said he was malnourished and suffered posttraumatic stress disorder after his release when a ransom was paid, and had to give up his US Coast Guard licence because he could not pass a physical.

US District Judge Lee Rosenthal dismissed the case against Chevron on the basis that the company was not the master’s employer and didn’t own the ship. The judge also dismissed the case against Chouest, on the grounds that the court lacked jurisdiction over the company.

However, this claim could still be fought because it was dismissed without prejudice.

At the time of the attack, the maritime security firm GoAGT described the incident as ‘completely and utterly avoidable’ — arguing that all vessels trading or supporting operations in the high-risk area should have a citadel.

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19/08/2015 16:53

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

HEALTH & SAFETY

Bulker crew were not aware of 02 hazard on ladder F

A seafarer who died in a cargo hold access onboard a bulk carrier had not realised it was an enclosed space with the associated risk of low levels of oxygen.

The bosun was helping to ventilate the cargo holds and spaces onboard the 42,704dwt Stara Planina before discharging a cargo of soya bean meal in the French port of Montoir last July.

The chief mate directed the crew to open all the hatch covers and hatch accesses and had asked the bosun to mechanically ventilate the hatch accesses, as high concentrations of carbon monoxide had been found during checks with a gas analyser.

The bosun had been spotted on deck carrying a portable ventilator and hose, but was later found collapsed at the bottom of an ‘Australian’ ladder — almost entirely enclosed within a void space — leading to a cargo hold.

He was rescued by crew, but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

A Maltese Transport Safety Board investigation found that the oxygen level in the hatch access area was 13.3% some 24 hours after the accident and was probably below 10% at the time the bosun entered it. There were also high carbon monoxide concentrations, as a result of the oxidation of the oils contained within the cargo.

Investigators said it was unclear why he had decided to go into the area, as the crew had been made aware of the company’s entry into enclosed space procedures and that the cargo holds and its accesses were designated as enclosed spaces.

Master and mate lost their lives in two separate alcohol-related accidents

P The ‘Australian ladder’ on Stara Planina Picture: Transport Malta

However, the report states: ‘The enclosed design of the “Australian ladder” was conducive to the depletion of oxygen and concentration of carbon monoxide.

The crew did not recognise this as an enclosed space although the cargo holds had been designated as such.’

Although the crew responded quickly to the emergency and had been trained on entry into enclosed spaces, the training had not prepared them for such an incident or the difficulties of recovering a casualty from a confined space, it adds.

The report notes that the ship’s Bulgarian owners responded to the incident with measures intended to prevent a repeat, but it recommends the company to consider permanently marking all cargo hold access hatches and other confined space entrances with suitable signage.

Campaign to focus on enclosed space safety authorities in Europe and F the Asia-Pacific region are to stage Port state control (PSC)

a three-month concentrated inspection campaign to check crew familiarisation for entry into enclosed spaces.

The special checks are being conducted in response to concerns over the continuing spate of seafarer deaths in enclosed spaces, and

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12-13_h+s.indd 12

Workboat deaths linked to drinking

the aim is to ensure that effective procedures and measures are in place to safeguard seafarers when entering and working in enclosed spaces.

Authorities expect that they will inspect around 10,000 ships during the campaign, which will start on 1 September and will run until 30 November.

PSC officers will use a list of 10 selected questions to check compliance with the applicable requirements of the SOLAS Convention and to establish that crew members with enclosed space duties are familiar with relevant equipment, have received training to carry out their duties, and can identify and understand the hazards associated with entry into enclosed spaces.

They will also be asking questions which seek to establish whether measures in place to test the atmosphere of an enclosed space to confirm it is safe to enter and remains safe whilst persons are within the space.

The results of the campaign will be analysed and findings will be presented to the governing bodies of the PSC authorities for subsequent submission to the International Maritime Organisation.

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘While the inspection campaign is welcome, it is disappointing. Mandatory training for all new seafarers is required, as is rescue equipment that is fit for purpose.’

Alcohol has been blamed as a key factor in the deaths of two seafarers serving on a UK-registered workboat operating in Spain.

The master of the GPS Battler died in August 2014 after a tender was overwhelmed in choppy seas just outside the port of Almeria and the vessel’s mate died less than five months later in a fall from the quayside in the port of Marin.

In the first incident, the master was 25% over the UK drink-drive limit and in the second case the mate was almost four times over the limit. In its report, the MAIB commented: ‘Both accidents highlight the difficulties encountered in implementing effective safety management and safe systems of work on small boats such as workboats.’

The master, Paul Heritage, drowned when returning to GPS Battler in an open tender from another vessel that had been used — without authorisation — to go ashore to stock up with supplies.

On the return trip, it began to take on water and — within 100m from GPS Battler— it began to sink after a wave broke over the bow.

The MAIB said the trip had not been properly planned, with the seafarers being unaware of

Two seafarers died within the space of five months on the UK-flagged workboat GPS Battler Picture: MAIB

the tender’s limitations and an anchor watch not maintained in accordance with the vessel’s safety management system. The master’s chances of survival were reduced by his decision not to wear a lifejacket, the report adds.

In the second incident, mate Mark Stephens died in the early hours of 6 August 2014 when he fell from the quayside in the northern Spanish port of Marin while attempting to board GPS Battler after an evening in a bar ashore.

Investigators said Mr Stephen,

who had travelled for more than 15 hours from his home in the UK before he started drinking, had consumed two bottles of wine and several beers in the bar.

At the time of the accident, he was intoxicated and probably very tired and the MAIB said it was almost certain that he had fallen into the water after stumbling or losing his balance.

The report points out that it can be ‘extremely challenging’ to develop and implement effective safety management systems in the ‘relatively close-knit and less

hierarchical’ environment in the workboat sector.

‘For workboats operating abroad, it can only be achieved if, among other things, onboard instructions are relevant to the area of operation and ways and means are found to monitor crew compliance,’ it adds.

The MAIB said the vessel operator, GPS Marine Contractors, has introduced a ‘zero tolerance’ drug and alcohol policy following the accidents and the report recommends that the company closely monitors the effectiveness of this.

Union backs ferry firm’s move to upgrade first aid kits in its fleet the ferry company Red Funnel F to equip its vessels with first aid

Nautilus has backed a move by

equipment in excess of Maritime & Coastguard Agency requirements.

The Solent operator has decided to install kits for use by medical professionals onboard its three ro-pax and three high-speed ferries, as well as at its four terminals. The equipment includes emergency oxygen resuscitation kits, EpiPens and airway apparatus.

Red Funnel took the decision after an incident in which a nurse went to the aid of another passenger who had collapsed with a severe peanut allergy onboard a Red Funnel vessel. Adele Norman worked with other health professionals onboard to care for the ill passenger until the ferry docked and was met by an ambulance.

Although Red Funnel’s first aid equipment met all the standards set by the MCA, the firm decided after the incident to expand its medical equipment following feedback from Ms Norman.

Murray Carter, director of customer services at Red Funnel,

Left to right: Capt Alwyn Rees, head of ferry operations at Red Funnel; Jit Desai, head of customer services; nurse Adele Norman; Jenson Norman; Capt Aqeel Hyder, fleet environment health and safety officer; and Red Osprey’s master Capt Brett Phillips

said: ‘It will be no surprise to anyone that the safety of passengers and staff is always our number one priority. Following this medical incident and the feedback we received from Adele, we were only too pleased to expand our range

of medical equipment beyond the statutory requirements.

‘We’ve done this in close liaison with the MCA, who produce the legislation and guidance on maritime matters.’

Nautilus senior national secretary

Allan Graveson commented: ‘This demonstrates the inadequacy of current “minimal” regulatory requirements. The company is to be commended — and others that currently operate at the minimum should follow this example.’

19/08/2015 18:05

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Collision blamed on 12-hour watch rota have contributed to a collision between a A windfarm installation ship and a fishing vessel A 12-hour watchkeeping pattern may

off the coast of Germany last year, investigators have suggested.

The 24,586gt Pacific Orca collided with the 269gt German-registered fishing vessel Jurie Van Den Berg following a change of course after crossing the Terschelling-German Bight traffic separation scheme. No one was injured in the collision, but both vessels were damaged.

A report by the German accident investigation board, BSU, says the 12-hour watch system used onboard the Cyprus-

flagged windfarm installation vessel may have impaired the performance of the ship’s British officers. Fatigue may also have affected the trawler’s skipper, as minimum rest hour requirements were not being complied with, it notes.

BSU said the course alteration made by Pacific Orca about eight and a half minutes before the accident had put the ship onto a collision course with the fishing vessel.

Pacific Orca’s lookout had spotted the trawler at a range of 1nm — and he told investigators that visual identification had been hampered by a large number of lights from the windfarm and other vessels.

The second officer on the windfarm vessel also had problems in identifying the trawler because its AIS was not transmitting complete dynamic data. The symbol Jurie Van Den Berg displayed on Pacific Orca’s radar was rendered as a triangle with a broken line; the officer was unaware of its exact meaning and found it unusable.

However, BSU criticised the Pacific Orca’s use of both radars at a range of 6nm, pointing out that the trawler would have been spotted earlier if the range had been greater.

Investigators said the ship’s second officer made ‘too moderate’ a change of course when the risk of collision was first determined, as the

distance between the two vessels was down to 0.62m. Apart from sounding five blasts on the whistle, no further action was taken and the course and speed of Pacific Orca ‘was virtually unchanged in the final minute before the collision’.

BSU said the accident showed how visual recognition of small vessels can be difficult in windfarm zones and construction sites, but also highlighted ‘the crucial importance of an effective lookout and careful observation of the radar’.

The report notes that there were two officers and a lookout on the bridge, in accordance with the master’s standing

orders. ‘These resources were only employed inadequately, however,’ it adds. ‘There were no specific instructions for cooperation between the two officers. The second officer evidently under-estimated the risk of collision, the chief officer was not informed and his assistance was not requested.’

BSU recommends the Pacific Orca’s owner to train its masters and watchkeepers on effective bridge management and to organise their hours of work ‘in a way that minimises impairment of performance’. It also calls for action to include and explain the ‘collision avoidance computation not possible’ AIS symbol in the international AIS guidelines.

MAIB alert over ECDIS Audible alarms had been disabled on grounded ferry

P

Fresh concerns over the disabling of ECDIS alarms on ship bridges have been raised in an investigation into the grounding of a ro-ro passenger ferry in the approaches to St Peter Port, Guernsey, in July last year.

The 14,000gt Commodore Clipper suffered significant raking damage — including breaches of the hull resulting in flooding of double-bottom void spaces — after striking the charted rocky shoal during a voyage from Portsmouth, with 39 crew and 31 passengers onboard.

But investigators found that there had been a ‘collective denial’ of the possibility of grounding among the crew because no alarms had sounded, steering and propulsion were responding normally, and the master was convinced that there had been sufficient depth of water.

The damage was only discovered in port during a pre-planned divers’ inspection of the hull and after the ferry had discharged and reloaded for the next voyage.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch report said the ferry’s bridge team had good positional awareness, but were unaware of the limits of safe water available because their ‘insufficient’ voyage planning had not made proper assessment of the extremely low tide and the effect of squat.

The Bahamas-flagged ferry had also failed to follow the company-approved route, and after the master noticed that the ship was to the port of the leading transit line, he made a succession of course alterations to regain track.

These were unsuccessful, however, as a result of the strength of the prevailing tidal stream.

Investigators said good bridge teamwork and pre-departure and pre-arrival briefings were particularly important on Commodore Clipper as AIS records showed

12-13_h+s.indd 13

An Australian Maritime Safety Agency surveyor carries out a port state control inspection Picture: AMSA

Port state control ‘failing to deliver lasting results’ Authority (AMSA) has A questioned whether port state

Australia’s Maritime Safety

Inspecting the raking damage to the Commodore Clipper Picture: MAIB

that the ship’s masters routinely deviated from the recommended route.

They also discovered that the ECDIS audible alarms onboard Commodore Clipper — and the rest of the Condor fleet — had been permanently disabled following complaints from bridge teams of distractions caused by the frequency of the alarms, especially in pilotage waters.

The MAIB said that such disabling is an increasingly common issue in its investigations — even though it makes the ECDIS noncompliant with IMO standards and alarms can alert fatigued or distracted watchkeepers to danger.

‘Thus, improving the management of ECDIS alarms needs to be addressed through future developments of the system, delivering an alarm capability that only activates when there is a genuine danger and gives the operator sufficient time to react,’ the report adds.

The deactivation should have been detected as a non-conformity during flag state audits and inspections, it points out.

Investigators said that while the primary method of navigating in the area was visual, Commodore Clipper’s bridge team had not made effective use of the ECDIS as an aid to navigation — with an ‘inappropriate’ safety contour value, the cross-track error alarm ignored and the audible alarm disabled.

While the report notes that Condor Marine Services has taken a series of measures in response to the accident, it advises the company to continue to improve the standard of passage planning by its bridge teams.

The MAIB said it had established that Guernsey Harbours did not have an effective risk assessment or safety management plan for the conduct of pilotage within its statutory area And while the authority has also taken steps to improve safety, the MAIB recommends further action to improve the standards of vessel traffic services in the area. It also calls for measures to be taken to ensure that special pilotage licence holders continue to demonstrate the required level of proficiency.

control (PSC) is succeeding in delivering quality shipping.

In a report detailing the results of Australian inspections during 2014, AMSA said trends over the past 10 years appear ‘disappointing’— with deficiency and detention rates having stabilised in the second half of the decade.

‘While there have been modest improvements experienced across a number of areas, the overall picture indicates that the international community’s PSC/ FSC (flag state control) efforts are not delivering lasting results,’ it warned.

AMSA said it was difficult to

reconcile how the most common reasons for detention continue to be related to ISM (31.2%), fire safety (14%), life-saving appliances (11.4%) and pollution prevention (10.4%) when there are well-established requirements in place. ‘The relatively high proportion of detainable deficiencies attributable to the ISM category continues to remain a major cause of concern as it indicates that the management of ships is not as effective as desired,’ it added.

Its report also reveals a 15.5% increase in ship detentions in Australia last year. The number of deficiencies discovered during PSC inspections rose by more than 30% even though the number of ship arrivals increased by just 4.6%.

AMSA said the increased focus on ‘human factors’ is part of the reason for the increase in detentions — with deficiencies related to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) accounting for just over 15% of the total.

It dealt with 114 MLC complaints — 25% of which were linked to wages, 20% to food and catering, and 10% to seafarers’ employment agreements.

‘During 2014, AMSA surveyors observed a general improvement in seafarers’ knowledge and application of MLC,’ the report notes.

‘Allied to this has been a noticeable increase in the number of “onshore” complaints being registered, wherein seafarers can raise concerns external to shipboard mechanisms.’

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19/08/2015 16:54

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports

Report raises concerns over French research fleet research vessel Marion Dufresne A II is pictured shortly before leaving the The French oceanographic

EVERGREEN ORDER: the Taiwanese operator Evergreen has signed a deal for 10 new 2,800TEU ships to be delivered between the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018. The 211m vessels will be deployed as feederships in intra-Asia trades and include a range of ‘eco-friendly’ features, such as the innovative Sea-Sword Bow (SSB) technology, which is claimed to reduce fuel consumption by around 10% compared to traditional bow designs, and an electronically-controlled fuel injection engine, which can cut emissions by around 20%.

Damen Shiprepair yard in Dunkerque last month following a major refit.

Built in 1995, the 9,403gt vessel has undergone a four-month project intended to extend its life by 20 years.

Work included replacement of the multi-beam sonar, rebuilding the hull, and upgrading scientific equipment and accommodation areas.

French unions are concerned about proposed changes to the oceanographic research fleet following a government report on the future of the research institute, Ifremer. Unions fear the plans could increase the role of private companies such as P&O Maritime and CMA CGM, operating vessels under foreign flags.

FRENCH CALL: French Socialist MP Arnaud Leroy has tabled proposed legislation aiming to ‘re-found’ the country’s maritime industries. Following a report on the competitiveness of French maritime services, Mr Leroy is calling for measures to boost domestic seafarer employment in the offshore renewables sector, to limit the use of the French international register, and to provide special tax breaks for French seafarers.

RADIATION SCARE: emergency teams were called in at Ashdod Port in Israel after checks found high levels of radiation coming from a container that had arrived on a Chinese-flagged ship. Port workers were evacuated while tests were carried out, which determined that there were no risks outside the container’s walls.

GREEK GROUNDING: authorities in Greece have launched an investigation after the high-speed ferry Flying Cat 4 ran aground, having missed the entrance to the island port of Tinos in thick fog. The Hellenic Coast Guard said tugs re-floated the 55m catamaran and the 235 passengers were safely evacuated with no injuries reported.

FATAL FIRE: one seafarer died and five others were injured when a Hong Kong-flagged product tanker caught fire off Shanghai last month. The blaze began in the accommodation area of the 45,740dwt Ye Chi, which was carrying 29,000 tonnes of diesel from Shanghai to Singapore.

CREWMEN INJURED: an investigation has been launched after two seafarers were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries caused when a rescue boat fell into the water from the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) vessel Pride of America in the Hawaiian port of Hilo.

CHINESE BOOST: China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) has placed orders for eight new 13,500TEU vessels with a yard in Shanghai. The ships will cost a total of US$934.4m and are due for delivery between April and December 2018.

COSTLY SPILL: the US shipping company Matson has agreed to pay Hawaii more than $15m to cover the cost of clean-up and restoration following a massive molasses spill in Honolulu Harbour two years ago.

PORTS UNITE: Calais and Boulogne now officially comprise a joint port, following the award of a 50-year concession to the public service ports development body from the Nord Pas de Calais regional council.

Nordic seafarers warn over jobs Unions in Norway, Sweden and Denmark seek action to protect members

by Andrew Draper

P

Norwegian unions have accused the country’s shipping minister, Monica Mæland, of making misleading statements following publication of the government’s new maritime strategy.

Voicing their disappointment with the long-awaited package, the unions warned that Norwegian seafarers are becoming something of an endangered species.

They said that the working group which developed the government’s strategy should have tabled a robust net salary scheme to cover vessels under the domestic register (NOR).

And while they welcomed the recent increase in tonnage on the NIS international register, they pointed out that this will not have

measures will make ripples in the form of value creation and jobs’.

The strategy will also allow the ferry company Color Line to switch its vessels sailing between Germany and Norway to the NIS register. Seafarers fear as many as 700 jobs could be lost as a result. z Swedish officers’ union SBF says the government must bring in its long-awaited tonnage tax by the start of 2016 if it is to stop the continued flagging out from the country’s register.

SBF said the problems are highlighted by Atlantic Container Line (ACL), which is phasing out five Swedish-flag vessels as part of fleet renewal. With no definite decision on tonnage tax, the company has decided to place the first replacement vessel under a nonSwedish flag.

The union is calling for changes to make it easier for

Swedish seafarers to serve on foreign-flagged ships. ‘A tonnage tax system and change to the tax rules for service on foreign vessels must be implemented quickly so other jobs aren’t jeopardised,’ it argued. z Ole Philipsen, chairman of the Danish seafarers’union CO-Søfart, has voiced concern that promises made about the country’s international ship register (DIS) have failed to deliver on jobs.

He has attacked owners for ‘winding down’ the employment of Danish seafarers — accusing them of pursuing profit at the expense of agreements and making ‘empty promises to secure even more money from public funds’. The union has also criticised the owners for seeking to extend the beneficial tonnage tax arrangements to cover offshore vessels.

Managers in Argentine union leads Challenge to merger deal shipping plan protests US law fails A

Two leading ship management companies have reached agreement on what is described as the biggest merger in the sector, creating a new firm employing more than 24,000 seafarers and over 1,700 shore-based staff.

The proposed tie-up between the Hong Kong-based Anglo-Eastern and Univan Groups will create a new ‘industry leader’ — with the increased operational scale and global footprint offering better career opportunities for seafarers and shore staff, the companies claimed.

The merged operation will be called the Anglo-Eastern Univan Group, and will have 600 ships under full management, with 100 under crew management only.

14-15_int.indd 14

much of an impact on Norwegian jobs.

The unions said the minister, a Conservative, had sided with the owners in the new strategy and had consequently developed an unbalanced policy package. They had been pressing for measures to enforce Norwegian working conditions in Norwegian waters and to strengthen domestic employment in the deepsea segment of the NIS fleet.

‘The government has given shipowners reductions in wealth tax, maintained the favourable shipping taxation, and increased the return of refunded tax generated by taxing seafarers around NOK100m,’ said the three maritime union leaders Hans Sande, Johnny Hansen and HegeMerethe Bengtsson.

In return, they said, there is ‘a clear expectation that these

A

Members of Argentina’s 3,000-strong Union of River, Fishing and Maritime Cabotage Captains & Officers (CPOFPCM) have threatened to strike in opposition to a proposed law they claim will ‘doom national river cabotage workers to extinction’.

Tugs, pilots and mooring boats blockaded one of Argentina’s main waterways on 13 August, forcing the partial closure of ports, in protest at a government-backed Bill they argue will lead to thousands of maritime, river and fishing jobs being lost.

Union activists were also due march on Congress in support of a rival Bill, due to be tabled as the Telegraph went to press, in an increasingly divisive row over the future of Argentina’s merchant fleet.

MP Gaston Harispe’s Merchant Navy & Shipbuilding Industry Bill, supported by the majority of maritime unions, aims to rebuild the country’s merchant fleet, creating thousands of new jobs. But CPOFPCM leaders claim the Bill discriminates against those working in the river fleet.

‘If Harispe’s bill is passed, we will consider a full strike bringing to a halt national and international trade in the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway,’ union leader Captain Jorge Bianchi said.

The union claims Mr Harispe’s Bill fails to set out minimum crewing levels on river-bound ships, allow for the import of foreign ships with no crew to enable Argentina to recover lost river cabotage, or offer tax incentives enabling the Argentine fleet to compete.

A

A legal challenge to the US rules requiring the use of US-flagged and US-crewed vessels on the country’s coastal trades was rejected by a court last month.

A group of shippers in Hawaii had taken a class-action lawsuit to overturn the 1920 Jones Act, complaining that the regulations impair inter-state trade and therefore violate the US constitution.

They alleged that the rules result in high prices and a de facto duopoly.

But a three-judge panel unanimously dismissed the action, saying that it had failed to show that the higher prices are the result of two companies operating the route and because they could not show that the lifting of the legislation would lead to lower freight rates.

19/08/2015 16:10

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

Owners welcome ‘new’ Suez Canal US$8bn expansion project will speed up transits and double traffic levels

P

Shipowners have welcomed the opening last month of the ‘new’ Suez Canal — a multibillion-dollar project to increase capacity and speed up transit times in a waterway which handles around onetenth of all global seaborne trade.

Work on the scheme — which was carried out by a consortium including the Dutch dredging firms Boskalis and Van Oord — involved the creation of 35km of new channels, the deepening and widening of 37km of existing waterway. According to the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), more than 250 cu m of sand, clay and rock was dredged during the work.

The US$8bn scheme was completed within a year — after it was initially projected to take three.

Around 18,000 vessels a year pass through the canal at present, and Egypt’s government says the expansion scheme will double traffic levels and cut transit times to 11 hours in both directions.

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) secretary-general Peter Hinchliffe said owners were impressed that the work had been completed so quickly. ‘This is a huge undertaking on a world scale. It has been completed in a time that is frankly astonishing,’ he added. ‘More ships will be able to use the canal, and most importantly for us, the time that ships are taking to get through the canal is being reduced.’

The Maersk Group is the canal’s biggest customer, with more than 1,400 transits last year, and the 93,511gt Maersk Sheer-

The Singapore-flagged containership APL Southampton leads the way during the first southbound trial operation in the new ‘double-section’ of the Suez Canal Picture: Reuters

ness, carrying 4,427 containers, was one of the ships in the first trial transit of the new waterway.

Maersk Drilling CEO Claus Hemmingsen commented: ‘The Suez Canal is a key corridor on the east/ west trade. Maersk has used the corridor for more than 90 years and we welcome the easier transit and reduced transit times that the new expansion will bring.’

Egypt expects that the project, together with growth in world trade, will increase the number of ships using the canal each day from 49 at present to 97 by 2023 and more than double the rev-

enue from tolls to $13.2bn within 10 years.

However, the shipping consultancy Drewry has questioned the projections. ‘To achieve their ambitious targets, the SCA would somehow need to see toll revenue grow at around 10% yearly, when the outlook for the shipping is nowhere near that level,’ it warned.

Egypt has also ordered further work to create a new 9.5km side channel enabling two-way traffic of vessels entering the canal through the northern terminus of Port Said. The Suez Canal Con-

tainer Terminal is also adding four new super-post-Panamax cranes next year to bring its crane total to 24 and increase annual throughput capacity to 5.4m TEU. The Suez Canal Authority and the Egyptian Navy Hydrographic Department have produced new charts of both the ‘old’ and ‘new’ canals, replacing the existing Admiralty charts for the region.

They have advised that no vessels will be permitted to pass through the waterway unless they are carrying the new charts, which are being supplied by Global Navigation Solutions.

EU aid for ‘greener’ ferry fleet

Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier A have been fined for illegally dumping

been awarded €17.9m by the A European Union to help cover the costs

The master and the owner of a

14-15_int.indd 15

CANAL CURB: drought conditions have resulted in draught restrictions that could affect almost 20% of ships transiting the Panama Canal. A fall in the water levels of the Gatun and Alhajuela Lakes means that the maximum draught will be set at 11.89m Tropical Fresh Water (TFW) with effect from 8 September, the canal authority (ACP) has advised. It says the measure is needed to ‘ensure the continuous and safe operation’ of the waterway and warned that draught may be further restricted to 11.73m TFW if there is no significant rainfall by the middle of the month.

US DEAL: the US seafaring union SIU has secured a long-term pay deal for more than 200 members serving with the petroleum products operator Penn Maritime following a series of tough negotiations with new owners, the Kirby Corporation. The agreement delivers above-inflation pay rises in each of the next three years and protects top-tier medical and pension benefits.

SIU Vice-President Gulf Coast Dean Corbey hailed the agreement as ‘one of the best in the industry’.

GREEK TAX: Greek shipowners will have to pay higher tonnage taxes as part of a new European Union bail-out deal for the cash-strapped country. Under the agreement, the Greek tonnage tax is to rise by 4% a year between 2016 and 2020. ‘Special’ tax arrangements for the shipping industry will also be phased out and there are reports that some owners have been considering flagging out to countries such as Cyprus if their operating costs increase significantly.

Australian fines for dumping garbage in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Cyprus-based One Armania Shipping was fined A$4,000 (€2,638) and the master of the 39,295dwt ANL Karidinia was fined A$300 after being found guilty of breaching Australian maritime pollution regulations.

Townsville magistrates court heard that a port state control inspection by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) had identified that the ship had dumped food waste within the prohibited discharge area of the Great Barrier Reef.

AMSA chief executive Mick Kinley said masters and owners need to be aware that waste dumping is not tolerated in Australian waters. ‘These prosecutions are a reminder to the shipping community that if they flout the regulations they can be caught and prosecuted,’ he added.

shortreports

The ferry operator Finnlines has

The 10,944gt L’Austral is Ponant’s second largest ship Picture: Eric Houri

French cruise firm sold A

A French cruiseship company set up by a group of former merchant seafarers in 1998 has been sold to a company owned by one of the country’s richest families.

Marseilles-based Ponant, which operates a fleet of five luxury vessels which can carry between 64 and 264 passengers, has been acquired by Artémis, the holding company of France’s billionaire Pinault family, for a reported €400m.

Ponant, which last year carried around 30,000 passengers, was bought by the French shipping

group CMA CGM in 2004 and sold in 2012 for an undisclosed amount to the private equity group Bridgeport.

It employs around 800 French seafarers, and the officers’ union FOMM-CGT has expressed concern that the latest change in ownership could jeopardise French jobs.

Artémis vice-president Véronique Saadé promised that the fleet would remain under France’s Wallis-et-Futuna flag and said the company plans to introduce new ships for the ‘internationalisation of its clientele, especially in North America and the Asia-Pacific zone’.

of environmental upgrades for key ships in its fleet.

The money will go towards a €60m project being undertaken by the company and its affiliates in Germany, Belgium and Spain operating three major liner services to ensure compliance with the European sulphur directive.

Approving the support, the European Commission noted that the services are part of the EU ‘motorways of the sea’ programme and that the upgrade work — which includes the fitting of exhaust scrubbers, new propeller blades and improved rudder hydrodynamics — will prevent ‘unwanted modal backshift of cargo from sea to land on these three lines’.

In total, Finnlines says it is spending around €100m to ensure its 22-ship fleet meets the requirements of the low sulphur directive.

BELGIAN BASH: a steering gear failure has been blamed for a collision off the Belgian coast last month between the Marshall Islands-registered product tanker Alkiviadis and the Philippines-flagged bulk carrier Mangan Trader. The bulker struck the tanker, which was at anchor some 17nm NW of Ostend, while sailing towards the western Scheldt, bound for Ghent.

STENA COLLISION: Swedish authorities are investigating a collision between a Stena Line ferry carrying some 600 people and a laden tanker near the island of Vinga outside the port of Gothenburg. The 29,691gt Stena Jutlandica was holed on its port side and began taking on water, but no injuries were reported and the vessel was able to make it into port under its own power.

LANGUAGE ROW: the French officers’ union CGCCFE has protested to the country’s sea minister over a lack of progress in talks on the use of French as a working language onboard French-flagged ferries. General secretary Patrice Le Vigouroux asked the minister: ‘Do we have to block tunnels, burn tyres or overturn chauffeur-driven cars to be heard?’

CARNIVAL TERMINAL: Barcelona, Europe’s largest cruise port, has given the Carnival Corporation approval to build a €30m terminal which will be used by seven of the company’s 10 cruise line brands as both a destination and home port. Work on the new facility, at Adossat Wharf, will begin next year and is due to be completed in 2018.

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19/08/2015 16:10

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

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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.

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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

Derbyshire anniversary A

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the loss of the bulk carrier Derbyshire in the South China Sea. All 44 people onboard died, including 42 crew members and two wives.

A memorial service will be held

at St Nicholas Church (the seafarers’ church), Pier Head, Liverpool, on Saturday 5 September, commencing at 1300 hours. All are welcome.

PAUL LAMBERT Chairman Derbyshire Family Association

Let’s find better career paths, not a new name about UK ratings in the August F Telegraph (Last chance to rescue a With reference to the feature

dying breed?): in my current work I have trained and assessed many people who are already sailing as ratings, but have not come into the industry through a ‘normal’ route. They are all trying to improve their lot and move on.

More than 50% have started in the fishing industry, moved onto standby vessels and want to move on again into supply, anchor handling and deepsea trading. I frequently mention the Slater Fund for those who are overtly capable of achieving a certificate of competency.

My employer does not offer CoC training.

I don’t think that what you call people’s role matters very much. These people simply ‘went to sea’ because they wanted to, and were perhaps following a family tradition.

But I do think that having entered the industry at whatever level, there needs to be a way forward that is open to everyone. Not everyone will achieve higher levels, but that is not the point.

There needs to be a clear path from the first trip deckhand through to master or chief engineer.

We could equally ask what happens

to cadets who fail their OOW. How many of those leave the industry when they could transfer to a useful role aboard ship that we might now call a rating and spend time revising and working towards that CoC again? At the moment the pathway is not clear and historically there was almost a glass ceiling for ratings that, unless they were particularly persistent, could not be broken through. And lots of cadets that the industry had invested in left aged between 19 and 22.

Age should not be a factor. I completed my degree in 2008 when I was 52. I did it while I was working and was sponsored by my employer. My life experience helped a lot when chasing that higher qualification.

Many of the people that I have met are in the mid-20s to 40s age group but some, who have been signed on as AB for years, are in their 50s and have never taken EDH or PSCRB training.

There is a huge pool of good people out there who want to go to sea and just want a route, some help, to move their careers forward. I recently met a young man who had, to date, spent £9,000 of his own money to get his OOW. GRAHAME HICKS mem no 131205

Have your say online Last month we asked: Is there a future for NW European ratings?

No 61% Yes 39%

This month’s poll asks: Do you think port state control is succeeding in raising the quality of the world merchant fleet? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 16

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Shipboard maintenance needs a realistic re-think in 1978, I have been working as a marine P engineer since 1982; from 1997 to 2002 as

After a four-year apprenticeship starting

second engineer and as a chief engineer since 2002, with experience on general cargo, container, bulk, ro-ro and reefer vessels.

During my sailing career I have noted some issues regarding shipboard maintenance programmes. For example, if you take a main engine, the manufacturer gives intervals for maintenance and man hours as well, in some instances. Similarly, generators, boilers and all other equipment including deck machinery have a PMS in place.

However, the collective efficacy and practicality of the PMS system is not evaluated properly.

It would be interesting if a time and work study could be set up where the following is taken into consideration: z annual average running hours of vessel and individual equipment z man hours required to carry out the PMS of each individual machinery component

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z available time to perform the items in the PMS system, taking the following into consideration: z items that can only be performed at port and estimated total port stays z items that can be carried out at sea z available staff z available man hours, with consideration to time allocated for watch keeping, rest hour limitations, non PMS repairs, drills, manoeuvring and administrative work If a study of this nature is made, it will be evident in most instances that carrying out the PMS is not practically possible.

The final result of this is that a vessel’s staff are forced to carry out work on a priority basis giving consideration to the restrictions mentioned above.

ISM documentation may not in the end reflect the actual situation — audits and surveys notwithstanding.

This could eventually lead to unsafe operational conditions, and crew fatigue and

Telegraph helped me track down grandad’s wartime MN service

Prostate F cancer: ask your doctor for PSA test (May Telegraph) was an excellent A caution for all to be aware of this The article about prostate cancer

serious problem.

Sadly, it does not state the magic test word ‘PSA’. This is the simple blood test that should be done from the age of 50 by every male person. It gives a reference number which, if over your age average, should be monitored more frequently.

I was 69 years old in 2006 after a lifetime sea career, when visiting a friend who had had a prostate problem operation. His surgeon gave me a physical check and said that while my prostate appeared normal, I should however go for a PSA blood test. This indicated possible problems. A further PSA test after three months indicated that it was rising. Tissue samples were taken and these were found to be malignant.

I opted for the radiotherapy treatment and it was successful, but I still go for an annual PSA blood test which gives a steady reading less than 1. When I challenged my Manchester trained doctor why he had never told me about PSA he said I don’t believe in it.

I have not visited him since.

H. E. CARLISLE mem no 311873

unsafe manning conditions.

A common program could be made which can accommodate the above variables. Data for each vessel should be entered in to this program.

This could be used by the technical department to evaluate the practicality of the PMS system as a whole, rather than individual components.

Classification societies could be involved to evaluate the accuracy of this system.

The program would show up areas where there are shortcomings in terms of available time and manning. The necessary measures to overcome this could be discussed with the classification societies, and remedial measures initiated accordingly.

I feel that the industry requires a procedure such as the example given above, if we are realistically thinking of improving standards at sea.

DILAN WICKREMERATNE Chief Engineer mem no 189196

I am very grateful to the Telegraph for your article about the crew lists from 1915 (August issue) as it has helped me make a big leap forward in tracking down my grandfather’s service with the Merchant Navy.

The lists record 13 seafarers called ‘John Mackinnon’ from the island of Tiree alone. (Your article says that many foreigners anglicised their names: so did many native Gaelic speakers from the Hebrides like my grandfather, properly ‘Iain Mackinnon’). My grandfather is very likely to be the 30-year old John Mackinnon who

served as a quartermaster (one of four from a 30-strong crew) on the 6,284 ton SS Chindwin, owned by the Paddy Henderson line — I know he served with them.

Unfortunately there’s no image of the crew list itself on the website as there is for most other ships, so I’ll need to dig further to be sure — and to find out the fascinating detail that’s on there. Paddy Henderson paid a quartermaster on another ship that year £5 15s a month (£14 a month for the First Mate, £11 for the Second, £9 for the Third).

And it sounds like an interesting

trip. The crew list covers the period from 5 June to 18 September 1915, and I’ve discovered that the ship was stranded three weeks into its voyage (presumably to Burma: the GlasgowBurma run was the core of Henderson’s business) off the coast of what we now call Yemen.

I’d run into a brick wall trying to track down my grandfather’s sea service, so very many thanks to the team who transcribed these crew lists — and to the Telegraph for publicising the story.

IAIN MACKINNON Secretary Maritime Skills Alliance

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The Nautilus Pensions Association is a pressure group and support organisation that: z provides a new focal point for seafarer pensioners — increasing their influence within, and knowledge of, the Merchant Navy Officers’ Pension Fund and other schemes within the industry z serves as a channel for professional advice on all kinds of pensions, as well as offering specific information on legal and government developments on pensions, and supporting the Union in lobbying the government as required

z provides a ‘one-stop shop’ for advice on other organisations providing support and assistance to pensioners z offers a range of specialised services and benefits tailored to meet the needs of retired members z operates as a democratic organisation, being a Nautilus Council body — with the secretary and secretariat provided by the Union

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

19/08/2015 16:55

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS

Good news from Karina appeal Share your stories telegraph F

I wanted to let everyone know that the Smudger’s Little Mermaid operation fund is now up to £11,116, and it’s already helping my daughter Karina in Russia (who was featured in the November 2014 and July 2015 Telegraphs). Around £1,800 of the fund has been used so far to help with physio, a special cycling machine and another visit to hospital to see how she was progressing.

The very good news is that after

a film about Karina’s story went out in Russia, a hospital in St Petersburg stepped forward, saying they can do her operation for a heck of a lot less than the original hospital we were looking at in Israel, and there will be a bit left over in the fund towards rehab after. The money is being transferred as I write, and Karina should have had her operation by the end of August.

So a very big thank you to friends,

colleagues and strangers alike who have helped us to get this far. You cannot imagine how I feel after this year-long slog. I wonder what is going through the mind of one amazing 13-year-old girl right now!

The bad side is that there will be some more pain and discomfort to come for her, but maybe she will walk soon. I really hope so.

NIGEL ‘SMUDGER’ SMITH mem no 203813

THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

of Tyne’s heyday UK from 1945 to 1980?

FMyTyneside, father, Terence Yarker, moved Did you work or train on

to Tyneside from the SE of England in 1969 to attend the Marine College in South Shields and to pursue a career in the Merchant Navy. He has lived in the North East of England ever since and expresses a great fondness and attachment to the River Tyne and its industrial history.

I am a social science researcher at Newcastle University and am currently working on a research project, funded by the Catherine Cookson Foundation, to collect the memories and stories of men who, like my father, moved to the NE of England to work in the various marine and shipbuilding industries along the Tyne.

Now that many of these industries have all but gone from the river, this research project is interested in hearing about what it was like to arrive in Tyneside from elsewhere, live and work there, and how people feel about the area today.

I am interested to hear both positive and negative accounts of

moving to, and living in Tyneside — so if you moved to the region to work or train in the marine industries, and spent any time living there from 19451980 and would like to be involved in the research please contact me using the details below.

The analysis from the stories would be used to write academic research papers and presentations from which any identifiable information such as your full name, address and employers would be removed if you so wished. In addition to this it is felt important that those who contribute their own stories are able to hear those of others in the project and therefore a small booklet is planned which would contain an edited account of each participants story. Each participant would receive a copy of this once complete. g If you would like to be involved in the project or have any questions about the project please direct them to: Dr Sophie Yarker at Newcastle University; Sophie.yarker@ newcastle.ac.uk I look forward to hearing from you!

Dr SOPHIE YARKER

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

Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

ISSN 0040 2575

Nautilus must act on Calais crisis we will ever get adequate UK P government and EU support for

Regrettably I hold little hope

maintaining maritime highways in Europe, but recent events have shown the pressing need for a workable policy.

Within Europe I note no other border crossing at such risk to disruption as Calais. Fuel costs on the longer passages are significant and are not helped by emission demands from the EU itself.

It is all the fault of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987!

I quote from my recent paper to Kent County Council (KCC): ‘In 2012 I wrote an answer to the consultative KCC Freight Plan.

Since then the Port of Ramsgate has ceased to operate as a Ro-Ro port.

‘Firstly, the motorways, highways and by-ways in Kent should never be lorry parks. There

is no adequate provision for the management of lorry traffic within the County of Kent. Such lay-bys that were provided on the A2 to Canterbury have been blocked off, resulting in lorries being parked on the A2 adjacent slip roads. The refurbished A20 lay-bys are completely inadequate for the purpose and some of those have now been blocked off.

Emergency escape lanes on Jubilee Way (A2 Dover approaches) are often blocked with parked lorries.

Those escape lanes are emergency provision in the event of brake failure of lorries, some of which exceed 40 tonnes train weight.

‘During the consultation period of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987, I expressed my forecast concerns that the operation of a Channel fixed-link would bring about the decline of the UK ferry ports serving the Continent. That is now very much in evidence by the freight traffic being funnelled

into the SE Kent M20/A20 corridor serving the Channel Tunnel and the Port of Dover. Although it could be stated that the Port of Dover has seen an increase in Ro-Ro traffic since 1987, the range of destinations ex-Dover has decreased. There are no scheduled ferry services from Dover to Zeebrugge, Ostend or Boulogne.

A disruption in Calais has a direct impact in Kent in particular and in the UK in general. Those disruptions include blockades caused by French fishermen, French industrial disputes and, a few years ago, the preventative closure of several Ro-Ro berths following the collapse of Calais No 7 berth linkspan.

‘The “lesser” Ro-Ro ports in the UK have witnessed closure of services. Folkestone has closed to ferry traffic. Newhaven is constantly in financial constraints. The Olau Line Sheerness to Vlissingen (Flushing)

I

THERB

16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 17

Y

W

£50

service closed some years ago. East Coast services of both England and Scotland have been affected and South Coast services from the Solent ports (Portsmouth and Southampton) and westward severely reduced.

‘It is an irony that the former MP from Folkestone whose government was party to the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 was recently quoted in his vehement objection to a lorry park in his constituency. I would suggest that it is within that very constituency that a fully serviced lorry park is required immediately! Such serviced (toilets and showers) and secure facilities should be provided free to freight drivers in return for the HGV levy. This would, in turn, provide little excuse for the parking upon the highways and by-ways of Kent and for the littering and fouling of those places due to lack of proper provision.

‘In the meantime, the temporary A20 measures between Folkestone and Dover may be a partial solution. There are worrying reports regarding intimidating tailgating in the 40mph zone (I have experienced such behaviour and may be fitting a rear-facing camera in my car!).

‘The coning off of the A20 roundabouts is far from a satisfactory traffic management solution, particularly for the needs of local traffic and traders and especially for all road users where there are no advance warnings of the current access status of the particular roundabout/junction.’

While primarily it would appear that Operation Stack is a land-based problem, it directly affects Nautilus International and RMT members in the cross-Channel ferry industry. Furthermore, it does demonstrate the urgent need for joined-up government thinking from both the UK government

and the EU. That planning should start with protecting existing maritime highways and encouraging the creation of new routes within Europe.

The August Telegraph highlights the plight of the ratings. If no action is taken soon and there is no associated host state employment policy, very shortly there will be no UK or Dutch officers in those lifeline services.

Nautilus International is a dynamic organisation and needs to be in a position to react quickly to changing maritime conditions.

In that respect, a General Meeting at four-yearly intervals does not adequately provide for major policy decisions within an appropriate timescale.

While Nautilus International necessarily has Rules and Regulations, I would suggest that there is need for emergency motion provision so that the members may give the required mandate for action. There is a precedent for emergency motions in that some years ago during a BGM, NUMAST reacted to a specific employment threat to our CalMac members. Council obtained the mandate from the members present.

With support from the general secretary and the chair of Council, I am willing to table an Operation Stack motion for the General Meeting in October.

TONY MINNS mem no 140885 Assistant general secretary Mike Jess replies: Under the Nautilus Rules and Regulations only the Council can put forward emergency motions to a General Meeting.

The general secretary will, however, put the potential impact of Operation Stack on members’ jobs to the Council for consideration when it next meets prior to the start of the GM.

Published by Nautilus International Printed by William Gibbons.

GENERAL SECRETARY Mark Dickinson MSc (Econ) HEAD OFFICE 1&2 The Shrubberies George Lane, South Woodford London E18 1BD tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015 www.nautilusint.org NETHERLANDS OFFICE Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Postbus 8575, 3009 AN Rotterdam tel: +31 (0)10 4771188 fax: +31 (0)10 4773846 NORTHERN OFFICE Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801 SWITZERLAND OFFICE Gewerkschaftshaus, Rebgasse 1 4005 Basel, Switzerland tel: +41 (0)61 262 24 24 fax: +41 (0)61 262 24 25 DEPARTMENT EMAILS general: enquiries@nautilusint.org membership: membership@nautilusint.org legal: legal@nautilusint.org telegraph: telegraph@nautilusint.org industrial: industrial@nautilusint.org youth: ymp@nautilusint.org welfare: welfare@nautilusint.org professional and technical: protech@nautilusint.org Nautilus International also administers the Nautilus Welfare Fund and the J W Slater Fund, which are registered charities.

19/08/2015 16:12

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

YOUR NEWS

VJ Day: the end of a war K

Pictured below are scenes from last month’s commemorations of VJ Day at the Nautilus retirement estate Mariners’ Park, on the banks of the river Mersey.

A service of remembrance was held at the park’s memorial stone on 15 August 2015, the 70th anniversary of VJ Day, when in 1945 Japanese forces laid down their arms, ending the Second World War.

Captain Ronald Pengelly lays a wreath with Mariners’ Park activities coordinator Audrey Stocker

The service paid particular tribute to Merchant Navy seafarers who had continued to serve Britain in the Far East for the three months after hostilities had ceased in Europe. A wreath was laid by Captain Ronald Pengelly, a Mariners’ Park resident who was an officer cadet in the war and holds both the Burma Star and Pacific Star campaign medals.

Also in attendance was Jo Wood, whose mother

Kitty Stower lives in the Mariners’ Park Care Home.

Mrs Wood’s father, Joe Stower, was a chief petty officer and, like Capt Pengelly, was awarded the Burma and Pacific Stars.

Another park resident, Margaret Young-Gregory, represented her husband Denis Gregory, who was awarded the Pacific Star for his work on Merchant Navy supply ships.

Honoured guests, clockwise from centre: Capt Ronald Pengelly, Jo Wood, Nautilus welfare services manager Mick Howarth, chaplain David Robinson, Margaret Young-Gregory Pictures: Danny Kenny

Good vibrations at the radio officers’ reunion reunion of radio and electronic F officers on Thursday 23 July onboard We held our summer grand

the lightship Planet, and a great time was made by all 32 present : Brian Richardson, WH Smith, Stavley, Decca, RNLI; Derek Teebay, Decca; Len Davieson, RAF, Decca; Frank Brereton, Marconi, Maersk, SG Brown, RNLI; Bill Harrison, Marconi/Offshore; John Wilkinson, Manchester Liners; Julian Dunn, Marconi; Bill Cross, Riversdale, RNLI and MRMS; Dave Wiggins, MRMS; Alan Waddington, WARS, MRMS; Stan McNally, Marconi, Stanguard, MRMS; Bob Bunker, Rea Towing, BT, MRMS; Pete Arnold, Marconi; Warner Williams, Cable & Wireless; Bob Porter, Marconi; Keith Scargill, Marconi, CP, Shell TSA SES, Selex, Seatechnik; John Hudson, Riversdale, Marconi, KH, Cunard, R&E svc; Dennis Cooper, WARS, MRMS; Dennis Pacey, Marconi, NZ SSCo, freelance MRMS; Mike Elliot, Marconi; Albert Owings, Siemans WW2 RO, Riversdale; John Robinson, Marconi Riversdale, Sealand; Peter Maddon, Kelvin Hughes; Mike Carter, Broks Bar, AEI, Redifon, IMR, MRMS; Clive Evans, Marconi. KH, Shell TSA SES;

Malcolm Lindsay, Sperry, Galileo; Barney Jones, Merseyside Radio College, Marconi freelance; Mal McManus, Marconi; John Arkell, Harrisons, BMS, Craig Shipping; Roger Ellis, Redifon, Japan Radio; Harry Bateman, SAIT Marine, Selex; David Taylor, Brocklebank.

I am pictured in the hat and wearing the lightship shirt is the owner, Alan Roberts. Best regards to all that remember me.

STAN McNALLY Former NUMAST Council member

From pupils to potential seafarers... school pupils from Wyvern College, F Hampshire, taking part in a week of mari-

Pictured left and right are secondary

time activities coordinated by Seavision, the body that promotes UK sea careers.

Over 1,000 schoolchildren aged between 11 and 15 took part in the event, which was centred on STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Maritime employers and colleges came together to set up activities showing the children how STEM skills can lead to fulfilling maritime careers, including: z geography lessons in a shipping container, courtesy of Pentalver, NYK Line and Wenford Ltd

z a global logistics challenge posed

by Southampton Solent University and Warsash Maritime Academy z a challenge to build a 2D model of the Cunard Liner Queen Mary 2, organised by Burness Corlett Three Quays and STEM IT z ship design and stability challenges staged by Lloyds Register and the Marine Skills Centre, Woolston z buoyancy activities run by QinetiQ Maritime z an ‘explosive experience’ offered by Exxon Mobile (Esso Refinery Fawley) z a materials science workshop run by the Mary Rose Museum, using artefacts from the Tudor warship Educational displays were provided

by the National Oceanographic Centre (about marine science) and by Guardian Maritime, demonstrating anti-piracy equipment. The week also included a popular community maritime festival outside school hours, which drew many more maritime organisations to give careers talks and run exhibition stands.

Year 7 pupils Cara Jay and Keiran said they had enjoyed the themed lessons — ‘Global logistics was really good because we found out how much a ship cost’ — and their schoolmate Jazmine thought the best activity was the one organised

by Exxon Mobil (Esso Refinery Fawley), ‘showing us things about oil and what is made from it’.

Winding-up of MNOPP

Help to build your career with the Slater Fund…

Notice pursuant to section 27 of the Trustee Act 1925 For members of the Merchant Navy Officers Pension Plan (MNOPP) to section 27 of the Trustee Act I 1925. Notice is hereby given that the This notice is given pursuant

If you’re working at sea and want to train as a ship’s officer, the Nautilus Slater Fund is just the ticket.

There’s even a discretionary £1,500 bonus payment when you make it through the course and gain your OOW certificate.

The bursary scheme offers financial support to Merchant Navy ratings, electrotechnical officers and yacht crew to study for the STCW officer of the watch qualification (either deck or engineer).

The support is provided through the JW Slater Fund, named in honour of a former Nautilus general secretary. Slater Fund awards have been made to over 1,400 seafarers since the scheme was launched in 1997, and these recipients are now enjoying the enhanced salaries and job satisfaction that come from rising through the ranks.

Up to £17,500 per applicant is available to help with the costs of gaining your first certificate of competency.

Maybe you need a hand with tuition fees or buying books — or would welcome a boost to your income if you’re off pay during college phases.

18_your news.indd 18

g So if you’r e looking to become an officer of the watch, don’t leave things to chance.

Fill in the form now or apply via the Nautilus website: www.nautilusint.org

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

Name: _________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

Email:

_________________________________________________________________________________

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

trustee of the MNOPP (the ‘Trustee’) is proposing to wind up the MNOPP and distribute its assets, by way of a transfer or otherwise, to provide pension benefits for and in respect of members of the MNOPP in accordance with the MNOPP Rules.

Any persons (unless they fall into one of the categories below) having a claim or interest in the MNOPP are required to send particulars in writing of such claim or interest, together with details of their full name, address, and date of birth, to the MNOPP Trustee: The Beehive, Beehive Ring Road, Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, RH6 0PA, England. In order to ensure that the Trustee receives notice of any such particulars, the Trustee recommends that particulars of

any claims are sent by a guaranteed delivery method.

The Trustee will distribute the remaining MNOPP assets, by way of a transfer or otherwise, in accordance with the MNOPP Rules to provide benefits for the members and any other persons entitled to benefits, having regard only to claims and interests of which it has had notice. The Trustee will not, in respect of the property so distributed, be liable to any person of whose claim it has not had notice.

Please note that you do not need to contact the Trustee in relation to this notice if you fall into one of the following categories: z you have already been notified of the proposal to wind up the MNOPP by the Trustee; z you have already taken all of your benefits from the MNOPP; or z you have made a claim for benefits from the MNOPP and received a response.

19/08/2015 18:24

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MEMBERS AT WORK

From purser to Personnel Nautilus member John Hood is closing an eventful seafaring career spanning four decades. Bowing out as head of human resources with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, he tells SARAH ROBINSON how seafarers need to create their own ‘good old days’...

A

‘Deck or engineer officer?’ It seems a reasonable question to someone who’s just applied for a career in the Merchant Navy.

But 19-year-old John Hood had other ideas.

‘When I told the interview board at the Mercantile Marine Office in London that I wanted to be a purser, there was huge consternation,’ he recalls. ‘They tried to dissuade me, but working on the bridge or in the engineroom didn’t really interest me — I wanted a job where I was out there dealing with people.’

This all took place in the early 1970s, when aspiring British Merchant Navy officers were required to take centralised aptitude tests through the British Shipping Federation. ‘Normally, when you’d passed your tests and made your choice of deck or engine, they’d call round some companies there and then, and get you a cadetship,’ says John. ‘But I had to go and sit outside until they could find someone to tell me how to get a job as a purser.’

The answer, he learned, was for him to apply to some companies himself, and he was equal to the challenge, having already been planning his career for several years. ‘My cousin worked on P&O’s Himalaya as a steward, and I had visited the ship in Tilbury Docks as a boy, so I knew about the jobs available at sea,’ he explains. ‘I then found out that shipping companies would look more favourably upon me if I had a catering qualification, so I went to catering college between the ages of 16 and 18.’ After the British Shipping Federation pointed him in the right direction at 19, he duly wrote off to five companies, went to interviews, and was offered posts with Union Castle, Palm Line and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

It turned out to be relatively easy to choose between the three organisations. ‘I have to confess I was put off Palm Line because there were five boiler suits on the uniform list,’ recalls John. ‘I realised there would be cargo work as part of the purser’s job, and I didn’t fancy that. Then Union Castle got back in touch to say there wasn’t a job with them after all, because they were selling off their passenger ships (the age of containerisation had arrived). So it was the RFA for me, and what a fantastic decision that proved to be.’

As the civilian afloat support service for the British Royal Navy, the RFA was a uniformed service, and

its diverse classes of ships were deployed all over the world, which was another strong attraction for the young John. In 1974 he eagerly took up his place with an organisation that was to provide him with a career for life.

John’s first posting as an assistant purser was a brief spell with RFA Regent while it was in Plymouth for two months — helping with the general payoff before the vessel went to refit on the Tyne. But his career really got started when he joined his next ship, RFA Tidespring, heading out to the Far East, Fiji and Australia. ‘It was a wonderful experience to see all those places and experience many different cultures, and we always had a decent length of time in port,’ he says. ‘There was also great camaraderie onboard the ship, and my colleagues in all departments were very supportive to me as a new starter.’

All in all, the job exceeded John’s expectations, but didn’t he sometimes wish that he was working with cruiseship passengers, as he had originally envisaged? ‘Not really — many RFAs have large crews, so I got my wish to work with people, and there was always plenty of human interaction.

We would also have “passengers” in a sense, if you included the Royal Navy aircrews and Royal Marines who embarked for deployments. And the stores ships had a team of MoD civilians serving onboard to manage the full range of stores required to sustain RN task groups.’

John started to move up the ranks in the RFA, happy in his work there. But if the role of your ship is to support the military, you should be prepared to see frontline action in a conflict, and so it proved in 1982, when RFA Sir Galahad was deployed to the Falklands.

John was one of those who survived the vessel’s loss at Fitzroy, when it was bombed by the Argentine air force and 53 of those onboard were killed — soldiers of the Welsh Guards as well as John’s own shipmates. ‘It’s not that easy to talk about,’ he says.

‘As Sir Galahad’s purser, immediately after abandoning ship I was involved in tallying the survivors and accounting for the missing.’

Following evacuation from Fitzroy and transfer to the BP Tanker British Test, John eventually made it home to the UK via a flight from Ascension Island.

Captain John Hood, proud of his RFA career and ready for an enjoyable retirement

‘We were given £200 in cash on arrival as “survivors’ pay”,’ he recalls. ‘I took some leave, and then went back to the Falklands for a six-month deployment on RFA Fort Grange, a large stores ship.’

The conflict was officially over, but the Falklands were still in a state of high tension, with a strong British military presence. ‘Obviously I was apprehensive about returning, but there wasn’t really much choice — you just had to “get back in the saddle”,’ says John. ‘In the end, though, this appointment proved to be cathartic, at least for me. I was present at the opening of the military cemetery at Blue Beach, San Carlos, and I also had the opportunity to meet some of the bereaved families who had come out onboard the Cunard Countess. Of course, many who served and returned were not as fortunate as me and continue to suffer what we now know as PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder].’

A

In any event, John was content to continue his career with the RFA, and he found that the organisation offered good opportunities for training, promotion and career development. With the purser branch evolving and expanding into supply and logistics, further appointments included the Olmeda, Resource, Diligence, Olwen, Argus, Sir Tristram, the new Sir Galahad, Fort Austin, Fort George, Fort Victoria and Fort Rosalie. He also enjoyed a number of shore appointments between sea tours, and eventually found himself working permanently ashore.

Under the RFA’s rank system, employees in most specialisations of the organisation can rise to the rank of captain, and when John was promoted to this level in 2005, he moved to a senior role in the Logistics Capability Division at Fleet Headquarters in Portsmouth, managing logistics compliance across the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and the RFA. In 2010, he reached the pinnacle of his career, assuming the role of RFA Human Resources Direc-

John Hood...

RFA Tidespring 1975

19_hood_SR edit.indd Sec1:19

tor. He describes this as his most challenging yet rewarding appointment: challenging because he was responsible for implementing the outcomes of the Strategic Defence & Security Review, the RFA Value for Money Study and the RFA Future Development Programme; and rewarding because he had always enjoyed people-based work, and the job offered plenty of variety. His areas of responsibility included manpower planning, recruitment and selection policy, training, promotions, casework and discipline — and he probably became known to everyone in the organisation.

And now? Well, this month John will say farewell to the RFA, happy to retire at 60 and move back permanently to his wife Freda and family in Scotland (for the last 13 years, he’s been working in Portsmouth during the week and returning home at weekends). But he’s not going to be idle in retirement. ‘I want to give something back to the maritime community that’s given me such a good life,’ he says, ‘so I’ve signed up for some work in the maritime charity sector. I’m going to be the Scotland representative for Seafarers UK, my local parish contact for the Apostleship of the Sea, and a ship visitor for Nautilus.’

He’s proud of the fulfilling career he was able to build from his start as an assistant purser, and he would encourage others to look beyond the traditional maritime career paths, as there are equally rewarding experiences to be had in other roles. ‘I never see people in terms of rank or specialisation, but as part of a team, based on shared values and outcomes,’ he stresses.

People in the industry can be too fixated on the ‘good old days’ when telling young people about seafaring careers, he adds. ‘I tell new recruits that those days finished yesterday — just as I was told when I first went to sea. It’s what you make of your own career that counts, and you can create your own good old days.’

...a career in pictures

RFA Fort Grange 1982

RFA Regent 1983

Crossing the line, RFA Resource 1984

Stewards’ passing out ceremony, HMS Raleigh

19/08/2015 16:14

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

SEAFARERS’ RIGHTS

Cruiseship passengers often don’t give much thought to the working conditions of the crews who make their holidays possible. But JANET TEAL DANIEL tells how she started asking questions on a recent trip…

I

I come from a family of dockers and, further back, lightermen working on the Thames. I knew nothing about cruising when we first saw the Saga advert offering what seemed like really good value for a cruise to the Baltic states — places we’d always wanted to visit. Our regular holidays are in an old caravan in west Wales, so we were greatly looking forward to the adventure.

Walking into the Britannia lounge on our first day on the Saga Sapphire was like walking into a large nursing home. Although we knew that Saga focused on serving the needs of those aged 50-plus, we hadn’t anticipated that the average age would be around 76, with many people much older and some having fought in the Second World War. As we sailed up the Kiel Canal in northern Germany on the anniversary of VE Day, the veranda decked in red, white and blue, the band playing the tunes of Glenn Miller and the songs of Gracie Fields,

The Saga Sapphire: a ‘sweatship’ for some of its crew members?

we wondered what the Germans watching from their gardens were making of us.

What we also hadn’t anticipated was the conflict we would feel between enjoying the luxury of first class service and being served by a crew completely sourced from the developing world; officers on the whole being white European.

We felt we had stepped back into colonial times and we gradually began to realise why and how we were able to have such a ‘really good value’ holiday.

Saga is a British company, part of Acromas Holi-

Have you booked your STCW or off-site training course yet?

days Ltd, with over 21,000 passengers a year. The group owns two ships, Saga Pearl II and Saga Sapphire. According to its financial statement submitted to Companies House, profits after taxation for the year ending 31 January 2014 were £4,668,000.

No dividends were paid and profits were taken into the reserves. In 2013 there was a loss of £29,935,000.

The ships are small by comparison with other cruise lines. Saga Pearl II is 18,627gt and carries no more than 449 passengers. Saga Sapphire is 37,049gt and carries no more than 720 passengers, with an average passenger to staff ratio of two to one. Like many cruise lines, Saga uses an agent to recruit overseas staff and its agent is based in Manila. Apart from one Indonesian waiter, the rest of the serving staff are Filipino.

On the second night we were invited to the captain’s table as we were virgin cruisers, and I took the opportunity to ask one of the officers about Saga’s employment policy. He told me that British and European people do not want to serve at tables and are not good at it. Filipinos are very good with older people, they have happy dispositions and enjoy serving, he told me. We were enjoying a five star meal with wonderful wines courtesy of Saga and so it didn’t seem the right time to ask the officer about wages, employment rights and benefits. At the other end of the table I overheard a conversation as to whether it would be cheaper and more enjoyable in later life to book in for back-to-back world cruises rather than pay the costs of a nursing home.

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20_saga.indd Sec2:20

In doing research for this article I have found it difficult to find up-to-date information about the working conditions of seafarers working on cruiseships. But I did discover that in 2002, War on Want and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) ran a campaign about the conditions that workers faced in the sector, called Sweatships.

The Sweatships report describes how some cruise liners have become ‘a floating hell’ for thousands of workers. Below deck, hundreds of workers from eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America staff enginerooms, laundries, kitchens and restaurants.

Wages can be as low as US$45 per month for waiters and waitresses, and contracts are short and insecure.

An ITF survey of 400 cruiseship employees showed that 95% are working seven days a week with time off restricted to turnaround in port. Over a third surveyed worked up to 12 hours a day, while just under a third worked up to 14 hours. Holidays are not included during the contract period. Instead, workers return home and wait for two or three months for the next contract.

In a response to my email about today’s working conditions for seafarers, Fabrizio Barcellona of the ITF seafarers’ section wrote: ‘The ITF has worked, and still doing it today, to improve generally the condition of any seafarer working on a cruiseship. I can confirm that since 2001 the situation has improved.

However, we are vigilant…’

During our holiday I spoke informally to a number of service staff about what it was like working for Saga. They weren’t complaining to me and wouldn’t

have offered this information if I hadn’t asked.

They were highly professional at all times. Some had worked on other cruiseships and said that Saga was better than many larger companies. However, the hours were long with no days off, the work was physically demanding and their contracts were nine or 10 months without holiday pay or pension rights.

One employee told me that the agent took 50 cents of every dollar he earned.

The worst part for most was the long separation from family. Those with children said that they were working to give their kids a better life and education.

Communication via new technology helps bridge the distance, but Saga charges staff £6 an hour for using wi-fi. When we arrived in ports there was a procession of Filipino staff heading towards the places where wi-fi was free so they could Skype and speak to their families.

In a response to my email about Saga’s employment policy for overseas staff, the company said: ‘Treating people properly is a core Saga value.’ What this means for the terms, conditions and benefits for workers was not stated. Saga has a policy of tipping and gratuities being included in the cost of your holiday. It’s not clear in its publicity how this works and what the ratios are divided between staff.

On a more positive note, staff praised Saga for its support during Typhoon Haiyan in October 2014.

Saga’s customers donated £75,000 and its charitable trust matched this amount, sending representatives to assist in finding families and giving aid to those affected. The charitable trust supports sustainable projects in countries which host Saga holidays. There is also a scholarship scheme available through the Homer Foundation.

In the Sweatships report all those years ago, it suggests what you can do if you are a prospective customer going on a cruise. This includes: ‘Ask questions when you book your holiday, and write to the cruise line you are using to challenge them about their support for the cruiseship workers’ rights.’

Given the difficulty I have had in finding the right person in Saga to answer my questions, I would suggest that what is needed is an employment (and environmental) charter available to prospective passengers through the company’s website that states the company’s policy and practice in ‘treating people properly’ and supporting workers’ rights.

Saga could lead the way. I’ve tried the P&O, Disney, Holland America Line, Star Cruises, and Royal Caribbean websites and cannot find an accessible way to find the information that would inform any future decision about who I might cruise with. That’s if I ever cruise again. We had a wonderful holiday, in most part due to the excellent service of the Filipino staff. However, I would need to know that my pleasure is not at their cost and possible exploitation. g Janet Teal Daniel is a practising senior accredited

member of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy. She is also a writer. Her memoir of a year spent working in the Shetland Isles — Soothmoother’s Saga — is soon to be published on kindle and available through Amazon. You can read her blog at www.janetdaniel-writer.blogspot.com

19/08/2015 16:15

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Asia sets an example Could Singapore offer a lesson to countries like the UK and the Netherlands as they seek to protect their maritime clusters? Nautilus took part in an event last month where the city-state announced new measures to boost seafarer training as part of its vision to enhance its ranking as the world’s ‘number one maritime city’…

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Singapore is stepping up its ambitious plans to cement its place as a global maritime centre with the announcement last month of a new package of aid to boost national seafarer training.

Government ministers have committed S$65m (€43m) for the Maritime Cluster Fund for Manpower Development Programme, with a further S$22m (€14.6m) being given by the Workforce Development Agency over a five-year period.

The support has been welcomed by the Singapore Maritime Officers Union (SMOU) which is collaborating with industry and government partners to run special training initiatives to create a new generation of skilled seafarers — and in particular to combat an ‘acute’ shortage of engineer officers.

‘The maritime industry contributes an astounding 7% of Singapore’s GDP and our aim is to continue to bring about greater awareness of well-paying career opportunities to young Singaporeans,’ said SMOU general secretary Mary Liew.

The support measures were revealed at the eighth Maritime Manpower Singapore (MMS) conference, organised by SMOU and the Wavelink Maritime Institute last month.

Singapore is ranked as the world’s number one maritime city, with some 5,000 ‘cluster’ organisations employing more than 170,000 people. The number of international shipping groups in Singapore has grown from just 23 in 2000 to over 130 today.

The Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS) now has more than 4,600 ships totalling some 84m gt on its books, putting it among the top five largest registries in the world, and Singapore’s port is one of the world’s busiest, handling almost

34m TEU alone last year and with plans for a new mega-port with a total capacity of 65m TEU. However, only 1,605 of the more than 20,000 officers serving on Singaporeflagged ships are Singaporeans. SMOU says this figure can be significantly increased with measures to make the maritime career more attractive and to improve safety in the sector.

Singapore’s 5,000 maritime organisations employ more than 170,000 people

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Andrew Tan, chief executive of the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) told the conference that the increased sophistication of ships and their complex operating systems is fuelling a growing need for well trained personnel. ‘Building a quality maritime workforce and a strong maritime identity is now embedded as part of MPA’s Future-Ready framework, which guides us in ensuring that Maritime Singapore continues to stay ahead of the game,’ he added.

Mr Tan said MPA is rolling out further initiatives to support the tripartite maritime taskforces for seafaring and shorebased sectors, with new publicity and outreach programmes to raise awareness of the job opportunities in the maritime sector.

SMOU general secretary Mary Liew meeting young recruits

He said these initiatives aim to address a number of challenges that stand in the way of Singaporeans joining the maritime industry — including ‘the perception of poor living conditions and being “disconnected” from the world, as well as lack of awareness of remuneration and progression opportunities’.

Mr Tan said the taskforces will look at ways to deliver more structured on-thejob training, develop multiple progression pathways, and to help local seafarers make the transition from seagoing to shore-based jobs.

The seafaring taskforce will also look at ways to cut the dropout rate for cadets in their training periods, while the shore-based taskforce will focus on ‘critical’ jobs in the sector, such as ship owning and operating, broking, port operations and technical services.

The new initiatives build on the success of the Tripartite Nautical Training Award (TNTA) scheme, launched by SMOU in 2009 in a joint effort with the National TUC, the Employment &

Employability Institute and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency.

The initiative began with initial funding of S$2.4m (€1.6m) to train 60 cadets, with a further S$4.2m set aside in 2012 to train a further 80 and an additional S$22m of aid being made available over the next five years.

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Under the TNTA programme, trainees undergo six months of pre-sea training before sailing as cadets for 18 months, and then returning for an additional seven months of training at the Singapore Maritime Academy before sitting their CoC 3 examinations.

The WDA covers 80% of their course fees, with a further 10% from SMOU — leaving the cadet to pay just 10%.

The support packages include a ‘cadet allowance reimbursement’ programme that aims to help 180 Singaporeans to gain their first certificates of competence. It also includes an enhanced Tripartite Maritime Scholarship award, which is supporting 20 students this

year and is backed by companies including NYK Shipmanagement, APL, PIL and PACC Ship Managers.

Further support is available through the Maritime Cluster Fund for Manpower Development programme to help seafarers taking STCW short courses by covering part of their course fees.

Mr Tan told the conference that these programmes are essential to bolster Singapore as a global maritime centre and to ensure that the pool of maritime expertise within the island state keeps pace with the rapid transformation of the industry.

‘Such transformations, in both shipping and port sectors, will continue to change the operating environment for the maritime sector,’ he concluded.

‘What this means is that the skills and competencies of those working in the maritime sector will have to keep up with these changes. In turn, the education and training landscape has to evolve with these developments to stay relevant.’

‘Recruitment boost needed in Europe’ and experienced seafarers is K essential if countries like the UK and A strong supply of skilled

the Netherlands are to maintain their maritime clusters, Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson told the Maritime Manpower Singapore conference.

With so much of the world’s trade being moved by sea, there are sound economic reasons for the use of state aid measures to support national merchant fleets and seafarer training, he told delegates at the meeting.

‘In times of economic difficulty, when EU maritime nations need to trade their way back to prosperity, it is vital that governments play their part by adopting fiscal regimes that allow high-cost fleets in Europe to compete on an equal basis with their

21_singapore_SR edit.indd 21

competitors around the globe,’ Mr Dickinson added.

There is clear evidence to show how a strong maritime cluster adds to the wealth and prosperity of nations, he pointed out. As a consequence, the EU state aid guidelines have been developed to promote the use of European ship registers and the employment of EU seafarers and no fewer than 18 EU member states have adopted tonnage tax schemes to help ‘level the playing field’ between European and global shipowners.

Mr Dickinson said the shipping policy introduced in the Netherlands in 1996 — and since copied by a number of other countries — recognised the key role of the maritime cluster for the national economy.

In both the UK and the

Netherlands, tonnage tax regimes are not linked to registration requirements and substantial flexibility is provided over manning — providing ‘a very attractive fiscal package for shipowners’.

However, Mr Dickinson warned, in both countries national seafarer recruitment remains ‘modest’ and below the levels needed to meet projected future demand.

‘Recruiting and training sufficient numbers represents a significant, ongoing challenge that the maritime unions have sought to address,’ he added. ‘There is also the issue of employment. Without commitment from shipowners to train and employ sufficient numbers to replenish the seagoing workforce there will not be a maritime cluster. This is a significant

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson speaking at the Singapore conference

consequence when the clusters provide a combined total of 450,000 jobs and add £45bn per annum to the UK and Dutch economies.’

Despite the uncertainty, Mr Dickinson said there are grounds

for optimism that the UK and the Netherlands will continue to be attractive places for shipping investment. ‘Nautilus remains committed to working with shipowners in partnership on the

basis of mutually beneficial outcome,’ he added. ‘In real terms that means a commitment to training and employing British and Dutch seafarers so as to contribute to the maintenance of our respective maritime clusters.’

19/08/2015 16:15

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

MARITIME STRATEGY

Train, to sustain S

Nautilus warnings that shortages of skilled and experienced British seafarers could undermine the long-term sustainability of the country’s maritime cluster have been backed by an official report.

The Union has welcomed the results of independent economic research commissioned by the Department for Transport as part of the government’s Maritime Growth Study which concludes that the lack of qualified seafarers is a ‘key issue threatening the competitiveness of British shipping, as well as British maritime education and business services’.

The 100-page report also identifies the way in which future growth in global demand for seafarers could ‘present a significant opportunity for both UK seafarers and the training institutions that accredit them’.

Produced by the economics consultancy Oxera, the study suggests the maritime sector is worth between £7.6bn and £13.8bn to the UK economy each year. It says the UK is a global leader in such areas as maritime legal services, maritime finance, maritime insurance and maritime training.

The report assesses the factors which influence the international competitiveness of such services — including the regulatory, tax and maritime policy regimes applied in different countries — and the opportunities and challenges these sectors are facing in the short, medium and long term.

Researchers examined the relative strengths and weaknesses of the UK’s key maritime services and the report notes the ‘high geographic mobility’ in the sector and the intense levels of international competition.

The study suggests that the size of the national-flagged fleet appears to have little bearing on the strength of a country’s maritime cluster. Although ship ownership is fairly concentrated among a small number of countries — with Japan, China, Germany, Singapore and South Korea accounting for 50% of global deadweight tonnage — nine of the 10 largest shipowning countries all have less than half their tonnage on the domestic register.

According to the report, London is one of seven cities around the world with 100 or more high-value maritime services business — such as P&I, broking, law and consultancies — with the others being Singapore, Hong Kong, Rotterdam, Piraeus, Hamburg and New York.

The study warns of signs that the UK may be losing its lead in ship financing — with loans from the UK to shipping companies down from 16% of the global total in 2006 to 9% in 2012.

However, it adds, the UK’s market share of marine insurance has risen in recent times and it accounts for 61% of international P&I clubs.

The UK also leads the world in maritime education, the report states. There are 99 maritime training providers in the UK — with the US having the second highest number, a total of 54.

Oxera noted that the industry views tonnage tax as ‘a key driver of international competitiveness’ — but the report points out that the decline of the UK fleet has resumed in recent years as other countries have adopted similar schemes, and concludes that ‘there seems to be little room for improving the UK’s competitiveness through tonnage tax’.

The study also highlights the ‘crucial’ importance of a skilled labour force for the development and success of a maritime cluster. ‘Various functions in maritime business services require experienced ex-seafarers in an advisory role, including loss adjusters in insurance companies, or arbitrators and expert witnesses in maritime law,’ it adds. ‘These advisers help to maintain the critical mass that is necessary for the maritime cluster to continue its momentum.’

Ensuring the supply of UK-based seafarers to fill such posts is a challenge for the sector, Oxera warns. The report also describes some of the problems affecting supply — including the ‘tension’ between the industry providing training berths, funding for the berths and ensuring that sufficient cadets come forward to fill the berths.

It also warns that ‘poaching’ by competitor companies makes it difficult for those who do train to recoup their investment in new staff.

The report says the UK’s Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme covers around 50% of the costs of training a cadet, and it notes that virtually all competitor maritime nations offer some form of seafarer training support, including:

22-23_spread.indd 22

Research commissioned by the British government has identified encouraging possibilit the country’s maritime sector — but there is a major threat on the horizon. Unless the U training more seafarers, it will lose the expertise needed to fill many shore-based positio

Location of maritime business service providers, 20

Source: Oxera analysis of World Shipping Register data

z Singapore: government funds the full cost of the training course fees and provides additional allowances for cadets z Hong Kong: government subsidises the cost of developing training facilities and provides cadets with a grant of HK$5,000 (€587) z Taiwan: government has given funding for ships used exclusively for training and attending maritime schools is free of charge z Denmark: subsidies cover 50% of the cost of training, wages, board and travel of staff on training programmes The report says the ‘very expensive process’ of training seafarers could be reduced by greater use of simulators and ‘school ships’ to reduce the length of cadetships.

But it also argues that ‘the support offered by the UK government for training makes a maritime career an attractive financial proposition in the context of rising university tuition fees outside the sector’.

It says the maritime sector also pays well, relative to roles with similar skill requirements. ‘The average salary for a master mariner was £54,000–£60,000 in 2011 (although this would vary significantly with vessel size). This compares with median annual pay of around £42,000–£46,000 for those with engineering or medicine degrees and around £21,000–£36,000 for other degrees.’

However, the report cautions, ‘wages for junior seafarers are driven down by international competition’ and by foreign seafarers who are willing to work at rates just above international minimum levels.

It also notes complaints from shore-based companies about the difficulties in obtaining work visas for foreign former seafarers to work in the UK. Oxera points to evidence that, if global training rates

do not improve, there could be an international shortfall of some 80,000 seafarers by 2020. These figures suggest that ‘future growth in demand for seafarers could present a significant opportunity both for UK seafarers and the training institutions that accredit them in the medium and long term,’ the report adds.

‘If this supply shortfall is not met, it could present significant challenges in the shipping sector and maritime business services, both of which rely on seafarers or ex-seafarers for labour.’

S

Based on the analysis in the study, Oxera suggests the government should examine the following proposals to improve or maintain the competitiveness of the UK maritime sector: z respond to the ‘aggressive’ use of taxation by competitors through measures targeted at supporting the shipping sector as a whole, such as tonnage tax and personal taxes for maritime employees. ‘This is preferred to actively using fiscal measures to attract ship owners, which could trigger a “race to the bottom”,’ the report adds. z ensure that the compliance costs of taxation and regulation affecting the maritime sector are minimised in new and existing legislation. ‘This is particularly important for mobile activity such as ship ownership and maritime business services.’ z consider whether immigration laws for skilled seafarers could be relaxed in a targeted way to facilitate maritime activity by adding to the labour force z promote the maritime sector more actively to the public to improve its appeal as a career option and thereby expand labour supply in all parts of the sector in the long term z ensure that the planning system allows ports to adapt

to changes in shipping fleets and exert care of the regulatory environment for port import requirements Nautilus general secretary Mark commented: ‘I welcome the study recommendations are broadly supported. reinforces what we have argued for a long ti significant opportunities out there if the gives the industry the measures that it need ‘However, any relaxation of the immigra bring in foreign nationals to cover for dom shortages will not help at all,’ he warned. ‘ action could undermine the other state UK ship operators already have access to without any restriction and CECs are han confetti, which is bad enough.

‘We need incentives for shipowners to and employ British seafarers for the fu the opening up of cheaper alternative labour,’ he added. ‘This can be done by en competitiveness of the tonnage tax an SMarT to European norms (100% of costs) guarantees on employment for British se UK-based but ordinarily resident).

‘The return on that investment in phenomenal, as several studies have sho government should show some ambit expansion of UK seafaring,’ Mr Dickinson s He welcomed the report’s acknowle the importance of personal taxation ince important for the government to give prope of the fact that we need to maintain Seafar Deduction for the strategic needs of the na this concession should be for all seafarers, n who work outside the country for 183 days.’

19/08/2015 16:56

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

MARITIME STRATEGY

With the flag losing ships each month, the status quo is not an option

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welcome to a report which L recommends radical changes in the way Nautilus has given a guarded

n bilities for e UK starts tions…

2015

in which the UK Ship Register (UKSR) is operated in a bid to reverse a recent decline in British-flagged tonnage.

The study was commissioned by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) in an attempt to identify measures that will arrest a downturn which has seen a 36% decline in the number of UK-registered ships since 2009, and to cement the UK’s status as ‘the flag of choice for quality owners’.

It proposes the creation of a new public corporation to run the UKSR, and recommends that a target should be set for the flag to have 2% of world tonnage on its books by the end of this decade.

The advisory panel report also recommends a review of the regulations governing UK ship registration ‘with a view to increasing the number of ships in the world fleet that the UK could attract, without reducing standards’.

The study warns that the status quo is not an option — with the government’s marketing freeze and a lack of new policy initiatives to match competing flag states meaning that the UKSR is decreasing on a monthly basis. Two operators alone — Zodiac and Rio Tinto — transferred a total of 83 ships totalling some 4.4m gt out of the register, and there was a net loss of 47 ships from the fleet in the past calendar year.

Warning that the ‘competitive nature of the global market makes it more difficult to sustain business growth without making significant changes to the way we operate’, the report points out that the UK flag’s share of the world market has slumped from almost 2% in 2009 to 1.2% now.

Such decline is significant, it cautions, as a strong flag not only brings direct financial benefits to the UK but also strengthens the maritime cluster — which employs almost 220,000 people and earns almost £10bn for the country.

It suggests the UKSR has the capability to compete on quality and cost with other flags, but is failing on service levels — with a number of ‘significant barriers’ that need to be overcome.

The study notes that the UK flag is seen as a quality register, even though it is ‘considerably less restrictive for shipowners than numerous other national or “first” registers’ — with ‘minimal’ restrictions on crew nationality and few UK employment rights applying to non-UK residents serving on UK ships.

‘However,’ it adds, ‘some restrictions, particularly on ownership, do remain and it is possible that a more open register could enable additional markets to be exploited.’

It argues that there are particular

t careful oversight port services and Mark Dickinson study, and its rted. The research ng time: there are f the government t needs. migration rules to domestic seafarer ned. ‘Indeed, such stated objectives. ss to EU seafarers e handed out like rs to recruit, train he future — not ative supplies of by enhancing the x and increasing osts) in return for sh seafarers (not t in training is e shown, and the mbition for the son stressed. nowledgement of n incentives. ‘It is roper recognition eafarers’ Earnings he nation and that ers, not just those days.’

22-23_spread.indd 23

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propped up by our own administration, and to lower standards than our own,’ he added.

‘The report also identifies some of the key factors underlying the recent loss of tonnage from the UKSR, and these can be attributed to management shortcomings, under-staffing and under-resourcing at the MCA,’ Mr Dickinson said. ‘We welcome the recognition of the need to address the employment conditions of maritime professionals employed by the MCA.’

The CMA CGM Marseille, a new signing to the UK Ship Register

Report urges MCA and UKSR to split problems with the way in which the flag is administered by the MCA — including ‘gold plating’ of international rules, a ‘civil service mentality’ and poor pay and conditions which deter highly skilled professionals from joining the Agency.

‘The UK flag is the only mainstream flag that does not take business constraints into consideration when making decisions,’ it states. ‘Owners are committed to the highest standards of safety and want to be held to account. However, other flags work far better with owners to find solutions.

This lack of flexibility can add considerable direct and indirect costs to owners.’

The report says the government has the opportunity to put the UKSR on a more sustainable and profitable longterm footing — suggesting that it may be under-charging owners for some services compared with other registers and that it

has the potential to achieve a 2% share of the world fleet by 2020.

It says the UKSR should be distinct from the MCA and should adopt a ‘more commercial culture with a strong visible leadership, making an impact on a global scale and with terms and conditions and a performance culture geared around quality, customer service and achieving growth’.

It recommends a review of ownership registration criteria ‘with a view to widening the UK’s potential market without reducing the quality of the officer’ and calls for the government to take prompt action to examine the business case for a different way of running the UKSR — pointing to different ‘models’ such as the UK Hydrographic Office and Ordnance Survey.

Nautilus general secretary Mark

Dickinson commented: ‘The report makes some welcome recommendations, endorsing arguments that we have made about the need to end the “poacher and gamekeeper” nature of the MCA by separating out the responsibilities for growing the register and enforcing standards. If the right model is adopted, it should prevent potentially-damaging conflicts of interest on safety issues, and we stand ready to provide input into a future independent investigation into a suitable business model.

‘However, the report also suggests that the UK joins the race to attract foreign owners to the UK flag by relaxing registration requirements — a dangerous game that could tarnish the UK’s reputation whilst ignoring the fact that two-thirds of UK-owned tonnage prefers foreign flags that are rather ironically being

L

UK Chamber of Shipping chief executive Guy Platten commented: ‘The UK is entirely reliant on the shipping industry, but the UK flag will die unless substantial reforms are delivered.

‘The UK is a world leader in maritime services, and it has the skill and ingenuity to maintain its position for generations to come — but the days of tinkering with the administrative process are gone,’ he added. ‘In a fiercely competitive global environment, we now need fundamental change to reverse the decline before it is too late.’

Mr Platten said shipping companies make a major economic contribution to the UK. ‘They can choose to do business anywhere in the world and they have the right to strong customer service and a regulator that actively supports them,’ he added. ‘Numerous shipowners around the world have told me that they will join the UK flag if reforms are delivered. It shows there is demand and goodwill, and with the right political will we can make the most of the opportunity.’

Port of London Authority chief executive Robin Mortimer chaired the advisory panel and said the case for ‘decisive action’ by the government is clear. ‘But without a sense of urgency we fear continuing decline,’ he added. ‘Industry stands ready to work with the Department for Transport to make change happen as soon as possible.’

New chiefsought for UK register as Mazumdar moves to St Kitts & Nevis I

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency is looking for a new person to lead the work to grow the UK Ship Register (UKSR) after its head, former chief engineer officer Debasis Mazumdar, left to become the CEO of the St Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry (SKANReg) last month.

Mr Mazumdar has been tasked with the role of developing the Caribbean flag state’s registry, which was launched in 2004 and has the ambitious aim of becoming one of the world’s top 20 registries within the next decade and to get onto the port state control ‘white list’ within three years.

Mr Mazumdar served at sea for 11 years before working as a senior surveyor with the American Bureau of Shipping. He joined the MCA in 2004 and spent five years as a field surveyor and then worked as a port state control officer, customer service manager and head of ISM/ISO certification until his promotion to UKSR head in June 2011.

‘I am thankful to the MCA for a remarkable journey with diverse responsibilities that added to my experience,’ he said. ‘At UKSR I gained valuable commercial experience, notably during our landmark worldwide marketing campaign, which has given me the taste for an exciting new challenge.

The opportunity to build on the proactive foundations of SKANReg was too good to resist.’

Growing at an average of 120 new registrations per year, the current SKANReg fleet of 688 vessels totals 2.8m gt and Mr Mazumdar has identified the LNG and LPG sector as a prime growth area.

He succeeds another former engineer officer, Nigel Smith, as SKANReg CEO. Meanwhile, the MCA said it is looking for someone with ‘sufficient commercial experience’ to serve as UKSR director and ‘to work closely with customers and the wider industry in growing the size of the register and refreshing the way it is administered’.

Debasis Mazumdar, until recently the head of the UK Ship Register

19/08/2015 16:56

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

SEAFARER HEALTH

Getting you ship-shape to return to sea Nautilus has welcomed the expansion this month of a special scheme to provide free and fast-track physiotherapy services to UK officers and ratings suffering strains, sprains and other injuries…

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It’s no secret that working at sea is significantly more dangerous than working ashore, and seafarers suffer a high rate of sprains, strains and other injuries as a result of their jobs.

Now, following the success of pilot projects to provide physiotherapy to British ratings and fishing vessel crews, UK Merchant Navy officers have become eligible for a scheme to provide free and rapid access to nationwide physiotherapy services (see leaflet with this issue).

Physiotherapy is a form of treatment that helps to restore movement and function to people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.

The service — funded by the Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS) — aims to help merchant seafarers and fishers get fast-track access to treatment, helping them to recover quickly and to be able to return to work as soon as possible ‘Musculoskeletal problems are common in the Merchant Navy and, if left untreated, can lead to long-term damage and absence from work,’ explains SHS general secretary Peter Coulson.

‘We recognise that it can be difficult to arrange treatment while working at sea, and our service tackles this problem head-on,

by providing expert telephone advice offshore with an appointment for treatment as soon as you get home.’

The scheme began in a small way, with the original pilot project offering physiotherapy to fishermen in Newlyn starting in 2008. Positive feedback from this developed into a feasibility study by a consultant, resulting in the launch of several further pilots during 2011.

The SHS service can help with long-term conditions as well as acute

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problems

These included services for fishing crews in Brixham, Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, and Peterhead, Scotland, and a trial national scheme for Merchant Navy ratings — which has now been extended to cover officers.

STCW Training Courses Proficiency in Fire Prevention and Firefighting £450.00 Proficiency in Advanced Fire Prevention and Firefighting £550.00 Updated Proficiency in Fire Prevention and Firefighting £195.00 Updated Proficiency in Advanced Firefighting (Route 1 & 2) £175.00 To discuss training dates for individual or group bookings contact:

T: 0151 296 5000/5043 W: www.merseyfiretraining.co.uk E: suzannewaite@merseyfire.gov.uk Course prices are subject to VAT

24_physio.indd Sec2:24

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‘We launched the scheme as a pilot just over four years ago, limiting it to ratings. Since then we’ve funded treatment for over 160 ratings and helped them get back to work,’ Mr Coulson explained.

‘But it’s not only ratings who suffer injuries at sea — officers are also exposed to the hazards of seafaring,’ he pointed out. ‘We believe that the time is now right to extend the scheme. So, from the beginning of September, we will be making it available to officers as well as ratings.’

Since it started, over 160 ratings have used the service — most of them deckhands, with cooks and engineroom crew the next largest groups. Back and shoulder problems were the most common ailments, affecting two-thirds of ratings, with foot, knee and ankle problems affecting about one-fifth.

Over 60% needed face-to-face treatment, which was arranged close to their homes, while 40% needed only telephone advice from a physiotherapist and a programme of exercises. Many of them were off work by then, but the treatment made a significant difference and, so far, 90% of those who have been discharged are back on full duties.

The MN scheme is operated by a private provider, Connect Physiotherapy, one of the largest independent providers of physi-

Picture: Thinkstock

otherapy services in the UK. It has more than 100 of its own physiotherapists and over 400 partners based in clinics around the country, treating 100,000 patients every year.

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The SHS-funded service is provided free of charge to MN seafarers.

It involves an initial telephone consultation, followed by a combination of advice and exercise programmes for those at work, and hands-on treatment if they need it once they get home – all with the remit of guiding callers to ensure that appropriate cases receive prompt physiotherapy treatment.

SHS health development manager Georgina Robinson commented: ‘This service is a lifeline for seafarers, helping them get access to physi-

otherapy when they need it. The NHS provides rapid access selfreferral services in some areas, but these NHS schemes are still relatively new and are not universally available.

‘Our service is designed to complement the NHS, by targeting those with long-term conditions as well as those with acute problems, particularly in areas where rapid access self referral is not available. And with our scheme seafarers get a service that’s fast, flexible, supportive and responsive to their needs.’

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson added: ‘The Seafarers Hospital Society is to be congratulated for this initiative. Following representation

by Nautilus on behalf of members, the extension of this service to officers is a very welcome development.’

g To access the SHS-funded ser-

vice, call Connect PhysioLine on +44 (0)191 247 5000 and make an appointment to speak to a physiotherapist for advice and support.

If the PhysioLine team think you need hands-on treatment, they will arrange for you to see someone locally, at no cost to you. Lines are open Monday to Thursday 08.30hrs–20.00hrs; Friday 08.30hrs–16.00hrs; Saturday 09.00hrs–12.00hrs (all UK time). g For supplies of leaflets and posters to display in your workplace, email Georgina Robinson at georginarobinson@seahospital. org.uk or call the SHS on +44 (0)20 8858 3696 . g Further information is on the

website: www.seahospital.org.uk

What the service users said elbow. I was referred to physio by my employer, F through the Seafarers Hospital Society and Connect

‘Due to the nature of my job I suffered from tennis

Physiotherapy. I filled in a few quick forms and the next thing, before I knew it, I received a physiotherapy appointment. The service improved my condition and the physiotherapist gave me a few simple exercises to help me manage my condition and to remain at work.

I would recommend this service without a doubt.’ — Charles Cooney, deckhand

for physiotherapy. The next available appointment they had was 24 January (four weeks later). I was then referred to physio by my employer, through the Seafarers Hospital Society, delivered via Connect Physiotherapy.

I received treatment and returned back to work on 21 January. I would certainly recommend this service: I received outstanding physiotherapy treatment and now have 98% use of my arm.’ — Robert Weir, able seaman referred to physio by my employer, through the F Seafarers Hospital Society. I received fast treatment ‘I was suffering from lower back pain and I was

F

‘I am 58 years of age and was in an accident.

I suffered a dislocated shoulder and broken arm.

I work on a supply vessel and tripped over a gangway net, putting my arm out to stop myself. This resulted in a severe dislocation of my right arm and a break to the top of the bone. After I had the break sorted, I still was in a lot of pain so I went through the National Health Service

arranged by Connect Physiotherapy, with a local physiotherapy provider, which helped me remain at work. The physio service was of great benefit and improved my condition. I would recommend the service to others.’ — Scott Gregg, communications

19/08/2015 16:17

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

SEAFARER HEALTH

Turning the tide on harassment at sea L

A survey of women seafarers has found that the campaigning work undertaken by Nautilus and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), is helping to cut the rate of bullying and sexual harassment of female seafarers.

The research undertaken by the ITF, the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA), International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) and the Seafarers’ Hospital Society (SHS), included a significant contribution from female Nautilus members; and showed that the proportion of women seafarers experiencing sexual harassment at sea has dropped to less than 20%.

The findings were part of a larger survey looking at the specific health concerns of women working at sea, and the results mirror those of their male counterparts — with back and joint pain, and stress being the most commonly reported health concerns.

The results highlighted concerns among female seafarers about seeking professional medical help — and especially around confidentiality and the availability of support.

The research also revealed that over 50% of female seafarers had no access to sanitary bins — a problem that was documented as a serious concern for women seafarers over 10 years ago by the International Labour Organisation.

This reflects the anecdotal evidence collected by the Nautilus Women’s Forum, which led to a call to the UK Women’s TUC to seek to ensure that feminine health and hygiene needs are properly reflected in the contents of a ship’s medical locker, and a motion to the Nautilus General Meeting next month.

The online survey attracted nearly 600 responses and over 100 of them were from UK female seafarers. Respondents were

asked to select the three main health challenges affecting them and nearly half said joint and back pain, closely followed by stress, depression or anxiety.

Worryingly, the survey found that stress and depression becomes a much bigger issue among female seafarers aged between 51 and 60 who have been at sea for a number of years.

In other results which reflect previous Nautilus surveys of both male and female seafarers, weight and obesity problems were also a concern, and once again respondents to this survey linked this directly to their working environment and the availability of healthy meal choices and exercise onboard.

It is well-established that experiencing bullying and harassment at work can have serious implications for workers’ health and wellbeing, so the survey asked respondents whether they had recently been subjected to any sexual harassment onboard.

The survey reported major developments in the levels of harassment reported by women, with just over 17% saying that sexual harassment remains an issue for them. This is down from the ‘extremely high levels’ reported in the Union’s first survey on the issue in 2000, and significantly lower than the 50% mark reported in the 2010 survey.

The researchers believe that some of the reasons for the reduction in reports of sexual harassment at sea may be as a consequence of more women progressing to higher ranks within the industry — making females at sea less of an unusual occurrence, and also because it is generally assumed that sexual harassment is more commonly a problem for those with less power in the workplace.

L

As well as an online survey, focus group sessions were conducted where groups of female seafarers

New research — conducted with support from Nautilus members — has identified key problems affecting the health and wellbeing of women seafarers. DEBBIE CAVALDORO reports on the findings and the recommendations for action…

Please select the top three health challenges you face Joint pain or back pain Overweight/ obesity Stress/depression/ anxiety

dispose of sanitary products.

Passing products to the almost undoubtedly male fourth engineer for disposal in the incinerator has been suggested by some masters, other suggestions have been to just dispose of products in plastic or paper waste bins.

‘This is also a concern as on many occasions during lifting operations where garbage is being landed ashore, the garbage has lost containment and spilled on to the deck. ’ Women who are not given instructions on where to dispose of sanitary items risk further humiliation if they mistakenly put products down the toilet and cause a blockage which is then dealt with by a male colleague.

L

Heavy/ painful periods Sexual/reproductive health Alcohol overuse Headache High blood pressure Quitting smoking I do not have any health…

Other (please specify)

% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Back pain continues to be a big health concern for sefarers Picture: ISWAN

gave more in-depth anecdotal evidence of their health concerns.

Asked to give more details about their experiences of bullying and sexual harassment, those in the 19 to 30 age group were most likely to be affected (with nearly a third reporting it) and just over 10% of those in the 30 to 40 age range.

Questions relating to the availability of feminine hygiene products and their disposal showed how the maritime industry is still a long way behind other sectors. More than 50% of

officers reported not having access to a sanitary bin and the differences between sectors was striking.

In the cruise sector nearly 85% of participants had access to a sanitary bin onboard, compared with 63% for those working on ferries, 38% on cargoships and just 27% on tankers.

In the comments section, one respondent said that sanitary disposal was the biggest issue she had faced whilst working at sea.

‘In no other job would a female employee be faced with such a ridiculous concern as to how to

The survey went on to ask about any barriers that women seafarers experience in accessing healthcare at sea or in port, and concerns about lack of confidentiality were the most significant problem reported.

In the focus groups women raised concerns about job security — in particular whether seafarers would be rehired if diagnosed with particular medical conditions. Almost all focus group participants said they would generally selfdiagnose and use over-thecounter medicines rather than approach a ship’s doctor or healthcare services when in port.

Respondents were also asked what would encourage them to access professional healthcare and again guaranteed confidentiality was the highest answer, closely followed by a better understanding of female health needs. This answer is reflected in the fact that most women reported having to visit a male ship’s doctor who might not always understand particular female healthcare concerns.

The focus group participants reported four simple factors which would help to relieve

issues of accessing healthcare: z being able to see a doctor whilst on duty z doctors of both genders z more job security — knowing that you will be rehired even if you are sent home z easier access to a shoreside specialist for a second opinion if the onboard doctor is not able to help In conclusion, the research stated that there are several areas where relatively simple and low-cost interventions could improve the health and welfare of women seafarers, including: z the production and relevant distribution of gender-specific information on back pain, mental health and nutrition, in addition to gynaecological complaints for women seafarers z the introduction of means of disposing of sanitary waste for all female crew on all ships z improved availability of female-specific items, such as sanitary products, in port shops and welfare centres worldwide The research calls on all maritime stakeholders to work together to develop and implement policies on medical confidentiality, sanitary waste and the provision of health information on the management of stress and other mental health issues.

ITF women transport workers coordinator Alison McGarry told the Telegraph that the survey provided concrete evidence of the health issues which women seafarers face while working at sea. ‘Most importantly, the implementation of the recommendations it provides should enable shipping companies and seafarers’ unions to improve women workers’ access to supportive occupational health,’ she added.

‘The ITF congratulates affiliates such as the women’s forum of Nautilus International, who worked with our sister organisations to gather the evidence.’

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19/08/2015 16:17

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

PHOTO COMPETITION Richard Turnbull

Entries are in and the jury is out!

Photo competition results will be announced next month...

Nigel Prosser

Adam Smith

A

The Nautilus International/Inmarsat Life at Sea photo competition closed last month and judges are now wading through the flood of entries to select the prize winners.

This year’s competition — the latest in a long series organised by the Union to coincide with its General Meetings — attracted a bumper crop of contenders, and the task of selecting the best images is not an easy one.

The selection of pictures on this page from some of the finalists illustrates the way in which the competition drew not only a huge quantity of

entries but also submissions of remarkable quality.

The competition aims to give seafarers the chance to show their often hidden working lives to the wider public — giving a taste of both the good and the bad aspects of life at sea. Nautilus will be staging a display of the best of the entries at the General Meeting in Liverpool in October and will also use them to highlight the world of seafaring in its work to promote the shipping industry and maritime careers.

A big thank you to all the entrants — and see the next Telegraph for details of the prize winners.

Inmarsat: competition sponsors be a prerequisite for attracting high calibre K candidates to a seafaring career. Staying in touch with Today, always-available connectivity can

family, friends and world events, and enjoying leisure time, are essential for the modern seafarer. A happy crew is also a productive crew.

Through its 99.9% global network coverage, Inmarsat Maritime is meeting rising expectations, via FleetBroadband, XpressLink, and now Inmarsat

Ryan Paez

Stephan Heidsieck Charlie Ramsden

Andrew Walder

Iyel Absulio Colin Ralston

Paul Meerbach

26_photocomp_sr edit.indd Sec2:26

Gateway. Using Ku-band, L-Band and now groundbreaking Ka-band connectivity, crew can call home and access broadband internet from anywhere at any time without compromising operational communications.

In addition, life at sea just got better, following the 2014 launch of Inmarsat Fleet Media — delivering blockbuster movies, sport and news direct to PCs and tablets at sea.

David Waddingham

Deniz Ethan

19/08/2015 16:57

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Unionists unite in the USA K

Working in the maritime industry can sometimes feel lonely — especially whilst working at sea. Nautilus International membership can provide a sense of being within a group of professionals in the sector — but did you know that there are 4.5m other transport workers making up one global family with us?

In July, I was privileged to be able to meet union members and officials from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) at their annual young workers’ summer school. Held at the residential facility of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers just outside Washington DC, 35 people from 27 different countries gathered to discuss how young workers could strengthen our unions’ strategies to organise and build activism.

Workers across the world are still experiencing the impact of the global economic downturn, and the ITF wanted the summer school attendees to develop an international trade union response to our changing world of work.

Each of the ITF’s five regions — Africa, Americas, Arab world, Asia-Pacific and ETF Europe — were represented, with seafarers’ unions from Poland, Norway, the USA, Uruguay, India and Zanzibar in attendance, as well as the Croatian Seafarers’ Union and Maritime Union of Australia.

We were also joined by workers from the aviation, docks and rail sectors. Working together across the transport sectors, we discussed problems faced in our workplaces, changes within our sectors and the responses of our unions.

Even though so many unions and countries were present, we agreed that many of our problems are common wherever we are in the world — issues such as precarious work (short-term contracts, bogus self-employment and redundancy) and unions being seen by employers as an inconvenience rather than valuable organisations representing workers.

It was interesting to see within the seafarers’ sector how matters such as seafaring skills were viewed slightly differently based on our regions — European and Australian unions spoke of a lack of skills in their respective areas and a lack of quality training

Nautilus senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan recently attended a young workers’ conference organised by the International Transport Workers’ Federation, to learn how unions working together across borders can have a real impact on the day-to-day lives of members…

“

Short-term contracts and bogus selfemployment are a problem for unions everywhere

K

Klaus Luhta, Danny McGowan, Diane Luensmann and James Caponiti on the roof of the Hall of the States in Washington DC

Mates & Pilots, just outside Baltimore, following his attendance at I the ITF summer school. The IOMMP recently joined the Nautilus Federation, Danny McGowan visited the International Organisation of Masters,

and its international president, Don Marcus, welcomed Danny to his union’s Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies.

The provision of training at this site and at the union’s Pacific Maritime Institute in Seattle is seen as an integral part of its commitment to develop

in other regions, for example.

These regions also had more pronounced opinions on flags of convenience than some of the representatives from other areas.

The ITF has a number of global

campaigns running as we speak.

One of those is the campaign for international workers’ rights in the German-owned logistics company, DHL. Whilst in some countries DHL may treat its staff

Danny McGowan making a presentation at the ITF young workers’ summer school

27_danny.indd 27

ad-hoc presentation on the progress Nautilus is making in the world of yachting, introducing it as an aspect of professional seafaring rarely thought of outside our Union.

It was encouraging to see that this led to a number of interesting discussions, showing that the yacht as a workplace had now entered the thoughts of other seafarers and trade union activists. As we at Nautilus continue to strengthen our work in this area, it is good to know that Union members on yachts can also benefit from being part of the ITF’s global family.

the skills of seafarers and the success of the industry. Chief of staff Klaus Luhta conducted a tour of the impressive facilities, including the industry-leading full-mission ship handling simulators.

Danny also visited the American Maritime Congress at the Hall of the States in Washington DC. President James Caponiti and maritime policy director Diane Luensmann spent some time discussing the work of Nautilus International and ways of working together in the future.

comparatively well, employees in less economically developed countries have their International Labour Organisation rights flouted.

In Turkey, DHL workers wanted decent wages, overtime and rest periods. Turkish union TŰMTIS encountered resistance from DHL when it sought a collective bargaining agreement within the company. The German union ver.di took action to assist Turkish colleagues, organising protests and even attending the shareholders’ AGM. As DHL Turkey dragged its heels and actively fought TŰMTIS — even dismissing some staff for union activity — German members escalated their action. It was inspiring to see that thanks to the power of international solidarity, TŰMTIS now has the right to represent DHL workers in Turkey.

I was also interested to discuss with the other attendees about how our own unions — regardless of whether we have mem-

bers working for DHL — could continue to influence the global logistics company’s treatment of its employees in other regions.

Other global campaign work included speaking about the treatment of Qatar Airways’ female employees — including sacking them for becoming pregnant — and the apparent failure to respond to a judgment that the airline has flouted international law on discrimination.

We also heard from Diana Robinson of the Food Chain Workers Alliance, who was keen to hear more about the Nautilus International Fair Transport campaign.

Her organisation campaigns for a sustainable food system, and for fair wages and employment rights for all food chain workers — from picking and packing to delivery and sales.

Throughout the week, individual delegates had the opportunity to present a topic of interest to the summer school. I took the opportunity to give a short,

”

Building on what we had learned over the week, the regional delegations were asked to consider young workers’ problems in our areas and turn them into goals. The European group considered the difficulty transport unions can have in reaching out to members.

We set a goal to form a ‘framework of mutual assistance’ for ITFaffiliated unions to provide a face -to-face contact point in areas where a member’s own union might not be present.

We also felt that a rising opposition to free movement of labour and migration contributes to a wider feeling of discrimination amongst LGBT and other minority groups.

This led us to discuss the human rights of the members of ITF-affiliated unions across the globe. We set a goal to ensure that human rights and anti-discrimination rules are incorporated into each affiliated union’s constitutions. Many unions in Europe will have already achieved this, but our thoughts were with unions in regions that experience higher levels of discrimination against minority groups.

As the summer school drew to a close and we reflected upon our experiences, it was clear that we had formed important partnerships that transcend our national boundaries. I felt encouraged to see that workers and their representatives in developing countries were building union representation as an integral part of employment. I was also pleased to see that closer international cooperation between unions is achieving valuable results.

Despite the challenges we face on an almost daily basis, I was reassured to know that our shared goals and passion for fairness, equality and justice for workers around the world will unite us as one global family for many years to come.

19/08/2015 16:18

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

MARITIME SKILLS

Norway-based training firm Seagull Maritime was founded by former seafarers, and has developed a special program to enable owners and operators to test the quality of their crew. Now the company is launching a new and improved version of its Crew Evaluation System — claiming that it should serve as ‘an eye-opener’ for the industry…

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28_seagull.indd Sec2:28

Crew Evaluation System data debunks many stereotypes about crew nationality Picture: Danny Cornelissen

J

It’s a perennial problem in the global shipping industry: how do companies judge the competence of new recruits, when they all come from different countries with different training systems?

‘There is a real concern in shipping that the quality of crew supplied is not of the standard required to operate modern and advanced ships in a safe and efficient way,’ says Richard Ringstad, the managing director of training provider Seagull Maritime. ‘Seafarer education varies between countries, and holding STCW certification is no guarantee of competence.’

The competence issue doesn’t just arise when seafarers are fresh out of college, he points out. The average age of officers at sea is increasing, with a high proportion of northern European officers now in their late 40s and due to retire within 10 years. Because cadet intakes are falling short of the necessary replacement rate, shipboard personnel are tending to be promoted more quickly, bringing less experience to their new roles.

These emerging trends mean robust training systems and competence evaluation tools are becoming ever more important, argues Mr Ringstad; tools such as Seagull Maritime’s Crew Evaluation System (CES), an online multiple choice test that aims to give maritime employers a clearer picture of their employees’ knowledge.

But some clients identified a drawback to CES — it didn’t have a ‘pass mark’, or any other obvious way to compare employees’ performance with personnel at other companies. ‘The most common enquiry we were getting from existing and potential users of CES was to offer our assessment of what is the sufficient minimum acceptable score,’ acknowledges the managing director.

Seagull Maritime managing director Richard Ringstad

To deal more effectively with these enquiries, he realised, it would be necessary to ‘benchmark’ the data gathered from the tests. In other words, an analysis was needed to find the average scores achieved by seafarers taking the test — not just overall, but also in particular subject areas.

Benchmarking would help the clients to compare the performance of individual companies and labour sources against industry norms.

Seagull Maritime therefore developed a new CES benchmarking tool, which would interrogate more than 650,000 CES test results logged at 200 companies over the previous 24 months — and the analysis has produced some interesting results.

The metadata showed that certain of the industry’s longstanding preconceptions about seafarers fall wide of the mark, says Mr Ringstad. ‘This should be an eye-opener for the industry and enable employers to assess whether their crew supply decisions are based on accurate information or supposition.’

The findings debunk value judgements casually made about seafarers by nationality, he continues. ‘Generalisations are often made about nationalities and their skillsets indiscriminately across ranks, and some have

believed that nationalities associated with high quality officers will also be the best supply of high quality ratings, for example. Our analysis shows that this supposition is groundless. We have also established that nationalities with a high theoretical knowledge can still score relatively poorly when it comes to safety and security procedures in practice.’

What action should be taken as a result of the findings? ‘In a global industry, the point is to get away from stereotyping and take responsibility,’ stresses Mr Ringstad. ‘Using this tool offers an opportunity to bring change by identifying shortcomings for which training institutions or manning agencies are answerable. Shipowners can then address any concerns over STCW compliance in a practical way, either by initiating targeted training or changing their supply source.’

Overall, the Seagull Maritime CES benchmarking tool indicates that seafarers achieve test scores measured against STCW requirements that are concentrated between 57% and 70%. However, the industry average is 61%.

‘This says more about what shipping finds acceptable than it does about the nationalities of seafarers,’ argues Mr Ringstad. ‘Some operators will go way beyond compliance when it comes to training, but the majority of owners and managers only work towards compliance, regardless of where they are sourcing their seafarers.’ g There is further information

about Seagull Maritime CES at www.seagull.no. Information on individuals is fully protected within the CES benchmarking tool, with users accessing aggregated data to compare their crew skill levels or areas of knowledge against generalised results achieved by their shipowning and ship managing peers.

19/08/2015 16:57

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Make your voice heard I

Nautilus is joining other TUC-affiliated trade unions in the UK to campaign against proposed new laws which include wide-ranging measures designed to restrict the ability of unions and their members to organise collectively and take industrial action.

The Trade Union Bill includes proposals to allow companies to use agency workers during industrial actions, thresholds for turnouts in industrial action ballots, and a host of other restrictions, including on the right to picket.

The legislation introduces changes to the way a demonstration at the workplace (picket line) is run when members have voted to take action. Currently, the law protects the right for trade union members to engage in peaceful picketing at the entrance to their workplaces. Trade unions already have to comply with the provisions that are set out in the code of practice on picketing, which places detailed and significant requirements on unions, including limiting the number of people on a picket line to six.

Under the new proposals, unions must appoint a ‘picket supervisor’ to oversee the picket, who must have a letter of authorisation from the union which they will be required to carry with them and present upon request to the police or ‘to any other person who reasonably asks to see it’.

In smaller unions, like Nautilus, where there are only a small number of employed union officials, this responsibility is likely to fall on an ordinary union member, and this person will become legally responsible for everything that takes place on that picket. The supervisor must wear an arm band or badge that identifies them and be contactable by the police at short notice if necessary.

The government is considering a requirement for unions to report publicly to employers and regulators (the Certification Officer and the police) their protest plans 14 days in advance of any action taking place.

The plans would need to specify when a union is intending to hold any protests, where it will be, how many people it will involve and whether they plan to use ‘loudspeakers, props, banners etc.’. They could also require all union members to report if they intend to use their personal social media accounts to publicise the action.

The government intends to introduce a new 50% ballot threshold for all trade union members wishing to take any form of industrial action, with the majority voting in favour.

In addition, those working in ‘important public services’ will require at least 40% of members voting in favour of action and any members who abstain must be counted as a no vote. This does not just apply to those working in the public sector, but includes government-defined ‘essential services’. For the maritime industry this covers industrial action ballots involving members working as tug crews, pilots, crane operators, or within the MCA.

29_tuc.indd 29

The Conservative government in the UK has announced plans for radical reform of labour laws. Trade unions are launching a protest campaign, concerned that the proposals will take away members’ hard-won rights...

plating any industrial action, would require a resounding mandate in any case, but we do not see the need to be so prescriptive in applying the proposed thresholds.

‘We would urge members, their families and friends to make your views known to the government by taking the opportunity to sign the TUC’s petitions aimed against this legislation.’

g The TUC and other organisations have set up a number of petitions calling on the government to reconsider various aspects of the Bill. Visit https://campaign. goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/ don-t-let-employers-use-agencytemps-to-break-strikes to sign the petition against the use of agency workers during industrial action. g Sign the following petition to call on the government to introduce legislation to allow online voting: https:// campaign.goingtowork.org. uk/petitions/let-us-vote-allowunions-to-ballot-members-online. g There is also a separate petition against the aspects of the Bill aimed at public sector workers: http://act.goingtowork.org. uk/page/speakout/stop-unionbusting-at-the-heart-of-government Nautilus members and staff taking part in last year’s ‘Britain needs a pay-rise’ TUC march in London Picture: Andrew Linington

The government is introducing a time limit for ballot mandates which means that members will have to vote in favour of action (adhering to turnout limits) every four months, meaning that it will be in the best interests of employers to have protracted negotiations in the hope that members won’t turn out to vote in continuous rounds of followup ballots.

I

Although it is not part of the main Bill, the government intends to introduce secondary legislation to remove the existing ban on the use of agency workers to replace those taking industrial action.

This ban has been in place since 1973 — surviving even the major government onslaught on trade union rights at that time.

This will allow companies to bring in temporary agency staff to replace workers taking industrial action, reducing the impact of any action and increasing the risk that those involved will ultimately lose their jobs. Although employees taking part in ‘protected industrial action’ (lawful industrial action for which the union will be immune from civil action from the employer) have the right not to be dismissed for doing so (if they are, it will amount to automatic unfair dismissal); it is understandable that some employees will become fearful of their job security if they are replaced by agency staff during industrial action. This perception may make members less likely to vote in favour of industrial action — effectively removing the option to withdraw their labour.

In the maritime industry this could have serious implications if companies bring in staff

who are not trained on the typespecific systems used on a ship or who are unaware of procedures onboard a particular vessel.

Nautilus head of legal services Charles Boyle believes that the

legislation is ‘a serious attack on the rights of workers and trade unions. ‘The government’s ballot threshold consultation identifies transport services, and for maritime transport this includes “tug

crews, pilots, crane operators, and MCA staff”,’ he explains.

‘The Union will, of course, be fully responding to the various consultations and making the point that Nautilus, in contem-

g UK members can contact their MP asking them to vote against the Bill. Visit www.parliament. uk/get-involved/contact-your-mp/ contacting-your-mp/ for details of how to contact the MP for your constituency.

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

19/08/2015 16:58

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

OFFWATCH ships of the past 50 YEARS AGO The Merchant Navy & Airline Officers’ Association took part in discussions at the International Transport Workers’ Federation Congress last month which resulted in a resolution calling upon the ITF to make representations to governments requesting action to safeguard the liberty and free movement of seafarers.

The conference heard concerns at the restrictions being placed on seafarers in some ports, preventing them from freely enjoying leisure time ashore and, on occasions, also preventing the obtaining of specialised medical attention when the appropriate facilities were not available locally. The restrictions also impeded administrative procedures in connection with the ship MN Journal, September 1965

25 YEARS AGO

by Trevor Boult World War, many privately-owned F craft were offered to the Admiralty. One At the outbreak of the Second

such was Campeador V, a 126ft motor yacht commissioned for attachment to the Auxiliary Patrol Service (APS) — an organisation that took over many fishing craft as patrol vessels in its scheme of submarine defences, reinforced by many yachts of varying tonnage.

Built in 1938 by Philip & Son Ltd, of Dartmouth, Campeador V was a twin-screw diesel motor yacht with Gleniffer engines and served as a vital link in the APS chain, keeping ceaseless watch whatever the weather over hundreds of vulnerable miles along the SW coast of England.

APS units, which flew the White Ensign, had not only to keep constant communications among themselves but also with the shore defences. It was their duty to challenge all-comers and to face enemy ships, aircraft, submarines and mines. Many veteran ships were in the line, and many veterans among their officers and men: perhaps none more so than Campeador. Of her four officers, the youngest was 58, the oldest 67.

In July 1940 a feature in The Times revealed: ‘There was something unique about Campeador. ... These gallant gentlemen, by their fortitude and unabated cheerfulness, were a splendid example to everyone in the Portsmouth Command. ... As they would have wished, they died together in the service of their country, but their example will for long remain an inspiration to the younger generation, and the little Campeador will be remembered and talked about, long after the war is over, by those who served in the same waters.’

Campeador: wise heads that kept the nation safe It was no less a person than the then First Lord of the Admiralty — Winston Churchill — who personally endorsed the promotion of the three senior men for attachment to the Service, penning across a recommendation certificate ‘PROMOTE THEM, age will be served.’

All were prepared for the rigours of war, but none knew that they were to face the worst winter that Britain had suffered for generations. Much of Campeador’s activity was necessarily secret. Much more was monotonous in its repetition, though still a vital service in the most severe conditions; and withal, the excitement of it.

Within the Service and in the Home Fleet, the yacht was soon known and honoured by the proud title ‘the gallant little Campeador’. Her story has been described as essentially an epic of human endurance sustained because in her officers and men was found seamanship of high order: ‘It is doubtful whether a little ship ever enjoyed such a diversity of wide experience and sea wisdom as was offered by her officers.

There is, in their records, the very stuff of

Britain’s maritime supremacy.’ One of her officers was her owner, Commander Vernon MacAndrew, and the others included Surgeon Rear Admiral J. R. Muir, and dock superintendent C.E. Turner.

Of the work on Campeador, an officer recorded: ‘In the ordinary way of navigation one would seek the shelter of the charthouse and pass the night in a very moderate degree of comfort; but an enemy vessel could not be spotted through the glass, and the split second which allows you to avoid collision with one of your own darkened vessels would be lost. So we stand outside in the spray and the wind, peer and curse and, when our relief turns up, dive down below to get most of the four hours’ sleep allotted to us’... and then concludes: ‘But, by Jove! I wouldn’t be anywhere else in the world, not even for a 1918 war profiteer’s fortune!’

There was no respite from the sea’s excesses; deck, engineroom or galley. There was the endless challenge of keeping track of position when even the ‘coastwise lights of England’ were extinguished. The perils of friendly fire were real from the very shore batteries that would respond to enemy sightings which they reported.

Campeador remained at sea 84 days out of the first 94 days of winter at the beginning of the war. She refused to return to port to remedy defects if they could possibly be addressed at sea. By midsummer of 1940 the yacht had survived for nine months — but on 22 June, having departed Portsmouth to resume patrols, she was instantly destroyed, reportedly by a powerful magnetic mine sown by enemy aircraft the previous night.

Of her complement of 20, only one engineer and a leading seaman survived.

The casualties included the owner, Cdr MacAndrew.

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book Coast Lines Key Ancestors (reviewed on the facing page).

To enter, simply complete the form right and send it, along with your completed crossword, to: Nautilus International, Telegraph Crossword Competition, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane,

South Woodford, London E18 1BD, or fax +44 (0)20 8530 1015.

You can also enter by email, by sending your list of answers and your contact details to: telegraph@nautilusint.org.

10 YEARS AGO NUMAST is helping to kick off a major new campaign against the use of low-cost foreign seafarers in the European ferry sector. Officials are taking part in the launch this month of an inter-union initiative to highlight the threats posed by the growing presence of cheap crews on services between EU member states. The campaign aims to generate public and political support for Euro-MPs to reconsider proposals for measures to protect the pay and conditions of seafarers on scheduled passenger and freight ferry routes between EU member states. The campaign is being launched in response to continuing problems at Swansea-Cork Ferries, whose St Vincent-flagged vessel Superferry is operating with crews who are denied full trade union rights and who are paid at rates around half the average in the UK ferry sector, and Irish Ferries, whose vessel Normandie has been flagged out to enable Irish seafarers to be replaced with cheaper crews from eastern Europe The Telegraph, September 2005

THEQUIZ 1

2

According to the consultancy Menon Business Economics, Singapore is the world’s Number One ‘maritime city’ — with the biggest ‘cluster’ of shipping services and industries. Which city lies in second place?

What percentage of the 3,910 ships on order around the world in June this year are being built in Chinese shipyards?

3

In which year did Norway become the first country to establish an ‘international’ ship register?

4

Roughly how many Suezmax (125,000dwt-plus) chemical tankers are there in the world fleet?

5

What percentage of passengers crossing the North Atlantic in 1960 went by sea instead of air?

6

In 1929 a German ship won the Blue Riband of the Atlantic. What was her name?

J Quiz answers are on page 42.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

Membership No.:

Closing date is Friday 18 September 2015.

QUICK CLUES 1.

7.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

16.

18.

19.

22.

23.

25.

26.

27.

28.

Across Chimney worker (11) Goal (3) Treaty (9) Snares (5) Mythical creature (7) Varnish (7) Bounce ideas (10) Biblical brother (4) Jug (4) Sewing lady (10) Cattle (7) Problem (7) Inexpensive (5) Tedious process (9) Consume (3) Earthly (11)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Down Give in (7) Boredom (5) Argue (8) Newcastle upon Tyne Square (5) Injection (9) Young cat (6) Vacant (9) Show (7)

14.

15.

17.

18.

20.

21.

23.

24.

Teetotal (9) Bookkeeper (9) Standing (8) Transportation (7) Strange (7) Absolute ruler (6) Trumpet (5) Food poisoning bug (1-4)

CRYPTIC CLUES 1.

7.

9.

10.

30_offwatch.indd 30

NUMAST has welcomed a decision by the International Transport Workers’ Federation to set up a special regional committee for European seafarers to help them meet the challenges posed by developments in the area. The creation of the committee — which was agreed at the ITF’s 36th Congress last month — is intended to enable EU maritime unions to work together and cooperate to prevent unemployment among seafarers, to coordinate across borders, and to tackle such issues as the proposed European ship register, Euros. The meeting also agreed a motion condemning ‘second’ registers for allowing the exploitation of seafarers from low-cost labour supply nations. It urged countries with second registers to ensure that agreements did not fall below the ITF’s ‘total crew cost’ package The Telegraph, September 1990

11.

12.

13.

16.

Across E.g., flow is hit by storm over the Solent (4,2,5) Leaves for a drink (3) Osteologist’s speciality rounds off lower front mandible with a type of crockery (4,5) Circular showing orders at the bar (5) Paged Cumbrian huntsman back in retirement quarters (7) Frustrate hopes of porcelain being used to make shock absorber (7) Have embattled fields been secure against attack? (10) The leading light in former

London evening newspaper (4) 18. Northern flower for drivers of course (4) 19. Lying across refurbished servant res (10) 22. After small measure, ‘e left nineteenth century king to swell up (7) 23. Adore Boer sausage, trendy in America (7) 25. Selected some lamb at Heather Farm to have dip (5) 26. Give a slant to one’s writing (9) 27. Listener has letters from pillar box about article (3) 28. Properly stood, the lie of the land is theirs (11)

Down Drank one medium short, cover for baby central (7) 2. Sudden movement, like a dive without the initial pressure (5) 3. A tenant, the Commanding Officer overturned copper with short breath (8) 4. Wider disruption is strange (5) 1.

5. Thousand hit victory in all the competitions (5,4) 6. Singer’s throat infection (6) 7. Steak bone and tot put before church rock musician (9) 8. Accountant with German car on a high at Glastonbury (7) 14. See French brother, endlessly, about number of team rowers in vessel (9) 15. Person from Biblical times, i.e., is later scattered (9) 17. Six deliveries to end it are excessive (8) 18. ‘---, thou wretch, That hast within thee undivulged crimes, Unwhipp’d of justice’ (King Lear) (7) 20. (see 21) 21. & 20. As murder scenes go, here Poirot was on the right lines (6,7) 23. Flew wide circle around old woodland in southeast, we hear (5) 24. I shot around to get a lift (5) J Crossword answers are on page 42.

19/08/2015 16:58

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

MARITIME BOOKS

Indictment of an outlaw industry Fishers and Plunderers

By Alistair Couper, Hance D. Smith and Bruno Ciceri Pluto Press, £19.99 ISBN: 978 07453 35919 US$250 per month, no guaranteed leave or K rest periods, no additional overtime pay and a How’s this for an employment contract?

no-strike clause, sea water to be used for bathing, clothes washing and tooth brushing, and $50 to be deducted each month for an air ticket deposit…

But this employment package looks positively enlightened compared with many of the appalling abuses revealed by this remarkable book — which carries the sub-title Theft, Slavery and Violence at Sea. Shipping has often courted controversy over some of the working practices endured by its workforce, but the fishing industry operates at even greater extremes. This powerful publication — which has been backed by Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) — aims to raise public awareness about the terrible human cost of eating fish.

Many of the regulatory loopholes that enable exploitation to exist on such an immense scale

Testimonies of a tragedy speak for themselves Voices from the Carpathia: Rescuing RMS Titanic

By George Behe History Press, £20 ISBN: 978 07509 61899 f www.thehistorypress.co.uk left to say about the Titanic?

K If anyone should know, it’s George Can there really be anything

Behe, who has now published seven books on the subject, ranging from Titanic: Safety, Speed and Sacrifice to the rather more exotic Titanic: Psychic Forewarnings of a Tragedy.

In his latest offering, the author’s aim is to bring together a particular set of first-hand accounts about the Titanic disaster and publish them in one place for the first time. The source materials relate to the passengers and crew of the Carpathia, the vessel that received the Titanic’s distress call and rescued those passengers who had made it into lifeboats. As witnesses to the aftermath of the sinking,

31_books_SR edit.indd 31

within the fishing industry will be familiar to merchant seafarers — including lax controls over crews’ conditions, and flags (and ports) of convenience that fail to police standards on ships.

The authors explain how unlicensed fishing has flourished on the back of systemic shortcomings that allow operators to dodge taxes, licensing fees, catch quotas and labour laws. A section looking at the growing use of foreign — mainly Filipino — crews in the UK fishing fleets underlines the way in which failure to enforce such regulations as the national minimum wage and visa requirements helps to undermine domestic employment and drag down working conditions.

The book also exposes the clear connections between the abuse of the environment and the abysmal treatment of workers. One-third of the world’s stocks are being fished unsustainably and the authors highlight evidence to show that fatality rates in the world’s most dangerous occupation are increasing as fishing vessels go out further and longer and move to more extreme areas in search of ever more scarce catches.

It details the policies that have fuelled overcapacity in fishing fleets and degradation of stocks — often at the expense of smallscale

many of these people wrote of their experiences in private letters, and some were interviewed for newspapers — either at the time of the incident or in later years.

An introductory section cautions that witness accounts can be unreliable because of imperfections in human memory or an individual’s political bias. But for the rest of the book, Behe lets the Carpathia’s passengers and crew speak for themselves: there is no commentary, just the letters and interviews listed alphabetically by the name of the witness, with dates where available.

Given this format, the book could have been rather dry — perhaps only of interest as a resource for scholars — but in fact there is plenty here for the general reader.

The subject matter is simply so

dramatic that even an account by an inexperienced or untutored writer can be attention-grabbing.

Witnesses speak, for example, of seeing a father clutching his dead children in a lifeboat, and of rescued passengers still wearing bedraggled costumes from a hastily-abandoned party.

The clear layout and competent editing does justice to the material, and the book is enhanced by photographs showing some of the witnesses and other key figures such as Captain Edward Smith of the Titanic. It’s debatable whether the world really needed this publication, but there will doubtless be an audience among Titanic enthusiasts for Voices from the Carpathia, and readers will appreciate the care taken by author and publisher.

fishing communities in developing nations as large commercial fleets and illegal operators muscle in.

The book is supported with often staggering statistics. For instance, the fishing power of most large vessels increased between 200 to 300 times after the 1970s — helping to increase the process of ‘industrialisation’ of fishing.

But it is in its exploration of the ‘dark side’ of the industry that the book is at its most shocking.

It gives moving accounts of working conditions that amount to slavery, with echoes of the press gangs of centuries past. Cases of physical abuse, child labour, human trafficking an trafficking and even murder are documented in grim detail.

The writers are renowned experts — and lead author Professor Alastair Couper is a master mariner who went on to have an academic career that embraced the University of Durham, the University of Cardiff and the World Maritime University. But the book is no dry and dusty work — it is a passionate and devastating critique that deserves a wide readership, not least to get some

WWII wreck guide that’s worth a read Hidden Warships: Finding World War II’s Abandoned, Sunk, and Preserved Warships

By Nicholas A Veronico Zenith Press, £20 ISBN: 978 19029 53717 of the Second World War, K wreck hunters have combed the

In the decades since the end

world’s oceans to find the remains of the vessels lost following the countless naval battles that took place.

Naval historian Nicholas A

change. consumer pressure for change And, despite its often gruelling content, the book does conclude with some hopeful notes — pointing to the top-level work being done to strengthen international laws and to develop a sort of MLC for the fishing industry, and examples such as New Zealand where ‘bottom up’ work by unions, campaign groups, welfare agencies and lawyers have helped to secure change by lifting the lid on such abuses.

Veronica has recorded the history, recovery, and preservation of some of the many ships sunk during the conflict. Mr Veronica is an American naval historian who has written a number of books about US warships and shipyards, and his nationality comes through in this latest work.

The events at Pearl Harbor make up the opening chapter and the torpedoing of USS Arizona is covered in the second. However, the author does not completely overlook the losses of other nations, and there are chapters dedicated to Britain’s HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, and Germany’s Graf Spee, as well as chapters dedicated to the U-boat fleet, the Japanese fleet and America’s nuclear experiments.

The opening chapter on Pearl Harbor details all the vessels

Forgotten company springs back to life in a fine history Coast Lines Key Ancestors: M Langlands & Sons

By Nick Robins and Colin Tucker Coastal Shipping, £16 ISBN: 978 19029 53717

K

This book is a real labour of love, with the authors having overcome some significant challenges — including a dearth of company records — to produce the first history of a fascinating company which, as the foreword notes, has been ‘largely erased from popular memory’.

Tracing its roots back to the formation of the Glasgow & Liverpool Royal Steam Packet Company in 1839, Langlands operated for 80 years until its acquisition by Coast Lines soon after the First World War. Liberally illustrated and clearly the result of first class research, the book does a grand job in explaining the social, industrial and technical developments which helped to fuel the shipping services between Liverpool and Glasgow in the early 19th century — not least the growing dominance of steam over sail and the introduction of iron ships.

The book draws heavily from contemporary accounts and press reports to weave a remarkable account of the company’s evolution and its diversions into transatlantic trades, ‘yachting cruises’ and round-Britain tours.

Unsurprisingly, given the wider context of safety at sea in this period, the narrative is peppered with sections from accident and inquiry reports — with a couple of incidents in particular highlighting the early problems with magnetic compasses.

Langlands suffered badly in the war, losing half its fleet, and in 1919 it was taken over by Coast Lines — which gave the company control of around four-fifths of the tonnage in the UK coastal trades. The Langlands name carried on into the 1950s, with Coast Line using it to market the summer ‘yacht cruises’ that ran right up to the mid-60s.

The book serves as a fine tribute to a company with a rich history, and is recommended to anyone with an interest in the UK’s maritime and social history.

Savings on all books You can buy all of these books at a whopping 25% discount at www.marinesocietyshop.org.

Click on the ‘Books of the month’ button with the Nautilus logo to buy at the discounted rate.

involved and the timing of each attack. From the start the ‘Americanisation’ is clear: ‘Destroyer Ward had taken the first blood of World War II, more than an hour before the air raid on Pearl Harbor’.

The book’s slant is also evident in the way it covers the use of nuclear weapons by the Americans, with an almost excitable reference to America’s development of ‘a nuclear bomb for any and all engagements with the enemy’.

That said, Hidden Warships is packed with information, and is not simply a ‘picture and short description’ book — this one is meant for reading.

Each chapter has extensive photographs of the vessels involved, both in use and as they are today, with full details of the wreck and how to find it. Background information goes beyond just recording the facts of the sinking, with operational details and lists of other ships involved.

Whether you simply want to understand the detail of some of the warships lost during the Second World War and how they were discovered and preserved, or have plans to dive down and explore some of the sunken wrecks yourself, there is something interesting to be found here.

19/08/2015 18:06

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

NL NEWS

Wordt onder druk alles vloeibaar of houdt werkgever voet bij stuk?

A

Even Voorstellen…

Hans Walthie Onze nieuwe adviseur Communicatie en Marketing aan een nieuwe uitdaging als A adviseur Communicatie en MarketMedio september begin ik

ing van Nautilus International in Rotterdam. Dan sluit ik ook een periode van 2,5 jaar af als persvoorlichter van de FNV. Eerst bij FNV Bouw en het laatste half jaar bij FNV Metaal, waar we nog altijd volop in staking zijn voor een nieuwe, goede cao. Daarmee hebben we veel het nieuws gehaald en ook veel nieuwe leden gescoord. Als oud kaderlid van FNV vond ik het op jonge leeftijd al heel gewoon dat mensen, waar en voor wie ze ook werken, altijd recht hebben op een goed loon en goede arbeidsomstandigheden.

Daarnaast heb ik ook veel respect voor ondernemers die voor eigen rekening en risico een goed bedrijf neerzetten, en tegelijkertijd hun vaak hardwerkende medewerkers goed belonen en volop de ruimte geven zich verder in hun vak te ontwikkelen. Of ze nou aannemer, truckbouwer, binnenvaartschipper of reder zijn.

Zelf beschik ik over ruim dertig jaar ervaring op het gebied van public relations (PR), journalistiek, communicatie en marketing. Zowel in loondienst als werkend voor mezelf. Zo heb ik onder meer voordat ik bij de FNV aan de slag ging, ruim 10 jaar gewerkt als internationaal PR en marketing manager van TNT Express en Logistics. Eerst in vaste dienst en later ook nog op free lance basis.

Een boeiende tijd, waarin ik veel ervaring heb opgedaan met allerlei vormen van transport. Voornamelijk via de weg en door de lucht en soms ook over water. Ik hoop in mijn nieuwe job voor Nautilus International mijn steentje te kunnen bijdragen aan het zo goed mogelijk opkomen voor de belangen van onze leden. In de binnenvaart en op zee. En tegelijkertijd in het duidelijk tonen aan de buitenwacht waar we mee bezig zijn. Tot slot zie ik het als een uitdaging met elkaar nieuwe, ook jonge, leden te werven. Want: hoe meer leden, hoe sterker onze vakbondspositie!

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Is er een toekomst voor de NW-Europese gezellen?

Op 10 juni jl. kwam P&O North Sea Ferries met een eindbod voor een driejarige CAO, lopend van 1 januari 2014 tot en met 31 december 2016. Tijdens de hierop volgende ledenvergadering op 6 juli aan boord van de Pride of Rotterdam bleek al snel dat de leden het voorstel van de werkgever veel te mager vonden. Want waar zij een loonsverhoging wilden van minimaal drie maal APC (afgeleide prijscompensatie) en 10 verlofdagen, ging de directie in Dover niet verder dan drie maal APC plus 3 verlofdagen.

De leden gaven tijdens de ledenvergadering aan actie te willen voeren als de werkgever niet over de brug zou komen…

Naar aanleiding van de ledenvergadering heeft Nautilus het eindbod met een stembiljet schriftelijk aan alle leden in dienst van P&O NSF voorgelegd om te kijken of men vlootbreed dezelfde mening heeft. Op 1 augustus moesten alle biljetten ingevuld terug zijn. De leden hebben massaal gereageerd en de conclusie is helder: maar liefst 96% van de leden vindt het eindbod van de werkgever veel te mager en 93% is bereid over te gaan tot acties.

Voorultimatum

Om de werkgever toch een laatste mogelijkheid te bieden het voorstel aan te passen naar een marktconforme CAO — vergelijkbaar met andere ferry-maatschappijen onder Nederlandse vlag zoals Stena Line B.V. —, heeft Nautilus de rederij een voorultimatum gesteld en haar uitgenodigd nog eenmaal rond de onderhandelingstafel plaats te nemen.

Ja 40%

De poll van deze maand is: Denkt u dat havenstaatcontrole erin slaagt om de kwaliteit van de wereldhandelsvloot te verbeteren? Geef ons uw mening online, op www.nautilusint.org/nl

32-33_nl.indd 32

7 extra verlofdagen erbij zodat de werknemers minder dagen hoeven te kopen.

Gesprek

Het ziet ernaar uit dat onder druk toch alles vloeibaar wordt, want P&O NSF is ingegaan op het voorstel van Nautilus voor een gesprek op 10 augustus. We hopen dat dit gesprek vruchten afwerpt. Maar mocht dat niet het geval zijn, dan zijn de leden en Nautilus goed voorbereid en zullen acties volgen. Zo zijn er aan boord van de Norbank, Pride of Bruges en Pride of Rotterdam meerdere actiecoördinatoren aangesteld.

Hopelijk hoeft het niet zo ver te komen en gaat de werkgever alsnog overstag…

Laatste stand van zaken

Net voordat de Telegraph naar de drukkerij ging, bereikte ons het bericht dat de werkgever aan alle eisen — zoals die verwoord waren in het voorultimatum — tegemoet komt. Blijkbaar wordt onder druk toch alles vloeibaar.

Aanwijzing Onderzoeksraad Voor Veiligheid Gevarenge- publiceert eerste Rapportage bieden Ongevallen Scheepvaart Verlengd Sierra Leone en Guinee

Nee 60%

In de brief die op 3 augustus naar P&O is verzonden, benadrukt de vakbond het belang van de toekenning van de zeven extra verlofdagen, die voor de werkgever een waarde van in totaal 1,75% vertegenwoordigen. De extra verlofdagen zijn juist van belang omdat het nu nog zo is dat bij P&O NSF B.V. de zeevarenden elk jaar verlofdagen moeten kopen om een-op-een te kunnen varen. Het is anno 2015 toch een beetje raar dat mensen dagen moeten kopen om een-op-een te kunnen varen? Ter vergelijking: bij Stena Line is (bij de overgang naar het een-week-op een-week-af systeem) de afspraak gemaakt dat werknemers geen negatief verlof opbouwen als gevolg van het een-op-een varen. Deze werkgever neemt deze dagen voor haar rekening.

Rome is natuurlijk niet in een dag gebouwd… Dus de vakbond beseft heel goed dat P&O NSF dit niet in een keer kan beslechten, maar wenst wel een stevige (inhaal)slag te maken. Vandaar de inzet:

Op 15 juli jl. is overeenstemming bereikt over een verlenging van de aanwijzing tot gevaarlijk bestemmingsgebied van alle havens in Sierra Leone en Guinee in verband met de aldaar heersende ebola epidemie.

De verlenging is voor een periode van twee maanden en eindigt derhalve op 25 september 2015.

Libië en Syrië

Eveneens op 15 juli jl is er overeenstemming bereikt over een verlenging van de aanwijzing tot gevaarlijk bestemmingsgebied van alle havens in Libië en Syrië in verband met de voortdurende geopolitieke spanningen in die landen. Ook hier eindigt de verlenging op 25 september 2015. g De aanwijzingen tot gevaarlijk gebied vloeien voort uit het Protocol Dienstdoen in Gevarengebieden www.nautilusint.org/nl/wat-wezeggen/nautilus-nieuws/protocoldienstdoen-in-gevarengebiedenverlengd/

sector heeft regelmatig F te maken met individuele arbeids-

Deze risico’s worden dan geaccepteerd als onderdeel van het werk. Bij problemen wordt gezocht naar pragmatische oplossingen, zonder dat de risico’s voor de veilig-heid goed worden ingeschat. Dit leidt regelmatig tot onveilige situaties. De Onderzoeksraad vindt dat er meer aandacht moet zijn voor het veiligheidsklimaat aan boord van schepen om het aantal doden en gewonden aan boord van schepen terug te brengen.

De Nederlandse scheepvaart-

ongevallen.Het blijkt dat binnen de scheepvaartsector vooral veel aandacht is besteed aan ernstige incidenten waarbij schepen verloren zijn gegaan, maar dat incidenten gedurende de dagelijkse werkzaamheden veel minder aandacht krijgen. Dat schrijft de Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid in de eerste Rapportage Ongevallen Scheepvaart, die 23 juni 2015 is gepubliceerd. In deze editie zijn acht samenvattingen van gepubliceerde rapporten opgenomen en worden 25 voorvallen besproken en gerapporteerd over de periode van november 2014 tot mei 2015.

Deze rapportage beschrijft niet alleen voorvallen met schepen die in Nederland hebben plaatsgevonden, maar ook met schepen die onder de Nederlandse vlag varen. Het is opvallend dat individuele arbeidsongevallen nog

veel voorkomen in de Nederlandse scheepvaartsector. Incidenten die plaatsvinden gedurende de dagelijkse werkzaamheden krijgen veel minder aandacht dan ernstige voorvallen waarbij schepen verloren zijn gegaan.

De risico’s bij individuele voorvallen worden niet altijd juist ingeschat en de focus op de eigen veiligheid is niet altijd aanwezig onder de bemanningsleden.

g Het Nederlandse rapport is te vinden via de link: www.onderzoeksraad.nl/uploads/ phase-docs/949/ 8baab76b81b4ovv-semesterscheepvaartongevallen.pdf g This report is also available in English at: www.onderzoeksraad.nl/uploads/ phase-docs/950/f6e2a0e66bb4ovvsemester-report-shippingsafety.pdf

19/08/2015 18:09

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

NL NEWS

ADHD en scheepvaart A Eindbod Jumbo Crew Services B.V. omgezet in eenjarige CAO A

In de Telegraph van mei 2015 kon u lezen dat Jumbo Crew Services B.V. drie schepen zou uitfaseren. Deze reorganisatie zorgde ervoor dat de CAOonderhandelingen doorkruist werden. Inmiddels zijn we een aantal maanden verder en is het sociaal plan in werking getreden, het eerste schip uit de vaart genomen en hebben de leden het eindbod van Jumbo Crew Services geaccepteerd.

Van werkgeverszijde speelden de economische omstandigheden en de reorganisatie mee in de onderhandelingen. De onderhandelingsdelegatie van Nautilus heeft desondanks ingezet én vastgehouden aan koopkrachtbehoud wat ertoe heeft geleid dat Jumbo diverse verslechteringen heeft laten vallen. Uiteindelijk is het onderhandelingsresultaat vastgelegd in een eindbod van de werkgever.

Eindbod werkgever

Het eindbod bestond uit een looptijd van een jaar (1 mei 2015 tot en met 31 april 2016), waarbij de gageverhoging van 1% per 1 mei 2015 wordt doorgevoerd. Het vervallen van de mentortoelage maakt onderdeel uit van het bod van Jumbo voor de gageverhoging en bedraagt 0,1% van de 1% gageverhoging. Daarnaast bood de werkgever een functietoeslag bij werken op kantoor en een verlaging van de dagwaarde voor het kopen van verlof. Voor

het eindbod echter omgezet kon worden in een CAO, had Nautilus eerst instemming van de meerderheid van de bevoegde ledenvergadering nodig.

Ledenvergadering

Tijdens de ledenvergadering is het eindbod van de werkgever voor een nieuwe CAO doorgenomen.

Hierbij werd de uitkomst van de enquête meegenomen. Hoewel een meerderheid van de leden voor het eindbod stemde, waren er veel vragen en opmerkingen over het vervallen van de mentortoelage.

Voor Nautilus aanleiding om hierover opnieuw contact op te nemen met de werkgever.

Overleg werkgever

Tijdens het gesprek met Jumbo bleek echter dat de berekening van de 0,1% niet volledig kostenneutraal was. Om deze reden is besloten akkoord te gaan met het eerdere eindbod van de rederij: de mentortoeslag wordt voor iedere medewerker structureel in het loon opgenomen.

Hierdoor is rekening gehouden met het algemeen belang van de leden waarbij de meerderheid van stemmen voor het eindbod heeft gekozen.

Nieuw reglement

Zodra het nieuwe reglement boekje met gagetabel klaar is, wordt deze via de werkgever digitaal aan alle zeevarenden in dienst van Jumbo Crew Services beschikbaar gesteld.

De medische eisen voor de zeevaart wijzigen per 1 oktober 2015. Dit heeft ook gevolgen voor de beoordeling van ADHD. Reden om een artikel aan ADHD en de scheepvaart te wijden.

ADHD is een aandoening die steeds vaker wordt vastgesteld.

Hierdoor is de vraag naar de gevolgen voor het werk op zee of in de binnenvaart actueel. Een complicerende factor in relatie tot de zeevaart is dat de medicijnen die het meest worden gebruikt om ADHD te behandelen onder de bepalingen van de opiumwet vallen en in een aantal landen verboden zijn.

Voor zeevarenden die wereldwijd varen kan dit problemen opleveren.

Wat is ADHD?

ADHD is een afkorting van het Engelse ‘Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder’, in het Nederlands ‘Aandachtstekort / Hyperactiviteit Stoornis’. ADD is een subtype van ADHD en staat voor Attention Deficit Disorder, bij ADD ontbreekt de hyperactiviteit. ADHD is in sterke mate erfelijk bepaald, maar hoe ADHD precies ontstaat is niet helemaal duidelijk. Wel is al duidelijk dat het wordt veroorzaakt door afwijkende werking van een aantal hersengebieden, waardoor denkprocessen zoals aandacht, motivatie en uitvoerende functies verstoord kunnen raken.

Aandachtstekort kan zich uiten in bijvoorbeeld slordigheid, snel afgeleid zijn, moeite met concentreren, dromerig of afwezig zijn, dingen door elkaar doen zonder ze af te maken, regelmatig te laat komen of dubbele afspraken maken en regelmatig spullen kwijt raken.

Hyperactiviteit kan zich bijvoorbeeld uiten in beweeglijkheid, moeite om stil te zitten, luidruchtigheid, doordraven,

ongeduld, vaak tikken of met een pen spelen, dingen eruit flappen zonder na te denken, twaalf ambachten dertien ongelukken.

Al deze verschijnselen komen in meer of mindere mate bij de meeste mensen voor. De mate waarin de verschijnselen optreden is bepalend voor de diagnose.

ADHD komt voor bij 3 – 5% van de algemene bevolking.

sade of het consulaat van dat land in Nederland.

ADHD en het huidige Keuringsreglement voor de zeevaart 2012

Er zijn verschillende soorten medicijnen beschikbaar voor de behandeling van ADHD. De medicijnen die het meest worden voorgeschreven zijn de stimulantia. Ze bevatten de werkzame stoffen methylfenidaat of dexamfetamine. Veel gebruikte voorbeelden zijn Ritalin en Concerta. Deze stoffen vallen onder de opiumwet. Dit heeft tot gevolg dat elk recept gecontroleerd wordt door de apotheek en de Inspectie voor de Geestelijke Volksgezondheid.

Artikel 7.6 van het huidige keuringsreglement voor de zeevaart luidt als volgt: ‘ADHD of ADD is een reden voor ongeschiktheid. Voor goedkeuring is een gunstig specialistisch rapport vereist, waaruit blijkt dat redelijkerwijs geen acute problemen zijn te verwachten.

De kandidaat dient op de hoogte te zijn van internationale douane-bepalingen van zijn medicatie.’ Als er bij de keuring geen specialistisch rapport aanwezig is waaruit blijkt dat redelijkerwijs geen acute problemen zijn te verwachten, kan het alsnog laten opstellen en/of opvragen van zo’n rapport een tijdrovende en kostbare aangelegenheid zijn.

Dit wordt soms als een onredelijke en onevenredig belastende procedure ervaren.

Wat zijn de gevolgen van ADHD medicijnen voor verblijf in het buitenland?

ADHD en het nieuwe Keuringsreglement voor de zeevaart 2015

Voor verblijf in Schengenlanden (22 EU landen plus Noorwegen, Zwitserland, IJsland en Liechtenstein) is bij gebruik van medicijnen als Ritalin en Concerta een zogenaamde Schengenverklaring nodig. In deze verklaring staat dat de medicijnen uitsluitend voor eigen gebruik meegenomen worden. De Schengenverklaring wordt ondertekend door een arts waarna het Centraal Administratie Kantoor (CAK) de verklaring waarmerkt.

Buiten het Schengengebied voert elk land zijn eigen beleid bij het invoeren van geneesmiddelen voor persoonlijk gebruik. Reist u naar een niet-Schengenland, dan is toestemming nodig van de ambas-

Het nieuwe reglement stelt dat de zeevarende met ADHD/ADD geschikt is voor wereldwijde vaart als er zich tijdens de voorgaande periode op zee geen incidenten ten gevolge van de aandoening hebben voorgedaan en er redelijkerwijs geen nadelige effecten van de ziekte en/of de medicatie te verwachten zijn tijdens het werk op zee. Er wordt niet verwezen naar een specialistisch rapport, het is aan het oordeel van de keurend arts of aanvullende informatie van een behandelende specialist geïndiceerd is. De nieuwe regeling die 1 oktober 2015 ingaat, biedt de keurend arts dus meer ruimte om zelfstandig te beslissen zonder het opvragen van een specialistisch rapport.

Hoe wordt ADHD behandeld?

Werken op het water: Weer toekomst zekerheid voor het mooiste water is… ons lid na positief oordeel UWV! die zijn hart heeft verloren A aan het water. Onlangs is er een

Goed nieuws voor iedereen

schitterend fotoboek verschenen dat gaat over mensen die werken op het water. Fotograaf Eveline Renaud en journalist Paulette Mostart geven een bijzonder, niet alledaags, kijkje achter de schermen van alles wat zich op en rond het water van de Amsterdamse haven en de grachten afspeelt. In dit boek nemen ze u mee op een boeiende tocht over het Amsterdamse water. Van de sluizen in IJmuiden, over het Noordzeekanaal, tot in de verste uithoeken van de haven. Dwalend over de grachten en het IJ tot aan de Oranjesluizen bij Schellingwoude. Onderweg maakt u kennis met allerlei bijzondere mensen die op het water werken in de meest uiteenlopende beroepen.

De fraaie foto’s, aangevuld met korte, levendige teksten, laten zien hoe gevarieerd het werk is van de havendienst, de loodsen, de rondvaartbootkapitein, de stoere baggeraars, of de mannen die het

32-33_nl.indd 33

werkgever en verrichtte het werk van scheepsF timmerman aan boord, waar hij verantwoordelijk was Ons lid was al bijna 15 jaar werkzaam voor zijn

vuilnis bij tankers en cruiseschepen ophalen. Er is ook veel aandacht voor de dynamiek en het karakter van de Amsterdamse haven zelf. Dit boek is niet zomaar een toeristisch fotoboek.

Het is een getrouwe weergave van de werkelijkheid. Een eerlijk boek over mannen en vrouwen die hun dagelijks brood verdienen met werken op het Amsterdamse water. g U kunt het boek bestellen op: www.lubberhuizen.nl/werken-ophet-water voor de prijs van €24,99.

voor het onderhoud aan het sanitair in de hutten van de passagiers. Door de jaren heen kreeg hij lichte knieklachten, waarmee hij niettemin nog prima zijn werkzaamheden kon verrichten. Deze knieklachten verergerden echter plotseling toen hij enkele jaren geleden een val maakte in de douche van zijn hut. Na die tijd was hij aangewezen op een kniebrace. Zijn werkgever bood hem aangepast werk aan terwijl hij ziek gemeld bleef en de werkgever wilde hem re-integreren in het Tweede Spoor, dat wil zeggen: werk vinden voor ons lid bij een andere werkgever. Ons lid had daar grote zorgen over: hoe zou hij gelet op zijn eenzijdige werkervaring, leeftijd van eind vijftig en knieklachten werk kunnen vinden bij een andere werkgever? Als kostwinner van zijn gezin vreesde hij afhankelijk te worden van een veel lagere uitkering.

Al vorig jaar stelde ons lid zijn werkgever voor: ‘plaats mij op het andere, nieuwere schip daar zijn meer liften beschikbaar, zodat ik minder trappen hoef te lopen en op het andere schip kan ik het onderhoud aan het sanitair vanuit de gang verrichten, zodat ik meer bewegingsruimte heb voor mijn kniebrace en dan kan ik mij beter melden en mijn eigen werk weer doen.’ Zijn werkgever weigerde dit en bleef, samen met de bedrijfsarts, bij het standpunt dat dit niet mogelijk was en dat er binnen het bedrijf geen

mogelijkheden meer voor hem waren.

Ons lid wendde zich daarom ten einde raad met deze kwestie tot Nautilus. Allereerst heeft Nautilus de werkgever per brief verzocht om ons lid alsnog de kans te geven op het andere schip zijn werkzaamheden te verrichten. Dit verzoek werd echter opnieuw door de werkgever afgewezen. Reden waarom Nautilus namens ons lid een deskundigenoordeel (een soort second opinion van de beslissing van de bedrijfsarts) aanvroeg bij het UWV. De UWV deskundige heeft in het kader van het deskundigenoordeel onderzoek verricht op het andere schip en concludeerde in de eindrapportage dat het UWV van mening was dat de werkgever aan het verzoek van werknemer gehoor moest geven en hem zijn eigen werk moest laten verrichten aan boord van het andere, nieuwere schip.

Gezegd moet worden dat de werkgever en de bedrijfsarts na dit bericht hun volledige medewerking hebben verleend. Ons lid kreeg een proefperiode van 3 maanden om zijn werkzaamheden op het andere schip te verrichten. Nadat ons lid deze periode met goed gevolg had afgerond heeft de bedrijfsarts zijn betermelding geaccepteerd en is ons lid door zijn werkgever weer geplaatst in zijn eigen functie. Ons lid is heel blij en opgelucht dat hij door de steun van Nautilus en het UWV zijn eigen werk weer terug heeft en niet hoeft terug te vallen op een uitkering!

ADHD en binnenvaart

De medische eisen voor de binnenvaart zijn vastgelegd in bijlage 6.1 van de Binnenvaartregeling.

ADHD wordt in deze regeling niet specifiek genoemd. Het vierde lid van dit artikel, dat handelt over gedragsstoornissen, lijkt het meest van toepassing op ADHD en stelt ‘gedrags- of persoonlijkheidsstoornissen zijn in het algemeen een reden voor ongeschiktheid’. Omdat er ‘over het algemeen’ staat kan iemand met ADHD geschikt geacht worden voor de binnenvaart, de beoordeling is aan de keurend arts.

Bronvermelding/verder lezen: z www.adhdmagazine.nl z www.psyq.nl z www.hetcak.nl z www.ilent.nl

Wij hebben Facebook.

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19/08/2015 18:09

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

NAUTILUS GM 2015

Conference countdown The 2015 Nautilus General Meeting is now just a few weeks away, so make sure you’ve booked your place for 5-8 October. And if you can’t get to Liverpool in person, there are exciting new ways to take part…

GM 2015 will take place in the historic maritime city of Liverpool Picture: Thinkstock

A

members who are unable to attend the meeting in person will still be able to get involved. The entire meeting is due to be live streamed on the internet, and full members can submit questions on motions or reports via the Union’s social media accounts.

Members lucky enough to have a good broadband connection can watch the Council’s report to conference, guest speakers and debates live. To connect to the live stream, just log in to the members area at www.nautilusint.org.

The conference agenda and all the reports and

Time is running out for full members to apply to attend the Union’s General Meeting in October. Members from all national branches have until Friday 18 September to complete and return the attendance form below or to download and complete it from the Nautilus website.

The meeting takes place at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool, starting in the evening of Monday 5 October and departing on the morning of Thursday 8 October.

For the first time in the Union’s history,

Attendance at GM 2015

motions will also be available on the website.

Members who do not have a good enough connection for video can still find out what is happening through the many website stories, tweets and Facebook updates that will be posted over the two days of the conference.

Full members can use social media or email to ask questions about the Council report to the General Meeting or the motions being debated, which will then be raised on their behalf during the debates (time permitting).

To post your question on Facebook, find our

page by typing Nautilus International in the search box. On Twitter we’re @nautilusint , and emails go to telegraph@nautilusint.org. Make sure you provide your membership number along with your question for the meeting.

Nautilus hopes to make this the most inclusive General Meeting in its history, and all full members are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to have a say in the Union’s work for the next four years.

A GM 2015: it’s influential, it’s interesting and it’s now interactive! Join us there.

Teilnahme an GM 2015

Voor aanwezigheid ALV 2015

This form should be completed and returned to Adele McDonald, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Email: conference@nautilusint.org .

Dit formulier moet worden ingevuld en verzonden naar Adele McDonald, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Email: conference@nautilusint.org .

Dieses Formular bitte ausfüllen und schicken an: Adele McDonald, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Email: conference@nautilusint.org .

A limited amount of financial assistance is available for those full members wishing to attend and who otherwise would not be able to make the journey.

Please indicate below if you wish to be considered for financial aid.

Er is een beperkt bedrag beschikbaar voor financiële steun voor Gewone leden ( full members ) die graag willen komen , maar die zonder deze steun niet in staat zijn om deze reis te maken. Indien u meent dat u voor financiële steun in aanmerking komt kunt u dat hieronder aangeven.

Es steht ein begrenzter finanzieller Betrag zur Verfügung für jene Vollmitglieder, die gerne die Generalversammlung besuchen möchten jedoch nicht die Reisekosten aufbringen können. Bitte mache in diesem Falle unten ein Kreuz im entsprechenden Feld.

Invullen in BLOKLETTERS

Bitte in GROSSBUCHSTABEN ausfüllen

Ik wil me hierbij aanmelden om bij de Algemene Ledenvergadering 2015 aanwezig te zijn en bevestig hierbij dat ik een Gewoon lid (full member) ben.

Ich beantrage hiermit, die Generalsversammlung 2015 zu besuchen und bestätige ein Vollmitglied von Nautilus International zu sein.

Naam

Name

Adres (voor alle ALV correspondentie)

Adresse (für die Kongressunterlagen)

Postcode en woonplaats

Postleitzahl

Telefoonnummer

Tel.

Lidmaatschapnummer

Mitgliedsnummer

Rederij

Arbeitgeber

Functie

Funktion

Huidig schip

Derzeitiges Schiff

U wordt vriendelijk verzocht hieronder aan te geven wat uw betrokkenheid bij Nautilus is. Bijvoorbeeld dat u kaderlid of erelid bent of dat u eerder een ALV heeft bijgewoond.

Mache eine Angabe darüber, ob du bereits eine Funktion bei Nautilus innehattest (z.B. Mitglied im Nationalkomitee) oder über ein entsprechendes Engagement nachdenkst

Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS I wish to apply to attend the 2015 General Meeting and confirm that I am a full member of Nautilus International.

Name Address (for all GM correspondence)

Postcode Tel No. Membership No. Company Rank Present ship Please give details of involvement with Nautilus, eg. as a liaison officer or honorary delegate, or if you have attended a Nautilus education course or a previous GM.

If you wish to apply for financial assistance please tick this box As this conference will be paperless, please let us know if you can bring your own laptop or tablet

34_gm15.indd Sec2:34

T

T YES T NO

Vink dit vakje aan indien u financiële steun wenst aan te vragen Deze conferentie is papiervrij; heeft u de mogelijkheid om u uw eigen laptop of tablet mee te nemen?

T

T JA T NEE

Falls du finanzielle Unterstützung für die Reisekosten möchtest, mache hier ein Kreuz Da diese Konferenz papierlos sein wird, teile uns bitte mit, ob du deinen Laptop oder Tablet mitbringen kannst

T

T JA T Nein

19/08/2015 16:18

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

CERTIFICATION

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

Keeping up with the latest movies, TV, news and sport has never been so important for crews at sea. Through our global satellite network, exclusive content is sent directly to participating vessels for ‘off-line’ viewing on PCs, laptops and tablets – a true game changer in crew morale, retention and welfare.

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

16 MONTHS TO GO UNTIL 1 JANUARY 2017

DECK UPDATEE TO TO 010 10 STCW 2010

HELM course or acceptable equivalent (e.g. sea service)

ECDISS certificat certifica certificate ertific ertifica rtific tifi ifi achieved after 1 January avo 20055 tto av avoid negative endorsement

ENGINE UPDATEE TO TO 010 10 STCW 2010

HELM course or acceptable equivalent (e.g. sea service)

High h Voltage oltage ltage t tage ccertificate or qualifying sea ice cee to t avoid aav negative endorsement service

ETO NEW ICATE CATE AT ATE CERTIFICATE

To serve as an ETO certification is required...

— otherwise designation, therwise herwise erwise r ise rwise i alternative a such Engineer h as Electrical Elec Ele EEl Elect

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In addition: sea-time requirements for revalidation — 12 months in preceding five years or three months in preceding six months plus valid ENG1.

5

In addition: appropriate tanker endorsements — subject to revalidation

6 35_stcw.indd 35

Refresher training — required every five years for certificates held.

Dependent upon rank (support/operation/management) and duty — for example, Fast Rescue Craft Certificate.

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19/08/2015 19:03

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

MARITIME COMMUNICATIONS

Talking our way to safer shipping Communication problems are often blamed for accidents at sea. Maritime English experts Dr Martin Ziarati and Alison Noble argue that the shipping industry should follow aviation’s lead in assessing English competency as part of a vessel’s safety audit procedures...

The SeaTALK project is part of a drive to develop effective global standards for the use of Maritime English in shipboard communications Picture: Danny Cornelissen

K Dr Martin Ziarati, a director at the Centre for Factories of the Future

According to the International Maritime Organisation, there are 85,000 working vessels (of 100gt and above) on the world’s seas. The shipping industry is a key component of the global economy, carrying nearly 90% of world trade — and, as such, demands high standards of safety and security.

Not surprisingly, accidents and incidents occur.

Alison Noble, head of department at Antwerp Maritime Academy

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On average, two ships are lost every week, and it is well documented that more than 80% of accidents are put down to ‘human error’ (IMO, 2012, Horner, 2014). Of this 80%, a remarkable 30% are caused by linguistic and/or communication mistakes (Ziarati, 2006, Trenkner, 2010).

In 1995, in an attempt to improve safety at sea, the IMO officially adopted English as the working language onboard, and over the last few decades the specific competency of ‘Maritime English’ has developed to the point that the Standards of Training Certification & Watchkeeping Convention now requires seafarers to be able to communicate ‘effectively’ in (Maritime) English.

The IMO provides guidance on the teaching of Maritime English through its Model Course 3.17.

Recently, the International Maritime Lecturers’ Association (IMLA) completed a revision and update of the model course to the latest industry and regulatory standards.

However, despite the efforts to raise Maritime English standards, accidents, often caused solely or partly by communication failure, still take place — generating a threat to life, property and reputation.

This could be prevented through global recognition of the need for a standard approach and assessment framework for Maritime English.

MET institutions have embraced the need for improvement in the teaching and assessment of Maritime English and, working with other parties, have put time and effort into developing tools and solutions to enhance both methods and results. EU projects such as MarTEL, MarTEL Plus, UniMET and SeaTALK — the most recent enterprise — are evidence of their efforts.

The SeaTALK project (www.seatalk.pro) is the latest initiative of the Marifuture Platform (www. marifuture.org) and aims to establish a standard approach to teaching and learning Maritime English through the creation of standard curriculum content, learning outcomes, assessment methods, scoring and credit systems — all delivered through an innovative online platform.

For ease of reference, both language criteria and assessment descriptors are linked to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for languages). Moreover, SeaTALK is based on the EQF (European Qualification Framework) which allows for the mutual recognition of competences acquired through the establishment of a reference framework, uniform for all participating countries.

SeaTALK also incorporates the ECVET (European Credit System for Vocational Educational Training ) model, with the aim of facilitating seafarer mobility. ECVET is strongly based on learning outcomes and competences acquired via alternative learning methods.

With funding from the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme and support from universities, colleges and businesses across Europe, the SeaTALK project aims to involve the rest of the

global Maritime English community in creating the largest existing database for Maritime English resources.

Maritime English lecturers and maritime professionals can use the database to access the learning materials. The SeaTALK partners welcome support from Maritime English teachers around the world who would like to contribute their own materials (for more information, visit www.seatalk. pro).

By extending the work of previous projects (MarTEL, MarTEL Plus, UniMET, SOS) it is hoped that this framework offering standardised curriculums, content and assessment standards for Maritime English will be the first step in setting global standards and will lead to safer seas for all.

K

Despite such innovative work and recent developments, the maritime industry still lags behind other sectors, such as aviation, which require training and assessment in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) was established in 1947, and since 2008 it has required trainee pilots in member states (native and non-native English speakers) to obtain a qualification in Aviation English before they can become an aircraft pilot. To help member states implement ICAO standard practices and ensure quality, in 1999 ICAO established the Universal Oversight Audit Programme, which allows ICAO to carry out regular, mandatory, systematic and harmonised safety audits (www.icao.int).

The IMO, as the global governing body of the maritime industry, has no equivalent authority or body. Although regional equivalents such as the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) play a part, it is primarily left to individual countries and institutions to deliver their own Maritime English training and assessment as long as they meet the IMO minimum standard of ‘adequate’ communication.

This lack of an international standard, and lack of the authority and ability to enforce such a standard, explains the widespread variation in seafarer training and competencies that constitutes the root cause of communication failures and leads to fatal accidents.

With projects such as SeaTALK, the community is taking steps to set standards in Maritime English, yet there are still variations between regions such as Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Until the global community forms a consensus, differences in ability will continue to pose a threat to safety onboard.

By providing the framework for standards of training and assessment, SeaTALK hopes to prompt maritime bodies to enforce such standards with the aim of guaranteeing the quality of communication at sea, thus enhancing safety. g If you wish to learn more, or contribute to SeaTALK, visit www.seatalk.pro

19/08/2015 16:58

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

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$ % ((59 North Sea - £Competitive Rate

< UG (QJ 60m+ Sailing Yacht - €5.5K/mth

Master Mariner - AHTS - W. Africa - $700/day

ETO - 100m+ Motoryacht - $5K/mth

Technical Superintendent Dry Bulk - £60K Assistant Technical Superintendent Dry Bulk - £50K Engineering Superintendent Dry Bulk - €65K Technical Manager Dry Bulk - €70K

Captain - 55+m M/Y - €9.5K/mth

TUG TOWAGE & DREDGERS

Chief Stewardess - 70+m M/Y - €3.5K/mth

Chief Engineer - Dredgers - £47-50K

2nd Engineer - 50+m M/Y - €4K/mth

1st Engineer - Dredgers - £39K

Technical Director Dry Bulk - €100K

2nd Chef - 80+m M/Y - €4.25K/mth

Master Mariner - Crew Transfer Vessels - £DOE

Chief Stewardess - 40+m S/Y - €4K/mth

Technical Superintendent Cruise - £60-70K

Deck Hand - Crew Transfer Vessels - £DOE

Cruise Administrator Cruise - £25-30K

)(55,(6 523$;

Master - Cruise - £57-66K

2nd Eng w/ Chief Ticket - ROPAX - £265/day

Staff Captain - Cruise - £48-50K

Steward - ROPAX - £88/day

Hotel Director - Cruise - £50-65K

Crew Co-ordinator South West UK - £35K

Chef - ROPAX - £107/day

Hotel Manager - Cruise - €55-60K

3rd Eng w/ 2nd Ticket - ROPAX - £239/day

3rd Engineer - Cruise - €25-30K

Fleet Engineering Assistant UK South East - £25K

Head Chef - ROPAX - £120/day

2nd Engineer - Cruise - £37-40K

Master - ROPAX - £60K

1st Engineer - Cruise - €50-56K

Chief Engineer - ROPAX - £55K

Senior Sous Chef - Cruise - $36-38K

Technical Manager Crew Transfer Vessels - North East - £70K

Technical Manager Dredgers - UK South East - £65K + Pkg

CRUISE

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

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

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

Advertise here & reach over 110,000 readers.

C P Marine UK Ltd are specialists in worldwide ship and shore based marine recruitment.

We provide a professional, dedicated and quality personal service in connecting seafarers to shipping companies and also placements to shore based marine positions.

Temporary and permanent vacancies are available worldwide for: • Captains • Chief Engineers • Deck Officers • Driving Mates • DPO’s • Engineering Officers

• ETO’s • Crane Operators • Deck and Engine Room Ratings • Cooks • Offshore Personnel • Shore based Personnel

To register with us for all marine sectors, please send CV to: C P Marine UK Ltd, PO Box 314, Hull HU10 7WG United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1482 650279 Fax: +44 (0) 1482 671341 info@cpmarineuk.com www.cpmarineuk.com

Contact Paul Wade on +44 (0)20 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk to find out how.

The following positions are available:

Second Engineer Assistant Harbour Master / Pilot Salary £35-£40k + contributory pension

A new post has been created to supplement the Deputy Harbour Master and Harbour Master. As AHM you will be responsible for overseeing the ports compliance with all aspects of the Port Marine Safety Code and associated statutory legislation as well as being on call as a Cowes Pilot for a period of 10-15 days per month.

The successful candidate would ideally have a Class 1 CoC although alternative qualifications with recent relevant ship handling experience will be considered.

The successful candidate would be required to reside on the Isle of Wight.

For further information: contact the Harbour Master on: 01983 293952 Email: hm.chc@cowes.co.uk www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk Closing date: September 24th 2015

37-41_rec.indd 37

We are currently seeking applications for several vacancies across Marine Scotland (Compliance); these posts are based on our Marine Patrol and Research Vessels.

(£41,237 - £46,327)

First Officer Executive (£41,237 - £46,327) In addition to the basic salaries, both positions, currently attract an additional £5000 per annum recruitment and retention allowance.

Marine Scotland has three Marine Patrol Vessels, two research Vessels, eighteen Marine Offices around the Scottish Coast and two surveillance aircraft.

For further information and to apply, simply visit our website www.work-for-scotland.org We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people and aim to employ a diverse workforce, which reflects the people of Scotland.

An Equal Opportunities Employer

19/08/2015 16:35

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

APPOINTMENTS

/calmacferries

@calmacferries

@calmac_updates

@calmacferries

Exciting opportunities exist within CalMac Ferries Limited for various positions including: SHORE BASED • Marine, Technical and HSEQ Management positions • Project Management SEA GOING • All deck, engine and retail positions • Permanent, seasonal and temporary positions CalMac Ferries Limited is a multi-award winning business serving some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland with over 30 ferries providing lifeline services to the islands and peninsulas on Scotland’s west coast.

Our excellent benefits package includes a competitive salary plus generous annual leave entitlement programme. You could also take advantage of free CalMac staff travel for you and your family.

We provide extensive structured training programmes for both marine and shore staff, encouraging all employees to continuously update their skills and knowledge.

To view all details of our current vacancies and for further information, please visit our website at www.calmac.co.uk or email to: recruitment@davidmacbrayneHR.co.uk.

www.calmac.co.uk

Join us in bringing knowledge, help and hope to the nations!

D&P Maritime Recruitment

Looking for all Ranks and Ratings for all types of vessels www.dpmaritimerecruitment.com Email: info@dpmaritimerecruitment.com Tel: +44 (0)1224 600 028

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

NOT A MEMBER OF NAUTILUS INTERNATIONAL? Join now on our website Fill out the online application at: www.nautilusint.org

37-41_rec.indd 38

Marine Operations (Simulator Trainer/Lecturer) £38,511- £47,328 Permanent - Full time Vac Ref:1188 Applications are invited for the post of Simulator Trainer/Lecturer to support the growing profile of the Liverpool John Moores University in the maritime area. The post will involve delivery of high quality training, teaching, consultancy, research and on-going development of the marine simulation and the wider maritime area in the University.

Applicants should also be able to teach to a range of client groups.

Candidates must hold a professional qualification preferably to Master Mariner. They should have seagoing experience in command and/or as pilot. Previous training/teaching experience is not essential but may be an advantage.

The successful candidate will be expected to work at the maritime facilities at Lairdside Maritime Centre and the Byrom Street campus plus any of the LJMU campuses and overseas as required.

Applications by 4th October 2015 and interviews are expected to be in the week commencing 26th October 2015.

Interested candidates may informally contact Dr Alan Wall – Subject Head of Maritime and Logistics on 0151 231 2493 (e-mail A.D.Wall@ljmu.ac.uk)

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

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

JP KNIGHT (PARANAM) LTD JP Knight is a family owned business specialising in maritime transportation, delivering major tonnages over some of the most challenging waterways in the world. With a strong reputation as marine pathfinders, JP Knight is a pioneer in maritime safety with over 120 years’ experience in tug and barge operations. Currently expanding our horizons and developing more innovative ways to model and solve today’s complex logistic demands, we are searching for a Master Mariner to fulfil the new role of Operations Development Manager to turn our customers’ demands into reality.

The ideal candidate will hold an STCW II/2 Master CoC (command experience essential) and be able to demonstrate the following: • Service as senior Deck Officer aboard geared bulk carrier and/or multipurpose cargo vessels • Previous experience in project development and management • An understanding of vessel chartering, programming and ISM • Technical and commercial awareness • Strong safety culture • Experience of coastal and/or riverine towage an advantage Key responsibilities: • Company authority on commercial maritime issues • Development of cost effective solutions to meet customers’ logistic needs • Project managing the setup of new operations • Direct liaison with clients and maritime authorities on executive matters • Maintenance of maritime safety and training standards • Internal advisor to the Board on maritime legal issues Based at JP Knight’s Head Office in Chatham, Kent, the Operations Development Manager will receive an excellent salary, pension contribution, health care plus other company benefits.

Potential candidates should apply to recruitment@jpknight.com attaching a letter of application and CV. Closing date Monday 21 September 2015

17/08/2015 14:33

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

APPOINTMENTS

Maersk Line Container Fleet are recruiting Chief Engineers & Second Engineers for immediate vacancies Maersk Line, the global containerized division of the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group, is dedicated to delivering the highest level of customer-focused and reliable ocean transportation services.

Our vision, built from a strong heritage of uprightness, constant care, and innovation, remains the cornerstone of our business operations. The Maersk Line fleet comprises more than 260 owned vessels manned by 7,600 Seafarers.

Due to continued fleet expansion Maersk Line are recruiting Senior Engineers to fill immediate vacancies.

As the right candidate you will benefit from a competitive salary, voyage lengths of 90 days plus or minus 30 days, back to back working rotations, second-to-none training facilities and the opportunity to develop your career within an industryleading container shipping company.

Apply online at www.seacareers.co.uk or contact 0191 269 3152 to discuss these vacancies

Looking for a job? Apply online at

shetland.myjobscotland.gov.uk Shetland Islands Council

Marine Pilot Sella Ness, Sullom Voe, Shetland £61,700 - £69,461 per annum On-line Ref No: SIC00439 Closing date: 2 September 2015.

Proposed interview date: To be confirmed.

Search and Rescue Co-ordinator/Watch Officer (Radio Officer Grade III) in the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Co-ordinators/Watch Officers are responsible for watch-keeping on the emergency frequencies and are required to act as Marine Alert, Notification and/or SAR Mission Co-ordination Officers. They also process marine communication traffic and respond to ship casualty, pollution incidents and vessel traffic monitoring.

Our list of jobs is updated daily online. For information on this job and more go to www.myjobscotland.gov.uk or sign up for Job Alert e-mails at shetland.myjobscotland.gov.uk If you don’t have access to the internet or have a disability which prevents you from applying online, please call 01595 744032.

All posts include Distant Island Allowance of £1,941 per annum (pro rata).

A relocation package is offered from the UK.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer, and encourage Remote and Flexible Working.

For more information about living and working in Shetland visit www.shetland.org

37-41_rec.indd 39

Closing date for receipt of completed applications is Thursday 24th September, 2015 For more information and how to apply, visit www.publicjobs.ie If you have not already done so, please register to receive job alerts for future posts

17/08/2015 14:33

40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

Where’s my Telegraph?

The Port of Blyth is a modern statutory Trust Port handling up to 1.8 million tonnes of cargo each year across a variety of sectors and with ambitious plans for future expansion.

Due to restructuring of the available Marine Services the following vacancy has arisen:

FULL TIME MARINE PILOT/ASSISTANT HARBOUR MASTER 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.

Applicants will hold 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, performance related bonus, pension scheme, private medical insurance, annual leave etc) is offered for the post which is expected to commence immediately following the selection and interview process.

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 by 21st September 2015 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 01670357020.

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

To let us know your new address, go to www. nautilusint.org and log in as a member, or contact our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454 or membership@nautilusint.org The membership team can also cancel your print copy if you prefer to read the paper on the Telegraph app.

Applications are invited from experienced, motivated and knowledgeable seafarers with tanker experience to work on coastal oil tankers operated by John H. Whitaker (Tankers) Limited Masters, Chief Officers, 2nd Officers, Chief Engineers & 2nd Engineers who hold: Advanced Tanker Training/DCE (Oil) Type - Permanent/Temporary Leave/Work - Variable Salaries - will be discussed at Interview stage Please forward all applications to: Mrs Elaine Wilson, Personnel Officer, Crown Crewing (UK) Ltd, Crown Dry Dock, Tower Street, HULL HU9 1TY Email: eb@whitaker-tankers.co.uk

RYAN OFFSHORE LTD RYAN SHIP MANAGEMENT LTD

SS HIPPING

CONNECTIONS

MARITIME RECRUITMENT FOR - 4-PT MOORING DSV / AHTS/ PSV/ MRV/ ERRV REQUIRE MASTERs, CHOFF, 2ND OFF, CHENG, 2ND ENG, 3RD ENG, DP ENG, ETO FOR - DP3 / DP2- DSV / DP2- AHTS / DP2- PSV / DP3 PIPELAYER / DP2 CLV REQUIRE MASTER-DPOs, CHOFF-SDPOs, 1ST OFF-DPO, 2ND OFF-DPOs, CHENGs, 2ND ENGs, 3RD ENG, ETOs, CRANE OPTRs - STG 2 / 3 FOR - SHORE BASED OFFSHORE FLEET REQUIRE TECH MANAGER, TECH SUPT, DIVE SUPT (OFFICE BASED), ENGINEERING SUPT, ELECTRICAL SUPT, PORT CAPTAIN, PORT ENG, QHSE

CONTACT DETAILS

T E L: +44 (0) 1 9 1 5 4 8 8 8 5 9 FAX: +44 (0) 1 9 1 5 4 88 425 EMAIL: office@ryan-shipmanagement.co.uk, office@ryanoffshore.net, office@shipping-connections.com WEBSITE: www.ryan-shipmanagement.co.uk , www.shipping-connections.com, www.ryanoffshore.net RYANSHIP, P.O.BOX–1282, SUNDERLAND, SR5 9HX, UNITED KINGDOM

KƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ͕ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌƐ͕ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ

Assistant Harbourmaster / ϱϰϰϭ ^ĂůĂƌLJ͗ džĞĐƵƟǀĞ 'ƌĂĚĞ /s άϰϯ͕Ϭϳϱ Ͳ άϰϱ͕ϱϬϲ ƉĂ ƉůƵƐ ƐƚĂŶĚďLJ ĂŶĚ ĐĂůůͲŽƵƚ ĂůůŽǁĂŶĐĞƐ Guernsey Harbours is responsible for the ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ WŽƌƚƐ ŽĨ ^ƚ ^ĂŵƉƐŽŶ͛Ɛ ĂŶĚ ^ƚ WĞƚĞƌ WŽƌƚ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĂŝůŝǁŝĐŬ ŽĨ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ ŵĂƌŝƟŵĞ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ͘ dŚĞ ƐƐŝƐƚĂŶƚ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌŵĂƐƚĞƌ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ǁŝůů Ɛŝƚ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƚŚĞ KƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƉŽƌƚ ĚŝƌĞĐƚůLJ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌŵĂƐƚĞƌ͘ zŽƵ ǁŝůů ĂƐƐŝƐƚ ƚŚĞ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌŵĂƐƚĞƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌƐ͘ zŽƵ͛ůů ƵŶĚĞƌƚĂŬĞ ƵƚLJ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌ KĸĐĞƌ ƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďŝůŝƚLJ ĂƐ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ƉĞƌŝŽĚƐ ŽŶͲĐĂůů͕ ĂŶĚ ǁŝůů ůŝĂŝƐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƉŽƌƚ ƵƐĞƌƐ͕ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌƐ ŵĂŶĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂī͕ ĂŶĚ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŐĞŶĞƌĂů ƉƵďůŝĐ͘ zŽƵ ǁŝůů ĂůƐŽ ĂĐƚ ĂƐ ƵƚLJ ^ĞĂƌĐŚ ĂŶĚ ZĞƐĐƵĞ ŽͲŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌ ĂŶĚ ƵƚLJ WŽƌƚ &ĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ ^ĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ KĸĐĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂůůŽĐĂƚĞĚ ĂĚĚŝƟŽŶĂů ƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďŝůŝƟĞƐ ĐŽŵŵĞŶƐƵƌĂƚĞ ǁŝƚŚ LJŽƵƌ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͘ zŽƵ ǁŝůů ďƌŝŶŐ ƌĞĐĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞůĞǀĂŶƚ ŵĂƌŝƟŵĞ ƐŬŝůůƐ ƚŽ ĂƐƐŝƐƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŵŽǀĞ ƚŽ ŵŽĚĞƌŶ ĚĂLJ ďĞƐƚ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ Ăƚ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌƐ͘ ^ĞĂŐŽŝŶŐ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝƐ ĞƐƐĞŶƟĂů ĂŶĚ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŵĂŶĂŐŝŶŐ ƉŽƌƚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ŝƐ ŚŝŐŚůLJ ĚĞƐŝƌĂďůĞ͘ ƐƐĞŶƟĂů ƚŽ ƚŚŝƐ ƉŽƐƚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ŵŝŶŝŵƵŵ ŽĨ D ŚŝĞĨ DĂƚĞ ĞƌƟĮĐĂƚĞ ŽĨ ŽŵƉĞƚĞŶĐLJ Žƌ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ĞƋƵŝǀĂůĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ Ă ǀĞŚŝĐůĞ ĨŽƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƵƐĞ͘

37-41_rec.indd 40

ĞƐŝƌĂďůĞ͗ O D DĂƐƚĞƌ hŶůŝŵŝƚĞĚ Žƌ ŽŵŵĂŶĚ ŶĚŽƌƐĞŵĞŶƚ Žƌ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ĞƋƵŝǀĂůĞŶƚ͘ O ^ĞĂƌĐŚ ĂŶĚ ZĞƐĐƵĞ DŝƐƐŝŽŶ ŽͲŽƌĚŝŶĂƚŽƌ ;^D Ϳ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ Žƌ ƐƵŝƚĂďůĞ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ͘ O WŽƌƚ &ĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ ^ĞĐƵƌŝƚLJ KĸĐĞƌ ;W&^KͿ͘ O /K^, ,ĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ^ĂĨĞƚLJ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ Žƌ ĞƋƵŝǀĂůĞŶƚ͘ ŽŶƚĂĐƚ͗ ĂƉƚĂŝŶ ŚĂĚ DƵƌƌĂLJ͕ ,ĂƌďŽƵƌŵĂƐƚĞƌ͕ W͘K͘ Ždž ϲϯϭ͕ ^ƚ͘ :ƵůŝĂŶ͛Ɛ ŵƉůĂĐĞŵĞŶƚ͕ ^ƚ͘ WĞƚĞƌ WŽƌƚ͕ 'ƵĞƌŶƐĞLJ 'zϭ ϯ >͘ dĞů͗ Ϭϭϰϴϭ ϳϮϬϮϮϵ͕ ŵĂŝů͗ ĐŚĂĚ͘ŵƵƌƌĂLJΛŐŽǀ͘ŐŐ WůĞĂƐĞ ĂƉƉůLJ ŽŶůŝŶĞ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ŐŽǀ͘ŐŐͬĐĂƌĞĞƌƐ KƵƌ ZĞĐƌƵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ƚĞĂŵ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚĞĚ Ăƚ͗ ĞƌĞĐƌƵŝƚŵĞŶƚΛŐŽǀ͘ŐŐ Žƌ ƚĞů͘ Ϭϭϰϴϭ ϳϰϳϯϵϰ͘ ůŽƐŝŶŐ ĂƚĞ͗ ϭϯ ^ĞƉƚĞŵďĞƌ ϮϬϭϱ ĂŶĚŝĚĂƚĞƐ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞ ĂĚǀŝƐĞĚ ƚŚĂƚ Ă ƌĞƋƵĞƐƚ ĨŽƌ Ă ϱͲLJĞĂƌ ŚŽƵƐŝŶŐ ůŝĐĞŶĐĞ ŝƐ ŝŶ ƉƌŽŐƌĞƐƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŝƐ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ͘

17/08/2015 14:33

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 41

APPOINTMENTS

Fleetwood - a top UK Nautical College with a long established reputation for being a leading provider of training to the Maritime industry.

MARITIME

MASTERS ORALS - 07 Sept (2015), 02 Nov (2015), 11 Jan (2016), 29 Feb (2016), 03 May (2016), 20 Jun (2016) | CHIEF MATE POST FD - 07 Sep (2015), 12 Oct (2015), 11 Jan (2016), 08 Feb (2016), 03 May (2016), 30 May (2016) | HND TO CHIEF MATES - 07 Sep (2015), 04 Jan (2016), 18 Apr (2016) | CHIEF MATE HND - 14 Sep (2015), 18 Jan (2016), 09 May (2016) | OOW HNC (EXPERIENCED SEAFARERS) - 14 Sep (2015), 18 Jan (2016), 09 May (2016) | OOW SQA PREPARATION - 07 Sep (2015), 03 May (2016) | CHIEF MATE SQA PREPARATION - 26 Oct (2015), 15 Feb (2016), 06 Jun (2016) | DECK OOW ORALS PREPARATION - 19 Oct (2015), 06 Jun (2016) | CHIEF MATE ORALS PREPARATION - 07 Dec (2015), 28 Mar (2016), 15 Jul (2016) | DECK OOW HNC AND CHIEF MATE HND NAUTICAL SCIENCE - Blended Learning (Flexible Start) | HELM O - 15 Oct (2015), 3 Dec (2015), 11 Feb (2016), 23 Mar (2016), 2 Jun (2016), 13 Jul (2016) | HELM M - 19 Oct (2015), 30 Nov (2015), 07 Dec (2015), 14 Dec (2015), 8 Feb (2016), 28 Mar 16, 4 Apr 16, 18 Apr 16, 30 May 16, 18 Jul 16, 25 Jul 16, 01 Aug 16 | NAEST O - 31 Aug (2015), 4 Jan (2016), 25 Apr (2016) | NAEST M - 12 Oct (2015), 7 Dec (2015), 14 Dec (2015), 15 Feb (2016), 04 Apr (2016), 11 Apr (2016), 6 Jun (2016), 25 Jul (2016), 01 Aug (2016) | VTS NAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE - (IALA V103/1 MODULE 3 AND 4) Blended Learning (Flexible Start and 1 week in Simulator) | VTS OPERATORS - 12 Oct (2015), 16 Nov (2015), 04 Jan (2016), 08 Feb (2016), 06 Jun (2016), 04 Jul (2016) | VTS REFRESHER - 06 Oct (2015), 01 Dec (2015), 22 Mar (2016), 24 May (2016), 28 Jun (2016), 19 Jul (2016)

STCW UPDATING TRAINING 2015 - 12 Oct (2015), 19 Oct (2015), 26 Oct (2015), 23 Nov (2015), 7 Dec (2015) | 2016 - 11 Jan (2016), 01, 29 Feb (2016), 14 Mar (2016), 04, 25 Apr (2016), 09 May (2016), 06, 20 Jun (2016), 11 Jul (2016) For more information E maritime@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/nautical Facebook /FleetwoodNauticalCampusOffshoreOperations

Worldwide travel & skills to last a lifetime Expand your career with Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruises

We are currently recruiting for the following positions: (IGO 3J½GIVW SJ EPP PIZIPW )RKMRI 3J½GIVW SJ EPP PIZIPW IWTIGMEPP] MRXIVIWXIH MR LSPHIVW SJ 'PEWW 'S' *EGMPMX] 1EREKIVW LSXIP WIVZMGIW IRKMRIIV 6IJVMKIVEXMSR )RKMRIIVW )PIGXVMGEP )PIGXVSRMG 3J½GIVW ,SWTMXEPMX] +YIWX 7IVZMGIW 4VSJIWWMSREPW

Benefits package includes: 'SQTIXMXMZI VEXIW SJ TE] %RRYEP WEPEVMIW ERH 7XEJJ 3J½GIV &SRYWIW SV VSXEXMSR JSV 7IRMSV 3J½GIVW 7EMPMRK %WWMKRQIRX 6IXYVR &SRYWIW 7%6& 6IXMVIQIRX 7EZMRKW 4PER 4IRWMSR 7TSRWSVIH WXYH] PIEZI ERH 8VEMRMRK TVSKVEQQIW )\GIPPIRX SRFSEVH WTSYWI JEQMP] TSPMG]

All UK candidates please contact us using the following details: +44 (0)300 303 8191 applicants@vikingrecruitment.com quoting reference VRL09/15 For all other candidates please use the following details: +31 (0)10 2976600 HR_Europe_Recruitment@HollandAmerica.com

If you are interested in working at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, call 01253 50(4760) to register your interest or for information on current vacancies.

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37-41_rec.indd 41

17/08/2015 14:33

42 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include:

MGN 525 (M&F) — Merchant shipping and fishing vessels: guidelines for the provision of food and fresh water. Amendment 1 This note replaces MGN 397 (M+F).

It provides practical advice on the provision of food and water for UK seagoing merchant ships and fishing vessels that are not covered by the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

The relevant legislation that does apply to these vessels is stated in MGN 525, and the essential points from this are as follows: z non-MLC vessels should provide, free of charge, food and drinking water of appropriate quality, nutritional value and quantity to meet the needs of those onboard z food hygiene principles and the provision and maintenance of fresh water must be applied regardless of the age, size and type of vessel z bacterial contamination is the most serious risk to food and fresh water safety z those preparing or serving food must be properly trained and demonstrate a working knowledge of the principles and practices of food hygiene z prevention using a risk assessment and management approach is one of the most effective means of ensuring food and fresh water safety Annex 1 to MGN 525 gives detailed guidance on food safety and hygiene, including advice on diet and nutrition. Annex 2 provides detailed guidance on the supply, storage and distribution of water, as well as advice on maintenance of water systems.

MGN 535 (M) — Small Seagoing Passenger Ship Code This note introduces the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s Small Seagoing Passenger Ship Code. Ships that comply with the code are permitted to operate at the limits set down for EU Class C or D vessels, rather than being restricted to the traditional daylight and summer operations of UK Class VI or VI(A) vessels.

This means that a vessel can operate on longer coastal voyages, provided that at any point it is within five miles of the coast and 15 miles from a place of refuge as defined in the code. The vessel can also operate in winter or at night. Compliance with the SSPS code — which came into force on 1 June 2015 — demonstrates that a sufficient level of safety has been achieved to allow the vessel

to be exempted from certain UK regulations which would otherwise apply.

The code applies to ships operating in EC sea areas B (restricted), C or D with not more than 250 passengers, which are not covered by EC directive 2009/45 on safety rules and standards for passenger ships. A ‘small passenger ship’ is one that is of less than 24m in load line length, or of less than 150grt if the ship’s keel was laid or was at a similar stage of construction before 21 July 1968, according to the tonnage measurement regulations in force on 20 July 1968.

The EC directive covers ships built of steel or equivalent material, so the code applies mainly to ships built of GRP or wood. The code may, however, be applied to existing steel vessels of under 24m in length constructed on or before 31 December 2002. The EC directive also covers high speed craft of any material capable of speeds of over 20 knots, but vessels operating at speeds of up to 20 knots may be certified under the code.

The new Merchant Shipping (Boat Masters’ Qualifications, Crew and Hours of Work) Regulations 2015 permit extended voyages within the ‘limited coastal area’ of five miles from the coast and 15 miles from point of departure or of arrival.

MSN1853 paragraph 2.5 confirms that a Boat Master’s Licence is a suitable qualification for masters of ships operating under the SSPS code.

The SSPS code is available for download free of charge from the MCA website: go to www.gov.uk/ mca and search for ‘Small Seagoing Passenger Ship Code’.

MGN 536 (M) Safety Management Code for Domestic Passenger Ships This note provides further guidance to owners and operators of UK domestic passenger ships on how to comply with the audit and self-assessment requirements of the Safety Management Code for Domestic Passenger Ships as set out in the amended Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1869(M).

Whilst the code itself remains substantially unchanged, the frequency of the audits is very different, and the audits are intended to more closely follow the ISM format, but applied in a more pragmatic way.

The key points are as follows: z there is a requirement for the MCA to carry out a company or office audit, and some preparation work will be required for this z the onboard audits, while less frequent, shall also be pre-planned and operators will be required to demonstrate compliance with

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

the code including emergency preparedness z there is a requirement for companies to carry out selfassessments to review their own systems MGN 536 also takes the opportunity to explain how companies should undertake their annual self-assessment and conduct a review of their safety management system at intervals not exceeding three years. Checklists for these procedures are supplied with the note in Annexes 1 and 2.

MIN 506 (M) — Non-coded vessels less than 500gt operating internationally This note provides advice on the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC) to owners and masters of smaller non-coded vessels, to help them avoid delays in foreign ports.

Owners of UK seagoing commercial vessels of less than 500gt must comply with MLC-related legislation and be inspected against it, but are not required to hold an MLC certificate.

However, vessels may request to be issued with an MLC certificate because there have been cases of owners running into difficulty in foreign ports without one. Once a vessel is issued with an MLC Certificate, it is mandatory to comply with the associated obligations such as intermediate inspection and display of documentation.

To issue an MLC certificate on request, the MCA needs to be satisfied that the vessel complies with the requirements of the convention.

An inspection will therefore be carried out, either by a surveyor from the MCA or a class society. The owner must then ensure that the inspection report, a copy of the DMLC Part 2, and a standard SEA (seafarer employment agreement) are sent to the MCA. Owners must pay the MCA a fee for MLC certificates issued at their own request.

g Professional & Technical Forum Tuesday 15 September 2015 at 1300hrs for 1330hrs at Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park, Wallasey CH45 7PH, UK This meeting of the Forum, which is open to all members (UK, NL & CH), will include a special presentation on seafarer health issues and policies, from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s chief medical adviser, Dr Sally Bell.

Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 protech@nautilusint.org

Contact Nautilus International Nautilus International welcomes contact from members at any time. Please send a message to one of our department email addresses (see page 17) or get in touch with us at one of our offices around the world.

For urgent matters, we can also arrange to visit your ship in a UK port.

Please give us your vessel’s ETA and as much information as possible about the issue that needs addressing.

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

Go to www.gov.uk/mca and click on Find marine (M) notices.

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

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

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 Paul Schroder at ymp@nautilusint.org.

g Young Maritime Professionals Forum Monday 5 October 2015 1200hrs to 1400hrs Titanic Hotel, Stanley Dock, Regent Road, Liverpool L3 0AN, UK The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing young people in the shipping industry and on the issues that matter to them. Open to all young members (UK, NL & CH).

Contact Paul Schroder: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org

Quiz and crossword answersACDB Quiz answers 1. Hamburg is the world’s Number Two maritime city, according to the 2015 Menon Business Economics report.

2. Chinese yards are building just over 43% of the ships on order around the world, according to IHS/Fairplay figures.

3. Norway launched its international ship register, NIS, in 1987.

4. In June this year there were 50 Suezmax chemical tankers are there in the world fleet, with two on order, according to IHS/Fairplay figures.

5. Around 23% of transatlantic passengers went by sea in 1960. The figure was down to 3% by 1970.

6. The Bremen captured the Blue Riband in 1929.

Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 1. Steeplejack; 7. Aim; 9. Concordat; 10. Traps; 11. Unicorn; 12. Shellac; 13. Brainstorm; 16. Abel; 18. Vase; 19. Seamstress; 22. Heifers; 23. Bugbear; 25. Cheap; 26. Rigmarole; 27. Eat; 28. Terrestrial.

Down: 1. Succumb; 2. Ennui; 3. Propound; 4. Eldon; 5. Antiserum; 6. Kitten; 7. Available; 8. Musical; 14. Abstinent; 15. Treasurer; 17. Stagnant; 18. Vehicle; 20. Surreal; 21. Despot; 23. Bugle; 24. E-coli.

This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph.

Congratulations to Nautilus member Geoff Holmes, who has won the prize draw for the August cryptic crossword.

Cryptic answers from August Across: 7. Grandson; 9. Concur; 10. Album; 11. Winnings; 12. Cops and robbers; 15. Thesis; 16. Blotch; 18. Salisbury Plain; 20. Detonate; 22. Civil; 24. Sponge; 25. Sterling.

Down: 1. Break out; 2. Snub; 3. Answer; 4. Icon; 5. Incidental; 6. Fungus; 8. Semantics; 13 Spellbound; 14. Bellyache; 17. Hairline; 18. Sleepy; 19. Uneasy; 21. Amen; 23. Vale.

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_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

College contacts z M-Notices are available as

g Women’s Forum Monday 5 October 2015 1400hrs to 1600hrs Titanic Hotel Stanley Dock, Regent Road Liverpool L3 0AN, UK The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing women in the industry and encourages female participation in Union activity.

Open to all female members.

Contact Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multi-lingual helpline for all seafarers’ welfare and support needs, as well as an emergency welfare fund.

SAIL (Seafarers’ Information and Advice Line) 08457 413 318 +44 (0)20 8269 0921 www.sailine.org.uk UK-based citizens’ advice service helping seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, benefit

entitlements, housing, pensions and relationships.

Seamen’s Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.org.uk UK charity dedicated to the health and welfare of seafarers.

Includes the Dreadnought health service.

Seafarers’ Link +44 (0)1752 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.

19/08/2015 16:59

September 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face(s) of Nautilus Carole Jamieson and Steve Hancock, central services

g

Forget Batman and Robin, stand aside Avengers, your time is up Superman and Lois Lane — the new superheroes in town are Nautilus’s own Steve Hancock and Carole Jamieson.

This dynamic duo make up the central services department for the Union’s head office in South Woodford, London.

If you have ever called the Union’s main number, visited the head office in South Woodford (and previous location in Leytonstone), or had a general request and didn’t know where to begin; the chances are you have spoken to Steve or Carole.

‘We deal with everything from straightforward switchboard, post and stationery duties, to the weird and wonderful,’ says Carole.

‘We take a lot of calls from members or relatives of members who have general Merchant Navy queries and don’t know where to start,’ she adds.

‘We always try to help, even if it is just directing them to other organisations or charities — we get a lot of calls from people trying to trace former seafarers.’

‘We both really enjoy helping members,’ adds Steve. ‘It’s one of the things that makes every day different.

We’re not just central services, we essential services!’

They pair have worked together since 2002; Carole had begun working for Nautilus predecessor NUMAST the year before Steve joined.

‘We really enjoy working with each other,’ says Carole. ‘It sounds a bit corny but it just works. We never have disagreements, and we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses so we know exactly how to support each other and get the job done.’

The camaraderie has extended out of the office over the years the pair have worked together, and each

is now good friends with the other’s family.

‘I was in a blues band playing guitar and we had a weekly gig in a pub which Carole would come to,’ Steve recalls.

‘He was really good,’ adds Carole.

‘He shouldn’t have stopped when the pub he played in closed down.’

‘Maybe the pub closed down because of my playing,’ says Steve.

They both have a habit of talking themselves down whilst constantly complimenting the other. They say being in a union is like being in a big family, and central services really are central to that ethos.

Wherev er you are , so are we

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

Join today so we can be there for you too!

Pay and conditions Nautilus International is the first truly trans-boundary trade union for maritime professionals, reflecting the global nature of the industry. We negotiate with employers on issues including pay, working conditions, working hours and pensions to secure agreements which recognise members’ skills and experience, and the need for safety for the maritime sector.

Legal services Nautilus Legal offers members a range of legal services free of charge. There are specialist lawyers to support members in work related issues and a number of non-work related issues. The Union also has a network of lawyers in 54 countries to provide support where members need it most.

Workplace support Nautilus International officials provide expert advice on work-related problems such as contracts, redundancy, bullying or discrimination, non-payment of wages, and pensions.

Certificate protection Members are entitled to free financial protection, worth up to £118,500, against the loss

43_infosprd.indd 43

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

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

Extra savings Members can take advantage of many additional discounts and benefits organised at a local level. These include tax advice, insurance discounts and advice on pension matters. In the Netherlands, discounts are organised through FNV, and trade union contributions are mostly tax-friendly, entitling members to receive a significant part of their contributions back.

In touch As a Nautilus International member, help is never far away — wherever in the world you are.

Officials regularly see members onboard their ships and visit cadets at college. Further support and advice is available at regular ‘surgeries’ and conferences. The Union has offices in London, Wallasey, Rotterdam and Basel.

There are also representatives based in France, Spain and Singapore.

International representation Nautilus International represents members’ views on a wide range of national and international bodies including the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA).

We work at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on key global regulations covering working conditions, health and safety and

Join us today…

Call +44 (0)151 639 8454 Visit www.nautilusint.org Email membership@nautilusint.org g For the full range of member benefits visit www.nautilusint.org

OR g Speak with our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454

Your union, your voice The Union represents the voice of more than 22,000 maritime professionals working in all sectors of the industry at sea and ashore — including inland navigation, large yachts, deepsea and offshore.

For members, by members Nautilus International is a dynamic and democratic trade union offering members many opportunities to become actively involved and have your say — at a local, national and international level.

19/08/2015 16:59

44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | September 2015

NEWS

Deaths on UK ships fall to lowest rate on record MAIB report voices concern over the slow progress being made by MCA to implement safety recommendations

P

There were no crew deaths onboard UKflagged merchant ships of 100gt and above last year — and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) suggests this could be a first for the industry.

In his introduction to the 2014 MAIB report, chief inspector Steve Clinch notes that an average of four seafarers have died on UK merchant ships each year over the past decade, and that a review of records going back 50 years indicates that last year was the first time there has been no fatalities.

The report also reveals that for the fifth year in succession no UK merchant ships over 100gt were lost. However, six vessels under 100gt were lost and five crew lost their lives during 2014 — four in one incident when the yacht Cheeky Rafiki capsized in the North Atlantic. Twelve commercial fishing vessels were lost in 2014 and eight fishing vessel crew died during the year.

The report expresses concern about the slow progress being made by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) on some recommendations made by the MAIB in its investigation reports.

Of the 45 MAIB recommendations which were accepted but not actioned between 2004 and 2013, more than half were addressed to the Agency.

‘Some of the commitments the Agency has made in response to MAIB recommendations are becoming quite dated,’ Mr Clinch noted.

For example, he wrote, the MCA had promised in 2011, following an accident involving a RIB on the River Thames, to ‘prioritise and resource the revision of MGN 280 to ensure the updated code of practice for small commercial vessels is published as early as is possible’.

‘Given the unequivocal nature of the 2011 response, the fact that nothing has yet been done is dis-

appointing,’ Mr Clinch said. ‘However, a benefit of the MAIB’s recent move to a building we share with the MCA is that the two organisations can address such issues more effectively than in the past and I am reasonably confident that better progress will be made in the future.’

Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the delays are ‘somewhat disturbing and demonstrate that the regulator, the MCA, has its work cut out’.

The Union has welcomed the reduction in the seafarer death and injury rate on UK ships. Last year, a total of 142 crew members were injured and none died — compared with 222 injuries and three deaths in 2010 and 246 injuries and two deaths in 2005.

Of the 142 crew injuries last year, 21 were deck officers, 19 were engineer officers and 28 were ratings. Four were masters or skippers and 70 were other crew.

The most common locations

in which injuries occurred were boat decks (23), freeboard decks (12), stairs and ladders (9) and galley spaces (9).

The most common injury causes were falls on the same level (34), falls to a lower level (27), and being caught or carried away by something (21). The most common injuries were closed fractures (46), sprains and strains (30) and superficial injuries (26).

A total of 56 passengers were injured during 2014 — up from 46 in the previous year — and one died (as a result of drowning).

Of the 120 incidents involving merchant vessels of 100gt and above recorded by the MAIB last year, 42 involved collisions, 23 groundings, 22 contact, 20 loss of control, nine damage to ship or equipment, three fire/explosion, and one flooding/foundering.

There were 174 incidents involving merchant vessels under 100gt, which resulted in five deaths and 61 injuries.

Head

Upper limbs

Torso & organs

4.2%

10.6%

40.2%

1.5%

Back including spine & vertebra in the back

Neck including spine & vertebra in the neck

4.2%

6.4%

Whole body & multiple sites

0.5%

Unspecified

Lower limbs

32.4%

The parts of the body where merchant seafarers suffered injuries during 2014 Graphic: MAIB

UK promises to keep fighting on fatigue attempts to tackle the ‘scourge A of fatigue’ by seeking action at the The UK is set to make further

International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

In his introduction to the latest UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch annual report, chief inspector Steve Clinch said measures to address the problems by increasing crew numbers had ‘met with considerable opposition from international partners’ after they were tabled at the IMO. Backed by Nautilus, the UK had called for the IMO to develop rules to require all vessels engaged in shortsea trades to carry a minimum of two watchkeepers in addition to the master.

The proposals were tabled in response to the findings of the MAIB’s 2004 report on bridge watchkeeping safety and the investigation into the grounding of the general cargoship Danio off the NE coast of the UK in March 2013.

Investigations revealed that the

The Antigua & Barbuda-flagged Danio ran aground off the NE coast of the UK three hours after the watchkeeping officer fell asleep Picture: MCA

OOW had fallen asleep three hours before the grounding, and that the six-on/six-off watch pattern, as well as work supervising cargo

operations in port, had contributed to his cumulative fatigue.

The MAIB pointed out that there had been a further nine groundings

of ships operating with just two watchkeepers in the 10 years since it published its research on bridge watchkeeping safety.

But the proposals put forward by the UK were rejected at the IMO’s human element training and watchkeeping (HTW) sub-committee

meeting in January this year, after being ruled out of scope with regards to seafarer fatigue. The Maritime & Coastguard Agency says it will make a further attempt to ensure that the sub-committee discussed the relationship at the next HTW meeting, in February 2016.

‘It is to the credit of the MCA that it is prepared to take this issue to the IMO again despite misgivings about the likely success of any new proposal due to continued international opposition,’ Mr Clinch said.

‘That there continues to be significant international opposition to ensuring that vessels engaged in short sea trading are manned by two watchkeepers in addition to the master is extremely disappointing,’ the MAIB added. ‘The MCA’s approach to broadening the evidence base for change is therefore welcomed, and the MAIB will continue to highlight the issue, when appropriate, until shortsea trade manning levels are improved.

Training courses for the maritime and offshore industries

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

44_news.indd 44

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

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

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

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

Tel:

00 44 1502 525025

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

Accredited by

19/08/2015 17:10