Nautilus Telegraph December 2016 by Redactive Media Group

Irish college call Union joins open day at national maritime centre 24-25

Master criminals? Leading lawyers discuss legal risks for ship captains 22

NL nieuws Vier pagina’s met nieuws uit Nederland 30-33

Volume 49 | Number 12 | December 2016 | £3.50 €3.70

LJMU simulators are opened by minister is pictured right as he took the F controls when he opened new ship Shipping minister John Hayes

simulator facilities at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Described as one of the most advanced bridge and engineroom training facilities in Europe, the centre — at the university’s Byrom Street campus — was officially opened as part of a day of events which also launched a new Mersey Maritime graduate scheme. The LJMU centre includes one 360-degree bridge simulator and four with 120-degree front visualisation and 40-degree rear visualisation. More than 50 ship models are available, as well as a range of exercise areas. The new facilities also include engine control room simulation, with separate simulated engineroom with engine alarms and ‘walk through’

visualisation of the main engine, along with a separate emergency generator station. There are seven different ship engine models, several of which can be linked to the equivalent model in the bridge simulator. The centre also includes a marine software suite, with six new workstations simulation the engineroom, liquid cargo handling, ECDIS and GMDSS. Mr Hayes said he was delighted to open the new centre and to launch the new Mersey Maritime graduate scheme. ‘It is by bringing together academics and industry through this programme, and using cutting-edge simulation technology that we will be able to successfully train up the next generation of mariners and ensure the UK’s maritime industry remains world-leading for many years to come,’ he added.

Safety worries on ‘green’ ship rules Union welcomes IMO plans to cut emissions, but voices concern over power reduction risks

Nautilus has welcomed a ‘milestone’ International Maritime Organisation agreement on a ‘road map’ to cut emissions from shipping. But the Union has also raised concerns that the safety of ships and seafarers could be jeopardised as a consequence of some of the changes being brought in. Nautilus ofﬁcials were among the delegates at the IMO’s marine environment protection committee who approved a strategy for cutting CO2 emissions and voted to bring in low-sulphur fuel rules in 2020, rather than 2025. The MARPOL Convention amendments will set a global 0.5% cap on the sulphur content of marine fuel, down from the current maximum of 3.5%. The 2020 date was set despite opposition from some major ﬂag

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states who expressed worries about the cost and availability of low-sulphur fuel. The International Chamber of Shipping complained that the rules will have ‘a significant impact on the economics of shipping — with compliant fuel likely to cost 50% to 100% more than residual fuel’. However, a study carried out for the IMO concluded that there will be no problems with supply and that any technical problems were not sufficient to delay implementation for another five years. Nautilus professional and technical assistant David Appleton attended the meeting and commented: ‘This decision is very much welcomed — for the sake of the seafarers serving onboard and those living in coastal areas whose health is adversely affected

by the currently unacceptable levels of pollution produced by global shipping. It is estimated that the decision to implement in 2020 rather than 2025 will prevent 200,000 premature deaths worldwide. The IMO must now ensure that the requirements are implemented fully in letter and in spirit, and that any proposals to delay or water down are resisted.’ The Union also voiced concerns at the IMO meeting over safety issues arising from the measures to make ships greener — including reductions in engine power to meet energy efﬁciency design and management plans. Speaking on behalf of the International Federation of Ship Masters’ Associations, Mr Appleton warned that the IMO’s guidelines on minimum propulsion power do not require vessels to

be sufﬁciently powered to deal with Force 8 conditions, as this is considered an ‘extreme’ state that ships are unlikely to meet during normal operations. However, the International Chamber of Shipping questioned whether the ability to make 6 knots in such conditions, as proposed in the guidelines, ‘provides a sufﬁcient margin of power to keep the ship safe in the more demanding conditions that are regularly encountered’. And Mr Appleton backed the ICS position, warning delegates: ‘Shipmasters encounter severe weather conditions on a daily basis around the world and lack of power has severe consequences.’ Last month’s Nautilus Council meeting also heard concerns about problems caused by clogged fuel injectors as a result

of changes in fuel quality. Both the shipowners’ organisation BIMCO and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) have warned that the use of blended fuels to meet the new sulphur rules could result in an increase in ‘unstable’ fuels and engine breakdowns. The ISO highlighted ‘signiﬁcant concerns with some of the blends and the ﬂash points, and whether they will be unstable in the tanks’. The IMO said it recognised the concerns over fuel quality and will consider them in its implementation plan. Meanwhile, port state control authorities in 45 countries have backed a joint Dutch and Danish plan for a concentrated inspection campaign in 2018 to target compliance with low-sulphur fuel requirement.

Inside F Training debate

City of Glasgow college hears calls for radical changes in seafarer training— page 19 F PLA high ﬂyer

Meeting the ﬁrst woman to serve as the harbour master of a major UK port — page 23

F Mixed messages

Will improved IT at sea help or hinder the mental wellbeing of crews? — pages 20-21

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02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Nautilus Council member Iain MacKenzie represented the Merchant Navy at the Cenotaph service in London

General secretary Mark Dickinson with former deputy general secretary Peter McEwen at the MN memorial in London Picture: Andrew Wiard

Nautilus joins tributes to MN victims of war and staff joined last month’s F Remembrance Day tributes to the Nautilus members, officials

Captain Val Plant and Nautilus official Micky Smith at Belfast Cenotaph

Weymouth memorial is unveiled

merchant seafarers who have lost their lives in wartime. A service and wreath-laying ceremony was held on Friday 11 November at the Union’s Mariners’ Park Estate, and on Remembrance Sunday general secretary Mark Dickinson laid a wreath during a ceremony at the Merchant Navy Memorial in Tower Hill London, while former deputy general secretary Peter McEwen placed a tribute on behalf of the Seafarers’ Hospital Service. Council member and Caledonian MacBrayne master Iain MacKenzie represented the Merchant Navy at the national service of remembrance

in Whitehall. He laid a wreath at the Cenotaph on behalf of the Merchant Navy and fishing fleets and said it was a ‘humbling experience that will stay with me forever’. Capt MacKenzie said he felt privileged and honoured to represent the MN and to pay a personal tribute to his great-grandfather, Alexander MacKenzie, who was one of the victims onboard the Admiralty yacht Iolaire, which sank off the Isle of Lewis in January 1919 carrying sailors from the First World War back home. Council member Captain Michael Lloyd, Captain Angus MacPherson of Foreland Shipping, and Captain Michael Kinkaid, a Deeside liaison officer, attended the Westminster Abbey service along with senior national secretary Allan Graveson.

Foreland Shipping master Captain Angus MacPherson with his wife at the Westminster Abbey service in London

Chief officer Anthony Newton led the Royal Fleet Auxiliary contingent for the Royal Albert Hall and Cenotaph commemorations in London

Care home praised Official inspection report gives glowing ratings to Nautilus welfare centre

Nautilus Council members have congratulated the Union’s care home staff after they were given a glowing report by a national welfare watchdog. The Mariners’ Park Care Home, which accommodates 32 residents, underwent a two-day unannounced inspection by Quality Care Commission (QCC) in October. The commission’s subsequent report, published last month, gives a ‘good’ rating to the service provided to former Merchant Navy seafarers and their dependants — with high praise for the safe, effective, caring, responsive,

Paul Compton is pictured F above at a ceremony to unveil a

Staff and residents at the Mariners’ Park remembrance service

and well-led work at the centre. ‘Staff we spoke with had a good understanding and knowledge of people’s individual care needs,’ the report notes. ‘We observed that people were treated with dignity and respect and support was provided in a kind and caring manner.’ The QCC said residents at the care home had ‘a very high standard of accommodation’. And the report quoted one relative who had commented on the excellent care and said ‘the nurses involved were a credit to their profession’. Nautilus assistant general secretary Ronnie Cunningham told Council: ‘No one should

under-estimate how good this report is, and members should be very proud and pleased about the standard of service provided — especially when you see some of the problems in the wider care sector. General secretary Mark Dickinson said the report underlined the ‘cradle to the grave’ support given by Nautilus to its members and trustee director John Lang said staff should be commended for such a ‘great success story’. z Nautilus Council members also approved proposals to appoint an additional caseworker to look after the welfare needs of retired seafarers and their families. The

Nautilus Welfare Fund presently has caseworkers based in Wallasey, Hull and Southampton and Mr Cunningham told the meeting that they have had a significant impact. ‘They have done a remarkable job in finding ex-seafarers and assisting them in being able to claim all of the statutory benefits that they are entitled to,’ he added. Over the past six months, the three existing caseworkers have helped 182 former seafarers to recover almost £229,000 in benefits and grants,’ he said. The new post will be based in Glasgow, with effect from January 2017.

Nautilus member Captain

new Merchant Navy war memorial in Weymouth last month. Capt Compton is chairman of the Weymouth and Portland branch of the Merchant Navy Association which campaigned for 18 months to raise almost £30,000 get a 3,000-signature petition to have the memorial — which is carved from Portland stone — installed on the Esplanade. Former Nautilus deputy general secretary Peter McEwen represented the Union at the commemoration service. Before the 5-tonne memorial was hoisted into position, a silver coin minted from the bullion cargo of a sunken World War Two merchant ship was placed under its plinth.

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Award for 40 years of dedicated service longest-serving staff members A has been praised for her dedication

One of Nautilus International’s

and loyalty to the Union. Membership and research administrator Karen Jones — pictured right with her husband Cliff, who is part of the Mariners’ Park Estate maintenance team — was presented with a 40-year long service award by assistant general secretary Ronnie Cunningham. Born and bred in Wallasey, Karen started work in 1976 as a secretary in the Union’s northern office in her home town, and during her career has worked in recruitment, research and membership services. Presenting the award, Mr

Cunningham said Karen had been the first person he met when he started work with the Union more than 20 years ago. ‘Karen is very much the face of Nautilus, and has a vast range of qualities — doing her work in a highly professional manner,’ he said. ‘Karen is not only highly reliable and dependable, she knows everything and is always extremely member-focused, giving the best standards of service and support,’ he added. ‘Her loyalty to the Union and its members is intense and characterised by her dedicated service over the past four decades,’ he said.

Call for app to access benefits develop an app to improve F members’ access to the benefits and Nautilus International should

services offered by the Union, Council members suggested last month. The call came during a meeting to consider the findings of the 2015 membership survey and to examine ideas for enhancing the package of deals and discounts for members. Head of strategic development Steven Gosling said the survey had shown that deals and discounts are valuable but were low on the list of reasons for membership. Assistant general secretary Ronnie Cunningham pointed out that it is possible to save more than the cost of annual subscriptions by taking advantage of some of the offers. Joe Bowry said the Union should establish an app — not just to provide simpler access to discounts and deals, but also to the full range of services and support for members. Nautilus should also analyse the take-up of the deals and focus on the most popular, he suggested. Jessica Tyson said the take-up of the benefits and services would be improved if they were made more specialist and relevant to members. Mr Gosling said the survey had shown a clear demand for such services as low-cost SIM cards, seafarer-friendly mortgages, and airport lounges. Phil Lees said discounts on training courses would be very welcome — especially for the many members who have to fund their own training, and at a time when the STCW amendments have introduced additional requirements.

16/11/2016 11:27

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Union calls for safeguards on UK flag state survey switch introduce a series of safeguards F to protect standards following Nautilus has urged the UK to

the decision to delegate flag state statutory surveys to classification societies. In a letter to shipping minister John Hayes, the Union expresses disappointment at the move to allow recognised organisations (ROs) and recognised security organisations to carry out work including MLC surveys, ISM audits and ISPS inspections. General secretary Mark Dickinson said the decision did not come as a surprise because of the difficulty in recruiting staff of sufficient experience and professional standing to fill such important safety roles within

the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). While the government had given assurances that there will be no change to the standard to be applied, Mr Dickinson said he did not believe this can be guaranteed unless MCA surveyors are either ‘embedded’ into ROs/RSOs and have access to commercially sensitive information or that supervision and oversight is so comprehensive in nature that it will not only identify deficiency issues but also detect potential failures. In announcing the decision, the government said resources are being re-directed away from flag state implementation towards port state control inspections of foreign flag

vessels calling at UK ports. ‘Ironically, the need for increased PSC is a direct consequence of failure of flag state implementation and arguably as a result of delegation to ROs,’ Mr Dickinson pointed out. Nautilus has concerns over the impartiality of class, he added, and the government should ensure that audits and surveys are not compromised by commercial considerations. ‘Appropriate measures’ need to be put in place to ensure that there is no conflict of interest between the role of ROs/RSOs — particularly class — in providing a commercial service and that of flag state statutory audits and surveys. Mr Dickinson said the UK should

also ensure there is a clear and unambiguous system for reporting unsatisfactory audits and surveys to the MCA, and that an open and transparent annual review takes place, with the results being published. Nautilus also asked the minister to explain what measures have been taken by the Department for Transport to ensure that delegating surveys to classification societies is ‘good value for the UK taxpayer’. The government is initially planning to allow up to six classification societies to conduct the statutory surveys. Nautilus says no others should be added to that list without prior consultation with the industry, including the social partners.

Minister backs UK jobs charter Nautilus welcomes shipping minister’s positive response to campaign calls

Nautilus has had ‘positive’ talks with shipping minister John Hayes on the Union’s 10-point charter for maritime jobs, skills and the future. In an hour-long meeting at the Department for Transport headquarters in London, general secretary Mark Dickinson told the minister about the charter’s proposals for measures to improve support for the industry and to maximise employment and training opportunities for British seafarers. Mr Dickinson urged the minister to act on the enhanced ‘SMarTplus’ training support package put forward by the Union and the UK Chamber of Shipping — pointing out that this would not only help to restore the value of the assistance but also deliver incentives for owners to employ newly-qualified officers. ‘The value of SMarT has fallen in real terms to barely one-third of total officer training costs. SMarT-plus would help to make UK seafarer training more internationally competitive, as well as bridging the gap by ensuring that officers are taken through to their second certificate,’ Mr Dickinson said. Mr Dickinson also highlighted the need for the UK tonnage tax rules to be reassessed to take account of developments since the scheme was introduced in 2000. The scheme should be reviewed to ensure that it remains attractive to owners and delivers on employment and training, he said, with particular attention needing to be paid to the core training requirements for ship-

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shortreports RATES AGREED: Nautilus Council has approved new membership subscription rates and increases in the levels of payments to members whose certificates are cancelled, suspended or downgraded as a consequence of a formal inquiry. As a result of the decision, the maximum amount payable to members under the professional protection benefits provided by the Union will rise from £119,900 to £120,700 with effect from 1 January. The increase to subscription rates, which also takes effect from 1 January, will be announced on the Nautilus websites and sent to members by email. The main rate via direct debit will increase by 45p per month. BALLAST CALL: Liberia has led calls by a number of flag states for the implementation of the 2004 Ballast Water Convention to be delayed, citing potential system shortages and shipyard hold-ups. It has asked the International Maritime Organisation to allow owners to renew their International Oil Pollution Prevention certificates early — giving them up to an extra five years to consider which equipment to fit. TRADE BALANCE: the number and size of new ships coming onto the market is increasing the gap between seaborne trade volumes and the capacity of the world fleet, a United Nations report has warned. The carrying capacity of the world fleet rose 3.5% in 2015, while the volume of trade was up by 2.1% from the previous year, the UN Conference on Trade & Development study says. TRAINING WARNING: owners should not cut back on officer training in response to the current downturn, the chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping has warned. Speaking at the Crew Connect Global conference last month, Esben Poulsson urged companies to ‘have an eye to the future and consider that significant growth in shiping could return within five years’. PASTORAL CALL: shipping companies should give pastoral care training to chief officers about to be promoted to masters, marine insurers have said. Colin Gillespie, deputy loss prevention director with the North P&I Club, said member companies should provide the training as part of a programme to ensure that officers are fully prepared for command. VIRGIN DEAL: Richard Branson’s cruiseship operation, Virgin Voyages, has signed a letter of intent for the construction of three 2,700-passenger capacity vessels to be built at the Fincantieri yard in Italy. The ships will each operate with 1,150 crew members and the first vessel is due to enter into service in 2020. CADETS DOWN: the number of UK cadets starting training in this year’s autumn intake is the lowest in four years, a Merchant Navy Training Board seminar heard last month. A total of 534 officer trainees began their studies in September this year, down from 575 at the same time last year and 653 in 2014. CARISBROOKE TIE-UP: UK-based operator Carisbrooke Shipping has announced that it is to join forces with the Swiss company Nova Marine Carriers in January. Chartering and operations management of the consolidated fleet of 98 vessels will be carried out at Nova Marine’s headquarters.

Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson gives a copy of the Charter for Jobs to shipping minister John Hayes

ping companies beneﬁting from the regime. Nautilus told Mr Hayes that it wants to see the delivery of promises made before the Brexit vote — with the withdrawal from the European Union offering the UK important opportunities to redeﬁne its shipping policies and to maximise the employment of British seafarers in sectors such as coastal and shortsea trades, ferries and offshore support vessels.

Brexit also offers the opportunity for the UK to change its policies for issuing Certiﬁcates of Equivalent Competency to foreign ofﬁcers, Mr Dickinson added. Mr Hayes told the Union he was very sympathetic to the charter proposals and key elements would be considered as part of the work being carried out to implement the Maritime Growth Study recommendations. ‘This was a very constructive

and positive meeting, and we were heartened by the minister’s willingness to consider the proposals we have tabled,’ Mr Dickinson said. ‘It is clear that he wants to see creative and fresh thinking, and that he is keen to see rapid progress on the growth study. We look forward to taking this dialogue further and we are hopeful that we will see action sooner rather than later.’ g Fees warning — see page 7.

STENA RE-FITS: Stena Line has announced a £7m agreement with the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast for the annual refit and maintenance work on the bulk of its 11-ship Irish Sea ferry fleet. The programme will run from the end of December until early May 2017. MAERSK SLATED: environmental groups have criticised Maersk after a floating oil production and storage tanker that it operated in the North Sea ended up at a ‘beaching’ breaking yard in Bangladesh. ART ATTACK: the Lloyd’s Register Foundation is using graduates for the UK’s Royal College of Arts to help it come up with innovative ideas for improving the safety of ship-to-ship transfers of personnel.

16/11/2016 17:47

04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports

Welcome for new Thames Clipper boats

CALMAC DEAL: a 2% pay offer has been overwhelmingly accepted by members employed by Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing (Guernsey) for the 2016 pay and conditions review. Almost 80% of respondents voted to accept the offer, which also includes incremental increases to watchkeeping engineers’ pay scales in years one, two, three and six. Additionally, members will get a 1.5% bonus in November 2017 if the company achieves in excess of £1m on operator return. SHEERNESS POSTS: two liaison officer posts have been filled to represent Nautilus members employed as VTS officers by the Port of Sheerness and serving in the Medway Navigation Service. Nautilus members Richard Fearn and Paul Smith have been appointed to the roles, which commenced on 1 November 2016 and will run until 31 October 2019.

that MBNA Thames Clippers has A placed the largest fast passenger ferry

Nautilus has welcomed the news

Nautilus International officials from London and Rotterdam are pictured above and below meeting Holland America Line representatives from Seattle at the company’s office in the Netherlands last month. The meeting discussed a number of issues raised by members during a series of Nautilus ship visits to Eurodam, Oosterdam and Koningsdam, pictured below. Two Nautilus members also attended the meeting in Rotterdam ‒ a first officer and an environmental officer.

PNTL PARTNERS: nine members employed by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (INS) have been nominated to form a new PNTL Partnership at Work membership committee. The members are Brett Forth, Gary Howarth, Elliot Layfield, David Pears, Jamie Edge, Rob Newsham, David Elliot, Tom Calderbank, and John Anderson. LCT POSTS: liaison officer roles representing members employed by LCT Support Services (Newhaven) have been filled. James Harrison is the security officer representative and Billy Joe Stace has taken the post for shore gangs. Patricia Johns has taken up the role as passenger services liaison officer.

Princess talks on conditions F

Nautilus has meet Princess Cruises’ management to discuss a number of issues ahead of the next pay review for members employed by Fleet Maritime Services (Bermuda) on Princess Cruise Line and P&O Cruises Australia vessels, which is due in January 2018. The meeting — which was held at the company’s offices in Southampton — discussed subjects including the consolidation of overtime payments, expansion of the Nautilus agreement, amended seafarer employment agreements and proposals for Nautilus representatives onboard vessels. National organiser Jonathan Havard said the Union has made a formal request to bring Princess pay methods in line with those of Holland America Line and Carnival UK.

WINDSTAR CALL: a claim seeking a 4% pay increase, a 2% pension contribution rise and two and three-year contracts for second engineers and chief electricians has been submitted by Nautilus on behalf of members employed by Windstar Management Services. SERCO SETTLES: members employed by Serco Ferries (Guernsey) Crewing have voted overwhelmingly to accept a revised terms and conditions offer. The Union is also consulting on a 2% pay offer from the company, effective from 1 October 2016. SMM PAY: a pay claim seeking an above-inflation increase has been made on behalf of members employed by Stena Marine Management on ro-ro and ro-pax ferries and also for those on protected terms from Maersk. WOMEN’S TUC: requests for nominations and motions for the Women’s TUC Conference in March 2017 are being sought by Nautilus. Contact industrial organiser Lisa Carr for further details. MERIDIAN CALL: Nautilus has presented a claim for an above-inflation pay rise for members employed by Meridian Shipping Services on ro-ro and ro-pax ferries.

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order at a UK shipyard for more than 25 years. Two new 170-passenger capacity vessels will be built at the Wight Shipyard on the Isle of Wight, with delivery due in summer 2017. The £6.3m order will boost Thames Clippers’ capacity by 14% and follows the addition of two other boats last year. Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr described the order as ’fantastic news’ and said it would lead to improved employment and promotion opportunities for members serving with the company. The Union is presently consulting Thames Clippers members on a pay and conditions offer which would see a 1.25% pay increase on basic salary, with a bonus of up to 3% awarded if key targets are met. The offer also states that sick pay entitlement will remain unchanged.

Crew wages are set to increase by 1.8% Survey finds that pressure on salaries has been reduced by trade downturn

Ship owners and managers are expecting to see a 1.8% increase in crew wage costs next year, according to a new report. Research by the shipping accountancy ﬁrm Moore Stephens shows that operators anticipate that 2016 will see crew salaries up by 1.3%, with other crew-related costs rising by 1.2% this year and 1.4% next year. Moore Stephens partner Richard Greiner described the predicted increases in crew wages as ‘arguably lower than anticipated’ — with feedback from its survey

showing that salaries might stabilise or even go down as a consequence of reduced global trade ‘and wider recourse to cheaper, less experienced manning alternatives’. The survey showed that overall vessel operating costs are expected to increase by 1.9% in 2016 and by 2.5% in 2017, with repairs and maintenance and spares being the cost categories judged most likely to increase most signiﬁcantly in each of the two years. Moore Stephens said the survey showed many of the own-

ers and managers — who were mainly from Europe and Asia — speaking of the need to address such familiar problem areas as over-tonnaging, excessive competition, a paucity of finance and rising fuel costs. The cost of meeting new rules for reduced emissions and ballast water management was high on the list of concerns cited in the survey. Asked about the three factors that would most affect operating costs over the next 12 months, 20% of respondents identified finance costs as the most signifi-

cant factor, followed by competition at 19% and crew supply at 18%. Mr Greiner pointed out that the predicted increases follow a 2.4% reduction in average operating costs across all main ship types in 2015 and are not a surprise, given the increasingly tight regulatory requirements. Some of the survey respondents had highlighted the need to maintain quality operations, Mr Greiner noted. ‘Above all, shipping needs safe ships and safetyminded crews to stay aﬂoat, and both come with a heavy price-tag,’ he added.

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December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05

NAUTILUS AT WORK

UK reviews electronic balloting

‘Constructive’ Shetland talks organiser Micky Smyth (right) F with (from left to right) Shetland Pictured left is national ferry

UK government’s decision to A conduct an independent review of The TUC has welcomed the

Islands Council ferry director Maggie Sandison, Shetland Islands Council ferry manager Craig Robertson and liaison officer Andrew Thompson. During the visit to the company’s offices at the start of November the group discussed matters including recruitment and retention, study leave, and the roles and responsibilities of members working on the lifeline services between the Shetland Islands. Both parties have agreed to arrange dedicated dates for meetings to discuss members’ concerns. National ferry organiser Micky Smyth said it was ‘a constructive meeting with management’ and he ‘thanked the members for their welcome and hospitality during his visits — in particular to liaison officers Andrew Thompson and Magnus Stewart.’

electronic balloting for industrial action ballots. The inquiry will consider issues surrounding the use of electronic voting by trade unions — including risks of interception, impersonation, hacking, fraud or misleading or irregular practices. It will also examine how to ensure the anonymity of voters, as well as the security and resilience of existing practices for balloting union members TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady commented: ‘It is time to bring union balloting into the 21st century and let members vote securely online. ‘Thousands of e-ballots are used every year, by hundreds of organisations, including the Conservative Party.’

TUC hits out at fall in tribunal claims Nautilus says analysis of the impact of charges shows value of membership

Increasing numbers of British workers are being denied justice in the workplace as a result of the high cost of taking claims to an employment tribunal, the TUC revealed last month. Nautilus says the analysis of the impact of the introduction of tribunal charges highlights the importance of Union membership, with representation on workplace grievances being a major beneﬁt. The TUC said the number of working people challenging discrimination or unfair treatment at work has fallen by 9,000 a month since the tribunal charges — which can be as high as £1,200, even for those on the minimum wage — came in. The analysis shows that in the year before tribunal fees were introduced (2012-13), an average of 16,000 people per month took

a claim against their employer to employment tribunals. But in 2015-16, the average number of people taking claims had dropped to 7,000 a month. This includes a drop of nearly three-quarters (down 73%) for unfair dismissal claims. And there have been sharp falls in challenges over sex discrimination (down 71%), race discrimination (down 58%) and disability discrimination (down 54%). The TUC says the ﬁgures show that a key mechanism to stamp out discrimination and stop unfair sackings is broken, allowing discrimination to ‘ﬂourish unchecked’. The Ministry of Justice was due to publish a review on the impact of fees by the end of 2015. However, nearly a year on, nothing has happened. The TUC says the review must be published urgently and is calling on prime

minister Theresa May and Chancellor Phillip Hammond to abolish fees in the Autumn Statement. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: ‘These figures show a huge drop in workers seeking justice when they’ve been unfairly treated. Now bosses know they can get away with it, discrimination at work can flourish unchecked and people can be sacked without good reason. These fees are pricing out thousands each month from pursuing cases.’ Charles Boyle, director of Nautilus legal services, commented: ‘The reduction in claims taken to the employment tribunal since the introduction of fees is staggering. Many potential claims will relate to unfair dismissal, redundancies and non-payment of wages, and so the workers will already be in a vulnerable financial position and will either have

to fork out high fees, which they can ill afford, or drop the issue entirely and let the employer off the hook. ‘It is therefore more vital than ever to be a member of a trade union which can help prevent such issues arising or, even if they do materialise, can fund claims for its members,’ he pointed out. ‘Nautilus provides this protection and funds its members’ employment tribunal claims in cases where there is at least a 51% chance of success. ‘The Union has been particularly busy over the last year or so supporting employment tribunal claims arising out of dismissals and redundancies resulting from the downturn in the oil and gas sector,’ he added. ‘Employment protection is one of the main beneﬁts offered by the Union and no seafarer should be without it.’

Steam Packet plea F

Nautilus industrial organiser Derek Byrne is pictured with Simon Broadhurst of Bernard Schulte, signing an amended collective bargaining agreement covering members in the QGTCMI fleet. The Union has been consulting members about their aspirations for the forthcoming pay and conditions claim.

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Nautilus has been given assurances that its calls for a decision to safeguard investment in the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company fleet are to be considered during a debate in the Tynwald. The Union has had a response from the Manx government to its representations on the plans for a new strategic sea services agreement for the lifeline ferry operations to and from the island, with the current agreement due to expire in 2026. Politicians have called for more information to be provided on the agreement, ahead of a new debate planned for January 2017.

Some are calling for the services to be put out to tender soon, but the transport department argues that the appropriate time to tender would not be until at least 2021. z Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth has submitted a pay claim for an above-RPI inflation pay rise for members employed by Manx Sea Transport (Guernsey) and serving on Isle of Man Steam Packet Company vessels. A meeting has been arranged to discuss the claim on Thursday 8 December at which other issues, including certification, rotations, travel concessions and car parking facilities, will also be covered.

shortreports ORKNEY DELAY: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth has contacted Orkney Ferries management regarding the delay in the start of the working party to discuss union concerns about members’ current terms and conditions. Following the comparability study report, it was agreed by all parties that the working party should commence as soon as possible, and as a result of the Union’s intervention, liaison officer John Cowie and a representative from Unite met management on 10 November to commence the working party process. STENA SUBMISSION: Nautilus has submitted a pay claim seeking an above-RPI inflation increase for members employed by Stena Line (all routes). The Union says the settlement should reflect ‘the contribution of our members, who are loyal, hardworking employees in delivering an excellent service’ and it has also requested a review of the mate/master role. Talks commenced last month. CEMEX CHANGES: members employed by Cemex UK Marine Guernsey have voted to accept contractual changes to training following consultations. The changes relate to banked leave and pay for each day spent in training during a leave period. The company said it would like to try to guarantee that as many members as possible will be able to have Christmas off. RMS SWITCH: members serving onboard RMS St Helena have been advised that the employing entity for the officers and crew has also changed to VGG (Guernsey). Industrial organiser Lisa Carr has raised issues with the company including payments previously agreed with the Union. GLOBAL MEETING: a Partnership at Work meeting has taken place for members employed by Global Marine Systems — with discussions covering issues including this year’s pay and conditions review. The Union is now awaiting a formal offer from the company. RED CLAIM: Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth has presented a claim for an above-RPI pay increase for members employed by Red Funnel and has written to the company requesting dates for a meeting. TRINITY AWARD: members serving with Trinity House are being consulted on an offer of an additional 2% pay award, conditional on the agreement of the permanent removal of the additional week’s leave. MAERSK VIEWS: members employed by Maersk Offshore (Guernsey) and serving on tankers are being asked to submit their aspirations for the forthcoming pay and conditions review. UECC CLAIM: Nautilus has submitted a claim for an above-RPI pay rise for members serving with UECC (Guernsey).

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16/11/2016 17:39

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports

Windy aims for Yarmouth

CUTS REJECTED: members serving with VGG (Guernsey) as marine crew and dive techs on the DSV agreement have voted to reject the company’s costsaving proposals for salary reductions. The company said it wanted to respond to market conditions and a lack of confirmed work for the vessels by asking members to accept a 20% salary cut as well as a further cut, amounting to a 50% reduction in wages, if ships go into lay-up. Industrial organiser Derek Byrne is seeking further talks with the company to explain the reasons why members opposed the proposals.

breaking’ ceremony to officially A commence a multi-million-pound

Peel Ports has staged a ‘ground-

RIGGED MARKET: the number of working rigs around the world has fallen by more than 25% over the past year, according to a new report from the US-based firm Baker Hughes Inc. The total of 225 working offshore rigs in October this year compares with 304 at the same time last year and almost 400 in October 2014. This represents potential work for between 675 and 900 ships, for a relevant global fleet of about 5,500 OSVs. BOURBON IDLES: the French operator Bourbon says it has laid up 85 vessels from its fleet, complaining that the ‘offshore oil and gas marine services market is hitting a low point in the second half of 2016’. However, CEO Jacques de Chateauvieux said expectations of a potential rebalancing of oil supply and demand in 2017 may mark the start of a recovery in activity. N-SEA ADDITION: the Dutch-based inspection, maintenance and repair firm N-Sea has added to its fleet with the long-term charter of Siem Offshore’s subsea construction vessel Siem Barracuda. ‘This is a stateof-the-art subsea vessel which increases our ability to operate within greater parameters of harsh weather,’ said chief operating officer Roddy James. HAVILA PLAN: Havila Shipping has revealed what it says is its final plan to save the company. Its financial restructuring proposals are backed by banks and the largest shareholder, and the company says the package will enable it to ‘endure the severe market downturn and to continue safe operations of its fleet to the benefit of all stakeholders’. DP ALERT: thruster/propulsion problems were the main cause of the 80 dynamic positioning stationkeeping incidents reported last year, according to the International Marine Contractors Association. The second most common cause was ‘computer’, followed by ‘environment’, with ‘human factor’ and ‘power’ in joint fourth. DEESIDE TALKS: Nautilus industrial organiser Gary Leech has met Deeside Guernsey management to discuss the 2017 pay and conditions claim for members serving on vessels owned or operated by Vroon Offshore Services. The Union is now awaiting a response from the company. NKOSSA VIEWS: Nautilus is seeking the views of members employed by Maersk Offshore (Guernsey) and serving on Nkossa II on the contents of the forthcoming pay and conditions claim. OCEAN LIAISON: Nautilus is seeking two new liaison officers to represent members employed by Ocean Supply (Guernsey) with effect from 1 January 2017 until 31 December 2019. BODY MATTERS: Oil & Gas UK has published detailed data on research into the changing size of the North Sea workforce.

www.irishseafarerstax.ie

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Pictured, left to right, are: Ray Thompson, Siemens; Richard Sanford, Innogy; Great Yarmouth MP Brandon Lewis; Jonathan Cole, Scottish Power Renewables; Graham Plant, Great Yarmouth Borough Council; and Richard Goffin, Peel Ports Great Yarmouth Picture: Maurice Gray

project to make Great Yarmouth ‘the port of choice’ for windfarm construction and installation activities. The new facilities — which will include a new storage area and heavylift quay facilities on the outer harbour — will support work on the Scottish Power Renewables 714MW East Anglia One and Innogy SE’s 336MW Galloper offshore windfarms. Construction of the East Anglia One farm is expected to start in 2017 and have its first turbines installed by 2019, while the Galloper project is scheduled to begin operations in 2018. ‘The start of these works marks significant progress in our plans to grow and diversify our offering at Great Yarmouth within the energy sector,’ said Peel Ports Great Yarmouth port director Richard Goffin.

Operators call for tax action

Crisis talks on threat to jobs at Technip

North Sea boost sought as study warns of OSV surplus

talks with Technip (Singapore) F over a threat to almost half of

North Sea oil and gas operators have appealed for more tax breaks to help arrest a record slump in the offshore industry. Oil & Gas UK wrote to Chancellor Philip Hammond to call for the Autumn Statement to be used to help boost investment in North Sea exploration and production. Investment has fallen from a record £14.8bn in 2014 to about £9bn this year — and almost all of that has gone into projects approved before oil prices crashed two years ago. Only £100m has been committed to new projects in 2016. And low oil prices have seen tax revenues from the North Sea fall to the lowest level since production began in the 1960s. Chief executive Deirdre Michie said ‘a strong signal of conﬁdence and support’ was essential to reverse the downward spiral, with investors needing ‘a more competitive, simple and predictable’ ﬁscal framework.

‘The UK oil and gas industry is much more globally competitive than it was two years ago,’ she said. ‘The cost of doing business in the North Sea has come down significantly and production has increased for the first time in 15 years thanks to the industry’s efforts to make its operations more efficient. ‘We urgently need to see new entrants encouraged into the market, and increased asset trading is one area that could boost activity in the North Sea by facilitating the trading of late-life assets.’ Oil & Gas UK says the government should recognise the ‘mature’ nature of the North Sea and provide support to help recover the 10bn to 20bn barrels of remaining reserves. The operators want existing tax relief on investment to be extended to cover some operating expenditure where spending is aimed at increasing productivity or keep-

ing mature assets in production longer. The organisation has also called for ministers to complete work on the tax relief rules to govern decommissioning work. z As many as 1,000 offshore supply and anchor-handling vessels need to be removed from the world fleet to help improve utilisation and charter rates, a new report says. The IHS Markit analysis warns that OSV demand has dropped by 10% annually since 2014 and is set to fall by the same rate next year. The current average scrapping rate of 25 ships a year needs to rise to 200 a year, it argues. ‘The question remains of whether the industry, with such a fragmented ownership structure, will be willing to scrap older vessels to address over-capacity in the market, which may benefit other managers with more modern fleets,’ said lead author Erik Simonsen.

Rig scrapping ‘going slowly’ could be created in the North F Sea over the next decade if the rate of More than £17bn worth of work

offshore oil and gas decommissioning is stepped up, a new report says. The study, published by Oil & Gas UK last month, forecasts a ‘gradual but steady rise’ in the rate of decommissioning in the UK and Norwegian continental shelves between now and 2025. It notes that more than 100 platforms are set for complete or partial removal over the next decade,

with some 1,800 wells scheduled to be plugged and abandoned and around 7,500km of pipeline to be decommissioned. ‘With low oil prices continuing, you might expect decommissioning to be a key focus for the sector in the years ahead,’ said Mike Tholen, Oil & Gas UK’s upstream policy director. ‘However, we are not witnessing a rush to decommission.’ ‘Different factors are at play and the picture is much more complex,’ he pointed out. ‘Some

companies are deferring cessation of production as field life has been extended by sustained efficiency improvements; others are delaying activity due to cash-flow constraints; while elsewhere, companies may be expediting decommissioning to take advantage of falling costs in the current downturn.’ He said operators are working with the government to develop ‘a highquality, cost-efficient and competitive decommissioning capacity’ to make the most of the opportunities.

Nautilus has held emergency

the marine officers’ jobs in the company’s fleet. A total of 135 officer posts have been earmarked for redundancy out of a pool of 289. A recent voluntary severance consultation within the company resulted in just 11 officers expressing an interest and being accepted for redundancy. During the meeting — which took place in Liverpool on Monday 14 November — Technip discussed its proposals for officer job losses as well as the market outlook for the year ahead and the impact on demand for offshore personnel. Nautilus remains in detailed discussion with management over the proposed selection matrix and various options for mitigation. The Union has asked the company to reopen the voluntary redundancy window to allow more members to look at this as an option. During the talks, Nautilus also suggested that career break and job sharing opportunities be offered as a means of reducing the level of redundancy. The company has indicated a willingness to seriously consider this and to revert to the Union as soon as possible. Speaking after the meeting, national organiser Steve Doran said the news will come as a huge blow for many members. ‘We are all aware of the troubles that the maritime sector has been experiencing over a number of years now and to see so many more skilled jobs go by the wayside is another kick in the teeth,’ he added. ‘We are working hard to ensure that as many members as possible remain in work, and we encourage any members who have concerns to speak to their liaison officers,’ Mr Doran said. Further meetings are expected to take place in the near future.

16/11/2016 17:00

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

Charter scheme for master mariners launch by the Honourable F Company of Master Mariners (HCMM) Nautilus has welcomed the

HCMM Master Captain Flavian D’Souza, left, with Nautical Institute chief executive Philip Wake sign the CMMar status service level agreement

of a Chartership scheme for master mariners. The Chartered Master Mariner (CMMar) status aims to bring national and international recognition to seafarers who have achieved the highest level of certification. The scheme will initially run on a 12-month pilot basis under which applications will be by invitation only. The HCMM plans to review and refine the process during this period before opening up CMMar status to the wider maritime community. The HCMM says the scheme will bring master mariners into line with other professions that award

Chartered status and will serve ‘as a mark of excellence that evidences personal eminence, individual expertise, superior competence and peer-recognised quality’. Routes to CMMar status are not rigidly prescribed, it adds, and assessment for the award will be unique to each candidate — ‘potentially offering as many routes to Chartership as there are applicants’. Nautilus professional and technical assistant David Appleton said: ‘We very much welcome this initiative. It provides long-overdue recognition for master mariners, as well as parity with other professions. It will also provide additional motivation for individuals to continue their professional development.’

Union warns of fees ‘own goal’ by MCA Minister urged to reconsider plans for ‘reckless’ rise in certification charges

Nautilus has registered its opposition to ‘woefully misguided’ proposals to increase UK seafarer training and certiﬁcation charges. The Union has warned shipping minister John Hayes that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency plans for an average 20% rise in fees could serve as ‘a spectacular own goal’ by undermining Maritime Growth Study plans to boost British seafarer employment and training. The increases have been put forward in a bid by the MCA to recover the full costs of providing its certiﬁcation, examination, and ship registration and survey services. Because the fees have

not been increased for the past decade, the Agency argues that the shipping industry has been effectively ‘publicly subsidised’ for such services. But Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson warned the minister: ‘Increasing the costs faced by individual seafarers at a time when employment pressures are so intense — not least because of the downturn in the North Sea — appears reckless in the extreme and runs the risk of undermining all the work being carried out to regenerate UK maritime employment and training.’ The Union noted that while the ofﬁcial consultation document referred to a 20% average rise in

seafarer training and certification charges, it masked the fact that many of the fees will rise by more than four- or five-fold. ‘To make such increases at a time when UK seafarers are facing the very strong pressures of a depressed global maritime labour market and when pay rates have been pegged down — and even cut in some cases — would be especially damaging,’ Mr Dickinson said. Nautilus told the government it was ‘totally unacceptable’ to propose reductions in the charges for Certificates of Equivalent Competency (CECs). Reducing CEC fees whilst increasing CoC charges ‘demonstrates a lack of understanding of the national

Handover fears raised professional and technical F committee have raised concerns

Members of the Nautilus Council

about the way in which watchkeeping handovers may put officers in breach of work and rest time requirements. Senior national secretary Allan Graveson told last month’s meeting that members have consistently condemned the inadequate regulations governing ship manning and fatigue, as well as the poor standards of enforcement. Geert Feikema highlighted problems for officers working six-on/ six-off rotas. With a 15-minute

handover required at the start and finish of the watch, as well as rounds of the ships sometimes needed, officers would fail to gain the rest time stipulated by the rules, he said. Deputy general secretary Marcel van den Broek said there appears to be ‘an unwritten rule’ that such non-compliance is ignored. But Mr Graveson said officers should ensure that handover times are registered in the working time record book. Iain MacKenzie said members should be given advice on the issue as they could be in serious trouble if work hours are not properly recorded.

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interest and the need for sustainability of UK seafarer training and employment’, Mr Dickinson said. The Union also said the consultation document had failed to include an assessment of the impact of increased fees upon UK seafarers and failed to provide a holistic vision of the way in which MCA services should form part of an integrated programme to support the country’s maritime cluster. Nautilus has also urged the government to reject proposals for signiﬁcant increases in the fees that UK seafarers have to pay for medical examinations, stating that any rise in the charges should have a ‘realistic’ cap.

Special MCA award to Marine turned officer member Jordan Small F being presented with a special

Pictured above is Nautilus

commendation by Maritime & Coastguard Agency chief executive Sir Alan Massey. The commendation was made following Jordan’s nomination by City of Glasgow College for the MCA’s trainee of the year award — in recognition of ‘his hard work and unfailing determination to succeed, exemplary attendance record, voluntary extra-curricular study sessions and consistent support of fellow students’. Sir Alan said he was delighted to present the award to ‘an outstanding trainee who represents the very high standards we aspire to in merchant seafarers’. Now aged 29, Jordan served with the British Infantry and the Royal Marines after leaving school and served in Iraq as part of a strike team in frontline operations, for which he received a commendation from the Commander-in Chief for distinguished service. After leaving the Marines, he spent several years as a special constable with Greater Manchester Police before deciding to apply for a cadetship as a result of interest sparked while taking part in a

recreational diving course. Jordan’s cadetship was sponsored by Farstad Shipping and he served the majority of his seatime in the North Sea on Far Splendour, with a stint sailing out of South Africa. Since qualifying, he has served with Stena Line (Northern Marine Ferries) as third officer and is currently sailing on Stena Adventurer. ‘For me, the feeling of carrying on the tradition of seafaring from those who helped to shape the global economy and international relations is what drives me to maintain high professional standards and achieve a much as I can,’ he said. It gives me a sense of pride to be part of the future of such a diverse industry, and it is my goal to become either an MCA surveyor or MAIB accident investigator and help shape the future safety culture of the industry.’ Jordan said he had been grateful for the support and mentoring given to him as an associate of the Honourable Company of Master Mariners. ‘Being a part of such professional bodies gives me additional drive to achieve and by interaction with some very distinguished and accomplished seafarers my ambition to succeed grows,’ he added.

Sail training ship seatime for Trinity House cadet Darren Naggs is Tom Green, the A second cadet in the joint Trinity House Pictured left with Captain

and Jubilee Sailing Trust three-year training scheme. Tom will study for a foundation degree in maritime studies at Warsash Maritime Academy and is due to join the sail training ship Tenacious in Australia in January for his first phase of seatime. ‘Having recently started my deck officer cadetship with Trinity House in

September, I was elated to learn of my selection for additional sponsorship through the Jubilee Sailing Trust and to be giving the opportunity to work with such a fantastic organisation and charity during my sea phases,’ he said. ‘Having already been to university and after two years in the education sector, I was dubious about the prospect of a career change, but the offer from Trinity House was difficult to turn down,’ he added.

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07_news.indd 7

16/11/2016 11:30

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

LARGE YACHT NEWS

MNTB ‘first’ for new command course Nautilus supports inaugural three-day training programme at South Shields Marine School by Michael Howorth

Nautilus International took part in a new specialist course to give superyacht masters essential command and control skills for handling emergencies. The three-day course, delivered at South Shields Marine School last month, has been developed by the Gateshead-based yacht brokerage and management ﬁrm West Nautical, one of the Union’s yacht sector partners. The bespoke training covers such things as how to respond to terrorist threats, distress calls from migrants, and dealing with medical emergencies or tension among crews. The course is the ﬁrst in Europe and the second globally to receive the Merchant Navy Training Board’s new course recognition status and kitemark of good practice — which ensures the programme has met rigorous MNTB criteria. Initially developed in 2015 for West Nautical’s support team for superyacht masters, the course has been remodelled to meet sector needs and opened up to the industry. Five superyacht captains from the UK, Australia and France took part, and the event was also attended by Nautilus senior assistant organiser Danny McGowan who provided some training in the Union’s resources on bullying and harassment.

Geoff Moore and Kate Gillespie with the command and control course delegates: Daniel George, my Hermitage; Stuart Friee; my Luna; Jean Marc Bitouzet, my St David; Andy Robinson, my Octopus; and Nigel Bigwood, my Liliyaside

Using a simulated 90m motor yacht and a 40m fast craft, delegates were put through their paces on command and control training and simulation using real-time navigation and a range of emergency scenarios, with expert debrieﬁng after each session. Course delegates praised its realism. Captain Jean Marc Bitouzet, of the Italian-based vessel St David, commented: ‘We often forget that anything can happen at sea and this was an ideal way to check how we react

under pressure. It also reminded us of the duty of care we owe to our crew, guests and owners — both at sea and in port.’ Australian captain Daniel George — formerly master of the 68m Hermitage — agreed it was a ‘fantastic course’, which covered many of the aspects that were not included in the training for his master’s ticket. ‘My last three simulator sessions have all been based on navigation and the “rules of the road”. This course focused on management decisions and communica-

tion skills and I found it very beneﬁcial,’ he added. West Nautical MD Geoff Moore — who is a master mariner — commented: ‘The ﬁve delegates each had a number of opportunities to be in command of the bridge simulator during the exercises. I saw some great delegation, understanding of the crisis or situation and an awareness of the needs and abilities of their fellow crew members. By the end they were a tight team that could, and did, handle any situation together with ease.’

Course coordinator Kate Gillespie added: ‘I was particularly interested in the debriefs and at the experiential learning that the candidates took away with them. There were vast improvements in team-working and the way that they developed themselves over the course. ‘I could tell from their body language and tone of voice that they had developed rapidly in such a short space of time,’ she said. ‘I put that down to a combination of their existing knowledge, a willingness to learn more and the intensity of the course.’ Mr McGowan said: ‘Nautilus is proud to partner with organisations that support continuous professional development along with the safety and welfare of seafarers.’ The delegates also spent a day at Gateshead’s AkzoNobel paint factory where they learned about marine coatings, especially focusing on the research and development of yacht coatings which are created and produced on site. The course also encompassed team-bonding sessions, insurance updates and claim guidance from ZIS Bespoke Insurance and ﬁnancial planning from The Morpeth practice of St James Place Wealth Management. The next course will be held in October/November 2017. ‘We’re already planning the next course and hope to welcome even more superyacht captains to Tyneside,’ Mr Moore added.

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

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

UK repair firm goes for yachts by Michael Howorth

Britain’s largest independent ship repairer, Burgess Marine, is aiming to take a bigger share of the superyacht market with a new acquisition. It has bought the Devon-based procurement and chandlery group Global Services and sister business Global New Build for an undisclosed sum. Burgess already has nine UK shipyards and one in Majorca and it hopes that the tie-up will create more work for its Portsmouth and Palma facilities. Chief executive Nicholas Warren commented: ‘Our intent is to deliver efficiencies by adopting Global’s state-of-the-art software, promoting more superyacht refits to both our Portchester and Palma footprints. We’ll also be using this merger to expand both our agency network and our offering within the superyacht sector.’ In recent years, Burgess has worked on several superyacht projects including repairs, refits and rebuilds of Sir Charles Dunstone’s Shemara, the Aga Khan’s Alamshar, Lord Sugar’s Lady A and the yachts Bystander, Amaryllis and iDynasty.

Union joins forum in Amsterdam organiser Danny McGowan F attended the Global Superyacht Nautilus senior assistant

Forum, held in Amsterdam between 14 to 16 November. This event provided the Union with the opportunity to meet and network with key industry players from around the world. There were also workshops on topics such as cyber security, incident reporting and crisis management, and presentations from flag authorities including the Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, and the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry. ‘As we continue to develop the Union’s representation of officers and crew in the large yacht sector, it is vital that we attend such forums,’ Mr McGowan said. ‘Not only does it benefit our current members, but it also ensures that employers and other industry bodies can witness the value of a true, representative body for seafarers and shoreside workers in the large yacht sector’.

Nautilus International works closely with the MCA and regulatory authorities in Europe and around the world, and this SRB is one of only two that the MCA recognises worldwide as evidence of acceptable service. p

INTERNATIONAL

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Once your yacht service is verified O in our office in Antibes, then the MCA accepts the Nautilus SRB as M ssufficient proof of onboard and sea sservice and no further supporting ddocumentation is required. zContact the membership ddepartment either via email or telephone to receive your free SRB. te

Oceanco shows off Spectrum Oceanco revealed its latest A design — the 102m Project Dutch superyacht builder

Spectrum, pictured above — at this year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Developed with Nauta Design, the five-deck vessel features a hybrid propulsion system, allowing

for a wide range of cruising modes. Powered by two MTU 16V 2000 M72 1,440kW diesel engines, each coupled with a 500kW electric motor, the LY3-compliant yacht has a maximum speed of 18.5 knots. Oceanco says extensive investment in hull form research and development has delivered a

‘refined hull shape’ enabling lower resistance through the water. The yacht also features a ‘touch and go’ helicopter pad. The bridge offers a large helm area, two wing stations and a Portuguese bridge. Spectrum is LY3-compliant and destined for the Cayman Islands flag.

16/11/2016 11:31

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

No UK jobs on new UK-flag ships has told Nautilus he shares the F Union’s concerns about the lack of UK Shipping minister John Hayes

seafaring jobs on many ships using the red ensign. Questioned by Nautilus at the All-Party Parliamentary Maritime and Ports Group about the absence of British seafarers on the UK-flagged ro-ro containership Atlantic Sea, left, which was christened in Liverpool last month, the minister said he had taken the issue up with Atlantic Container Lines. Mr Hayes said he had welcomed

Flag condemned for MLC failures Nautilus/ITF inspector secures owed wages for crew of ship detained in UK

Further concerns over flag state enforcement of Maritime Labour Convention wage requirement have been raised after Nautilus/ ITF inspector Tommy Molloy discovered the crew of a Malteseflagged ship were owed more than US$60,000. The 8,867gt general cargoship Svetlana was detained in Cardiff after a Maritime & Coastguard Agency port state control inspection found 11 deficiencies, including missing and expired charts, missing nautical publications, a defective voyage data recorder and a holed fire-fighting main pipe. During a subsequent inspection, crew members complained about a malfunctioning bilge alarm, starboard anchor and the non-payment of wages. The MCA asked Mr Molloy to assist with the calculations of how much was owed to the Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian seafarers. He discovered that since the crew had joined the ships, only small and infrequent cash payments had been received. ‘One man had not been paid since he

The Maltese-flagged Svetlana detained in Cardiff Picture: Tommy Molloy

transferred to the ship in June and had not been paid the three months wages he was owed from his employment on the ship he was transferred from,’ he added. Mr Molloy said the wages being paid were the worst he had seen for a long time — and well below the International Labour Organisation (ILO) minimums. In addition, crew had been forced to

buy their own protective clothing and safety equipment. ‘The state of the vessel is bad enough from a maintenance point of view’ he said. ‘It is selfevident that no money is being spent on the basics and, as is usual with such shipowners, the crew are also not being paid.’ He said he was concerned to learn that the ship’s third ofﬁcer

had been sacked by the Bulgarian operators. ‘It seems the company has determined that as he is the only claimant who speaks fluent English it must have been him who called the ITF to complain about not getting paid. This is his reward. In fact he did not call us — the request to visit came from the MCA.’ Mr Molloy said hoped the MCA’s intervention would send a strong message that the maritime community will not tolerate such conditions in UK ports. ‘We have had similar dealings with this operator before,’ he added. ‘They have been described as being at the very low end of the industry, and the MLC was designed to give seafarers protection against exactly this kind of sub-standard outfit. ‘The MLC requires member states that have ratified to establish procedures for determining minimum wages for seafarers and that when doing so they should give consideration to those set by ILO,’ he pointed out. ‘I have asked how low wages can be set before this becomes an issue for the Malta shipping register.’

the fact that the company had doubled its shore-based workforce in Liverpool in recent years, but he urged it to be a ‘model’ for UK seafarer employment and training. ‘We have got to get more British seafarers on our ships,’ he added. Latest government figures show that the number of UK officers on UK-flagged ships in the tonnage tax scheme fell from 2,101 in 2009 to 1,418 in 2014 and the number of UK ratings on UK-registered tonnage tax ships dropped from 1,854 to 1,324 in the same period.

The figures mean that 11.3% of British officers and 15.7% of British ratings are employed on UK-flagged ships in the tonnage tax scheme. The RMT union staged a protest to coincide with the ship’s christening by the Princess Royal, pointing out that there will be no British seafarers on any of ACL’s UK flagged fleet of five new con-ro ships — Atlantic Sea, Atlantic Sail, Atlantic Star, Atlantic Sky and Atlantic Sun — despite the vessels being registered in the Port of Liverpool. Picture: Jacqueline Mills

‘Industry needs to change IT policies’ anything between five to 40 F times more than a passenger on an Seafarers are having to pay

Emirates flight to access internet services, a maritime communications expert said last month. Former seafarer Frank Coles, now CEO with the marine equipment firm Transas, told the Dubai Maritime Week conference that there is still a long way to go before shipping connectivity catches up with other sectors. However, he predicted, prices are set to fall as a consequence of increased capacity. In turn, improved connectivity will raise the quality of seafarers’ living and working conditions. Mr Coles noted that some industry figures have expressed concern that crew members will not get sufficient rest if they have easy access to online services at sea. ‘They think the crew will simply watch movies and play on the web all the time,’ he pointed out. ‘My thoughts are that while you treat people like children, they will continue to act like children. He said the shipping industry

needs ‘an attitude change’ in its approach to modern technology and to understand the interface between machines and people. ‘We add technology without lightening the load of the tasks and we add technology without considering how it impacts those that must use it’ he argued. ‘This is at the core of the reluctance to adopt the technology into the decision-making process. ‘Smart shipping needs to involve removing the drudgery from the bridge and engineroom, passing this to the shore and allowing the human to focus on the key critical issues,’ Mr Coles said. The Transas boss said he believed the industry still has a long way to go before the vision of ‘robo-ships’ becomes reality. ‘The move towards the remote or unmanned and smart ships will require the fidelity of the connection, the robustness of the positional data and compliant equipment to IMO/IEC standards yet to be put in place,’ he added. ‘We are not there yet and not even close.’ g See feature — pages 20-21.

Brexit ‘an opportunity’ the European Union could offer F opportunities for British shipping and

The UK referendum vote to leave

seafarers, Nautilus Council members heard last month. General secretary Mark Dickinson said the Union is working with industry partners to ensure that maritime policies are at the heart of the government’s new industrial strategy. Joe Bowry said Brexit could serve

as a ‘re-set button’ for the Merchant Navy, with new initiatives to support the sector once the UK was no longer subject to EU state aid guidelines. Council chairman Ulrich Jurgens said the increased support for seafarer training being sought by the Union was ‘the equivalent of putting £100 into premium bonds to deal with the banking crisis’ and a united approach to the future is vital.

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09_news.indd 9

16/11/2016 12:42

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NEWS

Liverpool terminal aims to boost trade capable of handling two A 13,500TEU vessels at the same time, A £400m container terminal,

has been officially opened in Liverpool by secretary of state for international trade, Dr Liam Fox. Peel Ports’ Liverpool2 facility aims to capture a growing share of transatlantic trade and to provide what the company describes as ‘an ocean gateway for UK importers and

Crowdfunding appeal for RRS Discovery restoration has been launched to help F cover the costs of vital restoration A ‘crowdfunding’ campaign

work onboard Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition ship RRS Discovery, pictured above. Dundee Heritage Trust, which owns the ship, wants to raise £40,000 towards the £350,000 costs of the nine-month repair programme, which got under way last month with the masts being taken down to enable rigging to be cleaned and repairs. The crowdfunding campaign is being fronted by TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, a patron of Dundee Heritage Trust, who said: ‘Discovery

was built to last a relative few years in one of the harshest environments on the planet. That’s why ongoing maintenance and restoration are essential, to keep her looking outstanding and also to maintain her position as one of Dundee’s favourite visitor attractions.’ RRS Discovery has been based at Discovery Point in Dundee, the city where it was built in 1901, since 1986 after being saved from the breaker’s yard in 1979. The repair work will be carried out by T. Neilsen & Company, a world specialist in repairing, restoring and building traditional ships, based in Gloucester.

Missions in partnership the Deutsche Seemannsmission F (DSM) have launched a ‘groundThe Mission to Seafarers and

breaking’ pilot partnership scheme to support crew welfare in Teesport, UK. During a 12-month trial, the DSM chaplaincy team — which covers both sides of the River Tees — will also be representing the Mission to Seafarers,

which manages two seafarers’ centres in the port. The Mission to Seafarers hopes to extend the trial elsewhere. Secretary-general Andrew Wright said: ‘I am absolutely delighted by this development in Tees — partnership working is good for seafarers and ensures the best use of resources.’

exporters with road, rail and canal connections linking directly to the heart of the UK mainland, and accessing a catchment of over 35m people, almost 58% of the UK’s population’. The new deep water facility — one of one of the UK’s largest private sector infrastructure projects — will complement the existing Royal Seaforth Container Terminal, with each terminal having capacity to

handle around 1m containers a year. The terminal construction has seen a site of around 16 hectares reclaimed from the sea, with a new 854m quay wall and land created from 5.5m tonnes of sand and silt dredged from the Mersey. It also has five megamax ship-to-shore transfer cranes and 12 quayside container handling cranes. Peel Ports CEO Mark Whitworth said: ‘Our investment will help global

shippers to transport cargo more efficiently to their end destination with lower costs, congestion and carbon emissions. ‘Liverpool is in the right location, providing state-of-the art facilities and technology, and offers a real competitive advantage with a shorter supply chain and providing an allwater route right to the heart of the UK via the Manchester Ship Canal.’

Security alert over Witness ship visits Welfare Board warns Department for Transport of ‘proselytising’ boardings

The Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) has expressed concern that safety and security in UK ports is being put at risk by faithbased organisations, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, increasingly targeting visiting ships and seafarers. It has written to the Department for Transport to warn of an increasing number of reports of ‘general faith-based organisations, with no apparent maritime focus, entering port areas and boarding ships alongside, ostensibly to proselytise’. Chief executive Captain David Parsons said the reports ‘highlight the apparent ease by which organisations, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, gain access to UK port areas’ — raising concern about the ‘potential for other organisations with a more sinister intent to take advantage of this situation’. Capt Parsons said the MNWB is the secular umbrella organisation for volunteer societies with a speciﬁc role in providing welfare to seafarers. He said the current system of UK ship welfare visits, by chaplains and volunteers from a small number of well-

established societies, is welcomed and valued by seafarers. ‘All these men and women, each of whom has received proper training do, of course, provide pastoral care but equally importantly, practical support,’ he stressed. ‘Each has a wide experience and understanding of seafarers and their needs. Importantly, they do not proselytise and above all respect the wide range of back-

grounds, faiths and beliefs among the global maritime community. ‘These all work in close collaboration to provide pre-planned and coordinated programmes of visits,’ he noted. ‘This means that ships are visited by only one port chaplain, unless there is a request for someone from another denomination. ‘Seafarers’ free time is strictly limited and their consequent constraints are seldom understood

by those who have not received proper training,’ Capt Parsons said. ‘For this reason we do not believe it appropriate that they should be subjected to unsolicited visits from any organisation outside the above societies.’ MNWB constituent members not only pledge to abide by the relevant legislation, but also the International Christian Maritime Association’s code of conduct, Capt Parsons pointed out. All those who have completed the ship welfare visitor training course in the UK and Gibraltar are issued with a photo ID card, to give reassurance to port authorities, terminal operators and seafarers that the holder is both properly trained and represents a bona ﬁde society. In response, the Department for Transport said it was ‘very conscious of the valuable pastoral care and practical assistance’ provided to seafarers by the MNWB constituent organisations. It told the MNWB it considers maritime security as being of ‘paramount importance’ and pointed out that ship and port security plans contain measures to prevent unauthorised access.

Steam tug volunteers Russian master gets New chief for Institute win national award jail for drink offence master and marine pilot A Captain John Lloyd, who has been Pictured right is former ship

Adamson Preservation A Society have been presented

Engineers from the Daniel

with a national award for their outstanding voluntary efforts in operating and maintaining the historic 1903-built coal-fired tug Daniel Adamson. They are pictured being presented with the National Historic Ships UK Marsh Team Volunteer Award at a ceremony onboard HQS Wellington in London last month. The team — Dan Cross, Joe Butler and Graham Dean — also picked up a £1,000 prize for their efforts. National Historic Ships UK director Martyn Heighton said: ‘The story of the rescue of Daniel Adamson from the breaker’s yard, and bringing her back to her

10-11_news.indd 10

former glory with help from The Heritage Lottery, is an outstanding example of courage, commitment and sheer bloody-minded Scouse determination to succeed. Today’s success is down to the remarkable volunteers — of whom the engineers are a vital group — who banded together to secure this ship’s future.’ Daniel Adamson Preservation Society chairman Dan Cross said he was absolutely delighted to accept the award. ‘The range of skills we had amongst our membership and their willingness to not only take on the full mechanical restoration, but to share these skills with others, is one of the finest examples of volunteering and team work you will ever witness,’ he added.

A Russian shipmaster has been jailed for two months after being found guilty of being over the UK alcohol limit as his vessel was entering a port in Cornwall. Truro Crown Court heard that Sergey Safronov ‘put lives at risk’ because of his condition when the Cyprus-registered cargoship Pur Navolok arrived at Fowey on 27 September this year to load a cargo of china clay. Tests carried out after the pilot and the harbourmaster alerted police found that Capt Safronov had 80mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than three times the 25mcg limit. Defence lawyer Jo Martin said Capt Safronov was an experienced master

who was very ashamed of his actions, which had cost him his job. ‘He will be going back to Russia with no money or savings and has to support his daughter from his first marriage as well as his disabled mother,’ she added. Sentencing Capt Safronov, Judge Simon Carr told him: ‘You have been a master for many years and have an unblemished record. But you must have known how dangerous it is for a master not to be in control of his ship and although others were in command, conditions can change at sea very quickly and unexpectedly ‘There is no doubt that the condition you were in put lives at risk,’ he added.

selected as the Nautical Institute’s new chief executive officer. Capt Lloyd, who was chosen from a shortlist of six candidates, will replace Philip Wake, who is retiring in May 2017 after 14 years in the post. Currently serving as the Institute’s chief operating officer, with overall responsibility for its specialised training services, including the Dynamic Positioning Operator (DPO) accreditation and certification scheme, Capt Lloyd first went to sea in 1975 and gained command in 1987. He spent two years as a marine pilot in Walvis Bay and has also held senior posts at Warsash Maritime Academy and Flagship Training in the UK, as well as the Vanuatu Maritime College and the Australian Maritime

College in Tasmania. Capt Lloyd said he was ‘thrilled and honoured’ to be given the opportunity to lead the next phase of development at the Nautical Institute.

16/11/2016 11:32

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

UK urged to stay in EU naval force Nautilus seeks assurances after UK-registered tanker is attacked off Somalia

Nautilus has written to foreign secretary Boris Johnson to call for the UK to remain a part of the European Union Naval Force (EUNavfor) counter-piracy operation following an attack on a Britishregistered chemical tanker off Somalia last month. EUNavfor’s operation commander, Major General Rob Magowan, warned of the need for continued vigilance at sea after the 51,747dwt CPO Korea was targeted by pirates in a high-speed skiff, some 330nm off the east coast of Somalia on 22 October — the ﬁrst such incident in more than two years. EUNavfor said a number of shots had been exchanged between the pirates and the armed security team onboard CPO Korea. ‘The suspected pirates eventually broke away after CPO Korea’s crew successfully implemented self-protection measures by increasing speed, altering course and rigging ﬁre hoses to thwart the attack,’ it added. Major General Magowan commented: ‘This attack shows that pirates still have the intent to attack ships for ransom and cause misery to seafarers and their families. It is imperative that the international community remains vigilant. The EU Naval Force is working with counterpiracy partners to coordinate efforts to ensure pirates do not once again terrorise the waters off the Somali coast.’ Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said the incident had not come as a surprise. ‘We

Gold Rover joins GoG patrols Gold Rover is pictured left A with the French helicopter carrier FS

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker

Dixmude and the Ivory Coast patrol boat Sekongo during operations to combat illegal fishing and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. The RFA vessel took part in a 200mile patrol of the waters between Ivory Coast’s principal port and largest city, Abidjan to San Pedro, close to the western frontier with Liberia, as part of the long-running French mission, Operation Corymbe, to deal with criminal activity in the region. Gold Rover also carried out a series of combined manoeuvres and replenishment at sea operations with Dixmude, as well as some joint training between its Royal Marines team and French Navy riflemen. Gold Rover is the last operational ship of the ‘Rover’ class and made a final call to the Simon’s Town naval base in South Africa as part of the last tour of the South Atlantic. have been very pleased to see the lack of pirate activity in the area — and feel that this is in no small part due to the success of EUNavfor’s Operation Atalanta. However, it has been very clear that there is no room for complacency, especially as the political situation ashore in Somalia can best be described as fragile,’ he added. In his letter to the foreign secretary, Mr Dickinson called for ‘assurances of the UK’s continued and tangible support for counter-

Concerns raised on at-sea crime rules masters and officers in F complying with requirements to

The challenges facing ship

collect and preserve evidence after a crime onboard were highlighted in a seminar staged by the UK Chamber of Shipping and the law firm Hill Dickinson. Problems with securing jurisdiction from flag state or port state authorities when crimes are committed on ships in international or territorial waters were identified. Concerns were raised over whether flag state authorities or police will actually investigate in many instances and the idea of an international convention to address this was discussed. Maria Pittordis and Javed Ali, from Hill Dickinson, described some case studies highlighting the legal necessities that a master should consider when a crime is committed or alleged onboard, as

10-11_news.indd 11

well as the potential impact of future developments including the UK Policing and Crime Bill. Katy Ware, director of maritime safety and standards at the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, explained the IMO guidelines for collecting, preserving and recording evidence from the scene of a crime onboard. The meeting also discussed the provision of pastoral care to those affected by crimes onboard and identified the need to share best practice within the industry. Detective superintendent Martin Dunn, from Police Scotland, described the role of the police when a ship arrives in a UK port after a crime. He stressed that there is no obligation for the captain of the ship to collect the evidence and urged any master who is in doubt of what to do in a criminal situation to contact the police for advice.

piracy operations, off Somalia and in the other high-risk areas, such as the Gulf of Guinea’. He told Mr Johnson: ‘I am sure you can understand our concern about the future commitment towards the protection of UK ships and UK seafarers in the light of the UK’s planned withdrawal from the European Union. A great deal of emphasis is being placed upon the UK’s future trading relationships and as 95% of our international trade is by sea, the secu-

rity and safety of merchant ships and their crews is of paramount importance.’ Concerns have also been raised about a series of incidents involving ships off the Horn of Africa, including an attack on the laden Teekay LNG carrier Galicia Spirit off the coast of Yemen. The Spanish-ﬂagged ship was approached by a small boat whose occupants ﬁred a rocket-propelled grenade at the vessel, some 8nm off Perim Island.

Piracy falls to 20-year low merchant ships around the F world have fallen to the lowest level Piracy and armed attacks on

in 20 years, according to a new report from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). The first nine months of 2016 witnessed a total of 141 incidents — down by 25% from the same time last year, and down 60% from the same period five years ago. However, the IMB warned the industry against dropping security levels. It said kidnapping and hostagetaking remains a major risk off the coasts of West Africa and SE Asia — pointing out that pirates armed with guns or knives took 110 seafarers hostage in the first nine months of 2016, and kidnapped 49 crew for ransom. Between January and September, 111 ships were boarded, 10 fired upon and five were hijacked. There were attempted attacks on 15 other vessels. A total of five crew members were assaulted, six were injured, and five threatened. The IMB described Nigeria as ‘a growing hotspot for violent piracy and armed robbery’, noting that it accounts for 26% of all captured seafarers. Other problem areas include Indonesia, Malaysia, Guinea

and Ivory Coast. The IMB said there has been a marked drop in incidents off Indonesia and Vietnam following crackdowns by local police. But it warned that more vessels of all types are being targeted by armed groups along Nigeria’s rivers, anchorages and ports, and up to 118nm from the coast. Though many attacks off Nigeria are believed to go unrecorded, the IMB received reports of 31 incidents in the first nine months of 2016, up from 12 in the same period last year. In one boarding in July, five crew were captured and the chief officer shot in the head. While only one attempted attack was recorded in the Gulf of Aden in the first nine months of the year, the IMB warned that the situation in Somalia remains ‘fragile’ and ships need to continue to abide by the industry Best Management Practices. ‘We are encouraged by the efforts of national and international authorities — and the shipping industry — to keep piracy down,’ said IMB director Pottengal Mukundan. ‘But clearly the threat to crew being taken hostage remains, and it is therefore necessary for shipmasters and response agencies to remain vigilant.’

Crew released after 1,673 days of hostage ordeal by Somali pirates have been F released after spending more than The last hostages being held

four and a half years in captivity. Twenty six crew from the Omani-flagged fishing vessel Naham 3 were freed following long-running negotiations involving the London-based law firm Holman Fenwick Willkan and Compass Risk Management. Naham 3 was hijacked on 26 March 2012 roughly 65nm south of the Seychelles. Of the original 29-member crew from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan

and Vietnam, one died during the hijacking and two more died from illness, believed to be related to malnutrition, during their captivity. John Steed, coordinator of the Hostage Support Partners (HSP) for Oceans Beyond Piracy, said the freed crew members were reported to be in reasonable condition considering the ‘deplorable’ conditions in which they had been held. The International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) is providing physical and psychological support to the released crew.

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16/11/2016 17:01

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

HEALTH & SAFETY

Maersk ship grounded after pilot deviated from channel aground outside the Australian A port of Fremantle after the pilot took A Maersk containership ran

Maersk Garonne following the grounding incident in Fremantle last year Picture: ATSB

Seafarers urged to minimise threat of ‘silent epidemic’ over the high rate of hepatitis F being found in seafarer pre-

A leading P&I club has warned

employment medical examinations (PEME) and has urged crew members to take care to avoid what is describes as ‘the silent epidemic’. The UK P&I Club said hepatitis B is now the number one reason for seafarers failing pre-employment medical tests — with a total of 9.6% of all unfit crew being found to have the disease. Dr A.H. Balaji, from one of the clinics involved in the UK Club’s PEME programme, commented: ‘Hepatitis B is easily preventable by vaccination and safe health practice, yet it still kills

more people worldwide than HIV/ AIDS.’ Hepatitis B is caused by a virus that infects the liver and leads to cirrhosis, carcinoma and liver failure. The main symptoms are fatigue, abdominal pain and jaundice. The Club said risk factors include handling medical equipment or clinical waste, intravenous drug abuse and sexual contact. ‘It is not a mandatory requirement to have received a vaccine to work onboard, although it is highly advisable,’ it added. ‘Additional preventative measures include the screening of blood donors and safe sex using barrier methods.’

‘Dramatic’ increase in engineroom fires blamed poor maintenance for a F ‘dramatic’ increase in the number of Ship salvage experts have

engineroom fires in recent months. Graeme Temple, Far East regional director at BraemarSA, said analysis of trends had shown a 150% increase in incidents over the summer. ‘Since attending these casualties we found that typically these fires are being caused by volatile vapours impinging on hot surfaces from technical failures that are down to a lack of maintenance and basic routine visual inspection,’ he noted. Mr Temple said engine failures

account for almost half of BraemarSA’s work and the statistics should serve as ‘a wake-up call for owners and managers not neglect regular maintenance, especially on ageing vessels, and for crews to remember basic watchkeeping practice’. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘In addition to proper maintenance and watchkeeping, it is import to employ an adequate number of personnel with the necessary skills to carry out such work. It is disappointing, but not surprising, that this key factor has not been identified.’

Garonne. The bridge team was not fully engaged in the pilotage and did not effectively monitor the vessel’s passage, the report notes, and the ‘significant deviation’ from the charted course had not been communicated or challenged. The report noted that Maersk Garonne’s managers took a series of measures in response to the incident, including a fleet-wide programme of education and auditing to ensure compliance with bridge procedures, as well as fleet circulars to emphasise and clarify the roles and responsibilities of the master and crew with a pilot onboard.

MAIB demands lifejacket laws Fatalities lead to call for compulsory use of PFDs onboard fishing vessels

Nautilus has backed a call from the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) for the wearing of lifejackets to be made compulsory onboard commercial fishing vessels. The MAIB made the recommendation last month as it published three reports on incidents in which four fishermen died — none of whom were wearing lifejackets. It warned that there has been no reduction in the number of fishing vessel crew drownings over the past 15 years and that two-thirds of those who drowned had not been wearing personal flotation devices (PFDs) when they entered the water.

The MAIB said a campaign to encourage fishers to wear PFDs while working on deck — which included the issue of free lifejackets — had not been successful. Evidence from 35 fishing vessel accidents investigated since 2013 had shown ‘minimal change in the safety behaviour of fishermen’, it added. ‘A review of evidence from other nations shows that education campaigns are generally ineffective in changing behaviour with respect to the wearing of PFDs unless backed by relevant legislation,’ the report noted. Chief inspector Steve Clinch said: ‘The MAIB rarely recommends the introduction of new legislation to solve safety prob-

lems, but the rate that commercial fishermen are losing their lives due to drowning shows no sign of reducing. ‘Indeed, this has been a particularly bad year: the MAIB has investigated the deaths of nine commercial fishermen, and today is publishing three reports covering the deaths of four. All four might well have survived had they been wearing a lifejacket when they entered the water. ‘In the cold waters around the UK survival time can be measured in minutes unless a life jacket is being worn,’ he pointed out. ‘However, this message is not getting home despite a three-year campaign that has seen almost every commercial fisherman in

the UK receive a free lifejacket. ‘In order to prevent further unnecessary loss of commercial fishermen’s lives, I am therefore recommending that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency moves quickly to introduce legislation making it compulsory for fishermen to wear personal flotation devices on the working decks of commercial fishing vessels while they are at sea.’ Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘Nautilus supports the MAIB in calling for the compulsory wearing of lifejackets on commercial fishing vessels. There are some excellent working lifejackets available for both fishers and seafarers.’

Master and owner fined for accident UK passengership involved a in F serious accident in which a seafarer The owner and the master of a

lost a leg have been fined a total of £8,000. Aurelia Thabert, a crew member on the Loch Ness cruise vessel Jacobite Queen, had to have her leg amputated after her right foot became entangled in the bight of a mooring rope at Dochgarroch Locks in June 2012. The ship’s owner, Jacobite Cruises, was fined £6,000 after admitting a charge under the Health & Safety at Work Act of failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employee and failing to make sure there was an appropriate means of communication available between the master and crew while mooring ropes were being handled. The master, Andrew Paul Lach, was fined £2,000 after he pleaded guilty

12-13_h+s.indd 12

the vessel out of the channel because of concerns that harbour tugs were running behind schedule. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation into the incident, which occurred in February 2015, highlights failures in bridge resource management and pilotage planning — noting that ‘single-person errors’ by the pilot had been undetected or inadequately challenged by the bridge team. The 50,757gt Maersk Garonne grounded when the harbour pilot

decided to delay the ship’s entry into the channel to Fremantle’s inner harbour because of concerns that two assisting tugs were running behind schedule. The Danish-flagged ship ran aground in charted shallow water at just over 7 knots after the pilot took the vessel to the south of the entrance channel. Maersk Garonne was refloated on the tide, three and a half hours later, and suffered only minor damage. The ATSB said its investigation showed that bridge resource management was not effectively implemented onboard Maersk

to a breach of the Merchant Shipping Act by omitting to ensure all mooring ropes had been removed from the hooks at the side of Dochgarroch Locks, before putting the engines ahead. Following the case, Maritime & Coastguard Agency area operations manager Captain Bill Bennett said: ‘Basic seamanship says that if the master doesn’t have a clear line of sight to the aft mooring rope ashore, they should not attempt to put the engine ahead before getting the all clear. ‘The investigation clearly showed that although the company provided UHF handheld walkie-talkie radios aboard the vessel, these were not working on the day in question. This potentially impacted the ability of the master and crew to communicate clearly with one another.’

Seafarer killed in bulker fall (AoS) Tyne port chaplain F has provided moral and practical The Apostleship of the Sea

support the crew of a bulk carrier following the death of a seafarer onboard the vessel, which has been anchored off the port since June. The 29 year-old crew member was reported to have fallen from

height to the deck of the Marshall Islands-flagged Brasschaat, above, which has been lying at anchor some 2.5km off Tynemouth, along with two sisterships, since the Belgian owner filed for bankruptcy. Northumbria Police said an inquiry was under way into how the man died.

16/11/2016 12:43

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Report warns on ability to handle ULC casualties German investigators highlight shortage of capacity to offload containers

Worrying questions about the ability to deal with an accident involving an ultra-large containership (ULC) have been raised in an investigation into the grounding of the 19,100TEU CSCL Indian Ocean in the river Elbe earlier this year. The 187,541gt China Shipping Container Lines vessel spent six days aground before 12 tugs towed it to safety on the third attempt. A report by the German accident investigation board BSU says the incident highlights the need for work to enhance the capability for responding to ULC emergencies. Investigators pointed out that CSCL Indian Ocean was freed without the need to reduce draught by offloading containers. But, the report warns, ‘Should this be necessary in a similar case, it must be remembered that in Europe there is currently only one floating crane available that has the reach necessary to discharge containers from this above-average height.’ The Hong Kong-flagged vessel grounded on a sandbank on 3 February while approaching the port of Hamburg with two pilots onboard. ‘An alarm sounded on the bridge at about 2210,’ the report notes. ‘This could not be attributed to anything to begin with. Shortly afterwards, it became clear that the helm had stopped responding.’ A crew member ran to the steering gear compartment and managed to restart the system, with the helm responding again at 2215. However, despite attempts

Club calls for better training to reduce lifeboat death toll A

Seafarers need to improve their understanding of increasingly complex lifeboat launching mechanisms and ‘consistently train’ in all aspects of the systems on their ships, a P&I club has warned. Captain Anuj Velankar, loss prevention advisor with the UK P&I Club, said the continued high rate of lifeboat accidents underlined the need for all crew to be capable of operating lifeboat systems and understanding the mechanics and procedures. But, he warned, many ships ‘are progressively losing touch with the maintenance of wires and ropes due to lack of routine’ and there has been an increase in detentions caused by the poor levels of understanding of release mechanisms. ‘Continuous training of staff and rigorous risk assessment procedures are essential to counter lack of familiarity with lifeboats among crew members,’ he added. ‘The most effective training for the seafarers is

for them to know why something is done in a particular way, and to better understand the procedures — not just remember them.’ Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said he believed lessons to be learned from recent accidents included: ‘The design and construction of winches, davits, wires and hooks needs to be addressed, crew should receive equipmentspecific training as a team, and manufacturers should be engaged by owners to undertake regular inspection and maintenance.’ Afcan, the French shipmasters’ association, has called for lifeboat safety and training regulations to be revised following the death of an officer on the cruiseship Harmony of the Seas during a drill in the port of Marseille in September. ‘How many more deaths must be endured before for the rules for protecting people at last becomes a priority?’ it asked.

Crews ‘fail to stick to safe entry rules’ concerns that seafarers are F failing to follow new requirements for Marine insurers have expressed

It took three attempts and 12 tugs to free the 19,100TEU CSCL Indian Ocean in the Elbe Picture: Havariekommando

to manoeuvre out of trouble, the ship ran aground at 2220. Up to six tugs spent almost an hour unsuccessfully trying to haul the ship back into the fairway before the tide turned. A second attempt involving seven tugs was made on the next high tide, but it also proved unsuccessful. A detailed salvage plan was then drawn up, which included the removal of ballast and bunkers and the closure of the Elbe to all ships for four hours while 12 tugs ﬁnally freed CSCL Indian Ocean. Investigations revealed that the accident occurred after the Safematic system — which is designed to maintain steering

capability in the event of an emergency such as an oil leak or a burst pipe — was activated. Subsequent checks revealed that the system had been incorrectly installed, with the faulty switching of two valves meaning that two hydraulic cylinders were operating at the same time, both pressing on the rudderstock and preventing the rudder from turning. The BSU was unable to determine why the system had activated, as there was no oil leak or any evidence of user error. ‘Neither the incorrect wiring nor the random activation of the ﬂoat switch alone would have caused the helm failure, but only the

combination of such errors,’ the report points out. The report recommends that the IMO should examine whether the SOLAS Convention should require modern steering systems to have a separate error log to enable better analysis of incidents. The BSU commended the pilots for doing all they could to ground the ship in a controlled manner and also praised the work of the local vessel trafﬁc services to minimise the impact of the grounding. The report also notes that a review has been launched to consider whether large ships should be required to test ‘certain engine manoeuvres’ before entering the Elbe.

the safe entry into enclosed spaces onboard ships. Chris Roberts, senior risk assessor with the UK P&I Club, said SOLAS Convention amendments which came into force on 1 July require all ships to carry portable atmosphere testing equipment to measure the concentration of oxygen, flammable gas/vapours, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide. However, he added, the club’s risk assessors are continuing to find cases where the legally required precautions are not being carried out before seafarers enter enclosed spaces — defined as those with limited openings for entry and exit, inadequate ventilation and not designed to be continuously occupied.

To minimise the threat to life, the club us recommending that permit to work checklists include such precautions as whether the multigas detector is supplied with tubing long enough to reach all areas of the space to be entered, whether the enclosed space has been ventilated for at least 24 hours prior to entry, has ventilation been stopped at least 10 minutes prior to initial gas testing, and has an adequate risk assessment been undertaken and a pre-work safety meeting been held involving all personnel. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘It is disappointing, but not surprising, that there is no recommendation for personnel to attend an entry to enclosed spaces course, as required by the Merchant Navy Training Board for all new entrant trainees in the UK.’

P&O and Cunard switch to FOC

Inspector dies in hold

MARINE TAX SERVICES (CARDIFF) LTD

Dcomplete service for mariners

Eleven ships in the P&O Cruises and Cunard Line fleets are being taken under the wing of the Carnival Maritime Fleet Operation Centre (FOC) in Hamburg. The 24/7 FOC service now monitors and supports 37 Carnival Corporation ships, including those in the Costa and Aida Cruises fleets. As well as ‘optimising route planning’ and delivering ‘digital support, control and planning of all technical and nautical aspects’, the centre can also provide risk and crisis management. Keith Dowds, vice-president of Carnival Maritime’s nautical department, said the centre aims to provide tactical support and professional guidance to secure

12-13_h+s.indd 13

consistently high safety and professional standards. ‘The main premise behind the new nautical operations department is that we are continuously seeking to improve and share information and best practices across the fleets,’ he added. ‘We provide extra nautical expertise also to the brands. This will give us enormous benefits, for example when it comes to the deployment of the ships, their energy efficiency and port costs.’ The centre also has a continuous improvement department, which analyses monitoring data and lessons learned, seeking to reduce fuel and energy consumption as well as improving wastewater treatment and waste management.

Pictured left to right at Carnival Maritime’s Fleet Operations Centre are: nautical department VP Keith Dowds; Marc-Dominique Tidow; executive VP Lars Ljoen; and continuous improvement chief Alexander Klingelhöfer

A cargo inspector died in a hold onboard a Panama-flagged bulk carrier which was delivering maize to the port of Hanshin in Japan last year. A Japanese Transport Safety Board investigation into the incident onboard the 61,547dwt Triton Swan found that the grain inspector had died from asphyxiation in an area of a cargo hold where the oxygen concentration was between 11% and 12%. Investigators said the inspector had probably entered the hold before the atmosphere had been checked and the report notes that the Japanese Grain Inspection Association has revised its health and safety procedures, as well as improving guidance and training, since the accident.

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16/11/2016 12:43

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports CALAIS PROJECT: French president François Hollande has laid the first stone of what will become a new cross-Channel ferry terminal in Calais. The €850m project, earmarked for completion in 2021, will see the creation of three new ferry berths and a ro-ro berth inside the harbour basin, along with a new 3km seawall and a 100-hectare harbour basin to the north of the current facilities. LIGHTS OUT: the union representing officers and ratings in the French lighthouse and beacons service has called a 24-hour strike in protest at a €180,000 budget reduction proposed by management in the upcoming salary talks. The CFDT union has also expressed concern at possible reductions in the 280-strong workforce. MARSEILLES GROWTH: the French port of Marseilles says it is planning to become one of the world’s top 10 cruiseship destinations by the end of this decade. Marseilles was in 17th place in the cruise port ‘league table’ in 2015 and is planning to increase passenger numbers from 1.6m to 2m by 2020. TSS LAUNCHED: a new traffic separation scheme in the Italian-French Corsica channel, approved by the International Maritime Organisation in May 2016, comes into effect on 1 December. The system comprises two 8nm long, 5nm wide navigation channels between Italy’s Caparia Island and the French coast. RESCUE CRISIS: France’s ailing national maritime rescue service SNSM is still awaiting a parliamentary report on its future financing — warning that it needs at least €50m spread over several years to renew its all-weather lifeboat fleet, and that without state aid it cannot effectively ensure safety at sea. ANTWERP BLAZE: all 24 crew members were evacuated from the Panama-flagged car carrier Silver Sky when a fire broke out onboard while docked in Antwerp. Initial reports suggested the blaze had begun on a used car which had been loaded onto the ship. GHANA ALERT: maritime employers and seafaring unions have warned that the jobs of Ghanaian seafarers are in jeopardy because the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has delayed the issue of STCW 2010-compliant certificates. SÈTE SALE: the French port of Sète has managed to sell the 37-year-old general cargoship Rio Tagus, which had been lying abandoned in the harbour since 2010. The St Vincent-flagged vessel was sold to a Spanish shipyard for €11,000. DRUGS FOUND: nine crew members were arrested after 385kg of cocaine, with a market value of US$85m, was seized from the German-flagged containership Rio de Janeiro off the Italian port of Gioia Tauro. NEW SERVICES: Norwegian logistics firm ColliCare has started a new weekly service between Moerdijk, near Rotterdam, and Oslofjord with the 850TEU Viasea Shipping vessel Nor Feeder.

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ITF warns again on canal safety Unions raise fears over training as Panama authorities bring in private tugs

Fresh concerns about the safety of new locks in the expanded Panama Canal have been raised by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). And at a conference in Panama City, ITF officers also warned of the potentially damaging impact of privatisation of key services in the canal. The ITF said the Panama Canal Authority (PCA) had chosen not to act on key findings from a study it carried out in 2011 to determine the type and size of the tug fleet, as well as personnel, training and operational procedures, needed to operate the new locks. ‘Now the lack of vessels has been used as an excuse for chartering 12 tugboats from private and anti-union companies,’ the ITF added.

‘The crews of those vessels live in fear of dismissal for union activities, meaning that they are denied union representation. This has led to them working longer hours for less pay, without union protection. There are particular worries over fatigue and the increased accident risk associated with it.’ ITF president Paddy Crumlin said the PCA has tried to outsource other areas, such as emergency medical and ambulance services. ‘The truth is that what the PCA has done with these private tugboat companies is evidently part of a bigger plan to privatise many of the services offered by the canal,’ he added. ‘The canal workers, including the pilots and the tugboat captains, are trained professionals. The PCA’s attempts to privatise

these services potentially jeopardise the operation of this vastly important route, at a time when it should be offering greater benefits to the people of Panama, and to world trade.’ Mr Crumlin said the authority had also ignored the results of an ITF-commissioned manoeuvrability study and accidents have taken place in the new locks that are very similar to those raised as risks in its report. Nautilus international officer Nick Bramley, who is chair of the ITF’s inland navigation section, commented: ‘The canal is a vital piece of infrastructure for world trade and it needs an adequate fleet of tugs and trained personnel to operate them. Anything else is foolhardy and a threat to the safety of seafarers, tug crews and ships.’

French alarm over training cutbacks F

The French officers’ union FOMM CGT has written to the country’s shipping minister to call for urgent government support to head off cuts at the national maritime academy, ENSM. General secretary Jean-Philippe Chateil warned the minister that ENSM is in the red because of the lack of state support and it ‘does not have the capacity to attain the government’s own expressed aims’. The union said the academy is resorting to short-term solutions, notably by replacing full-time lecturers with temporary staff with adverse effects on the quality of training. ‘The ENSM’s very credibility as a major educator of future merchant navy officers is at stake and the union’s request for a meeting with the minister has remained a dead letter,’ Mr Chateil said. Demands on the academy have increased because of the STCW revalidation requirements. Companies employing seafarers on French-flagged ships in the Caribbean have expressed alarm because local training facilities are not internationally-recognised and operators have had to send officers to the French national academy and a centre in Concarneau at significant extra cost. The union is hopeful that the French government will reconsider changes to laws governing the carriage of the country’s oil cargoes. Mr Chateil said that new legislation had dropped the concept of a strategic

Ivan de la Guardia, general secretary of the union representing masters and mates on Panama’s tugs, added: ‘The crews on these hired tugs do not have the same skillset that canal personnel have acquired through intensive training and years of experience. There are language barriers and ignorance of even the most basic operational protocols and procedures. ‘It takes at least a year to train and put in place a tug ofﬁcer in the canal,’ he pointed out. ‘Tug personnel are being exploited and grossly overworked in order to make ends meet,’ Mr de la Guardia added. ‘All these factors point towards a severe breach of the integrity of the operation and a serious downgrade of the safety to navigation through our waterway,’ he pointed out.

Master in pollution case kills himself causing the longest pollution A slick ever spotted off the coast of

The master of a ship accused of

Acquired from Maersk in 2014, the 323,527dwt VLCC Sandra ‒ owned by the Belgian-based operator Euronav — is among the ships that the French union FOMM CGT wants to see protected as part of a ‘strategic’ energycarrying national fleet Picture: Eric Houri

French-flagged energy fleet, which had been backed by the unions as well as the operators. ‘The updated legislation has already resulted in losses to the already much-diminished oil transport fleet instead of enhancing it, due to oil industry lobbying,’ he added. ‘If the situation in the industry remains as it is, skills, know-how and officers’ and seafaring jobs will be lost forever and it will not be long

before France will no longer be able to provide the necessary specialised officers and crews for oil and chemical tankers.’ France recently lost yet another shipping fleet with the sale of EDF Trading to Singapore-based Jera Trading. EDF Trading — 85% owned by the French state — operates the coal-carrying bulk carriers Cape Agnes and Cape Amanda with the Japanese firms Mitsubishi and K Line.

France committed suicide a few days after the vessel was detained by authorities in the port of Brest. Now a maritime court is demanding a fine of ‘not less than €1m’ to be paid by the Greek operator of the 75,039dwt bulk carrier Thisseas — and for a €200,000 penalty to be imposed on the master. The Liberian-flagged vessel was ordered into port after being spotted by a French Navy Falcon 50 surveillance aircraft in February 2016 trailing a 35km-long slick in the Bay of Biscay while en route from Russia to China. The ship was allowed to resume its voyage a few days later after the Greek owners, Laskaridis Shipping, paid a €500,000 bond. Shortly after the ship sailed, the Ukrainian master committed suicide by jumping overboard. The ecological association Mor Glaz welcomed the Brest maritime court’s decision to seek the highest fine from the company, but it questioned whether it was right to impose a penalty on the ship’s master. Defence lawyers called for the withdrawal of criminal proceedings against the Greek firm, claiming that France did not have the jurisdiction to try the case.

16/11/2016 15:24

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports PILOTAGE WELCOME: European unions have welcomed the European Parliament’s final draft rules on pilotage, port towage, mooring, and bunkering services. The compromise text rejects the Commission’s ‘one size fits all’ proposal for free market access for the supply of port services. MEPs said ports must retain the ability to determine the organisation of their services to ensure security and safety with nationally flagged vessels.

World’s first VLEC is delivered by South Korean yard A

Pictured above is the Marshall Islands-flagged Ethane Crystal — the world’s first very large ethane carrier (VLEC), which was delivered by the South Korean builder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) last month.

Ethane Crystal is the first of six VLECs to be delivered with ABS class over the next year and ABS chairman Christopher Wiernicki described the vessel as ‘a landmark achievement’. With an 87,000 cu m cargo-carrying capacity, the ship is

owned by Singapore-based MOL Tankship Management and is the first of its kind to be constructed with a specially-designed GTT Mark III membrane cargo containment system. ABS says demand for VLECs is

being driven by the surplus of ethane produced as a byproduct of shale oil and gas in North America. Ethane Crystal is intended for trade routes between the US and India, carrying ethane that will be used as feedstock for petrochemical production.

Italian unions in STCW crisis call Emergency talks as government proposes extension of certificate deadline by Jeff Apter

Italian seafaring unions have had emergency talks with the government in a bid to speed up the delivery of STCW certification ahead of the 1 January deadline for ‘Manila amendment’ refresher training. They warned ministers that thousands of jobs could be at risk and Italy could face sanctions if it failed to meet the revalidation requirements in time. In response, the transport minister has proposed a three-month extension to bring Italian certificates into line by the end of March. Giovanni Olivieri, maritime coordinator with the Fit-Cisl union, warned: ‘At the end of 2016 we will find ourselves with a large number of seafarers who are

unable to work due to an excess of bureaucracy following the Manila amendments to the STCW Convention.’ He said Italy was four years behind in its programme to comply with the Manila amendments and described the certiﬁcation system in the country as ‘chaos’. Mr Olivieri said Italy had imposed training requirements over and above those required by the STCW convention, with new proposals for masters and chief engineers to undertake between 300 and 570 hours of additional courses. The unions have urged the Italian government to end the country’s ‘anachronistic application’ of the STCW rules and bring them in line with those of other major EU maritime nations,

including the UK, Greece, Croatia and France. Meanwhile, one of Italy’s biggest shipping firms has warned that as many as 500 ships could flag out if the government presses ahead with proposals to tighten crew nationality rules on the Italian second register. Emmanuele Grimaldi, chair of the owners’ organisation Confitarma, claimed the measure — which will limit eligibility to the international registry’s fiscal benefits to ships using 100% Italian or EU crew members on shortsea and cabotage services — threatens competitiveness and could lead to the loss of 1,500 Italian seafaring jobs. He said his company is considering flagging-out all its ferries and ro-ro ships. ‘We will be forced

to move our ships to another EU ﬂag if nothing changes with the new rules due to enter into force for shortsea shipping services. I have already had some discussions with ministers of transport from Malta, Sweden, Finland and UK and they will be all very glad to welcome our ships,’ he added. At the start of this year the Italian ﬂeet — which is the second largest in Europe — comprised 1,476 vessels of 16.6m gt - down 3% from 2015. The unions strongly back changes to the international register to combat growing unemployment — as does the ferry operators’ association Federlinea, which is concerned about increasing competition in the sector involving the use of low-cost foreign crews.

US judge ‘sends message’ to shipping companies with $1.5m pollution fine

JOBS CLAIM: French seafarers who served with the cross-Channel operator MyFerryLink have lodged a claim in a Calais court complaining that DFDS France failed to respect an agreement to take on 202 crew following the liquidation of the company in 2015. Their lawyer alleges that only 69 ex-MyFerryLink employees were given jobs when two of its ships were transferred to the DFDS fleet. CREW REPATRIATED: 16 Ghanaian seafarers who were abandoned without pay in the French port of La Rochelle in August 2015 have finally been repatriated after their ship, the Cook Islands-flagged bulk carrier Sider Pink, was sold. The International Transport Workers’ Federation managed to recover wages owed to crew members who had not been paid since June 2015. CAPACITY CUTS: a meeting of shipbuilders from Japan, Europe, China, South Korea and the US has called for cuts in global yard capacity, blaming over-supply for continued market problems. The meeting noted that this year’s newbuilding output of around 103m dwt is at least 30% above underlying demand for new ships and yards need to produce fewer but higher quality vessels. JAPANESE MERGER: Japan’s three largest shipping operators — Nippon Yusen KK, Mitsui OSK Lines and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha — have agreed to merge their container operations into one company. The joint operation is expected to be set up by July 2017, and it will become the world’s sixth largest container shipping firm, with a 7% market share. STOWAWAY WARNING: the Swedish P&I Club has warned of a marked rise in stowaway cases onboard ships visiting ports in South Africa. It says owners will be liable for the full costs of repatriating any stowaways and has urged companies to tighten security around ships while in South Africa. DIEPPE DECLINE: the French port of Dieppe has reported a 3.7% fall in cross-Channel ferry passenger traffic in the first three quarters of 2016 following an ‘exceptional 2015’ that showed a 40% rise. Freight traffic totalled 1.6m tonnes in the same period, a fall of 5.3%. ORDERS DOWN: worldwide orders for new tonnage have fallen to the lowest level in 35 years, according to a new report from the UK-based shipping industry analysts Clarksons. Just 296 orders of 12.3m dwt were reported for the first eight months of this year. AFRICAN AGREEMENT: European shipowners have welcomed a new agreement between west African states on plans to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

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Two Greek shipping companies have been fined US$1.5m after a court heard that a bulk carrier had illegally discharged oily waste into the sea and its crew had falsified records. Passing sentence on Gallia Graeca and Angelakos, district judge John Coughenour said he wanted to send a message ‘that will resonate with other parties in this industry and cause them to pause when they think about creating a corporate culture that

14-15_int.indd 15

encourages deception’. The court heard that the case was brought after deficiencies were discovered when the Cyprus-flagged Gallia Graeca was inspected by the US Coast Guard in the port of Seattle in October last year. Investigations revealed that 5,000 gallons of oily waste water had been dumped at sea from the ship. USCG inspectors found the oily water separator filters were clogged

with oil, and oil residue was discovered in overboard discharge piping. The investigation discovered evidence that oily water had been discharged into the sea three times on the ship’s voyage from China. George Chalos, representing the companies, recommended a total fine of $100,000, arguing that the offences were committed by crew without the knowledge or approval of management.

But the US Attorney’s Office sought a $3m fine, noting that company executives had been in touch with the ship’s engineers about how they should present the oil record book to the Coast Guard. The chief and second engineers — both Greek nationals — were earlier convicted of charges related to pollution, falsification of records and fraud, and were sentenced to 10 days in jail before being repatriated.

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16/11/2016 16:57

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

YOUR LETTERS

What’s on onyour yourmind? mind? Tell your colleagues shipping. Keep yourTelegraph letter to ahave your name, address colleaguesin inNautilus NautilusInternational International— —and andthe thewider world of but you must let the maximum words if you canyour — though contributions will beand considered. Use number. a pen name or wider world300 of shipping. Keep letter tolonger a maximum membership just membership number you don’t want to be identifi in anyour accompanying —Telegraph, Nautilus 300your words if you can — thoughif longer contributions will ed — say soSend letter to thenote Editor, but you must let the Telegraph have your name, address and membership number. Send yourShrubberies, letter to the George Lane, be considered. International, 1&2 The Editor, International, 1&2number The Shrubberies, George Lane,Woodford, South Woodford, Use aTelegraph, pen nameNautilus or just your membership if you South London E18 1BD, or use head office fax London E18to 1BD, use head ceso faxin+44 (0)20 8530 1015, or— email+44 telegraph@nautilusint.org don’t want beor identifi ed —offi say an accompanying note (0)20 8530 1015, or email telegraph@nautilusint.org

Liverpool honours veterans of Arctic Convoys A

The ‘extraordinary heroism’ of seafarers who served on the Arctic Convoys in the Second World War was commemorated at a special event in Liverpool to mark the 75th anniversary of the first voyages to keep Russia supplied with vital equipment and resources. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones led the tributes as 35 veterans attended a reception at Liverpool Town Hall, followed by a ceremony onboard the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon moored at the city’s Cruise Terminal. ‘The veterans of the Arctic Convoys braved pursuit by unseen enemy vessels and some of the worst weather imaginable to bring supplies to the Russian front line at the height of the Second World War,’ he said. ‘I am delighted to see these heroes and their families honoured in Liverpool for the 75th anniversary of their very first mission.’ Between 1941 and the end of the war, the convoys delivered almost 4m tons of cargo, including thousands of tanks and aircraft, as well as fuel and machinery. Conditions on the routes from the UK through the Arctic Circle to

Follow us on Twitter I quite agree about extra time at sea The Telegraph for publishing your F letter (What’s so bad about a little extra Well done A. Mackellaich and

the Russian ports of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk were appalling, and 5.7% of Arctic Convoy ships were lost compared with the overall shipping loss rate during the war of 0.33%.

More than 3,000 seafarers died during the convoys, and defence minister Earl Howe told the event: ‘Facing down both perilous weather and U-boats, their determination and sacrifice should

never be forgotten.’ One of the MN veterans attending the event was 89-year-old retired Liverpool marine pilot Roger Ellison. ‘On 31 October 1944, I sailed to Murmansk, Russia, from Pier Head Liverpool on RMS Scythia, an armed troop ship but a Cunard White Star vessel, so this anniversary in October is very important to me,’ he said. ‘During the voyage we encountered some of the very worst weather imaginable, but the real heroes were those who undertook several passages on convoy, and those who did not return.’

seatime?) in these politically correct times. I thought how wonderful as a cadet to have a month swinging around an anchor; time to get down to some serious study. My longest time at sea was almost six months without touching port during the Iran Iraq war. Stores were brought out by supply boat. More days more dollars was the maxim, not crying to mother! Captain I.G. TEW mem no 089951

Where’s my Telegraph? If you have moved recently, your home copy may still be trying to catch up with you.

Women still aren’t welcome P

I was at sea for 17 years, with a variety of companies, foreign crews and ofﬁcers, containers/tankers etc, and to be perfectly honest I would not suggest or recommend a career at sea to any woman. I know this goes against the grain in women’s rights, what the Union and other groups want, and everything I read from

Nautilus. When you have had to endure abuse, harassment and bullying, this is not a laughing matter. It destroys your mental and physical health, makes you very vulnerable and takes years to get over. I still suffer due to abuses that happened years ago; that’s when you ﬁnd the good guys, as well as the nasty ones. Being bullied and threatened

Have your say online Last month we asked: Are shipowners moving too slowly on the Ballast Water Management Convention?

Yes 78%

No 22%

This month’s poll asks: Is stress the Number One health and safety problem in your workplace? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

16-17_lets_SR edit.indd 16

with violence, then the ship’s senior officers do precious little. I have made complaints about how I was treated, and was then treated appallingly by the whole ship — victimisation and isolation, with the company’s Code of Conduct and Merchant Navy Code of Conduct ignored. This was not on a foreign vessel or crew, but a British ship with all British officers. Being a woman at sea is a very hard life. In the right company it’s great (whether company or personnel on ship) and I have had some great fun and enjoyed myself. But the dark side is very unpleasant. People/senior officers don’t believe you if an incident happens; you are treated worse for saying so. Nothing happens after your complaint, and they continue with their abuse of you. You suddenly find all your work is suddenly no good and are getting bullied for that as well. There are always nasty people, but as my time at sea went on and I moved up the ranks, there seemed to be more and more problems. You also hear about other women having problems on other ships from senior officers. Sexual harassment is a major issue, and everyone seems to look the other way or not see anything. On the other hand, some women actively encourage sexual relations, which does not help things for those of us that don’t. As well as hitting the glass ceiling, and having a top male company management person tell you that you will never be promoted to chief officer/second engineer position because you’re

a woman, the lower ranked personnel you train will pass you, even though the senior officers are very happy with your work and give glowing reports, and you have the higher tickets as well. I am trying to work out what’s the point when senior management in the office block all attempts for equal rights. I am now ashore and in a good company position, nothing to do with shipping, but still maritime. With what I had to endure and the way senior officers/company management did very little to stop abuse and bullying towards woman at sea, I do wonder why all these groups and the Union are trying so hard to get more women into shipping. Do you know what

actually goes on, or does that not matter? Push the gender issues, and ignore the damage you do to women, is that the way for an industry to behave? Until the shipping industry see and treat women as an equal to men, nothing will change. The problem for me is the attitude of some men in positions of power. Thoughts, comments and attitudes towards women have to change before I would recommend any career at sea for women and currently I cannot see that changing. I will not recommend any career to a woman/girl to go to sea, because I know what they will have to endure. Name & no withheld on request

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

Open house at Trinity House F May I ask if you would give some space in your publication to inform readers that the premises of Hull Trinity House will be open to visitors, on a limited basis, during the city’s 2017 Year of Culture celebrations. Selected Mondays throughout the year have been set aside for visitors, with tours conducted by Master Mariners & a dedicated team of volunteers. g Details can be found at www. hullboxoffice.com or by phoning +44 (0)1482 221113. DAVID M SHAW mem No 115882

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

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

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December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS

THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

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Heartfelt thanks to Nautilus for solid support A

More Merseyside mentions please P

I’ve just received the November Telegraph and am surprised and delighted to see a small item featured on the front page reporting on the keel-laying ceremony of the new BAS polar research vessel on 17 October. This was carried out by Sir David Attenborough at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead on the Mersey and will be named — after a great deal of coughing and spluttering by the responsible committee — after the great man himself. This £200m newbuilding will be the largest commercial shipbuilding project in the UK for 30 years and could therefore be said to be of considerable interest to those of us engaged/ have-been engaged in nautical affairs. Some three days later, on 20 October, on the other side of the river Mersey at the Cruise Liner Terminal, an ACL vessel, Atlantic Sea, was named by the Princess Royal, accompanied by the great and the good of the county, region, the City of Liverpool and representatives of the company and the vessel’s ofﬁcers, and was the ﬁrst vessel to be named on the river Mersey by royalty, since Princess Alexandria in 1960.

One of a series of five ACL’s new G4 class of container/ro-ro vessels and at 100,430gt the world’s largest of their type, four of which will fly the red ensign and be named and registered in Liverpool, which has not occurred for 40 years. Amongst the many hundreds of spectators watching the proceedings were a number of RMT union members with flags, handing out leaflets stating that even though this was quite a momentous situation there would be no UK crew employed on any of these vessels. Again this could be said to be of considerable interest to Telegraph readers, but nothing was reported in this issue — perhaps deadlines were missed and something might be mentioned in next month’s issue. What was mentioned, on page 15 of November’s Telegraph was an item outlining an inaugural call to Southampton of a-notvery-large new container vessel (14,026TEU), an event which must occur there fairly frequently. Similarly, in the June 2015 edition of the Telegraph an item featuring the three Queens in a ‘spectacular’ sailaway from Southampton, the previous month, with hundreds of

spectators lining the banks of the Solent at the beginning of the series of events leading up to Cunard’s 175th anniversary celebrations. When they arrived in stages, after completing various visits elsewhere, the ﬁnal celebrations, culminating on 4 July in a spectacular formation turning in front of the Cunard Building, part of the World Heritage Site in the City of Liverpool, the Company’s ‘spiritual home’ where some 1.3m people had gathered, there was a small item on the front page in July’s Telegraph. Somewhat underwhelming. I understand that the distance from London to Southampton is just 79 miles and that the distance from Liverpool to London is 220 miles, but the distance from London to Liverpool is surely measured in light years! With the proliferation of news and photo agencies, never mind the internet and social media, getting copy and photographs should be available at the touch of a button. I greatly anticipate next month’s Telegraph to see the coverage that the inauguration of the new container terminal Liverpool2 evokes. R.A.B. WHITE mem no 143489

I just wanted to write to say thank you to Nautilus for supporting me through a very difficult time. Industrial organiser Paul Schroder was extremely helpful and meetings with the company would not have gone as well without his presence and assistance. I cannot emphasise enough how important it was to have another set of ears at these meetings, and Paul picked up on and championed points I would have only realised later. His effort throughout the whole thing is greatly appreciated by myself. I felt fully supported by my union and I would go as far as saying this proved important in maintaining my mental well-being through very uncertain times. Nautilus also supported me into and through the industrial tribunal, and although ultimately I lost, the opportunity to put my case forward has given me closure on the events which had resulted in what I felt was my unfair dismissal. If I had not pursued this, I would have never gained the feeling that I had tried my best and pursued all avenues. Alice Carse, the barrister who represented me, impressed me both with her ability and her attention to detail — she presented a very good case, but unfortunately the hearing went against us. Paul came to the hearing, even though he was not required per se, but his moral support was certainly appreciated. In my experience, there are officers who feel that they are a law unto themselves and this is much more common in the unique environment that is a ship at sea. Nautilus allowed me to hold these people accountable and that should certainly raise standards of how people are treated on company ships. Once again, thank you Nautilus for all your support — it will always mean a lot to me. mem no 201973

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SAFETY MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES IN SHIPPING

Witherby Publishing Group 4 Dunlop Square, Livingston, Edinburgh, EH54 8SB, Scotland, UK

Tel No: +44(0)1506 463 227 - Email: info@witherbys.com - Web: www.witherbyseamanship.com

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Quality crew quarters? F

Readers may be amused to see this picture of a ship spotted recently in Cardiff docks with a caravan permanently attached behind the bridge!

The Cardiff pilot who brought her in told me it was being used as accommodation by the crew… JOHN QUAYLE mem no 176819

telegraph STAFF editor: Andrew Linington senior reporter: Sarah Robinson reporter: Steven Kennedy Dutch correspondent: Hans Walthie production editor: June Cattini-Walker ADVERTISING Redactive Media Group 17 Britton Street, London EC1M 5TP. Display adverts: Joe Elliott-Walker tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 joe.elliott-walker@redactive.co.uk Recruitment adverts: Paul Wade tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6212 tel: +44 (0)20 7880 6200 email: paul.wade@redactive.co.uk website: www.redactive.co.uk Although the Telegraph exercises care and caution before accepting advertisements, readers are advised to take appropriate professional advice before entering into any commitments such as investments (including pension plans). Publication of an advertisement does not imply any form of recommendation and Nautilus International cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods and services offered in advertisements. Organisations offering financial services or insurance are governed by regulatory authorities and problems with such services should be taken up with the appropriate body.

Incorporating the merchant navy journal and ships telegraph

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

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.

16/11/2016 12:44

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NAUTILUS CAMPAIGNS

Get animated with Nautilus

animation designed to demonstrate how much the P UK relies on shipping and seafarers — highlighting the Nautilus International has launched an online

fact that 95% of everything, from clothes to food and fuel, is brought into the country by sea. Through the use of a storyboard-style animation, the three-minute online video puts across the message that without shipping the import and export of affordable food and goods would not be possible. It also explains the wide range of jobs that Nautilus International’s 22,000 members undertake at sea. An unfortunate couple are left embarrassed as 95% of everything in their home vanishes and half the world freezes due to a lack of fuel. The film goes on to show that the UK maritime industry amounts to more than 250,000 jobs and contributes £11bn to the British economy every year. The video follows the launch of a 10-point charter calling on the UK government and maritime industry to secure the UK’s maritime future by delivering decent work and training opportunities for British seafarers. It warned that a failure to protect the industry could put the nation’s economic security at risk and leave it ‘dangerously dependent’ on other countries for the carriage of many essential goods.

Help the video go viral! View and share at www.nautilusint.org

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What would we do without seafarers to bring us our clothes? A scene from the new animated video available to view and share at www.nautilusint.org

General secretary Mark Dickinson said: ‘Seafarers bring us 95% of everything, including what we consume, use and wear — not to mention those of us reliant on ferry services or going on cruise holidays. But because their work takes place beyond the horizon away from view, it’s easily forgotten just how much we rely on them. ‘Our new animated video aims to remind people of what British mariners do and how those who go to sea for work still play a vital role for the UK as an island nation.’ It is hoped the animation, part of the Union’s Jobs, Skills and the Future campaign, will go viral, helping Nautilus to improve public awareness of the sector and ultimately to help it achieve the campaign’s aims of securing a better future for UK seafarers. g To view and share the animation, visit the website www.nautilusint.org

Nautilus Charter for Jobs: a monthly guide

At its UK Branch Conference in October, Nautilus launched a new Charter for Jobs — a 10-point action plan to support Britain’s maritime sector and boost seafarer employment and training. The charter is separated into three sections — Support, Opportunities and Standards — making it our SOS to government and industry to deliver and prioritise jobs skills and a decent future for UK maritime professionals. Each month the Telegraph will take a look at the reasons behind each charter point, starting here with the ﬁrst.

Charter point 1: Secure 100% financial support for the cost of training UK-resident seafarers to avoid a serious skills shortage within the next decade. The Union is calling on the government to dramatically increase support for the training of UK seafarers in order to avoid a serious maritime skills shortage within the next decade. The real-terms value of the Support for Maritime Training scheme (SMarT) means that it now covers

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

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

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only around 36% of the costs of training, making the UK the world’s second most expensive country in which to train officers. Nautilus has warned that if this situation continues, shipping companies could move their cadet training to other countries, which would further reduce the number of UK officer trainees. The situation becomes more urgent when combined with the effects of the ageing UK seafarer workforce. Over a third of UK officers are due to retire in the next 10 years, the number of UK deck ratings is predicted to fall by 16% between 2015 and 2021, and engineer ratings are predicted to fall by a massive 39% in the next five years. Nautilus has warned government not to underestimate the importance of home-grown merchant seafarers and UK-flagged vessels. If the government allows the number of UK seafarers to go into terminal decline, the country would be forced to rely on foreign-flagged ships and seafarers for the carriage of 95% of the nation’s trade. Without a strong UK shipping industry and seafarers, the nation becomes dangerously dependent on the fleets of other nations for the supply of vital commodities such as food, oil and gas, and military support in times of national emergency. Those countries would then have the power to hold the UK to ransom by controlling the volume and price of goods entering or leaving UK ports through the manipulation of shipping rates or ocean carrier service — a hostile strategy known as ‘sea strangulation’. Nautilus believes the only real answer to the growing shortage of UK seafarers is to set clear and ambitious targets for trainee recruitment and a commitment to achieving those targets. The Union has repeatedly called on the UK government to take full advantage of the European state aid guidelines, and cover 100% of the cost of training British seafarers — but successive governments have failed to do so. This has given a clear advantage to other EU member states that have used the provisions of the guidelines to the

full. In order to remain competitive, the UK government should act immediately to fully fund maritime training within the full allowances of the guidelines. In the longer term, Nautilus is calling on the UK government to maximise the potential for support once the UK has left the EU and is free from the restrictions of the guidelines. The government should also ensure that SMarT provides support for officers taking the second certificates, to enable them to take full advantage of industry demand for experienced UK officers. Industry statistics show that UK officers are highly sought after in higher ranks and enhanced SMarT support will help them to gain the qualifications they need to take up these job opportunities. Many of the desired changes to the SMarT scheme — including supporting officers after their cadetships to gain first trips as officers and progressing up the ranks — are already being discussed between unions and industry as part of the ‘SMarT-Plus’ initiative. This ‘value-added’ proposal to extend the current scheme includes a commitment from employers to guarantee a period of employment on completion of a cadetship in return for a higher level of government funding.

16/11/2016 16:14

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MARITIME EDUCATION

Future-proofing faculties P

Calls for radical changes in seafarer training were made during an international symposium staged by City of Glasgow College to mark the completion of its £228m twin-site ‘super college’. A series of speakers from the maritime education sector highlighted shortcomings with current training systems and pointed to the need for new initiatives to address ‘human element’ challenges in the shipping industry. Opening the event, college principal Paul Little said the new campus includes a £70m investment in maritime education and training, with ‘meticulously designed’ and future-proofed facilities using technology some five years ahead of the industry. Professor Osman Turan, from the University of Strathclyde, told how increasingly complex ships are giving crew members more cognitive tasks. While more than 80% of accidents are attributed to ‘human and organisational factors’, the response tends to focus on technical solutions. He said attention should be paid to ‘maritime workarounds’ — designing systems with an understanding of the gap between ‘work as done’ and ‘work as imagined’ by designers, managers, regulators and authorities. One example of this, he noted, is the way the requirement for fixing the ship’s position can conflict with navigational demands in busy and congested waters. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) need to improve, Prof Turan added, and manning policies need to better reflect the nature of current crew duties and workloads. Improved resilience could be secured by developing new SOPs based on best practice and formulated with the full involvement of crew members, he suggested. Prof Turnan said a good example of best practice are the maritime checklists used by Caledonian MacBrayne — based on the format used by Airbus and drawn up with input from crew. Dr Farhan Saeed, from Liverpool John Moores University, described work being done to examine the non-technical skills needed by officers in crisis situations and to better assess their performance in Human Element, Leadership and Management (HELM) training. Researchers using this methodology, he said, had demonstrated that the current HELM course arrangements are not very effective. He suggested improvements could be made by introducing the methods successfully used in other safety-critical industries, such as aviation, with training based on simulated scenarios to cover each non-technical skill. Shajan Lukose, head of maritime operations at Blackpool & The Fylde College,

Is seafarer training keeping pace with the rapid changes in ship technology? Maritime academics from around the world came to a special seminar at the City of Glasgow College last month to consider the question…

Glasgow speakers, clockwise from top left: Captain N. Kumar, director of the school of maritime studies at Vels University in Chennai, India; Dr Farhan Saeed, from Liverpool John Moores University; Dr Nick Bailey, from Cardiff University; Dr G. Thiruvasagam, from the Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET) University in Chennai; Shajan Lukose, head of maritime operations at Blackpool & The Fylde College; Professor Osman Turan, from the University of Strathclyde

spoke of the changing training requirements arising from new regulations such as the Polar Code, and the IGF Code for the safety of ships using gases or other lowﬂashpoint fuels, as well as the increasing size and complexity of many modern vessels. ‘Specialist trade requires speciﬁc training, such as windfarm maintenance vessels, crew transfer vessels, etc,’ he pointed out. ‘What we see today is that slowly but surely shipping companies are once again reinvesting in specialised ship types. This trend is mostly visible in the heavy lifting industry and transportation of chemicals. Extremely specialised ships that are only able to transport parts of offshore windmills that have been constructed, pushing the crew to new levels of specialised knowledge about their ships and trade.’ Mr Lukose said colleges need to be training seafarers for jobs that do not exist today — anticipating the impact of new developments and changing industry demands — and especially the growing environment-related requirements.

Dr G. Thiruvasagam, from the Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET) University, in Chennai, India, said stress has been identiﬁed as a major contributory factor in many shipping accidents, and occupational stress among seafarers is more acute than in any other industry’s workforce. Factors such as long and unsociable working hours, lack of training, poor communications, job insecurity and physical health problems are all signiﬁcant, he said. Research among Indian seafarers had shown the impact of issues including time pressures, administrative duties, noise, fumes and dangerous work methods, he added, and stress has also increased as a consequence of reduced crewing levels, additional paperwork and faster port turnarounds. He suggested that techniques for preventing and mitigating stress should be on the curriculum for cadet training and shipping companies should ensure strict compliance with the International Mari-

time Organisation guidelines on fatigue management. Captain N. Kumar, director of the school of maritime studies at Vels University in Chennai, questioned whether college training is relevant to the needs of the industry — pointing out that many ship management ﬁrms have set up their own training centres. He said there needs to be better oversight of the effectiveness of such programmes as HELM courses and bridge and engineroom resource management training and greater efforts to gain feedback from seafarers. While ‘human factors’ are blamed for between 65% and 80% of accidents at sea, college training tends to focus on technical skills, and he said more time should be devoted to human performance in the shipboard work environment — including issues such as cross-cultural awareness, team spirit and better situational awareness. However, the ‘currency of knowledge’ of many maritime college lecturers becomes outdated over time, Capt Kumar

argued, and there could be a case for some kind of revalidation course for seafarers turned trainers. He also suggested that simulators could be used to take more of a role in meeting seatime training requirements.

Dr Nick Bailey, from Cardiff University, pointed to research on the way that the Automatic Identification System (AIS) is being used onboard to show the need to develop training that better reflects the real-life situation facing seafarers. He explained how the system, since its introduction on 2004, has resulted in many officers calling each other to ‘negotiate’ collision avoidance manoeuvres. Although such calls seek to reduce uncertainty and make passing safer, they are contrary to Maritime & Coastguard Agency guidance given in the M-Notice MGN 324 (withdrawn 16 July 2015 and being updated). Dr Bailey said that while the collision prevention regulations prescribe how each vessel within an interaction should behave, there are ‘grey areas’ that can cause confusion. ‘A key feature of the colregs is the requirement that vessels communicate their intention, by taking ‘positive’ action in “ample time”,’ he noted. ‘What counts as positive action? What counts as in ample time? This vagueness can lead to uncertainty and stress for the navigator.’ He showed some real-life cases of AISrelated exchanges showing poor seamanship and the way in which ambiguity in the colregs results in different interpretations of the situation by officers. Navigation is ‘a messy business’ that requires looking ahead and being able to predict what others are going to do, he pointed out. While using AIS and VHF to seek clarification may quickly resolve uncertainty in certain situations, there is still a risk that in using the radio you are talking to the wrong ship or misunderstanding what the other person means, Dr Bailey noted. ‘Collision avoidance is predicated on the ability to look ahead and anticipate how others will act. But if a large percentage of ships are negotiating action on a one-to-one basis, then navigation becomes more risky for everyone,’ he explained. ‘Those involved in negotiating need to be aware that they are entering into moral bargains and accepting responsibilities that may not be in line with the legal underpinnings of the rulebased system,’ he warned. ‘Navigation is a complex business and there is no necessarily right or wrong course of action, rather it is a matter of applying good professional judgement, and this is something that has to be learned,’ he concluded.

All Glasgow deck cadets to learn DP is claiming a UK first in the D provision of dynamic positioning

The City of Glasgow College

Dynamic Positioning ship-handling and awareness training is carried out at City of Glasgow College’s state-of-the art 360-degree bridge simulator

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(DP) induction and simulator courses. And the college is also leading the way in providing DP awareness training to all deck cadets as part of its ‘bridge ready’ programme. Dleep Fotedar, curriculum head at the Faculty of Nautical Studies, said the college recognised that DP operations are becoming the norm on many vessels. ‘It is not enough to train seafarers for today only,’ he

added, ‘we have to prepare them for tomorrow by ensuring every student has access to world-class and industry-relevant training facilities which are supported by pioneering methods of delivery.’ DP Simulation Centre manager Captain Duncan Bruce added: ‘The ability to provide DP training to all levels of seafarer using technologically advanced equipment puts City of Glasgow College at the forefront of this specialised and innovative sector. It allows us to serve all areas of the industry, from offshore through to the superyacht market.’

16/11/2016 15:27

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

MARITIME WELFARE

The mixed blessings of the internet The shipping industry is facing increasing pressure to improve crew connectivity. But will better onboard online access help or hinder the mental wellbeing of seafarers? Dr OLIVIA SWIFT and Dr RIKKE JENSEN of Royal Holloway, University of London, assess the evidence…

Seafarers live and work for months at a time in small, multi-cultural crews with little contact with their home lives on land. The maritime industry has been alert for a long time to the detrimental effects this can have on individuals’ wellbeing and on the recruitment and retention of quality crew. However, there seems to have been confusion about what precisely is meant by ‘social isolation’ and how it does (or doesn’t) relate to loneliness and mental ill-health. Nevertheless, concern about the mental health of seafarers seems to have been gaining prominence recently. In June this year, the Seafarers’ Hospital Society started funding the development of the Big White Wall: an online, mental health and wellbeing service for all UK-based serving merchant seafarers. And in October, the ITF Seafarers’ Trust ran a two-day workshop with an ‘all-angled’ approach to mental health at sea, designed to culminate in a clearer set of priorities for action and research. Such activities are welcome. While comprehensive data is lacking about the extent to which mental health problems and suicide are a problem at sea and whether rates are rising or falling, there is agreement that on pragmatic, compassionate and moral grounds combined, more can and should be done to alleviate suffering and suicide; even one death is one too many. What precisely can be done across the sector, beyond the valuable but fragmented initiatives above, is more difﬁcult to navigate, and some interventions and improvements are more feasible than others.

We need to establish what level of contact with home is good for us

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In this article, the focus is on mental health in ‘the digital age’ and more speciﬁcally, on how connectivity and social media help and/or hinder seafarers’ mental health and social cohesion onboard, based on existing research. This is partly to explore the evidence in relation to a familiar binary: does onboard connectivity support or threaten seafarers’ mental health and crew cohesion? The effect of connectivity on crew cohesion has not been the topic of extensive research, because in few land-based settings is there a comparable issue. There is an oft-heard concern in the industry that seafarers able to access the internet on their own devices in their cabins will no longer socialise together, to the detriment of the ship’s overall operations. The counter-argument’s logic is that in today’s world, connectivity can’t and/or shouldn’t be avoided, and that the issue is how to manage the challenges it brings. Some would add that connectivity actually aids cohesion. Internet-based gaming between crew members, for example, is an example of how social bonds are reinforced in a digital context onboard. And there is an entire ﬁeld within gaming that’s ‘cooperative’ and appears to increase cooperation in analogue reality, which has the potential to be used onboard as a planned intervention.

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Research into the effects of digital technology on mental health is more plentiful, although very little takes seafarers as its focus. Among the most widely cited is Futurenautics’ Crew Connectivity survey, which in 2015 reported that 40% (down 6% from 2014) of seafarers (typically the older and less technically literate) felt connectivity reduced social interaction onboard. The survey found 16% (down from 22% in 2014) felt crew communications do impact on safety. Of these, 23% (down from 54% in the previous year) felt this inﬂuence to be a positive one — based on beliefs that digital communications made for happier, less stressed (and hence less accident-prone) seafarers, and that this also enabled better access to information affecting work processes and events (such as medical information or piracy reports). In contrast, 77% of that 16% of seafarers believed improved communications have reduced ship safety because of increased levels of fatigue and distraction, personal devices being unsafe and because of concerns about cybersecurity. Similar data has been collected from the British armed forces. Among service personnel, communication (digital and other forms) has been found to reduce boredom and isolation and help maintain marriages and relationships with children. Personnel communicating with home also supports mental health, morale and occupational effectiveness, while a lack of contact increases the risk of developing mental health conditions. Echoing Futurenautics’ ﬁndings, contact with home was found to also have negative effects on some occasions, especially when problems arise at either end, or if levels of communication are less than expected. The research also found that too much contact with home could be problematic for operational effectiveness. In both the military and merchant marine contexts, further research is needed to ascertain optimal levels of communication between deployed personnel and loved ones back home. Nonetheless, the research shows that overall, being able to communicate with home is advantageous. A study of UK peacekeepers found that when it came to seeking support during stressful experiences at work, only 23% made use of

Smartphones are now the number one choice of seafarers for communicating while at sea. Dr Oliv Picture: Danny Cornelissen

formal support mechanisms, while 80% turned to their families. Although the equivalent data does not exist for merchant seafarers, we can assume there to be clear mental health benefits to enabling and improving communication between seafarers and their loved ones back home. Other research sheds light on the relative benefits of different forms of communication in the military context. A study of the influence communicating with wives has on levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among married, recently deployed servicemen, found that marital satisfaction and the form of communication were crucial in determining levels of PTSD symptoms. Among happily married couples, greater communication tallied with fewer symptoms, although interestingly, this was only true for delayed forms of communication — letters, emails and care-packages — possibly because they provide tangible, effortful objects or documents to which servicemen can return for repeated support, and/or because care is taken to provide positive content in the crafting of these. If similar findings were established among merchant seafarers, they would suggest that there is value in companies facilitating a broad range of communication with home and that for seafarers with more problematic marriages especially, other sources of support are particularly important when dealing with the stresses and strains of working life. Beyond the military context, research into the impact of the digital revolution on mental health and mental health care is accruing. ‘mTherapy’ — therapeutic mobile interventions or apps for mental health — is now a burgeoning area of health technology, although there is little evidence that the vast majority of the publicly-available mental health apps are effective. That said, early research indicates that ‘tracking’ apps — which allow users to track in real time their various symptoms, mood, sleep and energy levels — do improve symptoms as a

result of the increased mobile narratives use to help decrease anxie evidence about the be based on CBT (cognitiv promotion. In addition to these health support is deliv levels of therapist invo time with full therapi internet-based psycho researched. Notably, b delivered in this mann treatment of a wide ra Research paints a m relationship between

There a internet is acting to encourag

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While much of this res the most popular soci speciﬁcally, more rece young US adults’ use o a clear link between th what is less clear is wh to use more social me amounts of social med

Strong demand from crew is driving onboard communicat

Standards of connectivity onboard merchant ships are lower than in any region of the world other than Africa, a Merchant Navy Training Board meeting heard last month. Drew Brandy, Inmarsat’s senior vice-president of market strategy, told the seminar that rapid advances in communications technology will have a profound effect on crew morale and welfare, and will transform the traditions of life at sea for ever. Expectations for ship-to-shore connectivity amongst crew are changing fast, he added, and a lack of communication with the outside world is no longer acceptable for modern seafarers. Shipping is part of the ‘big data’ drive, Mr Brandy said, with modern vessels generating 2TB of data every 100 days and a Maersk Triple E vessel having 2,800 sensors hardwired into its main control system,

together with 7,000 channels monitored for situational awareness and alarms. Global mobile data traffic will increase nearly eightfold between 2015 and 2020, he added, and will reach 30.6 Exabyte per month by 2020. One key reason behind this growth is because smartphones will generate five times more data by the end of the decade, Mr Brandy noted. Studies show that seafarers generally bring three devices to sea and that 77% of them carry a smartphone, which is now their preferred method of communication — overtaking laptops. Research also shows that seafarers are increasingly weighing up connectivity standards when they decide where to work, he pointed out. About 40% of the world’s seafarers now have access to the internet while at sea, and half of them have the access for free, Mr Brandy added.

‘On average 46% of the w noted. ‘If we looked at this the shipping industry.’ With 60% of seafarers the meeting that there is a providers and shipowners g Nautilus is starting to c project to investigate seaf is due to publish a report i almost 2,000 members w the quality of connections good communications wi interaction between crew,

16/11/2016 17:37

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

MARITIME WELFARE

Why healthy living schemes aren’t working for seafarers U

Two Nautilus members have taken part in a major new initiative to consider ways of improving the health and wellbeing of the world’s seafarers. Deck officer Samantha Belfitt and deck cadet Ross Cleland spoke at a workshop organised by the ITF Seafarers Trust to discuss ways of developing effective health promotion initiatives. They gave the audience of medical experts, welfare providers, academics and seafaring union representatives a personal insight

into seafarer health issues and their aspirations for better health and wellbeing support. The two-day conference also considered a report highlighting the previously ‘piecemeal’ approach to promoting healthy living among seafarers — with a mixed bag of poorly-coordinated initiatives to encourage healthier lifestyles, reduce health risks at sea and develop support networks in areas such as diet and exercise. The report also warned of the continuing problems caused by the

lack of reliable data on the health of merchant seafarers and identified the scope for health promotion initiatives to tackle such risk factors as heart conditions, cancers, musculo-skeletal disease and psychological distress. ‘The right mix of specialist expertise, coupled with commitment from those who have responsibility for the employment of seafarers, needs to be harnessed to produce a widely accepted set of priorities for action and for the delivery of programmes based on them,’ the report concluded.

r Olivia Swift and Dr Rikke Jensen call for ‘joined-up thinking and policy development around social media usage at sea’

eased awareness these apps enable. Similarly, s used for relaxation, for example, do seem anxiety. In contrast, there is not yet sufﬁcient he beneﬁts of apps, phone calls and games gnitive behavioural therapy) to warrant their these uses of mobile technology, much mental delivered through the internet, with different t involvement (non-guided, guided or in realerapist involvement). Compared to mTherapy, sychotherapy has been far more widely bly, both guided and non-guided CBT therapy manner has been shown to be effective for the de range of conditions. ts a mixed picture when it comes to the ween social media use and depression.

e are signs that the t is increasingly to deter rather than age suicide

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his research has looked at Facebook (by far r social media platform among seafarers) use e recent research based on a large-scale survey of use of a range of social media platforms shows en these habits and depression — although is whether this is because depressed people tend al media or because those who use increased l media go on to develop increased depression.

ations revolution the world’s population has access to the internet,’ he at this by region, only Africa would rank lower than y.’ farers still lacking internet access, Mr Brandy told ere is a big opportunity for satellite communication wners to retain experienced and well-trained crew. ng to compile the results of a major new research e seafarers’ views on at-sea connectivity. The Union port in the new year analysing the feedback from bers who provided information on issues including ctions onboard or in ports, the importance of ons with family and friends, the impact on social crew, and what they would like to see in the future.

20-21_spread_SR edit.indd 21

Whether the study’s reported correlation between social media use and depression would carry across to a mixed age and nationality population of seafarers living very different lives, whose access to social media is limited and interrupted, is impossible to say. Certainly, research into how seafarers and their families use social media and the challenges and opportunities it brings would be welcome. And the opportunities are extensive, for as well as being part of communicating with home and the largely positive effects that brings, social media can also help identify individuals at risk of mental ill-health and decrease stigma surrounding it. There is scope, for example, for doing more along these lines with online forums frequented by seafarers — data already available from Futurenautics. The British Armed Forces were ahead of the maritime industry in this regard when they part-funded research into the current and future use of social media by military personnel and their families and the effects this has on them and on operational and managerial processes. Social media was shown to be something service personnel expected to be available to them while on deployment — with implications for recruitment and retention. A significant generation gap was found to exist — with younger military personnel having more social media expertise — which could be usefully harnessed were the military less constrained by hierarchy. In essence, social media was found to be central to military life and a critical component of future policy development and welfare planning. The research found the military to be lagging behind other organisations in its understanding and use of social media. Perhaps the military would find comfort in the knowledge that commercial shipping lags further still. Indeed, there is scope for much research and action in the area of digital technology and its effect on seafarers. This tour of relevant research in other fields has shown that there is no unanimous verdict about whether improved connectivity and use of digital technologies is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for seafarers’ mental health and social interactions onboard ship. However, in general, the signs are that communication with home is beneficial, that there is potential in a range of mobile and internet-based models of mental health support, that the internet increasingly acts to deter rather than encourage suicide and that while the link between social media use and depression is unclear in the seafaring context, there is a case to be made for joined-up thinking and policy development around social media usage at sea. In other words, we should not fail to invest in seafarers’ access to digital technology on the basis that doing so is detrimental to their wellbeing or that of the crew.

g This is an edited version of a report produced for the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network — www.seafarerswelfare.org

Nautilus members Ross Cleland and Samantha Belfitt

16/11/2016 17:37

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

MARITIME LAW

The master criminals J

Ship captains and crew are increasingly seen as ‘the soft underbelly’ to use for putting pressure on owners, operators and insurers following maritime accidents, leading shipping industry lawyers heard last month. Speaking at the annual Cadwallader Debate, organised by the London Shipping Law Centre (LSLC) Maritime Business Forum, West of England P&I Club director Michael Kelleher said that masters have become increasingly exposed to criminal charges in many parts of the world. Seafarers are often paying the penalty because of extreme pressures from the media and the public after accidents, he pointed out. ‘Pollution cases seem to attract the most outrage and publicity and have the most severe personal consequences for masters and seafarers.’ Mr Kelleher said the treatment of the master of the tanker Prestige was an example of the long and protracted legal processes which can follow such an incident. Eleven years after the 2002 oil spill a Spanish court had cleared three men — including the master and chief engineer — of criminal responsibility for the disaster. But even now, the case is subject to further appeals and looks set to run ‘for years to come’, he added.

This year’s Cadwallader debate was held to consider the way in which the shipmaster’s traditional roles and responsibilities are being affected by technological change — with instant communications and increased intervention by charterers undermining their authority at a time when they face unprecedented levels of accountability and scrutiny of their actions. Opening the debate, LSLC president and Supreme Court justice Lord Clarke said: ‘It would be difﬁcult to think of a more important topic than the chang-

Is it time to reconsider the legal liabilities faced by shipmasters in the light of changes in the industry that undermine their roles and responsibilities? ANDREW LININGTON listened in as leading maritime lawyers considered the issues last month…

J Cadwallader debate speakers, clockwise from top left: Faz Peermohamed, of Ince & Co; US lawyer Michael Chalos; and InterManager secretary-general Kuba Szymanski; Michael Kelleher, from the West of England P&I Club; Jeff Lantz, from the US Coast Guard; LSLC chairman Lord Clarke

ing and challenging — or perhaps challenged — position of the ship master, whose role is clearly being affected by instant communication, a raft of legislation and regulation and the requirements of charterers and other commercial interests.’ Former shipmaster Kuba Szymanski, now secretary-general of the ship managers’ association

InterManager, said there is always a sharp contrast between the way that airline pilots are treated after an accident and the way in which seafarers usually get singled out for blame. US-based lawyer Michael Chalos said that everything had changed following the Exxon Valdez tanker accident in 1989, after which the captain was pros-

Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2017

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22-23_lslc+spain_SR update 14 Nov.indd Sec2:22

accident because a successful defence will help to limit liability. Faz Peermohamed, another former master who is now global head of shipping with the legal ﬁrm Ince & Co, said criminalisation of seafarers is on the increase in many parts of the world at a time when masters are facing intense commercial pressures, huge administrative burdens, and often suffer from ‘micromanagement’ of their actions from ashore. Onboard documentation has tripled, he said, and masters are inundated with checklists and non-essential requirements. Against this background, the industry should reconsider the way in which captains are treated. ‘When a casualty occurs, every step a master takes is challenged, irrespective of right or wrong considerations,’ Mr Peermohamed pointed out. ‘His or her actions are often misinterpreted by the authorities, and the sentence can be based on the damage caused rather than on the level of negligence.’

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ecuted on charges including negligence and operating a vessel while intoxicated. ‘There was nothing about the Exxon Valdez that was intentional,’ Mr Chalos said. ‘The captain was not drunk, but he was blamed because he was in charge of the ship, and he faced some very serious charges. We defended him and we were able to get an acquittal on all the charges except one minor one.’ Despite this, the case proved to be a legal watershed, and masters can now be prosecuted even if there is no evidence of intention to commit a crime, he argued. ‘Every master who comes to the US now faces the possibility of going to jail — you are a captain, you had an accident, you are liable — and it is a similar situation in other parts of the world.’ Mr Chalos said the master’s authority has been eroded by shipping industry policies, new technology and ‘whistle-blowing’

regulations which offer big rewards to crew members reporting violations. But, he contended, the master should never be prosecuted after an accident where there is no intent or gross negligence. ‘I see no social value in charging someone who is doing his job and in the middle of it something goes wrong.’ Flag states should do more to protect seafarers on their ships, Mr Chalos added, and they should step in when crew members are detained for many months while incidents are investigated. However, he noted, the US authorities have stated that the reason so many prosecutions are brought — especially for MARPOL Convention violations — is because ﬂag states don’t do enough to enforce the regulations. Mr Chalos said P&I clubs ought to do more to support and defend masters and crew after an

However, Jeff Lantz, director of commercial regulations and standards with the US Coast Guard, told the debate that the situation is not as bad as claimed, and while the master’s ‘significant burden of responsibility’ is clearly defined by the STCW Convention, regulations also extend criminal liability to other people, such as shore-based management and the designated person ashore, he argued. Mr Lantz said the US has been at the forefront of applying the law to owners and operators. The authorities examine who benefits from misbehaviour and noncompliance with the regulations, seeking to ensure that ‘the people who are truly responsible are held to account’. Of 92 environmental crimes reported in the US between 2000 and 2015, only two had resulted in a shipmaster being convicted, he pointed out. Mr Lantz said the traditional view of the master being in charge remains valid today — and, he suggested, there are many options available to prevent a captain from becoming over-burdened. Summing up the debate, Lord Clarke described masters as ‘the backbone of the maritime world’ who should not be exposed to unwarranted criminalisation. ‘Owners, managers and P&I clubs should be supporting them,’ he concluded, ‘and they should not be prosecuted unless they have genuinely committed a crime.’

US lawyer Michael Chalos said the decision to prosecute the master of the tanker Exxon Valdez in 1989 was the turning point in the criminalisation of ship captains

16/11/2016 11:28

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

MEMBERS AT WORK

Flying low, flying high Following a fascinating seagoing career, Nautilus member Cathryn Spain made history as the first female harbour master of a major UK port. She tells SARAH ROBINSON about the way her time at sea opened up new opportunities in the maritime sector ashore…

Ah, the good old days. It’s a recurring theme in the Telegraph, and generally means remembering life at sea in the 1950s to early 1970s, before crew numbers were slashed and containerisation put paid to proper port visits. But for Nautilus member Cathryn Spain, the good old days were the 1990s. The 1990s? What was so great about them? Hovercraft, that’s what. Only a few seafarers have operated a car-carrying hover ferry service, and Cathryn is proud to have been among their number — working with Hoverspeed on the Dover-Calais service. ‘It was the best job ever,’ she sighs. ‘The work was so interesting, and different from anything else. You’d have a captain, a navigator and a flight engineer, and for most of the time I was the navigator, which meant a lot of staring into the radar. I also had to cover as flight engineer sometimes, controlling the throttles and monitoring the gauges, so I received in-house training for that from the company.’ As well as the excitement of operating the vessel, there were other advantages to the job. The hovercraft were not allowed to travel at night, so Cathryn and her colleagues were able to go home at the end of each working day. And there was a real camaraderie among the crew members, many of whom Cathryn still counts as good friends. But the 1990s were a while ago now, and of course there is no longer a hover ferry service from the port of Dover. ‘They closed it down in 2001, just as I was coming to the end of my training as a captain, so it was quite frustrating,’ Cathryn recalls. For a short while, she transferred to the SeaCat catamaran ferry service run by the same company, but then decided that the best way to get over her disappointment at the loss of the hovercraft was to look for a fresh challenge, away from the English Channel. Luckily, Cathryn had the mainstream Merchant Navy officer training under her belt, which meant that a wide range of

options were open to her. Prehovercraft, her experience had been with P&O Containers, which she had joined as a cadet in the late 1980s. She had stayed with the company through OOW qualification and onward to her Mate’s and Master’s certificates in the 1990s, so had a substantial chunk of deepsea experience to offer. So when she was looking for a new job after the demise of Hoverspeed in 2001, returning to container shipping was a possibility, but she was keen to try something new, and the post that caught her eye was with Hebridean Island Cruises. But rather than heading up to Scotland, she started deepsea on the Hebridean Spirit: ‘The company was expanding, and they had decided to offer worldwide cruises,’ she explains. ‘I joined in the Mediterranean and then headed south on their first international voyage to India and the Seychelles.’ For someone looking for adventure, this job certainly delivered. ‘We were a small, luxurious vessel with only 80 passengers, but berthing and landing passengers could be quite a challenge as some of the places we went had never seen a cruiseship before. It was good fun!’ After two years travelling the world as second mate and then

first officer, she opted for a spell as chief officer on the Hebridean Princess, touring the Scottish islands, where she enjoyed the experience of getting to know the regular cruise passengers who return to the vessel time after time. And then Cathryn and her partner found that they were expecting a baby.

Yes, as alert readers may already have spotted, Cathryn Spain is in fact a woman, and that can cause bemusement for some maritime employers. Not Hebridean Island Cruises, though: ‘They were great. They had a good maternity policy which made it clear how long you could stay working onboard, and they provided shore work when that was needed.’ While we’re talking about it, how has Cathryn’s experience been generally as a female ship’s officer? It’s still a relatively unusual career for a woman, and being in a small minority onboard a vessel isn’t for everyone. ‘There were four or five other women at Warsash college, but then I was the only female crew member on my first ship,’ she remembers. ‘It just didn’t really bother me — maybe because I was always a bit of a tomboy and had older brothers.

Cathryn Spain on the cruiseship Hebridean Spirit in the early 2000s

‘The other crew members were mostly OK, although I did once have a chief engineer who didn’t want women in the engineroom. We got round it by having some of my friends stand lookout for me so I could go in and do my tank soundings when he wasn’t there.’ Cathryn says she’s been fortunate in other ways, too: she started her career with a company that was actively seeking more female ofﬁcers, and found herself rising through the ranks at a time when seafarers had begun to expect a less macho environment onboard, and more

Today Cathryn Spain is PLA harbour master for the lower Thames

A COMPLETE CREW TRAINING SERVICE STCW - REFRESHER - SECURITY - HELIDECK - LIFEBOAT

diversity among colleagues. ‘Some people found it a bit hard to get used to because they thought they had to moderate their behaviour,’ she muses, ‘but I think most felt that a slight change in atmosphere was a good thing.’

Anyway, to get back to the story of the mid-2000s: Cathryn was expecting to return to Hebridean after her maternity leave, but ‘life got in the way’ and she decided she needed to look for a shore-based marine job near her home in Kent. She applied for a position at Estuary Services Ltd — a company that runs pilot cutters on the Rivers Thames and Medway — and the contacts she made there led to an opportunity to become a VTS operator for Medway Ports (owned by Peel Ports), then an assistant in the harbour master’s ofﬁce. Moving into port management was clearly a good career choice, because further prospects soon opened up. Cathryn ‘acted up’ as deputy harbour master at Medway Ports and won the permanent position when the postholder retired. And in 2007 she covered a harbour master vacancy — a position that was made permanent in 2008. ‘I’m proud of that one,’ she says, ‘as I was the ﬁrst female harbour master of a large commercial port.’ Since 2014, Cathryn has

worked for the Port of London Authority, joining as deputy harbour master for the lower district of the Thames, with promotion to harbour master earlier this year. ‘When I originally applied to work in this sector, I didn’t actually know what a harbour master did,’ she admits, ‘but it’s a role I really enjoy. Fundamentally, I am responsible for safe navigation in my district. Day-to-day, this means working with the deputy harbour masters, the VTS operators and the vessel licensing team to monitor what’s happening on the water. I’m also involved in creating and enforcing regulations, and in investigating incidents — prosecuting where necessary. Sadly, we had a serious incident recently where a pilot died in the course of his work, so finding out what happened is a very important part of my job right now.’ The only thing missing from this responsible and fulfilling work is, presumably, hovercraft, but it seems that Cathryn’s current role is coming pretty close to the good old days. ‘The community of harbour masters around the UK is so knowledgeable and supportive,’ she says. ‘The ports may be in competition for business, but we all work together for the good of seafarers and leisure users in our waters. I’ve been made so welcome at our professional body UKHMA, and I definitely see my future in the ports industry.’

The Maritime Skills Academy can meet your every need when it comes to training. We offer a full portfolio of MCA accredited STCW training courses as well as professional development courses. We are also an Approved English Marlins Testing Centre.

22-23_lslc+spain_SR update 14 Nov.indd 23

16/11/2016 15:15

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

MARITIME EDUCATION

College’s Celtic welcome Nautilus representatives attended the tenth annual open day at the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) in October. DEBORAH McPHERSON heard how the event serves as a vital date in the country’s seafarer training calendar…

Ireland’s prospective merchant seafarers sweep into the exhibition hall from schools in every corner of the republic — collecting handfuls of sweets, pens, stickers and other goodies from industry representatives ready to enthuse them for a career at sea. And so begins the tenth annual open day for schools at the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) in Cork. The college is well prepared to welcome upwards of 1,200 secondary school students and some of their parents and school advisors — providing a day of taster tours of its state-of-the-art training facilities, and exhibition space for shipping companies and other commercial maritime organisations. Tours of the training facilities — including the ship simulators, engineering workshops, chart room, and sea survival centre — are popular throughout the day,

Top left: Nautilus senior assistant organiser Lee Moon is pictured with third year ETO cadet Daniel Adeleye, one of the NMCI students. Cadets and prospective trainee officers were asked by the Union to vote on whether internet access at sea would influence their employment decisions ‒ and the result was a resounding 269 to 62 votes saying that it would; Right: Chevron recruiters Ramzi Ghafar and Chris McGowan, who interviewed second-year cadets for sponsorship during the week of the open day; Bottom left: Ardmore Shipping and the Irish Coast Guard were among the organisations exhibiting at the NMCI open day

and are led by a mix of enthusiastic and knowledgeable ﬁrst-year cadets. In the main corridor to the classrooms is a testament to the sort of cadet the college strives to produce — two plaques dedicated to James Burnell and James Kirk, cadets who had won the NUMAST/Nautilus Bevis Minter award for exceptional enthusiasm and dedication. The college’s maritime liaison ofﬁcer Annette Coughlan summed up the event: ‘This year’s open day has been a great success, with over 850 prospective students and 66 representatives attending from shipping companies and organisations. Given the valued and continuing support of our shipping com-

The Irish government funds the university element of the course

“

NMCI head Conor Mowlds, a former deck officer, says he would recommend a career at sea to anyone

24-25_nmci_SR update 14 Nov.indd 24

”

pany sponsors, we are delighted to advise there has been an increase in sponsored cadetships this year.’ NMCI head Conor Mowlds said

the pupils attending the open days come from ‘every corner of Ireland and have increased year on year since they began’. The college — which opened in 2004 — offers training structured around three pillars: Merchant Navy and Irish Navy deck and engineering training; a signiﬁcant commercial section, and a new research section. ‘For a country of our size and a facility of this type it needs to be broad-based, and so economic necessity means the Merchant Navy and military train together,’ Mr Mowlds explained. NMCI has an annual intake of 130 Merchant Navy cadets, and Mr Mowlds admits that it is ‘a constant challenge for the college

to secure vital sea training berths’. However, he adds, the college has been lucky to secure strong ‘stakeholder’ support from Irish and UK shipping companies and the Irish government. ‘We have had really strong support from companies like Chevron, BP, Trinity House, the Carnival group, and Carisbrooke, who have been particularly helpful, as well as Irish companies such as Ardmore and Arklow, and also the Irish Chamber of Shipping,’ he says. NMCI also has a specific training partnership with Chevron Shipping Company — in place for the last three years — which means courses such as the Safe Operations Course (SOC) are designed by the company in consultation with the college, whose instructors deliver the training. Chevron learning and development officer Ramzi Ghafar, who manages all the company’s sponsored cadets, commented: ‘Chevron continues to be impressed with the quality of the cadets at the college, a fact reflected in the increased number of cadets we agreed to sponsor this year.’ The company has taken on 18 cadets in 2016, compared with 12 in 2015. Of those, eight are deck cadets in their first year, eight are engine cadets and two are ETO trainees. Sponsorship starts when the cadets join their first vessel after their initial year of study, Mr Ghafar explains, and all the cadets who successfully complete their training are employed by Chevron as officers. Companies including P&O Cruises, the Carnival Group and Stena were also represented at the open day, and Mr Mowlds says the variety of operators sup-

porting the college means it can provide its cadets with a range of interesting opportunities. The NMCI students are not always sponsored in their ﬁrst year at college, because of the nature of Irish government funding for university students. All the college students underpin their professional certiﬁcates of competency with a bachelor degree in nautical science, marine engineering or electrotechnology.

In their first year, cadets are funded by the Irish government, although they all pay a relatively small university fee. ‘The fact the cadets are studying for a degree course and a certificate of competency allows the two arms of the Irish government to variously fund them in their first year, and the sea time is funded by the Irish Marine Development Office,’ Mr Mowlds explains. In fact, the ISEAS Seafarer Grant — the Irish version of the UK’s Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme — was something he helped to design and implement when he worked with IMDO. The open day is an important part of the college calendar, as this is when most of the first-year deck and second-year engineer cadets seek sponsorship and companies carry out interviews with them. Mr Mowlds believes this system helps to foster a healthy competitive environment. ‘Students come in and have no sponsorship, but they have generally paid for themselves to get in here in the first year,’ he notes. ‘They then have to do exams and acquit themselves in terms of academics and behaviour, and then the ship-

16/11/2016 15:16

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

MARITIME EDUCATION

Pilot scheme prepares cadets for sea phases College of Ireland (NMCI) are taking part P in a pilot programme to help prepare them for

Trainee officers at the National Maritime

life at sea. Captain Vivion Gough, head of the Department of Maritime Studies, said that the Maritime Life Skills course intends to provide sea-going cadets, particularly the first trippers, with a support strategy for the challenges that they will undoubtedly meet onboard. Maritime Life Skills is being developed in four phases by the college’s counsellor and cognitive behaviour therapist Paul McCarthy. The first phase included a needs analysis, which determined the shape of the following phases. ‘The analysis found that the key issues the college needed to address are the need to build some resilience to the unique challenges facing seafarers during the sea phases,’ Mr McCarthy explained. ‘These challenges can include isolation from family and friends, no access to the internet — a massive challenge for young people today — and working with multi-national crews, perhaps getting used to cultural differences such as the predominant nationality’s meals,’ he continued. ping companies come in and get to pick. ‘It’s a good system because it means the cadets have to work hard and compete,’ he adds, ‘and when companies visit the college during the cadets’ ﬁrst year, we have a fairly good handle on the students and have a chance to let the students know it’s a serious business. They could have good opportunities for careers for life but they have to knuckle down and compete.’

The college open days are also very important for promoting seafaring as a career in Ireland, Mr Mowlds reflects. While the country remains a ‘proud seafaring nation’, he says raising awareness of maritime training is ‘a constant challenge’. While a significant cohort of cadets still come from the traditional coastal fishing communities in Ireland, NMCI is starting to see more interest from right across the country. Mr Mowlds says Ireland ‘punches above its weight’ in terms of seafarer training, and there is a 90% employment rate for the certificated officers produced by the college.

‘In some instances, expecting English to be the language spoken at sea and finding superiors reluctant to do so was an issue, as well as travelling halfway round the world to meet a ship for your first sea phase and not knowing what to expect,’ he added. Mr McCarthy said the analysis also showed the primary stressors among the cadets were anxieties about what life at sea would be like before they began their sea phases — and the feedback showed there was ‘a huge desire from both first-time and senior cadets to have some sort of life skills system like this’. He is now in the second phase of implementing a programme to address these needs. The NMCI programme complements the Peer Assistance Learning Support (PALS) project run at the college by its parent campus, the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) — where Mr McCarthy also works as a CBT therapist. PALS mentors help students when they have questions or worries about their courses. Mr McCarthy said the maritime life skills programme at NMCI has evolved partly due to the college’s isolation geographically from the main campus. He was a counsellor with the Irish

‘For an island nation of four million people, we take in 130 Merchant Navy trainees a year, which is a big number if you compare that with the UK, which, with a population of 65m, trains about

NMCI hopes that Brexit won’t affect its strong links with UK shipping

“

”

1,000 seafarers a year,’ he notes. The college has a ‘reasonable’ cohort of female cadets, but not as many as it would like, and consequently it puts a lot of effort into promoting maritime careers to women. ‘One of our graduates, Catriona Dowling from Dublin, a qualiﬁed master mariner, is Ireland’s ﬁrst female harbour mas-

Navy for 15 years, and says that gave him a good insight into ‘the unique stressors seafarers face’ — such as unsocial hours of being on watch and how that can contribute to fatigue. He also gained a familiarity with maritime terminologies, which helps him relate to the cadets. ‘The fact that I was familiar with such simple expressions as “bridge wing”, “alongside”, and “at anchor” was invaluable for me in not having to ask the cadets what that actually meant,’ he said. The implementation phase of the project also included one-to one-counselling to deal with immediate issues, as well as developing further resources. The third phase will combat bullying and harassment issues in more depth, and features the video Say No to Bullying, Say No to Harassment! which Nautilus helped to develop with the European Transport Workers’ Federation, the UK Chamber of Shipping and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations. In the final phase, Mr McCarthy said the programme will seek to address the concept of resilience at sea — ‘psychological hardiness in challenging circumstances which can then act as a protector against stress.’

ter, at Warren Point in Northern Ireland,’ Mr Mowlds points out. ‘Two of our full-time tutors are female and at the top of their professions, and provide important role models for the female cadets.’ Central government funding for education continues to diminish, and there is a huge push on the NMCI to become self-sufficient, says Mr Mowlds. ‘So the NMCI of tomorrow will be one where we have invested in developing our business profile, and will reinvest our profits into the college and academic and officer training — that is really the key for the future.’

While the NMCI focus is primarily on training Irish and EU cadets at the moment, Mr Mowlds says it will need to look at training more overseas cadets in the future to ensure its commercial viability. He says the college is keeping a close eye on the potential impact of Brexit. He is hopeful not much will change — particularly in relation to the close relationship the NMCI currently enjoys with the UK Merchant Navy Training Board and UK shipping companies — and he also pays tribute to

NMCI counsellor Paul McCarthy, who is helping to deliver the college’s Maritime Life Skills programme

the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). As you would expect from the head of a maritime college, Mr Mowlds is hugely enthusiastic about seafaring, and his career path shows just what can be achieved. After a brief stint as a deck ofﬁcer, he worked for three

years as an operations ofﬁcer at the Southampton-based National Environmental Research Council ship unit, before moving into safety management and business consultancy. He eventually became head of NMCI Services — the college’s commercial arm — for six years

before taking on the college headship. ‘It is a great career to be involved with,’ he concludes. ‘I would always recommend it to anyone, including my children. You always end up doing something completely different from where you started. That is why I love it.’

Are you serving or retired

MERCHANT NAVY FISHING FLEET ROYAL NAVY ROYAL MARINE or a dependant or do you know someone who is and needs help? Seafarer Support is a free confidential telephone and award winning online referral service helping you find support for serving and former UK seafarers and their families in times of need

www.seafarersupport.org Freephone 0800 121 4765 Irish Navy tutor Petty Officer Martin Carey explains engineroom operations to potential cadets

24-25_nmci_SR update 14 Nov.indd 25

16/11/2016 12:48

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

MEMBERS AT WORK

When a life is in your hands A Nautilus member has helped to develop a new app that seeks to support seafarers in medical emergencies at sea. He told STEVEN KENNEDY how the technology may not only save lives, but also save money…

Imagine the scene. You’re onboard your vessel when a crewmate is in urgent need of medical attention. There is no doctor to hand and it’s down to you to help. Would you be ready to step up? A Nautilus member is involved with a Dutch company which has launched a new initiative to give those providing medical treatment at sea a helping hand — with an online medical assistant. MedAssist.online is described as being like having an extra crew member when it matters most, and it’s difﬁcult to argue against that viewpoint. It is a software application that uses HD photos and videos to instruct in detail how to prepare for and carry out medical procedures. But is it safe to rely this heavily on automated medical care, and how does the app avoid giving wrong advice? ‘MedAssist.online is an instant learning tool,’ explained Walther Boon, managing director of Emergency Control Maritime Training (ECMT) and MedAssist.online. ‘It teaches and guides people in a very short amount of time to carry out medical procedures safely and successfully. When there is an onboard medical emergency it

will show and tell the crew exactly — and step-by-step — how to prepare for and carry out the procedure and what aftercare is needed, using HD photos and videos. ‘Onboard, people would use the app if they have to perform medical procedures like stitching, setting up an IV drip or injections,’ he added. ‘It has a workﬂow that helps the crewmember to quickly learn a complex skill right when he or she needs to act.’ The app contains forms and information on evaluating a patient, how to get radio medical advice and what to do next, as well as information on available radio medical services. The advice it offers covers a raft of medical procedures and includes the administration of oxygen, pressure bandages, hypo and hyperthermia, and burns and chemical wounds. ‘It contains a standard patientevaluation form (IMO compliant), instructions on how to contact and work with a maritime radio medical service, and contact info on a dozen (free) radio medical services,’ Walther pointed out. Before the release of this app, students had been learning basic medical care during intensive courses and then having to rely

Stena Line captain and first officer John Vinjé demonstrating the MedAssist.online app

on their memory or books they had with them at sea. Realising that this wasn’t the best method, Nautilus member Walther — who is also a qualiﬁed medical doctor and licensed physician — said that the development of MedAssist. online was the result of carefully considered feedback. ‘Emergency Control - Maritime Training (ECMT) is a specialised maritime-medical STCW training institution in the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Many seafarers on our courses told us they had a hard time applying the skills they had learned during the course after two, three or more

years had passed,’ he explained. ‘Feedback from the radio medical service indicated that many times seafarers could not successfully complete required procedures, or that they did not have the self-conﬁdence needed,’ he added. ‘We wanted to help the crews onboard by providing them with a tool they could rely on that would help them to actually perform these procedures when it matters most. Helping a fellow crew member is not an easy task.’ The one-stop-shop app has been rigorously tested and can be made available in 25 different languages. One of the issues con-

WERE YOU AWARE that following the successul outcome of a judicial review in respect of two Seatax clients, (brought before the Courts by Nautilus in collaboration with Seatax Ltd as expert advisors on the Seafarers Earnings Deduction), it was deemed that the two Seatax clients did have a legitimate expectation in applying the only published Revenue Practice with regard to the application of a day of absence in relation to a vessel sailing between UK ports. HMRC did not want to accept this practice (although referred to in their very own publications) but have now accepted that expectations of a claim based on such practice would be valid until the published practice is withdrawn. Following on from this, HMRC have now conﬁrmed that this Practice is withdrawn as of the 14 February 2014. Seatax was the only Advisory Service that challenged HMRC on this point.

WHY TAKE CHANCES WITH YOUR TAX AFFAIRS? Let Seatax use their knowledge and 35 years experience to ensure you do not fall foul of the rules Please visit our website for full details of the case. OUR FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Annual Return ...................................................................................................... £215.00 inclusive of VAT at 20% NAUTILUS members in the UK sailing under a foreign ﬂag agreement on gross remuneration can obtain a 10% reduction on the above enrolment fee by quoting their NAUTILUS membership number and a 5% reduction on re-enrolment.

or ite, e now r W on re ph r mo : fo tails de Elgin House, 83 Thorne Road, Doncaster DN1 2ES. Tel: (01302) 364673 - Fax No: (01302) 738526 - E-mail: info@seatax.ltd.uk www.seatax.ltd.uk

26_app_SR edit.indd Sec2:26

sidered during the development was how to make it available in areas where internet access is harder to maintain. To overcome this, MedAssist.online can be operated equally effectively as a downloaded programme that can run offline. ‘Besides our own testing, the app was developed with help of seafarers on the course,’ said Walther. ‘They provided feedback and comments on the redesign and set-up of the app. We also did onboard testing on the technical aspects of the application on both UK and Dutch vessels. The current content is based on the IMOrecommended skills on medical care and medical first aid training. Because it’s available offline as download or USB, it is one identical application that contains all the required skills.’

Seafarers usually responsible for undertaking medical matters are masters, ﬁrst ofﬁcers, mates or skippers. However, as certain medical procedures may need to be done quickly, MedAssist.online has been designed to allow any crew member to manage a simple medical task with step-by-step guidelines to follow. One thing that MedAssist. online will not do, however, is become a substitute for a doctor’s opinion. The information stored on the system will help crew members carry out procedures but will not go into detail about symptoms for illnesses that could be misinterpreted. For that, seafarers are still advised to seek formal medical attention. ‘The application is not about diagnosis,’ stressed Walther. ‘It is about helping to perform required skills when they are needed. The doctor’s advice and judgement will still be crucial; the app is about carrying out the doctor’s instructions.’ The app greatly improves the odds that a required medical procedure can be carried out successfully, Walther believes. ‘Not all skills require the same level of detail. Those that need detail and are complex and will present the user with a large number of HD

photos, a 90-degree angle overview video and a close-up video from the helper’s perspective. ‘Preparation comes in the same degree of detail where needed,’ he continued. ‘We have many doctors and registered nurses on our staff who had to agree on the best and most robust way to perform a procedure out at sea by a seafarer. The procedures follow common practice and only use equipment that is mandatory onboard ships. The app is made to work on any ship, anywhere on the globe. Walther says the low cost of the app could save the organisations that adopt the technology untold sums in the future if it means treatment can be administered at sea. ‘Depending on various factors, the ofﬂine application will cost approximately £50 — or €60 — per ship, per year,’ he added. ‘If the application helps to avoid a ship from making a diversion, it will pay for itself many times over. When you have a bigger number of ships the app doesn’t cost money, it will actually make money. That was one of the reasons the Royal Dutch Shipowners’ Association (KVNR) decided to name us as one of just two nominees for their 2016 Shipping Award.’ Walther is well aware that for the app to be a widescale success in the future, it has to keep up with the ongoing developments in the medical and shipping industries. ‘We are working on updates,’ he explained. ‘We are currently also working on adding a sensor platform to the application to make objective and continuous measurements available. To make this work at sea we need it to be robust, reliable and very cost-effective. ‘We know the shipping industry and the current environment is a challenge. If we want shipping companies to provide their crew with better medical care, cost is a very important factor. If we can keep the cost low, more seafarers will be provided with better access to medical care. That is what we want to achieve: to make the sea a safer place to work.’ g For more information about the MedAssist.online app, visit www.medassist.online.

16/11/2016 16:58

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

MARITIME TECHNOLOGY

Propelled into the future Happy birthday to the Azipod — 25 this year. A quarter of a century after it was first fitted to a vessel, new models and new seafarer training courses have been launched to keep it at the cutting-edge of marine propulsion…

Winters in Finland can be tough — and icebreakers have long played a vital role in keeping the country’s waterways open during the often bitter conditions. In turn, the constant quest to ensure the safe and efficient operations of the icebreaking fleet resulted in one of the most significant advances in marine propulsion: the Azipod. This year has marked the 25th anniversary of the first deployment of Azipod propulsion. The system has not only passed this and other milestones — including more than 12m hours of total operating time — but has also evolved yet further to cement its use well into the future. While the concept of a ‘propelling rudder’ system dates back to the middle of the 19th century, the Azipod originated in Finland in the 1980s as the result of work by the Finnish Maritime Administration to improve the reliability of icebreaker operations. A key element of icebreaking operations is the ability to manoeuvre out of an ice channel in any direction. So when the idea of using a propulsion motor that could direct the thrust to any direction was developed, it was only natural that it was trialled with a waterway service vessel — the 876gt Seili, which is still in service as a Finnish Board of Navigation buoy tender today. Local seafarers were involved in the work to take the Azipod concept from the drawing board to operating reality. The 1.5MW prototype system fitted to Seili in 1990 rapidly proved to be a success, and the trial results were so encouraging that Kvaerner Masa-Yards and ABB signed an agreement in 1992 to develop the concept and market the unit jointly. In the following year, the name Azipod was registered. In 1993, the first high-power Azipod was supplied for the 16,000dwt Finnish oil tanker Uikku — an 11.4M unit that was also fitted to sistership Lunni in 1995. The credentials of the system were highlighted in 1997 when Uikku became the first western merchant ship to navigate through the Northeast Sea route.

A twin Azipod installation being fitted to an icebreaker built for the Finnish Transport Agency at the Arctech Helsinki Shipyard

In fact, there’s barely a sector of the industry which hasn’t adopted Azipods. They have now been fitted to more than 20 different ship types, including ferries, research vessels, heavylift ships, gas tankers, offshore support vessels, superyachts, drilling rigs, and pipe-layers. ABB says Azipods offer all sorts of benefits, including high hydrodynamic efficiency and low noise and vibration. For passengership operators, they maximise the use of onboard space by dispensing with the bulky equipment associated with shaft line and rudder propulsion systems, while excellent DP operation has been a major plus in the offshore sector. Azipods also provide high levels of manoeuvrability and enhanced emergency stop performance — with trials of tankers converted from conventional drive showing a 46% reduction in crash stop distance. The ice-going qualities of Azipods are taking on a new significance with increased shipping opera-

tions in polar regions. A total of 27 Azipod-equipped vessels are presently being built for Northern Sea Route operations. Special 15 MW units are being installed on the Yamal Arctic LNG tankers, which will be capable of operating in ice up to 2.1m thick; while a new harbour icebreaker — claimed to be the most advanced ever built — will feature four Azipod propulsion units placed in an innovative conﬁguration to allow the vessel to operate either bow or stern ﬁrst.

Over the past 25 years, ABB has introduced a series of new models — including the C, the X, the D and the CRP contra-rotating version, said to improve the hydrodynamic propulsion efficiency of ships by between 10% and 15%. The newest model — introduced in September — is the linear flow XL, and is up to 10% more efficient than previous versions thanks to the fitting of a nozzle with stator plates, which directs the water flow from the propeller to reduce turbulence and energy

Captains don’t want to take the shaft line back, as the Azipod manoeuvrability is so much greater

“

”

In 1994, the icebreaker Röthelstein pioneered a new Azipod concept — using its twin 560kW units in a ‘pulling’ configuration to drive the vessel sternfirst to improve efficiency and ice-breaking performance. A major leap forward came in the following year, when Carnival ordered the first Azipods for a cruiseship — with twin 14MW units being fitted to the Elation and Paradise, the final two ships in its Fantasy class. Early results from these vessels — showing fuel savings of between 8% and 10% compared to conventional ships — sparked intense interest in using Azipods in the cruise sector, which remains unabated today. In the last five years alone, a total of 70 Azipod XO units have been supplied to more than 30 cruiseships.

27_azipods_SR edit.indd 27

loss, and achieve optimum thrust. ‘Azipod propulsion is widely used in the cruise industry and on many complex specialised offshore vessels,’ said Juha Koskela, managing director of ABB’s Marine and Ports business. ‘However, the improved fuel efficiency and bollard pull of the Azipod XL will increase its competitiveness into new sectors such as tugs, ferries and LNG tankers.’ ABB senior vice-president Sakari Sorsimo says feedback from seafarers has been consistently positive. ‘Captains don’t want to take the shaft line back,’ he adds, ‘as the manoeuvrability is so much greater.’ Mr Sorsimo says the company runs specialist training courses to ensure that masters and officers get the most out of the system. ‘The pod is an enabler to a lot of things,’ he notes, ‘and it is the crew who learn how to operate it to put the possibilities into practice.’ A master attending one of the courses compared operating an Azipod ship and a vessel with conventional propulsion as ‘the difference between driving a car and flying an airplane’. The training facilities are also used to help with research and development and to test future concepts. ‘We can simulate and test an entire ship before it is built, connecting the systems together to test the interface, to test failure conditions or ship behaviour in ice,’ says Richard Windischhofer, ABB senior vice-president of business development and integrated operations. ABB recently launched a new Arctic course for deck officers, which has been developed to provide a deep understanding of Azipod operational principles and the particular demands of ice-going conditions. The five-day course includes full mission bridge simulator exercises, as well as fault-finding, resource management and bridge communications.

The Finnish Board of Navigation buoy tender vessel Seili, still in service today, was the first Azipod-equipped ship

In the 25 years since Azipods were first deployed on Seili, ABB estimates that they have saved shipowners more than 700,000 tons of fuel — and if the new XL model replaced all the existing units it would save the shipping industry a further 2.2m tons of fuel over the next 25 years. ‘Combining propulsion and steering using an externally mounted pod was radical,’ Mr Koskela recalls. ‘However, the results were there for all to see, which is why we have always kept an open mind on enhancing the technology to facilitate wider consideration. Our engineers continue to innovate, like they did 25 years ago, to ensure Azipod propulsion meets the demands from a diverse range of ship owners. Much has changed in the shipping sector since we introduced the first Azipod, but the desire for efficiency, manoeuvrability and reliability remains the same.’

16/11/2016 15:25

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

OFFWATCH ships of the past by Trevor Boult

50 YEARS AGO

a tattle-tale sound/When F the wave broke over the railing/

The MNAOA has presented evidence to the Court of Inquiry, under the chairmanship of Lord Pearson, established by the prime minister to inquire into the cases and circumstances of the recent seamen’s dispute and the terms and conditions of seamen, taking into account the national interest, technological change and the need for an efficient and competitive shipping industry. MNAOA representatives have submitted general views and made specific representations on areas including education and training of navigation and engineer officers, communications and human relations, seafarers killed or injured through the negligence of sub-contractors, shipowners’ liability, and discipline. The committee’s first report produced the basis for settling the dispute, introducing the 40-hour week in two stages MN Journal, December 1966

‘The wind in the wires made

And every man knew, as the captain did too/Twas the witch of November come stealin…’ These words are from the 1976 historical ballad The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, by the Canadian songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. They relate to the loss of what is still the largest of all ships that succumbed to atrocious weather on North America’s Great Lakes. The Edmund Fitzgerald was conceived as a business enterprise of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, as a ‘maximum sized’ Great Lakes bulk carrier — a Laker. At well over 700ft and 13,600gt, she was the biggest ship on the Great Lakes for 13 years. Placed under permanent charter, her normal commercial route ran from Silver Bay, Minnesota, where she loaded taconite pellets — marble-sized balls of processed iron ore — to steel mills on the lower lakes in the Detroit and Toledo area. Return trips were generally empty. The Laker broke her own records for the most cargo carried in one year several times in her 17 years of operation. November on the Great Lakes is known to be the worst time for extreme weather. However, ‘in late autumn, the harvest must make it to market and industry must receive enough raw materials to operate throughout the winter’. There is therefore a ﬂurry of shipping activity when the weather is at its most volatile, before the lakes freeze over. The Fitzgerald’s ﬁnal voyage took place in November 1975, after loading 26,000 tons of taconite at Burlington Northern Railroad Dock Number 1, Superior, Wisconsin. On departure, the ship was

25 YEARS AGO

Tragedy on the Great Lakes soon joined by the Arthur M. Anderson. Both vessels were in radio contact. Being the faster, Fitzgerald took the lead, the distance between them ranging from 10 to 15 miles. Aware of a storm approaching from the great plains, both vessels took northerly courses across Lake Superior, where they would be protected by highlands on the Canadian shore, taking them between Isle Royale and the Keweenaw Peninsula. They would later make a turn to the southeast to eventually reach the shelter of Whitefish Point. On 10 November, a radio message was issued: ‘Anderson, this is Fitzgerald… I have a fence rail down, two vents lost or damaged, and a list. I’m checking down [easing speed]. Will you stay by me till I get to Whitefish?’ Confirmation was given that all pumps were running. All later communications concerned navigational information, but contained no alarming reports. During the evening, Anderson’s master related that a monstrous wave engulfed that entire vessel from astern.

The wave worked its way along the deck, crashing on the back of the superstructure, driving the bow down into the sea: ‘The Anderson just raised up and shook herself off of all that water. Another wave just like the ﬁrst one or bigger hit us again. I watched those two waves head down the lake towards the Fitzgerald and I think those were the two that sent him under.’ Twenty minutes later, the Fitzgerald disappeared from Anderson’s radar, prompting a call to the Coast Guard. Anderson became the primary search vessel, discovering two lifeboats and other debris, but no sign of any of the 29 crew. Eventually, magnetometer and sidescan sonar surveys located two large pieces of wreckage in the same area, some 17 miles northwards of Whiteﬁsh Point. In May 1976 the cutter Woodrush deployed the US Navy’s Controlled Underwater Recovery Vehicle CURV III and obtained video footage and photographs. The words Edmund Fitzgerald were clearly seen on the stern section, upside

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book The Unseen Aquitania by J. Kent Layton & Tad Fitch (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.

down in over 500ft of water. Conﬂicting theories about the cause of the tragedy remain active today. In the mid-1990s, due to advances in diving technology which allowed increasing numbers of divers to visit the wreck site, family members surviving Fitzgerald’s lost crew wished the ship’s bell to be recovered as a single signiﬁcant artefact to serve as a symbolic memorial. This was achieved, and a replica bell, inscribed with the names of the crew, was substituted as a permanent grave marker: a complicated operation at such depths. The fully restored original is displayed at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. Each anniversary, commemorative ceremonies are held. Lightfoot’s ballad was regularly performed at his concerts. The song is considered to be an important reason why so many people know of the shipwreck, and why Edmund Fitzgerald is the most wellknown wreck of the many thousands on the Great Lakes.

10 YEARS AGO An ambitious plan to boost the number of Dutch shipmasters and officers by 60% has been unveiled by the country’s shipowners. The owners’ organisation, KVNR, announced the proposals last month as part of a package designed to expand the Netherlands merchant fleet over the next decade. Nautilus NL president Marcel van den Broek said the plans have come at a critical time, with the measures introduced by the Dutch government in 1996 now being copied by many other countries. Between 1996 and 2003, there was a 50% increase in the number of Dutch-flagged ships, but the total has now fallen back to 2001’s level. KVNR says it wants to increase the number from 750 at present to 1,200 over the next 10 years The Telegraph, December 2006

THEQUIZ 1

There are 471 LNG carriers in the world fleet at present. How many are on order?

In which year did the International Maritime Organisation establish the World Maritime University?

How many containerships of 16,000TEU-plus are presently in operation in the world fleet?

When was the Shell Tankers fleet formed?

A total of 66 VLCCs were built last year. What was their collective value, in US dollars?

How many people in Europe went on a cruise last year?

J Quiz answers are on page 38.

Name: Address:

Telephone:

Membership No.:

Closing date is Friday 9 December 2016.

QUICK CLUES 1. 5. 9. 11. 12. 15. 16. 18. 19. 21. 24. 25. 26. 27.

Across Culinary strips (8) Scoff (6) At the same time (9) Colour (5) Obsessive (12) Post (4) Cheese (10) Narrow-mindedness (10) Give up land (4) School run (5-7) Additional (5) Slumber (9) Battlement (6) Forever (8)

10. 13. 14. 17. 20. 22. 23.

1. 2. 3. 4. 6. 7. 8.

Down Leap (4) Fibber (4) Package (6) Vicinity (13) Attractive (8) Burned in kitchen (10) Criminal boss (10)

Bright age (13) All-knowing (10) Revolver (3-7) Slide on ice (8) Learner’s book (6) Surrealist (4) Nervous (4)

CRYPTIC CLUES 1. 5. 9. 11.

28_offwatch_SR edit.indd 28

The shipping industry must do much more to improve the standard and motivation of seafarers in the world merchant fleet, the head of the International Maritime Organisation said last month. Speaking at the start of the IMO’s 17th Assembly, secretary-general William O’Neil said the organisation needs to urgently develop a comprehensive strategy to reduce the number of shipping accidents caused by operational errors. The IMO’s efforts should not just concentrate on producing better trained management and crews for the future, but also on upgrading and motivating existing personnel. Much of the two-week meeting was spent on GMDSS, which comes into effect on 1 February 1992, and is billed by the IMO as the ‘biggest change in communications at sea since the introduction of radio’ The Telegraph, December 1991

12. 15. 16.

Across Order snare for Holy figure after letter from Greece (8) Spot horse in a darker shade of grey (6) Cook put such a great deal of effort into his craft (9) On paper standard lead but with mob getting agitated it has devastating potential (1-4) Rearranged by Phil, or a big reading list (12) Sports field, but not round here (4) I let a chart undergo revision, all a bit dramatic (10)

18. For lying on record put before small South Eastern county (6,4) 19. A bribe for throwing the match (4) 21. Try RAF in mix-up about urban air pollution but change as if by magic (12) 24. A Royal Navy abbreviation that is Schwarzenegger’s first (5) 25. Suspended follower of the ram, a European national (9) 26. Naturalist stud in run around (6) 27. As French art is trying to conceal the reformer (8)

Down Secured a share of the points (4) 2. Assistant to help with electronics (4) 3. Calm when parking learner with corrosive chemical (6) 4. More than enough staff to help stir, hob needs replacing (5,3,5) 1.

6. To see sticky creatures from Dungeons and Dragons 21 read hers (8) 7. Brochure has a certain view on America (10) 8. Science in very early stages of development (10) 10. Such radical cutbacks in the silviculture department (4,3,6) 13. Oh, nature is messy, so domesticate (5-5) 14. Kept foremost acknowledgment in abridged edition (10) 17. ‘This tyrant, whose sole name --- our tongue / Was once thought honest’ (Macbeth) (8) 20. Carrying on business (6) 22. West Indies, if returning, could use it to send a message over the air (2-2) 23. This insect returned the flavour (4) J Crossword answers are on page 38.

16/11/2016 16:15

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29

MARITIME BOOKS

War rescues, salvage and the unruly Dutch The Tattie Lads By Ian Dear Conway, £25 ISBN: 978 18448 64010 — but quite why it has taken so long for the K history of the Admiralty’s Rescue Tug Services to

It’s said that history is written by the victors

be told is something of a mystery. Maritime writer Ian Dear noted the omission of this remarkable service from the official and unofficial accounts of both world wars, and has unearthed some stirring stories in his attempt to give it appropriate recognition. The Rescue Tug Service was founded in 1917 in a belated response to the growing number of ships falling victim to the U-Boats. As the war at sea intensified, the Admiralty decided it needed to create a network of tugs which could provide prompt assistance to ships that had been damaged by attacks. Echoing some of today’s issues — notably with the provision of emergency towing vessels around the UK coast — the Admiralty struggled to achieve

Zestful tale of life at sea and life-saving inventions The Beacon Man By David Marshall £9.95 (paperback) ISBN: 978 09929 22542 Also available as an e-book from Amazon

This is a maritime memoir with a difference. Plenty of people have gone to sea, but not many have then come ashore to become a successful inventor and entrepreneur — saving lives in the process. David Marshall also turns out to be an excellent raconteur, finding interesting stories to tell about every stage of his life. As a boy in the 1950s, he attended Bearwood, the strict Merchant Navy boarding school, and he tells of how he once got ‘six of the best’ for creating miniature radios so he and his friends could secretly listen at night in their dormitories. This didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for electronics, though, and he went on to qualify as a marine radio and electronics officer, sailing on Cunard’s Carinthia and then the freighter Hartismere. Marshall has a great way with words, and makes his time on the Hartismere sound like a

29_books_SR edit.indd 29

its ambitions, with an acute shortage of suitable ocean-going tugs. However, the service was busy from the outset — and especially so once the US entered the war. The Rescue Tug Service was similar to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary — with its crews serving under an agreement that subjected them to Royal Navy discipline whilst retaining Merchant Navy pay. The T.124T agreement became known as the ‘Tattie’ by those serving on the tugs and, in turn, they became known as the Tattie Lads. The semi-RN status of the crews was the source of much tension — with many chaﬁng at the requirements for routines, saluting and uniform. In one case, the RN ordered the removal of one tug’s crew under armed guard after they refused to sail because they judged their vessel was unseaworthy. At the end of the First World War, the Admiralty paid tribute to the achievements of the service in managing to tow around 140 damaged vessels to safety and to assist more than 500 damaged ships. Despite this, the service was disbanded in 1919 and many of its vessels were sold abroad. However, it was hastily reformed shortly before the outbreak

buccaneering adventure from the age of sail. He tells of superstitious seafarers being aghast at the arrival of an albatross on the ship, and at one point relates how the crew nearly run out of food halfway across the Pacific and end up eating weevils and cockroaches. And of course there is the pivotal event in his life — as featured in the Telegraph last month — when he falls overboard and is in real danger of drowning while he struggles to draw attention to his plight. This leads, in the 1970s, to his decision to invent a personal locator beacon; and his efforts to bring the invention to the mass market are the focus of the rest of the book. In this part of the story there are obstructive bureaucrats, dodgy dealers and even a time when Marshall’s house seems to be cursed by an ancient millstone. But there are also great highs and successes, as the inventor wins large contracts, meets world leaders and celebrities, and receives thanks and acclaim for the lives his product has saved. A particular highlight for him is appearing on the BBC science show Tomorrow’s World with his Sea Marshall device — an advance on his original Locat model — which was nominated for an award due to its innovative light strip for helping

of the Second World War — with many of the earlier problems being revisited. When the war began, there were just five commercial tugs in British ownership with sufficient power to be used as rescue tugs. However, by the war end there were 85 tugs in the fleet, and the number of seafarers rose from 54 officers and 318 ratings in 1941 to 604 officers and 1,602 ratings by 1944. The service was bolstered by Dutch tugs and their crews following the invasion of Holland, and their salvage expertise was to prove invaluable — even if the Admiralty had even more problems with discipline, with one senior RN officer noting that the Dutch crews ‘require tactful handling’. Packed with powerful tales of many of the rescues undertaken by the service, the book uses contemporary first-person accounts to very good effect — underlining the remarkable seamanship and exceptional bravery displayed by the crews, often in appalling conditions. There is also a selection of photographs which help to convey a sense of the scale of the work undertaken by the

rescuers spot the user in the dark. But the greatest satisfaction of David Marshall’s life has been to see personal locator beacons adopted as a standard piece of kit in the offshore sector and widely used in leisure sailing and the fishing industry. If you’ve ever had cause to deploy one, grab a copy of The Beacon Man and take the opportunity to find out more about the seafarer and inventor who did so much to get it to you.

Ballast water essentials as clock ticks to convention Ballast Water Management — 7th Edition By Captain Nadeem Anwar Witherby Publishing, £275 ISBN: 978 18560 97178

The long wait is over and the 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention is finally due to take effect on 8 September next year — bringing with it a whole load of new requirements for

seafarers to follow. Witherby Publishing has acted quickly to put this seventh edition of a truly comprehensive guide to the convention onto the market to provide extensive and up-to-date advice on compliance with the convention. The book makes clear the scale of the task facing the industry and its personnel in rising to the regulatory challenge — with huge numbers of ships still to be equipped and big demands for crew training. As the introduction notes: ‘The knowledge and competence of the crew about

tugs — including their role in the Normandy landings. Well written and produced to high standards, this was a deserving ﬁnalist in this year’s Mountbatten Maritime Award for the best literary contribution and it serves as a very ﬁne tribute to the previously unsung heroes of the Rescue Tug Service.

operation of the specific BWMS onboard, as well as the recordkeeping involved to verify compliance, are early indicators that a system is properly operated and compliant.’ This comprehensive and wellpresented book makes a major contribution to raising understanding of the convention and what it means for those at the sharp end, ashore and afloat. It provides excellent background on the factors which drove the development of the convention and explores the significant operational considerations involved in meeting the regulatory requirements. For seafarers, areas of particular interest and relevance are the sections covering reporting, training and safety procedures. There’s also handy guidance on issues such as sampling and monitoring, the duties of the BWM officer and the implementation of the ship’s BWM plan. The book also explains the multitude of local and regional ballast water requirements, the many different ballast water treatment technologies, the inspection and enforcement regimes, and the provision of reception facilities. The clock is ticking — and there can surely be no better place to begin preparing than in these pages.

Window into a lost maritime world The Unseen Aquitania By J Kent Layton and Tad Fitch The History Press, £25 ISBN: 978 07509 67358 f www.thehistorypress.co.uk about classic 20th century ocean liners, K The Unseen Aquitania promises high-quality As the latest in the History Press series

illustrations and accessible, nostalgia-tinged history. It doesn’t disappoint. If anything, the selection of photos and paintings is even more impressive than those for the ‘Unseen’ Lusitania, Britannic and the rest because the Aquitania lasted a longer time — from 1914 to 1950. Inevitably, many of the photos are of the misty black-and-white variety that makes the past look like it was populated by over-dressed ghosts. But there are some impressively crisp images that are much easier to relate to, and an

understanding that readers will want to see more than the oft-recycled publicity shots of ornate first

class lounges. c Highlights include the woman unpacking in i her second class cabin, an almost tangible room with slightly ruffled blankets that we could r imagine stepping into right now. And there i is i a pleasingly informal shot of some 1920s celebrities perching on a deck rail, giving the c sense of songwriter Irving Berlin and aviator s Claude Grahame-White as real people we could C get g to know. From the perspective of a seafaring audience, the collection could do with more a pictures of the crew, but the authors can only p work w with the photos taken at the time, so here’s a tip for those chronicling today’s cruise h ships: go below decks and have a look at the s lives of those who run the vessels — this will l be b just as interesting to our descendants as the t passengers in their Captain’s Table finery.

Classy tribute to UK coastal vessels past and present Coastal Shipping Through Time By Ian Collard Amberley Publishing, £14.99 ISBN: 978 14456 58810 f www.amberley-books.com

Before the development of canals, railways or metalled roads, the quickest and most effective means of transporting goods from one point to another in Britain was by the use of coastal shipping. Sadly, as maritime author Ian Collard notes in the introduction to this book, coastal shipping services have declined in more recent times. This easy-to-digest book is just shy of 100 pages in length and showcases some of the wonderful ships that have graced the UK’s waters over the past century and a bit. Starting back in the late 1800s, this coffee-table work chronologically thumbs its way through the history of the coastal shipping trade, elegantly combining 180 illustrations of some of the great ships of yesteryear with brief backgrounds on each and giving a sense of the way in which coastal trades and ships have transformed over time.

16/11/2016 16:16

30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NL NEWS

Flinter failliet Boskalis echte banen actieboot verklaard, nadat de ING bank F te kennen heeft gegeven niet meer Rederij Flinter is failliet

de kredieten van Flinter Holding te verlengen en de terugbetaling te eisen van haar krediet. Er is door de rechtbank een bewindvoerder aangesteld. ING wenst de terugbetaling van het krediet en ziet als enige mogelijkheid de verkoop van alle negen Fleetholding schepen. Ook Rabobank had te kennen gegeven dat zij de stekker er uit wilden trekken voor de twee door haar gefinancierde schepen. De schepen waarop zij een eerste recht van hypotheek hebben, zullen worden verkocht. Een aantal financiers waaronder Caterpillar, ABN Amrobank en Bremer Landesbank, hebben aangegeven dat zij mogelijk met hun schepen doorwillen. Er zal wel een andere scheepsmanager gezocht worden. Doorstart?

Ook een doorstart (voor delen) van Flinter wordt door de bewindvoerder onderzocht. De Flinter Holding is nu ook failliet. Eerder dit jaar hebben drieëndertig Nederlandse kapiteins, officieren en EU gezellen, in dienst van Flinter Shared Services, de dienst verlaten vanwege de situatie, waarin de rederij verkeerde. Met betrokken zeevarenden is een vaststellingsovereenkomst overeengekomen met betrekking tot de beëindiging van hun dienstverband. Nog niet alle dienstverbanden waren afgewikkeld op het moment van faillissement en ook de overeengekomen beëindigingsvergoedingen zijn nog niet allemaal uitbetaald. Claims zeevarenden

Nautilus heeft aan al haar leden die in dienst waren van Flinter

Shared Services gevraagd om een opgave van hun tegoeden. Ook de zeevarenden, die rechtstreeks in dienst zijn van een Flinter CV hebben wij gevraagd om deze informatie voor het geval de CV waarin zij in dienst zijn in betalingsmoeilijkheden komt. Bij het faillissement wordt een deel van de betalingsverplichtingen van Flinter overgenomen door het UWV. Dit betreft het loon over maximaal drie maanden, de vakantietoeslag over maximaal een jaar en ook de vakantiedagen over maximaal een jaar. Het overige deel zal verhaald worden op de schepen. De claims van de zeevarenden zijn op grond van wetgeving bevoorrecht boven de hypotheek op een schip. De advocaten van Nautilus zijn in overleg met de banken over de afwikkeling van de vorderingen van de werknemers. Zo nodig zal Nautilus namens haar leden beslag laten leggen om de vorderingen binnen te halen. Ook de Filipijnse bond Amosup en de Indonesische bond KPI hebben zich aangesloten bij de procedure namens de Filipijnse en Indonesische zeevarenden. Nautilus schiet rekening proviand en drinkwater voor

Ook op ander vlak biedt Nautilus ondersteuning aan de zeevarenden. Zo had de ms. Flinterbright, liggend op de rede van de Eemshaven, begin november geen proviand en drinkwater meer. Nadat betaling van de proviand door de financier Caterpillar achterwege bleef, ondanks herhaalde toezegging, heeft Nautilus besloten de rekening van proviand en water voor te schieten namens de bemanning. Caterpillar heeft inmiddels toegezegd alsnog te betalen. De bemanning was erg dankbaar voor onze ondersteuning.

Wij hebben Facebook. Volg ons ook! Bezoek www.nautilusint.org

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Bewegen de reders te traag inzake de Ballast Water Conventie?

entert profielzuiger ceres Nederlandse werknemers A vervangen door goedkope flexwerkers Zoals bekend wil Boskalis

uit lage lonen landen. Wereldwijd gaat Boskalis 650 banen schrappen, waarvan 150 in Nederland. Daarom voerden Nautilus/FNV Waterbouw met baggeraars en zeeslepers van Boskalis/Fairmount op 28 oktober een spectaculaire actie vóór echte banen en tegen social dumping. Daarnaast deden schilders mee aan de actie, omdat zij plotseling een deel van hun salaris moeten inleveren. Vanaf de Wilhelminakade, voor Hotel New York, in Rotterdam, koerste het voormalige marineschip de Castor, voorafgegaan door sleepboot de Tineke, richting Waalhaven. Vanaf de Tineke werd vervolgens een 20 meter lang ‘Echte Banen’ spandoek aan de Boskalis profielzuiger Ceres vastgemaakt. Het AD sprak de volgende dag van een heuse ‘Enteractie’. Politici ook op ‒ echtebanen-actieboot

Politici van verschillende partijen voeren ook mee met de FNV/Nautilus actieboot. FNV-vicevoorzitter Gijs

30-33_nl_16.11.indd 30

door onder meer Gijs van Dijk (vicevoorzitter FNV), Charley Ramdas (voorzitter FNV Waterbouw/secretaris Nautilus), Dick Koerselman (FNVactiecoördinator), John Kerstens (PvdA), Sadet Karabulut (SP) en Linda Voortman (GroenLinks). Geen toegang op schepen

De ‘enter-actie’ werd eveneens ingezet omdat de vakbond geen toegang meer heeft op de

Diezelfde middag bleek dat vakbond CNV had ingestemd met het magere sociaal plan voor de geplande vlootreductie bij Boskalis, waarop Boskalis meteen aankondigde dat het in november zou overgaan tot de uitvoering van het plan. Charley Ramdas: ‘We merken bij FNV/Nautilus wel vaker dat kleine bonden werknemersbelangen verkwanselen, maar wij geven niet op. We hebben nog meer acties in petto. Op 3 november staan we met meerdere FNV sectoren voor de Tweede Kamer in Den Haag om onder meer met minister Asscher te praten over het belang van Echte Banen.’

Europese/Russische nationaliteit werd gevaren. De andere een Nederlandse rederij waar wel met enkel Nederlandse officieren wordt gevaren. Hoe is het mogelijk dat in Nederland, dat stelt een ‘kennisland’ te zijn, er niet meer stimulering plaats vindt voor Nederlandse officieren op schepen onder Nederlandse vlag? En hoe kan het dat dat waar jaarlijks ruim 500 Nederlandse officieren in opleiding zoeken naar een stageplaats, er voor veel studenten nu geen stageplaats meer is? Ook hier gaf de minister aan dit een zorgelijke ontwikkeling te vinden. Dat gold ook voor andere aanwezige politici als John Kerstens (PvdA), Linda Voortman (Groen Links) en Sadet Karabulut (SP).

Op 3 november vond de tweede FNV/

FNV Bouw en FNV Finance gingen die middag in gesprek met politici op het Plein in Den Haag, waaronder minister Asscher van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid. Centraal thema daarbij was: het verdwijnen van banen uit Nederland door verdringing, zoals bij Boskalis. Onder hen ook Nautilus lid Erik Smeets. Hij vertelde aan minister Asscher: ‘Ik zit momenteel als waterbouwer 4 maanden werkloos thuis met een HBO MAROF opleiding. Ik sta ingeschreven bij 5 uitzend/ detachering bureau’s en kijk regelmatig op de maritieme vacaturebank. Maar er is geen vraag naar een stuurman op een schip onder Nederlandse vlag met Nederlandse papieren. Hoe kan dat wanneer wij een van de drukste havengebieden van de wereld hebben?’ De minister gaf aan dit een zorgelijke ontwikkeling te vinden en dat dit ook één van de redenen was dat hij onder meer met de Wet ‘Aanpak Schijnconstructies’ wil bevorderen dat er weer meer vaste banen worden gecreëerd.

Nederlandse officieren op schepen onder Nederlandse vlag

Ook Nautilus (jongeren forum) lid Jacco van de Berg had enkele vragen voor de minister. Jacco: ‘Mijn vraag, vloeit voort uit mijn ervaring bij twee verschillende rederijen waar ik mijn stages heb gelopen. Eén hiervan was een Nederlandse rederij waar voornamelijk met officieren van Oost-

Open brief minister Asscher

Er werd bovendien een Open Brief aan minister Lodewijk Asscher van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid uitgereikt over het omkatten van Echte Banen bij Boskalis.

g Zie ook: www.nautilusint.org/nl/wat-wezeggen/nautilus-nieuws

Boskalis / Fairmount: De Balans Opgemaakt Uitslag ledenraadpleging en ledenvergadering Boskalis en Fairmount

de leden van FNV Waterbouw/ A Nautilus International bij Boskalis Op 11 november 2016 hebben

De poll van deze maand is: Is stress het belangrijkste ‘Health and Safety’ probleem in uw werkomgeving? Geef ons uw mening online, op nautilusint.org/nl

van Dijk: ‘Politici vertellen in hun verkiezingsprogramma’s over werkgelegenheid en echte banen. Wij zeggen: show it! De werknemers van Boskalis zijn boos omdat er honderden banen verloren gaan. De schilders zijn boos omdat zij plotseling salaris moeten inleveren. Steunen politici hun strijd tegen de flexverslaving? En hoe dan?’ Voorafgaand werden de actievoerders toegesproken

Nautilus Echte Banen actie plaats in politiek A Den Haag. Leden van Nautilus, FNV Waterbouw,

Leden blijven strijdbaar voor noodzakelijke vervolgstappen

Ja 33%

CNV tekent sociaal plan Boskalis

Nautilus leden in gesprek met minister Asscher

FNV Waterbouw ondertekent slecht sociaal plan niet

Nee 67%

Boskalis schepen. Overigens speelt baanverlies niet alleen bij Boskalis. De flexverslaving van werkgevers eist zijn tol in bijna alle sectoren. Daarom waren er ook schilders bij de actie. Zij strijden al wekenlang voor koopkracht. Want als het aan hun werkgever ligt, leveren schilders er per jaar tot ruim 1.800 euro op in. Dat pikken zij niet.

en Fairmount zich uitgesproken. De uitslag van de schriftelijke peilingen en vlootbezoeken is bevestigd. Het sociaal plan wordt door een overgrote meerderheid afgewezen en dus niet ondertekend. We blijven Boskalis strijdbaar volgen. Onze leden blijven knokken tegen de uitverkoop van Echte Banen door Boskalis. Interne mededeling Boskalis

Dit zal ook hard nodig zijn. In een interne mededeling van

31 oktober 2016 deelde Boskalis haar medewerkers als volgt mee: ‘In de eerste week van november zal voor een deel van de arbeidsplaatsen die komen te vervallen duidelijkheid ontstaan welke medewerkers boventallig zullen worden. Voor de overige arbeidsplaatsen zal dit pas op een later moment duidelijk worden, aangezien de vlootrationalisatie gefaseerd tussen 2016 en 2018 zal worden uitgevoerd.’ Het is dus duidelijk dat er een zwaard van Damocles boven het hoofd van onze leden blijft hangen ook als onze leden nu gelukkig niet bij de boventalligen zitten. Een strijdbare vakbond blijft dus hard nodig om de belangen van onze leden goed te kunnen behartigen. Graag roepen we onze leden daarom op om door te gaan met leden werven en om contact met ons te leggen als men actief voor de bond wil zijn. Internationale vakbondscampagne gaat door

Gelet op het feit dat dit pas de eerste

fase van de reorganisatie is, hebben onze leden besloten dat zij de strijd tegen de uitverkoop van Echte Banen bij Boskalis niet zullen opgeven. Samen met de internationale vakbeweging blijven wij Boskalis wereldwijd confronteren met haar praktijken. In het bijzonder waar het gaat om onnodig ontslag van vaste medewerkers. Nautilus secretaris/FNV Waterbouw voorzitter Charley Ramdas: ‘Wij blijven de belangen van onze leden en de belangen van wereldwijd ‘gewoon goed werk’ behartigen in de vorm van een doorlopende internationale vakbondscampagne. Net zo lang als dat nodig mocht zijn. Wij hebben goede contacten met de vakbonden in Polen, Duitsland en België. In de rest van de wereld gaan we nu ook overleggen met vakbonden in Australië, Brazilië, Indonesië en India. In de meeste van die landen voert Boskalis projecten uit. Daarbij zullen wij, net als de afgelopen maanden, de publiciteit zoeken waar dat nuttig is. Ook als leden alsnog

hun werk dreigen te gaan verliezen, pakken we met hen de strijdbijl weer op. En uiteraard claimen wij bij de volgende ontslagrondes weer een onderhandelingspositie. De strijd gaat dus door.’ Verbeteringen dankzij actiebereidheid

De leden hebben de voorlopige balans opgemaakt. Mede door hun actiebereidheid hebben we verbeteringen kunnen aanbrengen in het rammelende sociaal plan. En mede door de stevige inzet van onze leden bij Fairmount is hun werk nu voor minimaal een jaar behouden. Daar kan iedereen trots op zijn. Charley Ramdas: ‘We hebben echter niet alles binnengehaald wat we voor onze leden hadden willen uitonderhandelen. De ondermijnende rol van de OR en het CNV hebben daar negatief aan bijgedragen. Maar vooral natuurlijk de houding van Boskalis. Dat ondanks miljoenenwinsten niet verder heeft willen gaan dan een mager sociaal plan.’

16/11/2016 16:59

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31

NL NEWS

Nautilus International en FNV Waterbouw vakbondszaken belicht, F waarin Nautilus en FNV Waterbouw In deze rubriek worden steeds

een actieve rol spelen ten behoeve van onze leden.

onze website in voor 1 december 2016. Dit geldt ook voor kortlopende vaarbevoegdheden met een geldigheid tot 31-12-2016. Aanvullende certificaten

Dit keer gaat het over: Kiwa Register en aanvragen vaarbevoegdheidsbewijzen STCW-2010

Kiwa Register is een organisatie die gespecialiseerd is in het afgeven van waarde documenten, het registreren en verstrekken van informatie en het optimaliseren/ overnemen van administratieve processen. Voor een veilige vaart in de maritieme omgeving moet de bemanning van zeeschepen beschikken over persoonsdocumenten zoals een monsterboekje, een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs en een bekwaamheidsbewijs voor het dienstdoen op tankers waarop de uit te oefenen functie en / of bevoegdheid vermeld staat. Nautilus International kan leden informatie verstrekken of advies geven over het aanvragen van bovengenoemde documenten en neemt, evenals KIWA, deel aan overleggen over de implementatie van zeevaartwetgeving. Hieronder het Kiwa bericht over: Aanvragen vaarbevoegdheidsbewijzen STCW-2010 voor 31 december 2016

Zeevarenden die in het bezit zijn van een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs conform de STCW-95 code moeten dit vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs vóór 31 december 2016 omzetten naar een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs conform de STCW-2010 code. Om die reden zijn er nu door Kiwa Register veel aanvragen te verwerken. Dien uw aanvraag uiterlijk vóór 1 december 2016 in

U kunt uw aanvraag tot 31-12-2016 indienen. Momenteel ontvangt Kiwa Register een hoger percentage aanvragen dat maatwerk vereist waardoor de levering langer kan duren. Wilt u er zeker van zijn dat u tijdig in het bezit bent van een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs STCW2010, dien dan uw aanvraag compleet (inclusief betaling van leges) via de aanvraagportal op

Wij ontvangen bij veel aanvragen de certificaten van de refresher trainingen. U hoeft deze certificaten bij de aanvraag in 2016 niet mee te sturen. Deze certificaten worden pas onderdeel van de aanvraag na 1-1-2017. Om een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs conform STCW 2010 aan te vragen, dient u in het bezit te zijn van aanvullende opleiding(en). Dit verschilt per functie: z Stuurlieden en kapiteins: opleiding ECDIS en radarnavigator (management level) z Werktuigkundigen: opleiding hoogspanning z Maritiem officieren: opleiding ECDIS, radarnavigator (management level) en hoogspanning Houders van een vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs waarvoor in het verleden wettelijk al diende te worden aangetoond dat aan de eis van Radarnavigator (ARPA ML) werd voldaan, kunnen wat deze eis betreft volstaan met het overleggen van hun vaarbevoegdheidsbewijs. Het betreft de volgende bevoegdheden: z Kapitein alle schepen z Eerste stuurman alle schepen z Kapitein kleine schepen z Eerste maritiem officier alle schepen Aanvragen via eHerkenning

Aanvragen kunnen online worden ingediend via het Kiwaportal. Bedrijven doen dat met eHerkenning. Er zijn nog enkele bedrijven die geen gebruik maken van eHerkenning en aanvragen insturen op papier. Dit levert zowel voor de aanvrager als Kiwa meer administratieve lasten op en het verwerken van deze aanvragen op papier kost al gauw twee weken extra doorlooptijd. Bedrijven kunnen bij Kiwa Register hulp vragen bij het starten met aanvragen via eHerkenning, wij helpen u graag verder. g Zie ook: www.kiwaregister.nl

Nautilus lanceert diversiteitsonderzoek onder leden F

Nautilus International lanceert het eerste grote onderzoek naar de diversiteitsbehoeften van haar leden. g www.surveymonkey.com/r/ verscheidenheidNL Dit onderzoek wordt nu gelanceerd naar aanleiding van een oktober vorig jaar aangenomen motie in de Algemene Ledenvergadering van de vakbond. In deze motie wordt onze leden gevraagd of zij het slachtoffer zijn geweest van treiteren of intimidatie naar aanleiding van een diversiteitskwestie en wat de vakbond zou kunnen doen om hen verder te ondersteunen. De anonieme antwoorden worden

30-33_nl_16.11.indd 31

vervolgens geanalyseerd om te kijken of er specifieke sectoren zijn binnen de maritieme sector waarin treiteren en intimidatie vaker voorkomt. De Nautilus Algemene Ledenvergadering heeft vastgesteld dat diversiteitsgroepen te maken hebben met specifieke kwesties die doelgericht moeten worden aangepakt om de maritieme sector in de toekomst voor iedereen open, tolerant en gastvrij te maken — ongeacht geslacht, seksuele geaardheid, leeftijd, etniciteit, culturele of maatschappelijke afkomst. Deze ledenenquête — die tot het eind van dit jaar loopt — is één van de manieren waarop de vakbond verder invulling geeft aan dit streven.

Meest geavanceerde Binnenvaartsimulator ter wereld in Harlingen A

Vrijdagmiddag 4 november was het dan zover op de Maritieme Academie Harlingen: de officiële opening van de nieuwe Full Mission Binnenvaartsimulator! Gedeputeerde Michiel Schrier knalde er met een champagnefles op los en even later stroomden de vele genodigden naar binnen om dit ‘World Center of Expertise’ met eigen ogen te aanschouwen. De bouw ervan is mede tot stand gekomen dankzij financiële bijdragen van de Verenigde Tankrederij (VT), Vereniging Zand- en Grindschippers en de Provincie Fryslân. De Full Mission Binnenvaartsimulator is ontwikkeld in samenwerking met V Step. Het is momenteel de meest geavanceerde binnenvaartsimulator ter wereld en niet voor niets een ‘World Center of Expertise’. Na een bouwperiode van drie jaar is het nu ‘full speed ahead’ ermee. Ook geschikt voor bedrijfstrainingen

Maritieme Academie Holland directeur Leon Maas: ‘De simulator zal in eerste plaats beschikbaar zijn voor onderwijs aan leerlingen en studenten van de Maritieme Academie Holland, maar kan ook ingezet worden voor bedrijfstrainingen of voor opdrachten vanuit de overheid.

Het is een waardevol instrument om onveilige situaties in een veilige omgeving te oefenen en daarom een absolute meerwaarde binnen het maritiem onderwijs en bedrijfsleven.’ Minder stage-uren aan boord

Voor VT Group CEO Niels Groenewold, één van de hoofdsponsors, is het ‘weer een nieuwe stap richting verdere professionalisering in de Binnenvaart en ook in de Zeevaart’. Groenewold: ‘In de

vliegtuigwereld zijn ze al weer verder. Vooral als je kijkt naar de opleidingen. Daar zie je nieuwe jonge piloten bijna alleen nog maar studeren in een gesimuleerde wereld. Dat zal bij ons in de Binnenvaart ook alleen maar toenemen, zodat onze studenten uiteindelijk ook steeds minder stage-uren aan boord hoeven door te brengen. Overigens gaan onze eigen bemanningsleden hier nu ook regelmatig op trainen en zich zo de nieuwste technieken eigen maken.’

Contributie 2017

Productmanager Floris van Gessel van het in Rotterdam gevestigde VSTEP stelt dat er heel wat simulatie software voor deze Binnenvaartsimulator is ontwikkeld. ‘Ik ben er best wel trots op dat het nu echt gebruikt gaat worden door zowel studenten, de overheid en gereputeerde bedrijven als VT. We hebben hier echt te maken met een stukje ‘state of the art’ op dit gebied.’

In this month’s Dutch pages: z Nautilus services: KIWA z Boskalis campaigns

De Council van Nautilus International heeft besloten om de contributies licht te verhogen. Hieronder vindt u de per 1 januari 2017 geldende contributiebedragen:

Categorie

Simulatie software

z Flinter banktrupcy z HAL fleetvisits in Barcelona

Contributie per maand

Categorie

23 jaar en ouder gage <€3.000 bruto

€18,25

BG lid

€8,90

23 jaar <€3.000 bruto + SWZ*

€21,10

leden walgroep < 30 uur

€ 9,60

23 jaar en ouder >€3.000 bruto

€20,45

idem + SWZ *

€12,45

23 jaar >€3.000 bruto + SWZ *

€23,30

22 jaar

€13,45

aspirant (incl. SWZ) *

€3,40

22 jaar + SWZ *

€16,30

21 jaar

€12,30

gratis

Contributie per maand

gratis + SWZ *

€2,85

21 jaar + SWZ *

€15,15

Pensioen

€7,90

20 jaar

€11,60

Pensioen + SWZ *

€10,75

20 jaar + SWZ *

€14,45

Werkeloos

€7,90

19 jaar

€11,10

Werkeloos + SWZ *

€10,75

19 jaar + SWZ *

€13,95

Arbeidsongeschikt

€7,90

t/m 18 jaar

€7,25

Arbeidsongeschikt + SWZ*

€10,75

t/m 18 jaar + SWZ *

€10,10

* Maritiem technisch vakblad, SWZ Maritime Aan onze leden die hun contributie betalen via een automatische incasso laten we hierbij weten dat de maandelijkse contributie rond de vijfde van elke maand zal worden afgeschreven van hun bankrekening.

z Most advanced inland water simulator

z School visits: Harlingen & Terschelling

z Positive court ruling in Iskes case

z Open letter to King’s Governor

Wilt u een groter publiek bereiken? Presenteer uw product of service aan meer dan 15,000 maritieme professionele lezers uit Nederland, ter land en op zee! Spreek met één van onze vertegenwoordigers om uit te vinden hoe wij u het beste kunnen helpen. Neem contact op met Joe Elliott-Walker van Redactive Media Group T: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 E: joe.elliott-walker@ redactive.co.uk.

16/11/2016 16:59

32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NL NEWS

Nautilus bezoekt Eurodam, Oosterdam en Koningsdam in Barcelona A

Nautilus te gast in Harlingen weer te gast op de Maritieme F Academie Harlingen om daar een Eind oktober was Nautilus

tweetal gastlessen te verzorgen voor 1e- en 2e jaars MBO studenten. Nautilus communicatie adviseur Hans Walthie zag daar enkele bekende gezichten van een gastles aan VMBO studenten begin dit jaar. Sommigen wisten zich nog redelijk te herinneren waar een vakbond voor staat en gaat. Salarisverhoging van 50%

Via een rollenspel werd een cao (collectieve arbeid overeenkomst) onderhandeling nagebootst. Volgens sommige leerlingen kon het salaris wel met ruim 50 % omhoog. Anderen hielden het wat lager. Slechts een enkeling kwam in de buurt van de gemiddelde

1.6 % loonsverhoging die wordt afgesproken in de Nederlandse cao’s. Kortom de verwachtingen van de toekomstige jeugdige zee- en binnenvaart generatie zijn hooggestemd! Na afloop ging het hard met de Nautilus pepermuntjes en pennen. En gingen enkele leerlingen erover nadenken om lid te worden. 24/7 service vakbond

Verder werd de meerwaarde uitgelegd van het speciale studentenlidmaatschap tegen een sterk gereduceerd tarief (3,35 euro per maand, inclusief toezending van de vakbladen de Telegraph en SWZ Magazine). Dit is ook inclusief de 24/7 service die Nautilus International al zijn (studenten) leden wereldwijd biedt.

Volg ons op Twitter

Eind oktober was Nautilus International bij de Holland America Line op vlootbezoek in Barcelona. Op drie achtereenvolgende dagen werden de Eurodam, de Oosterdam en het nieuwste kroonjuweel de Koningsdam bezocht. Ook werden aan boord ledenvergaderingen gehouden, met zowel Engelse als Nederlandse leden. Namens Nautilus gaven Industrial Organiser Lisa Carr, Senior Assistant Organiser Daniel McGowan, adjunct bestuurder Maarten Keuss en communicatie adviseur Hans Walthie acte de présence. Een impressie: Dag 1: bezoek aan de Eurodam

Het is bewolkt weer, maar niet echt koud. Cruisepassagiers van alle leeftijden en in allerlei outﬁts gaan van boord en stappen in de bus om Gaudi’s kunstwerken in de binnenstad te gaan bewonderen. Of wat op de Ramblas te ﬂaneren. Kapitein John Scott, geboren Nieuw Zeelander, maar al weer heel wat jaartjes woonachtig in Engeland, kijkt vanaf de brug over het rustige water. ‘De zaken gaan goed hier’, zegt hij. ‘Het wordt soms wel wat woekeren met de hutten, met name voor de bemanning. Het kan allemaal net. Hier en daar is het soms wel wat rumoerig, vooral ’s avonds laat. De bemanningsleden moeten natuurlijk wel goed kunnen uitrusten. Dat is wel een aandachtspunt ja.’ Twee keer stage gelopen

Nautilus in gelijk gesteld in zaak Iskes Raad van State een einde F aan een jarenlang slepend conflict Begin oktober maakte de

tussen Nautilus International en de Inspectiedienst van het Ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid (SZW). Nautilus beschikte ruim 5 jaar geleden al over bewijs dat het Nederlandse zeesleepbedrijf Iskes zijn werknemers onderbetaalde. En verzocht de Inspectie SZW om Iskes te beboeten. Werknemers van concurrerend bedrijf Svitzer vroegen hetzelfde, maar de Inspectiedienst gaf aan zelf te willen beslissen of men optreedt of niet. Nautilus stapte hierop naar de rechter. Handhaven als daarom wordt gevraagd

Nautilus adjunct bestuurder Daan Troost: ‘Eindelijk, na jarenlang procederen, hebben wij gelijk gekregen. De inspectiedienst moet handhaven als daarom gevraagd wordt door een vakbond of een werknemer. Al in 2010 kregen wij concrete gevallen in handen waarbij het ging om het niet betalen van het minimum loon aan Filipijnse werknemers aan boord van de schepen van sleepdienst Iskes. De toenmalige arbeidsinspectie is daar toen over geïnformeerd. Dat

30-33_nl_16.11.indd 32

leidde helaas niet tot optreden tegen deze misstanden. Vele juridische procedures volgden. Uiteindelijk werden wij in 2014 aangemerkt als niet belanghebbende in deze kwestie. Ook bleek de inspectie SZW (arbeidsinspectie) niet bereid op te treden. Zelfs niet na jarenlang onderzoek.’ Hulp van leden bij Svitzer

Daan Troost: ‘In mei 2014 hebben wij de hulp ingeroepen van de leden van Nautilus en FNV Havens, werkend bij Svitzer Amsterdam. Al snel meldden 14 collega’s zich als belanghebbende in de Iskes zaak. Via onze advocaat verzochten zij de rechter handhaving van de wettelijke regelingen over tewerkstellingsvergunningen en over het minimum loon en minimum vakantietoeslag. Opnieuw volgden jaren van juridische strijd en zijn alle mogelijkheden benut tot aan het hoogste niveau. De Raad van State heeft nu dus uiteindelijk beslist dat de Inspectiedienst moet optreden als een verzoek daartoe wordt ingediend. Met deze uitspraak kan in voorkomende gevallen om handhaving worden verzocht. Vooral in situaties waarin de overheid weigert in te grijpen. En dat is een groot winstpunt voor Nautilus en al onze leden.’

De uit Heerhugowaard afkomstige 3e ofﬁcier Lindsay Groot (21 jaar) heeft het erg naar haar zin op de Eurodam. ‘Ik heb hier ook twee keer stage gelopen, tijdens mijn opleiding aan de zeevaartschool Den Helder. Het is boeiend werk en je gaat met collega’s uit allerlei landen om. Het werken met mensen uit verschillende culturen maakt het heel afwisselend. Dat geldt natuurlijk ook voor de passagiers. En je ziet nog eens wat van de wereld. Voor mijn stage hier was ik nog nooit buiten Nederland geweest. Nu kom ik overal. Wat ik van de vakbond vind? Nou, ik ken de Telegraph wel, maar ik weet er nog niet zo heel

veel van. Ik zal me er eens in gaan verdiepen.’ Jeffrey de Graaf (26) loopt als 3e jaars Marof stage en studeert aan de Hogeschool Amsterdam. ‘Ik werkte eerst bij de Marine, maar na een aantal reorganisaties verloor ik mijn baan. De zeevaart bleef echter trekken, dus toen besloot ik naar de zeevaartschool Amsterdam te gaan. Ik ben hier nu een paar weken en het bevalt me prima. Er hangt een heel open sfeer en ik denk hier wel het nodige te kunnen leren ja.’ Dag 2: ledenvergadering op de Oosterdam

De kofﬁe en de koekjes staan ’s ochtends klaar als een aantal Engelse en Nederlandse Nautilus leden en belangstellenden aanschuiven voor een ledenvergadering aan boord van de Oosterdam. Lisa Hall en Maarten Keuss geven aan dat er binnenkort een overleg is met de HAL in Rotterdam, aangaande een aantal ‘issues’ die spelen. Tijdens de vergadering wordt duidelijk dat er de laatste tijd de nodige onvrede heerst over de interne communicatie binnen de HAL. Mails worden vaak niet of te laat beantwoord. Vluchtgegevens komen veelal pas op het allerlaatste moment door. En ook de nieuwe ‘trunk policy’ krijgt de nodige kritiek te verduren. Lisa Hall en Maarten Keuss geven aan deze punten onder de aandacht te zullen brengen bij het HAL management. Nautilus kaderleden mee met overleg

Maarten Keuss geeft aan dat er twee Nautilus kaderleden meegaan naar dit belangrijke overleg: Environmental Ofﬁcer Peter Tukker en First Ofﬁcer Matthijs van Steensel. ‘Zo kunnen

deze leden direct inbrengen wat er leeft en speelt aan boord’, stelt hij. (Redactie: De opmerkingen die door de leden aan boord van de Oosterdam, Eurodam en Koningsdam naar voren werden gebracht, zijn inmiddels in Rotterdam besproken met het HAL management uit Seattle.) Steeds krapper op stagemarkt

De aanwezige stagiairs Lukas Theuws (20 jaar — STC Rotterdam), Paul Kolodziej ( 20 jaar — Hogeschool van Amsterdam) en Hessel Vermeer (19 jaar — MIWB Terschelling) hebben de vergadering met aandacht gevolgd. Paul: ‘Leuk werken hier. Ik leer hier veel. Na mijn sollicitatie als stagiair werd ik snel uitgenodigd voor een gesprek. Dat ging goed ja, anders zat ik nu niet hier. Daar ben ik blij mee, want het wordt toch steeds krapper op de stagemarkt.’ Even later schrijven twee van de drie stagiairs zich in als lid van Nautilus.

dag ervoor op de Oosterdam. Lisa Hall en Maarten Keuss geven ook nu weer aan dit op de bijeenkomst met de HAL in Rotterdam meegenomen zal worden. Op de werf in Venetië

Safety Engineer William Blok (53 jaar) loopt al weer zo’n 10 jaar mee bij de HAL. ‘Wat me trekt in deze baan is de afwisseling en de variatie. Als Safety Engineer kom ik overal op het schip en maak ik van alles mee. Een bijzondere uitdaging was natuurlijk de bouw van de Koningsdam. Ik ben vanaf maart ook op de werf geweest in Venetië. Vlak voor de afvaart. De nieuwste state-of-the-art is nu wel ons geautomatiseerde Safety Center op de brug. Zo kunnen we met minder mensen meer dingen sneller voor elkaar krijgen. Of dat ten koste gaat van de werkgelegenheid? Lijkt me niet, we zitten in een ‘booming business’ en goede mensen blijf je altijd nodig hebben.’ Gaaf schip

Dag 3: de Koningsdam en koningin Maxima

Op de laatste dag van het Nautilus vlootbezoek wordt de Koningsdam aangedaan. Het eerste schip uit de Pinnacle klasse. De gegeven naam is ter ere van koning Willem-Alexander, de eerste Nederlandse koning sinds meer dan honderd jaar. Het nieuwste HAL schip werd op 20 mei van dit jaar gedoopt door koningin Maxima in Rotterdam. Ook hier schuiven in de ochtend een aantal Engelse en Nederlandse leden, alsmede enkele andere bemanningsleden, aan voor de Nautilus ledenvergadering. Al snel wordt duidelijk dat de meeste aanwezigen dezelfde ‘issues’ naar voren brengen als de

De Engelse Jessica Boulten (‘begin 20’- 3rd ofﬁcer) geniet deze middag ook op de brug. Ze deed haar ‘çadetship’ in 2012 en kreeg haar diploma uitgereikt in september 2015. Het werken op de Koningsdam omschrijft ze als een ‘positive experience’. En: ‘Ik vind het heerlijk om met allerlei mensen om te gaan; zowel qua collega’s als met onze passagiers uit al die verschillende landen.’ Stagiair Danny van Doesburg (24 jaar- zeevaartschool Amsterdam) geeft zijn gasten tenslotte een uitgebreide rondleiding. ‘Ik had al gevaren als 3e elektricien, maar ik wil nu ook mijn HBO diploma halen. Gaaf schip toch?’ En dat kunnen we alleen maar beamen.

Nautilus te gast op Terschelling Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz op A Terschelling om daar een aantal gastlessen te

alcoholgehalte. Hierbij kon ik aangeven wat Nautilus toen voor deze jongeman heeft kunnen betekenen. Zelf vond ik de voorstelronde het leukst en interactiefst. Vooral ook de vraag ‘Wat onderscheid jou ten opzichte van je klasgenoten? (bijvoorbeeld een hobby, sport of iets anders). Zo bleek dat bijna iedereen wel iets bijzonders, moois en leuks doet in zijn privéleven.’

Eind oktober was Nautilus te gast op het

verzorgen voor alle vierdejaars HBO studenten (zowel van de opleiding maritiem officier als de opleiding hydrografie). Nautilus adjunct bestuurder Maarten Keuss legde uit waar de vakbond voor staat en wees op de voordelen voor een speciaal (laag tarief) lidmaatschap voor leerlingen van zee-/binnenvaart scholen (3,35 euro per maand, inclusief toezending van de vakbladen de Telegraph en SWZ Magazine). Met ook een 24/7 ledenservice wereldwijd. Na afloop werden meteen 7 studenten lid van Nautilus. Te hoog alcoholgehalte

Maarten Keuss: ‘De studenten vonden de

We komen graag langs

gastlessen zeer interessant. Vooral ook een aantal praktijkverhalen, onder meer over een jeugdig Nautilus lid, die betrapt was met een te hoog

Mocht je ook op een zeevaartschool zitten en het leerzaam vinden als de vakbond een keer langs komt om uitleg te geven over je rechten (en plichten) als stagiair en/of werknemer aan boord, schroom dan niet en vraag aan je docent / mentor om contact op te nemen met ons voor een gastles. g Dit kan via infoNL@nautilusint.org

16/11/2016 17:00

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

NL NEWS Federatie (ITF) heeft de F Seafarers Mission Eemshaven een De Internationale Transport

cheque van f €22.500,- geschonken. Hiermee kan, aangevuld met ook eigen financiële middelen, nog voor het eind van dit jaar een lang gekoesterde wens in vervulling gaan: de aanschaf van een nieuwe transportbus. Hiermee kunnen zeevarenden van hun schip naar de

Seafarers Mission worden gebracht. De Missie werd gesticht in 1999 en beschikt over ruim 30 actieve vrijwilligers. Jaarlijks vereren ruim 10.000 bezoekers de Missie met een bezoek.

Riviercruise sector moet bij zich zelf te rade gaan ‘We koersen af op nog meer ongelukken; ook onder passagiers’

Foto: Flickr

Virtuele Zeebenen in de klas F

Op 4 november lanceerde Nautilus voorzitter Marcel van den Broek een innovatieve virtual reality tour tijdens de gastles ‘Zeebenen in de Klas’ op de CBS de Borgstee in Grijpskerk. Normaliter is het niet zomaar mogelijk om een zeeschip te bezoeken, maar deze unieke VR-tour maakt de belevingswereld van de zeevaart toegankelijk voor een breed publiek. Na de lancering leidde Henk Sol, docent en tevens maker van de tour, de leerlingen rond op het schip. Zowel via een digibord als een VR bril met smartphone, want op verschillende manieren kan iedereen met een internetverbinding deelnemen aan de VR tour. Zeebenen in de klas

Met de unieke virtual reality tour is het lesprogramma van de succesvolle gastlessen

Zeebenen in de klas volledig gemoderniseerd. Deze succesvolle voorlichtingscampagne interesseert leerlingen van groep 7 en 8 voor het zeevarende beroep. Jaarlijks verzorgen (ex-)zeevarenden en loodsen gastlessen op meer dan 300 scholen en hebben daarmee een bereik tot wel 10.000 leerlingen. De campagne Zeebenen in de klas is een initiatief van de Taskforce Arbeidsmarkt Zeevarenden (TAZ), een samenwerkingsverband tussen de Koninklijke Vereniging van Nederlandse Reders (KVNR), Nautilus International, Nederlands Loodswezen, Nederlandse Vereniging van Kapiteins ter Koopvaardij (NVKK) en het Nederlands zeevaartonderwijs. De campagne Zeebenen in de klas is geheel gefinancierd vanuit het Opleidings- en Ontwikkelingsfonds Zeescheepvaart.

In de nacht van zaterdag 10 september dit jaar voer het riviercruiseschip de Viking Freya op het Main-Donau kanaal bij de Zuid-Duitse stad Erlangen tegen een betonnen brug aan. De kapitein en een matroos, aan het werk in de stuurhut, die op dat moment boven het schip uitstak, lieten hierbij het leven. De stuurhut had op dat moment naar beneden moeten zijn, zodat het schip er zonder problemen onderdoor had kunnen gaan… ‘Ík hoorde het voor het eerst op de radio, bij mij aan boord. Dan schrik je natuurlijk gelijk. Dat werd nog erger toen even later duidelijk werd dat het bovendien om een dodelijk ongeluk ging van twee van mijn collega’s. Met de verongelukte kapitein Istvan Kiss heb ik zelf twee jaar op de Viking Sun gevaren. Dus ik was en ben er nog altijd diep door getroffen.’ Niet het laatste ongeluk

Collega riviercruise kapitein Harald Ludwig uit Berlijn denkt nog altijd met pijn in het hart terug aan die donkere septembernacht. ‘Een afschuwelijke tragedie natuurlijk. Hopelijk wordt uit het onderzoek duidelijk wat er nu allemaal precies is misgegaan. Het is niet het eerste ongeluk met een riviercruise schip. En ik vrees dat het ook niet het laatste zal zijn. Wat mij betreft is de maat nu echt vol. Wat er dan moet gebeuren? Weet je, de laatste vijf en twintig jaar is het echt ‘booming business’ in de riviercruise wereld. Steeds meer schepen komen in de vaart om steeds meer toeristen een mooie vakantie te bezorgen. Voeren er in 1990 nog zo’n 50 riviercruise schepen rond, inmiddels zijn dat er nu ruim 350. Goed voor de business, maar de werkbelasting en de veiligheid van de bemanning zijn nu echt het kind van de rekening aan het worden. Het is overigens een klein wonder dat er nog geen passagiers verongelukt zijn. Maar als het zo doorgaat, vrees ik dat we hier binnenkort ook brokken gaan maken.’ Werkdruk bemanning onevenredig toegenomen

Harald Ludwig: ‘Het schaduweffect van deze ontwikkeling is dat de werkdruk op de bemanning onevenredig is toegenomen en dat we nu ook een groot tekort hebben aan vakbekwaam personeel om al die extra schepen goed en veilig te bemannen. En ik spreek nu over de gehele bedrijfstak, een enkele goede werkgever uitgezonderd. Teveel eigenaren krijgen steeds meer dollartekens in hun ogen en bevorderen zo deze dramatische ontwikkeling. Er worden nu ook al steeds meer schepen gebouwd die zo hoog zijn, dat ze nauwelijks nog onder een brug door kunnen. Als je dan een beetje extra hoog water hebt, dan

Daadkracht vereist

Ik hoop oprecht dat dit interview ertoe bij gaat dragen dat de riviercruise sector nu eens goed bij zichzelf te rade gaat. En daadkracht gaat tonen richting een weer gezonde sector, waar het veilig en goed werken is. En waar de passagiers uiteindelijk met een gerust hart kunnen gaan slapen. Want nogmaals, de tijd dat er ook dodelijke slachtoffers onder de passagiers gaan vallen, ligt, vrees ik, niet ver meer van ons af.’ (+ in kader: uitkomsten River cruise overleg 3 november/aankondiging nieuwe acties in voorkaar 2017) Nautilus: ‘Riviercruise sector moet nu vol aan de bak’ Riviercruise kapitein Harald Ludwig: nog altijd diep geschokt door het dodelijke ongeluk van één van zijn collega’s

is het vragen om problemen. Vooral als je dan met onervaren bemanningsleden vaart. Elke extra vierkante meter wordt nu benut om nog meer toeristen aan boord te lokken. Dat gaat ook al weer ten koste van de bemanning, die nog nauwelijks na hun aﬂossing kunnen slapen in hun veelal te kleine, vaak rumoerige, bemanningshutten. Taak voor vakbonden als Nautilus

Hier ligt ook een belangrijke taak voor de (inter) nationale vakbonden als Nautilus International om hier tegen in het geweer te komen. Maar ook wij als kapiteins moeten met elkaar aangeven dat het zo echt niet langer kan. Aan de andere kant moet er door de gehele bedrijfstak weer meer geïnvesteerd gaan worden in goede opleidingen. Nu zie je veel onervaren bemanningsleden, waarvan er ook steeds meer nauwelijks Duits of Engels kunnen spreken. Ook dat moet nu onmiddellijk aangepakt gaan worden.’ Strenger handhaven en hogere boetes

‘Ook inspecties en waterpolitie moeten veel strenger handhaven en controleren’, vervolgt de Berlijnse kapitein, die zelf regelmatig de Rijn afvaart. ‘Hier moeten ook meer deskundige inspecteurs de tijd krijgen de schepen zorgvuldig te inspecteren. Goed checken ook of de arbeids- en rusttijden regelingen in acht worden genomen. Juist door overbelasting en oververmoeidheid bevorder je weer de kans op nieuwe ongelukken. Er moeten daarnaast steviger boetes uitgedeeld worden, daar waar het onveilig en onverantwoord werken is aan boord!’

Carl Kraijenoord, Nautilus bestuurder Binnenvaart, vindt dat de werkgevers in de Riviercruise sector nu echt tot actie moeten overgaan: ‘Dit kan zo niet langer. Het verhaal van riviercruise kapitein Harald Ludwig maakt duidelijk dat de sector vol aan de bak moet en dat er snel maatregelen moeten worden genomen. Niet voor niets voeren wij hier als gezamenlijke Europese bonden al jaren actie voor. Zo ook dit voorjaar, wat er wel toe heeft geleid dat we zijn uitgenodigd door IG Rivercruise om op 2 november 2016 met hen te overleggen. IG Rivercruise is een Europese handel/lobbyclub voor de sector. Helaas, kunnen zij geen bindende afspraken maken waaraan we de gehele riviercruise sector aan kunnen houden. Carl Kraijenoord: ‘Wel is er gesproken over een eenvoudige accreditatie voor de vakbonden om aan boord te komen en met het voltallige personeel te kunnen spreken. Dit is nodig omdat ook zij gedwongen zijn, door allerlei dreigingen binnen Europa, meer beveiliging te organiseren voor de buitenlandse gasten en niet iedereen zomaar aan boord kunnen laten. Jammer genoeg zijn we niet toegekomen aan concrete afspraken over arbeidsvoorwaarden en -omstandig-heden, scholing&opleiding en arbeidsmarkt. Dit is gezien het toenemend aantal ongevallen van de laatste weken wel heel urgent geworden.’ Plan van aanpak

‘Als Nautilus leggen wij nu het initiatief voor overleg hierover bij de werkgevers neer. Laten zij maar aangeven op welke wijze wij wel tot bindende afspraken kunnen komen. Het zou goed zijn als de Riviercruise werkgevers nu snel met een Plan van Aanpak komen, om er een echt gezonde sector van te maken. We blijven de zaak op de voet volgen en zullen niet schuwen, als er niks gebeurt, met nieuwe acties te komen aankomend voorjaar.’

ODV Maritiem aan de kant gezet in Noord-Holland A

Nautilus stuurt Open Brief naar Commissaris van de Koning

Worden inwoners, plezier- en beroepsvaart en ook de ODV werknemers nu de dupe van deze bestuurlijke beslissingen?

personeel in dienst hebben met nautische ervaring en achtergrond. Vooral die ervaring en achtergrond is van groot belang als het gaat om het vinden van evenwicht tussen de bediening van bruggen en sluizen, het varen op de ponten, en de gewenste veiligheid op het water voor de pleziervaart en beroepsvaart.’ Bij het verstrekken van de voorlopige gunning werd door de Provincie erkend dat personeel met vereist opleidingsniveau nu ontbreekt. In de komende maanden wordt dat volgens de Provincie goed opgelost, zo nodig met het overbrengen van personeel ODV Maritiem naar Trigion. Daan Troost: ‘Onder welke loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden is ons echter nog volstrekt onbekend.’

Nautilus adjunct bestuurder Daan Troost: ‘Wij waren zeer verbaasd over deze uitkomst, daar deze bedrijven geen

ODV Maritiem spande na de voorlopige

In de langlopende aanbestedingsprocedure voor het werk van brug-en sluiswachters in de Provincie Noord-Holland is op 12 juli een klap gegeven. Een klap uit onverwachte hoek: het werk wordt gegund aan een combinatie van Trigion (beveiligers) en Traffic Support (ordediensten bij grote evenementen). Een door ODV Maritiem aangespannen Kort Geding tegen deze gunning werd bovendien verloren.

30-33_nl_16.11.indd 33

Kort Geding

gunning een Kort Geding aan tegen de Provincie Noord-Holland en Trigion Services. ODV bestreed dat Trigion wist te voldoen aan de eis dat zij eerder een object als een brug of sluis bedienden. Trigion voerde aan dat zij eerder een tunnel bewaakte en dat de vereiste competenties daarvoor gelijk waren als die voor bediening van bruggen en sluizen. Op 18 oktober volgde de uitspraak. ODV werd in het ongelijk gesteld! Daan Troost: ‘Een bizarre uitspraak, waarbij bewaking van tunnels gelijk werd gesteld aan het bedienen van bruggen en sluizen.’ Maat vol

Korte tijd na de uitspraak verschenen de eerste advertenties met de oproep te solliciteren naar de functie van brugen sluiswachter in Noord-Holland. Een aantal werknemers meldde zich bij uitzendorgani-satie Unique. Een

snelle reactie volgde: de werknemers waren niet welkom omdat zij in dienst waren van ODV Maritiem. Zo luidde de opdracht verstrekt aan het uitzendbureau. Daan Troost: ‘Voor ons als Nautilus was de maat vol! Wij hebben hierover toen een Open Brief gestuurd aan de Commissaris van de Koning in Noord-Holland, de heer Remkes. Provincie Noord-Holland: laat uw inwoners...en uw brugen sluiswachters niet vallen

Daan Troost: ‘De slotzin gaf de inhoud van de Open Brief duidelijk weer: ‘Al met al begint het er steeds meer op te lijken dat u uw inwoners qua veiligheid en de ODV werknemers qua werkgelegenheid gewoon…laat vallen!’ Bij het ter perse gaan van dit nummer was een reactie van de Provincie nog niet bekend.

16/11/2016 17:00

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

MARITIME SAFETY

Know smoke, save lives Fire is the second most common cause of ship losses, accounting for around 16% of all incidents. In this special report, Nautilus Council member Captain Michael Lloyd considers the challenges facing crew when a blaze breaks out onboard…

Seafarers are not fire-fighters. We have a smattering of training and often cheap and out-of-date equipment. As the ship is insured, there is not a lot of incentive either — especially if fire-fighting places us in danger. The ship is insured, and if the weather is nice we can sit in a boat until rescue comes. However, the safety of others is a prime directive, and if the fire is endangering life, or even if the weather is too extreme for abandonment, we have no alternative but to do the best we can. While fire destroys and burns, the majority of fatalities in fires are caused by smoke. If a rescue has to be attempted, or even if the fire is to be put out, the smoke has to be dealt with.

What is smoke? When a fire breaks out, most people look at the flames, if they can be seen. The flames will indicate where the fire is at that moment; that is all. It is the smoke that will tell you how large it is and where it is going. This information is vital in planning any form of attack on the fire. Quite often in a ship fire, whether in the cargo, accommodation or machinery spaces, there will initially be no visible flames; consequently, reading the smoke is the only way a plan of action can be made. Remember, smoke is fuel. Both flashbacks and backdraught are led by superheated fuel in the form of smoke. A firefighter standing in the middle of smoke is standing in the middle of fuel.

Reading smoke Smoke has four key characteristics: 1. Volume. The volume of smoke coming from a fire gives an indication of how much fuel is being heated to the point where it gives off gases. Assess the volume of smoke in comparison to the size of the compartment or structure. A large compartment giving off a large quantity of smoke would indicate a large fire. 2. Density. The density of the smoke indicates the quantity of fuel in the smoke. Dense smoke can produce a powerful flashover in the right conditions and it also contains many poisonous substances. A few breaths can kill. 3. Velocity. The velocity of the smoke coming from the fire area shows the pressure that is accumulating. The velocity is dependent on heat and volume. Smoke pushed by heat will rise and then slow gradually. Smoke pushed by volume will slow down immediately. 4. Colour. The colour of the smoke gives indication of the stage of the fire and what is burning. If only a single substance is burning, the colour will indicate the substance, but if multiple substances are burning this assessment will not be possible. Most solid materials will emit a white smoke in the early stages, which is a result of the moisture being emitted from the fuel. This is demonstrated by water being put onto a fire, which turns the black smoke to white. As a material dries out, the colours change. Plastics and paint give off a grey smoke, most chemicals will burn black, and wood produces a brown colour. As

34_fire_SR edit.indd Sec2:34

materials become hotter, smoke becomes blacker. The blacker the colour, the hotter the smoke. The colour of the smoke can indicate the location of the ﬁre. As smoke travels, it absorbs moisture from the substances it passes over and this changes the colour from black to white, depending on the distance of travel. The lighter the colour of the smoke, the farther the distance it has travelled. To further differentiate, white smoke that is more laminar indicates early heating, while white smoke that is turbulent indicates smoke from a hot ﬁre that is further away.

Smoke flow Smoke will have either a laminar flow — which is a smooth flow, indicating that the pressure of a compartment is not too high — or a turbulent flow, indicated by a boiling and agitated appearance. This turbulence is caused by the gases in the smoke being restricted by the compartment.

Smoke danger signals Whenever turbulent smoke is present, flashover is likely to occur very soon. This will indicate the end of the growth stage of the fire, as all combustible materials in the vicinity of the fire are now alight. When in a smoky atmosphere, shine a light on the smoke. If there is no smoke movement, then you are probably below the fire. If you see indications of a hot fire from a compartment but there is little smoke, be careful. It could be that the fire is insufficiently ventilated and will erupt as soon as oxygen is introduced into the compartment. Black fire is a term for turbulent ultradense black smoke. This is extremely dangerous. It has a temperature of up to 540°C (1,000°F) and can be a few seconds away from auto ignition and flashover. Even full PPE is not sufficient to sustain life.

Ventilation in rescue In an enclosed space, especially if there are trapped personnel, conditions may be assisted by the opening of a small vent in the deck head above the fire. This allows hot smoke and gases to escape through the opening, returning the conditions of the room to normal. As this vent will now provide oxygen to the fire, it should be coordinated with the attack on the fire — which should be made easier, as the vent

Rescue from an enclosed space during a fire needs careful preparation Picture: Havariekommando

will draw away the smoke and heat and enable assistance to be given to trapped personnel. Again for rescue purposes, provided there is a ﬂow through to another area which has ventilation out to the open air, a fan can be used in this other area to generate pressure that will suck the smoke and heat away from the trapped personnel to enable a rescue. If this is considered, it is essential that the smoke and heat are directed into the open air.

Ventilation, course and speed While the initial response to fire is to close down the ship’s ventilation systems, it could be better to clear the smoke to lessen the dangers of flashover. Remember, if rescue is required, isolation of the fire increases the danger to those within the closed area. Fire ventilation is the planned and systematic removal of smoke, gases and heat from fire-affected spaces. Properly executed and timed ventilation can greatly increase fire-fighting effectiveness, while improper ventilation may increase fire intensity, accelerate fire spread or cause explosion. If the fire is such that smoke is causing a danger and hindrance to the fire party, then consider how the ship’s course and speed can assist in clearing the smoke or directing it away from the fire party. Alternatively, if the fire is being increased by the airflow, then changing the course, slowing down can assist in reducing this. This may be seen as a dilemma for the command but to fight

The majority of fatalities in fires are caused by smoke

a fire, it’s necessary to get to it, and that means clearing the smoke. Also, the rescue of casualties must take precedence over putting the fire out. The decision to ventilate must consider the effects of ventilation, the relative advantages and difficulties of direct versus indirect attacks and how the arrangement of the ship affects ventilation and smoke clearance. To ventilate a fire is to take a calculated risk. As the fire often cannot be observed directly until the space is opened, decisions have to be based upon estimates of fire size and intensity. The leader of the fire team must be prepared for a fire larger than estimated and must be prepared to back out and re-isolate the space. Fires are ventilated when fire-fighters are ready to approach and attack a fire, but not before. The sudden loss of heat when a space is ventilated may reduce the fire intensity momentarily, but burning accelerates as air reaches the fire. An aggressive attack must begin as soon as ventilation begins.

Smoke inhalation is a particular hazard because the initial symptoms of mild to moderate exposures pass quickly and the victim may think that no harm was done. However, the symptoms of lung damage caused by inhaled combustion products may not become noticeable until up to 48 hours after the incident. Treatment must begin within six hours of the incident in order to be effective. The sub- lethal effects of smoke are: z incapacitation z sensory irritation z visual obscuration z heat or radiation injury z reduced motor capability z decreased mental abilities z panic attacks Manoeuvring a ship to facilitate fire-fighting can mean the difference between success or failure, but it is a matter of skilled seamanship and judgement of the relative risks. The object of such manoeuvring by adjusting the ship’s heading and speed is to: z prevent the spread of fire to unaffected areas z improve the ability of the firefighters to control and attack fire

z disperse flames, heat and combustion products away from the ship by the most direct way The basic principles of manoeuvring the ship for fire-fighting are: z rapidly assessing of the fire extent and the areas to which the fire can be contained z warning the fire-fighters of the manoeuvre in order that they can be prepared to change their tactics from defensive to offensive actions z ensuring that the manoeuvre will not bring the fire and smoke to bear on important unaffected areas of the ship z executing the manoeuvre and then assessing the effects The result of the manoeuvre should be a relative wind of not more than 12 to 15 knots across the fire-affected area. The ship’s speed must be regulated to avoid fanning the fire while still ensuring that most flames and smoke are blown clear of the ship. The type of manoeuvre is governed by the location of the fire. The sea room and proximity of traffic will have a bearing on the command’s ability to make these manoeuvres. There are three basic manoeuvres in these situations. z Fire aft: Bring the ship directly into the wind or with wind fine on the appropriate bow, to create a suitable relative wind for directing flames and fire spread astern; regulate speed to avoid unnecessary fanning of the fire. z Fire midships: Bring the ship beam onto wind or with wind opposite the burning area and adjust speed to avoid creating a relative wind that forces fire towards stern of the ship. z Fire forward: Bring the wind astern and adjust speed to keep fire tending over one bow. Speed is usually reduced to a minimum in this case and astern movement may be required to prevent fires from blowing back. Of course, the final solution is not to have a fire in the first place, but even with all our automatic systems it is surprising just how many fires still occur. Many of them are referred to as small and quickly extinguished, but I always remember an axiom when I was a cadet and told a chief officer that the waste bin fire was small. His voice could have been heard ashore. ‘There is no such thing as a small fire at sea!’ How true.

16/11/2016 18:03

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

APPOINTMENTS

NOTICE TO READERS Nautilus International advises members that some crewing agencies may not be advertising specific positions, but instead may be seeking to develop their databases of job hunters.

Join us in bringing knowledge, help and hope to the nations! OM Ships, a worldwide worl charity, is looking for qualified engineering engin officers, mechanics, fitters fitte and welders to volunteer to serve ser on their ship Logos Hope which is presently in the Far East.

For details visit www.omships.org or email: recruiting@omships.org

SHOREBASED Asst Technical Superintendent, LNG London - £55K

Technical Superintendent, Container London - £58K

Technical Superintendent, Tanker

8 December 2016 is the closing date for January 2017. You can still advertise online at any time.

Purser/Stewardess 65m Motor Yacht - €3.3K/mth

Technical Manager, Yachts

2nd Engineer

Europe - €60K+

100m+ Motor Yacht - $8K/mth

Stewardess

CRUISE

Technical Superintendent, Tanker

2nd Engineer - €50K - Cruise

60m Motor Yacht - $3.3K/mth

Head Chef 100m Motor Yacht - €8.5K/mth

Chief Electrical Eng - €48K - Cruise

Bristol - £45K + Bens

Electronics Engineer - $54K - Cruise

Technical Superintendent, Dry Cargo Cruise Director - $80K - Cruise South of France - £Competitive + Pkg

Sous Chef - $35K - Cruise

Marine Superintendent, Tankers

HR Manager - $45K - Cruise

Glasgow - £60K + Pkg

Technical Superintendent, Tankers Hamburg - €90K

Cruise Technical Superintendent USA - $120K

Cruise Shore Excursion Director

80m+ Sailing Yacht - €3.5K/mth

Head of Housekeeping 100m+ Motor Yacht - €3.75K/mth 50m Motor Yacht - €2.5K/mth

YACHT

LNG

80m Motor Yacht - €3K/mth

UAE - Tax free role

Bosun

Deckhand

Deckhand/Divemaster

Terminal Manager, LNG

www.cvprofessionals.co.uk

Europe - €65K+

Receptionist - £12K - Cruise

Marine Standards Superintendent

Maritime & oσshore specialists

Operations Manager, Yachts

North UK - £55K + Bens Glasgow - £60K + Bens

CV Professionals

&KLHI 2IƂFHU LNG - $75-85K + Bens Chief Eng - LNG - $95-105K + Bens

QG 2IƂFHU 70m Motor Yacht - $7K/mth

2/E - LPG/VLGC - $10-11K/mth

&KLHI 2IƂFHU

Master - LPG/VLGC - $13-15K/mth

Europe - £110K

100m+ Motor Yacht - $8K/mth

Cruise Technical Superintendent

2nd Stewardess

Hamburg - €80K

80m Motor Yacht - €4.5K/mth

Shorebased: +44 (0)23 8020 8840 shipping-uk@faststream.com

Seagoing: +44 (0)23 8020 8820

seagoing-uk@faststream.com

ETO - Oil/Chem Tanker - $60K + Bens

Search for ‘Faststream Seafarers’ @faststreamsea www.faststream.com

Maritime Educational Foundation Are you an unemployed UK seafarer? Do you need financial support to update your STCW certification? Help may be at hand ― please visit the MEF website for grant funding application forms.

www.meftraining.org

Leading Marine Recruitment Specialists We are seeking all ranks of seafarers, offshore and shore based personnel and in particular:

Your first port of call Address: First Floor Unit 7, Hythe Marine Park, Shore Road, Southampton, SO45 6HE UK Telephone: +44(0)23 8084 0374 Email: recruitment@seamariner.com

Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers - All vessels All ranks - RoRo / RoPax Tug/Multicat Crew - All ranks Senior Of½cers - Tankers All Crew for temporary assignments If you would like further information in registering with Seamariner or you would like to discuss your crewing requirements, please contact one of our experienced consultants.

www.seamariner.com

ISO9001:2008 accredited and KvK and MLC compliant Reg Co number: 2745210

To advertise contact Paul Wade on +44 (0)20 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk.

The Association of Forth Pilots provide authorised pilotage services on the River Forth and associated docks and harbours. We invite applications from suitably qualiﬁed personnel to ﬁll anticipated future vacancies due to retirement for Marine Pilots based at Granton, Edinburgh.

BANDURA SHIPPING CV MARITIME RECRUITMENT

The successful applicants, who will be authorised by Forth Ports Limited as the competent Harbour Authority, will work on a self employed basis piloting a variety of vessels including oil and gas tankers, VLCC’s, container vessels, bulk carriers, cruise ships and naval vessels.

REQUIRE MASTER AND CHIEF OFFICER FOR MPP 8300 DWT CONTRACTS 4 ON/4 OFF

It is essential that you have a Class 1 Master Mariner FG Certiﬁcate plus command experience and/or 1st Class Pilotage Authorisation experience.

TEL:+31(71) 3648480 FAX: +31 (71) 3649042 email :shipping@noordwijkoceanservices.nl

BANDURA SHIPPING CV. 39 ZWARTEWEG, 2201 AA, NOORDWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS

Nautilus recruitment.indd 35

MARINE PILOTS

All applicants must have existing EU working entitlement and be able to demonstrate a legal right to take up residence in the UK. Interested applicants should forward a completed application form and supporting CV to Mary Stevenson, Forth Ports Limited, Forth and Tay Navigation Building, Grangemouth Port Ofﬁce, Grangemouth, FK3 8UE Application forms can be obtained by contacting Mary Stevenson on 01324 498581 or by e-mail mary.stevenson@forthports.co.uk.

16/11/2016 08:48

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

APPOINTMENTS

Ca reers at Sea Ambassadors

Nautilus can help you make the most of your membership with Nautilus Plus â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a special scheme offering members fantastic discounts on a wide range of products and services. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special deals include:

Thinking about a winter getaway? Nautilus Plus can help you find the break thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right for youâ&#x20AC;¦

Celebrate the New Year in style! The perfect way to make this New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve one to remember â&#x20AC;&#x201D; New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s breaks from SuperBreak offer you the chance to get away on the big night and see in the New Year in style! Many packages include both dinner and entertainment and with a fabulous selection of destinations, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bound to find a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve break to suit you*! Volunteer as a Careers at Sea Ambassador and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll visit local schools or youth groups to give a first-hand account of life in the Merchant Navy. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re running a stand at a careers fair or giving a presentation, the Ambassador programme will provide all the materials and support you need â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and the children and young

Savings on cottage holidays Save up to 10% on cottage and short break holidays in the UK and Europe with CottageStayUK. They work with over 14,000 cottages and villas in the

UK and Europe to give members maximum choice. So whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a romantic break or a getaway with your friends, CottageStayUK can help you find the right property for your holiday at a great price*. Save an additional 5% on selected package holidays Book your holidays with Your Travel Rewards and you will enjoy a guaranteed additional 5% saving from major travel companies - including Thomas Cook, Thomson, First Choice, Cosmos, Airtours, Crystal, Neilson and Kuoni*. g *Terms and conditions apply to all benefits. See website for details. Offers subject to change without notice. Your Travel Rewards - Crystal and Kuoni are only available to book by telephone. Nautilus Plus is managed on behalf of Nautilus by Parliament Hill Ltd.

Nautilus Plus is managed on behalf of Nautilus by Parliament Hill Ltd.

people will be excited to hear about your experiences at sea.

Reach over 110,000 readers.

To find out more, go to: www.careersatsea,org/ambassadors email: enquiry@careersatsea.org

To advertise contact Paul Wade on +44 (0)20 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk to find out how.

or call: +44 (0)20 7417 2825

GET IN TOUCH AND SEE WHERE YOUR CAREER CAN TAKE YOU IN 2017â&#x20AC;¦ &O\GH 0DULQH 5HFUXLWPHQW LV D OHDGLQJ SURYLGHU RI PDULQH UHFUXLWPHQW DQG EHVSRNH FUHZ PDQDJHPHQW VHUYLFHV *SV WIE KSMRK NSFW ETTP] EX ZZZ FO\GHUHFUXLW FRP

FLEETWOOD NAUTICAL CAMPUS - CELEBRATING 125 YEARS IN 2017 with a long established reputation for being a leading provider of training to the Maritime industry.

MARITIME COURSES Masters Orals: 9 Jan 2017, 27 Feb 2017, 2 May 2017, 19 June 2017 | Chief Mate: 16 Jan 2017, 8 May 2017 | HND to Chief Mate: 16 Jan 2017, 8 May 2017 | FD to Chief Mate: 9 Jan 2017, 27 Feb 2017, 2 May 2017, 19 June 2017 | ECDIS Generic: 9 Jan 2017, 15 May 2017, 19 June 2017 | HELM (M): 28 Nov 2016, 5 Dec 2016, 6 Feb 2017, 27 Mar 2017, 3 Apr 2017, 10 Apr 2017, 17 Apr 2017 | NAEST (M): 27 Nov 2016, 5 Dec 2016,13 Feb 2017, 3 Apr 2017, 9 Apr 2017 | VTS Operator (2 Weeks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; VTS Induction and Simulator) : 20 Mar 2017, 10 July 2017 | VTS Refresher : 14 Mar 2017, 4 July 2017 |

FOR MORE INFORMATION

E maritime@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/nautical

TANKER

RFA

Master with LNG experience. Trips are 3 months on with 28 days leave per month served. Master unlimited CoC with Gas DCE required. Excellent salary and FIRIÂ½X TEGOEKI 4IVQERIRX TSWMXMSR

(QJLQHHULQJ 2IÂ¼FHU [MXL E 'LMIJ )RKMRIIV 'S' 7IGSRH )RKMRIIV 'S' ERH System Engineer with ER )83 'S' )PIGXVMGEP UYEPMÂ½GEXMSR VIUYMVIH JSV vacancies within the RFA Fleet.

&KLHI 2IÂ¼FHU with LNG experience. Trips are 3 months on with 28 days leave per month served. 'LMIJ 3JÂ½GIV YRPMQMXIH 'S' [MXL +EW (') )\GIPPIRX WEPEV] ERH FIRIÂ½X TEGOEKI 4IVQERIRX TSWMXMSR

%HQHÂ¼WV LQFOXGH â&#x20AC;¢ Competitive Salary â&#x20AC;¢ 4EMH :S]EKI 0IEZI â&#x20AC;¢ 6SXEXMSR -RGPYHMRK 8VEMRMRK â&#x20AC;¢ 'EVIIV %ZIVEKI 3GGYTEXMSREP 4IRWMSR 7GLIQI â&#x20AC;¢ *YPP] *YRHIH 7XYH] 0IEZI 4VSKVEQQI â&#x20AC;¢ ;SVPH 'PEWW 'SQTVILIRWMZI 8VEMRMRK 4VSKVEQQI

&KLHI 2IÂ¼FHU \ JSV 3MP 8EROIVW QYWX LEZI EX PIEWX QSRXLW I\TIVMIRGI EW 'LMIJ 3JÂ½GIV SR XEROIVW LSPHMRK ER YRPMQMXIH 'LMIJ 3JÂ½GIV [MXL 3MP (') MX would be desirable for candidates to hold a Chemical (') XSS 8VMTW EVI QSRXLW 4IVQERIRX TSWMXMSR 2nd Engineers, Gas Engineer and ETOs required JSV FSXL 3MP 8EROIVW ERH +EW 8EROIVW 3TIVEXMRK [SVPH[MHI :EVMSYW 'PMIRXW VIGVYMXMRK [MXL XVMT PIRKXLW and salaries varied. See website for full details.

'ERHMHEXIW QYWX LEZI I\TIVMIRGI EW 'LMIJ )RKMRIIV 7IGSRH )RKMRIIV SV )83 ERH LEZI E 9/ 'S' ')' 4PIEWI RSXI JSV XLMW ZEGERG] 13( VIUYMVIQIRXW HMGXEXI [LIR ]SY NSMR ]SY QYWX LEZI &VMXMWL 'MXM^IRWLMT ERH LEZI FIIR PMZMRK MR XLI 9/ JSV EX PIEWX JSYV SJ XLI TEWX Â½ZI ]IEVW

&O\GH 0DULQH 5HFUXLWPHQW ZLVKHV \RX D MR\IXO IHVWLYH VHDVRQ DQG KDSS\ QHZ \HDU *SV EPP WLSVI FEWIH NSFW TPIEWI ZMWMX

ZZZ UHGWKHFRQVXOWDQF\ FRP

FOR MORE INFORMATION

E offshore@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/offshore

/FleetwoodNauticalCampus

If you are interested in working at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, call 01253 50(4760) to register your interest or for information on current vacancies.

WWW.BLACKPOOL.AC.UK

Nautilus recruitment.indd 36

*SV 7IE KSMRK .SFW ZMWMX 'P]HI 1EVMRI 6IGVYMXQIRX

ZZZ FO\GHUHFUXLW FRP *ODVJRZ *G\QLD 6LQJDSRUH 5LJD

16/11/2016 08:42

December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

APPOINTMENTS Harbourmaster (Ports) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Shetland Islands Permanent - ÂŁ73,630 - ÂŁ81,498 Navis Consulting is pleased to be supporting Shetland Islands Council in the recruitment of a Harbourmaster to oversee the day to day operations of the Port Of Sullom Voe, Scalloway Harbour and associated minor ports in the Shetland Islands. The successful individual will enjoy a diverse and challenging role, including PDQDJHPHQW RI WKH VDIHW\ DQG VHFXULW\ RI KDUERXU RSHUDWLRQV DQG HÉ&#x161;FLHQF\ of the port. You will also contribute heavily to the development of Ports and Harbours strategies and plans. You must have experience of working in a position of authority within the Ports and Maritime industry, preferably in a similar capacity. You must also KDYH VDLOHG LQ FRPPDQG RU DV D VHQLRU RÉ&#x161;FHU KDYH H[SHULHQFH RI KDQGOLQJ vessels within a large harbour and have knowledge of PMSC. A salary of ÂŁ73,630 - ÂŁ81,498 (plus a relocation allowance) is on offer.

*You must have the right to live and work in the UK to be considered for this position.*

7R GLVFXVV WKLV SRVLWLRQ DQG WR Č´QG RXW PRUH DERXW WKH 6KHWODQG ,VODQGV Council, please contact Navis Consulting. You can also apply directly via the Shetland Islands Council portal at: www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/councils/ shetland-islands-council/jobs/team-leader-harbour-master-65454

NOT A MEMBER OF NAUTILUS INTERNATIONAL? Join now on our website Fill out the online application at:

nautilusint.org

Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my Telegraph? 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

Closing date 6th January 2017 For more information call: Michelle McGrath +44 (0) 2392 314690 or email michelle@navis-consulting.com

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

YOUR SUPPORT WILL TACKLE CHALLENGES. SALVAGE & MOORING OFFICERS ÂŁ54,000 p.a. Ref: 1511635 Bristol, South West: Stoke Gifford, South West, BS34 8JH Salvage & Mooring Officers within the MoD are responsible to the Chief Salvage & Mooring Officer for the delivery of the MoD Salvage Capability, which includes: Diving & Salvage Operations , MoD Ocean & Coastal Towing, Maritime Heavy Lift Operations, Marine Warranty Surveying, Offshore Fuelling Systems & Wreck management. The posts are based at Filton, Abbey Wood, Bristol but the duties will consist of both practical/at sea tasks as well as office based work relating to development of capabilities, research and policy. The required qualification for the posts is, Valid STCW II/2(Master Mariner) certificate of competency, or STCW III/3(Chief Engineer) certificate of competency. Succesful candidates will be required to pass a HSE dive medical and undertake an in house dive aptitude test prior to appointment and will be required to train as a HSE qualified Air Diver post appointment. The posts are categorised as safety critical and come with a Royal Navy Sponsored Reserve Obligation. For further information, please contact Mr Martin Watts DESSANMO-DTLSO@mod.uk Applications must be made online at https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi Please enter 1511635 into the Vacancy Reference field to be taken to the full job advert. Closing date: 29 December 2016. The MoD is an Equal Opportunities employer and seeks to reflect the diverse community it serves. Applications are welcome from anyone who meets the stated requirements.

A Force for Good. www.civilianjobs.mod.uk

To advertise contact Paul Wade on +44 (0)20 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk.

www.navis-consulting.com

Join the Viking crew Bringing together the best industry talent, since 1988.

Watch OfďŹ cer in the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) The Irish Coast Guard, a Division of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has vacancies for Watch OfďŹ cers at its three Rescue Coordination Centres in Dublin, Malin Head, Co Donegal and Valentia, Co Kerry. The IRCG provides a nationwide maritime emergency service as well as a variety of services to shipping and other government agencies. Watch OfďŹ cers are responsible for watch-keeping on the emergency frequencies and are required to act as Marine Alert, NotiďŹ cation and Search and Rescue Mission Coordination OfďŹ cers. They also process marine communication trafďŹ c and respond to ship casualty, pollution incidents and vessel trafďŹ c monitoring.

We have excellent career opportunities with some of the most prestigious names in the cruise and superyacht market. Positions include:

Closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3.00pm on Thursday, 5th January, 2017 For more information and to make an application please visit www.publicjobs.ie We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act. Cuirfear fĂĄilte roimh chomhfhreagras i nGaeilge

Nautilus recruitment.indd 37

â&#x20AC;˘ Captain

â&#x20AC;˘ Chief Engineers

â&#x20AC;˘ Chief Electrician

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â&#x20AC;˘ ETOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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â&#x20AC;˘ Y1 -Y4 Engineers

â&#x20AC;˘ Hotel & Guest Services Professionals

For a full list of career opportunities, visit us at vikingrecruitment.com or give us a call.

www.vikingrecruitment.com +44 (0)300 303 8191 info@vikingrecruitment.com

16/11/2016 08:42

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MGN 558 (M) — Life-saving appliances: marine evacuation systems (MES) servicing and deployments This note clarifies the MCA interpretation of requirements for SOLAS Chapter III/20.8.2: rotational deployments of marine evacuation systems (MES). It explains the roles that different parties should play, and the pass criteria for the deployment. It recommends the expansion of rotational deployment requirements to cover MES that do not fall within the scope of SOLAS but are permitted under carriage provisions in UK Statutory Instruments. MGN 558 also explains the MCA’s position on the provision of SOLAS Chapter III/20.8.1.1 to extend MES service intervals. The MCA encourages ship-specific training for the use of MES by taking advantage of the rotational deployment as a training opportunity. The Agency has reformed the reporting structure and its data collation on the success rate of sixyearly rotational deployments with the aim of making informed future policy decisions about MES. MGN 558 provides detailed guidance on the following topics related to the maintenance and deployment of MES: z extension of 12-month service provisions z deployment preparation of MES z deployment of MES and success criteria z modifications to MES z use of deployment as a training exercise z deployment and service history

STCW A

Members are being urgently reminded by the Union to ensure they have updated their STCW certificates ahead of the looming 1 January deadline. From the start of 2017, seafarers will be required to provide evidence every five years of having maintained the required standards of competence to undertake the tasks, duties and responsibilities

MGN 559 (M+F) — Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Electromagnetic Fields) Regulations 2016 This note reminds employers and shipowners that, as part of managing the health and safety of the ship, they must control the risks in the workplace under the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) Regulations 1997 (also known as ‘the General Duties Regulations’). This involves thinking about what might cause harm to people and taking reasonable steps to prevent harm — including considering any risks arising from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). In addition, the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Health and Safety at Work) (Electromagnetic Fields) Regulations 2016 require the assessment of the potential exposure of workers and seafarers to EMFs with reference to the action levels and exposure limit values. If EMF levels are not already at safe levels, action will be required to address the risks. Exemptions may be available where current best practice is applied but cannot reduce the sensory effects below the exposure limit values. MGN 559 offers detailed guidance for employers and crew members with responsibility for health and safety. It helps personnel to: z identify sources of EMFs in workplaces on ships z assess the exposure of workers to EMFs in the workplace z decide what, if anything, they may need to do to protect workers from the risk arising from exposure to EMFs z assess and control any risks from EMFs

z apply for an exemption from

relating to emergency, occupational safety and survival functions. It follows the 2010 STCW Manila Amendment.

and I cannot stress enough how important it is they ensure that they have all of their documents up to date’.

Speaking about the upcoming changes, Nautilus professional and technical assistant David Appleton said that this is the final chance for seafarers to make sure their documentation remains valid.

Charity organisation the Maritime Educational Foundation (MEF) is also offering support to seafarers with the costs of the required training if have lost their jobs in the offshore sector.

‘Time is literally running out for seafarers to update their certificates to make sure they are in line with the new STCW requirements,’ said Mr Appleton. ‘We have been encouraging our members to do this to ensure that they are ready to work come 2017

Over the past year the Telegraph has been reminding seafarers of the changes and members are advised to contact the Union’s professional and technical department via +44 (0)20 8989 6677 if they have any questions or concerns.

certain aspects of the regulations The guidance also includes information to help protect groups of employees at particular risk from high EMF levels: z expectant mothers z workers who have declared the use of active implanted medical devices, passive implanted medical devices, and body-worn medical devices z workers who work in close proximity to electro-explosive devices, explosive materials or flammable atmospheres MIN 528 (M) — Navigation: Vessel Traffic Services V103 and Local Port Services course dates 2016-2017 This notice sets out dates for the IALA V103 courses and Local Port Services (LPS) courses programmed for UK port and harbour authorities at MCAaccredited training organisations between July 2016 and July 2017.

z M-Notices are available as electronic documents or as a set of bound volumes. z A consolidated set of M-Notices is published by The Stationery Office. This contains all M-Notices current on 31 July 2015 (ISBN 978 01155 34034) and costs £210 — www.tsoshop.co.uk z Individual copies can be downloaded from the MCA website. Go to www.gov.uk/mca and click on Find marine (M) notices. z Email alerts can be sent automatically whenever an M-Notice is published or updated. To set this up, follow the instructions in MIN 515 (M+F) — Guidance for subscriptions to safety bulletins and MCA document notifications on GOV.UK.

Member meetings and seminars

Pensions

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:

Nautilus Pensions Association meetings provide a focal point for members regarding pensions

g Young Maritime Professionals Forum Next meeting to be confirmed Contact Danny McGowan: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org

g Women’s Forum Next meeting to be confirmed Contact Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org

Contact Nautilus International Nautilus International welcomes contact from members at any time. Please send a message to one of our department email addresses (see page 17) or get in touch with us at one of our offices around the world. For urgent matters, we can also arrange to visit your ship in a UK port. Please give us your vessel’s ETA and as much information as possible about the issue that needs addressing.

SINGAPORE Nautilus International 10a Braddell Hill #05-03 Singapore, 579720 Tel: +65 (0)625 61933 Mobile: +65 (0)973 10154 singapore@nautilusint.org

Northern office Nautilus International Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 Fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801 enquiries@nautilusint.org Offshore sector contact point Members working for companies based in the east of Scotland or UK offshore oil and gas sector can call: +44 (0)1224 638 882 THE NETHERLANDS Postal Address Nautilus International Postbus 8575 3009 An Rotterdam Physical Address Nautilus International Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Tel: +31 (0)10 477 1188 Fax: +31 (0)10 477 3846 infonl@nautilusint.org

FRANCE Yacht sector office in partnership with D&B Services 3 Bd. d’Aguillon 06600 Antibes, France Tel: +33 (0)962 616 140 nautilus@dandbservices.com www.dandbservices.com SPAIN Yacht sector office in partnership with dovaston C/Joan de Saridakis 2, Edificion Goya Local 1A, Marivent 07015 Palma de Mallorca, Spain Tel: +34 971 677 375 recruitment@nautilusint.org www.dovaston.com

College contacts Induction visits See www.nautilusint.org event section for dates of upcoming college visits by the Nautilus recruitment team. For further information, email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call Lee Moon on +44 (0)151 639 8454. Industrial support for cadets An industrial official is appointed to each of the main nautical colleges. In addition the industrial department is responsible for representing trainee officers in line with all

members that we represent; please contact the Union on +44 (0)20 8989 6677. Your enquiry will then be directed to the relevant industrial organiser for your employer/sponsoring company. The union also facilitates a Young Maritime Professionals Forum to provide an opportunity for young members to engage in discussions on the specific challenges facing young workers in the maritime profession. For further information, members should contact Danny McGowan at ymp@nautilusint.org.

g MNOPF and NPA pension forums Tuesday 10 January 2017 at 1030hrs, coffee served at 1000hrs, and a light lunch will be served after the meeting. Blythswood Square Hotel, 11 Blythswood Square, Glasgow, G2 4AD Further meetings have also been scheduled for 2017: Glasgow; March 2017, Belfast; June 2017, Liverpool, and September 2017, Plymouth. Keep checking the website and register. www.nautilusint.org/en/what-we-say/ events/uk-nautilus-pensions-association/ Contact: +44 (0)1293 804644.

Quiz and crossword answersACDB

Quiz answers 1. There are 144 LNG carriers in the global orderbook at present. 2. The IMO established the World Maritime University in 1983. 3. There are 59 16,000TEU-plus containerships in the world fleet. 4. The Shell Tankers fleet was first formed in 1892, when Marcus Samuel started a building programme for eight tankers, each between 5,000 to 6,000dwt. 5. The 66 VLCCs built last year were worth a total of US6.2bn. 6. A total of 6.57m people in Europe went on a cruise last year. Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 1. Julienne; 5. Devour; 9. Meanwhile; 11. Green; 12. Pathological; 15. Mail; 16. Gorgonzola; 18. Insularity; 19. Cede; 21. Cross-country; 24. Extra; 25. Dreamland; 26. Turret; 27. Eternity. Down: 1. Jump; 2. Liar; 3. Enwrap; 4. Neighbourhood; 6. Engaging; 7. Overcooked; 8. Ringleader; 10. Enlightenment; 13. Omniscient; 14. Six-shooter; 17. Glissade; 20. Primer; 22. Dali; 23. Edgy. This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph. Congratulations to Nautilus member Captain Kevin Riddick, who has won the prize draw for the November cryptic crossword. Cryptic answers from November Across: 8. Gardener; 9. Avatar; 10. Deny; 11. Panjandrum; 12. Brawny; 14. Lacrosse; 15. Peptide; 17. Idolise; 20 Intrigue; 22, Bodkin; 23. Impoverish; 24. Ties; 25. Bourse; 26. Advocate. Down: 1. Carefree; 2. Eddy; 3. Snappy; 4. Granule; 5. Balanced; 6. Hard-boiled; 7. Vales; 13. Water board; 16. Doggerel; 18. Stiletto; 19. Medical; 21. Nimrod; 22. Behove; 24. Tick.

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 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.

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SWITZERLAND Gewerkschaftshaus, Rebgasse 1 4005 Basel, Switzerland Tel: +41 (0)61 262 24 24 Fax: +41 (0)61 262 24 25 infoch@nautilusint.org

UK Head office Nautilus International 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane South Woodford, London E18 1BD Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 Fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015 enquiries@nautilusint.org

Useful organisations

Swiss Maritime Navigation Office +41 (0)61 270 91 20 www.smno.ch Swiss maritime authority.

g Professional & Technical Forum Wednesday 14 December 2016 at 1300hrs for 1330hrs Nautilus Head Office 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane South Woodford, London E18 1BD The Forum deals with a wide range of technical, safety, welfare and other professional topics of relevance to all members, including training and certification. The meeting is open to all members (UK, NL & CH). Contact Sue Willis: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 protech@nautilusint.org

International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network +44 (0)300 012 4279 www.seafarerswelfare.org Global organisation providing a 24 hour, year-round multi-lingual helpline for all seafarers’ welfare and support needs, as well as an emergency welfare fund. SAIL (Seafarers’ Information and Advice Line) 08457 413 318 +44 (0)20 8269 0921 www.sailine.org.uk UK-based citizens’ advice service helping seafarers and their families with issues such as debt, benefit

entitlements, housing, pensions and relationships. Seafarers’ Hospital Society +44 (0)20 8858 3696 www.seahospital.org.uk UK charity dedicated to the health and welfare of seafarers. Includes the Dreadnought health service. Seafarers’ Link +44 (0)1752 812674 www.communitynetworkprojects.org Telephone friendship project connecting retired UK seafarers at home through a fortnightly telephone conference service.

Seatax Ltd +44 (0)1302 364673 www.seatax.ltd.uk Company providing specialist tax advice for merchant seafarers. Marine Society +44 (0)20 7654 7050 www.marine-society.org UK charity dedicated to the learning and professional development of seafarers. Offers 120,000 books to ships through its library service, plus distance-learning programmes and scholarship schemes, including the Nautilus Slater Fund.

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December 2016 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Richard Bodenmann, Council member

‘I am quite unusual,’ says Richard Bodenmann, the Nautilus Council member representing the Swiss inland navigation section. ‘Not many people in Switzerland go to work on the waterways nowadays.’ Richard grew up in St Gallen, in the east of the country. ‘I don’t come from a family of seafarers and we didn’t have anything to do with the water, although Lake Constance is nearby,’ he says. After leaving school he worked for a while in a shop before he investigated the range of apprenticeship courses on offer. ‘I looked at the list of apprentice jobs you can do in Switzerland and noticed being a sailor

on the inland waterways and thought it sounded interesting,’ he recalls. Richard successfully secured an apprenticeship with one of the two Swiss companies which provide them. ‘I had to go to study in Duisburg, in Germany, because the school in Switzerland closed in the 1990s,’ he adds. That was 14 years ago, and three years ago he progressed to being a boatmaster — serving with Danser Shipping on the Swissflagged barge Grindelwald-Mürren. The 177m vessel can carry up to 365 containers and usually operates between the Swiss port of Basel and the Belgian port of Antwerp, and sometimes goes to Rotterdam.

The trip between Basel and Antwerp and back takes 10.5 days, and Richard works three weeks on/three weeks off, doing an eight hours on/eight hours off shift pattern onboard. ‘I like the work pattern very much,’ he says. ‘You live in your own small world when you are onboard and for three weeks you just concentrate on your work and nothing else.’ However, being the father of a young child he has recently decided to reduce his working days so that he can take on more parental duties. Richard says he also enjoys the challenges of working on the waterways —knowing the tricky areas in which to

navigate, dealing with different water depths, operating at night or in congested areas, and doing cargo work and stowage plans. And he likes working in a small team, with a crew of just five onboard his vessel. Richard got involved with the Union at an early stage in his career and he wants to see action to improve pay and conditions in the sector, and to combat unfair competition from low-cost crews. ‘For Swiss people, this job is not well paid and that it the reason why not many go for it,’ he points out. ‘The conditions are also under attack because of other nationalities who work for little money and on very poor contracts. It is a lot like the marine industry.’

Wherev er you are , so are we

Join now

CALL NOW TO JOIN NAUTILUS ON: UK: +44 (0)151 639 8454 NL: +31 (0)10 477 11 88 CH: +41 (0)61 262 24 24

Join today so we can be there for you too! Pay and conditions Nautilus International is the first truly trans-boundary trade union for maritime professionals, reflecting the global nature of the industry. We negotiate with employers on issues including pay, working conditions, working hours and pensions to secure agreements which recognise members’ skills and experience, and the need for safety for the maritime sector. Legal services Nautilus Legal offers members a range of legal services free of charge. There are specialist lawyers to support members in work related issues and a number of non-work related issues. The Union also has a network of lawyers in 54 countries to provide support where members need it most. Workplace support Nautilus International officials provide expert advice on work-related problems such as contracts, redundancy, bullying or discrimination, non-payment of wages, and pensions. Certificate protection Members are entitled to free financial protection, worth up to £118,500, against the loss

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of income if their certiﬁcate of competency is cancelled, suspended or downgraded following a formal inquiry.

training. The Union is afﬁliated to the TUC in the UK, FNV in the Netherlands and SGB/USS in Switzerland.

Extra savings Members can take advantage of many additional discounts and beneﬁts organised at a local level. These include tax advice, insurance discounts and advice on pension matters. In the Netherlands, discounts are organised through FNV, and trade union contributions are mostly tax-friendly, entitling members to receive a signiﬁcant part of their contributions back.

In touch As a Nautilus International member, help is never far away — wherever in the world you are. Ofﬁcials regularly see members onboard their ships and visit cadets at college. Further support and advice is available at regular ‘surgeries’ and conferences. The Union has ofﬁces in London, Wallasey, Rotterdam and Basel. There are also representatives based in France, Spain and Singapore.

International representation Nautilus International represents members’ views on a wide range of national and international bodies including the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations (IFSMA). We work at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on key global regulations covering working conditions, health and safety and

Join us today… Call +44 (0)151 639 8454 Visit www.nautilusint.org Email membership@nautilusint.org g For the full range of member benefits visit www.nautilusint.org

OR g Speak with our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454

Your union, your voice The Union represents the voice of more than 22,000 maritime professionals working in all sectors of the industry at sea and ashore — including inland navigation, large yachts, deepsea and offshore. For members, by members Nautilus International is a dynamic and democratic trade union offering members many opportunities to become actively involved and have your say — at a local, national and international level.

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40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | December 2016

NEWS

Princess praises new MN medal winners Bravery, dedication and exceptional services are honoured as 14 receive first state award for the Merchant Navy

Two British masters whose ship helped to rescue more than 7,000 refugees in the Mediterranean were among the recipients of the first ‘official’ Merchant Navy Medals, presented by the Princess Royal in a ceremony at Trinity House last month. Captain Nicholas McIntyre and Captain William Tripp were in command of the UK-flagged offshore standby/supply ship VOS Grace during a year-long deployment to support international humanitarian work off the Greek islands. They were commended on their ‘very highest levels of professional skills, people management, attitude and approach to a very challenging mission’. Capt Tripp died during the mission and the award was presented to his widow. The two masters were among the 14 people presented with the first MN Medals to be awarded since they became a state award last year, honouring ‘meritorious services and acts of courage afloat’. The Princess Royal said she was delighted to present the medals and she hoped they would help raise recognition of the maritime sector. ‘Seafarers are not seen enough and their importance to an island nation is not sufficiently valued,’ she told the audience. ‘Everybody ought to stop and consider where the goods they purchase come from.’ The other medal winners were: z Captain Susan Harrison — for services to shipping and the ports industry. Capt Harrison served at sea for 37 years, starting as a deckhand and now serving as harbourmaster with the Crouch Harbour Authority. She was commended as a ‘pioneer harbourmaster’ who has shown ‘selfless service and devotion to duty’ and who has encouraged and mentored young seafarers. ‘I feel extraordinarily privileged to have had a job that for 99% of the time I have enjoyed doing,’ she said. z Captain Stuart McCallum

HRH The Princess Royal with the 2016 Merchant Navy Medal recipients at Trinity House last month Picture: Mark Dalton

— for services to the Merchant Navy. Capt McCallum first went to sea as a deck boy with P&O in 1985 and spent 28 years at sea, rising to the rank of master before coming ashore to work as a marine superintendent. Now marine manager with Northlink Ferries, he was commended for his work in mentoring and supporting trainees and young seafarers, as well as providing work experience in shipping. z Captain Roger Towner — for services to seafarer certification and training. Capt Towner first went to sea in 1970, as a cadet with Trident Tankers. He spent just over 20 years at sea, moving on to Ben Line and cableships before coming ashore to work with what was to become the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, serving as chief examiner for 14 years and Registrar General of Ships and Seamen since 2008.

He was commended for his achievements in a ‘complex role’ helping to implement important international conventions as well as ‘going out of his way to help seafarers solve problems with their careers’. ‘I like dealing with seafarers and being able to provide advice to them,’ he said. z Captain Philip Rentell — for services to the Merchant Navy. Capt Rentell — who was also celebrating his 65th birthday — has 48 years of continuous seagoing service onboard a wide variety of vessels, including QE2 during the Falklands conﬂict, Palm Line, Sun Cruises and on hovercraft. Inspired to go to sea after an educational cruise onboard Dunera, he trained with British & Commonwealth and is currently master of the passengership Saga Sapphire. ‘I went to sea because I thought it was a vocation, and

now I am coming towards my retirement it is still a vocation,’ he said z Captain Peter McArthur — for services to the Merchant Navy. Capt McArthur ﬁrst went to sea in 1975 as a cadet with Denholms. ‘I had spent three years washing dishes on a paddle steamer on Loch Lomond and thought there must be a better way of making a living’. Capt McArthur went on to serve on ships including UECC car carriers and is now serving as a Manchester Ship Canal pilot. He was commended for his ‘passion for maritime safety and education’ — including the production of award-winning training in subjects such as hydrodynamics and ship handing for seafarers, as well as acting as an expert witness. ‘My passion is to make sure that no ship master will stand

in court and have their career destroyed by a pure academic,’ he said. z Bob Jones — for services to the welfare of seafarers. Mr Jones spent 11 years at sea, starting with Blue Funnel in 1965, and spent 20 years in seagoing and shorebased roles for Mobil before starting the crewing services company Sealife. Mr Jones has been chairman of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board since 2011 and was commended for having ‘worked tirelessly in a voluntary capacity’ to support a wide range of projects, including the establishment of the Merchant Navy Fund and assisting welfare boards in other countries to comply with international requirements for portbased welfare. ‘I love what I do and I am passionate about it,’ he said. ‘But the people who really deserve the medals are the ones

who do the real work — the port chaplains.’ z Captain Nicholas Jeffery — for services to the promotion of Merchant Navy careers. Capt Jeffery began his career as a cadet with P&O and went on to become a master with Star Offshore and Solent Towage, serving at sea until 2000. He was commended for his work as director of the Safe Ship Training Group and as a committee member of the British Tug Owners Association, where he developed a syllabus for deck and engineer apprentices. z Andrew Dalrymple — for services to the welfare of seafarers. After serving at sea between 1960 and 1970, Mr Dalrymple worked as a superintendent with Ross Trawlers and Svitzer Tugs. He was particularly commended for his work in support of the Humber Seafarers Service. z Captain Roger Barker — for services to the welfare of seafarers. Capt Barker served at sea for 30 years and is now director of navigational requirements at Trinity House. His work for maritime charities included being deputy chairman of Seafarers UK. z Mark Morgan — for services to the Merchant Navy and the RNLI. Mr Morgan served as senior radio-electronics officer on the MoD’s Falklands troopship Keren. He was commended for his work in developing a communications system for the RNLI and his ‘lifetime achievement and legacy’ of a man-overboard alerting system. z Captain Derek Peters — for services to the welfare of seafarers. Capt Peters first went to sea in 1953 and was commended for his work to support maritime charities and sea cadets. z Glyn Jones — for services to the Merchant Navy and the RNLI. Mr Jones served as both a deck and an engineer officer, and as a lifeboat crewman for 11 years. g Nominations for the 2017 Merchant Navy Medal are now being sought. For further details and application forms, go to the website www.gov.uk and search ‘Merchant Navy Medals’.

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16/11/2016 15:16