Nautilus Telegraph June 2015 by Redactive Media Group

A good save... Nautilus reveals plans to set up a credit union 21

The Wight stuff Cowes charity is making waves for seafarer training 24-25

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Volume 48 | Number 06 | June 2015 | £3.50 €3.70

French boxship is UK flag’s biggest Kerguelen — the largest ship F on the UK register — is pictured left The 175,688gt CMA CGM

making a maiden call to the port of Southampton last month. The 17,772TEU vessel is the first in a series of six to be delivered to the French company this year and is the third largest containership in the world, at 398m loa and 54m wide. Built by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea at a cost of £95m, CMA CGM Kergulen arrived from the French port of Le Havre, where it was officially christened. The ship has been deployed on the company’s French Asia Line (FAL), operating a 77-day rotation between Asia, the Mediterranean and North Europe, and back. During a visit to the vessel in Southampton, Maritime & Coastguard Agency chief executive Sir Alan Massey said he was

MLC ‘is starting to shift compliance’ New figures reveal the case for more action on seafarers’ working conditions, says Nautilus

Nautilus International has welcomed the findings of two reports highlighting the need to intensify global efforts to improve seafarers’ working conditions. A study produced by the International Transport Workers’ Federation shows that almost one-third of ships checked by its inspectors over a one-year timeframe were found to have problems related to the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). And a report from port state control authorities in the Asia-Pacific region warned last month that there continues to be ‘considerable room for improvement’ in seafarers’ working conditions. The ITF study looked at the results of 9,646 inspections carried out on almost 7,500 ships between 20 August 2013 and 19 August 2014, when the MLC was in force for the first 30 ratifying countries. ITF inspectors found that 2,384 vessels — 32% of the total — had MLC-related problems. Almost 42% of these related to owed wages, with breach of contract — including dismissal, repatriation and victimisa-

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tion — accounting for just over 31% of the problems. Non-compliance with international standards — including substandard accommodation, substandard food, substandard safety equipment, substandard ship, recruitment and placement, seafarer blacklisting, manning levels, minimum age, medical certificate, training and qualifications — was the third most common problem, at just over 15% of the total. While Panama — unsurprisingly as the largest flag state — had the most vessels with problems, on a proportionate basis the Cook Islands, Moldova, St Kitts & Nevis, Russia, Belize and Cambodia had the worst records, with more than 60% of their vessels inspected found to have MLC-related problems. The ITF noted that some flag states and port state authorities ‘have been bolder or more committed’ to MLC implementation and enforcement than others — with Australia and Canada standing as ‘shining examples’. Other positives include the UK Mari-

time & Coastguard Agency’s confirmation that failure to comply with MLC requirements on recruitment and placement could result in a detainable offence. The ITF also welcomed a move by Spanish port state control to require increases in manning levels to ensure compliance with MLC work and rest hour rules and Gibraltar’s decision to withhold certification from a company with a history of delayed payment of wages. ‘It cannot be said that the MLC has had a dramatic effect on eliminating seafarers’ complaints thus far, but reports would suggest that it is having a significant impact in developing a culture of cooperation between port states (and occasionally flag states) and ITF affiliates and inspectors which, it is hoped, will lead to a shift towards compliance over time,’ the report added. Meanwhile, the Tokyo MOU annual report on port state control inspections warned that while the number of substandard ships detained in 2014 was down by almost 14% from the previous year, ‘significant’ deficiencies were found in relation to working conditions.

A three-month concentrated inspection campaign found 1,589 deficiencies associated with working time requirements. Almost two-thirds of these involved inadequate work and rest hours records, 15% were related to the minimum safe manning document and a further 15% linked to shipboard working arrangements. ‘The overall results of the CIC demonstrate that considerable room for improvement exists in the areas of record keeping and labour conditions,’ the report added. Charles Boyle, head of Nautilus legal services, commented: ‘These are interesting findings that shed light on the impact that the MLC is having. We endorse the conclusion of the ITF report and believe that while it is still early days, the results so far indicate that there is a very significant level of MLCrelated non-compliance. It is clear that a lot of work needs to be done by authorities around the world to make sure that the intentions of the convention are delivered, and that seafarers’ working conditions are improved across the board.’ g Welfare call — see page 44.

delighted CMA CGM Kerguelen had been placed under the red ensign. ‘We have been working with CMA CGM for almost 10 years,’ he added. ‘They are a high quality company and, with 40 vessels and well over 3m gt on the register, they are now our largest customer.’ CMA CGM Kerguelen incorporates a range of ‘green’ features, including a twisted leading edge rudder with bulb and an optimised hull design which cut CO2 emissions by 10% compared with previous vessels. The ship operates with a crew of 26, with a French master, Croatian officers and Filipino ratings. ‘Fourteen years ago, when I commanded my first ship, it transported 4,000 containers and that was a record,’ Captain PierreGilles Coat told Le Monde. Picture: Gary Davies/Maritime Photographic

Inside F Cloudy forecast

Experts explain how the maritime cloud may change life at sea — pages 22-23 F Crash course

Chief engineer who tells marine insurers how shipping works — page 19 F Norfolk centre

Nine years of campaigning pays off as Great Yarmouth gets new seafarers’ centre — page 36 F Get set for GM

All you need to know about the Union’s 2015 General Meeting — pages i-iv

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NAUTILUS AT WORK

Charity boost for Nautilus welfare Seafarers UK donation will help fund Wallasey retirement home extension

Nautilus has given a warm welcome to an announcement from the leading maritime charity Seafarers UK that it is to provide £1.17m in funding towards the building of a major new extension to the Trinity House Hub retirement home for retired seafarers at Mariners’ Park in Wallasey, Merseyside. The announcement was made by Seafarers UK president The Earl of Wessex to 150 of the charity’s supporters and beneﬁciaries at its annual meeting at Mansion House last month. The new Seafarers UK Centenary Wing will provide 22 single and double occupancy rooms for retired and elderly Merchant Navy and Royal Navy seafarers and their dependants, and is due to open by the late spring of 2017, during the charity’s 100th anniversary year. The Trinity House Hub was formally opened by the Princess Royal in April 2014. The state-ofthe-art building includes community facilities and 18 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The site also features a café, a spa, a gym and hairdresser’s salon.

The Trinity House Hub at Mariners’ Park in Wallasey

‘We are hugely grateful to Seafarers UK for this generous donation,’ said Nautilus assistant general secretary Mike Jess. ‘The ﬁrst phase of the Hub has delivered superb facilities for residents and the additional apartments will meet a real and growing need for high quality housing for retired seafarers,’ he added. ‘With a 24-hour care staff team on site, it will be able to support “a balanced community” of those with low, medium and high needs.’ The capital project grant will be provided over three years (2015 to 2017) and will give the Nautilus Welfare Fund — the charity which operates the Mariners’ Park Estate

— the majority of the funding it needs for the design and building work for the new facilities. The remainder of the funds will then be raised by the Nautilus Welfare Fund, as well as through further fundraising by Seafarers UK. The Seafarers UK Centenary Wing is one of three legacy projects that Seafarers UK will be fundraising for as part of its Centenary Appeal, which will focus on supporting the seafarers of the past, present and future and is to be formerly launched later in the year. The charity’s director-general, Commodore Barry Bryant, commented: ‘Seafarers UK has always

been focused on helping those in need across the entire maritime community, but in particular the UK’s older, retired and veteran seafarers, and their dependants, have always been a key focus of our charitable work. ‘Over the next few years, and as we lead up to our centenary, we want to do even more to highlight the extraordinary contribution to this island nation of our seafarers — both past and present. And, just as importantly, we intend to promote the opportunities that exist for the young seafarers of tomorrow.’ At the meeting, Seafarers UK also launched its 2014/15 Impact Report, highlighting that last year the charity awarded £2.48m in funding, helping more than 170,000 people. It achieved this by providing 93 grants to 70 key maritime projects and organisations in the UK and overseas, which in turn provided welfare and education services to those serving and exseafarers most in need, and their dependants. g To see the full report, visit www. seafarers.uk/publications

Minister proposes MCA talks on enclosed space dangers from the UK government to its call for a new F initiative to combat the horrifying scale of deaths in Nautilus has welcomed a positive response

enclosed spaces onboard merchant ships. The Union wrote to former shipping minister John Hayes calling for action following the death of two officers in a hold onboard the Isle of Manflagged general cargoship Sally Ann C off west Africa in March. Since then, three dock workers died in the hold of a ship in the port of Antwerp and one seafarer died in the hold of a Polish-flagged ship in Denmark. Three other crew members had to be taken to hospital after being found unconscious onboard the 5,796gt Corina in the port of Hanstholm. Investigators suggested the men may have been

affected by oxygen depletion caused by the wood pellet cargo. In response to Nautilus, the minister said he shared the Union’s concerns about the continuing fatalities in enclosed spaces. He said he also doubted whether new rules requiring enclosed space entry drills and training every two months, as well as the mandatory carriage of atmosphere testing equipment, would eradicate the problem. ‘As with most safety issues, there are a number of factors contributing to the death toll, not least of which is the recognition by seafarers that almost any space on a ship, in certain conditions, may pose a risk,’ Mr Hayes wrote. He told the Union the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency is strengthening guidance on risk

assessment and guidance for entry into enclosed spaces as part of its review of the code of safe working practices for merchant seafarers. The MCA is also planning a further awareness campaign, he added, and this will be linked to a port state control concentrated inspection campaign due to be carried out later this year. Mr Hayes suggested Nautilus and the MCA could explore further improvements in a jointly-run discussion forum with the Chamber of Shipping. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said he was pleased by the minister’s positive response. ‘As recent tragic incidents have demonstrated, this is a remarkably important issue and we hope that we can progress new ideas for tackling this longstanding problem,’ he added.

Federation addition like-minded unions has been F boosted with the addition of the The Nautilus Federation of

Belgium-based ACV-Transcom Water union. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson is pictured with the union’s president, Katrien Verwimp, signing the agreement. Nautilus and ACV-Transcom have agreed to work together within the framework of the Federation on the range of priorities for the inland waterways sector, including the possibility of joint membership events and targets for recruitment and organising. The unions will also cooperate on activities within the freight transport and river cruise sectors and progressing ITF and European Transport Workers’ Federation policies for the sector.

The fourth meeting of the Federation was held in Perth last month and attended by all seven current member unions, including ACV-Transcom. Observers and guests attended from the Marine Engineers Benevolent Association (MEBA), the Seafarers Union of Croatia (SUC) and the Australian Institute of Marine and Power Engineers (AIMPE). ‘Progress was made on developing our practical support for members to combat criminalisation and in response to the ITF Seafarers’ Charter concerning the minimum services to be provided to nondomiciled seafarers serving under collective agreements signed by ITF-affiliated trade unions,’ Mr Dickinson said.

Yemen agreement F

Nautilus has helped to negotiate a new warlike operations area agreement for UK shipping in response to the ‘unstable security situation in the Republic of Yemen’. Agreed by unions and owners at the national warlike operations area committee, the agreement covers all ports in the Republic of Yemen to the west of the 45°E line of longitude, and the waters within their port limits. Under the agreement, seafarers

have the right to sign off ships bound for the ‘at risk’ zone and operators are required to make 100% bonus payments to crew members for each day that their ship is within the area. The agreement — which is effective from 1 May 2015 and will be reviewed by the committee no later than the end of September 2015 — also covers improved compensation for death or detention of any seafarer working on a vessel in the ‘at risk’ zone, along with safeguards for personal life assurance policies.

Special savings with Nautilus Plus unrivalled professional protection and a F range of specialist services, but also access to

Nautilus membership not only gives you

Nautilus Plus — an exclusive portfolio of moneysaving discounts. Specially-developed to support members both personally and professionally, Nautilus Plus benefits are automatically available as part of your membership. There is no sign up process, nor any extra charge to access the benefits. This month’s highlights include: z Market-leading foreign exchange Nautilus members are eligible to claim a free FairFX Prepaid Currency Card, normally worth £9.95.

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Load your card with Euros or US Dollars at highly competitive exchange rates and use it abroad like any other payment card. Avoid rip-off rates from banks, high street bureaux de changes and airports, and discover the smart way to spend abroad. And get £5 extra free when you order your first card.* z Discount car hire Affordable Car Hire work with 500 car rental partners in more than 15,000 worldwide locations to offer great value for money. Nautilus members receive an additional 12% discount*. z Hotel and travel deals Hotel Exclusives is a members’ only hotel and

travel discount site. Members can receive handpicked hotel deals that range from 25% up to a massive 75% off throughout the year. Through Nautilus Plus, Nautilus members receive an extra 5% saving off all hotels*. z Access these benefits, and many more besides, via Nautilus Plus on the Union’s website: www.nautilusint.org *Terms and conditions apply to all benefits. See website for details. Offers and prices subject to change without notice. FairFX subject to minimum load of £50, €60 or $75. New customers only. g Nautilus Plus is managed on behalf of Nautilus by Parliament Hill Ltd.

Nautilus officials Lisa Carr, Paul Schroder, Jonathan Havard and Danny McGowan joined 5,000 trade unionists from across the UK at the annual May Day rally in London to mark International Workers Day last month

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NAUTILUS AT WORK

Ceremonies for Lusitania’s loss an onboard ceremony last month A to mark the centenary of the loss of Cunard’s Queen Victoria staged

the passengership Lusitania — 100 years to the day after the vessel was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland with the loss of 1,195 lives. Relatives of those who died and survived the incident threw wreaths into the water in the early hours of Thursday 7 May as the ship paused over the site of the wreck, off the Old Head of Kinsale, near Cobh. Queen Victoria’s master, and Commodore of the Cunard fleet, Christopher Rynd cast a wreath on behalf of the 401 officers and ratings who died in the incident, followed by Cunard chairman David Dingle on behalf of the company. Third to throw a wreath — on behalf of all those working onboard — was second engineer George Harrison, whose great grandfather was working in Lusitania’s engineroom at the time the ship was torpedoed. The final wreath was cast by Queen Victoria passenger Alan Gibson, whose great-uncle was one of the victims onboard Lusitania. Further commemorations took place ashore in Commodore Christopher Rynd and second engineer George Harrison, centre, with other crew members from the the port town of Cobh. Cunard ship Queen Victoria pay tribute at a memorial in Cobh to the victims of the loss of the Lusitania

Maritime earns £10bn for UK Nautilus says new figures offer ‘timely reminder’ of the industry’s value

Nautilus has welcomed new research showing that the maritime sector is worth almost £10bn a year to the UK economy and supports around one in every 66 jobs in the nation. Produced by Oxford Economics, the report values the combined direct contribution of the UK maritime services sector — including the shipping, ports and business services industries — at £9.9bn in 2013. The sector directly employed a total of 239,200 people in 2013 — 0.7% of UK jobs — and supported around 489,400 people in employment, the study says. As well as contributing around 0.6% of the UK economy’s total output, the combined direct contribution of maritime industries to the exchequer was valued at £2.5bn. The report says maritime services are particularly important to the economies of Scotland, Northern Ireland and NE England. In Scotland, it says, the sector supported an estimated 2.6% of the country’s GDP and 2.3% of employment. Oxford Economics said the ﬁgures are likely to err on the conservative side, as they exclude sectors such as North Sea oil and gas extraction, the manufacture of marine equipment, and the naval defence industry. But the study also warns of a worrying decline in UK shipping

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UK has another new shipping minister shipping minister following F the May general election — and

Nautilus has written to him to call for an early meeting to discuss concerns including seafarer employment and training and the decline in UK-flagged shipping. Scarborough & Whitby MP Robert Goodwill, pictured right, was confirmed as minister with responsibilities including maritime, replacing John Hayes — who had held the post since July 2014. A farmer, and former MEP, Mr Goodwill has served on the House of Commons transport committee and became a Parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department for Transport in October 2013. In the MPs’ register of interests,

Mr Goodwill declares himself a shipowner — a reference to his purchase of the historic Scarborough pleasure ship Coronia in January

2012 after the previous owners ran into financial problems. In a letter welcoming Mr Goodwill into his new job, Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said he hoped a meeting could be arranged soon to discuss the challenges facing the UK maritime sector. ‘I am conscious that the Maritime Growth Study should provide us with a blueprint for the future of our maritime industries and services — and we have made a detailed contribution to its work — but I am also conscious of the pressing need to consider other developments, such as the drastic impact of the downturn in the offshore oil and gas sector on our seafaring skills base,’ Mr Dickinson added.

industry performance between 2011 and 2013, with its contribution to GDP falling from £5.6bn to £3bn, and direct employment down by nearly 20,000 jobs. The overall direct contribution of the ports, shipping and maritime business services industries to GDP fell by nearly £4bn over the same period. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said the ﬁndings should serve as a ‘timely reminder’ for the new government of the importance of the

maritime sector. ‘We look forward to working with the industry and the new shipping minister to ensure that the UK continues to support and enhance our industry,’ he added. ‘Crucially, however, that strategic objective requires recognition of the importance of British seafarers and ﬁrm action to address the critical skills shortages, along with a commitment to ensure secure and rewarding employment for those British seafarers currently working in our industry.

‘I look forward to the outcome of the Maritime Growth Study for details of the government’s plans to support British shipping and expand maritime training and employment.’ Maritime UK chairman Alderman The Lord Mountevans urged the government to give ‘careful consideration’ to the report’s ﬁndings. ‘If strong and decisive action is not taken, then there is a great risk that a massive opportunity for economic growth could be lost,’ he added.

The UK has yet another new

shortreports. PORTS PLEA: European shipowners have urged MEPs to come up with a new package of proposed reforms to port services. Two previous packages have been rejected, but the European Community Shipowners’ Associations want to see a fresh attempt to address ‘restrictive practices and legal obstacles that continue to hamper access to services in several EU ports’. They have also urged MEPs to ensure that pilotage, towage, mooring and cargo-handling services are not excluded from any new regulation. SHORT CHANGE: a group of European shipping industry bodies have urged EU member states to revitalise shortsea shipping policy. In a joint letter to governments and the European Commission, they call for action to remove administrative and regulatory ‘burdens’ that prevent the environmental benefits offered by the sector from being realised. In particular, they want an end to the ‘outdated’ policy that deems a coastal cargo moving more than 12 miles offshore to lose its ‘community’ status. LASHING CAMPAIGN: a new global campaign on lashing safety has been launched by the International Transport Workers’ Federation. Terje Samuelsen, chair of the European Transport Workers’ Federation dockers’ section, said the initiative had been taken in response to a growing number of cases, especially on feeder ships and ferries, where crew members lash and unlash cargo. Seafarers are putting their lives at risk by doing work for which they have not been properly trained, he warned. IRISH OPPORTUNITY: Ireland could create almost 10,000 new jobs by 2020 if it adopts policies to exploit the growth of the marine economy, a new report has suggested. The study, produced for the Irish government, points to growing demand for engineers, boat handling skills and hydrographic surveyors, and it highlights a lack of awareness about possible careers in the maritime sector. ANCHOR ALERT: the US Coast Guard has warned owners and operators of the need to ensure proper maintenance of ships’ anchors following a case in which a vessel’s hull was punctured by its starboard anchor, causing $1m worth of damage. During repairs, it was discovered that the anchor windlass brake pad had worn down to just 2mm to 3mm thickness. BALLAST BLAST: the International Chamber of Shipping has expressed ‘dismay’ at the United States decision to pursue unilateral ballast water rules. The owners’ group says the US decision to deny the IMO Ballast Water Management convention legitimacy in its own waters is creating uncertainty over the introduction of the treaty. ELECTRIC VOTE: the 80m Norwegian ferry Ampere — described as the world’s first large fully electric vessel — has won the 2015 Seatrade Clean Shipping Award. The ferry — which can carry up to 360 passengers and 120 cars — has a 1MWH lithiumpolymer battery pack onboard that can be charged in 10 minutes. CRUISE DEFECTS: problems with fire doors not opening properly were the most common defects found on cruiseships during US Coast Guard inspections last year. Impeded means of escape was the second most frequent deficiency, followed by drills and crew training issues, and problems with lifeboats and rescue boats. CERTIFICATE ARRESTS: three people were arrested in Dhaka, Bangladesh, last month for their alleged involvement in producing fake seafarers’ certificates. Police said they had recovered 93 fake discharge certificates, 71 certificates of competency, seven certificates of proficiency and 150 stamps. MEGA ORDER: the Korean yard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has confirmed that it is in talks with Maersk Line for a $1.7bn order for up to 11 ‘mega’ containerships at a total price of US $1.7bn.

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NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports ENVIRONMENTAL MEETING: Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr is advising members employed by the Natural Environment Research Council, not to vote on contractual changes to their contracts as these have not been negotiated with the Union. Ms Carr explained that the changes to members employed on ships operated by NOCS-NMFSS had been negotiated by a separate union group which did not include Nautilus. A meeting had been arranged with the joint unions and the company to confirm what changes had been proposed but this was subsequently cancelled. Ms Carr is currently awaiting a new date for a meeting and will inform members when this is confirmed. HAL RECRUITMENT: members of the Union’s organising team including Lisa Carr, Danny McGowan, Maarten Keuss, and Peter Jager were due to meet members onboard Holland American Line ships as the Telegraph went to press. This is part of a new recruitment programme launched at the company and the Union representatives hope to meet as many members, and prospective members, as possible over the coming months.

Pay talks for Intrada Ships management (above) and members (below) serving on vessels A managed by Intrada Ships Management. The meetings were to discuss

TUC hits out at new curbs on strike ballots

Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr is pictured meeting with

the company’s pay offer which included an average 2% pay increase, with some increases being 1% and the highest being 3%. Ms Carr stressed to management that Nautilus did not support differentials in pay awards, but accepted the company’s concerns about recruitment and retention in some ranks. Members have until Friday 29 May to accept or reject the offer.

RED CHANGES: members employed by Red Funnel have been advised that they will now be represented by industrial organiser Paul Schroder. Mr Schroder is planning to visit members in the fleet as soon as possible.

Scottish college visit

government plans to push A ahead with reforms to the right to

The TUC has condemned UK

strike laws in light of an outright election win for the Conservative Party at last month’s general election. New business secretary Sajid Javid confirmed plans to require a minimum turn-out of 50% for trade union ballots to be valid — and with a minimum 40% voting in favour. A legitimate vote in favour of strike action would lapse after three or six months, requiring members to be balloted again. The measures are likely to be introduced in the government’s first Queen’s speech and be among the first legislation to be debated by the new parliament. The TUC criticised the decision and pointed out to the minister that he had only secured 38% of the vote in his own election. ‘This is a government not on the side of hard-working people, but Britain’s worst bosses — those who want their staff to be on zero-hours

CalMac moves over pensions Unions raise concern over timescale for reform plans with staff at the Scottish Maritime Academy (formerly Banf & Buchan F College and now part of North East Scotland College) in Peterhead.

Nautilus senior assistant organiser Lee Moon is pictured above meeting

The college runs refresher training for the offshore support sector and courses for the fishing industry, including conversion to merchant certificates. It has just been approved by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to run its first STCW trainee officer courses and will be launching these in September. The college has invited the Union to run its very successful bullying and harassment seminar as part of the students’ induction.

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Nautilus representatives have been involved in further talks organised by the Scottish TUC and Caledonian MacBrayne Crewing to discuss future pension arrangements for members. Unions and management have been undertaking a series of meetings to ensure that pension arrangements for CalMac members will be protected if the company is privatised or the contract for provision of ferries services to the Western Isles and the Clyde is lost. However, despite these ongoing meetings CalMac management called a further meeting last month to discuss the £60m deﬁcit and restructuring of the scheme. The company says it

wants to ‘improve the ﬁnancial affordability and longer term sustainability of the scheme’. In response, the STUC arranged an urgent meeting with Transport Scotland cabinet secretary Keith Brown to discuss the proposals and the timetable for introduction. Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth said the unions were disappointed by the company’s move and at the ‘unreasonable and unrealistic’ timetable it had proposed. But, he said, the meeting with Mr Brown was positive and that the minister had listened to the concerns raised — especially in relation to the proposed deadline for agreement of reform of the fund by mid-November.

The Scottish government was due to send formal proposals to the Union by the end of May. These will be forwarded to pension experts for their opinion and the unions will request a further meeting if necessary. z CalMac is staging a series of 24 meetings in mainland and island ports to get the views of the public on future ferry services. ‘We are working hard to retain the CHFS contract next October, which is why we are seeking the views of the real experts — the people who rely on this service day in, day out,’ said Martin Dorchester, chief executive of David MacBrayne. ‘It is vital that we listen to the views of our passengers if we are to submit a bid deserving of winning the next contract.’

Partnership talks for Fleet F

The partnership at work committee (PAW) representing members employed by Fleet Maritime Services and serving onboard Cunard and P&O Cruises vessels held its second meeting of the year at the end of April. The meeting discussed travel and rotations, benefits, and trials for the new competency framework.

Further PAW meetings are planned for 4 June, 23 July, 18 August, 29 October and 3 December. Nautilus industrial organiser Paul Schroder will also be undertaking a number of ship visits across the year with the aim of visiting every ship in the fleet. Visits are planned for: z Arcadia and Ventura on 17 July in Bergen

z Britannia on 28 July in Lisbon z Queen Elizabeth on 29 July in Lisbon

z Azura on 19 October in Lisbon z Adonia on 20 October in Lisbon z Aurora and Queen Victoria on 31 October in Gibraltar

z Oceana on 2 November in Gibraltar z Oriana and Queen Mary 2 on 12 December in Lisbon

contracts, poverty pay and unable to effectively organise in a union so that they can do something about it,’ said general secretary Frances O’Grady. ‘The government’s proposals on union ballots will make legal strikes close to impossible,’ she added. ‘Union negotiators will be left with no more power than Oliver Twist when he asked for more. After five years of falling living standards, the prospects for decent pay rises have just got a whole lot worse.’ Britains biggest union, Unite, said the plans were a ‘bad error’ that will hit ‘many of the working people who voted Conservative’ and said there were better ways to improve the mechanisms for industrial action ballots, such as electronic voting and ballots at the workplace. Nautilus has been campaigning for a move to allow electronic voting in union ballots and called on the business secretary to look at the possibility of online voting alongside the new legislation.

EU makes progress on rights fresh progress towards the F introduction a new European Nautilus has welcomed

directive which removes the longstanding exemption of seafarers from key parts of EU employment law. The European Council met the European Commission and the European Parliament last month to agree proposals put forward by the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) and the European Commission. ‘The adoption of the agreement in trialogue marks a very positive outcome that will ensure that the exclusion of seafarers from some key employment and social rights is removed and seafarers can enjoy their right to protection, information and consultation and their right to fair and just working conditions,’ said Nautilus general secretary and EFT spokesman Mark Dickinson. European Parliament rapporteur Elisabeth Morin-Chartier said the new directive would represent a ‘clear balance between the inherent special features of this professional sector and the high importance to ensure equal treatment for seafarers’. The amendments will make some key EU directives applicable to merchant shipping in all EU member states — especially those covering information and consultation of employees in the EU. The agreement now needs to be formally endorsed by the European Parliament’s employment committee and plenary session, then by the Council of Ministers.

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NAUTILUS AT WORK

shortreports ORKNEY OFFER: Nautilus and RMT have met with Orkney Council to continue discussions on members’ pay and conditions claim. At the meeting an offer of 1.25% was made, but was rejected by the trade unions on behalf of members as it fell short of aspirations. A further meeting is being arranged to take place before the end of June and members will be updated via a bulletin. PRINCESS VISITS: a new series of ship visits is being planned to meet members serving onboard Princess Cruises vessels. Nautilus national secretary Jonathan Havard will be visiting the following ships: Royal Princess in Greenock, 14 July; Sea Princess in Greenock, 16 July; Island Princess in Barcelona, 21 July; and Caribbean Princess in Barcelona, 22 July. Nautilus national secretary Jonathan Harvard and RFA liaison officer Russell Downs are pictured meeting members onboard RFA Lyme Bay in Falmouth last month to discuss aspirations for the forthcoming pay and conditions review. Mr Havard said that the recent discussions around the Future Development Programme have raised a number of issues which he is keen to take forward into in the pay negotiations. RFA members have until Tuesday 9 June to provide any other views for the claim.

MFL overturns banning order French operator in appeal court victory against UK competition authority

The French operator MyFerryLink (MFL) has claimed a ‘momentous’ victory in its legal fight against the UK competition authorities. It has won a surprise success in its appeal against a Competition Appeal Tribunal ruling in January which would have banned the company from running on the Dover-Calais route with three former SeaFrance ships. The ban had followed a Competition & Market Authority (CMA) investigation into Eurotunnel’s ownership of the service, which officials said broke monopoly rules by giving it more than 50% of the cross-Channel market. The Court of Appeal upheld the appeal by SCOP, the workers’ collective operating the crossChannel service, by a two to one majority. The French seafaring unions welcomed the ‘clear legal victory’ and said they hoped that the ‘political harassment’ of the company would now come to an end. MFL chief executive JeanMichel Ciguet commented: ‘The decision of the Court of Appeal is very comprehensive, exposing fatal flaws in the CMA’s analysis. The decision represents a significant victory both for our

dedicated employees and for our customers, who will continue to beneﬁt from healthy competition on the shortsea route. ‘This should now spell the end of the road for the CMA’s attempts to suppress the MyFerryLink business, which has always sought to deliver a high quality and reliable service for its customers.’ However, the CMA was given 15 days in which to decide whether it wants to appeal the ruling. It promised to study the judgment carefully before determining its next steps. DFDS said it was ‘highly surprised with the ruling, which runs counter to the consistent ﬁndings of the UK competition authorities and specialist appeal body since 2012’. Nautilus national ferry organiser Micky Smyth said he was disappointed by the ruling. ‘This saga seems to have gone on as long as Coronation Street and at a very high cost to the taxpayer and the travelling public. ‘We believe that the original decision was the right one,’ he added. ‘There is over-capacity on the route and this service undermines our members’ employment by providing unfair competition.’

HEYN REJECTION: members employed by Heyn Engineering Solutions and serving onboard RV Corystes have rejected a pay and conditions offer from the company. The offer included a pay increase of 0.5% and industrial organiser Lisa Carr has written to the company to inform them of the rejection and to seek a further meeting. MADOG MEETING: Nautilus industrial organiser Paul Schroder has met P&O Maritime to discuss the pay and conditions claim for members serving onboard Prince Madog. Mr Schroder is currently awaiting a formal response to the meeting and this will be sent to members for consultation when it has been received. EUROPEAN MEETING: a pay and conditions has been submitted on behalf of members employed by P&O Maritime Services and serving onboard European Supporter. The claim is for a substantial pay rise above inflation and for a resolution to other outstanding contractual matters. FAIR PAY: a pay and conditions offer has been accepted on behalf of members employed by Fairmont Shipping Vancouver and serving onboard MOL vessels. The offer included a 1% pay increase and the next review date is 1 April 2016. INTERNATIONAL ASPIRATIONS: Nautilus members employed by International Marine Transportation are being asked to give the Union their views on the contents of this year’s pay and conditions claim ahead of the 1 July review date. MERSEY MEMBERS: members employed by Mersey Docks and Harbour company as VTS officers are being asked for their pay and conditions aspirations ahead of a 1 June review date.

Nautilus visits DFDS ships

ABSOLUTE AGREEMENT: Nautilus members employed by Absolute Shipping have agreed the company’s 2% pay and conditions offer. The uplift will be backdated to 1 April 2015.

Danny McGowan visited members onboard the Dunkirk Seaways, A above, and Dover Seaways, below to discuss the recent DFDS pay review.

Nautilus industrial organiser Lisa Carr and senior assistant organiser

The company’s offer — including a 2% pay increase backdated to 1 January 2015 and a 0.5% increase in pension contributions from 1 January 2015, with a further 0.5% increase from January 2016 — was accepted by members. The maximum cap for travel expenses was also raised to £164, from 1 May 2015. The Tube, 86 North Street Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8RA

DELIVERY WORLDWIDE

ITF criticises Seatruck Workers’ Federation’s fair F practices committee (ITF FPC)

The International Transport

has condemned the ‘continued exploitation of seafarers’ serving with Seatruck Ferries. Meeting last month, the committee said it was ‘appalled and disgusted’ by Seatruck’s refusal to comply with Scottish ferry industry standards when its vessel Clipper

04-05_at work.indd 5

Ranger was sub-contracted by Caledonian MacBrayne last year. The committee said that the ‘destabilising’ behaviour of Seatruck was undermining pay, jobs and terms and conditions in the Scottish ferry sector and said it strongly supported the need to prevent discrimination on seafarers’ employment standards on national flag vessels operating in domestic shipping.

Q Braids Q Work Wear Q Tropical Wear Q Cadet Uniforms Q Officers Uniforms

19/05/2015 19:20

06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

OFFSHORE NEWS

shortreports TECHNIP WATCHING: Nautilus national secretary Steve Doran has confirmed that concerns have been raised by some members over contracts for a number of Technip vessels which are due to end in the near future. It is expected that efforts to re-assign all T-MOS managed core personnel into other fleet positions will be arranged and nominated resources managers will provide more detail in due course. BIBBY TECHS: a pay and conditions claim has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Bibby Ship Management as dive techs on the DSV agreement. The claim includes a pay increase above RPI, the introduction of a pension scheme and a review of the grading system. Industrial organiser Derek Byrne is currently seeking a meeting to discuss the claim. HAVILA CLAIM: a pay and conditions claim has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Havila Marine. The claim includes a pay increase above RPI and an increase in the Brazilian bonus. Industrial organiser Derek Byrne has spoken to the company about the claim and is currently awaiting a date for a meeting to discuss it futher. MAERSK REJECTION: a pay and conditions offer has been rejected by members employed by Maersk Offshore and serving onboard offshore supply vessels. The offer included a 0.5% increase in pay, and national secretary Steve Doran has raised these issues with the company and requested an improved offer. NKOSSA REJECT: a pay and conditions offer has been rejected by members employed by Maersk Offshore and serving onboard Nkossa II. The offer included a 1.5% increase in pay, and national secretary Steve Doran has asked that the company look at making a revised offer which can be accepted by members. BIBBY CREW: a pay and conditions claim has been submitted on behalf of members employed by Bibby Ship Management as marine crew on the DSV agreement. The claim includes a pay increase above RPI, the introduction of a pension scheme and an increase in seniority increments. BPOS REVIEW: members employed by Seacor Marine and serving onboard BPOS vessels are being consulted on a pay and conditions offer, with increases ranging from 2% to 6%. The company added that the differentials in pay were due to shortages in some ranks. VROON DATES: following legal advice, Nautilus has told members serving with Deeside on Vroon Offshore Services vessels that it will not be possible to challenge the company over changes in the pay review implementation dates.

New ship for Sealion fleet construction vessel Toisa A Patroklos, which is presently nearing

Pictured right is the multipurpose

completion at the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea. Launched in March and scheduled for delivery in the summer, the 150m loa ship is a customised version of the Ulstein Deepwater Enabler design and is the largest vessel yet to feature the X-Bow hullform. To be managed by UK-based Sealion Shipping, the DP3

vessel is designed for worldwide operations in the oil and gas sector, ultra-deepwater installation and construction, flexible lay, pipe and cable lay, and topside construction support. The design features heavylift capabilities with active heave compensation, two ROV moonpools and one large moonpool, two AHC cranes, up to 50t per sq m deck strength, and accommodation for up to 250 people.

PSV near-miss sparks alarm Safety forum voices concern over increase in incidents

Concerns over serious marine incidents within 500m installation safety zones in the North Sea have intensified with a report of a ‘high potential near-miss’ involving a platform support vessel. A safety flash issued by the Marine Safety Forum (MSF) said the latest case involved a member of the installation’s deck crew removing the radius transponder from its position on the rig while the vessel was alongside in DP mode. ‘Had the second officer not sighted the rig crew removing the transponder and the master not deselected the unit from the

DP desk, there was a clear risk for a high potential incident,’ the report states. ‘Interfering with a transponder has the potential to cause a loss of signal, degradation of the signal quality, degradation of the position accuracy or — if operating at an FPSO — the system may switch from “follow target” to “ﬁxed position” as has been seen recently in the US Gulf,’ it warns. The MSF said the case highlighted concerns about a general lack of understanding about marine operations on installations. It advised vessels utilising such transponders to mark them with a statement along the lines

of ‘do not move without prior permission of the attending vessel’. The forum said it is working with Step Change in Safety in a bid to tackle underlying problems such as communications between installations and vessels, lack of marine awareness and competency on both vessels and platforms, crane operations, time alongside installation, hose work management, dropped objects and the administrative burden on vessel crews. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson says underlying issues such as experience, training and working hours also need to be examined.

North Star’s new safety win Bruce and members of the A company’s QHSE team are pictured

North Star Shipping MD Callum

celebrating their latest success in the British Safety Council’s annual awards. The company won one of the BSC’s International Safety Awards for the 14th consecutive year — and for the second year running with distinction — for its work to cut workplace injuries and work-related ill health. North Star Shipping was also given a five star rating following an occupational health and safety audit conducted by the BSC, while Bill Innes — who works onboard the ERRV Grampian Dynasty — was shortlisted for its Health and Safety Champion Award for 2015.

BIBBY OFFSHORE: a pay freeze has been accepted on behalf of members employed by Bibby Ship Management on the BP Offshore vessels agreement. OCEAN SUPPLY: Ocean Supply Guernsey has informed the Union that it is not in a position to offer a pay increase this year.

BP ARRC redundancies management after almost F 90 redundancies were announced Nautilus is negotiating with

following BP’s decision to end the use of Autonomous Rescue and Recovery Craft (ARRC). BP said that a review of its offshore response and rescue operations had determined that many of the eight ARRCs are ‘under-utilised’ and it had decided to remove them from service

06_offshore.indd 6

and ‘more efficiently utilise’ its four Regional Support Vessels (RSVs). The decision — effective from 1 May — affects 86 seafaring jobs on the ARRCs and Nautilus has been in talks with Bibby Ship Management, which provides technical and crewing management for the vessels. The 120-plus posts on the RSVs are not affected, the company said. Nautilus industrial organiser Derek

Byrne said Bibby is seeking to mitigate the impact of the decision and to keep job losses to a minimum. He is also having regular meetings with the company to secure the best possible deal for members affected. The Union has called on BP to clarify how it will ensure the provision of full SAR capability after the withdrawal of the ARRCs and the Jigsaw helicopter.

Talks over GulfMark job losses GulfMark Guernsey over job F losses arising from a large costNautilus is in talks with

cutting exercise in the Gulf Offshore fleet. GulfMark said the current economic environment is resulting in fleet reductions — starting with the sale of Highland Vanguard last year, the sale of North Truck early this year and the return to owners of the FD Indomitable. The company is also considering the cold lay-up of both the Highland Spirit and Highland Star. GulfMark had originally stated that it would be seeking to make around 40 positions redundant and would seek voluntary redundancies in the first instance. This was later revised to be nearer 130, with the final figure depending on operational changes and any resignations which may occur across the company. Industrial organiser Gary Leech said he had urged the company to increase the redundancy package to make it more attractive for volunteers to consider. However, this had been rejected by management on the basis that no additional funding could be made available.

Subsea 7 to seek major cutbacks F

Subsea 7 has announced a package of cuts — including a 20% reduction in the workforce and the disposal of as many as 11 vessels — in response to the market downturn. The company says that as many as 2,500 jobs will go and its fleet will be downsized over the coming 12 months, based on a mixture of non-renewal of charter vessels and either disposal or stacking of owned vessels. Nautilus has not yet been informed whether any members’ jobs are at risk. Despite the cost-cutting programme, Subsea 7 has agreed a 2.8% pay increase for members. The increase only applies to legacy Subsea 7 employees and Nautilus will continue to negotiate with the company to have the former Acergy employees covered by the CBA. The company has also signalled the intention to introduce a more structured salary scheme in the future, rather than awarding a fixed percentage.

19/05/2015 18:47

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07

NEWS

Campus review puts Warsash future in doubt has confirmed that it is F considering plans to close its facilities

Southampton Solent University

Vanguard is pictured in Rotterdam last A month after loading the UK-flagged Floating

The Dutch-owned heavylift vessel Dockwise

Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO)

Armada Intrepid in a four-hour operation in the port of Rotterdam. The 91,738gt Dockwise Vanguard is transporting the FPSO to Indonesia. With a length

of 245m, the 86,074gt FPSO is the longest cargo carried by the heavylift ship since it entered into service in February 2013. Picture: Danny Cornelissen

Widow wins in BP death case Company was wrong to assume officer had committed suicide, court rules

Nautilus has welcomed a UK Supreme Court ruling that a shipping company was wrong to have refused to pay $260,000 in compensation to the widow of a seafarer because it decided that he had committed suicide. In a three to two majority judgement, the court held that ‘convincing evidence’ was required for a company to decide that the ‘inherent improbability’ of suicide had taken place. The case was brought by the widow of chief engineer Renford Braganza, who disappeared in the middle of the Atlantic in May 2009 while serving onboard the BP oil tanker British Utility. An internal BP inquiry had concluded that Mr Braganza had most likely committed suicide by jumping from the ship. The general manager of the BP company which employed the ofﬁcer therefore decided that his widow was not entitled to death beneﬁts

under the terms of his employment contract. In July 2012, the High Court upheld Mrs Braganza’s claim against BP and ruled that BP was wrong to refuse the payments. But the Court of Appeal then upheld the company’s case. Now the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Mrs Braganza. It said BP’s general manager should not have simply accepted the view of the internal inquiry team — not least because it was examining whether BP’s safety systems could be improved in the light of the incident, rather than whether the officer had committed suicide. Judges said the general manager should have considered whether the evidence was sufficiently convincing to justify a conclusion of suicide. There was no suicide note, no firm evidence of suicidal thoughts, no evidence of overwhelming personal or financial pressures, and no evi-

dence of psychiatric problems or a depressive personality, they pointed out. Colleagues who saw Mr Braganza in the 36 hours before his disappearance had no concerns about him and nor did the ship’s master, who was the last person to see him alive. Describing the company’s reasons for deciding the death was suicide as ‘straws in the wind’, the judges pointed out that the chief engineer was a Roman Catholic who regarded suicide as a mortal sin. Charles Boyle, head of Nautilus legal services, commented: ‘This is a sensible and reassuring ruling from the High Court and the Supreme Court, and a good outcome for Mr Braganza’s widow. ‘It should sound a warning to other shipowners who deny nextof-kin such death-in-service beneﬁts without sound reasons,’ he added. ‘It is commendable that Mrs

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

Braganza was willing to take on BP in this matter. ‘The ruling establishes that, in cases such as this, where there has been no eye-witnesses or other conclusive evidence to show what really happened, the shipowner cannot just assume suicide without compelling evidence,’ Mr Boyle explained. ‘It is notoriously difﬁcult for a party in court proceedings to prove a negative — for example that there was no suicide,’ he pointed out. ‘Shipowners cannot assume suicide without showing that they have carried out a thorough investigation to try to establish the cause of death, following which, they can produce convincing evidence which, on the balance of probabilities, shows that suicide was the likely cause. In this case BP’s procedures leading up to the refusal to pay the beneﬁt did not meet these investigatory and evidential standards.’

at Warsash Maritime Academy under a ‘business review’ of its maritime training and education work. The review has been running for the past few months, and the university says it is looking at ‘the best way to invest in, develop and grow its maritime education and training’. It has identified two options: to invest in the existing Warsash campus; and/or to relocate and invest in new facilities at East Park Terrace in Southampton city centre. The University’s Board of Governors have agreed to assess both options in more detail, but indicated that the ‘preferred option would be to move all or some of the delivery to East Park Terrace’. It has promised to consult with staff, cadets, students, clients and the shipping industry to get further feedback as it develops a new maritime education and training strategy. A spokesperson for the University said: ‘We place great value on our maritime education and training provision. This review will bring our maritime education and training onto a long-term, sustainable footing and

enable us to be equipped to meet the challenges and demands ahead, including opportunities to grow our business. ‘Increased competition, an uncertain future of funding, and a need to respond to the growing demands of cadets, delegates and clients mean that we need to ensure a learning experience that consistently meets and exceeds expectations for maritime education and training.’ Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented ‘Significant investment is required in all nautical colleges in England to match spending in Ireland and Scotland and, critically, that being invested elsewhere in the world - particularly in the Far East. ‘World class maritime education/ training requires investment on a world scale and an ambition to continue to provide the very best training and produce the very best maritime professionals for our industry,’ he added. ‘If Southampton Solent University maintains a commitment to that objective, which I have received assurances it does, then these plans are to be welcomed. I also welcome the offer of further dialogue with the industry and to seek the feedback of officer trainees and other users of the Warsash facilities.’

Industry meets to discuss MNTB training overhaul lecturers, regulators and officer F cadets have met to discuss UK seafarer Unions, employers, college

training issues as part of a root and branch review which got under way in January this year. The ‘Training 2025’ seminar was organised by the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) to discuss the work it is undertaking to ensure that seafarer training meets the needs of industry into the future and provides suitable programmes for today’s ‘Generation Z’ young people. The MNTB review is the first to be carried out in more than a decade and its remit includes ways to ensure that the UK system keeps pace with technological advances, and remains both internationally competitive and of high quality. The review is also examining the work of the MNTB itself, to define its future scope, role and structure. The results will feed into the government’s Maritime Growth

Study, which is due to report in summer 2015 and is expected to make recommendations that will address policies covering maritime education, skills, research and technology Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said the MNTB discussions had included some ‘imaginative suggestions’ from college lecturing staff. ‘However, the quantity and quality of future marine professionals will depend upon substantial capital investment in colleges, as we have seen in Ireland and Scotland,’ he added. ‘Companies have to take responsibility for the quality of the training experience at sea, Mr Graveson stressed. ‘In order to meet the future demand for marine professionals, both at sea and ashore, a substantial increase in the number of qualified personnel is required.’

Staff employed in the marine industry, from crew and shore-based staff to spouses travelling to and from vessels, can make use of our extensive marine fare programme, while those seeking flights for other types of travel will benefit from our efficient and personal service.

07_news.indd 7

19/05/2015 16:46

08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

LARGE YACHT NEWS

Lürssen’s Project Orchid is set to start sea trials Lürssen has launched its A eagerly-awaited Project Orchid 91m The German yacht-builder

superyacht, pictured left. Launched from the floating dock 29 months after its keel was laid in 2012 and 19 months after her technical launch in 2013, Project Orchid is now being readied for its sea trials and will be delivered to its owners in the autumn. This will be the second yacht

Lürssen will deliver in 2015, consolidating the yard’s reputation as a specialist in exclusive, custom-built superyachts, responsible for 23 of the world’s top 100 yachts and seven in the top 20. Project coordination has been undertaken by yacht managers Y.CO, who have been working closely with builders, designers and the various technical teams employed by the owners.

MAIB warns on SCV Code compliance ‘Better oversight might have prevented fatal accident’

Nautilus has backed a UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) call for more effective oversight of the application of the Small Commercial Vessels Code to yachts. In a report on the loss of the UK-registered yacht Cheeki Rafiki and its four crew in the Atlantic Ocean last year, the MAIB notes that a number of key safety issues would have been addressed had the vessel been complying with the Code. Commenting on the findings, MAIB chief inspector Steve Clinch said there had been ‘divided’ opinions as to whether or not Cheeki Rafiki’s return passage across the Atlantic was a commercial activity, and the MAIB is urging the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to improve the guidance on when small vessels are, or are not, required to have commercial certification. ‘This should help resolve what has, for too long, been a grey area,’ he added. Had the yacht been covered by the Code, it would have been required to have: annual examinations on behalf of the certifying authority; one additional

person onboard holding at least a Yachtmaster Ocean or Offshore certificate; a float-free EPIRB; and liferafts to be stowed on the weather deck or in an open space and installed so they can float free and inflate automatically. Investigators said Cheeky Rafiki’s Category 2 certification had been allowed to lapse and the vessel had not undergone an official examination since its coding survey in 2011. ‘It is possible that any indications of a potential structural problem might have been identified had the annual examinations required by the SCV Code been conducted by an authorised person,’ the report states. Mr Clinch said the causes of the accident would ‘inevitably remain a matter of some speculation’ because the yacht’s hull had never been recovered. However, the investigation had concluded that Cheeki Rafki had probably suffered a catastrophic loss of structural strength as a result of previous groundings and repairs to its keel and matrix. ‘I hope that this report will

serve as a reminder to all yacht operators, skippers and crews of the particular dangers associated with conducting ocean passages, and the need for comprehensive planning and preparation before undertaking such ventures,’ Mr Clinch added. ‘On long offshore passages, search and rescue support cannot be relied upon in the same way as it is when operating closer to the coast, and yachts’ crews need a much higher degree of selfsufﬁciency in the event of an emergency,’ he pointed out. ‘Thus the selection and stowage of safety and survival equipment needs to be very carefully considered before embarking, together with options for contingency planning and self-help in anticipation of problems that could occur during the passage.’ Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘The MAIB is to be commended for this report — it is truly worldclass. The relationship between the MCA/RYA and their responsibilities needs further scrutiny. The sea has no regard for the “light touch” approach.’

Heavylift launch in Turkish yard by Michael Howorth

been a world first for launching H superyachts, a specialist heavylift In what is claimed to have

ship was chartered in to pick up the 63m newbuild Irimari and put the yacht into the water. The 19,450dwt HHL Valparaiso lifted the 1,500gt superyacht from its cradle on the dock at the Sunrise Yachts shipyard in Antalya, Turkey, using two 700 cranes, above. The

superstructure, and is capable of cruising beyond 5,000 miles and reaching a top speed of 17 knots. Although most of the dock and system trials have already been performed inside the construction shed, Irimari will spend two months at the dock for final fit-out, commissioning and sea trials before being handed to her owners for the summer season. The yacht will be presented at the Monaco Yacht Show this September.

Pop-up show in Montenegro show is to be jointly staged by F Porto Montenegro and the Worldwide A new ‘pop-up’ superyacht

Yachting Association, MYBA, in September. Taking place in Porto Montenegro from 3 to 5 September, the event seeks to attract MYBA brokers, agents and yachts that are both for sale and charter, to one of the world’s newest

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

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

08_yachts.indd 8

Liberian-flagged heavylift ship then lowered the superyacht into the sea, bang on target, in a manoeuvre that had many holding their breath. Irimari is the first of the Sunrise 63 series to be launched and follows 30 months of construction. A similar size vessel remains unfinished at the yard, despite having been started some time before Irimari. The full-displacement motor yacht has been completed with a hi-tensile steel hull and aluminium

cruising grounds. The show is open to all MYBAregistered yachts over 20m, charter agents and brokers. With berths up to 180m within Porto Montenegro marina, there are no restrictions on yacht size. MYBA says it is targeting 20 or so yachts and is hopeful that even more will attend Over the last few years,

Montenegro has become a superyacht hotspot in the Mediterranean. Being outside the EU, the country offers yacht-friendly legislation, 0% VAT on charters, tax and duty-free fuel, and a rapidly growing infrastructure. It offers good shelter and the opportunity to explore the 4,000plus islands which line the coast from Croatia to Greece.

Italian builder offers ‘all-in’ yacht operational package has launched a new yacht F operation service designed to offer

The Italian yacht builder Benetti

owners an all-in-one full-care package for their vessels. Named Dedicato, the programme offers Benetti owners technical assistance, maintenance, administration and crewing services at a fixed yearly rate. It covers scheduled maintenance and occasional failures, extension of contractual warranty to five years and all crew-related services and costs, including salaries,

administration, and insurance. Yachts in the scheme will have their warranty extended for the duration of the service, and at the end of the period, yachts will be recommissioned to maximise residual value. Alessandro Gallifuoco, Benetti’s quality and after sales manager, commented: ‘Dedicato is a true innovation in the yachting industry, ensuring owners have the shipyard at their side 24/7 during the yacht operation, for a five-year period and for a pre-agreed fee.’

19/05/2015 16:47

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09

NEWS

How do you rate in ‘happy’ scale? Seafarer survey shows satisfaction index for key aspects of life onboard

Seafarers are a generally happy lot, according to the findings of a new survey which shows crew members to have an overall satisfaction level of 6.42 on a scale of one to 10. Conducted by the maritime social media platform Crewtoo over the first three months of this year, the survey is based on feedback from seafarers in more than 50 different countries and serving across all ranks on a wide range of different ship types. The survey asked seafarers to rate how happy they were with a range of fundamental workrelated issues, including wages, workloads, contact with family, interaction with shipmates, shore leave, training and food, fitness and health. A ‘happiness index’ of 6.56 was recorded in response to the question of how happy seafarers are while at sea — although many respondents stressed the ‘pivotal’ importance of support from ashore and the attitude of the company.

The highest ranking — 6.96 — was for interaction with other crew onboard. The report says seafarers are focussing on the positive aspects of working relationships, although this was tempered by concerns over increasing isolation caused by factors such as the use of personal computers and games rather than shared recreational facilities. The lowest ranking — 5.90 — was for welfare facilities ashore. Concerns were voiced over the ‘massive difference’ between the services provided in different ports and different countries, along with complaints over expensive transport and ‘rip-off’ phone and internet fees. Wages scored a satisfaction rate of 6.20 — with some worries about recent pay freezes and unhappiness over the signiﬁcant cuts that some crew agencies take from wages (one seafarer claimed to have had 40% of pay taken by the agency). Workload got a rating of 6.43. Some seafarers spoke of working

18-hour days and complained of the burden of paperwork and covering for inexperienced crew. There was a reasonably high score for contact with family while at sea — 6.76 — and many respondents underlined the importance of internet services. The report notes that some respondents had argued that International Maritime Organisation rules are required to ensure that every vessel and every seafarer should have access, and highlighted warnings that connectivity needs to improve to ensure adequate levels of recruitment and retention. Food got a rating of 6.26, and the report says the survey showed that seafarers are concerned about the quality of the meals onboard and the shortage of healthy eating options. Seafarers also suggested that there should be stricter Maritime Labour Convention requirements for the provision of gymnasiums and sports equipment on ships — especially onboard smaller

vessels. The ability to keep fit and healthy at sea was rated at 6.38 on the satisfaction scale. Shore leave was rated at 6.13 on the index, with unsurprising complaints about problems in the United States, the negative impact of security rules and the high level of inspections during port calls. Anneley Pickles, head of Crewtoo business development, said the survey provided some important findings for the shipping industry. ‘Satisfied, well fed, fit, and engaged seafarers are vital to the present and future of the industry,’ she added. ‘Happy people stick around, happy people work well, they embrace challenges, they look to excel and share with others. In short, happiness matters and it needs to be measured, assessed, and understood,’ she pointed out. ‘The lessons then need to be applied to ensure that we are looking after seafarers properly and responding to their wants and needs.’

Life for Sewol’s master F

Nautilus International has criticised a South Korean court’s decision to sentence the captain of the ferry Sewol to life imprisonment after ruling that he was guilty of homicide. The high court rejected an appeal by Lee Joon-seok, who was in command of the ferry when it sank in April 2014 with the loss of more than 300 lives, mostly children. The master had been found guilty in November of gross negligence and sentenced to 36 years, after prosecutors had initially sought the death penalty.

However, the court did decide to reduce the sentence imposed on the Sewol’s chief engineer from 30 years in jail to 10. It also agreed to cut the prison terms for 14 other crew members to between 18 months and 12 years. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said the master, who is in his 70s, will die in prison for making a mistake. ‘Once again, a captain has been made the scapegoat as a result of political pressure and media misrepresentation,’ he added.

‘Pinning the blame on an individual in this way helps to obscure the underlying causes of the accident, including regulatory failure, overloading and design changes,’ he pointed out. ‘It is the law-makers that determine the actions of owners and set the levels of safety. It should not be masters that suffer for their failure.’ A South Korean appeals court has upheld manslaughter and embezzlement convictions against the chief executive of the company that operated the Sewol ferry, but has

reduced his overall jail sentence from 10 to seven years. Kim Han-Sik had asked the court to reconsider the manslaughter charge, claiming he was just a salaried employee. But the high court in Gwangju agreed with a lower court verdict that he had allowed the passenger ferry to be routinely overloaded and approved illegal work to increase its passenger capacity. Prison sentences or suspended jail terms for five other officials working for the company were also upheld.

Calls to Newcastle Boudicca is pictured in the Port A of Tyne last month — as its owners The 28,551gt passengership

announced that its 43,547gt vessel Balmoral will be using Newcastle as its base port for four months next year. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said it had decided to run a series of 11 Balmoral cruises out of the Port of Tyne between May and August 2016 in response to rising demand since it first started making regular calls to Newcastle in 2006. The Bahamas-flagged vessel will operate cruises to Norway,

Scandinavia and the Baltics, as well as the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores, Portugal, Morocco and Spain. Port of Tyne chief executive Andrew Moffat welcomed the decision and said 2016 is set to be the port’s record year for cruiseship calls, following a total of 27 visits scheduled this year. The Port of Tyne’s International Passenger Terminal handles around 620,000 passengers each year and passenger shipping generates around £60m a year for the NE economy.

Alarm over fire rates have expressed concern over F the ‘striking’ number of fires onboard Norwegian marine insurers

ro-ro ferries and passengerships. The Nordic Association of Marine Insurers (Cefor) warned that while total ship losses last year were down to an almost record low, the frequency of fires — and especially those costing over US$500,000 — bucked the overall downward trend. Cefor said it was particularly disturbed by the rate of fires on ro-ros

and car carriers, which has doubled in the past five years, as well as the number on cruiseships. It suggested engineroom layout and the use of more complex engines may lie behind the high rate of enginerelated fires on passengerships, and it noted the problems in detecting and tackling vehicle fires on ro-ros. Cefor said there appeared to be no link between fires and vessel age, and even modern ships recorded a high frequency of incidents.

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19/05/2015 17:55

10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

NEWS

Nations agree plans to cut ferry losses outcome of an International A Maritime Organisation (IMO) Nautilus has welcomed the

conference which identified the ‘urgent need’ to improve the safety of passengerships operating domestic services in many parts of the world. The meeting — which was attended by delegates from 13 countries including the Philippines, New Zealand, Norway, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea — adopted a set of guidelines that seek to cut the ‘continuing unacceptable loss of life’ on coastal and inter-island ferry services. IMO secretary-general Koji Sekimizu said that domestic ferry operations play a crucial role in the movement of people and goods, and are sometimes the only possible or reasonably affordable means of transport. But, he stressed, casualties and incidents can be avoided if adequate laws, regulations and rules are developed and effectively implemented and enforced. ‘The public expects safety standards on domestic passenger ferries to be as strong as those on international vessels,’ he added. ‘The perils of the sea do not distinguish between ships engaged on international or non-international voyages and the protection of life at sea is a moral obligation. Those travelling by domestic ferries should

enjoy the highest practicable standard of safety irrespective of their citizenship.’ The ‘Manila Statement’ adopted by the conference urges states to review and update national regulations for passenger ferries — stressing the need for rules to address ‘all foreseeable risks’ and to cover issues such as safety management and the education, training and proficiency of shipboard personnel. The statement also highlights the need for adequate implementation and enforcement of safety rules, the importance of navigational safety support for ships, and the critical role of search and rescue and emergency services. It urges countries to follow guidelines covering issues such as the purchase of a secondhand ships for domestic passenger services, ‘due consideration’ of operating limits, the conversion or modification of a ship before entering into service as a domestic passenger ship, and passenger counting and voyage planning. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson welcomed the initiative and the ‘wise words’ of the IMO secretary-general. ‘Countries in the region need to act without delay to replace existing tonnage and upgrade the training of their seafarers,’ he added. ‘Regulators have to take an active role in ensuring safety.’

Arson jail sentence is upheld F

A passenger who caused a fire onboard a DFDS ferry in the North Sea in 2013 has failed in an attempt to have an 11-year jail sentence reduced. Boden George Hughes was jailed in June last year after admitting reckless arson and

affray. Rejecting his lawyer’s claims that the sentence was too harsh, Court of Appeal judge Mr Justice Coulson stated: ‘Setting fire to a crowded passenger ship is an especially grave form of arson — with potentially disastrous consequences.’

Lairdside Maritime Centre

Archbishop’s blessing for revamped centre port of Sheerness has undergone A a major refit with the aid of a £4,130 The seafarers’ centre in the UK

MNWB chairman Bob Jones is pictured above left with AoS Medway & Kent port chaplain Paul Glock (right), Archbishop Peter Smith and AoS ship visitors at the refurbished Sheerness seafarers’ centre

grant from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB). The refurbished facilities — which include free wi-fi, reading material and a pool table — were opened and blessed by the Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Rev Peter Smith, in a ceremony last month. The centre, which is operated by the Apostleship of the Sea (AoS), aims to provide a ‘home from home’ for the estimated 80,000 seafarers serving on ships that visit the port of Chatham, Dover, Gillingham Pier, Rochester, Sheerness Docks and Whitstable Harbour each year. On the rare occasions when ships are in port long enough, it is used as a meeting point for seafarers who wish to be taken to Mass. MNWB chairman Bob Jones, who was also present at the launch, said: ‘We are delighted to support Stella Maris (AoS) in the work it does for seafarers’ welfare, both in UK and around the world.’

Owners warned on ballast delay Nautilus supports IMO leader’s call to end ‘inaction’ on new convention

Nautilus has backed toplevel calls for the shipping industry to stop dragging its heels on compliance with the imminent new global rules on ballast water management. International Maritime Organisation leader Koji Sekimizu last month warned about the ‘disappointingly slow’ progress towards the introduction of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention. And in an address to the IMO’s marine environment protection committee, the IMO secretarygeneral also criticised shipowners for failing to encourage governments to ratify the convention. Since last October there had been only two further ratiﬁca-

tions, with the 44 countries representing 32.8% of the world’s merchant ﬂeet tonnage, he said. The BWM needs to pass a 35% tonnage threshold before it enters into force. Shipowner groups say they are ‘deeply concerned’ about the potential for the convention to cause them serious problems because of conﬂicting equipment type approval standards. So far, there are 54 BWM systems which have been approved under the regime — but only 17 manufacturers have indicated that they plan to submit their systems for approval under the stricter US testing standards. The Round Table of shipping industry bodies said it feared ‘the resulting dilemma’ could

force owners to waste millions of dollars on systems that might not meet the US requirements and would therefore have to be replaced. Mr Sekimizu said the IMO had acted to ‘signiﬁcantly reduce the burden on shipowners’ by agreeing a ‘pragmatic implementation schedule’ for existing vessels. But, he warned, this could not be put into practice until the convention comes into force. He urged the industry to stick to principles and ensure that the convention can address the problem of invasive species. ‘The delay of a national typeapproval process of a speciﬁc country should neither be a good reason to suspend the entry into force of the BWM Convention

nor an excuse for inaction in the industry,’ Mr Sekimizu added. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson backed the IMO leader’s comments. ‘If the industry had taken a lead and developed the equipment it wanted, owners would not be in this position now,’ he said. ‘The convention was adopted in February 2004. It is 11 years and counting.’ g A new online learning course to help seafarers, port state control ofﬁcers and others dealing with the operational aspects of BWM has been launched by the GEF-UNDP-IMO GloBallast Partnerships Programme and the Global Industry Alliance (GIA). can be accessed via the GloBallast website: http://globallast.imo.org

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welfare organisations have D joined forces to appeal to European

Three international seafarers’

Union governments to stop merchant shipping being placed in the ‘unenviable’ role of having to rescue ever more desperate migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats. The International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), the International Maritime Health Association (IMHA), and the International Seafarers’ Welfare and

Assistance Network (ISWAN) warned EU leaders in a letter last month that merchant seafarers are putting their own lives and wellbeing in danger as they make up for the shortfall in search and rescue resources in the region. In 2014, they pointed out, seafarers aboard 800 merchant ships rescued 40,000 migrants. Their commitment to saving lives at sea should be recognised and commended, but merchant ships and crews are not equipped or trained to deal with large-scale rescues.

As well as risking their own safety and security in these rescues, seafarers are facing difficult situations such as recovering bodies and dealing with sick or injured men, women and children, after which they may need counselling or other forms of support, the letter warned. Stressing the urgent need for more SAR resources to be deployed in the Mediterranean, the three welfare bodies added: ‘Seafarers are no substitute for professionally trained search and rescue personnel and they

must not be used by EU governments as an expedient way of ignoring a difficult problem on the doorstep of Europe.’ z The shipping industry has been urged to support search and rescue efforts for thousands of migrants on boats in the Bay of Bengal and the Malacca Strait. The Human Rights At Sea organisation appealed for ships transiting the area to be vigilant following reports that up to 7,000 refugees are attempting to sail from Bangladesh and Myanmar.

19/05/2015 17:45

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11

NEWS

ITF reveals new anti-AIDS drive Campaign to combat concerns revealed in new seafarer health research

The shipping industry needs to do more to combat continuing issues around HIV/AIDS in the maritime industry and to address seafarers’ concerns about their health and wellbeing, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said last month. It published the results of a survey showing that myths still surround the causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS, despite the concerted campaigns to raise awareness and knowledge. The report was based on questionnaires completed by 615 individual ofﬁcers and ratings, together with general information supplied by 34 unions, including Nautilus, from 30 countries around the world. The results from the individual surveys found that one-third of respondents consider condoms spoil sex and only half use one with a non-regular partner. 40% believed that a woman who was faithful to her husband could not catch the disease — whatever her husband may be getting up to

— and the same number said they were afraid to work with someone who had HIV. Responses from India showed some particularly worrying results, with three-quarters not knowing that condoms are an effective prevention and nearly half believing that AIDS can be spread in food and drink. This group were also among the highest responses (88%) who said they

had regular or casual partners when at sea, against an average of only 25%. No Indian seafarers would comment on whether they had had a same-sex relationship, when the average was 15% for the whole group. However, some messages are being received: just 10% of respondents believed that only homosexuals and drug users are at risk and over 80% agreed that you should use a condom unless sure your sexual partner doesn’t have HIV or another sexually transmitted disease. The ITF said it was ‘disappointed’ with the results, given that most unions said they had produced literature on HIV/AIDS. However, it found that a lot of this information dated back to the 1990s, and although many unions had undertaken their own surveys into seafarers’ knowledge of the subject, they had not repeated them in the new millennium. The seafarer respondents said they generally received information on health and HIV from newspapers, magazines and TV, and

around a quarter also received information from their employer and their union. The survey also asked seafarers about their general health concerns and found that many were worried about their weight, depression and alcohol use. Between 6% and 41%, depending on country, knew workmates who had considered suicide and in one labour-supplying country 75% knew workmates who are depressed. From the individual surveys 64% said they often suffer from back or joint pain, 2% said they drank alcohol every day, and the same percentage used recreational drugs. ITF maritime coordinator Jacqueline Smith said action is being taken in response to the ﬁndings. The ITF has agreed to establish an integrated HIV/AIDS, health and wellbeing, programme which focusses on negotiating collective agreements and workplace policies that promote health, and providing further education and support on the issues.

IMO urged to prevent underpowered ships new ‘green’ rules for shipping leaving some F vessels seriously underpowered.

Nautilus has backed calls for action to prevent

The Union has backed calls at the International Maritime Organisation for a review of the interim guidelines for determining minimum propulsion to maintain the manoeuvrability of ships in adverse conditions. The guidelines were produced in 2013 to address concerns that the IMO’s Energy Efficiency

Design Index (EEDI) could result in some ships — tankers and bulk carriers in particular — not having sufficient power to cope with rough seas. But some studies suggest that the criteria is inadequate and, speaking on behalf of the International Federation of Ship Masters’ Associations at last month’s IMO marine environment protection committee, Nautilus professional and technical assistant David Appleton said: ‘We believe that where ship design

is concerned, safety is paramount. The possibility of underpowered ships being designed and built is of great concern to shipmasters. We therefore fully support the thorough review of the interim guidelines.’ Greece suggested that ships should be fitted with ‘proper-sized’ engines that could be ‘locked’ to a lower maximum power EEDI purposes — with masters and chief engineers having the ability to over-ride the operational limits in an emergency.

Boxship widening ‘first’ Reederei NSB has completed F what is claimed to be the first German shipping company

project of its kind — increasing a panamax containership’s capacity by 20% by widening it at a yard in China. The 2006-built MSC Geneva has been increased from 4,860TEU to 6,300TEU at the Huarun Dadong Dockyard and is the first of three ships to undergo the work.

The company claims the widening will make the ships more energyefficient and will increase their transverse stability. NSB said the project — which makes it possible to add between two and four container rows — will increase the competitiveness of the ships in the light of the Panama Canal expansion scheme, while their Energy Efficiency Design Index will equal that of a newbuilding.

‘Complacency’ alert on shipping security been accused of increasing F complacency over security — and The shipping industry has

warned that this could result in the loss of life. Gerry Northwood, from the maritime security firm MAST, told the Global Shipping Trends and Trade Patterns conference in London that shipping companies have been scaling back on both the quality and the substance of their security provision. Some are even simply closing their eyes to the risk, he added. Mr Northwood admitted that ‘enormous strides’ have been made in reducing piracy attacks over the past seven years. ‘However,’ he added, ‘with many recent incidents of piracy in SE Asia, the Gulf of Guinea, the Caribbean, and continued attempts in the Indian Ocean, combined with increased people trafficking out of

Libya, and between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, we need to be watchful for other forms of opportunist criminality and terrorism occurring on the back of these activities.’ He warned of frequent underreporting and mis-reporting of piracy and that many countries are ‘woefully under-resourced for maritime policing and the regulation of their territorial waters and economic zones’. Current trends are creating opportunities for terrorists and criminals alike, Mr Northwood argued. ‘Western governments are doing what they can, sometimes more, sometimes less, but they are limited in their reach,’ he pointed out. ‘Where the regional states cannot play their part, it is down to individual shipping companies to secure their assets and crews. More can always be done and now is not the time to be complacent.’

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19/05/2015 17:46

12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

HEALTH & SAFETY

Big rise in obesity medical failures Report highlights the need for operators to provide healthy eating options

Doctors have reported a marked increase in the number of seafarers failing UK medical examinations as a result of obesity or high blood pressure during the past year. The number of seafarers being issued with restricted, time-limited, temporarily unfit or failed certificates as a consequence of obesity or abnormal body mass rose from 405 in 2013 to 490 last year. The number being given restricted, time-limited, temporarily unfit or failed certificates for hypertension increased from 415 to 468 over the same period — even though there was a decrease in the total number of medical examinations carried out in 2014. ‘As in the rest of society, such problems are becoming more frequent in seafarers and can

result in both immediate problems when demanding physical work has to be undertaken and, in the longer-term, in a range of life-shortening conditions such as arterial disease and diabetes,’ Maritime & Coastguard Agency chief medical advisor Dr Sally Bell notes in the report. ‘This is a topic where the solutions lie not with doctors but with seafarers themselves in adjusting their calorie intakes, and with ship operators in providing palatable food that enables crew members to enjoy a calorie-controlled diet,’ she added. Approved doctors have been asked by the MCA to ﬁle additional data as part of a review of decision-taking in cases of seafarers who are deemed to be signiﬁcantly overweight and obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35.

The review aims to ‘improve the consistency of assessments in an area where both seafarers and employers sometimes feel aggrieved at what they see as unfair or unsafe decisions taken about fitness’. The MCA hopes to ensure that overweight seafarers will receive the same assessment and final fitness decision irrespective of the doctor they visit. ‘Figures from 2014 show that the frequency of fitness testing in these seafarers varies widely in those with BMI over 35,’ Dr Bell added, ‘so the importance of fitness testing in these seafarers is now being emphasised. ‘Unless there is clear evidence that job performance and ability to undergo appropriate training is unaffected by their BMI, approved doctors are being encouraged to perform fitness

testing in all of these cases,’ Dr Bell explained. Other common causes for medical examination failures last year included diabetes, colour vision, eyesight and hearing. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘This report demonstrates the effectiveness of the medical examination system in the UK, with a reliable appeals procedure. ‘However, while outside the scope of the presentation of these statistics, a comparison with the general population and other groups of workers would be useful,’ he added. ‘It is disappointing that there is no acknowledgement of the lifestyle of seafarers — in particular the effect on health of working 91 to 98 hours per week, together with the adverse impact of night work.’

Alarms ‘added to stress’ additional stress created by A alarms during shipboard emergencies Fresh concerns over the

have been raised following an investigation into an engineroom fire onboard a Svitzer tug last year. The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) said the case highlighted the way in which the design of onboard emergency equipment and procedures often fails to reflect the fact that the performance of crew members is adversely affected by stress in such circumstances. Noting other cases where alarms have been a ‘substantial stress factor’ during incidents, the report warns that they can impair the ability to concentrate and handle the complex

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tasks of emergency management, such as communicating internally and ashore. The blaze onboard the 467gt tug Frigga occurred as it was preparing to assist a bulk carrier arriving in the Danish port of Kalundborg. It began when oil ignited on hot parts of the main engine after the chief engineer mistakenly removed an air bleeding screw on the pressurised filter while trying to deal with a minor leak. Investigators said the officer — who was relatively new to the tug — had several years of experience on vessels with similar lubricating oil duplex filters, but these all had the air bleeding screw fitted on the side of the filter housing rather than the

top. The instruction plates explaining the nature of the screw were easy to overlook and difficult to access, the report adds. The investigation also found that the master had experienced problems activating the argonite fire-extinguishing system as it required him to loosen four finger-operated screws and remove a safety pin before deployment. The report notes that fine motor functions can be significantly impaired when adrenaline is released during an emergency, making it difficult to operate small devices. The ‘intense high pitch’ fire system alarm continued to sound from the moment the argonite was released until well after the fire-fighting was

concluded, the DMAIB said, and the master had to silence it by pulling the fuses from the cabinet. Investigators said the crew also experienced additional stress as a result of communications with harbour management and the emergency centre ashore. The master and chief officer complained that they had been hindered from taking part in the onboard emergency management and fire-fighting because the authorities ashore wanted to keep them on the phone. The report notes that Svitzer has taken a series of measures intended to address the ‘problematic design’ of the oil filter and to prevent a similar incident in the future.

Sea Gale after last year’s fire in the North Sea Picture: Havariekommando

Fire sparks concern about carbon composite risks at the growing use of carbon F composite materials on ships — Nautilus has voiced concern

with a new accident investigation report highlighting the potential dangers. The 244gt windfarm crew/ supply vessel Sea Gale had to be evacuated in the North Sea in May last year following an engineroom fire. The blaze began in a carbon composite panel above the main engine exhaust pipe and was blamed on the failure to properly replace insulation following maintenance. A Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board report on the incident says crew members had ‘felt hindered’ in their efforts to tackle the fire because — as a category A vessel under the HSC Code — Sea Gale was not required to carry firefighters’ outfits with breathing apparatus. ‘The uncertainty about the risk of a fire in a carbon composite structure introduced further stress in the decision-making process,’

the report adds. ‘The crew did not know to what extent the smoke and the fumes from the fire were toxic, and there was uncertainty about the structural strength of the ship or how fast the fire might spread.’ The report notes that the use of carbon composites on ships is relatively new, but is increasing because of the significant weightsaving gains to be made. However, it points out, carbon fibre is combustible and its use with thermoset resins ‘raises the concern of the material developing toxic fumes and smoke in case of fire’. Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson said he shares the DMAIB concerns over the use of composite material and he warned that attempts are being made at the IMO to extend its use. He also questioned the adequacy of the crewing levels on the vessel, which was servicing a windfarm in the German Bight. At the time of the accident, it was operating with three crew — a master, chief officer and deckhand/ motorman.

Spot the hazards

Tug firm leads training drive for workboats

money is being offered to F seafarers in a ‘spot the hazard’

is helping to develop a new A national training package for

competition launched by the Standard Club and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) last month. Developed in an initiative to help crew members identify workplace dangers and to promote the critical importance of accident prevention, the competition invites seafarers to identify 10 hazards shown on a series of images depicting typical scenes onboard ship and to submit a safety idea relevant to the image that can be shared throughout the industry. g To enter the competition, visit www.hazard-competition.com and follow the instructions. Closing date is Friday 28 August.

workboats. SMS Towage is working with the National Workboat Association (NWA) to implement the Maritime & Coastguard Agencyapproved Voluntary Towage Endorsement Scheme. The scheme is designed to lead to a recognised ship assist qualification meeting the requirements of the Port Marine Safety Code. It is hoped that it will become an industry standard. SMS Towage managing director Patrick Lyon said: ‘We need to continually push to ensure the safe operation of vessels. We already have excellent safety training systems, but have been working

A total of US$10,000 in prize

A Yorkshire-based tug firm

SMS Towage’s Captain John Pinder, right, with Hugh Patience, SMS’s marine manager and assessor

to achieve a unified scheme that benefits crew, customers and the industry as a whole.’ SMS marine manager Hugh Patience said the scheme has been well received. ‘All of our skippers are already going through the training, and the process of implementing the new standard has started in the Humber, Belfast and south Wales ports where SMS Towage operates.’ Nautilus senior national secretary Allan Graveson commented: ‘This is a voluntary scheme for a voluntary code — and its effectiveness will depend upon the goodwill of the ports who choose to do it. The threat of civil litigation may well prove to be the most persuasive factor.’

19/05/2015 15:21

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13

HEALTH & SAFETY

Safety records were falsified MAIB condemns standards on ships where crew prayed during lifeboat drill

Seafarers onboard a Panama-flagged refrigerated cargoship prayed when they took part in an abandon ship drill during a port state control inspection in the UK port of Southampton last year. And their worries were not misplaced — as one crew member was hurt when a lifeboat on the 7,367gt Nagato Reefer fell from its davit and onto the deck below while being secured following the exercise. In a hard-hitting report on the incident, the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) criticises the ‘exceptionally poor safety culture’ onboard the ship — highlighted by the way in which safety records had been falsified and the site of the accident had been interfered with by the crew before MAIB investigators attended the scene. The incident happened after a Maritime & Coastguard Agency surveyor ordered a more detailed port state inspection when initial checks identified deficiencies demonstrating a ‘low level of crew competence, inadequate maintenance of safety equipment and a systemic failure of the safety management system’. The

The Nagato Reefer‘s port lifeboat after it fell from its davit Picture: MAIB

MAIB notes that speciﬁc areas of concern included a breakdown in trust and communication among the Korean and Filipino crew. The MAIB report concludes that crew members had failed to correctly reset the release gear, causing the lifeboat to drop when fall-preventer devices were released as it was being secured after the drill. ‘It was fortunate the bosun was not seriously injured when he was struck by the falling boat,’ it notes.

Investigators found that records for the last three abandon ship drills had been falsiﬁed and the lifeboats had not been lowered into the water for at least a year before the accident. Training records had also been falsiﬁed and the minutes of a safety committee meeting held only 10 days after the accident made no mention of it. Maintenance records stated that the release gear had been checked on a monthly basis and

was in ‘good’ condition only a few weeks before the accident. In reality, the MAIB said, moving parts were dirty and had been painted over, and release gear cables were found to be seized and damaged. It was apparent that no maintenance or inspections of the release and retrieval system had been carried out since the annual inspection and service in October 2013, it added. The MAIB says the ship’s managers — Japan-based Kyokuyo — failed to address safety issues that its review of the accident had uncovered, and it called for the company to take urgent action to secure a ‘substantial improvement’ in safety culture throughout its fleet and ashore. The report urges companies to ensure that crews on ships fitted with Shigi SRS-37 release gear are trained in the operation of the systems. It also warns that moves to phase out the use of fall-preventer devices when modified release systems are fitted to ships ‘may render these systems more dangerous unless owners/managers ensure that appropriate maintenance and type-specific training takes place’.

Fatal collision remains a mystery have been unable to determine F the cause of a fatal collision between Dutch accident investigators

a guard ship and a fishing vessel in the North Sea in October 2013. Three seafarers onboard the 154gt Maria — which was operating as a guard vessel for a pipeline construction project — died when the ship sank following the collision with the 438gt Dutch-flagged trawler Vertrouwen some 15nm SW of Den Helder. The Dutch Safety Board investigation report notes that the accident occurred at 01:14hrs. Conditions at the time were good, with visibility estimated to have been at least 12nm, but the watchkeeper on the fishing vessel had failed to spot

been fully functional and that the cognitive performance of the guard ship’s watchkeeper may have been influenced by the effect of six-on/sixoff working schedules. The report highlights a number of ‘shortcomings’ related to both vessels. The watchkeeper and a number of crewmen on Vertrouwen lacked valid certificates of competency, while Maria was not properly marked as a guard vessel and its watchkeeper had failed to contact the fishing vessel or send a sécurité message.

Marine insurers have raised

important information about shipping accidents. The London P&I Club has urged masters and officers to carry out regular checks on VDR equipment following two recent cases where analysis of VDR data found that key sensors were not feeding data to the VDR unit at the critical time.

12-13_h+s.indd 13

UK firm in eLoran shipboard trials management company is F conducting pioneering trials of the A London-based ship

eLoran radionavigation system as a back-up to GPS onboard its vessels operating off the UK coast. During the initial testing phase, EuroShip Services is planning to simulate GPS outages to enable the eLoran system to take over the provision of position, navigation and timing (PNT) data. If the trials are successful, the company may use the system across its entire fleet of 16 managed vessels. Managing director Frank Davies commented: said: ‘Mariners assume that GPS will always work and, as such, have become almost entirely reliant on GPS for position, navigation and timing data — to the extent that there are next to no options for navigating without it. ‘We are looking at eLoran as a preventative measure, to avoid our vessels being vulnerable to GPS outage,’ he added. ‘To have a back-up such as eLoran would be a huge advantage as it wouldn’t disrupt the signal to the equipment at all, so we could just carry on safely.’ The UK and Irish General

Lighthouse Authorities (GLAs) have led the way in developing eLoran technology, which is based on longwave radio signals, and stations have been set up at seven of the UK’s busiest ports: Dover, Harwich, Thames, Humber, Middlesbrough, Firth of Forth, and Aberdeen. eLoran receivers are now commercially available, and the service is free to use. Full operational capability covering all major UK ports is expected by 2019. GLAs research and radionavigation manager Martin Bransby added: ‘Shipping lanes are becoming busier and more perilous than ever, whilst mariners are becoming increasingly reliant on one, fallible, source of PNT data. This presents a significant risk to the safety and efficiency of vessels, particularly in congested areas like ports. ‘eLoran reduces the vulnerability of vessels by ensuring the uninterrupted provision of position, navigation and timing data even when GPS is down,’ he added. ‘As a terrestrial system, eLoran signals are much stronger when received than GPS, making it exceptionally difficult to interrupt.’

Investigators warn on language problems A

Investigators examining an accident involving a 141,635gt ‘mega’ containership have stressed the need for bridge teams and pilots to use a common language at all times. The 13,102TEU MSC Benedetta was holed when it struck a pier while manoeuvring to berth in the port of Zeebrugge in May last year. Two ballast tanks took on water as a result, but there was no pollution. A report from the German accident investigation board, BSU, concludes that the pilot had misjudged the hydrodynamic effects of the current as the ship began the berthing manoeuvre.

It notes that the two pilots onboard had used Flemish when they spoke to each other or to the assisting tugs, although they were using English to talk to the ship’s crew. ‘Slipping back into the native language is common everywhere, resulting in the ship’s command often not understanding what is being discussed,’ the BSU pointed out. BSU said the ship’s owners have instructed masters to challenge pilots if they issue instructions in their own language, adding that the findings of the report were of ‘topical’ relevance to all masters, pilots and owners.

The guard ship Maria after the 2013 collision Picture: Onderzoeksraad

the guard ship and neither vessel had made any attempts to prevent the collision. Investigators said they were

unable to establish why the guard ship’s helmsman had not noticed the fishing vessel — although it noted that Vertrouwen’s AIS may not have

Insurers call for VDR caution renewed concern over the failure F of voyage data recorders to capture

EuroShip Services vessels are trialling eLoran as a back-up to GPS

The Club pointed to SOLAS requirements for VDRs, including all sensors, to be subjected to an annual performance test to verify the accuracy, duration and recoverability of the recorded data. Its latest StopLoss Bulletin also stressed that many VDR units provide a means to check that required sensors are providing data to the VDR unit — often LED lights, along with the provision of individual error codes.

‘We recommend that ships’ officers who are responsible for such equipment make sure that they are fully conversant with the error codes/indications prescribed in the appropriate VDR operator’s manual,’ the Club added. ‘We also suggest that consideration is given to the routine assessment of such indicators and/or test sequences as deemed appropriate.’

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19/05/2015 15:22

14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

INTERNATIONAL

shortreports NIGERIAN AIM: authorities in Nigeria are aiming to turn the country into a major global supply of seafarers with the opening of West Africa’s first maritime university. Dr Ziakede Akpobolokemi, director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration, said the Philippines earns around $6bn annually from seafarers’ remittances and Nigeria has the potential to become a similar exporter of labour. PORTS DEAL: the ports of Rotterdam and Singapore have signed an agreement to exchange information on marine services and cooperate on research and development in the maritime and port sectors. The memorandum of understanding aims to promote ‘best practices between two of the world’s key ports’ to ensure safety, security and efficiency in shipping. CRANE DEATH: a crane operator died after the boom of the crane he was operating broke and fell some 50m onto a Maersk containership in the port of Bremerhaven last month. Authorities are investigation the cause of the accident, which occurred as the ZPMC super-post-panamax crane crane was working on the Hong Kong-flagged Maersk Karachi. ITALIAN ALERT: Italy’s leading maritime union, Filt-CGIL, has slammed a court decision to wind up the state-owned ferry operator Saremar. Closure would threaten the daily services between Sardinia and Corsica links, with the loss of 167 jobs, and the union blames unfair competition from private companies. ABANDONED CREW: the Bulgarian Red Cross went to the aid of 14 seafarers onboard a Liberiaregistered bulk carrier impounded at the port of Varna for unpaid debts. The Ukrainian seafarers onboard the 7,433dwt Asian Dream had been unpaid for five months and had insufficient food, water and power. BOX ORDER: following its merger with the Chilean firm CSAV, German operator Hapag-Lloyd has ordered five 10,500TEU post-Panamax class boxships from South Korea to operate mostly on South American routes once the expanded Panama Canal opens. Delivery is earmarked from October 2016 to May 2017. GAS ROW: the French officers’ union FOMM-CGT has criticised a government decision to allow a Malteseflagged gas carrier with a 100% non-EU crew to transport gas between the French mainland and Corsica. The B Gas Supreme replaces a French-flagged ship and Frenchcrewed that operated the route for 12 years. ACADEMY OPENED: France’s national maritime academy has opened new premises in Le Havre. The €27.8m centre has a capacity for 450 cadets and 50 instructors and administrators, and up to 70 people on continuing education courses.

Unions condemn Brittany ‘piracy’ Inquiry demanded as management beat blockade of striking dock workers by Jeff Apter

French unions have condemned a commandostyle raid carried out by Brittany Ferries management to ‘liberate’ a ferry that had been occupied by dock workers in a pay dispute last month. They are demanding an inquiry after the company’s chairman, Jean-Marc Roué, led a nighttime operation by 20 ‘shareholders’ to regain control of the Mont St Michel ferry to break a five-day strike by dock workers in the port of Ouistreham. The vessel — which operates on Brittany’s Caen/OuistrehamPortsmouth service — had been blocked by dockers working for a company controlled by the ferry firm in support of a 5% pay claim. Brittany Ferries defended the action because the ship had been ‘held hostage due to the blackmail of a minority’ and the stoppage was causing ‘colossal’ losses. It described the pay claim as ‘unacceptable, given the very serious financial crisis the company has just been through’. But dockers’ leader Michel Le Cavorzin said there should be an

Pictured above is Brittany Ferries’ newest vessel, the 22,382gt ro-pax Baie de Seine, which last month started a new ‘no-frills’ service between Portsmouth and Le Havre, with an additional once a week run between Portsmouth and Bilbao Picture: Eric Houri

immediate investigation into the incident, claiming that it could amount to an act of piracy. The management actions raised important questions — including potential breaches of port security and how the vessel had sailed to the port of Roscoff in the absence of most of the crew. The West France branch of the CGT maritime union has also expressed concern and has written to the transport and inte-

rior ministries demanding an explanation of the ‘unorthodox actions’ of the company. z Brittany Ferries has called for a review of working arrangements after a court ordered the company to pay compensation to seafarers and union ofﬁcials in a legal dispute over strikes on the Ouistreham-Portsmouth route. Management had taken 16 crew members to court following recent industrial action over

Call for tougher crew rules in France international ship register (RIF), seafaring A unions are calling for it to be radically overhauled Ten years after the creation of France’s

— warning that it is helping to destroy the country’s maritime skills base. They are urging the government to toughen up the crew nationality rules for ships using the register — increasing the requirement for a minimum of 25% of the crew to be French to 35% —and to ensure

that all nationalities get the same pay rates for their rank. The unions have also criticised the government’s continued failure to enact proposals for stricter rules on the use of French-flagged tankers to carry oil products in the country’s cabotage trades. z A French shipowner has criticised the country’s ‘unwieldy’ registration processes. Fouad Zahedi, managing director of the Marseilles-based company

DIEPPE BOOST: passenger numbers on the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry service rose by 40% in the first quarter of 2015, and freight volumes were up 16% in the same period, according to new figures.

Jifmar, which operates 12 vessels, claimed that after unsuccessfully waiting for four months to register a service vessel in France, he managed to put the ship under the Luxembourg flag within five days of lodging the necessary documents. ‘Everybody loses,’ he complained. ‘One vessel lost to the French flag, French seamen who won’t get a tax break as they do under the RIF, and no economic advantage for Jifmar.’

Court gives SNCM six more months company SNCM has been given A a further stay of execution after a The troubled French ferry

Pictured above is the 2,500gt Indira Point, a new multipurpose buoy tender/support vessel which was delivered to the Indian lighthouse authority DGLL in May — two months ahead of schedule. Built at a cost of some US$25m by the Cochin Shipyard, the 72m vessel is fitted with a helideck and

14-15_int.indd 14

working hours and wanted each seafarer to pay €3,000 in damages and interest, and a €1,000 ﬁne to be imposed on each striker for every further strike day. But the court rejected the operator’s case and instead awarded each seafarer €800 in costs. Management and unions are negotiating fresh working arrangements based on hours worked in a month, rather than in a year, as negotiated in 2012.

a 35-ton capacity crane, and will be used to transport, positing, recovery and maintenance of buoys, as well as the towing and mooring of light vessels, distress management, and the supporting the repair of lighthouses in remote locations. The 1,350dwt Rolls Royce Marine UT 755 S design vessel is classed by the Indian Register of Shipping.

commercial court decided to give it a six-month additional period ‘under observation’. The Marseilles court ruled that the company could continue operating until 28 November while efforts are made to secure a new owner. Three operators have also been given more time to finalise their offers for taking over part or all of SNCM. The court deemed the three original bids to be ‘inadequate’ and instructed the candidates to revise them. One seafaring union said the ‘predatory’ bids should be withdrawn to enable a fresh tendering process to take place, ensuring continuity of

operations and employment. The extension is opposed by the European Commission, which has been demanding the repayment of €440m from SNCM — now more than €600m with interest — for what it claims was illicit public aid made during privatisation in the mid-1990s. It contends that a continuing lack of a decision on SNCM’s future is a ‘distortion of competition’ with the low-cost operator Corsica Ferries. Daniel Suzzoni, the FOMM-CGT officers’ union representative in Marseilles, said the EC’s attitude would lead to SNCM’s bankruptcy, and he accused the French government of breaking promises to save the company when it was elected three years ago.

19/05/2015 15:23

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15

INTERNATIONAL

UASC claims greenest containership

shortreports TEEKAY CUTS: tanker operator Teekay has opened consultations with Norwegian maritime unions after warning that up to 80 officer jobs could go if it does not find new work for its fleet. Teekay has sold one vessel, another is without work and a third, the Bahamas-flagged Randgrid, will be converted to a floating storage vessel in Singapore. The vessels being phased out are operated mainly by Scandinavian officers.

Barzan, claimed by owners United Arab A Shipping Company (UASC) to be the world’s most Pictured above is the 18,800TEU newbuild

eco-efficient containership. Built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in South Korea, the 193,300gt Barzan is the first in a new class of ‘LNG-ready’ ultra-large container vessels incorporating a range of equipment and technologies to improve energy efficiency.

Green features include shore-to-ship power supply for zero emissions at berth and an energy-efficient integrated system to monitor and optimise propulsion systems, machinery operations and navigation decision-making. UASC says Barzan has the lowest per-container CO2 output in the world fleet — with a level that is almost two-thirds less than that of a 13,500TEU ship delivered only three years ago. Preliminary

calculations indicate that Barzan has an Energy Efficiency Design Index value around half the 2025 limit set by the International Maritime Organisation, the company adds. Barzan is being deployed on Asia-Europe trades and is part of a major UASC newbuilding programme which will see the company add 11 15,000TEU ships and six 18,800TEU vessels to its fleet by 2016.

Australian call for BP tanker U-turn ITF supports campaign to keep national-crewed ship in cabotage trades

Nautilus is backing calls for BP to re-think a move to withdraw its Isle of Man-ﬂagged tanker British Loyalty from the Australian cabotage trades. Unions have criticised the decision to replace the Australiancrewed vessel — which has shipped BP fuel on Australia’s east coast for seven years — with cheaper ﬂag of convenience tonnage, claiming it poses a threat to safety and security in the country’s coastal waters. British Loyalty is one of only three Australian-crewed tankers remaining in the cabotage trades and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) warns that the sector is in crisis, with the loss of three ships in the past six months. Delegates at last month’s International Transport Workers’ Federation seafarers’ section meeting backed an emergency motion calling for global support for the MUA campaign to stop British

Crew protest over the withdrawal of the British Loyalty Picture: MUA

Loyalty from being redeployed internationally. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson commented: ‘Nautilus urged BP Shipping to meet with the MUA when a delegation visited London in April, but they refused and now they will instead have to respond to the ITF or face a campaign for a global consumer boycott and the attentions of the ITF inspectorate worldwide.’ BP said it had decided to remove British Loyalty from the

Australian coastal trade because there was not enough work for the tanker after the closure of the Bulwer Reﬁnery in Brisbane. But the MUA wants British Loyalty and its 36 Australian crew to remain in service, and it argues that there is plenty of work available for the vessel. ITF president Paddy Crumlin, who is also MUA national secretary, said the loss of British Loyalty leaves Australia dangerously reliant on foreign suppliers as the country now imports 91% of

its petroleum by foreign tankers and stocks less than three weeks’ worth of fuel, while service stations hold only seven days’ supply. ‘Australia’s reliance on shipping for its supply of petroleum is increasing and therefore Australia needs more ships like the British Loyalty, which has an outstanding safety and service record,’ he added. ‘Good, honest seafaring jobs for Australian crews are being replaced by foreign shipping companies who routinely exploit their crews and pay them as little as $2 an hour,’ Mr Crumlin argued. ‘Around 900,000 tons of reﬁned product is currently being moved from Kwinana Reﬁnery in Western Australia to Australia’s east coast each year on foreign vessels,’ he pointed out. ‘This is more than enough to keep the British Loyalty working the coast and keep fuel supply in Australian hands, so we call on BP to redeploy the vessel.’

TRAINING DEAL: three French seafaring unions have signed the first-ever national maritime training agreement with the owners’ association, AdF. The agreement provides statutory paid training time to shipping company staff at sea and ashore, but the CGT officers’ and ratings’ unions declined to endorse the document saying it doesn’t go far enough. HOLD DEATH: a Polish seafarer died in the hold of a ship in Denmark last month and three crew who tried to rescue him had to be treated in hospital ashore after being overcome by fumes. Police said the incident onboard the Polish-flagged Corina in the port of Hanstholm, northern Denmark, was probably caused by gases from a cargo of wood pellets. CREWING VENTURE: German shipping company Reederei NSB has launched a new joint venture with Columbia Shipmanagement as part of its programme to flag out its fleet and replace German seafarers with Filipino nationals over the next two years. Manila-based Asia Marine Philippines will manage 50 vessels and 1,000 seafarers. FATAL ATTACK: a merchant seafarer died and several were injured when a Turkish-owned cargoship was shelled some 13nm off the coast of Libya last month. The third officer onboard the Cook Islands-flagged Tuna 1, which was sailing to the port of Tobruk from Spain, was killed when the vessel came under two separate aerial attacks. DUNKIRK WORK: a €13.7m project to build a new passenger and car ferry terminal has got under way in the port of Dunkirk. The scheme — which is 10% funded by the European Commission — will improve access to the port and will enable it to handle more ships. CUBAN CONTRACT: the Mexican operator Baja Ferries has been granted a licence from the US authorities to operate a new passenger and freight service between Miami, Florida, and Havana, Cuba. Operations are scheduled to begin mid-September. PONANT DELIVERY: Ponant, the only French cruise ship operator, has taken delivery of a new vessel, Le Lyrial, from the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The 142m ‘mega-yacht style’ vessel can accommodate 244 passengers. PIPE CHARGES: four crewmen from the Norwegian-flagged tanker Stavanger Blossom have been charged in the US on a series of ‘magic pipe’ violations of pollution laws in November last year.

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Denmark warned by UN NZ fines company over agency on union rights death of crew member A

The Danish government is facing further questions from a United Nations agency over its continued refusal to allow foreign crews to be represented by Danish unions when they are serving on ships under the country’s international register, DIS. The International Labour Organisation has called for information on the progress of

14-15_int.indd 15

discussions between unions, owners and the Danish government over the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining on DIS-flagged ships. Ole Philipsen, chairman of the CO-Søfart union, says the block on union organisation of foreign crews is ‘a totally unnecessary stain on DIS, which generally is among the best international registers’.

New Zealand’s maritime authority has urged the shipping industry to take note of a case in which a company was fined NZ$48,000 (€31,400) and ordered to pay $35,000 compensation to the family of a seafarer who died after falling nearly 7m onboard his vessel. The penalty was imposed on the Talleys Group after it was found guilty at Nelson District Court of failing to

take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employees. Maritime NZ Director Keith Manch said lessons must be learned from the accident. ‘This was a tragic incident that could have been avoided through very simple measures,’ he said. ‘Ships are inherently dangerous working environments and employers must ensure all practicable safety steps are taken to protect their employees.’

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19/05/2015 19:10

16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

YOUR LETTERS

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

Warsash team hold their own in gusty regatta P

On 17 April this year, two teams of cadets and lecturers from Warsash Maritime Academy set off to Le Havre, France, to take part in the annual Hydros Cup Regatta. The regatta draws together teams from the

four French National Merchant Maritime Academies and other maritime colleges from around Europe for a weekend of J80 class yacht racing. Cadets from Warsash Maritime Academy have for

Warsash 1 (boat 14) and 2 (boat 11) try different tacks

several years been representing the UK in this competition, and maintaining the tradition this year were Rachel Arnold, Emma Forbes-Gearey, Sarah Longbone, Rory Munro-Faure, Alden Plows, Thomas Ryan, David Skippins, and Fergus Walker. Conditions were challenging to say the least over the two days of racing — with winds of 20kts plus, and gusts reaching over 30kts! With two teams of very mixed experience, these conditions were certainly not ideal. Downwind legs were spent fighting spinnakers, with many teams of all nationalities going ‘shrimping’. The two Warsash teams held their own admirably against host teams who train and race together regularly, obtaining mid-fleet results of sixth and seventh on the first day, despite a sea-sickness casualty.

The Warsash Hydros Cup Regatta team, left to right: David Skippins, Fergus Walker, Thomas Ryan, Rachel Arnold, Alden Plows, Sarah Longbone, Emma Forbes-Geary, Rory Munro-Faure

The second day proved even windier than the first, and we all breathed a secret sigh of relief when spinnakers were banned under the race rules! A ‘port flyer’ start by Warsash 2 gave them the lead by the end of the first lap of the first race; unfortunately superior boat familiarity gave two very experienced French teams the pointing edge on the second upwind leg, and Warsash 2 dropped back to third place with Warsash 1 just behind in fourth. At the end of racing Team

Warsash finished with a very respectable mid-fleet result of eighth place. After racing had finished, there was just time to freshen up before attending the French academy’s annual ball, with VIP tickets no less! After the awards ceremony over 1,500 attendees arrived from French maritime academies across the country. A very enjoyable time was had by all, with lots of opportunities to practise our ‘Franglais’ on the locals! Rachel Arnold, a Phase 3 deck

cadet, said: ‘Having never sailed before, never mind racing, it was an incredible experience, which required teamwork, communication and determination. I am so glad I took part, and it turned out to be a really fun weekend!’ All of the participants from Warsash would like to thank their sponsors who made the trip possible, including Nautilus International, and the Honourable Company of Master Mariners. FERGUS WALKER

Have your say online New medals for South Shields Row

CENTURY

N T RODU

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ES AT T

SEAMANSHIP

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title, to stop the Marine School making it three in a row,’ says Tommy. ‘I’m sure that Fleetwood will be just as keen to get the trophy back too, after winning previous races. It’s becoming more competitive than ever.’ This year, the individual teams will donate to a charity of their choice.

st 130

This month’s poll asks: Do you think the International Maritime Organisation is failing to regulate shipping properly? Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org

It was a close-rowed race last year, with South Shields Marine School overtaking the South Tyneside College General Engineering boat, who had led all the way, in the last 600m. ‘It goes without saying that the General Engineering team will be hoping to turn the tide and claim the

O RY P R I C CT

No 42%

take home a medal, sponsored by Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Executive, Nexus. In another first this year, Svitzer Towage, the largest towing company in the UK and responsible for the towage on the River Tyne, is sponsoring South Shields Marine School’s rowing kit.

Yes 58%

This month, as part of Seafarers Awareness Week (20-28 June), the River Tyne will play host to the sixth South Shields Marine School Annual Row. On Saturday 20 June, eight teams will battle it out to be the first to pull their boat over the finish line, at South Shields Marine Offshore Safety Training centre (MOST). The row is raced over eight nautical miles of the River Tyne, from Newcastle Quayside to South Shields. Teams this year include South Shields Marine School, South Tyneside College Ladies, South Tyneside College General Engineering, Fleetwood Nautical Campus, Glasgow Marine Academy, NE P&I Club, Bernhard Schulte Shipping and the American Bureau of Shipping. The event is the brainchild of Tommy Procter, a former tug master and retired lecturer at South Shields Marine School. ‘The race wouldn’t be possible without the support and help given by the staff from TS Collingwood Sea Cadet unit in Wapping Street South Shields,’ he says. ‘Staff there have given up a lot of their free time over the years assisting with the training of not only the South Tyneside College boats, but also other competing teams.’ TS Collingwood also provides several safety cover boats for the row, alongside the MOST. For the first time in the race’s history, winners and runners-up will

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19/05/2015 15:25

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17

YOUR LETTERS

Time for Union members to hold failing IMO to account

telegraph

must raise manning levels’ in P last month’s Telegraph is of course

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The letter headlined ‘IMO

fundamental to dealing with many of the accidents onboard. To my recollection, we have been calling for this for at least 30 years with absolutely no response from the IMO. Indeed, with the introduction of the security regime and the manpower requirements of this, the situation has become worse. Under the ‘watchful’ eye of the IMO the manning certificate has become a worthless piece of paper with manning levels on ships decided by the owners, the manning regulations completely ignored by the flag states, including our own, and fatigue caused by this appalling disregard now having a major impact on ship operation both in port and at sea with, of course, those at sea blamed for any incident. However, the causes of this go deeper. The IMO was formed in 1948 in Geneva and came into force in 1959 with the 1960 convention. This all came from SOLAS, established in 1914 as a result of the Titanic disaster. This convention was updated in 1974 and it is this convention that, with the continuing updates, forms the basis of the IMO today. Alongside this is UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out. In article 94 it states that flag states ‘shall effectively exercise its jurisdiction and control in administrative, technical and social matters over ships flying its flag’. This includes the safe manning of ships registered under their flags. While not stated, it is now accepted that the effective oversight for the implementation of UNCLOS by the flag states lies within the jurisdiction of the IMO, and the precedent for this is the fact that several provisions in the Convention

refer to the ‘competent international organisation’ in connection with the adoption of international shipping rules and standards in matters concerning maritime safety, efficiency of navigation and the prevention and control of marine pollution from vessels and by dumping. So what has the IMO done to ensure that UNCLOS is complied with? The answer is nothing. The flag states treat UNCLOS as if it does not exist. The principle that there be a ‘genuine link’ between a ship’s owners and its flag state is completely ignored by both flag states and the owners. The flag states now sell their registrations like postage stamps with no intention of complying with UNCLOS even if they could, which many island flag states cannot. This means that the seafarers on their registered ships and the now many millions of passengers have no recourse to regulation, justice or diligent investigation of incidents or crime on these ships. Now this would be disputed by those employed by these states in their marine administrations by stating that they follow the IMO legislation, but they don’t even do that. Coming back to the manning levels, the International Ship & Port Security Code clearly states that the flag states are to reassess the manning levels to ensure that ships can comply with the code while being safe manned. No flag state has done this. Is it not ironic that seafarers who offend against the laws of the flag states can be imprisoned, yet those in the administrations of the flag states who break the laws of UNCLOS and ignore the legislation of the IMO do so with impunity? But what about these IMO legislative acts? Fatigue hours are defined, but no requirement for ports to provide layby berths for ships to go to for rest before sailing. Ridiculously low manning

THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD

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ISSN 0040 2575 Published by Nautilus International Printed by William Gibbons. requirements for ships are specified and approved when the manning legislation requires ‘the number of qualified and other personnel required to meet peak workload situations and conditions, with due regard to the number of hours of shipboard duties and rest periods assigned to seafarers’. This is completely ignored by every shipping company and by all those who inspect these ships — whether port state control, coastguard or class surveyors on behalf of the flag states. After all, who is going to bite the hand that feeds them? What about enclosed spaces? No design changes, training requirements or equipment, not even an oxygen meter, yet in the past month we have seen several deaths in these spaces. No reaction from the IMO, except to state that we should not go into spaces with oxygen content below

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21%. This means that no ship should ever sail as the bridge, all the cabins and even open air is below that! Cruiseships steaming around with only 75% lifeboat capacity — and even those are certified for more than they can hold. Lifejackets that at best are poor and at worse dangerous, and totally unrealistic criteria for abandonment, but again, no reaction from the IMO except to have senior officials wandering around claiming the appalling ‘new’ idea of the ship is a lifeboat which, incidentally, didn’t do those on the Costa Concordia or the Sewol much good. If that is so, then why require any lifeboats at all? So why can this organisation continue to ignore essential safety requirements and watch seamen dying because of this indifference? It is very simple. Money. Seamen don’t have it, the shipowners do. Imagine that legislation is proposed that cruiseships should have 100% lifeboat capacity. The marine minister of an island flag state is approached by the cruiseship owner who states his objection to the legislation, reminding the minister that his 20 ships can change flags overnight if that flag state approves this. And by the way, here is a little something for the children’s education fund. It is obvious what that flag state will vote for. This is what is happening to much safety legislation that will benefit safety at sea at the expense of the owners and why the IMO is now so ineffective and disenfranchised from those at sea. To its shame, it has become a shipowners’ organisation at the expense of the lives of seafarers and while purporting to uphold safety at sea enacts ineffective legislation which becomes advice by the constant use of the word ‘should’ instead of ‘must’ while silently watching those at sea being blamed for circumstances

that are beyond their control, while those who should be blamed go unpunished and unrepentant. Those at sea have a right to be angry at what has happened and that is why the manning regulations will never be followed or change for the better until the basic attitudes of the administration of this organisation can change back to that which the founders conceived and make effective and sensible safety legislation regardless of the inﬂuence of the shipowners. In October we meet in Liverpool for our quadrennial conference. This is the opportunity to come and express your opinions. Nothing will change unless you want it to, and it is only Nautilus and organisations like this that call for change — and it can only do this with the support of its members. It is at Liverpool in October that you can show that support.

Captain MICHAEL LLOYD Nautilus Council member

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

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

19/05/2015 16:48

18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

YOUR LETTERS

Marjorie Brown, a life well lived neighbours have been paying P tribute to Marjorie Brown, a Friends, relatives and

resident of the Nautilus Mariners’ Park estate who has died at the age of 104. Marjorie was born in Liverpool to George and Ellen on 21 March 1911. She had three sisters and one brother, and at a young age moved across the water to Wirral. A blind date in Orrell, Wigan led to her marriage to William ‘Billy’ Hosea Brown. They married in Saint Nicholas’s Church, Wallasey on 16 December 1944. Billy was a Scotsman from the Shetland Islands and he sailed with Booker Line (the company now best known for sponsoring the Booker prize for fiction). One of Billy’s ships was the Arakaka, on which he travelled to British Ghana, the Caribbean, Brazil and Venezuela. Marjorie sometimes had the pleasure of being able to sail with her husband. On one of these trips she met Dr Alain Bombard, who was engaged in an expedition on his raft, and he described the encounter in his book The Bombard Story. Billy died in 1959, but Marjorie continued her full and interesting life, leading, organising and influencing everyone she met, and in 1984 she came to spend her retirement years at Mariners’ Park. Initially she lived in an upstairs apartment in Cliff Drive, before moving to a ground floor apartment in Webster Ave until she eventually decided to move into the Mariners’ Park Care Home. Mariners’ Park estate manager Danny Kenny knew Mrs Brown

well. He said: ‘During her 31 years living at Mariners’ Park, she was still inﬂuencing people right up to her 104th birthday celebrations on Saturday 21 March, where she took centre stage and gave a short speech, thanking everybody for their kindness. Mrs Brown unfortunately passed away four days later on Wednesday 25 March. However, she also left clear instructions to her nephew, David, to fulﬁl her wishes, which he dutifully did. ‘Mrs Brown was one of our characters and will be sadly missed, by the staff in the grounds and especially by the staff in the care home. Mrs Brown even persuaded Nautilus to change the name of the central lounge in the care home to the Jubilee Lounge in honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.’ Activities coordinator Audrey Stocker remembers Mrs Brown as being someone ‘who said it as it was, and that’s why we loved her. She was also very adept at persuading staff to do things for her even though you might not have wanted to do them!’ Angela Reynolds, one of the care home’s registered nurses, said she would remember Mrs Brown as vibrant, beautiful and wise, and noted that she had loved her husband from the day she married him until the day she passed. Mariners’ Park staff past and present attended the funeral of the well-liked resident, and Mrs Brown’s nephew David said it had been touching to see members of staff outside the care home for the funeral cortege, paying their respects to his auntie.

Liverpool Propeller Club president Jim Bellew with the branch’s charter certificate

US Propeller Club launches new Liverpool branch Tommy Molloy was F among more than 100 maritime Nautilus/ITF inspector

professionals attending the formal launch of the Liverpool Propeller Club on 23 April. Held at the Aloft Hotel, the event celebrated the presentation of to the recently formed Liverpool branch of its Charter, marking its enrolment into the International Propeller Club of the United States. The Liverpool Propeller Club is only the second branch of this US-based global maritime association to be established in

the UK since the London chapter opened in 1936. Established in 1927, the organisation aims to promote cooperation and understanding of the maritime industry for its members, its community and across the global Propeller Club network of around 100 ports. The Liverpool Propeller Club intends to embrace the maritime community of the NW region of England, from Barrow-in-Furness and the Isle of Man to Holyhead, and the ports and logistical infrastructure of Manchester and the canal.

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

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

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

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

Up to £17,500 per applicant is available to help with the costs of gaining your first certificate of competency. Maybe you need a hand with tuition fees or buying books — or would welcome a boost to your income if you’re off pay during college phases.

16-18_lets_SR edit.indd 18

g So if you’r e looking to become an officer of the watch, don’t leave things to chance. Fill in the form now or apply via the Nautilus website: www.nautilusint.org

South Africa’s own canine superstar Complete this form and send it to: Slater Fund, The Marine Society, 202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW. I am over 20 years of age and normally resident in the UK. Please send me details of the John Slater Award. Name: _________________________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________

Email:

_________________________________________________________________________________

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

The story, in Offwatch (May), of the St Bernard dog Bamse who was adopted by the Royal Norwegian Navy in 1940, reminded me of the huge Great Dane who became AB Just Nuisance, in the RN base at Simonstown, South Africa, complete with his Papers and Allowances. He spent his time with matelots, looking after them when they got drunk, taking their sleeve and guiding them home. He sussed-out the trains between Cape Town and Simonstown in no time and

shepherded his ﬂock with no problem. Nobody argued with him! An amazingly intelligent dog, the papers soon had tales of him and he became a ‘superstar’ in South Africa. Two booklets were written about him, and he raised considerable sums for seafarers’ charities. He didn’t sleep as a dog, but stretched full length on a bed, any bed at ﬁrst (removing an AB if necessary) but soon having his own bed. He gave a lot of people happiness over a lot of years. JOHN PARK mem no 044582

19/05/2015 15:25

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19

MEMBERS AT WORK

The perfect portfolio Marine engineer consultant and surveyor Paul Saunders took an unconventional route into the maritime industry — but it’s one that’s given him the breadth of knowledge for his current role, which combines marine casualty and insurance surveying with teaching landlubbers what the industry is all about…

‘What does TEU mean?’ Paul Saunders asks the assembled group of marine insurance brokers, maritime lawyers and others in shore-based maritime jobs. A range of expressions pass across the faces of the group as they acknowledge that this is an acronym they know, and have probably used, but no one proffers an answer... Paul has been working for Braemar (incorporating The Salvage Association — Braemar SA), for over two years. Today he is acting as mentor for a twoday port and shipyard familiarisation course hosted by Braemar SA. The course aims to help marine insurance professionals better understand the basic technical aspects of damages encountered in marine losses — the surveying, investigating and reporting techniques — as well as providing an insight into shipyard operations. Paul gives the answer to the question, and a number of other acronyms much-loved by the industry — hinting that the group should take note of their meanings for the quiz he is planning to hold in the pub at the end of the day. Chief engineer Paul’s breadth of experience makes him an ideal candidate to host the courses, as he has worked on most ship types, on newbuilds, major conversions, dry docking and repairs, in roles both at sea and ashore. His knowledge was gained through a largely unconventional route into the industry — he did not undertake a cadetship, but had developed a love of the sea and of sailing from a young age and took advice from all those he met. ‘I grew up in Lowestoft, by the sea, and I used to love being at the sea. I built a little boat and used to go out fishing all the time, and I also worked on my friend’s father’s trawler during school holidays,’ he recalls. ‘When it came to choosing a career when leaving school, I was told about a four-year marine engineering apprenticeship being run by Gardline Shipping who, at that time, were based in Lowestoft. I sent off an application form, but by the time I was finishing school I still hadn’t heard back from them and I really wanted to go to sea. ‘Instead I began a deck cadetship with SSTG, and got my first ship, the Mairi Everard, owned by FT Everard & Sons.’ Paul’s seagoing career got off to an eventful start. ‘We arrived in Sweden to discharge a bulk cargo of coal and, as I already wanted to see the world, I was granted a few hours’ shore leave and went into the

Chief engineer Paul Saunders with his seaman’s discharge book

19_saunders_SR edit.indd Sec1:19

town, but at 16 I had no idea about a seaman’s discharge book, identification, or even the need for a passport,’ he admits. ‘When the Swedish police saw this long-haired English youngster with earrings, covered from head to toe in coal dust, and with no identification, they wanted to arrest me. I managed to get them to take me back to the ship and the master thankfully agreed that he did know me! ‘I was then taken back to the station to get a photograph and proper identification for my seaman’s book application.’ Back onboard, Paul began to realise that despite being a deck cadet he was spending more and more time in the engineroom, and he decided then that this was where he wanted to be. So a few months into his cadetship, when Paul finally received a reply from Gardline offering him an interview for the apprenticeship he originally applied for, he was unsure what to do. ‘I already had a good job with good prospects, so I didn’t need the job but thought I would go along for the experience,’ Paul remembers. ‘I was home on leave, and turned up in jeans and t-shirt and sat in a room with other young men all wearing suits. I went in and spoke to the superintendent engineer and the engineering foreman, and they must have really liked me as they offered me the job. I think I looked more like an engineer than some of the suit-wearers!’ Paul stopped his deck cadetship and transferred to the four-year indentured marine engineering apprenticeship with Gardline. He was shore-based, working on a fleet of survey ships which undertook hydrographic and geophysical surveys in the summer and were often in port for long spells over the winter. He also attended Lowestoft College on day release studying mechanical engineering. ‘I spent winters at home going into port every day to work on the ships, both afloat and when in dry dock. Right from the start I was taking main engines apart, removing and refitting propellers and tailshafts, overhauling ship side valves, and fixing bow thrusters,’ Paul says. ‘Then in the summer when I wasn’t at college I would volunteer to go off to sea with the vessels accruing sea time towards my certificate of competency.’ Once he completed his four-year apprenticeship Paul passed his class four engineer’s certificate and was offered a job in the office with Gardline — with the opportunity to continue gaining sea service by filling-in trips at sea. He soon accrued enough qualifying sea service and went for his third engineer’s ticket at South Tyneside College. Paul remembers his first day there. ‘There was a guy who was on the QE2, a couple of other guys from cruiseships and a few from tankers,’ he says. ‘I thought I wouldn’t be able to keep up, just being from small survey ships. ‘However, as time went on I realised that they had very specific knowledge about the individual equipment that they worked on, but not so much about the rest of the ship’s equipment, whereas I had knowledge of nearly everything in the engineroom and around the rest of the ship. I’m not sure my lecturers always believed all the things I had done.’ Paul stayed with Gardline for another two years, combining office work with enough seatime to be able to get his class two ticket, but decided he needed to get more experience. He moved to Zodiac Maritime Agencies as a technical assistant based in London, becoming a dry docking coordinator six months later when a vacancy arose. ‘I really enjoyed my time there, but I missed being at sea and other seafarers I met kept telling me I should go back and get my chief engineer’s ticket,’ he said.

A Braemar SA shipyard familiarisation course group at the A&P facilities in Falmouth

Showing the sea to colleagues ashore Courses typically include tours of local ports, Braemar (incorporating the Salvage dry and floating docks; ship visits, and talks from Association) has been running the free port and K maritime professionals including surveyors, port shipyard familiarisation courses for many years. Courses take place in a number of locations around the world and number at least four a year. They are designed to give marine professionals who have not been to sea the opportunity to go behind the scenes at ports and learn about the work of those ‘at the coal face’ of the industry. Attendees develop the technical knowledge needed to deal with claims encountered in marine losses, and the process of surveying, investigating and reporting casualties. Braemar SA provides the courses as part of its ongoing commitment to the industry to provide background knowledge and understanding about all aspects of ship construction, port operations, and life at sea.

‘I spoke to Zodiac and said I was leaving as I wanted to sail as a chief engineer. They were really good about it and tried to put a package together for me which would allow me to stay with the company. However, they were limited with what they could pay and in the end it just didn’t compare with the other offers I got — so I left them to join Svitzer/ AP Moller.’ After a couple more years’ sea service Paul decided it was time for a change once more — back to a shore job. He put some CVs out and one was spotted by Gardline. The company had expanded since Paul had left and, following a few catch-up beers, he was offered a job as an engineer superintendent with funding to study for his chief’s ticket. ‘Once again I was working with ships in dry dock and whenever there was a vacancy onboard I would hop on the ship for a few weeks — or sometimes several months! I sailed in whatever rank was needed even though I was a superintendent, and because I had ﬁtted most of the engines I knew exactly how they worked.’ Paul stayed with Gardline for another 12 years, sailing or doing dry docking all around the world, and undertaking several major ship conversion projects. After three years with Carisbrooke Shipping as superintendent for a ﬂeet of general cargo/

operations managers and maritime rescue personnel. Braemar SA says that feedback from participants is always extremely positive, with attendees praising the level of detailed information delivered and the superb opportunities for vessel and port visits provided. ‘We are delighted to be able to offer these courses to our clients around the world,’ explains Nigel Clark, managing director of Braemar SA. ‘We believe the detailed industry knowledge provided by our courses benefits all participants who gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of marine claims, and we are pleased to be able to provide this service to the marine insurance industry and wider shipping community.’

heavylift vessels, Paul moved to Braemar SA, where he works today. ‘It’s the perfect blend for me,’ Paul says. ‘I still travel a lot, but it’s usually only around Europe as we have offices all over the world which deal with other regions. I get to meet lots of different people and survey different types of ships and investigate the casualties that can and do occur to them. Each week can be, and usually is, totally different to the last. ‘I also love running the courses for marine insurance people as I get to find out about a completely different aspect of the industry. ‘At the end of every course I always want to go back with the people who I’ve met and sit down at their desks to see how they deal with the casualty claims that I might have produced reports on. You learn an amazing amount about your own job by seeing how it affects other people’s jobs. It’s a totally fulfilling job. ‘I’m just a simple seafarer,’ he concludes. ‘I have been trained as, and attended, the High Court as an expert witness and often receive instructions to undertake consultancy and legal work, but at heart I am a merchant mariner. I now work closely with lawyers, underwriters and brokers and as much as they get to find out what I do, I get to find out what they do, it’s brilliant!’

19/05/2015 16:50

20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

MN PENSIONS Nautilus assistant general secretary Mike Jess addresses the ‘meet the experts’ MN pensions roadshow in Southampton last month. More than 100 members attended the two sessions. The next meeting is due to take place in Aberdeen in September

Sandra Silverwood ‒ one of three Nautilus Welfare Fund caseworkers ‒ had a stall at the pensions roadshow in Southampton

Retirement revitalised K

Developed by the specialist pensions advisory team Ensign Pensions in conjunction with Nautilus and industry employers, the new Ensign Retirement Plan (ERP) aims to provide a ‘best in class’ scheme to ensure that members have a comfortable retirement. The Ensign Retirement Plan aims to deliver: z a high quality pension arrangement that is easy for employers to join z the highest standards of scheme governance z low member charges z engaging communications for members

Nautilus has welcomed the forthcoming launch of a new industry-wide defined-contribution pension scheme which has been specially designed for all employers and employees in the UK maritime sector… z a range of investment options z access to all the new ﬂexibilities available from

April 2015

The ERP will be fully compliant with autoenrolment requirements and will be set up under trust, governed by a Trustee Board with equal representation from employers and members. Trustees will have a duty to maintain appropriate knowledge and understanding of matters relating to deﬁned contribution pension schemes. The ERP has appointed BlackRock Life Limited — DC Investment Manager of the Year in 2014 — to provide investment management and scheme administration. BlackRock will manage day-to-day queries from members and ensure any contributions to the Plan are invested in the appropriate funds. Ensign Pensions advises the Merchant Navy

“

Nautilus fully supports the new arrangements and we believe that the ERP will be a major improvement on the current MNOPP Mike Jess Nautilus assistant general secretary

”

Officers Pension Fund (MNOPF), Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (MNRPF) and the Merchant Navy Officers Pension Plan (MNOPP), and the new scheme has been developed against the backdrop of recent changes in pension rules. There have also been detailed discussions over the future of the MNOPP, and the scheme managers have recently notified participating employers of the intention to merge the scheme with the Ensign Retirement Plan. Consultations are under way, and the Trustee of the MNOPP is proposing to commence the winding-up of the MNOPP with effect from 31 July 2015. This move is fully supported by the Joint Officers Pensions Committee (JOPC), of which Nautilus is an equal member with the employers. To try and ensure that members are able to save for a comfortable retirement, the ERP contribution rates are well above the statutory minimum under auto enrolment — a minimum total contribution of 10% of salary, with a minimum 6% from the

20_pens_SR edit.indd 25

employer to be paid directly into member’s pension accounts. Members’ contributions will be set at a minimum amount of 4% of salary — an increase of 0.1% above the MNOPP minimum — with the option to contribute more if they wish to do so. Members will also be able to pay additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) up to HMRC limits into the ERP and will also be offered flexibility to invest different portions of their funds in different ways. By participating in this industry-wide scheme, employers and employees will benefit from economies of scale, providing competitive charges that will be lower than most employers could obtain for themselves if they were to operate their own trust based scheme with a similar quality of governance and range of communications and investment options available to members. A small charge will be deducted from members’ accounts by BlackRock to cover administration and investment services. The annual management charge for those in the default fund will be 0.36% of funds under management — well below the statutory maximum of 0.75% and far below the current charges under the MNOPP. In line with the launch of ERP, a new life assurance arrangement is also being established for employers and employees in the maritime industry. This will be operated by employee benefits specialist Creative Benefits, with the underlying policy being held with Canada Life, and it will provide the same level of cover as under the existing MNOPP arrangements. The employer will either provide its own group life cover to the same level as currently provided under the MNOPP — three times annual salary — or enrol employees into the Creative Benefits scheme. MNOPP chairman Nautilus assistant general secretary Mike Jess commented: ‘Subject to further detailed consideration, the MNOPP Trustee has agreed in principle to merging the MNOPP with the Ensign Retirement Plan in the belief that this will be in the best interests of its members.’ ‘Nautilus fully supports the new pension arrangements and we believe that the ERP will be a major improvement on the current MNOPP, in line with our ongoing aim of improving members’ pension arrangements across the maritime sector,’ he added. ‘The new plan will provide members with a high quality pension scheme with excellent communications, low charges and access to the pensions flexibilities made available to pension scheme members by last year’s Budget,’ he pointed out. ‘We hope that all employers connected with the industry will support and participate in the Ensign Retirement Plan,’ Mr Jess said. ‘Employers who currently participate in the MNOPF will be able to utilise the new plan to provide DC benefits to both existing MNOPF members and to other employees.’ g Ensign Retirement Plan contact details: Ensign Pensions, The Beehive, City Place, Gatwick Airport, West Sussex, RH6 0PA +44 (0)1293 804 580 ERP@ensignpensions.co.uk

19/05/2015 18:48

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21

NAUTILUS AT WORK

Ethical finance the union way K

Conservative UK governments aren’t known for being enthusiastic about unions, but there are some that the new government is strongly backing — with £38m worth of support to expand membership over a two-year period. Membership includes some government ministers, members of the clergy and the police force, and even the Duchess of Cornwall. These are the credit unions — not-forprofit ‘community banks’ — and they are on the increase. Nautilus is set to launch one for its members later this year, giving members the opportunity to join a specially-designed scheme. Offering an ethical alternative to banks as a way of saving money and accessing loans, credit unions have a history spanning well over 150 years. Global membership is at an all-time high of more than 208m people in 103 different countries, and in the UK there are more than 520 credit unions with almost 1.5m members. A credit union is best described as a financial cooperative — run by members for the benefit of members, which means there are no outside shareholders to pay and any profit is used to develop the credit union and provide a return to savers. It operates much like a bank receiving deposits from, and making loans to its members. Traditionally, the members of a credit union have had a ‘common bond’ such as working in the same profession or for the same employer, or living in the same geographical area. ‘The proposed Nautilus Credit Union will be a regular credit union with the aim of providing our members with an alternative to high street banks and other financial institutions for their personal finance needs,’ says general secretary Mark Dickinson. ‘However, we also have a wider and unique aspiration for our credit union — to assist our members to invest in their future career development at sea and when they come ashore,’ he adds. ‘Many of our members benefit from companysponsored study leave programmes. Those in that fortunate position often explain how access to this source of funding for skills investment is not a contractual right — indeed, it is often rationed and consequently difficult to take advantage of at a time that suits the member concerned. ‘Sadly, it is therefore a reality for too many members that they don’t know if, or when, they will successfully secure employer support for that next certificate of competence, refresher or short course,’ Mr Dickinson points out. ‘And we are alltoo aware of the ebbs and flows of world trade, the impact that has on the bottom line and how all-too quickly the knife is taken to those limited training budgets.

Nautilus is planning to launch a new service to help members to save and invest in their professional development, and will soon be seeking your views on the potential scheme…

The Duchess of Cornwall visits the London Community Credit Union. A firm supporter of the not-for-profit banks, she hosted a reception to mark International Credit Union Day last year and told guests at the event: ‘I believe credit unions can change the way we talk and think about savings and loans… The simple fact being that if more of us support them by opening savings accounts, they will be able to offer more loans to those who really need them.’ Picture: Press Association

‘The proposed Nautilus Credit Union aspires to provide an opportunity for members to save for their future personal training investments,’ he explains. ‘In time, it is hoped that we will be able to convince employers who do not offer study leave to support this initiative and offer to provide matched savings arrangements. This will act as a signiﬁcant staff retention incentive and contribute to much-needed increased investment in our maritime skills base. ‘Investment in our human capital will contribute to increasing our members’ competitiveness in the global shipping industry and further enhance our repu-

tation for producing the very best shipping professionals for the global shipping industry.’

All categories of Nautilus member will be eligible to join the Union’s scheme, as well as family members resident with them. Only owner-members of the credit union can save with and borrow from it — this is a legal requirement. Members’ savings are referred to as ‘share holding’, as every £1 of savings deposited with the credit union purchases a share in it worth £1. After the running costs of the credit union are met,

all proﬁts made are paid back to the members in the form of an annual dividend which is allocated like a loyalty bonus: the longer savings and those deposits are held in the credit union, the bigger the individual entitlement is to a share of the dividend pool. Like any ﬁnancial institution, some credit unions fail — but they are licensed deposit takers, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and authorised to trade by the Prudential Regulation Authority, ultimately the Bank of England. Just like ordinary savings accounts, they are fully covered by the Financial Services Compensation

What are the benefits of a credit union? z the interests of members are served, and no-one else, as there are no outside shareholders or borrowers z members run the credit union through elected committees z as many tasks are performed by unpaid officers, costs are kept low z there are no management charges on savings z there are no arrangement fees or management charges on loans z currently the rate of interest cannot legally be more than that prescribed by law and regulation for credit unions z life assurance can be provided on both savings and loans for each

member, with the premiums paid by the credit union

z after the running costs have been met, a dividend can be paid on

the shares held by each member z members’ savings are protected up to certain limits by law z credit unions can organise activities to educate members in the use of money that gives them greater control over the management of their financial affairs z credit unions are a practical example of people helping people in a community

Scheme (FSCS) up to the standard limit of £85,000 per individual, and under UK law credit unions are not allowed to invest the funds belonging to ownermembers in speculative investments. Credit unions work by earning interest on the owner-members’ shares. Savings deposited in the proposed Nautilus Credit Union will be with the Unity Trust Bank, whose customers are trade unions, charities and social economy organisations. Credit unions grant loans to ownermembers, usually but not always based upon a multiple of shares for any ‘prudential and provident purpose’ (a legal definition) that never exceed rates of interest or length of time set down by UK credit union law and regulation. There are no penalties if a loan balance is redeemed early. The loan interest due is calculated on the declining balance of the loan instalment paid each month, but for simplicity it remains the same each month so that each instalment paid is notionally made up of an increased amount of the capital repayment of the loan and a lower amount of interest. The maximum rate of interest that can be charged is currently 42.6% APR (3% per month on the declining balance). This rate is usually charged for small sums borrowed, but the traditional rate of interest is 12.7% APR (1% per month on the declining balance) or for some loans even less than that. The rate of interest charged on loans is determined by the board of directors of the credit union and published through the trade union media from time to time. All loan applications will be subject to individual underwriting. The creation of reserves from the outset is a legal and regulatory obligation for all UK financial firms, including credit unions. They are created at start-up by fund-raising activities and are increased as an allocation of some trading surpluses, so that a minimum level prescribed by the regulator from time to time is reached. The reserves must not exceed a maximum level as a percentage of gross assets as laid down by law. The reserves are a ‘rainy day’ amount held on the books of account of the credit union to act as a safeguard against any owner-member not paying back a loan, causing the value of each £1 share in the credit union to become worth less than that. Before the proposed Nautilus Credit Union is launched, members will be asked to indicate their interest in the scheme and to complete an owner-membership application form. At this stage, the form is not a legally binding document but will help Nautilus to gauge the level of interest in the project. Watch this space — and the Nautilus website — for further developments…

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19/05/2015 17:47

22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

MARITIME COMMUNICATIONS

Forecast looks bright for data sharing at sea The EfficienSea2 project promises to deliver new ad

EU-backed tech research promises to revolutionise shipping communications, improving safety and cutting administrative burdens...

There’s a cloud on the horizon — and it’s one that could transform shipping industry operations, as well as easing seafarer workloads. A new project backed by European Union aid got under way last month with the ambitious aim of developing the Maritime Cloud — a new information and communication technology (ICT) concept that promises to deliver ‘seamless electronic information exchange’ within the shipping industry. The €11.4m Danish-led EfficienSea2 initiative brings together 32 partners from 12 different EU countries in a bid to develop a range of digital services to revolutionise communications within the shipping industry. Project leaders claim the ‘ground-breaking’ research could not only improve the safety of navigation and increase the efficiency of shipping operations, but will also cut the paperwork burden faced by ship masters and officers — notably port reporting requirements and ship emission data. ‘There’s no doubt that this project is ground-breaking and holds a high potential for innovation,’ says Bjørn Borbye Pedersen, of the Danish Maritime Authority. ‘This will pave the way to, and fast track to, the introduction and use of modern communication, navigation and administrative systems that better match companies’ requirements for efficiency and increased safety as well as improved usability.’ EfficienSea2 will run for three years and has the core objective of realising the potential offered by the Maritime Cloud. ‘Big data’ is at the heart of the research — and the project aims to make much better use of the increasingly vast volumes of data generated onboard ships, in shipping company offices and in ports. ‘The concept of the Maritime Cloud was born from the realisation that in order for e-Navigation to work on a global scale you need a trusted place where you can identify e-Navigation services,’ Mr Pedersen told the Telegraph. ‘The Maritime Cloud has main three components: a service registry much like the app store where you can find services in a given area; a secure and trusted identity registry of data providers and users; and an intelligent messaging server that takes your location and communication link into account when sharing data. ‘The benefits for the crew could be numerous,’ he added. ‘There’s one trusted place to locate e-navigation services around the world, and the identity registry also has the potential to enable digital reporting to ports, VTS and

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The benefits for the crew could be numerous. There’s one trusted place to locate e-navigation services around the world, and the identity registry also has the potential to enable digital reporting to ports…

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other authorities.’ The Maritime Cloud is formally defined as ‘a communication framework enabling efficient, secure, reliable and seamless electronic information exchange between all authorised maritime stakeholders across available communication systems’. It is not a ‘storage cloud’ containing all information about every ship or cargo, and neither is it tied to ‘cloud computing’. Instead, it is intended to be an essential building block for e-Navigation — setting the standards and infrastructure for systems that will enable the efficient exchange of information between ship and shore. The project has been tasked with the development of cheaper and more efficient communication channels at sea — and researchers will be looking into ways of making ‘intelligent’ use of the most inexpensive communication channel available. It will focus on the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) — a way of integrating shipboard systems and onboard networks. By developing an ‘onboard communication architecture’ for the integration of radio communication devices with the Integrated Navigation System

(INS), platform automation systems and other electronic data processing systems, researchers hope it will be possible to direct information and data through the most feasible or lowest cost external communication channel — whether as an Application Speciﬁc Message (ASM) via AIS or through Inmarsat, IridiumNext, Argos, V-Sat, Galileo, VDES, NAVDAT or any other existing or new system. The project will examine ways to ensure a high degree of connectivity, as well as compression and queuing of data transmissions to achieve cheaper communications. A number of international agencies are working on the requirements for the VDES and speciﬁcation of radio technical standards and protocols using the existing marine VHF band to exchange data between ships and from ship to shore, both terrestrially and over satellite. The maximum data speed is estimated to be up to 250 kbps.

EfficienSea2 will also look into the possibility of a new internationallyagreed format for charts, allowing for better update schemes, integration with different data types and better data maintenance schemes. It will also investigate the potential for a new format for Maritime Safety Information (MSI) and Notices to Mariners (NM) — including their portrayal on electronic chart display systems. Other issues to be examined include standardised meteorological and oceanographic information, enabling integration on multiple platforms, a ‘route exchange service’ for exchanging information about vessels’ intended passages, and services to merge a variety of data (such as draft, bathymetry, and tidal levels) in a simple format. The project also hopes to cut administrative burdens on crew by developing an automated Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) and Ship Reporting System (SRS), automated port reporting, and a system to make reliable port information easily available to vessels. Similarly, it aims to develop automated systems for monitoring and reporting ship emission data, which could ease the port state control inspection process. Mr Pedersen, who is acting communication manager for EfficienSea2, says the project will concentrate on the Baltic Sea and Arctic waters — with the long-term aim of providing a global system. ‘Much work will be done in the project on global standardisation and harmonisation — so hopefully the results will have global impact,’ he adds. ‘If this pans out, we see it as a revolution for a long line of services that we cannot even imagine today.’

The Danish Maritime Authority’s vision of how the Maritime Clo

Maritime ICT Cloud will h cargo monitoring a

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Swedish telec embraces clou up by the networked society, one leading communications company K argues. But, it promises, new systems will bring the industry into the world of Shipping has been slow to join the ‘extraordinary revolution’ served

real-time connectivity — delivering big benefits for seafarers. The Swedish telecoms firm promises that its Maritime ICT Cloud concept will connect ships at sea with all aspects of shore-based operations, port services and authorities, as well as helping to manage fleets, monitor engines and fuel consumption, oversee routes and navigation, and ensure the wellbeing of the crew. Ericsson says the current reliance upon manually updated traffic, cargo, port, weather and safety information that is sent point-to-point rather than made available to all parties simultaneously via a network is both a timeconsuming process and one that significantly increases the margin for error. Orvar Hurtig, head of industry & society at Ericsson, adds: ‘Vessels at sea do have systems in place that allow them to monitor critical functions and fuel usage, set and maintain an optimal course and ensure the welfare of their

19/05/2015 19:14

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23

MARITIME COMMUNICATIONS

Wifiwidget turnsshore signals into shipboard internet launched to help seafarers get a decent J broadband connection from a mobile phone A new maritime modem has been

signal. The NeptuLink device is intended for use in coastal waters, and converts a 4G mobile data signal from a shore-based transmitter into a strong fixed line broadband connection or wifi for use on crew members’ laptops and tablets. To operate NeptuLink, users need a mobile phone account in the nearest country to their vessel’s position. In other words, if the vessel is in British coastal waters, the user will need an account with one of the British mobile phone

service providers, such as EE or Vodaphone. The user then takes the SIM card out of their phone and puts it in the NeptuLink device. It is also sometimes possible to obtain a second SIM card for the same mobile phone account, which could stay in NeptuLink all the time. Normally, a mobile phone can pick up a signal from a shore-based transmitter until around 10nm out to sea. At this point, the phone is likely to have a low data rate (i.e. it will not have a good connection to the internet). But with NeptuLink, the manufacturers are claiming to achieve a good internet connection from a shore-based signal up to 20nm out to sea. This

is achieved thanks to the two antennae on the device. The system is being marketed as a cheaper alternative to satellite broadband for vessels operating in coastal waters. These could include yachts, dredgers, scientific ships, wind farm support craft and fishing boats. The manufacturers also suggest uses in port areas, such as video transmission for crane operators. The running cost of the connection would simply be whatever the user’s mobile phone service provider charges for its 4G package. g More information is available at www.microwavevision.com/NeptuLink

w advances in e-Navigation capabilities

New satellites boost broadband and enhance entertainment capacity and technology are K transforming shipping — and the

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crew, but they are not particularly well integrated with fleet management systems onshore and they do not maximise the potential of real-time data.’ By connecting these disparate systems and improving information sharing, the Maritime ICT Cloud will help in voyage optimisation, cargo monitoring and crew welfare, he argues. Ericsson sees particular potential in connecting containers wirelessly, monitoring them and making real-time information about their whereabouts and environmental conditions via an integrated dashboard. And it says the system will also help seafarers, by improving broadband connectivity for crew communication, entertainment, training and telemedicine. The Maritime ICT Cloud includes a multi-service communication platform with optimised connectivity and bandwidth for different types of traffic. ‘The end results include increased staff satisfaction and retention rates, efficient coaching and development, and increased ability to cope with health crises as they arise by remotely accessing medical information,’ the company claims.

22-23_spread_SR edit.indd 23

working lives of seafarers. ‘We are poised at a very interesting time in the maritime sector,’ says Rob Myers of the satcoms company Inmarsat. ‘There are developments which will radically re-shape the way things are done and will bring major benefits for crew welfare.’ Inmarsat began life in 1979 as the International Maritime Satellite Organisation — a not-for profit body that became a private company in 1999. It presently owns and operates a fleet of 11 satellites that support global communications not just in shipping, but also in sectors such as aviation, offshore oil and gas, the media and humanitarian aid agencies. Mr Myers, who is senior director of Inmarsat’s maritime market delivery, says new satellites, new systems and new services are set to take the shipping industry into a new era. The landscape of shipping communications is changing rapidly, he suggests. Between 2010 and 2013 it moved from the ‘traditional’ pattern of voice calls and e-mail attachments to ‘digital’ shipping, with ops data to shore and automated transfers. Between 2016 and 2020 it will evolve further, from ‘smart’ shipping — with automated data gathering and real-time transfer — to ‘drone’ shipping, with fully automated and unmanned vessels coming into service. Seafarers are poised to reap the benefits of improved connectivity, Mr Myers says. Inmarsat has recently launched its Fleet Media service, which allows crew members to watch the latest movies, TV shows, news and sport via on-demand or offline viewing on a laptop, computer or iOS and Android device anywhere onboard with a wifi or physical network connection. Described as a ‘revolutionary service’ that will be a ‘game-changing differentiating factor in recruitment’, Fleet Media is currently available on XpressLink and will soon be available across the wider Inmarsat Maritime

Inmarsat’s I-5 F2 satellite in the pre-launch stages

portfolio. ‘We know how important recruitment and retention has become for shipowners and crewing agencies,’ Mr Myers said. ‘Good connectivity is not only a major factor in crew welfare, but it is also an increasingly important element in the decision-making process when choosing who to work for.’ Inmarsat says Fleet Media will help to narrow the gap between ship and shore and enable seafarers to be much less socially isolated at sea. This process will also be boosted later this year when its long-awaited Global Xpress (GX) high-speed broadband service starts up. Inmarsat launched the first satellite in the US$1.6bn GX network in 2013,

covering users in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The second satellite, covering the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, was launched in February this year and the third is set to go into orbit this month, enabling the full global launch of GX commercial services. It will offer speeds of up to 50mbps, with the ability to add extra capacity to areas of high demand using the satellites’ ‘steerable’ beams, which can be aimed to focus on different locations. A fourth GX satellite is expected to be launched in the second half of 2016. But this is just the beginning, Mr Myers promises. ‘For the future, we hear more and more about

“big data” and the integration of shipboard systems with shore-based systems. Real-time data provided through global broadband supports increased automation and remote monitoring and we are starting a lot of conversations to take this process forward. ‘We are getting some very positive dialogue with people like systems integrators, softbridge suppliers and engine manufacturers on the way in which Inmarsat can be in the middle of meeting the increasing demand for data,’ he explained. ‘It’s not about unfettered bandwidth but more about using “smart box” technology to optimise access by controlling and regulating access,’ he adds. ‘Fleet Media is an example, where the service is not streamed but is trickled down and cached by taking advantage of global connectivity.’ Making intelligent use of capacity in this way will help ships to send and receive large volumes of data, and to participate in ‘multicast’ group communications, Mr Myers says. Inmarsat’s roots are in maritime safety, he points out, and this will continue to be a central element of the company’s work. ‘We are proud of our heritage and our role in maritime safety and GMDSS,’ he adds. ‘We want to take this forward with partners with a new Maritime Safety Platform to encourage innovation and new services and applications.’ Launched earlier this year, this ‘open technology strategy’ sees Inmarsat offering developers the freedom to use its technologies to come up with new ideas to change the way satellite communications are implemented — especially through Global Xpress. ‘We are very excited about the future and the way we can play our part in creating the environment for all of these application providers to intelligently use our platforms and change the way in which people interact with our technologies,’ Mr Myers says.

19/05/2015 19:14

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | i

NAUTILUS GM 2015

Members mingle at the meeting on the Mersey Titanic hotel, Liverpool

The 2015 General Meeting is only four months away... Have you put your name down for a room at Liverpool’s Titanic hotel? Sign up now for the event of the year!

Nautilus needs you! The 2015 Nautilus International General Meeting (GM) is the most important event in the Union’s calendar — the conference where key policies are determined by full members. But time is tight if you want to play a part in this year’s GM, which will be held at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool — with members assembling

Attendance at GM 2015

on Monday 5 October and departing on the morning of Thursday 8 October.

The deadline for submitting motions to the conference is 3 July. Use the forms in this supplement or on the Nautilus website to make sure that the issues which really matter to you and your colleagues will be discussed, debated and decided upon.

You can also use the forms here to apply to attend the GM. Attending the meeting needn’t put you out of pocket. Nautilus can provide assistance with travel and accommodation costs, to ensure that the meeting is attended by a representative cross-section of full members from throughout the industry.

A GM 2015: it’s inﬂuential, it’s interesting and it’s enjoyable. Join us there.

Teilnahme an GM 2015

Voor aanwezigheid ALV 2015

This form should be completed and returned to Adele McDonald, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Email: conference@nautilusint.org .

Dit formulier moet worden ingevuld en verzonden naar Adele McDonald, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Email: conference@nautilusint.org .

Dieses Formular bitte ausfüllen und schicken an: Adele McDonald, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Email: conference@nautilusint.org .

A limited amount of financial assistance is available for those full members wishing to attend and who otherwise would not be able to make the journey. Please indicate below if you wish to be considered for financial aid.

Er is een beperkt bedrag beschikbaar voor financiële steun voor Gewone leden ( full members ) die graag willen komen , maar die zonder deze steun niet in staat zijn om deze reis te maken. Indien u meent dat u voor financiële steun in aanmerking komt kunt u dat hieronder aangeven.

Es steht ein begrenzter finanzieller Betrag zur Verfügung für jene Vollmitglieder, die gerne die Generalversammlung besuchen möchten jedoch nicht die Reisekosten aufbringen können. Bitte mache in diesem Falle unten ein Kreuz im entsprechenden Feld.

Invullen in BLOKLETTERS

Bitte in GROSSBUCHSTABEN ausfüllen

Ik wil me hierbij aanmelden om bij de Algemene Ledenvergadering 2015 aanwezig te zijn en bevestig hierbij dat ik een Gewoon lid (full member) ben.

Ich beantrage hiermit, die Generalsversammlung 2015 zu besuchen und bestätige ein Vollmitglied von Nautilus International zu sein.

Naam

Name

Adres (voor alle ALV correspondentie)

Adresse (für die Kongressunterlagen)

Postcode en woonplaats

Postleitzahl

Telefoonnummer

Tel.

Lidmaatschapnummer

Mitgliedsnummer

Rederij

Arbeitgeber

Functie

Funktion

Huidig schip

Derzeitiges Schiff

U wordt vriendelijk verzocht hieronder aan te geven wat uw betrokkenheid bij Nautilus is. Bijvoorbeeld dat u kaderlid of erelid bent of dat u eerder een ALV heeft bijgewoond.

Mache eine Angabe darüber, ob du bereits eine Funktion bei Nautilus innehattest (z.B. Mitglied im Nationalkomitee) oder über ein entsprechendes Engagement nachdenkst

Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS I wish to apply to attend the 2015 General Meeting and confirm that I am a full member of Nautilus International. Name Address (for all GM correspondence)

Postcode Tel No. Membership No. Company Rank Present ship Please give details of involvement with Nautilus, eg. As a liaison officer or honorary delegate, or if you have attended a Nautilus education course or a previous GM.

❑

If you wish to apply for financial assistance please tick this box As this conference will be paperless, please let us know if you can bring your own laptop or tablet

i_gm15_june_SR edit.indd i

❑

YES

❑

Deze conferentie is papiervrij; heeft u de mogelijkheid om u uw eigen laptop of tablet mee te nemen?

❑

Falls du finanzielle Unterstützung für die Reisekosten möchtest, mache hier ein Kreuz

❑

Vink dit vakje aan indien u financiële steun wenst aan te vragen JA

❑

NEE

Da diese Konferenz papierlos sein wird, teile uns bitte mit, ob du deinen Laptop oder Tablet mitbringen kannst

❑

❑ JA

❑ Nein

19/05/2015 15:33

ii | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

NAUTILUS ALV 2015

Leden mengen zich tijdens de vergadering aan de Mersey De Algemene Ledenvergadering van 2015 is al over 4 maanden… Heeft u zich al opgegeven voor een kamer in het Titanic Hotel in Liverpool? Schrijf u nu in voor het event van het jaar!

Nautilus heeft u nodig! De Algemene Ledenvergadering van Nautilus voor 2015 is het belangrijkste evenement op de kalender van onze vakbond. Het is de conferentie waar de leden de belangrijkste beleidslijnen bepalen. Als u dit jaar nog een bijdrage wilt leveren aan de Algemene Ledenvergadering, moet u snel zijn. De vergadering wordt gehouden in het Titanic Hotel in Liverpool; de leden komen bij elkaar van maandag

5 oktober tot donderdagochtend 8 oktober.De deadline voor het indienen van moties is 3 juli. Met de formulieren in deze bijlage of op de website van Nautilus kunt u ervoor zorgen dat wat voor u en uw collega’s echt van belang is wordt besproken, wordt bediscussieerd en in stemming wordt gebracht.

U kunt deze formulieren ook gebruiken om u aan te melden voor de Algemene Ledenvergadering.

Voor het bijwonen hiervan hoeft u niet uw portemonnee helemaal leeg te halen. Nautilus kan helpen bij reisen verblijfskosten, zodat de bijeenkomst wordt bijgewoond door een representatieve dwarsdoorsnede van onze Gewone leden, uit de hele branche.

A De Algemene

Ledenvergadering 2015: invloedrijk, interessant en plezierig. We zien u graag verschijnen.

Motions Union’s most important policy-making F forum — a conference where members The Nautilus General Meeting is the

can debate the developments that affect them at work and decide on the policies and priorities that Nautilus should follow to address these. Make sure the things that matter to you are discussed at the 2015 GM in October. It is essential that the conference considers the critical issues that face the industry and the maritime professionals that work within it.

From pay and conditions to skill shortages and training, criminalisation to piracy, health and safety to shore leave, there is no shortage of subject matter!

z Submitting a motion is simple: just

fill out the form below and make sure it is signed by at least four full members of the Union. This is your chance to help set the agenda for Nautilus over the years ahead. Please use it.

GM Motion proposal form

To General Secretary, Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD (to arrive not later than 1700 Friday 3 July 2015). We, as full members, wish to submit the following motion for discussion at the 2015 General Meeting of Nautilus International: This GM

(continue on a separate sheet if necessary)

1. Name

Mem. No.

Company Address Postcode Signature

Date

2. Name

Mem. No.

Titanic Tit aniic h hotel, otel t l Li Liverp Liverpool ooll

Mitgliedertreff bei dem Anlass auf der Mersey Die Generalversammlung beginnt schon in vier Monaten… Hast du schon deinen Namen angegeben für ein Hotelzimmer im Liverpooler Titanic? Melde dich jetzt an für das Ereignis des Jahres!

Wenn du die Zukunft deiner Gewerkschaft mitgestalten willst dann verpasse nicht die Chance zur Generalversammlung zu kommen.

Alle vier Jahre ist die Generalversammlung der Ort, an dem die Kernthemen der Gewerkschaft von den Vollmitgliedern festgelegt werden. Anträge werden gestellt, Debatten und Diskussionen geführt.

ii-iii_spread.indd ii

Die Generalversammlung 2015 wird im Hotel Titanic in Liverpool stattﬁnden — Anreise am Montag 5. Oktober und Abreise am Donnerstag 8. Oktober. Unter Berücksichtigung des Feedbacks aus vorangegangenen Anlässen gibt es diesmal ein lebendiges Programm mit Vorträgen und Debatten, einschliesslich Beiträgen von führenden Persönlichkeiten aus der Industrie. Diese Seiten geben dir die Gelegenheit, sicherzustellen, dass deine Anliegen berücksichtigt

werden, ob es um Löhne, Piraterie, Kriminalisierung, Müdigkeit oder was auch immer geht. Bitte benütze die Formulare um einen Antrag zu stellen oder deine Teilnahme zu bestätigen. Der Besuch der Generalversammlung soll dich ﬁnanziell nicht ruinieren. Nautilus kann dich bei den Reise- und Unterkunftskosten unterstützen.

A GM 2015: es ist einﬂussreich, es

Company Address Postcode Signature

Date

3. Name

Mem. No.

Company Address Postcode Signature

Date

4. Name

Mem. No.

Company Address Postcode Signature

Date

ist interessant, es macht Spass. Treffe uns dort.

19/05/2015 18:48

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | iii

NAUTILUS ALV 2015

Moties belangrijkste forum voor de beleidsvorming binnen F de vakbond. Tijdens deze conferentie kunnen leden De Algemene Ledenvergadering van Nautilus is het

debatteren over de ontwikkelingen waarmee zij in hun werk te maken hebben en meebeslissen over het beleid en de prioriteiten waarop Nautilus zich zou moeten richten. Zorg dat de onderwerpen die u belangrijk vindt, tijdens de ALV 2015 in oktober aan de orde komen. Het is van groot belang dat tijdens de conferentie de belangrijkste kwesties worden besproken voor de bedrijfstak en de maritieme professionals die hierin werkzaam zijn.

Anträge Van salarissen en secundaire arbeidsvoorwaarden tot gebrek aan ervaring en training, criminalisering tot piraterij, gezondheid en veiligheid tot walverlof, er zijn genoeg belangrijke onderwerpen!

z Het indienen van een motie is eenvoudig: vul gewoon het onderstaande formulier in en laat het door ten minste vier Gewone leden van de vakbond ondertekenen. Dit is uw kans om punten op de agenda voor de toekomst van Nautilus te zetten. Grijp deze kans aan.

Motie voor Algemene Ledenvergadering

wichtigste Forum der Gewerkschaft hinsichtlich der F Gestaltung der Politik. Es ist eine Konferenz, an der MitDie Generalversammlung von Nautilus ist das

glieder jene Entwicklungen diskutieren können, von denen sie bei der Arbeit direkt betroffen sind. Und auch ein Ort, wo die Politik entschieden und die Prioritäten gesetzt werden, die Nautilus in der Folge ansprechen sollte. Vergewissere Dich, dass die Themen, die Dir wichtig sind, an der im Oktober stattfindenden Generalversammlung 2015 diskutiert werden. Es ist zentral, dass die Konferenz die kritischen Themen erörtert, mit der sich die Branche und die maritimen Fachkräfte, die in dieser tätig

sind, konfrontiert sehen. Es gibt keinen Mangel an Diskussionsstoff! Dieser reicht von Gehaltsfragen und Arbeitsbedingungen, über fehlende Fachkräfte, Weiterbildung, Kriminalisierung, Piraterie, bis hin zu Landurlaub sowie Gesund- und Sicherheitsthemen. z Das Stellen eines Antrages ist einfach: Fülle einfach das untenstehende Formular aus und vergewissere dich, dass dieses von mindestens vier Vollmitgliedern der Gewerkschaft unterzeichnet ist. Das ist Deine Chance, die Agenda von Nautilus für die kommenden Jahre mitzubestimmen. Bitte mache Gebrauch von dieser Gelegenheit!

GM Motion

antragsformular

formulier Aan de General Secretary, p/a Nautilus International Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. (Dit formulier moet uiterlijk vrijdag 3 juli 2015 retour ontvangen zijn).

Um Generalsekretär Nautilus Internationale Head Office, 1 & 2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD (um anzukommen spätestens 1700 Freitag, 3. Juli 2015).

Wij als Gewone leden wensen onderstaande motie in te dienen ter bespreking in de Algemene Ledenvergadering in oktober 2015:

Wir, als Vollmitglieder wollen den folgenden Antrag zur Diskussion auf der 2015 Generalversammlung einreichen Nautilus International:

Deze Algemene Ledenvergadering

Diese GM

(indien nodig doorgaan op apart vel)

(weiter auf einem separaten Blatt, falls erforderlich)

1. Naam

Lidnr.

1. Name

Rederij

Unternehmen

Adres

Anschrift Postcode/plaats

Mem. Nein.

PLZ

Handtekening

Datum

Unterschrift

Datum

2. Naam

Lidnr.

2. Name

Mem. Nein.

Rederij

Unternehmen

Adres

Anschrift Postcode/plaats

PLZ

Handtekening

Datum

Unterschrift

Datum

3. Naam

Lidnr.

3. Name

Mem. Nein.

Rederij

Unternehmen

Adres

Anschrift Postcode/plaats

PLZ

Handtekening

Datum

Unterschrift

Datum

4. Naam

Lidnr.

4. Name

Mem. Nein.

Rederij

Unternehmen

Adres

Anschrift Postcode/plaats

Handtekening

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Datum

PLZ Unterschrift

Datum

19/05/2015 17:49

iv | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

PHOTO COMPETITION

Life at sea, around the clock… Can you beat these excellent entries from recent weeks? Umbrella, by Lee Patten

The Nautilus/Inmarsat photo competition sees a lot of sunset pictures, so if you’re thinking of entering one, make sure there’s something unique about it, like the one on this page by Hermen Jeroen Bosch. The theme of the competition is ‘Life at sea’, and it’s really worth bearing this in mind if you want to catch the eye of the judges. They’re interested in seeing arresting and thought-provoking images of your life as a maritime professional, so please send us pictures of your work and how you and your colleagues spend your leisure time onboard ship. Show us something that the wider public don’t usually see.

In the entries received to date, we’ve had some highly-accomplished images with beautiful colours and skilled use of focus and contrast. Like these, your picture should be of a decent quality, but you don’t need to have professional-standard kit to join in. Even with a fairly basic camera or a smartphone, you can demonstrate an eye for good composition and capture a powerful story in pictures. And that story is really what counts in this competition. Get the theme of your photo right as well as the technique, and you could be in line for a great cash prize. First prize is £1,000, second prize is £750 and there is £400 for the third-placed entry.

You can submit your shots of life at sea in colour or black and white, and as prints or e-mailed high-resolution JPEG electronic images (300dpi is preferred). There is no limit to the number of entries you can submit. The closing date is Monday 1 August 2015 and the prizes will be presented at the Nautilus International General Meeting in October, where an exhibition of the best entries will be on show. To enter with hard copies, please cut out and complete the form on this page and send your pictures to: Nautilus/Inmarsat Photo Competition, Nautilus Telegraph, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD. Make sure

you state on the form whether you want us to return your photographs. To enter with digital photos, please email them to telegraph@nautilusint.org with Nautilus/ Inmarsat photo competition 2015 in the subject line. In your email, you must supply your contact information in the same way as on the printed entry form, and don’t send ﬁle attachments totalling more than 10MB at a time, as this will exceed the server limit. Please note that by entering the Nautilus/ Inmarsat photo competition 2015, you are giving Nautilus International permission to use your submitted images.

Photo competition 2015 Name: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Address:

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Mem no.: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photos to be returned: YES / NO

Inmarsat: sponsors of the photo competition prerequisite for attracting high calibre candidates K to a seafaring career. Staying in touch with family, friends Today, always-available connectivity can be a

Above: Stars and dolphins, both by Stephen G Rudolph Jr Above right: Self portrait on watch onboard the Putford Provider at the West Sole gas field, by Darryl Cooper Right: A Swedish member of a rescue team being lifted back into the helicopter after a drill, by Hermen Jeroen Bosch

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and world events, and enjoying leisure time, are essential for the modern seafarer. A happy crew is also a productive crew. Through its 99.9% global network coverage, Inmarsat Maritime is meeting rising expectations, via FleetBroadband, XpressLink, and now Inmarsat Gateway. Using Ku-band, L-Band and now ground-breaking Ka-band connectivity, crew can call home and access broadband internet from anywhere at any time without compromising operational communications. In addition, life at sea just got better, following the 2014 launch of Inmarsat Fleet Media — delivering blockbuster movies, sport and news direct to PCs and tablets at sea.

19/05/2015 15:34

24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2014

SEAFARER TRAINING

Proud to be professional An expanding charity in the Isle of Wight is helping to boost the UK pool of seafarers with a cadetship programme for the superyacht sector. ANDREW LININGTON met staff and students on a visit to the UKSA centre last month…

As co-founder of the ﬂatpack furniture chain MFI, Noel Lister made his millions. But it’s as the founder of the Isle of Wight-based charity UKSA that he has left a lasting — and developing — legacy for maritime training. Originally launched with the aim of introducing young people to the joys of sailing, the Cowes-based centre has now become a leading provider of skilled seafarers for the everexpanding superyacht sector, as well as delivering a range of other professional water-based courses. After selling his stake in the business in 1985, Mr Lister — who died in January this year — spent much of his time sailing, including a 200,000-mile double circumnavigation of the globe, and in 1987 he donated £4m to establish the UK Sailing Academy in Cowes to pass on his passion to a new generation. UKSA is located on the site of an old shipyard which became the National Sailing Centre in 1965 — set up with government support to provide courses in subjects such as boat handling, navigation, boat maintenance and boat building, but was closed in 1987 as a result of Sports Council cuts.

The 3.5-acre waterfront site includes residential facilities, lecture rooms and conference spaces, a simulator suite, radio room, workshops and an indoor heated swimming pool. The training ﬂeet includes more than 60 dinghies, 14 yachts ranging between 26ft to 45ft, and a pair of Farr 65 ocean-going yachts that are used for Yachtmaster Ocean and celestial navigation training. The centre now has around 100 full-time staff, with a further 45 taken on during the busy summer season. ‘The original idea was simple — to introduce as many young people as possible to sailing — but everything we have done since then has grown, and we are now extensively involved in professional training, while also continuing to give thousands of children a year the experience of being out on the water,’ says UKSA industry and cadetship manager Emma Baggett. ‘Around 9,000 individuals pass through our doors each year — anyone from children coming in for an activity day to professional captains coming in for STCW courses,’ she adds. UKSA works closely with schools around the country to offer opportunities for school children to get a taste of water-

Learn MCA theory at sea or at home MCA Master 200 MCA OOW < 3000 GT MCA Celestial Navigation MCA/RYA Yachtmaster www.oceantraining.com enquiries@oceantraining.com

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UKSA professional yacht cadets gain a RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate during their first phase Picture: UKSA

based activities such as sailing, surfing and paddle boarding. As well as running a growing range of professional training courses — including superyacht hospitality courses and watersports training qualifications — UKSA has developed new projects to help young people labelled as NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and ex-offenders. ‘It would be a lot easier if we just did one thing,’ Emma admits. ‘However, the really positive effect of having such varied groups is that it can be really inspiring for them. They will talk to each other and discover what you can achieve.’ It didn’t take long for UKSA’s founding vision to evolve into professional training. The centre launched its first watersports career course in 1990, its first yachting career course in 1993, its first Maritime & Coastguard Agency course in 2000 and its first superyacht cadetship course in 2004. ‘There was a growing perception in the 1990s about the need to develop training for the superyacht industry,’ said UKSA director of youth development Simon Davies. ‘Previously, there was the MN route or the RYA qualifications and you could “dockwalk” and jump on and off boats, but as the legislation changed the demand for people with the right training and experience increased. ‘It’s now totally professionalised,’ he adds. ‘Up to that point, the only way to reach officer level was under your own steam, so the cadetship programme was developed to provide a structured and mentored scheme that produces people who are committed to a longterm career in the industry.’ UKSA’s four-year Professional Yacht Cadetship programme combines shore-based training

with paid work placements on superyachts to gain seatime. It leads to STCW II/1 OOW (Yacht <3,000gt) qualiﬁcations — and onward to STCW II/2 Master (Yacht <3,000gt) — and a foundation degree in operational yacht science, validated by the University of Plymouth. UKSA presently has some 150 cadets at various stages of their training working in the industry and, for the past decade, it has worked with Trinity House — and, more recently, Seafarers UK — to provide bursary schemes which have supported around one-third of the 30 superyacht cadets starting training each year.

it is about gaining a level of seamanship and maturity, and it can be tough.’ ‘It’s not just down to the CV, but very much about personality,’ Simon stresses. ‘You will be going into a small and conﬁned working environment, where you need to work closely and effectively with other people. ‘We also want to be sure they have a proper understanding about the work,’ Emma says. ‘We talk to them about the reality of life onboard, as they need to go into it with their eyes wide open. If we feel it is not the right thing for them, we can suggest things that might be better for

UKSA industry and cadetship manager Emma Baggett

Cadets — who are generally aged between 18 and 25 — come from all over the UK and are selected following interviews at UKSA. ‘Many of them have a lot of relevant experience, such as time with the Sea Cadets or Duke of Edinburgh Awards, but others are chosen because they show the right attitude and determination,’ Emma explains. ‘The training isn’t cheap, and we need to make sure it is the right course for them,’ she adds. ‘It’s not just a qualiﬁcation,

them — and that’s a much better outcome. ‘When we ﬁrst started the cadetship, we guaranteed jobs at the end of the training, but now we work on the basis of putting the right people on the right boat,’ she adds. ‘We post vacancies on our noticeboards — everything from entry-level to chief ofﬁcer and shore-based posts — and some of the big crew agencies come here to interview on site.’ The cadetship offers a very

viable and attractive alternative to university, Simon notes. ‘You don’t have the debts at the end of the course and you will have a job that can develop in all sorts of ways, with opportunities to work at sea and ashore.’ Around one-third of the cadets get a job before they finish the course and cadets can easily graduate debt-free because of what they earn during the paid work placements, Emma points out. Entry-level professional deckhands can earn as much as €3,000 a month tax-free — and more with tips. Emma — who worked on superyachts for almost two decades before starting work with UKSA 17 years ago — says Noel Lister’s founding aims for the centre remain strong, despite the development of the professional training courses. ‘We’re not slick — we have evolved — but people like it here as they get what they need out of it and a lot of people come to us because we give good value and we don’t see them as a purely commercial product. ‘What is different about us as a charity is the individual support that we can give to people coming through,’ she adds, ‘and we are starting to see the benefits of our approach coming through with captains who have trained here coming back to us to ask for young crew. ‘Before the MLC and STCW, people were operating increasingly bigger boats without the qualifications and they were doing it well. It’s a mistake to think that it never was professional, but it needed regulation and recognition and that is the thing that has changed,’ Emma reflects. ‘The superyacht industry continues to grow and I would love someone from the government to see our jobs board — it is something that should be celebrated.’

19/05/2015 15:27

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25

SEAFARER TRAINING

A good start in seafaring Working on a busy yacht is great, cadet Ross Green told the Telegraph, but he’s glad that his training also provides a solid foundation if he later decides to move sectors...

‘I believe it was my destiny to work at sea,’ Ross Green says. Growing up close to the water in Norfolk, he was regularly sailing as a teenager, and in October 2012, at the age of 25, he became the oldest person to start a UKSA Professional Yacht Cadetship. ‘I had been looking to come into the superyacht industry and heard about the Seafarers UK sponsored positions through a friend,’ he says, ‘and I just managed to get in at the last minute before the age cut-off.’ Ross had long planned to work at sea — originally intending to join the Royal Marines. ‘I decided to postpone it for a while to work as a watersports instructor,’ he explains. ‘Two years turned into seven, and it was a great experience, but you can’t do it for ever.’ Now, well past the midpoint of his cadetship, Ross says he has his sights firmly set on a career as a maritime professional. ‘Everyone wants to see the world and get paid for it, but this is the way in which you can make a proper career out of it.’ Going back to the classroom was not a problem, he says. ‘I surprised myself with the success I have had. But it’s not hard to motivate yourself when you can see what it is all for. Everything here has a purpose, and that helps you to push for the highest grades.’ His enthusiasm and commitment was quickly recognised when he won UKSA’s Top Cadet Award for his first phase of training in 2013. The first, five-month, phase of the cadetship is based at UKSA and covers the fundaments of seamanship, safety and security. It is followed by a first phase of seatime, working onboard a 24m-plus yacht as an entry-level deckhand. Ross got his placement through the YPI crew agency, serving onboard the 74m Cayman Islands-registered superyacht Flying Fox. ‘I joined the boat in a German shipyard in March and then we went to the Mediterranean for the summer season. We did a lot that year, going to places like Cannes, St Tropez, Sardinia, Palma, Menorca, Turkey,

Greece, and Italy,’ he recalls. ‘The following summer was a bit quieter, most of it spent in France and Italy, but we made up for it afterwards when we went to the Indian Ocean and visited places like Sri Lanka and the Maldives,’ he adds. Flying Fox operates with a 67m shadow support boat, and Ross says the opportunity to work on both vessels was superb. ‘It really helps you to understand all the operations, and use the toys and the equipment — including one of yachting’s biggest cranes. It’s great to get that sort of experience as a deckhand.’ Ross also got the chance to put his previous experience into practice by being in charge of the yacht’s watersports equipment. ‘It gave me a lot of responsibility and a lot of time with the owner, which is really good for a deckhand.’ He says the yacht’s owner and British captain have both been highly supportive of his training. ‘They want to keep good crew and they are prepared to fund it,’ he adds. ‘It can be really expensive to get your unlimited conversion — seven months at college, not being paid, and then you have to get a job at the end of it.’ Seatime underlined the recognition of the need for tolerance, Ross adds. ‘You are living and working in very close proximity with other people and you have to get on, and show respect for other cultures. But working on a busy boat is great — every day is different. ‘This is a great career and there are so many good aspects to it,’ he says. ‘However, people who come to it because they see it as glamorous and offering good money do not have the right attitude — you have to be prepared to work hard. ‘Some people who have had other jobs before might ﬁnd it hard to go back to ground zero,’ he adds. ‘In my previous career, I was a manager with almost 100 staff reporting to me, and when you go back to the bottom of the pile you have to be tolerant. But I’m an ambitious person and I know what I want, as I have had a few years to work it out.’ Ross says he is aware of the way in which the superyacht

“

I love being at sea and I’m really serious about it

Ross Green, UKSA yacht cadet

”

Ross Green at the UKSA centre in Cowes

industry has been transformed over the past few decades, and of the changes in the way in which such vessels are crewed and operated. ‘The boats are getting bigger and bigger and the industry is getting much stricter on things like health and safety and security,’ he notes. ‘There’s also a lot of talk about pay, because the crews are paid in Euros and the exchange rates have gone down a lot over the past three years,’ he adds. Ross is due to take his orals in less than a year’s time and says he aims to rise up the ranks as rapidly as he can. ‘I like the hierarchy in the industry and how you can see the structure for moving up. I like navigation and in the long run I want to be a captain, but I would like to get some more experience under my belt — maybe as a bosun — before going into the deep end as a second ofﬁcer. ‘I love being at sea and I’m really serious about it,’ Ross says. ‘It may not necessarily be on a yacht for ever — there are so many pathways this opens up, it could be on a different sort of vessel or working ashore. But I’m happy where I am now and I’m deﬁnitely in this for the long haul.’

Ross got his seatime onboard the 72m custom motor yacht Flying Fox, built by Nobiskrug in Germany in 2012

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19/05/2015 17:47

26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2014

MARITIME CAREERS

It’s all about the people Happy crews make happy passengers, DFDS director Max Foster tells DEBBIE CAVALDORO. And that’s one reason why the ferry firm is making a big investment in training programmes… The French-flagged Malo Seaways is the latest addition to the DFDS cross-Channel services, bringing the company’s Dover-France fleet back up to five ships, following the departure of Dieppe Seaways. Formerly the Stena Nordica, the 24,206gt vessel can accommodate around 400 passengers and has 2,000 lane metres of vehicle capacity

DFDS passenger services director Max Foster

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A recent survey by the European Commission revealed that the main inﬂuencing factors for passengers when choosing a ferry service is the age and quality of the vessel and the skill and competency of the crew. These EU research results, placing seafarers at the heart of the ferry customer experience, mirror the ﬁndings of internal passenger surveys conducted by DFDS Seaways — and passenger director Max Foster says he understands that a happy and safetyconscious crew equals a happy and increasing customer base.

Max joined DFDS nine years ago on the marketing side of the business, based in Germany. He moved to the UK two years ago to head up the Europe-wide passenger side of the business, based in Dover. ‘I wear a lot of hats,’ Max admits — as he is also the managing director of sales for all UK routes, which covers both passenger and freight services. ‘I have a background in law,’ he says. ‘I have never practised law but studying law gives you “thinking tools”. It helps you to work in complex areas and to know where many different fac-

tors could go right or wrong. It helps me to prioritise and identify where the problems might be before they occur. ‘That abstract way of thinking really helps me to cover all the wide-ranging aspects of this position.’ The DFDS customer base in the UK has been growing since 2008 despite the recession and global downturn which began at the same time. Max puts this success down to finding the right balance of cruise ferry comfort and an efficient transportation approach, and says that the passenger experience onboard is central to this. ‘We have spent a lot of time trying to get closer to our guests and understand what they value and what they are looking for when selecting a ferry company,’ he explains. ‘We want to move people, both physically from A to B, and to be moved on the inside on an emotional level. This is something that only our staff onboard can do.’ The low-cost airline business has completely changed the European tourism market — and especially the ferry sector — and Max admits that improving the onboard experience for passengers has been vital in combatting this threat. ‘I know that some of my peers in the industry would disagree, but I actually think the emergence of low-cost airlines has done a lot of good for the ferry sector,’ he says. ‘They forced the industry to ask questions of itself that hadn’t been asked in a long time. We have had to look at the business and look at our customers, and find out how we can best provide them with something that is different to the airlines. ‘There is a big difference between the two: for us the jour-

ney is part of the experience, especially if you are going on holiday. Your holiday starts the second you come onboard, and if you are bringing a car we can also offer you an amount of freedom when you arrive that you can’t have with an aeroplane,’ he adds. ‘The industry has started to realise that there is a place for both, and what suits one customer will not suit the other. It just took a little time to ﬁgure that out.’ Max acknowledges that crew are an essential element of customer satisfaction, and the sector must be careful to balance customer demands with safety and responsible shipping. ‘We have been working with all our staff to increase training levels and we ensure that everyone is focussed on how each and every job onboard and ashore affects the whole business,’ he adds. ‘Our customer satisfaction questionnaires ask about the experience onboard and we look at trends to try and ﬁnd out the root causes if there are any areas that are decreasing over a period of time. ‘We have to accept that there are ships out there which are newer than ours, with bigger cabins and possibly better facilities, so what we offer has to be about people: “software not hardware”. We are privileged to have our guests onboard and we want to make sure their time is special.’ Max also understands that a good experience for passengers is not just about providing good service in the restaurants or being warmly received by the hotel staff; it is about ensuring that passengers arrive safely. ‘We have a high level of transparency internally and externally, and all different departments meet together regularly to

ensure the messages are clear. Our shore-based staff meet with seagoing staff, hotel staff meet with maritime staff, everyone works towards one objective and we are very close. ‘At the end of the day, safety is the central objective. I would rather deal with an unhappy customer who has arrived late at their destination because of safety concerns than a customer who arrived on time because the crew took risks,’ Max adds. ‘We are operating at sea and therefore weather is a huge factor. We don’t often get too delayed because our crew know the routes and the risks. They can take different routes to avoid problems before they present any risk. ‘It is a fine balance to keep customers happy but the surveys show that customers understand these pressures and they accept them as well. They want a safe and happy start to their trip as much as we do.’ In the wider maritime industry, DFDS remains committed to its role within the European Community Shipowners Associations (ECSA). The company CEO is currently vice-chair of ECSA, whilst DFDS vice-president HR and crewing Gemma Griffin is chair of the UK Chamber of Shipping employment committee. Both organisations work directly with Nautilus as a social partner. ‘We are committed to a future in Europe and we are proud of the staff who work for us,’ Max concludes. ‘We run a number of training schemes to ensure we will have staff from northern European countries on our northernEuropean flagged ships far into the future. ‘Happy staff make happy ships make happy customers. Which makes me happy.’

19/05/2015 18:57

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27

SEAFARER TRAINING Maritime training firm VSTEP recently received certification for its DP Class A full mission bridge simulator at its new head office in Rotterdam

After concerns were raised over its Dynamic Positioning certification scheme, the Nautical Institute has taken action. A thorough review, along with a new IT system, should see the course back on track...

It’s more than 30 years since the Dynamic Positioning (DP) operator training scheme was established to address safety concerns following a series of accidents and incidents — some of them fatal and around half of them blamed on operator error. First introduced in the 1960s, DP technology spread into shipping during the 1970s and by 1980 there were around 65 DP-capable vessels operating in the offshore industry — a figure which more than doubled over the following five years. Accidents — in particular a number that resulted in the death of divers — resulted in growing pressure for measures to address training and DP control issues. Following an industry conference convened by the Nautical Institute (NI) in Aberdeen in 1982, work began in association with flag states, the oil and diving industries and offshore contractors to establish internationallyaccepted standards for DP operator training — and within two years the guidelines were published and the first DP training centre was accredited by the Institute. Since then, DP training has mushroomed. The number of certified DPOs has risen from 6,000 a decade ago to more than 25,000 today and the number of accredited training centres now totals more than 80 — with a further 20 likely to join their ranks this year. This year, a series of changes to the scheme are being introduced

tioning Operators Association (IDPOA), International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), International Support Vessel Owners’ Association (ISOA), Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), and regional training providers in Asia, the Americas and Europe. ‘We tried to get agreement by consensus, and while it is inevitable that everyone will not agree on everything, what came out of the review was as close to widespread agreement as we could get,’ Mr Wake says. ‘Implementing all the changes that have been agreed is quite a complex and lengthy process.’ Key changes, effective from 1 January 2015, include: z introducing shuttle tanker and restricted certificates for unclassed vessels alongside the established limited and unlimited certificates z moving from 30 days’ familiarisation to 60 days’ DP sea time between induction and simulator courses z introducing additional assessment after completion of simulator course z moving from a total of 210 days’ DP sea time to 120 days’ DP sea time z moving from a minimum of one hour on DP desk per qualifying day to a minimum of two hours per day z moving from a logbook to an enhanced task book z moving from no revalidation requirement to revalidation every five years

A fresh start for DP implementation of a new IT system for handling the certification process. The specially-designed Alexis Platform provides a single point of access for all applications for new and revalidated DPO certificates, offering a streamlined and simplified process that is said to have cut the turnaround time to an average of 21 days and reduced the verification timescale from 50 minutes to an average of 22. Applicants can track progress and correspondence via their online DP accounts, and the system also enables the validity of DPO certificates to be checked by

employers. The review identiﬁed the need to combat fraud, and the new platform is designed to provide much stricter scrutiny of applications. Regina Bindao, director of accreditations, said the Alexis Platform should dramatically reduce the number of incorrect applications — one of the main factors in creating the current backlog. Around 50% of applications have mistakes in them, and the new system enables incorrect or missing information to be ﬂagged in real-time and applicants to be guided through the process.

One of the issues raised by Nautilus following feedback from members has been the limited availability of staff to answer queries. At present, these are only handled on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the NI says this is because it does not want to run the process as a ‘call centre’ while the work priority is dealing with the backlog. The Institute has created 10 new posts at its head office in London to help speed up the certification process. ‘It’s not been easy,’ Mr Wake says, ‘as we had to find additional office space to accommodate them and recruiting the right

type of people has been extraordinarily difficult. It is a very responsible and complex job, and it requires a high standard of training, but we are nearly at full strength now.’ Ms Bindao says she hopes to see the certification turnaround timescale cut to just 15 days and adds: ‘The new system will cut out a lot of the need for applicants to phone us or email us with queries. In the longer-term, if we find that the processing is going well and the website is succeeding in its aim, then we will be able to take calls every day — that is the aim for the future.’

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? Regina Bindao, director of NI DP accreditations

Nautical Institute chief executive Philip Wake

following the biggest review of the system since its launch more than 30 years ago. ‘In 2012 it was recognised that the time had come for a full review,’ NI chief executive Philip Wake explains. ‘This was based on the evidential growth of DP-ﬁtted ships and the need for more DPOs, with the industry facing quite severe potential shortages as a result of the rapid expansion of the ﬂeet.’ The review was conducted with input from ‘stakeholders’ working through the Dynamic Positioning Training Executive Group (DPTEG) and the NI’s Regional Training Provider (RTP) groups — including organisations such as the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC), International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), International Dynamic Posi-

The NI admits that the transition has not been entirely troublefree. The number of certiﬁcations it deals with has trebled over the past decade, to more than 3,000 in 2014, and earlier this year, Nautilus sought assurances from the Institute after members raised concerns about problems such as the time being taken to process certiﬁcates and revalidation. ‘There is no denying that we have been struggling with a backlog for a couple of years and we are deeply conscious of the effect that this has had on DPO employment,’ Mr Wake says. Action has been taken to address the problems, he adds, and work is underway to reduce the backlog of applications. The Institute has invested more than £100,000 in the development and

27_dp_SR edit.indd 27

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:

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19/05/2015 17:49

28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

BRIBERY

Picture: Thinkstock

Could ‘facilitation’ payments in foreign ports land you in court? DEBBIE CAVALDORO reports from a conference that considered the potential for falling foul of UK anti-bribery legislation…

Seafarers shouldn’t worry too much about the UK bribery laws, a ﬁnancial expert told a maritime conference in London last month. Howard Shaw, head of anti-bribery and corruption services at accountancy ﬁrm Mazars, told the meeting, staged by the women-in-shipping organisation WISTA, that the legislation had always been intended to stop bribery deals in areas like large government contracts and was targeted at companies not individuals. However, he cautioned, while seafarers, and shipping companies, are unlikely to be the target of an anti-bribery investigation, they could become ‘swept up’ in an investigation into another company, Mr Shaw also warned of the legal risks of facilitation payments — highlighting a case in west Africa where a ship had to clear a port within 24 hours and was expected to make nine separate facilitation pay-

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28_bribery_SR edit.indd Sec2:28

ments inbound and a further eight outbound. ‘The UK law is clear,’ Mr Shaw said. ‘It states that UK persons and businesses will not make facilitation payments, and requests for such will be duly noted and acted upon. A judge in a bribery case said: “It doesn’t matter what other people in other countries do, you shall not bribe”. ‘Each payment in the port case is separately punishable, and company senior officials who allowed the bribe to happen can also be punished under the law. It applies to any company which has a trading connection to the UK,’ he pointed out. ‘However, when the legislation passed through Parliament, it included an amendment which said that if a company genuinely tries to prevent corruption there is a defence.’ Mazars works with companies to ensure they have the correct policies and procedures in place to mount a defence against action relating to any facilitation payments they make. Mr Shaw said that research had shown that when companies did decide to end facilitation payments altogether, they suffered a great deal of push-back and additional delays of about 30 to 45 days before business began to return to normal. Research also concluded that companies who paid officials bribes often took longer to complete their business because of the time taken to negotiate and pay those individual fees. ‘A good working whistle-blowing programme gives staff an avenue to report problems, but it also safeguards against the employee immediately going public,’ Mr Shaw added. ‘Managers want to be the first to know if there is a problem. People should feel confident that they can challenge misconduct.’ He said that 36% of facilitation payment prosecutions had come from whistle-blowing, and gave an example where a sacked worker at a re-fuelling facility exposed a $36m fraud at the port. Not only were a large number of facilitation payments required, the actual refuelling system was corrupt, as an amount of fuel was siphoned back into the system every time it was sold. Mr Shaw concluded by calling on shipping companies to work together to end the system of facilitation payments for the benefit of all in the maritime industry. This message was echoed by Jake Storey, vice chairman of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), which was formed to tackle the problem through initiatives such as an anonymous reporting system that highlights corruption hotspots and consolidates attempts to end them. ‘The challenge for the industry is that too many companies still do not have a robust anti-corruption strategy,’ Mr Storey said. ‘The common approach seems to be ignoring the problem and factoring in the cost [of payments] into the voyage calculations, and assuming that nothing can be done. ‘Because the industry is so fragmented with large numbers of small operators, it is hard for smaller businesses to feel like they can fight back,’ he added. ‘If you refuse to pay, you could not only be risking the safety of your crew and vessel, but also committing commercial suicide. Companies who simply pay up know they are not going to be prosecuted, so why take any of those risks?’ Mr Storey agreed that although shipowners are not likely to be the main focus of an investigation, there is a risk of being investigated as part of a wider anti-corruption campaign. He added that whilst the reputational effect probably wouldn’t really matter to shipowners, it would be a big issue for their customers, and said that there had definitely been a change in the perception of bribery as more companies are beginning to feel pressure from customers to tackle the issue. ‘The motivation to establish MACN came when the UK Bribery Act was announced,’ Mr Storey added. ‘It sparked a lot of concern and discussion about the issue, and Maersk particularly began to float the idea that whilst things could be done on an individual company level, it would take a consolidated effort to tackle the issue globally.

Left: Howard Shaw Right: Jake Storey Pictures: Debbie Cavaldoro

‘Most companies were aware that, with the right support in place, it is cheaper in the long term to not accept a bribery culture than it is to continue to simply pay. However, we were also aware that a direct boycott of certain ports probably wouldn’t work because it would be too easy to break, could harm companies commercially and would not provide a long-term solution for the industry.' Instead, MACN coordinates members’ collective action in practical ways — capacity-building, information sharing and promoting best practice on anticorruption policies. ‘We have a reporting system where members share information about requests for facilitation payments, but it does not ask members to report what they did about the demands,’ Mr Storey stressed. ‘Members only provide information on what the demand was and where it was being driven from; not what they did as a result. ‘We ask for information on what type of payment was requested (cash or cigarettes for example), who was pushing for the bribe, where it occurred and what they felt the implications would be if they didn’t pay.’ This database is used to find hotspots for targeted action and for other companies to be aware where they might be affected. Where systematic corruption is identified, MACN works on capacity-building to bring a long-term solution to the problem. Projects are presently being undertaken in Argentina and Nigeria where MACN engages with port stakeholders to identify and overcome their specific issues. ‘These are long-term initiatives.’ Mr Storey added. ‘Obviously if you don’t change things on the ground then after a few years problems will return. ‘We work with the government officials, many of whom are those receiving the bribes, to try and find better ways of working without corruption. It is surprising how aware officials are, and how honest they can be, about the longer term disadvantages of corruption.’

Tim Springett, policy director for the UK Chamber of Shipping, said in the ensuing debate that many of the companies within the trade association are still very concerned about the risk from the Bribery Act, and that they were currently working on practical guidance for ship operators. ‘Masters are not bribing people to act improperly,’ he said. ‘These people are already acting improperly and expect payment to do their job. As far as we are concerned, the victim is the ship’s master, and in order to ensure the safety of their vessel they have to pay a payment.’ Mr Springett asked if this meant the master was committing an offence, and Mr Shaw replied that ‘technically’ they were, but the chance of conviction was ‘almost nil’. ‘The prosecutor has to make a couple of decisions,’ he explained. ‘And these include the public interest case for a prosecution. In these circumstances there would be basically none, especially if the company has a compliance programme.’ g For more information on the Maritime AntiCorruption Network visit www.maritime-acn.org.

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MARITIME HISTORY

100 years of oil and gas Whether through contracted vessels or direct employment, a great many Nautilus members owe their livelihoods to BP. So as the multinational celebrates its centenary, it’s good to hear that the company expects to be around for a long time to come...

BP Shipping celebrated its centenary last month — marking a remarkable 100-year career that has matched the turbulence of the oil trades and the chequered fortunes of the British merchant ﬂeet. Over the decades, the company has owned or operated more than 1,500 ships and has been responsible for the construction of more than 500 oil and gas tankers — an average launch rate of one new ship in every 10 weeks of its existence. The company was born when the British Tanker Company (BTC) was established as the

shipping arm of the AngloPersian Oill Company in the midst of the First World War. Winston Churchill — then First Lord of the Admiralty — recognised the importance of the oil trade for the war effort and sealed the company’s future by taking a 51% government stake in Anglo Persian, worth £2m, and a 20-year contract to supply fuel oil to the Royal Navy. Within a year, BTC had its ﬁrst purpose-built ship — the 5,500dwt British Emperor — and by the mid-war period its owned ﬂeet had grown to 80 vessels. However, it lost a total of 50 ships during the Second

World War, along with 657 of its seafarers killed and 260 taken prisoner of war. The post-war period witnessed further rapid expansion — with the company launching its first ‘supertanker’, the 30,128dwt British Adventure in 1948, and the owned and operated tanker fleet hitting a numerical peak of 160 ships of 2m dwt in 1955. The company’s owned and operated tanker fleet hit a tonnage high of 6.8m dwt (97 ships) in 1974. But in 1986 it joined the huge exodus of companies flagging out from the UK — switching ships to Bermuda and the Isle of Man, making 1,700 officers and ratings redundant or moved to agency employment through Wallems, Acomarit and Dorchester Maritime. Today, BP Shipping owns or operates 50 ships of some 5m dwt and last year its fleet carried around 180m tonnes of cargo. Back in 1939, the company owned or operated 90% of its fleet, but today more than twothirds of its vessels are char-

Top: Top op:: BP Tanker Tanker Tank ker Company Company Compa ny apprentices appren app rentic tices es heading headi hea ding from f the the British Briti itish h Adventure d for shore leave in Kuwait Top left: Leisure time for some of the crew of the 100,000 ton tanker British Admiral in 1965 Above: SS Ferrara, Anglo-Persian’s first ship, which was purchased in 1912 for transporting oil in individual metal cases

tered in. Last year, the fleet carried 180m tonnes of cargo and the company has a fleet renewal programme underway in which 34 new ships will be built. The company presently employs around 1,300 seafarers and trains around 100 deck and engineering officer cadets each year. Until last month, it was headed up by John Ridgway,

who started his career as a BP cadet in 1971. After a 13-year seagoing career — in which he rose to the rank of captain — Mr Ridgway moved ashore and became chief executive in 2008. ‘I am delighted to have led this great business in its centenary year, and all the many thousands of people that have served BP

Shipping over the course of a century can be rightly proud of the company,’ he said. ‘BP Shipping’s purpose has remained broadly the same for 100 years — that is to transport oil and gas for the BP group safely and securely,’ he added. ‘I have no doubt the business is well-placed to continue to do that for another 100 years.’

Left: Launched in 1916, the 5,500dwt British Emperor was the British Tanker Company’s first newbuild and was lost to enemy action in 1941 Far left: The bell of the British Trent on display in All Hallows Church, London. Nine crew on the tanker died following a collision with a Panamanianregistered bulk carrier off the Belgian coast in 1993

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MARITIME HISTORY

Judgement, dexterity and endurance I

Britain’s coastal fleet was, for centuries, the core of the nation’s transport system — and, until the railways came, coasters provided the principal means of moving heavy goods around the country. The Royal Navy manned its first ships with men from the coasters, and in 1800 the Admiralty described the men of the East Coast colliers as the finest seamen under the British flag. Sadly, however, coasters and their work have been widely unappreciated by the public — and their pivotal role during the Second World War has never attracted the attention that it merits. British war plans had

The British coastal fleet played a vital but largely unsung role during the Second World War. TREVOR BOULT pays tribute to the ‘little ships’ that kept the country supplied… addressed the likelihood of widespread damage to major ports, railways and roads and the consequent disruption to the movement of materials. One answer was the ‘indestructible highway’ of the sea around the country and the many anchorages where larger ships could discharge their vital merchandise into coasters, which could then use the smaller ports denied by insufﬁcient depth and capacity to larger vessels.

The little ships of the coasting and home trades were to always provide important links in the chain of transport. Their operations were controlled by the Coasting & Short Sea Division of the Ministry of War Transport and primarily staffed by those already in the trade. To augment British ship numbers there was a whole ﬂeet from elsewhere: Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Poland, France, and from neutral countries. Chartered to the Brit-

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

ish government, and manned sometimes by a mixture of nationals, they gave great service. At the outbreak of the war many ships in both the coasting and home trades found themselves in new roles. Cross-Channel passenger ships were requisitioned early as troop carriers or hospital ships. Most coasting tankers went off to supply the armed services, transporting aviation spirit for the RAF, and oil fuel and water for the Navy. Ships supplied the Fleet at its bases; the Army in Africa, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland: examination vessels, drifters; rescue ships — sturdy small craft which could stand up to the weather, fitted with operating theatres, their holds converted to a cross between dormitories and hospital wards, they went with the deepsea convoys to perform their vital work. Petrol carriers — usually small motor tramp ships — carried their dangerous cargo in containers, generally sailing alone, crossing the Channel at night to supply army bases. An east coast collier might find herself taking tanks to Sicily. Even in normal conditions, coastal shipping work was tough. The daily round of a master was described by one contemporary writer: ‘He is nearly always in waters requiring very careful navigation. In the ports, which he enters and leaves at intervals of a few days, his ship is commonly assigned the most inaccessible berths, so that his ability to handle her is continually being tested. Frequently acting as his own pilot, he must bring his ship up crowded rivers, swing her in just sufficient space, and fit her smoothly between two other ships into a space barely larger than her own length. He must do this by day and night, and very frequently. At any time the performance calls for skill and nice

Coastal ships in a Second World War convoy

judgement; in war-time black-out conditions the dexterity attained approached the uncanny.’ There are many accounts of heroism, endurance and devotion to duty shown by the men of the little — and often unprotected — ships in the most dangerous maritime theatre of the war. In convoy, the man in the engineroom was under particular strain. Much depended on the promptness of his actions at the controls. Ship’s ﬁremen were proverbially tough: ‘At any moment scalding death might burst from steam pipes or boilers; green water might pour through shattered plates. Despite extra emergency ladders, escape from the stokehold would not be easy. They accepted the risks and carried on.’ The coastal ﬂeet was remarkably varied. Many different companies owned little ships; there were also many single-ship owners. The small tramp owners were independently minded, as evidenced by the variety of craft in operation. They ranged from the new motor ship or steamship, well found and with excellent accommodation, through the middle-aged and obsolete. Many types of small vessels traded in the estuaries and up tidal rivers, from modern motor craft to Thames spritsail barges.

Throughout the war such sailing barges continued to trade between the Thames and East Anglian ports — and to partake in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Many power barges and small steamships traded in the Clyde and Forth, the Thames and Bristol Channel. The story of Dunkirk has been referred to as the epic of the little ships. In the early hours of 10 May 1940, the crew of the British cargoship Dotterel — which was loading in the Dutch port of Merwerhaven Schiedam — were awoken by gunﬁre. They found themselves in the midst of full-scale invasion. As the storm clouds of battle moved to Rotterdam city, on Dotterel ‘the moorings were cut and the engines set to full speed... The tide was ebb, so we made good progress, and keeping out of the fairway and steering on the wrong side of the buoys we arrived at the Hook of Holland’. As the only available ship, Dotterel was instructed to proceed to IJmuiden to evacuate British citizens and consular staff. They eventually received 150 refugees under the noses of enemy planes and others laying mines in the channel. Dotterel arrived at Harwich without further incident. Her master, Captain Green, recalled: ‘The Queen of Holland

www.seafarersupport.org Freephone 0800 121 4765 Overside cargo operations were the answer to the bombing of ports, such as at the sheltered Clyde anchorage

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MARITIME HISTORY

“

The work of carrying cargoes around the UK coast did not falter

passed us, standing on the deck of a destroyer...’ Small Dutch motor coasters which had also escaped from Holland were placed at the disposal of the Admiralty, manned by naval officers and ratings and sailed under the White Ensign. Many of the cross-Channel packets and pleasure steamers had already been taken over. Other coasters went independently to the beaches of Dunkirk within hours of the summons. Beaching his small coaster, Bullfinch, Captain Buxton succeeded in boarding 1,400 troops who waded out to her. All such crews suffered acute anxiety until refloated, a stationary target for the swarming enemy aircraft. The invasion of the Netherlands and Belgium and the fall of France in May and June 1940 had a significant impact on shipping off the east coast of Britain, with air and sea attacks intensifying.

”

The Battle of Britain and its aftermath resulted in wide redistribution of shipping around the Home coasts. Deepsea ships with their vital imports could not be risked on the south coast and could only make limited use of east coast ports. They had to use west coast ports and anchorages, and overside transhipment at anchorages played an important part in the delivery of goods from overseas. Coasters were therefore charged with carrying cargoes in the more dangerous waters. Movement of such trafﬁc through the Dover Straits and along the south coast was kept to a minimum. Ships were sent north-about around Scotland. This lengthened route, with additional wintertime challenges, became the main ﬂow of cargo. Yet much had to be carried south by sea, not the least of which was coal. A coaster mas-

A WW2 coaster master

ter admitted: ‘Of all the many war-time conditions and activities in which merchant ships are engaged, last of all I would serve in coastal convoys, especially east coast convoys.’ They had to overcome an endless parade of seemingly insurmountable difﬁculties, but these convoys did assemble regularly, depart and arrive at their destinations. In peacetime, a typical return voyage by a coaster between the Tyne and London took six days. In war it took twice as long, on average. To try and counteract such extensions, a ship was required to carry out cargo operations quickly, not sail in ballast when it could be economically avoided and not remain an hour longer in any given port than was absolutely necessary. If a ship could use both sides for cargo work then she was expected do so. Her movements were also to be planned in conjunction with the large movements of cargoes. The ships of the Channel con-

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Volunteer crews of coaster seamen manned the blockade runners which carried ball-bearings and other vital equipment from Sweden. They faced exceptional strain and hardship

voys had considerable prestige in the trade, for they did what many people, even some in high authority, doubted that they could do. They successfully carried east coast coal through the Dover Straits to the south coast ports, thus saving an immense amount of time and cost in taking the northbound route almost entirely round Britain. These convoys also bore the brunt of the attack in the first phase of the Battle of Britain. The Germans were determined to drive them from the Straits with heavy guns ashore, but failed to do so. The Germans had good knowledge of Britain’s coastal waters, estuaries and channels and concentrated their offensives against weak spots. Plans were already in place for the coastal strip off Dover which, by notoriety, became known as Hell Fire Corner, and in the English Channel. The approaches to the Wold Channel off East Anglia earned the title E-Boat Alley. Here, German torpedo boats sank many a coaster. Channels were swept to counter the additional menace of magnetic and acoustic mines, but there could be no real security to the coasters that transited these areas daily. It was not until March 1941 that it was possible to mount one manned machine-gun to all coasters, made possible via the Defensive Equipment Merchant Ships organisation. As the conflict proceeded, Britain found itself in urgent need of specialist material for war production. One such vital product was ball bearings, traditionally supplied by Sweden. It was decided to establish an elite service of blockade runners, to dare the gauntlet of the Skagerrak — the narrows to the Baltic which was closely guarded by the Germans. Special small-displacement craft with high-power engines and shallow draught to confound the minefields evaded detection beneath the very noses of the enemy. Each vessel could carry some 40 tons of cargo. Their volunteer crews were

The cargoship Dotterel, which evacuated people from the Netherlands

recruited from coaster seamen. They had to face exceptional strain and hardship. Activity was necessarily conﬁned to the winter months, when nights were longest. Crossing the North Sea in such frail craft was a considerable and noteworthy feat. Throughout the entire winter of 1943-44, often seasick, their clothes always wet and sometimes stiff with ice, the blockade runners raced between Sweden and Hull.

The work of tugs has always been highly specialised and in war, tug service demanded particularly high standards of skill and endurance. Work included the rescue of ocean-going vessels damaged by enemy action but still viable for repair, salvage operations, the difﬁcult and dangerous strategic movement of ﬂoating docks, lighterage — principally on the river Thames — and the burgeoning of harbour duties

to assist ship manoeuvres in port. Harbour tugs were also found to be particularly suitable for examination, Naval Control and Contraband Control services. All were to beneﬁt from large-scale newbuild programmes, and Lend-Lease from America. Such tugs were concerned with all shipping in harbours throughout the Empire. Many of them went from Britain to far-distant places for their war service. After D-Day, the Invasion Tug Control carried out 1,000 cross-Channel tows of the concrete caissons which constituted the Mulberry harbour. A Solent-based depot ship controlled the pool of tugs in the execution of these vital tows, and in the valuable local work they did off the beaches. Sending the Allied Armies back to the Normandy beaches in June 1944 was an achievement of planning and organisation on a remarkable scale. Coasters played

During the Normandy invasion, Allied coasters played their part: Royal Engineers unload a Norwegian coaster Pictures : British Coasters 1939-1945

a leading part in the success: ‘Supplies flowed mainly, almost wholly, until the operation was well advanced, through the little ships of the British Coastal Fleet. Because of their small size and shallow draught, because they could be and, in the event, often were, beached and re-floated, the coasters could do this job when deep-sea ships could not. It was their day. Without them success could not have been achieved.’ A thousand coasters had been individually examined for the operation. It was necessary to take into account such matters as trim, both loaded and light, as it needed to be suitable not only for beaching but for subsequent re-floating. For those required to transport vehicles during the early stages, specially selected vessels had their masts strengthened and fitted with heavy derricks. Each was tested rigorously with actual vehicles. Ships were prepared as troop carriers, crossChannel packets were converted into hospital ships, and other craft became water boats and tenders.

The coaster invasion fleet numbered over 400. Their volunteer crews signed special ‘V-articles’, under which they agreed to transfer from ship to ship, or from ship to ‘pool’, and go anywhere at any time, at a moment’s notice and, if necessary, to load and unload cargo. In the invasion of Normandy, the coasters’ worst fight ‘was with the sea and the weather for the most part... By seamanship and sheer determination the men of the coasters kept the vital supplies going ashore, despite adverse weather and the fury of the enemy’. Following the D-Day landings it was imperative that regular large-scale supplies of petrol and diesel oil should be available to the advancing armies. To meet the need a base was established near Southampton, in support of a considerable fleet of tankers. The coastal fleet paid a heavy price for its part in the war. In the East Coast War Channels alone, around 1,000 ships were lost — 42% as a result of mines — yet a report for English Heritage last year noted how quickly the significance of this battleground faded from public consciousness. As one writer concluded: ‘Despite losses from enemy action, despite the demands upon the coaster fleet of the fighting services, despite the immense difficulties of organisation, the work of carrying cargoes around Great Britain by sea did not falter. Somehow, the little ships performed the duty set them. Yearly, they discharged more than 30 million tons of vital merchandise. That they maintained this flow, through the most war-dangerous waters in the world, is the proud record of British coasters in the war.’ Principal source: British Coasters 1939-1945 (official record)

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OFFWATCH ships of the past by Trevor Boult is rich with iconic images F — and its ferries to Manly, a

Sydney Harbour, Australia,

beautiful seaside suburb at the northern tip of the harbour, are frequently a highlight of a visit. Manly has been connected to Sydney by ferries since 1848. In the steamship age and beyond, the most famous ferry was South Steyne, the undisputed ‘Queen of the Harbour’ and one of its main attractions. She made the crossing between Circular Quay, Sydney and Manly over 100,000 times in 36 years, carrying 92m passengers. Built at Leith in Scotland for the Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company, her delivery voyage in 1938 took 64 days. She was to become the largest and best known of the Manly ferry line which played a major role in the suburbanisation of Sydney and in the development of its recreational patterns. The route is both a commuter service and tourist attraction, patronised heavily by weekday commuters to the city, and weekend tourists and trippers. Manly ferries were traditionally double-enders with propellers and rudders at each end for efﬁcient operation at the piers. The seven mile journey across the harbour crosses a mile-wide stretch of sea open to the entrance at The Heads. This can be one of the roughest stretches of estuary water to be encountered anywhere. Because of the big beam swells and lumpy seas they have to ride, often side-on, the Manly ferries have traditionally been designed to cope with these conditions. As an improvement on earlier designs, South Steyne was built with heavier scantlings and more watertight bulkheads which extended to promenade deck level. Ballast tanks were installed at the peaks fore and aft to

Painting from an advertising poster for the South Steyne

Sydney-Manly ferry had the soul of a liner reduce heavy weather pitching with light loads. An unforeseen operational problem was the big wash her size and speed caused. For those too close in small craft the sight was often disconcerting. The drive behind the building of the biggest ferries brought not only prestige but the extra business required in the years after the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. If the others looked like large ferries, South Steyne had the looks and atmosphere of an ocean liner. In the early 1950s South

Steyne added to her fame by starting her famous ocean cruises up the coast past the northern beaches to Broken Bay and into the Hawkesbury River estuary. For two decades she made these regular Sunday trips, giving many Sydneysiders their ﬁrst experience of an ocean cruise. The State Government of New South Wales, which had been largely responsible for the decline of the Manly ferry service after WW2 by putting buses in competition with them, later

caused it to be built up again with newbuilds and hydrofoils. New replacement vessels were modern and efficient, yet a contemporary enthusiast lamented ‘…but the young folk who travelled in them would never know the ocean liner feel of South Steyne, the clang of the engine-room telegraphs. No more would winter travellers sit around the open engine bays to absorb the warmth from the cylinder heads and the exciting smell of those massive steam engines...With the disappearance of the steam engines went part of the soul of the great ferries’. Towards the end of her career South Steyne was often used for charters, in what had become a badly run-down service where a new operator had no interest in the last remaining steamship. In 1974 a government takeover bid debated the purchase of the ship. At this time South Steyne mysteriously caught fire at her depot berth. Enthusiasts for restoration stated: ‘There seemed to be no reason why this small amount of fire damage could not be repaired and a beautiful ship returned to the harbour she had graced for so long.’ Against her was the fact she was a steamship and a headache to the bureaucracy. A complex story spanning 12 years and the appearance of benefactors and loyal fans found the ship being restored. As much as possible of the original was preserved, after which she took up a new role as a luxury cruise ship and restaurant in Melbourne. South Steyne eventually returned to Sydney, as the Sydney 2000 Olympic Information Centre at Darling Harbour until 1997. Today, she is once again a floating restaurant, this time next to Pyrmont Bridge, Darling Harbour. After a long road, part of the soul of Sydney Harbour has returned to where it belongs.

Telegraph prize crossword The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition will win a copy of the book Skyfaring by Mark Vanhoenacker (reviewed on the facing page). To enter, simply complete the form right and send it, along with your completed crossword, to: Nautilus International, Telegraph Crossword

Competition, 1&2 The Shrubberies, George Lane, South Woodford, London E18 1BD, or fax +44 (0)20 8530 1015. You can also enter by email, by sending your list of answers and your contact details to: telegraph@nautilusint.org. Closing date is Friday 19 June 2015.

QUICK CLUES

20. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

Across Yellow stockings (8) Not as it seems (6) Related (4) Paper recording (6,4) Confused (6) Quit job (8) Wintery person (7) Acknowledgment of payment (7) Grieving (8) Cooking pin (6) Wrestling hold (4,6) Rhymester (4) Open (6) Perpendicular to ground (8)

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Down Gave up (6,2) Terrible ruler (4) Overjoyed (6) Musical event (7) Publican (8)

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 14. 15. 17.

32_offwatch_SR edit.indd 32

50 YEARS AGO The MNAOA has welcomed a coordinated international scheme designed to improve the health and medical treatment of the world’s one million seafarers which has been adopted by a joint committee of the World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation. This scheme has followed a WHO report that treatment in ships not carrying a doctor was often not satisfactory, that inspection of ships’ medicine chests was inadequate and that medical guides were often out of date. The new scheme includes a revised international ships’ medical guide, a revised list of contents of ships’ medicine chests, and a revised medical section for the International Code of Signals to enable a master to get accurate instructions by radio. The days of that simple basic treatment of some of the amateur medicos — iodine for external, black draught for internal — are undoubtedly dropping astern MN Journal, June 1965

25 YEARS AGO Nearly half of all ships owned in the European Community are flagged out, a new study has revealed. The report also shows that more than 80% of UK-owned tonnage is registered abroad. Produced by the classification society Lloyd’s Register, the study says that while EC-controlled or owned tonnage amounts to 25% of the world total, the EC-flagged fleet accounts for just 15% of the world total. Researchers found that UK owners make the most extensive use of foreign flags, with vessels owned by UK parent companies registered in 45 different countries. Of the total EC-owned fleet, 48.8% is flagged out, with Greek owners controlling almost 50% of this tonnage and UK owners a further 22% The Telegraph, June 1990

10 YEARS AGO NUMAST has welcomed crucial progress in top-level talks on the proposed new ‘bill of rights’ for the world’s seafarers. Fears that the negotiations on the new global ‘super-convention’ on seafarers’ working conditions could hit the buffers failed to materialise during a week-long meeting between unions, shipowners and governments last month. Maritime unions had threatened to pull out of the talks if owners and governments blocked proposals to enforce the convention through port state control. But with agreement on the implementation of the bill of rights, the stage is now set for a meeting in February next year to finalise the agreement which will replace some 30 existing International Labour Organisation conventions with a single allembracing mechanism to regulate the employment conditions of 1.2 million people working at sea The Telegraph, June 2005

THEQUIZ 1

The term ‘super tanker’ was coined in 1951. What was the deadweight tonnage of ships it applied to then?

In which year did the first ship cross the Atlantic at an average speed of more than 30 knots?

Roughly how many new

containerships entered into service last year? 4

Cardiff Marine operates a fleet of tankers and bulk carriers. In which country is the company based?

What is the approximate total capacity of the world’s bulk carrier fleet?

Which has the larger ship register, Malta or Cyprus? Quiz answers are on page 42. J

Name: Address:

Telephone:

6. Nationality (10) 7. Drink (6) 13. Inconspicuous appearance (3,7) 16. Outside (2,6) 18. Commoner (8) 19. Not easy to find (7) 21. Not see-through (6) 22. Various (6) 24. Baby carriage (4)

CRYPTIC CLUES Across 8. Friend with only half a 60-second spell between rings to show horse (8) 9. Waterproof for the dedicated follower of esoteric trivia, perhaps (6) 10. Fine for the fun event (4) 11. Crashed jet car with Conservative providing direction (10) 12. Failed to catch humid air,

Membership No.:

we hear (6) 14. Trick Mr Cable to win argument (8) 15. Depression as cell replicated on edges of cavity (7) 17. Errant don taken in by charity must be nuts (7) 20. Determined to smelt our steel (8) 22. … and behold, what a choir does is behind (6) 23. Sport with goalie the poacher tries to dodge (10) 24. Feel sorry for coalmine, Yorkshire’s first (4) 25. Coughed up by bird, if not shot (6) 26. All left on the plate, as they say in Warwickshire (8)

Down It’s a long story, urban metropolis gets wisdom (8) 2. An opening for Jim Morrison (4) 1.

3. Building of importance lent to one side (6) 4. In France my English triumphal support is for a sovereign (7) 5. Parental, the fatherly sort (8) 6. Sorted out fruit, so lucky (10) 7. Stuff hidden in half a brick (6) 13. Tummy bug from the fish, Ms Fitzgerald … (10) 16. …see, a tuna concoction to make you sick (8) 18. Put party before country and make a bequest (8) 19. Answer from sappers, waterfilled hole in the ground (7) 21. Applied by brush but it’s hard on the teeth (6) 22. Cat with centre of tart lodged in throat (6) 24. ‘--- can I not, / Though inclination be as sharp as will’ (Hamlet) (4) J Crossword answers are on page 42.

19/05/2015 15:28

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33

MARITIME BOOKS

Sea and sky, joined by a shared past Skyfaring By Mark Vanhoenacker Chatto & Windus, £14.99 ISBN: 978 07011 88672 the professions, and in a month when two K studies have highlighted how happy seafarers are

Skyfaring, seafaring: just two letters separate

with their work, reading this airline pilot’s book about his love of his job takes on a much deeper resonance. In the same way as many seafarers feel a profound attachment to the oceans, Mark Vanhoenacker — who presently serves as a senior first officer with British Airways — tells of his continuing awe at both the romance and the physics of flight. He celebrates the remarkable technology that makes it possible to get his 380 ton Boeing 747 into the air while also reflecting on the wonders of inter-continental travel and the impact of ‘place lag’. As the title hints, the book oozes with references to the maritime sector. Mr Vanhoenacker frequently reflects on the art of navigation and the way in which shipping opened up the world, with seafarers pioneering the techniques that helped to make flight possible. He notes how the aircraft industry speaks

Just enough fresh stuff to make latest Cunard book worth a look A year in the life of the Cunard Fleet By Sharon Poole & Andre Sassoli-Walker Amberley Publishing, £19.99 ISBN: 978 14456 46091 about this book is its strong K message that the ‘heyday of ocean

One of the most striking things

liners’ is now, and not consigned to the last century. As the authors poetically put it, ‘The Cunard Lion looks set to roar well into the future’. That is not to say that history has been ignored; it is no coincidence that this book is one of many to be released to celebrate Cunard’s 175th anniversary. The first few chapters focus on the history of the line, and provide little new content for anyone who has read one of the many Cunard coffee table books of late. The book comes into its own when it gets to the heart of its content — what life is like onboard today. Various Nautilus members get a mention along the way, including Inger Olsen, Cunard’s first female captain, and there are some touching stories from all aspects of ship life. One of the more unusual ones

33_books_SR edit.indd 33

of ‘ports’, fleets, ships, hulls and rudders, with ‘skippers’, first officers and pursers, forward and aft, galleys and cabins, bulkheads and holds. But it doesn’t stop there: when cabin crew call the flight deck, pilots will sometimes answer by saying ‘bridge here’ and as they first sight the ground at the end of a long-haul flight they will sometimes report ‘land ahoy’ or talk of making landfall at the end of an ocean crossing. Indeed, Mr Vanhoenacker writes, ‘flying gives us what’s perhaps the last thing an aspiring pilot would expect: a close experience of the water’. Airline pilots see more water than any seafarer, he suggests, and he vividly describes some of the spectacular sights to be gained from the cockpit. Looking down on seaports such as Singapore, he tells how he is often astounded by the scale of sea traffic — demonstrating the continued importance of shipping even if the maritime age ‘has not ended so much as fallen from the popular imagination’. The book talks of aviation’s relatively recent migration from paper charts to electronic ones — noting that there are still some senior pilots who know how to use a sextant. It explains the intricacies of inertial systems and magnetic variations. The parallels continue with his explanations

comes from QM2 designer Stephen Payne, who, aged 12, told UK children’s TV programme Blue Peter that one day he would design the Queen Elizabeth of the future. In response he received a coveted Blue Peter badge and a letter telling him not to get his hopes up... During the season by season rundown of the life onboard, the authors introduce the varied workers the ships come into contact with — many of whom are overlooked in similar reviews. VTS operators, pilots, port health officials, border officials and even sniffer dogs all get a mention. It would be easy to brush this off as another picture book from authors lucky enough to spend their days onboard some of the world’s best ocean liners, but there is enough here to make it worth the purchase. The pictures aren’t just PR shots of ships sailing into the sunset and the people really do seem to be having the time of their lives.

Collision tales trump details in niche history Classic Dutch-built Coasters By Bernard McCall Coastal Shipping Publications, £17.00 ISBN: 978 19029 53687 historic ship books, the term K ‘golden age’ will not be unfamiliar.

For those used to the genre of

of the effects of wind on aircraft and the paper tables still carried in cockpitss today, called ‘wind-altitude trades’ in an echo of the trade winds that used to power sailing ships. Seafarers will find much to reflect on in Mr Vanhoenacker’s descriptions of safety procedures and ‘checklist’ philosophies, in which he explains the formalised processes of interaction between the flying pilot and the monitoring pilot. The concept of ‘type rating’ — in which pilots are licensed to fly specific types of aircraft — is also one that will be of interest to the maritime professional, not least in the way it helps to generate a sort of bond between the operator and their machine. As frequent flyers, seafarers will appreciate more than many the sections in which Mr Vanhoenacker describes the science of flight and the challenges faced by pilots, such as the difficulty of steering a 747 on the ground or landing in thick fog. Other elements that will strike a chord with seafarers are his descriptions navigational techniques and waypoints, and

And this book claims to cover the heyday of the Dutch coaster — a 20year period between 1950 and 1970 when there was a peak of more than 1,000 such vessels, all with a gross tonnage of under 500grt, in service. Dutch coasters were traditionally owned and operated by Dutch families, with ships passing from one generation to the next. Today there are very few traditional Dutch coaster families and even fewer coastal vessels flying the Dutch flag. Classic Dutch-built Coasters follows a familiar pattern — a chronological series of high quality photographs, with a page devoted to each ship featuring a picture, service record and brief history. The history of each vessel is both vague and specific — there is little detail about the routes, flag or ownership of the vessel, but very detailed information about collisions suffered. For example, the Margriet Anja was delivered to an unnamed Groningen-based company in 1956 and nothing other than her engine size is revealed. However,

of transient working relationships and snatched time off in foreign cities. It all adds up to a fascinating book that ought to put ﬂight in a new light for many people who now see it as a tedious ordeal to be suffered to get from A to B. Blue sky thinking, indeed!

much is made of minor damage she suffered, including being struck by a German vessel in Greenhithe, London; a damaged rudder following a grounding in Finland and engine damage on passage to Antwerp. If Dutch coastal vessels is a niche market for a book, then Dutch coastal vessels of the mid 20th century is probably even more so. But this just means that it is likely to have pictures and information unavailable anywhere else, which is a unique indeed among coffee table maritime titles.

liner histories in existence that it’s K hard to believe there’s a single vessel of the There are so many cruiseship and

early 20th century left undocumented. But apparently there are a few ships that have not yet been given their due, and Cabin Class Rivals has the stated aim of putting matters right. The book focusses on three pairs of passenger liners from France, the UK and the US: the Lafayette and Champlain, the Britannic and Georgic, and the Manhattan and Washington. Some were steamships and others motorships, but all were designated as cabin class liners.

Referred to sometimes as ‘intermediate first class’, cabin class seems to have been ann attempt to allow more people to enjoy top tier travel. The traditional first class passage,, associated with aristocrats and millionaire businessmen, was abolished on the new vessels. Spacious accommodation and sumptuous public rooms were still very muchh in evidence under the cabin class system, but fares were lower and there was a longer, r, slower crossing time. And that’s it, really. There are some new things to be learned from Cabin Class Rivals, but on the whole the book sticks to a very well-trodden path: attractive pictures of passengerships and their posh interiors, reproductions of old advertising posters, andd painstaking narratives following each vessel from conception to scrapyard. A standard glossy liner history with a bit of class... Cabin class.

Shipping’s ‘Looking Back’ series K sticks to the tried-and-tested picture This latest addition to Coastal

A nostalgia collection that doesn’t aim too high Looking Back at Traditional Cargo Ships

Something new from the 20th century? Cabin Class Rivals By David L Williams and Richard P de Kerbrech History Press, £19.99 ISBN: 978 07509 56598 fwww.thehistorypress.co.uk

By Andrew Wiltshire Coastal Shipping Publications, £17.00 ISBN: 978 19029 53694 f www.coastalshipping.co.uk

book format, presenting each ship of the past alongside a few sentences about its history. Don’t expect an index or even a list of contents — the idea is to flick through the quirky selection of vessels until something catches your eye. Sometimes particular themes are identified — BIPOD MASTS, bellows the text at one point — but on other pages the vessels seem to have been chosen just because, you know, they are nice old cargo ships to look back at. And why not? Containerisation wasn’t exactly a triumph for the mariner’s way of life, so it’s fun to t have a wallow in the era when cargoship crews were large enough for c decent socialising and the seafarers d actually had time to see the countries a they were visiting. t

BOOK SAVINGS Telegraph readers can buy the books reviewed on these pages at a whopping 25% discount on publisher’s price through the Marine Society’s online shop. g To qualify for this offer, readers need to make their purchase at www.marinesocietyshop.org. Click on the ‘Books of the month’ button with the Nautilus logo to see the books featured in the Telegraph, and use the promotional code Nautilus when buying your book.

19/05/2015 15:29

34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

NL NEWS

Jaarvergadering 2015 A

Het bestuur nodigt alle leden van Nautilus International uit voor de jaarvergadering van de Nederlandse branch. De vergadering wordt gehouden op dinsdag 16 juni 2015 in het Hilton Hotel te Rotterdam. Het Hilton is gelegen aan het Weena 10 en is eenvoudig met het openbaar vervoer te bereiken (ca. 8 wandelminuten vanaf Rotterdam Centraal). De vergadering begint om 13:00 uur. Voorafgaand vanaf 12:00 uur kunt u in het hotel terecht voor een eenvoudi ge lunch.

Foto: Nico Sannes

Dodenherdenking De Boeg 2015 meen prachtig lenteC zonnetje werden op 4 mei bij

Onder een over het alge-

het koopvaardijmonument De Boeg te Rotterdam onder brede belangstelling de duizenden opvarenden herdacht die gedurende de Tweede Wereldoorlog omkwamen aan boord van hun koopvaardijschepen. Nautilus legde een krans ter nagedachtenis. Inmiddels al weer 70 jaar na het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog blijft de belangstelling voor de herdenking voor de koopvaardij gevallenen onverminderd groot. Tijdens zijn herdenkingstoespraak benadrukte de Rotterdamse burgemeester Aboutaleb

meermaals het feit dat de zeevarenden in die oorlogsjaren geen andere keuze hadden dan voor koningin en vaderland verder te varen. Zeevarenden waren ook in die tijd gewone burgers echter krachtens het Koninklijk Besluit van 6 juni 1940 veranderde die positie stevig daar zij vanaf dat moment, op straffe van 4 jaar gevangenisstraf, werden gedwongen om gedurende de oorlogsjaren verder te varen en hun leven te riskeren. Velen, zeer velen keerden nooit terug. Voorzitter Marcel van den Broek legde de Nautilus krans tezamen met mevrouw Elsa van Gelderen die een krans legde namens de Nederlandse afdeling van de Royal British Legion.

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

Volg ons op Twitter

Geef uw mening Vorige maand vroegen wij: Nieuw onderzoek suggereert dat de meerderheid van de zeevarenden gelukkig is met het leven op zee. Klopt dit?

Ja 78%

De poll van deze maand is: Vindt u dat de International Maritime Organisation (IMO) tekort schiet in het goed reguleren van de scheepvaart? Geef ons uw mening online, op www.nautilusint.org/nl

34-35_nl_12.5.indd 34

Symposium

bevoegdheid van de Raad, een bindende voordracht voor de jaarvergadering voor te bereiden.

De agenda is als volgt:

1. Opening door voorzitter Marcel van den Broek 2. Bestuursverslag van het gevoerde beleid in 2014 3. Financieel jaarverslag 4. Verkiezing bestuurslid 5. Verkiezing leden Raad van Advies 6. Statutenwijzigingen 7. Wat verder ter tafel komt. 8. Sluiting Bij agendapunt 2

Het verslag van het gevoerde beleid in 2014 zal het bestuur doen aan de hand van het jaarverslag dat enkele weken voorafgaand aan de jaarvergadering op de Nautilus website zal worden geplaatst. Tijdens de jaarvergadering zullen tevens hard copies van het jaarverslag aanwezig zijn. Bij agendapunt 4

Dit jaar treedt vice voorzitter/penningmeester Hylke Hylkema af in verband met het hebben bereikt van de pensioen gerechtigde leeftijd. Inmiddels heeft het zittende bestuur de heer Charley Ramdas bij coöptatie benoemd als bestuurder en zal zij de Raad van Advies verzoeken om voor de heer Ramdas, conform de statutaire

Bij agendapunt 5

Dit jaar treden er geen leden van de Raad van Advies af. Wel meldden zich gedurende het verenigingsjaar een tweetal leden voor vacatures in de kiesgroepen werktuigkundigen en gepensioneerden. Het betreft de heren Peter Renkema en Willem Kwak. De heer Renkema is werktuigkundige en meldde zich voor de vacature in de kiesgroep werktuigkundigen. De heer Kwak is gepensioneerd kapitein en meldde zich voor de vacature in de kiesgroep gepensioneerden. Om niet een jaar te hoeven wachten is door de Raad van Advies middels coöptatie in de tussentijdse vacatures voorzien. Het is nu aan de jaarvergadering om dat achteraf goed te keuren.

Gewoontegetrouw zal er na afloop van het formele gedeelte van de jaarvergadering een symposium worden georganiseerd. Ditmaal met de titel ‘Regie op de arbeidsmarkt’. Het onderwerp is gekozen omdat Nautilus en FNV overwegen om in de maritieme sector één van de eerste sectorpilots regie WW te initiëren. De maritieme arbeidsmarkt kent specifieke sectorkenmerken en een goede overlegcultuur. Wij verwachten een grote meerwaarde van sectorspecifieke advisering en begeleiding rond het voorkomen en oplossen van werkloosheid en arbeidsongeschiktheid. Het thema zal worden ingeleid door een aantal sprekers van naam en faam. FNV voorzitter Ton Heerts heeft inmiddels toegezegd en net voor het ter perse gaan van deze editie kunnen we ook bekend maken dat we als spreker Harry van de Kraats, algemeen directeur van AWVN mogen begroeten. Aansluitend neemt vice voorzitter/ penningmeester Hylke Hylkema afscheid na ruim 40 jaar maritiem vakbondswerk. Wij willen dit op gepaste wijze vieren en nodigen u graag uit op dit samen met hem te doen. Het bestuur verheugt zich op uw komst.

Bij agendapunt 6

Vanuit het bestuur was al eerder de wens geuit om de statuten middels een kleine wijziging te verduidelijken. Inmiddels is daar vanuit het bestuur een andere wijziging bijgekomen naar aanleiding van een rechtszaak waarbij de rechter meende dat de bond geen partij zou zijn.” Het voorstel, waarin de wijzigingen woordelijk zijn opgenomen, ligt conform het bepaalde in artikel 20 lid 3 van de statuten

Bijna tienduizend deelnemers vieren 1 mei 2015 in Amsterdam gevraagd voor Echte Banen. F Dit was een groot succes! Zeker

spetterende afsluiter Playing For Change Band en Shirma Rouse.

negenduizend mensen hebben in Amsterdam meegedaan aan de mars voor banen met zekerheid, respect en een fatsoenlijke beloning en het feest in het Martin Luther Kingpark. Een lang lint trok van de RAI naar het Martin Luther Kingpark, twee kilometer verderop. Duizenden mensen van overal in het land, uit allerlei sectoren, jong en oud, gekleed in het rood, gewapend met FNVvlaggen; allemaal op de been voor banen met zekerheid, respect en een fatsoenlijk inkomen.

Waarom zoveel aandacht voor Echte banen?

Op 1 mei hebben wij aandacht

Feest in het park

Nee 22%

gedurende tenminste 1 maand voorafgaand aan de jaarvergadering op het kantoor van de vereniging ter inzage.

Even later in het park was het feest. Een drukbezochte informatiemarkt, bomvolle tribunes bij het Echte banen-debat met Sophie Hilbrand, het nieuwe FNV-lied, een bevlogen speech van FNV-voorzitter Ton Heerts, kermisattracties voor de kinderen, een optreden van Lange Frans en als

Het is duidelijk: er zijn niet genoeg banen. Ongeveer 650.000 mensen hebben geen baan en nog veel meer hebben onzekere banen waarbij ze op ieder moment aan de kant geschoven kunnen worden. Deze mensen maken zich zorgen over de toekomst van hun baan, kunnen geen kwaliteit leveren omdat ze te weinig collega’s hebben of ze leven gedwongen van flex- naar flexcontract. Werkgevers ontduiken ondertussen CAO-afspraken met het inschakelen van goedkope arbeidskrachten. Of ze laten mensen met een uitkering het werk doen van betaalde krachten. Verder schuiven ze steeds meer risico’s af op werkers. Hierdoor wordt de kloof tussen arm en rijk in Nederland steeds groter. Wij gaan de strijd aan voor een eerlijke verdeling van geld en werk met Echte Banen met voldoende zekerheid, respect en een fatsoenlijke beloning.

Onderhandelingsresultaat CAO Waterbouw zame onderhandelingsrondes C tussen FNV Waterbouw/Nautilus

Op 17 april jl. is er na drie moei-

International en de Waterbouw werkgevers een onderhandelingsresultaat tot stand gekomen. Tijdens de onderhandelingen benadrukten werkgevers, uit met name de kleine en middelgrote bedrijven, herhaaldelijk dat zij het erg moeilijk hebben om het hoofd boven water te houden. Daarmee hebben zij duidelijk willen maken dat hun onderhandelingsruimte zeer beperkt was om aan onze eisen tegemoet te kunnen komen. In tegenstelling tot de grote, internationaal opererende bedrijven moeten zij hun geld binnen ‘s landsgrenzen verdienen. Na het opleveren van de Tweede Maasvlakte is het werkaanbod op de binnenlandse markt afgenomen. Voor de bedrijven die hoofdzakelijk op de internationale markt actief zijn, hebben wij eerder een driejarig contract afgesloten met een gemiddelde loonstijging van 2,5 procent per jaar. Het onderhandelingsresultaat voor de Waterbouw CAO (binnen-

land) kent ook een looptijd van drie jaar met een totale loonsverhoging van 3,75 procent. Die wordt in etappes bereikt van 1,25 procent op 1april 2015, 2016 en 2017. Daarnaast gaat ook de eindejaarsuitkering met 0,5 procent omhoog. We draaien er niet omheen. De loonsverhoging is bescheiden. Daar staat echter tegenover dat een lang gekoesterde wens van onze achterban, om de lagere loonschalen met een tiende trede te verhogen, voor de loonschalen C en D is gelukt. Veel werknemers die in het binnenland werkzaa m zijn zitten in deze loonschalen en krijgen er in de komende twee jaar een tiende trede bij. De extra trede betekent voor hen een loonsverhoging van 2 procent naast de eerder genoemde verhogingen. Meer ruimte was er niet. Het woord is nu aan de leden. Zij kunnen ons zowel schriftelijk als op een drietal ledenbijeenkomsten in de komende weken hun mening geven over het resultaat. Het is tenslotte hun CAO.

19/05/2015 15:30

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35

NL NEWS

Vlootbezoek Stena Hollandica leuk én leerzaam: Nautilus en kapiteins Stena Line praten over loon- en arbeidvoorwaarden van gezagvoerders

Op 20 april jl. bracht Nautilus International een vlootbezoek aan de Stena Hollandica om met de gezagvoerders en aﬂoskapiteins in dienst van Stena Line van gedachten te wisselen over hun loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden. Het was een leerzame en leuke bijeenkomst waarbij Nautilus meevoer van Hoek van Holland naar Harwich en terug. De huidige rechtspositieregeling van de kapiteins dateert uit 1995 en is aan een update toe. Tijdens de captainsmeeting heeft Nautilus samen met de aanwezige kapiteins gekeken welke zaken m.b.t. de loon- en arbeidsvoorwaarden voor verbetering vatbaar zijn. Zo is onder meer gepraat over een all-in gage, het aantal treden, loodsgeld, Hollandica-toeslag, Senior Master toelage, ouderenverlof, de positie van Nederlandse bootslieden, de ferry

Toen wij, Svitzer Amsterdam, uit Rotterdam vertrokken… Nauwelijks op stoom gekomen, vertrekt de sleepdienst van Svitzer Amsterdam al weer uit Rotterdam werkingsgebied én C werkgelegenheidsgarantie, Een uitgebreid

opgenomen in een langlopende CAO, waren eind 2013 uiterste pogingen van Svitzer Amsterdam om het werk te behouden. Ruim een jaar later is het werk in de thuishaven IJmuiden/ Amsterdam fors toegenomen. Dat geldt helaas niet voor het nieuwe werkgebied Rotterdam. Slechte werkomstandigheden (ontbreken van aanlegsteigers en voorzieningen), niet gerealiseerd extra werkaanbod en vele kosten, hebben de werkgever doen besluiten de sleepdienst al weer uit Rotterdam te laten vertrekken. Concreet betekent dit dat de schepen en de bemanning worden teruggetrokken uit de 2e Maasvlakte. Weliswaar blijven de langlopende contracten behouden, maar het werk zal worden

uitgevoerd door de sleepboten van Fairplay. De twee boten van Svitzer worden naar een ander werkgebied van de rederij verplaatst en de bemanning wordt waar mogelijk herplaatst op de andere locaties van Svitzer Amsterdam: Amsterdam, Bremerhaven en Lubeck. Of een en ander zonder gedwongen ontslagen gepaard gaat, was bij het ter perse gaan van dit bericht nog niet bekend. Ongewis

Ook het advies van de Ondernemingsraad is nog ongewis. De vakbonden, FNV Havens en Nautilus International, gaan nog een gesprek aan met de werkgever. Een gesprek waarin duidelijkheid over de ontstane situatie en bovenal werkgelegenheid centraal zullen staan. We houden u op de hoogte over de voortgang.

overeenkomst en last but not least rechtsbijstand. Afgesproken is dat Nautilus eerst een algemene schriftelijke uitvraag zal doen onder alle georganiseerde gezagvoerders en aﬂoskapiteins in dienst van Stena Line. Hierin wordt aan de kapiteins gevraagd of zij akkoord gaan dat er, namens hen, collectief wordt onderhandeld. Ook wordt in deze enquête, die loopt tot 28 mei, geïnventariseerd welke gezagvoerders bereid zijn om als kaderlid mee te gaan naar de onderhandelingen. Tijdens het ter perse gaan van dit nummer, was de uitslag van de enquête nog niet bekend. In het volgende nummer van de Telegraph komen we daarom op dit onderwerp nog even terug.

Het ms Rotterdam mag de spits afbijten: Nautilus legt reeks vlootbezoeken af aan HAL diverse schepen van HAL voor een nadere F kennismaking met de bemanningsleden. Ook

De komende tijd bezoekt Nautilus International

zullen de vlootbezoeken gebruikt worden om met de leden van gedachten te wisselen over het komende CAO-traject. Het eerste bezoek heeft inmiddels plaatsgevonden op 21 april jl. Gemeerd naast hotel New York, stapten de vertegenwoordigers van Nautilus aan boord van de vaandeldrager van Holland America Line: het ms Rotterdam. Na een kijkje in de machinekamer van het imposante cruiseschip werd met diverse officieren van dek en machinekamer gesproken over onder meer de inzet voor het komende CAOtraject. In de zomer worden hiervoor de definitieve voorstellen geformuleerd waarna in het najaar de onderhandelingen van start zullen gaan. Hierin trekt de vakbond nauw op met de collega’s van de Britse Branche van Nautilus International.

Nautilus dit als eerste aan haar leden bekend maken via een digitale update. Hiervoor is het belangrijk dat Nautilus beschikt over uw juiste mailadres. Mocht u bij de HAL werkzaam zijn en recentelijk een nieuw mailadres hebben, geef dit dan door aan Nautilus via infoNL@nautilusint.org. Oproep kaderleden

Kaderleden fungeren immers als de spreekbuis van de achterban tijdens de CAO-onderhandelingen en kunnen de vakbond adviseren over collectieve issues. Mocht op uw schip nog geen kaderlid aanwezig zijn en u wilt ook kaderlid worden? Dan kunt u zich hiervoor aanmelden bij Nautilus door een mail te sturen naar: infoNL@nautilusint.org. Holland America Line

Geef uw mailadres door

De vloot van Holland America Line (HAL) bestaat uit 15 state-of-the-art cruiseschepen. De HAL laat momenteel twee nieuwe pinnacle-class schepen bouwen bij Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiana SpA. De Koningsdam (99.500 GT; 2660 passagiers) wordt in mei 2016 opgeleverd en haar zusterschip .....dam wordt naar verwachting in november 2018 opgeleverd. De moedermaatschappij van de Holland America Group - waaronder HAL, Princess Cruise Lines en Seabourn vallen — is Carnival Corporation. Andere merken van Carnival Corporation zijn: Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Crociere SpA, P&O Cruises, Cunard en Aida.

FNV Waterbouw is blij met scheepsmodel van De Elbe

Het vlootbezoek aan het ms Rotterdam was de eerste uit een reeks. Meer HAL-vlootbezoeken zullen volgen. Zodra het volgende vlootbezoek rond is, zal

de trotse bezitter van het F scheepsmodel van De Elbe.

Veiligheid op de varende werkvloer

FNV Waterbouw is sinds kort

Het kantoor van Nautilus International in Rotterdam is door de vele maquettes die duidelijk geëtaleerd verspreid staan door het pand, te merken in welke sectoren zij actief zijn. Helaas ontbrak een model die de sector Waterbouw symboliseert. Marcel van den Broek, voorzitter van Nautilus kreeg het voor elkaar dat het baggermuseum ons het model voor een lange tijd ter beschikking heeft gesteld. Met deze nieuwe aanwinst maakt de sector Waterbouw in alle opzichten deel uit van de Nautilus organisatie.

International schepen. Zowel in F West-Europa als in Singapore zijn onze

Sinds jaar en dag bezoekt Nautilus

Op de foto hierboven kunt u ons model alvast bewonderen. Mocht u in de buurt zijn van ons kantoor in Rotterdam, loop dan gerust binnen om het model te bewonderen. U bent van harte welkom

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 Jude Rosset van Redactive Media Group T: +44 (0)20 7880 6217 E: jude.rosset@redactive.co.uk.

34-35_nl_12.5.indd 35

vlootbezoekers op pad teneinde het directe contact met onze leden te onderhouden. Zo houden wij feeling met de werkvloer en blijven wij op de hoogte van alle ontwikkelingen. Tijdens onze bezoeken gaat het werk door. Zo krijgen wij een realistisch beeld van hoe in de praktijk wordt gewerkt. Hoewel er in haar algemeenheid weinig mis is met het veiligheidsbesef op de Nederlandse koopvaardij, wordt helaas toch nog niet overal even veilig gewerkt. Het kan daarom geen kwaad om langs deze weg nog eens uw aandacht te vragen voor het attent blijven op veilig werken en het creëren van een veilige werkomgeving. Meestal gaat het wel goed, maar waar wordt gewerkt, worden fouten gemaakt. Kennis en ervaring voorkomen dat niet altijd. Soms ontstaat een soort beroepsblindheid, waardoor risico’s niet meer als zodanig worden herkend. Uit de Arbowetgeving komt een pakket maatregelen voort dat risico’s aan de basis aanpakt. Zo worden werkgevers verplicht om persoonlijke beschermingsmiddelen (PBM) aan werknemers beschikbaar te stellen. PBM dienen niet alleen ter voorkoming van ongevallen of ziekte, maar beperken ook persoonlijke en of financiële schade als het onverhoopt toch mis is gegaan. Niet iedereen realiseert zich dat de

Momenteel beschikt helaas nog niet elk schip over een kaderlid, terwijl dit vele voordelen heeft.

werknemer uitdrukkelijk wordt verplicht om PBM ook daadwerkelijk te gebruiken als die voorhanden zijn. De foto’s tonen situaties die letterlijk en figuurlijk tot hoofdpijn kunnen leiden. Onder een last of laadhaak staan is nooit goed, maar de helm kan hier zeker iets betekenen. En de vrij slingerende takel boven de gangway hoort daar niet. In beide gevallen is het een kleine moeite om het anders te doen. Liefst voordat de hoofdpijn er is. Vaak wordt gezegd: “mij overkomt niets”. Wij vertalen dat maar als: “ik heb nog nooit zoiets meegemaakt”. Wij komen de mensen, die het helaas wel hebben meegemaakt, wel tegen. Of de kapitein, die nog wel overal verantwoordelijk voor is, maar uiteraard nooit alles kan controleren. Erg vervelend om dan toch verantwoordelijk te worden gehouden voor ernstig letsel of erger, terwijl je toch altijd je bemanning op het juiste gebruik van PBM hebt gewezen. Schade die ontstaat door het niet gebruiken van door de werkgever verstrekte PBM kan worden verhaald op degene, die in gebreke is gebleven. Dit betekent ook dat een verzekeraar zomaar kan weigeren uit te keren. Hoe dan om te gaan met gevolgen als materiële of medische schade, arbeidsongeschiktheid of zelfs overlijden, waarbij partner en familie meedelen in de ellende. Onze boodschap is simpel. Voorkomen is nog altijd beter dan genezen.

19/05/2015 15:30

36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

MARITIME WELFARE

“

The mission car was OK, but it wasn’t the same as having a proper centre

”

Left: L-R port chaplain Rev Peter Paine, Jonathan Mutch (FRC coxswain) and Connor Murdoch (2nd officer) from the Vos Glory being greeted at the Seafarers Centre Right: L-R Great Yarmouth town mayor Marlene Fairhead, chairman of Seafarers Centre Steve Roberts, Bishop of Thetford the Rt Rev Alan Winton and port chaplain Rev Peter Paine All pictures: Maurice Gray

Good times in Great Yarmouth K

After nine long years, the port of Great Yarmouth ﬁnally has a seafarers centre again. It’s been up and running since 15 April, and the word is spreading about the new facilities. ‘I’ve had several captains tell me how good it is to see a centre opening rather than closing,’ says port chaplain Rev Peter Paine. Peter witnessed the demise of the old centre with great regret, and has had to work out of his car in the intervening years. ‘There had been a seafarers centre here in some form since 1858,’ he points out, ‘but then the port fell on hard times and we couldn’t keep the centre open. It was just two old portacabins anyway, and we didn’t have enough volunteers to staff it.’ Peter works for the Mission to Seafarers and the Good Work Industrial Mission in Norwich, and they made sure he had a car in the lean years so he could visit ships and give seafarers a lift into town. But it wasn’t the same. ‘I would take them to internet cafes so they could contact their families,’ he explains, ‘and try to have a private chat with them in the car if they needed someone to talk to, but we missed having that “safe” space just for seafarers.’ Happily, Great Yarmouth has recently seen an improvement in its fortunes, becoming an important hub for the offshore wind sector, and the port is now under the management of a new company, EastPort UK. ‘Through all the changes, I never let people forget that we needed our centre back,’ says Peter. ‘In the nine years when we didn’t have one, I would tell people about it — even in the local paper.’ EastPort

The Vos Glory coming into Great Yarmouth harbour

36_grt.yarmouth_SR edit.indd Sec2:36

Need to get out of the wild Norfolk wind? What about some food, a wash and a chat with a chaplain? Then there’s a brand-new seafarers centre waiting just for you… listened, and about two years ago, they offered the mission the use of a redundant building. The chaplain was obviously pleased, but there was much work to do before the new centre could start welcoming visitors. An organising committee was set up, with representatives from the shipping industry and the church. A fundraising effort was launched to get the building into shape, and the necessary £10,000 was donated, mostly by local businesses and churches, with a very welcome £2,500 supplied by Vroon Offshore.

Great Yarmouth Seafarers Centre is now a warm and comforting place, with a common room where visiting seafarers can relax and make themselves tea and toast. Peter ﬁnally has his own ofﬁce where he can run the operation and see people in private. And

there are plentiful supplies of books, magazines and woolly hats — just as you would expect from a seafarers’ centre. One other thing people expect these days is internet access, and this is on its way, promises Peter. At the moment, he and his colleagues are working to get a broadband cable laid across to the centre, and once this is done, there will be wifi there so people can connect to the internet via their own smartphones and tablets. In addition, a room has been set aside to make a small internet café, but further funds will be needed to acquire some computers for this. There are also plans to upgrade the centre’s toilets and install showers this year — a project which is being financed by a further grant from Vroon. Peter expects the showers to be particularly popular with Great Yarmouth’s many visiting yacht crews, as there are currently no washing facilities for them in the area. What about a bar? ‘No, this is a dry centre,’ smiles Peter. ‘It doesn’t get people into trouble!’ z Great Yarmouth Seafarers Centre is currently open mainly in the evenings, but is appealing for more volunteers so the building can be staffed from 10:00hrs to 22:00hrs every day. Ex-seafarers living in the area would be particularly welcome as volunteers; training and mentoring is provided, and volunteers will always be on duty with at least one other person. g To find out more about becoming a volunteer, call Peter Paine on +44 (0)7788 111 823 or email chaplain55@virginmedia.com. Great Yarmouth Seafarers’ Centre has a website at www.gysc.co.uk.

Hospitality at the Great Yarmouth Seafarers Centre: L-R Jackie Woodland (crewing officer based in Yarmouth), Jonathan Mutch (FRC coxswain) and Connor Murdoch (2nd officer) from the Vos Glory, with the port chaplain Rev Peter Paine making refreshments

Bishop of Thetford the Rt Rev Alan Winton cutting the cake to celebrate the centre’s opening

19/05/2015 19:15

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37

APPOINTMENTS Join us in bringing knowledge, help and hope to the nations!

16 June 2015 is the closing date for July 2015 Telegraph adverts You can still advertise online at any time.

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

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

SHORE-BASED

WORK BOAT

DRY BULK/CONTAINER

Ship Manager

Chief Engineer - Tug Boat - £46K

Technical Super - Dry Bulk - €85K

South Coast - £55-60K + Car + Package

Technical Super - Dry Bulk - €100K

Chief Engineer - Dredger - £47.5K

Technical Superintendent

Fleet Mgr - Dry Bulk/Container - £97K

Netherlands - €60-70K + Package

2nd Engineer - Dredger - £41K

Technical Superintendent

ETO - Research Vessel - £42K

QHSE Analyst - Container - £25K

Offshore Vessel Drydocking Manager

FERRY/CRUISE

SUPERYACHTS

Dubai - Competitive Expat Package

Master - Cruise - £65K

Chief Stewardess

Port Engineer

Chief Engineer - Cruise - £65K

Tech Mgr - Dry Bulk/Container - €120K

Aberdeen - £55K + Package

Doha - Expat Package

55+m Motor Yacht - €6.5K/mth

2nd Engineer 60+m Motor Yacht - €5K/mth

Technical Super - Cruise - €75K

Heavy Lift Cargo Superintendent Antwerp - €60K + Car

2nd Engineer - Cruise - £38K

OFFSHORE

2nd ETO - Cruise - £38K

&KLHI 2IƂFHU

2nd Engineer - Ferry - £48K

AHTS - €80K

ETO 70+m Motor Yacht - €6K/mth

Purser 80+m Motor Yacht - €7K/mth

Fleet Manager

EOOW ROPAX - Ferry - £160/day

100+m Motor Yacht - €65K

DSV - $790 USD/day

Safety Manager - Ferry - £52K

S/Y Captain

2nd Engineer

Master ROPAX - Ferry - £56K

&KLHI 2IƂFHU '32

Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger - €200/day

50+m Sailing Yacht - €10K/mth

Chief Eng/Stew Couple 50+m Motor Yacht - $9K/mth

Steward ROPAX - Ferry - £88/day

2nd Mate

Chief Engineer ROPAX - Ferry - £294/day

Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger - €250/day

Shore-based: +44 (0)23 8020 8840

Y3 Chief Engineer 50+m Super Yacht - €7K/mth

Search for ‘Faststream Seafarers’

shipping-uk@faststream.com

Seagoing: +44 (0)23 8020 8820

@faststreamsea

seagoing-uk@faststream.com

www.faststream.com

To advertise your vacancy contact Paul Wade on +44 20 7880 6212 or paul.wade@redactive.co.uk RYAN OFFSHORE LTD RYAN SHIP MANAGEMENT LTD

SHIPPING

CONNECTIONS

MARITIME RECRUITMENT FOR - 4-PT MOORING DSV / AHTS/ PSV/ MRV/ ERRV

REQUIRE MASTERs, CHOFF, 2ND OFF, CHENG, 2ND ENG, 3RD ENG, DP ENG, ETO

FOR - DP3 / DP2- DSV / DP2- AHTS / DP2- PSV / DP3 PIPELAYER / DP2 CLV REQUIRE MASTER-DPOs, CHOFF-SDPOs, 1ST OFF-DPO, 2ND OFF-DPOs, CHENGs, 2ND ENGs, 3RD ENG, ETOs, CRANE OPTRs - STG 2 / 3 FOR - SHORE BASED OFFSHORE FLEET REQUIRE TECH MANAGER, TECH SUPT, DIVE SUPT (OFFICE BASED) , ENGINEERING SUPT, ELECTRICAL SUPT, PORT CAPTAIN, PORT ENG, QHSE

CONTACT DETAILS

T E L: +44 (0) 1 9 1 5 4 8 8 8 5 9 FAX: +44 (0) 1 9 1 5 4 88 425

EMAIL: office@ryan-shipmanagement.co.uk, office@ryanoffshore.net, office@shipping-connections.com WEBSITE: www.ryan-shipmanagement.co.uk , www.shipping-connections.com, www.ryanoffshore.net RYANSHIP, P.O.BOX–1282, SUNDERLAND, SR5 9HX, UNITED KINGDOM

37-41_rec.indd 37

CV Professionals Maritime & oσshore specialists www.cvprofessionals.co.uk

Pritchard-Gordon Tankers (Guernsey) Ltd

Pritchard-Gordon Tankers Ltd, a family owned and managed company, operating British and Isle of Man registered oil tankers of between 5,000 and 12,000 dwt, are seeking experienced and suitably quali½ed, high calibre:

Senior Deck and Engineering Of½cers

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.

We lay great importance on teamwork and continuity, with a number of senior of½cers having been with the company over 20 years. Our company ethos is to offer a superior service and level of professionalism to our Major and National Oil Company customers in challenging operational conditions. Voyage lengths are of 10 to 13 weeks duration followed by an equal period of leave. Terms and conditions are competitive and commensurate with rank and experience.

Applications in the ½rst instance to Head of Personnel, Pritchard-Gordon Tankers Ltd, 6 Coronation Street, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE33 1AZ Tel 0191 427 0303 Email personnel@pgtankers.com Website www.pgtankers.com

18/05/2015 16:53

38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

APPOINTMENTS ANGLIAN MARINE RECRUITMENT LTD

Leading Marine Recruitment Specialists

D&P

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

Maritime Recruitment

Marine Placement Agency

Ongoing vacancies for all ofﬁcers and ratings deep sea, coastal, st.by, supply, ahts, etc. To register send cv and copies of all certiﬁcates to: 6 Birch Court, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8LJ Tel/Fax: 01603 478938 Email: malcolm@anglianmarine.co.uk

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

Looking for all Ranks and Ratings for all types of vessels www.dpmaritimerecruitment.com Email: info@dpmaritimerecruitment.com

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

www.seamariner.com

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

Tel: +44 (0)1224 600 028

www.anglianmarine.co.uk

HOTLINE

FOR YACHT CREW

As part of its growing support for seafarers serving in the large yacht sector, Nautilus has established a dedicated phoneline in Antibes to offer advice and assistance: You can reach Nautilus International in Antibes on the following number: +33 (0)9 62 61 61 40 Nautilus International, In strategic partnership with D&B Services, 3 Bd. D’Aguillon, 06600 Antibes, France.

NOT A MEMBER OF NAUTILUS

Applications are invited from experienced, motivated and knowledgeable seafarers with tanker experience to work on coastal oil tankers operated by John H. Whitaker (Tankers) Limited Masters, Chief Officers, 2nd Officers, Chief Engineers & 2nd Engineers who hold: Advanced Tanker Training/DCE (Oil) Type - Permanent/Temporary Leave/Work - Variable Salaries - will be discussed at Interview stage Please forward all applications to: Mrs Elaine Wilson, Personnel Officer, Crown Crewing (UK) Ltd, Crown Dry Dock, Tower Street, HULL HU9 1TY Email: eb@whitaker-tankers.co.uk

INTERNATIONAL?

Join now on our website Fill out the online application at: www. nautilusint.org

/calmacferries

@calmacferries

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

@calmac_updates

Seeking all ranks of Seafarers Captains; Master, work Engineering Officers Engine Room and Deck boats & tugs DPO’s/SDPO’s Ratings Deck Officers ETO’s Cooks Chief Engineers ERRV Crew’s Stewarts To register send CV and copies of all certificates to charles@foylemarinerecruitment.com Mobile: +44 (0)7872 070727 - Mobile ROI: +353 (0)863 175972

Advertise here & reach over 110,000 readers. Contact Paul Wade on 020 7880 6212 or email paul.wade@redactive.co.uk to find out how.

@calmacferries

Exciting opportunities exist within CalMac Ferries Limited for various positions including: SHORE BASED • Marine, Technical and HSEQ Management positions • Project Management SEA GOING • All deck, engine and retail positions • Permanent, seasonal and temporary positions CalMac Ferries Limited is a multi-award winning business serving some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland with over 30 ferries providing lifeline services to the islands and peninsulas on Scotland’s west coast. Our excellent benefits package includes a competitive salary plus generous annual leave entitlement programme. You could also take advantage of free CalMac staff travel for you and your family. We provide extensive structured training programmes for both marine and shore staff, encouraging all employees to continuously update their skills and knowledge. To view all details of our current vacancies and for further information, please visit our website at www.calmac.co.uk or email to: recruitment@davidmacbrayneHR.co.uk.

www.calmac.co.uk

37-41_rec.indd 38

18/05/2015 16:53

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 39

APPOINTMENTS

Worldwide travel & skills to last a lifetime Embark and expand your career in 2015 with Holland America Line and Seabourn Cruises &SXL GSQTERMIW EVI TEWWMSREXI EFSYX XVEZIP ,SPPERH %QIVMGE 0MRI SJJIVW XLEX FMK WLMT ]IX PY\YV] I\TIVMIRGI [MXL ZIWWIPW ZMWMXMRK WSQI SJ XLI QSWX HIWMVEFPI HIWXMREXMSRW EVSYRH XLI [SVPH 7IEFSYVR MW YRPMOI ER] SXLIV JSVQ SJ XVEZIP 8LIMV MRXMQEXI ERH IPIKERX WLMTW ZMWMX XLI LMHHIR KIQW [LIVI PEVKIV ZIWWIPW GERRSX JSPPS[ &SXL GSQTERMIW LEZI [SR RYQIVSYW MRXIVREXMSREP E[EVHW ]IEV EJXIV ]IEV

We are currently recruiting for the following positions:

Beneﬁts package includes:

(IGO 3J½GIVW SJ EPP PIZIPW

'SQTIXMXMZI VEXIW SJ TE]

)RKMRI 3J½GIVW SJ EPP PIZIPW IWTIGMEPP] MRXIVIWXIH MR LSPHIVW SJ 'PEWW 'S'

%RRYEP WEPEVMIW ERH 7XEJJ 3J½GIV &SRYWIW

*EGMPMX] 1EREKIVW LSXIP WIVZMGIW IRKMRIIV

7EMPMRK %WWMKRQIRX 6IXYVR &SRYWIW 7%6&

6IJVMKIVEXMSR )RKMRIIVW

6IXMVIQIRX 7EZMRKW 4PER 4IRWMSR

)PIGXVMGEP )PIGXVSRMG 3J½GIVW

7TSRWSVIH WXYH] PIEZI ERH 8VEMRMRK TVSKVEQQIW

,SWTMXEPMX] +YIWX 7IVZMGIW 4VSJIWWMSREPW

)\GIPPIRX SRFSEVH WTSYWI JEQMP] TSPMG]

SV VSXEXMSR JSV 7IRMSV 3J½GIVW

Candidates need to complete our online database via our website or email us at applicants@vikingrecruitment.com quoting reference VRL06/15

Visit vikingrecruitment.com

Viking Recruitment Limited Viking House, Beechwood Business Park, Menzies Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2FG T +44 (0) 300 303 8191 (option 2)

37-41_rec.indd 39

ISO 9001

18/05/2015 16:54

40 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

APPOINTMENTS Clyde Marine Recruitment is a leading provider of marine recruitment and bespoke crew management VHUYLFHV :LWK RIÂźFHV ORFDWHG LQ 8. /DWYLD 3RODQG DQG Singapore it allows us to provide our clients with easy access to a multi-national pool of candidates from a single point of contact.

Examiner of Engineers ÂŁ39,778 rising to ÂŁ45,743 This position is based at the MCA Headquarters in Southampton Ref: 1444425 The Maritime and Coastguard Agency implements the Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maritime safety in the UK and works to prevent loss of life on the coast and at sea. The Seafarer Training and Certification (STC) Branch issues Seafarer Certification and Safe Manning Documents vital to the UK shipping industry and employment of seafarers. This specialist technical role in the STC Branch will focus on supporting the Chief Examiner in ensuring the provisions of STCW 78 as amended, STCW-F, relevant Codes of Practice and EC Directives are correctly implemented and applied. This will involve: â&#x20AC;˘ Developing and implementing policy in accordance with international conventions and national requirements â&#x20AC;˘ Representing the MCA at various meetings with industry and other stakeholders â&#x20AC;˘ Monitoring training providers and Nautical colleges â&#x20AC;˘ Evaluating proposals for training courses presented to the MCA for approval â&#x20AC;˘ Working with the administrative teams to solve complex technical problems in relation to Seafarer Certification â&#x20AC;˘ Preparing briefing papers for IMO, ILO and EU meetings as directed by the Chief Examiner â&#x20AC;˘ Issuing and assessing Safe Manning Documents Other tasks will include drafting answers to Parliamentary Questions, conducting oral exams and providing guidance to seafarers, industry and Marine Offices. Your UK Certificate of Competency as Chief Engineer III/2 qualification will be complemented by significant shipboard management or equivalent industry experience. You will possess excellent decision-making, communication and partnership working skills. Some national and international travel will be required.

For sea-going jobs apply at www.clyderecruit.com COASTAL Master for Dredger. Perm position. 3 weeks on/off with travel paid. Trading in UK waters. Master CoC required. Competitive salary. Temp and perm positions available for Chief and 2nd Engineers on Dredgers. Rotations of 3 weeks on/off, however are dependent on client. Dredgers operating mainly throughout the UK and occasionally Europe with travel paid.

PASSENGER Master for Passenger vessel. Must be commutable to Hampshire in Southern England. Trading in UK Waters. Masters Unlimited CoC required. Competitive salary with travel unpaid. Master for Cruise Liner, joining in June 2015. Interviews to take place in Hamburg and in Luton. Candidate must have minimum 2 years experience in reasonable size cruise vessel (min pax 500) 3 months on/off rotation. Chief Engineer required for RoPax vessel operating in the Irish Sea. Rotation is 1 week on/off, travel is not paid and hourly rate is available on request. Candidates must have a UK CoC/CEC and previous passenger ship experience. Position is temp ongoing.

TANKER Experienced Tanker &KLHI 2IÂźFHU required to join ÂžIIX SJ 3MP ERH +EW 8EROIVW 4IVQERIRX TSWMXMSR QSRXL XVMTW 'LMIJ 3JÂ˝GIV YRPMQMXIH 'S' SV EFSZI

To find out more information about this post and to apply online please visit http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs/index.aspx read guidance and search for Maritime and Coastguard jobs. If you have trouble applying, please contact Harry Deans, tel +44 (0)2380 329239.

1EWXIV YRPMQMXIH 'S' MW TVIJIVVIH 3MP SV +EW (') VIUYMVIH SV FSXL 1YWX LEZI IMXLIV PEVKI 3MP XEROIV 04+ SV 02+ I\TIVMIRGI EW 'LMIJ 3JÂ˝GIV Chief, 2nd, Assistant 3rd Engineers and ETOs VIUYMVIH JSV 3MP 8EROIVW STIVEXMRK ;SVPH ;MHI :EVMSYW clients recruiting with trip lengths and salaries varied.

OFFSHORE Experienced Standby 0DVWHUV DQG &KLHI 2IÂźFHUV for 7XERHF] :IWWIPW [SVOMRK MR XLI 2SVXL 7IE 8IQT ERH TIVQ TSWMXMSRW [IIO XVMTW 'LMIJ 3JÂ˝GIV 'S' SV EFSZI ERH LSPH -873 )\TIVMIRGI EW 'LMIJ 3JÂ˝GIV SR 7XERHF] ZIWWIPW MW VIUYMVIH 4PIEWI WIRH ]SYV ': to sboyle@clyderecruit.com.

OTHER &KLHI 2IÂźFHU VIUYMVIH JSV 2YGPIEV *YIP 'EVVMIV Permanent position. Trips are 8/8 weeks or 16/16 weeks depending on contract. Master unlimited CoC is preferred (UK CoC/CEC). Experience as 'LMIJ 3JÂ˝GIV VIUYMVIH Chief and 2nd Engineer required for Container ZIWWIPW 3TIVEXMRK [SVPH[MHI QSRXL XVMTW ERH position is permanent.

For all shore-based jobs, please visit:

www.redtheconsultancy.com

For Sea-going Jobs visit Clyde Marine Recruitment:

www.clyderecruit.com Glasgow +44 (0) 141 427 6886 Southampton +44 (0) 2380 223 546 Singapore +65 6299 4992

Closing date: 13th June 2015.

Gdynia +4858 665 3860 Riga +371 6733 1357

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is an equal opportunity employer.

Falkland Islands Government

Marine Officer / Harbour Master Salary from ÂŁ44,417

PORT OF SUNDERLAND

Pilot/Deputy Harbour Master 37 hpw â&#x20AC;&#x201C; permanent â&#x20AC;˘ POJ (SCP 49-52) ÂŁ42,957 - ÂŁ45,774

The Falkland Islands â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śwhere nature is still in charge Marine industries are vital sectors of the Falkland Islands economy. Maritime policies, legislation, and government structures are undergoing development and modernisation. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute and lead these changes in the maritime administration of the Falkland Islands. The role: The post includes being Marine Officer for the Falkland Islands and Harbour Master for Port Stanley and adjacent harbour areas. The role involves a broad range of policy development, operational tasks and regulatory functions applicable to Falkland maritime, harbour, port operation, and fishery issues. Qualifications & experience â&#x20AC;˘ Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Certificate of Competency (STCW Reg II/2.1). â&#x20AC;˘ At least 5 years relevant experience, including familiarity with a range of maritime and port issues relevant to the role. â&#x20AC;˘ Preferably having experience and knowledge of the marine regulatory framework applicable to Red Ensign vessels. The appointment will be for a two year contract. In addition to a salary, benefits include competitive tax rates, eligibility for a 25% taxable gratuity on basic salary upon completion of contract, a relocation grant, flights at the beginning and end of contract plus six weeks annual leave including return flights, to the country of recruitment, for the successful applicant and his/her qualifying accompanying dependants. For an application form (essential), a job description and further details please contact The Recruitment Officer, Falkland House, 14 Broadway London SW1H 0BH recruitment@falklands.gov.fk or telephone 0207 222 2542 For an informal discussion contact John Barton, Email: jbarton@fisheries.gov.fk, phone : (+500) 27260 Completed applications should be returned to the Recruitment Officer no later than noon (BST) on Thursday 25 June 2015.

37-41_rec.indd 40

Applications are invited for the position of Marine Pilot with the Port of Sunderland, a municipal port owned by Sunderland City Council. The successful candidate will have commitment and enthusiasm to meet these challenges. The role will involve piloting of a wide range of vessel types and sizes, besides deputising for the Harbour Master and dealing with daily operational port requirements. Previous experience as a Class 1 pilot would be advantageous, but not essential, as full training will be given providing qualification criteria are met. While applicants should preferably hold a STCW II/2 Master or Chief Mateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certificate of competency, consideration may be given to mariners holding other recognised certificates of competency and possessing comprehensive ship handling experience with knowledge of navigating within the Pilotage District. The successful applicant will be required to undertake a probationary period as Trainee Marine Pilot, this period being subject to relevant experience and aptitude. He/she will be expected to demonstrate an enthusiastic and motivated approach to all aspects of his/her employment in return for a stimulating and rewarding career. For an informal discussion on pilotage opportunities within the Port of Sunderland, please telephone Captain AK Ullah (Harbour Master) on 0191 553 2146 or email captain.ullah@sunderland.gov.uk To apply please download the information pack from northeastjobs.org.uk/ sunderlandcitycouncil and see the post guidance for information on where completed application forms are returned to or email your completed application form to jobapplications@sunderland.gov.uk Please note you no longer need to call for an applicant reference number, they will be issued automatically on receipt of completed forms. Alternatively telephone askrecruitment for an application pack on 0191 520 5555 (opening times are 8.00am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday). The council is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of employee pay, grading, terms and conditions of employment. It is intended that changes will be implemented after agreement with the trade unions. The terms and conditions and grading of this post may potentially change. Closing date: 16 June 2015.

2009-2010 Digital inclusion

jobs.sunderland.gov.uk

Sunderland City Council welcomes applications from all sections of the community

18/05/2015 16:54

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 41

APPOINTMENTS

MARINE PILOT HARWICH HAVEN AUTHORITY c.£45K-£70K + overtime + competitive pension + beneﬁts

Fleetwood - a top UK Nautical College with a long established reputation for being a leading provider of training to the Maritime industry. OFFSHORE BOSIET (3 days) - W/C | BOSIET (3 days) - Every Mon and Wed from W/C 11May | MIST (2 days) - Every Mon and Thurs from W/C 11 May | FOET (1 day) - Every Tues from W/C 11 May | EURO (3 days) - Every other week starting W/C 11 May | EUROREFRESHER (1 day) 1, 15, 29 Jun | TEMPSC COXSWAIN (3.5 days) 18 May, 15, 29 Jun | TEMPSC COXSWAIN REFRESHER (1.5 days) 7, 21May, 4, 18 Jun | GWO BASIC SAFETY PACKAGE (7 days) - W/C 8 Jun, 6, 27 Jul, 24 Aug | MST (RUK) (2 days) - W/C 11, 25 Jun, 9, 30 Jul | RUK/GWO Working at Height (2 days) 21 May, 4, 18 Jun, 2, 23 Jul | WAH Refresher 18 May, 1, 15 Jun, 13 Jul | NEBOSH General - W/C (13 days) 6 Jul | IOSH Managing Safely - on request | IOSH Working Safely - on request

Harwich Haven Authority provides pilotage services to ﬁve diverse ports including Britain’s Premier Container Port and we are looking for dedicated and professional mariners to join our team and maintain this service. We have a proven track record of nurturing and developing world class marine pilots with the necessary skills to pilot the full range of ships including some of the world’s largest container vessels, bulk carriers, tankers and cruise ships.

MARITIME

You should possess an STCW II/2 Master or Chief Mates certificate of competency or hold an RN equivalent qualification. Ideally, you will either already have some experience of working as a pilot or are looking to progress your career in this field.

BLENDED LEARNING COURSES (all STCW short courses are offered at Fleetwood Nautical Campus) Masters - 29 Jun, 7 Sep, 2 Nov, 11 Jan (2016) | Chief Mates - 14 Sep, 18 Jan (2016) | HND to Chief Mate - 7 Sep, 4 Jan (2016) Tuesday | FD to Chief Mates - 07 Sep, 12 Oct, 11 Jan (2016) | VTS Operators course (2 week course) 12 Oct, 16 Nov, 8 Feb (2016)

In return we offer a rewarding career in a diverse and challenging environment, supported by a comprehensive training programme encompassing cuttingedge techniques, a commensurate salary and structured career progression.

For more information E offshore@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/offshore Facebook /FleetwoodNauticalCampusOffshoreOperations

For flexible enrolment and more information E blearning@blackpool.ac.uk T 01253 779 123 W blackpool.ac.uk/nautical If you are interested in working at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, call 01253 50(4760) to register your interest or for information on current vacancies.

WWW. BLACKPOOL. AC.UK

We invite enthusiastic, positive and committed individuals to visit http://www.hha.co.uk, click ‘Vacancies’ for a detailed brieﬁng pack, which includes the standards and how to apply. If you require further information contact the Human Resources Department, Harwich Haven Authority, on 01255 243030. The closing date/time for the receipt of applications is Friday 17th July 2015, 1200hrs. Harwich Haven Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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42 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

SHIP TO SHORE

M-Notices M-Notices, Marine Information Notes and Marine Guidance Notes issued by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency recently include: MSN 1869 (M) — Safety Management Code for domestic passenger ships This notice replaces MSN 1754 (M) and should be read in conjunction with MGN 536 (M). It relates to the UK Merchant Shipping (Domestic Passenger Ships) (Safety Management Code) Regulations, which came into force on 1 November 2001. These regulations apply to all UK domestic passenger ships, except those domestic operators required to comply with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. The UK Safety Management Code is based on general principles and objectives, and expressed in such terms that it can be applied to a wide variety of ships. Under the provisions of the Code, companies are to develop and implement the following safe practices: z a health, safety and environmental protection policy z procedures to ensure the safe operation of ships in compliance with relevant rules z lines of communication between personnel, ashore and afloat z procedures for reporting accidents z procedures for responding to emergency situations Companies are also required to ensure that all persons employed in the operation of the ships receive appropriate training for the duties they are required to fulfil. MSN 1869 provides useful details on how companies should

go about complying with the Code – for example, it gives a suggested wording for a vessel’s health, safety and environmental protection policy. It also highlights instances where, to comply with the Code, owners and operators must refer to other pieces of legislation, such as the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Regulations 1998 or the Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) Regulations 2005. It is stressed in particular that a company should develop a policy on prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, in the light of the very strong comments made in the Thames Safety Inquiry Report by Lord Justice Clarke. Where alcohol is served onboard, the policy should also stipulate that no alcohol will be served to persons under 18 years of age. MSN 1869 also gives guidance on the types of written procedure that should be developed for the operation of the ship. These should include, but not be limited to: z testing of equipment, including steering gear, prior to commencing a passage z navigation and handling of the ship z maintenance routines z bunkering operations z mooring and unmooring z passenger counting and crowd control z watertight integrity z stability of the ship z conduct of passengers and crew while onboard For some ships, it might be appropriate to have permanently exhibited checklists, e.g. in the wheelhouse for navigational items.

Member meetings and seminars Nautilus International organises regular meetings, forums and seminars for members to discuss pensions, technical matters, maritime policies and legal issues. Coming up in the next few months are:

Alternatively, in a smaller ship, the record could take any suitable form, such as a diary as distinct from a specially printed logbook. In addition, the notice explains how written procedures, checklists, logbooks and drills should be used in relation to a vessel’s emergency responses, equipment maintenance and accident reporting. An initial audit, to assess compliance with the Code, will be carried out by the MCA for each ship. Following satisfactory completion of this audit, a Domestic Safety Management Certificate will be issued to each ship. The period of validity of this certificate will normally be for five years, and is subject to a mid-term audit. Exemptions to these arrangements will be considered on a case by case basis. In accordance with Recommendation 27.40 of Lord Justice Clarke’s Inquiry, exemptions from the provisions of the Code will be granted only on condition that an equivalent level of safety is achieved.

z M-Notices are available as

electronic documents or as a set of bound volumes. z A consolidated set of M-Notices is published by The Stationery Office. This contains all M-Notices current on 31 July 2009 (ISBN 9780115530555) and costs £210 — www.tsoshop.co.uk z Individual copies can be electronically subscribed to by emailing a request to mnotices@ecgroup.co.uk or downloaded from the MCA website. Go to www.gov.uk/mca and click on Find marine (M) notices.

Recruit and win! The ‘introduce a colleague’ scheme launched by Nautilus in March is now really getting into its stride. Existing members who encourage a colleague to join the Union receive a £25 Marks & Spencer gift card. And they’re also be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win an additional £100 voucher. ‘It’s easy to take part,’ explains Nautilus senior assistant organiser Lee Moon. ‘Members tell us the name and contact details for the colleague they want to introduce, and as soon as the colleague has been in membership for three months, we’ll send the member a gift card.’ The first round of cards is due to be sent out this month to members who signed colleagues up in March when the scheme launched. ‘There is no maximum amount of vouchers that one member can claim — the more members recruited the better,’ says Mr Moon. ‘As long as the criteria for the incentive are met, then I’ll send vouchers!’

g MLC yacht seminar Wednesday 3 June 2015 0900hrs to 1700hrs Palma de Majorca (venue address will be supplied in attendees’ joining instructions) Nautilus seminar giving expert advice on what the Maritime Labour Convention means to the yacht sector. Open free of charge to Union members and non-members; advance registration required. Contact Danny McGowan: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 dmcgowan@nautilusint.org

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

Offshore sector contact point Members working for companies based in the east of Scotland or UK offshore oil and gas sector can call: +44 (0)1224 638882 THE NETHERLANDS Postal Address Nautilus International Postbus 8575 3009 An Rotterdam Physical Address Nautilus International Schorpioenstraat 266 3067 KW Rotterdam Tel: +31 (0)10 477 1188 Fax: +31 (0)10 477 3846 infonl@nautilusint.org

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

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

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

g Women’s Forum Monday 5 October 2015 1400hrs to 1600hrs Titanic Hotel Stanley Dock, Regent Road Liverpool L3 0AN, UK The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing women in the industry and encourages female participation in Union activity. Open to all female members. Contact Lisa Carr: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 women@nautilusint.org

Quiz and crossword answersACDB Quiz answers 1. ‘Super tankers’ in 1951 were 30,000dwt and above. 2. The French liner Normandie was the first ship to cross the Atlantic at an average speed of more than 30 knots — on her maiden voyage in 1935. 3. A total of 1,995 newbuilding containerships entered into service last year. 4. Cardiff Marine is based in Greece. 5. The total capacity of the world bulk carrier fleet is around 730m dwt. 6. Malta’s register is larger than Cyprus’s — 57.3m gt as opposed to 22.7m gt. Crossword answers Quick Answers Across: 8. Malvolio; 9. Ironic; 10. Akin; 11. Ticker tape; 12. Addled; 14. Resigned; 15. Snowman; 17. Receipt; 20. Mournful; 22. Skewer; 23. Half nelson; 24. Poet; 25. Public; 26. Vertical. Down: 1. Packed in; 2. Ivan; 3. Elated; 4. Concert; 5. Licensee; 6. Portuguese; 7. Tipple; 13. Low profile; 16. Al fresco; 18. Plebeian; 19. Elusive; 21. Opaque; 22. Sundry; 24. Pram. This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize competition, and the answers will appear in next month’s Telegraph. Congratulations to Nautilus member Capt Charlie Simmons, who has won the prize draw for the May cryptic crossword. Cryptic answers from May Across: 1. Alsatian; 5. Shaped; 9. Numerical; 11. Relic; 12. Espagnolette; 15. Idol; 16. Allergenic; 18. Melting pot; 19. Stun; 21.Micropscopist; 24. Eliza; 25. Larrikins; 26. Signet; 27. Flanders. Down: 1. Anna; 2. Sump; 3. Thrush; 4. Archaeological; 6. Horologe; 7. Palatinate; 8. Decrescent; 10. Lance corporal; 13. Dismembers; 14. Rollicking; 17. Pinotage; 20. Assign; 22. Wise; 23. Asps.

To suggest an organisation which could appear here, email telegraph@nautilusint.org

Maritime & Coastguard Agency +44 (0)23 8032 9100 www.gov.uk/mca Implements the UK government’s maritime safety policy and works to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea.

International Transport Workers’ Federation +44 (0)20 7403 2733 www.itfglobal.org A federation of over 700 unions representing over 4.5 million transport workers from 150 countries.

Merchant Navy Welfare Board www.mnwb.org Umbrella body for the UK maritime charity sector, promoting cooperation between organisations that provide welfare services to merchant seafarers and their dependants within the UK.

Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport + 31 88 489 00 00 www.ilent.nl Dutch maritime authority (separate from Dutch coastguard).

Merchant Navy Training Board www.mntb.org.uk UK organisation promoting maritime education and training, and providing careers guidance. Administers the Careers at Sea Ambassadors scheme, under which serving seafarers can volunteer to give careers talks in UK schools.

Seafarers UK (formerly the King George’s Fund for Sailors) +44 (0)20 7932 0000 www.seafarers.uk Supports and promotes UK charities helping seafarers from the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and fishing fleets. Often organises places for maritime fundraisers to enter marathons and other charity challenges.

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

Northern office Nautilus International Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park Wallasey CH45 7PH Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454 Fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801 enquiries@nautilusint.org

Useful organisations

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

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

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

College contacts

This offer runs from 2 March 2015 to 30 December 2015. One entry will be selected at random for an additional £100 prize during the Nautilus Council meeting taking place in March 2016.

g Young Maritime Professionals Forum Monday 5 October 2015 1200hrs to 1400hrs Titanic Hotel, Stanley Dock, Regent Road, Liverpool L3 0AN, UK The Forum provides guidance to Nautilus Council on the challenges facing young people in the shipping industry and on the issues that matter to them. Open to all young members (UK, NL & CH). Contact Paul Schroder: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 ymp@nautilusint.org

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

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

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

19/05/2015 16:50

June 2015 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 43

JOIN NAUTILUS

The face of Nautilus Sascha Meijer, senior national secretary g Sascha Meijer has worked in trade unions since 1998 — and finds that the longer she stays in the movement, the more closely she wants to be involved. She was originally a lawyer in the Dutch construction workers’ union FNV Bouw, and for over 13 years worked with FNV Bondgenoten, which represents employees in industry and services in the private sector. ‘In my time as a union lawyer,’ she recalls, ‘I started out by doing advisory work and litigation work for members in labour law and social security law, and then I became a legal advisor to the executive board about collective labour law — making sure we had legally correct collective bargaining agreements, for example.’ In 2011, Sascha switched to international

trade union work, a ‘great and dynamic job’ which involved lobbying the European Union, negotiating with companies about their international corporate social responsibility and running training sessions for union staff and members about the international aspects of trade union work. Having developed such an interest in the way that trade unionists from different countries can work together, it is not surprising that Nautilus International caught Sascha’s eye, and she decided to apply for a position with Nautilus earlier this year. Not just as a lawyer, though… ‘I felt that after many years in advisory roles I was ready for more negotiating responsibilities, so I wanted to become part of the industrial organising team,’ she

explains. ‘Also, I very much like working in an international work field. And I like challenges! In the vacancy at the Nautilus NL Branch I found a very attractive combination of these aspects.’ Happily, the job of senior national secretary has lived up to Sascha’s expectations. ‘I like the drive, ambition and high quality standards of Nautilus, and I have a nice variety of responsibilities,’ she says. ‘I am taking part in negotiation work at sectoral and company level, and I am part of several consultation and implementation working groups with the Dutch government, dealing with the MLC and other legislation.’ She looks forward to playing a role in the Union’s work with women members, and to becoming involved, through Nautilus, with the ILO. ‘I am very idealistic, so my ambition

is always to be able contribute something to a better, more righteous world. I believe in the ILO Decent Work agenda and in international solidarity between workers worldwide.’ During this busy career, Sascha has somehow found time to learn six languages Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish and a little Portuguese — and she tries not to be too much of a workaholic. ‘I like to spend time with my husband Udo and my fantastic (adopted) son Lesedi, who is nine years old,’ she says. ‘We have a cottage near the Dutch seaside where we love to spend our weekends. I am an active parent, contributing to activities in our school community and in the adoption world. And in my free time I enjoy cooking, as well as long hikes, singing, books and films.’

Wherev er you are , so are we

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

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

42-43_infosprd_SR edit.indd 43

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19/05/2015 18:19

44 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | June 2015

NEWS

Cunard trio start 175th celebration a spectacular sailaway in A Southampton last month to start a

Cunard’s ‘three Queens’ staged

series of celebrations marking the company’s 175th anniversary. Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 were reunited in the Solent after returning from threemonth world cruises. They left the port in formation, watched by hundreds of people on the shore and followed by a flotilla of small ships as they sailed down Southampton Water. The three ships were due to reunite again on 25 May for a weekend of special events in Liverpool, expected to attract up to one million people. Cunard was founded in 1840, when Sir Samuel Cunard’s mail steamship Britannia started a transatlantic service from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston. Further celebrations to mark that first journey are planned in the city in July. Picture: Stefan Venter/Cunard

UK urged to protect stranded seafarers

Alarm over attacks on Gulf ships Authority (MPA) has expressed F concern about an incident in which Singapore’s Maritime & Port

Iranian gunboats fired shots at a Singapore-flagged tanker in the Straits of Hormuz last month. It has asked the Iranian authorities to investigate the circumstances in which the 46,105dwt Alpine Eternity was attacked in international waters off the United Arab Emirates. ‘The freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce are of critical importance to Singapore and other maritime and trading nations,’ the MPA stated. ‘Such interference with navigational rights is a serious violation of international law.’ The shooting incident was allegedly a response to a collision between Alpine Eternity and an Iranian offshore oil platform in March. The MPA said it had started an investigation into the incident, in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation’s Casualty Investigation Code. The attack came shortly after Iran released a Maersk-chartered containership which was held in Bandar Abbas for a week after being forcibly boarded in international waters. The Marshall Islands-flagged Maersk Tigris was fired at by Iranian patrol boats before being detained in what was described as a commercial dispute with an Iranian company.

Nautilus and MNWB call for Maritime & Coastguard Agency to adopt US-style funding scheme

Nautilus is urging the UK government to look into the potential offered by a new US scheme to create a fund that provides support and repatriation to abandoned seafarers. President Barack Obama has given the go-ahead for the US Treasury Department to launch the Abandoned Seafarers Fund — with up to $5m of money that will come from ﬁnes imposed on shipping companies found guilty of violating pollution prevention laws. The fund will be used to provide wages, expenses, medical care and repatriation for seafarers who have been stranded in US ports without the support of owners and operators. It will also be used to support seafarers who have been ‘paroled’ into the US pending investigations or other legal proceedings. The scheme has been welcomed by the US Masters, Mates & Pilots union. Vicepresident George Quick said the fund had been developed in response to concerns over the case of crew members of the bulk

carrier Katerina who were abandoned in the US in 2004 when they were held as witnesses in a ‘magic pipe’ case and had to be supported by charities for several months. ‘We wanted to prevent a repeat of this situation and raised this issue as part of the IMO/ILO talks on the fair treatment of seafarers,’ he explained. ‘The legislation creating the fund has been in past US Coast Guard Authorisation Acts, but got cut due to a lack of understanding of its signiﬁcance by Congress. It ﬁnally has been passed. We fully supported it, and owe the USCG our thanks for addressing the problem.’ Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said the fund was an interesting development and one that should be considered by the UK authorities. ‘We have sought, alongside the Merchant Navy Welfare Board, to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency for abandoned seafarers,’ he added. ‘We consider that the MLC encourages port states to intervene in the interests of the crews and at an early stage, to repatri-

ate the abandoned seafarers and then seek recovery from the flag state,’ he added. ‘But Department for Transport lawyers apparently disagree and believe the UK is not obliged to do that — leaving the seafarers abandoned and in the hands of the unions and charities whilst the MCA flaps about waiting on the Foreign Office to open diplomatic channels with the flag state or the unions and the seafarers to arrest the ship.’ ‘The UK’s stance also contrasts poorly with the approach in Australia, where they immediately step in and repatriate the crew,’ Mr Dickinson said. ‘It saddens me that we still have, in the post-MLC era, government officials and advisers trying to avoid responsibility for the welfare of seafarers — passing the buck onto voluntary organisations.’ MNWB chief executive Captain David Parsons said the actions of the Australian and US governments should be applauded. ‘At the same time the MCA’s refusal to clarify its position with regard to repatriation of abandoned seafarers, after ratifying MLC

2006, is difficult to understand,’ he added. ‘The UK is widely regarded as a global leader in the provision of seafarers’ welfare, and the MCA is a great supporter of this and the role of the Board.’ While cases of abandonment in UK ports are comparatively rare, Capt Parsons said they often involved the recovery of repatriation costs from the proceeds of a ship’s sale, its flag state, or the P&I clubs. ‘Sadly, because there are no clear arrangements in place, seafarers aboard these ships can be left in a state of limbo, usually a long way from home, with no wages to support them, or their families, no ability to find other work and dependent upon maritime charities and local goodwill for anything other than the basic essentials — all this through no fault of their own,’ he pointed out. ‘This is a basic human rights issue, and if other governments can utilise money from fines, then it is difficult to understand the UK’s apparent unwillingness to set aside a small fund for this purpose.’

Training courses for the maritime and offshore industries

Merchant Navy Operations (Deck) Certificate of Competency Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Jan, May & Sept intakes Chief Mate/Masters (Unlimited) May Jan &&Sep Septintakes intakes Master Mariner (Unlimited) Orals Prep Mar & Oct intakes Shipboard Safety Officer Master Mariner (200Gt) Orals Prep (2 weeks) Shipboard Security Officer STCW Safety 5 day STCW Basic Safety Training Personal Survival Techniques Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities Elementary First Aid Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting Advanced Fire Fighting Efficient Deck Hand Man Over Board / Rib Capsize Drills IMDG awareness

44_news.indd 44

Navigation NAEST (O) & (M) ECDIS generic and type speciﬁc Medical and First Aid Bridge Team Management Medical First Aid Onboard Ship Pre ARPA and ARPA Medical Care Onboard Ship (and Refresher) SVNR HSE Offshore First Aid (and Refresher) Tanker HSE First Aid at Work (and Refresher) Tanker Familiarisation HSE Emergency First Aid at Work Specialist Tanker Training (Oil) Radio Dynamic Positioning GMDSS GOC/ROC/LRC/CAA DP Induction VHF Short Range Certiﬁcate DP Simulator DP Introduction

Offshore Oil & Gas OIM Management of Major Emergencies CRO Controlling Emergencies Command & Control for ERRVs Masters & Mates Oil Spill Crisis Management (OPRC) COMPEX EX01 to EX04 Offshore Wind 5 day Wind Energy Safety Training Working at Height & Rescue (RUK) Advanced Rescue Climbing Awareness Marine Transfer Conﬁned Space Entry & Rescue

Facilities for Hire Environmental Pool (wave, wind, rain) Marine Transfer Ladder Full Mission Ship’s Bridge Simulator Dynamic Positioning Simulator Offshore Control Room Simulator

Lowestoft College, St Peters Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2NB United Kingdom

Tel:

00 44 1502 525025

Email: maritime@lowestoft.ac.uk Web: www.lowestoft.ac.uk/maritime.asp

Accredited by

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