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CONCLUSIONS
A number of threads appeared to emerge from both the formal
contributions and interventions, which support the concern felt about the
growing shortage of quality recruits for both ship and shore, and the
potential which this problem has to grow to serious proportions. The lack of
reward throughout the industry, its lack of positive images and the fact
that marine transport is "taken for granted" are handicaps which
need to be addressed.
1. An
attractive profession in the Maritime industry?
There is an identified and global need to improve the image of the
industry and the attractiveness of the seafaring profession, if good
people are to be attracted into it. Suggestions for improvement include
better rewards (more money), a different or
changed shipboard environment or updated organisation, improved working and living
conditions , better communications between ship and shore and seafarer and
family. It is suggested that decision takers should listen more to the
seafarer and get closer to the contemporary life at sea, to better understand
their difficulties. More attention might be paid to supporting families, such
as the financing of scholarships for the children of seafarers. It is
suggested that there should be a more formal, better identified career path
(or at the very least , more information) about the link between seafaring
and the maritime infrastructure. If the skills base of OECD countries is to
be enhanced or even preserved a fresh look perhaps needs to be taken at
incentives to employ OECD seafarers, and to encourage their recruitment and
retention.
2. Confronting
the blame culture
The blame culture and the increasing desire to criminalise those who make
mistakes is a serious problem that puts good managers off the industry and
makes the attraction of good seafarers into the profession very difficult.
It is a disincentive to the industry as a whole, not a positive
encouragement to addressing the problems of human error. There is however, a
growing realisation of the negative aspects of this, with speakers (all
regulators) from the Netherlands, Japan, UK, Norway and the US all
suggesting that the "no-blame culture" would be more helpful. There
is a pressing need for research into underlying causes of accidents (fatigue
being an obvious candidate) and addressing these causes, such as through
providing adequate manpower aboard ship. An open culture within the company ,
where seafarers can report and discuss accidents and incidents and near
misses would be an improvement to one in which seafarers are afraid to reveal
such matters.
3. An
emphasis upon education and the need for training.
It is recognised that "under-qualified crews just won't work in
the
demanding and sophisticated ships of the present and future". There is
thus concern about whether sights have been set too low with the STCW 95
requirements , which is manifesting itself in general unease over the IMO
"White List". There is great concern that chaos will result from
individual administrations and even companies putting their own
interpretations on the acceptability from abroad. Nevertheless, the White
List is seen by many as a useful instrument which indicates a certain
minimum standard. Additional checks on
quality are recommended by some.
Are private links between OECD countries and individual colleges in the
labour-supplying countries the answer, or do these make the situation more
confusing? There is uncertainty about how much it is the responsibility of
the company to train and develop trained labour sources with some regarding
this as a public responsibility, others that of the employer.
Training with simulators was seen as offering more potential than that of
more theoretically based training.
4. The
complexities of causation
There is a recognition that marine accidents are far more complex , with
a close link between management ashore and performance afloat. There are
obvious requirements to learn more from accidents and their underlying
causes, to see accident investigation information and data better
promulgated, the greater use of "near-miss"-reporting without
penalties to those involved, better identifying of the potentially dangerous
or incompetent . Additionally ,more realistic manning levels on high
intensity ships have been suggested, and there are indications that
regulators are intent on a greater focus on human element matters in port
state control. Ways to bring these subjects into IMO fora have been
suggested.
5. The
need for innovation in HR
It has been argued that the personnel management of the shipping
industry leaves something to be desired, at a company level in
particular. Better HR policies would thus both improve recruitment and assist
in retention.
Different manning models, adjusted to the present working culture were
discussed. The reliance of the industry on casual labour, cheap labour
sources and short term contracts could be inappropriate with modern
industry and sophisticated ships. The advantages of a quality culture and the
role of the human element therein were recognised.
6. The importance of implementation
There was considerable emphasis on the need
for better
implementation of existing regulations, rather than the recourse to fresh
rules. This is a recurring theme, but is evidently strongly felt by both
regulators and industry practitioners alike.
POINTS FOR THOUGHT /and or ACTION
a. The desirability of
preserving a significant European/OECD maritime skills base.
b. The inevitability of
increasing reliance on labour-supplying countries and the necessity of
"bridge-building" between labour suppliers and labour
"users" if quality is to be improved.
c. The importance of the
flag-state in the crewing equation and the need for open registers, who have
so far maintained a hands-off attitude to to become more engaged with
issues of crew quality, marine education and training.
d. The need to promote
the marine industry as an attractive career option; balanced with the need to
confront and combat its more unattractive characteristics, being sufficiently
open minded to engage radical solutions.
e. The importance of
being publicly positive in the promotion of the
industry , rather than consistently revealing its deficiencies in public.
f. There is a growing
impatience and frustration at the negative
consequences of the blame culture and the criminalisation of those
involved in a marine accident. Doing something about this , however,
against the prevailing climate of public opinion, will be very difficult.
g. There is a need to
take the investigation of accidents and the analysis of causation a further
stage, and to promulgate their lessons widely.
h. It is important to be
both radical and open to innovation on the
organisational and educational fronts; acknowledging that the optimum
organisation of a 21st century ship may be
very different from that of the
previous century.
i. It is acknowledged
that technological development is insufficient to improve marine safety and
that the emphasis needs above all to be focussed on the human element.
j. A greater recognition
is needed of the baleful influence of the 5-7% of poor quality or
non-compliant shipping upon the majority of the industry practitioners, who
suffer from its competition and are burdened by the regulation generated by
its deficiencies and directed at their
elimination.
k. There is an arguable
need for companies to honestly examine and where needed to boldly change
their personnel and HR policies, communications strategies, and long-term
recruitment policies. The "top-down" support of quality culture and
the best possible human resource management is urgently needed in the
shipping industry.
l. The importance of
recognising disincentives to efficient and safe
operations include insufficient human resources, failure to recognise the
effects of fatigue and inadequate rest, the paper burden and
other
externally imposed handicaps under which seafarers have to labour.
m. The over-arching demand
for shipping to be better rewarded, and for quality to attract premiums, and
for greater recognition of the likely
consequences of such upon safety, the attractiveness of the industry,
recruitment, retention and career development.
n. The growing concern
about the increasing liabilities on both
individuals and companies, and the probable negative consequences upon
responsible seafarers, managers and industry incomers of the developing
"corporate culpability" philosophy.
o. The industry ,
particularly the shore side infrastructure needs to
recognise that it is unrealistic to expect shipping companies to remain
responsible for the recruitment, professional training and ultimate supply
of ex-seafarers for their purposes.
p. The re-emphasis of the
fact that no new rules are necessary, but a compelling need to focus upon
observance and compliance.
q. There is exists an
inadequate picture of human related information upon industry databases,
which urgently requires redressing. The best (as well as the worst) practices
should be made more visible, excellent role models should be encouraged and
safety issues more openly discussed.
r. The role of shippers in the
improvement of quality and their
support of best practice should be encouraged. Conversely, their use of
sub-standard tonnage and focus upon lowest
prices needs to be more openly discussed and publicly deplored.
Michael Grey
Conference Chairman
ORGANISERS
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Jannis KOSTOULAS
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Ger NIEUWPOORT
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Managing Director
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Head, Maritime Transport Division
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MARE FORUM
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Dutch Ministry of Transport
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INFORMATION
For further information on the conference please
contact:
MARE
FORUM
Beurs-World
Trade Center
P.O. Box
30027
3001 DA
Rotterdam - The Netherlands
Tel:
+31.10.2057455 Fax: +31.10.2055655
e-mail:
info@mareforum.com
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CONFERENCE COMMITTEE:
Michael GREY
Conference
Chairman
Lloyd’s List
Jannis KOSTOULAS
Managing Director
Mare Forum
Ger NIEUWPOORT
Head of Transport
Division
Dutch Ministry of
Transport
Chris HORROCKS
Secretary General
International
Chamber of Shipping
International
Shipping Federation
Pieter van AGTMAAL
Managing Director
Royal Association
of Netherlands Shipowners
John LYRAS
President
Union of Greek
Shipowners
Rolf SAETHER
Director General
Norwegian
Shipowners’ Association
Ed SARTON
President
Dutch Seafarers’
Federation (FWZ)
Rear
Admiral Robert C. NORTH (RET.)
President, North
Star Maritime, Inc.
Nicolas FISTES
Executive Vice
President and Managing Director
CERES Hellenic Shipping
Brian
WADSWORTH
Director, Logistics and Maritime Transport,
Dept. of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, UK
Philippe BOISSON
Director
Bureau Veritas
Jon Whitlow
International
Workers’ Transport Federation
Alphons GUINIER
Secretary General
European Community
Shipowners’ Association
Ioannis KOURMATZIS
Vice-President
DET NORSKE VERITAS
Jean-Yves LEGOUAS
Senior Maritime
Specialist
International
Labour Office
Cees van der SLIKKE
Managing Director
AON Marine Energy
& Construction Insurance Brokers
Dr Hans PAYER
President
Germanischer Lloyd
George SKORDILIS
Shipping
Journalist
eco2today.gr
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