OPINION: A New Approach to Maritime Safety is Needed
and procedures to improve safety. Yet shipping is still at risk of major accidents. The whole industry needs to change its focus. Ticking boxes never made anyone safer. Also, assessing culture using valid and reliable survey instruments can help to improve safety.It has been well documented that most maritime accidents (~80%) are caused by human error. Still, most of the focus on learning is rooted in technical causes and adding procedures and checklists.Despite this bias, many accident investigation reports pinpoint that the leadership or safety culture was the root cause of more recent accidents such
Liberia Calls for Flag States to Join Together for Crew Changes
ship closings, remote ship surveys, and remote Annual Safety Inspections. In addition, Liberia has been working with industry stakeholders to push for the designation of seafarers as key workers, and to have crew exchanges conducted safely and regularly to ensure the safety of the global fleet and the maritime supply chain. Liberia recently advised its entire fleet to continue reporting directly to the flag State any and all cases wherein seafarers aboard have suffered from compromised mental and physical health. Liberia continues to ensure the safety of its ships, its seafarers, and the marine
WMU Calls On Communities To Protect Seafarers’ Rights
As the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) apex institution for maritime and ocean education, the World Maritime University (WMU) adds its voice to widespread concerns over the serious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health, wellbeing, and safety of seafarers.As countries around the world retreat to fight the pandemic, travel restrictions and financial losses are hitting shipping and other ocean-related industries hard. At sea, maritime workers are bearing the brunt of this global humanitarian crisis.Echoing the messages contained in IMO circular letter 4204 and the statement
VIKING Offering E-learning Amid Coronavirus
to offer STCW refresher training on an e-learning basis for Estonian seafarers. The training set-up includes: Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting, Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boats, Fast Rescue Boats and Advanced Fire Fighting.On March 12, Estonia’s Maritime Administration informed the EU that e-learning covering the theoretical part of STCW training would be sufficient to support a certificate extension for Estonian seafarers valid for up to six months.Once the seafarer has completed the e-learning course, whether onboard or at home, he/she is given
McAfee Named Managing Director of Resolve Alaska
Resolve Alaska, the northwest operating arm of the Resolve Marine Group, has appointed A.W. McAfee as its new Managing Director.McAfee will be responsible for overseeing Resolve’s operational response and recovery activities. His immediate strategic plan for Dutch Harbor is to implement an improvement program increasing operational efficiency and response capacity. McAfee comes to Resolve from the Bechtel Corporation where he was operations manager. McAfee has been immersed in the marine and civil industries since 1995.
SMT’s Tech Division Offers Polar Code Training
International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) makes it mandatory for ships sailing into Artic or Antarctic waters to demonstrate that extra precautions have been taken in relation to safety, protection of the environment and seafarer competence.In anticipation of the increase in maritime traffic in the polar regions both for leisure and commercial purposes, Stream Marine’s Technical Training division has developed the world’s first Bahamas Maritime approved Polar Code/Polar Survival training course in partnership with Teekay Shipping.Available since January 2019, the
Study Highlights Benefits of Crew Management
costs.The report concludes that good leadership and management skills are fundamental, and companies need to collect more reliable data in order to better inform their crewing strategies.Alexander Buchmann, Managing Director of Hanseaticsoft GmbH, a leading provider of innovative, cloud-based maritime software, says shipping companies can execute crewing strategies effectively by choosing the right software.Alexander says, “This study highlights the importance of adopting a crewing strategy and monitoring it to ensure it’s the best option for maximizing cost efficiency, safety and
Keppel Wins 18 Awards at WSH 2019
Keppel Group has clinched 18 awards at this year's Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Awards, organized by the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Singapore. This is the highest number of awards won by a single organization this year. Keppel had also won the highest number of awards in 2018.Of the 18 awards, Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) received 12 awards under the Safety and Health Award Recognition for Projects (SHARP) category for exemplary project safety and health management systems.Keppel FELS, a subsidiary of Keppel O&M, also
ClassNK Names Sakashita Senior EVP
has been appointed as Senior Executive Vice President as well as Executive Director of ClassNK.Sakashita began his career at Japan’s Ministry of Transport (now Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism) in 1980. During his period at the government he has played vital roles in maritime administration including regulatory oversight and industry development. He assumed the position of Director-General of the Maritime Bureau in 2015, and Deputy Minister for Technical Affairs, Minister’s Secretariat in 2016.He joined ClassNK in 2018 as Executive Consultant and has been appointed
“Liferaft Man” Takes the ISSETA Helm
Equipment Technical Association (ISSETA) has elected the Danish self-proclaimed “liferaft man”, Erik Søndergaard, Secretary.Søndergaard has held various leading management positions for both Survitec and VIKING Life-Saving Equipment and comes with extensive knowledge about the maritime industry. He retired a few years ago and looks forward to again being a part of the industry he loves so much.Since 2000, Ian Brindle has served as Secretary of ISSETA. During his 19 years, Brindle has led the organization in times of change - both on the member side, but also with major changes
Mariner Assessment: "There's an App for That"
9 brands. Prior to its development, there were numerous different approaches to training, with hundreds of programs, and a variety of fleet trainers and external training providers.“We wanted to align and standardize our approach.” says John Allen, Carnival Corporation’s Director of Maritime Professional Development. As part of this initiative, Carnival Corporation designed a performance-related training approach where crew were to be placed within targeted training programs based on their assessment results, rather than assuming no prior knowledge and enrolling crew into every
BV Appoints Barrow as Vice President
the development and delivery of new activities and services for Marine & Offshore for the region. Alongside this, Barrow will be at the helm of a number of key accounts and will ensure compliance with both Group and Marine & Offshore Division standards.With over 35 years of experience in the maritime industry, Barrow brings with him a wealth of leadership knowledge and expertise. Prior to joining the Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore team, Barrow worked for Lloyd’s Register. He has significant experience in technical services, marketing, sales and general management, acquired in roles
New Tech Improves Offshore Safety Training
Offshore workers are set to be better prepared for helicopter safety training thanks to new innovative technology being launched at a U.K. safety training provider.Falck Safety Services UK revealed new 360° immersive technology at the OPITO Safety & Competence Conference being held in Kuala Lumpur. The virtual reality immersive experience, which can be best viewed with VR goggles and handheld devices, gives delegates a realistic understanding of what to expect during the Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET) exercise.The training, training management and competency service company
Online Hook Inspection Courses
Henriksen Hooks of Tønsberg, Norway, believes that the maritime world is becoming a little safer thanks to the take-up of its hook inspection training courses. In February, Henriksen introduced an online training course that enables customers to perform their own annual product inspections. Since then, the company has been surprised by the number of individuals who have completed the course, thereby ensuring that their Henriksen boat lifting hooks remain safe for use.In what is believed to be a first for SOLAS regulated lifting gear, users of Henriksen Hooks have been able to undertake the
New Mental Wellbeing Guide for Seafarers
recognition of World Mental Health Day, 2018.The document provides guidance on responding to both routine and extreme stressors impacting the quality of life and safety of seafarers both ashore and afloat, and seeks to promote awareness generally of the importance of seafarer mental well being.Numerous maritime organizations have supported recent initiatives to enhance understanding about the emotional – and psychological – highs and lows of life at sea, and thousands of seafarers have shared their personal stories with SCI staff amid routine, stressful, or tragic circumstances.The Rev. David
Students Aim to Improve Stevedore Working Conditions
A Finland-Singapore Maritime Innovation camp was held September 23 to 28 in Singapore, where corporate partners MacGregor and PSA Corporation asked student to find a way to reduce the stress level of stevedores while working on board.The students from Turku School of Economics at the University of Turku, National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore worked on the challenge during an intensive one-week camp, with the team presentations and results announced during the closing gala. MacGregor said the judging panel had a difficult task in selecting the winning team
Warsash Superyacht Academy Partners with Porto Montenegro
Solent University’s Warsash Superyacht Academy (WSA) is opening a brand new training facility with Porto Montenegro, in one of the world’s most spectacular cruising grounds.Porto Montenegro is home to the world’s largest superyacht berth at 250 meters, and the marina’s 450 additional berths all offer an unrivaled range of services and amenities. The fusion of world-class training at a world-class destination will make Warsash Superyacht Academy Porto Montenegro a truly incredible experience.Launching with a series of courses this autumn – and aiming to expand to offer
