Crew welfare and the satisfaction of seafarers are on the rise as the maritime industry has focused on some issues identified as the major concerns for seafarers according to the latest report from the Seafarers Happiness Index. While much of the progress relates to the relaxing of restrictions brought on by the spread of COVID-19, the Christian charity The Mission of Seafarers reports that there has also been a marked increase in a range of areas that contribute to overall improved seafarer wellbeing.

The survey, undertaken with the support of the Standard Club and Idwal, reports on Q2 2022 and shows according to the organizations that the influx of industry solutions to tackle seafarer wellbeing has finally begun to lift morale and the mindset onboard. The index recovered after reaching a record low last quarter, with overall happiness measured at 7.21 on a scale of 10 up from 5.85. They reported that levels are rising across all categories.

“It is great to see seafarer happiness increase after such low satisfaction in the last Seafarers Happiness Index report,” said The Revd Canon Andrew Wright, Secretary General of The Mission to Seafarers. “While it has been a difficult two years, it is nice to see some optimism return, which is largely down to the hard work the industry has done to make life better and raise spirits on board.”

The report says that two key areas are contributing to the improvement of the happiness index and crew welfare. Much of what they highlight relates to the pandemic, but they are also pointing to management’s efforts to take steps to create a better environment for seafarers during the long periods at sea.

“Seafarers are able to move more freely and have more certainty about whether they can go ashore and when they will next be able to go home. This freedom of movement has had a hugely beneficial effect on seafarer happiness and as vaccination levels also rise among crews, there is a sense of stability returning to the industry,” according to the report.

They write that a sense of stability has emerged as the pandemic stabilized and countries have grown more confident in their efforts to slow the spread of the virus. The fact that shore leave has been restored and with welfare facilities open on shore has contributed to the improved mood for seafarers. However, it is the reduction in travel restrictions and the ability to implement crew changes on time and with greater regularity that has contributed the most to the improvements.

“The data from Q2 reflects that the industry is getting better at making crew changes more regularly, with 41 percent of seafarers onboard for between just one and three months,” according to the report.

The report says that there is a clear impact from the increase in wages and the other amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention recently enacted. They also point to a focus on social events that boost morale, including weekly gatherings, quizzes, karaoke, sports, barbecues, and movie nights, along with the promises of improved communications so crew can maintain more frequent contact with family and friends at home.

“However, there are still areas that can be improved upon, which is why it’s so critical for organizations to continue taking meaningful steps to boost seafarer happiness and crew welfare,” said Wright. “As always, there is much to be learned from hearing directly from seafarers on how they feel about life at sea – the positives and negatives.”

While the efforts to provide amenities and events aboard the ships are appreciated, the report highlights the lack of time and the challenges of balancing work and leisure time suggesting that some of these efforts might be window dressing unless more is done. They say that the hours of work and rest continue to be in conflict and there are concerns over the cost of communications. They also wonder about the quality of the service that will be made available.

The Mission to Seafarers also warns that the recovery in seafarer happiness can be easily lost. They believe the industry still “has a way to go,” addressing concerns and can not let up on its attention to the issues that contribute to crew welfare.
Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/seafarer-happiness-improves-but-remains-fragile

Seafarers are an integral part of the shipping industry, and Ardmore Shipping is committed to supporting individuals from Cadet to Captain. As the shipping industry navigates the energy transition, Ardmore believes that people will need to collaborate and share knowledge agility and experience to make this era an opportunity for positive change. Even deeper investment in talent will be key to the success today and in the future.

To get insight from the team at sea, Ardmore Shipping hears from Enache Marian Alexandru, 2^nd Officer, who has just finished his latest voyage onboard the Ardmore Seavaliant and reflects on his experiences at sea, the importance of connectivity and the lifestyle offered by seafaring.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Few jobs offer the chance to see a multitude of places around the world and to meet so many different people from different countries. Working in a close environment for long periods of time enables you to connect, listen and explore other cultures and ways of life. These experiences help build better relationships and enable you to become more of a well-rounded person. The experience of being at sea helps people learn about themselves, discover hidden strengths and talents, and understand the value of teamwork.

Describe your experience on board Ardmore vessels.

I had the opportunity to start my career with Ardmore Shipping, learning from the beginning to have high standards in everything I do. Working with passionate and hard-working teammates is a unique and unforgettable experience, and very difficult to compare to a land-based job. Ardmore Shipping is an extremely professional company with proficient and well-trained crew. Having access to good quality internet while at sea makes a big difference to wellbeing onboard. Being in touch with our family at all times makes it easier to be far away from them.

What was your experience of Ardmore’s cadet program?

I spent an extensive amount of time on a single vessel as part of my training, during which I was involved in all the jobs you are required to do as an officer. I had a very supportive and experienced crew teach me and was willing to answer every question I had. It was a great experience being supported from shore and sea staff during this process and I spent many evenings writing in my cadet training book because there’s a lot of information you need to know to do the role safely. It formed part of my portfolio when I went for my final examination and I am very grateful for the value this experience brought to my education platform.

What is your opinion on the importance of safety onboard?

We need to avoid incidents from happening so Ardmore’s approach to providing fleet training sessions and drills ensures we are always testing our team and refreshing our processes. We have access to regular training online via the Seagull CBT platform and regular video and in person conferences with the Ardmore shore team which helps support our development and connection with the land based team.

It is important to recognize that safety comes down to decision-making. Sometimes the decisions might be emergency related, or they might be to do with high-value cargo, so you have to have the confidence to present yourself and know that what you’re going to do is what you were trained for and, therefore, is the right choice to make.

Source: https://ardmoreshipping.com/crew-insights-2nd-officer-enache-marian-alexandru-shares-his-experiences/

“We all know that about 90% of the world’s trade is carried by the international shipping industry. Without shipping, half the world would starve and the other half would freeze!” said Koji Sekimiza, former secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization.

In order to continue maintaining Singapore’s position as a global port hub and a premier international maritime centre, there is a need to establish a highly skilled and specialized workforce.

Diploma courses for post-secondary students

The Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), located in Singapore Polytechnic, offers a wide array of courses for both students and working professionals.

For the post-secondary students, SMA offers courses targeting the business and engineering aspects of the industry.  The Diploma in Maritime Business is a three-year program that offers a big picture on the shipping business activities as well as logistic-related aspects of maritime.  According to SMA, graduates are highly sought after as junior executives in a plethora of organizations from ship owning to supply chain management.

As for the aspiring engineers, the Diploma in Marine Engineering is a three-year program covering various engineering disciplines such as mechanical, electrical and electronic, engineering design, and control technology that are required to make a ship an independent power plant. Students will have a comprehensive learning experience through hands-on training using engine simulators and ship design software, enrichment talks, ship visits and industry exposure.

The graduates of the Marine Engineering course can opt for a job at sea as an engineer or a shore-based job in the marine, service and oil industry.  As a engineer onboard a ship, the starting monthly salary is around S$3,000 and can go up to about S$10,000 for a chief engineer, the highest position for an engineer onboard a ship.

In any stage of their seafaring career, graduates can opt to pursue further studies to transition to a shore-based job.

The three-year Diploma in Nautical Studies program is a “direct fast track to becoming a ship’s captain”, according to SMA.  Aspiring captains would need to first undergo an eyesight test before going through an interview.  This double-award program gives graduates a diploma and the internationally recognized professional Class 3 Certificate of Competency (CoC) qualification that allows them to sail as a certified sea-going officer worldwide.

Graduates of the Nautical Studies program also have the choice of choosing between a sea or shore career path.  Graduates pursing a job on land may work as an executive in port, pilot, surveying and offshore services.

On the other hand, a junior officer on merchant or offshore and dynamic positioning vessels receives a starting monthly salary of around S$3,000, and the salary of a chief officer is about S$7,500.  The ship master, the head of the ship, receives around S$10,000.

Similar to that of the marine engineering graduates, officers may pursue further education in any stage of their seafaring journey to transition into a shore-based job such as middle management in shipping, port, pilot, surveying and off-shore services.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s (NP) Diploma in Marine and Offshore Technology is the only program in Singapore that covers both Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering. Graduates in this three-year program will learn to design and build their own ship models and get to test them in Singapore’s only towing tank located in NP’s campus throughout the three years of education.

The integrated real-world projects will give graduates an edge in creating innovative solutions for using clean energy, developing new materials and processes, as well as designing and building marine vessels and offshore structures.

Graduates can pursue a career in the design, marketing, commerce, survey, production, safety, human resource, and research and development areas of the marine and offshore industries. They can look forward to roles such as assistant design engineer, assistant production engineer and quality control engineer.

Maritime Studies degrees

Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Bachelor of Science in Maritime Studies is the only maritime business degree program in Singapore.  The four-year program primarily focuses on shipping business and management. Courses include Marine Insurance, Shipping and the Environment, Shipping Economics, Maritime Law, Maritime Technology, Ship Chartering, Maritime Strategy and Shipping Logistics to equip graduates with knowledge for shipping and maritime related sectors.

In addition to the degree, students can enrol in second majors such as in Business or Data Analytics to broaden their horizon and equip themselves with additional proficiencies.  The specialization in International Trading is also offered as part of the degree program to provide graduates with enhanced career opportunities in global commodity trading.

The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Marine Engineering/Naval Architecture/Offshore Engineering is a three-year direct honours degree program jointly offered by Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Newcastle University.

Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering students will learn about the engineering behind the design, structure, operation and management of ships and other large floating structures. Marine Engineering students will be exposed to marine engineering systems, from the main propulsion engines to auxiliary machineries like power generators, pumps, heat exchangers and other machinery within water, air and hydraulic systems.

Graduates can look forward to working in, but not limited to, Maritime Port Authority, shipping companies, shipbuilding and rig building yards, Republic of Singapore Navy, manufacturers or suppliers, ship brokering and chartering companies, marine and offshore original equipment manufacturers, statutory boards, consultancy and design companies, renewable energy companies, classification societies as well as oil and gas companies

The Maritime Business and Operations Track degree offered by Singapore Management University (SMU) is designed to provide graduates with understanding of the maritime business covering the economic, legal and managerial environment, as well as the operations of their organizations up and down the maritime and trade value chain.

Graduates will acquire knowledge in different business, operational, and management aspects such as port-focal logistics and maritime operations, shipping business, logistics and transportation and business analytics.

In addition, graduates are required to take up non-credit classes conducted by industry practitioners that range from tanker chartering and ship brokering to applications of data analytics and how robotics and automation are applied in the maritime sector.

Post-graduate courses

The Diploma (Conversion) in Maritime Business Management by SMA is a one-year part-time course that is designed to equip non-maritime graduates with the knowledge and skills in shipping operations and logistics/offshore management so that they can join the industry as senior executives/junior managers and perform their jobs with a greater level of competence and understanding.

This course is suitable for shipping, logistics and offshore executives, currently working in the industry but do not possess maritime qualifications or relevant sea-going experience. The course is also for nautical/engineering seafaring junior officers who may be keen to supplement their technical skills with commercial and operational knowledge to prepare them for a shore-based career.

Additionally, professionals in other relevant fields who are keen to switch to a career in the maritime industry can take up this course.

The Specialist Diploma in Maritime Superintendency is a one-year part-time course administered by SMA offers a comprehensive training to those who are seeking to attain the relevant knowledge and technical skills to plan, direct and coordinate the marine and technical operation from shore.

At the end of the course, graduates will acquire a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a maritime superintendent to ensure safe, economic and efficient operation of the ships and offshore vessels. They will also be able to manage and operate vessels in accordance with organization policies, operating procedures and management systems.

The Diploma in Maritime and Offshore Management also by SMA is a one-year program for participants who do not possess maritime qualification to take up a career in the maritime and offshore industry.

The course is suitable for ambitious seagoing junior officers to gain more qualifications, and those currently working in non-maritime fields and would like to switch to a career in the maritime and offshore industry. It is also applicable for shipping, logistics and offshore executives currently working in the maritime industry but do not possess maritime qualifications or relevant seagoing experience.

The Master of Science in Maritime Studies in NTU provides young graduates and middle-management executives working in maritime related areas an avenue for higher education. Full-time study will take one to three years while part-time study takes two to four years.

Graduates will gain knowledge and tools to elevate from local business management to global settings. Overall, this program will uplift the local business practice and knowledge to a higher echelon in the international shipping scene, associated with business management, international shipping finance, chartering, and other related issues.

The Master of Science (Maritime Technology & Management) by National University of Singapore (NUS) is a program jointly hosted by the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management (ISEM) and the Centre for Maritime Studies (CMS). Full-time study takes one year while part-time takes two years.

The program seeks to train and equip graduates with key skillsets to enable next-generation port capabilities in Singapore, such as industrial systems development, big data analytics tools, and emerging port technologies.

Source: https://maritimefairtrade.org/top-maritime-courses-singapore/

Motivated and highly qualified sea personnel are the backbone of Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM). The HR Marine department is working hard to steadily expand the company’s pool of skilled seafarers and thus ensure the safe and efficient operation of the growing fleet under BSM crew management. An important component of the recruitment and qualification strategy is the company’s wholly owned training centres, which must be constantly adapted to meet new industry requirements and technological developments.

The latest development in BSM’s Maritime Training Centres is the relocation of the previous MTC in Mumbai to Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala where it has expanded its footprint approximately fivefold to 24,000 square feet. The new MTC is equipped with modern classrooms facilitating online and offline training. The facilities are supported by the latest technology including fully immersive simulators for bridge, engine, LNG, LPG, chemical, electrical and cargo handling. It also features a fully equipped mechanical workshop, slinging and lifting training facilities, together with a galley and external mooring station. This enables BSM to deliver foundation and ongoing skills improvement programmes for its new and existing seafarers.

The external mooring station is 5,000 square feet, almost the same size of the whole MTC in its former Mumbai location. It brings seafarer training to life through an external promenade with a practical training area that replicates an actual vessel’s mooring deck with all on-board equipment to deliver a range of maritime-focused training.

Source: https://www.bs-shipmanagement.com/media-centre/bsm-highlights/new-mtc-kochi-incorporating-smart-technologies-into-seafarer-training/

Finding enough seafarers willing to sail ships stuck inside Ukraine’s ports is set to pose a major challenge to the proposed grains corridor designed to ease an international food crisis.

Russia and Ukraine last week signed a deal to restart grain and fertilizer exports that have been blocked in the Black Sea and on Wednesday Turkey unveiled a center to coordinate the resumption of shipments.

But some 80 ships remain blocked in Ukraine and the evacuation of most of their crew members means more mariners are needed in the region to get the cargoes moving.

Henrik Jensen, managing director of Danica, which specializes in providing crew for ships in Ukraine and eastern Europe, said it may be hard to find people willing to go.

“The main concern at the moment is the security of crew members,” he said.

At the start of the conflict in late February approximately 2,000 seafarers from all over the world were stranded aboard 94 vessels in Ukrainian ports.

Around 450 are left on the estimated 80 vessels remaining, mainly dry bulk ships that carry grain, but also other cargo vessels transporting other commodities, according to data from U.N. shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and from shipping sources.

Under last week’s U.N.-brokered deal, the first shipments of Ukrainian grain could leave Black Sea ports within days in theory.

But few seafarers are expected to be ready to travel to the region until they see the safe passage of the first ships, which will have to be guided round sea mines.

Two merchant sailors have died and seven commercial vessels have been hit by projectiles – with two sunk – around Ukraine’s coast since the war started on Feb. 24.

“Until national navies assist the Ukrainian authorities to sweep these mines and create a safe corridor, seafarers will face significant personal risk sailing through these stretches of water,” Stephen Cotton, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), told Reuters.

London’s insurance market has placed the entire region on a separate high-risk list, meaning soaring costs for shipments.

Juan Luciano, chief executive of multi-national food and commodities company Archer-Daniels-Midland, told an earnings call on Tuesday there were “issues about insurance” and financial guarantees, as well as problems of fuel and getting crews in place.

But he said, with time, the grain should start moving.

“At the beginning, you’re going to see a little bit of a trickle down of exports, maybe smaller boats. It’s going to take a little bit of building confidence that this works before you can put the bigger boats,” he said.

Local staff
Initially, many of the ships will be need to be backed up by Ukrainians, four industry sources said, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

They said finding enough local seafarers would also be a challenge.

Some local Ukrainian seafarers that have kept the ships maintained have faced difficulties because of restrictions on nationals leaving the country in case they are needed for military service.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s head of staff, told Reuters there were some restrictions on Ukrainians leaving the country. He said a mechanism with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Border Guard Service had been set up to deal with the issue, but did not give details.

Russian seafarers will not be used due to security concerns by Ukraine, the sources said.

The Kremlin declined to comment and referred the question to Russia’s Defense Ministry, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the industry sources said it could be easier for fresh ships with crew to sail in and out of the Black Sea ports, provided there were berths, but much work needed to be done to clarify the situation.

“Those crews who will go in may also wish to have enhanced payments. So many questions still to be addressed,” the source added.

The ITF – the main seafarers’ union association – and partners have added waters around Ukraine and its ports to their high-risk areas, meaning that seafarers have the right to decline a shipping assignment into the area.

If they accept it, they are entitled to double basic daily wages and double compensation for disability and death, the ITF says.

High price
While the stakes are high for the seafarers, the implications for world markets are also major.

Before Russia’s invasion, which it calls a “special military operation”, began on Feb. 24, Ukraine and Russia accounted for around a third of global wheat exports.

The invasion sent food prices soaring, stoking a global food crisis the World Food Programme says has pushed some 47 million people into “acute hunger”.

The ITF says it is committed to making the grain corridor a success but equally to the safety of its members.

“We would expect to establish clear criteria on both safety and risk to crew, alongside our social partners the shipowners and maritime employers,” the ITF’s Cotton said.

Together with affiliated unions, it has written to the Ukrainian government urging President Zelenskiy to allow Ukrainian seafarers “dispensation from compulsory military service”.

Ukrainian seafarers make up 4% of the total global mariner workforce of 1.89 million sailors, according to trade associations the International Chamber of Shipping and BIMCO.

“If large numbers of Ukrainian seafarers are unable to be deployed for new contracts, or choose to return home, then we need to work with our affiliates in other nations to help make up the shortfall,” Cotton said.

Source: https://www.marinelink.com/news/seafarer-shortage-stands-ukraine-grain-498336

Seafarers have won the right to mandatory internet access while at sea, under an update to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) agreed in May. What this will mean in practice will not become clear any time soon; shipowners are under no obligation to provide the service for free and coverage will vary according to location and business priority.

What is in no doubt is that shipowners will have to increase their investment in cyber security and training, now that seafarers can – at least in theory – demand access to the internet using personal devices and ships’ equipment.

Capt. Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of shipmanagers association InterManager also welcomed the change. While noting that many third party and in-house managers already provide shipboard internet access, he warned the devil may be in the detail.

“Seafarers have the right to access but do they have coverage in the locations they are sailing? Busy routes will have a good level of coverage, quieter routes probably much less,” he points out. Until now, owners and managers have worked to a ‘best practice’ standard and the remainder will have no choice but to catch-up and there should be no exceptions. “Seafarers are no different to any other workers “and we don’t ask for special treatment, just equitable treatment,” he added.

The increase in access and traffic via satellite comes at a time when warnings are increasing of the potential for hackers to target the maritime sector in a bid to disrupt global trade.

Rear Admiral Wayne Arguin, the US Coast Guard’s assistant commandant for prevention policy, recently told Bloomberg News that shipping faces cyber risks similar to those in other industries but that the stakes are so much higher given the volume of global trade that moves by sea. While Arguin declined to put a number on the frequency of attempted attacks, he said “I feel very confident that every day networks are being tested, which really reinforces the need to have a plan.

“A potential intentional attack could really stress the system and we’re certainly thinking about how to shore that up,” Arguin said. “When you couple that with the sensitivity of supply-chain disruptions, it does have the potential to be devastating to the marine transportation system.”

Maritime risk consultant Rahul Khanna told Bloomberg there is “huge underreporting” when ships are attacked and “the ones who say they haven’t been, just don’t know about it.”

Across industry and government, there’s agreement that information sharing needs to increase. “Everybody needs to be all-in in this game and understand when there are vulnerabilities – getting that information out quickly is going to be thing that continues to help us close doors,” Arguin added. Remember too that the US delegation to the IMO was one of the prime movers behind the IMO2021 cyber amendments to the ISM Code, so further regulatory tightening seems likely.

Shipowners operating in European waters and calling ports in the European Union will have little choice but to pay more attention to cyber security and take action to secure their assets. Owners and port operators will soon be subject to the European Union’s updated Network and Information Security (NIS) directive which will apply to companies involved in freight and passenger transport in the EU, along its coasts routes and inland.

In readying for compliance with the amended MLC, shipowners need to assess and prepare for five threat vectors – systems and software, unprotected operational technology, infected devices, social engineering and operational safety.

For those vessels operating on legacy systems or even only using the mandatory GMDSS service, the change could be dramatic. Ships are at risk from infection from hackers scanning for vulnerable operating systems and data streams from Operational Technology onboard needs to be assessed and understood. Personal devices brought onboard may need to be subject to quarantine and permitted applications but crew also need to be protected from ‘Social Engineering’ scams that exploit loneliness.

Always-on internet connectivity transforms a ship from an asset with regular but limited internet access to the world of interactive, constantly updated internet and social content. That creates risks for which many vessel operators may simply be unprepared. Marlink views the amendment of MLC as a positive benefit for seafarers, but we believe that the risks to personal and operational safety must be carefully considered too, and managed through awareness/training as well organisational, technical and operational measures.

A competition launched by The Seafarers’ Charity to mark Maritime Safety Week (4-8 July), invited everyone who works at sea to practice and improve their crew muster safety drill.

The competition saw crews from fishing vessels to chemical tankers, and even Border Force, submitting photographs and videos of their safety drills. Many of the crews found that through practice they were able to improve their drill time, which in a real emergency at sea, could help save lives.

The competition judges, Robert Greenwood, Director of The Safety Folder and Captain Jeff Parfitt, Head of Safety & Environment at The Nautical Institute, reviewed all entries submitted and were delighted to choose four winners based on speed, technique, and style of each crew.

Meet the winners:
The Karima is a 26-metre fishing trawler and they have won First Prize. The crew produced a brilliant video of their drill while out in the North Sea.

By taking part in the competition, the Karima crew halved their drill time to 2 minutes and 27 seconds after practising for 2 weeks, which is very impressive considering the amount of safety gear and survival equipment they donned including pyrotechnics and Search and Rescue Transponders (SARTs). The crew reported that practising this drill together was also very helpful for those crew members who had recently joined the vessel.

The Benaiah IV is a 20-metre fishing trawler also fishing in the North Sea.

By taking part in the competition, the Benaiah IV crew had significantly improved their drill times too and the judges were impressed with the additional survival equipment brought to the muster point as well. Their safety drill demonstrates that survival at sea in an emergency is all about working together as a team.

Robert Greenwood said, ‘We wanted to highlight the best fishing vessel entry in the Safety Drill Time competition, but in the end, it was just too difficult to choose between the quality entries from Karima and the Benaiah IV and we decided they are both very worthy winners. Well done to both crews.’

The other two winners were both Ardmore Shipping tankers who demonstrated a great level of skill and teamwork.

The Ardmore Cherokee is a 159-metre tanker. The crew’s muster drill really impressed the judges, as they demonstrated their lifeboat launching drill as well.

Here are some top tips from the crew:

‘The “secret” is just the proper implementation of requirements and carrying out drills in a very realistic manner.
Briefing and debriefing sessions are very important while looking to make the crew more responsible.
Always look for inexperienced crew and help them to get better instead of keeping them away from the action.’

The Ardmore Encounter, a 183-metre tanker crew’s muster drill was also judged as very competent by the judges, and they produced a great video while improving their safety drill time.

Regular drills were carried out ahead of the competition and helped the crew improve its speed.

All four vessels won great quality gear from Guy Cotton Clothing and XtraTuf, as well as Safety Champion 2022 plaques for each vessel. Congratulations to all winners and a huge thank you to all participants for taking part.

Take a look at the videos and pictures from the winners
The Seafarers’ Charity is planning to run the competition again in 2023 – so there is plenty of time to begin practising for next year!
Source: The Seafarers’ Charity

During the 127th session of the IMO Council (C 127) held virtually from 11 to 15 July 2022, the Council endorsed the establishment of a standing Joint International Labour Organization (ILO)/IMO Tripartite Working Group (JTWG) to identify and address seafarers’ issues and the human element. The Group’s terms of reference were also endorsed.

The Council further endorsed the Maritime Safety Committee’s (MSC 106) instruction to the JTWG to “consider bullying and harassment in the maritime sector,…

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/imo-council-endorses-new-joint-imo-ilo-working-group-on-seafarer-issues-including-bullying-harassment-including-sexual-harrasment-and-sexual-assault/