NAUTILUS P01 OCTOBER 2010.qxd - Nautilus International
NAUTILUS P01 OCTOBER 2010.qxd - Nautilus International
NAUTILUS P01 OCTOBER 2010.qxd - Nautilus International
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London calling<br />
The members<br />
who keep the<br />
Thames rolling<br />
22-23<br />
One out, all out<br />
Passenger study<br />
seeks improved<br />
evacuation rules<br />
19<br />
NL nieuws<br />
Twee pagina’s<br />
met nieuws uit<br />
Nederland<br />
34-35<br />
Volume 43 | Number 10 | October 2010 | £3.35 €3.50<br />
Solent accident renews<br />
lifeboat drill concerns<br />
A Coastguard helicopter hovers above the BP tanker British Cormorant,<br />
above, and, right, takes rescued crew members to safety ashore<br />
Pictures: Maritime & Coastguard Agency<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has raised renewed<br />
Fconcerns over the safety of<br />
lifeboat drills after an incident<br />
onboard a BP tanker in the Solent<br />
last month in which three crew<br />
members were injured.<br />
Two seafarers from the UKflagged<br />
British Cormorant had to be<br />
airlifted to hospital — one with<br />
suspected spinal injuries — after<br />
one of the lines snapped, injuring<br />
three crewmen on the ship and<br />
causing the rescue boat to capsize.<br />
A Coastguard rescue helicopter<br />
recovered six crewmen from the<br />
water and landed them at<br />
Bembridge on the Isle of Wight<br />
before flying two seafarers to the<br />
Queen Alexandra Hospital, in<br />
Portsmouth. Inspectors from the<br />
Maritime & Coastguard Agency and<br />
the Marine Accident Investigation<br />
Branch later went to the vessel to<br />
begin investigations into the cause<br />
of the accident.<br />
Nine in 10 fear<br />
Inside<br />
criminalisation<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> survey underlines importance of new centre to promote seafarers’ legal rights<br />
F Gut feeling<br />
Stena boss sparks<br />
row over ‘fat’<br />
British seafarers —<br />
page 3<br />
PMore than 90% of <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> members<br />
are concerned about<br />
criminalisation of the maritime<br />
profession — and two-thirds say<br />
fears about possible legal action<br />
are affecting their attitude to<br />
working at sea.<br />
The findings come from a survey<br />
of almost 600 members carried<br />
out by the Union to coincide<br />
with the launch last month of<br />
Seafarers’ Rights <strong>International</strong><br />
(SRI) — a new body that will seek<br />
to protect crew members from<br />
unfair and unjust laws around the<br />
world.<br />
Funded with a start-up grant<br />
from the <strong>International</strong> Transport<br />
Workers’ Federation Seafarers’<br />
Trust charity, SRI will use high<br />
level research and analysis to raise<br />
awareness of the legal concerns<br />
of seafarers, and will work to<br />
improve the protection of seafarers<br />
in national and international<br />
laws.<br />
‘The success of an independent<br />
body such as Seafarers’ Rights<br />
<strong>International</strong> is crucial to identifying<br />
and tackling the rights of<br />
seafarers,’ said ITF general secretary<br />
David Cockroft, ‘and that is<br />
of interest to all industry stakeholders<br />
including the ITF.’<br />
The new centre will be led by<br />
international lawyer Deirdre Fitzpatrick<br />
in the role of executive<br />
director. She will be supported by<br />
an advisory board comprising<br />
experts from the shipping industry<br />
and the legal world.<br />
Ms Fitzpatrick told the launch<br />
event in London: ‘Seafarers work<br />
in often hazardous conditions. As<br />
mobile workers they are highly<br />
vulnerable to ill treatment,<br />
exploitation, abuse and injustice.<br />
They operate within and across<br />
different national jurisdictions<br />
and are subject to different international<br />
and national laws. In<br />
some cases, there may be doubt<br />
as to what — if any — law is applicable<br />
or enforceable.<br />
‘Seafarers’ Rights <strong>International</strong><br />
Deirdre Fitzpatrick, the head of<br />
Seafarers’ Rights <strong>International</strong><br />
will be dedicated to advancing<br />
seafarers’ rights and interests<br />
worldwide,’ she added. ‘Currently<br />
there is no established forum for<br />
research and dissemination of<br />
ideas and information regarding<br />
employment law in the area of<br />
international maritime transport.<br />
Seafarers’ Rights <strong>International</strong><br />
will work to fill this gap.<br />
‘It will be an international<br />
resource for seafarers and for all<br />
stakeholders with a genuine<br />
concern for the protection of seafarers.’<br />
Seafarers’ Rights <strong>International</strong><br />
will carry out work including:<br />
z conducting independent<br />
research into important issues<br />
and monitoring legal developments<br />
affecting seafarers<br />
zpromoting research, education<br />
and training in seafarers’ legal<br />
rights and remedies<br />
zproviding strategic legal<br />
support to contribute to political,<br />
industrial, campaigning and<br />
lobbying agendas<br />
zraising awareness on issues of<br />
seafarers’ laws, rights and remedies<br />
zproducing publications such<br />
as online toolkits, guidelines for<br />
lawyers, checklists for seafarers<br />
and a dedicated website<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> general secretary<br />
Mark Dickinson welcomed the<br />
launch of the centre. ‘There is<br />
clearly a growing need for such a<br />
resource,’ he pointed out, ‘and we<br />
hope it will deliver some real<br />
results in terms of practical support<br />
for maritime professionals<br />
and a better understanding of the<br />
difficulties they face.’<br />
Mr Dickinson said the <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
survey — carried out over the<br />
summer — showed that only 26%<br />
of members had been given information<br />
about the different legal<br />
requirements between their<br />
home country and flag state.<br />
Barely one in 10 receive information<br />
from their employers about<br />
their rights following accidents<br />
and almost three-quarters said<br />
they wanted more information<br />
on legal issues.<br />
Almost 20% had been directly<br />
involved in some form of legal<br />
action as a result of their work —<br />
with cases including personal<br />
injury, unpaid wages, unfair dismissal,<br />
pollution, collisions and<br />
groundings.<br />
F Book value<br />
How the Library of<br />
the Sea continues<br />
to flourish — pages<br />
26-27<br />
F Chart nouveau<br />
How to safely move<br />
to electronic charts<br />
— pages 24-25
02 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> AT WORK<br />
Industry urges<br />
UK to act fast<br />
on MLC 2006<br />
Ratification delays could damage UK flag, minister told<br />
Derbyshire anniversary is marked<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
Ageneral secretary Mark<br />
Dickinson took part in a memorial<br />
service in Liverpool last month to<br />
mark the 30th anniversary of the<br />
loss of the UK-flagged bulk carrier<br />
Derbyshire.<br />
He is pictured at Liverpool Parish<br />
Church, Our Lady and St Nicholas,<br />
with Revd Peter McGrath;<br />
Derbyshire Family Association<br />
A<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> has<br />
secured assurances from<br />
the authorities in the UK<br />
and Croatia that every effort is being<br />
made to properly investigate the<br />
death of a South African cadet<br />
onboard a UK-flagged ship in June.<br />
The Union is continuing to<br />
campaign internationally for full and<br />
transparent inquiries into the<br />
circumstances surrounding the death<br />
of trainee deck officer Akhona Geveza,<br />
after falling overboard from the<br />
containership Safmarine Kariba off<br />
the coast of Croatia.<br />
General secretary Mark Dickinson<br />
said he is determined that there<br />
should be no cover-up after reports<br />
claimed that Ms Geveza had<br />
complained of being raped by the<br />
ship’s chief officer only hours before<br />
her death.<br />
Croatia — as the coastal state<br />
involved — has been leading the<br />
chairman Paul Lambert, and Roy<br />
Paul, of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust,<br />
receiving a tribute plaque with the<br />
names of the 44 seafarers and<br />
wives who died when the vessel<br />
sank in a typhoon in the South<br />
China Sea in 1980.<br />
The plaque will go on display at<br />
the <strong>International</strong> Transport<br />
Workers’ Federation head office in<br />
London. Support from the ITF for an<br />
underwater search mission was<br />
crucial in locating the wreck of the<br />
ship in June 1994 and in finding<br />
evidence that eventually helped to<br />
determine the causes of the loss.<br />
‘Though the loss was a long time<br />
ago, improvements made to render<br />
bulkers safer, following lessons<br />
learned from a full investigation<br />
of the Derbyshire loss, are recent,’<br />
Mr Lambert pointed out.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> keeps up the<br />
pressure for answers<br />
in cadet death probes<br />
inquiries into the incident, and<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has written to the Croatian<br />
ambassador to the UK to stress the<br />
need for the allegations to be fully<br />
investigated and to ensure that<br />
anyone responsible is brought to<br />
justice.<br />
The ambassador, Ivica Tomic, has<br />
assured the Union that Croatia is<br />
taking the matter seriously, and UK<br />
transport minister Theresa Villiers has<br />
also written to <strong>Nautilus</strong> to state that<br />
the UK is fully involved in the<br />
investigations.<br />
‘We are doing all we can to ensure<br />
this tragic incident is properly and<br />
thoroughly investigated,’ she wrote,<br />
‘and that anyone subsequently<br />
implicated in the death of Akhona<br />
Geveza, and the other allegations<br />
that have been made, will be brought<br />
to justice.’<br />
Mr Dickinson said <strong>Nautilus</strong> will<br />
continue to put pressure on the<br />
authorities so that there is no<br />
‘whitewash’ and that any appropriate<br />
lessons are learned.<br />
‘We believe it is of critical<br />
importance for the shipping industry<br />
that the truth of these allegations is<br />
established, because they could do<br />
untold damage if they are not openly<br />
addressed and responded to,’ he said.<br />
The Union has also approached<br />
the Chamber of Shipping to discuss<br />
ways in which the industry can<br />
reassess its equal opportunities<br />
policies and to ensure that lessons are<br />
learned from the case.<br />
z Members are also being urged to<br />
take part in the Union’s new survey of<br />
bullying and harassment, which is<br />
intended to provide an up-to-date<br />
insight into the issues and to build on<br />
members’ views and experiences to<br />
improve working conditions in the<br />
industry — visit the <strong>Nautilus</strong> website<br />
www.nautilusint.org for more details.<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> has teamed up<br />
with the RMT union and<br />
the Chamber of Shipping<br />
to make a united call for the<br />
UK to sign up to the international<br />
Maritime Labour Convention as<br />
soon as possible.<br />
In a joint letter to the shipping<br />
minister Mike Penning last<br />
month, the three organisations<br />
expressed concern that the UK<br />
might not be among the countries<br />
meeting the European<br />
Union goal of MLC ratification<br />
this year.<br />
Failure to fall in line with the<br />
convention by the time it comes<br />
into force could leave UK-flagged<br />
ships liable to more frequent and<br />
tougher port state control checks,<br />
they warn.<br />
‘Early ratification by the UK<br />
will send a strong signal to the<br />
rest of the world that the UK is a<br />
leading advocate of decent living<br />
and working conditions for all<br />
seafarers and will ensure that all<br />
ships calling at ports in the UK<br />
observe and respect these standards,’<br />
the letter states.<br />
‘Ratification is therefore essential<br />
if the UK — along with the<br />
other registers forming the Red<br />
Ensign Group — is to be acknowledged<br />
as a guardian of quality<br />
shipping.’<br />
But, the unions and the owners<br />
add, ‘Conversely, should the<br />
UK not be among the parties to<br />
the MLC when it enters into force,<br />
the consequences for operators<br />
of UK registered ships could be<br />
serious.<br />
‘The MLC contains a “no more<br />
favourable treatment” clause,<br />
which is designed to ensure that<br />
ships flying the flag of non-parties<br />
to the convention will not be<br />
treated more favourably by port<br />
state control authorities than<br />
those ships registered in states<br />
that have ratified.<br />
‘Hence UK-registered ships<br />
will face vigorous inspection by<br />
port states in accordance with the<br />
standards laid down in the convention,<br />
without the benefit of<br />
any of the flexibilities or derogations<br />
it permits,’ the letter points<br />
out. ‘Such inspections could be<br />
highly disruptive to the business<br />
of UK shipping and could even<br />
result in detentions of ships.’<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong>, the RMT and the<br />
Chamber have been involved in a<br />
working group established by the<br />
Maritime & Coastguard Agency<br />
which is considering how the convention<br />
should be implemented<br />
in UK law.<br />
General secretary Mark Dickinson<br />
said there are grounds for<br />
concern that the UK may not be<br />
able to ratify the convention by<br />
the end of the year, as planned.<br />
‘We are therefore making a strong<br />
joint call for the government to<br />
make this a priority matter and<br />
to make sure that the MLC enters<br />
into force in the UK with the<br />
minimum delay.’<br />
z<strong>Nautilus</strong> took part in a meeting<br />
in Geneva last month which<br />
began the process of making the<br />
first updates to the MLC. The talks<br />
also examined the provision of<br />
guidance on issues where the convention<br />
offers some flexibility or<br />
room for interpretation — such<br />
as cruiseships, the definition of a<br />
seafarer, and sheltered waters.<br />
The meeting was also convened<br />
to consider moves to<br />
amend the MLC to incorporate<br />
provisions on financial security<br />
for abandoned seafarers, as well<br />
as technical issues surrounding<br />
ILO Convention 185 on seafarers’<br />
identity documents.<br />
Mr Dickinson said <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
wanted to see the convention<br />
address such things as accommodation<br />
for trainees, the social and<br />
welfare issues connected with<br />
piracy, minimum wage requirements,<br />
criminalisation, bullying<br />
and harassment, and seafarers’<br />
rights to privacy.<br />
Well wishes for welfare director<br />
Pictured right is a farewell<br />
Pevent for <strong>Nautilus</strong> welfare<br />
director Liz Richardson, who stepped<br />
down last month to embrace a new<br />
way of life following a period of illhealth.<br />
Colleagues from throughout<br />
the Union joined her for the 7<br />
September event at the Wallasey<br />
office to wish her well and celebrate<br />
her achievements.<br />
As well as being in overall charge<br />
of the <strong>Nautilus</strong> retirement complex<br />
Mariners’ Park, Mrs Richardson was<br />
secretary of the <strong>Nautilus</strong> Welfare<br />
Fund charity and chair of the<br />
Merchant Navy Welfare Board.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> general secretary Mark<br />
Dickinson paid tribute to her work,<br />
commenting: ‘Liz made a huge<br />
impact in a relatively short period.<br />
We valued her contribution<br />
particularly with regard to her<br />
emphasis on strategy.<br />
‘Her legacy is a union and charity<br />
with a vision which puts the needs of<br />
seafarers and their dependants at its<br />
centre,’ he added.<br />
The new director of welfare for<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> is Steve Wood, who comes<br />
to the Union with many years of<br />
experience in care for the elderly at<br />
the Anchor Trust and Helena<br />
Partnerships, and took up his post at<br />
the end of August.<br />
Union holds packed pension forums<br />
Almost 100 members turned up<br />
Afor the latest <strong>Nautilus</strong> Pensions<br />
Association forum meetings held in<br />
Wallasey, left, and in Glasgow, right,<br />
last month.<br />
Both meetings were addressed by<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> senior policy advisor Peter<br />
McEwen, who covered such issues as<br />
the latest actuarial valuation of the<br />
MNOPF and an update on the work<br />
being done to address the deficit.<br />
He warned that it is unlikely that<br />
discretionary increases will be paid for<br />
some time to come.<br />
The next <strong>Nautilus</strong> pensions forum<br />
will be held at Leytonstone public<br />
library, London, starting at 1100hrs on<br />
Wednesday 10 November.
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 03<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> AT WORK<br />
shortreports<br />
EUNAVFOR EXTENSION: the EU Naval Force<br />
has announced an extension of its anti-pirate patrol<br />
areas off Somalia. Naval officials said the move had<br />
been made in response to signs that pirates have<br />
started to attack ships in previously safe areas and have<br />
been operating at increased ranges in a bid to evade<br />
detection. ‘This procedural change will allow EUNavfor<br />
units to operate more effectively further east in the<br />
Indian Ocean, giving them a greater ability to disrupt<br />
and deter pirates in this vast area,’ said operation<br />
commander Major General Buster Howes.<br />
European seafarer and dockers’ union representatives launched the new ‘fair ferries’ campaign at the Hull City football stadium last month<br />
New campaign on<br />
EU ferry conditions<br />
ITF initiative aims to revive pressure for ‘level playing field’ in the sector<br />
U<strong>Nautilus</strong> is backing a<br />
major new campaign<br />
calling for European<br />
action to safeguard jobs and conditions<br />
on EU ferry services.<br />
Unions representing seafarers<br />
and dock workers last month<br />
launched the <strong>International</strong> Transport<br />
Workers’ Federation Fair and<br />
Safe Ferries for All campaign at a<br />
conference in Hull.<br />
The meeting also served to<br />
kick off a week of action — including<br />
ship visits by ITF inspectors<br />
to check working conditions, and<br />
leafleting of passengers to highlight<br />
the issues of safety and<br />
decent work.<br />
Delegates at the conference<br />
Unions protest at Stena Line<br />
director’s ‘fat bellies’ slur<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has condemned<br />
A‘slanderous’ statements by a<br />
Stena Line director who described<br />
British seafarers as having ‘fat<br />
bellies and being covered with<br />
tattoos’.<br />
The statements came from the<br />
company’s North Sea director Pim de<br />
Lange as he reacted to the launch of<br />
the new ITF safe and fair ferries<br />
campaign by claiming it was<br />
impossible to find young and fit<br />
Dutch seafarers because they did not<br />
want to go to sea any more.<br />
And, he told a Dutch transport<br />
newspaper, it is also hard to find<br />
seafarers in the UK — ‘unless you<br />
want types with fat bellies and<br />
covered with tattoos’.<br />
Mr de Lange also defended<br />
Stena’s use of Filipino crews, saying<br />
that they were ‘extremely glad’ to<br />
work on the company’s ships.<br />
He said the Filipino seafarers<br />
were ‘jumping after a two month<br />
holiday to start to work again for six<br />
months’ and their monthly pay rates<br />
— between US$1,100 and $1,400 —<br />
were way ahead of average earnings<br />
in their home country.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> and the RMT have<br />
written to the company, expressing<br />
shock at the ‘outrageous slurs’ on<br />
members and calling for<br />
management to formally retract the<br />
comments.<br />
Assistant general secretary Paul<br />
Moloney told delegates at the TUC<br />
conference in Manchester that the<br />
statements were ‘a disgrace to the<br />
professional, hard working men and<br />
women who go to sea, who take full<br />
responsibility for the lives of those<br />
onboard and who deliver an<br />
unparalleled safety record’.<br />
He said the comments had<br />
shown Stena management to be ‘the<br />
real dinosaurs’ and that they<br />
highlighted the urgent need for<br />
action to protect jobs and conditions<br />
— who came from countries<br />
including the UK and the Netherlands,<br />
Ireland, France and Belgium<br />
— discussed ways in which<br />
unions can secure a ‘level playing<br />
field’ for working conditions on<br />
services between EU member<br />
states and to prevent ‘social<br />
dumping’, in which low-cost<br />
labour is used to undercut existing,<br />
skilled workforces.<br />
Concerns were also raised over<br />
ferry companies alleged to be carrying<br />
out cargo lashing onboard<br />
by seafarers, rather than by dockers<br />
onshore.<br />
Campaign coordinator Norrie<br />
McVicar said the campaign had<br />
been developed because of concerns<br />
about the ‘procrastination<br />
and paralysis’ that has resulted in<br />
a failure to address fundamental<br />
safety concerns following such<br />
disasters as the Scandinavian Star<br />
and Estonia.<br />
‘The launch of this campaign<br />
reflects the frustration of 10<br />
wasted years since the European<br />
Commission proposed a directive<br />
for passenger services that<br />
would have guaranteed equal<br />
working rights and conditions for<br />
EU and non-EU crews, and<br />
addressed safety concerns raised<br />
by the employment of multilingual<br />
and multinational crews,’ he<br />
explained.<br />
‘That proposed directive was<br />
Stena Line director Pim de Lange<br />
in the European ferry sector.<br />
In a joint letter to Stena chief<br />
executive Dan Sten Olsson, <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
and RMT general secretaries Mark<br />
Dickinson and Bob Crow complained<br />
about the ‘insulting’ comments<br />
quashed after intensive lobbying<br />
by shipowners,’ he pointed out,<br />
‘and the result has been a decade<br />
of job losses, with long-serving<br />
crews cut and then cut again, to<br />
be replaced, if at all, with cheaper<br />
non-EU personnel, many of<br />
whom are now even being<br />
encouraged to carry out cargo<br />
handling work that has always<br />
been the preserve of safetytrained<br />
dockers.’<br />
Mr McVicar said unions want<br />
to see the creation of a ‘level playing<br />
field’ on pay and conditions<br />
on EU ferries and he warned that<br />
employment ‘carnage’ is set to<br />
continue without effective controls<br />
in the sector.<br />
made by Mr de Lange.<br />
‘Many of the companies that<br />
complain about difficulties in<br />
recruiting seafarers are ones that<br />
make little or no investment in<br />
training their own talent,’ they<br />
pointed out.<br />
They told the Stena boss that the<br />
ITF campaign builds on longstanding<br />
attempts to safeguard a<br />
pool of European maritime<br />
expertise. ‘It is seeking to highlight<br />
the virtues of quality operations —<br />
something which we hope you<br />
would not take issue with.’<br />
Mr de Lange told Lloyd’s List he<br />
had made the comments, but<br />
claimed that had been taken out of<br />
context in the Dutch news item.<br />
‘Sometimes you get people who<br />
do not want to work and are not in a<br />
good position with fat,’ he added.<br />
‘Some of these poeple are quite fat<br />
and with tattoes, and that is it. That<br />
is the truth, unfortunately.’<br />
WELFARE DIRECTORY: a free pocket-sized<br />
directory of the world’s seafarers’ centres was published<br />
last month by the <strong>International</strong> Committee on<br />
Seafarers’ Welfare (ICSW). The new directory is being<br />
distributed by ITF inspectors and shipping companies,<br />
and copies can also be picked up in the seafarers’<br />
centres themselves. The ICSW plans to update the<br />
directory on a yearly basis, and welcomes feedback from<br />
seafarers on their experiences of visiting particular<br />
centres.<br />
BUNKER BREAKS: some 7.5% of fuel samples<br />
tested in the past four months have exceeded the 1%<br />
sulphur content limit that came into effect in July under<br />
the new Emissions Control Area (ECA) regulations. But<br />
the fuel testing agency Lintec Testing Services says its<br />
findings suggest that ship operators and bunker<br />
suppliers are coping well with the rules — with only<br />
2.5% of samples taken inside the ECA region having<br />
sulphur contents above 1.06%.<br />
BULKER BLAMED: officers onboard a Japanese<br />
bulk carrier that collided with another bulker near Port<br />
Talbot in August failed to appreciate the effects of the<br />
tide, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has<br />
found. A preliminary examination of the incident<br />
involving the Royal Oasis and the Berge Atlantic<br />
concludes that the strength of the tidal stream had not<br />
been identified in the passage plan when the Japaneseowned<br />
vessel left the anchorage.<br />
TYNESIDE UPGRADE: cadets at South<br />
Tyneside College can look forward to having a good<br />
wash at Dr Winterbottom Hall in the next few years,<br />
thanks to a £3m refurbishment project. Although the<br />
work will be taking place throughout the college — not<br />
just in the maritime studies department — the<br />
bathrooms at the cadet hostel Dr Winterbottom Hall are<br />
on the priority list for an upgrade.<br />
WHISTLEBLOWER REWARDS: four<br />
seafarers who reported illicit oily waste dumping from<br />
their ship to the US authorities have each been awarded<br />
$125,000 by a judge. The whistleblowers had passed on<br />
details of illegal dumping from the Greek bulk carrier<br />
Iorana.<br />
ROYAL NAMING: HRH The Queen is to name<br />
Cunard’s newest vessel, Queen Elizabeth, in<br />
Southampton on 11 October. The Queen launched the<br />
QE2 in 1967 and named Queen Mary 2 in 2004, as well<br />
as attending the launch of the first Queen Elizabeth in<br />
1938.<br />
CALMAC RESCUE: the Caledonian MacBrayne<br />
ferry Jupiter went to the aid of two divers who got into<br />
difficulty in the Firth of Clyde last month. The vessel was<br />
diverted from the Gourock to Dunoon service to assist<br />
rescue operations after the alert was raised.<br />
NIGERIAN ATTACK: three French seafarers<br />
were abducted from a support ship in the Addax oilfield<br />
off Nigeria last month. The owners of the AHTS Bourbon<br />
Alexandre said the men were seized by attackers who<br />
had boarded the vessel from speedboats.<br />
WINDFARM ASSIST: the windfarm safety boat<br />
MPI Rucio went to the aid of a pleasure boat drifting in<br />
the Lynn windfarm off Norfolk last month. The rescue<br />
boat managed to tow the vessel to safety after it ran out<br />
of fuel.
04 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> AT WORK<br />
shortreports<br />
UNION MOVE: members serving with Union<br />
Transport are being consulted on proposals to improve<br />
leave, offered by management following a series of<br />
approaches from <strong>Nautilus</strong> over this year’s pay and<br />
conditions claim. The company says it is unable to<br />
increase pay at present, but says the additional leave is<br />
worth 2% overall. <strong>Nautilus</strong> is recommending acceptance<br />
of the offer.<br />
ST HELENA OFFER: members employed by<br />
Andrew Weir Shipping onboard RMS St Helena are<br />
being consulted on a proposed 1% pay offer, backdated<br />
to 1 January. Industrial officer Jonathan Havard said the<br />
Union had welcomed the move away from an earlier<br />
proposed pay freeze and is recommending acceptance<br />
of the offer.<br />
PNTL PAY: <strong>Nautilus</strong> is consulting members serving<br />
in the Pacific Nuclear Transport fleet after securing a ‘full<br />
and final’ 1% pay offer in talks last month. Industrial<br />
officer Gary Leech said it was clear the offer was the best<br />
that could be achieved through negotiations and<br />
members are being urged to accept it.<br />
LCT DRAFT: <strong>Nautilus</strong> has presented LCT Support<br />
Services management with a draft memorandum of<br />
understanding for a recognition agreement covering<br />
members working in the port of Newhaven. Officials are<br />
due to meet the company early this month in the hope<br />
of finalising an agreement.<br />
WESTMINSTER DEAL: consultations among<br />
members serving with Westminster Dredging have<br />
shown unanimous support for accepting the company’s<br />
pay and conditions offer. <strong>Nautilus</strong> will now be meeting<br />
management to discuss proposals for revised terms and<br />
conditions.<br />
ABP TALKS: <strong>Nautilus</strong> and T&G Unite are arranging<br />
talks with Associated British Ports over a collective<br />
bargaining agreement for Humber pilots. The<br />
discussions follow a ballot showing more than 82% of<br />
pilots in favour of recognition of the unions.<br />
RFA FLIGHTS: following talks with management,<br />
members serving with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary are<br />
being consulted on the flights policy for the Gulf.<br />
WYNDHAMS CLAIM: <strong>Nautilus</strong> has presented a<br />
claim for an inflation-linked pay rise for members<br />
serving with Wyndhams Management Services.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> industrial officer is pictured above with members serving on<br />
Svitzer tugs in the port of Swansea. The visit was arranged to discuss a<br />
number of issues with members.<br />
R. H. BRADSHAW<br />
COWBRIDGE<br />
TAX SERVICES<br />
Mill Brow<br />
Brookfield Park Road<br />
Cowbridge<br />
South Glamorgan CF71 7HJ<br />
Tel/Fax 01446 771536<br />
E.Mail<br />
marine@onetel.com<br />
100% FED CLAIMS AND<br />
FORECASTS<br />
ELECTRONIC LODGEMENT<br />
– NO MORE WAITING<br />
FOR THE REVENUE<br />
New campaign for<br />
lifeline ferry routes<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> warns Scottish government of the need to put safety first<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> industrial officer is pictured above left with Captain Alan Blakeley and chief officer Ian Henderson onboard the CalMac ferry Jupiter and, right,<br />
with chief officer Derek Dove, chief engineer Granville Broughton and Captain Dave Smith onboard the CalMac Ferry Bute during a series of ship visits<br />
to kick off consultations on a proposed single agreement for members serving on the Clyde and Western Isles services<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> is taking part in a major new<br />
campaign against any new moves to<br />
cut back or sell off Scottish ferry<br />
services.<br />
The Union has warned the Scottish government<br />
that safety has to come first in any<br />
changes arising from its review of the country’s<br />
ferry operations.<br />
And last month <strong>Nautilus</strong> and the RMT held<br />
a public meeting in Oban to press the case for<br />
opposition to any attempts to privatise services<br />
or cut the pay and conditions of seafarers.<br />
Assistant general secretary Paul Moloney<br />
told the meeting that the interests of the public<br />
and the seafarers were identical. ‘We need to<br />
have ferry services that are safe and efficient,<br />
and do not cut corners,’ he pointed out.<br />
Whilst some people might think seafarers<br />
had very good terms and conditions, it was<br />
important that working hours and leave are<br />
carefully controlled to prevent fatigue as a<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> welcomes<br />
NorthLink U-turn<br />
A<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> has<br />
welcomed a U-turn by<br />
Scottish transport minister<br />
Stewart Stevenson on proposals for<br />
£1m worth of cuts in funding for the lifeline<br />
ferry services to the northern isles.<br />
Transport minister Stewart<br />
Stevenson told convenors of the<br />
Shetland and Orkney islands councils<br />
last month that plans to seek the<br />
savings have been shelved because<br />
the NorthLink Ferries operations<br />
performed better than expected.<br />
The minister announced last<br />
March that NorthLink would have to<br />
make immediate cuts of £300,000<br />
followed by a further saving of<br />
£700,000 this winter, but now he<br />
says the plans have been dropped in<br />
the current financial year.<br />
‘We are looking for further<br />
improvements in the performance of<br />
the contract which will allow us to<br />
maintain efficient ferry services, as<br />
well as respond to the challenges on<br />
public spending,’ he added.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> assistant general<br />
secretary Paul Moloney welcomed the<br />
decision, and said it proved that<br />
publicly-owned ferry services can<br />
deliver a safe, efficient and costeffective<br />
service for the Scottish<br />
public. ‘The statement shows again<br />
that Scotland’s publicly owned ferry<br />
services not only provide the safest<br />
possible service but do so costeffectively,’<br />
he added.<br />
‘This fact needs to be recognised<br />
in the conclusions of the Scottish<br />
Executive’s review into publiclyfunded<br />
ferry services — ending once<br />
and for all the myth that privatisation<br />
will somehow deliver a safer and<br />
cheaper service.’<br />
Princess Cruises pay talks<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> is conducting a series<br />
Aof ship visits to meet members<br />
on Princess Cruises vessels ahead of<br />
forthcoming pay and conditions<br />
negotiations.<br />
As part of the company’s<br />
development programme, it has been<br />
proposed that pay and conditions for<br />
its officers will be conducted<br />
separately from the rest of the<br />
result of intensive and stressful operations,<br />
he stressed.<br />
RMT general secretary Bob Crow told the<br />
meeting: ‘We know that there is a hidden<br />
agenda to cut routes, sell off profitable services<br />
and jack up fares — we will fight alongside<br />
the public to stop those moves in their tracks.<br />
‘If the politicians think we will sit back<br />
while these vital services are hacked back or<br />
flogged off to help bail out the bankers’ financial<br />
crisis they have got another thing coming,’<br />
he warned.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has also submitted detailed evidence<br />
to the Scottish government public consultation<br />
on the review of Scottish ferries.<br />
The Union stresses that safety is by far the<br />
most important issue for users of the services<br />
and must not be put at risk by short-term costcutting<br />
policies.<br />
‘Scotland’s publicly-funded ferry services<br />
deliver a safety record that is second to none<br />
Carnival UK group.<br />
Senior national secretary Paul<br />
Keenan said members have been<br />
asked to submit their views on the<br />
contents of the pay and conditions<br />
claim, and further ship visits will be<br />
held with negotiations due to start at<br />
the end of October. ‘We are aiming to<br />
get an agreement reached before<br />
January,’ he added.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> officials Steve Doran<br />
Fand Blossom Bell are pictured<br />
during a meeting with around 100<br />
new officer trainees at South<br />
Tyneside College last month.<br />
The meeting was arranged to<br />
give the cadets an insight into the<br />
benefits and services offered by the<br />
Union and the work that <strong>Nautilus</strong> is<br />
undertaking on behalf of trainees<br />
following the recent survey of their<br />
CV Professionals<br />
(formerly CV Plus)<br />
Merchant Navy CV<br />
& resume specialists<br />
www.cvprofessionals.co.uk<br />
throughout Europe and the rest of the world,’<br />
the submission states. ‘We believe any changes<br />
must not only respect and maintain this, but<br />
where possible enhance the record.’<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> warns that a common theme in<br />
recent accident investigations has been<br />
fatigue, and it is therefore essential that the<br />
review does not result in cutbacks to crewing<br />
levels on Scottish ferries.<br />
Urgent investment in new ships is also<br />
vital, <strong>Nautilus</strong> argues, so that safety is not<br />
compromised by an increasingly ageing fleet<br />
that requires additional maintenance.<br />
The submission cautions against the tendering<br />
of ‘cherry-picked’ routes and urges the<br />
Scottish government not to put services out to<br />
tender with ‘flexible’ covering requirements.<br />
‘Our extensive experience shows that “flexibility”<br />
within the passenger and freight sectors<br />
always leads to cutbacks on training and<br />
on manning levels,’ the Union adds.<br />
views and experiences, and their<br />
pay and conditions.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> also staged a workshop<br />
to discuss the industry’s drug and<br />
alcohol policies, including<br />
background information on the<br />
issues and case histories to show<br />
the potential problems of drug and<br />
alcohol abuse at sea. The event<br />
included an open session, with<br />
questions and answers.<br />
To advertise<br />
in the Telegraph<br />
please contact:<br />
CENTURY ONE<br />
PUBLISHING<br />
01727 893 894
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 05<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> AT WORK<br />
More talks<br />
on P&O<br />
job losses<br />
With the closure of P&O<br />
AFerries’ Portsmouth-Bilbao<br />
service set to take effect at the end of<br />
last month, <strong>Nautilus</strong> was taking part<br />
in a series of negotiations over the<br />
potential impact on jobs and<br />
conditions.<br />
The company presented the<br />
Union with details of proposed new<br />
placement arrangements for officers.<br />
Management have sought to avert<br />
redundancies by transferring<br />
members to other services, in line<br />
with a clause under which officers<br />
may be required to serve on other<br />
ships and to sail out of other ports.<br />
However, following legal advice<br />
on the company’s proposals,<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> is arguing that a<br />
redundancy situation does exist and<br />
that members should have been<br />
consulted in line with statutory<br />
provisions.<br />
Senior national secretary Paul<br />
Keenan said members are being<br />
advised to contact the Union if they<br />
believe they have not been offered<br />
suitable alternative employment.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> is also discussing the<br />
details of a proposed independent<br />
study of fatigue on the shortsea<br />
routes. Industrial officer Jonathan<br />
Havard said the research is being<br />
planned to assess whether there are<br />
health and safety reasons why roster<br />
patterns other than one week<br />
on/one week off should not be used<br />
on the Dover-based ships.<br />
Red Funnel<br />
plans cuts<br />
in services<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has met Red Funnel<br />
Amanagement to begin<br />
discussions over cost-cutting plans<br />
tabled by management last month.<br />
The company has told the Union<br />
it needs to make savings because<br />
2010 has turned out to be a tough<br />
year, with revenue down by £1.4m.<br />
It has proposed reducing sailings<br />
of its high-speed craft by around 17%<br />
and reducing ro-ro sailings by<br />
around 3%.<br />
Management has formally<br />
written to <strong>Nautilus</strong> to begin<br />
consultations on resulting<br />
redundancies. Industrial officer<br />
Gavin Williams said it was not<br />
initially clear how many jobs are at<br />
risk, but the Union has arranged a<br />
series of meetings to discuss the<br />
proposals and to get feedback from<br />
members during the 30-day<br />
consultation period.<br />
‘It is our intention to protect as<br />
many jobs as possible,’ he said.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> industrial officer Steve Doran is pictured with members from the Marine Scotland Compliance vessel<br />
Norna following a ship visit in Leith with T&G Unite official Sandy Smart. The fisheries protection vessel is being<br />
taken out of service, and <strong>Nautilus</strong> has been involved in discussions over the resulting surplus of crew.<br />
Mr Doran said the Union is continuing negotiations with management over the changes created by the fleet<br />
reorganisation, including the TUPE transfer arrangements for members serving with Marr Vessel Management.<br />
Maersk flag<br />
move alarm<br />
Singapore plans raise Union concerns over strategy<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
has expressed concern<br />
at AP Moller-Maersk<br />
plans to put more than 30 new<br />
ships onto the Singapore flag during<br />
the next three years.<br />
The local Straits Times newspaper<br />
said the company had been<br />
attracted by the initiatives being<br />
taken by the Singapore government<br />
to develop its maritime<br />
industry.<br />
But the announcement has<br />
prompted further concerns about<br />
Maersk’s long-term commitment<br />
to the UK flag and to its Dutch<br />
and British seafarers.<br />
Maersk already has almost 80<br />
ships flagged in Singapore, and is<br />
planning to put more than half<br />
of the 58 ships it has on order<br />
onto the island’s register in a flag<br />
rationalisation strategy that is<br />
reported to have Denmark as ‘the<br />
preferred choice’ in Europe and<br />
Singapore in Asia.<br />
The company said it had been<br />
attracted by the tax regime in Singapore,<br />
as well as its stable maritime<br />
policies, the flexible rules<br />
regarding seafarers’ qualifications,<br />
and the good reputation<br />
Singapore-flagged vessels enjoyed<br />
around the world.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> assistant general secretary<br />
Paul Moloney said he was<br />
disturbed by the developments.<br />
‘This is another example of the<br />
company preferring a low-cost<br />
rather than a cost-effective<br />
approach.<br />
‘Last year, it described the situation<br />
as a crisis of historic proportions<br />
— but this year it has<br />
made a profit of historic proportions,’<br />
he pointed out.<br />
Mr Moloney said <strong>Nautilus</strong> is<br />
continuing to press management<br />
over its policies for the employment<br />
and training of western<br />
European officers.<br />
‘We are trying to persuade the<br />
company to enter into agreements<br />
that provide some comfort<br />
for British, Dutch and Danish seafarers,’<br />
he added. ‘Unless the company<br />
is prepared to reach such<br />
agreements with us and other<br />
unions, then any increased influence<br />
that Singapore has will be<br />
viewed with suspicion and concern<br />
by our members.’<br />
z<strong>Nautilus</strong> has raised formal<br />
complaints with Maersk over<br />
problems with members being<br />
relieved on time. Industrial officer<br />
Ian Cloke said there had been an<br />
increase in reports from members<br />
who had not been able to<br />
leave their ship as scheduled.<br />
‘We recognise that there may<br />
be difficulties from time to time,<br />
and in certain parts of the world,<br />
but it appears that the problem<br />
has increased in recent times and<br />
has been exacerbated by tonnage<br />
coming back into service,’ he<br />
added.<br />
The Union has also raised<br />
members’ concerns over the payment<br />
of expenses, and has been<br />
advised that the travel and reimbursement<br />
policy should be followed.<br />
Assurances have also been<br />
given on the provision of<br />
improved internet access in the<br />
fleet.<br />
shortreports<br />
STENA MEETING: <strong>Nautilus</strong> reps met Stena Line<br />
management in Harwich last month to discuss concerns<br />
about changes arising from the introduction of the new<br />
Stena Britannica, Stena Transfer and Stena Freighter.<br />
Industrial officer Steve Doran said four engineer officer<br />
redundancies have been proposed, although no<br />
compulsory job losses are envisaged. However, the<br />
Union is pressing management for a response to issues<br />
around proposed attendance patterns.<br />
GLOBAL SUBMISSION: <strong>Nautilus</strong> has submitted<br />
a claim for a 6% pay rise for members serving with<br />
Global Marine Systems. The submission — based on RPI<br />
plus a premium — was made at last month’s<br />
partnership committee meeting following agreement<br />
by officer reps. Industrial officer Jonathan Havard said<br />
he is hoping the company will respond this month, and<br />
a bulletin will be issued with details of the other points<br />
raised at the meeting.<br />
KNIGHT DEAL: consultations among members<br />
serving with JP Knight have shown a three to two<br />
majority in favour of accepting an improved pay and<br />
conditions offer, giving a 1% pay increase over 10<br />
months. Industrial officer Jonathan Havard said he is<br />
now pressing the company over members’ concerns<br />
about travel from the ship being classed as a leave day.<br />
THAMES PROGRESS: <strong>Nautilus</strong> met senior<br />
management at Thames Clippers last month for the first<br />
formal discussions over a proposed recognition<br />
agreement. Industrial officer Jonathan Havard<br />
described the meeting as positive and said the Union<br />
has subsequently submitted a draft memorandum of<br />
understanding for an agreement.<br />
PLA PROPOSAL: <strong>Nautilus</strong> has submitted a pay<br />
and conditions claim for members employed by the Port<br />
of London Authority, seeking an RPI plus 1% increase.<br />
Industrial officer Jonathan Havard said he is hoping to<br />
meet management this month to discuss the<br />
submission.<br />
More talks on NERC pay<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> industrial officer Jonathan Havard is pictured with members<br />
AJames (Hamish) Gibson, Paul Bidmead, Jo Cox, Will Whatley and<br />
Steve Eadie following a meeting onboard the British Antarctic Survey ship<br />
Ernest Shackleton in Frederickshavn, Denmark, last month. The meeting<br />
was also attended by members from the James Clark Ross and was held to<br />
discuss a number of issues, including the pay and conditions claim.<br />
Mr Havard said a joint meeting involving <strong>Nautilus</strong> and the RMT has<br />
subsequently taken place at the BAS headquarters, with the unions<br />
indicating to management that they would be prepared to consider a twoyear<br />
deal. The talks also covered other issues, including an increase in<br />
earned leave and the unilateral withdrawal of the Antarctic allowance for<br />
NOCS members. ‘We are still pushing management on this, arguing that it<br />
should be either given back or bought out,’ Mr Havard added.<br />
For further information on the above courses, please contact Vikas Patra, Head of Maritime Enterprise on: +44(0) 151 231 2572 or +44 (0) 7733 202 762<br />
email: v.patra@ljmu.ac.uk or into.eng@ljmu.ac.uk web: www.ljmu.ac.uk/eng • Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
06 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
OFFSHORE NEWS<br />
shortreports<br />
RECOVERY FORECAST: there are good<br />
grounds for ‘cautious optimism’ about the offshore<br />
supply vessel market, according to a new report from<br />
Germany’s DVB Bank. Demand for vessels has risen as a<br />
result of renewed investment in exploration, it says,<br />
although the recovery could be undermined by the<br />
huge amounts of new tonnage on order. The study<br />
suggests that the Deepwater Horizon disaster will<br />
generate strong demand for newer and high-spec ships<br />
— especially with age limits being introduced in a<br />
number of OSV tenders.<br />
TECHNIP CONSULT: members serving with<br />
Technip Offshore (UK) are set to be balloted on the<br />
possibility of industrial action following the rejection of<br />
a two-year pay offer that would give 1.5% in the first<br />
year and RPI plus 1.5% in the second year. Senior<br />
national secretary Paul Keenan commented: ‘Our only<br />
option is to consult members on whether they wish to<br />
be balloted for industrial action, but it is incumbent on<br />
all members to participate, as only a high turn-out will<br />
demonstrate their willingness to fight for a further<br />
improvement.’<br />
MAERSK IMPROVES: members serving with<br />
Maersk Offshore Guernsey are being consulted on a<br />
‘final’ improved offer tabled by management last<br />
month. The package includes a 3.5% pay increase and<br />
improved pension contributions. It is also linked to<br />
proposals for aligning service periods with Danish<br />
officers, with changes to over-tour duty bonuses and<br />
training day arrangements. <strong>Nautilus</strong> has urged<br />
members to ‘seriously consider acceptance’ and results<br />
of the consultation are due in mid-October.<br />
MIGRATION ALARM: offshore operators have<br />
warned the UK government that its cap on migration of<br />
skilled staff from outside the European Union is causing<br />
delays to key projects in the sector. Oil & Gas UK has<br />
warned ministers not to make the controls permanent,<br />
arguing that employment in the offshore sector is highly<br />
globalised and restrictions on the use of skilled foreign<br />
staff could have a damaging effect on the North Sea.<br />
GULF STALEMATE: <strong>Nautilus</strong> was set last month<br />
to accept a 2% pay offer for members employed by Gulf<br />
Offshore Guernsey. The offer had been rejected by<br />
members, but industrial officer Steve Doran said the<br />
numbers taking part in the consultation were<br />
insufficient to justify a ballot for industrial action being<br />
organised, and the Union could not risk the offer being<br />
withdrawn by the company.<br />
SUBSEA UPGRADE: <strong>Nautilus</strong> is consulting<br />
members employed by Subsea 7 after securing an<br />
improved pay and conditions offer last month. The<br />
Union has urged all members to participate in the<br />
consultations on the offer of a one-year 2.5% increase,<br />
effective from 1 July.<br />
CMA CALL: <strong>Nautilus</strong> met CMA Ships UK<br />
management last month in a final attempt to press the<br />
company not to go ahead with a proposed pay freeze<br />
for members on the Geo Prospector and Fugro vessels.<br />
MPs urged not<br />
to ban drilling<br />
‘No case’ for deepwater moratorium, operators argue<br />
PUK offshore operators<br />
have urged politicians<br />
not to give in to calls for<br />
a ban on deepwater drilling.<br />
They told a House of Commons<br />
inquiry into the Deepwater<br />
Horizon disaster in the Gulf of<br />
Mexico that there was ‘no case’<br />
for a moratorium on new deepwater<br />
projects.<br />
Malcolm Webb, chief executive<br />
of Oil & Gas UK, said the UK<br />
regulations were robust enough<br />
to support the move to deepwater<br />
operations. ‘Just because an event<br />
happened in another part of the<br />
world, it doesn’t mean to say a<br />
regime such as ours should stop<br />
doing what we’re doing in what I<br />
believe is an entirely safe and<br />
proper way,’ he told the MPs.<br />
BP chief executive Tony Hayward<br />
told the hearing that his<br />
company would make sure that<br />
the lessons of the Deepwater<br />
Horizon are applied to the North<br />
Sea. Questioned on warning<br />
notices issued to BP installations<br />
in the North Sea last year, he said<br />
there was ‘no evidence of a systematic<br />
safety problem’ affecting<br />
the company.<br />
A report on the Gulf of Mexico<br />
disaster published by BP last<br />
month showed that no single factor<br />
was to blame, and that a<br />
sequence of failures involving a<br />
number of different parties led to<br />
the explosion and fire which<br />
killed 11 people and caused widespread<br />
pollution.<br />
Key problems included the<br />
AA big rise in deaths and major injuries in<br />
the UK offshore oil and gas industry over<br />
the last year has provoked a warning<br />
from Britain’s safety watchdog.<br />
The Health & Safety Executive, which released<br />
its latest annual statistics on the industry last<br />
month, is also concerned about the increased<br />
incidence of unplanned hydrocarbon releases.<br />
The safety body’s annual report revealed that 50<br />
major injuries were reported in 2009/10 — 20<br />
more than in 2008/09 and higher than the average<br />
of 42 over the previous five years.<br />
That pushed up the combined fatal and major<br />
injury rate by almost double — to 192 per 100,000<br />
workers, compared with 106 in 2008/09 and 156 in<br />
2007/08.<br />
Pictured right is the new<br />
Aemergency response and<br />
rescue (ERRV) vessel Grampian<br />
Calgary, arriving in Aberdeen to be<br />
christened last month.<br />
The NSS IMT948-design vessel is<br />
managed by the Craig Group’s North<br />
Star Shipping division and is going<br />
straight into service with Talisman<br />
Energy, providing crucial emergency<br />
response and rescue services to the<br />
failure of cement and shoe track<br />
barriers that allowed hydrocarbons<br />
to flow up the production<br />
casing through the bottom of the<br />
well.<br />
The report’s 25 recommendations<br />
include strengthening<br />
assurance on blow-out preventers,<br />
well control, pressure-testing<br />
for well integrity, emergency systems,<br />
cement testing, rig audit<br />
and verification, and personnel<br />
competence.<br />
Trisha O’Reilly, Oil & Gas UK’s<br />
communications director, said<br />
the report would form an important<br />
part of the comprehensive<br />
review of industry practices and<br />
procedures in the UK.<br />
‘The UK’s Safety Case regime<br />
A marked rise was also recorded in the<br />
combined number of major and significant<br />
hydrocarbon releases — regarded as potential<br />
precursors to a major incident — with a provisional<br />
total of 85. That compares with 61 in 2008/09 —<br />
the lowest since HSE began regulating the industry.<br />
The good news was a significant reduction in the<br />
minor over-three-day injury rate and a fall in the<br />
number of dangerous occurrences reported.<br />
Steve Walker, head of HSE’s offshore division,<br />
commented: ‘Although the overall numbers of<br />
injury and dangerous occurrences are comparatively<br />
low, considering a workforce of almost 27,000 and<br />
the numbers of rigs and the continuous operations<br />
undertaken, this does not excuse the fact that the<br />
fatal and major injury rate has almost doubled.<br />
Piper B, Satire, Tartan and Claymore<br />
installations on a five-year charter.<br />
Grampian Calgary is one of the<br />
last vessels in a £130m Craig Group<br />
investment programme, launched in<br />
2005, which aims to create the most<br />
modern wholly-owned British fleet<br />
operating in the UKCS, with a total of<br />
32 vessels by the end of the year.<br />
Four further newbuilds have been<br />
ordered for 2011.<br />
obliges the industry to examine<br />
its existing arrangements in light<br />
of incidents around the world and<br />
put into action any consequent<br />
improvements that can be made,’<br />
she said. ‘We firmly believe that<br />
the UK industry operates under a<br />
robust, fit-for-purpose regulatory<br />
regime with almost 7,000 wells<br />
having been safely drilled over<br />
the last 20 years.’<br />
But Tzeporah Berman, head<br />
of Greenpeace <strong>International</strong>’s<br />
energy campaign, commented:<br />
‘BP’s self penned review is a sorry<br />
attempt to spread the blame for<br />
the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster,<br />
but still reveals a devastating<br />
litany of human error, incompetence<br />
and technical failure.’<br />
‘Up your game’, HSE warns<br />
New North Star ERRV goes into<br />
action after Aberdeen naming<br />
The Stena Forth was one of two drilling ships targeted in protests over<br />
deepwater drilling last month Picture: Will Rose/Greenpeace<br />
Drillships<br />
target of<br />
protests<br />
A<br />
Stena Drilling has been at<br />
the centre of protests by the<br />
environment group Greenpeace,<br />
who are demonstrating against<br />
moves to begin deepwater drilling<br />
in the Atlantic Frontier.<br />
The UK-flagged drilling ship<br />
Stena Carron was boarded by<br />
activists off Shetland last month<br />
who tried to prevent the vessel<br />
sailing to a site in the Lagavulin oil<br />
field to drill an exploratory well in<br />
500m of water.<br />
The protest was timed to<br />
coincide with a meeting of<br />
ministers from countries bordering<br />
the North Sea to discuss a German<br />
proposal for a moratorium on new<br />
deepwater oil drilling. The UK<br />
government sent two ministers to<br />
the meeting to block the proposal.<br />
The Stena Carron protest<br />
followed an earlier action by<br />
Greenpeace, in which four<br />
protestors occupied the Stena Don<br />
rig off Greenland, preventing it<br />
drilling for two days.<br />
Greenpeace said the protests<br />
were staged to try to prevent ‘a<br />
new oil rush’ in environmentally<br />
sensitive regions. Victor Rask, one<br />
of the activists who boarded the<br />
Stena Carron, explained: ‘David<br />
Cameron said his government<br />
would be the greenest ever, but he<br />
won’t even support a plan to<br />
protect our seas from a BP-style<br />
disaster. Instead of drilling for the<br />
last drops in fragile environments<br />
like this, oil companies should be<br />
developing the clean energy<br />
technologies we need to fight<br />
climate change and reduce our<br />
dependence on oil. We need a<br />
global ban on deep water drilling,<br />
and longer term we need a<br />
permanent shift away from fossil<br />
fuels towards clean energy<br />
solutions.’<br />
‘This year’s overall health and safety picture is<br />
simply not good enough. The industry has shown it<br />
can do better and it must do in future.’<br />
Mr Walker said the industry ‘must up its game’<br />
and address the root causes of the increase in<br />
hydrocarbon releases, and he threatened that the<br />
HSE would take a tough line on companies that put<br />
workers at risk.<br />
Although beyond its regulatory control, HSE also<br />
pointed attention to the 17 fatalities that occurred<br />
during transport operations that support the sector.<br />
Two crew and 14 offshore workers died on a<br />
helicopter flight returning from the Miller platform<br />
to Aberdeen on 1 April 2009, and one worker was<br />
killed in a lifting related incident on a diving support<br />
vessel when in transit.
Master is<br />
fined for<br />
drinking<br />
on duty<br />
The master of an oil tanker has<br />
Abeen fined £1,600 after being<br />
caught over the alcohol limit while in<br />
charge of his ship in the Solent.<br />
A police breath test found Captain<br />
Rajesh Kumah Singh to be twice the<br />
limit after his vessel, the 48,983dwt<br />
Nord Fast, arrived at Fawley last<br />
month.<br />
Magistrates heard the alarm had<br />
been raised by a pilot who was<br />
concerned about the state of the<br />
master as the Singapore-flagged<br />
vessel was proceeding into Fawley oil<br />
refinery jetty.<br />
Capt Singh failed a test onboard<br />
the vessel and was taken to a police<br />
station for further tests, before being<br />
charged with failure to provide a<br />
specimen of breath.<br />
Lyndhurst magistrates heard that<br />
the master had admitted drinking<br />
‘one or two’ glasses of whisky after<br />
settling a row between crew members<br />
after the ship had docked.<br />
Capt Singh pleaded guilty to one<br />
offence of failing to supply a specimen<br />
after having been arrested on<br />
suspicion of being over the prescribed<br />
limit. He was fined £1,600 and<br />
ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15<br />
victim support charge.<br />
Magistrates told him that the case<br />
was ‘a very serious matter which was<br />
aggravated by your position of<br />
authority and your responsibility for<br />
the vessel and crew, her size and the<br />
amount of fuel cargo that she was<br />
carrying’.<br />
Keith Tatman, head of navigation<br />
safety at the Maritime & Coastguard<br />
Agency, commented: ‘The master has<br />
responsibility at all times for the<br />
safety of his ship, her crew and any<br />
other users of the sea with which his<br />
vessel may interact. To put any of<br />
them at risk due to the use of alcohol,<br />
at any time but particularly when<br />
within a very busy commercial and<br />
leisure harbour falls well below the<br />
standards expected of a master<br />
mariner.’<br />
Murwab becomes biggest<br />
LNG visitor at Milford Haven<br />
A new milestone has been<br />
Fpassed at Milford Haven,<br />
where the Q-Flex vessel Murwab is<br />
pictured right becoming the largest<br />
LNG carrier to dock at Dragon LNG’s<br />
Waterston terminal.<br />
The Murwab is the first Q-Flex<br />
vessel to offload at Dragon LNG and<br />
sailed from Ras Laffan, Qatar, with<br />
over 150,000 cu m of liquefied gas<br />
onboard. Discharge to the onshore<br />
PA Filipino crew member from the<br />
Queen Mary 2 was jailed in Canada<br />
for 120 days last month after being<br />
found in possession of child pornography<br />
while his ship was docked in the port of<br />
Halifax.<br />
Edward Mangubat was arrested by Canada<br />
Border Services Agency officers after they<br />
searched his laptop computer and found sexually<br />
explicit movies featuring children.<br />
He pleaded guilty last month to a Customs<br />
Act charge of possessing illegally imported<br />
goods and was sentenced to 120 days in jail. He<br />
will be deported as soon as the prison term is<br />
completed.<br />
Crown attorney Mark Donohue told the<br />
terminal took about 24 hours.<br />
Alec Don, chief executive of the<br />
Milford Haven Port Authority, said<br />
the visit demonstrated ‘the new<br />
energy era’ for the UK. ‘We already<br />
handle 25% of the UK’s petrol and<br />
diesel requirements and now our<br />
new LNG facilities give us the<br />
potential to process 30% of the UK’s<br />
gas needs.’ Picture: Ian Richards/<br />
Pembrokeshire Photography<br />
Prison for porn<br />
Queen Mary 2 crewman jailed in Canada for having ‘repulsive material’<br />
A Dutch fishing vessel skipper has been fined<br />
A£3,500 and ordered to pay more than £3,750<br />
costs after being found guilty of sailing the wrong<br />
way through a traffic separation scheme.<br />
Folkestone magistrates heard that the UKregistered<br />
trawler Wilhelmina had been spotted by<br />
the Dutch coastguard proceeding the wrong way<br />
down the northbound lane of the Off Texel TSS last<br />
January.<br />
About 40 minutes later the trawler was<br />
observed passing within one cable of a northbound<br />
special disc unts<br />
“on airfares for marine personnel”<br />
vessel. The Wilhelmina — which was fishing at the<br />
time of the incident — was then identified by a<br />
Netherlands Coastguard aircraft.<br />
Passing sentence, magistrates told<br />
owner/skipper Rense Johannes de Boer, of Urk in<br />
the Netherlands, that he had changed direction in a<br />
designated shipping lane for 4.5 miles in direct<br />
contravention of the collision prevention<br />
regulations.<br />
The incident was initially investigated by the<br />
North Sea Unit of the Netherlands Water Police, but<br />
Gas conversion<br />
F<br />
Pictured left is the 25,000dwt<br />
product tanker Bit Viking, which<br />
will soon be converted to run on liquid<br />
natural gas (LNG).<br />
The Swedish-flagged vessel is to be<br />
retro-fitted with a duel fuel Wärtsilä<br />
engine, making it the first ship<br />
classified with Germanischer Lloyd to<br />
use gas as fuel.<br />
Owned by Tarbit Shipping and<br />
operated by Statoil along the coastline<br />
of Norway, the Bit Viking will qualify<br />
for lower Norwegian NOx emission<br />
taxes after the conversion. Sea trials<br />
with the new engine are planned for<br />
May 2011.<br />
We are able to offer<br />
discounted air travel for<br />
all staff employed in the<br />
marine industry from<br />
crew, shorebased staff<br />
to spouse’s travelling to<br />
and from vessels.<br />
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 07<br />
court that another crew member had unwittingly<br />
downloaded child pornography from a<br />
USB drive he had borrowed from Mangubat.<br />
Border agency officers went to Mangubat’s<br />
cabin and discovered that his laptop contained<br />
several videos showing ‘what can only<br />
be described as sexual assault of children,’ Mr<br />
Donohue said. ‘Several of the videos appeared<br />
to be of children under 12.’<br />
Mangubat — who is married and has three<br />
children and has served at sea for seven years<br />
— told the court:’I work hard and I serve in my<br />
country with my church. Forgive me. I am<br />
sorry.’<br />
Blair MacDonald, an investigator with the<br />
border agency, said Mangubat is the third person<br />
to be prosecuted this year for bringing<br />
child pornography into Canada through the<br />
Port of Halifax. Nine people were charged in<br />
2009 and three people in 2008.<br />
Canada’s public safety minister Vic Toews<br />
commented after the case: ‘Our government is<br />
committed to keeping this repulsive material<br />
out of our country, and preventing the<br />
exploitation of children in Canada and around<br />
the world.’<br />
In an unrelated case, Nyoman Putra — an<br />
Indonesian crew member onboard the cruiseship<br />
Carnival Glory — was jailed for 30 days by<br />
the court in Halifax after admitting smuggling<br />
child pornography into the country last<br />
month.<br />
Skipper went 4.5 miles wrong way down TSS<br />
after it was determined that the incident occurred in<br />
international waters it was reported to the Maritime<br />
& Coastguard Agency for further investigation.<br />
Following the hearing last month, David Fenner,<br />
the MCA’s principal eastern region fishing vessel<br />
surveyor, commented: ‘Mr de Boer could have<br />
fished quite legally within the lane had he<br />
proceeded in the general direction of traffic flow for<br />
that lane.<br />
‘By failing to do so he placed himself, his vessel<br />
and crew and other users of the TSS at risk.’<br />
Using our extensive marine<br />
fare programme we are<br />
able to provide changeable<br />
and refundable tickets.<br />
We are totally dedicated<br />
to providing an efficient<br />
and personal service.<br />
Contact us today for a quote<br />
www.vikingrecruitment.com<br />
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we place people first...<br />
NEWS<br />
Go-ahead<br />
for GCNS<br />
merger<br />
Glasgow College of Nautical<br />
FStudies merged last month<br />
with Glasgow’s Central and<br />
Metropolitan colleges after receiving<br />
the go-ahead from the Scottish<br />
Government in August.<br />
The new institution will be<br />
officially launched as City of Glasgow<br />
College in early 2011.<br />
The outgoing GCNS board<br />
welcomed the move, saying that it<br />
would be in the best long-term<br />
interests of students and staff. They<br />
added: ‘We share the sadness that<br />
many of you will feel at the loss of<br />
the GCNS name — a name that has a<br />
national and international<br />
reputation for excellence. However,<br />
we are equally confident that this<br />
reputation will go forward into the<br />
new City of Glasgow College.’<br />
The hope is that combining the<br />
three colleges — to create Scotland’s<br />
largest further education college —<br />
will improve the range of courses on<br />
offer and safeguard the future of the<br />
more specialised courses.<br />
There are also plans for muchneeded<br />
new buildings and facilities.<br />
The Marine Skills Centre has already<br />
been completed, but the incoming<br />
City of Glasgow College board<br />
admitted in a statement last month<br />
that work is still needed to secure<br />
funding for the rest of the project.<br />
Go for LNG, says GL<br />
The shipping industry is in<br />
Fdanger of not being able to<br />
meet international and regional<br />
targets to cut its greenhouse gas<br />
emissions, a major classification<br />
society warned last month.<br />
Speaking at the SMM exhibition in<br />
Hamburg, Germanischer Lloyd<br />
executive board member Dr Hermann<br />
Klein warned that growth in the world<br />
merchant fleet means the industry<br />
will probably have to double its efforts<br />
to cut CO 2 output by 20% from 2005<br />
levels over the next decade, as<br />
required by the European Union.<br />
And even if more ‘zero-emission’<br />
ships come into service over the next<br />
25 years, Dr Klein said the industry<br />
would face problems in meeting<br />
tougher international targets for<br />
cutting greenhouse gases and it was<br />
time for radical thought on such<br />
issues as ship size, speed, operation<br />
and power generation.<br />
GL senior vice-president Dr Pierre<br />
Sames said the industry should invest<br />
in LNG as an alternative fuel source<br />
that could cut carbon emissions by<br />
23%, with even bigger reductions of<br />
80% in NOx and 92% in SOx.
08 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
LARGE YACHT NEWS<br />
Annual has<br />
got bigger<br />
and better<br />
The latest edition of the<br />
Fannually produced Super Yacht<br />
Owners Guide was unveiled at the<br />
Monaco Yacht Show. The guide is now<br />
in its third year of publication and this<br />
issue is larger and even more detailed<br />
than in previous years.<br />
Fact-filled, well researched and<br />
hard-hitting articles precede each of<br />
the useful and comprehensively<br />
detailed directories, making this book<br />
both an interesting read and a handy<br />
compendium of real contacts.<br />
Richard Coles, a maritime<br />
specialist lawyer with HBJ Gateley<br />
Wareing has lent his wisdom to the<br />
thorny topic of the MLC, and Ayuk<br />
Ntuiabane of Moore Stephens has<br />
succeeded in clarifying how important<br />
VAT issues are.<br />
Other chapters written by leading<br />
figures in the industry include subjects<br />
on chartering, berthing, refitting,<br />
equipping and outfitting a<br />
superyacht.<br />
Published in hard-backed covers<br />
using an A5 format that opens in a<br />
landscape aspect, the 228-page<br />
guide is easily stored by captains on<br />
the bookshelf on the bridge. It is<br />
available from info@syog.com.<br />
Destination<br />
guidebook<br />
An inspirational guidebook<br />
Fdetailing all sailing<br />
destinations around the world has<br />
been published by Adlard Coles.<br />
World Cruising Destinations is a<br />
substantial handbook written by<br />
cruising expert Jimmy Cornell and is a<br />
must-have for all charter yacht<br />
captains seeking information before<br />
they arrives at a destination.<br />
Covering 184 countries, the<br />
information is well presented —<br />
giving captains clear and concise<br />
details of what to expect before and<br />
immediately after arrival in a foreign<br />
port and will make a useful addition<br />
to many bookshelves.<br />
IoM moves to be<br />
a ‘flag of choice’<br />
Manx register seeks more yachts at Monaco show<br />
PThe fast-growing Isle of<br />
Man ship registry is hoping<br />
to attract more commercial<br />
yachts to its flag, following<br />
its high-visibility presence at<br />
the Monaco Yacht Show last<br />
month.<br />
The registry is a relatively<br />
small operation, but has significantly<br />
expanded over the last 12<br />
months, with the number of<br />
superyachts rising from 85 to 97.<br />
Having seen a similar rise in<br />
other ships joining the flag, the<br />
registry now has a combined vessel<br />
tonnage of over 12m gt on its<br />
books — a 20% increase on the<br />
previous year.<br />
Registry director Dick Welsh<br />
puts the popularity of the flag<br />
PYA study is<br />
given to ILO<br />
A study of seafarers’ living and<br />
Fworking conditions in the<br />
large yacht sector has been<br />
completed for the Professional<br />
Yachtsmen’s Association and<br />
presented to the <strong>International</strong><br />
Labour Organisation.<br />
The project was carried out by<br />
the Seafarers’ <strong>International</strong><br />
Research Centre, in consultation with<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong>, and is based on<br />
questionnaire responses from some<br />
1,500 crew.<br />
Launched in response to the<br />
forthcoming Maritime Labour<br />
Convention, the study covered such<br />
issues as accommodation, food and<br />
terms and conditions of employment<br />
and comparisons between the<br />
Merchant Navy and the yacht sector.<br />
down to its ‘transparent fee structure<br />
and customer-focused<br />
approach’, which he says have<br />
appealed to owners and operators<br />
during the recent economic<br />
downturn.<br />
‘It is difficult to quantify how<br />
much the industry is worth to the<br />
Isle of Man,’ he added. ‘The registration<br />
charge is £700, but then<br />
there is the technical management,<br />
crew management, chartering<br />
and insurance.<br />
‘It’s a thriving industry which<br />
employs around 100 people on<br />
the Island.’<br />
‘The Monaco Yacht Show provides<br />
a great opportunity to highlight<br />
the benefits of doing business<br />
with the ship registry, as well<br />
as promoting the high quality<br />
professional services offered in<br />
the Isle of Man,’ added Alex<br />
Downie, a member of the island’s<br />
Legislative Council.<br />
Eleven Isle-of-Man flagged<br />
yachts were present at the 22-25<br />
September show, which has<br />
proved a productive recruiting<br />
ground for the registry in previous<br />
years.<br />
The vessels included the<br />
Azteca, a 72m pleasure ship with a<br />
100 sq m ‘beach club’; Onyx, a<br />
winner of the Showboats Award<br />
2009; and Valquest, a 134ft<br />
Dubois-designed fast cruising<br />
sloop recently launched from the<br />
Dutch shipyard Bloemsma & Van<br />
Breemen.<br />
Southampton bids<br />
to take on Cannes<br />
Southampton is bidding to<br />
Acompete with superyacht<br />
destinations such as Cannes and<br />
Monaco with the launch of a new<br />
marina and refit centre.<br />
Opened last month on the site of a<br />
former US Amy base, Solent Refit is<br />
capable of accommodating up to 14<br />
large yachts on floating berths in<br />
deep water, as well as offering<br />
mooring space for vessels of up to<br />
100m and 1,500gt.<br />
The facility also has a horizontal<br />
boatlift slipway and a 10,000 sq m<br />
undercover working area for repairs.<br />
The berths are on vehicle-accessible<br />
pontoons, with power and water at<br />
each berth.<br />
The site also features double<br />
security gates, a helicopter landing<br />
pad, 24-hour surveillance, and a<br />
strongly reinforced crane dock for<br />
heavy lifting and workshop and office<br />
units.<br />
The centre — which forms part of<br />
the Hythe Marine Park — was<br />
launched by the South East England<br />
Development Agency, after the US<br />
decided to close its operations there<br />
in 2006. The project has so far<br />
created more than 200 jobs.<br />
‘We hope this will become an<br />
invaluable resource for the local<br />
superyacht industry and will prove<br />
competition to the traditional<br />
yachting centres in the Mediterranean<br />
like Cannes and Monaco, said Allan<br />
Foot, managing director of Yacht<br />
Project Associates, which runs the<br />
site.<br />
‘Origami’ craft takes design<br />
cues from stealth bomber<br />
Singer Katherine Jenkins and entrepreneur Theo Paphitis with<br />
Sunseeker founder Robert Braithwaite at the launch of the new 40m<br />
yacht in Southampton last month Picture: Frances Howorth<br />
Sunseeker 40m<br />
yacht launched<br />
by Michael Howorth<br />
The PSP Southampton Yacht<br />
AShow in September was the<br />
venue for British-based Sunseeker<br />
<strong>International</strong> to launch its latest<br />
superyacht onto the market.<br />
Despite a worldwide downturn,<br />
the British boat builder continues to<br />
enjoy global popularity and<br />
exceptional success — having sold<br />
33 yachts over 30m so far.<br />
This success is down to a<br />
number of factors — not least the<br />
firm’s constant drive for innovation<br />
and the latest vessel, a 40m yacht<br />
which became the largest vessel to<br />
go on display at the Southampton<br />
show, is a motoryacht of<br />
exceptional grace.<br />
Capable of 24 knots and a range<br />
of up to 1,500nm, the £12.5m yacht<br />
can accommodate up to 12 guests<br />
and nine crew over three decks.<br />
The company chose the singer<br />
Katherine Jenkins to perform at the<br />
official launch. She joined<br />
Sunseeker founder Robert<br />
Braithwaite onboard the new yacht<br />
before Ryman chairman and BBC TV<br />
Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis<br />
carried out the ribbon cutting<br />
ceremony.<br />
The yacht will be shipped to<br />
Thailand for Russian owners, who<br />
will make her available for charter<br />
there.<br />
The 40m yacht launched at<br />
Southampton was developed<br />
following the popularity of<br />
Sunseeker’s 37m yacht, of which<br />
nine have been delivered to date,<br />
and the subsequent success of the<br />
34m yacht.<br />
The most noticeable<br />
development is that, compared<br />
with the 37m yacht, the stern of the<br />
40m yacht has an increased rake<br />
which gives an impressive<br />
streamlined profile and features a<br />
sharp, ocean-going bow.<br />
The main deck cockpit is also<br />
significantly larger with an<br />
extended aft deck, allowing for a<br />
number of customised layouts to<br />
suit each client’s requirements.<br />
& Son Ltd.<br />
Est 1934<br />
• All sea-going uniforms and cadets college<br />
wear, braids from stock<br />
Superyacht design has taken<br />
Fanother step into the exotic,<br />
with the ‘origami yacht’ concept,<br />
pictured above, unveiled last month<br />
by the Italian designer Fabio<br />
Federici.<br />
Taking its cue from the Japanese<br />
art form of paper folding, the yacht<br />
features a multi-functional bridge<br />
and folding ‘wings’ that allow it to<br />
be transformed from a ‘lavish play<br />
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October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 09<br />
Slow steaming is here to stay,<br />
Aaccording to a new study which<br />
found that more than half of the world<br />
containership fleet is now running<br />
slower than before the economic<br />
downturn.<br />
The report, published by the Dutch<br />
firm Dynamar, says that adoption of<br />
‘go-slow’ steaming has helped to<br />
prevent more of the fleet from going<br />
into lay-up and has also offered some<br />
substantial savings in fuel costs.<br />
With the cost of bunkers set to<br />
increase in the years ahead, the study<br />
argues that operators are likely to stick<br />
with slower speeds. However, the<br />
report says the practice has not served<br />
to improve schedule reliability.<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> has voiced disappointment<br />
at the failure<br />
of an important<br />
<strong>International</strong> Maritime Organisation<br />
sub-committee to agree on<br />
proposals to tighten up safety<br />
rules governing entry into<br />
enclosed spaces.<br />
Last month’s dangerous goods<br />
sub-committee meeting was presented<br />
with proposals drawn up<br />
by a working group in response<br />
to continuing seafarer deaths and<br />
injuries in enclosed spaces.<br />
The working group had proposed<br />
amendments to the SOLAS<br />
Convention aimed at making<br />
enclosed space entry and rescue<br />
drills mandatory to ensure that<br />
by Denzil Stuart<br />
AShip insurers have voiced<br />
concerns over the growing<br />
problem of trading sanctions<br />
— an issue that could affect<br />
seafarers as insurers increasingly have<br />
to grapple with the impact of action<br />
against countries such as Iran.<br />
The annual conference of the<br />
<strong>International</strong> Union of Marine<br />
Insurers heard that the proposed<br />
European Union sanctions against<br />
Iran — due to take effect by the end<br />
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Sold short on SOLAS<br />
‘Blockers and stoppers’ obstruct plans to cut deaths in enclosed spaces<br />
seafarers are familiar with the<br />
precautions they need to take<br />
before entering such spaces, and<br />
with the most appropriate<br />
actions to be taken in the event<br />
of an accident.<br />
The working group had also<br />
called for new mandatory provisions<br />
on the fitting of low pressure<br />
audible alarms on breathing<br />
apparatus.<br />
At the start of the meeting,<br />
IMO secretary-general Efthimios<br />
Mitropoulos expressed concern<br />
at the continued loss of life in<br />
enclosed spaces, despite the risks<br />
being well known.<br />
‘In this, the Year of the Seafarer,<br />
I look forward to significant<br />
progress being made by the subcommittee<br />
on an issue as important<br />
as this, if we are serious<br />
about enhancing the protection<br />
of seafarers against accidents<br />
onboard ships,’ he added.<br />
However, the sub-committee<br />
failed to reach consensus on the<br />
proposals to amend SOLAS and<br />
— speaking on behalf of the <strong>International</strong><br />
Federation of Ship Masters’<br />
Associations — <strong>Nautilus</strong> senior<br />
national secretary Allan<br />
Graveson said he was extremely<br />
disappointed at the lack of action.<br />
‘IFSMA would like to see a<br />
change in SOLAS for mandatory<br />
pre-entry drills and a change in<br />
STCW to improve education and<br />
training,’ he added. ‘There is a real<br />
need for a step change — a cultural<br />
change — on this important<br />
issue.’<br />
Mr Graveson said IFSMA<br />
would be making further submissions<br />
to the IMO in a bid to secure<br />
action.<br />
‘It is sad to see that the blockers<br />
and stoppers have been out in<br />
force and have turned what<br />
should be something quite simple<br />
into an uphill struggle,’ he told<br />
the Telegraph. ‘In the Year of the<br />
Seafarer, they are failing the seafarer,<br />
and we have to ask how<br />
many deaths it will take before<br />
the necessary action is taken to<br />
stop the slaughter.’<br />
Insurers warned over sanctions<br />
of September — will come on top of<br />
action being taken by the US and the<br />
United Nations, and will have a big<br />
effect on the insurance market.<br />
Peter Crowther, a partner in the<br />
international law firm Dewey &<br />
LeBoeuf, said underwriters must<br />
prepare themselves for a world in<br />
which sanctions are the norm, rather<br />
than the exception.<br />
‘Sanctions are not going to go<br />
away,’ he warned the meeting, ‘but<br />
this isn’t just about Iran — this is<br />
about increased enforcement<br />
generally throughout the EU of the<br />
sanctions’ rules.’<br />
Another concern for insurers, he<br />
said, is that there is no apparent<br />
harmonisation between laws on<br />
sanctions. As a result, insurers must<br />
check the position of member states<br />
rather than the overriding regulation.<br />
IUMI delegates heard that port<br />
state control has played a significant<br />
part in a continued fall in ship losses.<br />
But Lloyd’s hull underwriter Peter<br />
McIntosh, chairman of the union’s<br />
ocean hull committee, told the<br />
conference that while the 90 total<br />
losses of vessels (500gt and over) in<br />
2008 had reduced to 73 last year,<br />
gross tonnage lost was up.<br />
As to the causes of losses,<br />
weather, grounding, and fire or<br />
explosion continued to head the<br />
table. It was noticeable that human<br />
error was given much less emphasis<br />
this year in the various presentations<br />
and workshops, and underwriters are<br />
fervently hoping that the improved<br />
loss record is not a temporary<br />
aberration.<br />
SS Robin returns to the Thames<br />
Pictured left is the historic<br />
Dcoaster ss Robin, which arrived<br />
at the Port of Tilbury in the Thames<br />
estuary last month following two<br />
years of conservation work in<br />
Lowestoft.<br />
The 1890-built vessel now sits on a<br />
special pontoon large enough to walk<br />
around inside, and the two structures<br />
together form a floating maritime<br />
museum.<br />
While in Tilbury, the Robin will be<br />
available for viewings by invitation,<br />
and the eventual aim is to find a<br />
permanent mooring in London so that<br />
the new museum can be fully open to<br />
the public.<br />
‘The ambitious, world-first concept<br />
which has been created for SS Robin<br />
displays the entire ship to the world<br />
for the first time,’ commented project<br />
director David Kampfner. ‘We’re very<br />
excited to finally bring this important<br />
historic vessel back to the Thames.’<br />
Shipowners could face<br />
Funlimited liability for future<br />
major disasters in US waters, the<br />
industry was warned last month.<br />
This is one of the measures the<br />
US Congress is considering in<br />
reaction to the Deepwater Horizon<br />
oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico,<br />
delegates at an <strong>International</strong><br />
Chamber of Shipping conference in<br />
London were told.<br />
Joe Cox, president of the<br />
Chamber of Shipping of America,<br />
briefed them on the implications for<br />
shipping of the rig explosion in April.<br />
The accident killed 11 workers on the<br />
installation and caused what is the<br />
worst marine oil spill in the history of<br />
the petroleum industry.<br />
Although it is the oil sector that is<br />
under fire in the ensuing political<br />
and public outcry, shipping is<br />
implicated in bills passed by the<br />
House of Representatives and now<br />
before the Senate, Mr Cox explained.<br />
Among the bills being<br />
contemplated by US politicians are<br />
those affecting the Limitation of<br />
Liability Act and the Death on the<br />
High Seas Act.<br />
Mr Cox said shipping had been<br />
NEWS<br />
Rig disaster ‘could<br />
open up liability<br />
for shipowners’<br />
Signing up with a bargain-<br />
flag can cost owners<br />
Fbasement<br />
more in the long run, the head of the<br />
Liberian ship registry warned last<br />
month.<br />
Speaking at the <strong>International</strong><br />
Chamber of Shipping conference in<br />
London, chief operating officer Scott<br />
Bergeron said that too many<br />
shipowners look at price rather than<br />
cost when choosing a registry.<br />
Some owners, he explained, are<br />
attracted by the idea of joining a<br />
cheap flag state known for looking<br />
the other way when it comes to<br />
compliance with international<br />
regulations. But this simply leads to<br />
more expenses down the line.<br />
‘What is the cost, for example, of<br />
one day of detention; of a nonresponsive<br />
maritime administration;<br />
of repatriating stowaways; of<br />
accidents or claims caused by crew<br />
incompetence; or of an act of<br />
caught up in the liability legislation<br />
because deepwater drillers are<br />
covered by the same oil pollution<br />
regulations.<br />
He said he had had ‘an<br />
extraordinary time’ working with<br />
colleagues from other associations<br />
to try and convince the legislators<br />
that if they changed the line that had<br />
been agreed following the Exxon<br />
Valdez disaster, it would be<br />
impossible for owners to operate.<br />
‘We were successful, I think, in<br />
convincing them of that,’ he added.<br />
But the lobbyists were less<br />
successful, Mr Cox believed, over the<br />
trial orders concerning limitations on<br />
compensation for workers killed in<br />
tragedies such as Deepwater<br />
Horizon.<br />
He said changes under<br />
consideration to the Death on the<br />
High Seas Act could usher in jury trial<br />
for any case under the legislation —<br />
including for survivors.<br />
Were these changes to become<br />
law, Mr Cox reflected, ‘If I were<br />
injured at sea, and my vessel was<br />
calling into the US, I would be doing<br />
everything possible to try and get<br />
into the US judicial system.’<br />
Cheap flags can cost<br />
more, Liberia warns<br />
piracy’ asked Mr Bergeron.<br />
In contrast, he wondered, ‘What<br />
expenses can be saved if the flag<br />
state is forward-thinking, actively<br />
involved, always available and<br />
regularly examining initiatives to<br />
reduce operational expenses’<br />
Mr Bergeron pointed out that the<br />
price of registering with a flag state<br />
is typically less than one-half of 1% of<br />
the vessel’s operating expenses, so it<br />
seems particularly pointless to try<br />
and cut corners in this area.<br />
In his speech to industry leaders,<br />
the Liberian registry chief also called<br />
for standards of flag state<br />
performance to be raised across the<br />
board. ‘There needs to be greater<br />
emphasis on truly effective<br />
measurement points,’ he stressed,<br />
‘[with] mandatory participation in<br />
the IMO’s “voluntary” member state<br />
audit and an attitude of continuous<br />
improvement.’
10 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
NEWS<br />
Unions agree<br />
to fight cuts<br />
General secretary warns that poor will be hardest hit<br />
Trade union leader Brendan Barber, centre, leads a protest against public spending cuts Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
PBritain could become a<br />
‘darker, brutish, more<br />
frightening place’ if the<br />
government presses ahead with<br />
plans for massive cuts in public<br />
spending, TUC leader Brendan<br />
Barber warned in his opening<br />
speech to Congress.<br />
The apparent determination<br />
of ministers to impose the cuts<br />
‘will not only devastate the services<br />
we rely on, but do untold<br />
damage to our economic<br />
prospects,’ he said.<br />
Mr Barber said nobody could<br />
deny the depth of the recession,<br />
but there was a viable alternative<br />
to the measures being drawn up<br />
by the government to reduce the<br />
deficit.<br />
‘Let’s be clear about this: cuts<br />
always hit the poorest, most vulnerable,<br />
most disadvantaged people,’<br />
he pointed out.<br />
Mr Barber said ministers must<br />
be aware that what they take<br />
apart now could take generations<br />
to rebuild. ‘Decent public services<br />
are the glue that holds a civilised<br />
society together, and we diminish<br />
them at our peril.<br />
‘Cut services, put jobs in peril,<br />
and increase inequality — that is<br />
the way to make Britain a darker,<br />
brutish, more frightening place.’<br />
The TUC leader rejected claims<br />
that unions are simply set on confrontation<br />
and are just pursuing<br />
narrow self-interest. ‘No one takes<br />
industrial action lightly,’ he<br />
stressed. ‘We are at the heart of<br />
our communities, passionately<br />
concerned to defend the integrity<br />
and the quality of the services we<br />
provide.’<br />
Unions need to win the intellectual<br />
battle by showing that<br />
there is a better way to reduce the<br />
deficit, Mr Barber argued. ‘One<br />
that not only avoids savage cuts,<br />
but is more likely to work as it<br />
avoids the risk of the double dip.’<br />
The TUC wants to see a realistic<br />
timetable — rather than expect<br />
the damage done by a bubble that<br />
grew for decades to be put right in<br />
just four years.<br />
‘Ministers must make clear<br />
that if the economy goes into<br />
reverse, then they will stop the<br />
medicine whose side-effects are<br />
killing the patient,’ Mr Barber<br />
added.<br />
He urged union members to<br />
enter ‘the great debate’ about the<br />
economy and build ‘a diverse,<br />
dynamic and progressive alliance’<br />
to demonstrate that there is a<br />
genuine alternative to cuts and<br />
austerity.<br />
The first day of the conference<br />
was marked by a series of<br />
speeches condemning the government’s<br />
plans to make spending<br />
cuts totalling more than<br />
£80bn over the next four years.<br />
Delegates voted in favour of a<br />
motion calling for a coordinated<br />
campaign to oppose the cuts and<br />
to defend jobs, pay, pensions and<br />
public services.<br />
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Election win<br />
for Dickinson<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> general secretary<br />
DMark Dickinson, above, has<br />
been re-elected to serve for a further<br />
year on the TUC’s ruling body, the<br />
general council.<br />
He secured 481,000 votes in the<br />
ballot for the 11 seats on the general<br />
council that are reserved for smaller<br />
unions. His share of the vote was the<br />
third highest of the 16 union officials<br />
standing for election.<br />
‘I am delighted by the result and<br />
will continue to take advantage of<br />
this opportunity to ensure that the<br />
voice of seafarers is heard loud and<br />
clear at the highest levels of the<br />
union movement,’ Mr Dickinson said.<br />
‘Over the past year, the TUC has<br />
given us invaluable support in<br />
progressing our campaigns on<br />
maritime skills, training and<br />
employment,’ he added. ‘It has<br />
helped us to lobby government on<br />
other issues, including pay and<br />
conditions and piracy, and to make<br />
sure that political attention is<br />
focussed on maritime matters.’<br />
Survey shows what<br />
the workforce thinks<br />
A<strong>Nautilus</strong> assistant general<br />
secretary Paul Moloney<br />
chaired a fringe meeting<br />
that saw the launch of a new report<br />
that seeks to shape the debate about<br />
the future of trade unions.<br />
Published by the Unions21<br />
organisation, the report is based on<br />
the results of a YouGov survey of more<br />
than 2,220 workers, detailing their<br />
attitudes towards their jobs,<br />
management and trade unions.<br />
The survey showed that despite an<br />
increasingly difficult work<br />
environment, there remains a strong<br />
positive commitment to work. Twothirds<br />
of respondents said that their<br />
job is interesting and enjoyable, while<br />
six out of 10 feel loyal to their<br />
organisation.<br />
However, 70% said their job<br />
requires them to work very hard and<br />
more than 40% said they never seem<br />
to have enough time to get their work<br />
done.<br />
Just over 60% described relations<br />
between management and staff as<br />
excellent or good, although only 13%<br />
of respondents overall were very<br />
satisfied with the influence they have<br />
over organisational decisions that<br />
affect their job or working life.<br />
The survey showed that unions are<br />
rated most highly for protecting<br />
workers against unfair treatment and<br />
for knowledge and understanding of<br />
the employer’s business.<br />
Contrary to the impression often<br />
conveyed in the media, the majority<br />
of respondents across all sectors said<br />
management and unions usually<br />
Bankers ‘let it<br />
slip’, governor<br />
tells Congress<br />
Trade unionists are right to be<br />
Fangry at the financial sector’s<br />
responsibility for creating the<br />
economic crisis, Bank of England<br />
governor Mervyn King told Congress.<br />
‘We let it slip — we, that is, in the<br />
financial sector and as policy-makers<br />
— not your members nor the many<br />
businesses and organisations around<br />
the country which employ them,’ he<br />
admitted.<br />
‘But it was the real economy that<br />
suffered and the banks that were<br />
bailed out. Your members, and<br />
indeed the businesses which employ<br />
them, are entitled to be angry.’<br />
Warning that the consequences of<br />
the financial crisis will continue ‘for<br />
years to come’, Mr King said lessons<br />
will have to be learned.<br />
‘We cannot just carry on as we<br />
are,’ he told delegates. ‘Unless we<br />
reform our economy — rebalance<br />
demand, restructure banking, and<br />
restore the sustainability of our public<br />
finances — we shall not only<br />
jeopardise recovery, but also fail the<br />
next generation.’<br />
The governor told the conference<br />
that a range of measures are required<br />
to avert a similar crisis in future,<br />
including reducing imbalances in the<br />
world economy and radical reform of<br />
the financial sector, with stricter<br />
regulation of banking.<br />
‘The costs of this crisis will be with<br />
work together, and that there is a<br />
strong preference for this type of<br />
approach.<br />
Mr Moloney told the meeting that<br />
the findings were very supportive of<br />
the work undertaken by trade unions<br />
in many different workplaces, and<br />
that there was considerable support<br />
for some of the things unions do —<br />
even from non-members.<br />
‘The survey should give comfort to<br />
unions and shows that we remain as<br />
necessary today as at any time in the<br />
past,’ he added. ‘There is a role for<br />
unions to work with the good<br />
employers, so they are not undercut<br />
by the bad ones. This is very much<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>’s approach and<br />
we have done a lot of work in the ferry<br />
sector to identify and target bad<br />
employers as a way of protecting<br />
better companies.’<br />
Mervyn King was only the second<br />
Bank of England governor ever to<br />
address the TUC<br />
Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
us for a generation,’ he concluded,<br />
‘and we owe it to the next generation<br />
to seize this opportunity to put in<br />
place the reforms that will make<br />
another crisis much less likely and<br />
much less damaging.’<br />
He warned that the government<br />
risked plunging Britain back into<br />
recession if it did not make cuts to<br />
reduce the national deficit.<br />
Paul Moloney speaks at the TUC<br />
Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
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October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 11<br />
NEWS<br />
TUC backs asbestos call<br />
Seafarers face increased risks of exposure to deadly material despite rules<br />
intended to outlaw its use onboard ships, Council member tells Congress<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
has secured the unanimous<br />
support of the<br />
TUC Congress for its campaign to<br />
secure tougher controls against<br />
the threats posed by asbestos on<br />
ships.<br />
Delegates at the TUC’s annual<br />
conference in Manchester voted<br />
in support of a <strong>Nautilus</strong> motion<br />
expressing concern at the continued<br />
presence of asbestos on<br />
ships — despite international<br />
rules, introduced in 2002, that<br />
sought to prevent its use.<br />
Council member Captain<br />
Stephen Gudgeon — a serving<br />
shipmaster — moved the motion<br />
and told the meeting of evidence<br />
showing that the regulations are<br />
being broken with impunity.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> had been horrified to<br />
find the deadly material in more<br />
than 3,500 parts onboard a newlybuilt<br />
ship last year, he said, and<br />
one classification society recently<br />
revealed that asbestos had been<br />
detected on 95% of ships checked<br />
in the last four years.<br />
‘The problem even affects<br />
ships that have been certified<br />
as asbestos-free — sometimes<br />
because they have been built with<br />
the material present in components,<br />
and sometimes because<br />
the substance has been introduced<br />
through spare parts,’ Capt<br />
Gudgeon warned.<br />
‘Shipping is the most <strong>International</strong><br />
of all industries, and our<br />
worry is that asbestos is still being<br />
commonly used in more than<br />
100 countries around the world,’<br />
he said.<br />
‘More and more ships are<br />
being built in new shipbuilding<br />
nations where asbestos use is<br />
taken for granted, and we have<br />
been told of ships being contaminated<br />
after asbestos fire blankets<br />
were used during welding work in<br />
foreign ports.’<br />
Capt Gudgeon said seafarers<br />
face higher risks than workers<br />
ashore because ships serve as<br />
their homes as well as workplaces<br />
for long periods and they do not<br />
have rapid access to specialist<br />
advice and support if asbestos is<br />
discovered. They also face a very<br />
real risk of exposure to asbestos<br />
during repair or maintenance<br />
work and big efforts need to be<br />
made to raise awareness among<br />
crews, shipowners and regulatory<br />
authorities.<br />
Shipboard asbestos also poses<br />
a risk to demolition workers, Capt<br />
Gudgeon pointed out, and they<br />
often work in developing nations<br />
with little protective equipment<br />
and poor safety standards.<br />
He told how the Australian<br />
government has recently taken a<br />
stand against non-compliance by<br />
refusing entry to vessels containing<br />
asbestos — and said other<br />
governments should be encouraged<br />
to do the same.<br />
‘For shipping, sadly, asbestos<br />
is not a thing of the past — it<br />
remains a problem of the present<br />
and of the future. In 2010, the<br />
maritime industry is still, on a<br />
daily basis, responsible for exposing<br />
its workers to asbestos and<br />
thus creating victims for decades<br />
ahead,’ he added.<br />
‘It’s just not good enough, and<br />
we need your support to ensure<br />
that our members — and seafarers<br />
worldwide — are properly protected<br />
and do not continue to<br />
inherit the deadly legacy of this<br />
material.’<br />
Supporting the motion, Barrie<br />
Worth of the Prospect union said<br />
it was appalling that seafarers<br />
were being threatened by<br />
asbestos 25 years after the government<br />
banned the use of blue<br />
and brown asbestos. ‘We share<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong>’s alarm at the continued<br />
use of asbestos on ships and the<br />
apparent criminal activity that<br />
enables ships to be certified<br />
asbestos-free when they clearly<br />
are not,’ he added.<br />
Capt Stephen Gudgeon<br />
speaks on asbestos<br />
Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> warns of threats to RFA’s status<br />
AHands off the Royal Fleet<br />
Auxiliary! That was the<br />
message to the government<br />
as delegates to the TUC conference<br />
unanimously backed a <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
motion opposing any moves to<br />
downsize or commercialise the vital<br />
work carried out by the service.<br />
Moving the motion, RFA officer<br />
Martin Troman — pictured right —<br />
explained how the RFA has, for more<br />
than a century, provided essential<br />
strategic seaborne support for the<br />
armed forces.<br />
‘With more than 750 officers and<br />
1,450 ratings on its books, the RFA is<br />
now the biggest single employer of<br />
British merchant seafarers and — as<br />
a result of the long-term decline of<br />
the Merchant Navy — has become<br />
increasingly important in providing a<br />
pool of skilled and experienced UK<br />
seafarers and a fleet of ships that<br />
can be relied upon at a time of<br />
national crisis,’ he added.<br />
Mr Troman said the RFA could<br />
demonstrate a remarkable record of<br />
success in war and peace. ‘From<br />
providing support to military<br />
campaigns such as the Falklands and<br />
the Gulf Wars and supporting the UN<br />
in Bosnia, to proving humanitarian<br />
relief in Iraq, Haiti and Mozambique,<br />
protecting ships from piracy off<br />
Somalia, and helping to combat<br />
drug smuggling in the Caribbean,<br />
the RFA delivers time and time<br />
again.’<br />
But despite this, Mr Troman said<br />
the RFA is repeatedly coming under<br />
pressure — both from commercial<br />
companies hoping that parts of its<br />
work will be privatised and from<br />
Treasury cost-cutting. Concerns had<br />
been heightened by another ‘value<br />
for money’ review and by reports of<br />
Martin Troman moving the RFA<br />
motion Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
what the government is considering<br />
as part of its strategic defence<br />
review.<br />
‘There are good grounds for<br />
fearing that ministers will be lured<br />
by the siren calls of short-term<br />
savings from commercialising some<br />
cherry-picked parts of our services,’<br />
he added, ‘and we’re also seriously<br />
concerned about the desperate<br />
delay in building new ships to<br />
replace single-hull tankers that,<br />
under international maritime<br />
pollution regulations, really<br />
shouldn’t be at sea any more.’<br />
Mr Troman said the UK’s<br />
economic and strategic wellbeing is<br />
as reliant upon the sea as it ever<br />
was, and he urged the conference to<br />
support <strong>Nautilus</strong> in seeking to<br />
ensure the RFA can continue to play<br />
a pivotal part in protecting maritime<br />
trade.<br />
‘I have completed over 40 years’<br />
service in the RFA, so it is not my<br />
future that I am speaking for,’ he<br />
added. ‘My concerns are for future<br />
generations to be given a similar<br />
opportunity of a long and fulfilling<br />
career at sea, for the future of the UK<br />
shipping industry as a whole, for the<br />
future strategic well-being of our<br />
island nation and for the long-term<br />
role of the RFA in helping to achieve<br />
all these aims.’<br />
RMT delegate Mark Carden said<br />
RFA seafarers had consistently<br />
displayed professionalism,<br />
dedication and bravery, and it was<br />
important that the unique and<br />
specialist role of the service is<br />
safeguarded. Privatisation of the RFA<br />
would devastate employment of<br />
British seafarers and undermine the<br />
government’s maritime policies.<br />
Alan Dennis, of the PCS union,<br />
praised the ‘fantastic work’<br />
undertaken by the RFA and said it<br />
was a disgrace that its seafarers<br />
were being treated so badly after all<br />
their hard work and sacrifice.<br />
He said it was appalling that the<br />
RFA is exposed to ‘a constant<br />
onslaught’ of reviews, often by very<br />
highly paid consultants, and warned<br />
that the strategic defence review<br />
was nothing more than a ‘job cuts<br />
and asset sales exercise’.<br />
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12 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
HEALTH&SAFETY<br />
MAIB calls for big<br />
changes at MCA<br />
Union concern as report highlights ‘deep-rooted’ failings in fishing regime<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> has raised pointed out. Investigators also<br />
renewed concerns about found a number of serious problems<br />
on the 29-year-old vessel,<br />
the Maritime & Coastguard<br />
Agency’s ability to uphold including:<br />
safety standards at sea following a zpoorly maintained fishing<br />
damning report from the Marine equipment and no evidence of<br />
Accident Investigation Branch. systematic planned maintenance<br />
An investigation into a serious zthe vessel failed stability criteria<br />
for a number of structural rea-<br />
accident onboard a fishing vessel<br />
last October found that the MCA sons and was being operated in a<br />
had failed to effectively implement<br />
recommendations made as bility margins<br />
manner that further reduced sta-<br />
a result of previous incidents. znine crewmen were onboard,<br />
‘Significant weaknesses in the despite the vessel being limited<br />
MCA’s administration of survey to a maximum of six<br />
and inspections were evident, and zcrew were working long hours,<br />
its guidance to industry had with few breaks<br />
diluted a number of safety regulations<br />
to the point they were evidence of risk assessment were<br />
zdocumentation, records and<br />
ineffective,’ the report states. missing<br />
Pointing to ‘deep-rooted’ failings<br />
in MCA procedures, the MAIB likely the trawl wire had parted<br />
The investigators said it was<br />
warned that ‘significant policy because it had become brittle and<br />
changes’ are required to improve worn through extensive use. They<br />
safety and occupational standards<br />
in the fishing sector.<br />
of poorly maintained equipment<br />
also found ‘numerous examples’<br />
The report was prompted by onboard that could have failed,<br />
an incident last October when a resulting in death or injury.<br />
fisherman suffered chest injuries The report says the owner had<br />
after a trawl wire parted onboard disregarded the safety and welfare<br />
of the seafarers by employing<br />
the 242gt Scottish trawler Olivia<br />
Jean.<br />
‘unqualified, sleep-deprived crew’<br />
‘This was the second time that with a complement in excess of<br />
a crewman onboard had been the vessel’s rescue boat exemption<br />
certificate. The MAIB also<br />
seriously injured as a result of a<br />
parting wire and the fourth time uncovered evidence that the<br />
that this vessel’s trawl wires are Olivia Jean had previously operated<br />
with up to 15 crew known to have failed,’ the MAIB<br />
onboard,<br />
New course<br />
at Tyneside<br />
is simply<br />
electric...<br />
A new high voltage training<br />
Fcourse for seafarers — said to<br />
be the only one of its kind in the<br />
world — has been launched at<br />
South Tyneside College.<br />
Aimed at engineer officers,<br />
electro-technical officers and<br />
superintendents, the Shipboard<br />
High Voltage Training Course has<br />
been approved by the Maritime<br />
& Coastguard Agency and meets<br />
Merchant Navy Training Board<br />
specifications.<br />
College principal Lindsey<br />
Whiterod explained: ‘We have been<br />
running a high voltage<br />
familiarisation course for over four<br />
years but we felt like there was a<br />
need for a developed course dealing<br />
even though it was only permitted<br />
to sail with six.<br />
Some of the seven foreign<br />
crew onboard at the time of the<br />
accident had come to the UK<br />
expecting to work on merchant<br />
ships in the deepsea trades. They<br />
had also anticipated four-month<br />
contracts, but discovered they<br />
were expected to work for 18<br />
months. There was no crew agreement<br />
onboard, and the three<br />
Ghanaian crew were unable to<br />
leave because the company held<br />
their papers and passports.<br />
The MAIB also found evidence<br />
of fatigue, as the deckhands had<br />
been working almost continuously<br />
for five to seven days at a<br />
time, with few opportunities for<br />
rest.<br />
‘From the state of the vessel,<br />
and the way in which it was being<br />
operated, it could be construed<br />
that the owner was showing a<br />
total disregard for the safety and<br />
welfare of his employees and<br />
share fishermen onboard,’ the<br />
report added.<br />
The MAIB said the Olivia Jean’s<br />
owner appeared to have been willing<br />
to run the risk of detentions<br />
and delays as a result of failing<br />
inspections, and to carry out only<br />
the minimum remedial action<br />
required.<br />
The report said the MCA<br />
should carry out an extensive<br />
with specific maritime high voltage<br />
situations.<br />
‘Marine engineers work in a<br />
different environment from those<br />
who work on land and must be able<br />
to safely operate and reconfigure<br />
their high voltage equipment in<br />
difficult operational circumstances.’<br />
The new course is designed for<br />
officers who will be expected to<br />
supervise and/or implement<br />
onboard high voltage switching<br />
operations, and uses extensive<br />
practical exercises on modern high<br />
voltage equipment at the college’s<br />
recently-upgraded training facility,<br />
pictured above.<br />
The emphasis is on the safe<br />
working practices and procedures<br />
review following a serious injury<br />
accident to determine whether an<br />
owner/operator is providing a<br />
safe working environment<br />
onboard its vessels. ‘Until MCA<br />
surveyors review workplace practices<br />
onboard fishing vessels following<br />
serious accidents, it will<br />
not be effective in regulating the<br />
fishing industry,’ the report<br />
warned.<br />
Recommendations included a<br />
call for the MCA to review the<br />
effectiveness of its fishing vessel<br />
risk assessment and working time<br />
regulations and to improve its<br />
accident records so that trends<br />
can be identified and acted upon.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> senior national secretary<br />
Allan Graveson said he was<br />
disturbed by the findings, and<br />
was concerned that the Agency’s<br />
resources allocated for fishing<br />
vessel safety have been drastically<br />
reduced.<br />
A spokesman for the MCA told<br />
the Telegraph: ‘We welcome this<br />
report and the MCA is reviewing<br />
its work in the light of the wideranging<br />
issues and recommendations<br />
that it makes.<br />
‘Until we have considered fully<br />
our response to the recommendations<br />
and reviewed our work,<br />
the impact on MCA resources cannot<br />
be assessed,’ he added.<br />
‘Improvements do not necessarily<br />
require more resources.’<br />
which should be followed onboard<br />
vessels equipped with high voltage<br />
systems.<br />
Successful candidates will be<br />
trained in such things as safe<br />
isolation procedures, the safe use of<br />
testing equipment and switching<br />
procedures, together with the<br />
correct use of Electrical Permit to<br />
Work and Sanction to Test Systems.<br />
During the course, each<br />
candidate will design and<br />
implement switching plans based<br />
upon the college’s distribution<br />
systems and those who successfully<br />
complete the training will be able to<br />
work as ‘Authorised Persons’ within<br />
a team carrying out high voltage<br />
isolation and switching operations.<br />
Pictured above is the windfarm vessel MPI Resolution making its maiden<br />
call to the port of Harwich last month. The purpose-built 14,085gt ship<br />
picked up a replacement 55m blade for one of the 48 turbines at the<br />
Gunfleet Sands offshore windfarm — one of the largest in the North Sea<br />
Owners warn over<br />
UK windfarm sites<br />
Shipping safety is being put at<br />
Crisk as a result of the ‘absurd<br />
process’ for allocating windfarm sites<br />
around the UK coast, owners have<br />
claimed.<br />
The Chamber of Shipping is urging<br />
the government to make radical<br />
changes in the procedures used to<br />
determine the location of windfarms<br />
and to ensure that major routes used<br />
by merchant shipping and fishing<br />
vessels are protected.<br />
‘All too often, shipping and other<br />
users of our seas are not taken into<br />
account or consulted until after the<br />
sites have been designated,’ said<br />
Saurabh Sachdeva, nautical<br />
consultant at the Chamber.<br />
The owners argue that the current<br />
process means that issues such as the<br />
safety of navigation and potential<br />
impact on trade routes are not<br />
considered at a sufficiently early stage<br />
when identifying and deciding on<br />
future windfarm sites.<br />
Firm claims new onload<br />
release hooks are safest<br />
A new range of onload release<br />
Ahooks for lifeboats, claimed to<br />
be the safest on the market, has<br />
been launched by Schat-Harding.<br />
The SeaCure hooks — available<br />
for retrofit to all the company’s<br />
lifeboats — have been designed to<br />
be fail-safe, and are supported by a<br />
computer-based training package for<br />
crews covering the operation and<br />
maintenance of lifeboats, davits and<br />
winches.<br />
Available in 3.5-tonne, 6-tonne,<br />
9-tonne and 12-tonne versions, the<br />
hooks are fully compliant with the<br />
IMO’s new DE53 standard. The ‘userfriendly’<br />
design ensures no wear and<br />
tear on critical hook components and<br />
no pins, fall prevention devices or<br />
additional loose equipment are<br />
required.<br />
Schat-Harding Service sales<br />
A new initiative has been<br />
Alaunched in an effort to reduce<br />
the number of seafarers killed and<br />
injured by powered watertight doors.<br />
Videotel Marine <strong>International</strong> has<br />
produced a new training package that<br />
highlights the hazards and aims to<br />
help seafarers follow the correct<br />
procedures.<br />
Loulla Mouzouris, Videotel’s head<br />
of rentals and sales, commented:<br />
‘Our customers told us of some<br />
horrific cases involving powered<br />
watertight doors and also of instances<br />
where power cables or waterpipes for<br />
‘The shipping industry’s major<br />
concern is that, despite the various<br />
codes of practice, maritime notices<br />
and the requirements of the Electricity<br />
Act, offshore renewable energy<br />
developments are increasingly<br />
encroaching on well-established sea<br />
lanes, strategic trade routes and the<br />
approaches to ports,’ the Chamber<br />
added. ‘Applications for<br />
developments continue to be put<br />
forward which clearly represent a<br />
danger to other sea users.’<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> senior national secretary<br />
Allan Graveson commented: ‘The<br />
employment of professional mariners<br />
will help to reduce risk and ensure<br />
high standards of safe ship operation.<br />
Masters and officers familiar with<br />
these waters, together with deepsea<br />
pilots, can make a significant<br />
difference to safety. The development<br />
of windfarms is providing significant<br />
employment for European seafarers<br />
and should be welcomed.’<br />
director David Torres said the CBT<br />
package should help to reduce<br />
incidents involving human error and<br />
make crews more confident.<br />
Training bid to improve<br />
watertight door safety<br />
firefighting had become trapped in<br />
the doorways.<br />
‘We responded to their concerns<br />
by producing this two-part video<br />
training package with a training<br />
workbook which is aimed at raising<br />
awareness of safe and correct<br />
operating practices and will benefit<br />
everyone onboard, as well as visitors<br />
and contractors working on ships,’ she<br />
added.<br />
The 26-minute training film is now<br />
being distributed within the industry<br />
and it will be followed soon by a<br />
computer-based training package.
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 13<br />
HEALTH&SAFETY<br />
Bulk carrier crew tried<br />
to cover up ‘hit and<br />
Shortage<br />
of skilled<br />
seafarers<br />
prompts<br />
P&I alert<br />
run’ with fishing boat<br />
The shortage of skilled and<br />
Hexperienced seafarers is<br />
starting to drive a ‘vicious circle’ of<br />
declining safety standards at sea and<br />
ashore, a major P&I club has<br />
warned.<br />
Crew of UK-flagged ferry praised for ‘exemplary seamanship’ in responding to distress calls<br />
P<strong>Nautilus</strong> has expressed<br />
alarm at a horrifying ‘hit<br />
and run’ incident in the<br />
Channel in which the crew of a<br />
Singapore-flagged bulk carrier<br />
tried to cover up evidence that<br />
they had been involved in a fatal<br />
collision with a fishing vessel.<br />
Concerns over the incident —<br />
which occurred in December<br />
2009, some 15nm north of the<br />
Cherbourg peninsula — were<br />
intensified after accident investigators<br />
found that many ships in<br />
the area ignored distress flares<br />
and Mayday messages.<br />
But both <strong>Nautilus</strong> and the<br />
Marine Accident Investigation<br />
Branch have praised the crew<br />
of the UK-flagged ferry Norman<br />
Voyager for responding and<br />
rescuing the three surviving fishermen.<br />
The MAIB said the ferry’s officers<br />
and crew had demonstrated<br />
‘exemplary seamanship and carried<br />
out a safe and efficient rescue<br />
‘in the best traditions of the Merchant<br />
Navy’.<br />
The collision occurred as the<br />
87,052dwt Alam Pintar, en route<br />
to Hamburg from Canada, twice<br />
struck the Weymouth-registered<br />
crabber Etoile des Ondes.<br />
Investigators said the bulker’s<br />
officer of the watch had seen<br />
Etoile des Ondes and realised<br />
there was a risk of collision, but<br />
his initial attempts to prevent a<br />
collision were rendered ineffective<br />
when the fishing vessel also<br />
changed course while heaving<br />
and shooting pots.<br />
The OOW ordered the wheel<br />
hard-a-starboard, but it was too<br />
late to prevent the collision.<br />
When the bulk carrier’s master<br />
arrived on the bridge, he was told<br />
the vessel had probably hit a fishing<br />
boat which had been seen ‘still<br />
afloat and well lit’ after the collision.<br />
The master checked the radar<br />
and saw a moving target astern of<br />
Alam Pintar, which he assumed to<br />
be the fishing vessel and so he<br />
ordered the ship’s engines to be<br />
increased to full speed.<br />
At this time distress flares<br />
were fired by the crabber’s survivors<br />
and a Mayday relay audible<br />
on the bridge indicated that a<br />
fishing vessel in the area required<br />
assistance.<br />
‘Shortly after the initial “all<br />
ships — Mayday Relay” Jobourg<br />
MRCC contacted Alam Pintar<br />
specifically to ask the master to<br />
confirm if he had heard the<br />
broadcast or seen the red flares<br />
which were near his position,’ the<br />
MAIB report notes. ‘The master<br />
assured Jobourg MRCC that he<br />
had not.’<br />
As Alam Pintar continued on<br />
passage to Hamburg, the ship’s<br />
documents and recordings,<br />
including those of the voyage<br />
data recorder, were altered or<br />
removed in an attempt to obscure<br />
any evidence suggesting a collision<br />
with Etoile des Ondes. The<br />
MAIB said the master’s decision<br />
to carry on after the collision and<br />
continuing on passage was ‘illegal,<br />
immoral and against all the<br />
traditions of the sea’.<br />
Alam Pintar — which was<br />
operated and managed by PACC-<br />
Ship (UK) with a Chinese master<br />
and officers — had an inexperienced<br />
bridge team on duty at the<br />
time, the report adds. The fourth<br />
officer — who had just two<br />
months in rank — and unqualified<br />
first-trip cadet did not comply<br />
with the requirement to keep<br />
EU to ‘name and shame’<br />
The Singapore-flagged Alam Pintar,<br />
left, and above evidence of the<br />
collision with the fishing vessel<br />
Etoile des Ondes Pictures: MAIB<br />
a lookout and the actions taken<br />
by the OOW indicated a lack of<br />
appreciation of what could be<br />
expected from a vessel engaged<br />
in fishing.<br />
The MAIB said the attempts to<br />
alter or destroy evidence were illegal<br />
and foolish.<br />
‘Accident investigators have a<br />
mass of information, both on<br />
board and elsewhere, which will<br />
rapidly identify such actions,’ the<br />
report adds.<br />
‘Most technical recording<br />
devices will record all attempts to<br />
tamper with the evidence. Such<br />
attempts serve purely to turn an<br />
accident into a crime.’<br />
Noting 20 other cases since<br />
1991 where ships had failed to<br />
stop or offer assistance in similar<br />
circumstances, the MAIB has<br />
issued a safety flyer stressing the<br />
legal and moral obligation to<br />
respond to Maydays and highlighting<br />
the importance of effective<br />
bridge teams and the maintenance<br />
of proper navigational<br />
lookouts.<br />
The chief inspector of marine<br />
accidents also wrote to the operators<br />
of seven ships which failed<br />
to offer assistance following the<br />
accident. They were asked to<br />
explain the actions of their vessels<br />
and what they intended to do<br />
to ensure future compliance with<br />
SOLAS rules.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> senior national secretary<br />
Allan Graveson described the<br />
case as very disturbing. ‘This incident<br />
demonstrates the importance<br />
of quality training and<br />
experience of merchant officers,’<br />
he added.<br />
‘The master and crew of the<br />
Norman Voyager should be commended<br />
for their actions — sadly<br />
lacking amongst so many others,’<br />
he added.<br />
And the North of England Club<br />
has questioned whether the<br />
slowdown in maritime trade will<br />
lead to a hoped-for reduction in the<br />
accident rate as a result of the<br />
industry being worked at a ‘less<br />
pressured, frantic pace’.<br />
Its annual report points to a<br />
number of recent large incidents<br />
where incompetence and negligence<br />
have resulted in disaster.<br />
Club chairman Albert Engelsman<br />
said it remains ‘starkly clear’ that<br />
human factors lie behind the vast<br />
bulk of maritime accidents. ‘The<br />
levels of competence and standards<br />
onboard ship continue to cause<br />
concern and, even in these times of<br />
recession, there still appears to be a<br />
shortage of qualified, properly<br />
experienced seafarers,’ he added.<br />
Mr Englesman said this shortfall<br />
is resulting in inexperienced crew<br />
being promoted too fast — ‘with<br />
obvious implications for safety<br />
onboard’. The trend could also have<br />
a long-term adverse effect, he<br />
warned. ‘The worry is that the next<br />
generation of seafarers will suffer<br />
because they could be learning from<br />
people who simply don’t have the<br />
requisite experience to pass on.’<br />
Writing in the annual report, Mr<br />
Englesman said the club wanted to<br />
see much more investment in<br />
seafarer training. ‘We are concerned<br />
that, as we near the hoped-for end<br />
of recession, the problems will<br />
escalate in parallel with increased<br />
demand for personnel.’<br />
He warned that the knock-on<br />
effect — lack of experience coming<br />
ashore — presents a threat to<br />
safety-critical posts in the maritime<br />
sector. ‘Where will we find our<br />
surveyors, our superintendents, our<br />
maritime lawyers, our harbour<br />
masters, our pilots or even our<br />
insurers’ he added.<br />
C<strong>Nautilus</strong> has welcomed a new ‘name and<br />
shame’ policy to combat substandard<br />
shipping in European waters.<br />
The European Commission last month approved<br />
new rules that aim to improve the safety of the<br />
80,000 ships operating in the region, including an<br />
online register of poor operators and tougher<br />
powers to ban vessels that repeatedly fail<br />
inspections.<br />
Coming into effect on 1 January 2011, the new<br />
rules will ensure that port state control checks are<br />
targeted on the basis of risk assessment — with<br />
better performing operators, ship types and flags<br />
rewarded with fewer inspections.<br />
The new rules will harmonise inspection<br />
standards across Europe and will, for the first time,<br />
introduce a fully coordinated system of control and<br />
analysis of all the port state safety inspections<br />
carried out in the EU.<br />
A key element of the new policy will be an<br />
advanced information tool — Thetis — operated<br />
by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).<br />
This will hold data on all safety inspections carried<br />
out in EU ports and provide a risk analysis to help<br />
determine the frequency of, and priorities for<br />
inspections.<br />
An associated online register will ‘name and<br />
shame’ companies whose safety performance has<br />
been found to be low or very low for three months<br />
or more.<br />
The Commission said the new regime also<br />
strengthens Europe’s ability to push substandard<br />
ships out of its waters, making it possible to ban any<br />
categories of ships, inserting a minimum time limit<br />
for a ban and introducing a permanent ban for<br />
those ships that continue to flout the rules.<br />
Vice-president Sim Kallas commented: ‘Safety is<br />
the first priority for EU. We have seen the<br />
devastating effects of maritime disasters like the<br />
sinking of the ferry Estonia or the Erika or Prestige in<br />
terms of tragic loss of life and massive<br />
environmental damage.<br />
‘As ever, I am strongly convinced about the<br />
power of transparency,’ he added. ‘We want to<br />
shine a light on the safety records of shipping<br />
companies, flag states and certification<br />
organisations. More transparency in this sector will<br />
showcase companies with strong safety records,<br />
giving them a competitive advantage. The register<br />
will also put poor performers in their spotlight so<br />
that with tougher inspection regimes and public<br />
pressure there is every incentive for them to raise<br />
their game rather than face a ban from EU waters.’<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> senior national secretary Allan<br />
Graveson commented: ‘This is a welcome step<br />
forward and it should improve the effectiveness and<br />
efficiency of port state control, by targeting high-risk<br />
ships. It should also benefit members serving on<br />
quality tonnage, as they will be subjected to far<br />
fewer inspections in port.’<br />
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14 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
shortreports<br />
PENSION PLEDGE: Boskalis, the Dutch dredging<br />
major, has claimed that it was aware all along of the<br />
problematic financial position of Smit’s €200m pension<br />
fund — including a €28m shortfall — when it sealed a<br />
€1.4bn takeover of the fellow Dutch maritime services<br />
company in spring this year. A terse announcement<br />
from Boskalis revealed that the board of Smit Pension<br />
Fund Foundation had been urged by the Dutch central<br />
bank to take ‘accelerated measures’ to improve its<br />
financial position.<br />
FRENCH WORRIES: French seafaring unions<br />
and pensioners’ associations have expressed concern<br />
that the High Maritime Council is to be abolished in the<br />
government’s reform of seafarers’ social security<br />
arrangements. They fear that some rights could be<br />
withdrawn in the rehash of the advisory body, which<br />
was set up in 1953 and brings together all sides of the<br />
industry.<br />
GREEK CONCERN: Greek seafaring unions have<br />
reacted strongly to their government’s announcement<br />
that cruise ships will now be able to use the country’s<br />
ports as home bases without having to employ Greek<br />
seafarers. The government is seeking to more than<br />
double cruise ship calls as part of a programme to tackle<br />
its economic crisis.<br />
INJURIES DOWN: Sweden’s SFBF officers’ union<br />
has welcomed a report suggesting that the gap<br />
between injury rates among those working at sea and<br />
ashore has narrowed dramatically. The study concludes<br />
it is ‘only’ 30% more dangerous at sea now, while in<br />
1992 the at-work injury rate was 300% higher than<br />
ashore.<br />
WAGES WON: sixteeen seafarers stranded<br />
onboard the Sierra Leone-flagged cargoship Eastern<br />
Planet in the Spanish port of Algeciras since July have<br />
received more than US$98,000 in owed wages<br />
following intervention by a local <strong>International</strong> Transport<br />
Workers’ Federation inspector.<br />
COASTAL SERVICE: France has begun moves to<br />
establish a new coastguard function to coordinate the<br />
activity of various state bodies dealing with maritime<br />
issues and establish a centre of operations that will<br />
provide specialist advice to the government in crisis<br />
situations.<br />
INTAKE INCREASE: French maritime high<br />
school directors have expressed satisfaction with an<br />
increase in the number of new trainees this year. The<br />
number of pupils starting the three-year maritime<br />
course last month was 1,932, up from 1,650 a year ago.<br />
BOX BOOST: the ailing containership operator<br />
CMA CGM has announced a spectacular recovery, with a<br />
41% year-on-year increase in turnover and profits of<br />
€675m in the first half of 2010.<br />
CHERBOURG COAL: a new coal terminal in the<br />
French port of Cherbourg was inaugurated last month,<br />
with a bulk carrier delivering a cargo from Colombia.<br />
‘Scapegoat’ officer<br />
in $23m lawsuit<br />
Greek chief engineer launches claim after 14-month detention in the US<br />
PA Greek chief engineer<br />
officer has launched a<br />
US$23m lawsuit against<br />
his former employers, claiming<br />
that he had been scapegoated in<br />
an oily waste dumping case.<br />
Ioannis Mylonakis is seeking<br />
damages for a wrongful 14-month<br />
incarceration, lost personal<br />
income and medical expenses<br />
before he was cleared by a US<br />
court on five charges relating to<br />
oily waste dumping from the<br />
tanker Georgios M.<br />
His lawyers claim the chief<br />
engineer had been the victim of a<br />
plea bargaining agreement<br />
between the US authorities and<br />
the tanker’s owners, the Mamidakis<br />
Group.<br />
In May this year Mr Mylonakis<br />
became the first seafarer to be<br />
AA Danish bulk carrier has<br />
begun the latest in a series<br />
of voyages that mark the<br />
opening up of the Arctic Ocean to<br />
merchant shipping services.<br />
The 43,731dwt Nordic Barents is<br />
carrying some 41,000 tonnes of iron<br />
ore from Norway to China and is set<br />
become the first non-Russian<br />
commercial vessel to attempt a nonstop<br />
crossing of the Northern Sea<br />
Route.<br />
Using the Arctic route from<br />
Europe to Asia instead of the Suez<br />
Canal or Cape of Good Hope cuts<br />
5,000nm from the journey and<br />
offers fuel savings of up to<br />
US$180,000.<br />
The receding Arctic ice cap is<br />
making it increasingly easier for<br />
ships to use polar waters, and during<br />
the summer the ice sheet shrunk to<br />
near record distances from the<br />
Russian coast.<br />
In a separate trail-blazing<br />
voyage, the Aframax tanker SCF<br />
Baltica is sailing from Murmansk to<br />
China with a 70,000-tonne cargo of<br />
gas condensate, escorted by two<br />
nuclear-powered ice-breakers.<br />
cleared of ‘magic pipe’ offences<br />
after a Texas jury rejected the evidence<br />
given by ‘whistleblowing’<br />
crew members on his ship.<br />
He had spent the previous 14<br />
months detained in the US awaiting<br />
trial. During this period he<br />
suffered medical problems and<br />
his pension and health insurance<br />
lapsed because he had not been<br />
working as a seafarer.<br />
The Mamidakis subsidiary<br />
Styga Compania Naviera, which<br />
managed the 69,900dwt Georgios<br />
M, had admitted in its plea<br />
agreement to a three-year history<br />
of dumping oily waste and using<br />
by-pass equipment. In return for<br />
its plea, Styga paid a $1.25m fine<br />
and agreed to a three-year probationary<br />
environmental-compliance<br />
inspection programme.<br />
Russian authorities say the<br />
voyages will demonstrate the<br />
viability of the Northern Sea Route<br />
for shipping services and will open<br />
up ‘new business opportunities’.<br />
Sovcomflot, which owns the SCF<br />
Baltica, said its transit ‘confirms the<br />
economic potential of the NSR for<br />
delivering hydrocarbons to the<br />
countries of the Asia-Pacific region.’<br />
Tschudi Shipping chairman Felix<br />
Tschudi added: ‘We are very excited<br />
about the opportunities the NSR will<br />
generate. It has been our ambition<br />
for years, so we are very happy to<br />
finally have the opportunity to do<br />
The company also agreed to<br />
assist the US government in prosecuting<br />
its former employees,<br />
including Mr Mylonakis. But his<br />
lawyers point out that he had<br />
served on the tanker for only two<br />
months when the magic pipe was<br />
discovered and that he had been<br />
unaware of the equipment, which<br />
was concealed beneath the<br />
engineroom floor plates.<br />
They say the legal action is<br />
aimed at ‘restoring the chief engineer’s<br />
dignity and obtaining just<br />
compensation for the ordeal he<br />
and his family were forced to<br />
endure’ as a result of the company’s<br />
‘scapegoat strategy’.<br />
Laywer George Chalos commented:<br />
‘We are going to do<br />
everything humanly possible to<br />
get justice for the Mylonakis family.<br />
Beyond that, we hope the<br />
result will be a lesson and a serious<br />
deterrent for anyone who<br />
ever even thinks about trying to<br />
opportunistically blame the little<br />
guy. The defendants made a<br />
major mistake in how they handled<br />
the case and the strategy has<br />
backfired miserably.<br />
‘We are confident that a Texas<br />
jury is not going to look kindly on<br />
rich, admitted polluters who tried<br />
to scapegoat the last man on the<br />
ship in order to save a few bucks,<br />
he added. ‘It is both our and Mr<br />
Mylonakis’s most sincere hope<br />
that no one will ever have to go<br />
through what the Mylonakis family<br />
did and that the fair treatment<br />
of seafarers remains front and<br />
centre for all concerned in future<br />
matters.’<br />
Fines imposed for oily discharges<br />
AA chief engineer officer has been fined<br />
US$5,000 and sentenced to three years’<br />
probation by a US court on oily waste<br />
dumping charges.<br />
Dimitrios Dimitrakis, who had been serving on<br />
the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier New<br />
Fortune, had admitted a series of charges relating<br />
to the overboard disposal of oil residue, sludge, oil<br />
and oily mixtures into the ocean and his attempts to<br />
conceal the discharges.<br />
Volodymyr Dombrovskyy, the vessel’s second<br />
engineer, was sentenced to two years probation,<br />
a $500 fine and a $100 special assessment after<br />
pleading guilty to aiding and abetting the failure to<br />
maintain the oil record book.<br />
The pair were brought to court following a US<br />
Coast Guard inspection in the port of Oakland which<br />
uncovered evidence that equipment had been used<br />
to by-pass the oily waste separator system, as well<br />
as false entries in the record book.<br />
The ship’s owners — Transmar Shipping of<br />
Greece — had earlier been fined $750,000 and<br />
ordered to make a community service payment of<br />
$100,000.<br />
Shipping starts to open<br />
up Northern Sea Route<br />
The Nordic Barents leaves the Norwegian port of Kirknes for its Arctic Ocean voyage Picture: Reuters<br />
this voyage.<br />
‘The NSR can be of great<br />
importance for the companies in<br />
northern Scandinavia and on the<br />
Kola Peninsula which ship oil, gas,<br />
minerals and other raw materials to<br />
the increasingly important Asian<br />
markets.’
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 15<br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
French and Spanish unions want their members onboard the UK-flagged Norman Bridge Picture: Eric Houri<br />
Three-month<br />
lifeline given<br />
to SeaFrance<br />
Unions warned of need to accept proposed job cuts<br />
by Jeff Apter<br />
PThe<br />
long-running<br />
SeaFrance survival saga<br />
continues — with the<br />
surprise decision by the Paris<br />
commercial court last month to<br />
give a three-month extension to<br />
the period of administration and<br />
protection.<br />
The judge took the unexpected<br />
decision saying that the<br />
extension would enable the company’s<br />
restructuring and redundancy<br />
programme to continue<br />
following the approval of ‘rescue’<br />
funding totalling €50m by the<br />
European Commission.<br />
But unions representing staff<br />
working for the cross-Channel<br />
operator have been warned<br />
against taking any action that<br />
could make the company go<br />
bankrupt.<br />
Management said they would<br />
be meeting unions in the wake of<br />
the court decision to discuss<br />
arrangements for the remaining<br />
job losses required by the company’s<br />
survival plan.<br />
AThe first Danish maritime catering officers<br />
have completed their training to switch to<br />
being navigation officers. Two of the class<br />
are now seeking jobs as second or third officers,<br />
while six are continuing their training so they can<br />
become masters of smaller vessels up to 3,000<br />
tonnes.<br />
The background to the retraining is rooted in<br />
Maersk’s decision in 2008 to replace its Danish<br />
catering officers with cheaper Filipinos.<br />
‘SeaFrance’s restructuring and<br />
reorganisation measures also<br />
entail a new system of working<br />
patterns aboard our vessels and<br />
talks on this will begin soon with<br />
staff representatives,’ the company<br />
added.<br />
Officers’ and ratings’ unions<br />
reluctantly agreed this summer,<br />
following months of negotiations<br />
and industrial action, to accept<br />
the rescue package established by<br />
management and court officials.<br />
The proposals will mean a<br />
total of 725 redundancies — of<br />
which around half still remain to<br />
be made. Management’s veiled<br />
threat was that the unions either<br />
accept the plan or SeaFrance’s<br />
liquidation.<br />
Parent company, the stateowned<br />
rail firm SNCF, has already<br />
given €70m worth of finance this<br />
year to keep SeaFrance running.<br />
But SeaFrance boss Pierre Fa<br />
said the line of credit is shortterm<br />
and must be reimbursed by<br />
15 December — the date the court<br />
observation extension measure<br />
ends.<br />
Another, more discreet, reason<br />
for the extension is the possibility<br />
that one or more new investors<br />
will appear on the scene.<br />
Although both LD Lines and<br />
Brittany Ferries have withdrawn<br />
previous offers for SeaFrance, it<br />
is possible an even slimmer operation<br />
than originally anticipated<br />
could again interest them.<br />
Until now, Being Bang — a<br />
finance company specialising in<br />
the entertainment industry —<br />
was the only candidate officially<br />
interested in investment, but the<br />
undisclosed offer was rejected.<br />
Mr Fa welcomed the court’s<br />
decision and said it served to provide<br />
a clear deadline for negotiations<br />
on the recovery plan.<br />
He warned the unions to play<br />
it cool over the next few weeks —<br />
saying that if any difficulty arose<br />
in carrying out the plan during<br />
the observation period, the SNCF<br />
would withdraw its credit line. In<br />
other words, even the slightest<br />
hint of industrial action would<br />
lead to SeaFrance disappearing<br />
from cross-Channel activity.<br />
As Danish maritime catering officers are highly<br />
qualified, taking their training a step further was a<br />
natural step, according to the Danish Maritime<br />
Catering Union.<br />
Union chairman Ole Philipsen says six of the<br />
eight candidates who passed their exams in the<br />
summer came from Maersk, with the other two<br />
from Torm. Some of those are continuing with their<br />
education and will graduate by Christmas, qualified<br />
to command smaller vessels.<br />
Protest at<br />
UK flag on<br />
new link<br />
to Spain<br />
The official launch of the first<br />
A‘motorway of the sea’<br />
between France and Spain was<br />
called off last month because of<br />
concerns over ‘risks to public order’<br />
as a result of union protests.<br />
The new service between Saint<br />
Nazaire and Gijón in northern Spain<br />
is intended to take up to 100,000<br />
lorries off the roads every year and<br />
had been due to be launched by<br />
French and Spanish government<br />
ministers on 16 September.<br />
But the formal event was called<br />
off after French shipping minister<br />
Dominique Bussereau issued a<br />
statement warning of ‘risks of<br />
trouble to public order’.<br />
Before the anticipated launch,<br />
some 300 dockers blocked the<br />
access to the port. CGT union<br />
secretary Yves Tual said his members<br />
did not oppose the service, but were<br />
protesting at the lack of progress in<br />
talks on working conditions.<br />
Both the CGT and CFDT seafarers’<br />
unions also criticised the decision to<br />
use the UK-flagged and Britishcrewed<br />
ferry Norman Bridge on the<br />
service. They argued that French and<br />
Spanish seafarers should be crewing<br />
the ship as the service will receive<br />
€30m in subsidies from France and<br />
Spain and a further €4m from the<br />
EU.<br />
The Norman Bridge has been<br />
transferred from LD Lines’ Dover-<br />
Boulogne route, which closed earlier<br />
in the month.<br />
Grounded ship<br />
master jailed<br />
for drinking<br />
The master of a Dutch-owned<br />
Ageneral cargoship that ran<br />
aground off Sweden has been<br />
sentenced to a month in prison after<br />
tests showed he was four times over<br />
the alcohol limit.<br />
Captain Andrei Sharafonenko,<br />
from Ukraine, was arrested after the<br />
4,536dwt Flinterforest ran aground<br />
in the Oresund Strait on 13 August<br />
and was sentenced by a court in<br />
Malmo last month on a charge of<br />
aggravated drunkenness at sea.<br />
Prosecutors said the careless<br />
navigation of the Flinterforest in a<br />
narrow and busy waterway had<br />
presented a considerable risk to<br />
other vessels. At the time of the<br />
accident, the Flinterforest was<br />
carrying 700 tonnes of paper from<br />
Finland to Scotland.<br />
New role for catering officers<br />
Mr Philipsen — himself a former maritime<br />
catering officer with Maersk — said: ‘In Denmark,<br />
much emphasis is placed on you never being in a<br />
blind alley education-wise. There must always be an<br />
alternative route ahead.’<br />
The oldest catering officer to have retrained was<br />
aged 62 and Mr Philipsen said everyone on the<br />
course had been very satisfied with the training.<br />
‘My view is that those who become captains will be<br />
good all-round seamen,’ he added.<br />
shortreports<br />
SWEDISH SLUMP: an official study of the<br />
Swedish maritime cluster paints a depressing picture,<br />
according to the SBF officers’ union. Supporting the<br />
grant-dependent cluster means an economic drain on<br />
the Swedish state, and bringing in an international<br />
register — with more shipping flagging in — would<br />
only make matters worse, the report claimed. The study<br />
says it is cheaper to use foreign crews and Swedish<br />
owners would be better off using other countries’<br />
national support schemes. Swedish officers will still be<br />
needed, but the government would be best off funding<br />
training on foreign-flagged ships rather than<br />
maintaining its own training support measures, it adds.<br />
NORWEGIAN WELCOME: maritime unions in<br />
Norway have welcomed a research report that sets out<br />
ways in which the country can help to ensure<br />
Norwegian jobs at sea on national terms and<br />
conditions. The study — which has been presented to<br />
industry minister Trond Giske — notes how it is<br />
common practice for countries to have rules restricting<br />
access by foreign-flagged ships to domestic trade or<br />
regulations designed to ensure equal rights for all<br />
seafarers, irrespective of nationality.<br />
COASTAL PLANS: the US government is<br />
considering a series of plans to boost coastal shipping<br />
and inland waterways. A shortlist of schemes has been<br />
drawn up after 35 requests for subsidies under the<br />
US$7m Marine Highway Program. Maritime<br />
administrator David Matsuda said: ‘These projects will<br />
help make better use of America’s marine resources by<br />
reducing costly gridlock, improving the environment,<br />
and putting skilled mariners and shipbuilders to work.’<br />
WATER WORK: Dutch electronics firm Philips has<br />
decided to use the Netherlands river system instead of<br />
the roads to carry goods between its distribution centre<br />
in Roosendal and Rotterdam following a pilot project<br />
with Maersk Line and the Port of Rotterdam. The move<br />
will save 80,000 road kilometres and reduce carbon<br />
dioxide emissions by 200 tonnes a year.<br />
ATTACK PROBED: the Israeli inquiry into the 30<br />
May attacks on humanitarian aid ships destined for<br />
Gaza has asked the Turkish master of the Mavi Marmara<br />
— onboard of which nine Turkish nationals were killed<br />
— to give evidence to the hearings. The commission is<br />
examining the legal aspects of the attack and will<br />
report to a UN group of experts.<br />
SPANISH SAFETY: Spanish unions have<br />
accused the country’s government of putting lives at risk<br />
with a package of cutbacks within the national<br />
maritime safety agency, Sasemar. They have warned<br />
that the cuts — which include the loss of more than 100<br />
jobs — will result in lower safety standards.<br />
ROTTERDAM BOOST: container traffic in<br />
Rotterdam — Europe’s biggest port — has bounced<br />
back to the levels of 2008, with a 14.8% increase in the<br />
first half of this year. The port has also had more calls by<br />
10,000TEU-plus containerships and handled its 100th<br />
ULCC in August.<br />
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16 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
YOUR LETTERS<br />
What’s on your mind<br />
Tell your colleagues in <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> – and the wider world of shipping. Keep your letter to a<br />
maximum 300 words if you can – though longer contributions will be considered. Use a pen name or just<br />
your membership number if you don’t want to be identified – say so in an accompanying note – but you<br />
must let the Telegraph have your name, address and membership number.<br />
Send your letter to the Editor, Telegraph, <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>, 750-760 High Road, Leytonstone,<br />
London E11 3BB, or use head office fax +44 (0)20 8530 1015, or email telegraph@nautilusint.org<br />
A ‘sea of red<br />
ensigns’ for<br />
MN tribute<br />
The poignant Sailors’ Society tribute at the Merchant Navy memorial<br />
The eleventh annual Merchant Navy Day was marked up and down the UK<br />
with a series of special events and ceremonies — including the ‘planting’<br />
of hundreds of red ensigns to make a ‘Sea of Remembrance’ at the MN<br />
memorial in Tower Hill, London.<br />
The ‘ensign-planting’ was organised by the Sailors’ Society and each<br />
flag carried a message from the donor. The charity also placed a wreath in<br />
tribute in the centre of the flags, which were laid following the Merchant<br />
Navy Association’s annual service at the site.<br />
Guest of honour at this year’s service was former First Sea Lord Admiral<br />
The Lord West of Spithead, while former shipping minister and Poplar<br />
& Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick read a greetings message from prime<br />
minister David Cameron. The service was conducted by Sailors’ Society<br />
principal chaplain Revd David Potterton, with other invited clergy and faith<br />
leaders taking part.<br />
Have your say online<br />
Last month we asked: Do you think there is a<br />
bullying problem at sea<br />
No<br />
34%<br />
Yes<br />
66%<br />
This month’s poll asks: Do you think lifeboats<br />
kill and injure more seafarers than they save<br />
Give us your views online, at nautilusint.org<br />
Shipmates<br />
Wish you’d kept in touch<br />
with that colleague<br />
from work<br />
visit www.nautilusint.<br />
org/time-out<br />
and click on Shipmates<br />
Reunited.<br />
We forget Nelson’s<br />
words at our peril<br />
On Merchant Navy Day,<br />
3 September, the Red Ensign was<br />
flying from some government and<br />
public buildings and I salute their<br />
consideration. But many public<br />
buildings were not flying the Red<br />
Duster. Why<br />
Our island nation seems to have<br />
forgotten about the Merchant Navy<br />
and its important part in bringing<br />
food to our table and essential<br />
goods to our homes. Ships carry<br />
about 92% of our international<br />
trade and 24% of internal trade goes<br />
by coastal shipping, thus relieving<br />
our busy, crowded roads and<br />
railways of freight.<br />
Some may say that the Merchant<br />
Navy is just another job, so why the<br />
national day I would remind them<br />
that 14,661 men of the Merchant<br />
Service were lost in the Great<br />
Battle of<br />
the sea<br />
was vital<br />
In the last few days the media has<br />
spent a considerable amount of time<br />
talking about the Battle of Britain<br />
and the RAF personnel that fought<br />
and died fighting the Luftwaffe. This<br />
subject is right and proper and our<br />
children should be made aware of the<br />
efforts made by their grandparents in<br />
the brave struggles to keep this land<br />
free.<br />
Now the thing that bothers me<br />
greatly is that during that period of<br />
time another Battle of Britain was<br />
being fought, and the men fighting it<br />
suffered terrible losses far worse than<br />
any of the three fighting services.<br />
The losses of those brave men were<br />
calculated as three in five — the other<br />
services were about one in 10. In real<br />
numbers, the fighting services were<br />
counted in hundreds of thousands. In<br />
the case of the Merchant Navy, they<br />
numbered only about 36,000.<br />
On Sunday 5 September the<br />
surviving veterans gathered near<br />
Tower Hill, London, at their memorial<br />
to honour those that were lost. I refer,<br />
of course, to the MN seamen, officers<br />
and men. But unfortunately there was<br />
no media coverage.<br />
Surely our children should be made<br />
aware of these brave people who died,<br />
went missing or were injured as they<br />
fought not only the human enemy but<br />
also the forces of nature that they fight<br />
every time they put to sea.<br />
Don’t be misled by the fact that we<br />
have the Channel tunnel — in times<br />
of conflict the enemy can destroy or<br />
block it very easily. Remember, we are<br />
an island nation and cannot survive<br />
without a merchant fleet and, for that<br />
matter, neither can the world.<br />
Capt T.J. SAX<br />
mem no 311993<br />
War and some 31,908 men of the<br />
Merchant Navy gave their lives in<br />
the Second World War. Nineteen<br />
merchant seamen were killed in the<br />
Falklands War of 1982.<br />
To be added to those figures<br />
are the thousands who died in<br />
accidents in the years and decades<br />
of peacetime sailing; I do not know<br />
the true number but it is likely, of<br />
course, to have been rather higher<br />
in the early years before 1914.<br />
All told, those figures mean that,<br />
on average, in the last century, at<br />
least one merchant seaman died<br />
every day; on average, nine to 10<br />
died every week. These chilling<br />
statistics are not those of any<br />
ordinary day-to-day job.<br />
Thus there’s every reason for our<br />
nation to mark Merchant Navy Day,<br />
both to acknowledge the sacrifice<br />
<br />
of some 50,000 Merchant Navy<br />
personnel in the last century and<br />
since, and to raise the profile of the<br />
maritime profession today.<br />
Indeed, the UK population has<br />
become sea-blind. Early signs are<br />
that the strategic defence review<br />
will give us a still smaller Royal<br />
Navy, with fewer ships. This will<br />
mean that the Navy’s important<br />
everyday task, in both peacetime<br />
and war, of policing the sea lanes,<br />
our nation’s lifelines, will be harder<br />
to do. Admiral Lord Nelson wrote, in<br />
1804: ‘I consider the protection of<br />
our trade the most essential service<br />
that can be performed.’<br />
We forget those wise words<br />
at our peril, for maritime piracy is<br />
a reality and not just the stuff of<br />
Hollywood.<br />
LESTER MAY (Lt Cdr RN)<br />
What value a degree<br />
This is a letter in response to the<br />
question posed by Lt Cdr Harry<br />
Dormer RD RNR Rtd in the September<br />
issue of the Telegraph, with reference<br />
to the time it takes to acquire a<br />
Master’s ticket.<br />
I am an engineer officer, but I will<br />
assume that the Master’s and Chief’s<br />
tickets are the ultimate maritime<br />
achievement and that our starting<br />
points began after completion of<br />
GCSEs. I should also mention I took<br />
the graduate entry route.<br />
So far it has taken me 17 years<br />
and I’m yet to complete my Class<br />
2 engineering ticket. The greatest<br />
problem I have faced is an institution<br />
called the IAMI, which has been<br />
employed by the MCA to scrutinise<br />
graduate entry candidates.<br />
Despite the fact that my<br />
engineering degree took five years,<br />
with a year’s industrial placement<br />
(which I undertook at a power<br />
Anchoring Systems and Procedures<br />
Oil Companies <strong>International</strong> Marine Forum<br />
station), and the comparative marine<br />
HND takes two years with one year<br />
industrial placement, the IAMI has<br />
seen fit to find every opportunity to<br />
discredit my qualification, to field<br />
exams which have 80% failure rates,<br />
and to present a plethora of trades<br />
tests.<br />
I am currently in the situation<br />
where my Class II ticket is being<br />
withheld by the MCA because the<br />
IAMI has deemed it necessary that<br />
I take two Scotvec level exams. So<br />
I see little difference between the<br />
treatment of a graduate and having<br />
no qualifications whatsoever.<br />
But let’s return to the original<br />
question posed by Mr Dormer. His<br />
view is that it takes eight years to<br />
acquire a master’s. At my current rate<br />
of progress, I’m simply not going to<br />
get as far as the chief’s ticket.<br />
ANDREW SCOTT B.Eng (hons)<br />
3OE<br />
Witherby Seamanship <strong>International</strong><br />
4 Dunlop Square, Livingston,<br />
Edinburgh, EH54 8SB,<br />
Scotland, UK<br />
Camden<br />
flies high<br />
The red ensign was flying high over<br />
the town hall in the London borough<br />
of Camden last month following a<br />
donation by a former Merchant Navy<br />
officer.<br />
Ex-engineer officer Jim Johnson<br />
presented a ‘three-yarder’ to the<br />
Mayor of Camden, Councillor<br />
Jonathan Simpson, so that Camden<br />
Council could mark Merchant Navy<br />
Day this year and in the future.<br />
Jim, a member of the Merchant<br />
Navy Association, served with the<br />
Pacific Steam Navigation Company<br />
and later worked for the Cunard Line.<br />
‘I hope that this Red Duster, flying on<br />
Merchant Navy Day this year, will serve<br />
to remind people of the importance<br />
of the sea to our island trading nation,<br />
and of the sacrifice of merchant<br />
mariners who served, and are now<br />
serving, in British ships at sea around<br />
the world,’ he said.<br />
‘The people of Camden are closer<br />
to the sea than they imagine, of<br />
course, with most UK international<br />
trade still going by sea.’<br />
We’re on<br />
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October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17<br />
YOUR LETTERS<br />
THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD<br />
Going overboard See the letter<br />
below, from Christian Rose<br />
We still<br />
have a<br />
long way<br />
to go...<br />
What is that story about plastic in<br />
the sea This is the cook cleaning<br />
up the leftovers and surely it<br />
would make the day of any Coast<br />
Guard Officer — and it had been<br />
going on for maybe weeks.<br />
It would seem that all the<br />
pamphlets and Marpol rules<br />
displayed in the galley are not<br />
getting to the core of the problem,<br />
which is total indifference and ‘all<br />
that bull... is not for me’. He was<br />
not even reported in the logbook<br />
because ‘it was only a few plastic<br />
bags in the Pacific’.<br />
Easy to lose hope.<br />
CHRISTIAN ROSE<br />
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Tel: 01737 353763<br />
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Reg Charity No 209776 Est 1865<br />
[ STAR LETTERS<br />
Cadet’s tragic death must<br />
lead to positive action<br />
Although long retired now, I<br />
regularly get the union’s mag and<br />
I am appalled as an ex-seafarer to<br />
read in the September issue of this<br />
poor young cadet’s rape and her<br />
being found dead over the side. She<br />
was alive at 1000hrs, but gone by<br />
1100hrs — very suspicious.<br />
With a Ukrainian chief officer<br />
on a British-flagged ship, I feel<br />
it is time to get all the world’s<br />
shipping companies to change their<br />
attitude to cadet training. I believe<br />
their sea time must now be done<br />
on a dedicated small passenger<br />
ship, sponsored by all companies<br />
worldwide, not on independent<br />
ships where this tragedy will occur<br />
again.<br />
I am certain we could find a ro-ro<br />
somewhere with a passenger ticket<br />
of 1,400 dedicated to international<br />
cadets. Cast your mind back to<br />
the school ships like Dunera,<br />
etc. It would need international<br />
cooperation and finance, but put<br />
a stop to the problems — it can be<br />
done.<br />
I hope <strong>Nautilus</strong> can promote<br />
this. It is my idea, but I hope it<br />
can be progressed as the training<br />
officers would be hand-picked and<br />
know how to handle young people!<br />
NIGEL SCHOFIELD<br />
Retired ETO+<br />
Maritime ‘co-pilots’<br />
can improve safety<br />
The new more targeted inspection<br />
regime enabled by the Port State<br />
Control Directive (2009/16/EC)<br />
should prove to be a much more<br />
successful tool in targeting those<br />
ships and operators who operate<br />
substandard vessels.<br />
For too long the old ‘quota’ system<br />
subjected responsible ship operators<br />
and their crews to unnecessary,<br />
burdensome inspections and the<br />
consequential workload that came<br />
with it.<br />
What I would now ask those<br />
signatories to the Paris MOU to<br />
consider is where a vessel has been<br />
The Red Duster — a flag to be proud<br />
of, or is it<br />
I’m somewhat disappointed by<br />
the low level of response by <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
to the death of the South African<br />
cadet Akohona Geveza onboard<br />
the UK-registered containership<br />
Safmarine Kariba.<br />
I think her tragic death and the<br />
allegations surrounding it required<br />
a more forceful approach: namely<br />
the general secretary requesting a<br />
meeting with senior government<br />
ministers and maybe even the PM.<br />
If the government wants to<br />
encourage ‘FoCs’, then it must also<br />
accept a duty of care towards those<br />
who sail upon them, especially the<br />
young and vulnerable cadets, no<br />
matter where any incident occurs.<br />
I have to agree with a lot of the<br />
comments made by the cadets in<br />
the <strong>Nautilus</strong> survey. The British<br />
(I use this term lightly) Merchant<br />
Navy is suffering from the use of an<br />
increasing number of seafarers who<br />
don’t speak English as their first<br />
language. To place cadets onboard<br />
such ships raises the risk of poor<br />
onboard training and could also<br />
result in an increase risk of personal<br />
injury.<br />
They need to be provided with<br />
good all-round training which<br />
should include accommodation and<br />
identified as a Category I High Risk<br />
Ship (HRS) under the Ship Risk Profile<br />
(SRP) calculator, due for or overdue<br />
a PSC inspection, that consideration<br />
should be given to requiring a suitably<br />
qualified deepsea pilot to board that<br />
vessel at the nearest safe embarkation<br />
point after entering European waters<br />
— thereby ensuring that it safely<br />
reaches its destination and that all<br />
risks to safety and the environment are<br />
minimised.<br />
Over the last few years the P&I<br />
clubs have at various times warned<br />
about a steep rise in ship accidents<br />
as global trade recovers and ships<br />
food whilst at college, like it used to<br />
be when I did mine in the late 70s/<br />
early 80s.<br />
MALCOLM O’NEILL<br />
Master Mariner<br />
mem no 160738<br />
General secretary<br />
Mark Dickinson replies:<br />
It is good that members are<br />
concerned about the circumstances<br />
surrounding the death of<br />
Akhona Geveza. Our response to<br />
the tragic incident was strong,<br />
and we have indeed requested<br />
meetings with senior government<br />
ministers. We have also raised<br />
the case through an emergency<br />
motion at the ITF Congress, we<br />
are in talks with the Chamber of<br />
Shipping, and we are working with<br />
union colleagues in South Africa<br />
and elsewhere to make sure the<br />
case is not swept under the carpet.<br />
We have worked to highlight the<br />
incident in the media, and we are<br />
also keeping pressure up on the<br />
authorities in the UK, Croatia<br />
and South Africa to ensure that the<br />
incident is properly investigated,<br />
that justice is done and lessons<br />
are learned to prevent a<br />
repeat.<br />
Seafarers simply need respect<br />
Several years ago I noticed that<br />
Danish seafarers who had completed<br />
40 years’ service were featured in<br />
the company’s magazine. Having<br />
completed a similar period myself,<br />
I asked the company what their policy<br />
was towards commemorating long<br />
service for British officers. Strangely,<br />
my request was ignored. Last month<br />
I retired after 44 years’ service; a gold<br />
clock might have been nice but instead<br />
all I received was a P45.<br />
In the national newspapers today<br />
it was reported that the head of Stena<br />
Line’s North Sea operation described<br />
Britons as ‘tattooed and fat’ and that<br />
our ‘young people do not want to go<br />
to sea any more — they don’t want to<br />
be away from home’. I would suggest<br />
to Stena Line and other foreign<br />
shipowners that all British seafarers<br />
expect from their employer is RESPECT.<br />
In my years at sea, I have always<br />
been immensely proud of my fellow<br />
British seafarers, both officers and<br />
ratings. OK, in the 60s and 70s, some<br />
ratings embraced the left-wing union<br />
politics more commonly associated<br />
with the likes of British Leyland<br />
workers, but when push came to<br />
shove, they were always there for their<br />
ship and shipmates. OK, some were fat<br />
and some were tattooed, some were<br />
even both, but that didn’t stop them<br />
being the most dedicated seafarers I<br />
ever had the pleasure of sailing with.<br />
The Royal Navy has absolutely<br />
no problem in recruiting seafarers,<br />
including those from the ethnic<br />
minorities and women. This is not so<br />
in the Merchant Navy, where potential<br />
recruits know their continued<br />
employment will be governed by<br />
their shipowners’ next quarterly<br />
results. Young people these days are<br />
fully aware that their potential as<br />
individuals will never be recognised by<br />
their shipowner. They will always be<br />
viewed as just a part of the expensive<br />
British-based workforce which, while<br />
valued for their professionalism,<br />
can always be replaced by workers<br />
from low-wage countries when the<br />
economy heads south.<br />
When one of my children finished<br />
a temporary six-week contract in an<br />
office recently, she was given a nice<br />
present and a leaving party. I feel that<br />
my daughter received more respect<br />
from her employer in six weeks than I<br />
did in 44 years.<br />
I’m not bitter but I am<br />
disappointed at the way things<br />
have changed over the years. When<br />
I first came to sea, captains and<br />
chief engineers were invited to take<br />
their wives with them on their final<br />
voyage. Agents at each port of call<br />
were notified in advance and were<br />
expected to make an occasion of their<br />
visits including presentations of gifts,<br />
media calls, and wining and dining. Of<br />
course, nobody expects these sorts of<br />
things these days but a simple letter of<br />
thanks would have been appreciated.<br />
A letter alone would have indicted<br />
RESPECT, something seafarers today<br />
are being conditioned not to expect.<br />
Of course, it could be that my<br />
employer was just a little narked about<br />
all the letters and articles I’ve written<br />
for the Telegraph and the shipping<br />
media over the years. If that is the<br />
case, retirement is not going to shut<br />
me up!<br />
PETER NEWTON<br />
mem no 158963<br />
return to European waters, asked us<br />
to consider an aviation style co-pilot<br />
approach to bridge manning and<br />
published figures showing a steep rise<br />
in claims.<br />
Well, now they have an opportunity<br />
to be proactive in the move to improve<br />
standards and reduce accidents by<br />
using a ready-made team of co-pilots<br />
(master mariners actually), ready<br />
to board these ships and contribute<br />
to the safety of navigation and the<br />
reduction in the risk of pollution.<br />
Capt NEIL DOYLE<br />
mem no 171914<br />
telegraph<br />
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yal Alfred 6 x 2.indd 1 20/2/09 14:17:46
18 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
YOUR LETTERS<br />
Private wrongs<br />
I recently received my copy of the August Telegraph,<br />
delayed in the post due to problems in Bangkok, and<br />
would like to make some observations.<br />
On page one we have the story under the<br />
headline, ‘Crew cabins aren’t private, court rules’.<br />
I would agree and also add that they never have<br />
been — rummagers of customs services worldwide<br />
have long entered crew cabins without permission<br />
and thoroughly searched them. The solution to Mr<br />
Alfaro-Moncada’s problem is to put his DVDs and<br />
notebook computer in the ship’s bond before arrival,<br />
which is then sealed by customs…<br />
On page nine we have the item, ‘Anchor appeal’<br />
and a picture of the port bow of the RFA Sir Percivale<br />
showing its anchor, a Meon Mk3, originally known as<br />
a Danforth and usually used on warships, dredgers<br />
and oil rigs. Thus I think it a pity that such an anchor<br />
be used as a centrepiece at the Merchant Navy<br />
John Prescott, top, and seafarers from an Arklow<br />
vessel, above, send the charity riders on their way<br />
Convoy Memorial Arboreum commemorating those<br />
who lost their lives in convoys and who would never<br />
have sailed in a ship using such an anchor. Surely a<br />
Hall’s Stockless (popular since the 1880s) or similar<br />
could have been found somewhere. (The anchor<br />
shown on page 15, a Stokes Bower Stockless type,<br />
was only patented in 1966).<br />
On page 10, under the heading ‘Master shore<br />
management at Warsash’, we have Dr Wendy Leeks<br />
saying: ‘It seems there is often a presumption that<br />
because someone has been a senior officer on a<br />
ship they can come ashore and go straight into<br />
management...’ How right she is. When I came<br />
ashore after being master a number of years I was<br />
put under the assistant operations manager and<br />
after I had taken a chair in his office he said: ‘You<br />
masters think you know all, but in fact you know<br />
damn all except how to load and navigate a ship.’<br />
Charity ride<br />
kicked off<br />
by Prescott<br />
Former deputy prime<br />
minister John Prescott<br />
has kicked off an ambitious<br />
round-Britain bike ride<br />
to raise money for the<br />
Apostleship of the Sea<br />
(AoS) and its work for<br />
seafarers.<br />
The charity ride — which<br />
aims to take in 60 towns in<br />
60 days — was launched at<br />
the Hull Seafarers’ Centre,<br />
with Lord Prescott joining<br />
the Lord Mayor of Hull and<br />
visiting ships’ crews to send<br />
the team of cyclists on their<br />
way.<br />
Lord Prescott told the<br />
team: ‘I used to be known<br />
as “two Jags”. I had a<br />
government car which was<br />
a Jag and I had my own old<br />
Jag, but what most people<br />
don’t know is that Raleigh<br />
gave me a bicycle and it too<br />
was a “Jaguar” — so then I<br />
Giving you a voice on your future<br />
had three Jags!’<br />
The riders are being<br />
led by AoS trustee Captain<br />
David Savage, who<br />
took up cycling in 2005<br />
when working in London<br />
for the Oil Companies<br />
<strong>International</strong> Marine<br />
Forum. ‘I’m raising money<br />
for Apostleship of the<br />
Sea for several reasons,<br />
but most importantly the<br />
feeling of injustice towards<br />
seafarers,’ he said. ‘They<br />
often end up below the<br />
horizon, working in harsh<br />
conditions with low pay.’<br />
The AoS riders are<br />
seeking to raise £100,000<br />
through their efforts.<br />
fFind out more<br />
and donate online at<br />
www.justgiving.com/<br />
seawheeling or visit the<br />
blog: http://seawheeling.<br />
blogspot.com<br />
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Oceanair House, 750-760 High Road, Leytonstone, London E11 3BB<br />
t +44 (0)20 8989 6677 f +44 (0)20 8530 1015<br />
npa@nautilusint.org www.nautilusint.org<br />
Finally, on crew manning, several years ago<br />
as a surveyor I frequently carried out condition<br />
surveys for P&I clubs and never once did I sight a<br />
manning certificate indicating that a cook be carried<br />
onboard, whereas when I first went to sea in 1949<br />
a cook, duly certificated, was essential except only<br />
on the smallest of ships. Also on the question of<br />
manning — or under-manning really — that obliges<br />
officers to work very long hours, there used to a be a<br />
system of watchkeeping known as ‘Norwegian-style<br />
watches’ which divided the ‘day’ into five periods<br />
rather than the standard four hour watches dividing<br />
the ‘day’ into six periods. These were 0800h-1300h,<br />
1300h-1900h, 1900h-2400h, 0000h-0400h,<br />
0400h-0800h. If officers have to work longer hours,<br />
possibly this system could be used.<br />
Capt W.R. WOMERSLEY<br />
mem no 310660<br />
Debate!<br />
Have something<br />
to talk about with<br />
others at sea<br />
Members can take<br />
part in our seafarers’<br />
discussion forum.<br />
Visit www.nautilusint.<br />
org/Time-Out and<br />
click on Debate<br />
‘Committed people working for safe,<br />
secure and clean seas’ as the theme<br />
of World Maritime Day is appropriate,<br />
but it should be remembered that<br />
commitment always starts from top.<br />
It is imperative that all concerned<br />
parties first realise their own<br />
commitment level towards seafarers.<br />
At present seafarers are being<br />
treated as casual labourers and<br />
lack of commitment on the part of<br />
employers is simply filtering down to<br />
the employees.<br />
Contracts stating words like ‘No<br />
payment shall be made for leave<br />
period’ are common. There are still<br />
many employers who do not insure<br />
their crew sufficiently for injury, death<br />
or disability, in order to cut down on<br />
operating costs.<br />
Standards at sea will continue to<br />
decline unless there is an enforceable<br />
minimum standard of crew wages<br />
and welfare. Presently a young person<br />
with three good A-levels can earn<br />
ashore as much on a 40-hour working<br />
week as does a third officer working<br />
at sea on a 80-hour working week.<br />
Hence he will be out of his mind to<br />
choose a seafaring profession.<br />
Most of the jobs at sea are now<br />
offered on a contract basis and<br />
there is no reason why international<br />
authorities such as ILO/IMO cannot<br />
come up with a minimum standard<br />
contract of employment specifying<br />
clauses such as work tenure/leave<br />
ratio, working hours, injury/death<br />
compensation and other benefits<br />
guaranteed for shore workers, which<br />
all seafarers certainly deserve.<br />
Further, inspection of these<br />
contracts should become a routine<br />
part of port state/IMO/ILO and oil<br />
major inspections so that rogue<br />
employers can be forced out of<br />
shipping by enforceable regulations<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong>/ITF inspector Chris<br />
Jones was among the guests<br />
at the formal reopening of the<br />
refurbished facilities at the Queen<br />
Victoria Seamen’s Rest<br />
Facelift for<br />
Queen Vic<br />
Pictured above right is Queen Victoria Seamen’s Rest resident former<br />
seafarer David Stannard and QVSR chief executive Alexander Campbell at<br />
the official opening of refurbished facilities at the residential and welfare<br />
centre in east London.<br />
The improvements have enhanced the facilities offered at the Queen<br />
Vic, which is based in East India Dock Road, and will allow the organisation<br />
to further develop its welfare work among seafarers and their families,<br />
which it has been carrying out for more than 165 years.<br />
‘We would like to extend an invitation to anyone who is in the area to<br />
come and visit the new Queen Vic and see at first hand the improvements<br />
we have made to our facilities,’ said Mr Campbell.<br />
MLC has failed us<br />
as other measures have failed thus far.<br />
Unfortunately MLC 2006, the<br />
so called Bill of Rights, has failed to<br />
address seafarers’ concerns. New<br />
regulations were expected to bring<br />
seafarers’ working conditions in line<br />
with shore employees. However MLC<br />
2006 requires flag states to regulate<br />
either work hours (maximum<br />
72 hours per week) or rest hours<br />
(minimum 77 hours per week).<br />
Most of the flags of convenience<br />
will obviously choose the minimum<br />
77-hour rest option, which in effect<br />
means up to a 91-hour working week.<br />
Similarly, minimum leave for<br />
seafarers is being stipulated as 2.5<br />
days per month, the same as shore<br />
employees. However, seafarers rarely<br />
get any Saturdays or Sundays off. MLC<br />
should have included compensation<br />
for such worked weekends as<br />
additional paid leave.<br />
Even though MLC mentions 48<br />
hours per week as normal hours<br />
of work and one day rest per week<br />
rest, this has no relation to realities<br />
at sea as consolidated pay means<br />
all compensation for extra work is<br />
included in the wages, irrespective of<br />
hours worked.<br />
Sharing a room without privacy<br />
for six months with a person whose<br />
work/rest pattern may even be<br />
different should not be permitted in<br />
the 21st century.<br />
mem no 174875<br />
Crew clothing for a perfect performance<br />
For more information on how we can dress your crew<br />
T +44 (0)23 8033 3771 E sales@miller-rayner.co.uk W www.miller-rayner.co.uk
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 19<br />
SAFETY AT SEA<br />
Some 2,300 passengers on<br />
the Jewel of the Seas took<br />
part in the latest Project<br />
Safeguard trials<br />
Order, order!<br />
Spotlight on<br />
evacuation<br />
EU-funded research into passenger responses in an emergency could help<br />
to rewrite the international evacuation rules for cruiseships and ferries…<br />
A<br />
The phenomenal growth<br />
of the passenger shipping<br />
industry over the<br />
past 20 years has been matched<br />
by massive increases in the capacity<br />
of cruiseships and ferries —<br />
in turn generating growing<br />
concerns about safety.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has been among a<br />
number of organisations highlighting<br />
the potential problems<br />
of evacuating vessels carrying as<br />
many people as a small town and<br />
providing suitable search and<br />
rescue resources — often in<br />
remote areas.<br />
A three-year European Unionfunded<br />
research project — Safeguard<br />
— is now under way in an<br />
attempt to address some of these<br />
concerns. And, as part of this work,<br />
a research team led by the University<br />
of Greenwich recently carried<br />
out what must surely rank as one<br />
of the biggest-ever experiments<br />
in ship evacuation and safety procedures.<br />
The University’s fire safety<br />
engineering group staged what<br />
was described as a unique and historic<br />
trial onboard the 90,090gt<br />
Royal Caribbean vessel Jewel of<br />
the Seas, in which more than<br />
2,300 passengers took part in a<br />
‘live’ assembly drill while at sea.<br />
Passengers’ response times<br />
once the evacuation alarm<br />
sounded were measured by 100<br />
video cameras — which included<br />
CCTV, fish-eye, digital and analogue<br />
cameras — carefully positioned<br />
by the research team.<br />
Passengers also wore specially<br />
developed infra-red tracking tags<br />
throughout the half-hour exercise,<br />
which allowed researchers to<br />
locate each person’s exact movements<br />
and reconstruct the paths<br />
passengers took as they made<br />
their way around the ship to the<br />
various muster points onboard.<br />
Professor Ed Galea, head of the<br />
research team, said the findings<br />
could help to set the benchmark<br />
for future regulation. ‘This assembly<br />
trial was unique in several<br />
aspects, as we collected data from<br />
a large cruiseship, during a virtually<br />
unannounced assembly drill<br />
and while we were actually at sea,’<br />
he explained.<br />
‘The research measured realistic<br />
response times to the alarm, at<br />
a time when 2,300 passengers were<br />
spread over 12 decks. Although<br />
passengers had been told the day<br />
before that we would be doing<br />
a drill, they were largely unprepared<br />
— in their staterooms, in<br />
the bars, in the gym, in the shops,<br />
restaurants and elsewhere — as<br />
the alarm sounded.<br />
‘All of this represents a significant<br />
difference from a typical<br />
assembly trial, which is heavily<br />
announced beforehand, which<br />
takes place before the ship sails,<br />
and where many of the passengers<br />
are already at the assembly<br />
points simply waiting for the drill<br />
to begin.’<br />
The trial onboard Jewel of the<br />
Seas was the third carried out by<br />
the University of Greenwich team.<br />
Two took place last year onboard<br />
a Color Line ferry with 900 passengers<br />
onboard, while two more<br />
will take place early next year<br />
onboard a Minoan Lines ferry that<br />
carries passengers in cabins.<br />
All of the data collected in these<br />
trials will be used to assess how<br />
long it takes passengers to react<br />
to the alarm being sounded and<br />
to start to move to a muster station.<br />
Researchers will also analyse<br />
the way in which they get to muster<br />
points, and the factors that<br />
influence their actions — such as<br />
whether they are in their cabin,<br />
Top: passengers move to the muster stations onboard<br />
Jewel of the Seas. Above: members of the Project<br />
Safeguard research team Pictures: University of<br />
Greenwich<br />
eating a meal, or in a group.<br />
‘When you measure all the<br />
response times for different activities<br />
you get a distribution and we<br />
have found quite significant difference<br />
in response times,’ Prof<br />
Galea said.<br />
The €3.5m Safeguard project is<br />
also using computer simulations<br />
to evaluate the effectiveness of<br />
Tagged: specially-developed infra-red tracking devices<br />
used in the trials Picture: University of Greenwich<br />
“<br />
Nothing on this<br />
scale is likely to be<br />
attempted again<br />
”<br />
existing ship evacuation models<br />
and the results should help to<br />
determine whether <strong>International</strong><br />
Maritime Organisation policies<br />
need to be changed.<br />
The project involves partners<br />
from countries including the UK,<br />
France, Norway, Finland, Greece<br />
and Canada. As well as the University<br />
of Greenwich, its members<br />
include the BMT Group, Principia,<br />
Safety at Sea, Bureau Veritas, the<br />
Marine Institute of Canada, Royal<br />
Caribbean <strong>International</strong>, Color<br />
Line and Minoan Lines.<br />
Safeguard builds on earlier<br />
research work — the Fire Exit<br />
project — which demonstrated<br />
that the response time data used<br />
as the basis for the IMO evacuation<br />
analysis protocol was not<br />
rich enough to accurately represent<br />
reality and failed to provide a<br />
suitable basis either for the use of<br />
evacuation simulation programs<br />
or for their validation.<br />
By developing this research<br />
further and obtaining detailed<br />
data on passenger response times<br />
and assembly times, Project<br />
Safeguard aims to result in an<br />
improved new version of the<br />
existing IMO circular, 1238.<br />
Prof Galea said that the scale of<br />
the operation onboard the Jewel<br />
of the Seas was vast. The exercise<br />
required nine months of planning,<br />
while at least six months<br />
will also be needed for frameby-frame<br />
analysis of the video<br />
footage, to measure the reaction<br />
times of passengers as they made<br />
their way to assembly points.<br />
Questionnaires filled in by passengers<br />
onboard at the time of the<br />
drill will also provide extra data<br />
for the researchers to analyse.<br />
The intense preparation paid<br />
off, however, as nearly all passengers<br />
cooperated with the<br />
assembly drill and wore their tags<br />
throughout the exercise. ‘We had<br />
been worried that ship operators<br />
might think we would annoy the<br />
passengers, but what we found<br />
was quite the opposite,’ Prof Galea<br />
told the Telegraph.<br />
‘They were extremely supportive<br />
and quite a lot came up<br />
to us and thanked us for doing it<br />
and looking after their safety,’ he<br />
added. ‘The senior members of<br />
the crew that we dealt with were<br />
also really helpful and behind<br />
what we are doing, and without<br />
their cooperation we could not<br />
have done what we did.’<br />
Tracy Murrell, Royal Caribbean’s<br />
director of maritime safety<br />
and compliance, commented: ‘We<br />
are extremely pleased with the<br />
success of the exercise onboard<br />
Jewel of the Seas. The shipboard<br />
team embraced the spirit of<br />
the exercise and assisted in all<br />
aspects to ensure flawless execution.<br />
Royal Caribbean is proud<br />
to be part of the ongoing efforts<br />
to improve safety onboard passenger<br />
ships and looks forward to<br />
learning from the results of the<br />
project.’<br />
Prof Galea described the<br />
work onboard Jewel of the Seas<br />
as ‘exhausting and exciting’ and<br />
said the results will be far-reaching.<br />
‘The response time data and<br />
the validation data we collected<br />
from the project is truly unique,<br />
and will help set an international<br />
standard for ship-based evacuation<br />
models in the future.<br />
‘Nothing on this scale is likely<br />
to be attempted again,’ he added.<br />
‘The research conducted by the<br />
Safeguard team will help shape<br />
future maritime law and, ultimately,<br />
by informing the design<br />
of better and safer ships, will help<br />
save lives.’
20 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
TRADE UNIONS<br />
Classroom struggle<br />
Trade union members from across<br />
the UK descended on a little Norfolk<br />
village last month to celebrate the<br />
anniversary of the start of what went<br />
on to be the longest strike in Britain’s<br />
history. MITCH HOWARD reports…<br />
a<br />
When Kitty and Tom<br />
Higdon, the teachers at<br />
Burston village school,<br />
were sacked on trumped-up<br />
charges on 1 April 1914 their pupils<br />
were no fools. They came out<br />
on strike to get their teachers<br />
reinstated.<br />
Led by Violet Potter playing<br />
her concertina, the children<br />
marched through the village<br />
and surrounding lanes behind<br />
a banner declaring: ‘Justice. We<br />
want our teachers back.’<br />
So began the Burston strike<br />
school — the longest strike in<br />
history. For 15 years virtually all<br />
the village children attended the<br />
Norfolk village’s alternative school,<br />
set up by the Higdons and parents<br />
and supported by trade union<br />
branches throughout Britain.<br />
It is a remarkable story which<br />
was all but forgotten outside of<br />
Norfolk until 1984 when a rally<br />
marked the 70th anniversary<br />
of the strike. The rally is now<br />
an annual event, held on the<br />
first Sunday in September and<br />
organised by the union Unite and<br />
the South East region of the TUC.<br />
a<br />
The old school building is now a museum<br />
Headmistress Kitty<br />
Higdon and husband<br />
Tom, the assistant<br />
teacher, started at Burston, near<br />
Diss, in 1911. They complained<br />
about conditions in the school,<br />
particularly damp and poor<br />
heating, while Tom upset the local<br />
squirearchy by recruiting men<br />
into the agricultural workers’<br />
union.<br />
Both fell out with the rector,<br />
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Former MP Tony Benn arrives in traditional style Pictures: Peter Smith<br />
also chairman of the school<br />
managers, who Tom defeated in<br />
the 1913 local council election.<br />
Then the school managers<br />
accused Kitty of lighting a fire<br />
without permission (to dry the<br />
clothes of children who had<br />
walked miles in the rain) as<br />
well as gross discourtesy when<br />
reprimanded and beating two<br />
Barnardo’s girls.<br />
A Norfolk education<br />
committee inquiry ignored the<br />
fire incident and declared the<br />
beating not proven, but gave the<br />
Higdons notice for discourtesy to<br />
the managers.<br />
After their dismissal and the<br />
children’s strike, lessons were held<br />
on the village green and parents<br />
were fined for not sending their<br />
children to the official church<br />
school.<br />
A national appeal raised funds<br />
for a new building and on 13 May<br />
1917, thanks to donations from<br />
miners’ and railway workers’<br />
unions, trades councils and<br />
Independent Labour Party<br />
branches, the children’s leader<br />
Violet Potter declared the new<br />
school open. It continued until<br />
1939 when Tom Higdon died and<br />
Kitty could not carry on alone. She<br />
died in 1946.<br />
a<br />
This year’s rally saw<br />
2,000 union members<br />
and their families gather<br />
on the village green next to the<br />
school, now a museum dedicated<br />
to the strike, to celebrate the<br />
events that took place nearly 100<br />
years ago — and to have a good<br />
day out.<br />
Volunteers from the presentday<br />
village school served homemade<br />
pies, sandwiches and<br />
cakes, while elsewhere you could<br />
sample locally-made pastel de<br />
nata (Portuguese custard tarts),<br />
organic ice cream, and real ale.<br />
You could take your pick of<br />
campaign, union and community<br />
stalls, browse the bookstalls, listen<br />
to music from Diss High School<br />
Soul Band and Red Flags, or enjoy<br />
the dialectical patter and tricks of<br />
‘Marxist magician’ Ian Saville.<br />
At the head of a march following<br />
the steps of the schoolchildren in<br />
1914 was a horse-drawn farm cart<br />
with a distinguished passenger —<br />
veteran campaigner Tony Benn,<br />
who showed he has lost none of<br />
his fire.<br />
‘Kitty and Tom Higdon fought<br />
for basic rights. We need their<br />
example to inspire us now,’ he<br />
told the rally. ‘We have to preserve<br />
our confidence in what we want<br />
— jobs, pensions, homes, health,<br />
security in old age. These are<br />
things our society can afford if<br />
we share the wealth fairly. The<br />
coalition government is just<br />
Thatcherism reappeared. We<br />
must stand together in solidarity<br />
and fight for what we believe is<br />
just.’<br />
The general secretaries of the<br />
two main teaching unions —<br />
Christine Blower from the NUT<br />
and Chris Keates of the NASUWT<br />
— and Unite assistant general<br />
secretary Len McCluskey also drew<br />
on the Higdons as inspiration<br />
for today’s fight to defend pubic<br />
services and jobs.<br />
Labour leadership contenders<br />
Diane Abbot and Ed Balls made an<br />
unexpected cameo appearance,<br />
standing side-by-side on the<br />
stage to deliver brief words of<br />
encouragement.<br />
a<br />
Meanwhile, in the quiet<br />
of the churchyard next<br />
to the green, Geoff<br />
Higdon, a descendant of Kitty and<br />
Tom Higdon, laid flowers on their<br />
graves. His daughter Natasha<br />
Higdon, a drama teacher in<br />
Ipswich, was with him. ‘Teaching<br />
must be in the Higdon blood,’ he<br />
said. ‘My niece Alice Higdon is a<br />
teacher as well.’<br />
Also at the rally was Ann May<br />
Potter, niece of the strike leader<br />
Violet Potter. ‘I was brought up<br />
“<br />
The Higdons fought<br />
for basic rights<br />
”<br />
and lived in Burston during and<br />
after the war until I was 13 and was<br />
totally imbued with the strike<br />
school,’ she recalled.<br />
Her father, Tom Potter,<br />
was named after Tom Higdon,<br />
attended the strike school and<br />
was a tenant farmer until he took<br />
over the village post office and<br />
stores. He was a parish and district<br />
councillor for many years.<br />
‘The Higdons were a great<br />
influence on my father who was<br />
both a humanist and communist,’<br />
said Ann. ‘He believed in people<br />
having equal rights.<br />
‘He had a great love of<br />
literature and a store of poetry he<br />
had learned from Mrs Higdon. He<br />
loved singing and I am sure this<br />
came from Mrs Higdon’s love of<br />
music.’<br />
Both personally and politically,<br />
the legacy of the Higdons and the<br />
Potters lives on in Burston and<br />
beyond.<br />
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Listening to speeches at the Burston Strike School rally
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 21<br />
SEAFARER SAYINGS<br />
Charity minding<br />
your language<br />
w<br />
Britain’s long maritime<br />
heritage has helped to<br />
enrich the English language<br />
with a remarkable range of<br />
words and phrases that originated<br />
at sea.<br />
From giving someone a wide<br />
berth, to getting carried away, letting<br />
the cat out of the bag, being<br />
taken aback or starting with a<br />
clean slate, people routinely tap<br />
into this rich seam of nautical<br />
expressions.<br />
Now, to mark international<br />
Year of the Seafarer, the Royal<br />
Alfred Seafarers’ Society has<br />
launched an initiative designed<br />
to capture modern-day seafaring<br />
sayings, which will form part of<br />
the maritime linguistic inheritance<br />
that we perhaps unknowingly<br />
use every day.<br />
And the charity needs your<br />
help. It is calling on serving and<br />
retired members of the Merchant<br />
Navy, Royal Navy, fishing vessel<br />
crews and port workers to get<br />
involved in the ‘Royal Alfred Gung<br />
Ho Language Workshop’ and send<br />
in the modern words and sayings<br />
they use in everyday language,<br />
inspired by their time at sea.<br />
The Royal Alfred has teamed<br />
up with the author of the naval<br />
slang and jargon guide ‘Jackspeak’<br />
to develop the project. Former RN<br />
Surgeon-Captain Rick Jolly will be<br />
using the material to produce a<br />
new compendium of modern<br />
nautical terms for the next edition<br />
of his book.<br />
‘The beauty of nautical language,<br />
just like all language, is that<br />
it is constantly evolving,’ said<br />
Capt Jolly, who also spent six years<br />
with the Merchant Navy, including<br />
with Saga Shipping and<br />
onboard RMS Saint Helena.<br />
‘Shaped by changing times<br />
and technologies, the expressions<br />
Your words can win!<br />
The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society<br />
needs your help to support its<br />
nautical language project — and<br />
you can win a book by assisting the<br />
charity.<br />
You may know your caboose<br />
from your caboosh, your fid from<br />
your fiddle, your soojie moojie<br />
from your shuff duff, but the charity<br />
wants to know what you consider<br />
to be the best words in nautical<br />
language today.<br />
Telegraph readers are invited<br />
to send in modern nautical sayings<br />
and be entered into a prize draw<br />
to win one of three signed copies<br />
of Jackspeak, written by former<br />
maritime medic and author Dr Rick<br />
Jolly.<br />
The Royal Alfred has teamed<br />
up with the naval slang and jargon<br />
expert to celebrate the diversity of<br />
nautical language and to find even<br />
more unique sayings and words<br />
for a forthcoming new edition of<br />
Jackspeak. They are particularly<br />
Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society sets<br />
up new initiative to safeguard the<br />
terminology of the sea…<br />
An illustration from Rick Jolly’s book on maritime words and phrases<br />
used often carry that classic mariner<br />
sense of humour — inherent<br />
in sayings such as “kecks” which<br />
are underpants (or trousers in<br />
Liverpool!) and “spondoolicks”, a<br />
19th century word for money!<br />
‘Projects like this are vital in<br />
preserving the significance and<br />
awareness of nautical language<br />
and we look forward to hearing<br />
from today’s seafarers who may<br />
interested in<br />
hearing about the new words and<br />
sayings you and your colleagues use<br />
that may have been influenced by<br />
changing times and technologies<br />
from 1990 to the present day.<br />
The words and phrases you<br />
send will form part of the charity’s<br />
have their own “first rate” suggestions<br />
or may really “know the<br />
ropes” when it comes to modernday<br />
sailor speak,’ he added.<br />
The Society canvassed its<br />
retired seafarers at its Weston<br />
Acres Estate nursing and residential<br />
home in Surrey to reveal their<br />
favourite phrases coined from a<br />
life at sea. Most of these have<br />
passed into metaphorical usage,<br />
compendium of modern-day terms<br />
to be considered for the new edition<br />
of Dr Jolly’s book.<br />
g To enter, email: nauticaltalk@<br />
acceleris-mc.com or post your<br />
words and sayings (a maximum<br />
of three per person), to: Nautical<br />
Talk, Acceleris Marketing<br />
Communications, Town Centre<br />
House, Cheltenham Crescent,<br />
Harrogate HG1 1DQ<br />
Closing date is Friday 22 October<br />
2010 — and the prize draw winners<br />
will be announced in the Telegraph.<br />
gYou can also order a signed copy<br />
of Jackspeak: a guide to British Naval<br />
Slang and Usage, by Dr Rick Jolly<br />
OBE, for just £10 including p&p — a<br />
saving of £2.50. Send a cheque or<br />
postal order for £10 to Palamando<br />
Publishing, PO Box 42, Torpoint,<br />
Cornwall, PL11 2YR, marking your<br />
order ‘<strong>Nautilus</strong> Telegraph Offer’.<br />
The author will personalise copies<br />
being bought as gifts on request.<br />
with their nautical origins virtually<br />
forgotten by the wider public.<br />
Some of the favourites<br />
included:<br />
1. The cat’s out of the bag — originates<br />
from the instrument of<br />
punishment in the Old Navy, the<br />
‘cat o’nine tails’. It would be taken<br />
out of its special storage bag<br />
before a flogging<br />
2. Brass monkeys — originates<br />
from the saying ‘cold enough to<br />
freeze the balls off a brass monkey’.<br />
Freezing temperatures would<br />
cause the brass monkey, a plate<br />
beside each gun on a ship to hold<br />
iron cannon balls, to contract and<br />
some of the balls to fall off<br />
3. Batten down — meaning to prepare<br />
for trouble or bad weather,<br />
originating from ships ‘battening<br />
down the hatches’ when bad<br />
weather was expected<br />
4. Splice the mainbrace! — the<br />
order given on ships for everyone<br />
onboard to enjoy an additional<br />
serving of rum as part of a traditional<br />
naval celebration. Nowadays<br />
this is used to describe a toast<br />
to royalty<br />
5. Three sheets to the wind — originates<br />
from an old description of a<br />
square sail flapping almost<br />
uncontrollably in the wind; now<br />
often used to describe an inebriated<br />
person<br />
Commander Brian Boxall-<br />
Hunt, chief executive of the Society,<br />
said: ‘Seafarers do literally<br />
have their own language, which is<br />
LEGAL<br />
evident every time our residents<br />
socialise together. But it’s astounding<br />
how much of this language is<br />
used by everyone — every day.<br />
‘This heritage must not be lost<br />
or forgotten, which is why we are<br />
embracing today’s generations of<br />
seafarers alongside the generation<br />
we care for at our residence in<br />
Surrey, to take that understanding<br />
to the wider public and celebrate<br />
it,’ he added.<br />
www.nautiluslegal.org<br />
Legal Helpline<br />
0800 9 87 88 88<br />
(Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm)<br />
For out of hours and emergency shipping enquiries please continue to call your present contact<br />
Your <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> membership entitles you and your immediate family<br />
to a full range of legal services provided by specialist lawyers.<br />
z Accident Claims<br />
z Clinical (Medical) Negligence<br />
z Family Law<br />
z Housing Advice<br />
z Personal Insolvency<br />
z Discounted Residential<br />
Conveyancing<br />
Members Email: member@nautiluslegal.org<br />
Royal Alfred chief executive Cdr Brian Boxall-Hunt says it is important for<br />
the public to understand their maritime heritage<br />
z<br />
z<br />
z<br />
z<br />
z<br />
Standard Single Will<br />
Standard Mirror Will<br />
Lasting Power of Attorney<br />
Disease Claims<br />
Employment Law Claims<br />
Family Email: family@nautiluslegal.org
22 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
MEMBERS AT WORK<br />
Thames<br />
work is<br />
London<br />
calling<br />
Thames Clippers launched with one boat in 1999<br />
and now carries more than 7,000 passengers a day<br />
w<br />
The Thames is liquid history<br />
— so said trade<br />
unionist John Burns in<br />
1929, who was MP for Battersea<br />
on the south bank of the river.<br />
Today, the tide of history is about<br />
to turn again on the Thames as<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> looks poised to gain bargaining<br />
rights for members that<br />
work on it.<br />
Following positive talks last<br />
month with passenger boat operator<br />
Thames Clippers, <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
industrial officer Jonathan<br />
Havard has been preparing a draft<br />
memorandum of understanding<br />
to send to management. The Union<br />
is also stepping up its recruitment<br />
drive at the company.<br />
‘We have a majority of masters<br />
in membership. So we could legitimately<br />
go for collective bargaining<br />
rights for masters and have a<br />
strong case,’ Mr Havard informs<br />
the Telegraph. ‘What we don’t yet<br />
have, although it’s increasing all<br />
the time, is a majority among the<br />
other grades.’<br />
The other grades comprise<br />
mates, among whom <strong>Nautilus</strong> is<br />
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MIKE GERBER meets the members who are maintaining a long<br />
tradition of passenger services on London’s river…<br />
also close to claiming majority<br />
membership, deckhands, and<br />
CSAs (customer service assistants)<br />
who may work on boats or<br />
ashore. Although CSAs are in a<br />
separate line of promotion to the<br />
boatmen grades, several CSAs<br />
have also joined the Union.<br />
Both masters and mates are<br />
qualified watermen, to use the<br />
generic term. In the time-honoured<br />
waterways’ lexicon, watermen<br />
are the boat workers that<br />
carry passengers, whereas those<br />
employed on cargo riverboats are<br />
known as lightermen.<br />
Since a 1555 Act of Parliament<br />
established the Company of<br />
Watermen & Lightermen guild,<br />
this body has administered the<br />
apprenticeship schemes, following<br />
successful completion of<br />
which one becomes a freeman of<br />
the Company.<br />
To become a master, one must<br />
qualify for the national boatmaster’s<br />
licence (BML). This came into<br />
force in 2007 and covers all the<br />
country’s inland waterways,<br />
bringing the UK into line with rest<br />
of the EU.<br />
As seen in the August Telegraph,<br />
which covered the Doggett’s<br />
Coat and Badge Race — the<br />
rowing contest organised annually<br />
for newly-qualified Thames<br />
watermen and lightermen —<br />
many who work on London’s river<br />
are following a long family tradition.<br />
w<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> member Dean<br />
Pettipher, 23, who finished<br />
second in the race,<br />
and who is now a Thames Clippers<br />
master, took his apprenticeship<br />
under his grandfather Reuben.<br />
The family connection goes<br />
back four generations, as Dean’s<br />
father, also named Reuben,<br />
explained to the Telegraph: ‘My<br />
grandfather and great-grandfather,<br />
they were on the river carrying<br />
lighterage to London, in and<br />
out the barges and tugs, and on<br />
the shipping side towing ships,<br />
barges and steamtugs up through<br />
London docks.’<br />
During his apprenticeship,<br />
Dean also worked for other<br />
Thames operators — Catamaran<br />
Cruises, Bateaux London, City<br />
Cruise, and Capital Pleasure Boats.<br />
But, he added, ‘Thames Clippers is<br />
my favourite company to work for<br />
— I’ve been there for about four<br />
years.’<br />
Those rooting for Dean on the<br />
Emma Crompton<br />
day included a number of Dean’s<br />
colleagues. ‘I don’t come from a<br />
river background as such,’ said<br />
Matt Parish, 27. ‘But my dad knew<br />
my boss and that’s how I got into<br />
it. I did a four and a half year<br />
apprenticeship and I’ve been a<br />
captain for three and a half years.’<br />
When Matt started in 2002/03,<br />
there were only three boats in the<br />
Clippers’ fleet, but now he says<br />
there’s 14. ‘And we need more,’ he<br />
adds. ‘It’s getting busier because<br />
people are realising it’s a better<br />
way to either commute or to<br />
transport goods into London. And<br />
it’s good to see, because the river<br />
was such a vital part of London’s<br />
history — what with all the<br />
wharves, it still is.<br />
‘But it had a bit of a lull, and<br />
now it’s getting back up there<br />
again and it’s good to see there’s<br />
more lighterage and aggregate<br />
companies doing more to get stuff<br />
into London, I think it’s brilliant.’<br />
w<br />
Dean Pettipher and his grandfather Reuben<br />
Emma Crompton, who<br />
turns 26 next month, is<br />
already a <strong>Nautilus</strong> member.<br />
A captain, she has worked for<br />
Clippers for three years. Previously<br />
she worked for a Thames<br />
company that teaches sailing. At<br />
Clippers, she started as a mate. ‘I<br />
was a mate for a year, then I was<br />
asked to attend a five-week training<br />
course to get my captain’s<br />
licence.’<br />
Emma is the only female captain<br />
on the river. ‘There have been<br />
a few before me and there are<br />
more up and coming. We’ve got<br />
two female apprentices at Thames<br />
Clippers at the minute.’
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 23<br />
MEMBERS AT WORK<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> rep Graeme Faulkner and first officer Ben Gordon<br />
Several Thames Carriers’ boatmasters<br />
have Merchant Navy<br />
experience, including <strong>Nautilus</strong> rep<br />
Graeme Faulkner. ‘My career started<br />
on the river, based at Gravesend<br />
supplying fresh water to ships visiting<br />
and trading in the Thames<br />
— days when we had a Merchant<br />
Navy and the river was still used.<br />
‘I was apprenticed to my father<br />
and bound to the company of<br />
waterman and lightermen. During<br />
my apprenticeship I was fortunate<br />
to be able to operate near<br />
coastal waters as well as the river.<br />
‘After gaining my freedom of<br />
the river Thames, I remained in<br />
the river for a short time before<br />
joining a small family-run tug<br />
firm where I soon became a tugmaster,’<br />
he recalls. ‘It was at this<br />
point that I gained the experience<br />
of coastal towage and working<br />
around the British isles. Within<br />
this time I obtained my tug masters<br />
and spent a considerable<br />
amount of time away from the<br />
Thames, but never so far as to lose<br />
touch.’<br />
w<br />
Graeme also worked as<br />
operations and contract<br />
manager for GPS Marine<br />
contractors and spent 18 months<br />
with Belgian company Herbosch<br />
Kier, whose work was mostly<br />
around the south coast and Shetlands.<br />
‘The opportunity arose just<br />
over three years ago to join<br />
Thames Clippers, with the attraction<br />
of taking things a little slower<br />
and easier and the challenge of a<br />
new company — albeit as the position<br />
of master.’<br />
Would Graeme recommend<br />
river-work to seafarers who,<br />
unlike him, had no previous background<br />
in the industry<br />
‘It’s hard to recommend a<br />
change for a seafarer to come to<br />
the River Thames purely for the<br />
fact that it cannot be compared to<br />
any other marine career,’ he says.<br />
Water works: the transport of the last decommissioned Concorde by river in April 2004 demonstrated the potential for freight on the Thames<br />
‘Hence why I served a five-year<br />
apprenticeship. Although the<br />
MCA has now made it easier for<br />
STCW 95 to operate in the river,<br />
unfortunately the nature of the<br />
river is unchanged and the older<br />
element tend to struggle in<br />
adapting.<br />
‘A typical day at Thames Clippers<br />
is unlike any position I have<br />
held before,’ Graeme told the Telegraph.<br />
‘Due to the high speed in<br />
such close quarters your concentration<br />
levels are stretched to the<br />
max, and in one 10-hour shift<br />
alone you will berth the vessel a<br />
minimum 80 times — often with<br />
limited breaks and rest.’<br />
Graeme works a three days on,<br />
two days off shift pattern. ‘But at<br />
least you get home every night<br />
and you are not worried about a<br />
“<br />
The camaraderie of<br />
the job and the river in<br />
general is great<br />
”<br />
gale and rolling out of your bunk,’<br />
he adds.<br />
w<br />
Graeme joined Thames<br />
Clippers around the<br />
time that the company<br />
changed from being family-run<br />
to becoming part of the AEG multinational<br />
group, which also owns<br />
the O2 Arena. Clippers runs an<br />
express boat service between<br />
Waterloo Pier and the O2 at North<br />
Greenwich Pier at as part of its<br />
regular schedules.<br />
‘With such a large young age<br />
group within the company, the<br />
experience was limited and as the<br />
company doubled its labour force<br />
overnight it soon became apparent<br />
to the more mature crew<br />
members that a union had to be<br />
formed,’ Graeme recalls.<br />
‘After a few crew meetings set<br />
up by ourselves, I became elected<br />
as the crews’ rep and then concentrated<br />
on getting crews to join<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong>.’<br />
While there used to be a lot of<br />
disciplinary cases and staff turnover<br />
was high, Graeme points out:<br />
‘Through sensible approaches<br />
and the help of industrial officer<br />
Jonathan Havard we are slowly<br />
getting there and hope that in the<br />
near future Thames Clippers will<br />
recognise <strong>Nautilus</strong>.<br />
‘The camaraderie of the job<br />
and the Thames in general is<br />
great,’ he adds. ‘I can certainly see<br />
a future for <strong>Nautilus</strong> to gain more<br />
members throughout the river as<br />
more and more companies fall<br />
under the Safety Management<br />
Code.’
24 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010 October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 25<br />
TECHNOLOGY<br />
TECHNOLOGY<br />
Get ECDIS<br />
to work<br />
for you …<br />
Compulsory carriage of electronic charts is on the way<br />
for shipping. In this special report, chart agents Thomas<br />
Gunn consider the best ways of making the system work<br />
to everyone’s benefit<br />
O<br />
Only a type-approved electronic chart display and<br />
information system (ECDIS) operating with up-todate<br />
electronic navigational charts (ENCs) and with<br />
appropriate back-up may be used to replace all paper charts on<br />
a vessel.<br />
Where ENCs are not yet available, IMO regulations allow flag<br />
states to authorise the use of raster navigational charts (RNCs)<br />
together with an appropriate folio of paper charts. Note that in<br />
all other cases the vessel must carry all paper charts necessary for<br />
its intended voyage.<br />
From the regulatory perspective, the most important statement<br />
about the legal status of ECDIS is contained in the amended<br />
Chapter V of the SOLAS Convention, set into force on 1 July<br />
2002. ECDIS is specifically referred to in Regulation 19 ‘Carriage<br />
requirements for shipborne navigational systems and equipment’.<br />
However, in order to replace paper charts, such systems must<br />
fulfil considerable technical requirements laid down in ECDIS<br />
performance standards:<br />
zthe chart data in use must be official — ENCs where these are<br />
available — and the graphic display on the screen must meet the<br />
equipment-independent specification<br />
zthe equipment must support the full range of navigational<br />
functions that can be performed on the traditional paper<br />
charts.<br />
O<br />
No electronic system is completely failsafe. IMO performance<br />
standards therefore require that the ‘overall<br />
system’ includes both a primary ECDIS and an adequate<br />
independent back-up arrangement that provides:<br />
zindependent facilities enabling a safe takeover of the ECDIS<br />
functions in order to ensure that a system failure does not result<br />
in a critical situation<br />
za means to provide for safe navigation for the remaining part<br />
of the voyage in case of ECDIS failure<br />
However, these rather basic statements allow considerable<br />
leeway and there are various interpretations of the minimum<br />
functional requirements, or what constitutes ‘adequate’ backup<br />
arrangements.<br />
There are two commonly accepted options:<br />
za second ECDIS, connected to an independent power supply<br />
and a separate GPS position input<br />
zan appropriate up-to-date folio of official paper charts for the<br />
intended voyage<br />
Some flag states may permit other options (eg radar-based<br />
systems such as ‘Chart-Radar’). Shipowners should consult<br />
their national maritime administration for specific advice in<br />
Interpreting MSC 232/82 and, in a documented risk assessment,<br />
show that with regards to equipment and SMS procedures compliance<br />
has been achieved, and measures are in place to allow the<br />
mariner and vessels to comply with this.<br />
O<br />
Unlike the paper chart, ECDIS is a highly sophisticated<br />
system which, besides the navigational functions,<br />
includes components of a complex, computer-based<br />
information system. In total, the system includes hardware,<br />
operating system, ECDIS software (kernel and user interface),<br />
sensor input interfacing, electronic chart data, rules for presentation<br />
and display, status and parameters of alarms and indications.<br />
All these items are accessed through an appropriate humanmachine<br />
interface. As such, care must be taken when navigating<br />
with ECDIS to avoid false operation, misinterpretation, malfunction<br />
or — even worse — over-reliance on this highly-automated<br />
navigation system<br />
As with any type of shipboard navigation equipment, it can<br />
only be as good as those who use it and what it is being used for.<br />
In the case of ECDIS and electronic charts, if mariners are well<br />
trained the system provides the information flow that they need<br />
to make good decisions and therefore contributes significantly<br />
to safe and efficient navigation.<br />
The STCW Convention now has specific regulation<br />
and references to ECDIS training<br />
Stated another way, an ECDIS is another tool to enable mariners<br />
to perform their job better. However, just having some<br />
‘knowledge’ about ‘functions’ and ‘operational controls’ is insufficient<br />
to maximise the benefits of ECDIS. Proper training is<br />
absolutely necessary.<br />
O<br />
ECDIS and other electronic charting systems have<br />
become increasingly important to ship navigation<br />
and are already widely used either as a primary navigation<br />
tool or as an aid to navigation.<br />
The systems are increasingly complex, and require adequate<br />
and appropriate training in order to be operated correctly and<br />
safely. Without proper training, these systems will not be used<br />
to their full potential and could, under some circumstances,<br />
increase the hazard to navigation.<br />
The Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping and<br />
<strong>International</strong> Safety Management codes put the responsibility<br />
firmly on the shipowner to ensure that mariners on their vessels<br />
are competent to carry out the duties they are expected to<br />
perform. If a ship is fitted with ECDIS, the owner has a duty to<br />
ensure that users are properly trained in the operation and use of<br />
electronic charts and are familiar with the shipboard equipment<br />
before using it operationally at sea.<br />
There is now specific regulation and reference to ECDIS<br />
systems in the STCW Convention, following the diplomatic<br />
conference in Manila in July. Additionally, since ECDIS systems<br />
are related to electronic charts, references to them are considered<br />
to be included in the material covered by the word ‘chart’.<br />
To encourage effective ECDIS education, the IMO approved<br />
a standardised model course for training on the operational<br />
use of ECDIS in 1999 (IMO course 1.27). This course is offered by<br />
approved training institutions and maritime academies. Maritime<br />
administrations can provide information on approved<br />
institutions. Some flag states have developed their own ECDIS<br />
training courses in order to be able to recognise the training<br />
certificates.<br />
Type specific ECDIS training is provided by equipment manufacturers.<br />
O<br />
Navigating with ECDIS is fundamentally different<br />
from navigating with paper charts. Important bridge<br />
work processes are significantly affected — in particular,<br />
voyage planning and voyage execution task. These require<br />
careful analysis and consideration.<br />
ECDIS provides a number of additional planning functions<br />
and features such as safety contours, alarms, and click-and-drop<br />
facilities for waypoints and markers. Whilst in many ways ECDIS<br />
makes voyage planning easier, it is still possible to make errors.<br />
However, these are likely to be of a different type from those<br />
encountered when using paper charts.<br />
Even though ENC coverage is increasing rapidly, many vessels<br />
will, to some degree, have to operate a dual — or even triple<br />
— system with ENCs, paper and raster charts. Planning and<br />
validation of the route has therefore to consider issues such as<br />
which chart types are available for the various segments of the<br />
voyage.<br />
The format of the voyage plan is likely to differ from the traditional<br />
alphanumeric lists of waypoints used with paper charts<br />
and should include information on the usability of connected<br />
electronic navigational devices such as GPS and AIS and their<br />
actual alarm settings.<br />
It is essential to make use of the in-built automatic check<br />
functions provided by ECDIS when validating and approving<br />
the voyage plan. Thought also needs to be given to ensuring that<br />
a back-up to the voyage plan on the ECDIS is available in case of<br />
equipment failure.<br />
It is important that there is good communication of the voyage<br />
plan to all bridge officers so that they are prepared for the<br />
intended voyage. This should include information on equipment<br />
status and back-up procedures.<br />
At the beginning of the voyage, as well as at any change of<br />
watch, the officers should review the voyage plan and agree the<br />
selected pre-settings of functions, alarms and indicators to be<br />
used on the ECDIS.<br />
Where vessels carry paper charts as well as an ECDIS, the role<br />
Don’t place too much reliance on electronic displays,<br />
Thomas Gunn warns, and don’t forget to look out of<br />
the window to cross-check information<br />
of the ECDIS and the charts should be considered. If the ECDIS<br />
is used for real-time navigation, the statutory requirements<br />
regarding monitoring of the progress of the voyage and marking<br />
of positions will need to be considered:<br />
zare positions marked in paper charts solely for record-keeping<br />
purposes<br />
zwhat steps are taken to ensure that intended tracks marked<br />
on the paper charts correspond with the ECDIS information<br />
zhave the bridge procedures set in place by the shipping company<br />
been adapted for the use of ECDIS and are all persons concerned<br />
with the navigation familiar with these adaptations<br />
O<br />
There is a tendency to put too much trust in computerbased<br />
systems and believe whatever is on the display.<br />
It is essential that officers do not become complacent,<br />
understand the limitations of the equipment, and employ the<br />
basic navigational skills to cross-check the information displayed<br />
by all other means available — especially by looking out<br />
the window and watching the radar! Bridge procedures must be<br />
adapted appropriately and ENC training must be carried out to<br />
alleviate these concerns.<br />
Support for<br />
the switch<br />
The British navigational<br />
systems firm Kelvin Hughes<br />
has launched a new product<br />
which claims to offer everything<br />
a vessel needs to comply<br />
with the new electronic chart<br />
requirements in a single<br />
package.<br />
The product, known as ECDIS<br />
Plus, promises users a ‘turnkey<br />
solution’ to the challenges<br />
of installing, updating and<br />
maintaining licences for ECDIS<br />
hardware and ENC charts. The<br />
idea is for each user to tailor the<br />
package to their own needs,<br />
taking up the elements required<br />
for a particular vessel.<br />
So, for example, if a ship<br />
already has ECDIS hardware<br />
but needs chart updates and<br />
maintenance support, the<br />
owners can buy a version of<br />
the ECDIS Plus package which<br />
reflects this — with the cost<br />
adjusted accordingly. For those<br />
installing electronic charts for<br />
the first time, the full package<br />
consists of the following<br />
elements:<br />
zECDIS hardware supply<br />
zECDIS backup provision<br />
zchart folio definition<br />
zinitial chart supply<br />
zChartCo update system<br />
zlicence and permit<br />
management<br />
zIMO approved training<br />
zglobal installation and<br />
service packages<br />
Kelvin Hughes CEO Russell<br />
Hughes welcomed the move<br />
towards mandatory ECDIS,<br />
adding: ‘Through ECDIS Plus,<br />
Kelvin Hughes can provide<br />
every component needed to<br />
make ECDIS easy and compliant<br />
and help customers make the<br />
journey from paper to electronic<br />
navigation.’<br />
Practices can<br />
make perfect<br />
Things happen very quickly at 28 knots. A cable is covered<br />
cin 13 seconds and a mile in only 2 minutes 9 seconds. It<br />
feels even faster at night, close to shore, navigating with only a<br />
chart, the log and a stopwatch whilst under pressure to deliver<br />
three consorts into a coordinated anchorage on time. At least<br />
during the day you get the use of a sextant!<br />
This is what it is like to undertake the Specialist Navigator’s<br />
course, or SPEC N for short, the Royal Navy’s (RN) premier<br />
navigation course. Designed to test the student’s mental maths,<br />
quick thinking, initiative and raw navigational ability under<br />
intense pressure, it is seen as the ultimate test for any navigator.<br />
What makes the SPEC N course so challenging is the<br />
requirement to accurately fix the position of the ship and predict<br />
future position at high speed without the use of modern fixing<br />
aids such as radar and GPS.<br />
Instead, the student is forced to harness all available<br />
navigation techniques — in particular those contained within the<br />
Admiralty Manual of Navigation. These include fixing by a line of<br />
soundings, running fixes, sextant angles, doubling the angle on<br />
the bow and use of bearing pairs to calculate distance off an<br />
object.<br />
It is quite common on course to conduct an anchorage with a<br />
sextant in either hand, taking a vertical sextant angle with one<br />
and a horizontal angle with the other.<br />
Now, imagine plotting fixes in this manner on a paper chart.<br />
Would you know how to do it When was the last time you picked<br />
up a sextant or station pointer Now imagine planning and<br />
executing it with ECDIS as your primary means of navigation.<br />
Again, would you know how to do it and is your ECDIS capable of<br />
processing such information (At the moment the reader is<br />
probably thinking, who cares Who actually needs to do this in<br />
real life anyway...)<br />
Notwithstanding the questions above, you may be asking why<br />
one would need to go to such lengths when radar and GPS are<br />
available. The Royal Navy needs to be able to navigate in a<br />
sensor-deprived situation because operational areas could<br />
preclude the use of radar to avoid detection and where GPS<br />
jamming and other sensor denial is prevalent.<br />
The RN must train its navigators to acquire such skills. This<br />
necessitates pushing the ECDIS system to the limits of its<br />
capabilities and is why the warfare equivalent of ECDIS (WECDIS)<br />
gives access to increased functionality to facilitate underwater<br />
navigation, waterspace management and the input of position<br />
information from a variety of traditional sources.<br />
So that’s the RN, but realistically with today’s reliability of GPS<br />
and radar, are such advanced ECDIS techniques really relevant in<br />
the Merchant Navy<br />
The ability to perform some of the techniques mentioned<br />
above may be deemed unnecessary and old fashioned for<br />
commercial operation. However, the skill of manually fixing<br />
independent of radar and GPS and the ability to clearly display<br />
where your ship can and cannot go on the chart are techniques<br />
relevant to any mariner.<br />
Firstly, manual fixing independent of radar and GPS may be<br />
the only means of cross-checking the GPS or in the extreme, but<br />
not uncommon, navigating in an area of an unreliable datum or<br />
sensor input failure.<br />
Let’s not forget all the work conducted by Trinity House with<br />
regards to the very present danger of GPS jamming and the<br />
importance of being able to identify and manage such a<br />
situation. Secondly, calculating the safe water available when<br />
operating to minimal under keel clearance with a safety depth<br />
that falls in between charted contours is vital to safely manage<br />
today’s commercially pressured operations.<br />
It would therefore be prudent to develop procedures and<br />
practice them in case of such an outcome. I therefore advocate<br />
two techniques that should be utilised in ECDIS as common<br />
practice — manual fixing and the ability to implement a Limiting<br />
Danger Line (LDL). We at ECDIS Ltd feel so strongly about the<br />
relevance of these techniques that we teach them as part of our<br />
five-day STCW IMO 1.27 course.<br />
It is not enough to rely solely on GPS or radar to provide fix<br />
information. An ECDIS does not have to have a radar overlay<br />
under performance standards, but if it does have this facility, it is<br />
prudent to utilise it in its entirety.<br />
However, for GPS denial, the mindset you need to be in is not a<br />
case of ‘if you lose GPS’ but very much a case of ‘when you lose<br />
GPS’. The mariner must therefore utilise the ECDIS like any other<br />
navaid and question the accuracy of the data in order to quality<br />
control the information.<br />
The premise here is twofold — that manual fixing should be<br />
used to cross-reference GPS and that loss of GPS does not mean<br />
Traditional skills need to form the foundation for safe<br />
navigation in the digital era, says Malcolm Instone,<br />
ECDIS Ltd’s director of operations and standards…<br />
loss of ECDIS. I therefore recommend that manual fixing is<br />
incorporated by operators to prove the GPS position correct and<br />
good practice in case of ECDIS failure.<br />
Plotting a fix in ECDIS (Lines of Position) is a requirement<br />
under the performance standards and executing this function can<br />
be very quick. However, it does depend on the software and just as<br />
on paper, practice, practice, practice. It can easily be quicker to<br />
plot a fix on an ECDIS than on a paper chart so there should be no<br />
excuse for not doing it if needed.<br />
The importance of being able to perform this task swiftly is<br />
threefold:<br />
zit should not detract from looking out the window and driving<br />
the ship safely using all navaids<br />
zthe task is performed as a quick check at an appropriate time<br />
zoperators should be able to comfortably manage long periods<br />
of relative navigation for areas of the world that require it and in<br />
case of sudden need.<br />
In event of GPS failure, the operator can utilise the DR<br />
cfunction in ECDIS and revert to traditional fixing skills in<br />
order to provide accurate positional data. Note that loss of GPS<br />
may also mean loss of positional information on your radar.<br />
Ten pieces of advice from<br />
the experts at ECDIS Ltd<br />
1. To get the most out of your ECDIS you need to know your<br />
equipment. Ask questions of your equipment, such as Does it<br />
alarm for safety depth<br />
2. Effective use of ECDIS hinges on setting the system up<br />
correctly. There is a lot to remember, so use check-off cards to<br />
aid this process<br />
3. Always navigate on the best scale chart, as this is the<br />
only way you will see all the charted data whilst not being<br />
affected by SCAMIN<br />
4. Always navigate on the correct display setting. Base is<br />
not adequate for navigation and Standard may require<br />
customising<br />
5. Do not rely solely on the radar or GPS — prove ECDIS correct<br />
at every opportunity by visual and all available means<br />
6. Remember that after setting your safety contour value,<br />
it may vary depending on the scale of chart in use (system<br />
dependent)<br />
7. Where possible when route planning, use clearing<br />
bearings, clearing ranges and parallel index lines to enhance<br />
safety when executing a route. Many systems now offer such<br />
tools<br />
8. Improve your knowledge of ECDIS by getting yourself on<br />
the five-day MCA approved ECDIS<br />
course at ECDIS Ltd<br />
9. Improve your knowledge of your ECDIS system<br />
by arranging a type-specific course from ECDIS Ltd<br />
10. ECDIS is a navaid, so treat as such and question what it<br />
is telling you — if you put rubbish into the system, you get<br />
rubbish out!<br />
Furthermore, the environment you find yourself in may preclude<br />
or limit visual fixing to such an extent that the operator may have<br />
to use transferred position lines or fix by a line of soundings.<br />
Some systems can perform beyond the minimum<br />
performance standards in this regard by allowing the operator to<br />
plot visual bearings, radar ranges and other techniques<br />
accordingly. As well as being quick and easy to plot, the operator<br />
also benefits from a system that automatically calculates DR and<br />
EP based upon last known values such as set and drift, COG and<br />
SOG, when in ‘DR mode’.<br />
It can be seen therefore that manually entered positional<br />
information can very quickly establish where you are and where<br />
‘GPS failure need not be an emergency’<br />
you will be to a high degree of accuracy.<br />
GPS failure need not be an emergency, although to maintain<br />
safety of navigation you may be forced to push your system<br />
further than you have ever done before. The prudent operator<br />
should therefore make it their business to know the capabilities<br />
and limitations of their system, how to prove positional<br />
information correct and what to do when GPS is unreliable.<br />
The ability of an ECDIS system to highlight a given safety<br />
contour based on a set Safety Depth is one of the great<br />
advantages of the system. In essence, the system displays clearly<br />
in bold the contour beyond which you do not wish to proceed.<br />
Furthermore, if you have activated your anti-grounding cone<br />
(AGC, also called Safety Frame or Guard Zone) the system will<br />
alarm when in contact with the safety contour, thereby giving<br />
prior warning of the proximity of danger.<br />
However, the lack of contour data currently available within<br />
ENCs means the operator is not able to fully harmonise the safety<br />
contour with the safety depth. If I set my safety depth value to<br />
6.5m, for example, the system will automatically highlight the<br />
next available contour, which is normally the 10m line. It can be<br />
seen therefore, that if the vessel by necessity has to proceed over<br />
soundings of less than 10m but greater than 6.5m, safe areas<br />
cannot be defined and it is therefore dangerous. Furthermore, the<br />
system will continuously alarm, causing alarm fatigue.<br />
This shortfall essentially means that vessels that need to<br />
reduce the safety contour in accordance with their safety depth in<br />
order to get into harbour safely will be faced with two options:<br />
zturn the anti-grounding cone off<br />
zreduce the safety contour value to 5m<br />
Both options are inherently dangerous. Turning the AGC off<br />
means that the system will only alarm when the ship symbol<br />
encounters them, which in most cases will be too late. Reducing<br />
the safety contour value below the value of safety depth is<br />
possible in many systems, although I do not recommend it, as the<br />
majority of systems only alarm crossing the safety contour — not<br />
the safety depth!<br />
A solution to this problem is the drawing of a limiting danger<br />
line or LDL. This is a tried and tested technique that works on RNCs<br />
as well as ENCs. Essentially, it is a manually inserted danger line<br />
that will alarm when the safety frame touches it, replacing the<br />
safety contour in extremis. The value of the LDL is calculated as<br />
follows:<br />
Draught + Safety + Squat — HoT (Time dependent)<br />
When the safety depth value is inserted, all soundings equal to<br />
or less than this value are highlighted in bold. Using the relevant<br />
function on your ECDIS system, draw a danger line around the<br />
soundings to produce the LDL. The safety value is a prime<br />
consideration and must be large enough to take into account the<br />
quality of data. Because the contour is being drawn manually you<br />
must take into account the inaccuracy of the data in use. It is of<br />
note that some systems can draw an LDL automatically. It must be<br />
remembered that a LDL is time dependent because it is based<br />
upon the height of tide and that when no longer required it must<br />
be ensured that the safety contour is reverted back to a value<br />
greater than safety depth. It goes without saying that you really<br />
must know what you are doing before attempting this technique.<br />
It may be seen that an advanced level of knowledge is required<br />
in order to ensure the best use of an ECDIS system on any given<br />
ship. However, what level of knowledge is required to manage<br />
and quality control a fleet of ECDIS systems The answer is that a<br />
level of expertise and understanding is required that goes beyond<br />
being an ECDIS operator at sea. Provision of expert<br />
guidance on managing a fleet with ECDIS<br />
is available from ECDIS Ltd in<br />
the form of the<br />
Quality Controlling<br />
ECDIS course.
26 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
SHIPS’ LIBRARIES<br />
Fully booked: a seafarer picks a title from the library supplied by the Marine Society<br />
“ The<br />
initial<br />
aim was<br />
sending<br />
tools of<br />
learning<br />
to sea<br />
”<br />
p<br />
Why is a book like a ship<br />
Because both take you<br />
on a voyage — in the<br />
book’s case, it may even transport<br />
you to the innermost shores of<br />
the human imagination, or the<br />
outermost reaches of human<br />
knowledge.<br />
Many seafarers we note are under the illusion that to qualify for the 100%<br />
foreign earnings deduction, all they have to do is spend 183 days out of<br />
the country on foreign going voyages.<br />
Many have found to their cost, when investigated by the Revenue that it is<br />
not that straightforward and of course it is then too late to rectify.<br />
Make sure you are not one of them by letting Seatax Ltd plan your future<br />
claim step by step.<br />
Can you afford not to join Seatax<br />
Seatax offers advice on all aspects of Personal Taxation with special emphasis on:<br />
★ All aspects of self assessment<br />
★ 100% Claims<br />
★ Non Resident Claims<br />
★ Completion of Income Tax returns<br />
★ A full Tax service for Mariners’ spouses, starting from £25<br />
★ Now including online filing for speedier settlement<br />
OUR FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:<br />
Which may be why many seafarers<br />
eagerly love immersing<br />
themselves in a good book while<br />
away at sea. As Brian Thomas,<br />
director of the Marine Society<br />
charity — whose ships’ library<br />
service marks its 90th anniversary<br />
this year — recalls: ‘I know from<br />
The first ship’s library was onboard Alfred Holt’s Aeneas<br />
my time at sea in the Royal Navy,<br />
when you’re leading a very busy<br />
life — great hardships, constant<br />
noise, constant vibration, and<br />
perpetual motion — just get into<br />
a bed, pull the curtain and put the<br />
light on and curl up with a book,<br />
you’re in your own little space and<br />
whatever the subject matter of<br />
that book, you can escape.<br />
‘You can’t choose your neighbours,<br />
and you can’t choose your<br />
shipmates either, so it’s a great<br />
way of escaping from reality,’ he<br />
adds. ‘It’s one way of looking at the<br />
service that we provide.’<br />
But only one way, because a<br />
core function of the ships’ library<br />
service remains to provide educational<br />
and instructional books —<br />
the very reason it came into being<br />
90 years ago.<br />
Annual Return ......................................................................................................... £175.00 including VAT at 17.5%<br />
The write<br />
service to<br />
seafarers<br />
The Marine Society marks the 90th anniversary of its<br />
ships’ library service this year. MIKE GERBER finds out<br />
about some exciting new developments…<br />
p<br />
Brian relates the history:<br />
‘Seafarers’ libraries were<br />
part of the brainchild of<br />
Alfred Mansbridge, who founded<br />
the Workers’ Educational Association<br />
in 1903.<br />
‘Having suffered from TB in<br />
1912, he took himself off to sea to<br />
recover, but when he was on that<br />
voyage — thinking that he was<br />
going to die — he resolved that<br />
if he got off the ship alive, he was<br />
going to do for seafarers what he<br />
had already achieved for the main<br />
population.<br />
‘He realised that seafarers were<br />
denied access to the tools of education,<br />
and education itself. Most<br />
seafarers at that time were illiterate.<br />
He did survive, and he was<br />
true to his word.’<br />
So in 1920, Mansbridge<br />
founded what became the Seafarers’<br />
Education Service. ‘The initial<br />
arm was the idea of sending the<br />
tools of learning to sea,’ Brian<br />
explains. ‘Those tools were books.<br />
He believed that if everybody had<br />
access to books, then they could<br />
become self-taught, as he himself<br />
was.’<br />
With shipowners’ support,<br />
the first library — onboard the ss<br />
Aeneas — was established that<br />
same year and the idea caught on.<br />
‘It was so successful that in<br />
1926 he realised that seafarers<br />
needed something a little more<br />
than simply books to educate<br />
them, so he introduced what he<br />
called the College of the Sea — and<br />
this was to be the other arm of the<br />
SES,’ Brian adds.<br />
The College, officially inaugurated<br />
in 1938, introduced course<br />
texts to help seafarers study to<br />
advance their careers.<br />
Following merger with the<br />
Marine Society in 1976, the SES<br />
name was dropped, and that, says<br />
Brian, brings us to the present day.<br />
‘We make tremendous efforts on<br />
the education side, through what<br />
used to be the College of the Sea,<br />
and through the seafarers’ libraries,<br />
to find out what our readers<br />
need, and we take great pains to<br />
provide for them.’<br />
p<br />
In January this year, the<br />
Society appointed a new<br />
book services manager,<br />
Mark Jackson. An Oxford graduate<br />
in English language and literature,<br />
Mark has spent most<br />
of his career in the book trade<br />
— including time as manager<br />
at the Museum of Modern Art,<br />
Hammicks, Ottakar’s, and Waterstones.<br />
Latterly, he worked at the<br />
House of Commons Parliamentary<br />
Bookshop and he continues<br />
to run book events for Langtons,<br />
his local independent bookshop<br />
in Twickenham.<br />
Mark’s love of books is palpable:<br />
‘A book to me represents<br />
potential — it’s nothing until you<br />
read it, but once you read it, it’s a<br />
gateway into new experience, a<br />
new world, a whole dimension of<br />
knowledge. And books to me are<br />
always linked to opportunity and<br />
going forward, and I like the idea<br />
of people having books in their<br />
hands and having these opportunities.’<br />
At the Marine Society, besides<br />
the library service, he runs the<br />
charity’s new online bookstore<br />
No commission charged on refunds gained.<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> members in the UK sailing under a foreign flag agreement on gross remuneration can obtain a 10% reduction<br />
on the above enrolment fee by quoting their <strong>NAUTILUS</strong> membership number and a 5% reduction on re-enrolment.<br />
Write, or<br />
phone now<br />
for more<br />
details:<br />
Elgin House, 83 Thorne Road, Doncaster DN1 2ES.<br />
Tel: (01302) 364673 - Fax No: (01302) 738526 - E-mail: info@seatax.ltd.uk<br />
www.seatax.ltd.uk<br />
Library service founder Alfred Mansbridge
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 27<br />
SHIPS’ LIBRARIES<br />
The Marine Society’s ships’ libraries service team sends out more than 40,000 books a year to ships and installations around the world<br />
which sells new books at competitive<br />
discounts (see box below).<br />
One can also buy e-books for<br />
the geeky new e-readers, about<br />
whom Mark observes: ‘Working<br />
with nautical documents, there’s<br />
a whole dimension there where<br />
e-books probably have the advantage<br />
in terms of texts over print<br />
documents; simply, they’re easier<br />
to handle. But in terms of the seafarers’<br />
libraries, there’s still nothing<br />
like a book.’<br />
Books, he says, are egalitarian.<br />
‘A lot of our seafarers may not be<br />
computer literate, but they have<br />
reading skills, and so there’s a fairness<br />
in putting these hundred<br />
books of all categories on a ship<br />
and saying, take your pick, rather<br />
Picture: Thinkstock<br />
than here’s an e-reader, this is a<br />
vast catalogue of 40,000 books,<br />
try and find something you would<br />
like.’<br />
Now for some Gradgrindian<br />
hard facts:<br />
fthe Marine Society has 150,000<br />
books in its exchange library and<br />
supports around 40 shipping<br />
companies with book services<br />
covering some 320 ships worldwide<br />
feach ship gets between 20 and<br />
2,000 titles, and the largest libraries<br />
on passenger cruise liners<br />
number 1,300 books<br />
fbooks stay on ships for four to<br />
six months, and are delivered one<br />
to three times annually<br />
f5,000 new books a year are<br />
brought in to replenish the<br />
library<br />
fduring the last financial year,<br />
346 libraries were sent out to 319<br />
vessels and 27 installations and<br />
40,332 books were dispatched<br />
worldwide<br />
The books are sent via a landing<br />
agent and then either reexchanged<br />
— possibly many<br />
times — or shipped back to the<br />
UK. The four main book exchange<br />
depots are in Rotterdam, Fujairah,<br />
Singapore and Hong Kong.<br />
But books can be off-loaded anywhere<br />
in the world. Although<br />
shipping companies are not formally<br />
charged, Marine Society<br />
does invoice for a requested contribution.<br />
Discounts at<br />
Society shop<br />
The ships’ library service is a wonderful resource, but seafarers may<br />
owant to purchase books as well as borrowing them. <strong>Nautilus</strong> urges<br />
members, and others in the industry, to first check out the Marine Society’s<br />
new online bookshop at www.marine-society.org/bookshop<br />
The online shop can supply any book in print, e-books and CD-roms at<br />
competitive discounted prices, as well as nautical revision aids. It also runs<br />
an out-of-print book service which aims to source hard-to-find books at a<br />
reasonable price.<br />
The Society has strong links with key industry organisations like<br />
Marisec, IMO and the Nautical Institute which enables it to offer nautical<br />
and maritime titles at competitive discounts. Its customer service is based<br />
on knowledge and empathy with seafarers.<br />
And it’s a not-for-profit service. Books services manager Mark Jackson<br />
explains: ‘We’re not bothered about making a fast buck, we just want<br />
to cover our costs. And it’s part of our charitable objective that we’re<br />
providing books as cheaply as we can across the whole spectrum of what<br />
our readers are interested in.’<br />
gSo remember, if you want to bag a book, bookmark www.marinesociety.org/bookshop<br />
The ratio of fiction to factual<br />
books is 60/40, and the most<br />
popular title read by seafarers is<br />
the classic To Kill a Mockingbird<br />
by Harper Lee. The most popular<br />
book in the last year has been Dan<br />
Brown’s The Lost Symbol.<br />
On seafarers’ reading preferences,<br />
Mark notes: ‘I thought,<br />
before I joined, that they would<br />
all be reading Patrick O’Brian<br />
and Conrad and nautical fiction.<br />
In fact, they’re not a popular element<br />
of the library at all — seafarers<br />
have got very wide-ranging<br />
interests.<br />
‘The whole point of what we do<br />
is to give them some recreation,<br />
escapism, but also to expand their<br />
minds and imaginations.<br />
‘I didn’t think that something<br />
like gardening would be very popular<br />
onboard ships’ he adds, ‘but<br />
gardening books are very popular.’<br />
p<br />
With a new initiative,<br />
launched this month,<br />
the Marine Society<br />
hopes to discover even more about<br />
seafarers’ reading habits. It has<br />
picked out a mega-popular title<br />
— Bill Bryson’s latest, At Home: A<br />
History of Private Life — several<br />
copies of which will be supplied to<br />
each ship’s library. These copies<br />
will be tracked as they travel the<br />
globe, and the Society will seek<br />
readers’ feedback.<br />
Once the initiative is underway<br />
the Society plans to monitor<br />
seafarers’ reading habits and will<br />
nominate their best loved book of<br />
the year, with a view to asking seafarers<br />
to nominate their choice<br />
for future awards.<br />
‘This might give us a bit of a<br />
photofit of what our average readers<br />
are like,’ notes Mark. ‘If indeed<br />
we have average readers. We might<br />
find this wonderful diversity.’<br />
“<br />
There’s still nothing<br />
like a book...<br />
”<br />
CHRISTMAS<br />
CARD APPEAL<br />
Every year the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society pays over<br />
£1m in grants to the dependants of those lost at sea, as well<br />
as sick, disabled and retired seafarers struggling to make<br />
ends meet. Please help us to continue this important work.<br />
• Quality Christmas Cards • Correspondence Cards<br />
• Heroism at Sea E-Book • Nautical Heritage Calendar<br />
• Birthday Cards • Gift Items<br />
To receive a copy of our new 2010 brochure<br />
and order form please contact:<br />
Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society, Dept NI, 1 North Pallant,<br />
Chichester PO19 1TL. Tel: 01243 789329 Fax: 01243 530853<br />
e-mail: general@shipwreckedmariners.org.uk<br />
website: www.shipwreckedmariners.org.uk<br />
Reg Charity No 212034<br />
Inst. 1839<br />
Shipwrecked<br />
Mariners’ Society<br />
Supporting the seafaring community<br />
for over 170 years
28 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
SEAFARER WELFARE<br />
29 years of vessel visits<br />
Ship visitor Buddy Hincke has clocked up almost three<br />
decades of work for seafarers in the US port of Coos Bay.<br />
But as he now approaches his 83rd birthday, he says<br />
his legs are getting tired, and he will start his second<br />
retirement next year. Here, he looks back on an eventful life<br />
closely intertwined with the sea…<br />
MN rating<br />
wanting to<br />
move ahead<br />
Collect up to £15,500<br />
to help your studies<br />
Are you a Merchant Navy rating<br />
considering career progression<br />
The JW Slater Fund,<br />
administered by <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong>, offers awards of<br />
up to £15,500 to help ratings<br />
study for a first certificate of<br />
competency.<br />
And there is a discretionary<br />
bonus of £1,000 on obtaining<br />
an approved OOW Certificate.<br />
More than 1,100 Slater Fund<br />
awards have been made by the<br />
Union since the scheme was<br />
launched in 1997.<br />
Named in honour of former<br />
MNAOA general secretary<br />
John Slater, the awards are<br />
made to selected UK-resident<br />
ratings aged 20 or over.<br />
The money can be used<br />
towards the costs of any<br />
necessary full- or part-time<br />
education, and to provide some<br />
financial support during college<br />
phases for those off pay.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
is now inviting applications<br />
for the 2010 awards. If you<br />
want to make the next move,<br />
don’t leave things to chance —<br />
fill in the form on the right,<br />
or apply via<br />
www.nautilusint.org<br />
The Marine Society provides<br />
education and careers<br />
advice for applicants.<br />
Scenes from a fascinating<br />
ng<br />
life: Buddy Hincke with<br />
seafarers onboard ship and<br />
in his home; in the forces<br />
(including a meeting with<br />
Bob Hope); and with his<br />
collection of international<br />
bank notes, above<br />
COMPLETE THIS FORM<br />
AND SEND IT TO:<br />
The Marine Society<br />
202 Lambeth Road<br />
London SE1 7JW.<br />
I am over 20 years of age<br />
and a rating normally resident<br />
in the United Kingdom.<br />
Please send me details of the<br />
John Slater Award.<br />
Name: _______________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________<br />
Address: ____________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________<br />
Email: ________________________________________<br />
__________________________________________________<br />
Details are also available online<br />
at: www.nautilusint.org<br />
or email your name, address<br />
and request for Slater Fund<br />
details to: careers@ms-sc.org<br />
500<br />
F<br />
During the last year of<br />
WWII I sailed as a messman<br />
on troop transports<br />
in the Atlantic: the USAT George<br />
Washington and the USAT Laconia<br />
Victory. We always travelled in<br />
convoys of 80 to 150 ships.<br />
On both of these ships we carried<br />
fresh soldiers and German<br />
prisoners back to Europe, landing<br />
at Le Havre and Antwerp. On the<br />
return trips to the USA we brought<br />
back soldiers who had enough<br />
points to return to the States, as<br />
well as the wounded.<br />
When the war ended with<br />
Germany, I went to San Francisco<br />
and sailed throughout the Pacific<br />
until the war ended with Japan.<br />
I was sailing on a Standard Oil<br />
tanker and we sailed alone. This<br />
was a strange feeling for me after<br />
sailing in convoys.<br />
In later years I was a telegraph<br />
operator for several railroads, and<br />
served in the US Air Force for five<br />
years as a radio operator. I spent<br />
three years in the Japanese occupation<br />
and was also in the beginning<br />
of the Korean War, working<br />
our way by land from Pusan<br />
(now Busan) up to Wonson, North<br />
Korea.<br />
Later I was a prison officer<br />
and counsellor at a prison site in<br />
California for 18 years and retired<br />
from there.<br />
F<br />
After my retirement,<br />
my wife and I travelled<br />
throughout the US and<br />
Canada for two years with a travel<br />
trailer, and while gone, someone<br />
burned my house down — so<br />
through other circumstances we<br />
ended up in Coos Bay, Oregon.<br />
When we arrived here, I found<br />
that there was a seamen’s centre<br />
in town and dropped by one<br />
afternoon to see how I could get<br />
involved. The manager happened<br />
to be there, and I asked him about<br />
working there as a volunteer. He<br />
gruffly said, ‘We do not need anyone<br />
now, and besides, you have<br />
to belong to one of our member<br />
churches.’ I said OK and then left.<br />
I watched a certain dock where<br />
ships often came in to load lumber<br />
and did not see anyone visiting<br />
the ships. One day I grabbed<br />
some newspapers and magazines<br />
and went to the guard gate, telling<br />
the man I was from the seamen’s<br />
centre. This worked and I went<br />
aboard the ship and many ships<br />
after that. Then I stopped at the<br />
centre again, told the man that<br />
I was doing this and asked if he<br />
had any flyers to take onboard the<br />
ships. He did, and was now happy<br />
to give them to me.<br />
After a few years of ship visiting,<br />
the board declared me the<br />
official ‘ship greeter’ and a few<br />
years after that they asked me if I<br />
would consider becoming manager.<br />
I said yes and did that for 14<br />
more years. All of this was as a volunteer<br />
only. No pay.<br />
F<br />
Like any normal seamen’s<br />
club, we would<br />
often take ship crews to<br />
town to go shopping or on sightseeing<br />
trips.<br />
The centre was originally at<br />
another site but when we had a<br />
chance to move to a place that<br />
had more foot traffic, we did so.<br />
I helped build phone booths,<br />
moved a giant wall, rebuilt a<br />
restroom and set up a maintenance<br />
shop. I also put in a request<br />
for a grant from NUMAST/ITF for<br />
a van, and received it.<br />
In all of the years with the centre,<br />
I cannot remember any seamen<br />
giving us any problems such<br />
as drunkenness or rowdiness.<br />
When the New Carissa ran<br />
aground here, I went to the Coast<br />
Guard station where the crew had<br />
been received by airlift, and took<br />
them to a nearby motel to make<br />
sure that they had rooms and<br />
their first meal.<br />
During these years, we would<br />
receive ships from all over the<br />
world as well as different nationality<br />
crews. Over this period, I do<br />
not remember many seamen who<br />
did not get a pass to come ashore<br />
— not like today when sometimes<br />
the whole crew cannot go ashore.<br />
F<br />
The Russian ships would<br />
come in and I made<br />
it known that I loved<br />
borscht. Later, when a Russian<br />
ship arrived, the cook or some<br />
crewman would tell me, ‘We have<br />
borscht’. This was my invitation to<br />
dinner. I also loved to eat Lumpia<br />
on the Filipino-manned ships.<br />
A Greek crew who had made<br />
several stops here once invited<br />
my wife and me to eat a Greek<br />
meal onboard. We had an eightcourse<br />
meal with Greek music<br />
playing on a cassette. It was times<br />
like that that really made the ship<br />
greeting job a real pleasure.<br />
A German ro-ro ship stopped<br />
here a few times and I made<br />
mention to the chief officer that<br />
I would sure enjoy making a trip<br />
on this ship. The captain agreed<br />
to take me on as a work-a-way<br />
passenger, and I soon set off for two<br />
months as an ordinary seaman<br />
and occasional radio operator.<br />
I was the oldest person and the only<br />
American on the ship. The officers<br />
and crew were German and Spanish.<br />
In the evenings, when off duty,<br />
we would often play cards or dominoes<br />
and would speak in three<br />
different languages. Lots of fun.<br />
F<br />
We had to close down<br />
the centre eventually<br />
because of lack of ships.<br />
A lot of the lumber and ore companies<br />
had closed down. When I<br />
first started there, we were getting<br />
over 300 ships per year. Now we<br />
are lucky to get 30 ships per year.<br />
I have continued visiting, but<br />
at the time of writing, my legs are<br />
starting to bother me from just<br />
walking or climbing up and down<br />
the various gangways. Most gangways<br />
are about four storeys up,<br />
and then you walk half the ship<br />
and another three storeys up to<br />
see the captain. I have been doing<br />
this since 1981...<br />
Note-worthy...<br />
fBuddy Hincke’s hobby, which<br />
started in WWII, is collecting<br />
international paper money. All<br />
donations of old or new currency<br />
would be very welcome.<br />
His website is http: //mysite/<br />
verizon.net/reqzj7e, which can<br />
also be easily found by entering<br />
‘Buddy Hincke’ into a search<br />
engine.
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 29<br />
MEMBERS AT WORK<br />
Members in the Royal Fleet<br />
Auxiliary have taken part in a<br />
major multinational exercise to<br />
demonstrate the UK’s ability to<br />
deploy, operate and sustain a task<br />
group out of area for a prolonged<br />
period. First officer Richard<br />
Lavender reports…<br />
“ They<br />
delivered<br />
where,<br />
when<br />
and as<br />
required<br />
”<br />
Cdre Simon Ancona, Commander<br />
of the Carrier Strike Group, and<br />
Captain Dale Worthington, CO of<br />
RFA Fort George<br />
s<br />
Ospreys overhead, ORCs<br />
on the deck, LCVPs heading<br />
to the beach and<br />
the lean green eating machine is<br />
already queuing for lunch — it’s<br />
just another day for RFA Largs Bay<br />
on Auriga 10!<br />
The mighty RFA Largs Bay<br />
was deployed from early June<br />
as part of Exercise Auriga 10. A<br />
combined operation involving<br />
the carrier battle group, under<br />
the command of Commodore<br />
Simon Ancona in HMS Ark Royal<br />
and the amphibious task group,<br />
commanded by Commodore Paul<br />
Bennett in HMS Albion.<br />
During its deployment, the<br />
group exercised with several<br />
nations’ assets — including the<br />
United States — off the eastern<br />
seaboard of America.<br />
RFA Largs Bay operated as<br />
part of the amphibious task<br />
group and embarked elements<br />
of 42 Commando Royal Marines<br />
and supporting echelons, which<br />
allowed us to demonstrate the<br />
utility, flexibility and adaptability<br />
of this outstanding littoral<br />
support platform.<br />
s<br />
The presence of such a<br />
large number of troops<br />
onboard for such an<br />
extended period provided a<br />
significant challenge for the<br />
ship’s company but — as ever in<br />
the Royal Fleet Auxiliary — they<br />
succeeded in supporting and<br />
delivering as required, when<br />
required and where required.<br />
The galley team produced<br />
Living it Largs on<br />
Exercise Auriga<br />
over a thousand meals a day, the<br />
deck team supported round-theclock<br />
docking operations, the<br />
technical branches kept essential<br />
services online, the Royal Logistics<br />
Corps provided their expertise<br />
and the flight deck team, as well<br />
as doing their respective day<br />
jobs, were ready at a moment’s<br />
notice — or 15 minutes to be more<br />
precise.<br />
Sailing in company with<br />
HMS Albion and HMS Ocean,<br />
the 4,600nm passage across the<br />
Atlantic was relatively benign<br />
and the ship concentrated on<br />
integrating with the task group<br />
and — perhaps more importantly<br />
— integrating the Royal Marines<br />
into the ship. For many of the<br />
young Marines this was their first<br />
experience at sea, but the booties<br />
are, as ever, adaptable and the ship<br />
soon echoed to their never ending<br />
quest for physical training and<br />
food.<br />
s<br />
After a two-week<br />
crossing, Largs Bay<br />
stopped briefly in<br />
Morehead City, North Carolina,<br />
to offload some of the troops<br />
and wheeled vehicles for further<br />
move to Camp Lejeune, where the<br />
land force exercises took place. A<br />
problematic stern door was cause<br />
for concern, but a hard day and<br />
night’s work saw the technical<br />
branches succeed in fixing<br />
the problem, and the offload<br />
continued.<br />
From Morehead we sailed to<br />
the exercise area and began to<br />
offload troops by air and landing<br />
craft. It was then that we got to<br />
see some of the Royal Marines’<br />
equipment at work, as the ORCs<br />
(Offshore Raiding Craft) and the<br />
LCACs (Landing Craft Air Cushion,<br />
aka hovercraft) were put through<br />
their paces.<br />
Following an underway<br />
replenishment with the USNS<br />
Leroy Gruman, the ship’s next port<br />
of call was Norfolk, Virginia, where<br />
defence regional engagement<br />
was conducted by some of the<br />
ship’s company. The officers had<br />
a pleasant evening entertaining<br />
their opposite numbers from<br />
our host ship, the USS Carter Hall,<br />
whilst some personnel took the<br />
opportunity to visit Washington<br />
DC and New York.<br />
RFA Wave Ruler was alongside<br />
as well, conducting a maintenance<br />
period as part of her upkeep prior<br />
to taking up her duties conducting<br />
drug interdiction and disaster<br />
relief.<br />
s<br />
Too soon the visit was<br />
over and our friends in<br />
green were re-embarked<br />
and the ship returned to its<br />
day job. On departing Norfolk,<br />
the amphibious task group<br />
rendezvoused with the carrier<br />
battle group under the command<br />
of HMS Ark Royal but also<br />
included RFA Fort George to<br />
form the Mighty Expeditionary<br />
Strike Force. The exercise was<br />
set in a fictitious country where,<br />
following a natural disaster, UK<br />
forces are put in place to protect<br />
the delivery of aid to the civilian<br />
population whilst insurgents<br />
threatened the supply line.<br />
As the exercise moved into the<br />
free play phase and the mighty<br />
USS Kearsarge came into view,<br />
life got even busier as round-theclock<br />
dock operations demanded<br />
even more of the ship.<br />
Finally, the end was in sight<br />
and the UK side of the exercise<br />
was handed over to a US Marine<br />
Expeditionary Unit via a relief in<br />
place and Largs Bay headed into<br />
Mayport, Florida via Morehead<br />
City, where we conducted a vehicle<br />
on and off load for a much-needed<br />
port visit to replenish the ship’s<br />
stores.<br />
Florida saw a quiet time for<br />
the ship and some of the ship’s<br />
company visited Kennedy Space<br />
Centre but, in general, it was<br />
preparing the ship for the return<br />
to the UK…<br />
Seafarers onboard the RFA vessel Fort George carry out a replenishment at sea with HMS Sutherland RFA Fort George in company with the task group during Exercise Auriga 10<br />
jobs-at-sea.com<br />
your next job is only a ‘click’ away
30 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
MARITIME HISTORY<br />
Cadet became<br />
master writer<br />
John Masefield in his later years. He died in 1967, at the age of 89<br />
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From Merchant Navy trainee to Poet Laureate is quite some career path.<br />
Trevor Boult tells the story of the seafarer-turned-writer John Masefield…<br />
F<br />
John Masefield has been<br />
described as ‘A brightness<br />
not of this world’. To<br />
seafarers, and many former pupils<br />
of school-taught English, he will<br />
be largely remembered for two<br />
poems: Sea-Fever, and Cargoes.<br />
This is a testament to his talent,<br />
for these poems were amongst<br />
the earliest of his published writ-<br />
*Based on total number of students<br />
ings, which were to span a period<br />
of some seven decades.<br />
Masefield was able to pen<br />
such verses in his early 20s from<br />
the conviction and sensitivity of<br />
youthful personal experience —<br />
a potent quality openly acknowledged<br />
by the great writer of the<br />
seas, Joseph Conrad.<br />
His current reputation largely<br />
rests on these sea poems, but this<br />
obscures his wider<br />
achievements.<br />
He was as much<br />
a celebrant of<br />
the English countryside,<br />
was Poet<br />
Laureate for many<br />
years, and became e a<br />
best-selling author<br />
— publishing many<br />
volumes of verse,<br />
plays, novels, historical<br />
works and volumes<br />
for children.<br />
Yet Masefield was<br />
so much more than a<br />
writer. Regarded as a sea<br />
poet, his actual experiences<br />
of sea life were relatively<br />
short. But they were<br />
intense, and of a nature<br />
that quickly gave his ing undeniable and lasting<br />
writ-<br />
authority.<br />
F<br />
Born in Herefordshire<br />
in 1878, Masefield’s early<br />
years were spent in idyllic<br />
rural surroundings. Beyond<br />
the garden of the family home<br />
lay a reach of the Hereford and<br />
Gloucester Canal, then still active<br />
in the movement of coal. To the<br />
young lad the canal was one of the<br />
wonders of the world, the barges<br />
carrying ‘hearts of gold and<br />
cargoes of wonder, and always,<br />
always, returning a salute, even at<br />
a distance’.<br />
Water had a compelling attraction<br />
for Masefield, and the early<br />
experiences which meant most<br />
to him were those which occurred<br />
when he was alone amidst the<br />
beauty of nature.<br />
His mother was an able inventor<br />
of stories for her children, also<br />
delighting in poetry, and the first<br />
ever poem which moved young<br />
John he learnt by heart for her.<br />
Poignantly, it was Tennyson’s The<br />
Dying Swan.<br />
Before Masefield was seven<br />
years old, his mother succumbed<br />
to a fatal illness. Her<br />
son became ‘a<br />
swift, eager,<br />
gluttonous<br />
reader’, par-<br />
ticularlyo<br />
of<br />
exciting<br />
fiction.<br />
Such<br />
avid reading<br />
was to bear rich fruit, ling both his creative imagination<br />
fuel-<br />
and his innate abilities to retell<br />
out loud the stories he had read.<br />
Inspired by a godmother whose<br />
supportive influence shaped his<br />
ideas and tastes, these were the<br />
positive elements in Masefield’s<br />
life, which countered the grievous<br />
family loss and the increasing disruption<br />
to family life.<br />
John Masefield began life as a<br />
boarder at Warwick School before<br />
he was 10 years old and for the<br />
first time he committed verses<br />
to paper. ‘I was too young... and<br />
they found that I wrote poetry. I<br />
tried to kill myself once by eating<br />
laurel leaves but only gave myself<br />
a horrible headache.’ But he soon<br />
adapted and came to enjoy life at<br />
the school.<br />
After his father died, Masefield<br />
was taken under the guardianship<br />
of an uncle and aunt. Although<br />
this was considered a courageous<br />
and unselfish act of family loyalty,<br />
the aunt’s personality did not permit<br />
a happy atmosphere. To John,<br />
especially, she was brutally scathing.<br />
His artistic leanings were<br />
met with crushing disapproval,<br />
whilst his love of books aroused<br />
her scorn.<br />
To toughen him up, it was<br />
she who first<br />
suggested<br />
that he should<br />
be trained to<br />
go to sea. Such<br />
were the work-<br />
ings of fate<br />
that a callously<br />
motivated<br />
act<br />
should<br />
unwit-<br />
tingly combine<br />
with<br />
an inspir-<br />
ing<br />
account of<br />
life on<br />
the school<br />
ship HMS Conway,<br />
and<br />
John Mase-<br />
field scuppered his<br />
aunt’s intent in the<br />
onrush of his enthu-<br />
siasm to enrol.<br />
I<br />
F<br />
In common<br />
with<br />
other<br />
such school<br />
ships of the period, HMS Conway<br />
provided initial training and a certain<br />
amount of general education<br />
for boys wishing to become officers<br />
in the merchant service. The<br />
transition from sail to steam was<br />
well advanced at this time, but<br />
an apprenticeship in sail was still<br />
considered the best preparation<br />
for a career at sea.<br />
At this time the Conway was<br />
moored in the River Mersey.<br />
Masefield joined her when he was<br />
13. He was overawed by his first<br />
sight of the great port of Liverpool,<br />
but he had no inkling of ships or<br />
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Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,<br />
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,<br />
With a cargo of Tyne coal,<br />
Road-rails, pig-lead,<br />
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.<br />
from Cargoes by John Masefield
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 31<br />
MARITIME HISTORY<br />
their ways and his first glimpse of<br />
the four-masted barque Wanderer<br />
became branded on his memory.<br />
Amidst the general turmoil of<br />
settling in, to his joy and amazement<br />
Masefield was invited to<br />
‘spin some ghost yarns’. He also<br />
discovered a talent for making<br />
sketches and drawings of<br />
ships which he kept in dedicated<br />
albums. It was to become a lifelong<br />
hobby.<br />
The second year on Conway<br />
was a happy time. Masefield had<br />
adapted to the ways of shipboard<br />
life. In class, under a sympathetic<br />
master, he was able to concentrate<br />
on history and English — subjects<br />
which really interested him.<br />
Devoted to reading books from<br />
the ship’s library, they were to<br />
imbue him with a deeply romantic<br />
attitude towards the sea and<br />
ships.<br />
In his final summer as a cadet<br />
he won an essay prize — a magnificent<br />
telescope. Still not yet 16,<br />
Masefield left Conway in 1894. He<br />
had been a senior petty officer for<br />
a term, and recognised as a youth<br />
who could take responsibility — a<br />
definite leader in his age group.<br />
Yet he was younger than most<br />
who were taken on as apprentices<br />
by the sailing ship companies.<br />
F<br />
Masefield’s first ship<br />
was the Gilcruix, a fourmasted<br />
barque belonging<br />
to White Star Line. He joined<br />
her in Cardiff, as she prepared for<br />
a voyage to Chile, which meant<br />
facing Cape Horn and being out<br />
of touch with land for several<br />
months. One of his duties was<br />
to keep a daily journal, which<br />
he did conscientiously until the<br />
ship reached Cape Horn. He later<br />
recalled climbing to the top of<br />
the masts: ‘I lay out on the yard,<br />
and the sail hit me in the face and<br />
knocked my cap away. It beat me<br />
and banged me, and blew from<br />
my hands. The wind pinned me<br />
flat against the yards; and seemed<br />
to be blowing all my clothes to<br />
shreds. I felt like a king, like an<br />
emperor.’<br />
He also recalled: ‘We got caught<br />
in the ice off the Horn and had our<br />
bows stove in, and had 32 days of<br />
such storm and cold I hope never<br />
to see again.’<br />
The Gilcruix eventually<br />
reached her destination of<br />
Iquique some 13 weeks after leaving<br />
Cardiff. At Iquique Masefield<br />
climbed alone into the steep<br />
hinterland behind the town: ‘It<br />
was a beautiful sight that anchorage<br />
with the ships lying there so<br />
lovely, all their troubles at an end.<br />
But I knew that aboard each ship<br />
there were young men going to<br />
the devil, and mature men wasted,<br />
and old men wrecked; and I wondered<br />
at the misery and sin which<br />
went to make each ship so perfect<br />
an image of beauty.’<br />
John Masefield became seriously<br />
ill in Chile — to the extent<br />
that he was classified as a Distressed<br />
British Seaman, which<br />
assured him a passage back to<br />
England by steamship. Convalescing<br />
during this leisurely voyage,<br />
he resolved not to finish his<br />
apprenticeship and abandon all<br />
ideas of pursuing a sea career.<br />
In hindsight he acknowledged:<br />
‘I shall always be glad of my short<br />
sea time. It was real, naked life...<br />
At sea you got manhood knocked<br />
bare, and it is a fine thing, a splendid<br />
thing.’<br />
F<br />
Masefield held to his<br />
earlier aspirations to be<br />
a writer, but his guardians<br />
scorned this determination.<br />
Arrangements were made for him<br />
to join another sailing ship, this<br />
time in America. Once there he<br />
felt free to obey his own impulses:<br />
‘I deserted my ship in New York,<br />
and cut myself adrift from her,<br />
and from my home. I was going to<br />
be a writer, come what might.’<br />
At the age of 17 John Masefield<br />
became a homeless vagrant,<br />
like innumerable others at this<br />
time of acute depression. It was<br />
to give him a lifelong sympathy<br />
with drifters, menials and the<br />
unemployed. Half-starved and<br />
unkempt, he later declared that<br />
he was also ‘marvellously happy’.<br />
Eventually finding work in a hotel,<br />
he then secured a job at a carpet<br />
mill. He was soon on friendly<br />
terms with his fellow workers<br />
in the cutting shop. Calling him<br />
‘Masey’, they good-humouredly<br />
teased him and mocked his English<br />
accent.<br />
One of his greatest joys in that<br />
two-year period was the time<br />
he had to read books. They were<br />
then so cheap he built up his own<br />
library. Acquiring a book by Chaucer,<br />
and knowing only that he was<br />
evidently considered the father<br />
of English poetry, Masefield was<br />
transfixed by what he read. In<br />
the language of Chaucer’s Middle<br />
English, he found validation of his<br />
own most treasured intuitions;<br />
that ‘life is very brief, and that the<br />
use of life is to discover the law of<br />
one’s being, and to follow that law,<br />
at whatever cost, to the utmost’.<br />
For Masefield, it was to be a poet.<br />
Practical realities tempered his<br />
ideals, but with sharpened resolve<br />
he returned to Britain, working his<br />
passage as a steerage steward on a<br />
steamer bound for Liverpool.<br />
F<br />
In his Conway days Liverpool’s<br />
Walker Art Gallery<br />
had been an enchanted<br />
place, mainly for its paintings<br />
of ships. Returning home with a<br />
maturity well beyond his years,<br />
Masefield had strong views on<br />
how sea life should be presented:<br />
‘It will be a good thing for England<br />
when painters and poets leave off<br />
painting and ranting about fishing<br />
smacks and pirates and “the<br />
dark blue sea”, and take to showing<br />
with their best ability the real<br />
life of the poor fellows who bring<br />
them not only their luxuries but<br />
their very food.’<br />
Over the next several years,<br />
whilst holding a job as a bank<br />
clerk in London, Masefield experimented<br />
with verse, children’s<br />
books, plays, naval histories, novels,<br />
and literary criticism. At the<br />
time of his 21st birthday, he had<br />
his first publishing success with a<br />
sea poem, now known as The Turn<br />
of the Tide.<br />
He also discovered the poetry<br />
of WB Yeats, describing the Irishman<br />
as ‘the only living poet whose<br />
heart has not got the moneygrubs<br />
and who writes from sheer<br />
joy much as a lark might sing’.<br />
Masefield and Yeats were to forge<br />
a close and lasting friendship,<br />
through which the sphere of new<br />
acquaintances admitted him into<br />
an intellectual circle that nurtured<br />
his talent and aspirations.<br />
F<br />
At the age of 23 he decided<br />
to sacrifice the security<br />
of a regular job and to<br />
embark on the uncertain life of a<br />
freelance writer. To his eventual<br />
successes in publications such as<br />
Tatler and Pall Mall Magazine he<br />
enthused: ‘My ballads are being<br />
taken as fast as I can write them.’<br />
I must go down to the seas again,<br />
to the lonely sea and the sky,<br />
And all I ask is a tall ship<br />
and a star to steer her by,<br />
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s<br />
song and the white sail’s shaking,<br />
And a grey mist on the sea’s face,<br />
and a grey dawn breaking.<br />
from Sea Fever by John Masefield<br />
He was becoming known to a<br />
widening circle. Of his first published<br />
book of verse he level-headedly<br />
remarked: ‘Genius I’m not,<br />
but I’m pretty sure that I’ve kept<br />
my talents unrusted under pretty<br />
tough circumstances... I think the<br />
book deserves the recognition of a<br />
maritime people. It is something<br />
new said newly.’ Entitled Salt-<br />
Water Ballads, it attracted immediate<br />
attention, and included Sea-<br />
Fever, later to become his most<br />
widely-known poem.<br />
Masefield married Constance<br />
Crommelin, who was 11 years his<br />
senior. A gifted teacher, she took<br />
a sincere and enabling interest in<br />
his writing. Intensifying his freelance<br />
journalism, his book reviews<br />
were praised as ‘the shortest and<br />
most incisive we had. He could<br />
pack an extraordinary amount of<br />
criticism into a small paragraph’<br />
and as a playwright he received<br />
the annoying compliment of having<br />
his work plagiarised.<br />
By 1913, Masefield’s contribution<br />
to English literature meant<br />
that he had become a public figure.<br />
Shortly before the outbreak<br />
of the First World War his verse<br />
play Philip the King unusually<br />
depicted the defeat of the Armada<br />
as if seen through Spanish eyes.<br />
Such perspective proved a precursor<br />
to his unique interpretation<br />
of the Dardanelles campaign, and<br />
later of Dunkirk. His poem August<br />
1914 caught the anguish of the<br />
reality of war and set a sombre<br />
stage for the varied roles he was<br />
to play during forthcoming years,<br />
in England, France, the Mediterranean,<br />
and America.<br />
F<br />
Too old for the army,<br />
Masefield worked as an<br />
orderly for the British<br />
Red Cross at a hospital in France<br />
and was invited by the organisation<br />
to lead an expedition to the<br />
Dardanelles. An appeal for reinforcements<br />
had been made<br />
by the motor boat ambulance<br />
service, which carried wounded<br />
from the battle areas to a distant<br />
hospital on the island of Lemnos.<br />
Masefield secured funds,<br />
purchased launches and a barge<br />
and made passage from England.<br />
They arrived only to witness the<br />
final annihilation of Allied hopes<br />
on the Gallipoli peninsula.<br />
In early 1916 Masefield visited<br />
America on a lecture tour which<br />
was also an intelligence mission.<br />
In the German-dominated areas<br />
of the Mid-West, he was persistently<br />
questioned about the failure<br />
of the Dardanelles campaign.<br />
To counter such calculated negativity<br />
Masefield wrote his book<br />
Gallipoli, and its success led to<br />
him being invited by the British<br />
Commander-in-Chief, Sir Douglas<br />
Haig, to observe and chronicle<br />
the unfolding of the Battle of the<br />
Somme.<br />
Masefield came to believe that<br />
the Somme battle was the ‘biggest<br />
thing’ that England had ever<br />
been engaged in, that it must be<br />
a ‘possession of the English mind<br />
for ever’. He was thus aware of the<br />
John Masefield at home with his sister, Norah, and the telescope he won as<br />
an essay prize whilst training as a cadet onboard HMS Conway<br />
privilege of being its chronicler.<br />
Yet because of bureaucracy and<br />
politics he was hamstrung in his<br />
endeavour, to the probable detriment<br />
of recorded history.<br />
In 1918 Masefield was summoned<br />
for a second American lecture<br />
tour. He spoke impromptu,<br />
with great success, to vast audiences<br />
of enlisted men who would<br />
soon be fighting in Europe.<br />
F<br />
Always a countryman<br />
at heart, Masefield settled<br />
back into rural<br />
surroundings after the war. Like<br />
John Masefield was recognised as a potential leader during his time onboard the school ship HMS Conway<br />
so many others, he and his wife<br />
shared the urge to create a ‘better<br />
England’. Active once more in<br />
the promotion and recognition of<br />
poetry in Britain, famed on both<br />
sides of the Atlantic for his affinity<br />
with the common man, he was<br />
appointed Poet Laureate by King<br />
George V.<br />
For the rest of his life he brought<br />
dedication and dignity to that<br />
office. He was to write with boyish<br />
enthusiasm on the launching of<br />
what became the great Cunarder<br />
Queen Mary: ‘…Parting the seas<br />
in sunder in a surge/Treading a<br />
trackway like a mile of snow…’<br />
In the second world war, Masefield’s<br />
son Lewis — a conscientious<br />
objector — enlisted in the<br />
Royal Army Medical Corps and<br />
was killed by artillery fire in the<br />
African desert.<br />
John Masefield produced a<br />
book about the evacuation of<br />
Dunkirk, but for security reasons<br />
it was not published in full until<br />
1973, as The Twenty Five Days.<br />
Masefield’s wife died in 1960,<br />
after which he became increasingly<br />
solitary. He remained an<br />
elder beloved for his courtesy and<br />
kindness, who faced up to the burdens<br />
of being in the public limelight,<br />
and to the end was ‘a devotee<br />
of beauty in all its forms, and a<br />
searcher for ultimate truths’.<br />
He passed away in 1967; his<br />
remains lie in Poets’ Corner at<br />
Westminster Abbey.<br />
Of his two most celebrated<br />
poems — Sea-Fever, and Cargoes<br />
— written at the start of his<br />
literary career, no less an authority<br />
than John Betjeman has suggested<br />
that they would be ‘remembered<br />
as long as the language lasts’…<br />
i The author kindly<br />
acknowledges the material<br />
assistance of Constance<br />
Babington Smith and Philip<br />
Errington.
32 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
OFFWATCH<br />
ships of the past<br />
General details<br />
Built: 1898: by Messrs Pool, Skinner<br />
& Williams of The Bar, Falmouth.<br />
Dimensions: 106 x 20 x 11ft; 153gt.<br />
Cornish steam tug that<br />
ran coastal excursions<br />
by Trevor Boult<br />
The Cornish Peninsula has<br />
Flong been a major landfall<br />
for shipping entering the western<br />
approaches of the English<br />
Channel. The rugged coastal cliffs<br />
of Cornwall and Devon stand<br />
bastion against the fury of<br />
Atlantic gales and, thankfully for<br />
mariners, this historically<br />
daunting coastline is breached at<br />
intervals by safe havens.<br />
The greatest natural harbour<br />
of them all is Carrick Roads,<br />
known worldwide after the town<br />
that stands on its western shores<br />
— Falmouth — and of the river<br />
that echoes its name, the Fal.<br />
Falmouth has profited from<br />
its strategic maritime position.<br />
A steady increase in the resident<br />
population was accompanied by<br />
a growth in the number of<br />
visitors which followed the<br />
arrival of the railway in 1865.<br />
Many types of local craft<br />
plied the extensive system of<br />
tidal creeks and rivers<br />
encompassed by St Anthony’s<br />
Head. Perhaps the most<br />
ubiquitous were the steam tugs.<br />
In addition to towage these tugs<br />
also served as boarding craft,<br />
tenders, salvage vessels, and<br />
passenger steamers.<br />
With the upsurge of visitors<br />
some tug owners introduced<br />
purpose-built steamers, fully<br />
fitted for passenger comfort,<br />
whilst retaining a towage<br />
capability as a secondary<br />
function. Such a dual role was not<br />
unique to the Fal, but nowhere<br />
else in Britain did passenger-tugs<br />
so completely dominate ferry<br />
and excursion services.<br />
For over 60 years the Fal<br />
steamers offered excursions,<br />
gracing their surroundings and<br />
providing the means of visiting<br />
otherwise isolated villages along<br />
the south Cornwall coast. In<br />
other parts of the country were<br />
to be found funfairs,<br />
promenades, pavilions and piers.<br />
For excursionists outwardbound<br />
from Falmouth no such<br />
frivolous attractions were<br />
thought necessary to augment<br />
the natural beauty.<br />
Until the beginning of the<br />
Second World War the passengertug<br />
fleets maintained local<br />
steamer services in the 60 miles<br />
of waterways which were then<br />
navigable. Coastal excursions<br />
along the length of the south<br />
Cornwall coast, with landings at<br />
jetties and coves, demanded an<br />
intimate knowledge of these<br />
challenging waters.<br />
One such notable vessel was<br />
the Victor. Built in 1898 for<br />
owners William Thomas &<br />
Family, her name was to become<br />
synonymous with both local and<br />
long distance excursions. She<br />
was once to be found attending<br />
virtually every regatta along<br />
Cornwall’s SE coast. The Victor’s<br />
regular programme of<br />
excursions westward along the<br />
Lizard coast offered landings<br />
which included Coverack and<br />
Church Cove. Longer trips also<br />
visited Mevagissey, Fowey and<br />
Plymouth. She also shared in<br />
deputising for short periods on<br />
the Isles of Scilly packet run<br />
from Penzance.<br />
The Victor, with her easilyrecognisable<br />
dark green hull and<br />
Maltese Cross funnel motif,<br />
survived to become the last true<br />
passenger-tug in the district. At<br />
the end of each season her<br />
comfortable after saloon was<br />
secured and her crew sought<br />
winter work in the local coastal<br />
and salvage tug trades.<br />
The Victor, along with other<br />
local tugs, was regularly called<br />
out for salvage work. Examples<br />
include attending the sinking<br />
Atlantic liner Mohegan; also the<br />
grounded liner Paris, where the<br />
full complement of passengers<br />
was ferried to safety. The Victor<br />
later helped re-float the Paris,<br />
having in the meantime earned<br />
a substantial income by running<br />
sightseeing trips to view the<br />
stranded ship.<br />
The Victor was requisitioned<br />
by the Admiralty during the<br />
First World War, renamed Ictor<br />
for the duration. She returned<br />
to public service at Falmouth in<br />
1920, continuing to provide<br />
coastal excursions for a further<br />
14 years, after which time she<br />
was sold to a Swansea owner<br />
and her long career at Falmouth<br />
came to an end.<br />
In the autumn of 1939 the<br />
vessel was hired by the Ministry<br />
of War Transport, being used<br />
initially on examination service.<br />
For the final three years of the<br />
war she served as a harbour tug<br />
on the Clyde, after which her<br />
history becomes obscure.<br />
The characterful steam<br />
passenger-tugs have long<br />
disappeared from the waters of<br />
the Falmouth district, but the<br />
inspiring and varied coastline<br />
around the beautiful Fal estuary<br />
can still be appreciated from the<br />
decks of their present day<br />
successors.<br />
50 YEARS AGO<br />
After a study of 199 collisions which took place within its jurisdiction over the<br />
last three years, the US Coast Guard has found that 77 were due to excess<br />
speed, 58 to ships being on the wrong side of channels, 45 to failure of sound<br />
signals, 29 to overtaking ships failing to keep clear, 27 to turning to port when<br />
meeting end-on, 24 to give-way ships failing to do so in a crossing situation,<br />
21 to evasive manoeuvres which were too little or too late, 15 to failure to stop<br />
or go astern, 12 to wind, sea or current factors, nine to insufficient power and<br />
six to ships being overtaken failing to maintain their course. The incidents<br />
caused 55 deaths and more than £7m damage and the Coast Guard says the<br />
findings show the need for a comprehensive analysis of the causes of<br />
collisions MN Journal, October 1960<br />
25 YEARS AGO<br />
NUMAST is seeking comments from members about proposals to set a new<br />
series of shipboard noise limits. The Department of Transport is planning to<br />
revise its noise code to bring levels on UK ships into line with those laid down<br />
by the <strong>International</strong> Maritime Organisation. Under the proposals, which<br />
would affect merchant ships of 500gt and over, exposure limits would be<br />
brought down from 90dB(A) to 85dB(A) for eight-hour periods and 80dB(A)<br />
over a 24-hour day. Changes in maximum recommended noise levels would<br />
be: workshops 85dB(A); listening posts, including bridge wings 70dB(A);<br />
galleys and pantries 75dB(A); and day rooms and sleeping cabins 60dB(A)<br />
The Telegraph, October 1985<br />
10 YEARS AGO<br />
The demise of Britain as a major maritime nation was starkly illustrated last<br />
month during an episode of the TV game show Who Wants to be a<br />
Millionaire Presenter Chris Tarrant asked a contestant: ‘The red ensign<br />
signifies which of the following — the Royal Yacht Squadron, the Merchant<br />
Navy, the Royal Navy or the RNLI’ The woman in the hot seat had no idea<br />
and opted to ask the audience — only 8% of which identified the red ensign<br />
as the symbol of the MN, with the vast majority choosing the RN or RNLI.<br />
NUMAST has urged the Chamber of Shipping to take note of this ignorance<br />
and to launch a sustained campaign to increase public awareness of the UK<br />
shipping industry, including material directed at parents and teachers as well<br />
as potential new recruits The Telegraph, October 2000<br />
THEQUIZ<br />
1 Which country’s shipowners<br />
have the largest amount of<br />
tonnage on order<br />
(in deadweight terms)<br />
2 What is the total deadweight<br />
capacity of the world oil tanker<br />
fleet at present<br />
3 In which year was the world’s<br />
first pure car carrier built<br />
4 How many years did it take ot<br />
construct the Panama Canal<br />
5 Dolphin strikers were fitted to<br />
many sailing ships. What were<br />
they<br />
6 On which river is the French port<br />
of Rouen<br />
J Answers to the quiz and<br />
quick crossword<br />
are on page 46.<br />
Telegraph prize crossword<br />
The winner of this month’s cryptic crossword competition<br />
will win a copy of the book Seaspray and Whiskey by<br />
Norman Freeman (reviewed on the facing page).<br />
To enter, simply complete the form right and send it,<br />
along with your completed crossword, to: <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong>, Telegraph Crossword Competition,<br />
Oceanair House, 750–760 High Road,<br />
Leytonstone, London E11 3BB,<br />
or fax +44 (0)20 8530 1015.<br />
You can also enter by email, by sending your list of<br />
answers and your contact details to:<br />
telegraph@nautilusint.org.<br />
Closing date is Wednesday 13 October 2010.<br />
Name:<br />
Address:<br />
Telephone:<br />
Membership No.:<br />
QUICK CLUES<br />
Across<br />
1. Gusher (3,4)<br />
5. & 10. Thackeray (7,9)<br />
9. Conflict (5)<br />
10. (See 5 across)<br />
11. Dramatic Relief (9)<br />
12. Vote in (5)<br />
13. Straws (5)<br />
15. Plated creature (9)<br />
18. Form of strength (9)<br />
19. Old Scandinavian (5)<br />
21. Find suitable partner (5)<br />
23. Vital fluids (9)<br />
25. Means (9)<br />
26. Attuned new engine (3,2)<br />
27. Late ticket (7)<br />
28. Watch (7)<br />
Down<br />
1. Rank (7)<br />
2. Astronomical mileage (5.4)<br />
3. Addition (5)<br />
4. Light covering (9)<br />
5. Vigils (5)<br />
6. Visual listener (3-6)<br />
7. Angry (5)<br />
8. Conductor (7)<br />
14. Dirty money (5,4)<br />
16. Policy document (9)<br />
17. Splash of red on lawn signifies<br />
the one in possession (9)<br />
18. Funny bone (7)<br />
20. Vocal movement (7)<br />
22. Coil (5)<br />
23. Fortunate (5)<br />
24. London mayor (5)<br />
CRYPTIC CLUES<br />
Across<br />
1. It raises 25 to lubricate<br />
economy (3,4)<br />
5. & 10. Fair author’s Pacifist Bill<br />
(7,9)<br />
9. Worthless fruit, but precedes<br />
high tension conflict (5)<br />
10. (See 5 across)<br />
11. Relief to get out of theatre (9)<br />
12. Leave with a seat (5)<br />
13. From which some musical<br />
sound stems (5)<br />
15. Ill or mad, a changeable<br />
creature (9)<br />
18. The woman’s a small copper<br />
and slim, but shows great<br />
strength (9)<br />
19. Old Scandinavian was to incur<br />
change (5)<br />
21. Lighter one of a pair (5)<br />
23. Replacement of old bile with<br />
more vital transfusion (9)<br />
25. Means to do with origins (9)<br />
26. Take to police station but drive<br />
gently (3,2)<br />
27. Last minute ticket, without<br />
seating (7)<br />
28. Abide by the rule, see (7)<br />
Down<br />
1. Not on frozen surface right,<br />
policeman sir (7)<br />
2. Astronomical mileage (5.4)<br />
3. One in crowd for film, given<br />
another run (5)<br />
4. 50 units of current, had<br />
electronic cover (9)<br />
5. Gatherings in Ireland where<br />
the ships have sailed (5)<br />
6. One can see what you’re<br />
saying (3-6)<br />
7. Angry about rodent that is (5)<br />
8. Or team’s built around<br />
conductor (7)<br />
14. From which backhanders are<br />
paid for snowploughs (5,4)<br />
16. Obvious nothing put together<br />
to make policy document (9)<br />
17. Splash of red on lawn signifies<br />
the one in possession (9)<br />
18. Sounds like the funny bone (7)<br />
20. ‘So in majestic — rise and fall/<br />
The mighty undulations of thy<br />
song’ (Longfellow: Milton) (7)<br />
22. Coiled tales (5)<br />
23. Fortunate to be waiting for<br />
Samuel Beckett (5)<br />
24. Sir, old boy has been returned<br />
mayor (5)<br />
J Crossword answers<br />
are on page 46.
A CalMac officer<br />
trainee wins the<br />
Bevis Minter award<br />
Volume 43 | Number 08 | August 2010 | £3.35 €3.50<br />
News from the first<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> UK and NL<br />
branch conferences<br />
Union alarm as US judges warn of ‘no inspection-free zones’ onboard visiting foreign ships<br />
P<br />
Twee pagina’s<br />
met nieuws uit<br />
Nederland<br />
Amid shipowner warnings of arising from the equal pay plans<br />
Fmass flag-outs from the UK would put their UK operations<br />
register in response to plans to end ‘under intolerable pressure’.<br />
pay discrimination for foreign<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> general secretary Mark<br />
seafarers, <strong>Nautilus</strong> has urged the Dickinson said he was concerned by<br />
government to adopt its compromise the owners’ warnings, but pointed<br />
package of proposals.<br />
out that the existing rules have to<br />
Ministers are due to decide soon change to bring the UK into line with<br />
on whether to accept the<br />
European law.<br />
recommendations, made in an<br />
‘However, we are also realists<br />
independent report, to close the and we recognise the risk of flagging<br />
legal loopholes that presently permit out if the costs of using the UK<br />
operators to pay different rates to register are significantly increased in<br />
non-UK resident seafarers.<br />
these economically difficult times.<br />
Leading owners have warned<br />
‘That’s why we have written to<br />
that the proposals will leave many the shipping minister setting out a<br />
major companies with ‘little choice practical alternative that respects EU<br />
but to re-register their ships away law and adheres to international<br />
from the UK’.<br />
benchmark standards negotiated by<br />
In a letter to the national press, shipowners and their union<br />
the heads of shipping firms including counterparts at the international<br />
Shell, Maersk, Carnival UK, P&O level,’ he added. ‘We believe this is<br />
Ferries, Stena and James Fisher the option the UK should choose.’ <strong>Nautilus</strong> members on the Greenpeace ship Esperanza, above, have been working with German scientists on an important climate change research<br />
warned that the increase in costs g Full story — page 3.<br />
project to investigate the acidification of the Arctic Ocean ‒ find out more on page 29 Picture: Nick Cobbing/Greenpeace<br />
F<br />
F<br />
F<br />
F<br />
Shipowners have voiced concern after an<br />
investigation last month confirmed that tanker<br />
damaged by a blast in the Strait of Hormuz had b en the<br />
victim of a te rorist a tack.<br />
One crew member was injured, a lifeboat was<br />
damaged, windows were broken and five<br />
a co modation d ors were blown off in the incident<br />
involving the 314,016dwt VL C M. Star.<br />
The Marsha l Islands-fla ged ve sel, operated by<br />
Mitsui OSK Lines, wa sailing from the United Arab<br />
Emirates to Japan with a 270,204 to ne carg of crude<br />
when the incident o cu red just after midnight on 28 July<br />
at 26°27’ N 56°14’ E.<br />
Although som expert su gested the ve sel may<br />
have b en struck by a freak wave or an ol drifting mine,<br />
an investigation ca ried out by UAE authorities found<br />
remains of homemad explosives in a 14m by 7m dent on<br />
the starboard side of the ship, just above the waterline.<br />
The state-ru news agency WAM said investigators<br />
had concluded the a tack had b en ca ried out by a sma l<br />
boat packed with explosives.<br />
Just a few days earlier, a group known as the<br />
Abdu lah A zam Brigade said it had ca ried out a suicide<br />
a tack agains the tanker to avenge the plunder of<br />
Muslim wealth and to destabilise international markets.<br />
Transnet cadet Akhona Geveza<br />
F<br />
F<br />
F<br />
g<br />
Fu l report — pages 24-25.<br />
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 33<br />
books<br />
OFFWATCH<br />
How MN saved the day<br />
Ebb and Flow<br />
by Roy Martin<br />
Brook House, £13.99 pbk, £18.99 hbk<br />
ISBN 978-0-9557441-2-9<br />
It is only in recent years, after concerted<br />
Kcampaigning by organisations including<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong>, that the role of merchant seafarers<br />
during the Second World War has become more<br />
widely appreciated. More than one in six, from all<br />
parts of the British Empire, were killed, mainly<br />
while undertaking the shipping of food, fuel and<br />
materials.<br />
In his new study Ebb and Flow: Evacuations<br />
and Landings by Merchant Ships in World War<br />
Two, Roy Martin documents the less known story<br />
of the part seafarers played in evacuations from<br />
countries overrun by Axis powers. They saved<br />
more than 90,000 troops from Dunkirk, more<br />
than 200,000 troops and civilians from other<br />
parts of France, and helped many escape when<br />
Singapore fell to the Japanese.<br />
Mr Martin — a merchant mariner who spent<br />
much of his working life in the marine salvage<br />
industry — had his fascination with the theme<br />
sparked when he joined his first ship in 1953: ‘… the<br />
officers had mostly served through the war and<br />
had the medal ribbons to prove it’.<br />
On Britain’s dire predicament in 1941 and 1942,<br />
he writes: ‘It is not possible to see how Britain<br />
would have got through this low point without the<br />
unstinting support of both the merchant fleets and<br />
Empire.’<br />
Yet he notes that the evacuations carried out<br />
after Dunkirk have received very little attention:<br />
‘Even now it would seem that many want to cling<br />
to the idea of the “Miracle of Dunkirk” when the<br />
Navy and the little ships alone saved “every last<br />
man” of the BEF [British Expeditionary Force]’<br />
Noting how Churchill prevented the news of the<br />
loss of the Lancastria getting more than limited<br />
coverage because the public had had enough bad<br />
news, Mr Martin comments: ‘Possibly the idea that<br />
civilian merchantmen had to “finish the job” did<br />
not make the right sort of story.’<br />
The role of non-British ships is also<br />
documented; for instance the Perseus, owned by<br />
Holt of Amsterdam, which, when the German<br />
troops were overrunning the neutral Low<br />
Countries, was said to have carried part of the<br />
Dutch gold reserve to the UK.<br />
And the author does not neglect to mention the<br />
women who served on merchant ships during<br />
the conflict. Their numbers were small but<br />
several were awarded medals, including<br />
Victoria Drummond, god-daughter of Queen<br />
Victoria, who served as an engineer officer. Mr<br />
Martin records: ‘Miss Drummond was<br />
awarded an MBE and the Lloyd’s War Medal<br />
for Bravery at Sea for single-handedly<br />
remaining at the controls of the cargo ship<br />
Bonita during an attack by a German<br />
bomber. She also volunteered for service<br />
during the Normandy landings.’<br />
Ebb and Flow is a valuable addition to<br />
the historiography of the immense wartime<br />
contribution and sacrifices of our merchant<br />
seafarers. Most images were supplied free of<br />
charge to the author by the Imperial War<br />
Museum, in an arrangement whereby £2<br />
from the sale of each copy goes to<br />
Merchant Seamen’s War Memorial Society,<br />
the charity that supports the Springbok<br />
Estate for seafarers in Surrey.<br />
Ebb and Flow can be bought directly<br />
Kfrom the author — adding p&p of<br />
£1.71 for paperback, £2.01 for hardback —<br />
by contacting him at roy@risdonbeazley.co.uk<br />
Story from the<br />
seamy side of<br />
60s shipping<br />
Seaspray and Whisky<br />
by Norman Freeman<br />
Ian Allen Publishing, £9.99<br />
ISBN 978-0-7110-3532-4<br />
Many maritime memoirs<br />
Kbask in the rosy glow of the<br />
good old days, recalling the<br />
heyday of the shipping<br />
industry and reflecting on the<br />
subsequent decline. Norman<br />
Freeman’s account of an early<br />
voyage as radio officer in the<br />
early 1960s is very, very<br />
different.<br />
The opening sentence sets<br />
the scene perfectly: ‘The MV<br />
Allenwell was one of those<br />
ships most seafarers were<br />
careful to avoid.’<br />
Over the following 235 pages<br />
he tells how this ‘dirty and<br />
decrepit’ vessel and its crew of<br />
misfits and ne’er-do-wells sailed<br />
from Liverpool to the United<br />
States and back fuelled by<br />
frequent raids on the cargo of<br />
Scottish whisky.<br />
In these days of dry ships and<br />
rigorous alcohol policies, it is<br />
incredible to reflect back to<br />
times when each crew member<br />
had a daily allowance of six cans<br />
of beer. But for the seafarers on<br />
Norman Freeman’s vessel, this<br />
was by no means sufficient —<br />
and they managed to ‘lose’<br />
almost 1,000 bottles of VAT 69<br />
on their transatlantic crossing<br />
and in a sordid six-day stay in<br />
the port of New Orleans.<br />
How they worked their way<br />
through the whisky and the<br />
ramifications of what they did is<br />
well told in this entertaining<br />
book, which was originally<br />
published in Ireland in 1993. Put<br />
together from notes made at the<br />
time — but with names changed<br />
to protect the not-so innocent —<br />
the book captures the gritty<br />
reality of tramp shipping and a<br />
way of life far removed from<br />
more romantic stories of<br />
seafaring in the past.<br />
The descriptions of the<br />
stodgy food, squalid cabins and<br />
testing sea conditions are<br />
extremely well done, and Mr<br />
Freeman evokes the scenes with<br />
superb clarity — perhaps<br />
because he was one of the few<br />
onboard who had not been<br />
dipping into the cargo.<br />
Along the way, he drops in<br />
fascinating anecdotes about<br />
such the work of the RO — ‘Every<br />
Morse-man has his own<br />
individual style and rhythm’ —<br />
and Geordie ships — ‘Hardy<br />
seafarers, reared under the cold<br />
grey skies of the North Sea, they<br />
had little time for frills and<br />
niceties.’<br />
The cast of characters<br />
onboard the Allenwell are also<br />
vividly drawn and include a laidback<br />
master whose fine seafaring<br />
skills were somewhat obscured<br />
by his relaxed attitude to<br />
management, an erudite chief<br />
engineer who never ventures<br />
into the engineroom, and a<br />
miserable mate.<br />
These were the days when<br />
ships spent weeks — not hours<br />
— in port and the book tells how<br />
the ship’s crew hit new heights<br />
of debauchery during their time<br />
in New Orleans.<br />
But, of course, there’s a price<br />
to be paid — and the tone of the<br />
book changes as the<br />
repercussions of the long binge<br />
start to play out. Whether<br />
today’s seafarers are also paying<br />
the price for such behaviour<br />
with alcohol bans and rigorous<br />
inspections by shore authorities<br />
is a moot point, but this<br />
entertaining and evocative<br />
account provides an enjoyable<br />
meander through the seamier<br />
side of seafaring in the 60s.<br />
Titanic tales<br />
that are<br />
worth a read<br />
Titanic: 9 Hours to Hell, the<br />
Survivors’ Story<br />
by W.B. Bartlett<br />
Amberley Publishing, £20<br />
ISBN 978-1-84868-4225<br />
www.amberleybooks.com<br />
New edition<br />
of handy<br />
guidebook<br />
for ETOs<br />
Essential Handbook for ETOs<br />
by Clive Evans<br />
£30<br />
Former <strong>Nautilus</strong> Council member<br />
KClive Evans has published a second<br />
edition of his Essential Handbook for<br />
Electro-Technical Officers.<br />
The timing could hardly be better, as<br />
the post of ETO has — after years of<br />
campaigning by the Union — been given<br />
international recognition through the<br />
training and certification requirements of<br />
the revised STCW Convention.<br />
In his introduction, Mr Evans explains<br />
how the work of the ETO is evolving<br />
rapidly in response to the remarkable<br />
changes in shipboard technology. From<br />
KTelegraph readers: rejoice!<br />
After two months with no<br />
Titanic book review, here is news<br />
of a fresh account of the famous<br />
shipping disaster.<br />
Perhaps ‘fresh’ isn’t quite the<br />
word, given that all the book’s<br />
source material has been in the<br />
public domain for some time,<br />
but WB Bartlett’s Titanic is a<br />
decent enough history. The<br />
author strikes a good balance<br />
between scholarly thoroughness<br />
and a readable style, and there’s<br />
no truck with conspiracy<br />
theories.<br />
An effort is made to highlight<br />
the stories of some less wellknown<br />
passengers, such as the<br />
poor Syrian family hoping to<br />
make a better life in the USA.<br />
And the book does well to evoke<br />
the atmosphere of the period —<br />
noting, for example, how easily<br />
rumours would flourish when<br />
people had to wait a painfully<br />
long time for reliable reports.<br />
There is a good description of<br />
the scene in New York when the<br />
Carpathia arrived with the<br />
Titanic survivors, and waiting<br />
relatives finally learned the full<br />
widespread use of shoreside<br />
maintenance contracts — particularly<br />
with regard to GMDSS equipment — he<br />
suggests things have now come full circle<br />
and owners are likely find it considerably<br />
more cost-effective to recruit, train and<br />
retain ETOs for their ships.<br />
Aimed at ETOs about to go to sea for<br />
the first time, the handy guide gives<br />
inside information about the job role and<br />
the ever-growing list of equipment and<br />
systems that the ETO is responsible for.<br />
Some of the new sections in this second<br />
edition give more detailed practical<br />
advice, including common faults and<br />
high-voltage working.<br />
With subjects ranging from joining<br />
your first ship to tax and pension<br />
arrangements, there’s also plenty of<br />
practical information that would be of<br />
relevance to all seafarers about to<br />
embark on their first voyage, and it is all<br />
backed up with a DVD containing dozens<br />
of pictures and presentations showing<br />
life and work at sea.<br />
The handbook costs £30 including UK<br />
postage, or £25 per copy for bulk orders.<br />
For further information, email:<br />
georgecliveevans@yahoo.co.uk<br />
truth of who had lived and who<br />
had died.<br />
As well as covering the<br />
sinking and its immediate<br />
aftermath, Titanic gives a<br />
detailed account of the public<br />
inquiries into the disaster, and<br />
describes the maritime safety<br />
laws that were introduced as a<br />
result of the findings.<br />
The author’s conscientious<br />
approach means that relevant<br />
events from later years are also<br />
included — whereupon a<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> predecessor union, the<br />
Mercantile Marine Service<br />
Association, makes an<br />
appearance. In the late 1950s,<br />
the MMSA supported the<br />
octogenarian Captain Stanley<br />
Lord of the Californian in his<br />
fight to clear his name after<br />
being negatively presented in<br />
the Titanic film A Night to<br />
Remember.<br />
‘In some ways, it is a battle<br />
that is still being fought,’<br />
comments Mr Bartlett. And<br />
while there is still a public<br />
appetite for debate about any<br />
aspect of the Titanic disaster,<br />
there are surely yet more books<br />
to be written. Watch this space…<br />
Union offers ‘third<br />
way’ on equal pay<br />
MCA’s new leader<br />
te ls of his plans to<br />
restore reputation<br />
Volume 43 | Number 09 | September 2010 | £3.35 €3.50<br />
Crew cabins aren’t<br />
private, court rules<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> research<br />
reveals the big<br />
i sues for trainees<br />
Investigators found traces of homemad explosives on the hu l of the M. Star Picture: Mosab Omar/Reuters<br />
Tanker blast ‘a terror attack’<br />
The tanker owners’ organisation Intertanko said it<br />
was ‘disturbed’ by the incident. ‘This a most wo rying<br />
development, said MD Peter Swift. ‘Tanker owners<br />
natura ly remain concerned at any developmen that<br />
could put crew, ship and cargo at risk, and thereby also<br />
threaten to inte rup the flow o fr e trade.’<br />
The incident bear similarities to the case of the<br />
tanker Limburg, which was ra med by a boat packed<br />
with explosives off the coast of Yemen in October 2 02.<br />
One crewman died and 12 were injured the incident,<br />
which was believed to have b en the work of Al Qaeda.<br />
Twee pagina’s<br />
met nieuws uit<br />
Nederland<br />
‘A wake-up<br />
call for the<br />
industry’<br />
Union ca ls for UK to lead inquiries into cadet’s death<br />
To advertise<br />
your products<br />
& services in<br />
the Telegraph<br />
please contact:<br />
CENTURY ONE<br />
PUBLISHING<br />
Tel: 01727 893 894<br />
Fax: 01727 893 895<br />
Email: sean@century<br />
onepublishing.ltd.uk<br />
P
34 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
NL NEWS<br />
Uit de dienstgang<br />
Zo nu en dan maken we mee<br />
xdat in onze bedrijfstakken<br />
zeevaart, binnenvaart en offshore<br />
bedrijven failliet gaan. Dat betreffen<br />
echter niet alleen de scheepvaartbedrijven,<br />
maar ook ondernemingen<br />
die slechts zijdelings betrokken zijn bij<br />
het varen. Vaak werken bij deze<br />
bedrijven leden die vroeger gevaren<br />
hebben. Zij blijven lid van <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> om zo van alle ins en<br />
outs op maritiem gebied op de<br />
hoogte te blijven. Daarnaast kunnen<br />
zij rekenen op alle mogelijke<br />
juridische bijstand wanneer het bij het<br />
walbedrijf fout dreigt te gaan, zoals<br />
ook bij onderstaande kwestie het<br />
geval was...<br />
Eind maart 2009 ging de<br />
BlueStream Group in Den Helder<br />
failliet. Onder verschillende firmanamen<br />
leverde deze organisatie<br />
onder andere diving support vessels<br />
en ROV-diensten aan de offshore. Een<br />
ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) is<br />
een klein duikbootje dat aan een<br />
kabel te water wordt gelaten en dat in<br />
staat is filmbeelden van onderwaterwerk<br />
te maken. De laatste paar jaar<br />
hebben de ROV’s een enorme<br />
ontwikkeling doorgemaakt; vandaag<br />
de dag zijn het zelfs complete<br />
onderwaterrobots geworden dankzij<br />
hun unieke werkarmen.<br />
De BlueStream Group kon echter<br />
niet goed mee en redde het niet. Bij<br />
het faillissement waren twee leden<br />
van <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> betrokken,<br />
waarvan het dienstverband was<br />
opgezegd door de curator (een door<br />
de rechtbank benoemde advocaat die<br />
het faillissement afhandelt) vanaf de<br />
faillissementsdatum.<br />
Deze datum is van belang voor de<br />
verdere financiële afhandeling van<br />
onder andere de tegoeden van de<br />
getroffen werknemers. Het is<br />
ondermeer de datum van ingang van<br />
de opzegtermijn. Bij een faillissement<br />
geldt de opzegtermijn zoals vermeld<br />
in de arbeidsovereenkomst of de CAO,<br />
met een wettelijk geldend maximum<br />
van zes weken. Op grond van de<br />
werkloosheidwet, neemt het UWV de<br />
betalingsverplichting over van<br />
achterstallig salaris, het salaris over<br />
de opzegtermijn, vakantiegeld, niet<br />
opgenomen vakantie en verlofdagen.<br />
Nee<br />
64%<br />
De curator regelde dat het UWV naar<br />
het bedrijf kwam om de<br />
medewerkers in de gelegenheid te<br />
stellen zich hier direct in te schrijven<br />
voor de uitkering.<br />
Gelukkig vonden onze leden op<br />
zeer korte termijn ander werk, zodat<br />
de kwestie kon worden beperkt tot<br />
uitkering van het UWV over achterstallig<br />
loon en loon over de<br />
opzegtermijn. Dat ging bij het ene lid<br />
zonder slag of stoot, maar bij ons<br />
andere lid verliep het allemaal heel<br />
moeizaam. Hij werkte in de buitendienst<br />
van het bedrijf en vloog de<br />
hele wereld over. Ons lid had naast<br />
zijn gewone loon, ook nog overuren,<br />
reiskosten, kilometervergoeding en<br />
buitenlandvergoeding tegoed. Keer<br />
op keer werd hem toegezegd door<br />
het UWV dat dit deel van de<br />
vordering betaald zou worden, maar<br />
evenzoveel keren gebeurde er niets.<br />
Toen het UWV na zes maanden nog<br />
steeds niet had betaald, besloot hij<br />
de zaak over te dragen aan <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong>. Toen <strong>Nautilus</strong> het UWV<br />
benaderde kregen wij tot onze<br />
verbazing te horen dat de kwestie al<br />
was afgewikkeld en het dossier was<br />
gearchiveerd. Wij stuurden dus alle<br />
relevante documenten opnieuw in,<br />
maar kregen vervolgens geen enkele<br />
reactie. Na tal van telefoontjes van<br />
onze zijde, waarin ons werd verzekerd<br />
dat we zouden worden teruggebeld,<br />
bleef het angstvallig stil. Wat kun je<br />
verder dan nog doen als zo’n log<br />
UWV niet meewerkt<br />
Een andere manier bedenken om<br />
de instantie tot actie aan te sporen...<br />
Via de website van het UWV dienden<br />
wij een klacht in over de hele gang<br />
van zaken. En dat hielp direct. Want<br />
al de volgende dag werden we<br />
gebeld door het UWV klachtenbureau<br />
en binnen drie dagen had de uitkeringsinstantie<br />
de claim boven water<br />
én afgehandeld. Binnen een week<br />
had ons lid zijn geld. Ruim een jaar<br />
na het faillissement was het toch nog<br />
eind goed al goed.<br />
De BlueStream Group heeft na<br />
het faillissement overigens een<br />
doorstart gemaakt onder de naam<br />
Bluestream Offshore, en daarmee<br />
kon een aantal werknemers zijn baan<br />
alsnog behouden.<br />
Geef uw mening<br />
Vorige maand vroegen wij: Denkt u dat er een<br />
intimidatie probleem is aan boord<br />
Ja<br />
36%<br />
De poll van deze maand vraagt: Denkt u dat<br />
reddingsboten meer zeevarenden verwonden<br />
en doden dan dat ze redden Geef ons uw<br />
mening online, op nautilusnl.org<br />
Onderhandelingsresultaat<br />
bereikt voor<br />
CAO Handelsvaart tot<br />
9.000 GT<br />
Een tweejarige CAO met<br />
ondermeer een gageverhoging van<br />
P1% per 1 april 2011 en 2% per 1 april<br />
2012, is het resultaat van de CAO-onderhandelingen<br />
voor de Handels vaart tot<br />
9.000 GT. Op 9 augustus jongstleden<br />
kwamen <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> en de<br />
onderhandelingsdelegatie VWH tot<br />
overeenstemming over de voorstellen. Het<br />
resultaat wordt binnenkort met een<br />
positief advies aan de leden voorgelegd.<br />
Wat ging er aan vooraf Na de ledenvergadering<br />
van 9 februari 2010 waarin de<br />
voorstellen voor een nieuwe CAO voor de<br />
Handelsvaart werden besproken, werd de<br />
bestaande CAO op per 31 maart 2010<br />
opgezegd. Op 5 maart jongstleden ging de<br />
voorstellenbrief de deur uit met daarin de<br />
volgende voorstellen: een cao voor een jaar,<br />
gageverhoging in lijn met het FNV loon- en<br />
arbeidsvoorwaardenbeleid, extra verlof<br />
voor kaderleden, vergoeding van alle<br />
tweejarige keuringskosten en, last but not<br />
least, het voorstel om de werkingssfeer van<br />
de CAO uit te breiden voor schepen boven<br />
de 9.000 GT.<br />
Het resultaat<br />
Op 9 augustus werd met de werkgevers<br />
onderhandelingsdelegatie VWH een<br />
onderhandelingsresultaat bereikt. De CAO<br />
heeft een looptijd van twee jaar, lopend van<br />
1 april 2010 tot en met 31 maart 2012. Er is<br />
een gageverhoging overeengekomen van 1%<br />
per 1 april 2011 en een verhoging van 2% per<br />
1 april 2012. Vanaf 1 januari 2011 vervalt de<br />
tabel met extra verlof voor oudere werknemers.<br />
De waarde van deze verlofdagen<br />
zijn eerder door TNO berekend op<br />
0,24% van het loon. Dit budget komt<br />
beschikbaar voor maatregelen die passen in<br />
leeftijdsfasebewust personeelsbeleid. Het<br />
In de vorige uitgave kon u<br />
Cal lezen dat de distributieovereenkomst<br />
met Garmin<br />
afloopt omdat Garmin de<br />
distributie in eigen beheer<br />
neemt. Voor de werknemers<br />
heeft dit natuurlijk de nodige<br />
consequenties. Het sociaal plan<br />
moet hierin voorzien.<br />
Vijftien jaar geleden sloten<br />
Sailtron en Garmin een overeenkomst<br />
waarin werd<br />
afgesproken dat Sailtron<br />
exclusief de distributie voor de<br />
navigatiesystemen van Garmin<br />
op zijn schouders zou nemen.<br />
Dit heeft geleid tot een formatieuitbreiding<br />
van 35 medewerkers<br />
bij Sailtron dat rechtstreeks<br />
onder Radio Holland<br />
Netherlands valt. Nu de<br />
distributieovereenkomst<br />
aantal leeftijdsdagen waarop individuele<br />
werknemers al recht hadden per 31 december<br />
2010 blijft ongewijzigd. Verder worden alle<br />
kosten van de tweejaarlijkse keuring vergoed.<br />
Ook is overeengekomen dat de partijen de<br />
CAO algemeen verbindend laten verklaren<br />
bij het ministerie van Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid.<br />
Tot slot is afgesproken een<br />
commissie in te stellen om de mogelijkheden<br />
te onderzoeken voor modernisering<br />
van de beloningssystematiek. Onderdeel van<br />
afloopt, raken werknemers<br />
overcompleet en moet voor hen<br />
aan de hand van het sociaal plan<br />
een passende oplossing worden<br />
gevonden.<br />
Herplaatsing<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> is<br />
momenteel in gesprek met<br />
Radio Holland Netherlands over<br />
de mogelijkheden van werk naar<br />
werk:<br />
z Herplaatsing intern bij Radio<br />
Holland Netherlands in een<br />
gelijkwaardige functie.<br />
z Wanneer dit niet mogelijk is,<br />
wordt gekeken of er een<br />
passende functie beschikbaar is<br />
bij Garmin of bij een van de<br />
andere ondernemingen van<br />
moederbedrijf Imtech.<br />
z Als herplaatsing niet tot de<br />
mogelijkheden behoort, volgt<br />
bemiddeling via een outplacementbureau.<br />
Toch zijn er enkele<br />
geschilpunten. Een punt van<br />
geschil is dat Radio Holland<br />
werknemers, die ingaan op een<br />
aanbod van Garmin, de ontslagvergoeding<br />
wil onthouden. De<br />
leden zijn het pensionen hier<br />
niet mee eens, omdat een<br />
overgang naar Garmin gebeurt<br />
onder dreiging van de<br />
omstandigheden, waardoor er in<br />
feite geen vrije keus is. Voorts<br />
wordt vaak een langjarig<br />
dienstverband opgegeven met<br />
alle onzekerheden van dien. De<br />
de opdracht is om ook te kijken naar de<br />
mogelijkheden de CAO uit te breiden naar<br />
schepen groter dan 9.000 GT. Bij het ter<br />
perse gaan van deze editie wordt het<br />
onderhandelingsresultaat nader uitgewerkt<br />
waarna vervolgens een ledenvergadering<br />
wordt georganiseerd. Gezien de<br />
moeilijke situatie van de scheepvaartsector<br />
in 2009/2010, adviseert <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> zijn leden dit resultaat goed te<br />
keuren.<br />
Sociaal plan Sailtron nader uitgewerkt<br />
ontslagvergoeding is bedoeld<br />
om hierin te voorzien. Voor<br />
herplaatsing binnen Imtech ligt<br />
dat anders. Het betreft hier<br />
immers een interne herplaatsing<br />
waarbij dienstjaren gewoon<br />
worden meegenomen.<br />
De ontslagvergoeding is<br />
gebaseerd op de kantonrechtersformule,<br />
verhoogd met de<br />
correctiefactor van 1,25. Mocht de<br />
vergoeding boven de werkelijke<br />
inkomensschade tot het<br />
pensioen uitstijgen, dan wil Radio<br />
Holland Netherlands de<br />
vergoeding matigen. De vakbond<br />
heeft begrip voor dit standpunt,<br />
maar wil dan wel met de<br />
werkgever afspreken op welke<br />
wijze dit gebeurt. Tot op heden<br />
wil de werkgever daar niet op<br />
ingaan.
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 35<br />
NL NEWS<br />
Motie <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> goedgekeurd door ITF:<br />
Unanieme steun voor vergaande<br />
internationale standaardisering sector<br />
binnenvaart<br />
PTijdens het vierjaarlijkse<br />
congres van de <strong>International</strong>e<br />
Transportwerkers’ Federatie<br />
(ITF) dat in augustus jl. werd gehouden<br />
in Mexicostad, heeft <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> unanieme steun gekregen<br />
voor zijn ideeën om tot vergaande<br />
standaardisering te komen in de<br />
binnenvaart naar goed voorbeeld uit de<br />
zeescheepvaart.<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>’s woordvoerder<br />
Rob Pauptit, die de motie mede indiende<br />
namens de Zwitserse bond Unia en de<br />
Oostenrijkse bond Vida, stelt dat het de<br />
hoogste tijd is om in te spelen op een<br />
reeks nieuwe tendensen in de binnenvaart.<br />
Het uitvlaggen van schepen,<br />
onduidelijkheid over werkgeverschap,<br />
verhuizen van rederijen naar postbusadressen<br />
alsmede de introductie van<br />
werknemers uit lagelonenlanden, hebben<br />
in toenemende mate een negatieve<br />
uitwerking op de veiligheid en<br />
rechtspositie van het binnenvaartpersoneel.<br />
Er ontstaat immers<br />
concurrentie op loon- en<br />
arbeidsvoorwaarden over de ruggen van<br />
de werknemers. Daarbij laten de<br />
supervisie en controle van autoriteiten te<br />
wensen over, die overigens niet eens<br />
wordt ondersteund door uniforme<br />
internationale wet- en regelgeving.<br />
Hierdoor bestaat een wirwar van regels<br />
omtrent belangrijke zaken als opleiding,<br />
werktijden, bemanningsgrootte én, niet<br />
te vergeten, sociale zekerheid.<br />
Zowel de ITF-leiding als de ITF<br />
binnenvaartsectie hebben door de motie<br />
van <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> de opdracht<br />
gekregen om de navolgende zaken in<br />
gang te zetten:<br />
1. Onderzoeken of het Maritiem<br />
Arbeidsverdrag 2006 van de<br />
<strong>International</strong>e Arbeidsorganisatie (in het<br />
Engels bekend als ILO), ook wel de<br />
grondwet voor zeevarenden genoemd,<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
verkiezingen<br />
Zoals bepaald in artikel 14 van<br />
gonze statuten zullen in 2011<br />
verkiezingen worden gehouden voor<br />
de Council van <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>.<br />
De Council bestaat uit 32 leden,<br />
waarvan er 24 uit het Verenigd<br />
Koninkrijk komen en 8 uit Nederland.<br />
Om de twee jaar treedt ongeveer de<br />
helft van de Council af. Voor verdere<br />
info zie pagina 36.<br />
deels van toepassing kan worden<br />
verklaard op de sector binnenvaart.<br />
2. Onderhandelingen te starten met de<br />
ILO, de <strong>International</strong>e Maritieme<br />
Organisatie en andere organen om ook in<br />
de sector binnenvaart tot internationale<br />
standaarden te komen voor:<br />
zveiligheid en zekerheid;<br />
z bemanningssamenstelling<br />
en werkuren;<br />
z opleiding;<br />
zsociale zekerheid en minimumloon.<br />
Via de motie heeft de ITF tevens de<br />
opdracht gekregen om geld ter beschikking<br />
te stellen voor de oprichting van een<br />
ITF Binnenvaart Inspectoraat voor de<br />
assistentie en coördinatie van het werk<br />
van nationale binnenvaartbonden.<br />
Nu de motie is goedgekeurd door het<br />
congres, verwacht <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
dat de hiervoor beschreven problemen<br />
sneller en beter kunnen worden<br />
aangepakt. Wordt vervolgd!<br />
Geen onderhandelingsresultaat,<br />
wel eindbod van Jumbo Crew<br />
Services BV<br />
Na een aantal<br />
Fonderhandelingsronden<br />
heeft Jumbo Crew Services BV<br />
een eindbod neergelegd. Bij<br />
Jumbo worden er bedrijfsbreed<br />
(kantoorpersoneel en zeevarenden)<br />
geen gageverhogingen<br />
doorgevoerd, vandaar dat de<br />
resultaten zijn vastgelegd in<br />
een eindbod.<br />
In dit eindbod van Jumbo<br />
voor een CAO met een looptijd<br />
van één jaar (1 mei 2010 tot en<br />
met 30 april 2011) zijn<br />
verbeterpunten te vinden over<br />
de vaste overwerkvergoeding<br />
van € 488,- per maand voor de<br />
functies in loongroep 4<br />
(waaronder scheepsvakman,<br />
bootsman en kok). Het aanbod<br />
van Jumbo is om deze<br />
vergoeding te vervangen door<br />
150% van de uurverdienste.<br />
Daarnaast zijn in het eindbod<br />
afspraken opgenomen over de<br />
faciliteiten voor kaderleden. Er<br />
komt een maximale vergoeding<br />
van twee verlofdagen per jaar<br />
voor personeelsleden van Jumbo<br />
die zijn aangesteld als<br />
kaderleden en op verzoek van<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
deelnemen aan bijeenkomsten.<br />
Andere verbeterpunten<br />
Met betrekking tot de<br />
mentorpremie biedt Jumbo aan<br />
om deze te verhogen. Deze<br />
bedroeg € 39,- per maand met<br />
een maximum van € 78,= per<br />
maand per schip, maar wordt nu<br />
opgetrokken naar € 100,- per<br />
mentor per maand. Het<br />
maximum per schip vervalt.<br />
Het wordt aantrekkelijker om<br />
extra periodieke verlofdagen in<br />
te kopen; de waarde hiervan<br />
wordt namelijk verlaagd met 30<br />
à 35 %. Een andere positieve<br />
ontwikkeling is dat de werkgever<br />
heeft toegezegd dat er gewerkt<br />
wordt aan internet -<br />
voorzieningen op alle schepen<br />
.<br />
Oprichting OR<br />
Last but not least is men bij<br />
Jumbo gestart met de oprichting<br />
van een OR. Er is een oprichtingscommissie<br />
van de OR<br />
samengesteld en de doelstelling<br />
van deze commissie is om per 1<br />
januari 2011 een<br />
ondernemingsraad bij Jumbo te<br />
kunnen installeren. In een eerste<br />
nieuwsbrief uit april 2010 stond<br />
dat er in deze commissie nog<br />
plaats was voor varende<br />
collega’s. Het is goed om te<br />
weten dat <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
leden die in een OR plaatsnemen<br />
begeleidt en adviseert bij ORaangelegenheden.<br />
Het eindbod is inmiddels met<br />
een neutraal advies naar de<br />
leden gestuurd en tijdens de<br />
komende ledenvergadering<br />
wordt een besluit genomen over<br />
de afronding van de CAO.<br />
Clearwater Group beloont extra kwaliteit<br />
van werknemer in zware vrachtenmarkt<br />
Het nieuwe management bij<br />
AClearwater Group wil de<br />
kwaliteit van de officieren die<br />
bovengemiddeld presteren extra belonen<br />
met anciënniteiten in het zogenaamd<br />
excellerend gebied. Dit is<br />
slechts een van de opmerkelijke verbeteringen<br />
van de rederij die in de<br />
nieuwe CAO zijn vastgelegd.<br />
De CAO heeft een looptijd van één<br />
jaar en loopt van 1 april 2010 tot 1 april<br />
2011. Voor de kapitein, 1ste stuurman<br />
en HWTK komen er drie loonschalen,<br />
gebaseerd op de grootte van het schip<br />
en de beoordeling. De beoordeling,<br />
uitgevoerd aan de hand van een<br />
tiental kwaliteitspunten, zorgt voor<br />
stijging of daling in de nieuwe schalen.<br />
Niet alleen kunnen met dit systeem in<br />
totaal tot vijf extra anciënniteiten<br />
(bovenop de tien vaste) worden<br />
verdiend. Ook kunnen genoemde<br />
medewerkers in een hogere<br />
gageschaal geplaatst worden. De<br />
overige officieren kunnen met deze<br />
beoordeling in de bestaande schalen<br />
stijgen naar 13 anciënniteiten, wat<br />
drie meer is dan de huidige tien<br />
stappen. Waar sommige werkgevers<br />
het zoeken in beoordelingssystemen<br />
die bepalen of wel of niet een<br />
bestaande anciënniteit binnen de<br />
schaal wordt toegekend, heeft<br />
Clearwater Group nu een systeem dat<br />
een goede beoordeling extra beloond.<br />
En dat zouden meer werkgevers<br />
moeten doen!<br />
Werkdagen<br />
De tweede, door werknemers zeer<br />
gewenste, verbetering is de dag van<br />
aanmonstering. Vanaf de invoering<br />
van het 1 op 1 af varen, werd deze dag<br />
als verlofdag geboekt. In de nieuwe<br />
CAO is ook deze dag een werkdag,<br />
zodat alle dagen ‘van huis’ nu<br />
werkdagen zijn. De rederij voldoet<br />
verder aan het FNV loon- en<br />
arbeidsvoor waardenbeleid voor 2010<br />
met een gageverhoging van 1,25%<br />
vanaf 1 april 2010 voor alle<br />
werknemers en de toezegging dat de<br />
werkgelegenheid behouden blijft.<br />
Verder wordt de maaltijdvergoeding<br />
verhoogd van € 10,- naar € 15 ,-en de<br />
mentorpremie van € 150,- naar<br />
€ 200,-. Daarnaast worden de<br />
mogelijkheden onderzocht voor het<br />
versturen en ontvangen van hotmails,<br />
gmails en andere webmails. De<br />
werkgever heeft laten weten de<br />
internet-faciliteiten hiervoor aan boord<br />
waar mogelijk gedurende de CAOlooptijd<br />
te installeren.<br />
Bovengenoemd resultaat is tijdens<br />
de ledenvergadering voorgelegd.<br />
Rekening houdend met het gegeven<br />
dat de chemicaliëntankermarkt op dit<br />
moment zeker niet eenvoudig te<br />
noemen is, stemden de leden van<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> er unaniem<br />
mee in.<br />
Een sprookje krijgt een onverwachte wending:<br />
Chemical Tankers Europe binnen een jaar failliet<br />
Het begon allemaal zo mooi met de plannen<br />
Hom met vier nieuwe, in Turkije gebouwde<br />
chemicaliëntankers, een nieuwe Nederlandse rederij<br />
te starten. In de tweede helft van 2010 zouden dan<br />
nog eens vier schepen opgeleverd worden om door te<br />
groeien naar maximaal 12 schepen in 2011/2012. De<br />
oprichting van de Barendrechtse chemicaliëntanker<br />
rederij Chemical Tankers Europe (CTE) vond plaats in<br />
september 2009. Helaas was de vreugde van korte<br />
duur, want in augustus 2010 ging de rederij failliet.<br />
In december 2009 werd <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
uitgenodigd op het hoofdkantoor en werd het<br />
bedrijfsplan gepresenteerd. Doel was om zo snel<br />
mogelijk schepen in te vlaggen en met Nederlandse<br />
officieren te bemannen. Daartoe werd met <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> een bedrijfs-CAO afgesproken. De<br />
eerste tanker, mt Toli werd begin februari 2010 in<br />
Rotterdam ingevlagd en opgenomen in het<br />
bareboat register. Door de bedrijfsbeëindiging van<br />
Jo Tankers in Nederland waren er op dat moment<br />
toevallig een flink aantal Nederlandse officieren<br />
beschikbaar met de zo broodnodige chemicaliën -<br />
tankerervaring. De toekomst zag er rooskleurig uit,<br />
al werden de volgende schepen later dan gepland<br />
opgeleverd door de Turkse werf. Door technische<br />
aanpassingen werd mt Nosi pas in april ingevlagd<br />
en mt Nena K volgde in mei. Dat het niet goed zat<br />
met de financiering werd duidelijker toen mt Vital<br />
werd toegevoegd om al snel weer door de Turkse<br />
partners teruggetrokken te worden. Het keer op<br />
keer uitstellen van de oplevering van mt Loya<br />
bracht CTE meer financiele schade. Deze<br />
ontwikkelingen, in combinatie met een zwakke<br />
markt waren voor CTE’s geldverstrekker, de<br />
Rabobank, het teken om het vertrouwen in het<br />
bedrijfsplan op te zeggen. Voor CTE kwam dit als<br />
een volslagen verrassing. Omdat de schepen geen<br />
eigendom zijn van de rederij, lukte het niet om<br />
nieuwe investeerders te vinden. Begin augustus<br />
volgde surseance van betaling en op 16 augustus<br />
2010 is het faillissement uitgesproken. De rederij is<br />
toen het onheil naderde, op zoek gegaan naar<br />
mogelijkheden om de werkgelegenheid van haar<br />
werknemers zeker te stellen. En dat is gelukt bij<br />
Unifleet/North Sea Tankers in Krimpen aan den<br />
IJssel. Deze rederij heeft chemicaliëntankers onder<br />
Gibraltar vlag die op korte termijn onder de<br />
Nederlandse vlag gebracht zullen worden.<br />
Nagenoeg het gehele personeel van CTE, inclusief<br />
de walorganisatie, wordt ondergebracht bij Unifleet.<br />
De CTE schepen zijn inmiddels weer uitgevlagd<br />
naar Turkije en Malta. Vanzelfsprekend zal <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> de leden bijstaan die door dit<br />
faillissement getroffen worden en hen helpen<br />
eventuele achterstallige gage en verlofdagen via het<br />
UWV te incasseren. Samen staan we sterk!
36 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> ELECTIONS<br />
Wilt U zich<br />
kandidaat<br />
stellen<br />
voor de<br />
Kiesgroep<br />
1. Kapiteins en Stuurlieden<br />
2. Werktuigkundigen<br />
3. Gezellen<br />
4. Binnenvaart<br />
5. Wal<br />
totaal aantal UK NL<br />
zetels totaal vacant totaal vacant<br />
14<br />
12<br />
2<br />
1<br />
3<br />
11 6<br />
1 by-election<br />
10 6<br />
by-election<br />
1 1<br />
0 0<br />
2 1<br />
(incl. 1 dual)<br />
3 2*<br />
2 1<br />
1 0<br />
1 1<br />
1 0<br />
Council<br />
Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
Hoe kunt u<br />
dat doen<br />
AVeel leden van<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
houden zich bezig<br />
met de problemen waarmee<br />
de maritieme sectoren<br />
geconfronteerd worden en<br />
hebben bovendien goede<br />
ideeën hoe ze de bond daarbij<br />
kunnen helpen. Om die reden<br />
moedigen wij onze leden ook<br />
aan om zich kandidaat te stellen<br />
voor de Council, het hoogste<br />
gezaghebbende orgaan van onze<br />
vakbond.<br />
De Council is daarnaast ook<br />
nog ‘trustee’ van het <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
Welfare Fund, een charitatieve<br />
instelling beheert door <strong>Nautilus</strong>.<br />
De Council wordt gevormd<br />
Adoor leden die actief<br />
werkzaam zijn in de maritieme<br />
sector. Kandidaten worden<br />
gekozen voor een termijn<br />
van 4 jaar. In totaal bestaat de<br />
Council uit 32 leden. Daarvan<br />
komen 24 leden uit Engeland<br />
en 8 uit Nederland. Elke twee<br />
jaar is ongeveer de helft van de<br />
Council aftredend en worden er<br />
verkiezingen georganiseerd.<br />
In bovenstaand schema<br />
ziet u de zetelverdeling en de<br />
vacatures die in 2011 ontstaan.<br />
Ook de verdeling tussen Engelse<br />
en Nederlandse zetels blijkt uit<br />
het schema. Nogmaals wijzen<br />
wij er op dat alleen actieve<br />
leden(statutair de volle leden)<br />
met inbegrip van stagiaires zich<br />
kandidaat kunnen stellen.<br />
Naar de huisadressen van alle<br />
leden die zich kandidaat kunnen<br />
stellen zal een zogenaamd<br />
voordrachtsformulier worden<br />
gestuurd. Wilt u zichzelf<br />
kandidaat stellen, controleer<br />
dan wel eerst of er in uw<br />
categorie vacatures ontstaan.<br />
Indien dat het geval is en u<br />
wenst zich kandidaat te stellen,<br />
vul dan de bovenste helft in<br />
van formulier A en laat twee<br />
andere actieve leden uit dezelfde<br />
categorie als de uwe hun naam,<br />
adres, lidmaatschapsnummer,<br />
handtekening en datum van<br />
ondertekening invullen op de<br />
daarvoor bestemde plaats. De<br />
formulieren moeten binnen<br />
zijn op het hoofdkantoor van<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> uiterlijk<br />
op woensdag 19 januari 2011 om<br />
17.00 uur lokale tijd.<br />
Als u door verblijf aan<br />
Aboord of anderszins<br />
niet in staat bent om de<br />
handtekeningen van leden die u<br />
voordragen zelf te verkrijgen, vul<br />
dan zelf de bovenste helft in van<br />
formulier A en stuur dit naar het<br />
hoofdkantoor. Vraagt de leden<br />
die u voordragen om formulier B<br />
in te vullen en dit afzonderlijk op<br />
te sturen. Ook hiervoor geldt dat<br />
het formulier uiterlijk woensdag<br />
19 januari 2011 om 17.00 uur<br />
binnen moet zijn.<br />
U kunt niet iemand<br />
voordragen uit een<br />
andere categorie. Zo kan<br />
bijvoorbeeld een kapitein geen<br />
werktuigkundige voordragen.<br />
Ook kunt u niet meer kandidaten<br />
voordragen als er vacatures zijn<br />
in uw categorie.<br />
Wordt uw voordracht<br />
Aaanvaard, dan zal<br />
u worden gevraagd wat<br />
informatie over uzelf te<br />
verstrekken ter vermelding<br />
op het stemformulier. De<br />
stemformulieren zullen op<br />
vrijdag 18 maart 2011 aan<br />
de stemgerechtigde leden<br />
worden toegestuurd. Uiterlijk<br />
donderdag 5 mei 2011 moet uw<br />
stembiljet dan binnen zijn bij de<br />
stemopnemer. De uitslag wordt<br />
bekend gemaakt op vrijdag 20<br />
mei 2011.<br />
De stemopnemer is<br />
vastgesteld door de algemene<br />
ledenvergadering in 2009 en is<br />
Electoral Reform Society (ballot<br />
services) Ltd.<br />
Voordrachtsformulieren<br />
Aan alle stemgerechtigde<br />
volle leden zal een<br />
voordrachtsformulier worden<br />
gestuurd voor de verkiezingen<br />
van de Council voor 16 oktober<br />
2010. De formulieren zijn<br />
ook verkrijgbaar op het<br />
hoofdkantoor bij Paul Moloney.<br />
TOTAAL<br />
VOOR KANDIDATEN<br />
nominatieformulier A<br />
It formulier MOET worden ingevuld door de kandidaat en mag eventueel<br />
worden gebruikt door één of meer supporters.<br />
Retourneer het UITERLIJK op Woensdag 19 Januari 2011 om 17.00 uur t.a.v.:<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> Head Office, Oceanair House, 750-760 High Road,<br />
Leytonstone, London E11 3BB.<br />
tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015<br />
In te vullen in BLOKLETTERS<br />
IN TE VULLEN DOOR DE KANDIDAAT<br />
Kiescategorie<br />
Naam<br />
Lidnr<br />
Adres<br />
Postcode<br />
Tel nr<br />
Rang<br />
Bedrijf<br />
Ik stel mij verkiesbaar voor de Bestuursverkiezingen 2011. Ik verklaar bij deze dat<br />
ik een volledig betalend lid van <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> in de bovenstaande<br />
categorie ben en aan de regels van de Union voldoe.<br />
Handtekening<br />
Datum<br />
IN TE VULLEN DOOR SUPPORTERS<br />
Ik ondersteun de nominatie van de bovenvermelde persoon voor<br />
de Bestuursverkiezingen in de vermelde kiescategorie. Ik bevestig dat ik een<br />
volledig betalend lid in dezelfde kiescategorie ben.<br />
1. Naam Lidnr<br />
Adres<br />
Postcode<br />
Rang<br />
Handtekening<br />
Tel nr<br />
Bedrijf<br />
Datum<br />
2. Naam Lidnr<br />
Adres<br />
Postcode<br />
Rang<br />
Handtekening<br />
Tel nr<br />
Bedrijf<br />
Datum<br />
32<br />
Bestuursverkiezingen <strong>Nautilus</strong> 2011<br />
24<br />
* van de twee vacatures is er één bestemd voor een maritieme officier<br />
VOOR SUPPORTERS<br />
nominatieformulierB<br />
Dit formulier kan door één of meerdere supporters worden ingevuld.<br />
Er kunnen meerdere formulieren worden gebruikt. Daarbij MOET de kandidaat<br />
een Formulier A invullen, ondertekenen en retourneren. Retourneer het<br />
UITERLIJK op Woensdag 19 Januari 2011 om 17.00 uur t.a.v.:<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> Head Office, Oceanair House, 750-760 High Road,<br />
Leytonstone, London E11 3BB.<br />
tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015<br />
In te vullen in BLOKLETTERS<br />
IN TE VULLEN DOOR SUPPORTERS<br />
Kiescategorie<br />
Naam van Kandidaat Ik ondersteun<br />
Adres Kandidaat<br />
Postcode<br />
Lidnr<br />
1. Ik ondersteun de nominatie van de bovenvermelde persoon voor de Bestuursverkiezingen<br />
in de vermelde kiescategorie. Ik bevestig dat ik een volledig<br />
betalend lid in dezelfde kiescategorie ben.<br />
Naam<br />
Adres<br />
Postcode<br />
Rang<br />
Handtekening<br />
Lidnr<br />
Tel nr<br />
Bedrijf<br />
Datum<br />
2. Ik ondersteun de nominatie van de bovenvermelde persoon voor de Bestuursverkiezingen<br />
in de vermelde kiescategorie. Ik bevestig dat ik een volledig<br />
betalend lid in dezelfde kiescategorie ben.<br />
Naam<br />
Adres<br />
Postcode<br />
Rang<br />
Handtekening<br />
Lidnr<br />
Tel nr<br />
Bedrijf<br />
Datum<br />
Bestuursverkiezingen <strong>Nautilus</strong> 2011<br />
8
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 37<br />
<strong>NAUTILUS</strong> ELECTIONS<br />
Category<br />
1. Navigators, inc. Shipmasters<br />
2. Engineers inc. ETOs/Elec/RO<br />
3. Ratings<br />
4. Inland Navigation<br />
5. Other Particular Categories<br />
inc. Hotel Services &<br />
Shore-based members<br />
TOTALS<br />
2011 Elections UK Seats NL Seats<br />
Total Seats No. of seats Vacancies No. of seats Vacancies<br />
14<br />
12<br />
2<br />
1<br />
3<br />
32<br />
11 6<br />
10 6<br />
1 1<br />
0 0<br />
24<br />
1 by-election<br />
by-election<br />
2 1<br />
3 2<br />
2 1<br />
1 0<br />
1 1<br />
1 0<br />
8<br />
(incl. 1 dual)<br />
Have YOU<br />
thought of<br />
standing<br />
for<br />
council<br />
Picture: Andrew Wiard<br />
FOR CANDIDATES<br />
nomination form A<br />
This form MUST be completed by the candidate and in addition may be used<br />
by one or more supporters.<br />
It MUST be returned, by 1700hrs on Wednesday 19 January 2011, to:<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> Head Office, Oceanair House, 750-760 High Road,<br />
Leytonstone, London E11 3BB.<br />
tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015<br />
Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS<br />
TO BE COMPLETED BY THE CANDIDATE<br />
Electoral Category<br />
Name<br />
Mem No<br />
Address<br />
Postcode<br />
Tel no<br />
Rank<br />
Company<br />
I wish to stand for election in the 2011 Council elections. I declare that I am a full<br />
member of <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> in the above mentioned category and am in<br />
conformity with the rules of the Union.<br />
Signature<br />
Date<br />
TO BE COMPLETED BY SUPPORTERS<br />
I wish to support the nomination of the above named for election to Council<br />
in the election category shown. I confirm that I am a full member in the same<br />
electoral category.<br />
1. Name Mem No<br />
Address<br />
Postcode<br />
Rank<br />
Signature<br />
Tel no<br />
Company<br />
Date<br />
2. Name Mem No<br />
Address<br />
Postcode<br />
Rank<br />
Signature<br />
Tel no<br />
Company<br />
Date<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> Council Elections 2011<br />
FOR SUPPORTERS<br />
nomination form B<br />
This form can be completed by one or more supporters. More than one<br />
form can be used. The candidate MUST, in addition, complete, sign<br />
and return a Form A. Forms MUST be returned, by 1700hrs on Wednesday<br />
19 January 2011, to:<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> Head Office, Oceanair House, 750-760 High Road,<br />
Leytonstone, London E11 3BB.<br />
tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677 fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015<br />
Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS<br />
TO BE COMPLETED BY SUPPORTERS<br />
Electoral Category<br />
Name of Candidate I wish to support<br />
Candidate’s Address<br />
Postcode<br />
Candidate’s Mem No<br />
1. I wish to support the nomination of the above named for election to Council<br />
in the election category shown. I confirm that I am a full member in the same<br />
electoral category.<br />
Name<br />
Address<br />
Postcode<br />
Rank<br />
Signature<br />
Date<br />
Mem No<br />
Tel no<br />
Company<br />
2. I wish to support the nomination of the above named for election to Council<br />
in the election category shown. I confirm that I am a full member in the same<br />
electoral category.<br />
Name<br />
Address<br />
Postcode<br />
Rank<br />
Signature<br />
Date<br />
Mem No<br />
Tel no<br />
Company<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> Council Elections 2011<br />
Are you concerned about<br />
issues such as training, safety,<br />
criminalisation and piracy<br />
Do you want to see action to<br />
improve pay and conditions for<br />
maritime professionals<br />
AMany members are<br />
concerned about the<br />
challenges ahead in<br />
our industry and have ideas for<br />
helping <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
to meet those challenges.<br />
Members are therefore<br />
encouraged to stand for election<br />
to the Council, which is the<br />
Union’s governing body.<br />
The Council is also the<br />
Trustee of the <strong>Nautilus</strong> Welfare<br />
Fund, which is the registered<br />
charity administered by<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>.<br />
With the Union still only a<br />
little over one year old now is an<br />
important time to stand.<br />
The Council is made up<br />
Aof serving members like<br />
yourself, each elected to serve<br />
a four-year term. 24 of the 32<br />
places will be for members of<br />
the UK branch and eight places<br />
will be for members of the<br />
Netherlands branch.<br />
Elections are held on a rolling<br />
basis, which normally means<br />
that just about half the Council<br />
places come up for election each<br />
year.<br />
The table shows the number<br />
of seats and also those vacancies<br />
which are for election in 2011.<br />
The table also shows the split<br />
between NL and UK.<br />
Full paid-up members<br />
(including cadets ) in categories<br />
for which there are vacancies<br />
(see box above) are entitled to<br />
stand for election.<br />
Nomination forms for the<br />
elections are being sent to full<br />
members’ home addresses.<br />
First, check there is a<br />
Avacancy in your category.<br />
Then fill in the top half of Form A<br />
and get two other full members<br />
— also paid-up and in the same<br />
category as you — to add their<br />
names, addresses, membership<br />
numbers, signature and date of<br />
signing in the appropriate space,<br />
to reach head office by 1700 hrs<br />
on Tuesday 19th January 2011.<br />
If you can’t personally<br />
Aget the signatures of your<br />
supporters (they may sail on<br />
different ships, for instance) fill<br />
in the top half of Form A yourself<br />
and send it to head office.<br />
Ask your supporters to fill in<br />
Form B and send it in separately<br />
— both forms must reach head<br />
office by 1700 on Tuesday 19<br />
January 2011.<br />
“<br />
Please use this<br />
chance to stand up for<br />
what you believe in<br />
”<br />
Mark Dickinson,<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> general secretary
38 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
SEAFARER WELFARE<br />
Boxing clever<br />
over satcoms<br />
Seafarers should benefit from a new ‘one-stop shop’ integrated maritime<br />
communications system that was launched in London last month...<br />
Globe Wireless runs a 24/7 support desk for users of its systems<br />
The Globe i250 voice and data communications router<br />
incorporates a FleetBroadband 250 terminal and is<br />
designed to fit into a 19-inch rack<br />
J<br />
’Built for mariners by mariners’ is the sales<br />
pitch behind a new maritime communications<br />
system launched last month by the<br />
US-based company Globe Wireless.<br />
The firm claims its new Globe iFusion system<br />
should deliver major benefits to seafarers — opening<br />
up a range of new options for keeping in touch<br />
while at sea, with instant access to voice calling, SMS<br />
and email via mobile phones.<br />
Specifically designed for IP satellite services,<br />
Globe iFusion incorporates Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband<br />
250 and aims to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ that<br />
fully integrates all shipboard satellite communications<br />
with shore-side administrative control, GSM<br />
voice and data, firewalls, and crew communications<br />
in a single system.<br />
Company president Frank Coles — a former Merchant<br />
Navy shipmaster — says the integrated system<br />
will avoid the ‘spaghetti junction’ that ships<br />
usually require to provide such a range of services.<br />
‘This is an industry first and represents a new<br />
phase in maritime communications,’ he told the<br />
Telegraph. ‘What we have is a single box that takes<br />
care of all the ship’s business and crew communications,<br />
and fuses service, applications and support<br />
into a single platform.’<br />
The Globe i250 allows the user to make voice calls<br />
using a GSM handset or a normal fixed-line telephone,<br />
and to send and receive emails and faxes,<br />
browse the internet, and upload or download files.<br />
A shore-based portal takes care of the configuration<br />
and maintenance of the system, allowing companies<br />
to administer user profiles, browsing capabilities,<br />
firewall settings, spending limits and least<br />
cost network routeing.<br />
To access the onboard GSM, seafarers will need to<br />
use a Globe Wireless SIM card and an unlocked<br />
mobile phone. Once a prepaid account is set up, the<br />
crew member will have instant access to voice calling,<br />
SMS and e-mail via their mobile phone.<br />
Voice calls will be charged at a flat rate of 55 cents<br />
per minute, anywhere in the world, and the system<br />
enables mobile phones to be used to make free calls<br />
to others onboard.<br />
SMS will cost around 25 cents, while e-mail will<br />
be charged at $5.50 per megabyte.<br />
Globe Wireless — which already provides services<br />
for more than 550 companies operating some<br />
10,000 ships — says the system will give seafarers<br />
much more privacy when they make calls home. It<br />
displays call costs and the amount remaining on<br />
the account, as well as allowing ‘virtual’ reloads. The<br />
account can also follow seafarers from ship to ship<br />
within a company fleet.<br />
Mr Coles said Globe iFusion is the result of three<br />
years of planning and its launch follows successful<br />
three-week trials onboard two US containerships,<br />
the Washington Express and the Charleston<br />
Express.<br />
Described as a ‘plug and play’ system, Globe iFusion<br />
can be easily installed onboard and is suitable<br />
for ships of all sizes. Globe will provide hardware,<br />
installation, airtime, applications and maintenance<br />
as part of the package, as required. The company<br />
says that it will be offering the complete integrated<br />
onboard setup for a price of US$12,000 — which, it<br />
claims, is some $8,000 less than the cost of providing<br />
all the elements of the package separately.<br />
‘The fact that it is all in one box makes it easier to<br />
install and maintain,’ Mr Coles added. ‘The user<br />
experience is more akin to what you would have on<br />
an iPhone, and in most cases will be better than you<br />
would normally get on a mobile. We believe it adds<br />
up to a major step forward in maritime communications.’<br />
Training Opportunities<br />
DECK<br />
• Officer of the Watch<br />
Classroom - dates on application<br />
Flexible Route - start anytime<br />
Upgrade Modules - start anytime<br />
• Chief Mate<br />
Classroom - dates on application<br />
Flexible Route - start anytime<br />
• Master Orals<br />
dates on application<br />
• Deck Oral Preparation Courses for all Certificates<br />
dates on application<br />
• Class 1 & 2 Fishing Courses<br />
dates on application<br />
NAUTICAL CATERING<br />
• Food Hygiene Courses on request<br />
(Basic/Cert/Diploma)<br />
• Ships Cooks Certificates of Competency<br />
Part 1 & Part 2: 6 week course<br />
• Highers: 4 week course<br />
Dates for the above courses are on application<br />
ENGINEERING<br />
• Chief Engineer 111/2 (Class 1)<br />
3 Jan 2011, 18 April 2011, 2 Sept 2011<br />
• 2nd Engineer 111/2 (Class 2)<br />
3 Jan 2011, 18 April 2011, 2 Sept 2011<br />
ENGINEERING (continued)<br />
• EOOW (Class 4) all pathways<br />
3 Jan 2011, 18 April 2011, 2 Sept 2011<br />
• 2nd Engineer 111/3 (Class 3)<br />
3 Jan 2011, 18 April 2011, 2 Sept 2011<br />
• Chief Engineer / 2nd Engineer EK only Courses<br />
25 Oct 2010, 7 Feb 2011, 6 June 2011<br />
• 2nd Engineer 111/2 (Class 2) with direct entry<br />
to Chief Engineer Academic Subjects<br />
3 Jan 2011, 18 April 2011, 2 Sept 2011<br />
ELECTRICAL<br />
To book a place on the following short courses,<br />
contact: Marine Booking Centre,<br />
Tel: +44 (0)191 427 3772, Fax: +44 (0)191 427 3918,<br />
E-mail: marineshortcourse@stc.ac.uk<br />
SHORT COURSES<br />
• Abrasive Wheels<br />
• Compass Adjusters - Distance Learning<br />
• Control and Instrumentation<br />
• ECDIS<br />
• Diesel Electrical Propulsion<br />
• Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas<br />
15 Nov 2010, 24 Jan 2011, 13 June 2011<br />
• GMDSS SRC<br />
• GMDSS Radio Maintenance<br />
• IMDG Dangerous Goods<br />
3 Jan 2011, 18 April 2011<br />
• Marine Control<br />
• Marine Electrical Maintenance<br />
8 Nov 2010, 31 Jan 2011, 27 June 2011<br />
• OPITO Approved Offshore Safety Bridge, Engine and Cargo Simulation<br />
• Electronic Navigation Equipment Maintenance<br />
• Refrigeration<br />
18 April 2011<br />
• Shipboard Safety Officer<br />
• GMDSS GOC<br />
• Ship Security Officer<br />
1 Nov 2010, 15 Nov 2011, 14 March 2011, 9 May 2011, 6 June 2011, 4 July 2011<br />
• STCW 95 short courses required for MCA Certification<br />
• High Voltage Awareness<br />
5 Nov 2010, 17 Jan 2011, 7 March 2011, 16 May 2011, 20 June 2011 • Tanker Familiarisation<br />
• GMDSS Restricted Operators Certificate<br />
• Tanker Safety Courses, Oil, Gas, Chemical Advanced Inert Gas + Crude<br />
25 April 2011<br />
Oil Washing<br />
• GMDSS Long Range Certificate<br />
• VTS Operators and Supervisors<br />
7 March 2011<br />
• Welding Appreciation<br />
For further information on marine courses, contact:<br />
Tel: +44 (0)191 427 3900 | E-mail: marine@stc.ac.uk | Web: www.stc.ac.uk South Tyneside College, St. George’s Avenue,<br />
South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE34 6ET and Marine Safety Training Centre (MSTC), Wapping Street, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE33 1LQ
46 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
SHIP TO SHORE<br />
M-Notices<br />
M-Notices, Marine Information<br />
Notes and Marine Guidance Notes<br />
issued by the Maritime &<br />
Coastguard Agency recently include:<br />
MSN 1825 (F) — Certificates of<br />
equivalent competency: fishing<br />
vessels; training & certification<br />
guidance part F2<br />
This notice describes the certification<br />
requirements for officers on UKregistered<br />
fishing vessels, and the<br />
responsibilities of the owners and<br />
operators relating to crew members’<br />
knowledge. It replaces MGN 220 (F)<br />
and the information for fishermen<br />
contained in MIN 340 (M+F).<br />
The key points in MSN 1825 are as<br />
follows:<br />
zTo serve as an officer onboard a<br />
UK-registered fishing vessel, a seafarer<br />
must hold a UK certificate of<br />
competency (CoC) or a certificate of<br />
equivalent competency (CEC) issued<br />
by the MCA.<br />
zTo be eligible for a Fishing CEC, the<br />
seafarer must hold a Fishing CoC from<br />
a maritime administration approved<br />
by the MCA.<br />
zApplicants for a Fishing CEC do not<br />
have to provide evidence of<br />
knowledge of the English language.<br />
However, owners and operators must<br />
ensure that at least one person<br />
onboard every fishing vessel is<br />
competent in the English language to<br />
the standard specified in MSN 1825<br />
Annex 3.<br />
zAll skippers must hold UK Legal<br />
and Administrative Processes (UKLAP)<br />
Grade 1 before a full Fishing CEC is<br />
issued.<br />
zOwners and operators are<br />
responsible for ensuring that second<br />
hands and engineers have knowledge<br />
of UKLAP to enable efficient ship<br />
operation as detailed in the UKLAP<br />
Grade 2 syllabus.<br />
zApplication forms for CECs are<br />
available to download from the MCA<br />
website. Only original signed copies<br />
are accepted.<br />
zApplicants for Fishing CECs must<br />
submit a completed application form,<br />
two passport-approved photographs,<br />
an accepted non-UK Fishing CoC, a<br />
passport or discharge book and the<br />
current fee.<br />
MGN 420 (M) — Measures to<br />
counter piracy, armed robbery and<br />
other acts of violence against<br />
merchant shipping<br />
This note contains the official<br />
Department for Transport guidance<br />
on tackling piracy, replacing advice<br />
issued in 2005 as MGN 298 (M). It<br />
should be read in conjunction with the<br />
IMO document MSC1/Circ 1334 Piracy<br />
and armed robbery against ships:<br />
Guidance to ship owners, ship<br />
operators, shipmasters and crews on<br />
preventing and suppressing acts of<br />
piracy and armed robbery against<br />
ships. Appendices to MGN 420 cover<br />
ship communications and the format<br />
for reporting incidents.<br />
The key messages in MGN 420 (M)<br />
are as follows:<br />
zPlan the voyage. Carry out a risk<br />
assessment and make an assessment<br />
of the measures required when<br />
transiting high-risk areas.<br />
zMany attempted piracy and armed<br />
robbery attacks are unsuccessful,<br />
countered by ships’ crew who have<br />
planned and trained in advance.<br />
zBe vigilant.<br />
zMaintain high speed where<br />
possible in high-risk areas.<br />
zGood communication with<br />
relevant authorities is vital. Report to<br />
the relevant authorities before, during<br />
or after an attack.<br />
Crews travelling in the vicinity of<br />
Somalia should also refer to the<br />
document Best Management Practices<br />
to Deter Piracy off the Coast of<br />
Somalia and in the Arabian Sea Area<br />
(available at www.dft.gov.uk), and to<br />
the advice on the EU NAVFOR<br />
Maritime Security Centre website<br />
(www.mschoa.org).<br />
MGN 422 (M) — Use of equipment<br />
to undertake work over the side on<br />
yachts and other vessels<br />
This note reports that there has<br />
recently been a substantial increase in<br />
the use of ‘rail and trolley’ systems to<br />
work outside conventional guardrails<br />
for cleaning and maintenance —<br />
particularly on large yachts.<br />
The MCA has noted a number of<br />
accidents using substandard<br />
equipment of this type, and also says<br />
there is evidence that manufacturers’<br />
instructions on the use of equipment<br />
are not being followed.<br />
The purpose of MGN 422 is to give<br />
guidance to shipowners, masters and<br />
crew on the use of rail and trolley<br />
systems.<br />
The main points are as follows:<br />
zto ensure that new systems comply<br />
with BS standards<br />
zto ensure that existing systems<br />
have been checked to an equivalent<br />
standard<br />
zto ensure operators have been<br />
trained in the use of the equipment<br />
zto ensure maintenance is carried<br />
out according to the manufacturer’s<br />
advice<br />
Annex 1 to MGN 422 gives details<br />
of relevant legislation, and Annex 2<br />
sets out the requirements for testing<br />
and operation.<br />
The note should be read with<br />
chapters 4 and 15 of the Code of Safe<br />
Working Practices for Merchant<br />
Seamen.<br />
MIN 214 (M) Amendment 1 —<br />
Certificates of competency: radio<br />
personnel<br />
This note sets out an amendment to<br />
section 3.2 of MGN 214. The<br />
amendment relates to radio<br />
personnel applying for a STCW<br />
endorsement to their GMDSS<br />
certificate.<br />
In addition to submitting an<br />
original UK GOC/ROC, a valid medical<br />
fitness certificate and the four<br />
elements of STCW basic training<br />
certificates, candidates for the STCW<br />
endorsement must now also submit<br />
an original discharge book or sea<br />
service testimonial.<br />
z M-Notices are available in three<br />
ways: a set of bound volumes,<br />
a yearly subscription, and individual<br />
documents.<br />
zA consolidated set of M-Notices is<br />
published by the Stationery Office.<br />
This contains all M-Notices current<br />
on 31 July 2009 (ISBN<br />
9780115530555) and costs £210 —<br />
www.tsoshop.co.uk<br />
zAnnual subscriptions and copies of<br />
individual notices are available from<br />
the official distributors,<br />
EC Group. Contact: M-Notices<br />
Subscriptions, PO Box 362,<br />
Europa Park, Grays, Essex RM17 9AY<br />
Tel: +44 (0)1375 484 548<br />
fax: +44 (0)1375 484 556<br />
email: mnotices@ecgroup.co.uk<br />
zIndividual copies can be collected<br />
from MCA offices, electronically<br />
subscribed to or downloaded from<br />
the MCA website —<br />
www.mcga.gov.uk — click on<br />
‘Ships and Cargoes’, then<br />
‘Legislation and Guidance’.<br />
The face of <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
Daan Troost, industrial officer<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> is<br />
gfortunate in having many longserving<br />
members of staff — people<br />
who have developed their careers inhouse<br />
and are still giving the Union<br />
the benefit of their experience. Daan<br />
Troost is one such employee: he has<br />
been working for the Union since<br />
1979, when he joined FWZ in<br />
Rotterdam as an administrator.<br />
‘I liked the idea of working for a<br />
union and helping people,’ he says.<br />
He found his job interesting,<br />
particularly when providing support<br />
to the Rotterdam-based ITF<br />
inspectors, but by 1986 he was ready<br />
for a new challenge. FWZ — later<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> NL branch — has long had a<br />
g National Pensions Association<br />
Wednesday 10 November 2010<br />
11:00hrs<br />
Leytonstone Public Library<br />
London<br />
The meeting will cover developments<br />
in the MNOPF, MNOPP and TMSP<br />
schemes. Open to all UK members,<br />
including associate and affiliate.<br />
Contact Adele McDonald to let us<br />
know you’re coming:<br />
role in helping seafarers with their<br />
tax returns and appeal cases. Daan<br />
enjoyed taking on this work, not least<br />
because it gave him more direct<br />
contact with the Union’s members<br />
and their families.<br />
‘Then my job gradually developed<br />
so I was doing CBAs [collective<br />
bargaining agreements],’ he recalls.<br />
‘At first these were for shore-based<br />
firms, and then for ships.’ This work<br />
often involves some travel — which<br />
he appreciates because of the<br />
opportunities to polish his skills as a<br />
photographer.<br />
‘There’s good variety in my job,’<br />
he observes. As he always thought,<br />
however, the main satisfaction comes<br />
Member meetings and seminars<br />
+44 (0)20 8989 6677<br />
amcdonald@nautilusint.org<br />
g Professional & Technical Forum<br />
Wednesday 8 December 2010<br />
13:00hrs<br />
Cardiff<br />
At a venue to be announced later<br />
The forum will deal with technical,<br />
safety, welfare and other professional<br />
topics relevant to shipmaster and chief<br />
from helping members. For example,<br />
two years ago a Dutch member’s<br />
widow ended up with a high tax bill<br />
on the compensation payment for her<br />
husband’s fatal accident. ‘She was<br />
struggling; she really didn’t need<br />
that,’ says Daan. ‘We went to court<br />
and won the case to reduce the bill.’<br />
And with the creation of <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> has come the chance to<br />
help British seafarers, too — most<br />
recently a UK member who needed<br />
advice on a Belgian tax form (‘It’s the<br />
same language’, Daan points out).<br />
It has also been good to work<br />
with UK colleagues, Daan stresses.<br />
‘I like England very much, especially<br />
the people and the seaside.’<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> organises regular meetings, forums and seminars for members to discuss pensions, technical<br />
matters and legal issues. Coming up in the next few months are:<br />
College contacts<br />
Induction visits<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>’s recruitment team carry out<br />
regular induction visits to UK nautical colleges to provide<br />
information and help trainee officers join the Union. The<br />
team are also available for consultation by all members<br />
at these sessions.<br />
See www.nautilusint.org/newsandevents for dates of<br />
upcoming college visits by Garry Elliott and Blossom Bell<br />
(scroll down to ‘latest events’). For further information,<br />
Blackpool and the Fylde College<br />
(Fleetwood)<br />
Derek Byrne<br />
Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
dbyrne@nautilusint.org<br />
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies<br />
Gary Leech<br />
Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
gleech@<br />
nautilusint.org<br />
UK<br />
Head office<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
Oceanair House<br />
750-760 High Road<br />
Leytonstone<br />
London E11 3BB<br />
Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677<br />
Fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015<br />
enquiries@nautilusint.org<br />
Northern office<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> House<br />
Mariners’ Park<br />
Wallasey CH45 7PH<br />
Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
Fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801<br />
enquiries@nautilusint.org<br />
National Maritime College of Ireland<br />
(Cork)<br />
Ian Cloke<br />
Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677<br />
icloke@nautilusint.org<br />
South Tyneside College<br />
Steve Doran<br />
Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
sdoran@<br />
nautilusint.org<br />
Contact <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
Offshore sector contact<br />
point<br />
Members working for<br />
companies based in the<br />
east of Scotland or UK<br />
offshore oil and gas sector<br />
can call:<br />
+44 (0)1224 638882<br />
THE NETHERLANDS<br />
Postal Address<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
Postbus 8575<br />
3009 An Rotterdam<br />
Physical Address<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
Schorpioenstraat 266<br />
3067 KW Rotterdam<br />
engineer officer members.<br />
Contact Sharon Suckling to let us<br />
know you’re coming:<br />
+44 (0)20 8989 6677<br />
protech@nautilusint.org<br />
See www.nautilusint.org/<br />
newsandevents for the most<br />
up-to-date information on member<br />
meetings and seminars (scroll down<br />
to ‘latest events’)<br />
email recruitment@nautilusint.org or call Garry and<br />
Blossom on +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
Industrial support<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> has assigned named industrial<br />
officials to support cadet members at the five main<br />
colleges in the British Isles, as well as providing contact<br />
points for trainees at other colleges in the UK and<br />
Netherlands. For queries about employer relations,<br />
workplace conditions or legal matters, please contact<br />
your industrial official, who will help you via phone or<br />
email or arrange a visit to your college.<br />
Tel: +31 (0)10 477 1188<br />
Fax: +31 (0)10 477 3846<br />
infonl@nautilusint.org<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
10a Braddell Hill #05-03<br />
Singapore 579720<br />
Tel: +65 (0)625 61933<br />
Mobile: +65 (0)973 10154<br />
singapore@<br />
nautilusint.org<br />
FRANCE<br />
Yacht sector office in<br />
partnership with D&B<br />
Services<br />
3 Bd. d’Aguillon<br />
Warsash Maritime Academy —<br />
Southampton Solent University<br />
Gavin Williams<br />
Tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677<br />
gwilliams@nautilusint.org<br />
Other colleges (UK and Netherlands)<br />
Garry Elliott or Blossom Bell<br />
Tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
gelliott@nautilusint.org<br />
bbell@nautilusint.org<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> welcomes contact from members at any time. Please send a message to one of our department<br />
email addresses (see page 17) or get in touch with us at one of our offices around the world.<br />
For urgent matters, we can also arrange to visit your ship in a UK port. <strong>Nautilus</strong> officials make some 200 ship visits<br />
every year at the request of members. If you need to request a visit, please give your vessel’s ETA and as much<br />
information as possible about the issue that needs addressing.<br />
06600 Antibes<br />
France<br />
Tel: +33 (0)962 616 140<br />
recruitment@<br />
nautilusint.org<br />
www.dandbservices.com<br />
SPAIN<br />
Yacht sector office in<br />
partnership with dovaston<br />
C/Joan de Saridakis 2<br />
Edificion Goya, Local 1A<br />
Marivent<br />
07015 Palma de Mallorca<br />
Spain<br />
Tel: +34 971 677 375<br />
recruitment@<br />
nautilusint.org<br />
www.dovaston.com<br />
Quiz and<br />
crossword<br />
answers<br />
ACDB<br />
Quiz answers<br />
1. Chinese owners have the largest<br />
amount of tonnage on order — a total<br />
of 52.7m dwt.<br />
2. The world oil tanker fleet had a total<br />
capacity of 419.5m dwt at 1 May 2010.<br />
3. The first pure car carrier was built in<br />
1970. It was the Toyota Maru No.10,<br />
built for K Line of Japan.<br />
4. Work on the Panama Canal began in<br />
1904, with the waterway opening for<br />
navigation in 1914.<br />
5. A spar vertically below the end of the<br />
bowsprit which gave a downward lead<br />
to the martingales of the jib boom and<br />
flying job boom.<br />
6. The French port of Rouen is on the<br />
river Seine.<br />
Crossword answers<br />
Quick Answers<br />
Across: 1. Oil well; 5. William; 9. Fight;<br />
10. Makepeace; 11. Catharsis;<br />
12. Elect; 13. Reeds; 15. Armadillo;<br />
18. Herculean; 19. Runic; 21. Match;<br />
23. Lifeblood; 25. Resources;<br />
26. Ran in; 27. Standby; 28. Observe.<br />
Down: 1. Officer; 2. Light year;<br />
3. Extra; 4. Lampshade; 5. Wakes;<br />
6. Lip-reader; 7. Irate; 8. Maestro;<br />
14. Slush fund; 16. Manifesto;<br />
17. Landowner; 18. Humerus;<br />
20. Cadence; 22. Tesla; 23. Lucky;<br />
24. Boris.<br />
This month’s cryptic crossword is a prize<br />
competition, and the answers will<br />
appear in next month’s Telegraph.<br />
Congratulations to <strong>Nautilus</strong> member<br />
Mr R.D. Neal, whose name wa s the<br />
first to be drawn from those who<br />
successfully completed the September<br />
cryptic crossword.<br />
Cryptic answers from September<br />
Across: 1. Bun fight; 5. Rabies;<br />
9. Taoiseach; 11. Safer;<br />
12. Alphabetical; 15. Hail;<br />
16. Coronation; 18. Enthusiast;<br />
19. Guts; 21. Stratosphere; 24, Ascot;<br />
25. Nailbrush; 26, Killer;<br />
27. Well-read.<br />
Down: 1. Byte; 2. Noon; 3. Insult;<br />
4. Heath Robinson; 6. Alsatian;<br />
7. Infectious; 8. Shrillness;<br />
10. Hobson’s choice; 13. Sheepshank;<br />
14. Historical; 17. Subtitle; 20. Tribal;<br />
22. Mule; 23 Shed.
October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 47<br />
JOIN <strong>NAUTILUS</strong><br />
CALL NOW TO JOIN <strong>NAUTILUS</strong> ON: +44 (0)151 639 8454<br />
Ten good reasons why you should be a member:<br />
1. Pay and conditions<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> negotiates on your behalf<br />
with an increasing number of British, Dutch and<br />
foreign flag employers on issues including pay,<br />
conditions, leave, hours and pensions. The<br />
Union also takes part in top-level international<br />
meetings on the pay and conditions of maritime<br />
professionals in the world fleets.<br />
2. Legal services<br />
With the maritime profession under increasing<br />
risk of criminalisation, <strong>Nautilus</strong> Legal offers<br />
members and their families an extensive range<br />
of legal services provided by specialist lawyers.<br />
Free initial advice is available on anything from<br />
employment-related matters to accident claims<br />
and wills. There’s also a free legal helpline, open<br />
from Monday to Fridays from 9am to 5pm.<br />
3. Certificate protection<br />
As a full member, you have free financial<br />
protection, worth up to £105,000, against loss of<br />
income if your certificate of competency is<br />
cancelled, suspended or downgraded following a<br />
formal inquiry. Full members are also entitled to<br />
representation during accident investigations or<br />
inquiries.<br />
4. Compensation<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong>’s legal services<br />
department recovers substantial compensation<br />
for members who have suffered work-related<br />
illness or injuries.<br />
5. Workplace support<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> officials provide expert<br />
advice on work-related problems such as<br />
contracts, redundancy, bullying or<br />
discrimination, non-payment of wages, and<br />
pensions.<br />
6. Safety and welfare<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> plays a vital role in<br />
national and international discussions on such<br />
key issues as hours of work, crewing levels,<br />
shipboard conditions, vessel design, and<br />
technical and training standards. <strong>Nautilus</strong><br />
<strong>International</strong> has a major say in the running of<br />
the industry-wide pension schemes in the UK<br />
and the Netherlands.<br />
7. Savings<br />
Being a <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> member costs less<br />
than buying a newspaper every day and gives<br />
you peace of mind at work, with access to an<br />
unrivalled range of services and support. It’s<br />
simple to save the cost of membership — by<br />
taking advantage of specially-negotiated rates on<br />
a variety of commercial services ranging from<br />
tax advice to UK credit cards, and household,<br />
motoring, travel and specialist insurance.<br />
8. In touch<br />
As a <strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> member, help is<br />
never far away — wherever in the world you are.<br />
Officials regularly visit members onboard their<br />
ships and further support and advice is available<br />
at regular ‘surgeries’ and college visits<br />
throughout the UK and the Netherlands. There is<br />
also an official based in Singapore.<br />
9. Your union, your voice<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> is the voice of some<br />
25,000 maritime professionals working in all<br />
sectors of the shipping industry, at sea and<br />
ashore. As one of the largest and most influential<br />
international bodies representing maritime<br />
professionals, the Union campaigns tirelessly to<br />
promote your views.<br />
10. Get involved!<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong> is a dynamic and<br />
democratic union, offering members many<br />
opportunities to be fully involved and have your<br />
say in our work — at local, national and<br />
international levels.<br />
www.nautilusint.org<br />
It’s never been more important to be a member and it’s never been<br />
easier to apply for membership. You can now join over the phone,<br />
or online at www.nautilusint.org — or post us this form to begin:<br />
SURNAME<br />
FIRST NAMES<br />
GEN DER<br />
ADDRESS<br />
POSTCODE<br />
PERSONAL EMAIL<br />
HOME TEL<br />
EMPLOYER<br />
SHIP NAME<br />
DISCHARGE BOOK NO (IF APPLICABLE)<br />
DATE OF BIRTH<br />
MOBILE<br />
RANK<br />
If you are, or have been, a member of another union please state:<br />
NAME OF UNION<br />
SUBSCRIPTIONS PAID UNTIL<br />
MEMBERSHIP NO (IF KNOWN)<br />
DATE OF LEAVING<br />
Please post this form to:<br />
Membership services department<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> <strong>International</strong><br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> House, Mariners’ Park<br />
Wallasey CH45 7PH, United Kingdom
48 | telegraph | nautilusint.org | October 2010<br />
NEWS<br />
Navies take tougher<br />
line against pirates<br />
Sharp rise in attacks reported on merchant ships off Somalia and in the South China Sea<br />
PWarnings of a surge in<br />
piracy off Somalia following<br />
the monsoon lull<br />
have materialised, with a flurry of<br />
hijackings and attempted attacks<br />
last month.<br />
But <strong>Nautilus</strong> has welcomed<br />
signs of a tougher response from<br />
naval forces in the region, along<br />
with a top-level pledge from the<br />
United Nations of fresh initiatives<br />
to tackle the problem.<br />
After almost a month with no<br />
successful attacks on shipping off<br />
Somalia, September witnessed a<br />
series of incidents — including<br />
two hijackings in the Gulf of<br />
Aden.<br />
Naval ships in the area have<br />
shown an increased readiness to<br />
actively protect shipping — and<br />
in one case last month US<br />
marines boarded a Germanowned<br />
containership that had<br />
been hijacked in the <strong>International</strong>ly<br />
Recognised Transit Corridor.<br />
Both <strong>Nautilus</strong> and the tanker<br />
owners’ organisation Intertanko<br />
welcomed the action, which saw<br />
control of the Antigua & Barbuda<br />
registered Magellan Star regained<br />
by the US military without a shot<br />
being fired.<br />
The ship’s 11 crew had managed<br />
to stop the engine and take<br />
refuge in a safe room, leaving the<br />
vessel adrift. At one point the<br />
frustrated pirates telephoned the<br />
German owners to ask where the<br />
crew were hiding and how they<br />
could re-start the engine.<br />
Nine pirates were captured by<br />
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel<br />
AFort Victoria is being pressed<br />
into action against pirates around the<br />
Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden.<br />
The fleet replenishment ship has<br />
been brought back from a period of<br />
extended readiness and has had<br />
additional equipment fitted — MK44<br />
weapon positions and an enhanced<br />
medical capability — for the<br />
deployment to the Middle East.<br />
Fort Victoria will carry a Royal Navy<br />
Merlin helicopter squadron —<br />
A team of 24 US Marines from a special maritime raid force approach the containership Magellan Star three days<br />
after it was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden<br />
the US Marines during the dawn<br />
raid to recover the Magellan Star.<br />
In another case, the Indian<br />
Navy launched a helicopter and a<br />
special operations force team to<br />
beat off a group of eight pirate<br />
skiffs and a mother ship seeking<br />
to attack merchant vessels in the<br />
Gulf of Aden.<br />
All the pirates were said to<br />
including aircrew and engineers —<br />
who will support the Combined<br />
Maritime Forces efforts to combat the<br />
threat of piracy and maritime<br />
terrorism.<br />
Using highly advanced sensors<br />
and communications equipment, the<br />
Merlin helicopters — which are with<br />
heavy-duty machine guns and<br />
thermal imaging equipment — will<br />
provide surveillance of shipping<br />
routes and will be used to detect and<br />
deter pirate activity.<br />
have been arrested and their<br />
skiffs destroyed.<br />
Intertanko said the naval<br />
actions, together with the recent<br />
prosecution of pirates in Kenya,<br />
‘will reassure seafarers transiting<br />
this area, and will demonstrate to<br />
pirates that the authorities are<br />
increasingly willing to take<br />
pirates out of action’.<br />
The helicopters will provide a<br />
capability for boarding and searching<br />
vessels, and they are large enough to<br />
carry Royal Marines for sniper<br />
operations and boarding via fast<br />
roping.<br />
Lieutenant Commander Neil<br />
Brian, deputy commander of the<br />
Merlin Helicopter Force, said:<br />
‘Deploying one of the most capable<br />
and versatile helicopters in the world<br />
to this region will enhance the Royal<br />
Navy’s ability to counter the constant<br />
Meanwhile, the global petition<br />
to urge governments to do more<br />
to protect seafarers from piracy<br />
has comfortably exceeded its<br />
half-million signature target.<br />
Ahead of the presentation of<br />
the petition on World Maritime<br />
Day last month, UN secretarygeneral<br />
Ban Ki-moon expressed<br />
concern about ‘the intolerable<br />
RFA Fort Victoria takes a major<br />
role in anti-piracy operations<br />
threat that piracy poses to vessels of<br />
all nations.’<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> general secretary Mark<br />
Dickinson commented: ‘This<br />
deployment shows once again the<br />
remarkable versatility and value of<br />
the RFA and its seafarers, and<br />
ministers would do well to take note<br />
of what is being provided here as they<br />
sit down to consider the outcome of<br />
the latest value for money review and<br />
the future of our maritime forces<br />
under the strategic defence review.’<br />
human cost of piracy’ and<br />
pledged further action to tackle<br />
the threat.<br />
Mr Ban promised to ‘bring to<br />
the attention of the Security Council<br />
the unacceptable plight of<br />
hostages currently being held by<br />
pirates in Somalia’ and that he will<br />
seek the Security Council’s support<br />
‘to develop an approach that<br />
might obtain their release’.<br />
Concerns have also been raised<br />
about a big increase in attacks<br />
on shipping in the Far East. Attacks<br />
in the South China Sea have hit a<br />
three-year high, with 27 cases of<br />
piracy and armed robbery<br />
reported in the in the South China<br />
Sea in first nine months<br />
of this year. The <strong>International</strong> Maritime<br />
Bureau said pirates armed<br />
with guns and machetes had been<br />
targeting tankers and bulk carriers<br />
in the waters around Indonesia’s<br />
Pulau Anabas and Mangkai islands<br />
and it urged Indonesia to step up<br />
patrols in the region.<br />
Other incidents last month<br />
included two violent attacks on<br />
ships in Douala port, Cameroon.<br />
The world’s three largest container<br />
shipping companies have<br />
decided to cooperate in the fight<br />
against piracy in the Gulf of Aden<br />
and the Indian Ocean.<br />
The cooperation agreement<br />
between CMA CGM, MSC and<br />
Maersk Line includes information<br />
exchange on safety measures,<br />
piracy policies and procedures, as<br />
well as coordination to ensure the<br />
issues are highlighted.<br />
Tributes<br />
paid to<br />
member<br />
stabbed<br />
to death<br />
<strong>Nautilus</strong> has expressed its<br />
Asympathies to the family of a<br />
member who died in a knife attack<br />
in the Philippines last month.<br />
Local police said second mate<br />
John Lorne MacDonald had been<br />
stabbed to death by the jealous<br />
boyfriend of a woman he had<br />
reportedly travelled to the<br />
Philippines to propose to.<br />
Mr MacDonald, who served with<br />
Trico Offshore, was said to have<br />
flown from Scotland to meet the<br />
woman in Angona, near Manila,<br />
after developing a relationship<br />
through an online dating site.<br />
Mr MacDonald, who was 27 and<br />
had studied at Glasgow Nautical<br />
College, was stabbed in the stomach<br />
and arms by the woman’s boyfriend<br />
and was taken to hospital in<br />
Angona, where he died from his<br />
injuries.<br />
His mother Joanne said: ‘He was<br />
a much-loved son and brother, and<br />
was very close to his family. He spent<br />
a lot of time at sea, but when he was<br />
off on leave he spent his holidays<br />
first visiting family and friends, then<br />
travelling, which he adored. John<br />
loved playing guitar and was<br />
passionate about Rangers [Football<br />
Club]. His death is a tragedy and he<br />
will leave a gap in so many people’s<br />
lives that will never be filled.’<br />
The woman Mr MacDonald had<br />
been meeting, Nancy Romero, was<br />
also stabbed and was reported to be<br />
fighting for her life last month. Local<br />
police are hunting her boyfriend,<br />
Anselmo Lacostales, in connection<br />
with the attacks.<br />
Boats are stored on<br />
deck for Fort Victoria’s<br />
anti-piracy role<br />
Merchant Navy Operations (Deck)<br />
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Officer of the Watch (Unlimited) Jan, May & Sept<br />
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Master Mariner Orals Preparation (4 weeks) March<br />
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Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting<br />
Elementary First Aid<br />
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Offshore First Aid (and Refresher)<br />
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