Manu's scripts: Calculated mistake.

Manu's scripts: Calculated mistake.

"For most of my working life I have been told, by the cabal sitting ashore, that crew costs are rising unsustainably and that we Indian sailors are- to use a favourite banality- ‘pricing ourselves out of the market’. So you can imagine my surprise when I read of a Lloyd’s List article that said that, since 2003, when the the International Bargaining Forum began, ”the costs of the 23-man model ship used as the basis for negotiations have increased from USD 42,794 a month to USD 54,850, a rise of 28%”. Coincidentally, another report I ran into, this time by Moore Stephens, says that total ship operating costs fell between 2% and 8% in 2009 after 7 years of rise, although they are expected to be marginally higher this year. The nine year average rise is between 6 and 7 percent.""

Read on, click the link . . .

Mariners Welfare Guild - and you

Want to do something to help improve things for seafarers?

Take a look here:-

http://www.marinerswelfareguild.com/

And then, if you agree, join.

Costs nothing but a wee bit of time.

Quick solution to the problem of fatigue at sea . . .

The issue of seafarer fatigue on board ships gets worse with every passing evolution. Whether it is shorter port turnaround, bigger and more complicated ships or reduction in headcount on board, fact remains, this is the only profession in the world where people have to fudge their time sheets to show that they have worked 98 hours in a week. While the rest of the world moves towards 35-40 hour weeks and quality of life parameters based, seafarers are pushed to the edge, and more.

Take a look here at what the MCA in England did to the Maersk Patras:-

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=76428

And this is one of the biggest and best, blue of the blue, right?

One solution would be to change the watch-keeping pattern from 4-on 8-off to 3-on 9-off, viz, 4 watch-keepers instead of 3, under normal circumstances. An argument raised against this is that as it is there is shortage of trained manpower, so where will the shipowners get 33% more trained watchkeepers from?

The answer is also here - womenpower may yet solve the problem. The colateral effect of making seafaring a more attractive profession, by addressing the overwork and fatigue issues, will attract more young people, both women and men. We just have to give it a go.

So what can you do, active seafarer, at sea? One option is to start logging woking hour audits honestly, and when you are fatigued, logging it. Or writing in.

Humbly submitted.

Personal communication and information technology access on merchant ships

Just one single aspect of life at sea:- the busiest time for people on board ship is when the ship is either in port or close to a coast. One would expect that is the time when all other issues are set aside, and people concentrate on work, like they do in any other job ashore.

The maximum number of phone calls and emails I get from friends at sea is when they are in port or coasting. This includes Masters going through pilotage waters, Chief Engineers when they are receiving bunkers, and others. It is almost as though the sanctity of "only work" when in port is almost lost on the present generation of seafarers, and this was one of those important aspects drilled into our heads way back when mail came in packets - of paper, not bytes.

But then, fact remains, for a 24x7 connected generation, this is also the only time when seafarers get "connectivity". Both for mobile phones as well as wireless broadband. And as a result what do you have? People on duty in charge of navigation issues, pollution prevention, dealing with shore staff and most of all, snatching a few hours for rest - these very people also have to somehow find time to communicate with family, friends and other beloved ones.

This is being repeated because it is so important now, and there are whispers that accidents were caused because the watchkeepers were busy "doing personal mail". Whether on laptops, netbooks or simply mobile phones. And fishing vessels get run over, amongst other things. For lesser crimes, car drivers go to jail - for long durations.

Likewise, the availability of news, information and other updates, while at sea. Go back to memories of people buying ultra-powerful "world radios", with short-wave capabilities that ensured they managed to receive static infused but audible all the same, music and news from their homelands even in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I just received news that a batchmate of mine revived his old Grundig World Radio - and the Customs Officers were amazed at seeing this vintage piece, took photos next to it. Almost as big as a suitcase, but then luckily, he was entitled to 60 kilos of baggage.

Now match this with this big move afoot, keeps ebbing and surging actually, to try and improve matters for seafarers. Especially in "Year of the Seafarer", whatever that may imply to the rest of the world, since many or most outside the orbit of shipping are still to figure out what to do next about it.

Yes, we are repeatedly told that the Maritime Labour Convention 2010 will address and improve matters, but despite that, there will be a shortage of any number of thousands of trained seagoing personnel - especially on deep sea tanker, both liquid and gas.

Would it, then, be asking for too much that ships complement be provided with the facility of something everybody has at home - 24x7 internet, through VSAT on satellite and similar?

To my simple mind, and having headed a technology company where the same generation of youngsters needed full-time connectivity as a given, this is a holistic solution to a lot of issues at sea. It provides a low-cost benefit, it certainly keeps seafarers more in touch with the world and most of all, it is a step that actively promotes safety by freeing the body and mind of the seafarer when the ship needs it the most.

Ship-owners of a slightly more aware nature have already started providing this onboard, some for more than a few years now. Having revalidated my "ticket" with a whole new generation of young seafarers  in their 20s and 30s, I am aware how internet onboard is now one of their major parameters when deciding where and who to sail with.

And most of all, in The Year of the Seafarer, denying them what is almost a basic requirement is like shipowners and managers making an issue of providing air-conditioning and radars on ships in the "old days".

Good luck. And this article typed out on a netbook while riding the Delhi Metro underground, sent out through a small little USB port linked device, which goes through repeaters and boosters on this train. In some trains, the wi-fi is free, too.

About time ships followed what trains provide?