Supply Chain Council of European Union | Scceu.org
Freight

The Maritime Advocate – Issue 814

Editor: Sandra Speares | Email: [email protected]

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IN THIS ISSUE

1. On board with technology
2. Industry concerns
3. ClassNK rule viewer
4. Carbon capture
5. Future fuels
6. Pest Week
7. Seafarer support
8. Global maritime fund
9.  User friendly technology
10. Vessel sharing
11. Green fuels initiative
12. Food waste
13. Container safety

Notices & Miscellany

Readers’ responses to our articles are very welcome and, where suitable, will be reproduced. Write to: [email protected]


1. On board with technology 

By Michael Grey

It was World Maritime Day last week, not that anyone outside our intimate circle of shipping friends would have noticed, such is the way that this vital industry has disappeared over most peoples’ horizons. The IMO Secretary General said some interesting things about technology and its place in the maritime world, but also pointed out that technological change needs to take those affected along with it.

This was amplified by Captain Kuba Szymanski of InterManager, who emphasised that everyone needs to keep seafarers in mind when implementing digital solutions and new ways of working at sea. You can’t just impose change, he inferred, but have to keep in mind the need to maintain safety, provide proper training and ensure that operating procedures don’t become redundant.

We probably need these reminders when everyone is frantically researching new fuels, amazing advances in artificial intelligence, communication breakthroughs and the headlong rush towards “net zero”. Scarcely a day goes by without some triumphant announcement of a technological breakthrough which “could” (this is the operative word) revolutionise fuel economy, sustainability, cargo handling, speed up the whole logistic infrastructure, automate everything and reduce operating costs substantially. It is also worth noting that most of these huge advances tend to be future projections, rather than actual achievements.

One shouldn’t be too sceptical – my wife says it is unattractive – but on my notice board at eye level as I write, there is a verse written by Ronald Hopwood which tells the reader –“In an age of swift invention it is frequently believed/ That the pressure of a button is as good as work achieved/But the optimist inventor should remember if he can,/Though the instrument be perfect, there are limits to the man.” There is a timelessness about this appeal for humility, which, although it still pops up from time to time, (a few years ago I saw it pinned up on the bridge of a very sophisticated new ship), was in fact written in 1913.

The IMO Secretary General and Captain Szymanski are spot on when they urge “optimist inventors” to make sure that they are bringing important people like seafarers into their developments. Because the fact is that invariably they are thought of only at the last minute, if at all, before some product or development is launched upon the market. I never forget an event to commemorate the entry into service of one of the world’s fastest cargo ships (which obviously dates it), when some wild-eyed scientist was explaining to an audience of shippers and potential customers that an amazing new device would instruct the master about when he ought to slow down in heavy weather.

 During this oration, I was watching the master’s face and afterwards I sidled up to him and asked him about the use of this device. He assured me that he had no intention of ever using it, as he thought his experience in many years crossing the winter North Atlantic provided rather better indicators than a “box of tricks”, which had been inflicted upon him, the workings of which he found completely incomprehensible.

Today, of course, his attitude would be heavily criticised, as masters of ships at sea will be in receipt of all sorts of information, data, instruction and advice 24/7. But there is still this worrying gulf between those who are developing equipment, regulations, protocols, systems, who remain in isolation from those who will eventually be affected by their developments. And you can reasonably argue that if this division could be narrowed in some way, by bringing the operators into the loop at an early stage, everyone would benefit, with better equipment or systems, and operators more attuned to the overall objectives.

We still have a singularly unhelpful mindset which sees new equipment that involves quite radical changes installed and the operators just told to “get on with it”, with people trying to train themselves with inadequate manuals or using what they managed to pick up from the installation engineer. I recall a friend who ran a containership in the Atlantic arriving back from leave to take his ship to sea that night to discover that the entire navigational outfit had been changed in his absence, without a word of consultation.

There is a wonderful episode recounted by the authors of “Notable points in the design history of the Doxford opposed piston marine oil engine” (A great book, despite its formidable title), about one of the first installations in which the engine could be controlled from the bridge. The master and the chief engineer, both quite elderly and neither of whom had been party to this leap forward in engineering, were deeply suspicious of the development and agreed between them to change the new system back to the tried and trusted manual operation., telling nobody ashore. This worked perfectly, but problems arose when after their final voyage, the manufacturers had to be called in to change the system back to bridge control.

And you can think of so many developments in recent years, in which operators have been told to “just get on with” what experts have installed in their ships. How much better if they had been involved rather earlier.

Michael Grey is former editor of Lloyd’s List.


2. Industry concerns

The Global Maritime Forum, IUMI and insurers Marsh have launched a new report outlining concerns the industry has aired going forward.

Decarbonisation of shipping and the environmental regulations remain top concerns that will impact the global maritime industry over the next 10 years, according to the Global Maritime Issues Monitor 2022.

Based on a survey of maritime industry leaders, the report examines the critical issues facing the maritime sector. Key industry stakeholders share insights on these challenges in terms of impact, likelihood, and preparedness in the coming decade. For the second consecutive year, decarbonisation of shipping, and new environmental regulations were the top two issues in terms of impact in the coming decade. They were also in the top five for likelihood. Respondents had a more favourable view of the industry’s preparedness for these challenges, according to Marsh.
Failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation stayed at number three on the list of issues for which the industry is least prepared.

Increase in fuel price and geopolitical tension, which had been in the number seven and six spots in 2021, are now ranked as the two most likely issues to occur in the next 10 years. New environmental regulations and decarbonisation of shipping dropped from the number one and two spots in 2021 to third and fifth, respectively.

The report also takes a deep dive into human sustainability, defined as dignity and respect for every human being within an organisation and across supply chains to ensure human well-being and ethical practices. The growing importance of the issue is bringing about a shift in leadership focus, away from managing ships toward managing people.

To learn more about these critical issues and how maritime industry leaders perceive them, download the Global Maritime Issues Monitor 2022.
 


3.  Class NK rule viewer

Classification society ClassNK has released a new web application ClassNK RuleViewer to view its rules and guidance on a browser.

The application allows users not only to search and view the latest ClassNK Rules for the survey and construction of steel ships and guidance, which supplements the rules.  
The main features include:
•    Displaying the rules and   corresponding guidance side by side
•    Links to the  rules and guidance
•    Displaying the application conditions of the rules (date of application, ship type, for example)

 ClassNK RuleViewer is available at “MyPage” on its website. PDF and paper-based Rules and Guidance remain available. See https://www.classnk.or.jp/account/en/Rules_Guidance/ssl/login.aspx
 


4. Carbon capture

The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has produced a report on the role of onboard carbon capture in maritime decarbonisation.
 
This report examines the role of onboard carbon capture (OCC) in decarbonising the maritime industry using a series of case studies. The case studies analyse the impacts of full or partial application of OCC on container, bulk and tanker vessels using carbon-based fuels, as part of a newbuild or retrofit. The following executive summary provides a summary of the report highlights.

OCC is being considered as a technology that will play a role in decarbonising shipping, in combination with energy efficiency and alternative fuels. It can be applied to all carbon-containing fossil, electro, and biofuels and, as a result, could play a mid- to long-term role in maritime decarbonisation. However, the applicability of OCC depends on several factors including OCC technology development, commercial viability, alternative fuel prices and availability, and future emission-related regulatory requirements.

To gain a better understanding of the role of OCC in maritime decarbonisation and assess OCC’s business case for different vessel types and sizes, the centre analysed the applicability of OCC to the largest shipping segments (container, bulk, and tanker), main carbon-based fuels and full and partial application as part of a retrofit or newbuild.

For more details see https://www.zerocarbonshipping.com/publications/the-role-of-onboard-carbon-capture-in-maritime-decarbonization/

Download Report


5. Future fuels
Class society Bureau Veritas has launched a detailed outlook on future maritime fuels in a new white paper, which calls for a “well-to-wake” (WtW) approach to assessing the climate impact and sustainability of alternative fuels.
 
This is one of the key conclusions of the white paper, which evaluates alternative fuels such as methanol, LNG, biofuels, hydrogen and ammonia, outlining their respective characteristics, advantages, challenges, availability, safety, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
 
A well-to-wake approach accounts for all GHG emissions released from the extraction or production phase, the distribution of the fuel, through to the final use onboard vessels, as opposed to just the emissions resulting from combustion on board.
 
The white paper calls for a sustainable fuel production pathway for alternative fuels, highlighting the fact that even carbon-free fuels may have a carbon-intensive supply chain that means they could generate higher WtW emissions than the fossil fuels they intend to replace. This positions e-fuels, which are produced from renewable energy, as well as sustainably sourced biofuels, as some of the most promising options to decarbonise shipping.

Paul Delouche, strategy director at Bureau Veritas and lead author of the report, said: “Assessing alternative fuel options must be done from a well-to-wake basis to achieve true decarbonisation in the shipping industry. Only through a complete life-cycle analysis can the environmental impact of fuels be properly evaluated. Understanding how these fuels are produced and transported is paramount.
 
“Therefore, achieving decarbonisation in WtW terms will require unprecedented collaboration and transparency with upstream and production chains, including a broad range of stakeholders from energy and chemical suppliers to authorities and financiers. The maritime world has chosen to decarbonise, and the only way to succeed is to collaborate, sharing knowledge and resources across the industry and beyond.”

The white paper describes how the industry will see a mix of alternative fuels in the near future, with fuel choices influenced by vessel types, sizes and operational profiles, as well as the availability of the fuels and bunkering infrastructures at scale. Access to renewable electricity on a large scale will be key to producing e-fuels and hydrogen, and a cross-sector approach will be needed to share resources such as wind and solar power between maritime and other sectors.

The industry will also be affected by a range of incentives, including legislation and market-based measures that are being developed by regional and global regulators. The white paper shows that the current EU Emissions Trading System and FuelEU Maritime proposals, for instance, could result in significant levels of taxation and penalties for ships. For the FuelEU Maritime proposal, the impact would be relatively moderate until 2035, but theoretically reaching very high levels from 2040 onwards.
 
Ulrik Dan Frørup, chief commercial director at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “Changing marine fuels will necessitate major changes to the entire fuel supply and logistics chain. This will have an enormous impact on maritime businesses worldwide. The clock is ticking down to 2050, and the sooner we decarbonise, the better. At BV, we believe that the maritime world will gain in prominence in a decarbonised future, becoming the backbone of low- and zero-carbon transportation. 
 
“The industry must balance short- and long-term objectives, obtaining immediate GHG emissions reduction from the existing fleet, while moving toward more substantial emissions objectives in the mid- to long-term. At Bureau Veritas, we recognise that everyone will start their sustainability journey from different places and move at different speeds, and we are here to support the industry in the key choices ahead. We also play a key role in developing the rules and risk analysis frameworks that make safe innovation possible, thereby helping shipping make new fuels and other decarbonisation solutions a reality on global fleets.”
 
The full white paper Alternative Fuels Outlook for Shipping – an Overview of Alternative Fuels from a Well-to-Wake Perspective can be downloaded here.


6. Pest Week
As part of ICHCA’s Pest Week the association covers some of the TT Club’s advice on onboard pests. Information on the dangers of pests in containers is available on the ICHCA website https://www.ichca.com but for details on the TT Club content see below:

Included are four animated videos that can be downloaded from TT Club’s web site and used to support learning, toolbox talks and other communications on managing the risk of invasive pests. The material complements the Code of Practice for Packing Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code).

•    Invasive pests – unit and cargo cleanliness: shows how debris from the previous load may be contaminated and can contaminate the cargo to be packed if this debris is not thoroughly cleared. https://www.ttclub.com/news-and-resources/video-library/invasive-pests-unit-and-cargo-cleanliness/

•    Invasive pests – unit cleanliness pre-packing: describes how mud and vegetation can harbour invasive pests and the importance of ensuring containers are clean prior to use. https://www.ttclub.com/news-and-resources/video-library/invasive-pests-unit-cleanliness-pre-packing/

•    Invasive pests – lighting risks: packing a container at night under bright lights can attract unwanted insects that can then be transported across the globe. https://www.ttclub.com/news-and-resources/video-library/invasive-pests-lighting-risks/

•    Invasive pests – transit conditions: routing may expose the unit to pest contamination. To mitigate the risk, ensure containers are clean prior to loading aboard a ship. https://www.ttclub.com/news-and-resources/video-library/invasive-pests-transit-conditions/


7. Seafarer support

The UK P&I Club is funding Sailors’ Society’s Crisis Response Network.  Announced ahead of World Maritime Day on September 29, the Club’s contribution will fund the costs of two trained crisis responders. They will provide vital counselling and ongoing care to seafarers, their families and companies following a traumatic incident such as abandonment, accident, ambush or natural disaster.  
 
Maritime charity Sailors’ Society’s Crisis Response Network is a free service, operated by 37 trained crisis responders around the world.  
 
Patrick Ryan, Sustainability Director and Head of Club Secretariat at The UK P&I Club, said: “The UK P&I Club is delighted to be working with Sailors’ Society and contributing towards this important service.  
 
“Although a great deal of effort is put in to avoid accidents and other traumatising events, and to look after seafarers’ mental health more generally, it is vital to ensure that proper support is in place for seafarers if and when they do need it. Sailors’ Society’s Crisis Response Network provides seafarers with the very support they might need, 24/7 all year round.”  
 
The service, which receives additional support from The TK Foundation and The Seafarers’ Charity, has been running for seven years and also assists with raising awareness of mental health, stress and trauma, as well as providing suicide prevention training and coping techniques.  
 
In 2021, the Crisis Response Network dealt with more than 100 cases assisting almost 1,000 seafarers, with piracy the dominant issue. The majority of cases so far in 2022 have been due to abandonment, bereavement, accident and ill health.  
 
Sara Baade, Sailors’ Society’s CEO, said: “We offer frontline trauma care, supporting survivors’ physical and mental recovery and rehabilitation, ultimately helping them to reintegrate into their communities and back into their jobs. Unfortunately, threats such as piracy, abandonment and accident are a reality for the modern-day seafarer but Sailors’ Society’s Crisis Response Network is there to help, whenever and whatever the crisis.  
 
“We’re extremely grateful to The UK P&I Club for their generous support, enabling this vital service to be there for seafarers in their times of greatest need.”  

A recent case concerned a second officer whose mental health had deteriorated and was suffering suicidal thoughts as a result. The ship was not due to dock for at least a week and the crew were deeply concerned for their colleague. The Crisis Response Network was contacted and counselled the officer and his crewmates until they arrived in port and could receive further help from the local health authorities.

The Crisis Response Network can be contacted via a 24/7 helpline on +1-938-222-818, instant chat via ‪http://sailors-society.org/helpline‬ or by email at [email protected]  
 
Find out more at: https://sailors-society.org/crn


8. Global maritime fund

International Maritime Industries is championing the newly-launched Global Maritime Fund, managed by Pelagic Partners. The Fund is expected to manage assets worth $1.25 billion by the end of 2023, growing to $10 billion over the next 10 years. Global Maritime Fund aims to be the world’s largest maritime fund, providing innovative solutions that are globally competitive and scalable, with a focus on ESG. International Maritime Industries (IMI), the largest shipyard in the MENA region, has endorsed the newly launched Global Maritime Fund (GMF) that will offer innovative financing solutions to key customers and maritime companies around the world. Based in Cyprus, GMF will raise capital through regional and international investors, as well as long-term agreements with key customers.


9. User friendly technology

As World Maritime Day embraces the role of technology in helping shipping to achieve its green goals, ship manager association InterManager emphasises the importance of keeping seafarers in mind when implementing digital solutions and new ways of working at sea.

Captain Kuba Szymanski, InterManager Secretary General, commented: “The maritime community is right to embrace new ways of operating which lead to cleaner, greener and more sustainable shipping and protect our marine environments for many generations to come. We must also ensure that we don’t lose sight of those who operate our ships and bring them with us on this green journey, ensuring that the technology we install is safe to use, that proper training regimes are developed, and that operating procedures are updated accordingly.”

He welcomed comments by Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, which stressed that technological solutions for cleaner, safer and more sustainable shipping must also benefit people, and urged the shipping industry to consider the impact of green technology on seafarers and other marine personnel.

As part of its work on behalf of its ship and crew manager members, who employ a large proportion of the world’s seafarers, InterManager campaigns on safety issues in order to prevent injury and deaths of workers on ships. Its current projects include the safe use of lifeboats and identifying safe working practices in enclosed spaces. It has been influential with regard to a number of international ship operating regulations, notably the ISMA Code.


10. Vessel sharing agreements

To serve as many ports and customers as possible, as efficiently as possible, international ocean carriers often share space on vessels. Vessel sharing benefiting the EU is regulated through the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER), which expires in April 2024 and is now under review by the European Commission’s DG COMP. The World Shipping Council, the International Chamber of Shipping , and the Asian Shipowners’ Association   have submitted their input to the European Commission, calling for a renewal of the CBER and demonstrating how vessel sharing contributes to the EU policy goals of reducing transport emissions, increasing competitiveness and improving efficiency to reduce costs.to reduce costs.

Vessel sharing is a purely operational measure that enables carriers to use ships more efficiently whilst continuing to compete on price and other commercial terms. Vessel sharing expands the range of destinations and services available to customers and reduces empty space onboard ships, lowering emissions. The CBER facilitates vessel sharing by providing a sector-specific legal framework.

“From an operational and environmental perspective, vessel sharing is like public transport and car-pooling schemes: seeking to maximise efficiency and reduce emissions through the shared use of transport assets and infrastructure, significantly reducing emissions per unit of cargo transported,” says Yuichi Sonoda, Secretary General of Asian Shipowners Association.

 The Commission’s evaluation of the CBER takes place against the backdrop of an unprecedented global crisis. COVID-19 disrupted the intermodal supply chain worldwide, creating substantial bottlenecks at marine terminals, inland warehouses and distribution centres, and in the truck, rail, and barge systems that connect ports with the hinterland. Those landside issues in turn caused back-ups of ships outside of ports, significantly reducing the effective vessel capacity even as ocean carriers deployed every available owned and chartered containership. Reliability suffered and prices increased.

“The frustration shippers have understandably experienced from service delays and increased cost has been channelled towards carriers, their vessel sharing arrangements, and the regulatory tools which facilitate such arrangements, including the CBER. But data shows and regulators concur that the problems were caused by factors outside carriers’ control and not by vessel sharing,” says John Butler,  chief executive of  the World Shipping Council.

“Vessel sharing is a tool that has been recognized by regulators around the world as providing a foundation for the reliable movement of international trade. As we come out of the pandemic and markets normalize, we need common and predictable regulations across the globe in order to help transportation and trade networks to stabilize,” says Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping.
 
Download the WSC, ICS and ASA submission to the European Commission on the renewal of the CBER

Read more
 


11. Green fuels initiative

The IAPH has teamed up with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in launching an initiative to catalyse the supply of green fuels to support the global energy transition. IAPH managing director Patrick Verhoeven joined the unveiling of the ‘Clean Energy Marine Hubs Initiative’ at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM)  in Pittsburgh. The initiative will be a convening platform for public and private senior-level stakeholders from the ports, shipping, finance, and energy sectors across the energy-maritime value chain.

ICS and IAPH will kick start activity with governments represented at the CEM, with the objective of advancing the production, export and import of low-carbon fuels. The governments of Canada, the United Arab Emirates   and Panama confirmed during the CEM meeting in Pittsburgh that they will be among the first countries to back this key initiative, to help accelerate the world’s transition to green fuels and technologies.

The initial concept for creating green marine hubs was announced earlier this year as a forum to enable policy makers and industry stakeholders to quickly unlock clean energy deployment. The Pittsburgh announcement represents the next step in the development of an initiative that will help unlock the potential for global adoption of zero emission fuels. CEM is a meeting of 29 energy ministers from leading governments, as part of the US Department of Energy’s Global Clean Energy Action Forum (GCEAF). IAPH and ICS anticipate that the participation of Canada, the UAE and Panama in the Clean Energy Marine Hubs Initiative will establish a pathway for others to follow.

Key objectives include facilitating information and knowledge exchange on policies, programmes, and decarbonisation projects to de-risk investment and accelerate the commercial deployment of alternative fuels and technologies across countries. Recent research from the International Renewable Energy Agency has emphasised the importance of shipping’s role in the global green transition. By 2050, the shipping industry is expected to transport at least 50% of all traded zero-carbon fuels. 


12. Food waste

MARPOL compliance and distances ‘from the nearest land’ is the topic in a Gard article on the club’s website.
As the article explains MARPOL permits unprocessed food waste to be discharged into the sea from vessels proceeding at a distance not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. Sounds straightforward? Unfortunately, it is not – all coastal states do not define their ‘nearest land boundary’ in the same way.

According to Gard’s Chinese correspondent Huatai Marine, vessels trading to China are regularly fined for non-compliance with garbage discharge provisions in Chinese waters, most often for illegal dumping of food waste. In its circular PNI[2022]08, the correspondent explains that the Chinese requirements for discharges of food waste are generally no stricter than those set forth in MARPOL Annex V. The main reason for being penalised is merely that vessels’ garbage procedures, and nautical charts, are not sufficiently clear on the coordinates of Chinese sea areas in which the discharge of food waste is prohibited.

Some time ago, a Gard Member’s vessel was detained in Ningbo Port for illegally discharging food waste into Chinese waters. The vessel’s log book showed that it had been approaching Ningbo Port at the time of the alleged incident and the crew had taken all necessary precautions to ensure that the vessel was at least 12 nm from the Chinese shore before discharging any food waste.

However, Gard has received reports of vessels being penalised in Australia for the same reasons, that is, for illegally discharging food waste into Australian waters, the club says. In one case, the alleged incident took place when the vessel was proceeding  13 nautical miles (nm) from shore, or more precisely, from an island off the north-east coast of mainland Australia.

For the full story see https://www.gard.no/web/articles?documentId=34257434


13. Container safety

The need for increased integrity in the global supply chain persists. The Cargo Integrity Group has updated its Quick Guide to the CTU Code and once more urges all involved in intermodal container transport to pay heed.
 
The multi-faceted group of originally five, now seven industry organisations, produced a Quick Guide to the IMO/ILO/UNECE Code of Practice for Packing of Cargo Transport Units (CTU Code) some two years ago.  The Quick Guide is designed to assist those responsible for packing containers and accurately declaring details of their contents to abide by the often-complex regulations contained in the voluminous CTU Code itself.  There is also a useful checklist of actions required of packers and shippers of containers.

The Group believes that awareness of the CTU Code is pivotal to achieving safe and secure transport and has followed up the Quick Guide’s publication with provision of its full text in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish and Italian.  An update has now been made available, taking account of feedback, and is downloadable for free HERE

FIATA Director General Stéphane Graber commented, “Providing individuals responsible for packing containers, and in some cases for preparing documentation and declarations, with easier access to all-important safety guidelines in their own language, is key in order to make available practical cutting edge knowledge of packing. Such information goes beyond maritime operations, reflecting the complexities of intermodal transport in modern day supply chains, and is key to keeping cargo logistics running efficiently.”

Failure to follow the CTU Code advice puts the people who keep the supply chain moving at risk, leading to incidents and accidents that are still all too common. The Group believes that such tragedies in the supply chain are to be avoided – most vividly demonstrated by the too frequent occurrence of container ship fires – through higher standards of cargo integrity.
 
“We are providing clearer guidance through our revised Quick Guide and Checklist to help those responsible for packing cargo transport units, and in particular intermodal containers, to understand the standards expected in international trade,” stated James Hookham, Director of Global Shippers Forum.  “The revised editions recognise the endorsement of all the partner organisations now active in the Cargo Integrity Group and their joint commitment to dissemination of this advice to their respective memberships and wider networks,” he concluded.


Notices & Miscellany 

Safety webinar

With a rise in high profile maritime incidents costing ship owners and managers massive amounts in damages, the industry is looking toward new technological solutions to improve safety, security, and operations onboard.

Safety4Sea will be holding a webinar on October 26 at 14.00 London time to discuss the issues. For details see https://events.safety4sea.com.

Employee survey
 The 13th edition of the Maritime Employee Survey from Halcyon Recruitment, Diversity Study Group and Coracle Maritime has been launched, with a call for maritime professionals from all corners of the industry to submit their feedback on their employment experiences.

The survey is focused on shipping’s global shore-side workforce, spanning all sectors, locations, disciplines and levels of experience.  Among the areas of focus for this year’s survey are pay and benefits, access to training and development opportunities, discrimination in the workplace, and the provision of diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Running since 2009, the Maritime Employee Survey shines a spotlight on the experiences of those in shoreside roles. Supported by more than a decade’s worth of data to help track long-term trends, the survey provides  insights that are broken down by ship segment, by region and by professional field.

At a time when diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is rising up shipping’s agenda, the survey will also provide insight into the progress towards tackling discrimination in the workplace and on implementing diversity strategies and programmes to help drive positive change.

Calling for maritime professionals from across the industry to take part in the survey, Heidi Heseltine, CEO of Halcyon Recruitment and Founder of the Diversity Study Group, said:

“The past 12 months have seen the maritime world take cautious steps towards recovery as the worst of the pandemic seems to be behind us, but in a complex, fast-changing industry, there is no single story of where we find ourselves today. The experiences of those working in shoreside roles are diverse, but through this survey, we once again want to build a picture of the industry and identify the trends that can help employers to understand the experiences and priorities of its workforce.”

“We want to hear from everyone, whatever your role and sector, wherever in the world you’re based, and whether you’re an industry veteran or in your first year in the maritime industry. As well as benchmarking salary and benefits, we’re particularly keen to see if the industry is making meaningful progress on tackling discrimination and supporting greater diversity and inclusion. I’d urge everyone working in the industry to spare a few minutes to complete our survey.”

The 2022 survey is now open and will run until 14th October. It can be completed online here: The Maritime Employee Survey 2022

The survey is completely confidential and a full report of the results will be published later this year.

Energy transition
On 13 October 2022, 9.30-11.00 CEST Online DNV is launching its 6th edition of the Energy Transition Outlook, providing a detailed forecast of the demand and supply of energy towards 2050 as well as a pathway to reach net zero emissions.

Get the main highlights of this year’s outlook, presented by president and CEO Remi Eriksen. That will be followed by panel debates and keynotes from business and policy leaders, discussing how the current energy security and macroeconomic developments are affecting the speed of the energy transition. 

See agenda and register your place

Please notify the Editor of your appointments, promotions, new office openings and other important happenings: [email protected]


And finally,

(With thanks to Paul Dixon)

A man lived in the country where the roads were very winding and there are very few lights. He had a late arriving flight (2 am) and asked me to pick him up at the airport. I agreed, and since the roads were very dark I was driving very slowly, when all of a sudden I hit something!

Since I hadn’t seen anything in my headlights, I thought I must have hit a skunk, raccoon or some other small animal. I got out of the car and looked around but could see nothing.

Just as I was about to get back in the car I saw a small animal under the tire. I had hit a baby pig. I looked around but I could see no houses from which this pig could have come. I felt bad for the pig, but I was running late and I had to get myself to the airport. I picked up the pig, put him on the side of the road, said a prayer for him and promised myself I’d come back for him later.

I got to the airport in plenty of time, and while I was waiting for the plane to arrive, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was a state trooper, who said to me, “I want to talk to you about the pig you just hit.”

I was astonished and asked him, “That happened less than half an hour ago, how did you track me down so soon?”

He replied, “The pig squealed.”


Thanks for Reading the Maritime Advocate online

Maritime Advocate Online is a fortnightly digest of news and views on the maritime industries, with particular reference to legal issues and dispute resolution. It is published to over 20,000 individual subscribers each week and republished within firms and organisations all over the maritime world. It is the largest publication of its kind. We estimate it goes to around 60,000 readers in over 120 countries.

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