P&I club calls for greater investment in ships crews

The ‘A’ rated, 55 million GT North of England P&I club is calling on the world’s shipowners to increase their investment in crew welfare. Without greater care and rewards, the club believes the professional status of seafarers – and with it the effectiveness and safety of the shipping industry as whole – are at risk.

Chairman Bill Thomson, of Scottish tanker owner Forth Tankers plc, says: “Finding good quality seafarers is always a challenge: keeping them is another.” He believes that reduced manning levels, busier shipping lanes, more paperwork and increasing criminalisation are all destroying seafarers’ self esteem and professional status.

Thomson questions whether regulations on minimum manning have gone too far. “Does the mere act of compliance in this vital area now suffice given the sheer intensity of modern vessel operation, the stress of navigating in heavily trafficked waters and the ever-growing reporting burden? In short, we may now be asking too much of our seafarers.”

Thomson concludes that higher crew costs must be accepted as part of the broader drive for improved quality. “Never has investment in people made better sense. If we want to develop a more positive industry profile, there is no better place to start.”

He also calls on the International Group of P&I clubs to continue to support industry opposition to the EU decision in June this year to back criminal sanctions – including imprisonment – for seafarers caught up in marine accidents and spills. “All clubs should now throw their full weight behind a shipowners’ campaign for fair treatment and common sense,” he says.

According to claims director Andrew Taylor: “In our experience members who provide secure employment for seafarers and work hard to achieve a high level of crew continuity produce fewer claims. Their seafarers have a good knowledge of the company and ship, identify with both, and display care and loyalty. We believe a deeper appreciation of the importance of these feelings is now essential.”

Tony Baker, head of the club’s risk-management department says “Unfortunately too many significant claims now have their roots in lack of basic skills. Human error is a notoriously difficult area to come to grips with but the current situation demands a robust response from the industry. Crew competence is an issue which must be addressed.”

North of England is thus placing a sharper emphasis on human factors – including seafarer recruitment, health, training and general awareness of shipboard best practice. Investment in high quality sea staff and risk-management systems are also now pre-requisites for any owner or operator wishing to enter ships in the club.

“Human issues and the industry’s negative profile are connected,” concludes Baker. “At present it is difficult to answer the question: Why should today’s well-qualified young people go to sea? Things must change if the industry is to avoid a crippling shortfall in people with the qualifications, commitment and enthusiasm needed to breath new life into shipping.”