Read Seaways online at http://www.nautinst.org/seaways August 2019 | Seaways |
Feature: Supporting the seafarer in a changing world
Working together: the NI and the IMO
In July 2019, The Nautical Institute and the IMO signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which the NI
will support the IMO in helping developing countries to meet
international maritime standards.
The NI has agreed to lend its expertise in professional
development as part of the IMO’s Integrated Technical
Cooperation Programme (ITCP), which seeks to build the capacity
of member states in complying with maritime safety, security and
marine environment protection laws and standards.
Activities undertaken as part of the ITCP may include
seminars, workshops and training courses, needs assessment
advisory missions, mentoring, twinning, secondment and exchange
programmes, and professional leadership development.
Captain John Lloyd said: ‘We are delighted to offer our support
to the IMO’s ITCP. We are passionate believers in the value of
professional development and its role in helping to make the
maritime community a better and safer place in which to work.
‘Our worldwide network of branches means the NI is ideally
placed to support the work of the ITCP at the local level,
particularly through the provision of volunteer experts.’The human element
The Nautical Institute has worked to address human element
issues for some time. Probably its most prominent project is
the Alert! programme with The Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
The Alert! project is available online at http://www.he-alert.org. The
accompanying book, the Alert! Compendium, is intended to
help mariners make the best use of their physical and mental
abilities in the challenging shipboard environment. The book is
available at a 30% discount for NI members from http://www.nautinst.
org. The NI also publishes a book entitled Human Performance
and Limitation for Mariners, which builds on a successful
scheme in the aviation industry that cut accidents.
Recognising that making ships safer is not just about
regulation but also about human behaviour, IMO brought
together several of its member NGOs with an interest in the
topic to discuss how to make progress in this area. The group
is chaired by John Lloyd FNI. The initial project has been to
revisit the checklist that ensures that the human element is
properly considered in all changes to the regulatory framework.
This is now well under way, and further initiatives will be
explored over coming months.Giving seafarers support
Considering the wider world of the group and IMO, he said: ‘Seafarers
cannot do it alone. They are concerned that if they raise their voices
shipowners will not like it. I want to mitigate this. I hope the group will
be able to discuss welfare and ship operation issues. That is the value of
the group.’
The secretariat has to facilitate discussions, he added.
And he concluded: ‘I have every respect for The Nautical Institute.’
Part two of the Institute’s exchange with Mr Lim will be published in
the October issue of Seaways.is in the hands of exporting countries. It will be necessary to work with
the ports industry to make progress, he continued, citing the Marine
Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) resolution in April 2019
promoting shipping collaboration with ports.
When it comes to autonomous ship Mr Lim advocates a careful,
step-by-step approach. He is particularly concerned about the impact
on seafarers’ morale if they consider their employment opportunities
are limited, warning that they will become demotivated. He is realistic
that automation in ships is advancing. ‘This is happening now,’ he said.
‘We have to prepare for more automation issues.’
This brought him back to the industry human element group, which
he says could evolve into an international movement to promote the
human element. ‘We are really relying on The Nautical Institute,’ he
said.
Evolving responsibilities
This is set against the background of what he describes as the new
triangle of operation. He points to the delegation of responsibilities
from governments to classification societies, from shipowners to
ship managers and the emergence and strength of the international
registers. He particularly urges ship managers to look after their ships
and seafarers and says he plans a meeting with their representatives
during London International Shipping Week in September.
All three parts of this grouping will be reminded of their social
responsibilities, he said. ‘In the course of my discussions with them I
will ask them to pay more attention to the human element,’ Mr Lim
said. ‘They are the three pillars of IMO convention implementation.’
The NI is keen to see the administrative burden for seafarers reduced
and Mr Lim agreed. One step towards this that he thinks might help
is the wider adoption of a single window for ports, so that ships will
need only to submit arrival information and documents to a single
point, avoiding duplication of effort. At the moment, he acknowledges,
there are many stakeholders that vessels need to share information
with: customs, quarantine, immigration, port authorities and shipping
companies.
‘A single window will help towards efficiencies on ships,’ Lim said.
‘Electronic documents will be beneficial to shipping companies and
seafarers and will help to reduce their administrative burden.’
He added: ‘We appreciate the co-operation with the NI and have
high expectations for the human element group that it leads. I really
hope there will be significant results.’