Seaways

June 2021 www.nautinst.org

The International Journal of The Nautical Institute

Win-win situation Updating a classic Deep listening Equipment and rescue
Sharing knowledge p04 Bridge watchkeeping p06 Learning to hear p14 The elephant in the
room p22

CPD for DP
operators
Staying current, wherever
you are p10
 Contents June 2021

Comment & Opinion 14 Deep listening Reporting back

Learning an invaluable skill
03 Focus 28 Nautelex
Chief Executive John Lloyd FNI 21 The NI at the IMO News affecting the maritime professional
Navigation, communication and more
Features 29 Conferences
22 The elephant in the forepeak Offshore wind power
04 Captain’s column Equipment and entry drills for enclosed
Win-win: the mentoring equation space entry Members & Branches
06 Bridge Watchkeeping 24 The changing face of piracy 31 Branch activities
New technology needs a new approach IMO calls for further action Reports on branch activity and events

08 International Conventions 26 Pandemic fatigue and 33 LinkedIn

and the Master resilience 34 Letters
What you can’t get arrested for Simple steps for a complicated situation
36 Out and about
10 DP-focused CPD MARS New members
Get the app!
17 MARS reports
12 The need for targetless PRS Look before you turn; too many pilot
A proposal for improving offshore boats; MOB while rigging pilot ladder;
operations grinding wheel shatters

Cover image: Seven Borealis, a pipelaying vessel with DP capability

Credit: Danny Cornelissen

Seaways
The International Journal of The Nautical Institute
Editor: Lucy Budd
E-mail: editor@nautinst.org
Advertising manager:
John Payten
Vice Presidents:
Captain Trevor Bailey FNI
Captain G H Livingstone FNI
Captain D A P McKelvie FNI
DP Certification & Training email:
DP@nautinst.org

Seaways is posted to all Institute

The Nautical Institute
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ISSN 01 44 1019
© 2021 The Nautical Institute
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Tel: + 44 (0) 1737 852135
The Nautical Institute Chief Executive:
John Lloyd FNI
Email: John.Lloyd@nautinst.org
The Nautical Institute President:
Jillian Carson-Jackson FNI
Captain A Le Goubin FNI
Captain Steve Pelecanos FNI
Mr W Vervloesem FNI
Captain Nish Wijaykulathilaka FNI
Captain Peter Martin AFNI
Captain Mike Meade FNI
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 ACCIDENTS ONBOARD MEMBER
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Watch the webinar!
If you missed the recent webinar you can access
it via The Nautical Institute website
> log in at nautinst.org > My NI
> Presentations and webinars

“ Protect yourself and others!”

Personal injury on board ships continues to
devastate lives and can occasionally be fatal.
This NI webinar explores some of the human
behaviours associated with personal injury and
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You will also be able to view a range of other past

webinars on subjects including:
Bridge Watchkeeping
Crew Change Reality
Fit-for-purpose Training

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2  |  Seaways |  June 2021 Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways

 Captain John Lloyd FNI Chief Executive
Focus
Catching up
E
ven though physical meetings were still not
possible it was wonderful to catch up with so
many of our members in the past few weeks.
During May we shared discussions at
our Council meeting. As well as concentrating on
membership business and issues, Council members
participated in a memorable workshop on managing
trauma in the workplace. With so many seafarers still
suffering the constraints on travel the mental stresses
are enormous and our thoughts are with those stuck on
board every day.
STCW training can only go so far in delivering
With so many training, so professional development opportunities
seafarers still such as this can help prepare our seafarers for some
of the most difficult situations on board ship. Further
suffering the advice along these lines was offered in a well-received
webinar held by the South West Branch, and you can
constraints on read more about this on pages 26-27.
travel, the mental As well as attending Council, it was my privilege
to host 100 of our longest-serving members at an
stresses are introduction to the Armillary Club in May. This newly
formed initiative will update members and friends of
enormous and The Nautical Institute on social activities, inform them of
our thoughts are our legacy donation scheme and showcase the progress
of some of our scholarship recipients. The event was
with those stuck hosted online and introduced by Senior Vice-President
on board. Captain André Legoubin and included an amazing
presentation from Commodore Nick Nash, Immediate
Past President.
The event itself was over-subscribed and I hope we
will have the chance to hold another as the Club gets
underway and we can share key experiences from our
careers. At the end of the meeting it was wonderful to
enjoy the company of so many and share a social drink.
Nowhere near as much fun as meeting in person of
course, but a very enjoyable evening nonetheless. My
thanks to those who attended and an especial thanks
to colleagues who gave up their evening to join in the
conversations.
Although the Armillary session was full with 100
members, our latest book launch attracted an amazing
1,300 registrants. If you couldn’t attend the presentation
on the day – or perhaps tried to log in after we had
reached capacity – you can view the recording at
https://bit.ly/3wiiteH (you will need your NI login).
p06 p12 p29
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
Our Bridge Watchkeeping book, released in mid-May,
is already in huge demand and thanks to the great work
of Captain Mark Bull FNI will become the key source of
reference for many years to come. As well as providing
commentary from his own expertise, Mark welcomed
the feedback of many who gave their time to review
the book, a key stage in ensuring our publications will
meet the expectations of our demanding maritime
community.
I am indebted to the panel members from around the
globe for their tremendous commitment, knowledge
and incisive analysis during the presentations and the
Q&A sessions that followed. You did us proud on the
day and we look forward to the book becoming one of
our leading publications for a long time.
We have enjoyed the many discussions about
when The Nautical Institute was formed and there are
several key dates during those early years. But we have
identified 12 May as a key date in our history and on this
day in 2021 we celebrated 49 years since the Founding
Members were admitted to The Nautical Institute.
This was a great milestone and was the ideal time
for us to kick off the planning for our 50th Anniversary
celebrations that are scheduled to start in March 2022
and run throughout the year with technical seminars
and conferences delivered on a global scale. My thanks
and congratulations to those branches that have
already stood up to be counted and stand ready to host
one of our signature events.
International Day of the Seafarer
Looking forward into June we hope many of you will
do something special for the commemoration of the
International Day of the Seafarer. The IMO’s theme for
the year is ‘Fair Future for Seafarers’ and after the past
many months there can perhaps be no better time
to renew our focus on the needs of our key-worker
colleagues.
If you are hosting an event or even just flying a
flag, please send us a photograph and share your
experiences of the day.
Fair Future for Seafarers – theme for the year!
p36 p36
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  3
Capt Chandramowleeswaran MNI
Captain’s column
The mentoring equation
H
aving reached the foc’s’le to heave up the anchor and sail out
of Valparaíso, I was surprised to get a call from the third officer
telling me that the Master was calling me to the bridge.
The anchor was engaged, and we were leaving our home
port after the usual 48 hours of hectic activity of cargo operations. As
Chief Officer on our conventional cargo vessel, that means dealing with
the derrick, Stulcken [heavy-lift derrick], jumbo cargo, reefer containers,
standard containers, liquid tallow and stern ramp cargo, to say nothing of
marine and technical superintendents, managers and surveyors, class and
others. My body was begging for rest as it had been subjected to further
hectic activity overnight.
With some trepidation, I headed up to the bridge thinking that I had
bungled something and the Master was about to cut me down to size.
The third officer gave me a grin, which further increased my anxiety,
and I looked over to the Master, standing there with a poker face. Fully
flummoxed, I was rooted to the spot wondering what was about to
happen when the Master asked the third officer why I was so confused.
I looked at the third mate quizzically, and he blurted out, ‘Arre Saab,
Captain wants you to take over and sail the ship out’. Only then did it
dawn on me what the Master was trying to do.
One voyage later, he made me pick a up a pilot at Miami at 04.30,
asking me to do everything right from giving notice through to the pick-
up manoeuvre. I got my command on my next vessel after that, perhaps
five months later.
This, clearly, was mentoring. Maybe I did not understand it at the time,
but that is exactly what the Master was doing, within a matter of four
months of my joining the vessel. Had I been mentored during my cadet
days, my junior officer days? The answer is yes, but the mentoring – or in
some cases, the initiation – had its own flavour. Some did it with a kick,
some did it with true sincerity and some over a drink. Very rarely did you
come across people who did not mentor the new joiner.
Making the difference
I understood the real significance of mentoring only later, when I came
ashore and I was mentored by someone whom I hold in very high esteem.
He gave me the courage to stay and make a career ashore. No matter
what position you join and at what age you join, mentoring has a major
role to play. The difference between having a mentor or not having one is
the difference between making a career in an organisation or just having
a job.
Even out at sea, you need a mentor at every stage. You change
companies, you need one; you get promoted, you need one; you
change the type of ship, you need one. Being a mentor is a role which
encompasses all roles into one – parents, family, wife and children, guru,
friend, brother/sister. Had I not got the Master I did on my first foreign-
flag vessel, probably I would not have got my command on the second
one. Incidentally, the next Master I had on the same vessel could not get a
second ship as he was found unsuitable for the type of vessel. Obviously,
he was not mentored well by his superintendent!
A challenging situation
What is the difference between mentoring as it was in the 60s, 80s,
2000 and now in 2021? First of all, the number of crew has come down
drastically. Where you once had a crew of closer to 80 or possibly even
100 people, manning numbers are now hovering around 15 to 20. What
4  |  Seaways |  June 2021
is the direct impact? There is no time for anyone. People do their watches,
do their paperwork and in their free time, they sleep. Where is the time for
mentoring? As one cadet put it, he spent the better part of his contract
doing paperwork for the Chief Officer. He was happy that he did not
have to work on deck, but he was good enough to admit that he lost
a substantial amount of time from what otherwise would have been a
learning ground for him.
Added to this is the length of the contract, which has become shorter
over the years. Again, this is the effect of the minimum manning scale. For
many people, mentoring cannot start from day one – it takes time. People
take their time to warm up to each other, and by the time it happens, one
of them has moved on. The whole thing starts all over again.
The pandemic has made it clear that seafarers need to be mentored,
but it has added a new set of issues. Yes, sailors have been affected. Crew
change has been a challenge, longer working periods do not help; neither
do the disappointment and frustrations of the current situation. These
lead to fatigue and it is likely that seafarers are tired, stressed out and they
need to be counselled. New entrants in particular need a little hand-
holding. On the other hand, is it fair to expect the stressed-out seniors to
add mentoring to everything else? This would seem to be the least of all
their priorities – and to run the risk that their frustration might be taken
out on the hapless junior.
And yet, for all the difficulties, mentoring is necessary. Could the
answer be to do it in a remote manner? Personally, I do not think that is
going to be effective. A cadet/trainee has to be mentored by people who
work with them directly. The best place for mentoring a junior seafarer
is on the spot, on board ship. A simulator can never replace a real-life
situation. You can be trained, given tips, tutored on how to act in a real-
life situation, but you can learn and gain experience only on board ship.
The payback
Let us be very honest – each of us has our own way of mentoring. We
have devised our own methodology. To some extent, we are ready to
accept changes and modifications in line with the company’s philosophy
and culture. Yes, the job profile of a third officer, or a second officer is
the same across the companies, but the way in which we pass on that
knowledge, the aspects that we emphasise, are different and priorities
can be radically different. Moreover, every mentee is different, just as
every mentor is. You have to adjust your own method of mentoring if you
want the optimum result.
Even though we have training officers, we need the officers on board
to take the initiative. Possibly the seniors should themselves be mentored
and given the idea of taking on this role of a mentor. When you see your
own cadet coming and taking over from you as a four striper, your heart
swells with pride. When you see the youngsters you have mentored doing
better than you, you feel satisfied and overwhelmed by emotions. Owners
and management companies should, if they have not already done so,
have regular workshops to drive home this point.
Yes, work is stressful and onboard life is getting tougher by the day,
as I can see from the youngsters. But here is a request from, if not an old,
definitely not a young Master Mariner:
Please spare some time to develop the next generation. Succession
planning is a must at every stage. I am sure with a little bit of time
management, you can still spare some time for the juniors. That, too, is
part of a senior’s job and responsibilities!
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 Annual General Meeting 2021
To be held online
Wednesday 28 July 2021 12.00 UTC (13.00 BST)

Council Notice 1
In accordance with Article 11 of the Articles of Association and Constitution, the Annual General Meeting 2021 is scheduled to be held
on 28 July 2021 at 1200 UTC. The meeting will be held online. Members will be informed of registration and joining procedures as soon as
possible.
Council Notice 2
In accordance with Article 22 of the Articles of Association and Constitution, Council shall notify all members of vacancies which are to
occur among the officers and members of Council at the Annual General Meeting.
In accordance with Article 22 of the Articles of Association and Constitution, any two members entitled to vote may nominate eligible
persons for election to Council – please send your nomination in writing to the Chief Executive at NIHQ (sec@nautinst.org).

Proxy notice: members unable to attend may appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf.
By Order of Council

Agenda for the AGM

12.00 Welcome by the President
Presidential address Ms Jillian Carson-Jackson FNI (AUS, ACT)

Institute business:
Resolution 1 To confirm the minutes of the meeting of 2 July 2020
To receive the annual report of the Executive Board of Trustees
Resolution 2 To adopt the audited accounts
Resolution 3 To appoint auditors

Update on matters related to

The Nautical Institute Chief Executive John Lloyd FNI

Election of Council members

Shorebased: Capt A Wilson AFNI (US, West Coast)
Capt V Naveen AFNI (India, South West)
Capt N Hope AFNI (UK, Bristol Channel)
Mr C Haughton FNI (UK, NW England & N Wales)
Capt G Hussain FNI (UK, London)
Seagoing: Capt J Foong AFNI (New Zealand)

Election of Vice Presidents Capt A Mahmoodi (Pakistan)

Certificates of Fellowship Mr G Foot FNI (UK, South West England)

Mr S Hughes FNI (UK, Central Scotland)
Rev D Reid FNI (France)
Capt C Towne FNI (UK, Humber)
Capt B Ustaoglu FNI (UK, London)
Capt M Clegg FNI (UK, South West England)
Capt D G Dimitrov FNI (Bulgaria)
Capt R K Nakra FNI (Singapore)
Mr D Pike FNI (UK, Bristol Channel)
Capt R Sood FNI (India, North)
Capt H Subramaniam FNI (Singapore)
Capt Z Irani FNI (UAE)
13.00 Close of business

Please watch your inbox for further information on how to register and vote at the AGM.

Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  5

 Feature: Keeping watch in changing times

Keeping watch in
changing times
The author of the new edition of Bridge Watchkeeping explains why we need an update to the way we
understand and teach awareness on the bridge

Captain Mark Bull FNI

T
“ he AIM of bridge watchkeeping is to ensure the safe, timely
departure, transit and arrival of ships. It is the underlying
discipline of the nautical profession. Nobody but ourselves
has this responsibility and it is up to us to make sure that
the ship is never put into a situation of uncontrollable risk. Bridge
watchkeeping when it is well organised and properly conducted can
give the impression that it is simply a matter of routine. This, however,
belies the depth of knowledge, training, and command skills which go
towards effective practices.”
So wrote Captain Peter Boyle FNI, in the foreword to a Nautical
Briefing on Bridge Watchkeeping in 1993.
Time stands still for nobody and nothing. Bridge watchkeeping
is no exception and as it lies at the heart of safe navigation, it needs
to keep pace with the times. Incident investigators make important
findings when reviewing casualties and these are fed back into the
system as lessons to be learnt. Unfortunately, from the number and type
of navigational incidents, it would appear these lessons are not being
learnt.
New systems; new language?
Incident investigations are not the only source of identification
that maybe all is not well on the bridge. My own experience as a
navigational assessor has brought me to the conclusion that the fault
does not always lie at the feet of the OOWs, but perhaps in our systems.
It was obvious that many of the OOWs I spoke to were unaware of
first principles (or how to apply them) and trying to perform almost
impossible tasks on new equipment. Despite this, the vast majority
were very loyal to company systems.
In the late 1980s I trained, qualified and practiced as a teacher of
English as a foreign language. During the initial training we were
shown that you cannot expect someone to speak a foreign language
if they have never heard it before; and similarly you cannot expect
them to write in that language if they have never read it. Could it be
that these OOWs were not performing some of these first principles or
using new equipment incorrectly because they had never been shown
how?
When asking OOWs why they were performing some tasks in a
complicated way, the overwhelming response was ‘Because that is
what the vetting inspector wants to see.’ Although I have not seen
written evidence to support this, there is no smoke without fire and
inspectorates should be guided accordingly. As our former President
Capt Krishnamurthi FNI, said ‘You cannot expect anyone, old or
young, to perform old tricks on new equipment.’

6  |  Seaways |  June 2021 Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways

 Feature: Keeping watch in changing times

The net result was to write a new edition of The Nautical Institute’s
Bridge Watchkeeping aimed at the junior OOW to give them a sound
footing on how things should be done properly today. This is not a
question of doing away with old-established principles, but of how to
improve them with the new technology available. Key among these are:
O Never relying on a single source of information;
O An in depth explanation of ‘lookout’;
O The different forms of lookout and what each type can and cannot do;
O Position fixing methods and intervals and using two systems
simultaneously;
O Looking after one’s own health and well-being (good navigation
requires an alert watchkeeper);
O How to interact with the pilot.
The sources guiding the text have originated from Institute
publications and articles in Seaways or The Navigator.
A transformation in situational awareness
The transformation from the navigation bridge consisting of
chartroom, radio room and wheelhouse to chart space/wheelhouse
to wheelhouse only has, without any specific instruction transformed
situational awareness. The arrival of new equipment has added to that
transformation; especially ECDIS. New equipment must be operated
correctly, however, if it is to contribute safe navigation.
Just after the book went to publication, I was kindly provided with
the photographs from Baleària showing the cockpit style navigation
bridge of Eleanor Roosevelt which came into service on 3 May. Key
features are the physical size and shape of the bridge. Maybe this could
be adopted on all ship types in the future.

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Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  7
Feature: International conventions and the law
International conventions
and the law
Part 3 of our series on criminalisation has some reassuring news – but, as ever, beware the exceptions
Simon Daniels MNI
T
here is a myth that the heavy hand of blame can fall on the
Master for breach of a convention – in and of itself, and
without any other legislation being in place. This is simply
not the case; but beware of exceptions.
To explain why this is the case, we need to look at the relationship
between international law and domestic law; the foundation upon
which maritime law must stand. The essential feature of this
relationship is defined around the high contracting parties (ie the
states) having signed what amounts to a contract between them. A
state that fails to implement the law in its domestic statute book will
be exposed to liability to the other signatories by failing to carry out its
duty and implement it. This is a matter between the states, and they
cannot blame the Master.
Making international law
To better understand this, it is worth summarising how international
law is made:
O Participating states meet at a convention and negotiate a draft
instrument. This will be referred back to the governing bodies of the
states, which will be the high contracting parties.
O The draft instrument is adopted by the representative governments of
those states. The terms will have been agreed after much discussion,
often with a view to preventing legal misinterpretation. This is the
part of the process with which the IMO is most integrally involved,
with the IMO committees steering discussions that will lead to the
adoption or implementation of the convention.
O The states then ratify or endorse the text of the engrossed
convention. However, the adoption of a convention is only the first
stage in a long process. Before the convention comes into force
– that is, before it becomes binding upon governments that have
ratified it – it must be accepted formally by the required minimum
number of states, as set out in the instrument.
O Even then, a signature does not signify the consent of a state to be
bound by the treaty, until the government gives its final approval.
The convention can only be enforced between those states that have
embodied the convention in domestic law. Therefore, legal individuals
(people, incorporated companies) do not acquire any rights under
a convention itself. Equally, they cannot be liable for breaches of a
convention – unless the state’s constitution legislates for this.
Implementation and enforcement
As a general principle, the contracting states will enforce the provisions
of the convention by implementing the appropriate domestic
8  |  Seaways |  June 2021
legislation for their own ships, setting the penalties for infringements
where applicable. A vital feature is that the state can implement the
same or higher standards than those set out in the convention. They
cannot, however, implement a lower standard than that set out in the
convention. (How this is interpreted is sometimes a matter of bitter
dispute, as seen in the STCW Convention with its bewildering number
of amendments.)
Once the domestic law is in force, the prime responsibility for
compliance with that law lies with the owner, who must comply with
the laws of the flag state with which the vessel is registered. The port
state will be the oft-quoted ‘safety net’ monitoring compliance. In
accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS) the port state will carry out this duty under the laws of its
sovereign jurisdiction, if the vessel is in its territorial sea.
Experience with SOLAS, for example, showed that the port state
would enforce the standards of its own laws, even if they were higher
than those of the flag state – even if this meant detaining a ship
which had met the minimum standards in SOLAS and the domestic
laws of its flag state. It was not until the system of memoranda of
understanding was in place that these tensions were resolved.
The Master will be accountable as the owner’s representative, but
will also owe personal responsibility for those laws for which the flag
state makes them accountable wherever the ship may be – as well as
the port state if within its territorial sea.
The international nature of a convention means that it cannot be
enforced against the Master or the owner. The tools of enforcement are
absent, and there are no international law enforcement officers who
would have the power to make use of them anyway. The enforcement
mechanism in the UN Charter generally reserves powers to the
Security Council to determine the existence of any threat to the peace,
breach of the peace or act of aggression. It may impose mandatory
sanctions if the dispute cannot be resolved. These will be on a state
level, such as restrictions on trading or diplomatic relations. Rarely does
the Security Council sanction the use of armed force to maintain or
restore international peace and security.
The exception
The enforcement tools of international law thus cannot be
implemented against individual legal entities. But that is not the
exclusive case. A state may endorse a treaty with the power to enforce it
against individual bodies within its jurisdiction, if it stipulates in its own
constitutional laws that it has such power. This brings us to the essential
case of Bowater v Patterson. While this may seem at first glance to have
little to do with the Master, it explains how this mechanism may be
employed more generally.
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 Feature: International conventions and the law

Bowater v Patterson first, by not violating its treaty obligations and, second, by empowering
The claimant, the Bowater Steamship Company Limited, was a the courts to take whatever steps would be necessary to protect and
UK-registered company which owned the Gladys Bowater, a fine maintain the rights and obligations of individuals. In this case, that
UK-registered ship grossing 4,750 tons, designed to lift 5,475 tons of meant granting injunctive relief to prevent the defendants from acting
the Bowater Corporation’s woodpulp from its loading ports in Canada contrary to the treaty.
to its newsprint mills. In July 1959, just three months after her maiden This has been upheld more recently in the United States as a general
voyage to the St Lawrence, the Gladys Bowater won a certain amount principle that, if a convention is self-executing in the USA, it has the
of legal fame, which has endured. force of domestic law without the need for implementing legislation
The Bowater group of companies did not employ woodworkers by Congress; but the convention must intend to create individual
in Canada directly, but contracted out for the labour. Another rights, such as those in the 1815 Convention in Bowater. There are two
organisation did employ direct labour, however. The Anglo hurdles that must be surmounted, however.
Newfoundland Development Company (ANDC), one of Bowater’s
Gandara v Bennett
competitors, found itself in deep controversy with the unions in
This 2008 case addressed the question of whether a foreigner who has
Canada that controlled the woodworkers. The US-based International
been arrested and detained in the United States and alleges a violation
Woodworkers of America (IWA) strove to support their Canadian
of the consular notification provisions of the Vienna Convention on
brothers, and a great deal of agitation ensued, in which the IWA
Consular Relations can maintain an action under the treaty alone
redoubled its efforts to sign up the woodsmen in the name of the
without domestic law.
independent contractors serving Bowater. In December 1958 the IWA
Gandara followed hot on the heels of Cornejo v County of San Diego
called strike action against the ANDC. Bowater announced that it
in the previous year, which held that, for any treaty to be susceptible
would support ANDC by supplying it with wood to keep its business in
to judicial enforcement, it must both confer individual rights and
operation. The IWA was thwarted, and was outraged.
be self-executing. In Gandara, the court decided that the Vienna
On 25 July 1959, Gladys Bowater completed loading a cargo of
Convention is self-executing because it had the force of domestic law
newsprint at Corner Brook, Newfoundland, for discharge in Buffalo,
without Congress having to implement legislation. After much debate,
New York. She arrived at the Templeton Terminal Dock at Buffalo
the court decided by a majority that the preamble in the convention
at 01.39 on 3 August, where unloading was due to start at 08.00. The
must inform their interpretation, that the purpose of such privileges and
unloading was to be carried out by longshoremen employed by the immunities [created by this Treaty] is not to benefit individuals. The
Pittston Stevedoring Company, who were members of the International case, therefore, fell at the second hurdle, but the two requirements
Brotherhood of Longshoremen. But before unloading began, a lone were clearly fundamental in upholding Bowater v Patterson in the 21st
picket appeared carrying a sign reading ‘Gladys Bowater Unfair to century.
Organized Labor – AFL CIO – International Woodworkers of America’. This has a bearing on cases in Europe today, because private
The longshoremen refused to break the picket, which continued persons (individuals and companies) may be the direct addressees of
uninterrupted until 6 August, when an injunction was served on the European regulations which have direct effect in member states, when
picket, who had to comply with the order granted by the US District the regulation in question is applied to them within the sovereign
Court. The longshoremen then proceeded to unload the ship, which jurisdiction of the state in question. This is nothing new; indeed, it
sailed from Buffalo on 8 August. The injunction had to be answered at was the defining feature in the Van Gend en Loos case, which was
the return hearing, and defended proceedings ensured, which ended decided in 1963. With the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union,
up in the Supreme Court in 1962. its consequence is that a person (such as the Master or the owner) can
The petition involved five key points that had to be addressed. Of still enforce the rights of which they are beneficiaries, and must still
these, we shall discuss just the one which is of most relevance to this obey the regulations by which they are bound, within the member
issue. This is the argument that the industrial action targeting the state’s jurisdiction, even if that state has not itself complied with the
Gladys Bowater was unlawful, because Bowater was entitled to the regulation. The essential components are that the regulation must
protection under a 145-year-old commercial treaty to regulate maritime confer those rights and it must be self-executing in member states.
commerce between the United States and Great Britain, which A regulation meets this requirement by definition.
had been signed and ratified by both states parties in 1815. Article 1
provided inter alia that:
The Inhabitants of the two Countries respectively shall have liberty
freely and securely to come with their ships and cargoes to all such
places, Ports and Rivers in the Territories aforesaid to which other
Foreigners are permitted to come, to enter into the same, and to remain
and reside in any parts of the said Territories respectively… and generally
the Merchants and Traders of each Nation respectively shall enjoy the
most complete protection and security for their Commerce but subject
always to the laws and statutes of the two countries respectively.
The court observed that, under the US Constitution, and in
accordance with federal law, when the wording of a treaty is sufficiently
explicit to permit its application without additional implementing
statutes, and the states parties intended it to be self-executing, all
of which the court found in this treaty, it can be enforced without
domestic legislation. The treaty explicitly conferred the defined rights
and obligations not only upon the two states parties but also upon the
inhabitants of the two countries.
In this case the court held that the United States had to fulfil its
treaty obligation of protecting the guaranteed freedoms in two ways:

Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  9

Feature: CPD for DPOs
CPD for DPOs
D
A dedicated CPD POs perform a safety-critical role on board
offshore DP vessels – and it is vital that
scheme delivered by these skills are kept up to date. Currently,
easy-to-access app will however, while DP certificates must be
revalidated every five years, there is no official form
help keep the industry of CPD during that period. The only requirement for
up to date and safer revalidation is proof of time in control of a DP station.
The DPO Continuous Professional Development
(CPD) scheme has been developed to provide
continuous professional development and learning
– ensuring that personnel operating vessels in
very close proximity to offshore hydrocarbon and
renewable energy facilities maintain their professional
knowledge, skills and technical currency at all times.
This is a self-study scheme that can be accessed
via phone app, enabling users to maintain their
knowledge without the need for attending dedicated
courses. It is open to all users, whether or not they
hold a DP qualification from The Nautical Institute.
Why create a CPD scheme?
For many years IMCA has operated a DP station-
keeping event reporting scheme to collect and
analyse data on DP incidents and other station
keeping events. The scheme is primarily used to
provide feedback on lessons learned, but it has also
highlighted that human factors are a major causal
factor underlying (or reason for) many undesirable
DP station-keeping events. A dedicated CPD scheme
10  |  Seaways |  June 2021
will therefore assist DP personnel to refresh their
knowledge of industry guidance and the reasons
behind it, thereby improving the safety and risk
management of DP operations.
IMCA and the NI were a natural fit to develop and
maintain this scheme. The two organisations have
always collaborated on various industry initiatives.
The combination of the two organisations means
that the scheme can benefit from IMCA’s technical
resources and DP good practice guidelines and the
NI’s wide reach and experience resulting from its
existing DPO certification schemes.
The scheme is suitable for all DPOs and will
ensure they can keep up to date with the latest
industry practices. This will ensure professional
currency with the latest IMCA/industry guidance,
DP safety bulletins, DP exercise and training drills,
and prevent knowledge and skill fade. Knowledge is
delivered and tested by means of an app, which can
be downloaded from the NI’s website.
Content
The content of the CPD scheme is derived from
more than 25 years of DP committee work by IMCA’s
members, and combines information taken from
IMCA guidelines and the NI DPO handbook. An
inbuilt technical library gives immediate access to
current IMCA DP guidelines.
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 Feature: CPD for DPOs

The content is delivered as a series of modules. A new module will be released roughly every six
Users buy access to one module at a time, and The DPO CPD months. Users must have completed the previous
it is planned that new modules will be released
approximately every six months. The modules will be
app – at a modules before they can move on to the next one.
Each module should take around four to six hours to
available for 12 months after purchase.
Each module is divided into six categories:
glance complete and has a pass mark of 80%.
Easy and attractive way to Delivery
O DP Regulation & Guidance
keep your knowledge up Content is delivered using Eddapp mobile device
O DP Functional Requirements to date learning management software. The content has been
O DP Knowledge Enhancement
O Login to the Alexis designed for use on mobile devices and is available
O DP Operations
Platform (you need an across a wide range of operating systems, including
O DP Redundancy Concepts
account – or you need to IoS and Android. The app allows for offline capability,
O DP Testing & Trials.
create one – but you do so content can be downloaded and used without
Each category is further divided into courses on
not need to hold an NI DP internet connection. This is an important factor for
individual subjects. For example, the DP Operations certificate) seagoing personnel.
category includes courses on:
O Use your existing login Registration and payment for the app is undertaken
O The environment
details via the NI Alexis Platform, which will be familiar
O DP operations manuals
to NI-certificated DPOs. A completion certificate
O DP logs and checklists O Find and download the
is available on the app once the module has been
O Operational planning and decision support tools DPO CPD app – available
completed.
O SIMOPS for multiple platforms
O Different mission types
O The app is free to
O Mission specific considerations.
download: modules are
The courses are split into sections. For example, £50
‘Operational planning and decision support tools’
includes lessons on ASOG, CAM, TAM, IMO O Download content to your
guidance. Once a section has been completed, user phone/tablet and access it
offline
knowledge is tested via a series of in-app questions.
Module 1 includes 32 individual lessons. O Start your CPD journey!

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Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  11

Feature: DP – do we need a targetless PRS?

DP – do we need a
targetless PRS?
Optimising offshore DP operations

For further research

Captain Abhi Ranjan Banerji One possible solution would be a focal-based position reference system,
like a powerful set of binoculars, taking digital range and bearing and
feeding this information into the DP system via an interface. When

M
ost oil majors today have their own marine operations approaching the fixed structure, the DP officer could manually acquire
procedures for DP vessels entering their exclusion zone, part of the structure and lock on to it, keeping it continuously in view.
including a requirement for at least two separate modes As with any relative PRS, the bearing would remain the same, but
of position reference system. One of these should be the range would reduce as the vessel approaches. This can be further
an absolute positioning system, ie DGPS with differential corrections improved by adding an auto gyro feed and heave compensator for
(preferably with two different differential service providers), and the minor altitude and heading corrections. This would benefit both oil
other a relative positioning system, eg CyScan, Fanbeam, RADius, majors and shipping companies by helping them achieve their project
RadaScan etc. Some vessels may have a subsea relative position system goals/completions faster and thus optimising operations – and reduce
such as Tautwire or a hydroacoustic system. These relative position the risk to shipping personnel.
reference systems generally work accurately from 300 metres off the
fixed structures and can be acquired with reduced reliability from 500-
1,000 metres distance.
Use of the absolute position reference system is straightforward, and
acquisition and integration with the DP system is generally smooth.
However, for the relative positioning systems, some preparation is
needed. Among other things, this involves setting up a target on the
fixed structures near which the vessel will be working – this applies no
matter which system is used.
The major issue that DP vessels face in using these systems is
ensuring that the target is placed at a suitable location on the fixed
structure. This location might vary should the vessel have multiple
work spots around the structure. This makes it difficult for the vessel’s
Master and DP personnel to identify in advance where exactly the
targets should be placed. If it cannot be arranged for the rig or platform
to put the targets in place before the DP vessel arrives, the vessel often
has to send personnel in a RIB or workboat to fix the targets in place.
This can be risky and is regarded as a limitation.
Placing DP reference targets on a platform, rig or fixed structure
requires a full risk assessment from both sides. The location of these
structures in an oil field poses a risk in itself, and anyone visiting
these structures should go through all the necessary safety protocols
and inductions – which may take some time. If the platform is a
satellite or unmanned structure which is remotely operated, ideally a
representative of the oil major should also accompany the personnel
visiting the platform/satellite.
Oil major personnel, area authorities and platform crew find it
confusing, not to say exhausting, dealing with requests from vessels
to have DP PRS targets placed in the platforms, requiring additional
permits, safety inductions and associated delays. The ‘simple’ act of
placing a target on the platform involves a great deal of risk and liaison
between the parties, so much so that sometimes it results in delays –
and, at the very least, lots of jargon.
In short, a targetless position reference system is much needed in the Targetless relative positioning would greatly
DP industry. simplify platform operations like this one.

12  |  Seaways |  June 2021 Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways

 #INtheNI

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Feature: Deep listening
Becoming a listener –
my personal story
At 29, I retired from sea and travelled from India to
United Kingdom in search of better education. Having
completed a Master’s degree in maritime economics
at Cardiff University, I started applying for jobs. One
afternoon, I wandered into the school of social science
at the University. I saw a pamphlet on the wall that read
‘Funding available for anyone interested in PhD in social
sciences’. It sounded cool so I applied, and was offered
the opportunity. Thus began my journey into social
sciences.
This was not just hard work; I was totally lost. I read more
than a hundred books and articles, picked random text
from different sources, and submitted all the assignments
on time. Then, one of my tutors called me to his office,
and he tore my ego apart. It was the most uncomfortable
moment of my life to hear ‘What have you produced?
Sections of this assignment appear like you have literally
plagiarised my work.’ He advised me to read less and
reflect more. I had no idea what reflection meant.
The magic happened when I started fieldwork and data
analysis, looking at the impact of implementing new
technologies at sea. During the analysis of the data, I
came up with two expressions – ‘work simplification’
and ‘work reduction’. My tutor, Professor Phil Brown,
asked me why I saw those two themes so differently.
I explained that the first would mean technology
simplifies the need for cognitive skills and the other
would simply take the human out of the system. After
a pause he asked me ‘Why does that matter?’ I said that
one would mean we could do with semi-skilled workers,
while the other would require no manual labour once
the work is automated. I even had the courage to throw
back my own question, ‘Wouldn’t that mean we would
still need people but we can reduce the onus on training,
right?’ He listened to me, he made eye contact, but did
not utter a word.
That was very uncomfortable. I was looking for an
acknowledgment but there was none. 10 long seconds
passed with no word from him and my brain was starting
to fire more questions. ‘But what happens when you
simplify the work at one end, wouldn’t that increase
complexity elsewhere?’ Again, not a word from Phil but
our eyes remained locked, and I could see him becoming
more interested. In the next few seconds, I jumped
out of my chair and said – ‘Hey that’s Marxism! The
separation between conception and execution of work.’
I was thrilled with joy! I understood something that I had
struggled with for nearly seven months.
I had never felt this way before. I was conditioned as
an obedient son, discouraged from asking too many
questions, trained as a rule following officer, and
expected to come up with solutions as a seafarer. But
this was different. I was present in the moment, thinking
about the problem and asking questions. Phil had
created a space for uninterrupted listening, and he gave
me undivided attention. There was something powerful
in this experience. By listening to me, Phil helped me
become a better listener and I started to experience a
perceptible link between listening and learning. Both are
deeply uncomfortable but fruitful lifelong possessions.
Social sciences and Professor Phil Brown changed my
life from this point onwards. I became a listener.
14  |  Seaways |  June 2021
Deep listening
Learning to listen takes us beyond the superficial to a deeper
understanding of the situation – but it is easier said than done.
understanding. Often, I would come back
Nippin Anand from ship visits and have nothing to report
FNI – no non-compliances, defects or even
suggestions for improvement. Initially my
I
colleagues would ask, ‘What happened,
am a brown-skinned man and I
did you not find anything to report from
have spent most of my working life
that ship visit? Don’t tell me everything
in the ‘civilized world’ as an ethnic
was so perfect, was it?’
minority. Listening to other people’s
My usual response was ‘I did, I had
perspectives, paying attention to their
some good discussions and it all made
words and gestures, acknowledging their
sense so frankly it makes no sense to put
presence and needs, and being curious
about what others have to say did not it on paper’. I could sense discomfort at
the start. But on the practical side, I found
come naturally to me. In fact, for most
part of my early life I was a poor listener, that asking open questions and listening
and, in most social interactions, I had to the concerns of people often led to
a strong urge to prove myself right. In meaningful dialogue and effective use of
this article, I discuss how deep listening everyone’s time. As an inspector I had the
came to me accidentally and how it has authority, but solutions often came from
transformed my life. people doing the work. Listening brought
Having finished my PhD, I took up me so much closer to people, even those
a job as a safety inspector in the North who I met for the first time.
Sea area where I worked in a regulatory The case of the hole in the
capacity for nearly seven years. It was lifeboat
here that I started to realize the power By now deep listening was fully embedded
of deep listening. Listening to others in my practice. A ship came to United
allowed me to appreciate the limitations
Kingdom from Asia and was arrested at
of binary thinking. I started noticing the
once when she arrived in Aberdeen. There
space between compliance and non-
were some serious issues with machinery
compliance, black and white, raw and
maintenance and housekeeping. The
cooked, sacred and profane. Where others
fire door to the engine control room
saw technical malfunctions, I sensed
was missing; other fire doors in the
relational problems, ego clashes, and
accommodation were kept tied open; a
misunderstandings. A fire detector not
bulkhead between the ship’s hospital and
working was not a technical failure, it was
the adjacent room was removed. The list
an engineer’s struggle to get spare parts
of defects was extensive and there were
delivered on time. In many organisations I
more inspectors and insurers on the ship
have visited, more than half of the non-
than the total crew onboard. What was
conformances reported are categorised as
most infuriating to many visitors was that
technical failures, when these are mostly
someone had drilled a hole at the bottom
failures of listening and understanding the
of the lifeboat.
problem. ‘This is the fourth time we have
I arrived on the ship to find the
the same breakdown and I have submitted
atmosphere was tense. The Captain felt
four reports, but nothing has been
very ashamed about the whole episode.
done’ a chief engineer once said. The
I assured him I was not there to find out
message was clear. Reporting is one way
the culprit, and then I worked my way
communication, and it works only when
outwards to identify the crew members
someone on the other side cares to listen.
from all the many visitors. Finally, I sat
‘Nothing to report’ down with the officer in-charge who had
I became less focused on reporting issues drilled the hole to hear his side of the
on the paper and more on listening and story.
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 Feature: Deep listening

We didn’t talk about the hole in the lifeboat. Instead, I asked him to repeat what they said, this was perceived as me being curious. I
about his time onboard so far; his aspirations to progress through the would sit for hours listening to people with full attention without
ranks, his family back home and if he was able to speak to them on a uttering a word. It is a great paradox in my life that a ‘hearing problem’
regular basis. We discovered much common ground. He told me how became a source of deep listening.
much he was missing his young daughter, and we shared personal
stories about seafaring. We cracked jokes, laughed – and then all of a
The power of being heard
I remember once being invited to a meeting at the headquarters of a
sudden he said, ‘Do you know why I drilled that hole? Because I am
big oil company. The business leaders, three white men, walked into
sure that is what you are up to’. Of course I wanted to know, but my
the room and after a brief introduction they were keen to understand
PhD supervisor had taught me to be quiet, interested, and present in
what I had on offer to improve their safety culture. I thought they
the moment – so I just kept listening.
would give me a chance to speak but I stood there listening to them
The officer explained that the ship was trading in tropical waters in
and in an hour long meeting they talked for about 48 minutes. In
Asia and experiencing heavy rain almost every day. The drain pump on
the end, I summarised the conversation and won a contract. It was a
the boat had broken down ten months ago, and a new pump had been
strange feeling. They called me, so they obviously wanted to hear my
on order for that entire time. With a non-operating drain pump, water
views, but I didn’t speak much, and it went well. What explains this?
would often get trapped in the boat. At the end of his watch, the officer Deep listening. I was listening to them and they felt genuinely heard
needed to go down and scoop the water out of the boat. As a temporary because I summarised the conversation well.
measure, he drilled a hole, then fabricated a plug and kept it in place, One experience after another taught me the power of deep listening.
but this improvisation was never approved by the technical team. Over the years, I have built several lifelong relations, won hearts (and
Silly and stupid. As every visitor on the ship commented on the day. occasionally a few projects) and came out of difficult conversations
But why did it make sense to him? No one really asked this question. more empathetic and better informed through deep listening. I cannot
The officer said he had two choices. He could follow the rules and think of a better way to connect with other human beings. But simple
keep the boat in good order – which meant spending at least one hour as it sounds and even after years of practice and reading, there are days
before and after every watch bailing the boat. In doing so, he would when I am defeated, and I want to go back to my previous life. I want
breach the rule for rest hours. Or he could follow the rule about to talk and it’s so easy to talk, even to talk ‘at’ people rather than to
sufficient rest. Between the two rules, he chose the one that suited his them. This is especially the case when I’m seen as an expert – but, as
personal situation. the great Socrates reminds us, true expertise lies in knowing what we
All this took place nearly eight years ago. If I had known as much do not know. Should I continue to listen? Maybe, but it’s hard.
about safety sciences then as I do today, I would have called it ‘goal I now have a podcast channel, ‘Embracing differences’ on which
conflicts’ but thank God I didn’t. That would have been judgment, I invite expert guest speakers from different fields. I pay careful
not understanding and my job was to pay attention to every word of attention to perspectives that don’t match with mine. In those diverse
what was being said. I discovered later that preconceived labels and perspectives, I find the power to understand and connect with others.
predefined categories often take us away from absorbing the richness of After all, we are one human race. I am so pleased that I started this
the situation. endeavour. It has not only made me a better listener, I am also sharing
the message and hopefully helping others unlock the link between
Integrating deep listening
listening and learning.
This experience taught me something more powerful. The cost of a
Before I end, I have one last confession to make. Throughout this
new drain pump was only $90.00, so this was not about ‘cutting costs’
article, I claim that I have improved my listening skills, but my wife
as we tend to think about every organisational problem. The plight of
does not see much improvement. Perhaps I’m wrong!
an officer working during off hours to scoop water out of the boat was
In my next article, I will discuss some tools and techniques that have
not something his colleagues could comprehend. Today, when I ask
helped me become a better listener. For now, I will leave you with
workers why they don’t raise their concerns upwards to the leaders,
these thoughts. Thank you for listening to my story.
a typical response is – ‘what’s the use, no one really listens’. Isn’t that
fascinating? We run many intensive mental health and employee
wellbeing programs, but we don’t see the need to integrate deep
listening into everyday work.
Soon after the lifeboat episode, my first offshore trip came up. I
passed the necessary medical test, but I only narrowly qualified on the
hearing test. The test showed that my hearing capacity was in decline.
Through this test I became aware that if when someone spoke softly,
I could miss out a few words. To an outsider it would appear I was
listening with intent, but deep inside I was struggling.
Adding to my hearing problem was my very unusual social identity
– an Asian male with a PhD in social sciences working as a technical
inspector in a high-hazard industry. Consistently being marginalised
during discussions with clients and colleagues, not least because I
look different but also because my views were shaped different, taught
me humility. In my early days as an inspector, I was defensive, even
combative during discussions with colleagues and clients. When I
had radically different ideas, I could see people avoiding me during
conversations as if I didn’t exist. (That still happens but to a lesser
extent.) But seeing me interested in what others had to say started to
build bridges during difficult conversations. Of course, I never made
my hearing difficulty known to anyone and every time I asked someone

Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  15

The Nautical Institute‘s

Professional
short courses
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The Nautical Institute’s short courses are an intensive guide to professional topics that
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z Risk and Risk Taking Behaviour

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z Concepts and methods to encourage learning and prevent

accidents Onboard Assessment (online company courses)
z Nine courses already booked between March and
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Providing learning through confidential reports – an international co-operative scheme for improving safety

Mariners’ Alerting and

Reporting Scheme
MARS Report No 344 June 2021

MARS 202128 and then hard to starboard. He also increased the engine setting to half
ahead to speed up the turn.
Look before you turn Meanwhile, the bulk carrier’s Master was also surprised to see the
As edited from MAIB (UK) report 7/2018 tanker altering rapidly to port and across his vessel’s bow. The two
Î A tanker was underway in darkness in a busy traffic separation vessels were now just 655 metres apart when the tanker steadied on
scheme (TSS ) zone with the Master at the con. An OOW and two ABs to a heading of 172°. Unsure of what the tanker’s Master intended to
were also part of the bridge team. The Master and the OOW were each do, the bulk carrier’s Master ordered the helm hard to starboard. As
at a radar and the two ABs were both keeping a lookout or at the helm the distance between the vessels continued to reduce, he changed
as required. his mind, first ordering the helm hard to port and then finally hard to
Meanwhile, a bulk carrier making about 16 knots was overtaking the starboard.
tanker. The two vessels were now on a converging course at a range of The vessels were now too close and a near parallel collision was
1.6nm. The tanker’s Master set the engine to half ahead, giving a speed inevitable. The general alarm was sounded on both vessels. After
of about 13 knots, in order to increase the closest point of approach contact, the vessels remained immobile alongside each other for about
(CPA) to another vessel, a small general cargo carrier. an hour. Then, the tanker manoeuvred away. Neither vessel required
With the vessels now 1nm away from each other and still on a assistance to make for a port of refuge.
relatively steady bearing, the Master on the overtaking bulk carrier The official investigation found, among other things, that the tanker
became concerned by the small CPA to the tanker. He asked the OOW Master’s reaction times and decision-making ability were possibly
to contact the tanker’s bridge team via VHF to clarify their intentions. As reduced, as indicated by his omission to check for sea room before the
the bulk carrier approached a narrowing of the traffic lane, the Master port course alteration. The contributing factors that lead to this reduced
reduced the engine setting to half ahead. At about the same time, the ability were the time of day and possible fatigue of the Master. This was
tanker’s Master also reduced speed and switched to manual steering his first transit of this high traffic area, so mental loading may also have
with one of the ABs at the helm. played a role.
After the VHF conversation, the OOW on the bulk carrier relayed his
understanding of the conversation to the Master, who had not listened
to the call. The OOW explained that tanker’s bridge team did not want
to be overtaken on the starboard side. In fact, this was not what the
tanker’s team had communicated. On the contrary, the tanker’s bridge
team expected the bulk carrier to continue to pass on their starboard
side. Relying on the OOW, the bulk carrier’s Master decided to alter
to port to pass down the tanker’s port side. Having completed a trial
manoeuvre on the ARPA, he instructed the helmsman to put the helm to
port. The bulk carrier was now about seven cables from the tanker. The
bulk carrier came around slowly to a heading of about 170° in a series of
smaller manoeuvres that went unnoticed by the tanker’s bridge team.
The bulk carrier’s Master was now at the forward bridge windows
on the starboard side of the bridge to monitor the tanker visually. The
tanker’s Master continued to monitor the small general cargo vessel
ahead, which was now bearing fine on their port bow at a distance of
0.65nm. Concerned about the developing situation, the tanker’s Master
reduced the engine to dead slow ahead. He was under the impression
that the bulk carrier would pass down their starboard side, and so
decided the best way to increase sea room with the small general cargo
vessel, even though it had already passed ahead, would be to take a full
turn to port.
Without a visual check for sea room astern the tanker’s Master
ordered hard port helm to begin the full turn. He also increased the Lessons learned
engine setting to slow ahead. The bulk carrier was now only 0.42nm off O The person with the con of a vessel should listen intently to any
the tanker’s port quarter. critical communication with other vessels, even if this task has been
Soon, the tanker’s lookout saw the bulk carrier, now close on their delegated to another bridge team member.
port quarter. He alerted the Master just as the OOW questioned the O Long-range scanning of vessel movements via radar is preferable to

Master’s intention to complete a full turn with the bulk carrier astern. last minute VHF communication for collision avoidance.
The Master was surprised to see the bulk carrier so close, and reduced
the engine setting to dead slow ahead while ordering the helmsman to
stop the swing to port. The Master then ordered 10° of starboard helm

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Providing learning through confidential reports – an international co-operative scheme for improving safety
MARS 202129
Two many pilot boats
As edited from Dutch Safety Board report ‘Perception of pilotage’,
January 2021
Î In the early morning darkness a bulk carrier was outbound under
pilotage. As the vessel approached the pilot disembarkation point the
pilot tender made an approach to the bulk carrier to disembark the
pilot. The operator of the pilot tender requested the bridge team of
the bulk carrier to set a heading of 030° and to maintain a speed of 10
knots to make a lee. The bridge team of the bulk carrier carried out the
request.
In the meantime, the captain of the pilot station mother ship (PSMS),
which serves as a home base for on-duty pilots and pilot tender crew,
but does not deliver pilots to vessels, wanted to reposition the vessel. He
visually spotted the outbound bulk carrier and plotted a course to cross
its bow. At 04.00, the mother ship was on a course of 300° at a speed of
8 knots. It was showing pilot lights and therefore recognisable as a pilot
vessel. The captain then focused his attention on some administrative
tasks. At that point, the bulk carrier was sailing on a heading of 045°at a
speed of 10 knots.
At 04.07, the pilot left the bridge of the bulk carrier and headed to the
deck to disembark. The pilot disembarked on to the pilot tender at 04.11
and the pilot tender disengaged from the larger vessel, which was now
turning to port, coming to 350° as per pilot’s advice.
At this time the mother ship continued on autopilot. The captain
was still preoccupied with administrative tasks. At 04.12, the mother
ship collided with the starboard bow of the bulk carrier. Several crew
members suffered minor injuries; there were no injuries aboard the bulk
carrier.
The official investigation mentioned that both the pilot and the crew
of the bulk carrier assumed that the mother ship was involved in the
pilotage operation. They therefore assumed, somewhat justifiably, that
it would not hinder their movements.
Damaged PSMS
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18  |  Seaways |  June 2021
Lessons learned
O As mentioned in many past MARS lessons learned, darkness changes
everything! It is hard to imagine this accident happening in daylight
and good visibility. When in darkness, re-double your attention.
O As also mentioned in many past MARS lessons learned, being
preoccupied with other tasks instead of navigating your vessel
changes everything. Put distractions and other tasks away when
navigating your ship.
O Making assumptions about the movements of other vessels, even in
apparently clear-cut circumstances, can have negative consequences.
In this case, the bulk carrier’s crew and pilot assumed the PSMS would
stay clear, but at no time did they confirm this with the PSMS via VHF
communication.
MARS 202130
MOB while rigging the pilot ladder
As edited from the official Marine Safety Investigation Unit
(Transport Malta) report 04/2021
Î A bulk carrier in ballast was making way at 7 knots in a traffic
separation scheme (TSS). The pilot ladder was being prepared on the
port (lee) side by the Chief Officer along with the bosun and three
other crew. As the vessel exceeded the 9m height criterion, the pilot
ladder had to be rigged in conjunction with the accommodation ladder,
located abreast of cargo hold no. 4. Since it was dark, the overside
floodlight was switched on to permit the crew on deck to work safely.
The pilot ladder was lowered over the ship’s side and the
accommodation ladder was swung out and rigged. The bosun went
down the accommodation ladder to the lower platform to lash the
pilot ladder to the ship’s hull. The vessel was experiencing rough seas
with winds gusting at 50 knots and a wave height of between 2m and
3m. There was reportedly no rolling or pitching, but the bosun was not
wearing a lifejacket nor was he secured by a safety line.
He then returned to the main deck, collected another rope and again
descended the accommodation ladder to fasten the ladder platform to
the pilot ladder. Soon after, a loud yell was heard from below. The bosun
was seen in the water and the man overboard (MOB) alarm was raised.
It was now 01.45.
A lifebuoy with a self-igniting light was thrown overboard
immediately. A second lifebuoy with light was also released. Upon
hearing the MOB alert, the OOW rushed to the port bridge wing and
released the bridge wing lifebuoy. He then pressed the event key on
the ECDIS as a reference point (MOB) on the chart. Meanwhile, the
Master reduced speed, informed local VTS on the VHF and requested
permission to turn the vessel back for rescue operations.
The general alarm was sounded and a MOB was announced through
the public address system. Lookouts were posted on each side of the
vessel and the rest of the crew members were mustered at the muster
station. By 02.00, the vessel was on a reciprocal course of the TSS. Three
lighted buoys were sighted but the crew members could not find
the victim. After some searching, the Master made a request to VTS
to arrange for local search and rescue units on scene and their vessel
to return to an anchorage area so as not hamper navigation of other
vessels in the TSS.
At 03.15, the local Coast Guard began search and rescue operations at
the site of the MOB position. However, despite the rescue efforts of the
Coast Guard, the victim was not found.
Lessons learned
O Going down the accommodation ladder with neither lifevest
nor safety line must have been based on similar, past, successful
operations, which may have never been challenged on board. This
‘slippage’ in safety is a pernicious and common phenomenon.
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
O Always use your common sense to question current work practices.
Just because the task has always been done a certain way does not
mean it is safe. Working over the side while underway is particularly
fraught with danger. Yet, mariners have little choice when rigging
the pilot combination ladder. This task needs safety barriers such as
wearing a safety harness and a lifevest.
O When there is a MOB situation, nothing is more important than
finding the victim quickly. Other traffic in the area must give way,
slow down or otherwise assist in the search.

MARS 202131
Lessons learned
Grinding wheel shatters causing injury O Grinders turn at high speed and even if they have their own built-in
shields, crew should always wear face protection when using them.
Î An electrician was assigned to repair an electrical deficiency in the
O Grinding wheels and discs can shatter – be aware of this and use PPE
grinder used for main engine exhaust valve maintenance. Following the
appropriately.
repairs, the grinding stone shattered during final checks and testing.
One of the pieces hit the electrician’s forehead.
First aid was quickly provided on board and the victim was sent to a
doctor ashore upon arrival. The electrician was fit for duty within a few
days.
The company investigation revealed that the electrician had worn
a safety helmet but it had not been secured with the strap. The flying
projectiles had hit the helmet and dislodged it, allowing injury. A face
shield had not been worn either.

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The NI at the IMO – NCSR 8
Routeing measures, satellite navigation systems, GMDSS and AIS were among the many issues
important to NI members at this session
Captain Robert McCabe FNI
Co-ordinator, IMO Committee
T
he IMO Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications
and Search and Rescue (NCSR) deals with all matters
related to navigation and communication. This includes
routeing measures, reporting systems, carriage requirements,
performance standards for navigational and communication equipment,
long-range identification and tracking (LRIT), and the development
of e-navigation. It also covers search and rescue (SAR) and Global
Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) matters. NCSR is a
sub-committee of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC).
The eighth meeting of the sub-committee was held virtually from
19 to 23 April. The Nautical Institute was represented at all sessions
and at the Navigation Working Group. There was a full agenda for this
meeting, with 98 papers submitted. Some of these covered topics of
considerable importance for NI members, such as revision of SOLAS
for modernisation of the GMDSS, revision of Guidelines on Places
of Refuge, and safety measures for non-SOLAS ships in polar waters.
Virtual meetings have cut the time available for discussion, so the
target completion date for some items has had to be extended.
Routeing measures
IMO approval is required for ships’ routeing and reporting systems.
Increased workload and Covid arrangements have created challenges
in dealing with these approvals. NCSR recommended that the MSC
should approve a meeting of the Experts Group on Ships’ Routeing to
consider outstanding proposals.
Satellite navigation
Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) is a Japanese satellite navigation
system covering the Asia Pacific region. When approval is completed
QZSS will join GPS (US), GLONASS (Russian), Galileo (EU),
Beidou (Chinese) and IRNSS (Indian) systems within the IMO World
Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS). NCSR has recommended
that MSC approve inclusion of QZSS in the WWRNS. Korea raised
some territorial concerns, which will be addressed at MSC.
The presence of multiple systems provides improved services for
mariners, but it is important to recognise the common vulnerabilities
of these systems and to use a mix of position-fixing methods.
Progress on the development of generic performance standards for
satellite navigation systems was noted. A correspondence group will
take this work forward with a completion date of 2022.
Non-SOLAS ships in polar waters
The Nautical Institute – through our subject matter experts, led by
Captain Duke Snider – has made a significant contribution on matters
relating to polar operations. New terms of reference were agreed for a
correspondence group to close out the remaining issues concerning
the operation of non-SOLAS ships in polar waters. Key points are the
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
Feature: The NI at the IMO – NCSR 8
size of vessels, provision for small indigenous vessels and the extent to
which administrations can grant exemptions.
GMDSS – modernisation and ITU issues
This meeting marked one of the final steps in the long-term work on
modernisation of GMDSS and issues emerging from the IMO/ITU
(International Telecommunications Union) Expert Group.
Amendments to SOLAS and related protocols, codes and circulars
to implement GMDSS modernisation were approved for submission to
the next meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC104) with
final adoption to follow at MSC105. Revised guidance was also agreed
on the maintenance of satellite EPIRBs (emergency position indicating
radio beacons).
The committee dealt with a range of technical matters relating
to GMDSS and maritime safety information (MSI). Updated and
detailed information was provided on the implementation of Iridium
GMDSS SAR services. The addition of Iridium to Inmarsat as
providers of GMDSS satellite services was discussed. There continue
to be questions about interoperability and the cost implications of
dissemination of MSI/SAR information over multiple recognised
services. Technical and structural solutions for these and other issues
were discussed, and revised guidance is being prepared.
AIS
The IMO/ITU Expert Group is considering a wide range of subjects
arising from the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference
(WRC). These include:
O Use of public broadband/mobile networks for maritime safety
O Electromagnetic interference from LED lights
O Amendments to ITU-R.1371-5 on technical characteristics of AIS.
The AIS proposal included a suggested new AIS navigation status
of ‘Underway Making Way’. Following consultation with our Sea
Going Correspondence Group (SGCG), the NI prepared a statement
expressing concern about the risks associated with AIS data that
requires additional bridge team intervention and that could encourage
overuse of AIS for collision avoidance in preference to systems such as
radar/ARPA and relative bearings. The matter has been referred back
to the IMO/ITU expert group and The Nautical Institute will submit a
paper to the next meeting of the group. This is a good example of the
valuable input that The Nautical Institute can bring.
Place of refuge (POR) guidance
The Navigation Working Group considered the final version of
updated guidance on places of refuge (POR) to replace the existing
A.949(23). The aim is to provide a uniform, transparent process for
circumstances where safety of life is not involved, leading to quicker,
better-informed decision-making. Where there are people in distress
the rules for rescue operations under the SAR Convention, the
IAMSAR Manual etc apply. The draft guidelines make it clear that
the Master remains in command until they relinquish that command
and provides clear guidance on actions to be taken by the Master and
others.
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  21
Feature: The elephant in the room

The elephant in the room

Equipment and procedures in enclosed space rescue

4. Checking and use of rescue equipment and procedures

Captain Paul Drouin 5. Instruction in first aid and resuscitation techniques.
FNI Since 2016, SOLAS also requires the carriage of portable
atmosphere testing equipment. This is certainly a good addition to
SOLAS, but how were mariners supposed to enter an enclosed space

E
nclosed space accidents, although not eliminated on ships, without one? Be aware that just measuring for oxygen is not enough!
have almost certainly been reduced in the last five years by The regulation further specifies that the equipment, at a minimum,
increased training and awareness of the dangers. Despite this, is capable of measuring concentrations of oxygen, flammable gases or
though, unnecessary injuries and deaths are still occurring. vapours, hydrogen sulphide and carbon monoxide.
This article aims to help mariners understand and address one of the
elements of the IMO requirements that I have called the ‘elephant in
the room’: checking and use of rescue equipment and procedures.
The regulations
But first, let’s review how all of this came to be. In 2015, SOLAS was
Checking and use of instruments
amended to mandate enclosed space entry and rescue drills every two for measuring the atmosphere in
months. According to the regulation, the drills should include:
1. Checking and use of personal protective equipment required for enclosed spaces is a specialised and
entry unintuitive skill.
2. Checking and use of communication equipment and procedures
3. Checking and use of instruments for measuring the atmosphere in
enclosed spaces

The IMO website on enclosed spaces includes this note:

‘Enclosed spaces covered by the regulation include, but are not
limited to, cargo spaces, double bottoms, fuel tanks, ballast tanks, cargo
pump-rooms, cofferdams, chain lockers, void spaces, duct keels, inter-
barrier spaces, boilers, engine crankcases, engine scavenge air receivers,
sewage tanks, and adjacent connected spaces. The list is not exhaustive
and enclosed spaces should be identified and listed on a ship-by-ship
basis.’
The last sentence is critical. As an important risk reduction measure,
make sure you have pre-identified all of the enclosed spaces on your
ship and have listed them as such in your procedures. Another tip is
to have each space identified at the site of entry as a reminder. On my
ship we have plaques at each enclosed space that read ‘Attention –
Enclosed Space! Follow the procedure.’

Where to focus
Certainly all five points specified in the SOLAS regulation are
important. From personal experience, I can say that points 3 and 4
were the most problematic, as they introduced new areas of expertise
into the arena. Point 3, checking and use of instruments for measuring
the atmosphere in enclosed spaces, is a specialised and unintuitive
skill. Thankfully, it is easily addressed because most companies can
organise in-house training for the proper use of these devices, which
are, for the most part, quite user-friendly. But point 4, checking and use
of rescue equipment and procedures, is what we may call the ‘elephant
in the room’.

22  |  Seaways |  June 2021 Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways


All cords, pulleys Body-wrap stretcher
carabiners and slings
Asking the experts
As Master on a vessel, I have long agonised over the problem of how
to train our crew in enclosed space rescue when no one on board had
the training and we didn’t have the all the specialised equipment. We
didn’t even know what equipment we really needed. Some evacuations
are a simple vertical lift, but other spaces would need horizontal
movement through a series of manholes. The head office was informed
of the situation and to their credit, they immediately put the wheels
into motion. A specialised firm was contracted. First it made an
inventory of all the enclosed spaces and then it drafted the evacuation
manoeuvre for each space. Subsequently, a cohort of the crew,
including myself, were sent on a specialised enclosed space training
course. Four days of increasingly complex evacuation manoeuvres
gave us the knowledge of the equipment and techniques needed. It
also gave us the confidence we could rescue a victim anywhere on the
ship. I can truly say that the training was an eye-opener. I can also attest
that the techniques we learned are not easily improvised; you need the
specific training and equipment!
An additional outcome of the training was the decision to add the
requirement for all personnel entering an enclosed space to wear a body
harness with lifting eyes. This simplifies an evacuation as any potential
victim is ‘ready to lift’ if need be. Another was to fabricate two ‘bridge-
boards’ that allow rescuers to slide the victim through a manhole during
horizontal movement within enclosed spaces such as dry-spaces or
tanks. The bridge-boards are placed either side of the manhole and are
connected to each other with straps, thus forming a ramp, making it
possible to slide the victim up, through and then back down.
What ‘fully prepared’ looks like
The company also purchased the specialised equipment adapted for
enclosed space rescue. The picture top right shows the equipment
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
Feature: The elephant in the room
Semi-flexible body stretcher
purchased for our vessel, with the exception of the rescue tripod
and winch. One of the most useful items is the compact and semi-
flexible body-stretcher. We purchased the Yates Spec Pac, but other
manufacturers surely exist.
An ‘exploded’ view of all the equipment can be seen in the second
photo including lines, carabiners, anchor and wrist strops, to name just
a few. The equipment and training are not cheap but, in essence, this
is the cost of being in harmony with the letter and spirit of the SOLAS
requirement for enclosed space entry and rescue drills.
In our case, not all deck and engine room crew were sent on the
training, but those that were have formed a cluster of onboard rescue
experts that will share the training with crew mates via rescue scenarios.
Our goal is eventually to hold rescue drills in all our enclosed spaces.
And notwithstanding the SOLAS requirement for drills every two
months, our frequency goal is one training every six weeks (we have a
two-crew system of six weeks on, six weeks off). So, every crew will have
a drill at every on period. As with any skill, practice makes perfect.
In summary, if you don’t have most of this equipment you probably
cannot do a proper enclosed space rescue in all of the spaces on your
ship. And, if you don’t have the specific training on the techniques of
enclosed space rescue, you can’t use the equipment correctly even if
you have it on board.
Further reading: Enclosed space equipment, Seaways, September
2012, p23.
Please note all issues of Seaways back to 2006 can be accessed
via the Members’ Area of the website. Open the current issue, and
then click on the filing cabinet icon. This will open a dropdown
list of past issues.
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  23
Feature: The changing face of piracy
The changing face of piracy
IMO calls for action in the Gulf of Guinea
T
he International Maritime Organization (IMO) has called
for increased collaboration and action to tackle an escalation
in the number and severity of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea
region, which threatens the lives and well-being of seafarers
and the safety of shipping.
About a decade ago, the shipping industry faced a surge in piracy
in the Horn of Africa region. This rightly attracted a great deal of
international attention, and due to pressure from within the shipping
industry, increased awareness and safety protocols and international
action, the threat has to a large extent been contained, if not totally
removed. The problems faced in the Gulf of Guinea today, however,
are of a somewhat different nature, displaying an even more worrying
level of violence.
Based on reports submitted to IMO, in 2020, the number of
incidents taking place in the Gulf of Guinea (West Africa) increased
to 90 (up by 20 compared to 2019), with a total of 112 crew members
reported as kidnapped/missing. This represented a significant
proportion of the total 226 incidents of piracy and armed robbery
against ships occurred or attempted in 2020 globally. To date in 2021,
23 incidents have been reported in the West Africa region.
Strengthening law enforcement
In a resolution on recommended action to address piracy and
armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea adopted by the Maritime
Safety Committee (MSC), IMO calls on Member States, national
authorities, the United Nations and other relevant organisations to
consider strengthening law enforcement to arrest and prosecute pirates
in relevant jurisdictions, in accordance with international law and
national legal frameworks. Coastal States are urged to harmonise
criminal penalties.
IMO also calls for improved governance of available protection
solutions, such as security escort vessels for assisting other vessels,
in accordance with international law, and with due respect for the
sovereignty, sovereign rights and territorial integrity of coastal States.
Member States, national authorities, the United Nations and other
relevant organisations are urged to support and encourage wider
participation in the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum
(GoG-MCF/SHADE GoG) as well as other platforms, such as the
G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (G7++FoGG). This will help
improve maritime security and safety in the region and strengthen
cooperation mechanisms for regional maritime patrol and protection.
Engagement with stakeholders
The resolution highlights the need for greater collaboration with
all critical stakeholders, including information-sharing on maritime
criminality and illegality, use of maritime domain awareness such as
MDAT-GoG (Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade for the Gulf of
Guinea) and use of surface and/or air patrol capabilities.
The resolution requests IMO’s Secretary-General to make full use of
technical cooperation funds to support capacity-building in the region
to tackle piracy and armed robbery and to look at creating a common
platform for information sharing between existing mechanisms (these
include MDAT-GoG, the NIMASA C4i-Centre, Regional Reporting
Centres, the ICC IMB Piracy reporting centre and relevant responding
law enforcement entities).
24  |  Seaways |  June 2021
Member States, international organisations and relevant stakeholders
are urged to contribute financially the IMO West and Central Africa
Maritime Security Trust Fund.
The resolution welcomes other continuous efforts made in the
region to curb piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Gulf
of Guinea, including drafting of anti-piracy laws, the Nigerian
Government’s Deep Blue project, the Interregional Coordination
Centre (ICC Yaoundé) and the ongoing establishment of the Yaoundé
Architecture Regional Integration System (YARIS).
Best practice
IMO and the shipping industry have supported efforts to tackle
piracy and armed robbery against ships and the kidnapping of seafarers
and/or passengers in the Gulf of Guinea, including through providing
technical assistance to Member States to implement maritime security
measures. The shipping industry has provided Best Management
Practices (BMP) West Africa (WA) to assist companies and seafarers
to assess the risks associated with voyages through the Gulf of Guinea
and mitigate any potential threats to their safety and security.
It is worth noting that there are now two editions of BMP, tailored to
threats in individual areas. The revised Best Management Practices
to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security in the Red Sea,
Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea (BMP5), for example,
explicitly addresses the issues of anti-ship cruise missiles, water-borne
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and sea mines. Sea mines and
other improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have become a perennial
issue in the coastal areas around Yemen with the potential to disrupt
shipping in the Red Sea and approaches to seaports. In October 2020,
one sea mine was found as far east as al-Mukalla, some 1,000 km
from its likely origin. The most recent commercial vessel to be struck
by a buoyant mine was the oil tanker Syra on 3 October 2020. This
represents a significant threat requiring both upstream and downstream
interventions. Against this background, IMO has been approached
by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to explore
potential collaboration to reduce the potential risk to international
shipping.
Reporting and validation
Reports of actual and attempted attacks by pirates and armed robbers
against ships are continuously promulgated via the Piracy and Armed
Robbery module of the Global Integrated Shipping Information
System (GISIS) as soon as they are received by the IMO Secretariat. In
addition, the Secretariat continues to make monthly reports available
on the IMO website for ease of reference. Guidance is available within
the GISIS Piracy and Armed Robbery module to assist users to create
customised reports, eg by geographical area or time period.
However, while some member states systematically report incidents,
the Secretariat generally receives only few reports directly from
Member States. The majority of reports are instead received through
the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre and the ICC IMB Piracy
Reporting Centre. This results in some inconsistencies in reporting.
More information received directly from states would enhance the
quality of statistics and utilisation of the GISIS database.
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  25
Feature: Dealing with pandemic fatigue; finding resilience
Dealing with pandemic
fatigue; finding resilience
Marie-Louise Chandler
Director of Quality, Health, Safety and Wellbeing, NATS
P
andemic fatigue is gripping many of us. It is about feeling
overwhelmed by having to maintain a state of constant
vigilance more than 10 months (at the time of writing) after the
pandemic started and weariness with still having to abide by
restrictions.
However, pandemic fatigue should not be confused with post-Covid-
fatigue. Many people who have had even mild cases of Covid-19 can
have post-viral fatigue that can last for months. This can include feeling
constantly tired, with aching muscles and brain fog.
Social distancing is one of the most effective ways to slow the spread
of the coronavirus. Staying apart has saved lives. BUT humans are
social beings by nature, and when we take that away, it creates a drain
on the human condition.
One thing most people forget at this time are those who have been
‘social distancing’ for many years – seafarers, offshore workers and
members of the armed forces, to name but a few. Along with social
distancing – whether it’s because of a pandemic or work – comes a
cluster of symptoms.
These symptoms can include:
O Increased irritability
O Low mood
O Depression
O Trouble sleeping or oversleeping
O Overeating or undereating
O Feeling run-down
O Lack of motivation.
These symptoms can closely mimic a mental health disorder, but it’s
not a disorder – it’s a normal response to an abnormal situation.
In March 2020, as it became clear that a new and deadly virus was
spreading around the world, we went on high alert. We stocked up.
We isolated ourselves at home. Sure, that was tough. For some people
it was a new experience, so they found ways to cope. For some people,
that way of life was the norm and so the pandemic had very little effect
on their lives, apart from maybe difficulty getting home to see family
when off shift, deployment or roster.
Covid-19 has been described as a ‘three-headed monster’ when it
comes to mental health.
1. Anxiety, sadness/depression and fatigue are the three biggest impacts
we’re seeing on mental health. As the pandemic marches on, mental
health is continuing to take a hit and we’re seeing that prolonged
exposure is causing a myriad of problems. Anxiety is being fuelled
by uncertainty, lacking a sense of control and having a number of
important values in our lives threatened, all at once.
2. The rapid, unexpected changes brought on by the pandemic also
have led to a series of losses. Loss is the greatest driver of depression,
26  |  Seaways |  June 2021
and this pandemic has seen us lose important events, connection to
family, friends and community, travel, opportunities, finances and
career.
3. Finally, fatigue comes from juggling multiple demands all at once
and operating from a seemingly endless place of appraising threats to
our health and figuring out steps to keep ourselves safe.
It is vital for all of us to continue to take care of ourselves and to seek
help if we need it.
It feels like the whole world is tired. Even though the vaccine shines
like a light at the end of the tunnel, the home stretch will be long and
perhaps take a greater toll on our professional and personal lives than
we expect it to.
How to lead when the whole world is tired
Personal resilience in the second wave is a different story because it
relies on psychological stamina. Psychological stamina rests on more
deep-seated emotional patterns shaped by our individual needs,
histories and experiences. Stamina is required because, frankly,
the second wave is not exciting at all. People report feeling bored,
disconnected and unnerved. In contrast to the skin-deep reactions
of the first wave, the second wave requires perseverance, endurance
and even defiance against the randomness, gloom and burden of the
pandemic.
Resilience is the most fundamental quality for navigating through
chaos. The belief that we have the ability and the strength to overcome
obstacles and perform involves a constant balancing act, and for
most of us it is a lifelong challenge. Without resilience we tend to act
indecisively or follow directions blindly. If we are not confident that we
have the necessary abilities, we risk getting paralysed or subjected to
forces beyond our control. Managing your own mind and deciding to
take charge of your destiny (and helping others do the same) is where
you find mental strength for the last mile.
Cultivating resilience requires some emotional rewiring and calls
for a different kind of appeal to team members and colleagues. The
essential task is to identify your biggest challenges over the next year
and then tap the psychological stamina you and your team will need to
get there.
Here are five tips for handling pandemic fatigue.
Reflect and accept
Take time to check in with yourself and reflect on how you are doing.
If you feel irritated, impatient, angry, or are suffering from fatigue,
anxiety or depression, accept that all of these responses are normal and
understandable during such a difficult time. Awareness has to be the
cornerstone of any mental health self-care. We need to give ourselves
permission to acknowledge that what we’re feeling is 100% normal.
Start to acknowledge how you are feeling – allow the time and space to
really experience how you are feeling, acknowledge how you’re feeling
and noticing what’s happening to you, pay attention to where in your
body these things are having an impact on you and be aware of what
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 Feature: Dealing with pandemic fatigue; finding resilience
it is you need right now. Worrying and second-guessing can be a way
of trying to control uncertainty and avoid difficult emotions such as
fear. Instead, allowing yourself to face and express your emotions can
alleviate stress and bring a sense of peace in these uncertain times.
Monitor your social media
Your attention is currency, and social media is designed to take as
much of your attention currency as possible. ‘Doomscrolling’ –
purposely tuning in to negative stories on TV or on social media – fuels
increased dread, uncertainty, anxiety and fatigue. If you’re hooked
on checking your social feeds on your phone, remove the apps. Try
scheduling a couple of five-minute ‘check-in’ sessions each day. Other
than that, stay off social media. If you’re purposely watching news
channels that are stressing you out, cut the cord, read a book, listen to
music or watch shows or movies that transport you to calmer times and
places.
Restore and replenish your energy
During difficult times we need to deliberately carve out breaks to
restore and replenish our reserves. Take a walk. Take a bath. Read a
book. Do things that are deliberately calming. Sitting on the couch
and bingeing on movie-streaming channels can seem relaxing, but it
also can be avoidance behaviour that isn’t restorative at all. In order to
take care of ourselves in restorative ways, we need to make deliberate
decisions. Get plenty of sleep. Excessive worry and uncertainty can
disturb your sleep – just as a lack of quality sleep can fuel anxiety and
stress. Improving your daytime habits and taking time to relax and
unwind before bed can help you to sleep better at night.
Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme
Experienced a marine
accident or near miss?
Help keep others safe by
sharing what you learnt
from the incident
Contact us in confidence at
mars@nautinst.org
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
Be active and get moving
Another way to replenish energy is through what’s known as ‘active
self-care’. Physical activity, exercise and anything that connects you to
meaning and movement can work wonders. Finding balance and being
deliberate about your choices is vital. Exercise is a natural and effective
stress-reliever and anti-anxiety treatment. Try adding a mindfulness
element and focusing on how your body feels as you move. Pay
attention to the sensation of your feet hitting the ground as you walk,
run or dance, for example, or the rhythm of your breathing, or the
feeling of the sun or wind on your skin.
Try to find fun and connection
If you’re seeking company but feeling rather alone, try to find fun and
connection in any way you can. That could mean a podcast, a box set,
a telephone call, a walk outside around people and nature – whatever
feels most supportive to you at this time. If you have a busy household
with/without children and no time to yourself, take the small moments
like having a shower or making a meal to notice your surroundings and
ground yourself: what can you smell, feel, hear, taste and touch?
Discover varied ways to get through this time such as writing,
exercise, gardening, cooking, studying – and activities that absorb your
attention can be particularly helpful.
You’re not alone
Finally, remember you’re not the only one feeling this way. In fact if
you open up to friends and family about how you’re feeling, you may
discover they share the same feelings too.
Acknowledge that this is a global issue and we’re not alone in this.
We are all facing uncertainty – and that in itself can be reassuring.
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  27
Nautelex
David Patraiko FNI rounds up the latest news, releases and events affecting the
Î maritime professional throughout the world
Due diligence tool
Î A wide-ranging set of guidance
has been issued to help shippers
and others protect the human
rights of seafarers.
The Human Rights Due
Diligence Tool for cargo owners
and charterers provides guidance
and a checklist for cargo owners,
charterers and logistic providers
to conduct human rights due
diligence across their supply chains
to identify, prevent, mitigate and
address adverse human rights
impacts for seafarers impacted by
the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
The new guidance aims to
ensure that seafarers have their
rights safeguarded in areas such
as physical and mental health,
access to family life and freedom
of movement. Whilst recognising
the importance of the maritime
industry in transporting more than
80% of global trade goods, UN
agencies have expressed concern
at reports of seafarers working
beyond the 11-month maximum
period of service on board set
out by the ILO Maritime Labour
Convention (MLC).
The UN agencies have also
expressed strong concern at
reports that companies
Combatting Drug Trafficking
Î Criminal gangs are increasingly
exploiting merchant shipping to
traffic large volumes of illicit drugs
to markets worldwide, according
to the International Chamber of
Shipping’s (ICS) latest publication,
Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse
On Board Ship: Guidelines for
Owners and Masters on Preparation,
Prevention, Protection and Response.
Nearly 90% of all cocaine, 45%
of all cannabis, and 30% of all
amphetamine type stimulants
seized globally during January
2017 to April 2020 were trafficked
via sea, despite the best efforts of
the shipping industries to combat
this activity. ‘The global value of
the drugs trade is estimated at
USD 426 billion, and the problems
from illicit drug trafficking continue
to expand and diversify,’ says
Guy Platten, Secretary General
of the International Chamber of
Shipping. ‘Traffickers use shipping
28  |  Seaways |  June 2021
engaged in international trade
are avoiding chartering vessels
where a crew change is due,
with some demanding ‘no
crew change’ clauses in charter
party agreements, preventing
needed crew changeovers and
adding further pressure on the
maritime industry. Under the UN
Guiding Principles on Business
and Human Rights (UNGPs),
companies engaged with the
maritime industry have a distinct
responsibility to respect the human
rights of seafarers as workers along
their value chain.
Measures recommended as part
of the tool include:
O Ensure individual and collective
action is taken to address concerns
around seafarers’ rights, including
using leverage to highlight
concerns to Governments and
maritime transport providers.
O Seek written assurance that no
seafarers have been on board for
a continuous period of more than
the 11 months maximum period of
service derived from the MLC, 2006.
O Verify with business partners
that seafarers are not having to
work beyond the expiration of their
contracts without their willing
as a vector for their illicit cargoes
as ships present opportunities
for high volume movements
from producing to consuming
countries. Drug traffickers exploit
society’s need to move goods
and people across frontiers, and
shipping is a key mode in that
transport chain. We all share a
collective responsibility to assist in
combatting this illegal traffic and
this latest publication ensures that
shipowners and Masters are fully
briefed on the best practices to
combat this criminal trade.’
The new Guidelines also take into
account the impact and implications
of the Covid-19 pandemic which
has had an ongoing effect on
drug trafficking and drug abuse,
due to the changing nature of the
management of national borders
and the alteration of established
behaviours.
Drug Trafficking and Drug
consent, as to do so could be
considered forced labour.
O Provide seafarers with adequate
personal protective equipment
(PPE).
O Verify with business partners
that the cost of any quarantine
obligations before or after joining
the ship are not borne directly or
indirectly, in whole or in part, by
the seafarer.
O Abide by the legal obligation
to grant seafarers access to
medical care ashore, for instance
by permitting diversions for the
purpose of medical care.
O Use the IMO recommended
framework of protocols to ensure
safe crew changes during the
COVID-19 pandemic, as well as
cascading this to any relevant
partners.
O Accept route deviation requests
from shipping companies for
the purpose of facilitating crew
changes, and relay this expectation
to business partners.
O Verify that vessel operators are
limiting any avoidable crew
contract extensions.
The document can be
downloaded from www.imo.org Í
Abuse On Board Ship provides
essential professional guidance for
shipping companies, ports, ships’
officers, Masters, cargo owners,
government officials, customs and
the maritime industry as a whole.
It identifies shipboard operational
considerations and responses, as
well as the training and procedures
that are required both ashore and
on board.
The Guidelines also explore
all aspects of protection in port
facilities, along with areas of
cooperation between ports
and ships that can help prevent
drug trafficking from taking
place. Whether this activity is
orchestrated by criminal or terrorist
organisations, the methodologies
employed are sophisticated and
dynamic. Successful responses
need to be equally sophisticated
and require a comprehensive and
strategic approach to security. Í
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
Stop, Think,
Stay Alive!
Î The International Group of P&I
Clubs launches a safety animation
to help prevent the loss of life in
enclosed spaces on board ship.
Too many lives are lost
unnecessarily when seafarers
or shore-based personnel enter
enclosed spaces on board ships.
Members of the International
Group have collaborated to
produce a safety training
animation that draws attention to
the risk of entering such spaces
without first taking preventive
and protective measures. The
animation highlights a number
of different scenarios that could
lead to loss of life in areas where
oxygen levels are depleted,
and highlights six areas that
merit particular attention. These
include:
O External Pressure;
O Time Pressure;
O Procedures, Practices and
Equipment;
O Preparation and
Communication;
O Unsafe Situations;
O Emergency Drills.
Despite the safety
requirements described in SOLAS
Regulation XI-1/7, all Group
Clubs continue to see fatalities
caused by oxygen depletion in
confined or enclosed spaces on
ships. The animation highlights
the importance of observing the
statutory requirements described
in SOLAS and compliance with
best practice procedures onboard
ships, to mitigate the risk of
further unnecessary deaths.
The International Group
has undertaken research into
fatalities arising from enclosed
spaces during the period of 2015
to 2020. Of the 83 deaths that
occurred in enclosed spaces, 53%
of deaths were due to oxygen
depletion and over 60% of the
incidents were located in the
cargo hold.
The overriding message,
running throughout the video, is
Stop, Think, Stay Alive.
The video is available at www.
igpandi.org/enclosed-space-entry
Conferences
Reporting back from conferences, seminars and discussions across the maritime
Î world. Join the discussion on LinkedIn, or email editor@nautinst.org
OFFSHORE WIND CONNECTIONS 2021
Î Humber Marine Alliance (THMA), a local
marine business grouping of more than 200
businesses, held its annual Offshore Wind
Conference and Exhibition (OWC2021) in April
at the Aura Centre, Bridgehead Business Park in
Hull – virtually.
This was a very full programme, with more
than 40 presentations over two days, spanning
the range from government agencies to
offshore wind main operating companies
(Orestad), offshore wind equipment
manufacturers (Siemens Gamesa), port
operators (BPA), and was well worth attending.
I was attending as representative of Humber
Branch of The Nautical Institute. The branch is a
member of THMA and sits on its Marine Skills
Committee. This allows us to have dialogue with
and make contributions to the individual
companies, national and local government
representatives, the three colleges in the region
and of course THMA as a body.
The visual and sound effects were spectacular
and despite some teething problems, the
conference functioned extremely well, as did
the networking and exhibition component,
albeit all attendees and exhibitors were avatars!
Certainly very different. The presentations were
pre-recorded and the whole thing deftly
orchestrated by live presenters.
Positive outlook
The overall theme was positive, I would go as far
as to say bullish. Among the comments I noted
from the event were: ‘Humber is the epicentre
of European Clean Energy’; ’The situation now
with clean energy in the Humber region is
The developing offshore wind industry offers many opportunities for maritime careers, traditional and non-traditional
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
similar to where Aberdeen was at with the oil
boom all those years ago’; ‘Huge growth and
development guaranteed – and mostly centred
right here’. The international angle was well
covered. British clean energy expertise,
particularly in offshore wind, is in high demand
from the USA to Denmark and includes all those
European and Scandinavian countries with a
coast. Excellent stuff to hear. It was also
excellent to hear so many speakers – maybe a
third of them – highlighting the need for
trainees to fill the expanding demand of today
and the exponential growth foreseen in the
future. Opportunities range from
apprenticeships through graduate entry to
cross training. Although the traditional
seafaring career progression as most of us
would know it is not actually addressed, these
jobs are all marine-based, marine-focused,
marine-channelled or marine-executed. Times
change and jobs, job descriptions and
opportunities change with them.
Lorna Wagner of Maritime UK talked to us of
the massive ignorance of the general public
about maritime jobs. No news to us, but it
probably was to many of the conference
delegates. She pointed out that average UK
earnings are £29,000 a year, whereas in maritime
it sits at around £38,000. She emphasised the
need to engage far more with career and
outreach bodies to share ‘Britain’s best kept
secret’ and get some facts out there, like the
existence of paid training and cadetships.
Regarding the kind of shipping operations
most of us are more familiar with, the most
direct involvement is the creation of eight new
freeports in England, of which Humber is the
biggest and is anticipated to be the most active.
Full freeport status for Humber Ports, from
Goole to the estuary, could be in operation by
the end of this year, with four free zones and
three tax zones. There is a distinct possibility of
adding others in the near future. Humber had
the distinction of being the ‘leading’ bid to the
government in the competition to be awarded
freeport status. The enterprise will include
public and private investors in an ABP-led
consortium. It is firmly believed this will be a
major catalyst for growth and development and
a benefit to the wider region.
Freeport status in general will be an
enormous boost to shipping and the UK flag
will benefit more by this than by anything else
in the last few years. A great deal was made of
the UK Government’s 10-point plan. It would be
difficult for even the most cynical old mariner
to leave the conference without feeling uplifted
and buoyant, even if they did have a bit of a
struggle handling the avatar and the occasional
difficulty with the system.
It was a very different feeling from what has
been the norm, and very welcome too!
Developing infrastructure
Melanie Onn from Renewable UK told us that
Siemens plan to double the footprint of its
turbine blade production plant in Hull. Overall,
we are looking at a fourfold increase in offshore
wind in the southern North Sea in the next
decade, with workforce numbers rising from
somewhere around 15,000 today to in excess
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  29
Conferences

of 60,000. The leading role of the UK in offshore
wind internationally was stressed by many
including the quote, several times repeated,
that the UK is becoming the ‘Saudi Arabia of
Wind’ – scope for the cynical to insert their own
thoughts there. Several speakers highlighted
the need for infrastructure development to
allow us to benefit from the new opportunities.
Of particular interest to me was the obvious
similarity to the offshore oil industry and the
marine involvement in that. From my own
former North Sea involvement back in the days
before position control, driving mates, health
and safety, common sense and any form of
control on the oil companies, I hope the
offshore wind industry develops in a more
structured and, above all, safe manner.
The picture that offshore wind usually
conjures up is of the monopile turbine, usually
8MW piled into the seabed in shallow water.
New projects will increase capacity to 14MW
then 16MW monopiles with blade lengths of
100 metres or more. Floating installations will
allow easier installation in deeper waters as
well as easier decommissioning at lifecycle
end. These could be raft, CALM (catenary
anchor leg mooring) or SPAR (single point
anchor) types – again, there are similarities
to established offshore oil practice.
The development of both existing and new
fields will incorporate more input from
fishermen, particularly static gear fishermen.
With a few tweaks and another exercise of
innovation through collaboration, the
fishermen could see their industry aided and
not frustrated. A particularly good presentation
from Mike Roach of Holderness Fishing showed
the importance of the shellfish industry to the
region. A surprising figure of 350 tonnes of
lobster and 2,000 tonnes of brown crab per year
produced through Bridlington was expected to
grow as a result of symbiosis with the offshore
wind industry.
I was interested to hear of the ‘Oyster projects’
– not, in this case, anything to do with shellfish
– in which offshore wind development will
incorporate a hydrogen generator and storage
component. Partners in the project will work
with the existing and decommissioning
offshore industry in carbon capture utilising
existing opportunities in offshore subsea
storage as well as solar and eventually
electricity storage. Hydrogen is said to ‘follow
wind’ and could be used in natural gas
replacement, fertiliser production and night
time use for solar arrays.
International co-operation
There were speakers from Finland, Poland,
Sweden, Asia Pacific, Germany and the USA.
A very interesting panel presentation by the
Port of Den Helder, Port of Amsterdam, East of
England and THMA looked at the developing
Southern North Sea Energy Array (SNSEA). This
is a collaborative effort incorporating hard
structures (similar to offshore oil platforms) for
offshore wind generation, hydrogen generation,
solar, electricity storage and carbon capture
piping to caverns and aquifers. This very
comprehensive plan will include all the southern
North Sea and include such features as a
dedicated decommissioning yard in Amsterdam
to handle decommissioning of oil and gas
structures, OSVs and eventually offshore wind
structures as well as construction backed up by
other ports and authorities in the area.
It is not unusual, if we are honest, to come
away from a major conference a little deflated,
sometimes wondering what was that all about
and what was actually said that was of any
moment or weight. Not this time, I am happy
to report; I left with a very positive feeling…
avatars notwithstanding.
Captain D McKelvie FNI
Vice President, The Nautical Institute

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30  |  Seaways |  June 2021 Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways

Branch activities
A round-up of news and events from NI branches across the world.
Î Send your updates to branches@nautinst.org
SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND BRANCH
Pandemic fatigue
Î The guest speaker at the branch’s April
meeting was Marie-Louise Chandler, Director of
Quality, Health, Safety and Wellbeing at NATS,
the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control
services. Marie-Louise was introduced to the
Zoom audience by Gordon Foot FNI, the branch
secretary, as an accomplished leader and
advocate for mental health and wellbeing. As
Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Marie-
Louise is responsible for the implementation
of NATS strategy to deliver a high standard of
performance and compliance and is required
to provide advice and direction on all matters
relating to health, safety and wellbeing to the
NATS Executive and Board.
The air industry has been heavily affected
by the pandemic, with Easter traffic in 2021
being only 23% of the 2019 level and virtually
nothing in 2020. Learning from actions taken
by a related transport industry is often helpful
and Marie-Louise provided an insight into
the challenges faced by the airline industry
concerning COVID-19 and in particular issues
concerned with ‘pandemic fatigue’.
Following the presentation – which can be
read in full on pp 26-27 – the meeting turned
to the issue of pandemic fatigue in relation to
the shipping industry. It was recognised from
the start that mariners and submariners accept
some form of social distancing as part of their
profession. However, social distancing issues
Horatio Nelson – Historical Review
Î The March 2021 meeting of the South West
of England Branch was titled ‘Horatio Nelson;
Historical Review’. Our speaker, Kate Jamieson,
is a graduate of the University of Plymouth.
She has worked in the shipping industry for
seven years, and is now part of the operations
team of MNG Maritime, where she manages
floating armouries. During the course of her
undergraduate studies she wrote a dissertation
on counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of
Aden. In addition to her working life, she is
completing postgraduate study at Exeter
University focusing on Naval Master Gunners –
and was also one of the youngest contestants
on the BBC quiz show, Mastermind with her
specialist subject ‘The Life and Career of Horatio
Nelson’.
Kate’s talk was very informative and
comprehensive, broken down into four
key sections: Early Life, The Man, Naval
Engagements and Myths & Legacy.
Early career
Born the son of a rector in 1758 and one of
11 siblings, Horatio Nelson was a sickly child.
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 Let us know at
Marie-Louise Chandler
Director of Quality, Health, Safety
and Wellbeing at NATS
occur on ships with a large number of different
nationalities and cultures on board.
The UK Merchant Navy Welfare Board
through its Port Welfare Committees has been
giving support to seafarers and organisations
such as Stella Maris and the Mission to Seafarers
have been internationally active. However,
they have encountered difficulties in meeting
seafarers’ needs, as ship visiting to give
personal support has been limited and entry
to seafarers’ centres has not been encouraged.
Onboard peer support is recognised as being an
important contributor to good mental health.
The role of mentoring in the pandemic was
Kate Jamieson
At the age of 13 he was encouraged to go to
sea by his maternal uncle, Captain Suckling,
who held command of the third rate, HMS
Raisonnable. His career in the Royal Navy
began with an expedition towards the North
Pole on the ‘bomb’ vessel HMS Carcass, to
undertake observations for the Royal Society
and, if possible, seek out a navigable passage
between the Atlantic and Pacific. The expedition
navigated as far north as 80°. Tradition
states that Horatio Nelson was involved in
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raised. It was recognised as a particular concern
for cadets on initial seagoing voyages. It was
interesting to learn that NATS provides a ‘buddy’
system to provide individual support. Should
such a system be introduced for ships?
Another question raised was the extra
pressure that the pandemic has placed on
the leadership position of the ship’s Master.
While ‘buddy’ systems and peer support can
be helpful, they do not necessarily help the
ship’s Master. By tradition, the Master maintains
a distance. To quote: ‘peers don’t knock on
the Captain’s door’. What is the impact on the
wellbeing of ship’s Masters in these odd times?
Ultimately, there are more questions than
answers. In the aftermath of the pandemic will
the shipping industry be a better industry?
Will the issues of social isolation and seafarers’
mental health continue to be a concern to the
shipping industry?
The grounding of Ever Given in the Suez
Canal provided a story that illustrated the
dependence of the world on ships and
seafarers, but will that interest last? Some felt
that ‘commercial imperatives of shipping are the
driver of all activity’, but others considered that
‘the pandemic is global’, reminding individuals
of their dependence on the world trading
system – and that this will be remembered.
confrontation with a polar bear. The Northern
Passage was not found.
Following the expedition, Nelson rose
rapidly through the ranks, serving with
leading naval commanders before obtaining
his own command at the age of 20 years. He
developed a reputation for personal valour
and a firm grasp of tactics. He suffered periods
of illness and unemployment after the end of
the American War of Independence, but the
outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars gave
reason for Horatio Nelson to return to service in
the fleet. He was promoted through seniority to
become Rear Admiral of the Blue in early 1797.
The Seasick Admiral
Notoriously, Horatio Nelson became known
as the ‘Seasick Admiral.’ Despite this, he was
a master of public relations when it came to
self-promotion. He wrote letters to influential
individuals about his exploits which were
subsequently published. Through these, his
active life became well known to the public.
Partial loss of vision and loss of an arm did
not prevent Nelson’s immense confidence in his
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  31
Branch activities
own abilities. Over the next eight years, 1797–
1805, he played important roles in significant
battles and sieges associated with the War of
the Second Coalition, including the Battle of the
Nile (1798) and the Siege of Malta (1798–1800).
He was appointed second in command of the
Channel Fleet in 1800 and on 1 January 1801
was promoted to the post of Vice Admiral of the
Blue. He travelled to Plymouth to receive the
freedom of Plymouth at the end of the same
month, raising his flag initially on HMS San Josef
and later on HMS St George in preparation for
embarking to the Baltic.
In April 1801 Nelson led an attack on the
Danish fleet at what became known as the Battle
of Copenhagen. The battle resulted in a truce
between England and Denmark and to Nelson
becoming commander-in-chief of the Baltic Sea.
Trafalgar
Nelson was appointed commander-in-chief of
the Mediterranean Fleet in 1803. He was given
the first-rate ship HMS Victory as his flagship.
It was from HMS Victory that he commanded
CYPRUS BRANCH
Tackling piracy: a critical situation
Î Speakers from international, European and
national maritime bodies and a leading ship
operator joined The Nautical Institute Cyprus
Branch for a webinar to discuss the recent
alarming increase in maritime piracy and
armed robbery. We heard from experts who
shared their insights, views and experiences of
a situation that has probably been exacerbated
by the ongoing pandemic, and discussed the
actions taken or to be taken.
Our esteemed speakers were the Deputy
Minister of Shipping to the President of the
Republic of Cyprus, Vassilios Demetriades; John
Stawpert, Manager (Environment and Trade) at
the International Chamber of Shipping; Martin
Dorsman, Secretary General of the European
Community Shipowners’ Association; and
Prabhat Jha, CEO & Group Managing Director,
Don’t miss out on new member benefits simply because you don’t know
about them. Take a minute to check we have your latest contact details...
> Login at nautinst.org
> Click the orange ‘Update details’ button
> Click on ‘Edit’ if you need to make any changes
> Hit ‘Save Changes’ and you’re done!
32  |  Seaways |  June 2021
the fleet during the Battle of Trafalgar on 21
October 1805. This was the decisive naval battle
of the Napoleonic Wars, in which the combined
French and Spanish fleets were defeated by the
smaller English fleet. The defeat spelled the end
of Napoleon’s dreams of invading Britain.
Nelson used familiar tactics, splitting the
enemy fleet during the engagement. There
followed ‘close action’. Horatio Nelson chose
to wear his full decorations for the battle
which, many think, made him an obvious
target for enemy sharpshooters, although later
research has shown that the French marksman
MSC Shipmanagement Limited, Cyprus. Branch
Chair Yvonne Tsanos AFNI moderated.
Despite increased piracy activity elsewhere,
the Gulf of Guinea appears to remain the most
dangerous maritime zone, even with all eyes
on the Gulf of Mexico. More than 40% of all
pirate attacks and attempted attacks occur in
the waters off West Africa and they continue to
be more violent than in other regions. Nearly
all crew abductions recorded globally occur in
the greater Gulf of Guinea. At least 130 crew
members were taken hostage by West African
pirates in 2020, nearly double the figure from
just two years before, and seafarer kidnappings
do not appear to be slowing so far in 2021.
Seafarers, the industry’s key workers,
continue to experience long delays in crew
change and repatriation. As a result, they are
reported to not have known what he was firing
at through the smoke of war. A lucky shot,
perhaps. By the time he died, victory was almost
certain.
Postscript – the Merchant Navy
The figurehead of HMS Conway (the former
Merchant Navy training school) was that of
Horatio Nelson. HMS Conway, originally named
HMS Nile, was launched in 1839 and served as a
school ship from 1876. The figurehead consisted
of a traditional bust of Horatio Nelson having
below it a naval crown and the battle signal
given at Trafalgar ‘England Expects That Every
Man Will Do His Duty’.
When HMS Conway was wrecked in 1953 in
the Menai Strait the figurehead was salvaged,
brought ashore and placed as a central
feature on the parade ground. It was a fitting
figurehead for a school that trained more than
10,000 cadets for duty principally in the British
Merchant Navy. Following closure of the school
the figurehead was located to HMS Nelson.
Paul G Wright MNM FNI
fatigued and mentally and physically stressed. It
is hard to imagine the additional stress caused
by involuntary involvement in a piracy incident
on top of all that.
It was the general consensus that in order
to de-escalate the situation, international
co-operation on the development and
harmonisation of maritime laws is essential. It
is paramount that coastal states work in close
partnership with each other as well as with the
IMO and other maritime bodies. The sharing of
information can only increase law enforcement
capabilities. Without that co-operation, piracy
will potentially continue to thrive, turning areas
such as the Gulf of Guinea into a no-go zone. As
the speakers emphasised: ‘Working together we
can achieve great results!’
Yvonne Tsanos AFNI
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
 The Nautical Institute LinkedIn forum
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
The Nautical Institute has a lively discussion group on LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Nautical-Institute-1107227

THIS MONTH WE DISCUSS: PILOT TRANSFER ARRANGEMENTS

In April Seaways we reviewed the latest 2020 IMPA Pilot Ladder survey,
which continues to show a high level of safety violations in pilot
transfer arrangements. One particular death this year highlights the
persistent indifference of the industry as a major causal factor. A pilot
fell to his death trying to board a ship which presented a proscribed
pilot boarding arrangement. Many pilots question why this ship was
allowed to trade.
We asked The Nautical Institute’s Linked-In Community what actions
can be taken to finally tackle this ongoing – and life-threatening –
issue.

THE INSTITUTE’S LINKEDIN COMMUNITY RESPONDED:

Î Manila rope is likely to deteriorate with time, given the tough Î Unfortunately that’s how the world turns...As a pilot, you are lucky if
environment at sea. Pilot ladders must have an expiry date after being put you have the right to reject.
into use. Î The world works that way because there are those that, willingly or
There is a big gap in the understanding between a shipowner and a unwillingly, participate in such measures.
Port State Contol Officer (PSCO) when assessing the health of the ladder. Î Better to refuse one time too many than one time too few.
The only way to remove the subjectivity is to condemn the ladder after
Î These accidents will continue until EVERY Master takes responsibility
the expiry date.
for ensuring that the boarding arrangements on his vessel are proper and
Some of the Chinese built ladders are seriously non-compliant when
meet ALL the necessary requirements, without having to jury-rig anything
assembled.
anywhere. This is too critical to delegate to an officer, let alone the Bosun
Every port should maintain a stock of new pilot ladders. If the
and ratings.
pilot is not happy with a ship’s pilot ladder, the port should deliver a
replacement; along with an invoice. Problem solved.
Î In the Paris MOU, and I would expect in a number of other Port State
Control (PSC) regimes, a report to the local office should result in an
unscheduled visit.
As the failure of a pilot ladder is a high risk issue a detention would be
justified. However that is the last thing the port companies (who employ
the pilots in one form or another) want.
It has been alleged that port management discourage pilots from
directly notifying PSC despite, in this jurisdiction at least, it being
mandatory for any person becoming aware of a substandard vessel to
make such a report.
Î The people you are dealing with only think in money, bottom lines and
‘stakeholders’. Here is what other sectors do in similar situations: (It could
be a DP2 vessel’s entry of 500m zone of a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit):
1 Approach the vessel via launch.
2 Pilot goes forward and readies himself for the jump.
3 Approaching the ladder, the pilot takes one step back as a signal to the
boat handler to cancel approach.
4 Turn around and return to shore.
5 After about 10 seconds the vessel will call the launch. Let him call a
couple of times.
6 Tell the vessel that she is in non-compliance with IMO and to call back
when his equipment is in order.
If you don’t hit them in the wallet they won’t react.
If you feel this is a bit too radical, compare it with the situation where
you need to recover the body of a dead pilot.
Î The support for their pilots by most port authorities is actually rather
weak.
I know a pilot who fell into the water while going up the ladder, and
was lucky to be fished out by the attending tug. After a whole lot of hue
and cry, nothing substantive was done to compensate the pilot, because
he didn’t die.
Î Get a helicopter. We really need to upgrade this bit of SOLAS.
Î Ewan Rattray has written a very good scientific peer reviewed paper on
this subject: ‘Snakes or ladders’. Over 50% of Pilot Transfer Arrangements
are non compliant today. The only way things can change is when flag Pilots should expect safe transfers as a matter of course – but can they?
states step up and demand better rules, training and enforcement... Credit: Ambrose Greenway

This report attempts to give a representative summary of the discussion – it is not possible to include all comments. To see the discussion in full, please visit LinkedIn.

Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways June 2021  |  Seaways  |  33

 Letters
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Send your views and opinions to us at editor@nautinst.org, write to us at
202 Lambeth Road, London SE1 7LQ, UK or become part of our online community:
www.linkedin.com/groups/Nautical-Institute-1107227
www.twitter.com/NauticalInst
www.facebook.com/thenauticalinstitute
www.youtube.com/TheNauticalInstitute
Data gathering
Î In the April 2021 edition of
Seaways there was an extremely
well written article entitled ‘Hard
data vs soft data’ by Captain Paul
Drouin. There was one element
to this article that may be of use
to others investigating marine
accidents.
Many years ago when I was a
Marine Superintendent I attended
a vessel on which there had been
a fatality. This fatality was formally
investigated by three authorities:
Regaining contact – through Seaways
Î I am writing as a Director
of the Nautical Professional
Education Society of Canada
(NPESC). Items referring to
this Society have appeared
in Seaways numerous times,
most recently ‘Supporting the
Next Generation of Mariners’
(July 2020), by Captain Richard
Smith MNI. The article included
a picture of me making a
presentation to Geoffrey Dunlop,
a First Year Cadet from the British
Columbia Institute of Technology
(BCIT) Marine Campus. It was
November of 2001. The award
was a ‘New Entrant’ Scholarship,
the funds coming from the
interest earned by funds that the
NPESC has endowed to the BCIT
Foundation, and this was our
very first scholarship award. We
took Geoff to the next NI Branch
meeting to introduce him to the
Branch Board of Directors, which
included Captain David Snider.
Ten months later we were
upset to learn that Geoff had
not returned for the second year
of his four-year programme.
However, we were told that he
was continuing his studies at
the Marine Institute of Memorial
University in St John’s, NL, so we
felt that our money had still gone
to the right place.
34  |  Seaways |  June 2021
first by the port state’s equivalent
of the UK’s Health and Safety
Executive (HSE), then by the port
state’s marine department and
finally by the vessel’s flag state.
By the time I managed to get
to the vessel the HSE equivalent
had completed their onboard
investigation. I spoke to the other
two investigators and, on the
basis of saying nothing, I was
granted permission to sit in on
their interviews with the various
Fast-forward to July 2020:
Captain Geoffrey Dunlop, Master
of the CS I T Intrepid, while off
the coast of Colombia, saw that
month’s Seaways and the article
that contained his picture. His
boss, Captain Todd Nicholls
AFNI, who was on board at the
time, had shown it to him. Earlier
conversation had them talking
about the Institute’s Past President,
Captain Snider, who Geoff had
sailed with. That picture allowed
Geoff to explain more. It also
prompted him to apply to become
an Associate Fellow.
Fast-forward again to 2021:
The April Seaways showed Geoff ’s
name under the column for
election to Associated Fellow. It
also showed he was a member
of the BC Branch so I asked our
Branch Chairman to have Geoff
contact me.
He did so very swiftly – our first
contact after almost 20 years. He
remembered us taking him to
the branch meeting, which I had
forgotten, and he told me that
he sailed with Captain Snider on
the CCGS Tanu. It was there that
he was persuaded to continue his
schooling at Memorial.
He had worked tankers and
general cargo ships in the
Canadian Arctic and on the
............
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............
Give u
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utInst .
seafarers involved. that he must have been gardening
I was surprised at how much when he was called in as he was
information was gleaned by wearing ratty jeans and an even
these two. The port state marine rattier pullover. He advised that
department official, who was this was his well-proven policy – to
wearing shirt, tie and pullover with be wearing such clothing put him
epaulettes, managed to get all the far more level with the seafarers
basic information but little else. and, consequently, he got much
The flag state surveyor succeeded more information than any ‘official
in gaining far more information interviewer could get’.
from the seamen involved. Colin Reeves MNI (retired)
Afterwards I had a chat with the Tresta, Shetland
flag state surveyor and remarked
east coast but then moved to
International Telecom in 2008.
International Telecom specialises in
the installation and maintenance
of subsea fibre-optic cables. Geoff
was promoted to Master a couple
of years ago. He confirmed that our
Award in 2001 had allowed him to
buy books that he used all the way
Then – as a cadet in 2001
through his examinations and they
are still in his library.
David Whitaker FNI
Now – ship and subsea cable
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways

Inshore traffic zones
Î Inshore traffic zones seem to
be the forgotten area when it
comes to discussions about traffic
separation schemes (TSS). Unless
you are on a sailing vessel or a
fishing vessel you are banned from
these inshore zones unless your
vessel is under 20 metres in length.
The exception comes if you are
heading for a port or installation
that is located along the coast of
the inshore zone. This means that
if your vessel is, say, 21 metres long
you are obliged to mix with the
big ships in the designated traffic
lanes. You don’t want to be there,
and the big ships don’t want you
there, but the rules do not offer a
lot of options.
A 20 metre powered craft
is small by modern standards.
Many pilot boats are this size and
Pilot ladder safety
Î In the April 2021 issue
of Seaways there is a very
comprehensive summary of
the 2020 International Maritime
Pilots’ Association (IMPA) Safety
Campaign. I participated in
the very first of these annual
campaigns and I participated in
several since then when I was a
practising pilot and I was very
active in pilot ladder safety. At
the Second IMPA Conference
in 1974 I started a campaign
against pilot hoists. I was elected
Vice President of IMPA at that
conference. It was 40 years later
that pilot hoists were finally
abolished by IMO. As shown in
this report on the most recent
IMPA campaign there are still
frequent deficiencies in pilot
transfer arrangements and every
year pilots are injured and even
killed in the course of their work.
The most significant factor
in this report on the 2020 IMPA
Safety Campaign is the fact
that only 12.4% of the defects
were reported to authorities.
No less than 87.6% of faulty
and dangerous pilot ladder
arrangements went unreported
to authorities! The percentage
is probably even higher than
this because not all faulty
Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways
certainly among leisure craft 20
metres is relatively small. I was
navigating a 25-metre-long high-
speed craft from the Bay of Biscay
to London and we were running
at between 50 and 60 knots. We
avoided the separation zone off
Ushant by making our passage
through the inshore Chenal du
Four inside the island of Ushant,
but from there onwards our size
dictated that we follow the rules
and keep to the traffic lanes. This
meant keeping to the French side
through the Dover Strait and then
cutting across the westbound lane
(at right angles, of course) in order
to take the route into the Thames.
We found ourselves weaving our
way around the big ships and
were glad when we found our way
clear of the traffic lanes. Before
arrangements would have been
reported to IMPA during the
campaign. These annual safety
campaigns show what a serious
safety problem pilots have, but as
far as I know these campaigns do
not achieve anything else because
the problem is ongoing.
Since I retired from piloting I
have been consulted and involved
in several cases of pilots being
fatally or seriously injured. I have
seen many instances of pilots
continuing to use the same faulty
equipment even after a serious
incident and there are many
instances of faulty equipment
having been used for years before
a serious incident occurred.
In 1980 on behalf of IMPA and
for the information and safety of
all involved I wrote the book Pilot
Ladder Safety, and the sixth edition
came out in 2012. Originally,
for expediency, I published and
marketed this book myself and
I sold several thousand copies
at little more than cost; now it
is published by a commercial
publisher and is not so well known.
At the 1984 IMPA conference
I persuaded IMO to reopen the
matter of proper arrangements for
ships with freeboard in excess of
9 metres, but it was several years
departure I had asked Dover
Coastguard if heading for London
was an excuse to use the inshore
zones on the way up-Channel, but
they said no.
There are other anomalies
in the application of this rule.
A vessel heading west out of
the Bristol Channel has to head
virtually all the way to the Scilly
Isles before being able to enter the
southbound traffic lane if it sticks
to the rules. I am sure there are
several other places around the
world where small craft just over
the 20 metre length are forced
to make serious detours in order
to keep to the rules. In adverse
weather this can make them
endure potentially dangerous
conditions and they burn more
fuel and create problems that
before the regulations covered
this matter in detail. Then IMO
introduced ‘recommendations’
that effectively watered down the
SOLAS regulations.
The most recent regulations
require pilot ladders to be
inspected regularly by authorities
along with other safety equipment.
As a result, almost all ships have
one pilot ladder in good condition.
However, as stated in the article,
this one perfect ladder is often
kept for the purpose of passing
inspection and is not always used
for the pilot.
There is a sure and simple way
to solve the problems associated
with pilot ladder safety, but it is
unattainable. All deficiencies must
be reported to the authorities
and pilots must refuse to board
or disembark from a ship until the
faults have been corrected. But
pilots will not do this. Pilots’ raison
d’être is safety of ships, harbours,
the environment and people; but
when it comes to their own safety
and the safety of fellow pilots they
are complacent. Shipowners will
not install or rectify equipment
unless they really have to because
safety costs money. Would an
airline pilot take off if he knew
there was faulty equipment on
Letters
would not exist if they could use
the inshore zones.
The problem is this 20-metre
size limit. The simple solution is to
increase this perhaps to 30 metres,
but a figure even higher would
not present any major difficulties
to vessels in the inshore zone. It is
time for a re-think of this part of
Rule 10.
Dag Pike AFNI
Bristol, UK
his aircraft? Would a bus driver
or a truck driver deliberately
ignore faulty brakes or steering?
Would a builder climb unsafe
scaffolding? What about medical
professionals – are they not
scrupulously careful about the
equipment they use? There are
many other examples, and yet
maritime pilots will say nothing
about a faulty pilot ladder and
thereby they endanger pilots at
the next port and anyone else
who may unsuspectingly use a
dangerous pilot ladder.
Some of the pilot ladders
reported in the safety campaign
had steps in poor condition or
side ropes that parted. These
breakages and deficiencies
do not happen overnight;
their deterioration is a gradual
process. If a side rope parts when
a pilot climbs a ladder it is almost
certain that the side rope had
been in bad condition for a long
time and had been used many
times in questionable condition
but never reported as needing
replacement.
Capt Malcolm C Armstrong FNI
Honorary Life Member of IMPA
malcolmarmstrong@shaw.ca
June 2021  |  Seaways  |  35
 GOT SOME NEWS?
The NI out and about Let us know! editor@nautinst.org

Capt Vladimir Torskiy FNI writes

Representing The Nautical Institute
Î to the maritime industry and beyond
‘We are happy to announce that
the crew of MV Regina Oldendorff
received a Certificate of Appreciation
from The Nautical Institute of
The Nautical Institute continues with its Ukraine in grateful recognition
campaign to show our support for seafarers of their hard work, commitment
worldwide. Here are some of the most recent: and personal sacrifice.
US West Coast Branch Hon Chairman Capt ‘We want to use this opportunity
Gregory Tylawsky AFNI presents Lt Cdr Jonathan to highlight the appreciation of
Heesch AFNI, Master of the US NOAA (National people around the world for the
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) seafarers working hard at sea. Your work is especially
ship Reuben Lasker, with a certificate of important, is recognised and very much appreciated!
appreciation on behalf of the branch. Please accept a sincere thank you from all of us!’

Welcome to our new members

The Nominations Committee has nominated the following for election by Council:
Associate Fellow
Abrams, D B Captain/CEO (US West
Coast)
Andhare, A Captain/MSEQ
Superintendent (India (West))
Edwards, J P D Captain/Master (UK/
South West England)
Ehlers, A Mr/Marine Accident
Investigator (US North East Coast)
Falconer, J S K Captain/Marine
Specialist (UK/North Scotland)
Goss, D Captain/Ship to Ship POAC
(Belgium)
Jaya, A Captain/Operations Director
(Indonesia)
Jung, K Captain/General Manager
(China: Hong Kong SAR)
Kahlon, M S Captain/Master (India
(North))
Kanellatou, A Mrs/Director (Greece)
Kazi, S Mr/Data Officer (Qatar)
Kim, J U Dr/Consultant (Singapore)
MacIsaac, J D Captain/Faculty/
Master (CAN/Maritime Provinces)
Maki, V S Mr/Managing Director
(New Zealand)
Meleshko, V Captain/Master / SDPO
(Ukraine)
Mohtar, M A N B Captain/LNG
Master (Indonesia)
Munro, F H Captain/Master (UK/
Central Scotland)
Nayak, G P Captain/Marine
Superintendent (India (South))
Ojha, A K Captain/Director (Qatar)
Paul, F Mr/Coordinator (Norway)
Pinto, J P Captain/Master (India
(West))
Sachan, S S Capt/Master SDPO
(India (West))
Safuan, A F Captain/ (Malaysia)
Sanchez Fernandez, P Captain/Pilot
(Iberia)
Schäfer, A D Mr/Director (South
Africa)
Silva, A B Mr/Business Manager (Sri
Lanka)
Soe, Y N Captain/Port Marine
Surveyor (Australia - WA)
Tetemadze, B Captain/Master
(Georgia)
Umac, T Captain/Operations
Manager (UK/London)
van Elewoud, J Mr/Master / SDPO
(Netherlands)
Velusamy, J Captain/Managing
Director (Singapore)
Upgrade to Associate Fellow
Arrindell, R S Mr/Managing Director
(Trinidad & Tobago)
Blatchley, J W Captain (UK/NW
England & N Wales)
Breckenridge, I G Captain/Fleet
Operational Sea Training (UK/Central
Scotland)
Chatu, S Captain/Director
(Singapore)
Dane, M Mr/ (UK/W England)
Dunne, J Captain/Master (Ireland)
Hoonjan, R S K S Captain/
Operations Superintendent (UAE)
Ifesemen, M O O Captain (Nigeria)
Kulkarni, R K Captain/Vice President
(UK/London)
Macleod, T Captain (UK/Central
Scotland)
MacNeil, D J Mr/Master (UK/Central
Scotland)
Messer-Bookman, T Captain/
Professor (US West Coast)
Ong, C P Captain/Marine
Superintendent (Singapore)
Pipchenko, A Dr/Head of Safety of
Navigation (Ukraine)
Roziewski, K M Mr/Master/SDPO
(Poland)
Sharov, M Captain/Operations
Superintendent (Cyprus)
Thomson, D C Captain (UK/Shetland
Islands)
Member
Abeed, M Mr/OOW (UK/Central
Scotland)
Aguilar Huesca, M A Mr/Deck
Officer (Mexico)
Al Falasi, R K Captain/Manager (UAE)
Allen, A Captain/Vetting
Superintendent (Australia - VIC)
Anderson, S N Mr/Second Officer
(Australia - WA)
Antony, A Captain/Managing
Partner (India (South West))
Aydin, D Captain/Maritime
Consultant (UK/London)
Barlow, S C Mr/Chief Officer (Malta)
Bin Dag Breimo, E B Mr/Master
(Malaysia)
Brandal, J R Mr/Maritime Leader
(UK/London)
Brandholm, O Captain/Vetting
Superintendent (UK/London)
Bukh, M Mr/Chief Mate (Ukraine)
Burakowski, I Mr/Vetting
Superintendent (UK/London)
Buttar, J S P Captain/Vessel Traffic
Services Officer (Australia - WA)
Bygrave, A Mr/2nd Officer (UK/
Solent)
Cheney, F Captain/Vetting
Superintendent (US Gulf (Houston))
Colliander, A Mr/Chief Officer (UK/
NW England & N Wales)
Davidson, A R Mr/Second Officer
(Australia - QLD)
Dorneanu, L Mr/Senior DPO
(Romania)
Durnell, S Ms/Vetting Officer (US
Gulf (Houston))
Eckardt, J Captain/Senior Nautical
Officer (Germany)
Ellison, K R Mr/Mate (US West Coast)
Evans, T Mr/Operations Manager
(Lifeboats) (UK/South West England)
Fuly, P D M Mr/Chief Engineer
(Brazil)
G Harinarayanan, S Captain/CEO
(Singapore)
Gohil, Y M Mr/Business
Development Executive (UK/
London)
Griffiths, C J K Mr/Chief Officer (UK/
Central Scotland)
Hatamidarani, A Mr/Vetting & Dry
Cargo Inspections Superintendent
(Australia - VIC)
Hidayat, K Mr/DOIM (Indonesia)
Honeyborne, A Mr/Inspections
Manager (Australia - VIC)
Iovchev, A Mr/2nd Mate/Trainee
DPO (Ukraine)
Kang, J Captain/Vetting
Superintendent (US Gulf (Houston))
Kapoor, K Captain/Master (India
(North))
Kazi, I Captain/Senior Vetting
Superintendent (US Gulf (Houston))
Kelly-Granger, L Mr/Second Officer
(UK/Humber)
Kidd, S B Mr/2nd Officer (UK/NW
England & N Wales)
Labra Barrera, M S Mrs/2ND MATE
(Mexico)
Lal, P Mr/2nd Engineer (India (West))
Latchford, H Mr/Manager -
Australasia (Australia - VIC BM/
RightShip)
Lopes, A K Captain (Iberia Norway)
Martis, C J Mr/Chief Officer / SDPO
(India (West))
Nichols, A R Captain/ (Australia -
QLD)
Nud-Worgbah, J Mr/Marine Control
Room Operator (Ghana)
Para, B Captain/Vetting
Superintendent (US Gulf (Houston))
Paramasivam, R Captain/Master
Mariner (Malaysia)
Piccon, A Captain/Global Process
Analyst (UK/London)
Potti, R Mr/Marine Planning Officer
(UAE)
Rowlison, A S Mr/Commercial
Manager (South East Australia)
Sammut, J Captain/ (Malta)
Saripalli, S R Captain/Data Officer
(Australia - SA)
Saunders, C S Mr/Chief Product
Officer (UK/London)
Smith, D J Mr/Agency Operator (UK/
North East England)
Tan, T L Captain/Marine pilot
(Australia - QLD)
Tromba, R L Captain/Auditor/
Consultant (Iberia)
Walker, F A Captain/Marine
Consultant (UK/NW England & N
Wales)
Zhang, F Mr/Second Officer (China:
Hong Kong SAR)
Žic, A Mr/Second Officer (Croatia)
Upgrade to Member
Dalbeck, C H Mr (UK/NW England &
N Wales)
Johnson, C P Mr/3rd Officer Deck
(Untrained) (UK/North East England)
Smith, A D Mr (UK/South West
England)
Associate Member
Glorie, D C Mr/Deck Cadet (Australia
- WA)
Hookey, L Miss/ (UK/South West
England)
Livingstone, M A Mr/Cadet (Ireland)
Nolasco, P O Mr/Student (Brazil)
Palbar Misas, J D Mr/Deck Cadet
(UK/South West England)
Ray, R Mr/ (India (West))
*Signifies members who have rejoined

36  |  Seaways |  June 2021 Read Seaways online at www.nautinst.org/seaways

 Branch Secretaries and development contacts
AUSTRALIA DENMARK JAPAN SINGAPORE North East England
Capt Peter Rasmussen AFNI Prof. Masao Furusho, MNI www.nautinst.org/singapore Mr David Byrne FNI
Queensland
Tel: +45 44 366851 Tel: 81 78 431 6246 Capt Ken Ellam AFNI Tel: +44 (0)191 285 2013
Peter Murday MNI
plr@bimco.org Mobile 81 90 5362 2858 Tel: : +65 9879 8606 Mob: +44 (0)7703 49 00 63
mobile: +61 418 745501 david.byrne@flag-c.com
Queensland.branch@nautinst.org furusho@maritime.kobe-u.ac.jp singapore.branch@nautinst.org
EGYPT North of Scotland
SE Australia Capt Eslam Zeid, AFNI MALAYSIA SOUTHERN AFRICA John Reid AFNI
www.nisea.org Tel: +201288850654 Dr. Capt. Manivannan www.nautinst.co.za northofscotland.branch@nautinst.
Patrick Walsh AFNI eslamzeid@gmail.com Subramaniam FNI Ms Yvette de Klerk AMNI org
Tel: +61 437 681 277 Tel: + (60)-012 3582 485 Tel: +27 84 482 4444 NW England and N Wales
sec@nisea.org FRANCE (60)-06- 388 2280 Yvettedeklerk@icloud.com Dr Christopher Haughton, FNI
Capt Guillaume Bourgeois de manivannan@alam.edu.my sec@ninw.org.uk
SE Australia (NSW) SOUTH KOREA
Boynes MNI Shetland
Patrick Walsh AFNI MALDIVES Capt Chason Kang AFNI
Tel: +33 (0)2 3292 9175 (o) https://www.facebook.com/
Tel: +61 437 310 803 Capt. Adhil Rasheed MSc MNI Chasonk@nate.com
guillaume.deboynes@helvetia.fr ShetlandNI
sec@nisea.org Tel: + 960 331 2014 Laura Burden MNI
GEORGIA Fax: + 960 331 2015 SRI LANKA
SE Australia (ACT) Tel: 07935919886 (Mob)
Capt Mamuka Akhaladze AFNI Mob: + 960 999 8700 Capt Keith Jayasuriya AFNI
Nicholas Bonser MNI laura.burden1@hotmail.com
Tel: +995 555 965050 arasheed@mamaldives.edu.mv Tel: +94 770 713 857
Tel:+61 407 051 130 Solent
Mob: +995 577 221677 Keith.jayasuriya@gac.com
nicholas.bonser@amsa.gov.au www.nautinst.org/uk-solent
m.akhaladze@gmail.com MALTA
Southern Australia Dr Geraldine Spiteri, MNI SURINAME Richard Brooks, FNI
www.nisea.org Mr Ruurdt Jukema MNI Tel: 07815 104419 (Mob)
GERMANY geraldine.spiteri@gmail.com
Tel: + 597- 485594 nisolentbranch.secretary@gmail.com
Captain Peter Martin FNI www.linkedin.com/
Tel: +61 428 073 229 MEXICO Mob: +597-869 3876 South West England
groups?gid=3451665? Gordon Foot FNI
pinchj@bigpond.com Capt. Ricardo E. Jiménez AFNI ruurdt.jukema@firstmeridian.nl
Jens Hansen MNI gordonfoot@sky.com
Office: + 52 55 75 868274
Western Australia Tel: +49 40 334 282 76 SWEDEN
Mob: +52 1 55 4712 8244 VENEZUELA
Zubin Bhada, AFNI nautinst.germany@googlemail.com www.nautinst.org/swe-den
Ricardo.Jimenez@bs- Capt Oscar Rodriguez AFNI
Tel: +61 8 9348 5837 Capt Helle Andsbjerg AFNI
GHANA shipmanagement.com Tel: +584242177766
Mobile: +61 0 408 165 306 helle@captainhelle.com
zbhada@gmail.com Capt William Amanhyia, AFNI MYANMAR Mobile +582127935701
Tel: 233 2 4406 2438 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO orodriguez@consemargroup.
BALTIC STATES Capt Ba Nyan MNI
w_amanhyia@msn.com Yusuf Buckmire AMNI com.ve
sec@nautinst.org Tel: 95 9 511 0982 (Mobile)
banyan@kcksrpsp.com Tel: +18687699429
BANGLADESH GREECE (HELLENIC) yubuck14@gmail.com
Capt. Nikos Aslanis AFNI MONTENEGRO
Chittagong Tel: +30 6944 370 023 TURKEY
Capt. Boro Lucic, AFNI
Capt. Sheikh Md. Jalal Uddin Gazi, hellenic.branch@nautinst.org Capt. Mehmet Albayrak, MNI
Tel: +382 (0)69 597 766 (Viber)
AFNI Tel +90 216 474 6793
+382 (0)68 068 766
Mobile : +880 1713 450252 IBERIA alia@topazmarine.com
nautinst.chittagong@gmail.com boro.lucic@gmail.com
Capt. Mark Bull FNI
Dhaka Tel: +350 5404 6600 (Mob) NETHERLANDS UAE
Capt Anisur Rahman Khan, AFNI, Iberia.branch@nautinst.org www.nautinst.nl www.niuae.ae
MICS Netherlands.branch@nautinst.org Capt Sirpreet Kahlon AFNI
INDIA nauticalinstitute.uae@gmail.com
Mobile : +880 1727 618242
nautinst.dhaka@gmail.com North (New Delhi) NEW ZEALAND
Capt Pawan K. Mittal, MNI Capt. Kees Buckens, FNI UKRAINE
BELGIUM Tel: +64 9 579 4429 www.nautinst.com.ua
Mobile 91 98 1016 0883
www.nautinst.org/belgium nznisec@xtra.co.nz Professor Vladimir Torskiy, FNI
Tel/Fax: 91 11 2508 6500
Mr Frans Doomen MNI Tel/Fax: +38 (048) 733-48-36
pkmittal@ariworld.com NIGERIA
info@nibb.be Mobile: +38 (050) 390-12-87
North West (Chandigarh) Capt. Jerome Angyunwe AFNI torskiy@te.net.ua
BRAZIL Capt P Ahluwalia MNI Tel: 234 1896 9401
Capt. Vinicius Madruga Santos, FNI cdgnauticalinst@gmail.com Mobile 234 80 2831 6537 U.S.A.
Tel: +55 11 3515-5873 Jerome107@hotmail.com
Mob: +55 11 964650066 South (Chennai) Gulf – Florida
madruga@flumar.com.br Capt Y D Misra MNI NORWAY Cmdr. Peter James, FNI
Tel: 91 98401 15064 (Mob) Mr Viet Dung Vu MNI pjameseas@aol.com
BULGARIA mail@nisi.org.in Tel: +4798545022 Gulf – Houston
Capt. Andriyan Evtimov, FNI dvv@hvl.no Fr Sinclair Oubre AFNI
Tel: 359 52 631 464 (o) South West (Kochi)
Capt Vinod Naveen AFNI Tel: 409 749 0171 (Mob)
aevtimov@abv.bg PAKISTAN nigulfbranch@gmail.com
nauticalinstituteindiasw@gmail.com Capt. S M A Mahmoodi, FNI
CANADA Tel: 92 21 285 8050-3 (o) North East US Coast
West (Mumbai)
British Columbia mahmoodi@mintship.com Capt Craig Dalton AFNI
Capt. Amol Deshmukh MNI Tel: 508-830-5000
nibcbranch.ca Tel: +91-98331 22343 (mob)
Ryan Andresen MNI PANAMA cdalton@maritime.edu
ad@amoldeshmukh.net
ahoynibc@gmail.com Nitzeira Watson AFNI West Coast
INDONESIA panama.branch@nautinst.org Dr Colin Dewey AFNI
Maritime Provinces Tel: 707-654-1065
Capt. Alan Knight FNI Captain Akhmad Subaidi AFNI
PHILIPPINES uswestcoast.branch@nautinst.org
knighta@eastlink.ca Tel: +62 24 7628676 (H)
Angelica Baylon AFNI
Tel: +62 21 30050000 (Ext 204)(O)
Tel: 63472373355 UNITED KINGDOM
CHINA capt.akhmad@gmail.com
ambaylon_maap11@yahoo.com Bristol Channel
Hong Kong SAR IRELAND Capt John Rudd, AFNI
www.nautinsthk.com POLAND
www.linkedin.com/pub/ Tel: 01179 772173
Capt Aalok Sharma, AFNI Capt. Adam Weintrit, FNI
nauticalinstitute-ireland- Mobile 07976 611547
Mobile : +852-6130 1377 Tel: +48 6 0410 8017
branch/29/953/561 johnrudduk@hotmail.com
secretary@nautinsthk.com weintrit@am.gdynia.pl
Capt Steve Malone AFNI Central Scotland
Shanghai Mobile: +353 86 2297127 ROMANIA http://nicentralscotland.org.uk
Sandy Lin, MNI nautinst.ireland@gmail.com Capt. Cristian E. Ciortan, AFNI Capt Andy O’Brian AFNI
Tel: 86 21 68868389 Mobile: +40 722 393 464 Mobile 07833671427
sandylin@fcaremarine.com.cn ITALY
ceciortan@me.com Secretary@nicentralscotland.org.uk
North Humber
CROATIA Tiziano Menconi MNI RUSSIA
Mrs Zaloa Sanchez Varela MNI Capt Jamie Simpson AFNI
Tel: +39 3397540138 St. Petersburg humber.branch@nautinst.org
nauticalinstitutecroatia@gmail.com menconitiziano@gmail.com Captain Alexandr B Nosko MNI London
CYPRUS South Tel: +7 812 3859933 www.nautinst.org/uk-london
Natalie Georgiou Capt Modestino Manfredi AFNI Mobile +7 911 9224151 Andrew Bell FNI
secretary@nautinst-cyprus.org Tel: +39 339 1291042 (Mobile) abnosko@gmail.com Tel: 07785586317
http://www.nautinst-cyprus.org/ dariomanfredi@libero.it a.nosko@scf-group.ru Andrew.Bell@shlegal.com

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