2022 SAFETY4SEA Forum: Safety and seafarers’ wellbeing are key priorities

Session #1 – Safety Culture – Presentations

Capt. John Dolan, Deputy Director, Loss Prevention, Standard Club highlighted that navigation related major claims are on the rise and the associated costs are huge. As we have entered a new era of e-navigation, it is not just the seafarer who needs focus. Pilots have a critical role to play and so do shoreside management too.

Danielle Centeno, Loss Prevention Executive, American Club analysed lessons learned from accidents, highlighting that in order to prevent reoccurrence, the following are important: analyze the causes, take corrective actions, take preventing measures and manage the change. Above all, when there is a failure, it is important to investigate it and ask ‘why’ at least five times.

Amelia Rocos, Senior Risk Management Analyst, Diaplous Group shared her perspectives on safety culture in times of change and transition. When safety culture is at its most effective, staff have a proactive attitude to working to ensure nobody gets hurt, which reduces accidents/ incidents, saves costs and allows for operational excellence, she said.

Session #2 – Panel Discussion: Human Factors

Experts of this panel discussion, moderated by Apo Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA, discussed key considerations about human factors and best practices for enhanced safety culture & safety learning. The following experts participated: Johanna Karlström, Loss Prevention Executive, Alandia; Antonios Liappis, Marine HR Manager, GasLog Ltd.; Dr. William Moore, Senior Vice President & Global Head of Loss Prevention, American Club; Dr. Christos Patsiouras, Dean of Maritime Academy, Metropolitan College; John Southam, Loss Prevention Executive, North P&I Club and; Rear-Admiral Bill Truelove, Managing Director, CSMART Arison Maritime Training Center. Sharing interesting perspectives, panellists encouraged industry stakeholders to focus on psychological safety, soft skill development and human sustainability.

Session #3 – Human Factors – Presentations

Raal Harris, Chief Creative Officer, Ocean Technologies Group gave a presentation on how a Human Factors approach to learning can help drive people performance, highlighting five pillars to focus on: learning and shaping a culture to reduce risk, have well executed tasks and procedures, well designed equipment and controls, develop skills to respond to emerging situations and learn before and after failures.

Capt. Vasileios Velmachos, Training Manager, COSTAMARE Shipping Company S.A. mentioned that shipping industry is a dynamic sector, featuring a hard environment to live and work in, hence human factor plays a significant role on the smooth operation of the vessel. When analyzing Human factor, our focus should be on how to eliminate failures and increase the overall performance.

Capt. Konstantinos Tsochas, Chief Operating Officer, Capital-Executive Ship Management Corp. said that effectiveness is interconnected with the ability to solve problems, and especially in the maritime Industry, it’s related with crisis management. To achieve results, it is the Manager’s responsibility to plan. If success is not achieved, it is the Manager who should step forward and assume the burden of the failure.

Stephanie Sjöblad, Loss Prevention Executive/ Claims adjuster, Alandia highlighted that being compliant does not necessarily mean safe. Changes need to be implemented in a sustainable way and people are one of the organisation’s most valuable resources. As there is a direct link between human factors and safety, effective communication is vital.

Session #4 – Panel Discussion: ESG in Shipping

Activity around environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability issues is increasing as governments and citizens exert pressure on businesses to change their operations, said Allianz in a recent report. The maritime industry also keeps pace with this trend and thus, we are constantly hearing in the news, stakeholders to engage to many ESG initiatives. In this panel, moderated by Apo Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA, experts referred to ESG trends and key barriers and drivers to implement an ESG strategy with effective monitoring and reporting. The following experts participated: Gabriele Dado, Commercial Director, Safetytech Accelerator; Raal Harris, Chief Creative Officer, Ocean Technologies Group; Aishwarya Iyer, ESG Manager, RightShip; Øistein Jensen, Chief Sustainability Officer, Odfjell SE and; Aideen O’Driscoll, Vice President, Director Corporate Services, Ardmore Shipping Services (Ireland) Limited.

Session #5 – Best Practices Spotlight

Takis Koutris, Managing Director, Roxana Shipping SA mentioned the three principles of human performance: 1. Error is normal; 2. Humans want to do a good job; 3. Human error is opportunity for system improvement. These principles are important and can result in fearless engagement and success, as people feel comfortable to share their concerns, appreciate diversity become committed to their team and leaders.

The winners of the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Virtual Awards are:

C Transport Maritime S.A.M. (CTM) received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Dry Bulk Operator Award for establishing an innovative strategy based on ‘Going Forward Together’ which is the vision that CTM has since its formation. Other distinguished short-listed nominees of this category were: Atlantic Bulk Carriers Management Ltd., Golden Union Shipping CO. S.A., MMS Co., Ltd., Orion Reederei GmbH & Co. KG and Polaris Shipping.

Maran Gas Maritime Inc. received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Tanker Operator Award for placing the health of its employees among its top priorities, seeking to ensure healthy and hygienic conditions for all shore staff and seagoing personnel. Other distinguished short-listed nominees of this category were: EXMAR Ship Management, LSC Group, Norstar Ship Management Pte Ltd, Stealth Maritime Corporation S.A. and Zodiac Maritime.

Odfjell SE received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Sustainability Award for supporting sustainability with ESG reporting and ESG communication. Odfjell was the first company in the maritime industry to issue a Sustainability Linked Bond while it recently signed the FUTURE-PROOF initiative in support of human rights. Other distinguished short-listed nominees of this category were: ABS, Columbia Shipmanagement, European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI).

CSMART Arison Maritime Training Center received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Training Award for expanding its training portfolio to include an online and onboard curriculum and remote usage of its simulation technology. CSMART continues to focus on maritime skills and the advancement of a lifelong learning philosophy across the fleet. Other distinguished short-listed nominees of this category were: OneLearn Global, Seably, SeaBot Maritime and Wärtsilä Voyage.

Survitec received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Technology Award for launching the ‘Seahaven Advanced Evacuation System’ to cruise ships owners and builders with Type Approval by Lloyds Register after successfully completing ship sinking scenario and a timed evacuation in less than 22 minutes. Other distinguished short-listed nominees of this category were: Bigyellowfish, HiLo Maritime Risk Management, NAPA and SOL-X Pte. Ltd.

International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Initiative Award for conducting annually its ‘Pilot Ladder Safety Campaign’ with the objective of reporting pilots’ experiences of ladders and boarding equipment to the IMO and the wider shipping community. Other distinguished short-listed nominees of this category were: Inmarsat, International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), Safetytech Accelerator and Seafarers Hospital Society.

John Adams, Managing Director of V.Ships UK & Americas, received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Personality Award, sponsored by MacGregor, for his overall contribution to the shipping industry for over 40 years. Mr. Adams has played a key leadership role in Teekay’s growth, in the Working Group that approved IMO GHG reduction targets, in ICS as Vice Chair, and currently in leveraging V. Group’s new ship management operating model.

William R. Gallagher, President, IRI | International Registries, Inc. received the 2022 SAFETY4SEA Leadership Award, sponsored by MacGregor, for demonstrating effective leadership as IRI’s President since 2000. For over 20 years, he has worked closely with the Marshall Islands government and its legislative agenda and has been most instrumental in working with IRI’s Far East clientele.

EXPLORE MORE ABOUT 2022 SAFETY4SEA AWARDS HERE

Session #6 – SIRE 2.0 – Presentations

Capt. Sanjive Nanda, Vice President, Senior Claims Executive, American Club, prepared the audience for SIRE 2.0 inspections. As explained, to initiate such inspections, the process firstly involves a request by vessel owner to Oil Major, for inspection of specific vessel. Then, vessel owner will receive confirmation from the Oil Major. Upon receipt of confirmation, vessel owners are expected to upload information on OCIMF website.

Capt. Debashis Basu, Founder & Partner, Navguide Solutions LLP referred to changes that SIRE 2.0 brings and ways to handle them; for example, by upgrading SMS & procedures, planning workshops to raise awareness, preparing enhanced checklists, pre-SIRE, Pre-Vetting inspections and mock SIRE 2.0 inspections. He also highlighted the benefits of microlearning videos to prepare vessels at a deeper level.

Capt. Alexandros Arabatzoglou, Vetting Manager, Latsco Marine Management Inc. highlighted that one of the major change in SIRE 2.0 is the increased emphasis on human factors and understanding the reasons for any negative observations. It also identifies the Performance Influencing factors (PIFs) which influence human performance. Optimising PIFs will reduce the likelihood of all types of human failure, he stressed.

Session #7 – Panel Discussion: SIRE 2.0

While currently in development, the new vessel inspection regime, SIRE 2.0, will more accurately report on the quality of a vessel and its crew (on an ongoing basis) and indicate future likely performance, using enhanced tools, strengthened governance processes and more in-depth reporting outcomes, following a risk-based approach. In this panel, moderated by Apo Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA, experts discussed how to incorporate the human factor into SIRE 2.0 to drive change. The following experts participated: Capt. Mark Bull, Consultant; Abhijit Ghosh, Marine Manager, Ardmore Shipping Services (Ireland) Limited; Capt. Charis Kanellopoulos, Safety, Quality & Vetting Manager / DPA, Sun Enterprises Ltd; Lennart Ripke, Director Sales, Green-Jakobsen and; David Savage, Director, Oceanfile Marine Ltd.

Session #8 – Best Practices Spotlight

Apo Belokas, CEO, RISK4SEA presented a case study to explain how PSC automation can improve safety and minimize OPEX and share PSC analytics and best practices.

Session #9 – Continuous Learning Spotlight

Jannis Schack, Key Account Manager, Mintra, noted that training following an arduous day, or night, onboard puts pressure on seafarers and ultimately this limits the impact any learning will have on the individual’s performance. As such, the introduction of bitesize learning makes it easier for crew to digest and fit training into their daily lives.

Ross Millar, Loss Prevention Associate, Steamship Insurance Management Services Limited highlighted the need for evolution of training, considering change in ship operations, the emerging regulatory, new technologies and new skills needed. As such, the development of training standards is inevitable while modern technology solutions need careful attention and consideration in their integration.

Session #10 – Crew Welfare Spotlight

Mariangela Zanaki, Managing Director, Ceosan Consulting explained why Crew Welfare needs to become a strategy priority. In that regard, promoting a culture of care with wellbeing and mental health resources to embrace a workplace culture with leadership, policies, procedure and related practices, is vital.

Yiannis Fafalios, CEO, Care4C, noted that the maritime industry is making steady progress towards a more supportive and human- centric working environment for seafarers, but still has a long way to go. In that regard, industry must care for the crew; communicate with them with greater awareness; enhance ESG strategies to focus on the S and implement processes that will proactively ensure healthy crew.

Session #11 – Panel Discussion: Crew Welfare

Crew Welfare remains on the top of industry’s agenda. Although the Neptune Declaration Crew Change Index has showed transition to new normal since July, maritime stakeholders remain alert to improve life onboard in the post- pandemic era. As such, ship managers and operators have shed their focus on enhancing the welfare of seafarers, promoting efforts targeting both the physical and the mental health of crew onboard. Experts of the panel, moderated by Apo Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA, focused on lessons learned from the pandemic and the several crew abandonment cases as well as best practices with regards to crew welfare. Participants were: Emmanolia Kolias, Channel Director, Mintra; Dr. Kate Pike, Director of Projects, Field-Research Ltd; Capt. Yves Vandenborn, Director of Loss Prevention, Standard Club; Sandra Welch, CEO, Seafarers Hospital Society and; Revd. Canon Andrew Wright, Secretary General, The Mission to Seafarers

Session #12 – Container Fires Spotlight

Rich McLoughlin, Head of Maritime Engagement, Safetytech Accelerator presented several technological solutions for the early fire detection on containerships such as thermal imaging and visual analytics, battery-less sensors, linear heat detectors. He explained how AR and VR can help fire fighting and encouraged industry stakeholders to join their containership cargo fire initiative.

Session #13 – Security Spotlight

Capt. Konstantinos G. Karavasilis, Regional Director, Loss Prevention, UK P&I Club mentioned that rates of drug trafficking are increasing in an alarming rate and suggested ways to raise crew awareness. For example, guidance notes of how to prevent drug smuggling, warning posters, information leaflets, whistleblowing policies and a ‘hotline’ for crew to call with information can help towards.

Session #14 – Panel Discussion: Maritime Security

The shipping industry has announced its plans to formally end the High Risk Area designation at the end of the year which signals a significantly improved piracy situation in the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, IMB has received the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of any year since 1994, highlighting though that the areas of risk shift and the shipping community must remain vigilant. Panel experts provided an overview of overview of the security landscape and suggested ways to move forward with incident reporting, highlighting that although the decrease in pirate attacks, there is no room for complacency. The following experts participated: Apo Belokas, Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA (moderator); Capt. Akshat Arora, Senior Surveyor, Loss Prevention, Standard Club; Chirag Bahri, International Operations Manager, ISWAN; Lt CDR Diego Cánovas-Cánovas, Interagency and Shipping Advisor, Coordinator, European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta; Henrik Ehlers Kragh, COO, Risk Intelligence; Nikos Georgopoulos, Chief Business Development Officer, Diaplous Group; and Mark Sutcliffe, Managing Director, CSO Alliance.