In an exclusive interview to SAFETY4SEA, Mr Guy Platten, Secretary General of ICS, refers to the current industry’s challenges due to COVID-19 and how the pandemic impacts seafarers, highlighting that they have always been the heart of shipping. During this ongoing crisis, we must first steer seafarers safely through the remainder of the pandemic, Mr Platten stated, highlighting that vaccinations against Covid-19 should start for all seafarers soonest possible as they are experiencing fatigue and distress after such extended periods at sea.
SAFETY4SEA: What are the key challenges of this pandemic crisis for the shipping industry? Do you see any opportunities?
Guy Platten: There are many challenges facing the shipping industry, the most pressing of which is the impact the pandemic is having on seafarers. The opportunity that counteracts this challenge is the international recognition of the value of seafarers. 55 countries and two associate members have recognized seafarers as key workers for the first time, as have the Pope and the UN Secretary General Gutierrez. Seafarers were the forgotten heroes of globalisation, but not anymore. As seafarers have acquired this rare moment in the spotlight, it is important that industry come together to reiterate the important role seafarers will play in rolling out the vaccines. Seafarers are the world’s lifeline, delivering PPE, industrial freezers, safety boxes, and other materials essential for the global vaccine rollout.
S4S: In your view, has the industry handled the COVID-19 crisis effectively so far? What needs to be further done?
G.P.: The shipping industry has reacted very well since we first sounded the alarm of the looming crisis in 2019. We have been able to mobilise and come together as an industry as never before, to support our seafarers. This has resulted in recognition and the ability to overcome many issues that have been thrown at us. There is still so much more to do, and we are working with charterers to make sure they remain on the right side of history by supporting our seafarers and facilitating crew change.
S4S: How may the young generation think of the shipping industry? How should we work to raise industry’s profile to the next talents?
G.P.: A career at sea still represents a phenomenal opportunity and meaningful career. Governments and industry at an international level must work together to highlight the opportunities that are available when pursuing this essential career path. Additionally, industry is taking steps to make our workforce a more diverse community from seafarers to board members. Diversity brings different skill sets to the table to meet the industry’s rising challenges like decarbonisation, while still enabling shipping to play its part at the forefront of rebuilding the global economy.
S4S: What should industry’s key priorities, as we move during this crisis and maybe in the post-pandemic landscape, in order to improve the operational resilience of the industry?
G.P.: Industry’s first priority is our seafarers, who have proven throughout the pandemic to be resilient and resourceful. We must first steer seafarers safely through the remainder of the pandemic.
The next focus is decarbonization of the shipping sector. As we approach the 4thpropulsion revolution, we are going to need well-trained seafarers able to respond to, and deliver on the challenge. With this, we are welcoming the proposal from government create a 5 billion USD R&D fund to develop zero emission ships, and other green marine technologies.
And finally, trade must better match the needs of the many, not the few. ICS’s newest report on Protectionism in Maritime Economies highlights how reducing trade tariff and non-tariff barriers provides a clear opportunity for government to build back better. This will allow shipping to play its full part in the global recovery.
S4S: What is your wish list for the operators with regards to human element? What needs to be considered to discussions around human element?
G.P.: Our industry requires highly trained and motivated crews who receive the grounding needed to meet these challenges. The new technologies and new ways of working, that will be required as we decarbonise will need new skills and new approaches. It is fundamentally important that we review the STCW to ensure we have our workforce ready to work towards net-zero.
S4S: In your view, has the industry been successful in implementing safety culture?
G.P.: Seafarer safety is of the upmost importance. We have come a long way with the safety culture in shipping, but there is still a lot to regulate. This is a difficult industry with crew having to often work in hostile environments. We have to continue to strive to improve safety procedures and ensure best practice is rolled out across the world. We need to build on the suite of regulatory frameworks, STCW and MLC, to better safety standards for seafarers. Flag and port states must continue to improve their global regulatory framework to continue to reduce the risk of accidents onboard.
S4S: If you could change one thing that would have an either profound or immediate impact on the safety performance across the industry, what this one thing would it be and why?
G.P.: I would have all seafarers vaccinated against Covid-19. Seafarers are experiencing fatigue and distress after such extended periods at sea. The crew change crisis has had a real impact on their physical and mental wellbeing, despite industry providing additional support. The ongoing crisis increases the risk of maritime incidents, environmental disasters, and poses a wider threat to the integrity of global supply chains delivering critical PPE, necessary for the global vaccination effort.
Slightly less immediate, but equally as critical to safety, would be for the contents of cargo containers to always be accurately declared. This will decrease cargo fires.
S4S: What is your key message to industry stakeholders to foster resilience in COVID-19 era?
G.P.: ICS wishes to maintain the close collaboration that the industry has developed in the past year. As we look to the future, maintaining it will be vital and we need to build on this platform of partnership if we are to continue to support our seafarers and be successful.
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and do not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
