Training to be a ship’s Master is not easy and only a few can succeed it. Today, Masters and the responsibility of commanding a vessel meets a newly qualified officer in a shipping environment with heavy legislation, as well as criminalisation of seafarers and piracy, which regularly make headlines in industry media, Skuld Club notes.
The minimum standards for an officer to qualify as a Master of a foreign going vessel are set out in STCW convention. The convention establishes the framework of training of officers to gain competence and practical experience as they go up the ranks to eventually take command of a vessel. Skills like ship handling, navigation and cargo documentation are taught extensively.
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According to Skuld Club, soft skills are also important. Effective communication with bridge team and with the parties interested in the commercial adventure of a voyage are a challenge to a Master when he or she faces them for the first time.Thus, effective communication with multiple nationalities working on a ship, at sea and ashore, also poses a challenge.
In order to implement seamless communication on board the vessel, a no blame culture should be promoted in overall ship operations. Master has the overall decision-making authority but should discuss with the team onboard and use all resources available. This can only be achieved if there is a good team effort.
As for skills and competences, training academies train officers in soft skills but there is no better way to learn than actively engaging in these tasks onboard. Companies should encourage ‘learning by doing’ attitude onboard the vessels and promote knowledge and experience from senior members of team to junior officers.
Finally, it’s crucial that the Master is not only familiar with but also appreciates engine room operations. On board team exercises where exchange of ideas between departments is promoted can assist in achieving this, Skuld Club concludes.
