NAUTILUS P01 OCTOBER 2010.qxd - Nautilus International

October 2010 | nautilusint.org | telegraph | 17
YOUR LETTERS
THE VIEW FROM MUIRHEAD
Going overboard See the letter
below, from Christian Rose
We still
have a
long way
to go...
What is that story about plastic in
the sea This is the cook cleaning
up the leftovers and surely it
would make the day of any Coast
Guard Officer — and it had been
going on for maybe weeks.
It would seem that all the
pamphlets and Marpol rules
displayed in the galley are not
getting to the core of the problem,
which is total indifference and ‘all
that bull... is not for me’. He was
not even reported in the logbook
because ‘it was only a few plastic
bags in the Pacific’.
Easy to lose hope.
CHRISTIAN ROSE
Follow us
on Twitter
Where’s my Telegraph
If you have moved recently,
your home copy may still be trying
to catch up with you — particularly
if you gave us a temporary
address such as a hall
of residence.
THE ROYAL ALFRED
SEAFARERS’ SOCIETY
BELVEDERE HOUSE provides
quality nursing care, residential
and sheltered accommodation
primarily for Seafarers and their
dependants offering modern en
suite rooms and sheltered flats
set in 14 acres of lovely Surrey
countryside. For further
information, please contact the
To let us know your new address,
go to www.nautilusint.org and
log in as a member, or contact our
membership department on +44
151 639 8454 or membership@
nautilusint.org.
Chief Executive, Commander
Brian Boxall-Hunt OBE,
Head Office, Weston Acres,
Woodmansterne Lane, Banstead,
Surrey SM7 3HA.
Tel: 01737 353763
www.royalalfredseafarers.com
Reg Charity No 209776 Est 1865
[ STAR LETTERS
Cadet’s tragic death must
lead to positive action
Although long retired now, I
regularly get the union’s mag and
I am appalled as an ex-seafarer to
read in the September issue of this
poor young cadet’s rape and her
being found dead over the side. She
was alive at 1000hrs, but gone by
1100hrs — very suspicious.
With a Ukrainian chief officer
on a British-flagged ship, I feel
it is time to get all the world’s
shipping companies to change their
attitude to cadet training. I believe
their sea time must now be done
on a dedicated small passenger
ship, sponsored by all companies
worldwide, not on independent
ships where this tragedy will occur
again.
I am certain we could find a ro-ro
somewhere with a passenger ticket
of 1,400 dedicated to international
cadets. Cast your mind back to
the school ships like Dunera,
etc. It would need international
cooperation and finance, but put
a stop to the problems — it can be
done.
I hope Nautilus can promote
this. It is my idea, but I hope it
can be progressed as the training
officers would be hand-picked and
know how to handle young people!
NIGEL SCHOFIELD
Retired ETO+
Maritime ‘co-pilots’
can improve safety
The new more targeted inspection
regime enabled by the Port State
Control Directive (2009/16/EC)
should prove to be a much more
successful tool in targeting those
ships and operators who operate
substandard vessels.
For too long the old ‘quota’ system
subjected responsible ship operators
and their crews to unnecessary,
burdensome inspections and the
consequential workload that came
with it.
What I would now ask those
signatories to the Paris MOU to
consider is where a vessel has been
The Red Duster — a flag to be proud
of, or is it
I’m somewhat disappointed by
the low level of response by Nautilus
to the death of the South African
cadet Akohona Geveza onboard
the UK-registered containership
Safmarine Kariba.
I think her tragic death and the
allegations surrounding it required
a more forceful approach: namely
the general secretary requesting a
meeting with senior government
ministers and maybe even the PM.
If the government wants to
encourage ‘FoCs’, then it must also
accept a duty of care towards those
who sail upon them, especially the
young and vulnerable cadets, no
matter where any incident occurs.
I have to agree with a lot of the
comments made by the cadets in
the Nautilus survey. The British
(I use this term lightly) Merchant
Navy is suffering from the use of an
increasing number of seafarers who
don’t speak English as their first
language. To place cadets onboard
such ships raises the risk of poor
onboard training and could also
result in an increase risk of personal
injury.
They need to be provided with
good all-round training which
should include accommodation and
identified as a Category I High Risk
Ship (HRS) under the Ship Risk Profile
(SRP) calculator, due for or overdue
a PSC inspection, that consideration
should be given to requiring a suitably
qualified deepsea pilot to board that
vessel at the nearest safe embarkation
point after entering European waters
— thereby ensuring that it safely
reaches its destination and that all
risks to safety and the environment are
minimised.
Over the last few years the P&I
clubs have at various times warned
about a steep rise in ship accidents
as global trade recovers and ships
food whilst at college, like it used to
be when I did mine in the late 70s/
early 80s.
MALCOLM O’NEILL
Master Mariner
mem no 160738
General secretary
Mark Dickinson replies:
It is good that members are
concerned about the circumstances
surrounding the death of
Akhona Geveza. Our response to
the tragic incident was strong,
and we have indeed requested
meetings with senior government
ministers. We have also raised
the case through an emergency
motion at the ITF Congress, we
are in talks with the Chamber of
Shipping, and we are working with
union colleagues in South Africa
and elsewhere to make sure the
case is not swept under the carpet.
We have worked to highlight the
incident in the media, and we are
also keeping pressure up on the
authorities in the UK, Croatia
and South Africa to ensure that the
incident is properly investigated,
that justice is done and lessons
are learned to prevent a
repeat.
Seafarers simply need respect
Several years ago I noticed that
Danish seafarers who had completed
40 years’ service were featured in
the company’s magazine. Having
completed a similar period myself,
I asked the company what their policy
was towards commemorating long
service for British officers. Strangely,
my request was ignored. Last month
I retired after 44 years’ service; a gold
clock might have been nice but instead
all I received was a P45.
In the national newspapers today
it was reported that the head of Stena
Line’s North Sea operation described
Britons as ‘tattooed and fat’ and that
our ‘young people do not want to go
to sea any more — they don’t want to
be away from home’. I would suggest
to Stena Line and other foreign
shipowners that all British seafarers
expect from their employer is RESPECT.
In my years at sea, I have always
been immensely proud of my fellow
British seafarers, both officers and
ratings. OK, in the 60s and 70s, some
ratings embraced the left-wing union
politics more commonly associated
with the likes of British Leyland
workers, but when push came to
shove, they were always there for their
ship and shipmates. OK, some were fat
and some were tattooed, some were
even both, but that didn’t stop them
being the most dedicated seafarers I
ever had the pleasure of sailing with.
The Royal Navy has absolutely
no problem in recruiting seafarers,
including those from the ethnic
minorities and women. This is not so
in the Merchant Navy, where potential
recruits know their continued
employment will be governed by
their shipowners’ next quarterly
results. Young people these days are
fully aware that their potential as
individuals will never be recognised by
their shipowner. They will always be
viewed as just a part of the expensive
British-based workforce which, while
valued for their professionalism,
can always be replaced by workers
from low-wage countries when the
economy heads south.
When one of my children finished
a temporary six-week contract in an
office recently, she was given a nice
present and a leaving party. I feel that
my daughter received more respect
from her employer in six weeks than I
did in 44 years.
I’m not bitter but I am
disappointed at the way things
have changed over the years. When
I first came to sea, captains and
chief engineers were invited to take
their wives with them on their final
voyage. Agents at each port of call
were notified in advance and were
expected to make an occasion of their
visits including presentations of gifts,
media calls, and wining and dining. Of
course, nobody expects these sorts of
things these days but a simple letter of
thanks would have been appreciated.
A letter alone would have indicted
RESPECT, something seafarers today
are being conditioned not to expect.
Of course, it could be that my
employer was just a little narked about
all the letters and articles I’ve written
for the Telegraph and the shipping
media over the years. If that is the
case, retirement is not going to shut
me up!
PETER NEWTON
mem no 158963
return to European waters, asked us
to consider an aviation style co-pilot
approach to bridge manning and
published figures showing a steep rise
in claims.
Well, now they have an opportunity
to be proactive in the move to improve
standards and reduce accidents by
using a ready-made team of co-pilots
(master mariners actually), ready
to board these ships and contribute
to the safety of navigation and the
reduction in the risk of pollution.
Capt NEIL DOYLE
mem no 171914
telegraph
STAFF
editor: Andrew Linington
production editor: June Cattini
reporters: Mike Gerber
Sarah Robinson
web editor: Matthew Louw
ADVERTISING
Century One Publishing Limited
Alban Row, 27-31 Verulam Road
St Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 4DG
Sales: Sean Power
tel: +44 (0)1727 739 183
fax: +44 (0)1727 893 895
email: sean@
centuryonepublishing.ltd.uk
website:
www.centuryonepublishing.ltd.uk
Although the Telegraph exercises
care and caution before accepting
advertisements, readers are advised
to take appropriate professional
advice before entering into any
commitments such as investments
(including pension plans). Publication
of an advertisement does not imply any
form of recommendation and Nautilus
International cannot accept any liability
for the quality of goods and services
offered in advertisements. Organisations
offering financial services or insurance
are governed by regulatory authorities
and problems with such services should
be taken up with the appropriate body.
Incorporating the merchant
navy journal and ships
telegraph
ISSN 0040 2575
Published by Nautilus
International
Printed by College Hill Press Limited
37 Webber Street, London SE1 8QW.
GENERAL SECRETARY
Mark Dickinson MSc (Econ)
HEAD OFFICE
Oceanair House
750–760 High Road
Leytonstone, London E11 3BB
tel: +44 (0)20 8989 6677
fax: +44 (0)20 8530 1015
www.nautilusint.org
NETHERLANDS OFFICE
Schorpioenstraat 266
3067 KW Rotterdam
Postbus 8575, 3009 AN Rotterdam
tel: +31 (0)10 4771188
fax: +31 (0)10 4773846
NORTHERN OFFICE
Nautilus House, Mariners’ Park
Wallasey CH45 7PH
tel: +44 (0)151 639 8454
fax: +44 (0)151 346 8801
DEPARTMENT EMAILS
general:
enquiries@nautilusint.org
membership:
membership@nautilusint.org
legal:
legal@nautilusint.org
Telegraph:
telegraph@nautilusint.org
industrial south:
industrialsouth@nautilusint.org
industrial north:
industrialnorth@nautilusint.org
central services:
centralservices@nautilusint.org
welfare:
welfare@nautilusint.org
professional and technical:
protech@nautilusint.org
Nautilus International also
administers the Nautilus Welfare
Fund and the J W Slater Fund, which
are registered charities.
yal Alfred 6 x 2.indd 1 20/2/09 14:17:46