Bharat Book Bureau
Drewry’s annual report, Manning 2007, produced in conjunction with Precious Associates Limited provides an industry-wide appraisal of the challenges facing the industry.
Key supply / demand issues
International wage forecasts
Six in-depth country reports
Plus special features on:
Cruise shipping
Safety and security – ISPS ISM
Management and leadership development
With officer shortages assuming serious levels and shipping demand up, how will maritime businesses cope? The report is unique in its breadth and detail, in fact a report of a similar nature does not exist elsewhere.
Key data for budgeting - including costs for the ships crew
Providing much more than analyses, the authors take a look at the manning challenges facing the industry
Main findings
The focus of Manning 2007 is to stimulate the debate and provide insights that will help management find ways of recruiting, developing and retaining crew. This it does through its overviews of important aspects related to the key movers of the industry – the seafarers themselves and the central role they play in maintaining world trade.x
Manning 2007 provides a unique, expert assessment of the issues and concerns facing the marine manning industry at the start of 2007. PAL is a leading consultancy, offering specialist services in all HR / personnel management areas, with particular knowledge of the marine industry.
Crew Shortages - is the industry finally coming out of 'denial'
Until 2006, the problem of crew supply shortages had not hit shipowners on the 'bottom line' and so a number seemed to be in denial. The 2006 wage hikes and the claims of 'crew poaching' have shattered any complacency.
Commercial fleets to expand
There is little doubt that owners and managers have to keep a constant eye on the prospective rate of growth in the world merchant fleet - and its implications in terms of seafarer needs.
Orderbooks in all sectors are large and the fleets they enter are relatively young, so scrapping levels are unlikely to increase. This means base numbers will grow and even more crews will be needed.
Wage inflation
Wages, responding to the forces of supply and demand are also on the increase. Wage stability hardly applies to the open manning market - and, especially, for Officers - where 'serious manning shortages' have prompted alarming increases in pay levels... with more expected in 2007. Owners and ship Managers need to take steps to avoid a wage spiral.
Crew retention activity paramount
Companies are giving serious consideration to reviewing their retention policies – there has even been a suggestion reported of offering share options in ship management companies – with a focus on long-service rewards. Crew retention is seen increasingly as a function of training and development and here officers can play a central role in helping to make seafaring a more worthwhile career. Manning 2007 includes commentary on steps to improved crew morale and productivity with special features on Management and leadership development, and Safety and security.
Cruising sector - a special case
Cruising is a growing niche but one that requires significantly larger numbers of on board crew thus potentially exacerbating the situation. Cruising passengers have increased from around 2.5 million in the mid-1980s to a current figure estimated at around 13 to 14 million. A typical modern cruise ship may carry 1,300 crew compared with an oil tanker or bulk carrier managing on fewer than twenty in some cases. Cruise lines also require different types of crew with a heavy emphasis on hotel and catering staff. All these issues and more are reviewed and analysed in the report.
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