Managers to maintain recruitment records for seven years
Managers to maintain recruitment records for seven years
SHIP managers are being urged to maintain recruitment, training and review records for at least seven years, particularly for LNG crew. The advice from International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) comes amidst industry concerns that due to a worldwide shortage of certified and experienced LNG crew, managers are recruiting masters and officers with a less than satisfactory employment record.
According to the Club’s latest Claims Review, lawyers working for shipowners have observed that, in an increasing number of cases, cargo claimants have attempted to look behind the certification of the crew to see whether they can expose the crew as incompetent. “The fact that a crewmember has proper certification is not, in itself, sufficient if a reasonable manager would have realised he was not competent,” warns ITIC.
“A claimant’s lawyer will investigate not only the interview process but how the individual had been placed on board,” says the Club. “A typical allegation would be that if the owner or manager had arranged a proper induction, they would have realised that the individual was not competent.”
Managers are reminded that although they should be able to reject a claim for damage caused by crew negligence on the basis that they are responsible for selecting the crew and not their conduct on board, it is not always that simple. As managers could face detailed enquiries into their systems, they are advised to ensure that appropriate recruitment, training and review records are maintained and kept for at least seven years.
Elsewhere in the Claims Review, the Club looks at the benefits of shipbrokers using arbitration to collect unpaid commission. “Arbitration is private and many brokers do not wish to be seen to be in conflict with their principals,” says ITIC. “The mechanics of starting international arbitration proceedings are also much simpler than the need to comply with the requirements of court proceedings.”
Asian joint venture
V-SHIPS and Asia-based The IMC Group have signed a joint venture agreement to form V Ships (Asia) MSI Pte Ltd. Managed from Singapore, the new company will initially manage 90 vessels comprising the current V Ships vessels managed from its Singapore, together with the IMC owned, operated and managed fleet. The plan is to quickly increase the fleet considerably.
In addition to providing technical and crewing management, V Ships (Asia) MSI Pte Ltd will offer new building supervision, engineering and naval architect services, spare part procurement, travel, insurance, ship broking and ship agency.
Managers agree to self-regulate
SELF-REGULATION of the global ship management sector has taken a step nearer reality following the announcement that a method has been developed to set an industry-wide standard for operational key performance indicators (KPI) governing the management of today’s ships.
A pilot project initiated by a sponsor group made up of the International Ship Managers’ Association (ISMA) together with 18 of the world’s leading ship managers and owners has identified a methodology to establish common standards for measuring, calculating and reporting KPIs to the industry.
The move is significant in that it is the first time since the establishment of ISMA in the late 1980s that the global ship management industry has come together to agree how to self-regulate.