Shipping will expand this year, as will the crisis of recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of skilled seafarers to operate the vessels needed to sustain growing commerce. In 2011, the industry should concentrate on the crisis in recruiting and retention by striving to improve seafarers’ professional skills, job satisfaction and personal lives.
Seafarers continue to need basic hospitality services during their all-too-brief shore leaves. Because phone and e-mail services are expensive at sea, marine terminals and seafarer hospitality centers are working to upgrade Wi-Fi options and new hospitality facilities nearby for recreation, fellowship, electronic funds transfer and to connect with family.
Seafarers will benefit from individual legal services and systemwide advocacy. Advocacy priorities for 2011 include ratification of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, and the Seafarers’ Identity Document Convention; adopting mandatory measures to prevent the abandonment of seafarers; and lowering mariners’ exposure to unfair criminal prosecutions.
Piracy’s grip on our industry is another challenge. In addition to critical defensive maneuvering and negotiating strategies, the industry is beginning to understand the human element of crew and family needs during hostage situations, along with medical and mental health assessment for cross-cultural and mobile workers after liberation. Several new studies and emerging best management practices will surface in 2011.