06/032 - High moral reduces fatigue

22 Dec 2006 Resource

Dear Sir,

With ref to your message regarding manning and fatigue, many thanks for giving us opportunity to express our views on subject, please find below the following input may be useful.

  • As most of the shipping company felt / understand that the successes of the company lies mainly on the floating staff’s competence.  However even with high competence level, people may not deliver good result due to fatigue.
  • Understand Managers / Owners are willing to go for low manning level due to commercial reason, however they should ensure that people on board are professional and sufficient manning with respect to type of vessel and finally motivate them and ensure they are not under the shadow of fatigue.
  • Generally most of the vessels follow port watches, basis six on /off shared between junior officer (3E, 4E & 3O, 2O). Suggest placing a certified junior officer / engineer on board to share the workload in port as well at sea.
  • Contract period should be Three on / three off., to keep them fresh and alert on board during their stay on board
  • Wages to be paid round the year in order to retain the staff.
  • Competitive wages and carrier oriented training program in all level, to retain the staff and as well to attract qualified officer from other company.
  • Medical assistance to staff as well as to his family through out the year, to create sense of belonging to the company.
  • Pension scheme, they feel secured and help to retain the staff.
  • E-mail facility on board to keep in touch with their family to keep them fresh and alert.
  • Value added training for senior staff, to develop management, leadership skills and to build self-confidence, necessary to meet the demand of the changing market
  • Best officer / crew to be selected from the fleet twice a year, based on their performance. Suitable awards to be presented to them during the annual function and          also holiday package along with family to be arranged. To keep the moral high and to retain them.
  • Timely payment, and housing loans with zero interest to the deserved one to keep the moral high and also retain them.
  • Relief in time, on completion of contract.
  • Family joining for top four officer, travelling expenses on company account.
  • Working gears (boiler suit, warm cloths) vessel should have sufficient stock, and to supply sufficient numbers while joining.
  • Wages to be standardized for all nationality (Asian), and it should be best in the industry to get quality staff.
  • Sufficient and genuine spares on critical equipments to be connected in time to avoid un necessary delay and break down.

 Please note all above technique being followed in some of the leading company to motivate the floating staff and keep their moral high which will considerably reduce the fatigue on board.

Thanks/Brgds,

Captain & Chief Engineer

Return to listing