Promoting Careers in International Shipping

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Promoting Careers in International Shipping

• Tony Mason, Secretary General
• International Shipping Federation
• IMO, 17 November 2008

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IMO action most necessary

• IMO leadership to attract seafarers most welcome
• Next ISF/BIMCO manpower study 2010
• Vital for employers to retain long term
  perspective on recruitment

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Promotion of Careers

• International level (IMO, EU, international
  industry associations)
• National Level (national shipowners
  associations, maritime careers organisations,
  maritime clusters, governments and unions)
• Individual shipping companies

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International information provision

• Round Table Shippingfacts website
• Maritime Industry Foundation
• BIMCO Seascapes (childrens material)
• ICS DVD film Lifeblood of World Trade dubbed in
  French, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, Japanese and
  Arabic
• ISF Careers-at-Sea website

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Maritime careers promotion

• Main focus is through national maritime careers
  organisations (including ISF member shipowners
  associations)
• National bodies work with local schools,
  curriculum authorities, colleges and careers
  services, in combination with individual shipping
  companies

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Focus positive aspects of a career in shipping
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Butthere are negatives

• Piracy
• Criminalisation
• Obstacles to shore leave
• Perception and reality of life at sea

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Explaining careers at sea

• What is a ship? What is merchant shipping?
• Exciting global career
• Different specialties, but varied work
• Use of high technology
• Leadership and management skills

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Reasons to go to sea (1)

• Good wages, early responsibility and good long
  term prospects

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Good wages

• Generous compared to shore
• Often tax free
• In developing world, seafarers are amongst very
  highest paid
• Rapid promotion to become captains and chief
  engineers (commonly in less than 10 years)

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Career progression

• Early progression to senior grades - including,
  eventually, shore based executive management -
  commercial skills are gained
• Movement of goods and raw materials is big
  business. Career in shipping does not mean
  lifetime at sea

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Reasons to go to sea (2)
Doing something useful and enjoyable
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Some useful selling points

• Environmental management role
• Training often funded
• Opportunities to travel
• Generous leave
• Internationally recognised qualifications
• Flexibility and job security
• A special international club

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And
Something different to working in an office!
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Thank you
Some useful websites www.shippingfacts.com www.ma
ritimefoundation.com www.marisec.org/film www.care
ers-at-sea.org