The International Chamber of Shipping ICS [ds_preview]has called the maritime industry to cherish seafarers more in order to be able to attract new professionals.
In a »Christmas Message« to the shipping community, ICS General Secretary Peter Hinchliffe talks about »the hundreds of thousands of seafarers who will be swapping the love and comfort of their families this Christmas for the 24/7 day-to-day routine that seafaring demands, bringing food to our tables and gifts for under the tree.«
»Shipping has long struggled with its image – certainly when it comes to how it is perceived by the man in the street. Does it have a bad image? Or is it more of an invisible image with many taking its services completely for granted?«, he asks.
In his opinion, this is an important issue because how shipping is perceived would impact on how it is treated and regarded, not only by policy makers and lawmakers but also by the young and talented looking to that all-important career move. »Shipping is changing and evolving and it needs to be able to attract the right talent to its ranks,« Hinchliffe adds.
»It has been said that ships don’t move cargo – people move cargo, so without the unselfish work of a highly trained and motivated global seafaring workforce, world trade would simply not happen. And when you consider that seafarers can be at sea for several months at a time, the commitment to the job and the role they play is very clear for all to see.«
According to the ICS Secretary General, this commitment to the task in hand continues to be demonstrated through the unceasing humanitarian role that shipping and seafaring plays in situations such as the rescue of migrants, set adrift in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats. »Global television coverage shows the relieved looks on the migrants faces as they step off the merchant vessel to begin a life in a safer environment ashore,« he says, »but little regard is given to the seafarer himself who executed the rescue in the first place and cared for the wellbeing of what may have been large numbers of migrants during the last leg of their tortuous journey.«
