IT has been said that the true test of a vocation is the love of the drudgery it involves. So began Changing Course issue 1, back in June 2001. Nearly 10 years on, Changing Course is distributed to nearly 20,000 shipping professionals each month. We know that some of you are kind souls and read and comment on our efforts and we thank you!

20th FEBRUARY is the date when the ice melts in the Baltic Sea. What every year? Yes, every year! Well, not quite, but thanks to that historical link, 20th February has become the date on which most of the world's shipowners renew their P&I insurance.

Does your boss have good communication skills? Well, according to research from Korn Ferry / Whitehead Mann, only one in five workers think their boss has what it takes…