European Union-funded research into human factors within the shipping industry culminated in a conference in Bremen, Germany in May 2014. Researchers from 6 countries collaborated on the KNOWME project and focused on shipping's image, recruitment and retention, working and living conditions for seafarers, maritime education and training, and collaboration between industry and the education and training sectors.
Watch this space for some of the interesting findings that have come out of the huge amount of research that took place.
Our Chairman Phil Parry attended the KNOWME final conference to sit on a panel on the future of maritime education and training. "There was an incredibly lively debate," says Parry; "there is plenty to report, but possibly the standout item from the event were the comments from a female second officer, Dorina Pörksen from Hapag Lloyd. Far from bemoaning the negative aspects of being at sea, Dorina waxed lyrical about the positives. She was an incredible advert for the industry and prompted an entirely new line of thinking at the event, namely how to promote why people stay at sea instead of complaining about it, and trying to address why people don't stay at sea. The distinction may sound subtle, but when heard from the lips of such an inspirational young woman, it was far from it."
Commendation must go to Hapag Lloyd of course as this is the company that has given Dorina her experience of life at sea. She was extremely complimentary about the company, their attitude and their training.
Well done Hapag Lloyd.
