Do you know the costs of crewing your vessel, whilst remaining competitive?

data research

Spinnaker provide wage cost benchmarking reports for crew on board vessels including (but not limited to) bulk carriers, crude, chemical, container, gas ships and cruise ships.

Our reports are compiled using information from participating members confidentially sharing their pay data with us*. We currently receive data relating to over 250,000 seafarers, which represents 96 different nationalities and 47 different seafaring ranks. This makes our report an extremely comprehensive and reliable source for benchmarking costs, as the data we share is based on actual seafarer pay.

Not only that, our reports are personalised to the individual participating member, so that you can see a clear comparison between your daily wage costs and that of other participating peers.

Our reports are already used by ship owners, ship managers and oil majors, providing vital data to help you have those important conversations on seafarer pay, in order to retain and attract crew, whilst remaining competitive.

We are currently collecting data for the 11th Seafarer Daily Wage Cost Report due for publication in July 2023. We would like to invite new clients to participate. Participation could not be easier, there is no complicated spreadsheets for you to populate, we do all the hard work for you on receipt of your pay information.

For further details on how to participate and the other benefits of membership please contact the team.

e: [email protected]
t: +44 (0)1702 481 643 or +44 (0)1702 481 637
w. spinnaker-global.com

*Due to strict reporting guidelines members’ data remains unidentifiable to the source.

2023 – a new beginning

new beginning

As we move into 2023, we have taken some time to reflect on the recent performance of Spinnaker’s recruitment business.

When covid struck in early 2020 we thought we’d be bankrupt by the summer. Covid went on for ages and of course since then the war in Ukraine, high inflation, the Great Resignation, a looming global recession …and a shortfall of skilled labour the world over, made life challenging for everyone.

To our great surprise, apart from a quieter spell in mid to late 2021, what this has meant for Spinnaker is a busy few years. While the initial reaction to covid in 2020 was to batten down the hatches and suspend all but essential recruitment, our executive search business experienced a surge in assignments. This continued into 2021 and almost normal recruitment below the boardroom returned only for the whole market to quieten down in the last half of 2021 as covid also returned.

In 2022 Spinnaker’s recruitment consultants made 20% more shore-based placements than in 2021. We’re extremely proud of the team we have. They have shown true resilience since covid struck and continued to build upon our reputation for recruiting with honesty and integrity.

Throughout this period the dry bulk and liner markets were booming and as both of those have calmed, the tanker market has taken off. In all three sectors, employers have needed to respond by strengthening their operations teams in particular – the demand never seems to dim.

Conscious of the demand for operations staff we decided to take a look at which jobs keep Spinnaker’s recruiters busy. We weren’t at all surprised to see that by numbers of placements, over the last four years operations tops the list almost 1 in 5 jobs filled. Charterers and commercial analysts make up another 1 in 10.

The majority of marine roles (port captains, HSEQ, marine superintendents, marine advisors and so on) are occupied by former seagoing deck officers. Combined with technical roles (former engineers, surveyors, technical superintendents, etc.), we estimate that just over 1 in 5 jobs are filled with former seafarers.

Spinnaker’s roots when we started in 1997 were in maritime law, insurance and P&I and those sectors still account for 1 in 6 of the people we place.

Where do we place these people? Well, just about everywhere. Although based in the United Kingdom, we work with clients and candidates the world over. Asia has always accounted for about a quarter of our business, with Europe and the Middle East remain at just under a third. The US and Africa vary wildly from year to year with the balance in the UK, generally accounting for about a third of what we do.

This article was written by Spinnaker Chairman, Phil Parry.

Find out more about our recruitment business by contacting one of the team.
[email protected]

Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference – have your say!

notepad research

If you could design the content for the Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference what would interest you the most and what would you include on the agenda?

Click on the link below, and you can do just that!

Spinnaker’s HR consulting team is presently gathering industry input to build the agenda for the largest annual gathering of maritime HR professionals and senior leaders. This will be the 15th annual Spinnaker Maritime People and Culture conference and is taking place on 11th and 12th May in London’s Covent Garden.

Follow this link to have your say on the agenda:
https://forms.office.com/e/1Knr4RQXmN

Follow this link to reserve your place at the event:
https://2023spinnakerconference.eventbrite.co.uk

LISW23, a week to remember

thames boats

September 2023 will mark an important milestone for London International Shipping Week.

Not only will it be the 10th Anniversary of this must attend global maritime event, but it has the hallmarks of being the biggest London International Shipping Week yet with 350 to 400 events expected to be held during the week, attended by up to 30,000 key industry decision makers in person, plus a further 20,000 attending online.

And the mood is definitely one of anticipation, with more international industry bodies joining as Supporting Organisations and more companies than ever before joining as valued Sponsors. The London International Shipping Week 2023 (LISW23) website www.londoninternationalshippingweek.com is fully up-to-date and the online calendar is starting to fill up.

New Sponsors and Supporting Organisations are coming on board every day, and all will be invited – along with top Government and Industry leaders – to the LISW23 Official Launch Reception at Norton Rose Fulbright’s spectacular London venue on the evening of Tuesday 17 January.

The LISW23 Headline Conference will once again take place in the Plenary Hall of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the banks of the River Thames, underlining its position as one of the most important shipping and maritime events in the world and reinforcing its key role in international thought leadership.

Held on Wednesday 13 September, the LISW23 Headline Conference is to be sponsored by Tsakos Energy Navigation (TEN), which will be celebrating 30 years as a public company. The themes, speakers and moderators of the LISW23 Headline Conference will be announced shortly.

Every Conference delegate will be invited to join the post-Conference Evening Reception on the rooftop of the IMO, overlooking the River Thames and London skyline.

Registration to the Headline Conference is now open. Due to its nature as a fixed-seat auditorium, space will be limited in the IMO’s Plenary Hall so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. Seats can be booked by clicking https://londoninternationalshippingweek.com/lisw23-headline-conference/

At last, details can be revealed about the spectacular Gala Evening celebrations which are planned as the fitting culmination of London International Shipping Week 2023 (LISW23), and which are supported by three major sponsors. On Thursday 14 September 2023, a Champagne Gala Reception, a fabulous black-tie Gala Dinner and – for the first time – an exciting After Party will all take place on one extraordinary evening to celebrate the tenth anniversary of LISW and all that is good about London, the UK and the international shipping and maritime industry.

The glittering evening will be held at Evolution London, a truly special venue in London’s Battersea Park which will welcome up to 2,000 of the world’s foremost shipping industry leaders in a magnificent setting with excellent communication links, including specially chartered boats for guests on the River Thames.

Tickets for the Gala Dinner can be bought by clicking https://londoninternationalshippingweek.com/champagne-gala-dinner-reception/

Dates announced! 2023 Maritime People & Culture conference

london

We are delighted to announce the dates of our 15th annual Maritime People & Culture conference as the 11th & 12th May 2023.

Attended by HR and crewing professionals from some of the world’s biggest shipowners, shipmanagers, P&I clubs and oil majors, the event promises to address some of the key ‘people’ issues that the maritime industry face today.

People are very much at the heart of the Conference.  In previous years, topics have covered leadership skills, ESG issues, cultural transformation, training, purpose, flexible working and attraction & retention.

Delegates will have the opportunity to not only listen to both presentations and panel discussions, but also participate in the networking and open discussion of challenges facing the industry.  It can be both encouraging and reassuring to know that HR teams and CEOs the world over are experiencing the same issues as everyone else. 

It can be inspiring to hear how they are handling issues such as diversity and inclusion.  It’s also helpful for delegates to ask and find out ‘What are you doing about these issues in your company?’ 

The Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference is very much an open forum for discussion.  Every session concludes with a Q&A so that everyone can have their say.  Whether shore-based or crewing, it’s an essential platform for the ‘people people’ of maritime to have their say.  Once discussions have been had, that’s how change starts. You never know just how you might get inspired.

The 2023 Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference takes place at the Grand Connaught Rooms, London on the 11th and 12th May.

Members of the Maritime HR Association are eligible for a free delegate space. If you are not a member, tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.  If you are a member, please contact the team to reserve your ticket.

If you are a supplier to the maritime industry, please contact us for details regarding sponsorship packages.

e: [email protected]

t: +44 (0)1702 481 643

w: https://2023spinnakerconference.eventbrite.co.uk

You can also find out more about who is speaking, sponsoring and supporting the Spinnaker Maritime People & Culture Conference by following @spinnakerglobal on Twitter.

You don’t have to just take our word for it, here is some feedback from last year’s delegates.

“Really insightful. Discussions felt informal and relaxed. Really enjoyable.”

“Very strategic and thought provoking.”

“Great to have very experienced female leaders giving insights from outside the shipping industry.”

“Thanks for making the conference happen. Truly missed it and really enjoyed being back.”

The Jolly Sailor Society to re-home Ukrainian orphans in Poland

jolly sailor logo

Earlier this year, Managing Director of the cargo desk at Oldendorff, Slawomir Ratajewski, was inspired to set up the ‘Jolly Sailor Society’.

The primary aim of the society is to set up a home for children who had lost parents as a result of the war in the Ukraine.

The children’s home will hopefully be set up in Gdansk, Poland and will be run by the local charity ‘Wake Up the Hope Foundation’. The Jolly Sailor is responsible for the fundraising and is now looking to raise money to furnish the home and set up further projects.

Ratajewski is keen to ensure that the home is set up to enable siblings to share rooms. He is also hoping to hire teachers and psychologists from the Ukraine who would also live in the same building.

In addition to Oldendorff, other shipping companies have pledged to get involved, including Barry Rogliano Salles, Simpson Spence Young and Clarksons.

The society is aiming to raise €1 million for the project and would love to hear from other shipping companies who are keen to help out.

You can find out more on the Jolly Sailor website.

www.thejollysailorsociety.com

The 12 jobs of Christmas

cmas

Our 12 jobs of Christmas may have come to an end, but you can still apply for all of these roles via our website.

In case you missed them, here is a roundup of the 12 featured jobs this Christmas.

Get in touch if you’re interested but do it quickly as they won’t be around for long!

1. Bunker Trader, Singapore

The ideal candidate will have 5+ years’ experience in bunker trading or purchasing, have worked for a Shipowner or Trader, and be based in Singapore

Contact Bethanie-Taylor Grenfell via email [email protected]m or visit http://ow.ly/YWsU50LMTII

2. Hull Underwriting Assistant, London

The ideal candidate will live within a commutable distance to London, have marine hull experience and ideally a few years’ experience as an Underwriting Technician or Broker.

Contact Tom Brooks via email [email protected] or visit http://ow.ly/zUTz50LLTtL

3. Dry Docking Manager, Oceania

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience of dry-docking tugs and other vessels of a similar class. They should also have the ability to problem solve independently.

An expatriate package is available although there is no provision for schooling. Long term progression is available to the right candidate.

Contact Ollie Mason via email [email protected]m or visit http://ow.ly/ZeG250LNxQs

4. Senior Port Planning Engineer, Middle East

If you have a minimum of 20 years’ experience in port development and planning, an internationally recognised degree in maritime engineering, naval architecture or Master Mariner Class 1 then this role is for you!

Contact Teresa Peacock via email [email protected] or visit http://ow.ly/7r7X50LQLtL

5. Technical Assistant (Graduate), London

Our client is looking for graduates who are looking to dive headfirst into their career in shipping.

Best suited to someone who is early on in their career, finished an internship or has some work experience in the shipping industry.

They should hold a maritime or shipping related degree and based in the UK or has UK working entitlement.

Contact Liam Daly via email [email protected] or visit http://ow.ly/xXcO50LMYVO

6. Head of Business Development, UK

The ideal candidate will have knowledge and understanding of ship sale and purchase, maritime finance or the conditions inspection markets.

They should have the ability to grow, develop, lead and structure a new business development team

Although the role offers hybrid working, a regular presence is required in the office

Contact David Tubb via email [email protected]m or visit http://ow.ly/r5sX50LMZ9e

7. Commercial Claims Manager, Singapore

Our client’s legal team are looking for someone with 3-5 years of operations and/or claims experience.

A legal degree is not essential but strong legal knowledge would be advantageous.

Contact Tom Brooks via email [email protected] OR Hayley Menere via email [email protected] or visit http://ow.ly/OATi50LMTOx

8. Operations Manager, Singapore

The ideal candidate should have 3-5 years’ experience working for an owner/operator, confidence in dry bulk operations and a good understanding of time and voyage charter

Contact Bethanie-Taylor Grenfell via email [email protected] or visit http://ow.ly/ORCC50LLU2e

9. Chief Operating Officer, Athens – NOW FILLED

To be successful in your application you must have experience as a COO, or similar, within a company operating a fleet of 20-40 vessels.

  • You need to be humble in your approach, trustworthy and loyal.
  • You must also be based in Greece or hold Greek working entitlement.

10. Procurement and Supply Chain Manager, Middle East

Successful candidates will need:

  • A Masters degree in procurement and supply chain;
  • Membership to the CIPS; and
  • Prior supply chain experience in a managerial position. This is an essential requirement.

To express your interest or simply find out more:

Contact Teresa Peacock via email [email protected]
http://ow.ly/7yvs50LMUO6

11. Claims Executive, Sharjah

For this role, the successful candidate will need:

  • 5 years’ marine claims experience at an insurance broker, ship agency or P&I Club; and
  • Relevant insurance qualification. Either CII/ACA and ideally working towards Associateship of the Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII).

http://ow.ly/UQCc50LQUo2

12. Maritime Data Analyst, UK (Remote)

The ideal candidate should have an in-depth understanding of the maritime industry.

They should know how to analyse and present data and have prior experience in analytic maritime trends and data.

http://ow.ly/Iruz50LNMfg

Hot Jobs – Top 10 maritime vacancies

shipping cargo

Since 1997 Spinnaker has been helping candidates in the shipping industry take the next step in their shipping careers. 

We work with a wide range of shipowners, shipmanagers and oil majors across the globe and receive new vacancies on a daily basis. 

All of our jobs can be found on our website, but to make life easier we have curated a list of the 10 hottest jobs currently available.

Get in touch if you’re interested but do it quickly as they won’t be around for long!

1. Chief Operating Officer – Athens

We are currently working exclusively with a highly respected shipowner that is currently in the process of hiring a Chief Operating Officer in Athens.

This is a new position within the organisation and one that is key for them to get right.  The individual will be responsible for running the entire company and reporting directly to the owners.

They must have experience working in a similar position for a fleet size of 20-40 vessels.

 When it comes to personality traits, they are looking for someone to be humble in their approach, trustworthy, loyal, always looking for excellence and best practices.

The candidate will need to already be based in Greece or already hold Greek working entitlement.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016835-chief-operating-officer-athens

2. Laytime Manager – Singapore, India or Geneva

We are currently working with a global commodity group who are looking to bring a Laytime Executive into their operations department. This is a key role and the client is looking for someone with experience and confidence in laytime matters on the dry cargo side.

In this role you will take responsibility for preparing and finalizing laytime calculations, handling laytime claims, being a key point of contact for brokers, charterers and owners as well as managing internal communication channels.

Our client is looking for someone with several years exposure to laytime in the bulk market, exceptional analytical skills and the ability to communicate effectively.

This role can be based in India, Singapore or Geneva.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016844-laytime-manager-singapore-india-geneva

3. Business Development Manager- Japan

Are you passionate about environmental sustainability and safety in the maritime industry?

Join a team data-driven maritime safety and environmental experts to deliver impactful change for businesses and the environment. This is an opportunity to contribute to the safe voyage of ships and protection of crew and cargo in a world-renowned organisation.

Applicants must have proficiency in written and spoken English and Japanese. A right to live and work in Japan is essential.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016875-business-development-manager-japan

4. Chartering Manager LNG – Singapore

We are currently working on an exclusive basis with a growing privately owned gas company that is looking to bring an LNG Chartering Manager into their team in Singapore.

This individual will work closely with the company’s traders and operators as well as the leadership team and will take the lead for short- and long-term contract negotiation.

To be considered for this position it’s important that you have 5+ years chartering and broking experience in the LNG space.

Ideally candidates will be based in Singapore, but our client can also look at relocation prospects for those interested to move to Singapore.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016847-chartering-manager-lng-singapore

5. Head of Business Development – UK

A market leader in ship inspection services is looking for a Head of Business Development to grow, develop, lead and structure a new business development team.

To succeed, you’ll have knowledge and understanding of sale and purchase, maritime finance or the conditions inspection markets.

You’ll know how ships are bought and sold, invested, or divested and the associated risks of owning a ship, ship management or trading.

This company operates a remote first approach to work, and this role offers hybrid working with regular presence required in Cardiff.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016871-head-of-business-development-uk

6. Pre-Sales Engineer – Cyprus

This role involves working with the sales team, analysing customer requirements, developing opportunities, and providing the best technical partner and end user support.

Working across the technical and commercial teams, you’ll join a company focused on delivering a portfolio of enterprise products for the maritime satellite communications sector covering cloud computing, licensing, and hardware.

You will need to have prior experience in the satellite communications systems and be able to discuss and present technical capabilities as part of a sales presentation.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016853-pre-sales-engineer-cyprus

7. Marine Account Manager – London

An international marine broker is seeking a Senior Account Manager to join the team in London.

The role involves managing a portfolio of shipping clients.  Previous H&M experience is essential along with client management skills to assist with enquiries, renewals, endorsements and amendments of H&M insurance programmes.

You will be required to maintain relationships with brokers to design the programme and pricing structures to best meet the client’s needs based on knowledge of the client, the insurance market and industry sector proposition.

The successful candidate will have good insurance industry expertise both London and internationally, with strong negotiation, planning and budgeting skills.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016769-marine-account-manager-london

8. Employee Relations Specialist – Middle East

Are you skilled in employee relations policies, procedures, and practices and can provide end-to-end support to the Head of Employee Relations in a global shipping and maritime leader.

Your knowledge of employee relations will ensure the smooth running of the company.

Day-to-day, you will work to resolve matters relating to employee relations, develop and implement policies and procedures, induction programmes for new recruits, as well as providing effective customer management skills.

This is an opportunity to become an integral contributor to a globalised business from engagement to end of service.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016845-employee-relations-specialist

9. Dry Docking Manager – Papua New Guinea

A vessel owner is looking for a Dry Docking Manager based in Papua New Guinea to work with their harbour and coastal vessels.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience of dry docking tugs and other vessels of a similar class and be able to problem solve independently.  An expatriate package is available although unfortunately there is no provision for schooling, so this position is not suitable for someone looking to bring their children with them.

This is an excellent opportunity for a permanent position with long term progression available.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016876-dry-docking-manager-png

10. Legal Assistant (FD&D) – UK 

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a legal graduate to assist the FD&D department of a leading international marine insurer.

This role will involve providing administrative support to the claims processes and providing assistance with the FD&D claims reporting procedures and other associated tasks.

To be considered for this role you must have a minimum of a second-class law degree and/or a recognised legal qualification.

UK working entitlement is required for this position. Please note that this position is not based in London.

https://spinnaker-global.com/job/pr016855-legal-assistant-fdd-uk

Flexible & hybrid working, a recruiter’s perspective

meeting

“I remember being asked by an insurance client in January 2020 what the market trend was for people wanting to work a one day a week from home. I said there was definitely an uptake in people wanting to do that. They laughed, almost hysterically.

In 2019, I was asked by a candidate what the likelihood was of finding them a fully remote role in Private Practice. They were experienced and going by all accompanying testimonials, an exceptional candidate, but there were no roles offering fully remote working available then.

Fast forward a couple of years, that same insurance client now offers remote and hybrid working, and that same candidate is now working fully remotely in Private Practice. Of course, this will be of no surprise to anyone, and it is no secret that the market has changed drastically in the past two years – primarily due to the covid pandemic and the proven ability for people to work effectively from home.

In truth, remote and hybrid working is continually evolving. Our HR Consulting colleagues who run the Maritime HR Association ran an Information Exchange recently looking at remote and hybrid working trends within the maritime industry. You can read more about this on our blog page.

https://spinnaker-global.com/0_27-07-2022-report-an-insight-into-hybrid-and-remote-working-practices-in-maritime.

It is important for us as recruiters to let clients know up front if a candidate has a preference or need for a particular working arrangement. For example, if they need to work remotely one day a week for childcare purposes. Think of it in the same way you would want to disclose your salary expectations up front too. The market is becoming ever more candidate driven, so we also contact potential employers for our candidates even if there is no active vacancy. In fact, over half of the people I found new roles for in the last 12 months were not actively looking but were happy to be kept updated with new opportunities. We don’t bombard our candidates, but you never know, that role you never knew you wanted could be just around the corner….”

Tom Brooks is a Senior Recruitment Consultant on the Spinnaker Legal, P&I and Insurance desk.

To view current legal and insurance vacancies, please visit the jobs section on the website, or if you just want to have a discussion about active roles or the wider market, please contact him in confidence.

t: +44 (0) 1702 480 142

e: [email protected]