SPINNAKER ends 2011 with a welcome to three new members of staff who have joined us this month as Associate Consultants…

PROBABLY not as big as last year. Tempted as we were to leave it at that, there is more. Analysis by the Maritime HR Forum reveals that, overall, more people in chartering received a bonus this year than last. In 2010 a third of people received no bonus at all.

THERE may a lot of economic gloom out there, but demand for sale and purchase personnel at the moment seems to indicate that there are plenty of buyers waiting in the wings to pounce.

PRICES of private residential properties were up 1.3% in the third quarter of the year compared to 2% in the second quarter, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

YES, it's that time of the year again where pay in on the agenda as companies try and work out how much of an increase they give to their staff.

WITH hopes high that the Ballast Water Convention will finally come into force in the next year or so, getting new equipment installed on ships in time to meet regulatory guidelines will mean plenty of work for suppliers of ballast water management systems.

LOOKING for a senior business development role, interested in locating in the Far East? Spinnaker can help. There much demand for senior sales and marketing personnel in shipmanagement recently, especially in the offshore and subsea sector.

AMENDMENTS were introduced to the 1996 Inter-Club New York Produce Exchange Agreement in September! Not thrilled by this news? Never heard of the ICA? Heard of it, but don't know what it is? Well here's a quick lesson for you.

WITH the sustainable shipping issue at the top of the maritime agenda, those of you who have not looked at what is going on as part of the Forum for the Future's Sustainable Shipping initiative should check out their website.