Mission to Seafarers Australia Council Regional Ports Conference Geelong 2013

Focus on Seafarers, the Maritime Labour Convention and Shore Based Welfare Support

The Human element is vital to the safe operation of ships

‘The standard of safety of a ship is dependent

not only on the health of the ship but more

on the health of the seafarers in charge of

the operation of the ship.’ – M. Fuazadeen -

Head of Maritime Training and Human

Element, IMO

Mission To Seafarers in Australia

The Mission to Seafarers currently has 28 shore based

seafarers centres in Australian ports, including 23 in

regional ports, and welcomes around 200,000

seafarers to our centres each year.

The Centres are manned by 30 paid staff including Chaplains and some 450 volunteers.

The cost of operating In Australia as a charity, relying almost solely on donations, is $3.5million per year.

Mission To Seafarers in Australia

Mission to Seafarers port based seafarer welfare

centres are the first point of contact for

seafarers visiting Australia – for some their only

contact with Australians during their visit.

The seafarers know us and they trust us.

We have proven this to generations of seafarers

for over a hundred years of continuous service

to them in Australia.

The ILO Maritime Labour Convention

(MLC) came into force internationally

on the 20th August 2013

The MLC is aimed at improving the life of the hard working seafarer under the five titles of:

1. Minimum requirements for seafarers to work on ships

2. Conditions of employment

3. Accommodation, recreational facilities, food & catering

4. Health protection, medical care, welfare & social security provisions

5. Compliance & enforcement.

Regulation 4.4 – Access to shore-based welfare facilities

Purpose: To ensure that seafarers working on board a ship have access to shore-based facilities and services to secure their health and well-being

Each Member State should provide or ensure the provision of such welfare facilities and services as may be required, in appropriate ports of the country

Financial support for port welfare facilities should be made available

Corporate Values & Moral/Social Responsibility

For the community Values are basic, fundamental, enduring and meant to be acted upon. (Psychology Today)

The Mission to Seafarers offers as a means to provide tangible evidence of ports meeting their Value statement and Moral/Social Responsibility obligations

Access to Shore Based Welfare

Why is this so important?

A 2004 ILO study taken ahead of the

development of the MLC stated that there is

increasing concern that lack of shore leave is

having a detrimental affect on the physical

and mental health of seafarers and

contributing to isolation, fatigue, depression

and stress.

Importance of shipping to the Australian Economy

Around 90% of all Australia imports and exports are

carried by sea amounting to some $560 Billion in 2012.

(derived from DFAT website 2012 data)

For the first time in our history development in Australia

is being driven almost solely by maritime transport.

Regional Ports generate most of Australia's export

wealth. All of this activity relies on the foreign

seafarer.

Importance of Foreign Seafarers to Australia

Over 99.9% of all Australian import and export cargoes

are carried in foreign registered and crewed shipping.

Foreign seafarers underpin Australia’s trade and

prosperity.

It doesn’t matter how much grain or beef we produce or

how much coal or iron ore we mine, we need the

foreign seafarers to operate the ships that we rely on

to take our exports to the World market.

Key factor of the Human element in shipping

Human element is vital to the safe operation of ships

The standard of safety and efficient operation of a ship is dependent to a large degree on the health of the seafarers in charge of the operation of the ship

A lack of well being impacts upon ship crew competency and performance and introduces unacceptable risks that detract from the safe operation of the vessel, at sea and in port.

Risk Factors/Issues associated with the Human Element in

Shipping

• Fatigue

• Stress

• Small crew size and increasing size and complexity of ships

• Suicide

• Workplace Health and Safety

Role played by Shore Based Seafarers Welfare in Human Element Risk Factors/Issues

Shore based welfare facilities impact positively

on seafarers lives. It responds to the human

element issues I have just identified and it

reduces the risk factors across a whole range

of ship and port based activity from otherwise

stressed, tired and poorly motivated

seafarers.

How Regional Ports May Meet Their MLC Obligations

Consider a Community Business partnership

with Mission To Seafarers

If your port does not have a shore based seafarers welfare centre then work with the Mission to Seafarers to establish such a much needed centre.

Support to the shore based seafarers centres

in Australia is a low direct cost in

comparison to all other industry risk

mitigation costs, and is probably the most

cost effective ship related human element

risk mitigation measure available to

government, shipowners and port operators

and their clients.

Contact Details

Col Brown - Executive Officer

Australia Council, Mission to Seafarers Australia Incorporated

Mobile : 0497 789 512

Email: liaison@mts.org.ao

Web: www.mts.org.au

Dave Ellis - President

Mission to Seafarers Brisbane Inc.

Mobile: 0434 071 532

Email: dave.ellis@infrastructure.gov.au

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