Author Archives: Colleen Jacka

Five things you can do to promote the maritime industry

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I like lists. And I especially like lists that are quick and easy to accomplish. So here are five things that you, as a maritime professional, can quickly and easily do to promote awareness of our industry amongst the general population.

  1. Post a maritime-related photo or status update on your Facebook wall that would be of interest to your friends and that paints the industry in a positive light.
  2. Invite your friends or family ship-spotting. In most port towns there is generally a vantage point that also makes a good picnic spot from where you can see ships. (Take a pair of binoculars to make it more exciting.)
  3. Speak to the career counselor at your nearest High School about the opportunities in the maritime sector for their learners. (I believe the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is producing a book on maritime careers – so perhaps this will be available for distribution soon.)
  4. Get involved in the International Day of the Seafarer campaign run annually by the International Maritime Organisation on 25th June 2013. (Click here for more information)
  5. Encourage your business to share their good news with the media.

BUT WAIT – HERE’S A BONUS POINT:

6. Share this post with other members of the maritime industry and let’s get the message out there!

A naval affair!

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It’s not often, as an editor of a B2B magazine aimed at the maritime industry, that you receive a press release that really knocks you sideways. Let’s face it I am used to getting announcements relating to appointments, product launches, acquisitions and mergers, but today I literally did a double-take at a press release marketing the services of a discrete website offering to matchmake married individuals.

To their credit they had done some research and pitched the content directly at the maritime industry so it was not one of those spam emails that clog your junk box offering little pills with big benefits.

According to the press release married men need to be alert to the fact that their wives may be all too keen to visit the South African Navy festival this weekend in Simon’s Town because sailors apparently top the list of uniform-wearing hotties. Yes – “32 percent of women surveyed said that a sailor boy (sic) tops their sexual fantasy list”.

The press release goes on to inform that “Simon’s Town is full of sailors ready to conduct unofficial naval business especially after long bouts at sea”.

Interestingly the white uniforms of sailors put them in first place amongst uniformed men that women want to have an adulterous affair with. The top five places include

  • Sailors – 32 percent 
  • Commercial pilots – 26 percent
  • Airforce pilots – 19 percent
  • Firefighters – 15 percent
  • Police – 8 percent

As a magazine that derives its income solely from advertising revenue and necessarily passes on all such press releases to our advertising sales department for follow-up, my instinct in this case, however, was to manually assign it to the junkmail folder.  And so, despite the assurance from the lady who runs the website that female infidelity is on the rise I think there are probably other publications more suited to carry this message.

So don’t go eagerly paging through the next issue of the magazine hoping to find more details. But do remember to pop down to Simon’s Town for the popular annual Navy Festival.

2013 is Maritime Year: but shhh, its a secret!

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Last week at the Maritime Trade Forum ahead of the BRICS Summit in Durban, I learned that the Minister of Transport had declared 2013, Maritime Year in South Africa. Riad Khan of the Port Regulator stated this quite clearly while welcoming delegates to these maritime discussions and I silently chastised myself for not knowing such an important development in the industry.

Wow – that’s a real milestone for the relationship between the maritime industry and the Department of Transport, which is more vocal in its directives aimed at land-based transport modes. I was buoyed by the announcement and felt sure that I would be able to find out what the Department was doing to promote this sector within the country and amongst our citizens.

Since learning this news last week I have asked a number of other members of the industry what they know about this development only to find that I was not the only one in the dark.

So I visited the Department’s website feeling sure I would see some sort of 2013 Maritime Year banner emblazoned across the screen. No. No banner.

So I looked under the press announcements, press releases and speeches. No. No such message there either.

So I took the link to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the Department’s official maritime agency, to see if I could find more information there. No. No information there. And the same dismal non-message on the website belonging to the Port Regulator.

So I went back to the Department of Transport’s website to take a closer look at their maritime intentions because Minister Dikobe Ben Martins did make it clear in his speech at the Maritime Trade Forum that he was expecting high level engagement with the industry and that a coherent maritime strategy needed to be presented to him by July.

Surely such pronouncements would be borne out on their site? No. None of the speeches listed on the site relate to his public appearances in the maritime domain. It is as if he is embarrassed to admit engaging with us on some level; as if by admitting his engagement with the maritime industry, he is somehow ignoring the carnage on our road during peak holidays.

In fact if you click on MARITIME in the website menu bar – the persistent banner advert promoting road safety follows you there too.

In a last ditch effort to uncover their maritime mantra for 2013, I clicked on the link to their Facebook page. That provided no further assistance – especially as the last post on their page is dated June 2012. And most of the posts on the page relate to (yes you guessed it) road traffic.

So ladies and gentlemen of the maritime industry 2013 is Maritime Year, but please don’t tell anyone – it’s a secret.

Full diary: warning – event ahead!

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The maritime industry seems to have suddenly woken up and started some vigourous planning for the next couple of weeks. While some events have been a long time in the offing – others seem to have simply sprung up on the calendar.

THE BOSBERAAD

Last week the National Department of Transport (NDoT) surprised maritime stakeholders with an invitation to a Maritime Bosberaad in Pretoria. Hosted jointly by the NDoT, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and the Ports Regulator – it seems that the last minute invitation may have influenced the actual attendance register on the day.

It’s a pity really since the Minister of Transport was due to provide the keynote address. Sadly, with only a day’s notice, I did not make it up to Pretoria and will have to rely on the industry for some feedback. I would be especially interested to know what the ANC Youth League’s contribution amounted to.

CRUISING ALONG

Then the rather active and community-spirited maritime sectors in Durban took the initiative to host a Maritime Conference on the MSC Sinfonia. Featuring a rather modest price-tag of only R5000 (all inclusive), this certainly sounds as if a real effort was made to make it as inclusive as possible.

HEAD’S UP FOR THE HIGH SEAS

We’ve been watching the establishment of the Global Ocean Commission since its launch last month and were particularly interested to learn that, not only is Trevor Manuel a Co-chair of the Commission, but South Africa (Cape Town) is hosting their inaugural meeting.

Some follow-up revealed that they would be in Cape Town this week, but that media would not be accommodated at any sessions and nothing had been planned to include us. So – once again it was with surprise that an invitation to a press briefing landed in our inbox late yesterday requesting our presence at a briefing this morning.

The lack of availability of the local press eventually saw this moved to a later date – and one that will take into account the work undertaken during this week by the international heads scheduled to participate.

(Follow our tweets on this topic on @GreenMarineSA – we will use the #GlobalOcean)

BREAKING THE CONTACT FAST

Heavily criticised for not engaging enough with the top levels of the fishing industry, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, is scheduled to share breakfast with CEO’s from this sector tomorrow morning.

I will attend the press briefing DAFF has scheduled following this gathering to hear first hand how the relationship has been strengthened.

(Follow our tweets on this topic on @MaritimeSA – we will use the #DAFFFast)

CEMENTING THE MARITIME BRICS AGENDA

I must admit I have been waiting for a long time for the local South African maritime industry to start talking meaningfully around this topic and am pleased that the initiative has been taken to break-away from next week’s BRICS sessions in this regard.

With a full calendar and a host of public holidays to contend with, organisers elected to host this on a Sunday and I hope that the date does not deter too many stakeholders.

Once again the Minister of Transport, Ben Dikobe Martins, is on the schedule and panel discussions should provide for a lively platform if they are accurately populated.

(Follow our tweets on this topic on @MaritimeSA – we will use the #maritimeBRICS)

MEETING TO DISCUSS AFRICAN MARITIME ECONOMY

The African maritime agenda is key to most conferences and events this year and the Nautical Institute (Southern African Branch) is meeting in association with a number of other key local professional associations to discuss this.

So with an Easter breather between this event and the BRICS sessions; the maritime industry will reassemble in Cape Town to debate the challenges facing the African Maritime economy.

(Follow our tweets on this topic on @MaritimeSA – we will use the #NauticalInstituteSA)

R&R ON THE GOLF COURSE

After all these cerebral outings, however, some sectors of the maritime industry are blocking out a Friday to chase a little white ball around in Stellenbosch. We’ll be there to sponsor one of the holes, take a few photos and relax with you after a hectic couple of weeks.

(Follow our tweets on this topic on @MaritimeSA – we will use the #MaritimeGolfDay)

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE RADAR

So if you are planning anything else in the maritime industry – put it on our radar and we’ll make sure that it becomes more than just a blip

All hands on deck!

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Scrubbing the decks of the Lord Nelson.

Scrubbing the decks of the Lord Nelson.

I recently had the opportunity to lend a hand. I joined a group of volunteers on board the Lord Nelson in the port of Cape Town where all hands on deck was literally the mantra of the day.

It all started when I received a number of press releases from Norton Rose that highlighted their involvement with the Jubilee Sailing Trust and, specifically, their connection to the tallship, the Lord Nelson.

Intrigued by the uniqueness of the vessel’s mandate to offer sailing opportunities to both able-bodied and disabled sailors alike, I jumped at the chance to experience the true ethos of the vessel first hand and soon found myself signing up for a day of hard labour.

Perhaps not making the best of first impressions, I arrived a little late only to find that my fellow volunteers were already hard at work and looking in control of things. Greeted by four fellow deckhands in red Norton Rose shirts, I soon discovered that the notion of working on a vessel in Cape Town’s harbour was appealing enough for the staff at Norton Rose to vie for the opportunity via an office competition

Tina Costas, Jeremy Brown and Jonathan Levine of Norton Rose were joined by Gavin Maggott from the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA) who, by the end of the day, had confirmed that maneuvering around the vessel in a wheelchair was more than feasible.

It’s clear from the moment you step on board that the vessel has been modified to accommodate wheelchairs and those with physical disabilities. Dedicated wheelchair lifts ensure that all crewmembers can access all areas of the boat and wheelchair tie downs are strategically placed to secure those that require it should the sailing get rough.

With provision made for blind, deaf and physically challenged crewmembers, it’s clear that being disabled on the Lord Nelson should not be a disadvantage.

But back to my day of labour.

Pairing up with Jeremy – we were put to work checking the life jackets and immersion suits on the port and starboard aft stations. With all lights and gear checked and accounted for, we were being ushered on to our next tasks by first mate, John West.

Down below I found Jonathan towing a vacuum cleaner and finishing off the main staircase with a dustpan and brush. I also encountered the doc, Steve Ogden, who was preparing the bunks to welcome new arrivals for the next sailing leg later that day so I stepped in to help him.

Somehow, however, I found myself sometime later in latex gloves, toilet brush in hand, cleaning the small bathrooms on the starboard side. These too have been modified to accommodate disabled crewmembers.

After a break for lunch enjoyed on the deck in the sun, I teamed up with Tina (who had been hard at work polishing the brass with Jeremy and Gavin) and Jonathan to scrub the decks. Armed with hoses, hard brooms, buckets and some soap powder – the hours soon clocked up as curious passersby stopped on the quayside to watch our progress.

Wet and tired, we proudly surveyed our handiwork before catching up with Gavin and Jeremy. Despite the sheer volume of deck that we had scrubbed and the time it had taken – it seems we somehow got off lightly as the other two had spent the afternoon cleaning fans and other equipment below deck!

It was a group effort and the Lord Nelson was ready to receive her guests for a scheduled cocktail party that night. But it took a diverse group of volunteers willing to flex their muscles, get dirty, surrender their time and put a common goal ahead of their own for a day.

We need to find more time for days like this and we need to make the effort to ensure that our industry provides access to all.

Take a look at our Facebook All Hands on Deck gallery for photos from the day! <click here>

CSI Maritime

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CSI, which incidentally has nothing to do with investigating crime scenes, has become an integral part of doing business and many maritime companies have well-entrenched strategies for identifying as well as supporting social upliftment. From education to supporting orphans or places of refuge and even environmental projects – there are no shortages of Corporate Social Investment initiatives requiring funding.

Massive corporates usually get the applause for their CSI strategies, but both big and small businesses are identifying worthwhile causes and investing money, time and skills in helping others.

Recently, however, the topic has become fodder for anecdotal dinner conversation as outraged people comment on intended legislation aimed at weighting incentives for companies participating in welfare-related projects. The general consensus seems to be that companies will be forced to abandon many of the causes they currently support as they chase incentives provided by supporting projects with 100 percent Black beneficiaries because anything else “just wont count”.

For me it’s a bit of a bizarre argument. To say that putting your hand out to help “just wont count” is wholly ridiculous. That the entire motivation for helping a cause should be attached to financial or tax incentives somewhat taints the intention. And let’s be fair – the weighting of incentives does not remove all tax breaks; but rather puts emphasis on projects that the government feels will perhaps impact positively on addressing their prioritised goals such as unemployment.

I acknowledge that, based on our own priorities to address different injustices, it may seem unfair to some to weight these tax incentives, but if you want to support a cause and really feel passionate about it – get on and support it because it will definitely “count” to those who benefit.

We, together with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), aim to recognise companies within the maritime fold at this year’s Maritime Industry Awards who give credence to the ethos of Corporate Social Investment. The award category aims to recognise a company’s commitment reaching outside of their corporate structures to lend a hand. Special emphasis will be placed on the company’s ability to involve their own staff members and instill a sense of charity that goes beyond handing over big cheques and issuing press releases.

The SAMSA Maritime Industry Awards, to be held in Cape Town on the 20 April 2013, are open to companies or organisations with a majority South African shareholding or with proven investment in the South African industry that includes an operating office; employment of South African citizens as well as investment in training and infrastructure. Individuals can also be nominated in any of the nine categories.

For more information about the SAMSA Maritime Industry Awards or to nominate a company or individual, please follow the link below:

http://www.maritimesa.co.za/MaritimeAwards/tabid/133/Default.aspx

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What is a Maritime Maestro?

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Since I started knocking about in the maritime industry some 17 years ago I have come across a few very extraordinary people. Sadly some of these have passed on, but fortunately a number still remain in the industry and continue to inspire us. They are passionate about all things maritime and unashamedly promote aspects of the industry outside of the typical nine-to-five window many of us allocate for work. They demand exacting standards from themselves and inspire others to notch up achievements they did not believe were possible.

These people are largely unrecognised, but this year’s SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority) Maritime Industry Awards seeks to shine the spotlight on them and give them their due at an awards dinner scheduled for 20 April 2013 at the Look Out in Cape Town.

I know of a number of Maritime Maestros that deserve this recognition and hope that many of us in the industry will take the time to nominate these inspiring individuals. It’s an easy process, but needs to be done by the end of this month so do not delay.

For more information on the SAMSA Maritime Industry Awards and the nomination process, please follow the link below:

http://www.maritimesa.co.za/MaritimeAwards/tabid/133/Default.aspx

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A professional approach

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Over the last few months I have exchanged business cards with a great many people and I am amazed to see how many are still using free Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail addresses for business purposes.

In this day and age where creating a business website is relatively easy and inexpensive, why are businesses still choosing this option? These domains are synonymous with phishing scams and bogus profiles; and certainly do not engender a sense of confidence.

As African businesses aiming to engage with international opportunities or to attract international investment, shouldn’t we be pursuing a more professional approach?

Yet many of the port and maritime authorities on the continent continue to flash business cards carrying these types of contact details. What makes matters worse is that the card often contains reference to a legitimate website, but then boasts a Yahoo et al email address!

Unfortunately one of my Yahoo contacts established at a recent conference popped into my inbox in a manner to reinforce my mistrust of such business contacts. Citing a recent dilemma, the fellow@yahoo.com brazenly asked for a loan of €2400 to be wired to him.

Now, there may well have been a legitimate maritime matter that required such funding, but with no real information in this regard; an email addressed to undisclosed recipients (his entire address book?) and all from a Yahoo email account did not have me confidently organising a money transfer.

Maritime colleagues in Africa; let’s lift our game to meet the expectations of the international business community!

Leaving PE on the SA Agulhas II

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Nelize Ernst and I joined the SA Agulhas II at the end of her “shakedown cruise” to experience first-hand how the new vessel is handling and accommodating her research crew.

Leaving Port Elizabeth by moonlight.

Leaving Port Elizabeth harbour last night under the guidance of the (almost) full moon was nothing less than spectacular as the vessel was guided through the harbour mouth by the harbour tugs. The pilot was soon hopping across from the SA Agulhas and we were left to head out to sea on a perfect winter’s night.

You can refer to our May/June issue of the magazine for all the real technical aspects of the ship and her specifications, so I am going to concentrate on our experience here.

Having already explored most areas of the vessel when she docked in Cape Town in May, we left many of the other new guests to clamber around the ship while we settled in and aimed to find a few areas that we had not yet discovered.

Did you know that the vessel has a sauna on board – a gift from the Finnish builders? It’s obviously quite small, but perfectly designed to work aboard a ship. As a neighbour to the small gym, these facilities do give crew and researchers the opportunity to get some exercise. And after already eyeing the menus on offer for each meal – they may very well need to use them on a long cruise.

The monkey island provided a welcome surprise too. Fully enclosed, the area is far from the usually windy, cold vantage spot on most other vessels. Comfortable chairs, a work top area and vistas of views behind floor to ceiling windows make the SA Agulhas II’s monkey island a pleasant place to spot birds and sea life.

But with the bar about to open in the Miriam Makeba lounge and a short opportunity to get to socialise with some of the other people on board, we hurried down to enjoy the stylish comfort of the lounge area. Although all commercial vessels are required to be dry ships, the SA Agulhas II does carry a complement of passengers and therefore does offer a short period when the bar is open and serving (very reasonably priced drinks).

The actual crew (in this case from Smit Amandla Marine), of course, do not drink!

The accommodation itself is comfortable and practical.  We did manage sneak a peak at the rather spacious Captain’s quarters before retiring to our four-berth cabin. But our cabin packs a punch in terms of what it delivers for its small size. With two bunk beds, a three-seater couch, small flat screen television, cupboard space, desk and en-suite facilities, this cabin makes some crew accommodation I have seen look positively shabby.

Tired and lulled towards sleep by the gentle rocking motion of the vessel, it was lights out, blinds down and eyes closed for us way before the bewitching hour!

‘n Salvor maak ‘n plan

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Yesterday I joined a room full of delegates at Smit Amandla Marine’s Emergency Response Seminar at the Protea President Hotel in Sea Point and was struck by the innovative and challenging nature of the marine salvage industry. Our local saying “‘n Boer maak ‘n plan” (a farmer knows how to make a plan) shall forthwith be changed in my vocabulary to “‘n salvor maak ‘n plan”!

While the seminar did indeed deal with the regulatory, contractual and governmental input required to deliver a National Contingency or Response plan – the case studies presented by many salvage stalwarts highlighted the diverse skill sets required within salvage teams. They also highlighted the ability of individuals and companies to think on their feet and create solutions to problems in situ.

This is the “Macgyver” (Google that if you’re younger than 35) sector of the maritime industry. It’s risky, dangerous, challenging and, I would imagine, immensely satisfying to be involved in successful salvage projects.

I would suggest that this sector could easily become the poster child to excite and attract the youth into the maritime sectors.

Look out for the editorial on this seminar in the next issue of Maritime Review Africa.