Ships hit by crew shortage

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

18 Mar 2008

SHIPS have been delayed leaving Tasmanian ports as a result of a nationwide shortage of skilled mariners. Maritime Union Australia state secretary Jason Campbell said Tasmania was not immune to the national shortage of base-level seamen, otherwise known as integrated ratings."By the end of the year we will end up 500 ratings short around the country," Mr Campbell said."It is a problem in Tasmania and the shortage is making it increasingly difficult to meet safe manning standards."He said on occasions ships had been delayed leaving port because they didn't have enough people on board to meet Australian safe manning requirements."In the past it was rare but it is becoming more of a certainty every day," Mr Campbell said.The shortage of officers is even more severe because they have been lured to work in the lucrative offshore oil and gas exploration industry."For 11 years there has been no training or very little training in Australia and the boom in offshore oil and gas exploration is soaking up the skilled people that are left," Mr Campbell said.Integrated ratings carry out general duties on deck including assisting with cargo operations, assisting engine room maintenance and navigational watches and assisting in mooring and anchoring operations.AMC National Centre for Ports and Shipping director John Lloyd said the Tasmanian college was keen to boost its officer and integrated rating training intake."We are working closely with industry to understand the demands now and into the future and we are making sure the resources are in place to meet recruitment needs so we can train them here," Mr Lloyd said.The theory component of the course takes around 14 weeks. The 36-week sea time is the real bottleneck because there are a limited number of training berths on Australia's small merchant fleet.