Dealing with multicultural human resources in a socially responsible manner: a focus on the maritime industry

Shipping companies’ crucial need for cost cutting is their main motive for recruiting seafarers of various nationalities and formulating multicultural teams on board ships. This paper seeks to examine ways of dealing with cultural issues by being a socially responsible company. The main point of the research is to examine how managing multicultural crews is related to the shipping companies’ and the industry’s social responsibility. An extensive literature review on the cultural issues of maritime manpower, with a focus on the working and living conditions and the management of shipping crews, reveals important aspects of the subject. This analysis is enriched with qualitative data from an on-board case study, and from a survey among crew managers and manning agents. Results show that managing multicultural human resources in a socially responsible manner requires socially acceptable behaviour towards seagoing labour from all the industrial actors.     

Environmental awareness and practice concerning maritime air emissions: the case of the Greek shipping industry

One of the most urgent environmental problems facing the shipping industry today is the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from its operations and the possible cost-effective ways in which this reduction could be accomplished. Various technical and operational measures have been proposed as well as market-based instruments for the achievement of the compliance of marine industry with these measures. This paper investigates the levels of environmental awareness of the Greek shipping companies and their views and practices on the proposed policies for the reduction of GHG emissions from their ships. A survey was carried out using a questionnaire distributed to Greek shipping companies of different sizes, involved in different segments of the marine industry, so that the survey's results not only represent a large part of the Greek shipping industry but also reveal the different environmental attitudes and practices on maritime GHG emissions among the shipping companies. Given the size and the importance of the Greek shipping industry in the international maritime field, this paper's results present a special significance as they could be further analyzed and taken into account for the achievement of the compliance of marine industry with any future policy instrument for the reduction of maritime GHG emissions.     

An equilibrium-based network model for international container flows

The liner shipping industry is a highly complex system and is extremely sensitive to rapid changes in the environment. To facilitate decision-making in response to endogenous and exogenous shocks, this research develops a strategic network model based on equilibrium principles to analyze the international marine liner shipping network according to port charge, congestion level at the port, and load factor of the ship and estimates the possible container flows under different scenarios in the long run. The distribution model of container flows is extended from Beckmann's transformation. To calibrate the parameters employed in the model so that it offers greater fidelity in predicting container flows, we devise a descent direction-based heuristic. The proposed framework is empirically applied to various scenarios to validate the model and predict the flow pattern after significant events. By identifying these events’ potential impact on the maritime network, the presented model can help relevant stakeholders reduce uncertainty when shaping maritime policies so that they can seize opportunities to increase their competitiveness and maintain their advantage in the maritime market.     

发展现代航运服务体系,打造上海国际航运中心

发展航运服务业,建设上海国际航运中心,就要打造健全完善的现代航运服务体系,在形成航运产业集群的基础上,发展融合衍生的新型、高端航运服务业。     

海南自由贸易港背景下航运新特征对海事管理的要求及对策研究

随着海南自由贸易港建设的深入推进,我国将在海南实施更加开放的航运政策,建立与国际接轨的国际船舶登记制度,海南航运业将呈现新的特征.作者对海南自由贸易港建设背景下海南航运进行了展望,分析了未来海事管理工作面临的新考验,并提出海事部门要强化自身建设,不断推进海事治理能力和治理体系现代化,以适应高速发展的航运经济.     

US shipping policy under conditions of a new world economic and political environment

The maritime policy of the US has evolved over more than 100 years from the support of US shipping through mail and fleet auxiliary contracts before the turn of the century, to the present array of direct and indirect Government aids and regulations based on the assumption that a strong maritime industry composed of both US-flag shipping and US-shipbuilding capacity is essential for the economic well-being and defence of the country. Notwithstanding massive direct and indirect aid to the US merchant marine, amounting to well over a billion dollars a year in recent years, US shipping and shipbuilding has declined dramatically and now comprises less than 3% of world shipping. Only 2.8% of US foreign trade by volume and 6% by value is today carried in US flag ships. Government aids constitute well over 33% of total revenues of US-flag shipping.

The traditional argument for US Government support has been the need for cost parity to permit US-flag shipping to compete effectively in international trade against foreign shipping serving the same routes with presumably lower operating costs. This argument is difficult to sustain today, as vessel costs of many other industrialized nations are now about equal to those of US-flag ships.

In 1970 the US enacted a new, vastly more liberal, maritime act for the support of the US maritime industry. Notwithstanding its even more liberal terms and elimination of the strict cost-parity interpretation, the US maritime industry continues its decline. The recent bankruptcy of two old, established subsidized shipping companies has caused tremors in the industry, yet no new ideas, policies, or plans seem to be forthcoming. It is the objective of this paper to study the development and effects of various historic US Government policies relating to the support of the US maritime industry, and evaluate the positions taken by proponents or opponents of the maritime policy leading to the policy development.

The decision processes are studied by evaluating literature on the evolution of Congressional, administration, industry, and labour interest and positions on the issue of Government aid to the maritime industry. The impact and effectiveness of various elements of past and present US maritime policy is evaluated in relation to the stated objectives. The alternatives to these policies are reviewed in the light of the changing US position in international trade, military strategy, and political objectives. In addition the effectiveness of the present and alternative policies is evaluated as it is and will be affected by changing technology in use, composition of ownership, and operations of US-flag shipping and shipbuilding.     

The enforcement of shipping standards under UNCLOS

This article discusses the enforcement of shipping standards, with a particular focus on Part XII of UNCLOS. Section 6 of Part XII contains the only comprehensive set of vessel-related enforcement provisions in the Convention, but the Part’s scope is limited to “the preservation and protection of the marine environment.” Therefore, not all shipping standards fall clearly within Part XII’s ambit, including those centered on safety, security, and crewing considerations. The enforcement provisions of Section 6 are favorable to flag states and their vessels, and Section 7 contains a number of safeguards for their benefit, so it is in the interests of these parties to have coastal state enforcement governed by Part XII. However, the ability of coastal states to establish and enforce shipping standards that apply within the territorial sea extends to more than just environmental matters. The result is that different standards give rise to different enforcement powers, depending on the maritime zone in which a vessel is located, even if those standards arise from the same international agreement. It is suggested that to remedy these problems, UNCLOS would need to be amended in order to provide a comprehensive enforcement regime for the enforcement of shipping standards.     

Future of the shipping dialogue in UNCTAD

UNCAD has played a central role in the development of international shipping policies, particularly those of developing countries. While comprehensively addressing all shipping issues affecting both the industry and the maritime trade of developing countries. UNCTAD has concentrated its greatest efforts on policies designed to achieve those objectives. These policies also reflected the then existing international environment of confrontation. East/West ideological conflicts and the North/South divide. The results were far from satisfactory, although a number of international agreement were reached under the auspices of UNCTAD. The end of the cold war and the emergence of the single economic system (the market place) has brought about far-reaching changes in UNCTAD, its secretariat, its intergovernmental machinery and the substantive content of its secretariat, its intergovernmental machinery and the substantive content of its deliberations. It is expected that the shipping dialogue in UNCTAD in the 1990s will be significantly different in content and structure. This article attempts to point to possible courses of action that will be taken in UNCTAD fora in the area of shipping in the context of promoting a competitive services in developing countries.     

Private maritime security company (PMSC) in the Strait of Malacca

Recently, maritime security issues in the Strait of Malacca have been in the limelight. Statistics highlighting the risk of piracy faced by shipping in the Strait of Malacca and the possibility of a terrorist attack have led to an enhanced awareness of the need for heightened security. The declaration by Lloyd’s Joint War Committee (JWC) of the Strait as a “war risk area” has strengthened the perception that the littoral states have not done enough to make the Strait secure for international trade.     

致力于造船和航运业健康发展的中国海事

介绍了中国造船和航运业发展状况,指出在金融危机下,挑战与机遇并存。并提出健康发展五大措施——产业升级、安全监管、海事服务、造船业发展、国际交流与合作。     

Impact of the container security initiative on Taiwan's shipping industry

This paper evaluates the impact of risk factors from the container security initiative on Taiwan's shipping industry by employing a risk management matrix to identify the severity and frequency of CSI risk factors, and discovers some appropriate risk management alternatives. This paper's findings are as follows: (1) The majority of risk factors have a moderate-risk level, and possible alternative risk management measures include risk prevention, self-retention and insurance. (2) Ensuring a balance between the efficiency of maritime logistics and supply chain security is of vital importance to any trading countries dealing with security risk issues. (3) The government should encourage the private sector to design and market security hardware and software, which will promote the growth of the domestic security industry and generate employment opportunities.     

Rethinking maritime privatization in Africa

While recognizing the need for increased participation of the private sector in the maritime industry of developing countries, there is a need to go beyond the call for privatization in terms of mere change of ownership from state to private sector as the only solution to the inefficiency of the maritime industry in developing countries. This limited understanding of the maritime problems of these countries abounds in the literature on maritime privatization. This study departs from this approach and focuses on the political economy of the maritime industry, and suggests that maritime privatization will not necessarily result in increased efficiency of the divested maritime enterprises. Rather, it argues that maritime problems in these countries have less to do with ownership than with the structural constraints in world shipping together with internal management and local ~olitics. The maritime industrv in West and Central Africa is used as a case studv. and recommendations such as selective privatization, 'programme contract', and most importantly, corporatization, are suggested as alternative strategies that could enhance maritime privatization and the development of the maritime industry in developing countries.     

Polish shipping and shipping policy

Following a period of about 120 years, when external political pressures prevented Poland from engaging in maritime commercial activities, the end of World War I marked an important epoch in Poland's maritime history. Although the Peace Treaties gave Poland access to the sea and the right to use Gdansk, it was not until 1926, when Poland's first shipping company was established and Poland's new port of Gdynia opened, that her new status as a maritime country was fashioned. This paper traces the development of Polish shipping from 1918 to the present time; discusses the factors related to Poland's problems in the sphere of international maritime transport; and outlines Poland's present shipping policy.     

Conceptual framework for Comparing University baccalaureate programmes in shipping management

For a long time, a maritime education meant the education of a mariner where technical knowledge of seafaring was taught. However, shipping has evolved into a global and sophisticated business where two kinds of managers are required: one that deals with the operation of the vessel and the other that deals with the shore-side business. The education landscape for shipping has also evolved with time. A mariner’s education has evolved from apprenticeship on a ship to a professional certificate from maritime academies. The shore-side business is traditionally staffed by master mariners that made the career transition from sea to shore but the current staffing trend is to employ graduates schooled in business and/or management. It has been long recognised that shore-side business personnel should ideally be also knowledgeable in vessel operations. Under this scenario, several maritime degree programmes have cropped up around the world to bridge the knowledge gap of shore-side business personnel. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of maritime education and selected maritime degree programmes around the world and proposes a conceptual framework for comparing the programmes. The conceptual framework serves as a guide for evaluating maritime education and an aid to curriculum design where choices of courses need to be made to fit into a 3-year or 4-year study programme.     

The melting Arctic and its impact on China’s maritime transport

The shrinking of Arctic ice triggers off a new round of competition and dispute in this region, among traditional Arctic states and non-Arctic actors. Like its East Asia neighbours, China sees the melting Arctic Ocean a unique opportunity for itself and international trade generally. The changing physical landscape of the Arctic region will certainly have a major impact on China’s economic future which is very dependent on international shipping. This paper assesses the impact of the ice-free Arctic on the development of marine transport industry in China. The author discusses the potential new routes with the Arctic’s melting and the opportunities that it brings to China’s maritime transportation industry. Challenges that China faces in future shipping through the Arctic will be also addressed from political, legal, economic and environmental dimensions, followed by a preliminary exploration of ways to solution of these challenges.     

Kiribati seafarers and German container shipping

This article discusses the employment of Kiribati seafarers on German owned and flagged shipping. The authors examine the origins of the German shipping industry sponsored training and recruitment programmes on the Kiribati atolls. The implications of the creation of a manorial ‘internal’ labour market for German container shipping in the South West Pacific is assessed. The impact of labour participation in the international shipping industry on Kiribati's former fisherfolk is also examined.     

Developments in UK shipping: the tonnage tax

The new UK Government, elected in May 1997, came to power with a commitment to reverse the decline of the UK shipping industry and enhance the employment prospects of UK seafarers. The Government commissioned Lord Alexander of Weedon to investigate the case for a tonnage tax. In this paper, the economic arguments for supporting the UK shipping industry are reviewed. There is some evidence that the UK holds a comparative advantage in world markets in key sectors of the shipping industry and on-shore maritime related activities, but is being undermined by lower foreign taxes. In the absence of government support, the UK shipping industry is likely to continue to decline, and, by further reducing the supply of qualified UK ex-seafarers, put at risk the successful on-shore activities. Various measures that might be used to support a national shipping industry, e.g. a tonnage tax, are considered. The paper concludes by discussing the likely impact of the tonnage tax on the UK's shipping industry.     

Introduction to the special issue on maritime security

The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 heightened awareness about the vulnerability of all modes of transportation to terrorist attack. The issue of maritime security has therefore become a major concern in the international maritime sector over the past several years. Globalization has led to a strong growth in seaborne trade; however, it simultaneously increases vulnerability to not only terrorism but also international criminal activities that threaten the world's supply chain. For example, in 2008, the rise in piracy activities in the Gulf of Aden brought the issue of maritime security to the forefront of international debate. In addition to the direct impact on ships, crews and cargoes, and on the maritime industry and governments, piracy also threatens global seaborne trade, and has an impact on energy security and the environment [UNCTAD, 2009, Review of Maritime Transport 2009 (New York: United Nations)]. Maritime piracy can pose substantial risks to seaborne trades, with considerable commodities, ranging between raw materials and energy to high-value manufactured products, being shipped between global economic powerhouses [FU, X. W., NG, A. K. Y., LAU, Y. Y., forthcoming, The impacts of maritime piracy on global economic development: The case of Somalia. Maritime Policy and Management]. Maritime security management, including the definition of security, maritime risk assessment, security measures, the regulation and policy of maritime security in shipping and port-related business operations has been receiving growing attention, both in practice and research.