WHEN Tor Olav Troim stood up in Connecticut last month to honour his friend and boss John Fredriksen, he recounted a story about the day they met. He had found the Frontline chief in his office watching teletext, having just lost $50m on a trade. Enough to ruin most people’s breakfast, you might think, but big John was adamant that everything was under control.
Of course, the next time he saw him, shortly after that, the money had been recouped and then some. He is after all John Fredriksen and making money is what he does best.
While the speeches and celebrations were still taking place, a young Filipino cadet was preparing to leave the port of Newark on board a containership headed down the coast to Norfolk. When he finishes his 12-month contract on board later this year he will have earned over three times as much as some of his friends he left behind.
It goes without saying that the experiences of these two individuals at opposite ends of the industry are poles apart. Their attitude towards money, for a start, is likely to be unrecognisable to each other. Yet it is perhaps worth reminding ourselves that without each of them and thousands of others like them, the shipping industry and world trade would grind to a halt.
Starting tomorrow, Lloyd’s List will publish a series of feature-length profiles looking at four very different roles being performed within the industry. Tomorrow, we start with the crew of that boxship heading for Norfolk, and tomorrow will be the turn of the ship’s master. Then we take a look at the role of a ship finance banker working at the heart of New York’s maritime capital markets, and finally we will finish the week with an in-depth look at Mr Fredriksen’s latest industry-defining deal.
Each of the four subjects represents very separate aspects of the modern shipping industry. Their attitudes towards the industry, their reasons for joining, and indeed staying, all differ widely.
At some level it is predictably “all about the money”, as our banker explains, but the value placed on Mr Fredriksen’s $50m hiccup and the cadet’s yearly wage are oceans apart. There is also more to it than basic finance. Whether it is the ambition to captain your own vessel or the industry “getting into your blood”, the reasons behind their continued dedication are as diverse as their respective pay-packets.
The features are not intended to pass judgement or promote; they simply aim to offer a snapshot of what it is like for four very different people to work in today’s shipping industry.
It has become something of a cliché to talk about shipping being the lynchpin of world trade. We all know the statistics and the significance of our globalised industry.
The fact that over 90% of world trade is carried by the international shipping industry is proudly repeated in speeches like a mantra by officials, politicians and industry leaders the world over. Without shipping, the import/export of affordable food and goods would not be possible — half the world would starve and the other half would freeze.
Of course, shipping is the lifeblood of the global economy, and this is something we should be unhesitatingly proud of. But we also need to recognise that this is a disparate industry made up of increasingly specialised sectors and a diverse array of workers.
The view from ground level can often provide a very different perspective from the view presented by those who focus on the big picture.
As an industry we need to continue to provide opportunities across the board that are both attractive enough to lure people into work and rewarding enough to make them want to stay and climb the ladder.
Click here to read the feature articles for free.
Comments (3)
Comment by
Captain (Rtd) Reg Kelso
- Tuesday 15 April 2008
TODAY'S (April 15th) centre page spread about life on a boxship says it all. Cadet Dumon's current dedication to a seafaring career is praiseworthy but one wonders if, after a few more years, he will become as disillusioned as his shipmates. Read in conjunction with the previous day's front page " Crew Quality hits marine claims" I think one gets the measure of the problems facing the industry. A lack of qualified officers and intense commercial pressure are a dangerous combination and when we add in the fatigue factor, ever increasing passage speeds and traffic density, we have all the components for a major incident. Someone,somewhere - think about it before it is too late - and time is not on your side.
Comment by
Captain Ashok Malkani
- Tuesday 15 April 2008
G'day Richard,
Your proposed four part serial is quite remarkable. However, it also prompts me to tell myself, " why did I not think of it myself ".
While I myself cannot contribute much to it, I think it is a capital idea, and wish you much success. Am quite looking forward to reading it.
Cheerio.
Comment by
Captain Doctor Ivica Tijardovic, PhD
- Monday 14 April 2008
MY experience as a shipmaster helped me understand much better the problems in marine and maritime profession. Most of the things valid 20 years ago are no longer valid. My first shipmaster experience in 1990 was different than the one I had in 1998, and significantly different than it is today.
Ships have short port stays and crew don't have time to rest. Previously, ports were considered exotic but the port of today is a nightmare for most mariners, as they know how busy they will be, once the ship is moored at some dock.
Most of mariners I met were from Asia and from Europe. There was very seldom a single nationality crew. In most cases there were multinational crews and the majority weren’t from countries with high standards of living. Most complained they had been working under pressure and nobody enjoyed the life at sea.
To make the maritime profession attractive again for young people, society and the media should treat mariners quite differently. There are still excellent mariners today, who can be a shinning example to all those who aspire for deck or engine positions or for any job on board. We should talk about such people.
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