Seafarers who are helping to make working life at sea safer for their industry colleagues have been honoured by InterManager, the international trade association for the ship management sector.

InterManager is leading industry calls for improved safety measures to avoid crew members losing their lives while working in dangerous, enclosed spaces.

A key component for InterManager’s campaign to address these dangers is feedback received from the seafarers who regularly face these risks. InterManager Secretary General, Captain Kuba Szymanski, explained: “We wanted to hear from the seafarers themselves to find out why fatal mistakes are still being made? Is there something the industry hasn’t taken into consideration?”

To obtain these views, InterManager conducted an industry-wide survey – and received an overwhelming response from seafarers and shore staff around the globe.

In recognition of this important assistance, InterManager is presenting a number of respondents with awards and iPads. Some are being presented during the Crew Connect Global event in Manila this week, one has already been presented in Hamburg, and further presentations will take place in London later this year.

The recipients are:

Leadership Award (presented to shore staff):
• Capt. Venkat Kesav, Campbell Shipping.
• Capt. Frank Lasse, Bernhard Schulte.
• Himadri Shikhar, MSI Shipping.

Seafarer Award (presented to crew members):
• Pumpman Florencio Boongaling, Bernhard Schulte
• Capt Avinash Serafino Carrasco, MSI Shipping
• Second Officer Sheshendra Chaturvedi, Campbell Shipping
• Second Engineer Mr Asokan Exhilan, MSI Shipping, Seafarer award
• Chief Officer Sunny Tagappan Kannan, MSI Shipping
• Deck Cadet Vishal Kumar, Campbell Shipping.
• Michael Lloyd, retired.
• Chief Officer Leigh Musselwhite,Tidewater Marine
• Capt. Somesh Singh, Campbell Shipping

Presentation of the iPads was made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of the following companies, all InterManager members: Columbia Ship Management; Ecochlor; ISSA; Philippines Transmarine Carriers; SCF Management Services; Seagull; Scorpio Ship Management; SOFTImpact, The Standard Club Asia.

Captain Szymanski said: “Our Enclosed Spaces campaign has obviously struck a chord and we were pleased with the response we received from throughout the maritime community. This campaign put seafarers in the driving seat and gave them the chance to take charge of this risk to their lives. We are delighted that so many of them took the time to respond to us.”

He continued: “We received some very interesting suggestions and this feedback will help to inform our campaign as we endeavour to bring about industry-wide improvements. I am delighted to be able to recognise those seafarers and shore staff who went out of their way to help us.”

“Thanks to the great feedback we received from seafarers and marine sector workers throughout the international shipping industry we have the information we need to be able to lobby the International Maritime Organisation and other key maritime stakeholders and work towards eradicating these risks,” he said.