Leading crew services company BCS Group – Boers Crew Services is set to discuss the importance of efficient crew changes at a panel discussion at Crew Connect Global on Tuesday.

Peter Smit, Joint CEO of Dutch company Boers will be taking part In the Crew Supply Forum on Tuesday afternoon where he will discuss the shortage of seafarers and how communication is key to keeping a smooth and efficient turnaround during crew changes.

Specialist crew company Boers offers an end-to-end solution when transporting shipping crew members to and from ports in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, dealing with everything from entry visas and Covid-19 tests to medical services, hotel bookings and taxi services.

During the panel discussion, Mr Smit will talk about how he defines the services Boers offers as the ‘last mile,’ but this can be a more difficult process where labour is found in non-typical seafarer countries.

‘We see our services of working with embassies and making sure the correct visas have been issued as the last mile for the seafarers. But this can be a complex and a long process. Communication with the right departments is hugely important to ensuring the process is completed as efficiently as possible. It is vital the seafarer is back on the ship as quickly as possible to keep the supply of crew moving.

“There are lots of dots that need joining when it comes to crew services. It can also be challenging in organising the correct flights as there are different regulation for different ports. I am looking forward to discussing these challenges at the Crew Supply Forum and how we can all work together to ensure the smooth and consistent supply of seafarers.”

Mr Smit is due to be joined by John Adams, Senior Advisor/Chairman/Vice-Chair, V.Group; Marlon Rono, President and CEO, Magsaysay People Resources Corporation; Norman Schmiedl, Managing Director, Columbia Blue; Rebecca Hayes Mejia, Public Health Manager, Marine Benefits / Faculty of Medicine, Lund University; and Iris Baguilat, President, Döhle Seafront Crewing.

Crew Connect Global is one of the biggest manning events in the maritime calendar, connecting the global crewing community to inform and inspire change in sustainability, crew management, training and safety, and seafarer wellbeing. It is being held from November 22 to 24 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Manila.

The Crew Supply Forum panel discussion is being held at 4.10pm (Singapore Time, GMT +8).