Careers At Sea News

Many problems in our “New World” can be solved more quickly than ever due to the speed at which information now travels. Gone are the countless long days of research, because often our questions can be answered instantaneously at a computer terminal or on a handheld mobile device. Traditional investment, research, science and industry have all attempted to reconfigure their business practices to accept that information speed. Unfortunately, government regulation and bureaucracy have not…

After 268 days in his kayak, 1643 hours of paddling and a journey of almost 6,800 miles, 65-year-old Mark Fuhrmann has completed his epic “Reverse the Bad” charity expedition across Canada and the United States.In doing so, he becomes the first person to solo kayak the ‘Greater Loop’ circuit, beginning (and ending) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and traversing the Great Lakes, the Illinois, the Mississippi, the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers, before hitting the Gulf of Mexico and heading up the Atlantic Coast.A smiling…

After two months in his kayak, 64-year-old Mark Fuhrmann has succeeded in covering 2,000km of his 10,500km ‘Greater Loop’ paddle. Although battered by high winds, and fighting against large swells and difficult tides, the intrepid Canadian has made his way from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Quebec City, and is now on the boundary of Montreal. His year-long loop will eventually take him back to Halifax, by which time he hopes to have raised over EURO 100,000 for Doctors Without Borders and Captains Without Borders.Extreme commitmentFuhrmann…

In late May 2022, Mark Fuhrmann set out on an epic, solo 10,500 km kayak trip, a venture that the 64-year-old Canadian is using to raise more than over EURO 100,000 for Doctors Without Borders and Captains Without Borders.Fuhrmann has been a staple in the marine industry for the past three decades, running a PR and marketing businesses in Oslo, Norway. Solo paddles for charity are not new to Fuhrmann, who who undertook a 5,900km charity kayak from Oslo to Athens, Greece, in 2018.

The maritime industry must significantly increase training and recruitment levels if it is to avoid a serious shortage in the total supply of officers by 2026, a new report from BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping warns.Given the growing demand for STCW certified officers, the Seafarer Workforce Report predicts that there will be a need for an additional 89,510 officers by 2026 to operate the world merchant fleet. The report estimates that 1.89 million seafarers currently serve the world merchant fleet…

A new bill introduced in the U.S. aims to make available $200 million in grant funding for community and technical colleges offering training programs for maritime industry professions. The legislation H.R. 7456 was introduced by Congresswoman Sylvia R. Garcia (Texas-29) alongside Rep. Don Young (Alaska-At-Large), Rep. Anthony G. Brown (Md.-04), Rep. Brian Babin (Texas-36), and Rep. Steven Palazzo (Miss.-04).“Maritime industry jobs are a critical part of our nation’s economy. Yet research has shown that there may soon be a shortage of maritime industry workers,” said Congresswoman Garcia.

The U.S. maritime industry takes great pride in our motto: “In Peace and War.” It sums what we’re all about. From colonial times, through the Revolution, the Civil War, two World Wars, several regional conflicts, and many natural and humanitarian disasters, we got the cargo delivered because our economic security and our national security depend on it.Today, we confront a new kind of enemy: an invisible, debilitating, and too often deadly disease. Yet, just as the courageous merchant…

Crowley Maritime Corp. awarded Thomas B. Crowley Sr. Memorial Scholarships to four California State University Maritime Academy (CMA) cadets at the Containerization and Intermodal Institute’s Connie Awards last night in Long Beach, Calif.The recipients earned the scholarships based on their academic achievement, financial need and their interest in pursuing careers at sea.Spencer Hoffman, a third-year student from Loomis, Calif., is currently a junior studying marine transportation. He serves as a cadet ambassador for the academy.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)  announced that on Saturday, May 12, in cooperation with The Japanese Shipowners' Association, MOL assigned its woman officers to hold a round-table discussion for about 30 students at Seisho Senior High School in Nara Prefecture. The event was part of the maritime industry's efforts to encourage young people in Japan to consider careers at sea. The presenter, who is on active service as the second officer of an MOL vessel, led a discussion in which she talked about the excitement and the challenges she has faced in her career. For many of the students, this was their first opportunity to meet someone who works as a seafarer, so they asked many questions and sparked a lively exchange of information.

Research vessel Falkor leaves Darwin today to explore the poorly understood air-sea interactions across the Indian and Pacific Ocean. This research is very important in understanding the ocean’s role in global climate change. The exchange of energy and matter between the atmosphere and the ocean are particularly onerous requirements, and have largely been neglected in climate research. Chief Scientist Dr. Oliver Wurl, from the University of Oldenburg and his international team of scientists from Germany, the United States, and United Kingdom plan to gain new insight during this 31-day expedition. The team of sea surface experts and marine geochemists on the expedition will use newly developed technologies to closely examine the ocean’s role in exchange processes.

It’s been widely reported over recent years that the maritime industry is facing a workforce crisis. A lack of newly trained candidates to fill the gaps caused by retirement of an aging workforce, now compounded even further by the oil price crash, means marine companies are beginning to feel the pressure of staff shortages. The U.K. Department for Transport (DFT) predicts a shortfall of around 3,500 deck and engineering officers by 2021 in the U.K. alone, and the BIMCO / ICS Manpower Report predicts the global shortfall of 147,500 officers by 2025.

The latest five-year BIMCO/ICS Manpower Report forecasts a serious future shortage in the supply of seafarers. • A need for an additional 147,500 officers by 2025 to service the world merchant fleet. The global supply of officers is forecast to increase steadily, but this is predicted to be outpaced by increasing demand. Some officer categories are in especially short supply, including engineer officers at management level and officers needed for specialised ships such as chemical, LNG and LPG carriers. The report suggests that in the past five years the industry has made good progress with increasing recruitment and training levels and reducing officer wastage (i.e. retaining qualified seafarers and increasing the number of years which they serve at sea).

Launched yesterday evening at the International Maritime Organization, the latest five-year BIMCO/ICS Manpower Report forecasts a serious future shortage in the supply of seafarers. • A need for an additional 147,500 officers by 2025 to service the world merchant fleet. The global supply of officers is forecast to increase steadily, but this is predicted to be outpaced by increasing demand. Some officer categories are in especially short supply, including engineer officers at management level and officers needed for specialised ships such as chemical, LNG and LPG carriers. The report suggests that in the past five years the industry has made good progress with increasing recruitment and training levels and reducing officer wastage (i.e.

Carleen Lyden-Kluss, Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Marketing & Communications, along with RADM Cari B. Thomas of the United States Coast Guard were recently appointed IMO Maritime Ambassadors by the International Maritime Organization. The two were nominated for this positon by the United States Coast Guard. An IMO Ambassador is an advocate for maritime and seafaring professions and actively conducts community outreach activities which encourage young people to consider careers at sea or in the maritime industry. IMO Maritime Ambassadors are encouraged to share their passion about the maritime world with others, particularly young people who are starting out on their further education, apprenticeships and career pathways.

Present and future maritime education and training needs were the focus of an international symposium held during the 2015 World Maritime Day Parallel Event hosted in Japan’s port city of Yokohama and its capital Tokyo, July 20-21. The event was held in conjunction with Japan’s Marine Day, a national holiday. The opening session, held in Tokyo, was attended by Shinzō Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, and addressed by Akihiro Ohta, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan.

In the days leading up to Day of the Seafarer on June 25, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched an online photo wall inviting people around the world to post their photos of careers at sea and other maritime professions. The IMO's focus for Day of the Seafarer 2015 is on education, urging young people to consider careers at sea. This year's campaign aims to showcase what the maritime world has to offer through myriad career opportunities, both at sea and ashore.

The class of 2014 from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), which included 225 new Merchant Marine and Military Officers, graduated in Kings Point, New York on Saturday. Vice Admiral Michelle J. Howard, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy, delivered the commencement address to over 2,300 graduates, family members and representatives from the federal government, U.S. military and maritime industry. "America is a maritime nation," said Howard.

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) graduated 201 new maritime leaders as part of its Class of 2013 commencement ceremony. The keynote speaker, General William M. Fraser III, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), gave the commencement address before a crowd of more than 2,000 including special guest U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, graduates, family members and representatives from the federal government, armed forces and maritime industry. “The U.S.

Clyde Marine Training, the UKs largest maritime training organization, has entered 2013 by strengthening its training division with a number of new starts. First to join was Allison Hume who arrived in October 2012, joining from a boutique maritime recruitment company in Singapore where she worked on recruiting merchant navy cadets and other experienced parties for various careers at sea. Alison was quickly joined by Hugh Mitchell in November 2012, who takes up the demanding role of Support Training Officer. Hugh previously enjoyed 30 years within Strathclyde Police, rising to the position of Police Inspector with direct involvement in the development of Probationary Constables.

A Royal Navy Veteran visited a Surrey school to encourage youngsters to consider important professions in the Royal and Merchant Navy, ahead of World Maritime Day on Thursday 27th September. Roy Ticehurst is a resident at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society; a Surrey based nursing home which provides dedicated accommodation and care to former seafarers and their dependants. The visit to Woodmansterne Primary School will raise awareness of the important role the Merchant and Royal Navy play in our society among the younger generation…

A group of former seafarers encouraged youngsters to consider important professions in the Royal and Merchant Navy, on World Maritime Day on Friday 30 September. Residents at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, a Surrey based home which provides dedicated accommodation and care to former seafarers and their dependants, said there is not enough awareness of the important role the Merchant and Royal Navy play in our society among the younger generation. Great Britain’s maritime sector is the largest in Europe…

World Travel, Camaraderie and Exciting Voyages Characterise a Career in the Maritime Industry, but Employment Figures Show Disinterest. A group of former seafarers encouraged youngsters to consider important professions in the Royal and Merchant Navy, on World Maritime Day on Friday 30 September. Residents at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, a Surrey based home which provides dedicated accommodation and care to former seafarers and their dependants, said there is not enough awareness of the important role the Merchant and Royal Navy play in our society among the younger generation.

A group of veteran seafarers are encouraging youngsters to consider what has become an important but ‘forgotten profession’ as the country prepares to celebrate Merchant Navy Day on September 3. Residents at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, a Surrey based home which provides dedicated accommodation and care to former seafarers and their dependants, said there is not enough awareness of the important role the Merchant Navy plays in our society among the younger generation.