John Wright News

As I write this article I am flying back to my home base in Canada from the 42nd annual Interferry conference in Split, Croatia. Interferry is an outstanding conference full of dedicated and passionate ferry operators and those who serve the industry. One presentation was delivered by Captain John Wright, a Master Mariner who has spent his career in the maritime industry in a variety of roles including vessel master, marine superintendent, chief executive and general manager. All of his roles have had a focus on safety and cultural change.

In October the world’s ferry operators gathered in Split Croatia for the Forty Second Annual Interferry Conference. The 470 or so delegates represented 210 operators and support companies from 27 countries. A trade show included firms from around the world including shipbuilders, naval architects, equipment suppliers, training and others of the diverse group that make up the ferry industry. In a panel on Mediterranean Ferries, Philippe Holthof, of the Belgian-based Shipax explained the huge size and complexity of the fleet.

The challenges and opportunities posed by alternative fuels, safety management and social media dominated Interferry’s 42nd annual conference in Split, Croatia, where a record 370 delegates shared insights on ship technologies, safety issues including cyber security and the customer experience. Attendance at last week’s conference represented 210 ferry operators and suppliers from 27 countries. Mediterranean ferry operators voiced their concerns on meeting the 0.5 percent sulphur emissions cap due in 2020. Minoan Lines managing director Antonios Maniadakis complained that using low sulphur fuel would increase costs by €2 million per year.

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan explains the Stronger Together vision behind the trade association’s drive to extend its networking and lobbying influence. Over the past four decades, Interferry’s reach and purpose has evolved with increasing effect from its U.S. origins in 1976. Back then, it was formed as the International Marine Transit Association with a focus on networking among its members. Now it is highly respected and influential as the only body representing the ferry industry worldwide.

Trade association Interferry stages its 42nd annual conference in Split, Croatia, next month with an agenda highlighting the income and savings potential in three key areas – the customer experience, ship technologies and safety issues including cyber security. The event runs from October 7-11 and is on course for record attendance with some 300 delegates already registered among member and non-member operators and suppliers. “I think the high level of interest is a response to the pace of change in our industry,” suggests Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan.

This is the second in a series of Maritime Reporter and Engineering News articles on Safety Culture in the maritime industry. The first article, which appeared in our October, 2013 edition, discussed the importance of management leadership, training, measurement, a focus on learning rather than blame, and continuous reflection on safety. In this second article, safety culture expert Captain John Wright discusses the key ingredients of a healthy safety culture. I had the good fortune of meeting Captain Wright because of his involvement with the BC Ferries SailSafe project.

“Safety Culture” is one of those terms that is used a lot in the maritime industry. We all think it is important, and every operator wants a “good” safety culture. But how does one get it, and then keep it once it is there? This is the first of a pair of articles looking at safety culture in the maritime industry. What is Safety Culture? The IMO tells us “An organization with a ‘safety culture’ is one that gives appropriate priority to safety ... This is a fair, but arguably limited description. Safety culture is not something that a vessel operator either has or does not have.

At the recent ABS Council meeting, 31 prominent members of the shipping and offshore industries were elected as new members of the prominent international classification society. The ABS Council also elected seven new members to the society’s Technical Committee. “Our strength as a classification society is the breadth of experience and depth of wisdom of our membership,” said ABS Chairman & CEO Robert D. Somerville. Zamil A. Thomas J. Angiolino, Senior Vice President, Willis of New York, Inc. Commodore R. Balasubrmaniam, IN (Retd.), Director, Rajapur Shipyard Pvt. Ltd. Dong-Su Choi, President & CEO, SLS Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Robert G. George A. Cupstid, Senior Vice President and General Manager, LeTourneau Technologies, Inc. Tim E. Steven Durrell, President, Irving Shipbuilding Inc.

CADKEY Corporation’s CADKEY 20+ Workshop, a new interactive training CD from Distance Engineering (Ann Arbor, MI), is now available for sale on the CADKEY Webstore at www.cadkey.com/webstore. The CD is the eleventh CD-ROM training tool co-authored by Walt "Doctor Walt" Silva, President of Distance Engineering, Inc. and author of seventeen CAD books. Packed with more than 60 step-by-step tutorials, the product gives users concrete lessons and time-saving shortcuts for the all-new CADKEY Workshop V20 architecture. Using real-world examples, it lets CADKEY users immediately apply the new functions in CADKEY by pressing "Alt-Tab" to jump in and out of CADKEY, helping to improve productivity and strengthen modeling skills. The CD is available for $59.95 USD (plus shipping and handling).