24th June 2024

IMO SEAFARERS DAY 2024

Barbados Maritime Ship Registry has the honour and privilege of working with the whole spectrum of the maritime industry, from ship owners, financiers, managers, inspectors, crew and crewing agents, insurers, and many others, all vital to the industry but too numerous to mention here. All these functions are essential to the efficiency and quality of the flag administration.

None of this would be possible without our seafarers, though, so on the DAY OF THE SEAFARER, we are pleased to mark that service by presenting a brief article written by one of our own technical team, Captain Jithesh Cyriac, a Master Mariner of many years’ experience. Captain Cyriac has first-hand knowledge of the daily challenges faced by seafarers of all ranks.

We salute him and seafarers everywhere; thank you all for your dedication and the sacrifices made in being separated from your loved ones. It has never been an easy life at sea, but we are happy to recognise the enormous contribution you all make. We believe there is no such thing as an “Ordinary” Seaman!

My Experience as A Seafarer

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever” – Jacques Cousteau.

The above quote encapsulates my whole experience at sea. I was caught in the spell of the sea and kept wondering and revelling at its charm, for a good part of my whole life.

I spent around 24 years as a seafarer and was in command of ocean-going
vessels as a master mariner for the later part of that since 2016. The journey from cadet to captain was as tumultuous as traversing the dangerous, deep oceans. A journey that people would mock and say that it was impossible. In the beginning, I believed them and thought so too.

I was taken aback by the sheer magnitude of the task at hand after graduating from college with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and joining as a cadet in 1999. The tough training was overwhelming, to say the least, with highly demanding physical
jobs on deck, the kind that I never had to do before. To top it all, I was seasick for the first four days, and I was just hoping to reach the next port and make my way back to the safety of my home as soon as possible.

By the Grace of God, I did overcome my seasickness and my apprehensions, later to pass my various certificate courses and work my way up through the ranks from junior officer, chief officer to master.

Seafaring is among the most underrated and rarely known professions in the world. I still get very strange questions like “where do you sleep after work?”, “do you have to pay for your food?”, and “do you stay at hotels while you are in port?”! I don’t blame them, people have very less access to this kind of information, and some are simply not interested.

I have great respect for seafarers. They sacrifice a lot, they leave their families and loved ones behind, undertake dangerous tasks routinely, endure the perils of the sea like storms and monstrous waves, and they tackle most emergencies on their own with very little access to external help. The ship’s job descriptions and hierarchy are
highly organised and well disciplined, and being punctual and honest is simply taken for granted. After all, their daily routine or non-routine tasks are what keeps them busy all the time, leaving very little time to worry about home. They always undertake heavy tasks with a smile and are really grateful for what the sea has given them in their lives so far.

The advent of ISM and documented procedures was a welcome addition for shipping as a whole and seafarers, although some officers onboard were initially put off by the additional workload of all that paperwork. However, these risk assessments, procedures and checklists have definitely made ships a much safer place and has greatly increased the professionalism of seafarers.
I also welcome the technological advancements like ECDIS, digitisation and electronically controlled engines, which really help to make the life of seafarers much better.

The major change for seafarers was the introduction of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) which really addressed the problems that seafarers faced for centuries. Thanks to the IMO for bringing in this much-wanted change, through which seafarers are guaranteed standards like living conditions, proper contracts, regulated shipping agents & medical tests, insurance cover for repatriation and even guaranteed communication facilities including internet on board. Issues like these were already addressed by the major shipping companies with good quality standards, but there were a lot of smaller fraudulent companies who were duping seafarers and exploiting them. MLC has made it very difficult for these fraudulent companies to operate, and they will eventually be phased out.

The ship is the best lifeboat, and every seafarer knows that too well. They will happily look after the vessel, as it is their bread and butter. It keeps them safe from the mighty storms and the deep oceans. It is their home for a major portion of their
lives, and it is also their workplace. The ship is fondly referred to as a female by all seafarers and is well-taken care of like a mother. Money-minded ship owners used to cut costs for maintenance of vessels and thereby endanger the lives of seafarers in the past, however ever-stringent SOLAS regulations have put a tight noose round their necks.

Strict PSC inspections and Concentrated Inspection Campaigns by the various MoUs have ensured that ships are always maintained in “ship-shape”. These inspections put a lot of pressure on senior officers on board for passing them with minimum or Nil deficiencies, as the PSC performance directly affects the commercial rating of the vessel, its earning capacity and also the reputation of the company. Seafarers must never feel distressed by the pressure to have a successful inspection, but must always feel the assurance and be happy that all that trouble is only to ensure their own safety at sea.

After having an adventurous and satisfying career at sea, I decided to step ashore taking up office jobs for the sake of spending more time with my family. I am happy that I joined Barbados Maritime Ship Registry (BMSR) as a technical officer. It gives me immense joy to be still connected to ships and seafarers. I am also happy to report from first-hand experience that BMSR does indeed put seafarers first and does not compromise on their safety or safety of vessels.

I am very proud having been a seafarer although the experience was very challenging and demanding, having to endure various difficulties on a daily basis. Those challenges give a strong sense of satisfaction after they are successfully dealt with. And seafarers have always been trained during their time at sea to overcome challenges, right from the first sea-sickness, enduring tough examinations in the college, braving fierce storms, working long hours without regard to day or night, and handling emotional stress and pressure. A big salute to all the seafarers out there!