It has been the case for centuries that when a ship leaves a port, it is on its own until the next port of call. The international regulatory framework, including the manning and training standards are built around this principal, meaning that onboard teams must be capable of taking on any circumstances the ship encounters.

The authors of the study note that this self supporting principal is reaching it's limits. Engines are becoming more complex and at the same time, more reliable. As a consequence, ship's engineers gain less experience with breakdowns and are less capable to react effectively in an emergency situation. Further, new technologies are also being hampered from being introduced, such as all-electric propulsion systems, partly because of this lack of experience.

The invitation asks whether, since traditional manning principles can be seen from a different angle, the ship could be managed as part of logistic chain, especially coastal vessels. However, it is noted that this would need a fundamental change of view from both the shipping industry and the international regulating institutes.

International parties are invited to take part in this unique initiative. Please contact Mr. Gert-Jan Huisink, general manager HME (info@shoresupport.nl) or +31(0)10 4444 333) for any additional information.