Return of the Tanker Wars?
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HEALTH AND SAFETY NAUTILUS AT WORK NL NEWS HISTORY Special feature on the General Meeting to be Nautilus targets working How the standard British impact of migrant live-streamed to members conditions in off shore Merchant Navy uniform rescues on seafarers via private Facebook group wind sector came into being Volume 52 | Number 9 | September 2019 | £3.50 €3.70 RETURN OF THE TANKER WARS? As members tell of their experiences under fi re in the Middle East, Union pressure wins greater protections for seafarers transiting the Strait of Hormuz 01 cover sept19_SR checked.indd 1 15/08/2019 10:49 Sustainable Maritime Operations MSc | BSc (Hons) | BSc | PGDip | PGCert | Access Course EQUIP YOURSELF WITH THE RELEVANT MANAGEMENT SKILLS FOR THE MODERN GLOBAL MARITIME WORLD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH www.mla-uk.com WERE YOU AWARE that following the successul outcome of a judicial review in respect of two Seatax clients, (brought before the Courts by Nautilus in collaboration with Seatax Ltd as expert advisors on the Seafarers Earnings Deduction), it was deemed that the two Seatax clients did have a legitimate expectation in applying the only published Revenue Practice with regard to the application of a day of absence in relation to a vessel sailing between UK ports. HMRC did not want to accept this practice (although referred to in their very own publications) but have now accepted that expectations of a claim based on such practice would be valid until the published practice is withdrawn. Following on from this, HMRC have now confi rmed that this Practice is withdrawn as of the 14 February 2014. Seatax was the only Advisory Service that challenged HMRC on this point. Please visit our website for full details of the case. WHY TAKE CHANCES WITH YOUR TAX AFFAIRS? Let Seatax use their knowledge and 35 years experience to ensure you do not fall foul of the rules OUR FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Annual Return ...................................................................................................... £225.00 inclusive of VAT at 20% NAUTILUS members in the UK sailing under a foreign fl ag agreement on gross remuneration can obtain a 10% reduction on the above enrolment fee by quoting their NAUTILUS membership number and a 5% reduction on re-enrolment. Write, or phone now for more details: Elgin House, 83 Thorne Road, Doncaster DN1 2ES. Tel: (01302) 364673 - Fax No: (01302) 738526 - E-mail: [email protected] www.seatax.ltd.uk nautilusint.org 02 September 2019 CONTENTS telegraphVolume 52 | Number 9 | September 2019 24 COMMENT Shipowners could save themselves a lot of trouble by consulting unions, argues Nautilus GS Mark Dickinson NAUTILUS AT WORK Union pressure leads to high-risk zone designation for Strait of Hormuz How to join Nautilus GM online Nautilus legal director condemns sea rescue criminalisation Nautilus calls on governments to follow UK lead on emission control COVER STORY: Members past and present tell of their experiences 29 transiting Middle East warlike zones HEALTH AND SAFETY Mixed fortunes for families in three accident compensation cases New app to help leisure sailors Truck driver safety on ro-ro ferries SPECIAL FEATURE: How saving lives at sea can a ect seafarers’ careers and take an emotional toll INDUSTRY 20 Call for female STEM role models STAFF ADVERTISING & PRINT MANAGEMENT Although the Telegraph exercises Incorporating the Merchant Navy editor: Helen Kelly Century One Publishing care and caution before accepting Journal and Ships’ Telegraph advertisements, readers are advised ISSN 0040 2575 chief sub-editor: Sarah Robinson Alban Row, 27-31 Verulam Road to take appropriate professional Dutch correspondent: Hans Walthie St Albans, Herts AL3 4DG, UK advice before entering into any Published by production editor: June Cattini-Walker commitments such as investments Nautilus International (including pension plans). Publication Head of sales: of an advertisement does not imply DESIGN & PRODUCTION Jonathan Knight any form of recommendation and CPL 1 Cambridge Technopark tel: +44 (0) 1727 893 894 Nautilus International cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods Cambridge, CB5 8PB, UK direct: +44 (0) 1727 739193 and services o ered in advertisements. tel: +44 (0) 1223 378000 email: [email protected] Organisations o ering nancial web: www.cpl.co.uk web: www.centuryonepublishing.uk services or insurance are governed by regulatory authorities and problems with such services should be taken up with the appropriate body. September 2019 3 nautilusint.org 3-4_contents_sept 19_SR edit_15.8 revision (1).indd 3 15/08/2019 15:03 CONTENTS SUPERYACHTS Meet Nautilus at this month’s Monaco Yacht Show EDUCATION AND TRAINING HCMM conference considers WHERE'S MY future skill needs for seafarers TELEGRAPH? 34 If you have moved recently, your home HISTORY copy may still be trying to catch up with you. The origins of Britain’s standard Merchant Navy uniform 36 To let us know your new address, go to www.nautilusint.org and log in as a COMMUNITY member, or contact our membership department on +44 (0)151 639 8454 Maritime families making music or [email protected]. The membership team can also cancel NAUTILUS AT WORK your print copy if you prefer to read the telegraph online at nautilusint.org. Nautilus International nancial statements REGULARS Letters GENERAL SECRETARY Maritime book reviews Mark Dickinson MSc (Econ) Ships of the past Crossword ‒ with our new DEPARTMENT EMAILS crossword-setter Mordo general: [email protected] The face of Nautilus membership: [email protected] legal: [email protected] At the back telegraph: [email protected] industrial: [email protected] young members: [email protected] welfare: [email protected] Cover image: professional and technical: 2010 AFP / Getty Images [email protected] U.S. warship number 57 brings up the rear of the 25th U.S. escorted Nautilus International also administers the convoy of re agged tankers. Nautilus Welfare Fund and the J W Slater 38 Fund, which are registered charities. • Nautilus urges North Holland provincial council to rethink • Nautilus International’s participation in the Ship and its bridge and lock policy Shipyard Sea Foundation (SWZ) and SWZ Maritime IN THIS • ‘Heavy work’ given consideration as part of national • Nautilus gives advice on ancillary labour pension agreement MONTH’S • Roos Mijnlieff wins Nautilus award for Most Socially- DUTCH • Time for good working conditions in off shore wind sector minded Student PAGES • Nautilus lay rep day announced for 31 October • Candidates wanted for BPFKoopvaardij pension council p46 • EBU, ETF and IG River Cruise sign fair employment • Survey on shipboard news provision agreement for river cruise sector • Climate change and the role of trade unions nautilusint.org 4 September 2019 3-4_contents_sept 19_SR edit_15.8 revision (1).indd 4 15/08/2019 14:50 FOREWORD Comment In anticipation of the autumn publication of the government’s regulatory proposal for minimum wages of seafarers in UK waters, Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson laments the failure of social dialogue and collective bargaining he UK has a new Prime Minister industry on those proposals, and once again, we who, apart from pledging a ‘do or offered the Chamber of Shipping an opportunity T die’ Brexit, is busy spending billions to discuss how best to resolve these issues – but to – and I am expectant that some of no avail. this laresse will fi nd its way to the eartment or At Nautilus we champion the interests of our Transport. The many pledges in Maritime 2050, not memers, and ensurin a level layin fi eld throuh least the commitment to establish a Maritime Skills pay fairness is one of our goals. Being mindful of Commission, will need resourcing and funding if we the global nature of the industry and the need for are to succeed. British ships to be competitive, we are of necessity Whilst we often criticise governments for making pragmatic. There is no point imposing higher wage too frequent changes to political appointments, standards on UK ships if the competition is not also it came as a pleasant surprise to learn that Nusrat required to apply them. Ghani has retained her ministerial portfolio for We can look to Europe, and our colleagues in shipping. She lost no time reminding me of the Shipowners the Netherlands in particular, for examples of how government’s commitment to extend the National are in real strategies and policies can deliver jobs, training, Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations for all seafarers fairness and decent work. Where social partners in UK waters. This is potentially a welcome victory danger aree mutually enefi cial outcomes y emracin for our campaigning on unfair competition in our of being collective bargaining. Where governments prefer to domestic ferry and offshore services sectors. I hope, empower unions to engage with employers rather though, it does not turn out to be a pyrrhic one. hoisted by than reaching for the statute book. Our campaigning for fair pay goes back many their own Throughout the last 20 years we have repeatedly years, but it became particularly important when petard by set out roosals which re ect domestic and loal the UK Tonnage Tax with its minimum training norms and arrangements, which we believe would obligation was introduced in 2000. After decades of having failed secure greater opportunities for the employment underinvestment in training, the country was never to engage and training of British seafarers, whilst ensuring fair oin to e ale to crew the eected eet rowth pay for everyone. with its own nationals, but we wanted to ensure that with us As we await the detail of the government’s NMW non-UK seafarers on UK vessels were protected and proposals, the shipowners are in real danger of had decent wor whilst our erchant avy ofi cers being hoisted by their own petard by having failed of the future were being trained.