人力成为“压力点”

Manpower “pressure points”

对航运业而言，劳动力是至关重要的。如果这一点需要强调的话，那么波罗的海航运公会在巴黎召开的年度全体大会上，受邀出席的船公司高管们都指出，人力资源是公司所面临的主要挑战之一。

A significant statement came from Mr. Niels Stolt-Nielsen,CEO of the chemical tanker company which bears his name. His main 'pressure point', he said, was the constantchallenge of recruiting and retaining well-qualified seafarers capable of operating the very complex ships his company operates on their intensive chemical and parcel tanker routes. It was an important intervention, in a debate which was largely expected to focus on economics, finance and matters of ship supply and demand. Because there is no doubt that most ships are becoming more complex and sophisticated, arguably putting greater demands upon their crews. A less well-trained crew member represents enormous exposure for the ship owner, whose reputation can be ruined by a seafarer's mistake, or negligence. How can the owner, operator or manager be assured about the skills and motivation of these important people who can be so influential in dictating the fortunes of the shipping company? It cannot just be a matter of throwing money at the problem, paying over the odds in a competitive world.There needs to be an effective system in place that ensures that the right sort of seafarers are initially recruited, that the best possible and most relevant training is made available from both colleges and on-board training regimes and that the enormous responsibilities of seagoing officers are properly understood by people who remain well motivated and focused, and that they are retained in a career they enjoy.