The Seafarer S Mind

The Seafarer’s Mind is a wonderful resource for seafarers. The book is rich in narrative and case studies and covers a wide range of issues and challenges facing sailors on the high seas. A hard hitting account which unpacks the realities of a modern version of indentured labour, the author provides hope in the often harsh world of seafaring. This is a practical guide to living in isolating and confined situations where temptations abound and moral compasses are often abandoned. Martin Otto is the world’s leader in serving seafarers through his international mission work. He is to be commended for being God’s advocate in such an insightful, humble and practical manner. This book will become a widely read text and is sure to become a key reference for all seafarers seeking to live a Godly life in an often harsh and unforgiving environment. I recommend it wholeheartedly. Professor Ross Dowling AM Global Cruise Ship Lecturer Perth, Australia

The sacred mysteries essential to Viking survival will be lost if Inge Andersdottir cannot find a daughter to inherit the ancient wisdom. Inge and her husband Karl-Eirik adopt Thora, a young thrall with skaldic (poetic) powers and more. Thora kills a glasscaster and the king condemns her to Lesser Outlawry: a long season of exile to the rivers of Russia and then Istanbul - on Karl's boat, The Seafarer. Reluctantly, Inge agrees to go along and finds a stormy voyage – a grueling portage, an encounter with the Overlord of Kiev, her former lover, with a suspected Greek spy and an attack by the savage Pechenegs. The crew must deal with an unexpected change in captains. Thora is captured and put into an Arab harem. It is up to Inge and her wondrous skills to save the boat, the crew and her daughter.

This Book is of the seafarers, by the seafarers, for the seafarers Seafarers are the core of all maritime trade and their expectations/perspectives alone should be at the centre of all solutions for maritime skills. Taking this standpoint, the editor has explored the issues of maritime skills with critical gaps following a framework of research methodology. The issue of critical gaps in maritime skills is further exacerbated due to the impact on seafarers caused by changes in – the ecosystem, status & relationship with stakeholders, technology, focus on renewable energy, anxiety levels and so forth. Furthermore, stakeholders can no longer ignore the fact that seafarers are leaving a seagoing career after working for only a few years. Therefore, the editor has also explored the need to prepare seafarers for transition into maritime shore jobs to preserve their maritime skills within the maritime industry. This exhaustive book can be used as a guide for further revisions or a revamp of the current STCW Convention. The editor thereafter divided the researched critical gaps in maritime skills into four groups (Jain’s Model for Maritime Skills) – Panoptic, Social Intelligence, Upskilling & Reskilling for onboard vessels skills, and Portable Skills for future shore jobs. Panoptic and Social Skills are core skills required for both on board vessels as well for maritime shore jobs. Thereafter, the editor embarked on a voyage to discover, persuade, collaborate with a number of exceptionally experienced subject-matter experts over many months to collaboratively pursue many mini-research projects across all selected maritime skills, adopting specific methodology to plug these critical gaps. These experts were drawn – (1) from countries such as India, the Philippines, Romania, South Korea, Malaysia, UAE, the UK and Singapore, (2) from both genders, (3) from deck, engine & professionals settled ashore, (4) with current experience in the industry and/or at sea at a fundamental level, and (5) from seafaring-supplying nations, recognising/experiencing the relevant socio-economic circumstances of seafarers. From this book, seafarers will not only find ideas on how to plug gaps in their maritime skills, but also how they can transition with their existing skills to other maritime jobs, such as marine superintendents, marine managers, designated persons ashore, managers supervising new build/second-hand vessels, IT managers in the maritime domain, marine surveyors, marine experts/investigators, marine pilots in ports, maritime arbitrators, managers in shipyards and so forth. The solutions in this book will also resolve the issue of the shortage and retention of seafarers.

Admiral Stavridis, a leader in military, international affairs, and national security circles, shares his love of the sea and some of the sources of that affection. The Sailor's Bookshelf offers synopses of fifty books that illustrate the history, importance, lore, and lifestyle of the oceans and of those who “go down to the sea in ships.” Stavridis colors those descriptions with glimpses of his own service—“sea stories” in popular parlance—that not only clarify his choices but show why he is held in such high esteem among his fellow sailors. ​Divided into four main categories—The Oceans, Explorers, Sailors in Fiction, and Sailors in Non-Fiction—Admiral Stavridis’ choices will appeal to “old salts” and to those who have never known the sights of the ever-changing seascape nor breathed the tonic of an ocean breeze. The result is a navigational aid that guides readers through the realm of sea literature, covering a spectrum of topics that range from science to aesthetics, from history to modernity, from solo sailing to great battles. ​Among these eclectic choices are guides to shiphandling and navigation, classic fiction that pits man against the sea, ecological and strategic challenges, celebrations of great achievements and the lessons that come with failure, economic competition and its stepbrother combat, explorations of the deep, and poetry that beats with the pulse of the wave. Some of the included titles are familiar to many, while others, are likely less well-known but are welcome additions to this encompassing collection. Admiral Stavridis has chosen some books that are relatively recent, and he recommends other works which have been around much longer and deserve recognition. ​

This volume provides a detailed legal analysis of the fourth pillar of the international maritime regulatory regime, the comprehensive Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, and its provisions to achieve decent work for seafarers and a level playing field for shipowners.