Mariners, officials and industry leaders convened at the Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. on April 16 to discuss work-life balance improvements for merchant mariners.
Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips opened the symposium with an introduction, which was immediately followed by remarks from SIU member Father Sinclair Oubre.
“My goal as maritime administrator, consistent with our mission, is that maritime industry stakeholders create a collective sustainable balance between mariner work and life so that we can recruit and retain mariners to keep their valuable skills afloat,” Admiral Phillips said. She challenged attendees to envision opportunities that would enable broad growth for the mariner workforce and to enter into a dialogue about how to enhance mariner experiences, training, and safety, while keeping in mind that every industry in this country is competing to hire people as well as the U.S. maritime industry competing for mariners globally.
Father Oubre’s address focused on the importance of the merchant marine and how central its duties are to the proper functioning of many industries that support our nation. He asserted that in order to improve work-life balance in this industry, merchant mariners need to be assured of the dignity of their station and of the work in general.
“When people see and respect merchant mariners like airline crews, we will have an easier time recruiting the next generation of merchant mariners for our ships, our boats, and our tugs,” Oubre said.
He also emphasized the need for people to be able to envision themselves living a life at sea, which would strengthen recruiting efforts.
“I acknowledge the good work that MARAD has already done in developing a high school curriculum and the development of a maritime high school, but I truly believe that to capture the imagination of our young people to become future mariners, it’s going to start earlier and it’s going to start in first and second grade when we read them ‘Scuffy the Tugboat’ books. In those early years when they read ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘2,000 Leagues Under the Sea’, it will open their imagination to life at sea,” he said.
He stressed the importance of mentoring the next generation of merchant sailors as well as fostering affection for maritime careers, as “the love of being at sea has been the driving spirit of the merchant mariners for centuries.”
According to Oubre, mitigating challenges such as the cumbersome renewal process for documents, medical cards, endorsements and training (among other suggestions) could help make the industry more attractive.
Later, there were two panels dedicated to discussing new methods for enhancing mariner work-life balance, and a conversation with officials followed by breakout sessions.
The first session panel, which focused on the work aspect of work-life balance for a merchant mariner, was moderated by Captain Cathleen Mauro, Chief of Maritime Personnel Qualifications Division of the U.S. Coast Guard. Panelists included Claudia Cimini, Executive Vice President of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association; Jenny Johnson, Founder of the Maritime Inclusion Partners; Dr. Livingstone Caesar, Assistant Professor of the Maritime Business Administration at Texas A&M University at Galveston; Dennis J. Houghton, Director of Marine Human Resources and Manning at Seafarers-contracted Maersk Line, Limited; and Captain Roshenda Josephs of the U.S. Military Sealift Command.
The second panel, which addressed the “life” aspect, was moderated by Dr. Shashi Kumar, MARAD Deputy Associate Administrator for Maritime Education. Panelists for the life panel included Miriam Anthony, a Psychotherapist at the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots; Megan Davidson, Chief People Officer at SIU-contracted Crowley; Adam Vokac, President of the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association; Cassi Laskowski, Executive Director of Women Offshore; and Nicholas Williams, Maritime Safety and Social Responsibility Analyst at MARAD’s Office of Cadet Training At-Sea Safety.
SIU Vice President George Tricker was among the attendees.
The panelists touched on concerns like career progression, training, early exodus from sailing, and more.
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