1. SEAFARING CAREERS: RAISING THE PROFILE * A FLAG STATE PERSPECTIVE Presented By: Rear Admiral Robert C. North President, North Star Maritime, Inc. Regulatory Advisor to the Marshall Islands Registry

2. OVERVIEW – MARSHALL ISLANDS  40 Million GT  1800 Ships – 62% tankers by tonnage  Predominant ownership in United States, Greece, Germany, Norway  Quality Focus

3. FLEET GROWTH As of 30 June 2008

4. SEAFARER DOCUMENTATION GROWTH As of 30 June 2008

5. OFFICER CERTIFICATES BY NATIONALITY As of 30 June 2008

6. A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE -1966 Jobs were plentiful with opportunity for advancement Working and living conditions not as good as today – many old ships Manning greater - little automation – but more shore leave Pay for mariners was better than pay ashore and the profession was respected

7. THE DRIVERS - NEGATIVES  Criminalization of seafarers  Lack of advancement  Increasing technical complexity of ships and systems requiring more training  Pay along with Living and working conditions  Reduced manning – more work, less socialization, increased fatigue  Maritime security – shore leave, other crew restrictions

8. THE DRIVERS - POSITIVES  International Maritime Labour Convention  IMO STCW review and revision  Advancement programs  Improved technical training  Shipowner crewing – recognition that retention is a positive

9. THE “TRAPDOORS”  Too much training or simulation as a substitute for experience  Advancement too rapid  Move toward further reduced manning – more automation  People have to run the ship – not machines and computers as a substitute for common sense and experience

10. THE MARINERS’ PREDICAMENT? “The hurry of the times, the loading and discharging organization of the docks, the use of hoisting machinery which works quickly and will not wait, the cry for prompt despatch, the very size of his ship, stand nowadays between the modern seaman and the thorough knowledge of his craft”. Captain Joseph Conrad in The Mirror of the Sea, 1906

11. INTERNATIONAL MARITIME LABOUR CONVENTION, 2006  Marshall Islands is the 181 st member of the ILO  Second ILO member to ratify the Consolidated Maritime Labour Convention  Update and consolidation of some 60 previous conventions dating to the 1920’s  The 4 th “Pillar”

12. MARITIME LABOUR CONVENTION  Title 1: Minimum requirements for seafarers to work on a ship  Title 2: Conditions of employment  Title 3: Accommodation, recreational facilities, food & catering  Title 4: Health protection, medical care, welfare and social security  Title 5: Compliance and enforcement  “No more favourable treatment”

13. IMO STCW REVIEW AND REVISION  Comprehensive review of the 1995 Convention and Code underway;  Considering addition of BRM, ERM, ECDIS;  40 th Session of STW to consider recommendations of ISWG along with safe manning criteria; and,  Target date of 2010 for adoption of amendments

14. MARSHALL ISLANDS ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM  Registry program begun in India for advancement of ratings with 3 yrs experience to junior officer after requisite training  May be expended to other geographic regions if deemed successful

15. IMPROVED TECHNICAL TRAINING  New officer and rating training for competency in today’s emerging technology  LNG/LPG/CNG  Radio/electronics  Refrigeration  Emissions reduction

16. CREWING AND RETENTION  Trained and experienced mariners should be viewed as a valuable asset to any company;  More and more ship owners and managers are recognizing this;  Programs and incentives for retention are growing but more are needed.

17. THANK YOU