1. 4 th International Symposium of Maritime Safety Security & Environmental Protection “PROMOTING & DEVELOPING SEAFARERS’ WELFARE UNDER MLC: A RESEARCH AGENDA” DR. M. PROGOULAKI m.progoulaki.aegean.gr DRS. A. KATRADI, akatradi@chios.aegean.gr DR. I. THEOTOKAS gtheotokas@aegean.gr

2. P RESENTATION O UTLINE Research Aim Introduction Welfare in the shipping industry Research Methodology Results concerning Greece Port-based welfare Onboard welfare Conclusions and a Research Agenda

3.  Provide insight on whether interventions onboard & ashore could develop & promote seafarers’ well-being  Focus on the case of Greek-owned shipping  Identify & analyze the existing knowledge on provision of crew welfare facilities & services, as well as the role of stakeholders involved in the provision of such facilities  Examine the current conditions and whether the MLC standards are met  Discuss possible gaps & propose actions for policy makers  Provide a fundamental base to understand & analyze the meaning of crew welfare  Offer a base of dialogue on the different areas that it affects

5. Introduction Welfare: embodies various high quality services, policies, benefits & facilities aiming to provide better life & health in the workplace (Keyes et al., 2000). Employees’ well-being might affect their behaviour & thereby, organisational productivity (Rasulzada, 2007; Tehrani et al. 2007) Seafaring has a special pattern of work, as working & living conditions are combined (Carter, 2005) Crew’s long separation from family & friends, long stay on board, isolation make welfare facilities necessary (Progoulaki et al., 2006; Sampson, 2008)

7.  Welfare: recreational facilities, communication services, access to medical care, decent accommodation among others (Titles 3 and 4 in ILO, 2006).  Reg. 4.4: “Ensure that seafarers have access to” shore-based facilities & services to secure their health & well-being  A4.4: where facilities exist, shall be “available to all seafarers irrespective of nationality, race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, social origin, flag of the vessel they work on.”  Facilities should be provided in the Member States by:  Public authorities, and/or  Shipowners’ & seafarers’ organisations, and/or  Voluntary organisations.  Member states shall cooperate in the promotion of welfare of seafarers at sea & in ports The onboard welfare facilities and services will be subject of inspection and certification while these of shore-based will not be

8. 1. Literature review (secondary data) 2. Qualitative Research using Semi-structured personal interviews in 10 Greek-owned shipping companies (more than 430 vessels in total: representing 10% of the Greek- owned fleet), aiming to: Examine the perception of shipping companies’ representatives Examine the general perception of the meaning of crew welfare Examine knowledge of existing port-based crew welfare practiced by Greek-owned shipping companies Investigate the crew welfare facilities & services offered onboard Examine the assessment of seafarers’ job satisfaction & welfare from offered onboard welfare facilities Investigate the effect of MLC implementation to crew welfare policies & offered services & facilities

9.  Only 1 seafarers’ centre in Piraeus (“DeutschSeemannsmission”) offering: Available to all seafarers regardless nationality German branch of the Seaman’s Mission in Piraeus free transport from/to port, accommodation, telephone, wireless internet & open 24/7.  National Seafarers’ Hearth Centre in Piraeus is only available to national seafarers promoting their financial, mental & social condition No other evidence of welfare centers in Greek ports.

10. Theoretical confusion about meaning of welfare No definition by MLC; thus related to seafarers’ rights, CSR, job satisfaction, etc.  Offered onboard facilities include: Comfortable accommodation Recreational facilities Gym equipment, TV, karaoke, library/books, DVDs Internet access Advanced medical care  Information about facilities provided by manning agents  Seafarers’ satisfaction from port-based facilities not formally evaluated  Main European & American ports considered quite satisfying by seafarers  Attracting qualified seafarers & increasing retention rate by providing welfare services onboard & financial incentives

11.  Offer a high level of onboard welfare facilities and services equally to all types of vessels and all nationalities  The provisions, offered onboard vessel, were positively associated to physical and psychological well-being of seafarers  Not only MLC standards are met, but also shipping companies offer quality and quantity of welfare facilities and services onboard vessel.  Greek shipping companies seem to be sensitive delivering various additional welfare provisions in order to assure seafarers’ quality of work and living.  Have the ability to promote a working atmosphere where employment relationship is shaped  Although in main ports internationally welfare facilities are offered (i.e. Communication and transportation services), shipping companies themselves are responsible of their seafarers’ ashore welfare as well.

12.  Results from the survey cannot be generalised, however a first and thorough insight in some key points of the issue is offered, with a special focus on the Greek shipping case.  Examination of the existing knowledge is provided on crew welfare in the voluntary period before the implementation of MLC.  Need for further research in 3 levels : the management level the policy level the theoretical level

13. StreamTopic Management level: Shipping companies’ strategies Shipping companies’: best practices of onboard crew welfare facilities; policies on examination of seafarers’ overall job satisfaction & from the use of onboard welfare facilities; perception towards the existence of shore-based welfare facilities; Promotion of shore-based welfare facilities in major ports among seafarers of different nationalities; Examination of security policies applied by port authorities & shipping companies in the frames of the ISPS Code; Examination of national &/or corporate cases.

14. StreamTopic Policy level: Member States’ and Port State Authorities’ policies Cooperation potentials between Member States to promote, develop & share port-based welfare facilities; Promotion of offered crew welfare facilities & information of concerned bodies; Examination of seafarers’ satisfaction from offered shore-based crew welfare facilities & services; Examination of cases of seafarers’ abandonment; Examination of seafarers’ access to shore-based facilities; Examination of fund raising for development of port- based crew welfare facilities; Utilisation of know-how & offered services of voluntary organisations (e.g. ICSW); Examination of offered services & facilities in national level.

15. StreamTopic Theoretical level: Application of theories in the case of shipping Define crew welfare based on welfare definition used in other industries; Examine relation of company’s profitability with labour productivity & crew welfare; Examine relation of psychological contracts with implementation of welfare policies by the shipping companies; Application of evaluation schemes for job satisfaction & welfare, as well as motivation theories.

16. Thank you for your attention Any Questions? DR. M. PROGOULAKI m.progoulaki.aegean.gr DRS. A. KATRADI, akatradi@chios.aegean.gr DR. I. THEOTOKAS gtheotokas@aegean.gr