CESMA 15th ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY - Gijon 18/19 May 2010

REPORT by our attending Secretary general, Capt. J. CUYT

CESMA  15^th ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Gijon, 18 – 19 May 2010

CESMA, the Confederation of European Shipmasters Associations, held its 15^th Annual General Assembly in Gijon (Asturias-Spain) on 18^th and 19^th May 2010, at the occasion of 3^rd European Maritime Day Stakeholder Conference. The AGA was attended by representatives from 9 countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain. Belgium was represented by the KBZ, Capt. J.Cuyt attending.

Meetings were presided by the CESMA President Capt. W. von Pressentin (VDKS).

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The Annual General Assembly was concluded with the invitation of Capt. Slobodan Vrdoljak, representing the Croatian Masters’ Association ZHUPK, to hold its 16^th AGA in 2011 in Zadar, Croatia, which was received with applause.  

We are of the opinion that the KBZ should continue to give its full support to the CESMA initiatives, as it is through these channels that national organisations as the KBZ are able to play a certain role on the international maritime forum and make a valuable contribution to safety at sea.

The complete report can be read in pdf format HERE

3rd EUROPEAN MARITIME DAY

Report by our attending General Secretary, Capt. J.Cuyt

The European Commission, the Spanish Presidency of the European Union and the Government of the Principality of Asturias hosted the third edition of the European Maritime Day Stakeholder Conference in Gijon, as part of the official calendar of the Presidency, at the Laboral Culture City, Gijon, from 18 till 21 May 2010.

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Main issues addressed by various workshops included i.a.:

- Protection of biodiversity through the creation of marine protected areas

- Waterborne technology platform general assembly

- Future development of the high sea regime

- Maritime surveillance policy in EU

- Oil spill monitoring

- Satellite derived information for enhanced maritime surveillance

- Port & Maritime training & education

- Shipping in the common European maritime space

and others

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CESMA had been invited to chair the workshop on “The European heritage, only history or future?”

The number of EU captains and officers on board ships under an EU flag is rapidly decreasing. The session discussed the consequent growing effect of shortage of European maritime knowledge and experience. It also looked at the main causes of this alarming development together with measures which could be taken in a European context by those responsible for future transport by sea. This mode is the most important way of transport in centuries to come.  

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In a remarkable paper Capt. Lefevere elaborated on the changes in the image of shipping from 1960 to 2010. He highlighted i.a. the changes of the status of the master:

- 1962: high social and professional status, Independent judgment, freedom of initiative, strong bond with the company, vs.

- 2010: low social and professional status, more bound by rules and regulations, constant consultation with head office, low bond with the manning agency.    

The complete report by Capt Cuyt can be found HERE

IFSMA’s 36th ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

REPORT BY OUR ATTENDING SECRETARY GENERAL, CAPT. J. CUYT ON        

IFSMA’s 36^th ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Manila (The Philippines), 17 – 18 June 2010

IFSMA RESOLUTIONS OF THE 36th AGA in pdf format

IFSMA minutes of meeting of the 36th AGA can be read in pdf format HERE

The 36^th Annual General Assembly of IFSMA took place in Manila (The Philippines) on 17^h  and 18^th  June 2010, on invitation by AMOSUP (Associated Marine Officers’ ands Seamen’s Union of the Philippines. Besides
 22 Filipino Captains, the Assembly was attended by 29 delegates from 17 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brasil, Bulgaria, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK, and USA. The KBZ (Belgium) was represented by its Secretary-General Capt. J.Cuyt.
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During the subsequent election of the Executive Council, following delegates were elected unanimously for a term of four years:

• President: Christer Lindval (SSOA/Sweden)

• Deputy President: Koichi Akatsuka (JCA/Japan)

• Vice Presidents: Jerome Benyo (CAMM/USA), Marcel van den Broek (Nautilus/the Netherlands), Rémi Boissel Dombreval (ACOMM/France), Marcos Castro (CCUMM/Argentina), Bjorn Haave (Ind.Member/Norway), Hans Sande (NMOA/Norway), Willi Wittig (VDKS/Germany).

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Ø Approval of Resolutions

Two General Assembly Statements and four General Assembly Resolutions were presented. After some discussion and amendments they were all approved, subject to any tidying up, as required, by the Secretariat. (See further in this issue)

Ø Invitation for the 37^th Annual General Assembly (2011)

The Company of Master Mariners of Canada (CMMC) had invited IFSMA to hold the 37th Annual General Assembly in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In support of this invitation a short video was shown and a formal letter of invitation read out. There had been no other invitations.

The complete report of the IFSMA Annual general Assembly by our Secretary General can be read in pdf format HERE

IFSMA SEAFARER FORUM - Manila June 2010

Report by our attending Secretary General, Capt. J. Cuyt


Most PowerPoint presentations of the below listed topics can be viewed HERE

Capt. Rodger MacDonald, IFSMA Secretary General, explained that a conference had been arranged. A Programme had been distributed for the full day Forum being held in Manila on Saturday 26th June, the day after the end of the IMO STW Diplomatic Conference. Although this was IFSMA’s idea it has now become a shared conference together with GLOBALMET, Newslink International, FILSCAPTS, Nautical Institute. The event was divided into four sections with IFSMA chairing the first part. It was anticipated that in the final section, chaired by GLOBALMET that there would be lots of interaction with the seafarers attending where they could tell us what they wanted us to do, the first three sections consisting of the speakers telling the seafarer what we had done and are still doing.

The theme of the Forum “2010 - The Year of the Seafarer” to tell the seafarers that we are in an industry that we can all be proud of and that we should all work together. We don’t want an “us and them” attitude here, they are all the essential element…

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During the Forum, following topics were discussed:

- The ILO Maritime Labour Convention 2006: Towards entry into force – by Dani Apaave, ILO Maritime specialist

- Fatigue – by Capt. Bjorn Haave, Vice President IFSMA

- Recruitment and retainment challenge – by Aron F.Sorensen, Chief Marine Technical Officer at BIMCO

- Fair treatment for seafarers – by Capt. Rodger Macdonald, Secretary General IFSMA

- Supporting those in control of seagoing craft – by John Dickinson, Head of the IMO delegation of the Nautical Institute

- Continuing professional development - by John Dickinson, Head of the IMO delegation of the Nautical Institute

- Bulk carriers and maritime labour conventions – by Rob Lomas, Secretary General Intercargo

- Harmonising STCW and the MLC 2006 – by Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General InterManager

- STCW 2010 / MLC 2006 – by Fredrik Larsson, Marine Manager Intertanko

- How IMO is meeting the challenges of dealing with maritime safety and security – an overview

  by Neil Frank R. Ferrer, Ocean Concerns Office, Dept. of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines

- Medical standards – by Natalie Shaw, International Shipping Federation (ISF)

- The Manila amendments STCW 2010 – by Tim Wilson, Director New Zealand Maritime School and Chairman GlobalMET

At the end of the day, following Resolution was adopted:

FORUM RESOLUTION

The participants of THE 2010 YEAR OF THE SEAFARER FORUM, having met in Manila, The Philippines on 26 June 2010,

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The complete article can be read in pdf format HERE

The “2010 – Year of the Seafarer” Forum in Manila was organized by:

— IFSMA, the International Federation of Shipmasters’ Associations, London – UK (www.ifsma.org)

— The Nautical Institute, London – UK (www.nautinst.org)

— NewsLink Services Limited, Limasson – Cyprus (www.newslinkservices.com)

— Face of  Shipping (www.faceofshipping.com)

— The Global Maritime Education and Training Association (GlobalMET), Kapiti Coast – New Zealand (www.globalmet.org)

SAIL TRAINING…en LAURA

door J.Cuyt – Kapt.t.l.o.

13/07/2010 BZB Trainee & 

Extracts:




Van 10 tot 13 juli werden de Scheldekaaien en de oude dokken te Antwerpen weer omgetoverd tot het feeërieke schouwtoneel van de “Kathedralen van de Zee”. STI (Sail Training International) had Antwerpen uitgekozen als vertrekplaats voor de 54^ste “Tall Ships’ Race”: Antwerpen – Aalborg – Kristiansand – Hartlepool. Een kleurrijk feest met vlaggen en wimpels, muziek en dans, parades van bemanningen in pikfijne uniformen en uitgelaten jongeren, in schijnbaar gedisciplineerde chaos, ditmaal niet op een drassige festivalweide maar op de kaaien van Antwerpen, tegen een decor van imposante zeilschepen en masten die recht naar de hemel wijzen.


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Zoals bij de vorige ‘Tall Ships’ Races’ zette de Belgische Zeevaartbond (Ligue Maritime Belge – www.lmb-bzb.org) – waarvan het KBZ lid is – zich ook dit jaar weer in om enkele jongeren te sponsoren en hen in de gelegenheid te stellen aan betaalbare voorwaarden in te schepen als ‘trainee’ aan boord van een van de zeilschepen. Ook het KBZ droeg hiertoe zijn (financieel) steentje bij. De BZB droeg eveneens bij tot de culturele uitstraling van Antwerpen bij de bezoekende bemanningen.

Door toedoen van STAB (Sail Training Association Belgium – www.sailtraining.be) konden 14 jongeren inschepen aan boord van de Noorse driemastbark Christian Radich en 1 op de Antwerp Flyer, de meesten voor het eerste deel van de race: Antwerpen – Aalborg.

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Read the complete article in pdf HERE