CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
Safety onboard a ships is an important issue. Normally at sea and often
very far from any possible assistance, there is nobody who can be called upon
for help. Of course, the ship should be of good design, well maintained and in
seaworthy condition with sufficient stability, watertight and weather tight and
properly equipped. Prevention through recognition, rectification and avoidance of
unsafe actions and/or situations at all times and at all places on board by all
personnel and passengers is of utmost importance.
The importance of maritime education and training (MET) cannot be
understated
particularly
with
the
current
global
market
scenario
and
implementation of the 2010 revised Standard Training and Certificate Watch
keeping (STCW) Convention and Code. Around 80 to 90 percent of maritime
accidents are ascribed to human error. Hence, it is critical that seafarers be welleducated and trained, able to follow orders, manage risks, solve problems, and
must be psychologically and emotionally happy to ensure safe, secure, clean and
efficient operations for safety of life at sea. With this in mind, there are challenges
in MET that the seafarers face which may also somehow directly or indirectly
affect them, their family and the maritime industry in general. This paper presents
the two main challenges in maritime education and training (MET): the global
market supply and demand scenario (covering the issues on shortage,
recruitment, retention) and the implementation of the revised Standard Training,
1
Certification, Watch keeping (STCW) Convention and Code (covering the issues
on competency of seafarers) and the role of various stakeholders to recruit, train
and retain the seafarers for the safe operation of their vessels. Keywords:
maritime education, training (MET) challenges
Time spent learning is never time wasted; and in the maritime world, the
need for high-quality, well-educated people at all levels and in all sectors is as
great as it has ever been. The global maritime and education network is vital for
the continued supply of well-trained and highly-qualified people required to fuel
and sustain the shipping industry as it adapts to serve the needs of a growing
global population.
Among many available methods of training for maritime universities
students an on board training is the most valuable method of learning and
gaining practical experience. The opportunity of taking part in well-planned
trainings and drills during seamanship practice will enable future deck officers to
learn the proper procedures for emergency situations. cadets should learn how to
perform a good-quality theoretical and practical training for the crew. After
obtaining an Officer of the Watch license it will be their responsibility to maintain
a well-functioning command chain or to be a team leader in a place of
emergency. Taking part in a theoretical part will teach how to understand
dangerous situation and what the safety precautions which have to be
maintained are. Careful observation and detailed discussion presents the
possible mistakes and ways of avoiding them. On board training connected with
a classroom education should provide a substantial amount of knowledge for
future deck officers. In a situation when on board trainings role is diminished just
to the obligatory duty there is a danger of teaching and repeating of the bad
habits. An educational purpose is reduced to J.A. Szczeniak, Importance of the
on board crew trainings and drills for the improvement of the vessels safety 95
basic procedures which may not be sufficient in case of real life emergency. Only
professional approach of the ships master will ensure a good quality of
performance of the trainees.
Background of the study
In spite of technological development the number of accidents at sea is
not decreasing. Majority of the incidents have their origins in human errors, which
might have been caused by bad communication, lack of knowledge or
experience, remissness, wrong management system and many others.
Understanding the role of the human element within the system is essential for
safety improvement. One of the ways of finding out about the dangers, which can
occur onboard because of the human factor, is to check crew skills in practice
and improve them with onboard training and drills (E. Barsan et al. 2012). Drills
and trainings on boards of the ships are the essential part of seafarers
professions. There are many regulations which describe the way and frequency
of drill conducting. Regulations 25 and 26 from Chapter III Safety of Life at Sea
74 Convention specify muster lists and drills practice on board of passenger and
cargo vessels. The most important and requiring much attention are: abandon
ship drill, fire fighting drill and general emergency alarm drill. What is more, every
ship has a contingency plan concerning a procedure practice for a variety of
situations that may occur on board of this vessel.
To improve the quality of training on board of the ship it is important to
change the seafarers views on drills and alarms. The crew has to understand
that conducted drills are not just their duty but the means to ensure their safety
and increase the efficiency of the vessels operation.
Statement of the problem
The study aims to assess the effectiveness of safety trainings attended by
the third year Marine Engineering and Marine transportation cadets of Asian
Institute of Maritime studies for the School Year 2015-16. Specifically, it seeks to
answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following:
1.1 Age
1.2 Gender
1.3 Course
1.4 Civil Status
2. What is the level of effectiveness of the safety trainings based on the
respondents raw score in the assessment test?
3. What are the problems encountered by the respondents during the safety
trainings?
4. Is there a significant relationship between the profile of the respondents
with their level of effectiveness of the safety trainings based on the
respondents raw score?
Hypothesis
This study posits on the hypothesis that profile of the respondents with
their level of effectiveness of the safety trainings based on the respondents raw
score.
Significance of the study
Maritime School- The result of this research can be used as reference for
any modifications with respect to the ongoing operational techniques under the
current management of the said institution.
Maritime Students -The study will serve as evidence to the current
situation of the effectiveness of safety trainings attended by the 3 rd year students
in the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies. Maritime Students that needs more
information about the safety of seafarers on board.
Seafarers that still pursuing more knowledge, and skills that they may use
on board, for much better performance that they need at work.
Shipping Companies that conduct the trainings for their seafarers, and
for them to know what are those important things that they need to improve for
their seafarers performance.
Future Researchers who are conducting related studies and seeking an
additional reference will benefit from this study because the inputs provided by
this researcher will guide them in identifying research gaps that will be added to
the existing body of knowledge on this particular field of study.
Theoretical Framework
This study adopted the TIER Model which stands for Training Intervention
Effectiveness and Research. Under the said model were the study of variables
and presented four states of TIER model which includes formative research,
process research, outcome research and the impact research. The model will
serve as a guide for this study to obtain significant data observations and
recommendations.
In addition, the researchers viewed the organizational theory presented in
the study conducted by Benjamin Weins. In his research entitled Organizational
Theory: Evaluating Department Effectiveness: he cited three major aspects in his
organizational theory, the structural frame, human frame and the cultural frame.
And their indifferences to achieve an effective working organization.
Conceptual Framework
Output
Input
Training
- Basic Training
o Elementary First Aid
o Fire Prevention and
Fire Fighting
o Personal Safety &
Social Responsibilities
Process
o Learning
o Practicum
o Drills
6
o Action
o Competent
seafarers
o Knowledge
seafarers
o Avoidance of
accident
o Safety
onboard
Figure 1 Research Paradigm
The figure above shows the conceptual framework behind this study,
training as the independent variable, learning as the intervening and confounding
variable and action as the dependent variable.
Scope and limitations of the study
The researchers will conduct this study under the premises of the Asian
Institute of Maritime Studies. The acquisition of significant data covers students
from the Maritime College of which the data and result gathered in this study was
dated and effective for 2nd semester of the academic year 2015-2016. The scope
of this research includes the effectiveness of safety trainings attended by the
AIMISIAN students especially to the 3rd year students.
Definition of terms
.
The following terms are defined in their study to further understand ideas
presented.
Contingency plan - A contingency plan is a course of action designed to help
an organization respond effectively to a significant future event or situation that
may or may not happen. A contingency plan is sometimes referred to as "Plan
B," because it can be also used as an alternative for action if expected results fail
to
materialize.
Contingency
planning
is
component
of business
continuity, disaster recovery and risk management.
Drills -
a physical or mental exercise aimed at perfecting facility and skill
especially by regular practice
Remissness - careless in the performance of work or duty . not showing enough
care and attention.
Safety - Safety is the state of being "safe" (from French sauf), the condition of
being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional,
occupational, psychological, educational, or other types or consequences of
failure, damage, error, accidents, harm, or any other event that could be
considered non-desirable. Safety can also be defined to be the control of
recognized hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk. This can take the form
of being protected from the event or from exposure to something that causes
health or economical losses. It can include protection of people or of possessions
Seafarer - someone who works or travels on a boat or ship on the sea.
Seamanship - skill in operating, navigating, or handling a ship.
STCW - The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and
Watch keeping for Seafarers (or STCW), 1978 sets qualification standards for
masters, officers and watch personnel on seagoing merchant ships.
Seaworthy- a seaworthy ship is one that is fit for any normal perils of the sea,
including the fitness of the vessel itself as well as any equipment on it and the
skills and health of its crew
Stability - Ship stability is an area of naval architecture and ship design that
deals with how a ship behaves at sea, both in still water and in waves, whether
intact or damaged. Stability calculations focus on the center of gravity, centred of
buoyancy, and metacenter of vessels and on how these interact.
Training - a process by which someone is taught the skills that are needed for an
art, profession, or job
Vessel- a craft for travelling on water, now usually one larger than an ordinary
rowboat; a ship or boat
Watertight - means that water (or any other liquid) is not able to pass through
the structure into or out of any of the watertight compartments. In other words,
watertight means prevention from the passage of water in any direction. The
vessels hull, main deck and bulkheads between watertight compartments must
be watertight. Watertight bulkheads must be watertight at least up to the main
deck. Any openings on such bulkheads must be equipped with watertight closing
devices.
Weathertight - means that water cannot penetrate into the vessel. Or in other
words, weathertight means prevention from the passage of water in one direction
only. Hatches, windows and portholes must be equipped with weathertight
closing devices. The same applies for doors and other openings on enclosed
superstructures
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