'Simulation Training Done Right', 26th Jun 2024

Happy to share my presentation at the NI Seminar 'Simulation Training Done Right', that was conducted on June 26, Hamburg.

Sinking of 'Vasa': Historical lesson for Teamworkers

 
 

Frigate "Vasa" in Vasa Museum (Stockholm)
Photo: Wikipedia

'Vasa' was a powerful warship built in the 17th century on the order of the King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus. He understood the potential of ships as gun platforms and ordered a series of vessels with two full gundecks and much heavier guns. Vasa was to have the largest number of cannons and the tallest masts of any other ship at sea. Renowned shipbuilders and naval architects Henrik Hybertsson and Arendt de Groote were entrusted with constructing the ship at the Stockholm shipyard.

Despite recognizing that a ship with so many guns and high masts would not be stable, the shipbuilders, supervisors, commissioners, and other experienced project members dared not to challenge the King's vision. The ship was dangerously unstable, but no one spoke up. When the first architect dropped out of the project due to age and disability, another one, who took over also did not challenge the King's wishes. The King, leading the army in Poland, was eager to see 'Vasa' take up her station as the flagship in the Stockholm Archipelago. His subordinates lacked the courage to discuss the ship's problems or to postpone her maiden voyage.

As a result, the ship sank within minutes of setting out on her maiden voyage, causing significant loss of property, money, time, and reputation. An inquiry by the Swedish Privy Council sought to find those responsible for the disaster, but no one was punished. The council accepted that fear of the King's authority prevented the team from being challenging and assertive.

The sinking of 'Vasa' illustrates the Power Distance problem, imbalance between too High Authority and Low Assertiveness in a team, leading to an accident with significant loss. It also demonstrates that even in the 17th century, there was a hint of fairness in judgment that has evolved over centuries into the modern concept of Fairness, no Blame, and Just Culture.

Effective and balanced teamwork, unhindered and professional communication, other resource management essentials are key to prevent accidents. It is also an investment into maintaining safe working environment and finding solutions to daily challenges in business processes.

Various training courses, such as Global Resource Management (GRM), Maritime Resource Management (MRM), HELM (Human Element Leadership and Management), Command and Leadership (C&L), etc. cover the issues in the teamwork. The training cannot be a single life experience, but requires re-iteration. The Iterative learning allows participants to re-fresh knowledge, re-consider gained experience, and to up-scale the skills for the future application. Thus the training cycles may be considered a "vaccination" program for the staff, enabling them with a set of concepts and techniques to pre-empty incidents, find optimal solutions, be resilient in their line of duty.

For your information I offer among others the GRM, MRM, and C&L courses for my Business Customers.

ChatGPT AI in the crewing process - a humble example

In Internet there are many examples of using ChatGPT for Python coding, data processing, math. The AI is known for its ingenuity as well as for its extraordinary "creativity". As any tool it has own realm of advantage, and scope of limitations. Nevertheless, it is a powerful tool closely mimicking human to human interaction backed up by a huge knowledge base. Why not to consider it for the crewing process?

Human beings are finite in their knowledge. They cannot know everything about their jobs, despite the job description's saying the opposite. Especially for those who gain experience in a new field.

One can agree that junior inexperienced ranks make rather many mistakes in their learning curves. This way they get mature. Although at a cost, which for a business process may be considered just a loss in the short term. A loss in efficiency and an 'installment' into a cumulative loss for the enterprise.

Productive use of an AI can be considered another way of clearing doubts, getting a 'third party' opinion.

Being a consultant, I see the use of the AI as if engaging an assistant who knows much. From the AI I need getting support, often in a form of a substantiated summary.

I would like to provide an example of how ChatGPT had already helped to clear confusion in the line of crewing process (hiring a seafarer) communication regarding sufficiency of a ship particulars data.

There was a product tanker position open for a professional with the previous ships' experience in so called "COP" pumps. Ambiguity arose in interpreting what type of the pump system is hidden under the abbreviation COP.

Client's executive, who did not understand the difference much, insisted on hiring the right experience. The receiving side, who got request for the COP profi, could not understand if the data was enough and sufficient. Doubt was expressed to the Client. Provided clarification stated that COP stands for the "centrifugal oil pumps" used on oil tankers, not a Framo or a Marflex system used on chem tanker vessels. Questions to the Client's clerk, whether the abbreviation actually stands for the "cargo oil pump turbine" (should had been described COPT), did not clear the situation.

Attempted googling brought to surface many references without giving any coherent answer: just loads of text and videos, which described different types of pumps used on tankers. 

Processing the technical information definitely was not the fastest way for a non-technical operator. Making a conclusion required a consultant confident in the field. Such a consultant could be also an AI. We tried it out, and in this question obtained sufficient 'consulting' support within just few minutes.

Below is my dialogue with ChatGPT clarifying the doubt about "COP":

Human: In the ship particulars it is said that the type of the Cargo pumps on a product oil tanker is "COP". How can we decipher the abbreviation? What is the type of the cargo pump?

AI: COP stands for "Centrifugal Oil Pump". It refers to a type of cargo pump commonly used on product oil tankers to transfer liquids such as crude oil or petroleum products. Centrifugal oil pumps use a rotating impeller to increase the velocity of the fluid, which is then converted into pressure by a volute casing to move the fluid through the pump.

Human: Then what is the driver for the COP: is it the steam turbine, Framo hydraulic system, Marflex electric system, any other?

AI: The driver for a Centrifugal Oil Pump (COP) can vary, and the specific type of driver depends on the ship and the pump system installed. Some common drivers for COPs on product oil tankers include:

• Steam turbine: This is a type of driver that uses steam to power the pump. It is often used in older ships or in ships with steam turbine propulsion systems.
• Framo hydraulic system: This is a hydraulic drive system specifically designed for use with cargo pumps on tankers. It utilizes hydraulic power to drive the pump, making it a reliable and efficient option.
• Marflex electric system: This is an electric drive system that uses an electric motor to power the pump. It is a popular option on modern ships due to its reliability and ease of maintenance.

So the abbreviation COP does not determine the specific type of driver. The actual driver used would be specified elsewhere in the ship particulars.

The above explanation received from AI was enough to remove doubts and to convince the hesitents that "COP" was not a sufficient description in the requirements for the open position. One can see that AI returned to me the same phrases I used like "Steam turbine", "Framo hydraulic system", "Marflex electric system". The AI understood what I wanted from it and responded the correct way.

The dialogue became really an encouraging experience of using ChatGPT for our processes. Try it out.

Alexey O. Chepok

This post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Original text is available at https://alexeychepok.blogspot.com/2023/02/use-of-chatgpt-ai-in-crewing-process.html

BTM for PCC - it is one month old!

10th of March 2021 my Principles launched the specialized Bridge Team Management course for car carriers. That became possible as the result of collaboration with one of the world class simulation providers, pioneering in the cloud simulation.

As the author of this course, I focused on the exercises which match typical challenges for the bridge team of a 6000 CEU PCTC: windy Northern Europe locks, weathery anchorages and ports, unknown elements to compensate for, the pilots and tugs that are not magic...

This 3-day course has been aimed at developing teamwork ability, enhancing shiphandling and bridge team management techniques with reference to a car carrier specifics, i.e.: high windage area, high elevation and forward navigating bridges, high power to dwt ratio, egg-shaped underwater body, etc.

During the simulation, participants are expected to make effective use of Navigational procedures and checklists, apply COLREGs, practice MRM and BTM concepts, observe requirements of the STCW code and other relevant industrial guidelines and regulations.

The first batch of trainees were exceptionally experienced officers, who contributed lots to the simulation exercises development by their feedback. Now, one month after its birth, the course lives and gets stronger.

As it is always with a new project launched, it grows being de-bugged, developed and updated to suit the needs of the car carrier teams. I feel honoured to have it in my hands and see the results in front of my eyes. Hope for making a difference in better awareness, skills and safety for the PCC officers.

Alexey O. Chepok

This post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

USCG notifies: COVID-19 Safety Requirements in the Maritime Transportation System

Original document.

The President of U.S.A. issued Executive Order (13998), Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel that requires masks be worn on all “public maritime vessels, including ferries” to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued order, Requirement forPersons to Wear Masks while on Transportation Hubs, 29JAN2021, requires all persons travelling on all commercial vessels to wear a mask.

This Order requires vessel operators to use best efforts to ensure that any person on the vessel wears a mask when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel. Depending on the circumstances, best efforts may include:

1. Boarding only those persons who wear masks; 
2. Instructing persons that Federal law requires wearing a mask on the vessel and failure to comply constitutes a violation of Federal law;
3. Monitoring persons on board the ship for anyone who is not wearing a mask and seeking compliance from such persons;
4. At the earliest opportunity, disembarking any person who refuses to comply;
5. Providing persons with prominent and adequate notice to facilitate awareness and compliance of the requirement of this Order to wear a mask.*

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*Best practices may include, if feasible, advanced notifications on digital platforms, such as on apps, websites, or email; posted signage in multiple languages with illustrations; printing the requirement on transit tickets; or other methods as appropriate.

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Хроническое беспокойство может быть необходимым

Предлагаю Вашему вниманию отличный учебный ролик от Shell LFI о пользе и необходимости хронически испытывать тревогу на рабочем месте - во имя своей безопасности и безопасности окружающих.

Безопасность человеческой жизни следует рассматривать в аспекте психологии поведения человека. Сотрудников необходимо научить беспокоиться о себе, замечать слабые сигналы, работать правильно, работать в команде.

Если, просмотрев видео, Вы увидите, что Вашей команде необходимо улучшить и без того приемлемый уровень безопасности на рабочем месте, то пишите мне - я готов провести тренировочную (очно либо по сети) сессию для группы до 20 человек, чтобы развить среди персонала понимание проблемы остаточной безопасности и сформировать базисные навыки безопасного подхода в работе.

Churchill's Optimist and Pessimist in 3D

Today I saw the following picture posted by Laurens and could not help commenting :)

Source: Laurens Reinier Korporaal

Sir Winston Churchill was great and brilliant. Therefore the above is a great and brilliant example of rhetoric. My opinion, such a scaling into optimists and pessimists is good for verbal fencing. It is concise, sharp and thus staggering. Say, snappy. But yet it is good for nothing in real life mining the opportunities. Why? Because it is 2D, i.e. "flat", and I would suggest using at least 3D picture of the multidimensional reality and also start allowing for more valuable post factum experience.

People all are wide spectrum and involve dynamic character. Absolute optimism and pessimism are the extreme flanges (such as infra and ultra) of the disposition range. So instead of considering just the two poles: the pessimist and the optimist, I insist on the approach based on at least four poles, namely, the "unhappy" and "happy" optimists and pessimists. If the these are graded by their utility from the worst to the best the lay-out comes as follows:

1. An unhappy optimist = the one who sees the opportunity in every difficulty but every time cannot improve the former because of the scope of the latter. It does mean his/her perception of opportunities is absolutely slant and overly. This associate leads to danger.
2. An unhappy pessimist = the one who sees the same difficulty in every new opportunity. One day the pessimist realises his/her personal restrictions and becomes disturbed. This mate soon becomes a burden.
3. A happy optimist = the one that regularly seizes the opportunities and gets success now and then. This optimist is resourceful especially in the terms of time. Do not learn from him/her - you are wasting your time then. Join him/her.
4. A happy pessimist = the one who is good at finding the difficulty in every opportunity and due to his experience becomes invaluable critic of any project. Listen to him/her but be fast if he/she becomes slow.

I believe the concept should be well clear by now. Although, here is a control question: Why did I put the "happy" pessimist the last in the row?..

Alexey O. Chepok

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Commercial Operations of Water Transport

Starting from September 2012 cadets and students of Odessa National Maritime Academy have been privileged to attend academical disciplines lectured in English. I have also been involved in the process, though from the lecturers side, and launched Commercial Operations of Water Transport (COWT), i.e. the much updated version of Kommercheskaja Ekspluatacija Vodnogo Transporta (KEVT) in English.

COWT is a 108-hour course delivered to the 4th year cadets (students) of the Maritime Law Faculty. As COWT is a branch of Commercial Management it correlates with Maritime and Business Law, Shipbroking and Chartering, Maritime Insurance, Maritime Economics, Shipping Management and Logistics. The discipline studies and elaborates the interactions within the water transport, particularly those of the shipowners and the other actors in Shipping.

All the lectures are supported by the slide-shows. Here is an example of an abridged lecture:



In conclusion I would like to present the course outline:
Commercial aspects of shipping operations
World trade and shipping
Concept of parcel size distribution
Shipping as a transport system
Major sectors in shipping
International maritime passages and commerce
Port Agency services
Port charges and dues
Combined transportation
Foreign trade operations and contracts
Actors in the shipping business
International payment terms and settling practice
The international trade legal framework
International sales contract: structure and contents
Mercantile and shipping terms in international sales contracts
Incoterms
International freight market and its structure
Freight rate mechanism and indices
Chartering infrastructure and Brokage
Chartering routine
Broker-Customer relationship
Charter-party, Bill of Lading: role, types and functions
Carrier's liability as set in the international agreements
Contractual relations in Tramp Shipping
Contractual relations in Liner Shipping
Forms of competition in Liner Shipping
Contractual relations in combined shipping
Standard voyage charter-party forms
Common terms in the voyage charter in relation to ship
Common terms in the voyage charter in relation to cargo
Common terms in the voyage charter in relation to places of loading and delivery
Lay time, demurrage and despatch
Freight
Other terms and conditions in voyage charter-party
Lending and hiring ships on a time basis. Lessors and lessees
Time-Charter. Typical terms, clauses, standard forms
Bareboat-Charter. Typical terms, clauses, standard forms
Slot-Charter, Daily-Charter, Trip-Charter
Concept of insuring maritime risks
Insurance for shipowners and charterers
Insurance for cargo interests
Product and its quality in Shipping
Integrity and timely delivery of cargoes
Initial handling of cargo claims
Cargo care

Keep yourself refreshed!

A.O. Chepok

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Ports and ships as seen by Jane Bennett

Jane Bennett was a complete stranger to me until I struck on a painting of m/v Sirius Leader I sailed on ten years ago.

Sirius Leader (Jane Bennett)

Now, when I know Jane as a talented artist, I praise her featuring maritime topics on canvas. I have seen several successful examples of using industrial paintings as a means of decor for an office. Shipping related art is not uncommon, and here you are a good example of such a sort which I would consider on my walls :)

 
You can introduce yourself to the world of Jane Bennett starting from this link: http://www.artfiles.com.au/janebennett.

Finding shore jobs for seamen

LinkedIn recruiting scam - be cautious!

Beware of the identity theft/personal data collection scams alive within the LinkedIn space.

You may receive an invitation message from a profile allegedly connected with recruiting department of a renown company, presenting you the list of open positions and requesting your CV for further contemplation. Then in two steps you give away your personal data: 1) by connecting with the fake recruiter; 2) by sending CV, which may contain sensitive information (such as your postal address, e-mail, phone nos, connections, employment history, etc.).

The automated response you receive offers absolutely unbelievable salaries and conditions, enticing into further communications.

Distinctive features of the scam:
1) Simplistic profile of the recruiter
2) Public e-mail box (yahoo, gmail, etc)
3) Cliché text in the msg with the link to a wide list of open positions
4) Request for CV at the initial stage
5) Immediate automated response with fantastic prospects, not taking into account any of your specialities but the position title

This scam is potentially high risk for seamen as they specify lots of documents data and personal details in their CV's.

Seafarers Fatigue Film - Cardiff University

Seafaring as the job has changed during recent years drastically. Today it is omnipresent, more efficient and hi-tech. Same time - stressful and over-demanding. Workload and routine necessities are adding to each other to make it all risky and not healthy. But first of all, it is also NOT SAFE.

Seafarers Fatigue Film - by Cardiff University




One can leave his/her comments to the authors at  www.seafarersfatigue.com

Direct download link to Final Seafarers' Fatigue Project Report is here

Lifetime Career

Here you are a very positive video made by V.Ships, which shows various people and their individual goals that do exist besides the financial benefits to be extracted from the respective jobs. Their is stressed because I always saw my own career as a part of the industry and not vice versa.

I consider this video to have a very strong incentivizing effect and therefore worth viewing more than once.





In the interviews one could find out what the people strive for in their professional lives. For me Magnus Boateng has already carved it out as:
"Reason for me to come ashore I would to say I'd put on down to the desire to acquire knowledge."

Imagine Life is a game...

In a university commencement address at the Georgia Tech 172nd on Sept. 6, 1996, Brian Dyson, former CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, said:

"IMAGINE LIFE AS A GAME IN WHICH YOU ARE JUGGLING SOME FIVE BALLS IN THE AIR. You name them - Work, Family, Health, Friends and Spirit - and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that Work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back.

But the other four balls - Family, Health, Friends, and Spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.
You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.

In some internet sources one could find the 'full' text with the following guidance (attributed to Dyson but allegedly originating from the book "Suzanne's Diary to Nicholas" by James Patterson):

You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?
· Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.
· Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
· Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as they were your life, for without them, life is meaningless.
· Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.
· Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
· Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.
· Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
· Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find time. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
· Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.
· Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
· Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.
· Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.
· Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a gift: That's why we call it The Present."

I am not a great fan of great quotes and do not accept the guidance as the new testament, especially in savouring The Presence. However, if the Five Balls speech was actually restricted to the goal of 'balance' only, then I do more than applaud to Dyson for his depth of sight and shrewdness in not providing the recipe of keeping the balance. Everyone finds own.

Third officer’s common challenges onboard

1. Joining the ship
2. Watchkeeping
3. GMDSS
4. Navigation
5. Paperwork on Arrival/Departure
6. LSA/FFE
7. Training & records

In order to prepare himself for smooth and successful career start-up, prior his first joining a ship in a new management company, a 3/O can have readied himself with the help of the following milestones:

Joining the ship

• Reporting to Master, presenting own papers - papers ready
• Taking over from previous 3rd officer LSA/FFE, paperwork, etc. - list of questions ready, not to forget to check the computer folder, take access passwords for PC’s, files, planned maintenance program (PMS), etc.
• Bridge controls familiarisation, departure duties - control test, checklists, equipment controls, flags, lights, shapes
• Preparing departure Crew List and other departure papers - files on PC, number of copies required, new crew documents, make with off-signing 3/O if appropriate
• Standard familiarisation with the ship after the takeover - familiarisation booklet

Watchkeeping

• Regulations - to know by heart STCW on watchkeeping at Sea, STCW on watchkeeping in Port, Collision Regulations, Lights & Shapes
• Procedures - check-lists from Bridge Procedures Guide, arrival/departure bridge control tests
• Chartwork and daily logbook entries - what to log, how to log
• Equipment - most important Autopilot (Steering), Radar, VHF, Sat-C, AIS, GPS receiver, Echosounder

GMDSS

• GMDSS log entries - have templates
• Tests on GMDSS equipment - how to do and to log
• Emergency procedures - how to perform and record during drills

Navigation

• Correction books - ALRS, ATT, ALL
• Correction charts - Temporary and Preliminary, NAVAREA & Navtex
• Gyro Compass Error - how to calculate the error by stars, Sun, Polar
• AMVER or similar reports - how to compile, how to submit

Paperwork on Arrival/Departure

• Papers - Crew List, Health Declaration, Declaration of Security, Crew Effects declaration, Ship Stores declaration, etc., specifics in USA, EU
• Advanced notifications (electronic submissions) - procedures and interface for the USA, EU, Singapore, etc. prior arrival
• Ship’s Documents and certificates - knowledge of the documents
• Computer literacy - formatting and printing out in Word, Excel

LSA/FFE

• LSA/FFE characteristics and requirements - SOLAS III (equipment requirements), LSA Code
• LSA/FFE - application procedures, maintenance procedures
• SCABA - application procedures, maintenance procedures

Training and records

• Emergency drills records - knowledge of the emergency procedures and drill scenarious, logbook records as per SOLAS/CFR/National requirements
• Training - CBT/VideoTel, record keeping in training books

A.O. Chepok

This text is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

About Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

There is an opinion growing ever strong that the responsibility for training and for the maintenance of skills and the knowledge up-to-date lies with the individual seafarer.

"As part of continuing professional development (CPD) it is proposed to place the onus on individuals to ensure that they are competent in operating the equipment under their direction and provide the mechanism for them to achieve this." Harry Gale (Nautical Institute).

So what is the CPD? Here is what Wikipedia says on it.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) can be defined as the conscious updating of professional knowledge and the improvement of professional competence throughout a person's working life. It is a commitment to being professional, keeping up to date and continuously seeking to improve. It is the key to optimizing a person's career opportunities, both today and for the future (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2000)).

 CPD should be engaging, informative and progressive, embracing 'best practice' and easily digestible knowledge. It should neither be excessively demanding nor uninteresting. It should stimulate a desire to learn more about your profession and participate in it (The Association of Personal Assistants).

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development CPD should:

• be continuous - professionals should always be looking for ways to improve performance
• be the responsibility of the individual learner to own and manage
• be driven by the learning needs and development of the individual
• be evaluative rather than descriptive of what has taken place
• be an essential component of professional and personal life, never an optional extra