UNIT 3

Crew Recruitment and Planning.

Crew Change Procedure

Vocabulary
1. a pool of applicants загальна кількість претендентів
2. ETA Очікуваний час прибуття
3. HR (human resources) людські ресурси, кадри
4. To lead to labour shortages призвести до нестачі робочої сили
5. to meet organizational objectives відповідати організаційним цілям
6. sustain at good level підтримувати на гарному рівні
7. to adhere to the safe manning of the дотримуватися безпечного
vessel комплектування судна
8. retention rate коефіцієнт утримання
8. unavoidable termination неминуче припинення
9.virtue of в силу чогось
10. domicile місце проживання, юридична адреса
11. to take into consideration onboard брати до уваги процедуру передачі справ
seafarers’ overlap на борту
12. itinerary маршрут
13. quotation котирування, ціна, вартість; цитування
14. to embark сідати на судно
15. on- signer підписант( контракту)
16. off- signer списаний з судна
17. peculiarity особливість
18. to disembark сходити з судна
19. to strictly adhere суворо дотримуватися
20. management decision making прийняття управлінських рішень

Exercise 1. Read the text and answer the questions

Recruitment is the process of locating, identifying, and attracting qualified applicants for a
specific job. The result is a pool of applicants, from where the appropriate candidate can be
selected. Effective recruitment results in an organization hiring employees who are skilled,
experienced, and adaptable to the general corporate working culture.
Recruitment is almost central to any management process, and failure in recruitment can create
difficulties for any company, including an adverse effect on its profitability. In addition, it can lead
to labour shortages or problems in management decision making.

Crew Planning is the process of systematically reviewing Human Resource requirements

to ensure that the required numbers of the employees with the required skills are available when
and where they are needed. Human Resources planning aims to achieve the optimum use of HR
and to have the appropriate number and types of employees needed to meet organizational
objectives.
Management of shipping HR uses an efficiency factor for their activities’ planning and organization
with an important social dimension. First, it’s well known that without seafarers onboard, the
important contribution of shipping to the flow of international trade would not have been possible.
Thus, it is essential to make sure that they are qualified enough to do their work under optimal
working conditions and to keep them highly motivated. At the same time, crew efficiency is an
important factor in a vessel’s operational efficiency and profitability. Therefore, the challenge for
crew planners is to maximize and sustain at good level both aspects. This is not an easy task, given
the many uncertainties and peculiarities of the shipping industry. The main operational difficulty
is the duration of “crew employment,” which applies for short period of time. A month, few months,
or a year at maximum are normal durations of the employment contracts, which mainly depends
on the seafarer’s nationality and rank as well as in some cases on individuals’ preferences.
Upon the expiration of the contract, there is no commitment (or at least legal obligation) either for
the employee or for the employer to proceed with their professional relationship. Moreover, the
availability of personnel, which depends on uncertain factors like illness, holidays, and career
development does not allow for long-term planning.
In a Ship Management organization, organized crewing groups are in charge for the planning and
selection of crew members. Prior to appointing any seafarer to join a vessel, the following pre-
selection criteria must be examined:
• Legal requirements (flag state, national, ports called)
• Ship owner’s requirements
• Ship’s requirements
• Seafarers’ requirements

Legal requirements
The flag state issues a safe manning certificate for each vessel, in which it determines the number
and necessary qualification of crew. Apart from this, there may also be restrictions to the nationality
of crew, either from the flag state or from the ship owner’s country of residence. Furthermore,
certain ports called at during the voyage may have rather strict rules concerning visa and health
and/or vaccination certificates.

Ship owner’s requirements

The ship owner normally has preferences as to the nationality of crew to be employed on board his
vessels, which is very much correlated to what salary he is willing to pay.
Additionally, the ship owner may have minimum requirements regarding the previous experience
of officer ranks or the length of the officers’ onboard hand over period during a crew change.

Ship’s requirements
The crew has to be properly certified and experienced for different types of vessels, such as
container vessels, heavy lift vessels, tankers, or general cargo ships, to name just a few.
The type of engine and the specialized equipment on board have to be also considered while
examining the relevant working experience of a seafarer.
Seafarer’s requirements
Finally, the seafarer himself has requirements and preferences that cannot be neglected.
He certainly has some expectations when it comes to his salary and duration of contract.
He usually determines the date when he will be available for his next employment.
Finally, he also may have clear ideas about which vessels and/or owners’ pools he is willing to join
and which he will refuse.
It is of the utmost importance to strictly adhere to the safe manning of the vessel. Each position
must be filled with adequately qualified personnel either by a suitable employee out of the existing
crew pool, preferably crew who is already familiar with the vessel, or by a suitably qualified
applicant. In that respect, the effect of recognizing and rewarding loyalty towards the company
must also not be underestimated. It goes without saying that a crew management company will
always try to retain and re-employ the highest number of crew possible, as every lost crew member
is also a loss of time and money, which had been invested in him. This goal is mainly achieved by
offering attractive salaries and a satisfactory work environment, as well as by putting in place
training and career development plans. Sea going crew retention rate is usually calculated based on
the below formula:

Sea going crew retention rate is usually calculated based on the

below formula:
]%Retention Rate (RR)=
100- [(S-(UT+_BT)*100/AE]
Where:
RR = Retention Rate
S = Total Number of terminations from whatever cause (In effect, this means the total number
employees that have left the company for whatever reason)
UT = Unavoidable Terminations (e.g., retirements or long-term illness)
BT = Beneficial Terminations (e.g., sometimes those staff that do leave provide benefit to the
company by virtue of leaving, for example under performers)
AE = The average number of employees working for the company during the same period as
calculated (this should be any period of 12 months).

Crew Change Procedure

The Crew and Operation officer is in charge of all seafarers employed on vessels assigned to his
group, from the moment they leave their domicile to join a ship until they are safely back home.
Among his tasks is to supervise the process of crew change, taking into consideration the visa
requirements, travel arrangements, accommodation, and transfers, as well as onboard seafarers’
overlap and communication. Consequently, the Crew and Operation officer shall select a
‘convenient’ port for the crew change. At this point, it must be clearly understood that the term
‘convenient port’ nowadays does not necessarily describe a port where crew changes can be
affected safely and cheaply, but often describes ports where visa and immigration formalities can
be fulfilled swiftly and at reasonable costs. Therefore, while arranging a crew change, the following
main parameters have to be kept in mind:
• Visa and travel documentation
• Domestic travel
• International travel
• Information on travel itinerary
• Provision for rest before assuming duties
• Provision for overlap and familiarization
• Good and reliable initial response from local agent
Once the port is selected, the Crew and Operation officer informs the Master about the upcoming
crew change. The Master will provide the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)
and, in the meantime, discuss and agree on issues related to seafarers’ overlap and familiarization.
Then, the local agent is also informed about the planned crew change, who, in turn, provides the
expected date and time of the vessel’s berthing and the duration of stay in port. Consequently, the
Crew and Operation officer obtains flight quotations by the Travel Section (travel officer), which
he then checks for:
• Routing
• Connections
• Fare
• Type of airlines
Based on the above information, the Crew and Operation officer chooses the most economic
and convenient travel schedule. As soon as he received the relevant flight information, the Crew
and Operation officer informs the manning agent (who will inform the crew) or the crew (which is
employed directly) about the ticket numbers and place where tickets are to be collected. Thereafter,
he informs the vessel and local agent about all travel arrangements made. The port agent will
provide the necessary assistance to the seafarers up until the on-signing crew safely embark the
vessel and the off-signing crew safely depart from the nearest-to-the-port airport. Consequently, he
will collect all expenses related to the crew change and invoice them to the Crew Management
Company.

1.What is the purpose of the crew planning process.

2.How do you understand the term” Crew efficiency” and why is it considered to be the most
essential and important factor in international trade?
3.Which pre-selection criteria must be examined before appointing a seafarer to join a vessel?
4.Give the description of each of them.
5.Describe the procedure of the crew change arrangements.
6.What is meant under the phrase “convenient port” for crew change.
 Exercise 2. Find positive and negative effects of a recruitment process:

The result of a recruitment

Positive Negative
1. 1.
2. 2.
3.* 3.

Exercise 3. Find similar (synonymic) or opposite phrases to the following word combination
from the first Passage in the text. Choose from the following list:

To embark, the length of the period, to hire, termination, optimal working conditions, to sustain at
some level, to sign on, adequately qualified personnel, suitably qualified applicants, to offer
attractive salaries, relevant flight information, failure in recruitment, to be back home, the
availability of personnel, proceeding with the professional relationship, qualified enough seafarers,
employees with the required skills, profitability, to sign off.

Synonyms Antonyms
- to recruit
- labour shortage
- appropriate candidates
- operational efficiency
- expiration of the
contract
- to join the vessel
- satisfactory work
environment
- attracting qualified
applicants
- to retain the number of
smth
- the duration
- the reward loyalty
- to leave domicile
- flight quotations
Exercise 4. Look through the above text once again and complete the sentences with the
nessesary modal verb( can(not), must(not),have to, be to) + Passive form of the following
verbs – to consider, to examine, to fill, to certify, to understand, to select, to keep, to neglect, to
collect, to underestimate, to effect, to experience.

1.The type of engine and the specialised equipment on board …. .. .. …… while examining the
relevant working experience of the seafarer.
2. Prior to appointing any seafarer to join the vessel, a number of pre-selection criteria …. .. …… .
3. Each position on a vessel …. .. …… with adequately qualified personnel .
4. One of the recruitment result is a pool of applicants, from where the appropriate
candidate … .. ….. .
5. It …. .. clearly …….. that the term „convenient port“ nowadays does not necessarily describe
a port where crew changes …. .. …… safely and cheaply.
6. The crew …. … .. properly …….. and ……… for different types of vessels.
7. The effect of recognizing and rewarding loyalty towards the company …. … .. ……. .
8. The Travelling Officer informs the manning agent or the crewmember about the ticket number
and place where tickets … .. .. ….. .
9. The seafarer himself has requirements and preferences that … … .. …… .
10. While arraging a crew change, a number of main parameters .... .. .. …. in mind.

Exercise 5. Translate the following sentences into ENGLISH language

1.Планування екіпажу- це процес систематичного перегляду вимог до людського ресурсу,

який забезпечує наявність необхідноï кількості працівників з відповідними навичками.
2. Основною експлуатаційною складністю є тривалість «зайнятості» екіпажу, яка діє на
короткий проміжок часу.
3. Після закінчення терміну діï контракту ні для працівників ні для работадавця не виникає
забов҆ язань продовжувати свої професійні відносини.
4.Держава прапора видає сертифікат безпечного укомплектування екіпажем для кожного
судна, в яких визначається кількість і необхідна кваліфікація екіпажу.
5. Також можуть існувати обмеження щодо національності екіпажу, як від держави прапору
так і від краïни проживання власника судна.
6. Для утримання якомога більшоï кількості екіпажу, кожна компанія пропонує привабливі
зарплати і задовільне робоче середовище, а також впроваджує плани навчання та розвитку
кар҆ єри.
 Part 2
Writing e-mails
Discussing and agreeing terms.
Job application

Exercise 1. Look at the words and phrases in italics. In each case two are natural, but one is
not. Cross out the word or phrase that is not natural. The symbol “-“means no word.
1. What time would be convenient for/be convenient/suit you?
2. Are you free sometime/anytime/one-time next week?
3. Could we meet on/-/at Thursday during/on/in the afternoon? Perhaps on/-/at 3 pm?
4. Yes, I think I shall/should/would be able to make next Friday morning.
5. I’ll email/return to/get back to you later today to confirm it.
6. I’m out of the office for/until/till 2pm on that day. Any time after that could be/is/would be
fine.
7. I’m afraid I ‘m busy/occupied/tied up all day next Tuesday.
8. Pardon me/Sorry/I am afraid I can’t make/control/manage it on that day.
9. Sorry, I’ve already got an arrangement/an appointment/a promise on that day.
10. What if/What about/How about Wednesday instead/in place of/as an alternative?
11. Would you mind/matter/object if we put the meeting back/off/away to the following week?
12. I am very sorry/regret again/apologise again for any inconvenience caused.
13. I look forward to see/seeing/speaking to you next week.
14. Give me a call/telephone/ring if you have any problems.
15. Give my regards/best wishes/compliments to Herr Schremp.

Exercise 2. Complete the sequence of emails by writing one word in each gap. Several
answers may be possible.
Gunter – we need to meet to discuss the budget for next year. Could we
meet……………………………Friday…………………..the morning? Let me know if that
would be……………………..for you. I hope everyone in the Berlin office is well. Give
my………………..to Kristina and Alex.
Bw, Susanna.

Susanna, I am……………………………..I can’t …………………………………………it next

Friday – I am…………………….all day………………………………….about Monday
12th ……………………………? I should be…………………………to make a morning meeting,
otherwise any time after 4 p.m.………………………………..be fine.
Hope that’s OK, Gunter.
 Gunter, yes – Monday morning is good for me too. Shall we say 9.30? I look forward
to…………………………………………………you then. Give me a…………………if you
have………………….problems.
Susanna.

Exercise 3. Match the beginnings and endings of the phrases below.

1. Are we still okay a) finalize arrangements today

2.Can we reschedule for b) for Tuesday?

3. I’ll circulate c) has come up.

4. I need to d) the agenda in the next few days.

5. Let me know if you e) the following week?

6. Something urgent f) want to make any changes.

Exercise 4. Put the complete phrases from exercise 3 into the three emails below.

Charles – Henri…………………………? Please get back to me this morning if

possible as…………………………………….
Natalia.

Natalia, I’m sorry to ask this at such short notice,

but………………………………………………………………….? Perhaps
Wednesday 24th? I do apologise, but……………………………………. I hope it won’t
inconvenience you too much.
Charles – Henri

Okay, let’s make it Wednesday

24th. ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Please………………………………………………………………………………
Natalia.

Exercise 5. Put the parts below into the correct order to make a complete email for someone
applying for a job.
(a) the summer programme where I worked last year. I am available for interview in
Naples any weekday afternoon, and you can email

(b) as a Word document. You will notice that I have supervised children on a range of
sports and cultural activities as well as dealing

(c) Dear Sir/Madam// With reference to your advertisement on the JobFinders.com

website, I am interested in applying

(d) As I enjoy working with young people. I have a lot of energy and enthusiasm and
am also responsible and reliable. I have attached my CV

(e) First Certificate grade A. I would be grateful if you would consider my application.
You will see

(f) the travel industry. During the last few summer holidays I have

(g) for the post of tour leader for Italian school students. I am 26 years old and am
currently studying

(h) me or telephone me on the number below. I look forward to hearing from you
soon. Yours faithfully

(i) for diploma in Tourism at Naples University. After that I hope to follow a career in

(j) in the job of tour leader, taking students to London. I feel that I would be well-
suited for this job

(k) to do something more varied and challenging, and for this reason I am interested

(l) with transport arrangements and tickets. You will also notice that my English is
good and I have

(m) from my attached CV that two people can be contacted as references, one is
a university professor and the other is from

(n) worked as youth leader in Italy, and I enjoyed the work very much. Next summer I
would like
1….., 2……,
3……,4…….,5…..,6……,7……,8……,9……,10…….,11…….,12…….,13……,14……

Part 3
Telephoning
Ex. What advice would you give to someone to help them telephone successfully?
Work with a partner to make a list of tips. Then read the article and discuss the questions.

Successful telephoning

Phone calls can often be challenging in your own language, but when you're speaking a
foreign language, they are even more difficult. There's no body language to help you, the
audio quality is not always perfect, and there is more time pressure than in a face-to-face
conversation. Below are some tips to make telephoning in English less stressful.

1. If you have to make a difficult phone call, spend a few minutes preparing first. Think
about what you want from the phone call. What might the other person say? Make notes
of English phrases you can use during the call.

2. Try to relax. Make sure you have enough time for the call, and don't hurry. It's better
to have a successful ten-minute call than an unsuccessful five-minute call.

3. Sometimes receiving an unexpected call can be very stressful. To give yourself some
time to prepare for the call, you might want to tell a 'white lie' (I'm sorry, I'm actually in
a meeting right now. Can I call you back in ten minutes?) and call back when you fee l
more confident.

4. It's important to make a little small talk with the other person before you talk business,
but don't spend too long chatting. Get to the point of the call quickly. If you're talking to
a native English speaker, OVER TO YOU listen for words like well, so, and anyway -
these are signals that it's time to talk business.

5. Speak more slowly and at a lower pitch than you would during a face-to-face
conversation. It makes you sound confident, helps the other person to understand you,
and calms you down if you are nervous.

6. Don't be afraid to ask a caller to repeat something (I'm sorry, I still didn't catch that.
Could you say it again more slowly?). It's better for the caller to a piece of information
five times than for ~ 0 write down the wrong information.
 7. Smile! Although it sounds strange. the other person can hear if you are smiling - it
makes your voice sound friendlier.

1) Do you need to prepare for the difficult phone call? In what way?
2) Is it acceptable to use a white lie? Why/Why not?
3) What is important to do before talking business?
4) What are the words that hint you about time to talk to business?
5) What will make you sound confident?
6) Can you ask a caller to repeat? How?
7) What do you need to do to make your voice sound friendlier?
8) Do you need to be relaxed while speaking?
Ex. Complete these extracts from a telephone conversation with words from the box.

•And your name was • Did you say • Let me just read that back to you • So that's •
Sorry, was that • To Poland

Iwona Well, first of all, how long would it take to ship a consignment to Poland?
George ______________________________________________? I would say between a week
and ten days by sea. We could also send a shipment via air freight, but that would naturally be
more expensive.
Iwona _________________________________________a week to ten days?
George Yes, that's right.
Iwona So that's 58 for Gdansk, then 61 3453.
George _______________________________________________________3 3453 or 2453?
Iwona It's 34 53.
George Right. _______________ . It's 00 48 5861 3453.
Iwona Yes, that's right.
George Great. ________________ Iwona ... ?
Iwona Jakubik. That's spelt J-A-K-U-8-I-K.
George ______________________________________________ Iwona Jakubik.
J-A-K-U-8-I-K. Got