Human Element in Shipping Committee

During the year, the Secretariat has collected input from various sources, such as the Regional Panels, the Vetting Committee, the IMO and others in order for the Committee to be able to determine its scope of work.

The INTERTANKO Council in November 2006 endorsed the Terms of References for the new Committee, and subsequently the new committee was given the name “Human Element in Shipping Committee - HEiSC. The Council also elected Mr. Amir Azizan from AET to become the Committee’s first Chairman.

The inaugural meeting of the Committee is in January 2007 in London. The Committee will undertake work in the following areas with a view to achieving its main aims as set out above:

• Identification and review of existing and ongoing industry initiatives, projects and efforts related to the role of the human element in shipping. Participation as appropriate, in such programmes.

• Development of measures that attract and retain people with the highest quality marine skills and competencies.

• Development of measures that advocate the role of the human element to enhance safe, secure and environmentally sound tanker transportation.

• Review of safety cultures onboard and ashore including differences regionally and/or nationally.

• Review of communication difficulties experienced - both written and spoken.

• Review of casualty analysis data, root causes (working environment, fatigue) and corrective actions.

• Development of appropriate training methods for / education of marine personnel, afloat and ashore.

• Review and verification of the experience levels and competency of seafarers, of their associated training.

• Development of measures that ensure consistent safe manning levels on tankers.

• Review of the ergonomics of machinery, outfit and equipment, and the options for the greater harmonisation of systems and controls.

• Provision of information on new regulatory developments in training and manning requirements.

• Representation of INTERTANKO at IMO and other international and industry fora to ensure proper participation in appropriate committees and groups developing legislation, regulation or guidelines related to the role of the human element in tanker operations and design.

• Promotion and protection of the welfare and interests of seafarers.

Through its work, the Committee will:

·    Develop measures to improve human compliance with current rules, regulations and procedures.

·    Provide useful, consistent and coherent (best practice) guidance for Members to effectively incorporate human element factors into their organisations, including tanker design and operations.

·    Establish a forum for Members to convey and share their experience of the human elements, with a focus on minimising the negative consequences of human errors.

·    Continuously monitor and assess where high risk areas associated with the human element and, in particular human error, are found in order to determine whether, and how, human element solutions can be applied.

The INTERTANKO Human Element in Shipping Committee consists of:

Committee Secretary: John Boreman - Marine Director