HLB Fleet Bulletin, 09.16
Dear Captain,
Shipping business lives on communication! Charter parties, ship’s purchase and sale
projects, loading and discharging, maintenance, inspections and so many more
is related on a professional communication. But communication is like a relationship.
Only a well organized relationship is strong enough to survive. A communication in the
wrong direction can cause fatal disasters. Even if communication is so important there
are several situations were communication should be handled with great care.
For example:
A HLB vessel in the port of Rotterdam received a new River Radar. A routine job
which never will influence any shipboard operation like discharging and loading. The
Master called his operator and told him about the Radar installation. The operator didn’t
know anything about navigation equipment and the use of but he informed his manager
and reported possible delays due to repair works on board of MV Santa Helena.
Finally the Charterer called to the ship owner and announced a possible off hire
for the vessel.
This created a lot of bad mood in the ship owner’s office.
What went wrong?
1. There was no need of reporting a service which not influences the cargo operation
to the vessels operator.
2. The communication was made on a different level of expertise.
How to avoid misunderstandings caused by communication to shore:
1. Never communicate items to persons on shore not involved in.
2. Never communicate internal matters to third parties without permission from
your DPA or Manager. (ISM rev.2 Chapter 3.6.1.4 Reporting)
3. Think twice before you communicate anything.
